The Wake of the Storm [RIVERCLAN MINI-PLOT]

Sootpaw was resting near the apprentice’s den, somewhat hidden from view, letting the raindrops fall over his body as he silently gazes at the sky. He never had been bothered by water, like a good RiverClan cat, and in this kind of situations he had learned to ignore his soaked fur and coldness to enjoy the simplest things around him. Plus, the rain had forced most cats to either take refuge or simply not get out from their dens to begin with, and the aloof odd eyed tom couldn’t feel more comfortable in camp without the rest of his clanmates crowding the area and making a lot of noise. He had nothing against sharing tongues, and he even had participated on those friendly activities before, but he couldn’t help but prefer the calm atmosphere surrounding him.

He closed his eyes and raised his nose to feel the raindrops falling on his face as he got lost in an ocean of thoughts. It didn’t took long for the calmness to be shattered by the panicked voice of Fishstar as she rushed into camp, causing him to almost jump with surprise as he was forced back to the real world rather aggressively. He had been so absent that he couldn’t really process the leader’s words, but he indeed could process the sudden boom that echoed across the forest and solve the puzzle.

Suddenly, on the eyes of the young tom, the world seemed to slow down. Even his movements felt slow and clumsy as he got up, like if he had been submerged in sticky honey, staring at the huge wave that sooner than later reached the camp and engulfed it like a starving beast. He found himself underwater, unable to hear anything but suffocating silence and completely disoriented, not even knowing where was up and where was down, moving his paws in an attempt to swim as the wave caused him to give several backflips. It wasn’t until he felt his body crash against a rock, knocking the air out of his lungs, that the world around him returned to its normal speed and he finally came back to his senses, quickly swimming to the troubled surface of the water and using the rock as support to not be dragged any further by the raging water, the adrenaline not even allowing him to feel pain or notice if he was hurt after the hit.

As soon as he broke the surface he started coughing as his lungs finally received the precious air that they needed instead of mouthfuls of water. He quickly looked around, he hadn’t been dragged too far, but he still would have to swim to catch up with the cats that managed to stay in camp and not get dragged by the water. Just in case there was another cat in his same situation he quickly looked around, bot over and under the water, ready to help if he was able. He, however, knew that, cats or not, he would need to move soon, or her would probably slip on the wet surface of the rock and only be dragged away even more, not only from his clan, but also from safety, lowering his chances of surviving to the terrifying disaster.

Smokepaw's body ached from holding Creamkit above the rushing dark, and he hailed the kit up with all of his force, pulling himself upwards, too. A split second of pain and Smokepaw yowled in agony as his right shoulder dislocated from it's place, but the apprentice didn't give up. Limping on three legs, he looked around and caught sight of his mother, on a branch. The tomcat could hear her call for him and Porcinepaw, , so he made his way over a fallen tree towards her, walking carefully, as he was taught.

He dropped lightly besides her, setting down Creamkit and licking his fur the opposite way so he would stay warm. He rubbed his head to his mother's before he glanced at the camp, broken and destroyed, continuously flooded by waves of dark water. He bowed his head then looked at Fogheart. "We need to get to higher ground." the tomcat mewed, sweeping his gaze around for a way out.

Pinepaw was another apprentice swept away forcefully by the rushing tides. Her head smacked roughly against the den walls, knocking the breath out of her. She found herself dazed and swimming upside-down like a dying fish. Air. I need to swim up for air.... Which way is up? Eyes squeezed shut, she thrashed her way above surface, gulping in a mouthful of air. Pinepaw's claws scrabbled on a nearby tree, shuddering as she grappled onto it, watching where her Clanmates went.

"Crowclaw?" Tawnystorm yelled, through Fallowkit's fur. She'd heard the tom's voice, even over the rushing water, and wasn't sure why she even cared. "Where are you?" The brown tabby spotted a branch, dangling about the water but still low enough to for her to reach. Still carrying the kit, she climbed up on top of it. She let out a momentary sigh of relief, even though the water would soon be already lapping at her paws again. She had no time to waste. Scanning the water again, she spotted Crowclaw flailing around. He'd never been a great swimmer. "Need some help?" she hollered. The two had always been at odds with each other, but now wasn't the time, when the flood could kill anyone at any time. And though she hated to admit it, Tawnystorm was worried for him.

(mobile)

Willowbreeze looked greatfully at Smokepaw as he took Creamkit, but her gaze remained clouded in worry. She followed her sisters gaze to the tree and made her way to it before climbing to the highest branch she could reach. Her chest was heaving and her neck was aching horribly but she set Fracturedkit down on the branch carefully instructing him to dig his claws deep into the branch and under no circumstances should he let go. Almost as soon as she finished telling him what to do she lost her footing and hold on the branch and suddenly she was falling through the air hitting branches on her way down. One branch hit her head and she was out cold as she plunged into the icy water and sank to the bottom, unable to swim to the surface. Since she couldn't hold her breath she was continually inhaling water and eventually drowned. All she could see was darkness and it was so peaceful. It seemed like she was floating on a dark cloud when she saw Toadclaw and she smiled at seeing him again, but her smile turned to a frown when she realized why. She couldn't be dead! She had kits that need her... but there was no fighting it now. It was done. So she followed her dead brother up into the stars.
ooc: mobile

The tomcat's eyes fell on the branch where Willowbreeze had left fractured kit, and he watched now the she-cat left, but feel. Smokepaw couldn't bear to see the mother of the kit he was protecting, so he shielded Creamkit's gaze with his fluffy tail and closed his own eyes in pain. The apprentice then picked up the kit and wadded through the deep water, fighting of the waves with newfound determination until he reached the tree where he foind Fracturekit snd climbed ln the branched, bundling the two kits together and wrapping them with his tail protectively.

