I was fine, simply walking through the forest, but in a flash, something grabbed me by the scruff. I scrambled but was quickly knocked out. When I awoke, a cat was staring down at me, and he told me he was StarClan. I was surprised, and then he said that the only way for me to survive was to escape and find the Clans. He told me of these Clans, and before I knew it, I awoke, ready to escape to the Clans, where I would be a loner no more.
Gasping for air, Tigerpelt jumped to wakefulness. His most recent nightmare plaguing him once more. This time a creature had attacked him in the forest, and had shown unyielding anger. Then the splash, followed by the tons of water closing over his head. Attempting, but not succeeding, he drew in deep breaths of air trying to calm his spazed nerves. Glancing around, Tigerpelt realized that he was the only cat awake. It was the dead of the night, the warriors whom he had heard so vigilantly proclaim to be instantly awake for the dawn patrol passed out in a peaceful bliss. Tigerpelt's thoughts instantly jumped into a flashback of when he had just joined the clans.
Stripe walked into the 'camp' along with the other cats. The one in charge had not yet stopped giving him disbelieving looks, which was copied by the others present. Stripe knew that they were just trying to intimidate them, from what he had heard of the forest cats, they excelled at doing just that. All to soon Stripe was knocked out of his reverie when the lead cat jumped into the channel of water. The next thing he knew, the others were with him. Seeing how these particular cats were not afraid of the water, Stripe leaped in with them, and began to swim. The others glanced at him in shock. Stripe immediately ceased swimming and glanced back. Shaking his head, the lead cat pushed on in the water. Upon reaching the shore, the conversations began.
"Did you see how comfortable he looked in the water Mallowfur? Not even Badgerstar was that excited to be in water!"
"Hush, Shimmerpaw. Have you not listened to what I have repeatedly told you about judging?"
The younger cat stopped talking, but sent resentful looks to the older cat. She then proceed to slow her pace until she was matching mine. We continued on in silence. The sound of rustling and different voices drew Stripe's attention to the bushes ahead. From the direction the procession was going, Stripe had judged that the bushes were where they were headed. The cats marched on, and suddenly all Stripe could feel was tension. The noise stopped, the cats stared, it seemed as if the forest itself was waiting in anticipation for the outcome. The silence was broken by a single cat. He emerged from a tangle of roots at the base of a tree. From the way he held himself, Stripe could tell he was important. But, the cat held a kind sparkle in his eye, and a spring in his step. The cat, a black and white striped tom,was dangerous, yes, but not ruthless. The tom stopped in front of Mallowfur. Mallowfur began to explain how Stripe had been waiting for the patrol, and how he requested an audience with the leader. Mallowfur had been cautious, like all cats who had heard the story of Sol and how he requested the same, but did not turn away the young loner since he appeared harmless. The black and white tom nodded his head, and with his deep voice asked to meet with Stripe in his den. The tom and Stripe padded off to the den of roots. Inside the den, the tom introduced himself as Badgerstar, and asked Stripe to tell him of his reasonings behind joining his Clan. Stripe told him of how when he was young his mother had been attacked by rogues. She had pushed him out of the den, and into a gully before they had arrived. Stripe told of how he heard the vicious fighting occurring, and how he heard his mother's wails. The rogues had left once his mother had become silent. Stripe, not knowing they left, stayed in the gully until the moon arose. When the cover of darkness appeared, he leapt out and saw the lifeless body of his mother. In detail he described the little cation he took, springing to her side. Stripe then told the main reason for coming: when he had leapt to his mother's side, something caught. He had tried to fight, but was too weak. He awoke to a misty cat telling him of a StarClan. The tom told Stripe if he wanted to live, then he would have to find the Clans. Stripe described the need for a better life that had overtaken him, and how he agreed instantly. Badgerstar had thought about Stripe's motives. He then sent him away, and pointed him in the direction of other young cats his age. Stripe had cautiously padded over to him, while Badgerstar called for another cat to enter.
