A Fond Farewell

Thi is my last story. I hope you enjoy it. Rain fire The Scruffs'  01:47, February 3, 2011 (UTC)

Story:
The warm greenleaf air filled Rainfire's lungs as she breathed deeply. Her heart was pounding, legs were aching as she stretched forward to making one last kill this evening before the Gathering. The tangy scent of blood filled her nostrels when she finally caught the rabbit.

"Rainfire"

She raised her head, rabbit firmly clenched in her jaws, and waited for her friends, Tanglefur and Ravenfeather. The wind ruffled Rainfire's soft brown fur. It had once been fluffy, but has now become sleek, yet still soft. In her apprentice moons, it had been a light, chocolatey brown, and now, as a more experienced Warrior, has become a dark chestnut color. Her eyes, however, have not changed. They remain a warm honey-brown, brimming with knowledge and strength.

"There you are! The Gathering is going to start soon!"

Tanglefur's fur still remains unkempt, almost impossible to tame. Her hazel brown eyes still playful and full of love for others. She has become the best medicine cat WindClan has ever seen.

"Come on!"

Rainfire bounded after her two best friends. Ravenfeather's sleek black fur shone in the remaining sunlight, and her big amber eyes danced with the playful light that has always been a comfort to those around her. The three she-cats ran swiftly through the long grass and heather, racing to get back in time for the Gathering. As usual, they just barely made it in time.

Rainfire weaved through the crowd, passing familiar faces. She stopped and listened idley to an animated banter between Bramblepath and Wetstream, but her eyes flickered as her gaze moved as swiftly as the wind from one cat to another, searching.

"Looking for someone?"

Rainfire whipped around, startled, and recognized Braveheart and Darkfox, two toms from ThunderClan.

"Great StarClan, you scared me!" Rainfire exclaimed.

"Well that's because you're a WindClan she-cat," Darkfox teased goodnaturedly.

"I almost clawed your face off!" Rainfire replied heatedly.

Darkfox chuckled and moved close to Rainfire.

"Almost doesn't count," he whispered into her ear, then leaped away to avoid Rainfire's playful swat.

Braveheart and Darkfox loped away into the crowd, and Rainfire made her way towards a small group of Warriors.

"Ah, look who's back!" a brown tabby she-cat called at Rainfire.

It was Robinwind, a RiverClan she-cat,who is also Ravenfeather's cousin. The group of Warriors gave Rainfire a warm greeting before continuing with their conversations. Forestheart and Hiddensun, two respected she-cats, talked quietly to each other. Cherryflame, a ShadowClan she-cat, got into an argument with Robinwind. Rainfire stayed silent. She raised her had, with it's small, angular features, to the sky. Her honey-brown gaze wandered from star to twinkling star. She didn't move when she felt Darkfox sit next to her.

"How can you look at the stars and not belive?" Darkfox asked her in a hushed voice.

Rainfire lowered her head, her gaze resting on the very dark brown tabby tom. His black eyes searched hers, seemingly looking for answers.

"I just don't know if they're real. If they're there. No one's ever helped me in my time of need, no one's ever heard my prayers. How can I believe if I've been givien no proof?" she revealed.

"Maybe they know you're strong enough to handle your problems. And maybe they HAVE heard your prayers. They've certainly heard mine," he sai quietly and nudged her fondly.

Rainfire let her gaze wander around the clearing.

"Do you think we belong here? In the Clans?" Rainfire asked.

It was the beginning of a conversation they had had many times before.

"No."

But with that one word, spoken so surely, it changed. Rainfire's warm, honey-brown gaze locked with Darkfox's, and she saw herself reflected in his eyes. She saw hope, fear, love, pain, loss, and joy in those eyes of his. And faith. She looked around at the crowd of cats. She saw all of the apprentices, the Warrors, the queens, the medicine cats, the elders, and she no longer saw them as complete individuals. She saw them as one body, one being, that raised her to become the cat she is now. But she didn't want to stay any longer. So she watchd as the leaders took their positions and started the Gathering. And she turned and whispered goodbyes to her friends. She made her way across the clearing, whispering her goodbyes to anyone who would listen, Darkfox doing the same. And when the two got to the edge of the clearing, they turned around, and met the shocked gazes of the Clan cats in the clearing. The leaders, even, were quiet and watched. Rainfire felt a small pang of regret, but it was time for them to break away, like a kit leaving his mother to find his own way in this world. And then, Rainfire whispered a small prayer, and said:

"Farewell, my friends. Farewell."

A/N:
Yes, this is the end. My life has become too busy to remain writing for this website. It's sad really. It was nice to be able to exchange typed wrods with people around the country. Around the world, even. But I have to leave. Thank you to those who read a story or two of mine, thank you to those who encouraged me, and thank you to those who may have had to deal with my lack of Wiki knowledge, or lack of knowledge in general :). I hope you enjoyed my last story. Farewell, my writing friends. Farewell...

Rainfire