AN: Hoorah! Now there's a long chapter. I'm quite fond of this, actually. It's gonna be a long road ahead with four chapters left until I write Book Four for Starry Skies. Anyways, thanks WildCroconaw, XxBlazestormxX, and arrowhead154 for your reviews, I really do appreciate them :)


Chapter 11

Annoyance flared within Rainpaw as she padded across the clearing to join the other apprentices. The looks they gave her were uneasy ones, suggesting that Meadowstar's rumors were spreading like wildfire through the Clan. While Rainpaw tried to relax, she spotted her brothers—now warriors—watching her confidently.

Meadowstar had given Crouchfoot and Bluestripe their warriors names, but she refused to give Rainpaw her warrior name. Stoneheart had said she was ready. The ThunderClan leader had grinned at him when he suggested that it was time for Rainpaw to become a warrior. After her malicious grin, Meadowstar had called for a Clan meeting. Shocked glances were exchanged when she said that Rainpaw wasn't ready to receive her warrior name. Most of all, Riverspirit had been furious with Meadowstar.

Her mother had been sent on separate duties, kept away from her daughter at all times. Rainpaw knew that this was Meadowstar's way of isolating the Marked of ThunderClan. Tigerpounce was forced to sleep away from the warrior's den. Sparrowflight had been furious with her brother's recent 'exile'. There was nothing she could do to change Meadowstar's mind, as far as Rainpaw could tell.

"I heard Meadowstar is planning on killing Flowerpelt's kits." Rainpaw's eyes widened in shock when she heard Beetlepaw and Volepaw gossiping. The two were known for sharing news that was meant to be kept secret.

"Why would she do that?" Volepaw tilted his head to one side as Rainpaw continued chewing on the remains of a mouse she'd picked from the fresh-kill pile.

"Because Tigerpounce is the father." Beetlepaw sounded as if he was all-too aware of what had happened between the two.

Flowerpelt loves Tigerpounce, Rainpaw thought as she picked off the last piece of meat. She would be crushed if Meadowstar publicly killed her kits.

"When did she say it would happen?" The question came from Volepaw, who was still confused with the whole explanation his brother had left.

"She said it would happen soon," Beetlepaw replied. "She's choosing someone special to fulfill the task."

It took Rainpaw a few heartbeats to realize where her paws were taking her. Their conversation had left her shaking in fear. This was the last straw for her—Meadowstar had to be stopped. The ThunderClan leader was killing innocent kits because of her fear. Stopping Meadowstar was one thing, but the kits would constantly be harassed. If there was a special place for the kits who were Marked to live, she wouldn't have to worry about their lives.

Her mind felt numb with fear as she padded towards the nursery. Flowerpelt was sunning herself, watching as her kits tumbled over one another. Neither kits showed signs of being Marked. Rainpaw wondered if there was a way to tell. The young queen looked up from her rest as she heard Rainpaw approaching.

"Aren't they beautiful?" she asked in a sleepy voice. "They're almost five moons old," she added.

"Have they shown signs of being Marked?" Rainpaw asked. Petalkit squealed when her tail was pulled by her brother's teeth.

"Not yet," Flowerpelt replied. A worried look crossed her expression when she met Rainpaw's gaze. "Should I be worried? Tigerpounce is a great warrior, one the Clan needs…"

"I'm more worried about Meadowstar's reaction to them," Rainpaw admitted. "I've been…hearing rumors."

"I can claw her face off if she places on claw on my kits," Flowerpelt hissed. "These kits are mine, and I will do whatever it takes to protect them."

Rainpaw shook her head. She knew that Flowerpelt would fight for her kits. But what Flowerpelt saw as an attack, Rainpaw saw as fear. The small she-cat was terrified. If Meadowstar decided to go on with her plan, innocent lives would pay the price. She flinched when she spotted Tigerpounce returning from a border patrol. No other cat was with him. His gaze was filled with anxiety when Meadowstar approached him. Sparrowflight was at her side, looking more annoyed than anything else.

Sparrowflight is his sister! Rainpaw wanted to wail the words out, but she knew better. She knew how much Sparrowflight cared about her brother, especially after their parents had fallen to greencough. Yet now it seemed as if the ginger she-cat had given up her efforts on refusing Meadowstar's rumors.

"I haven't told him these kits are his," Flowerpelt suddenly admitted. The apprentice gaped at Flowerpelt in surprise. "I felt like he would avoid me if I told him," she explained. "But now…what you say bothers me."

