Warrior Cats: The Four Clans

  Tigerpaw ate his freshkill quickly, ready to start the day. He would become a warrior soon, and he hoped Bluefur would be impressed.  He got up to greet her, maybe he'd find out if she was going on a patrol later, so he could convince his mentor, Thistleclaw to let him come.  He saw Bluefur run out from the medicine cat den, straight to Snowfur, who was emerging from the warrior den.
    "Snowfur, I'm expecting kits!" she meowed happily as she reached her sister. Tigerpaw saw Bluefur's stomach was slightly rounder than usual. His heart sank. He was aware of Snowfur murmuring to Bluefur, but he wasn't paying attention. He couldn't, he was too sad.  He wanted to still ask Bluefur on a hunt, but couldn't bear to try.  He knew if he tried to speak his voice would be choked with tears. Instead he whirled around on his paws and walked out of camp. He should be meeting Thistleclaw at the training hollow soon, but he couldn't get Bluefur out of his mind. When he was deeper into the forest, he layed down on a patch of moss.
   He couldn't help picturing Bluefur beside him though.  Her silver tinged muzzle who shine in the sunlight, and her blue-gray pelt would be groomed perfectly. And her piercing blue eyes would meet his, showing warmth and her kind personality. He was aware of the moss beneath his head becoming soaked in tears as he realized that if she lay beside him right now, if they were in camp, sharing freshkill in the morning light, there would be a slightly different shape of her stomach, betraying the fact that she was expecting kits.  And Tigerpaw wouldn't be able to bear seeing them, without being able to ask her each day how the kit were doing, how their kits were doing. They were not his, there would be no kit with dark tabby markings among them, no mirror of himself.  
     What had he done wrong? He had always helped her? Was it true, had all his good deeds gone to waste? Well, then, what was the use of them, then? He sighed, but couldn't stop thinking about why he had even tried to be nice to Bluefur.  He went back into camp again. Bluefur, just the cat he definitely didn't want to see, ran up to him, each of her pawsteps light and quick, as if running after a mouse through crisp leaves.
     "Tigerpaw, there's a patrol leaving right now, want to come hunting?" Bluefur invited kindly.
     Tigerpaw narrowed his eyes and let his gaze drift down to Bluefur's stomach.
     "It will be moons before my kits are born, I can still go hunting," Bluefur meowed, as if reading his thoughts, "want to come?"
      Tigerpaw's eyes narrowed even more, to no more than slits.
     "No, thanks," he replied curtly, stalking away.
     "Apparently every good thing I do goes to waster anyway," he mumbled as he left, not caring whether or now Bluefur heard.

    A couple moons later, Tigerpaw was now a warrior, Tigerclaw. Bluefur's kits had been born, and Tigerpaw had seen them. Bluefur, for some reason, would not reveal the three kits' names. They all looked just like her, with blue-gray fur.  Mosskit was a bit smaller than the rest, which Bluefur was a little worried about. This morning he woke up and emerged from the warriors' den.  He saw cats outside the nursery, comforting Bluefur for some reason.  Tigerclaw bounded up, and found out the news.  A badger had taken Bluefur's kits, there was a large hole torn into the nursery. Tigerclaw nearly felt happy, but remembered that they could've been his kits taken. He didn't really know what to think.  He wanted to feel symphathy for Bluefur, but he was too upset. Not about the kits being stolen, but about the kits themselves. He narrowed his eyes and went to the freshkill pile to eat.

   Seasons later, Tigerclaw was near the Thunderpath, hiding in a bush, his eyes narrowed.  He had sent message for Bluestar to come to the Thunderpath.  She would come rushing along the narrow path, not realizing what she was doing, and a monster would come, and heartbeats later she'd have lost another life. But his plans went wrong, a gray cat came, but she was smaller, and much too hyper to be Bluestar, for Bluestar was ill. It was Cinderpaw, instead, probably sent instead of Bluestar.

