(✓) Warriors ▸ Shadows of the Domestic [1]

Chapter 4

A gasping sound echoes through the hollow as Ravenpaw bursts forth from the undergrowth, Harepaw hot on his heels. The lithe tom is swift, and she strains to keep up with him, her paws pounding against the earth. He darts through the clearing and leaps onto Highrock, every cat in ThunderClan turning their gaze upon the black tom as he catches his breath.

Harepaw decides to take her spot beside the rock, her chest heaving with exertion. Graypaw hurries over, his eyes wide with curiosity. The air is thick with anticipation as the clan waits for Ravenpaw to speak, the wind rustling through the trees above them. The scent of prey lingers in the air, but all thoughts of hunting are forgotten as the cats focus on the black tom, their ears pricked and their tails twitching with anticipation.

"Redtail is dead!" Ravenpaw howls, his voice echoing through the clearing and causing the Clan to freeze. Harepaw scuffles her paws nervously, her heart pounding in her chest. She doesn't know why it happened, but she remembers hearing something during the battle. Ravenpaw had doubled back that night, and she wonders why it took so long for them to reveal the truth.

The other cats murmur amongst themselves, their eyes filled with shock and disbelief. Graypaw's gaze flickers to Harepaw, his eyes filled with questions. She wishes she had answers for him, but she is just as confused as the rest of the Clan.

Ravenpaw's gaze sweeps over the cats, his eyes filled with sadness. "He died a warrior's death," he says, his voice hoarse with emotion. "But his loss will be deeply felt by all of us."

The Clan falls silent, their heads bowed in respect for their fallen Clanmate. Harepaw feels a lump rise in her throat, her heart aching for Redtail and his kin. She knows that the Clan will never be the same without him, but she also knows that they will honor his memory by continuing to fight for what is right and just.

Tigerclaw pushes his way through the thorn tunnel, Redtail's body slung across his shoulders. The warrior had passed into the realm of StarClan, and Tigerclaw's fur is matted with blood and dirt. He emerges into the clearing and approaches the Highrock, his amber gaze fixed on the cats below.

"Oakheart was there," he growls, his voice low and menacing. "I took care of the fish-smeller after he struck the blow."

The Clan falls silent, their eyes wide with shock and horror. Tigerclaw's admission sends a ripple of unease through the cats, and Harepaw can feel her fur bristling with tension. She had always known that Tigerclaw was ambitious and ruthless, but she had never imagined that he would go so far as to kill a Clanmate.

Ravenpaw's gaze narrows, and he steps forward to confront Tigerclaw. "What have you done?" he hisses, his voice filled with disgust. "You have betrayed the warrior code and brought shame upon yourself and the Clan."

Tigerclaw's lips curl back in a snarl, and he bares his teeth at Ravenpaw. "I have done what was necessary to ensure the survival of ThunderClan," he growls. "And I will not be judged by the likes of you."

The tension in the clearing is palpable, and Harepaw can feel her heart racing in her chest. She knows that the Clan is on the brink of chaos, and she wonders what the future holds for them all.

Harepaw sighs, her white fur flecked with dirt and blood. "It's true what Ravenpaw said," she says, her voice trembling. "I was there, and you..." She turns to face Tigerclaw, who bares his teeth at her, but his expression is mostly one of hurt.

Harepaw blinks in surprise. "You're a liar," she hisses. "You didn't kill Oakheart."

Tigerclaw's gaze flickers with anger, but before he can respond, Bluestar steps forward, her blue eyes blazing with fury. "What in StarClan's name are the two of you doing, accusing a senior warrior like that?!" she hisses.

Harepaw looks up at Ravenpaw, but he isn't meeting her eyes. He wobbles on his paws before falling forward and landing on his side. Harepaw rushes over, her heart pounding with fear. Spottedleaf comes over and checks him over before shooing Harepaw away. "Go and grab some cobweb for me, dear," she says.

Harepaw nods and heads past Tigerclaw, who is still glaring at her. She ducks into the medicine cat den and begins searching for the cobwebs. Her mind is racing with questions and doubts. What had really happened that night? Why had Tigerclaw lied about killing Oakheart? And what would happen to the Clan now that the truth had come out?

As she gathers the cobwebs, Harepaw can't help but feel a sense of unease. She knows that the Clan is on the brink of chaos, and she wonders what the future holds for them all. But for now, she must focus on helping Ravenpaw and doing her best to serve her Clan.

As Harepaw finishes gathering the cobwebs, she hears a low growl behind her. She turns, her heart pounding, and sees Tigerclaw blocking the entrance to the medicine cat den. His eyes are narrowed, and he's baring his teeth at her.

"You and Ravenpaw are as good as dead," he snarls, raising a paw towards her, his claws unsheathed.

Harepaw's fur bristles with fear, but before Tigerclaw can attack, a new scent fills her nose. She turns her head and sees a young tomcat with reddish-orange fur and warm green eyes standing behind Tigerclaw. He's wearing a collar around his neck, and his fur is too well-groomed for him to be a rogue.

"Hey, leave her alone," the new cat growls, stepping forward to confront Tigerclaw.

Tigerclaw bristles and turns to face the newcomer. "This is none of your concern," he snarls.

The new cat meets Tigerclaw's gaze without flinching. "I'm making it my concern," he says, his voice low and steady. "I won't stand by and let you hurt an innocent cat."

Harepaw feels a surge of gratitude towards the new cat, but she knows that she can't rely on him to protect her. She must stand up for herself and face Tigerclaw head-on.

Taking a deep breath, she steps forward and meets Tigerclaw's gaze. "I'm not afraid of you," she says, her voice trembling but firm. "You may be a powerful warrior, but you're not above the warrior code. And if you hurt me or Ravenpaw, you'll have to answer to the Clan."

Tigerclaw's eyes narrow, and for a moment, Harepaw thinks he's going to attack her. But then he lets out a low growl and turns away, disappearing into the shadows.

Harepaw lets out a sigh of relief and turns to the new cat. "Thank you," she says, her voice filled with gratitude.

The new cat dips his head in acknowledgement. "I'm Firepaw," he says, introducing himself. "I'm new to the Clan, but I'll do my best to protect you and the other cats."

Harepaw feels a sense of hope and determination welling up inside her. With Firepaw by her side, she knows that she can face whatever challenges come her way and continue to serve her Clan with honor and courage.