Tigerheart’s Shadow

“There was plenty for everyone!”

“Then why did she want our rabbit?” Frustration flared in Tigerheart’s chest. When would Fierce understand that Fog wanted what the guardian cats owned and that she wouldn’t stop until she had driven them away? Just like Darktail.

The guardian cats looked at one another uncertainly.

“It is strange that she didn’t just find her own scraps,” Cobweb murmured.

“Why did she have to take Tigerheart’s catch?” Rascal agreed.

Fierce glared at the tabby tom. “Probably because Tigerheart’s been trying to start a fight with her since he met her,” she snapped. “Perhaps that’s what warrior cats do.”

Tigerheart met the tortoiseshell’s angry gaze unflinchingly. “Warriors believe that some things are worth fighting for.”

Fierce turned away angrily. Suddenly she stiffened, her ear pricking. Tigerheart jerked his muzzle around to follow her gaze. Fog and her friends were padding down the alley toward them.

Tigerheart glanced at Fierce, resentment seething beneath his pelt. He stepped aside as Fog reached them and let Fierce face the smoky she-cat. “Fine. Why don’t I let you handle this?”

Chapter 22

Fierce eyed Fog warily as the gray she-cat stopped a muzzle-length from her nose. Tuna and Growler flanked her. Streak watched from behind with six more strays.

“You realize we might never be able to go scavenging there again,” Fierce snapped. “The Twolegs will be looking out for us next time.”

“Of course we will,” Fog sniffed. “Twolegs have memories like birds. They won’t remember us now that we’ve left.”

“You didn’t have to try and steal Tigerheart’s rabbit,” Fierce told her. “If you’d scavenged for your own scraps, we’d all have scraps to take home.”

Fog glanced at the prey piled at the guardian cats’ paws. “We could still all have something to take home.” She licked her lips.

Fierce’s fur bristled. “We caught this prey, fair and square. It’s for the cats at our camp.”

Fog tipped her head as her gang fanned out around her. “But it looks so tasty.”

“We’d have more of it if you hadn’t started a fight.” Fierce unsheathed her claws.

Tigerheart’s chest swelled with hope. Was Fierce finally realizing that even city cats had to fight for what belonged to them? He looked from Fog’s ragged gang to the guardian cats. Fierce and her friends were outnumbered. Would they remember the battle moves he’d taught them? Doubt pricked in his pelt. If there was a fight, there would be wounds, and they might lose the food they’d stolen. Perhaps reason would sort this out. He padded between the two groups and looked from Fierce to Fog. “If Twolegs have such small memories,” he meowed to Fog, “why don’t you go back and get some scraps of your own? I’m sure you can find better prey than this. Besides”—he flicked his gaze to her companions—“this won’t be enough to feed all your bellies.”

Fog narrowed her eyes. “Why don’t you give us your scraps and you can go and find more?”

“No.” Fierce’s mew surprised Tigerheart. The tortoiseshell bushed out her fur. “Why are you bullying us? What did we ever do to you?”

Fog looked amused. “Why do you need to have done anything to us? We’re just a bunch of cold, hungry cats looking for food and somewhere warm to sleep.”

“We said you could sleep near the gathering place,” Fierce snapped. “Isn’t that enough? Why don’t you leave us in peace?”

Tigerheart pricked his ears. He wanted to hear Fog’s answer.

“I told you,” Fog meowed. “We were driven out of our home by foxes. It was a good home. A nice deserted stretch of scrub between some broken Twoleg dens. Lots of shelter, lots of prey. But now it belongs to foxes, and we need somewhere new to live.”

Unease wormed though Tigerheart’s fur. If this went on, would Fog want to take over the guardian cats’ home as well as steal their food? He stared at her, fluffing out his fur to look bigger. “I’m a warrior,” he growled, “so fighting us for this food won’t be as easy as you think. I’m sorry you’ve lost your home, but this is a big city. Maybe you should look elsewhere for somewhere to live.” He unsheathed his claws and stared at the scratches he’d left on her muzzle. “I fought three of you earlier and I don’t have a single wound. And I’ve taught these cats how to fight like warriors too.”

Fog exchanged a look with Tuna. Tigerheart was relieved to see worry pass between them. Pressing his advantage, he leaned closer. “If you want to start a fight, go ahead.” He lashed his tail. “But it won’t end here. Don’t forget, you decided to make your home next to ours. I can promise that if you try to take this food from us, you won’t ever sleep easily in your nests again.” He showed his teeth and let his breath bathe Fog’s muzzle.

She backed away. “Okay,” she snarled. “We’ll go and find better prey than this.” Flicking her tail, she turned away.

Tuna glared at Tigerheart menacingly, then followed. Growler showed his teeth. One by one, her ragged crew padded after her.