CROSSFIRE — slip up

[LAKEMOON]

LAKEMOON — me and the devil, walking side by side.
Silently, Lakemoon wishes nothing more than for the chatter box beside her to shut their trap.
They’re a newer warrior, awestruck by the whole new world they’ve been introduced to, and if Lakemoon were a more bubbly cat she may have been excited for them.
Yet, she was cynical, driven solely by her duty to her clan to traverse along the riverbank, as if any other clan cat would be foolish enough to try and cross without the talent for swimming that almost solely belonged to Riverclan.
Sapphire optics are stone cold as she attempts to tune them out, hoping that eventually they would get the hint that she simply didn’t want to talk.
She flickers her gaze to the rivers current, trying to ignore the exhaustion that tugged in the back of her mind.
She hardly hears the exclamation from their patrol leader before the cat in front of her comes to an abrupt stop.
Lakemoon is able to come to a halt against the slippery surface, the starling beside her however, flails clumsily.
"W-" the warrior has no time to mutter a warning to them before she feels their weight smack into her in their struggle.
The bank beside the patrol is steep, and Lakemoon has no time to catch herself before she feels her hind leg slip, ever-so-slightly twisted paw giving her a catastrophic disadvantage.
She slips, and tumbles into the river.
She hears the patrols exclamations just above, and before her head can dip under the surface she clings herself to the face of the bank, her claws struggling against the muddy surface.
"Fuck!" Lakemoon grits against the strain, her hind legs too busy kicking against the current to aid her forepaws in keeping her glued to where she was.
”Just swim!” The fish-brain who had knocked her over calls unhelpfully from where they remained perched, their eyes as wide as saucers.
Her flank’s breath begins to quicken as the water makes its way through dense fur, feeling like stinging ice at her skin. She can hear her heart pounding as her body begins to panic, the imagery of being thrown against sharp rocks piercing the rivers surface once more sending her thoughts into a desperate spin.
"Get me out!" There is nothing to override her fear this time, nothing pushing her to safety. "Get me out!" She yells again, her voice a rumble, obsessively keeping the panic from her voice despite the painfully obvious contradiction in her body language.

"speech"

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[PIKESPLASH]

Like many members of the patrol he exclaims when he sees Lakemoon fall into the water. He hadn't seen how she had fallen, but he had an inkling that it was not of her own doing. Lakemoon was not by any means a new warrior, where slip ups were expected. Because of her experience no one plunges themselves into the water, the roaring of the river makes his fur stand on end. Nevertheless the patrol presses on, following Lakemoon along the riverbank. He can't help but open his maw and whip his head in disbelief to one of the newer warriors telling Lakemoon to just swim. ARE YOU STUPID?! HELLO DON'T YOU THINK SHE WOULD'VE TRIED THAT?! Before he can even make a comment or continue his thoughts about a certain warrior, Lakemoon's pleas for help call to him.

He simply closes his maw and glances at the rest of the patrol before plunging himself into the water. Immediately the cold pierces him, and he can't help but shudder and huff as his body experiences shock from the sudden temperature change. "S-s-shit!" He couldn't help himself from cursing, but who could blame him? Breathe. Stay calm. He is slowly being dragged by the river's currents, but he keeps kicking his legs to slow his speed to breathe. After his fifth exhale he looks at Lakemoon who is much closer to him now. Get to Lake.

This time he doesn't resist the current as much, letting it guide him to Lakemoon. The roaring waves make it difficult for him to call out to her. "Breathe! I'll be there just breathe!" Still, Lakemoon is rightfully frightened. When he does make it to Lakemoon, he clings to the bank. Not wanting to let go of his footing, he touches her with his muzzle. "Look. I know it's hard, but try and stay calm. We're gonna get out of here. I promise you that, but I'm going to need you to swim with me."​

 

[Cindershade]

