Creatures of the Flood

* Front cover
* Audiobook cover

**Creatures of the Flood** is the first book in the Bamboo Kingdom series. Leaf is featured on the cover with Shadowhunter in the background.

## Dedication

*For Zhong Jianto, Xu Wei, and Wolffeather, for all your help and for being such kind and welcoming hosts.*
*And for big girls who climb trees.*
*Special thanks to CCPPG for their inspiration and creativity, and for enabling Erin Hunter to bring Bamboo Kingdom to the world.*
## Blurb

***One kingdom. Three worlds.***
This thrilling new series from bestselling author Erin Hunter follows three panda cubs, separated at birth, who must join together to complete a prophecy and save their home.
The pandas of the Bamboo Kingdom have never forgotten the great flood that ended the peaceful life they’d always known. But for three young creatures born that day, the flood marks not an end, but a beginning—the beginning of their struggles to find a place in very different worlds.
Leaf, raised in the sparse Northern Forest, works tirelessly to help her family find bamboo to eat; Rain, hot-tempered, refuses to accept a suspicious new leader in her Southern Forest community; and Ghost, clumsy and uncoordinated, worries he’ll never fit in with his hunter family in the mountains.
None of them know that the others are out there, but thanks to a mysterious tiger that’s been threatening the Kingdom, they will soon find each other—and fulfill a prophecy that had been made long before they were born.
Erin Hunter fans will flock to this new series packed with the same high-stakes adventures and heartfelt friendships they’ve come to know and love.
## Plot

### Prologue

Orchid's point of view.
A female panda named Orchid Risingtree is climbing a slope in the middle of a rainstorm. Her mate, Root, tells her to look out as a clump of bamboo hurls past her. Root and Orchid continue up the slope towards a rock ledge where Orchid can birth her cubs. They are stopped by ten golden monkeys that blame the pandas for not warning them about the storm. Orchid tells them that the pandas did not know that the storm was going to happen. One monkey asks where the Dragon Speaker is and why he didn't tell them about the storm. Root defends the Dragon Speaker, Sunset Deepwood, by claiming that the Great Dragon did not tell him. Orchid reflects that neither her nor Root truly knew where Sunset is and why he didn't warn them about the storm.
A monkey exclaims that so many of their troop is dead including Tenderfoot and Fleetheart. Another monkey blames the pandas for doing this to them and vows to never listen to a panda. As the monkeys attack the pandas, Orchid struggles to climb up the slope and turns back to see Root fighting the monkeys alone. While fighting the monkeys, Root's paw slips and he tumbles down the slope and into the flooded river. Witnessing Root's death, the golden monkeys disband and return to the tree branches. Grief stricken, Orchid continues climbing towards the rock ledge until she reaches a cave. As she enters the cave she smells the scent of blood and torn flesh. A huge striped predator appears at the entrance of the cave and steps inside.
### Chapter 1

Leaf's point of view.
A young female panda named Leaf Slenderwood gazes at the sky. She plans to have the First Feast and then resume sky gazing. She walks past the Slenderwoods and her aunt, Plum, and gathers bamboo shoots. When she returns to the Slenderwood Clearing her aunt beckons her to sit beside the other pandas as they wait for the Great Dragon to bless their bamboo. Leaf sits beside Hyacinth and her son, Cane, and listens as Plum thanks the Great Dragon for the Feast of Gray Light and the gift of wisdom. The Slenderwoods bow their heads and begin to eat the bamboo. An elderly panda named Juniper comments on how the Great Dragon should be more generous with his gifts. Plum chastises Juniper, saying that he ought to be grateful for what he has. Juniper retorts saying that his name is Juniper Shallowpool. Hyacinth gently informs Juniper that there are no Shallowpools and that they are all now Slenderwoods. Grass teases Juniper, saying that if he won't be a Slenderwood, he will have to be a Deepriver or Floodwater. Juniper turns away from the other pandas and eats his bamboo at a distance. Leaf reflects upon Grass's mean comment and sympathizes for Juniper's lost home. She then tells herself that the Slenderwood Clearing is the only home she has ever known.
Grass snorts that they are all stuck in the past and questions why they thank the Great Dragon for bamboo nine times a day when they have not seen a sign of his presence since the flood. She then concludes that Juniper is right and that the Great Dragon has abandoned them. Juniper points out that he did not say that they are abandoned. The quarreling pandas then turn to Plum awaiting an answer. Plum calmly explains to Grass that the Great Dragon can't abandon them for he is the Bamboo Kingdom. She then concludes by saying that as long as there are pandas and bamboo to feed them then the Great Dragon is watching over them. Crabapple starts to reminisce about the time when the Dragon Speaker warned Juniper that his territory would dry up. Hyacinth then brings up another memory of when the Dragon Speaker sent Oak Cragsight on a mission to warn sand foxes about an avalanche. Grass questions whether it was a blizzard, to which Vinca corrects her, reciting a line from the prophecy. Leaf wonders why no panda had known about the flood, and questions whether something happened to Sunset. Vinca admits Sunset must have died, as he was missing for a whole year since the flood, and Hyacinth mourns him. Grass asks why a new Speaker wasn't chosen, and Plum reminds them to keep faith. Leaf heads out to meet Dasher, and finds him hanging out with Jumper and Chomper. The four race up the Grandfather Gingko and watch the sunrise, and Leaf holds a solitary Feast of Golden Light with a gingko fruit. Jumper starts to say the river might have gone down, and Dasher asks Leaf if she's sure her mother and twin are in the Southern Forest. Leaf tells him Plum always said Orchid came to her with two cubs and left her with Plum, taking the other one away. She declares that one day she'll cross the river and find them.
### Chapter 2

