[Fawn]

The downpour hadn't stopped for two days. The rain was coming down now in sideways torrents that soaked right through to the bone, one long-legged kitten bracing himself against the driving rains, his voice hoarse from all the shouting.
"This way! Come on! Henfeather!"

"I've got her! Grab Bramblekit!"

Blinking rain water out of his bright green eyes, Russetpaw surged forward through the throng of soaked, shivering bodies stumbling their way to high ground, the voice his cousin drawing him to her side next to Henfeather, a RainClan queen, and her three kits - Lichenkit, Mallowkit and Bramblekit. Scooping up the tom, who wailed pitifully as his lower body bounced against the hard, soggy ground as Russetpaw almost slipped in the mud. Righting himself with a grunt, the red-furred apprentice hurried forward, already so wet that crossing the Camp Stream barely affected him.

Well, until the banks further up the stream burst.

Russetpaw yowled in surprise through Bramblekit's scruff as a wave of water splashed over both their heads, the flooded stream carrying them back towards the already partially submerged RainClan camp. StarClan help me! Russetpaw floundered against the heavy current, all four legs churning through the waters as only a RainClan cat could, but a morning spent fishing and hunting to feed the Clan before the flooding had overtaken them had drained much of the apprentice's strength.
With their leader dead, their deputy's body probably washed down the river, the situation was about as bleak as it could possibly get, but Russetpaw wouldn't be Russetpaw without his hope and optimism - his spirit keeping his legs churn, if nothing else. However, a strong spirit wasn't going to get him to shore, and Bramblekit's water-choked cries made the adrenaline surge through the new apprentice's body, his heart pounding like a war drum as he struggled, searching for the stream bank.
Oh StarClan no - I've lost sight of it!

The part of him that was still a kit wanted to wail for his parents, just as Bramblekit was wailing for Henfeather - whom Roselight was keeping on the banks with the other two kits - but he knew crying out for them would mean dropping Bramblekit, and that just wasn't gonna happen.

[Deleted]

'I'm losin' sight
Don't count on me'
Fallowpaw

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Panic made rational thought impossible.It was action and reaction in this fight against the torrential rains. Small creamy chocolate streaked paws sloshed through rising water. Tiny tufted ears lay competely flat in terror. Rain drove into the small tom's face causing his silvery blue eyes to narrow in order to see. He had been out looking for his siblings and was struggling to make it back to camp. Making a valiant leap to cross the camp stream he fell sadly short. Legs pumping furiously to reach the shore the tiny apprentice heaved himself onto the sodden bank coughing and sputtering. Casting about anxiously for his siblings, or any other cat for that matter, Russetpaw quickly caught his gaze. Drenched and pathetically slim looking his usually fluffed tail swung over his back to catch the other apprentices attention. In an unusual act of assertivness the chocolate colored tom shoved his way through the crowd of bodies. Needing for some reason to be near a comanding sort of presence. Halting underneath Russetpaw's position he looked to the red colored tom with hopeful eyes. He had scooped up one of Henfeather's kits and was forging the camp stream when the water rushed down upon him. Horror flashed in Fallowpaw's eyes as he lost sight of his fellow apprentice. Usually his legs locked whenever he became frightened but something different occured this time. In one swift, even slightly graceful, leap he canonballed into the stream after the tom. With his thick legs he struck out his nose barely above the flood water.

Surging towards Russetpaw Fallowpaw kicked with all his might. With the luck of Starclan he was swept right up next to his flailing denmate. He stretched out his neck. Reaching for Bramblekit he took hold of his tail. Clamping down firmly but not painfully he took some of the weight from Russetpaw. Turning slightly to strike out in a diagonal line he could just barely make out a patch of reeds on the shore line. As they struggled side by side Fallowpaw was shocked by his own behavior. What had possesed him to do such a thing? He wasn't as strong as Smokepaw or as good a swimmer as Otterpaw so why had he thrown himself in after Russetpaw? A wave of water crashed down over the small toms head and he choked. Barely keeping his grazp on Bramblekit he hoped they would make it to the shore soon. He wasn't sure how much more he could take.

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[Deleted]

Flashpaw

Wind-whipped and soaked right through to the bone, another apprentice pressed his way through the crowd of cats that had already gathered on the banks, thoughts racing as he struggled to find some place where he could be of use in this disaster. There were still cats in the water, and those on dry land were yowling and calling, searching frantically for loved ones or wailing in misery for the lost and the dead, all over the howling and lashing of the downpour. He was trembling from the cold and shock and quite possibly exhaustion, but he was fighting through it to the best of his ability.

