Hey everyone! Bramblewhisker88 here! This is certainly not my first story, but it has been awhile since my last. Welcome new readers, but for those of you who don't know I have a few rules about my reviews. The first, I request that no cussing be present. I can't stand it, and I think it to be a sign of immaturity to use. Secondly, I accept flames and criticism, as that is the only way I will know how to correct my mistakes. Anyways, please do review, and onto the story!
I thank KatieK101 for this idea, and for helping me to come up with most of this plot. All credit for the plot goes to her.
Last Chance
The thick of battle, screeching cats, and pounding rain enveloped the forest in chaos. Most of the Clans were spread out across the territories,engaged in their own life or death battles against the Dark Forest. In the ThunderClan camp, all attention was on a bright ginger tom and a dark brown tabby tom. Both were locked in combat of personal reference. The two toms were fighting heatedly, oblivious to the other cats in the camp. The rain began to pour harder, bringing a slight rumble of thunder with it. The two toms battled on, focusing only on the fight. Suddenly they broke away from each other, without warning, and stood, one facing the other, panting.
"Your skills are weak Firestar, and your warriors are no match for my Dark Forest cats." The dark tabby growled. The ginger tom, Firestar, coolly looked back at the tabby before answering, " If my skills are so weak, why do you tire Tigerstar?"
The tabby snarled, and lept back on Firestar, his jaws locked on the ginger cat's neck. Before the wound could prove fatal, a brown streak barreled into Tigerstar. The brown tabby hit the ground with a thud, glaring at the cat who had robbed him of his kill. "Brambleclaw!" he spat, "How dare you, I had almost rid the forest of him. His pathetic kittypet weakness has rubbed off on you."
"Perhaps it all depends on your perspective father." Brambleclaw growled back.
The identical tabbies lept for each other, grappling until Tigerstar swatted Brambleclaw away with a heavy blow. His son did not get up, and he landed with a painful thud. Before Tigerstar could react, Firestar was upon him, using every ounce of hatred he had against the murderous tabby. Tigerstar was soon over-powered, held to the ground by Firestar's paws. Taking the opportunity to check on his deputy, Firestar glanced at where he last saw Brambleclaw. The deputy had not moved since he had landed, however Squirrelflight had joined him, desperately trying to wake him up. Tigerstar took the opportunity to move, forcing Firestar's attention. The ginger tom shoved his enemy back down against the wet earth, splashing a puddle in the process. Hesitating slightly, Firestar leaned in for the killing bite, only to jump back in shock when Tigerstar disappeared in a cloud of smoke. Shaking his head, Firestar looked, and was releaved to see the Dark Forest warriors vanishing into the night, the victory of the Clans apparent. Firestar did not share their triumph, instead focusing on Tigerstar's disappearance. Sighing, he padded over to Brambleclaw's limp form, Squirrelflight's eyes looking at him, her eyes wide with fear. Leafpool padded up beside her, sniffing the motionless warrior.
"It's okay Squirrelflight. Brambleclaw will be fine, he was just knocked unconscious." Leafpool meowed.
Squirrelflight relaxed, but still remained close to him, causing Firestar to yet again wonder how Brambleclaw was so different from his father. Firestar was once again knocked from his thoughts by Squirrelflight.
"Firestar, what happened to Tigerstar?"
"He disappeared only StarClan knows where." Firestar answered looking at the moon that had broken through the clouds. If Tigerstar wasn't dead, what does he have in store for ThunderClan now?
Tigerstar found himself in a foggy clearing, no-where he recognized. The massive tabby looked around slowly, trying to regain some recognition. Suddenly, the bushes behind him rustled, parting to reveal a silver-furred tomcat. The cat stalked up to Tigerstar, waiting, watching the other cat's reaction. Finally, Tigerstar turned until he was facing the mismatched blue-green eyes of his watcher. The tom remained silent, but narrowed his eyes in greeting. Tigerstar opened his mouth to speak, but the tom beat him to it.
"Tigerstar, I have heard a great deal about you. Your name has been whispered around this cursed prison for moon upon moon. However, I am not impressed with what I have seen. Your evil deeds were more effective when you were alive, not a dead and sniveling coward like you are now."
