Chapter 2

Eagle began his search for Rain almost instantly. He was afraid to ask around in case Rain heard that he was searching for him and became suspicious. If he made Rain suspicious and the tom refused to talk to him, then he couldn't learn about clan life.

Eagle wondered about what would happen if he lead Rain to Bone. The way Bone spoke about warriors made him think that Rain's fate would not be a good one.

But so would Eagle's fate if he decided to protect the tom, if he was indeed a former clan cat.

If Spark also had an odd grudge against warriors then he would have to leave the city. If Bone hadn't killed him for betraying him, that is.

Yet somehow, Eagle decided he wouldn't turn the tom in. Unless clan cats were really something to hate. If Rain wasn't ever a clan cat then he wouldn't have to worry.

Eagle sighed as he padded onwards, avoiding the thunderpaths and twolegs. Rain would be a cat he hadn't seen before and one who probably stayed alone.

It was highly unlikely he would be with Spark and her cats.

Instinct told Eagle to check the forest first, if the tom came from there and could hunt well - there was no need to constantly stay in the city.

The young tom stopped at the edge of the forest, glancing behind him. With a small sight he looked back towards the forest and padded into it.

While he walked dead leaves crunched beneath his paws, probably a bad thing if Rain wanted to hide from him.

Or if something dangerous was roaming the forest.

Eagle snorted, he was never this paranoid. Maybe he was just having an odd day.

Eagle thought he heard something and froze. Slowly he turned around.

Nothing.

Eagle flattened his ears and was about to turn back around and continue when something dropped onto him and forced him to the ground.

He let out a grunt of surprise as he hit the ground but it soon turned into a snarl. Then with all his strength he threw his attacker off and turned to face them.

It was a ginger she-cat.

At first he thought it was Spark but then he realised they were just similar, but this she-cat had a white underbelly and chest. There was also her eyes, which were a lighter shade of amber than Spark's.

"Who are you!" she snarled, her fur bristling.

"I guess you aren't one of Spark's or Bone's cats" he mewed, keeping his voice calm but he did narrow his eyes slightly.

The she-cat frowned "I don't know them.. but a cat I know might have mentioned them"

She then suddenly shot towards him but Eagle managed to doge her blow.

"Calm down" he told her "I'm not looking for any fights"

"He warned me against city cats!" she snarled "And you are obviously one"

A cat who is aware of city cats.. could that possibly be...

"I live in a city, yes" Eagle replied then added bitterly "But I'm not one of them. I'm more of a lone cat, they tried to recruit me. But every time they tried, I refused. I do not work for any cat"

The she-cat looked a bit calmer now but looked wary of him "How do I know I can trust you?"

"Good question" Eagle replied "I can't think of any way to prove it to you though. Who's this cat who warned you against city cats anyway?"

"My father... well he's not really my father but he found me when I was little" she mewed, looking at her paws "A she-cat lived with him and she had kits, but they died really young. So they both took care of me... anyway why do you care?"

"I'm just interested" he replied, flicking his tail "You live here, yet it's odd. All city cats avoid it because it was the home of.. clan cats"

The she-cat's eyes widened slightly at the mention of clan cats, then she looked away.

"I'll tell you a bit about myself, since you said something about you" Eagle said, hoping she would become less hostile and wary of him "My name is Eagle and I was born in the city, of course. My mother was Bird, I never knew my father. I have a brother named Thorn, who left me to work for Bone... "

The she-cat sat down and said nothing.

"How about you tell me your name?" Eagle asked as politely as he could.

"Emberlight" she replied then looked worried "Uhh... Ember"

"Emberlight...? That's odd" Eagle answered. Is it possible that is a warrior name? The kit stories did mention weird names and Bone said the tom called himself Rain, but his name might actually not be that. She's about my age yet i'm sure the clans had gone quite some time before I was even born. So is it possible that Rain is her adopted father? That would explain her having that odd name, if it was in fact be a clan name.

"Yeah.. my father gave it to me" she replied glancing at her paws again.

"You're father sounds interesting" he mewed "Could I meet him?"

"Oh..." her expression turned horrified "You know? You city cats know who he was... oh Rain I'm so sorry...please, Eagle, don't tell anyone. Rain.. he says they will kill us!"

Eagle took a step back "No, not everyone knows. Just me... I heard of a strange cat and I wanted to find him. Because.. I've always been interesting in learning about clan life. I am sorry... about not telling you first thing. But please, take me to see your father. I hate Bone, Spark and their cats so I would never tell your.. secret"

Eagle was being partially honest now and felt bad he wasn't giving her the whole truth. But now he had pretty much decided... it would be cruel to hand them over to Bone.

