Warriors: The Changed Clan #2: Danger Rising

Chapter Eight

It had been one sunrise since the burial of One-eye and Nightwhisper. Tigerstar still couldn't get over the fact Nightwhisper was dead no matter how hard he told himself to get over it. He felt slightly bad at making the failed apprentices be punished for not stealing any of WindClan's prey.

Maybe I should try being less cold to my Clan, he told himself. Perhaps I'm a horrible leader after all. What leader. . . What leader forces his Clan to die if they're weak? Regret stabbed at him like thorns as he thought about all he had done.

Are you seriously weak? Mapleshade screeched in his mind, immediately making him pay attention to her. After all Thistleclaw's taught you, you decide you'd regret the things you've done? What leader are you?

Tigerstar had enough of the tortoiseshell she-cat interrupting his thoughts. Although she was his Dark Forest mentor, he no longer cared about her thoughts. No matter how hard he tried shoving her away like a kit, she always came back.

Can't I think to myself for once? Tigerstar questioned. I am my own cat; I decide for myself. Accept that, Mapleshade.

Mapleshade snorted. Thistleclaw and I have trained you! You're representing us in the real world, Tigerstar. Don't make us look weak in front of the Clans, our enemies. I'll knock some sense into you if you think you can turn soft on me.

"Go away!" Tigerstar screamed as loud as he could, swiping his paws about in the air as though he were trying to bat someone away. He then stopped and opened his eyes to find several warriors staring at him, confused. "What are you all looking at? You have duties to be doing."

At once the warriors darted back to their duties. Tigerstar let out a long sigh and was relieved that Mapleshade had actually listened to him. Remembering about his son, Hawkfrost, he couldn't help but feel angry. After all, he did betray him by attempting to murder him.

Hawkfrost was the only kit of his who seemed to take after him. Brambleclaw looked up to him, yes, but he didn't seem to do anything what he'd consider to be evil. Mothpaw disgusted him by wanting to be a medicine cat, although deep down Tigerstar still cared for her. In fact, he cared about all his kits equally but wouldn't show it to them.

"I've got your tail!" A triumphant voice caught Tigerstar's attention. He saw Leafkit by his tail, her paws on it as she had pretended to catch it like prey, but with sheathed claws. Squirrelkit trotted after her, frowning.

"I was meant to catch his tail!" she complained. "You always do this to me. It's not fair on me if you get to catch tails all the time."

"First catch comes before the slow cat," Leafkit told her. "Next time you'll have to be quicker."

Tigerstar couldn't bring himself to be annoyed at the two kits. After all, kits would be kits. "Why don't you catch some other cat's tail next time?" His voice wasn't the usual growl as it was softer than normal.

Squirrelkit looked surprised to see her leader speaking softly, as did Leafkit. "When will we be getting our apprentice ceremony?" she wondered.

"Soon," Tigerstar promised. "And when I say soon, I mean not long."

"Tigerstar, how come some cats glare at us?" Leafkit asked. "They look at us as though we're different. Even Spiderkit and Shrewkit are hesitant at speaking to us."

"Well, it's because you're not Clan-born," Tigerstar answered. "You have kittypet blood in you. After all, your father is Fireheart."

"I've heard of that cat!" Squirrelkit interrupted Leafkit from speaking. "Apparently he's a good warrior but I doubt a kittypet can be good. At least, I've heard Spiderkit saying kittypets are useless."