Legacy (Book 1)

Chapter 25: Lessons

Chapter 25: Lessons

By the time they got to camp it was morning. Rainstone reported to Sunstar what had happened and then Flickertail fixed up her wounds. Then came the time to ask to join the Clan.

"You want to do what?!" Sunstar gaped.

Rainstone stared back levelly, despite the irritation itching at her. "Do you doubt I couldn't do it?" she asked.

"Yes, you don't have the... disposition to be a Clan cat, too proud and stubborn," Sunstar mewed.

"I could change, I've had to change a lot already," Rainstone mewed. They were sitting alone in Sunstar's den, much more comfortably than last time, with te golden light dappling on the wounds she'd received for a Clan kit.

"You'd have to work very hard, and you'd have to respect every cat," Sunstar mewed, eyeing her hard.

Rainstone groaned, "Even the idiots?" she asked, feeling less optimistic, but she trusted Song.

"If they are in the Clan, yes. Every cat in the Clan has proved their worth one way or another," Sunstar mewed firmly, allowing to room for discussion.

"Fine," Rainstone muttered. "What else do I have to do?" she asked.

Sunstar eyed her in consideration. "I will make you an apprentice, if you make it to warrior status, you will be a part of the Clan," Sunstar mewed.

Rainstone dipped her head in assent. "Alright, on one condition, I keep my name," she mewed stubbornly.

Sunstar tilted his head to one side, "Okay, it'll remain Rainstone, its close enough to a Clan name anyways. Any particular reason why? If your past is so terrible, it'd seem you'd want a change, right?" Sunstar asked.

"It's still my past, my life, and it wasn't all bad. I had a brother, a mate, a friend, a nephew, my mother, all those were good to me," Rainstone mewed.

"What about your father?" Sunstar asked.

Rainstone's eyes grew hard as bitterness washed through her, "I have no father," she growled.

Sunstar looked surprised, but pressed no further. "I will assign you a mentor, and I'll ask Willowwater to teach you about the Clans," Sunstar mewed.

Rainstone didn't point out that Flickertail had taught her plenty, she'd like to ask Willowwater a few questions anyways. "Will there be a ceremony?" she asked.

"No, I'll just announce it," Sunstar mewed. "We can do that now, before the Dawn Patrol leaves," the leader mewed, hopping out of the den before leaping on top of it and calling the Clan together. Rainstone sat neatly at the edge of the clearing.

"RiverClan, in leaf-bare we lost many cats, and we are worn out from recovering the flood. Only in such desperate times would I accept an outsider into the Clan, but this cat has proved a worthy opponent and helpful to the Clan. Rainstone will become an apprentice of RiverClan," the announcement was met by mutterings, but no loud abjections.

"Through her apprenticeship she will be treated as a member of this Clan. At the end of her apprenticeship, it will be decided if she is to be a warrior or not," Sunstar announced. Cats nodded, it sounded reasonable.

"Sweetberry, you will take care of training Rainstone in how a RiverClan cat hunts and fights. Willowwater, you will make sure she is educated on the ways of the Clans. The meeting is over," Sunstar jumped down and went over to his deputy while Sweetberry approached her with an annoyed expression and Willowwater with a smug one.

"Ready, apprentice?" Willowwater teased with a superior smirk. Rainstone rolled her eyes, she'd long ago learned to suck up with morons, of course, they had all been toms back then.