Warrior Cats x Reader

Tigerstar x Reader ~ Not All Bad

Here's an extremely overdue request for chicken_burritos! Spoilers ahead! 

You lay on the cool, damp stone floor of the cave, your tail curled around you for warmth. Still, you shivered. The sleeping cats around you provided no warmth; you were all weak and starved, too unhealthy to sustain proper body temperature. Your claws scored the rock as they flexed with each chill running down your spine. Resting your chin atop your paws, the steady, patter of water dripping somewhere nearby almost lulled you to sleep. 

"Hey, watch it," Stormpaw murmured from the back of the cave, followed by a hushed apology from Featherpaw. 

At least, you thought the voices came from behind you, but the cave was an echo chamber. It was so dark you couldn't see your own paws, much less the two apprentices. It was hard to tell the time of day, but a faint light had begun to stream in through the lichen over the entrance.

There was quiet shuffling outside the cave, but sounded loud and clear in the stillness of the cave. You pricked your ears, lifted your head, and squinted into the dim light. Jaggedtooth's head appeared, parting the lichen as he padded through. Without warning, he took Stonefur's scruff between his teeth, yanking him to his feet and dragging him out of the cave less than gently.

You wanted to feel fear or sympathy--you should have felt guilty--but truthfully, you felt relieved. It wasn't you. Maybe it was the hunger and exhaustion talking, but you couldn't bring yourself to feel any more than that.

Unfortunately, another set of guards followed moments later; they snatched up Featherpaw and Stormpaw and roughly nudged you to your feet.

"Okay! Okay, I'm going..." you hissed, shakily getting to your paws. If nothing else, you were determined to hold on to some dignity.

The sunlight burned your eyes as you were ushered out of the cave. As they adjusted, you could see the Bonehill looming just ahead; Tigerstar was perched atop the pile of bones, Leopardstar just below him on the ground. You blinked in an attempt to gather more from your surroundings, trying to make out the other silhouettes in view.

In addition to the light, the sounds were overwhelming at first: the wind rushing through the reeds, the birds chirping nearby, and the shrill cries of battle only a couple fox-lengths away. Finally, you could see clearly. Darkstripe and Stonefur were wrestling on the ground viciously, Stormpaw and Featherpaw in plain view of the scuffle. Despite how weak Stonefur looked and you felt, he was holding his own.

You were snapped out of your thoughts at a sharp nudge from behind as a TigerClan cat prodded you in the back, trying to corral you toward the apprentices.

"Don't touch me," you snarled, turning on the cat with bared fangs. Before you could make any rash decisions, a booming voice cut through the noise.

"You," Tigerstar beckoned, gesturing in your direction with one paw. His words were cold and threatening, but he seemed more amused than angered. "Would you like to be next?"

Your eyes widened. Your throat went dry, lost for words to defend yourself. You just shook your head. Tigerstar didn't acknowledge the gesture, simply giving Blackfoot orders to hold Stonefur down to assist Darkstripe.

"You have one chance to prove your loyalty to TigerClan," Tigerstar finally announced, his eyes trained on you again. "Finish this fight."

Two feelings that should never coexist rushed over you: relief and horror. Relief at the thought of an end to this torture, but horror at the idea of killing your clanmate. You swallowed hard. There was no way out of this, you reasoned. If you didn't, another cat would. If you didn't, you would be next.

"Get on with it," Blackfoot sneered, pulling you back to reality again. 

You took a deep breath, stepping toward Stonefur who lay on the ground, panting and bleeding. You should have seen someone that needed saving, a clanmate, a half-clan cat like yourself--but you just saw a way out.

"I'm sorry," you whispered coldly, unsheathing your claws. "I can't live as a prisoner anymore... and neither can you." 

With one quick slash of your paw, it was over, You recoiled at the scent of blood, shaking droplets from your claws into the grass. You met eyes with Stormpaw for the briefest of moments, but he ducked his head.

There's no turning back now, you thought bitterly. Forgive me, StarClan.

Tigerstar dismissed the meeting soon after, leaving Stonefur's battered body laying in the grass and your head hung low. That was, until Tigerstar himself brushed past you.

"Keep your chin up," he instructed. As he passed, his tail ran along your flank, over your throat, and gave your chin a flick. "You're a Warrior of TigerClan now."

A different sort of chill ran down your spine; not the kind born of the cold or fear--it was much worse. Your steps slowed to a stop, but he kept walking, leaving you entranced by his tail swishing away into the reeds ahead.

Maybe TigerClan wouldn't be all that bad...