above: snowtuft

chapter 11

.  .  .

"We need to discuss." Dustysky sat down beside me in the mess hall.

I was overaware of Rosedawn glaring at us a few feet away, and I huddled closer to my friends to hear his idea.

"One by one, or two at a time, we have to start sneaking cats out." Dustysky sounded firm but quiet. "If we don't start acting now, it'll take forever to get RiverClan restored."

Stormywind nodded as he looked at me. "Please, Rushingwave, we have to get on this! It's been two moons already, we need to act!"

I sighed, pushing my mouse away. Eyes closing for a second, then opening.

"Okay."

I told Thunderfish, Bristlepaw, Leopardflower, Mothfern, and Frostpaw to spread the word to other, trustworthy RiverClan cats. They bounded off in different directions as I huddled with Stormywind, Applepelt, Deerspring, Beetleclaw, Dustysky, and Coppertail.

"You've been here the longest," I told Deerspring, Applepelt, Dustysky, and Coppertail. "You should know the schedule and all. Applepelt, it's your job to find out what the schedule is for three days. Coppertail and Deerspring, you gotta find and destroy any logs of the cats here. Dustysky, you have to find the keys to cell doors, and make copies. Is that good?"

As the cats who I named nodded and bounded away, Stormywind shook me by the shoulder. "What about us?" he asked, pointing to himself, Beetleclaw, and I.

"We, Stormywind, are going to make a map of this whole place."

Ignoring his funny confused expression, I turned to Beetleclaw. "Got it?"

He nodded excitedly, and telling the guard we were going to our cell, walked off. Rosedawn huffed and went off to watch some other unsuspecting group of cats.

Stormywind hurried along behind us as we entered the maze to go back to the cells. We walked for a good five minutes, before launching.

"Alright, Stormywind, get on Beetleclaw's back."

Looking confused, the grey tom scrambled onto his friend's back and stood carefully.

I clambered on top of my brother, wobbling as they raised me into the air.

"This might be dangerous,  but Beetleclaw, you have to jump," I commanded, crouching and fixing my eyes on the wall.

Beetleclaw grunted something unintelligable and launched himself, however small of a jump, into the air. I nearly slipped, and launching myself upwards, landed on the top of the maze wall.

"Thanks, guys!" I laughed, nearly falling off as I watched Stormywind scramble off the black tom.

"Mhm.." Beetleclaw muttered. "What now?"

"Now, we memorize this maze." I faced the tangle of hallways a bit dauntedly. "Let's go."

Mapping out the maze was easier said than done. Every time we had established a hallway, we figured a mistake and redid everything. I fell at least twice and we had to build up the cat tower again to hoist me up. Beetleclaw and Stormywind switched halfway.

Finally we had a rough sketch, completed, of the large maze. Everytime a prisoner or guard walked past, I flattened myself to the top of the wall and the two toms would hide in a closet or a dark corner.

It was starting to get late and more cats were walking back from the hall. I waited for a gap before jumping off and padding slowly to our cell with my companions.

"Hurry up!" a mean, white-furred guard barked at me, his tail lashing. Stormywind and Beetleclaw gave me nods and slunk off to their cells, while I faced the guard, well aware that my cell was past him and to the right. 

The guard was clearly in a bad mood. "What are you waiting for?" he growled, pacing up and down.

"My cell is down there, sir," I stated calmly, pointing with my nose to my familiar looking cell.

"Get past me and you can go in," the guard sneered, lashing his white tail against the floor.

I widened my eyes while looking behind him, and he turned around. I took the oppertunity while he was distracted and bolted past him, barreling into my cell and kicking the door shut behind me.

"Rushingwave!" Frostpaw greeted me, raising his head from the comfy white stuff. "How did it go?"

I let out a heavy breath. "It went well. We have a rough sketch of the hallways, closets, and escape systems. What about you?"

Frostpaw's eyes were bright. "We told nearly everyone! They know about you and the secret escape system."

"Amazing!" I touched my nose to his. "Are there any elders, kits, young apprentices, or queens hostage?"

"There's Fawntail. She's really old. Oh, I think Foxkit and Brightkit are still here as well, they're four moons. Then there's also Turnipkit, but she's eight moons. Think that's it."

I nodded. "Tell them as soon as you can that they will be the first to escape."

A pounding on our door startled me and I hushed Frostpaw, running over to open it. The white guard from before stood there with a annoyed look on his face.

"Never again, will you decieve me," he snarled, putting his face close to mine. "Never again."

I looked at him calmly. "You said to get past me, that's what I did."

Frostpaw shut the door and we got ready for bed. I stood on my hind legs right before we did so, looking out of the small window. Down the hallway, some guards were dragging a couple of cats away. I sighed. This was a horrible place and we needed to get away as fast as possible in order to survive, RIverClan as a whole.

Kind of a filler chapter, I can't rush at this section because the book will be over before I know it. How are you guys liking this?