The Great Storm

The Great Storm was a severe flood in the lake territories that took place in Bramblestar's Storm and caused the Clans to evacuate their camps. It resulted in the death of many cats and the addition of the sixteenth law of the warrior code for the Clans to support each other during times of crisis.
==Summary==
===Premise===
:Six moons following the Great Battle, Bramblestar notices that the lake is slightly fuller while on their way to the Gathering, more than three fox-lengths, though Brackenfur notes the lake is always larger when the moon is full. RiverClan is forced to relocate their camp with the mild flooding. Two days later, fierce gusty winds plague the forest, sending branches falling from trees. The lake continues to rapidly rise and Blossomfall is narrowly swept away by a strong wave. Bramblestar orders his cats to avoid the lakeshore until the water stops rising. The strong winds also bring large white birds from the sun-drown-place that WindClan cats hunt. The strong gusty winds also scare away the forest prey. Jayfeather, one of ThunderClan's medicine cats, also interprets a fallen tree crushing his herbs as an omen of trouble coming. Meanwhile, tensions are still uneasy between the four Clans since the Great Battle, and Bramblestar worries about his Clan's future.
===Overview===
:Heavy rainfall and gusty winds plague the lake territories for a few days. Storm surge from the sun-drown-place resulted in the Clans' territories being flooded, with the Clans having to evacuate their camps. ThunderClan evacuates to the tunnels above the camp and lives there for nearly two moons until the flood recedes from the hollow. A few cats are killed by the dangerous flooding, including Blackstar. The flooding also results in a scarcity of prey as the prey has either drowned or fled from the flood. The flooding also compromises the Clans' sources of drinking water as the lake is flooded from the sun-drown-place.
:The Clans expand their territory beyond their normal borders in response to the flood. WindClan expands its territory to include ThunderClan's side of the swollen stream to have access to fresh water, so ThunderClan removes a fallen tree from the stream to prevent WindClan from trespassing. ShadowClan hunts in ThunderClan's territory when hostile kittypets threaten their new hunting grounds, and ThunderClan hunts beyond the ridge for more prey. RiverClan's territory is completely flooded, as well as the nearby Twolegplace. The Twolegs in the Twolegplace evacuate their nests, though the kittypets Minty, Jessy, and Frankie are accidentally left behind and seek refuge in ThunderClan.
:Search and rescue Twolegs scope the Twolegplace for survivors a few days after the flood. While living in the tunnels, ThunderClan struggles to find comfortable nests with the damp bedding and cold drafts, resulting in Briarlight developing sores on her belly, and Briarlight, Sandstorm, Amberpaw, Berrynose, and Molewhisker developing whitecough, but all five cats heal quickly. ThunderClan marks the lakeshore with sticks in the ground and the tunnel with claw marks on the wall to measure its height. Bramblestar receives a prophecy from Firestar about blood rising when it meets water. He and his warriors help ShadowClan defeat vicious kittypets and later badgers, a reflection of the strong bond he shares with his sister Tawnypelt, though Rowanstar is displeased with ThunderClan meddling.
:Nearly a moon and a half after ThunderClan was forced to leave their camp, the floodwaters begin to receded from the hollow. As ThunderClan rebuilds its camp, Lilyheart is named a warrior, Graystripe and Sandstorm join the elders, Frankie joins the Clan as Stormpaw, Minty returns to her Twolegs, and Jessy decides to live her life in the wild. At the Gathering nearly two moons since the storm began, Bramblestar proposes an addition to the warrior code for the Clans to support each other during times of peril.
===Map===
:The following map is based off of locations confirmed to be flooded within Bramblestar's Storm. The fates of WindClan's territory and the horseplace is unknown but the lake is noted to be greatly flooded due to the storm, with the locations around the marshes in RiverClan's territory noted to be completely submerged.
