Post by Willowishness on May 9, 2008 16:55:35 GMT -5
This is my retarded story about TigerStar. I posted it on my deviantart account and now I'm posting it here. Dont laugh. I already know it's stupid so if you dont have something good to say, dont say anything at all.
~Before He Was TigerStar pt1: A TigerClaw Story
~By: WillowGrace
ALLEGIANCES of ThunderClan~~
Leader: SunStar-Golden tom with fiery green eyes
Deputy: BlueFur-Blue gray she-cat with intense blue eyes; sister of SnowFur
Med Cat: FeatherWhisker-Long furred gray tom with amber eyes; brother of SunStar
Warriors~
BrightEye-Pale gray she-cat; later known as One-Eye
NorthWind-Brown and chocolate tabby tom with cold blue eyes
MilkSpots-Gray tom with cream spots
PinkNose-Pale gray she-cat with a bright pink nose
HalfTail-Big dark brown tabby tom with half of his tail missing
OrangeStripe-Ginger and white tom with an orange stripe around his neck
SmallEar-Gray tom with very small ears
RoseTail-Red brown tabby she-cat with a bright ginger tail; sister of SmallEar
PatchPelt-Small black and white tom
DappleTail-Pretty tortoiseshell she-cat with a lovely dappled coat
ThistleClaw-Big pale brown tom with yellow eyes; oldest son of TawnySpots
Apprentices~
FawnPaw-Brown she-cat with white speckles and green eyes; apprentice of RoseTail
Queens~
SpeckleTail-Pale tabby; youngest nursery queen; mother of SmallEar's kits: RunningKit and MouseKit
SnowFur-Pretty white she-cat; mother of PatchPelt's kits: WhiteKit and GoldenKit
GingerWing-Light golden she-cat; mother of TawnySpot's kits: TigerKit, LionKit, and RedKit
IceClaws-White she-cat with gray paws and black claws; mother of NorthWind's kits: FrostKit and BrindleKit
Elders~
TawnySpots-Black and brown spotted tom; x-deputy of ThunderClan
RainNose-Dark gray tom with a blue-black nose
TinyWhisker-Small tabby tom with extremely short whiskers
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
TigerKit struggled in GingerWing's grasp. He could give himself a bath, for StarClan's sake!
"Oh look," He meowed, finding an excuse to get free,
"RedKit's got a patch of mud on his shoulder. Dont you want to clean HIM now?" The moment GingerWing purred in agreement and let him go, he darted over to LionKit, panting.
"I still cant believe we're going to be apprentices!" LionKit's green eyes were shining with excitement.
TigerKit nodded,
"They could use some more apprentices. Ever since the green cough epidemic killed BlackPaw and ShrewPaw, FawnPaw has been on her own..." He looked over at FawnPaw, who was carrying a bundle of soiled moss from the elder's den to the camp exit in her jaws.
"I wont mind caring for the elders if I have HER to work with me every day!" No cat could deny that FawnPaw was pretty, with her soft solid brown fur, pretty white dapples, and sparkling spring green eyes...
TigerKit found himself sighing as he watched her.
LionKit nodded,
"And she'll need someone to cheer her up since her brothers died." They exchanged competitive looks.
"I pointed out how pretty she was first!" TigerKit complained, deciding to use his mother as a weapon in their argument,
"MOOOMMMM! LionKit's going to steal my future mate!" The dark tabby kit staggered over to GingerWing, looking like he was about to die of sadness.
"Actually, it was ME who pointed her out first," RedKit had escaped the bath and was grinning at his two brothers.
"Whatever. We'll see who she picks in the end." TigerKit glared at his brothers, then gave LionPaw a playful nip as he ran out side into the sun that shone through the trees to shine on the clearing that was ThunderClan's camp.
TigerKit stopped when he nearly ran into BlueFur, the new deputy who had taken over after TawnySpots, the father of LionKit, TigerKit, and RedKit as well as the previous deputy of ThunderClan, retired.
"Ready for your ceremonies?" BlueFur asked,
"SunStar is waiting.” She didn’t wait for a reply,
“Follow me."
RedKit and LionKit ran out of the den after TigerKit.
"Look, SunStar is calling the meeting!" The three kits bundled up the High Rock after BlueFur.
"By naming new apprentices, we show that our clan has the power to bounce back, even after sickness and icy leaf-bares ravish us like they have," SunStar was saying,
"TigerKit, LionKit, and RedKit, would all of you please step forward?"
The kits stepped forward, their eyes glowing with overflowing excitement.
"From now on, TigerKit, you will be known as TigerPaw. Your mentor will be ThistleClaw. ThistleClaw, I expect you to pass all of your experience and ambition on to your new apprentice."
TigerPaw turned to look at his new mentor with eyes full of awe. ThistleClaw was the best mentor TigerPaw could have wished for other than SunStar or BlueFur themselves! He hurriedly touched noses to his new mentor, then turned to his brothers in time to realize that RedPaw's mentor was MilkSpots and LionPaw's mentor was SunStar. TigerPaw felt a pinch of jealousy that LionPaw was being mentored by SunStar, but ignored it. He had been called first of all his siblings; that had to count for something!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Later in the Apprentices' Den~~~~~~
FawnPaw was showing the three new apprentices how to make their nests.
"And we can go looking for moss to line your nest later when your mentors give you a break from training," She was saying as TigerPaw made his nest less than three mouse lengths away from her's.
"TigerPaw, get ready to go on border patrol at dawn," ThistleClaw poked his head into the den.
"I need to show you the borders. RedPaw, LionPaw, you two will be learning basic battle moves with SunStar at sun high. Rest up." With that, he was gone.
TigerPaw's jaw dropped. How. Completely. Unfair. Why did RedPaw and LionPaw get to try out battle moves with SUNSTAR while TigerPaw was going to be bored learning the borders?
RedPaw and LionPaw were gazing at each other with looks of wonder.
"AWESOME!" RedPaw meowed. LionPaw squeaked like a kit and lept into the air.
"ThistleClaw?" FawnPaw called after TigerPaw's mentor.
"Can I go with TigerPaw on the dawn patrol?"
There was a series of meows from ThistleClaw that TigerPaw couldnt hear because he was too busy staring at FawnPaw.
"Cool. So we're going on dawn patrol tomorrow morning, TigerPaw!" FawnPaw purred practically bouncing with excitement. When she saw the look on TigerPaw's face, she shrugged.
"I want to be around some other apprentices. I've spent most of my apprenticeship alone, you know?" FawnPaw began to look distressed, so TigerPaw changed the subject.
"So dawn patrol… what part of the forest do we cover?..."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~One Moon Later~~~~~~~~
ThistleClaw was standing outside the apprentices' den, announcing which of the apprentices would go to the gathering. He was going on and on about how they needed to look strong in front of the other clans so that the other clans wouldnt think they were weak because of the sickness that had recently ravaged the camp.
"So all of you will be coming to the gathering."
The four apprentices beamed at each other.
ThistleClaw walked off; BlueFur had asked him to tell two lucky cats that they would mentor WhiteKit and GoldenKit, SnowFur's children...
"This is our first gathering," LionPaw meowed the obvious to his brothers.
"I wonder if ShadowClan really is as evil as the elders say..." RedPaw wondered out loud.
"They just like to make it seem that way," FawnPaw meowed, reminding the other apprentices that she'd been to three gatherings already and this would be her fourth. It couldnt be long till she had her warrior ceremony...
"They're really quite friendly."
"Oh." TigerPaw felt somewhat disappointed. ShadowClan werent evil? They were... FRIENDLY? He frowned.
"The one you have to watch out for is HareStar, WindClan's leader. He's horrible!" FawnPaw's voice became a whisper,
"He's got the strongest clan right now because WindClan never got sick like ThunderClan, ShadowClan, and RiverClan did. He keeps threatening to attack us!"
"Is that why we're all coming to the gathering?" TigerPaw asked.
"Yes," FawnPaw meowed, breaking the anxious huddle they'd formed to join the cats that were gathering at the camp's entrance to go to the gathering.
The brothers exchanged glances, then followed FawnPaw.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~At the Gathering~~~~~~~~~
"If WindClan tries anything, I'll tie their tails in a knot and-"
"SHH! They'll hear you." RedPaw interupted TigerPaw's threat.
"Smells like all the other clans are here already." LionPaw meowed and FawnPaw nodded in agreement.
The four trotted down together.
"I dont see WindClan yet," TigerPaw meowed,
"But I can smell them. They must be close."
He turned to FawnPaw and was surprised to see that she'd been watching him.
"FawnPaw?"
"Yes, TigerPaw?"
He saw her blush under her fur at being caught staring. She giggled.
"Do I have some moss in my fur or something?" He asked, wondering why she'd laughed.
"No, TigerPaw." FawnPaw flicked his nose with her white tail tip and went on ahead of them to greet a RiverClan friend. TigerPaw felt clueless all of a sudden. If only he had a sister to explain to him the way of girls...
He caught RedPaw glaring jealously at him.
"I guess she likes you," RedPaw managed, looking frustrated that FawnPaw hadnt been looking at him the way she had TigerPaw.
"I guess she does," TigerPaw marveled after the she-cat.
When SunStar joined AngelStar of ShadowClan and TwigStar of RiverClan on the rock, WindClan cats exploded out of the bushes all at once, as if they'd been waiting there all along. But rather than peaceably joining the cats for the gathering, the WindClan warriors lept at them, claws unsheathed, yowling out challenges.
TigerPaw jumped up in alarm.
"Is this normal?" He asked, voice shrill.
"What do you think?" RedPaw spat. He was already fighting with a gray WindClan she-cat named AshPaw.
TigerPaw suddenly remembered hearing something that he hadnt been supposed to hear. His mother, GingerWing, speaking with his father, TawnySpots, the old deputy who had retired.
SunStar had only one life left! TigerPaw whipped around to stare in horror as the world went into slow motion and a pale gray cat who could only be HareStar sped up to the Great Rock and tackled SunStar off it.
To be continued...
