RainClan's Beginning


 * Moderate Violence, Blood

Hello! My name is Sparrowfeather, and this is my story, 'RainClans' Beginning'. I will be updating in small chunks, about one or two sentences per update, so it's not too pressing for me to write an entire chapter every time I think I know what should happen next. Of course, this will result in irrelevent parts and and a much too long story. Anyway, this story is about an OC Clan of mine, RainClan, and how it was formed. Enjoy!

Prolouge
A rouge wearily padded through the twolegplace. Rain fell in buckets, splashing down onto his steely-blue pelt and covering the ground with water. The loner didn't think he could go much farther. He was hungry and weak. Suddenly, the loner collapsed onto the ground and his world went black.

The loner opened one eye. He was in a bright forest, full of cats with stars on their pelts. A blue she-cat stepped forward and spoke in a calm voice, as if this was completely normal.

"Hello. My name is Bluestar." The loner looked around in confusion.

"Where am I?"

"You are in StarClan, where all the dead Clan cats go." The loner blinked.

"What's a Clan cat?"

"Any cat that lives in the Clans, which is a group of cats."

"Oh." There was silence for a moment. "Why am I here?" Bluestar smiled.

"You're almost dead."

"Almost dead?" Questioned the tom, "If dead cats come here, why am I here if I'm almost dead?" Bluestar smiled again.

"Because we can save you from dying." The other starry cats nodded. "In fact, we can save you from dying 8 times, well, 7 if you count this one." The tom stared at her.

"That's impossible!"

"And yet, here we are, offering it to you." The tom thought. Maybe this Bluestar was a little crazy, just listen to her name, but maybe she was telling the truth. However, it did seem impossible...

"Can you do it, then?"

"Only if you agree to do something for us. Start a new Clan." The tom blinked. Make his own group of cats? To be able to come back to life again? 7 times? Sounded fair to him. And even if it was impossible and he couldn't come back to life, these cats wouldn't get their Clan.

"Sounds fair to me." Bluestar smiled.

"Good." Then she took a step back and said, "I give you this life for courage, so that you will never be afraid to do what is right." She then lay her muzzle on the toms forehead and a searing pain tore though him. The others were the same. A life for love, speed, strength, honesty, intelligence, honor, faith, and loyalty. When they were done, the tom lay on the ground, writhing in pain.

"Now," Spoke Bluestar. "What is your name?"

"R-r-rain." Gasped out the tom.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, you will now be known as Rainstar!" The newly named Rainstar closed his eyes and promptly died. Moments later, he opened his eyes again and saw that he was alive. "I'm alive." Rainstar stated in wonder.

"Of course you are. You had 9 lives left! Now you're on your eighth. Go back to the twolegplace now, and start forming RainClan!" The words had barely came out of her mouth before Rainstar snapped his eyes open down at the twolegplace.

Chapter 1
Rainstar looked down at himself. Yes, he was still alive. And he felt better! Much better. "I cant believe it!" He whispered. "She was telling the truth." Then a thought struck him. Bluestar and the rest of, um, SkyClan-no, wait StarClan, yes, StarClan, gave me 9 lives, so now I have make a Clan, like I told them that I would. Rainstar pondered this. He didn't know any other cats in this place. Well, only a rouge who didn't like him much, or probably anyone. So, where would the cats for RainClan come from?

Just then, he heard an angry meow nearby. Rainstar looked up towards the sky in question, then shrugged and went to see what it was.

Behind a pile of twoleg trash, Rainstar saw two cats fighting. One was a small brown tom who was clearly being beaten. The other was a large black she-cat. Now, Rainstar had never been one for fighting. In fact, the only experience he had ever had with fighting was being beaten up by other rouges and play-fighting with his siblings. But Rainstar did know one thing. He walked towards the two cats and said,

"Stop." The black she-cat turned to face him.

"Or what?" She hissed.

"Or I'll fight you." Rainstar answered calmly. The she-cat looked amused.

"So you came to stop us from fighting by fighting? That doesn't sound quite right." Rainstar thought for a moment.

''She's right! That kind of defeats the purpose.'' Out of the corner of his eye, Rainstar spied the brown tom sneaking away. He smiled and then spoke. "Why were you fighting, anyway?" The she-cat hissed and answered,

"That pile of fox-dung stole my prey! It was the first piece I'd caught this- Hey, where is he?!" The she-cat looked around angrily, bristling. "He's gone!" She hissed in anger. Rainstar suppressed a smile.

"Oh, that's a shame." The she-cat sighed in response.

"I guess I'll have to go catch something else. Goodbye." She padded off, tail and head drooping. Rainstar watched her leave, a small pang of sympathy for the she-cat echoing in his chest, He shook his head and walked over to the pile of twoleg trash where he had seen the brown tom.

"Hey!" He called. "The other cat is gone now!" There was a rustling noise and a yellow eye blinked up at Rainstar from beneath the twoleg trash. The tom stood up and shook himself, flinging bits of trash through the air.

"Thanks. Mara's never been very nice to me."

"Mara?" Rainstar cocked his head.

"That black cat."

"Ah."

"What's your name?"

"I'm Rainstar. You?"

"Rainstar? What kind of a name is that?" The tom looked like he was trying not to laugh. In return, Rainstar tried not to attack him. Then his relaxed and shrugged.

"I used to just be Rain, but then these weird cats came to me and gave me 9 lives and changed my name to Rainstar." The tom was clearly confused.

"That's weird... Do you really have 9 lives?"

"Yep! Well, only 8 now."

"Why did you get those lives?"

"Well, those cats wanted me to make a group of cats called a Clan. Mine was supposed to be RainClan."

"RainClan and Rainstar! Hey, can I join?" Rainstar blinked. He had only talked to this tom for a few heartbeats and he wanted to join the Clan? This may be easier than I thought. He thought with a smile.

"Sure! What's your name?"

"Brownie." Rainstar smiled again.

