Birchface was no stranger to death. He had seen many cats pass in his time as a warrior. Elders, kits, apprentices…so when he found himself drowning, his lungs filling with water and his vision blurry, he wasn’t scared. Instead, he was filled with a sense of peace. He could feel the strong current of the river tugging at his heavy body, forcing him further downstream. The faint shape of another cat coming towards him appeared, however, he couldn’t tell who it was, his vision bleary. His apprentice, Flowerpaw, perhaps.

He could feel teeth dig into his scruff and he was tugged upwards. His body dragged against the mud and sand of the riverbank as the unknown cat saved his life. As soon as his head was above water, he began coughing violently, hacking up the liquid. Now on the pebbled shores of RiverClan territory, he found himself on his side, throwing up water.

An unknown cat stared at him with concern, their tail twitching anxiously as he vomited water. Once he had gotten the water out and his sides hurt, he took in large, gasping breaths. Eventually, he managed to calm himself, instead taking in the appearance of the cat who saved his life.

A RiverClan warrior, and a familiar one. Surprising, considering how Appledusk had nearly just killed him. He stared at the rival warrior for a moment before speaking, his voice raspy, “Who…?”