A sudden crack of thunder boomed through the air. Hiding the worst of the cracking and shifting of ice high up in the mountains. A flash of lightning blinked into existence a few moments later, lighting up the pre-dawn world. The endless rain that had fallen all through the night showed no signs of lifting. Another boom sounded, and then a strange, dull roar. Like a distant wind approaching. The roar rose, and rose, and then came the sound of snapping trees and shifting boulders.

Another flash of lightning spread light across the coming disaster, as the Warlord stepped outside his den’s door. He had time only to see the sudden glint of light off water, before the world was plunged into darkness again. It was enough. “Flood!”  He roared, already heading down his den’s path. Paws slipping on the slick stones, and his coat growing heavier from the torrential rain with every step. “Flash Flood! Get out of the Warrens!”  He roared. His children, Aris’ children, they were the most vulnerable. “Get to the Training den!”  It was the only den high enough up to avoid getting swept away, and large enough to house the pack. He blinked rain from his eyes, searching desperately for the wolves he loved. Isa’s den was across from his, and his eyes landed on it. Was she there? The dull roaring became a lion's cry as the flood arrived.

Ooc: No posting order, post as many times as you want. Have fun with it! Only one post needed here for the activity check part I. Deadline for this thread is: 30th September

"Speech"

The rain had left behind lots of splishy-splashy puddles. Sure it was night and the girls should have been in bed, but Whisper had managed to rouse Ursa, and the two had tip-toed out and headed into the Col. The sky was rumbling and flashing overhead, but the small white pup didn't mind, if anything, it provided cover as the girls bumped and giggled their way towards the warren where the rest of the pack slept. There wasn't any danger here, it was there home, and there were no shortage of wolves to look out for them.

Whisper scrambled her way up onto a small rock, “Urs! Look!” She launched from the stone and landed in a puddle, hoping the mud would spash her darker coated sister. Her giggles and the thunder overhead covered the roar of the approaching wave. It hit her like raging stag, knocking the wind from her lungs and dragging her head under the deluge. The small pup could reach the ground to tell which way was up. The water was carrying her away at an alarming rate, and as lights began to dance at the corner of her vision, panic took hold.

“Speech”

Ursa and Whisper had snuck out to play in the Col. The last thing Wylan wanted was to be left out. Besides, he loved the rain. He liked the way it felt in his feathers, and he learned that he could shake his wings in a way that sent an avalanche of water everywhere. So, ignoring any sort of common sense, he trotted secretly after his siblings. He lost sight of them in the rain long before they reached the Col, and found himself wandering alone in the dark. He found the Col’s entrance, it was hard to miss the mountains after all. He had just entered through the gap in the border when his grandfather's voice boomed out. He didn’t understand at all, and he found himself looking about for the old, old wolf. What was going on? Was the Col always this exciting at night? And then suddenly the flood hit him. It knocked him off his paws, and shoved him into the blacksmiths den right by the Col entrance. He had time to let out a horrified shriek, and one call for “Help!” before he smacked the back of his head on debris and went under. "Speech"

"WHISPER!"

The scream wrenches from her throat.

Where had her sister gone?

"WHISP-"

Soon she was taken away too.

Water flooded the warren. Fast. At an alarming rate. The booming call of Sirius was deafened by the cracks of thunder. They had not heard the warning. Their focus had been on the muddy puddles on the dirt covered ground. Climbing up the small boulder, toes spread to keep their balance, before leaping off to splash. Whisper's last launch had sprayed thick goop across her bi-colored face. Peels of laughter littered the air. Her eyes squeezed shut as she plopped down on the rock and rolled over onto her side. Oh, this was fun!

She and Whisper had been sneaking out to play in the puddles the last few nights. Out to the clearing in front of their den. Where it was safe but quickly grew boring. They knew those puddles. Knew how deep they were. They wanted different puddles. Wanted to know a sense of excitement and adventure. Dreamer's Col was supposed to be safe too. Their grandfather lived there. So did everyone else too. They would keep them safe within the confines of the warren if trouble were to arise.

Except this was the type of trouble they hadn't expected.

"MOMMY!"

Her gurgling cry reaches over the surface as she dips back down. Paws clamber and swim around her as she tries to reach the surface. Sucking in water and air at every chance she gets. Panic fills her as she is swept through the warren. One darkened nose tips over the waves as she fights to live. Where was everyone?

