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Description
Dawncloud's assignment for the flood, this time also based on an rp~ This was an rp for the assignment made with and it was between Windsong, Littleflame, and Dawncloud. To be honest, I much prefer the background without lines, as it looks much better... but I really wanted to try something new with the lines (Mainly the water.) so the lines stay this time. 8'D

This rp was a loooot longer than I originally thought it had been (Seriously, it felt so much shorter. XD) so I do not believe I will punish you all by making you read this slight wall of text, but feel free to read through it if you dare. 8'D

Windsong and Littleflame ©
Dawncloud and art ©

- - - - -

"Everyone stick together, leave no cat behind!"

Kindlestar's voice carried over the roaring winds and rain as a soaked mass of cats followed, water rising at a dangerously close level the waterfall that could usually be seen trickling calmly down the gorge from the FireClan camp was now pouring down at an explosive speed and width.

"What in StarClan's name is going on here?! Did SnowClan's snow all melt and decide to wash downstream?" Dawncloud yowled out angrily, thinking he was exaggerating more than he really was. "Everyone, yer heard the leader! Get a partner and stick to 'em! Don't ya'll let anyone fall back!" Dawncloud snarled as he saw some cats already fending off for themselves before most had gotten out of camp.

He swiveled his head around and loudly cursed as he saw that the water had risen considerably in the small time it had taken for Kindlestar to call everyone to order and give the evacuation yowl. Would they be able to make it through this mess? His ears flat, Dawncloud felt useless. He needed to help! He was big, he was strong, surely there was something he could do?

"Littleflame get down from there, we don't have time for this!" Windsong yowled, her voice lost in the howling gale. The ginger elder had perched himself upon a large boulder and hadn't budged for what seemed like hours.
"I'm not going anywhere. I hate water, I'd rather die than swim," he replied flatly.
"Don't be ridiculous you're going to get wet whether we leave or not, it's just that this way you wont drown!" She was really starting to loose her patience. "The others are leaving, we can't get left behind, just move!" When the stubborn elder still didn't budge she cast her gaze across the camp desperately in search of someone, anyone who could get the idiot to leave his rock. She caught sight of Dawncloud lingering inside the camp and without hesitating she called out. "Dawncloud! A little help please?"

Hearing a voice that seemed much more distant than it really was call his name, Dawncloud turned his head around wildly while trying to hold steady against the raging winds. It took only a second of searching for him to notice Windsong looking at him with worry etched across her features. Frowning, Dawncloud turned his gaze up, following hers as soon as they had made eye contact and seeing the source of her concern. The tom scowled as he noticed Littleflame being his usual stubborn self, clinging to the top of a rock. Evidently not even Windsong was having much luck persuading the cranky elder this time around.

"Oy, Littleflame!" Dawncloud called out as he ran towards the two of them in hurry. "Get down from there! We ain't got time for this. You wanna stick around and drown? Fine! But don't you dare bring others down with you! You know Windsong isn't going nowhere without you. Is that what you want? You want Windsong to drown here with you just because yer can't stand to get yer paws wet?!" he snarled at the elder, his eyes flashing menacingly at him.

Littleflame narrowed his eyes dangerously at the other tom's words. Windsong was family and no one was going to question his commitment to family. "Fine," he spat. Sheathing his claws he reluctantly began to edge down the rock. Just then a particularly forceful gale knocked the tiny elder off balance and he splashed into the icy water. He came up spluttering and coughing. Even standing up right in the shallows the water came up to his chest. Once he regained his breath he swore loudly, "Dawncloud if I die tonight I'm going to kill you for making me do this." With that he trudged off behind the last few stragglers of the clan.

Windsong let out an exasperated sigh. "I'm sorry," she mewed, hoping Dawncloud could hear her over the howling storm. As they set off behind the others she shook her head. "He's my responsibility, I should be able to handle him." He probably thinks I'm either a complete idiot or a total pushover letting Littleflame act like that.

