Chapter XIX

It started raining, as usual, the next day. But as Cinderpaw hurried across the camp in the rain to visit Smokekit, she knew it was different. I don't know, but I feel that this rain is different. She thought, raising her head to look at the sky.

What is wrong with leaf-bare? Cinderpaw thought, annoyed. Still, she padded towards the nursery as quick as she could, her fur slick and wet. Dawnbreeze and her kits were eating outside, so there was only the five older ones inside. "Hello, Cinderpaw!" Snowhaze lifted her head to look at the apprentice, looking relieved. "Thank goodness you're here! I need extra help to take care of these kits right now. My, are they growing quickly."

The queen huffed and tutted as she got to her paws, Cinderpaw standing quietly amused next to the tunnel. Falconkit snuffled in her sleep, nudging her brother. Smokekit slept on though, and Mintkit scrabbled at the moss she was lying on.

What a bunch. Cinderpaw thought with an amused glint in her eyes. "Now, Cinderpaw, you'll stay here with the kits and I'll go grab a piece of prey and share tongues." Snowhaze tunneled up to the forest ground, and Cinderpaw was left with the kits.

#-#-#

"Hey, Smallkit!" Leafkit pulled at Smokekit's ear. He rolled over, not wanting to wake up. "Leafkit!" Smokekit shot up, annoyed. "Ooh, Tinykit's annoyed." Falconkit sneered, pushing Smokekit hard.

"Don't call me Tinykit! And I didn't want to wake up!" Smokekit protested, shoving his sister back. "Ow! Cinderpaw! Cinderpaw! Smokekit hit me!" Falconkit yelped and with both hope and horror, Smokekit gazed at Cinderpaw. The seven-moon old apprentice looked at Falconkit with her green eyes,

"Did you hit Smokekit first?" She meowed in a steely tone. Then, seeing the conflicting look on Falconkit's face, she added, "I saw you call him Tinykit, and push him hard."

"Sorry." Falconkit muttered, not looking into Smokekit's eyes. But sorry was no use; they would only tease him again, Smokekit knew. "Now I am going to leave and find your mother, and you are going to stay here and be quiet." Cinderpaw ordered, then disappeared up the tunnel.

Smokekit felt a kit-sharp claw skim down his flank. "Hey!" He snapped, reaching behind him. His sister Breezekit stood behind him, her claws unsheathed. "What are you doing?" He asked in an angry voice.

Breezekit had a smug look on her face. "I dare you to fight back." Then, "Aw, poor Tinykit can't even fight back! How can he become a warrior?" She mimicked Snowhaze's voice.

"Shut up!" Smokekit yowled as loudly as he could. Tears sprang into his eyes, because he knew they would all see him as weak and nothing.

You're not weak. Don't listen to any of them. Cinderpaw's words…

"I'm not going to listen to you because I believe in myself!" Smokekit flopped down onto the moss nest.

He was just about to flatten his ears in case his sisters started teasing again, but instead a raucous noise made by three cats flew into the dirt walls of the burrow. Mintkit and Leafkit shrank back into the wall, clearly frightened. Breezekit seemed to want to hold her ground, but her stare weakened and she joined her sisters. Falconkit was shrinking behind Breezekit, her eyes looking like wide amber moons.

And Smokekit, he lay right there, looking at the three cats - two warriors and one deputy - with just the tiniest hint of surprise in his grass-green eyes. Hawkeyes was the first to speak. "Where's your mother?" He asked briskly. "Sh-she went outside." Leafkit managed to mew.

Why were they so scared? You might ask. Well, that was because each and every kit knew, from the looks on the three full-grown cats' faces, that this was serious. And very serious indeed.

"Now kits, I know this is a lot for you to take in, but the Clans- " Feathersky took a deep breath. "Are under an attack. The rains have filled the lake to its brim and it is in danger of overflowing. There will be a flood." She meowed with sadness and fear.

"What?" Breezekit arched her back, her neck fur standing up. Mintkit let out a pitiful whine and Falconkit took a step back, horror evident in her eyes.

~Before the announcement of the flood~

Rosestar was sitting right in front of her den's entrance, watching Cinderpaw scurry towards the nursery. She sighed loudly and moved towards her nest, her mind a mess. Who was the special kit? "Why does StarClan always make things so complicated?" She complained out loud.

"Rosestar?" There was a sound of pawsteps pattering outside. The leader peeked outside, seeing Swallowpath. "What is it?" She inquired, stepping outside and balancing on a ledge of rocks, like her deputy.

"We heard on the morning patrol, from Brightstar, that the leaders will have a meeting at the Island." Swallowpath meowed matter-of-factly with a "I don't really know about this" shrug. Rosestar heaved herself up and half-slid down the stones.

"I want Leafstripe and Cloudfall to come with me." She ordered Swallowpath and she dashed off to find the two warriors mentioned. Not a heartbeat sooner, the deputy came back with the two most senior warriors.

The three cats quickly headed towards the Island, Rosestar's heart beating so loudly it was like it was suspended in the air, in front of her. What could possibly be going on? Didn't we agree at first that unless it is of the utmost importance, we should not hold meetings like this?

Finally arriving at the tree-bridge that led to the Island, Rosestar stopped. "Stay here." She told her warriors, and she headed alone across the bridge and onto the Island. When she arrived, all the leaders were waiting, their eyes watching her as she sat.

Ravenstar spoke first. "As you know, our territory borders most of the lake. And recently, with the heavy rains, our patrols have noticed the water level getting higher." Rosestar sucked in her breath. This was what she had feared. Bad news.

A/N: Hello my dear readers! Good news and bad news coming your way. (like Rosestar just said lol)

Me: So let's have the Divided cats tell us what's the news!

Smokekit: The good news is that- *gets his tail pulled by Leafkit and yowls in pain*

Cinderpaw: The good news is that this chapter is gloriously long!

Smokekit: And the story is coming to an end! Don't worry, this is a trilogy after all so the sequel is coming soon!

Me: And now the bad news.

Swallowpath: The bad news is that there were no reviews for last chapter!

Rosestar: Also, the story quickly sank to the bottom of the Warriors Archive just a day after Kay posted the last chapter.

Swallowpath: NUUUUUUUUUUUUUP

So, that's the good news and bad news - brought to you by Smokekit, Cinderpaw, Swallowpath and Rosestar.

Leafkit: AND ME! Remember, I pulled Smokekit's tail!

Me: And Leafkit, I suppose.

Kay signing out~~!