Topic: Drowning

Minimum Words: 500

Lizardfang flailed in the water. Her paws weakening as she struggled. A yowl ripped itself from her throat.

"Help! Help me!"

The water soaked her fur, weighing it down. The current swept at her, dragging her down into the icy depths of the river. Guilt flooded her mind at the the thought of the kit she was not supposed to have. The kit, Flashkit, had been born unto a Thunderclan warrior, Nightblaze. Out of desperation, she had left the small ginger-and-white tom at the border. The other two of the litter had died at birth. Flashkit had grown into a strong, healthy cat. One of the most feared fighters in the forest, he had earned the warrior name Flashclaw. He would have been killed by Darkstar if Lizardfang had kept him. Is this how Starclan repaid her? By giving her a slow, frightful death? Water washed over her muzzle and filled her paws slowed, weakening from her long struggle. Blackness pressed on the edges of her vision but she angrily shook it away. It was not her time. Shadowclan needed her. A tightness gathered in her chest and she coughed, inhaling more water as she did so. Still coughing, Lizardfang paddled for the shore, but didn't have the strength. She gave out, her legs stopped paddling, and her body went limp. Her head ducked under the water and water flooded her senses. Adrenaline shot through her, and she burst from the water, coughing miserably, trying to rid her lungs of the water that had invaded them. The liquid that had forced itself into her body came back up.

"Help me! Please!"

She managed to gasp out. The steep walls of the gorge were surrounding her now. She floundered desperately, trying to keep her head above the water as she was tossed around in the speeding white water. But as she crashed into rocks, barely holding on to her conciousness, she heard a yowl.

"Don't give up! You're almost there!"

"Don't give up Lizardfang! You can do it!"

"You can make it darling, just a little farther, and then you can join us."

Indeed, Lizardfang could see the end of the gorge and the calmer waters beyond it. She paddled furiously, holding to those three presences that made her heart ache. Then the bridge was passing over head, and she gave up.

"Welcome home, Lizardfang."

"Come on! I want you to meet Jaykit!"

"Come on mother!"

-.'.-.'.-.'.-.'.-.'.-.'.-.'.-.'.-.'.-.'.-.'.-.'.-.'.-.'.-

Flashclaw jerked awake in his warm nest.

"What in the name of Starclan, was that?"

Sparkblossom, Thorngaze's only kit, was roused from where she slept next to him Flashclaw gently licked her ear and reminded his mate that she would be moving to the nursery today, before heading off in search of Nightblaze.

"Hey son, what's the problem?"

The black warrior spoke from behind him, and Flashclaw had to surpress the urge to whip around and attack.

"I-I don't know...exactly."

"Is it about Sparkblossom? I'm sure she'll be fine."

Nightblaze blinked sympathetically at his kit. Flashclaw sighed and shook his head.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

The two warriors headed out of camp and toward the Riverclan border, talking quietly about the younger cats dream.

"There was water. Water everywhere. Choking me, drowning me. What does it mean?"

Nightblaze blinked.

"You might want to talk to Duskwater abou-"

Both cats were cut off as they saw a sodden orange-and-white bundle stuck on some brambles at the edge of the water. Flashclaw jumped forward and nosed the bundle.

"Nightblaze, she smells of Shadowclan!"

The black cat jumped forward, his dark green eyes widening in recognition.

"Lizardfang?''

"You know this cat?!"

Nightblaze nodded sadly.

"I should have told you this long ago. My mate was Lizardfang. She is your mother. She left you at the border for me so that her leader couldn't kill you for being half clan."

Flashclaw stared at his father in amazement.

"What?"

"I'll explain later. For now, let's get her back to camp."