Fuzzball

Fuzzball is a little, fluffy, thick-furred splotchy ginger tabby tom with yellow eyes.

Tigerheart's Shadow

 * Tigerheart is searching the Twolegplace, looking for his mate, Dovewing. He hears the excited meow of a cat from behind him. He turns to face the kittypet and his pelt bushes as the cat flies at his face. The cat clumsily topples over him and knocks Tigerheart off his paws. The dark brown tom then realizes that this cat is a kittypet and a tom. He heads away from the willow, and the kittypet chases after the energetic cat. He notices that the ginger tom is a splotchy ginger tabby with thick fur, and also not that much bigger than Whorlpaw. The thick furred tom squeaks and rears for another lunge. Tigerheart knocks him aside, and wonders if this is really how all kittypets fight. The tom keeps striking clumsy blows at Tigerheart, however, the deputy keeps dodging them. Fuzzball gleefully urges Tigerheart to fight back. The tabby tom swallows back a purr, wondering if the kittypet actually thinks this is a real fight. He keeps his claws sheathed when the ginger cat flings himself at him once more. He ducked underneath the clumsy paws of Fuzzball and flicking his head up, he flipped the tom onto his back. Fuzzball admires his technique and scrambles back to his paws. He tries to copy Tigerheart's move, but the ShadowClan deputy avoids the blow.


 * Fuzzball tries to relocate the dark tabby, and Tigerheart mentions that he's still there. He sits down and watches the ginger tom as he drops into an awkward attack crouch. He lifts a paw and tells Fuzzball to stop. Fuzzball asks if it's because he's winning, and Tigerheart tells him he is not looking for a fight. The ginger tom still wonders aloud if he was winning or not. Something unknown to Tigeheart catches the kittypet's eye as his gaze flashes to the Twoleg den behind the ShadowClan deputy. His pelt fluffs up in excitement, and he declares that he has to leave, but he hopes he can fight Tigerheart again soon.


 * Not much longer after that, Fuzzball charges at Tigerheart from behind, squealing loudly about fighting. The ShadowClan deputy rears to meet the kittypet's attack, flipped his paws from underneath him with a simple paw swipe, and knocks him to the ground with another. Tigerheart pins him there with his claws sheathed. The ginger kittypet wails indignantly, trying to escape. The dark brown tabby tells the kittypet that he doesn't have time to fight, and makes a proposition: he will only let Fuzzball up if he stops bothering him. The kittypet reluctantly obliges, but not before mentioning that he was just having some fun. Fuzzball tells Tigerheart that he wants to know how he pulled off that awesome move of his, and the tom responds that he already said he doesn't have enough time. The ginger tom asks Tigerheart if he needs to find his way back to his Twolegs, to which the deputy declares he has no Twolegs. He is a warrior. Fuzzball is awestruck and says that he's heard about warriors. He asks the ShadowClan deputy how long he's been one. Tigerheart responds that he's been one since he was born. The ginger tom eagerly asks other questions to which the ShadowClan warrior gives curt responses to.


 * The last question Fuzzball asks before getting interrupted is if Tigerheart has to ever fight foxes and badgers. The dark tabby impatiently says that they do when they have to. A she-cat interrupts her friend, telling him to give the dark brown tom a break. The ShadowClan deputy is surprised that the kittypet's name is Fuzzball, and wonders to himself it the ginger tom minds having a dumb name. The tom blinks when Tigerheart questions if that's his real name, and replies that of course it is. The energetic tom asks the ShadowClan deputy what his name is, and Tigerheart tells him. He is impressed, then declares that he wants to be called Tigerheart. Rose gently tells him that Fuzzball suits him better. The adventurous cat retorts that he thinks otherwise. Rose introduces herself to the ShadowClan cat, and then turns to ask Fuzzball if he knows of the place Tigerheart is looking for. The ginger tom appears to be pleased that he was asked, and says that he doesn't know, however Ajax might. The thick furred tom tells the warrior that he will be able to take him to Ajax for assistance in his search.


 * However bad the energetic tom is at fighting, he does know his way through Twolegplace. Tigerheart has to hurry to keep up. Fuzzball stops in front of a Twoleg nest, and calls out Ajax's name. A burly black and white tom appears and warmly asks Fuzzball if he's looking for a fight. Fuzzball says that he isn't today, but Tigerheart could teach him some new tricks to fighting. He mentions that Tigerheart crushed him in their fight. Ajax says that even Rose could beat him in a fight. The ginger kittypet flicks his tail, clearly not brought down by his remark. He declares that one day he'll be the best fighter in the neighborhood. Ajax mentions that Fuzzball needs to spend more time patrolling territory than being at his food dish, and Tigerheart asks in surprise if kittypets patrol their territory, too. Ajax tells him of course they do, and the ShadowClan warrior tells him they're not warriors. The black and white tom asks what a warrior is, and Fuzzball eagerly informs him that they're strays who live in the wild. Ajax asks Tigerheart sympathetically if he can ask a Twoleg to take him in, and the ShadowClan member responds that he wouldn't want one to. The ginger kittypet mentions that Tigerheart likes being a stray. The deputy corrects him, saying that he's a warrior.


