Rainfur (SkC)

"It was my decision. Now I'll always be part of a Clan, and have a place among the stars. The warrior code is worth dying for."

— Rainfur after his death in Firestar's Quest, page 498

Rainfur (SkC)
The pixel artwork is fanart based on the canon description; undefined traits are left to the artist's interpretation.
Affiliations
Current:	StarClan
Past:	SkyClan, Rogue, SkyClan Ancestor
Biographical information
Cause of death:	Killed by rats
Names
Name:	Rainfur Rainfur Rainfur Unknown
Book appearances
Living	Firestar's Quest
Living	Firestar's Quest
Dead	Firestar's Quest, SkyClan's Destiny
Dead	Firestar's Quest, SkyClan's Destiny

Rainfur is a light gray tom with dark gray flecks.

History

In the Super Edition Arc

Firestar's Quest

Rainfur is a rogue who lives in a hollow oak tree beside the river, around the gorge.

Scratch and Firestar are looking for him at his den to speak with him, only to find he hadn't been there for several days. Upon their return to the gorge, Scratch spots Rainfur, and bounds ahead to greet him. He introduces him to Firestar, and tells him they had looked for him in his den. Rainfur replies that he had been downstream lately, and asks if there was a problem. Firestar begins to tell him about the lost Clan, SkyClan, that he was trying to rebuild. As he does so, he sees that Rainfur looked uncertain about joining SkyClan; he looked like a strong, proud cat who would need a good reason to give up his independence.

Firestar was almost certain he wouldn't want to attend the meeting he was going to hold to tell the local loners, rogues, and kittypets about SkyClan, but Rainfur agrees to come. He tells Firestar he wasn't sure if he liked the idea, asking what would happen to the cats who decided not to join. Firestar promises nothing would happen to them, as they didn't want to fight with any cat. Rainfur narrows his eyes, and says that this was a peaceful place, and he didn't want anything to spoil it. With that, he turns and leaves, with Scratch calling after him that they'd see him tomorrow.

On the night of the meeting, Rainfur arrives at the gorge with Leaf. Once it begins, Firestar explains the role of the Clan's warriors—they are backbone of the Clan, and must be ready to fight to defend their Clanmates, and hunt to make sure every cat was fed. Rainfur stands, and asks what the warriors got out of it. Firestar replies that they got honor, respect, the loyalty of friends, and the satisfaction of knowing they had served their Clanmates. Rainfur sits down with a nod, apparently unimpressed with Firestar's answer.

When Lichen decides not to join, Rainfur sides with her, though he is more aggressive about sharing his opinions. He says he hadn't heard anything that made him want to join SkyClan, and it just sounded like he would only be told what to do all the time; he would much rather hunt for himself, and did not need SkyClan. Firestar respects Rainfur's decision, but says that the Clan could use him. Rainfur bristles, and snaps that he didn't want to be used before leaving with Lichen. Leaf, one of the cats who decided to give the Clan a try, tells Firestar to not mind him, as he had always been a bit moody, and they might be able to persuade him to join later on.

Rainfur does not get involved with the Clan cats for a while, not causing them any problems and keeping to himself. He does not alter his decision as the Clan develops. However, one day, he comes running into SkyClan's camp, out of breath. Patchfoot tells Rainfur he had the chance to join and turned it down, and to leave before they tore his fur off. Firestar stops the warriors from attacking him, and asks Rainfur what was wrong. Patchfoot tries to say that Rainfur knew he shouldn't come here anymore, but Firestar stops him, wanting Rainfur to speak for himself. By this time, Rainfur has caught his breath, and begs SkyClan for help—not for himself, but for his mate, Petal, and her two kits.

He continues to explain that Petal was a kittypet, but her Twoleg hardly ever fed her. She used to sneak out to meet with Rainfur, and he tried to convince her to come live with him, but she was reluctant to, especially once she found out she was pregnant. She thought the Twoleg would care for her, but he only started treating her worse. She was becoming weaker and weaker, and was running out of milk to feed her kits with. Leaf, now called Leafdapple, thinks they should help, but Scratch, now Sharpclaw, thinks he's setting a trap. Rainfur asks why he would to that, and says again that his family was going to die soon. When Firestar agrees to help, he is shocked and relieved.

