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Post by Maplestone360 on Oct 7, 2018 15:30:24 GMT -5
Prologue
The dark morning dawning on the Colony was the coldest of the season so far. The air was thick and heavy and freezing, the threat of the coming winter closer than ever before. The ground was buried in a blanket of frost, the icy crystals trying to force their way through the strong bramble walls of the nursery.
Inside the cramped den, the air was tainted with the scent of blood.
The gray and white queen’s delivery had come much too soon. Her only kitten was frail and undersized, stirring feebly at his mother’s belly. But his mewls were shrill and filled with life, and the queen was determined that he would survive through the struggle his birth had posed.
The father was sitting nearby, his golden eyes filled with concern. His hopes were not as high as the mother’s, but he didn’t think he would be able to bear to see her go. Because, truthfully, the mother was even more weak than the kitten, and every breath was a struggle, every heartbeat possibly the last.
“He looks so much like you,” Swallowtail meowed, her voice a rasping shudder yet filled to the brim with love.
Harvey didn’t reply. However, for a moment, he tore his gaze off his mate and fixed it upon his son. He did look like his father. Their brown pelts were almost identical, yet, the kitten had inherited his stripes from his mother.
“I’m sure he’ll grow up to be big and strong like you, too,” Swallowtail continued, and Harvey still couldn’t force out any words. “And he’ll protect his Colony with everything he has.”
Suddenly, Swallowtail’s mismatched eyes rounded with desperation. “Harvey,” she whispered, staring up at her mate like he was her lifeline. “I know that the leader won’t let you stay. He was never happy with you visiting the Colony. You know what he thinks about pets.”
Harvey resisted the urge to lower his gaze. If he hadn’t been foolish enough to wander away from his home in the first place, Swallowtail would never have been harmed.
“But you have to convince him to let our son stay,” Swallowtail pleaded. “Please. Promise me you’ll do whatever it takes to convince him. Promise me you’ll do anything.”
Harvey swallowed the lump in his throat. If this was his mate’s last wish, then he would do anything. “I promise,” he finally spoke.
Swallowtail’s desperation was quickly replaced with overwhelming relief. “Thank you,” she breathed, and she let her gray head fall to rest on the cold ground. She glanced at her son, who had stopped wailing but was still fighting to stay alive. He would be alright. He would grow up in the Colony, loved and cherished just like every kitten, and he would grow to become one of the best cats the forest has ever had the privilege to protect. And she would watch over him alongside all of her ancestors. With her last breath, she spoke to her kitten, giving him a name that would surely stir in others a sense of respect and admiration for years to come. “Goodbye, my fierce little Tiger.”
Then, Swallowtail closed her eyes, and the gray and white queen stirred no more.
Chapter 1
Tiger thought he was the most promising soon-to-be apprentice in the whole Colony, if he did say so himself.
Of course, he didn’t mean to be rude, but he was just so much better than the other kittens. He was quick, agile, and strong, so strong. He won every wrestling match against every one of the others, and that was just his forte. He did quite well in races and contests of any kind, and his intelligence level was not bad either. Honestly, he didn’t see how anyone could not notice his potential. He hadn’t even received any training, either, so once he became an apprentice, wouldn’t he get infinitely better?
There was no question about it. Tiger was completely confident that he could take any training the Colony decided to throw at him.
Whether he wanted to or not, however, was a completely different story.
See, as a Colony apprentice, there were four different skill sets a cat could be trained in, and once one was chosen for them by the leader, there was no going back. Fortunately, the leader and his council made sure to watch the kittens closely before they chose, so they would know exactly which role would be best for each of them. Whenever Tiger felt their eyes fixed on his and the other kittens’ pelts, he made absolutely certain to show off his strength in any way possible.
It was for this reason that Tiger was positive he would be chosen for the ranks of his favorite of the roles: the Fighters. They were the ones who were trained in battle to protect every Colony cat from every danger. They were the strongest, the fiercest, and also possibly the most important of all the cats, in Tiger’s opinion. Of course, the leader was also somewhat important to the Colony, but all he did was sit around and boss every cat about everything. He never did anything but that. Tiger thought the only appealing thing about that role was the status, but, whatever. Still boring.
There were still three other roles apprentices could be chosen for, however, but Tiger was sure he wouldn’t be picked for any of them. There were Hunters, Runners, and Healers, but there could only be one Healer apprentice in the Colony anyway.
The Hunters were also quite important to the Colony, the providers of the food, and so were the Healers, for, you know, healing cats. But definitely, absolutely, certainly, the worst, most unimportant role ever was the Runners. They were trained to be fast, so that they could carry messages to and from the camp and patrols in case it was ever needed. Which was practically never. Tiger only remembered one time in his life in the camp when a Runner was actually needed to send a message, and that was just to call a tom back from a patrol he had unwisely joined when his mate started kitting. If Tiger got picked to be a Runner, of all things, he would probably run away from the Colony. Heh. So hilarious. But, no, Tiger was certain that wouldn’t happen, so he never worried about it.
However, unlike Tiger, his siblings often worried about which role they would be chosen for, especially since the ceremony was only days away. Well, they weren’t technically his siblings, as he was raised by a cat other than his mother, since she died shortly after his birth. Or so he’d been told. He didn’t really know how to feel about that. But, he supposed the she-cat who had raised him was close enough to a mother for him, so he tried not to think about it much.
Anyway, the kittens he had been raised alongside, Flame and Robin, were currently having another one of their worrying sessions, their mother, Dawn, lounging in the afternoon sunlight nearby.
“Oh, I really want to be a Healer,” Robin fretted. “Do you think Daddy will let me be a Healer? I mean, Storm is still pretty young and he doesn’t need an apprentice yet; his mentor died only a few months ago. Oh, I really hope he’ll mentor me.”
And there was one other thing Tiger forgot to mention. Flame and Robin’s father was the leader of the Colony: Falcon. Not that it made much of a difference to him; whenever Falcon came to visit, which he hardly ever did, he never gave any notice to Tiger and acted as if he didn’t exist. Tiger found it rude and offensive, and he supposed Falcon just couldn’t handle the fact that the kitten who he’d been forced to acknowledge as his own son was better and more talented than his actual children. Still, Falcon didn’t have to be such a jealous porcupine-face about it all the time.
“I’m sure he’ll mentor you, and I’m sure Father will let him. You’re the most caring, gentle cat in the Colony,” Flame mewed, placing his ginger tail on his sister’s shoulder to comfort her. While Robin was the obnoxiously fussing one in their conversations about apprenticeship, Flame was the mushy loyal one who insisted that whatever Falcon chose, it would be with his very best intentions at heart and would do anything to make his kittens happy. Tiger wasn’t sure which of them were more annoying.
Robin, however, was relieved by this notion, and her russet fur flattened along her spine. “I hope he makes you a Hunter, too, like you want. You’d be so good at it.” Flame smiled at his sister’s kindness, and Tiger decided to interrupt this soppy exchange with a few confident comments of his own.
“He’d better make me a Fighter. That’s obviously what I’m best at. I hope he’s noticed that by now.”
Flame and Robin exchanged a glance, looking as if they had forgotten for a moment that he was even there. He hated it when they did that. “I’m… I’m sure he has, Tiger,” Flame assured him, although not quite in the same tone he used for his sister. “We’ll all get the roles we’ve been hoping for. I’m sure of it.”
Flame and Robin went back to smiling wistfully into the sky again, and Tiger almost grumbled, “He’ll be sorry if he doesn’t.”
. . . Finally, the day of Tiger, Flame, and Robin’s apprentice ceremony arrived. Everything went according to custom, including Dawn fiercely making sure all three of them were properly groomed beforehand and Falcon spending an extra long time having last minute discussions with his council. But, at last, Falcon stepped onto the roots of the Great Oak and called together the Colony to witness the event.
Just as they had hoped, Falcon went on to appoint Flame and Robin as Hunter and Healer, respectively. The two cats dashed off to meet their new mentors, looking as if someone had just gifted them with the entire universe, just as Falcon called Tiger up to the Great Oak.
Tiger resisted the urge to sprint up to Falcon just as Flame and Robin had, tripping over their paws in excitement, and instead made his way there in a slow strut, his chin in the air. He would soon be announced as the Colony’s newest fighter, and he would show everyone just how amazing he could be.
“Are you ready to begin your training to become a full member of the Colony, to forever dedicate yourself to serving it and protecting it, even if it may cost your life?” Falcon asked, looking down at Tiger with a cold, expressionless stare. It was impossible to tell if he was resenting having to bestow such an honor upon his least favorite cat.
“I am!” Tiger replied, not a shadow of hesitation in his mew.
“Then, because of your excellent speed and agility, I now proclaim you a Runner in training.”
For a few moments, Tiger wondered if he could have possibly heard right.
“Your mentor will be Owl. I know he will pass on all he knows to you.”
Then, as Tiger whirled around to see the cream-colored tom waiting for his apprentice’s acknowledgement, the gravity of what had just happened hit him as if the moon had just crashed into the camp.
Falcon had made Tiger a Runner.
“NO!” Tiger burst out, whipping around to face Falcon again with a snarl. “I want to be a Fighter! Make me a Fighter!”
But the dark brown leader had already turned to pad back into his den. Falcon ignored every protest Tiger shouted at him, and as he disappeared under the roots of the Great Oak, Tiger could’ve sworn on his life that he saw a flash of malice and satisfaction in the tom’s pale amber eyes. Chapter 2
“Tiger? Tiger! Are you listening to me?”
Tiger was still in a daze. The leader of the Colony had made him a Runner, despite the fact that he had made it very clear that was the absolute last thing he wanted to be. It was as if Falcon had done it simply to spite him! To punish him for existing and for trying to take his attention away from his own less than exemplary kittens.
Well, Tiger would not sit back and allow it! Sooner or later, he would show Falcon what a real Fighter looked like.
“Tiger!”
Some cat broke into his thoughts with their incessant calling of his name. He whirled around to see that it was Owl, the Runner Falcon had assigned to be his mentor. Tiger disliked him already. Even his voice and his pompous expression were incredibly annoying. “What?” Tiger hissed in reply.
“I said, it’s time for your first lesson.” Owl’s yellow eyes were slits of disapproval. “No matter how much you don’t want to be a Runner, the Colony leader’s word is law.”
If Owl continued to recite supposed ‘laws’ to Tiger throughout his apprenticeship, it would most likely drive him insane.
“Now, let’s go.”
Tiger hesitated for a long moment, and all that could be heard was the faint sounds of cats’ conversations and birdsong in the nearby forest. But he realized that, for now, he would have no choice but to obey. He wasn’t stupid, after all. Until he figured out how to convince Falcon to let him become a Fighter, he would have to grit his teeth and play along. “Fine,” he grumbled, and as Owl turned to pad out of the camp, Tiger trudged after him with his tail trailing behind in the dirt.
Tiger followed Owl into the forest, but he couldn’t care less where his mentor was leading him. Where could he possibly have to go to learn how to run? He was already perfect at running, wasn’t he? Why else would he have done so well in every race against the other kittens in the nursery?
However, Owl did eventually stop. After heading through a long stretch of the undergrowth’s many clusters of brambles and ferns, they emerged into the Meadow, a wide expanse of nothing but an explosion of long grass, untamed by the restrictions of trees. Tiger had only heard stories of the place because it was also right behind the Forbidden Area, which was twice as boring. Why bother even forbidding anyone to go in such an empty place? Waste of time, in his opinion.
Then, Owl decided it was a good time to begin lecturing. “You’re probably wondering why we’re here. The Meadow is the perfect place for all Runners to begin learning the necessities of their skill...” And he continued to drone on about the utmost importance of speed, endurance, agility, blah, blah, blah. However, Tiger quickly decided not to listen, and instead fantasized about possible ways he could escape this training session.
He was almost ready to excuse himself by claiming he needed to make dirt, then proceeding to escape unseen, when he suddenly realized that Owl was addressing him again. “Well? Get on with it! Show me what you can already do.”
“Seriously?” Tiger asked, his mew thick with suspicion. “You want me to show you how fast I am?” Showing off was the last thing he had expected a dull, rule-abiding Runner would ask him to do.
