VILLAIN FIRESTAR AU - PART 1
tigerclaw decides to go on a walk to clear his head, and ends up overhearing spotted and blue’s conversation, including the prophecy, although it is slightly different bc of this au’s events. he instantly decides it could be useful for his plan, so begins to keep an eye out. more frequent patrols, etc.
this leads to tiger finding an orange-colored kittypet staring out at the forest- this cat nearly gives him a heart attack from a distance, because he looks like fire. it clicks for tigerstar and he begins frequenting that area to try and get this kittypet’s interest (though he’s not thrilled that the prophecy relies on a twoleg-kisser)
sure enough, while patrolling, he notices rusty has left, but it’s when bluestar, lionheart, and graypaw are with him. he stops graypaw and says that he’s going to hop down from the tree for a closer look, and that in case it’s a stronger cat graypaw should stay here. it’s a good enough excuse.
rusty runs from tigerclaw when he sees this massive tom approaching, but the normal turning and deciding to fight back thing occurs as in the main book. tiger is impressed. begrudgingly, of course.
tigerclaw begins already starting his plan to manipulate the kittypet. he talks about the clans, but gives a large focus on leaders and deputies, almost overexaggerating their power and how amazing the role is. ofc rusty is amazed when finally the others jump down, they didnt hear the chat between the two, but they saw rusty fight back and all.
normal events occur as in the book, rusty goes home, but smudge argues with him bc he doesn’t trust the way tigerclaw is described by rusty. rusty gets pissedt and leaves late at night. tigerclaw notices him while coming back from the redtail murder patrol and gladly brings him to the clan upon request. the whole walk there, he continues filling rusty’s head with tigerclaw-propaganda.
tiger’s plan is to have rusty be on board with tiger’s idea to take over when it is eventually presented to him. that way the prophecy will in some way help him out- after all, what better way to save the clans like in the prophecy, than have tiger unite them?
rusty nearly loses the fight with longtail, but his collar is eventually torn. he’s angry that he lost despite giving it his all, but tiger claims that longtail must have cheated, and that “if there was a strong enough leader and deputy around here, you’d have a fair shot. there’d be now trickery like that.” it’s one of the first big whoppers that pulls rusty to tiger’s side.
firepaw is shown around camp, when ravenpaw finally returns yelling about redtail’s death. (in this au, ravenpaw still witnessed the murder, but in trying to run he hit his head on a tree or smthn and conked out for a bit. he finds redtail’s body when he wakes up, but can’t be sure of what he saw at first.)
tiger: serves redtail right. he never could have made it as deputy.
firepaw gets settled in after he’s handed off to graypaw, and they actually still become really good friends!
however, the seeds have already been planted in his head, and he’s starting to idolize tiger. he doesn’t feel appreciated for not having an actual mentor, but wishes he could have tigerclaw since he’s already learned so much from him.
he learns ravenpaw is tiger’s apprentice, and gets very jealous, but hides it well enough.
timeskip a few moons and all, rusty has been v much manipulated by tigerclaw, who is teaching him as much anti-bluestar stuff he can while being subtle. eventually, tiger decides now is the right time and introduces firepaw to his true plan. firepaw, of course, eats it up, bc this plan fits so perfectly with the ideals he’s been taught. he and tiger are able to start planning for real, but only for snippets of the day.
spottedleaf dies and it’s a big push towards the edge for firepaw. he’s angry and doesnt know how to take it out. tigerclaw is impressed with fire’s angry side and proposes an idea.
they begin sneaking out for training, because tigerclaw has also now stressed to rusty that his mentor(s) are inadequate on top of his other reasons, and that fire will learn all the things needed for the big plan if they trained together.
ravenpaw is being neglected, but now both he and graypaw have noticed something is up. ravenpaw manages to piece enough things together to determine redtail’s murder was not his imagination, and tells graypaw and firepaw. graypaw is worried, but firepaw leaves and tells tigerclaw, who is furious. he’s plotting how to silence ravenpaw, but firepaw decides now’s his time to prove himself to his Bad Dad(tm).
he’s jealous that ravenpaw gets to be tiger’s apprentice, but treats it like it’s nothing. now he has another reason to get rid of ravenpaw, though he doesnt think he has the heart for murder.
he tells raven tigerclaw knows and is gonna kill him that night. they run for the barn, but halfway there ravenpaw realizes that firepaw has been constantly rude and playing jokes on ravenpaw. raven calls fire’s bluff, and after increasingly angry and intense arguing, firepaw realizes someone might hear, and viciously attacks ravenpaw at riverclan border. and he goes to TOWN. the moment blood is drawn, something awakens in him, and he mangles that kiddo. he leaves the body in the river, and washes off, then goes back to camp.
he’s not proud of it at first, but regardless, tells tiger, who is his only guidance. tiger is proud of him though, says it was a good call and he tried his best not to kill at first, and firepaw begins to associate “necessary” violence with praise from his parental figure.
they cover up the murder as ravenpaw suddenly disappearing, with fire even faking being concerned and regretful of teasing ravenpaw. no suspicion lands on him or tiger. he’s given tigerclaw as his new mentor.
he chases after yellowfang when the kits are gone, but graypaw also chased after yellowfang and stops him just before fire can attack her at shadowclan camp’s edge. he explains the real situation, and firepaw calms down.
the shadowclan battle happens and firepaw becomes fireclaw, at his request, in honor of the warrior who has guided him so much since his arrival.