He squinted against the rain and down into the rushing water, the current swelling again as another bank burst upstream. There were still RainClan cats in there, fighting the raging water; Flashpaw's heart leapt up to his throat as he recognised some of the bodies thrashing in the stream. He scrambled down the bank to the water's edge, slipping and falling to his stomach at one point, wet mud soaking uncomfortably through his belly fur, bone and muscle screaming murder at the punishment. He slid for a good bit before finally managing to regain his footing, wading as far out into the water as he dared to call at the top of his lungs.

"Russetpaw, Fallowpaw! Over here!" His throat was hoarse, and he wasn't sure if they'd even heard him over the roar of the wind. "Over here!" His voice cracked dangerously just then, and he felt like he might cry; the ginger tom had never felt so desperate or afraid in his short little life, and he absolutely hated it.

"Give Bramblekit here and pull yourselves up. Is... are there other kits still down there?" If there were, things weren't looking good for them, but he really didn't want to think about the alternative right now. Besides, they had to try, right?

[Fawn]

The graceful leap of Fallowpaw out into the flooded stream was like a beacon of light for the exhausted Russetpaw, the strong-legged apprentice swimming over to help carry the wailing Bramblekit. This relief was short-lived, however, as it looked like both apprentices had lost site of the bank! Bramblekit mewled in terror as the waters lapped almost over his face each time, and Russetpaw struggled to hold him higher, treading water more than actually swimming in any direction.

"Russetpaw, Fallowpaw! Over here!"

Feeling the life flood back into his limbs, Russetpaw blindly swam for the sound of Flashpaw's voice, gasping for breath as he passed the wailing kitten to his friend, crawling weakly onto the soggy banks with Fallowpaw. "Thank...you," he rasped between pants, coughing up water. He wondered how much of it he'd actually swallowed, his belly feeling tight as a drum and yet hollow all at the same time. He nudged Fallowpaw greatly with his muzzle pressed to the apprentice's soaked pelt. "Thanks Fallowpaw, you and Flash saved little Bramblekit - and me."
At the question about the kits, the apprentice was briefly aware of Roselight and Henfeather appearing to take Bramblekit from him - the other two, Lichenkit and Mallowkit, were staring at their brother worriedly, otherwise safe. Russetpaw shook his head.
"No, Henfeather's litter are the only ones in the nursery, and they're all safe."
But what about the elders?
"Snowstream and Grasswind!" yowled Russetpaw with more strength then he thought he had. Looking to the swollen, muddy waters of the flooded stream, his soaked body shivered. Surely the two elders had been escorted out by the warriors - Deadstar and Amberblaze were gone, but RainClan had not forgotten the warrior code and their most senior Clanmates.
"Someone escorted them out of camp, right?" He mewed, not looking at either Flashpaw or Fallowpaw, instead his eyes were deadlocked on camp.

How could everything just be destroyed?
They were RainClan. And the water they'd always trusted, the rain they'd always looked forward to and took pride in their namesake from... How could it drive them from their home like this? Russetpaw sighed, so weary of bone and frayed of thoughts, his adrenaline rush over and now taken over by fatigue.

[Deleted]

'I chase the sun
It chases me'
Fallowpaw

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Relief nearly overwhelmed Fallowpaw as Russetpaw suddenly struck out in a definite direction. The other apprentice must know where they were going. Somewhere in the distance a wavering voice just barely graced his ears before another wave of water filled them. As the tom bobbed up and down he wondered if there even was a shore or if the two apprentices had died and this was their eternal punishment for failing to save an innocent kit's life. Despair had almost stilled his limbs when suddenly loose stones met his flailing paws. He splashed and sputtered hearing Flashpaw's advice as if through a long tunnel. Fallowpaw released poor Bramblekit's tail in time to wretch up a stomachful of water. He quickly wiped his muzzle with a dripping paw and turned to make sure Russetpaw was alright. The two apprentices wearily sloshed out of the floodwater side by side. As water drained from his ringing ears Fallowpaw heard Russetpaw's raspy thanks and smiled through his bone numbing tiredness. "S.sure." He replied. Feeling dizzy and weak after the dreadful soaking that seemed to be all he could force out at the time.

