Rainbowheart had sent everyone away, informing Buck to have everyone meet in the clearing tomorrow. "I would like to begin as soon as possible, and I'm sure they would too."
Buck nodded, "We are grateful that you have chosen to help us. I'm sorry we might have had to push you, but we are in a desperate situation. In any case, you are free to leave, I won't hold anything against you."
The tom turned to look in the direction where the twolegplace was, "But I don't know how the others would take it. Though, I cannot say how many will actually choose to train. Many of them expected you to already have a number of cats behind you to help us."
Rainbowheart nodded solemnly, sending Buck an accusing stare, "I could see why they may have thought that." She flicked an ear, following the tom's gaze to twolegplace. "From what I have seen, not too many of them look to be in any condition to learn how to fight. Not without a good meal at least. To answer your statement though, no I shall not leave." Rainbowheart looked up at the sky. "I've got nothing to left to lose if I help anyway."
She turned to Buck, who seemed a bit confused. "You should be going too, right?"
Buck nodded, and dipped his head in gratitude. "Uh, thank you again. I shall gather all those who are willing to defend themselves, and bring them here tomorrow when the sun is high." He got up to leave, and almost reached the bushes, when he turned back to her. "Heh, maybe you would also be willing to share some of your stories with us? The others might like that."
Rainbowheart flicked an ear, "Since you all can't eavesdrop anymore?" When the tom gave his fur an embarrassed lick, she gave a humored purr. "Until tomorrow."
Buck nodded then left.
It was only minutes after the clearing was once again empty, that everyone got ready for bed.
Well, everyone that is, except for Rainbowheart, who had stayed outside to stare at the moon and stars. Streak, noticing the cat's weird mood, trailed back out of the burrow and sat beside her.
They both sat in silence for a while, focused on the gorgeous night sky.
Finally Streak broke the silence, "I heard what Buck said. You don't have to do this if you don't want to you know."
Rainbowheart nodded, but kept her eyes on the stars, "I already agreed to do it. It's just I had this… this dream from..." She gazed at Streak now, but then put her head down. "Nevermind, it's stupid."
"It can't be that stupid if it's something that's bothering you." Streak's words were calm, coaxing Rainbowheart to spill whatever was on her mind.
"I... Well it's hard to explain," the warrior admitted. "At least, in few words."
"We have time." Streak touched her tail to the other cat's shoulder.
So Rainbowheart explained as best she could; about StarClan and her dream. It wasn't surprising that Streak was just sitting there with a confused expression. The warrior didn't blame her for finding this all ridiculous.
After she finished speaking, she awaited Streak's response.
The black cat turned away from Rainbowheart. "That's quite something."
"I knew you'd think it was stupid." Rainbowheart flopped on her stomach onto the ground.
"Whether I think it's stupid or not, doesn't change the fact that you have a bad feeling about helping those cats." The black cat touched her pelt to Rainbowheart's. "Buck and the others are my friends, but if you have a bad feeling, maybe you should leave." When the warrior stayed silent, she went on. "You've helped us enough." She purred when Rainbowheart turned quickly to stare at her with question. "That's what you were mulling over, right?"
Streak sighed, "I owe you for saving my sister's life. The least I can do is tell you to do what you think you should."
"I've been on a long journey for my whole life, and it always seems that I'm never anywhere near the end of it." Rainbowheart huffed, "It never lasts long, when I settle in one area than seems like home. I make friends, but I always have to leave them in the end." She blinked at Streak, "Never once, has anyone told me to do what I want to do though."
It seemed that in that moment, Rainbowheart had finally heard what she'd wanted to hear for so long. In the end though, it still didn't change the fact that she would help those cats. The she-cat stood up. "Thank you, Streak. You're a good... um..."
"You can call me a friend." Streak purred in amusement, cuffing the other cat's ear. "Nothing is going to happen to me if you call me one. You're stuck with us for a bit."
"Hey!" Rainbowheart growled, playfully though. She swatted back at Streak, laughing when the other cat ducked away. It was a rare moment. One where she felt like a kit again.
"Anyways," Streak began after calming down, "Where do you plan on going, after all of this is over?" The she-cat was quite interested. She also had another thought on her mind. "Because... Well I was thinking, you don't have to be separated from your friends."
"What are you saying?" Rainbowheart tilted her head, curious.
"I'm saying, how about me, Jade, and the kits all go with you when you leave?"
"... This isn't a pity thing is it?" The warrior blinked, slouching where she stood.
Streak rolled her eyes and huffed, "No! Just think about it. If we all stuck together, we could form our own clan." The black she-cat beamed with pride at her suggestion. She thought it was a brilliant idea. "You can be the leader, and the rest of us could be warriors and nobody could run us off because we'd have our own territory. It's a great idea right?" Hopeful green eyes blinked at the other she-cat.
