Rain flicked her ear, treading after her mentor through the seemingly endless rows of wooden fence on either side. He had been quiet all morning, and kept absentmindedly bringing his paw to his green collar.
"Your Trials are today." He said in a firm voice. Rain nodded.
"You still haven't told me what they are," She gave him a wide-eyed, innocent look, trying to get the information she so needed, "am I fighting you, or am I hunting, or scavenging, what is it?"
He shook his head, and she went silent at the solemn look in his eyes. Suddenly, they stopped at a beaten, oak fence, its short stakes crooked or worn down. Blaze sniffed the air deeply, and Rain did the same, and the smell of kittypet rushed over her like the black smoke from the monsters. Blaze nodded, and flicked his tail up at the top of the fence. Obediently, Rain leapt over the fence, landing neatly on the soft grass, and glanced around at the surrounding garden beds.
"Hello?" Came a gentle voice from a flowering bush. A small gray she-cat padded out, a friendly smile coating her muzzle and a teal collar around her neck. Blaze leapt down behind Rain, and whispered in her ear, "kill her." Leaf stiffened, her gaze still locked on the kittypet's crystal-like blue eyes, which now held a glimmer of fear. Rain turned to Blaze, her expression pleading, but found eyes as hard as stone staring back.
"Do it." He ordered. Rain padded towards the she-cat, who stood firmly, her expression still and her gaze defiant. Without any more hesitation, her mind made up, Rain leapt at a cat. A ginger tom-cat. She swiped Blaze's paws out from under him, and slammed him into the hard wooden fence, catching him by surprise. His skull slammed into the fence, and his eyes filled with betrayal. His gaze foggy, but filled with rage, he rose to his paws.
"You shouldn't have done that." He snarled, his hackles raised and his claws glinting in the sunlight. Rain froze, terrified, but the silvery she-cat slammed into her side, forcing her to move.
"Run!" She shouted, helping the brown tabby over the fence. Rain glanced back to see Blaze chasing after them, shouting curses.
"Keep running, I know a place we can hide." The kittypet growled, their paces matching as they ran for their lives. Through what seemed like endless twists and turns, thunderpaths and yards, they kept running. Suddenly, the she-cat slammed into Rain's side, and they tumbled through a gap in a brick wall into a small area, kind of like a den, with a low ceiling. They stopped, panting, and slowly recovered their breath. Rain lay on the ground, her sides heaving. After a bit of silence, listening intently for the sound of their pursuer, Rain turned gratefully to the she-cat and said,
"You saved my life." The kittypet purred.
"Not before you saved mine." She said, nudging her. Rain smiled, and rose shakily to her paws.
"I'm Flicker."
"I'm Rain." The BloodClan cat purred. Flicker raised her paw and scraped it along the wall, gathering small pieces of moss and shaking them off of her paw with disgust.
With a small jolt, Rain realized for the first time that Flicker had a one white paw, just like Flame.
"Flame! My sister! I can't leave her behind!" Rain turned frantically to the she-cat, who gave her a sympathetic look.
"You can't go back. BloodClan doesn't tolerate traitors, and they'll be extra alert because they know you'll come back for your si-" Suddenly, pawsteps sounded outside, and the silvery she-cat's ear flicked.
"I'm going to kill her." Blaze snarled. Rain's ears flattened, and Flicker's eyes narrowed. She flicked her tail at the entrance, and started creeping forwards, Rain right behind her. With a lash of the kittypet's tail, they flew out of the hole and tackled Blaze, clawing fiercely.
"Run! I can hold him off." The she-cat implored as she wrestled with the tom. Rain started to run, but a pained hiss from behind her made her turn around. Blaze had the she-cat pinned, his claws at her throat. Without a moment of hesitation, Rain slammed into her previous trainer's side, and the kittypet gasped for air, her collar still stuck in the BloodClan cat's claws. With a malicious smirk, Blaze started pulling it tighter, causing more desperate thrashing. WIth a deep snarl, Rain slashed the collar in two, and grabbed Flicker's scruff, pulling her to her feet. Rain turned around and slashed Blaze's face, his jaws parting in a pained screech as her claws scored his eyes. Turning away from him, she and the kittypet ran again, a knot forming in Rain's belly. After a while, the hard pavement abruptly turned to grass, and into tangled undergrowth. Trees towered over them, and finally, they skidded to a halt, panting loudly.
