Shreds of moonlight filtered through the thick gray clouds, offering little light to aid in the search.
       The snow had started to fall slower, but the wind only seemed to be gaining strength.
        Cloverpaw's brown and blue eyes were focused on the snow, searching for any kind of sign of the missing kit.
       "Wait!" A voice yowled Cloverpaw stopped in her tracks, almost not hearing the faint voice.
      She looked over her shoulder, only then realizing how far she had run from the rest of the group.
      Olivepaw was already striding back to the others, the snow sticking to her legs and belly.
       It was Peachpaw who had called them, the orange patchs on her white pelt standing our beautifully in the storm.
      Oakpaw's long fur was being tugged by the wind, whipping every which way.
      Cloverpaw highstepped back though the snow, the tracks she had just made already blending back into the pile.
      "What is it? Did you find something?" Olivepaw looked at Peachpaw anxiously, her usually sarcastic tone replaced with urgency.
      Peachpaw nodded, her nose to the ground. Without looking up she meowed, "I can smell her, it's very faint and it's fading fast, but if we hurry I might be able to stay on it." She started moving to the north. Hope fluttered in Cloverpaw's chest. Maybe they were on to something!
       She fell in step behind Peachpaw, her eyes watching the other apprentice. Now that she wasn't running, Cloverpaw could feel the chill of the night. Her nose was running and her paws felt numb.
      Oakpaw walked beside Cloverpaw, his silky pelt brushing against her sleek one.
      "Are you ok?" He meowed softly making the skin on Cloverpaw's ears tingle.
       Cloverpaw hesitated, unsure how to respond. "I'm not sure. I didn't realize how dire this situation was until right now. I never thought about how many lives were at risk. It's not just Lionkit, it's everyone. This storm is the worst I've ever seen, and I've heard the elders talking about it too! They said that there's something about this storm that isn't natural...." Cloverpaw trailed off, her ears flattened against her head.
     Oakpaw chuckled and offered a grin. "Don't listen to what the elders say, they're full of mouse droppings. I know this is a dangerous mission, but we can handle it! We're ThunderClan apprentices!" Oakpaw exclaimed, his eyes alight.
     Cloverpaw nodded and offered him a small smile that soon faded as he padded ahead of her. Although Oakpaw's words held some truth to them, Cloverpaw couldn't help but think Oakpaw didn't realize the graveness of the situation.
    Cloverpaw followed Peachpaw and Oakpaw up the slope towards a stretch of birch that lead towards the lake shore.
    At the top of the rise, Peachpaw stopped. She stiffened and lifted her muzzle.
      Cloverpaw could see her taste the air. Alarm pricked beneath her pelt. "What is it?"
      Peachpaw's eyes shone "Can you smell it? It's Lionkit!"
     Sure enough, when Cloverpaw scented the air she could smell the kit. Blood started roaring in her ears and her heart was pounding.
     Would the be able to locate Lionkit? Would she even be.....No! Cloverpaw shook her head, trying to clear her mind of the negative thoughts.
    Carefully, the cats made their way down the slope, combing over every inch of the snow. The lake was like a pool of ink, dark and mysterious. The body of water was covered in a sheet of ice that snow was starting to stick to.
     Cloverpaw narrowed her eyes, searching the ice. Surely she wouldn't be on the lake?
      The cream she-cats eyes traveled to the lake's bank where a large crevasse had formed. The weight of the snow must have made the dirt give way, revealing the small ravine underneath.
      "Cloverpaw! This way, she is probably in one of the tree knots!" Olivepaw yowled, moving back towards the trees.
       "I'll be right there, I just want to check something!" She yowled, urgency in her tone. Olivepaw shot the others a look, but didn't object.
     Cloverpaw couldn't help but shake the feeling Lionkit was over here. Her paws started to move quicker, the feeling only growing.
     As she approached the hole, she could see how deep it was, possibly ten tail-lengths! Cloverpaw peered over the edge, her heart pounding. She was scared of what she might see.
