Dripping Shadows (SC/Dispersed Clan-wide)

When she first sort-of woke up, the world was hazy and somewhat dreamlike. She was lost in thoughts that might be memories; she was Laurelkit-that-will-be-Thalia, someone she didn’t really remember being. She heard a fuzzy voice, but couldn’t recall the sound; saw a blurry face and couldn’t recall the features. Sunlight through the trees, the sound of kits playing nearby.

The first memory that was clear was of Roe; the words that carried her through her youth: you do belong here. What she had said to question it she doesn’t remember, but she still recalled those words.

She remembered the day she made her pelt, familiar fox fur that was still so soft under her paws; carrying the love and affection she feels for everything she once was and everyone she once knew.

Walks with her father and her sisters, the rare word of praise from her mother. Weaving flowers for the first time.

The peaceful, pleasant memories turned dark before; blood on her paws, the face of a killer staring back at her from the surface of the river.

The truth coming to light. She was Thalia-not-Laurelkit, and everything she thought she knew was a lie.

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Thalia startled awake, the familiar territory of old dreams and nightmares juxtaposed with the unfamiliar territory of not knowing where she was. It was a small comfort that no one was close by to see her jump to her paws and look around nervously as she woke, but less comforting when she recalled what had led her here- memories of the flood rushed back to her, kits and warriors alike swept away by the waves.

She was alone, but only for a moment- if she had washed up here, no doubt some of her other clanmates had as well. “ShadowClan…? Is everyone alright?”

Her hesitant call carried on the wind, anxious but not quiet, and she could only hope it would reach any cats that happened to have washed up nearby.

As she waited for a response, she took in the territory around her. This wasn’t familiar, but she knew enough to know that it wasn’t Clan land. It wasn’t ThunderClan, or ShadowClan, or WindClan, and it didn’t match what she’d seen or heard of SkyClan and RiverClan.

Any further thoughts and investigation would have to wait.

Lightpaw lay silently in the darkness, her head vibrating with pain. Was she dead? Where was StarClan? Someone should be coming for her! Then a thought struck her. Maybe she wasn’t dead. She should try to open her eyes. She could do that, right? The apprentice slowly forced her eyes open and was met by bright sunlight and a voice. “I’m - cough - he-ee-ere - cough,” Lightpaw could barely get a word out.

Harechaser twitched, a pained murmur escaping her. She felt sore all over, and her pelt was still weighted down by water and mud. Her chest and throat felt strange. A cough rattled in her chest, and suddenly she jerk to her side, coughing and heaving. Eventually she lay there, eyes watering and taking harsh, rasping breaths for several long moments before she could gain the wherewithal to raise her head and look around.

None of her surroundings were familiar. Neither by sight nor smell. If her fur hadn't been so unbearably weighted down by water and muck, Harechaser was sure it would've lifted in alarm at the realization. She could hear a few cats nearby, coughing, and a glance to one side showed several of her just-as-bedraggled-as-she-was clanmates had found themselves in this unfamiliar place too.

"Wh-" She rasped, breaking into another round of coughing, "Where are we?"

The water that had swept them away came on sudden– first a drizzle, then it was pouring, then Webshadow was fighting lamely against the current in attempt not to drown. Once he'd found his way to dry land, the adrenaline wore off and he realized how horribly everything ached. Dull fire through each of his limbs, and his chest felt particularly heavy; every breath he took was sharp, and it rattled painfully through his lungs. Had he swallowed water?

He wanted to lay down, he knew that. The stones he'd been washed upon provided no comfort for his tired body, but the dark tabby collapsed on them as soon as the water receded enough that he was no longer floating. Webshadow wasn't sure how long he'd lay there– for moments, for days, it was all the same to him. He only stirred when he heard familiar voices around him; the sounds of his Clanmates, also swept away by the flood. Ears lifting, the tabby struggled to his paws, a dull sense of adrenaline lending strength to his limbs. If he would be exhausted and pained, at least he wouldn't be alone.

The first few steps were stumbling and nearly ended with Webshadow dragging his muzzle through the dirt. With a grimace, he realized his broken leg had no intentions of working yet, and his body had no intentions of learning to put it back to use quickly. With a shake of his head, he settled into a staggering hop, until the shape of cats came into view, the mud-soaked scent of ShadowClan finally reaching his nose.

"We are certainly not home," he remarked dryly towards Harechaser as he approached, slumping forward into the mud and stone again. Angling himself into a position as close to comfort as he could get, he added softly, "But we are alive. Let us hope the rest of ShadowClan is, as well."

Dappledlight felt her body aching all over, as she lay, gasping for air. Her eyes shot open at the sound of hoarse voices and coughing. She weakly lifted her head and tried to scan the area around her. It was an unfamiliar forest; it didn't even look like the other clans. She staggered to her feet, but her legs gave way and she fell again. Her side suddenly felt like it was on fire, and she swung her head over to find out what happened. A large gash on her side startled her. She must have hit a rock while the rushing waters carried her away. "He-hello?" she meowed, hoping someone heard her.