"I call all cats of the Clan of Tall Trees for a meeting!"
The cats flowed into the clearing quicker than they usually did; rumors of the Clan of Falling Rock's predicament had spread quickly around the small camp.
Ivyshadow settled down next to Runningmouse and Winterthorn. Runningmouse looked visibly stressed. In the week since they'd visited the Falling Rock camp he'd spent most of his time training with Daypaw, hanging out with Windfur or sharing his anxious worries with Ivyshadow.
"As you all know, the gathering is tonight," Acornstar began, "We do not know whether Boulderstar and his cats will be there or not. I want to make one thing explicitly clear; we are not to help the Falling Rock cats."
The cats fell silent. Most of the cats who'd gone on the patrol gave each other uneasy, doubting looks; Branchfall, Ivyshadow, Runningmouse and even Redclaw. Would it be so horrible to give the Falling Rock Clan a rabbit or two?
The looks did not escape Acornstar's sharp eyes. "Look at our prey pile." All her cats turned toward the spot, even though every warrior was aware of how empty it was. "We are not a mother of an unruly kit, we have no responsibility towards Boulderstar's decisions. If he would let go of his pride then his cats could ask for help. Until then, we give them nothing. It was their choice to move to the desolate mountains, as well as it is their choice to stay there. We bear no responsibility."
Her words made sense. Several cats nodded, Sunshine being one of them. Ivyshadow dared a glance at Runningmouse. His dark brown eyes stayed fixed at his paws. A moon ago, Ivyshadow would have taken that to mean he was anxious, or shy. But now, clear as day, she could see the spark of defiance in his gaze.
"I will be bringing Pebbleclaw, Birchtail, Oakwhisker, Sunshine, Blackstripe, Violetfang, Snowfall, Winterthorn, Riverflower, Morningpaw and Branchfall with me. I am leaving Runningmouse in charge. The meeting is dismissed, be ready to leave soon." Acornstar leapt abruptly off the stump, and immediately lowered her voice to begin speaking to Pebbleclaw.
Runningmouse blinked in surprise, "I'm in charge?"
The other cats staying were Redclaw, Daypaw, Larktail and Larktail's kits. Daypaw padded up to his mentor, "Aww, I can't go to the gathering?" He was skinny from leaf-bare, but was thankfully well over his whitecough.
Runningmouse couldn't help but smile when he saw his apprentice. "You got to ho nearly every other time," he laughed, giving the younger cat a friendly wack with his tail.
"I know I know," Daypaw sighed, "but Morningpaw will come back and brag all about it."
"I have a sister like that," Runningmouse mused, the humor slowly fading from his voice, "back when she was Cobaltpaw. Always had to be the best at everything, Cobaltwhisper did." He turned his head towards the Falling Rock border, hiding his expression from Ivyshadow.
Ivyshadow knew that Cobaltwhisper, along with Runningmouse's brother Rockwhisker, were both slowly starbing to death in the Falling Rock camp right now. She pressed her shoulder against his, and he leaned closer to her gratefully. "Tonight," he whispered, "would be perfect to cross the border. Nobody will be there to stop us."
Daypaw turned away from them, thankfully sensing his presence was no longer needed. "But you're in charge of the camp - what will Acornstar say?"
"Um, Ivyshadow?" Redclaw cleard his throat, interrupting them.
Ivyshadow startled, turning to glare at her brother on instinct. "What do you want?"
The other cats were gone by now, leaving just Redclaw, Daypaw, Ivyshadow and Runningmouse in the clearing.
"Are you going to the Falling Rock camp?" Redclaw asked, looking unsure of himself.
"N-" Ivyshadow started.
"-Yes we are," Runningmouse finished for her, earning a glare from Ivyshadow.
"I can watch the camp for you." Redclaw blurted out.
Ivyshadow stared at him in shock. So her brother really did have a heart beneath all the mindless muscle. Why did Runningmouse always have to be right?
Runningmouse gave a respectful nod, "Thank you, Redclaw. I appreciate it."
"It's not like I have to really do anything," Redclaw mumbled, giving Runningmouse a jerky nod of his own.
As Redclaw padded away to stand guard outside the camp entrance, Runningmouse called for Daypaw to join them. "Ivyshadow and I are going on a walk. Can you stay awake here to back up Redclaw?"