“Yes,” Owl insisted. “How would you expect me to teach you if I don't even know your weaknesses yet?” His tail twitched with impatience. “You would never improve.”
Weaknesses? Tiger thought. What weaknesses? He would put on a display of competence so great that Owl wouldn't be able to find a single flaw for him to improve.
Without another word, Tiger turned tail and launched himself away from Owl. His paws pounded the ground as he flew across the Meadow, and, he thought, it really felt like he was flying, with the wind streaming through his thick tabby fur. He could practically see an opponent ahead of him, and he was a fearless Fighter wasting no time in reaching his foe, tearing up the grass to get to them, leaping with his claws outstretched—
But then he was back at the forest's edge, and Owl's appraising gaze was fixed on his pelt, and he remembered that he was not, in fact, a Fighter. He was learning to be a Runner, the most useless role in the Colony, and he would be spending the rest of his life waiting to send an urgent little message back to camp instead of conquering his enemies.
Tiger skidded to a halt in front of Owl, his breath coming out as gasps for air. He looked up at his mentor expectantly.
“Hmm,” Owl mewed after a long moment of silence. “You do already seem excellent at your speed. I see why Falcon made you my apprentice. But what you don't realize is that speed in itself isn't the most important part of being a Runner.”
Tiger couldn't help but be confused. Wasn't running what being a Runner was all about? Why else would they be called that? “Then what is?” he asked.
“Following instructions,” Owl replied, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
Tiger did not like where this conversation appeared to be headed.
“Following instructions is more important for Runners than for any other role,” Owl continued. “When a cat is a Hunter, they simply need to bring back enough food for the Colony. For Healers, their job is to heal all the sick and injured. And for Fighters, even if they didn't follow their orders and attack only when told, they would most likely just get themselves killed. But for Runners, their specific purpose is to carry out instructions. If a Runner ever refused to relay a message, say, when a patrol was ambushed and needed reinforcements, every single one of the cats on that patrol could die.” Owl’s voice suddenly shifted to a critical snarl. “And you, Tiger, seem like just the cat to disobey orders when your Colony-mates need you most. So, tell me, are you going to let cats get harmed because of your arrogance, or are you going to set aside your opinions and do what you're told without question?”
Tiger found that he couldn't answer that question. What right did Owl have to call him arrogant? He was not arrogant, he simply recognized his own greatness. Not to mention, if he had any say in it, he was not going to be a Runner for long.
Owl seemed to somehow take his silence as an answer. He scoffed. “Fine. That's enough for today. Go on back to camp. I know you remember the way.”
“Of course I remember,” Tiger muttered, and he turned and slid back into the shadows of the forest. In actuality, he hadn't really been paying attention on the way there, but he would never admit that to Owl. Besides, this wasn't his first time in the forest and he was confident in his ability to figure it out. The Colony wasn't rude enough to keep their kittens confined in the camp at all times. They always had to be accompanied, of course, but still.
When he did manage to find his way back to camp, he saw that Flame and Robin had already finished their training for the day and were eagerly discussing their experiences in the center of the clearing. As he approached them in the middle of their conversation, he heard Robin as she was saying, “…it was awesome! Storm was so nice, and he taught me some of his herbs—I don’t know how I’m going to remember them all! I’m so glad I became a Healer.” She was practically glowing with joy, and her brother also looked pleased.
“Stone took me on a patrol to explore the whole territory,” Flame mewed. “He said he’s going to start teaching me to hunt tomorrow.”
Tiger then took the opportunity of the brief silence between them to plop down beside the two, and why shouldn’t he have? They were practically his siblings; he had a right to be included. “My first day was a load of rabbit droppings,” he declared with a huff of annoyance.
“Oh?” Flame asked, his pale gaze darting to rest on the suddenly present Tiger.
“My mentor decided to lecture me about ‘following instructions.’ So rude.”
“I’m sure it’ll get better soo—” Robin began, but Tiger had no interest in optimism. Instead, he interrupted to inform her,
“I don’t think he’s ever going to be any nicer. You guys have seen what Owl’s like. He’s not even that nice to his mate.”
“Father must’ve chosen him for a reason,” Flame reasoned. “Maybe he’s a really good teacher.”
Tiger huffed again. “We’ll see,” he stated simply, although inwardly, he knew that no matter how many seemingly good reasons his siblings could come up with as to why their dreams were coming true and his weren’t, he knew that it was not out of the goodness of any cat’s heart.
And if Falcon and Owl thought they could treat him like dirt, they were terribly mistaken.
Chapter 3
Tiger was currently more frustrated than he had ever been in his life.
It had been a whole month since he had been apprenticed, and he was still a Runner.
He'd tried everything he could think of to change his role, but none of it had worked. First, he had spent at least half of the month trying to find time to talk to Falcon. It had been hard enough with Owl’s increasingly frequent lessons, which left him with hardly any time to himself. But it was practically impossible since Falcon seemed determined to avoid him at all costs.
Whenever Tiger went near Falcon, the leader would find some excuse to go off to somewhere else. He never even looked at Tiger. Not once. Tiger had found him while he was eating fresh-kill, and suddenly he needed to leave to make dirt. And after a meeting with his Councilors, he decided to go back to his den underneath the roots of the camp’s Great Oak. And when he finally came out of his den, he inexplicably had to join a patrol.
Tiger had been tempted to chase him down on his ‘patrol’ until he was forced to stop and acknowledge his foster son for once, but instead decided to wait one more time. And when Tiger had finally got the chance to approach Falcon before he could leave, he’d interrupted with a curt, “I'm busy,” and a cold stare. Right. Like having a casual conversation with Dawn could possibly make him busy.
However, instead of responding in the more satisfying way by clawing that rude glare off Falcon’s face, Tiger was smart enough to know that attacking the Colony leader was not going to get him what he wanted. He could’ve sat there and refused to budge or leave Falcon alone until he cooperated, but that probably wouldn’t have ended well either. So, Tiger had to swallow his fury, walk away, and think up a new solution. It was simple: ask someone else.
Since Falcon was refusing to talk to Tiger, that left only two more options: the Head Runner, and the Head Fighter. Along with the Head Hunter, they made up the leader’s Councilors, who gave their leader advice and updates on the goings-on, and they each led the cats of their roles through him. If anyone else could change Tiger from a Runner to a Fighter, it was one of them.
Tiger had decided to talk to Swift, the Head Runner, first. After hearing rumors and observing the Councilors for himself, he'd been able to conclude that Swift was the kindest and most likely to appease him. So, Tiger had wasted no time in searching for the tom and was delighted to find that he was already in the camp. But, though Swift had patiently listened to all that Tiger had to say, his blue gaze had been solemn as he’d replied, “I’m sorry, Tiger. Falcon and I have already chosen for you to become a Runner. We know you’ll do well if you only try.” Then, he had turned and padded away without speaking another word.
Feeling slightly more desperate than before, Tiger had hurried off to reason with the last cat who could possibly help him. He’d found her at the edge of the clearing, where the line of trees blocked the sunlight and provided a bit of relief from the heat. She had been grooming herself—her pelt almost as dark as the shadows around her and therefore hard to spot—and for some reason had seemed immensely annoyed when he’d disturbed her. He’d hardly gotten a sentence out of his mouth before she interrupted.
“You want to be a Fighter?” Shade had echoed. “Is running not working out for you? Finding it too difficult to keep up?”
Tiger had snapped open his jaws to deliver a retort, but she didn’t give him a chance as she continued, “Well, I’ll have you know, there are plenty of Fighters in the Colony already. Any more and there won’t be enough mentors to train the apprentices. The Runners, however, could use an extra cat or two, so do your part and don’t go looking for a way you can worm your way out.”
Shade couldn’t have made it clearer, yet Tiger was never quick to accept ‘no’ for an answer. “But, couldn’t I just train for an extra month?” he persisted. “Or, uh, do extra chores, or someth—”
“No,” Shade hissed, her hackles rising. “And that’s all you’ll hear from me!”
Well. It was obviously the end of that conversation. So, he’d had no choice but to traipse away, quietly seething over having been repetitively denied his wishes.
After that, nothing had changed. Tiger was still forced to go to every single one of his tedious training sessions with Owl even though he’d rather be pulling out his own claws. Flame and Robin were still having the time of their lives as they learned how to be exactly what they wanted, spoiled and overprivileged as they were with a father who was the leader of the Colony and could treat them like precious little fluffballs whenever he wanted.
And to make matters worse, earlier that day, two new kittens became apprentices, Fox and Berga. Tiger had grown up with them as well as Falcon’s children, but he hadn’t expected in the least the roles they would be given. They both became Fighters, after Shade had previously told him that there was no more room! And if the Colony needed Runners so badly, why hadn’t either of them become one? Clearly, Shade had downright lied to him. She was probably just looking for some pathetic excuse to belittle him for absolutely no reason.
Anyway, after Tiger had witnessed the apprentice ceremony, he had responded with such horror and indignation that Owl had decided to kick him out of the camp on an errand just to shut him up. His mentor had seemed particularly fond of going over all the specifics on message sending lately, and he told Tiger to patrol the entire neighborhood beside the forest, on his own, then report anything and everything suspicious back to him in full detail.
Tiger wasn’t sure who he hated the most. Falcon, for ignoring him and forcing him to be a Runner, or Shade, for lying to him and rejecting his requests, or Owl, for putting him through such excruciatingly boring lessons. Without a doubt, he loathed the lot of them.
Now, he was still patrolling the neighborhood. Just as Owl had taught him, he avoided detection by slinking through the shadows caused by the rows of identical dens the humans lived in. Everything was completely and utterly normal, just as it had always been. Occasionally, one of the humans’ vehicles would slide by and out through the unnatural hedges which fenced in the place—which offered no protection, if you asked Tiger—but nothing else changed. The humans did the same things every day for as long as Tiger had been alive, even though Owl insisted that things changed sometimes. Sometimes.
Tiger didn’t understand why in the world the Colony still bothered to come to the neighborhood, when they had plenty of food in the forest, and interesting things only ever happened once in a cat like Owl’s lifetime. And that depended on what one considered ‘interesting.’ For example, one of the families of humans randomly deciding to leave the neighborhood was not interesting. Neither was a few pets deciding to cause trouble, nor even a human discovering the Colony’s existence. What could they do? They never even wandered far from their dens; they would never try to ‘invade the forest’ or any of those senseless superstitions some cats had.
Whether he understood why or not, however, Tiger was still being punished for wondering why he couldn’t be a Fighter when the other apprentices could. His bitterness returned to him when he remembered Owl’s words earlier that day, banishing him from the camp in front of both of his siblings and their parents. And who knew who else had been watching?
“Tiger, stop being such an immature little pest,” he echoed, lowering his voice to match Owl’s furious tone. “Tiger, get out of here before you humiliate me further. Owl, if you boss me around one more time, I swear I will claw your eyes out!”
Tiger lifted a paw and aimed a sharp kick at a nearby rock. However, the rock was lodged deep in the ground and he only succeeded in causing a jolt of pain to travel up his leg. He hissed and stumbled away, cursing the rock, cursing his paw, cursing every terrible situation he continuously had to go through.
Well, Tiger would not sit back and allow it. Any of it. If no one wanted to teach him to be a Fighter, then he wouldn’t rely on anyone to teach him. He could adjust, he could figure it out. He would even teach himself if he had to.
Because no one, no one had the right to tell him what he couldn't be.
Chapter 4
After resolving never to let anyone stand in the way of what he wanted to learn, Tiger certainly wasn't going to continue patrolling the neighborhood in search of a change that would never happen. Instead, he headed away from the streets, into the dense forest which surrounded them, and straight back to camp. Not only was he getting hungry, but he also wasn't going to do chores for Owl all day.
When he arrived, his mentor immediately confronted him after rising and padding over from a sunny spot in the clearing. It appeared that Owl had been waiting for Tiger there ever since he'd left. Perhaps Owl had assumed he would give up and come back sooner. No, of course Owl would have assumed that.
“That was quick,” Owl observed, his eyes narrow with suspicion. “What did you find?”
“Nothing, as usual,” Tiger replied, padding past his mentor and toward the fresh-kill pile without sparing him a glance.
