AN: AU where Cinderpaw isn't hit by the monster in Fire and Ice

Cinderpaw didn't like being told to stay in camp all day. Fireheart had given her the day off from training, much to her dismay, but hadn't bothered to tell her why. Right now she was lounging outside the apprentice den with her brother, idly watching her mentor and wondering what he was up to.

At the moment Fireheart was waiting outside Bluestar's den with an expression of concern on his face. The Clan leader had gotten sick, and Cinderpaw knew Fireheart was worried about her. The whole Clan seemed to be on tenterhooks, hoping that their leader's whitecough wouldn't develop into the more serious and potentially fatal greencough. After all, Bluestar wasn't a young cat anymore.

A drizzling rain hadn't helped the energy of the Clan, and every cat seemed to be moving slowly today. So it was a surprise when Dustpaw came racing into camp with all the speed of a WindClan cat.

"What's up with him?" Cinderpaw mewed as her brother from where he was slowly grooming a paw.

Brackenpaw shrugged. "No idea." He didn't seem interested in what was causing the older apprentice's hurry.

Cinderpaw watched as Dustpaw approached Fireheart. "I have a message from Tigerclaw for Bluestar. It's urgent," the apprentice panted.

"You can't go in there, Bluestar's sick," meowed Yellowfang before Fireheart could reply. The old medicine cat had a mouthful of herbs for their sick leader.

The apprentice looked perturbed. "But it's urgent!" he repeated. "Tigerclaw needs to see her at the Thunderpath, now!"

"What's wrong?" Fireheart spoke up.

Dustpaw's tail lashed back and forth. "It's not your business." After a second's pause, he added a hissed "kittypet" for emphasis.

Fireheart looked angry as he glared at Dustpaw. "Tigerclaw will just have to wait. Or I can go myself."

"But he says there's evidence of ShadowClan hunting in our territory!" he blurted. Fireheart stiffened. Cinderpaw's mind was racing. Maybe ShadowClan was planning to launch an attack!

"Bluestar can't leave camp," Firestar meowed defiantly once more. Dustpaw looked lost for words.

Then the lichen hanging over the entrance to Bluestar's den rustled, and the leader herself emerged. "What's this business about ShadowClan in our territory?" she asked.

"Bluestar!" meowed Fireheart. "You need to rest!" But the old she-cat pushed past him.

"We cannot allow ShadowClan to steal prey. If my deputy says that he needs me urgently, I must join him." Bluestar tried to stifle a cough. She began making her way down the rock face, only slightly unsteady.

Yellowfang stepped in. "Bluestar," the medicine cat spoke respectfully but firmly, "you don't want your whitecough to turn into greencough. You cannot leave camp."

But Bluestar paid her no heed as she made her way out of camp. As she passed a few tail-lengths in front of the apprentice den, Cinderpaw could smell her illness on her. She watched, wide-eyed as the ThunderClan leader disappeared into the exit, presumably heading toward the Thunderpath.

"I'll go after her!" yelled Fireheart, springing to his paws.

Yellowfang shook her head. "No. Bluestar can handle herself."

"But she's sick!"

"You need to get catnip in case her whitecough turns into greencough, Fireheart. There's a patch near Twolegplace."

Fireheart did not look at all convinced as Yellowfang added, "I'm sure Tigerclaw will get her back to camp safely." In a barely audible whisper, she added, "She trusts him, even if you don't." The ginger tom's green eyes narrowed, but he nodded quickly before darting off towards Twolegplace.

Cinderpaw nudged Brackenpaw. "Did you hear that?" she mewed. "I think we should go follow Fireheart."

Brackenpaw looked worried. "He told us to stay in camp."

Cinderpaw rolled her eyes. "No, he never said that."

"Yes, he did."

"No, you're wrong," mewed Cinderpaw, leaping to her feet. "I'm going to help Fireheart gather catnip."

"Fine," Brackenpaw meowed. "Just please, stay out of trouble."

"I'll try," Cinderpaw mewed, her whiskers twitching. She turned and walked quickly toward the exit. No cat tried to stop her. She set off at a brisk trot towards Twolegplace, following Fireheart's scent, when a thought occurred to her and she stopped in her tracks. Maybe she should follow Bluestar instead.

