Alright I took a long break from Fanfiction after school ^^* but anyways! Here is chapter 34! (finally haha)
Chapter 34: Your Choice, Your Punishment
"This will be an interesting Gathering. ShadowClan and RiverClan have lots of explaining to do— trespassing on our territory like it's theirs!"
Bluestar nodded in agreement. Tigerclaw was padding beside the leader, the ThunderClan cats chosen for the Gathering following them.
"Oh Great StarClan, are we late?" Bluestar muttered anxiously to herself, lengthening her stride to pull ahead of Tigerclaw.
"No." Tigerclaw replied a moment later when it became clear that it was only WindClan there. "We're the second clan to arrive actually."
Tigerclaw padded over to the bottom of the Great Rock where Deadfoot, the WindClan deputy, was sitting. The two cats dipped their heads briefly and respectfully to each other.
Soon enough, RiverClan and ShadowClan entered the clearing and the few scattered scents and pelts became a mass of moving shapes of colour and a jumble of different smells.
Deadfoot suddenly stood up and limped—because of his twisted paw—over to Fireheart.
What's so special about him so that a clan deputy will greet him? Tigerclaw thought irritably.
Much sooner than usual Gatherings, Bluestar caterwauled to bring the noise down and the Gathering to a start. Wasting no time in cordial greetings, she stood up.
"RiverClan has been hunting at Sunningrocks. Our patrols have scented your warriors many times, Crookedstar. Sunningrocks belongs to ThunderClan!"
Crookedstar didn't seemed fazed by the leader's accusing words. "Have you forgotten how recently one of our warriors was killed defending our territory from ThunderClan?"
"You had no need to defend your territory." Bluestar retorted. "My warriors were not hunting there. They were returning home after finding WindClan."
Crookedstar licked his paw and drew it over his ear casually.
"It was a mission we all agreed on! According to the warrior code, they should not have been attacked." Bluestar hissed.
The RiverClan leader suddenly rose to his paws as well, green eyes flashing. "You speak of the warrior code? What about the ThunderClan warrior who has been spying on our territory since then?"
A warrior in RiverClan territory? A ThunderClan warrior? Tigerclaw remembered how Greystripe had been disappearing often, and his gaze immediately turned to search the crowd for the grey warrior.
"Warrior?" Bluestar repeated blankly. "Have you seen him?"
"Not yet." Crookedstar growled. "But we find his scent so often, it won't be long before we do."
Anger flooded through Tigerclaw, and he tore his eyes away from the crowd. You accuse us of trespassing? He stood up to speak. "We have scented ShadowClan in our territory as well as RiverClan this past moon. And not just one warrior," Tigerclaw added, "But a whole patrol, always the same cats."
"ShadowClan has not been in your territory." Nightstar retorted. "Clearly your warriors can't tell the difference in the scents of cats outside their own Clan. You have been smelling the scent of rogue cats. They have been stealing prey from our territory as well!"
What a great excuse. Tigerclaw snorted contemptuously. The ShadowClan leader narrowed his eyes. "Do you doubt the word of ShadowClan, Tigerclaw?"
Yes, you old leader. I do. Tigerclaw heard the crowd murmur uncomfortably. What are they, scared? The dark brown tabby glared at Nightstar, refusing to turn his threatening gaze away.
Only when Tallstar finally spoke did Tigerclaw and Nightstar turn their eyes away from each other.
"My warriors have also found strange scents in WindClan territory." The black and white tom meowed rather uncertainly. "They seem to be ShadowClan."
Oh really! Tigerclaw whipped around to face Nightstar once more, his amber eyes blazing. "I knew it! RiverClan and ShadowClan have united against us!"
Nightstar was about to reply when Crookedstar cut in furiously. "Us? What do you mean by us! I think it's you and WindClan that have formed the alliance! Is that why you were so keen to bring them back? So you can use them to invade the rest of the forest?"
I knew we shouldn't have let WindClan come back— it's just like a stupid kit that's dragging us down, a source of accusation to make us look bad! I wouldn't have let that feeble clan come back but Bluestar...
Tigerclaw snapped back to reality. Pay attention to the gathering! He had missed some of the leader's discussion.
"... Found strange warrior scents in our territory?" The Riverclan leader's crooked jaw hardly moving as he hissed the words out through nearly gritted teeth.
