Read My Sight. Tigress choice. :: Chapter 5 - 5

Stormwings surrounded me in his thick, warm fur and gave me a few licks in the ears. I purred and returned the gesture. "Tigress, did you know Stormwings?" Blacksmoke asked. "It seems so. Toto was my first patient, although at that time I did not know that that was not his name. " "You had little more than 5 moons old, at that time, try to say my name was difficult for you, so you gave me that nickname." Toto returned to his nest. "Glad to see you again, so your name is Tigress now, huh?" "Yes sir." "Nice name. By the way, Tigress, which shadow did you beat? He asked again. "As far as I know that she-cat is called, Toxic Rain." I replied. The deputy tail shake in surprise, and looked at Blacksmoke who nodded. "In that case, you must have very good combat skills to defeat the shadow tribe leader herself." Replied the deputy. "And what brings you to EchoClan?" "The what ?!" I thought in alarm, my tail stiff as a broomstick as the kits climb it up. "Indeed, Stormwings, you would like to know that Tigress has decided to join EchoClan." "Really? Those're fantastic news! I will gladly witness your ceremony " "Like the hole clan will, dear, but first you must rest a little more." He replied the healer. “I'm fine Hollyfur. Thanks to the juniper berries and the fresh prey you left me in the morning. " Hollyfur shook her tail in disbelive. "My dear, I think you are confused. I didn't do that." "So then, if it hasn't you... who did it?" Sunnysky asked. "Oh! It was me, I woke up early and… well, healer instincts" "Was it you who renewed the medicine of Stormwings wounds, dear?" asked the healer. "And what mixture did you use?" “Tormentil, burdock root, wild garlic and calendula. Then I put a leaf with juniper berries, poppy seeds and a prey from the fresh kill pile so he can recharge. " "Is that mixture a bad thing, Hollyfur?" Aspenkit asked when he saw that Hollyfur was speechless. "No, not at all, dear. On the contrary, not even I knew about that herb mixture. How did you come up with it, Tigress? " “Experience mostly, for several moons I had to treat many loner and rougues wounds with a smell similar to that Stormwings had when he arrived. That smell is only found in the sewer, and where there are sewers there are rats, and from the shape of some of their wounds imagine that he would have encountered a few of them. So use a mixture, let's say that purify and prevents the wound from becoming infected. " "My dear, you are a genius!" exclaimed the healer. "So I must thank you, Tigress," the deputy meowed. “There's don't need to, I just did what any healer would do. Good to see you again, Toto." "The moon will be high soon" Crystalstar meowed. "Everyone, go and eat something. The ceremony will begin shortly.” The cats walked away, Whiteblaze seemed to want to discuss something with the leader and the deputy, the queens returned with their kits to the nursery, and Blacksmoke and I went to get something to eat. In a yawn I opened my jaws, the smell of fresh meat made a roar from my guts that echoed loudly through the walls of the camp like the roar of a beast. All the cats looked at me. I took a prey and with my face red of shame I ran back to my nest. "Now I understand why that loner from before called you TigerRoar" Blacksmoke meowed between laughts. "Yeah, but I don't like that name." I protested. "Why so? That would be a very cool warrior name, imagine the strategies that could be done using the roar of your guts to scare the opponent." "Bad memories come with it. Can we change the subject please?" I protested. "Okay, isn't that great Tigress? You'll stay!" "Yes, it is!" I meowed with a smile. "I just hope Night can be the new healer in the barn." I thought "Who do you think will give you Crystalstar as a mentor?" “I don't know. I haven't had the opportunity to meet the other cats of the clan. " I meowed, taking a bite of my prey. “I think you'll be the one who will spend the least time as an apprentice. With your knowledge, there is little left to teach you. I would take you as my apprentice if I could, but I already have Snowpaw." "Is ok. But can we continue to be hunting partners even after being named an apprentice?" I asked. "Sure!" We both finished eating and shared tongues. But some questions came to my mind, many of them related to the white warrior who watched me with hatred and disdain from Hollyfur's den. "I just hope that my mentor isn't Whiteblaze..." I thought. From afar, I saw Crystalstar climb the high rock. It was time for the ceremony. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here, under the high rock, for a clan meeting." Blacksmoke and I joined in a hurry. "Today is a new day for the Echoclan" announced the leader, and with her tail she indicated me to come closer. "With the moon high, we meet to name this apprentice. Tigress, from now on until you receive your warrior name you will be known as, TigerPaw. " My heart was beating faster. The leader, imposing on the top of the high rock, pronouncing those mythical words I hear so much in the stories that I treasure in my heart like gold. My surroundings, full of cats that in a few moments I could get to call clanmates, in a scene that took me back to my kithood when I could only live this moment in my dreams. The leader descended from her pedestal to gently rest her nose on my forehead. My pulse roared like a monster of emotion, now there's only left for me to be assigned a mentor, a kind cat with a noble heart that would be my guide on the path to becoming a warrior. The queens and their kits, watching from the front row alongside Blacksmoke, had a worried look. How fool I was. I snapped out of my fantasy when I heard who was going to be my mentor. “WhiteBlaze. You had an excellent mentor on Stormwings. You are a noble and loyal warrior, and you know what the warrior code and be a clan cat means, so I want you to pass on all your knowledge to Tigerpaw and make from that apprentice a warrior we can be proud of. " The warrior hesitated before agreeing. He approached me with an expression hidden in that dark face like a moonless night. I took a few steps back. “Of all the warriors in this clan, why does the only one who hates me have to be my mentor? Oh StarClan, help me! " I begged to myself. As my nose joined with the white warrior and empty cheers were heard among the gathered cats, a chill ran down my back. And with the feeling that something bad was coming.