"Well, welcome to RainClan, Brownie."

Chapter 2
"Rainstar."

"Can we talk later, Brownie? I'm tired." Rainstar rolled over.

"No." The voice wasn't Brownie's. Rainstar looked up from where he lay. Bluestar was standing over him, along with two other starry cats.

"Oh. Hello, Bluestar. I thought you were Brownie. Who is, by the way, the first member of the Clan you wanted me to make." He added with a hint of pride.

"We are aware of this." Bluestar replied in her calm voice.

"How?" Rainstar asked. Bluestar smiled.

"Well, how do you think we found you?" Rainstar thought about this before casting the thought aside.

"Why did you call me back up here? Am I going to get 9 more lives?"

"No!" Bluestar sounded shocked. "We can't do that!"

"Well, no need to get your fur all ruffled." Rainstar snorted, amused at her shock. "Then why did you call me here?"

"Because there are a few things you need to learn before you can lead a Clan." Replied a gray tom with a crooked jaw that was sitting beside Bluestar. Rainstar perked up his ears, curiousity pricked.

"Okay. Like what?"

"Well, fighting for one thing."

"Ah. Well-hey, how did you know about that?!" The gray tom snorted in laughter.

"It was apparent as soon as I first saw you. And, if I had any doubts, your confrontation with that black she-cat - Mara, I believe her name is, cleared them." Rainstar looked down in embarrasment.

"Crookedstar!" A long-tailed black and white tom mewed. "Though it may be clear to you, fighting is not always the answer!"

"Well, fighting is often the best way to go!" Crookedstar replied indignantly.

"Name one time."

"When Scourge attacked the forest, for one. None of your non-fighting talks could have gone very far then, Tallstar!"

"Well, of course we had to fight then! However, there are several situations where fighting is not the best idea." The two toms continued to argue while Rainstar watched. At first, he was shocked, but the shock soon turned to amusement. They kept at it for a while until Crookedstar unsheathed his claws and Bluestar yowled the two.

"Alright then, do you remember why we are here?"

"Of course. Right. Ready, Rainstar?" Tallstar turned away from Crookedstar and faced Rainstar.

"Ready for what?"

"Your warrior training, of course!" Laughed Tallstar. "Do you think we'll let you lead a Clan without that?"

"My what?" Bluestar stepped forward.

"Your warrior training. You must be trained in the ways of the Clans before you may lead one. Actually," Bluestar threw a glance at the two other leaders behind her. "I think that all you have to do is learn to stay alive."

"You mean, learn how to fight and hunt and such?" Rainstar felt a thrill of exitement. He felt it once more when Bluestar nodded and smiled.

.....................................................................................................................................................

"No! To the left! You dodge to the left!" Rainstar hissed in frustration as Crookedstar corrected him for the umpteenth time. He had been trying to learn all day - well, night - but it seemed fighting was not something that could be learned in a night.

"Now then Crookedstar." Bluestar lay her tail on the gray tom's shoulder. "Give the apprentice a break." Rainstar opened his mouth to ask what an apprentice was, but, sensing another fight, closed it.

"Don't be telling me what to do, Bluestar! I'm your elder!" Crookedstar hissed.

"Well that doesn't mean I can't tell you things!" Bluestar yowled in return. They then launched into a furious argument.

"Even leaders squabble sometimes." Mewed an amused Tallstar.

"From you three, I would think that's all you ever do!" Replied an even more amused Rainstar. After watching the two argue, which was now about who's mother was prettier, for a little while, Tallstar spoke again.

"Perhaps we could do some training while those two figure out the differences between RiverClanners and ThunderClanners, shall we?"

"Sure! Wait. Two questions." Tallstar nodded, urging Rainstar on. "What's RiverClan and ThunderClan?"

"RiverClan and ThunderClan were two of the first four Clans, along with ShadowClan and my Clan, WindClan. Bluestar was a ThunderClan cat, and Crookedstar was RiverClan."

"And now you're all StarClan?"

"Yes. And your other question?" Rainstar still didn't understand how this whole 'Clan' thing worked, but he asked his second question anyway.

"Can we not train fighting?" Tallstar laughed.

"I think that can be arranged."

Chapter 3
"Hey! Rainstar! Rainstar! Wake up!" A voice echoed in Rainstar's ears.

"Erg." Rainstar groaned and rolled over. He felt so tired... "Ow!" A weight fell on him belly, knocking the wind out of Rainstar. He instictively shot up and headbutted his attacker. The other cat gave a meow of suprise and fell over. Rainstar wasted no time and pinned the brown tom.

"Hey! Get off!" The tom protested. Wait - brown - tom?

"Brownie?" Rainstar blinked and his eyesight became clear. His 'attacker' was Brownie. "Opps. Sorry." Bluestar, Crookedstar, and Tallstar must've been good teachers. He thought as he stepped off Brownie.

"What was that for?" The brown tom indignantly mewed.

"Um..." Rainstar thought for a moment. Then he told Brownie everything that had happened last night with StarClan. "And, while we're on the topic of attacking others for no good reason, why did you jump on me?"

"Well..." Brownie shuffled his paws. "That was how I always woke my siblings." Siblings? Rainstar wondered. I wonder where they are now?

"Okay then. Hey, what do you think we should do next?"

"I don't know." There was a silence in the hole that they had decided to nest in.

"Do you know any places where there are other cats? Like, a lot?"

"Yes! Sure! Well, there's, er, um, errr..." Brownie looked embarrassed. Then his face brightened. "Oh! There's BloodClan!"

"BloodClan? What's that?" ''BloodClan? Another Clan? There's more? I wonder how many there are?''

"Well, it's this group that lives a little bit away from here. It's supposed to be very big. But... that's all I know." Rainstar thought about this for a little. BloodClan seemed to be a Clan, so the cats who lived in it probably didn't want to leave. But, on the same note, it was a Clan, and if he was also leading a Clan, then the BloodClanners should be welcoming to other Clan cats... ''At least, I hope. Bluestar, Crookedstar, and Tallstar didn't seem very welcoming to each other, but were welcoming enough to me...'' The more Rainstar thought about this, the more decided he became. Finally, when Brownie's tap on the shoulder brought him back to attention, his mind was made up.

