Uh- whoops (Closed)

OOC: TRAUMA! PAIN! NO DEATH! MISTPAW DOES NOT DIE! This occurs right before the Gorge / before the gorge gets pretty dangerous but where the currents are too fast for a small cat to swim in

IC: Mistpaw's chest heaved as she raced after a hare, her bulbous eyes wide as she struggled to keep up with it. Determination kept the tiny apprentice going as her muscles screamed for her to stop, her lungs to take in the precious air she needed. Mistpaw was struggling to be a normal Windclan cat, to run like the wind their clan was named after, like her clan-mates. Mistpaw's eyes were so transfixed on the beige hare that she did not see the ledge she was going to careen over until the hare turned sharply and the ground disappeared under her paws.

The scream was on the tip of her tongue, but her mouth was dry and she was gasping for breath even before she hit the water. The she-cat's body hit the water with a loud slam, the cold liquid engulfing her small body in an instant. Sore, tired muscles seized to move, her body too weak from her run to use the pump of adrenaline for anything but beat her heart. Was this it? Was she going to disappear down into the gorge and die, never to see her mother or father again? She guessed it was, she just hoped that she got to see Raccoonfang again, she missed her.

Mistpaw's body tumbled through the water, her lungs burning and her mouth, nose, and ears filling with water. Amber eyes looked up at the light above her, her paws making a feeble attempt to reach for it- Only for the light to go everywhere everything just exploding in the light as a grey shape made its way towards her just as her eyes started to slip shut.

Having been conducting a solo, midday patrol, Smokepelt hadn't expected to hear a shrill yowl of a cat, but then again, he didn't know what too expect anymore.

Picking up the pace, the dark grey and white warrior sprinted through the tall, moorland grass in the direction that he thought he'd heard the cry. Contemplating what he might find ahead, he soon arrived at the gorge and skidded to a halt. At the area in which he'd arrived at, the water wasn't as far down in the drop-off as the area downstream, but there was still a little lip in the land that separated river from land by the height of an average cat and the current still moved just as strong.

Looking around, his heart stopped when he spotted a little grey blog flailing around in the water a few foxlengths ahead of him. From where he stood, it was nearly impossible to make out who exactly was in the water, but he was at least able to make out that it was a cat, and a smaller, most likely younger cat at that.

Gathering his thoughts together, Smokepelt broke into a run and raced along the shoreline of the gorge. Nearing closer to the figure, he instantly recognized the cat to be Mistpaw because of her fluffy fur that floated in the water. "Mistpaw!" the tom yowled, but just as he did so, her little head disappeared under the waves.

Trying to decide on what to do, his ears perked as a low rumbling sound became audible. The waterfall part of the gorge. Just far enough away to that it wasn't able to see, the sound of raging waters was loud enough to be heard from this distance and the sense of urgency was even stronger.

Chest pounding from the adrenaline and fear, the warrior knew what he had to do. If he didn't, he'd lose a clanmate and have to live with the fact that he didn't even try to save her, so he had to at least try, even if the water was freezing cold and trying to rescue the apprentice meant possible death.

Still running along the edge of the water, Smokepelt took a deep breath, readying himself, and trying not to make up second thoughts, jumped into the river.

The cold, crisp water engulfed the tom's slender body, biting at his skin and sending a shiver up his spine. Trying to keep his head above the water, he reached down with his paws, just barely able to touch the rocky ground. He had no idea how RiverClan cats lived this sort of life and quite frankly, he didn't care. They were all just insane.

Spotting Mistpaw's body that was bobbing up and down a foxlength or so ahead of him, he scrabbled for any sort of support under his paws and when they landed on what felt like a large rock, he pushed off with all his might, which propelled him enough so that he caught up with the apprentice. Opening his jaw, he reached forward to grab hold of any part of the younger cat, but right when he went to get her, she went under. Practically freezing under his pelt, frustrated at the situation, and scared for both of their lives, Smokepelt continued to keep himself above the water, though it was a true struggle, and once Mistpaw's head came back up, he lunged forward and grabbed onto her scruff, which was surprisingly thin, considering all the fur she had.

Relieved that he was able to grab hold of her, his moment of rest wasn't over quite yet. The sound of the roaring falls was noticeably louder than just a few moments ago, and panic set in once more. He had to get out of the water and fast, or else both of them would be goners.

