Warrior Cats Fanfiction: The Changed Clan #1: The Dark Leadership

Chapter Six

"You killed him!" Tallpoppy yowled, her eyes wide. Tigerstar swung his head to look at the queen, his amber eyes blazing.

"I did not kill some weakling," he spat. "A weakling would not get himself carelessly struck down by a monster on the Thunderpath, now would he, Tallpoppy?"

"How do we know you're not lying to us?" Tallpoppy questioned. "It is a bit strange having a ThunderClan warrior taking over our Clan when a ShadowClan should be."

"Go to the side of the Thunderpath and you'll see Whitethroat's body. You all, TigerClan, will be moving into ThunderClan's camp."

"Wouldn't it be a bit too crowded?" Boulder questioned. Tigerstar stared at the tom.

"TigerClan's full of weak cats who don't deserve to live. I'll make sure of it there's room for every ShadowClan cat there. We shall leave now, my warriors."

Tigerstar was led into a dark alleyway by Boulder, who Tigerstar had questioned as he once overheard the former rogue talking about a band of vicious cats. He and Boulder had left the rest of ShadowClan to settle into TigerClan's camp, Longtail being left in charge.

"He is just around this corner," Boulder told Tigerstar. Turning around the corner, Tigerstar saw a small black tom with a white forepaw standing on a bin. A black-and-white tom stood by the bin the cat was sitting on, staring at the TigerClan leader.

"Who is this?" the small black tom questioned, his voice high-pitched. He had a purple collar around his neck, studded with dog and cat teeth.

"This is Tigerstar, a cat who I have brought to see you, Scourge."

"That's the almighty Scourge?" Tigerstar exclaimed and then let out a laugh. "He's as small as a kit!" Scourge let out a growl, his ice-blue eyes blazing in the darkness. He leaped off of the bin, unsheathing his claws to reveal they were replaced with sharp dog teeth.

"Don't insult him," Boulder hissed quietly to Tigerstar. "Scourge is a dangerous cat."

"Do you think you could come into my territory and insult me?" Scourge questioned as he stared up at Tigerstar. "I may be small but I am a cat to fear. What is it you must share with me, Tigerstar?"

"Do you know a forest full of four Clans of wild cats?" Tigerstar questioned. "I am the leader of both ShadowClan and TigerClan, and now I have united those two Clans, ruling over them."

"Of course I do. I know a lot of things you wouldn't expect me to know," Scourge replied. Tigerstar began to wonder if he actually saw Scourge before, but shook his head and told himself he never had.

"I was wondering if you would gladly come to the forest and make WindClan and RiverClan be forced to unite with my Clan. You see, I know they'd refuse because they do not need to be ruled over. Would you show them what happens if they reject my glorious offer?"

"Do you expect me, the leader of BloodClan, to agree to what you say? BloodClan does not accept your offer, Clan cat. Now be gone-- you too, Boulder. Your loyalties lie with the forest cats." Scourge began to turn his back and walk away.

"You could earn a sharing of my leadership," Tigerstar called to Scourge. Scourge stopped and turned around, his ear twitching.

"Leadership over the whole of the Clans? Sounds okay, but I still decline. I have BloodClan."

"But you will be able to rule over more cats than there are in BloodClan. We could be the greatest leaders of all time, casting shadows upon cat, you and I."

"You're going to lead the Clans to destruction?" Boulder asked, sounding shocked.

"What did you think I was going to do, eat mice all day until I get as fat as a badger?" Tigerstar questioned the grey tom.

"Is that so? Then I guess I'll accept your offer. . . Tigerstar. Now--"

"You haven't even come with me yet. If you come I can show you everything in the forest," Tigerstar interrupted.

"Fine," Scourge sighed. "But I shall come to the forest in. . . Let's just say two moons. Meet me here at that time and then I shall come. Until then, I expect you keep off of BloodClan's territory or else."

"I will," Tigerstar promised. "Two moons exactly." He turned and followed Boulder, who seemed to be trying to keep ahead of Tigerstar. Of course, he's frightened of me now, Tigerstar thought as he stared at the grey tom.

Firepaw reached the end of WindClan's territory, this time not seeing any cat. It was past moonhigh, meaning the Gantering at Fourtrees was bound to be finished by now. Luckily he never encountered a single WindClan cat, especially since something he knew was said to all Clans.

It's just up ahead, Firepaw told himself. I can rest when I finally get there. Thunder rumbled in the sky and at once rain began to fall from the dark sky. Firepaw let out a sigh and was taken by surprise by a voice coming from behind him. He turned around, seeing Greystripe running towards him. Sandstorm and Cinderpelt followed behind the grey warrior.

"What are you three doing here?" Firepaw questioned.

"WindClan got rid of us, Fireheart," Greystripe answered. "Tigerstar announced what happened and none of the Clans want us around."

"That's why I'm going to Barley's farm," Firepaw replied. "My name is Firepaw now."

"No, it's Fireheart," Sandstorm corrected. "Have you forgotten your Fireheart now?" Firepaw shook his head.

"When you left me I was prisoner in TigerClan. Tigerstar set me free and said I should never be around a Clan. He change my name to Firepaw for shame, I reckon."

"That's just what Tigerstar said. You'll always be Fireheart, not Firepaw," Sandstorm meowed. All of the anger she felt had somehow vanished into dust.

"I guess. Okay, I'll be Fireheart, not the old Firepaw," Fireheart shrugged. "We better get going so we can be in shelter at Barley's." The cats began to continue walking on their journey to Barely's farm. An image of Ravenflight appeared in Fireheart's mind as he remembered about his old friend. He began to wonder how he was doing, and began wondering if Tigerstar planned to kill him. Would Ravenflight even be safe in TigerClan, especially with the murderous and deceiving Tigerstar?