Chapter Text
To say it in one word, Blackfoot felt torn. Torn between power and compassion, torn between loyalty to his clan or to his leader. As the deputy of Shadowclan, he was determined to do what was best for them, but it was difficult. He helped Brokenstar lead attacks on Windclan. He watched as his leader stole kits and territory, killing cats and driving the other clan away in the process. Many called him a tyrannous brute, but he convinced Blackfoot that he was making the clan strong, by driving the forest to fear them. Brokenstar taught his deputy that if the kits are too weak to train, let them die; Shadowclan only had room for the strongest cats. A strong clan makes a feared clan. Fear leads to respect. Brokenstar had taught him that, standing too close for comfort as he casually told Blackfoot about his horrific beliefs, and they both looked on at a new litter of kits for Shadowclan, stolen from Thunderclan camp. Brokenstar had a way with words; a way with leading. Shadowclan was strong, so why should he question Brokenstar’s decisions? Trusting him, he took the smallest kit away to be slaughtered.
When Thunderclan cats attacked their camp, a surprisingly large number of Shadowclan cats rose against Brokenstar with them. Blackfoot growled as he watched his clan get ripped apart from this battle; why didn’t they believe in their leader? But he couldn’t be angry for long. The main difference between Blackfoot and Brokenstar, is that Blackfoot cares. He cares about his clanmates, and all the kits born to his clan. He wishes he could treat them as equals. But Brokenstar had taught him, compassion and love are emotions that lead to weakness. Once, Blackfoot couldn’t watch with a straight face when another ‘weak’ young kit who couldn’t keep up with the other apprentices in training was killed, and when Brokenstar recognised Blackfoot’s hurt he told him, “You put a cat through grief, pain, drive them to fear you, they’ll never rise against you; you’ll hold power over them. That is what makes a clan strong, Blackfoot. A powerful leader makes a powerful clan.” Brokenstar had taught him many things. How to have a cat grow up fearing you. He spoke in a way that made his leader’s words seem so wise. Blackfoot had been excited to become leader, burying and clouding his compassion as he saw more and more sense in Brokenstar’s words.
So when Thunderclan attacked, Blackfoot had been torn, between clan and leader.
He chose to follow his leader.
Watching his leader fall is something he’d never imagined. After Blackfoot had chosen to flee from the clan with Brokenstar and his followers, Brokenstar’s calm and wise facade dropped. He was overcome with rage, angered and stupefied at the prospect of losing all the power he had. Blackfoot realised that Brokenstar thought he had been in a safe position, that he’d continue leading his clan for many moons to come, that they were all loyal to him. But now everything had been suddenly ripped away from him, Blackfoot could see that he was so ambitious, he had become too dependent on power. Brokenstar had foolishly led an attack on Thunderclan camp. Blackfoot still followed him, trying to just think about what he was like before all this. He was such a great leader then. Feared, respected, and intelligent. Surely, if this is Brokenstar’s decision, it’s the right one. Blackfoot ran fiercely into battle, vowing to stay by his leader’s side. But of course, Thunderclan won quickly. Brokenstar was nothing without the clan. Blackfoot watched as his leader fell, his sight ripped out of his skull. Fireheart said he was being taken captive, and the other Shadowclan cats must leave. Blackfoot zoned in on Brokenstar as he was dragged away for a moment, the pain of claw marks in his skin numbing, the sound of hissing cats around him slowed to a droning background noise. All he could see was Brokenstar’s clawed, blind, hateful gaze on him. Did his leader blame him? After all the loyalty he had shown, after fighting by his side in this doomed, unplanned battle. He changed himself so much for Brokenstar. He looked up to his leader, like a son to his father, despite being older than him. And just because Brokenstar was stupid enough to get captured and blinded, he hates Blackfoot. As the Shadowclan deputy turned to leave with the rest of the patrol, lashing his tail and making it obvious that losing this battle didn’t make him afraid of Thunderclan in any way, Blackfoot tried to force down the pain piercing his heart. Blackfoot just thought his leader might’ve… cared, for him.. No, he hissed to himself in his head. That’s stupid. That’s not how a leader should think, a leader shouldn’t need compassion. Brokenstar said- He stopped himself. Does it matter anymore, what Brokenstar said? A leader who became so power hungry that when he lost it all, he was driven into a mindless rage and now lives as a worthless, wretched prisoner of Thunderclan until he dies? Does Blackstar really want to follow those pawsteps? Maybe some compassion is needed, for a leader to truly thrive… Growling to himself, he forgot the thought. Brokenstar was a great leader, Blackfoot is willing to learn from Brokenstar, to be ruthless and to terrify, but to not let the power consume him. Brokenstar is not my leader anymore, He thought firmly. I don’t need him. And the hurt was buried.