Above them lightning flashed, illuminating the chaotic gorge. In that moment she was able to see just how far behind the two of them had fallen from the others. She glanced anxiously at Dawncloud, if she hadn't asked him to help he wouldn't be stuck here with her. She picked up the pace fighting back her panic. Unfortunately the cold, murky current was making it difficult to move quickly and the water logged soil had become so infuriatingly soft she could feel her legs sinking into the ground with each step she took...

Dawncloud looked unfazed as Littleflame spat at him and walked onwards towards the rest of the Clan, but his blue eyes did not leave him until Windsong spoke. Noticing she had begun to make her way back to the mass of cats that were desperately attempting to escape, the took off after her, making sure to keep to her side. Movement was harsh as the water kept coming. It wouldn't take long before they would have to swim to get away, and this worried the massive tom. FireClan was not known for their warrior's swimming abilities, they had to get out of there as fast as possible.

"Don't be sorry. Littleflame is just stressed out like everyone else, he just needed to be reminded what was at stake. I am sure he did not want to drag you down, make you worry about him till we reached safety. He wanted yeh to get there safe, he seems to have forgotten that he was dealing with a cat that is just as caring and stubborn as he is," Dawncloud responded to her apology, keeping his head down as he rushed against the wind.

Windsong nodded slowly at Dawncloud's words but she still felt at least partly responsible for Littleflame's actions. "Well thank you all the same for helping out back there," she said. Once again the gorge was illuminated briefly as a jagged bolt of lightning lit up the sky. Almost everything was submerged in the murky waves. Thankfully some of the clan had reached the edge of the gorge and begun to climb the slick rock face. Suddenly the ground beneath her gave way and she felt her rear left leg slide deep into the mud. She staggered and fell with a startled yowl. The mud sucked at her, threatening to pull her under the water. In this position she could just barely lift her head above the waves. She tugged at her leg but she was stuck fast. Her pupils contracted as panic took over, giving her a slightly deranged look. She fought, writhing back and forth but the mud held firm. Star Clan please help, she thought.

As the flash of lighting clapped over the sky, Dawncloud couldn't help but gaze up in alarm. The thunder that followed threatened to shake the marrow out of his bones, and he could feel himself shaking as he had never shaken before. His strength had gotten him this far, but could it make him survive this? Would he be able to help his Clan in this situation? His mind struggling to think as instinct all but took over while he attempted to keep his head over the water, he suddenly noticed that he was alone.

Windsong?!

Looking around wildly, Dawncloud began to yowl out his name, desperation etched into his face. Where was she? In what felt like an eternity, he finally found her. Her face as desperate as his flashed for a second above the water before being sunken again by the ravaging waves.

"Windsong!" Dawncloud yowled once more before rushing to her aid, a look of frantic worry shadowing his eyes. "Windsong hold on! I'm comin'!"

Thrashing back and forth Windsong just barely managed to keep her head above water. From time to time her head would submerge entirely and she would proceed to panic as she fought to preserve what little oxygen she had available.

"Windsong!" she heard her name being called, but the voice seemed soft and far away. Despite this she easily picked up on the sense of desperation in the speaker's voice. Dawncloud?, she thought. The second she tried to call back muddy, foul tasting water rushed into her mouth making her gag and cough violently. She flailed hoping her splashing would attract attention. Eventually she managed to cough out a strained response.

"Dawncloud get out of here, I'll be f-" a large wave knocked her off balance and she fell, sinking under the roiling waves. The good news was that this had loosened the mud, the bad news was that she was now in danger of being washed away by the powerful current.

Ears pinned against his head, Dawncloud desperately struggled, rushing towards Windsong's side. His muscles were beginning to groan slightly at the task of swimming, something he was simply not used to doing, yet the side of Windsong drowning pushed him forward. He would not lose her to this flood, he refused. As he saw her plummet under the water once more, he forced himself to take a deep breath and fight every instinct in his body, going down after her. Finally seeing her flailing body, his eyes stinging as the murky water rubbed against them, he held out his paw and attempted to grab a hold of her, wishing to pull her closer, have him grab on to him while he drove them away from this horrible mess they were in.

