midnight swim

~~~

IT SEEMED TO HAPPEN IN slow motion for Violetpaw. She watched as Ravenpaw's claws sank into Oakbounce's pelt, and the dark gray tom's startled yowl as he twisted around to see what was going on. 

She watched Oakbounce's eyes widen and lunge at the black tom. Ravenpaw narrowly pulled his tail from between the SkyClan warrior's mighty jaws, and Oakbounce's teeth clamped down on air. Then, when Ravenpaw saw that Violetpaw was still standing at the medicine den opening, frozen with shock, he lashed his tail and yowled, "Go!"

It was only at the sound of Ravenpaw's voice that Violetpaw sprinted for the camp's opening. She stopped short of exiting the camp completely, glancing over her shoulder and mewing a muffled, "Ravenpaw!"

However, the black tom was already on his way. Despite still being an apprentice, he was already a large cat, and his legs were longer than Oakbounce's. He bounded for the entrance, and though the SkyClan warrior leaped after him, Ravenpaw managed to get away with only a scratch on his flank.

"C'mon, c'mon," he hissed, wrapping his tail around Violetpaw and yanking her forward.

"Crowstar!" Oakbounce's voice boomed through the camp. "Crowstar, wake up!"

Adrenaline burst through Violetpaw as her heart started beating louder and louder, blood rushing throughout her body. She was free. Free. She and Ravenpaw would be okay.

As the two raced blindly through the forest, slipping and sliding on the ice and narrowly dodging the brambles, Violetpaw's mind suddenly jumped to Ashbird. Could one of these frosty patches have taken down Crowstar's daughter? Or was it something - or someone - else?

Just then, the branches above them rustled. Violetpaw's head snapped upwards to see who it was, and to her horror, she met the pale, furious blue eyes of Snowbird. The SkyClan deputy was a little ways behind them, but was quickly catching up with her mighty leaps as she darted from tree to tree.

As the white she-cat twisted her head further back, she found that behind Snowbird was an entire patrol. Ferndust, Treefrost, Oakbounce - even Sorrelpaw, her green eyes flashing with determination as the group closed onto the two ThunderClan apprentices.

Violetpaw whipped her head forward again, narrowly missing a tree as Ravenpaw pulled her out of the way just in time. Despair began taking hold of her as hope started to diminish; ThunderClan's territory was still out of sight, and who knew if she and Ravenpaw were even running the right way? 

The SkyClan cats behind them were getting closer and closer, as they hopped from tree to tree to...

"Tree!" Violetpaw mewed, an idea suddenly flashing in her mind. "We need to get out of the trees!"

However, it seemed the catmint must've muffled her mew, for Ravenpaw squinted at her. "The bees?"

"Trees!"

"Free?" he meowed, glancing at their chasers. "I don't think we're going to be free for that long. You'd better come up with someone to accuse as the Ghost Assassin."

The white she-cat simply rolled her eyes in response. She could hear the sound of the lake waves lapping the shore to her right and started steering her and Ravenpaw in that direction. He looked properly confused, but (thankfully) complied all the same. 

A low hiss came from Snowbird as she came to a sharp stop before veering to her right. Still, this detour didn't slow her and her patrol down by much.

But it gave Violetpaw and Ravenpaw the time that they needed. The two apprentices burst out of the forest to the lakeshore, and the white she-cat kept running until they were right next to the lake. The icy water lapped onto their paws, and Violetpaw flinched from the feeling, but she didn't move away; she's never been so thankful for the distance between herself and the forest.

Being at the shore helped orient her, too. She spotted the Gathering Island sitting in the middle of the lake, the stars twinkling coldly from above. And there was ThunderClan's border - she wondered if she and Ravenpaw could make a run for it.

Most likely not. Who's to say these SkyClan cats won't follow them across the border?

That's where Violetdust died, Violetpaw recalled suddenly. Wouldn't it be ironic if she died there also? Spirits, her parents would be heartbroken.

The SkyClan cats halted at the last branch, leaping down easily from the trees. Despite not having the advantage of being able to pounce down on them anymore, they still had the numbers, the warriors compared to apprentices. So, as Snowbird stalked forward, she moved as though she were hunting prey, her patrol fanning out from behind her.

"Running away, were we?" she hissed lowly. "This only proves that ThunderClan cats are liars."

Violetpaw didn't bother to dignify that with a response - not that she could talk even if she wanted, anyways. Instead, for every step that Snowbird took forward, she went backwards.

Well, at least she tried. When she attempted retreating, something strong pulled her back. Startled, she realized that Ravenpaw's tail was still wrapped firmly around her from when they'd first run out of SkyClan's camp. It had been there this entire time. And it felt calming. Grounding.

"Ravenpaw," Violetpaw hissed as best she could. "Come on."

