- sunshowers [closed]

The sound of the rain echoed across the forest, the soft plip plop of each drop as it fell to the unforgiving earth below melding together to make a unique symphony all its own. It was barely a drizzle if that, starting up at a moment's notice and ending just as fast. The clouds above were stretched so thin that there were patches of area that the sun still shone through unhindered. Humidity spiked in this sort of weather, becoming so thick the air was almost uncomfortable to breathe in even this distance from the River itself. And what didn't evaporate in the rays of the sun was left to puddle up over the waterlogged Fields. Songbirds were everywhere, dancing in the heavens above in majestic maneuvers as they played in the sun and rain at the same time. A family of ground squirrels chattered endlessly off the side, shaking the excess water from their fluffy pelts and tails. All manner of life enjoyed this type of weather, the kind that only comes about during the start of new-leaf. Where the air, while humid, smelled fresh and clean and life seemed to seep back into every living thing that lived in the forest.

A sudden squeak from a rabbit that had been munching on some tender shoots alerted the nearby animals to another presence, the sound of thundering paws racing through the expanse of territory the only warning given before a streak of blue-gray fur burst from the grass in a dead run. Long legs stretched and ate up the earth, covering a vast distance as he ran. Where to? Who knew, and who really cared? He certainly didn't. Green eyes sparkled with mirth and enjoyment as Rainpaw of RiverClan zoomed through the vast clearing, running as far and as hard as he could and relishing in the burn that assaulted his lungs with every breath. Dirt, mud, water and grass were kicked up in his wake, the fur upon his paws now completely soaked in cool rain water from each step he took. Every now and then, the rains would start again, and if he was lucky enough he would find himself under a cloud just as it was starting to break. To Rainpaw, there was nothing better than the feeling of his namesake streaming down his rainy hued coat. Like most of his family, Rainpaw had been born with one paw in the water and one on land, a classical RiverClan tom. But while he was at home in any stretch of water, the cool and soothing rains of new-leaf were something he just loved to experience. And given that he'd done all his duties today and hadn't been called by his mentor to train, what better way was there to spend this extra time doing than playing?

At nine moons old, the youngster had to take what he could get - when he became a warrior, play such as this would be rare!

A wrong pawstep upon a particularly slippery area of mud sent the young tom careening to the ground below, his eyes barely having enough seconds to widen to full circles and a startled "Whoa!" escaping his muzzle before he fell into a nearby puddle with a resounding 'splash!!' With a groan, the blue-gray apprentice rolled onto his underbelly, uncaring of the fact that it was getting drenched in the puddle, and gave his head a firm shake. About that time, a cloud had come over him and broken, releasing its load of rain upon him in a gentle shower. Green gaze glanced upwards, and a helpless laugh of mirth escaped his throat as he closed his eyes and let the rain fall over him. His pelt plastered itself to his skin, there was mud in his paws, but right here he truly felt at peace. The only thing that would make this moment better was if he had someone to share it with. None of his siblings seem to want to spend this kind of time with him, his parents were too busy, and his Grandfather preferred to spend his time in the camp. More often that not that left Rainpaw all alone in his endeavors and play. But even so, he enjoyed it nonetheless. As quickly as it had come, the rain ended yet again, and the cloud moved further on the breeze to allow the sunlight to shine through again. Warmth tickled at Rainpaw's waterlogged pelt, prompting him to open his gaze to the vivid colors around him left in the wake of the cleansing rain.

Today was truly beautiful.