Warriors: A Drop Of Rain

Chapter Sixteen

Rainwing panicked as Sableoak demanded who the cat was. She didn't realize Tigerfoot followed her! She jumped up to defend the cat who saved her.

"He's Tigerfoot, and he saved me from drowning!" She hissed. Sableoak let his neck fur lie flat, showing obvious effort.

"We'll make him leave. He doesn't belong here." The deputy hissed. "I'll bring him . . ." he was interrupted by Rivershine.

"No, you're too hostile." She narrowed her eyes, as if thinking. "Rainwing can." Rainwing wanted to protest, or spit something back, but didn't. She obeyed her mentor and lead Tigerfoot out of the camp. The large tabby-tomcat followed her, awkward silence surrounding them.

"Congratulations." The RiverClan cat meowed, breaking the silence. Finally, Rainwing asked what she needed to.

"Did you dream of . . . us last night?" She asked. Tigerfoot hesitated, then replied.

"Yes." He murmured.

"What did you mean, 'gather the courage to talk to me'?" She demanded, half hoping for an answer, and half not.

"I meant," he lowered his voice, "I meant I admire you. I know it's against the warrior code but after awhile I . . . I think I've fallen in love with you." He meowed. Rainwing stopped dead.

"What! I'm a medicine cat, and I'm in WindClan! What are you thinking?" She hissed. She didn't know what she felt about this cat, all she knew is that she couldn't decipher whether she shared that feeling or felt the opposite. "We just met!"

"No," he meowed, "you visit me in my dreams, and I watch you pick herbs." His eyes glittered with stars. "Run away with me, Rainwing!" Rainwing stared at him with horror.

"What?" She echoed. She couldn't deny that she didn't hate this cat. "At best I'll meet with you."

"Tomorrow. And every day, I love you." She remembered her great grandmother Stonegaze, and her Grandmother Dovebeak, who both of them had a forbidden relationship with another cat. Oh—and her father, who was in love with a cat from The Tribe Of Rushing Water. Would this happen to her? She sat with the tabby, and after awhile they happily talked. More and more she liked this cat—but she shouldn't! It's against the medicine cat code! The next thing she knew she was curled up close to Tigerfoot. Sleep drifted over her like a big green-leaf leaf.

***

"Rainwing? Wake up!" Tigerfoot awoken her. Rainwing looked frantically around, then calmed when she saw Tigerfoot. She rested her nose on Tigerfoot's.

"Follow me." He meowed. He led her into the hills, and Rainwing knew what she was doing; leaving her Clan to horseplace.