"Rainkit! Get down from there!"
Rainkit could hear Seedtail's angry mew and she turned to see the sandy queen swish her tail furiously.
"Hi, Seedtail!" Rainkit responded cheekily. She liked it up here on top of the nursery. She could see the whole camp. She could see the river beyond the trees. She could see a robin crash into a tree. She could see Yewpaw and Silentpaw come back with fish in their jaws. Hmm… that actually looked pretty good. Maybe she would come down now that there was food.
"Get down, Rainkit!" Seedtail hissed again.
Or maybe not.
Rainkit decided to stay up on the nursery to spite Seedtail.
Rainkit and her littermates Fernkit and Graykit had just been born a few moons ago. Their mother, Meadowstream, had gone off with their father Blackstripe to hunt. The other kits in the Clan were either asleep or listening to elders' tales, but Rainkit wasn't tired and she had already heard the one that Odd-eyes was telling. So, naturally, she decided to climb up on the nursery. And apparently, Seedtail wasn't too happy with that. Silvergaze, one of the other nursery queens padded out of the nursery to see what the commotion was.
"Seedtail, what's going on? Your yowling is waking Streamkit and Stormk– Oh, StarClan!" Silvergaze yowled as she saw Rainkit perched on the top of the den.
"Hi there, Silvergaze!" Rainkit mewed from the top of the den. She pretended to peer at the queen. "My, you look like a tiny flea from up here! A very nice, tiny flea. Unlike Seedtail, who looks like an ugly flea."
Seedtail hissed in anger.
"Yeah! Rainkit!" Rainkit heard the familiar mew of her brother Graykit, as Fernkit, Goldenkit, Sunkit, and Rockkit all emerged from the elders' den. "Stay right there, I'm coming up!"
"Oh no you don't," Seedtail hissed, brushing him back with her tail, "We don't need two of Meadowstream's kits in danger. Rainkit, get down!"
"You look like a ThunderClan cat!" Goldenkit joked, staring at her, "Climbing like that."
"I do not," Rainkit scoffed, slightly miffed. "Just 'cause I like climbing doesn't make me a ThunderClan cat. You're just jealous because I'm two moons younger than you and you can't climb at all. Probably because you're a mouse-heart."
"Rainkit!" Seedtail hissed again, "Apologize to Goldenkit! And get down!"
But Goldenkit didn't seem to notice Seedtail.
"Well I bet you just like to climb because you know you'll be a drypaw!" Goldenkit retaliated back up at Rainkit, with a good-natured tease in his tone.
"Dream on, yellow whiskers," Rainkit retorted with another cheeky grin, "I'm going to swim better than anyone in RiverClan. Even better than an otter. I'm going to be so good they're going to call me 'Rainotter' or 'Rainswim' or 'RainbetterthanGoldenwhateveryourwarriornameis' or–"
"There are too many kits in the nursery," Thrushsong, one of the elders, commented with good humor, on her way to the fresh-kill pile. "We need new apprentices."
"Isn't any cat going to do something about Rainkit?" Seedtail mewed sporadically, twitching her tail, "She could get hurt!"
"I'll get her," Braveheart, a calm ginger and white tom mewed as he jumped up on top of the nursery and picked her up by the scruff.
"Aw, come on," Rainkit moped as Braveheart brought her down to rest next to Seedtail.
"Rainkit, you are in so much trouble!" Seedtail hissed, "Do you realize what could have happened? How far you could have fallen? And how rude you've been?"
Rainkit raised her head to say something snarky to the striped queen but stopped when she saw actual concern in her amber eyes.
"I was very worried about you, Rainkit," Seedtail whispered, in a much softer tone, "You could have been very hurt."
Rainkit pinned her ears back in shame. She began to feel bad about what she did. Maybe she shouldn't have insulted Goldenkit up where everyone could see and hear her. And she sure didn't mean to make Seedtail worry.
"Hey, Meadowstream and Blackstripe are back!" Graykit exclaimed, noticing their parents returning with fish in their jaws.
With an excited squeal, Rainkit and Fernkit raced over to them.
"You're back! You're back!" Fernkit mewed excitedly.
