The Pain of Love's Power

Prologue

Shadows danced around the glade as a she-cat slipped along. Glancing around nervously every once in a while, she hurried towards a clump of bushes. The stars glittered as she came through a group of rushes that didn't rustle as she glided over them. A soft breeze whispered through the tree tops, while wisps of clouds danced across the starlit sky.

So what if the stars were there, this cat knew that it was all too easy to trick the spirits of cats who had lived before, since she had been almost conned once. Yet she would never tell any cat, living or dead, the truth- except for the one that she was going to visit and her siblings. Looking straight at two innocent leafy bushes she called out in a low tone. They rustled, and a large tortoiseshell she-kit with lovely brown eyes slid out, searching for the source of the voice that had called her name, and looking extremely surprised when she saw who it was.

"Leopardfoot!?" came her quiet exclamation.

She didn't want her mother, Scarlet, to know that she had snuck away again. Her mother could be very mean when she disobeyed, as other cats could tell from the scratches on her flanks. At least her fur was long and managed to hide them nicely.

"I thought that you wouldn't come anymore now that I can hunt on my own. I thought you didn't like me anyhow"

The kit's innocent eyes looked at the Starclan warrior in a bewildered way. At six moons, she had learned to know who liked her and who didn't. Leopardfoot paused, looking at the kit with pain in her eyes. She looked so much like her mother, but she had her father's own lively eyes. Amber and flashing, they took in the cat before them with curiosity and nervousness. Leopardfoot had secretly been visiting the kit for three moons now, before she finally felt too much pain swelling in her heart for the little darling. She had had to leave for a while to keep her emotions under control. Of course the kit thought she didn't like her; Leopardfoot had left her to an abusive parent who would strike her for each and every offense. How could any cat not love this kit?

She was perfect.

"You're my grandkit. Of course I don't like you, I love you."

The kit's eyes widened in shock.

"How can I be your grandkit? I'm a rogue, and you're part of Starclan!"

"You're not a rogue."

The kit reeled back,staring at her. Eyes wide, Leopardfoot saw fear and hope reflected in them. If she wasn't a rougue, did that mean that Scarlet wasn't her mother?

"I-I-I'm n-n-n-not?" she stammered in shock.

"No. You're parents are both clan cats, but they had to abandon you to the rogues because their love was forbidden."

The kit paused, thinking hard. Leopardfoot felt another pang of pity for her. Without a clan to support her, she had to grow up and survive on her own. Scarlet obviously didn't care about her at all, and she was only alive because Leopardfoot felt a duty towards her grandkit, and love towards her father. It also helped that this kit's father had scared Scarlet so much that the cat was afraid to kill the kit or send her out on her own. If only her parents had been allowed to mate each other.

"Then who are my parents?"

Leopardfoot paused, looking lovingly at her. If one day she were to join the clans, she would need to know her history, and be able to appreciate her parents, especially her father, for who they really were.

"The best way for you to understand that is for me to tell you the story of a young warrior, fiercely loyal to his clanmates as it happened to him..."

Chapter 1

"Tigerclaw! Tigerclaw!" Tigerclaw stood proudly as his clanmates cheered his new name as he stood beneath the twinkling lights of Starclan. His gaze searched through his clanmates, before finally resting on Spottedpaw. She met his gaze, blushing as she cheered. He was certain that she was the loudest of all.
Thank Starclan she can't be a medicine cat... He thought to himself. If she was a medicine cat, she couldn't have kits.

Featherwhisker and Goosefeather were still the medicine cats, so there was no place for her. It helped that Goosefeather was too crusty and grumpy to retire. If he did, then Featherwhisker might take on an apprentice. But Spottedpaw was a warrior apprentice. She couldn't change over to being a medicine cat. Even though she liked herbs, Tigerclaw did not want her to be a medicine cat. She was too lovely to never take a mate.
And I'm going to be that mate someday...

He jerked his head around as Sunstar continued talking.

"Goosefeather." The old medicine cat padded forward.