"DADDY! HE-"

Ursa is dragged under once more. Her plump weight causing her to sink farther than expected. Mommy, daddy, HELP! Thoughts scream in her head as the world swirls around her. Everything begins to flash as she ebbs in and out of consciousness. All they had wanted to do was jump into some muddy puddles... They had been having fun. Dirtying their clean white paws when mama had just bathed them. Of course, they would have gotten in trouble for sneaking out. Ursa and Whisper weren't typically the ones to go breaking the rules. They preferred to stay home and be good girls. This one time... One damn time they wanted to break the rules turned out so... terrible.

Another garbled shriek rips from her hoarse and pained throat as she surfaces once more.

"WHISPER! WHISP-"

Ursa is cut off once more as the current drags her under. She can no longer see her sister. She can't see anything. Everything around her is dark. Full of water, of shadows, of everything she had ever feared. Was she going to live? To die? Though she can't tell, tears are streaming down her face, forcing her eyes closed. Her lungs are full of water. Her heart is going at a rate that is impossible to understand. She is coughing, sputtering, fighting to survive.

Soon, the light of the moon is washing over her. The flood is pushing her out of the warrens and into the center of the open Col. But the water doesn't stop coming. Ursa cannot stay awake any longer. She tries, but cannot stop the water from taking her...

It was dark, which meant Kite was able to see. But seeing wasn’t the same as understanding. Her mask was bunched up by her ears as she peeked out of her den. Her fathers boom still echoing in her ears. What was going on? Why was he telling the pack to get out in the middle of a storm? She didn’t want to be out here. Lioness was even more reluctant, so she left her cat in her den to go investigate.

She heard the roar of the water, and leapt above her den. “Lioness” She shrieked, and she scrambled for a hold on the slick stones. “Lioness!” the eater was already flooding her den. Her cat was in there!

She was about to leap down when she saw the form of her niece. The tiniest one, the white one. Tears streamed down her eyes. Burning her crystals, and almost blinded her. Lioness. But she didn’t know where her kitten was. She could see Whisper, and she couldn’t just let her niece drown. She plunged into the water, almost swept away immediately. But she was a powerful swimmer, and she had timed her entrance. Whisper was right there. She grabbed for the girl, missing with her paw and almost slamming her head into the pup. But then her teeth snagged skin. Not delicately, but there was no time to be gentle. She threw them both to the side, trying to half toss the tiny pup onto the mountainside. She lost her grip on the rock, and was pulled back into the water. Whisper still in her mouth. She was about to try again when she saw another shape, another pup in the water. She turned, and tossed Whisper onto her back. “Hold on!” She begged the pup.

She was already exhausted, the water so powerful she had to fight for every stroke, every breath. But she managed to grab the pup. Closing her teeth around the skin of their back and yanking as hard as she could. Pulling the pup out of the water as she forced her strokes towards the mountain side again. She grabbed hold of a stone with a paw, and hung on. The rest of her body was still in the water, panting around the unconscious pup. “Help, help!” She tried to say around the child. She was waning, losing her strength.


"Speech"

He had woken up in the middle of the night and had been unable to sleep. His companions had left the den, though Silveris had been spending more time in the woods. He left, braving the rain for a walk. So long as he didn't spend too long in it and came back to dry off he should be fine, right? That was the logic. The rain helped soothe his mind… until the world began to light up with lightning. Thunder boomed and Charlie could feel his gut twist uneasily. The walk had been nice but it seemed things were about to get nasty. He began to make his way back to the Col. Nothing could have prepared him for the chaos that was going to unfold.

Lightning lit up the world and Charlie could see his nephew by the Blacksmith's den. He would quicken his pace. The world began to roar and he could hear his father's muffled voice in the cave. Charlie broke into a run. There was no time to think, instinct driving him toward the pup. The mountains shifted and water came cascading forth. He saw his nephew swept up, his heart  leaping to his throat. "Wylan!" The water kept coming. It crashed against him and Charlie used its momento to drag him toward the den. Wylan has hit something, disappearing from view. Panic gripped the yearling as the realization the pup was under the water hit him. He scrambles, branches smacking his body.

Seconds felt like an eternity. He made it to the den and the water pushed him forward. Every second mattered. He felt a wet lump of fur and his jaws went into the chilly liquid. When his head broke the water he held the soaking form of his nephew in his jaws. He had grabbed him by a wing, something that would no doubt hurt to be strained. The yearling tried to find his footing, soon crashing into something with the den with his right side. He winces but uses the stabilization to bring a foreleg up and attempt to situate Wylan against his chest. Was his nephew conscious?

