The Kin of the Tortured Servant
Chapter 1
Tigerpaw's POV
Gingerstar14: I just realized Copperstar was Firepaw's (in Hellfire) dad. Oh well, coinkydink.
Bramble: That was gay.
Ginger: I know.
ThunderClan Allegiances
Leader: Copperstar- huge copper-colored, dappled tabby tom
Apprentice Tigerpaw
Deputy: Hawkclaw- dark brown tabby tom
Apprentice Duskpaw
Medicine Cat: Sandyfur- golden she-cat
Apprentice Robinpaw
Warriors:
Flowerheart- silver-gray she-cat
Apprentice Stormpaw
Grasstail- light gray tom
Rockfur- Brown tabby tom with blue eyes
Apprentice, Mosspaw
Twiststripe- Light ginger she-cat with distincive black markings
Eaglefur- Golden tom with green eyes
Apprentice Redpaw
Leafheart- toretoiseshell she-cat
Icefire- Silver and ginger she-cat, with gray flecks
Ravenstrike- Pure black silky tom
Nightstripe- black she-cat with green eyes
Apprentice, Berrypaw
Mouseclaw- gray and white tabby tom
Rainshower- light blue-gray tom
Apprentice, Greenpaw
Runningwhisker- light gray tom
Apprentice Forestpaw
Apprentices:
Tigerpaw- dark brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes
Duskpaw- dusky gray tom
Robinpaw- brown speckledshe-cat with red chest and paws
Stormpaw- dark gray tom
Redpaw- dark red tom, with light ginger ears
Berrypaw- brown tabby tom, with green eyes and white underbelly
Greenpaw- Ginger tom
Forestpaw- Gray-and-white she-cat
Queens:
Fallheart- light ginger she-cat, mother of Eaglefur's kits, Lightkit(light gray tom) and Shinekit(ginger she-cat)
Mistyeyes-dark gray she-cat
Elders:
Rosefur- dark cream she-cat
Midnightstorm- dark black tom
--
I am Tigerpaw, daughter of Gingerheart. Gingerheart's mother was Sunfur, and Sunfur's mother was Robinheart. And, did you know, that, it is said, that Robinheart's mother was Honeystep?
Do you know the story of Honeystep? Well, she was pretty famous, and as a great-great-grandaughter of her, is that saying anything? Everyone knows the story of Tigerstar, where some cats, even though he is a legend now, look at me as if I were him. They also know the story of Leopard, Knife, Midnight, and Teshika, and the rest. And of Firestar, and Pantherheart and Blueshine. And yes, of Jayfeather, Hollyfrost and Liontail.
But what they don't know, is the story of a little brown tabby she-cat, apprentice and daughter of Copperstar, her mother dead. Will the legacy of survivers live of to tell the story of Tigerpaw? Well, you'll just have to find out.
As the daughter of Copperstar, leader of ThunderClan, and Gingerheart's daughter, a single kit, you'd think I would have a great life, huh?
Wrong! Ever since Gingerheart died, after getting hit on the thunderpath by an angry twoleg monster, my life was miserable.
--
"Tigerpaw! Think fast!" I turned a little too slowly, and a paw whacked me in the side of the face. I staggered, and turned to face Stormpaw. He and Redpaw were practicing battle moves, and decided to have some fun with me. My mentor, Copperstar, sat on the edge of the training hollow with Flowerheart and Eaglefur, Stormpaw and Redpaw's mentors.
Hawkclaw and Duskpaw were training a bit away from us. Duskpaw was apprenticed just before me, just before my mother died. "Tigerpaw!" Redpaw taunted. "The gathering's tonight! Copperstar said the winner can go!"
"He obviously meant me!" Stormpaw leaped onto the ginger tom, and the two rolled around in the dirt. I watched for a moment. Redpaw came out on top, and let out a yowl of triumph.
"Tigerpaw," Copperstar growled. "Get in there. You want to go to the gathering, don't you?" I really did. Scorchstar of ShadowClan had recently died, and Snakefang would be taking over. Word was, Snakefang was even more vicious than Scorchstar.
"Yes," I mewed. I leaped at Redpaw, but he swung his paw around and wacked my nose. I leaped backward, and both older toms were on top of me.
