Shaken, hungry, and cold. ThunderClan trudged through what once was their lively territory through transformed marshy ground and deep puddles. They had already visited their gorge, and to nobody's surprise, found it filled with murky water.

Now, under the suggestion of Driftbreeze and Badgerstar, the Clan found themselves heading toward WindClan territory.

"Their land is higher up, safe from the floods. And I would hope they allow us to stay until the storm passes." The old leader was looking worse for the wear. His pelt was shaggy and ungroomed, his sharp amber eyes now dulled. The others reflected his state. Everyone was drained from the recent events.

Willowcloud trailed behind in silence. She was detached from reality and in result, tripped on debris littering the ground. Her thoughts spun in circles, revisiting the accident and the image of Frostflower's body, now abandoned in the collapsed form of the twoleg nest. It made her sick.

Frostflower, her spunky and adventurous best friend, was now dead. Ripped out of her life forever, and crushed underneath the walls of an old twoleg den.

That I suggested we stay at.

Again, a rush of guilt.

Sunstrike padded at her side, though his eyes didn't dare glance over at Willowcloud. Like the rest of the Clan, words evaded them and instead they felt stunned into silence.

They stuck close together as they walked, while the winds howled fiercely through the trees and whipped branches from them like frail moss. As they neared the edge of ThunderClan territory, the Clan heard an unmistakable groaning. Fortunately, they were far from it as the ground suddenly shook beneath their paws and a crashing echoed through the woods.

Willowcloud froze, rain dripping from her whiskers and fur. Her eyes grew to the size of saucers and she began to shiver. At her side approached Sunstrike.

"It's okay." He said. He pressed against her shoulder and gently nudged her forward. Willowcloud took shaky steps with his help.

Just up ahead through the undergrowth, there was a dull roaring. Badgerstar signaled a halt at the head of the cluster and pushed through the tall grasses. Everyone waited with worried expressions. After several heartbeats, murmurs began to ripple through the cats. 

A rustle, and then Badgerstar shouldered his way back. His gaze was hollow. "The stream..." He trailed off and shook his head gently. The cats watched him and cast glances to one another. Willowcloud could pick out the frantic voices of her denmates. They weren't used to seeing Badgerstar so helpless.

Driftbreeze raised her head to meet her mate's eyes. They shared a glance and the deputy cleared her throat pointedly. "What seems to be the matter?"

Badgerstar straightened his posture, lifting his silver muzzle to address the rest of the Clan. "The stream is flooded and the waters look quite violent."

Willowcloud could hear the defeated sighs of her Clanmates around her. On the other side of Sunstrike, a she-cat meowed. "We can't be stranded." Willowcloud recognized her as Birdeye. She lifted her gaze to meet the bluish cat's and was surprised to find no contempt there. Though she did notice her inch closer to Sunstrike.

Badgerstar shared a quiet word with Driftbreeze while the rest of the Clan muttered anxiously. Finally, Badgerstar spoke.

"We must get to WindClan, and no water will stop us." He waved his tail for his Clanmates to follow.

Willowcloud couldn't help but feel surprised as she swept her gaze along the once peaceful stream. Its waters tumbled over each other like frantic cats and splashed harshly against the pebbles. What was once an easy leap across would now result in a swim. She could only imagine what Frostflower would say to such a sight. She choked back a sob.

Badgerstar inspected the stream once again, this time with a new determination in his eyes. Experimentally he dipped a paw in the water and, finding it unsatisfactory, withdrew it.

"The only way across is to jump." He said, his voice carrying a twinge of irritation. This arose protests from the cats.

Their leader snapped a sharp amber gaze at them. "Do you see any other option? Your pelts are already soggy." The cats squirmed under his eyes and lowered their gazes in turn.

He scanned the Clan, searching until he found Beeflight. "I need you to cross the stream and help your clanmates do the same." The lean tom gave a nod.

The entire Clan watched as the cat shimmied right up to the side of the stream and waggled his haunches. Beeflight used his long legs to push from the bank and sailed across the water like his namesake.

His paws slipped and his head fell under. The cats rushed to the edge of the stream and peered out over the rapids. The white-capped waters surged, with no sign of the golden tom.

Then a striped head appeared from further downstream, gasping for air.

"Swim!" Brightblossom cried. She scrambled as far to the edge of the stream as she could go. Her odd eyes were wild.

Beeflight managed to stretch his paws to shore and heave himself to land. His pelt dripped with water and debris, but he raised his head with an attempt of mirth in his eyes. "Don't slip!" He called, the storm threatening to carry his voice away. The rest of the cats breathed something of a relieved sigh.

Badgerstar looked uneasy as he gave the signal for them to cross.

Paws and pelts flew as the cats launched themselves through the air in an effort to avoid as much of the rough water as they could. Most ended up just past midway, and Beeflight waded out to help them.

Hollyheart and Oakfur stuck by their daughter and were right behind her as she leaped. Though she felt as if her paws carried no strength, she ended up halfway across and was dragged the rest of the way by one of her clanmates.

Willowcloud was numb as she sat on the other side of the stream while the rest of her clanmates crossed. Her only thoughts were that of Frostflower's body, somewhere under the wreckage. It was so far away. The stream that separated the territories felt as if it spanned for treelengths rather than foxlengths. Once again, she had to shut tight her eyes.

Shimmerpelt was one of the last to cross, and being the oldest cat in the Clan, received the help of every other warrior. She denied the assistance, but it was clear she was thankful. Once the last had leaped, Badgerstar took lead and headed for the rises of WindClan's moor.

It was Oakfur this time who gently guided Willowcloud along with the rest of ThunderClan. She let her paw steps fall in sync with his and pressed against his shoulder. Saying nothing, he gave his daughter a nuzzle.

The WindClan moorland proved to be more treacherous than the forest. Without trees to break the wind, it gusted at full force against the pelts of the cats. More than once they had to stop and dig their claws into the ground. Underpaw, the grass squished and seeped with water. At this point, ThunderClan didn't care about getting wetter. All that mattered to them was finding somewhere relatively safe.

As they climbed the ridge of the first hill, Raggedclaw stumbled and fell. The cats around him rushed to his assistance. He accepted it without the usual complaints. Instead, his eyes, now glazed with exhaustion, barely left their stare.

"We're almost there, Willowcloud." Her father murmured, low enough for only her to hear. She acknowledged it with a small nod. Her paws felt heavier than stone and her very bones shivered.

But she pressed on. For there was no option to look back.

Badgerstar led ThunderClan up the highest hill where WindClan's sheltered camp lie. He called out a weary greeting. For several moments, the only reply was the crackle of lightning. Then, a head poked from the top of the ridge. Its eyes widened in surprise as they surveyed the cats. Another head joined it, this one emerging to reveal Runningstar.

The skinny brown tom, who was usually so skittish at Gatherings, approached them with a calm demeanor.

"Runningstar," Badgerstar began, dipping his head. "Our territory has been destroyed and flooded. I hope to find enough kindness to stay here." He spoke evenly, but the rest of ThunderClan knew this was their only hope.

WindClan's leader narrowed his eyes at the pitiful Clan. He looked at them with distaste.

Should Runningstar deny them, Willowcloud realized they would be without shelter. 

She along with the rest of the cats pleaded silently with the leader. 

I can only imagine how pathetic we must seem. 

~~~

Updates have returned! I am proud to announce my win at NaNoWriMo2016 and thus the completion of my upcoming novel. Like I've mentioned before, it will be posted next year. 

Any thoughts about ThunderClan right now? I don't envy them. XD