Chapter 10
Rainfall was awoken by a distressed Quickclaw.
"You must get up, you're being tested today!" The medicine cat meowed urgently.
"I really wish I hadn't agreed to this testing thing. I'm only here to kill Sunstripe, then I'm leaving, you won't see me again until the gathering."
"The testing is only for a day but the gathering is a long time away. But, Rainfall, your old Clan-"
"The RiverClan cats are terrified of me. They would not do anything to sway or threaten me. They believe I have powers from the dark forest." Rainfall spat. Quickclaw sighed,
"All I'm saying is that, the member of RiverClan who's unafraid of you, Voleclaw I think, won't she not hesitate to kill you?" Quickclaw asked.
"No she will not hesitate, which is why I need to leave soon. I need to plan my leave though. If I show up here, kill Sunstripe and leave, all the cats will automatically know it was me who killed her, and I want to save that realisation for the gathering. So I'll stay here for bit, kill Sunstripe, and stay a bit longer, before deciding Clanlife isn't for me."
"Then…?"
"Then I'll reveal that I killed Sunstripe at the gathering." Rainfall mewed. "I'm going to frame a cat for Sunstripe's death. Then ShadowClan will punish them. When they find out it was me who killed Sunstripe, they will be ashamed."
"Why make this so complicated?" Quickclaw asked, cocking his head to the side. Rainfall sneered,
"Because it's more entertaining to watch cats suffer."
It had been a long day and Hailpaw was tired. Rainfall had been tested and altogether was found a reliable and friendly cat. His behaviour was to be monitored for a few more days, but he was allowed to stay.
Dogpaw had been particularly interested in the tom's testing and had volunteered herself for helping him on more than one occasion, and Jaypaw was not pleased about it.
"I don't understand why she likes him so much, she barely knows the cat!" The young tom grumbled, he had latched onto Hailpaw, probably because the white tom was the only other cat his age so he could vent about his pent up feelings and rage.
"What does he have that I don't? We're both grey male cats for StarClan's sake!" Jaypaw continued. Hailpaw nodded along slowly. Jaypaw sighed in exasperation and fumed in silent rage for a minute then turned to the white apprentice.
"Thanks for listening to me, Hailpaw. I know I've been kind of mean to you in the past." Was all Jaypaw said before walking away, leaving Hailpaw to lie on the grass in peace.
Dogpaw and Rainfall sat in the long grass near the entrance to the apprentice's den; Dogpaw ignored the suspicious looks from the other cats and sighed happily in the warm evening breeze.
"What was your life like before your home was torn up?" Dogpaw asked, Rainfall narrowed his eyes in though, then turned to her,
"It was strange. I'd always thought that I didn't fit in. The cats were aggressive and the other animals and twolegs were too."
"I see." Dogpaw meowed.
"So, are Hailpaw and Jaypaw your brothers?" Rainfall asked, Dogpaw snapped her head around and stared at him.
"Wherever did you get the idea that Jaypaw was my brother?"
"You two seemed close. I'm guessing he's not your brother though."
"No. Hailpaw is." Dogpaw muttered. Rainfall laughed,
"So, are you and Jaypaw very close then?" He asked. It took Dogpaw a second to realise what he was implying, then she jumped,
"Of course not! Well, we are close, but not in that way!" She growled.
"That's good." Mewed Rainfall, "Now I won't have to get jealous." And with that, he stood up and padded away to the fresh-kill pile, leaving Dogpaw's head clouded with confusion.