Tigerstar left the camp, accompanied by Scourge. He decided he'd go to RiverClan first, seeing as that was the closest Clan to TigerClan. He looked down at Scourge, and once again thought there was something familiar about the black tom.

I couldn't have met him before, Tigerstar told himself. I don't remember seeing such a small cat. Why would Scourge even come into the forest without my invitation? He saw Scourge staring back at him.

"Why are you staring at me?" the BloodClan leader questioned. "Do you have a problem with me?"

"No, of course not," Tigerstar replied. "I was just thinking of something, that's all." He stopped walking to see Cloudpaw ahead of him. "Why are you here, Cloudpaw?" Cloudpaw got a fright and whipped around.

"I was just chasing after a mouse and then I lost it," Cloudpaw replied. "I didn't mean to go into your territory." He had a deep cut on his side, as if some cat had attacked him. A dog must have got him, Tigerstar thought.

"It's just that cat that thought I was prey and jumped out at me," Scourge mewed. "I gave him that scar."

"You did?" Tigerstar sounded surprised. Surely a small cat couldn't cause that much of a scar? Scourge nodded, and unsheathed his claws. His claws, much to Tigerstar's surprise, were reinforced with dog teeth.

"Don't underestimate me, Tigerstar," Scourge said. "I am powerful for such a small cat-and deadly." Only because you have dog teeth claws, Tigerstar thought. How the StarClan could you get them in your paws, anyway?

"I can see that," Tigerstar mewed. "But I am quite a deadly cat myself." Scourge just stared at him, saying nothing. "I'm the fiercest fighter in the forest."

"But not with me around," Scourge mewed. "I could kill a cat in one blow." Are you trying to show off in front of me? Tigerstar wanted to ask Scourge but didn't. You can't compare to me. He noticed Cloudpaw's eyes were full of fear as he stared at Scourge.

Coward, being scared of a cat smaller than you. He's the size of a kit! Tigerstar thought with anger. He felt like laughing at Cloudpaw for being scared of some kit.

"Get out of our way or else I'll give you another scar," Scourge hissed. Cloudpaw blinked and then nodded, beginning to walk away. Tigerstar watched and then continued walking. He began smelling the fishy scent of RiverClan up ahead and saw Scourge wrinkling his nose in disgust from the corner of his eye.

"This Clan sure like their fish," Scourge mewed. "They smell worse than your Clan."

"Thanks, I guess," Tigerstar answered. Soon the two cats crossed into RiverClan's territory, smelling nothing but fish. Scourge leaped forward, making Tigerstar slightly confused, and it turned out he caught a rabbit. He must know how to hunt, Tigerstar thought as he stared at Scourge. The rabbit must have crossed into RiverClan's territory.

Scourge turned and saw something clouding up in Tigerstar's eyes. The rabbit lay limp in his jaws and he then dropped it onto the ground.

"Are you surprised I can hunt?" he asked. "BloodClan do not get fed by Twolegs. We hunt for ourselves. You must know Jaggedtooth, I assume."

"Jaggedtooth? He was part of BloodClan like Boulder?" Tigerstar asked, surprised. Although Tigerstar had hardly seen Jaggedtooth in ShadowClan, he just assumed Jaggedtooth had been a loner.

"Of course. He came back from ShadowClan from time to time and taught me how to hunt. I haven't actually had a chance to hunt until now. Jaggedtooth would normally bring prey from the forest to me," Scourge replied.

"You've been prey-stealing from the Clans," Tigerstar growled. "No wonder there's hardly any prey nowadays."

"Jaggedtooth only ever returned with stuff he says "can only be found in ShadowClan". Since when did he steal from your TigerClan?"

"I thought he did. Prey is still scarcer than usual in TigerClan," Tigerstar answered. "Ha--"

"Tigerstar, why are you in RiverClan's territory?" a voice interrupted, and Tigerstar saw Dawnpaw.

"Shouldn't you be accompanied by a cat?" Tigerstar questioned. Dawnpaw blinked.

