The out casted warriors met a black-and-white cat ahead of them, whose head rose into the air at their arrival. His eyes were not full of hostility, but friendliness.
"Hello, Fireheart and Greystripe!" the cat greeted, much to Cinderpelt's surprise. This could be Barley though, she told herself as if she had doubt about who the cat was.
"Hello, Barley," Fireheart returned the greeting. The loner's pelt was soaked as if he had been out in the rain for long.
"Would you like to come into my barn to stay out of this weather?"
"Of course," Fireheart replied. Barley flicked his tail for the cats to follow as he began walking into a big barn. As Cinderpelt stepped in, it was completely dry. The barn was full of stacks of hay, and it was pretty big. Barley must feel pretty lonely here.
She stared at a mouse Barley pushed with his paw in front of her paws. It was plump and must have been recently caught. "You can have it. I assume you cats must be pretty hungry."
"We sort of are," Greystripe replied. "This is like a Clan with a never-ending supply of fresh-kill."
"Sometimes there can be few mice than usual," Barley answered. "It doesn't really matter because there's always a mouse or two lurking around. Why, may I ask, are you out in the rain? Shouldn't you be back in your Clan, ThunderClan?"
"We were exiled," Sandstorm meowed. "Tigerclaw-star-exiled us all from Thun-TigerClan. We were staying in WindClan for a bit but Tallstar felt he had no choice but to kick us out because Tigerstar said not to have us in any Clan."
"That's too bad," Barley sighed. "You are always welcomed to stay here, if you wish."
"We were thinking of doing that," Cinderpelt replied. I'll never be able to return to my medicine duties for as long as Tigerstar lives. I wonder if Fireheart knows something I don't, she thought.
Cinderpelt looked to Fireheart, who was staring around at the barn. She began walking over to the ginger tom. "Is there something about Tigerstar we don't know?" she curiously asked. "You seem to be troubled whenever you look at him."
"I guess you should know some things Tigerstar has done," Fireheart replied, letting out a sigh as he sat down. "Redtail, the deputy of the Clan before Lionheart, was not killed by Oakheart of RiverClan."
"I thought he was. I mean, that's what I've been told as a kit-or at least what I can mainly remember." Cinderpelt was surprised and waited for Fireheart to continue.
"Ravenflight saw what happened when Tigerstar sent him away. He actually hid and watched what happened. He said he saw Oakheart being killed by a falling rock and that Redtail had survived, much to Tigerstar's annoyance."
"Tigerstar attacked Redtail and killed him, knowing Bluestar would make him the next deputy," Greystripe continued for Fireheart. "That's when Ravenflight was threatened not to tell any cat or else he'd be killed."
"But Bluestar made Lionheart deputy until he was killed by Brokenstar's rogue followers from ShadowClan," Cinderpelt put in. "That's when Bluestar made Tigerstar her deputy."
"Tigerstar really killed Bluestar and blamed it on me so TigerClan would cast me out," Fireheart went on. "I assume he killed Runningwind, too, and he was who stopped you from becoming a warrior."
"Tigerstar did that?" Fireheart nodded. And because of him my dream was crushed, she thought bitterly.
"It was meant to be a trap for Bluestar but you were the victim instead. I really wished I could have stopped you from getting hurt because then you'd be a warrior."
"It's okay though," Cinderpelt meowed. "I like being a medicine cat. Yellowfang really taught me so much."
"I can't believe Tigerstar made Brokentail an elder," Greystripe mewed, refusing to say Brokenstar's leader name. "Surely Tigerstar would have killed him?"
"He must want Brokenstar for something. I think he does for Nightwhisper, too, as he joined TigerClan," Sandstorm mewed.
"Maybe he does, maybe he doesn't," Fireheart shrugged. "You can't really tell what Tigerstar will be up to anymore."
"Tigerstar seems like trouble," Barley meowed. "I don't see why such a Clan could be fooled by some cat."
"Tigerstar is a deceiving cat," Cinderpelt told Barley.
"And one day Tigerstar will have all of his Clan realising he's a traitor, not us," Greystripe meowed. "I just hope he doesn't change Featherpaw and Stormpaw at all." Stormpaw and Featherpaw were Greystripe's kits, their mother being Silverstream of RiverClan, thus making them half-Clan. TigerClan had convinced RiverClan that the two cats should be in TigerClan instead of their mother's Clan.
"The day the Clans are freed from Tigerstar may never come," Sandstorm pointed out. "Tigerstar could have every cat believing in his lies for the rest of their lives and he'll rule the forest as long as he lives."
***
"All half-Clan cats will no longer be welcomed," Tigerstar began as he stood on the Highrock, above the whole of TigerClan. "Featherpaw, Stormpaw, step forward right now." Featherpaw and Stormpaw slowly stepped forward, feeling nervous.
"These cats are a disgrace to TigerClan's law," Tigerstar went on. "They, the kits of Silverstream and Greystripe, will receive death for being born." He turned to the newly-named Blackstar. "You will kill them." Kill them? Blackstar echoed in his thoughts. I can't! That's against the warrior code! But if Tigerstar sees my lack of loyalty to him he'll strip me off of my joint leadership.