"Meeting dismissed." Crystalstar announced as she approached me. "Welcome to the clan, Tigerpaw." I gave her a lick on the shoulders and then the leader left with the deputy. "Congratulations partner!" Lynxshine congratulated me, approaching with her kits and Blacksmoke "Thanks" I meowed. "You will keep coming to play with us, right?" Wishkit asked. "Of course!" I meowed with a smile. "Hello! Congratulations TigerPaw” a voice meowed. As I turned to see a warrior, with spotteled pale gray fur, who approached with a smile.” "Thanks!" I meowed. I don't know the name of that warrior, so I indiscreetly shot a glance at the black warrior. The gray warrior wagged his tail. "My name is Flurrywhisper, call me Flurry if you like." "Ok. You can call me Tigress then. It's a pleasure to meet you Flurry, I hope we can get along. " “If you want it that way, then Tigress will be. It is always a joy to see new faces for the clan " "Do you see new faces often?" The words stuck in my throat, wondering what to say. "Easy, I don't bite unless it's necessary. I saw that they have put you Whiteblaze as a mentor, and according to what they say you already knew him before. You'll be glad you didn't get touched by a stranger. ” I smiled. "Glad isn't exactly the word I would use." I thought.

"There is a first time for everything, right?" I meowed. "Do you know him well, Flurry?" “Not much. But he seems like a good cat. I don't think you have any learning problems in your apprenticeship.” He meowed. "Unless the mentor himself is the problem for my apprenticeship." I thought. "Have you ever had any apprentices before?" I asked. "No, I haven't had any yet, but I know that time will come soon." "And Whiteblaze?" I asked, addressing the black warrior. "No, he hasn't had it either." she replied. "Then it seems that I'll be Whiteblaze's first victim." I thought. "Then I'll have being the lucky one, I guess..." “Yes, but it is also an honor. Cats tend to remember their first apprentices more. " “I guess… what's next? Are we going to patrol? " I asked. “For suddenly resting, it is your mentor who must decide what you are going to learn and when. So stay alert for his calls too. Relax. See you tomorrow if you want. I retire." "Have a good rest." I meowed as goodbye. "To you too, and again, welcome to the clan." The gray warrior walked away and waving my whiskers I looked for Whiteblaze, he and other cats were preparing to go to the warrior's den to rest. Whiteblaze glared at me before disappearing into the warrior lair. "Congratulations on your appointment, Tigerpaw," Lynxshine mewed, laying her tail on my back. "Thank you, Lynxshine, but you can keep calling me Tigress." I replied. "You don't like your apprentice name?" asked Lightkit. “Of course I do like it. You could see that I like both of them so much that I don't want to be called by just one of them. " I smiled. Lynxshine took the kits back to the nursery, but seeing Blacksmoke she wore a distant expression. "All good Blacksmoke?" "Of course" she meowed, but that expression wouldn't go away. I lowered my ears. "Does that name thing bother her?" I thought. And I gently rubbed my face on her cheek. She shook her head and biting my tail dragged me to the apprentice's den. “I am going to introduce you to the other apprentices. Come on, let's go before your mentors take you on patrol. " Blacksmoke dragged me to a den near the medicine den and the high rock. As I entered I saw how the apprentices were making a mess practicing combat techniques against each other. "TO FORM!" Blacksmoke ordered. "YES, MA'AM." Answered the apprentices, forming in line. “Good job. I came to introduce you to your new denmate. " “Well Tigerpaw, you already know my apprentice, Snowpaw. Well now, let me introduce you to the others.” Blacksmoke raised her tail. "Proceed" "Owlpaw, present" Meows a she-cat with a light brown tabby fur. "Sunpaw, present," a blue-eyed golden tabby she-cat meowed. "Featherpaw, present," yelled an apprentice with thick blue-gray fur. "Spottedpaw, present," yelled an apprentice with a color pattern almost identical to Hollyfur's. "Lilypaw ... present" shyly meowed a bicolor pink-eyed she-cat. “Snowpaw present. We're all presents, Blacksmoke! " The orange-eyed white apprentice meowed. "Very well done! Apprentices, she's- ” they cut her off in mid-sentence. "Tigerpaw! You're the one who fought ToxicRain, right? And you have been assigned as Whiteblaze first apprentice, what luck! " Meowed a little she-cat with brown tabby fur. "Well I leave you to talk, break lines! Be good to her, or she'll make you fly out of the den.” She meowed jokingly. "Aren't you going to sleep?" I asked for. “I have a night patrol. Tomorrow we'll go hunting Tigerpaw " "Blacksmoke, please, you can keep calling me what you've called me until now." I meowed, Blacksmoke hesitated.