"I'm on a patrol and saw a rabbit. I decided to chase after and show Crookedstar I could catch a fish," she replied. "But now that cat took it from me." She frowned, disappointment appearing on his face.

"You shouldn't run off like that," Leopardfur scolded as she reached the RiverClan apprentice's side. She then looked up at Tigerstar. "What gives you the reason to trespass into my Clan's territory, Tigerstar? Can you not follow simple boundaries?"

"We're just wanting to talk to Crookedstar," Tigerstar replied. "Is that okay with you, Leopardfur?"

"No," Leopardfur replied. "Crookedstar is out of the camp at the moment and is at ShadowClan. Come again some other appropriate time."

"Then I need to go to WindClan," Tigerstar meowed. "I have to cross through your territory, though."

"Why would you want to talk to Tallstar instead?" Leopardfur questioned, sounding suspicious.

"There's no need to suspicious over us, she-cat," Scourge began. "Let us--" Tigerstar silenced Scourge with a flick of his tail as the small cat had his claws unsheathed. Leopardfur narrowed her eyes slightly.

"Fine, you can cross," she then replied. "Just don't let me catch you in our territory again." Tigerstar gave a nod and began padding past the spotted deputy. Dawnpaw stared at Scourge.

"You're not from around here, are you?" the apprentice questioned. The BloodClan leader was about to say something before Tigerstar stopped him.

"We have to get to WindClan," he urged. "Leopardfur wouldn't appreciate it if we stayed in RiverClan for too long." Scourge let out a sigh and continued to walk, following Tigerstar as he led the way to WindClan.

Soon Tigerstar could smell the rabbit-y scent of WindClan up ahead. It didn't take long for the cats to cross into the rival Clan's territory. Tallstar better accept my request, Tigerstar thought. Otherwise he'll regret it sooner or later.

"Tigerstar's in my Clan's territory!" Tigerstar saw Crowkit of WindClan, who sounded surprised.

"Shouldn't you be back in the nursery, Crowkit?" Tigerstar questioned the kit. Anger filled up in the tom's eyes as Tigerstar called him "Crowkit". He then stood proud.

"I am Crowpaw now," the smoky apprentice corrected. "I'm an apprentice."

"Tigerstar, why are you in WindClan?" Tigerstar's ear twitched and he could recognise Mudclaw's voice. He didn't sound too pleased but Tigerstar expected that from an enemy cat.

"We need to talk to Tallstar," Tigerstar replied.

"Who's that?" Mudclaw questioned, staring at Scourge.

"His name is Scourge," Tigerstar replied. "He--"

"You're bringing in a kittypet to the forest. You're just like Bluestar," Mudclaw spat in disgust. "I thought better of you, Tigerstar." Scourge looked annoyed and was about to move before Tigerstar's tail blocked him.

"Scourge is not a kittypet, I can tell you that," Tigerstar meowed. "Can I just talk to Tallstar?" He began to sound impatient. Surely Mudclaw wouldn't turn around and say Tallstar wasn't around like Leopardfur did?

"Fine," Mudclaw muttered. He gave a flick of his tail for Scourge and Tigerstar to follow him, and so the two cats did. Crowpaw gave the occasional glare to the two cats.

Tigerstar left the camp, accompanied by Scourge. He decided he'd go to RiverClan first, seeing as that was the closest Clan to TigerClan. He looked down at Scourge, and once again thought there was something familiar about the black tom.

I couldn't have met him before, Tigerstar told himself. I don't remember seeing such a small cat. Why would Scourge even come into the forest without my invitation? He saw Scourge staring back at him.

"Why are you staring at me?" the BloodClan leader questioned. "Do you have a problem with me?"

"No, of course not," Tigerstar replied. "I was just thinking of something, that's all." He stopped walking to see Cloudpaw ahead of him. "Why are you here, Cloudpaw?" Cloudpaw got a fright and whipped around.

"I was just chasing after a mouse and then I lost it," Cloudpaw replied. "I didn't mean to go into your territory." He had a deep cut on his side, as if some cat had attacked him. A dog must have got him, Tigerstar thought.

"It's just that cat that thought I was prey and jumped out at me," Scourge mewed. "I gave him that scar."

