Rain crept into her Housefolk's room; the scent of blood tinged the air, as it did after his parents yowled at him. She sniffed around and found the strip of shiny sharp stuff he used to hurt himself on the floor; it had his blood staining it. She looked down at the strip sadly, and picked it up, she hid it in her dirt-box, even though the knowledge he had more of them plagued her heart. Her Boy was sitting up on his bed, tears wetted his pale face. She sat down at the foot of his bed on the floor, her boy was a skinny Housefolk, his head fur was black, and longer than most other toms of his age. He always wore his colorful pelts long enough to cover all the white lines lining his pale skin.
Rain was a fluffy black orange and white tortoiseshell, and the only friend her Boy had. She mewed softly, he looked over, and his wide blue eyes were bloodshot and shiny with sorrow. He reached out for her, she allowed him to pick her up, ignoring the blood from his forelegs on her thick fur, and she could clean it out later. She licked his face softly, purring, and mewling softly,
"I'm sorry my friend…" she sighed. He reached over and turned on the black noise-box that blasted the loud screeching noise that the boy liked, when she had first come the noise had bothered her, but now, it was comforting. It made her Boy relax at least. She curled up against his bare skin, his arms bleeding through her thick fur. She wished she could keep her Boy safe, especially from himself.
Rain woke up at the screeching plastic bird that woke her Boy up in the mornings before dawn. She stretched and yawned, and began grooming herself as her boy groaned and rolled over.
"Come on wake up, your parents will get mad if you don't." she mewed and began grooming his head fur. He peeked out from under the thick pelt he slept under and made noises at her, before standing up. Rain watched him; he pulled on his colorful pelts and put a bag on his back. He put something through his head fur, grooming it. He turned back to her and made more noises, she could tell he was bidding her goodbye and he left. She heard his monster wake up outside, and she darted out to sit on her fence while she watched him leave. She watched the loud ugly monster leave, carrying her boy to where ever he went every morning. She then jumped down and padded down the alley into the edge of the forest, she jumped up onto her friend's fence, and the soft furred tabby was already there,
"Hi Princess!" She purred.
"Hello Rain," she purred "Is you Boy any better?"
"Sadly not, Princess. He's always so sad. His parents yowled at him last night, and he scratched his arms again."
"Oh I'm sorry to hear that." She mews.
"Princess!" A deep mew calls from below; there was a russet tom, a dark grey tom and a smaller brown tabby. Rain's golden amber eyes were fixed on the grey one. Princess bounded down and touched noses with the russet tom. She frowned, and followed.
"Rain this is my brother, Firestar, he is a warrior." She purred.
"Oh, my mother used to tell me about the forest cats." She swished her thick soft tail.
"How would a normal kittypet know of the clans?" they Grey tom asked.
"My mother was a Rouge and my father was a city cat." She sniffed.
"Oh. Ok." He nodded.
"It's nice to meet you Rain; this is my friend Greystripe and my apprentice, Bramblepaw." Firestar dipped his head.
"Nice to meet you, too Firestar. I've always wanted to meet a Warrior."
"Then why are you a kittypet?" Greystripe asked.
"Because, a structure collapsed on me my mother and my siblings, and my Boy saved me, after my mother and siblings died. He has kept me safe and happy, I am the only thing my Boy has, and I will always be there for him until I draw my last breath." Rain hissed, flattening her ears. The three warriors were astonished at the loyalty that gushed from her voice as she spoke. It was the same way one of them may speak of their clan.
"I can respect that." Greystripe nodded.
"We should get back to our patrol, Rain, Princess." Firestar dipped his head, and turned to walk away. Greystripe lingered and watched her, interest in his eyes. He then turned, following Bramblepaw and Firestar.
She glanced after the warriors that sounded like a good life. What would it feel like, to sleep under the stars, to protect her territory from others, to catch her own food? She didn't know. A longing sprung up in her chest, but, she remembered the pain that her Boy would feel at her loss, and she quenched that longing fast, nothing could tear her from her Boy.