Rain's point of view.
A young panda called Rain Prosperhill is finishing a meal of bamboo and reaches for one more cane, but an older female named Blossom takes it away from her. Rain tries to grab the cane back, but Blossom stakes a claim to it simply because she's older. Pebble, Rain's best friend, defends her, and she pulls the cane in half, getting the end with all the leaves. Rain mocks Blossom until Rain's mother, Peony, orders her to apologize. Peony takes Rain and Pebble on a walk down to the river while she lectures Rain about how the older pandas aren't used to sharing. She tells Rain to get some reeds for the other pandas' nests. Rain and Pebble fetch the cubs, Frog and Fir, to get them, but on the way Rain pretends to have a vision from the Dragon, warning her that she and Pebble mustn't go to the river. The cubs eagerly scamper down to the reeds while Pebble reminds Rain that one day they'll grow out of it. A golden monkey mocks the pandas for not warning them about the flood, telling them their species is no longer important. After they leave, Rain confides that it would be nice to be important, but she doesn't believe in the Great Dragon. The two young pandas go down to the river for a swim. Suddenly, they hear the other Prosperhills talking about a new panda, and go to check it out. An older male panda emerges from the crowd and declares that he has finally found the other pandas. Rain is confused, but the others jubilantly welcome him back and call his name: Sunset Deepwood.
### Chapter 3

Ghost's point of view.
Two nearly-grown snow leopards, Ghost and Shiver Born of Winter are out hunting with their siblings, Snowstorm and Frost, who went up ahead as Shiver is the runt of the litter and Ghost is larger, heavier, and clumsier than the others. Snowstorm spots a hare and she and Frost try to catch it, but it proves strong and Ghost uses his powerful jaws to kill it. The cubs eat the hare, but are interrupted by two other snow leopard cubs, Brisk and Sleet. The two cubs mock Ghost and his littermates, calling them "freaks". Sleet makes fun of Ghost, but his siblings defend him and Ghost eventually frightens them away. The four siblings engage in a play-fight.
### Chapter 4

Rain's point of view.
Rain and the other Prosperhill pandas are preparing a feast for Sunset's return. Peony declares that everything will be better since the Dragon Speaker's return, but Pebble is saddened by the loss of his brother, Stone, in the flood. Sunset says the blessing at the feast, and Horizon asks him to tell his story of what happened since the flood. Sunset begins his story with the death of his brother, Dusk, in the flood, and he himself woke up far from home. He goes on to tell them about exciting adventures and narrow escapes from angry animals who were not warned of the disaster, showing a scar given to him by leopards. Pebble brings him a new bamboo cane, excitedly fawning over the returned Dragon Speaker. Rain thinks over how weird the situation is now, and wonders why the Dragon Speaker gave no warning of the flood. Sunset asks the other pandas what happened to them, and Cypress pipes up saying that he was hurt in the flood and lost his sister, Citrus. Other pandas come up to tell their stories. Peony tells them about how she lost her mate in the flood and sheltered high in a tree, where she gave birth to Rain. Sunset asks how wonderful it would be if the missing pandas were found. Some of the pandas ask Sunset if he can still speak to the Dragon. Sunset sits still and closes his eyes, and then reveals a blue stone in his paw, which is revealed to be the Seeing Stone. Sunset tells them the Dragon wills them to be reunited, which the pandas take with great joy.
Later that night, Rain is fishing when Pebble finds her and excitedly talks about how amazing and wise Sunset was, and how understanding. Rain wonders how they will all cross the river when it has been impassable for so long. Rain suddenly hears Sunset's voice and creeps up to find him talking with a troop of golden monkeys, including the one who mocked Rain and Pebble, revealed to be called Brawnshanks. The monkeys give Sunset some striped bamboo and leave, promising to keep him supplied whenever he needs more. Rain wonders what Sunset is up to, but Pebble fails to be suspicious, claiming there must be a reason for the striped bamboo.
### Chapter 5

