A/N: To my reviewers!

Snowcrystal: Thank you for the suggestions!

Sierra: I'm glad you liked his little appearance! I know the time line is a little wonky, but I've always loved Redtail and loathed how little attention he got in the books. I wish he hadn't died. ;-; also thank you for the suggestions!


Chapter 6

Shiverpaw woke rather abruptly, sneezing and shaking the water from her nose. It took her a number of heartbeats to realize—the den was flooding.

"Stonepaw!" She gasped, "Mistypaw, wake up!"

Silverpaw let out a squeak as she staggered to her paws, shaking the water from her ears, while Sorrelpaw growled indignantly and shoved a groggy Mistypaw to her feet. Before they could do much more than stand up, Oakheart thrust his head into the apprentices' den.

"The camp is flooding," his voice was brisk and authoritative despite the concern flickering in his eyes. "We must move to higher ground, quickly." With that he was gone, leaving Shiverpaw to get herded out ahead of Stonepaw.

"What can we do to help?" Silverpaw's tail was fluffed to twice its normal size.

"Nothing," Bluefur was beside them in an instant. She gave Silverpaw a rough nudge. "Follow Graypool to higher ground and wait for further orders."

Shiverpaw felt as if her paws were glued to the pebbly ground. Rain was falling heavily again, and the water was rising at a frightening speed. Already the water was seeping into her belly fur.

"Come on," Mistypaw's tail swept down her flank. "It looks like Duskfall is trying to keep count, we should hurry so they don't think we're missing."

"R-right," Shiverpaw stammered. She splashed after her littermates through the reeds and up the hill. Most of the Clan was already Gathered, and Whiteclaw came to her side almost as soon as he caught sight of her.

"Whiteclaw," she leaned on the young warrior, feeling relief wash through her as he touched his nose to the tip of her ear. "Is every cat okay?"

"As far as we know," he rumbled softly. "Loudbelly and I just got the elders up here, and I'm pretty sure I've seen Sedgenose with Bluefur."

"And the kits?" Anxiety settled in Shiverpaw's stomach like a stone when Whiteclaw hesitated. "Were they with Sedgenose and Bluefur?"

"They were," Whiteclaw's green eyes narrowed as he scanned the familiar pelts of their Clan-mates. "But I can't see them now…"

"Cats of RiverClan, are we all here?" Crookedstar's tabby fur was matted with muddy water.

"Every cat was counted," Duskfall reported quickly.

"Good," Crookedstar beckoned Oakheart forward. "We couldn't save the fresh-kill. I want two hunting patrols sent out. You take a border patrol all the way around our territory, assess the flood damage and report back by sunset."

As Oakheart nodded and moved to the center of the clearing to assign patrols, Whiteclaw touched his muzzle to Shiverpaw's thin shoulder. "Want to hunt together?"

"Sure," Shiverpaw agreed warmly. "I'll have to ask Graypool."

"Of course," Whiteclaw let her lead the way through their ruffled Clan-mates as they circled around Oakheart.

"Leopardfur, Sorrelpaw, and Silverpaw, I want you on my patrol," the red-furred deputy was meowing. "Graypool and Rainclaw, I'd like you to head the hunting patrols. I'll let you choose who to take, just be sure that there's at least one warrior left to guard the camp."

Graypool turned immediately to Shiverpaw. "Oh," amusement flickered in her eyes when she saw Whiteclaw hovering at her side. "Well I guess we only need one more." She flicked her ears to beckon a cat behind Shiverpaw. "Bluefur, are you coming?"

"Yes," Shiverpaw's mother joined them quickly. "Let's get going."

Graypool took the lead out into the grassy fields that made up the rest of their territory. She paused when they were far enough from their make-shift camp to find prey. "Alright, Shiverpaw, tell me what you can smell."

The small she-cat moved to the front of the patrol obediently, lifting her head and parting her jaws to take in a deep breath. "There's prey-scent," she answered softly. "It's faint, but we should be able to find a couple of mice in the tall grass just over there."

"Then get to it," Graypool snorted. "I'm going ahead to that patch of bushes."

