Chapter 26: Brothers in Blood
"Darkstripe. I want to meet that Bloodclan dealer you told me about."
"Why would you want to do that? Meeting him isn't something you just do. He requires a certain etiquette to talk to."
"It's about Tigerclaw."
"Stop. I don't want to hear anything else. I'll take you to him, but you must be respectful and demand nothing from him. I'll only stick around long enough to get you talking. I'll warn you, he is ruthless and cunning. Any deals or promises you give, you must keep or you'll soon find yourself shredded in an alleyway. Your name is Lightning. If you are to keep your name from any cat, this is the one."
Darkstripe was clearly uneasy. The cat he was describing sounded just as terrifying as Tigerclaw. Despite his reluctance to continue, Fireheart decided he still had to meet the cat. He needed that little piece of evidence to finally get Tigerclaw removed. He padded after Darkstripe who set a quick pace. Darkstripe was extremely vigilant the entire journey stopping to hunt two mice.
"You have to pay to meet Tiny. When we get in Bloodclan territory, look no cat in the eye until you meet him, but also don't let any cat ambush you."
At first the Twoleg Place held a familiar style, but as they went deeper, the Twoleg nests got taller, the Thunderpaths got wider, and the number of monsters increased. Fireheart stuck close to Darkstripe who moved a careful false bravado. When they finally entered the alleyways, it felt like there were eyes on them from every angle. It was likely true. Cats were peering out from behind dumpsters and on top of the roofs to watch the strangers. Finally Darkstripe stopped and gestured for Fireheart to drop his mouse. Soon a large black and white tom with a scar between his eyes approached the pair.
"Big! I have come to seek an audience with Tiny. I come bearing gifts from the forest."
The large tom sized them up and down before replying.
"You do not often come with company Thunder. Why are they here?"
"I am here more specifically to give this cat an audience with Tiny. They wish to speak about Tigerclaw. I am to just set up the meeting."
"And what should we refer to them as while they are in our… good graces."
"They may be called Lightning for now."
The tom sized them up again before turning.
"I will speak with 'Tiny.' You will wait here until I return."
The two sat silently. Fireheart kept shooting glances Darkstripe feeling almost ready to bolt. Darkstripe merely shook his head and kept waiting. Soon Big returned.
"Tiny will see you now."
Darkstripe and Fireheart followed the intimidating tom into a specific dead end alleyway where a small, but somehow more intimidating, black cat waited. His icy blue eyes nearly paralyzed Fireheart. Darkstripe moved first.
"Tiny. It is good to see you again. I've brought with me some cat who wishes to speak about Tigerclaw. I'd also like to extend the same invitation you gave to me last time I visited. If you ever need a home in the clans, I will make it happen. Unfortunately, your collar would have to go to make it happen."
The cat stare Darkstripe down for a few heartbeats until his gaze drifted to Fireheart. They cut into him like an icy wind. Finally, the black cat with one white paw spoke.
"First give me an update on Tigerclaw, then I'll speak to him."
"Tigerclaw has kits now. Despite this, he does not seem to visit them often. Currently it seems like he is trying to work himself into the good graces of the most conservative of our clan."
Tiny looked thoughtful before dismissing Darkstripe. As Darkstripe passed he said, "I'll wait for you just outside the alleyway. Remember what I said before."
Tiny gestured for Fireheart to sit at the foot of the dumpster.
"Now you. What may I call you."
The voice was cold and commanding. Fireheart drew a blank for a second.
"You can call me Lightning."
"Are you the Lightning who broke one of the dealer codes and gave away Thunder's true name to Queen?"
Fireheart flattened before responding a soft, "yes."
"Lightning is a dealer name. You lost that right. I will call you Spark."
The authority with which Tiny said that made sure Fireheart couldn't disagree.
"So Spark, what is it you wanted to say about Tigerclaw?"
"First, so I don't draw your ire, do you dislike Tigerclaw or is he one of your allies?"
"A wise question. To answer, I HATE THAT CAT!"
Fireheart's chest was pounding. The sheer hatred rolling of Tiny was suffocating.
"I think we are in agreement on that," Fireheart responded.
Tiny just stared at Fireheart expecting him to continue.
"My clan is investigating Tigerclaw. From what I've managed to gather so far, we've found he's been breaking our sacred codes. I am not sure you've heard, but I suspect he murdered one of our previous deputies to try and claim the position for himself. He also appears to be trying to kill our leader since he's gotten the deputy position."
"And how does talking to me help?"
"I've gotten proof that he's ignored smaller codes, but I need proof that he is violent enough to commit murder. I was hoping that since you valued information on Tigerclaw so much, you either were a secret ally or an old enemy. Seeing as it is the ladder, I hoped to learn why. Maybe it would be the last thing needed to get him exiled."
"Ha. You interest me forest cat. Maybe you do have use to me. I'll tell you why I hate him, and why I founded MY Bloodclan. I was the runt of the litter as a kit. Unlike my horrible siblings, I wanted more than to be a kittypet. The forest looked so inviting, so I snuck out of my garden and explored before returning. It was everything I had ever dreamed of. My siblings didn't believe me about out there, so I left again. That was when I met HIM! I was just a kit and he tried to kill me. This scar and this torn ear are proof of what he did that day. If it weren't for a blue cat, I'd probably have been killed by that horrid cat. The worst part is what he said before he let me go. He said, 'You'll never forget me.' I didn't. He haunted me until I started to make myself strong. I founded my clan on this strength. I used the same feeling he gave me to build my clan. FEAR! I have made fear my weapon. I do not feel it anymore."
"You remind me a lot of myself and Thunder."
Tiny now watched him curious.
"I was once a kittypet too. Then I ventured into the woods and encountered an apprentice, but unlike your story, they were friendly and the clan accepted me. I feel like it was just bad luck that you happened to meet that horrible cat. Maybe if you had met some other cat, you could have turned into a strong forest clan cat. "
Tiny scrutinized Fireheart closer. Something about him was familiar.
"Are you by chance related to Jake?"
"Jake was my father, and my mother was Nutmeg."
"That makes us half-brothers. I hope you prove better than my other siblings."
"I hope we remain amicable to each other."
Tiny nodded to Fireheart.
"You also remind me of Thunder for different reasons. Thunder has lived his life with fear of the same cat you do, though he is stuck having to see that cat daily. He responded to that fear differently. He became compliant with the cat he fears so much. He even mistook it as trust."
"Fear can make cats pliable to the wills of others. They can be molded when put in the right pressure."
"I think you can do better."
"I am Sc!… Tiny. There is no cat better!"
"I think you can do more than Tigerclaw did to you. Is fear what you desire for strength? Do you desire to create cats like yourself whose target of hatred is you?"
"It is too late. I've already bloodied my paws. This path has been set."
"I don't believe that. I think you could do better. I think if you really wanted to, you could change and make a clan that every cat looks up to instead of fears, or you could join one of the forest clans and prove yourself a great warrior. Please, just think on it. I want to see you in Starclan one day so we can properly catch up."
"Starclan?"
"Maybe you can ask Thunder in the future. It is where our warriors go when they die and have respected our codes. They can give us advice to protect our clans."
"I will think on this. If you were not my half-brother, I would have shredded you for speaking against me. Maybe you can prove to me that the clans are not the savages I think they are."
"I will."
A fire burned in his eyes as he left. Besides getting proof of Tigerclaw's violence, Fireheart now had a new mission in his mind. He'd prove to his brother that the clans were better than he'd been taught and experienced.