CotS #2: A Brighter Future (currently being rewritten)

Chapter Sixteen

Raindrop walked back to camp with WaveClan and she felt a sense of delight that hadn't quite faded. This was her home and these were her Clanmates. Sure, there had been others that had been her Clanmates before. Her heart panged when she thought of Sparkdust, but she had Riverflame now. A different Clan, a different love.

She wasn't exactly sure how she felt about it. It seemed awful that she had forgotten her crush that way, and he had evidently still had a crush on her from the way he reacted to seeing her. But now she had seen that Riverflame could be the jealous type. He was protective, maybe overprotective, and he actually got angry when she was seen with Sparkdust. Raindrop wondered if something else had triggered him before that. He was never like that.

Riverflame hadn't talked to her the whole journey back, and Raindrop finally had to admit to one thing: Sure, they were mates and all, and they loved each other deeply, but she still didn't understand him. And that could be fatal. Why couldn't she understand her mate? Were they not meant to be mates?

Raindrop saw the camp from a distance away and the entire group of cats sped up and dashed inside. It began to pour, and everyone was grateful to seek shelter in a den.

In the morning, Raindrop decided to let her apprentice sleep in. The gathering had been a long night, and although Raindrop was the early bird as usual, about half the camp wasn't. Every cat who had gone to the gathering was snoozing peacefully, and Raindrop purred in amusement before going to find Mallowclaw. He was undoubtedly struggling to find cats for the dawn patrol. She saw him, and the only cats he'd assembled were Twilightgleam and Treeshade. His eyes shone with relief when he saw Raindrop up and ready.

"Can you join them?" he asked, voice practically cracking with relief.

"When my apprentice wakes, can you tell her to start the stamina building without me?" Raindrop asked.

"The... whatnow?" Mallowclaw asked, tilting his head in confusion.

"The stamina building. Please just tell her," Raindrop meowed. Although he still looked extremely confused, the deputy nodded sharply and sent Raindrop and the patrol on their way.

"Did you see my kits at the gathering?" Twilightgleam asked, her voice hushed. "I know Windbreeze is probably bothered that I left. But he was already seeing another she-cat, mercy me! I don't know what he saw in Tawnystripe. What do they all keep seeing in Tawnystripe?? She had Glazeshimmer, Mountainpeak and Silkypelt with Duskypelt, and they broke up almost immediately, didn't they? Soon after she was expecting. And then with Oakbark, who had loved her before that, for what reason I don't know, she has Oakpaw, Barkpaw, and Graypaw. And now Windbreeze likes her? Tawnystripe is a pampered fool."

Raindrop could almost wince at the harsh words, but they were right. Tawnystripe was exactly the pampered fool that Twilightgleam spoke of.

"Sparkdust was always the sentimental one. I hope he'll join me here," Twilightgleam murmured, and Raindrop felt a pang. If Sparkdust did join WaveClan, would she be torn between him and Riverflame? Sparkdust was the one who had always understood her and always cared, but Riverflame was her mate. Although... who did she love more? She wanted and was with Riverflame, but her entire childhood had been spent with another tom. And he was exactly that tom in question.

If Sparkdust came to WaveClan... what kind of torment would Riverflame be put through?

"Sure," Raindrop mumbled, trying not to take part in that particular conversation.

Twilightgleam eyed her. "I knew it," she meowed.

Raindrop's head shot up. "What? What?"