𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐰'𝐬 𝐫𝐚𝐯𝐚𝐠𝐞 - seasons of revenge - book three

Chapter 37

The sun attempted to let out a little bit of light, amongst the sky which was beginning to turn grey. Rainpaw couldn't say that she was beginning to get slightly unnerved by the darkening sky. Cal was sat opposite to her, still clenched to the floor and unsheathing her claws wildly.

"You're Duststar's sister." Rainpaw's breath caught in her throat, and she just gazed at the cream cat, astounded. Certainly, she was telling the truth, to have so much knowledge about Rainpaw's kin and BirchClan.

"And you're someone else's kit other than Rockheart." Cal backlashed harshly, then looked down at her paws. "Sorry."

Rainpaw dipped her head in understanding. The loss of her brother had clearly been great to the she-cat. Quietly, the tortoiseshell backed away awkwardly, coughing lightly to let Cal know she was going.

"I better get back to BirchClan now." The apprentice went to turn around, before a shrill meow let out from behind her. She whipped around, seeing Cal raise a paw for her to come back.

"Just answer me this. Why are you staying in BirchClan if you know what it's like? It's better to save yourself while you can." Cal proclaimed, a snarl stuck in her throat, and she paused a second, then stepped back into the undergrowth. "I'll see you around. Bluebell and Muddy will probably be waiting for me."

With that, the cream loner had left Rainpaw alone in the small grassy area, her jaw dropped to the floor. Then her face contorted to a deluded snort. "What sort of name is Muddy?"

Strongly, Rainpaw leapt gracefully over a set of bushes and undergrowth, sweeping her tail majestically in the process, and left the scene.

~~

Meanwhile, Mistflower was hyperventilating, curled up in a small spot beneath a hollow tree. It was complete darkness in the tree, and the she-cat knew it was foolish of a cat her age to act such a way, but she was reminded of such pain in her past.

"I'm sorry Darkwing." The white she-cat panted, although her apology got no answer as she spoke aloud in the silence of the den. However, a rustling had stirred just after them words, alarming her slightly.

There was a meow of frustration and Mistflower could instantly recognise it as her apprentice. Rainpaw had a very distinctive voice, a slightly deep pitched and slightly drawled accent.

"Mistflower, are you there?" Rainpaw's voice was crisp, and the senior warrior could see a peek of a grey pelt through the hole she was looking through.

Spooked, the white cat wriggled backwards, trying to hide herself more. She didn't want her apprentice to see her like this.

"No." The mentor dumbly responded, and the words slipped out of her mouth stupidly. Hissing at her mistake, Mistflower crept out the hollow tree, faced with Rainpaw who gave her a weirded stare.

Mistflower tried to act casual, allowing her shoulder to drop their tenseness, but that just made her shaking figure look even more stupid.

"It's about what happened with Duststar, isn't it?" Her apprentice said grimly, letting her head drop in a sigh.

Mistflower had to admit, Rainpaw was good at catching onto things quick. Racked with guilt and embarrassment, the white she-cat couldn't bring herself to look up or answer. At that point she just wished that Rainpaw would run off and leave her alone, but she was sort of glad the apprentice was here.

"He shouldn't have mentioned Darkwing." Rainpaw continued, knowing of Mistflower's struggles with her daughter.

Hesitantly, the senior warrior opened her mouth a heartbeat, debating to speak or not.

"Darkwing was an, unexpected kit. At the time of her birth I'd still been mentoring Dustpaw, and just after is the time that Cal had left. I tried, I really did. He was broken by her betrayal, and his attitude became worse each day. But me, his mentor, just borne a kit, would have to go into the nursery. I couldn't do that to Dustpaw. It wouldn't be fair for me to abandon him. A-and because I had been responsible. I couldn't hoard another cat with Dustpaw's problems that had been my cause. Maybe if I had seen the signs before.. he only talked to me and Cedarpaw, never communicated with any others."

Birds called above her head and Mistflower was slightly distracted for a second. Then Rainpaw emerged to her left, shuffling through the grasses, and placed her tail on her back.

"I can tell you haven't finished your story yet. Mistflower, if you want this to stop, you have to tell me." Rainpaw's eyes suddenly turned serious, and Mistflower couldn't help but wonder what Rainpaw's experiences with the leader had been like. The scars on her face could definitely be one, she realised with a frozen horror.

"And because I was so heavily focused on training Dustpaw, I had relied on Rubblestep's mother, Junipermist, fostering her. But.. nothing ever worked. He became more bloodthirsty and hungry for authority than ever. I've seen everything he's done. When he killed Almond, took control of his rogue group, and the bloody battle with Cal. But no one else knew but me.. it was another secret side of him. Everyone in the Clan just thought that he'd become more independent, not having to rely on his sister now that she was gone. And Stalkstar... oh poor Stalkstar. She was so proud of her youngest son, growing up to be a brilliant warrior. So that's when the decision to make him deputy popped up into existence, and I couldn't exactly say no. But all I knew from that day she announced him deputy that BirchClan would be in danger forever of Dustblaze, Duststar's bloodthirsty and power hungry reign."

Rainpaw's breath noteable paused, and Mistflower gave her a slightly miffed look. The tortoiseshell nodded her head, before speaking. "I might've just accidentally met Cal outside twoleg place."

As the white she-cat was just about to reply in shock, Rainpaw shushed her.

"But that's good. Because now we have the solution of how to stop Duststar. Think about it. You hate him, I hate him, Cal hates him.

If we just find more cats, and change their minds.. it just might work."

A small smile perched upon Mistflower's face. "That might just work, but."

She took in a deep breath then dropped her ears in pity.

"We have to battle a Clan of innocent cats in less than four moons."

A/N: I'm so sorry for not updating in absolute ages! But a bit more character development for Mistflower, what do you think of her, Cal and Rainpaw teaming up?

See ya!
- Ember <3