Tigerstar x Darkstripe
TigerDark / DarkTiger
Deathshipping has quickly become a popular slash shipping among angst-lavers. The pairing itself screams angst: Tigerstar, the arch-villain of the series. and Darkstripe, the cowardly scumbag who, in the end runs out of places to hide and sides to take.
Some view this pairing only really taking shape after both Darkstripe and Tigerstar die, when they are left alone in the place of no stars, while others way insist if it did exist it would be both in life and death. The inspiration of this ship would be, indefinably the way in which Darkstripe follows Tigerstar, and how Tigerstar (unforgiving cat that he is) always allows Darkstripe's many failures to go amiss.
"EVIDENCE AND "SUB-TEXT"
Fireheart craned his neck to see Tigerclaw's chief follower. He waited for Darkstripe to get up and go to Tigerclaw, but the sleek tabby remained in his place, his shoulders hunched wretchedly.
"I trusted you, Tigerclaw," he protested. "I thought you were the finest warrior in the forest. But you plotted with that ... that tyrant"--Fireheart knew he was speaking of Brokentail--"and you said nothing to me. And now you expect me to come with you?" he looked away deliberately.
Forest of Secrets, pages 285 - 286
This is one of the most obvious subtexts in the books as far as DarkxTiger goes. While Tigerclaw's other followers outright refuse to follow Tigerclaw, Darkstripe clearly is disappointed that Tigerclaw did not plot with him instead of Brokentail, and did not inform him of the plans for treachery. If fact, he seems almost hurt and jealous that Tigerclaw did not consult him.
His shoulders are hunched wretchedly which exhibits more bitterness or sadness then it does indicate anger or shock. He also notes that he thought Tigerclaw was the finest warrior in the forest, and in the next paragraph Tigerclaw even tells him not to take it personally!
Darkstripe's ears suddenly pricked with surprise. The stripes warrior was staring up at the Great Rock, his eyes glittering with barely suppressed excitement. Fireheart turned to see what had prompted such a strong reaction from his clanmate.
Rising Storm, page 315
Even though Darkstripe refused to follow Tigerstar, he seems to have gotten over his apparent bitterness at not being trusted by the dark tom, and is trying to suppress his excitement at seeing him again. Oooookay...
"No - no, you've got it wrong," meowed Longtail, "I don't know anything about that. Darkstripe and Tigerclaw often meet together on the border by the Thunderpath, but they don't tell me what it's about."
A Dangerous Path, page 270
Darkstripe and Tigerclaw often meet together at the border? Well, they could just be exchanging information, but Silverstream and Graystripe met secretly at borders too. Very interesting. On a more serious note, Darkstripe remains in ThunderClan but gives away ThunderClan secrets to Tigerstar, who he has secret meetings with at the border regularly, but neither cat tells Longtail anything about what the meetings are.
"I feel no loyalty to ThunderClan. In the whole forest, the only cat worth following is Tigerstar."
The Darkest Hour, page 117
Again, this quote shows what high regard Darkstripe holds Tigerstar in. Another quote, just before his death, reflects this even more strongly, and is listed further below. Tigerstar and his plans are more important then any family, friends or allegiances he holds to his birth clan.
He could not be sure, after all, that Tigerstar would welcome him; he had refused to follow the former deputy into exile, and he had failed in his attempt to take Bramblepaw and Tawnypaw to their father before the attack from the dogs. Tigerstar was not a cat who forgave easily.
The Darkest Hour, page 117
Though in his quote Fireheart speaks truly, that Tigerstar does not forgive easily, Darkstripe is still accepted upon his arrival to ShadowClan, and as usual, all his mistakes go amiss in the eyes of Tigerstar.
The former ThunderClan warrior was sitting beside Blackfoot, the ShadowClan deputy, and his eyes shone with admiration as he looked up at Tigerstar. It was clear that he had gone straight to his old ally after being driven out of ThunderClan.
The Darkest Hour, page 135
Confirming again what he already knew, that Darkstripe ran straight to Tigerstar upon his exile. He must have been fairly confident (despite the quote above this one) that Tigerstar would forgive his past failures. Again note the admiration in Darkstripe's eyes.
The black striped warrior crouched low, every hair on his pelt quivering with joy that Tigerstar had given him a chance to prove his loyalty to his new Clan.
The Darkest Hour, page 169
Every hair on his pelt quivering with joy at a chance to impress Tigerclaw? Darkstripe either really needs a hobby, or again, he's desperate to show Tigerclaw that he's worth-wild.
Darkstripe bowed his head in shame. His leader's eyes narrowed coldly as he stared at the two young cats.
The Darkest Hour, page 173
Pretty much the same as the quote above. While Darkstripe doesn't give anything about what other cats think of him, he bows his head in shame when he once again can't please Tigerclaw (give the poor cat a break!).
The dark tabby's eyes burned with hatred, and Firestar knew that in his own way Darkstripe was grieving for the dead leader. Now that Tigerstar was dead, Darkstripe was utterly alone.
The Darkest Hour, page 272
This says it all folks. Darkstripe is now utterly alone, because Tigerstar was the only cat that Darkstripe ever cared for. And he did care for him - if the past nine quotes of admiration from him doesn't prove that, then I guess only, "Tigerstar I love you!" will.
"Not anymore," Darkstripe snarled. "Every cat in the forest can turn to crowfood for all I care. All I want is to see you dead."
The Darkest Hour, page 294
Referring to quote above this one, note that 'the dark tabby's eyes burned with hatred' in the paragraph before this, Darkstripe accuses Firestar being responsible for the death of Tigerstar. Now, it would seem, as if Darkstripe wants to avenge the death of Tigerstar in his own, twisted way, by killing Firestar, whom he believes to be responsible for the leader's death. He claims he has no loyalty left, and that every cat he knows can die for all he cares - proving to an even more extreme extent that Tigerstar truly was the only cat Darkstripe cared for at all.
It would seem as if this non-canon came to a dead end, when both Tigerstar and Darkstripe die, knowing that neiter will ever be admitted to the ranks of StarClan. However, it's apparently still open for the writing of fanfic, because we later find out that both live on in The Place Of No Stars, and even meet eachother in Sunset.