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Chapter 5

Tigerpaw

Tigerpaw ached all over after the battle. He was crouching next to Lionpaw who has not woken up yet. He had just come back from a short vigil for Harewhisker. He remembered hearing Morningsun and Brightshadow have a conversation but he was half asleep and didn't hear anything they said. It was nighttime and Tigerpaw was still wake. He couldn't sleep. The battle had really shaken him and he looked around often, expecting an EarthClan cat to jump out at any moment. He rested his head on his paws. He remembered the battle, cats clawing and ripping each other apart. Like my dream. But this battle wasn't even close to the viciousness of his dream. His dream was worse. He was far from dreaming again, yet the dream felt so close. It bothered him. A lot. He couldn't get it out of his head. And Brightshadow's reaction to his dream was weird. It was as if she already knew about it, a lot about it. He felt like sleep would never come. He didn't want it to come. He was too afraid that he would have it again. He could feel uneasiness crawl through his pelt every time he took a breath. Every faint rustle of the bushes made him jump. The den was unusually silent. No snoring, no shifting. Just utter silence. Tigerpaw sighed. He couldn't even hear the usual quiet breathing of Lionpaw. Just the faint rise and fall of his flank was the only thing that told Tigerpaw that Lionpaw was still alive. Tigerpaw turned his head. On the other side of the den was Stonefeather. His father had insisted to fight even though he was already hurt. Deep down Tigerpaw felt proud to be the son of such a loyal warrior, but it scared him too. His father could have gotten killed in the battle. Brightshadow said Stonefeather should not even have stood up and walked out the den. Stonefeather had gotten injured almost as bad as Duststorm. Tigerpaw turned to the bold tom. His fur once shinny and well groomed was matted down and ruffled up. Tigerpaw winced at the look of the tom. His wounds were still open and the blood had barley stopped. Brightshadow had to pile cobwebs over cobwebs to stop the leaking. Tigerpaw got pawed and he turned around. Lionpaw was moving around as if he were fighting some cat and he was going to open a wound. Tigerpaw held down Lionpaw's paws and Lionpaw stopped. Instead he started to squeeze his eyes together and curl his lip. Bad dream. But Lionpaw had never acted like this in a nightmare before. Tigerpaw nudged him a bit. Lionpaw's eyes fluttered but he didn't wake up. Tigerpaw tried again. Lionpaw squeezed his eyes together tighter. Lionpaw looked tense. Tigerpaw got worried. Maybe I should try to wake him up. But he is unconscious. Tigerpaw nudged Lionpaw again.

"Get away. No. No." Lionpaw whispered in his sleep. Tigerpaw nudge him again. "You can't do this. You can't. You can't leave. Don't leave me." Lionpaw whispered still asleep. Tigerpaw nudged him once more. "Huh?" Lionpaw's voice was weak and quiet, but Tigerpaw could hear he was awake. "Where…"

"Your where you belong. In FireClan."

Birds chirped and woke Tigerpaw up. He had a decent sleep, which he didn't expect after the dreadful day before. Lionpaw was curled next to him. This time he looked like normal. The quiet breathing, the clear rise and fall of his flank. He actually looked like nothing had happened to him. But he was still wounded. It was clear. Tigerpaw looked around. The wounded cats were still sleeping. They looked normal too. Tigerpaw looked outside. Some of the warriors that weren't wounded to bad were outside stretching and eating. Mossheart was in the clearing organizing patrols.

"…And patrol the Earthclan border…" he said. The patrol set off. Tigerpaw stepped out the den. At the side of the den was Leaf, grooming herself.

"Hi Tigerpaw." She meowed warmly. Tigerpaw was surprised. "What?"

"Nothing," Tigerpaw mewed, "it's just… your so bright today. Leaf coaxed her head to one side.

"So I'm not allowed to be happy?" Leaf's eyes gleamed.

"No, I mean-"

"I'm just pulling your tail." Leaf yawned and stretched. "But incase you want to know, Brightshadow said Hawk is going to wake up soon!"

Tigerpaw purred. "That's wonderful!" Hawk was Leaf's littermate, he had been bitten by an adder and the way Leaf described it, a huge one. "Oh ya, you fought bravely in the battle yesterday." Leaf looked up at him.

"Thanks." Leaf shifted her paws. "I'm thinking about joining your clan." Tigerpaw twitched his ears. "I think it's what I need. It's what Hawk needs too. I think your clan is great." She confessed. "Your clanmates are nice and you work together. Not like…" Leaf trailed off. She seemed to be lost in thought. Tigerpaw could tell this was leading to more of her dark past.

"It's fine." He rested his tail on Leaf's shoulder. "You don't have to tell me."

Leaf sighed. "Okay." She looked at Tigerpaw. He felt uncomfortable. He's never been so close to someone before exept Lionpaw and his mother and father.

"Tigerpaw?" Tigerpaw turned around and saw Brightshadow calling him.

