A tiny orange kitten who was buried under a pile of heavy rocks deep inside a drainpipe kept crying out in the dark. Now he purrs and won't leave his stuffy's side. RockyCredit: SCRATCH, Inc.Rocky is safe and thriving today because two people kept searching long after most would have turned back. He is barely a month old, a small bundle of ginger fur with enormous eyes, and he has already survived a night that would have frightened a much bigger cat.Based on where he was found, his rescuers believe someone had left him near a highway by the Hixson YMCA in Chattanooga, Tennessee, at the top of a hill where a large drain pipe began. Looking for shelter, the little kitten slipped under the concrete wall where the water drains and disappeared inside.Late one Friday night, a volunteer named Holly with SCRATCH, Inc., a cat rescue in Chattanooga, learned that a kitten was crying somewhere near that pipe. She and her husband did not hesitate, and they headed out into the night to trace the sound to its source. The drain pipe where Rocky was foundCredit: SCRATCH, Inc.The couple started up at the freeway, where the crying was loudest. Because the spot was so dangerous, they first closed off the top opening so the kitten could not wander into traffic, then made their way to the far end of the pipe to search from below.By then it was pitch black, and the frightened cries seemed to rise straight out of the ground. To pinpoint him, they played kitten sounds on a phone so he might answer back. What they found stopped them cold. Somehow he had become pinned beneath a heap of large rocks, most likely knocked loose in a rock slide while they were up on the freeway. Safe at lastCredit: SCRATCH, Inc.Undeterred, Holly's husband swept his flashlight across the darkness until he caught the very tip of a tail. He began lifting the heavy rocks away one at a time, working carefully and quickly to reach the tiny body buried beneath them.When they finally uncovered him, they were overjoyed to see he was completely unharmed. They named him Rocky, in honor of the rocks he had been trapped beneath and the strength he showed getting free of them. Much betterCredit: SCRATCH, Inc.The moment his rescuer lifted him close, the little one started to purr, melting into the arms of the people who had fought so hard to reach him. "The minute I pulled him to me, he immediately began to purr. You could see he was so grateful the minute we found him," Holly shared with LoveMeow.Once he was safe, Holly gave him a gentle flea bath and a warm meal into his empty belly. Over the following days, she went back to the drain pipe again and again to make sure no other kittens had been left behind. Each time she came away with the same answer. Rocky was the only one out there that night. Nothing but loveCredit: SCRATCH, Inc.Now settled into foster care with Holly, both his rescuer and his foster mom, Rocky is growing stronger by the day. In just two weeks, he has doubled in size, going from a fragile one pound to a healthy two.With a full bowl and a warm place to sleep, his big personality has come rushing to the surface. He can hardly sit still, and he wants to be part of whatever is happening in the room. Can't say no to meCredit: SCRATCH, Inc.Food is the great love of his life, closely followed by anything that dances at the end of a feather wand. "He is incredibly loving, loves food more than you could ever imagine and cannot get enough of the feather wand toys," Holly shared.He has also found comfort in an unexpected place. Tucked into his bed is a heartbeat stuffed cat, a soft toy with a gentle pulse that echoes a mother's. Rocky curls into it the way he would have nestled against a real mom, and it has quickly become the center of his small world. Me and my best buddieCredit: SCRATCH, Inc.The clever streak in him is showing, too. He has already learned to give a high five on command, and he offers it happily to anyone willing to pay attention. "He is already so spoiled and seems to be very smart as he can high-five on command," Holly shared.Rocky will stay with Holly until he is old enough to be neutered. After that, this affectionate, high-fiving little charmer will be ready to find a family of his own. High Five! Credit: SCRATCH, Inc. Not long ago, Rocky was buried beneath a mountain of rocks, crying out for anyone who might hear him.Today he wakes up warm and well-fed, with a heartbeat toy to curl into and a foster mom who followed his cries into the dark to bring him home. Lion roar with a kitten heartCredit: SCRATCH, Inc.Share this story with your friends. Learn more about Rocky and SCRATCH, Inc. on Instagram @scratchtnr and Facebook.Related Story: Kitten Trapped in a Storm Drain for Days Finds Safety in a Rescuer's Blanket, Her Life as Indoor Cat Begins