Ashstar had followed Jaywing to the shelter where the rest of his Clanmates were hiding. Rain pounded outside of the high den. Ashstar put his chin on his paws. He didn't get sleep. The rain made him worry. It was already flooding.

"Ashstar, we need to move!" A voice meowed. 

Ashstar scrambled to his paws, feeling dizzy. When could he ever get a moment of sleep? His paws slipped on the damp ground. Ashstar hissed, annoyed. He crawled from the den, and as soon as he got out, rain soaked his fur and streamed down his face and whiskers. "I never knew a storm as bad as this would happen!" He growled.

Jaywing looked around. "I...I'm not even sure where to go!"

"Jaywing, will we all die?" Mothpaw asked, her sister, Sootpaw, coming to stand beside her.

"Ashstar!" Alderheart cried. "Birchfall is missing and Ivypool's two kits are missing!" He mewed. "I can't find them!"

"I'll find them," Ashstar promised. 

"I'm coming with you," Ivypool meowed. "I won't let my kits die!" She mewled.

Ashstar didn't have a clue where he was going, but he felt this was the right way. He turned around a corner, slipping on the wet ground. He then fell on his side, sliding towards a ledge that dropped to the river. His claws held onto the ledge. The rushing water crashed under his paws. "Ivypool!" He cried.

Ivypool gasped. "Ashstar!" She sunk her teeth into his scruff and pulled him up onto the wet ground. 

"Thanks, Ivypool,"  Ashstar meowed. 

"Come on," Ivypool meowed. She turned and started to slowly run.

Ashstar followed her, his paws skidding the wet grass.

The rain started to get harder. Wind drove the rain into Ashstar's face. His paws started to kick up mud and his pelt was dirty and soaked. He kept running, determined to find Firekit and Fluffykit.

Ashstar ducked under a tree that had fallen. It must of been hit by lightning. Leaves were still hanging from the branches in thick clumps, almost like bushes or moss had grown on the tree. When Ashstar's fur touched the leaves, a shower of water poured on him, soaking his fur even more. Icy water seeped so deep it reached his skin. Ashstar then heard wailing. 

"Help!"

It sounded like Birchfall.

Ashstar ducked out from under the tree and kept running towards the wailing. He could see murky water up ahead through the pouring sheets of rain. Ashstar felt his heart quicken. What could be up ahead? Trouble?

"Help!" The cat wailed again.

Ashstar raced forward and stopped in his tracks, seeing Birchfall standing on a small piece of land, Firekit and Fluffykit surrounding him, mewling.

"Ashstar!" Birchfall wailed. "Help me! I don't know what to do!" Birchfall meowed, digging his claws into the tiny piece of land. Water surrounded him.

Ashstar padded up to the water's edge. He could swim across, but that would probably cost him a life, and the distance between him and Birchfall was long.

Ivypool raced behind him and stopped beside him, her pelt just as soaked as his. 

"Oh no! Ashstar, Firekit and Fluffykit are trapped! What are we going to do?!" Ivypool cried. She then put her paw in the water. "To save them, I have to swim!"

"No!" Ashstar growled. "You can't swim over there! You'll get hurt. Let me swim over there. I'm a leader with five lives left, but you only have one, so let me swim to Birchfall," Ashstar meowed. He put his paws in the shallows. 

"Birchfall!" Ivypool cried all of a sudden. 

Ashstar turned to the water, his heart quickening. 

Birchfall was swimming in the water, Firekit's scruff in his jaws. 

"No!" Ashstar yowled. 

Birchfall swam closer and closer within every second. He then reached the land, setting Firekit on the ground. Then he turned around, not taking a break.

"Birchfall!" Ashstar growled. 

Ivypool bent down and gave Firekit frantic licks all over his tiny soaked body. 

Ashstar's heart quickened. What did Birchfall think he was doing? He was going to get killed! Ashstar could see that Birchfall was struggling to swim in the water. Ashstar then heard the rushing of water in the distance. What was that? More rain?

Birchfall reached Fluffykit and grabbed her scruff between his jaws. He then turned and jumped back in the water, not even stopping for a break.

Ashstar growled in annoyance. He's going to drown! 

Ashstar put his paws in the water, ready to jump in and save his Clanmate, but then, his ears swiveled sideways to the rushing sound of water. He gasped in horror as a huge wave of muddy water came towards them, threatening to drown them all.

Ashstar turned back to Ivypool. "Ivypool quick! Get to high ground before you drown!" He yowled.

Ivypool gasped. "What about you?" She asked. "What about my other kit and Birchfall?!" She cried.

"Don't worry about your other kit! Just get to high ground! I'll take care of this!" Ashstar growled.

Ivypool raced off, Firekit in her jaws. 

"Birchfall! Hurry!" Ashstar cried. The wave was getting closer, but also getting a tiny bit smaller every paw-length it moved.

Then, Birchfall stopped swimming forward and threw his head to the side. Then he swung his head forward, Fluffykit flying through the air. Ashstar raced forward to catch her. Then the wave crashed forward, covering Birchfall. Ashstar was flung backwards, a spray of water splashing his face. He struggled to his paws, water leaking from his fur and dripping from his whiskers. 

He looked at the large spot of water, but Birchfall wasn't there. He dropped to the ground, feeling his heart ache. Birchfall never deserved to die. Ashstar felt stupid. Why didn't I risk my life to save Ivypool's kits? Then, Birchfall would never be dead! 

"Ashstar! Are you ok?" Ivypool mewed. She stopped beside him. 

"Birchfall...." Ashstar whispered. He then got to his paws and padded to the water's edge, looking at his reflection, the rain pounding on the water and splitting his reflection is half. 

"Don't blame yourself!" Ivypool meowed. "It wasn't your fault."

"Yes it was," Ashstar growled, lashing his tail. "It was. I did nothing but sit back and watch Birchfall struggle then drown!" He cried.

Ivypool sat down beside him, Fluffykit and Firekit huddling under her belly.

"What Birchfall did was brave," Ivypool meowed. "He died the death of a warrior, and that's honorable. He was very brave to do what he just did, and he did it, even though he knew  it was a risk," Ivypool meowed. "Not all cats survive, Ashstar. You shouldn't think that you should be able to save all your Clanmates."

Ashstar looked at her. "I guess you're right. Birchfall did die the death of a warrior," Ashstar sighed. He got to his paws. "We shall honor his death when Fluffykit and Firekit become apprentices. And when they become warriors," Ashstar meowed.

"Yes," Ivypool meowed. 

Ashstar turned to her, purring. "Thank you," He whispered.

Ivypool started to walk off, Firekit in her jaws.

Ashstar bent down to pick up Fluffykit. He then started to follow Ivypool. She has the heart of a warrior and truly understands what the death of a brave cat means....