She sat on her fence, waiting for her Boy. When he stepped out of his monster, she immediately stood in alarm, the smell of his blood wafted from him, she saw him, his face was bruised, and scratches littered the tender skin. She yowled in alarm and jumped down, rushing to him. She wound around his legs, and mewed up at him, until he picked her up. When he did so, she could also smell the salt of his tears. When they entered he set her on the table, and his mother gasped and began yowling, though her voice sounded upset, not angry. Her Boy mumbled something and the mother yowled something else, the male came down and bean bellowing and yowling at her Boy, she took this time to slink away, knowing this would just end in pain for her boy.
She left the home, knowing to return for her boy soon. She somehow found her way to the alley between Princesses' garden and the Forest. The moon was high, not quite full; she lay down and looked into the forest, flicking the end of her thick tail back and forth. She hoped her boy was ok.
"Rain?" a vaguely familiar voice cut through her thoughts, she snapped her golden eyes over to the shadows, out stepped Greystripe, "What are you doing here? You know I have to chase you away right?"
"You'll do no such thing, "She sniffed "I'm on my side of your scent lines."
"Well spotted for a Kittypet." Greystripe sat down and looked at her, "What are you doing out here, its late, there are foxes about"
"I-I needed to get away for a while." She sighed "And I don't care where there are foxes, I can take care of myself."
"I thought you said you loved it with your Housefolk?" he asked.
"I do!" she hissed, "It's just… his parents…" She sighed and trailed off, letting her ears droop in sorrow, "They yowl at him! He got hurt today and when he got home his mother was upset, so she called his father and he began bellowing and yowling at him…"
"Oh, I see… that's hard." He sighed.
"He scratches himself too, with these shiny sharp things… it's awful, but I have to be there for him, I'm the only thing he has…" She sighed, and looked up at the moon, it was center of the sky, "I should return."
'Wait! Rain… can you meet me here tomorrow at Moon high?" Greystripe asked.
"Why?"
"I-uh- like talking to you?" he replied lamely, flattening his ears embarrassedly.
"Ok… I can try, it depends on my Boy, and if he's hurt… you know." She replied.
"Yeah I can understand that." He replied.
"I'll see you tomorrow night then?" She purred.
"Yeah." The tom replied breathlessly. She could feel his yellow eyes boring hotly into her fur as she bounded across the fences.
She slipped into her Boy's room and lay with the sobbing boy.
"Rain, I love you, thank you for being here for me." He hiccupped, not that Rain could understand anything but his deep love and gratitude for the little cat he had rescued from the wreckage.
The next morning went as usual; the boy woke, but sour smelling stuff on the scratches on his arm, and put on a long fur. She went to the fence to watch the monster carry him away in its belly. She went to play with Princess. Not that since princess had been to the vet she had been much fun to play with, they spent most of the time lying in the sun. The black patches in her fur felt nice in the hot Greenleaf sun. As the sun began to sink, she got up and bounded back to her fence, and waited for her boy. He rumbled up in his monster, and got out. She mewled at him and jumped down from the fence and followed him inside. He set his bag down, and pulled out the block of white stuff that he read, and began to rub one of the black things on the white to make then Housefolk words. She sat and watched him, until he looked up at her and smiled, and pulled the fishy smelling treat out of his pocket that she knew was there. She mewled happily and took it from his hand. For a while she lay on the table top and watched him.
After some time she looked up at the Sky-window and saw that the moon was nearing its height, she ran to the flap she left the house through, it was closed, but she knew her boy would open it if she asked.
"Can I go outside?" she yowled. Her Boy looked up, and grunted back, "Please?' she mewed. Her Boy got up and opened the flap, and ran his hand down her back. She purred a thank you, and then shot out the door. She raced along the fences, her tail streaming behind her.
She got to the meeting, before Greystripe. She felt proud that she had gotten here quickly; her stomach rumbled slightly, she hadn't eaten before she left. She scented the air and caught the heady scent of a mouse. She dropped into a crouch, and stalked towards the little brown creature, but was sure to stay out of Thunderclan territory. She dropped smoothly into a crouch, and crept forward slowly, her ears strained. She bunched her haunches and pounced, killing it swiftly.
