Stormy Night [Open Clan Event] [Trail by Fire prt. 3]

"Squirrelpaw?" Leafpaw called worring about his eldest sister. "I better get to Moonlit Creek." he muttered to himself as hedashed out of camp with his clanmates.


"Oh no." Sunpaw whispered as she saw Leafpaw whirl by. "Better join along!" she said to herself but she just couldn't shake away the feeling of fear that Sagepaw would be hurt.

"Wh-what?" Sagepaw yelped, jolted awake from his nap by the thrashing rain, howling wind and the cries of his clanmates. "Cherrypaw? Where are you? No!" He dashed outside, instantly being soaked to the bone. But it didn't deter him one bit, his hazy blue eyes frantically scanning the camp for his sister. Soon spotting her limping through the mud, he darted over as fast as he could in the storm, brimming with tears. "Cherrypaw! Are you alright? Where's Moonlight and Tinylegs?" Seeing the blind apprentice struggling, he let her lean on his - albeit small - shoulders, to help guide her to wherever Crowstar said to go - the Moonlit Creek, was it? Yes, she was taller and heavier, but he wasn't going to let anything happen to her. He kept an eye out for either of his parents. Dear StarClan, please let them be alive...please let us all make it out alive...

Magpiepaw hissed in annoyance as she darted out of her nest at Crowstar's call. She didn't want to leave, but it seemed they had no choice. It was leave or die, and she knew that there was nothing to gain from the latter. Most certainly not that StarClan myth that'd been drilled into her. Her paws thundered through the camp, racing ahead of those who had stopped to help others. I don't have time for that. My survival, and ONLY my survival, is essential. Though like so many others she was dripping wet, it was merely a distraction to the apprentice, rather than a threat. She knew it was more than likely to die in a storm like this - that was just common sense. But she didn't treat it like one, just a minor diversion. No matter. She could make this work.

As her grandfather kept coaxing the cats out of camp, Viperkit was startled back to reality. Pawsteps were like booming crackles to her ears. "I'm pretty sure I can make it," she mewed to Moonlight. She squirmed out anyways, and landed onto the hard ground with a thud. Viperkit whimpered as she moved her paws across the ground, the storm getting worse above her head. Ears lowered, the dark tabby she-kit lumbered beside Sagepaw in a matter of time. She looked up to the tomcat. Her wide green eyes held a shining spark, a warning; danger. Being sired by Breezewhisker, the leader's son, Viperkit was challenging, tough, and independent.

Things just got scarier as more cats flocked to the migrating group. Now, the small she-cat couldn't see where she was going. She just padded beside Sagepaw, hoping everything would be alright. The corners of her maw were curved into a tight frown. So young, and now this? Her grandfather's failing heath didn't help, either.

Viperkit trudged forwards. She could see a bouncing red-and-white pelt near the front. Vixenheart, the deputy. Her gaze followed the she-cat's pawsteps. Viperkit gave a loud exhalation, however, the blood pumping in her ears was roaring, and thus drowned the sound out.

Trembling and biting feebly on Ghostpelt's tail, leaning on Sagepaw for support and crying with terror in her mind, all her thoughts bubbling into the eternal blaknness of her sight. Putting all of her sanity to try and understand what was around her, just like when she wasn't in a mad storm, she let go for a few seconds of Ghostpelt to answer her brother. "I-I don't know. They went to fetch kits, I think." she groaned in her brother's ear then trailed behind Ghostpelt to catch her tail in her jaws again.

Viperkit's gaze followed Cherrypaw with worry. She'd be an apprentice soon, too, and she had heard it was hard. Yet, after all of this, the small greyish feline couldn't imagine what it was like for the white she-cat to maneuver, being blind and all. This was a reason why Viperkit looked up to her. The apprentice's eyes were ever-staring, and almost unrealistic to see. They were beautiful, not strange, to Viperkit. If Cherrypaw was older, she'd love the she-cat as a mentor.