Creamkit had been very quiet. Shaking not only from being cold, but from sheer panic. As the apprentice carrying him got caught up in the reeds, the kit just dangled there without saying a word but with his blue eyes shut tight. He didn't want to see this water. It was bringing all these awful events to the camp, he had no interest in looking at it. But as Smokepaw got out of the reeds the tiny tom peeked open his eyes just to slam them shut again when the apprentice yowled, flinching at e pained sound. They remained that way until he felt firm ground underneath his paws, then he looked gratefully up at the other cat before looking around the camp, that he could see, for his mother and brother. He saw them on a tree, so he felt the slightest bit relieved, they weren't in the evil water below. But then, Willowbreeze fell. Creamkit's jaw opened, but no words came out. Not until she hit the water. "Mom!" The kit forgot every bit of his quietness for that moment as he yowled after his mother, the level of effort he put into the yowl made him need to catch his breath. Almost ready to try and make the foolish mistake that would be to jump in for his mother, he felt a tail blocking his view. For a moment he fought it, but then just sat down with he head facing his paws. Until the apprentice picked him up again, then he remained silent and still as they went to go to his brother. And as he was sat next to his brother he leaned up against the other kit, for warmth and for comfort.

"Fallowkit, dig your claws into the branch, and whatever you do, don't move. If I don't come back, Smokepaw will get you." But before Tawnystorm could take any further action, she saw her sister slip. She flinched in pain with each branch she hit on the way down, before finally she was knocked out cold, disappearing into the unforgiving, freezing water. Forever.

"WILLOWBREEZE!" she yelled, tears springing to her eyes. Of all the cats to drown this terrible day, the by her? She could do nothing but watch as the flood took her life, helpless. She wanted to so desperately jump in, to try and drag her back up to the surface. But she knew that would be a death wish, and it wouldn't bring her back. How would her mother cope? She and Sootpaw were the only ones left for Ivyfall. Tawnystorm wrapped her tail tightly around Fallowkit, trying not to look at Smokepaw. She couldn't let her apprentice see her cry. What if he thought she wasn't in control like she always was? No, she knew she was in control. She would keep herself, Fallowkit, Creamkit, Smokepaw, Ivyfall, Crowclaw - all of them. She'd keep them alive, for her sister. It's what she would have wanted.

"Crowclaw!" Tawnystorm called searching the murky water below her again. "Get up here!"

(Mobile)

The large, bulky tom was dragged under the surface and was tossed around in the ripping currents of the flood. His lungs burned and he opened up his amber eyes, which stung from the water. With a massive kick, he shot to the surface and hooked his front legs over a large log which floated on top. With great effort, he climbed all the way on, and lay sprawled out on top. "Tawnystorm," he choked out as he coughed water. His blurry gaze spotted her out, her tabby fur bringing comfort. "I'm over here!"

"I'm coming!" Tawnystorm hollered across to Crowclaw. "Smokepaw, hold onto the kits. Keep them safe," she instructed her apprentice, before leaping down to the lowest branch, thanking StarClan she didn't slip and meet the same fate as Willowbreeze. She began to swim across. The distance was not far, but the water was deeper than she remembered it being, and choppy and rough. Through she was strong and muscular like the black tom, she was significantly smaller and lighter, her frame much more suited to water. That didn't stop her from struggling as she tried to paddle across. With one last, heavy kick, she heaved herself up onto the log where Crowclaw was floating. Though she'd had so many rivalries with him, she had to put them aside for the time being. It still wouldn't stop her from making another of her little quips.
"Well, I've found another thing I'm better than you at. Swimming." she smirked, still panting a little from the swim.She looked back towards the water.

"That...that was a lot harder than it was to swim before. The water's getting deeper, you'd better make it back to the tree before it gets any higher."

Smokepaw, croched on the branch behind the two kits, looking over them like a hawk now that their mother was dead, turned his head ready to attack at the sound of the branch creaking from the weight of another cat. He picked up Fallowkit as soon as Tawnystorm pounced back and he was alarmed that she might just finish her life like Willowbreeze, but she luckily didn't, so the tomcat carried on, moving the kits one at a time closer to the tree, where the branch was thicker, herding them together and setting his tail around them, so he would be alerted by any move they'd make.

"Creamkit, Fracturedkit, Fallowkit, I need you to stay put and close together, lick eachother warm, okay? All will be over soon." he instructed the kits and turned to look over Tawnystorm, the she-cat caught in saving Crowclaw.

Fallowkit nodded after she was instructed, beginning to lick Fracturedkit's and Creamkit's tiny ears each in turn.

Fracturedkit was practically frozen in fear, everything had happened so fast. From being woken by frigid water to being scooped up and then placed safely in the tree and finally watching his mother die. The little kit squeezed his eyes shut, unable to talk or even look at the other kits around him. He brought himself to open his eyes and looked to his sibling then to his close friend, feeling her warm tongue on his head. He began licking her lower cheek in return to keep her warm as well, alternating to Creamkit and doing to the same.

Murky dark water splashed against Icekit. "Help!" she screamed as her pleading was muffled out as the water washed over her. She felt someone grab her scruff and pull her out...

OOC: Cloudpaw pull me out?

OOC: I think Smokepaw bevame a queen, he has to look over four kits

Smokepaw's eyes, from watching over the kits and in turn for Tawnystorm, landed on Icelit, who was washed around by the dark torents of water. He gave the kits a warning glance not to moge, then plunyed straight into the water, his jaws wide as he caught Icekit in them, and kicked himself back to the surface. Scrambling against the slippery bark, his fur dripping with cold water, he let Icekit curl with the rest of the kits there. He licked his fur and the salt caught in it gave him a bit of refreshment, so he struggled to once again guard the now four kits.