Chapter 10

Waterpaw peeled her eyes open, the sunlight stinging from all the salt behind her lids. Flashes of the day before were fresh in her mind and Waterpaw remembered the flood of water that had rushed into her ears, making her head throb, and the salt that had dried her throat as she yowled for Darkshadow or anyone to help her. Her fur was tangled from the water tugging at it and her nose itched with the scent of the salt water. Waterpaw sneezed as though her body agreed with her thoughts and glanced around her in fear, wondering if she had woken up her other drowned companions. That's when she noticed. She was alone.

"Cloudpaw?" Waterpaw rasped, eyes wide with fear as she noticed her littermate's absence along with the SkyClan cats. "Sandfire? Grayleaf?" Are they dead? Or am I dead? Waterpaw glanced around, trying to make some sense out of what was happening. The soggy place beside the river didn't look anything like StarClan territory, not that she would know. And would death really be this painful? Wasn't death supposed to be a release from the pain? No, Waterpaw thought firmly, deciding that she was very much alive. Fear for her friends made her heart race again and she wondered that if something dreadful had happened to her friends would they have even made it to StarClan? Waterpaw recalled Talonclaw telling Woodstar something right before her departure and as her mind flooded with memories, she felt the stab of fear that she would never see her courageous father or the gentle medicine cat ever again. Their voices stabbed needles of pain into Waterpaw's heart.

"I hope they will be okay," Talonclaw had mused, glancing at where Darkshadow was laughing with Lakesky, his eyes dark with worry. Waterpaw had gone in the den to collect her traveling herbs and had hidden in the bushes while the two cats talked.

"Why wouldn't they?" Woodstar had snarled and Waterpaw remembered, her fur bristling in surprise at her father's reaction. Why was he so angry with his medicine cat? "And I'm not worried about them so you shouldn't be either!" There was something brewing behind Woodstar's words, but Waterpaw couldn't figure out what. As though he was warning Talonclaw instead of scolding him.

"I'm only saying, Woodstar, that StarClan doesn't watch over the whole world," Talonclaw had answered, his voice calm despite Woodstar's aggressive attitude. "What if the territory in between ours' and SkyClan's is guarded by other ancestors? StarClan won't be able to help them nor send them signs of guidance." When Talonclaw had said that, it had sent shivers up Waterpaw's spine. Did the medicine cat know about the prophecy encircling Woodstar's four kits? Was that why he had been so concerned about their safety?

"Gently, Fire! Gently!" Waterpaw felt her body be dropped roughly against cold stone, her pelt wet for some unknown reason. Around her, she could hear a small waterfall that almost drowned out a cat's meow. Almost. "Sometimes it seems like you have the sense of a to-be, Fire." To-be? The word made no sense to Waterpaw.

"What's this?" A new voice growled and Waterpaw could hear the cat's heavy pawsteps splash in small puddles.

"Another new cat, Stoneteller. It seems like she fell in the river," A different cat- Fire?- meowed, "She keeps repeating 'StarClan watch over us,' along with a couple names. Woodstar, Talonclaw." The tom mimicked Waterpaw's mew and the silver she-cat flushed underneath her pelt, realizing that she had been saying the names before.

"StarClan, but-" The tom halted in his speech.

Waterpaw slowly peeled her eyes open and blinked weakly at the group of three cats surrounding her. The closest to her- a fiery ginger tom who Waterpaw presumed to be Fire- exclaimed, "She's awake?"

"You're a genius, Fire," A brown tabby mumbled sarcastically. Padding forward to stand over Waterpaw, the tabby meowed, "I'm Dust That Gathers Under Rock. This is Fire That Slumbers In Heart and our Healer, Teller of Pointed Stones." Healer? Like to-bes, the term was lost to Waterpaw, who was still confused how she had come to be surrounded by a group of cats.

"What's your name?" Fire growled.

"Water-Waterpaw," Waterpaw rasped feebly, her throat still sore.

Dust glanced at Stoneteller, "Waterpaw? Isn't that similar to the other cat we found?" Waterpaw's heart fluttered with hope. Had these strange cats found Airpaw? Or Cloudpaw? Was everything alright?

"Fire," Stoneteller commanded, "Fetch the other two." Waterpaw's heart sank. Only two? What happened to the others, but before she had time to wonder what cats made it out alright a voice exclaimed,

"Waterpaw!"

Waterpaw turned and watched as Cloudpaw darted over to her, hastily covering her in brisk licks. Glancing over Cloudpaw's shoulder, Waterpaw's eyes met Sandfire's and she was shocked at how much fury she saw in them. In a raspy voice, Waterpaw whispered, "Sandfire?"

Cloudpaw bounced away and murmured quietly, "Grayleaf drowned in the river. Sandfire was alone and couldn't save him. He's taking it pretty badly. After all, the two of them were good friends." Waterpaw gave Sandfire an odd glance. The way he was glaring at everyone didn't seem like one of grief, but one of intense hatred. He must be taking Grayleaf's death real hard. Then Waterpaw remembered something: Grayleaf's death left the damaged SkyClan without a deputy and in StarClan ancient laws all new deputies must be chosen before moonhigh. How was Mintstar to know about his deputy's death?

"You look exhausted, Waterpaw," Cloudpaw added gently and Waterpaw could barely suppress a yawn and she thought guiltily at how tired she actually was. Hadn't she slept the whole morning and then she had passed out after Dust and Fire had carried her. She shouldn't be this tired. Then again drowning did take a lot out of you. "May I show Waterpaw our den?" Cloudpaw was asking Stoneteller, "I can come back and accompany a hunting patrol if you'd like."

"Cloudpaw, you can rest too," Sandfire growled softly, padding up to stand beside the two apprentices, "Stoneteller, I'll go out hunting with any of your cats. Can I just trust that my apprentices will be safe?" Safe? Waterpaw thought to herself, Where are we?

Stoneteller dipped his head, "Not a hair will be touched on their head. Dust can take you out hunting." And with that Stoneteller stalked away without another word as did Sandfire, Dust, and Fire. Cloudpaw nudged Waterpaw in the direction of a dip in the cave and flicked her tail to show that this was their den.

Waterpaw curled into a ball and glanced at Cloudpaw, "What's Stoneteller's problem?"

"He's an old cat and I mean very old. Moons upon moons older than Songbird," Cloudpaw explained, "Do you remember the cats who led the Clans to the lake seasons ago?"

Waterpaw nodded, "Brambleclaw, Squirrelflight, Tawnypelt, Crowfeather, Stormfur, and Feathertail."

"Well Stoneteller is Stormfur's son," Cloudpaw explained.

"How is that even possible? Stoneteller would have to be-" Waterpaw couldn't even count that high.

"Stoneteller is the Healer of the Tribe which makes him their leader. Like Woodstar, Stoneteller shares tongues with his ancestors called the Tribe of Endless Hunting. They give him- not lives like Woodstar- but a long single life that can last as long as it can. The last Stoneteller died only a couple of seasons ago and he had met Squirrelflight and Crowfeather when they were still apprentices!"

"Weird," Waterpaw sighed before closing her eyes, "Say Cloudpaw where are we anyway?"

The last thing Waterpaw remembered before falling asleep was Cloudpaw whispering, "The Tribe of Rushing Water."

Author's Note: I know its a little short, but what do you think? Do you like the newly brought in Tribe of Rushing Water? Please review.