"Do you know the way?" Brownie thought for a moment, then nodded.

"Yep!"

"Then what are we waiting for?" Brownie smiled and bounded off, Rainstar close behind.

.....................................................................................................................................................

The allies were long and narrow, filled with the vile stench of twoleg rubbish and the squeaking of rats the size of kits. Red eyes glinted down at the two toms from shadowy corners, and the patches of light were few and far apart. Rainstar shivered.

"Is this really where BloodClan lives?" He asked the brown tom, who was carefully walking ahead.

"I don't know." Replied Brownie. "I just know they live in allies somewhere in this area." He shivered. "I don't know why anyone would want to live here, though."

"I agree." They walked in silence for a little bit longer before the path sharply turned and was flooded in light.

"Wow." Brownie meowed. "I bet they live here." Rainstar agreed.

"Now all we have to do is find their leader." Brownie mutely nodded. Just then, some voices echoed down the alley that they had walked.

"... be happy."

"Well, what was I supposed to do? Let them stay?"

"You didn't have to do that though!" The voices came closer. Acting on instinct, Rainstar dodged behind a pile a twoleg rubbish, a fairly confused Brownie behind him, just as the owners of the voices came into the light. Peaking over the top of the pile, Rainstar saw them. They were two cats, a tom and a she-cat. The tom was a dark tabby tom, and the she-cat was a creamy white color. But the two cats did have something in common. They were both covered in scars and... was that...? Rainstar gasped and pulled his head behind the twoleg rubbish.

It was blood.

Chapter 4
"What is it?" Asked Brownie. Rainstar slapped his tail over Brownie's mouth in return. The other cats continued.

"Did you hear that?"

"Hear what?"

"Oh, nevermind. Still, what will you tell Striker?"

"I don't know."

"Think of something then! We need to report back to Striker with our finds soon."

"Then you have good timing." A new voice, deeper than the others, spoke. Rainstar risked another look. The largest tom he had ever seen had approached the two others, surrounded by various others. They seemed to be guarding the large tom.

"St-st-striker! Reporting back!" Stuttered the tom.

"Well? What do you have?" Striker regarded the tom and the she-cat with a mix of curiousity and amusement.

"We discovered a family living together." The she-cat returned his gaze.

"And what did you do about it?"

"I killed the father." She replied with the hint of a smile. Striker's amused gaze was replaced with a frown.

"Ah. Was there anyone around, so you could make that a lesson rather than a random killing?"

"No." The she-cat began to waver. "Well, there was the mother and the kits..."

"Hm." Striker looked up at the sky, contemplating. Then he looked back at the she-cat. "You are one of my best guards, Scratch. I would not like to kill you for something like this." Scratch began to tremble.

"B-b-but, they were breaking one of your rules! I had to!" Striker ignored Scratch.

"It would be a shame. But I'm afraid I must." Scratch gasped.

"B-b-but-"

"Ice? Would you?" A white cat stepped forward from around Striker.

"Gladly." He stepped towards Scratch, but before he could attack, the tom spoke.

"Wait. She should not die." Striker turned towards the dark tabby tom.

"Oh? Why is that, Hiss?"

"Because we have also discovered another group who openly defy you - and BloodClan." Rainstar gasped again. Brownie looked at him quizzicly. 'BloodClan' he mouthed. Brownie jumped in surprise.

"Well, in that case, your life will be spared, Scratch." Rainstar could hear Scratch release her breath. "If you take a group of a few guards and go and deal with those who defy BloodClan."

"Yes Striker." Footsteps came towards the pile of twoleg rubbish. Rainstar flattened himself against it. The footsteps paused for a moment, then continued on. Rainstar relaxed and poked his head out from behind the twoleg rubbish again. Striker was walking in the opposite direction, the guards walking with them. Scratch had wandered off into the alley that they had came out of.

"What was going on?" Asked Brownie.

"We found BloodClan." Stated Rainstar, slightly dazed. ''So this is what a Clan is? A wild bunch of cats who obey the leader and are killed if they don't?''

"Cool! What do you want to do now?" Brownie didn't seem to understand. About the Clans.

"We found a Clan. And this is what a Clan is." Rainstar repeated.

"Um... I know?"

"This is what a Clan is."

"Are you alright, Rainstar?"

"No. I think I need to lie down." Rainstar and Brownie dug a small hole in the twoleg rubbish and Rainstar lay down. He closed his eyes and was soon asleep.

Chapter 5
When Rainstar opened his eyes again, he saw exactly who he had expected to.

"Bluestar. Crookedstar. Tallstar." He mewed civilly. He wasn't feeling friendly right then, but it seemed that leaders, even when already dead, are always tough.

"We know what you saw." Bluestar quietly replied.

"Good. Then - then - " Rainstar didn't know why he said what he did, but it summed up everything he was thinking. "I don't want to lead a Clan anymore!" The three StarClan cats shared a glance.

"I thought something like this would happen. You see, Rainstar, BloodClan is not a true Clan."

"It's not? Then what is it?" Crookedstar spoke this time.

"Perhaps we'd better show you."

Blood was the first thing that Rainstar saw in the misty reflection of the pool. Next, there was the the pelts of fighting cats, all colors of fur flying the the air. They all looked as if they were yowling their heads off, but no sound could be heard.

"Why can't I hear anything?" Rainstar asked Bluestar.

"Memories act strangely in the Dreampool." The Dreampool was the pool that Rainstar was looking in. Tallstar had explained it to him. Rainstar looked in again. The Dreampool was now showing three cats - a small black tom with a red collar, stuck with teeth. A dark tabby tom, amber eyes glinting with menace. And a tom with a pelt the color of flame, watching the other two in amazement.

