"Let all cats old enough to hunt for their own prey gather here beneath the Highrock for a Clan Meeting!"
Tigerstar's call echoed across camp as cats began to emerge from their dens, blinking the sleep out of their eyes.
Darkstripe looked wearily at the moon. "Tigerstar, it's the middle of the night," he complained, his fur sticking out. "What are we doing out here?"
Tigerstar's amber eyes gleamed and he sharped his long claws in excitement, his tail swishing. "We attack RiverClan tonight!"
Yowls and cheers rose from the ThunderClan cats and the deputy's gaze lit up. "Finally!" He hissed, sinking his claws into the ground.
He raised his tail for silence. "But first," he continued as the cats quietened down, "I have something to do." Tigerstar searched the crowd of cats, searching for a familiar cat. "Swiftpaw!"
The black-and-white apprentice's eyes widened as he looked up at his leader. "Yes?" He meowed nervously.
"Come forward!" Tigerstar leaped down from the Highrock, beckoning with his tail. "You first warrior battle will be tonight."
Immediately, Swiftpaw's eyes brightened in understanding. He gave his fur a quick lick before walking to his leader, his chest fur puffed up with pride. He glanced at Longtail; his mentor's blue eyes were filled with emotion.
Tigerstar cleared his throat and began speaking. "Swiftpaw, Longtail has told how well you fought in the battle against RiverClan, and I have seen myself how well you have fought against infection. This will make you a formidable warrior."
Swiftpaw blinked happily as he started the words of the ritual. "I, Tigerstar, leader of ThunderClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. He has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend him to you as a warrior in his turn."
Tigerstar remembered the young kit's apprenticeship; how small and scared he had been. Longtail had done a good job with this young cat.
"Swiftpaw," he continued, "do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your life?"
The apprentice took a deep breath, closing his eyes for a moment before opening them again; confidence burning in his yellow eyes like fire. "I do," he meowed loudly, raising his chin.
"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name," Tigerstar went on, thinking thoughtfully. "Swiftpaw, from this moment you will be known as Swiftshadow. StarClan honors your swiftness and your courage, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan."
Tigerstar bent down and rested his muzzle on the new warrior's head. Swiftshadow flinched away from him for a moment before leaning forward and respectfully licking his leader's broad shoulder.
The Clan erupted into cheers and began chanting his name. "Swiftshadow! Swiftshadow!"
Longtail padded forward and pressed his muzzle against Swiftshadow's. "I guess you don't need me anymore," the pale tabby meowed, his mew muffled by the new warrior's fur.
Swiftshadow purred. "I'll always need you. I promised I'd be just like you; I've not completed that promise yet."
Goldenflower rushed over and smothered her son's head with licks. "I'm so proud of you!"
Swiftshadow backed away with a mew of protest. "You're suffocating me!" He joked.
Brightpaw trotted over and pressed herself against her old denmate's side, purring. "Congratulations," she meowed softly.
The black-and-white warrior leaned down to gently touch noses with her. "You'll be next," he murmured softly, "and we'll hunt side by side together."
Tigerstar narrowed his eyes. I decide who's the next warrior. "I have something else to add," he meowed loudly.
The cats hushed down to look at their leader.
"Swiftshadow will lead one of the battle patrols to attack RiverClan."
More meows of congratulation sounded out while Swiftshadow stared dumb-founded at him. "Th-thank you, Tigerstar," he stammered. "That's such an honour!"
"We'll make a leader out of you yet!" Longtail teased, flicking his long tail across the younger warrior's face.
Darkstripe raised his tail. "How will we attack RiverClan?"
Tigerstar smiled. "I'm glad you asked. Every cat, gather around!" The cats gathered closer as he began sketching in the dirt, drawing lines. "There will be two battle patrols; the first patrol involving: Me, Darkstripe, Wetfoot, Brackenfur, Dustpelt, Runningwind, Stumpytail, Ashpaw, and Fernpaw; the other patrol involving: Swiftshadow, Whitestorm, Longtail, Mousefur, Thornpaw, Sandstorm, Greystripe, Littlecloud, and Oakpaw."
He looked around at every cat, satisfied to see them all nodding. "There will probably be two cats guarding the entrance of the camp, so we'll need to beat them without alerting the sleeping cats."
"How would we do that?" Brightpaw piped up.
Whitestorm looked thoughtful. "If we get one warrior on each cat, we could distract one and pounce on the other, and then when the other returns, we could pounce on that cat."
"But how would that keep them quiet?" Fernpaw meowed quietly.
Tigerstar had an idea flash into his mind. "As soon as you leap on them, push their muzzles straight into the earth," he meowed. "We'll need two dark-furred cats for that; stealthy as well. Darkstripe, you can be one," he looked around the group of cats, "and Stumpytail." He decided. "Can I count on you guys?"
Darkstripe nodded while Stumpytail puffed out his chest. "I won't let you down, Tigerstar!" He meowed loudly.
Tigerstar stared darkly at the tabby warrior. "You'd best not," he hissed.
He then looked back down at his sketches, thinking thoughtfully. "Swiftshadow's patrol will stay hidden in the reeds until you hear my signal."
"Which is?" Swiftshadow blinked anxiously.
Tigerstar swished his tail. "The normal battle cry," he decided. "My patrol will stay out of sight while I ambush Crookedstar while he's sleeping. As soon as you see me emerge from his den, attack: yank them out of their nests, claw them while they sleep; I don't care what you do, just make them suffer. And remember," he turned to face Swiftshadow, "come out when you hear the battle cry."