"Wyl! Can you hear me? Are you alright?" More water was flooding into the den. He held his nephew up, trying to gauge the safest way out… if there was one. What of his siblings? His father? His heart ached in his chest as he shivered from the chilly water. This was bad… the Armada… it couldn't fall here!

"Speech," 'Thought.'

Gossamer shifted an upturned buffalo skull beneath the leak in her ceiling. The winter had started off unusually warm and the storms that would normally have brought snow were instead bringing rain and lots of it. Gossamer moved her belongings out of the way, packing the most valuable ones in her knapsack. She had a bad feeling about this. Donning her armor and weaponry, just to have it handy she tried to settle down in the driest corner of her den, knowing she wasn't going to get any more sleep. Thunder cracked through the sky, followed by a dull roar in the distance. Her eyes widened. What the hell was that?

Kylfa came racing into her den, his coat soaked through. "Flood! We need to evacuate. Sirius has called everyone to the training den." Gossamer swore and threw on her knapsack. She was closer to the training den than many others but it was still not readily connected to the network of den sites that she was aware of.

"Ásta, find a good path to the training den and assist those that need help. I want to check on the pups." She raced out of her den and down hill to the valley in between. Already she was ankle deep in water and it was getting deeper every second. The water tugged at her but she kept as close to the rock as she could, maneuvering along to the narrowest passage before kicking off with her hind legs and leaping to the other side of the col. By now the water was a raging river and she was starting to question how she'd get back over. Kylfa followed after her, the graceful snow leopard managing to clear the gap with one leap. How she envied his abilities.

Gossamer scrambled up the rocky path before descending back into the dens below the earth. "Shit!" The dens and pathways were filling up fast and in the distance she heard cries for help. "Kite! Hang on, I'm coming!" The water was up to her chest now. She slammed her clawed gauntlets hard into the slick earth to give her more traction as she peered through the dark. There! Gossamer pulled herself out of the water, maneuvering higher up above Kite. She planted her front legs firmly and grasped for Kite's scruff. She hoped to grab hold and pull the girl and her precious cargo out of the water. Kylfa was beside her a moment later, reaching out a paw to try and scoop Whisper of Kyanite's back and onto solid ground.

((I believe Sea plans to help him!))

The booming warning of his father jolted Crux awake, it took a moment longer for his words to process. And when they did a jolt of fear went through Crux, the roar of the water already drowning out the other noises, the starts of calls for help.  His den, his clinic was one of the ones closest to the surface being just off the general area cut out of the mountainside, so he was tromping through water up to his ankles before he even got into the bigger chamber of his clinic. Luckily no one was there now except for Riya. Who was hurriedly stuffing herbs into jars and wrapping them in the largest piece of leather they had so it could be carried. They really needed to get a bag... Of course he'd think about that now. But the water was rushing in fast, faster than Crux had expected, already it was up to his chest and once again he felt that fear go through him. He could swim technically but he wasn't good at it and a strong current was more likely to wash him away than anything else, he simply didn't have the flexibility he needed in his cuffed leg to be effective. They needed to leave before it was too late. "Riya are you able to swim with-" He started, panic rising in his voice as he looked over at his companion to see she had already taken up their thrown together bindle of herbs. The cat looked unsettled but otherwise she didn't seem nearly as worried as he felt. They had to head out! The water was rushing in so fast, he'd barely gotten confirmation Riya planned to carry their supplies before he was being lifted from his paws, scrambling to keep his toes on the ground. They had to go. But the water was rushing to fill the empty space and it was much too strong for him. Riya had started to paddle away, powerful strokes taking her much closer to the exit and safety than his, stopping to turn around when she heard him grunt in frustration. "Go!" He yelled, Riya shaking her head, her mouth still full with their supplies. "We need to get those to the training den. I'll be fine here for now, there's still air and once it slows down I can swim for the exit." He sounded much more confident than he felt. Riya looked conflicted but as her window of easy escape continued to dwindle she finally gave a nod, a look that said she'd be coming back for him and swam away. Crux watched and the moment he couldn't see her anymore tipped his head back to call for help, aware that the time in which he could do that would be limited before he risked inhaling the dark murky water, he simply had to hope someone would hear him before then, that someone could do anything about hearing him before then. "Speech" "Riya"

Art by Cloudy!

- TRESPASS -

The heavy rain brought out odd scents in the soil. A strange dampness that followed her from Insomnia to Waterfall peak. The river there was dangerously swollen, and she swallowed nervously at the sight of it. She moved on, heading to the edge of the territory, where the entrance to the Armada market place lay. She had never been, and in the wee hours of the morning and pouring rain wasn’t exactly the time to start.