"The black one is Scourge, the brown one is Tigerstar, and the ginger one is Firestar." Crookedstar told him. Rainstar nodded and continued watching. Tigerstar and Scourge were fighting. Scourge sliced Tigerstar's stomach - again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again. The last time, when Tigerstar didn't move, Firestar attacked Scourge and killed him quickly. Then the image faded. Rainstar looked up in amazement.

"What was that?"

"That was the great battle between BloodClan and the four Clans of the forest."

"And... why did you show me this?"

"Scourge was the leader of BloodClan. Tigerstar was the leader of ShadowClan. And Firestar was the leader of ThunderClan."

"...and?"

"Well, you saw how the leaders of the Clans got along? Scourge killed Tigerstar, then Firestar killed Scourge."

"...and?"

"I told you we'd need another example." Crookedstar whispered to Bluestar. Bluestar sighed.

"Right. Let's try the direct method - BloodClan is not a Clan, never was, never will be." Rainstar just stared at her. Tallstar sighed.

"Well, you don't have to lead a Clan if you don't want to." Rainstar sighed.

"I don't want to." Tallstar bowed his head.

"Then, farewell, Rainstar."

"Uh, bye." Rainstar turned around and headed towards the other side of the clearing.

"Wait!" Crookedstar called. "I thought of something else." Rainstar turned around and looked quizzicly at Crookedstar. "Did you notice how all of us have a 'star' after our names?" Rainstar thought for a moment. ''Bluestar, Crookedstar, Tallstar, Firestar, Tigerstar... Rainstar. He's right!''

"You're right! But what does that have to do with BloodClan?" Crookedstar smiled.

"Did you also notice how Scourge and Striker don't?" Rainstar thought for a moment, then smiled.

"You're right!" Then, Rainstar turned to Bluestar. "I changed my mind. I will lead RainClan." Bluestar smiled quietly and Rainstar found himself back in the twolegplace once more.

Chapter 6
When Rainstar awoke, Brownie sat next to him.

"Oh, good, you're up!" He spoke with strained happiness, as if he was forcing himself to sound happy.

"Hi, Brownie. I've got some news about BloodClan."

"Really?" The brown tom looked genuinely suprised. "I do too!"

"You go first."

"Right. Well, I was snooping around while you were sleeping, and I found out that a she-cat by the name of Scratch was going around and trying to recruit others to fight another group who will not follow their rules."

"Cool."

"And what was your news?"

"Well, BloodClan is nothing like RainClan or StarClan." Brownie blinked.

"Yes, I figured that."

"Oh." There was silence for a little. Then Brownie coughed and said something that he had been waiting to say the entire conversation.

"I think that we should go help them." Rainstar leapt to his feet and immeditly growled back.

"There is no way that I am helping those vicious, kit-killing, bloody, group of unstructared rouges known as BloodClan!" Brownie reeled back, startled by Rainstar's sudden outburst. Then he gave a shaky laugh.

"Don't worry, I'm not talking about helping BloodClan."

"Really?" Rainstar let the fur on his back fall flat and his snarl faded.

"Those others!"

"Do you know where they live?"

"Yep!" Brownie was regaining the sparkle in his eye.

"...well?" Rainstar cocked his head. Brownie smiled. And the two raced off again.

................................................................................................

"I have to say, I wasn't excepting this." Rainstar was looking at a mound of twoleg trash. There was a hole in the side, which was being guarded by another guard, who was unmistakably not BloodClan.

"What were you expecting?" Brownie asked.

"I don't know. Something, I don't know, more rebellious looking." Then he smiled. "Well, I suppose when you live in this... stuff," He indicated the twoleg trash. "There isn't much to pick from."

"Coming?" Brownie was already walking towards the guard.

"Hey! Wait up!" Rainstar chased after him. The guard turned to look at the two RainClan cats with a steely, unflinching eye. Rainstar gulped. A nervous glance at Brownie showed that he felt the same. He opened his mouth, but no words came out, so Rainstar spoke instead.

"Can we see your leader?" He asked nervously.

"Depends. Are you able to? I don't know." The guard replied seriously. Rainstar shared a glance with Brownie. Then, the guard smiled.

"Hey, it's fine with me. You two don't look very threatening, so you don't seem like you'd be a danger to him. Just head on in." Rainstar sniffed indignantly at the 'not very dangerous' part, but Brownie just looked relieved and went in.

The inside looked almost exactly the way Rainstar had thought it would. The walls were made out of twoleg trash, and so was the ceiling, but the floor was covered in scraps of the softer twoleg bedding. Other cats wandered around inside, some of them casting wary glances at the RainClan cats. Brownie shrunk back at their gazes, but Rainstar kept his head high and walked to the far end, where a white and ginger she-cat was laughing with some others.

"Excuse me?" Rainstar mewed.

"You are excused. What is it?" The she-cat replied. Are all of these cats like this? He wondered.

"Can we see your leader? And please, don't say 'I don't know.' " The she-cat smiled.

"Eagle was on guard duty, huh? Yeah, he's the big brown one over there." Rainstar dipped his head in thanks and padded over to the woody-brown tom the she-cat had indicated. When the leader noticed them, he turned and spoke before either of the RainClan cats could.

"Hello. What are you doing here?" He asked. Rainstar gulped again and dipped his head. His tone was friendly, but his narrowed eyes gave away what the leader was really thinking.

"Hello. My name is Rainstar, and this is Brownie." Rainstar decided against telling him about RainClan, on account of it was a Clan.

"And my name is Oak. Nice to meet you."

"We have come with a warning for you about BloodClan." Rainstar continued.

"Oh?" Oak looked curious and slightly angry.

"They are planning an attack soon. It will be lead by a white she-cat by the name of Scratch. She is, at this time, looking for others to join her in the attack."

"They like to attack at night, and if the leader is hurt or killed, then none of the others care." Brownie added.

