°Rain°

The babbling of the river soothed my rattled nerves as I breathed in the scents of the woods around me.

This Gathering is getting under my pelt like ticks!

A few sunrises might have passed since Winter's visit, but still, just the thought of anything going wrong set me on edge.

Suddenly, my eye caught a silver flickering on the surface of the water and almost on instinct, I raised my paw and hooked the fish in mid air and killed with a bite to its throat and placed its lifeless body on the bank.

Curious, I chose a small stone and leaped into the water,testing my paws against the current and started to pad away from the shore,like I was running.

"Rain? What are you doing?" asked an amused purr.

I looked up and saw Starla and Cinder watching me with wide,curious eyes.

I purr,loving the feel of the water against my fur.

"Swimming. Care to give a try, Cinder?" I asked the Newbie as I leaped out the water,shaking my pelt, but I saw that it was almost still dry...

What on earth...?

"Sure! Let me go get the others. They'll love this!"

Starla shook her head, purring in amusement.

"I'd better get this back to camp and try this "swimming" business for myself."

I nodded as the Trainer padded away,my catch in her jaws so,I decided to pick some watermint,alder bark and dock to take back to Kaci, who seemed more interested in them then I ever did.

I had caught him stargazing one night,after meeting Hazel and her cats and seeing Earth,Mist and this strange cat called Feral, whispering to himself.

"The stars are quiet. Why?"

I padded out of the hawthorn bush I had been crouching in and padded into the clearing to sit next to him. "Kaci? Trouble sleeping again?"

He winced then nodded.

"Yes, Rain. Again. Listen, don't tell any cat what I'm about to tell you. Ok?"

I nodded,sitting across from him .

"Ok."

He closed his eyes.

"I had a dream that I was surrounded by a lot of cats that glowed as bright as stars and smelled strange. Some I knew growing up,but others I didn't. And they were whispering, 'Watch the river for it always changes.' Then they disappeared and I was in a battle, fighting against a black tom, but I was about to die because I wasn't strong enough...Then, I woke up, fearing the worst. Since then, I've just been preoccupied with that, neglecting my duties and for that. I'm sorry. You can drive me out if you feel it's best."

He bowed his head, but I placed my tail-tip on his shoulder.

"I would never banish a cat whose been with me since I came here as a kit! And who helped me find the right cats I needed to build this Group. Get some rest this time,Kaci. For me."

He nodded.

"Ok. I'll try."

I padded back to our den, an old badger set and curled up to sleep.

Since that night, most of my Group had been in the water more and more; loving the taste of the fish that seemed to not be aware of the cats swimming almost alongside them.

Even Temple seemed willing to learn.

"You youngsters don't need to catch my food forever." She snapped at Sap after he brought the Wise One her meal.

All of Ash's kits, especially Jace,Wind,and Rasp,seemed more than eager to get their paws wet.

Neko had purred and shook his head at Ash's protests to take all of the kits to the shallow end to swim.

"They're only three moons old!"

Hawk had squeaked with fear and excitement as he saw James dive into the water.

Ash had grabbed his scruff and pulled him close while his littermates bounced up and down with sheer excitement when Neko offered to let them all try fish for the first time.

I heard Ash mumble that it was better than teaching them how to fish.

"It's alright, little one. You only have to try the fish first before you go and catch it."

Hawk nodded.

"Ok, Mother."

They each took a bite and purred.

"It's great!" Wind squeaked, her blue eyes wide.

"Yeah. It is!" Hawk mewed happily, his amber eyes gleaming.

"Can we have more, Father?" asked Jace, his green eyes wide.

"Yes. Please, Father?" The oldest tom,Rasp,mewed and Neko purred happily.

"Tomorrow,my little ones."

All Dagger did was glare and cringe when he heard a splash.

And so,life goes on.

Patrolling.

Fishing and training.

I just hope this Gathering goes just as well.

■Winter■

I studied the landscape around me and purred, leaping from the snow ledge that rose on top of my and my Second Owl's den and sniffed the air.

Suddenly, I caught sight of a white streak and sped after it, Falcon, Dusk, Waverly and Luka flanking me as we raced after the hare across the icy ground,kicking up snow.

"Corner it!" I yowled.

Luka and Falcon nodded and sprinted ahead.

Dusk and Waverly split up while I still charged ahead, my eyes narrowing as I leaped, pouncing on our prey and killing it with a bite to the throat.

I buried the hare and looked around at my patrol.

"Go and see if you can find more.We're going to need to build up our strength for The Gathering next sunrise. Falcon, I leave the hunt to you."

"Yes,Winter." The Lead Hunter mewed proudly.

I picked up my catch and padded back to camp and placed it on the pile.

I smiled as I saw Yava and Connor play fighting for a mouse.

Wes and Zoey were sharing an eagle by the nursery, chatting about kit names in between bites.

Aspen was telling a story to Finch and Tiger.

I padded over to hear better...

"Yes, youngsters. Those were dark times for my family, especially when The Sickness struck and oh did it! Horrible coughing and gagging,red eyes from the long heartbeats of trying to live through the night and even blindness.
But the most we noticed about it was the Madness that came with it."

I shuddered, remembering as she continued.