"Great catch!" a deep rumble sounded behind her, she spun around, and ears flattened, but then recognized Greystripe.
"Oh, thanks."
"You're a good hunter, but still far from being a warrior. A fully trained warrior would have scented me coming." He purred.
'Well, Excuse me, but I don't need to be able to scent you coming as I live in a house." Rain sniffed and lashed her thickly furred tail.
"Oh, you misunderstood me. I think you would make a great warrior with a bit of training. That was an amazing hunter's crouch. Not even our best apprentices could have pulled that off." Greystripe purred.
'Oh… well thanks. Would you like to share this mouse?"
"No its fine, your catch," Greystripe returned.
"Well… I have more food at home. You don't. You look hungry." Rain pointed out.
"Oh. Makes sense… I guess." Greystripe leaned down and took a decent sized bite off the haunch, and swallowed it, "Thanks, Rain." He purred. She nodded, and nipped up the rest of it.
The pair talked and even played, Rain was obviously younger, but not by a large amount of time.
"You kind of remind me of- well… somecat who meant a lot to me." Greystripe smiled at the smaller shecat.
"Really? Who?" Rain asked skeptically.
"A Riverclan shecat. Her name was Silverstream. She was my mate, it was wrong... but I didn't care. Then she died having my kits… they now live in Riverclan." Greystripe said. Rain let her ears fall sorrowfully,
"I'm so sorry to hear that, Greystripe, that must be so hard, and they don't even live with you anymore." She shook her head, "I've never understood why you don't just share all the forest. It would have enough food to support you. But it's not my home, so I can't possibly understand." She sighed.
"It could be your home." Greystripe sighed, "You know that you could survive here…"
"I've told you, Greystripe. My place is with my Housefolk…" she flattened her ears, "I-I have to go." She began to back up,
"Wait! Please, meet me again? We have a gathering tomorrow night… so the night after?"
"O-Ok..." she wanted to tell him no, but she couldn't bring herself to, she had enjoyed herself. She turned tail, and ran back up and along the fences.
Greystripe plodded home, his head awash with memories of Rain, the way her smooth thick pelt gleamed in the moonlight, her low laugh, her sweet smell, catmint and warmth. He shook his head, and pushed through the gorse tunnel, and was met by Firestar, his friend.
"Out for a night hunt my friend?" Firestar asked skeptically.
'Erh… you could say." He mumbled, and scuffed his paws. Firestar stood and beckoned with his tail and lead Greystripe up the rock fall to his den, it still smelled a little like Bluestar.
"Don't hurt yourself over this Kittypet, Greystripe. She's loyal to her boy. Not us." He rumbled, "Don't try to deny it, I smell her on you, and I've seen you glancing at Princess's fence hoping to glimpse her as she spoke with my sister."
'I'm sorry Firestar… I just… she reminds me of Silverstream…" Greystripe sighed. A pained look flashed across Firstar's face.
'Don't let it get in the way of you duties this time, Greystripe. And for Starclan's sake, do not let the other Warriors know about your going to see her. You will be on the dawn patrol." He dismissed Greystripe with a flick of his tail. Greystripe's amber eyes were wide; he had permission to see Rain? His heart leapt and he couldn't wait till he could see her next.
When Rain returned she went straight for her boy's room, He was lying awake, and let out a noise of happiness when he saw her. She curled up on his nest next to him, and fell asleep, exhausted from the nights venture. Her dreams were filled with Greystripe.
After that they met many many times, moons waned and waxed as they romped on the edge of the Thunderclan territory. Greenleaf gave way to Leaf-fall before anything changed. The Moon was nearing moon-high; Greystripe had to return earlier because he was on the moon-high patrol.
'I'll see you tomorrow?" Greystripe asked, nuzzling Rain goodbye.
"Of course." She purred in turn.
