Rainstep sighed, arching her back and feeling the ray of sunshine warming her light silver tabby fur. The common sounds of the clan filled her ears as she rested her eyes; apprentices wrestling nearby, elders sharing tongues, the reeds rustling in the wind, and the quiet splashing of the river surrounding the camp.
The serene afternoon could almost erase the painful memories of the last leafbare. It was so hard to tell when everything started going wrong, but her mind couldn't help flooding with memories.
OoOoO
Rainstep left Mudfur's den, a poultice and cobweb covering a long scratch on her shoulder. She was a petite she-cat with very light, silver tabby fur that faded to white at her belly, legs, and paws.
She gazed around the clearing, trying to ignore the bitter and defeated looks on many of her clanmates' faces. Finally, her eyes caught sight of the familiar, blue-gray fur and broad shoulders. Tilting her head slightly, Rainstep slowly crossed the clearing to where Stonefur was sitting near the camp entrance. He had a few scratches from the battle, but otherwise looked fine.
"What's wrong?" she asked quietly, sitting next to him and wrapping her tail around her paws.
Stonefur glanced at her, but then fixed his eyes once again at the break in the reeds. "Nothing. Just disappointed we lost."
"Hmph." she huffed quietly. "I doubt that. We've fought ThunderClan for Sunningrocks for seasons. We've lost some battles, we've won some. So we lost today. We'll win another day."
Stonefur twitched his whiskers. "I suppose so."
"So what are you really upset about?" she asked quietly, fixing her green eyes on the side of his face.
Stonefur sighed, his wide shoulders slumping slightly. "Well,…while we were fighting, Mistyfoot and I backed Bluestar into a corner. But…she refused to fight back."
Rainstep narrowed her eyes slightly in confusion.
"She just wouldn't fight us." Stonefur continued, shaking his head. "We would've taken her out easily, but I felt no honor or pleasure in attacking a cat who wouldn't fight back. I didn't understand, neither of us understood…But then Fireheart jumped down in front of her, shielding her from us."
Rainstep nodded slowly. She knew of Fireheart in passing. He was the bright ginger tom in ThunderClan, the former kittypet and recently-made deputy of ThunderClan. He was also the best friend of Graystripe. Graystripe had started out as a ThunderClan cat, but he fathered kits with Silverstream, a RiverClan she-cat, and the former leader, Crookedstar's, daughter. After Silverstream died giving birth, Graystripe brought his kits to RiverClan to be raised, and he stayed with them. After today's battle, however, Leopardstar had basically banished Graystripe for seemingly causing RiverClan to lose the battle.
"He was just being a good deputy." Rainstep pointed out softly, resting her tail on Stonefur's shoulder. "You would've done the same for Leopardstar if she needed it."
Stonefur nodded. "Of course. But…Fireheart said something…"
"What?"
Stonefur looked around, seeming to check that no one was listening. "He said Bluestar…was mine and Mistyfoot's mother."
Rainstep's mouth fell open in shock. She had no idea what to say. Bluestar, the famous leader of ThunderClan, the mother of two RiverClan cats? Then, Rainstep's eyes narrowed slightly. She glanced around until she found Mistyfoot across the clearing. She was sitting outside the nursery, talking to Mosspelt while Featherkit and Stormkit, Graystripe's kits, looked anxiously up at them.
Looking at the RiverClan she-cat, who Rainstep had known her whole life, she suddenly saw her in a new light. Her lithe shape, blue-gray fur, and ice-blue eyes made her an almost exact replica of the ThunderClan leader.
Turning her eyes back to Stonefur, she looked him over as well, even though she practically had every hair, scar, and whisker of his memorized. He had the same blue-gray fur as his sister, and Bluestar, and similar blue eyes. His fur was a bit thicker than his sister's, but that also made it look even more like Bluestar's.
"What?" Stonefur asked, his voice low and harsh as he realized she'd been staring at him.
Rainstep swallowed quietly, looking up just a bit to look into his eyes. "Do you believe her?"
