~Summary~

Rainblossom is a RiverClan warrior. She hunts, she patrols, she fights. She is well-respected and looked up to. She has an apprentice who thinks she's the best mentor in the world. She has started to open up to a certain tom, something she had at first been very reluctant to do... but first appearances rarely go deeper than the surface. Rainblossom hides a not-so average secret from her Clanmates, one that could potentially destroy everything she has worked hard to create: moons ago, when she was an apprentice, she used to be in love with a WindClan cat. She doesn't think anyone knows about it, but when a fellow warrior suddenly threatens to reveal her, what will she do to keep the past where it belongs?

~Heartless~

Chapter One

"Like this, Rainblossom?" The apprentice's voice questioned.

The she-cat's whiskers twitched as she examined the young tom's way of crouching. They were practicing fish catching, and so far, her apprentice was making surprisingly good progress.

"Stretch your paw out a bit more," she advised, "that way it'll be easier to scoop out the fish - no, not that far, you'll scare them all away." She watched with approving eyes as the young tom-cat retracted his paw a bit, but still kept it stretched out further than it had been originally.

"Alright now," she crouched down next to the apprentice, in a way that was very similar to him, "watch the fish, and don't move a muscle before you're ready to scoop one out..."

Rainblossom stared intently down into the rippling water of the river, taking note of the flashes of silver as the fish swam below, completely unaware of the two predators lurking above.

Without warning, a single gray paw shot out and dipped into the water, before coming back up in a scooping motion. A single fish hit the soggy earth beside the warrior, flopping about helplessly.

Rainblossom killed it quickly, and then turned to her apprentice, who was looking over his shoulder in awe at her. She flicked her ear, indicating for him to pay attention to the water, not her. He swiftly turned back, green eyes narrowed in determination.

He waited for several moments, body tense. Then suddenly, his paw shot downward, and then swept back up. A glint of silver scales flashed in the morning sunlight, as the fish was scooped from its home in the river. The apprentice's eyes gleamed with triumph, but that was quick to disappear as a splash of cold water hit him in the face. The fish was nowhere in sight.

"Mouse-dung," he grumbled, looking put off, "it got away...again."

"It happens," Rainblossom assured him, "don't expect to get it exactly right on the first few tries. StarClan knows I didn't." She allowed herself to think of the times when her own mentor was teaching her to catch fish. Oh, all the times she'd failed...it was a wonder she ever learned.

"Oh? Did you have trouble with it too?" The young tom asked, looking up at her.

A soft purr rumbled in Rainblossom's throat, and she flicked the apprentice over the ear with her tail in a friendly way. "Of course," she meowed in amusement, "every apprentice does. It's not a skill we're born with, you know. We all have to learn it."

The young cat dipped his head in embarrassment, realizing his question must have sounded dumb. "Oh, right..."

Rainblossom let out a small mrrow of laughter, and blinked at him. "Come on, let's try it again. Practice makes perfect, right?"

"Right!" Just like that he was enthusiastic again, and ready to go. He crouched down by the river, his eyes blazing with even more determination than before.

Rainblossom watched him with a fond look in her eyes. Her apprentice was a ball of energy, that's for sure...but she wouldn't have it any other way.

It was almost sunhigh by the time Rainblossom and her apprentice returned to camp, the former with two small fish in her jaws, and the latter proudly hauling his catch toward the fresh-kill pile; a single, large fish.

He'd been ecstatic with his success. His first fish, and look at the size of it! He'd bet none of his denmates could beat that!

Rainblossom watched the young cat, feeling proud of him. She was certain he'd make a fine warrior someday.

"Stormpaw's training seems to be coming along nicely," a new voice spoke to her. She turned to see a familiar tom - Reedtail. His dark tabby fur was sleekly groomed like always, his bright amber eyes watching her fondly.

Rainblossom dipped her head in response to the warrior's praise, her whiskers twitching lightly. "Thank you, Reedtail. He is a very fast learner. He will make a fearsome warrior one day, I am sure of it."

