The W a t e r y Depths

[Cricketfoot]

A small tugging pulled at her paws, also tugging at the fear that lingered in the back of her mind. The water swirled around, waking memories that had rested until now. Memories of drowning and rapids pulling her along a merciless river, of paws thrashing against the water, unable to breathe and there seemed to be no escape. Images of her struggling through the deep dark waters swam before her eyes, her small body twisting and turning in feeble attempts to pull herself to the surface. Those memories came out to play in her nightmares, dancing in and out of sight, making it hard to sleep. Those memories that she never wished to relive. Heartbeats became more and more rapid. It beat against her chest as she stared down her legs, long waves rippled across her belly fur.

Most RiverClan cats would’ve just plodded right on through the small river that cut off their camp from the mainland. Cricketfoot on the other paw was different. A lingering fear of the water gripped this young she-cat every time she came back from a patrol or from hunting, whenever she left camp or came back, she would have to cross the water. It was ever since she nearly drowned in the river. The event had scarred her for life. Many cats in her clan thought she was barely a RiverClan cat for her fear of the river and swimming. She couldn’t even fish properly with this problem, making her nearly useless in hunting. Unless she was lucky enough to find something on land to chase and she even messed that up with her clumsy paws.

Usually, Cricketfoot tried to be fearless, crossing the shallowest part of the river, normally reaching to just above her paws. Even it just at her paws was uncomfortable for the warrior, making her shiver every time she placed a paw and it caused a splash. She never wanted to let herself get wet about over stomach. Though, with the melt of the snow, the river swelled with the extra water and the shallowest part now reached up to her belly. It tickled the skin underneath the dusty brown fur, making her shudder slightly. Her whole body coursed in a shiver, the shaking reaching down to her paws, almost making her fall.

Surging forward, Cricketfoot carried on through the water. She placed her paws cautiously on the slippery stones that were underpaw. She wanted to make it back to land as fast as she could. After the patrol, all Cricketfoot wanted to do was get back to the Warrior’s Den and sleep, dry and warm.

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Open to anyone
Players: Cricketfoot
Word Count: 437

[Echosong]

Echosong sighed as she stared at the piles of herbs that were neatly stacked against her den walls. She had no reason at all to go out of camp, and because of that, she was left cooped up in her den or sitting in the sun. She'd gone out a while ago and managed to get herself soaking wet, and that hadn't been fun at all. Echosong had sat in the sun to dry off, then had returned to camp, not at all enthusiastic about going out again, especially if it meant getting wet. She hadn't even had herbs to return with! The she-cat huffed. She was a RiverClan cat- and proud of it, mind you. Getting wet was only to be expected, and whining about it wouldn't do anything to help. Absentmindedly, Echosong prodded at a pile of poppy seeds, rearranging the marigold and pushing the cobwebs together into a tight ball. She honestly hoped she wouldn't need the herbs to heal any sort of battle wounds, and hoped they would remain well stocked and unneeded. The medicine cat's ears twitched as she heard the splashing of another cat entering the camp. Green eyes blinked a few times as she peered out of her den, then walked out to sit in a shaft of sunlight. Recognizing the warrior, she smiled, then frowned. Was that a fear-scent coming from Cricketfoot? Had she seen something or smelled something that had scared her? Brushing it off, Echosong regained her smile, tail twitching as she looked at the other. "Hello, Cricketfoot!" She called out to the other she-cat, making her way toward the other. "Good thing it's newleaf, or else your paws would be frozen." She joked, then gave a murrow of amusement. "Did you see something out there?" She blinked, cocking her head to one side curiously, green eyes shining. --- Character; Echosong, RiverClan Medicine Cat Words; 305 Completion; Done Music; My World by SR-71

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[Cricketfoot]

The voice of another she-cat startled Cricketfoot as she reached the end of the river. Jumping at the sound, she felt her paws slip away from the rocks below and weren’t able to latch on anything. With some horribly feeble attempts to steady herself, she plopped down into the cold water. The liquid rushing through her fur, greedily reaching for her skin. The tabby she-cat struggled as she felt the water tugging at her, trying to pull her downstream. Panicking, she struggled in the water, she was going to die, she just knew it. Her paws thrashed, throwing little waves all around her, struggling to get to the surface.

Though, it just turns out that the she-cat just had to stand. She was at the end of the bank. Her paws rested on fine sand as water slid off her pelt. Shaking off the access liquid, she gingerly stepped out of the water, her ears burning in embarrassment. She had looked like a horrible excuse for a RiverClan warrior. Cricketfoot looked up warily at her clanmate, trying to look brave. “No, I didn’t scent anything. Nothing at all.” Her voice was high, cracking at certain points. Even though she was telling the truth, she was nervous. She didn’t need the medicine cat also thinking she was useless. She didn’t need every cat in the clan thinking that she was just deadweight, a freeloader, but she wasn’t. She couldn’t accept that she was.

Water still dripped from her pelt as Cricketfoot sat among the reeds, licking her ruffled chest. She was useless RiverClan cat. She couldn’t swim, she afraid of the water. It made fishing impossible and every time she left camp, it was a struggle. A struggle between herself and her fears. She might as well leave but Cricketfoot didn’t have the heart. That would be betraying her clanmates. So instead, she just struggled to keep her secret and stay.

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Character: Cricketfoot
Word Count: 320
Completed

[Echosong]

Echosong was a bit surprised to see Cricketfoot thrashing so much, especially in the water. Hadn't all kits learned how to swim, just when they becam an apprentice? Or even if they were a bit too adventurous kittens. The medicine cat was beginning to have her suspicions, but she wouldn't bring them up. Padding closer to Cricketfoot, she began to help the other lick the water from her pelt. "Don't worry, Cricketfoot." She meowed between licks, a smile on her face. "I fell in the river yesterday too." Echosong looked a little embarrased as she spoke. "I was trying to catch a fish from the Stepping Stones.. I fell." She laughed slightly, ears flicking back for a moment. "Don't tell Stormpaw, though. I told him I had to get a herb that grew in the water." She gave a mrrow of laughter, green eyes sparkling. --- Character; Echosong, RiverClan Medicine Cat Words; 145 Completion; Done Music; Ghosts by Ladytron

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[Cricketfoot]

Cricketfoot gave a weak mrrow of laughter. So she wasn’t the first to fall in the river but she was probably going to be the first RiverClan cat that drowned. “Don’t worry. I don’t think that grump of a cat would ever want to speak with me. Especially about you and your mistakes.” She murmured. That odd little cat was never in the mood to speak with any of his clanmates. Getting to her paws, Cricketfoot shook out the water from her pelt. Though, her fur and skin felt terribly damp and uncomfortable.

“I want to get dry now.” She mewed, flicking some water from the end of her tail. “But first, could you take a look at my shoulder; I think I hurt it hunting. I tripped over a rock while chasing down a vole and I think I may have twisted it or wrenched it or something.” She complained slightly, giving it a roll. A shot of pain went up her shoulder and she winced slightly. “So, we are going to camp?"

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Word Count: 172
Character: Cricketfoot
Completed