Shock

Tigerstar's death from Thistleclaw's POV.

Shock
 "Thistleclaw!" The spiky gray tom glanced up nervously at Mapleshade. The vicious tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat was the most feared cat in the Dark Forest, and, though he has only been here for a moon, Thistleclaw knew not to get on her bad side. "What is it?" he meowed cautiously. "Brokenstar has called a meeting. He wants every cat to gather by the Training Rock, especially you," the aggressive she-cat snarled. Thistleclaw immediately knew something was going to happen. He raced off with Mapleshade to the center of the Dark Forest. When they got to the Training Clearing, Thistleclaw saw that they were the last ones there. Mapleshade padded up to the base of the Training Rock. Thistleclaw tried to find somewhere to sit. "Thistleclaw! Sit by me!" He turned to Maggottail, the oldest Dark Forest cat. The dark brown tom was beckoning him over with his patchy tail, but before he could sit down, Brokenstar shook his head. "I want Thistleclaw to sit at the front." Thistleclaw starred at the dark tabby for a couple heartbeats before padding over to sit down. Once he had settled in, Brokenstar began. "A new cat will be joining us." Thistleclaw pricked his ears. Was that sorrow he heard? "Who is it?" asked Clawface. Brokenstar glanced at Thistleclaw. This confused the spiky tom, since the only living cat he cared for was Tigerstar, and he couldn't be the cat who was dying! Could he? Horror filled Thistleclaw when Brokenstar gave him a tiny nod. "Tigerstar is going to join us," he meowed sadly. Shocked murmurs filled the clearing, and Thistleclaw yowled, "But he still has his nine lives! Doesn't he?" Brokenstar sat down with a sigh. "Yes, but soon, they will all be gone. Thistleclaw, you were his mentor. He knows you better than any of the other cats here. You will pick him up." Thistleclaw nodded absent-mindedly. It was just over three moons ago that he and eight other cats had given the new ShadowClan leader his nine lives; he was finding it hard to believe he would die so soon. Even Nightstar led longer! Nightstar was ShadowClan's leader before Tigerstar. He led after Brokenstar, who was exiled, not killed. Because of this, StarClan had refuse to grant him nine lives. Then a terrible sickness struck ShadowClan, and it killed Nightstar and his deputy, Cinderfur, just one season into his leadership...   "THISTLECLAW!" Brokenstar's angry yowl brought him back to the present. He looked up at the Dark Forest's head leader. "Go to Fourtrees immediately," he growled irritably. When Thistleclaw arrived, he saw many cats from all four Clans, and cats he didn't recognize. "This is Tigerstar's history. It all shows one thing--that he'll do anything for power. If he promised you a share of the forest, don't believe him. He won't give up one pawprint, not to you or any cat," a flame-colored tom meowed to a tiny black tom who was sitting next to a massive dark brown tabby tom. Thistleclaw immediately recognized the dark tabby as Tigerstar, and the bright ginger cat as Firestar, ThunderClan's leader, but he didn't know the small black cat, despite the fact that he seemed somewhat familiar. The small cat's eyes narrowed. "Tigerstar told me what he was planning to do with the dog when he visited me two moons ago," he meowed coldly, his voice high-pitched and brittle. He glared at the ShadowClan leader. "He did not  tell me that his plan failed." "None of that matters now," Tigerstar growled, his voice shaking. "We have an agreement with you, Scourge. Fight beside me now, and you'll have all I offered you." "My Clan and I will fight when I   choose," Scourge snarled. To Firestar he added, "I will think about what you have said. There will be no battle today." With that, he started walking away. Tigerstar stiffened, rage blazing in his amber eyes. "TRAITOR," he screeched, leaping at the tiny cat. Thistleclaw felt satisfaction pulse through his body as he watched his former apprentice attack Scourge, but was soon replaced by surprise as he easily dodged the attack. Tigerstar landed awkwardly, unprepared for how quick the small tom had evaded his attack. Scourge took advantage of that momentary weakness and lashed out with his front claws...   