A Broken Promise

So. When he promised Cold that he wouldn't do anything stupid. That he wouldn't go into the tunnels again. That he wouldn't endanger himself. That was a lie. Tiger lied through his teeth. To the cats who it seemed had cared for him. But the tunnel still had it's pull on him. As the To-Be lay in his nest, just wanting to rest after training and staring at the hawk talon. The pull he had felt had never vanished and today it seemed to find it's new high. He felt like drowning in his own nest.

He felt his paws move, almost unwillingly. But the more steps he got in as he walked from the safety of the cave, the more his hesitation seemed to fade. He doesn't mind this. As he walked out of camp, into the woods, and towards the location of the tunnels. He didn't know how he ended up in the forest. First walking, then trotting, then running. He didn't know why he had the talon tightly in his jaws.

First he worried for the why. Worried what Honk, Shroom or Cold might say. He had promised them to stay away and he had really wanted to. But somehow his paws moved and the nearer he got to the tunnels the less his thoughts turned around his worry. Tiger barely cared anymore. He needed to go back. Like he needed air. And that feeling no longer scared the young tom.

The closer he got, the more he felt like he was getting to the surface again.

He soon saw the tunnels. Like a thirsty cat sees water miles away. It's there. So close now.

Like water.

Water? Why does water come to mind? His steps almost falter. Almost.

He stood at the entrance. At that blackened void like a deep pool. A pool of black water. He took a step. Feeling the scent of old and long dead things wreathing around him. Tiger felt ... calm. He could almost feel her. Her scent. Those cooling blue eyes. Watching him. To greet him like a friend. The first friend the light tom ever had. And no one else matters. His paw touched the blackened pool. He felt like jumping in. But why did he wanted to go back under the surface after he just came out?

He hesitated.

His tail sank to the ground as he stared into the darkness. Why did he even question it? His parents were disappointed in him. Tiger disappointed everyone. He was not needed. But he was wanted with her. How dumb of him to question it.

Tiger shook his head and entered the shadows. Ready to see into those blue eye again. And the tunnel welcomed him. The cooling embrace of darkness. He felt her before he was even halfway into the abyss. He felt her.

"You came back." Was the first thing he heard. That blue glow appeared out of the corner of his eye. Her voice isn't surprised. She was expecting him. It made his heart flutter. "You didn't forget my gift to you." The talon felt heavier in his jaws. He felt the brush of fur against his. Has she been waiting here long? Stuck by the entrance, unable to go into the light? Waiting for Tiger all those moons he hadn't been here?

He lied down the talon between his paws so he would be able to speak. "Of course I didn't forget it. How could I?" he said as he touched the hawk talon with his paw "Did you wait the whole time here? I'm sorry ... I wanted to help you sooner but ... it's so complicated to do."

Wing shifted around so that she faced the light tom. Her pelt rippled like fog over the river. She looked at him, like one would look at someone they truly cared for. Her tail brushed under his chin. Her voice sounded in his ear again. "I have been waiting for so long for someone to come for me. You can imagine that, can't you? That loneliness. It almost drives you mad."

She looked at you, and her paw tapped against his. It was icy cold. It almost made him step back. Freezing like ice water.

"Yes ... I know that feeling." he murmured silently as he looked into her eye. She looked like she was under water. Or was she on the surface and he was under water? It was slowly confusing him.

Again. Water.

"I know I can trust you. And you can trust me. Only me. You know I can help you." she said.

She's so cold. Frigid. Still.

"Of course I trust you!" he said with conviction "But ... I have already done it. I'm a Prey Hunter now!" He looked at her, happy and proud. "I will still help you though, don't worry. I promised." Tiger stared into her gaze, trusting. He had promised to help her so he would help and once they had helped her get out and helped her to become an ancestor and not be trapped in those tunnels as a ghost she could do so much good! Help so many cats! He still didn't know how. But, she was as old as Thorn, right? So she might know something about it too, right?

"You'd help me?" Her face gets ever closer to his. And in the back of his mind he recalls Honk. Tiger recalled what she did to him. The look in the other To-Be's eyes when they'd met.

"You know what I want, don't you? You would give that to me?" she asked and he felt a tug on his tail. His back legs. Like hedgehog quills. Something feels wrong.

Water.

His face was damp. Was he ... crying? Why was he crying? What is pricking at his back legs? Why wouldn't he just accept her? Come to her? She just wanted to be able to go out of the tunnels again. She would be able to do that once she was an ancestor and could join her family and friends up there. That's at least what he thought she wanted too.

