Banished

Fireheart gulped. Graystripe would be exiled if he didn't step in. "Silverstream's kits are mine," he meowed, stepping forwards to face Bluestar. The furious leader turned to Fireheart. "You're exiled!" she spat, hissing angrily. Fireheart's eyes widened, and he glanced at Graystripe. The bulky gray tom started to open his mouth, but Fireheart intervened.

"I understand, Bluestar," Fireheart mumbled, whimpering slightly. "Leave, now!" snarled the leader, glaring at him. As he left, Fireheart overheard Bluestar apologizing to Graystripe. Fireheart's fur bristled, and he quickly left, ignoring Sandstorm's questioning mews.

Fireheart didn't realize he was heading towards the ShadowClan border until he smelled their familiar acrid scent. "Ugh," he huffed, trying to ignore the smell as he dived into their territory.

He reached their camp, and hisses exploded from the sickly cats of ShadowClan. The medicine cat, Runningnose, rushed out of the medicine cat den, where Nightstar's furious coughs were heard. "Why are you here?" snarled Runningnose curiously. "I want to help you," meowed Fireheart, puffing out his chest. "One moment," whispered Runningnose, dashing into his den.

A yelp of terror sounded from the medicine cat den, and Runningnose emerged, grasping a black scruff in his jaws. Sorrow filled his gaze as he dropped the limp body of Nightstar. "Is he..." mumbled a warrior, not daring to say the word. "Yes he's... dead," whispered the panicked Runningnose. "We have no leader, no deputy..." Desperate, he stared at Fireheart. "Please, help us..." he pleaded. "...lead us!" Angry cries rose up from the crowd, mixed in with cheers and begs.

"I-I..." stuttered Fireheart, glancing around the camp. "I will lead you all!" he exclaimed, raising his head proudly. "Thank you," huffed Runningnose with a sneeze. "I will travel to the moon stone at once," Fireheart meowed. Runningnose coughed and sputtered, padding toward him. "I'll come too," he panted.

"No," said Fireheart, already walking out. "I go alone."

Soon, he reached mothermouth. Fireheart padded inside, his fur tingling in anticipation. "Am I really going to be the leader of... ShadowClan?" he asked himself. He reassured himself, thinking about how he lied to help Graystripe.

He touched his nose to the stone, anxiously wondering if he would be rejected or not.

"Fireheart..." murmured Spottedleaf, "With this final life I give you love. Follow your heart, always." With that, the StarClan ceremony ended, and he woke up with a jolt. "I'm a leader..." he mumbled aloud.

When Firestar reached ShadowClan camp, he could see a dark tabby sitting in the middle of the clearing. "Tigerclaw!" he shouted, speeding up. The tabby looked up, flashing him an evil grin. "We meet again," he purred, his ear twitching slightly.

"Why are you here?" Firestar demanded. "I want to help," he meowed innocently. Firestar glared at Tigerclaw. "You never want to help!" he exclaimed, unsheathing his silvery claws. "I want to lead," Tigerclaw rumbled. "I'm sure they'll let me." Firestar choked in laughter. "I'm the leader of ShadowClan now, traitor." Tigerclaw's eyes widened, and his smile vanished.

"We'll have to change that, now won't we?" mewed Tigerclaw, his dark ears flattening against his head. ShadowClan warriors leaped on the tabby as he unsheathed his claws. Firestar nodded at them gratefully, and pounced on Tigerclaw, knocking him to the ground. "Leave!" Firestar hissed, his claws raking down Tigerclaw's cheek. Ther dark tabby snarled and spat, "I'll come back for you, kittypet!" Tigerclaw slipped out of Firestar's grip and disappeared into the forest.

Soon, it was time to announce the deputy. Firestar grinned and leaped onto a big rock- only slightly different than ThunderClan's gathering spot. "All cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath Bone Rock for a clan meeting!" he yowled, the moon lighting up the clearing.

Tawnypelt emerged from the warriors den, Rowanclaw following. Littlecloud trailed after them, and everyone else gathered beneath the Bone Rock.

"Since Cinderfur and Nightstar are dead, I am your leader. I must pick a new deputy," Firestar began. "The new deputy is Tawnypelt." Cheers rang out from the crowd, and Tawnypelt's jaw dropped in surprise. "Th- Thank you," she stuttered as the ginger leader dismissed the meeting and hopped off of Bone Rock.

Rowanclaw glared at Firestar as Tawnypelt continued to talk with him. Firestar flicked his tail, wondering why the tom was mad at him. He pushed the thought away, explaining to Tawnypelt about the morning patrol. "I want you, Littlecloud, and Rowanclaw to be on the Dawn Patrol," he meowed as they padded to the fresh-kill pile. "Who will lead it?" she asked curiously. "You," he mewed, smiling as he grasped a mouse in his jaws from the pile.

Tawnypelt grabbed a frog and they sat down to eat.

Tawnypelt likes Firestar! What do you think Rowanclaw's going to do? Review please! -sophtiger