Tigerstar's Goals

Chapter 12

Tigerstar looked up as Yellowfang brushed out of the nursery, muttering crossly. "It's had enough to complete a kitting without cats yowling outside at the same side," she complained.

He pricked his ears. "Willowpelt's kitted?"

The old medicine cat nodded. "Two toms and a she-cat."

Tigerstar swished his tail. "More warriors for ThunderClan!" He meowed cheerfully.

"At least there's some good thing still happening in ThunderClan.."

Tigerstar whipped his head around, trying to see who had spoken, but most of the cats were muttering happily to each other. Whitestorm hurried away from the crowd and into the nursery to greet his new kits. He reemerged a moment later. "They're beautiful," he purred.

He stood up. "I would like to see the kits," he meowed.

The white warrior nodded and Tigerstar stalked to the nursery, brushing past the cat and ducking into the shadowy den.

Willowpelt lay in a nest made of soft moss. Three kits squirmed in the curl of her body, still damp and blind as they kneaded their mother’s belly. Bramblekit and Tawnykit sat up against Goldenflower's flank, staring at their new denmates.

"Congratulations," Tigerstar meowed gruffly. He knew that he would prefer them when they became an asset to the Clan, helping out on duties and fighting battles.

"When can we play with them?" Bramblekit squeaked, jumping around in his nest.

Tigerstar let out a rusty purr. "Not yet, my little warrior! Why don't you play with Swiftpaw for now?" He spotted the black-and-white apprentice pacing restlessly near the edge of the camp. He wasn't allowed to continue training yet because of his stomach wound; however, Tigerstar believed that the apprentice was more than ready to be a warrior.

Bramblekit gave a little mew of excitement and ran out of the nursery, running across the clearing and pouncing on the senior apprentice's back. Swiftpaw gave an exaggerated grunt and collapsed onto his side, gently batting at Bramblekit with sheathed claws. Tawnykit gave out a small caterwaul and charged across camp, rushing over to help her brother.

"He's a good role model to them," Goldenflower commented. "Perhaps when he's a warrior, he can mentor one of them."

He nodded approvingly before dipping his head to Willowpelt and making his way out of the nursery. As he crossed the clearing towards his den, he noticed Yellowfang sniffing at Fireheart's chest wound.

She frowned in confusion. "It's definitely not infected," she meowed, her amber eyes blinking slowly. "But you certainly don't seem normal."

Sandstorm blinked anxiously beside the ginger warrior. "Perhaps he needs to rest more?" She suggested.

"I've been sitting in my nest doing nothing for a whole moon!" Fireheart rasped, his eyes blazing with anger. He paused as he saw the she-cat's eyes flash with hurt. "I'm sorry," he sighed. "I just hate feeling so useless."

Sandstorm touched her nose to his comfortingly while Yellowfang still looked thoughtful. "Have you eaten at all?"

Fireheart shook his head. "I don't have the appetite."

The old medicine cat rolled her eyes. "Well, that's why, you mouse-brain!" She let out a raspy purr. "You need to eat whether you're hungry or not." Yellowfang turned to Sandstorm. "Fetch him some prey."

Sandstorm nodded and took off and Yellowfang turned to approach Tigerstar.

"What was all that yowling about while Willowpelt was kitting?" She questioned curiously, sitting down next to her leader.

"Cloudpaw was exiled." Tigerstar's tone was grim.

The grey she-cat's amber eyes widened with shock. "Great StarClan!" She gasped. "What for?"

"For running off and eating kittypet food," Tigerstar sneered. "I expect Fireheart will do the same."

Yellowfang glanced sternly at him. "Fireheart won't be running anywhere at this state," she meowed briskly. "Darkstripe needs to exclude him off the patrols."

He snorted. "Nonsense! What that kittypet needs is to pull his weight around here, not lounge about and let other cats hunt for him." Tigerstar narrowed his eyes. "Perhaps he's better off being banished from the Clan."

"You're acting like Brokenstar!" Yellowfang suddenly hissed, leaping to her paws with her tail lashing angrily.

Without thinking, Tigerstar lashed out and raked his claws across the medicine cat's eye. Yellowfang staggered backwards, yowling as she clutched her injured eye with her paw, blood running down her leg. He narrowed his eyes. "I'm acting like Tigerstar," he growled softly. "Question me again and I'll do worst to you."

Yellowfang let out another moan of pain as Cinderpelt gently peeled the old cat's paw away from her bloodied eye. The young medicine cat turned to Tigerstar, her eyes widened in horror. "You've blinded her eye!"

Tigerstar shrugged. "She's got another one," he sneered. "Perhaps she should use it to see what a good leader I am."

Without another word, he stalked past the two medicine cats and padded into his den, ignoring the mutters of shock behind him.

They don't understand! I'm doing the best for them! Tigerstar narrowed his eyes in thought. How would he get his Clan to trust him again. He pricked his ears as he heard a trickle of water. Turning his head, he spotted a small stream leaking into his den. RiverClan! I'll launch an attack on RiverClan!