Fireheart moved quickly across the clearing, the fight with Brokentail's rogues was still going on around him. His side burned from a slash he had gotten from one of the rogues. He had been saved by Mistyfoot, who sent the attacking cat running out of camp.
He had at first thought the blue-gray warrior had been Bluestar and was relieved to see her. When Fireheart had realized who it was and that there were RiverClan warriors, led by Leopardfur, in camp he had been surprised. They were a welcomed surprise; without them they would not be fending off the rogues as well as they were now but it left one question unanswered: where was Bluestar?
He had not seen Tigerclaw or Bluestar throughout the fight, there was only one lead he could think of as to where the ThunderClan leader and deputy may be; Bluestar's den.
Tigerclaw had led the rogues here; Fireheart had figured this out through Cloudpaw's report of seeing him talk to the outlaws. But why? Why had he not seen either cat since he and Cloudpaw had returned to camp? What had Tigerclaw done?
Fireheart raced towards the Highrock, pushing through the lichen that covered the entrance to Bluestar's den. He froze in his tracks; his blood ran cold at the sight before him.
Tigerclaw was standing near the back of the den, there was blood covering the ThunderClan deputy's paw. He was beginning to lick it clean. Below him was Bluestar, her throat slashed. Blood and scratches covered both warriors' pelts, the ThunderClan leader had put up a fight against her disloyal deputy but it was to no avail. The vastly stronger Tigerclaw had managed to overpower her.
Tigerclaw had murdered Bluestar.
Fireheart stared at the sight before him, horror filling him. Why hadn't he been quicker? Why hadn't he been able to stop this? His gaze landed back on to the now dead ThunderClan leader as a feeling of grief came over him like a wave. She was the reason he lived in ThunderClan now. She had taken him in all those moons ago, she had given him the opportunity to live a life he never would have thought of. Bluestar had mentored him, she was his leader and he had been unable to save her from this threat.
His eyes moved from Bluestar to Tigerclaw. A fury replaced the grief he felt for the ThunderClan leader as he glared at her murderer. The other tom had turned away from Bluestar and was now facing Fireheart. He did not seem alarmed at being caught by the other warrior, rather there was a look of satisfaction. Happiness over his actions and finally being able to achieve what he had been striving for for so long. With Bluestar dead, he would be the new leader of ThunderClan.
If Fireheart could, he would stop him. The ginger warrior unsheathed his claws, letting out a furious snarling before charging at the other warrior. His claws hit the brown toms' flank and he wracked them down his side. "Traitor!"
Tigerclaw hissed as he turned away from the attack. The dark warrior twisted, grappling a grip at Fireheart's haunches before pushing him to the ground. Fireheart flipped himself, making to swipe at the other cat's belly.
Fireheart missed as Tigerclaw moved out of his reach, kicking at Fireheart's belly with unsheathed claws as he did. A burning pain overcame the tom as his claws made their way down his belly, leaving a deep scratch. Fireheart let out a caterwaul of pain. He kicked at Tigerclaw, pushing the brown warrior back far enough for him to force himself over, rising shakily to his paws. The injury to his underbelly was already losing blood fast and he was quickly beginning to feel dizzy.
As Fireheart turned to face his opponent, he realized that Tigerclaw had risen to his hide paws. Before he could respond claws struck the warriors' face, making their way from his ear and across his eye. As the claws went through his eye, it burned like nothing he had ever felt before. Fireheart let out a shriek as he jerked away from the attack, Tigerclaw's claws being jerked away not far from his muzzle.
Fireheart curled his lip back, baring his teeth at the other tom. He could feel blood coming down his face as well as his legs but rage kept him going. He needed to avenge Bluestar.
He leaped at the other warrior again, knocking Tigerclaw onto his side. Strong claws dug into his shoulder and Fireheart was quickly thrown off of his opponent. It was clear that Tigerclaw was the stronger of the two warriors as Fireheart was pinned to the sandy ground beneath them.
