"What is it that you want?" His mew echoed strangely across the hollow.
The shadow cat didn't respond. Instead she padded up to him and sat down, completely silent.
"You didn't answer my question," Tigerclaw growled. "Why are you here?"
The shadow cat flicked her tail. "I could ask you the same thing."
"I did what you wanted!" Tigerclaw snarled. "I was training Ravenpaw, like you told me."
"See, I told them you weren't going to understand this-"
"What do you want from me?" Tigerclaw cut in.
The shadow cat ignored his question completely. "You seem to have listened to some of what I said, since you're here." Tigerclaw snorted; like he actually cared about this self-righteous shadow spirit's advice. "Right, of course. It's all an act, as usual. Anyway," she continued after pausing for a moment, apparently listening to Tigerclaw raging at her in his head, "you trained both Firepaw and Ravenpaw the other day, and you didn't kill either of them-"
That can change, Tigerclaw thought, detecting an eye roll from the shadow cat.
"-so that was better than expected," she finished. She turned her head to face him head on. "You know, you might as well just say what you're thinking out loud. I'm going to hear it either way."
Tigerclaw growled, refusing to reply.
"Great Shadow Spirits, Tigerclaw, you have the power to change everything! And you're throwing it away- not that I'm surprised. This whole thing was a mistake."
"Tell me what the point of sending me back was then, if I'm having such trouble," Tigerclaw spat.
The shadow cat began to stride around him. "I don't think I will."
"I did what you wanted." Rage started to burn his pelt.
"And why did you do that, mmm? Fear?
"No!" he snarled.
"Whatever you say."
Tigerclaw bristled at the shadow cat's tone. "You think you can mock me?" he hissed dangerously.
The shadow cat shrugged, unaffected by his threatening gaze.
This cat, spirit or not, was insulting him. "Answer me!" Tigerclaw leaped to his paws, wanting nothing more than to tear apart her shadowy figure, limb from limb. How dare she mock him! He was Tigerstar, leader of the Dark Forest, soon to be leader of ThunderClan and all the other Clans. One day even StarClan!
But the shadow cat made no move to flee. "Oh, you're going to kill me now, are you? Go ahead. Try it."
Tigerclaw glared at her. Now that he was looking closely he could see her black pelt warping the light around her. Something about the complete and utter darkness of her fur made him uneasy; when he looked at her he felt as if he was peering into an endless void. What would happen to him if he touched the shadow? "I doubt you can be killed anyway," he grumbled, sitting down.
There was a long silence. "You know, Tigerclaw, maybe things would have gone better for you the first time if you'd gone about it the right way."
The right way? What did she mean by that?
"I shouldn't have to explain what you should be doing. Any sane cat would know, but then again, a sane cat wouldn't be here in the first place.
"Just know this." The shadow cat paused, and for the first time the teasing note left her voice. "You don't always need to make enemies. You might surprise yourself... if you just go about it the right way."
The shadowy she-cat padded away, her dark pelt becoming indistinguishable from the deep shadows of the forest.
Tigerclaw let his fur fall flat. He hoped this wasn't going to become a regular thing.
She was saying he shouldn't kill any cats, but Tigerclaw wasn't sure he would be able to stop himself even if he wanted to. How could he gain power if he didn't kill Redtail and Firepaw?
Worthless advice, he thought, turning to leave. No cat that isn't one of StarClan's chosen ones could gain power like that.
The sun slanted through the trees as Tigerclaw made his way back to camp. He continued to ponder her words as he went.
She said that training Ravenpaw wasn't the point, so did that mean this was a test? Was this how fate got its revenge, by throwing it in his face that Firestar would always win, even if Tigerclaw knew everything in advance? He shoved the thought away. He wouldn't fail this time.
Another mew echoed in his ears. You don't always need to make enemies. The shadow cat had said something useful. Perhaps he didn't have to think of Ravenpaw as his enemy. He could be an ally in this life. Sure the skinny black tom wasn't a good fighter, but he was friends with the kittypet, and that could surely be used to Tigerclaw's advantage.
Shouldering his way through the gorse tunnel, Tigerclaw headed back into camp and settled himself by the warriors' den.
Spottedleaf was meowing something to Firepaw. Tigerclaw's ears twitched as he rested nearby. The things he knew about his Clanmates would make their heads spin. He could change what happened since he had lived it all before. If he wanted to, he could control who lived and who died.
Then it hit him. Perhaps he could use what he knew to discredit the kittypet. He knew now that somehow the supposedly warrior code loving kittypet had been in love with the tortoiseshell medicine cat. So this time Spottedleaf would live. Tigerclaw could subtly hint to Firepaw that he should pursue a relationship with her. That would be the tricky part. After enough time the kittypet might ask her to be his mate. Tigerclaw would reveal it at a Clan meeting and the kittypet would be disgraced. Of course Bluestar wouldn't care all that much since she herself had been in a forbidden relationship, but if Firepaw looked to be disrespecting the warrior code to the rest of the Clan it might be enough to get him exiled.
