Tigerclaw's Second Chance

Chapter 6

"What is it that you want?" His mew echoed strangely across the hollow.

The shadow cat didn't respond. Instead she padded up to him and sat down, completely silent.

"You didn't answer my question," Tigerclaw growled. "Why are you here?"

The shadow cat flicked her tail. "I could ask you the same thing."

"I did what you wanted!" Tigerclaw snarled. "I was training Ravenpaw, like you told me."

"See, I told them you weren't going to understand this-"

"What do you want from me?" Tigerclaw cut in.

The shadow cat ignored his question completely. "You seem to have listened to some of what I said, since you're here." Tigerclaw snorted; like he actually cared about this self-righteous shadow spirit's advice. "Right, of course. It's all an act, as usual. Anyway," she continued after pausing for a moment, apparently listening to Tigerclaw raging at her in his head, "you trained both Firepaw and Ravenpaw the other day, and you didn't kill either of them-"

That can change, Tigerclaw thought, detecting an eye roll from the shadow cat.

"-so that was better than expected," she finished. She turned her head to face him head on. "You know, you might as well just say what you're thinking out loud. I'm going to hear it either way."

Tigerclaw growled, refusing to reply.

"Great Shadow Spirits, Tigerclaw, you have the power to change everything! And you're throwing it away- not that I'm surprised. This whole thing was a mistake."

"Tell me what the point of sending me back was then, if I'm having such trouble," Tigerclaw spat.

The shadow cat began to stride around him. "I don't think I will."

"I did what you wanted." Rage started to burn his pelt.

"And why did you do that, mmm? Fear?

"No!" he snarled.

"Whatever you say."

Tigerclaw bristled at the shadow cat's tone. "You think you can mock me?" he hissed dangerously.

The shadow cat shrugged, unaffected by his threatening gaze.

This cat, spirit or not, was insulting him. "Answer me!" Tigerclaw leaped to his paws, wanting nothing more than to tear apart her shadowy figure, limb from limb. How dare she mock him! He was Tigerstar, leader of the Dark Forest, soon to be leader of ThunderClan and all the other Clans. One day even StarClan!

But the shadow cat made no move to flee. "Oh, you're going to kill me now, are you? Go ahead. Try it."

Tigerclaw glared at her. Now that he was looking closely he could see her black pelt warping the light around her. Something about the complete and utter darkness of her fur made him uneasy; when he looked at her he felt as if he was peering into an endless void. What would happen to him if he touched the shadow? "I doubt you can be killed anyway," he grumbled, sitting down.

There was a long silence. "You know, Tigerclaw, maybe things would have gone better for you the first time if you'd gone about it the right way."

The right way? What did she mean by that?

"I shouldn't have to explain what you should be doing. Any sane cat would know, but then again, a sane cat wouldn't be here in the first place.

"Just know this." The shadow cat paused, and for the first time the teasing note left her voice. "You don't always need to make enemies. You might surprise yourself... if you just go about it the right way."