Tigerstar's Goals

Chapter 18

Tigerstar glanced up to see Longtail at the head of a patrol, his lip curled into a snarl and his long tail lashing. Behind him stood Mousefur with her apprentice, Thornpaw, their claws unsheathed and fur bristling. Mousefur stepped forward and gave a hiss.

"What have you rogues done to him?" Longtail snapped, sinking his claws into the dry earth.

Tigerstar felt Blackfoot tense beside him and he raised his chin. "They saved me." He croaked. He beckoned Longtail forward with his tail and the pale tabby cautiously approached. "A monster hit me," he murmured into his ear, "and I have lost a life."

Longtail raised his head again, his blue eyes wide and he glanced back at Thornpaw. "Get Yellowfang," he ordered briskly.

Thornpaw glanced at his mentor and, when she nodded, dashed away through the trees.

"We found him on the Thunderpath," Blackfoot spoke up. He nodded behind him. "With that cat."

Mousefur hurried over to the crumpled body of Ravenpaw. His yellow eyes were wide and his jaws were open with a silent call of warning. The brown warrior's eyes widened. "But that's-"

"Ravenpaw," Tigerstar finished grimly. "I found him frozen in the middle of the Thunderpath. I ran out to save him, but.." he made his voice waver, "it was too late."

Longtail rested his tail on the tabby tom's shoulder gently. He then glared at the cats surrounding him. "You're the cats who attacked our camp," he bared his teeth. "The day Bluestar died. Why are you back here?"

Blackfoot exchanged a glance with Mowgli. "We didn't expect the cat who killed Bluestar to actually kill them," he meowed hesitantly.

"We just attacked the camp for a bit of fun," Snag spoke up.

Mousefur hissed. "For a bit of fun?" she echoed in disbelief. "Our leader died for a bit of fun?!"

"We didn't expect any cat to die," Tangleburr tried to reason. "The warrior code doesn't say that warriors kill to win."

Longtail sneered. "The warrior code? You broke the warrior code when you followed that tyrant!"

Tigerstar knew he was talking about Brokentail. He remembered vaguely that the pale tabby had been one of the cats to help kill him alongside Dustpelt.

Blackfoot gazed solemnly at him. "The warrior code says your leader's word is law," he reasoned. "I bet you'd do the same if Tigerstar was like that." He quickly corrected himself as Longtail hissed. "Which he isn't, of course!"

Longtail twitched his tail uncertainly, glancing at Mousefur.

Tangleburr paced anxiously. "We went through ShadowClan," she admitted. "Where are they? Did the sickness kill them off?"

Mousefur pricked her ears. "You know about the sickness?"

Blackfoot shifted his paws uncomfortably. "News travels fast when you live life as a rogue," he admitted.

Longtail glanced at Tigerstar. "Perhaps we should let our leader explain."

Tigerstar opened his mouth, but just as he was about to speak, he began hacking. As he spluttered on the ground, he realised that his mouth felt as dry as the ground below him and he felt as hot as the sun, even though the air was starting to cool.

Mousefur gently placed her nose onto his forehead. He flinched away from her cold skin. She lifted her head, her amber eyes wide with worry. "He's burning up," she meowed. "He needs water."

"It's a good thing we've got some then." A raspy mew sounded from the forest.

Tigerstar lifted his head weakly. Yellowfang was standing at the edge of the trees with a clump of moss between her jaws. Drops of water dripped onto the floor as she stood there staring down at him. Runningnose stood beside her, a leaf-wrap of herbs in his mouth, and Thornpaw stood a few mouse-lengths behind them, a squirrel grasped in his jaws.

Yellowfang placed the moss down on the floor close to his jaws. "Drink," she ordered.

He didn't need to be told twice. He clamped his jaws around the moist moss and squeezed gently, gulping the cool liquid down as it poured out.

Blackfoot pricked his ears. "Runningnose? What are you doing here?"

Runningnose placed the leaf-wrap down and sniffed. "I live in ThunderClan now," he explained. "We all do."

Tangleburr let out a purr of relief. "They're alive?"

Runningnose nodded curtly. "What are you doing here?"

Tigerstar swallowed the last of his water. "They saved me," he meowed hoarsly. "But I can't walk a few pawsteps let alone back to camp."

"That's what these are for." Runningnose nudged the leaf-wrap towards him. "Eat; they'll give you strength."

Tigerstar stretched his head forward and chewed obediently on the unappetising leaves. He grimaced as the bitter taste reached his tongue and he gagged as he swallowed them.

Thornpaw stepped forward shyly and dropped the squirrel at his paws. "I caught this for you," he mumbled. "I know it's your favourite."

He blinked. "Thank you, Thornpaw," he rasped, leaning forward and taking a bite out of the plump squirrel. "You showed the strength and speed of a warrior today," he commented, "we will hold your ceremony when I have recovered."

Thornpaw's blue eyes shone with pride and he glanced back at Mousefur who nodded in approval.

Yellowfang glanced at the moon rising in the distance. "We need to get you back to camp before foxes and owls come out." She looked back at Tigerstar. "Can you walk?"

Tigerstar grunted, tucking his paws beneath him. "I feel a bit stronger. Let's do it." He pushed himself to his paws and swayed slightly. Mowgli tried to hurry to his side, but Longtail hissed as he approached and the pale tabby supported him instead. Tigerstar shrugged him off and limped forward, ignoring the look of worry in Yellowfang's eyes.

He sensed Runningnose pad up beside him. "Don't go too fast," he urged. "You'll tire yourself out."

"Then I'll rest when I get home." He hissed as his paw slipped on a tree root. "Fox dung!"

"You're acting like losing a life isn't a big deal," Runningnose protested.

"That's because it isn't a big deal!" He snapped.

"Of course it is! You just died and you're charging all over the territory!"

Tigerstar whipped around to face the grey-and-white medicine cat and he flinched as his burning amber gaze rested on him. "Are you questioning me?" He hissed, nodding to Yellowfang. "She questioned me, and you saw what happened!" Yellowfang blinked slowly, her right eye white and dull from when he clawed her. "Do you want that to happen to you?"

Runningnose took a step back and shook his head.

He narrowed his eyes threateningly. "Then do as I say or else.."