I heard pawsteps inside the medicine den. I looked over to see Cinderpelt. "How is she?" I asked.
"She'll be fine. She just needs to rest." Cinderpelt mewed. I sighed in relief and relaxed. I looked at the sky and saw the moon rising into the sky. I sighed as the gathering was tonight. Firestar padded over to me with Sandstorm by his side.
"Would you like to come to the gathering tonight?" Firestar asked. I looked behind me to the medicine den. I do want to make sure Tigerstar isn't planning things… but I can't leave Swiftkit when she's injured like that… Fuzz looked at me comfortingly.
"You go. I'll make sure she'll be alright." he murmured.
"I can't leave my kit!" I protested. Fuzz gave me a soft smile.
"Just go." he mewed. I scowled and looked back at the medicine den.
"Fine." I muttered. Firestar padded away to gather the other cats. I followed Brambleclaw out into the forest as we made our way to Four Trees. We walked in silence as we pushed through the undergrowth. Then a strange scent filled my nose. I narrowed my eyes as the clan scented it too. Whose smell is that? We walked into the clearing and saw the clans gathered around. Tigerstar was standing with the other leaders with a calm expression on his gaze. Firestar jumped up beside them.
"Have you made your decision?" Tigerstar asked. Firestar and Tallstar lifted their heads with pride.
"My clan won't join such foolishness." Firestar declared.
"And neither will Windclan!" Tallstar agreed. Tigerstar bared his fangs into a snarl and flicked his tail.
"Well I am a cat of my word. If you won't join, then there'll be battle!" he growled. Then cats gathered into the clearing. I narrowed my eyes as I realized their scent was the one I smelt in the forest. Brambleclaw tensed and bristled beside me. Ashpaw scoffed beside me.
"They're just kittypets!" he snickered. I looked at the cats' necks and saw collars covered in teeth.
"These aren't just kittypets…" I murmured with unease. My tail was lashing back and forth nervously as the strangers bared their fangs at the clan cats.
"You see, I have brought friends to persuade you foolish cats to join me." Tigerstar meowed with scorn. His eyes were green as they shone in the dim light. I growled and my fur bristled in rage. I'll kill Killing Storm. Firestar and Tallstar shared a look and looked back at Tigerstar.
"No. If you want to fight then let's fight. We're not afraid." Firestar growled. Tigerstar spat and lashed his tail.
"You fool! Now you will watch as your clanmates die around you, and blame you for their deaths!" he hissed. "Bloodclan! Attack!" I braced myself to jump into battle but no one moved. I narrowed my eyes and shared a confused look with Brambleclaw. Tigerstar looked at Bloodclan with anger. "Do you not hear me? I said attack!" he spat. A small black tom walked to Tigerstar's side.
"I am Scourge. Leader of Bloodclan." he announced. Brambleclaw scoffed in disbelief.
"Are you kidding me?" he muttered. I shoved him and looked at the leaders.
"Tigerstar, my warriors are not for you to control. They only obey me." Scourge said. Tigerstar bared his fangs into a snarl. Then Firestar walked up to the toms with his head high.
"I am Firestar. Leader of Thunderclan." he meowed calmly. "If Tigerstar has promised you anything, he won't let you have it." Scourge's ears twitched in thought.
"Why should I believe you over him?" he asked. Firestar lifted his head higher and took a deep breath.
"You may all wonder why Tigerstar was kicked out of Thunderclan." he mewed. I flattened my ears as he told the clans how Tigerstar has betrayed his clan. Shocked gasps filled the clearing and cats were looking at Firestar with wide eyes. "He even led a trail of dead rabbits to our camp. Bluestar has died the bravest death by saving me and her clan." Firestar finished. Cold silence gripped the air. Firestar turned his gaze to Tigerstar. "His heart is cold as stone and his words are nothing but mouse-dung. Don't believe a word he says." he added. Scourge was looking at his paws in thought with deadly cold eyes.
"I must think about what you have told me. There will be no battle today." he decided. Tigerstar hissed in outrage.
"We had a deal!" he snarled. Scourge flicked his ear and walked back to his clan. Tigerstar growled and began to couch. "Traitor!" he snarled, before leaping at Scourge. I watched in dismay as Scourge whirled around and met Tigerstar with unsheathed claws. Scourge swatted Tigerstar away with a paw then stuck a claw in his throat. I gasped as he ran his claw down his throat to his tail. Tigerstar gagged in agony as blood spilled out from his body. The clans watched in horror as Tigerstar fell to the ground, his body sprawled out on the rock. My ears were flattened to my head in grief as he looked at me. His eyes were amber and were full of pain and sorrow as he looked into my eyes. Before I could stop myself, a whimper escaped my lips as tears filled my eyes. Brambleclaw leaned into me with shock. Then Tigerstar fell still as his last breath escaped from him. Tigerclan burst into yowls and fled the clearing. Tawnypelt stayed behind with wide, shocked eyes. She looked at me with grief shimmering in her eyes. Scourge brushed off his shoulder and licked his bloody paw.
"Your friend here thought he could control us. Well he thought wrong." he meowed. I growled and felt my fur bristle along my spine.
"You monster!" I snarled. Scourge's gaze raked over me and I felt Brambleclaw shove me.
"Hush!" Brambleclaw snapped. Scourge smiled as I glared at him with bared fangs.
"Tigerstar said he had kits. I assume you're one of them." he snickered. Scourge flicked his ear and kicked Tigerstar's body. "He wasn't worthy of being alive." My body trembled in rage and I took a step forward.
"He was worthier than you could ever be!" I spat. Brambleclaw held me back but his body was tense as he glared at Scourge.
"We will not leave the forest. But you all must." Scourge announced. "You have two weeks to make a decision. If you choose not to leave, then we'll kill you." Then he led his clan out the clearing. Firestar gathered his clan together and followed Windclan out the clearing. I stayed where I was with my siblings. I stared at Tigerstar's body with grief. Then I whimpered and stumbled towards his body. Tawnypelt ran after me with Brambleclaw behind her. I fell onto Tigerstar's body as wails escaped my lips.
"Tigerstar!" I wailed. "You didn't deserve to die… not like this… you had a chance to change…" Tawnypelt was crying beside me with her tail wrapped over my shoulders. Then I heard a faint scowl in my ear.
"Don't worry. Tigerstar may be dead… but I'm still here. And when I find you… I will crush you into dust, you pathetic leopard." it whispered. I growled as I recognized Killing Storm's voice. This is all his fault. When I get my paws on him… he won't have the rest of his life to regret it.