"They look nothing like him," Rainpaw said after observing both of their gray-brown pelts. "How did Meadowstar find out?"

"She has spies everywhere," Flowerpelt murmured. "I was talking to Birdsong, whose loyalty seems stronger towards Meadowstar than to ThunderClan itself. She must have told Meadowstar everything." Her ears flattened at the thought. "But I think I know how to get past Meadowstar's rules," she added in a low whisper.

A silence fell upon them as Tigerpounce approached. His amber eyes were narrowed when the kits shied towards their mother. Flowerpelt wrapped her tail protectively around them, ears flattening and a snarl forming in her throat.

"You didn't tell me?" he demanded coldly.

"Why should I tell you?" she shot back. Rainpaw gathered herself together, ready to use her powers if she needed to. "I knew you wouldn't accept them—they look nothing like you. That's why I kept their father's identity a secret."

"You mean to protect them from Meadowstar's wrath. And mine," he snapped.

"Tigerpounce I—" He cut her off with a snarl.

Rainpaw suddenly saw her chance—it was now or never that she used her powers to protect the kits. The other queens from the Clans would need protection as well. She knew Foxmask was the mother of Brackenpaw and Robinpaw. Brackenpaw's father was Hedgepelt, who was the Marked cat of RiverClan. If Meadowstar's ruling spread to RiverClan, Foxmask's kits would be killed as well.

A sudden surge of energy coursed through her body, until droplets of water erupted from all sides. Tigerpounce jumped back with a startled hiss, eyes narrowed in disgust at the sight of the rain that had formed around him. Like most ThunderClan cats he was afraid to get wet—that was something Rainpaw used to her advantage. Flowerpelt's eyes widened in shock at the sight, and several cats were watching with interest. Most of all Meadowstar, whose confidence seemed to soar.

I only have one shot at this, Rainpaw thought as she concentrated on the temperate around her. By now the rain had soaked most of the clearing, except for the kits who were herded into the nursery. Along with controlling the water around her, she could control it's temperate as well. If it got cold enough, she could form ice around her enemies, which was what she was planning on at the moment. Heartbeats seemed to pass before anything happened. The warriors who were watching looked on in horror as ice suddenly began to form around the edges of the clearing. Some began to panic and fled, but Meadowstar held them together. The light brown tabby knew exactly what was happening.

Closing her eyes tightly, Rainpaw breathed in a deep sigh before spreading the ice throughout the clearing, freezing her Clanmates so they couldn't move. It would give her enough time to escape with Flowerpelt and her kits. Once she was certain they were unable to move, she padded towards the nursery. Squealing could be heard as the kits' mother tried to keep them safe.

"This is our only chance," Rainpaw meowed when she avoided a paw-swipe. "If we don't leave now, we'll all be killed."

Flowerpelt stared at Rainpaw carefully, as if she was unsure whether or not she could trust the apprentice. Rainpaw remained patient and hopeful. She knew she would die if she stayed. She was willing to sacrifice herself if it meant saving kits. Eventually Flowerpelt nodded after thinking over what Rainpaw had said.

The two of them worked together, avoiding the slippery ice and tugging at the branches that created a barrier behind the nursery. Rainpaw kept an eye on Flowerpelt's kits while working on their escape path. With time against them the kits could slip away without them noticing.

Once Flowerpelt broke through the barrier she grabbed Petalkit and made a run for it. Rainpaw picked up Boulderkit by the scruff, surprised by his weight as she nearly dropped him. She forced to raise her chin up as she bounded after Flowerpelt, following the queen by her scent. The queen was small, making it easier for her to run through the undergrowth and hide. Size-wise Rainpaw was bigger and a bit more experienced when it came to running through thick undergrowth.

"Is this an adventure?" Boulderkit squeaked once Rainpaw was out of breath.

"You could say that," she replied after picking him up once more. "If you're quiet I'll catch you a mouse on our way to Flowerpelt," she added; her voice was muffled by his fur, but he heard her.

Soon the Ancient Oak came into view. Flowerpelt's scent was strongest here, and Rainpaw could see tufts of creamy gray fur snared on the ferns that grew around the twisted roots. Rainpaw lowered Boulderkit to the ground so that she could get a better look.

"I'm here." Rainpaw stiffened when she heard Flowerpelt calling.

The gray-blue tabby padded towards the voice, until she spotted Flowerpelt hiding in a raised root. The creamy gray queen met Rainpaw's nervous gaze.

"I won't hurt you," she murmured after giving Petalkit a gentle lick. "I'm just…scared."

