Crowsky ate his prey slowly, patiently waiting for Ebonypaw to finish changing the elder's bedding. Frostfire sat beside him, washing her paws after finishing his own prey. As he ate his prey, he heard pawsteps approaching the Clan entrance. Patrol must be returning.

As they got closer, a strange but familiar scent filled his nose. What is that? Crowsky took the final bite of his prey and rose to his paws as the patrol entered the camp. Their faces were annoyed, and with them was a face that shocked Crowsky to his core. A slender, cream colored she-cat with narrow, beautiful blue eyes and darker markings.

"Raindrop." Crowsky breathed out the queens name, he didn't think he would ever see her again, but here she was, standing in MoonClan's camp's entrance.

"Do you know that cat?" Frostfire questioned, staring in awe at her sudden appearance.

"Yeah," Without another word, Crowsky jumped to his paws and hurried over to the patrol. "Raindrop!" He called her name.

"Crowpaw!" Raindrop exclaimed and broke away from the patrol, much to their annoyance. She touched her muzzle to his cheek and purred loudly. "I'm so glad I found you, I've been looking for you."

"Why?" Crowsky questioned. "What about Cooper and the others?"

Raindrop shook her head slowly. "After you ran off a huge argument broke out between the group. Flint and Cooper almost fought. When we woke up the next day Cooper was gone, vanished in the middle of the night. Flint went out to try and find you but all he found was blood in the snow. He came back and after that we all went our separate ways. Leo and Rudy went beyond the farm and Flint and Sabra went deeper into the forest. I was left alone, I didn't know where else to go so I started wandering. I ended up in another twolegplace and met a kittypet who had told me she saw you, so I figured I would try and find you and I met these cats."

"Crowsky," Cloudstar spoke up, looking at the two of them with confusion in her eyes. "Care to explain who this is?"

"Crowsky?" Raindrop tilted her head. "Oh right, you change your names. You must be a warrior now."

Crowsky nodded. "Everyone this is an old friend I met when I was out of the camp, her name is Raindrop. She was always very kind to me."

"Why is she here?" Hawkface questioned, his eyes suspicious.

"As I explained to Crowpa--Crowsky. I was just wandering, I don't like travelling alone. I've always been in the company of other cats and I missed that. So I found the one cat I knew out in this place. I'm glad to see you doing so well."

"I'm glad to see you as well." Crowsky purred loudly and looked to Frostfire and Silverpool who had approached. "Raindrop, this is my mate Frostfire and this is Silverpool."

"Crowsky talked a lot about you, Silverpool." Raindrop bowed her head respectfully. "He missed you a lot."

"You seem nice." Silverpool purred happily. "It makes me happy knowing that Crowsky had such good company while he was out there."

"Crowsky," Cloudstar raised her voice slightly. "I understand that you are excited to see your friend, but we don't usually allow loners to just wander into our camp." Raindrop turned to face Cloudstar.

"You must be the Clan's leader, right?" Raindrop questioned.

Cloudstar nodded. "My name is Cloudstar."

"It's an honor to meet you, Cloudstar." Raindrop bowed. "And I bring your Clan no harm I promise. As I said before, I don't like travelling alone. Before I had my twolegs, and then I had the loners but now I have no one. The best moments I have lived have been in the company of others, hunting and providing for each other. Crowsky told me a lot of Clan life and it is something I want to try, so that's why." Raindrop lowered herself to the ground. "If you'll have me, Cloudstar, I would like to join your Clan."

Crowsky stared in shock at Raindrop, he had no idea that she wanted to join MoonClan. "You wish to join our Clan?" Cloudstar questioned, looking at the loner with confusion in her eyes. "Crowsky told you of Clan life but did he share with you the hard times? The bitter leaf-bares filled with death and loss, the violent battles, the sickness and the loss of loved ones?"

"He told me that his sister died before she was even born, he told me that his father was killed in an unjust battle."

"Why would we ever accept a kittypet into the Clan?" It was Shadowpelt who spoke, his eyes burned with hatred and his claws scraped the earth of the hollow. "Kittypets lived pampered lives, they know nothing of the harsh world of the warrior."

"I was a kittypet once yes," Raindrop met Shadowpelt without flinching, her eyes bold. No kittypet could ever face a warrior like that. "But by the time I left I can guarantee that you weren't even alive. When I was a kittypet I had my kits stolen from me and was made to never have kits again. I left my twolegs and never turned back, I've faced death, harsh leaf-bares and fierce battles. I've had to defend myself tooth and nail, I've done things that no kittypet could ever imagine doing. So yes, I was a kittypet, but it's shaped me who I am. I've seen more of this world than even Crowsky has, I've lived a long life and I want to spend my final seasons in a group of cats who work together."

"Once a kittypet, always a kittypet." Shadowpelt spat. Crowsky felt irritation pricking his pelt. Arrogant toad.

"That's enough, Shadowpelt." Cloudstar hissed, the black tom ducked his head. "Raindrop, it's one thing to live a hard life as a loner, we warriors follow a strict code. You don't have the entire forest to roam, you would have to follow borders, you will have to fight against our enemies when they threaten us."

"I can live within borders." Raindrop countered.

"MoonClan cats aren't like other warriors. We're fast, quick and agile. We run across open moorland, we hunt at night and we fish and swim in the rivers."

"I can be pretty fast." Raindrop mewed. "And I've never swam, but I don't fear the water."

Cloudstar narrowed her eyes, was she considering it? Crowsky would love to have Raindrop around. It would be having a part of my time outside of the Clan with me all the time. "Raindrop you seem like a good cat, you have a lot of experience behind you and MoonClan could always use that. I will allow you to spend five sunrises with our Clan. You will hunt with us, patrol with us and live with us. If you still wish to join the Clan, and my Clan will accept you, then you may join us."