Honestly, she wasn’t sure what exactly brought her out there, but she felt a strange unease deep in her bones. The shadowy girl sat at the edge of the border, taking in what scents she could beneath the pouring rain, and closed her eyes. It was then she heard the strange cracking, the cry of some wolf in the distance. She couldn’t make out the words, but she could hear the urgency. Crux! She knew it was wrong, she knew there would be consequences, but she did it anyway.

She plunged past the border, and ran towards the Col. She didn’t know this territory, she didn’t know where he denned. “Crux, Crux!” She cried. She ran up a ledge into the Col, staying just above the waterline. She saw many things in the water. Supplies, and debris, washed away. She made a grab for some rope, and felt it brush against her paw. She stretched a little further, and grabbed it. She chucked it around her shoulder. She might need it to help Crux. Where was he? She saw Riya exit a den with supplies, but no Crux behind her. “Crux!” She cried again. Could he swim with that leg? She pictured his awkward gait, and picked up speed. She tied the rope at the sturdy point at the entrance, and dove into the den, the water propelling her forward, towards him. There he was! “Crux, come on, we need to get out of here!” She said. The waterline in the den was rising dangerously high. The little wolf struggled to angle herself closer to him. The rope wound about her leg.


"Triss" & "Crux"

Part of Isa's daily personal duties was sifting through meat and produce to make sure that nothing would go to waste. She'd taken to turning the at risk food into thick, hearty stews. The pack seemed to like her cooking, and it was her pleasure and honor to feed them. Little made the woman happier than stuffing the faces of those that she cared for. Isa was within the food stores when the flood began.

Digging through a stack of root vegetables, the blue fae heard the muffled voice of Sirius yelling. She was wayyyy back in there as the stores were underground in the coldest parts of the cavern system. That put her deeper than the rest of the dens in the warren. And so, when the water began pouring in... Isa knew that she was in trouble.

Isa wasn't the biggest wolf by any means but she was strong for her size, thanks to the training with Sirius. She waded up through the tunnels as quickly as she could, trying not to panic as the water levels continued to rise. It was paw depth, then it was up to her chest in an instant. By the time she exited the lower tunnels, only her head was poking above the churning water. As it edged up her cheeks, then she began to panic a bit.

The waterlogged tunnels were dark, all lanterns and fires having been extinguished. Isa bumped into stone walls and felt as though she was swimming in circles. Within her chest, the woman's heart thudded. It hammered. It threatened the break through her ribs just as she wished she could break through these stone walls. She was swimming now, paws cutting through the turbulent waters. She considered calling out for Sirius, but there were others that he could save. Calling for him would make her feel selfish. She could do this on her own.

How many other wolves were trapped in the waterfilled tunnels? How many others were now swimming and scrambling for their lives? The thought kept Isa going. It kept her swimming. She was close to the ceiling now, her blue form gliding through the murky water. Up ahead, through the rippling, rushing riptide, icy eyes caught a flash of light. The mouth of the cave? Good timing too. Isa's ears were flat against the roof of the tunnel and she had to fight to breathe through the sloshing water.

Then suddenly she was submerged. There was no air left, the tunnel completely filled. With her eyes open underwater, Isa fought to make her way towards the sliver of light that wavered beneath the water. It was difficult to traverse the current and she could feel it trying to suck her backwards into the dark depths of the caverns. Isa's muscles burned and her strength was waning. The woman's lungs were on fire and everything within her tried to convince the fae to take a deep breath. Eventually, she couldn't fight that urge.

As soon as she hit the mouth of the cave that led into the Col, Isa's body forced her to take a breath. Water filled her lungs and the cobalt woman thrashed in the current that pulled her quickly down the chute between the two slices of mountain. She couldn't make it to the surface with the little energy left. Dark spots began to fill Isa's vision and soon unconsciousness took her.

The current pushed the seemingly dead body, moving her at its will. Not long after Isa lost consciousness, the gods smiled upon her and the current deposited her on an outcropping of rock. Isa lay there, lifeless, dying, lungs full of water. Rather than wonder if this was the end, she sent a prayer to the gods, asking that everyone else make it to safety in exchange for her own life.

"Speech"

The Warlord made his way slowly down the steep slope outside his den. Fighting the urge to recklessly charge the distance as Marshal lifted off through the heavy rains. The large bird struggled against the wind as he ran air support for the wolves below. He returned shortly after to inform the Warlord about Kite, the pups, and Gossy. He was almost down the cliff now, and the raging water was a roar in his ears. "Bear, help Gossy!" He ordered. His companion was a powerful swimmer. Strong enough for this? He could only hope.