~Before He Was TigerStar pt2: A TigerClaw Story
~By: WillowGrace
ALLEGIANCES of ThunderClan~~
Leader: SunStar-Golden tom with fiery green eyes
Deputy: BlueFur-Blue gray she-cat with intense blue eyes; sister of SnowFur
Med Cat: FeatherWhisker-Long furred gray tom with amber eyes; brother of SunStar
Warriors~
BrightEye-Pale gray she-cat; later known as One-Eye
NorthWind-Brown and chocolate tabby tom
MilkSpots-Gray tom with cream spots
PinkNose-Pale gray she-cat with exceptionally pink nose
HalfTail-Big dark brown tabby tom with half of his tail missing
OrangeStripe-Ginger and white tom with an orange stripe around his neck
SmallEar-Gray tom with very small ears
PatchPelt-Small black and white tom
DappleTail-Pretty tortoiseshell she-cat with a lovely dappled coat
ThistleClaw-Big pale brown tom with yellow eyes
GingerWing-Light golden she-cat
Apprentices~
FawnPaw-Brown she-cat with white speckles and green eyes; apprentice of RoseTail
TigerPaw-Dark tabby tom with amber eyes; apprentice of ThistleClaw
RedPaw-Tortoiseshell tom with a red tail; apprentice of MilkSpots
LionPaw-Golden tom with caramel eyes; apprentice of SunStar
Queens~
SpeckleTail-Pale tabby; youngest nursery queen; mother of SmallEar's kits: RunningKit and MouseKit
SnowFur-Pretty white she-cat; mother of PatchPelt's kits: WhiteKit and GoldenKit
IceClaws-White she-cat with gray paws and black claws; mother of NorthWind's kits: FrostKit and BrindleKit
RoseTail-Red brown tabby she-cat with a bright ginger tail; mother of ThistleClaw’s unborn kits
Elders~
TawnySpots-Black and brown spotted tom; x-deputy of ThunderClan
RainNose-Dark gray tom
TinyWhisker-Small tabby tom with extremely short whiskers
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Continued From Part 1~~~~~~~~
TigerPaw’s heart pounded as HareStar, the traitorous WindClan leader, tackled SunStar off the Great Rock. A snarl building in his throat, he prepared to race to his leader’s aid when he heard a cry for help.
He looked over to see FawnPaw being torn apart, practically, by a big black WindClan tom.
He felt his heart threaten to divide itself. Who to help? All of the ThunderClan warriors around him were busy fighting the huge number of WindClan cats that filled the clearing.
He decided that loyalty to his leader had to be first. Taking the Great Rock in one jump, he landed on the shoulders of HareStar, who, TigerPaw noticed, had been about to claw SunStar’s throat. SunStar struggled up, panting, and HareStar staggered away, surprised by the sudden attack.
“TigerPaw…?” SunStar sunk to the floor slowly, as if he had no strength. The apprentice noticed deep claw marks on SunStar’s back that were gushing blood.
“FEATHERWHISKER!!” TigerPaw screamed, panicked. FeatherWhisker was the ThunderClan medicine cat who was also SunStar’s brother.
But SunStar’s breathing was becoming more normal by the minute. TigerPaw guessed that he would be okay and helped him into the brambles to hide before running off to find FawnPaw.
“FawnPaw?” She wasn’t in the spot he’d last seen her. He stared around: HareStar was fighting ThistleClaw, RedPaw and LionPaw were double teaming a fierce looking WindClan warrior… Then he caught a glimpse of the brown and white speckled fur he needed to see.
He turned to run towards her, but a cat got in the way. It was a young warrior, slightly bigger than TigerPaw, but small enough for them to have an even fight. The warrior rushed TigerPaw but TigerPaw dodged, desperate to get to FawnPaw before something bad happened.
He raced over to FawnPaw and stared down at her, hardly able to believe his eyes. Yes, the fur was her’s, but he wouldn’t have been able to recognize her otherwise. There were claw marks across her face from the cats she’d been fighting, though her eyes were still unharmed, but she would be scarred for life, if she lived at all.
But the thing that had taken his breath away was the blood flowing freely from the gashes across her chest and belly.
She was worse off than SunStar had been.
So, TigerPaw thought bitterly, This is what happens when I put my clan first.
Taking hold of her scruff, he pulled her into the bushes with SunStar. He discovered BlueFur was there with SunStar, listening as he whispered into her ears. She nodded, looking frazzled.
“But SunStar, I’m not ready to lead this clan yet…” BlueFur meowed, tears welling up in her sad blue eyes.
TigerPaw shivered, Was SunStar dying? He couldn’t be… As far as TigerPaw could tell, SunStar was okay… aside from his shoulder wound. He wasn’t dying... was he?
He was very relieved by the next words SunStar said.
“You wont have to lead this clan yet, BlueFur. As long as FeatherWhisker doesn’t take too long, I’m sure I’ll be quite alright. But remember what I said. I might not have a chance to tell you when the time does come that I will loose my last life.”
BlueFur sighed, as if a burden had been lifted from her.
“Go find FeatherWhisker,” She meowed faintly to TigerPaw.
“Yes, BlueFur,” TigerPaw mewed instantly, running back to the scene of the fight. Most of the WindClan cats were beginning to run off. RiverClan, ShadowClan, and ThunderClan had won, but barely.
He glimpsed BrightEye with blood trickling from one of her eyes which had been clawed out. He also saw RedPaw’s mentor MilkSpots lying still on the ground with blood trickling from his neck.
“FeatherWhisker?” He saw the long furred silver tom crouching over a young ShadowClan apprentice that was shivering uncontrollably and almost completely covered in blood so that his fur color was undeterminable.
“SunStar needs you.” He led FeatherWhisker to the bushes where their leader was. Many of the wounded cats were gathering there, BrightEye amongst them. TigerPaw glanced back across the clearing; MilkSpots was still not moving…
LionPaw came running towards FeatherWhisker best as he could hopping on three legs with one up in the air, covered in cobwebs.
“I got the cobwebs you wanted, FeatherWhisker,” LionPaw transferred the cobwebs to FeatherWhisker’s paw and the gray tom began to treat SunStar.
TigerPaw looked over FawnPaw’s way. She was barely breathing anymore. He shoved his paw into a cobweb a spider had spun in a branch of a bush nearby and began to treat FawnPaw himself, covering her wounds in webbing. He thought he heard a weak mew of thanks come from the she-cat, but he couldn’t be sure…
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Back At Camp~~~~~~~~
TigerPaw rested outside the apprentices’ den, completely exhausted. Nearly every cat in the clan had been wounded. WindClan had sent a small raid party to every clan camp during the gathering and there had been a bloody fight back at camp as well.
MilkSpots, who was dead, was lying in the middle of the clearing. RedPaw, beside TigerPaw, was staring glumly at his dead mentor.
“It’s not fair.”
“Life’s not fair,” TigerPaw retorted harshly, getting up and leaving his brother alone to mope. He ducked his head to go into the medicine den, which was full of the cats with the worst injuries. Among them were BrightEye(whose once bright eye would never see again), FawnPaw(who was on the brink of death), PinkNose(who hadn’t woken since the battle), SunStar(who was recovering slowly), and PatchPelt(who had somehow managed to cut all of his paw pads and couldnt walk). ThistleClaw was arguing with FeatherWhisker, who didn’t think he was ready to go back to clan duties yet, though ThistleClaw knew the clan needed him and wanted to leave the medicine den already.
TigerPaw went over to FawnPaw and looked down at her barely moving form.
“FeatherWhisker, isn’t there anything else you can do for her?” He asked, curling up beside his wounded friend.
“Not unless you can get some of your friends to gather more cobwebs and arnica bark. And maybe ash tree seeds, too. And juniper berries, if you can find any at this time of year.” He looked at TigerPaw expectantly.
TigerPaw jumped up and left the den,
“LionPaw, RedPaw,” He meowed skidding to a halt by his brothers, who were doing nothing to help the clan by lying outside the apprentices’ den.
“FeatherWhisker wants us to find cobwebs, arnica bark, ash tree seeds and juniper berries!” His siblings scrambled to their paws, ready to help, exhaustion forgotten.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Five Hours Later~~~~~~~~~~
Jaws laden with herbs, the three apprentices returned to camp.
“FeatherWhisker?” TigerPaw mumbled around the herbs. Most of the clan was gathered around the body of MilkSpots and now PinkNose, who had probably died of her wounds while they had been away.
TigerPaw’s breath caught in his throat. PinkNose was so young! She was SpeckleTail’s sister; the pair were the youngest warriors/queens in camp, only just two moons older than FawnPaw.
“We should get these to FeatherWhisker,” LionPaw’s muffled mew was barely audible.
TigerPaw nodded and the three entered FeatherWhisker’s den. The silvery tom was staring at the ceiling of the den, not moving, hardly breathing.
“SunStar…” He whispered, walking with dreamy steps over to his leader and brother.
“I’ve just had a vision!” He didn’t seem aware of the three apprentices’ presence.
“When both of us are gone, a great evil will fall upon the entire forest. The leader of TigerClan will rule with thorn sharp claws… Only Fire Can Save the Clan!” FeatherWhisker looked wild with wonder and worry.
“It wont happen in our lifetimes, though?” SunStar asked, sitting up to look his brother in the eyes with a much calmer manor.
“No,” FeatherWhisker answered, recalling his vision.
“Then we shouldn’t worry about it. Try to get a vision about something that’s happening now. Something that will keep us safe from WindClan until we’re strong enough to fight again!” SunStar laid back down, disappointed that his brother hadn’t seen something that could help them out of the predicament they were in now.
“FeatherWhisker, come quick!” NorthWinds came running into FeatherWhisker’s den scattering the eavesdropping apprentices as he did so. He was panting hard,
“I was on patrol with SnowFur and HalfTail when we saw some ShadowClan cats on our territory,” He explained as quickly as possible,
“We started to chase them off, but SnowFur ran over the thunder path and a monster-…” NorthWinds’ eyes were dull,
“A monster… hit… her…”
The five cats dashed out of the medicine den to see HalfTail dragging SnowFur’s broken body over the ground into the center of camp. But it was too late, TigerPaw could already see: her eyes were glazed over and her head lolled. A cat couldn’t survive with a broken neck.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~One Moon Later~~~~~~~~~~~
TigerPaw sat in the medicine den beside FawnPaw, who was one of the two cats still kept in the medicine den because of their wounds. PatchPelt was still there because his paws were still cut and in danger of infection if he walked around too much, though he was jumping to get back to his duties.
FawnPaw, however, unlike PatchPelt, was still on the brink of death. She radiated heat from her fever and her deep stomach wounds that still hadn’t scabbed over were infected. FeatherWhisker was constantly making poultices to try to save her life. He was always worrying when she was asleep, like she was now, because she might never wake up…
“All cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the high rock for a clan meeting!” At the familiar calling, TigerPaw left FawnPaw and FeatherWhisker to join his brothers beneath SunStar and the high rock.
“We have several ceremonies that have been delayed because of WindClan’s attack.” Several cats muttered disapprovingly as SunStar said that. Every cat was still distrustful of WindClan, though they were friendly again and acted as if nothing had happened at the most recent gathering that had taken place after the attacks.
“BrightEye, please come forward.” TigerPaw watched the half blind she-cat find her way to the high rock.