"I mean... Yeah it is a good idea..." Rainbowheart couldn't help but feel like this wasn't just a coincidence. It was like it was supposed to happen. She felt like there were now invisible eyes burning into her. StarClan. They had promised her journey would be over once she made this new clan. She would have peace, friends, family, and she wouldn't have to leave any of it. Was this them delivering to her what she needed to start?
"Yoo-hoo, Streak to Rainbowheart. You listening?"
Blinking her red eyes, the she-cat paid Streak her attention. "Sorry, what?"
"I said, we could be called RainbowClan. You said that the other clans were named after cats, so your clan should be named after you, right?" Apparently Streak was just going with what she was saying. The she-cat hadn't actually taken the time to see what the other cat would say. Ironic, considering her earlier sit-and-listen episode.
"Yeah RainbowClan!"
Rainbowheart hadn't had a chance to respond before a mass of fur hit her from behind. Above her, Topaz and Sparrow were pouncing around, squealing in delight. "Shouldn't you two be asleep?" Rainbowheart groaned, as she lifted herself off of the dirt.
"Shouldn't you?" Sparrow said back cheekily, playfully swiping at Rainbowheart's tail as it flicked back and forth. The black kit was so into her little game that she didn't notice her brother had snuck up behind her. She cried out, when the golden kit collided into her, sending them both down.
"Ah! Topaz that isn't funny!"
Jade, who had accompanied the kits outside, finally made herself known. "I'm sorry, but they were a bit too curious about what you two were talking about." She padded closer to the other cats. Her expression was unreadable. "I heard what Streak said."
"You did?" Streak seemed a little unsure as to what her sister might say about her suggestion. Considering the black cat had made the decision without consulting her sister.
"And what do you think?" Rainbowheart wanted to hear everyone's opinion. It was decided she'd refrain from saying anything about StarClan and her task. She didn't want anyone's decisions to be in her favor just because of something like that. Whether other cats believed her about StarClan or not.
Jade was pondering, looking for the right choice of words. "I do not mind the idea to form a clan. It would be nice to be someplace that has friendlier cats than the ones in twolegplace. I'd rather not take my chances to stick around here, if Buck's plan fails. My kits don't need to be casualties just because of his need to be a hero."
Rainbowheart turned away Jade's green gaze, "Those three cats do seem like the type who'd risk everything to get something they want back, despite it being a lost cause." All Rainbowheart needed to do though was teach them and some others how to fight. She didn't need to get involved any further.
"Look, it doesn't matter if we become a clan or not. All we need is a safe place with safe company. And you need someone around who won't need to be left behind." Jade touched her tail to Rainbowheart's side, and smiled like a mother would. "Wherever you go, we will follow. I owe you my life, and you owe my kits hunting lessons," the queen purred humoredly.
"Please say yes. We want to be apprentices," Sparrow piped, staring at Rainbowheart with wide yellow eyes.
"So we can be warriors," Topaz finished for his sister.
The warrior sighed, kneading the dirt with her claws, "Alright then, since I have the unfair advantage of two kits against me, it looks like we'll be making a clan." How could anyone say no to a couple of wide-eyed kits? Twice in a row, kits won that night.
"Yay!" The kits began bouncing around joyously. When weren't these kits bouncing around though? "Yay, yay, yay, yay, yay!"
Topaz suddenly stopped in his tracks as he realized something, "So can you make us apprentices now?"
"Yeah, we want to be apprentices," demanded Sparrow, the white-spotted kit was obviously trying to not jump out of her fur. (too late for not jumping though)
Jade placed a paw on Sparrow's head, "I think that it's time for kits to go to sleep."
"But mama, we-"
"There will be plenty of time for you to be made into apprentices. But Rainbowheart has a big day tomorrow, and I'm sure that she would like to get some rest." The white she-cat rounded the rambunctious kits up, motioning them to move toward the den. "You two too, it's time for bed," she commanded without turning to look at Streak or Rainbowheart.
Both remaining cats watched as the white queen disappeared into the den. "She never takes a break does she?" Rainbowheart said, amazed that Jade could be so bossy suddenly. It was different from when the white cat was just laying on a pile of moss trying to get better.
"Just wait a couple of more days. She'll be fully healed, and we'll never hear the end of her nagging." Streak vanished inside, and Rainbowheart followed her. A good night's rest would do them all some good.
Rainbowheart shifted in her nest, thoughts of the events of earlier, and of her last encounter with Foxflower, swirled in her mind. She wondered just how bad this Bloodstorm character was, and was debating if it was a good idea to even teach those cats to fight.
She inwardly cursed her thinking. Just don't get involved any further than what I planned. That's all I need to remember. Then we'll all leave. Streak, Jade, the kits. We'll be out of here in no time...
Please StarClan let this peace last.