==Description==
===The sudden flooding===
:Rainfall soon arrives, bringing more gusty winds to the forest. The roaring in the trees makes ThunderClan nervous since the last harsh winds resulted in trees falling into their camp. In the middle of the night, Bramblestar discovers the lake has flooded halfway to the camp. Water seeps through the roofs of the warriors' and elders' den and the cats relocate to the apprentices' den, the medicine cats' den, and the nursery. The storm during the night destroys part of the thorn barrier and by the early morning, the lake rises to the camp entrance. As the water rapidly rises, Bramblestar orders the camp to be evacuated through the steep path up the cliffside next to the medicine cats' den. Bramblestar, Squirrelflight, Dustpelt, and Brackenfur use the Stick of the Fallen to float Jayfeather, Purdy, and Briarlight out of camp, though they lose the memorial branch amid all the debris. ThunderClan seeks shelter above the cliffs underneath a beech tree. By the afternoon, the storm has died down, though the Clan wakes up to discover the horrors of their flooded territory. The four Clans' territories are severely flooded, with Bramblestar only spotting the top halves of the pine trees poking through the water in ShadowClan's land and he can't make out RiverClan's land underneath all the water. ThunderClan's own camp is flooded with water reaching halfway up the cliffside.
:In the other Clans, RiverClan flees their temporary camp and keeps running until the flood waters stop short of a field on the other side of a ridge outside of their territory. Grasspelt and Pebblefoot are killed in the storm. ShadowClan also evacuates their camp when it floods, though Blackstar dies in the process.
===To the tunnels===
:With the rain and wind pressing on, Bramblestar orders his Clan to seek shelter in the tunnels using the entrance above the cliffs on the hillside. The Clan shelters in a wider section of the tunnel near the entrance. Bramblestar, Lionblaze, Ivypool, and Cinderheart discover that the main cave further down is flooded but the water is not rising. The rest of the Clan makes quick work fetching bedding and catching prey. Cloudtail learns the lake is full of water from the sun-drown-place, preventing the cats from drinking it. Bramblestar leads a patrol to check on the stream at the WindClan border, which is still fresh with water from the mountains. However, they are confronted by a WindClan patrol who insists the woodlands side of the stream belongs to them due to the flooding and lack of fresh water on their territory. While the tunnels are not home, Daisy and Purdy do their best to make nests out of the damp bedding. 
:With the later additions of the mudslide and the Twoleg pelts, Dustpelt and Brackenfur create individual sections lining the tunnel with large branches. Several nests lined with moss, bracken, and the soft Twoleg pelts help create comfortable nests. Purdy shares a den with the apprentices towards the far end of the tunnel, and the medicine cats have their den in the furthest section, using cracks in the tunnel wall to store herbs.
===Checking on the other Clans===
:The next day, Bramblestar leads a border patrol with Graystripe, Thornclaw, and Dovewing to check on ShadowClan. They discover the floods have risen above their camp, though the land around the Twoleg nest is safe. A ShadowClan patrol angrily confronts them, providing little information about how their Clan is faring. Graystripe speculates that something must've happened to Blackstar with their dismissive behavior. While checking on RiverClan, the patrol notices the half bridge and Twoleg dens that mark the RiverClan-ShadowClan border are submerged. RiverClan's entire territory is completely flooded. The nearby Twolegplace that branches from the Thunderpath is also flooded, and Bramblestar's patrol jumps on submerged monsters to cross over to RiverClan's land. They find RiverClan's temporary camp in a field outside of their territory with sparse bushes. Mistystar is grateful to see Bramblestar and explains how her Clan abandoned their temporary camp as the rising water chased them to the field.
===Finding the kittypets===
:While returning back to ThunderClan, Bramblestar's patrol rescues Minty, a kittypet who was left behind by her Twolegs when they evacuated the Twolegplace. They take her back to their camp until her Twolegs return. Despite Daisy's best efforts, the Clan still lacks dry bedding with all the heavy rainfall. With the threat of sickness and rising tempers, Dovewing suggests they should steal some dry pelts from the Twolegplace where they found Minty. While on their way home, they spot Jessy, a kittypet, attempting to rescue her friend Frankie from his flooded Twoleg den. Bramblestar helps lift the window up using the trick Graystripe showed him. Frankie wishes to keep looking for his brother Benny who was washed away by the flood, but Jessy encourages him to go with the ThunderClan cats for treatment and shelter.
===The Stick of the Fallen===
:The following day after rescuing Minty, Rowanclaw and Littlecloud arrive at ThunderClan's temporary camp with news of Blackstar's death during the storm. The ShadowClan cats hope the Moonpool has survived the flooding. While checking out the ShadowClan border with the swollen stream, Seedpaw spots the Stick of the Fallen in the floodwaters, though Bramblestar prevents her from fetching it. Seedpaw also suggests hunting beyond ThunderClan's territory over the ridge to find more prey. Jayfeather, normally so nimble despite his blindness, gets injured by a branch and advises the patrol exploring the new territory to be careful. He also worries about Briarlight, Amberpaw, and Sandstorm developing whitecough from the wet conditions of their temporary camp. Later, Berrynose and Molewhisker develop whitecough, but all five cats heal quickly.