   Only a few moons later, Tigerclaw was happy once again, he had a much more thought through plan.  He was entering camp with many rogues. He signaled his tail, and they shot out from all directions. Soon the cats were all busy fighting after recovering from their shock, and Tigerclaw crept forward toward Bluestar's den.  He would never forget her kits, even if they were killed.  She had made him deputy, but only after Tigerclaw set up a plan so it was impossible that he would not be chosen to become deputy. Now he would get revenge.
    He slid into the leader's den, and immediately leaped onto his target.  He knew how well her fighting moves were, and she writhed furiously from under him.
   "I'll kill you again and again, it is my time now for power!" he hissed. Then he bent down, about to bite into her neck, but first whispered into her ear, "Did you really think I would dismiss you having kits so easily, after all that I did for you? Think again!"
   But in those few moments of him saying that, his body was pulled off of Bluestar. He spun around, spitting furiously, and saw Fireheart. Why had this cat always gotten in the way? He leaped onto him and fought, but soon he was defeated, and was cornered beneath the Great Rock by Bluestar and Fireleaf. He sat there, more furious than ever, as he listened as Bluestar, the cat he onced loved-and still did, deep inside, he knew-banished him.  He asked his only friends, Darkstripe, Dustpelt, and Longtail, a chance to come with him, but they refused. Furious he left campt, but he knew this wasn't the end.
  
    Tigerstar went to ShadowClan, and became their leader soon. His daughter, a trustworthy kit, but a kit whose mother was Goldenflower, not Bluestar, joined him.  He secretly controlled a dog pack, leading it to ThunderClan. He watched in secret as the Clan found out about his treacherous plan, and felt a stab of worry. But as they were being led out, he saw Fireheart, the cat who had gotten in the way of it all, being attacked. Then, just as good, Bluestar rushed to his aid, and they were both struggling at the bottom of the cliff. He ran to the bottom of the cliff to watch, and saw as Bluefur died. She revealed to Stonefur and Mistyfoot she was their mother, and they forgave her. So, these were her kits, not killed by a badger, but instead taken to RiverClan. One must've died in RiverClan on the way over, but now he knew her kits, the kits that should be his-the kits that should be theirs.
  
   Now Tigerstar had a perfect plan. He stood on a pile of bones. Below were Stonefur and Mistyfoot, Bluestar's kits. They would be dead soon. But he needed a reason, so he told TigerClan, RiverClan and ShadowClan joined, that they would be killed because they were half-Clan. But there was also Featherpaw and Stormpaw, who also were half-Clan. To get away with his plan, he'd have to kill the four. So he ordered the warriors to kill them, but Stonefur leaped forward, getting in the way, and instead defended Stormpaw.  Stonefur, at least was killed, but the others were kept as prisoners. Later, they all escaped, making Tigerstar bristle with fury. At leat Stonefur was dead, but Mistyfoot had gotten away.

  Now Tigerstar could surely destroy ThunderClan, and show Bluestar, watching from StarClan, how powerful he was. And he would make Firestar regret how he had always come in the way. He came up with Scourge and the threatening BloodClan behind him.  He proudly ordered BloodClan to attack, and when they didn't he grew angry. Then he saw a flash of dog teeth enforced claws unsheathed, and they were thrown onto Tigerstar. He writhed and tried to free himself, and he wondered if this is what Bluestar felt, when he was on top of her trying to kill her. He felt sharp pain down his whole stomach, and his open wound stung. Over and over he was shaken uncontrollably until his life was quickly over, and the next time he opened his eyes he was in a dark forest. He looked around, and called for Bluestar hopefully. Maybe he'd finally shown his strength, and they could live in StarClan. But he ran and ran, and there was nothing, but dark emptiness, and he went back to the day when Bluefur found out she was having kits. The dark emptiness was like his heart had become from that day to the rest of his life.