Stripe had padded over to the young cats. They were lounging around and discussing the main events of their days. Once more all conversation stopped when Stripe came close enough. He recognized Shimmerpaw from the group earlier, but the other cats were foreigners. Then the she-cat beside Shimmerpaw welcomed him to the group, introducing herself as Frecklepaw. Then one by one the other cats- except one tom- also welcomed him. Stripe and a tom by the name of Jaggedpaw became quick friends. The lone tom, who Jaggedpaw introduced as Razorpaw, had yet to come over to the group now gathered around Stripe. He was quickly ignored by the crowding cats. So Stripe gave a less detailed reason about why he wanted to join the Clan, RiverClan, they said and in return was greeted by a new group of friends. Jaggedpaw had just finished commenting on his story, comparing it to his 'dull and boring kit-life' when Badgerstar called a meeting from the tree roots. The cats all joined in the center clearing in front of the tree, Stripe and the apprentices included. Badgerstar beckoned Stripe to the front and performed what he had later come to know as the apprentice ceremony. Badgerstar himself had volunteered to mentor him, which was met with awe by the cats, except for the furious Razorpaw. Stripe had then been renamed Tigerpaw, and had begun his life in RiverClan.
*Four Moons Later*
The newly named Tigerpelt backed away from his former mentor and leader Badgerstar. As the last new warrior, the Clan immediately began the chant. Jaggedmask had come over and both he and Tigerpelt were laughing about apprentice bygones. My life is definitely better than what it would have been, Tigerpelt had reflected, thank you StarClan. Badgerstar then calmed the excited Clan, declaring that Razorclaw,Shimmerdrop, and Timberblaze were to guard the camp that night and the following night Jaggedmask, Tigerpelt and Frecklenose would guard the camp. Then the Clan had nearly exploded with joy, pausing only to feast in honor of the new warriors. Quickly families, friends, former mentors and siblings surrounded the five new warriors, while Tigerpelt awkwardly sat by himself in the crook of a tree root. He feared going over to the food pile to eat, so he stayed in the shadows. A heartbeat later, he darted out of the camp and to the lake. There he had sat, staring into the water, the pride he felt for his accomplishments tampered by the sadness of being alone. Razorclaw had made that painfully clear when he had arrived that he would be driven out. The young light brown tabby had plotted in ways unknown to even Tigerpelt to turn half the Clan against him. And yet, when all hope seemed lost, a border skirmish with WindClan had erupted and Tigerpelt fought with all the courage of the tiger itself. He had even taken a blow meant for Badgerstar, that would have taken the leader's life, and had driven the attacker away to before fainting from blood loss at the battle's end. The memory had also driven forth a different memory, stored away in Tigerpelt's mind for him alone: The memory of waking on the second afternoon after the battle, only to see a distraught Frecklenose in the medicine den. He hadn't gotten to see more, because he fainted soon after. A rustling in the bushes behind him had brought the memory to an end, and he had his defense up in seconds. He whipped around, only to find himself a whisker's width apart from Frecklenose. The she-cat's eyes had widened in fear before she recognized Tigerpelt. She looked away in embarrassment before sitting beside the ginger tabby. Then they had proceeded to talk about almost everything and anything they could think of, because the two had been close friends before. The night at the lake had ended in happiness for the saddened Tigerpelt.
