Here's chapter 8! It's a bit longer than the other chapters, but not by much. It's also the second chapter in Rainpaw's perspective so you can see what she's thinking about everything. I will try to be updating every Monday from now on, but when school starts I might accidentally forget a day and update Tuesday, so I apologize ahead of time if that happens.

Fact: Rainpaw is very blinded by her emotions. When I was writing I wrote her to by shy and timid, though with everything in the story happening she will become harsh and more manipulative.

The full moon gleamed bright and clear that night, the night of her second Gathering. Rainpaw was more excited than the last time. She was slightly intimidated by the large number of cats that first Gathering, but was ready for this next time. Plus, she would get to see Ashpaw again. And tonight, she would ask him.

Dapplepaw padded beside her, also eager for the Gathering. Rainpaw tried to pin point why, but couldn't. Her best guess was that she got to interact with other clans.

SunClan was already there when the LeafClan cats arrived, making Rainpaw pleased. Surely Ashpaw would be there. She padded into the clearing, her eyes searching for his grey tabby pelt.

"I'm surprised you're here!" Dapplepaw meowed behind her, a slight purr hidden in her voice. "After everything with the snake. I thought for sure Hollowstar wouldn't let you come."

Rainpaw turned around. What cat was she so friendly with? Her heart dropped when she saw Ashpaw, his tail curled over his paws. "Me too," he answered. "Rosepaw's the one who didn't get to come. Her shoulder is still healing. It was dislocated."

Dapplepaw shrugged, her fluffy tail swishing. "That's too bad. Actually, I never really liked her anyway."

"Hey!" Rainpaw cut in, giving Dapplepaw, who was baffled, a fierce glare. "Why don't you go and talk to Foxstep? He wants to sit by you."

"Are you kidding me? I said I would be nice to him, not his best friend!" Dapplepaw turned to look back at her clan. "Whatever. I don't care. I can talk to my clanmates any day, but not with other clans," she meowed, shaking her head. She sat back down.

Rainpaw let out a silent hiss. Why is she so clingy to him? They hardly know each other! Well, I hardly know him either, but it's love at first sight and he knows it too! She gave Ashpaw a friendly smile. "Well, why don't you tell him that?"

Dapplepaw let out a sigh. "You're right. Hey, I will come back and sit here when DuskClan arrives," she meowed to Ashpaw. Dapplepaw then turned, her tail swishing up leaves.

Rainpaw watched her go, tail flicking. Ashpaw turned to her and said, "Is prey running in LeafClan? Silly me. Not all prey runs. Birds fly, rabbits hop."

"Do you remember me?" Rainpaw asked, gazing up at him with amber eyes. Of course he did, but she wanted to know his answer.

Ashpaw hesitated. He cast a look back at Dapplepaw, then faced her again. "I do. You're Dapplepaw's sister, right?" His expression remained the same, not clueing Rainpaw as whether or not he was joking. Dapplepaw's sister? He only associated her with Dapplepaw?

Rainpaw opened her mouth to correct him. She shook her head, figuring she needed to get right to the point. "You clearly remember the first time we saw each other." She did. It was a crystal clear photo in her head, and she felt like they had known each other since they were kits. "And I was just thinking maybe we should meet. At nighttime, obviously. Secret meetings. Wouldn't that be fun?"

Ashpaw's eyes widened. For once he didn't have hidden thought. He frowned, confusion flickering in his golden eyes. "Um...why? We hardly know each other. We don't know each other. On top of that, we are from two different clans!"

Rainpaw paused. She did not expect rejection. She understood if he was unsure, or something, but she had expected him to agree because he couldn't fight the love he felt for her! She held herself together, and now she was puzzled as to how he said no. We're clearly in love. I couldn't care about him this much if he didn't feel the same!

Dapplepaw appeared, her tail lashing with irritation. "Ugh, I am sick of being nice to Foxstep already! It's only been a quarter moon. I have to deal with him for another quarter moon." She looked between the cats, eyes narrowed. "What happened?" she asked Ashpaw. "It looks like a monster nearly ran you over."