Stonefur opened his mouth, looking like he was going to give her a stinging retort, but then he closed it again, his eyes showing his struggle. "I don't know." he finally breathed, looking down at his paws. "I don't know why Fireheart would lie, but…if it's the truth, why would she…why did we grow up in RiverClan? Why would she let us be raised by another clan?"
"I don't know." Rainstep breathed quietly, scooting a bit closer so that their fur brushed. "But…you've got a point. Why would they lie? What would they have benefited from telling you and Mistyfoot that? And, well,…I can kind of see it now." she admitted sheepishly. "Now that you mention it, you and Mistyfoot do look a bit like her." she explained quietly.
Stonefur sighed through his nose. "Great."
Rainstep pressed her side firmly against his, rubbing her head against his jaw. "No matter what happens, you and Mistyfoot are loyal warriors, and everyone knows that. Whatever happens, you know that." Tilting her head, she looked up at him just as he looked down at her. "And you're not alone."
Stonefur blinked at her before licking the top of her head. "Thanks, Rainstep. I love you."
"I love you, too."
OoOoO
Rainstep left the warriors den and glanced around the camp, the cool air ruffling her fur. Stonefur was sitting in the clearing, and judging by the groups of cats walking away from him, he was assigning patrols. She also noticed he was pointedly ignoring Tigerstar, the ShadowClan leader, who was speaking to Leopardstar outside her den under the willow tree. Tigerstar, and several of his warriors, always seemed to be around lately.
Stonefur and Mistyfoot had announced to their clan recently, on the day Bluestar died, apparently, that the late ThunderClan leader was their mother. Most of the clan had negative reactions, though at least Leopardstar supported her deputy and his littermate in front of the clan. No one had given Stonefur and Mistyfoot a hard time up front. They mainly avoided the two or felt uncomfortable around them, as if suddenly knowing they were half-ThunderClan made them completely different cats.
Rainstep sighed before approaching Stonefur where he was still sitting across the clearing. She could tell by his stiff posture, glazed eyes, and pricked ears that he was very conscious of Tigerstar and Leopardstar behind him. Rainstep was also unnerved by how Tigerstar was occasionally eyeing her mate.
"Morning." Rainstep murmured when she reached him.
Stonefur's posture relaxed and his eyes softened as he looked at her. "Good morning." he returned her greeting, sweeping his tail around and brushing it across her flank. She knew he was avoiding his typically more affectionate greeting while they were being watched.
"Are you busy?" she asked him.
Stonefur shook his head. "I've just assigned all the patrols for the day. Why? You wanna go for a hunt?"
Rainstep nodded, happy he'd taken the words right out of her mouth. She guessed he wanted to get out of the camp as much as she did, and hunting was a productive way to pass the time. Especially since there was always a couple ShadowClan warriors in RiverClan's camp, stuffing their faces and not contributing while leaf-bare was upon them. "I'd like that."
They walked side-by-side out of the camp. She noticed Stonefur kept a mouse-length of space between them until after they walked through the reeds that surrounded the camp. Only when they were away from prying eyes did Stonefur allow himself to walk closer to her side, their fur brushing as they headed for the river.
They remained in companionable silence until they reached the river. Stonefur instantly crouched by the water, his eyes staring unblinkingly at the rippling surface. Rainstep stayed a tail length from the water so she could wash her flank without bothering his fishing.
It wasn't long before he scooped a large, silver fish from the river. It landed on the bank next to him, and he killed it swiftly with a bite behind the head.
"Good catch." Rainstep purred at him.
"Thanks." Stonefur returned proudly, already looking cheered up. "Are you going to fish or just sit there grooming all day?" he teased, flicking her ear with his tail.
Rainstep swatted at him with her paw before approaching the water and crouching. She made sure her shadow was well back, her green eyes fixed on the flickering shadows beneath the rippling surface. Then, she saw the light reflecting off the silver scales of a plump fish.
Her paw shot into the ice-cold water and her claws hooked in the scales. She scooped the fish from the water and pounced on it, killing it before it could flop back into the water.
"Good one." Stonefur purred, making Rainstep duck her head in embarrassment.
"Thanks." she murmured, sitting down next to him and placing her fish next to his.
Stonefur turned and rasped his tongue over her ear and head, making her close her eyes and a purr rumble in her chest.