Windsong began to feel her head getting heavy, her whole body getting increasingly tired. She was aware of the water rushing into her lungs and the crushing force of the steadily increasing water level. Her vision was beginning to blur and she felt a sharp pain in her chest. All she could think of was air, to think that something she took for granted all her life would be the death of her. She felt her body weakening, as though her strength was flowing out of her and being washed away by the suffocating, black water.

There was movement in the corner of her eye. She couldn't make out what exactly was causing it but through instinct she reached out, in one last desperate attempt to pull herself up. What her paws connected with felt soft, like... fur? Brilliant blue eyes blinked back at her. Dad? But then... does that mean I'm already dead? she thought before finally passing out.

Claws grasped at gray fur as Dawncloud struggled to get a hold of the drowning she-cat. Her eyes seem to fade away light as she suddenly stopped struggling and became limp. This made Dawncloud become frantic, and gathering strength from StarClan knew where, he opened his mouth, taking in the foul tasting water, and aggressively grabbed at the back of her neck. Once he was sure he had a firm grip on her, he swam upwards, his lungs threatening to collapse with each stroke he took. His head breaking the water, Dawncloud felt the relief of oxygen rushing through him once more, and pulling up Windsong's head as far up as he could, he began to awkwardly swim towards the gorge walls.

The water had gone up considerably in the moments he had spent rescuing Windsong, and his legs could no longer touch the bottom, almost driving him to a sense of panic. The one thing that kept his sanity was the load he currently carried. It wasn't just a body he was dragging, it wasn't just any cat. It was his clanmate, a FireClanner. And to top it off, it was Windsong, he would be damned if he let anything happen to her!

"Huff om, 'inon. Ee're moff der," Dawncloud yowled through gritted teeth as he clung to her neck scruff with clear resolution, his eyes set on the gorge that was currently their key target for survival.

As Windsong's head broke the surface, water dribbled from her mouth and nose but still she didn't breathe. Her body hung uselessly against Dawncloud, her legs trailing behind as he towed her to safety. Minutes passed and still she didn't move.

The tan Abyssinian mix walked towards her on soft, silent paws. His coat gleamed as though it had been polished with starlight. Leaning down he drew his tongue across her forehead. "You've grown so much," he said gently. Windsong felt her heart twist as she looked into her father's deep blue gaze.

"So does this mean I'm..."
"Dead?" he laughed, "No. Your time isn't up yet love, Star Clan has other plans for you. It was wonderful seeing you again but I'm afraid you can't stay any longer." He winked mischievously. "Now go, I think your boyfriend misses you."
"Boyfriend? What are you...?" Her father's laughter became muffled and distant, and before she knew it he was gone.

The first thing she was aware of was a crushing pressure inside her chest. Her eyes snapped open and she coughed violently, trying to expel as much liquid from her lungs as possible. Her whole body convulsed with each cough and she shook but she wasn't sure if that was from cold or fright. She was still in the water, but she was afloat now; something was holding her up. She twisted round to see Dawncloud holding onto her, pulling her towards the cliff. He must be exhausted from swimming for so long, and they still had to climb out of the gorge. She would never forgive herself if she caused him to die.

"I'm okay," she said pulling away gently. "I'll be fine... thank you." She struck out and began swimming independently. What could she say after what he had just done for her? He could have died trying to save her. He could still die. She never allowed herself to stray from his side. She swam right beside him, ready to catch him should his strength give out. "I owe you my life," she murmured.

Relief washed over Dawncloud as he felt the she cat he had been carrying to safety convulse with a coughing fit. She was alive. Possibly in pain, but alive. He had not failed her. Letting go of her as he felt her flail around to swim for herself, he began to swim for himself, keeping up with her speed, or at least attempting to.

"Ya don't owe me nothing. Not yet anyways... I'll take a nice stroll through the gorge and perhaps a quick peck in the cheek as a reward once we get there, though," he panted in an attempt to keep the mood light, but the exhaustion in his voice was clear.

Windosong's ears swiveled towards the tom swimming beside her. For a split second surprise flickered across her face. Then as she clambered up the first few boulders at the base of the cliff her face broke into a smile. He just asked me out! she thought. Turning to make sure he climbed up the rocks safely she laughed. "I thought you'd never ask." She licked his cheek and purred.

