Review Replies:

LakeStream- Thanks! ;)

catbooklover2004- Oops, I should have made that clearer. Song was spying on the Tribe for Shadow's group. Is it okay if I make Mistypool an apprentice first, and she becomes a warrior at the same time as Rainpaw?

Shira the Mage- I think you are an AWESOME author! I think if you update more frequently more reviews show up, but idk xD Thanks! :D

Wood Cats- Yeah, LakeStream gave me this idea :3 Thanks! You'll have to wait and see what happens to Song... X3

Dawnlight25- Thanks :D That will happen soon enough :) Rainpool is already a different OC name for someone, at the moment I'm stuck between Rainpetal (I came up with a few more) Rainfall, Rainstream, Rainwhisper, Rainmist, Rainbreeze, and Raindapple. Now I'm really liking Rainpetal, Rainmist, Rainbreeze, Rainwhisper, and Raindapple. I am accepting OCs for Rainpaw's future kits, and I will eventually have people submit them and then choose them at random. I will explain it more when it's time, though ;) As for the QOTD, it will probably be story stuff and questions for you, and also I will include a fact-of-the-chapter. :D Also, I'm thinking I'll update at least once a weekend now. And about the account thing, I got one when I wasn't old enough... but now I'm older sooooo yeah but I think it's sad fanfiction dot net does that and limits the capabilities of young authors :'( I would follow you too! :D

Amberflame805- Thanks! :3

Unknown Reader- I know you think I was using favoritism, but I wasn't. I actually hate favoritism, and I'm not sure if you meant Larksong or Lakestream. Nevertheless, I will give explanations for both. In Larksong's review reply, I stated that she had 20 reviews, but that was simply because she was a new reader and reviewed every single chapter in a row, so I was surprised. At the top of the chapter I wrote, "Thank you LakeStream," because she helped me come up with an idea for the chapter. At the bottom I wrote, "I feel sad for Song. How about you, LakeStream?" because Song is her OC, she gave me this idea for Song, and helped me with the chapter. Again, I am very sorry that you thought I was using favoritism, and I am sorry for the confusion. Thank you for understanding. I love each of you equally.

gms14- Here's another chappie! :)

Larksong- XD Thanks! :D

Stream That Flows Around Rock- Poor Song! Your OC will appear soon ;3

Pikachudragon- Maybe... No... Yes... Potato... Apple... You'll have to wait and see ;) XD

Wolfspirit of ShadowClan- Yes. Why yes he is. :D Thank you! :)

ZM- You'll just have to wait and see :D

Guest/"Ultraman"- Herro! :D As I've told everyone, you have to wait to see what happens to her :D XD

Snowfall16- You'll see how it ties in soon enough *looks at soon-to-be-chapters with maniacal grin* :3

New update schedule- at least once every weekend

Chapter 20

Rainpaw padded beside Stormpaw, narrowing her eyes against the swirling snow. They followed the patrol of cats, consisting of the prey-hunters Golden and Hawk, and the cave-guards Moss and Flame.

Bored out of her mind, Rainpaw had decided to join a patrol, and Stormpaw had come with her. She had tried to communicate to Song earlier, but the she-cat had refused to listen.

Willow padded behind them, sniffing the air. "It's so cold out here!" She mewed. "I love it."

Stormpaw nodded. "Personally, I like the cold. It is very clear."

Rainpaw fluffed out her fur. "I like snow!" She dove into the powdery white, flinging it at Stormpaw. He growled in mock-anger and scooped up several pawfuls, hurtling it straight back. Willow joined in, gasping as snow hit her straight in the face.

"Be quiet!" Flame snapped.

Rainpaw rolled her eyes and the three cats broke away, purring.

"I'm serious. Shut up!"

Rainpaw turned to look at Flame, who was staring warily at the sky. A dark dot had appeared just in their vision, and it circled lower and lower until it came fully into view.

"Follow me," Flame hissed. He ducked low to the ground, along with the other Tribe cats. Rainpaw slunk along the ground, and followed them into a tree-covered slope.

A shadowy winged figure flew low to the ground as the cats took shelter behind a log. Rainpaw peered out at it, fear trickling through her body. Its bright, beady eyes unnerved her, along with the whoosh its wings made. She shuddered. "What is it?"

"Eagle," Stormpaw replied, every muscle in his body tensed and his eyes not leaving the creature.

Rainpaw shivered. She had heard stories about these birds-of-prey, how they were able to snatch full-grown cats off the ground and brought them to their own lairs. Those cats were never heard from again.

"Will it see us?"

"I hope not."

They waited for a moment, but they heard nothing. Moss and Flame cautiously crept out and reported that it was gone.

Rainpaw padded out with her two friends, eyeing the sky nervously.


For the rest of the patrol, the eagle did not bother them, but Rainpaw couldn't shake off the feeling of being watched.

As they climbed up a steep sloe, heading back to the cave, Rainpaw spotted many shaded figures on a ledge far away. They froze as she turned her head to look at them, and then the tallest kinked its tail. Wait, Rainpaw thought with a tremor of worry, shadows don't have tails.

The edges of the group of "shadows" broke away and began to close in on the group. By now the other cats had caught sight of them, and unsheathed their claws, fur bristling. Rainpaw opened her mouth and caught a half-familiar scent. Cats!

"It's Shadow's group!" Flame hissed. He bushed out his fur, tail lashing. "They'll want to fight. Get ready."


Rainpaw ducked around a gray tabby and swiped her paw over his nose. He crouched to the ground and hissed aggressively at her, then sprang.

It all happened so quickly. Shadow's group turned as one and charged away. Rainpaw leaped to her paws and yowled, "That's right, run away, you scaredy-mice!"

Stormpaw looked doubtfully after them. "I don't think they're running away."

"Help!"

Rainpaw started and spun around, biting back a cry of horror.

Moss was stretched out on her side, claw marks scoring down her flank. Her ears were shredded, and one of her limbs was twisted at an awkward angle. Her eyes were alight with agony, and she clawed at the ground, scattering blood droplets everywhere. Flame stood beside her, fur on end.

"Help her!"

Rainpaw forced herself to bound over, about to inspect her wounds when another cry came from Stormpaw. "Look out!"

She whirled around again, following his gaze until what he was watching.

The group of attacking cats were lined on top of a cliff, scraping at the ice and snow that clung to the stone. Large chunks fell off, and suddenly one of them yowled, loud and high-pitched. It bounced off the cliff surrounding them, until it seemed to fill the sky. Then it stopped altogether. The cats backed away slowly, just as a loud crackle exploded in the air.

Avalanche. Rainpaw had heard the word before, yet never experienced it. She and Stormpaw raced back to their group, and they huddled in a circle. Even Moss managed to push herself to her paws.

The ground thundered, and the wave of snow was less than ten fox-lengths away from them. Rainpaw turned to Stormpaw, fear throbbing in her heart. "I don't want to die," She whispered.

He pressed up beside her, twining his tail with hers. "Neither do I. But at least if we die, we die together."

"Together," Rainpaw repeated. They stared into each other's eyes, each mouthing a sentence. But before they could finish, it was on them.

The world went black.

Please don't get mad at the cliffie!

QOTD:

Who is your favorite character from this story?