Oak dipped his head, now looking thoughtful. "Thank you for this." Rainstar waited. "You two are welcome to spend the night here, if you wish."

"Thank you." As Rainstar and Brownie walked off to make their nests for the night, Rainstar turned to Brownie and asked,

"So, did this work out the way you were hoping?" Brownie smiled.

"Even better."

Chapter 7
Rainstar yawned and stretched. "Good morning..." He opened his eyes. "Bluestar, Crookedstar, and Tallstar." Rainstar dipped his head, and Bluestar returned it.

"We are proud of RainClan." Bluestar mewed.

"Why?" Asked Rainstar with a cocked head.

"You helped some that you didn't have to, even though it could cause danger to yourself."

"Could?" Snorted Crookedstar. Tallstar snapped his tail over the other leaders' mouth.

"Oh, well, um..." Rainstar shuffled his paws, embarrassed.

"That is an important quality of leadership." Tallstar said.

"But, anyway, your training needs to continue." Bluestar interjected.

"Hunting or fighting?" Asked Rainstar. The three leaders shared a glance.

"Fighting. You'll need it most." Rainstar groaned.

.................................................................................................................

"Meh. Go'way. I'm practicing my advanced leaps." Rainstar complained as a restless paw prodded his side. "Brownie..."

"Oh, come on, Rainstar!"

"Alright, alright, I'm getting up." Rainstar yawned and pulled himself to his feet. "How is it that you're always up so early?" Brownie shrugged modestly.

"It's something you learn." Rainstar shrugged back.

"Okay then. What are we going to do now?"

"We could go look around a bit. Talk to the others. Maybe one of them could join RainClan?"

"Okay. Why not?" Brownie padded off towards the tom that had been guarding when they arrived. Rainstar watched him quickly start a conversation, and soon they were going off to see something. Rainstar smiled.

"Hello!" A cheery voice came from behind Rainstar.

"Ahh!" He jumped and whirled around to see the ginger and white she-cat that had shown them Oak. She giggled.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you."

"It's just fine, I wasn't expecting a voice to suddenly materilze behind me and scare my fur off." Rainstar smiled, and the she-cat giggled again. "I'm Rainstar. Who are you?"

"Rainstar... What an unusual name. A star made of rain?" She paused, imagining it. Rainstar thought for a moment. A star made out of rain... "It would probably be light blue, and shine like a star does." She continued.

"Like my pelt!" Rainstar exclaimed, looking at himself. Why haven't I seen this before?

"Yeah. Except I don't think it shines." The she-cat purred in amusement. "My name is Peppermint, by the way!"

"Hello, Peppermint." Rainstar dipped his head. Peppermint dipped hers. "What does a peppermint look like?"

"It's a green leaf. I'll show you!" Peppermint stood up and lead him out of the mound.

Peppermint was exactly what Peppermint had said. A green leaf. "Why are you named after that?" Asked Rainstar. "I mean, you don't look like a leaf... No offence." He added quickly. Peppermint purred in amusement.

"Smell it." Rainstar blinked in confusion, but leaned down and sniffed.

"Mm. It smells great!" He exclaimed. Minty, but sweet.

"See?"

"So, you're minty but sweet?"

"No, you silly fluffball!" Peppermint laughed and batted Rainstar's ears playfully. "My parents liked that smell, so, why not?"

"Well, for one - " Rainstar began.

"Hey!" Peppermint protested.

"I was kidding!" Peppermint purred in amusement and Rainstar pulled a crooked smile. Peppermint lifted her nose to the air.

"I smell... oh!" She turned to face a large black she-cat coming towards the two. "Hey Mara!" Mara? Not that Mara? Rainstar looked at the she-cat. The large build, the black pelt, the amber eyes... Yep, it was her. The one who was fighting Brownie. Rainstar wondered if Mara knew him, too. He shuttered.

"Hello Peppermint." Mara greeted the she-cat.

"Hey Mara! This is my new friend, Rainstar. Rainstar, this is my friend Mara." Peppermint introduced. Rainstar dipped his head to the she-cat. After a moments pause, she did too.

"It's nice to meet you, Mara." Rainstar choked out, hoping that he didn't sound too nervous. Peppermint gave him a sideways glance, but Mara didn't seem to have noticed it.

"Pleasure, I'm sure." She replied politely. After a moments pause, Mara spoke again. "What are you two doing out here?"

"Oh, I'm showing Rainstar peppermint!" Peppermint replied.

"But haven't you already- oh, right." Mara saw the plant they were standing nearby. Peppermint purred in amusement, and Rainstar cracked a small smile.

"And what are you doing out here?" Asked Rainstar.

"Walking." She replied.

"Why?"

"You're noisy, aren't you?" Mara's eyes narrowed, as if she was trying to remember something that had just slipped her grasp.

"Oh, don't mind him!" Peppermint cut in. "He's new. Oak said he could stay." Mara's face relaxed.

"Oh?"

"Me and my friend brought some information about BloodClan. Which is not a proper Clan, by the way." Rainstar replied.

"A what?" Peppermint asked, confused.

"Er..." Rainstar trailed off, embarrased. Of course they don't know what a Clan is! Stupid! stupid! Thankfully, Eagle came by just about then.

"Hey Mara! Hey Peppermint! Hey new guy!" He called.

"Oh, hi, Eagle." Mewed Mara meekly and looked down at her paws.

"Me and my new friend were just going to climb on the top of the den! Want to come along?" Eagle offered.

"Thanks, Eagle, but-" Peppermint started.

"Oh, I'd love to!" Mara interrupted and ran towards Eagle. Rainstar purred.

"Everybody likes Eagle, huh?"

"Yep! He's pretty well-liked." Peppermint replied. "So, what is a Clan?"

"Erm..." Rainstar looked down at his paws.

"Oh, come on! I know BloodClan isn't one. Even though it has 'Clan' in it." Peppermint presisted.