Tallstar lashed his long black and white tail. "They don't belong to WindClan! They must be rogue cats, as Nightstar says."
Rouge cats! I smelled ShadowClan myself.
"But rogue cats would be a convenient excuse for invading our territories, would they not?" Bluestar murmured icily, her piercing blue eyes falling upon Crookedstar and Nightstar.
The RiverClan and ShadowClan leaders stood up, hackles raised and tails whipping from side to side. Tigerclaw got to his paws. Growling and unsheathing his claws as he stepped closer towards the Great Rock, every hair waiting for a cat to strike the first blow.
I'll do it myself if I have to! Rotten crow-food eating trespassers. Tigerclaw relished the idea of a fight breaking out. That will prove the strength of ThunderClan...
He got ready to leap up and make the first blow when Fourtrees was cast in shadow. Tigerclaw instinctively looked up, distracted. Clouds have smothered the moon, and the few stars that were visible around the clouds was the only light in the dark sky.
Silence had fallen over all four clans. Tigerclaw saw many cowering in fear, and out of the corner of his eye, saw Cinderfur, the ShadowClan deputy flinch and let out a small squeak.
Cowards! What are they, mice? It's just some darkness! Tigerclaw made to pounce up the Great Rock and attack when some cat called out.
"StarClan has sent darkness!" Tigerclaw couldn't tell who had spoken.
"StarClan is angry. These meetings are meant to be held in peace." Runningnose meowed, the medicine cat's raspy voice echoed across the clearing.
"Runningnose is right!" Yellowfang agreed. "We shouldn't be fighting among ourselves, especially during leaf-bare. We should be worrying about keeping our Clans safe!"
Keep the other clans safe as well? We can't show mercy, it's Leafbare, we need to show we aren't weakened by this season!
The flat-muzzled medicine cat stood up her voice more prominent. "We must listen to StarClan."
StarClan! This ridiculous obedience to starry dead cats are controlling our lives.
The leaders quickly gathered up their cats, the clans still shooting some hostile glares at their enemies.
• • •
ThunderClan was the first to leave Fourtrees, and Bluestar led them away at a rather fast pace. "Keep at the back, I want to get back to camp quickly, but I also don't want any elder to fall behind." Bluestar ordered to her deputy when he caught up.
Tigerclaw did as he was told, and they soon reached the camp.
Bluestar immediately went over to the Highrock and called a clan meeting. Most cats were already out, having noticed the clouds covering the moon, knowing that the Gathering would've been cut short.
Tigerclaw quickly climbed up to sit beside Bluestar on the Highrock just as she had called a clan meeting.
"ShadowClan is just lying." Tigerclaw growled as soon as he sat down. "They know they've been in our territory— lying and trying to cover up for their mistake by talking about some rouge cats."
Bluestar didn't reply at once, but merely looked up at the cloudy sky, where the moon was obscured by clouds. Tigerclaw glanced down. Most of the clan were gathered below.
"Bluestar, the meeting." He hissed. What leader can't even know when the meeting they have called should begin?
"Oh, yes, of course." Bluestar mumbled, still deep in thought. Flicking her tail, she stood up.
"As you probably know, the Gathering was cut short. A fight was going to break out when StarClan sent clouds to cover the moon." Bluestar began. "The fight was going to happen because ShadowClan and RiverClan didn't believe that they had ever trespassed on our territory, and blamed it on rouge cats."
Some indignant, furious yowls and growls came from the crowd.
"What about WindClan?" Brackenpaw mewed.
"Tallstar said that they have also smelled ShadowClan in their territory. The greatest threat seems to be from RiverClan and ShadowClan. We must be prepared for the possibility that these two Clans have united against us."
At these words, shocked meows came from the crowd, and some cats began turning to their neighbours to have a quick, whispered discussion.
"Do you really think they've joined together? RiverClan has the best sources of prey, but I can't imagine they'd want to share with ShadowClan." Yellowfang called out.
Tigerclaw heard a small voice in his head admit that this was a fair point, but the rest of him would not subject to the medicine cat. She's part ShadowClan. How do we know she truly changed sides?
"They didn't deny it." Tigerclaw contradicted.
