Rain (AVoS)

Rain is a big, long-furred gray tom with a green eye. He is missing an eye, and has pale fur covering where it used to be.

The Apprentice's Quest

 * When Alderpaw and the other questing Clan cats come to SkyClans' gorge, a long-furred gray tom loudly yowls and stares at them. His howl attracts three of the other SkyClan cats and they race toward the patrol, the gray tom in the lead. Soon the SkyClan cats face the questing cats of the ledge and the gray tom takes another pace forward until he stands nose to nose with Alderpaw. The apprentice tries not to flinch as the SkyClan cat's cold green gaze rakes over him, and he notes that this is a powerful cat. The tom's shoulder fur is bristling and his tail is bushed up. He snarls that they made a mistake if they came for the territory, and reminds them that they are way outnumbered. Alderpaw turns to the hostile tom and explains that they don't want their territory, but traveled a long way to meet the SkyClan cats living in the gorge. The gray tom tilts his head to one side, a glint in his eyes, and asks what cats from so far away would know about SkyClan. Alderpaw admits that they don't know much but want to learn more and the tom lets out a disdainful snort, noting that in that case he should come and speak to their leader. The long-furred tom gestures that they should follow him by jerking his head, then he turns and pads back down the path. Alderpaw begins to follow him, but Sparkpaw asks him if it is a good idea. The medicine cat apprentice he replies that wherever the journey leads them must be right.


 * As Alderpaw looks at the SkyClan cats, he notes their dirty fur, and wonders if SkyClan cats ever wash. As they pad down the path, Needlepaw passes Alderpaw and catches up to the gray tom, asking his name. The leading tom flicks his ears in surprise at what Alderpaw guesses is from Needlpaw's confident tone. He replies that he is called Rain, but Alderpaw is confused on why he is just called Rain, and wonders why Needlepaw didn't ask the question. The tabby apprentice assumes that they might even do names differently in SkyClan.


 * By now, Needlepaw is walking by Rain and chatting without any apprehension. Alderpaw, thinking that she might have a good idea, turns toward his closest escort and introduces himself, but she ignores him. Rain leads the journeying cats up to the pile of rocks where the river gushes out, a white cat with black spots sitting on it. The tom asks Rain who they are, and Rain dips his head, greeting the tom as Darktail, and informing him that they are strangers from far away who are looking for SkyClan. After Alderpaw explains their situation to Darktail, the white tom orders Rain to show their guests where to sleep.


 * The next morning, when Alderpaw wakes up, he thinks of how the previous evening, when Rain had taken him and his friends to a den, Alderpaw had hoped for another vision from StarClan. However, his thoughts are interrupted when Needlepaw announces that the hunters are back with prey, and the hunters stand around the prey in a wide half circle, with Rain closest to Darktail. The leader first chooses a plump pigeon and begins to tear mouthfuls of flesh from it, before nodding to Rain, who steps forward and chooses a squirrel for himself. The gray tom then steps back with the bushy-tailed pray in his jaws, and as if a signal, the hunters close in, hissing as they try to grab the best prey.


 * Later, when Alderpaw tells Darktail about herbs used in his Clan and offers to show some of his cats what different herbs are used for, the white tom nods and yowls to Rain. The long-furred tom springs up from where he sat at the edge of the river, talking to Needlepaw, and he bounds over to his leader. With a respectful dip of his head, he asks Darktail what he wants. Darktail orders Rain to go with Alderpaw, who is going to look for herbs and tell him what to do with them. He orders the gray tom to listen to the young cat, who is an apprentice, and Rain agrees, though he looks as confused as Alderpaw feels, since Darktail had said apprentice as if it was important. Needlepaw asks to come too, and Rain takes the lead as the three cats head downstream.


 * That night in his den, Alderpaw in unable to sleep as he mulls over his thoughts of the tour of the territory with Needlepaw and Rain. He recalls how the gray tom needed to be taught so much, and remembers how they had found yarrow and more tansy, and Rain had seemed to think that the two herbs could cure everything. Alderpaw had pointed out to him that he would need to search for herbs on either side of the gorge and maybe even travel farther than their usual hunting territory. The apprentice had also said that there were lots of different diseases that would need different herbs and different types of treatment. However, Rain had shrugged as if okay with it, and he had meowed that it might make more sense for Darktail to lead them to new territory soon.


 * Alderpaw thinks more about his vision, and when his thoughts die away, he hears Darktail say that it will be easy. The apprentice pears out the den and in the moonlight, makes out Darktail, Rain, and Raven a few tail-lengths away. Darktail and Raven discuss the dangers of Thunderpaths, and Alderpaw sees Needlepaw emerge from the shelter of a boulder and pad up to Rain. The ShadowClan she-cat purrs to him that it sounds like they are close to making their minds up, and he looms over her, hissing that it is rude to eavesdrop. Needlepaw playfully says that she didn't have a choice, as they are not subtle in their plotting, and Rain mutters something in reply as he turns and walks away, although Alderpaw can't make out the words. Needlepaw follows the SkyClan cat and Alderpaw emerges from the den and pads behind them, keeping his distance. Needlepaw teasingly purrs to Rain that life in the other Clans are different, as there are rules. She says that he, Darktail, and the others will have to learn them if they want to fit in, but Rain responds that everything will work out just the way it is meant to. Alderpaw is unsure if the gray tom's voice is hopeful or amused, but he doesn't like it either way, and turns back toward the den. However, his paw dislodges a pebble that clinks against another, and Needlepaw and Rain swivel around to stare at the ThunderClan apprentice. Rain sharply asks who it is, and Alderpaw mumbles that it is just him, stammering that he only came out to make dirt, and he runs toward the den without waiting for another comment. The next morning, Alderpaw notes that the ache in his chest after hearing Needlepaw and Rain the previous night had kept him awake.


 * Later, after Alderpaw speaks to Mistfeather, Darktail brings him back to the gorge and explains to his cats what Alderpaw did, as well as revealing that they are working with SkyClan to take the territory back from them. Rain asks Needlepaw if it is true, and he trusts her face up against hers until their noses almost touch. He demands if she is plotting with SkyClan, and Alderpaw can see Rain's anger as he flexes his claws in and out. However, the ginger apprentice also feels something else beneath the large gray tom, and wonders if Rain feels hurt. Needlepaw remains calm as she meets the rogue tom's furious green gaze, and she replies that it is obviously not true. She adds that they live far from there, and weren't even sure if SkyClan existed when they set out, so they could not have been conspiring with them.

References and Citations
Rain (S6)ДождьRain (TAQ)