A/N: Hi! I managed to write a whole other chapter today, so I'm updating again! Isn't it awesome? Well, you might not think it's so awesome when you get to the end… but anyways, thanks to everyone who's reviewed, and added this to their favorites or are following this!
Chapter 2
Rainpool stood in the clearing with her Clanmates, waiting to hear who was going on the visit to LightClan. At the point between the end and the beginning of each season, the two Clans sent a group of cats to each other to visit. It had been that way since LightClan and DarkClan began. Rainpool wasn't sure why. But she bet Hazelcloud and Shadowpelt knew.
"Lichenfur will take Graytalon, Brackenfrost, Robinheart, Maplesong, Rowantooth, Rainpool and Russetpaw." Urchinstar announced. "Pebblepelt will accompany them to guide the group from LightClan back to camp." Rainpool felt a mixture of apprehension and excitement. Excitement because she was going, and it had been a few seasons since she'd last been. Apprehension because Rowantooth was coming. At least her mother was going too.
Lichenfur addressed the Clan. "We will leave as soon as the cats selected are ready," she meowed. "Please eat something, and go to Poppysplash for a check-up." Before any cat could visit LightClan, they had to be checked over by Poppysplash, to ensure that they would not be bringing fleas or disease with them.
Rainpool headed to the medicine den. Inside, Bluepaw was checking her sister Russetpaw, while Poppysplash looked over Brackenfrost. Poppysplash glanced over at her. "I'll be there in a moment," she meowed. Rainpool sat down to wait, looking around at the well-organized cave. Herbs were stacked in niches around the walls, and in one corner a small pool of water rippled. Nests for the sick lined the side wall.
Poppysplash finished with Brackenfrost and turned to Rainpool. Rainpool stood as Poppysplash circled her. "Open your mouth, dear," the medicine cat meowed. Rainpool stretched open her jaws and waited. "M-hm. You can close it now," Poppysplash mumbled. Rainpool closed her mouth. Poppysplash finished the check up, declaring Rainpool to be quite healthy.
After every cat leaving had eaten some prey and been checked by Poppysplash or Bluepaw, they gathered near the entrance. Lichenfur stood at the head of the group. "Are we all ready?" The deputy asked. Every cat meowed an eager yes. "Alright then," Lichenfur meowed. "Let's go!"
Rainpool walked next to Maplesong, and the two chatted a bit. But then they came to the one spot that Rainpool avoided at all costs. She imagined that if she walked behind that bush, she would still see the blood, that it would pool around her paws, suck her down…
"Rainpool, are you okay?" Maplesong was asking. "What? Oh, yes. I'm fine. It's just, um, the forest is so pretty," Rainpool stammered. Maplesong gave her an odd look, but Rainpool's gaze was drawn to something else. Rowantooth was watching her. When he saw her looking at him, he quickly averted his gaze. Rainpool shivered.
The rest of the trip passed in a bit of a blur to Rainpool, who could barely think of anything besides Rowantooth. He knows. He knows, he knows, he knows.
Before she knew it, they had reached the border. Across from them, the group from LightClan stood. Lichenfur stepped forward. "Hello, Adderflash," she greeted their deputy. He dipped his head. "Lichenfur." He replied. The groups stood awkwardly for a moment, then Lichenfur meowed, "Um… may we continue into your territory?" Adderflash looked flustered. He was a new deputy, Rainpool knew, and he'd never led the group to DarkClan.
"Oh, sure. Yes," Adderflash stuttered. Lichenfur nodded calmly, then waited expectantly. "Err… may we pass into your territory?" Adderflash meowed quickly. Lichenfur nodded. "You may," she meowed demurely. "Pebblepelt can lead you to camp." Adderflash nodded, looking relieved. The two groups edged around each other and walked on, with Pebblepelt joining LightClan.
Soon they were approaching the entrance to LightClan. Two cats stepped forward to greet them. "Fernstar," Lichenfur meowed respectfully. Fernstar purred. "Welcome back to LightClan," she meowed. The cat beside her- Rainpool remembered her as Frostflight, the medicine cat- turned and led the way into camp.