Bluestar nodded. "Whatever the truth, we must be on full alert. From tonight, each patrol will have four cats, at least three of them warriors. The patrols will be more frequent, two each night, and one during the day, as well as the dawn and dusk patrols."
Every cat sat straight and attentive, determined to stop the two clans from trespassing.
"We must put a stop to RiverClan's and ShadowClan's raids on our territory, and since they have chosen to ignore our words, we must be prepared to fight."
The clan yowled in agreement. "The first patrol will leave before dawn." Bluestar concluded, and jumped down from the Highrock. Tigerclaw did so as well, and the warriors and apprentices crowded around him as he gave orders, organizing the patrols for tomorrow.
• • •
The fungi glowed with a sickly grey-blue tinge to it. Tigerclaw didn't know where or why he was walking. He was just simply doing it.
He turned at every rustle from the shadows, every noise from the dark, dead ferns, and soon learned that it wasn't worth his time, and that they flickers of shadow would vanish if he pounced.
"Tigerclaw."
He turned to see a Mapleshade. She had a wide sneer on her face, yet her eyes showed a gleam of wariness. Tigerclaw saw she had a faint scar from where he had scratched her, a felt a twinge of satisfaction.
"What do you want?" Tigerclaw snapped. Mapleshade narrowed her eyes. "Now, now, is that any way to speak to your elders?" She purred.
"What do you want?" The deputy repeated angrily.
Mapleshade flicked her faded tail. "I was wondering why you haven't come seeking me for my guidance. You'll need help."
"Oh really?" Tigerclaw growled softly. "What happened to 'In the Dark Forest, no cat is your ally, we are all equal as enemies here.'?"
"I just got a little mad." Mapleshade said smoothly.
Tigerclaw's thick tabby tail swished slowly over the dead leaves. "I'm not letting you use me, and I'm not letting you 'win me back' with your sweetened words." He spat.
"Use you? Oh no dear, I don't want to use you." Mapleshade purred. "Didn't I tell you before, the only—"
Tigerclaw interrupted her. "You want to guide me, yeah yeah whatever. This is my path, and my path alone Mapleshade."
"Ooh, brave words." Mapleshade mocked. Tigerclaw turned away. You're not worth my time.
"You will regret your desicion, you great, valiant warrior." Mapleshade dropped her honeyed tones, though continuing to mocking him. Tigerclaw stifled a growl of furious annoyance.
Determined not to react to her words, he padded away, deeper into the Place of No Stars, leaving Mapleshade standing alone, her faded pelt barely distinguishable from the dark trees.
• • •
The wind had chased away the clouds from the previous night, leaving the sky clear and the sun shining, warming the earth.
Tigerclaw had already sent the patrols on their way. Appreciating the warmth in the air, he closed his eyes briefly.
He was in one of the sunniest spots in the camp— near the nursery, where the kits would be able to wake up to the warm sunlight.
A scuffling noise made his ear twitch and he turned his head to see a fluffy white kit rolling around, trying to snatch his tail, bits of moss stuck on his ruffled pelt.
Cloudkit. Annoyance sparked under Tigerclaw's pelt— Cloudkit was sick with a small fever last night, and he was hoping he might not survive. Looks like the kittypet made a full recovery. Great.
"Hi Cloudkit."
Tigerclaw quickly turned his head. Fireheart! Side-stepping into the shadows and narrowing his eyes, he watched from the darkness of the bushes.
The flame-coloured tom watched as Cloudkit promptly sat up. "Feeling better?"
Fireheart's nephew nodded happily, "Yep!" Cloudkit began twirling around once more for his tail. A bit of moss fell off and he pounced on it instead. Fireheart tossed the moss back towards him when it fell, and Cloudkit jumped up, catching it in his small jaws.
"Well done!" Fireheart purred.
Well done? A mouse could do that. Tigerclaw sneered in his head. In the back of his mind he wondered why he was watching the two kittypets in the shadows, and could not shake off the faint twinge jealousy that Cloudkit had recovered so quickly.
Nightkit and Mistkit... Why didn't they—?
Giving himself a vicious mental shake, he watched as the mossball was once again thrown into the air, and landed a little way next to him.
Tigerclaw glanced at it, staring for a split second, before taking a step out of the shadows and into the warm sunlight.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Fireheart's pelt prickle. "Cloudkit, wait!" He cried.
