Prologue
I barely remember my father. I was not even a moon old when he left, but my mother told me much about him. The one memory I do have, vague as it is, is of the last time I ever saw him.
I had ventured out after the Clan had returned from a battle with RiverClan, always curious about battles. As soon as she noticed I was missing, my mother rushed out of the nursery, and began to scold me. Before she could mew more than a few words though, Pinestar leaped to the top of the Highrock and yowled the summons for a Clan meeting. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey, gather to hear what I have to tell you!" Immediately the murmuring and bustling of the camp quieted, as cats settled down to hear what their leader had to say.
My mother gave me a glare that clearly told me she was not done with me, and darted into the nursery to fetch my siblings. She returned just in time to hear the wrds that would change my life – all of our lives – forever.
"Cats of ThunderClan," he meowed, "I can no longer be your leader. From now on, I will leave the Clan and live with housefolk in the twolegplace."
I was shocked. I cannot even begin to describe the thoughts that went through my young mind. I simply did not understand. It couldn't be true. My father was a leader, respected my his Clannmates, loved by all! Why was he giving it up to be a… a kittypet?! I looked up at my mother for reassurance. She was sitting stiffly, tail wrapped around my sisters, staring at her mate. I shivered and hunched down. I'm not sure how long I sat like that, hearing the hum of voices around me. I couldn't cope with the thought, so I simply shut it out.
When I looked up again, my father was standing over us. I could hear my mother's voice, and slowly thought drifted back to me. Pinestar's tail flicked enticingly in front of my nose, and I pounced on it. He flicked it away.
"They'll be fine with you, Leopardfoot. I'm not a father they could be proud of, but I will always be proud of them. Especially you, little warrior." He gently nosed the top of my head, and I looked up at him. How can you do this? Leave us alone? I growled. You're right. I'll never be proud of you.
"Be strong, my precious son," he murmured, and padded out of camp. As I watched him vanish from sight into the gorse tunnel, I made myself a vow. Young as I was, I still remember that promise.
I will become the leader you were not, Pinestar. I will never think of you as my father. You were a failure. I will not be like you, I will not follow in your pawsteps.
I will be strong.
-+-+-+-
Only a few sunsets later, my sisters left for StarClan together. I woke up to their cold bodies pressed against mine, eyes shut tight as though they were sleeping. As the sun melted away the cold and soaked up the dew, I thought I caught the scent of frost and stars. But then it was gone, and my mother was nosing them, calling their names, begging them to wake up. I didn't speak, I simply sat watching. They had not been as strong as me. I would live on. I would be the greatest leader the forest had ever seen. I would be… Tigerstar.