"Goodbye, Rain." He licked her ears, and she nosed his muzzle, and they parted ways ash she padded back to her home. That night, her Boy had come home hurt, he had the black Housefolk writing on his face, and his arms were bruised as if someone had hit him and held him down, tonight she had been more worried, but she had promised to see Greystripe. She slipped into the home and ate some of her pellets, before heading to her Boy's room. She looked up at him and mewled. He looked at her, wide blue eyes softening. He looked very afraid as he picked her up and set her on his bed. He had washed the stuff off his face, and taken off his pelt, on his soft pink skin was a long scar across his soft belly, it seemed to be in the language the Housefolk put on the white paper, but it was in angry red scabs rather than the black inky stuff that was on his face. She cried out in alarm seeing this. And he purred at her, though it seemed to catch in his throat as he reassured her. He picked up a clear jar, and tipped it back into his mouth, and swallowed a bunch of white pellets. His face looked afraid, as he lay down with her, and began to cry to her. He sounded as if he was saying goodbye.
"Silly Housefolk." She purred to him as she groomed his hair "Its sleep time… you don't leave till morning…" She wondered if he felt delirious from lack of sleep and that was why he was saying goodbye. She groomed his hair and purred to him until he fell asleep. She curled up by his head and promptly fell asleep.
The screeching alarm woke Rain and she looked around blearily. Her boy was still not moving. She began licking his headfur to wake him, but it didn't work. She frowned and pushed on his shoulder with her paw, but he was cold. Panic crept up in her body,
"Wake up!" she cried. "Come on, please!" she yowled. When she didn't feel her fur stir from his breath, it hit her that he was dead. She lifted her head and caterwauled in pain. The Boy's parents came in. the father yowled softly, then stepped over, and looked at the clear jar that the boy had eaten from the day before, and looked at the Boy in alarm. He reached down and touched his neck, his face went from pink to white and he looked back at his mate, fear and pain etched across hi9s face, and said something softly. She began yowling and screeching in pain and crumpled to the floor, Rain looked around wildly, and when the father reached for her, she hissed and scratched at his hand. He yelped and pulled his hand back, and she darted out of the room, her fur fluffed, she shot through the flap where she came in and out of the home, and continued running.
She soon came to Princesses garden, and jumped up onto the fence,
"Princess!" She screeched. The soft tabby pushed out of the home and ran over, yawning,
"Rain what's going on it so ea-"
"He's dead!" She cried, cutting her friend off, "he died, my boy is dead!" her whole world felt like it was crashing down around her. Memories of her boy crowded her head, him feeding her milk from a clear jar, him coaxing her to ear hard pellets, him playing the feather game with her. Him and her lying in his nest and looking at the sky through the windows. Walking through the town together. He was her everything.
"Oh no Rain, I am so sorry…" Princess nuzzled rain's head. Rain let out a low moan of anguish that rose to a loud caterwaul of pain.
"Rain! Princess!" The two she cats looked down, Bramblepaw and Firestar were running out of the trees, "What's wrong? We heard someone yowling like they were in pain."
"Her boy just died…" Princess whispered.
"Oh… I'm so sorry to hear that, Rain. I know he meant a lot to you." Firestar said.
"F-Firestar," she hiccupped, "Can I come back with you?"
"Who-What?" Firestar and Princess asked in unison.
"My Boy was my everything. Now, he's gone, I don't want to go back there. My nest will feel empty without him."
"I understand. Bramblepaw, please go back and get Greystripe." The small brown tabby nodded and darted off. Rain looked at Princess, and licked her shoulder, "Th-Thank you for being my friend, Princess."
"By you loved being a house-cat!" Princess exclaimed.
"No, I lived being with my boy. I prefer the taste of mouse and the feel of the sun on my pelt. I would have left if I didn't love my boy like I did." She sighed, "And I… Love Gre-"She was cut off by a yowl of concern,
"Rain!" She looked down; Greystripe was running through the woods, followed more slowly by Bramblepaw. She jumped down and met him,
"I'm so sorry to hear what happened, Rain. But are you really coming with us?"
"If Firestar will have me… I can't go back there."
"I will bring you back… you will have to live outside, catch your own food and possibly fight to the death to protect Thunderclan."
