Curse of the Tiger Chapter 1: The Story Behind It All, a warriors fanfic

Curse of the Tiger

ShadowClan is getting attacked by ThunderClan, led by Firestar. WindClan is taking pity on ShadowClan and are helping them maintain stability. RiverClan is ignoring the problems with the other Clans. The Gathering is coming up and it seems that Firestar will risk StarClan's anger to dispatch Tigerstar once and for all.

Tigerlilly playfully paws at Tigerstar's dark brown tabby ear. She leaped away.

Tigerstar grunts, then paws at Tigerlilly's cheek. Tigerlilly leaped back then leaped forward to catch Tigerstar's paw as it moved away. Then Tigerlilly ran out of ShadowClan camp into ShadowClan territory.

Tigerlilly flipped over in time to fake clawing at Tigerstar's open underbelly. She gave a mrrow of laughter and flung Tigerstar off her and ran on. Later she turned around and pounced on Tigerstar, pinning her to the ground.

Tigerstar bit her paw softly and then tripped Tigerlilly and she fell on his back Tigerstar purred and gave his chest a lick and looked up at Tigerlilly with his amber gaze. Tigerlilly smirked and grabbed hold of Tigerstar's head and licked behind his ears a bit.

She let go and laughed, "You forgot a spot," Tigerlilly meowed. Tigerstar had a blank look on his face not sure what to do. Then Tigerstar purred. Tigerlilly gave out a mrrow of laughter and raced back to the ShadowClan camp where she pulled two plump shrews out of the fresh kill pile and promptly waited for Tigerstar before eating. She always did that.

Tigerstar padded over to her and kept looking down at the floor embarrassed a bit. Tigerlilly nearly rolled over in laughter. Tigerstar was so much fun! She swatted his ear and ran to the Nursery. There were two queens. One was a golden brown she-cat expecting about three kits and the other was a ginger she-cat with one light brown tabby kit and one ginger kit. Tigerstar had a stern look on his face now, as he padded to the Nursery. His eyes were then a bit gentler as he saw the two kits clinging on to their mothers belly wondering if he could ever go back to his mother. Tigerlilly sighed happily. The tabby kit reminded her of her as a kit. Quiet and reclusive. She had changed so much since Tigerstar came to ShadowClan. It was so much better with him there. Tigerlilly nodded to the kits who stopped suckling their mother after they had had their fill of milk. That was another change Tigerstar had brought about, food. There were plenty more pieces of fresh-kill in the pile since he came. Her tail pointed at the elder's den. She wanted the kits to go hear a good story. Tigerlilly padded from the den and back to the center of camp. Tigerstar followed her then padded to the elders den also interested what kind of stories were the elders telling kits to scare them to sleep or just to have fun.

Tigerstar padded into the wide den with moss bedding and grass. "Well Ashface what stories have you got to say this time?" his voice sounded has he were annoyed but then again eager to listen. Tigerlilly stared curiously at Tigerstar. Normally he didn't visit the elders unless something was wrong with one of them.

"Why doesn't Tigerlilly come?" Ashface asked Tigerstar. Tigerstar grunted and left the den, the stories would have to wait for some other time, and padded over to Tigerlilly and gave her ear a swift lick.

Tigerlilly purred and licked Tigerstar's muzzle before heading out to hunt. "We need more food for the queens." she explained simply.

Tigerstar looked back at the Nursery, "Very well I'll go with you Its been a long time since I haven't gone out on a hunting patrol, although I would prefer to go with you alone," he said looking down at the floor a bit embarrassed but padded forward "Well?" he asked with out looking back at her.

"That's what I hoped you would say." Tigerlilly said mischievously. She ran out of camp, pausing to sniff the ground and air a bit as she went. When they were a bit far of the camp Tigerstar let out a mrrow of laughter and pressed his muzzle against Tigerlilly's cheek. Then dropped down to a hunter's crouch hearing and smelling a vole. Tigerlilly jumped out and onto the vole, snapping its scared neck. Then she purred. "Oops, look like I caught your prey for you." she said as her tail moved across Tigerstar's face.