"Alright then, you win." Rainstar sighed. "Even though I'm not to sure myself." Peppermint sat down in response. Rainstar smiled and sat down, also.

"Well... it's like this." He explained everything that had happened, from the mysterious 9 lives to his arguing teachers to the mystical Dreampool to finding her and Oak. Peppermint was a wonderful auidence, listening politely and adding comments when they were approprite. When he finished, Peppermint sat, looking thoughtful.

"It's rather hard to believe." She finally said.

"I would hardly believe it myself, if it wasn't for the skills I learned." Rainstar replied and smiled. Peppermint stood up, still thoughtful.

"Well..." She mewed.

"I know." Rainstar stood up, too. "It sounds so ridiculous that I seem like I must be half-insane. If not completely." Peppermint turned to him and smiled.

"I'd think you must be, Rainstar, if the rest of our conversation wasn't perfectly normal."

"And how do you know insane cats don't normally speak normally?" Rainstar asked. Peppermint laughed.

"Come on, let's go." She started walking back to the den, Rainstar right behind her. Once they had gotten inside, Peppermint turned to him and meowed, "Tell me that part about Bluestar, Crookedstar, and Tallstar again. They're so funny when they argue!" Rainstar nodded and, with a slight smile, began to retell his starry mentors' arguements. Peppermint, though she seemed to not believe him, olviously enjoyed his story and insisted he tell it to her other friends, who were although not as good an audience as Peppermint, liked it too.

At the end of the day, when Rainstar settled into his nest, he turned to the cat lying in the nest next to him.

"Peppermint?" He asked.

"Mmm?" She replied.

"Am I still insane?" Rainstar wondered.

"Yes. Now go to sleep." Peppermint mumbled. Rainstar smiled and obeyed.

Chapter 8
"Rainstar." Bluestar said.

"Yes?" Rainstar replied.

"Your allies need you now. You should wake them."

"And prepare for the coming battle." Crookedstar added.

"Wait... what?" Asked a confused Rainstar. One second we're were training fighting, and then this whole weird... thingy comes. Battle? Allies? What?

"Good luck, Rainstar!" Tallstar mewed.

"You'll need it." Mumbled Crookedstar.

"Crookedstar! Please!" Tallstar hissed.

"Yeah, well, he will!" Crookedstar replied. Bluestar shook her head and sighed as the two toms began arguing again.

"Rainstar, they're coming. Soon. Prepare yourself." Rainstar nodded, even though he didn't really understand. Bluestar smiled. "Good. Now, you shall wake."

Rainstar's eyes flew open down in his nest.

"Well, that was odd..." He mumbled. Bluestar's words echoed through his head. They're coming... battle... Rainstar jolted up. "BloodClan!" He practicly yowled. From beside him, Peppermint grumbled in her sleep. ''Allies... yes. Peppermint is my ally. I should 'wake my allies', as Bluestar said.''

"Peppermint!" Rainstar shook her vigorously.

"Rainstar?" Peppermint asked sleepily.

"Bluestar... um, BloodClan is coming! You have to wake up!" Rainstar shouted. A few others around the den began to stir.

"Rainstar, it's the middle of the night. You're going to wake up everyone else." Peppermint mewed.

"They should wake up, too, then! BloodClan's coming!" He yowled. More were beginning to wake up now.

"Rainstar," Peppermint rolled over and looked Rainstar right in the eye. Her amber eyes pierced straight into his blue ones. Rainstar felt his ears starting to turn red. "You. Are. Crazy. Now let me go back to sleep."

"But..." Rainstar began. He couldn't finish, because right then Brownie came racing in, breathless and with a terrified look in his eyes.

"BLOODCLAN IS ATTACKING!" He yowled. Rainstar ran over to the second RainClan member.

"Brownie! What! Where! How!"

"Me and Eagle," He gasped for breath, "Sitting on top of the den," Gasp, gasp, "Saw something coming," Gasp, "I went to look," Gasp, "BloodClan!" He finished. Oak strode up to Brownie.

"Are you sure?" He asked, staring down at Brownie.

"Yes." Brownie collapsed onto the ground. Oak whipped around to face the rouges.

"PREPARE FOR BATTLE!" He yowled. The reaction was instantanious. Sleepers jolted up like they were waking from a nightmare, kits bristled and pretended to attack imaginary foes to be shooed away by worried mothers, every single cat in the den ran around like crazy. Within moments everyone was deathly silent. Sensing something bad was going to happen, Rainstar grabbed Brownie's scruff and pulled him into the shadows. The whole den had the an of anticipation.

"Attack!" Yowled the white she-cat Rainstar remembered as Scratch and rushed in, followed by a company of BloodClan cats. In the time he had the time to react, Rainstar guessed about twenty BloodClan cats. As soon as Scratch was in his range, Oak jumped on her, claw outstretched.

"Attack!" He yowled. Instantly all the rouges came rushing out of their places.

The whole den was a whirling mass of fur and claws. Rainstar tried to stay in the shadows and out of the way.

"How did I get myself into this mess?" He sighed after seeing a BloodClan cat run yowling outside as quickly as it could. A nearby BloodClan cat turned to face Rainstar after shaking away a determined rouge. Rainstar shrunk down, ears laid back.

"Stay away!" He hissed. The BloodClan tom laughed.

"Like fun I will." He replied and launched himself at Rainstar. Rainstar jumped back in surprise. The BloodClan tom missed, but Rainstar smacked his head into the wall.

"Ow..." The world spun. Rainstar saw a spinning image of a dark tabby tom flying at him. He slammed into Rainstar, knocking him to the ground and raking his claws across his side. Stunned, Rainstar got up, staggered to one side, and tripped over Brownie. The tabby tom laughed again.

"You are an unskilled fool. A fool of a rouge." He taunted. Burning with embarrassment, Rainstar got up and shook his head. The laughing BloodClan member came into focus. Rainstar jumped at him. The tabby tom stopped mid-laugh and toppled backwards. Rainstar, remembering a move that his mentors had taught him, ducked under the unbalanced tom and pushed upwards. The BloodClan cat fell to the ground. Rainstar pinned him to the ground and, from practice, slashed at his neck.