"I can deal with that." She lifted her head, "I need something new to pour my heart into, so I don't become a grieving mess of fur and sorrow… I've always thought the life of a Warrior was the best there could be… I just loved my boy too much to leave him…"
"Alright, rain. Let's go." Firestar said. Rain turned back and purred at Princess,
"Thank you for being there for me, my friend." She purred.
"And thank you, Rain. I'll keep an eye out to see you hunting among the trees. To tell you the truth, I never figured you'd stay a kittypet forever. I would always see you watching the birds, or the stars. Staring into the forest with a longing feeling," Princess purred sadly. The four cats walked away, Rain in-between Greystripe and Bramblepaw, Firestar leading. They entered a gorse tunnel, Rain relished in the feeling of the claw-like thorns raking her pelt. Eyes watched her from bushes; a she-cat with a crumpled leg lay in the shade of a bush watching her wearily. Some kits that were playing took one look at her and darted into a thicket.
"Why is everyone so scared?' Rain asked Greystripe in undertones.
"They're still weary of Bloodclan returning. Rain nodded in understanding, she remembered the night she met Greystripe, his sides were swathed in cobwebs and he smelled of herbs, he explained who Bloodclan was and what they were doing. She could understand their fear.
Firestar jumped onto a rock high above the camp. Rain sat down next to Greystripe, and waited as more cats crept out from the bushes.
"Cats, we lost good warriors during the battle against Bloodclan. This shecat is Rain; she was rouge born housecat, who had great loyalty to her two legs. Her Two legs recently died, and she cannot bring herself to stay in the two leg-place. She has requested we bring her in, as a warrior!"
"How can we trust her? What if she's a Bloodclan spy?" an old shecat asked.
"Do I look like I've lived on the street my whole life?" Rain asked, blinking owlishly. She was thick furred and soft, not a scar on her shining pelts.
"No…" The shecat grumbled.
"How do we know you are a good warrior?"A golden tabby tom asked.
"Valid question, Brackenfur," Firestar nodded. "A spar?"
"I can spar her." Greystripe offered.
"Greystripe, we both know you would go too easy on her." Firestar rumbled.
"So, I nominate Cloudtail." Firestar said, knowing the fluffy tom who was born a kittypet himself, he wouldn't go all out on an untrained cat. A fluffy white tom stood from his place next to a one-eyed shecat. He stood in front of her, he was much bigger than her, and she felt a little apprehension at first. But she glanced at Greystripe and he nodded encouragingly at her, and an image of her boy's smiling face swam to the front of her mind. She knew he would want her to be happy, and by whatever higher being there was, she would be. She lowered her head and stiffened her legs, lashing her tail, her eyes narrowed in challenge. Cloudtail's eyes widened a little at the sudden change in her demeanor.
He leaped at her, catching her by surprise, but she slipped under his forepaws and heaved up onto her hind paws, head butting him in the soft part of his belly, knocking the air out of him and flipping him tail over head. He lay there for a moment and Rain spun around. Cloudtail got back up and swiped at her catching her face with a soft paw. Her ears still rang at the blow. She leaped forward, paws outstretched, he kicked her over, but her paw caught his leg and they tumbled in the dirt, wrestling in a clump of tortoiseshell and white fur. Firestar jumped down,
'Enough, rain has proved herself, I believe."
'Dang right she did." Cloudtail puffed. Rain was breathing heavily too, her fur dusty from the dry ground.
"Rain is old enough and mostly skilled enough, Greystripe will mentor her, though she will have her warrior name." He purred, and looked at her, "Rain, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and protect Thunderclan with your life?"
"Yes." She breathed, pride swelling under her fur.
"Then, I commend you to starclan as a warrior of Thunderclan; from this day forth your name will be Rainsong, for though your heart is filled with sorrow, you are strong."
"Rainsong Rainsong!" the yowls of her clan mates rose in the air, and she looked at the clear blue sky, wondering if her boy was there somewhere, in a different heaven than the starclan cats went, and watching her, happy that she was somewhere that would care for her like he did, and she could care back.
So I hope you like it. I've been working on it for like a month. please no flames.
-Foxshine