The Raging Storm

“It’s too wild to swim across.” Willowshine eyed Icewing and Lizardtail as they followed Tree through the sedge. “Even for a RiverClan cat.” Her Clanmates stopped on the bank and stared in dismay at the foaming water as Nightcloud led the rest of the patrol out.

Lionblaze padded to the edge. “Could we make it across if we hang onto one another and let the strongest swimmers lead?” He looked at Icewing.

The RiverClan cat’s ears twitched. “Those currents would sweep us away.”

“Look.” Tree nodded to a young alder farther along the bank. It bent over the water. A worn crack where the trunk had snapped moons ago showed fresh, pale wood where the storm had torn it wider. The tree rocked in the wind, yielding at the crack so that its branches dipped toward the river. “If we climb past the broken wood, our weight will bend the tree more,” he mewed. “Its branches will reach the far bank, and we can use it to cross.”

The alder looked fragile, creaking as the wind tugged it. It wouldn’t take much weight to snap the trunk so that it collapsed into a makeshift bridge.

Nightcloud shivered. “It looks dangerous.”

Hootwhisker’s eyes glittered with fear. “The water might wash the tree away, too.”

Twigbranch blinked at Tree. “Perhaps we look for another place to cross.”

He shook his head. “This is the only place. The water will be wilder if we head downstream, and upstream the banks are too steep.”

Flypaw’s eyes were wide. “What if I fall in?” she breathed.

“I won’t let you.” Twigbranch ran her tail along Flypaw’s spine. She glanced at the others. “Let’s try to snap the trunk first. We can decide after that.”

Tree nodded and led the way. He leaped past the splintered wood and balanced on the sloping trunk. Then he reached along it with his paws and pushed. “Help me.”

Hootwhisker and Lionblaze leaped up beside him. Together they pressed against the trunk. Cherryfall slipped around the other side and, keeping clear of the water’s edge, reached up and hooked her claws into the bark. She pulled the trunk as the others pushed. Twigbranch hurried to help her, rearing onto her hind legs and digging her foreclaws into the wet wood. She heard a snap and felt the tree give. Cherryfall dodged away. Twigbranch ducked as its branches crashed onto the far bank. Wood splintered around Tree as Lionblaze and Hootwhisker leaped clear, and the alder trembled and fell still like fallen prey.

Triumph surged in Twigbranch’s chest. It had lodged clear of the water, and the river slid beneath it. “We can cross!” The tree was narrow, but smooth. They could easily pick their way across it and scramble through the branches onto the far shore. She leaped onto the trunk and blinked at the others.

Lionblaze’s fur was ruffled, but his eyes shone. He jumped up and headed across, curling his claws into the bark as the wind ruffled his pelt. Finleap followed. Twigbranch blinked at him reassuringly as he brushed past her, but he avoided her eye. Lizardtail and Hootwhisker went next, and the others followed. As she waited for them to cross, Tree nudged Flypaw past her onto the trunk.

The apprentice’s ears were twitching anxiously. Twigbranch ran her tail reassuringly along the young she-cat’s spine. “I’ll be right behind you,” she promised. As Flypaw padded cautiously forward, Twigbranch followed, keeping close enough to grab her if she lost her footing, but not crowding her. The river churned below, spray breaking over the bark. Flypaw was taking her time, but Twigbranch resisted the urge to hurry her on. She knew that the young she-cat did best when she was allowed to go at her own speed. Slowly Flypaw padded along the trunk, her tail quivering and her pelt bushed. She quickened as she neared the end, darted forward in a rush, threw herself among the branches, scrabbled through them, and fought her way to solid ground.

Twigbranch followed the trunk onto the thickest branch and picked her way among the jutting twigs until she could see earth beneath. She leaped down and looked back for Tree. The yellow tom had already crossed the trunk. She was impressed to see how at ease he seemed, as though he crossed raging rivers every day. He followed Twigbranch’s path nimbly and leaped down beside her. “That was a great plan,” she told him, swishing her tail happily.

Lionblaze nodded respectfully to Tree. “I didn’t know loners were so resourceful.”

Tree’s whiskers twitched with amusement. “Warriors aren’t the only smart cats in the forest.”

Finleap scowled. “Let’s go,” he mewed briskly. “We can’t waste time congratulating one another. We have to catch up.” As he padded away, Tree glanced at Twigbranch questioningly.

She looked away. “Finleap is right. We should keep moving.” This patrol had been her idea. These cats were relying on her. She wasn’t going to let Finleap upset her.