Warriors: High Tides

Chapter 6

Ivystream slipped easily into RiverClan's empty water. She opened her eyes beneath the water, silver ears swiveling. Her tail, the only other silver tabby area on her, acted as her rudder. Her paws, slightly webbed, breached her forward through the waves.

She could see the water's bottom from the surface, where the rocks caught the sunlight and glimmered like fish scales. I don't remember the last time I saw a fish, she thought.

It was another seven days until they had to go to the Island and start their journey to found the New Clans. She was honestly scared to death. She had opted to give her apprentice off to her sister; she couldn't put the Clan's young in harm's way.

She swam, thinking, occasionally lifting herself up to breathe, for she could hold her breath for quite a while. She saw only one minnow, and - against her better judgement - ate it on the spot.

RiverClan was big, but only because they had an equally big secret; twolegs. Ever since the famine started, they had sunk low enough to accept offers from twolegs and kittypets. She flicked her tail slowly as she rose to the surface, sighing guiltily. None of the other Clans had this perk in their lives, as dirty and scummy as it was. But it kept RiverClan alive, so they continued.

Finally she clambered out of the water, having swam entirely through the rivers of their territory. Her fur was drippy, but with a quick shake it returned to its largely dry state. She trotted along, purring softly, until she reached Camp and froze.

All of the cats were huddled together, shaking in horror. They smelled like the flowers decorating the Elders den. The youngest kits were crying in fear, and Cinderstar was making her rounds, gently talking to each cat in turn.

Ivystream realized the Camp seemed empty. She flicked her ears worriedly, her whiskers twitching. Where was the rest of the Clan?

She approached Cinderstar, ears flat and eyes wide. Everyone smelled of fear and worry, Cinderstar especially.

"What happened?" She cried, flicking her ears.

"Twolegs." Cinderstar breathed, looking at the young warrior with wide green eyes. Her solid gray coat was covered in scratches, Ivystream observed. She had been in a battle - with twolegs!

"How did they find RiverClan's camp?" Ivystream asked in horror. We're so careful to always cover our tracks, She thought.

Cinderstar's gaze locked with another cat's. Ivystream turned, following her Leader's gaze, and her fur fluffed with dismay. "Stormpaw!" Her apprentice! How?

Stormpaw curled up, her small bluegray body seeming impossibly little. "I knew the Clan was hungry." She whispered. "I tried to steal the bag of twoleg pellets out of their yard."

"There was a trail of cat food leading them right to us." Ivystream gasped in horror, eyes wide with dismay.

"Yes." Cinderstar sighed. "So now half of the Clan has been taken away by twolegs and the rest injured."

Ivystream felt bile bubble up her throat in horror. RiverClan's been halved. Just like the other Clans. Her claws sunk into the soil and she looked at Stormpaw angrily, her nose wrinkling with frustration.

Stormpaw flinched. "I'm sorry, Ivystream." The young cat whined. "I wasn't thinking... I was trying to help RiverClan survive..."

"You swam too deep under the water," Ivystream hissed. "And you caused the Clan to drown with you. What were you thinking, trying to steal something that belongs to twolegs? Foolish kit."

"What should her punishment be?" Cinderstar meowed, looking at Ivystream expectantly.

The bicolor silver tabby lashed her tail back and forth as Stormpaw shrunk below her gaze, avoiding eye contact. Ivystream never felt so angry in her life.

"Strip her of her apprentice name for another six moons." She hissed. "She obviously can't handle it."

Stormpaw's jaw dropped. "No!" She cried out in horror. "You can't do that! I'm seven moons old!" She looked to Cinderstar. "Please! Let me make it right..."

"Ivystream has decided your punishment." Cinderstar said unyieldingly. "Until six Full Moons pass, you will sleep among the queens and be stripped of your Apprentice Name."

Stormpaw whined and looked desperately at her mentor, who only turned her head away in disgust. "Go back to your nest, Stormkit."

The grayblue once-apprentice let out a choked sob and turned away, slinking back over to the Nursery. Upon arriving, the shimmering white queen Iceflower hissed at Stormkit.

"Was I too hard on her?" Ivystream asked, trying to get her heart to still from the excitement of her anger. The adrenaline from the rage was still coursing through her.

"Absolutely not." Cinderstar meowed back. "She caused RiverClan's most devastating loss... Ever." She sighed. "She needed to be taught a harsh, cold lesson."

Ivystream looked up at the sky, where the moon was crawling up into the sky. The space beyond the clouds was violet and red and magenta, the very colors of nature's sleep. She sighed longly. One less day until she had to leave the Valley and start on her journey.

Cinderstar seemed to read her thoughts. "Let's go hunting. Let's get your mind off of events to come."

Ivystream nodded, before she remembered: There's nothing to hunt...