Tigerheart’s Shadow

“Is that it?” Rowanstar stared at the vole and the bedraggled squirrel Tigerheart’s patrol dropped onto the meager fresh-kill pile.

“We were lucky to find that,” Tigerheart told him. “We’d have nothing if Snakepaw hadn’t thought of stalking the beech patch.” He glanced appreciatively at the honey-brown apprentice. Her gaze warmed with pride.

“Nothing?” Juniperclaw pushed past him and glared at Rowanstar. “Why don’t you tell our leader about the rabbit you gave away?”

Rowanstar’s gaze flashed toward Tigerheart. “What happened?”

Tigerheart saw anger in his father’s gaze. “It was the right thing to do,” he meowed. “Plumwillow had chased it and caught it.”

“On our territory,” Grassheart put in.

“She had only just crossed the border,” Tigerheart reminded her, irritably. He’d abandoned Dovewing for his Clanmates, and now they betrayed him. He shot her a reproachful look.

Rowanstar growled. “If it had crossed the border, it was our prey. That’s what the warrior code says.”

“But what about the rabbit Sandynose gave us a quarter moon ago?” Tigerheart argued. Wasn’t anyone going to support him? “If you believed so strongly in upholding that rule, you’d have insisted on returning it.”

“If SkyClan wants to behave like soft-bellies, then let them. We don’t have to starve just so we can be like them. We’re ShadowClan.” Rowanstar lifted his muzzle. “And that means something.”

Tigerheart’s pelt crawled with resentment. Now Rowanstar was behaving like a leader—over a piece of prey!

“I did the right thing,” Tigerheart felt certain now. His worry over Dovewing hadn’t influenced him. His instinct had been true: Warriors should be fair, and keeping peace with their neighbors was more important than one catch. “It was clearly Plumwillow’s rabbit. And if there’s one rabbit in the forest, there must be more. Let’s catch our own prey, not steal from other Clans.”

Rowanstar narrowed his eyes. “It was our rabbit,” he growled softly. “We have to make SkyClan pay for stealing it.”

“I gave it to them!” Frustration rippled beneath Tigerheart’s pelt.

But his father wasn’t listening. The ShadowClan leader nodded to Juniperclaw. “Come with me.” Glancing around the clearing, he called to the cats watching around the camp. “Snowbird, Whorlpaw, Scorchfur, Flowerpaw, Grassheart, Stonewing! Follow me.”

He marched out of camp. His Clanmates followed, exchanging approving glances, their pelts rippling with excitement. Tigerheart dug his claws into the ground. He’d stayed to save his Clan, and they weren’t even listening to him. Was Rowanstar really going to start a war over a rabbit?

He felt fur brush his flank. Tawnypelt’s mew sounded in his ear. “It looks like old times,” she murmured wistfully as the warriors disappeared from camp.

Tigerheart didn’t look at her. “He’s wrong.”

“He’s fighting for his Clan.” There was relief in her mew. She was clearly pleased to see Rowanstar being so strong. “Why don’t you go with him? He wants to teach you how to lead. It’ll be your turn one day.”

Dread dropped like a stone in Tigerheart’s belly. My turn. He was going to be tied to ShadowClan forever. What about Dovewing?

Tawnypelt nudged him forward. “Go on.”

Reluctantly, Tigerheart followed his father and Clanmates out of camp. Perhaps it wasn’t too late to stop the war Rowanstar seemed so intent on starting. As he hurried through the woods, tracking the path of scuffed pine needles, he couldn’t help thinking Plumwillow had been right. We are keeping your borders safe while you recover. ShadowClan was weak. It needed allies on its borders while it recovered, not enemies.

He remembered his dream and saw the strong sunshine glinting on his pelt as the shadows deepened around him. He saw the long, dark shadow he cast. I must be the sun from Puddleshine’s vision. Rowanstar is only leading them into trouble.

He caught up with the ShadowClan patrol as they neared the SkyClan camp. Surely SkyClan would hear them coming? They weren’t trying to hide their paw steps, and he could hear their voices before he saw them.

“We’ll show them!” Juniperclaw muttered angrily.

“No one steals our prey,” growled Snowbird.

“Tigerheart.” Rowanstar turned to look at him as he slid past Stonewing and Scorchfur. “You’ve come to see how a Clan fights for its honor.” Pride burned so fiercely in his father’s eyes that Tigerheart felt a twinge of pity. You are wrong. But Juniperclaw and Snowbird were plucking excitedly at the ground while Grassheart and Scorchfur’s pelts rippled. They were clearly relishing the prospect of a battle.

The wide stretch of bracken that hid the entrance to SkyClan’s camp shivered. Leafstar pushed her way through. Plumwillow, Sandynose, and Sparrowpelt followed at her heels. The warriors stopped and stared quizzically at the ShadowClan patrol.

“Is something wrong?” Leafstar asked.