Tigerpaw's Destiny

Tigerkit reached up on all four paws until he was level with the ball of moss that Runningkit had sent flying toward him. He reached out with his paw, preparing to send it pelting back as hard as he could.

Wham! Tigerkit lost his balance and toppled over on one side, winded and dazed. He turned and saw Redkit snag the moss on his claw, throwing it back at Runningkit, where the other tabby kit leapt up into the air and caught it gracefully.

"Hey!" the dark brown kit squealed indignantly, "That was my catch!" He glared at his brother angrily.

Redkit laughed. "You? Catch? You couldn't catch a mouse if it sat right on your head!" The larger kit reared back into the air to catch the moss ball as Runningkit threw it to him again.

Tigerkit lashed his tiny tail. "I can catch better than you can! You think you're so tough, just because you're bigger!"

Redkit turned to him, curling his lip. "I'll always be bigger than you, tiny Tiger!"

Tigerkit's eyes widened at Redkit's insult. "I was just kidding," he said hurriedly, tucking his tail between his legs. "I don't like being called that name!"

Runningkit came bouncing over, the moss ball abandoned by the fresh-kill pile, where Bluepaw, an elder apprentice, sighed and picked it up. "What's up, Redkit?" Runningkit glanced at Tigerkit. "Gotten your tail in a twist?"

Redkit's eyes sparkled playfully as he looked at Runningkit, and Tigerkit was relieved to see that his brother was just joking. "No, but he will!" the dark tabby kit screeched, leaping on top of Redkit.

The bigger tortishell threw him off easily and lunged forward, pinning Tigerkit to the ground. Tigerkit squeaked in alarm; Redkit's fur was suffocating him!

"Let him go!" Tigerkit heard Spottedkit's angry hiss through his brother's thick pelt. "You'll kill him!"

Reluctantly, Redkit got up, and Tigerkit scrambled to his paws, relieved that his sister had come to save him.

"Where were you?" asked Runningkit.

"Hasn't Featherwhisker gotten tired of you yet?" snarled Redkit.

"No, and he isn't going to anytime soon!" Spottedkit snapped back at him. "He says I'll be his apprentice in three suns." Then, to Tigerkit, her voice softening, she said, "Come on, Tigerkit, let's get away from these bullies!"

"Good riddance!" sneered Redkit as they padded away.

Ignoring him, Tigerkit mewed, "Thanks for the help back there. He was going to suffocate me!"

Spottedkit gave him a gentle lick on the head. "I know. But I wasn't going to let him kill my favorite brother!"

Tigerkit purred, a little embarrassed. "Are you really going to be Featherwhisker's apprentice?" he asked, changing the subject.

"Yes," she replied as they neared the nursery. "And no, I don't know who your mentor will be," she added as he opened his mouth again.

Tigerkit closed his mouth and smiled at her. "You'll make a good medicine cat."

Spottedkit flicked her tail modestly, but her eyes glowed with pride. "I'm glad Sunstar decided to give me a chance."

The two kits curled up together near their sleeping mother, Sunsetfang. "You deserve it," yawned Tigerkit, and he tucked his paw over his nose, listening to the steady rhythm of his sister's breathing.

"That's for sure."

*                                *                               *

Five moons later, Tigerkit, Redkit, Runningkit, and Spottedkit have become apprentices, and the rivalry between Redpaw and Tigerpaw deepens. Each tries to outdo the other, with Redpaw always three pawsteps ahead. But two moons from becoming a warrior, the day arrives when both Tigerpaw and Redpaw choose what they will become in the future...

Tigerpaw spat dirt from his mouth and leapt at his mentor again, paws outstretched to catch Halftail's head. His father, however, ducked out of the way and swiped the apprentice out of the air in one swift movement. Tigerpaw found himself once more in the dirt, and he scrambled to his paws, panting heavily.

"That's enough for one day," Halftail said, barely disguising the bitter disappointment in his tone. "Get back to camp and rest. I want you ready to go out hunting by sunhigh."

Nodding slightly, tail drooping with exhaustion, Tigerpaw padded through the forest toward the ravine. Failure hung like a dark rain cloud above his head; how could he ever become a great warrior when he couldn't even beat his father in a fight?