    In the tightest corner of the crevasse, was a small golden bundle. Cloverpaw let out a breath she didn't know she was holding, but the apprentice couldn't rest yet.
     "Guys! Over here! I found her!" Cloverpaw yowled, unable to hide the excitement in her meow. The howling winds overshadowed her cry.
     Cloverpaw flattened her ears, unsure of what to do next. Should she go back and get the others? They could help get Lionkit out, but the time it would take to find them might be enough time for Lionkit to...
     Cloverpaw set her jaw, her decision final. Observing the crevasse, she searched for any paw holes to aid her climb up and down. The sides were steep and smooth, made of mud and rock. They would be difficult to get a grip on.
    Cloverpaw leaned over the edge, placing a paw on the surface of the wall carefully. Slowly, she unsheathed her claws and sunk them into the dirt. To her surprise, the dirt was somewhat soft, but staring to get harder as it was exposed to the freezing temperatures.
     Now was the time to climb down, before the  dirt became too hard to get a grip on. Taking a deep breath, Cloverpaw swung her back legs over the edge, gripping the cusp of the edge with her claws.
     Cloverpaw glanced down, and instantly regretted it. The ground was still a far ways down, and she was not very fond of heights. She needed to feel the ground underneath her paws to feel safe.
      Her ears flattened to her head, her pelt prickling with anxiety. A small static sound started to play in her ears as the lithe apprentice clawed her way down the side of the gorge.
      As she delicately placed her back right paw on a rock, it suddenly crumbled away. Cloverpaw let out a yelp and frantically scrambled to get a grip. Her claws scrapped desperately at the rocks, trying to get a hold anywhere. Her mind was racing and her heart started pounding.
    Her front claws started to slip. Cloverpaw felt tears well up in her eyes, she was going to fall. Fear overwhelmed her senses, blinding her to paw hold just to the right of her.
      As her claws slid from there place, Cloverpaw braced herself. Suddenly, she was flailing through the air, her gut in her throat. She opened her eyes in shock. Her perception of time distorted, everything slowed until there was nothing but her and the sky above.               
        Cloverpaw's chest tightened, breath speeding, and managed to force her eyes shut, bracing for impact.
         She felt the wind rushing around her and-
———————————————————-       
          Snow flakes falling battled the whistling wind as Cloverpaw tried to gather her senses. The dark brown and gray before her turned into the rocky sides of a gorge as her vision became clear.
      The snow was cold under her fur, rocks sharply jutting into body. She was laying sprawled on her side.
     Stretching her sore body, Cloverpaw turned her head to examine her surroundings. She blinked slowly, her vision still coming back to her.
      The sky above was deep gray, thick clouds spewing snow above. While the sky was dark, Cloverpaw could tell not much time had passed since she first discovered the gorge
  
       Shakily, she rose to her paws, wobbling like a new born deer. Snow has clung to the side of her pelt that was exposed to the elements. How long has she been out? 
        The left side of her pelt had deep puncture wounds and bruises. Blood trickled out of them, matting her pet with blood, turning her cream fur to a bright crimson.
       Her back right leg was in excruciating pain causing the apprentice to grit her teeth together. Gingerly, Cloverpaw put her weight on it. Fire shot through her leg and Cloverpaw let out a hiss. Her leg was definitely broken. 
       Staring up at the sky, she wondered how she would ever get our now? Would she die down here?
        "Is anyone out there?!?" Cloverpaw yowled, her throat dry making her voice come out scratchy. "Help!" She yelled, her voice echoing slightly off the gorge's walls.
     Fear shot through her like lightning striking a tree. Emotions smoldered inside her as she thought of her fate.
        The gorge stretched on for a short amount, quickly getting smaller in width. Cloverpaw stared up at the towering walls that seemed to touch the sky. Climbing up would be near impossible, even the most skilled climber.
        Cloverpaw pricked her ears, hearing a small grunt coming from right. She turned her head in the direction of the noise, suddenly remembering why she was there.
         Lionkit was shivering violently, her tiny frame unable to handle the cold. Her eyes were tightly shut.
