"You lived like a rogue. You can die like a rogue." Flashing like lightning across the clearing, Firestar flew at Tigerstar, aiming for the dark warrior's throat. With a vicious snarl, he sank his teeth deep into Tigerstar's neck. He held on while Tigerstar thrashed and staggered and finally collapsed to the ground.
Tigerstar almost thought he could hear the roar of thunder as he faded. Darkness was enveloping his vision. It was like water, flowing toward him from all sides. His consciousness ebbed and flowed in the pitch black void. He wasn't sure how long he was there before he sensed a change.
Now the darkness itself was fading. A dim glow in the corner of his awareness was growing stronger and stronger. The shapes of cats appeared all around him. They were frozen in time and blurry. They became clearer and clearer the more Tigerstar focused on them.
He was trying to figure out what in the name of StarClan was going on when a storm of yowls hit his ears.
Motionless statues just moments before, the cats were now biting and clawing each other. Tigerstar looked around, ready to leap at Firestar and the warriors of StarClan. But he wasn't fighting them anymore. Somehow he was in a different clearing, surrounded by different cats.
A very familiar cat was there, a cat he hadn't seen in seasons. His tortoiseshell pelt gleamed in the sunlight. It was Redtail.
Oh, StarClan no! Tigerstar thought, and he was suddenly furious with himself that he had called out to his warrior ancestors in fear. It didn't make sense anyway, he was supposed to be fighting them. Were there any other cats he had killed here? It was strangely terrifying to think they might have their revenge.
Tigerstar unsheathed his claws, preparing himself to face Redtail, but the small tortoiseshell tom soared over his head and onto the back of another cat.
Where am I? Tigerstar breathed in and realized that he could smell RiverClan. But there were other scents he picked up as well. Stone, fresh grass, running water. He hadn't smelled those things since he had died!
But I am dead, aren't I? he asked himself in a daze.
He sniffed again, and realized he was in the old forest. Home.
"Tigerclaw, help me!" Tigerstar was jerked out of his thoughts at the abrupt screech. He began to blindly slash at the RiverClan cats, more out of instinct than an actual understanding of what he was doing.
It wasn't long before a high pitched yowl rose into the sky. "RiverClan, retreat!" The RiverClan cats pelted away, leaping into the river without hesitation. Soon all the cats that smelled of RiverClan had fled. Tigerstar recognized many of them, although they looked much younger than he remembered. Breathing deeply, he noticed the flickering shadows of the trees at the edge of the forest.
He sat down, not daring to show any sign of how shocked he was. He wondered if this happened to all cats when they faded. His head was pounding when Redtail padded up to meet him. "You alright there, eh Tigerclaw?"
Tigerstar felt a chill course down his spine. He had lived this before- this was the moment he had killed Redtail!
Suddenly a skinny black tom ran out of the woods. "Redtail!" Ravenpaw dropped to his haunches, his entire body shaking.
"Ravenpaw, what are you doing here?" Redtail bounded past Tigerclaw and over to the trembling apprentice. "Tigerclaw told you to return to camp." Redtail's eyes were gleaming with worry, and his mew wasn't as stern as it could have been.
"I'm sorry, I couldn't," Ravenpaw panted, his eyes wide. "I had to see if you were okay. There were so many warriors."
Redtail pressed his fur against Ravenpaw's for support. "It's alright." He glanced back at Tigerstar. "Come; let us return to camp."
Tigerstar nodded absently and began the slow trek through the forest. Tigerclaw... am I Tigerclaw now? Is this really happening?
Tigerclaw followed his Clanmates (or former Clanmates? He wasn't really sure) back to camp. He observed them cautiously. What was going on? Was this some kind of test? Perhaps StarClan was mocking him.
Soon they had reached the camp. Tigerclaw stepped through the barrier and found himself surrounded by cats he hadn't seen in seasons. Mousefur, Whitestorm, Runningwind . . . He froze, trying to hide his shock. They all looked so much younger, and there was one more difference in their appearance that made Tigerclaw's fur prickle.
He had already steeled himself to their gazes, expecting them to be hostile. Instead they were looking at him with expressions of respect. Wherever he was, it was as though he had somehow travelled back in time.
"Redtail, you're back!" mewed Dustpelt, trotting up. Dustpaw now, Tigerclaw realized. "Did you scare off those fish-faces?"
"Yes," the small tortoiseshell purred, flicking his tail affectionately at his apprentice's ear. "We did." He surveyed the gathered cats for a moment. "I'll tell you about it in a moment, but first I have to bring Ravenpaw to the medicine den."
Ravenpaw was limping, leaning heavily on Redtail's side as the older warrior guided him. The young apprentice was still shaking with fear even though they had left the battle far behind. Tigerclaw's lip curled in disgust. Ravenpaw had always been a cowardly wimp.