:While Dewpaw and Snowpaw wrestle on top of the cave entrance, the ground collapses though the ThunderClan cats emerge unscathed. Dustpelt decides that the mound of dirt helps block some of the wind from entering their temporary camp and shores it up with sticks and boulders. Lilypaw and Seedpaw offer to help collect more branches. Meanwhile, Leafpool is also injured by the stick Jayfeather tripped over. Bramblestar wonders if the omen is referring to the Stick of the Fallen and he recalls how Seedpaw found it submerged earlier. He decides to check on the two apprentices and discovers Lilypaw tangled in ivy tendrils in the floodwaters. Seedpaw dives in to help her sister but drowns in the process.
===A vigil for a brother===
:Frankie begins to disappear from camp during the day without a word of where he's going. Bramblestar decides to follow Frankie to figure out where he keeps disappearing off too. Frankie ventures to his old Twolegplace; portions of the flood have receded and some Twolegs have returned to their dens. However, Frankie instead searches for his brother Benny, calling his name as he searches through the washed-up debris. Bramblestar makes himself known to Frankie and offers to help search for his brother. They find Benny's body in a drain, having drowned when he was swept away by the current. The two toms bury Benny's body on the top of a hill and sit vigil for him.
===Blood in the water===
:Firestar visits Bramblestar's dreams to deliver him a vision of blood on the surface of the lake and a prophecy of blood rising when it meets water, though Bramblestar and his advisors are unsure what it could mean. Tawnypelt, Bramblestar's sister, attempts to ask her brother for help with kittypets attacking ShadowClan's patrol, but turns away when she realizes Bramblestar is harboring three kittypets. Bramblestar decides to check in on ShadowClan and welcome Rowanstar as leader. They find ShadowClan's camp near the top of their territory sheltered by a bramble thicket. Bramblestar greets Rowanstar as ShadowClan's newest leader, though he offers to help with their kittypet problem. Rowanstar doesn't take kindly to Bramblestar's offer and refuses to let ThunderClan help. However, Leafpool stays to help Littlecloud with Dawnpelt's kitting.
:Jessy knows where the kittypets who are attacking ShadowClan's patrols live and Bramblestar rallies his warriors to scare the kittypets for ShadowClan just as they did with Jacques and Susan when they first arrived at the lake. Bramblestar hopes that teaching the kittypets a lesson will stop ShadowClan from hunting in ThunderClan territory as well. Jessy leads them to a Twolegplace beyond ShadowClan's territory and they successfully defeat Victor, Scarlet, O'Hara, Webster, Ziggy and Riga. However they are caught by Rowanstar and his patrol, and the ShadowClan leader condemns Bramblestar for interfering in their affairs. He also sends Leafpool away.
:While following Frankie to the Twolegplace, Bramblestar detects badger scent on ShadowClan's territory. The next day, his patrol follows the badger scents above ShadowClan's land, and Tawnypelt reveals badgers have been causing trouble for ShadowClan since the kittypets were defeated. She asks for ThunderClan's help since her Clan is suffering. Bramblestar is conflicted about overstepping his duties and interfering in ShadowClan's troubles again, and he is visited by Yellowfang in a dream who urges him that blood does not have to mean death. Bramblestar's warriors wish to not intervene until they tread on ThunderClan's territory unless Rowanstar specifically requests their help. However, Bramblestar is urged by his kinship with Tawnypelt to help her Clan, and he orders his warriors to prepare for battle within the next quarter moon. Two days later, Bramblestar meets his sister again who reveals Rowanstar plans to attack the badgers tomorrow night and the ThunderClan leader promises to meet them there.
:ThunderClan joins in on the fight and their surprise attack is welcomed by everyone except Rowanstar. Working together, ShadowClan and ThunderClan quickly win the battle, though every cat is wounded and Dustpelt is killed. Dustpelt's mate and kits welcome his spirit into StarClan. As Tawnypelt thanks her brother for helping ShadowClan, Bramblestar realizes the prophecy was referring to the bond he shares with his sister. While Rowanstar is grateful for ThunderClan's help, he warns Bramblestar to stop interfering.
