Book 1 - Warriors: The Shadow Outcast

Chapter Five

"Snowstorm was a brave warrior—we will miss him dearly." said Ravenstar before jumping down off the Highrock, ending the clan meeting. Rainpaw watched, his head low, as the elders carried Snowstorm's body out of camp. It had only been a few hours since he'd woken up, and everyone wanted to know what had happened. He wouldn't tell anyone, however, unless it was Ravenstar, Thorntail, Robinpaw or Shadowpaw that asked. Too much had happened that day to recite it to just anyone.

"Hey, Rainpaw," said Robinpaw softly as she sat down next to him, "are you okay?" Rainpaw sighed at this question, not knowing really how to answer it. He felt fine, but his mind was swarming with memories that he would rather not bring up.

"Mentally or physically?" Rainpaw asked, his eyes still fixed on his paws. Robinpaw licked his shoulder, making Rainpaw feel a little more comfortable. He sighed, continuing to answer her question.

"I would understand if you don't want to talk to me about it," Robinpaw said kindly, "no one should go through what you had to the other day." Rainpaw smiled at this, though he wasn't really all that happy. She'd brought back the dull memories he kept replaying in his mind.

"I've been through it twice," said Rainpaw darkly, "and neither time did I manage to save the victim." Robinpaw, now curious, tilted her head to the side.

"What do you mean, 'you've been through it twice'?" she asked. "You've actually been in that situation before?" Rainpaw nodded slowly, still looking at his paws.

"I was younger—probably around three moons—when it happened last time," Rainpaw explained, trying hard not to tell her that he was human. "My brother, Alfie, was with me. We were merely hunting—more like playing—in the forest like we usually did at that point of the day. Neither of us were really paying attention to our surroundings, we were too busy having fun. However, it would have been nice to know that we were surrounded. Too many to count, but that didn't really matter. They killed him first, and I think I know why now. They wanted to hurt me physically and mentally for whatever reason. They did, and that's how I got the scar. After that, however, I don't know what happened. All I know is that, because of what happened, I went nearly insane yesterday. I didn't believe that remembering would effect me that much. . ."

"Sometimes it's the memories that help us," said Robinpaw, "and sometimes it's the memories that kill us. Either way, memories are good. They might have made you crazy the other day, but maybe in the future they'll make you stronger." Rainpaw looked up to Robinpaw and smiled.

"Thank you," said Rainpaw. Robinpaw nodded, then left as her name was called by Grassfur. Rainpaw thought some more, happy that everyone seemed to be leaving him alone.

Most of them were still a bit scared of him, probably afraid that he was going to change at any second. However, they didn't really matter. The few that did matter were the few who were convinced that Rainpaw had killed Snowstorm, and that the rogues were just a myth. Of course, with Thorntail as an eye witness, Ravenstar didn't even think of exiling him.

"Hey, Rainpaw!" A very familiar voice called him. Rainpaw looked up to Sharpfang, to his surprise. The tom was standing a few feet away from him. After walking up to Rainpaw, Sharpfang smiled. Did this cat even remember what had happened? Rainpaw nearly killed him, and yet Sharpfang was talking to him?

"Um, hi," said Rainpaw with a confused look. "Did Ravenstar send you to tell me something?"

"No, why do you ask?" Sharpfang asked curiously. Rainpaw's jaw would have dropped had he not forced it to stay up. Sharpfang, a cat he still considered an enemy, was talking to him like there wasn't a care in the world. This was too weird.

"In case you've forgotten, I nearly killed you!" Rainpaw exclaimed. "Why are you talking to me as if that never happened? You're acting as if I were born in this Clan..." Sharpfang shrugged.