Trying to turn himself in the direction of the shore that was quickly becoming higher and higher above him, Smokepelt was smacked with the force of the current and wanting to gasp for air, he kept him mouth shut, not willing to let go of Mistpaw. Using all of the strength that StarClan gave him, he gripped his claws into the ground bellow and began walking towards the wall of dirt that loomed over them.

Moving in cold water with a current like this was definitely no run through the meadow, and after a few moments of struggling to keep his grip, he reached the edge of the water where the current wasn't as strong. Having stopped by a small area of land that sat at the bottom of the gorge, jutting out of the earth to create a little patch of shore, he climbed onto the frozen mud covered ground, chest screaming for him to stop. At this point, his lungs felt as if they were on fire and it hurt to breathe even the smallest of breaths.

Looking up the gorge, there was a perfect, not super steep path up to the top as if StarClan had carved it themselves. Not wanting to let go of Mistpaw's scruff until he knew they were safe, the tom made his way up the path, leaving the roaring waters behind him, and dragging the apprentice up with him.

After what felt like ages of struggling up the hill, Smokepelt finally reached the top and dropped his soar jaw, letting the apprentice go. Sitting down with a soft thud, his sides heaved as he caught his breath. Every muscle in his body felt stiff from the ice cold water and sitting there with adrenaline still pumping through his veins, he'd forgotten why he'd even jumped into the river in the first place. Mistpaw.

Snapping his gaze down to where he'd dropped the apprentice, he watched for a moment, but saw no rise and fall of her chest. Leaning down to the ragged little body that laid stiff on the frost covered earth, he pressed his ear to her chest, like he'd seen medicine cats do. Nothing. She couldn't be dead, not after all that he'd gone to in order to save her!

With his fur plastered to his skin, he stood up. As much as it hurt to do so, he lifted himself up onto his hind legs and brought his forepaws down onto her chest, just hard enough to get something going.

Nothing.

"Mistpaw! Wake up!" he yowled, his misty breath disappearing into the chilly Leaffall air.

Bringing his paws up again, he pushed on her chest again.

Nothing.

Brindlewhisker would have his hide if he brought back her dead daughter! The deputy already hated him enough and now he'd have to be the bringer of the horrible news? He couldn't possibly live with that on his shoulders... wait, why in StarClan's name had Mistpaw even been out of the camp by herself in the first place? Did she know how much trouble she was causing him and how much panic she was going to cause her mother, and maybe even the clan?

"I'm not bringing back a dead apprentice today," he growled as he stood over her body, desperate for her to show any signs of life. "So don't you dare go to StarClan, not yet," the warrior spoke through clenched teeth as he readied himself to give it one last go.

"Wake. Up!" he shouted and brought his paws down on her chest one last time, his entire body shaking from the cold and fear. If he'd failed in saving her, Smokepelt didn't know what he'd do with himself.

Mistpaw was almost numb to the feeling of being pulled out of raging rapids and being dragged up a trail onto lush, cold grass. Soon enough the she-cat could hear more than she felt water gushing out of her throat and mouth, relieved of the pressure she couldn't feel. The small she-cat shuddered, mustering a weak cough and wheeze as she struggled to process what had happened. Mistpaw's eyes opened just a little as she looked at her surroundings, Smokepelt just in the peripheral of her vision.

"S-S-S-Smoke...? W-Whatr y-y-yew doin' 'ere?" The apprentice sputtered, her teeth trying to clench as her body was assaulted by shudders before falling still again. Every muscle feeling as if it was frozen stiff, unable to move or function. "I-I wanna go 'ome" The small she-cat sputtered, her eyes shutting once more as if she hadn't the strength to keep them open.

Once she spat up water, Smokepelt was finally able to breathe. She wasn't dead.

Not wasting any time, he leaned down and began licking the apprentice's fur in the opposite direction of which it grew. "Don't worry... you're safe now," the dark grey and white tom mewed through mouthfuls of fur. Great StarClan this apprentice sure did have a lot of it.

Knowing that she was alive and still breathing, he was able to relax, but after his couple moments of relief, the exhaustion set in once more as he remembered that his job wasn't over yet.

Grabbing Mistpaw's wet scruff once more, Smokepelt heaved himself up from where he stood, his legs shaky and his breathing becoming heavy again. His teeth chattered as he shivered under his soaked pelt and he began dragging the apprentice towards camp, every step feeling as if he were stepping on shards of sharp ice. He had to get them back to camp before they faced a pathetic death in the cold. If he could just make it to camp, everything would be fine.