He stopped at the waters edge, his eyes scanning the filling warrens. "I need to head into the Warrens, run support with Marshal" he ordered Bast, posing himself to leap when Marshal let out a sharp cry. Isa! And she wasn't moving. He changed course, leaping into the water as he followed the birds path above him. He felt the pull of the current immediately, threatening to roll him. Old fears resurfaced as the heavy wolf struggled, until a splash sounded near him. Bast. He turned to see the feline dive into the closest Warren. "Bast!" He cried, but it was too late to stop her. He hesitated, but the current was already taking him. Isa…


He let it sweep him away. His breath loud and raspy in his ears. He fought against both the panic and the current as he struggled to slow himself, to push through to the mountain on the other side. His world narrowed down to sucking breath into his lungs and the stroke of his arms, and then he was there. He dragged himself to shore, shaking from exhaustion. Isa? Marshals cry rallied him, and he pushed on. There! He collapsed down next to her. His paws grabbing the smaller wolf as he started to pump her stomach, angling her head to the side. "Isa, damn you, don't give up on me now." He ordered her.

if Ursa, Whisper and Wylan were all going to sneak off to play in the Col…then damnit, they were too! it wasn’t fair they got to have the all fun; Araneae was just as capable a playmate as the rest of them! more so, probably; Araneae had never met anyone more fun than themselves. it’s with this mindset that they scurry to catch up to their fellow pups, feet slipping over wet stone as rain pelts down. it catches in their fur and drips into their eyes, quickly rending them drenched and irritable. they’ve half a mind to turn back to the treehouse, in fact, but since they’re basically already here…they might as well sneak up on the pups and give them a scare! that would teach them to exclude Araneae! unfortunately (or fortunately, who knew how that move would’ve gone), Araneae has scarcely stepped foot into the Col when they’re abruptly swept away by a wall of black water, doused so thoroughly it sends them careening into a stone wall. for a moment they don’t know which way is up or down, and terror surges through them as icy water clogs their nose and rushes into their mouth. thankfully, instincts kick in, and they begin to thrash their way towards the surface. “speech”

How long had she lain there? Unconscious, dying, dead? In reality, it hadn't been long at all. In the moment, it felt like an eternity. Isa's pale eyes were partially open and glassy. A part of her saw the giant shape block out the light, but it all seemed like a dream. And then suddenly there was weight upon her body and she could feel the water in her lungs coming back up. The blue woman coughed as water was forcefully expelled from her lungs. Her pinched off throat squealed as she pulled her first breath of much needed oxygen into those deprived lungs. Isa's body shook from exhaustion and the shock of being alive instead of dead. She coughed so, so hard, her body aching all over.

Consciousness belonged to Isa once more and the memories of the current event came flooding back to her. The outcropping where she'd washed up was high enough that the water couldn't reach her here. Concern for the pack was at the forefront of her mind. Blue eyes finally rose to rest upon the blurry but concerned face of Sirius. The words that he'd spoken prior registered and Isa managed to cough out, "I'll never give up on you." The woman continued to pull much needed air into her body, her breathing labored from the pain of her abused lungs and battered body. With one paw, she waved the man away. "Make sure the others are okay," she advised.

Isa would be sure to repay the man later, but for now, she was too exhausted for much more than a soft kiss to his lips. Still shaking, Isa pulled herself up a little higher on the rocks. Thankfully they were somewhat flat. She curled up in a little blue ball. Rest. She just needed a moment of rest.

"Speech"

Crux had considered for a moment if he ought to move further back into his sleeping quarters, it would give him a little more time of air but he didn't want to risk putting himself even further from freedom, from safety. Once the water calmed enough for him to be able to paddle with any actual meaning he wanted to make sure he got out as quickly as he could, getting out would mean open air, it would mean freedom from a watery grave. He tried not to think about the possibility he might get swept out to sea... Instead he tried to focus on keeping his breathing steady between shouts and keep an ear out for anyone swimming past. The roar of the water had become just a little bit softer, it was still practically deafening but he could make out a few more shouts now than he had earlier when the wave had crashed down on them. He could hear others calling for help and his stomach dropped, the pups! Not for the first time he mentally cursed his lame leg, he couldn't help anyone!

