art by the lovely sleepykittystudios
//

Sunlight stretched down from the sky without any clouds obstructing it, it's gentle golden rays just barely providing any warmth to the forest below it. Dipperflight padded alongside a border patrol consisting of Stonevine, Sorrelleap, Eveningpelt, their apprentice Dandelionpaw, and himself.

      Dandelionpaw chirped loudly, talking about how she once had to fight a hawk to catch a mouse, her long-haired tail waving with excitement. Her dilute calico mentor half-listened, her eyes focused ahead, while the dark ginger Sorrelleap was completely invested in the story. Stonevine led the patrol, her gray tabby tail high. Dipperflight took it all in with interest.

      Going on patrol was one of his favorite things, especially the ones out to the RiverClan border. It was nice to clear his mind outside of camp, the fresh air and the dull, yet full, scent of water carried on the wind and through his pelt. While the RiverClan border was fairly dangerous with Sunningrocks a constant battleground, and their sharp glares weren't usually very pleasant, he couldn't help but feel content. He was keeping his clan safe, while at the same time he was doing as Fennelstorm had asked.

       "Stay near the back of the patrol, and keep your eyes open. If anything bad happens, you run back to camp. I'll be getting a full report from Stonevine when you get back," Fennelstorm had meowed with head high.

"Dandelionpaw, don't run too far ahead." A wind rustled the leaves and grass, and sound of sloshing water alerted the patrol that they had arrived at the border. The trees just barely thinned out, stopping almost suddenly several fox-lengths from the edge of Sunningrocks.

"The rocks are barely warm...," Dandelionpaw complained. The patrol was more upstream from the large stones, but the white apprentice had found a stray rock to leap onto.

"That's because it's Leaffall. Now, get down from there and mark the border like a proper warrior." Eveningpelt lectured her apprentice, who reluctantly tramped back to her gray, cream, and white mottled mentor. They moved further up the border, Stonevine stopping to check the scent and remark a clump of grass next to the riverside. Dipperflight stood near the back, his eyes watching the other side of the river as the others spread along to refresh the marks. He carefully observed Dandelionpaw, who was playing at the rushing water's edge.

       Just as he was about to warn her to step away from the edge, his heart dropped as he watched Sorrelleap unknowingly back up right into the apprentice. The white cat let out a shriek as she splashed into the river, sweeping the scrawny apprentice down under. Dipperflight didn't even wait to catch a patrol member's eye.

He didn't even think about Fennelstorm.

      Instead, he leaped right into the river after her, an icy blast immediately biting at him. His pelt felt weighed down, and as he forced his eyes open, he could see Dandelionpaw much further downriver, the water having a good hold on her long, thick fur.

He bobbed to the surface of the choppy waters momentarily before a current pulled him right back under. He could hear Stonevine, Sorrelleap, and Eveningpelt yowling something, but the water muffled everything in his ears and dulled every sound.

He glanced another flash of white and struck his paws out to try and swim closer to the apprentice, the river sucking him deep into the depths. He tried grabbing her, water stinging his barely-open eyes and pain screaming at his muscles as he forced himself to keep moving. One more stride. One more stroke. The water was freezing, gnawing at his entire body, numbing his body.

Finally, though, he was able to grab Dandelionpaw's scruff. He tried struggling to the surface, but it seemed so far away. Sunlight beamed through, glowing off sides of rocks that jutted out along the further sides of the river as well as coating the bed. His lungs burned. His body was mostly numb, cold still penetrating to his skin and sinking in. Dandelionpaw's eyes were shut, a bit of blood flowing out from a hit to her head, loosely streaming though the water.

He shut his eyes tightly for a moment. I don't have a moment to think though. He struck his paws out again, but the combined weight of Dandelionpaw plus his own wet fur was so much, and StarClan I can't even swim I can't breathe I'm going to die. Will Fennelstorm be okay..? He seems like he would be okay... All I ever do is disappoint him. All strength seemed to seep out of his body in that moment.

He heard the sound of something dunking into the water-- perhaps it was Eveningpelt finding a much smarter way to retrieve the apprentice. Perhaps it was a duck. Perhaps it was Fennelstorm himself coming to yank him out of the river and tell him how rash and idiotic he was. He forced himself to open his eyes as he felt the weight of Dandelionpaw be lifted out of his mouth. Two cats, one a long-bodied brown tabby, the other small and black furred, swam away with the long-haired white apprentice in tow.

Swimming toward him was a mostly solid pale gray cat. Their fur was slightly long, the water waving it gently in its grasp, the sunlight glowing and outlining his slim frame. The cat's eyes were open, a focused dark amber-brown. Their paws, which were small and creamy, were outstretched as they swam closer with powerful strokes.

Dandelionpaw and her saviors broke the surface right when the gray cat reached Dipperflight, grabbing his scruff and pulling him up. The water growled as it streamed past, not happy that it was losing its prey. Dipperflight barely realized what was happening as he was brought out of the water, the bitterness of the day rushing to great his soaking, cold, wet pelt. He vaguely saw Stonevine grab his scruff, pulling him up the shore as the grey cat stumbled after them. He coughed heavily, unable to properly breathe, and the gray cat entered his vision again.

"May I?" He thought he could hear their voice-- soft and gentle. Stonevine nodded quickly, her green eyes round and unreadable. Suddenly, the gray cat's small paw was on his chest, and it pushed down heavily with a deceptive strength. A rush of water poured out into his mouth from his lungs, and he half-sat up, the liquid surging out of his mouth.