"Got to go." Tigerpaw walked into the medicine cat den. Brightshadow sat next to the herb store. Her tail neatly curled around her paws.

"I told Flameclaw you couldn't train today. You need to rest." Tigerpaw nodded. "Lionpaw should be fine. He's breathing normally and he isn't showing signs of any infection." Tigerpaw nodded again.

"Lionpaw woke up last night." Tigerpaw mewed. Brightshadow seemed interested. "I think he was having a bad dream because he was thrashing around."

"Well he isn't having one now by the look of it." Brightshadow looked a little too interested.

I wonder... "Well, I should get some sleep." Tigerpaw yawned. he patched up his nest and curl up into a ball.

A battlefield. Tigerpaw could smell the blood. He could see the cats fighting.

Not this again. The cats moaned and fought, lives being drained. No, no, no, no.

A dark force is coming not even StarClan can control. It will pierce through the center of all clans. Its darkness can only be conquered by the chosen four!

I know! I know! Stop! Please stop! Suddenly the bloody battlefield turned into a lushes green forest. The trees were shining and the ground was a pool of mist.

"Tigerpaw!" Tigerpaw whipped around.

"Who's there?"

"Tigerpaw!"

"Who's calling me?" Tigerpaw turned around.

"Tigerpaw? Can you hear me?" Tigerpaw stood still.

"Yes." He gulped.

"You can not let this evil take over. There is a way." Tigerpaw was confused.

"What are you talking about? What way?"

"Tigerpaw!" Tigerpaw shot up. Leaf was next to him. "Are you okay? You were twitching. Tigerpaw tried to calm himself down.

"I'm fine, I'm fine." He looked around. He was back. Leaf stared at him.

"Are you sure?"

"Ya." Tigerpaw sat back down.

"If you're fine, then I'm going to get something to eat." She licked her muzzle and dashed out the den. Tigerpaw closed his eyes. What happened? Why did I have the same dream again? He stepped outside the den. Well, no point in worrying myself to death. Tigerpaw sighed. I should get something to eat also. But when he stood up again he felt soar. "I'll get something to eat." Leaf stepped in the den again. She was carrying two pieces of prey.

"Can you eat that much?" Tigerpaw stared at the two big, juicy, plump rabbits.

"This?" She mewed, plopping them on the den floor, "This one is for Hawk." Leaf nudged the fattest one. She carried the rabbits over to Hawk's nest and they started eating. Tigerpaw hadn't noticed Hawk had woken up.

My eyes are so mouse-brained. He thought. He saw Leaf help Hawk up and she helped him out the den. Where are they going? Tigerpaw stretched and curled into a loose ball. He felt the sun on his pelt and everything was silent. For a moment it all seemed perfect.

"Let all cat's old enough to catch their own prey please gather under Tallstone for a clan meeting!"

Right when I was starting to feel calm. Tigerpaw grunted. He stepped outside. Leaf and Hawk were on Tallstone, right behind Emberstar.

"Leaf and Hawk have made a request," Emberstar started, "they wish to join our clan." Murmurs broke out in the clearing. "I have thought long and hard about this. I have come to the conclusion that we can't pass down this opportunity, we need all the cats we can get if we are going to stand up to EarthClan." Leaf and Hawk stepped forward. "Leaf, is it your wish to become an apprentice of FireClan?"

"It is." Leaf looked up at Emberstar.

"Then from this day forward before she gets her warrior name she shall be known as Leafpaw. Leafpaw, Your mentor shall be Sagefur. Sagefur you are an experienced warrior, I trust you will pass on your skills to Leafpaw."

"You can count on it Emberstar." Sagefur dipped her head.

The lucky furball gets Sagefur! Tigerpaw tried not to show his envy.

"Hawk is it your wish to join FireClan?"

"Yes, it is." Hawk looked nervous.

Can't blame him.

"From this day forward before he gets his warrior name this apprentice shall be known as Hawkpaw. Your mentor shall be Dawnfire." Tigerpaw saw Dawnfire perk her ears up. "Dawnfire, you are a gifted fighter and this is your first apprentice. I have no doubt that you will do your best."

"I won't disappoint you Emberstar." Dawnfire and Sagefur jumped up onto Tallstone and touched noses with Leafpaw and Hawkpaw.

"Leafpaw!"

"Hawkpaw!"

"Leafpaw!"

"Hawkpaw!"

Tigerpaw cheered the loudest. Now Leafpaw and I can train together! Leafpaw and Hawkpaw jumped off Tallstone along with their mentors. Tigerpaw trotted over to Leafpaw and Hawkpaw. "Congratulations!"

"Thanks!" Leafpaw beamed. She turned to Hawkpaw, "this is Tigerpaw." She told him. Hawkpaw waved his tail.

"Hi." He meowed.

"Hi." Tigerpaw said back. "Are you two going to tour the territory?"

"No." Leafpaw mewed. "Hawkpaw needs to rest in the den for another day. We're going to later."

