Rainsplash's Tale
Proulouge
"Please take care of him." The young she cat pleaded to her sister to take this little kit off her paws. She was a medicine cat, and she was not supposed to have kits. She wanted to keep him; she really did! But the clan could never know. She would be banished for sure.
"Oh, But...", Her sister told her, "But he's your baby! How could you abandon him like this?"
"I'm not abondoning him", She weakly protested, "I'm just giving him up to a place where he won't be punished for his mother's wrongs. Oh, sister.."
"It's gonna be okay", Her sister told her, "Your going to be just fine. Yes, i will take care of your kit. He well be well raised in my paws, and i'm sure Voletooth with be thrilled to raise a young cat to become a strong young warrior like himself."
"Thank you", She meowed, "I'm sure he'll be safer in your paws."
"What's his name?", Her sister asked.
The young she cat looked around, the ground wet and sodden, The sky cloudy and gray. Rain pattered down around them...
"Rainkit", She told her sister after thinking for a while, "His name is rainkit."
"Rainkit", Her sister reapeted, "A lovely name. I'm sure voletooth will love it."
The young she cat watched as her sister picked up little Rainkit and began carrying him away. "You comin?", Her sister asked, mouth full of kit.
"I'll meet you back in camp", She told her sister, "I need a little time to... Think"
"Okay", Her sister meowed. "I understand. I'll see you there, sis'"
The young medicine cat watched as her sister dissapered into the mist and fog with her little baby, her only survivng kit. She watched weakly, and, as if she just couldn't hold her sadness anymore, She let salty water fill her eyes as a tear slid out and dropped onto the damp, gray earth.
Mistkit and Patterkit were still with her. Their small, limp bodies lay by her side. She picked them up and placed them onto a small patch of grass covered in fallen rose petals from a nearby bush hovering above. She lie some petals on top of the two kits and let her tears slide out.
In just moments, the poor she-cat was sobbing. She breathed heavily, doing as best she could to keep hersel from being heard. She sat there all night, sobbing for her lost kits; All three of them.
Chapter 1
Rainkit looked around and sighed. Darkkit and Shadowkit were out again.
"Hey Runtkit!", Darkkit called, "What kind of wimpy kit-stuff are you doing today?!"
"For your information, I am playing hunter with this leaf!" Rainkit puffed out his cheast with pride.
"Ha!", Darkkit taunted, "We were done with that when we were less than a moon old! Your like, 3!?"
"Four!", Rainkit protested, but didn't listen.
"Your just a little baby! Your never gonna be a good warrior! Your just gonna fail every battle! Those Treeclan cats will rip your runty body to shreds!"
"The Warrior Code says clans can't hurt a kit, even if it's from another clan!", Rainkit Pushed, but it backfired on him.
"You need the Warrior code to protect you?!", Darkkit continued. "We could survive on our own! What about then! Could you survive on your own?"
Rainkit wasn't sure how to respond without backfiring.
"Well, I don't!", He finished, and he padded away.
I bet i could survive on my own, Rainkit Thought. If Darkkit can survive in the wild, why can't I? He sneaks out almost every day! why can't I? Thats it! I'll sneak out!
Rainkit raced to the camp exit and squezed out under a thick root. He easily slipped into the cover of the short, small trees. Ha!, Rainkit thought, I win! If only Darkkit could see me now!
Rainkit raced across the hills into a shady tree covering. He padded under a long shadow, and looked for a nice, curved tree to settle down next to, or in the crook of.
Suddenly, Rainkit heard a growl as some oddly spotted cats burst from the bushes. His ears flattened and his eyes widened in suprise. "Hello, no one!", An angry young tom growled.
Chapter 2
"Well look what we have here", A yellow-and-black tom growled, "A little brave boy, crossing the border!"
"Heh", A younger, leopard-pelted tom snorted.
Rainkit couldn't stop his paws from shaking. Fear filled him up from ear to tail, and a tear began filling his eye. He bit his lip to get himself to stop. Afterwards, he could taste the metallic tang of blood in his mouth.
