Fireheart stared at his siblings with wide, horrified eyes. Scourge's gaze was impassive as he stood beside Tigerstar; Princess's tail twitched with mild interest. Fireheart searched for Princess's kit, Cloud, but could not find him among the sea of BloodClan cats.
"Who are these cats?" Russetstar demanded. Even in the face of the countless enemies, she did not show a trace of fear. Fireheart admired her courage.
Tigerstar's tail swished. "These cats are BloodClan," he meowed. "They come from the town. I have brought them to the forest to help convince you to join… one way or another." His eyes narrowed in the slightest. "I assumed you wouldn't have the sense to agree on your own."
Fireheart felt his throat tighten. Would he have to fight his siblings? He hardly knew them, yet it felt wrong. They had taken such interest in him when they had met—surely they could be convinced to reconsider this?
"I am more powerful than StarClan," Tigerstar declared. "Tonight I change the Clans from four to two. When this is finished, TigerClan and BloodClan will rule the forest. You can join us or the worms."
"Never," Ferretstar hissed. "My answer has not changed."
"Nor has mine," Russetstar agreed. "If we are meant to fight, so be it."
"Fools!" Tigerstar snarled. He glanced at the nearest mass of BloodClan cats. "BloodClan, attack!"
Not a single cat moved.
Tigerstar's eyes bulged with rage. "Attack, I order you!"
Scourge stepped forward. "I am Scourge, and this is my sister, Princess. We are the leaders of BloodClan," he meowed, his voice cold. "And our warriors attack when we command, and not a moment before."
Tigerstar stared at Scourge with surprise and rage, his pelt bristling to twice its size. He parted his jaws slightly, as though trying to come up with some insult to shout at the defiant outsider.
Fireheart saw an opportunity in the silence. Ferretstar and Russetstar had likely never seen or heard of BloodClan—only Fireheart could try to stop them before the peace was shattered. He shoved his way forward.
"Fireheart!" Silverthorn hissed.
His warning was ignored. Fireheart darted past the two leaders, earning confused looks from Ferretstar and Russetstar. He stopped in the space between the Clans, fixing his gaze upon Scourge and Princess.
"Scourge!" Fireheart called. "Wait!"
Scourge blinked. He turned slowly to look at his brother, his eyes wide with surprise. Leopardstar, too, stared at him in shock, some life briefly flickering back into her gaze.
Tigerstar swung his head to stare furiously at him, but did not move. Hope flared in Fireheart's chest.
"Scourge, Princess, listen to me," he meowed. "Please. I don't know what Tigerstar has offered you, but he just wants power. Why do you think he would help you?"
Princess's gaze softened as she looked at Fireheart. "There you are," she meowed. "Fireheart, join us. You're far safer with BloodClan."
Fireheart didn't miss the hisses of surprise at her comment. He flattened his ears, trying to ignore them. "I can't," he meowed. "My home is with RiverClan." He shot Leopardstar a pointed look. "Even in exile."
Scourge twitched an ear. "I have no wish to harm you, Fireheart," he meowed. "But BloodClan has been promised a great deal for this alliance. I cannot cast that aside for you."
Fireheart swallowed. His mind raced, trying to think of arguments. Before he could say anything, he saw a ginger cat dart forward from the ranks of TigerClan. Any words died in his throat.
Sandstorm?
Sandstorm could not hear the quiet exchange between Fireheart and the leaders of BloodClan from the back of the Clan, especially not over their nervous hissing at the appearance of BloodClan. She noticed that the detachment of rogues that had been left with TigerClan were slowly pulling away, returning to their own Clanmates.
She noticed that both sides seemed to stop speaking, but she could tell Fireheart was trying to stop them from attacking. You foolish, brave tom! Sandstorm felt a burst of affection for him, even after everything. She could see from his expression that he was stuck—and what could he say, really? He did not know what it had been like in TigerClan, or in ThunderClan.
I have to help him.
Sandstorm's paws were moving before she had finished the thought. She shoved her way through the throng of warriors, then burst forward when she saw an opening. "Out of my way!" she hissed, racing towards the gap.