Tigerpaw nodded. "Okay. See you later." Tigerpaw walked back to the Medicine cat den. Tigerpaw lied down in his nest next to Lionpaw. He saw Lionpaw open one eye.

"Hey." Lionpaw cuffed Tigerpaw over the ear.

"Your awake!" Tigerpaw exclaimed.

"It's not like I sleep with one eye open and cuff cats." Lionpaw sat up. "So Leaf and Hawk became apprentices?"

"Yep." Tigerpaw shifted his paws. Should I tell him about my dream? He might think it's weird.

"Hello? Lionpaw to Tigerpaw, Tigerpaw!" Tigerpaw jumped.

"I was just thinking about something."

"What?" Lionpaw leaned closer. "Tell me."

Tigerpaw took a deep breath. "Do you really want to know?" Lionpaw nodded eagerly. "Well… can I tell you later? I'm staring!" Lionpaw fell back.

"Tell me!" Lionpaw stuck his face in Tigerpaw's. "No stalling."

"Well." Tigerpaw didn't really know how to explain it. "Uh…I had a dream about something twice and it's really bothering me."

"What dream?" Lionpaw's ear twitched.

"Well, uh…it was kind of weird." Tigerpaw started. Lionpaw nodded. "It was a battlefield and this voice started talking about some prophecy."

"What!" Lionpaw shoved his muzzle into Tigerpaw's face and this time Tigerpaw fell back.

"It-It's hard to explain…" Tigerpaw got up.

"I had dream like that too!" Lionpaw exclaimed. "Exactly like that. That's strange. Why would we have the same dream?" Tigerpaw shugged.

"Well…I guess it's just a huge coincidence?" Tigerpaw said. No. Not a coincidence.

"It's not a coincidence! It can mean something! It might be bad." Lionpaw whispered. "Why of all cats would we get the dream anyway?"

"I do not know." Tigerpaw could tell Lionpaw was serious. "Let's ask Brightshadow."

"Brightshadow won't help. I tried already but she said that must have been a normal nightmare." Lionpaw unsheathed his claws and dug them into the ground. "She obviously knows something we don't, but she won't admit it." Tigerpaw looked thoughtfully at his paws.

"How can we try to make her talk without forcing her?" Tigerpaw wondered. Lionpaw shrugged. "I think we should try not to think too much about it for now." Lionpaw slowly nodded.

"I geuss."

Tigerpaw stepped outside the apprentice den. Brightshadow had finally allowed him to train again, but she only wanted him to hunt and take care of the elders. No battle training. Flamclaw had said yesterday that they would be training with Leafpaw and Sagefur. Flameclaw was waiting in the center of the clearing with Sagefur. "Leafpaw come on, it the first day of training." Tigerpaw nudged her.

"A little longer. Just a little." Leafpaw mewed drowsily. Tigerpaw sighed. Then he smiled.

"Badger attack!" Tigerpaw yowled in Leafpaw's ear. Leafpaw sprang up and her gaze darted in all directions.

"Badger! Where? Where is it?" Tigerpaw fell to the ground laughing. "You tricked me! I'll get you, you worm!" Leafpaw sprang at Tigerpaw. Tigerpaw batted her and rolled over to pin her down.

"Your skills have much to improve." Tigerpaw mewed smugly.

"Oh ya?" Tigerpaw was taken by surprise when Leafpaw rolled over and bucked him off and pinned his off. "Now who's the one talking?"

"Okay, okay. You win. Now let me get up." Tigerpaw gave his chest fur a couple of licks. "Your pretty good for a beginner."

"I'm not really a beginner." Leafpaw mewed, "my father taught me and Hawkpaw how to fight when we were two moons old." She seemed to be lost in memory. "Your three moons like me right?" Leafpaw asked, obviously trying to change the subject.

" Ya." Tigerpaw answered. "Our clan needed more warriors. Lionpaw and I were the oldest in the nursery so they chose to apprentice us." Tigerpaw looked outside the den. "We should hurry up." Tigerpaw pawed Leafpaw. "We don't want to keep our mentors waiting. Tigerpaw got up.

"Wait a second Tigerpaw." Leafpaw stopped him.

"What's wrong?"

"I had a dream." Leafpaw swallowed.

"What kind of dream?" Tigerpaw asked. What could be so important that she needs to tell me?

"It was a battle." Leafpaw started. "I heard wailing cats and yowling. It was to dark to see anything but I saw a pair of glowing eyes and I heard a cats voice telling me something."

"What did he say?" Tigerpaw knew what was coming.

"It said 'a dark force is coming, not even StarClan can control. It will pierce though the center of all clans. Its darkness can only be conquered by the chosen four.' Then I woke up."

"If you woke up already then why did I have to wake you again?" Tigerpaw chuckled.

"I'm serious, Tigerpaw!" Leafpaw hissed. "If that prophecy is true then we could all be in danger!"

"Look," Tigerpaw sat down. "I need to tell you something. You might think I'm crazy, but. . ."

Hope you liked it! This is Burningleaf! See you next chapter!