“Your name no longer suits you. I, with the power of StarClan, take from you your name and appoint you with a new one. From now on you will be known as One-Eye.” TigerPaw felt a bit sorry for the queen.
“RedPaw, you are in need of a new mentor, since MilkSpots died. Your mentor will be SmallEar.” RedPaw and SmallEar touched noses.
“WhiteKit and GoldenKit, please come forward!” SunStar continued.
TigerPaw looked over at the pair of kits. Both their eyes were dull and sad. He couldn’t blame them for not being able to summon excitement for their apprentice ceremony; their mother SnowFur had only just recently died. BlueFur was also looking particularly sad as she gazed at her sister’s two kits. She and SnowFur had been closer than most littermates…
“WhiteKit, you will be known as WhitePaw. Your mentor will be NorthWinds. NorthWinds, I expect you to pass on your good judgment and fairness to this apprentice. GoldenKit, you will be known as GoldenPaw. Your mentor will be DappleTail. DappleTail, I expect you to pass on your gentle but fierce nature to this apprentice.” Two new apprentices stepped up to touch noses to two new mentors.
TigerPaw joined the clan in calling out their names. GoldenPaw and WhitePaw stepped over to join RedPaw, LionPaw, and TigerPaw.
“It’s a good thing we have so many kits and apprentices. The clan needs new warriors,” TigerPaw couldn’t help overhearing SmallEar, a black and white warrior, saying.
It was true. The clan was painfully short of cats. Many of the clan’s warriors had been killed in the fight with WindClan and the many scrimmages with RiverClan over the sunning rocks and over the random invasions from ShadowClan…
TigerPaw found himself showing GoldenPaw and WhitePaw how to make their nests, as FawnPaw had shown him on his first day.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~FawnPaw’s Death~~~~~~~~~~
TigerPaw was sitting with FawnPaw again, who had managed to feebly limp out of the medicine den for the first time in two moons and lie in the last rays of the setting sun. He spent nearly all of his extra time with her and had finally managed to coax her out of the medicine den to get some fresh air.
“TigerPaw?” FawnPaw hardly sounded like her old self. She was a step away from whispering because she didn’t have the strength to say things loudly.
“Yes, FawnPaw?” TigerPaw asked, looking over at her.
“I don’t…” She struggled to say what she had on her mind, then just blurted it out,
“I cant keep this up, TigerPaw. I don’t have the strength…”
TigerPaw stared. What was she saying?
“What I mean is…” FawnPaw went on in a whisper when TigerPaw didn’t say anything,
“I don’t think I’ll be around for much longer and I…” She looked over at him too, scanning his amber eyes.
“I would have loved to get to know you better and maybe even… been more than friends…” FawnPaw rested her head on her front paws, tired out with the effort of talking.
TigerPaw continued to gaze at her with anguish in his eyes. And he could have saved her, back at the battle, if he hadn’t put SunStar first; if he hadn’t put his leader first.
“FawnPaw, I would like to know you better too.” Was all he could say. Emotion choked him. He shoved it away.
“And don’t talk like that. You’ll be okay… just keep your strength up and you’ll be better before you know it.” He tried to put force and belief into his words, so that she would believe it too. But he didn’t even know if she had heard him. She didn’t respond.
FawnPaw died three days later of her infected wounds.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~FawnPaw’s Vigil~~~~~~~~
TigerPaw pressed his nose into the light brown and white speckled fur he knew he’d never see again after this night except for in his dreams.
Why? Why did StarClan see it fit to take away so many ThunderClan cats? FeatherWhisker had said that StarClan weren’t the ones who decided; it was the cats on Earth that did, who had their own fates in their own paws.
You could have saved her if you wanted to, TigerPaw mentally growled at any StarClan cats that were listening.
He stayed there till dawn, when the elders: TawnySpots, RainNose, and TinyWhisker, gently picked her up and carried her away.
“TigerPaw, there will be other she-cats.” TigerPaw looked over his shoulder to see RedPaw, who was looking tired-eyed too, by the death of FawnPaw.
“None like her.” TigerPaw meowed with a faint sigh.
“She was StarClan sent…”
“It’s like they want her all to themselves! Stupid StarClan toms…” LionPaw was grouching.
“They always kill the pretty ones just so they can have them up there with them.”
ThistleClaw called TigerPaw over to the camp entrance. He and WhitePaw were supposed to go on a patrol over by sunning rocks with ThistleClaw, BlueFur, and NorthWind…
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~On Patrol~~~~~~~~~~~~
TigerPaw inhaled carefully, letting the brown, white, and blue pelts of his four companions weave ahead of him through the trees. Patrols were great for forgetting sadness and pain. He was glad ThistleClaw had chosen to bring him out on this one.
“Try and keep up, TigerPaw!” WhitePaw laughed, still carefree and innocent as a nursery kit, despite his mother’s recent death.
“RiverClan came by not too long ago,” TigerPaw noted the fresh scent that rolled at him from across the Sunning Rocks. In three bounds he caught up with little WhitePaw and was running with the warriors again. They paused on the rocks, enjoying the sunshine for a bit. It wouldnt be around for much longer, seeing as it was already getting to be Leaf-Fall.
“BlueFur,” Snarled a low voice. All five ThunderClan cats jumped in surprise and turned to see TwigStar, the RiverClan leader, leaping the river onto Sunning Rocks with six RiverClan cats behind him: OakHeart the deputy, BrushTail, LimpFoot, SnakeHeart, SnaggleFang, and LeopardPaw.
“We were just coming to mark Sunning Rocks as ours again. Would you do us a favor and move over to your side of the new border?”
TigerPaw quickly realized that there would be a fight and that the ThunderClan cats were out numbered.
“Go get help!” He whispered into WhitePaw’s ear. WhitePaw took off silently. None of the RiverClan cats had seen WhitePaw yet and wouldn’t know he’d gone off to get help.
TigerPaw locked eyes with SnaggleFang, feeling rage build inside him. All he had to do was pretend the young warrior was the cat that had killed FawnPaw and he knew he would win.
“Is it a fight you’ve come for, TwigStar?” BlueStar was speaking to TwigStar but her eyes were locked on OakHeart. Her voice was cool, but anger reverberated throughout it.
“If that’s what the new border calls for, then yes.” TwigStar flicked his tail and his six cats jumped at the four ThunderClan cats.
TigerPaw was surprised at how easily he dispatched SnaggleFang. His long claws were just made for battle! Yelping and sporting a deep claw mark on his neck, SnaggleFang dashed into the bushes on the RiverClan side of the river.
ThistleClaw was fighting OakHeart and BlueFur was fighting TwigStar. NorthWinds was trying to fight both BrushTail and LimpFoot. TigerPaw looked around. Where were SnakeHeart and LeopardPaw? There! He looked up just in time to see LeopardPaw pounce ThistleClaw from behind and land a powerful bite to his neck. TigerPaw stiffened as his mentor crumpled.
A yowl of fury building in his throat, TigerPaw attacked her, ripping and tearing at her fur with his claws, which were red with blood.
LeopardPaw’s growls were becoming whimpers.
TigerPaw was just about to deal one to her neck and kill her when BlueFur dragged him off of the other apprentice, who ran after SnaggleFang into the bushes.
“We are not trying to kill them! We are only trying to drive them off our land!” She hissed into his ear before returning to her fight with TwigStar.
TigerPaw felt shame and anger scorch his fur. He turned it into strength as he engaged SnakeHeart just as the ThunderClan back up came out of the bushes, finishing the fight and sending RiverClan running.
TigerPaw padded over to his mentor, feeling as if everything had become slow motion. Was ThistleClaw dead?...
To be continued…
~Before He Was TigerStar pt3: A TigerClaw Story
~By: WillowGrace
ALLEGIANCES of ThunderClan~~
Leader: SunStar-Golden tom with fiery green eyes
Deputy: BlueFur-Blue gray she-cat with intense blue eyes
Med Cat: FeatherWhisker-Long furred gray tom with amber eyes; brother of SunStar
Warriors~
One-Eye-Pale gray she-cat that’s missing one eye
NorthWind-Brown and chocolate tabby tom
HalfTail-Big dark brown tabby tom with half of his tail missing
OrangeStripe-Ginger and white tom with an orange stripe around his neck
SmallEar-Gray tom with very small ears
PatchPelt-Small black and white tom
DappleTail-Pretty tortoiseshell she-cat with a lovely dappled coat
ThistleClaw-Big pale brown tom with yellow eyes
GingerWing-Light golden she-cat
Apprentices~
TigerPaw-Dark tabby tom with amber eyes; apprentice of ThistleClaw
RedPaw-Tortoiseshell tom with a red tail; apprentice of SmallEar
LionPaw-Golden tom with caramel eyes; apprentice of SunStar
WhitePaw-White tom with blue eyes; apprentice of NorthWinds
GoldenPaw-Pale gold she-cat with light green eyes; apprentice of DappleTail
Queens~
RoseTail-Red brown tabby she-cat with a bright ginger tail; mother of ThistleClaw’s unborn kits
SpeckleTail-Pale tabby; youngest nursery queen; mother of SmallEar's kits: RunningKit and MouseKit
IceClaws-White she-cat with gray paws and black claws; mother of NorthWind's kits: FrostKit and BrindleKit
Elders~
TawnySpots-Black and brown spotted tom; x-deputy of ThunderClan
RainNose-Dark gray tom
TinyWhisker-Small tabby tom with extremely short whiskers
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Continued From Part 2~~~~~~~~
TigerPaw stared down at his mentor in dismay. BlueFur and the rest of the patrol and reinforcements were driving the last of the RiverClan cats off their territory. Only TigerPaw stood beside ThistleClaw.
“TigerPaw?” ThistleClaw coughed, blood streaming from his neck.
“Yes, ThistleClaw?” TigerPaw felt desperation rise. What he was about to hear were likely his mentor’s last words.
“I want you to…” ThistleClaw struggled to look up into TigerPaw’s amber eyes as he spoke his wish. His voice became strong as he whispered into TigerPaw’s ears.
“Get me some darn cobwebs and quit staring before I die of old age.”
TigerPaw chuckled nervously and dashed into the nearest bush for a paw full of cobwebs.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Back At Camp~~~~~~~~~~~~~
TigerPaw wasn’t worried anymore. FeatherWhisker had repeated to him over and over that ThistleClaw would be okay and he’d finally convinced TigerPaw. The only thing wrong with ThistleClaw now was a horribly wrenched shoulder, which would heal in a few moons time.
“RedPaw? LionPaw? Do you guys want to go hunting??” TigerPaw called to his brothers, who were boredly listening to an elder’s story with WhitePaw and GoldenPaw that they’d already heard multiple times about how SunStar had won the sunning rocks from TwigStar and RiverClan.