"You're not the only one," Rainpaw admitted.

She too was terrified of what was to come. She'd betrayed her Clanmates by attacking them with her powers. She knew Meadowstar would use them against the Marked. Now the ThunderClan leader had a right to accuse the Marked. There was no place for them to go. All Clans had their own Marked to worry about and to protect. If she joined them, it would mean casting away the Marked who was already born to that Clan.

"We could stay here until the Clan forgets about us," Flowerpelt mewed.

"I wanna be a warrior!" Boulderkit protested.

"We can take on anything!" Petalkit added.

"Not now kits," Flowerpelt whispered. "You're too young to speak of such nonsense."

Both kits gave her annoyed looks before resting at her belly.

"We can't stay here," Rainpaw sighed.

"Why not?" Flowerpelt stared at her in surprise. The roots provided protection, true, but Rainpaw knew that staying on Clan territory was not the best option. Meadowstar would send search parties for the four of them. If that were to happen, she would find the kits and kill them. Rainpaw wasn't going to let that happen, not if she could help them. Her first instincts told her to go towards Snakerocks. The Clan avoided that area because of how dangerous it was. But than the kits' lives would be in danger, and she couldn't forgive herself if anything happened to them there. Flowerpelt continued grooming her kits until the leaves and grass that clutched their pelts were gone.

"We could stay at the Twoleg barn," Rainpaw finally said out loud.

"The one the loners stay at?" Flowerpelt sounded worried, but she didn't complain.

"I think that's our only option," Rainpaw replied. "The loners don't know about the Marked, and even if they do they'll accept us. If not than I can chase them out." She could already tell that this plan was a good one. If it worked out, they could stay there until the rumors and hate died down. Flowerpelt's kits would be safe and could grow up like any other kit in a Clan. Rainpaw would teach them the fighting tactics she'd learned from Stoneheart. Her heart suddenly wrenched as she thought of Stoneheart. Her uncle would feel as though she'd abandoned him and the warrior code. She didn't want to know what Riverspirit would think when she thawed out of the ice.

She tried not to think about it as she picked Boulderkit up by the scruff once more. The kit squealed in annoyance at the thought of being carried on more than one journey. She ignored his squeals and led the way towards WindClan territory. The barn wasn't far, but to get there they would have to cross the Thunderpath. She knew it would take time for the kits to get used to the sound of monsters roaring by. Already the tangent odor could be caught in the breeze that came towards the two she-cats. She forced back a cough as they came across the moor. The kits suddenly began mewling in excitement when they realized where they were. This was more than a journey for them.

"We'll have to be quiet if we want to get past patrols wandering by," Flowerpelt hissed after relaxing her shoulders for a bit. She looked more exhausted than usual, telling Rainpaw that they couldn't run farther than they normally did. If a patrol caught them, they would be escorted back to Meadowstar, and that would end in disaster. Once Flowerpelt was finished resting, they began traveling at a faster pace across the open territory. Rainpaw's ears flattened as they passed gorse bushes that would have provided some shelter for them. She knew that sooner or later a WindClan patrol would catch their scent and find them if they hid in the bushes.

Flowerpelt's tail waved when they reached a small rise in the land. Her haunches tightened as she wriggled on the top of the hill. Rainpaw bounded after her, feeling Boulderkit's weight pull her down. Once she reached the top she saw what Flowerpelt was witnessing. A hunting patrol was returning with two rabbits dragged by warriors who looked exhausted. The third cat with them was Lightpaw—a friendly apprentice who was also Marked. She looked uncomfortable being surrounded by the two older warriors, who were both toms.

"I'll catch up with you later," Lightpaw mewed as the warriors approached a dip in the land. Rainpaw tilted her head to one side as she wondered where Lightpaw was going. The apprentice was around her age, and would have likely earned her warrior name by now. Flowerpelt stiffened beside Rainpaw when the WindClan cat approached the small hill the pair were hiding by. It took Rainpaw a few heartbeats to realize that Lightpaw was only a few mouse-lengths away from the four. She knew Lightpaw was using her powers to track down enemy cats. "What in StarClan's name are you doing here?" Lightpaw hissed when she rounded on the pair of she-cats.

"Fleeing," Flowerpelt replied. Her lips twisted in a snarl when she placed Petalkit on the ground. Once the kit was wrapped protectively around her tail, her hackles began to rise. "Take on more step and I'll claw your throat out!"

"We're getting away from Meadowstar," Rainpaw explained in a softer tone. "You understand, don't you? You couldn't hurt innocent kits."