"So, what's on your mind?" Stonefur finally asked, rubbing his nose against her cheek. "I can tell you're thinking about something."
Rainstep sighed, turning her green eyes to look up at him.
"I'm expecting kits." she whispered.
Stonefur stared at her for a long moment before his eyes dropped down to her belly. It wasn't obviously plump yet, no more than a typical RiverClan cat. But a warmth filled her chest when she thought about the wiggling feeling she'd been feeling in her belly lately.
"Really?" Stonefur breathed, looking back into her eyes. "We're having kits?"
Rainstep nodded, her throat thick with emotion.
Stonefur instantly pressed his muzzle to hers, his purr rumbling so loud she could feel his body shaking from it.
"I can't believe it." he whispered. "You're really-we're having…"
"I know." Rainstep purred, snuggling closer to his chest and pressing her head under his chin.
"I love you." Stonefur purred.
"I love you, too." she purred back.
Then, Stonefur stopped purring and pulled back, looking down at her. Rainstep looked up at him and saw worry in his blue eyes.
"What is it?" she asked.
"It's just…with how everyone's been acting since they found out about Bluestar…our kits will be part ThunderClan. What if the rest of the Clan causes trouble?"
"Why would they? They know you and trust you. You're a loyal RiverClan cat, through and through. They wouldn't dare judge our kits." Rainstep argued.
"But Tigerstar?" Stonefur murmured. "You've seen how often he's here. And he'll certainly cause some kind of trouble. He hated Bluestar. And I don't know what he and Leopardstar are up to because she won't tell me anything, even though I'm her deputy." he paused for a few heartbeats, looking out over the river at the forest beyond. When he spoke again, it was in a quiet voice, "The future just seems more uncertain than it should be."
Rainstep leaned forward and licked his cheek. "Maybe, but maybe not. Whatever happens, we have each other. And Mistyfoot."
"I know. But maybe we should…maybe we should keep quiet for a bit." Stonefur suggested hesitantly. "Obviously cats will notice you're expecting, but maybe we shouldn't tell everyone I'm the father yet."
Rainstep's whiskers drooped sadly and her ears fell back without her permission. She didn't really see the point in keeping it a secret. Most of the clan knew she and Stonefur were mates. They would easily assume her kits were his.
Stonefur noticed her reaction and stepped close to her, twining his tail with hers and leaning down to press his nose to her flank where their kits were growing.
"I love you and I already love our kits." he told her fervently, straightening to look into her eyes. "And when all of this blows over, I will proudly tell everyone they're ours. No cat will ever doubt how proud I am of them."
OoOoO
Everything went horribly wrong the day Leopardstar agreed to join RiverClan with ShadowClan in what was now being called 'TigerClan'. The final agreement was made only a couple days before the big Gathering where Tigerstar demanded ThunderClan and WindClan join them, as well. But then Tigerstar decided they also needed to 'deal with' any cats that may have divided loyalties. Meaning; half-clan cats.
Rainstep had never before felt alone in her birth clan. But when Tigerstar decided Stonefur, Mistyfoot, Stormpaw, and Featherpaw were now prisoners and trapped them in a former fox den further in RiverClan territory, she felt more alone then she could've ever imagined. She didn't know who to trust in her own clan. She couldn't let any ShadowClan cats know her ties to Stonefur, and she couldn't risk talking too freely with her own clan. All the RiverClan cats truly believed what Tigerstar was saying, or they were too scared to speak up.
Luckily, StarClan seemed to have blessed Rainstep with a single companion within the clan.
Mosspelt, a tortoiseshell RiverClan queen, approached Rainstep and offered a few ideas for Rainstep to at least get to speak to Stonefur and the others. Of course, Mosspelt had ulterior motives as well. She'd raised Featherpaw and Stormpaw since Graystripe brought them to RiverClan and loved them as if they were her own kits. She didn't have the courage to speak out against Tigerstar, like many of the others, but she desperately wanted to see the two apprentices. The difficult part was checking on them while a ShadowClan warrior guarded the prison. If they weren't careful, word would get back to Tigerstar that certain RiverClan warriors weren't completely loyal to his cause.