Tigerstar purred in amusement. "Then why don't you take the first bite?" he said nudging the vole to her. Tigerlilly purred in amusement but took a bite of the vole anyway. She pushed the vole toward Tigerstar.

Tigerstar crouched next to Tigerlilly and shared their meal. "Listen, would like to be my deputy?" he asked, his amber gaze locked with hers.

"What about Blackfoot?" Tigerlilly murmured. "And I don't think I can. I went to Littlecloud about a half a moon ago and he said to come back again in about half a moon." she explained. The vole was only a skeleton so she buried it.

Tigerstar looked around "Hmm okay, maybe some other time, but why has Littlecloud told you to go back? Are you ill?"

Tigerlilly's eyes twinkled mischeiviously,

"No." she said. "I'll never tell!" Tigerlilly gave a mrrow of laughter before setting off to find more prey.

Tigerstar looked at her confused and went on looking for more prey with her. When the two cats set their load in the fresh-kill pile, Tigerlilly ran off to find Littlecloud. She came back rather excited.

Tigerstar was still curious so he padded up to her "Well are you ever going to tell me or not?"

"Kits, mouse-brain" Tigerlilly growled. She gave a mrrow of amusement after looking at Tigerstar's bewildered face. "I'm going to have kits."

Tigerstar gave out a shocked meow, "Re-really? New warriors strong, powerful and they will share my kin!!" he boasted proudly. "I must tell the clan, of course if you want to," he said giving her ear a lick.

"They'll find out soon enough. I'm almost always out of camp, they freak out when they notice I'm not gone!" Tigerlilly laughed. She licked Tigerstar's muzzle and padded off to join the queens. "I love kits." she said to the light brown tabby kit before sitting down.

Tigerstar wanted to follow but knew that the Nursery was just for the queens, so he decided to wait outside the Nursery until the last border patrol came back so he could share the news. "My own kits" he meowed softly to himself and couldn't help but to puff out his fur feeling proud. Tigerlilly saw Tigerstar waiting outside. She noted that it was nearing leaf-bare and asked him to get out of the cold, rather rudely.

Sunset, the queen who had two kits, told her to not be so rude. Goldenthorn, the other queen, nodded in agreement. "You've got to be stern with leaders." Tigerlilly responded.

Tigerstar grunted and eyed the queens. Then he padded inside and laid down keeping a distance. Tigerlilly padded over to Tigerstar and licked his muzzle. "The patrol is back." she whispered gently into his tabby ear.

Tigerstar returned the affection by licking her hear and touched noses. The queens seemed shocked by his gentle behavior. "Come" he said as he climbed on to a tree branch that was near a high rock, where his den was across from. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey meet under the Highledge for a clan meeting!" he yowled. "Today I received some good news that might help make ShadowClan even stronger!" The cats murmured about what the huge tabby meant. "Tigerlilly is expecting my kits. Strong, powerful warriors for ShadowClan!" he meowed proudly. "And, we also need to apprentice a couple of kits." Tigerlilly nodded toward Flamekit and Fernkit, who came bounding out of the Nursery.

Tigerstar growled at having his speech cut off but agreed. "Come" he called out to the kits. They both came running along to Tigerstar. "From this day on, until they have earned their warrior name, they will be known has Flamepaw and Fernpaw. Blackfoot will mentor Flamepaw and I hope you pass on your wisdom and fighting skills to this young apprentice. Nightpelt you seem ready for you first apprentice and so you will mentor Fernpaw." Flamepaw and Fernpaw beamed. They touched noses with their mentors and Tigerstar.

Tigerlilly licked her four kits fur smooth. They objected and squirmed and tried to escape, but after moons of keeping their father in line, Tigerlilly won. Hawkkit, Tigerkit, Lillykit, and Yewkit ran out to join Tigerstar near Highledge. The kits started to play with his tail and then all of them pounced on him knocking him to the floor. Tigerstar growled softly and let them stay on top of him. "Very soon you all will be apprentices," he meowed and licked each one.

"And eventually you'll become fine warriors for ShadowClan." Tigerlilly said. Flamepelt and Ferntail padded up to Tigerstar. Flamepelt said,

"I wouldn't mind mentoring Tigerkit, he's pretty well behaved. He'd listen to me."

