Choose Your Own Path •A Warriors Adventure Game•

Chapter Sixty One

The next morning had come as well as a colder breeze. Soon enough it'd be snowing.
Few birds chirped their cheerful songs. The sun was partially covered by dark rain clouds, sending animals into hiding.

Most cats outside were chatting or sharing tongues. Robinpaw, Plumpaw and Mosspaw were tumbling around, practicing kit hunting moves.
You expected they hadn't learned anything yet, because they were only made apprentices one or two days ago.
Hailstorm was talking with Palmbranch and Lilypad. You walk over to them and say hi.
"Oh hello, (Y/N)!" Lilypad purred and head butted you.
"Hello darling." You lick her on her forehead as she sat down.
"Good morning Hailstorm, Palmbranch."
Palmbranch dipped his head to you and Hailstorm followed.
"We were just discussing about what we were going to do with our apprentices today. Would you like to join us?"
Embarrassment filled your gaze.
"What time?" You had promised you'd show Redpaw what Juicy found in the cave. But you also wanted to spend more time with your apprentice.
"About Sunhigh, are you coming?"
Palmbranch studied your gaze looking for an answer.
"Yes, yes I'll be coming."

"Great! We'll see you at the Willow trees in the moor."
Palmbranch and Lilypad wandered off.

"Hailstorm? I'd like to tell you something."
Curiosity pricked his pelt.

"While I was with Juicy, he said he found a cave. Inside the cave was a willow tree and a pool underneath. I hopped onto one of the branches stretching out under a leaking ceiling. The water touched my nose and I had a vision."

"A vision?!"

"Yes, I was first surround by darkness. An echo said this,
'Defeat the evil the rises behind your back. If not the forest will fill with darkness once again.'."

Hailstorm looked just as shook as you.

"Then I awoke in the dark forest. Blood stained the grass and trees. Shadows were wandering around me and the same voice said
'Defeat the evil the rises behind your back. If not the forest will fill with darkness once again.'."

"Did you tell this to Redpaw?"

"Yes, I'm taking him to the cave soon. Would you like to join us?"

Hailstorm nodded.
"Alright then I'll go get Redpaw."
You head to Redpaw's den.

Redpaw was sorting herbs into the sun to dry.
"You ready to go?"
He nodded and left his herbs.

You, Redpaw and Hailstorm left the camp and headed toward the cave.

Hailstorm slipped through the small entrance to the cave. Next Redpaw slithered through. You followed.

"Ok so, I jumped up here, and then touched my nose to these water droplets. The vision came to me after that."

Redpaw eagerly clawed up the tree and stood on the edge of the tree, touching his nose to the water.
As soon as the water touched his nose, he went limp and fell down.
"Redpaw!" You attempted to grab his scruff but he slipped through your paws.
Redpaw fell from the willow and into the pool below.
A big splash swallowed him into the depths.
Hailstorm jumped into the deep waters, in search for the tom.
Silence gripped the air as Hailstorm swam deeper and deeper.

No one emerged for what seemed like moons.
"Hailstorm!"
You reluctantly plunge into the depths.
The water was murky and a little thick.
You saw a shape floating deeper.
Hailstorm!
You swim desperately toward the body, but water seemed to grip your paws. Everything was like slow motion.
You stretch your paws out and grab the body.
Putting the scruff into your mouth you haul it toward the top.
You went so deep that the surface was no longer visible.
Is that the surface? Bubbles! Follow the bubbles!
You let out a little air and follow the bubbles to the top.

You break free of the water and pull the body out the pool.
Before looking at who it was, you take a deep breath and dive back into the waters.
Swimming deeper and deeper, your lungs screamed for air.
Another body caught your eyes.
Someone else!
You paddled toward the body and gently bite their paw.
Wait, this isn't fur...
You look down at who you were holding onto and see a skeleton.
Terrified, you freak out and push it away with your hind legs. The bones floated apart.
You see yet another cat.
This one was deep down.
You gasp for air on the surface then plunge back down.

Your semi webbed paws propelled you forward. Grabbing the drowning cat, your muscles screamed for rest.
You toss the cat above the water.

Wait, that isn't Redpaw.
You look at the first tom you saved.
That isn't Hailstorm.
The cat you had just saved wasn't Hailstorm.
The first tom coughed up water as you jumped back into the depths.
Bubbles up floated from below.
Someone's down there!
You reach the bottom and clearly see Redpaw. He was screaming as seaweed tightened around his hind paw.

You tear apart the seaweed and haul him up.
He goes unconscious as your throw him onto the shore.
You gasp for air and scramble up.
Your fur gripped to your thin frame.
Your legs collapsed beneath you.
The first tom coughed again and ran up to Redpaw.
"Are you okay?"
Redpaw was still unconscious.
Forcing your legs back into water. You heard the first tom screaming for you not to go. He missed grabbing your tail by a whisker.
You felt light in the water. Darkness clouded the edge of your eyes.
Your legs barely moved in the water.
On the brink of death, you spotted Hailstorm he was tangled in seaweed.
You pathetically paddle toward your leader, growing weaker and weaker. Pain shot all through our your body.
You desperately clawed at the plant entangling Hailstorm.
You free your leader and grab his scruff.
Barely moving, lungs screaming, legs, paws, and shoulders basically paralyzed with pain and tiredness.
You heard Juicy's voice in panic above the surface.
"I'll bring help!" He screamed.
You managed to get Hailstorm barely above the surface, when a cat grabbed him and hauled him up.
You float down the pool the water.
Is this the end?