Taking up the rear of the patrol, Cindershade had traversed over these pebble-laiden shores so much over the past several moons that her body moved as if on it's own. Her mind was busy with thought, wondering over the decisions lately of Cicadastar. She knows that a retaliation would come soon, they just had to prepare. But she also wonders about Buckgait and her recent demotion. Would Cicadastar choose a new deputy? Or would he keep it as it were? It seemed to flow just as smoothly with splitting the work of the deputy amongst that of his lead warriors, handling patrols and such while reporting to him afterwards with news. But there had to be a second in command, did there not? Apart of her wonders who he'd choose, if he did at all. She knows Smokethroat was a trustworthy tom, even if he was hot-headed. He was strong and trustworthy, he'd keep his clan safe at any cost. Willowroot also, with their motherly instinct and wisdom. They always seemed to have a level head upon their shoulders and are able to think of the bigger picture. Both would be good candidates, if the tortoiseshell leader were to choose.

Her mind continues to ponder in silence, ignoring the babbling of Kestrelwing, the newly named warrior in their patrol that seemed to be squawking away to Lakemoon. Could they not shut up for once? Even Pikesplash was silent, though she knew that his mind was as frazzled as always. A bundle of nerves he was. She hums quietly to herself until there was a clash of bodies, an abrupt stop for whatever reason and velveteen ears flatten in aggravation. What the—?! A sudden bump and she sees Lakemoon sliding from their sheer drop of the bank, falling into the river in a tumble. "Dammit!" She hissed, eyeing the warrior who yells to her and Cindershade feels her lips tighten into the beginning of a snarl. "I'll have your hide for my nest, Kestrelwing. Shut the fuck up." She glides over to the edge, peering down at the molly before Pikesplash dives in after her. She raises her brow for a moment in brief surprise, but it doesn't last long as she moves into action. She leaps off the sheer drop as well, diving head first into the water.
She breaks the surface with a small gasp, trying to ignore the nipping chill of the water as it clings to her skin as she paddles over to them. Pikesplash is instructing her to swim with him and she nods. "He's right, Lakemoon. You're going to have to swim to that embankment further down stream where it comes more flat." She points with her nose to a sloped bank not too far ahead, swathed in reeds and cattails. "I'll take her other side. Let's go." She pulls herself closer to the warrior's side, beginning to gently push them away from the rocky shore.



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[ SILENCE IS DEAFENING ]

 

[CRAPPIEPATCH]

Splashing in the water draws Crappiepaw’s attention to Lakemoon, the older warrior struggling to keep herself afloat. The she-cat flails, panicking, but the shouts that leave her mouth reveal no such emotion. The calico watches, paws frozen in place, as Lakemoon tries to swim—but they make no move to help her. They can swim, but not well enough to drag a full-grown warrior from the river.

Thankfully, they do not have to be the cat to rescue Lakemoon. Pikesplash leaps in after her, and Cindershade follows, each of them attempting to help guide the silvery warrior from the water. Idly they shoot a glare at the idiot who had knocked Lakemoon into the river in the first place, but their ire means nothing in the face of a possible emergency. Is a clanmate falling into the water considered an emergency? "I will find a good place to climb out," they murmur, mostly to themself. Wide green eyes scan the riverbank, pale paws tracing shapes in the dirt below.
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[ my my, cold hearted child ]​

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[► Sneezefur.]

IF YOU ONLY LISTEN WITH YOUR EARS I CAN'T GET IN
sneezefur | 28 months | demi-boy | he/him | physically medium | mentally medium | attack in bold #50c878

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Sneezefur may not be a drypaw, but he has never been the greatest swimmer. With eyes as round and wide as saucers the stick figure feline can only watch, crooked muzzle drawn into a grimace. If they step in now, they would only be a hindrance - another body to save, swept away by the rushing roar of the currents. But crappiepaws words snap them out of their reverie - giving a strong and stiff nod they're quick to follow. If they can find a safe place to leave the currents, they can can help haul them up and out onto dry land. ' There ' they think - eyes narrowing onto a rocky outcrop that juts further into the river than the bank and is downstream from the swimmers, and they give crappiepaw a shove with their nose to grab their attention before darting off towards their target. They only hope they get the silent message across successfully.