Tigerclaw planted a paw onto the other warriors' face, long claws dung into the wound he had made on Fireheart's face earlier. What was Tigerclaw going to do now? A twinge of fear formed in his chest. Was Tigerclaw going to kill him, too? The deputy stuck his muzzle close to Fireheart's face. He bared his teeth as he snarled. "It is done, Fireheart. Bluestar is dead and I can take my rightful place as leader."
Fireheart spat at the other warrior, struggling against his hold. He pushed against the large tabby's chest with a forepaw. Tigerclaw barely responded to the smaller tom's struggle. "I am giving you one chance. Follow me and I can make something of you, kittypet. Follow me and have a place in my Clan."
Tigerclaw wanted him to follow him? Why? Why would he ever choose to follow a cat like Tigerclaw? He hated the tabby and in turn Tigerclaw hated him. What reason would Fireheart have to follow him? Fireheart spat, "I would rather die myself!"
"Very well." Tigerclaw's growl came closer, "I will make you regret the day you set eyes on the forest." Fear struck Fireheart's heart as the paw was removed from the side of his face. It was moved to his muzzle, forcing his head back, exposing his throat. He tried to keep Tigerclaw away, pressing on his chest with both forepaws but after a few moments, he felt the prick of sharp teeth engulf his throat. Fireheart thrashed desperately against the other cat's hold, trying anything to get away. No!
The teeth disappeared from his throat and the paw on his muzzle was removed as Fireheart heard a small chuckle. What had that been about? Why didn't Tigerclaw bite down? Why wasn't he dying? He heard the other tom's rumble, "don't worry, you're not going to die. I have something better planned for you." Tigerclaw growled, "After all, you led the rogues here and you killed Bluestar." The dark warrior spat in his face, "I will make you pay for what you have done against me – against my Clan."
"Bluestar –" Tigerclaw looked up from Fireheart, towards the entrance of the den as Graystripe burst in. The gray toms' eyes rounded at the sight which greeted him. "Fireheart, what's going on?"
"Nice of you to join us. You can help me with this traitor – that is, if you want to prove your loyalty." Tigerclaw's amber gaze went back down to Fireheart, "You see, Graystripe. Your friend here has killed Bluestar." The cat in question began to struggle against the other warriors' hold again. He let out a yowl of protest at Tigerclaw's words. Tigerclaw raised his paw, slamming it across Fireheart's face. The young warrior felt dazed, between the blow and the blood loss he was experiencing his head was spinning. "I don't know what lies he has told you about me or anything else but he has betrayed his Clan."
"He would never!" Fireheart heard Graystripe hiss, "He has always been loyal to ThunderClan! He has been since the day he came here!" Tigerclaw cocked his head to the side slightly at the gray warriors' words. There was a strange glimmer in his eyes.
"You dare defy your leader?" Tigerclaw growled, "He has corrupted you, Graystripe. No wonder you went and had half-Clan kits." He spat the words like he was speaking a curse. "He has led you astray from the warrior code! From your loyalty to your Clan."
Another shape moved through the lichen curtain; Fireheart recognized Darkstripe as the dark tabby came in. His eyes rounded. He looked from Fireheart and Tigerclaw to Graystripe and back before opening his mouth to speak. Before he could, Tigerclaw cut him off.
"Get this one out of here," Tigerclaw nodded at Graystripe as he spoke. "He has been tricked and continues to believe these lies, I'll take care of the kittypet." Darkstripe nodded, moving around the gray tom as he started to force him out. Graystripe looked back at Fireheart desperately but allowed himself to be shoved out into the clearing.
Fireheart growled, "Leave Graystripe out of this, he has done nothing."
Tigerclaw looked back down at the cat below him as he snorted, "He has everything to do with this. He has since he chose to be loyal to you. Since he decided to have kits with a RiverClan cat. He is nothing more than a traitor and I will not tolerate that in my Clan." Fireheart jerked under the larger tom, letting out a snarl as he kicked at Tigerclaw's underbelly with unsheathed paws. He winced at the pain the movement caused his own belly. A paw was pressed into the scratch on his belly, the pain forcing him still as the tabby stuck his muzzle into the other cats' face. He sneered, "What are you going to do, kittypet? They're bound to believe their deputy over you. You haven't even got Bluestar to protect you anymore. You are nothing but kittypet filth now."