*Present Time*
Shaking away all the memories, Tigerpelt forced himself to take in the more drastic
situation. The current leader and old Badgerstar's successor, Creekstar, was thinking of replacing her current deputy Duskfur. The she-cat had gotten old, and had asked for retirement. Creekstar was debating on who to give the new position to. Razorclaw was of course looking for the position. He was more than capable, but had yet to be given an apprentice. The tom was showing his insanity through the games he played with kits(telling them to catch the moss ball, but then when they would return it, he would shred it in their faces), the way he fought battles(always howling for more blood) and the way he treated his mate, Shimmerdrop, always tormenting her. Razorclaw was a positively insane cat to say the least. The other candidate for the deputyship was Tigerpelt himself. By having his first apprentice, Eaglepaw, Tigerpelt was well-set up for becoming deputy. The elders and senior warriors were constantly discussing the competition between Razorclaw and Tigerpelt, even speculating over if Shimmerdrop regretted choosing Razorclaw over Tigerpelt. This caused the rift between the two toms to divide even further. By the time the sun had reached the horizon, Tigerpelt was so lost in thought he didn't realize that Frecklenose had sat beside him until she pressed her fur into his. Purring, he faced her. Before either could speak however, Creekstar's sharp call rang out from the tree roots. After the grogginess of waking, every warrior, queen, apprentice, and elder had hurriedly moved to the clearing. They knew that it had to be important to have a meeting at dawn. Creekstar started with expressing gratitude to Duskfur for her moons of service, and wished her happy days in the elder's den. Then the clearing became silent, like on that day of Tigerpelt's arrival. Creekstar started with saying the words for the deputy ceremony, and gave the position to Jaggedmask. She explained that Jaggedmask used humor in resolving conflicts and his battle skills had a flawless degree. The Clan was pleased. Razorclaw however was not. He shrieked in rage, yowling that he deserved the position, and ran out of the camp screaming for revenge. He left the Clan in a bewildered shock, and a new sense of fear crept into Tigerpelt's fur. It was broken by Jaggedmask's customary jokes, and the tension eased. The day then started to carry on as usual. Jaggedmask began assigning patrols Tigerpelt found himself assigned onto a border patrol with Frecklenose, Shimmerdrop and Timberblaze. The cats set out, Timberblaze begging for a chance to lead. By the time the cats had reached the ShadowClan border, Timberblaze and Shimmerdrop had begun to pad ahead, while Tigerpelt and Frecklenose were in the back. Frecklenose had opened her jaws as if to speak, when suddenly anger filled her eyes. Tigerpelt turned, only to receive a blow to his muzzle. Tigerpelt blinked furiously, only to see Razorclaw standing in front of him.
"You took everything away!",Razorclaw shrieked,"On your first day, all of my friends abandoned me in favor of you!All of my admirers too caught up in your tale of woe! When we were apprentices I almost made Badgerstar exile you, but then that stupid battle happened and they saw I was wrong! They turned on me, and I suffered. It's all your fault, and then I don't even become deputy. Who cares if I haven't had an apprentice, it's not like they matter!"
Razorclaw swung another blow at him, which Tigerpelt ducked. Tigerpelt began to back away, carefully and slowly shielding Frecklenose from the insane tomcat.
"I will get my revenge now. I thought I had gotten it when Shimmerdrop became my mate instead of yours! Then I find out you never loved her, and now you love Frecklenose. Well, I will kill her and then you can see your love die in front of you. And when that's done, I will allow you to join her!"Razorclaw was venomously growling. The light brown tabby tom had spit leaking out of his mouth. The only thing Tigerpelt knew to do in defense to the psychotic tom was to fight back. And fight back he did. Tigerpelt moved with the speed of the river and the strength of the current. Razorclaw found himself on his side in an instant. In a mad rush of panic, the deranged cat ran into the lake, and stood standing until a powerful current dragged him down. He never resurfaced.
Back at camp, Tigerpelt then explained the encounter with Razorclaw to Creekstar and Jaggedmask. They both listened in stunned silence, and wore identical expressions of grief when they learned of his death. Creekstar praised Tigerpelt on his victory, but did nothing else. From that afternoon on, Razorclaw was mentioned as a taboo to RiverClan. Tigerpelt never told the full story to anyone else, and the leaders kept the information of Razorclaw hidden. Jaggedmask became injured in another border skirmish, this time permanently damaging his back leg from enemy claws. He retired early with the wish for Tigerpelt to replace him. A wish that came true, when Tigerpelt did succeed Jaggedmask. The ginger tom was able to resolve many problems between Clans with his wisdom, and his ever-present high maturity level. Tigerpelt became a trusted and respected deputy.