Chapter 18

Rainpelt picked up the water vole she had left by the river. It had been days since she'd had her encounter with her deceased leader. They'd given him a proper burial and sat in vigil with him all night. Now she felt like she hadn't. She'd used to be close to him, but that was when Orangestar had been leader.

Padding into camp, she left her kill in the pile and walked over to Tigerclaw. None of the ThunderClan cats showed hostility; not one doubted her loyalty to ThunderClan now. She meowed her greeting to the deputy, and he turned to look at her with fierce warrior's eyes. They softened as they recognized her.

"Have a successful hunt?" he asked, looking straight into her eyes. She nodded and looked away, knowing why she'd approached the warrior.

"Tigerclaw, can I speak to you out of camp, please?" He nodded and followed her through the gorse tunnel. They traveled in silence. Rainpelt kept in mind she had the night to think about it, but also kept in mind that the Gathering was that night as well. She hoped Sunfur was going. Bluestar had already told her she was going to be attending.

"So, what is so important you needed privacy?" Pride and hope shone in the great warrior's eyes as he lay down to get comfortable.

"Tigerclaw, what do you think of me?" She lay down as well, meeting his gaze to make sure he weren't lying. He was silent for a moment.

"Well, I think you make an excellent warrior, and your loyalty is something ThunderClan respect."

"No, not in warrior terms…just me," she meowed. He frowned.

"I think you're very nice, and excellent warrior as I said, and you'll make a great mother some day," he replied sternly. "Why?"

"No reason. I was just curious," she answered quickly before getting up and leading the way back to camp. "Sunfur! Are you going to the Gathering?" she asked, running over to him. He nodded.

"Bluestar is letting me go. I just hope Mistclaw will be there," he rasped. She nodded slowly.

"I'll be there if she is. We can all catch up on things."

"Yeah, of course!" She gave him a brief nod before dashing over to Graystripe. Now it was his turn.

"Graystripe, can I have a word with you?"

"Of course, Rainpelt. What's up?" She shook her head.

"Not here. Follow me." She led him to an oak. "Graystripe, what do you think of me." She could tell by his expression that the question had caught him by surprise. He didn't take time to think.

"Rainpelt, I think you're very beautiful, a skilled warrior, a born leader, and a great friend." She was silent, eyes clouding with worry. Had he said friend on purpose, or was he hiding something. She looked into his eyes.

"No, Graystripe. Tell me the truth." Her eyes narrowed sternly as a leader's would. He sighed.

"As you wish. I knew from the time you entered camp, from the first time I looked into your eyes, I loved you. Your beauty was like nothing I'd ever seen before, and when I discovered your personality, how much I looked forward to seeing you, and how much I found myself thinking about you, I knew you were the one. I was determined to find the real you, the one that wasn't hidden by her warrior duties and her sorrow for her old Clan. If I never found the Rainpelt I was really looking for, though, I was happy just knowing you were here in my Clan." He looked at the ground, but Rainpelt stared at him with glittering amber eyes.

"Graystripe…how come you never told me?"

"I didn't know if you felt the same way or not." She nodded slowly.

"I…uh…just wanted to know," she stammered. "Are you going to the Gathering tonight?"

"Yeah…you?" She nodded again.

"We'd better get back to camp."

"Yeah, I suppose." He stood up and trotted off, leaving her behind. Her eyes widened with surprise. Had she somehow hurt him?