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

Chapter Nineteen / Epilogue

              Despite Blossompaw's earlier jovial mood, the training hollow was quiet without her usual laughter and jokes. Blossompaw had sobered up the moment they stepped into the training hollow which was very near camp. Raindrop understood perfectly. Although not many cats knew, this training hollow was the very one where Mallowclaw had retrieved Bunnyleap's dead body. Blossompaw was reluctant to train there, but the second training hollow was under construction, which had been put off since so many cats were injured. They couldn't let hard feelings prevent them from using the current hollow, but then again, it was difficult to tell that to a grieving cat. Raindrop was grieving, too, but grown cats tended not to take the losses so hard. Raindrop understood that it was a difficult time for Blossompaw, anyway.

Finally, Blossompaw sidestepped out of the training hollow. "I can't train here," she whispered, her voice hollow. "I can't train in the place my sister died." There was a soft firmness in her voice. Like she knew it and she wouldn't change her choice.

Raindrop sighed. "We don't have another training hollow, but if that's your preference, we can go hunting, okay?"

Blossompaw nodded, ears perking and looking slightly more eager. Raindrop took her out into the forest to hunt, but even Raindrop's mind was meandering by now and concentration was dropping. After a few hours, both Raindrop and Blossompaw both agreed that they were in no mood to train. They set off back to camp with their heads hung low. They'd barely caught any prey even though both of them were talented hunters. It was a great disappointment, and yet unsurprising. They both weren't focused and were grieving. It was no wonder they'd caught nothing.

"Back so soon?" Honeydrop asked concernedly, moving over to her daughter.

"We can't focus," Blossompaw meowed softly.

Honeydrop shot Raindrop a look. "We?"

"We're both grieving, Honeydrop," Raindrop meowed quietly. "I think I'll give Blossompaw and myself a few days off."

Honeydrop glared at Raindrop for a few more heartbeats, but she nodded understandingly and guided her lost-looking daughter away. Raindrop stared after her apprentice. It was a great mood change to see that bright and bubbly she-cat so lost and miserable. Perhaps that had contributed to Raindrop's concentration breaking. She headed back to the warriors' den. She probably couldn't sleep again, but the tiny amount of appetite Blossompaw had awoken in her was gone as well. It was lunchtime, but Raindrop didn't touch anything in the fresh-kill pile. She took one look at it and turned away.

She could hear Sparkdust's worried voice talking to Twilightgleam behind her back. Well, it always happened. He had always been worried about her, since the start and since the death that had turned her into this unconcentrated and... well, never-hungry thing.

But, maybe Twilightgleam had advised him to approach her, because Sparkdust appeared at Raindrop's side, his concerned eyes peering at her face. Raindrop looked down and away.

"This way," Sparkdust meowed, as if trying to guide Raindrop to the fresh-kill pile.

"I just came from there, mouse-brain," Raindrop muttered, taking a turn and getting out of camp.

"Where are you going?" Sparkdust's pleading voice came from behind her.

"If you want to know the real Raindrop, let me go," Raindrop meowed quietly. Without waiting for his answer, she bounded out of camp, tears blurring her vision. It started raining, and Raindrop knelt, drenched, barely sheltered from the downpour by a few trees. Kneeling over her dead mate's grave. It wouldn't change anything – he was dead, and that was that. But... she needed him. She still did.

"Riverflame..." Raindrop whispered. "Can you appear to me? Please? I need to see you again."

She shivered from the cold, the trees' few leaves still sheltering her blowing away. Raining in autumn. Ugh. Raindrop looked up and got raindrops in her face. She shook herself, standing up. She took one last look at Riverflame's grave before slowly padding away. She didn't even try to brave the rain and run back to camp. She just stayed there for more than a few heartbeats, staring lost out into the open.

~

Raindrop didn't even know she'd fallen unconscious out there. But she woke in the medicine den. She was dry, showing how much time had gone by. Dry. How long had it been? Hours? Since she'd stayed out there to ... well, do something.

Teardrop noticed her move and came over. "Raindrop. How are you feeling? Your feelings aren't themselves of late, are they?"

Raindrop gave her a look. "Spare me. My mate just died."

"Did you know that you're carrying his kits?" Teardrop asked softly.

"I'm not," Raindrop meowed immediately. She'd have known, wouldn't she? Not like she wanted them. She couldn't raise them without their father.

"Well, Raindrop, you are carrying his kits. Like it or not. Whether you're ready for them... I don't know."

Word count: 817