"What are you gonna do with him?", A slightly older she-cat asked.
"I think we should send em' home, maybe scare em' a bit!", The older tom exclaimed.
"I think we should push him into the ground till' he can't breath!", The younger tom exclaimed.
"Well, Leopardpaw does need to practice his fighting on a live target!"
Rainkit couldn't belive it. Didn't they follow the warrior code? He wanted to ask, to protest, but the fear eating him alive seemed to paryilize him to were he just couldn't say a word.
"Are you sure? Leopardpaw seems rather violent with his attack skills..."
"I'm certain!
"Okay..."
"Leopardpaw, get him!"
Rainkit didn't even get a chance to try and move before the huge tom apprentice lept upon him and began shreading his ears. Then, he felt himself being lifted off the ground as the world spun around him.
The young tom, called "Leopardpaw", Shook Rainkit around violently. He could feel the teeth digging into his soft neck. Leopardpaw had; Luckily; Just gotten into Rainkits scruff, so it didn't hurt him to badly. But it did daze him, so when he was thrown to the ground, tiny body skidding aross the dirt, he could barley move.
Rainkit shook his head to clear his surroundings. Then, with a powerful strike, he lept for Leopardpaw's Flank. He brushed them with his clawtips, but he barley hurt Leopardpaw.
"You thought you could deafeat me?!", Leopardpaw sneered, "Well think again, Runt!"
When Rainkit heard "Runt", Fury seazed his body. as if he couldn't control it anymore, couldn't handle his beatings, couldn't handle his shamings, his namings, he screeched with fury!
"No, No more!", Rainkit yowled furiously, "I. AM NOT. A RUNT!"
Rainkit furiously lept onto Leopardpaw's back and shredded his scruff. Then holding on with the other paw, He ripped his extremly sharp kitten claws across Leopardpaw's neck. Rainkit was pleased to see the blood spilling out.
Suddenly, Rainkit went flying through the air as Leopardpaw gave rapid, jerky movements to buck him off. As he hit the ground, he heard a cracking sound.
Suddenly, a paw hit his belly and he coughed up some blood. The extremely large paw ripped down his belly, and as darkness began to cloud the edge of his vision, he could feel the blood gushing out.
Pawsteps hit the ground softley as Berrystorm padded up on the border, mouth full of herbs. When she saw Rainkit lying there, unconsious and gushing blood, The herbs fell from her mouth. "Uh oh", Leopardpaw meowed.
"What happened here!", Berrystorm yowled with terror. "What have you done! Have you no respect for the code?"
"Um..." Leopardpaw stuttered, but Spottedfur, the older tom, finished for him. "
"I'm sorry", Spottedfur started, embarassed. "I was just training my apprentice, and wanted to see his skills on chasing off a tresspasser..."
"We don't have time to talk!", Berrystorm wailed with fear, "Rainkit could be dead in minutes! Seconds!"
"Look, we're really sorry...", Honeyflower Meowed, but Berrystorm was already pressing some nearby cobwebs onto Rainkit's belly. She picked him up gingerly by the scruff and padded away quickly.
Leopardpaw's feared expressions was gone now, replace by an angry snarl. "Every time your deafeted, think of me", He whispered into Rainkit's ear, "Because every time i win, i will always think of my first victory."
Chapter 3
Rainkit opened his eyes wearily, belly giving pangs of hunger. "Oh, your up!", He heard a fimiliar female voice purr.
The she cat approached him. It was Berrystorm, the clan medicine cat. "How you feelin'?", She purred.
"Fine, i guess", Rainkit meowed. "What happened?"
"Somehow, you got out of camp. Some older, irresponsible cats hurt you pretty bad... You would have died if i didn't find you."
Aw, great!, Rainkit thought, I can't belive it! She Had to rescue me! i'm never gonna hear the end of this...Rainkit tried to get up in defiance, but he fell over.
