The Days of Rainpaw

My first story I ever wrote—hope you like it!



Rainpaw inhaled deeply. She could smell prey near her. She licked her nose and cocked her head two times. The mouse was waddling nearer to its predator. Rainpaw could feel her heart thump as loud as a drum—BOOM, BOOM, BOOM—as she quietly stalked closer and closer.
I bet that it hears me, Rainpaw thought. But this is mine. My first prey I caught. By myself. No one can stop me now. I’m going to catch this mouse, and become a warrior really soon. Rainpaw suddenly sprang from her hiding spot and launched herself to the mouse. It squeaked when it saw the fierce apprentice cat, but it was too late. Rainpaw extended her claws out and squeezed the life out of the mouse. Rainpaw’s eyes glow its natural bright blue in her anticipation of catching her first prey on her first try. She dug a hole and buried the dead prey into the gap.
“Now I want to try to get some bigger prey,” Rainpaw murmured to herself. “Like a rabbit or squirrel. Rabbit…” Her mouth drooled in the hunger of eating. But, she had to follow the warrior code and not eat until she got food for the clan. I guess trying to become a warrior cat means that you have to take sacrifices, Rainpaw sighed. Taking sacrifices in battle for your life, and taking sacrifices in eating when you’re hungry but—Rainpaw stopped thinking to herself. She had heard another cat come near by. Her hair on her fur rose several inches high and she suspiciously sniffed the air. Luckily, it was just another Thunderclan apprentice, Hawkpaw, wandering through looking for prey, too.
“Hiya, Rainpaw!” Hawkpaw mewed at her. “Nice day, isn’t it? I bet that all prey probably come out to check out today’s weather too.” Hawkpaw smiled and his eyes glimmered brown.
Rainpaw smiled. It was not unusual that almost everyone would smile at Hawkpaw. He was always happy and smiling.
“Yeah, it really is a beautiful day. I need to catch more prey though.” She sighed. “I bet I caught far less prey than you,” she drearily said.
Hawkpaw shook his head and snorted. “No, I haven’t even caught one. You?”
“Well, I only caught one more prey than you,” Rainpaw meowed. “You wanna try to find prey with me? Maybe team work might get us through this whole day.” Hawkpaw eagerly nodded.
Within minutes, Hawkpaw located two squirrels. No wonder he’s called Hawkpaw. His hearing and eyesight are so sharp, Rainpaw thought. Just like a hawk’s. Does being a hawk count of being happy everyday, too?
After a long afternoon of catching prey, the warrior apprentices collected their food and went back to the clan.

“Well, looky here!” grunted Mudlegs. “It’s the apprentices that have caught prey. Did you catch enough, little kittens?” She snorted and sprinted away.
“I wish her name was Mudeyes or Mudface,” Rainpaw muttered to Hawkpaw. “Because if she had muddy eyes she wouldn’t be able to see us and make fun of us. Or maybe her name should be Mudface so we would be the ones laughing at her. Or at least not her making fun of everyone else. Hawkpaw laughed and meowed in agreement.
When he stopped, Hawkpaw frowned and caterwauled. “And I hate her! I just hate her!” Hawkpaw’s eyes turned to fire and pawed the ground with his front right paw. It looked as almost if he was turning into a monster while Rainpaw just shockingly stood there. “I DON’T GET HOW HER MOTHER STANDS HER!! Or all the other cats! It! Just! Doesn’t—“
"Hawkpaw! It's just her. We're going to be warriors soon. She did start before us. Anyway, after--"
“Hawkpaw?! What are you screaming about? Is something the matter?” Leopardfur ran toward her son, and she became concerned. “Whatever you’re mad about,” She said softly, “Tell me, alright? I’ll understand.” She was cradling a now-sad-Hawkpaw.
What did someone do to make me go angry, just like that? Hawkpaw was torn about himself, about what he did. It just happened, went automatic, just sudden…I don’t get it…Is there something wrong with me?
Rainpaw was still standing there, stunned by what had happened to Hawkpaw in just a moment. He was always happy. And just an unintelligent comment from Mudlegs makes him go mad? Wow, another feature that make Hawkpaw like a hawk: an unexpected anger that is wild. Maybe there is something weird about that Mudle—Mudface, set aside from her being so mean, so happy that she became a warrior before us. I don’t get why she just teases us—I mean, doesn’t she know that we’re not jealous…?
