Chapter Thirty-Two

Bonjour, peoples! Sorry French guys, but BONJOUR is about as extensive as my French vocabulary goes XD! So, Shira the Lazy has updated again, yaaayyyy! Not much to say, but hey, it's really long! I'm so proud of me! Oh, make sure you read the EXTRA SPECIAL AN the bottom of the page! I promise it'll be worth it!

Another moon passed. The four lake clans had settled into an uneasy quiet. ShadowClan had remained vigilant; the ThunderClan border was checked multiple times a day, but the entire clan was on edge.

Something, what exactly was unknown to any cat, was most definitely off.

Rainpaw had tried to ignore all the tension and put all her effort into her training. Nothing was suspected of her or Lilypaw the night of their secret venture into ThunderClan, although a few cats had expressed pleasant surprise at the fresh-kill pile that had seemed to grow larger overnight.

"See," Lilypaw had hissed into Rainpaw's ear. "No big deal."

So Rainpaw brushed aside her doubts about how she had felt that night, focusing on her apprenticeship and trying to improve as she could.

Today, her goal was to wipe that ridiculous smirk off Duskpaw's gloating face and rub it in the sand of the training hollow.

A flash of ginger moved in the corner of Rainpaw's eye, bringing her out of her daydreams. Unfortunately, the movement preluded a body diving under Rainpaw and sweeping her off her paws. Grunting as her side hit the ground, she could hear the amused snickers of the other apprentices, and her face heated.

Leafdrop loomed over her. "And that, everyone, is another example of how the element of surprise is so important in combat; whether it be an ambush, an unexpected move, or knocking some sense into a cloud-brained apprentice who seems pay more attention to her thoughts than to battle practice!"

Rainpaw scrambled to her paws, ears flattened as she met her mentor's irritated yellow gaze. "Sorry, Leafdrop!" she panted, lowering her head. She wasn't going to bother looking at Duskpaw now, she knew that smirk was still there, probably even larger.

Leafdrop sighed. "Well, since I actually have your attention now, how about you show me that move we've been working on."

Rainpaw straightened. "Okay!"

Leafdrop padded to the opposite side of the clearing, sitting with her tail curled neatly around her paws. Rainpaw could feel the stares of the other apprentices burning into her pelt. She took a deep breath, readying herself.

Leafdrop told me to practice the move she's been teaching me, but she'll be expecting that. How do I get the drop on her? Rainpaw's head spun, claws working in and out in an effort to come up with a plan. Think, Rainpaw!

"Now, attack me!" Leafdrop ordered.

And then, like the first puff of smoke in a brush fire, an idea appeared in Rainpaw's head. Her mind cleared, and it felt almost as if she could see herself one step ahead, executing her plan. She walked forward very slowly toward her mentor. The older ginger she-cat's eyes narrowed, confused.

"Rainpaw, this isn't what we practiced," Leafdrop began, turning in her position as Rainpaw began to walk circles around her.

Leafdrop lashed her tail. "Rainpaw, if you-"

Her exasperated meow was cut off with a hiss as Rainpaw suddenly darted forward, swiping at her mentor's face with a hard paw before retreating just as swiftly and resuming her circling, quickening her pace.

Everyone was silent now when Rainpaw lunged again, this time knocking Leafdrop over and jumping back, landing in a crouch. Her frustrated mentor shot to her paws, snapping, "Enough!" and hurling herself at her apprentice, quick as lightning.

But Rainpaw had succeeded in what she had intended to do. As her mentor soared at her, Rainpaw dove forward, sliding under the ginger she-cat and, in one smooth move, flipped on her back and kicked upward just like she had been taught, sending Leafdrop flying before she twisted in the air and landed in a crouch, yellow gaze unreadable.

Rainpaw rolled over, getting back into a battle stance. Her mind was already contemplating what to do next, when Leafdrop stood up and mewed, "Well done, Rainpaw."

Rainpaw sat up. "Really?" she blurted out. She thought Leafdrop would be furious for not doing the right move!