Cloudkit stood up from his crouch, and sat down, looking puzzled. You didn't notice or smell me when I was only a tail-length away? Bending down, Tigerclaw grasped the mossball in his teeth and straightened up, allowing himself to be seen.
Padding up to the kit, he dropped the moss at his white paws.
"Be careful." Tigerclaw growled. He lifted his head and turned his gaze onto Fireheart, piercing him with his sharp eyes. "You wouldn't want to lose such a precious plaything." Do you know what I mean, kittypet?
Fireheart's green eyes showed a trace of fear, but the warrior did not look away. The amber and green eyes stared at each other for a heartbeat longer, until Brindleface, Cloudkit's foster mother, called to him from inside the nursery: "Cloudkit!"
Tigerclaw padded away from the nursery as Cloudkit meowed a goodbye to his uncle.
Of course he survived, a fat, pampered kittypet knows nothing of the hardships a true clan cat must face.
But there are other ways of killing a cat without taking their life...
• • •
Thundering paws sounded from the camp entrance. Tigerclaw swiftly turned his head to see Whitestorm fling himself into the clearing with his patrol close behind, throwing down something that looked like dried sticks. "Bluestar!" The warrior spat.
"Bluestar had already left on patrol." Tigerclaw told him, tail flicking from side to side, unable to understand why Whitestorm was so agitated.
"Look at these!" Whitestorm's thin tail was lashing back and forth, and he roughly nudged the white sticks he had been carrying, which, Tigerclaw realized now that he was closer, were rabbit bones.
Tigerclaw lowered his chin a little, and there was an overpowering scent of ShadowClan.
Fury shot through him, and he felt his amber eyes burn with rage.
Immediately he turned his head around. "Darkstripe, Runningwind! Battle patrol, the time has come for ShadowClan to pay for their actions! Willowpelt and Mousefur will join us too!"
Cats were coming out of their dens, realizing what was going on. Feeling a great, satisfying sense of control and power, he raised his voice. "We'll find a ShadowClan patrol and leave them with some wounds that'll remind them to keep out of our territory in the future."
Whitestorm nodded firmly. His apprentice, Sandpaw, was pacing eagerly, her eyes gleaming, asked her mentor, "Can I come?"
The senior warrior shook his head. "Not this time."
Disappointment was shown clear in her face for a moment, but it glancing at the flame-coloured tom beside her. "But what about Fireheart? He found the bones."
A trace of embarrassed shyness tinged her question. Tigerclaw sniffed. Oh he found the bones, that makes a great warrior! What do you see in that kittypet? "Fireheart can stay here and tell Bluestar when she arrives." He hissed scornfully.
Fireheart pricked his ears higher, Tigerclaw didn't know if he had been hurt by his comment, but either way the warrior didn't address the deputy's harsh words and instead asked anxiously, "You're going to leave before she gets back?"
What, are we going to wait until Sundown and waste time letting ShadowClan think their safe? Who needs Bluestar when I'm here, able to lead a battle properly?
"Of course!" Tigerclaw spat. "This needs to be settled now!" Without waiting to see if Fireheart would respond, he flicked his tail, motioning for his battle patrol to follow him.
The amazing sense of power flooded him as he led his patrol, every tooth and claw ready to rip in tear into ShadowClan. We'll teach them a lesson they'll never forget!
• • •
No cat spoke. Every cat stepped as lightly as they could as they ran, hardly making a sound. At the front of the patrol, with no cat else talking, thought after thought ran through Tigerclaw's head.
There's me, Whitestorm, Darkstripe, Willowpelt, and Darkstripe in this patrol... Longtail, Greystripe and Swiftpaw with Bluestar...
He felt a sudden lurch in his stomach. That's all the warrior's out.
Except...
Fireheart.
I've just left the camp completely unguarded, with a kittypet as it's only defense!
Tigerclaw continued sprinting across ThunderClan territory, the leaves above rustling in the wind.
Relax. There are plenty of apprentices ready to be warriors, much better than a weak kittypet. They'll be fine.
Feeling more calm, with his eagerness of battle returning, he continued to reassure himself. I just wish I was there to see that kittypet's face when all the responsibility is poured onto him, being the only 'warrior' in camp.