RedPaw glanced TigerPaw’s way.
“Are you sure you have time for us, TigerPaw?” He waited for half a second for a reply before meowing loudly,
“Oh yes, that’s right. FawnPaw is dead now, so you’ll probably have time to hunt with the second most important cats in your life.”
TigerPaw was taken aback by RedPaw’s sarcastic tone and hurtful comment. True, he had given up all of his time recently to be with FawnPaw for the last two moons of her life, but why did RedPaw have to be so bitter about it?
LionPaw didn’t defend TigerPaw either,
“Know what, RedPaw?” The golden apprentice meowed,
“I think I heard ThistleClaw say he wanted TigerPaw to clean the elder’s den today. We should probably go hunting without him, don’t you think? It would be the responsible thing to do, considering the fact that out mentors told us we’re both going on a solo hunting mission in a few hours. We wouldn’t want to ruin our mentors’ good moods by dragging TigerPaw out of camp against his mentor’s will.”
TigerPaw’s ears twitched as he patiently waited for his brothers to crack up and tell him they were only joking and that they didn’t mean what they said. They both merely stared at him with cold green eyes. Then RedPaw wheeled around and stalked towards the camp entrance, LionPaw on his heels. TigerPaw felt shock flood over him as he sat down hard at the apprentice’s den entrance.
“What’s wrong, TigerPaw?” GoldenPaw had come away from the story to gaze at TigerPaw with big pale green eyes.
“You look a bit sad. ThistleClaw is getting better, isn’t he?” She sounded anxious.
“Nothing’s wrong! ThistleClaw is fine!” TigerPaw snapped, turning away from her, ignoring the surprise on her face.
“Leave me alone!!”
“Okay. Gosh… no need to be so mean about it…” GoldenPaw’s tail drooped and her whiskers went stiff with anger as she left his side to watch BrindleKit and FrostKit, the 5-moon-old kits of IceClaws, play outside the nursery with RunningKit and MouseKit, the younger kits of SpeckleTail, who were out of the nursery for the first time.
TigerPaw growled to himself, angry for scaring away a new possible friend. If LionPaw and RedPaw were going to be ignoring him, he may as well make a new friend or two so that he wouldn’t be alone for all of his apprenticeship. His ears flicked as he saw FeatherWhisker leave the medicine den, eyes shining happily.
ThistleClaw was devouring a thrush outside the medicine den, and turned anxiously to FeatherWhisker.
“Did she kit alright?” He asked.
TigerPaw remembered that RoseTail had begun her kitting earlier today. He pricked his ears and listened harder. RoseTail was the mate of PatchPelt, but TigerPaw had heard a rumor that her latest kits had been fathered by ThistleClaw.
“Yes, she’s fine, ThistleClaw. She’s given birth to three healthy tom kits and one still born, unfortunately. She’s named the healthy ones LongKit, DarkKit, and ClawKit.” ThistleClaw looked proud and stood up, limping with his wrenched shoulder, into the medicine den to see the newborns.
TigerPaw felt joy for his mentor, but his mood was still glum. He went to the elder’s den and began raking the mossy bedding together with his super-long claws.
“TigerPaw, youngster, what in StarClan’s name are you doin’?” He looked up at TinyWhisker, an old tabby tom, and wondered what the elder was talking about.
“WhitePaw and GoldenPaw just brought us new bedding! You’re destroying my nest…” The elder complained, nosing TigerPaw out of the way to pat the bedding back down again. He shot a glare at TigerPaw, who was still confused. Hadnt RedPaw and LionPaw said that ThistleClaw wanted him to clear out the elder’s den? Then it came to him, like a blow from the powerful paws of some enemy:
ThistleClaw hadn’t said anything about clearing out the elder’s den. LionPaw and RedPaw had been lying, just to be spiteful.
TigerPaw growled in frustration, then stalked out of the elder’s den to sulk inside the apprentices’ den. With his mentor still not completely better, he didn’t have much to do except lie around camp all day…
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Later That Week~~~~~~~~~~~
BlueFur called TigerPaw over from the apprentices’ den.
“You’re going on the sunset patrol with ThistleClaw and PatchPelt.” She informed him.
TigerPaw bounded over to the two toms, who were both ignoring him to glare icily at each other. TigerPaw remembered that they both wanted RoseTail as a mate. RoseTail’s first kits: PinkNose and SpeckleTail, both were the daughters of PatchPelt. But these latest kits looked a lot more like ThistleClaw than PatchPelt…
“Let’s go,” ThistleClaw meowed, taking the lead.
“We’re going to the ShadowClan border.”
TigerPaw absent-mindedly followed the two older cats, who were keeping a fast pace, each trying to out run the other.
TigerPaw slowed at the border, letting the two older cats go on without him. His eyes narrowed as he spotted movement across the thunderpath. ShadowClan? He looked even harder and recognized BlackPaw from the latest gathering and his mentor who was also the deputy, RaggedPelt. RaggedPelt wore a furious scowl on his face as he charged along the border without even pausing to scent the air.
TigerPaw shot BlackPaw a curious look and beckoned the 8 moon old apprentice towards him with a flick of his tail.
“What’s up with RaggedPelt?”
BlackPaw’s green eyes shone uncertainty, as if he weren’t sure he was supposed to be telling a ThunderClan the answer to that question. Finally, he admitted,
“His mate, AngelStar, just had kits. They all died during the birth. And tomorrow you wont be able to call him RaggedPelt anymore. He’s going to the moonstone tonight to receive his lives…” TigerPaw grimaced. AngelStar must have lost her last life giving birth to her kits. RaggedPelt must feel terrible, TigerPaw realized. AngelStar had lost many of her lives in a sickness that had raged through ShadowClan not long ago and the medicine cat, YellowFang, had been unable to do anything for her. This birthing must have finished off the last of her nine lives.
“That sucks…” He meowed, not knowing what else to say.
“I don’t know why he doesn’t just look to the future.” BlackPaw meowed,
“I mean, he already has a son, BrokenTail.” BrokenTail was a new warrior that had been announced at the last gathering.
“No one’s sure whether BrokenTail is AngelStar’s kit or not, but RaggedPelt should pay more attention to BrokenTail, rather than dwelling on the kits that died. BrokenTail is a son that could make any father proud.”
TigerPaw meowed in agreement and noted the admiration in BlackPaw’s voice as he spoke of BrokenTail.
“Well I’ve got to catch up to RaggedPelt. See you later TigerPaw!” BlackPaw waved his tail in a friendly way to TigerPaw an set off to catch up with his mentor.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Two Moons Later~~~~~~~~~~
TigerPaw was racing along the ShadowClan border with ThistleClaw, DappleTail, and GoldenPaw. He and they were just returning from the sun high patrol along that border.
“TigerPaw, I spoke to SunStar about you, RedPaw, and LionPaw’s warrior ceremony,” ThistleClaw began when they got to camp. TigerPaw darkly thought of his two brothers, who were still refusing to speak to him and ignored him as much as they possibly could without outright refusal to patrol with TigerPaw.
“He says he wants you three to train a little longer before you become warriors, but it wont be long. It’s mostly because he doesn’t want GoldenPaw and WhitePaw to be the only apprentices. IceClaws’s kits will be six moons old soon and-“ ThistleClaw broke off as the patrol heard a wail coming from the nursery.
TigerPaw saw RoseTail stumble out of the nursery with two of her three kits behind her. LongKit and DarkKit looked scared. IceClaws and SpeckleTail, two other queens, were desperately trying to calm her down.
“ClawKit is missing!!” She panted, as if she couldn’t believe it.
“He was here just this morning. I’ve searched the whole camp!” RoseTail broke down, wailing, unable to say anymore. Fear for her lost kits was overwhelming her.
BlueFur, one of the few warriors in camp, came up to her.
“Did you smell any unusual scents around the nursery?” She asked, coldly calm.
SpeckleTail shot off to check, then returned promptly.
“Nothing.”
“Check the ravine.” BlueFur meowed next, walking out of camp with ThistleClaw, TigerPaw, DappleTail, SpeckleTail, RoseTail, and GoldenPaw behind her.
“ShadowClan.” TigerPaw suddenly smelled them.
“BlueFur! There were ShadowClan cats here!”
BlueFur sniffed the air by where TigerPaw was standing.
“ShadowClan might have stolen ClawKit.” She announced ominously.
“He must have wandered away at nap time to play in the ravine! They took my kit! My poor helpless kit…” RoseTail wailed. ThistleClaw pressed comfortingly against the despairing queen.
“We’re going to get him back!” ThistleClaw snarled.
“We should mount an attack on ShadowClan right now! We cant let them get away with this. We have to fight.”
“No. The answer to everything is not to fight.” BlueFur contradicted ThistleClaw.
“We need to find one of their borders patrols and ask them if they’ve seen the kit. They might not be responsible.”
The cats around BlueFur stared at her in shock. The blue she-cat walked back into camp without a backwards glance.
“Who agrees with that load of fox dung?” ThistleClaw snarled in a low voice, so that BlueFur wouldn’t hear.
“We have to get him back.” SpeckleTail meowed. RoseTail nodded.
“We should attack.” TigerPaw agreed; GoldenPaw beside him looked uncertain.
“I don’t care if BlueFur, our beloved deputy, doesn’t want to get him back. We can do it without her permission!” The cats nodded, beginning to look hopeful. ThistleClaw looked over the assembled cats,
“TigerPaw, SpeckleTail, DappleTail, GoldenPaw, and RoseTail, are you with me?”
The five cats nodded.
“Then we’ll go to ShadowClan right now!” ThistleClaw charged up the ravine, the other cats racing behind him. They reached the ShadowClan border and ran over the thunderpath without any trouble. But right on the other side of the thunderpath was RaggedStar, and three other ShadowClan cats, all smiling horribly at TigerPaw and the ThunderClan cats.
“So you’ve come for the kit, have you? We thought you would. I don’t know if we’re going to give him back or not. ClawKit might become a good warrior for ShadowClan one day.” RaggedStar meowed with false thoughtfulness. His brown eyes focused on the ThunderClan cats, mocking and burning with fire.
“You’ll pay for that bit of work!” ThistleClaw howled, leaping forward to engage RaggedStar in battle.
The moment he jumped forward, at least five other ShadowClan cats jumped out of the bushes and raced, yowling challenges, at the ThunderClanners.
TigerPaw's eyes widened as he realized how horribly outnumbered they were. And monsters were zooming across the thunderpath like no tomorrow, blocking off escape.