"Very perceptive, Fernkit," Graykit replied. Then he stared at a fat trout in Blackstripe's jaws. His eyes grew large. "Ooo, can I have that?"
"Calm down, kits," Meadowstream purred after setting her catch down, "Elders must be fed first."
"They've already been fed," Fernkit said, "We were listening to Odd-eyes' stories about driving the rogue dog pack out of the woods!"
"Oh, thank StarClan!" Seedtail sighed in relief as she padded towards the two adult cats, all traces of concern absent from her voice, "Meadowstream, your daughter was misbehaving."
"Which one?" Meadowstream asked, looking at Seedtail.
"Which one do you think?" Seedtail hissed crossly at Rainkit.
Rainkit felt her ears get hot and all her shame and sympathy towards Seedtail vanished. She stuck her tongue out at the older queen.
"Rainkit! Stop that!" Meadowstream chastened. She turned to look at Seedtail. "What happened?"
"Seedtail's jealous she doesn't know how to have fun," Rainkit mewed loudly before being silenced by a glance from Meadowstream.
"Rainkit was climbing on the top of the nursery!" Seedtail exclaimed, "And she insulted Goldenkit! And refused to come down! Braveheart had to fetch her."
"Rainkit, what do you have to say for yourself?" Meadowstream asked Rainkit in her quiet and calm voice.
"I was bored," Rainkit muttered, looking down and feeling ashamed again, when faced with her mother.
"Why didn't you play with any of the other kits? It's not like the nursery is empty," Meadowstream mewed, looking at Rainkit pointedly. "And from the sound of it, you certainly had fun with Goldenkit."
"Fernkit and Graykit were listening to elders' stories with Rockkit, Goldenkit, and Sunkit," Rainkit explained, "And Streamkit and Stormkit were napping. I only made fun of Goldenkit when he came out and called me ThunderClan! What else was I supposed to do? Take that insult?"
"You were supposed to not misbehave," Seedtail scolded.
"Rainkit, I thought you loved the elders' stories," Meadowstream pointed out, sitting down and wrapping her tail around her.
"I do," Rainkit replied. She sighed, remembering how Thrushsong and crazed old Odd-eyes began telling the story about the pack of dogs that had to be driven from RiverClan, the story Rainkit had heard a thousand times, "But they were ones I had already heard about the dogs. I'd rather hear the ones about the old forest and how BloodClan drove us out."
"Now that is a story for when you're older," Meadowstream purred, licking her on the head. "Now. Don't go climbing things around camp anymore. Go grab fresh-kill with your father before Graykit eats it all."
As if in response, Rainkit heard Graykit let out a huge belch.
"Thanks, Meadowstream," Rainkit mewed, grateful she was getting off easy. She raced away before Seedtail could mew a complaint.
She caught sight of her father's dark tabby pelt sitting next to the solid gray form of Graykit (who was devouring the trout like he hadn't eaten in fifteen sunrises) and the bright calico fur of Fernkit. Rainkit was a light silver tabby, looking more like Morningrain, an elder who was Blackstripe's kin, more than she did either of her parents. But that was okay with Rainkit. She was the only silver tabby kit in RiverClan and liked to be different.
Blackstripe's tail was twitching as he shared a mouse with her littermates, and feeling a new burst of energy, Rainkit ran over to him and pounced on his tail.
"Oh, dear StarClan!" Blackstripe exclaimed, twisting around, "It seems as if an enemy warrior has caught me stealing prey!"
"You'd think enemy cats would learn by now," Rainkit mewed, before nipping at his tail.
"Die, ThunderClan scum!" Graykit giggled, as he launched himself at Blackstripe's head.
"Fear me, for I am the mighty Fernstar!" Fernkit shrieked as she leapt onto Blackstripe's back.
"Oh, no, Blackstar is dead," Blackstripe gasped dramatically, laying on the ground as the three kits jumped on him excitedly. "You killed him. Mercilessly. So tragic. He had so much to live for."
"Haha! We won! Take that, you old mouse-heart!" Rainkit exclaimed, "RainClan forever!"
"RainClan?" Fernkit repeated, incredulous, "Why does it have to be RainClan?"
"You got to be leader so I get to name the Clan!" Rainkit replied cheekily in response.
