Mothwing sat back on her haunches as Blackclaw finished speaking.
"It's better than it was, but this land cannot support the entire Clan." The black tom dipped his head.
"And Tawnyclaw has not returned," Leopardstar regarded her fellow leader. "This is why I did not want to find them – we need to get our Clan someplace safer immediately. The Twolegs or BloodClan could try to attack here next!"
"It's possible they went off to find this territory themselves," Tigerstar commented. He looked calm. Hawktalon glanced at Mothwing who held her breath. If they did that how would the others return?
"They are weak and were with kits and queens. As it was, Tallstar could not move them too far away. They should be back by now." He looked down at Brambleheart, who lay at his side. "What did I tell you? They never wanted you. Do you believe me now?"
All Brambleheart did was shift, pulling his tail closer to his side. Tigerstar touched his back with his tail. "Don't worry, we'll resume your training soon."
"How are we going to get Tawnyclaw back – and the others?" Attention went to Mothwing. She looked intently at her father. Her conversation with Goldenflower a few days prior went through her head.
She still was not sure what to make of it.
"Do you doubt your sister's ability?" Tigerstar asked. "All of our warriors' abilities?" He shifted back in his nest. "Those cats are spineless – they won't be able to kill my daughter. If Tawnyclaw is loyal, she knows what she needs to do."
"Which is?" Leopardstar asked. He blinked at her.
"If they attack her, then get away and follow." He spoke like it was obvious. "Follow them until they get to this new territory and come back."
"What if she's not loyal?" Hawktalon asked.
"She's loyal," Leopardstar's response was instant. "There is no cat more loyal to TigerClan." Tigerstar nodded.
"She would not be swayed by three half-Clan parasites and her corrupted brother," Tigerstar said. Parasites. Mothwing shifted, thoughts whirling in her head. "She's better than that." Then why send Ashfur and Dustpelt? Mothwing wondered. It took everything in her not to speak.
"You want to wait here until Tawnyclaw returns?" Leopardstar's tail twitched. "We still do not have enough food to support our Clan."
"Ration it out better," Tigerstar replied. "We'll do what is needed. We could head up into the bottom of the mountains if it comes to it." He looked across the surrounding warriors, "We are already in the foothills. We need to wait for Tawnyclaw's return."
"What if they're gone?" Blackclaw's head was low. "We survived the Twolegs but they might not have." Mothwing tensed. Tigerstar did not want Blackclaw's opinion.
"Then Tawnyclaw would have returned already," Tigerstar regarded the black tom. "Anyway, dealing with them is like dealing with a rat's nest." He shook his head, "You think they're gone and more pop up. I do believe they've gone on to find this other territory."
"Why would they do that?" Leopardstar asked. Tigerstar scoffed.
"Why wouldn't they? Why would they come here? For him," He gestured to Brambleheart's lying form. "He's a fumbling kit! You should see him – they didn't even care enough to train him properly." He shook his head.
"We'll leave once Tawnyclaw has returned."
As the meeting finished, Tigerstar turned to Mothwing. "Can I speak with you for a second?" He asked. Hawktalon glanced back at her, pausing in his step as he had begun to walk Brambleheart out.
"Of course." Mothwing sat back down. What was this about?
"You may go," Tigerstar looked to his sons who had both paused. Hawktalon nudged Brambleheart and the two left.
Mothwing looked back to her father as he settled. He seemed better than the last time she had seen him but she knew the medicine cats were still worried. They had not wanted him out of his nest. "What is it?" Mothwing asked.
"You looked…troubled during our talk." Amber eyes regarded her. "I know you don't want any unneeded stress but this was not something Mudclaw could stand in for." He had had Mudclaw take over WindClan a few days prior. It had come as an order from Leopardstar.
"I assure you; everything will be alright. TigerClan is strong. Your presence here was a formality."
"I'm not opposed to doing things like this," She replied slowly. She would much rather be doing this than sitting around camp. Tigerstar cocked his head.
"Then what is the issue?" She hesitated. There were all sorts of things she could bring forward to Tigerstar. She should tell him about her talk with Goldenflower. Realization suddenly came across the tabby's face.
"Are you still upset about the medicine cat thing?" Mothwing's ears flattened at his tone.
"No!" She couldn't let him go back to that. It would just make him angry again. "It's just…" Tigerstar's eyes narrowed.
"What?"