Blackstar stepped in front of the two apprentices, who stared up at him with fear as he unsheathed his claws. I am sorry, StarClan, Featherpaw and Stormpaw, but I must do this or else I'll suffer in return.
Blackstar sprung at the two half-Clan cats, his paws spread out. Tigerstar's eyes began to gleam as he watched from above. Blackstar was all of a sudden knocked onto the ground and he instantly got up, spitting in rage. The excitement in Tigerstar's gaze vanished.
"Goldenflower, how dare you stop Blackstar," Tigerstar hissed at his mate. Goldenflower, who had defended Featherpaw and Stormpaw, stared up at Tigerstar.
"They may be half-Clan but I brought them up as their foster mother," Goldenflower began. "I care for them as much as I care for Bramblepaw and Tawnypaw. You cannot kill them."
"Blackstar, get rid of this stupid she-cat," Tigerstar commanded. Blackstar pounced onto Goldenflower, knocking her onto the ground. Featherpaw and Stormpaw stared in horror while Goldenflower unsheathed her claws, raking them at Blackstar's belly.
I'm really sorry about this, Blackstar wanted to tell Goldenflower but knew he couldn't. I wouldn't do this if I had the choice. He raised his paw, aiming them at Goldenflower's throat. Goldenflower was too busy trying to get Blackstar's grip to loosen to even notice he had his paw raised. StarClan, forgive me.
With a crashing blow onto Goldenflower's neck, the she-cat breathed heavily, her eyes widening, and then they closed as her life was torn from her. Blackstar stared down at the dead she-cat's body, trying to pull back any sadness or horror that lingered.
"Good job," Tigerstar praised, sounding satisfied. "Does any cat dare object against my words? If so, expect your fate to end up like Goldenflower's. Got it?" TigerClan cats began nodding, remaining silent. Blackstar sheathed his claws, staring at the blood on his paws.
"No!" Cats turned to see Bramblepaw pushing past his Clanmates, staring in horror and sadness at his mother's dead body. Tawnypaw followed after him and the two apprentices stood by their deceased mother's side.
This is what Tigerstar made me do. He made two apprentices lose their mother, the one that they loved the most, Blackstar thought as he stared at the two sad apprentices. Should I really have killed their own mother?
"Get away from her," Tigerstar spat. "She was weak and broke my words-the leader's law is the warrior code." Bramblepaw stared up at Tigerstar, anger flaring in his eyes.
"How could you? You made Blackstar kill our own mother, you fox-heart!" he hissed. Tawnypaw put her tail-tip on Bramblepaw's shoulder.
"We shouldn't object about anything," she murmured. "We don't want to be punished." Bramblepaw was going to argue but remained silent. The two littermates began to retreat into the crowd.
"Now, Blackstar, kill Featherpaw and Stormpaw," Tigerstar demanded. "You've killed twice; you can do it a third time." Blackstar nodded and stared at the two apprentices. He leaped but Stormpaw unsheathed his paws, lashing them at his muzzle.
Stormpaw then leaped onto Blackstar, clawing at his pelt. Blackstar didn't want to fight so he decided to hardly fight back against the apprentice. Featherpaw was remaining out of the fight, silent. Tigerstar may not be pleased but I can't kill again.
"You're fighting like an apprentice, Blackstar," Tigerstar hissed. "Fight harder, you mouse-brain!" Blackstar batted his paw as gently as he could at Stormpaw's belly, trying not to hurt the apprentice. Tigerstar let out a sigh. "Darkstripe, Longtail, show Blackstar how you kill two apprentices."
Darkstripe and Longtail nodded. Darkstripe went over to fight against Stormpaw while Longtail chose Featherpaw. Blackstar backed away as Darkstripe had knocked Stormpaw off of him. I should try saving those apprentices' lives.
Blackstar slipped away, heading into the crowd. He walked over to Russetfur, who was sitting between Boulder and Frostfur. "We should try helping those two," Blackstar whispered to the she-cat.
"Why should I?" Russetfur whispered back. "You killed their foster mother and now you want to help them? Do you not see the damage you've brought to Goldenflower's kits?"
"I know, but I had to do it or else," Blackstar replied, letting out a sigh. "Please, Russetfur, you don't want them to die, right?"
"Okay, I'll help," Russetfur answered, letting out a sigh. The two cats began slipping through the crowd and sprung into the battle. At first Tigerstar thought Blackstar and Russetfur were helping but he soon realised they weren't.
"Blackstar, Russetfur, how dare you betray your Clan!" Tigerstar growled. "You'd rather remain loyal to half-Clan cats rather than the most powerful leader in the forest?"
"I can't let these apprentices get killed," Blackstar spat as he knocked Darkstripe onto the ground, freeing Stormpaw. He slashed his claws across Darkstripe's muzzle, drawing blood from it.
"Fight harder!" Tigerstar hissed at Longtail and Darkstripe. Tigerstar will most likely punish Russetfur and I with death or we'd get exiled. I'd rather that than being a joint leader with such a fox-hearted cat, Blackstar told himself. I'm doing this for the sake of the warrior code and StarClan. The cats continued to fight until a yowl broke through the air. . .