Tigerheart's Shadow/Chapter 14

"Sick cats come and go. Some of us with wounds that will never fully heal stay on...It's safer to have friends. And we each do what we are best at. Some heal; some hunt; some guard."

— Fierce explaining the guardian cats' way of life to Tigerheart in Tigerheart's Shadow, page 146

Tigerheart's Shadow
Chapter number:	14 (of 35)
Page numbers:	133-149
Point of View:	Tigerheart
Chronology

Below contains in-depth information for chapter fourteen of Tigerheart's Shadow. If you are looking for a shorter summary of the entire book, please check the main article.

Chapter Number: 14 (of 35)

Page Numbers: 133-149

Chapter description

Tigerheart arrives at the Twoleg structure where he believes Dovewing is living. He is confronted by three cats who aggressively demand to know who he is and what he is doing by their home. Tigerheart explains he is looking for his mate Dovewing, and one of the three cats, Ant, goes inside to look for her. The other two cats introduce themselves as Fierce and Cobweb. Ant returns from inside and tells Tigerheart that Dovewing will see him. Fierce, Ant, and Cobweb lead him inside the structure.

As Tigerheart walks through the dark Twoleg cave, he notices a lot of Twoleg clutter and junk piled around, disgusted at how Dovewing could choose to live here. Impatiently, Tigerheart calls out to Dovewing but is shushed by Fierce, who reminds him there are lots of sick cats around. As they lead him through the structure, Tigerheart notices many injured or sick cats laying in nests with plenty of other cats tending to them. He asks if one of the healing cats is a medicine cat, which confuses Fierce, as she has never heard of any Clan terminology. Tigerheart begins to realize this place functions very differently from a forest Clan.

They finally reach Dovewing, and she is initially upset with Tigerheart for not meeting her to leave when they agreed. Tigerheart explains how he was held up by Scorchfur and Juniperclaw attempting to leave ShadowClan and then getting attacked by a badger and hitting his head. Dovewing is confused at why Tigerheart left his Clan when it seemed like they needed him so much, and Tigerheart reassures her that he left to look for her as soon as he realized she needed him more than ShadowClan. Eventually, Dovewing comes to understand and is happy to see him.

As Dovewing stands up to greet him, Tigerheart notices a bite on her shoulder. To Tigerheart's horror, Dovewing explains that she had been helping the guardian cats chase away a fox, and she got bitten while fighting it. As Tigerheart recovers from the shock, Dovewing explains more to him about the guardian cats and their way of life. They all live together, helping sick and injured cats, and cats may come and go as they please. Tigerheart appreciates the guardian cats' kind intentions, but worries about raising his kits with them, as they would not learn of loyalty and unity like they would growing up in a Clan. Tigerheart pushes his worries aside to be strong for Dovewing and his unborn kits, promising to take care of them all. Dovewing and Tigerheart fall asleep together, happily reunited.

Tigerheart awakes the next morning to Dovewing bringing him a mouse. As he eats, Dovewing informs him that Twolegs abandoned this part of the structure long ago, and only meet upstairs every few days. Spire, a mysterious tom, and Blaze, an enthusiastic kit, greet them. Spire mysteriously mentions that he had been expecting two cats to arrive, and with Tigerheart's arrival, they were both finally here. Blazes proudly informs them that Spire is the best healer in the guardian cats, and he has special dreams. They leave, and Fierce comes up to greet Tigerheart and Dovewing, remarking not to worry about Spire's strangeness. Dovewing reassures Tigerheart that Spire's dreams likely don't come from StarClan, however she acknowledges Spire knows much more than he lets on.

Fierce introduces them to Cinnamon, who is ambivalent about Tigerheart's way of life as a warrior. Fierce talks to Tigerheart about the guardian cats' way of life, how cats come and go and take care of each other in between. Cinnamon remarks that Tigerheart could be useful to the guardian cats, and Dovewing chimes in that she'd like to help too. Tigerheart shushes her, not wanting his mate to be in any danger. Cobweb and Cinnamon explain to Tigerheart that they've been having trouble with a fox that made a nest where the guardian cats usually gathered herbs. Tigerheart wonders where they learned their healing skills, and Fierce informs him that a stray named Pumpkin taught them all they knew, claiming that he learned it from a group of forest cats. Tigerheart is intrigued, and privately wonders if Pumpkin could have lived with SkyClan while they were still at the gorge.

Fierce proposes that Tigerheart could teach the guardian cats to fight and help them drive off the fox. Tigerheart admires her straightforwardness, happy to see that not all city cats are the same. Tigerheart agrees to help, and asks for them to show him the land where the fox is so he can determine whether it has made a den or is just passing through. Fierce offers to show him the way and organizes a patrol of Cobweb, Cinnamon, and Ant to come with them. Tigerheart reassures them they are just scouting, not fighting the fox. As they are about to leave, Tigerheart turns back to look happily at Dovewing, overjoyed that they would soon be a family. He thanks StarClan for guiding him to her.

Characters

Major

• Tigerheart
• Dovewing

Minor

• Ant
• Fierce
• Cobweb
• Two unnamed cats
• Boots (Unnamed)
• Two unnamed she-cats
• Bracken
• Rascal
• Spire
• Blaze
• Mittens
• Cinnamon
• Peanut (Unnamed)
• Pipsqueak (Unnamed)

Mentioned

• Scorchfur
• Juniperclaw
• Puddleshine
• Dash
• Floyd
• Scrap
• Mae
• Pumpkin