Ivyshadow felt her ears grow hot. She knew what a late night walk would imply to the young apprentice.
○○○
It didn't take Runningmouse long to find a tunnel; there was one just beyond the border. "We - they - have a whole network of tunnels underneath the soil." Runningmouse explained.
He shoved a large rock out of the way, revealing a gaping black hole. They both paused to stare at the nothingness, but their expressions were opposite. While Ivyshadow watched it with a foreboding feeling, Runningmouse stared at it with a loneliness in his eyes, a longing.
They slipped inside the tunnel, Ivyshadow sticking close to Runningmouse in the darkness. "Where are we going?" her voice echoed through the tunnel.
"To the river," Runningmouse meowed grimly.
They walked in silence for a while, not wanting to alert the Falling Rock cat's of their presence. Runningmouse moved effortlessly through the tunnels, seemingly not needing any light to know where he was.
Finally, he stopped. The dirt beneath their paws was a muddy sludge now, but there were no signs of a rushing river. "It was right here." Runningmouhi's voice was hollow, "fish lived here. During the summer, new fish would hatch and make easy prey, while in the winter all the animals would hide down here to escape the cold."
Ivyshadow tried her best to see anything, but pitch blackness stretched in every direction. "Do we-" So you have come.
Ivyshadow abruptly stopped talking, hissing in annoyance. "Crystalpelt? I thought you forgot about me."
"What are you talking about, Ivy?" Runningmouse asked.
It is hard to contact warriors, but Birchtail has blocked me from his head now. Crystalpelt's voice didn't sound cold and mysterious - more like whiny and annoying. Ivyshadow huffed in annoyance, "Leave poor Birchtail alone."
"Leave him alone?"
"No, not you Runningmouse, it's Crystalpelt. She's in my head."
You must save them, Tall Trees apprentice. They are dying.
"What do you think I'm doing?" Ivyshadow snapped back irritably.
"Crystalpelt, you said?" Runningmouse asked, pressing closer to her.
You have to save them! Leave Runningmouse and go bring back the river!
"Ahh, don't you ever shut UP?" Ivyshadow took a step back, overwhelmed.
"Sorry, Ivy." Runningmouse sounded hurt.
"No, don't-" I know how to help you.
Ivyshadow felt a tugging on her paws, and she unintentionally began to follow the sensation. "Where are you taking me? How are you doing this?"
Help us! This wasn't Crystalpelt's now familiar voice but the voice of a kit. More cats began scrambling for a place in Ivyshadow's head, fighting for a chance to be heard. Kits, elders, warriors. All cats who'd starved to death from the famine. Ivyshadow felt herself being dragged further and further away from Runningmouse, deeper into the dark, endless tunnels.
"Ivyshadow!"
Ivyshadow felt herself being yanked into side tunnel after side tunnel. She couldn't tell which was way was up. Save us! Help us! Our river...
She could still hear Runningmouse's thumping pawsteps, trying desperately to find her. Or was that just another noise in Ivyshadow's head? Ivyshadow began to struggle against the forces of the Clan Of Rising Star, planting her claws into the dirt.
Then, all at once, the noises were gone. Ivyshadow took a deep, rasping breath, stumbling in the darkness. It took her a moment before she began to study her surroundings. Her eyes were useless of course, but her ears, paws and nose still worked just fine.
The ground beneath her was still mushy and wet, telling her she was in the spot where the river used to be. She could smell rotting plants and a stink of old fish, but that was it. But her ears - what was that? A dull thrum coming from her left. She moved closer until she reached a pile of rocks, each of them seeming to vibrate. Ivyshadow frowned, getting closer to the wall. the fish smell was coming from beyond it, she realized. And the sound; was that rushing water? Ivyshadow's eyes widened. She'd found the river.
"Ivy!"
Runningmouse's yowl echoed through the tunnels. Ivyshadow didn't move, knowing she never find her way back if she left. "Runningmouse! I'm over here!"
Runningmouse's pawsteps became closer, but Ivyshadow couldn't tell which way he was coming from. "Crystalpelt, a little help?" She hissed, but the Rising Star cat stayed silent.
"Runningmouse, I think I found the river! It's trapped behind a bunch of rocks!"
