Tigerclaw glared at Bluestar and Fireheart. How dare they ban him from the clan! Oh, they would pay. Very soon, they would pay for it all. Tigerclaw stood up and glanced around at all his former clanmates, glaring at him in mockery. "Fine. I'll leave! But you will all regret banning me, Tigerclaw the Great!" Tigerclaw the Great? Hmm…I like the sound of that.
He padded towards the gorse tunnel, leading out into ThunderClan's forest. Then he stopped and looked back at all the cats. "But first…would any of you join me?" He glanced around as all the cats shifted around uneasily. Then at Fireheart, who also looked a bit worried. Bluestar was still in shock, apparently. Tigerclaw smirked to himself. Of course his friend Darkstripe would join! Perhaps even the one she-cat that had shown him kindness since he'd ever been in the Clan. He smiled as Darkstripe stood up and padded towards him. Before he could open his mouth to thank the tom, he hissed, "I trusted you. I looked up to you. And then…you try to murder Bluestar? What kind of mouse-brained bile is running through your head?" With that he turned around and stalked off towards the warriors' den.
Tigerclaw was shocked. He had been certain Darkstripe would join him in his quest for power! He dared to look at Goldenflower. She locked eyes with him, but he found no compassion in them. Only disbelief, shock, and a slight bit of hatred. Tigerclaw bowed his head. He had betrayed her trust in him. Taken advantage of their relationship and gone too far for any cat to stand. This cold fact drove Tigerclaw into more lust for power than ever. He would show them all that they should've joined him! When he was leader of the whole forest, then they would see!
Bluestar's gaze drifted back to Tigerclaw as he stood in the camp entrance. "You have until moon-rise to be out of ThunderClan territory. If you are not, our patrols have my permission to attack you on sight. Now go." With that said she turned and padded into her den, still slightly dazed. Tigerclaw hissed menacingly and pounced through the camp entrance. He stalked past the old badger set towards Snake Rocks. ShadowClan was weak. Nightstar was sick. He would see if they would have him. He passed the sandy hollow where apprentices trained. A memory of training came back to him as he looked at the hollow. He shook the memory away. He didn't belong in ThunderClan. He belonged at the head of all the clans. Soon, very soon, all the cats would call him, Tigerstar!
He passed the hollow anxiously and soon came upon the Great Sycamore. It stood tall as ever and gazed down upon Tigerclaw as he pelted past it. And owl hooted as it prepared itself for a nocturnal hunt. Tigerclaw realized his time was running out. He sped up and then the Snake Rocks came into view. But as he ran Tigerclaw smelt something strange, and then he saw it. He skidded to a halt and hoped the creature didn't see him. He inched closer and closer until he was in the bushes that surrounded the Snake Rocks. The creature lay down and began lightly snoring. Tigerclaw gulped. It was a huge dog. He took a bigger whiff of the air and realized there were more dogs in the cave at the bottom of Snake Rocks. How would he get past them? Then an idea formed in his head. These dogs were here for a purpose. He grinned an evil grin. I shall use you nasty dogs to attack ThunderClan.
Still grinning, Tigerclaw saw a squirrel zoom down a tree trunk and launched himself at it. His huge paws landed on the squirrel's back and he bit into its soft, boney neck. Before he bit out a chunk of it to eat, he stopped. He picked the limp body up and swung it out towards the napping dog, all the while his grin never faded. The dog stood up growling, then saw the squirrel and picked it up. He wagged his tail and took it into the den.
Tigerclaw then pelted past Snake Rocks without being sniffed out by the creatures inside the den.
He slowed down as he neared the Thunderpath where cars were zooming by. Although the horrid stench of the monsters flooded his nostrils, he smelt out one other scent. It was that of a cat. A she-cat. There wasn't a distinct scent telling which clan she was from, so he guessed she was a rogue or a kittypet. He looked around and saw her. She was a beautiful she-cat. She was padding out of the underbrush, from the ThunderClan side, and she had already spotted him. She flattened her ears and took off along the Thunderpath. Tigerclaw decided to chase after her; after all, he wasn't on ThunderClan territory anymore.
He easily caught up with the she-cat and pounced onto her back, hauling her side-ways until they both tumbled onto the ground. The she-cat hissed and jerked up. She crouched down into a pouncing position. Tigerclaw stood up and shook his head. "Settle down, kittypet." He said, ignoring her obviously better fighting moves than what a kittypet would have. "Kittypet. I'm sorry, but did you just call me a kittypet?" Tigerclaw gave the she-cat the once-over. She was strong, her senses her keen, and she looked rather thin.
"I afraid I did." He meowed in return. When he still showed no signs of aggression, the she-cat sheathed her claws and unpinned her ears. Then she sat down, ready for a chat. "Well, it so happens I'm a rogue, not a kittypet." Tigerclaw nodded, also sitting on his haunches.
"I assume you're a Clan Cat?" the she-cat continued. "Yes, I am. My name is Tigerclaw, but soon it shall be Tigerstar." The she-cat cocked her head to the side. "Ah, a power-hungry tom. I'm Sasha, the rogue. Now…tell me, Tiger'star', which clan do you belong to?"
Tigerclaw smiled at being called his rightful name. "Well, I did belong to ThunderClan…but I was banned only a little while ago." Sasha looked genuinely interested now. "Banned? On what terms?" Tigerclaw grinned as he spoke the next sentence, "Attempted murder." Unlike he had expected, Sasha also grinned. "Pretty brave of you, isn't it." Tigerclaw nodded and licked his paw. "Where are you headed then?" he mewed after a brief silence. Sasha gazed at him kindly. "Just…adventuring. You could even call it searching if you like." Tigerclaw pricked his ears. "Searching? Whatever for?"
Sasha got to her paws and stepped closer. "Just a tom. I've got the itch." She smiled the turned, and bolted down the side of the Thunderpath.
Tigerclaw raised an eyebrow. "A tom eh?" He grinned, then looked out across Thunderpath. He leaped onto it and safely crossed. On the other side, he gazed back the way Sasha had pelted away. "I do think your search is over before it has begun, Sasha the rogue."
He then sniffed the forest before him and secretively stalked into it.