Author's Note: We left off with Rainfeather staring after Sparkstare, the handsome and intriguing tomcat that she had met and spent the Gathering with. She had felt a brief sense of wholeness and excitement but now, as she must return to her Clan, Rainfeather feels dejected again.
"There you are," said someone behind Rainfeather. "Come on, now, it's going to rain, you don't want to be left out here for the night, do you?" It was Berrytail. His golden-brown eyes were warm as he nudged Rainfeather along. "What were you staring at?"
"Nothing, and maybe I do want to stay out here. I'm Rainfeather, remember?" Rainfeather managed to joke. But she really did want to stay and rethink long conversations between her and the cat with fire eyes. She remembered the afternoon when Honeypool had pointed out that Berrytail was taking an interest in her, and she felt flustered. Well, I try to keep on good terms with everyone, anyway. She followed her Clan back to the camp, enclosed by reeds.
When sleep finally came, Rainfeather dreamed of a world of fire that didn't hurt her, but saved her and provided warmth. No leaf-bare would come in this fire. Fire that whispered, "We can control it, one way or another." When Rainfeather woke, she was tempted to fake a stomachache and to remain in her nest all day. Life was worthless and not exciting; her only sustenance was serving her Clan. Then she remembered Sparkstare and hope flared in her heart. He had understood her and she had had the most amazing time at the Gathering - talking adventure and murmuring in secrecy.
Sparkstare's glorious face wavered before her for three quarter-moons and, one day, after finishing her breakfast, Rainfeather tagged along on every Sunningrocks border patrol she could tag along to - as she had done ever since the Gathering. But she didn't catch a glimpse of charcoal-gray fur. That day, hour after hour; the sun passed its mark and Rainfeather decided to give up for now. Someone was bound to notice her sudden interest in the river patrols. When she sat down with a mackerel, she heard someone else settling in beside her.
"Who were you talking to last night?" Berrytail. Great. Just what I need, a tom on my heels.
"Oh, a cat from ThunderClan. He was pretty nice."
Berrytail growled. "Are you kidding? ThunderClan cats have been trying to take Sunningrocks from us for generations! The elders of our elders fought that battle over and over, as do we. They're arrogant and dark. Can you imagine walking under trees all day and not see the sun?"
Rainfeather frowned. "They do too see the sun, through branches. I bet it feels natural to them just like swimming is to us, the moor is natural to WindClan and pine trees to ShadowClan. Even I marvel at how they call pine needles soft."
Berrytail's whiskers twitched. "Getting defensive?"
Rainfeather bristled. "Of course not! I'm just not a big fan of battles."
He purred. "I was just kidding. You're a good warrior, and only a fool wouldn't be afraid before a battle. Bloodshed is never a good thing. I heard there were a couple of cats like that from ThunderClan, though - remember the stories about Thistleclaw? He was more evil than Tigerstar, he taught that murderous cat to be just like Thistleclaw was - bloodthirsty, evil, and power-hungry. Hungry for power and thirsty for blood . . . " Berrytail mused.
Rainfeather stood up. "I'm all done. Thank you for the company."
"Hey, now, don't get offended! It's just ThunderClan I was talking about." Rainfeather turned and gave Berrytail a sympathetic glance. "I wasn't offended, I'm just tired. The Gathering went into the night for a long time, you know. I'm just going to get some sleep by the river. It's soothing."
Without looking behind her, Rainfeather padded out of the camp. She hadn't been lying; she was going to the river. But she wasn't planning to sleep. If she found who she was looking for she would never sleep again. When she came to the river, she settled down, hidden among the reeds. She remained there for hours, never moving her unblinking gaze from the trees. At long last, she had to give up and get back to camp - she would catch another border patrol to the river. Or a hunting patrol.
But then, just as she was leaving, a ball of moss hit her from behind and Rainfeather jumped. When she turned around, there was Sparkstare, across the river - staring at her, her. Rainfeather's heart soared, but common sense prevailed her from leaping into the flowing water to Sunningrocks. "Are there any more?" she asked. But the charcoal cat shook his head, warmth flooding his eyes. "I was looking for you."
Rainfeather widened her eyes. "You were? I practically spent the whole day on river patrol. I didn't see you."
"I was hiding in the bushes. It's good camouflage."
Then Sparkstare seemed to hesitate before bursting out, "I can't stop thinking about you! I didn't want to leave the Gathering last night. We should have stayed longer. Ever since the Gathering I feel like my days are pointless. Every cat tells me to mate with Rosefur but I don't think of her as anything more than a friend. I want to know you, what you dream of, your favourite prey, what your first catch was . . . "
Rainfeather felt hope rising in her but she pushed it down. She'd heard of the anguish cats had experienced when in love with a cat from a different Clan, but any fear of the pain to come vanished when looking into Sparkstare's fiery eyes. All that mattered was that he had been looking out for her, too.
Without hesitation now, Rainfeather leapt into the water, slow-moving and easily swam across to the other bay. They rubbed muzzles. "My favourite prey is a carp," she told Sparkstare. "They're delicious! How about you? What forest critter?"
Sparkstare looked at the sky for a moment to think. "Squirrel, I think. They're not even that furry. How do you stand the scales? "
"Oh, no, we can scrape them off if we feel like it. But fish is good anyway. I mostly dream of water, swimming, sunshine . . . I caught a butterfly once, when I was a kit." And so they talked through the evening, pelts pressing against each other, and once Rainfeather looked into Sparkstare's orange eyes she could not look away. They held her own blue eyes like fire and water, opposites but one could not exist without the other. He was protection and happiness. The two cats talked about their lives until the sun set.
"I have to go," said Rainfeather sadly. "My Clan will be expecting me. I told the deputy that I was worn out from the Gathering and working all day, and that I was sleeping by the river." She turned away.
"Wait." Sparkstare turned her around with his tail and gave her cheek a quick lick. "Meet me on the eastern edge of the Island at the next Gathering. I promise I'll be there." He gave her a pleading look. "Give me a chance!"
Rainfeather nodded and bounded off into the river, to dream of bouncing around the island with Sparkstare, to swim the deepest waters and climb the highest of trees. She couldn't help it; she was in love with Sparkstare. For the next long nights, in her ears echoed his haunting words.
Give me a chance!
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