“Really?”
“Positively.” Tiger picked through the pile until he found a large squirrel near the bottom, but still relatively fresh. He didn't even stop to wonder who could've made the catch.
Owl was still silent behind him. Tiger turned around and wondered how he could even see, he was squinting so hard. As if studying Tiger as diligently as possible would reveal whether or not he was lying.
“Well? Are you happy? I did what you wanted,” Tiger asked, his tone sour. He certainly hadn't enjoyed that useless patrol.
“No. But I'm done,” Owl growled. “Done dealing with your attitude for today. I'll see you again for training at dawn. Don't be late.” Then, Owl spun around and stomped back to his patch of sunlight where his mate, Honey, waited. Tiger didn't understand how she could put up with him.
Tiger’s pelt prickled with annoyance, but he decided to follow Owl’s lead and ignore his mentor for the rest of the day. He took his squirrel and ate it alone, the faint sound of nearby conversations filling his ears, and yet he heard none of them. Instead, he thought only of how he could be able to learn to fight on his own.
But, then, something caught Tiger’s gaze. Of all the cats in the Colony, no one had a pelt quite as bright as Flame’s. He was bounding into the camp, his mentor, Stone, following close behind. They both appeared satisfied with their latest hunt, especially Flame, a plump rabbit hanging from his jaws. As he passed the nearby Healers’ den, his sister popped out through the brambles and followed him over to the fresh-kill.
“Great catch!” Robin chirped, eying the rabbit as Flame dropped it onto the pile.
“Thanks! It was so fast, and I’m not even a Runner, but…” Flame trailed off as he and Robin noticed Tiger sitting nearby.
Speaking of Runners, Tiger thought. “Yeah, I’m back,” he spat, but neither Flame nor Robin responded. They just stared at him, acting like if they made any sudden moves he might explode with rage as he had earlier that morning.
“What?” he asked, but they remained silent, their eyes round and unsure. “Seriously, what?”
“Oh—uh—it’s nothing,” Flame said, and they each seemed to snap out of their trance, pick a piece of prey off the pile, then sit beside Tiger. The three continued to eat in a tense and awkward silence.
Tiger considered excusing himself—not only because the wordlessness between them bored him, but also because he thought the lingering, pungent scent of herbs on Robin’s pelt was repulsive—and he now had a perfect reason to do so. Shade was on her way out of the camp with her apprentice, Bee, following behind. They could only be up to one thing: training. And, no matter how much Tiger disliked Shade, he had to admit: at least she was a Fighter.
“Finished,” he announced at once, pushing away the remains of the squirrel and leaping to his paws. He had to catch up with them before they were gone. Without even noticing Flame and Robin’s startled expressions, Tiger darted out of the clearing after Shade and Bee.
He trailed after them as they wound through the undergrowth, following a twisting trail through the many different trees, but he hung far enough behind that they didn’t notice he was there. When the she-cats came to a halt at a glade much smaller than the camp, yet large enough to train in undisturbed, Tiger took refuge in a thick clump of ferns and was hidden from their sight.
Finally, he thought, watching intently. A real fighting lesson.
Tiger half expected Shade to begin lecturing her apprentice twice as sternly as Owl did to him, but she was surprisingly polite. Perhaps that had to do with the fact that Shade and Bee were fairly similar. Bee had become an apprentice a while before Tiger, but in the short time he shared with her and her sister in the nursery, she was quite cold and even unkind. Her sister, Silver, was more pleasant, but that didn’t mean Tiger liked her any better.
“Now, I want you to show me that move we’ve been practicing,” Shade commanded.
Bee obeyed immediately. The yellow she-cat backed up a few steps, then, to Tiger’s astonishment, she leapt backwards and launched herself back off the nearest tree. She landed squarely on her mentor’s back, and had they been actually fighting, Shade’s pelt could’ve been torn up along her spine in an instant.
Tiger had never seen a battle move so precise and effective. He hadn’t seen any real battle moves, for that matter, only a kitten’s simple games. All he knew was that he had to learn it. So, he kept all the details fresh on his mind until he knew he would get a chance to practice it himself later.
Tiger continued to watch the she-cats like this for a while longer, drinking in every single technique of theirs as if it was the only chance he would ever get to hear it. He was tempted to wait for them to finish and practice the moves after they were gone, but he knew that cats in the camp would wonder where he was after disappearing the way he had. No, he would have to try them when no one would see him missing.
So, that night, after he was certain every cat was asleep, Tiger crept out of the camp. He made scrupulous care not to step on any of the apprentices’ tails, or to rustle the brambles, or cause a disturbance of any kind. His Colony-mates had made it quite clear what they thought about him being anything besides a Runner.
He then found his way back to the tiny clearing in the forest, now bathed in moonlight, and he practiced every move he’d seen Bee perform until he got the hang of them. Sure, it was difficult, as he had never attempted them before and he didn’t have another cat to practice them on, but he managed. Fighting was, after all, his talent. Battle moves he learned with an ease he’d never had with the strict rules of being a Runner.
By midnight, Tiger could spring off the side of a tree onto where his opponent should’ve been. He could deliver a powerful blow with his paw, he could slash, he could roll, he could finally fight. But only a pawful of moves wouldn’t be enough. Tiger had discovered a tantalizing new method of learning what he wanted, and he certainly wouldn’t stop now.
By midnight, he was exhausted. Not even Bee had to learn all of those moves in one night. She’d had plenty of time. An empty nest sounded welcoming and comfortable to Tiger, and after he snuck back to camp and into the apprentices’ den, he sunk into the moss with relief. However, he was too tired to notice that he had not arrived undetected. Someone had seen him return.
. . . “Tiger? Tiger, wake up.”
It felt like his eyes had only been closed for a minute before he was being forced to open them again. Tiger cracked them open enough to see that the sky was still dark, yet not enough to see who was trying to wake him. He let out an enormous yawn. “Owl, leave me alone, it’s not even dawn yet.”
“It’s Flame. We know that you were gone most of the night.”
Tiger was suddenly fully awake and flying upright in his nest. “What? How!” How could anyone possibly have found out? He had been excessively meticulous!
“See? I told you he left,” Robin whispered nearby.
“No—I mean—of course I didn’t leave,” Tiger corrected himself with a snarl. “You must’ve been dreaming.”
Fortunately, Flame and Robin were the only others awake. They hadn’t told any of the other apprentices, new or old, about their suspicions. “Robin swears she saw you come back,” Flame insisted. From the little starlight that penetrated the den’s bramble walls, Tiger might have guessed Flame looked upset. “Tiger, we won’t tell anyone about this, or whatever might’ve caused you to do it. Just please don’t sneak out again. It’s not going to end well.”
Tiger had difficulty keeping his fur from bristling with fury. How dare they try to tell him what to do! “Whether I stop or not isn’t your business,” he hissed, “so leave me alone. And if you do tell anyone, you’ll be sorry.”
Then, Tiger curled back into his nest with his thick-furred tail draped over his nose, and no one succeeded in bothering him for the rest of the night. Waking up again at dawn, however, was extremely difficult. Throughout the rest of the day, his eyelids felt like they were made of stone, and nearly fell asleep on his paws multiple times. But whenever he thought of his next chance to learn new fighting moves, it filled him with a new, invigorating excitement that fueled him until the next night came.
And so, Tiger’s days continued in the same fashion, trudging through his lessons with Owl and getting hardly any sleep at night as he did what he enjoyed most. He didn’t only observe Bee’s training sessions in his free time either; he also watched the other Fighters in training, and even some of the Fighters themselves on the rare occasion that they actually got to use their skills on patrols. And as he improved, Tiger reasoned, why not go further? Why not invent a few moves of his own? He did so gladly, and when the Colony would have a chance to witness those techniques he formed in secret, many would wish they had never seen it at all.
However, as Tiger continued his descent into what he knew could only be greatness, Flame and Robin started avoiding him more and more. They hardly ever sat with him for meals anymore. Often, when he padded into camp, they would slink off to find some chore to do. When he tried to talk to them, they would reply with few words and uncomfortable demeanors. It was at times like these when Tiger was reminded how annoyingly similar they were to their father, and how he was nothing like them. He would never steer clear of a cat simply because they didn’t want him getting in their business, would he? No. He couldn’t care less about anyone else's business, anyway.
But Flame and Robin were unbearably nosy. And sensitive. So, Tiger doubted they would ever learn to let him do his own thing even if they didn’t understand it. However, that didn’t bother him. If they wouldn’t support him or recognize his potential just like their father, then, just like he had with Falcon, he would simply look to other means of getting what he wanted. Chapter 5
Another month had flown past since Tiger decided to take his real training upon himself, and yet, he could tell that things weren’t going exactly right. Of course, learning to fight on his own was much better than not learning at all, but it still wasn’t the same as what he could have if he was being taught by someone else. Sure, he was picking up most of his battle moves from others, but he didn’t have anyone to test those moves on like they did. For all he knew, he could be getting all his measurements wrong and would miss every target whenever he had his first fight. No, if he was ever going to improve, he needed a partner.
Who his partner could be, however, Tiger wasn’t certain. It would have to be someone who wouldn’t immediately report him to Falcon after hearing that he was breaking multiple of their precious laws, so that ruled out nearly every Fighter there was. Practically every Colony cat was a stickler. However, the apprentices tended to be more amenable, but with the skill level most of them had, how much would he be able to learn from them anyway?
There were two apprentices who were older than him and therefore probably knew more than he did, though: Bee and Silver. He’d watched those two the most over the past month, and he learned a bit about them. Of course, Bee was the one whose mentor was Shade, and the fact that they got along all right couldn’t be a good sign. However, Bee was clearly more skilled than her sister, who not only seemed overly affectionate, but also soft, and Tiger knew he would not want to be spending time with someone like that. Silver may know the moves, but would she ever really use them against a single creature if she had to?
So, that left Bee as Tiger’s best option. He only hoped that she wasn’t as stubborn and immovable as her mentor or his efforts would not end well. But if she was, and she decided to try to betray his secret and get him in trouble… well, then, he would have to threaten her into silence.
Tiger finally had his opportunity to talk to Bee one afternoon after most of the apprentices were finished with their training for the day. Many of them were using the time to rest in the light, entering the camp at an angle from the descending sun and obscuring the thick border of trees in shadow. However, Bee had not yet returned, and Tiger waited for a while until she did.
When she finally trudged into camp after Shade, Bee gave her mentor a respectful goodbye. But when Shade turned to pad away, Bee’s expressions shifted to a scowl and she heaved a heavy sigh. Did that mean that she wasn’t perfectly content with how her training with Shade was going?
Seeing his chance, Tiger hurried to catch up to her before she could reach the apprentices’ den and collapse into her nest. “Bee!” he called. “Hey, Bee!”
Bee slowly turned her head and narrowed her dark eyes upon seeing Tiger. “Hold up. Aren't you that Runner who threw a fit at Fox and Berga's apprentice ceremony?”
“But—what—” Tiger never knew that she’d noticed. And he certainly hadn’t ‘thrown a fit.’ He had rightly questioned the fairness of the situation.
“Shade told me about you,” Bee continued. “She said you wanted her to let you be a Fighter.”
“About that—” Tiger started, but just like her mentor, Bee seemed to have a habit of interruption.
“There are already enough Fighters in the Colony. Maybe even too many.”
“I know. But don't you ever get tired of all these rules? And being told the one thing you're allowed to be all your life?” Tiger had the utmost care to make his voice sound as sincere as possible, to be quietly persuasive, to tempt Bee into deciding not to let the Colony put her down as he had. “Don't you wish you could end it all? To do more?”
Bee was silent for a long moment as she considered his words. Then, she replied, “Maybe. But I'm still not going to help you.”
“Why not?” Tiger chuckled. “You're the best Fighter in the Colony, you could teach me better than anyone else. Besides, I don't really need to be taught; I already know plenty of battle moves. But how do you expect me to know how to use them if I can't ever train with another cat?”
Bee still wouldn’t say a word, but Tiger could practically see the wheels turning in her mind. All she needed was one more push, and her skills would be his to enjoy.