"You did?" Tigerstar sounded surprised. Surely a small cat couldn't cause that much of a scar? Scourge nodded, and unsheathed his claws. His claws, much to Tigerstar's surprise, were reinforced with dog teeth.

"Don't underestimate me, Tigerstar," Scourge said. "I am powerful for such a small cat-and deadly." Only because you have dog teeth claws, Tigerstar thought. How the StarClan could you get them in your paws, anyway?

"I can see that," Tigerstar mewed. "But I am quite a deadly cat myself." Scourge just stared at him, saying nothing. "I'm the fiercest fighter in the forest."

"But not with me around," Scourge mewed. "I could kill a cat in one blow." Are you trying to show off in front of me? Tigerstar wanted to ask Scourge but didn't. You can't compare to me. He noticed Cloudpaw's eyes were full of fear as he stared at Scourge.

Coward, being scared of a cat smaller than you. He's the size of a kit! Tigerstar thought with anger. He felt like laughing at Cloudpaw for being scared of some kit.

"Get out of our way or else I'll give you another scar," Scourge hissed. Cloudpaw blinked and then nodded, beginning to walk away. Tigerstar watched and then continued walking. He began smelling the fishy scent of RiverClan up ahead and saw Scourge wrinkling his nose in disgust from the corner of his eye.

"This Clan sure like their fish," Scourge mewed. "They smell worse than your Clan."

"Thanks, I guess," Tigerstar answered. Soon the two cats crossed into RiverClan's territory, smelling nothing but fish. Scourge leaped forward, making Tigerstar slightly confused, and it turned out he caught a rabbit. He must know how to hunt, Tigerstar thought as he stared at Scourge. The rabbit must have crossed into RiverClan's territory.

Scourge turned and saw something clouding up in Tigerstar's eyes. The rabbit lay limp in his jaws and he then dropped it onto the ground.

"Are you surprised I can hunt?" he asked. "BloodClan do not get fed by Twolegs. We hunt for ourselves. You must know Jaggedtooth, I assume."

"Jaggedtooth? He was part of BloodClan like Boulder?" Tigerstar asked, surprised. Although Tigerstar had hardly seen Jaggedtooth in ShadowClan, he just assumed Jaggedtooth had been a loner.

"Of course. He came back from ShadowClan from time to time and taught me how to hunt. I haven't actually had a chance to hunt until now. Jaggedtooth would normally bring prey from the forest to me," Scourge replied.

"You've been prey-stealing from the Clans," Tigerstar growled. "No wonder there's hardly any prey nowadays."

"Jaggedtooth only ever returned with stuff he says "can only be found in ShadowClan". Since when did he steal from your TigerClan?"

"I thought he did. Prey is still scarcer than usual in TigerClan," Tigerstar answered. "Ha--"

"Tigerstar, why are you in RiverClan's territory?" a voice interrupted, and Tigerstar saw Dawnpaw.

"Shouldn't you be accompanied by a cat?" Tigerstar questioned. Dawnpaw blinked.

"I'm on a patrol and saw a rabbit. I decided to chase after and show Crookedstar I could catch a fish," she replied. "But now that cat took it from me." She frowned, disappointment appearing on his face.

"You shouldn't run off like that," Leopardfur scolded as she reached the RiverClan apprentice's side. She then looked up at Tigerstar. "What gives you the reason to trespass into my Clan's territory, Tigerstar? Can you not follow simple boundaries?"

"We're just wanting to talk to Crookedstar," Tigerstar replied. "Is that okay with you, Leopardfur?"

"No," Leopardfur replied. "Crookedstar is out of the camp at the moment and is at ShadowClan. Come again some other appropriate time."

"Then I need to go to WindClan," Tigerstar meowed. "I have to cross through your territory, though."

"Why would you want to talk to Tallstar instead?" Leopardfur questioned, sounding suspicious.

"There's no need to suspicious over us, she-cat," Scourge began. "Let us--" Tigerstar silenced Scourge with a flick of his tail as the small cat had his claws unsheathed. Leopardfur narrowed her eyes slightly.