Apprentice Name: Tallpaw
Warrior Name: Talltail

Throughout the Warriors series, Tallstar is shown as an old, noble leader. There was never much trouble between WindClan and ThunderClan while he was leader, except when WindClan raided ThunderClan camp while Bluestar sheltered Brokenstar/Brokentail. But now I'm deciding to uncover what I think some moments in Tallstar's life were like

   Tallkit was so excited, for today he would become an apprentice. He was the only kit, and would be the only apprentice. His littermate, Smokekit, was by his side, also excited. Tallkit was happy to be able to play with the other kits in the nursery, though.  
   He was really excited that by the end of the day he'd be called Tallpaw. His mother had named him because of his long tail. Smokekit had a regular sized tail, but Tallkit's tail was like a long stick, and when he got excited his tail was so long he couldn't keep it from swaying back and forth and making enough noise as it bumped into things that all the prey over the moorland would be scared off.
   By sunhigh, it was time for the ceromony. He tried to control his tail as his mother groomed him, since he would soon be an apprentice and would have to be better at that, but couldn't. His tail swayed back and forth, lashing excitedly, hitting against the bramble bushes of the nursery. Soon his leader, Gorsestar, called a Clan meeting. He rushed over to the front of the crowd as Gorsestar called him forward. Tallkit's head buzzed with excitement as Gorsestar anounced Tallkit's mentor, and finally concluded that Tallkit would be called Tallpaw now and then he anounced Smokekit's mentor and then eventually said his new name, Smokepaw.
    The two new apprentices stood up proudly as cats crowded around to congratulate them. Then they ran up to their mentors, and begged to start training. Milkfur, the WindClan deputy and Tallpaw's mentor, twitched his whiskers in amusement, and exchanged a glance with Rustlepelt, a toirtoseshell she-cat, smokepaw's mentor.
    "All right, we'll teach you a few hunting moves just outside of camp," Rustlepelt said.

   Two days later, Tallkit and Smokekit were allowed to go on a hunting patrol with their mentors at sunhigh. They had been taught some good basic hunting moves, and would learn more today. They were really excited, and no matter how hard Tallpaw tried, his tail brushed every cat and everything he walked by.
   The apprentices got fresh-kill from the pile and devoured it as slowly as they could, to try to pass enough time for it to be sunhigh.  But it still wasn't close, and the cats wandered around camp excitedly.
   Finally, Rustlepelt and Milkfur came up to them.
  "You two have been bugging cats all morning," Milkfur said, his whiskers twitching against his creamy-white fur. "Come on, we're getting ready to leave."
   They turned around and flicked their tails for the apprentices to follow, and they hurriedly got to their paws and ran over.
    The patrol finally left, and they were learning a lot about catching prey. tallpaw spotted a squirrel, and gently flicked the tip of his long tail for Smokepaw to be quiet, who was at his side during the whole hunt. Then Smokepaw looked around to find a prey himself, and saw a squirrel. Tallpaw lunged forward, and Smokepaw followed less than a heartbeat later. Tallpaw's squirrel ran up a moor hill, gently sloping up. Smokepaw's squirrel ran along the foot of the hill. He bounded after it, and Tallpaw bounded after his own. Tallpaw raced along, and the hill became higher and higher. He could see his steps matched Smokepaw's, who was far down below.
   Finally he was a tail-length away from the squirrel. He leaped high from the rocky hill, lashing his tail in excitement. His tail bumped into a few paw-sized rocks, and fell down the side of the hill. Tallpaw let go of his squirrel as he heard a yowl down below.
   Tallpaw raced down the hill. He saw Smokepaw's squirrel running away, and Smokepaw lay on the ground. One paw was on his muzzle, and one was in an awkward position. His eyes were squeezed shut in pain, and rocks lay beside him. They weren't big, but from a high enough fall they could do damage. He rushed up.
    "Smokepaw! Are you alright?" Tallpaw cried.
     Smokepaw opened his eyes and lifted his paw off of his muzzle. The fur around his muzzle and paw was matted and dull with some blood, and there was a gash on one side of his muzzle.
    "Smokepaw?" Tallpaw repeated. "Can you walk?"
    "I don't know," Smokepaw admitted. The rest of the patrol rushed up.
    "What happened?" Rustlepelt asked.
     "We were chasing squirrels, but when I leaped, my tail brushed some rocks, and I was so high they hit Smokepaw," Tallpaw said with his head hanging guiltily.
     "Don't blame yourself, Tallpaw," Milkfur said. "It was an accident any cat would have made."
      "Will you be all right, Smokepaw?" Rustlepelt meowed.
      Smokepaw got to his feet. His muzzle was okay, it wasn't bleeding a lot, but the cats gasped in shock as they saw Smokepaw's twisted paw. Smokepaw tried to stand on both feet, but let out a yowl of pain and held his paws up.  They limped back to camp on one paw. The medicine cat, Mothflight, the first medicine cat ever, who was very old, and her apprentice, Larkwing, began putting herbs on Smokepaw's wounds to stop infections. They examined his paw carefully, but other than heal some of the scratches on it, there was nothing they could do. He would have to get used to having a twisted paw.
      Tallpaw would go out for training, while poor Smokepaw stayed with his mentor, Rustlepelt, and get used to walking on both paws, one twisted and stubby.  It hurt him at first, and Tallpaw hated watching him in pain, but soon the pain eased, and Smokepaw was happy to be able to walk. Eventually, Smokepaw could even run.
    "Smokepaw, I'm really sorry about this. I really didn't mean for the rocks to fall-" Tallpaw began telling Smokepaw soon after Smokepaw adjusted to his foot, but Smokepaw cut him off.
    "Tallpaw, I don't blame you for anything. It could've been the same if I had chased the squirrel you found, and you chased mine," Smokepaw said.
     "But I feel like it's my fault, whether you blame me or not," Tallpaw said.
      "Don't blame yourself, Tallpaw, it's not your fault," Smokepaw repeated gently.
     "Alright, but I promise, Smokepaw, I'll make it up to you someday."


