Falling With the Rain

~ Found ~

The murmuring started up again before Firestar cleared his throat to speak.

"We are all tired, exhausted in fact. So why not leave this matter for another time? Ferncloud, you're still suckling Icekit and Foxkit, would you mind taking care of Rainkit and Skykit as well?"

"Yes, Firestar. I would be honoured to take care of them, especially if it really is Rainsong." The queen purred back.

"Are you blind?" A much closer voice startled Jaypaw.

"Yes, I am." He snapped back, pointing his face downwards to where the kit's scent was strongest. "What does it matter?"

"Nothing." Rainkit replied. "But you don't have to be such a grump about it."

The comment left a rare sting in Jaypaw's chest. Letting out a huff of dignity he walked further into the den to make it seem as if he wasn't listening.

"Jaypaw, has Squirrelflight not told you that eavesdropping is rude?" Leafpool sighed as she padded calmly into the den.

"No, sh–" Jaypaw's excuse was cut off as the she-kit interrupted him.

"But you were all talking so loudly at the entrance of the medicine den." Rainkit pointed out. "I could hear you just fine from the nest."

Leafpool tensed from beside him, fear scent flowing off her.

"I didn't hear anything if that's what you're worried about." Rainkit continued. "I was busy talking to Skykit."

"I'm tired!" The tom-kit suddenly wailed. "Where are we sleeping?"

"Aren't you both hungry?" Leafpool replied in surprise.

"No! I'm just tired!" Skykit grumbled, as if his message weren't clear.

"Jaypaw, did you check them both?"

"Yes, I gave them both tansy in case as well. No injuries, no infections and no illness." He reported.

"Good, I'll take them to Ferncloud then, you get some sleep." Leafpool mewed.

Jaypaw gave a brief nod of his head as he curled up in his nest. Falling asleep to the strange thoughts the senior warriors had left him.

Ferncloud Third Person POV

"You dears must be starving!" Ferncloud purred softly as both Rainkit and Skykit entered the nursery. "Would you like some milk?"

The pale tortoiseshell wrinkled her little nose. "Milk? I don't want milk! I'm not even hungry!"

Shock flared through Ferncloud, were they already weaned? Or perhaps they wanted their own mother's milk?

"Very well then, why don't you both come here?" Ferncloud uncurled herself from around Icekit and Foxkit. "These ones are a moon younger than you. This is Icekit"–she pointed with her tail to the all white she-kit– "and this is Foxkit." She moved her tail to her ginger tom-kit. "And what are your names?"

"I'm Skykit!" The blue-gray tom replied. "And this is Rainkit." He gestured to his much smaller companion who was too busy yawning to answer herself.

Ferncloud looked down at Rainkit, her heart couldn't help but turn to mush at the sight of the adorable kits. As Rainkit met her gaze, Ferncloud felt like she was in another place as the kit's sharp pale blue eye and golden sun-like one locked onto her own eyes. Rainsong... Ferncloud blinked to find both Skykit and Rainkit snuggled against her own kits. Curling herself around the four kits, Ferncloud stayed up, bothered by her nagging thoughts.

~ Wee Timeskip to the morning ~

Ferncloud opened her muzzle in a yawn as sunlight steadily streamed in from the holes in the nursery walls. Before she could wake the kits, or even stretch, both Hollypaw and Cinderpaw poked their heads in.

"Hi, Ferncloud!" Hollypaw greeted with a mew. "Jaypaw told us what happened last night, so we wanted to see the kits!"

"I was about to wake them anyway." Ferncloud replied in a tired mew.

Uncurling her tail from around the four kits, Ferncloud nosed them all awake one by one. Hollypaw and Cinderpaw watching intently.

"Wake up, little ones." She murmured softly to the little squirming and yawning kits.

Icekit was the first to come to her senses as she stared in wonder at the two newcomers. "Who're they?" She asked aloud.

"Those are your new denmates!" Ferncloud purred in reply. "Foxkit, Icekit, these are Skykit and Rainkit. They came yesterday without anyone to take care of them. Be nice and treat them like your own littermates, alright?"

"But what if they aren't nice to us?" Foxkit asked.

"We'll be nice to you guys!" Skykit retorted quickly. "Plus, we're a moon older than you both. So we'll protect you."

"Yeah!" Rainkit agreed with her chest puffed up.

Foxkit peered down at her, his head tilted in curiosity. "If you're four moons old, why're you so small? You look like you're only two moons old."

Rainkit let out huff. "I'm small because I'm small." She snipped in response.

"Are they going to be warriors too?" Icekit asked in an excited tone to Ferncloud.

"Yes, I believe so." Ferncloud purred.

"What's a warrior?" Rainkit asked.

Ferncloud ushered the kits outside. "Icekit, Foxkit answer their questions." She turned around to the two apprentices still sitting in the nursery. "Hollypaw, Cinderpaw, do you mind keeping an eye on them? I'd like to go for a quick walk."

"Of course, Ferncloud." Cinderpaw replied with an excited purr. "They're in good paws."

"Thank you." Ferncloud mewed over her shoulder.

~ Wee skip ~

Over the course of a few days, Ferncloud quickly noticed how her adopted littermate, Cloudtail, took great interest in playing with Rainkit. Leaving the kits with the apprentices to play, she took her chance and asked him why.

"I feel that I still owe Rainsong." Cloudtail confessed. "So if it is in fact Rainsong, I'd like to do what she did for me."

Fernsong licked Cloudtail's ear. "That's sweet."

~ End of Chapter A/N ~

Can you see what I meant by I have big plans? Hehe, this is it! Rainsong has been reincarnated alongside Skykit! They are currently both four moons old, as told above. So three moons younger than Hollypaw, Lionpaw and Jaypaw when they appear to the Clans.

I hope that if anyone reads this, you'll stick around to the end. (Which won't be for a while, haha...)

~ LittleOwl

Future LittleOwl: Okay, so I've got a few things to say. Thank you to the two (I think, that's what my statistics are saying) readers that have been reading this fanfiction! Secondly, thank you to  @Agatha-all-along for the vote! I seriously appreciate it and I do hope that you're enjoying the fanfiction and that you'll stick around!

Lots of thanks,

LittleOwl