"Fine, you can cross," she then replied. "Just don't let me catch you in our territory again." Tigerstar gave a nod and began padding past the spotted deputy. Dawnpaw stared at Scourge.

"You're not from around here, are you?" the apprentice questioned. The BloodClan leader was about to say something before Tigerstar stopped him.

"We have to get to WindClan," he urged. "Leopardfur wouldn't appreciate it if we stayed in RiverClan for too long." Scourge let out a sigh and continued to walk, following Tigerstar as he led the way to WindClan.

Soon Tigerstar could smell the rabbit-y scent of WindClan up ahead. It didn't take long for the cats to cross into the rival Clan's territory. Tallstar better accept my request, Tigerstar thought. Otherwise he'll regret it sooner or later.

"Tigerstar's in my Clan's territory!" Tigerstar saw Crowkit of WindClan, who sounded surprised.

"Shouldn't you be back in the nursery, Crowkit?" Tigerstar questioned the kit. Anger filled up in the tom's eyes as Tigerstar called him "Crowkit". He then stood proud.

"I am Crowpaw now," the smoky apprentice corrected. "I'm an apprentice."

"Tigerstar, why are you in WindClan?" Tigerstar's ear twitched and he could recognise Mudclaw's voice. He didn't sound too pleased but Tigerstar expected that from an enemy cat.

"We need to talk to Tallstar," Tigerstar replied.

"Who's that?" Mudclaw questioned, staring at Scourge.

"His name is Scourge," Tigerstar replied. "He--"

"You're bringing in a kittypet to the forest. You're just like Bluestar," Mudclaw spat in disgust. "I thought better of you, Tigerstar." Scourge looked annoyed and was about to move before Tigerstar's tail blocked him.

"Scourge is not a kittypet, I can tell you that," Tigerstar meowed. "Can I just talk to Tallstar?" He began to sound impatient. Surely Mudclaw wouldn't turn around and say Tallstar wasn't around like Leopardfur did?

"Fine," Mudclaw muttered. He gave a flick of his tail for Scourge and Tigerstar to follow him, and so the two cats did. Crowpaw gave the occasional glare to the two cats.

Tigerstar and Scourge were led into the WindClan camp and at once Tallstar walked over to them. He noticed Scourge, staring at him with unease. Tigerstar guessed he was taken by surprise at how fierce Scourge looked.

"What brings you here, Tigerstar?" Tallstar asked.

"I was wondering if you'd consider forming an alliance with TigerClan?" Tigerstar asked. "ShadowClan have joined already."

"WindClan is fine without an alliance," Tallstar replied. "Thank you for the offer, but we do not accept." Gorsepaw was at Tallstar's side, staring down at Scourge. Tigerstar looked at Scourge.

At once Scourge leaped for Gorsepaw, slashing his claws out at Gorsepaw. Gorsepaw, taken by surprise, was knocked to the ground. Tallstar's eyes widened as Scourge dug his claws into Gorsepaw's neck so deep that it killed him.

"Gorsepaw!" Onewhisker, Gorsepaw's mentor, began to run over to his body, staring in terror. His eyes were widened. Scourge had a hunger in his eyes as he stared down at Gorsepaw's lifeless body.

"That's just a warning," Tigerstar told Tallstar. "Expect more for declining my request."

"You can't kill innocent cats!" Onewhisker protested.

"It's against StarClan's will," Tallstar agreed.

"I just did," Scourge spat. "You brought this kit's death on yourself for not accepting our offer. Tigerstar could have offered you a better life but you rejected that. Now you must pay."

"We shouldn't have to suffer," Mudclaw snarled. "You're just using this as an advantage to breaking the warrior code."

"Yeah," Crowpaw snarled in agreement with his mentor. Tigerstar turned, beginning to walk away while Scourge started to follow.

"You could have made your life easier but you didn't," Tigerstar called over his shoulder. "It's your loss and fault, Tallstar. Either you accept or be killed." Tallstar just stared at Tigerstar saying nothing as the two cats began to leave the WindClan camp.