"Snowkit!" Redkit yowled.
Violetkit stumbled back, looking alarmed. "Redkit, we have to go. They'll think we killed her."
Ivykit stared in shock at Violetkit, "She's your sister!"
Redkit leapt towards the river, but Violetkit stopped him, "She's already dead, Redkit. You can't die too" her eyes were crazy with fear.
Redkit turned, his eyes mirroring Violetkit's, and with that they both ran. Ivykit hesitated for a second to stare at them in bewilderment before turning around to jump into the river.
Immediately, her world turned upside down and backward, the water rushing into her nose. She forced her eyes open, scanning the river frantically. There! The limp form of Snowkit was drifting further and further away from her. Ivykit pumped her legs wildly, but the rushing current was on her side. She managed somehow to grab Snowkit's scruff in the chaos and heave her upwards.
Snowkit's paws moved feebly, and with the last of Ivykit's strength, she shoved Snowkit to the shore. The river rushed Ivykit downstream, and she choked on water. I guess Violetkit gets her wish after all, Ivykit thought.
Just as darkness began to close Ivykit, she felt teeth close around her scruff, and suddenly, it was bright again. She coughed up water, breathing in the glorious, beautiful air. Air that she would never take for granted again.
"Ivykit!" Soemone was shaking her, and she turned to face him brearily.
"Birchpaw?"
"Oh for Rising Star's sake, let's not jump in the river," He snapped at her, real anger in his voice.
"Snowkit," Ivykit coughed, "Find Snowkit."
"Great Stars, there's more of you?! Don't move, I'll be back. Ravenpaw, go get Dreamwalker."
Who's Ravenpaw? Ivykit lifted her head shakily. She saw Birchpaw's tail retrating and a small black cat running in a different direction. A large unfamiliar tom stood over her, staring at her like she was a two-headed rabbit. "Where am I?"
"In Swaying Grass territory." The tom said.
Ivykit tried to get up but failed, falling back down to the ground with a cough. "S-swaying Grass??"
The tom didn't respond, looking over his shoulder awkwardly.
"Please don't kill me," Ivykit said, getting to her trembling feet.
The cat looked uncomfortable. "I won't."
To her relief, she saw Birchpaw approaching a limp Snowkit in his jaws. He set Snowkit down next to her, panic in his eyes. "She isn't breathing, and I don't know how to fix her."
"Snowkit!" Ivykit ran over to her side. The pretty she-cat had been nothing but mean to her, but they were kin.
"WHERE IS DREAMWALKER?" Birchpaw's voice was a terrified yowl.
Snowkit lay, unbreathing. Her normally perfect white fur was wet and muddy, and blood was trickling out of a cut on her shoulder. "You tried to save me," she whispered, feeling sorrow close in on her, "Why?"
"Birchpaw?" Came a yowl front the moor, and Ivykit turned to see a grey tabby tome running down the slope, the black apprentice next to him.
He quickly covered the distance with large bounds and crouched over Snowkit.
"She isn't breathing, I've failed!" Birchpaw was meowing frantically.
"Watch what I'm doing," Dreamwalker muttered distractedly. Birchpaw fell silent, letting huge huge heaving breaths.
Dreamwalker flipped Snowkit over, lifting her up with his paw. He smacked her back three times, giving her a shake. When nothing happened, he flipped her over again, setting her on the ground. He began to pump her chest with his paw, up down up down
Ivykit watched him in awe. Could he really save her? His movements were quick and presice, and his eyes were completely calm and focused.
And then, suddenly, Snowkit let out a cough that racked her whole body. Ivykit's heart leapt, "Snowkit!"
Dreamwalker flipped her on her side, patting her back as she hacked and heaved for air. Birchpaw's legs shook and nearly buckled with relief. "Alright, Birchpaw, what's the next step?"
Birchpaw blinked rabidly, as if trying to process the words, "We- she has to rest. Maybe some poppyseeds to fall asleep?"
Dreamwalker nodded approvingly. "Thornear, please pick up the kit. We can help Birchpaw bring them to their camp."
The large tom leaned down obediently, picking the limp Snowkit up by her scruff. She was a large kit, almost an apprentice, but Thornear showed no signs of struggling with the weight.
Birchpaw recovered enough to lead the party down to a thin part of the river, where stepping stones crossed the waters.
Dreamwalker jumped nimbly onto the stones, and Thornear easily followed. Ivykit hesitated, staring at the rushing water. Birshpaw glanced back at her, "It's okay. I cross here all the time."
Ivykit nodded. She was a warrior, not a scaredy mouse. She leapt onto the first rock. For a heart-stopping moment, her paws slipped, but teeth grabbed her scruff, heaving her back to her feet. "Ivykit, I've had enough anxiety today, let's not make it worse." Birchpaw leapt again of her, beckoning with his tail.
Ivykit followed, but her heart only stopped racing when she reached dry land. Then another fear struck her - facing Acornstar.
○○○
"My baby!" Riverflower leapt to her paws when she saw them enter, "Snowkit, my baby!"
Riverflower ran straight past the battered, soaking wet Ivykit to lick Snowkit frantically.
Cats looked up from where they lounged, Pebbleclaw quickly getting to his paws. "Thornear," he said with a nod.
Thornear, who'd set down Snowkit, gave a nod in return, "Pebbleclaw."
Acornstar's head peeked out of the den, and the clan parted for her. Ivykit shrank down under her leaders piercing gaze. "Dreamwalker, thank you for bringing these kits back home. You are free to leave."
Dreamwalker nodded, turning to go. "Dreamwalker?" Birchpaw squeaked in alarm, "I need your help-"
"You know more than you know," Dreamwalker said over his shoulder, and he, Thornear, and Ravenpaw left through the exit.
"That doesn't even make sense," Birchpaw hissed after him.
"Birchpaw, explain." Acornstar said her amber eyes narrowed.
"I found Ivykit in the river, and Snowkit further upstream," Birchpaw said briefly.
Acornstar's eyes turned on Ivykit, who wanted to disappear, "I-I..."
"She convinced us to explore the forest," Violetkit said, stepping forward, "And she probably shoved Snowkit in the water." Violetkit turned to glare at Redkit, "Right?"
Redkit shuffled his paws uncomfortably but didn't say anything. Violetkit turned to Snowkit, eyes starteding to panic, "Right? Isn't that what happened?"
Snowkit rose shakily to her paws, "No. You convinced us to go in the forest, and you tried to shove Ivykit in the river."
Acornstar's eyes narrowed more, to the point they were just slits, "Violetkit, murder is against the code, and so is harming a kit."
"It was Ivykit! Sh-she did everything, I-"
"We don't accept code-breakers in our clan." Acornstar hissed.
"No!" Riverflower stepped in front of her kit, "You can't!"
"Violetkit, you are herby banished by the clan until you improve your ways. We will check up on you in a moon, and if you haven't improved, there will be no second chances."
Violetkit's knees buckled, "No, it was Ivykit!"
Acornstar turned, leaving a sobbing Riverflower and a frantic Violetkit behind.
This is Riverflower, Ivykit's adopted aunt. She is Oakwhisker's mate and mother to Redkit, Snowkit and Violetkit.
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