"We'll enter ShadowClan territory," Tigerclaw meowed to his patrol. "and go straight to their camp!"
Darkstripe growled in agreement, but Whitestorm stumbled slightly at his words. "Ambush the camp?" Willowpelt and Mousefur looked surprised as well.
Is he mouse-brained? "Of course!" Tigerclaw spat. Whitestorm stopped, nearly tripping at the abruptness of his halt. "What?" He gasped. "The camp! With ShadowClan's kits and elders!?"
Tigerclaw halted as well, and the rest of his patrol did the same. "We attacked ShadowClan in its camp when Brokenstar—"
"Brokenstar and his followers were the cats we were aiming for. They were in ShadowClan's camp, and we were going to help ShadowClan drive Brokenstar out!"
"So why is it so different now?"
"Because their kits and elders don't deserve to see a battle like this!"
"Well you didn't seem so concerned when we battled Brokenstar with the elders and kits there." Tigerclaw snorted. Whitestorm was tearing up the grass with his claws. "Brokenstar would give the clan more horrors. It was price— a reasonable price— that we had to pay, and it was worth it!"
Darkstripe's tail was flicking back and forth. "I'm sure the kits and elders will be able to handle it."
"Exactly." Tigerclaw snarled. "Let's go, we're wasting time! And"— he turned to Whitestorm with a rather vicious look—"if you'd rather not come because you don't want to 'frighten the kits and elders' in their camp, you are free to stay behind."
Lifting his head, he pierced the rest of his patrol with his amber eyes. "That goes the same with the rest of you."
Willowpelt and Mousefur nodded, while Darkstripe dipped his head so low that it looked like a small bow.
Whitestorm growled something under his breath before sighing, and meowed, "I'll still come."
Without another word, Tigerclaw started racing ahead once more. "Come! We've delayed long enough!"
• • •
Denying a deputy... Well the code implies that the leader's word is the code itself. One step more step and no cat will defy me...
Tigerclaw saw the Thunderpath growing nearer. An image of Cinderpaw flashed in his head, crippled and shivering, blood covering the apprentice's leg.
You're heading to battle— Stop it!
Tigerclaw halted at the Thunderpath as a silver monster roared past, making his fur ruffle. "Alright, careful here." He told his patrol. "When I say 'go', run across!"
A red monster flew by, and another silver monster followed. Tigerclaw took two quick glances at the right and left. It looked safe to cross.
The deputy opened his mouth to yowl, 'Go!' when a sharp voice from behind him cried, "Tigerclaw!"
He whipped around, claws unsheathed, but relaxed. It was Brackenpaw, his eyes tired and his paws nearly tripping over one another. "F-Fireheart sent me." He panted heavily, stopping in front of the patrol.
What does that kittypet want? Brackenpaw continued, gulping for breath. "It was Brokenstar that has been invading our terri-territory! Fireheart's the only warrior in the camp, and Brokenstar—" Brackenpaw gasped for breath. "Brokenstar might've attacked the camp already!"
"What?!" Tigerclaw roared. The thought of being outsmarted was almost more then he could bear.
Whitestorm turned his head around to look at the clan deputy. "That means ShadowClan is not to blame! We've been accusing the wrong cats this whole time!"
Runningwind glanced up at the sky. "It's getting closer to sundown."
Tigerclaw unsheathed his claws. "We must go back! We can not let Fireheart be the only warrior to fight against Brokenstar!" A kittypet won't stand a chance against a him!
The dark tabby plunged back the way he and his patrol had come, Brackenpaw trailing alone behind the warriors, tired from his trip.
• • •
As Tigerclaw and his patrol grew closer to the camp entrance, he spotted Sandpaw and Swiftpaw carefully rolling a motionless shape into a roughly dug hole. Tigerclaw thought, for a wonderful moment, that it was Fireheart's body, when he realized that there would've been a vigil for him first.
Though there were no yowls, hisses, or noises of any fighting cats, Tigerclaw picked up his pace nevertheless and burst into the camp.
There were claw marks in the dust, fur drifting lazily in the soft breeze, and blood was splattered on the camp floor.
Bluestar and her patrol was back. The leader was standing beside Fireheart, and when she saw Tigerclaw, padded over to him.
