Warriors: Salmonstar's Fate

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

                Teeth met her scruff and pulled her out. Salmonkit was placed on the ground in front of her mother and instantly collapsed, gasping for air. She could feel her fur slowly starting to shed the water off and rose unsteadily to her paws, shaking herself dry. “Are you okay?” Sandfur asked worriedly.

                Salmonkit nodded, still shivering from both fear and the icy water. “Now let’s try again, and I’ll help you this time. And Foxkit, do not push her in!” Sandfur meowed sternly, glaring at her other kit.

                Foxkit stared at her paws. “Sorry,” Salmonkit’s sister muttered.

                ”Okay, so, swimming requires...” Sandfur started to explain.

                Salmonkit backed away from the Beginner’s Pool. “No!” she shouted. “I don’t want to do that again!”

                “Salmonkit, you’re a member of RiverClan. You won’t be useful if you can’t swim!” her mother protested.

                “I hate swimming!” Salmonkit wailed. “I don’t ever want to place a paw in water ever again!”

                “You’re just scared. It’ll be okay, I’m right here,” Sandfur tried to soothe her.

                “No!” Salmonkit screamed. “I won’t do it!”

                “Salmonkit, please try one more time,” the light brown she-cat begged her. “I don’t want you to turn out like Ripplecloud. The biggest mistake I ever made was allowing him not to swim.”

                Fine. I’ll be brave. I will survive. And after this, I’ll never have to swim again.

                “Fine,” Salmonkit growled. “But after this, when I hate it, I will never swim again.”

                “You won’t hate it,” Sandfur promised.

                “If I do, I don’t ever have to try to swim again. Deal?” Salmonkit offered.

                Her mother sighed. “Fine,” she agreed. “Okay, swimming is a lot like walking. Just move both of your hindlegs and alternate front paws. Keep moving no matter what! If you fall under the water, turn your body up towards the surface and kick out strongly with your hindlegs.”

                Salmonkit took a deep breath and then leapt into the water. She sank underneath the surface and remembered Sandfur’s advice. She lifted her head and kicked with her hindlegs, surprised to find herself actually heading upwards. Her head came up above the water and Salmonkit started moving her front legs, finding a rhythm. She swam in circles for a while and finally hauled herself out. “That was fun,” Salmonkit admitted reluctantly.

                “My turn!” Foxkit squealed excitedly. “I’ll do better than you, Salmonkit!”

                Salmonkit rolled her eyes and watched as Foxkit launched herself into the water. Foxkit started flailing about and screeched in terror as her head dipped below the surface. Salmonkit jumped in and reached underwater. She strained to keep her sister above the water and maintain her steady pace. The young kit was relieved when Sandfur took Foxkit from her jaws and set her down on the grass.

                Foxkit’s amber eyes were wide with fear. “Who’s better than who now?” Salmonkit taunted her sister.

                “Salmonkit, that’s enough!” Sandfur snapped.

                “I don’t think I want to try again,” Foxkit meowed hesitantly. “At least not today.”

                “Just do what I said and you’ll be fine,” Sandfur comforted her. “Salmonkit did it, so you can too.”

                “I’m sorry,” Foxkit whispered. “But I can’t.”

                Before Sandfur could respond, Salmonkit dashed forward and knocked her sister back into the Beginner’s Pool. “Revenge is sweet,” Salmonkit told Foxkit as she was about to hit the surface. 

                “Salmonkit!” Sandfur screamed angrily.

                Foxkit managed to kick her way back up to the surface and she tried for a controlled pace with her front paws. It was slower than Salmonkit’s swimming, but at least she didn’t fall back underwater this time.

                Foxkit arrived at the edge of the Beginner’s Pool where Salmonkit and Sandfur were watching and reached up with her forepaws. She lost her grip and slipped, but Sandfur quickly grabbed her scruff and hauled her up. “That’s good for today,” Sandfur meowed. “You can do more tomorrow, but nice job!”

                “Sandfur?” Salmonkit called her mother’s name. “Can I stay out here and swim a little more?”  

                Sandfur hesitated. “Fine, but come join us in the nursery soon,” she answered finally.

                Salmonkit stared at them as they turned around and padded towards the nursery. She eventually spun around and leapt back into the water, paddling around until she was too exhausted and her legs were too tired to swim any longer.