Sad Downpours

Showerkit...I mean Showerpaw woke up in the apprentice den. She stretched. "Ahh...what a good nights sleep!" Even though she was the runt, she was the first one to become an apprentice. The she-cat padded out of the den and into the misty morning. The air was thick and rainy, and the Sky was mainly covered with dark clouds. The earth beneath her paws was muddy from rain. Must've rained last night, Showerpaw thought as she scanned the camp to see who was up. There wasn't much cats. Just a few. The she-cat eventually decided to go fishing. She padded out of the camp entrance and to the river. Once she got there, Showerpaw sat on the bank and fished. After failing a ton of times, she finally caught a smallish fish. She carried it in her mouth as she swam to the other side to sunningrocks. Showerpaw laid the fish down by a rock as she climbed on top of it and rested. Even though it wasn't warm from the blocked sun, they still made a great spot to hang-out at. Something caught her eye on the other side of the river. Showerpaw immediately crawled into a little cave that a few rocks formed. I hope nobody saw me, the she-cat thought. She never really liked other cats. They usually made fun of her size. Why can't I be normal? It would be much better that way...tears leaked from her eyes as she held back sniffles. I hope that cat...or whatever that was, can't here me!

Lightningpaw stepped out of the bushes. "Hey!" he called as something caught his eye. "Where are you going?" When nobody replied, he sighed and tuned around. Lightningpaw liked other cats.

After a few moments, Showerkit closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and crawled out of her little cave. "Wait, are you still there?" For once in her life, she wanted another cat to talk to besides her kin.

Lightningpaw stopped. "Yes." He replied, turning to face the apprentice. When he saw her, he smiled. Another friend!

Showerpaw smiled back at the handsome Thunderclan apprentice. "Umm, I know that we aren't supposed to be talking to each other, but...well, would you maybe want to talk? I...I need someone to talk to." Tears still flowed out of her moist eyes. A few drops of rain fell out of the Sky, onto the she-cats long fur.

Hurt flooded Lightningpaw's heart, and he rushed across the river. He soothed her quietly. "Shh, shh! It'll be okay. I'll talk to you!" He meowed softly, gently stroking her flank with the tip of his tail.

Showerpaw tingled as Lightingpaw soothed her. "I...I'm sorry. It's just...it's just." She sighed. "Everyone dislikes me because I'm a runt." She laid down on a rock and covered her face with her paws. It started to downpour.

Lightningpaw frowned. "That's not nice! .. Did you know I'm half RiverClan? Sometimes I get teased for liking to swim." He mewed quietly, padding up to her and sitting close to the she-cat.

Showerpaw shivered in the rain. "I guess we're both misfits," the apprentice said sadly as she uncovered her eyes and watched raindrops splatter into the river.

The apprentice felt something snap inside him. The feeling was strong and sharp, with a pleasant touch. Without thinking, he nodded and stepped over his new friend, shielding her from the sheets of rain.

Showerkit was surprised when her new friend stepped over her to protect her from the rain. She blushed and something tingled inside of her. "Th...thanks," she said as the rain continued on. "Let's move into that cave, It might be snug, but I think we'll fit." She flicked her tail to the little hide away in the rocks that she had hid in earlier.

Coming back to reality, Lightningpaw stepped off of her. Feeling no shame, he smiled. "Your welcome! It does look cozy." he mewed happily. The cat didn't want to be anywhere else, not even in the ThunderClan camp in his soft, warm nest of moss. He slithered into the cave and settled down, waiting for a few heartbeats. Realizing that the stone floor of the cave was making his chest, belly, and paws sore, he stood up and looked down at the apprentice. "I'm going to get some moss for a nest since I don't know if the rain will continue or not. Would you like me to get some for you as well?" he asked politely.

Showerpaw nodded. "That would be great!" She waited patiently for the moss, as she waited, she thought. Hopefully the rain stops soon so that I can go back to camp...or maybe not. The rain hides the Thunderclan scent. Oh wait! My fish! The grey and white apprentice ran out into the rain, grabbed her fish, then ran back into the cave. Blech! It's all soggy!

Lightningpaw dipped his head and exited the cave. Swimming back across the river, he looked around and found a tree with moss growing from it. "This should be good," he muttered around a mouthful of moss. He headed back with his head tucked over his chin, holding moss in place. The tom managed to gt across the river and into the cave, shaking his thick pelt off. "Here." he mewed, quickly setting down a load of moss and fluffing it up for Showerkit. "So, who are your ittermates? My sister is Cloudpaw." he meowed, working on his nest.

"Hmm...I don't think I'm familiar with that name. I don't think I've met Cloudpaw yet, I try to stay away from others. I have one brother, and three sisters. My brother is Ripplekit, and my sisters are Willowkit, Sleekkit, and Rainkit. Oh, and I'm Showerpaw, the only apprentice out of my bunch, which is kind of Ironic because I'm the runt."