"Who's there?" A growl sounded beside them, and Rain froze. She didn't think she could outrun another cat. Flicker must've had the same idea, because they pressed their backs against each other, and unsheathed their claws. Cats came into view, three of them. A golden brown tabby tom, a calico she-cat that was probably not much older than a kit, and a lithe pale ginger she-cat.
"Trespassers!" The calico declared, as she was held back by a light ginger paw.
"You are on ThunderClan land."
"We want no trouble." Rain said evenly, her brow narrowing as she heard the familiar term. The ginger she-cat locked eyes with her, and gasped.
"Leafkit! Oh, Leafkit!" The ginger leaned forwards and nuzzled her affectionately.
"I'm Flicker." The kittypet said to the clan cats, before turning to Rain, "Do you know this cat?"
Rain was staring at the ginger, stunned into silence.
"Sandstorm?" She stared hesitantly at the pale she-cat, the name leaping into her mind, along with the scent of milk, and memories of playing with a mossball.
"Is this really-..?" The golden brown tom asked, afraid to say the name of the assumed dead kit that had caused his leader such grief.
"Yes, Thornclaw. This is my daughter. Leafkit."
"My name's Rain." Rain said softly, her gaze down at the ground. These cats thought of her as the innocent kit that had been stolen away. She suddenly became aware that her little white paws were still stained with Blaze's blood. Sandstorm simply nodded, not processing the information.
"I can't believe my baby came back. Thank you, Flicker." She turned to the kittypet with genuine gratitude in her eyes, then turned back to Rain.
"Where's your sister? Is she-" Sandstorm asked, too scared to ask it aloud. Rain shook her head.
"She's in BloodClan." Rain said. Sandstorm's eyes widened.
"It looks like you two have a story to tell." She said as she turned back to the others, flicking her tail for them to follow her.
"We need to tell Firestar about this."
0o0o0o0o0o0o0
Firestar sat on top of highrock, his gaze sweeping across the few cats in the clearing. Grief pricked at his heart as he spotted Rainpaw and Sootpaw play fighting as if they were kits, remembering his own kits, lost too soon to a rogue fox. They would have their warrior assessments tomorrow, and he was planning on naming them Sootleaf and Rainwhisker. Sootleaf after Ferncloud, and maybe a bit after Leafkit, and Rainwhisker for his tracking skills.
"Firestar!" Sandstorm's yowl broke him out of his thoughts, and he turned to see the cats he had sent on border patrol, and a small, sleek gray she-cat, her one white paw reminding him of Squirrelkit.
"What's wrong?" He asked, leaping down and racing over to check them for injuries. Suddenly, he noticed a brown tabby with white paws and chest, sitting behind the others, her tail wrapped around her.
"No…" He said softly, his gaze flicking from Sandstorm back to his kit.
"Leafkit?" He asked, his voice almost a whisper.
"Hi, um, Dad." She replied tentatively, shifting her paws nervously. ThunderClan's noble leader leapt forwards, and nuzzled his daughter. She plastered a smile on her face, a few distant memories drifting into her head. Beside her, the lithe gray she-cat padded forwards nervously.
"Firestar, this is Flicker, my.. Friend?" She glanced at Flicker for confirmation. Flicker nodded, glancing at the bright ginger tom in front of her.
"Oh Leafkit, I'm so gl-"
"Rain. My name is Rain." She interrupted. Every cat in the small crowd that had started to slowly gather froze, but Firestar just let out a low breath.
"Alright. Rain, where is your sister? Is she.. alive?"
Rain nodded eagerly, and told him the whole story as best she could remember, starting from them sneaking out of camp. After it all, Firestar sat, his gaze thoughtful.
"Flicker is right. They'll be expecting you. Maybe we could all attack swiftly, take Squir- Flame, and get out without any injuries to our warriors."
"No, Firestar. It's dangerous. I miss our daughter as much as any cat, but we need to focus on the matter at hand." Sandstorm spoke up.
"So you propose we leave her there?!" Firestar said in disbelief, whipping around to face his mate. The she-cat narrowed her emerald green eyes to slits.
"That's not what I-" Sandstorm began.
"We can't leave her there! BloodClan is.. We just can't!" Rain decreed, flicking her tail agitatedly. The few cats that had gathered around, not yet making the connection between the kit that was believed to be killed in a fox attack and the she-cat standing in front of them had confused looks on their faces. Their eyes flicked back and forth between the speakers, entranced.
Flicker started to speak, in a soft tone.