      Cloverpaw gasped, a chill rushed through her. Her hobbled over to the kit, keeping her leg off the ground. Stumbling, she leaned against the scratchy wall to assist her.
       "Lionkit! Lionkit! It's me Cloverpaw! Are you ok?" Cloverpaw meowed frantically, her voice cracking with emotion. Cloverpaw's throat went dry when the kit didn't so much as open her eyes.
       "Can you hear me?" Cloverpaw said, raising her mew, her voice bouncing off the right space. She limped closer, her legs quivering.
    Snow had started collecting at the bottom of the gorge. Cloverpaw's pads stung from the cold, not accustomed to the low temperatures.
      As Cloverpaw hobbled deeper, the dirt started to turn to rouge grayish brown rock.
       Squeezing her body as far as it would go, she tried to reach the smaller cat. Somehow, Lionkit had manage to wedge herself in between the narrowest part of the ravine.
       "Lionkit?" Cloverpaw squeaked. Lionkit was a statue, seemingly made out of stone. The cats breathing was shallow, and her lips were blue.
     Cloverpaw was astounded Lionkit had survived so long, the overhang of the gorge must have protected her from the snow, and the high winds only whispered in the depths of the ravine.
     Cloverpaw wedged herself further, feeling the rocks tighten around her. Cloverpaw flattened her ears, she felt like she was suffocating. She squeezed her eyes shut for a moment, trying to regain her composure.   
        Cloverpaw wasn't sure if she could reach Lionkit, but she had to try. She would not give up after coming so far.
      Opening her eyes with new found determination, she extended her right leg forward, reaching for kit. Cloverpaw let out a grunt as she stretched for the kit, aching to reach her. Cloverpaw's pelt prickled with heat, started to feel fatigued.
    Reaching as far as she possible could, Cloverpaw felt soft fur underneath her paw. Relief flicked through her as she grasped Lionkit's scruff. She painstaking lifted the kit out from the rocks, trying ever so carefully not injure the tiny cat.
      Cloverpaw grunted as she pried herself free of the tight walls of the gorge. Her pelt scrapped against the sharp rocks, causing Cloverpaw to yelp out in pain when her bruises or a wound was scraped.
       "Fox Dung!" She sweared as a large cut was impaled with a sharp rock. A stinging sensation rushed through her body as fresh blood tricked down her side. As she backed up, blood smeared on the rocks, leaving ruby artwork behind.
        Tenderly, Cloverpaw sat Lionkit on the ground, picking an area with little snow. She immediately started licking the kits fur the other way, trying desperately to warm her up.
      Cloverpaw felt a small pang of relief as the kit started to shiver less, but she still hadn't come out of her coma-like state. Lionkit laid on her stomach, her paws splayed out and her was chin resting one the ground.
        There's definitely something wrong with Lionkit. I better get her to the Medicine Cat Den as soon as possible...
       Cloverpaw thought as she continued the warm up the smaller cat. Once Cloverpaw was satisfied Lionkit was as warm as she could achieve in these conditions, she stopped grooming her and started formulating a plan.
        Limping around the gorge she temporarily forgot about the pain she was in. The gears in her brain were churning as she inspected each  and every wall, trying to figure out the best route to escape.
         The wind was crying above her. She knew there was no chance any cat could hear her over the raging storm.
      Snow was falling faster and faster by the minute, piling up at bottom of the gorge. Cloverpaw put her paw on the hardening snow, her paws didn't sink in nearly as much as she thought they would.
     The snow was starting to harden and become ice. Usually this would be troublesome, meaning colder temperatures were on the way, but for Cloverpaw this was essential.
       Hope flamed through Cloverpaw's pelt, adrenaline pumping through her.
          Yeah, this could work....this could definitely work! A grin spread across her face as she nodded her head, reinforcing her idea.
       Battered and bruised, with blood staining the snow underneath her, Cloverpaw looked up at the sky, smiling defiantly at her ancestors above.
    She wouldn't be joining StarClan today, no. She had just found a way to escape this ravine, and she wasn't about to let this change slip through her paws.