“Come on,” he urged her. “No more letting others tell us what to do.”
At last, Bee agreed. “Fine. I’ll help you. But this better not get me in trouble.”
“It absolutely won’t,” Tiger insisted. “I promise.”
So, the first chance they got, Tiger and Bee shared the knowledge they had with each other. Of course, they didn’t just do it in the middle of the camp, though, or else they would get in trouble; no, they did it someplace more secret. However, Tiger never mentioned to Bee the fact that he regularly spent nights awake learning his moves, so they stuck to doing it during the day, whenever they had spare time. Which, regrettably, was not often, but it was still better than nothing.
During their first meeting, they had so much to share that they could hardly get through it all in time. They had to stick to simply stating what they already knew that day. However, the next time they got a chance, Tiger was able to practice some of his moves on Bee and was delighted to discover that he was already amazingly skilled. Bee hardly had to correct him at all; he performed nearly spot-on, as he had thought he might. Still, it couldn’t hurt to check.
“Of course I know the tree-spring move,” Tiger meowed with a sniff of mock offense. He was currently feeling quite pleased with himself, standing with Bee in the small clearing they had previously so often trained in. “But I don’t think you would be able to handle me showing it, I would probably crush you.”
“Crush me? Please,” Bee replied with a laugh. “I can handle myself, I think you’re just making excuses.”
“All right, then.” The two backed into their places, and, just as he had seen her do it the first time, Tiger launched himself off the tree and onto Bee’s back. He had been right, he was larger and heaver than she was, even though she was older. He succeeded in only knocking her off her paws, sending them rolling, but his aim had still been flawless.
“Oof! Ick, get your tail out of my mouth!” Bee spluttered, but after they composed themselves and rose back to their paws, she admitted, “Well, I’m impressed. Are you sure you learned all these things on your own?”
“Yes, I did. And they’re much more useful than everything else I’ve been taught lately.”
“I guess it is too bad that Falcon didn’t make you a Fighter after all.”
That was it. The moment someone finally recognized Tiger’s excellence in all the time he’d been living. And the cat who did was the one with a fox-heart for a mentor, someone all of the other apprentices knew to be unfriendly, but who, just like Tiger, had been hoping to make a change. Well, they both would. He was sure of it.
So, they trained longer, harder, every chance they got. They were determined to become the best at fighting they could be, or, at least, Tiger was. He didn’t really know if that was all Bee wanted, since she already had a mentor and a Colony willing to recognize her as a Fighter, so she didn’t have to work nearly as hard as he did. But he wasn’t going to let her leave now. He no longer had to practice alone, and he found himself craving the attention. Drinking in every compliment she happened to give him. He was now being treated with a hint of the validation he knew he deserved, and yet… he still wanted more.
Tiger wouldn’t really say he and Bee were friends, but… if this was what having friends was like, he wanted more, he needed more. Another apprentice would be the safest choice, but even then, were there any that would keep his and Bee’s secret?
There was Silver, who absolutely wouldn’t. She would probably freak out the moment she heard her sister was breaking the rules. And the idea of trying to reconcile with Flame and Robin was preposterous; they had already made it quite clear what they thought of Tiger simply sneaking out at night. So, that left only Fox and Berga. Sure, they were younger and less experienced than he and Bee, but he wouldn’t be doing it out of need of their skill.
With that hope in mind, Tiger sought the two out the next time they and Bee all had a bit of time to themselves. He plastered the most winning grin he could muster on his face, hoping against hope that they hadn’t noticed his reaction after their ceremony as Bee had.
“Hey there, Fox, Berga,” he greeted them, and the littermates looked away from their own conversation and to him.
“What do you want, Tiger?” Berga asked.
Berga had always been the blunt one. So unfailingly quick to get her point across, sometimes even at the expense of manners. “Nothing, I just wanted to say hello,” Tiger countered.
“Berga, don’t be rude,” Fox whispered to his sister. He then raised his voice and asked, “Uh, what’s up, Tiger?”
Remembering the time he had cleverly convinced Bee to help him train, Tiger replied, “Oh, I just feel like we haven't really talked at all since we became apprentices.” He let out a hefty, almost exaggerated sigh. “A pity. The mentors keep us so busy.”
The effect worked. Fox’s pale gaze softened, and he offered, “Well, we can definitely talk more if you want.”
“You could even come along with Bee and I as we get through our training.” Tiger was careful not to mention what kind of training in case either of them refused. “Trust me, together we can get rid of the boredom.”
“That sounds fun, right, Berga?” Fox glanced to his sister, whose fur was beginning to bristle almost defensively.
“I don't know,” she said. “Adder won't want me wasting time.”
“Oh, come on, it’s not a waste,” Tiger argued, but it was no use.
“No. I’m not interested.” Then, Berga turned and left without another word.
Tiger couldn’t say he was disappointed. He hadn’t trusted that Berga would keep any secret of his anyway. She had never been the nicer one in her family. So, he was, in fact, relieved she was gone.
“Well then. You'll still come with us, won't you, Fox?” he asked.
“I don't see why not.”
Once again, Tiger was rewarded for his efforts of swaying others onto his side. He only wished he’d started it sooner; maybe then Flame and Robin would never have started avoiding him. However, not every cat was as amenable as Bee and Fox. Some were so stubborn that no one could get anything through their thick skulls. No matter, Flame and Robin were never as nice to him as his new training partners were. Bee always knew when to compliment him. Fox could always provide a good laugh. They were never rude to him, as he never gave them reason to be. He had them right where he wanted. He was finally getting the recognition he’d always needed, and cats like Flame and Robin were never going to be the ones to give it to him.
Chapter 6
It had been a while since Tiger had first started spending his spare time with Bee and Fox, and things couldn’t have been going better. With cats to distract him, his training sessions with Owl were becoming tolerable; in fact, he found himself minding them less and less. Instead of obsessing about ways he could become a Fighter as he had before, Tiger knew that he didn’t have to have a specific title in the Colony to get what he wanted. He could be skilled in battle whether he was a Runner or not.
It wasn’t just during the times when he had no training to do that he spent with his friends—which he regularly assured them they were—but sometimes even during their lessons. Tiger knew Owl didn’t approve of it, calling them distractions, but he didn’t care. Most of the time, Owl didn’t have a say in it anyway. He couldn’t keep them apart.
Now, Tiger was on a patrol Owl had assigned him to, along with specific instructions he gladly ignored. Yet again, he was supposed to be searching the neighborhood for any changes and should’ve been ready to report back at any second, but Owl had made the mistake of sending him off just as the daily hunting party left. With the number of Hunters scouring the neighborhood at one time, a Fighter or two were always sent with them just in case something went wrong. On that day, the Fighters were Shade and her apprentice. Which meant instant refuge from Owl’s assignment.
While the Hunters focused on collecting anything in the neighborhood the humans had discarded and was good to eat, Tiger and Bee trailed behind, enjoying each other’s company. Shade often glanced behind her with a suspicious and irritated look on her face, no doubt wondering what Tiger was doing disturbing the peace, but he didn’t care. And neither did Bee.
“Learn any new battle moves lately?” Tiger asked, keeping his voice down so that Shade and the Hunters wouldn’t hear. The real reason behind his and Bee’s frequent meeting up hadn’t yet been discovered by anyone besides Fox, and Tiger was careful to keep it that way.
“Oh, yes, I learned an awesome new one I can’t wait to show you,” Bee replied, beaming. “But aren’t you actually supposed to be training right now?”
“Well, that depends on who you ask.”
Bee let out a snort of laughter. “We’re not going to have Owl chasing you down because you left the camp with me when he told you to stay, are we?”
“No, that’s never going to happen again.” When Bee gave him a skeptical look, Tiger added, “Besides, he did tell me to leave the camp. He just doesn’t know I’m with you.”
“Ah, I see. I guess we’ll have to take our chances.”
However, taking their chances didn’t always work. On one of the few mornings left before autumn could steal summer’s comfortable warmth, most of the Colony hung back in camp for one last day of comfort. They would have to work much harder in the winter. Tiger remembered vaguely how the first few months of his life were filled with ice and cold that could only be avoided by snuggling into Dawn’s soft fur.
Owl wasn’t like the rest of the Colony, though, and he had insisted the day before that Tiger meet him in the Meadow for training at sunrise, as usual. He would never take a single break from his work, even for just a day. He always had to send Tiger on an errand at least once or he would feel like he was letting his apprentice slack off.
But Tiger didn’t feel like training on such a comfortable day as this, and so, when Owl arose early in the morning to head for the Meadow, Tiger hadn’t followed. Instead, he stayed in camp along with Fox and Bee, whose mentors had both given them a free day. Even Shade had wanted to spend the day in peace, strict as she was, but not Owl.
The sun had now risen considerably in the sky, and Tiger was lying in its precious rays with Bee and Fox at his side. They were just starting to talk about the new, advanced moves they were practicing this late in their apprenticeships when Bee’s dark gaze widened at something she’d seen behind Tiger. He swiveled his head and was greeted by the sight of his mentor storming into camp, fuming like Tiger had never seen him before.
“Tiger!” Owl yowled. Tiger was reluctant to come, lest he get clawed across the face. But Bee urged him to get up before he could make things worse.
“Since dawn! Since dawn I’ve been waiting, Tiger, and you decided you just weren’t going to show up?” Owl’s pale fur was bristling with rage.
“Calm down, Owl, it was just one time,” Tiger reasoned, but Owl wasn’t swayed.
“No, it was not just one time,” he insisted. “You’ve been doing this for weeks! Training isn’t optional! You don’t get to ignore me whenever you feel like it! Well, if you keep doing this for the rest of your six months of training, then that’ll be your problem, not mine. Because I’m not going to keep this up with you forever. When those months are over, they’re over. And if you don’t pass your assessment at the end because you weren’t listening to a thing I taught you, then you’ll have to stay an apprentice for the rest of your life. Stuck in camp, cleaning all the dens and doing all the chores, because you won’t have anyone to train you any longer.”
Shocked by Owl’s sudden threat, Tiger was quick to make an excuse for himself. He was not going to let his mentor do that to him. “I was just spending time with my friends! Come on, it’s one of the last warm days in the year, everyone’s taking the day off. Why can’t I?”
Owl didn’t answer his question, he merely changed the subject. “What friends?” He glanced at the Bee and Fox, hovering nearby and watching with concern. “You mean those two? I wish you would stop wasting time with them. They aren’t even Runners. You aren’t training together, are you?” He gave Tiger a reproving glare.
“Of course not! We were just hanging out, not training!” Tiger retorted. “And you are such a hypocrite! Stop acting like I can only be friends with Runners when your mate is a Fighter. Besides, I’m the only Runner in training even though the Colony apparently needs them so badly.”
This claim only appeared to make Owl even more furious. “How dare you call me that! Get out of this camp, right now, and go to the Meadow like I told you to yesterday. I don’t want another word or else I’ll have to speak with Falcon.”
So, Tiger had no choice but to traipse out of the camp and to the Meadow, Bee and Fox’s gazes on his pelt as he left. They were probably wondering why he hadn’t just told them he was supposed to be training in the first place.
After that, Owl never treated Tiger with even an ounce of respect again. Whenever he wanted to train, he would demand it, and he would always shoot Tiger scornful glares when he caught his apprentice with the Fighters.
However, Tiger learned to brush it off. He had more important things to worry about than a grumpy mentor, and one of them gave him a cause for great delight.
His and Bee’s apprenticeships were nearly over, but there were others’ whose were just beginning. On a windy autumn afternoon, Falcon called the Colony together underneath his perch on the Great Oak’s sprawling roots, and he made two kittens into apprentices: Coal and Sparrow.
Finally, Falcon did something about the claim that there were too many Fighters, and neither of the kittens became one. Instead, Coal was to train in Hunting, Sparrow in Running. Tiger wasn’t the only one anymore.
It was because of Sparrow that Tiger was struck by a brilliant idea. Why not teach the new apprentice some battle moves? That way, he wouldn’t be the only Runner in the Colony who wasn’t completely useless.
Tiger approached Sparrow almost immediately after the ceremony, without giving him time to get ushered off by his mentor as was the norm. His brother, however, was already gone. Bee and Fox hovered by Tiger’s side, and he said, “Well. Looks like I’m not the only Runner in training anymore.”
