Fandom A Shadow within the River

[Nine_Tailed_Fox2020]

The wind was pleasantly warm. Not too hot and certainly not too cold. Newleaf was beginning to fade away but the cold had yet to set in completely. Prey still ran, scarcer than normal, but his clan was still getting by. Nevertheless, the last few moons had been difficult. They had lost several cats to an odd illness that had ravaged across not just Riverclan territory but from what he had heard from whispers throughout the previous Gathering, Windclan had been affected as well. The sickness had come like a swift wind, taking any cat it could....the strangeness of the And if that hadn't been bad enough, a pack of dogs had decided to venture too far into Riverclan territory a few moons ago and his clan were still recovering from the clash. Rowanstar had lost a life during that fight, but it had been a life well lost in the service of his clan.

Padding towards the river's edge, brown ears flickering and nose twitching to try and pick out any scents of prey, Rowanstar froze when the sound of a yowl of fear filled his ears. Emerald eyes quickly looked around the area, trying to pinpoint the source of the noise when another yowl pierced the air. His breath froze in his lungs. The sounds of splashing was all too familiar. The river.

Rowanstar barely noticed his powerful hindlegs launching him off into a full sprint towards the river's edge. He barely paid his surroundings a passing glance. His eyes were locked onto the dark, small form of what had to be an apprentice being dragged downstream by the force of the water's current. Years of experience had Rowanstar launching himself right into the river when he reached the edge, powerful legs kicked and propelled him forward as he kept his head above water. The current was strong that day, he felt it tugging him along with it but Rowanstar was a Riverclan warrior. Not just any Riverclan warrior. He was their leader and no matter the recent hardships his clan had experienced, the river would never beat him.

Swimming powerfully towards the small dark form. Rowanstar didn't hesitate from clasping his jaws around the young apprentice's scruff the moment they were within reach. "Kick your legs!" his order was slightly muffled but clear enough because he felt the young, smaller cat begin to kick again. He was weak, barely keeping his head above the water, but he was trying. That was good enough. Angling his body to take the brunt of the river's current, Rowandtar propelled them towards the edge of the river at the other side of Riverclan territory. Claws dug into the warm, soft sandy shores of the river when he finally felt land. Pulling the apprentice out of the water with him, Rowanstar only released his scruff when he was sure the young cat wouldn't slide back into the water.

"Are you alright?" He asked, leaning down to nose the wet ball of fur that was the young apprentices. His tone disapproving yet worried and while the green in his eyes was distant, there was a distinct concern in them. "Mouse-brain, your mentor should have told you not to get so close to the river" he reprimanded the apprentice, tone soft yet firm as he sniffed the young cat to make sure he was alright.

 

[BasilOwO]

Cobrastar, the Shadowclan leader had heard the wails and screams for help halfway toward the Riverclan border. He hadn't thought much of it until the sound of the crashing waves had entered his hearing. His paws had flown across pine needles, over sticks and small stones, until he had skidded to a halt, mouth agape at the small cat slouching around in the waves. He could hear his heartbeat in his ears as another cat had taken a falling dive into the river, swimming over to the cat.

He hadn't expected this cat however to help him get back to land, let alone let him know that he was there, and he would help him if he really needed it. This slightly confused him, but then he remembered the warrior code and how it called for every cat to help a cat in need, no matter the clan. The scent of Shadowclan was strong, though he supposed that could just be him.. or perhaps the cat on the other side of the border. However the question was; what was he doing near the border without a warrior in the first place? Cobrastar had ordered that the cats not go alone while the dog in Riverclan was still running around. He had deemed it too dangerous for young cats, and he had hoped that young cats such as that one would listen.

Though it seemed he hadn't, and the river was to wide for him to leap across, so he called out to the other cat, "Are they okay?" His deep, velvet like voice carried over the border, so that both cats could hear him. He prayed that the younger of the two woke up, but from his line of sight, the chances of that were slim to none. He prayed that the Riverclan cat didn't just chuck him back in the water, leaving him for dead, but what could be expected? With the sickness and the dogs, he would understand it. He wouldn't want enemy clan in his land, and yet he knew that if it was really needed he would let go of his grudges for the greater good, which in this case, was the cat.

 

[Nine_Tailed_Fox2020]

Ears twitching at the sound of a voice calling out to him from across the river, Rowanstar lifted his gaze off the stirring apprentice to look across the rippling water and the large tom that stood there. Emerald eyes narrowed for a moment, a reprimand about taking better care of their apprentices was at the tip of his tongue, but the brown and white leader swallowed it back down. Now was not the time for such words...although he certainly expected Shadowclan to be a bit smarter about making sure their apprentices were safe. Riverclan certainly was...but they had had a rough few moons so that was understandable.

