Bramblestar’s Storm

“I’ll help you,” Jessy began, but the tabby tom only moaned more loudly and began backing away from the water’s edge.

Jessy turned to Bramblestar, letting out a soft hiss of frustration through her teeth. “We can’t leave him here,” she mewed. “What if we put him into the tub with the blanket?”

Bramblestar thought the idea sounded crazy, but there was no alternative. They couldn’t hang around much longer on this side of the water, in case the Twolegs saw them. “We’ll give it a try,” he agreed.

Jessy went up to Frankie and nudged him. “Come on, Frankie. We’re going to give you a ride.” She explained her suggestion to the terrified tom. “You’ll die if you stay here,” she finished dramatically.

Dumb with fear, Frankie allowed Jessy to shove him over to the tub. He climbed in on top of the pelt, digging his claws hard into the folds. Bramblestar and Lionblaze pushed the tub onto the turbulent water and waded in after it. The force of the current nearly knocked Bramblestar off his paws, and he drew in his breath in a gasp of terror. There’s no turning back now.

The other cats followed as they began to swim. All Bramblestar could see was the tub, the swirling water, and Lionblaze’s drenched golden head beside him.

Then Cinderheart appeared a tail-length away. “Steer over this way,” she panted. “It’s not far now.”

As Bramblestar tried to turn, a wave slapped against the side of the tub. It lurched over, and Frankie let out a terrified screech as water slopped inside it. Lionblaze managed to give the tub a shove, righting it and sending it on its new course. At the same moment Poppyfrost’s head appeared among the waves, bobbing up and down as she swam right into the path of the tub.

“Poppyfrost, look out!” Bramblestar yowled.

The tortoiseshell she-cat, focused on struggling through the waves, hadn’t seen that the tub had changed course. She turned at Bramblestar’s yowl and her eyes widened in terror as she saw the tub bearing down on her. She thrashed her legs faster, and Bramblestar tried to thrust the tub aside, but it was too late. The side of it knocked into Poppyfrost, driving her under the surface of the water.

Bramblestar took a gulp of air and dived down, dark thoughts of Seedpaw’s death flickering through his mind. Would he even find his Clanmate in this swollen river? He wanted to let out a screech of joy when he bumped into Poppyfrost’s body. He grabbed her and hauled her back to the surface.

Poppyfrost was still conscious, writhing and coughing up water. “Thanks, Bramblestar,” she gasped after a few moments. “I’m okay. I can swim.”

Bramblestar was reluctant to let her go, but just then he caught sight of Cinderheart paddling up to them.

“I’ll swim beside her,” the gray she-cat mewed. “I’ll make sure she’s okay.”

Bramblestar swam back to the tub, which was riding lower in the water. Frankie was peering over the edge, letting out terrified whimpers. Bramblestar joined Lionblaze in pushing, and spotted Jessy still swimming strongly a fox-length away.

“We’re nearly there!” the brown kittypet called.

At last Bramblestar felt the tub scrape against solid ground, and realized that he could lower his paws and stand. He and Lionblaze dragged the tub to the very edge of the water so that Frankie could crawl out. The tabby tom looked stunned, as if he didn’t know where he was or what was happening anymore.

Looking down into the tub, Bramblestar saw that the pelt was soaked through with the water that had splashed in during the crossing. I’ve risked all our lives for a wet pelt and two homeless kittypets, he thought with mingled disgust and guilt.

He took the lead as the patrol headed back through ShadowClan territory, still pushing the tub containing the pelt along at the edge of the floodwater. They figured it was easy to keep the pelt where it was, to keep it from getting even muddier.

Suddenly Poppyfrost, who was bringing up the rear, called out, “I can smell ShadowClan!”

Bramblestar stopped and tasted the air. The scent was strong and fresh, and getting stronger, telling him that several ShadowClan cats were approaching. Swiftly he shoved the tub into the shelter of a bramble thicket.

“Climb trees!” he ordered in a low voice.

Cinderheart and Poppyfrost obeyed instantly, streaking up the trunk of the nearest pine tree and peering down from its branches.

Lionblaze hesitated. “You think they’ll be hostile?” he asked.

“We’re on their territory, with kittypets,” Bramblestar retorted. “What do you think?”

“Good point,” Lionblaze muttered.

Bramblestar turned to Jessy. “Can you climb?”

“Yes, I’ll be fine, but Frankie won’t.”

The gray tabby tom had slumped into a sodden bundle of misery at the foot of a tree. Jessy bounded over and nudged him. “Frankie, wake up! You have to climb!”

“Leave me alone!”