They had to wait for an almost perfect moment to put their plan into action. They waited until Boulder was assigned to watch the prison. He was a skinny gray ShadowClan cat, formerly a rogue. He sometimes appeared a bit on the jumpy side, which made Rainstep and Mosspelt agree he'd be the best guard to approach.
The two she-cats made the trek through RiverClan territory toward the prison. When Boulder, sitting outside the hole in the ground, saw them coming up the hill he approached them and gave them both a sniff. Rainstep hid her relief when he eyed the fresh-kill the two she-cats were carrying.
Mosspelt set her vole on the ground at her paws. "We've come with food for the prisoners."
Boulder eyed them and the fresh-kill suspiciously. "Who says they need to be fed?"
"What use are prisoners if they die of starvation?" Mosspelt retorted before flicking her tail at Rainstep. "The fish is for them. This is yours. The rest of the fresh-kill pile is nearly gone and by the time your shift is over, there won't be any left. Of course, if you don't want it…"
"No, no." Boulder mewed quickly, taking a step forward and eyeing the vole hungrily. "I'll take it."
Rainstep set her fish down to finally speak. "And we can take this in to the prisoners?" she checked calmly, trying to be as collected as Mosspelt.
Boulder's head instantly snapped up and he narrowed his eyes at the pair of them. For a moment, Rainstep was sure he'd chase them off. But then he glanced hungrily down at his vole.
"Only one of you can go in. And don't tell anyone I let you down there, either!" he hissed. "And if you try anything, I'll make sure Tigerstar has your pelts." he added before bending down to gulp down his food.
Rainstep glanced at Mosspelt, angling her ears at the hole. She was worried about Stonefur, but she wanted to give Mosspelt the option of checking on her foster kits. After all, it had been her idea. But Mosspelt sat down, wrapping her thick tail around her paws with a gentle look in her blue eyes. Rainstep blinked gratefully at her clanmate before picking up the fish and entering the hole.
The size confirmed this was an abandoned fox hole. As Rainstep traveled down the long, winding tunnel she soon had to rely on the feel of her whiskers and flanks brushing the sandy soil of the walls due to the pitch-black darkness.
She couldn't smell much over the fish in her mouth, but her ears soon pricked at the sound of scuffling paw steps and fur brushing the wall. Then-
"Rainstep?"
Relief flooded Rainstep's body and she dropped the fish. "Stonefur." she purred sadly, hurrying forward despite being unable to see anything. She felt the tunnel open up into a small cave a heartbeat before she felt her muzzle brush another's. She pressed her face into familiar, warm fur, inhaling Stonefur's familiar scent.
"What are you doing here?" Stonefur asked, his voice rough before he began rasping his tongue over her ears and head. "You're putting yourself at risk coming down here. If any cat finds out-"
"Mosspelt helped me." she whispered, her nose picking up the scents of Mistyfoot, Featherpaw, and Stormpaw. "We both wanted to check on all of you. We just told Boulder, who's guarding the hole right now, that we were bringing food for you all so you didn't starve. We also brought him some food, to get on his good side. He only let one of us come down, though, and Mosspelt wanted me to go. Are all of you okay?"
Stonefur was once again licking her head and ears, so it was Mistyfoot who answered.
"We're as fine as to be expected." she mewed, her voice hoarse like her brother's. "Mostly just hungry, but that's nothing new in leaf-bare. What's going on with the rest of the clan?"
Rainstep sighed shakily. "It's horrible. Tigerstar built the Bonehill, which is this giant mound of prey bones so he can look down on all of us. The clan gathers around it a lot, except for the queens and elders. ShadowClan cats are always around and they eat our food, but they rarely hunt. There's so much half-eaten fresh-kill thrown carelessly around the clearing and polluting the river, it's turned into crow-food."
"But it's leaf-bare!" Mistyfoot protested weakly. "We can't spare prey like that!"
"I know." Rainstep whispered.
"Are you getting enough to eat?" Stonefur asked worriedly, having stopped licking her head while she spoke. He bent his head and Rainstep felt him press his muzzle to the side of her belly. She could feel movement inside her belly and wondered if her kits recognized their father's voice. "You need to make sure you're eating enough. You're feeding more than just yourself."