Mudlegs was twitching her tail outside of the warriors’ den. I didn’t mean to upset him, she told herself. I only was making fun of Hawkpaw and Rainpaw… Mudlegs realized that Rainpaw was glaring at her. She turned and jumped into the den.
Definitely Mudface, Rainpaw thought. She ran into the apprentice's den to see if Hawkpaw was better.

“Are you sure you’re okay, Hawkpaw?”
“Yes,” Hawkpaw glumly said. "I'm alright. No need to worry about me, Rainpaw. Just pretend that this never happened." Hawkpaw sighed and turned over in the starry night. Somehow, he was soon able to sleep despite the day’s weird incident. Rainpaw sighed, too, and layed down on the apprentices’ den’s moss. She thought about Mudlegs. Mudface, Mudface, Mudface. So much mud on her face and legs that she can’t tell good to bad. She put her head resting between her front legs.
She was about to go to rest her tired soul when she heard a whisper outside of the den.
“Rainpaw?” The brown shape called. It sat outside in the bright night.
Rainpaw was suddenly alert. She jumped to her paws and looked at the brown cat. She quietly withdrew her claws and stalked to the entrance of the den.
Mudface?! “What do you want, Mudlegs??” Rainpaw growled.
Mudlegs looked hurt. Then she quickly regained her posture and seriously stated, “Look, I’m sorry I made Hawkpaw cry, but—“
“You’re here to say sorry?” Rainpaw shrieked. Apologize?? What in Starclan…
Mudlegs appeared irritated. “What’s wrong with saying the word ‘sorry?!’” Rainpaw wondered if Mudlegs didn’t break in the middle of speaking the word ‘”sorry.” Mudlegs seemed grim and hopeless now, unlike when she teased Rainpaw and Hawkpaw. Mudlegs scowled and then grunted.
“W-well, no, of course there is nothing wrong with saying sorry, it’s just weird…” Rainpaw paused.
“That I would say it?” Mudlegs finished the sentence for her. Rainpaw sheepishly nodded. Mudlegs groaned. “Am I really that bad as you think I am??” Mudlegs almost screamed.
“Well…if you stopped teasing Hawkpaw and I we would probably think of you more than a very, very annoying cat.” Mudlegs flinched at the words “annoying” and “cat.” She apparently thinks of herself highly as a warrior, Rainpaw heavily thought to herself. I don’t think anyone could blame her…Being a warrior is a very honorable and high task for the clan. Can’t wait till I get to be a warrior! Rainpaw smiled to herself. But soon she realized that Mudlegs was staring at her, and Rainpaw hastily regained her attitude.
“So…I’m sorry…” Mudlegs started, “that I hurt your feelings and embarrass you in front of the other cats,” she fragily said, her voice almost breaking. “I guess I am such a bad cat, huh? I humiliated everyone so much…” Mudlegs sadly looked at Rainpaw. Rainpaw felt awfully sorry for the new warrior cat.
“It’s okay… You just have to learn to be friends with everyone,” Rainpaw gently said to her and touched Mudlegs’s nose. Did I just do that?! Rainpaw was shocked that she just did that.
Mudlegs sighed. “I guess I wouldn’t have been like this if my mother was a better personality, right?” She sadly smiled.
“Wait—your mother?!”
“Yeah, I know. She was one of the most respected cats of the Clans, but she hated me when I was born…She wanted a boy to help serve the clan…Even though she was a female herself, she thought girls were useless and just spoiled like…kittypets!” Mudlegs spat at the word. “Even though outside she said that her kits were lovely, she hated me the most. Just because I was the only girl. You see how proudly she looked at Runningfoot when he became a warrior when she was an elder? That’s what I should have been. I should have had the same life as him, Scarmask, and Clawstalker. I detested that cat. A mother, all right!” Mudlegs growled.
“That’s so sad…” Rainpaw drearily said. She was starting to feel a bit sleepy.
“And that’s the bad part. I use her anger on me to hate all these cats of Thunderclan. I’m so horrible…” Mudlegs drooped to the floor and covered her head with her paws.
