Foreword: The setting, characters and terms are all in Erin Hunter's Warriors. The story is copyright to me and terms to Erin Hunter. It's my first attempt at a love story, which I have read occasionally in Warriors and some books (crushes don't count, as Romeo and Juliet is one of the deepest love stories in history). Oh, and the Romeo and Juliet idea is copyrighted to Shakespeare. :)
Rainfeather stretched contentedly in the sun; warmed by Clanmates' praise, a full belly and the bright, bright sun. She squinted at the sun, glad there was nowhere she was supposed to be. The sun was shining, birds singing, with cats sharing tongues all around her, too drowsy to hunt those birds. Rainfeather was among family and best friends - Honeypool and Mooncloud were lounging beside her, grooming each other's fur. She was the Clan leader Birchstar's daughter and very popular among the Clan. Loyal and faithful she had been all through her apprenticeship; finally she was a warrior with her first Gathering as a true warrior before her tomorrow night.
"Berrytail is looking at you," Honeypool whispered in Rainfeather's ear. "Don't look now." But of course Rainfeather did look - and indeed, Berrytail was studying her. He held her gaze when she glanced at him, and Rainfeather looked away. He had only been deputy for two moons; but was greatly respected. She felt odd that he would be paying attention to her in any way. She was just another warrior . . . but the Clan leader's daughter. Birchstar was murmuring quietly with Berrytail under the Highledge. Mooncloud purred, aware of Rainfeather's discomfort. "I don't think it's anything seeeeeerious,"she said, stretching out the word.
Rainfeather felt odd now. Her friends told her she should get a mate, but she didn't feel the slightest bit inclined to do so. She (having not experienced love before) was fairly sure she wasn't in love with any tom in RiverClan. Maybe that's just it, she thought. No tom in your Clan. Rainfeather felt nervous and shook off the thought.
She stood up and told Honeypool and Mooncloud that she was going to hunt, and rushed out of the camp. Through the reeds and to the river. She was glad she was in RiverClan; the trees lining the ThunderClan border looked menacing. Rainfeather looked at the water intently, and when she spotted the subtle shadow of a fish her paw darted out to the place where the fish swam, flipping it out and she killed it with a quick bite. It was a good fat carp, her favourite. Rainfeather hunted all through the evening, trying to take her mind off the thought that something was missing.
* * * * *
Rainfeather gazed about her in awe. Fourtrees would never cease to amaze her. Cats milled about, Clan borders forgotten, and the four oaks towered above her to Silverpelt. In an opening in the branches Rainfeather could see the full moon. She had gotten used to the once-a-moon friendliness between herself and other Clan cats, so she set out to find Crimsonsoul, a cat she had met on her previous Gathering.
"Enjoying yourself?"
The deep mew, coming from behind her, stopped Rainfeather short. She slowly turned around, a questioning glance on her face. With her gray-and-white tabby fur, she often looked a little like mist in moonlight, and she could be easily mistaken for a strange cloud of it. There might not be anyone actually talking to her.
The handsome tom who had spoken had charcoal-gray fur and deep orange eyes, like fire. Rainfeather blinked a little. She felt flustered and a bit insignificant for no reason, as if it were an honor to be spoken to by this cat. He was clearly looking at her, not the confused expression worn by some cat trying to see through fog.
"Quite," Rainfeather replied carefully. "It's my first Gathering as a warrior." The tom purred and sat down, curling his tail over his paws. Rainfeather felt warmed and decided to relax. "Which Clan do you belong to?" Then the scent of pine and the musky scent of the woods came over her, and she stopped him. "Wait, don't tell me - ThunderClan?" He purred good-naturedly and seemed to examine her.
Rainfeather had often been told she looked beautiful in moonlight, so she stood up straighter so that the moonlight illuminated her face. The tom started then regained his composure. "Yes, ThunderClan - and I suppose you're from RiverClan? What's your name?"
Rainfeather looked down at her paws shyly. She wanted to know his name, too. "I'm Rainfeather," she said softly. She looked up, and noticed again that the tom really was handsome - muscular and strong. His fiery eyes contrasted to his soft gray fur, and she looked away again.
"Sparkstare," he said finally. Then he purred. "Relax, Clans are allowed to mingle during Gatherings, you know. So tell me all about yourself. I was named Sparkstare for the fire in my eyes," and he fixed Rainfeather with such a funny stare she had to laugh. Then, Rainfeather's eyes glittered and she told him all about the story of how she once accidentally led bees into the camp when she tried to collect honey for the Clan medicine cat. She'd been punished for two quarter-moons after that one. Sparkstare seemed to have a lot of stories, too - how he'd almost been carried away by an owl when he was a kit, and when he was an apprentice he'd almost fallen off the Sky Oak, a tall oak tree in the ThunderClan territory. The two cats got to know each other well, feelings mingling in shades of gray (no pun intended).
When the leaders began speaking, they sat together, fur touching, and Rainfeather was not paying attention at all to her first Gathering. Sparkstare was exciting, funny and handsome, and made her feel excited too. She could not help sneaking rabbit-swift glances at him and was embarrassed when he caught her. The two quietly whispered to each other all through the meeting, as though they could not wait to the end to say something, and at some point he whispered in her ear, "Sure doesn't seem like the Clans were ever enemies, does it?" and Rainfeather nodded. She wished the Clans would be at peace; she wouldn't want to fight Sparkstare in a battle. In fact, she would not be able to hurt him at all.
And then, all too soon, it was time to go. Sparkstare touched his almost-black tail to Rainfeather's light gray and murmured, "See you next time." Then an almost-hopeful glance came over his beautiful features. "Of course, we can control that, one way or another." And with a meaningful glance he loped off after his Clanmates. Rainfeather stared after him, adrenaline coursing through her veins at a possible hidden meaning. The brief feeling of wholeness and happiness and excitement she had felt vanished with every step he took, farther into the darkness of the trees that Rainfeather was never to pass.
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