Chapter 8

The coughing never seemed to stop. Rainpelt was still lying in Bluestar's den, as the rest of the Clan was as well. Tigerclaw was the first to bound up to the entrance to see if it had passed. He meowed a call to pass it was safe. Cats began to flood out of the den to look at their camp. Only did Yellowfang's den, the elders' den, and the nursery still stand.

Rainpelt made her way out behind them, still coughing the dust from her lungs. She needed water. It had rained after the disaster took place. She padded over to one of the puddles that were near the dip for fresh-kill. She bent down to lap up the sweet water. While drinking, she looked up. The pile was completely gone; all that work for nothing. She straitened up and yowled a mournful cry of loss.

Her fur prickled down her spine, making her hackles rise. Memories flooded back to her. The last time she'd heard her cry was after the battle. She shook herself and looked slowly around. The world around her was a complete disaster. Branches from the Great Sycamore lay near the nursery. Kits mewled as they were carried back to their rightful shelter.

Nothing was left where the warriors' den once stood, making her stomach churn in sadness. The apprentices meowed mournfully, a cry soon spreading throughout the camp.

"Enough!" Tigerclaw yowled. "We must rebuild. Repairs are greatly needed, and we need to work as a Clan to make our camp the way it once was."

"Thank you, Tigerclaw," Bluestar mewed. "Rainpelt, ThunderClan honors you for your bravery. Cinderpaw would not be alive right now if it weren't for your last-minute thinking. You put your life on the line to save her. StarClan watched over you both out there. You made it back just in time. Thank you for your brave service." Rainpelt dipped her head in response.

"That's the way I was brought up, Bluestar."

"You were brought up well. I was surprised when you dashed out of camp like that," Bluestar admitted. "I didn't expect you to disobey me, yet I didn't know your boundaries either." She gave a respectful nod, "You are excused."

Rainpelt dashed off to find Graystripe, but was stopped short by Tigerclaw. "Just because you saved someone's life, it doesn't mean you don't have to help out with rebuilding the camp." Her ears went back in shame.

"Sorry, Tigerclaw." She dipped her head before running off to help the other warriors. She was pleased to find her friends were among them. She meowed her greeting before picking up a stick and adding it to the pile to go the warriors' den. She was just about to grab another when Tigerclaw brushed against her once more.

"We need some fresh-kill. Will you come with me?" His 'V'-nicked ear twitched as he waited for her answer. She gave a short nod. He blinked his gratitude and let her lead out of camp. Once they were alone, he spoke. "I was really impressed by your bravery. No other cat would have done that."

"It was no big deal," she mewed quietly in response. She wasn't used to so much attention. Back in her old Clan, any one of the warriors would have done such a deed. Her eyes filled with sorrow as she thought of the descended Clan. Nearing Fourtrees, she could smell that familiar scent again. "Tigerclaw, where are we hunting in the first place?"

"How about Tallpines?" She nodded.

"That sounds fine." She was silent. "For being after a storm, it's so beautiful, even with all of the damage. This is a good time to hunt. Prey will just be coming out to see if the storm has passed and to repair the damage it has made." Tigerclaw nodded.

"You're right." He gave her an affectionate look.

"What?" Humor flashed across her eyes like lightning. He shook his head, his expression returning to normal. She looked away. Now she knew this wasn't the way Tigerclaw normally acted. Why was he trying to get out alone with her so often? The sound of prey pulled her from her thoughts. Before she could take action, Tigerclaw had already killed it.

"That was fast," she admitted, her tail twitching with amusement. The birds were chirping loudly once more, telling the entire forest the storm was passed completely. He came out of the long grass with two mice in his mouth. Her eyes widened. "How did you catch two?"

"They were fooling around," he explained. She nodded and took one of the mice to carry back. They headed back to camp in silence as usual. There was never really a lot to say. She was too shy as it came to dawn on her why Tigerclaw treated her this way. They dropped the kill on the pile that was just beginning to grow. Longtail and Darkstripe returned with their second catch. Rainpelt purred. The camp was beginning to look a little more like home.

"I'm going to help out," Tigerclaw mewed before padding off. With a loud meow, Rainpelt called Graystripe over. Her paws stilled tingled from wanting to hunt. She hadn't gotten a catch yet, and she wasn't giving up until she did. He came over willingly.

"Want to go on hunting patrol with me? ThunderClan sure could use the fresh-kill."