"The way you keep talking about Squirrelpaw and those other half-Clan cats," She could not meet her father's eyes. "Hawktalon and I are half-Clan." She knew it was different but it did not feel that way. Especially with Squirrelpaw.
She was surprised as Tigerstar began to laugh. She looked up at him, alarmed as he suddenly seemed to be having trouble catching his breath. She rose to her paws.
Mothwing relaxed as he caught it. "That's it?" He looked at her like she was ridiculous. "Come here, you silly child." She hesitantly approached.
He sat up, licking her ear before resting his head on her shoulders. Mothwing glanced at him.
"Those cats were born of treachery," He began. "You were not. I wouldn't betray my Clan, now, would I?"
"No," Mothwing replied. He had made this Clan; Tigerstar certainly would not betray it.
"Exactly," He pulled away, looking at his daughter. "You're being foolish. My blood runs in your veins and that's what makes you a Clan cat. You are part of me. As are your brothers and sister. For that, you are StarClan chosen to lead. That's what makes you a leader! When I am gone, the Clan will look to you to lead. As well as Tawnyclaw, Hawktalon, and Bramblepaw. For them to respect you, you need to be unified! And that is why we need to get these ridiculous notions out of your head."
Hawk and I are also part of Sasha. She thought, part kittypet. She said nothing.
"You'll be unhappy if you aren't where you're supposed to be," He continued. "And I am telling you where you're supposed to be. Do you understand?"
"Yes, Tigerstar."
"Good," He rose to his paws. "Now settle yourself, Mothwing. I already have to deal with your brother's nonsense." His words hit her someplace deep.
She turned as he walked by her, alarmed. "I thought the medicine cats wanted you to stay in your nest!" He glanced back at her. She snapped her mouth shut.
"The Clan needs to see their leader," He responded simply. "They need to know we're strong."
Tigerstar turned away. Mothwing followed.
"You said that Ravenpaw and Barley were gone?" Firestar asked. Squirrelpaw nodded.
"Ashfur and Dustpelt didn't know but it seems like they were chased out by TigerClan," she glanced toward the TigerClan cats.
"Why wouldn't they know?" Leafpaw asked. Squirrelpaw shrugged.
"They seem to still largely be separated. It's to the point that I think Crowpaw considers himself to be WindClan first, TigerClan second." Leafpaw gave her sister a confused look.
"Well, if they've given up on the barn, as it seems, it's possible they've returned." Barkface looked at their leader.
"But the mice were poisoned." Tornear glanced at the medicine cat. "Who knows what could have happened to them?" Firestar sighed.
"We need to look." He looked toward the farm, "I hope that nothing has happened to them but we need to look." He turned back to Tornear, "Fetch Tawnyclaw, please. I need to ask her a question." The deputy nodded, stepping away.
They had finally reached the territories. At least, that was what others were saying.
They were in a patch of woods. Squirrelpaw had told Leafpaw that Ravenpaw and Barley's farm was just past the trees.
Tornear returned, the TigerClan warrior following. Leafpaw looked at her.
She had not interacted with Tawnyclaw much so far but she was somewhat intimidating. She acted with the preeminence that Leafpaw expected of senior warriors or leaders. It was strange to see in a cat her age. However, she was also respectful. Tawnyclaw dipped her head.
"You wanted to speak with me?" She asked.
"Your Clan was stealing mice from the barn, correct?" Firestar asked.
"They were feeding our Clan," Tawnyclaw corrected. "But the mice were poisoned." She glanced at the rest of the Clan. "It's unsafe to feed your Clan using them."
"That's not why I ask." Firestar explained, "There were two cats there who disappeared according to Squirrelpaw. I want to see if I can find them. TigerClan would not go back there, would they?"
Tawnyclaw shook her head. "As I said, the mice were poisoned. It's possible they fell victim, too." The fur on Leafpaw's back rose.
"We don't know that," Squirrelpaw began to protest. She was silenced with a twitch of their father's ear.
"But would they have followed you there?" Firestar asked. "Squirrelpaw said you spent the night there." Tawnyclaw shook her head.
"No," She meowed, glancing at Squirrelpaw. "And she did a good job making sure the route we were taking was unknown to even us." Squirrelpaw lifted her head at the enemy warrior's praise. "Anyway, Tigerstar was trying to get them for moons and failed. He's got what he wanted from them." Tornear shifted, his ears flattening. A chill ran down Leafpaw's spine.