It wasn’t until she was completely sure that no kits were left behind that Moonlight finally left the nursery, grateful with Vixeheart’s quick action at her call for help. She, however, was surprised when Viperkit claimed that she could go alone, she had the size of an apprentice already, making carrying her somewhat difficult, but the silver tabby still had her doubts. After sighing and putting the kit down, knowing that arguing was out of the question, she decided to let her go alone but not without making sure she would be safe “Very well, but stay close to the rest of the clan, and if you need help don’t hesitate to ask. The storm is dangerous and I don’t want you to get lost or die in it”.

After saying those words, she rushed out of the now empty nursery, almost jumping in surprise as the sound of yet another branch and the dying heat of the flames of the burning branch reached her. Her attention immediately went to where the fallen branch was, noticing Squirrelpaw nearby and Antdrop rushing towards it. Noticing that in the confusion Antrop had accidentally left Ashkit behind, she rushed towards where the kit was, grabbing him tightly by the scruff and running to where most of the clan was gathering to leave towards Moonlit Creek, not really realizing that Crowstar had lost another life just yet.

Her paws carried her to Tinylegs side, using the sticky mud under her paws as an anchor after each step to not get pushed away from the rest of the clan. After looking at him and giving his mate the best smile she could come up with while holding the small kit, she resumed her struggles to walk and follow the clan, but this time at his side, not really caring if he went slower than the rest. She simply refused to leave him behind.

Once Rowanpaw was sure that others were out, he dashed out of the apprentice's den and went for the entrance of the camp, but froze at the sight he saw. Crowstar was crushed by a tree branch, and Antdrop was trying to free the leader. The brown and orange apprentice turned back and decided to help the black warrior free their leader. The apprentice pushed on the branch which with the combined effort of the two cats free the leader from the danger.

Rowanpaw looked up at Antdrop, "Can you carry him out of here?" He asked the experienced warrior. He was far to small to take care of the big leader himself.

Fawnsplash nodded as Moonlight explained what was going on and headed out of the nursery after Breezewhisker and into the pouring rain. She was almost instantly drenched and she craned her neck in an attempt to shield Tigerkit from the rain. Succeeding a little. She stayed close to Breezewhisker as her worried blue gaze scanned the clearing for her older kits. When she spotted Squirrelpaw and Leafpaw, she inwardly sighed with relief and was starting to make her way towards them when she heard the creaking of a tree. She noticed the tree right above Squirrelpaw and her eyes widened in horror. She would have wailed had it not been for Tigerkit in her jaws. Just as she was about to run and knock her out of the way, Crowstar had beat her to it and the tree fell on him. She let out a noise between a sob and a gasp and raced to her daughter, checking her for anything wrong but she seemed fine for the most part. Her attention then turned to her leader, gaze mixed with sadness, horror, and disbelief. She felt grateful and guilty all at the same time and she wrapped her tail protectively around Squirrelpaw, hearing the creaking of the trees. She knew they needed to get out to Moonlit Creek, but how would they get Crowstar there. They couldn't just leave him in camp. She turned back to Squirrelpaw, who was now joined with Leafpaw, a serious look on her face. "Go to Moonlit Creek. Now. Both of you." She meowed, nudging her son and daughter towards the group of leaving cats. "You'll be safe there. And I'll be right behind you." She meowed insistently, glancing around and finding her other kits to make sure they were all doing okay still, before turning her attention back to Crowstar where Antdrop was attempting to help him. She watched as he rammed his weight into the branch and braced herself to do the same, before pushing all of her weight on the branch as well. "You're gonna be fine Crowstar!" She yowled above the howling wind.

"What about eaglekit?" Leafpaw asked not wanting to leave without his younger brother. "Are you okay?" he turned to his sister. Fear and terror stuck him only as he realized that his sister could have died.

