Tigerheart's Shadow/Chapter 17

"Do you really believe we can stay away from our Clans forever? Can you really raise our kits here? They'll never know what it's like to have Clanmates, or to have a mentor, or to be willing to fight for their territory. [...] You want to raise our kits as strays?"

— Tigerheart to Dovewing in Tigerheart's Shadow, page 181

Tigerheart's Shadow
Chapter number:	17 (of 35)
Page numbers:	172-182
Point of View:	Tigerheart
Chronology

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

Chapter Number: 17 (of 35)

Page Numbers: 172-182

Chapter description

Tigerheart wakes up in the guardian cat's den. He notices that Marigold seems to be dying as Boots looks after her. Tigerheart notices Spire sneaking outside of the den leaving Blaze behind, sleeping. Tigerheart sneaks after Spire, curious as to why he had left behind Blaze. Spire notices Tigerheart and confronts him. Spire explains he had come outside to think. Tigerheart, upon being found, feels awkward and wants to go back inside to leave Spire alone, but Spire encourages him to stay, if he'd like.

Spire mentions to Tigerheart he had a dream of a tree falling and cutting through a shadow. Tigerheart suspects this might be StarClan's way of trying to communicate with him and questions Spire further. Tigerheart then wonders if the tree could represent Rowanstar and asks Spire what kind of tree it was. Spire says he doesn't know. Tigerheart then questions what Spire felt in his dream. Spire replies that he felt nothing but curiosity. The skinny tom asks Tigerheart if the dream means something to him.

Tigerheart admits that he doesn't know. He then thinks that the dream has nothing to do with ShadowClan. Just to make, sure he asks Spire if he dreams a lot, and Spire says he does. Tigerheart then concludes that Spire probably just has a good imagination. The two cats then make their way back to cavern, and Tigerheart decides to forget about ShadowClan for now.

When they get back, Dovewing is awake, watching Blaze and Ant playfight. Blaze rushes over to Spire, and asks where he'd been. Tigerheart catches his mate's eye and looks at her affectionately, before following Spire down the ledge, to meet her. Tigerheart states that the noise is really something. Ant overhears him, and mews that the first time he heard it he thought that dogs had been howling up the stairs.

Dovewing agrees with Ant, meowing that it does sound like that. Tigerheart purrs that Twolegs are odd. Dovewing asks him where he went. Tigerheart tells Dovewing about how he followed Spire, and about how he had a dream. Dovewing mews that Fierce says he dreams all the time. Tigerheart says that Spire's dream sounded like a dream that Puddleshine might have. This gets his mate's attention, as she asks how. Tigerheart tells her about what the guardian cat's dream was about.

Dovewing knows that he thinks the dream has something to do with ShadowClan. Tigerheart points out that it could. Dovewing states that Spire isn't a medicine cat. The former warrior of ShadowClan says that they might have wanted to reach him here. Dovewing rolls her eyes at him, sneering that he's so important to ShadowClan. Tigerheart growls that he is important because he's their deputy. Dovewing corrects him, saying he used to be their deputy, but that he gave it up to be with her.

Tigerheart then searches her gaze, wondering if she thinks they'll never leave. Dovewing then asks him that he for sure gave it up. Tigerheart, guiltily meows that he wanted to find her. Angry, Dovewing asks if it was so he could bring her back. Tigerheart says that he just wanted to be with her. Dovewing states that he can be with her here, with the guardian cats. She then asks if he truly gave up ShadowClan to be there with her. He says he didn't know it would be forever.

Dovewing is angry with him. She snarls that because of some cat's random dream, he wants to go back. Tigerheart looks at her straight in the eye. He asks her if she really believes they can stay here, away from their Clans forever. He then asks if she wants to raise their kits as strays. As pain flashes across Dovewing's face, Tigerheart instantly feels guilty, and apologizes. Dovewing snaps that it's not him. Panic surging through him, Tigerheart looks for a healer.

Fierce sees, and calls for Spire. Dovewing pants that the kits are coming, and Tigerheart asks Spire if it's true, and he says yes.

Characters

Major

• Tigerheart
• Dovewing
• Spire

Minor

• Boots
• Marigold
• Blaze
• Ant
• Fierce

Mentioned

• Grassheart
• Rowanstar