Ashpaw shook his head quickly. "No, otherwise I probably would've mentioned it. It's nothing, really." His gaze flicked to Rainpaw, who felt a stab of hurt and betrayal.

There's something holding him back. There must be a reason he won't give in to his feelings for me. It can't just be loyalty to his clan. Another cat? Rosepaw? He mentioned her name before. He doesn't seem to care about her, though. Rainpaw quickly thought of other young she-cats in his clan. None. Only Rosepaw.

She let out a frustrated, silent sigh. Her gaze turned to Dapplepaw who was talking about how dense the leaves on the ground were. And then there was Ashpaw. He was listening, his eyes bright and ears up, actually interested in the boring things she said.

Rainpaw gasped. It's her! Dapplepaw! She stepped back, a sudden feeling of uncertainty striking her. She could never compete, not with Dapplepaw. Everyone fawned over her. Maybe...maybe I don't have to. She doesn't care about him at all! I don't have to compete!

DuskClan cats slid into the clearing. They were fashionably late. Rainpaw looked them over. They were skinnier than most of the other cats, and their pelts scrawnier. It was only Leaf-fall, so prey was still around.

Smokestar jumped onto her rock, crouching down and scanning the groups of cats. She let out a yowl, signaling the start of the Gathering. She stood up, glancing at the other leaders with eyes that were dangerously narrow. Her voice rose up as she spoke. "I would like to start this Gathering by pointing out how some of our prey is missing."

Rainpaw's eyes widened. She perked her ears and listened as cats of DuskClan mumbled with agreement.

"And we found the culprits. Not foxes or badgers, but SunClan!" She whirled around to face the cluster of SunClan cats, who let out yowls of anger and protest.

"How dare you accuse us of stealing your prey!" Hollowstar snarled, leaping to his paws. He lashed his tail, furious.

Smokestar's eyes narrowed further. "I am accusing you with proof! One of our patrols saw your cats hunting on our territory."

"Which cats?"

Smokestar scanned the crowds. "Ashpaw and Rosepaw. On the Flat Rocks They were catching snakes."

Rainpaw turned to Ashpaw, who's eyes narrowed as well. He got to his paws. "If I remember correctly, I believe those rock are neutral territory. I mean, I heard the Elder's stories about the fighting because they are on the borderline of the two territories. No cat won the fight. Those rocks are neither SunClan's, nor DuskClan's."

Hollowstar nodded, turning to the livid DuskClan leader. "He's right. You have not claimed those rocks, and we won't let you." Yowls from SunClan rose up, defending themselves and agreeing with Ashpaw's statement.

The light from the moon faded. Rainpaw turned her head up, seeing clouds cover the full moon. "The Gathering has ended," Brackenstar meowed, hopping off his rock. He flicked his tail, gesturing for his clan to follow him home.

Rainpaw blinked, staring up at the waning moon. It lit the forest of maple trees, with leaves barely hanging on now. She tasted the air, starting to pad forward. The scent trail was difficult to follow because of the leaves blowing around. Still, it was there.

The scent led out of clan territory. Rainpaw stepped over the border markings, pausing to listen for noises.

Rainpaw traced it to an apple tree with the fruit rotting on the ground. She glanced around. It's where the scent ended. She froze as she heard a voice, a familiar voice.

Her head snapped up to see Dapplepaw crouched on a tree limb, eyes narrowed. "What are you doing here?" her sister snapped, green eyes darkening.

Rainpaw let out a hiss. "Following you! What are you doing here?"

Dapplepaw rolled her eyes. "Trying to sleep, that's what. It's peaceful here. I like this tree, and it means a lot to me." She snorted looking around before her eyes fell back on Rainpaw.

Why does a tree mean so much to her? Rainpaw thought, puzzled. A tree? No, the tree. The tree Dapplepaw and Ashpaw met in as kits when Dapplepaw had been chased by the badger. Rainpaw distinctly remembered the story Dapplepaw told to her and Creampaw.

"Where's Ashpaw?" Rainpaw called, her voice cold. He had to be here as well. She searched the branches, and spotted his gray pelt, which blended well with the night.