"Okay. I hope they're alright..." Sagepaw replied, his eyes full of worry. The rain kept coming harder and harder, and he heard the low growl of thunder in the distance. He was finding it was getting harder to walk, especially with his sister slumped on his shoulders. Cherrypaw was much heavier and larger than the small tom. He snapped his gaze around as he heard the crack of a tree branch break, letting out a gasp of horror as he saw Crowstar trapped beneath it. "Crowstar!" The diluted calico yelled. He wanted to to over and help desperately, but with Cherrypaw it would mean certain death for them both. With sadly gritted teeth, Sagepaw shot another glance over to the fallen branch, then one back to his sister. I have to get her to safety. And Crowstar too! Well, if the others are helping him...well, I'm not strong enough to lift that branch. I'd be the most helpful by letting Cherrypaw lean on me.

Viperkit was horrified. She immediately leapt to her paws. The young she-cat didn't worry about herself, but she did something odd for a kit- she went towards the wreckage that Crowstar was buried beneath. "Crowstar!" Viperkit yowled. She jumped over a smaller branch and barrelled towards him. The leader's black fur was all that poked out. She shook her head, tears welling up in her eyes. "Oh, no..." she murmured, head hanging. However, a large branch was also looming over her.

Feeling the weight lift from his shoulders, Antdrop looked to see Rowanpaw and gave a thankful nod as they lifted the branch. Once the leader was free, he grabbed the black tom's scruff and drug him out from where he laid. "I've got him, you need to go!" the tom wasn't about to risk the apprentice's life just for some extra help, and he knew that although Rowanpaw was very trustworthy and a hard worker, he needed to get out before he got injured as well.

Looking down at Crowstar, he took no time to dillydally and grabbed his father's scruff. Using all his might, he dragged the leader as fast as he could, trying to avoid burning branches and big puddles of mud. Most cats were gone by now, and as far as he knew, only him and Crowstar were left in the camp. It took what seemed like ages to drag the larger cat out of camp, but eventually he did it and just in time, for a branch that was aflame crashed down onto the ground just a few foxlengths in front of them.

Letting go of the leader's scruff and popping his jaw, he watched the camp burn in front of him as if it were a horrible dream. As if he were a tiny little ant, he couldn't do anything to help, and felt useless. No, he could help, he would help! Now was no time to be sulking about, he had a leader to save!

Nudging Crowstar with his paw, Antdrop wondered if the leader was totally out of it or fit to walk. "Crowstar?" he meowed, followed by a shiver. His black pelt stuck to his body and by now he was starting to feel the chill of the water. Please wake up, he prayed silently. If the leader wasn't able to walk, he'd have no choice but to drag him across the territory, but if he could walk, they might actually outrun the fire that was slowly spreading.

~~~

Releaved to see that Moonlight was alright, the tom kept running. Him and his mate were safe, but something was tugging at his thoughts, like he'd forgotten something. His kits! Realizing he didn't have any idea of where the two younger cats were, Tinylegs looked to his mate and then glanced around frantically. "Sagepaw! Cherrypaw!" the tom yelled, worried that they might still be in the burning camp. "We need to find them!" Tinylegs meowed to Moonlight, tears starting to blind his vision. How could he have forgotten about his own kits! Keeping up the pace, he continued to look around, praying that he'd see there pelts through the trees soon.

Larkkit watched, wide-eyed, terrified for the first time in his life.

Moonlight felt her soul drop to her feet with Tinylegs’ words. She had tried to save the kits of the clan, even having one in her jaws at the moment, but in the confusion she had forgotten to look for her own kits. The silver tabby immediately started to look around, just as worried as Tinylegs and sincerely hoping that Sagepaw would protect his blind sister, if she wasn’t calling for them it was only to not drop Ashkit. She trusted that the storm would put out the fore soon…or at least that was what she expected, but the trees surrounding them were still terribly dangerous, as their branches or even the trees itselves could fall on them at any moment.

Rowanpaw nodded to Antdrop and went ahead. He made sure to usher others who wanted to watch the camp went to the creek. "Guys lets get to the creek!" He shouted to them trying to get them to the place. They would be safe there right? The brown and ginger cat looked around making sure he was following the others and others were following him.

ooc: Guys get to the creek and then I will make a topic over there.