Chapter 2
"Will it ever be the same?"
Tinyclaw's ear twitched at Sandstorm's voice. ThunderClan streamed down the ravine behind him as dawn light was beginning to crest over the treeline. He stood with her, looking down the slope and into the camp below – once screened and hidden by greenery, now it was more exposed than it had ever been, even in leafbare.
All around the forest was barren and lifeless, gray and black and smudged with ash. Leafless tree branches rattled against one another and the weakest of them snapped and hit the earth.
"I don't know," Tinyclaw murmured back. "But the camp is looking much better."
Sandstorm nodded in agreement. No cat could deny Dustpelt's ability to build with the forest materials – he had been chief in leading the efforts to restore the camp's walls and dens, and though it was exposed to view now, Tinyclaw was hard pressed to think of anyone breaking through the tightly-woven barrier now.
"He's always been good at that," Sandstorm admitted. "I'm glad he can put it to use."
Tinyclaw led the way down the ravine. It did little good to reflect on the change in the forest thanks to the fire, but sometimes it was simply jarring to see nothing where there had once been something green and good.
He and Sandstorm pushed their way into the ThunderClan camp, meeting Oakheart. The older warrior had been left on guard while they were gone at the Gathering, the camp and the Clan feeling more vulnerable than ever before.
"It doesn't seem like anyone's gotten any sleep," Sandstorm offered, looking around.
Tinyclaw noted the same. Cats that hadn't gone to the Gathering still seemed as awake and alert as when they'd left.
"We've been pretty tense," Oakheart admitted, "keeping an eye out for Bluefur, and all."
Tinyclaw stiffened, and Sandstorm made an awkward noise. Oakheart tilted his head at their reaction, eyes narrowing. Tinyclaw had no idea how Oakheart would take this news – Bluestar had been his mate, the mother of their kits. They'd been in love since they were young warriors, and Bluestar's betrayal had hit him very hard, driving Oakheart to stay in the nursery with their kits since – even with an apprentice to train, Oakheart did not sleep in the warrior's den anymore.
"Bluestar… isn't much of a threat any more," Tinyclaw sighed.
Oakheart frowned. "What're you talking about?"
"She's the leader of ShadowClan now," Tinyclaw told him.
Oakheart's eyes blazed. "What?!"
The strength of his voice alerted every cat not hidden in a den. Eyes turned to the three gathered near the camp entrance in curiosity, and mews of wonder echoed through those that hadn't been to the Gathering. Those that had only gave a look that betrayed their knowledge of Oakheart's reaction.
"I demand an explanation!" Oakheart hissed. "What is the meaning of this… this blasphemy!"
"Believe me," Mousefur grunted from a few tail-lengths away, "we all want an explanation of this fox-dung."
"Wait, wait, what?" Longtail wondered. The pale tabby was drawing closer, his long striped tail twisting. "Did I hear that right? Bluestar?"
"Bluestar?"
"Wait, how?"
"Leader of ShadowClan?!"
"How could StarClan let that happen?"
Tinyclaw sighed at the shocked mewls of his Clanmates. Their betrayer, murderer of several cats, was now a leader? How could this be? Soon he was surrounded by cats clamoring for an explanation, and Tinyclaw could feel all their eyes on him as if he were the only one capable of giving it, as if he were the only one that was there. It was stifling, and Tinyclaw began taking deep, preventative breaths.
"ShadowClan was weak from sickness," Whitestorm offered, coming up to stand with Tinyclaw and Sandstorm. "Nightstar lost all his lives and Cinderfur was among the first to die. Any help would have seemed like a blessing from StarClan."
"And there was some blessing in this," Brackenfur added grudgingly. "Runningnose spoke of a sign from StarClan declaring Bluestar ShadowClan's new leader – I've never questioned StarClan's will before now but with this information I wonder what they had in mind here."
"Bluestar is a traitor," hissed Frostfur. "She's terrorized this Clan and murdered so many of us!"
Tinyclaw winced at her words – her kit Thornpaw had been killed by Bluestar, along with Runningwind, and another of her kits, Brackenfur, had fallen into a trap meant to take Tigerstar's life. Bluestar had given her so much grief.
"We never got the chance to tell them," Tinyclaw told them resignedly. "The way the Gathering ended up, Bluestar sounded like a savior. If we would have told them the truth, there might have been conflict we couldn't handle."