Still he couldn't help the instinctual feeling of relief when he heard someone calling his name. Was it Riya? Surely she'd know where he was though? "Here!" He called out, not having much time to ponder who it was that was coming for him. So it was a strange mix of euphoria and terror that came over him when a tiny familiar form paddled towards him, her words practically unheard as he stared at her open mouthed. His mind was struggling to snap into crisis mode the way it had the day they'd met. His own fear of the water mixing with a sudden fear that Cryptis was now in danger! Her lungs! That thought went through him and only made his panic more obvious. If he could get out into the open air then he would be fine, but could she hold her breath safely that long? Maybe that was what finally made him stop gaping at her blankly, or maybe it was the rough feeling of stone brushing against the tips of his ears. He could question why she was even here once they were both okay. "We need to move!" He shouted above the din, struggling to swim towards her so they could both push towards freedom. He spotted something snaking out behind her and realized as he got close it was a rope! Clever! He'd have said as much if his bulkier form didn't mean his time had run out already, he couldn't say anything without risking a mouth full of water anymore and as he reached out to it to try and also wrap some of the length along his own limb he was forced to take a deep breath and screw his eyes shut and let himself sink further into the murky depths, less likely to scrape his skull along the roof that way. Hopefully they could use the rope to guide themselves to freedom, and if they were lucky, someone might have the thought to pull on it. He couldn't know that Riya was struggling her way across the col to try and do just that.

"Triss" & "Crux"

It was lucky Crux didn't say anything about her disability. If he had, she would have thwacked him on the nose. She was fine, and her one and only concern right now was getting him out. However, despite plunging in here she knew nothing about caves and flooding. Her swimming skills weren't anything to applaud, but they were enough to get her around. What she hadn't expected was how quickly the cave would fill. Even as she finally reached him, the cave would be nearing fill. She had slightly longer to suck in air with her tiny nose touching stone. But panic was beginning to settle in. The idea of the water rushing over her body, and nowhere to go… she couldn't even talk to Crux. She cast one wide eyed look at his submerged head and then she was under.


She felt a tug on the rope that told her Crux had grabbed it too. She started to swim back up it. At least they had an anchor against the current. She swam, and she swam. Her lungs felt fit to burst and her throat began to tickle. Her only warning of a seizure to come. There was nothing she could do. She paused on the rope. Her paw reached for Crux. Her eyes open beneath the murky water. She could just make out his shape, her eyes wide and fearful before her throat gave up on her. She started to hack, breathing in lung fills of water. Instead of the water soothing the pain in her throat, it made it so much worse. She could feel her crystals biting into her flesh. Pain. In her throat, in her lungs. There was blood in the water, she couldn't move, she couldn't go any further forward. She thrashed as her vision began to blur, and then unconsciousness found her.

Basilisk stood across from Hazel in the training arena on the beach. It was the best place to spar, with the endless sheets of water raining down on them. Neither wolf cared about the time. Bas cared only about Hazel, and Hazel about improving. At least here the earth didn’t turn to mud. There was just sand, and rain, and each other. They were about to face off for a second match when the sound of an awful roar sounded from the Col. Turning with a look of concern, he realised he could hear faint yelling above the rain and strange thundering noise. Like a herd of buffalo.

“They need us…” He said, but the General was already moving. He raced after her, heading first towards the market - only to realise there was a steady stream of water emerging from the entrance. Growing more frantic with worry, they turned to move around the mountain. Heading for the Col. Spider! but he didn’t voice his concern. Their kid should be safe in the height of the treehouse. Right?

They reached the Col and saw the madhouse in front of them. Wolves swimming against the current, some pulling others from the water. He could see his Grandfather standing in front of a prone wolf. But everything stilled when he saw a familiar black, and double-eyed form fighting to get to the surface. “Spider” He yowled, diving for the pup.


"Speech"

He let out a shuddering breath as she coughed up the water, and took in a wheezy breath. He rested his head very gently against her forehead for a moment. Unconcerned of the messy state they were both in. “Good.” He whispered at her words. He couldn’t do it, he couldn’t lose another mate. He needed Isa to be okay.

“Hush. right now i’m making sure your okay.” He told her, his voice a commanding growl. She pressed a kiss to his lips, and he returned it. Breathing in the scent of her. “You had me worried” he whispered, as helped her move as she shuffled up the rock. As she curled up into a ball, he took off Zee’s leopard coat and wrapped it gently around her.


"Speech"

The weather had been harsh when the dusty lavender girl had finally gone to bed but it was nothing out the realm of normal for the Armada. Rain has been pounding the lands for the past couple days, drumming rhythmically against the ground, leaving huge puddles everywhere, and causing the ground to become a muddy mess. But those of no concern to Andy at this moment because she is safely in her den, warm and comfortable as she slumbers peacefully. Outside, dawn draws closer and closer, bringing with it, untold dangers. Of course, she has no clue of the danger that is coming or the life and death struggles that many will be facing in the pre-dawn hours, so the girl continues to sleep.