Leafdrop snorted, ear flicking. "Yes, really." The ginger she-cat turned to where Owlpaw and Duskpaw were watching, Owlpaw with an intrigued look on his face, Duskpaw, to Rainpaw's delight, was refusing to even look, scowling at the treetops.

"Rainpaw used excellent strategy in her attack." Leafdrop announced. "The ability to think on your paws during a battle is quite the useful tool to possess. She came up with a way to confuse me, then used it to her advantage, not using the move I instructed her to right away so I wouldn't be ready for it. I criticized my apprentice earlier today for daydreaming too much. Do you see what you can do when you actually focus, Rainpaw?"

"Y-yes," Rainpaw stammered, taken aback by Leafdrop's unexpected compliment.

"What about you two?" Leafdrop inquired, turning her gaze on the two older apprentices.

"Definitely!" Owlpaw agreed, green eyes wide and eager. Duskpaw mumbled, "Sure, yeah.", tail twitching on the ground.

Leafdrop seemed satisfied. "Good. Practice is done for today. Go back to camp and see what you can do before the Gathering tonight. You want to go, don't you?"

The three apprentices all leapt to their paws, voicing their enthusiasm. Duskpaw brushed past both Rainpaw and her brother as she raced back to camp, not saying a word. Owlpaw slowed down to walk next to Rainpaw, nudging her playfully.

"Look who squeezed a compliment out of Leafdrop!" he teased. Rainpaw rolled her eyes, nudging him back.

"You don't need to seem so surprised!" she sniffed in mock offense. Owlpaw purred in amusement, opening his jaws to say something before a new scent reached both the apprentices' noses, stopping him.

"Hi Sweetflower!" Owlpaw dipped his head politely to the ginger and white medicine cat who had sat herself down in front of him and Rainpaw.

"Apprentices." Sweetflower greeted, a strange look in her grey-green eyes. "I saw your training session." she commented. "You both look like you are shaping into fine warriors. Are you expected to receive your names soon?"

Rainpaw shrugged. "I don't know. Owlpaw and his littermates will get theirs before Lilypaw and I though. They're further in their training than we are."

"Well, you're doing great." Sweetflower told her awkwardly. "Hey, Rainpaw. Do you mind walking with me for a bit? I'm looking for an herb and I may need some help bringing it back to camp."

"Uh, alright…" Rainpaw agreed confusedly. Lilypaw and Sandpaw should have been in camp. Why didn't Sweetflower ask one of them to come with her when she was leaving?

"Do you want me to come too?" Owlpaw queried.

The ShadowClan medicine cat waved her tail dismissively. "Oh, thank you, but I think I only need one helper. You just go back to camp and tell them Leafdrop I've borrowed her apprentice. Rainpaw and I will manage."

The mottled brown tom looked at her for a moment, confused by her rejection, before saying, "Okay. Good luck finding that herb.", and trotting off towards the camp, shooting Rainpaw a questioning look over his shoulder, Rainpaw responding with a quick shake of her head to say she knew as much as he did.

Once she was alone with Sweetflower, Rainpaw began, "So, what herb do you-"

The ginger and white she-cat flicked her tail. "Never mind the herb, Rainpaw, I just wanted to talk to you."

Now Rainpaw was really weirded out.

What's she up to?

"Your sparring match impressed me." Sweetflower said. "I always thought you were more of a thinker. That's a good thing, even if your skills aren't the best."

Rainpaw frowned. "Thank you, I guess?"

Sweetflower noted Rainpaw's downcast expression and snorted, "Don't look so hurt. I won't lie to you and say you don't still need work."

Rainpaw bit her tongue, resisting the urge to argue. In her heart she knew the medicine cat was right.

But still, part of herself complained, What's a medicine cat doing critiquing my fighting? She probably doesn't even know how!

But the old bicolor ginger and white she-cat's next words totally threw Rainpaw off.

