I don't own Warriors.
Tigerstar scented the air, snarling in disgust at the water lapping at his feet. The water was icy. He peered into the pool, creeping out onto the Watching Rock. Pictures swam below him. Brambleclaw, the filthy traitorous son of his, still a loyal ThunderClan cat. Didn't he know anything?
He could also see Hawkfrost. The tabby tom was gazing unseeingly at something Tigerstar couldn't view. He would make a good deputy for Tanglepaw when she was RiverClan leader, he decided. .He would mention it to her.
And finally, he saw Tanglepaw, but she was older now. Her tabby fur had a glossy sheen to it, and droplets of water trickled off of it, never touching her skin. Tigerstar might not be a RiverClan cat, but Tanglepaw could be.
Her face was still bright and alive, listening to a warrior inform her about something.
"And I suggest attacking ShadowClan soon, Tanglestar," the cat said. "Our spies are in place, Ravenstar never suspected anything. He's still upset about what happened." The cat's voice lowered. "You know, two months ago."
"I hate to use her that way, but I must do what I can," Tanglestar replied.
"Tanglestar?" an apprentice called. "There's a ThunderClan messenger here. It's urgent."
"Put together a force to attack ShadowClan," Tanglestar said. "I'll work out tactics and let you know later. I'll take this message."
The ThunderClan messenger dipped his scrawny head in hurried respect. "There was a…incident…in ThunderClan today. Sparkstar said to tell you. He lost a life."
Tanglestar bit back a hiss of annoyance. "Alright. Dismissed."
The messenger looked shocked at her lack of concern.
The image dissolved. Tigerstar could see another one, of Sparkpaw. He too was older, ever more than Tanglepaw. He was fighting a cat. A dark gray paw flicked out, catching him in the throat.
Blood welled from the gash, and Sparkpaw's eyes glazed over as he fell backward. The huge tabby's paw lashed out from the stone, breaking the image.
"The future isn't set in stone," he snarled to himself. "It never has been."
"Where's Tanglepaw?"
"What?" Darkpaw asked.
Sandstorm flicked her tail in annoyance. "I said, where's Tanglepaw? I've looked all over, asked nearly everyone, and I can't find her."
Darkpaw flinched. He knew, well, everyone knew, that the two she-cats relation ship wasn't the best.
"She's gone," Shadowpaw said, padding up. "I was talking to Secret, and she said she'd left ThunderClan for good."
"What?!" Sandstorm gasped. "And she didn't try to stop her?"
Shadowpaw only shrugged.
"Shadowpaw's right," Sparkpaw said quietly. "I saw her leaving. When I asked her why she said because no one trusted her and that she was an outsider. I tried to make her come back, but she threatened to fight me."
"Why didn't you tell someone?"
"I only just go back, Sandstorm."
"Where did she go?" Darkpaw asked. "Is she going to be a loner, or a member of another Clan?"
"She was heading for RiverClan." Sparkpaw's quiet tone, combined with his lack of caring, made everyone stare at him. Silentpaw's white eyes were on him, glassy in shock and reflecting horror.
"You don't even care," Shadowpaw said.
"I do! It's just that…She chose to leave. She wanted it. No matter what we do, Tanglepaw won't come back. If we force her, she'll just hate us."
Darkpaw swallowed, trying to force the lump in his throat to go away. "So she's gone, forever. She'll never come back; we'll only see her at Gatherings now."
Shadowpaw squeezed his eyes shut, Darkpaw cursed Tanglepaw, then himself for cursing her, while tears leaked from Silentpaw's eyes, and Sparkpaw sat, neatly composed, as his littermates attempted to grasp that Tanglepaw was honestly, truly gone.
"You want to join RiverClan?" Leopardstar asked. She'd seen the apprentice before, usually the center of attention and popular, and the same apprentice had practically begged her to take her in.
"Yes," Tanglepaw said. "ThunderClan had nothing to offer me. I couldn't fit in there."
"Well," Leopardstar seemed to be assessing the situation. "You do seem like a good apprentice, but you don't know how to hunt."
"I can be taught," Tanglepaw said. "I already know most battle skills."
"Show me."
Tanglepaw paused for a moment, collecting her thoughts. She could sense Tigerstar's presence in the den.
"Run at her."
Without hesitation, Tanglepaw obeyed. She followed Tigerstar's instructions precisely. Dodge, jump, roll, and each move perfectly thwarted Leopardstar's. With a small leap, Tanglepaw landed on The RiverClan leader's back, pinning her to the ground.
"Very good," Leopardstar said, looking shocked. "I haven't fought a cat as skilled as you in…" she shook her head. "I've never fought a cat as skilled as you."
Thanks, Tigerstar, Tanglepaw thought. "I spend most of my free time thinking up my own moves, so my attacker won't expect it."
"Well, then," Leopardstar said, gazing at Tanglepaw in admiration. "Welcome to RiverClan."
Finally, Tanglepaw's left ThunderClan. Review!!