Dapplepaw sighed, her tail starting to flick. "Okay...yeah, he's here. But Rainpaw, you have to understand. He's my best friend. He's my only friend. I don't have any in LeafClan, and he is the only cat who understands me."

Rainpaw opened her mouth to snap out a cold remark, but softened. It was true, though. Dapplepaw didn't have friends. She wasn't even too close with either of her two sisters, so it was understandable that she would seek out a friend, not matter where he was.

"Alright," Rainpaw meowed slowly. "Okay, I'll keep quiet." She turned to Ashpaw. "This is why you couldn't meet me, isn't it?"

Ashpaw let out a sigh, giving a nod. "I can't meet two cats at the same time. Unless there's two of me. Then the idea is completely possible. In that case it wouldn't even me me, but rather a different version of me and I wouldn't actually be there."

Dapplepaw let out a mrrw of amusement. She touched her nose gently to Ashpaw's, their eyes mutually glowing when they made contact. Rainpaw didn't like how they looked at each other like that.

Dapplepaw slid from the tree branch and landed in one skillful and graceful movement. She looked up at Ashpaw. "Goodbye."

Rainpaw followed Dapplepaw silently, wishing maybe her sister would speak, or maybe she would stay quiet. Finally, it was Rainpaw who broke the silence. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Why do you think? I'm breaking the Warrior Code. It's not something I really want word to get around the clan." Dapplepaw answered curtly, her voice quite calm.

Rainpaw snorted, shaking her head. "We should share things, Dapplepaw. Then we can be close sisters. Like we were as kits. What changed? I don't care if Ashpaw is your best friend!"

Dapplepaw's pace slowed to a stop. "Okay, fine. You don't care. How would I know? We aren't close, so I don't know you anymore. I had no clue." She paused, her tail flicking. She turned to look at Rainpaw. "Back there...what did you mean when you said something about meeting Ashpaw?"

Rainpaw hesitated. Should she confide in her sister about how she and Ashpaw were in love? Yes. I want us to be close again, just like we used to be. "Well, this will be surprising, but Ashpaw and I...well...we're in love." She glanced at her paws, then at Dapplepaw to see her reaction.

Her sister's green eyes were wide with shock. "What?" she hissed quietly, her voice soft. Her sandy colored tail flicked. Rainpaw sighed, knowing she owed her an explanation. As she opened her mouth, Dapplepaw cut her off. "What do you mean? You've hardly seen him. Only at two Gatherings!"

Rainpaw nodded, sighing. "Yes, but when our eyes met for the first time. It was amazing, Dapplepaw. You won't understand because you aren't in love with him. But I felt so strongly about this, so he must too."

Dapplepaw's reaction after that was a bit unexpected. She almost looked offended and hurt. She looked down, taking a deep breath. "Okay. Okay...well...you should know that he and I are really close. And he told me that he and Rosepaw are sort of...in love."

Dapplepaw's words hit Rainpaw, making her flinch. In love? No, that can't be! Because we're in love! She took a shaky breath. The problem was that is was apparent that Ashpaw and Dapplepaw were close. He clearly would tell her. It wasn't Dapplepaw at the Gathering. It was Rosepaw! She's the problem! How could I ever think my sister would stand on my way? She's my sister!

"I'm sorry," Dapplepaw meowed, her voice neither sincere nor sarcastic. In fact, it was pretty plain, without showing much emotion. It was a lot like how Ashpaw would talk.

Rainpaw shook her head to clear it. "No, it's not your fault." She took a deep breath. It really isn't. Although, sister, I truly believe you are in love with Ashpaw, too, but you don't know it. And as long as you don't, then you aren't a problem in our way. "It's Rosepaw. She has to go. She's stopping true love."

Writing a review = me continuing the story!

Next chapter: Foxstep reveals the motives behind his deal with Dapplepaw.

Question: Do you think Rainpaw will end up as a villain or remain innocent?

Side note: If you have reviewed every chapter (starting from chapter 1) up until chapter ten then I will answer one question that you might have, though I encourage you not to ask for giant spoilers (such as the ending) and if you do you probably won't get a direct answer since I'm still thinking about it.