Blood welled up from the wound. The angry look in the BloodClan tom's eyes faded away, and was replaced by a glassy look. Rainstar stepped off the tabby and looked at him in shock. ''I... killed him. I killed a cat!''

"I... I... I..." Rainstar stuttered. He felt something coming up in his stomach. Rainstar ran as fast as he could over to the side of the den and puked his insides out.

Chapter 9
Rainstar spat on the ground, trying to her the horrible taste out of his mouth, as he walked back to the body of the dark tabby tom. When he looked at the body again, he felt the throw-up coming up again. Rainstar saw Scratch look over at the body from where she was fighting. Her mouth dropped open and she ran over to the tom's still body.

"Hiss! No!" She cried. Rainstar looked down at the tom. Hiss? A memory of hiding behind a pile of twoleg trash with Brownie, watching a white she-cat and a dark tabby tom talk to the leader of BloodClan. ''That's Hiss? Hiss saved Scratch's life!'' Scratch seemed to remember that, too, because the look she gave Rainstar was pure hatred.

"You monster!" She yowled. "I swear, I'll get you for this if it takes all my life!" Scratch glared at him, the pure anger burning an image into his mind forever. She whipped around and ran out of the mound of twoleg trash.

Rainstar looked around, sides heaving. It was clear that BloodClan had lost. Plus Hiss, about 15 of the cats who had charged in had died. When Scratch ran off, the last few gave one more menencing hiss and followed their leader away from the rouges. A bloody and scarred Oak called for someone to inventory the dead rouges and for someone to inventory the dead BloodClan cats. Rainstar tuned out what was happening in other places and turned to his friend.

"Hey, Brownie?" He gently called. Brownie groaned.

"Rainstar?" He asked weakly.

"Yes?"

"Am I alive?"

"I'm fairly certain you are. At least, I hope so. Because if you're dead, then I am too, and I really hope I'm not dead." Brownie cracked a smile.

"I figure you're alive."

"Great." Rainstar purred. "Can you stand."

"I think so... I'm getting better by the heartbeat." Brownie started to pick himself off the ground, but collapsed. He tried again, this time succeding and leaned against the wall.

"Great job. Do you need more rest?" Rainstar asked.

"I think so." Brownie replied.

"Okay then, I'm going to go find Peppermint." Rainstar turned and walked off. He heard Brownie behind him ask who Peppermint was, but Rainstar kept on going. He would find out soon enough. Rainstar searched through the cats, hoping to find that friendly orange and white pelt.

"Peppermint?" He called. "Peppermint!" After running around the den once, calling for Peppermint, a voice answered his call.

"Over here! Hey, Minty, someone wants you." Rainstar couldn't figure out who it was, but came towards the voice anyway. It turned out that it belonged to Eagle, who was sitting in front of Peppermint.

"Eagle!" Eagle turned to look at Rainstar and smiled.

"Heeyyy, it's the tom who didn't know if he could stand the walk to Oak!"

"Yeah, I'm Rainstar. Brownie's my friend."

"Oh, Brownie." Eagle bowed his head. "He was a brave little mouse." Rainstar stared, then shrugged and walked over to Peppermint.

"Hey, Peppermint. It's your insane friend." Peppermint looked up at Rainstar with smiling eyes.

"It's good to see you, Rainstar." She croaked out.

"Good to see you living, too." Rainstar looked at Peppermint and gasped slightly. She had quite a few scratches, all oozing blood.

"Are you okay?" He asked worriedly.

"Yeah, I'll live. You?" Rainstar looked himself over. The only wound he had were the gashes left behind when Hiss scratched his side.

"Barely wounded. You look like you could use some rest, though." Peppermint nodded and closed her eyes. Eagle, who had been listening, spoke then.

"Hey, Rainstar, do you need anything treated?"

"No." Rainstar replied. "What happened?"

"What happened where?" Asked Eagle. Rainstar nodded towards Peppermint.

"Oh, that." Eagle gave the she-cat a wistful look, then leaned close to his ear and whispered.

"She can't fight."

"Oh." The numerous scratches on Peppermint's pelt jumped out even more starkly now. "Then why was she attacked?"

"Who knows?" Shrugged Eagle. "BloodClan members just don't care, I suppose."

"All cats able to stand on their legs, please gather for a meeting!" Called Oak from a pile of twoleg rubbish at the side of the den. Rainstar looked at Oak curiously. Eagle bumped him in the side and meowed,

"Come on, Rainstar, we'd better go."

Chapter 10
Oak was standing on top of the pile of twoleg rubbish, surrounded by the majority of the rouges.

"As you all know," he said, "BloodClan has stopped threatening us and started doing something about those threats." There was an uneasy murmuring between the rouges. "We fought the off. We killed most of them. And we won." The rouges yowled in approval. Oak waited until they settled down. "But that was only this time. BloodClan is large, and they are strong. We lost many good cats, also." Oak looked towards an area with many bodies lying in pools of blood. Silence blanketed the room, a muted silence as the rouges waited for Oak to speak. "We must prepare ourselves for the unevitable second attack." There was another uneasy murmuring.

"Is there any other option?" Asked someone from the crowd. Oak sighed.

"We can sacrifce our freedom and give into BloodClan's rules or we can give up our home and move. There is no other option."

"Or we can go with Rainstar." Peppermint had stood up and had walked behind Eagle and Rainstar. Rainstar stared at Peppermint. ''What does she mean, 'go with Rainstar'? ''He thought.

Oak seemed to have been thinking the same thing, because he asked, "What do you mean?"

Peppermint looked Oak in the eye and replied, "I mean, I'm going with Rainstar." Eagle gasped.

"Minty! Not in your condition!"

