The Darkest Moons (Warrior Cats)

36. Rainy Day

Rain had poured all day. Even now, as the sun began to truly shine through any clouds at all, a faint drizzle caused many wet pelts. Mud squelched beneath heavy paws, and cats were rather disgruntled, but duties carried on.

Scorchpaw was one heavily unhappy cat. His long fur dragged, holding him back and slowing him. Mud was caught under his claws and between his toes, and because of his weight, he sunk in puddles. His belly was slathered with the stuff, and his paws slipped out from under him as he walked. The patrol continued onward anyways, making their way towards the outer border.

Shadowclaw was in the lead, weighed down by his own thick pelt. Tidefoot sniggered at how low his friend's fur hung, priding himself in his own short hairs. Of course, he had other things to tease the deputy about now as well. Scorchpaw could tell that the teasing hid a deeper sadness in Tidefoot. Rosepetal was expecting kits. Shadowclaw's kits.

Much of the Clan was ever so uplifted, save the more pessimistic and older cats. Rainfall was also wary, as was Echopaw, both afraid of the possible and very real losses that could occur.

Still, Rosepetal was expecting kits, which everyone said that in some way was a blessing from StarClan. They would arrive in a moon, or maybe earlier, and Shadowclaw was driving the two available apprentices batty about cleaning out the nursery. Palepaw was the most annoyed, seeing as how Shadowclaw had more power over him. Meanwhile, Rosepetal had to fight off Shadowclaw's concern as he urged her to rest, while she and Echopaw both urged her to continue with minor duties to keep active and fit.

"There's no point in Rosepetal sitting in a nest all day for a moon. It'll just make things worse," Echopaw had said.

"I'm not the first cat to expect kits. Far from it, actually, and no queen has ever just sat back and slept during her entire expectancy," Rosepetal reminded Shadowclaw.

The Clan was busy with other things as well. Blackstar had ordered that patrols be doubled after the scenting of strange cats on the outside border. "More rogues," thought everyone. "More trouble. More problems. More work to be done." Blackstar was especially troubled, and no one but Scorchpaw and Helen knew exactly why: Beetlestar and Vine were going to start another battle. Sure, every cat in the camp had seen Poppy stroll in, but her news hadn't been shared. Blackstar dismissed it.

"Just a rogue. She's young, so I sent her off," he had lied only a day ago, when he was finally questioned and doubted. Patchback had been quick to step forward.

"We should have kept her here as a prisoner."

Sandfoot agreed. So did Redwing, and even Miststep, which had shocked everyone. Even Stormstripe had given it some thought. "We could have used her for a peaceful resolution."

Goldstreak promptly scolded him as if he were a young kit. "From the way cats talked, she was probably younger than our kits!"

"She was still a rogue," hissed Froststrike.

Scorchpaw reflected on the past days in silence, following the other cats of the patrol. He could hear his mother's pawsteps behind him in the mud, but he blocked it out. He thought, instead, of his sister. For two days, since the incident with Ashtail, she looked haunted. The warrior was recovering well, yet Echopaw still seemed shaken.

She nearly lost a dear Clanmate. Guilt pricked at Scorchpaw's stomach. He hardly offered any comfort, unlike Palepaw, who sat with her and spoke in soft and encouraging whispers. Redwing works me to the bones sometimes. I don't have time for Echopaw.

"This rain is dreadful," Goldstreak mewed, drawing Scorchpaw from his thoughts. Only then did he realize he was shivering, and that his mother was close by. "Are you okay? Do you need to go back?"