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[LAKEMOON]

LAKEMOON — me and the devil, walking side by side.
In a blink, she can see both Pikesplash and Cindershade diving into the water nearby, the tom calling out for her to just breathe.
Just breathe.
Against gritted teeth she attempts in inhale, but as water freckles her face she finds that she can’t. She can’t fucking breathe, she can’t even move.
Her twisted paw aches, the gash along her belly stings- all bitter reminders of why she couldn’t move from where she clung.
A muzzle brushes against her with a sharp flinch, scarred faced whirling around to face Pikesplash with a defensive snarl.
Shit. She inwardly huffs, realizing that it was him.
I’m going to need you to swim with me.
Narrow eyes stare at him for only a moment before she reluctantly nods, she had done it before, she could do it now.
She had to do it now. Cindershade is at her side now, agreeing with what Pikesplash had told her. She nods again, rigid.
"Just don’t let me drown." The words she breathes are not a command, but not a request either.
Fucking stars, don’t let me drown.
She exhales, and finally pushes herself away from where her claws had been sunken into, the pain pricking at her paws from the sudden move meaning little to the warrior as she feels her support drift away, and there is nothing but the rushing water pulling her downstream.
She suppresses every instinct in her body as she lets the current guide her with the two warriors at her flank.
She doesn’t even register Crappiepaw and Sneezefur, her vision tunneling as she focuses on the swath of reeds and cat-tails Cindershade had pointed out.
She keeps her muzzle pointed sky-wards, desperate to keep her head above surface.
By the time they would reach the patch of water-logged stems she’d be disguising the tremble in her shoulders as pants, her hind leg gone completely numb in her terror.
Mud from the slope cakes her paws and heels as she steadies herself against the current.
She’d look to Cindershade and Pikesplash then, "Where from here?" The words are strained, she just wanted out.
"speech"

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[PIKESPLASH]

When she turns and snarls at him, he is stunned momentarily. He didn't mean to make her apprehensive, but there was little time to think about it. Things could turn ugly real fast and he didn't want to go out that way. Then he is hit with relief. He is relieved when Cindershade comes to their aid because while he may be an excellent swimmer, he wouldn't be able to drag Lakemoon all by himself easily. If Lakemoon had been a kit or young apprentice then it would've been easier, however she most definitely was not either apprentice nor kit. Cindershade orders him to follow her lead, which he has no problems with. He gives her a nod in acknowledgement of her commands. The sloped bank got it.

At Lakemoon's comment he answers, "We won't." It's a simple answer, but he hopes she believes in them. One among their ranks may have gotten her in this mess, but they would always try to make up for the mistakes. Kestrelwing was young and without a doubt this would be burned into his mind, but this was the warriors, no the clan's problem. It's too late to go back in time, but we can always try and fix it in the now.

Together the three of them allowed themselves to be guided by the river. As the descend, he presses himself against Lakemoon to help her keep her head above water. When they make it to the bank, he is careful not to leave Lakemoon's side too fast and allows her to get settled first before settling beside her himself. The roaring of the river is much louder, that it makes it difficult to hear anything other than the two beside him.

He has to strain himself to hear what Lakemoon is asking and when he registers what it is she is asking, it occurs to him that he doesn't know. He assumed from here they would climb out or try to, but he is unsure if that is wise. He has no idea that her leg has gone numb. If he and Cinder had started climbing out assuming she could do the same, then who was to say that Lakemoon wouldn't end up being dragged away from them.

Instead of answering, Pike looks around for any of their clanmates. I don't see them where are they? The reeds and cattails are making it hard to see and the river is making it hard to hear. A flash of white passes him and he tries his best to follow the figure until it becomes clear, Sneezefur? He opens his maw, but closes it when he recalls that even if he did yell at Sneezefur, the other warrior would be unable to hear him. Speaking of Sneezefur, they seem to be heading further down from where they are.

Pike faces both Lakemoon and Cinder, "Sneezefur is heading down more. Should we gather our strength and head further down? Or should we try and climb from here?" Essentially what he's telling the pair is whether or not they should trust Sneezefur or not and risk climbing up from where they were.​