The water was still rising. The dens were underwater, and he could hear the commotion from the clan as they made their way to higher ground. Lilygleam would lead them on, he had to make sure everyone got out. So he swam up and down the length of the clan, nudging along apprentices and encouraging those that started to drift away, even pushing them on to safety as he could. His limbs started to feel heavy, but he was a strong swimmer and he could keep going a little while longer. He saw cats fall into the water, saw his clan come together to rescue them and keep going. RainClan was strong, they'd make it through this.
He saw Dewfrost, head held as high above the water as she could manage, paddling along with her escort. He imagined she was being irritable about now for having to abandon her herbs. But there had been no time to gather what could be saved. The water rose too swiftly and he couldn't lose their only medicine cat. This was a trial by water, the river passing its bounds and making it dangerous even for those cats of his clan who were strong swimmers and fisher-cats. Too much water, too high a chance to drown. Chaos.
Silverstar has to keep them safe, had to make sure everyone made it. They'd already lost too many cats. No one else. "StarClan protect them." He prayed as he once more pushed his body through the steadily rising waters. The current was getting stronger, and although he was a good swimmer he was still slender of build and getting tired. Just a little longer, he told himself, a little longer and he'd make for shore and rest a moment before going to rejoin the clan.
Everyone was out of the camp now, he was certain. All that was left was crossing himself and slowly following their trail, gathering up any that had become separated by the rushing waters and reuniting they and himself with the clan. All easy, all a plan. One pawstep at a time.
The silver tabby kept swimming, but he didn't notice the large branch that had been caught in the downpour until it was too late. Darkness, pain. He scrambled for the surface, but he was so tired, his body felt heavy. Rest, it told him. Must rest. He fought it, fought the heaviness and the throbbing pain in his back from the branch. Fought and fought and fought and then....fog. Foggy patches over hidden dens and trees blanketed in mist. He didn't hurt anymore, and his pelt was dry and pristine. What happened?
"Where am I?"
"Silverstar!" He flinched and turned in time to see Echoshade's father, Darkwater coming towards him at a dead run. StarClan. He must have...but how?
"No time for you to wonder, think on this later. You need to go back now! For the sake of those kits you hide from the clan, you have to go back!"
Kits, clan...he had to...
"Go now!" And just like that he awoke, finding himself at bottom of the river with his chest burning on fire. Drowned, he'd drowned, and in desperation and sheer terror he clawed his way to the surface, gasping and gagging on the water that had filled his lungs and killed him. He managed to pull himself onto the muddy embankment, the rain still pelting down on him as he coughed up water and tried to get his bearings.
"Mew! Mew! Mew!" He heard the terrified cries of kits, each one weaker than the last. StarClan preserve him. He pushed himself to his paws and saw, to his horror, the tiny bodies wiggling in the mud. Their nest had been destroyed and now their little bodies were struggling in the much. Something inside of him turned over as he rushed to them, picking them up one by one and moving over to where there was grass.
He wasn't sure where he was, but there were trees, and a hollow wide enough to nest in while he gathered himself and attended the shivering kits. So he moved them there one by one, knowing by scent that these were Willowbreeze's kits. They mewled and shivered and sniffled and he had no clue what to do. So once under shelter he cleaned them mercilessly, curling his own wet pelt around them to try to warm them up. Pressed against his belly, head over top of them as he groomed them and comforted himself. "Don't worry, I'll protect you." His voice was hoarse from coughing and he hurt all over. Was this what it felt like to die and come back? He shook in horror, then had to groom the kits again as they mewled in distress. "Shhh...shhh...its okay, its okay. I'm here, you're safe now." He cooed to them, eventually just curling up tightly around them and praying he regained enough strength soon to return to the clan. They were waiting on him, and he was sure his friend was grieving for her kits about now.
He had to get them back, he had to get himself back. But...just a moment, just a rest. He had to sleep, warm the kits, warm himself. Just rest.
~end~ [to be picked up in the group thread up with the Tribe]
HellionGhost the Undead Goddess