 * Tigerheart tells Ajax that he's looking for a friend, and Fuzzball chimes in and tells his friend where the cat was heading; a place that was similar to where Ajax himself used to live. Fuzzball exchanges a meaningful glance with the black and white kittypet when the warrior tells them that he is looking for a she-cat. Tigerheart continues to question Ajax and the kittypet gives him the answers. The ginger kittypet asks why the Twolegs go to yowl together every quarter moon. Ajax says it's just something Twolegs do. He then tells Tigerheart he can lead him to the Twolegplace he was talking about, and starts to head over to it. Fuzzball nervously asks the deputy if he's sure he wants to go there, and Tigerheart curtly responds that he has to.


 * Ajax looks back and asks if the two cats are coming, and the Clan cat hurries toward him. The two kittypets lead him confidently through the Twolegplace. Tigerheart tells Fuzzball that if he is so good at weaving through Twolegplace like this, then he can learn how to fight. The energetic tom asks hopefully if he really thinks so, and the warrior tells him that he's sure. The ginger kittypet purrs happily. The kittypets continue to lead the way, until they near the place where the Thundersnake arrives. Tigerheart warily asks them what a Thundersnake is. Ajax asks if he's kidding, while Fuzzball explains to him that it's a monster that travels along a Silverpath, and nods toward it. The black and white kittypet explains that the Silverpath leads to the big Twolegplace, which is what the Twolegs are waiting for. The Thundersnake arrives, startling the ShadowClan warrior. He insists that he will not climb into the belly of the Thundersnake, despite the fact that Ajax explained it's one of the only ways to get to the Twolegplace. The black and white kittypet says that Twolegs do it all the time, and the warrior says that Twolegs are crazy. Fuzzball agrees with him. Ajax tries to convince Tigerheart to board the Thundersnake, but the deputy refuses. He informs Ajax that his Clan once walked over an entire mountain range to find a new home in order to convince the kittypet he could walk anywhere. Ajax says his Clan sounds crazy, but Fuzzball says they sound awesome and he asks Tigerheart if they are his family. The warrior tells him that some of them are. The ginger cat tells him he can stay with his Twolegs tonight and give him his food. The deputy says that warriors can feed themselves. Fuzzball asks how, and Tigerheart tells him he'll hunt. Ajax is uncertain about this, while Fuzzball paces excitedly. He says he'd love to hunt.


 * The ginger kittypet goes on to explain that he has never caught anything before. The warrior declares that he will today. He leads the way while keeping low to the ground. The two kittypets make a lot of noise as they weave through the undergrowth. Fuzzball loudly asks if they're tracking something, which earns him a shush from the ShadowClan deputy. He appears apologetic and asks not long after if the the thing that smells nice is what they are hunting. This scares a fat grouse, much to Tigerheart's annoyance. He turns on the ginger tom, scolding him for scaring off the prey. He tells the inexperienced hunter to leave and keep watch for badgers, to which the kittypet replies there are none in that area. The deputy orders him to watch for foxes or dogs, then. He ushers Fuzzball away, and then notices that Ajax has disappeared. He thinks that this is like leading a patrol of kits. He asks the kittypet where his friend went, to which the ginger tom replies he doesn't know. He says Ajax probably got distracted, as there are a lot of good smells in that place.Then Tigerheart notices a rabbit, however, so does Fuzzball. The energetic cat dives into the undergrowth, and the ShadowClan warrior hears him crashing about in the undergrowth. The noisy tom yells to the Clan cat that a rabbit is heading towards him. Tigerheart turns and runs after it, eventually catching up to it and giving it the killing blow. Fuzzball calls excitedly that he caught it, and proudly declares that he flushed it out. The deputy realizes that while the ginger kittypet is a mouse-brain, he is also good hearted. He brings the prey to an open streach of earth, and his two companions follow. The black and white tom asks what they should do now, and Tigerheart says they get to eat it.
 * Tigerheart takes a bite, and offers some to Fuzzball. The kittypet sniffs it, then takes a small mouthful. He chews it, and seems disappointed from the taste. The ShadowClan cat tears off flesh from a hind leg of the meal and gives it to Fuzzball. Fuzzball chews unexcitedly, and asks if that's what he eats all the time. Tigerheart responds that they eat a variety of other kinds of prey. The curious kittypet asks if they all taste like this, and Tigerheart responds that they don't. The Clan cat finishes the prey, and thanks the two kittypets for their help. Tigerheart heads away towards the Silverpath. Fuzzball calls after him, and says goodbye. He asks if he will take him to meet his Clan when he returns. The ShadowClan cat glances back at the energetic tom, with affection swelling in his chest. He tries to imagine what it would be like bringing Fuzzball into the ShadowClan camp, then he wonders if he'll ever see his Clanmates again.

References and Citations
КомочекFuzzballFuzzball