Chapter 4

Paws padded through Tinyclaw's dreams that night. A small tortoiseshell tom emerged from the bushes, sliding into the dreamworld forest beside Tinyclaw, his amber eyes flashing. Tinyclaw gazed at Redtail, a somber feeling in his heart. This cat had been the ThunderClan deputy before him, before Bluefur, before Lionheart. Redtail had been murdered the day Tinyclaw came to the forest, cut down by Bluefur in hopes that she might become the next deputy. Though Lionheart was chosen instead, Bluefur eventually got her wish. Everything had started with Redtail.

Redtail spared him a glance before rushing off through the woods.

Tinyclaw let out a cry of shock – then followed. Bushes and trees whipped by, and though Redtail's bushy red tail was always within sight of Tinyclaw, the former deputy always seemed to be just ahead no matter how fast Tinyclaw pumped his short legs.

Redtail led the way along a swerving, curving track through the woods. Tinyclaw didn't know whether this was an actual place or an invented trail – but he didn't have time to stop and wonder. Redtail was running, and Tinyclaw wished he knew why. He called out, but Redtail ignored him.

Suddenly a massive shape burst from the brush – Tigerstar, his eyes wide and challenging. Tinyclaw skidded to a stop just before colliding with his leader. Pads burning, lungs aching, Tinyclaw felt smaller than small under his gaze – and he felt like a failure, too. But Tigerstar disappeared as quickly as he came, and Tinyclaw got to his paws to follow Redtail again.

He hadn't taken two steps before Cloudpaw bowled him over, glaring at him. Tinyclaw gathered his breath and wriggled away from his niece. It's a dream, he told himself. Another glance around told him that Whitestorm was glaring at him, too. Oakheart was just beside him, doing the same. Redtail was still just within sight, and Tinyclaw pushed himself to his paws and continued after him.

As much as he tried to ignore it, soon enough every bush or fern he glanced at held a ThunderClan cat, glowering at him in displeasure or fear, until Tinyclaw was running through a path made solely by his Clanmates. Redtail was still just ahead.

Every sound in the forest was suddenly replaced by a chorus of questioning, challenging, mews. Each cat seemed to have something to demand, or ask, or wish, or complain about… and Tinyclaw was hearing it all, jumbled together in a cacophony of what seemed like all his possible failings. Tinyclaw's ears were full of the sound, and his paws trembled even as he continued on after Redtail.

And then one voice rose over all of them: "Tinyclaw!" Whitestorm. "Mousefur and Longtail are waiting to leave. Tinyclaw? Wake up!"

Suddenly as it had come, everything disappeared – and Tinyclaw was awake, blinking away sleep. His heart was pounding in his ears. Whitestorm was standing beside him, in an old friend's nest, looking down with no suspicion in his sandy eyes.

"Wh-what?" Tinyclaw wondered, his voice rasping and groggy.

"It's dawn," Whitestorm told him. "Time for your patrol, and Tigerstar wishes to see you before you go."

Tinyclaw blinked. Pale light filtered into the warrior's den from the ceiling, and Tinyclaw could feel the warming air on his flanks. Dawn it was. He got to his paws and swallowed back the bad taste of sleep. "I'll be as quick as I can," he insisted.

Whitestorm nodded, and left him in the den alone with the sleeping cats. Tinyclaw gave himself a quick wash. Redtail, he thought, what were you doing? You've never done that to me before… The former deputy's behavior stung. What message had he been trying to deliver? Tinyclaw was unsure. If only I could have caught him.

Tinyclaw gave himself a quick stretch, then gingerly padded around the sleeping bodies of cats. He tip-toed around Brindleface. The queen had returned to her life as a warrior now that Ashpaw and Fernpaw were apprentices. Tinyclaw pushed out into the clearing, his dream beginning to fade from memory.

The Clan seemed well. Longtail and Mousefur were waiting at the camp entrance, chatting quietly. Tinyclaw gave them a nod. His paws itched to patrol and wipe the rest of the dream from his mind, but Tigerstar needed to see him. Why, though, Tinyclaw wasn't sure. Hopefully he's feeling better. He headed around the Highrock and mewed his greeting through the lichen wall.

"Come in!" Tigerstar's cheerful reply made Tinyclaw's hope rise. Tinyclaw pushed his way through the lichen and into his den. Inside, Tigerstar was pacing the floor, his giant paws sending up puffs of sand. He did not stop when Tinyclaw entered, and Tinyclaw had to keep himself near the wall to stay out of his way.