Description
Dawncloud's assignment for the flood, this time also based on an rp~ This was an rp for the assignment made with and it was between Windsong, Littleflame, and Dawncloud. To be honest, I much prefer the background without lines, as it looks much better... but I really wanted to try something new with the lines (Mainly the water.) so the lines stay this time. 8'D

This rp was a loooot longer than I originally thought it had been (Seriously, it felt so much shorter. XD) so I do not believe I will punish you all by making you read this slight wall of text, but feel free to read through it if you dare. 8'D

Windsong and Littleflame ©
Dawncloud and art ©

- - - - -

"Everyone stick together, leave no cat behind!"

Kindlestar's voice carried over the roaring winds and rain as a soaked mass of cats followed, water rising at a dangerously close level the waterfall that could usually be seen trickling calmly down the gorge from the FireClan camp was now pouring down at an explosive speed and width.

"What in StarClan's name is going on here?! Did SnowClan's snow all melt and decide to wash downstream?" Dawncloud yowled out angrily, thinking he was exaggerating more than he really was. "Everyone, yer heard the leader! Get a partner and stick to 'em! Don't ya'll let anyone fall back!" Dawncloud snarled as he saw some cats already fending off for themselves before most had gotten out of camp.

He swiveled his head around and loudly cursed as he saw that the water had risen considerably in the small time it had taken for Kindlestar to call everyone to order and give the evacuation yowl. Would they be able to make it through this mess? His ears flat, Dawncloud felt useless. He needed to help! He was big, he was strong, surely there was something he could do?

"Littleflame get down from there, we don't have time for this!" Windsong yowled, her voice lost in the howling gale. The ginger elder had perched himself upon a large boulder and hadn't budged for what seemed like hours.
"I'm not going anywhere. I hate water, I'd rather die than swim," he replied flatly.
"Don't be ridiculous you're going to get wet whether we leave or not, it's just that this way you wont drown!" She was really starting to loose her patience. "The others are leaving, we can't get left behind, just move!" When the stubborn elder still didn't budge she cast her gaze across the camp desperately in search of someone, anyone who could get the idiot to leave his rock. She caught sight of Dawncloud lingering inside the camp and without hesitating she called out. "Dawncloud! A little help please?"

Hearing a voice that seemed much more distant than it really was call his name, Dawncloud turned his head around wildly while trying to hold steady against the raging winds. It took only a second of searching for him to notice Windsong looking at him with worry etched across her features. Frowning, Dawncloud turned his gaze up, following hers as soon as they had made eye contact and seeing the source of her concern. The tom scowled as he noticed Littleflame being his usual stubborn self, clinging to the top of a rock. Evidently not even Windsong was having much luck persuading the cranky elder this time around.

"Oy, Littleflame!" Dawncloud called out as he ran towards the two of them in hurry. "Get down from there! We ain't got time for this. You wanna stick around and drown? Fine! But don't you dare bring others down with you! You know Windsong isn't going nowhere without you. Is that what you want? You want Windsong to drown here with you just because yer can't stand to get yer paws wet?!" he snarled at the elder, his eyes flashing menacingly at him.

Littleflame narrowed his eyes dangerously at the other tom's words. Windsong was family and no one was going to question his commitment to family. "Fine," he spat. Sheathing his claws he reluctantly began to edge down the rock. Just then a particularly forceful gale knocked the tiny elder off balance and he splashed into the icy water. He came up spluttering and coughing. Even standing up right in the shallows the water came up to his chest. Once he regained his breath he swore loudly, "Dawncloud if I die tonight I'm going to kill you for making me do this." With that he trudged off behind the last few stragglers of the clan.

Windsong let out an exasperated sigh. "I'm sorry," she mewed, hoping Dawncloud could hear her over the howling storm. As they set off behind the others she shook her head. "He's my responsibility, I should be able to handle him." He probably thinks I'm either a complete idiot or a total pushover letting Littleflame act like that.