Leaf's point of view.
One misty Gray Light, Leaf wonders if she and the rest of the Slenderwoods will find enough for the Nine Feasts. Grass claims that the Dragon abandoned them again and they will starve, but Plum reminds the Slenderwoods to find out what happened to the Dragon Speaker. She volunteers to go alone to the Dragon Mountain. Leaf quickly offers to go with her aunt, but Plum refuses to let her niece put herself in danger. Plum leaves that morning after saying her goodbyes to Leaf and the rest of the Slenderwoods. Leaf goes down to meet the red pandas, and Dasher tells her how brave Plum is. Dasher takes Leaf down to the river to show her that the red pandas are looking for a way over, and shows her a large bamboo cane that fell partway across it. Leaf and Dasher try to climb out along it, but it breaks, taking the two of them downriver. A pair of flying squirrels guide them to a root on the northern side, and Dasher jumps for it before Leaf swims to it. The squirrels laugh and tell them there is no way over.
### Chapter 6

Ghost's point of view.
The snow leopard cubs are admiring the Endless Maw, which they are practicing to jump across in preparation to become adults. Shiver makes a short jump, but Frost fails a larger one. Snowstorm uses her tail to steady herself, but Ghost becomes aware of how stubby his tail is. He tries to make a short leap, but falls in the snow, and hears Brisk and Sleet laughing. Ghost's littermates stick up for him again, and Sleet challenges Ghost to a race. Ghost slows down partway through while Sleet outruns him easily. Ghost trips over a rock hidden in the snow, and the two siblings laugh again. Just as the young leopards get in another altercation, Icebound, Brisk and Sleet's mother, intervenes and defends her cubs. The older snow leopard threatens Ghost, but his mother, Winter, protects him and attacks Icebound, easily winning. Icebound leaves, telling Winter her four cubs still need her protection. Winter takes her cubs home and looks at Ghost's paw, reminding him not to let Icebound or her cubs get to him. Ghost complains that they were right and he is a freak. Winter reminds him and Shiver that they are both special, and tells Ghost about how the moon's light made his fur glow white when he was born. Shiver pats Ghost's back with spots of mud, comforting her brother, but he still doesn't feel better about being different.
### Chapter 7

Rain's point of view.
Rain finds herself wondering about Sunset and the strange bamboo again. Sunset claims he is too ill to eat, which Rain finds odd. He tells them again how lost he was and that they need to find the others who are still missing, and search parties will be sent out immediately. Blossom, Cypress, Ginseng, and Lily step forward as leaders, and Horizon, Granite, and Bay offer to join. Pebble joins up, eager to find his brother, and Rain goes with him. Peony is horrified, but Sunset assures her the young pandas will be fine. Rain and Pebble are sent out with Blossom, much to the two females' displeasure. On the journey, Blossom is irritated that the younger ones might slow her down, and claims the best bamboo for herself at the Feasts. Rain asks Pebble if the mission seems strange, as pandas always lived alone before the flood and the Prosperhills are the ones who are strange by living together. Pebble snaps that Rain doesn't understand because she never saw her sibling being swept away. Rain reminds him that her father is definitely dead, but Pebble furiously calls her selfish. Rain refuses to drop her suspicions and returns to the Prosperhill. On her way back, while trying to investigate, Rain sees steam rise up from a pool and form into the shape of a three-headed dragon.
### Chapter 8

Leaf's point of view.
Leaf is playing hide-and-seek with the red pandas and finds Chomper hiding under a pile of leaves. She spots another red panda's tail and sneaks up on it, but it turns out to be a dead red panda, partially eaten by a predator. Horrified, Leaf cries out to all the red pandas to stop the game. Dasher identifies the body as his uncle Scratcher. The giant pandas come to look, lured by the noise. The other creatures blame the Dragon for abandoning them, but Leaf and Seeker, Dasher's mother, remind them to keep faith and keep the traditional vigil, which involves staying up in the trees until the next morning. Leaf and Dasher return to the river, now feeling the urgency of getting over now that a predator stalks the Northern Forest, and are mocked by the same flying squirrels that saved them. Leaf is startled by a panicking flock of pheasants and they climb a tree, only to spot a huge striped beast walking below.
### Chapter 9

Ghost's point of view.
Ghost and his siblings try to hunt an elderly mountain goat. Ghost impulsively tries to pounce on it, but the entire herd gets away. Frost snaps at his brother angrily, and Ghost doesn't bother to challenge him. He sits alone outside the den that night, despite Shiver's pleas, wondering if he can get better at being a leopard. Desperate, he asks the Snow Cat for help. Suddenly, he feels warm breath on him, and the snow lights up to show a trail of paw prints that soon disappear. Awed, Ghost rushes inside to tell his family what he found. The trail leads them to a copse of trees where a deer is grazing. Winter catches it with Ghost helping kill it, and Ghost is overjoyed that he belongs in the mountains with the leopards.
### Chapter 10

Rain's point of view.
Rain fishes for carp, unable to get her mind off the vision of the three-headed dragon.
## Trivia

### Interesting facts

* Despite the book being written in English, its Chinese translation was released a month prior on August 1st, 2021.