"I am Graystar of GrayClan!" Graykit announced, "Fear me, filthy rogues!"
"I thought that we were fighting ThunderClan," Rainkit mewed, instantly feeling confused.
"GrayClan is a terrible name for a Clan," Fernkit informed her brother, ignoring Rainkit.
"It is not!"
"It is so," Fernkit mewed, stretching, "It's a color. How is that supposed to invoke fear in the other Clans?"
"Oh yeah, because ferns are real scary," Graykit mocked.
"You know what's really scary?" Rainkit grinned, seizing her opportunity, "Thunderstorms and flooding. And guess what causes them? That's right, rain!"
"Well, maybe I don't have to start my own Clan because I'm going to be leader of this one," Graykit mocked, turning his head away in disgust.
"Graystar," Fernkit snorted, "Yeah, that's so much better."
"Hey, there was a leader in the old forest called Graystar," Graykit retorted, licking his chest, "According to Morningrain."
"Well, it's probably not the worst leader name," Rainkit mewed, sounding thoughtful, "I mean, when Loudnose becomes leader he'll be called Loudstar. And I'm pretty sure one of the leaders from the old forest was named Crookedstar."
Graykit looked at Fernkit in victory.
"Although," Rainkit went on, "Rainstar and Fernstar both sound a lot better."
"Thank you, Rainkit," Fernkit mewed, giving Graykit a cheeky smile.
"What if instead of the deputy the cat with the coolest leader name became the next leader," Rainkit mewed out of the blue, staring at Lightwhisker, who was eating next to Badgerfoot. "Like Lightstar!"
"Or Bravestar!" Graykit put in, looking at Braveheart.
"Brightstar!" Fernkit exclaimed, evidently referring to Brightflower.
"How about Oddstar?" a loud raspy mewing sounded behind them, startling all three kits and making them jump out of their skins. Odd-eyes had emerged from the elder's den and was laughing at them, grinning at them with her one blue eye and one green eye.
"Ha ha ha!" she laughed, as she quietly walked back in backwards. And then the laughing became more sinister. "Heh heh heh."
All three kits stared after the old elder in fear for several seconds.
"Odd-eyes scares me," Graykit whispered.
"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the Tallrock for a Clan meeting!" Creekstar's loud yowl sounded through the camp.
Rainkit looked up from her fish. A Clan meeting? What for? She really hoped it wasn't about her and Goldenkit and also climbing up on the nursery. She still heard Odd-eyes laughing from the elder's den and vaguely wondered if this was punishment for not listening to her story.
"What's going on?" Stormkit asked, obviously wondering the same thing, as he and Streamkit came out of the nursery, yawning, noticing as the cats started gathering beneath Creekstar.
"I have no idea, but you sure missed a great story about Odd-eye tricking a dog to fall into the river," Graykit said quickly. Then he paused. "And then I think she was spying on us."
"And Rainkit got chewed out by Seedtail," Fernkit put in for good measure.
"Really? What for?" Stormkit asked, sounding much less tired.
"The meeting is starting soon," Rainkit put in quickly, before Fernkit could say anything.
"Did Creekstar say why yet?" Streamkit mewed.
"What did Rainkit do?" Stormkit asked.
"Not yet," Rainkit responded to Streamkit, ignoring Stormkit.
"Guess we'll have to see," Goldenkit grinned while walking by, with a strange expression on his face. Rainkit frowned. Why did he look so cheeky? Oh, StarClan, this meeting better not be about her. Rainkit looked for somewhere to run. Maybe she could leave and really start RainClan.
"No, seriously, what did Rainkit do?"
"RiverClan has been blessed with many kits this newleaf," Creekstar began, nodding towards them. Rainkit didn't dare move. Was he staring at her or was it only a result of her active imagination? Oh, if only she hadn't drawn so much attention to herself.
But then Rainkit noticed Spottedpelt furiously grooming Goldenkit and Sunkit with Mousetail standing proudly nearby, and after a second of being confused, it instantly hit her. Rainkit readily admitted to herself she was a bona fide fish-brain. Any cat could see the real reason why Creekstar had called the meeting.
"And two of these kits," Creekstar continued, eyes shining as he stared down at Goldenkit and Sunkit, "Have reached their six moons. RiverClan is ready for new apprentices. Goldenkit, Sunkit, please step forward."
