Thanks SO much for 56 reviews! OMG! I never thought I'd get that many! Keep reviewing I love all the support! I hope you enjoy this chapter, I don't own warriors and please...don't kill me for the ending cliffhanger :P
Chapter Eight
Snowkit wills his legs to push on he can hear Waterwish and Sandypaw yowling his name behind him and the sound of a commanding voice ringing out of RiverClan's camp.
"Suncloud, Moonpebble, Aspenfur, and Mosspaw find that ThunderClan kit!" That must be their leader speaking...Snowkit wracks his brain trying to remember the name of RiverClan's leader, he's sure he's heard it somewhere. Dewstar! The name pops into his head as Snowkit jumps over a large patch of reeds that are being pulled from the riverbank by a blackish gray she-cat and a much smaller brown tom. A loud noise of what seems like a Monster thunders behind him and for a moment Snowkit thinks he's on the Thunder-path then he recognizes the voice of Mosspaw. A young RiverClan apprentice,
"There he is!" shes yowling. Snowkit turns sharply to the right ducking under a holly bush just out of sight. He watches as the patrol races past, not daring to breath.
Once he's sure the patrol is gone he creeps out from under the bush, tasting the air trying to pick up the scents of Redpaw or Lightkit. Where could they have gone? He wonders, looking around. No cats are in sight and he can't pick up even the faintest scent of his brother or denmate. Though the stale scent of fox wafts over his tongue, Snowkit stiffens. He's had a run in with a fox before and isn't interested in seeing one again. Even if the scent is stale, he doesn't want to take any chances. Shaking out his white coat Snowkit pads in the direction the patrol had gone, pricking his ears for the slight sound of the patrol.
"Where are they?" Snowkit grumbles aloud digging his claws into the soft grassy ground, slightly annoyed but also slightly scared for Redpaw and Lightkit. Are they together? he wonders, last he had seen Redpaw he had been taking Thornkit out of ThunderClan's camp at the start of the fire but its quite possible he took Lightkit from Sorrelpaw, gave her Thornkit and they both got lost. Snowkit hopes that's the truth because he's sure Lightkit couldn't survive in RiverClan territory being only fourteen sunrises old. Not to mention ThunderClan's territory, what if she got stuck under a tree that fell or caught in fire? Snowkit's heart begins to race for both his brother and Lightkit, he quickens his pace scanning the marshy ground for any signs of the missing cats. "REDPAW!" he calls his brothers name, almost one hundred percent sure he won't get an answer. To his surprise Redpaw calls back,
"Snowkit!" his voice sounds strained but relieved. Snowkit races towards his brothers voice, Redpaw is clinging to the soft bark of an oak hanging down into the water. His legs are stretched out in front of him, slapping the water as he struggles to pull himself onto the tree branch and to safety.
"Redpaw!" Snowkit rushes towards his brother, leaping onto the oak. Using his tail to balance he's aware of the churning black water below him but also of his brothers desperate need to get out of the river. "Grab my paw" he orders reaching his paw out so his just barely clinging onto the oaks soft bark. Redpaw wrinkles his nose as though doubting his brother will be able to pull him to safety. I have to! Snowkit thinks sending a silent plea to StarClan, finally Redpaw clenches his jaws and reaches for his brothers forepaw. Snowkit uses all his strength to try and haul his brother onto the branch, finally after much groaning and three failed attempts Redpaw rests beside his brother on the bent branch.
"Thanks," Redpaw gasps his chest heaving. Snowkit just nods to relieved to speak, I saved Redpaw! He thinks happily but then another thought creeps into his mind.
"Lightkit! Where is she?" he asks, hoping Redpaw will say. 'I got her to safety, she's just at the bank' But of course his brothers face falls.
"She...she...slipped from the branch...I...couldn't save her!" he stutters. Snowkit's green eyes widen and his heart sinks.
"So she...she's down stream?" he mumbles, Redpaw nods sadness glittering in his green eyes.
"And the stream falls to the gorge..." he whispers softly. Snowkit's green eyes widen and without even thinking he launches himself into the churning black water.
"SNOWKIT! NO!" Redpaw yowls but Snowkit barely hears him, as his head submerges and he struggles to raise his head to the surface. Gasping for air, how do RiverClan cats do this? Snowkit wonders,
"ITS LIKE WALKING! WALKING THROUGH WATER!" Snowkit turns, Frostkit is racing along side the bank. A drenched Redpaw and unhappy looking Sorrelpaw behind her. Snowkit tries to move his paws but they feel like stones, to heavy to walk, let alone swim with. Snowkit's ears fill with thunder and he turns his head, in front of him the water seems to fall towards the edge of the earth. The gorge! Snowkit thinks in dismay, just then a tan head bursts from the water in front of him.
"Lightkit!" Snowkit screeches though the little kit doesn't hear him, he strains to reach for her grasping her tail just as they both plummet down, down, down, down into the churning black waters of the gorge below.