Chapter 6

Rainpelt yawned. It had been a day since the attack for RiverClan patrol. Her wounds were healing nicely, and she was surprised that RiverClan hadn't attacked yet. Graystripe had been taking excessive care of her, even though she didn't need it.

She padded over to the fresh-kill pile and took a mouse. Then she walked over and set it in front of Graystripe's nose. He awoke with a start and yawned.

"Holy StarClan, your mouth is huge!" Her eyes were as big as pebbles as she stared at him in wonder. Graystripe meowed of laughter.

"Gee, Rainpelt, I thank you greatly." He bowed his head, and then took a large bite of mouse. "Thank you for breakfast."

"Eh, it wasn't me. I just plucked it from the fresh-kill pile. I figured a freak like you could use something in your stomach…or something to store for the winter in that mouth!" Her eyes got large again and she pretended to examine around his jaw.

"Oh, shut up!" Rainpelt laughed.

"You know, Graystripe, I want to thank you." She looked up at his surprised face.

"For what?"

"For being the best friend I needed at a time like this."

"You're…uh…welcome." Graystripe's heart sank. Did this she-cat not have the same feelings for him as he did she? Rainpelt knelt and pressed her pelt against his flank. He purred and licked her between the ears. The warriors' den was empty besides them, so he decided to go ahead and share tongues. She purred and licked his back.

Fireheart poked his head in. "Rainpelt, you're wanted for dawn patrol tomorrow."

"Who else is attending, Fireheart?" She stopped licking Graystripe.

"Well, Tigerclaw, you, and I." He smiled brightly. She nodded and got up. Graystripe's ears went back. 'Thanks, Fireheart, for ruining the moment,' he though to himself, getting up right behind her. She padded out of the den.

"Rainpelt! I was looking for you. I'm wondering if you'd like to go on a hunting patrol?" Tigerclaw loomed in front of her. She gave a brief nod.

"Why me? Is everyone trying to make me feel wanted and used so I don't have time to think about the tragedy that took place before I joined ThunderClan?" She frowned, trying to think. She then glanced over at Frostfur, who was giving her an icy stare.

"Maybe it's just because you're a good warrior…and you're different," Tigerclaw meowed. She shrugged and followed him through the gorse tunnel. The sun was rising into a clear sky, promising another warm day to come. Tigerclaw was padding slowly and quietly near the owl tree. He stooped to a crouch, waited for the right moment, and took off running after a rabbit. Rainpelt watched him chase it around the tree before pouncing on it.

He finished it off and buried it in a mound of bracken. "Finally…a rabbit! It's been a while since the elders have had one of those." He stared back at her, both their amber eyes locking in a gaze. Rainpelt looked away shyly. He shrugged it off and began to run up a hill. "Come on!" She frowned and took after him. Surely this was not like Tigerclaw. He was acting so different. She reached the top and overlooked twolegplace. With a hiss she stepped back.

"I hate twolegs too, Rainpelt. There isn't a cat in the forest who doesn't." She looked up at him and nodded. "But look beyond twolegplace. Look back there." He nudged his muzzle to a field with a river running through it. Her ears pricked forward.

"It is lovely." She shut her eyes, savoring the moment in her mind. The sunrise was hitting the water perfectly.

"That's one place that would be perfect for a loner," he meowed dreamily. Her ears went back. Was Tigerclaw giving her the hint to leave the Clan?

"Er…yeah."

"I'd love to have the Clan over there, actually," he grumbled more seriously. Her ears went back to normal. He hadn't been hinting that he wanted her to leave…he wanted to live there!

She nodded.

"It would be wonderful." He pressed his fur against her flank. Her eyes widened. "Uh, Tigerclaw?"

"Hmm?"

"What are you doing?" He stepped away. She looked at him, seeing a slight look of disappointment flash across his face. She sighed and pressed her body against his. He licked her between the ears, making her head droop a little. What was he doing? Surely this was nothing like Tigerclaw? When they first met she had the impression he was a tough warrior who didn't have happiness unless he'd won a battle.

Rainpelt laid down, followed by Tigerclaw. He began to lick her pelt and she returned the gesture. He stopped licking her for a second.

"Rainpelt, are you happy here?" She stopped licking as well and looked up into his eyes.

"Yes, in fact, I am. I miss my old Clan mates much, though." Her eyes filled with sadness and she broke the gaze between them.

"What was WillowClan like?" His eyes were still locked on her. She was silent for a moment.

"Well…it was a little like ThunderClan, only we worked harder there. The elder's den was always clear of dirt, because that was the apprentices' daily job. There was always fresh-kill in the pile because many warriors would go out at once. Our apprentices were trained well in case we were attacked for some odd reason. Our warriors were strong, and if they were weak and weren't showing their training, they'd have to return to their apprenticeship.