No, those weren't claw. They were TEETH  ! DOG'S  teeth! They landed squarely on his shoulder. The blow was powerful enough to knock Tigerstar over, which left his stomach exposed. He tried to recover, but Scourge was faster, sinking his horrific claws into his throat, and sliced him open to his tail in a single slash. Now Thistleclaw understood. In the living world, Tigerstar's body jerked a few times, then lay still. He woke after a few heartbeats, staring at Thistleclaw. Sitting up, he seemed surprised. "What's wrong?" Thistleclaw's heart wrenched, realizing that he couldn't tell his former apprentice what was happening. Somehow, he managed to choke out, "I'm so sorry." Tigerstar's amber eyes became curious, and Thistleclaw could see he now knew he had lost his first life. As the ShadowClan leader started fading, Thistleclaw turned away to find Brokenstar.Tigerstar's agonizing shrieks filled the clearing behind him, causing his blood to freeze. Though he had gone several tree-lengths, the bitter scent seemed to follow him, and the salty tang on his tongue made him sick to his stomach. He streaked away. Thistleclaw didn't have to go far before he found the cat he was looking for. "Brokenstar!" he called out. The dark tabby turned to him. "Thistleclaw, you're supposed to be at Fourtrees," he snarled. The spiky tom gulped. "Well, I wanted to ask you... I mean... Tigerstar is going to die in a very bad way, and it will probably be a long time before he recovers. So, may I stay with him longer than the usual 24 hours?" Brokenstar's eyes narrowed. "Depends. How long?" "How about one moon total?" "Very well, but no longer." With Brokenstar's permission, Thistleclaw raced back to Fourtrees, where Tigerstar had just lost his third life. The dark tabby's amber eyes were wide with fear, and Thistleclaw could see that his former apprentice had realized what was happening. "Thistleclaw!" he gasped, his panic showing in the way his voice shook. "Help me!" Thistleclaw padded up silently and whispered, "I'm sorry, Tigerstar. There is nothing any cat can can do to save you now." Tigerstar's eyes widened with terror; it was clear he didn't want to believe it. He struggled to keep alive, but, before long, he was on his final life, and fading fast. Thistleclaw watched helplessly as Scourge leaned down and whispered some thing to Tigerstar: "You're right; I didn't forget." Thistleclaw felt as shocked as Tigerstar looked. Now he knew why Scourge looked so familiar. He recalled the time Tigerstar nearly killed a tiny black kit:  SCOURGE! Finally, Tigerstar seemed to realize that he couldn't save himself, and gave up trying. He woke a few heartbeats later. Thistleclaw padded up to him and whispered into his ear, "I'm sorry, Tigerstar. Not even StarClan could have saved you." The dark tabby turned to face him, but almost immediately turned back. "Come on. Let's go," Thistleclaw meowed softly, then padded into the mists. A few heartbeats later, Tigerstar joined him. For quite some time, the two toms walked in silence, and the sun had started to go down. Finally, Thistleclaw turned to his apprentice, and was about to suggest bedding down when...   "Thistleclaw!" The two cats turned to see a tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat. Thistleclaw lowered his head in reverence. Mapleshade nodded to him, then turned to Tigerstar, smiling. "You must be the new cat," she meowed sweetly. "Tigerstar, isn't it?" He simply nodded. "Oh ho, good. Now listen to me, punk," she snarled, standing muzzle-to-muzzle with him, claws under his chin." I   call all the shots.  I   make the rules. If you break any of them, I  will   kill you. Is that understood?" Tigerstar nodded tensely, his eyes wild with fear. "Good," Mapleshade meowed then turned away. "Mapleshade, wait!" Thistleclaw called her back. "Take it easy on him. He's had a hard day." "Well, that's not my   problem, now is it, Thistleclaw?" Mapleshade growled, her eyes blazing. "N-no, absolutely not, ma'am," Thistleclaw stammered, put off by her fierce gaze. "I didn't think so." With that said, she turned and stalked away. Tigerstar turned to Thistleclaw, his eyes wide. "That was Mapleshade," Thistleclaw answered his unasked question. "She has been here for a very long time. She meant every word she said. Now, we should get some rest. The sun is going down in the living world. You'll meet everyone else tomorrow." At that, he settled down for the night.

The end