"Of course I help you." he said again "I promised. I know it might take a bit longer then expected but I'm sure we can do it!" He felt a sharp pain up his back legs. Like wasp stings. But Tiger just kept looking at her. He couldn't look away from her eyes.

"Longer?" Wing's cool blue eyes flash. Her head lowers and her expression gets colder, which makes his neck fur start to rise. "No. I have waited long enough. You made me wait longer. You will help me now. You owe me."

She stepped towards the tom and he took a step back in spite of himself. A step back from his talon. "You promised." he heard her say again. "I will leave this place. I will return to my Tribe. I will RIP OPEN THE TOM WHO LEFT ME ALONE! I WILL TAKE BACK MY LIFE! YOU WILL GIVE ME YOURS!"

"W-what no I ..." he stammered. His eyes blown wide as he stared at her. His gaze turned into fear. He understood that she was angry at Thorn for not helping her but that got too far. Way too far. Also. He didn't wanted to give his life away. "I wanted to help you to rise to the ancestors and not be a ghost anymore! Not ... not that!"

The pain in his legs was overbearing now and he cried out as the pain became worse, the tunnel coloring red. Like blood covering the walls. He didn't wanted to leave her out of his sight but he still turned around. Were was this pain coming from? 

As he turned around. The sting in his ankles ever present. And Tiger sees.

They glow against the dark. Little teeth digging in his legs. Pulling. They pull on him. Back towards the light.

Two kits. Both with glowing stripes. So little they're the size of moles. They tug on him. Somehow strong enough to pull him backwards. Little tails standing upright like fuzzy pine trees. The one on his left looked up at the light tom. So familiar are her eyes. Why are they familiar? She doesn't say anything. She can't with her little jaws firmly locked on his leg. Pulling him back. Desperate. And he remembered. A far distant memory. Of two little kits lying next to him, when he was the same size. Two little kits that had soon stopped to move and had never gotten a name. His siblings.

"Why would I want to go there? That's not where I belong! I deserve to live! I deserve it! You promised me! Don't you dare turn your back to me now! You promised!" came Wing's voice booming from his front.

The two kits behind Tiger tug again. His back legs in the sunlight. His forelegs in the darkness. The fear griped him. Tiger felt the tears in his eyes again as he turned back towards Wing. She looked at him, and his heart ached as he looked at the utter betrayal on her pretty face.

"I promised to help you, if you won't hurt my tribe. I never promised to help you to kill someone. I never promised you my live. If you don't want my help, then I can't do anything for you. I'm sorry." he said with a trembling voice. And then he let the kits guide him and took a step back. Towards the light. Towards his family.

"NO! YOU WILL HELP ME! YOU WILL GIVE ME WHAT I DESERVE!" Wing screeched but Tiger kept stepping back. Faster now. Feeling the little bundles of fur waddling back as quick as spectral paws will let them.

"YOU OWE ME! YOU WERE THE ONLY ONE WHO CARED! YOU HAVE TO HELP ME!"

He took another step and he felt icy claws digging into him. Like the last time. The time when Honk had dragged him out of those tunnels. The To-Be looked her in the face. Those pretty eyes. She stared at him. And Tiger at her. The venom leaves her voice. She looked so much like himself now. Confused. Scared. Lonely. She needs someone. He would have been her someone.

"Tiger help me." She whimpers to him. "Please. I'm so scared. I don't know what's wrong with me." Her sweet words nearly pulled him back again more than her claws could. But he couldn't forget her words from before. Couldn't forget the look she had when she spoke of killing Thorn through his claws.

The light almost graced his neck now.

He sadly shook his head, breaking the eye contact. It hurt him. It really did. He wanted to help her so badly. But she didn't wanted his help, not the one he was ready to give. Not the one she really needed. "You feel too much hatred, that is what is wrong. If you want to hold onto your revenge and hate, I can't help you. Maybe if you're ready to let go, you were already be helped." Maybe that was what kept her here in the darkness?

He stepped away. Her claws turn to harsh smoke against Tiger's illuminated fur. He saw her eyes stare at him. And then all at once vanish. The talon now left behind in those tunnels.

He turned around, to look at his siblings that would no doubt be behind him.

But they aren't there. But he hadn't imagined it. He still felt the sting on his back legs. But there was no wound. He spun, he looked around. No kits. No Wing.

Tiger was alone in the woods.

And he finally felt free.

He walked to camp. Feeling lighter pawsteps than he has ever felt in his life. Returning to his den, giving his hellos to the Prey Hunters leaving to go on their hunts. The To-Be marched up to his nest. 

He took a small breath and dragged it out of the cave. Asking around for any new bundles of moss he could use. He needed a new start. He took a few breaths of fresh air. 

He felt ... good again.