CHAPTER 15
Stonesight's eyes widened as the wind screeched all around the fleeing cats, Stonesight felt claws of horror grip his heart at his mother's words; "Mintkit and Mosskit are missing?!" his thoughts were filled with panic. Amberpelt had also heard their mother's words, his yellow and green eyes filled with dread. Stonesight turned his head to Shadow who had rushed to his side; her cool green eyes filled with worry, her shadowy black pelt soaked with rain. "So is Stormy and Piper." added Shadow; the two kits had come with the loner group; Stonesight nodded sharply; worried for the young kits clutching at his chest. Greystorm appeared beside Stonesight, his dark gray green eyes filled with worry, the fat raindrops passing through the starry cat's form. "I know where the kits are." Greystorm's voice was serious; Stonesight felt relief flood him that the glittering tom knew the kits' location. Shadow pressed closer to Stonesight's side as Amberpelt got to their side as well, his russet pelt soaked to the skin. "We have to go find them!" Amberpelt's claws sank into the mudded grass below him, Stonesight nodded in agreement; "I think I know where the kits are, follow me!" meowed Stonesight turning. Greystorm gave a serious nod as he began to lead Stonesight towards the river; horrifying realization struck Stonesight like a lightning bolt "if the kits somehow got swept into the flooded river…" Stonesight didn't dare finish his train of thought as he picked up his pace. Stonesight's ears flattened against the wind as he began to run Shadow and Amberpelt matching his speed, as the rain picked up and lightning crackled hitting a tree beside Stonesight's face making the tree go up in a blaze. Stonesight steered clear of the flaming tree as he reached the flooded river, it had become a huge river rather than a small stream; now it was bulging and the current was strong enough it could carry a cat to their death. Stonesight's claws unsheathed as Greystorm stopped right beside Stonesight his eyes fixed on the huge river before them, Amberpelt's fur spiked as his eyes scanned the river's depths; Shadow pointed with a forepaw to a log floating down the river, Stonesight's eyes narrowed to see four tiny shapes on the log's top. "It's the kits!" yowled Amberpelt relief clear in his voice; Shadow's cool green eyes scanned the water around the log they clung too; "I think Amberpelt could get to the kits…" meowed Shadow, sounding like she was thinking deeply. Stonesight smiled at how smart Shadow was "that makes sense since Amberpelt is a big cat so it'll be easier for him to reach the kits." Stonesight turned to his brother to make sure he could do this. Amberpelt's dual eyes shone with determination and bravery; Amberpelt managed his usual playful smile to his brother. "I'll be alright, I can do this!" meowed Amberpelt nuzzling his brother's cheek then licked Stonesight's ear; Stonesight felt a bit of comfort at his brother's confidence. Stonsight watched as Amberpelt got into the flooded river, his tail trailing behind him in the water; Stonesight swallowed as he watched his brother slowly make his way towards the log. The two kit's eyes were wide and filled with hope and awe, Stonesight's eyes widened in horror as he realized that the storm was getting worse. To the point where trees were getting ripped out of the ground from the wind, The trees danced in the air before plumping to the ground sending dirt flying. Stonesight realized with horror that this had been what his dreaming had been warning him; Stonesight saw with horror that the river was getting larger and more unpredictable. Stonesight saw a tree branch getting whipped towards his brother's head. At that moment Leafpaw arrived, his thick tabby fur bristling with horror and worry, "Look out!" yowled Leafpaw but his warning was stolen by the wind. Amberpelt's head turned at the last moment as the branch slammed into the back of his head, Amberpelt went limp and was knocked unconscious by the flying branch. Leafpaw's eyes widened in horror and he let out a wail; "AMBERPELT!" Leafpaw's screams were cut off by the wailing wind; Stonesight looked at Shadow who's whole body had tensed up. "Shadow is far too slim to swim in the river, Leafpaw doesn't have the power in his back legs to do so." realization hit Stonesight he glanced at his back legs. He had the power in them to swim in these conditions; his mind went blank