[217]

Originally Posted by The Little Robin

@Fawn

“Oh, Starclan..” The started words slipped past the small apprentice’s parted jaws as she saw water, lots of it, flooding the camp that she knew and loved, the home that she knew since birth. The place were she had met her best friend and played around with him like they were kittens, this was the place where she had been named an apprentice and seen as Brightfluff’s student - this was a place of a joy, memories that shaped her life until now. But no, it was not that anymore. Cats rushed past her, fleeing in terror in fright to escape the water that surrounded the area and was slowly engulfing everything in sight. Her eyes were widened in horror, yet the small she-cat did not move - she was frozen in place, her small paws shaking underneath her. She hardly noticed water rush past her paws, soaking her shortened legs and coating them in grimy mud. Newtpaw soon broke from her frozen terror as another cat rushed past her, shoving the small apprentice aside and casting her into the deepened water. Her head broke through the surface and dirty water flooded into Newtpaw’s mouth, making her gag and flail her paws violently in attempts to get to air once again. The apprentice was very small compared to most and she knew nothing about survival, barely into training, having no family to call for. Though, one name rang in her mind and Newtpaw’s head broke through the raging flood waters.

“Lionpaw!” She yowled, her tone thick with fright and terror, her long fur dragging her back down into the depths, “Lionpaw, help me!” The apprentice knew not where her friend was nor would he even hear her, but this tom-cat was her only friend, her only hope of rescue. Sure, she only knew him a couple moons, but she trusted him. Newtpaw’s paw snagged a branch that was caught in the water and the she-cat clung to it, shaking as she gasped for breath now, a strangled whisper still ringing out as she coughed wildly, “Lionpaw..”

The golden brown tom was frantically looking around. He hadn't rushed to the entrance like many others, because he knew of a certain cat who, if she was caught in the deep waters, would have a very, very hard time getting out. He pushed past cats in search of his best friend. He was panicking. He didn't know what he'd do if he lost her. He almost wasn't looking thoroughly, feeling such a desperate need to hurry up and find her. He couldn't let her get hurt. He had to make sure she got out.

Lionpaw pushed past yet another cat, coming to an abrupt halt as he reached the waters that deepened greatly. That's when he heard it.
"Lionpaw!"
He thought he heard his name. He stopped completely, still and straining his ears. He couldn't be imagining. He couldn't be hearing things. It was even her voice. Then he heard it again, more clearly.
"Lionpaw, help me!"
He immediately sprang into action, taking no time to think about his weak ability to swim or how much he disliked water. He kicked his legs, head toward the direction the voice had come from. Then he saw her.

She was clinging desperately to a branch, coughing violently. "Newtpaw!" He'd never yowled so loudly, and he'd never felt so much adrenaline pumping through his veins. Suddenly, his tired legs gained so much more strength, and he felt almost numb the the cold. He kicked his legs through the water wildly, finally reaching the branch that was stranded in the deep water. He leapt onto it, taking no time to speak as he took a deep breath and grasped Newtpaw's wet neck scruff. He leapt back into the water, seeing no way around swimming back, and tried his absolute best to keep Newtoaw's head above water. His own went under a couple of times, but he couldn't care less.
Finally, he reached the end of the deeps waters, where the water was shalloe and barely reaching the tops of his toes. Lionpaw gently put Newtpaw back on the ground, letting go of her scruff, before letting out a string of violent coughs. Breathing heavily, he nudged Nestpaw in encouragement to begin running towards safety. "Are you okay, Newtpaw?" He asked shakily as he made sure to stay by her side. Another cough escaped him, hurting his raw throat. He had saved her. She was okay. That was all that mattered. Newtpaw was okay.