"I know." Rainstep breathed, leaning down to lick Stonefur's ears while his nose was still pressed to her side. "I'm eating enough, I promise. I'm more worried about you four, to be honest."
"Don't be." Stonefur told her firmly, straightening up again and nuzzling her cheek with his nose. "We're looking out for each other, but I can't look after you from in here. Worry about yourself for now."
"But-"
"You should probably go soon." Mistyfoot interrupted. "I'm sure Boulder will be getting impatient, and we don't want you getting in trouble."
Rainstep didn't answer, because she knew Mistyfoot was right.
Stonefur licked her head again, more gently this time. "Be careful, Rainstep. I don't know what's going to happen in the future, but I have a feeling it's going to get worse before it gets better. Promise me you'll look after yourself and our kits. No matter what happens, the kits must be your priority."
Rainstep's throat tightened painfully and she pressed her head under his jaw. "I promise." she breathed.
Stonefur nuzzled her head again before saying, "You should get going."
Rainstep nodded, pulling away and standing up straight. She turned and picked up the fish she'd dropped just in the opening between the tunnel and the cave, placing it on the ground near Stonefur's feet. "Here's your fish. It's not much, but-"
"It's perfect." Stonefur cut her off, touching her ear with his nose. "Thank you, but don't do this again. It's too risky for you, our kits, and Mosspelt."
"Can you tell Mosspelt me and Featherpaw are okay?" a quiet voice asked, and Rainstep recognized it as Stormpaw.
"Of course I will." Rainstep assured him, leaning forward blindly until her nose brushed fur. She licked the top of Stormpaw's head, then Featherpaw's nearby. She then felt a pelt brush her shoulders and turned to press her muzzle against Mistyfoot's. "Good luck, all of you." she whispered, feeling Stonefur give her ear one last lick.
"I love you, Rainstep." Stonefur whispered, his warm breath tickling her ear.
"I love you, too, Stonefur." she mewed in a thick voice before turning and leaving the tunnel.
If only she'd known those would be the last words she'd speak to her beloved mate while he was still alive.
OoOoO
Rainstep squeezed her eyes closed as a fresh wave of grief washed over her, remembering the last time she'd spoken to Stonefur. If she'd known that only the very next day Tigerstar would order her mate's death, she would've done something to break them out. It would always be her biggest regret.
OoOoO
It all flashed before Rainstep's horrified, froze eyes. The trial in front of the Bonehill, Tigerstar ordering Stonefur to kill Stormpaw and Featherpaw, or be killed in their place, and then Stonefur's battle with Darkstripe before Blackfoot jumped in and raked his claws across Stonefur's throat.
Rainstep had to dig her claws into the mud through it all. Before the fight had started, Stonefur had caught her eyes where she crouched behind the rest of the crowd. He had shaken his head ever-so-slightly, silently telling her to stay out of it, and his words from the day before echoed in her mind, "Promise me you'll look after yourself and our kits. No matter what happens, the kits must be your priority."
Those words, and the wiggling feeling in her belly were what kept her firmly in place. If she jumped in, she would surely be killed. With so many cats in the clearing, there was no way they'd get out alive. Tigerstar wouldn't allow it.
Rainstep crouched frozen, watching the blood pour from her mate's throat as his body went forever still.
Tigerstar declared the meeting over, and cats instantly started disappearing into the reeds surrounding the clearing. After a few heartbeats, only Rainstep and Leopardstar remained in place. The spotted golden tabby stood and slowly approached the body of her deputy, pressing her nose to Stonefur's gray fur.
After a few moments, she raised her head and fixed her amber eyes right on Rainstep, who tensed. But her leader merely gave her a regretful look before turning and padding into the reeds where Tigerstar had disappeared previously.
Rainstep stayed where she was for several tense heartbeats before stiffly rising to her paws and padding slowly across the clearing until she reached her fallen mate's body. All his ribs were visible under his ragged, unkempt pelt, which hung off his skinny frame. There were scratches and claw marks on his legs and sides, and one of his ears, which had had a small knick in it since he was a young warrior, was now shredded and crusted with dried blood.