"I don't need some other dead cat to reprimand my actions when your efforts are not even known. At least I never gave up on my goals." Tigerstar yowled in fury.
The tom narrowed his eyes until they were only tiny slits. He spoke in a calm and controlled voice, " I appeared to offer you a deal, Tigerstar, not discuss your actions. I propose to send you back, to let you reside in the land of the .living once more. There, you will once again get the chance to rule the Clans. However, if you agree to this, your new self will have no memories of being 'Tigerstar', so when the time comes, you must once more come to the Dark Forest to train. Is that understood?"
"Of course, I will not fail a third time."Tigerstar meowed. The tom nodded his head, before padding over to Tigerstar, his fur beginning to glow. Touching his nose to the tabby's head, the tom began to utter the words that would send Tigerstar back. Seconds passed, and then the massive tom was gone in a cloud of dark smoke. The silver tom nodded, then stalked off into the shadows, leaving the clearing deserted once more.
The cats of StarClan padded back into their hunting grounds, victorious after the Dark Forest battle. Redtail found himself in a group of cats consisting of Bluestar, Oakheart, Whitestorm, and Lionheart. The four warriors were discussing the battle, telling their own stories of victory. Suddenly the bushes parted, revealing the silver-furred tom. Bluestar halted the group, looking at the mystery cat. Finally the cat padded toward the group pausing at Redtail. The tortoiseshell tom spoke first, breaking the silence, " Greetings Thunderpelt, what brings you here?"
"Business Redtail, just business. I have some news for you StarClan cats." Thunderpelt replied.
"Well Thunderpelt, out with it already." Bluestar snapped.
"Patience Bluestar, patience.''Thunderpelt calmly meowed.
"Thunderpelt, if your news is important enough for you to come here, you must tell us." Oakheart rumbled.
"Of course Oakheart. I came to share that your favorite friend Tigerstar has been reborn."
A shocked silence greeted his words. The five StarClan cats gaped at each other in astonishment.
"What do we do? Tigerstar can not be allowed to kill again." Redtail croaked. Lionheart shook his head in agreement, a shudder passing through the golden tom's body.
"He must be stopped!" Oakheart declared. Bluestar narrowed her eyes before looking at Whitestorm. The snowy-white warrior had yet to react to the news.
"Whitestorm what do you suggest?"
"I agree with Oakheart. Tigerstar must be stopped, being reborn does not change that."
"If Tigerstar thinks he can defeat us by returning, then we will beat him at his own game. I suggest we too send back a cat, one who will kill Tigerstar before he has a chance to murder others. Redtail, will you go?"
The tortoiseshell tom widened his eyes, staring in disbelief at the cats. "Why me?" he stammered.
"Because you are the only cat to truly understand what Tigerstar is capable of. Will you do it?"
"Of course Bluestar. Tigerstar will not be allowed to kill again."
"To prevent this Redtail, you must kill him as soon as you regain your memories."
"But Bluestar, the warrior code states that a true warrior does not kill unless it is necessary. Besides, what if Tigerstar never regains his memories? I would be killing an innocent cat." Redtail exclaimed.
Bluestar glared at Redtail. "If you can not do this Redtail, I will send a cat who can. Do you understand me?"
"Of course Bluestar, and I'll do it."
"Excellent, Thunderpelt if you would please?" Bluestar meowed.
Thunderpelt padded forward, touching his nose to Redtail's head, his silver fur glowing. In seconds, Redtail was gone in a poof of smoke.
That night in ThunderClan, a moon after the battle with the Dark Forest, two litters of kits were born. One litter of kits, a tom and a she-cat, were born to Lionblaze and Cinderheart. The other litter of kits, three toms, were born to Toadstep and Ivypool. Both pairs of proud parents looked on at their kits with no idea of the tragedy that had just occurred.
On the border between StarClan and the Dark Forest, Thunderpelt chuckled softly to himself. The silver-furred tom alone knew of the consequences of these actions. When Thunderpelt sent Redtail and Tigerstar back, he didn't just give them another chance at life, he also caused no return to death. What the two toms did not know was that when they died in this life, they didn't get to return to the dead, when they died, they simply did not exist anymore.