AN: Another update! I hope the cliffhanger wasn't too bad. It wasn't supposed to be! I would love to hear what you think about the story, and what about the new title page? Hope you like this chapter! Enjoy it!

Disclaimer: I do not own Warrior Cats, the lovely women that make up Erin Hunter do! I only own the plot, and many of the cats aren't even mine. They are yours.

~Candy~

Love in the Rain

Chapter 3

A New Beginning

People will say things throughout your life. You must learn what the difference is between the lies and the truths. Don't let the lies get to you, keep the truths with you. Everything will get better. ~Me

"You are now known as Pinepaw, Nighthawk will be your mentor. I know he will teach you everything he knows, and you will become a strong warrior of ShadowClan," the leader called.

I looked up at the strong tom. His long legs made him tower over me. His dark yellow eyes twinkled as he touched his nose to mine. "I'll make sure I'm the best mentor ever," he whispered to me. I nodded slowly, looking over at Rai- Splashkit. Her fur was still ragged and was missing clumps here and there, but she looked beautiful. Splashkit's eyes sparkled in the light of camp. She held her paw up, trying to keep the weight off of it.

"Splashkit, you have turned seven moons old, and you have shown that you are a loyal member of ShadowClan. Please step forward!" the Clan leader called. Her gray fur swooshed as she stepped forward, daintily setting her paws on the ground. The sun sparkled down from the gaps in the trees, and the leader's hazel eyes glittered with pride. "Hawkfeather, please step forward again."

Some of the cats gasped as the newest warrior stepped forward. "Hawkfeather, you have shown how great of a leader you are and helped keep calm and control when Whitekit had gone missing. For this, you will be the mentor of Splashpaw. I know you will teach her everything you know, and it will be a good learning experience for you," the leader called.

Hawkfeather dipped her head, "Yes, Lightstar." She padded softly over to Splashpaw and dipped her head. Splashpaw leaned forward and touched her nose quickly to Hawkfeather's black one.

The Clan called, "Hawkfeather! Smokeclaw! Cherryfur! Pinepaw! Splashpaw!"

So this is what it means to fit in!

I run over to Splashpaw, rubbing my pelt against hers. "Guess what, Splashpaw?" I whisper.

"What?" she replied, the twinkle in her eye.

"We're apprentices!" I mewed, bouncing on my paws. "Better yet... You're an apprentice! You'll become a great warrior of ShadowClan! Maybe even the best! You could be leader one day!" I stop bouncing when I notice Splashpaw looking at the ground. "What is it, Splashpaw?"

She looked up, her eyes pools of blue, "I'm still not fully accepted, Pinepaw. The other apprentices still look at me like I'm foxdung. Some of the warriors don't trust me, and I can hear them whisper. Many don't think I'll last past the first battle that I participate in... Pinepaw, you are still the only one that fully accepts me!" Her body gave a small shiver. "I'll never fit in when I'm in the Clans..."

"Splashpaw, life will get bett-"

"No! You keep saying that, but it hasn't," Splashpaw interrupted.

Lashing my tail, I respond, "We have only been here for 4 moons! The Clans weren't built in a moon. It takes time, Splashpaw. Trust me."

"It's not that I don't tru-" she cut off as Nighthawk and Hawkfeather padded over.

"We'll start your training tomorrow after Hawkfeather's vigil," Nighthawk mewed, his voice deep.

I dipped my head to him, "Yes, Nighthawk."

Hawkfeather leaned forward and touched her nose to Splashpaw's ear. Her eyes twinkled with the prospect of having an apprentice. "Go find a nest in the Apprentices' den." The two warriors padded away.

"I'll explain later," I hissed, making my way over to the den. A white apprentice sat there, grooming her paws. I dipped my head slightly as I mewed, "Hey Whitepaw."

She took a heartbeat to stop licking her paws and take a glance at me. Her claws flashed in the light, and she blinked slowly. The blue eyes were dazzling, but held pain in them. It was minuscule, but enough to make me lower my eyes in sadness for her. "Afternoon, Pinepaw," she purred. Her speckled head lifted again; her blue eyes met with my green ones. A spark of mischief was present in hers. "What honor do I receive for this visit, Pinepaw?"

Splashpaw walked forward, but stopped right behind me. Purring, I reply, "I was wondering where Splashpaw and I were supposed to set up our nests."

"Well..." Whitepaw mewed, "I set you up a nest already, but Splashpaw isn't welcomed in. Spottedpaw and I agreed that she has to prove her apprenticeship first before we let her into our den." The speckled cat went back to grooming her paws, glancing over at her sister occasionally.

