Firestar had crept through the area and spotted the entrance to a small, hidden, cave. He smelled the strong scent of Tigerstar inside mixed with his host and Goldensky.
Sunscar had hidden in a bush not far away. He ordered for her to wait there just incase Tigertooth rebelled.
Tigertooth's ear twitched and he rose as best he could in the low ceiled cave. He used his tail to stir Goldensky from her sleep. He smelled a cat. It was Firepaw's scent. Tigertooth wondered if the apprentice had been made a warrior and was split up from a patrol searching for him.
He felt an itch develop in the back of his mind and tried to ignore it but it became more and more aggrivating and prominent. His pelt lit up with dark shadows and he seemed almost invisible within the darkness of the cave.
His eyes were tiny burning lights of amber.
"Tigerstar! Step out peacefully!" Firestar's call boomed from the entrance. Tigerstar shook his pelt in contempt and glanced at Goldensky who had come back-to. Her eyes widened in shock at Tigertooth's new appearance.
"Tiger-"
"Star. Tigerstar." He corrected her before she could finish. Tigerstar turned away from her.
"Firestar is here to fight me most likely. Stay down here. He will get you if I lose." Tigerstar said. He padded out of the small gap and appeared to his long time rival.
Firestar stood tall, but not as tall compared to Tigerstar's host.
"What do you want? Are you here to finish me off? Wipe away any other chance of my breath escaping a mouth?" Tigerstar asked. Firestar eyed him a moment, secretely sizing him up if he tried to attack him.
"No. I'm here to ask for you to join me and the other clans. The Dark Forest is trying to take over again and we need you." Firestar said. Tigerstar gave the orange tom a piercing glare of suspicion.
"Why me? You won't trust me and neither will any of the other clans. I'll be a prisoner you will keep in line. You just want to capture me so I'm not a risk. Firestar, you can leave. I'm done. I am going away, as far as I can go with Tigertooth and Goldensky. I won't be an issue." Tigerstar said. Firestar's ear twitched curiously.
"Why do you want to leave? Why take Goldensky?" The tom asked. Tigerstar hesitated.
"Tigertooth does not deserve to go down the same path I did, he doesn't need to lose every she-cat he has loved because he mistook their value to him and saw his ambition as something greater. I'm helping him and Goldensky lead a new life together..." Tigerstar said. Firestar felt his gaze soften at Tigerstar's unexpected but insighful and noble words.
"This is the Tigerclaw I once wanted to look up to.. you have to join us. We need your help. And we won't keep you a prisoner. I can promise that." Firestar said. The older brown tom sighed.
"Fine." He gave in with that single word and turned towards the small tunnel.
"Goldensky, come out." He called. A golden she-cat appeared and watched Firestar with unease, standing close to Tigerstar even though she didn't know who to trust.
"I'm going to give Tigertooth back. I'll come back later." Tigerstar said. His pelt's fire slowly died down and Tigertooth was back in control. He blinked and spotted Firestar. Tigertooth had heard and seen everything but stepped in front of Goldensky anyway.
"I won't enjoy it, but lead us back to camp." The tom said. Firestar nodded and glanced behind him.
"Sunscar, come out. Its safe." Firestar said. Goldensky's ears perked. Was this her daughter? She could only guess, but that doubt was thrown from her mind as Sunscar stepped out.
The medicine cat apprentice was almost a copy of Goldensky, except for her blind eye.
Oh she wanted to yowl a thanks to Starclan, even though Firestar was right in front of her, for giving her this great opportunity to meet her daughter.
Firestar watched them both. He noticed Goldensky trying to choke down a reaction but Tigertooth looked passive.
"Have you not met your daughter?" Firestar asked the tom. Goldensky's face fell as she remembered Tigertooth hadn't known about Sunscar. He shot Firestar a look of confusion.
"My daughter?" He looked back at Goldensky.