"Is it your wish to retire from the position of medicine cat and reside with the elders?"
There was a pause, and Goosefeather swallowed with pain in his eyes.

"It is."
Tigerclaw listened in shock as Goosefeather became an elder. He never imagined the elderly cat retiring. Glancing up at the clear night sky, he could see the moon shining brightly through the twilight evening. It must be fine for the old cat to retire, otherwise Starclan would have covered the moon.

I'm glad I'm not an apprentice anymore...I'd hate to have to take care of someone as grumpy as him...

The meeting came to an end, and Tigerclaw went to go hold his vigil at the camp entrance, guarding against all intruders while the rest of the cats slept, when a sweet voice called his name.

"Tigerclaw?" Spottedpaw asked uncertainly.

Chapter 2

Tigerclaw sat in shock. Now there was no chance whatsoever he was going to fall asleep during his vigil. The clear sky above seemed to be mocking him. The moon shone clearly as ever, as Tigerclaw silently cursed Starclan for tearing his heart into pieces and feeding them to the foxes.

why...why...why...[/]
His heart throbbed.
Spottedpaw had just told him that she was going to be the medicine cat apprentice. The medicine cat apprentice! How was he supposed to tell her he loved her more than life itself now? His mind kept replaying the scene over and over as he stared out into the night...

Spottedpaw shuffled her paws uncertainly. "I just wanted to let you know that... well... If I ever were going to takte a mate it would be you. But now that Goosefeather has retired, I'm going to be Featherwhisker's apprentice." She stared into his eyes as Tigerclaw mutely stared at her in shock while his heart was protesting; he was bound by the vigil not to talk to her. "You're an amazing tom," she continued, "and whatever she-cat you end up with, she's the luckiest cat in all the clans." Spottedpaw ended with a sob before turning and walking away from him, leaving Tigerclaw heartbroken. Why didn't I ever tell her how I felt about her? He wondered. How cruel could Starclan be to separate them?

Tigerclaw shook his head sadly. There had to be someway for them to be together. Starclan didn't know what they were doing to him. If Spottedpaw truly loved him even half as much as he loved her, he would make a way for them to be together he silently vowed to the emptiness that surrounded him and tried to engulf him.

No matter what it takes...

Chapter 3
A gentle breeze washed over the treetops gently rustling the shadows of the branches patterned on the forest floor. They danced over Tigerclaw's pelt as he roamed the forest, searching for something to tempt the appetite of some cat back at camp.

Especially Spottedpaw... he thought to himself. The scent of grouse suddenly filled his mouth with the watering aroma of food just waiting to be caught.
Tigerclaw crouched down, scanning the area for his prey.

There!

It was partially hidden by the long grasses that grew around the base of the ancient oak tree. He carefully moved towards it, muscles rippling in his shoulders as the grouse continued its last meal, making sure that the wind was blowing in the correct direction. Bunching up his powerful muscles, he suddenly pounced towards it. The bird never even had a chance to make a sound.
All at once, chirping filled the air. Tigerclaw had caught a mother on a nest of young ones. He paused, debating whether or not to take back the babies with him to camp. There were about eight of them, small as mice looking up at him with bright eyes and wide mouths that begged him to feed them.

Let them grow up a bit more...

He decided, continuing to search for more freshkill. The babies would hardly be a mouthful for the warriors, but the kits might like them after they grow bigger. Especially that annoying Goldenkit. She kept flirting with him. He was a warrior, for Starclan's sake, and she was a mewling, annoying kit that continually got under his feet and shot adoring looks at him no matter who was looking. At least he could avoid her when he was out of camp patrolling or hunting, like what he was doing now.
Two squirrels later, Tigerclaw managed to drag the results of his successful hunt into camp.

Let's see what Spottedpaw has to say about this!

The lovely tortoiseshell was at the entrance to the medicine cat den about to take out some herbs for the elders. Her eyes widened as she saw all that he brought back.
"WOW!!" Came a squeal of exclamation from Mousepaw.