Sparrow looked like he couldn’t believe his good fortune. “Whoa, hi, Tiger! Wh-what are you doing here?”
“Just having a little chat, Runner-to-Runner. How would you like to join us? Bee, Fox, and I?”
Sparrow let out a nervous, breathy laugh. “You actually want to be friends with me? You’re so powerful, and smart, and big…”
“Of course,” Tiger assured him. “We could always use another Runner to join in the fun.”
“Wow!” Sparrow practically bounded over to join them, his pale fur bushed up in delight. “Thank you!”
Tiger had wanted to lead Sparrow off with Bee and Fox right away, but their mentors had other plans. First, Shade and Ice came insisting that their apprentices come to train, and there was nothing Tiger could do to stop it. He couldn’t even tag along with Shade giving him a death stare and rudely ordering him to run off and find his own mentor.
“Sorry, Tiger,” Bee told him. “Maybe next time.” And she and Fox padded out of the camp, their mentors following close behind.
Then, before Tiger could make new plans, Sparrow’s mentor sought him out as well and she shooed him out of the camp. Autumn was a busy time; they would have to train hard before the winter snow hindered any attempts at running.
Frustrated, Tiger decided to simply head back to the apprentices’ den and pretend to be asleep before Owl could take him training as well. However, when he arrived, the faint sound of hushed voices drifting out of the den stopped him in his tracks.
“Robin, what are you on about?”
It was Flame. He and Robin seemed to be discussing something they hoped no one else would hear. Tiger strained to hear what exactly they were saying.
“Didn’t you see him? Tiger’s done it again. He has another cat on his side now; this time it’s just a little six-month-old.”
“What’s wrong with that?”
“I’m afraid, brother. What is he going to do to them? Keep collecting more? Then what? What’ll he make them do?”
When Flame was silent, Robin added, “I’m afraid he’ll make them do something terrible. But they just can’t. They wouldn’t mean it, would they? They aren’t bad cats… like him.”
Tiger didn’t stay to hear Flame’s reply. Instead, he backed away, his heart pounding, blood roaring in his ears. He couldn’t believe they were saying such things behind his back. Robin had called him a ‘bad cat!’ She thought he was… was… raising his own little army or something! What was he going to do? Take over the Colony? He had no interest in ruling a bunch of backstabbing fox-hearts!
Well, if Flame and Robin were going to make up wild theories about him, then he certainly wasn’t ever going to associate himself with them. Good cats didn’t insult their sibling behind his back. Not only were they the bad cats, but he was certainly not their brother. He never technically had been, anyway, but now, a whole six moons of growing up with them at their mother’s side meant nothing to him, and neither did they.
Chapter 7
Autumn drew to a close, and Tiger’s assessment grew closer than ever before. Bee’s was even closer; in fact, if it wasn’t for a certain unfortunate setback, she wouldn’t even be an apprentice anymore.
They had learned mere weeks before that Bee’s mentor, Shade, was expecting kittens. She had hidden the fact for a while, but her condition forced her to see the Healers when she appeared to have swallowed a rabbit whole. Unless she had been hoarding all of the food in the Colony, she shouldn’t have been that large.
Then, with Shade confined to the nursery, Bee had no one to train her. Shade couldn’t have chosen a worse time to be unavailable. And, honestly, Tiger couldn’t imagine who the father was. Who would ever want to be mates with such an unpleasant she-cat? The whole situation baffled him.
The day for Bee’s assessment came and went, and while she could do nothing but sit around in camp, her sister got to go out and have her mentor assess her. Honey confirmed that Silver was ready to finish her apprenticeship, and if it wasn’t for Shade, she would have graduated that day. However, loyal as she was, Silver insisted on waiting until Bee could graduate alongside her.
When Shade’s kittens were born, though, Bee had hurriedly come to inform Tiger that they were coming way too early.
“Early? What do you mean, early?” he asked. “Don’t you want Shade to have them as soon as possible and get this all over with?”
“Not if it gets her or the kittens killed,” Bee replied, and for a cat Tiger had known to be cold and distant throughout their kitten years, he was surprised by her blatant display of concern.
Bee’s fears had come to pass, however—or, somewhat, at least. All but one of Shade’s kittens didn’t live long after their birth, and Shade still struggled to recover a week afterwards. They seemed to be healthy enough to survive, though not healthy enough for Shade to assess her apprentice.
Now, Bee padded out of the nursery after another visit to Shade and her kitten. She saw Tiger waiting nearby, and she plopped down beside him with a sigh.
“Any news?” he asked her.
“She’s getting better, but slowly. At this rate, I’ll be graduating with you. Maybe even with Fox.” Bee’s tail twitched irritably, and she scowled. “I hate being cooped up in camp like this. I haven’t been out for weeks. If only I could go on a single patrol…”
“Shade was wrong to do this to you,” Tiger announced. “Such a selfish cat.”
Bee gave him a hesitant glance, but she didn’t reply for a long while. Then, she murmured, “I don’t know if she had a choice.”
“Oh, please. All she-cats can choose not to have kittens.”
This time, Bee didn’t respond at all. A tense silence stretched on between them, and Tiger didn’t know what he’d done wrong. He had only been speaking the truth.
However, before he could wonder about it further, Fox emerged from the apprentices’ den and immediately joined them both.
“So,” Fox greeted, sitting on Tiger’s other side and wrapping his white-tipped tail around his paws. “Tiger. Graduating in just a couple of weeks. And, hopefully, you too, Bee.” After a moment, he added, “What do you think it’ll be like after you do?”
“I don’t really know,” Bee replied, staring upwards as if lost in thought.
“One thing’s for certain: no more bossy mentors,” Tiger offered.
“Yes,” Bee agreed. “Finally. No more lessons, no more staying in camp, no more rules.” Her tail twitched again, and Tiger knew she must be restless. “I can’t stand it any longer!”
Tiger’s mind drifted off to the topic of what life outside of apprenticeship might be like, and though he would be immensely relieved to be rid of Owl, he couldn’t help but wonder what else he would be forced to do as a Runner. Would he have to tag along with patrols in case a messenger was needed for the rest of his life? Would he only be ever useful for a few minutes at a time, if ever? Would he have to settle for teaching a younger cat all of the restrictions and boredom of this role?
If so, secretly knowing battle moves would not be enough. Having to conform to the rules of a Runner for countless more months, with no hope at ever being able to use his battle training, constantly in fear of being punished, was not the life he wanted to live.
Tiger’s thoughts were interrupted when Sparrow sprinted into camp. Seeing Tiger, Bee, and Fox, he dashed over to them and stumbled to an abrupt stop, panting heavily. He was quite fast; Tiger could see why Falcon would want to make him a Runner. However, Tiger was quick as well, so being ‘fast’ didn’t mean a thing. Even a Fighter could be ‘fast.’
“What is it, Sparrow?” Fox asked, leaping to his paws.
“There’s a cat… Mint… she has a message… is coming…” Sparrow informed them between gasps for air, and he eventually collapsed onto the ground from the effort. He had only just started training, after all. He didn’t seem fully adapted to running so much, so quickly.
What Tiger noticed the most, though, was that Sparrow had just come to send a message about a cat coming to send a message. What was the Colony coming to that messages were now so rare?
Suddenly, the cat Sparrow had spoken of, Mint, burst into the camp with her message. Mint, however, went straight to Falcon with her news. Having trained for many months, she was able to compose herself much quicker. “The dog from the fifth den, the green den, it escaped! It’s running rampant in the neighborhood, chasing everything moving it sees. It could be a great danger to patrols.”
Swift considered this message with a grave expression on his face. “What would you have us do?” he asked Falcon.
“Nothing,” Falcon replied. “Its humans will take care of it. It’ll never be able to find us here. In the meantime, though, make sure no cat goes anywhere near it.”
Swift nodded and hurried off to spread the word, presumably to patrols which were still in the neighborhood. Everyone else in camp had noticed the fuss caused by the Runners and heard the news.
What Tiger didn’t understand, however, is why Falcon was just deciding to do nothing. “So, no one’s going to fight it off?” Tiger asked, stunned by the absurdity of the fact. “Imagine the destruction it could cause!”
“Maybe it’s too dangerous,” Fox offered from beside him.
However, Tiger insisted, “Nothing is too dangerous if there are enough cats to defeat it.”
“Falcon doesn't seem to think that,” Bee put in.
“Maybe he just doesn't care. Honestly, how big of a deal can it be?”
Sparrow had recovered from his sprint through the forest and was now eager to be part of the debate. “It seemed like a pretty big deal by how urgent that message was.”
“But why are we ignoring something that could be ruining our territory? Of course, we all want it gone, so why not get it over with? They would certainly be grateful if we did.”
“Are you suggesting what I think you are?” Fox sounded as if he couldn’t believe his ears.
“And why not? We could deal with it easily enough, the four of us,” Tiger reasoned.
“But...” Sparrow breathed, suddenly looking paler than he already was. “But, I'm just a Runner...”
“Remember all the moves we taught you?” Sure, Sparrow hadn’t even been an apprentice for a month yet, but Tiger had been quick to teach another Runner not to let rules suppress them. “That's just a taste of all the things you could know. As a Runner, all you're taught to do is deliver messages. But imagine the honor you'd get if you fought off a dog?”
“Are you sure about this, Tiger?” Bee asked.
“Absolutely. Don't you want to get out of the camp? Do something exciting for a change?”
“Yeah, I do, but...”
Tiger didn’t want any of his friends to have the slightest hesitation. So, he persisted, “I promise you, we can fight this thing off together. And if you helped, you wouldn't even have to wait for Shade to assess you. Falcon would have to let you graduate.”
A long moment passed as Bee considered this possibility. It was too enticing for her to resist. “Okay. Let’s do it.”
“Yes!” Tiger exclaimed, leaping to his paws. “You will not regret this! Sparrow, do you know where the dog is?”
“Uh, well, I didn't see it, but Mint came from the north side of the neighborhood with her message.” Sparrow wasn’t as enthusiastic as Tiger, but Tiger knew he wouldn’t back down with all his friends asking him to go. He looked up to them like they were gods, and Tiger couldn’t love the attention more. They were finally going to get recognition, all of them, but Tiger was most eager to get it himself. After this, he might finally get to leave the life of a Runner behind and be what he was always meant to be.
“Then what are we waiting for? Let's go kick its tail.”
Chapter 8
Tiger, Bee, Fox, and Sparrow left the camp at once. Tiger instructed Sparrow to lead the way, who did so gladly with a spring in his step. He must finally feel important to be leading a group of apprentices almost twice as old as he was. Soon, they would all feel important.
No one interrupted them on their way to the neighborhood; not a single patrol crossed their path. The only sounds were the rustles and chirrups of the prey making their last preparations for the winter, along with the crunch of fallen leaves beneath the apprentices’ paws. The forest didn’t betray a single sign that something was amiss.
When they broke through the last line of trees, the acrid scent of humans and the mess they caused reached Tiger’s nose. He didn’t see a single dog in sight, only rows upon rows of dens. Sparrow glanced back at the others, and when Tiger nodded in approval, he continued to lead the way.
The neighborhood would seem difficult to navigate to outsiders, but after months of patrolling through and around it, the Colony cats knew it inside and out. Sparrow hadn’t yet memorized it all, but he at least remembered from which direction Mint had come running, and they soon reached the northernmost portion where they knew the dog prowled.
Sure enough, when they crept onto one of the last streets in the neighborhood, the dog was impossible not to notice. Mint was right about it chasing everything it saw; it was currently at the foot of one of the few trees the humans had left standing, baying at a dove in its branches. The ear-splitting noise could be heard all across the street.
But, most noticeable of all was the dog’s enormous size. It had to be at least twice as large as a fully-grown cat, possibly larger. Its lean form seemed almost entirely built of powerful muscles, and it would be quite the challenge for a cat to fight off. But what about four cats?
“Split up, make sure it doesn’t see us coming,” Tiger whispered, rising from where he had crouched in the strip of shadow in-between two dens. They would have to catch the dog by surprise.