Most of the cats didn't like that answer – it made ThunderClan look weak, after all – but most others took it with a grunt or a grumble. Tinyclaw observed their reactions, dreading his obligation to tell Tigerstar the news. Whitestorm stepped forward when more questions were posed, answering them with his calm determination. Not for the first time, Tinyclaw wondered if Whitestorm would have made a better deputy in this situation than he.
"Dustpelt," he called over the din of voices. The cats calmed down, turning their eyes to Tinyclaw. "Take Ashpaw, Mousefur, and Cloudpaw on the dawn patrol. Keep together and alert, and if you can, get some information on the ShadowClan border."
Dustpelt nodded in assent. "We'll be careful," he promised.
"Everyone," Tinyclaw offered, raising his voice, "we will make it through this. This development was unexpected, but we're ThunderClan. These past seasons have taught us that we can handle the unexpected. We won't be undone by this, and we won't let Bluestar do any more damage to this Clan than she already has!"
He was trying to sound encouraging, and it seemed to work – the Clan cheered before they broke up to get on with their day. Dustpelt gathered his patrol, and Cloudpaw was talking encouragingly to a worried-looking Ashpaw. Whitestorm was offering words to the other warriors, too. Tinyclaw breathed a sigh.
"You're getting good at this," Sandstorm admitted, pressing against him.
Tinyclaw was thankful for her presence. "I'm doing my best; it's all I've got," he replied.
"You turned a pretty bad situation into something better," Sandstorm told him. "Don't be so modest, Tinyclaw; enjoy your victories here. Things aren't going to be any easier from here on out, now that Bluestar is leader."
"I know," Tinyclaw agreed. He looked at her gratefully. "Go get some rest, Sandstorm."
"And you?"
"Someone's got to tell Tigerstar," Tinyclaw told her. "My work is never done."
Sandstorm nodded in understanding, and touched her nose affectionately to his. Tinyclaw was shocked by the gesture, feeling his pelt burn as he watched her pad for the warrior's den. Tinyclaw swallowed, mouth suddenly dry.
Shaking it off, Tinyclaw finally made a move towards the Highrock. It loomed over the camp – once it had been covered in vines and greenery, but now it was stark and gray, almost larger than life. Below, tucked away, was Tigerstar's den. Cinderpelt was there, taking the place of Fernpaw as a solitary guard outside. A precaution, just in case Tigerstar…
Tinyclaw sighed. Originally the guard had been to ensure Tigerstar's safety but now he was wondering if there was even a point. Tigerstar couldn't be ignorant of his guard and it probably added a wounded pride to the plethora of wounds he was still trying to cope with. Tigerstar just had not been himself since Bluestar's betrayal – it had hit ThunderClan's leader the hardest of any cat.
As if his thoughts about Tigerstar's conditions had summoned him, Brackenfur limped up to Tinyclaw's side, keeping up with the small cat's pace.
Brackenfur's voice was full of worry: "Tinyclaw… this news will be bad for Tigerstar."
"I know," Tinyclaw sighed.
"It might just upend any progress he was making," Brackenfur warned. Together, they paused in the shadow of the Highrock. The forest was cooler now that a storm had finally broken the heatwave, and the Highrock's shadow felt almost like standing on ice.
"I keep finding reasons to make your job harder, it seems," Tinyclaw decided. "I'm sorry."
Brackenfur's tail flicked. "I think I might have to declare a full recovery impossible at this point. Herbs help in the right combinations, but right now Tigerstar is unwilling to do much else to better his mind."
Tinyclaw sighed, his heart heavy with the thought. "There's nothing we can do?"
"Yellowfang taught me some things about how to deal with sickness of the mind, but she also said that sometimes, it's not enough," Brackenfur told him. "Herbs are all that I can do when the cat in question wants nothing to do with recovering in other ways. He has to be willing to try."
Tinyclaw looked down at his paws. "Cheer up, Tinyclaw," Brackenfur said. "StarClan hasn't abandoned Tigerstar like he thinks they have – maybe if he can come to that realization, his recovery can really start."
"You think so?"
"It's possible," Brackenfur told him. There was hope in his eyes, as bittersweet as it was. "Yellowfang had a wonderful ability to empathize with any cat… I wish I had it. I might be able to do better with Tigerstar if I did."
"You're doing the best you can," Tinyclaw insisted. "And beyond. Yellowfang would be proud of you."
"I hope so." Brackenfur sighed, his eyes filling with sorrow. "I miss her."
Tinyclaw nodded. "Me, too."
Brackenfur gave his head a little shake. "Well – no point dwelling on this! I've got work to do – and you need to get some sleep. I'll be in with Tigerstar's medication."