He didn't stop to talk, either: "Tinyclaw, I must share dreams with StarClan. I must go to the Moonstone."

Tinyclaw blinked. The Moonstone? Well, he hadn't been expecting that. The Moonstone lay at the far boundaries of Clan territories, across the moors in a rocky cave where the sun set.

"That's a long way," Tinyclaw mewed, watching Tigerstar pace. It seemed like he was walking just fine, but Tinyclaw knew that Tigerstar hadn't been eating well, and sometimes old wounds still bothered even the strongest. "Are you up to it?"

Tigerstar stopped dead and narrowed his eyes at Tinyclaw. "I must speak with StarClan!" he growled, low in his throat. "I am going, and you are coming with me. Whitestorm and Oakheart can take charge while we're gone."

Tinyclaw frowned at the intensity in his tone. He seemed more than serious about this, and Tinyclaw had a feeling that questioning him would not end well. Yet he had to wonder, "Just us?"

"Yes," Tigerstar hissed.

Tinyclaw swallowed. "What if we're attacked? We'd have to travel through WindClan territory to get there, and they're still upset with us."

Tigerstar's eyes blazed. "You would protect me, wouldn't you?"

"With my life!" Tinyclaw insisted. Tigerstar hardly needed protecting, but if they were ambushed by a patrol… Well, Tinyclaw would rather he go down than Tigerstar. "You mentioned yesterday though that ShadowClan and WindClan were still quite a threat, and -"

"Why are you trying to stop me?" Tigerstar roared, cutting Tinyclaw off. The entire den seemed to rumble with his frustration. "You will come with me, or I will go myself!"

Tinyclaw swallowed. "I'll go," he meowed. I certainly don't want you going alone, he thought grimly. Not in this mood… and not if I can help it.

"Good. We leave now," Tigerstar growled. He loped past Tinyclaw. "I'll see Yellowfang about the herbs. Meet me there."

Tinyclaw opened his jaws to protest – what about the dawn patrol? – but Tigerstar was gone, the lichen flowing into place behind him. Tinyclaw sighed and padded out into the clearing. Longtail and Mousefur were still in place by the entrance, and they perked up as he approached.

"Finally," Longtail sighed.

"Sorry," Tinyclaw meowed apologetically. "You'll be leaving without me. Tigerstar wishes to travel to Highstones at StarClan's summons."

Mousefur's ears twitched. "Just you two?"

Tinyclaw nodded, ignoring Longtail's sneer. Thankfully, the pale tom said nothing.

"I could go with you," Mousefur offered. She glanced at the medicine cat's den, where Tigerstar had gone. "I know he's stronger than most, but he might still be weak from the rogues."

Tinyclaw frowned. She'd been tactful enough to not mention Bluefur, and how all of Tigerstar's wounds had come from her. Tinyclaw shook his head. "Sorry Mousefur; just us. But thanks for the offer."

Mousefur shrugged, but Longtail scoffed, "You think you're enough to protect him, even if he needs protecting?"

Tinyclaw frowned deeply – but he was saved from having to answer by Whitestorm. "It's better that the two of them go alone," the white warrior meowed, striding up to the conversation. "They're less likely to appear as a raiding party to WindClan if there are only two traveling."

Longtail sniffed, but said nothing. To Whitestorm, Tinyclaw meowed, "We're leaving you and Oakheart in charge while we're gone."

"Oakheart is out with Fernpaw," Whitestorm mewed, "but I'll stay behind and take care of things until he gets back."

Tinyclaw nodded gratefully. To Mousefur, Tinyclaw meowed, "I'm sorry, again; but you can lead the patrol Mousefur. Take Thornpaw with you."

Mousefur nodded. Tinyclaw turned to the medicine cat's den. "I'd best be off," he meowed. "Good luck."

"To you, too," Whitestorm meowed.

Tinyclaw shivered. He'd need it, it seemed. Tinyclaw padded into the ferns enclosing the medicine cat's den. Inside, the den seemed more full than usual thanks to Tigerstar's impatient pacing. Yellowfang's eyes watched him calmly, though her twitching tail belied her irritation. Behind her, Brackenfur was mixing the herbs from piles scattered around his golden paws.

"I suppose you're going, too?" Yellowfang grunted as Tinyclaw slid into view.

