Work Text:
Tigerclaw pov (Heart of Fire)
I hope you enjoy this one-shot because I got this while writing a new chapter for Into the Wild!
Review, favorite and follow!
(You can also comment on which cat you want a one-shot of next for my version of the Heart of Fire characters! Though Bluestar is next!!)
This is set in Chapter 8 of Into the Wild.
"I saw something very interesting last night."
Tigerclaw internally groaned as Whitestorm padded over to come sit beside his oldest denmate and friend. The snowy-white warrior had a mischievous twinkle in his yellow eyes as he stared intensely at Tigerclaw. Obviously, Whitestorm had somehow seen Tigerclaw last night conversing with Firepaw, ThunderClan's newest recruit and apprentice.
"Is that so?" Tigerclaw responded vaguely, trying to appear unfazed. "What were you doing up in the middle of the night?"
"I was just going to ask you the same thing." Whitestorm meowed, his whiskers twitching in amusement. "Alone with a pretty she-cat all night long."
Tigerclaw's lips curled back at the implication that Whitestorm was hinting at. Regardless if his pelt began to heat up at the thought of last night's conversation with the baffling, yet intriguing, jade eyed apprentice.
"Nothing happened between us, so get whatever thoughts you have on the matter out of your head." Tigerclaw growled, narrowing his amber eyes on his lifelong friend, who unlike most, did not fold to his intimidation tactics.
"Come now, Tigerclaw. There's no need to be so guarded. Firepaw is a very pretty she-cat, and is very hardworking and-"
"An apprentice." Tigerclaw bluntly pointed out.
Whitestorm didn't look fazed, "She won't be one for much longer." Whitestorm countered. "From what I've heard, Bluestar is thinking of making her a warrior early."
That interests Tigerclaw. Firepaw was good, better in fact, compared to any common apprentice born in the Clan at this time. It was interesting, and quite amazing if he allowed himself to be honest, that a kittypet could catch on so fast.
It vexed him in the beginning. The dark tabby warrior had been confident that the small, sleek, ginger furred she-cat with jade green eyes would fail within a few days and run back to their easy life as a sniveling house pet. But somehow or other, Firepaw managed to prove those expectations wrong, instead the kittypet had flourished beneath the warrior code and integrated well within Clan life.
Tigerclaw was still trying to wrap his head around how that could possibly happen.
"There she is now." Whitestorm's casual drawl caused Tigerclaw to turn his head in the direction his friend was facing. Sure enough, Firepaw was padding her way out of the fern tunnel, where she had disappeared after abruptly leaving Tigerclaw's side without a word spoken between them. From the looks of things, Firepaw had gone to retrieve the herbs that she needed to go on their journey to Highstones. "You'll be going on the same patrol together today. Won't you? Time spent getting to know each other."
Tigerclaw snorted. "Stop acting coy. I know what you're doing, and it's not going to work."
"Oh? And what can I possibly be doing?" Whitestorm blinked slowly. "It wouldn't happen to include Firepaw, now would it?"
Tigerclaw let out a frustrated hiss of annoyance. They may be as close as two brothers, but Whitestorm could also be as overbearing and irritating as one too. When they were kits, Whitestorm had always been the voice of reason, the calm and sensible one when Tigerclaw wanted to rush straight into things. As they grew, Whitestorm was still the same, always level-headed and possessing the moral conscience that Tigerclaw now lacked.
His moral conscience was what blinded Whitestorm from seeing the good Tigerclaw was trying to do for the Clan. Under his leadership, ThunderClan would prosper and rise to greatness. That was why Tigerclaw didn't have time for a mate or… Tigerclaw's train of thought was disrupted by a hard shove to his shoulder, causing Tigerclaw to hiss in aggravation at Whitestorm, who was the one to shove him, but Whitestorm wasn't even looking at Tigerclaw.
"Well, if you really don't have feelings for Firepaw, then you wouldn't mind someone else mooning over her. You might be having some competition."
Tigerclaw whipped his head around in search of Firepaw, disbelief clouding his face as his eyes landed on the sleek, ginger she-cat who was pressed muzzle to muzzle with his pathetic excuse of an apprentice.
Tigerclaw began to feel his hackles rise at the closeness of the pair. It couldn't be possible that Firepaw found anything of worth in that cowardly, sniveling worm. Great StarClan! Anyone would be better suited for Firepaw besides Ravenpaw.
In actuality, Ravenpaw was as much use as a dead fox.
"StarClan's kits! Does Firepaw's friendship with Ravenpaw really ruffle your fur that much?!" Whitestorm exclaimed, cuffing Tigerclaw over the ears in order to calm the massive, sharp-clawed tabby warrior down. "You're acting crazier than a fox in a fit!"
Tigerclaw forced himself to calm down. Embarrassment taking over instead at his loss of control. The dark tabby warrior had never acted this way, in truth, neither has he ever felt this way either. It was an indescribable feeling, something he has no reference to, and he felt lost to it.
"Now what are you two teasing each other about this early?" Bluestar's airy question brought both warriors attention towards their leader. Bluestar was just stepping out of her den, appearing ready to get started on their journey.
"Just the latest gossip." Whitestorm shrugged, side-eyeing Tigerclaw.
Bluestar's whiskers twitched in amusement. It appeared as though his pale blue-gray leader knew exactly what Whitestorm was referring to.
Tigerclaw felt mortified. Just how many of his Clanmates actually believe this silly rumor? There was no way, none at all, not now or ever, will Tigerclaw ever consider Firepaw anything less than--
What did Tigerclaw consider Firepaw? If that question had been asked the first time Tigerclaw had met the young ginger she-cat, then he would have said that she was nothing more than a nuisance and unfit for the life of a warrior. Now the massive tabby wasn't so sure.
Tigerclaw huffed and looked away.
"Well then, Tigerclaw." Bluestar said at last. "We should go collect the apprentice's and be on our way."
That was something Tigerclaw could actually agree on with his leader.
"Then let's go." Tigerclaw rumbled, ignoring the glances Bluestar and Whitestorm shared between one another before Bluestar came to walk alongside Tigerclaw.
"May StarClan light your path!" Whitestorm called after him.
Fun Facts:
I love a jealous Tigerclaw!!!
Whitestorm is that annoying friend/brother that won't stop teasing you about something.
Slowly but surely everyone is figuring out Tigerclaw's feelings towards Firepaw even before Tigerclaw himself has realized them.
Firepaw is the last to know though. (Also Darkstripe but he's just an idiot)