The apprentice's fur was full of small leaves and bits of twig. Sand bunched uncomfortable between his claws but he had not the energy to rid himself of such nuisances. He managed to perk his ears up and smile as Roselight his mentor came and took Bramblekit, along with the kits mother Henfeather. He nodded to the she-cats but his attention was soon brought back to Russetpaw. The tom's yowl nearly scared the exhausted Fallowpaw out of his fur. He stumbled back onto his paws, his dripping face whipping back in forth in confusion. He wasn't sure just where to look but Russetpaw's gaze was riveted on the Rainclan camp. "S. .should we go back over to look for them?" He asked tentatively. The idea of a second trip across the rushing stream didn't appeal to him at all but if the elders were trapped in the camp then they had to go! His eyes stretched wide with worry as he looked back and forth between Flashpaw and Russetpaw. Where was their leader. Surely he hadn't been lost along with the deputy. Feeling weak and shell shocked Fallowpaw waited for the other apprentice's guidance he needed someone to tell him what to do in this time of crisis. For left on his own he was as useless as the wailing Bramblekit had been. He wasn't brave or strong or quick thinking like the other apprentices he just followed along with whatever they decided to do. Sometimes that was the best thing to do though and no matter what Fallowpaw would stick with them to the end.

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[Deleted]

Flashpaw

Oh, thank StarClan they'd heard him! He inched a little further out and when the pair got close enough, accepted the waterlogged bundle that was Bramblekit. There was a faint rush of breath like a relieved sigh as his friends managed to climb onto the shore, but he knew that they weren't out of the woods just yet. He startled a bit when Roselight and Henfeather appeared in search of the kit; he handed Bramble over very gently to the she-cats and hoped that the little tom hadn't swallowed too much water. He turned back to Russet and Fallow gingerly, looking at the brown tom in particular in a new light after his dive into the river.

He didn't know Fallow extremely well, and previously he'd had no strong opinion on the tom one way or another, but he'd helped to save the life of a fellow apprentice and a little kit. That was worth Flash's respect at least. "You did real well, Fallow." He nodded in agreement with Russet, reaching over to give the other apprentice a tired bump on the shoulder with his head. "Are you okay?" That question was directed to both of them, but it didn't get much of anywhere, Russetpaw was already onto the next thing and staring back in the direction of camp. Flash thought hard, sure he'd seen at least one of the two elders milling around the bank... yes! "I saw Grasswind earlier, I think he's with Swanfeather. I haven't seen Snowstream, though."

"Maybe one of the other warriors got to her first...?" He fell silent, worry setting in for the old queen. He hoped that was the case and that she was safe; the former queen had been nothing but sweet to him the few times they had encountered each-other. She didn't deserve any of this, although he supposed none of them did in the end.