“No, no!” Rainpaw jumped back to awareness as the sun almost came up. Then she held her breath as she saw Hawkpaw turning over but turned her head back to Mudlegs when she saw that Hawkpaw was snoring. “You are not horrible,” she quietly hissed. “You are just—.”
“But just a moment ago you said that—.”
“Shh!” Rainpaw cautioned. Cannot you see that Hawkpaw is sleeping?!” But it was too late. Hawkpaw woke up at Mudlegs’s yowl.
“What’s going on here?!” He cried. Then he spied Mudlegs. “You,” he snarled. He suspiciously unsheathed his claws and crawled over to Rainpaw’s side. “What’s going on?!” he repeated. He questionably looked at Rainpaw.
Rainpaw took a deep breath. How to explain this? she thought. She imagined herself saying, Hawkpaw, Mudlegs is not the enemy. She. Is. Our. Friend. Period. She’s a nice cat, she’s just mean on the outside, because of her mother, Spottedclaw. Yes, weird, is it not? No, she could not imagine herself saying that. Ever.
"So??" Hawkpaw asked. "What are you guys talking about?" He glared at Mudlegs.
"Well," Mudlegs started, "I'm sorry that I hurt you."
Hawkpaw blinked and looked at Rainpaw, and she nodded. "Okay..."
"Sorry. I'm horrible, huh?"
Hawkpaw exploded into laughter. "You," he shrieked, "are asking me if you are horrible! Mrrrrrow, mrow, mrow!" He turned over, smacking the ground with his paw. Then he stopped. "No, no, you aren't. Maybe we can work on it." He turned to Rainpaw again and tilted his head.
Rainpaw whispered, "Don't blame her. Blame Spottedclaw. She didn't like Mudlegs, tortured her. Poor kit at the time."
Hawkpaw sighed, and Mudlegs anxiously looked at him. "Can we be friends..." she softly asked, "can we start to be friends and try to be friends, Hawkpaw, Rainpaw?" She glanced at Rainpaw. Hawkpaw sighed again, but they both nodded.
"Thanks, Hawkpaw and Rainpaw." She smiled and walked back to the Warrior den, although the sun was almost climbing its way to the sky.
"That," Hawkpaw murmured, "was awkward." Rainpaw cuffed him playfully. He smiled and meowed, "Let's earn our way to warriors! To training!" He giggled and rushed off, Rainpaw bolting after him.

Rainpaw patiently watched as her mentor slowly walked toward her and Hawkpaw. She bowed and mewed, “Spottedheart,” as Hawkpaw twitched his tail in greeting to both of the mentors.
“Rainpaw,” he gently said, nodding back to her. “Wildstorm and I think that you apprentices are ready to start another part of your training: learning how to fight.”
Rainpaw thought that she had felt a tingle all over herself while Hawkpaw disapprovingly frowned at the fought of fighting other cats from other clans. It doesn’t seem right fighting our brothers and sisters, well, not literally our siblings, but our friends and other cats we love and know—
“Hawkpaw!” Spottedheart snapped, and Hawkpaw jerked back from his thoughts. “Why can’t you just pay attention to us?! This is serious! Fighting is about protecting your clan, protecting your—.”
“Spottedheart,” Wildstorm kindly said, interrupting Spottedheart’s snarls and caterwauls. As Spottedheart calmed down, the other mentor turned to Hawkpaw. “I know you are not comfortable fighting your other companions, but those friends are our true enemies. If you befriend them while they still suspect you, they will learn your secrets and weaknesses and use them against you or your clan. And we cannot afford any cat to allow holes leak in the clan’s wall, if you will.” Wildstorm’s lecture made Hawkpaw feel guilty, and he hung his head sadly, staring into the ground. Wildstorm was still continuing, but when he saw that his apprentice was shameful for doing what Wildstorm was just telling him what not to do, Wildstorm sighed and softly whispered, “Just learn, Hawkpaw. You may have messed up now, but remember what I told you. That’s all.” Hawkpaw nodded and drearily lifted his head up to his mentor.
“Sorry,” he squeaked. Wildstorm smiled and touched Hawkpaw’s nose. Then he allowed Spottedheart to continue.
