Path Of A Warrior

“I take it you heard all of that?” Tigerclaw asked, his voice bland. Redtail nodded, a wary jerk of his head. “Don’t bother trying to stop me,” the larger tom went on. “Bluestar agrees with me. I’m taking a group of warriors tomorrow at dawn—warriors who aren’t afraid to stand up for ThunderClan.” He stalked past Redtail, so close that their pelts brushed.

“Tigerclaw, wait,” Redtail called after him. Tigerclaw turned back, his expression wary. “I’m not going to try to stop you. I want to go with you.”

Tigerclaw’s eyes widened slightly. “Do you?” he asked.

“Yes.” Redtail padded toward him. “You’re right that we need to mark our territory. I don’t want to lose Sunningrocks to RiverClan either.”

Tigerclaw looked at Redtail thoughtfully, his tail curling high above his back. “You might just end up being a true warrior after all,” he mewed finally.

“I am a warrior,” Redtail replied. “And all I want is to protect our Clan.”

And if you’re planning something more than you’ve said—if you’re not being totally honest, Tigerclaw—I’ll be there to stop you.

Chapter Eight

“Please let me come with you,” Dustpaw begged, trailing after Redtail across camp. The sky was just beginning to get light, and the camp was quiet, most of the cats sleeping. Runningwind was standing guard at the camp’s entrance and acknowledged Redtail with a tired flick of his ears.

“No,” Redtail told Dustpaw, choosing a mouse from the fresh-kill pile. “Have something to eat, check to see if the elders need anything, and then I want you to train with Whitestorm and Sandpaw this morning while I’m gone. You can brush up on your fighting techniques.”

“I’d rather go with you,” Dustpaw wheedled. “And I’ve never been to Sunningrocks. I’m sure I’d learn a lot.”

Redtail looked at his apprentice sternly. “I said no and I meant it. You’ve never been there because Sunningrocks is too dangerous for apprentices right now.”

Dustpaw sighed. “Ravenpaw’s going.”

“Is he?” Surprised, Redtail looked across the clearing to where the skinny black tom sat patiently outside the warriors’ den, waiting for Tigerclaw to emerge. His pelt prickled with discomfort. Tigerclaw’s apprentice looked so young, even younger and smaller than Dustpaw. “Well, Ravenpaw’s not my apprentice; you are. And I’m not taking my apprentice to Sunningrocks.”

Dustpaw’s tail drooped, but he dipped his head respectfully. “Yes, Redtail.”

Redtail nudged him to make him look up again and mewed gently, “I’ll be checking with Whitestorm when I get back, and if you’ve been training hard, I’ll take you out hunting.”

By the time Redtail left his apprentice, Dustpaw seemed resigned, happy with Redtail’s promise. Redtail headed toward the camp entrance, where Tigerclaw and Ravenpaw waited for him.

“You’re planning for Ravenpaw to come with us?” Redtail asked as he reached them. “We don’t take apprentices into dangerous parts of the territory.”

Tigerclaw blinked at him. “We’re just going to mark the border, Redtail,” he replied. “There’s nothing to worry about.” There was the slightest trace of mockery in his tone.

Redtail hesitated. He was ThunderClan’s deputy; he could order Tigerclaw to leave Ravenpaw behind. Is it worth arguing with Tigerclaw?

Tigerclaw took a step closer. “I won’t let him get hurt,” he mewed softly. “I’ll look after him. You know that.”

I do know that. Redtail had a sharp flash of memory: Willowpelt saying, back when they were ’paws, He wouldn’t let us get hurt. It wouldn’t be good for his reputation.. And then Tigerclaw had saved him from the hawk. Despite everything that had happened since, he owed Tigerclaw his life. “All right,” he agreed. “But we’re just marking our territory, remember.”

He led the other two cats through the gorse tunnel and out of the ravine. In the forest, he and Tigerclaw padded side by side toward Sunningrocks, Ravenpaw a few paces behind. The sky was growing lighter and lighter, and a cool dawn mist hung in the air, dampening their fur.

Behind them, Ravenpaw gave a small, squeaking growl. Redtail looked back to see the apprentice rear up on his hind legs, his forepaws slashing at an imaginary enemy.

“Very nice, Ravenpaw,” Tigerclaw praised the apprentice, his purr rich with amusement.

“I can’t wait to fight RiverClan,” Ravenpaw meowed happily, his tail slashing with excitement. “The best way to learn to be a warrior is to be in a real battle!”

Redtail twitched his ears uneasily. This was Tigerclaw’s influence, he knew it. It was so much like what Tigerclaw had said to him, back when he was a ’paw. And it was important to be a strong warrior, to defend the Clan, but was a battle all Tigerclaw ever wanted? Was he teaching his apprentice to think the same way?