But all that changes as the fuzzy warmth that her dreams offer is quickly stripped rudely away by her father’s booming voice. It rings through the Col, awakening the girl who had been not that far away. Andy is half-way across the floor to the opening that leads out into the Col when she properly awakens and it isn’t until she almost down the stairs that the weight of what her father had yelled sinks in. By then, it is too late, the distant roar that she had been unable to identify has grown in volume and the course of fate is bearing down on them all. The ice that lives up on the mountains around them has broken free, causing a cascade of snow, ice, and water to come rushing down toward the Warrens.

Paws spew up mud as she races across the Col in the direction of the training den in a desperate attempt to find safety. The rain has already soaked through her denser double coat and obscures the land around her. Thankfully, she knows the way without needing to see it. Lightning flashes above them, illuminating the world for moment and causing a flash of color to catch her attention. As the thunder cracks, booming loudly and feeling her chest with the sound, Andy turns her head to spy two pups playing in the puddles. Eyes round in fear and the girl immediately abandons all hopes of beating the water to safety in favor of trying to save the pups.

The roar that has been growing is no longer distance but now deafening and close as Andy’s places it to her back. Her heart leaps up into her throat as paws pound through the mud, mouth opening to shout a warning at the playing forms. That is when it hits her, the wall of freezing water devouring her purple form without mercy. She had not expected it to be so cold but, given the fact that was born from ice and snow, the girl should have realized what would happen. As the icy fingers wrap around her frame and her mouth hangs open in preparation to yell, the sudden chill that invades her senses causes an involuntary reaction.

Legs are swept out from under her as her body instinctively draws in a breath but, with no air around her, all Andy can draw deep into her lungs is the filthy water. Mouth slams shut as her brain registers the difference quickly but the damage has already been done. She cartwheels through the murky waters as her lungs demand that she coughs out the offending debris in them and fill them with pure air. The world spins as she fights against her body as in an effort to waylay the demand to expel and inhale.

The current is strong and it sweeps her forward, pushing, pulling her toward some unknown destination. Andy fights it, legs lashing out as she tries to figure out which way is up and what is down so that she can actually swim. Each second feels like hours to her burning lungs and the girl knows that the moment is coming soon when she will no longer be able to suppress her body’s instinct to draw air. Just when she thinks that the end is upon her, the girl’s head breaks the surface and with a forceful cough, she expels some of the liquid before quickly drawing in air.

The fresh air makes her lungs spasm and a series of jagged, powerful coughs rack her body. More water is brought up and the girl continues to suck in air, greedily. Rain continues to pound her, causing the murky water jump up toward her face and splash into her eyes. She blinks rapidly, spinning wildly in place in search of the reason that she had been out here while the coughs continue on. The water pushes her further and further out of the Col as she continues to try to tread water in search for the pups.

But it is difficult to see, difficult to think with everything that is happening. Andy no longer feels the cold, her body having grown numb to its gnawing bite. The water has become its own monster, pushing, pulling, trying to overwhelm her and draw the girl underneath its surface. Andy realizes that her strength is quickly waning and, while she no longer feels the icy cold water, its freezing touch continues to sap her strength. That and the coughing that does not seem to want to stop, are forcing her body to use up too much of her precious energy reserves.

The pups are nowhere to be seen and the girl is being shoved out of the Col with speed. Flashes of color enter and exit the flood with dizzying speed as Andy’s mind begins to slow. Lightning flashes, a bright snapshot of the chaos that is unfolding around her before plummeting the world back into darkness. Voices rise and fall, shouts of alarm and calls for help ringing through the air. Above them all, thunder cracks the air with its anger, chastising the pack for growing to lax in misplaced beliefs of safety. Below the chaos, far from the warmth and safety of her den, the girl does her best to stay above the water line. She tries ride out the current as the coughing finally begins to subside and takes with it, the last dregs of her energy.

Fear squeezes her heart as she flounders and slips underneath the surface. As Andy drifts downward, the world slowly growing dark, the girl finds peace and understanding in what might be her final moments. Nature has demanded a terrible price from the pack and the lavender girl may be the one to settle their debt.