I stood, dismayed at the thought of yet another set of cats that looked at Splashpaw like she was a spawn from the Dark Forest. Splashpaw let out a small twitch that rustled the air, but didn't give in to the thought again. A tension grew through the air, and it felt like the temperature grew hotter. I looked up, swearing that a cloud had passed over the sun. It seemed so much darker now.

Splashpaw walked forward, still keeping the weight off her paw slightly. She looked so fragile, but also very strong. It was a strange combination, and I wanted to say something. She's beautiful! StarClan. Opening my mouth, I couldn't find my voice. The words were stuck in my throat, and my tongue couldn't be controlled by my brain. As soon as Splashpaw made it in front of me, I managed to squeak out a weak, "Splashpaw." My heart beat hard in my chest as she turned her head around. The white hairs around her muzzle and up her nose twitched in the wind. Her sky blue eyes were bright, but held determination and hatred in them.

"Don't worry, I won't do anything stupid," she whispered. I barely heard them over the blood pounding in my ears.

Her voice carried over the camp, strong. It was the first time ever I heard her so strong, everything was only a strong whisper; except when she was yowling in pain. All the animals in the forest stopped their sound as her words carried strong. She opened her mouth, "Whitepaw. What makes you better than me? I'm a seven moon apprentice now. I have four paws that carry my body, two eyes that can see a far distance, a nose that can detect very faint scents, a tail that helps me keep my balance, I had a mother and a father, yet... You look at me like I'm different."

Splashpaw's voice was strong, determined, and calm. The only sign she was angry was her slightly bushy tail that slowly lashed back and forth. Whitepaw kept her mouth shut, trying to think of an answer worth the question.

Luckily for her, Spottedpaw padded forward, ears erect. Her tail whipped back and forth in the air, raised high in warning. "You're different because of a few different reasons. You lost your mother to a fox. No one in your Clan liked you so you had to run here. You've been beaten and abused, yet you still try. You try even when there is no hope for you to be like everyone else. There is no way anyone will like you. Everything you have done up until this point will be wasted," she spat.

"No, it won't be. I'll be the best apprentice possible, and I'll become an even better warrior of ShadowClan," Splashpaw mewed, walking forward to be closer to the sisters. "You may think I'm useless, but I'm not. I can do anything you can do. You say I lost my mother? At least she didn't get the chance to talk to me... Unlike your mom. Let me be who I want to be. Just because I was born during a rainstorm doesn't mean anything. Just because my name used to be Rainkit, doesn't mean I'm some horrible monster!"

Splashpaw took a small step back and took a deep breath. "How would you feel if everyday, cats looked at you like you were useless. Like you could never be something great like Lightstar? How would you feel if the thoughts that swirled through your head from the looks every cat gave you were then voiced out. Cats not letting you do something because they believed you were some cursed soul? This is how I feel. This is what you do to me."

The light in her blue eyes dimmed a bit. She gave one last line, "Think about it from my point of view." Splashpaw blinked slowly, turned, and headed toward a corner in the camp she had set up a nest in the darkness. Whitepaw and Splashpaw sat there dumbfounded, trying to think of what to say. They each blinked a few times, clearing their thoughts from what just happened.

Before Splashpaw made it halfway across to her nest, Whitepaw let out a, "Wait! Splashpaw!"

Splashpaw turned around to face the sisters again, feeling slightly worn out. "What?" she whispered. Her voice is back to normal... but she looks so beautiful and strong...

"Come make a nest," Whitepaw purred. "You can sleep in the den with us." Splashpaw nodded, slightly stunned, and headed back to the den. Whitepaw and Spottedpaw headed into the den, and I followed as soon as Splashpaw made it inside. "I'm sorry I was mean to you, Splashpaw. You're right; we shouldn't have judged you by what we were told was wrong. You're the same as us. I think it'll be fun to train next to you." She dipped her head. "Pick a spot over by Pinepaw. It'll be a nice spot over there."

Splashpaw nodded, heading over to one of the outer nests. "I'm guessing this one is mine?" I mew, pointing at one with my paw. Spottedpaw nodded. "Okay, cool." I noticed the sun going down slowly. "Anyone hungry? I can get us a vole or something, and then we could go to sleep."

The cats lifted their tails, and my heart beat with jealousy. I turned, looking at my short tail that wouldn't grow out. Shaking my head, I pad out the den, heading to the fresh-kill pile slowly.

Oh StarClan. I told her things would get better... It's just a matter of time...