"Did Brackenpaw reach you before you found a patrol?" Bluestar asked.
Tigerclaw shook his head, deciding not to tell her he wasn't planning to ambush a patrol, but the ShadowClan camp. "We hadn't even entered their territory, we were just about to cross the Thunderpath." Throwing a swift glance backwards at the camp entrance, he added, "Was that Clawface they were burying?"
Bluestar didn't reply with words, but simply nodded.
"Then Brackenpaw was right, Brokenstar was planning to attack the camp." Tigerclaw gave another sweeping look around the camp. He didn't see the former ShadowClan leader. "Is he dead too?"
"No." Bluestar informed him. "Yellowfang is tending to his wounds."
"Surely not!" Mousefur exclaimed, shocked. She and Runningwind exchanged horrified looks.
Tigerclaw felt furious disbelief at Bluestar's words. "Tending to his wounds? We should kill him, not waste time making him better!" You should've murder him as soon as he was weak enough to be 'dragged off and healed', making him better to fight us again!
"We'll discuss that once I've spoken to Yellowfang." Bluestar's calm tone made Tigerclaw even angrier.
Yellowfang appeared from the medicine cat den, looking weary. "You can discuss it with me now, Bluestar."
What are you doing?! "Have you left Brokenstar alone?" Tigerclaw spat.
"Dustpaw is guarding him." Yellowfang answered, a flash of reproachfulness in her tired eyes. "And I've given him poppy seeds, so he'll sleep for a while. Brokenstar is blind now, Tigerclaw. There's no way he'll try to escape. He'd die of hunger in a week, if a fox or a gang of crows didn't kill him first."
I don't see why that's such a bad thing. "Well, that makes it easier. We won't have to kill him ourselves. We can let the forest deal with him." Tigerclaw snarled.
Yellowfang didn't reply to him, but turned her thick furred head to look at Bluestar. "We cannot let him die."
"Why not?" Bluestar asked, her tranquil voice largely differing from Tigerclaw's enraged tone.
"If we did, we would be no better than he is." Yellowfang murmured evenly.
Tigerclaw lashed his tail. Does it matter? Just finish him off, all our troubles gone!
"What do you think, Whitestorm?" Bluestar turned to the warrior for his opinion.
"It will be a burden on our Clan to look after him." Whitestorm answered thoughtfully. Exactly! Tigerclaw agreed, but Whitestorm wasn't finished.
"But Yellowfang is right—if we send him out into the forest, or kill him in cold blood, StarClan will know we have stooped as low as he."
Mouse-brain!
"Bluestar, In the past we have sometimes kept prisoners for many moons." One-eye, the ThunderClan elder stepped forward. "We could do it again."
But it's better to kill such a cat that challenged us! Just kill— especially a cat like Brokenstar—right now! "So you would really consider keeping this rogue inside our camp?" Tigerclaw's eyes burned with fury, his snarl threatening as he challenged Bluestar.
"Is he really blind?" Bluestar didn't acknowledge her deputy's question.
"Yes, he is."
"Has he other wounds?"
"I clawed him pretty badly." Fireheart told his leader.
Oh, I'm sure you did. Tigerclaw thought irritably. "How long till they heal?" Bluestar looked at the long-furred medicine cat once more.
"About a moon." Yellowfang told her.
Bluestar looked at the ground, eyes fixed on her paws. It was evident she was doing some hard thinking.
Just kill him, or leave him in the forest to die! We should show no mercy on filth like him!
The blue-grey she-cat lifted her head. "Then you may nurse him till then. After that we will discuss his future again. And from now on, he will be known as Brokentail, not Brokenstar." Bluestar addressed the clan. "We cannot take away the lives that StarClan gave him, but this cat is no longer a Clan leader."
Idiot! Tigerclaw roared in his head. Why do we have such a mouse-brained leader like you?!
Bluestar gave him a brief glance. Tigerclaw narrowed his eyes and flicked his tail angrily, but did not contradict her aloud.
"It is decided. He stays." Bluestar announced officially.
You have chosen very poorly. You should've listened to me Bluestar! There will be terrible consequences.
And I will make sure you regret making Brokenstar a welcome guest in our camp.
Foreshadowing~ :D Yay?
Check out my other Fanfiction, Raining Feathers!