"Go Stormpaw!" Copperstar cheered Flowerheart's apprentice on. "Get a move on, Tigerpaw!" With renewed detirmination, I kicked Redpaw hard in the stomach. He flew back and landed, winded. I twisted an tried to push Stormpaw off, but the young gray tom had me pinned down with all his weight.
But he was knocked off when Redpaw slammed into his side, and the two were at it again. Not to be left out, since the other three were watching, I jumped onto Redpaw, giving him a cuff over his ears. He gave me a shove with strong paws, and I flew backwards into Hawkclaw, knocking the deputy off his paws.
I quickly stood up, and crouched low as Copperstar stalked over to us. "Tigerpaw! You should be ashamed! What kind of apprentice are you, knocking Hawkclaw over for no reason at all!"
I was sure he knew what happened, but I said nothing. "It's fine, really," Hawkclaw meowed. "No damage,"
"But she was being careless," Copperstar spat, then turned away. He padded back to Flowerheart and Eaglefur. I stood there for a moment, angry, then joined Redpaw and Stormpaw again.
This time, I leaped at Stormpaw. He rolled, and hit me with his paws. Me being only eight moons old, with very simple training so far, I didn't know how to block it, so I got hit full force. Thoroughly discouraged, I gave it one last try. I bunched my muscles and leaped my biggest leap, andn grabbed Stormpaw's tail. I tugged it forward, and then while he froze, I leaped onto his back, pinning him down with my front paws on his throat.
"Good job!" Flowerheart padded over to us. "I think they all should be able to go to the gathering," She nodded to Copperstar.
The copper tabby grunted, and glared at me. "Very well. Come on. Let's get back to camp. You coming too, Hawkclaw and Duskpaw?" Hawkclaw nodded, and he and Duskpaw joined the other three cats. Redpaw rushed up to Eaglefur, telling him about his victory over Stormpaw.
I hung at the back of the group, just behind Flowerheart. "Coming, Tigerpaw?" Flowerheart didn't care about what my name was. Just because I have the same name as an evil cat I never met, and no one alive in the forest has ever met, doesn't mean I'll follow his pawsteps. But other cats seemed to think not.
"Yes," I padded a bit faster, but sure to stay behind the others. I just didn't like being with to many cats. Weird, since all my life I'd lived in ThunderClan.
Once in camp, Redpaw and Stormpaw went to brag to the other apprentices that they could go to the gathering. I sat to the side as cats began to pad out of their dens, glancing at the sky, more than ready for it to get dark. It soon would, we had started training at sunhigh, and the sun was close to dipping behind the horizon.
Copperstar leaped onto the Highledge and let out a yowl. "All cats old enough to catch their own prey, join here beneath the Highledge for a Clan meeting!" He always called a meeting before a gathering. I wondered if other leaders did that too.
I sighed and got up from where I sat, and padded over to where Flowerheart, Icefire, and Nightstripe sat. I dipped my head and settled down beside them. "I have called to tell you who is going to the gathering," he swung his head around to his deputy. "Hawkclaw, Sandyfur, Flowerheart, Nightstripe, Ravenstrike, Twiststripe, Tigerpaw, Stormpaw, Redpaw, and Midnightstorm will be going."
I looked around at the cats he mentioned, feeling a thrill that for the first time ever, I would be going to the gathering! "We will leave at sundown!" Copperstar meowed, with a glance at the sun dipping below the horizon.
"Which is about now," Nightstripe muttered. "Get a move on, Copperstar!" One of the oldest warriors, and the most grumpy, Nightstripe was not a particular pleasure to be around.
"Very well. We can arrive early anyhow," Copperstar leaped down and gathered the cats. I followedFlowerheart and Nightstripe over to the others, joined by Stormpaw and Redpaw.
"We've already been to two gatherings," Redpaw snorted. "Now, Tigerpaw, you must know how to behave properly at a gathering. Listen to what the others say, and-"
"Say little yourself," I jumped as Ravenstrike's voice sounded behind me. "Most of the time it is apprentices that let Clan secrets slip," I turned to gaze in his eyes, but found I couldn't meet his gave without flinching. I turned away and followed the others out of the camp to my very first gathering.