"I am glad that you're coming along nicely though. The clan needs cats like you."

Rainpaw blinked in bewilderment. "Huh?" More cats like me? What's so important about me?

Sweetflower's grey-green eyes narrowed. "Don't tell me you haven't sensed something big is coming. I wasn't made medicine cat for my poor observation skills"

The blood…

Rainpaw shivered, trying to keep the ice from crawling up her spine. So Sweetflower was watching her. Despite there being no reason not to trust the medicine cat, Rainpaw kept her jaws shut and played dumb. She wasn't ready to tell anyone about her dreams, and she didn't think she'd ever dare mention her horrifying suspicion of what had happened with Robinstar at the battle for the clearing.

At Rainpaw's blatant silence, Sweetflower just heaved a sigh. "Deny what you want, young apprentice, but you must figure out your path, before it's too late."

"What path?" Rainpaw couldn't help but ask.

"The right one."

"Could you be a little more specific please?"

"No, I can't." Sweetflower's eyes flashed. "Listen to me, Rainpaw, and listen well. StarClan may not have shared with me what exactly is going to happen, but I do know that you will have a very big role to play." Sweetflower paused briefly, seeming to inwardly debate on whether she should continue or not before adding, "Your littermate will play a role as well. What role that will be is her choice."

Rainpaw's eyes widened. Whatever mess she had gotten tangled up in had snared Lilypaw too? Was her sister not telling her things. And why did Sweetflower look so nervous when she spoke about it?

Sweetflower's eyes darted around anxiously as if she expected something to jump out at her, before glancing sharply upwards.

"Look at the sky." She murmured. "Silver as your pelt, not a ray of sun. I don't even know if the clouds will clear to let us have a Gathering tonight, but if there is, I can tell something big will happen. Breezeflight, the ThunderClan medicine cat didn't even show up to the Moonpool for the last meeting. That isn't like her. And ThunderClan have been awfully quiet considering that horrible bloodbath they started. Something is up."

She looked back at Rainpaw suddenly like she had forgot the tabby apprentice was even there. "Go back to camp and rest. I'll make sure you're at the gathering tonight. You and your sister."

Rainpaw nodded, mind now thoroughly and utterly boggled, turning towards the camp.

"Wait!" A hiss from Sweetflower halted Rainpaw in her tracks. That strange, worried look had returned to the eyes of the ShadowClan medicine cat.

"Watch out for your sister, will you? Make sure she follows the right path?"

Rainpaw found herself muted, instead nodding hesitantly before turning around and bolting for the camp.

Sweetflower looked frightened, and if Rainpaw wasn't wrong, maybe even a little regretful? What exactly had just transpired between her and the old medicine cat?

She shook her head, hoping to maybe clear up her fuddled brain.

When that failed, a wave of resignation washed over her, body betraying her head by suddenly feeling exhausted.

Well, if Sweetflower's right and hasn't totally lost it, I better get some sleep for the Gathering tonight. I'll probably need it.

AAAAATTTEEENNNNTTTTIIIIIOOOONNNNNN!Please tell me you're listening now... OK! So, as you all may see by looking at the stats under this story's description, this story is nearly at 200, yeah you heard me, 200 REVIEWS! I honestly cannot believe it, but it's true ^.^! I love you all so much for it, and to thank you, once I hit the big 2-double-oh, I'm going to post a SPECIAL ONE-SHOT! What will it be? Well, that my friends, is up to the 200th reviewer themselves! If you are that person (and I'm horribly sorry, but it can't apply to a guest since I'll need to be able to PM you D:) you will get the choice of deciding whether I write a one-shot on: your favorite canon Warriors character (Firestar, Ivypool, Jayfeather, etc.), or a one-shot about the characters of Blood Rain as HUMANS! I've got a really good idea for that!

So yeah, big contest, although I really want to just give you all hugs until you almost die (heh heh) for supporting me! So, that's all folks!

REVIEW, MY PRETTIES, REVIEWWWW!