[Hellion]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=style, width: 450px; background: url(http://i441.photobucket.com/albums/qq134/joann1068/black-background.jpg); padding-left: 3px; padding-right: 3px; padding-top: 3px; padding-bottom: 3px; box-shadow: #000000 0px 0px 10px;] [style=border: 5px solid #303030; background: url(http://i50.tinypic.com/1zl5h8j.jpg); height: 260px; width: 430px; border-radius: 10px; margin-top: -10px; box-shadow: #000000 0px 0px 10px;] [/style] [style=font-family: times new roman; font-size: 28px; line-height: 8px; text-align: center; text-shadow: -1px 0 #000000, 0 1px #000000, 1px 0 #000000, 0 -1px #000000; ] COULD YOU BEAM ME UP[/style] [style=font-family: times new roman; font-size: 24px; line-height: 8px; text-align: center; text-shadow: -1px 0 #000000, 0 1px #000000, 1px 0 #000000, 0 -1px #000000; ] GIVE ME A MINITUE I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'D SAY IN IT[/style] [style= width: 420px; background-color: #363636; padding-top: 5px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 10px; padding-right: 10px; font-family: verdana; font-size: 10px; text-align: justify; opacity: 0.6; line-height: 11px; letter-spacing: 1px; color: #959595; box-shadow: #000000 0px 0px 10px;]▌ The rain! Swanfeather spat in anger, rushing to the back of her den very little herbs were salvageable, all that she had was being washed away as her den flooded. Grasswind the elder that had came to her with both a sore belly and a headache was getting up to his paws as the water kept pouring in. "Grasswind, can you carry herbs? I know it's a lot and you are tired but I need to make sure I have some herbs for any injured cats from the flood." Grasswind merely looked up at her and nodded, his legs shaky as he walked toward the bundle of herbs Swanfeather had laid out. Swanfeather smiled weakly and took the other bundle. Careful with them in her jaw, she urged Grasswind out of her den and out into the camp clearing. The camp was in uproar, Grasswind pressed close to her as she tried to direct the elder out of the camp. He was leaning heavily on her side as they tried to fight the current that was forming. Grasswind started to shake, the water was cold even for Swanfeather's taste. Her ears perked at the sound of apprentices, Fallowpaw she could hear and the loud voice of Russetpaw came loud and clear. "Grasswind, there up on the ledge are a few apprentices and by the looks of it Bramblekit. We go over there" She said through her herbs, Grasswind didn't answer instead he started to make his way toward the ledge. Then something happened he sunk under the water! Swanfeather panicked the herbs he was carrying floated to the top, she didn't want to abandon her herbs either, the chickweed was all she had to save now, the only herb she had left to protect against green cough, the catmint having already washed away. The frantic movement below the water forced her to abandon the chickweed, hoping the double wrapping protected the herb from the water, just as she was dropping the herb, Grasswind shot out of the water, gasping for breath, he was coughing but alive. Swanfeather panicked but had a change to used her tail to keep the herbs close to her as she pulled Grasswind up by his scruff. "SWIM!! For StarClan's sake kick your feet. " She growled at him, nudging him roughly to kick his legs, slowly but surely he started to move, closer and closer to the ledge. Swanfeather gathered all her strength and pulled herself and the damps herbs on the ledge, turning around to half drag Grasswind to cling to the ledge. "Please Grasswind, just climb now" Swanfeather pleaded, flashing before her eyes the sight of her mate dying before her, the infection raging in his body. She tried to clear her head of those images but every time she blinked the rain away she saw them agian. Finally after much pleaded effort both Swanfeather and Grasswind were panting on the ledge. Breathing hard, the damp herbs now closely guarded by her. She shut her eyes for a moment, as Grasswind moved away from her, from the way he looked at her it was obvious he was displeased her her words and actions toward him, however Swanfeather didn't' care at the moment. Then as if a gift from StarClan, Swanfeather felt a warm nuzzle to her cheek, looking up at her a faint and transparent outline of a cat was before her, from the scent that carried damply on the wind and rain it was Frostfang visiting her, she sighed deep and heavy. "I've missed you" She spoke softly mostly to herself and just as his spirit came he was gone, her eyes showed her pain but she made her way toward the three apprentices. "Is everyone out?" She spoke quickly, her herbs remaining very close to her. [/style] [style= width: 420px; background-color: #363636; padding-top: 5px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 10px; padding-right: 10px; font-family: verdana; font-size: 10px; text-align: justify; opacity: 0.6; line-height: 11px; letter-spacing: 1px; color: #000000; box-shadow: #000000 0px 0px 10px;]tag: music:Beam Me Up - P!ink comments: [/style] [style= background-color: #404040; font-family: courier new; font-size: 10px; text-transform: uppercase; line-height: 8px; letter-spacing: 3px; text-align: center; color: FA58F4; margin-top: -10px;]PROBABLY JUST STARE, HAPPY TO BE HOLDING YOUR FACE[/style] [style=width: 400px; margin-top: -5px; text-align: center; font-size: 9px; opacity: 0.5; color: #000000; font-family: georgia;]table by KEIKEI @ BTN[/style]

[Fawn]

Russetpaw was torn. Should we go back for her? What if she already drowned, along with Deadstar and Amberblaze? What if she was panicking, terrified in what remained of the elders' den? What if What if What if! The exhausted tom let out a yowl of frustration, shaking his head to and fro as though that might clear up some of the jumbled mess inside of it. "We should-" What had begun as a suggestion turned into a sliver of hope. There was Swanfeather and Grasswind! "We should help Swanfeather and Grasswind!" One of them could help carry herbs, the other could help move along the RainClan elder, though the Medicine Cat's words made him stop in his tracks, whiskers twitching.

"I don't know! We haven't seen her, we managed to save Bramblekit though, he's back with his mother."

"Snowstream is fine, she left the camp with both of us, she's carrying Mallowkit." It was, once again, the voice of reason in the she-cat Roselight, Russetpaw's cousin flicking her tail for them to follow her, the water already beginning to rise and cover the land they were currently standing on. Russetpaw heaved a sigh of relief. Thank StarClan. Whirling around to Swanfeather and his friends, Russetpaw padded forward, "Do you want us to help carry anything? Or help Grasswind?" Stealing a glance at the elderly tom, he then shared a look with Fallowpaw and Flashpaw. If they left the old cat to plod along at his own pace, he'd be the last one to dry land! A sense of duty and Clan love spurned him into helping Grasswind, Russetpaw wanting to become a cat who took care of the young and the old, and did not just cherry pick between them. However, helping the Medicine Cat was just as important.

Turning worn but determined eyes on her, Russetpaw concentrated on not letting his exhaustion show, the apprentice tired of being the one giving orders this time and was now ready to receive them.

