Tigerheart’s Shadow

Tigerheart pricked his ears as he heard Twolegs murmuring. He jerked his nose around. A small group was clustered around one of the slabs at the end of the gathering place. They meowed quietly to each other. Tigerheart scanned the grass. Had the kits been mouse-brained enough to stray near them?

“I see them!” Dovewing’s relieved mew rang through the air. Tigerheart followed her gaze and saw Pouncekit, Lightkit, and Shadowkit sitting like starlings in the branch of a tree at the edge of the grass. Dovewing bounded toward them.

Tigerheart chased after her. “Thanks,” he called to Cinnamon and Pipsqueak who had turned to look. “We can get them down.”

Cinnamon turned anxiously toward the cluster of Twolegs. “Do you want us to distract them?”

“No.” Tigerheart slowed. “It’s probably best if you and Pipsqueak go back inside. If the Twolegs see too many cats, they might bring their traps back.”

Cinnamon dipped her head and beckoned to Pipsqueak with a flick of her tail. Skirting the Twolegs, they headed back toward the den entrance.

“What are you doing up there?” Dovewing called.

Pouncekit looked down, breaking into a purr as Tigerheart reached Dovewing. “Look at us!” she squeaked. “We climbed up all by ourselves.”

Tigerheart frowned at the excited kit. “Have you planned how you’re going to get down?”

Pouncekit’s face fell as she looked toward the ground. She nudged Lightkit. “Look!” Her sister wobbled on the branch. She was straining to see the Twolegs. Pouncekit nudged her again. “Dovewing and Tigerheart are here.”

Lightkit looked down, her eyes lighting up as she saw them. “We’re watching the Twolegs.”

Shadowkit peered over the edge. Guilt flashed in his eyes as he met Tigerheart’s stern gaze. “We weren’t going to be long. But Pouncekit said that the Twolegs were being weird.”

“They’ve dug a hole in the ground and they’ve put something in it,” Pouncekit mewed excitedly. “What do you think they’re hiding? It looks big. Perhaps it’s something special they want to keep safe during ice-chill.”

“Leaf-bare,” Tigerheart corrected tetchily. She sounded like a stray.

Lightkit’s fur was spiked with excitement. “They’ve gathered flowers and put them all around the hole. It looks pretty.”

As she spoke, Shadowkit’s eyes widened in alarm. A Twoleg kit had broken away from the cluster and was running toward them.

“Quick!” Tigerheart ordered. “Come down from there. We have to go inside.”

“But we’re safe here.” Pouncekit watched the Twoleg kit running closer. “Why don’t you jump up?”

Tigerheart turned toward the Twoleg kit and arched his back. He hissed loudly, flattening his ears.

The kit stopped, alarm sparking in its tiny eyes.

A big Twoleg hurried after it, holding out a paw and mewling. It pulled the kit away.

Tigerheart jerked his gaze back toward Pouncekit. “We have to get back inside right now,” he meowed sternly. “Do you want the Twolegs to start leaving traps for us again?”

Pouncekit frowned crossly. “It’s not fair. All we ever see is the inside of the den, and we’ve explored all the Twoleg clutter in there. We want to see something new.”

Dovewing reached up the tree with her forepaws, her gaze sparking with worry as Pouncekit padded toward the trunk and began to slither down, tail first.

“Dig your claws in!” Dovewing gasped as Pouncekit slipped suddenly and her hindquarters thumped against the bark.

“I’m digging!” Pouncekit puffed as she clung to the trunk like a squirrel and eased herself down, a muzzle-length at a time.

Dovewing grabbed her scruff as soon as it was within reach and plopped her on the ground. “Stay there,” she meowed firmly, and looked up toward Lightkit. “Your turn.”

While Dovewing watched Lightkit, Tigerheart frowned crossly at Pouncekit. “You’re not meant to leave the den without us.”

Pouncekit stared back at him, her dark amber eyes wide. “But why? The traps are gone.”

“What if the Twolegs put them back?” Tigerheart challenged.

Pouncekit narrowed her eyes petulantly. “It’s not fair,” she mewed. “You’re only yelling at me because I was the first one to come down. But being the first to come down was good, wasn’t it?” She looked up at Shadowkit, who was waiting while Lightkit slid clumsily down the trunk. “He’s still there, and you’re not yowling at him.”

“I’m not yowling at any of you.” Tigerheart swallowed back frustration. “I’m just telling you that you’re not allowed outside without Dovewing or me.”

“Ever?” Pouncekit frowned. Lightkit squeaked as Dovewing grabbed her scruff and dropped her on the grass. Pouncekit turned her head and stared indignantly at her sister. “Tigerheart says we’re never allowed to leave the den ever.”

“Ever?” Horror sparked in Lightkit’s gaze. “That’s not fair! The other cats go out all the time.”

“I didn’t say ever.” Tigerheart’s pelt prickled irritably. He wondered if the kits would be so argumentative if they’d been raised in a Clan. He felt sure that he’d never argued with Rowanstar like this when he was a kit.