Tigerclaw was right, he realized, what reason would they have to believe Fireheart over the deputy? Bluestar was dead, without her he had no influence in the Clan. He had to make them believe him somehow, they couldn't possibly believe he was capable of murder.
The weight of Tigerclaw moved off of Fireheart. He rose shakily to his paws, urged on by the ThunderClan deputy as they left the leaders' den. Fireheart felt dizzy as he staggered shakily out of the den, collapsing at the base of Highrock when he came out. An unsheathed paw was placed between his shoulders, pressing him further against the ground.
The rogues were all gone, ThunderClan's attention was on Darkstripe and Graystripe. They shifted quickly to Fireheart and Tigerclaw. Fireheart spotted Cinderpaw limping steadily towards them, blue eyes round. A twinge of fear formed in Fireheart's chest as Tigerclaw sent her off. Did he want him to bleed to death in front of everyone?
"Tigerclaw?" It was Sandstorm who spoke up. Her confused gaze on Fireheart, "What happened? He's bleeding bad. Let Cinderpaw look at him." The claws in Fireheart's back dug deeper.
"He is a traitor, why should I care? He will be dealt with in a moment." Murmurs arose from the ThunderClan warriors at Tigerclaw's words. Suspicious eyes bore into Fireheart, who opened his mouth to speak. They couldn't know what Tigerclaw had to say about him, none of it was true.
"Tigerclaw is lying, I am not –" Fireheart was struck atop the head with one large paw, his head forced back down to the ground beneath him.
"He's not a traitor!" Fireheart heard Graystripe exclaim, he watched the gray tom move a few steps away from Darkstripe who let out a warning hiss. Graystripe ignored him, "Fireheart would never betray his Clan!"
"You speak as if you yourself are not another traitor." Tigerclaw growled, "Did you assist in this crime? You have already proved yourself a traitor, but I did not think you could be capable of assisting in a murder." There were yowls of alarm at the deputy's words. Tigerclaw shifted his attention to the rest of the Clan as he meowed, "I present Fireheart before you as a prisoner. Bluestar is dead. Fireheart killed her."
Yowls sounded again from the ThunderClan warriors. Fireheart watched Sandstorm's eyes widen, a look of horror came across them as she moved a few steps back. There were more looks of horror and disgust casted his way. Mousefur called out, "I thought Bluestar had multiple lives left. How can she be dead?"
"I thought so, too." Tigerclaw replied, "but this traitor must have known different." He spat at Fireheart as he spoke.
Graystripe snarled, "He is lying! Fireheart would never harm Bluestar, much less kill her!" He looked around at his Clanmates, "How could any of you believe that he would?"
"How do you know it was him?" Whitestorm's meow came. The noble warrior padded a few steps forward, "The rogues were here. How do you not know if it was one of them and Fireheart was simply in the wrong place?" Whitestorm was defending him? Fireheart's eye widened, cats were questioning Tigerclaw's words. This was good, they would figure it out and Fireheart's name would be cleared.
"I came in on him in the process of killing her. He must have spoken to the rogues and used them as a distraction into fooling us to believe it was one of them. He has fooled us all. After Bluestar was so kind as to take in a kittypet, he goes and does this." Fireheart hissed as the claws on his back dug deeper into him. "I only wish I could have seen his treacherous ways sooner." There was a light in Tigerclaw's eyes as he looked down at Fireheart.
Fireheart tried to force himself from Tigerclaw's hold. "What Tigerclaw's speaks is not true," He began. "He killed Bluestar – I walked in on him! Tigerclaw led the rogues here and this is not the first crime he has committed against our Clan. He –"
A blow hit Fireheart's head, harder than the ones Tigerclaw had delivered prior. It forced his head back down to the ground, his muzzle closed against the ground. His lip curled back into a snarl as Tigerclaw shook his head, "More lies from a traitor. What do you think will come of continuing this farce, Fireheart?"