"I ask nothing more than a chance, Cloudstar." Raindrop bowed her head.

"Then it is decided." Cloudstar raised her voice. "For the next five sunrises, Raindrop will be sharing our camp and learning our ways. I expect all of you treat her as a Clanmate, treat her with respect."

Cloudstar turned away and Crowsky rushed up to Raindrop. "I would love if it you joined the Clan." He mewed. "I've missed you and the other loners, I didn't think I would see any of you again."

"I've missed you as well, Crowsky." Raindrop purred, she looked at Frostfire and Silverpool. "And I'm so glad to meet those close to you."

"So what did you mean when you said that your twolegs took your kits away?" Silverpool questioned, her eyes curious.

"When you live with twolegs and give birth to kits they will often take them away when they're weaned off milk and give them to other twolegs. I haven't seen my kits since they left my belly."

"That's so sad." Silverpool mewed emphatically. "I couldn't imagine if someone took my kits again, it was hard enough losing Crowsky and he's not even my kit."

"It was hard," Raindrop admitted. "But I hold onto the idea that my kits are living happy, healthy lives and I'll always hold onto that. No matter how old I get or how far I roam."

"That's a very good way to think about it." Frostfire purred. "You seem like you have so many stories."

"Oh I do." Raindrop chuckled. "If I get to stay, I'll happily share all of them."

Raindrop almost instantly befriended Frostfire and Silverpool, but with each passing sunrise she befriended almost every cat in MoonClan. She was friendly, loving and skilled. She hunted with the Clan and patrolled with them as a normal warrior. She made herself right at home and pretty much every cat had warmed up to her. If Crowsky didn't know any better he would've thought that Raindrop was born and raised in MoonClan.

One cat in particular had grown very close to Raindrop and that was Brambleflight. The tom had completely fallen for the she-cat, he looked at her like she was the moon itself and Raindrop felt the same way. It was obvious that Raindrop would be welcomed into the Clan by the final sunrise. The only cat who had an issue with her was Shadowpelt, but even his anger was starting to fade.

Crowsky pawed through the fresh-kill pile, looking for something for him and Frostfire to share, and he heard voices talking behind him. "I can't believe that Cloudstar is going to let that loner join." The raspy, angered voice came from Riverlight.

"She's done great things for the Clan." Skyclaw mewed. "She's friendly and a great hunter. She already knows how to fish."

"She's an outsider, she doesn't belong here." Riverlight snarled. Crowsky felt the fur rise along his spine in anger.

"At least she contributes to the Clan." Crowsky couldn't help himself from retorting without looking at Riverlight.

"Excuse me?" Riverlight stood up behind him, Crowsky turned to face his mother.

"I said at least she contributes to the Clan. You retired when you were young, you didn't do anything for the Clan after I was born."

"At least I didn't run away like a coward." Riverlight bared her teeth. "You're an embarrassment to the Clan."

"To the Clan, or just you?" Crowsky stepped forward, he had never had the confidence to face off against his mother and now he did. "Cause it seems like the only two cats who hate me are you and Shadowpelt who is just jealous." He lashed his tail. "You treated me like crowfood for so long when I was a kit and you wonder why I ran away. You blamed me for Blacksky's death and you blamed me for Ravenkit's death. Sorry that my sister died before she was even born, sorry that I ruined your life with my existence! Sorry I didn't have the gall to just die when I was born, sorry that I came back to this Clan and I'm sorry that I ever called you my mother!"

Crowsky didn't give Riverlight a chance to respond, he picked up a rabbit and stormed off. The entire Clan had watched their argument, but he didn't care what they thought. I've needed to say that for so long. He thought, feeling a weight lift off his shoulders.

"Wow." Frostfire stared at Crowsky in awe. "You actually stood up to your mother."

"She doesn't have any room to talk about Raindrop that way, she's amazing and Riverlight isn't. Both Silverpool and Raindrop have done a better job at being a mother to me than she ever could." He took an angered bite of his rabbit. "I'm done letting her tear me apart."

"I'm proud of you." Frostfire pressed her muzzle into Crowsky's neck, he rested his chin on her head. I'm proud of me too.

Movement caught Crowsky's attention as Cloudstar stepped out of her den with Raindrop behind her. Is it finally time? Cloudstar moved to the center of camp. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather for a Clan meeting!"

Crowsky and Frostfire quickly ate their rabbit and gathered with the rest of the Clan. Crowsky noticed that Riverlight wasn't showing her face, but she usually didn't at Clan meetings. She lived a reclusive life in the elder's den. "Raindrop has lived with us for five sunrises, and during this time she has made herself at home. I know personally I have enjoyed having her around, she had provided for us and made friends, and even more." Cloudstar eyed Brambleflight playfully. "I don't think any cat here would disagree with her joining us."

She waited for a moment and no cat spoke up. "Then it is decided." Cloudstar faced Raindrop. "Raindrop, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and defend the Clan, even at the cost of your life."

"I do." Raindrop's voice was light and eager, she would make a wonderful MoonClan warrior.

"Then by the powers of StarClan I give you a warrior name, from this day forward you will be known as Rainypelt. MoonClan honors your kindness and skill and I am proud to welcome you as a true member of MoonClan!"

Rainypelt and Cloudstar exchanged the ritual that had been done so many times before, and Rainypelt stepped back with shimmering eyes. "I never thought that my name would change, but this name feels good, it feels right. Thank you Cloudstar, and thank you all of MoonClan for welcoming me."

"Rainypelt! Rainypelt!" The Clan cheered their new Clanmate and Crowsky ran up to her to congratulate her. Having her here has been so wonderful. Crowsky thought, and he thought about the life he was living. He had a mate, cats who loved him and parts of both of his life living in the same camp. I couldn't be happier.