"Yes, Graypool," Shiverpaw focused her sight on the clump of tall grass, watching it carefully until she was certain that it was moving not because of wind or rain, but because of the mice hiding within. She crept forward slowly, and only once she was certain she wouldn't miss, the gray-and-white apprentice pounced. She landed squarely on top of the first mouse, killing it instantly with a blow to the neck. A flash of dark brown fur and a satisfied purr let her know that Whiteclaw had dispatched the second before it'd had a chance to flee.

"Great catch," she purred around the warm fresh-kill in her jaws.

Whiteclaw's eyes shone. "Same to you," he brushed his tail down her flank. "Why don't we go ahead and bring these back to Sedgenose?"

Can he… Shiverpaw felt her paws tingle. Can he tell how worried I am about her and the kits? "Okay."

They were nearly back to the sheltered copse when Shiverpaw stopped. Whiteclaw went on a few paces before turning back, his head cocked curiously to the side.

"Kits." Shiverpaw dropped her mouse and inhaled deeply. There was no way she was wrong—she would have recognized their scent anywhere. "Ravenkit and Maplekit…" She brushed her cheek along a trailing frond of bracken. "Stripedkit, too. They've…"

A hollow wail cut her off. "My kits are gone…!"

"Let's go." Whiteclaw snatched up Shiverpaw's mouse as the apprentice charged past, racing into the temporary camp and to Sedgenose's ,

"What's going on?" Falconheart, who had been left to guard the camp, hurried to them with bristling fur.

"My kits," Sedgenose fretted. "They're gone! They were sleeping in that clump of sedge and I just… I went to wake them and all three of them…"

Whiteclaw dropped the mice. "Shiverpaw just scented them," he offered quickly, his voice low and soothing. "They were going up into the grassland."

Shiverpaw nodded, pressing her thin frame against the queen's flank. "We'll find them, don't worry. I'll track them right now." Without waiting to see if Whiteclaw was following, Shiverpaw turned and hared back up to where she'd scented the kits.

"Should we find Graypool and Bluefur?" Whiteclaw trotted a small circle around the apprentice.

"We must find the kits first," Shiverpaw murmured. Her ears pricked when she caught their scent again, and she set off at a steady, determined pace. "The rain won't ease up any time soon, and…" Her voice died in her throat as the trail veered abruptly to the side.

"…and they're heading towards the river," Whiteclaw finished, his tail bristling. "We've got to hurry."

Side by side, they hurtled towards the flooded river. Please be okay, Shiverpaw begged the three kits silently. Please, StarClan, she added, please let them be okay!

They exploded out of the reeds and into the shallow, murky water. Panic immediately seized Shiverpaw's limbs. The water is still rising?!

"Can you smell them?" Whiteclaw splashed a little deeper, scanning the churning water for any sign of them.

"No," Shiverpaw paced through the shallows, trying vainly to pick up the kits' scents. "No, I've lost it."

"Let's head downstream," Whiteclaw suggested, coming to Shiverpaw's side. "Maybe they wanted to go back to the camp."

Shiverpaw nodded and backed up to dryer ground. Whiteclaw took the lead, glancing back over his shoulder every few paces to check on Shiverpaw. They weren't from the camp when unfamiliar yowls reached their ears. Exchanging an alarmed glance, they rushed forward, freezing in their tracks at the sight that greeted them when they stood on the bank opposite of Sunningrocks. Loudbelly and Mistypaw were in front of them, their tails lashing and teeth bared. Across the expanse of furious water was a patrol of ThunderClan warriors, crouched calmly on the bank as they watched a small raft of reeds and moss bump against the mostly submerged stones of Sunningrocks.

On the raft—which looked like a nest from the apprentices' den, were two of Sedgenose's kits. The other, Shiverpaw realized with a jolt of horror, was trying vainly to pull itself onto the opposite shore.

"Stripedkit!" Shiverpaw lunged into the water, hissing and spitting furiously when Whiteclaw tugged her back by the scruff of her neck.

"Wait!" Loudbelly helped, shouldering Shiverpaw back. "Brambleberry and Mudfur are already working on it—we can't risk any more lives."