Everything was much more clear then. The cats, RiverClan cats he assumed, were standing over Dandelionpaw. One had their ear pressed to her chest, and the gray tom who had rescued him had moved over to aid them. Eveningpelt seemed in shock as she stood helpless behind the three cats, and Sorrelleap was nowhere to be seen. Dipperflight jumped as he felt sudden warming licks, and he looked over to see Stonevine vigorously grooming his wet fur in the opposite direction.

"You need to get dry quickly before you get sick. I'm sure Heatherberry doesn't want to spend his herbs on something preventable like this," she murmured, though her expression read something along the lines of stress from disorganization, as she tended to get.

"What-- what happened...?" He whispered. I jumped in. I tried to save Dandelionpaw. I... I was pulled out.

"A RiverClan patrol was within earshot when we were calling out to you, they didn't even hesitate. Just like you... That was amazing, what you did. You didn't even think about yourself--" Stonevine cut herself off, her green eyes falling to the ground, and she quickly resumed drying the brown tabby. "I should've done that," she finished after a moment of thought.

Dipperflight blinked slowly. His muscles ached, and his lungs were burning. It was reckless and stupid... I shouldn't have done anything like Fennelstorm had said to do.

"Sorrelleap went to go grab Heatherberry from camp, they shouldn't be too long." Stonevine finished. He perked his ears as he saw Dandelionpaw blink into consciousness, her green eyes wide with shock and confusion, the bloody cut just below her right ear a sharp contrast to her pale coat.

"She should be alright...," the gray RiverClan tom meowed, turning. His coat had already started drying, the water droplets having mostly rolled right off his waterproof fur.

"Thank you," Dipperflight meowed quietly, lowering his head.

"I could never let another cat drown in any of the rivers we patrol!" The small black tom grinned brightly, pouncing closer with white paws and a shine in his gold eyes.

"ThunderClan thanks you for your help." Stonevine dipped her head deeply.

"It wasn't a problem." The gray cat assured brightly before the small black and white tom could give off another proud line. "Are you okay?" They asked, taking a closer step to inspect Dipperflight. "Sometimes cats will scrape their paws on the rocks on the bottom if they push off the riverbed. I've scratched myself a few times, too," they picked up a paw, old, small, faint scratches. He couldn't help but notice a fresh scratch on his forepaw that had blood beading its edges.

"No, I'm fine... I think." The dark tabby mumbled. Fennelstorm wouldn't want me talking to RiverClan cats. Even if they did save me. The gray cat tipped his head to the side.

"Sagecloud, should we get back to our side? Or wait for their medicine cat?" The last RiverClan cat meowed quietly. He was quite large, with a brown tabby and white coat.

Sagecloud nosed the air towards the forest line. Dipperflight glanced over his shoulder, as his back was to the woods. A gray tabby tom led the way, a bundle of herbs in his mouth, Fennelstorm quickly padding just behind him along with the dark ginger Sorrelleap.

"Heatherberry, right?" Sagecloud stepped away to meet the ThunderClan medicine cat, Fennelstorm making a bee-line straight for Dipperflight.

"What happened?" His fur was slightly on end, and his green eyes carefully watched the three RiverClan cats with suspicion.

"Dandelionpaw fell into the river-- it was an accident...."

"Why are you wet?" The ginger tabby inquired, his eyes leaving them for just a moment, just long enough to fall onto his mate with a darkness.

Dipperflight looked down to the grassy earth below him, which was damp and flattened.

"I went after her..--" Fennelstorm sighed.

"How could you be so reckless?" He growled sharply. "That was so stupid. You know you can't swim! Did you think you were a fish all of a sudden?" The ThunderClan warrior couldn't meet his gaze.

"Hey! He did something none of your other clanmates were brave enough to do!" He looked up sharply, surprised to see all eyes on the pair. Heatherberry looked ultimately confused, and Stonevine's eyes were narrowed. Sagecloud's fur was slightly on end, his warm brown eyes challenging as he spoke.

Fennelstorm froze. In a flash though, he was nonchalantly waving his tail, his head low and shaking.

"Dipperflight, I'm so sorry it's just-- the stress. It gets so hard sometimes.. It won't happen again." The black and white RiverClan warrior scoffed lightly. Sagecloud's eyes were still narrowed, but he turned back to Dandelionpaw and Heatherberry, still occasionally glancing back to Dipperflight. "You know I love you," Fennelstorm added, quieter. "You're my mate, you know I'm the only one that truely loves you." Dipperflight blinked. Dandelionpaw was helped to her paws, and the RiverClan trio turned to swim back across the water. Stonevine kept a weary eye on him as well before starting off towards the forest.

Dipperflight didn't say anything, he just followed the line of clanmates. Sometimes I feel like love isn't as great as everyone makes it out to be. Fennelstorm says he loves me.. If this is what loves feels like... He looked down at the ground, his eyes narrowing with a pang. I don't want any part of it.

//
AN
Me: I'm going to do a Nanowrimo! It'll be a bit slower paced, but I'll try to get it done in one month!
Me: *november 13* this isnt working

IM SO SORRY IM SLOWWWW I try so hardddd also I feel like this is a really weak chapter. I could've fit more emotion into it but I just suck and I wanted to get this up so that I don't feel guilty about not updating.