Dark River

Breezepaw landed beside him. Jaypaw stiffened. He was holding the third kit in his jaws. She was barely breathing and when Breezepaw laid her on the ground, she didn’t move.

“Thistlekit went to sleep and now she won’t wake up!”

Swallowkit wailed.

Jaypaw pushed the trembling kits against Breezepaw and crouched beside the limp, wet body at his feet. She was cold, shivering with small convulsions. Jaypaw began to massage her body with his paws, trying to rub some warmth into her pelt.

Heatherpaw slithered back over the boulder. “Is she okay?”

“Help Breezepaw warm the other two!” Jaypaw ordered.

“We’re hungry!” Sedgekit’s mew was muffled by Heatherpaw’s fur.

“It serves you right for wandering off!” Heatherpaw scolded. She sounded cross but Jaypaw could feel her fearful gaze jabbing his pelt as he worked on Thistlekit. Rain dripped down harder through the gap in the roof. The silt had turned to slimy mud around his paws. He rubbed Thistlekit more urgently. He had to get them out of here.

Lionpaw and Hollypaw leaped down from the boulder.

“Do you know the way out?” Swallowkit asked, trembling.

“Of course we do,” Breezepaw declared. “We found our way in, didn’t we? Getting out will be even easier.”

He doesn’t believe that.

“We’ll get out,” Jaypaw mewed softly. He waited for Fallen Leaves to whisper encouragement but he only felt the quiver of the young tom’s tail against his flank.

Thistlekit began to cough and fidget beneath his paws.

Warmth was seeping back into her body. She struggled to her paws. “You found us!” she gasped.

Hollypaw folded herself around the shivering kit. “Did you think we’d leave you in this horrible place?”

Surprise pulsed from the kit. “You’re from ThunderClan.”

“We’ve been helping your Clanmates to find you,” Hollypaw explained.

“You’ve caused a lot of trouble,” Breezepaw growled.

Lionpaw’s tail swished over the floor. “We can worry about that once we’re out.”

A noise like rushing air suddenly filled the tunnels.

“The rain’s getting harder,” Hollypaw mewed.

“That’s not rain,” Lionpaw murmured. “It’s coming from inside the tunnels.”

“Inside?” Sedgekit squeaked.

“What is it?” Breezepaw demanded.

Jaypaw felt sick. He knew what it meant. “The river is overflowing.”

Lionpaw darted to Jaypaw’s side, pelt bristling with alarm.

“How do you know?”

Jaypaw closed his eyes. “I’ve heard it before. The tunnels are going to flood.”

Energy exploded from Lionpaw. “We’ve got to get out of here!” Swallowkit squealed as he snatched her up in his jaws.

“Breezepaw, Heatherpaw, take the other two,” he hissed out of the corner of his mouth.

“I’ll lead,” Jaypaw mewed. He had brought them here. He had to get them out. He pelted back along the tunnel. Fur brushed stone and claws skittered after him.

Fallen Leaves fell in beside him and matched the rhythm of his stride.

“You’ve got to get us back to the cave!” Jaypaw hissed.

“I will,” Fallen Leaves promised. The young tom’s paws made no sound on the tunnel floor as they raced onward, but his pelt was hot with fear and his mind flashed with memories that echoed in Jaypaw’s mind: paws churning through muddy water, struggling against currents too strong to fight, gasping for air and finding only water, disbelief as the world closed in and life ebbed from his body. He’s remembering how we drowned!

Jaypaw pushed on harder, ducking just in time to squirm under the low roof. He wriggled forward, the rock scraping his spine, his claws splintering against the stone. Struggling out the other side he paused, waiting until he heard the others emerge. The kits squealed with fear and pain as they were dragged over the rough stone.

“Nearly there!” Jaypaw encouraged. The tunnel was sloping upward now. Water washed his paws. One more twist, another turn. He could smell the scent of fresh air. He burst into the cave, hope springing in his belly.

We’ve made it! He could feel Fallen Leaves trembling with relief beside him.

Ahead, the river was roaring.

Lionpaw shot out behind him. “Take Swallowkit!” He thrust the kit at Jaypaw.

Jaypaw snatched her in his teeth.

“What’s he doing?” Hollypaw exploded from the tunnel with Heatherpaw and Breezepaw.

Jaypaw heard water splash as Lionpaw plunged into the river.

“Lionpaw!” he yowled, dropping Swallowkit. He strained to hear over the roaring of the water. “Can you see him?” he begged Hollypaw.

“He’s swimming!”

“He’s crazy!” Breezepaw gasped.

“I’m okay!” Lionpaw coughed as he struggled, splashing, from the far side of the river.

“How are we going to get the kits across?” Heatherpaw called.

“There’s no point!” Lionpaw yowled back. “The tunnel’s blocked!” Panic edged his mew. “The rain has washed soil into the entrance. There’s too much mud to dig through.”

“What about our tunnel?” Heatherpaw called.

Breezepaw bounded away as Lionpaw splashed back across the river.

“Blocked, too! Boulders have fallen from the roof!”

Breezepaw called from the WindClan tunnel. “It’s like a waterfall in here. We’d never get the kits up it!”