Besides, stirring up hostilities with the Shadowclan leader was not something he had in mind at the moment.

"He'll be just fine as long as you have your medicine cat check him over. Although I'd recommend giving him a day or two to rest" Rowanstar called back over to the other other, his voice just a bit lighter than the other cat's but no less as smooth. The apprentice at his paws was beginning to shake and wake, that was good, but the sooner he was back with his proper clan..the sooner Rowanstar could back go more pressing matters. "There's a path of rocks a few tail lenghts down the river. Follow me there, I'll bring him to you" the Riverclan leader called to the large cat at the other side of the river's edge. Leaning down to grasp the apprentice's scruff again, Rowanstar picked the young cat up smoothly enough and turned to pad at a hurried pace towards a snake trail of flat rocks that were just barely peeking out of the water's surface.

The fact that the apprentice was small enough to carry without much troubles only proved that he was very early in his apprenticeship. Too early to be allowed to venture on his own...however he wasn't going to criticize the actions of another clan. He had more pressing matters to worry about than concern himself over the leadership of Shadowclan. Reaching the trail of rocks, Rowanstar didn't hesitate to leap away from his edge of the river and neatly jump his way across the dangerous path. Any other cat would have been nervous or hesitate but Riverclan cats had never hesitated in anything when it came to water and the river. Their leader certainly wouldn't either.

Reaching the Shadowclan border after one last hop, Rowanstar placed the apprentice down on the firm ground once more before lifting his gaze to Cobrastar. A cat he had exchanged polite, civil words in Gatherings before. "Make sure he is kept warm and dried off properly when you take him back to your camp. You won't want him to catch white cough this early" he adviced, the calm in his voice never fading.

 

[BasilOwO]

He had raced to the stones, moving as quick as his legs would take him. "Do you know what he was doing by the river alone? He came out here with his mentor, and yet she is nowhere to be seen. Why would they leave a very young cat to fend for himself like that?" He asked, leaping from on slippery stone to the next until he stood before Rowanstar. He had met the tom at gatherings and border skirmishes that had been brought to the attention to the leaders, however he had never met him on a day like that day.

He nudged the young tom, wincing when he coughed up some water. Perhaps that was the downside of trusting Jackdawcall. She was rather strange, never telling the leader when something was wrong at the border. Cobrastar would have to have a chat with her once he returned to the camp. "Do you suppose you could help get him back to the camp? I don't want him drowning in the river if I tried to get him over those stepping stones." He explained, prodding the tomcat with one large paw. He sighed softly, shaking his head. Sometimes he worried about his clanmates. Some had gone missing and ended up showing up dead at the border, mauled by what looked like a dog. It was nightmare fuel and he prayed that they were happy up in Starclan where they belonged. The mortal world wasn't fun and there wasn't ever a break, which is what he missed from being a young warrior. Yet he wasn't a warrior, was he? He was a cat ready to train and defend his clan and that is what he planned to do.

 

[Nine_Tailed_Fox2020]

Placing the young cat gently down on the ground in front of his paws as the Shadowclan leader made his way over to them, Rowanstar flicked an ear even as he shook his head. "I'm afraid that's something you're going to have to ask your cats. I only heard him when he fell in the river and when I managed to get to him, there were no cats to be seen. Whatever his mentor must have been thinking, if in fact it was his mentor that sent him out on his own, you should remind them exactly why they have an apprentice on the first place. My words are not to disrespect your leadership....but he is much too young to be out on his own quite yet" he replied. Rowanstar's tone of voice was judging, nor meant to place blame on Cobrastar....but it was clear that he wasn't pleased.

Looking up at the other tom with vivid green eyes, the Riverclan leader hesitated for just a moment when it came to answering his question. He had no business following Cobrastar into Shadowclan territory. He had his own clan to worry for and they no doubt would find his decision to step into rival clan territory without protection foolish and not fully thought out. Yet looking down at the apprentice that lay weak at their paws, had the white and brown tom releasing a soft sigh before saying "Very well...I'll carry him over the stepping stones and help you bring him to your camp. But I will leave immediately after, there are other matters I must attend to and your cats won't take kindly to my presence in your camp".

He was a Riverclan cat, through and through. He was the Riverclan leader. Having him boldly step into Shadowclan's camp, would make more than one cat suspicious and hostile. He had no doubt there....but he wouldn't turn his back on helping this young cat.