How would you have written Tigerheart?

Tigerkit and his littermates Flamekit and Dawnkit are born to Rowanclaw and Tawnypelt, but the siblings have a rough upbringing.

"What was Tawnypelt thinking? Naming him after that tyrant?" whispers Ratscar.

"She always did make questionable choices," says the deputy, Russetfur. "What else can one expect from someone of her lineage?"

But Tigerkit is too young to understand. Instead, the kit is too busy dreaming of becoming a great warrior one day, surrounded by a loving family. Tawnypelt is fiercely protective of him especially, while Rowanclaw snaps at any cat who so much as looks at his kits the wrong way. And so the whispers and odd looks stop. That is, until the kits become apprentices.

Dawnpaw becomes Ivytail's apprentice, Tigerpaw to Oakfur, and Flamepaw to Littlecloud. And then the whispers start again, but young Tigerpaw listens more closely this time; it becomes clear to him that that not many cats trust him and his siblings, including his own mentor. He finally finds out why after a training session, where he's a little too aggressive with fellow apprentice Redpaw after the latter taunts him.

"How dare you attack your own Clanmate like that!?" Oakfur snaps.

Tigerpaw tries to apologize, but his words are drowned by Redpaw's melodramatic yowling, and any sympathy Tigerpaw had for him is gone.

"I didn't even hurt you that much," Tigerpaw whispers to the older apprentice as the two are taken back to camp, and Tigerpaw is punished for his behavior. Tawnypelt and Rowanclaw take him and his siblings out of camp afterwards, and Tawnypelt tells her kits about her past—how she was born in ThunderClan, but ran away to join her father Tigerstar in ShadowClan. She doesn't bother to sugarcoat any details, and tells her kits how evil Tigerstar was.

Tigerpaw is just as horrified as his siblings, but then demands to know if he was named after his grandfather. Tawnypelt confirms this, but assures her son she didn't do it out of spite—she did it to reclaim the name Tiger. "Besides," she adds, "for all his faults, Tigerstar was still a strong warrior who managed to bring ShadowClan back from ruin. And I hope that strength gets passed onto each of you. Like a great cat said to me once, work hard and be loyal to your Clan, and no cat will blame you for what Tigerstar did."

Dawnpaw and Flamepaw are reassured, but Tigerpaw is still unsatisfied. Still, he strives to prove his Clanmates wrong.

But then Sol takes over ShadowClan.

Rowanclaw stays behind to keep an eye on the rogue, while Tawnypelt and her kits flee to ThunderClan, and Tigerpaw takes a liking to it almost immediately. While there, Tawnypelt introduces her kits to their uncle Brambleclaw. Tigerpaw is quick to admire him, and Brambleclaw comforts his nephew of his fears in turn. Tawnypelt and her kits return to ShadowClan after Sol is defeated, much to Tigerpaw's dismay.

He earns the name Tigerheart moons later, but many warriors believe that that name should only be given to noble cats. Dawnpelt and Flametail try to comfort their brother, but his resentment only continues to build up. He repeats what Tawnypelt had told him moons ago, but it only makes him angrier.

That night, he's visited by a cat who looks just like him, and correctly guesses it to be Tigerstar. The former leader tries to convince his grandson that he's changed, but Tigerheart isn't fooled and refuses to want anything to do with the evil cat. Tigerstar smugly points out that Tigerheart shares his name before leaving his grandson be.

When the time comes for Blackstar to choose ShadowClan representatives, Tigerheart is the first cat to volunteer. Maybe my Clan will finally respect me! he thinks excitedly. But his efforts are in vain, as all the praise goes to Toadfoot instead, while Tigerheart is just barely acknowledged except by his family and the few friends he has. This makes Tigerheart snap, and he agrees to Tigerstar's offer to train with him. But besides training, Tigerstar also tasks Tigerheart to keep an eye on Dovepaw and report anything he learns from her. The young warrior doesn't understand why, but does so anyway, and finds that he genuinely enjoys the apprentice's company. It never goes past friendship.

After the battle that killed Russetfur, Brambleclaw confronts his nephew at a Gathering after revealing that he saw him use a Dark Forest move. Tigerheart confirms his suspicions, but is defensive about his decision. "Why should I even bother staying loyal to cats who don't even trust me!?" he hisses. Brambleclaw is called away before he can give an answer.

As Tigerheart continues to train in the Dark Forest, he finds he enjoys the company of cats from outside his Clan than that of his own Clanmates, whom he continues to resent. His loyalty is finally put to the test when the Great Battle happens. Ivypool, whom he had become close to in the Dark Forest, as well as Dovewing try to convince him to fight for the Clans, but their words fall on deaf ears.

That is, until he faces Dawnpelt in battle.

"You idiot!" she hisses. "You think this will get you respect!?"

"Nothing I do works, so why should I even bother anymore?" he hisses. "And why should you too, sister? Why should any of us?"

"Coward!" Dawnpelt hisses.

The two littermates, once close, have now become enemies. Dawnpelt lunges at him, but Tigerheart quickly manages to overpower her.

And yet, he can't bring himself to kill her.

What am I doing? he thinks, at last coming to his senses. Maybe ShadowClan would never trust him, especially now, but he still had his family and friends. And maybe that would be enough. He would fight for them. Working together with Dawnpelt, the siblings fight side by side to fend off the Dark Forest warriors.

After the Great Battle, Tigerheart is praised for helping the Clans and he's tempted to keep his mouth shut, but he decides to tell the truth and reveals that he had fought on the side of the Dark Forest at first. He also calls out his Clanmates—especially Oakfur—for their disrespectful behavior towards him and his family over the seasons and decides that they aren't worth it anymore, making the decision to leave ShadowClan. Dawnpelt and Rowanclaw try to convince him to stay, but Tawnypelt defends her son's decision, understanding in her gaze.

After his wounds are healed, Tigerheart leaves ShadowClan for good. His fellow former trainees—Blossomfall, Mousewhisker, Minnowtail, and Breezepelt (the only one who was officially exiled)—accompany him, as does Shrewfoot (yes, she lives in this), who was in love with Tigerheart. They travel for moons, with Tigerheart being the unofficial leader of the group, until they come across a certain group of cats living in a gorge.