Firestar's tail was twitching. He slowly nodded. "Thank you." Tawnyclaw dipped her head, stepping away. Firestar turned to his deputy.
"I want to send out a patrol…" He began as Barkface signed for Squirrelpaw and Leafpaw to step away. Leafpaw stuck with her mentor as Squirrelpaw padded off, called over by Onewhisker.
What Tigerstar wanted had to have been WindClan returning. Leafpaw shook herself, looking at her mentor. "Why did we come down here?" Her voice was quiet as she asked.
It wasn't that she did not care about Brambleheart or Feathertail. She did but they had uprooted their whole Clan when they had just won their territory. She also knew this was what StarClan wanted, but why would StarClan want them in danger like this? Barkface sighed, a troubled look came across his face.
"The leader's word is law," the medicine cat replied.
"Bramblepaw," Tigerstar glanced back at him. "Tell me what you can smell." Brambleheart gritted his teeth but raised his nose.
"A mouse went that way," he reported. "And a patrol was here earlier. Around sunhigh, I believe." The leader snorted.
"You're improving," he remarked. "But there's also hare." He cursed himself as the wind shifted and he could pick up what Tigerstar was smelling. Tigerstar touched his shoulder with his tail.
"It's alright, you'll get better. We just need to keep training."
Brambleheart was silent. Tigerstar had brought him out but he was fairly certain the medicine cats had not approved of this. The going was slow. They were alone.
He was surprised as they stopped. They were not far from camp in a dip where the wind did not blow. Tigerstar settled in the grass and Brambleheart laid.
Was this going to be like last time? Tension rose in Brambleheart's chest as a rock formed in his belly. He forced it away. Tigerstar's heart was still weak. That couldn't work.
Then why were they out here?
"Did you have a mentor?" Tigerstar asked. "Or did they just throw you that name?" it took everything in Brambleheart not to bristle.
"I did," He replied. "Fireheart was my mentor." Tigerstar leaned back; his belly exposed to the younger tom.
"That explains it then!" Tigerstar shook his head, "Remember its name is Rusty. That's a kittypet, Bramblepaw. They don't know the first thing about being a warrior."
"He got a warrior name," Brambleheart pointed out, trying to quell the anger that wanted to arise. "Under Bluestar." Why was he asking about this?
"And look what that got her." Brambleheart did bristle. Tigerstar watched him, "Rusty was playing – it's all a game to them, you know. It's not their fault truly. Kittypets are toys. They're meant to be kept."
"He wasn't and his head got too big for his shoulders. Rusty did not get what he wanted and so lashed out. It cannot be tolerated but it's the nature of a pet." Brambleheart remained silent. Tigerstar licked his paw, running it over his ear. "The kittypet went right back to Twolegs, did it not? That alone is proof."
"We didn't live with Twolegs." Brambleheart's teeth were gritted. Tigerstar looked up at him.
"You lived in a Twoleg nest." Tigerstar bared his teeth, disgusted. "You know what they could have done to you? Those Twolegs could have taken you in a heartbeat – you were a kitten!"
"And then?" Tigerstar shook his head, "What they would have done to you – brought to the Cutters, collared, and turned into one of their toys!" He sneered, "My own son – a kittypet."
"That did not happen." Brambleheart couldn't stop the memory from Twolegplace from popping up. Of how he had enjoyed having his chin scratched by the Twoleg. Fireheart wouldn't have let that happen, Brambleheart reminded himself. I'm not even close to a kittypet. He liked sharing tongues, too and that was a similar feeling. All cats did.
"It could have," golden eyes regarded him. "Those two that live at the barn – I know you've smelled them. They're not real toms anymore, are they?" Tigerstar's voice came out low, "That could have been you." Brambleheart did not respond.
"That scrap of fur you were with – what was its name?" Brambleheart tensed.
"What does it matter?" He asked.
"Squirrelpaw," Tigerstar continued as though he had not heard Brambleheart. "Squirrel, rather. What's she like?"
"Squirrelpaw's like any other apprentice, I suppose," Brambleheart responded slowly.
"Really?" Tigerstar asked. "They have personalities, you know. And it's Squirrel. That's barely a cat not to mention a Clan cat." Brambleheart did not answer, pushing down another rush of anger that wanted to arise. "I ask because Sandstorm had great potential. She was a good fighter – a wicked hunter. It's a shame that such fine ThunderClan blood was diluted." Brambleheart did not like where this was going.