Tinyclaw nodded. "Yes."

Yellowfang glanced back at Brackenfur. "Two piles, then," she grunted. "And separate them well!" Brackenfur nodded and bent back over his work.

Tigerstar was grumbling to himself as Tinyclaw slid past and settled near the medicine cats. Brackenfur was humming to himself, paws flicking over the herbs, but Yellowfang huffed with barely-concealed irritation.

"He's been like this since this morning," Tinyclaw guessed quietly. "He really wants to be off."

"Well, he can stop making a mess of my den any time now," Yellowfang grumbled back.

Tigerstar, if he'd overhead, did not stop his pacing. Yellowfang's irritation was increasing, buzzing about her like a bee in Tinyclaw's ear. Quietly, Tinyclaw slid around to look at Brackenfur. The pale-colored tom didn't seem perturbed by Tigerstar's impatience, but he was clearly taking his time sorting the piles.

Tinyclaw's nose twitched. Each pile was more or less there, and Tinyclaw recognized the usual mixture… but one of the piles held a leaf he was not familiar with. He gave it a sniff.

"Chamomile," Brackenfur said very quietly, answering Tinyclaw's unspoken question. "To ease Tigerstar's nerves."

Tinyclaw swallowed. So they had noticed. He pulled back.

"Are those done yet?" Yellowfang wondered sharply.

"Almost," Brackenfur replied. He fumbled with the leaves more, stuffing the chamomile someplace deep within Tigerstar's herb bundle so that it would be hidden from the Clan leader. He bundled it up and slid the leaf packet towards Yellowfang. "There."

Yellowfang nodded and grasped the packet in her jaws. Tigerstar had stopped pacing now, eyeing the herb bundle with impatience in his eyes. Tinyclaw sighed. Yellowfang and Tigerstar sat together, Yellowfang clearly ensuring that Tigerstar ate it all.

Brackenfur slid Tinyclaw's herbs towards him. Tinyclaw sighed and prepared himself for their foul taste, but he thanked Brackenfur regardless before hunkering down to chew. The leaves were sharp and bitter on his tongue, and his stomach churned, but he forced it down.

Before Tinyclaw was done swallowing, Tigerstar was up and on his paws. Tinyclaw cleared the last scraps of the herbs away, saying a hasty good-bye as he rushed to follow Tigerstar out of the medicine cat's den. A flash of frustration filled him. Tigerstar really would go, with or without me!

Tinyclaw caught up to Tigerstar in the clearing. By now, with the sun rising high, nearly every cat was awake. Willowpelt squeezed herself out of the nursery, stretching, but only twitching her whiskers at Tigerstar's determined stride. A few warriors were milling about, picking their breakfasts or deciding patrols with Whitestorm.

"Tinyclaw!"

Tinyclaw sighed. Cloudpaw had scampered up to him, her eyes wide. She was keeping pace, but Tinyclaw needed to be rid of her. Tigerstar did not seem to notice or care.

"Where are you going?" Cloudpaw wondered. "Can I come?"

"You have a pigeon to collect," Tinyclaw reminded her none-too-gently.

She scoffed. "Some owl's probably taken it," she grunted. "But can I come with you?"

Tinyclaw narrowed his eyes at her. Her blatant disrespect was not something he needed to deal with right now – not with Tigerstar charging off to Highstones through hostile territory. "Owls eat live prey," he growled to Cloudpaw. You'd know that if you listened to me.

Before Cloudpaw could protest, Tinyclaw called out, "Runningwind!"

Runningwind, just coming out of the warrior's den, looked to him blearily. Tinyclaw hated to do this, but he needed to get going – Tigerstar was slipping through the tunnel now. "Runningwind, will you take Cloudpaw hunting today?"

"… Sure," Runningwind grunted. The displeasure was clear on his face, and Tinyclaw sighed. Though they were friends, it was clear that did not extend to Cloudpaw. She had not been doing a good job earning the friendship and respect of those around her.

"Hunting?" Cloudpaw complained. "I went hunting yesterday!"

Tigerstar was outside camp now. Tinyclaw grunted impatiently, "And you'll hunt today, too!"

"But -"

"You're hunting with Runningwind!" Tinyclaw snapped. "Go!"

He didn't wait to see her reaction or reply. If she can't listen to her mentor for once, StarClan help her. Tinyclaw rushed through the tunnel after Tigerstar.