“Okay then, Tigress. Good night. ”Blacksmoke withdrew from the den and disappeared down the rock tunnel. The apprentices scattered. "Good night, Blacksmoke." I replied. "Come in! We want to ask you many questions. Look, we've even prepared a nest for you.” Owlpaw mewed, leading me to the back of the den. "Thank you, very kind of you," I meowed, settling myself. I felt a breeze behind my back carring the smell of two apprentecies. "Too predictable" I thought when two silhouettes loomed over me from the shadows. I whipped my tail in the air and wrapped both apprentices around the tails, holding each other in the air. "Sunpaw, Featherpaw? By Star Clan, what are you doing? Blacksmoke told us to be nice to her.” Snowpaw reproached them. "Sure! You say that because Blacksmoke is your mentor, right, Snowpaw? "Wouldn't you do it, even if your mentors said so?" Snowpaw asked. "And she is the apprentice to Whiteblaze himself, the white lightning of the Echo clan." Owlpaw meowes. "Not for choice, I should add," I thought. "White lighting?" "Whiteblaze is the white lightning in duo called , the strongest warrior pair in the clan!" Snowpaw meowed with a glow in his eye. “ He is a prodigy! And was deputy's first apprentice. They say that with only 3 moons of training, he was already made a warrior.” explained Owlpaw.

"Curious, don't you think? The best mentor gets the advantage one, and by the way, Snowpaw just wanted to test her reflexes.” Protested Sunpaw with a growl. "Now, can you let us go, please?" "Okay," I replied. "Wow, it seems that the pokerface stalker that has pick for me as a mentor, is more popular than it seems." I thought. I flapped my ears when I noticed a figure in the back of the den. "And her?" “Lilypaw is kinda shy. I'm going for her.” Owlpaw mewed. Lilypaw flapped her ears and stepped deeper into the shadows. "No, wait. There's no need, thank you.” The apprentice stopped. “She will come when she feels like it, there is no rush.” I replied. "Okay" "Lilypaw, right? I am Tigerpaw, nice to meet you. I hope we can get along. " I smiled and circled the nest with my tail. "Come on, let's go to sleep now, or it'll be daylight," Sunpaw interrupted. "Ok, ok... good night" Owlpaw replied. I snuggled into my new nest and closed my eyes, letting the wind outside the camp guide my sleep.

Not knowing that a dark figure lurks in the night too close to the camp. I woke up in the land of silhouettes, that place that seemed to call me in dreams. I felt the wind against my fur, soft and warm. The silhouettes of young cats running among the breezes, that once again filled my spirit with such pure freedom. I followed them, silhouettes of adult cats joined by the road, without knowing it, we had moved away from the hills. In front of me stood a whole range of mountain silhouettes. As we climbed those mountains, the wind became more violent at times, reaching the extreme that it will tear off several silhouettes and send them flying. I stretched out my paws and tail trying to grab them, but as usual they passed through me like a mist. A flash illuminated a cave entrance up the road. The wind was going from bad to worse, I clung to the ground with my claws. And as the cyclone began to swallow me up, I began to hear an irritating voice calling me.