Peppermint turned to look at Eagle. "Yes, Eagle. It's either stay here and get even worse, or," Peppermint shuttered. "die." Eagle looked at her for a second, then gave a pained smile.

"Then I'm going too." This time, Peppermint was the one to stare.

"B-b-but..." She stuttered.

"No buts, Peppermint, I'm staying with you. Family sticks together." Eagle moved to stand next to Peppermint.

"Then I'm going too." Mara stepped out of the crowd, eyes on Peppermint and Eagle, and walked over to stand next to Eagle. Rainstar watched all this with shock. ''They're all coming with me? But where?'' Oak looked down at the three.

"Anyone else?" He asked. There was no response. "Good. Prepare yourself for the next attack. This meeting is finished." He mewed and jumped down.

Peppermint, Eagle, and Mara turned to look at Rainstar.

"So, what now?" Asked Eagle.

"Erm... one second." Rainstar replied and ran over to where he had left Brownie. "Brownie!" Brownie looked out at Rainstar from the shadows.

"Hey, Rainstar. Good job!" Brownie walked over to Rainstar, completely recovered.

"Good job about what?" Asked a confused Rainstar.

"Getting Eagle and those she-cats to join RainClan, of course!" Brownie laughed.

"...join RainClan? Yeah, join RainClan." Rainstar smiled. "Thanks."

"No problem." Brownie laughed again. "Come on, I need to meet that she-cat." He padded off towards the three rouges. Rainstar followed. They had walked halfway there, Rainstar realized something that made him stop cold. "Brownie! Stop!" He commanded. "Why?" asked Brownie, but still stopped.

"Er... there's something you should know about one of those she-cats..." Rainstar mewed slowly.

"What is it?" Asked Brownie.

"One's Mara." Rainstar stated simply. Brownie jumped, then looked around wildly.

"Relax, she's over there." Rainstar flicked his tail towards the three, who were waiting patiently. Brownie sighed and let out a deep breath of relief.

"Phew! You know, I ran into her eariler, but she barely noticed I was there." Brownie said. Rainstar nodded.

"So, how are you going to get over there?"

"Um, I don't know. Can I hide behind you?" Brownie asked. Rainstar shrugged.

"I don't care one way or another. Sounds good to me!" He stepped in front of Brownie and the two went over to meet the three new RainClan members.

When they reached them, Eagle asked,

"Who's your friend hiding behind there?" Brownie peeked out of Rainstar's shadow nervously, then pulled his head back in.

"Um..." Rainstar glanced over at Mara. She wasn't currently watching them. "Brownie." Eagle's jaw dropped.

"B-b-brownie? But he's dead!" Brownie stepped out.

"No I'm not." Eagle stared at Brownie, then started purring.

"You tricky little mouse! You lived!"

"And it wasn't easy, either." Brownie purred. Peppermint was watching the two with smiling eyes.

"So this is Brownie?" Rainstar nodded.

"The one and only!"

"Brownie?" Mara whipped her head around, hearing her enemies name for the first time. She saw Brownie talking to Eagle and hissed, tail lashing. "Brownie!" Brownie turned to look at the she-cat, and backed up into Eagle.

"Mara!" He squeaked. Mara hissed.

"Woah, woah, woah, woah." Eagle stepped in between Mara and Brownie, looking strangely at them both. Mara's tail dropped and she looked down at her paws. "What is going on here?" Neither replied. Finally, Rainstar said,

"They're, um, kinda enemies." The two others looked between Brownie and Mara.

"Oh no." Sighed Peppermint.

"This is going to be a problem." Eagle muttered. He stepped back, raising the fur on the the enemies backs, but they didn't make any move towards each other.

"So, what do we do now, leader?" Asked Peppermint cheerfully, trying to lift the mood.

"Well..." Rainstar thought. "We should probably rest here for the night, then we can go in the morning." The other two nodded, Brownie and Mara too absorbed in their own struggles to notice.

"That'll work." Eagle cast a glance towards Peppermint's bloodstained pelt. "We will need the rest."

"Alright then, I'll meet you outside the den at sunhigh." Rainstar mewed and they headed off towards their nests for the night.

Chapter 11
Rainstar watched the entrance to the rouge's den feverishly. It was sunhigh, and Eagle and Peppermint hadn't come out yet. Mara and Brownie were standing on either sides of the entrance, Brownie next to Rainstar.

"Where are they?" Grumbled Rainstar.

"I don't know." Brownie replied.

"Well, they'd better come soon." As if on cue, the two appeared in the entrance.

"I'd call that soon, wouldn't you?" Brownie laughed. Rainstar smiled.

"Ready?" He asked his Clan.

"I thought you'd never ask." Eagle joked.

"Well, should we go now?" Rainstar mewed.

"Right away, leader!" Peppermint purred and they set off. Exactly where wasn't quite clear, but Rainstar decided that it would be best if they went away from where he and Brownie had seen Striker last. The memory leader of BloodClan sent shivers down Rainstar's back. They walked on, exchanging friendly conversation and talking about where - and what - they might find.

"My favorite food is sparrow. I get it from my mother, Fluff." Peppermint purred.

"I get my preference from experience: a big, fat, juicy mouse." Eagle licked his lips. Brownie nodded and smiled.

"I agree with you completely." Rainstar smiled. The three got along so well! The only cat who wasn't occupied talking was Mara, who was marching straight ahead silently, a determined expression set on her face.

"I love a good goldfish." Rainstar added.

"Mmm... All this talk of food is making me hungry!" Brownie mewed.

"Yum. Do you think we could stop?" Wondered Peppermint.

"Well, we should ask the leader, shouldn't we? Rainstar?" Rainstar wasn't paying attention. "Rainstar!" Eagle shouted.

"Hmm? What?" He turned to look at the other four.

"We were wondering if we could stop to eat." Peppermint explained.

"Oh, yeah, sure." Rainstar agreed. "Let's find a good place to rest first."

More coming soon!