She was the oddest thing,a ThunderClan cat who liked water. I don't know why she did, it just made her smile to play in the rain, or swim by the river. The other apprentices would make fun of her for it, they'd call her 'Wetpaw' and other nicknames worse than that. But she would even smile through their bullying, and I guess that's what I liked about her, her ability to smile through pain. Her name was Birdpaw, and she was my friend.

One day, I decided to fish for the fun of it, and also to see why she enjoyed water so much. The sound of the flowing river echoed through my ears as I neared RiverClan territory, it made me uncomfortable to even think about water.

But fishing will be fun. I told myself.

I stared down at my pure white paws, and crouched by the river. I waited patiently for a fish to come. And suddenly, I saw it, a quick flash of silver flitting under the water. I unsheathed my claws and reached into the water, trying to catch the fish. I streched my paw further into the river, trying to reach. And then. . . I fell in. The water surrounded me, pulling at my long white fur, suffocating me, finding its way into my lungs.

Am I going to drown? I thought.

As I descended through the water, memories came rushing back.

It had been one of the worst rains we had that Leaf-fall, but Birdpaw would run out and play, splashing in the puddles, and letting the rain fall on her back. She had let her fur get soaked, and even though she had looked like a drowned rat, she had been happy.

I had rolled my eyes at her from inside the apprentice's den.

"Are you gonna play in that rain all day?" I had asked.

She had turned her light brown head towards me,"Come on out, Snowpaw! It's fun!"

I had shook my head, shocked that she would even ask such a question.

"Are you kidding me?! It's wet!"

"That's because it's rain."

I had smiled at her.

"Well, I don't really like rain. But I'm glad you're having fun."

That flashback ended, and I felt my eyes closing.

But then a small brown shape appeared above me.

It was Birdpaw, coming to my rescue.

With all the strength I had left, I tried to swim up to her. I felt her grab my scruff with her jaws, and drag me upward.

As I saw the surface, my heart filled with hope, and I tried swimming out of the river.

I shouldn't have tried.

As I flailed my paws, struggling to swim, I accidentally kicked my friend with my back legs.

She let go of me with surprise, and water began to flow into her mouth.

As I swam to the surface, I thought she was following me.

In all the panic I was feeling, I didn't notice that Birdpaw. . . wasn't there.

My head broke out of the water, I gasped for breath, and heaved myself out of the water.

Soaking wet, I got up.

"We made it out, Birdpaw!" I said with excitement.

When I heard no reply, panic began to fill me again.

"Birdpaw?!"

She was gone, I had left her in the water.

She drowned, lost to the darkness of the swirling waters.

That day is just a memory now, it has almost been a moon. But the memory of Birdpaw still haunts me. She had tried to save me, but it was my fault she died.

I hear the rain pelting against the roof of my den. I am a warrior now, my name is Snowflight. I had gotten my warrior name only days after Birdpaw's death. It brought no joy to me, though. Without my best friend beside me, life just felt. . .empty.

As I remember her, pain fills me, rising up, about to escape me as a mournful cry. But then. . .it stops. Birdpaw wouldn't want this, she wouldn't want her death to follow me forever, making me into the depressed mess I am.

I feel the pain be replaced by a strange feeling of peace, I suddenly feel content with my life.

And in that moment,I run out and dance in the rain.