“No, wait!” Sparrow hissed from behind, and Tiger whirled around to see that the young tom was shaking like a leaf.
“I-I don’t think I can do this,” he whimpered, his eyes wide. “It’s too big— too scary—”
He began to retreat into the alleyway, and Tiger had to suppress a snarl of rage. “No! You can’t back out now!”
“I’m sorry. I just wasn’t meant to be a Fighter!” Then, Sparrow turned tail and raced out of sight.
Coward! Tiger thought, fuming. “We don’t need him,” he growled. “We can finish this on our own.” To his great relief, neither Bee nor Fox refused and instead followed him out into the street. With the dog still distracted by the dove safely perched out of its reach, the apprentices split up and circled around it, covering each side and leaving their opponent with no escape. Then, Tiger gave a flick of his tail, and the three leapt into action.
Bee reached the dog first. Before it could react to her presence, she raised a yellow paw and slashed its flank.
It had no choice but to give up its pursuit of the dove now. Dropping down to all fours, it let out a vicious snarl. Its dark eyes were fixed on Bee, but before it could make a move, Fox darted in from behind and bit down hard on its thin tail.
The dog yelped with pain, twisting around as it tried to reach Fox, and Tiger saw his chance. While the dog was distracted, he ducked underneath its long legs and sliced his claws down its belly, giving Fox time to escape. However, it was only just enough to penetrate the dog’s thick skin, and it still had plenty of will to fight back.
The dog was clearly becoming confused with all the activity going on around it. As soon as Tiger stepped away, Bee darted back in and scratched its shoulder, and was gone as quickly as she’d come. She was a yellow blur whenever she fought, never staying close to her enemy long enough to for them to retaliate, which was why it came as such a surprise to Tiger when the dog figured out her technique as well and anticipated what she would do next.
When Bee dashed back in to deliver another blow, the dog was ready. It lunged just as she arrived, trapping her neck within its jaws in an inescapable bite. It lifted her off her paws, and she was a yellow blur once more. But not because she was letting her talent show. She was a blur because the dog was shaking her back and forth, back and forth, with the speed and ferocity of the strongest storm. Then, a swift and sharp snap pierced the air, and the dog let go, sending Bee flying. She skidded to a halt at the edge of the street, where the water from the recent autumn rains had gathered. Her eyes were open, glazed and fixed straight ahead, but she didn’t stir even the slightest inch.
It looked like Bee wasn’t the best Fighter in the Colony after all. Or, if she was, then even the best Fighter wasn’t strong enough to defeat the dog. But Tiger wasn’t a Fighter. He wasn’t defined by any of the titles a cat could possibly receive. He was stronger than all of them.
However, before Tiger could leap back into the fray, Fox’s eyes widened upon spotting Bee’s limp form from nearby. The sight seemed to traumatize him. But they couldn’t just ignore the dog, fierce as ever. They had to stop it and get the honor they deserved once and for all.
Another snarl from the dog brought Fox back to his senses, and he scrambled back to his opponent. But he was now so cautious to stay out of the dog’s reach that he never managed to get in a single blow. The dog lunged for his neck, and he leapt out of the way in a flash. But Fox expected the dog to go for his neck again, not for his leg. So, when it did, he wasn’t ready, and it bit down so hard that Tiger could hear Fox’s shriek of pain and the break of his bones from the other side of the street. The dog flung Fox away as well, and when he rolled back into the alley, he didn’t get up again.
Bee was gone. Fox was too wounded to continue. Tiger was the only one left. But the dog had multiple slashes across its pelt and would surely only take a few more before hightailing it back to its den. Tiger knew he would succeed.
Without another thought, he dashed to the dove’s tree and performed the very first battle move he’d learned. He launched himself off the trunk and onto the dog’s back, clinging to its pelt with all his strength. He then battered the dog with his hind legs, his claws tearing up its skin.
However, the dog didn’t let him do this for long. Tiger did manage to cause considerable damage before the dog hurled him off its back, leaving him winded and aching on the ground.
Tiger half expected the dog to continue to tear up its victims as they lay helpless on the street, maybe even make them into a snack, but it didn’t. Instead, it turned and strolled off, following a trail he couldn’t see. No, it was following a trail it could smell. The trail the four apprentices had left on their way into the neighborhood.
The dog wasn’t hungry, or even angry. It was bored. And it was off to find more cats it could beat with ease. It was going to follow the scent trail right back to the Colony.
Tiger couldn’t understand how many wounds it would take before it gave up. But being thrown against the ground wouldn’t beat Tiger. He would never give up either. So, he rose off the rough, black stone, left Fox and Bee behind, and used the many training sessions honing his speed and endurance to sprint after the dog.
Tiger’s suspicions were correct. The dog followed his scent trail back through the rows of dens, out of the neighborhood, and into the thick wall of undergrowth and trees. But Tiger couldn’t let it find its way to the camp; it would ruin everything. Honor would be the last thing he would get from the situation. No, he had to lead it away, and then he could finish it off. And if there was one thing dogs couldn’t resist, it was chasing their prey.
“Hey, you!” he called. “Dirt sniffer!”
The dog couldn’t understand what he was meowing, but it certainly heard him. It spun around with a growl.
“Yeah, that’s right! I’m still alive! Now come and get me!”
And with that, Tiger turned and bounded deep into the forest. He could hear the dog’s paws pounding close behind, and he knew just where to lead it. Near the edge of what the Colony claimed as their territory, the forest floor dropped abruptly and formed a steep cliff, looking over the rest of the forest beyond. No one went beyond the cliff, as trying to get down would be much too dangerous. To slip and fall would be to fall to their death. And if Tiger couldn’t make the dog give up and leave the forest, he could simply push it off.
A time like this was the only time where Tiger was grateful for being a Runner. A cat of any other role simply wouldn’t have the training and ability to run so fast for so long. But it payed off, and the trees began to thin around him until they stopped just a few fox-lengths from the edge.
However, the cliff wasn’t abandoned, as Tiger had thought it would be. He had forgotten one important detail: Dawn was the one who had taken him there in the first place. She knew it was dangerous, and she had been extremely cautious when letting him and her kittens go near it, but she thought it had a beautiful view as well. So beautiful that it made her want to come again many times. As she had come again now with her son.
Tiger managed to skid to a halt before sliding off the edge, and Dawn and Flame leapt to their paws nearby, puzzled by his sudden appearance. But they were closer to the forest now, and the dog reached them first. They had barely any time to react. In a flash, the dog was upon them and though they darted away just in time, Dawn had escaped in the wrong direction. She now dangled off the edge of the cliff, the dog drooling with delight as it prepared to finish her off.
But then a cat’s claws tore into the dog’s hindquarters, and it whirled around to meet its ginger attacker. Having absolutely no battle training himself, Flame took to dashing over to the nearest tree and scrambling up its trunk. Just like it had earlier followed the dove, the dog chased after Flame but could follow no longer when its prey was out of its reach. And, just like earlier, Tiger saw his chance to finish it off for good.
However, Flame had something else in mind. “Help her!” he shrieked, staring down at Tiger with the utmost of desperation. He was stuck in the tree; if he tried to get down and help, the dog would capture him. “Help Mother!”
Tiger was faced by quite the dilemma. Either help Dawn up from the edge of the cliff or attack the dog. Helping Dawn would waste an enormous amount of time, and when he finished, the dog could’ve gotten bored and left again, maybe even to find its way back to the camp. However, the longer Dawn held on, the more energy she lost, and soon she would not be strong enough to continue. He would have to pick one or the other, not both.
If he saved Dawn, he would still be blamed for the entire situation. He would have led the dog into the forest for no reason. He would probably get in terrible trouble, and maybe Owl would even force him to stay an apprentice for the rest of his life.
However, if Tiger fought off the dog, he would surely receive immense glory and honor. He would’ve gotten rid of the Colony’s biggest problem for months, maybe even years. And, if he was lucky, Falcon would even let him become a Fighter. He wouldn’t be suppressed by the boring, strict rules of being a Runner any longer.
The choice was obvious. Get in trouble or get the reward. Make everything better or worse.
Besides, Dawn wasn’t his mother, anyway.
Tiger didn’t hesitate for a moment longer. Instead, he sprang toward the dog, fastening his teeth on a hind leg it stood on to reach Flame and biting down hard.
The dog fell back from the tree and whirled around to face Tiger. It lunged for his neck just as it had with Bee and Fox, but he was ready. He ducked, and the dog’s teeth snapped on thin air. And, while its head was still lowered and in his path, Tiger slashed across the dog’s face.
It reared back with a howl of pain, and Tiger knew he’d hit a soft spot. It struck out blindly with a heavy paw, but Tiger darted out of the way and leapt over its back. Now, he faced the side where the dog had first been wounded by Bee, and he drew his claws through the gash and deepened it.
The dog had had enough. It stumbled away from Tiger, blood drenching its tawny fur and nearly blinding it. Tiger merely had to arch his back and give it a furious hiss for it to turn and hobble the other way. But this time, it didn’t go near the camp. It left Colony territory, and no cat saw it again.
Panting from the exertion and feeling awfully pleased with himself, Tiger turned and saw that Flame had climbed down from the tree. Tiger expected praise from his valiant, skilled defeat of the dog, but Flame wasn’t looking at him. He was staring past Tiger’s shoulder, his eyes wide with horror.
When Tiger spun around, he saw that Dawn was no longer clinging to the edge of the cliff. She must’ve lost strength and let go during the fight. But she wasn’t his mother, and her kittens had caused him great indignation and bitterness over the past few moons, so he didn’t feel the smallest twinge of remorse.
Flame slowly padded past Tiger and peered over the rocky edge, and Tiger knew what he would see. He had no desire to see it himself. He’d witnessed enough gore for one day.
Flame’s breath quickened into ragged, strained gasps, and when he turned to face Tiger again, he looked almost mad with grief and fury. “You let her die!” he screeched, bristling and stalking toward Tiger as though to attack him. Like he would ever lose a fight to Flame in a second. “You murderer! I should’ve known this would happen! Robin warned me! She warned me, and I stuck up for you!”
Then, Flame sprang, but Tiger easily stepped out of the way. However, before things could get worse, a patrol burst through the undergrowth, having heard the ruckus Flame’s accusations had caused.
Flame’s mentor, Stone, happened to be among the small group. He hurried over to grab Flame by the scruff and keep him from continuing to try and attack Tiger. “Whoa, Flame, what’s going on here?”
Flame writhed in Stone's grasp. “My mother's gone!” he yowled. “She's dead! And it's all his fault!” He struggled so violently that his energy soon burnt up and left him. He collapsed and resigned himself to letting out a series of strangled sobs.
Stone gently set Flame back on the ground now that his apprentice was no longer fighting. His blue eyes were wide with horror and disbelief.
“What should we do?” another cat in the patrol asked from nearby.
“We'll take him to Falcon,” Stone replied. “He'll decide what to make of this.”
It was then that Tiger realized he had made a terrible mistake. Falcon was Dawn's mate, and any mention of him finishing off a dog all by himself would be ignored in the face of her loss.
Chapter 9
Tiger knew he had no choice but to let the patrol lead him back to camp and hope for the best. He could possibly have managed to escape, but then he would never get to explain himself. No, instead, he would play along as the others pressed close to his sides to keep him from escaping, and he wouldn't even raise a claw. Falcon would have to listen to what Tiger had to say, and he could possibly avoid punishment.
When they arrived at camp, everything was peaceful and quiet. The cats carried on a few casual conversations here and there, and no one suspected a thing had happened. But the sight of an entire patrol clustered around one cat brought Falcon over from where he had been lounging near his den, his expression confused and suspicious. “What's this?” he demanded.
Flame spoke up first, although it seemed extremely difficult for him to find the right words. “Father…” he breathed. “Mother, she… she fell off the cliff.”
“What?” Falcon sounded as if he'd never heard anything more outrageous in his life.
Flame was quick to assign blame for the situation. “It was because he led a dog into the territory, and it chased her off!” If looks could bring harm, the glare Flame gave Tiger would've been enough to pierce right through him.
Falcon whirled around to face Tiger, giving him an equally furious and hateful stare. “Is this true? Did you cause the death of Dawn?”