After Brokenstar fell, the clan also fell. A terrible sickness wiped through the clan. When prey is scarce, Shadowclan has usually turned to the Carrionplace to find crowfood and rats. But this time, an illness from the food had swiped through the clan like a huge paw with outstretched claws, fierce and merciless. Blackfoot could only watch as his clan fell to pieces around him, and with no cure, there was nothing any of the cats could do about it. Nightstar had taken up leader duties, as Blackfoot and the rest of Brokenstar’s followers were not yet to be trusted themselves, but soon enough he also reached his deathbed. This was a dire time for Shadowclan.
That was, until Blackfoot and the group found Tigerclaw. A respected cat amongst all the clans. He seemed clever, in a similar way that Brokenstar was, as he spoke to them about his plan to kill Bluestar with the help of Blackfoot and the others. He promised them great things, and Blackfoot realised he had nothing to lose. The clan needed any help they could get, though he was pretty sure he was the only one in Tigerclaw’s group who still cared about Shadowclan. However if he pledged his loyalty to Tigerclaw, he could convince him to help his clan, and keep his word. And so he went along with the plan. It was almost a success, and Blackfoot could tell Tigerclaw was smart, leading the rogues into his camp as if they were chasing him. As they fought, he watched Tigerclaw sneak into the leader’s den. Blackfoot tried to stop Fireheart when the former kittypet followed him in, but was stopped by Whitestorm. Thunderclan won in the end, yet again, and soon enough Tigerclaw was exiled, and Fireheart made deputy. By this point Blackfoot shared Tigerclaw’s hate for that damned kittypet; it seemed to be the reason all his battles were lost. However, even if the plan failed, Tigerclaw kept his word. He became Shadowclan’s leader, Tigerstar, leading them out of the darkness that had enclosed them. Blackfoot was appointed deputy still, and he was proud to have Tigerstar as his leader. He loved seeing the shocked faces of all the cats at the gathering, especially Thunderclan, when Tigerstar told everyone his new position.
Tigerstar was an ambitious leader. He wasn’t as cruel to his own people as Brokenstar was, and he wasn’t as blind either. He had plans to claim the entire forest, to have the clans become one with him leading them. While he didn’t talk to Blackfoot as much, the deputy looked up to him. He imagined leading all those cats beside Tigerstar. First his leader convinced Riverclan to work with him, and be the first to help him build Tigerclan. A good start; there’s no way Thunderclan would be swayed to join them, and Windclan was too proud, for now. But Tallstar would be forced into joining him for the clan’s safety, knowing Tigerclan is already made up of two clans.
Tigerstar led his clan well, he drove them to fear and respect him as Brokenstar did. He kept cats that were never meant to be born as prisoners, and told Stonefur, a half clan cat himself, to kill his dead sister’s kits. If that wouldn’t make the onlookers fear and respect him, Blackfoot didn’t know what would. When Stonefur refused, Tigerstar ordered Darkstripe to kill him, but the ex-Thunderclan warrior failed and Blackfoot took his place. I’ll make you proud, Tigerstar. But then he was up close and fighting this poor cat, who was just trying to protect his sister’s kits, the last he had left of her. He understood why Tigerstar kept him prisoner first. The Riverclan warrior was starved and weak, but would still spend his last breath fighting to protect those kits, even if it was a lost cause. When Blackfoot killed him, he felt no pride, no satisfaction, and thoughts of making Tigerstar proud were far away. As he licked the blood from his maw, he felt sick, his pelt prickling like judgemental eyes were on him. Of course there’s eyes on me, all of Tigerclan is watching this. He tried to calm his nerves, but couldn’t help but feel like there was unwanted company around. The feelings of guilt or shame were shaken off soon though, when Tigerstar praised him. Looking up again to his leader, Blackfoot felt proud he had pleased Tigerstar. But when they left the body of the half clan cat to rot, Blackfoot couldn’t bring himself to look back at it.