### Mistakes

* 'Monkeys' is mistakenly spelled as 'Moneys.'*[citation needed]*
* Twice, the word 'Brawnshanks's' is used, when, in truth, 'Brawnshanks' would have been correct.*[citation needed]*
* The color of Shadowhunter's eyes is inconsistent. In the prologue of *Creatures of the Flood*, Shadowhunter is said to have green eyes, on the cover he has golden-orange eyes, and is later said to have yellow eyes.
* The words 'red pandas' are repeatedly hyphenated for seemingly no reason.*[citation needed]*
* The word 'handful' is used when it should have been 'pawful' due to pandas having paws and not hands.

## Publication history

* *洪水滔天* (ZH), China Children's (unknown binding), 1 August 2021, translated by Liu Ying
* *Creatures of the Flood* (EN), HarperCollins (hardcover), 28 September 2021
* *Creatures of the Flood* (EN), HarperCollins (library), 28 September 2021
* *Creatures of the Flood* (EN), HarperCollins (e-book), 28 September 2021
* *Creatures of the Flood* (EN), HarperCollins (audiobook), 28 September 2021
* *Creatures of the Flood* (EN), HarperCollins (audio cd), 28 September 2021
* *Ocaleni z potopu* (PL), Nowa Baśń (paperback), 31 March 2022, translated by Marta Ziegler
* *Sauvés des eaux* (FR), Pocket Jeunesse (hardcover), 7 April 2022
* *Potopa* (CZ), Bambook (hardcover), 19 April 2022, translated by Matěj Čuchna
* *Creatures of the Flood* (EN), HarperCollins (paperback), 7 June 2021
* *Dopo il diluvio* (IT), Sonda (hardcover), 14 June 2022, translated by M. T. Milano
* *Reißende Flut* (DE), Schneiderbuch (hardcover), 25 October 2022, translated by Petra Knese
* *Reißende Flut* (DE), Schneiderbuch (ebook), 25 October 2022, translated by Petra Knese
* *Reißende Flut* (DE), Schneiderbuch (audiobook), 25 October 2022, translated by Petra Knese, narrated by Hannah Baus
* *Tulvan jakama maa* (FI), WSOY (hardcover), March 2023, translated by Ville Viitanen
* *Tulvan jakama maa* (FI), WSOY (e-book), March 2023, translated by Ville Viitanen
* *Tulvan jakama maa* (FI), WSOY (audiobook), March 2023, translated by Ville Viitanen

## Gallery

### English covers

**English Language Edition**
Hardcover, E-book, Library & Paperback Binding**English Language Edition**
Audiobook & Audio CD Binding**English Language Edition**
Textless Cover
### Foreign covers

**Simplified Chinese Language Edition**
Unknown Binding**Polish Language Edition**
Paperback Binding**Czech Language Edition**
Hardcover Binding**Italian Language Edition**
Hardcover Binding**German Language Edition**
Hardcover & E-book Binding**German Language Edition**
Audiobook Binding**Finnish Language Edition**
Hardcover & E-book Binding**Finnish Language Edition**
Audiobook Binding**French Language Edition**
Hardcover & E-book Binding
## References

 1. ↑ Revealed on the copyright page of ***Creatures of the Flood***
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 Revealed on harpercollins.com
3. ↑ Revealed on Johanna's art portfolio
4. ↑ Revealed on edelweiss.plus
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Revealed on linkstars.com
6. ↑ Revealed in ***Creatures of the Flood***, prologue
7. ↑ Cover art from ***Creatures of the Flood***
8. ↑ Revealed in ***Creatures of the Flood***, chapter 17
9. ↑ Revealed in ***Creatures of the Flood***, chapter 5
10. ↑ Revealed on amazon.com
11. ↑ Revealed on ksiegarnianowabasn.com
12. ↑ Revealed on amazon.fr
13. ↑ Revealed on bambook.cz
14. ↑ Revealed on mondadoristore.it
15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 Revealed on harpercollins.de
16. ↑ Revealed on williamdam.dk
17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 Revealed on wsoy.fi