   Tallpaw and Smokepaw were loyal to their Clan, and it was soon time for them to become warriors. Gorsestar called the Clan together, and Milkfur and Rustlepelt sat proudly at the front of the crowd to watch their apprentices become warriors.
    "I, Gorsestar, now call upon StarClan to accept Tallpaw as a warrior in his turn. With trust and honor, I know he'll be very brave and loyal throughout his life. He has proved his loyal spirit to you. Tallpaw, you will now be known as Talltail. StarClan honors you with all respect, and we all know you'll be a great help to your clan," Gorsestar began. Talltail stood up proudly.
    "Now, I, gorsestar, call upon StarClan to accept Smokepaw as a warrior in his turn. With trust and honor, I know he will be very strong and brave throughout his life. He has proved his strong spirit to you. Smokepaw, you will now be know as Deadfoot, to stand for your bravery and loyalty to the Clan in recovering from your disability. StarClan honors you with respect, and we all know you'll be a great help your Clan."
    Deadfoot, apparently proud with his brand new warrior name, stood up proudly beside Talltail, and cats called their new names and crowded around to congratulate the two cats. But Deadfoot's new name was a reminder to Talltail that he would make it up to him that his paw was hurt.

   Seasons later, everything was well in the Clan, but Gorsestar was old and frail, and now on his last life. Larkwing was constantly trying to help, but she had already anounced their was nothing more she could do. That evening, they knew Gorsestar would go to hunt with StarClan soon, and Milkfur sat beside him. Talltail and his brother came up to say their goodbyes to Gorsestar, too.
    "The three of you, just who I wanted to see," Gorsestar rasped as Talltail and Deadfoot came in after Milkfur. The three cats were surprised, but Talltail spoke anyways.
     "We've come to say our goodbyes, Gorsestar, you are a great leader," he said, dipping his head.
     "Thank you, Talltail. I am not afraid to join StarClan," Gorsestar said, "but I must tell you something."
     "What is it?" The three cats asked.
      "You will serve your Clan well. Things may come in the way, but you will all serve your Clan well, I know," Gorestar rasped. Then he took a deep breath, and looked behind the cats' shoulders at something only he could see.
      "I'm coming, WindStar," he said, then his eyes glazed over.
       "He is with StarClan now," Milkfur said, dipping his head.
       "And you are our leader," Deadfoot said, his voice still in awe from the shock of what he'd witnessed.  
        Milkfur nodded slowly. "I will try to serve the Clan well, for the sake of Gorsestar." He looked at the moon. "Nearly moonhigh, I must appoint a new deputy."
    He called the Clan together and told them that Gorsestar was in StarClan hunting grounds now. Talltail and Deadfoot slowly made their way out.
     "StarClan, I say this before you, so you may accept my choice. The new deputy of WindClan will be Talltail," he said. WindClan cheered, as Talltail stood in disbelief. He dipped his head then, and replied, "I will serve my Clan to my best."
      
