Tigerstar’ POV
I was forced to follow Sandstorm. That foolish young warrior Brackenfur trailed me. I sneered to myself. That bumbling fool was afraid of me, even when I was as injured as I was. As he should be. After all I was the most powerful cat in the forest.
Perfect by nature, icons of self-indulgence.
My fur was matted with blood and mixed with dust. Exhausted from my fight with the kittypet, I collapsed onto the ground. That kittypet would probably make up some lie, and of course, the clan would buy it.
Just what we all need, more lies about a world, that never was and never will be.
Brackenfur was still standing around me, probably making sure I wasn’t about to attack again. Like I was about to do something like that in the state I was in! Why did everything have to fail!
Bluestar’s POV
I cautiously followed Brackenfur out of my den. I could feel my tail dragging in the dust as I plodded into the camp. The strong cat I once was faded away, leaving a frail elder. I glanced over at Tigerclaw. He sneered.
Have you no shame, don’t you see me?
How could I have ever trusted this cat? I had made him my deputy after the death of Lionheart. I should have believed Fireheart.
You know you’ve got everybody fooled.
Fireheart’s POV
I watched Graystripe limp out of Bluestar’s den. Cinderpelt ran up to him to treat his wounds. Bluestar beckoned all the cats of the clan to gather around her. My heart sank. What happened to our powerful leader?
Look here she comes now
I walked over to Cinderpelt. Her eyes were filled with fear, as were most other cats’ in clan. I asked her if she could give Tigerclaw something for his pain. Enemy or not, I didn’t want to see any cat suffer. She agreed and left to fetch some herbs. I squeezed my way through the gathering clan cats.
Bow down and stare in wonder.
I watched Cinderpelt drop some leaves in front of the once powerful deputy. He sniffed them cautiously before chewing them. I wished Bluestar had listened to me earlier when I told her this. She could have saved herself so much misery.
Oh, how we love you
But no, instead Bluestar had chosen to ignore me. She had pretended that everything was fine, when maybe she knew what her deputy was capable of.
No flaws when you’re pretending
As Bluestar began to speak, and the Clan refused to believe it, I knew that Bluestar hadn’t known. She had no idea that her deputy was an overly ambitious murderer.
But now I know she, never was and never will be.
Bluestar’s POV
“I present you with Tigerclaw, now a prisoner.” I slowly said, my voice weak. Before I spoke again, the Clan interrupted me with worried murmurs. My eyes, blank with sorrow, stared at Tigerclaw. His eyes burned with anger as he locked eyes with me, his former leader.
You don’t know how you betrayed me
Darkstripe argued with me, asking me what Tigerclaw had done. I explained to him and the rest of my clan. Uneasy murmurs of disbelief rippled through the crowd as I finished speaking. No one believed it.
And somehow you’ve got everybody fooled.
Fireheart’s POV
Fed up with every cat’s disbelief, I leaped up and yowled the truth about the rogue cats. When Darkstripe told me to prove it, I glanced over at Bluestar. She told me to tell them. So I did. As I explained, my eyes wandered over to Tigerclaw.
Without the mask where will you hide?
I told them about all of Tigerclaw’s lies. About Redtail and Oakheart, why he was so ambitious, and that he had tried killing Ravenpaw. As I spoke, he sat up on his hind legs. His eyes were cold, as if he challenged every cat to come up to him. I had revealed the truth.
Can’t find yourself, lost in your lies
Bluestar’s POV
The things Fireheart said, some I knew but had refused to believe, some I never knew. This wasn’t the first time Tigerclaw and had tried to kill me. Cinderpelt had been caught up in his first attempt. I stared at my former deputy in shock.
I know the truth now. I know who you are, and I don’t love you anymore.
As Fireheart finished speaking, Whitestorm asked me what I was going to do with Tigerclaw. Some told me to kill him, some said to blind him, others said to drive him from the forest.
Never was and never will be. You don’t know how you betrayed me.
I asked Tigerclaw, the cat I had trusted, if there was anything he had to say. He sneered, and as he insulted me, I saw the true Tigerclaw. He said that I was soft, gutless, weak. He told me that he would’ve made our clan great. Tigerclaw, the cat who had once been my deputy, was bloodthirsty, ambitious, and a murderer.
And somehow you had everybody fooled.
I sentenced Tigerclaw, one of the greatest warriors I had ever seen, into exile.
Never was and never will be
After much threatening, Tigerclaw slowly stood up and glared at every cat. His gaze rested on Darkstripe, Longtail, and Dustpelt. I now knew them to be loyal followers of his.
Not for real that you can save them.
I watched him as with one last look over his shoulder, he glared at me and stalked out of camp, gone forever.
And somehow now you’re everybody’s fool.