Lightpaw flinched when Rainpaw mentioned harming kits. "N-No, of course not," she stammered. "Why are you running away from Meadowstar?"

"These kits are Tigerpounce's," Flowerpelt meowed. "He didn't know, and tried to attack them. When Meadowstar found out, she planned on having them killed in front of the Clan, to show that they are not meant to live."

The WindClan cat stared at them in disbelief. "Has Meadowstar lost her mind?" A yowl threatened to escape her throat.

"That's what we're trying to figure out," Rainpaw muttered with a lash of her tail. "We were going to hide in the Twoleg barn until the…uneasy feelings in camp pass, and until Petalkit and Boulderkit are old enough to take care of themselves."

Lightpaw gave the faintest of nods before looking down at her paws. "I'll help," she mewed. "I can carry them on my back and use my powers to slip away unnoticed," she added when Flowerpelt snarled defensively.

Rainpaw blinked in surprise as the WindClan cat accepted Boulderkit and Petalkit so easily. Flowerpelt looked a bit uneasy giving up her kits to a stranger, especially one who was from a different Clan. Somehow she forced herself to agree that it was a good idea. Lightpaw would be able to slip away from the patrols without getting in trouble and without stirring alarm in the camp. All three of them moved together as they crept along the rest of WindClan territory. Once they reached the Thunderpath they would be safe from the Clans. The Thunderpath crossing was a different story.

Hours seemed to pass before they finally reached the Thunderpath. Lightpaw kept her word, avoiding patrols that could be near and keeping well away from stray warriors who were hunting. Rainpaw was surprised that the WindClan cat had changed her mind so suddenly. She knew that something was bothering Lightpaw. Perhaps the mention of killing kits was what had triggered this sudden motion. Either way, Rainpaw was grateful for Lightpaw's help.

The roar of monsters suddenly shook the ground as the three approached the Thunderpath. Rainpaw's whiskers quivered as she caught the reek of their stench in the air. Flowerpelt recoiled from the stench, while Lightpaw remained eerily calm. The kits were clinging to her pelts now, shaking in fear at the noise. Each monster that whirled by stirred up a gust of wind that nearly knocked Rainpaw off her paws.

Lightpaw was the first to cross once the noise died down. Rainpaw watched with her pelt crawling as the WindClan cat streaked across with the kits on her back. Neither gave way as she reached the other side. By the time she made it, Rainpaw released a breath she'd been holding. The noise suddenly became louder than ever as more monsters roared by. Rainpaw herself waited until the Thunderpath was silent. She knew waiting was the best option. If she went while the monsters were roaring by, she would likely be crushed by their massive paws. Her heart felt like it was in her mouth by the time she herself raced across the Thunderpath. By now her paws ached from running so hard, but she tried her best to ignore the pain. Streaks of blood had been left behind where her pads were cut from the rough terrain. She winced when she reached the other side.

Flowerpelt was last to cross the Thunderpath. She too waited until the Thunderpath was silent. The roars echoed from a distance, but her timing was right. The creamy gray she-cat sprang forward and had just made her way across. Rainpaw's eyes widened in horror when a monster suddenly sped towards Flowerpelt, who was staggering towards the other side. The she-cat screamed in agony when the monster's paw clipped her shoulder. Lightpaw dropped the kits by Rainpaw's side as she bounded towards the edge. Flowerpelt had started limping by the time she recovered from the sudden attack.

"Can you make it to the barn?" Lightpaw asked.

"I-I think so," she gasped as she took another step.

The queen gave Lightpaw a grateful look as she allowed her to lean on her shoulder. Rainpaw grasped both kits by the scruff; despite how heavy they were, she was more concerned for their mother's safety. Without their mother the kits would only have a single apprentice to care for them, and Rainpaw wasn't sure she was capable of such a task.

"I don't like this adventure anymore," Boulderkit mewled when his mother joined them.

"Me neither," Petalkit added.

This is only the beginning of your adventure, Rainpaw thought with a lash of her tail. She only hoped that their mother would live long enough to watch them grow up.


AN: Don't you just love those cliffhangers? I know I do...but at least it was a good one. This chapter is probably the longest one I've ever written, and you can thank the Believe Soundtrack from Sea World for that. I love listening to amusement park soundtracks for some reason, especially big ones like Sea World. One day after studying Marine Biology I hope to work there, or at the Baltimore Aquarium. Both jobs would be amazing...or even Discovery Cove, which only allows one thousand guests in a day—I was lucky enough to do that and swim with dolphins :D