“As I was saying,” Spottedheart announced, sneaking a quick eye glance at Hawkpaw, “we are going to train you apprentices to be warriors, even if you don’t want to or might not be. You someday maybe the medicine cat, a true honor. Fighting is important in surviving. I think you guys have learned some basics in fighting, like attacking in the back of the neck to kill, although you are not, never suppose to kill another cat, even another clan’s cat. You cats have also learned how to sneak up and scare prey, however, another cat is harder since they have the same reflexes and instincts as others.
“Now, follow Wildstorm and me to go out of Thunderclan camp. We shall practice fighting in a clearing not far from here.” Spottedheart and Wildstorm quickly started moving out, and Hawkpaw and Rainpaw ran as fast as they could to keep up with them.
“Boy,” Rainpaw whispered to Hawkpaw. “I bet that this will be so fun! I can almost feel it.” Hawkpaw sighed as he just realized that Rainpaw actually liked fighting. “C’mon, buddy,” Rainpaw mewed, “It’s just fighting, not killing. We kill prey, not other cats. You know that, right?”
“Right,” mumbled Hawkpaw. “I’ll be fine. Don’t worry ‘bout me. You know I’ll get over this.”
“B-but…” Rainpaw stumbled. She slowly breathed in the natury scent of the forest while running after her mentor and breathed it back out. Rainpaw slowly began to recapture her mind before becoming all frenzy. "But," she started again, "you said the same thing when Mudlegs teased you! And you only got better when she apologized. How are you going to get better, make Spottedheart and Wildstorm apologize for making you have to learn how to fight??” At that moment Rainpaw almost tripped over a log.
Hawkpaw hurriedly glanced over to Rainpaw and cautioned, “You should stop talking to me unless you want to fall over another log, Rainpaw.” He quickly bounded over the forest floor.
He just wants me to stop talking about fighting, and Rainpaw gave a silent snort and humph in her thoughts. But I kinda feel bad for him; it is a good idea to quiet up. At that moment Spottedheart and Wildstorm abruptly halted, and Rainpaw and Hawkpaw followed.
“Good,” Wildstorm purred, “you almost kept with us. Just pay attention to the logs on the way back to camp, Rainpaw.” Hawkpaw tried not to laugh at the thought of his friend tripping, and Rainpaw shot him a dirty look.
“Now, we are going to start practicing basic fighting moves. These are simple and easy moves, so I expect you apprentices to learn quickly.” Spottedheart meowed gently, and he turned to Hawkpaw. “I know you have trouble thinking that you will soon be fighting other cats from other clans, but do not worry, young one. We might have to fight enemy dogs, rats—“
“dogs?!” Hawkpaw yowled, and then sunk down. “Oops, I’m sorry, Spottedheart.
“Do not worry, young Hawkpaw, but yes, there are dogs around here—the Twolegs’ dogs. Some moons before you cats were born, dogs attacked Thunderclan.”
“Sir?” Rainpaw raised her paw, and when Spottedheart nodded, she asked her question. “I have heard stories about the dogs, but rats? Rats can attack us and succeed?” Rainpaw felt scared about unbeatable rats.
Wildstorm sadly smiled. “Yes, rats can attack. And we warrior cats have heard about rats. There were rats that scared the Skyclan cats out of their second camp. They were in a gorge, and an evil rat wanted them to be gone. That evil rat ran them off with his rat army, if you wish. It is rather sad, but when the great Firestar, our remarkable leader, went off to the gorge with his mate Sandstorm, he was in search of cats with Skyclan blood, trying to rebuild the clan. The cats he recruited fought the rats, and it ended quickly when Firestar killed the rat leader.”
“Rat army?” Hawkpaw echoed. “How is that possible? And Skyclan? Is there such a cat clan called that? I have only heard of the only four clans of this forest. A fifth clan?”
Spottedheart cleared his throat and yowled into the air. Everyone fell silent. “We came here today to learn battle techniques. Now this has transformed into a talk about Skyclan and rats? I may have talked about rats, but I was referring that we might have to fight them. And we must continue, for the sun will climb down the sky faster than we intended it to.”
Uh oh… Rainpaw thought, and she was disappointed that they had spent their time talking and talking and talking…Boring compared to fighting!