Soon after, Windclan and Thunderclan had formed an alliance, called Lionclan. A battle was coming; all the cats knew it. Blackfoot didn’t know what Tigerstar was planning, but his leader always had a grin on his face accompanied with a mischievous glint in his eye, so Blackfoot trusted he was planning something good. When it came to it, Blackfoot realised Tigerstar had convinced a band of rogues called Bloodclan to help Tigerclan. The deputy had purred in delight; an excellent plan, to trick the rogues into thinking they’ll gain some of his territory. Once this battle is over, it’ll be easy for Tigerclan to drive them out. However, Scourge decided that he didn’t want to battle today, after Fireheart helped him realise that Tigerstar had lied about his plans, and that many had failed. Scourge had realised he couldn’t trust him. Filled with frustration that victory was so close but had now been taken away from him, Tigerstar attacked Scourge. Yet in a flash, right before Blackfoot’s eyes, Scourge ripped all of his leader’s lives out with one slash of his reinforced claws. Blackfoot could only stare in horror, Tigerstar’s scream of terror embedded into his mind, as bloodied insides spilled from his leader’s belly.
Tigerstar had bitten off more than he could chew; he hadn’t known enough about these cats, but like Brokenstar, he had become impatient and ignored the warnings, he hadn’t properly assessed what he was getting himself into. Blackfoot won’t be as blind to the warnings.
Scourge promised he’d be back, and if the clans hadn’t made the decision to give their territory willingly, he would kill them all. Blackfoot became Shadowclan’s leader, and Tigerclan was forgotten. The first time Firestar spoke to him directly, it was to convince him to join Lionclan, as the clans should work together to drive out Bloodclan. He spoke with a low voice, something like disgust glinting in his eye as he spoke curtly with Blackfoot. The Shadowclan leader didn’t really have time to wonder why, as he reluctantly agreed to join the alliance, just to drive out Bloodclan.
The battle came quickly, and it was fierce. These cats weren’t just any rogues. Not only did they have their own specialised claws, but they had skill in a fight. Blackfoot wasn’t even sure, if Tigerstar was still alive, whether Tigerclan alone would have actually managed to drive them out.
He’d lost count of how many wounds he could feel in his pelt, how many cats he had fought, when in the midst of battle he stopped still as he caught Firestar’s flame coloured pelt blazing and flashing as he fought quickly. No cat could ever guess he was born a kittypet. Blackfoot watched as he cleverly unbalanced a much larger tom than him to get the enemy cat away from his clanmate, using the tom’s size against him as they fought. Suddenly he lost sight of the orange pelt when a she-cat pounced on Blackfoot and he fought her off, wrangling with her in the dirt and as she delivered a sharp blow to his side, he viciously tore her ear causing her to howl in pain and back up for a moment. Blackfoot growled and pounced again, rolling her over and pinning her down, and she tried to tear at his belly and chest with her hind legs as he sunk his teeth into her throat. He stepped away from the she-cat as she died, feeling tired and drowsy by this point in the battle. Looking around for a moment, he saw other cats as injured as he, maybe even worse, with tiredness but fearlessness and ferocity in their eyes. He wasn’t the only one. He turned and again he saw Firestar - with Scourge! Firestar leaped into the smaller cat, throwing him off Onewhisker, a Windclan warrior, and the two leaders fought fiercely. Blackfoot crouched, watching unblinkingly, ears pricked with interest. Could this finally be the end? He found himself kneading the forest floor in anticipation, encouraging Firestar in his own head. He stared on in horror as the Bloodclan leader ripped out the orange coloured cat’s throat, and Firestar fell. Blackfoot’s stomach dropped as he immediately thought, He only became leader recently, like me. Has he received his nine lives yet? Blackfoot almost sighed in relief as he saw movement from Firestar’s still body, before he froze mid-sigh. It wasn’t Firestar moving; it was the ghost of Firestar’s first life! Blackfoot was in awe as the powers of Starclan unfolded right there before him. He watched a second version of Firestar’s frame get up from where he lay, almost invisible and walking off into the distance, disappearing. Then, Firestar got up, slowly, coming back to his senses. The leader rose again, as Scourge turned back around and stopped still in shock as the leader stood once more, back from the dead. Blackfoot looked on as Firestar finally killed Scourge, a sense of elation and relief flooding his body. Another Bloodclan cat screeched that their leader had been killed, and they retreated. As they ran, Blackfoot continued watching Firestar, as the Thunderclan leader smiled to himself, looking up at the band of bright stars watching over them, known as Silverpelt. He looked about as relieved as Blackfoot felt.