"How do we keep being surprised when kits are made apprentices?" Fernkit whispered to Rainkit, "It always happens at six moons."
"I… don't… know…" Rainkit realized, wondering what else she had taken for granted and if everything she thought she knew was actually real.
"Rainkit, what did you do?" Stormkit whispered too, leaning forward to reach Rainkit. She pushed him backwards.
The two golden cats stepped forward, trembling with excitement.
"Goldenkit, from this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Goldenpaw," Creekstar said as Goldenpaw beamed, obviously trying to hold back his excitement. Creekstar then turned to a dark gray she-cat. "Ashstorm, you had a good mentor in Thorneye. I hope you will pass down everything you know to Goldenpaw."
Ashstorm and Goldenpaw touched noses and despite her annoyance at Goldpaw earlier, Rainkit felt as excited as if she was getting to be an apprentice.
"Ow," Stormkit muttered, rubbing his nose.
"Sunkit, from this day forward until you receive your warrior name, you shall be called Sunpaw," Creekstar mewed, as Sunpaw puffed out her chest, obviously excited that it was her turn. Creekstar turned to a dark brown tabby whose green eyes were shining. "Oakstone, you have learned much from Loudnose, and I hope you will teach what you learned down to Sunpaw."
The excitement vanished and Rainkit felt a prickle of envy as she watched another kit get apprenticed. Sunkit touched noses with her new mentor. Rainkit couldn't help but wonder who she would be touching noses with. There were so many great warriors in the RiverClan camp. Like Ravenstorm, who was one of the wisest cats in RiverClan. Codwhisker, who was the best swimmer (and despite his name actually hated cod. But he did like trout). Loudnose, who was the Clan deputy, and very kind (even if he was known for snoring) or Dustclaw, who was the strongest warrior. Although, if she had a choice, Rainkit would probably choose Braveheart, who was… well… the bravest. The young cat had only received his warrior name last moon after he and Lightwhisker had stopped a fox from reaching the camp. StarClan, his mother Birdflight had renamed him Bravekit after alerting the camp to the presence of a badger by running right up to it and yowling at it! And Seedtail thought that she was reckless.
"Goldenpaw! Sunpaw!" Rainkit was thrown back into the present as the camp cheered the new apprentices' names. She didn't let her jealousy stop her from yowling her old denmates' names as loud as she could with the rest of RiverClan. Even Stormkit forgot his question and joined in. "Goldenpaw! Sunpaw!"
After the ceremony, all the cats went over to congratulate the two new apprentices, but Rainkit and the other kits held back. There were too many cats in the way and she was sure that her old denmates would make their way over eventually.
"I can't believe they're at six moons already," Rockkit mewed, coming over to sit nearby.
"I can't believe we all forgot," Fernkit said.
"I knoooow," Rainkit sighed, feeling another prickle of envy, "I want to be an apprentice now."
"I don't know why you're so jealous," Stormkit pointed, "With Goldenkit and Sunkit gone–"
"Goldenpaw and Sunpaw," Fernkit corrected.
"Right," Stormkit replied, rolling his eyes, "With them gone, you three are the oldest in the nursery and next in line."
"Oh yeah, you're right!" Graykit grinned, puffing out his chest, "We're like senior warriors, but kits! We have two moons left!"
Rockkit gave a loud sigh.
"Don't worry," Fernkit assured him, "You're only a half-moon younger than us. Soon we'll all be apprentices together!"
"Oh, I can't wait!" Rainkit grinned, "Hunting, fighting, fishing, climbing, going to Gatherings, chasing off dogs and rogues and Twolegs and possibly angry badgers–"
"Oh, yes, it's quite wonderful being able to do all those things," Goldenpaw mewed as he and Sunpaw padded over. He puffed out his chest and pretended to look bored. "The duties of an apprentice are tough and challenging. But we do them… for the good of the Clan."
"You haven't even done anything yet," Rainkit muttered.
"Congratulations!" Fernkit mewed excitedly, "On being apprentices."
"Thank you," Sunpaw purred, "I'm really glad Oakstone is my mentor. I can't wait to train with him."