More cats were emerging from their dens to greet the returning patrol. Too much was happening, and it took all of Tigerclaw's self-control not to turn and run from his Clanmates' inquiring faces. He ignored the rest of the cats and searched the crowd until he found Redtail padding back from the medicine den. He was expecting the tortoiseshell deputy to pounce at any moment. He dug his claws into the ground.
"Redtail, what happened?" came a she-cat's meow. Tigerclaw turned and recognized Bluestar with a jolt.
"We gave the RiverClan cats a good fight. They won't be showing their faces at Sunningrocks anytime soon." Redtail's gaze darkened, and solemnly bowing his head, he continued. "The RiverClan deputy lost his life though. We were fighting under an overhang when it collapsed. I was able to escape just in time, but Oakheart was not so lucky."
Tigerclaw looked up, curious to see Bluestar's reaction. The first time around he had thought that her grief had been entirely for Redtail, but with the knowledge that Oakheart had been the father of her kits, he wondered what her response would be.
Sure enough, her tail twitched, and when Tigerclaw looked into her eyes he could see that they were tinged with not just respect for a fallen warrior, but sadness for a lost mate. He did have to admit that she hid her grief well.
"ThunderClan is lucky that you did not meet the same fate," Bluestar mewed finally, bowing her head. "How is Ravenpaw? His wounds looked severe."
"Spottedleaf tells me that he will be fine. He was in shock, that's all." Redtail gave Tigerclaw a teasing look. "You'll be able to train him up again in a few days- don't you worry."
Tigerclaw scowled. The other cats were watching him expectantly, waiting for him to say something, but Tigerclaw sat in stony silence. They shifted uncomfortably, confused at his lack of response. In his old life he would have replied something formal, but he was still stunned by the turn of events that had led him here.
After a moment the gathered cats began to disperse. Tigerclaw was eyeing them warily when a big white tom padded up to his side.
"Have you met ThunderClan's newest apprentice yet?" asked Whitestorm.
Tigerclaw turned slowly, and his own amber eyes met green ones. It was Firestar.
The ginger tom was much smaller than Tigerclaw remembered. His pelt was now unmarked with battle scars. But his green eyes still blazed with the fire from which he had received his name. Tigerclaw dug his claws into the ground to stop himself from . . . well, he wasn't sure if wanted to run in terror or attack.
Whitestorm frowned. "Tigerclaw, are you alright?"
"Yes, fine," he growled stiffly, staring at his enemy. "Just taking in the fact that I have a new . . . Clanmate." The six moon old Firestar shuffled his paws uncomfortably, still meeting Tigerclaw's gaze.
"He kept up quite well on the way here, for a kittypet anyway," Lionheart meowed, padding up.
Tigerclaw continued to watch the ginger tom unblinkingly, barely noticing Lionheart's sudden arrival. "Did he now?"
"Indeed." Whitestorm was meowing, nodding approvingly. "It will be interesting to see how he does in his training. I wonder who his mentor will be."
Tigerclaw flattened his ears, barely suppressing a growl in his throat. The younger version of Firestar calmly faced him straight on, apparently mistaking his anger as interest. "I hope to be a great warrior one day, and I will train as hard as it takes to gain the trust of ThunderClan."
"See that you do," he replied tensely. Like this kittypet would know what it takes to be a warrior the day he left his Twoleg nest!
Firestar nodded respectfully and began to pad away, rejoining his friend. The mews of the apprentices rebounded back to Tigerclaw even through the heartbeat pounding in his ears. "Do you think he liked me?" That voice was Firestar's. No, Firepaw's, Tigerclaw corrected himself. He's not Clan leader now.
"I don't think he really likes any apprentices," mewed Graystripe/Graypaw. "I've certainly never seen him look at another cat like he did just now!" Their voices finally faded, and Tigerclaw was able to relax.
"What was that?" Lionheart asked mildly, and Tigerclaw looked away. He had been almost fond of the golden tabby warrior when he was alive, although he hadn't been too broken up when he'd died; after all, Lionheart's death was what had allowed him to become deputy.
"I just didn't think we were accepting kittypets into our ranks, that's all."
Lionheart blinked knowingly. "I was skeptical at first as well. However, I think he deserves a chance. He certainly is an exceptionally good fighter for an untrained kittypet."
"Indeed," Whitestorm meowed. "Tigerclaw, you should have seen him. He proved himself well."
Tigerclaw's tail gave a jerky flick. "Kittypets can't be warriors. We shouldn't be allowing this cat into our Clan."
Whitestorm flicked his tail awkwardly. "He's here under Bluestar's orders."
"Yes he is. And a leader's word is law, isn't it?" Tigerclaw suppressed a snarl and then loped away, anger roaring inside of him. Was this some kind of sick joke, having to live his life over and over, watching his enemies triumph again and again?
No, he snarled inwardly. I refuse to do this. I won't be a part of this test.
He didn't even care that Lionheart and Whitestorm were looking at him, confused at his fury. He didn't know them, not really. They didn't know him either. They didn't know what he was capable of. With a flick of his tail he stalked out of the camp and into the forest.