"I need to get some sleep?" Tinyclaw scoffed. "You do, too."
Brackenfur chuckled. "That I do," he admitted. "Yellowfang would box my ears if I wasn't getting enough sleep."
He limped away for the medicine cat's den with a flick of his tail. Tinyclaw watched him disappear into a crack in the ravine, thinking of Yellowfang. The old she-cat had been the closest thing to a mother Tinyclaw knew, bossy and proud but compassionate beneath her unkempt fur. He recalled his last words to her as she died, and he wondered if she'd heard him.
She wasn't utterly gone – Brackenfur would travel to the Moonstone beyond Clan territory soon, at the half-moon. There with the other Clan's medicine cats he would dream, and see Yellowfang's spirit amongst their ancestors in StarClan. At least, Tinyclaw hoped so. He couldn't imagine any other spirit guiding Brackenfur on his way forward.
With thoughts of Yellowfang's strength in his mind, Tinyclaw headed for Tigerstar's den. He nodded to Cinderpelt before announcing himself and padding inside.
Tigerstar was huddled in his nest, and sadly enough it looked to be like he hadn't moved an inch since the Gathering party had left. His amber eyes barely met Tinyclaw's. Tinyclaw sat on his haunches, taking a moment to observe his leader and recall just what a mighty, powerful cat Tigerstar had been. Just meeting his eyes would have struck fear into a warrior's heart, but now…
"Tinyclaw," Tigerstar rasped. "You've returned. What's happened?"
It seemed, this time, that Tigerstar remembered the Gathering. Sometimes he forgot. Tinyclaw sucked in a deep breath, and announced, "Bluefur has become Bluestar, and is leader of ShadowClan."
Tigerstar's eyes shot open, wide and stunned. It looked as if Tinyclaw's words had been a physical blow, and Tinyclaw could see the disbelief in his eyes. Silence stretched between them for what seemed like seasons, until Tigerstar's voice whispered, "That's impossible."
"It's the truth, Tigerstar," Tinyclaw meowed sympathetically. He went into detail about the Gathering, explaining everything he could remember. He did this as frankly as he could, despite Tigerstar's growing shock and agitation. He needed to know. He was still ThunderClan's leader.
When he was done, Tigerstar pushed himself out of his nest and began to pace, the fur along his spine bristling to its very ends. "Traitors," he hissed. His claws scraped the packed earth floor. "All of them! All who had seen Bluestar atop the Great Rock and not tried to cast her down! Traitors!"
"Tigerstar," Tinyclaw tried, "they don't know. I didn't get the chance to tell -"
"Traitors!" Tigerstar snapped, interrupting Tinyclaw. He wasn't listening. Tinyclaw hadn't expected this to go well, frankly; but he had also held out hope that Tigerstar might not react this way.
Tigerstar spun in place. His claws were scoring the earth, kicking up ash and dust and making Tigerstar's voice crack. "WindClan is the worst of them – Tallstar sitting there and accepting Bluestar, giving her his confidence and trust! Clearly, they are planning an alliance – well, if they want a war then a war they'll get! ThunderClan will not stand for this!
"I want doubled patrols! The camp must be guarded from attack. We must keep ThunderClan secure! There's no telling when those traitors might strike!" Foam formed at Tigerstar's mouth.
Tinyclaw's heart sank to see him so worked up. Once, Tigerstar would not have behaved this way. "We don't have enough cats for that, Tigerstar. Everyone will be worked to the bone," he reasoned.
"Enough!" Tigerstar growled. "We will find a way. ThunderClan must endure. We must survive! An attack is inevitable, I tell you. If you cannot manage this, then perhaps I have found my trust misplaced!"
Tinyclaw flinched. "Of course not, Tigerstar. You can trust me, you know that! I'm the one that told you of Bluestar's crimes in the first place – but right now, we have no idea of her intentions as ShadowClan's leader. There's a chance she might do nothing now that she has what she wants."
He didn't believe that, and Tigerstar likely didn't, either. But the words seemed to calm him down. Tigerstar padded into his nest, sheathing his claws. "Yes… you can be trusted," he mumbled. "If I cannot trust you, I cannot trust anyone."
Tigerstar's eyes flashed. "But you know better than anyone, however, that Bluestar will take her revenge! ThunderClan's days are numbered if no preparations are taken. ShadowClan will rise and destroy us all!"
"Tigerstar, please -"
The old tabby tom flopped down into his nest, shutting his eyes. "Go. Carry out my orders, Tinyclaw – and leave me in peace."