"If he is not lying then let him speak!" Graystripe growled, "Let him speak, he is innocent!" Tigerclaw's eyes narrowed at his words.
"How can you not see through the lies Fireheart has wound around your head? I almost pity you for being unable to see the truth." Tigerclaw paused, "That is, of course, unless you assisted Fireheart in this murder. You did, didn't you? Flea bitten traitor. I want you out of my territory. Graystripe, you are hereby banished from ThunderClan. If any of my warrior sees you on our territory after sunset, they are allowed to kill you."
Graystripe's eyes widened with shock at the deputy's words. Fireheart struggled against Tigerclaw's hold; his friend was getting banished because of him. Guilt churned in his belly. At least, if Graystripe was getting banished that might mean Fireheart would be as well. Was that what Tigerclaw meant by wanting to keep him alive? So he could be outcasted from the Clan?
Murmurs came from the ThunderClan warriors, all eyes were on Graystripe. The gray warrior stared, eyes filled with shock, at Tigerclaw. "Tigerclaw I –"
Fireheart felt the claws in his back dig deeper as Tigerclaw snarled, "Get out of my camp right now."
Graystripe looked around himself, his fear scent was beginning to grow as he considered what to do. His Clanmates were glaring at him in the silence. Graystripe looked back at Tigerclaw; his gaze had hardened. He growled, "Not without my kits."
"Graystripe," Goldenflower spoke out from near the nursery where she watched on. "How would you care for them? They need a mother's care right now. They are weak as it is, without milk they will die."
Graystripe faltered at the golden queen's words. He remained where he was for a few moments before he looked back to Tigerclaw and snarled, "I am not leaving them in ThunderClan under you, Tigerclaw."
"Very well." Tigerclaw's gaze shifted to where Leopardfur and the RiverClan patrol were watching on. He meowed, "I imagine the reason you came here was to get the kits?"
Leopardfur stepped forward, dipping her head. "It is," she replied. "Crookedstar wants his daughter's kits back."
"You can have them." Graystripe's eyes widened at Tigerclaw's words. The brown tabby's gaze shifted back to Goldenflower, "Would you show them to the kits?" The golden queen dipped her head, waiting as two warriors approached the nursery before disappearing inside. His gaze went right back to Graystripe, "Now get out."
Graystripe turned towards the RiverClan patrol, staring at Leopardfur desperately, "Let me come with you, please!"
The spotted tabby narrowed her eyes at him, "Why would we want a cat that has just been banished?" Graystripe cringed.
"Graystripe, get out before you're chased out!" Tigerclaw's snarl came, Fireheart could feel his tail lashing agitatedly above him.
"What about Fireheart? Is he not banished as well?" Anxiety was pooling in Fireheart's chest, what was Tigerclaw going to do with him? If he were to banish Fireheart and Graystripe, wouldn't it make sense to do it in one go and get it over with? Tigerclaw had said he was not going to die, so what else could the new leader of ThunderClan possibly have planned for him?
"I will deal with Fireheart, get out of my territory now." Tigerclaw's eyes narrowed. Graystripe looked at Fireheart helplessly. Fireheart blinked at his friend, forcing his head up a bit.
"Go. I'll be fine," He promised. "Get out of here." They both knew that was a lie, neither Fireheart nor Graystripe knew what was going to happen to Fireheart next. They had no way of knowing, but Graystripe needed to get out of here for his own safety.
Graystripe stared at his friend for a few moments longer before looking at the RiverClan patrol and back to Fireheart. He meowed, "I'm sorry." Before turning towards the tunnel that led out of camp, disappearing through it a few moments later.
As Fireheart watched his friend leave, the two RiverClan warriors emerged with his kits. They moved quickly over to Leopardfur, who gathered the patrol with a wave of her tail and mewed a thanks to Tigerclaw as she led the way out of camp. As the RiverClan cat's shapes disappeared into the tunnel, Tigerclaw's gaze shifted back to the pinned tom beneath him, "What am I going to do with you, Fireheart?"
Fireheart felt a chill run down his body.