Wrong person...
Tigerclaw nodded to the apprentice while watching Spottedpaw out of the corner of his eye.
Some emotion he couldn't quite read flickered in her eyes as she turned away and walked briskly towards the medicine cat den. He felt snubbed.

That's not enough to properly impress her? Maybe I can get some more battle training from Thistleclaw and THAT will show her how much I care perhaps. All I need to do is shred some mangy Riverrats or other pathetic 'warriors' and let her see how talented I am.

"Tigerclaw"

Thistleclaw's voice shook him out of his reverie and he turned to greet his former mentor.

"Well done. That's the kind of work I expect from a cat I mentored."

Thistleclaw looked expressionlessly at him.
Tigerclaw paused.

"Do you think I learned everything I could learn about fighting from you?" He asked.

"No." Came the cold immediate reply.

"As a matter of fact," Thistleclaw paused, glancing around before continuing, "I'm still training in fighting."

Tigerclaw's eyes widened in shock. How could Thistleclaw still be learning? He knew more battle moves than anycat in the clan! Was he being trained by somecat outside of Thunderclan? Looking into his former mentors eyes, he could see hunger and greed, as well as an expression he didn't recognize...

"If you truly want more battle training, I know where you can get it. But there's too many cats around for me to tell you now, but you'll discover it soon. Sweet dreams tonight."

He added wryly as he walked away, leaving Tigerclaw staring bewildered after him.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thistleclaw was looming over Tigerclaw as he awoke. Tigerclaw lept up in shock, realizing that he wasn't in the Thunderclan camp anymore. He was in a gloomy forest, with a sickly light coming through where the leaves of the trees banded together, blocking out the sky. This place reminded him of Shadowclan territory, all swampy and yucky. But this wasn't Shadowclan. This was a place with no cat scent apart from his and Thistleclaw's. Where was he?

"If you want more battle training, this is where you get it. Follow me."

With that Thistleclaw whisked off into the forest. Tigerclaw followed him, weaving his way through trees and bushes, jumping over streams that ran with lurid looking black liquid. What was this place?
A black tom stepped from the shadows, nodding in an authoritative way to Thistleclaw who immediately followed as they left Tigerclaw alone in this place where true darkness was. Darkness that could be felt.

"If you're here for training, follow her scent."
The words were flung over the strange tom's shoulder, and Tigerclaw noticed a faint scent that reminded him of one of the clans.

Definitely not Windclan or Shadowclan... Riverclan? Or is that Thunderclan...

Shrugging he tracked the scent to a small clearing by one of the peculiar streams, where it vanished. He paused, confused. Where did the scent go? Where was this mysterious 'her' supposed to be? A rustling overhead alerted him to the presence of another cat, and he flung himself aside as a dark figure landed, claws unsheathed, right where he had been a moment before. It was a cat. A she cat whose eyes were alight with a dark malice and desire for power.

"Good." She purred. "I'm glad I get an alert one this time."

Tigerclaw studied her warily. Who was this supposed to be?

"Thistleclaw has told me about you Tigerclaw."

He shuddered inwardly at the way she said his name. But here with a potential enemy or ally, he refused to show any emotion. Emotion was weakness. You had to be willing to fight without emotion to be a true fighter.

"You want more battle training? I can give it to you. I can make you the greatest warrior in the forest." Her eyes gleamed hungrily. "I can make you so powerful that you could rule the clan, or even the entire forest if you wanted." She paused. "I could give you all the skills you needed to change the warrior code to your satisfaction."

The warrior code! That was it! If he could change the warrior code, he could make it fine for Spottedpaw to be his mate!

His earlier vow flitted through his head.

If she truly loves me, I will make a way for us to be together, no matter what!

Tigerclaw narrowed his eyes, trying to discern the she-cat's sincerity. How did he know if he could trust her? And who was this mysterious cat anyhow?

"Just who do you think you are," he growled threateningly.

"Bloodstar." Obviously she wasn't going to give anything away. This was definitely the cat who could give him what he needed to have absolute power.

"Fine." He agreed. He would do it for Spottedpaw. So what if he 'took over' the clans.