The outnumbered ThunderClan cats were fighting on enemy turf with no safe way to get back to their own territory. TigerPaw turned, accepting his fate, to fight a bristling ShadowClan warrior twice his size.
To be continued…
~Before He Was TigerStar pt1: A TigerClaw Story
~By: WillowGrace
ALLEGIANCES of ThunderClan~~
Leader: SunStar-Golden tom with fiery green eyes
Deputy: BlueFur-Blue gray she-cat with intense blue eyes; sister of SnowFur
Med Cat: FeatherWhisker-Long furred gray tom with amber eyes; brother of SunStar
Warriors~
BrightEye-Pale gray she-cat; later known as One-Eye
NorthWind-Brown and chocolate tabby tom with cold blue eyes
MilkSpots-Gray tom with cream spots
PinkNose-Pale gray she-cat with a bright pink nose
HalfTail-Big dark brown tabby tom with half of his tail missing
OrangeStripe-Ginger and white tom with an orange stripe around his neck
SmallEar-Gray tom with very small ears
RoseTail-Red brown tabby she-cat with a bright ginger tail; sister of SmallEar
PatchPelt-Small black and white tom
DappleTail-Pretty tortoiseshell she-cat with a lovely dappled coat
ThistleClaw-Big pale brown tom with yellow eyes; oldest son of TawnySpots
Apprentices~
FawnPaw-Brown she-cat with white speckles and green eyes; apprentice of RoseTail
Queens~
SpeckleTail-Pale tabby; youngest nursery queen; mother of SmallEar's kits: RunningKit and MouseKit
SnowFur-Pretty white she-cat; mother of PatchPelt's kits: WhiteKit and GoldenKit
GingerWing-Light golden she-cat; mother of TawnySpot's kits: TigerKit, LionKit, and RedKit
IceClaws-White she-cat with gray paws and black claws; mother of NorthWind's kits: FrostKit and BrindleKit
Elders~
TawnySpots-Black and brown spotted tom; x-deputy of ThunderClan
RainNose-Dark gray tom with a blue-black nose
TinyWhisker-Small tabby tom with extremely short whiskers
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
TigerKit struggled in GingerWing's grasp. He could give himself a bath, for StarClan's sake!
"Oh look," He meowed, finding an excuse to get free,
"RedKit's got a patch of mud on his shoulder. Dont you want to clean HIM now?" The moment GingerWing purred in agreement and let him go, he darted over to LionKit, panting.
"I still cant believe we're going to be apprentices!" LionKit's green eyes were shining with excitement.
TigerKit nodded,
"They could use some more apprentices. Ever since the green cough epidemic killed BlackPaw and ShrewPaw, FawnPaw has been on her own..." He looked over at FawnPaw, who was carrying a bundle of soiled moss from the elder's den to the camp exit in her jaws.
"I wont mind caring for the elders if I have HER to work with me every day!" No cat could deny that FawnPaw was pretty, with her soft solid brown fur, pretty white dapples, and sparkling spring green eyes...
TigerKit found himself sighing as he watched her.
LionKit nodded,
"And she'll need someone to cheer her up since her brothers died." They exchanged competitive looks.
"I pointed out how pretty she was first!" TigerKit complained, deciding to use his mother as a weapon in their argument,
"MOOOMMMM! LionKit's going to steal my future mate!" The dark tabby kit staggered over to GingerWing, looking like he was about to die of sadness.
"Actually, it was ME who pointed her out first," RedKit had escaped the bath and was grinning at his two brothers.
"Whatever. We'll see who she picks in the end." TigerKit glared at his brothers, then gave LionPaw a playful nip as he ran out side into the sun that shone through the trees to shine on the clearing that was ThunderClan's camp.
TigerKit stopped when he nearly ran into BlueFur, the new deputy who had taken over after TawnySpots, the father of LionKit, TigerKit, and RedKit as well as the previous deputy of ThunderClan, retired.
"Ready for your ceremonies?" BlueFur asked,
"SunStar is waiting.” She didn’t wait for a reply,
“Follow me."
RedKit and LionKit ran out of the den after TigerKit.
"Look, SunStar is calling the meeting!" The three kits bundled up the High Rock after BlueFur.
"By naming new apprentices, we show that our clan has the power to bounce back, even after sickness and icy leaf-bares ravish us like they have," SunStar was saying,
"TigerKit, LionKit, and RedKit, would all of you please step forward?"
The kits stepped forward, their eyes glowing with overflowing excitement.
"From now on, TigerKit, you will be known as TigerPaw. Your mentor will be ThistleClaw. ThistleClaw, I expect you to pass all of your experience and ambition on to your new apprentice."
TigerPaw turned to look at his new mentor with eyes full of awe. ThistleClaw was the best mentor TigerPaw could have wished for other than SunStar or BlueFur themselves! He hurriedly touched noses to his new mentor, then turned to his brothers in time to realize that RedPaw's mentor was MilkSpots and LionPaw's mentor was SunStar. TigerPaw felt a pinch of jealousy that LionPaw was being mentored by SunStar, but ignored it. He had been called first of all his siblings; that had to count for something!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Later in the Apprentices' Den~~~~~~
FawnPaw was showing the three new apprentices how to make their nests.
"And we can go looking for moss to line your nest later when your mentors give you a break from training," She was saying as TigerPaw made his nest less than three mouse lengths away from her's.
"TigerPaw, get ready to go on border patrol at dawn," ThistleClaw poked his head into the den.
"I need to show you the borders. RedPaw, LionPaw, you two will be learning basic battle moves with SunStar at sun high. Rest up." With that, he was gone.
TigerPaw's jaw dropped. How. Completely. Unfair. Why did RedPaw and LionPaw get to try out battle moves with SUNSTAR while TigerPaw was going to be bored learning the borders?
RedPaw and LionPaw were gazing at each other with looks of wonder.
"AWESOME!" RedPaw meowed. LionPaw squeaked like a kit and lept into the air.
"ThistleClaw?" FawnPaw called after TigerPaw's mentor.
"Can I go with TigerPaw on the dawn patrol?"
There was a series of meows from ThistleClaw that TigerPaw couldnt hear because he was too busy staring at FawnPaw.
"Cool. So we're going on dawn patrol tomorrow morning, TigerPaw!" FawnPaw purred practically bouncing with excitement. When she saw the look on TigerPaw's face, she shrugged.
"I want to be around some other apprentices. I've spent most of my apprenticeship alone, you know?" FawnPaw began to look distressed, so TigerPaw changed the subject.
"So dawn patrol… what part of the forest do we cover?..."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~One Moon Later~~~~~~~~
ThistleClaw was standing outside the apprentices' den, announcing which of the apprentices would go to the gathering. He was going on and on about how they needed to look strong in front of the other clans so that the other clans wouldnt think they were weak because of the sickness that had recently ravaged the camp.
"So all of you will be coming to the gathering."
The four apprentices beamed at each other.
ThistleClaw walked off; BlueFur had asked him to tell two lucky cats that they would mentor WhiteKit and GoldenKit, SnowFur's children...
"This is our first gathering," LionPaw meowed the obvious to his brothers.
"I wonder if ShadowClan really is as evil as the elders say..." RedPaw wondered out loud.
"They just like to make it seem that way," FawnPaw meowed, reminding the other apprentices that she'd been to three gatherings already and this would be her fourth. It couldnt be long till she had her warrior ceremony...
"They're really quite friendly."
"Oh." TigerPaw felt somewhat disappointed. ShadowClan werent evil? They were... FRIENDLY? He frowned.
"The one you have to watch out for is HareStar, WindClan's leader. He's horrible!" FawnPaw's voice became a whisper,
"He's got the strongest clan right now because WindClan never got sick like ThunderClan, ShadowClan, and RiverClan did. He keeps threatening to attack us!"
"Is that why we're all coming to the gathering?" TigerPaw asked.
"Yes," FawnPaw meowed, breaking the anxious huddle they'd formed to join the cats that were gathering at the camp's entrance to go to the gathering.
The brothers exchanged glances, then followed FawnPaw.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~At the Gathering~~~~~~~~~
"If WindClan tries anything, I'll tie their tails in a knot and-"
"SHH! They'll hear you." RedPaw interupted TigerPaw's threat.
"Smells like all the other clans are here already." LionPaw meowed and FawnPaw nodded in agreement.
The four trotted down together.
"I dont see WindClan yet," TigerPaw meowed,
"But I can smell them. They must be close."
He turned to FawnPaw and was surprised to see that she'd been watching him.
"FawnPaw?"
"Yes, TigerPaw?"
He saw her blush under her fur at being caught staring. She giggled.
"Do I have some moss in my fur or something?" He asked, wondering why she'd laughed.
"No, TigerPaw." FawnPaw flicked his nose with her white tail tip and went on ahead of them to greet a RiverClan friend. TigerPaw felt clueless all of a sudden. If only he had a sister to explain to him the way of girls...
He caught RedPaw glaring jealously at him.
"I guess she likes you," RedPaw managed, looking frustrated that FawnPaw hadnt been looking at him the way she had TigerPaw.
"I guess she does," TigerPaw marveled after the she-cat.
When SunStar joined AngelStar of ShadowClan and TwigStar of RiverClan on the rock, WindClan cats exploded out of the bushes all at once, as if they'd been waiting there all along. But rather than peaceably joining the cats for the gathering, the WindClan warriors lept at them, claws unsheathed, yowling out challenges.
TigerPaw jumped up in alarm.
"Is this normal?" He asked, voice shrill.
"What do you think?" RedPaw spat. He was already fighting with a gray WindClan she-cat named AshPaw.
TigerPaw suddenly remembered hearing something that he hadnt been supposed to hear. His mother, GingerWing, speaking with his father, TawnySpots, the old deputy who had retired.
SunStar had only one life left! TigerPaw whipped around to stare in horror as the world went into slow motion and a pale gray cat who could only be HareStar sped up to the Great Rock and tackled SunStar off it.
To be continued...