"Into the lake?" Ravenpaw shook his head, keeping one careful eye on the SkyClan cats who were getting closer and closer. "You're crazy."

The white she-cat flicked her ears. For some reason, the thought of going into the lake didn't make her shudder as it would other cats - and that put an idea in her mind. "Exactly. They won't follow us."

Ravenpaw's nose wrinkled, and he took an unconscious step backwards at how close Snowbird was getting. "What? Let's just run. I see the border-"

"They'll catch us, and you know it," Violetpaw whispered lowly. "They won't follow us into the lake." Seeing Ravenpaw's hesitation, she added, "Come on, just trust me."

This time, when she went back, Ravenpaw didn't stop her. Snowbird's eyes changed clearly with confusion, but it wasn't the deputy who figured out their plan first. Rather, it was Sorrelpaw, and when the ginger she-cat realized what was going on, she darted forward, quick as the flash.

Before Violetpaw could even process what was happening - the icy water was starting to numb her body and brain - Sorrelpaw's eyes were beaming into hers. Green met green, before Violetpaw knew it, she suddenly felt a sharp pain in her cheek as the SkyClan apprentice's claws sliced her.

Ravenpaw reacted quickly, knocking Sorrelpaw away with one mighty blow. Sorrelpaw landed in the water, and she yelped, immediately shooting upwards and darting back onto the beach.

The black tom turned to Violetpaw. "Did she get your eye?"

Violetpaw blinked, testing both eyes out, before shaking her head. Her cheek was starting to throb, but the rest of her body hurt dreadfully, too; what was one more thing? 

Snowbird stopped short of the lake, staring at them. "What in StarClan's name are you doing?" she demanded, lashing her tail. "A little bit of water won't save you! Treefrost, go get them."

Treefrost hesitated. "It's leafbare-"

"Don't tell me you're scared," Snowbird hissed.

"They must be cold!" Treefrost protested. "Let them freeze! We'll just wait them out, they can't stay in there forever."

"Wimp," Ferndust muttered, rolling her eyes and stepping forward. "I'll do it, Snowbird." She faced the water, locking eyes with Violetpaw. "I'll find out who killed Ashbird."

She darted forward into the water, instantly leaping at the two apprentices with outstretched claws. 

"Back, back," Violetpaw mewed hurriedly, shoving Ravenpaw deeper into the lake.

It was getting to the parts where her paws couldn't touch the ground anymore, but that wasn't what she was anxious about. The water kept her afloat, and she just had to kick and cling onto Ravenpaw; at least he could still touch the ground.

Plus, she was more worried about the brown tabby she-cat in front of her, trying to avenge her friend. 

Ferndust landed short of the two, and immediately sank from the force of her jump. Clearly, the water was too deep for her. She resurfaced with a panicked gasp, and clawed blindly around her. However, Violetpaw had already urged Ravenpaw further in, so nothing hit the two ThunderClan apprentices other than a few splashes of water.

The brown tabby turned and immediately started paddling ungracefully to shore. When she reached it, she was shivering uncontrollably. 

Still, Snowbird seemed undeterred, and turned to Oakbounce. "You're taller, you can stand. You go in."

At this, Violetpaw tried pushing Ravenpaw back more, but the black tom wouldn't budge. "I can barely touch the ground now," he snapped.

"It'll be fine, just float in the water," the white she-cat returned.

He gave her a dangerous glare. "Violetpaw..."

"Listen, really, it'll be okay." It was difficult to talk around the catmint, but this was life or death. "The elders told me a story like this once. An ancient ThunderClan medicine cat once had a patient float in the water to help heal her leg. They were both okay. And we will be, too. Trust me."

The cold water hurt, but the claws of the SkyClan warriors would hurt no less.

By the time Oakbounce made his way into the water (he was much more careful after seeing Ferndust's leap) the two apprentices had already retreated farther in. They were floating, but Violetpaw wasn't really sure how much longer they could keep it up. After all, this would only delay their deaths, not prevent it.

She'd really hoped she would've come up with another plan by now.

But, just as Oakbounce grew near them, a yowl came from down the beach. Everyone's heads snapped towards the sound, and Violetpaw let out a gasp of joy.

Never had she been more relieved to see her dad's pelt. Frostsky was there in the lead, Icedust, Leopardbounce, and Stormbird pelting after him. She was sure she was grinning like a maniac, but it didn't matter. She even felt herself nudge Ravenpaw happily.

They were saved.

~~~

this chapter literally makes like zero sense do not ask me about the logistics at all i have no clue. my only thought before writing this was 'oh, violetpaw and ravenpaw probably couldn't win in a fight' and we've somehow ended with this.

anyways!! i'm curious, who do you guys think the ghost assassin is? there hasn't been a huge move on that investigation, but now that violetpaw's coming around to believe it's real, i'm excited to begin that part of the story!

thank you always for reading!! i hope you have an amazing day!

~ lily