We fought each other every day for practice to keep our skills sharp. It was very peaceful. We got along with all the Clans of cats and rogues around us, until…" she trailed off. He pressed his muzzle against her for comfort. She purred, but her heart filled with sadness. She was almost a mother in WillowClan. Morningstar and her were falling in love, and no doubt soon she would have joined the queens in pregnancy if it weren't for Krone.

"I hear ShadowClan has received a few new warriors," he meowed. She was grateful for the change of subject.

"Really? Have the apprentices fulfilled their training well?" She looked at him with humor in her eyes. She was asking as though he would know everything that happened in ShadowClan, because that was what it sounded like.

"Actually, some rogues have asked permission to join, and Nightstar accepted," he explained. Her fur bristled.

"Do you know where they came from?" she mewed with caution.

"No, I just know ShadowClan received them as full warriors. I saw one at the Gathering. He was quite large." His ear with the 'V' in it twitched in curiosity and how much the she-cat knew. "Leopardfur told me," he explained.

"I see…" She looked at the ground. "Well, we're here on hunting patrol. We'd better hunt." She got up and began to walk off, her head clouded with questions. The scent of prey filled her nostrils. She crouched low and pounced on a robin. Padding back to Tigerclaw, she held her head high with her kill in her jaws proudly.

"Alright…nice catch," he meowed gloomily but playfully. "Come on. Let's pick up that rabbit and go back to camp," he then ordered, traveling back to where he buried the rabbit. He picked it up through the bracken, flinching as it pricked his nose. She followed him in silence, due to the robin in her mouth.

Back at camp, they dropped their prey in the fresh-kill pile and padded in their separate directions. Tigerclaw went to speak with Darkstripe and Longtail, while Rainpelt traveled over to Graystripe and Fireheart.

"Where's Sandstorm?" Her ears pricked forward as she got near them.

"Out on evening patrol," Fireheart meowed in response.

"Am I that late?" Her eyes widened with surprise as she sat down.

"You were gone with Tigerclaw for an awful long time. What were you guys doing, anyway?" Graystripe's tail twitched.

"Hunting," she replied. The two toms watched as her head bobbed while she licked her chest. Fireheart crouched and pounced on her. "Hey!" She threw him off playfully, her claws sheathed. He jumped on her again, followed by Graystripe. Rainpelt mewed playfully, swiping him behind the ear. He knocked her over while Fireheart knocked him off. She let off a

mrr-rrow of laughter before knocking Fireheart off his paws.

She then licked her paw as though nothing happened. Fireheart struggled to his feet and sat down. Graystripe shoved him over again and took off running. Rainpelt stopped grooming herself to watch the chase between her two friends. She shook her head and headed off to see Yellowfang.

Yellowfang was looking at Cinderpaw's leg when Rainpelt walked in. "Hello, Yellowfang. Cinderpaw." She dipped her head to the two cats. Yellowfang nodded in greeting.

"Hi, Rainpelt. Yellowfang's told me a lot about you," Cinderpelt mewed. "This is the first time I've actually seen you. You really do look like Spottedleaf…from what I remember." Rainpelt shut her eyes happily. She had recently heard good things about the old medicine cat from Fireheart. She sounded as though she was really great…and really great looking. She figured it must be a huge compliment to be told she looked like her.

"I've heard some great things about you too, Cinderpaw. Fireheart has told me a lot about you. You sound like you're full of spirit and ambition." Her eyes softened as she looked at the gray cat. Cinderpaw looked at the ground.

"I was."

"What do you mean you were?"

"I'm useless now. I'm just a burden to the Clan and another mouth to feed. My leg just gets in the way of my doing things."

"That's not true!" Yellowfang yowled in response. "You're a great help to me, and a wonderful company. You're not completely useless." Rainpelt saw humor in the medicine cat's eyes. "Now I want you to stop saying that!"

Rainpelt blinked. "Well, I should be going. Nice to meet you, Cinderpaw." The cat nodded before Rainpelt left. She padded over to the fresh-kill pile and took the rabbit. She sighed at the forgetfulness of Tigerclaw and trotted over to the elders' den. She poked her nose in.

"Rainpelt," Patchpelt meowed in greeting. "Come in." She stepped in further and dropped the rabbit for the elders to share. "Thank you." Patchpelt dipped his head. "One of these days you should tell us the story of the RiverClan battle." She nodded and left, going back to the fresh-kill pile to grab a mouse for herself.

Taking a bit, she looked up at Silverpelt. She could see the shadows of Sandstorm, Fireheart, and Graystripe sleeping in their moss beds. She was quick to finish her meal and padded into the den, laying down herself. She looked out of the den at the empty camp. Her eyes slowly closed and she drifted into a dreamless sleep.