He leads the SkyClan patrol downstream, to where Petal was trapped. At the nest, he sees Petal through the transparent stuff that filled the gap in the wall. He runs up to her and up onto the ledge outside the hole in the wall, thrilled to see his mate, and irritating Sharpclaw. Rainfur comes back, and says that Petal wanted to come with them, but they had to get her out first. Sharpclaw and Patchfoot start to fight, noisily enough to draw the Twoleg out of the nest, while Rainfur and Leafdapple stay with Firestar. Once the Twoleg is distracted, they race inside the nest, and get Petal and her two kits out. They all make it safely back to camp, where Petal and her kits are cared for by Clovertail.

Firestar leaves Petal to find Rainfur sitting near the warriors' cave. He asks if his mate and kits were going to be okay, and Firestar assures him they would, inviting him to go see for himself. Rainfur seems to be uncomfortable about entering SkyClan dens, and awkwardly says that he would if no cat minded him. Firestar invites him to stay for as long as he wanted, and they would have done the same for any cat. Rainfur apologizes for what he said at the meeting, and says that he wanted to stay with SkyClan, at least for a little while, as Petal still wasn't strong enough to leave and the kits needed Clovertail to nurse them.

The rats that drove ancient SkyClan out of the gorge become a problem for the modern cats as well. Believing the territory was rightfully theirs, they give the cats the option of leaving, or getting killed. They are led by a certain rat who knows how to speak cat, albeit not very well, and is able to communicate with SkyClan as well as his followers. To prove how much of a threat they pose to the Clan's survival, they wait for a night with no moon, and attack the gorge. Firestar almost falls off a cliff during the attack, but Rainfur rescues him. He is present at a Clan meeting Firestar holds to address the problem, and decide how they were going to handle it. Shortwhisker frets over the rats coming to the gorge and killing all the kits, causing Rainfur to growl, that he would not let that happen. Firestar thinks that Rainfur still didn't seem to realize that he could rely on SkyClan for help.

Rainfur and Petal start joining battle training sessions, and decide to become warriors of SkyClan, to Firestar's delight, after seeing how the warrior code worked. They hold the warrior ceremony later on, and when Rainfur promises to protect and defend his Clan, even at the cost of his life, there is no doubt in his voice. Firestar does not change his name, and says that StarClan trusted him to serve his new Clan with honor and courage. He then swears Petal into her new warrior rank, renaming her Petalnose.

He joins the battle against the rats. However, the patrol is forced to retreat into a tree when they are overwhelmed by the rats. Firestar sees that Rainfur hadn't come up with them, and demands to know where he was. Sandstorm quietly tells him that Rainfur didn't make it out. Firestar is prepared to leap back down into the swarm of rats and go back inside to help Rainfur, but Sandstorm stops him, saying that Rainfur was already dead. Pain in her voice, she tells Firestar she had to choose between rescuing him or Rainfur, and she had to choose him. Firestar remembers how brave Rainfur had been, and the great future he had foreseen for him as a warrior. The SkyClan patrol is about to give up hope, but Leafdapple protests, asking if they were going to let Rainfur die for nothing, and they had to fight for what was theirs. Her words encourage the rest of the patrol to keep fighting.

They defeat the rats, and once they are driven out of the barn, they find Rainfur's body, surrounded by the dead bodies of rats, with his claws still embedded in one of their throats. Leafdapple murmurs that he died like a warrior. They carry his body back to camp, in order to sit vigil for him. Echosong goes to tell Petalnose, and a moment later, a low, grieved moan comes from the nursery. Firestar tells her that Rainfur had died bravely, and she whispers that he had died protecting what he loved most—her, his kits, and his new Clan. Firestar tries to comfort her by saying he was with his ancestors now, but Petalnose isn't used to the idea of StarClan yet, and doesn't respond.

Rainfur's vigil is a sign of how far the Clan had come since the last death in the Clan, Skywatcher; then, they had been fidgety and superstitious as they sat up, but now, they genuinely grieved for their fallen Clanmate.

During Leafstar's leader ceremony, he is seen among the ranks of SkyClan's ancestors. Firestar sees him and says he was sorry, because if he hadn't joined SkyClan, he would still be alive. Rainfur shows that he does not regret his decision, and says now he would always be part of a Clan, and have a place among the stars; the warrior code was worth dying for. He asks how Petalnose and her kits were doing, and trusts that SkyClan would look after them.

SkyClan's Destiny

Rainfur is still deeply missed by his Clanmates, and remains a very respected warrior for helping to get rid of the rats that were threatening modern SkyClan's home. Leafstar thinks that even though the memory of the rats was fading, they would never forget Rainfur and the fact that he gave his life to save what he loved; his kits, Sagepaw and Mintpaw, who are desperate to follow in his footsteps and become warriors, like he had been, his mate, Petalnose and SkyClan itself.

