Great Deluge - RiverClan's Disaster

It wasn't unheard of for RiverClan's camp to flood, seeing as their wetlands were so close to the river, though the most risk was posed in the rain-heavy parts of Newleaf and Greenleaf. It was rare in comparison for the ice and snow to turn to slush while the clan was sleeping; though in recent days it had been more commonplace - heavy rain had hung over them the past few days. While the dens had thus far escaped the worst of it, there were whispers of a potential flood and need for evacuation.

In her time as a warrior, Flashlight had grown accustomed to waking well before both the sun and most of her denmates to diligently check on the water level (regular patrols did so as well, but not as often or as early as she would have liked; so she took it upon herself to keep an eye on things). It wasn't the most prestigious position a cat could have, but it was something she could do for the Clan she'd sworn to protect without having to be asked, and she could only hope that her efforts were appreciated.

Today, even at a distance, it was higher than she'd ever seen. Dangerously so, it would flood before long; and while they were water-dwellers not all of them could manage in a sudden flood - the youngest kits couldn't yet swim, when the water was either iced over or far too cold for proper lessons. She didn't bother closing the distance between herself and the river - the markers she scratched into the dirt were pointless if they washed away - and instead turned to race back to camp. Her estimates weren't perfect, but she was fairly certain that if she hurried, they'd have enough time to properly evacuate.

She wasn't a leader, she had no true power when it came to her clanmates; but she had a voice and she would raise it as high as she could if it would get their attention. She'd always been good at that, at least. "RiverClan! The river is dangerously high-"

Distantly, there was a sound she'd never heard before; and the feeling of earth shaking beneath her paws. As if it might somehow splinter and split from underneath her. She wasn't sure what it meant, but it could only be a sign of disasters to come.

Well, she'd always been good at telling others what to do. "We need to evacuate, now! Those of you who can swim, protect those who can't - if you're near the nursery, help with the kits!"

In the days leading up to this one, Bluepaw had also kept an eye on the river, hoping that the water would recede, and that no one would have to evacuate, so that they wouldn't have to risk losing anyone to the hungry current as it lapped at their paws and swept away their way of life. The great big gray tabby lay snoozing in her nest, her dreams troubled and turbulent, much like the water that steadily encroached on the sleeping RiverClan.

A yowl then split her dreams, the voice familiar, one that had mocked her relentlessly while they'd been apprentices together, and she raised her head for a moment as she registered that it was Flashlight speaking, and went to put her head back down, only to be interrupted by a sinister rumbling, and a shaking of the ground that shocked the big she-cat to her paws.

The only word she really registered was the word "evacuate", and that, she was going to do. Scooping up the stone she kept in her nest with her mouth, she hooked her teeth through a small hole that went through it slightly off-center, and took off running, joining the other fleeing pelts of her Clanmates.

Contrary to most nights, Tansypaw was sleeping like a stone. None of the usual colorful dreams danced around her head. Instead, she awoke with a sharp pain in her head at a piercing yowl. The voice was recognizable, as it was Flashlight, who seemed to be ordering someone to do something a lot. The apprentice flattened her ears and blocked the voice out, not registering the words. Perhaps if she had payed attention to the river's level recently, she could have inferred what this was about. But she hadn't, and continued to sleep until she heard her denmates racing out of the den. Tansypaw's eyes finally opened as she followed her littermates out of the den. There was a sinister growl from the earth, and it seemed to start to shake. Tiny fissures seemed to grow beneath her paws, and she danced away from the spot.

Tansypaw was beginning to groggily piece things together, but asked Specklepaw and Foxpaw anyway. "Why are we running out of camp?" Even as she said it, it clicked into place and she burst out, "oh, it's going to flood," and began to run faster, keeping up with her siblings now. A flood didn't explain what was happening to the ground beneath her paws - everyone's paws - but maybe this did happen during a flood, and she was just naive to it. No one seemed to say much about it.

No one seemed to know where to go. Tansypaw hesitated, debating what to do. Flashlight would know how to survive - her mentor seemed to be good in these situations, so the orange apprentice ran back until she was with her mentor. "Flashlight, I'm here, where do I go," she gasped, panting a little.

"We're running? Awe, I'm not very good at runnin', I always unbalance myself by sneezing.." Sneezingpaw blinked her weary eyes, yawning, having just woken up. Predictably, she sneezed three times, and sniffled, shaking her head. Green eyes widened slightly as the ground rumbled beneath her.

"Gesundheit," She mumbled, blinking down at the ground. "I didn' know the ground could sneeze, too!" The black and white speckled molly mumbled to Tansypaw. "Wait it's gonna what-"

---

Berrysnow was on his paws in an instant. "I'll help the Elders!" He yowled, brown fur spiked with fear. Berrysnow wasn't the bravest of cats; in fact, he was quite the opposite. Even still, he couldn't idly sit by or turn tail and flee-- no matter how much he wanted to.

Flashlight's gaze fixed on Tansypaw - so her apprentice hadn't run for cover at the first sign of danger, and had looked to her for instruction on what to do next. It was a good sign, if nothing else, and there were precious few to go around in the moment. "What, have you forgotten how to swim?" she asked drily. "Since you asked... We need to leave."

She gestured to a warrior, his name was - well, there was certainly a ruh sound in there somewhere, she remembered that, but he didn't often speak and so she didn't know it as well as certain others. Rushfeather, that was it. He was calm and collected even now, so he was one of the better choices for what she needed him to do. "You. Lead the kits, elders, and anyone who's not going to be able to keep themselves calm and collected up to Highstones - the highest ground you can get to, understand? Shelter with the Moonstone if you have to, StarClan be damned."

(If their ancestors had chosen to damn their living descendants with earth-shaking floods, she would do the same in turn. Though she held far less true power, this was simply equivalence in practice.)

She spoke with a confidence she tried to force herself to feel. At a time like this, she had to believe her own words before she could expect anyone else to believe them. "They'll understand, and if they don't I'll face them down myself." She waited for Rushfeather to nod before continuing. "As for the rest of you, follow me. We're not the only Clan that borders the river, and we're not the only ones in danger right now."

(It left a bitter taste in her mouth, to put something other than RiverClan or her own kin before herself; but the continued existence of the Clans themselves took precedence over any petty rivalry. SkyClan was furthest from Highstones, and they would need the most advance warning to escape safely.)