     A few days later, Talltail and Milkfur were journeying to the Moonstone, so Milkfur could recieve his name of Milkstar and nine lives. Since mothflight had discovered the Moonstone, few cats had been there. There were many routes, and they tried to take the easiest one. Suddenly when they were far from WindClan camp, they heard the sound of many tiny squeaks and steps.
     Frightened, Talltail and Milkfur rushed forward, to get away from the noise. But they a sharp pain in Talltail's long tail made him yowl, and he whipped around to find rats. He tried to rush forward, but there were rats everywhere. Milkfur and Talltail launched into battle, fighting off rats. Then a small black and white kit, just old enough to live on its own, suddenly appeared among the rats, trying to fight.
   Talltail rushed away from Milkfur to save the kit, and as the kit fought as best as it could, Talltail chased the rats back into their hole in the ground that served as a home to them. Talltal rushed over to Milkfur, feeling a pang of guilt for going to save the kit and not staying with him.
   Milkfur lay on his side, with a wound on it. The normally creamy-white fur around the wound was red, and his eyes were faraway and distant. Then he felt a pelt beside him, and heard Milkfur's voice, saying, "It's StarClan's will, Talltail, but remebmer Gorsestar's words. You must serve your Clan well."
     Talltail heard tiny pawsteps behind him, and turned around to see the black and white kit. Its eyes were wide as it looked at Milkfur's lifeless body.
     "Who are you?" Talltail asked.
     "I'm Barley," the cat said. "I'm a loner, I live in the barn nearby. This is a good shortcut to those high rocks over there, but watch out for the rats, of course."
      "That's where I'm going, it's where Moonstone is," Talltail replied, then followed the kit to his barn, and lay Milkfur's body there. Then he went to Moonstone. He felt pure ice pierce his body as he touched his nose to the stone. But when many cats, including Milkfur and Gorsestar, gave him his name and nine lives, the feeling was even more intense, and when he awoke he was exhausted. Tallstar went back to Barley's barn. He dipped his head in a quick greeting and brought Milkfur's body back to WindClan, to anounce his news. Then he anounced the deputy with the ceromony.
     "...and the new deputy will be Deadfoot," Tallstar concluded. Deadfoot was shocked, but every cat cheered him on, for he was a loyal cat.
      Later, in Tallstar's new den, Tallstar was speaking with Deadfoot.
     "Why did you make me deputy, because I'm your brother?" he asked.
      Tallstar's pointed his long tail at Deadfoot's twisted paw, then at Deadfoot's scarred muzzle.
      "I told you I'd make it up to you," Tallstar meowed, and Deadfoot didn't reply, but his eyes glowed.