===The flood recedes===
:Around a half-moon since the flooding began, the water begins to recede in the tunnels. The stream between the WindClan and ThunderClan border gradually begins to shrink as well. Another half-moon later, the lakeshore recedes several fox-lengths and Lionblaze and Bramblestar can make out the camp dens underneath the water. Two days following the battle against the badgers, Millie reports that the water is gone from the hollow and ThunderClan finally returns home after living in the damp tunnel for over a moon.
===Deaths caused by the storm===
==Aftermath==
:When ThunderClan returns to the hollow, their camp is littered with debris, mud, and dead fish from the flood. The thorn barrier is destroyed and while the dens remain, some of the branches, moss, and leaves used to fill in gaps are missing. Brackenfur organizes the reconstruction efforts, though he misses Dustpelt. It takes several days for the Clan to finish rebuilding the camp for them to properly return home. Once they return home, Bramblestar names Lilypaw a warrior with the name of Lilyheart, and Graystripe and Sandstorm officially join the elders. Frankie also decides to join the Clan and he is named Stormpaw after the storm that brought him to ThunderClan, though Minty decides to return to her Twolegs and Jessy decides to live in the wild before reuniting with hers.
:The Clans return to the island for the Gathering nearly two moons since their last meeting. On the island, Cherryfall finds the Stick of the Fallen. The spirits of the cats who died during the Great Battle appear to the gathering cats and Firestar urges Bramblestar to find a way to remember those who died. Bramblestar proposes an addition to the warrior code: each Clan has the right to be independent, but they must come together to protect each other so that no Clan will fall, such as they did during the Great Journey, the battle against the Dark Forest, and the flood.
:Following the Great Storm, ThunderClan develops evacuation plans to evacuate to the tunnel where they sheltered during the storm if the camp floods again. Since the Clan had difficulties moving Briarlight last time, Briarlight is now the first to be evacuated out of the camp. ThunderClan's history with the flood also provides Bramblestar with experience when to call an evacuation.
==Characters==
===Bramblestar===
:Bramblestar is ThunderClan's newest leader since the death of Firestar six moons prior. He misses Firestar and often wonders what Firestar would do during the course of the storm. When the flood approaches the camp, Bramblestar promptly calls for an evacuation, making sure his Clanmates make it safely up the cliffside. He insists no cat will be left behind and helps float Purdy, Briarlight, and Jayfeather out of the camp using the Stick of the Fallen. Bramblestar feels restless while staying in the tunnels while his warriors gather bedding and prey for their temporary camp in the tunnels, though Squirrelflight frequently reminds him that he can't do everything. Bramblestar worries about how the other Clans are fairing and checks on ShadowClan and RiverClan. He and his patrol rescue Minty, Frankie, and Jessy, three kittypets who were left behind in the Twolegplace, and take them back to their camp, knowing the kittypets wouldn't survive without their help.
:Bramblestar does his best to reassure his Clanmates while they live in the tunnels, encouraging that every cat has something to contribute and leading an expedition to find dry bedding for them. Bramblestar blames himself for Seedpaw's death when he fails to interpret Jayfeather's omen about a stick causing trouble, and keeps an eye on Lilypaw's progress. Though Bramblestar worries about the other Clans, he does not approve of WindClan and ShadowClan trespassing on their territory. He does worry about his sister Tawnypelt in ShadowClan, and when Tawnypelt approaches him about violent kittypets terrorizing her Clan, Bramblestar feels compelled to action. He leads his Clan to defeat the kittypets for ShadowClan, though Rowanstar disapproves of ThunderClan overstepping. Bramblestar's compassion also extends to Frankie and he helps the kittypet find his brother's body. When badgers threaten ShadowClan, Tawnypelt requests her brother's help and he agrees, wanting to do anything to help his sister. ThunderClan and ShadowClan successfully defeat the badgers, though Rowanstar is not as ungrateful. Bramblestar's reflection of how the Clans helped each other during the Great Journey and the Great Battle lead him to create a new addition to the warrior code for the Clans to help each other during times of crisis.
