The Rise of a Tyrant

Prologue // Silvertuft

Small stones rocketed down the cliff below the silver she-cat's struggles. Just one paw after the other, Silvertuft, you've got this.
Silvertuft was climbing up a sandy slope, in the far corner of Tideclan's territory. It was early dawn, and she was alone.

As Silvertuft heaved her nimble body, claws scraping against sandstone, she had her ears cautiously turned behind her, scanning for any early patrols. Obviously no cat was allowed to see her like this, or she'd never be able to visit the twoleg place again!

Silvertuft grunted one last time as her paw, caught hold of dirt, lifted her up to the top. Catching her breath, the she-cat gazed overhead at the view. Beyond the forest of trees was a lush coastline with water clear as the morning sky. The skypool, a beautiful blue ocean that reflected the light of the setting sun and rising moon. In the middle of the beach was a river mouth that lead into the split of the two clan territories: Tideclan and Swampclan.

Swampclan was southbound, far from where Silvertuft was standing, but she could still see the mangrove trees that outlined their side of the river. The trees in Swampclan's forest looked nowhere near as bright and colourful as Tideclan's, but they kept their leaves through leafbare. Silvertuft couldn't judge; after all, she was more interested in something else.

Turning her back on the territories, Silvertuft looked down at a completely different sight. A dozen colourful twoleg dens, lying side by side, with mini thunderpaths in between. It was like a massive camp, only with closed-off dens full of twolegs instead of cats. Well, with some exceptions.
Silvertuft ran down the hill, across the thunderpath, and into the garden of a yellow den.
Her fur spiky with excitement, she turned the corner to the sight of a beautiful siamese she-cat.

"Silvertuft?" The siamese squinted her eyes, indigo and teal.
"Angela!" Silvertuft replied, running up to the kittypet and licking her on the forehead.

Relief coated the she-cat like a warm, cosy blanket. "It's been moons!" Angela exclaimed. "I was so worried you'd..."
"I'm so sorry!" Silvertuft winced, guiltily. "Leafbare was difficult this season, we had to hunt all the time. I missed you so much."

The kittypet's face relaxed as she pulled away, locking eyes with the warrior she fell in love with.
"I forgive you, I always do." Angela appeared distracted for a second, then looked back up at Silvertuft, overwhelming joy filling her eyes. "I have something to show you."

"Dante, stop it!" A light grey kit yelped as a dark grey tabby leapt on top of her.
"Dante! Mia! Quit that, I want you to meet your mother." Angela approached the two squirming kits, her collar jingling.
"Mother? But you're our mother." Dante looked up at her with yellow eyes, then gasped when he saw Silvertuft.

"Oh my Cloudclan... are these your kits?" Silvertuft gaped, heart dropping.
"No! Well... yes, but I didn't birth them. They were adopted by my housefolk!" Angela explained, eagerness in her eyes as she spoke to her mate. "I was hoping... maybe we could..."
"Angela, this is amazing!" Silvertuft sighed, worries disappearing. Looks like I don't have to maul any toms today!
The siamese kittypet touched noses with Silvertuft, her warm touch full of love.

There was a brief pause, as Silvertuft watched the kits play.

"Raise them with me."

"What?" Silvertuft was taken aback, she glanced at her mate.
"We don't have to be apart again!" Angela pleaded. "I know you want to. I can see it in your eyes, Silvertuft."

Angela was right, Silvertuft had to admit. But how? She still wanted to be a Tideclan cat, and she needed to look after her blind father! How could she leave everything behind like that? Then again, there's nothing more she wanted in the world than to spend her life with Angela, raising their children. Silvertuft sighed, knowing what she had to say.

"I'm sorry, Angela. You know I can't; not yet." She mumbled. "I have to look after Fishtongue back in Tideclan."
"Oh, right." Angela's shoulders sank, the glint in her eyes fading.

"Awww, but we'll get another mother!" Dante mewed.
"Yeah, who cares about stupid Tideclan!" Mia rolled her amber eyes at Silvertuft.
"Mia! Don't say things like that, Tideclan is very important to Silvertuft." Angela scolded.
Silvertuft let out a mrrow of laughter as Mia licked her paw embarrassedly.

"Promise you'll come back soon, though." Angela turned back to Silvertuft as the kits continued playing.
"Tomorrow, at dawn. I promise."

***

"Mother?"
"Mother!"
Silvertuft awoke alone in the nursery. What, how did I get here?
"Mother, look, we're playing!"
Silvertuft gasped as she saw Mia and Dante tackling each other, as kits in Tideclan.
"Oh, kits! Be careful!" She mewed, amusedly. The bundles of fur rolled around the nursery like a ball of moss.
Silvertuft purred loudly, before realising she was back in the warriors den, and it was dawn.

Realising she had woken from a dream, she gasped.
It must be a vision from Cloudclan!

***

"I'm telling you, it was real!" Silvertuft exclaimed.
"Yeah, I believe it happened! But I still think it was just a dream." Angela purred. "This is a great idea, but won't the housefolk miss them? I'll miss them, too..."
Silvertuft flicked Angela's ear with her tail playfully. "Yeah, fish-brain, that's why I'll only take one!"
Angela licked and swiped her paw over her ear, happily.
"But which one?" She mewed.
Oh, that's a good point. I didn't think about it.

"Oh my gosh, mother's back!" Dante's voice sounded from around the corner. Racing across the concrete, the tabby kit was there in a flash.
"Dante! Where's Mia?" Silvertuft mewed.
"Mia's too lazy." Dante responded, snorting. "But I'm excited to see you, so don't worry!"

"That's perfect!" Angela purred, nudging Silvertuft. Silvertuft purred back. It's clear she'd be taking Dante, he looked so happy to see her!
The very thought filled the tabby warrior with warmth. Everywhere she went, she'd have a little part of Angela with her.

"Dante." Angela's tone got serious. "Silvertuft wants to take one of you to become a warrior."
The grey kit's eyes widened. "Me?"
Silvertuft nodded, stepping in. "You're going to live like me, and become a cat of Tideclan. Are you okay with that?"
Dante hopped up and down with excitement. "I wanna be a warrior! That sounds so cool!"

Angela's fur rested, and she looked at Silvertuft.
"Take good care of him."
Silverpelt wrapped tails with her's.
"I will, Angela. I love you."
"I love you too."

She'd name him Stormkit. Then one day, after Stormkit becomes Stormpaw, and Stormpaw becomes a warrior: the two kits could finally reunite again. Then, they could see how far he's come.
Bristling with excitement, Silverpelt picked the kit up.

She would raise the strongest warrior the clan would ever see. She knew her purpose now.