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Two moons. Rainheart had tolerated this vile apprentice for two moons. He couldn't handle it anymore.
How did none of his Clanmates notice how arrogant the golden tom was? It was like they didn't see the way he gloated over every catch. If Rainheart had made such a pitiful contribution when he was an apprentice, he would have been sent out again. However Bronzepaw was congratulated for his baby mouse. Even Galecoal, who had once called Rainheart disloyal for bringing her a catch larger than that only nodded appreciatively when Bronzepaw brought her the tiny mouse. Of course, Rainheart suspected if she wasn't mute for life, she might have said something different.
Rainheart padded over to the entrance, where patrols met to go out. They were doing a border patrol today, hoping to pick up any signs across the river of their neighbors in RiverClan. Ever since the Gathering, everyone was under the assumption that there was tension between RiverClan and SkyClan, but nobody could prove anything. If the ties between the two Clans were officially broken, Maizestar wanted to know.
He groaned internally as Bronzepaw padded over to join him. "Are you leading the patrol?" the golden tom asked eagerly.
"Yes," Rainheart muttered. The patrol was supposed to consist of him, Skycrest, and Pushleaf. He had not been told that Bronzepaw was coming along.
"Beetlewing sent me along," Bronzepaw declared proudly. "He wants me to join your patrol."
Rainheart tried to hide his disappointment as Skycrest and Pushleaf made their way over.
Together, the four cats padded out of camp and began their decent down the glade towards the river. They reached the edge of their scent markers on the edge of their territory. Rainheart could see where they'd built their dam all those moons ago. Water built up behind it formed a deep pool, where it would be difficult to touch the ground. The water spilt over the dam in a pretty, but tiny, waterfall.
Bronzepaw padded up to the edge of the water, taking a swift drink. "I heard that Wolfmask built this," he said casually as Rainheart also bent to quench his thirst. "With Patchcloud, Owlflight, and Tigerwhisker."
"Mouseleap and I helped too," Rainheart informed him.
"Right," the apprentice said dismissively. Rainheart held in his groan of frustration. Somehow Bronzepaw was more aggravating because of his dismissive nature, rather than inquisitive. It was beyond not okay.
"Let's just keep going," he grumbled.
The four cats made their way down the slope towards Fourtrees. The gorge was coming up soon, but they had not yet reached it yet when they spotted the intruders.
There were three of them. Their RiverClan scent was strong, and they had clearly crossed the border. They had obviously been hunting, and either purposefully crossed or didn't realize they'd chased their prey across. Either way, they were definitely out of place.
"Hey!" Rainheart called, leading his patrol forward with a wave of his tail.
The RiverClan cats took one look and fled. Their tails streamed as they plunged into the water, the biggest of the cats still carrying their rabbit. Rainheart lead his patrol straight up to border and stopped, watching them go with their catch but deciding not to give chase.
Bronzepaw, however, had other ideas. The apprentice darted past Rainheart, scrambling after the cats in long bounds. "Bronzepaw!" Rainheart called out, but the apprentice paid him no mind.
By the time Bronzepaw reached the water's edge, the RiverClan cats had reached the far side. They clawed their way out onto the bank and disappeared into the reeds, not even bothering to stop and shake their streaming pelts. The pursuit, if there had been any at all, should have ended then.
But Bronzepaw did not stop. He hesitated as little as the RiverClan cats had and dived into the water. Rainheart watched in horror as his head dipped under and out of sight.
He thought he heard Pushleaf call out, but he did not stick around to figure it out. Without pause, Rainheart launched down the slope to the riverbank, pressing his feet against the ground and propelling himself into the water.
The current was stronger than he'd thought it was supposed to be. RiverClan cats swam with ease, so why couldn't he? However hard he thrust his paws, though, he couldn't seem to make himself move with their grace.
His head broke the surface of the water and he looked around desperately. A flash of gold in the corner of his eye alerted him to the presence of the young apprentice. Bronzepaw didn't even look like he was struggling anymore, those his eyes gleamed desperately as Rainheart grasped his scruff.
Unfortunately, their combined weight was too much for Rainheart. It had been hard enough to swim just by himself. But from the moment Rainheart grabbed him, Bronzepaw simply let go altogether.
Suddenly his load lightened. Rainheart looked over, eyes wide with shock. It was Heronflight!
"Move!" the RiverClan deputy hissed, pushing the apprentice towards the bank with steady paws. Rainheart followed his lead, copying the strong RiverClan cat's movements. While he certainly didn't move with the grave the other cat had, it was easier going when he had a guide on how to do it.
Finally, Rainheart pulled himself up onto the bank, clawing desperately into the solid ground. Breathing deeply, he looked up to see where Bronzepaw had gone.
The apprentice was laying on his side, gasping as if he'd never get enough air again in his life. Rainheart wasn't surprised. Obviously the young cat had not expected the current to be as strong as it was, and had been completely overwhelmed by the strength of it.
"Are you crazy?" Heronflight demanded heatedly. "What on earth possessed you to allow an apprentice into the water like this? Can't you see the water is overflowing?"