Woo hoo! We didn’t fight, we didn’t fight! Hawkpaw sang to himself. The day was better than I thought it would! Rainpaw danced around with his bottom waving in the air. He turned around facing the way toward camp, and looked at the others with his paws waiting to race back to the camp.
“Now, now, Hawkpaw.” Wildstorm walked over to Hawkpaw’s side and made him go back to the other two cats. “We still have some time before we should go back to camp.” Rainpaw jumped in the air and shouted, “Yay!” while Hawkpaw’s excited look changed back to disappointment. Spottedheart snorted fondly while looking at both of the apprentices’ faces.
“Now, young’uns, please pay close attention to me. It’s very important you young’uns learn…” Spottedheart demonstrated many moves for battle. “Let you guys start with the first position. Now, remember, this is just practice. You can better. No, Hawkpaw, you have to look fierce to scare the enemy off. If you want to end the fight without fighting, give them a scary face to scare them, to let them think that you are a toughy. Rainpaw! That is exactly right! No, no, keep your position! Keep that determined look on your face. Better, Hawkpaw! Much, much better.” As Rainpaw and Hawkpaw practiced the mentors shared a small talk, nodding back and forth as they chatted about the apprentices.
“Look at this, Hawkpaw!” Rainpaw raised her front left paw and scratched the air. “Rrrrrowl!” She silently growled, and sliced an oak tree almost in half. “Wow! I can do that?!” Rainpaw excitedly began scratching all the trees, pretending that they were rival cats.
Wildstorm amusingly purred at Rainpaw, whispering to Spottedheart, “Look at that. The little one is having fun. I believe she will become one of the most respected and most feared warrior cats! Very interesting, don’t you think, Spottedheart?” Spottedheart nodded without removing his gaze on Hawkpaw, who was trying his hardest to do what his mentor had done.
“I believe in your apprentice. He is gaining his confidence in his fighting and gaining the ability to not concentrate that he will be fighting other cat clans,” Spottedheart said back to his friend. “We should go home now, don’t you think?” Wildstorm nodded and called back the apprentices.
“We’ll go home now, students.” Rainpaw groaned and Hawkpaw sighed in relief. “We will come back tomorrow and practice more.” Rainpaw then sat up proudly while Hawkpaw tried his best to act happy.
This fighting thing is becoming more better…I wonder if I actually like it a bit – I do! I definitely do! ... But not as much as Rainpaw though. I think she’ll become a fine warrior. All of the cats silently walked to camp, Rainpaw panting, Hawkpaw thinking, Spottedheart wondering if his apprentice was ready to fight in a battle if one came out, and Wildstorm proudly admiring Hawkpaw’s more relaxed thoughts of practicing fighting. The sun was about to lay down to rest, the night almost settling in for the night.

Chapter Five: The Clearing

Rainpaw yawned as she felt the sun’s warmth on her soft pelt. She blinked as soon as she shook off the drowsiness that held her for a minute.
Battle training! The two words blazed in her head as she realized what today’s task would be for apprentice things.
Hawkpaw rolled over in his sleep. “Haaaawkpaw,” Rainpaw called to him. “Wake uuup! We’re going to the cleaaaaaring again!” Hawkpaw suddenly jumped up, shoving his eyes open, though his eyes looked drowsy and only half-awake. He gave a fake groan, which made Rainpaw anxious, but then he gave a big grin that showed his teeth. “I’m not angry about the practice, Rainpaw. I really like training for battle! I can’t wait for one, too!”
“Well we’re going to be late if you just stand talking, but just a minute, I’m going to see if Mudlegs woke up.” Rainpaw trotted over to the left side of the warriors’ den. Hawkpaw watched as Mudlegs and Rainpaw slowly walked back. “…We’re going to be training today, for fighting and stuff,” Rainpaw was saying to Mudlegs as Hawkpaw crawled out of the den to see them. “I just can’t wait!” Rainpaw added. Mudlegs smiled and replied, “I bet you’ll be a pro at battling!” Then she turned to Hawkpaw. “Are you doing okay with the fighting practice, Hawkpaw?”