Sandstorm leaped into the clearing between the four Clans, and found herself face-to-face with her former love.
Fireheart stared at her in shock.
Sandstorm forced herself to look away, her stomach churning. She looked to Scourge, bile rising as she recalled how he had looked on the death of Blackclaw so calmly. Tigerstar let out a confused hiss.
"You should not trust Tigerstar," she hissed. "Because he is obsessed with power, and he will do anything to take it."
"Sandstorm?" Tigerstar demanded. "What is this?"
Sandstorm did not look at Tigerstar—she knew her courage would shrink if she saw the massive tom readying a strike against her. Instead, she stood tall as she met Scourge's gaze. Sandstorm took a breath. "I hope you all will listen to what I have to say."
"I trusted Tigerstar for a time," Sandstorm began. "ThunderClan was led by Thistlestar, who was cruel and hungry for battle. He led ThunderClan in countless battles against other Clans, often for little real reason besides instilling fear of ThunderClan throughout the forest. He ruled our Clan with fear, too, lashing out at his Clanmates with claws and teeth. Tigerstar had been his deputy, and while he seemed loyal, there was a time when he started to defend us against him. He kept our mistakes a secret, and spoke against him in private." Sandstorm narrowed her eyes. "I believe now that it was just a ruse to goad ThunderClan against him. He led a pack of rogues—BloodClan included, I assume—to overthrow Thistlestar, and did so with ThunderClan's support."
"I know all this," Scourge quietly meowed, his voice cold as winter. "It was I who killed Thistlestar."
"Meow away, you traitor," Tigerstar hissed, his eyes burning with rage. "It won't change anything."
Sandstorm felt her legs beginning to tremble. What would Tigerstar do to her—to her kits—if she failed to stop him? She pushed the fear down. "There is more," she meowed. "Tigerstar told us we were going to become allies with RiverClan, our old enemies. Their leader, Crookedstar, had recently died, and Leopardstar had just become the leader. It started with visiting their Clan… then, all of a sudden, we were told we were merging Clans."
Fireheart stepped forward, seeming to have regained his confidence. He gave Sandstorm a grateful look. "I spoke against TigerClan's formation," he meowed. "I was immediately exiled and threatened with death."
Scourge's gaze seemed to flicker with interest at that. He glanced sidelong at Tigerstar. "Is that so?"
"So what?" Tigerstar hissed. "Leopardstar exiled him, but there is no value in insolence."
Princess curled her lip. "You were told he was to be left alone," she hissed. "Weren't you?"
Sandstorm glanced at Fireheart in confusion. Does he know these cats? She pushed the thought aside. "Before TigerClan formed, Tigerstar pulled me aside." She hesitated for a brief moment, before giving Fireheart an apologetic look. I'm sorry, Fireheart. "I was pregnant."
Fireheart became very still.
Guilt washed over Sandstorm. I should have told you, she thought. I shouldn't have let you find out this way. "My kits were half-Clan," she meowed. "Fathered by a RiverClanner." Hisses rose from the Clans in shock. She knew she was taking a great risk by openly admitting to it—but it was the only way to make what she had to say make any sense. Sandstorm took another deep breath.
"Tigerstar threatened me," she meowed. "While I was an expecting queen. He told me he had plans, and that I needed to support him when the time came. I didn't know what he meant until he announced TigerClan would be forming."
Princess seemed to curl her lip at that. Sandstorm felt a rush of hope. "Scourge, you were there when Blackclaw was killed by your warrior," she meowed. "Perhaps you don't care about his death. But he was the deputy of former RiverClan, next in line to be leader. It would be customary for Leopardstar to appoint a deputy in his place, but when the time came, Tigerstar argued against it."
Scourge's expression was impossible to read. Sandstorm went on. "He did not want Leopardstar to have any power in TigerClan, even though she is a leader by name. He continues to steal any power and choice she has—all TigerClan's decisions are made by him." She lashed her tail. "Do not think for a moment he won't do the same to you. Tigerstar will not let you rule. He will find a way to ruin you, to ruin your leadership."
