Legacy (Book 1)

Chapter 24: Adapting

Chapter 24: Adapting

The next morning, Rainstone was called to Sunstar's den along with Flickertail, Willowwater, Creekshade, and Antfoot. Sunstar's den was a den behind a hollowed out boulder that had an ivy curtain, just like the cave in the mountains.

It had a sandy floor and chinks in the worn-out rock allowed light in, dappling the ground. It was comfortably large enough for four cats to sit, but the six cats were squished as they pressed into the den.

"Now, I want to hear what happened yesterday when Rainstone, you attacked Creekshade and Antfoot," Sunstar began, turning a steady gaze on her.

Rainstone looked back levelly, "First off, I didn't attack them; I defended myself after they attacked me. It would have been crazy for me to have attacked to cats while surrounded by their friends and family," Rainstone added sharply, annoyed any cat could have believed such a scenario.

"Why did they attack you? Do you know?" Sunstar asked.

"You already know that, Flickertail explained to you," Rainstone responded stubbornly, she knew he was trying to trick her into revealing some hidden motive.

Sunstar narrowed his eyes and nodded, "They thought you'd stolen Flickertail's honey while he was out, Flickertail says he gave it to you. Now why did he do that?" Sunstar really sounded like he didn't know why.

"Because I won a little gamble," Rainstone responded, wondering why every cat was here if he was just questioning her.

"What gamble?" Sunstar asked.

Rainstone narrowed her eyes slightly, "He said nothing about my past would shock him. He was wrong," Rainstone mewed.

"And what about your past shocked him?" Sunstar sounded very curious now.

Rainstone recoiled and leaned back, setting her face into a hard expression. "Doesn't matter," she muttered, licking her shoulder fur to keep from looking at the cats who were staring at her. She was sitting at the end of the line of cats, so her shoulder was pressed up against the rock.

"Fine, Willowwater tells me you helped her by sending the other rogue away and helping her back to camp. So I will allow you to stay in the camp for another half-moon," Sunstar announced.

"Thanks for the offer, but I'd prefer to be gone in three days," Rainstone mewed curtly.

Every cat looked at her. "Why?" Sunstar asked.

"That rogue I encountered with Willowwater, he said he always has his revenge, and seeing as he wants vengeance or something on the Clans, I'd prefer to be moving on," Rainstone mewed. That and the fact she preferred not to be around cats that hated her. She'd lived like that too long.

"Who was it?" Sunstar asked, shooting a questioning glance at Willowwater.

The young gray she-cat stared at her leader, "It was Nightwing," Willowwater mewed quietly.

Instantly, Sunstar's fur had fluffed up on his neck and his eyes were shooting rage and fear. "You all need to leave, I must speak to my senior warriors," Sunstar mewed.

The cats left quickly and Rainstone sat down at the edge of camp as the cats headed to their friends. She felt as left out ever. She thought of her own friends, of her family, far away in a remote cave. Then of her kits, buried beneath a weeping willow.

"Hey! Do you want to come meet some cats?" Rainstone glanced up at Willowwater, the she-cat's green eyes were mildly friendly but uninterested, as if she didn't really care if she came or not.