===Jessy===
:Jessy, along with her fellow kittypets, were left behind when the storm flooded the Twolegplace. Jessy attempted to rescue Frankie from his Twoleg nest when Bramblestar, Lionblaze, Cinderheart, and Poppyfrost arrived. Bramblestar is immediately impressed by her boldness and her willingness to trust them. She immediately grows a liking to Bramblestar, defending him from Squirrelflight's ire when she questions his decisions. Bramblestar grows to admire her spirit, assertiveness, and courage that is atypical of kittypets. When ShadowClan is threatened by aggressive kittypets, Jessy shares that she's familiar with those kittypets and leads ThunderClan to fight them. Jessy quickly adjust well to Clan life by participating on patrols. She and Bramblestar also spend a lot of time together, and cats begin to suspect feelings between the two. Jessy participates in the battle against the badgers. When the flood recedes from ThunderClan's camp, Bramblestar wonders if Jessy will stay with the Clan. Instead, Jessy decides to leave ThunderClan because she knows Bramblestar still loves Squirrelflight. Living in ThunderClan has given Jessy a sense of adventure and she plans on either returning to her housefolk or living by herself.
===Minty and Frankie===
:Bramblestar and his patrol rescue Minty when she was left behind by her Twolegs. At first Minty is intimidated by living with the wild cats but realizes she has no other choice since her Twolegs are gone. While some of ThunderClan's warriors protest, Purdy, Millie, and apprentices help make Minty comfortable in the tunnels. Minty has to be coaxed to eat prey with bones and feathers. While fetching Twoleg pelts from the Twolegplace, Bramblestar and his patrol rescue Jessy and Frankie, two other kittypets from the Twolegplace. Frankie is distraught over his brother's disappearance during the flood, but Jessy encourages him to go with the Clan cats. They reunite with Minty at the tunnels, though ThunderClan once again questions why they are providing shelter to kittypets. 
:Unlike Minty, Frankie quickly adjusts to Clan life, volunteering to help with tasks around the temporary camp. Frankie is willing to learn how to hunt, insisting that he can't look for his brother with Twolegplace still flooded so he might as well learn how to survive in the meantime. While Minty is nervous about hunting and killing prey, Frankie adapts quickly to catching his own prey. When the flood begins to recede from the Twolegplace, Frankie repeatedly sneaks out of camp to look for his missing brother. He and Bramblestar find Benny's body in the storm drain and bury him. During the battle against the badgers, Frankie participates in the fight while Minty stays behind. After, the three kittypets help repair the battered camp once the flood disappears. Frankie decides to join the Clan and is renamed Stormpaw with Squirrelflight as his mentor. Despite being a kittypet, Stormpaw is welcomed into the Clan. Minty decides to return to her Twolegs though she'll miss ThunderClan.
==Quotes==
==Trivia==
===Interesting facts===
*It can be speculated that the Great Storm is either a remnant of a tropical cyclone or an extratropical cyclone due to hurricanes not typically forming around the United Kingdom where Warriors is based off of, though the series has branched away from definitively being set there. Although the former option is typically very rare, a recent example would be the remains of Storm Ophelia, formerly a hurricane before being downgraded to an extratropical cyclone, which brought gusty winds up to 90 mph (144 kph) to the island nation.Revealed on Royal Meteorological Society Storms Ciara and Dennis also brought severe river flooding due to heavy rainfall with the UK Met Office issuing a red weather warning.Revealed on BBC News.com The Great Storm of 1987 is also a notable example of a dangerous extratropical cyclone that impacted that area. The Great Storm could also be a European windstorm, powerful extratropical cyclones that regularly cause storm surge, such as Cyclone XaverRevealed on Risk Management Solutions Inc and the North Sea flood of 1953. The main characteristics of the Great Storm are heavy rainfall, severe gusty winds, and storm surge from the ocean that even floods the nearby Twolegplace and vehicles and persists for over a month and a half. Though the main brunt of the storm only lasts a few days the cloud cover and occasional rainfall persist for several more weeks.
*It takes approximately two weeks for the floodwater to start receding. It takes roughly a month and a half for the flood waters to recede from ThunderClan's camp, though it takes a couple more days for the Clan to move back into their camp after rebuilding their dens.
==See also==
*Bramblestar's Storm
**Bramblestar's Storm Cliffnotes
*Floods
==Notes and references==
fi:Suuri myrskypl:Wielka Burza
Category:Events
Category:Natural disasters
Category:Bramblestar's Storm