Prologue: Where it all started
"Ravenpaw, get out of here!" Redtail yowled as he faced off with Oakheart.
"I can fight! Warriors don't run from a fight!" Ravenpaw snarled, continuing to battle a warrior twice his size.
Pitiful as his skills are, he has the makings of a fearless warrior, Tigerclaw thought appreciatively as he fought three warriors. He threw one off his back into the river, kicked another in the face as he bit his hind leg, and tackled the one clawing his muzzle.
"We can handle it, Ravenpaw!" Redtail called. "Go get help in case Riverclan gets reinforcements!"
"We'll be fine!" Tigerclaw added, realizing the moment had come. Before Ravenpaw could respond, Oakheart kicked Redtail under a rock ledge and ran after him. The ledge fell on both cats.
"Get out of here Ravenpaw, get help!" Tigerclaw snarled. Ravenpaw skillfully twisted from the grasp of the Riverclan warrior and hared away. Tigerclaw sent his last opponent fleeing and went to the rockfall.
"Redtail?" He called softly. Perhaps he didn't have to get his paws dirty after all. That was, until the tortoiseshell staggered out of the dust, coughing and bleeding from his shoulder.
"Tigerclaw?" The deputy rasped. "Where's Riverclan?"
"I sent them swimming home," the giant tabby grunted. "Where's Oakheart?"
"I saw the ledge crush him as it fell. If I had been a few mouselengths in his direction, I would've died too," the deputy shivered.
"Either way, you won't be making it home from this battle tonight," Tigerclaw growled. Redtail stared at him, confused.
"Tigerclaw, the battle is over," he said slowly. The mighty, amber eyed warrior stalked closer. Redtail's amber eyes gleamed with fear and he backed away, only to be trapped by the rockfall.
"Tigerclaw, what's the meaning of this?" he demanded, trying not to tremble. Tigerclaw smirked at his fear scent.
"Thunderclan needs a strong deputy to get it through these hard times. You are not that strong a deputy. You would've been a poor leader when Bluestar died. While you would've led Thunderclan to ruin, I'll lead them to greatness," Tigerclaw declared, knocking the red-tailed warrior over with a blow from his mighty paw. He pinned down the small tom with ease, and grinned in his terrified face.
"Starclan will honor your sacrifice," he whispered before biting his throat. Redtail struggled, blood gurgling in his mouth, before going limp. Tigerclaw stood up triumphantly, looking across Sunningrocks.
I have gained our territory back single-pawed, he crowed silently. I will rule the forest one day. As he gazed into the forest, the territory he'd one day own, a white patch, glowing in the darkness of forest, caught his eye. Green eyes sparkled with alarm before disappearing. Tigerclaw's eyes narrowed as he saw Ravenpaw's white-tipped tail vanish into the shadows as the apprentice fled for the camp.
I'll deal with him later, Tigerclaw thought. He picked up Redtail's scruff and began to take him to the clan, where he'd tell them of his victory and of Redtail's quite unfortunate sacrifice.