"Oh, StarClan, I may need some time to myself," Rainkit sighed, "I'm very happy for both of you, but I want to be an apprentice now!"
Meadowstream laughed nearby.
"Your time will come, Rainkit," she mewed, "Don't worry."
"Uh… thanks Meadowstream," Rainkit mewed, feeling embarrassed that she had heard. How long had she been sitting there?
Goldenpaw, Sunpaw, Stormkit, Rockkit, Fernkit, and Graykit were all laughing, but Rainkit noticed Streamkit had remained silent.
"Hey, you okay, Streamkit?" Rainkit asked, realizing that Streamkit hadn't said a single thing this entire time and was suddenly concerned for her friend.
"Oh yes, I'm fine," Streamkit mewed, trying and failing to sound confident.
"Aren't you excited to become an apprentice soon?" Rainkit asked, cocking her head and expecting Streamkit's eyes to light up, but she looked more uncomfortable and started shuffling her paws. Apparently not?
"Goldenpaw! Sunpaw!" Ashstorm's loud mew rang through the camp, "Come and join the evening patrol!"
"A patrol?" Rockkit replied with his jaw open, "On their first nights as apprentices? Yewpaw and Silentstep say they had to check the elder's den for ticks their first night."
"It's true," Yewpaw mewed, padding over, "We had to drop mouse bile on them until they dropped off."
"Ewwwww…" Stormkit replied, wrinkling his nose.
"Where did you come from?" Rainkit mewed, not remembering where Yewpaw had been sitting.
"Well, the life of a RiverClan apprentice is far from luxurious," Yewpaw replied, ignoring Rainkit and stealing a jealous glance over at where Silentstep and Braveheart were sharing a mouse.
"Uh… are you okay, Yewpaw?" Fernkit mewed, tilting her head at him. Yewpaw looked like he had been eating mouse bile.
"Fine, everything's fine," Yewpaw replied in a tone that showed that everything was not fine, shortly before padding away towards the dirtplace without another word.
"Uhh… that was weird," Graykit said, watching Yewpaw leave.
"Ooo Yewpaw's jealous," Fernkit snickered.
"Jealous of what?" Rainkit questioned, confused.
"That," Fernkit grinned cheekily, motioning with her tail at Braveheart and Silentstep curling next to each other.
Rainkit remembered Yewpaw had been an apprentice at the same time as Silentstep, Braveheart, and Lightwhisker. After Braveheart and Lightwhisker had received their warrior names, he had more time with Silentstep. But when she became a warrior and he didn't due to a bad cold, Yewpaw had to stay in the apprentice's den alone.
"Oooo Yewpaw likes Silentstep!" Rainkit laughed, realizing what Fernkit meant.
"And Silentstep likes Braveheart," Fernkit replied, grinning, "Oh, the drama."
"She-cats," Graykit sighed dramatically, "Get so worked out over everything."
"Oh, shut up, Graykit," Rainkit mewed, bopping him on his nose, "You'll understand as you get older."
"We're the same age!" Graykit retorted as he leapt at her and they tussled together on the ground.
"For Rainkit!" Fernkit shouted excitedly as she joined in the battle.
"Not so fast!" Stormkit retorted as he pulled her off of Graykit.
Before long, Streamkit and Rockkit joined the play fight and all six of them were laughing and joking and having fun being kits, Rainkit's former embarrassment and concern for Streamkit completely forgotten. As well as any practical skills.
"Rainkit, where are you going?" Streamkit mewed as Rainkit froze midstep.
She cocked her ears back, listening to hear if any of the queens had been disturbed. But Meadowstream, Seedtail, and Silvergaze all snored soundly. No one else in the nursery seemed to be awake and Rainkit allowed herself a silent sigh of relief. She turned back to look at Streamkit.
It had been nearly two moons since Goldenpaw and Sunpaw's apprentice ceremony, and even with them and Spottedpelt gone, the nursery was growing crowded as the remaining kits grew. Plus there wasn't any more room for her to scoot away when Graykit kicked her in his sleep while muttering "fish but with fur" and Rainkit had always been restless, but it seemed to be harder and harder for her to sit still, especially with it so close to her own apprenticeship. Plus, in the past two moons, WindClan had grown more and more aggressive, stealing prey from RiverClan territory and attacking RiverClan patrols. Rainkit couldn't wait to be out there herself, hunting and fighting for her Clan. So the best thing she could do to cure her restlessness (and to escape from Graykit and his strange dreams) was to get up before dawn and climb up on the nursery again, overlooking the camp and watching the sun rise.
