It was midday, most cats were laying in camp, sunbathing. The noon hunting patrol dropped their catches on the fresh-kill pile. Both were starting to look pitiful. Ever since Tigerstar's near drowning he'd just about forbidden hunting fish. None of the Riverclan warriors were happy, but they couldn't do anything about it.
In truth, whenever Tigerstar was out, they caught fish anyway. Brought back to camp and called as many starving cats as they could, before throwing the bones back into the river. Blackfoot was absolutely sure the effort got started with Leopardstar, Stonefur and Skyheart. Blackfoot didn't mind the few extra bites of food. He'd gotten used to fish… nothing like a good frog, though, but in leaf-bare all was welcome.
Though, currently, Tigerstar sat atop the Bonehill. "All cats wake up for a clan meeting!" he yowled. The clearing's peaceful silence was broken by groggy murmurs and yawns. The clearest Blackfoot heard was from Mallowtail.
"Oh boy, here we go again!"
"Silence!" Tigerstar yowled. The Shadowclan warriors listened, though the Riverclan cats kept talking before fading out. Tigerstar stood atop the Bonehill, looking absolutely livid, but spoke nothing of it.
"The time has come to purify Tigerclan blood," he started. Everycat's fur stood up straight, their eyes wide. Russetfur pressed closer against Blackfoot, whimpering. "Mistyfoot, Stonefur, Stormpaw and Featherpaw will be retired from their warrior duties, and be guarded by Jaggedtooth."
Leopardstar yowled up at him, her fur on end, claws unsheathed. Tigerstar snarled back down, unsheathing his massive claws. Leopardstar took a step back, resheathing though not letting her fur rest. She turned to the half-clan cats, Jaggedtooth's teeth bared at them, ready to lead them away.
"I'm sorry, Stonefur," she whispered, so low Tigerstar wouldn't hear, dipping her head, "I'm sorry all of you…"
Stonefur quickly nodded, "I know you won't let Tigerstar do this forever. He's not right. You'll make him see that-," he muttered as Jaggedtooth cut him short.
"Shut your yap before I shut it for you!" Jaggedtooth said, a bit too loudly. Tigerstar took notice and turned to them, though he didn't look angry in the slightest.
"I believe I saw an abandoned rabbit hole along the Windclan border," Tigerstar instructed. Jaggedtooth smiled maliciously up at him, headbutting Mistyfoot's shoulder for her to move. She flicked her tail on either apprentices shoulder, keeping them close.
Blackfoot sat up a bit, wrapping his thin black tail around the quivering Russetfur. He angled his ears in the direction of the nursery, sneaking a glance before turning right back to Tigerstar. Darkflower was scowling up at the leader, her bright claws unsheathed, tail curling tighter and tighter around her kits. He strained to hear them through the murmurs.
"What's going on?" Talonkit mewed, "Where are Stonefur and Featherpaw going?"
"Why is that cat so angry at them?" Smokekit added.
Darkflower's only response was a hiss.
"We don't want to go back in the nursery!" Talonkit protested. Blackfoot figured that Darkflower was shoving them back in with a paw.
"I don't want you to get hurt," Darkflower soothed.
"You can't fight during a meeting!" Smokekit mewed.
"You can if the leader's being…." she lowered her voice, "...unreasonable. Go talk to Tallpoppy."
"Along with this I have also decided to give extra protection to our…" Tigerstar went on, his eyes flicking disgustedly at Silverstep, "...weakest members. Silverstep will be guarded by Brownpelt and the queens by Boulder."
"You can't trust your own queens?!" yowled Darkflower, silencing the cats. "You can't trust a nursing Shadowclan queen and you can't trust a weaning Shadowclan queen?!"
"Silence!" Tigerstar hissed.
"Absolutely not! What is wrong with you?!"
Tigerstar bristled. Blackfoot heard whispers of Riverclan agreement ripple through the cats.
"What if a battle happens! You're just going to remove six of your warriors?"
Boulder had started nudging her shoulder to try and force her back in, but she stood on her back legs, battlering his muzzle. He backed off.
"Queens shouldn't be fighting battles anyway! Kits need a mother."
"Queens are the fiercest warriors in all the clans, they will do anything to protect their kits! And even then, you're still imprisoning four warriors!"
"Half-clan cats." Tigerstar corrected.
"What should blood matter! They were raised in Riverclan, they're Riverclan warriors."
"...Riverclan?" Tigerstar growled, "We are Tigerclan!"
Darkflower bared her teeth, "I will never call us that. Not after today. You're a pathetic leader, Tigerclaw." She then ducked into the nursery, Boulder's eyes wide.
Blackfoot would be lying if he said he expected any more of a reaction. Calling a leader their warrior name was either an act of treason or love, it all depended on tone. And Darkflower's voice was the angriest Blackfoot had ever heard a cat's get. The clan was muttering, seemingly forgotten Tigerstar was watching. Though, Tigerstar looked shaken and like he, too, had forgotten he was holding a meeting.
Blackfoot shook his head to himself. Darkflower was right. Tigerstar was a pathetic leader. If Shadowclan hadn't been so desperate for a leader, and had the foresight this would've happened, Tigerstar never would've been appointed leader.
"Silence!" Tigerstar then yowled, standing. Camp fell silent, everyone absolutely terrified. "Brownpelt and Blackfoot, take them and go hunting."
Silverstep struggled to their feet, but before they could get their footing on their working hind leg, Tigerstar thumped down next to them and shouldered them down. Brownpelt shot up toward them, Blackfoot following a few pawsteps behind.
A growl rose in his throat, "First he imprisons his own warriors, now he makes it even more difficult for a three-legged cat to stand." He shook his head, nudging their chest, "Unbelievable."
Leopardstar padded over. Brownpelt glanced between the two, scornfully. "How do you support this?!"
Blackfoot guiltily shook his head, "I don't. But, a leader's word is law. I can't challenge it."
Brownpelt turned his gaze to the golden tabby, "You're a leader, Leopardstar."
Leopardstar looked away tiredly, she turned to the camp entrance, flicking her tail for them to follow. "Not in Tigerclan," she said, barely louder than a breeze, "Not in Tigerclan…."