"Now now", Berrystorm purred, "You need to get your rest, or those wounds might never heal!"
The thought of having permenate injuries terrified Rainkit to his very core. He let himself fall asleep. he was just a kit, after all...
Rainkit lept toward the large spotted tom, claws outstreatched. He took him down and they tumbled in the dirt for a while. Then, Rainkit raked his claws against the tom's throat.
"This is what I'll remember every time I Have a victory!", Rainkit yowled in triumph with a deeper, more adult voice. He watched, satisfied as his old enemy lie there, choking on his own blood. Bloody drool dripped from Leopardpaw's mouth, and bubbles gurgled at the throat wound. Rainkit smiled. He was nearly content.
When he had his fill of this tastefull victory, he turned around and kicked sandy dirt into Leopardpaw's eyes as he padded away triumphantly, His multicolored eyes a'blaze with triumph.
Rainkit opened his eyes. How pleasant his victory-filled dreams had been! he only wished that was the case in real life... One day, it will be, Rainkit decided, pleased with himself, One day, i will kick dirt in that murderer's eyes and I will pride myself in his defeat!
Rainkit looked around. He must have slept a while, because the air felt softer, and his surroundings had changed slightly.
He found that he could stand up with ease, so he got up and walked around. He was rather pleased, until he saw Darkkit walking past.
"Hey there, Runty!", Darkkit called. "I heard you snuck out! You couldn't survive five minutes out there! Ha!"
"He's right, ya'know", Shadowkit reapeted with a slight fear in his tone.
"You will never be a warrior! With those worthless fighting skills, you'll be dead before The first battle!", Darkkit continued. "In fact, I..."
"Stop that!", A young, feamle voice snapped. "What did he ever do to you!"
"Um...", Darkkit tried to answer, But the little she-cat flicked her orange-and-gray tail to silence him.
"You oughta' leave him alone!", The little she-kit snapped, "He was just injured a few days ago! And you have NO right telling him he can't fight! At least he's actually been In A battle! You can say whatever, but it's all lies!"
The little cat turned to Rainkit. He flinched; He didn't know what she would say.
"Are you okay?", She asked him as Darkkit and Shadowkit stalked away with shame.
"I guess so", Rainkit responded. "Who are you?"
"I'm Brightkit! You don't remember me?"
When Rainkit thought about it, he could faintly remember a she-kit Living in the nursery.
"How come you've never talked to me?"
"I thought you were Darkkit's friend", She responded.
"How?!"
"I always saw you two together... I normally play by myself. But, anyways, when I heard him making fun of you, i thought that maybe i should help!"
"So anyways, your Rainkit, right?"
"Yeah..."
"Well? Wanna play? I'll go easy?"
Why would she go easy?, Rainkit thought. Then he remembered. Oh yeah. Leopardpaw.
"You don't even have to!", Rainkkit responded with a smile. They bounded off together, happy.
"So watcha wanna play?", Brightkit asked.
"I don't know."
"Well comon, you gotta know something!"
"Ummm, well, I know how to play leader, but i'm not worthy of such a title.."
"Oh, comon, it's just a game! Lets go!"
Brightkit jumped onto the Little Rock, a small rock kits used for playing. "Rainkit, you are now known as Rain.. Rainsplash! Yeah! You are my deputy!", She squeled. "Rainsplash!", She softly screeched, playfully mimicking a croud of cats. Then, she dissapered into the medicine den.
Where did she go?, Rainkit wondered. I bet she left. How did i belive she Actually Wanted to play with me?!
Rainkit then heard her voice. "Are there any safe red ones?", She asked.
He heard the voice of Berrystorm respond. "Take these. These ones aren't dangerous."
"They aren't the right color!"
"Well, i'm sorry, but it's the closest safe berry i can get to red..."
"Oh, Ok..."
Brightkit emerged from the medicine cat's den with purple berries in her mouth. The juices in them spilled from her jaws. She crushed them as she sat down, and began licking her paws. She licked her belly. She let some drip onto the ground. Then, she rubbed a pawful of juice onto Rainkit.
