Warrior cats: Rainstar's Choice

Chapter Four

Rainkit screamed and dropped to the ground, throwing his paws over his head. Oh great Starclan, this is it!

The kit began to twist and kick desperately as something dug sharp dug into his shoulders.

"No, please!" He howled, one of his frailing paws connecting with something warm.

"Rain- ow! You mousebrain, that's my jaw!"

Rainkit stopped in his struggles at the familiar mew.

"S-snakekit?" He breathed, popping open a single eye and peering about him. The fur smoothed along his spine. I'm in the nursery... I'm safe.

"Of course it's me, you fleabrain, who else would put up with your craziness!"

Rainkit pulled himself to his shaky paws and gazed at his littermate. Feeling a sheepish expression slip across his features as he noticed the other cat rubbing tenderly at the underside of his snout. Opps, I must have kicked him when I thought he was Ratstar.

"Sorry," he meowed sincerely, and his brother's eyes softened a fraction.

"You know," Snakekit began, sitting back on his haunches. "These dreams really are starting to have a pretty negative effect on you, maybe you oughta talk to Skipleaf? She can probably give you something for them."

Rainkit shook his head, leaning forward to bump his head against Snakekit's.

"No," he said firmly. "I don't want the clan thinking I'm some kind of mousehearted cat who can't even deal with a few little nightmares."

Snakekit cocked his head, his eyes thoughtful.

"What do you dream about anyway," he asked, before narrowing his eyes. "And don't tell me it's about Bonefur's stories or aggressive mice."

Rainkit averted Snakekit's eyes, settling inside for watching a small brown spider scuttle up the nursery wall.

"Nothing much," he assured his brother, forcing a smile. "Just stupid things like... fighting." Fighting, getting killed, Some strange demon cat mind controlling dad, you know the norm.

Snakekit let out a purr of amusement.

"Fighting?" He echoed, bopping his brother playfully over the head with his forepaw. "It's funny you have nightmares about that! Sounds more like a awesome dream to me!" Snakekit puffed himself up, dropping down into a crouch and wiggling his hindquarters. "I dream all the time that I'm a great leader of Forestclan. sending every cat who dares to challenge me running with their pelts shredded!" The young cat paused, casting his brother a sideways smirk. "Speaking of being leader, don't you remember what today is?"

For a heartbeat Rainkit just stared at his littermate with sleepy eyes. Then he let out a sharp yelp, of course! Our apprentice ceremony! How in the name of Starclan could I have forgotten something so important!

"Remember now furball?" Snakekit snickered, and Rainkit sighed.

"I can't believe I forgot!" He admitted, rubbing at his eyes with a paw. "I've just been so distracted lately with my dreams and Grassclan."

It had been a moon now since Sunstar's warning (of which their father had completely ignored) and in that time several pretty bad scuffles had come to pass. but so far Grassclan had managed to drive Forestclan back every fight, but Rainkit had a feeling more battles were to come, Ratstar wasn't about to give in anytime soon. So much for hoping they would settle it before our apprentice ceremony. Rainkit thought bitterly.

"Ah, don't worry about it." Snakekit purred, drawing him from his musing. "You know now, any moment now Ratstar's going to call us!"

Rainkit felt a bit of the mist his nighttime wonderings had left being replaced by a buzzing joy.

We're really going to be Apprentices! It hit him at last the significance of today, and he intertwined his tail around his brothers.

"Snakekit! This is it, we're going to get to learn how to hunt, see the territory, and-." He broke off, gazing about them in confusion. "Wait? Where's Flickerkit and Spiderwing?"

"Outside," Snakekit answered. "Stormtree wanted to see them before the ceremony begins."

Rainkit nodded, that makes since, After all, Flickerkit is his son.

"Who do you want as a mentor?" Snakekit meowed, Rainkit smiled.

"Well, Stormtree would be awesome." He confessed, going on only after Snakekit nodded in agreement. "But, if I couldn't have him it would be great to have another one of the senior warriors like Nightheart of Amberpool."

Snakekit gave him a strange look, before shrugging nonchalantly.

"Those are good choices," Rainkit frowned at the odd note in his brothers tone. "But I would rather have one of the stronger warriors! Like Bearfang or Hawkleaf!"

Rainkit frowned, what does he mean stronger? Just cause a cat's younger than another and more battledriven doesn't make them stronger?

"Bearfang already has an apprentice, Floodpaw." He said instead of bringing up his concerns.

Snakekit rolled his eyes.

"I was making a point, not an actual suggestion." He grumbled.

Rainkit's whiskers twitched in amusement, but before he could say anything Snakekit had already padded across the nursery and now stood in the entrance.

"Come on!" He called over his shoulder. "I promised Spiderwing we would go to her as soon as I got you up."

With that Snakekit vanished, Rainkit let out a soft exhale, letting his front legs stretch out in a quick stretch before bounding out into the sunlight after his brother. Rainkit winced as the sun hit his sensitive eyes. Starclan forbid this Newleaf sunshine!

"So kit, you're finally coming away from your moss balls and milk and joining us warriors in the real world?"

Rainkit rolled his eyes skyward at the meow, turning his head to the side. And watched as a blueish furred she-cat trotted over to him, a nasty smirk on her face.

"Hello to you too Floodpaw." He muttered under his breath, before forcing a cheerful look to cross his features. "Hello Floodpaw, how are you this fine morning?"

Floodpaw sniffed, giving her head a pompous toss.

"Fine, been horribly busy with the elders though." She paused here, her tail flicking Rainkit across an ear. "Guess I won't have to worry about that after today! You and your brother will have the privilege of seeing to our retired warriors every need."

Rainkit winced, Ugh, I forgot that the youngest apprentices usually see to the elders. Know wonder Floodpaw's not being as unbearable as usual.

Rainkit glared at the young she-cat, his jaws opening to deliver a stinging retort. When a flash of gold caught his eye. He paused, peering around Floodpaw. at the edge of the clearing, sat Spiderwing, her head pressed under Stormtree's. At their feet sat Flickerkit and Snakekit, who were deep in conversation with one another.

"It's been great talking to you, Floodpaw." Rainkit purred, and the she-cat narrowed her eyes in suspicion. "But I really should be going, Spiderwings waiting on me."

Rainkit slipped past the apprentice, starting toward the group of familiar cats.

"Must be awful," Floodpaw mewed, and Rainkit skidded to a stop. "Not to have your own mom around to watch." Rainkit slowly turned his head to stare at the young cat in disbelief, she's not going there... is she? "Than again, it is kinda of your fault she isn't here, a murderer from the get-go. Wow! Any cat you meet should run for cover!" Floodpaw finished, bringing up a paw to smooth her ears back.

Rainkit's claws sank into the earth and he felt himself began to tremble with pure fury. How dare she bring that up! How dare she call me a murder! The only thing stopping him from flinging himself at Floodpaw, was the fact that he was pretty sure it wouldn't go over well, attacking a cat on the day he was to become an apprentice. Ratstar might even make me wait another moon! He shivered at the thought, forcing himself to yank his eyes away from the evil 'paw. One day I hope Floodpaw gets eaten by a dog! With that image in mind, Rainkit managed to ignore the feeling of burning anger in his chest. Walking over to where his brother was.