Swiftshadow nodded solemnly.
He looked at Fernpaw and Ashpaw. "Are you ready to avenge your mother's death?" He growled.
Ashpaw leaped to his paws, unsheathing his claws and narrowing his blue eyes to slits. "Stonefur will pay for what he's done!"
Tigerstar was impressed. The apprentice actually looked like a dangerous warrior.
"ThunderClan, let's go destroy those fox-hearts!"
RiverClan territory was silent as the ThunderClan cats waded through the small river; eyes narrowed to slits. Swiftshadow nodded to Tigerstar, his black-and-white fur soaking wet, and turned to creep through the reeds, his patrol following him without a word.
Tigerstar crept forward, unsheathing his claws as he imagined them sinking into a RiverClan cat's fur. He raised his tail to halt his patrol as he saw two silhouettes ahead, sitting on guard. He nodded to Wetfoot and the grey warrior crawled towards the river, raised his tail in the air, and smashed it down as hard as he could onto the water.
SPLASH! The cats pricked their ears. "I'll go and check it out." Tigerstar recognised Blackclaw's mew.
He heard an answering grunt as the black warrior crept away. Soon, he was out of sight.
"Stumpytail, go!" Tigerstar hissed.
The brown warrior crept forward, keeping low as he approached the RiverClan warrior from behind. Suddenly, the RiverClan cat stiffened and sniffed the air.
Tigerstar froze. Stumpytail was upwind!
As quick as a monster, Stumpytail pounced, placing a paw on the RiverClan cat's head to force the warrior's muzzle into the earth. The RiverClan cat fell forward, opening his mouth to screech. Thud. The tom's head smacked against a rock and his blue eyes rolled to the back of his head as he slumped to the ground.
Stumpytail stepped off the tom's body and looked questionally at his leader. Tigerstar nodded. It would keep the cat quiet for longer.
"I couldn't find anything!" Tigerstar stiffened as he heard Blackclaw returning. He glanced at Darkstripe, but the deputy was already slinking towards the tom.
Darkstripe sat still for a heartbeat before leaping, instantly wrestling the tom onto his front and pressing his muzzle into the earth. Blackclaw struggled, wiggling desperately with his green eyes burning with hatred. The ThunderClan deputy clamped his jaws around the black warrior's neck and growled something quietly into his ear. Eventually, Blackclaw stopped moving, though he glared up at the black tabby.
Tigerclaw strolled out, hearing his patrol following, and stared smugly at Blackclaw. "Bad luck, kitty," he taunted.
Blackclaw's green eyes narrowed into slits as he stalked past.
Tigerstar raised his tail at the edge of the camp and turned to his patrol. "Wait here," he meowed quietly. "As soon as you see me come out, charge. You can release this fool then."
The ThunderClan warriors nodded while Blackclaw's eyes were now wide with horror as he realised what was happening.
Tigerstar crept into the clearing, stalking past the dens and sneaking into a gap. As his eyes adjusted to the light, he spotted a light brown tabby shape stretched out, snoring softly.
He sneered, getting into a hunting crouch. Such a defenceless leader. He wriggled his haunches and pounced, clamping his teeth down on Crookedstar's flesh. A choking cry and green eyes flashing open told him he had hit his target; he had hit his throat.
Crookedstar lashed out clumsily, his limbs still stiff from sleeping. Tigerstar returned the blows, slashing his claws against the RiverClan leader's side. Memories of killing Bluestar came to him in a flash, distracting him momentarily, and Crookedstar pushed him away. The leader stood up, panting and blood dripped from his throat.
"You won't win," Crookedstar snarled, blood gathering at his mouth. "I won't let you!"
Tigerstar sneered. "You fool," he chuckled. "How are you going to beat me with half of your last life gone?"
The RiverClan leader froze, fear flashing in his eyes. It was only for a heartbeat, but it was enough to tell Tigerstar that he had guessed right.
He raised his paw and raked it acros the light tabby's chest. Crookedstar froze, looking down at his chest in shock before his paws buckled and he collapsed, his eyes growing dull as his head hit the floor.
Tigerstar smirked. Killing the RiverClan leader had been easy; the rest of the cats shouldn't be a problem.
He stalked out the dead cat's den and stood tall, hearing faint pawsteps running to the entrance of the camp. Tigerstar let out a caterwaul as his patrol burst into the camp. RiverClan warriors stumbled out of their dens blearily; quickly being overcome by a tide of ThunderClan warriors. He watched as Darkstripe raced in last, quickly followed by Blackclaw letting out an angry yowl.
Tigerstar threw himself into the fray, grabbing a tortoiseshell by her scruff and throwing her off of Fernpaw. The apprentice flashed him a grateful glance before leaping onto Leopardfur's back while Dustpelt slashed at her face. Wetfoot rolled across the clearing, clutching Stonefur in his grip and churning his hind legs against his spine. A cat bumped into him from behind and he whirled around, hissing. Brackenfur was clawing at Greypool, forcing her backwards with each swipe. Tigerstar grasped her scruff between his fangs and yanked her backwards. The elder stumbled and lost her balance, falling onto the ground. As he raised his paw to claw her, he realised he didn't need to. Greypool's head was bent at an awkward angle and her flanks stayed still. She was dead.
A furious screech sounded from behind him and he stumbled as something slammed into his flank. "You killed her!"