Cats stopped what they were doing and glanced up curiously. Rainpool glanced around the clearing. Her gaze fell on a den across from her. A tawny she-cat was sitting in front of it, watching Rainpool thoughtfully. An elder. It took Rainpool a moment to bring her name to mind. Dawnspots. Rainpool glanced to her left and saw Rowantooth watching her too.
Oh no. You are not going to lay a claw on her. But if he wanted to kill Dawnspots, why hadn't he done it already? He'd been here several times since he'd killed Hazelcloud and Shadowpelt. It didn't make sense.
"Hello? Any cat in there?" A tail slapped her in the face.
"Hey!" Rainpool spat in surprise. The brown tabby in front of her purred. "I knew that-" Before he could finish, Rainpool slammed her paw down his. "-Owwww…. There was a feisty she-cat in there somewhere," he groaned. "Okay, feisty was not the word I was going to use at first, but-" Rainpool spun around and marched away, not interested in what he was about to say.
Unfortunately, he ran after her. "Hi, I'm Pineheart," he meowed cheerfully. Rainpool ignored him and headed towards her mother. The tom, Pineheart, gave her a sideways glance. "And your name is…?"
Rainpool glared at him. He stepped away from her. "Alright, you've killed me already. Are you usually this hostile? Stepping on poor cats' paws and then impaling them with a death glare?" He meowed. Rainpool growled under her breath. He sighed. "At least tell me your name so that I know who hates me so much. And if you don't tell me, I'll ask some cat else."
"Rainpool," Rainpool growled shortly. Pineheart's eyes widened. "She speaks!" He purred. Rainpool stalked away, only to crash into someone else. The two cats tumbled to the ground, and Rainpool's head hit the dirt hard.
This day was going great.
When she opened her eyes, everything seemed a little blurry. Two- or was it four?- cats stood over her, and as the ringing in her ears lessened, she could hear what they were saying.
"Wow, she hit the ground hard. Do you think she's passed out? Wait, she opened her eyes."
Rainpool's vision slowly refocused. The speaker was a pretty gray she-cat with blue eyes. The cat helped Rainpool up.
"Sorry I ran into you there. I really need to start watching where I'm going. Are you okay?" She meowed. Rainpool nodded. "I'm okay now. It's alright. I wasn't watching where I was going either," she replied. "She says sentences! It's amazing!" Pineheart's voice meowed. The other cat rolled her eyes at him. "Be quiet, Pineheart." To Rainpool, she meowed "I'm Stormflower. And you are?" "Rainpool. I'm Rainpool," Rainpool meowed.
Stormflower purred. "Well, I'm guessing you already met Pineheart." Rainpool glanced at the tom. "Yes," she muttered. Pineheart looked amused. "I bet we'll be best friends," he meowed.
The rest of the day passed with Stormflower showing her around, since it had been awhile since Rainpool had been there, and Rainpool trying to ignore Pineheart, who tagged along. When night fell, the DarkClan cats were shown to an unused den to sleep. Rainpool collapsed in her nest, exhausted.
The dream started out the same as usual. Rainpool was standing on the edge of a cliff. Below her, cats were fighting furiously, unaware of the wave bearing down on them. Rainpool tried to open her mouth, to call out to them, but no sound would come. The water swept the cats away, rising upwards. Then the dream changed.
When Rainpool turned, she could see a cat walking towards her. His fur was dark brown, and as he came closer, Rainpool could see his eyes. Blue. Amber. Claws glinted in the sun. Rainpool turned to run, but on her other side, the wave swelled. She was trapped. Just as both Rowantooth and the wave reached her, everything went black.
Hazelcloud appeared. Rainpool gasped. "Oh, Hazelcloud, please, you have to tell me-" But the brown tabby wasn't looking at her. She was staring at something behind her, but when Rainpool turned, she couldn't see anything. When she looked back, Hazelcloud was gone. A voice echoed in her mind. Run.
Rainpool's eyes flew open, and she found herself staring into another pair of eyes, one blue and one amber.
A/N: Mwahaha, cliffy! I just love those : ) Also, this is the longest chapter so far! Yay! I will try to update soon!
