Chapter Five, Part One- Lilypaw POV

“Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the Highledge for a Clan meeting!”

            Lilypaw jerked out of her nest at the sound of Bramblestar’s voice, anxiety entwined into it. She knew just what he was going to say, and it wasn’t going to be good.

            She followed Amberpaw out of their den, the emptiness from the absence of Seedpaw overwhelming her. Now that there was this new flooding problem, no one seemed to care about Seedpaw’s disappearance except her close kin.

            The dark brown tabby leader was standing boldly upon the Highledge, thick muscles bulging beneath his sleek pelt. Yet he looked worn thin- did he literally have to swim most of the way back to camp?

            Bramblestar bowed his head once everyone had crowded below him. “I am afraid that the flood has been progressing. It’s even closer to us than when Spiderleg’s patrol went out. We may have to evacuate if we cannot stop it. But no cat has told us that we can’t attempt to block the water from making the hollow a lake. Who is with me to ensure that the lake stays in its place?”

            Lilypaw observed Spiderleg jumping up and yowling in agreement, along with a ton of other cats. She joined in. I’m not in the mood for another Great Journey. From stories I’ve heard, it was harsh.

            All of a sudden the grief-stricken Sorreltail hopped up from her seat beside Brackenfur. He tried to cover her mouth with his tail, but didn’t get to it in time. “What if Seedpaw drowned in that flood?” she cried out, her voice a sharp edge unlike its usual casual, friendly tone.

            “Impossible,” Bumblestripe answered for Bramblestar. The gray tabby stood up and faced Sorreltail somewhat fearlessly.

            “Now, now,” Bramblestar narrowed his eyes as he said this, flicking his tail for Bumblestripe and Sorreltail to sit back down. “I am sorry Sorreltail, but none of the search parties have picked up any scent of her, not even the one I was on. Seedpaw is gone.”

            Lilypaw was placed on one of the “damage control” groups, not that she wanted to be part of the ongoing project. Bramblestar was a stubborn cat who would not give up hope until it really seemed that he had to.

            She padded out to the brand-new shore and was surprised to feel water lapping at her paws so soon. They were barely several fox-lengths out of the thorn tunnel. Her patrolmates, Dovewing, Millie, and Amberpaw, were determinedly prodding a few long-fallen limbs and dead branches that had been lying there so long that leaf mold was commencing to stick them together.

            “You need to help as well, Lilypaw,” Millie grumbled as she and Dovewing heaved a large stick away from its original place. “This is for the safety of all of us.”

            Lilypaw nodded, bored out of her mind. She wanted to help, but this wasn’t a very fun way to do so. The dark tabby clasped her jaws around the middle of the lengthy limb, watching as Millie took a step backward. Then she turned her head to watch Dovewing steal a shaky pace forward. It was the best Lilypaw could do to keep herself entertained.

            Eventually Millie dropped her end of the stick, as did Dovewing. Lilypaw was the last to drop it, her jaws throbbing in pain from gripping the object so hard. Behind them, Amberpaw was dragging over a thin, flimsy branch, which she let go of, watching it hurriedly fall down next to its larger cousin.

            Lilypaw wanted to remove the aftertaste from the limb from her mouth. It had a smoky, musty, moldy fungus taste that she majorly disliked. Running her tongue all over her mouth to collect the nastiness, she spat up all of the bark remnants that she could. Amberpaw gave her a humored, weird look, and then the two of them chuckled.

            All of a sudden, Lilypaw felt wetness licking her paws, and as she wiggled her toes, she felt them move slower, as if they were underwater. She glanced down and felt sick. The lake water had broken through their branch barrier easily and was now past them, heading straight for the hollow!

            Dovewing was already dashing back to camp to warn the warriors. Millie urged Amberpaw and Lilypaw forward, and soon paws splashing in and out of water was all Lilypaw heard as the blood roared in her ears. Her legs kept pumping up and down, up and down. There was nothing that could stop her. It was true. They would have to evacuate!