He's No Monster [ Tigerstar x Reader ]

Chapter 9

      You touched your nose to the cold surface of the Moonstone, excited to see your warrior anscestors greet you by your new name.  I can't wait to see my distant kin again!

You woke up in a clearing, feeling a bit dazed.  Around you was lush moorland, and sparkling dew clung to your fur.  For a moment, you thought it was starlight.  I’m not dead, am I?

"No, not at all," a voice meowed.  "Don't worry, young one."

"Welcome, Y/N," more cats meowed, remaining unseen.  It made you uneasy.

A ginger tom slowly slowly strided toward you.  His bright amber eyes were somber, and he looked concerned.

"Y/N," he meowed.  "Welcome.  You're now a full medicine cat.  We, accept you as that."

Then why are you looking at me like that?

He sighed.  "I must say something to you, Y/N."

"Is something wrong?" you asked.

The tom looked indecisive for a moment, then shook his head.  "I'm not sure.  But I've come bearing a warning for you, Y/N."

You felt alarm spark in your belly.  "What is it?"

"You . . . you will make a great mistake on the path that you stride.  Be mindful, Y/N.  You are your own cat, and you don't need any other cats beside your loyal Clanmates."  The tom scraped at the ground a bit.  "Farewell," he mewed before fading away, leaving you alone in the forest.  It was silent, but you could feel cats around you, of the dead, starry sort.

A moment later, the ground began to shake, and you felt a wound open in the earth beneath your paws, and you felt yourself fall in.  You called out but there wasn't so much as an echo as you fell to your doom.

"Tigerstar!  Runningnose!  B/N!" you yowled, flailing.  "Someone— anyone!"

But nothing happened.  You could feel the ground getting closer, and closer, and right before you hit the ground, you were staring directly into the eyes of a tiger, but his eyes were amber, and oddly familiar.  He let out a roar, and you hit the ground, but before you could feel any pain, you were back in the Moonstone chamber.  The other medicine cats were still asleep.

You quickly checked your fur for the glittering starlight of a fallen warrior, but you were fine.  Safe.  Your lungs ached from calling to your Clanmates, and you couldn't move at all.

It was only a dream.  You're still alive.  StarClan is just warning you to be careful, I guess around rumbling grounds and tigers?

You looked at Runningnose.  The tabby was just beginning to stir.  He looked around at the other medicinr cats, and then nudged you with his nose.

"Is everything alright?" he asked.

You nodded.  "I'm fine."  Your gaze trailed toward the other medicine cats, who were beginning to wake.  I can't speak to him right now.

The medicine cats began saying farewells before dispersing.  You'd hollowly commented to the other medicine cats, though you didn't exactly say anything meaningful, just plain good-byes.  You stuck close to Runningnose, scared that at any moment, the ground would break and swallow you.

"What's going on, Y/N?" Runningnose whispered as they headed back toward fourtrees.

You shook your head.  "Nothing, I'm just thinking."

"When we get a bit closer to our territory, you can tell me about it," Runningnose offered.

You wanted to say no, but you nodded anyway.  "That'd be great."

Runningnose purred and waved his tail, and they proceeded on their journey back in silence.  You glanced over at him every few moments, wondering what he was thinking, and if it was good or bad.  Hopefully he trusts me well enough?

When you arrived on the border of ShadowClan's territory with your mentor, Runningnose stopped you.

"Okay, now we can talk," he sighed.

You kneaded the ground anxiously, hoping that he'd forgotten.  Once more, she felt like she'd eaten bad fresh-kill.  Please don't let this be a sign that I'm not meant to be a medicine cat. . .

"Well . . . I had an odd dream at the Moonstone," you began.

"I put together that much," Runningnose joked.

You purred in response.  "I wasn't finished."  You felt worried and anxious again.  "A ginger tom came to me.  He told me that I'm going to make bad mistake on my path," you fretted, confessing your worry to the senior medicine cat.  "And then the ground opened up and tried to take me.  And there was a tiger with amber eyes, and. . .  And then I hit the ground and woke up."

Or I died in a dream.  Maybe it's a warning that my demise will come at any moment. . .