Sagepaw, Rainfur's son, is almost killed when he falls from a cliff, and Leafstar asks StarClan if they were really cruel enough to take away Sagepaw as well as Rainfur from Petalnose. When Sagepaw wakes up, he whispers Rainfur's name, thinking that he is in StarClan and the cat standing near him is his dead father, but Petalnose reassures him it is his living mother.

When Leafstar assembles the senior warriors to tell them that the rats have returned, Petalnose gets emotional about it, remembering how Rainfur had died. She exclaims that they had to stay as far away from the rats as possible, and Clovertail tries to comfort her. They decide to attack the rats before they can become any stronger. Mintpaw wants to be the first cat to attack a rat, because she wants to get revenge over her father's death, as does Sagepaw. Sharpclaw is also very willing to avenge Rainfur, as they were good friends when Rainfur was alive.

He appears among the ranks of StarClan, during one of Leafstar's dreams, and she also remembers him when she is thinking about how they had rescued Petalnose from her abusive Twoleg.

In the SkyClan and the Stranger Arc

Beyond the Code

Rainfur is briefly mentioned when the Clan finds out that Lichenfur has died. Sparrowpelt asks Leafstar if they could sit vigil for Lichenfur the way they did with Rainfur.

After the Flood

He does not formally appear, but is very briefly mentioned by Leafstar; when she is talking with Petalnose, Patchfoot and Fallowfern, who believe it is unsafe to stay in SkyClan's home in the gorge any longer, and think that they should leave.

Petalnose, Patchfoot and Fallowfern are unsure if it is safe to stay in SkyClan because of the flood that had struck the gorge and the rats that destroyed the original SkyClan and killed her mate. Leafstar thinks Petalnose is unsure of the rats because of Rainfur's death a few moons ago, and she could possibly still be mourning him.

In the Field Guide Arc

The Ultimate Guide

It is mentioned briefly on Echosong’s page that Echosong shared her Clanmates grief when it was too late to save Rainfur after the battle with the rats.

Trivia

Interesting Facts

• Rainfur's name being similar to a Clan cats' name is just a coincidence, due to the spots on his fur.

Mistakes

• Even though Rainfur was a member of modern SkyClan, in the allegiances of SkyClan's Destiny, he is listed as an ancient SkyClan warrior.

Character Pixels

The pixel artwork is fanart based on the canon description; undefined traits are left to the artist's interpretation. Rogue Version Warrior Version StarClan Version

Kin

Members

Mate:

Petalnose: Living (As of SkyClan and the Stranger)

Daughter:

Mintfur: Status unknown

Son:

Sagenose: Living (As of Wind)

Grandsons:

Fidgetpaw: Status unknown

Gravelpaw: Status unknown

Granddaughters:

Snipkit: Deceased, verified StarClan member

Curlypaw: Living (As of Hawkwing's Journey)

Palepaw: Status unknown

Nectarpaw: Status unknown

Fringepaw: Status unknown

Tree

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Waspwhisker ♂

Fallowfern ♀

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Sandynose ♂

Plumwillow ♀

Bellaleaf ♀

Rabbitleap ♂

Creekfeather ♂

Nettlesplash ♂

Mintfur ♀

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Reedclaw ♀

Finleap ♂

Dewspring ♂

Wrenflight ♀

Two kits

Nectarsong ♀

Gravelnose ♂

Palesky ♀

Fringewhisker ♀

Spireclaw ♂

Turtlecrawl ♀

Kitescratch ♂

Beepaw ♀

Beetlepaw ♂

    = Tom

    = She-cat

    = Gender unknown

Quotes

"As Firestar launched into his story again he was aware that Rainfur was looking doubtful. He seemed like a strong, proud cat who would need a good reason before he gave up his independence."

―Narration ^{Firestar's Quest}

"I haven't heard anything that makes me want to join. [...] All I see is other cats will be telling me what to do all the time."

―Rainfur about Clan life ^{Firestar's Quest}

Rainfur: "We've talked things over this morning. We've decided that we want to become members of SkyClan--if you will have us, that is."

Firestar: "That's great news!"

^{Firestar's Quest}

"He was a brave cat. I'm honored to have known him."

―Firestar to Petalnose ^{Firestar's Quest}

"[Rainfur] would always be remembered as the first warrior to give his life for the newly restored SkyClan."

―Leafstar thinking about Rainfur ^{SkyClan's Destiny}