Rainheart had not noticed the water was overflowing, but he wasn't about to admit it. He felt his fur bristling at the abrasive tone. Although he was grateful for the RiverClan deputy's help, he did not think this cat had the right to speak to him that way. What was worse was that Heronflight was completely right. Rainheart should have been able to stop the wayward apprentice from entering the water.
"It's not his fault," Bronzepaw gasped, surprising Rainheart. "I didn't listen to him when he ordered me to stop."
Heronflight also looked surprised, turning his attention from Rainheart to the golden apprentice. "I hope you learned your lesson," he growled, sounding slightly more gentle as he looked Bronzepaw up and down. "You should always listen to your mentor."
Rainheart didn't bother to correct the RiverClan deputy on Bronzepaw's tutelage. There was no point.
"Yes, I have," Bronzepaw answered feelingly. "I'll listen in the future."
"Thank you for your help," Rainheart said firmly, getting to his feet. "But we must be getting back to camp now."
Heronflight hesitated, then nodded. "Do make sure to look out in the future," he said before turning around and plunging into the water. Rainheart watched the deputy swim powerfully to the other side and pull himself out. Finally the other cat disappeared into the reeds.
"Let's get back," Rainheart murmured. He lead the way up the glade towards camp despite his exhaustion. It was incredibly how tired almost drowning could make a cat! Behind him, Bronzepaw was leaning heavily on Pushleaf as they walked.
Once they were up the hill, Rainheart felt he could breathe easier. Pushing his way into camp, he couldn't help but remember all the times he'd come home to find Gorsebreeze waiting for him. He wondered if his mate was waiting for him in StarClan.
"Good grief!" Grasscloud exclaimed when the patrol passed him at the entrance. "What happened to you?"
"Long story," Rainheart answered. "Let's just say Bronzepaw here won't go swimming again for a long time."
"He went in the water?" Grasscloud said, surprised.
"He disobeyed orders," Skycrest grumbled. "He should have listened to Rainheart."
Bronzepaw was starting to regain his strength, and apparently had learned nothing from his recent dip in the river. "Rainheart shouldn't have let those RiverClan trespassers go!" he argued. "Maybe if he had acted quicker, I wouldn't have had to get wet!"
"Rainheart saved your life!" Pushleaf said sternly at him. "If he had not jumped in the water after you, you would have drowned!"
The apprentice looked like he wanted to say more, but thought it better not to. "What's this about RiverClan trespassers?" Maizestar asked, padding forward to hear better.
Rainheart began to tell them about seeing the RiverClan cats taking the rabbit, and how they escaped.
"So they took WindClan prey?" Maizestar asked, looking almost angry.
"Yes," Rainheart said. "But I don't think all of RiverClan was involved. Just that patrol. When Bronzepaw here went running into the river, Heronflight pulled him out."
Maizestar nodded. Though he still looked serious, he did not look as angry as before. "Very well. I will still speak to Ripplestar about it at the next Gathering."
The Clan had gathered around to listen to Rainheart's story, but now they were beginning to break up and go there separate ways. Maizestar was turning away already when Bronzepaw piped up. "What about me?"
Their leader stopped, turning around to give his son a hard stare. "You," he said, "are lucky to be alive. Count your lucky stars that Rainheart and Heronflight saved you from drowning. Don't you know how stupid it was to chase after them? What did you think would have happened if you did catch up to them? They would have shredded you!"
Once his own father was speaking to him in such a way, Bronzepaw finally began to look chastised.
"I will leave it to your mentor to decide your punishment," Maizestar said at last. "And I expect better from you in the future. You've really disappointed me today."
Without another word, the leader turned away, joining his deputy and senior warriors to discuss the situation. Rainheart watched him go, feeling Bronzepaw's dismay as if it was contagious. Somehow, it was harder seeing boisterous apprentice brought down than he'd thought it would be.
"Don't worry," he murmured. "Beetlewing's fair. I'm sure he won't be unreasonable in your punishment."
He'd been attempting to comfort the young cat in some way, but instead a flash of anger crossed Bronzepaw's face. "I didn't ask you!" he spat, stomping away to the apprentices' den.
Rainheart felt dismayed. He wasn't sure why he was so disappointed in Bronzepaw's reaction, but he was. Maybe he'd been hoping that, once the young cat had learned some humility, they would be able to get along easier. Maybe even they'd become friends. Although there was no connection, really, Rainheart couldn't help but feel as though Bronzepaw and his siblings were in some way linked to Gorsebreeze and his lost kits. Perhaps it was because they were born on the day she'd died. Maybe it was because it was seeing these kits be raised had given him the strength needed to move on.
However, he couldn't give up hope that he and Bronzepaw might one day still be friends. After all, Bronzepaw was still pretty young, and he had just gone through a huge disappointment. Gorsebreeze had not been all that friendly with him either when they'd first started interacting. There was every chance that Bronzepaw would also have a change of heart about him in the future.