Disclaimer: I don't own warriors
Chapter 19: Blood and Claws
Tigerclaw barely could keep track of time. It was so quick. The moons. The seasons. The death. The life.
Sunstar had joined the ranks of StarClan, leaving ThunderClan with it's newest leader, Bluestar. Redtail had was named deputy, making Thisteclaw burning with silent anger and Tigerclaw growling in quiet rage.
Tigerclaw had proven himself as a respected and powerful TunderClan and Dark Forest warrior. His Shadow Blood ceremony was supposed to be tonight. Thisteclaw had nearly been bursting with pride that he had made it that far.
Thisteclaw had told him only three days ago that he found out that Bluestar's kits lived on in RiverClan, but still unsure who the father was. Thisteclaw had decided that today, he would make Bluestar suffer at the gathering when it was announced her precious kits were dead.
Thisteclaw had fought with Bluestar's kits near the RiverClan and ThunderClan border. Desperate, Mistyfoot and Stonefur had killed him in order to save themselves. Tigerclaw had been wondering where is mentor was, and went to the border to check. Shocked, Tigerclaw saw Thisteclaw lying on the forest floor, blood on his fur, claws out, eyes frozen and still having the expression of rage and battle-hungry. Tigerclaw wanted to die like that, in a battle, with the look of battle still burning in his eyes.
He had carried the dead warrior back to camp, and Tigerclaw was now sitting vigil for his clanmate.
"Tigerclaw."
Looking around, Tigerclaw searched for the source of the voice.
"Tigerclaw. It's Mapleshade."
"Mapleshade? Won't ThunderClan see you?" Tigerclaw whispered, making out the faint eerie glow of the dead warrior's shape.
Mapleshade padded closer too him. "Only you can see and hear me. The Shadow Blood ceremony is starting soon. Go to your nest. Every cat is waiting!"
"But I'm supposed to be sitting vigil!"
"Thisteclaw doesn't care if you sit vigil for him as long as you're there at the ceremony! At your ceremony!" Maplshade hissed "Your clanmates will be to scared to question you, now go!"
Mapleshade vanished into the darkness.
Tigerclaw stood up.
Whitestorm, Thisteclaw's son, looked up at him. "Aren't you sitting vigil for him a little longer?"
Tigerclaw glanced at him, nervous he would suspect something. "I-I want to see if I can find him in my dreams in The Dar- In StarClan." He muttered.
Whitestorm nodded. "Okay then. If you see him, tell him that I miss him." Turning back to Thisteclaw's limp body, he sighed sadly.
"Yeah, sure." Tigerclaw turned to the warriors den. Slipping into his nest, he was almost immediately dragged into sleep.
He woke in his dream to see Mapleshade's muzzle a mouse-length's away from his. "Come on!" She hissed.
Tigerclaw scrambled to his paws and bounded over to the meeting spot, which was a pile of branches mimicking a desolate pile of bones.
Thisteclaw was on the 'Bonepile', waiting for Tigerclaw to sit at the base of the meeting place.
"Tigerclaw has proved himself to be a loyal, brave, and powerful Dark Forest warrior." Thisteclaw began. "He has earned his place here, and he is definitely one of us. He has already dedicated himself in my training sessions, and today his is officially going to become one of us."
Thisteclaw leaped down the BonePile and placed his paw on a stump marked with claw scratches and blood stains. "This is the Shadow Blood ceremony stump, also known as the Blood Stump." Thisteclaw meowed. "Tigerclaw, stand by the Blood Stump."
Tigerclaw stood up and padded over to the stump. What's going to happen now?...
"Tigerclaw, I need you to make a cut somewhere on yourself. Make sure there will be blood." Thisteclaw said.
Make a what?! Tigerclaw stared at his clanmate. Thisteclaw gave him a look Tigerclaw knew meant, 'Do it!'
After a moment of deciding where his wound shall be, he lowered his head slightly and unsheathing his claws, he ripped through his ear.
Blood dripped down onto the forest floor.
"Allow the blood to drop down onto the stump as you repeat my words." Thisteclaw nodded towards the Blood Stump.
Leaning towards the stump to let his blood land in the stump, Tigerclaw repeated Thisteclaw's words.
"I vow on the blood of my Dark Forest clanmates and my own blood I shall commit myself on making the clans great once more by gaining power and turning my back on StarClan. On the blood running through my veins, I swear I shall never look to the stars again. I am a Dark Forest warrior."
Thisteclaw lifted his head higher. "Now score your claws against this stump."
As Tigerclaw unsheathed his claws and ripped through the bark, the Dark Forest cats yowled to the sky.
"Tigerclaw! Tigerclaw! Tigerclaw!"
Tigerclaw lifted his head and stared at the cats yowling his name to the dark starless sky.
I am a Dark Forest warrior. I promise I shall make ThunderClan great!