~Before He Was TigerStar pt2: A TigerClaw Story
~By: WillowGrace
ALLEGIANCES of ThunderClan~~
Leader: SunStar-Golden tom with fiery green eyes
Deputy: BlueFur-Blue gray she-cat with intense blue eyes; sister of SnowFur
Med Cat: FeatherWhisker-Long furred gray tom with amber eyes; brother of SunStar
Warriors~
BrightEye-Pale gray she-cat; later known as One-Eye
NorthWind-Brown and chocolate tabby tom
MilkSpots-Gray tom with cream spots
PinkNose-Pale gray she-cat with exceptionally pink nose
HalfTail-Big dark brown tabby tom with half of his tail missing
OrangeStripe-Ginger and white tom with an orange stripe around his neck
SmallEar-Gray tom with very small ears
PatchPelt-Small black and white tom
DappleTail-Pretty tortoiseshell she-cat with a lovely dappled coat
ThistleClaw-Big pale brown tom with yellow eyes
GingerWing-Light golden she-cat
Apprentices~
FawnPaw-Brown she-cat with white speckles and green eyes; apprentice of RoseTail
TigerPaw-Dark tabby tom with amber eyes; apprentice of ThistleClaw
RedPaw-Tortoiseshell tom with a red tail; apprentice of MilkSpots
LionPaw-Golden tom with caramel eyes; apprentice of SunStar
Queens~
SpeckleTail-Pale tabby; youngest nursery queen; mother of SmallEar's kits: RunningKit and MouseKit
SnowFur-Pretty white she-cat; mother of PatchPelt's kits: WhiteKit and GoldenKit
IceClaws-White she-cat with gray paws and black claws; mother of NorthWind's kits: FrostKit and BrindleKit
RoseTail-Red brown tabby she-cat with a bright ginger tail; mother of ThistleClaw’s unborn kits
Elders~
TawnySpots-Black and brown spotted tom; x-deputy of ThunderClan
RainNose-Dark gray tom
TinyWhisker-Small tabby tom with extremely short whiskers
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Continued From Part 1~~~~~~~~
TigerPaw’s heart pounded as HareStar, the traitorous WindClan leader, tackled SunStar off the Great Rock. A snarl building in his throat, he prepared to race to his leader’s aid when he heard a cry for help.
He looked over to see FawnPaw being torn apart, practically, by a big black WindClan tom.
He felt his heart threaten to divide itself. Who to help? All of the ThunderClan warriors around him were busy fighting the huge number of WindClan cats that filled the clearing.
He decided that loyalty to his leader had to be first. Taking the Great Rock in one jump, he landed on the shoulders of HareStar, who, TigerPaw noticed, had been about to claw SunStar’s throat. SunStar struggled up, panting, and HareStar staggered away, surprised by the sudden attack.
“TigerPaw…?” SunStar sunk to the floor slowly, as if he had no strength. The apprentice noticed deep claw marks on SunStar’s back that were gushing blood.
“FEATHERWHISKER!!” TigerPaw screamed, panicked. FeatherWhisker was the ThunderClan medicine cat who was also SunStar’s brother.
But SunStar’s breathing was becoming more normal by the minute. TigerPaw guessed that he would be okay and helped him into the brambles to hide before running off to find FawnPaw.
“FawnPaw?” She wasn’t in the spot he’d last seen her. He stared around: HareStar was fighting ThistleClaw, RedPaw and LionPaw were double teaming a fierce looking WindClan warrior… Then he caught a glimpse of the brown and white speckled fur he needed to see.
He turned to run towards her, but a cat got in the way. It was a young warrior, slightly bigger than TigerPaw, but small enough for them to have an even fight. The warrior rushed TigerPaw but TigerPaw dodged, desperate to get to FawnPaw before something bad happened.
He raced over to FawnPaw and stared down at her, hardly able to believe his eyes. Yes, the fur was her’s, but he wouldn’t have been able to recognize her otherwise. There were claw marks across her face from the cats she’d been fighting, though her eyes were still unharmed, but she would be scarred for life, if she lived at all.
But the thing that had taken his breath away was the blood flowing freely from the gashes across her chest and belly.
She was worse off than SunStar had been.
So, TigerPaw thought bitterly, This is what happens when I put my clan first.
Taking hold of her scruff, he pulled her into the bushes with SunStar. He discovered BlueFur was there with SunStar, listening as he whispered into her ears. She nodded, looking frazzled.
“But SunStar, I’m not ready to lead this clan yet…” BlueFur meowed, tears welling up in her sad blue eyes.
TigerPaw shivered, Was SunStar dying? He couldn’t be… As far as TigerPaw could tell, SunStar was okay… aside from his shoulder wound. He wasn’t dying... was he?
He was very relieved by the next words SunStar said.
“You wont have to lead this clan yet, BlueFur. As long as FeatherWhisker doesn’t take too long, I’m sure I’ll be quite alright. But remember what I said. I might not have a chance to tell you when the time does come that I will loose my last life.”
BlueFur sighed, as if a burden had been lifted from her.
“Go find FeatherWhisker,” She meowed faintly to TigerPaw.
“Yes, BlueFur,” TigerPaw mewed instantly, running back to the scene of the fight. Most of the WindClan cats were beginning to run off. RiverClan, ShadowClan, and ThunderClan had won, but barely.
He glimpsed BrightEye with blood trickling from one of her eyes which had been clawed out. He also saw RedPaw’s mentor MilkSpots lying still on the ground with blood trickling from his neck.
“FeatherWhisker?” He saw the long furred silver tom crouching over a young ShadowClan apprentice that was shivering uncontrollably and almost completely covered in blood so that his fur color was undeterminable.
“SunStar needs you.” He led FeatherWhisker to the bushes where their leader was. Many of the wounded cats were gathering there, BrightEye amongst them. TigerPaw glanced back across the clearing; MilkSpots was still not moving…
LionPaw came running towards FeatherWhisker best as he could hopping on three legs with one up in the air, covered in cobwebs.
“I got the cobwebs you wanted, FeatherWhisker,” LionPaw transferred the cobwebs to FeatherWhisker’s paw and the gray tom began to treat SunStar.
TigerPaw looked over FawnPaw’s way. She was barely breathing anymore. He shoved his paw into a cobweb a spider had spun in a branch of a bush nearby and began to treat FawnPaw himself, covering her wounds in webbing. He thought he heard a weak mew of thanks come from the she-cat, but he couldn’t be sure…
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Back At Camp~~~~~~~~
TigerPaw rested outside the apprentices’ den, completely exhausted. Nearly every cat in the clan had been wounded. WindClan had sent a small raid party to every clan camp during the gathering and there had been a bloody fight back at camp as well.
MilkSpots, who was dead, was lying in the middle of the clearing. RedPaw, beside TigerPaw, was staring glumly at his dead mentor.
“It’s not fair.”
“Life’s not fair,” TigerPaw retorted harshly, getting up and leaving his brother alone to mope. He ducked his head to go into the medicine den, which was full of the cats with the worst injuries. Among them were BrightEye(whose once bright eye would never see again), FawnPaw(who was on the brink of death), PinkNose(who hadn’t woken since the battle), SunStar(who was recovering slowly), and PatchPelt(who had somehow managed to cut all of his paw pads and couldnt walk). ThistleClaw was arguing with FeatherWhisker, who didn’t think he was ready to go back to clan duties yet, though ThistleClaw knew the clan needed him and wanted to leave the medicine den already.
TigerPaw went over to FawnPaw and looked down at her barely moving form.
“FeatherWhisker, isn’t there anything else you can do for her?” He asked, curling up beside his wounded friend.
“Not unless you can get some of your friends to gather more cobwebs and arnica bark. And maybe ash tree seeds, too. And juniper berries, if you can find any at this time of year.” He looked at TigerPaw expectantly.
TigerPaw jumped up and left the den,
“LionPaw, RedPaw,” He meowed skidding to a halt by his brothers, who were doing nothing to help the clan by lying outside the apprentices’ den.
“FeatherWhisker wants us to find cobwebs, arnica bark, ash tree seeds and juniper berries!” His siblings scrambled to their paws, ready to help, exhaustion forgotten.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Five Hours Later~~~~~~~~~~
Jaws laden with herbs, the three apprentices returned to camp.
“FeatherWhisker?” TigerPaw mumbled around the herbs. Most of the clan was gathered around the body of MilkSpots and now PinkNose, who had probably died of her wounds while they had been away.
TigerPaw’s breath caught in his throat. PinkNose was so young! She was SpeckleTail’s sister; the pair were the youngest warriors/queens in camp, only just two moons older than FawnPaw.
“We should get these to FeatherWhisker,” LionPaw’s muffled mew was barely audible.
TigerPaw nodded and the three entered FeatherWhisker’s den. The silvery tom was staring at the ceiling of the den, not moving, hardly breathing.
“SunStar…” He whispered, walking with dreamy steps over to his leader and brother.
“I’ve just had a vision!” He didn’t seem aware of the three apprentices’ presence.
“When both of us are gone, a great evil will fall upon the entire forest. The leader of TigerClan will rule with thorn sharp claws… Only Fire Can Save the Clan!” FeatherWhisker looked wild with wonder and worry.
“It wont happen in our lifetimes, though?” SunStar asked, sitting up to look his brother in the eyes with a much calmer manor.
“No,” FeatherWhisker answered, recalling his vision.
“Then we shouldn’t worry about it. Try to get a vision about something that’s happening now. Something that will keep us safe from WindClan until we’re strong enough to fight again!” SunStar laid back down, disappointed that his brother hadn’t seen something that could help them out of the predicament they were in now.
“FeatherWhisker, come quick!” NorthWinds came running into FeatherWhisker’s den scattering the eavesdropping apprentices as he did so. He was panting hard,
“I was on patrol with SnowFur and HalfTail when we saw some ShadowClan cats on our territory,” He explained as quickly as possible,
“We started to chase them off, but SnowFur ran over the thunder path and a monster-…” NorthWinds’ eyes were dull,
“A monster… hit… her…”
The five cats dashed out of the medicine den to see HalfTail dragging SnowFur’s broken body over the ground into the center of camp. But it was too late, TigerPaw could already see: her eyes were glazed over and her head lolled. A cat couldn’t survive with a broken neck.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~One Moon Later~~~~~~~~~~~
TigerPaw sat in the medicine den beside FawnPaw, who was one of the two cats still kept in the medicine den because of their wounds. PatchPelt was still there because his paws were still cut and in danger of infection if he walked around too much, though he was jumping to get back to his duties.
FawnPaw, however, unlike PatchPelt, was still on the brink of death. She radiated heat from her fever and her deep stomach wounds that still hadn’t scabbed over were infected. FeatherWhisker was constantly making poultices to try to save her life. He was always worrying when she was asleep, like she was now, because she might never wake up…
“All cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the high rock for a clan meeting!” At the familiar calling, TigerPaw left FawnPaw and FeatherWhisker to join his brothers beneath SunStar and the high rock.
“We have several ceremonies that have been delayed because of WindClan’s attack.” Several cats muttered disapprovingly as SunStar said that. Every cat was still distrustful of WindClan, though they were friendly again and acted as if nothing had happened at the most recent gathering that had taken place after the attacks.
“BrightEye, please come forward.” TigerPaw watched the half blind she-cat find her way to the high rock.
“Your name no longer suits you. I, with the power of StarClan, take from you your name and appoint you with a new one. From now on you will be known as One-Eye.” TigerPaw felt a bit sorry for the queen.