"When I was a kit, we never even heard of The Sickness. We lived far away from any Twolegs or Thunderpaths. I thought I had the best life a kit could ask for...Until the night my father,Roof, was killed. I was only two moons old when he and a couple of my uncles, along with my Aunt,Rem, were sent out to patrol our borders near an old Twoleg nest. All my mother,Lena,could do was hope and pray that every cat would return safely. So,like any normal kit, I played with anything I could get my paws on, considering that I was the only kit in camp at the time... Soon, I began to feel sleepy and so Mother carried me to our nest..."

"That's when the wailing began. My father had been killed by a group of rouges that we didn't know at time carried a strange illness and then, when I was six moons, my Uncle Erin, began foaming at the mouth and another began begging for water. Mother ran away, hoping to find a cure and soon, only myself and my Aunt were left,but soon it too claimed her...I was left to fend for myself and now, here I am."

She closed her eyes and I flicked my tail for the Newbies to go and do their duties and they nodded, although I could tell Finch wanted to hear more.

I sighed and went to check on the border.

After my patrol, I looked down at my Group, happy and healthy.

I just hope the Gathering goes this well.

■Mist■

I stood with the wind at my back as I overlooked my Group below.

"I need Elm,Nixa,Taz and Ryan for a hunting patrol. Zane, Finna,Cape and Aqua for a border patrol."

I heard Stone mew sharply,looking around her cats for any objections, but there had never been.

Lynx and Jumper sparred, while April and Oscar played moss ball.

Stream and Cliff tousled.

I stiffened a purr as their mother, Connie, scolded them for playing too rough, their father, Dustin, watching fondly.

I saw Peck grooming himself and started down the slope leading to the clearing as Honey hissed and groaned.

I placed my paws on her belly, counting her breaths.

"The kits are coming." She mewed between gasps.

"Shh, Honey. Shh. No. They're not. But my guess is maybe after The Gathering. If not, I'll request that Stone stay with you while the rest of us are out. Ok?"

She nodded. "Ok, Mist."

I nodded and helped her back into the nursery, an old bear's den,and placed a piece of eagle at her paws.

She purred gratefully and soon,fell asleep.

I sighed as I looked up at the twilight sky.

I hope beyond hope that this Gathering doesn't end in Bloodshed.

●Feral●

I looked around my Group and purred with pride.

My two Trainers as well as those willing to learn, were gathered in the clearing to spar, where my Third, Cora, was yowling orders while Red was setting up patrols.

I sat down on a pine stump to watch and made comments on this and that.

Bug and Quick were play fighting as well, swiping and nipping while their mother, Nina,watched them carefully, chatting with Mika.

The Gathering is in two nights. Why must I be the only one whose worried about what these fox-hearts might do while the rest of us are away?

"Feral? Something troubling you?"

I narrowed my eyes as I turned to look at Mika.

The white she-cat dipped her head.

"If you don't want to tell me,that's fine."

She flicked her tail as she padded back to sit next to Nina again.

I shook my head.

Stupid she-cats!

Later on that night, I tossed and turned, in the thrall of a nightmare....

"Yes, Mika. I do love you. I've loved you since you first came here. But you're carrying kits that aren't mine! Don't worry. I'm going to fix that."

I felt my claws digging into the ground as I leaped at Mika, tearing into her belly, oblivious to her screams...

"You're going to have my kits! And only mine!"

Mika's screams then turned to Reena's.....

Her horrified gaze switched to that of Winter and I backed away in disbelief then,she faded in a cloud of black mist...

●○●○●○●☆●☆●○●☆●☆○☆

What were Winter and Reena doing in my dream? 

"Feral! Get up! Foxes are attacking the camp!" yowled Cora.

I rose to my paws quickly and ran out of the den and sniffed the air and sprinted toward the nearest fox and began to help Red gather battle partols, claws unsheathed as I leaped at the fox that had Mika, Bug and Quick, who bravely, I might add, defended the Queen well, cornered by the broken oak, tearing into the fox's back, eventually leaving it dead at my paws.

Soon, we send them wailing into the bushes and I leaped on the stump to call my cats together to rebuild any ruined dens and heal the most injured.

Dusk soon gave way to night as I lead my patrol back to camp after renewing our scent-makers.

"It seems that Rain's cats are getting bolder." growled Indigo,clawing the ground and Feather nodded.

"Indeed. I'll have to have a word with Cora tomorrow to set up more patrols..."

"Feral?" 

I stiffened at the familiar soft voice, about to agree with my Lead Warrior,growling mockingly.

"What do you want,Mika? Trouble sleeping?"

She shook her head,moving closer to sit beside me.

"You were very brave during the fox attack."

I shrugged. "And?"

Her eyes brightened,leaning forward to touch her nose to mine.

"And I wanted to thank you. Sweet dreams, Feral."

I stared after her, dumbfounded.

"You too...My love..." I whispered to the breeze...

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•

I know this was supposed to be just Winter's, Mist's,and Rain's POVS, but I decided to try something new  :3

Notice the little twist I added to Feral's dream?

Woooo!!!!!

Hope you enjoyed this!

And again,if you want to be a character later on in the story,please fill out a Form in the comments!

I'm really enjoying this story!

Until then, PEACE!

🐾Moonshadow🐾