as it had the day he had failed to save Minkpaw. Stonesight looked at Leafpaw then Shadow and finally Greystorm who's eyes were filled with sadness; Stonesight knew that Greystorm had an idea about what he was about to do. "I'll be alright." Stonesight internally promised the older tom, Stonesight turned to the water in front of him racing for it. Suddenly he was back to his apprentice days; racing towards Minkpaw on the thunderpath trying so desperately to save the older apprentice; back then he had failed. This time Stonesight refused to let another cat die on his watch; "Amberpelt, Mintkit, Mosskit, Piper and Stormy are counting on me!" Stonesight's heart pumped harder just as he dove head first into the frosty water. Stonesight heard the muffled yowl of Leafpaw out of horror; Stonesight comfortingly broke the surface of the water with his head. Breathing in two large breaths of air before plunging back below the water's surface; Stonesight's eyes strained to see in the water he spotted his brother's russet pelt like it was a flame beneath the water's surface. Stonesight swam towards his brother's form, his paws slowly clawing their way through the water, Stonesight's eyes burned from the water but he kept them open. His lungs burned for air but he kept going deeper into the water, he reached his brother's side gripping his scruff with his own teeth. He tugged on his brother's scruff, finding his brother extremely heavy and hard to pull up, Stonesight realized with icy dread that he was too small to pull his brother to safety. Stonesight looked down at his brother's face, "Starclan please don't let us die!" prayed Stonesight at that moment he caught the glimpse of a tabby pelt. "Leafpaw?!" Stonesight was shocked that his smaller brother had arrived to help him; Leafpaw's dark sage green eyes a flame of determination and fearlessness. Leafpaw gave a determined nod and Stonesight understood the meaning 'I am with you.' Stonesight and Leafpaw gripped their brother's fur and began to slowly drag him to the surface. Stonesight's head broke the surface of the water and he took in a few gasping breaths, his chest burning from the air filling his lungs. Stonesight dragged his brother's waterlogged body to the opposite shore of where Shadow was. Stonesight flopped out of the river dragging his brother's russet body beside him, laying the tom far enough from the water's edge. Stonesight turned to see that Shadow had swam to his side, her cool green eyes full of relief she nuzzled his cheek, making him blush. "Are you alright? When you weren't coming up for air, Leafpaw and I thought something bad had happened!" Shadow sounded relieved Stonesight swallowed, taking in as much air as possible, "yeah I am alright!" meowed Stonesight with a nod. Leafpaw stood beside Stonesight shivering from the cold wind mixed with his soaked fur, Stonesight pressed up beside his brother. "Do you want to help get the kits?" asked Stonesight kindly, Leafpaw nodded the determined look in his eyes hadn't left. "Yes I do! I don't want to let you and Amberpelt do all the work." Leafpaw's voice sounded so sure, Stonesight managed a smile as he and Leafpaw got into the flooded waters once more. Stonesight's body pressed against the tides all around him and Leafpaw, Stonesight forced himself towards the log the kits desperately clung to. "Help!" wailed Piper her pale green-amber eyes full of fear; Stonesight reached out with his good foreleg to the log straining himself forward. Leafpaw pushed Stonesight onto the log just as a branch that had fallen into the swollen river struck his back leg badly injuring it. A scarlet cloud of blood filled the water around Leafpaw, causing the water to get a fady red color; Stonesight's eyes widened as Leafpaw smiled, his dark sage green eyes showing great tiredness. Stonesight reached a paw out towards his brother straining so he could reach his brother. Stonesight saw a faint smile cross his brother's face, his eyes seeming to gloss over, "oh." was all Leafpaw said as he slowly sunk below the water's surface. "Leafpaw!" yowled Stonesight as he watched in horror as a large rock was ripped from the river's bank, the boulder was flung down the river and slammed into Leafpaw's head causing a huge cloud of blood to stream from his head. "LEAFPAW" he screamed and kept screaming his brother's name as the tabby tom's form slowly vanished into the darkness of the water.