“RedPaw, you are in need of a new mentor, since MilkSpots died. Your mentor will be SmallEar.” RedPaw and SmallEar touched noses.
“WhiteKit and GoldenKit, please come forward!” SunStar continued.
TigerPaw looked over at the pair of kits. Both their eyes were dull and sad. He couldn’t blame them for not being able to summon excitement for their apprentice ceremony; their mother SnowFur had only just recently died. BlueFur was also looking particularly sad as she gazed at her sister’s two kits. She and SnowFur had been closer than most littermates…
“WhiteKit, you will be known as WhitePaw. Your mentor will be NorthWinds. NorthWinds, I expect you to pass on your good judgment and fairness to this apprentice. GoldenKit, you will be known as GoldenPaw. Your mentor will be DappleTail. DappleTail, I expect you to pass on your gentle but fierce nature to this apprentice.” Two new apprentices stepped up to touch noses to two new mentors.
TigerPaw joined the clan in calling out their names. GoldenPaw and WhitePaw stepped over to join RedPaw, LionPaw, and TigerPaw.
“It’s a good thing we have so many kits and apprentices. The clan needs new warriors,” TigerPaw couldn’t help overhearing SmallEar, a black and white warrior, saying.
It was true. The clan was painfully short of cats. Many of the clan’s warriors had been killed in the fight with WindClan and the many scrimmages with RiverClan over the sunning rocks and over the random invasions from ShadowClan…
TigerPaw found himself showing GoldenPaw and WhitePaw how to make their nests, as FawnPaw had shown him on his first day.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~FawnPaw’s Death~~~~~~~~~~
TigerPaw was sitting with FawnPaw again, who had managed to feebly limp out of the medicine den for the first time in two moons and lie in the last rays of the setting sun. He spent nearly all of his extra time with her and had finally managed to coax her out of the medicine den to get some fresh air.
“TigerPaw?” FawnPaw hardly sounded like her old self. She was a step away from whispering because she didn’t have the strength to say things loudly.
“Yes, FawnPaw?” TigerPaw asked, looking over at her.
“I don’t…” She struggled to say what she had on her mind, then just blurted it out,
“I cant keep this up, TigerPaw. I don’t have the strength…”
TigerPaw stared. What was she saying?
“What I mean is…” FawnPaw went on in a whisper when TigerPaw didn’t say anything,
“I don’t think I’ll be around for much longer and I…” She looked over at him too, scanning his amber eyes.
“I would have loved to get to know you better and maybe even… been more than friends…” FawnPaw rested her head on her front paws, tired out with the effort of talking.
TigerPaw continued to gaze at her with anguish in his eyes. And he could have saved her, back at the battle, if he hadn’t put SunStar first; if he hadn’t put his leader first.
“FawnPaw, I would like to know you better too.” Was all he could say. Emotion choked him. He shoved it away.
“And don’t talk like that. You’ll be okay… just keep your strength up and you’ll be better before you know it.” He tried to put force and belief into his words, so that she would believe it too. But he didn’t even know if she had heard him. She didn’t respond.
FawnPaw died three days later of her infected wounds.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~FawnPaw’s Vigil~~~~~~~~
TigerPaw pressed his nose into the light brown and white speckled fur he knew he’d never see again after this night except for in his dreams.
Why? Why did StarClan see it fit to take away so many ThunderClan cats? FeatherWhisker had said that StarClan weren’t the ones who decided; it was the cats on Earth that did, who had their own fates in their own paws.
You could have saved her if you wanted to, TigerPaw mentally growled at any StarClan cats that were listening.
He stayed there till dawn, when the elders: TawnySpots, RainNose, and TinyWhisker, gently picked her up and carried her away.
“TigerPaw, there will be other she-cats.” TigerPaw looked over his shoulder to see RedPaw, who was looking tired-eyed too, by the death of FawnPaw.
“None like her.” TigerPaw meowed with a faint sigh.
“She was StarClan sent…”
“It’s like they want her all to themselves! Stupid StarClan toms…” LionPaw was grouching.
“They always kill the pretty ones just so they can have them up there with them.”
ThistleClaw called TigerPaw over to the camp entrance. He and WhitePaw were supposed to go on a patrol over by sunning rocks with ThistleClaw, BlueFur, and NorthWind…
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~On Patrol~~~~~~~~~~~~
TigerPaw inhaled carefully, letting the brown, white, and blue pelts of his four companions weave ahead of him through the trees. Patrols were great for forgetting sadness and pain. He was glad ThistleClaw had chosen to bring him out on this one.
“Try and keep up, TigerPaw!” WhitePaw laughed, still carefree and innocent as a nursery kit, despite his mother’s recent death.
“RiverClan came by not too long ago,” TigerPaw noted the fresh scent that rolled at him from across the Sunning Rocks. In three bounds he caught up with little WhitePaw and was running with the warriors again. They paused on the rocks, enjoying the sunshine for a bit. It wouldnt be around for much longer, seeing as it was already getting to be Leaf-Fall.
“BlueFur,” Snarled a low voice. All five ThunderClan cats jumped in surprise and turned to see TwigStar, the RiverClan leader, leaping the river onto Sunning Rocks with six RiverClan cats behind him: OakHeart the deputy, BrushTail, LimpFoot, SnakeHeart, SnaggleFang, and LeopardPaw.
“We were just coming to mark Sunning Rocks as ours again. Would you do us a favor and move over to your side of the new border?”
TigerPaw quickly realized that there would be a fight and that the ThunderClan cats were out numbered.
“Go get help!” He whispered into WhitePaw’s ear. WhitePaw took off silently. None of the RiverClan cats had seen WhitePaw yet and wouldn’t know he’d gone off to get help.
TigerPaw locked eyes with SnaggleFang, feeling rage build inside him. All he had to do was pretend the young warrior was the cat that had killed FawnPaw and he knew he would win.
“Is it a fight you’ve come for, TwigStar?” BlueStar was speaking to TwigStar but her eyes were locked on OakHeart. Her voice was cool, but anger reverberated throughout it.
“If that’s what the new border calls for, then yes.” TwigStar flicked his tail and his six cats jumped at the four ThunderClan cats.
TigerPaw was surprised at how easily he dispatched SnaggleFang. His long claws were just made for battle! Yelping and sporting a deep claw mark on his neck, SnaggleFang dashed into the bushes on the RiverClan side of the river.
ThistleClaw was fighting OakHeart and BlueFur was fighting TwigStar. NorthWinds was trying to fight both BrushTail and LimpFoot. TigerPaw looked around. Where were SnakeHeart and LeopardPaw? There! He looked up just in time to see LeopardPaw pounce ThistleClaw from behind and land a powerful bite to his neck. TigerPaw stiffened as his mentor crumpled.
A yowl of fury building in his throat, TigerPaw attacked her, ripping and tearing at her fur with his claws, which were red with blood.
LeopardPaw’s growls were becoming whimpers.
TigerPaw was just about to deal one to her neck and kill her when BlueFur dragged him off of the other apprentice, who ran after SnaggleFang into the bushes.
“We are not trying to kill them! We are only trying to drive them off our land!” She hissed into his ear before returning to her fight with TwigStar.
TigerPaw felt shame and anger scorch his fur. He turned it into strength as he engaged SnakeHeart just as the ThunderClan back up came out of the bushes, finishing the fight and sending RiverClan running.
TigerPaw padded over to his mentor, feeling as if everything had become slow motion. Was ThistleClaw dead?...
To be continued…
~Before He Was TigerStar pt3: A TigerClaw Story
~By: WillowGrace
ALLEGIANCES of ThunderClan~~
Leader: SunStar-Golden tom with fiery green eyes
Deputy: BlueFur-Blue gray she-cat with intense blue eyes
Med Cat: FeatherWhisker-Long furred gray tom with amber eyes; brother of SunStar
Warriors~
One-Eye-Pale gray she-cat that’s missing one eye
NorthWind-Brown and chocolate tabby tom
HalfTail-Big dark brown tabby tom with half of his tail missing
OrangeStripe-Ginger and white tom with an orange stripe around his neck
SmallEar-Gray tom with very small ears
PatchPelt-Small black and white tom
DappleTail-Pretty tortoiseshell she-cat with a lovely dappled coat
ThistleClaw-Big pale brown tom with yellow eyes
GingerWing-Light golden she-cat
Apprentices~
TigerPaw-Dark tabby tom with amber eyes; apprentice of ThistleClaw
RedPaw-Tortoiseshell tom with a red tail; apprentice of SmallEar
LionPaw-Golden tom with caramel eyes; apprentice of SunStar
WhitePaw-White tom with blue eyes; apprentice of NorthWinds
GoldenPaw-Pale gold she-cat with light green eyes; apprentice of DappleTail
Queens~
RoseTail-Red brown tabby she-cat with a bright ginger tail; mother of ThistleClaw’s unborn kits
SpeckleTail-Pale tabby; youngest nursery queen; mother of SmallEar's kits: RunningKit and MouseKit
IceClaws-White she-cat with gray paws and black claws; mother of NorthWind's kits: FrostKit and BrindleKit
Elders~
TawnySpots-Black and brown spotted tom; x-deputy of ThunderClan
RainNose-Dark gray tom
TinyWhisker-Small tabby tom with extremely short whiskers
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Continued From Part 2~~~~~~~~
TigerPaw stared down at his mentor in dismay. BlueFur and the rest of the patrol and reinforcements were driving the last of the RiverClan cats off their territory. Only TigerPaw stood beside ThistleClaw.
“TigerPaw?” ThistleClaw coughed, blood streaming from his neck.
“Yes, ThistleClaw?” TigerPaw felt desperation rise. What he was about to hear were likely his mentor’s last words.
“I want you to…” ThistleClaw struggled to look up into TigerPaw’s amber eyes as he spoke his wish. His voice became strong as he whispered into TigerPaw’s ears.
“Get me some darn cobwebs and quit staring before I die of old age.”
TigerPaw chuckled nervously and dashed into the nearest bush for a paw full of cobwebs.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Back At Camp~~~~~~~~~~~~~
TigerPaw wasn’t worried anymore. FeatherWhisker had repeated to him over and over that ThistleClaw would be okay and he’d finally convinced TigerPaw. The only thing wrong with ThistleClaw now was a horribly wrenched shoulder, which would heal in a few moons time.
“RedPaw? LionPaw? Do you guys want to go hunting??” TigerPaw called to his brothers, who were boredly listening to an elder’s story with WhitePaw and GoldenPaw that they’d already heard multiple times about how SunStar had won the sunning rocks from TwigStar and RiverClan.
