𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐰'𝐬 𝐫𝐚𝐯𝐚𝐠𝐞 - seasons of revenge - book three

Chapter 36

She was still running through the forest, her pelt blowing in the wind as her head pounded with anxiety. Rainpaw didn't know what to do.

So many questions filled her head. What? When? How?!

Trying to calm herself, The she-cat allowed herself to settle down and walk slower, instead of running. It was then she remembered leaving Pondpaw in the forest, and Mistflower running off.

"Where am I? This doesn't look familiar." Rainpaw muttered to herself, her green eyes trailing the forest around her. A strange scent flooded her nose, one that she'd never know before. It was like the smell at the twoleg place, but less harsh and sweeter.

"You're at Twoleg Place." A figure responded to her, and her pelt spiked up, as the cat walked calmly towards her, Rainpaw stayed in defensive stance.

"Who are you?" Rainpaw questioned, tilting her head to the side, and she noticed a cream cat with brownish-purplish ears, a cream muzzle and chest.

The cat (who was definitely a she cat, she had decided) sat down, flicking her tail, observing the apprentice in front of her.

"BirchClan cat. New apprentice." The cream cat stated, narrowing her eyes into slits. Her claws came out slightly, her nose crinkling into a snarl. "Do not say you are on the side of Duststar. Otherwise I will have to kill you, no hesitant."

Rainpaw, slightly off put at the sudden hostility and brutality, sat up, and shook her head. The tortoiseshell took a few steps back, wondering how this cat could know of BirchClan and Duststar. She'd never seen her before, and she surely was a kittypet or loner of types.

"No I'm not." Rainpaw shook her head, looking as the cream cat let her shoulders sag a bit, yet still her eyes were in slits. "Do you want more proof?" She drawled on dryly, noticing the cat's expression.

A nod.

"The name is Rainpaw. Kin of Duststar, daughter of Hareleap." Rainpaw said, hoping that the name Hareleap would be known to the loner. If Duststar was a known name to her, surely Hareleap would be familiar?

"Hareleap and Rockheart had another litter?" The cream cat's eyes widened for a second. "Thought six kits was enough for them."

Rainpaw must've looked very confused, and the she cat shook her head.

"Stupid me. You wouldn't know about your older siblings would you? Well there was Spotwing, Quailwhisker and Pipertail..."

Rainpaw, mortified, yet out a yelp of confused and shock. Her father wasn't Rockheart? And how did this cat know so many of her family?

"Why does everyone I meet assume Rockheart is my father?" The apprentice questioned, looking down at the floor with a menacing face. "First QuailClan, now you!"

The cream she-cat knocked a paw against the apprentice's face, startling her. Her pale orange eyes were wide and serious, a firm look in them. "Are Rockheart and Hareleap not together anymore?" Her mouth grimaced as she scanned Rainpaw's face for an answer.

"I don't know much about him, but what from QuailClan said about him, I think- know he died." Rainpaw said, getting back up on her haunches and taking a few steps back from the she-cat.

The cream she-cat reacted badly to that. Her ears pinned back to her head, and she dropped to the floor, her eyes squeezed shut. She seemed to out a paw over her muzzle, trying to avoid any glances off Rainpaw.

"He can't be dead. The last time I saw him, they were celebrating that Hareleap was expecting kits a second time. Who I later learned were named Otterkit, Lightkit and Reedkit."

"Why do you mention my half-brother?" Rainpaw questioned, holding up a front paw, and she hesitantly turned back towards the she cat, who peeked through her paws hesitantly.

"Only one? What happened to Otterkit?" The she-cat remarked, looking at Rainpaw.

"Lightpaw and Otterpaw died." Rainpaw sighed, remembering when Rowanface confronted Reedpaw and Hareleap in the clearing, forcing the queen to spill her heartbreak.

"Oh dear StarClan." The cream she-cat groaned, now beginning to unsheathed her claws and fluff out her tail. "Tell me. Who else has died?"

"Pigeonfrost died. Rubblestep had a litter, Pondkit, Torrentkit, Galekit and Brackenkit. They were made apprentices and Torrentpaw died shortly after." Rainpaw trailed off after that, wincing as she mentioned Torrentpaw. Then she stopped and sighed. Why was she talking to a complete stranger? Yet they seemed to have a strange knowledge of BirchClan and her kin.

"Anyway." Rainpaw was stern. "Who are you?"

The she cat froze, locking eye contact with Rainpaw.

"I'm Cal. Duststar's sister."

A/N: So I'm home from my holiday now as this chapter is published. And expect to see more of Cal, she's an important character!

See ya!
- Ember <3