Reedtail purred softly, and nudged her shoulder with his nose. "Come on," he meowed, "it's not all just him. He has a great mentor, too."

Rainblossom felt distinct embarrassment at his words, and more than a bit awkward at his actions.

She knew the tom liked her. She knew he was interested, but she found herself unable to fully comprehend them, even when he made it painfully clear.

Now, don't get it wrong - she liked Reedtail. He was nice, intelligent, and reliable. He was the ideal material for a mate.

No, the real issue lied with Rainblossom, not him. She didn't know if she was ready for that. Not after he disastrous romance with...him. She wasn't sure if she could handle another heartbreak like that...

But, if there was one cat she was willing to try again with, it would be Reedtail. She almost found herself wanting to fall in love with him, while the other part was terrified of something like that. She was torn. She cared for this cat, but she just didn't know if it would ever be enough.

It wasn't like she could tell Reedtail about why she was hesitant to return his affections, either. StarClan forbid that! She was sure he'd turn away from her in disgust if he knew the truth. Who would want to love a cat who used to sneak around at night with a cat from another Clan?

So that is one of the reasons she kept her jaws shut, never daring to open them and say a word about that dreadful time spent with that cat.

"Rainblossom?" Reedtail's voice broke through her thoughts, bringing her back to the real world. She angled her head to look at him, blinking curiously. He looked concerned, an she realized that she might have been zoned out longer than she had initially thought.

"Oh, I'm fine!" She assured him, "I'm just thinking."

The tom gave her a doubtful look, as if he could see right through her cheerful facade, but he let it drop. He flicked his tail dismissively, and meowed, "Alright."

A slightly awkward silence fell over them then, with Rainblossom shuffling her paws lightly. She didn't know what to say that would break the tension that was suddenly mounting on top of them.

She opened her jaws to start a new conversation, but was quickly interrupted before she even got the chance.

"Hey, Reedtail!" A she-cat's voice called, and both the tom and Rainblossom turned to see a light gray tabby she-cat bounding over to them.

Silverbreeze. One of RiverClan's most arrogant and conceited warriors. The current Clan deputy's daughter. Thought she could order everyone around because her father held an important position within the Clan.

Did Rainblossom also mention that she disliked this cat? Honestly. Silverbreeze and her had never really gotten along, even as apprentices. The two used to bicker continuously, to the point that they could quickly make their mentors exasperated.

Unfortunately, Silverbreeze happened to be her apprentice's mother. Right. Silverbreeze, the deputy's daughter, was Stormpaw's mother. So she kind of had to tolerate the annoying she-cat.

Though the way she was almost pressing herself up against Reedtail was starting to get on Rainblossom's nerves. Did this she-cat have no sense of personal space? Couldn't she see that Reedtail looked on in discomfort as he tried to inch away from her?

Rainblossom felt her ears begin to flatten to her head. She knew that Silverbreeze's first mate had died recently, struck down by a feral fox, but obviously she didn't seem too torn up about it, what with the way that she was acting with Reedtail.

Finally having enough, she cleared her throat pointedly, causing both cats to turn their heads toward her. Reedtail looked relieved, but Silverbreeze was another matter entirely.

"Oh, Rainblossom," she meowed, giving her Clanmate a dark look, "I didn't see you there."

Liar. "Well, now you do," Rainblossom returned in a coldly polite tone. "I've been here the entire time, actually."

Silverbreeze sniffed disdainfully, though discreetly. "Oh, is that a fact..."

Yes, it is, you dumb bird-brain. Rainblossom kept her jaws shut, not wanting to start a fight.

"Well, what is it you wanted, Silverbreeze?" Reedtail cut in, sensing the rapidly dropping temperature between the two she-cats.