The Shadowclan leader rose from his crouched position, as many cats of the forest territory yowled in victory, wordless howls carrying through the night air. He joined them, allowing himself to feel content, working out all the stress built up to this battle by kneading the ground beneath him. Eventually the yowling died down. The clans stayed together for a while, here in the clearing of Fourtrees, as many cats were too injured to return home. Blackfoot was surprised to see Firestar, and other cats from other clans, checking on cats who weren’t their own. Firestar checked Windclan first; as Thunderclan’s first ally, and considering the bond the two leaders shared, Blackfoot could have guessed that was the first clan he’d go to. Eventually Firestar stepped away from Tallstar, making eye contact with Blackfoot from a few fox lengths away. His expression was unreadable, and Blackfoot felt this strange need to look away, like he felt embarrassed. Before he thought about it too much Firestar turned away to check on Riverclan, and Runningnose came up to Blackfoot to ask him about his wounds.
“Have you checked the rest of the clan?”
“I have.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, Blackfoot.” Runningnose snorted and shook his head as he started dressing Blackfoot’s wounds. “You always cared so much for your clan.” Runningnose muttered. “I’m glad you are our leader now. A Shadowclan leader finally true to his clan. When you’re fit to travel there, you should visit Highstones as soon as possible to receive your nine lives and your leader's name.”
Blackfoot simply nodded and said, “Thank you, Runningnose.”
Soon after Runningnose had finished dressing his wounds, and Blackfoot had finished checking on the most injured of his clanmates, he heard pawsteps stop purposefully behind him. Blackfoot turned, face to face with the Thunderclan leader.
“Firestar,” He greeted. “So we won the battle after all.”
“Yes we did.” Firestar replied. His gaze was slightly unnerving. It was clear from his face that he’s come here to say something in particular. “What will you do now, Blackfoot?”
"Take my Clan home, and prepare for a journey to Highstones. I'm their leader now. We have much to do to recover, but life in the forest will go on as usual." Blackfoot felt glad as he said those last words, and the Thunderclan leader’s taught expression relaxed a little.
“Then I’ll see you at the next Gathering.” Blackfoot nodded, and started turning away, hoping that was all before Firestar spoke up again. “And Blackfoot,” he called, before lowering his voice once he had the Shadowclan leader’s attention. “You would do well to learn from the mistakes of your predecessors. I saw what you did to Stonefur at the bonehill.”
Oh. That accusatory tone burned into him, his guilt raw and exposed once more. Blackfoot wanted to lower his gaze, feeling that the look of remorse would show in his eyes. Never show weakness, Blackfoot. He forced his gaze to level with Firestar’s, and he nodded again, slowly, before he turned away. The understanding and relief in the rival leader’s eyes told him that Firestar trusted, or at least hoped, Blackfoot would be better than his predecessors.
Blackfoot knew that now, though. The four clans were meant to live separately. When he looked inside himself, pushing away all the views his previous leaders had implanted into his brain; Blackstar knew he wasn’t power hungry. He never needed, or wanted, to kill the cats who didn’t deserve it; elders, kits, weak, sick cats. It was wrong. He cared for his clan, and they are all he needs. As he is all they need; a good hearted but strong leader, to lead them away from the darkness they had been through. When the clans departed for their own territories once more, Blackfoot was confident in himself, head held high as he led his clan back home.