Above them lightning flashed, illuminating the chaotic gorge. In that moment she was able to see just how far behind the two of them had fallen from the others. She glanced anxiously at Dawncloud, if she hadn't asked him to help he wouldn't be stuck here with her. She picked up the pace fighting back her panic. Unfortunately the cold, murky current was making it difficult to move quickly and the water logged soil had become so infuriatingly soft she could feel her legs sinking into the ground with each step she took...

Dawncloud looked unfazed as Littleflame spat at him and walked onwards towards the rest of the Clan, but his blue eyes did not leave him until Windsong spoke. Noticing she had begun to make her way back to the mass of cats that were desperately attempting to escape, the took off after her, making sure to keep to her side. Movement was harsh as the water kept coming. It wouldn't take long before they would have to swim to get away, and this worried the massive tom. FireClan was not known for their warrior's swimming abilities, they had to get out of there as fast as possible.

"Don't be sorry. Littleflame is just stressed out like everyone else, he just needed to be reminded what was at stake. I am sure he did not want to drag you down, make you worry about him till we reached safety. He wanted yeh to get there safe, he seems to have forgotten that he was dealing with a cat that is just as caring and stubborn as he is," Dawncloud responded to her apology, keeping his head down as he rushed against the wind.

Windsong nodded slowly at Dawncloud's words but she still felt at least partly responsible for Littleflame's actions. "Well thank you all the same for helping out back there," she said. Once again the gorge was illuminated briefly as a jagged bolt of lightning lit up the sky. Almost everything was submerged in the murky waves. Thankfully some of the clan had reached the edge of the gorge and begun to climb the slick rock face. Suddenly the ground beneath her gave way and she felt her rear left leg slide deep into the mud. She staggered and fell with a startled yowl. The mud sucked at her, threatening to pull her under the water. In this position she could just barely lift her head above the waves. She tugged at her leg but she was stuck fast. Her pupils contracted as panic took over, giving her a slightly deranged look. She fought, writhing back and forth but the mud held firm. Star Clan please help, she thought.

As the flash of lighting clapped over the sky, Dawncloud couldn't help but gaze up in alarm. The thunder that followed threatened to shake the marrow out of his bones, and he could feel himself shaking as he had never shaken before. His strength had gotten him this far, but could it make him survive this? Would he be able to help his Clan in this situation? His mind struggling to think as instinct all but took over while he attempted to keep his head over the water, he suddenly noticed that he was alone.

Windsong?!

Looking around wildly, Dawncloud began to yowl out his name, desperation etched into his face. Where was she? In what felt like an eternity, he finally found her. Her face as desperate as his flashed for a second above the water before being sunken again by the ravaging waves.

"Windsong!" Dawncloud yowled once more before rushing to her aid, a look of frantic worry shadowing his eyes. "Windsong hold on! I'm comin'!"

Thrashing back and forth Windsong just barely managed to keep her head above water. From time to time her head would submerge entirely and she would proceed to panic as she fought to preserve what little oxygen she had available.

"Windsong!" she heard her name being called, but the voice seemed soft and far away. Despite this she easily picked up on the sense of desperation in the speaker's voice. Dawncloud?, she thought. The second she tried to call back muddy, foul tasting water rushed into her mouth making her gag and cough violently. She flailed hoping her splashing would attract attention. Eventually she managed to cough out a strained response.

"Dawncloud get out of here, I'll be f-" a large wave knocked her off balance and she fell, sinking under the roiling waves. The good news was that this had loosened the mud, the bad news was that she was now in danger of being washed away by the powerful current.

Ears pinned against his head, Dawncloud desperately struggled, rushing towards Windsong's side. His muscles were beginning to groan slightly at the task of swimming, something he was simply not used to doing, yet the side of Windsong drowning pushed him forward. He would not lose her to this flood, he refused. As he saw her plummet under the water once more, he forced himself to take a deep breath and fight every instinct in his body, going down after her. Finally seeing her flailing body, his eyes stinging as the murky water rubbed against them, he held out his paw and attempted to grab a hold of her, wishing to pull her closer, have him grab on to him while he drove them away from this horrible mess they were in.