"Just out," Rainkit whispered back at Streamkit, careful not to wake any cat.
"You're not leaving camp, are you?" Streamkit asked.
"Of course not," Rainkit replied, surprised that Streamkit would even bring that up. "That would be stupid."
"Okay," Streamkit sighed, yawning widely, "With you, you can never be sure. Take care, Rainkit."
"Bye," Rainkit whispered as Streamkit lay her head back down and fell asleep.
Rainkit darted out of the nursery quietly, watching Nightwhisper and Mudpelt, who were on guard, searching the forest with their eyes, keeping watch for any potential threats.
It was very misty this morning. Rainkit could barely see three whisker-lengths away from her face. Rainkit knew that if she was quiet, they wouldn't even notice her climb up on the nursery, as she had other nights. But as she got ready to climb up the branches of the large bush it was under, she paused. She couldn't get Streamkit's words out of her head.
You're not leaving camp, are you?
Rainkit hadn't been planning on leaving camp, she hadn't even been thinking about it. Kits weren't allowed to leave camp, especially not unsupervised, and she had been completely honest. All Rainkit wanted to do was climb up onto the nursery again, like she always did.
Then again… she had never left camp.
Of course not. That would be stupid. That was what Rainkit herself had told Streamkit. Plus, it wasn't like leaving camp was a novel idea. Kits always tried to leave camp. Always. Goldenpaw? Sunpaw? They had definitely tried it in the past. Yewpaw? Silentstep? According to their mothers. StarClan, even Odd-eyes admitted to it. (Although she also claimed to have caught a furry trout, so perhaps she wasn't as crazy. Come to think of it, that might have been where Graykit's dreams came from.) Even Rainkit and her littermates had tried it in the past but had been stopped by a tabby warrior named Pinefern. But that had been when she had been a foolish newborn kit who had no idea how to sneak. But Rainkit was almost an apprentice. There was a huge difference. Obviously. She would not step on all the dead leaves this time.
Would it really be so bad to try to see what it was like? She asked herself.
Rainkit knew that she was just rationalizing.
But she just couldn't get the idea out of her head! She wanted to go out, see what she had seen from above the nursery! Rainkit couldn't wait to be apprenticed.
Plus, she wouldn't go far. She might be impulsive, but she wasn't a complete fish-brain. She would go a little way and then come back. And she would leave through the dirtplace tunnel so she wouldn't be spotted. (That was also not a novel idea. Every cat tried to escape through the dirtplace. For some reason, it was never well-guarded. Probably because it smelled so bad.)
Taking a breath, Rainkit padded across the clearing noiselessly, making it to the dirtplace with no trouble from Mudpelt or Nightwhisper. She briefly wondered if she should be concerned that it had been so easy to escape. Then Rainkit slipped past the dirt and into the forest.
She had made it!
"Going somewhere, Rainkit?" a calm voice called from behind her.
She had not made it!
Rainkit almost jumped out of her fur as she spun around to find herself face to face with none other than Braveheart, who had conveniently been right outside the dirtplace tunnel.
"Uh…" Rainkit stammered, looking for a reason to stall, "Dirt."
"I can see that," Braveheart mewed, gazing at Rainkit without blinking.
Rainkit shuffled her paws in embarrassment. She hated being caught by Braveheart of all cats, again. She had had her share of other… erm… shenanigans in the past two moons, shenanigans like trying to see how many dried leaves she could stuff into Graykit's mouth, trying to get wet on purpose during a storm to see if her name had any affect on what she could tolerate (her research had not been concluded, she had spent the rest of the storm trying to force Stormkit out of the nursery to help but that had woke Meadowstream who had made Rainkit come in from the rain), stealing feathers from every bird a hunting patrol brought back (which wasn't much, because they were RiverClan but she couldn't very well steal fish scales, now could she?) to line her nest, shenanigans which Seedtail didn't like and shenanigans that it felt like Braveheart always bailed her out of. (Except for the storm one. But he had kindly told Seedtail not be angry with her after the dried leaves thing and he even specifically caught a bluejay for her so she could use its bright blue feathers.)