“W-well,” Hawkpaw blurted out. He hadn’t been prepared when the young warrior asked him that. “I, um, I’m getting along fine—just fine.” Rainpaw quietly sighed, just loud enough to let Hawkpaw hear. Mudlegs frowned disapprovingly, knowing that Hawkpaw was lying. She worried about Hawkpaw and softly whispered to Hawkpaw. “Hawkpaw, if you have any worries, just come over and you can talk about it with me. I mean, I’ll listen. I’ll truly listen to every word of yours.” Mudlegs gave a small smile to him and stood up to stretch. Great Starclan, how does she know that I have trouble learning how to fight since it is so hard for me??
“Mudlegs, I—“ Hawkpaw started, but Mudlegs stopped him with one of her paws extended out to one of Hawkpaw’s. “Not now, Hawkpaw. You guys should go to Spottedheart and Wildstorm since they probably are coming now. Hurry along, guys!” And so the two apprentices strolled over to the tree where they always waited for their mentors.
“Boy,” Rainpaw sighed as she lied down, basking in a beam of sunlight. “I just can’t wait!” Hawkpaw eagerly nodded.
“I wonder if we’ll actually fight in a battle soon,” Hawkpaw whispered excitingly, lying down next to Rainpaw. “I wonder if death will come soon.” Rainpaw flinched as Hawkpaw said the word death.
“We’re not going to die in a battle, Hawkpaw,” Rainpaw stuttered, even though her thoughts betrayed her words, “we’re going to succeed with the rest of Thunderclan and make the other clans give some—no, a lot—of respect to us. Can’t you feel it?” and she trembled, not of her words, not imaginatively, but since a cold wind passed through. Hawkpaw hesitated, and then gave a sideways glance at her.
“You apprentices waited long enough; now come on. I guess we forgot to tell you to come to the clearing by yourselves.” Spottedheart shouted, scaring Hawkpaw and Rainpaw.
“We’re going to practice in the clearing now?” Rainpaw cheerfully danced around, her face bright with enthusiasm. Spottedheart nodded, and Rainpaw skipped her way to the edge of camp, impatiently waiting for Hawkpaw and Spottedheart to go faster. Spottedheart led the way to the old clearing, where Hawkpaw could see Wildstorm waiting in a tree. Wildstorm leaped down from the tree in one swift, graceful leap.
“Ready,” he purred to the apprentices. “Ready to continue your hard training?” As the young cats eagerly nodded, Spottedheart and Wildstorm stood only inches apart.
“Let us begin.”
Rainpaw trembled with joy, her heart thumping as loud as thunder. Spottedheart instructed Rainpaw to practice fighting with Hawkpaw with claw inserted. Hawkpaw shrugged away his worry and crouched down into the grass, wiggling.
“Mrrrow!” Rainpaw launched herself onto Hawkpaw’s back with accuracy, but Hawkpaw instinctively rolled and squished Rainpaw, who let out an oof. Hawkpaw triumphantly smiled while Rainpaw got up and shook her head to drive away her pain. She growled and launched another attack quickly, but missed, just right in front of Hawkpaw. Rainpaw jumped up and scratch her friend’s face, who cried a yowl.
Mouse dung! Hawkpaw thought as he came to a thud, hitting the grass on his back. Rainpaw then sprang to his belly and punched and kicked it as if it was a toy. Hawkpaw sighed, surrendering to the excited gray blue apprentice. Rainpaw skipped her way to their mentors, and Hawkpaw slowly came, scraping his paws over the grass, embarrassed.
“Hawkpaw, don’t be sad. You still have many months to train,” Wildstorm said to him. He gave a lick to his apprentice’s nose. “That was a terrific battle, guys, and Hawkpaw, you did great. You acted with instinct, one of the most needed things in fighting. Congratulations, you apprentices were superior.” Hawkpaw then smiled at those words. “I bet that in the next battle warriors would run away from you with their tails under them!” Wildstorm purred with excitement, pleased with the apprentices.
“Thanks, Wildstorm!” Rainpaw’s pelt trembled, blushing.
Spottedheart grunted for attention. “Soon you’ll be warriors.” He turned to Wildstorm. “We should tell Firestar that they are ready. That we have earned two new warriors.” The apprentices burned with excitement while Wildstorm nodded with agreement. “Soon,” Wildstorm repeated. “Soon.”