Path Оf А Warrior

Chapter Ten

Redtail staggered backward, staring at Oakheart’s body at his paws. The fight was going on around him—Ravenpaw locked in battle with the small gray-and-black cat, Tigerclaw holding his own against two warriors—but the sounds of battle seemed muted and far away.

He can’t be dead. I can’t have killed him.

But Oakheart was dead.

A wail of sorrow came from the RiverClan cats as they realized what had happened, and two came to pull Oakheart’s body away, their eyes wide with horror.

But the others were still fighting. Redtail tore his gaze from Oakheart’s body. Tigerclaw was grappling with a large gray RiverClan tom. He snarled and slashed at the other tom’s face, but his paws skidded on the muddy earth. Tigerclaw fell, slamming his head against one of the boulders.

For a moment, Tigerclaw seemed stunned, blinking confused amber eyes up at his opponent, and the other cat surged forward, his teeth bared.

He’ll kill him, Redtail realized. I can’t let there be any more death today. Feeling a sudden rush of strength, he lurched forward, biting down at the root of the gray tom’s tail. With a strength and fury he’d never felt before, he flung the RiverClan cat away from Tigerclaw. The cat staggered and lurched, falling into the bushes.

Breathing hard, he turned back to see Tigerclaw staring at him in amazement.

“Redtail! You tossed that cat like a pile of leaves.” The massive brown tom climbed to his paws, shaking his head a little as if to shake off the blow he’d taken. “And you killed Oakheart! I didn’t think you had it in you.”

Tigerclaw’s voice was admiring, but Redtail just felt sick. There was a time when Tigerclaw’s praise would have meant everything to me.

Now, though, Oakheart was dead, and for what? It wouldn’t settle the conflict over Sunningrocks.

Fury burned inside him as he looked into Tigerclaw’s eyes. He is to blame for all this. It hadn’t had to come to a fight, not today. If Tigerclaw hadn’t attacked the RiverClan cat, Oakheart would still be alive. Young Ravenpaw wouldn’t be injured.

Redtail wouldn’t be a killer.

He had never killed another cat. Not until today.

“Tigerclaw?” Ravenpaw’s mew was tentative. The skinny apprentice inched closer, looking back and forth between them. Blood still dripped from his shoulder, running down his side. There were still two RiverClan warriors left—the small black-and-gray she-cat Tigerclaw had first attacked, and the larger gray tom Redtail had flung away from Tigerclaw. They were pressed low to the ground, their ears back, snarling as they eyed the ThunderClan cats.

“Ravenpaw, go!” Redtail growled. If nothing else, at least maybe he could save the apprentice from any more of this.

Tigerclaw looked at Redtail thoughtfully, and then, perhaps seeing the fury and desperation in his eyes, yowled, “Go back to camp, Ravenpaw! Redtail and I can finish this!”

“But the fight’s not done,” Ravenpaw meowed. “And I owe Redtail … he saved me … Oakheart said …”

“You don’t owe me anything,” Redtail snapped.

“Go while you still can,” Tigerclaw agreed. “Run back to camp now!”

Finally! Thank StarClan, Redtail thought.

Ravenpaw backed away a few paces, then turned and ran.

As he disappeared down the path, there was a blur of motion in the corner of Redtail’s eye. He turned to see the black-and-gray she-cat spring at Tigerclaw’s throat. The tussle was brief, before Tigerclaw flung her to the ground. He snarled, swiping a paw at her as she lay winded on the ground, but Redtail snapped. “Tigerclaw, stop!” To his surprise, the big tom listened, pulling up short, his claws near her throat.

“No more blood,” Redtail said quietly. “Not now.”

The two remaining RiverClan cats exchanged a short glance, then yowled a retreat. Redtail watched as they disappeared past Sunningrocks, and he heard the smallest splash as they slid into the water.

A tightness inside him relaxed. It was over, for now. He couldn’t bear to think about Oakheart’s death, not yet. The sun was high in the sky, its reflection off the river almost blinding.

A heavy blow landed hard on his back, driving Redtail into a crouch. Sharp pain ripped at his throat, and he felt something hot and wet run across his throat, streaming down his chest. Blood. He tried to rise again, but he couldn’t move. Had the RiverClan cats come back?

His vision blurred, but as the weight moved from his back, he peered up to see Tigerclaw staring down at him, his face expressionless.

