Mapleshade's Second Chance

Tiger

One moon had passed since Maplepaw had joined ThunderClan. Over time, Tigerpaw had slowly gotten used to the fact that the former kittypet would forever be a part of his life. He didn't like it, of course, but he accepted that he couldn't do anything to change it. Besides, he admitted, it wasn't as though her presence was entirely horrible. While she certainly wasn't anything special in terms of skills required to become a warrior, Maplepaw certainly knew how to keep things interesting between them.

Finally, there was someone in the Clan who didn't stare in amazement every time he boasted about what a powerful warrior he was. She could say whatever she wanted, and for the most part, Tigerpaw let her get away with it. Not because he thought she had a point, of course; he still had his pride. In a way, however, he found her blunt honesty almost refreshing.

It didn't hurt that she was fairly cute as well. Even Tigerpaw could appreciate that. Her bright, calico fur was sleek and glossy, and her topaz-yellow eyes could either glow as soft as the newleaf sun or pierce deep into one's soul, depending on what mood she was in. Every emotion could be seen in their depths, and Tigerpaw found himself looking at them constantly, even though whenever they were turned on him, they were filled with revulsion.

Of course, he still didn't like her. He just thought that she wasn't the most hideous cat in the forest, that was all. Anyway, it wasn't as though looks meant anything. She could be the most stunning cat in the Clan, and it still wouldn't make her a halfway respectable warrior.

Despite his disinterest in the former kittypet, however, Tigerpaw had still learned quite a bit about her from eavesdropping on her conversations with the queens. He had been surprised to learn that she had difficulties with her family as well, with her two siblings constantly making her the target of their jokes and cruelty. Tigerpaw couldn't help wondering what his own littermates would have been like if they had survived. Would he have a good relationship with them?

She had also mentioned that there were rumors that one of the kittypets, an old tom named Pine, had once lived in the forest. When he had heard that, Tigerpaw wanted to beg StarClan to open up a hole in the ground and swallow him up. He just knew who Maplepaw was talking about. Fortunately, she didn't seem to make the connection between the former ThunderClan leader and her denmate, and no one else saw any reason to say anything.

Almost instinctively, Tigerpaw glanced at the gorse tunnel. Maplepaw had gone out on a hunting assessment earlier that day, and she still hadn't returned. Part of him wondered if she had run into any trouble, but the logical part of his mind argued that she was still busy.

'Wait, why do I even care?' he thought, shaking his head to clear it. 'If she doesn't come back from her assessment, that's not my problem.'

A few moments later, however, the gorse tunnel shook as Maplepaw and Bluefur padded into the camp. And almost immediately, it became apparent that something was wrong. The two cats were clutching several pieces of prey in their jaws, so Maplepaw had almost definitely passed her assessment. But there was no joy in her blue eyes, no sense of pride in such an accomplishment. Instead, her tail dragged on the ground behind her, and her expression displayed nothing but deep, weary sadness.

"Welcome back, you two," Thrushpelt meowed, padding over to greet his Clanmates. Tigerpaw almost snorted aloud when he saw the look of longing flash across the older tom's face as he looked at Bluefur. It was so obvious that he was in love with her, even a blind rat could see it. "Looks like Maplepaw did well on her assessment today."

"She did," Bluefur meowed quietly, casting a worried look at her apprentice. Thrushpelt followed her gaze, frowning in concern when he saw the downcast expression on the young molly's face.