#softrain

Softrain padded silently through the forest. It had been moons since Ratscar -now Ratstar she thought angrily- had taken over ShadowClan and she had left. She could’ve stayed, but that would’ve hurt her too much, especially because of-

A twig snaps, snapping Softrain out of her thoughts. She tensed her muscles and concentrated to identify any scents. ShadowClan it seemed, and a very particular one at that. Softrain froze, but quickly regained her senses and tried to run away before a black and white figure emerged and hurried to her. 

“Softrain, wait, please,” they begged. Softrain didn’t listen and kept running away. The black and white cat ran after her and blocked her way. “Softrain, will you please listen to me, I need to talk to you.”

“It’s a little too late for that now. Leave me alone.” She tried to push her way past them, but they didn’t let her leave. 

“As if i didn’t know it’s too late, that I did that, i know it, but I need your help Soft. Please listen to me.”

“Don’t you ever call me ‘Soft’ again. You lost that privilege when you betrayed Shadowclan,” she hissed. It hurt her to have to act like that, but after what had happened, she couldn’t do anything else. 

The black and white cat widened their eyes in shock and opened their mouth to say something, but Softrain walked away. They panicked and sprang on her, pinning her to the ground, “I know you hate me after what happened, but -”

“I hate you? You betrayed me and ShadowClan by siding with the dark forest and assisting in the murder of Quietstar and quins littermates. You killed them, you killed them,” Softrain began crying, “you lied to everyone and killed your own clanmates to let Ratscar, of all cats, become leader. You and I both know very well what I had to endure because of him, yet you still sided with him.” Softrain couldn’t speak anymore. She trembled and gasped for air. The black and white cat let her free and took a step back, unsure of what to do. “And now you come to me, begging for me to listen to you. Why do you think I would listen to you, Shadewave?” Softrain had mostly stopped crying and glared at Shadewave, “why do you believe that I’d still want to listen to you after what happened last time we spoke.” 

Shadewave flinched and took another step back. Wa lowered waves head, “I didn’t know Cedarheart had followed me,” wa quickly stammered, “I didn’t know he would do that.” wa looked sheepishly at the ground.

“He nearly killed me and you didn’t do anything to stop it,” Softrain retorted. Shadewave opened waves mouth to answer, but Softrain continued: “I fainted and when I woke up you were both gone. I had to drag myself to somewhere safe, while still bleeding to avoid dying. Only the arrival of a RiverClan patrol saved me from a certain death. And even then I had to beg RiverClan to not let anyone, and especially not ShadowClan, know that I was with them, or even just alive.” Softrain shredded the grass under her paws with her claws. 

“Soft -rain, I know I-, I did things that are unforgivable, and I understand if you never forgive me, but I need your help to save ShadowClan. I’m planning a coup to overthrow Ratstar and become leader-”

“You, leader? Why would anyone want you to be leader?” Softrain scoffed. 

“Well Cedarheart died and I’m deputy now,” wa answered, “and if I can take down Ratstar I could at least do one good thing for ShadowClan. I know I don’t deserve the role of leader, but at least I can try to mend the damage I caused by getting rid of Ratstar.” Wa approached Softrain warily, “I thought that you’d want to help me get rid of him. That’s why I came here. I want you-, no, I need you to help me kill Ratstar and save ShadowClan.” wa looked at her with huge, pleading eyes. 

Softrain felt a part of her desperately willing to listen to Shadewave, to just be with wave again, but she couldn’t just forget what happened. “Why would I even want to help ShadowClan? Everyone there happily followed traitors and murderers. They don’t deserve to be saved from the cat they so happily obey.” she lashed her tail and tried to keep her composure.

“They don’t know what really happened,” Shadewave pleaded, “for them Quietstar and quins littermates were out on patrol and got attacked by some rogues or something. A terrible accident, but nothing more,” wa looked away in shame. 

“So why don’t you tell them?” Softrain asked. 

“I’m planning on doing it, but I need to be ready to fight Ratstar and his allies when the truth is revealed. If I announce what Ratstar - and I - did, I will be attacked.” wa looked at Softrain again, intense feelings clouding waves eyes, “so I hoped you would help me. A naive hope I know, but deep in my heart I still long for our friendship, for our bond from before everything happened. Please I beg you, Soft, help me one last time and then I’ll leave you alone forever if that’s what you want.” 

Softrain felt a pang in her heart. She didn’t know if she could trust Shadewave again after everything, but she really wanted to. “I’ll think about it, Shade, I’ll think about it,” she sighed.