"We can't risk their lives!" Shiverpaw snapped back.

"The nest came loose!" Mistypaw's panicked gasp drew every cat's attention. For the first time, Shiverpaw caught sight of Brambleberry, her white fur stained brown by the water as she paddled vainly against the current. She had the edge of the nest gripped in her jaws, pushing it in front of her as she tried to maneuver back to RiverClan's territory.

"That's right!" A big tabby—Shiverpaw recognized ThunderClan's deputy, Thistleclaw, sneered. "Get those filthy trespassers back into your territory before we have to teach them a lesson!"

"They're kits!" Loudbelly snarled back. "The warrior code says that any kit is to be protected, regardless of its Clan!"

"I don't see any kit," a silver and black apprentice called Darkpaw jeered in response, pushing a pawful of sand over the bank and onto Stripedkit's head. "Just a scrap of flood debris."

Laughter rippled from the ThunderClan patrol, sending white-hot fury rippling through Shiverpaw's veins. "I won't just watch…!" She splashed along the shallows, keeping pace with Brambleberry as the medicine cat struggled to push the raft and keep her head above the water.

Mudfur, Shiverpaw realized, was already swimming out to meet his mentor. Taking a deep breath and steeling her resolve, Shiverpaw plunged into the current. For one agonizing heartbeat, she thought that it would be too strong. Then she heard a pitiful squeal from the opposite bank and forced her paws to work harder. I can't let them hurt Stripedkit!

"Shiverpaw, no!" Whiteclaw's voice only spurred her forward. She was surprised, however, when she felt a shoulder bump her own.

"Whiteclaw?" She gasped, coughing as muddy water splashed into her mouth.

"Not quite," Mudfur growled. Shiverpaw remembered rather suddenly that Mudfur was once a warrior—one that once won back Sunningrocks on his own. "Close your mouth and keep swimming. Grab the kit as soon as you're close enough, I've got your back."

Thistleclaw hissed as they approached his side of the river. "Touch this bank and you're crow-food!"

Shiverpaw ignored their threats and taunts, ducking her head and snatching Stripedkit's scruff just as he lost his grip and went under. She felt claws rake across her ears as she came back up, Stripedkit's limp body in her jaws.

The current was stronger there, where it had broken away the land behind Sunningrocks. Shiverpaw started to lose sight of the shore—all she could see was murky brown water.

Relief washed over her when her paws brushed ground, and she staggered wearily onto the shore.

"Shiverpaw, no, you're still on ThunderClan's side!" Mistypaw was across the river from her, yowling desperately. "You have to make it back, the patrol is heading towards you! Swim, minnow-brain!"

"This is the end of you," Thistleclaw lunged out of the undergrowth with his claws unsheathed and teeth bared. Shiverpaw was ready to protect Stripedkit with the little strength left in her body, shielding him beneath her belly and closing her eyes as she braced herself. She was surprised when his claws never touched her. She blinked, her blurry vision coming to focus on mottled dark tortoiseshell fur.

"Sunstar wants you to meet him by the Thunderpath," the new arrival spoke clearly and calmly, despite the anxious twitch of his tail-tip as he faced his Clan's deputy.

"Move, Redpaw," Thistleclaw spat as the rest of his patrol joined him. "No good comes from being soft-hearted. These cats are trespassing, so we must punish them."

Mudfur splashed out of the water beside them. Without a word he snatched Stripedkit and nudged Shiverpaw to her paws. Redpaw didn't move from in front of them.

"They obviously aren't stealing prey," the apprentice mewed pointedly. "And the warrior code-"

"Move!" Darkpaw launched himself at the slightly larger apprentice, and Thistleclaw threw himself at Mudfur. Like lightning, Shiverpaw dodged in front of her retreating Clan-mate, fire erupting across her neck as Thistleclaw's blow landed. She lashed back with a furious hiss and dove quickly away before Thistleclaw could retaliate. Fear and pain gave her paws new strength, and energy enough for her to make it back to RiverClan's side of the flood.

"Shiverpaw!" Whiteclaw rushed to her side, nosing her from ears to tail-tip. "You're injured...!"