“I… well…” Tiger didn't quite know how to say it without causing Falcon to snap and immediately deal out the worst punishment he could think of.
However, Tiger didn't have to try to come up with a response for long; suddenly, another patrol burst into camp, Sparrow at their head. He had told on Tiger and led the patrol back to where the dog had been. However, they were too late. Tiger had already finished it off, and all they found was Fox and Bee's body. One of the cats helped a limping, barely conscious Fox into camp, and two more carried in Bee's limp form, which Tiger now noticed was twisted into an unnatural position.
Silver let out a ear-splitting wail upon seeing her sister's mangled body, dashing over to the patrol to see what had happened, and anyone who hadn't noticed the situation was paying attention now.
Falcon's snarl brought Tiger back to the conversation at hand. He looked utterly livid. “Are you at fault for this as well?”
“I was trying to help the Colony,” Tiger insisted.
Sparrow padded over from where the patrols were still gathered and decided to impose himself upon the debate. “That's what he told us. Bee, Fox, and I. He took us to fight off the dog. He said we could do it.” He hung his head in shame. “He was wrong.”
“And in doing so you led it right to us,” Falcon hissed.
“But I defeated it!” Tiger blurted. “It's gone forever!”
“Not without causing a massive amount of destruction in the process!” Falcon yowled over any other possible excuses. “You should never have tried to fight it in the first place! You are a Runner, not a Fighter! Clearly, no role in the Colony suits you well!”
No role suited Tiger well? How could that be true? He was always meant to be a Fighter. “What do you mean?”
“You're a danger to everyone around you! Your pride has harmed multiple cats and if I let you stay, it will continue to do so! There is only one solution to this problem: exile!”
Of all the possible punishments for what he had done, Tiger had never imagined he could be exiled. Everything he had ever done was to prove his greatness to the Colony, but now it was going as wrong as it possibly could.
“NO!” Tiger screeched in protest.
However, no amount of protest would sway Falcon now. His mind was firmly made. “Leave our territory now, murderer, or pay the price!”
“You can't make me!”
But, the Colony could make him leave. In a flash, Flame darted toward Tiger and slashed the side of his face. The ginger tom might not have been a Fighter, but he was so enraged by the loss of his mother that he seemed fully ready to rip Tiger apart where he stood. “Get out!” he shrieked. “Get out and never come back!”
Tiger's face felt almost on fire with agony from the wound. Blood welled from the deep gash, blinding his right eye he had been extremely lucky not to have lost. He stumbled away from Flame, and with the remainder of his vision, he scanned the camp for anyone who might possibly dare to help him.
Fox was too incapacitated to even realize what was going on. The pain from his nearly crushed leg was so great that he probably couldn't manage a single organized thought. The Healers tended to his wound nearby, but Robin seemed too captivated by the scene going on in the camp's center to focus. A permanent expression of shock seemed stuck to her face, as if, out of everything she'd warned Flame of, she'd never believed things would be this drastic. Neither Robin nor Fox would want to help Tiger even if they could.
Tiger was alone. No one believed in him, no one wanted him to stay. No matter how hard he'd tried to prove himself to them, they were just too foolish to realize his worth.
But why should he try? If it would never work, he shouldn't have to waste his time and energy on Colony cats. He would be better off leaving. It would save him a great many more wounds to just head out.
So, without another thought, Tiger did. He turned away from the equally furious Flame and Falcon and strolled to the camp's entrance, every watching Colony cat threatening him on with growls, glares, and unsheathed claws. Then, he stepped out of the bramble walls, and he knew there was no turning back. He did not belong to the Colony anymore, and they would no longer be able to tell him what to do.
. . . At first, Tiger didn't know where to go. He'd never had to spend a single night outside the safety of the camp's walls, but now they were no longer safe. He had to get out of Colony territory as quickly as possible.
When he did, heading in the same direction the dog had gone, past the cliff and into the unexplored expanse of forest, the sun was already beginning to set. He didn't stray far from the Colony, though, figuring it would be best to plan first.
Tiger then climbed up a nearby tree in which to shelter for the night. It certainly wasn't as comfortable as a moss nest on the ground, but it was safe. The long cut on his face had stopped bleeding, and he began to lick it clean with his paw, but he knew it would scar. However, the dull sting the wound still had, along with the discomfort caused by the tree, kept Tiger awake for most of the night.
His thoughts began to wander to what he would do now that he was no longer a member of the Colony. Staying alive would be considerably harder. Not only would he have to consciously avoid the cats who were after his blood, he didn't even know how to hunt. He had been trained in the skills of a Runner and a Fighter, not as a Hunter.
If Tiger was going to have a chance at staying alive, he would have to learn how to hunt, find a place to live other than a tree, and, well… figure out a purpose to all of this. For all of his life, he'd been sorely focused on becoming a Fighter, but that didn't matter anymore. So what did?
Tiger had no idea where to start. Chapter 10
Tiger ended up barely sleeping at all that night. When he did manage to drift off now and then, he only got a few minutes of rest before a rustle in the branches or a creaking in the trees woke him up again with a start. By the time the pale light of dawn crept up the sky and shone in patches through spaces in the leaves surrounding Tiger, he gave up trying. Besides, it would be wise to get going before the Colony's first patrol came his way. The problem was, he still didn't know where to go.
If I’m not a Fighter, who am I? The question had plagued Tiger’s thoughts all night, and he still couldn’t come up with an answer. He had no family in the Colony, nor did he even know who his real parents were. The cats he’d grown up alongside had betrayed him, had insulted him behind his back, would be glad to see him go, no doubt. And his friends… well, they were never real friends, anyway. Tiger had only taken them on for the attention, for the extra battle moves, and he imagined they’d stuck around for similar reasons. They were not likely to miss him now that he had gone, and he wouldn’t miss them, either.
Tiger had no one to value him, no one to listen to him, no one to believe in him. He had no one to go to and therefore nowhere to go.
Yet, to be honest, he’d never really had anyone like that in the first place.
Actually, wait… could he have? He had no idea who his father was, only that the tom had never been part of the Colony, but he did remember being told about his mother. The she-cat who’d apparently died shortly after his birth. Swallowtail.
Maybe, if Tiger found out more about his parents, more about where he’d come from, he’d be able to figure out who he was, his purpose. And now he had an idea where to start.
Tiger was going to find his father. Sure, it was a long shot, but at least it was something.
So, Tiger clambered down out of the tree without a second thought. The thin layer of frost on the grass stung his paws as he padded on, and the wind chilled his skin through his thick fur. The first snow was probably only days away, which wouldn't be easy to endure without the bramble walls of a safe camp and a den, nor would any of the winter be. If other animals could do it, though, so could Tiger.
In the forest, it was easy for Tiger to keep hidden and stay out of the Colony’s way. As he headed back the way he’d come, past the cliff and toward the neighborhood, he was sure to take a detour and skirt through the undergrowth a safe distance away from the border. He didn’t run into any patrols on the way, and he felt rather pleased with his stealth, at least until he reached the edge of the forest. He only had to take one step out from underneath the trees to know he was exposed. It would be much harder to hide here, but Tiger wouldn’t give up. He didn’t want to have come all this way for nothing. And if a Colony patrol spotted him, well… they’d made the mistake of training him how to be a Runner, so they wouldn’t be able to catch him.
So, Tiger darted away from the trees behind him, and the frosty grass underneath his paws turned to cold stone. There was one advantage to being out in the open, Tiger realized as he hurried up the road, that the morning sunlight warmed his pelt and helped fight the cold of the wind. He’d taken such a long time to get to the neighborhood that it had already risen above the horizon and now peeked over the pointed tops of the human dens. Of course, Tiger couldn’t feel its warmth when he hid from sight in the dens’ shadows, which was often, but still. It also meant that the dawn patrol had probably finished already.
Tiger wasn’t going to just aimlessly wander the neighborhood all day, though. He needed to find his father. Which meant that he would have to do a lot of asking around if his father even was a pet in this neighborhood and not a simple wanderer who lived alone. Still, the tom had to be living somewhere in the area, right?
Fortunately, after many months of boring patrols and neighborhood scoutings and spying on all the pets that were potential threats, Tiger had a general idea of which dens cats lived in and which they didn’t.
The first den Tiger stopped at was enclosed by a low fence that Tiger could easily have squeezed through if he’d wanted. Instead, he simply waited by the fence and yowled a few times to try to get its habitants’ attention, but not too loud. He didn’t want the Colony to hear too. However, he didn’t get a single response, so Tiger moved on to the next den he knew a cat lived in.
The cat in this den was a known troublemaker. At least, as troublemaking as a dull and lazy pet could be, that is. The kind who liked to sit at his window and hiss at anything he saw moving and even attack them if he could escape the den. Of course, Tiger knew he couldn’t be his father, but could he possibly be a help?
Apparently not. The ginger and white tom was at his window, as usual, and as soon as Tiger got anywhere near him he acted as if an army of dogs had trespassed on his lawn. That ruled out another house.
Tiger continued searching like this for a while, going up to the houses he recognized and calling for someone to come and listen to him, but he never managed to get any luck. Often, no one even responded, but sometimes a cat at least came out to see what was up. However, as soon as Tiger asked them if they'd known a she-cat named Swallowtail, they claimed they had no idea who he was talking about and went back to their important business of napping and lounging in the warmth of their dens.
Maybe days before winter hadn't been the best time to do this. No one liked to go out in the cold, especially pampered pets. Still, it was now or never, so Tiger persisted.
It was sunset when Tiger finally came to a den with promise. He’d only ever seen glimpses of the cat who lived inside, because if they did happen to be at a window when a Colony patrol came around, they would hurry off and disappear from sight before Tiger could get a good look. He'd certainly never spotted them outside their den. Still, he couldn't leave one place unchecked, so he stopped at the row of herbs planted underneath the window and again began to yowl.
It didn't take long for a confused head to pop into the window and gaze down at Tiger. The head had the expression of someone who'd just been awoken from a nap.
“I need to ask you something!” Tiger shouted, looking up and hoping the cat would hear him through the window. Apparently, they did, because after a moment of what looked like hesitation, they disappeared and emerged through a flap in the den door soon after.
Tiger thought if someone were to take away his stripes and make him older, this tom was exactly what he would look like.
He had to be Tiger's father, or hedgehogs would fly.
The tom scrutinized Tiger with narrowed golden eyes just like his for a long moment, then finally asked, “What is it?”
This was it. The moment Tiger would know if he'd finally succeeded in his search. “I want to know if you knew a she-cat named Swallowtail.”
The tom's expression immediately shifted to one of someone who must've seen a ghost. “How… how do you know about her?” he breathed.
“She's my mother. Or, she was.”
It was then that recognition dawned on the tom's face. “You're Tiger,” he murmured.
“Yes,” Tiger replied, satisfaction bubbling inside his chest. He'd done it. He'd found him. “And you're my father.”
The tom was silent for a while again. The shock that had been on his face trickled off, and he lowered his gaze. “The name's Harvey,” he stated. As if he didn't want Tiger to call him 'Father.’
“I have some more questions for you,” Tiger told him before he could decide to leave like the other cats. “I've been looking for you for a while.”
Harvey glanced at the den behind him with visible hesitation before looking back to Tiger. Then, he said, “Come with me.”
The tom led the way away from the door, around the row of herbs, and Tiger followed. Harvey slipped into the space between his den and one beside it, and the setting sun cast the area in shadow. He settled down on the still frosty grass, and when Tiger sat beside him, he grunted, “Make it quick. Don't want to be out here all night.”
So. To the point. Got it. “All I know about Swallowtail is that she died right after I was born,” Tiger began, and he didn't notice Harvey flinch beside him. “What I want to know is how… you two… me… I mean, how did you even meet? You're a pet. She wasn't. I'm confused. Walk me through it?”
Harvey sighed. “We were never supposed to meet. I was a young fool, too curious for my own good, and I wandered into the forest instead of staying where I should've. And your mother…” He let out a weak chuckle. “Well, she was amazing. She was kind… spirited… incredibly stubborn. She was on her way to the moon. Her Colony-mates thought she could even become leader one day.” Harvey's voice quavered. “But then she found me. And, well… I couldn't help falling for her. I just never understood how she could think so highly of me.”