"I'll just get going back now," she muttered.
"It's only natural for kits to want to explore and leave the camp," Braveheart mewed kindly. Rainkit looked up to see his eyes sparkling with humor. "Every kit tries it at least once. But you couldn't just wait until you were an apprentice?"
Rainkit opened her mouth to explain how the nursery was getting too crowded, how Graykit kept hitting her in his sleep (and how she was disturbed by his mention of "fish but with fur") and how Rockkit snored worse than Loudnose. But looking at Braveheart's quiet green eyes, she felt ashamed.
"I guess I should have," Rainkit muttered, wrapping her tail around her paws in defeat, "Let's just go back and pretend none of this ever happened."
"Now, hold on, Rainkit," Braveheart mewed, touching her head with his nose, "I'm here with you now. Let's go satisfy some of that curiosity of yours."
Rainkit blinked, wondering if this was all just one very vibrant dream. Braveheart… wasn't going to turn her in to Creekstar… he was going to take her out of camp?
Rainkit unsheathed her claws and gave herself a little scratch.
"What are you doing, Rainkit?" Braveheart mewed, sounding confused.
"Seeing if I'm dreaming," Rainkit replied.
Braveheart laughed. "You can still feel pain in StarClan-sent dreams, Rainkit. But this is no dream. I'm really going to take you a little ways past camp."
Rainkit opened her mouth, but was at a loss for words. She couldn't believe it. She couldn't believe any of it.
"Why?" She finally managed to mew.
Braveheart went forward into the mist, motioning for her to follow him with his tail. Rainkit quickly bounded after him.
"Curiosity is not a vice, Rainkit," he told her, "But like all things it should be harnessed."
"Oh," Rainkit replied, not fully understanding. She didn't know what the word "vice" meant.
Braveheart stopped to turn and look at her.
"Trying new things, looking at things from a new perspective," Braveheart mewed, "These are all things that will help serve your Clan one day."
"Seedtail doesn't think so," Rainkit muttered, remembering the cranky queen.
Braveheart mrrowed in amusement.
"Don't worry about Seedtail," he told her, walking forward again, "She's not your mentor."
"I don't have a mentor," Rainkit reminded him. She was feeling a little disappointed that she couldn't see much of RiverClan territory in this fog, but she loved that she was out of camp.
"Not yet," Braveheart winked at her meaningfully before bounding further ahead.
Rainkit's heart seemed to drop in her chest. It took her a second to realize what Braveheart was implying. He didn't mean–
"Braveheart!" Rainkit exclaimed excitedly, catching up to where the ginger and white tom had stopped suddenly, staring at something she couldn't see, "You're going to be my mentor?"
Braveheart turned and looked at her, whiskers twitching.
"Creekstar approached me yesterday," he mewed, "I'm not supposed to tell, but your ceremony is tonight."
Rainkit's mouth opened wide in a grin. She was going to be an apprentice! And Braveheart was going to be her mentor! Aaaaand she had just embarrassed herself in front of him! Again!
"Now I really wish I would have waited," Rainkit muttered, feeling embarrassed, "One more sunrise and I wouldn't be breaking any rules."
"Nonsense, Rainkit," Braveheart purred, staring back at whatever it was he had been staring at, "Let's just enjoy the sunrise here."
Rainkit padded up to sit next to Braveheart. To her surprise, they were sitting on the top of a small ridge. But with all the mist around, Rainkit couldn't see much. But Braveheart's eyes were still gleaming at her.
Rainkit gasped as the sun rose and slowly burned away the fog. It happened little by little but Rainkit saw a whole valley stretching out in front of her. It wasn't that high or far, but it was a better view than the top of the nursery and she could see the river! And forests beyond it and the beginning of a moor on the other side. Who needed to watch robins fly into trees when she could see the ravine?
"Welcome to RiverClan territory, Rainkit," Braveheart meowed.
