Tigerstar's Goals

Chapter 4

Cinderpaw looked across the clearing at her brother, who was curled up in the sun dozing. She then turned back to face Tigerstar, squeezing her eyes shut. "Yellowfang says I will be a gifted medicine cat."

"But is that what you really wanted?" Darkstripe ventured, fake sympathy in his eyes.

Cinderpaw looked at the ground, silent for a moment before whispering, "No."

"You wanted to be a warrior." Tigerstar began circling her. If he could turn Cinderpaw against Fireheart, there might be a way to get rid of him. "You wanted to have a mate and kits, I can sense the desire in your heart. It isn't fair that you got this instead."

"If I were you, I'd be very mad with Fireheart." Darkstripe was backing Tigerstar up.

Cinderpaw turned to watch Fireheart enter camp again and her back fur bristled. "I need to be alone.." she muttered, and then hobbled off to the medicine den. 

Tigerstar exchanged a glance with Darkstripe. They had done it. Cinderpaw was having doubts about Fireheart. With her opinion, it might actually be possible to get rid of him once and for all.

It was sunhigh the next day, and most of the cats were relaxing in the warmth of the sun. Tigerstar was eating a rabbit with Goldenflower while watching Bramblekit and Tawnykit playing together. Stormkit and Featherkit, Greystripe's half-blood kits, were sat down watching them. Stormkit stood up, looking like he was about to leap in to join them, but Tigerstar hissed at him.  He didn't want half-blood vermin playing with his kits. 

Stormkit bowed his head and sat down.

Goldenflower glanced at him. "Tigerstar, they have ThunderClan blood."

"They also have RiverClan blood." He reminded her. "They're unwanted cats."

Goldenflower stared at him in shock. "Greystripe wants them!" She argued. "And I do too! They're sweet little things, it wasn't their fault about what happened."

Tigerstar grunted and began licking his paw while Stormkit and Featherkit began prancing around among themselves.

Suddenly, Tigerstar smelt RiverClan scent in the air and looked up in time to see Leopardfur enter through the camp entrance followed by a patrol of her Clan. Fireheart was leading the patrol in.

Tigerstar stood up, pacing forward to greet them. "Fireheart," he growled, "what are these cats doing in our camp?"

Fireheart dipped his head, though his eyes were cold. "Leopardfur wanted to speak to you."

Tigerstar turned his gaze to the dappled she-cat. "Well?"

Cats from his Clan had begun to gather around, curious about what the RiverClan cats were doing in camp. 

Leopardfur began immediately. "We've talked for a long time about Silverstream's kits, and we've decided that they belong in RiverClan. Two RiverClan kits died yesterday. They had been born too soon. Their mother, Greenflower, has agreed to suckle these newborns. We think it might be a sign from StarClan. The kits will be well cared for."

"They're well cared for here!" Fireheart bursted out.

"Silence!" Darkstripe hissed. "This is nothing of your concern."

Leopardfur flicked her ear at the commotion but still kept her gaze on Tigerstar. "Crookedstar has sent us here to collect them."

"Besides," Mistyfoot added, "the kits are older now , and the river has gone down enough to allow a safe passage across. They will be able to cope with the journey to our camp."

"Yes," Leopardfur agreed, glancing at Mistyfoot. "We could have taken the kits before this, but we care just as much about their welfare as you do."

Tigerstar gave them a long stare. "How dare you," he hissed. He stood up, unsheathing his claws as he made his way closer to her.

Leopardfur widened her eyes. "I beg your pardon."

"How dare you just waltz in here and tell me what to do." He spat, barely resisting raking his claws against her muzzle. "I have just become a leader of ThunderClan, and this is the welcome I get?"

Leopardfur exchanged a glance with Mistyfoot worryingly. 

Eventually she answered. "Well, is that a yes or a no?"

Hissing, Tigerstar lashed out and sliced her nose open. Leopardfur yowled, staggering backwards as blood dripped onto the floor.

Mistyfoot rushed forward to steady her deputy while Blackclaw snarled at the ThunderClan cats. Darkstripe took a threatening pace forward and hissed.

"We are keeping the kits." He growled in a deep voice. "They will be raised here and become ThunderClan warriors. They belong to us."

Leopardfur looked up at him, her fresh wound pooling with blood. She shook her head to shake off some of the crimson droplets. "Then there will be war," she hissed.

Tigerstar raised his chin. "A war that we will win."

Tails lashing, the RiverClan patrol left the camp while the ThunderClan cats jeered after them. Tigerstar narrowed his eyes at the retreating tail. 

Tigerstar turned back to his Clan. "You heard her," he yowled to the wide-eyed cats. "There will be war, and we will win it! We will keep these kits!"

Cats around him yowled in agreement while Greystripe comforted his cowering kits. He narrowed his eyes at them. 

It was all their fault.