Harvey shook his head as if he was trying to straighten his thoughts, and honestly, Tiger hoped he would. It was about time he got to the point.
“Anyway, after you were born, and she… she…” Harvey cleared his throat. “Falcon wasn’t happy. He wanted me to take you and go. He's not fond of pets like me.”
“So why didn't you take me?” Tiger blurted. Sure, he didn't want to be a pet, but at least he'd never have been part of that wretched Colony.
“Swallowtail’s last request was that you stay,” Harvey replied. “I couldn't say no. So, Falcon and I made a deal. He kept you, and I never set foot in the forest again.”
Tiger considered this. His mother had wanted him to stay with the cats who eventually betrayed and rejected him. She obviously couldn't have known that would happen. Although, Harvey had said she could've been leader, which meant… They saw the greatness in her, but not in me. They didn't even consider that I would be like her, they just… hated me. Sure, maybe it was because his father was a pet, but that didn't seem right. They would've constantly brought up his parentage to belittle him. No, it could simply be because they were narrow-minded fox-hearts.
Swallowtail was wrong about them, Tiger thought bitterly. She should never have asked me to stay.
Still, Tiger saw no point in blaming his parents. What they'd done was in the past. The future was Tiger's to choose.
“Is that all you wanted to know?” Harvey asked, breaking into Tiger's thoughts. Tiger assumed that the sun must've finished setting, because the dim light of twilight was all that made his father beside him visible.
“Yeah, I guess,” Tiger agreed. For now.
“In that case, you should get going,” Harvey stated. “Your Colony will be missing you.”
Of course, Tiger had told Harvey nothing about his exile, and he didn't think he would even if his father asked. Harvey would probably be disappointed. Swallowtail had never intended for Tiger to get banished from her home.
“Oh, them?” Tiger chuckled in a way he hoped sounded dismissive, not nervous. “It's fine, they won't notice me gone for a night.” Truthfully, he didn't have anywhere else to go.
Harvey appeared to consider this for a long moment and then give in. “Suit yourself,” he grunted, rising to his paws. “I'm going inside. Don't bother my housefolk with more of that yowling of yours. Or me, for that matter.”
Then, Harvey turned and padded out of the space between the dens, giving Tiger no time to reply before he disappeared.
Well, that's that, Tiger thought. It was true that twilight would soon give way to night, and this place beside his father's home wasn't as safe as in a tree, but at least it would protect from the cold wind. As Tiger curled up in the grass and the dim light continued to fade away around, thoughts crept into his mind and he mulled over what Harvey had said.
Tiger didn't know what to make of his father. He'd seemed distant, reluctant, not the type of cat Tiger wanted to spend a lot of time around. Still, at least he wasn't as bad as Falcon.
Falcon. The name was enough to make Tiger's blood boil. The Colony leader had been ruining his life since the day he’d been born. The extent of Tiger's loathing for him didn't waver for a second. Even if Tiger wasn't sure what he wanted anymore, he didn't doubt that he hoped Falcon would pay for everything he'd done.
In fact, Tiger hoped every Colony cat would pay. The ones who'd underestimated him, the ones who'd rejected him, the ones who'd betrayed him. All of them.
And yet, what was the point of hoping? Wishes never got a cat anywhere. If Tiger wanted it, he could go ahead and make them pay. If he wanted it, what chance would they have at stopping him? He was a Runner and a Fighter, and he always had some way to get what he wanted.
So, Tiger was sure to wake as soon as the sun came back and find his father again. He heeded Harvey's words and didn't yowl this time; instead, he sat on the ledge beneath the window and battered the glass until his father came out. Tiger then asked him a few more questions, and in return let him ask some of his own. Without once mentioning the exile, of course.
“So, what rank are you?” was one of Harvey's questions as they sat between the dens again.
“Fighter,” Tiger immediately replied.
Harvey dipped his head. “Swallowtail would've been proud.” For a fleeting second, Tiger saw him glance at the long, clean slash running down the side of his son's face, but the tom said nothing. Tiger hoped he thought the wound was the result of a courageously fought battle. “She was a Hunter, though,” Harvey added.
Seeing his chance to possibly learn a valuable lesson, Tiger asked casually, “How do you hunt?”
“It's simple, really,” Harvey replied. “You're a Fighter, you say? Well, it's just like ambushing an enemy.”
Tiger didn't know why he never thought of it that way. And he decided to leave it at that and it figure it out later, as asking more would be suspicious. He wasn't a Hunter, after all.
However, Tiger didn't have to question Harvey for long to find out that his father didn't know much more about the Colony than he did. Just things Tiger didn't have time to learn when devoting so much of his focus to battle moves. Besides, Harvey seemed to only get more suspicious the longer Tiger stayed, and he kept bringing up the idea that the Colony would be wondering where he'd gone.
Tiger couldn't tell if Harvey was just trying to get rid of him or if he was genuinely concerned. Still, he knew it would be better to oblige and keep his father oblivious and thinking that Tiger was a noble and loyal Colony cat, so he agreed to leave before noon was even near.
“Goodbye, Harvey,” Tiger called to his father, who’d watched Tiger pad onto the road and turn around from where he sat in front of the den door.
“Bye, kid.” Harvey had another one of his hesitant silences as he glanced at his paws. “And, uh…” he mumbled, “if you ever need me, I never leave this place.”
Tiger's simple reply was, “Sure,” and he turned and padded away without looking back. Now that he knew what he wanted, he wouldn't need that tom anymore.
Sure, he didn't know exactly how, but there wasn't a single bit of hesitation in Tiger's mind that he was going to get what he wanted. When Falcon told him he couldn't be a Fighter, he hadn't let that stop him. When Owl tried to suppress him with rules, he hadn't let that stop him. When Flame and Robin turned their backs on him, he hadn't let that stop him. It showed how truly powerless they were against Tiger. They could exile him from their little group, they could treat him like he didn't belong, but he didn't care. Nothing they tried to do to him would matter. And for the first time in his life, Tiger wasn't going to try to gain anyone's favor, to prove any of his worth. For once, this wasn't about him.
This was about the Colony.
And Tiger was going to destroy every single one of them.
Epilogue
Revenge was not a thing one could get right away.
True revenge could only be obtained by those who had endless patience, those who were willing to sit back and wait, to watch from the shadows until the perfect moment arose. Those who went to painstaking lengths to plan out every move so that nothing could possibly go wrong.
It was those who were patient who got to enjoy the cold satisfaction of a result hard worked for.
Tiger was just that sort of cat.
Though many months had passed since he'd first vowed never to rest until he made those who'd wronged him pay, Tiger never let frustration catch up with him. Winter had been a struggle, but he'd managed. Figuring out how to hunt hadn't been as hard as he thought it would be, and staying out of Colony territory meant he had no other cats to compete with for prey. He chose the life of a wanderer, always on the move, never staying in the same place twice. He made sure never to drift too far from the border, even creeping near it sometimes to pick up snippets of news from passing patrols, just to know when the best time would be to act. The news wasn’t much, just a new litter of kittens born here, a cat becoming an apprentice there. None of it seemed particularly out of the ordinary.
At least, not until the news that came on a day nearly a year after Tiger had been exiled.
Tiger had chosen to sleep in a bramble bush on the ground the night before, as it was autumn again and the thinning leaves of trees would offer little cover. This day seemed like a good day to check for Colony news, so Tiger hurried to catch himself a quick breakfast before heading off for the border. This area of the forest was west of Colony territory, the area where no one but him explored; north of the Colony was the Meadow and the Forbidden Area, east the neighborhood, and south the humans’ large road. The west of the forest was Tiger’s favorite place to wander, but today, he would have to go east.
So, after he finished his breakfast, Tiger did just that. He hadn’t camped very far from the border, though, so he soon picked another bush to take cover in and waited until a patrol passed by him.
The place Tiger had chosen to hide in was a while away from the camp, so by the time a patrol reached him it was already past dawn. Still, the cats seemed wide awake for having to wake early, and came padding past his bush with energy and purpose. The first to come into Tiger’s sight, he recognized immediately. Silver. Bee’s sister. The next was a young, black-and-white she-cat who Tiger didn’t think he’d seen before. However, after watching her hover near the bramble bush as she waited for the rest of the patrol to catch up, Tiger remembered.
This was Shade’s only living kitten. Well, the last time Tiger had seen her was when she was a kitten, when Bee had asked him to visit Shade with her, but the she-cat was almost fully grown now. She looked so much like her mother, in the way she walked, in her slender, sleek-furred form, even her eyes. However, Tiger couldn’t quite remember her name.
Then the remaining two cats padded into view. After a moment, Tiger recognized that they were Red and Clover. As they passed the brambles, Clover stopped. “I smell something!” she hissed to Red in front of her.
Tiger stiffened. Could Clover have smelled him? Would she discover him in his hiding spot and attack him with an entire patrol on her tail?
“Rabbit!” Red whispered back, looking to a spot ahead of him that Tiger couldn’t see, excitement sparkling in his yellow eyes.
Tiger felt a wave of relief wash through him. He must’ve been downwind, disguising his scent from them.
Clover glanced at the two she-cats ahead of her. “Silver, Badger, you two wait here while Red and I catch that rabbit.” The she-cats nodded, and Clover and Red hurried out of Tiger’s sight.
So, Shade had given her only surviving kitten a fierce name like Badger. Tiger wasn’t surprised, actually. It made sense, probably a case of wishful thinking of Shade’s as she hoped her kitten would be strong and outlive the rest.
Thankfully, with Clover and Red gone, Silver and Badger simply settled down to wait right in Tiger’s view, which meant he would hear whatever news they decided to discuss. After a moment of silence, Silver nudged Badger and asked, “So, assessment coming soon, huh?”
Badger beamed. “Yeah, Dust says I’ll be ready by the end of the month,” she replied.
“Well, if I was your mentor, I would say you’re ready now. You’re already one of the best Fighters in the Colony. What more could he possibly have to teach you?”
So, Badger was a Fighter, just like her mother. Once again, not surprising. And ‘best Fighter in the Colony?’ Tiger had heard that before. But only directed at someone as good as Bee. Could Badger be even more skilled than she had been?
Badger ducked her head in embarrassment. “Well…” she chuckled, “I think that’s a bit of an exaggeration.”
“No way!” Silver protested, purring. “Remember how easily you beat me yesterday when I agreed to train with you? Maybe one day you’ll even be Head Fighter like your mother.”
“Really?” Badger’s eyes glimmered with joy. She seemed particularly susceptible to compliments, whether they were actually flattery or not.
“Yeah, I mean, even Shade was once an apprentice too. Everyone’s got to start somewhere.”
“If I do become Head Fighter,” Badger said, her whiskers twitching with amusement, “then you won’t be the one who bosses me around all the time anymore.”
Silver laughed. “I’ll tell you what, you become Head Fighter, and I won’t offer you any helpful suggestions anymore. I’ll do whatever you ask.”
Then, the sound of Clover’s voice calling Silver and Badger back to the patrol interrupted their conversation, and the she-cats rose to their paws, padding out of Tiger’s sight in good spirits.
Now on his own again, Tiger considered all that he’d heard. The Colony had another cat with promise, a cat others expected to achieve great things, and this time they weren’t ignoring her and rejecting her efforts like they had with Tiger. She might actually become Head Fighter one day, and after that, who knows? Maybe she could even be leader. And Tiger saw an opportunity with this talented she-cat that he hadn’t seen in even Bee or Fox or Sparrow.
Suddenly, the workings of a plan Tiger had gone over countless times in his head came back with new possibilities and even better chances of success. All the doubts and questions he’d had before were delightfully answered with this new development, places where things could’ve gone wrong and Tiger hadn’t been sure they would work. The problem he’d had since the beginning of his plan for revenge, the problem of getting inside the Colony, simply vanished if he had one more thing.
The idea was ingenious. Tiger didn’t know why he hadn’t thought of it before.
All he needed was a cat inside the Colony, a wonderful parasite to help him slip inside when no cat saw it coming.
And Badger was exactly the cat Tiger needed.
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