Tigerclaw lowered his head. “I am so sorry for your loss,” he mewed. “I hope he walks with StarClan now.”
Runningnose’s tail twitched. “Wherever Nightstar is, I hope he is at peace. The most important thing to do now is to keep the rest of my Clan safe.” He stared at Tigerclaw, his eyes huge and haunted. “My Clanmates are terrified of being leaderless. There is no deputy to take over from Nightstar, and StarClan has sent us no sign of what should happen next. How can I blame these cats if they feel that their ancestors have abandoned them?” His voice rose in a wail of horror. “What if we never recover from what Brokenstar did to us? The wounds run so deep, and nothing I can do will heal them.”
Tigerclaw let his tail rest on the old cat’s shoulder. “You must be strong,” he urged. “Without a leader, your Clanmates will look to you. StarClan hasn’t given up on ShadowClan; you mustn’t let yourself think that.” He hoped Runningnose took his quivering muscles as a sign of grief rather than of the excitement that was building inside him. This is your moment! Mapleshade hissed. Tread carefully. You are stepping onto the thinnest ice, and you must not fall through.
Tigerclaw squared his shoulders, as if he had reached a decision. “Runningnose, you must lead your Clan until StarClan makes its wishes known. And until that time, my cats and I will do everything we can to help you. I know your Clanmates have been doubly wounded, by Brokenstar and by the sickness from the rats. If you let me, I will help you heal them.”
Runningnose sniffed. “Thank you, Tigerclaw,” he mewed. “I knew I could rely on you.” He limped across the clearing to the lichen-covered rock and hauled himself onto it. “Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the rock!”
The earthen space began to fill with somber-eyed cats, swirling together like leaves in a stream. Tigerclaw saw Stumpytail go to sit beside Dawncloud, while Clawface laid the tip of his tail on Rowanberry’s back to guide her to an empty place.
“What did you say to Runningnose?” whispered Snag in Tigerclaw’s ear.
“That he and his Clanmates will have our utmost support until StarClan reveals their new leader.”
There was a flicker of surprise in Snag’s eyes. “That old cat, and this weak Clan, could need a great deal of support,” he commented.
Tigerclaw nodded. “Indeed. And we will be repaid for it, don’t worry.”
“Good,” mewed Snag.
“Clanmates!” Runningnose began from on top of the rock. “Shortly the elders will bring Nightstar’s body out from his den and we can begin our vigil. As we have no deputy to take his place, I will lead you until StarClan makes its wishes known. Even as we mourn Nightstar, life must continue. The worst of the sickness has passed, and we must make ourselves strong once more. Hunting and border patrols will be sent out as normal, and battle training will begin again.”
He was interrupted by a tumult of voices.
“We have only just gotten over the sickness! We need more time to recover!”
“How can we hunt, patrol the borders, and train our apprentices?”
“We want to serve our Clan, Runningnose, but you’re asking too much!”
Runningnose’s eyes clouded with confusion, and he took a pace back from the edge of the rock.
Tigerclaw raised his head. “With your permission, cats of ShadowClan, I can help you. My cats and I have kept your fresh-kill pile well stocked for the past moon. Now you are strong enough to hunt for yourselves, so why not let us help with your border patrols, and take over your battle training?” He lowered his eyes and scraped at the ground with one forepaw. “If you wish, that is.” Don’t overdo the humility, Tigerclaw, warned Mapleshade. It’s not terribly convincing.
Runningnose stepped forward again, blinking in gratitude. “Tigerclaw, we will take all the help we can get,” he meowed.
“Wait,” called Deerfoot. “ShadowClan has always survived on its own. Why should we let outsiders do everything for us now?”
Tigerclaw met Deerfoot’s gaze. “That is not what I am proposing,” he mewed. “We merely want to work alongside you, give you time to recover your full strength now that the danger of the sickness has gone.” He looked around. “Cats of ShadowClan, never forget that you are surrounded by enemies who will attack the moment they think you have any trace of weakness. You were lucky to be left alone while the sickness was here. Can you keep it a secret forever? It only takes one sharp-eyed cat at a Gathering, one rumor across the border, for other Clans to put your strength to the test. ShadowClan has always been the most feared Clan in the forest. I promise I will not let that change!”
The pine trees shivered as the clearing erupted in yowls of triumph.
“He’s right! We can’t show weakness to the other Clans!”
“I’ll train with you, Tigerclaw! Teach me everything you know!”
“ShadowClan will be feared once more!”
Tigerclaw closed his eyes and basked in the warmth of the cheers. Remember this moment, Mapleshade urged. This is what power feels like.
Chapter 8
Runningnose appeared at his side. “Please organize the battle training as you see fit.” He gave a slightly embarrassed purr. “Not my area of expertise at all!”
“No problem,” Tigerclaw meowed. He flicked his tail. “Blackfoot, Snag, Mowgli? I want each of you to take a warrior and an apprentice. Go through the basic attack and defense moves, then we’ll join up for a mock battle later on. Okay?”
His companions nodded. Stumpytail pricked his ears. “What about me?”
“You, Clawface, and Tangleburr can lead hunting patrols,” Tigerclaw ordered.
There was a faint cough behind him. “We can arrange our own hunting patrols, Tigerclaw,” Deerfoot meowed. His voice was mild but his eyes gleamed with an unspoken challenge.
Tigerclaw bowed his head. “Of course, Deerfoot. I only meant that my cats can help you with restocking the fresh-kill pile.”
Deerfoot blinked. Tigerclaw sensed that the warrior was going to question him at every turn, and he felt his claws slide out to grip the soil. Be patient, whispered Mapleshade. There will be time to deal with him later. Turning away, Tigerclaw nodded to Flintfang and Tallpoppy. “You two come with me.”
Tallpoppy twitched her ears. “We don’t need battle training,” she pointed out. “We have been warriors longer than you, Tigerclaw!” She sounded amused, as if she was speaking to an impudent kit.
Tigerclaw let the fur rise along his spine. “Runningnose said that I was in charge of battle training,” he meowed quietly. “I can’t do that unless I know the abilities of every warrior in the Clan.”
Tallpoppy blinked. “I don’t think Runningnose meant it quite like that.”
Tigerclaw took one step closer to her. “Really? Would you like to discuss it with him—or do you think he has enough to do already?” He flicked his tail toward the center of the clearing, where Runningnose was helping the elders to drag Nightstar’s crumpled body out of the leader’s den.
Tallpoppy looked down at her paws. “I won’t disturb him now,” she meowed. “Flintfang and I will show you how ShadowClan warriors are trained to fight.”
Tigerclaw led them to a sandy space among the pines not far from the lake. The forest echoed with the sound of cats striking, pouncing, and retreating as Blackfoot, Snag, and Mowgli tested the rest of the Clan. Tigerclaw stood back and waited for Flintfang and Tallpoppy to demonstrate the established ShadowClan battle moves. He recognized several of them: the stealthy approach, the leap with raised forepaws, the hind leg slice that unbalanced opponents as well as left their back paws bleeding and lame.