As he walked, Tigerpaw remembered yesterday's Gathering. It had been amazing, with hundreds of Clan cats milling around, and better yet, Redpaw hadn't been able to come. But what most impressed Tigerpaw was the Great Rock, and the leaders that sat on top. What was it like to look down so far, at all the warriors below you, less powerful than you?  To have that much power? Tigerpaw vowed that he'd find out. He vowed that one day, he'd be Tigerstar, leader of ThunderClan.

When he reached the ravine, Tigerpaw found Redpaw and Runningpaw practicing battle moves by the tree stump. Runningpaw leapt at Redpaw, who tried to swerve away, but his leg flew out behind him and he collapsed on his belly, Runningpaw on top of him.

"Dig your claws into the dirt," Tigerpaw advised. "That way you'll keep a firm grip and stay standing."

Redpaw was on his paws at once. He whirled on Tigerpaw, embarrassment making him reckless. "Oh yeah?" he hissed. "Let's see you stay standing through this, Tigerkit!" Teeth bared, he flew at Tigerpaw.

Overwhelmed, Tigerpaw leapt backward as his brother attacked him. "Redpaw!" he cried. "What are you doing?"

Redpaw lashed out at him with unsheathed claws. "Teaching you how to fight like a warrior!"

As Tigerpaw ducked and dodged, he saw Runningpaw dash away for Sunsetfang or Spottedpaw, his eyes wild and fur on end. Tigerpaw ran desperately around Redpaw as the tortishell apprentice slashed and bit air where his brother had just been.

"Stop!" begged Tigerpaw, glancing around for his mother, or any warrior. Bluefur was eating over by the warrior's den, but she didn't seem to notice anything unusual. "I don't want to hurt you!"

"You? Hurt me?" Redpaw lunged harder, eyes wild. "You're mental!"

"Redpaw! Tigerpaw! STOP!!!"

Sunstar's yowl rebounded through the camp, and, to Tigerpaw's relief, Redpaw stopepd flailing his claws around and looked up at the Clan leader, eyes ashamed. Runningpaw and Spottedpaw were standing at the base of the Highrock, their eyes strecthed wide with shock. The other Clan cats were now peering out of the dens at the two apprentices; Snowfur held Whitekit back into the nursery as though the apprentices were an illness that could be caught if not careful.

"What is the meaning of this?" Sunstar's voice was calm, but his eyes blazed as he glared down from the Highrock.

Redpaw looked at his paws. "It was me, Sunstar," he whispered. "I provoked Tigerpaw. I'm sorry. I won't do it again."

"I should think not! What more do we need then foolish apprentices quarreling with eachother, when we should be defending Sunningrocks from RiverClan? You're confined to camp for three days." Sunstar turned to Tigerpaw, his eyes narrowing. "You, young Tigerpaw, shouldn't have fought him back, or you should have come and told me or Halftail. Never fight without reason. You are responsible for doing the apprentice chores for a moon, and you shall do them all single-pawed." He glared at Tigerpaw, as though willing him to argue. "Is that agreed?"

No, it's totally unfair! Tigerpaw was shocked. He hadn't lifted a claw, yet he was the one who got punished severly. It was all Redpaw's fault! Rage burned inside him, and its intensity suprised him. Never before had he been so angry. But he liked the rage, and he let it grow, warming his pelt and assuring him that this punishment wasn't his fault.

"Good, then," Sunstar nodded and adjourned the Clan, bounding down from the rock. Tigerpaw turned to see Redpaw padding up to him, his eyes shadowed with sorrow.

"Tigerpaw, I'm sorry I was so mean to you before," he said softly. "I've changed, though, and I'll never do it again. I hope you can somehow forgive me."

No, the new Tigerpaw inside of him said. No, I will never forgive you for making me this way. Kin doesn't matter anymore. I will have power, I will be better than you, and I will have revenge!

"Yeah," Tigerpaw said out loud. "Maybe."

But he would have revenge. Maybe not soon, but he would have revenge.

And when he did, Redpaw would be the first to suffer...

*                                *                               *

Tigerpaw became Tigerclaw two moons later, and Redpaw became Redtail, ThunderClan's deputy, after Bluefur became leader. While Redtail strived to undo the wrongs of his kithood and became a new cat, Tigerclaw also changed. At first he longed for power, then he became obsessive, training as hard as he could to prove himself. Then, one day, he saw his chance and took revenge on his poor brother, who never expected, years later, the damage he had done to Tigerclaw to come back at him...