The gray tabby's face instantly lit up again, and Rainblossom resisted the urge to gag at her overly sweet expression. "Oh, I just wanted to know if you wanted to hunt," she meowed, waving her tail, "just the two of us." She shot another discreet glare Rainblossom's way, and said she-cat had to keep herself rooted to the spot, lest she rake her claws across her Clanmate's nose.

Reedtail looked uncertain. "I don't know, Silverbreeze...I promised Cedarpaw I would take him out to train this afternoon..."

Was that a lie to get rid of her? Rainblossom wondered this.

Silverbreeze's face fell. "Oh," she meowed, "I see. Well, maybe later then?" She asked hopefully, green eyes wide.

"Maybe," Reedtail agreed, and flicked her ear with his tail, much to Rainblossom's dismay.

As the gray tabby she-cat sauntered off, she turned back once to fix Rainblossom with a haughty stare. "Stormpaw tells me that you're a really great mentor," she blinked, and Rainblossom had the feeling she was holding back the urge to roll her eyes. "Well, that's good for him, I guess. Just don't mess things up with my son. I'll be keeping an eye on you..."

And then Silverbreeze turned away again, heading toward a patrol of cats getting ready to head out.

Rainblossom unsheathed her claws and bore her teeth in anger. "Conceited furball!" She snarled out loud, glaring after the tabby warrior. "'I'll be keeping an eye on you...'" her claws dug into the ground. "I'd like to see her try! I'm the one training Stormpaw, not her! She has no reason to butt in like that, especially since I'm doing nothing wrong!"

She had forgotten Reedtail was standing nearby until she felt his tail rest soothingly on her shoulder. "Calm down, Rainblossom. You'll just give her the satisfaction of knowing she made you angry."

Rainblossom forced herself to relax, knowing that letting her temper get the better of her wouldn't make anything better. She sheathed her claws again, letting her fur lie flat. "Right," she murmured.

When she was calmer, she turned to look at Reedtail again. "So," she meowed, letting a mischievous note slip into her voice, "did you really promise Cedarpaw that you'd take him out to train or was that just a lie to get rid of Silverbreeze?"

Reedtail looked down at her, an amused glint in his eyes. "It wasn't really a promise per-say, it was more of a suggestion..." he trailed off, "but I knew if I didn't say something, I'd find myself all alone with her out in the territory."

"So...you don't like Silverbreeze?" Rainblossom couldn't help but ask. The thought of Reedtail and Silverbreeze becoming mates made her sick. She didn't want that to happen...

...but at the same time she wasn't sure if she wanted him like that either. Could she really lay claim to him like that, when she knew there were other cats who were actually willing to return his affections? Cats who weren't so insecure and skeptical like she was?

"No, not really," Reedtail responded gently, looking at her. Rainblossom felt her insides turn. When he looked at her like that...it reminded her of Cop- him. It reminded her of him.

"I see," she murmured, and then suddenly found herself unable to stand in his presence anymore. "I...I have to go out again. I'll see you later, Reedtail."

She didn't give him a chance to reply. She didn't even look back at him. She tore across camp, slipping outside, and breathed in the scents of RiverClan territory. They calmed her nerves, allowed her to think clearly. Breaking into another sprint, Rainblossom let her paws carry her to the river.

I never wanted anything to do with romance ever again, she thought solemnly, gazing down into her reflection on the cool water. I was done with it. I was ready to live out the rest of my life alone.

Her own face stared back at her, and Rainblossom heaved a sigh.

But that's not how it works, is it? You don't decide who you fall in love with...it just happens. Even when you don't want it to.

Reedtail... Copperheart...

I'm not sure if I can handle falling in love again.

Well, that's a wrap!

*hides from potential thrown projectiles*

I promise I didn't mean to go so long without updating! Really!

I don't even have a proper excuse for how long this took! *bricked*

Please don't kill me...leave a review instead! :'D

Hopefully it won't take this long for me to update again...

Goodbye for now! (I really am sorry about the wait for this...)

~TheAzuraStar