Sandstorm slowly glanced around Fourtrees, trying to gauge the reaction of the Clans. Fireheart stared at her in shock. Russetstar and Ferretstar seemed unsettled. TigerClan had a mix of reactions—some were glaring at Tigerstar… but some were staring at Sandstorm in displeasure. All eyes of BloodClan were on their leaders, still waiting for an order.
"This changes nothing," Tigerstar meowed, his voice dark. "We have an agreement. Fight with me now, Scourge, and you'll have all that I promised you."
Scourge and Princess shared a silent look. Princess shook her head once. Scourge looked at Sandstorm once more. "My Clan fights when I decide. There will be no battle today. I will think about what you both have said."
Tigerstar bristled with rage, his eyes bulging. "Traitor!" he roared. He bunched his muscles and leaped for Scourge, claws outstretched.
Sandstorm's eyes widened with horror, expecting to see him tear Scourge apart.
Instead, Scourge whipped to the side, easily avoiding the attack. Princess scrambled out of the way, eyes flashing. Scourge lashed out with a front paw, and Sandstorm felt her blood run cold. Scourge had reinforced his claws with long, sharpened dog teeth. They weren't just a decoration for his disgusting collar.
The teeth split open Tigerstar's shoulder and unbalanced him. He hissed, falling to one side, his pale belly exposed. Without wasting a moment, Scourge's talons plunged deep into Tigerstar's throat. In the blink of an eye, he pulled, and several cats let out horrified screeches as he split Tigerstar open from throat to tail in one smooth motion.
Blood poured from the wound. Tigerstar let out a sickening, garbled noise, blood foaming in his mouth. He thrashed violently for only a few moments before he fell still, his eyes glazing over.
Sandstorm stiffened. He had lost his first life. The flow of blood slowed briefly… but as life came back into Tigerstar's eyes, it began again, gushing like a river.
Oh, StarClan. Sandstorm's belly churned, threatening to spill its contents. The wound Scourge had dealt him was too terrible for StarClan to repair. Tigerstar began thrashing and howling again, his limbs flailing.
When Sandstorm's Clan realized what was happening, they began to let out wails of terror. Sandstorm had never seen a leader die twice in a row—it was unheard of. As he fell still once more, the blood continued to flow, and when Tigerstar awoke, he shrieked and churned all over again.
He's going to die nine times, Sandstorm realized, her blood like ice.
Some TigerClan warriors pushed their way out of the crowd, fleeing the clearing altogether. Cats all around the clearing were yowling, and the leaders of ShadowClan and WindClan tried desperately to keep their Clans together.
Tigerstar died and revived over and over, each return leaving him with less energy to fight. Fear filled his gaze as he clawed at the grasp, desperately clinging to his last life. He lifted his head, gasping, as blood poured from his throat.
His head dropped to the ground, and finally, he was completely still.
Tigerstar was dead.
Ferretstar and Russetstar were staring at Scourge in shock. Even the stoic Russetstar was shaking now. Scourge stepped forward, a single paw drenched with blood. He placed it atop Tigerstar's limp body.
"You've seen what happens to cats who think they can control BloodClan," he meowed. "Your friend here thought he could, and he was wrong."
"We have no interest in controlling you," Russetstar hurriedly meowed. "You may return to your homes."
"Go home?" Princess meowed. Her eyes narrowed. "I don't think so."
Sandstorm swallowed.
Scourge twitched an ear. "In the town, there is little food," he meowed. "And BloodClan has many, many cats—far more than you see here tonight. We're not going to leave. Tigerstar promised us the forest, and we shall have it. Here in these lands we won't need to rely on crowfood and human scraps to get by." He paused. "But I understand this may be difficult for you all to take in. I will give you three days to leave these lands—or to meet our Clan in battle, here. I will await your decision on the dawn of the fourth day."
"Choose wisely." Princess stepped forward to join her brother, eyes gleaming in the darkness. "Because we aren't going anywhere."