"Stonefur." she breathed, feeling her legs tremble. She lowered herself to the ground and crouched next to him, her eyes searching his face. She tried to ignore the dark red blood still pouring from his torn throat. His blue eyes stared blankly ahead, his jaws parted as a trickle of blood dripped from his mouth.
Taking a shaking breath, Rainstep leaned forward and rasped her tongue over Stonefur's eyes, closing first one eye, then the other.
"I'll miss you, Stonefur." she whispered, pressing her nose to his head. "I promise I'll love our kits and tell them how brave you were."
Standing carefully, Rainstep moved around Stonefur's body and curled up against his belly. She turned and pressed herself as close to his still-warm body as she could, burying her nose in his messy fur. She quickly took notice of how still and silent he was. She knew he was dead, but being unable to feel his heartbeat, and knowing he'd never take another breath of air, seemed to be an agonizing blow to her chest.
He'd never go hunting with her again. Never curl up with her in the warriors den. Never swim with her on hot days. Never teach Stormpaw a new battle move, or share tongues with Mistyfoot.
He'd never see their kits when they were born. He'd never get to tell them how much he loves them, or how proud he is of them. He'd never see them grow up and be warriors, and maybe have kits of their own.
"What will I do without you?" she breathed, closing her eyes in pain and burying her face further in his thick fur, burning his scent into her memory.
OoOoO
Several days later was the Battle with BloodClan. Rainstep had wanted to fight in it, but Mudfur, RiverClan's medicine cat, and Leopardstar basically forbade her, seeing as she was about half a moon away from having her kits. Part of her was happy, though, because fighting in the battle would've meant fighting alongside Blackfoot and Darkstripe and all the other warriors who'd taken part in, or watched, her mate's death.
The familiar squealing of kits at play pulled Rainstep from her dark thoughts just as the familiar scent of fish reached her nose. She lifted her head and twitched her ears in greeting as Mistyfoot joined her.
Stonefur's sister had been named the new RiverClan deputy after the battle, and she returned to RiverClan with Stormpaw and Featherpaw. Within a few days of their victory against BloodClan, the whole clan knew who the father of Rainstep's kits were, not than many doubted it. Everyone was thrilled.
"They're getting bigger everyday." Mistyfoot commented warmly, setting the fish down in front of Rainstep before laying down next to her, their pelts brushing.
Rainstep followed her friend's gaze to the three kits playing in the clearing, tossing a ball of moss around and enjoying the newleaf warmth.
Her smallest kit, Brookkit, was a silver tabby she-cat. Her long, fluffy fur was darker than Rainstep's, but not quite a gray, and she had her father's blue eyes.
Brookkit pounced on the ball of moss, rolling onto her back before tossing the ball to her sister, Leafkit, who caught it and batted it across the clearing before racing after it.
Leafkit was a light brown tabby with green eyes the color of the newleaf leaves in the forest.
Rainstep had named her daughters in subtle honor of their father's heritage. Brookkit for RiverClan and Leafkit for the forests in ThunderClan territory.
Finally, there was her only son, who'd been born before Brookkit and after Leafkit.
Stonekit looked a bit like his father. His blue-gray fur was much darker than Stonefur's, and he had a white belly and white paws with green eyes. As he got older, Mistyfoot had commented a few times that he acted a bit like Stonefur did when they were kits.
Rainstep remembered the night she gave birth to her kits a few moons ago. It had been exhausting and she'd wished over and over again that Stonefur was there with her. But then, as her youngest kit came into the world, Rainstep was certain she felt a familiar, warm pelt brush hers; a familiar scent filling her nose.
She still wasn't sure if she'd imagined it, or if Stonefur had truly come down from StarClan to see their kits being born, but she was certain she'd felt his fur against hers and smelled his scent in the nursery. She felt his presence while she saw her kits for the first time, and while she gave them their names. She knew without even having to think about it that he loved them, even from the ranks of StarClan. And for the first time since his death, she'd felt the gaping hole in her chest shrink just a bit. He would always watch over her and their kits, and love them for eternity.