    It was many seasons later, and Tallstar was growing older. There were even new leaders: Firestar, Leopardstar, and, now that Tigerstar was killed, after trying to force WindClan and ThunderClan to join, Blackstar. But after WindClan was trying to be forced to join TigerClan, a new Clan had emerged to threaten their lives: BloodClan. So, on this day the Clans would form LionClan, and they would try to drive BloodClan out of the forest forever.
   Tallstar led his cats to where the Clans were meeting. Soon the battle began, and the BloodClan kittypets were fierce. Tallstar and Deadfoot fought hard, and Tallstar feared for the Clan cats' lives, but they kept fighting. Eventually, there was a yowl, and the BloodClan cats left. Tigerstar turned to see Firestar near the lifeless body of the evil Scourge, leader of BloodClan. Tallstar felt pride in the Clans' success.
   Then he saw his brother. He rushed over to Deadfoot, and saw many harsh wounds in his pelt.
    "Rest, Deadfoot," Tallstar urged his deputy and brother.
     Deadfoot was too weak to respond, but he collapsed onto the ground. His medicine cat, Barkface rushed over and helped as much as he could, and Deadfoot came back to WindClan with them, wincing sometimes because of his wounds.
    Deadfoot stayed just outside the medicine cat den with other patients. He couldn't go on any patrols, and he would tell Tallstar what the patrols would be, and Tallstar would anounce them to the Clan for him. He recovered enough to go back to his duties, but the next Gathering they went to, Firestar was gone. Graystripe had announced he'd went on a journey. Deadfoot insisted on coming to the gathering, but tallstar discouraged it because he hadn't completely recovered yet, but he insisted on coming. Tallstar noticed Deadfoot trying to take everything about the Gathering in, trying to talk to every cat in the Clans, as if this was his last.
   When they got back to WindClan, Tallstar and Deadfoot went to eat fresh-kill together, like they had as kits, and excited apprentices, and Tallstar's tail lashed excitedly like it had when they were kits and apprentices. It was just like old times.
    "I remember it all, Tallstar. You were Tallkit and I was Smokekit, then Tallpaw and Smokepaw, then Talltail and Deadfoot. And there were good reasons for your name, with your tail," Deadfoot said, his whiskers twitching. And he really kept talking as if he recalled his whole life.
    "Just like the old times, Deadfoot. Or should I say Smokekit since your so caught up with the past!" Tallstar joked.
    "Fine, Tallkit. I suppose with your tail so uncontrollable you are just the way you were then," Deadfoot said, his tail-tip flicking in amusement.
    But then Deadfoot was silent for a long time. Finally, he spoke.
    "You know, Tallstar, I had a great time at my last Gathering," he said softly.
    "Last Gathering?" Tallstar said, in a whisper as if he couldn't believe what he was hearing.
     "Tallstar, there's nothing we can do. StarClan are going to come for me, the BloodClan battle was too harsh on me," Deadfoot replied.
     "But Barkface can help you, then," Tallstar argued. "Do your wounds still hurt?"
      "Barkface has done all he can," Deadfoot reminded gently.
      "But I want you to be leader after me, you have to be, to keep the Clan strong," Tallstar meowed.
       "I can't, you know that," Deadfoot replied. "You'll find a suitable deputy, it may take time to find who, but you'll find a good deputy, and you said you'd do what I wanted to make the rock fall up to me. I never really cared, but that's how you can. Now I'm going to go to sleep."
   Tallstar insisted Deadfoot go to Barkface's den, and Barkface could do nothing but give Deadfoot poppyseeds to ease any pain. Deadfoot slept outside the medicine cat den, and Tallstar went back to his den.
    "Bye, Smokepaw," Tallstar said as he left.
     "Goodbye, Tallpaw, you're a great brother," Deadfoot had replied in a rasp, true sincerity in his voice. Tallstar had a feeling this would be his last time seeing him. StarClan were going to welcome another warrior soon.
   In the morning, Tallstar awoke to find Barkface at the entrance to his den. Barkface led Tallstar to the medicine cat den, and stopped at Deadfoot. Tallstar ran his long tail along Deadfoot's flank, but detected no breathing.
   "He's joined StarClan," Barkface murmured softly.
   Tallstar murmured agreement, and took his body out for the Clan to sit vigil for Deadfoot. Tallstar's head spun and he couldn't think of a good deputy. He finally decided on Mudclaw.

   But later, Tallstar was on his last life. He was weak, and dying in their new home. Even now he wished Deadfoot was here to see the new home, he had even seen Barley, now an adult tom, before leaving. But thoughts spun in his head. Deadfoot had told him before he died that he should choose a good deputy, but it may take a while. After seeing Mudclaw's rough nature, he felt that he wouldn't be a suitable leader for WindClan. Onewhisker had been there helping Tallstar, and he was gentle, yet strong enough to be a leader. He would join StarClan soon, he knew. He told Firestar, a great fellow leader and friend, Barkface, and Onewhisker. Then he closed his eyes, and took his last breath.