Submerged in Mud-ShadowClan's disaster

OOC: Apologies for the lack of dialogue color, the short post AND the delay. Here you go!

While being a kinda-new deputy of ShadowClan, Ebonysong was thoroughly enjoying the job. She got to organize patrols, which was fun, since she got to go on patrols too! Thinking about it now, Smokespirit and Ebonysong were the exact opposites. The dark gray she-cat loved to socialize and talk to other cats, whereas her fluffy mate was very awkward while interacting with other cats. As Ebonysong and a few other cats went on the dawn patrol, the deputy noticed that something was really strange. The dirt and mud around the marshes were damper than usual.

Ebonysong hurriedly gathered up the cats in the patrol, tail flicking anxiously. “The marsh is flooded. We have to leave. Now.” Dashing towards the camp entrance, the deputy screeched as loud as she could. “THE MARSH IS FLOODED! GET EVERYONE OUT! Start heading towards Highstones!” Dragging a little kit roughly by the scruff and whispering an apology, the deputy dropped the kit next to another warrior, hoping that they would both get to safety.

Bearpounce has sitting on a large stone, belly in the air as he snoozed, only to scramble to his paws as Ebonysong came running into camp with the rest of the dawn patrol, yelling about a... Flood?! "Highstones! Right!" He answered, looking around for his brother, Whitepaws. Finding his brother, they both stood by the camp entrance, not wanting to abandon their Clanmates in scattering. After all, a Warrior never abandons his Clan.

ShadowClan had just gone to sleep a little bit ago, as the sun had begun to rise over the nocturnal Clan, though someone had to keep watch over the slumbering cats to keep them safe, and Ebonysong had been that cat. Redwolf was no exception, as she had fallen into a slumber along with her Clanmates as the sun rose over the forest, though it didn't last long, as the yowl of the deputy roused the Clan with news of a flood. The red warrior snapped out of her dreams and scrambled to her feet with the rest of ShadowClan, and once she got her bearings, made a beeline for the nursery. Ebonysong had already grabbed one of the two kits that were in the nursery, so that only left Amberkit sitting there. She dove in and grabbed her nephew buy the scruff, and heeded the deputy's words, dashing out of camp and making a beeline for Highstones, the ground much more damp underpaw than usual.

Amberkit awoke with a start at the sound of his clanmates shouting to evacuate. He was old enough to assume that his apprentice ceremony would be coming any day now, and he had been dreaming of the occasion. The harsh contrast between his dream and waking world confused him, and this feeling only grew as he was quickly snatched up from the nursery by Redwolf. Ice-cold terror gripped the kit at the sight before him: every cat in the clan was racing away from their camp in a panic, several of them yowling about a flood. Suddenly feeling very awake, Amberkit managed to get his thoughts in order enough to speak. "What- What's going on, what's happening? Is the water coming for us?"

Over her time as a medicine cat, Mothglow had come to learn that when there was yelling, there was usually something important happening (or at the very least something that needed to be dealt with). When someone in a position of leadership was yelling, something important and bad was happening, so she tried to pay extra close attention.

That was how she learned that, for the second time in her life, ShadowClan had flooded. Isn't one devastating flood enough for a lifetime?

(Well, she'd have to ask next time she spoke with StarClan, and hope her correspondent had an answer.)

"Try not to panic," Mothglow called out, making her way to higher ground even as she spoke. She had no intention of being swept away this time, with no Thornstar and no Silent Snows and no Scorchstar and no Poppyfrost and no Asterspark. "The marsh has flooded before. Have faith in yourselves and in each other - we'll be okay. We'll get through this together, like we always have. Follow me to Highstones!"

One of the clan's apprentices nudged another roughly. "Ferretpaw, wake up. This is no time to slack off," Moonpaw told her brother firmly.

"S'always a good time to slack off," Ferretpaw mumbled in response. "What's so important, huh?"

She fixed him with a stare. "The marsh is flooding. Get up, we have to go."

"This isn't funny, Moonpaw."

"That's because I'm not joking."

"Fine, fine... I'm up. Lead the way, I guess."

Moonpaw nodded and dashed forward. "After Mothglow. To Highstones."

"To Highstones! Hey, do you think this counts as our visit to the Moonstone?"

"...Ferretpaw?"

"Yeah?"

"Be quiet."

Echokit could not do much more than stare as she was picked up by her scruff. She'd barely woken up, much less comprehended the situation they were in. Everyone was screaming about evacuating, and flood, while she was still wondering why she was outside so early. The privilege of going out of the nursery had only been given to her mere sunrises ago. She was still exploring the den, and as her mother's paws began to make the sound of slapping the marsh, Echokit tried to take in everything. The wind of moving so fast caught up to her and she had to close her eyes. The long-furred she-cat could hear whispers of reassurance from her mother, but as mud and water began to drag around their paws she wasn't so sure if those whispers were true.