Ferntail meowed, "Lillykit would be awesome to mentor. She's active, playful, and is very determined to do her best." They were hinting at Tigerstar to make them mentors.

"I will choose who will be these kits mentors, not you" he growled.

"Tigerstar, they would make for good mentors." Tigerlilly said gently. "Besides, I'm choosing their mentors." she growled.

"And who said I didn't like them mentoring them? I'm just pointing out that I choose the mentors." he meowed. "When should we have their apprentice name given then? Sun rise?" Tigerlilly just stared at Tigerstar. After a few moments she said, "You said I could decide their mentors, you'll just announce them."

Tigerstar's mind was filled with the problems of ThunderClan. "Yes fine" he leaped up to Highledge. "Let all cats who are old enough to catch their own prey meet here under Highledge for a clan meeting"

Tigerlilly ushered her kits forward and she padded over close to Tigerstar.

"From this day forward until they have earned their warrior name, these kits will be known as Lillypaw, Tigerpaw, Hawkpaw, and Yewpaw. Flamepelt and Ferntail you both seem ready for your first apprentice. Tigerpaw will be mentored by Flamepelt, Lillypaw your mentor will be Ferntail, as for the two of you" he said narrowing his eyes at Tigerlilly. "Goldenthorn will mentor Hawkpaw and Littlecloud shall mentor Yewpaw." Tigerlilly whispered, "They both asked."

"Goldenthorn will mentor Hawkpaw and Littlecloud for Yewpaw, and I hope you all teach my kits the ways of the warrior code and to become powerful and strong warriors" They all licked their mentors shoulder and Tigerstar's. Tigerlilly beamed proudly. Her kit was going to become ShadowClan's next Medicine Cat.

Yewpaw ran into the Medicine Cat den and sniffed everything. Lillypaw picked up a mouse and handed it to Yewpaw. "Here, to our future Medicine Cat!" Lillypaw giggled.

"Medicine Cat?" Tigerstar growled approaching the two apprentices. "Why didn't you tell me?" his voice was stern but calm.

"I did!" Yewpaw giggled.

Tigerstar gave Yewpaw a hard stare then touched her flank with his tail. "Well there's no use in having a Clan with out a Medicine Cat right?"

"Right!" Yewpaw and Lilly paw giggled.

Tigerstar eyed them, then his ears perked up as he smelled Blackfoot approaching. "T-Tigerstar, ThunderClan warriors are approaching closer everyday to our territory want- wanting to k-kill you!" yelled the battered deputy blood covered his white coat.

Tigerstar's fur bristled at long claws digging on the earth. "Show me where!" he growled in rage like never before. "THAT KITTYPET!" he spat. Tigerlilly was already out of the camp. There they were. It was too late. She saw Firestar's gleaming flame colored pelt. She ran out as fast as she legs would take her toward the ThunderClan ambush.

"What is Kittypet Firestar doing on ShadowClan territory?" she growled as deeply as she could muster. With her fur all ruffled from running, she look quite a lot like her mate. Tigerlilly planned it that way. She was no longer Tigerlilly, she was Tigerstar.

Firestar lunged angrily for the cat he thought was Tigerstar. "Now you die for all the misfortune you brought unto ThunderClan!" the red cat screeched. The real Tigerstar heard him. Tigerlilly received a deep wound to her stomach. Firstar spat on her and the ThunderClan cats turned and ran back to their camp.

Tigerstar leaped out of behind her, "NO! STOP!" he yelled at her before she sprung out. He was angered at seeing her body on the marsh covered in blood. "YOU!" he growled angrily, "DIE HERE!" He sprung at Firestar and clawed his eyes making him blind for moments. Then bit his neck hearing it cracked. "I'LL TAKE ALL YOUR MISERIBLE LIVES YOU HAVE!" Then pinned him on the floor and clawed him StarClan knows how many times on the stomach. Then he heard ThunderClan warriors approaching. "THIS WILL NOT END HERE KITTYPET!" Tigerstar yelled as the warriors carried the ginger cat with two lives left. Then Tigerstar approached Tigerlilly, collapsed in front of her, head pressed against her belly. "Why?" he cried softly.