Rainkit could scarcely keep in her excitement. There was so much! And it was so beautiful. And it was hers. This was her territory. She was going to be an apprentice with Braveheart as her mentor and this was her territory.
"Thank you, Braveheart," Rainkit mewed quietly, at a loss for words, "For showing me this."
Braveheart didn't respond, but Rainkit could see the gleam in his eye.
Rainkit looked back down in the valley. She could see where the land sloped down on both sides to the thick forest and to the moor. To her surprise, she could see shapes on the moor in the distance coming towards them.
"Braveheart," Rainkit whispered, unsure of what she was seeing, "What's that?"
Braveheart angled his head to where she was staring and his neck fur bristled.
"I don't know," he said, standing up quickly, "But it's coming to RiverClan territory. We must warn Creekstar."
Braveheart raced back towards camp with Rainkit at his heels, trying her best to keep up with him. It was hard in the last of the mist, but Rainkit could scent other cats ahead. She hoped none of them was Seedtail or Meadowstream looking for her.
"Dustclaw!" Braveheart yowled, meeting the large dark brown warrior, who was on a hunting patrol with Silentstep, Codwhisker, and Badgerfoot (Rainkit felt relieved), "I'm taking Rainkit back to camp. We saw something moving on the moor coming towards RiverClan territory. We must warn Creeksta–"
Braveheart was interrupted as a loud yowl sounded from the bushes. A patrol of around eight cats (Rainkit didn't know how many cats were normally in an enemy control, but eight seemed excessive) jumped into the fray and started attacking. They were much thinner and faster than any cat Rainkit had ever met. And their lingering probably rabbit stench was enough for Rainkit to put all the pieces together. Mostly.
WindClan! Probably! Unless ShadowClan smells like rabbits. Maybe I don't know what rabbits smell like. I don't think I've ever seen a rabbit.
"Get back to camp, Rainkit!" Braveheart yowled, pulling a large tabby warrior off of Silentstep, "Run!"
This was one of the few times Rainkit had obeyed a cat without hesitation. She might only be a few hours away from apprenticeship, but she hadn't received her name or had any battle training. However much she wanted to help her Clanmates, she knew she would only get in the way and she had to warn the camp. She took off running as fast as her paws could carry her. And then she was hit from the side.
Up seemed down, right seemed left, and everything was spinning. She tried to get up but something heavy was pinning her down. Wriggling around, Rainkit discovered that she had been flipped on her back and was staring right into the eyes of a light gray tom with an ugly scar down his face. The probably-rabbit-like scent flooded her nostrils.
WindClan. Definitely WindClan. Probably.
The gray cat began to rake his claws down her belly and it exploded in pain.
Rainkit howled.
"Thorntooth!" an angry yellow she-cat hissed furiously at the tom who was still standing over Rainkit, "We do not attack kits! And we certainly do not kill them!"
Had the gray tom tried to kill her? Rainkit was in shock. Her belly felt like it was on fire and she could barely move. The edge of her vision grew fuzzy.
An angry yowl filled the clearing as a dark shape barrelled into the gray tom. The weight was lifted off of Rainkit's chest. Rainkit saw her father Blackstripe furiously attacking the gray tom like a TigerClan warrior. He swiped furiously at the WindClan cat, scratching his face and giving him a big nip on his ear. Blackstripe tore the ear off and the gray tom ran off into the brush, wailing like a kit. Blackstripe looked like he wanted to chase after him, but instead he ran towards Rainkit and she felt herself being carried by her scruff. She felt sad to see the ear all by itself on the ground and almost cried. An instant later, Rainkit wondered if she was delirious.
Before she knew it, Rainkit found herself in the medicine cat den with Dawnriver firmly pressing cobwebs against her belly. She could still hear fighting coming from outside but everything was fuzzy and she could barely think straight. Dawnriver gave her some tiny black seeds to eat and Rainkit found herself slipping into darkness right before seeing a fish but with fur standing right above her.
A/N
Hi guys, I hope you're enjoying the story so far. It's going to be a strange mix of seriousness and fun from here on out. And don't worry, Birchleaf and StarClan's vague prophecy will be back, but other things have to be established first. I currently have the next 1.5 chapters done, but they need to be edited before I post them. I'll update when I can. Thanks for reading!