Sure Emberlight was hostile at first, but she was just afraid. If he had been Bone then she would have been right to see him as an enemy. To be honest she seemed like a nice cat, not a savage that the city cats seemed to suggest cats like her, or Rain were. And for Rain to take in an abandoned kit showed great kindness, not evil.

"I'm just curious... why did Rain decide to take you, an abandoned kit in?" he asked.

"Oh right. Well he just couldn't leave me like that. Also the warrior code says warriors should never reject a kit in pain or danger even if the kit is not from their clan" she replied softly.

"The warrior code?" he asked and thought now clan cats really don't sound evil... I don't understand why everyone is afraid of them or just hates them. Is it just because it isn't the life for them, rumors that got out of control or.. something else?

"I suppose if Rain decides to trust you he will tell you all about it. To put it briefly it is laws that warrior must follow" she replied then stood up "I will take you to Rain. He is in the city but I know where he will probably be. He took me there once"

Eagle followed Emberlight and it turned out she knew her adopted father very well and was also a good tracker as they managed to find him talking to Red, a kittypet who often ventured very far into the city. Which was unusual because most kittypets were too afriad.

Rain was a fairly large tom., quite older than him. Not old, old but not young either. His fur was silver with white laws and his eyes were blue. There was a long scar across his shoulder and a small nick in his ear.

Red gave Rain a nod and said "Thank you for your time, I will definitely consider it"

'Father?" Emberlight asked

"I thought I told you that you didn't need to call me that – oh!" Rain turned around, looking very worried "Emberlight, you know you shouldn't be here!"

"I'm fine, anyway i'm here because someone wants to talk to you" Emberlight replied, glancing at Eagle who stood beside her.

Rain frowned at Eagle "who are you?"

"I am Eagle" He replied "I live here in the city, though I don't work for anyone. I have no bad intentions, I just wish the learn more about the clans. Ever since I was a kit and I heard the stories I always wanted to learn more about warriors. Recently I heard rumours about you, a strange cat. I though that perhaps... "

"I'm a clan cat" Rain asked frowning "I guess you already know some things. Unusually, I find myself trusting you. So fine, yes. I was part of a clan. Flameclan, it was called. But it was destroyed long ago..."

"I'm sorry to hear that.." He mewed "I have a question, Rain"

"You can ask it. But not here" the silver tom replied, glancing around warily.

Eagle nodded and they headed back to the forest in silence. When they were finally quite deep into the forest Rain spoke

"First of all, my true name is Rainsky" Rainsky mewed "Second, you may ask your question now"

"Emberlight mentioned the warrior code and said it was the rules the clan had. I wanted to know all those rules..." Eagle mewed then trailed off.

"Of course, it wouldn't do any harm to tell you about it" Rainsky replied then began "First you must defend your clan even at the cost of your life. Second do not hunt or trespass on territory that belongs to another clan... when Flameclan got destroyed we were alone. But moons back when I was a kit there was another clan bordering us, but they left. Third queens, elders and kits must be fed before warriors and apprentices"

"Umm.. Rainsky? What are exactly are warriors and apprentices?" Eagle asked.

"Oh apprentices are cats training to become warriors. They start training at 6 moons. Warriors have completed their training. They hunt and fight for the clan" Rainsky replied and added "There are other ranks I will explain later, since you seen so interested in clan life"

Eagle nodded and Rainsky continued "Fourth, prey is killed only to be eaten. Fifth a kit must be at least 6 moons old to become an apprentice. Sixth, on the night of the day they become warriors, the new warrior must sit a silent vigil until dawn. Seventh a cat must have mentored at least one apprentice to become a warrior.. eighth the deputy becomes leader when the leader dies.. ninth.."

Rainsky continued to say the rest of the warrior code then went onto explaining names. Eagle learnt that kits had kit at the end of their name. So he would be Eaglekit, if he was one. And Eaglepaw if an apprentice, as apprentice names ended with a paw. Warrior names had a range of suffixes so for example he could be Eagleclaw, or Eagleheart. Or perhaps Eaglefeather, Eagletalon or Eagleflight. It was all very interesting.

He also learnt about Starclan, the warrior ancestors that watched over the living clan cats and may send omens and prophercies. He also learnt leaders got given 9 lives from Starclan and that the leader's name also ended with star.

All day they talked about clan life and Rainsky said there was still more for him to learn. In the end Eagle decided to make himself a moss nest next to Emberlight and Rainsky's nests. The moss nest was actually rather comfortable and Eagle felt he could get used to sleeping in a forest and moss nest if he had to.

That night he slept peacefully.

AN : I really hope you enjoyed this page!

Thank you SageandSky for the review, I am so glad you like this fanfic so far!

Please review! It helps me get motivated to write, so the more reviews I get the quicker I will probably get the chapters done.

If you haven't already read or seen my other fanfic, Descendants, please check it out and consider reading.