"Andromeda Fatalis"

Mortis was on patrol in the woods when things began to happen. An odd roaring filled the air, and he sent his bird off to investigate. An odd worry filling him, he turned inward and made his way back to his shared den. It was not yet morning, and he knew Halo and the pups would be sleeping. He had just reached the house beneath the treehouse when his Kea returned to him. Saph blurted out a quick list of information. Mentioning the flood, the puppies the puppies! He burst through the door. “Halo, grab your kit, it’s an emergency” He said, no longer taking as much care. Sure enough, they were missing pups in the puppy pile around his mate.

“The pack’s in trouble, there's been a flood. Ursa, Whisper, Wylan, and Spider. They’re out there” He told her, grabbing a bag of her herbs off the counter at random. “Osiris, guard the pups. If any want to come, hop on my back, and hold on. I mean it!”

"Halo" & "Mortis"

The marketplace was unguarded, or at least, he didn’t see anyone stationed like he would have normally expected. Though the disastrous downpour was far from normal circumstance. It was only with the flare of distant lightning that he truly began to grasp the impact of what was happening within the Armadan territory. Water hemorrhaged from the public entrance, flowing swiftly in its escape down the path of least resistance. The cries for help were nearly inaudible over the rush of the flood, though the voices were not totally lost to him. However, there was only one voice that could have possibly mattered to him- only one that he so desperately needed to hear- but it was one he couldn’t detect. Aresenn was chest deep in the freezing tide without even a spare moment to consider the consequences of his actions. None of that mattered now.

It was a chill he had never experienced before- the kind that stole your breath and paralyzed your muscles from the shock. Gasping for air, he pressed forward with as much force as he could muster, stumbling past debris as they were swept away with the current. It was only by the grace of adrenaline and his own determination that he made it to what he perceived to be the heart of the territory. In reality, he hadn’t the slightest idea as to where he was going- there was no true way for an outsider to comprehend the labyrinth of warrens that made up the Fatalis parklands. What he truly wasn’t prepared for, was the force that the flood ravaged the col. Clinging to the rocky incline, Aresenn fought his way to a vantage point.

He could have stood there frozen in time, and still not have been able to comprehend everything that was unfolding. Through a strained attempt to see, he could only vaguely make out other wolves present in the darkness- some fighting for their lives- some fighting for the lives of others. Drowned cries for help, names being screamed to no answer. The sinking feeling in his chest when he realized that there was a good possibility that she could be trapped inside the caves. How could he possibly find her time. He could no longer tell if it was the torrential downpour or the roar of his own pulse in his ears. Very few times in his life had he felt truly helpless. But now as the dread set in with the reality of the situation, he was completely submerged in it now.

Another flash of lightning momentarily illuminated the col once more, but a moment was all he needed. There she was! Met with a short pang of relief, it was immediately replaced with horror as she was swept further down the clearing, her head disappearing below the surface before being plunged in darkness once more. “Andromeda!” Aresenn shouted after her. Without a moment’s hesitation, he dove back into the freezing depths.

He would consider himself a fairly strong swimmer- having grown up on a beach- however, this wasn’t just a simple dip in the ocean. The current rolled forward and downward. Keeping his own head above water was a battle in itself. However, instead of fighting against the flow of the flood, he worked with it- propelling himself forward to close the distance where Andy had disappeared. She still hadn’t resurfaced from what he could tell, so when he felt he was close, he took one final gasp of air, and allowed himself to be pulled under as well. As he sank into the murky depths, he forced a slow exhale out of his nose, blindly searching for the girl he had just lost. His lungs burned for air, but each second that past became more crucial than the last. It wasn’t til the storm lit up the sky once more that he was granted a brief moment of clarity. She was limp, maybe unconscious, he couldn’t tell. Aresenn struggled to get to her, and once close enough, he forced himself beneath her- threading his head and neck between her forelegs to shoulder her weight. After quickly getting a firm grip on her forearm with his jaws, he kicked off the ground with as much strength as he had left to exert.

With Andy in tow, they broke the surface. Every muscle in his body seemed to ache. The current forced them closer and closer to the entrance of the col, as he quickly sought a place to take refuge. Veering off back towards the rocky incline, he landed them on an outcropping. It took him a couple of attempts but was eventually able to haul himself and Andy out of the water. Once secured himself, he drug Andromeda as high up as he could get her. They weren’t safe by any means, but momentarily out of immediate danger. “Andy!” He gasped breathlessly while shaking her with a paw on her shoulder. “Andy, wake up!” He barked out of desperation, as if commanding her to do so would spark a response. Aresenn frantically looked around to see If anyone else was nearby- if there was any help for her to be had.

But all he could see was darkness.


"Aresenn Praetor"