Melody of the Rain

Chapter 8

One moon later, SnowClan was preparing for the harsh leaf-bare weather. Since it was the highest up the mountain, SnowClan's territory tended to be particularly harsh in leaf-bare. It was common for snow to fall from early leaf-fall to mid-newleaf. Having adapted to the weather, SnowClan cats didn't struggle as much as the other two clans during leaf-bare. Most of them had long fur to protect from the cold and thick paw pads hardened by the rocky terrain.

The clearing was bustling with cats reinforcing dens. Rainpaw was dragging a bramble over to the nursery where Roseheart and Bearstrike were waiting. She dropped it next to them and they began weaving it into the den wall. Smokepelt was sorting the prey pile into several holes. During leaf-bare, SnowClan stored their prey in the holes to protect it from any melting snow. The cold ground kept it fresh enough that it wouldn't spoil. Frozen prey was still better than soggy prey.

Rainpaw's legs protested as she began to help them weave the bramble into the nursery. She'd been hunting all morning. The clan was staying well-fed thanks to the dedication of SnowClan's apprentices. Many of them had been running themselves ragged trying to feed the clan while most of the warriors reinforced dens.

"Hey, Rainpaw!"

The tortoiseshell jumped and let out a sharp hiss as she accidentally sliced her paw on one of the thorns. Small beads of blood appeared on her pad, and she directed a sharp glare at Skypaw, who was clearly trying not to laugh as he limped over. She bristled. "Thanks for scaring me, mousebrain!" Rainpaw swatted at him with her good paw, and he quickly ducked out of the way. "Whoa, easy! I didn't mean to!" he mewed, "I just wanted to see if you were hungry. You've been working your tail off all day!"

Rainpaw's stomach growled in response. Heh, I guess that answers the question for me! Skypaw grinned. "I'll take that as a yes. Come on, there was this fat squirrel I had my eye on." Rainpaw glanced at Roseheart, who gave her a nod, and then padded after him. As the EagleClan apprentice shifted through the fresh-kill pile for the squirrel, Rainpaw wondered what he was thinking.

Obviously, he's thinking about food.

But... Maybe he's thinking about staying here for longer.

Anyone could see how easily the gray tom was fitting into SnowClan. His thick fur was well-suited for the SnowClan weather, so the leaf-bare chill didn't bother him at all. He was a hard worker in spite of his injury, and he'd spent several days helping reinforce the camp, especially the barrier around it. He had made a point to get to know as many of Rainpaw's clanmates as possible. They had become very fond of him. Even Swiftclaw, Rainpaw's most distrustful clanmate, had admitted that he wasn't so bad.

As Skypaw limped back, Rainpaw tilted her head at him. Maybe he'll want to stay permanently. Perhaps it was just wishful thinking. As much as Rainpaw hated to admit it, she enjoyed Skypaw's company. They'd spent nearly every day together since he'd first asked her to share prey with him. It was almost natural. As Skypaw met her gaze, she looked away and began licking the slightly dried blood off of her paw pad.

Skypaw crouched next to her, and they both began eating. His gaze was fixed on the ground, and he was clearly upset about something. "Are you okay?" she asked. He shrugged, lashing his tail. "I just wish my stupid leg would heal faster!" Rainpaw's eyes widened, and the gray tom relaxed a bit. "Sorry, it's just... It's so frustrating not being able to go home." Rainpaw's heart sank. He still wants to leave.

Skypaw touched his nose to her ear. "I've made some great friends here and all, especially you, but I can't stay forever. I'm EagleClan. They're my family, you know?" Rainpaw nodded, but a small part of her still hoped he'd change his mind. She tore off another piece of flesh from the squirrel and stood up. "Come on," she mewed, changing the subject, "Let's go for a walk."