Tigerclaw … Had Tigerclaw attacked him? Redtail’s mind felt fuzzy; he couldn’t think properly. He tried to speak, but his mouth felt cracked and dry. “Why?” he whispered, almost soundlessly.

Tigerclaw’s tail curled high above his back, and his eyes gleamed triumphantly. “You were in my way, Redtail. It’s nothing personal, but ThunderClan needs a real deputy. I’m just doing what I should have let that hawk do back when you were a ’paw.”

Redtail could feel warmth all around him—was it his blood, soaking into the earth?—but he was still cold. “But … you saved my life,” he meowed slowly.

“And you should have been loyal from then on,” Tigerclaw murmured, his amber gaze fixed on Redtail’s face. “But you weren’t. So, better for me, better for the Clan, if you’re not here.”

Despite the brightness of the sun, everything was going dark. Standing above Redtail, Tigerclaw was just a shadow against the graying of the sky. Redtail couldn’t see his face anymore, but he remembered his satisfied expression. The big tom shifted, and Redtail thought he must be licking blood from his paw.

He’s going to kill every cat who gets in his way, Redtail thought. Despair filled him, as even the sky went black.

At the last, he thought suddenly of Dustpaw. His apprentice would be back at camp, waiting for Redtail to take him hunting. I’m sorry I couldn’t keep my promise… .

Redtail opened his eyes. The pain was gone. As he blinked, the blurry ginger shape above him sharpened into a broad, friendly face with one torn ear.

“Sunstar?” he said weakly, recognizing the ThunderClan leader. “But …” Sunstar had been dead for a long time. Redtail swallowed. “Am I … dead?”

“I’m afraid so,” Sunstar said sympathetically. “You were very brave, if that’s any comfort. I’ve come to take you to StarClan.”

Confused, Redtail got to his paws. Nothing hurt now, and as he glanced down at himself, he saw that the long streaks of blood and dirt from the fight were gone. He looked up at Sunstar in confusion, and the ginger tom twitched his whiskers encouragingly and began to walk ahead of him. Instead of paw prints, faint stars glimmered behind him as he strolled toward the forest. Redtail followed.

They walked through a shimmering mist for what seemed like a long time, and then Redtail realized they were walking between trees, soft grassy ground under their paws. The sun shone onto his back, warming his pelt, and the air was rich with the scent of prey.

As they passed a pond, Redtail looked down at his own reflection. Spottedleaf had told him once that the cats of StarClan lived forever as they had been at their happiest times. He didn’t look too different—he wasn’t young again—but his eyes were bright. I’ve been very happy in ThunderClan, he thought. Every cat I loved was there. I liked being deputy, especially watching over the apprentices… .

A jolt shot through him. ThunderClan! How could he have forgotten the danger his Clan was in? Tigerclaw was such a bloodthirsty cat—who knew which warrior he would target next? All of Redtail’s Clanmates were in danger.

“Sunstar!” he said hoarsely. “You have to send me back! I have to warn the others about Tigerclaw!”

Sunstar looked at him, his eyes warm with affection. “I can’t send you back,” he said quietly. “But ThunderClan will be saved. Come with me.”

Side by side, Sunstar walked with him to the edge of a larger pond. “Look,” he told Redtail.

Redtail gazed down. Flickering forms took shape within the water. “It’s ThunderClan’s camp,” he realized. Ravenpaw was there, Spottedleaf smoothing a spiderweb over his shoulder. And there was Tigerclaw, speaking as the other cats listened respectfully. Redtail felt a low simmer of anger within him. What lies was Tigerclaw spinning now?

But the water shimmered, and it was as if he were moving through the crowd of cats. He glimpsed his sister Willowpelt, One-eye, Dustpaw … There was a stranger there, a small fiery orange cat, gazing at Tigerclaw with wide eyes. “Who is that?” Redtail asked. “He’s not a ThunderClan cat.”

“He will be,” Sunstar told him. “He’s about to be part of the Clan, and Bluestar will name him Firepaw.”

Redtail peered more closely. Was there a spark of something special in the young cat’s eyes? He looked like any apprentice. But Redtail’s sister had brought them a prophecy… .

Spottedleaf had told him and Bluestar that the solution to all their Clan’s problems lay in reach, if they could only realize what StarClan meant.

Was this the meaning of the prophecy? Warmth spread through Redtail. Firepaw, not Tigerclaw, would be the future of ThunderClan. ThunderClan would be saved.

My Clan will go on without me… .

“Fire alone will save your Clan,” he murmured, and felt a warmth spread through his pelt.