Continuation of chapter 36, Disappear!

LONG FORGOTTEN

Was this a mistake?

Should I have stayed with my Clan?

No, I couldn't have. And just leave Moth out here on her own? I love her so much. But we are struggling this leaf-bare. I'm afraid our kits will not make it. They have to be strong. They must.

I placed the scrawny thrush at Moth's paws. "This was all I could find," I croaked. Moth nudged it to me. "You eat it, Raincloud. You haven't eaten in three days."

Without protesting, I wolfed down the thrush. It didn't satisfy my hunger, but it would have to do for then. Moth sighed and rasped her tongue over the two tiny kits that were nestled in the curve of her belly. Minnowkit and Oakkit- my kits. Our kits. I smiled, and then frowned. It was my fault that they'd been let out into the cold, harsh world full of danger and hatred. Minnowkit gave a squeal, which awoke Oakkit.

Moth nuzzled their heads. "Good morning, sleepyheads."

They yawned and replied in unison, "Morning, Mother."

Oakkit shivered and nestled deeper into his mother's belly fur. "It's cold…" he whimpered. A pang of sorrow and grief stabbed at my heart. I sent StarClan a silent prayer, asking for the weather to be warmer soon. I sighed. "I'll go out and see if I can catch anything."

Moth nodded, and I turned and began to pad through the forest, toward the river. Hopefully I wouldn't see any of my former Clanmates there fishing. At least the weather wasn't too cold for the river to be frozen. As I approached, I saw a light brown she-cat crouched on a rock beside a dark gray tabby tom. They were gazing into the water. Panicking, I ducked behind a bush and peered out between the leaves.

"Any luck?" the brown she-cat asked. The gray tabby tom shook his head and sighed. "None. I'm afraid our Clan won't be fed well enough this leaf-bare." He glanced up, directly at the bush I was under. My fur stood straight on end. Rockfall? Cloverleaf? My siblings? Why now? I have to fish for my kits… I rose up, allowing myself to be seen. I must do what I must do.

"Ra…Raincloud?" Rockfall hissed. Cloverleaf followed his gaze and gasped. "Raincloud!"

I padded forward, dipping my head in acknowledgement. "Greetings."

Rockfall curled his lip. "What are you doing here? Get off RiverClan territory."

"I have kits now." I changed the subject. "Two. Their names are Minnowkit and Oakkit. They're only a few days old, and we're starving…"

"Come fish, then!" Cloverleaf beckoned me to the rock she was sitting on. I smiled and darted forward, but Rockfall cut me off. "You're not a loyal RiverClan cat anymore, Raincloud. You're just a loner now."

My heart sank. Rockfall obviously didn't care that I was his kin, and that I had two kits that were his kin who were possibly dying this very heartbeat. "Please, Rockfall. If I lose my kits…"

"It doesn't matter!" Rockfall snarled. "They're not RiverClan kits! You're not a RiverClan warrior! This is RiverClan territory! Understand?"

Cloverleaf's face fell. "Rockfall. This is our brother, RiverClan cat or not. Show some mercy. His kits are dying. Don't forget that they're your kin."

Rockfall swung his head around to face her. "I don't care. They do not belong to RiverClan, therefore they can't be fed with RiverClan fish."

"Rockfall, this is insane," Cloverleaf meowed sternly. "If any dying cat came and was begging to take just a sip of water from the river, would you turn him down and just let him die?"

Rockfall stayed silent.

"That's what I thought. Now come on, Raincloud. Come fish with me." Cloverleaf flicked her tail and I bounded over to her and stepped onto the rock. Smiling, I mewed, "I haven't fished in forever. I thought maybe the river would be frozen."

Cloverleaf laughed. "Thankfully it's not. If so, RiverClan would be starving! Well, even more so than now."

A flash of silver in the water caught my eye. I lashed my paw out, unsheathing my claws, but missing it by a whisker. "Mousedung!" I hissed. Cloverleaf reached her paw out and caught it, hooking it with her claws. She flung it onto the rock and bit it.

"Wow," I murmured. "I suppose my fishing skills have decreased. Mousedung."

"It's okay," Cloverleaf assured me. "You can have this one." She nudged the minnow toward me. I smiled. "Are you sure? Thanks so much."

Suddenly, I heard Rockfall call out, "Mistytail!"

I glanced up to see a lithe gray she-cat galloping towards us. Her eyes were wide. "Raincloud?" she called. "Is that you?"

I nodded. "Hi. You've gotten your full medicine cat name?"

"Yeah!" She nuzzled me. "I've missed you so much! Cloverleaf told me what happened. So how are you and Moth?"

"We're pretty good," I responded. "But prey is very scarce, so I came here to fish. Cloverleaf says it's okay. I have two kits now, though. Minnowkit and Oakkit."

Mistytail twitched her whiskers. "Wonderful! I've just come out here to find Rockfall. Nightstar needs him for the moonhigh patrol."

"Nightstar?" I echoed, tilting my head. "Nightfoot is the leader? Pinestar died?"

Cloverleaf nodded sadly. "Yes. But Nightstar is much better as a leader than a deputy. At least he is the boss now and he's not so bossy. He's a good leader, but I miss Pinestar."

Rockfall groaned. "All right. I'm going to go." With a longing expression on his face, he turned to look at me. "Farewell, Raincloud." He lingered there for a moment longer, then turned again and hurried off. My heart warmed and I smiled.

Suddenly, Cloverleaf jumped beside me, knocking the minnow into the water. An orange oak leaf had landed on her head.

"That scared me!" she meowed, stared at it as it floated down. "How strange…an oak leaf in the middle of leaf-bare." It landed on the surface of the water beside the barely sinking minnow. I reached in and snatched the fish out.

"Wait!" Mistytail cried. Her dark blue eyes were enormous and her pupils covered most of the color.

"Are you all right?" I asked. She looked frightened. She shook her head. "A sign! From StarClan!" She blinked, and then turned to me. "What did you say your kits' names were?"

"Minnowkit and Oakkit," I responded, puzzled. Suddenly, what she was trying to say hit me. "So…my…my kits…what does this mean, Mistytail? That they'll drown?"

"No…no…" Her eyes lit up. "Did you see how the minnow and leaf floated? That means something good, Raincloud! Something very good."

I sighed in relief. "What could it mean?"

"I'm not sure," Mistytail answered. "But for now, stay away from the river, just in case it's not something good."

I nodded. "Thank you, Cloverleaf and Mistytail. Thanks so much for letting me fish."

"Come back anytime, Raincloud." Cloverleaf pressed her muzzle to my cheek. "We miss you."

"We?"

"Well…Rabbitfoot and Mistytail and I. We all miss you."

"What about…you know, the rest of the Clan?"

"They don't really speak much of you," Cloverleaf admitted. I sighed and picked up the minnow. "Goodbye, then!" I turned and began to trot away from the river. My hopes were plummeted into the ground. By the Clan, I was long forgotten.

Not bad, not bad! Very long, but pretty good. I actually kind of liked this one! It's a little boring and rambling, but I liked it, at least.

xx-Starfall-xx