"Tigerstar, don't attack ThunderClan yet." Tigerlilly said weakly, "Tell the Clans at the Gathering. Take my body if need be. Take care of our kits, do what is best for the Clan. Not us and our small family." Tigerlilly whispered in short, ragged breaths before she finally died.

". . . No" he cried and whimpered pulling himself forward to her. "Don't leave me . . . I love you" whimpered again the tabby cat. His amber eyes flashed with angered and hate ambition and revenge. "I'll kill them all if I have to, for you. . ." he said and gently carried her body back to camp. Tigerstar was asleep. Firestar was at Fourtrees, along with the other leaders. A shadowy apparition appeared. "Tigerlilly!" Tigerstar yowled with joy. His beloved had come back to him. Tigerlilly silence him with a soft, caring but stern glare.

"I come here to justly curse you and your Clans from hence forth!" the StarClan she-cat yowled angrily, "Any so cat that chooses to harm any cat in my line shall face the full fury of StarClan! We are a blessed line. Given only what we give to others, like every other cat. But my line shall have something no other cat shall have! The full trust, care, love, and protection of StarClan. Not only that, but they shall also receive the fury, energy, wisdom, annoyance, and life of StarClan. From hence forth, every cat in my blood line shall have one characteristic of one cat in StarClan. They shall use it to destroy, or help the Clans. It is their choice and theirs alone. Remember my curse! Even the kits I just had will be apart of this curse! Beware, and watch your back Firestar. Your rights to protection have been removed a long time ago." The last sentences she hissed in turn at the leaders. Then Tigerlilly faded away into the ranks of StarClan forever. Tigerstar wailed, flailed about, and screeched. Moments later he awoke in his den with no comforting Tigerlilly beside him.

Tigerstar gasped, then stepped outside his den. It was still dark and cold. He made his way to wear Tigerlilly was buried, and then let him self fall on the grave, and slept there all night. "What do I do now?"

"Do as I said, then live life to its fullest. For we shall be together again, and then I will be truly happy, again." a voice, Tigerlilly's, whispered through the wind.

Tigerstar woke up with a jolt to find almost all the clan members surrounding him. "Wh-what happed?!" he meowed sleepy. "Tigerstar we where scared and shocked when you left so we tracked you down here, it's almost sunhigh we are all very worried." Littlecloud said. "Well what are you all doing here leave!!" The tabby growled, they all left except Littlecloud and his kits. "Tigerstar . . ." Began Tigerpaw. "We're all so sad for you and . . . and Mother . . ." Yewpaw said shakily. "But you can't just . . . just . . ." Lillypaw mewed. "LEAVE US!" Hawkpaw wailed. He nuzzled against his father's belly like a young kit would its mother.

"They are right Tigerstar. T-Tigerlilly would've wanted you to stop grieving for her and do what you could for your kits and ShadowClan." Littlecloud said. He and Tigerstar were the only ShadowClan cats who knew about Tigerlilly's Curse. And to keep the Curse going, the small tom thought. Tigerstar eyed his desperate kits. Then simply brushed them off, as if he never had them, or knew anything, at all and started back to the beginning the only thing he cared about was himself. "I'm going to Highstones" he growled and left. Lillypaw started bawling. Hawkpaw was too shocked to even whimper, and Tigerpaw was just angry. Yewpaw ran half way after him "As your next Medicine cat, I command you to stop and at least have some traveling herbs!" she screeched.

Tigerstar was about to say "and as your leader I command you stop following me!!" but controlled his anger, then simply grunted. "You two" he growled, "Yewpaw and Littlecloud will come with me, Tigerpaw, I want you to go inform that to Blackfoot, he's in charge while I'm gone. Hawkpaw and Lillypaw go tell your mentors to take you to the next patrol." The cats ran to go do as they were told. "Father, chew these. I thought we might need them." Yewpaw smiled weakly as they set off. Tigerstar sniffed the herbs, and then chewed on them making a face at its sourness. The Med. Cats seemed to be amused by his expression. Then they set of on the journey to Highstones.