The Augury of RiverClan - Chapter 1.1

Rain water gushed over the edge of the camp as Riverpaw helped Halfface crawl over the reed barrier towards the forest. Shorestar padded behind the pair, holding Stormkit in her mouth."I haven't seen flooding this bad since I was a 'paw," Halfface croaked over the thundering sky. His different colored eyes shone like flames in the dark.

"I doubt we'll see anything like it again any time soon," Riverpaw replied hastily, scenting his Clanmates. "They went this way."

The ancient tabby tom leaned heavily on the apprentice. Stormkit's mewling was drowned out by the rolling thunder and deafening rainfall. The water hit Riverpaw's back like wasp stings-- quick, repetitive, and annoying. He'd have to check with Pinestep to see if she could give him a poppy seed after the rain was gone. They had been the last cats to leave camp; Tawnybird, the deputy, had led the others to the top of the hill that led into the forest.

"I'm losing their scent," Riverpaw yowled to his mother. "The rain's washing it all away!"

Shorestar passed Stormkit to Riverpaw and padded to the other side of Halfface. "We just need to get to higher ground!" she howled back. "We can find the Clan later. Take Stormkit and go; we'll catch up!"

Riverpaw felt the small kit's soft fur in his mouth as he picked up the little she-kit. Her tangy scent filled his nostrils as he charged up the hill, bounding over rocks and water-soaked bushes.

"I don't like the rain," he heard her complain. "I want Pale-eye!"

Riverpaw ignored her for now, pausing to glance back at his mother and the elder. They were nowhere in sight-- had the water washed them away? Or were his eyes failing him in the dark, dreary storm? Regardless, the silver tabby turned back up the hill, following Shorestar's instructions.

"Riverpaw!" A soaked tortoiseshell she-cat bounded over to him from the trees, water dripping from her pelt. "C'mon, the Clan's this way! Pale-eye and Thornstrike have been worried about Stormkit."

Thank StarClan for Speckleheart, the apprentice thought as he followed the ancient warrior. The camp had never flooded since Riverpaw had been born; the rain had never been this bad, either. If RiverClan was suffering, he could hardly imagine how the others were handling all the rain.

"Quick, up into the trees," Speckleheart mewed as she snatched Stormkit from Riverpaw's jaws. The old cat pounced onto a low hanging branch and then crawled into a hole in an old sycamore. Riverpaw looked at the the trees and tried to look for one that'd be easy to climb; he settled on an ancient oak, unsheathing his claws and taking hold of the bark. There were a few cats already up there, but with so much rain, he couldn't tell who they were.

As he reached some higher branches, he heard a tom call, "Where's Shorestar?" Berryfur's wise yellow eyes pierced Riverpaw's pelt as he clawed his way over to a sturdy branch.

"She told me to take Stormkit while she helped Halfface!" the apprentice called back. "She said she'd follow as soon as she could!"

"Then we must trust StarClan!" the water-drenched tabby called back. "This rain stings like nettles, but we're safer here than below."

"Agreed," Mistyfur mewed loudly from another branch. "With some luck, every cat will be okay!"

"Not Barkfur," Blackfoot retorted from another tree. "The water killed him!"

"What?" Riverpaw gasped. "When?"

"Not too long after he saved Lightningsong!" the dark-colored she-cat bellowed. "He fell into the river and was washed away!"

Riverpaw dipped his head. "May StarClan light his path," the tom mumbled. "What about--"

"Look!" another cat called. "It's Halfface and Shorestar!" Indeed, their pale-pelted leader was dragging Halfface up the hill. A black and ginger she-cat leaped down from one of the trees to help.

"Sunsetfur needs to be careful," Riverpaw mewed to himself as the she-cat helped Shorestar carry Halfface towards the trees.

The apprentice watched Berryfur climb down the tree they were in and join them. The old tom mewed something to their leader and Sunsetfur, and Halfface muttered something Riverpaw couldn't hear. A beam of light landed on Berryfur's face. Before the medicine cat could say anything, Riverpaw had known what it was.

"Look!" the tom hissed a moment later. "A sign! StarClan has sent a sign!"

"What is it?" Lightningsong croaked.

Berryfur circled Shorestar and then looked at Lightningsong. "StarClan says that the rain will end soon! RiverClan will survive!"

Relief flooded Riverpaw's mind as he felt his muscles relax. Shorestar, however, didn't look as happy. "Tawnybird," she called, "set up three hunting patrols. The prey will be scarce in this weather, but the Clan needs to be fed!"

From the hole in the sycamore, a golden tabby crawled down to his leader before turning to the Clan. "Riverpaw!" his deep voice mewed, "take Pinkpaw and your littermates deeper into the forest. You might be able to find some mice in their nests. Runningwhisker, Stream, and Quickflash, try to see if you can find some fish. Take Pinestep with you; some cats have scratches or are in pain, so any herbs you find will be useful."

I'm leading a patrol? Riverpaw thought as he started to make his way back down to the ground. This should prove interesting... The silver tom padded close to the deputy as he waited for his siblings and Pinkpaw to join him. Bright pink eyes flashed in the darkness, and Pinkpaw's soggy white pelt seemed to materialize within the mist.

"Where are the others?" she screamed over the rain.

"We're coming!" Havenpaw cried, shaking some water from his thick black pelt. Ripplepaw and Graypaw followed close behind.

Riverpaw turned and started to pad towards the edge of the trees, flicking his tail for the other four cats to follow him. His bright green eyes pierced through the darkness as he scanned the muddy terrain around the cluster of trees. "Let's go."