Rainkit then realised that the berries were meant to look like blood. This was a scene he didn't know in the game of "Leader".
"Rainsplash, my deputy, I am dying. My final wish is for you to rule the clan well, and appoint my daughter, Brightwhisker as Deputy. Also, i shall tell you my warrior name. It was Brightshadow. Goodbye, Rainsplash..." "I'm Brightwhisker now", She meowed, telling him she had changed cats.
Rainkit lept upon the Little Rock. "I am Rainstar, your leader!", He purred with rejoice. Then, as he remembered how, he looked sad. "Brightwhisker, your mother's dying wish was to appoint you deputy."
"Okay!", She purred.
Suddenly, a voice called from the Highrock.
"All cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the Highrock for a clan meeting."
Chapter 4
"What's going on?", Rainkit asked Brightkit.
"Darkkit and Shadowkit's Apprenticeship ceremony", She muttered with a roll of her eyes.
"The day has come for two young cats to become Apprentices yet again", Creasantstar, their leader purred. "It is my honer to Apprentice these beautiful young cats." she flicked her tail towards Darkkit and Shadowkit.
"Darkkit, step forward", Creasantstar Purred. "Do you promise to uphold the warrior code at the cost of your life?"
"I do."
"Then by the powers of our warrior ancesters, until you gain your warrior name, you will be called Darkpaw. Your mentor will be Dogflight."
Darkpaw walked over to Dogflight. "Hello", He meowed kindly to her, and they touched noses.
Creasantstar turned to Shadowpaw.
"Shadowpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code, even at the cost of your life?"
"I do?", He meowed nervously with a sounding question.
"Then by the powers of our warrior ancesters, until you gain your warrior name, you will be called Shadowpaw. Your mentor will be Doewish."
The two cats touched noses. Doewish told Shadowpaw quietly, "Don't worry. i was scared to. it's gonna be okay."
Then, the whole clan began cheering. Darkpaw, Darkpaw, Shadowpaw, Shadowpaw!", They sang. But one cat; And Only one cat in the clan didn't cheer. And that cat was Rainkit.
Chapter 5
"Comon, Rainkit!", Brightkit mewed, "Why arn't you getting any fresh kill?"
"I'm not hungry", He answered.
"Why not?"
"Because."
"Because why?"
"Just Because."
"But because Why?."
"Uhhg!"
Rainkit angrily slashed his sharp kitten claws against Brightkit's soft, sweet face. Brightkit reared back, ears flattened on her head. Tears filled her eyes.
"I, I.. Oh, Rainkit..", Brightkit closed her eyes and let the tears spill. "I thought you were different from those bullies, but, but i guess your not. In fact, your nothing but a bigger bully yourself!"
Brightkit fled towards the nursery. "Wait! I didn't mean!...", Rainkit called, but Brightkit was long gone.
Rainkit padded towards the nursery. "Brightkit?"
"Go away, you bully!"
"I didn't mean to hurt you..."
"Your just a big bully! Just like Darkpaw! Worse, even!"
Rainkit was hurt worse by those words than he could be hurt by claws and teath in a battle.
"Please, Brightkit, i'm sorry! Look, Yo.., You.. Your the only friend i have, and i don't want to lose you."
"Really?" The sniffles had begun to cease.
"Of course! We may have only known each other for a day, but... your my best friend! And.. I.. I just feel.. Oh... Like we have something special."
"You mean it?"
"I swear by Starclan's light!"
"Come on in, Rainkit!"
Rainkit padded into the nursery and curled up around Brightkit.
"I'm sorry, Brightkit."
"It's okay, Rainkit."
Rainkit licked the wound he had made on her cheek. Brightkit flinched.
"Oh!" Rainkit moved his head back in suprise. "Sorry..."
"Don't worry about it.", Brightkit mewed.
"Goodnight, Brightwhisker."
"Goodnight, Rainsplash."