"What if we waited?" Rain gave her a betrayed look. "Not for long, just for a day or two. We could send a scout team of one or two cats to see what's happening, and if Flame is in danger, a warrior can come gather a rescue patrol."
Firestar gave her an odd look, curious as to how she knew all the clan terminology, but nodded.
"Good idea. You were lucky to have her in BloodClan, Lea- Rain."
Flicker opened her mouth, and Rain shook her head slightly. Not noticing, the gray kittypet continued.
"Oh I only met her when she saved me today."
Dustpelt's hackles raised.
"How do you know we can trust her?" He demanded of Rain. Rain gave him a clear look.
"How do you know you can trust me?" She shot back. Flicker glanced between them helplessly.
"Don't fight." Sandstorm ordered, turning back to her thinking mate.
"It would work. We should send one fast runner to be a messenger, and one good fighter in case they get into trouble."
"I can go!" Rain said suddenly. Firestar shook his head, turning to her.
"No. They are after you. If they catch you, they'll kill you. And we just got you back. We can't lose you again." Sandstorm leaned forwards and nudged Rain gently.
"Oh L- Rain, your father and I have missed you. And you, Flicker, was it? Thank you."
"I didn't do much." She answered earnestly. Rain flicked her with her tail.
"You saved my life!"
"And you saved mine! Twice!" Flicker purred. Firestar glanced between them, before turning away with a sigh.
"Meet me in my den. Help yourself to the fresh-kill pile, though."
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
Flame glanced up in alarm as the scent of blood filled her nose, and Blaze stumbled into the alley, his face covered in blood.
"Blaze?" Bone asked, stepping forwards.
"My trainee tried to kill me." He spat. Bone raised his eyebrow slightly.
"Didn't take too well to the Trials, eh? We'll hunt her down. Flame!" Flame's head shot up as her name was called.
"Come here." Bone ordered. Flame strutted forwards confidently, feeling anxious.
With a quick swipe, Bone slashed her ear.
"You're now a full warrior of BloodClan. Flame, help out Blaze, maybe he can go wash off in the river or something." Bone said, turning away. Flame stared hesitantly at the ginger tom, and was met with a sharp lash of his tail.
"Take me to the stream. Go elsewhere, and I will know." Blaze snarled. Flame quickly nodded, then realizing he couldn't see her, said,
"Yes sir."
0o0o0o0o0o0o0
Firestar stood in his den, Rain at his side, his gaze flickering to the surrounding cats.
"As you know, we're going to attack BloodClan and get my kit back. If you believe this is a battle not worth fighting, I'll allow you to stay at camp." His gaze swept over them, and they all remained still and determined.
"Rain knows the best ways in and out. But she is the one they want to kill. I'm going to be partnering you up. Brackenfur, Longtail. Cloudtail, Willowpelt. And Graystripe, Rain."
They shifted to line up beside their partners, all except for Rain, who remained sitting, her tail curled around her paws.
"Rain?
"May I partner with Flicker instead?"
"Flicker can't come! We don't know if we can trust her!" Cloudtail protested. Rain sent him an icy glare, and he noticed with a small jolt her claws were unsheathed.
"I know my way around BloodClan territory, but she knows the Twolegplace. It would be in your best interest to let her come." Rain spoke in a soft, threatening voice, probably terrifying enough to freeze the whole of the dark forest in their tracks. But this was his daughter.
"Do we know if we can trust her? From what I know, you just met her." Firestar asked, keeping his tone even. Rain flicked her tail to show her annoyance.
"I trust her. If you trust me, you should do the same for her. Because as far as I know, you barely know me, just that I was born of your blood. Now, is she coming or not?"
Firestar stared blankly at her. She was right, of course. He didn't know a single thing about her. She could be a spy. With a flick of his tail and a barely audible sigh, he nodded.
"She can come. You two can go together I guess. Go find her, and wait in the clearing."
He ordered. Rain nodded, scampering out of the den, away from the stares of cats she should've known.
"Graystripe, I want you not to let them out of your sight. Even if she is my daughter, she isn't the same cat she was when she was taken. And that Flicker cat, too."
Tiny chappie. I've been working on something for a friend so it's been a bit since i've updated here. So here's a chapter, hope you enjoyed. Also i've read way too much in the past two weeks or so for this fundraiser for my school. Anyways, enjoyyyyyyyy. Bye bye, you lovely mousebrains (Kidding!).
Please review!