RedPaw glanced TigerPaw’s way.
“Are you sure you have time for us, TigerPaw?” He waited for half a second for a reply before meowing loudly,
“Oh yes, that’s right. FawnPaw is dead now, so you’ll probably have time to hunt with the second most important cats in your life.”
TigerPaw was taken aback by RedPaw’s sarcastic tone and hurtful comment. True, he had given up all of his time recently to be with FawnPaw for the last two moons of her life, but why did RedPaw have to be so bitter about it?
LionPaw didn’t defend TigerPaw either,
“Know what, RedPaw?” The golden apprentice meowed,
“I think I heard ThistleClaw say he wanted TigerPaw to clean the elder’s den today. We should probably go hunting without him, don’t you think? It would be the responsible thing to do, considering the fact that out mentors told us we’re both going on a solo hunting mission in a few hours. We wouldn’t want to ruin our mentors’ good moods by dragging TigerPaw out of camp against his mentor’s will.”
TigerPaw’s ears twitched as he patiently waited for his brothers to crack up and tell him they were only joking and that they didn’t mean what they said. They both merely stared at him with cold green eyes. Then RedPaw wheeled around and stalked towards the camp entrance, LionPaw on his heels. TigerPaw felt shock flood over him as he sat down hard at the apprentice’s den entrance.
“What’s wrong, TigerPaw?” GoldenPaw had come away from the story to gaze at TigerPaw with big pale green eyes.
“You look a bit sad. ThistleClaw is getting better, isn’t he?” She sounded anxious.
“Nothing’s wrong! ThistleClaw is fine!” TigerPaw snapped, turning away from her, ignoring the surprise on her face.
“Leave me alone!!”
“Okay. Gosh… no need to be so mean about it…” GoldenPaw’s tail drooped and her whiskers went stiff with anger as she left his side to watch BrindleKit and FrostKit, the 5-moon-old kits of IceClaws, play outside the nursery with RunningKit and MouseKit, the younger kits of SpeckleTail, who were out of the nursery for the first time.
TigerPaw growled to himself, angry for scaring away a new possible friend. If LionPaw and RedPaw were going to be ignoring him, he may as well make a new friend or two so that he wouldn’t be alone for all of his apprenticeship. His ears flicked as he saw FeatherWhisker leave the medicine den, eyes shining happily.
ThistleClaw was devouring a thrush outside the medicine den, and turned anxiously to FeatherWhisker.
“Did she kit alright?” He asked.
TigerPaw remembered that RoseTail had begun her kitting earlier today. He pricked his ears and listened harder. RoseTail was the mate of PatchPelt, but TigerPaw had heard a rumor that her latest kits had been fathered by ThistleClaw.
“Yes, she’s fine, ThistleClaw. She’s given birth to three healthy tom kits and one still born, unfortunately. She’s named the healthy ones LongKit, DarkKit, and ClawKit.” ThistleClaw looked proud and stood up, limping with his wrenched shoulder, into the medicine den to see the newborns.
TigerPaw felt joy for his mentor, but his mood was still glum. He went to the elder’s den and began raking the mossy bedding together with his super-long claws.
“TigerPaw, youngster, what in StarClan’s name are you doin’?” He looked up at TinyWhisker, an old tabby tom, and wondered what the elder was talking about.
“WhitePaw and GoldenPaw just brought us new bedding! You’re destroying my nest…” The elder complained, nosing TigerPaw out of the way to pat the bedding back down again. He shot a glare at TigerPaw, who was still confused. Hadnt RedPaw and LionPaw said that ThistleClaw wanted him to clear out the elder’s den? Then it came to him, like a blow from the powerful paws of some enemy:
ThistleClaw hadn’t said anything about clearing out the elder’s den. LionPaw and RedPaw had been lying, just to be spiteful.
TigerPaw growled in frustration, then stalked out of the elder’s den to sulk inside the apprentices’ den. With his mentor still not completely better, he didn’t have much to do except lie around camp all day…
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Later That Week~~~~~~~~~~~
BlueFur called TigerPaw over from the apprentices’ den.
“You’re going on the sunset patrol with ThistleClaw and PatchPelt.” She informed him.
TigerPaw bounded over to the two toms, who were both ignoring him to glare icily at each other. TigerPaw remembered that they both wanted RoseTail as a mate. RoseTail’s first kits: PinkNose and SpeckleTail, both were the daughters of PatchPelt. But these latest kits looked a lot more like ThistleClaw than PatchPelt…
“Let’s go,” ThistleClaw meowed, taking the lead.
“We’re going to the ShadowClan border.”
TigerPaw absent-mindedly followed the two older cats, who were keeping a fast pace, each trying to out run the other.
TigerPaw slowed at the border, letting the two older cats go on without him. His eyes narrowed as he spotted movement across the thunderpath. ShadowClan? He looked even harder and recognized BlackPaw from the latest gathering and his mentor who was also the deputy, RaggedPelt. RaggedPelt wore a furious scowl on his face as he charged along the border without even pausing to scent the air.
TigerPaw shot BlackPaw a curious look and beckoned the 8 moon old apprentice towards him with a flick of his tail.
“What’s up with RaggedPelt?”
BlackPaw’s green eyes shone uncertainty, as if he weren’t sure he was supposed to be telling a ThunderClan the answer to that question. Finally, he admitted,
“His mate, AngelStar, just had kits. They all died during the birth. And tomorrow you wont be able to call him RaggedPelt anymore. He’s going to the moonstone tonight to receive his lives…” TigerPaw grimaced. AngelStar must have lost her last life giving birth to her kits. RaggedPelt must feel terrible, TigerPaw realized. AngelStar had lost many of her lives in a sickness that had raged through ShadowClan not long ago and the medicine cat, YellowFang, had been unable to do anything for her. This birthing must have finished off the last of her nine lives.
“That sucks…” He meowed, not knowing what else to say.
“I don’t know why he doesn’t just look to the future.” BlackPaw meowed,
“I mean, he already has a son, BrokenTail.” BrokenTail was a new warrior that had been announced at the last gathering.
“No one’s sure whether BrokenTail is AngelStar’s kit or not, but RaggedPelt should pay more attention to BrokenTail, rather than dwelling on the kits that died. BrokenTail is a son that could make any father proud.”
TigerPaw meowed in agreement and noted the admiration in BlackPaw’s voice as he spoke of BrokenTail.
“Well I’ve got to catch up to RaggedPelt. See you later TigerPaw!” BlackPaw waved his tail in a friendly way to TigerPaw an set off to catch up with his mentor.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Two Moons Later~~~~~~~~~~
TigerPaw was racing along the ShadowClan border with ThistleClaw, DappleTail, and GoldenPaw. He and they were just returning from the sun high patrol along that border.
“TigerPaw, I spoke to SunStar about you, RedPaw, and LionPaw’s warrior ceremony,” ThistleClaw began when they got to camp. TigerPaw darkly thought of his two brothers, who were still refusing to speak to him and ignored him as much as they possibly could without outright refusal to patrol with TigerPaw.
“He says he wants you three to train a little longer before you become warriors, but it wont be long. It’s mostly because he doesn’t want GoldenPaw and WhitePaw to be the only apprentices. IceClaws’s kits will be six moons old soon and-“ ThistleClaw broke off as the patrol heard a wail coming from the nursery.
TigerPaw saw RoseTail stumble out of the nursery with two of her three kits behind her. LongKit and DarkKit looked scared. IceClaws and SpeckleTail, two other queens, were desperately trying to calm her down.
“ClawKit is missing!!” She panted, as if she couldn’t believe it.
“He was here just this morning. I’ve searched the whole camp!” RoseTail broke down, wailing, unable to say anymore. Fear for her lost kits was overwhelming her.
BlueFur, one of the few warriors in camp, came up to her.
“Did you smell any unusual scents around the nursery?” She asked, coldly calm.
SpeckleTail shot off to check, then returned promptly.
“Nothing.”
“Check the ravine.” BlueFur meowed next, walking out of camp with ThistleClaw, TigerPaw, DappleTail, SpeckleTail, RoseTail, and GoldenPaw behind her.
“ShadowClan.” TigerPaw suddenly smelled them.
“BlueFur! There were ShadowClan cats here!”
BlueFur sniffed the air by where TigerPaw was standing.
“ShadowClan might have stolen ClawKit.” She announced ominously.
“He must have wandered away at nap time to play in the ravine! They took my kit! My poor helpless kit…” RoseTail wailed. ThistleClaw pressed comfortingly against the despairing queen.
“We’re going to get him back!” ThistleClaw snarled.
“We should mount an attack on ShadowClan right now! We cant let them get away with this. We have to fight.”
“No. The answer to everything is not to fight.” BlueFur contradicted ThistleClaw.
“We need to find one of their borders patrols and ask them if they’ve seen the kit. They might not be responsible.”
The cats around BlueFur stared at her in shock. The blue she-cat walked back into camp without a backwards glance.
“Who agrees with that load of fox dung?” ThistleClaw snarled in a low voice, so that BlueFur wouldn’t hear.
“We have to get him back.” SpeckleTail meowed. RoseTail nodded.
“We should attack.” TigerPaw agreed; GoldenPaw beside him looked uncertain.
“I don’t care if BlueFur, our beloved deputy, doesn’t want to get him back. We can do it without her permission!” The cats nodded, beginning to look hopeful. ThistleClaw looked over the assembled cats,
“TigerPaw, SpeckleTail, DappleTail, GoldenPaw, and RoseTail, are you with me?”
The five cats nodded.
“Then we’ll go to ShadowClan right now!” ThistleClaw charged up the ravine, the other cats racing behind him. They reached the ShadowClan border and ran over the thunderpath without any trouble. But right on the other side of the thunderpath was RaggedStar, and three other ShadowClan cats, all smiling horribly at TigerPaw and the ThunderClan cats.
“So you’ve come for the kit, have you? We thought you would. I don’t know if we’re going to give him back or not. ClawKit might become a good warrior for ShadowClan one day.” RaggedStar meowed with false thoughtfulness. His brown eyes focused on the ThunderClan cats, mocking and burning with fire.
“You’ll pay for that bit of work!” ThistleClaw howled, leaping forward to engage RaggedStar in battle.
The moment he jumped forward, at least five other ShadowClan cats jumped out of the bushes and raced, yowling challenges, at the ThunderClanners.
TigerPaw's eyes widened as he realized how horribly outnumbered they were. And monsters were zooming across the thunderpath like no tomorrow, blocking off escape.
The outnumbered ThunderClan cats were fighting on enemy turf with no safe way to get back to their own territory. TigerPaw turned, accepting his fate, to fight a bristling ShadowClan warrior twice his size.
To be continued…
