Tigerheart’s Shadow

Tigerheart’s thoughts flitted back to the city cats. He remembered Fierce’s reluctance to hold grudges. Her easy acceptance of other strays. He remembered Tuna’s words. In the city, it’s rare to have anything long enough to defend it. Perhaps the Clans had been trying too hard to hold on to the past. “I thought I had nothing to learn from the guardian cats,” he meowed thoughtfully. “But they’ve learned to live with change. It might be easier to live life the way it is now than to try to keep it the way it was.”

Dovewing nudged her shoulder softly against his. “You’re starting to sound like a leader,” she murmured teasingly.

He met her gaze. “Am I?” He remembered Rowanstar’s offer to step aside and make him leader of ShadowClan. He hadn’t felt ready then. Did he feel ready now? He pushed the thought away. It had brought swirling with it memories of Spire’s dark vision. The shadows are fading. He can’t keep them together. Was there a ShadowClan left to lead?

“Tigerheart!” Shadowkit’s mew distracted him. The gray kit had stopped and was waiting for Tigerheart and Dovewing to catch up to him. Lightkit and Pouncekit had rushed ahead, batting an acorn between the tracks. “Rippletail wanted to know if we are going to be ThunderClan cats or ShadowClan cats.” He gazed inquisitively from Tigerheart to Dovewing.

Dovewing answered. “We don’t know yet,” she told him. “We’ll decide when we reach the lake.”

There may be no ShadowClan to join. Tigerheart was relieved that Dovewing hadn’t mentioned this possibility. Why worry the kits about something that might not be true?

“Can we choose?” Shadowkit fell in beside his father. “Because I think I’d choose ShadowClan.”

“Why?” Tigerheart looked at his son.

“I don’t know.” Shadowkit shrugged. “I just feel like ShadowClan needs me. And I am called Shadowkit.”

Tigerheart smoothed his tail along the kit’s spine. “When we reach the lake and see the Clans again, we’ll decide where you and your sisters should live. And when you’re old enough to start your training, you can decide for yourself which Clan you prefer.”

“Is that what all Clan kits do?” Shadowkit asked.

Tigerheart thought of Violetpaw and Twigpaw. “No,” he answered. “But it happens from time to time. Especially when kits are born outside the Clans.”

Shadowkit frowned. “Will the other cats think we’re strange?”

Before Tigerheart could answer, a yowl split the air. Tigerheart jerked his muzzle toward the bank. Spire was staring at the Silverpath, his eyes lit with panic. “It’s coming! Too fast! Quick! It’s coming! It’s too fast!”

Tigerheart pricked his ears. He heard the distant rumble of a Thundersnake. The tracks began to hum. Why was the healer making such a fuss? Thundersnakes passed them several times a day. “Every cat get off the tracks,” he called.

As Sparrowtail guided Berryheart to the safety of the grassy bank, Ant, Cinnamon, Cloverfoot, and Rippletail hopped from the tracks. Dovewing grabbed Shadowkit’s scruff and hurried to join the others. Like a fox darting from the shadows, a Thundersnake appeared from behind a rise. It was moving fast.

Tigerheart’s belly tightened as he saw Lightkit and Pouncekit chasing their acorn toward it. Hadn’t they heard him? “Get off the tracks!” The Thundersnake’s roar drowned his cry. Heart lurching, he raced toward the kits. “Run!” They turned as he yowled again, blinking first at him and then at the Thundersnake.

Pouncekit’s eyes widened in terror. She scrambled away from the acorn, tripping over the track. Tigerheart reached her and scooped her up, racing to the bank to drop her. He turned back for Lightkit. She was frozen between the tracks. The Thundersnake pounded toward her, moving faster than any Tigerheart had ever seen.

“Lightkit!” He hared toward her, but black fur flashed past him. Spire pelted onto the Silverpath as the Thundersnake howled closer. With a yowl drowned by its roar, the healer dragged Lightkit from the track. The Thundersnake screeched past. Its wind hit Tigerheart like a wall of water. As he staggered, he saw Lightkit tumble toward its flashing paws. Spire, pelt plastered against his thin frame, grabbed her scruff between his teeth. She clung to the ground, the Thundersnake tearing at her pelt as Spire gripped her, ears flat, belly pressed against the earth.

Horror surged beneath Tigerheart’s pelt as he watched, and then, as suddenly as it had appeared, the Thundersnake passed and roared away into the distance. Lightkit scrambled to her paws, her pelt bushed. “Tigerheart!” She raced toward him, her eyes wide with terror, and huddled against his belly as he wrapped his tail around her.

Dovewing rushed to their side. She was trembling almost as hard as Lightkit. “It nearly killed her.” Her mew was breathless. She hauled Lightkit toward her, pressed her close, and licked her head fiercely.