Windsong began to feel her head getting heavy, her whole body getting increasingly tired. She was aware of the water rushing into her lungs and the crushing force of the steadily increasing water level. Her vision was beginning to blur and she felt a sharp pain in her chest. All she could think of was air, to think that something she took for granted all her life would be the death of her. She felt her body weakening, as though her strength was flowing out of her and being washed away by the suffocating, black water.

There was movement in the corner of her eye. She couldn't make out what exactly was causing it but through instinct she reached out, in one last desperate attempt to pull herself up. What her paws connected with felt soft, like... fur? Brilliant blue eyes blinked back at her. Dad? But then... does that mean I'm already dead? she thought before finally passing out.

Claws grasped at gray fur as Dawncloud struggled to get a hold of the drowning she-cat. Her eyes seem to fade away light as she suddenly stopped struggling and became limp. This made Dawncloud become frantic, and gathering strength from StarClan knew where, he opened his mouth, taking in the foul tasting water, and aggressively grabbed at the back of her neck. Once he was sure he had a firm grip on her, he swam upwards, his lungs threatening to collapse with each stroke he took. His head breaking the water, Dawncloud felt the relief of oxygen rushing through him once more, and pulling up Windsong's head as far up as he could, he began to awkwardly swim towards the gorge walls.

The water had gone up considerably in the moments he had spent rescuing Windsong, and his legs could no longer touch the bottom, almost driving him to a sense of panic. The one thing that kept his sanity was the load he currently carried. It wasn't just a body he was dragging, it wasn't just any cat. It was his clanmate, a FireClanner. And to top it off, it was Windsong, he would be damned if he let anything happen to her!

"Huff om, 'inon. Ee're moff der," Dawncloud yowled through gritted teeth as he clung to her neck scruff with clear resolution, his eyes set on the gorge that was currently their key target for survival.

As Windsong's head broke the surface, water dribbled from her mouth and nose but still she didn't breathe. Her body hung uselessly against Dawncloud, her legs trailing behind as he towed her to safety. Minutes passed and still she didn't move.

The tan Abyssinian mix walked towards her on soft, silent paws. His coat gleamed as though it had been polished with starlight. Leaning down he drew his tongue across her forehead. "You've grown so much," he said gently. Windsong felt her heart twist as she looked into her father's deep blue gaze.

"So does this mean I'm..."
"Dead?" he laughed, "No. Your time isn't up yet love, Star Clan has other plans for you. It was wonderful seeing you again but I'm afraid you can't stay any longer." He winked mischievously. "Now go, I think your boyfriend misses you."
"Boyfriend? What are you...?" Her father's laughter became muffled and distant, and before she knew it he was gone.

The first thing she was aware of was a crushing pressure inside her chest. Her eyes snapped open and she coughed violently, trying to expel as much liquid from her lungs as possible. Her whole body convulsed with each cough and she shook but she wasn't sure if that was from cold or fright. She was still in the water, but she was afloat now; something was holding her up. She twisted round to see Dawncloud holding onto her, pulling her towards the cliff. He must be exhausted from swimming for so long, and they still had to climb out of the gorge. She would never forgive herself if she caused him to die.

"I'm okay," she said pulling away gently. "I'll be fine... thank you." She struck out and began swimming independently. What could she say after what he had just done for her? He could have died trying to save her. He could still die. She never allowed herself to stray from his side. She swam right beside him, ready to catch him should his strength give out. "I owe you my life," she murmured.

Relief washed over Dawncloud as he felt the she cat he had been carrying to safety convulse with a coughing fit. She was alive. Possibly in pain, but alive. He had not failed her. Letting go of her as he felt her flail around to swim for herself, he began to swim for himself, keeping up with her speed, or at least attempting to.

"Ya don't owe me nothing. Not yet anyways... I'll take a nice stroll through the gorge and perhaps a quick peck in the cheek as a reward once we get there, though," he panted in an attempt to keep the mood light, but the exhaustion in his voice was clear.

Windosong's ears swiveled towards the tom swimming beside her. For a split second surprise flickered across her face. Then as she clambered up the first few boulders at the base of the cliff her face broke into a smile. He just asked me out! she thought. Turning to make sure he climbed up the rocks safely she laughed. "I thought you'd never ask." She licked his cheek and purred.