[Hellion]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=style, width: 450px; background: url(http://i441.photobucket.com/albums/qq134/joann1068/black-background.jpg); padding-left: 3px; padding-right: 3px; padding-top: 3px; padding-bottom: 3px; box-shadow: #000000 0px 0px 10px;] [style=border: 5px solid #303030; background: url(http://i50.tinypic.com/1zl5h8j.jpg); height: 260px; width: 430px; border-radius: 10px; margin-top: -10px; box-shadow: #000000 0px 0px 10px;] [/style] [style=font-family: times new roman; font-size: 28px; line-height: 8px; text-align: center; text-shadow: -1px 0 #000000, 0 1px #000000, 1px 0 #000000, 0 -1px #000000; ] COULD YOU BEAM ME UP[/style] [style=font-family: times new roman; font-size: 24px; line-height: 8px; text-align: center; text-shadow: -1px 0 #000000, 0 1px #000000, 1px 0 #000000, 0 -1px #000000; ] GIVE ME A MINITUE I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'D SAY IN IT[/style] [style= width: 420px; background-color: #363636; padding-top: 5px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 10px; padding-right: 10px; font-family: verdana; font-size: 10px; text-align: justify; opacity: 0.6; line-height: 11px; letter-spacing: 1px; color: #959595; box-shadow: #000000 0px 0px 10px;]▌ Swawnfeather squared her shoulder and rose her head up high, the image of Deadstar sinking below the flood and never rising up flashed in her mind her heart sank but it wasn't the time to feel sorrow, it was a time of action. Russetpaw looked at her a slightly overwhelmed expression on his face and she understood how he felt. "Okay everyone, until I hear other wise from Amberblaze or StarClan themselves, I am your leader. Now I need everyone to get with Grasswind, he is tired and might need help. Don't offer to help him walk, just walk beside him, keep him talking I'm afraid he is in shock and I don't have the herbs to help him right now. Russetpaw, I want you to go with Roselight, try and find anymore survivors. We will all meet at StarClan's claws" Swanfeather meowed her eyes expressing her strength and determination. "My StarClan light your path" Swanfeather said kindly, flicking her tail to both Russetpaw and Roselight before heading after Grasswind, the damp bundle of herbs in her jaw. [/style] [style= width: 420px; background-color: #363636; padding-top: 5px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 10px; padding-right: 10px; font-family: verdana; font-size: 10px; text-align: justify; opacity: 0.6; line-height: 11px; letter-spacing: 1px; color: #000000; box-shadow: #000000 0px 0px 10px;]tag: music:Beam Me Up - P!ink comments: exit swan::I might be making a post in StarClan's claws after I hear from Raven [/style] [style= background-color: #404040; font-family: courier new; font-size: 10px; text-transform: uppercase; line-height: 8px; letter-spacing: 3px; text-align: center; color: FA58F4; margin-top: -10px;]PROBABLY JUST STARE, HAPPY TO BE HOLDING YOUR FACE[/style] [style=width: 400px; margin-top: -5px; text-align: center; font-size: 9px; opacity: 0.5; color: #000000; font-family: georgia;]table by KEIKEI @ BTN[/style]

[Deleted]

'You know my name
You know my face
You'd know my heart
If you knew my place'
Fallowpaw

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The small apprentice's fur began to fluff out. His swirled paws remaining unusually dark as the rising water lapped around them. His large worried gaze flicked between the gathered cats. He had no clue what to do. Who to follow, who to aid. He wished that his siblings were there by his side to guide and protect him from the tragic events that were unfolding. Swanfeather appeared with one of the elders and he sighed in evedent releif. That was one elder safe. His ears that so recently drooped in weariness perked as Roselight assured Russetpaw that Snowstream was safe. His gaze returned to Swanfeather, although he thought about seeking solice from his mentor it seemed that the medicine cat was the only remaining leadership left to the broken clan. He wanted to whimper. To mewl like a newborn but pride sealed his lips. He pushed himself to his full short height and squared his shoulders. He had to be strong like the rest of his clanmates. He had to be brave like Russetpaw.

Fallowpaw nodded as Russetpaw asked for direction. He wanted to help but was too timid to ask himself. As Swanfeather told Russetpaw to go with Roselight Fallowpaw took a tenative step forward. Halting then looking slightly confused. Was he supposed to go with his mentor also? Swanfeather seemed so sure of herself that he decided he could be with his mentor later. He sidled up to the siamese she-cat holding out his paw in question then withdrawing it in the same movement. He wouldn't offer the medicine cat his help she seemed to have things under control. Instead he turned to Flashpaw. Glancing at his fellow apprentice then back to Grasswind. He was sure the old cat would bop his head if he tried supporting him but he padded up next to the tom anyway. Giving the elder a faint smile the apprentice tried to make it clear that he was there to help.

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