"That's true. Sure, I'll come," he purred in response. She padded out of camp again, smelling for prey. She headed for Snakerocks. Graystripe, however, began to head the other way. Her ears went back and she followed him reluctantly.

"Why are we going this way? I figured we could try at Snakerocks," she protested.

"Adders will be out like crazy right now." She could tell he was hiding something. No doubt they could avoid the adders. They reached Fourtrees.

"But these aren't our hunting grounds."

"I know. We'll hunt at Tallpines." He went behind the Highrock. "Tomorrow night is the Gathering. No doubt Bluestar will let you go," he meowed through a muffle. Her ears pricked forward as he returned to her with a stone. The sunlight shone through it, making it glow bright amber. He dropped it at her paws. She stared at it with wonder, the stone lighting up her own eyes.

"Graystripe…where did you find this?" She looked up at him. He couldn't help notice it not only made her eyes glow, but it made her fur shine.

"Around here at the last Gathering. I had to hide it in case someone else found it. This stone reminded me of you." He looked strait in her eyes. She didn't look away.

"How?" she meowed curiously.

"Your eyes." He licked her on her forehead. She let off a purr of affection. She picked it up and held it in her mouth. "You look like you have brown fireflies in there." She gave a hiss of laughter. He led the way to Tallpines. With an idea, she set the stone somewhere where she couldn't lose it and pounced on him.

Graystripe yowled in surprise and threw her off with his back legs. She landed softly on her paws and pounced again. This time they tumbled into the clearing of Fourtrees again, batting at each other. They ended up in a heap, meowing with humor. Rainpelt had him pinned on the ground. He rolled her over so it was just the opposite.

"Get off of me, you oaf!" Humor clouded her eyes. He got off and licked his flank. She began to lick a paw, but stopped suddenly. "Graystripe, do you smell that?" Her ears pricked forward. He opened his mouth and nodded. She began to prowl toward the trees. The familiar scent grew stronger. She pounced blindly, flying through the air to the other side.

Graystripe could hear a hiss, and then Rainpelt growl. It was silent for a moment before he heard yowls of battle. He dashed to the other end to see a golden tom fighting with Rainpelt, and another cat sitting neatly on the side, her fur matted and rough from the weather. Rainpelt leaped to the side, tail in the air with warning to the golden warrior.

Graystripe leapt into battle with the she-cat. She meowed in complete surprise and threw him off like Rainpelt had. His body slammed against the Highrock. He could feel the air knocked out of him, but he wouldn't stop at that. He would let no one attack Rainpelt. He would die for her. Leaping onto the she-cat again, he was prepared this time. When she tried to throw him off, he gripped to her pelt. Rainpelt had shown him this move and he realized it came in handy. Instead he rolled on his back, pelt still attached to his claw, and flipped her over his head.

Turning around he saw the she-cat had been ready for that warrior's move. 'Who are these cats?' he questioned himself. The golden tom had Rainpelt pinned on the ground. The she-warrior, however, was smarter than she appeared. She used one of Fireheart's moves and fell limp. The tom yowled in victory. Slowly and silently, her back claws reached up and scratched him in the soft belly. He cried out and scratched her above the eye.

She threw him off, sending him against the ground with a thud. Fire burned in her eyes as she glared at the enemy warrior. She froze, realizing where the familiar scent was directing to her from. She saw past the matted and worn fur of her attacker.

"Sunfur!" Her heart filled with joy. The tom jumped at the name.

"How on earth did you come up with my name?" he hissed.

"It's me! Your old apprentice, Rainpelt!" She felt as though she were soaring. Two of her fellow Clan mates had survived!

"R-Rainpelt?" His eyes widened. "You look different!"

"I'm a ThunderClan warrior now. I thought you'd died!" Her glance shifted to the she-cat. She studied her hard before pouncing on her. The she-cat had looked surprised before, but now she was backing up in disbelief.

"We though you'd died!" she meowed.

"Dewflower! You have no idea how much I've missed you!" She began to lick her old best friend's face. Graystripe's tail swung back and forth with excitement. He was actually getting to meet some of her Clan mates. "Oh, forgive me. This is Graystripe. He's one of my best friends," she mewed. The two cats gave their greeting.

"You guys are awfully strong compared to the way you look. Come with us. Perhaps we could give you a place to rest," Graystripe offered. The two WillowClan warriors looked at each other before following the gray warriors. Rainpelt stopped to retrieve her stone before following her old Clan mates and Graystripe back to camp. Other than the twister, this day had been the best day of her life.