"The kits," Shiverpaw croaked. "Are they okay? And Brambleberry?"

"I…" Whiteclaw glanced at Loudbelly, who was sheltering Ravenkit and Maplekit between his wide front paws. Brambleberry lay not far from them, her chest rising and falling weakly as she coughed. "The kits seem to be okay."

"We have to get back to camp," Mudfur's voice was hoarse and distant. "Loudbelly, help me carry Brambleberry, everyone else get a kit. Shiverpaw immediately scooped Stripedkit from the apprentice medicine cat. She glanced at Mistypaw, who was still staring across the river after the retreating ThunderClan warriors.

"Mistypaw, can you get Ravenkit?" Whiteclaw nudged the trembling black she-kit towards Mistypaw. The blue-furred apprentice started, then nodded absent-mindedly.

"S-sure." She picked up Ravenkit gingerly and fell in step beside Shiverpaw as they trudged back to camp.

Crookedstar was already speaking to Mudfur when they arrived, his tail lashing and eyes narrowed furiously.

"My kits!" Sedgenose was on the petrified kits as soon as they were deposited, licking them roughly while a purr shook her entire frame.

"We were going back to see if we could salvage any herbs," Mudfur was explaining as he looked over Brambleberry, checking her for chills. "When we saw these kits floating away on the remains of the nursery."

"We wanted to help," Maplekit squeaked miserably.

"Hush," Sedgenose snapped. "You've done quite enough."

Mudfur continued, "Brambleberry immediately dove in after them, but something gave upstream and the current got stronger, knocking the raft into Sunningrocks and breaking it apart. I started after her to help right as Loudbelly and Mistypaw got there—and a ThunderClan patrol. Thistleclaw was at the head of it; he told us that any cat that set foot on his territory would be punished suitably. He tried taunting Loudbelly and Mistypaw—because even Thistleclaw knew he couldn't get away with harming a medicine cat rescuing a litter of kits from a flood. I told our warriors to stay back and went to help. Stripedkit lost his part of the raft and had to cling to the ThunderClan side while Brambleberry pushed the raft back to me. By the time we got Ravenkit and Maplekit to safety Shiverpaw had gone after Stripedkit."

"Even though you told her to stay back?" Crookedstar's green eyes were disapproving as they swept across the injured apprentice. She bowed her head, but was surprised when Mudfur disagreed.

"No," he shook his head. "The ThunderClan cats started dislodging dirt and rocks on their side, trying to make Stripedkit lose his grip on their bank. If she hadn't disobeyed me he would certainly have died." He sighed heavily. "I couldn't catch up to her in time, she got swept further downstream onto the ThunderClan shore. We were fortunate. An apprentice came to fetch Thistleclaw. He seemed the only cat on their territory to know the warrior code." Mudfur's claws worked in the wet ground. "Thistleclaw tried to attack me when I took Stripedkit and made a break for it. Shiverpaw intercepted him and we got away."

Crookedstar looked on the verge of declaring war, his eyes blazing and his claws unsheathed. "Sunstar will hear about this at the next Gathering," he snarled softly. His gaze softened slightly as he looked at Brambleberry. "Will she be okay?"

Shiverpaw felt a chill settle in her bones when Mudfur shook his head. "I'm not sure," he admitted quietly. "I will take her someplace more sheltered and treat her to the best of my ability, but her fate is in StarClan's paws." He beckoned Shiverpaw with his tail. "Come; I need to see to that wound on your neck."

Shiverpaw could only stumble after Mudfur as Loudbelly and Whiteclaw helped carry Brambleberry's limp body. Shock and grief and pain numbed her paws and mind. ThunderClan will not get away with this…!


Okay.

Well this chapter is a train wreck. But uh. I hope you like the drama any way...? I dunno. I don't want Shiverpaw to seem weak, because she has as much of the fire from Bluefur's prophecy as her siblings, it just shows in different ways.

Really I'm just trying to filler/character develop my way to their warrior ceremonies, because all of the good stuff happens once they're a little older (and Sunstar is kapootsky) so yeah. Sorry guys; next few chapters will be better, I promise.

I love you guys, thanks for reading!