Tigerheart’s Shadow

Tigerheart stared at her, breathless. He’d heard nursery tales of this cat. Exiled by her Clan, betrayed by her son, she’d found sanctuary with ThunderClan before she died. What blessing could she give him?

She leaned close, her breath meaty, and touched her nose to his head. “With this life, I give you forgiveness.” Ice seemed to grip Tigerheart’s body, freezing him rigid until he could hardly breathe. Pain streaked through him, like stone cracking. And then suddenly it eased, and warmth bathed him once more as Yellowfang went on. “Forgiveness will give you more power than vengeance will ever bring.”

As Yellowfang stepped away, a snowy white she-cat padded from the ranks of star-pelted warriors. She nodded to Yellowfang before looking at Tigerheart. “I am Sagewhisker.” Her blue eyes sparkled as she leaned close and touched her nose to his head. “With this life, I give you persistence.” A bolt of energy, as fierce as lightning, seared through Tigerheart. He stiffened against the pain, but it melted into a soft warmth through which he could feel the strong steady beat of his heart. “Don’t let failure sap your determination or rejection change your mind. A true leader tries as many times as it takes to succeed.”

“Tigerheart.” Littlecloud’s mew took Tigerheart by surprise. His heart swelled with joy at seeing the old medicine cat. The familiarity in his bright eyes warmed him. For a moment he remembered what it was like to live in a Clan that was united and strong. “Fear of failure has kept you too long from leadership. But leadership is your destiny, and one that you must embrace if you are to save your Clan. So with this life I give you acceptance. Accept with all your heart what you cannot change, and fear will vanish.” As he touched his nose to Tigerheart’s head, Tigerheart felt engulfed by peace. The worry that seemed to have pressed on him for moons melted like snow in sunshine. So what if he failed to save his Clan? The only failure was not to try. And all that truly mattered was that, for a while, they had felt cool forest shade on their pelts.

A dark tabby tom stepped into Littlecloud’s place. His pelt was patchy, and there were scars on his nose. “I, Raggedstar, give you this life for loyalty.” As the tom’s nose touched his head, Tigerheart was suddenly aware of the depth of rock beneath his paws. His pads drew in its burning chill until ice seemed to freeze his bones. He twitched as Raggedstar went on. “A leader’s loyalty belongs only to his Clan. Let loyalty be your heartbeat, for when it stops, so will you.”

Loyalty? Tigerheart’s throat tightened. What about Dovewing? She was ThunderClan. What about his kits? Did leadership mean that he would be separated from them? Before he could think any more, Flametail stepped forward.

“I wish I could still walk at your side,” Flametail whispered. “I wish I could help you reunite our Clan.” Tigerheart felt his brother’s breath stir his fur as he touched his head and went on. “With this life I give you love. You have known so much, but still have much to give. Leadership without love will never be enough to draw your Clan from the shadows. Let your heart lead when your head does not know the way.” Tenderness surged in Tigerheart’s chest, strong and yet fragile, and so fierce that he thought his heart would shatter. He closed his eyes and let the sensation overwhelm him. As he did, grief unfurled inside him. To have found so much and lost so much felt more than he could bear.

Nine lives. The thought burned in his mind as Flametail pulled away. Tigerheart staggered, limp from the intensity of his Clanmates’ gifts. He gazed around at the cats he’d known and cats he’d only know once his lives had been used up.

Rowanclaw padded forward once more. He stared gravely at Tigerheart. “This has never been done before. You have already used up one life, but there are eight remaining. Use them as you used the first—with courage and for the good of others.”

Raggedstar whisked his tail. “Reunite ShadowClan.”

“There must always be five Clans,” Dawnpelt meowed. “Where there is sky, thunder, wind, and river, there must also be shadow.”

Flametail fixed him with his starlit gaze. “You are the only one who can bring ShadowClan back.”

Bring it back? Tigerheart stared at him. “Where has ShadowClan gone?”

No cat answered. Instead they lifted their muzzles to the crow-black sky. “Tigerstar! Tigerstar!” The cold night rang with the voices of StarClan as they chanted his new name. The stars in their pelts shimmered and began to shift before his eyes. The cats lost their shape and merged into a great swath of stars. They swirled upward, like leaves caught in a sudden wind and scattered across the wide black sky.

Bring it back? Tigerstar’s legs buckled beneath him. As he collapsed onto the cold stone, he saw what must be the Moonpool shining beside him.

Puddleshine stood next to him, his eyes lighting with joy as Tigerstar looked up at it him. “It worked!”