"Her pelt is from her father. I can see Sandstorm in her, too, but no real wild cat has a pelt that color. Do you know why some kittypets look like that?" Tigerstar asked. Brambleheart remained silent. "Because they want their toys to be pretty." A light came to the leader's eyes, "I can understand the appeal. She certainly –"
He could not hold in his anger. Brambleheart interrupted, letting out a furious hiss as he sprang to his paws. His claws extended as he moved closer. The dreams he kept having circled in his head. Tigerstar was weak and Brambleheart wanted nothing more than to sink his claws into the other cat. The TigerClan leader blinked at him calmly.
"What do you think you're doing?" He asked. Brambleheart froze, startled by his lack of reaction. "You can't even hunt – remember that pathetic fight you had with Hawktalon?" Tigerstar shook his head, "You foolish kit, put your claws away." A heaviness that had been weighing on him for so long suddenly seemed heavier.
Brambleheart was tired. He had been tired for so long. Slowly he retracted his claws, laying back down. He looked down. Brambleheart did not know what he was doing. The leader rose, looking the younger tom over.
"Good," he said. "You're improving."
Tawnyclaw's eyes were narrowed as she watched Rusty talk to two rogues.
"So, they're still kicking," She remarked. Crowpaw had heard of these cats before but had never seen them. Barley and Ravenpaw were their names if he remembered correctly.
A patrol had been sent out to scout the area and they had found them then. The TigerClan cats had yet to be told anything.
As they finished talking, Rusty turned. His deputy flanked him. Crowpaw sat up as he realized the kittypet was heading toward them.
He looked at Tawnyclaw as he approached. "Your Clan is gone."
"What?" Crowpaw hissed as more voices arose. Both Dustpelt and Ashfur pushed themselves up, the same alarm reflected on their faces. How could they be gone? Crowpaw's mind whirled with shock. TigerClan couldn't be gone. Tawnyclaw was silent.
"Another group of cats have control of the forest," Rusty continued. "It seems TigerClan got pushed out. Have you had relations with BloodClan in the past?"
"Not that I know of," Tawnyclaw replied. Crowpaw looked at her. What was BloodClan? How did they know who these cats were? Was there a sixth Clan?
"We were having issues with rogues," Ashfur said. His blue gaze was focused on the ginger tom. "From Twolegplace but not another Clan." Dustpelt shot him a look.
"Is there another Clan," Dustpelt's eyes narrowed as he turned back to Rusty, "we somehow did not know about. Like SkyClan?" Both enemy toms looked surprised.
"How do you know about SkyClan?" Tornear asked.
"Squirrelpaw mentioned them to me," Tawnyclaw explained. "How do you know who these cats are?"
"They're not another Clan like us – just happen to use the word. I had a run-in with them seasons ago now." Rusty looked at Tawnyclaw. "Do you know where TigerClan might have gone?"
Crowpaw had no idea. Ashfur and Dustpelt looked just as alarmed as he felt, he doubted they knew. How could TigerClan get chased out by a group of rogues? Tawnyclaw was calm.
"Highstones," She replied. "From my understanding, the Twolegs had done very little on that side of the Thunderpath." Tawnyclaw glanced at the two toms. Ashfur nodded.
"There's very little that's happened by Highstones."
"I see no reason why they wouldn't go there," Tawnyclaw looked back to the enemy warriors. "You certainly found it to be a good hiding spot."
Tornear's ears had flattened. Rusty's eyes were narrowed as he nodded.
"We'll be getting you home as soon as possible." Tawnyclaw dipped her head and Rusty turned away. He let out a yowl, jumping onto the roots of a tree.
As the Clan gathered, Dustpelt leaned over to Tawnyclaw. "If you truly think that's where they are, why don't we just escape?" He gestured to the cats guarding them, now paying attention to their leader. Tawnyclaw glanced at him.
"We need this to go smoothly," Her voice was quiet. "We will be traveling with these cats no matter what. It's better to be civil." She nodded to where Rusty was speaking. "He's sending out a patrol to Highstones. I'm certain Tigerstar's figured out a way to get us while keeping Brambleheart."
"They're not going to like that," Crowpaw pointed out. Tawnyclaw glanced at him.
"It'll work itself out."