Runningmouse's footsteps paused, then he called back, "Keep talking! I can find you!"
"Okay!" Now that Ivyshadow had to talk, she couldn't think of anything to say. "Um, the dirt is wet over here! I smell fish!"
Her eyes scanned the darkness, But of course she saw nothing. She could be comoekty surrounded by walls for all she could tell.
"Keep talking! I think you're above me!" Runningmouse called, his voice bouncing off walls around her.
"Okay! I don't know how you can tell, but I'll try!" Ivyshadow tried to think about what to say, but then realized she'd fallen silent again. "I don't really know what to say! Um, do you think the cats are back from the gathering yet? It doesn't feel like we've been down here for that long, but it's hard to tell! I wonder if Boulderstar decided to go!"
"Ivy!" Runningmouse's voice was right by her.
Ivyshadow reached out her nose in the dark until she met the soft fur of his shoulder. He smelled of pine needles and comfort. "Runningmouse! You found me."
He pressed his pelt against hers, "are you hurt?"
Ivyshadow's paws hurt, but she didn't think it was worth mentioning. "Nevermind that, I think I found the river!"
Runningmouse took a step towards the rocks, but his tail stayed wrapped around her paw as if he was afraid of losing her. "I think you're right. It's a collapsed tunnel."
"Why didn't the Falling Rock cats find it sooner?" Ivyshadow asked, confused. That seemed like the most obvious reason the river would disappear to her.
"This place - it's really hard to get to. The riverbed seemingly ends about 12 fox lengths below us. I had to squeeze through tiny side tunnels just to get us here."
"So it's a waterfall," Ivyshadow realized. she shrank closer to Runningmouse, having no idea where the ledge was.
Runningmouse began to move the rocks, heaving them out of the way with his paws. Ivyshadow quickly joined him, but it was hard work. The river wouldn't be held back by a thin layer of rocks; it was large boulders and many many pebbles. Ivyshadow and Runningmouse worked for a while, using their combined strength to shove boulders off the edge.
As Ivyshadow worked, she began to draw a mental image of her surroundings in her mind; a collapsed tunnel, a drop off. An underground lake above them. What would happen when they finally move down the right rock? Her paws faltered. They would die. The water wouldn't come down slowly; it would crash and splinter, destroying any remaining rocks in its way. Ivyshadow and Runningmouse would die.
"Runningmouse?" she ventured. A quiet creak sounded from the wall, spurning panicked to rise in her belly.
"Yeah?" he asked, not pausing in his work.
Another ominous creak sounded, and Ivysahdow felt the stones underneath her paw shift. "Runningmouse! Get out of the way!" she lunged forward, her teeth closing around his scruff. She didn't wait for him to argue, rolling into a side tunnel.
"Ivy, what -"
BOOM
Suddenly water was everywhere. Something slimy hit Ivsyhadow's face, but she pressed managed to keep a grip on Runningmouse. She was being pressed into the stone ledge, something digging into her shoulder. She couldn't breath, and the air had already been knocked out of her lungs. She tasted blood from her grip on Runningmouse's scruff, and yet still he was slipping away. She dug her teeth into his fur, knowing it was the only option. He seemed to be completely limp, but Ivyshadow couldn't tell.
Ivyshadow began fighting through the water, her lungs on fire. Her paws scrambled on the stone, barely managing to pull herself onto a ledge and out of the water. She pulled Runningmouse up, herself balancing precariously. She coughed, leaning down to spit his fur and blood out of her mouth. She shivered, nearly falling off the ledge.
Runningmouse coughed weakly beside her, prompting her to turn and check on him. She pressed her freezing nose pressing against his fur. "Runningmouse?" The word came out as a cough.
"Ivy? Are you okay?"
His meow, barely audible over the din of the river, sent relief washing over her. She pressed her body against his shivering flank. "I'm okay."
"I'm sorry, Ivy. This is my fault, I should have realized -"
"It's okay." Ivysahdow whispered, licking his shaking ear. "We just have to get out of here."
She felt him nod, and he straightened. "You're right. We have to get out of here."
This is Daypaw, Runningmouse's apprentice. He is the son to Sunshine and Blackstripe and brother to Morningpaw
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