Tigerclaw growled under his breath. The plan had more holes than a moldy leaf. Bluestar knew Firepaw was part of a prophecy; she wouldn't exile him that easily.
Tigerclaw snorted. He should just lure Firepaw to the forest and kill him. But with the shadow cat going on about serving his Clan the 'right way,' he was afraid of what would happen if he killed a cat. What if he was immediately thrown into some ultimate Dark Forest?
He shouldn't be feeling like this; he'd killed plenty of cats in his first life, and even in his afterlife. Killing shouldn't be a problem.
But he'd have to come up with a backup plan.
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A few days later Tigerclaw was still concerned about the shadow cat's words. In spite of that fact that he had made rudimentary plans.
His first step was to begin hinting to Darkstripe that something was amiss with ThunderClan's newest apprentice. Although the dark tom was a coward and a mousebrained idiot, he was all Tigerclaw had to work with at the moment. Tigerclaw was confident that he could shape Darkstripe's view of Firepaw enough to convince him to help- although his plan to get rid of the apprentice wasn't set in stone. It would probably be best to keep Darkstripe out of the loop if he decided to go the murder route.
He anticipated that this phase wouldn't be difficult; Darkstripe already disdained the ginger tom. It was what came next that would be the hard part.
After returning to camp after a long day of training the kittypet, Tigerclaw found himself on edge. Even though he had already been out of camp today, he decided to take a walk. Hopefully the shadow cat wouldn't try to talk to him again.
"Where are you going?" Darkstripe meowed, appearing beside him.
Tigerclaw opened his mouth to ask the dark tom why he was stalking him, and then thought better of it. This was the perfect time to start his plot. "Hunting." Tigerclaw lowered his voice before adding, "Outside of camp."
Darkstripe blinked, apparently realizing that Tigerclaw wanted him to come with. "Should I get Longtail?" he asked, pointing with his tail at the young pale tabby.
Tigerclaw shook his head. He knew better than to reveal too much to Longtail this time; the tom had seemed to be a loyal follower before abandoning him.
They made their way through the woods, Darkstripe padding along like he was Tigerclaw's shadow. When they had put enough distance between themselves and the camp Tigerclaw stopped. "I wanted to discuss something with you," he began. "An issue within our Clan that I know will cause problems for seasons to come." Darkstripe leaned forward, ears pricked. "Firepaw."
"Firepaw has no place in our Clan," Darkstripe put in.
Tigerclaw gave him an approving ear flick. "ThunderClan is a Clan of warriors. The very presence of a kittypet in our midst is an insult. He makes us look weak. The lack of outcry over his acceptance into our Clan... concerns me."
"It's terrible," Darkstripe agreed. "Nobody cares at all."
Tigerclaw kept going. "Cats without warrior blood will hold ThunderClan back. They are incapable of learning our ways, and because of this, he will never become a true warrior. Firepaw is a dead weight on ThunderClan."
"He'll take all our prey during leaf-bare."
"I can tell you one thing, Darkstripe," Tigerclaw meowed after a long moment. "The kittypet won't be here come leaf-bare." Dark tabby pelt ruffling in the wind, Tigerclaw stared ominously at his former apprentice.
Darkstripe's eyes brightened. "You're going to sabotage him?"
Sighing deeply, Tigerclaw waited a few heartbeats before responding. Even though Darkstripe was sympathetic to his cause, Tigerclaw knew he couldn't seem too enthusiastic about going against his Clan leader's wishes. "It pains me to say this, but even though Bluestar is our leader, I believe that she too has fallen victim to the kittypet's manipulations. It's up to us, Darkstripe; our Clanmates are blind to his kittypet ways."
"What are we going to do?" Darkstripe asked, the eagerness in his mew clear as day.
"Wait... for now," Tigerclaw growled. "An opportunity will present itself in time."
Slitting his eyes, Darkstripe's mew gained a vicious edge. "Longtail will be pleased when the kittypet is gone."
Tigerclaw lashed his tail. "Leave Longtail out of this. This conversation stays between the two of us, understand?"
Darkstripe dipped his head. "Yes, Tigerclaw."
"Let's get on with the hunt then," Tigerclaw meowed. "I'll meet you back here soon."
"Hunting?" Darkstripe frowned. "I thought we were just out here to talk."
"We can hardly return from a walk around the forest without prey. Cats will wonder if we were talking about something."
Darkstripe straightened his shoulders. "Yes Tigerclaw, of course. We are loyal warriors. We provide for the Clan, while the kittypet takes from us." Gaining a new spring in his step, Darkstripe began to sniff the air.
"Exactly." Tigerclaw stifled the purr rising in his chest, reveling at how good it felt to have a follower again. He wondered if he would actually go through with murdering Firepaw, or just sabotage him like Darkstripe suggested. If he had to kill the kittypet this time he would, no matter what the shadow cat said...
...but it was still good to have options.