AN:
Ally: Maybeh, maybeh not. 0.o
Ginnystar: Thanks, and indeed he is. :O
Cinderpaw *hands tissue* Yes, we're just full of fights here, eh?
47
Tigerpaw awoke, and was startled to find that it was dusk. He frowned. The time that padded between the Dark Forest and real life seemed inconsistent. It seemed as if he hadn't been in the Dark Forest very long at all, but here whole hours had passed….
He padded out of the den, and went into Brightstar's den. She wasn't there, and he frowned.
"Hey, Lightcloud, do you know where Brightstar is?" he asked, padding towards the golden she-cat. She blinked at him.
"She and the other warriors that are going on the raid went on the final patrol for the night," she replied. "They're going to select a crossing path from which they'll storm RiverClan's camp."
"Oh," Tigerpaw said. "When will they be back?"
Lightcloud simply shrugged. "Brightstar said she didn't want to be disturbed when she returned; everyone will need a good night's rest."
"Oh," Tigerpaw said again, and his tail drooped. How was he going to join the battle now?
Do what you did at the Gathering, a voice seemed to whisper to him. Tigerpaw remembered how he had followed the warriors in secret when he hadn't been allowed to go to the first Gathering. Could he do the same thing with this battle?
Yes, he decided. I'll doubtlessly get in trouble, but I want to help, and maybe speak with the kits if I can.
With that decision, he padded back to his den and curled up. He would need a good night's rest too.
* * *
Foxpaw moving beside him was what woke him the next morning. He pretended to be asleep, waiting for Foxpaw and Lionpaw to leave, before he raised his head and crept to the entrance of the apprentice den. He watched as Brightstar collected the cats for the raid.
"Remember, this is simply a warning to them," she cautioned. "I want no one killed, but injure as many cats as you can. RiverClan must realize they are not stronger than ThunderClan."
"Understood," the gathered cats meowed, and Brightstar led them out of the camp. Tigerpaw paused for a moment, allowing them to get far ahead of him, before he trotted out of camp silently, following their scent.
Like a crow's flight, the raiding party went straight for Sunningrocks, not taking any detours. Tigerpaw thought they would walk across the stepping stones over the river, but that would take too long. Rather, several cats walked over the stepping stones, while some crept across a large fallen log and leaping to the other side. Still others swam as best they could; the river was quite low, for once. They disappeared from sight, and Tigerpaw carefully followed, jumping from stone to stone as he followed. They were smooth and wet under his paws, and he nearly fell off of one, but saved himself in the nick of time, although he hurt one of his claws doing so. Finally, he was across, and still following the scent of ThunderClan, although the strong, fishy scent of RiverClan battered his nose. Up ahead, he heard Brightstar's battle cry, before the sounds of a terrible battle began. Tigerpaw raced forward, stopping at the entrance of RiverClan camp. It was a flurry of activity, with the queens racing to the nursery, nudging confused kits towards the safety of the nursery. Several cats were simply standing there in shock as ThunderClan warriors tore through their ranks.
How do you like it, RiverClan? Tigerpaw thought. How do you like it when we invade your Clan?
His gaze swept over the battlefield, looking for a familiar calico pelt; the pelt of Splashpelt. He burned with rage every time he thought of her, and how she had nearly killed him moons before. We'll see who is stronger this time.
He couldn't seem to find her at first. Then, as he crept down the slope farther into camp, his eyes widened as he saw Splashpelt stalking someone from behind. That white and ginger pelt….
"Brightstar, look out!" he cried, but Brightstar was fighting another cat and didn't hear him. Tigerpaw charged forward, and sprang just as Splashpelt lunged for Brightstar. He knocked Splashpelt onto her side.
"You!" she hissed, and struggled underneath him, clawing at his stomach. Tigerpaw drew back, hissing. They circled each other for a moment.
"You've gotten big, whelp," Splashpelt taunted. "Missing those kit-friends of yours? You, who helped bring them here in the first place?"
"Shut up," Tigerpaw snarled, and a strange, powerful rage suddenly burnt inside of him. Without warning, he sprang forward, landing on Splashpelt and tearing at her with his claws. She thrashed underneath him and landed several deep gashes on his stomach, but he ignored them, caring only about hurting her, slicing her, cutting her as deeply as he could. Finally, his claws met her throat, blood bubbling up underneath his claws. He stared down at her, gasping for breath, blood staining her calico fur, and wanting nothing more to press his claws down and end it all.
"Tigerpaw, stop!" Brightstar demanded. "ThunderClan never kills unless there is no choice!"
As if her words had flipped a switch inside of him, suddenly the murderous rage dropped away. He stepped off of Splashpelt, feeling sickened as she let out a rattle, before going limp. Her sides rose and fell still, so he knew she was alive, but the thought of how close he had been to killing her made him want to vomit.
"What are you doing here, Tigerpaw?" Brightstar demanded. "You were not chosen."
"I had to help," Tigerpaw said, his amber eyes narrowed. "For Silvermist's kits."
Brightstar let out a quiet growl, before glancing around. Many RiverClan warriors were retreating to lick their wounds, and ThunderClan was beginning to back up as well.
"ThunderClan will not be defeated!" Viperfang roared, at the retreating cats. "We will not be ordered about!"
"ThunderClan, we have proven our point," Brightstar yowled, raising her tail high. ThunderClan and RiverClan split apart, and ThunderClan turned, racing out of RiverClan's camp and back to their own together.
AN: Eh, kinda short, but if all goes well we will get to learn Tigerpaw's father's name today! :D