Yes, the more she thought about it, it seemed more and more like a good idea. She would follow Bluestar and make sure she got the Thunderpath okay. This way she could hear about the ShadowClan trespassers. Maybe - her tail curled excited – maybe some errant ShadowClanners would decide to steal prey at that very moment, and she could help Tigerclaw and Bluestar fight them. It would be her very first battle, and she'd been looking forward to it since before she was even an apprentice.

Her mind now made up, Cinderpaw changed direction, heading towards the Thunderpath. It was no trouble at all to find Bluestar's scent and follow it. Even with her short legs, Cinderpaw was a fast she-cat, and in no time at all she had reached the edge of the forest. Sure enough, she scented the two cats she was looking for, Bluestar's fever-smell almost covering the musky scent of Tigerclaw.

Cinderpaw scrambled up into the lower branches of a tree so she could get a good look. The ThunderClan leader and deputy weren't far away at all. She could see them conversing not far from the Thunderpath, which seemed to be free of monsters today.

For a second she considered calling out to them and making her presence known. A second later, she realized this was a bad idea. No cat was supposed to be hearing this information aside from Bluestar, so she would probably be in trouble. Also, Tigerclaw unnerved her a little. Even though he was the best warrior in the Clan, Fireheart didn't seem to like him, and she didn't want to anger her mentor.

Cinderpaw decided to stay where she was and tried to spot some ShadowClan cats. She then realized that she couldn't smell any traces of ShadowClan. She'd never been to a gathering, but she remembered the dank and marshy smell from when she was kidnapped as a kit. The Thunderpath's harsh aroma and the monsters that sprayed their foul stench in the air were so strong that she could barely scent anything else anyway.

She didn't see any wayward members of ShadowClan, but as she leaned down to get a better look, she caught snippets of Bluestar and Tigerclaw's conversation.

"…no trace of ShadowClan as far as I…" That was Bluestar speaking. Cinderpaw crept a bit closer, hoping that the pair wouldn't spot her through the leaves. Luckily, she was downwind, so it unlikely the two could smell her.

"Could it be Brokenstar's rogues?" Tigerclaw wondered in his deep meow. Cinderpaw stiffened. Brokenstar! That was the cat who had been responsible for kidnapping her and her siblings! She shivered in the damp air. If not for Fireheart, maybe she would be dead right now.

"I detect no scent of ShadowClan." As Cinderpaw watched from her perch, the Clan leader fixed Tigerclaw with a stern look. "What is this really about, Tigerclaw? I…" the rest of her words were drowned out in a cough.

Cinderpaw's heat was racing. Maybe this was a secret about the other Clans! She imagined telling Fireheart what she would learn. Then maybe he would stop thinking she was just annoying little apprentice, too nosy and energetic for her own good.

Down below, Tigerclaw seemed to be looking for something. His amber eyes stared down the Thunderpath while he didn't answer Bluestar's question.

Bluestar's body was racked with a cough, and she shivered slightly. Cinderpaw could now see that Fireheart had been right – it was a bad idea for Bluestar to leave camp. What was Tigerclaw doing?

Her leader seemed to be as impatient as she was. "It's dangerous to linger here, Tigerclaw. I'm ill and need to return to camp."

The dark tabby tom said nothing, looking over the crest of the hill. Cinderpaw stood, transfixed, as she watched a blue monster zooming towards them from the distance. Finally he spoke. "That just makes this easier…"

Tigerclaw was facing the Thunderpath, but Bluestar's back was turned. Surely the leader would move out of the way. She wasn't in the monster's path, but she was too close for comfort. "What?" the blue-gray she-cat mewed, caught off guard.

The deputy crouched down, his long claws visible even from this distance. "Stay still," he hissed. Bluestar, looking confused, took a wary step back.

Cinderpaw saw what was coming. She was pinned in horror as, without warning, Tigerclaw leapt toward Bluestar, pinning her down. "No!" It escaped Cinderpaw's lips before she could stop herself.

Even ill, Bluestar was a formidable fighter. As Tigerclaw lunged at her, she rolled sideways and swiped at his side. His blood arced through the air, but the huge dark tom pressed a claw into Bluestar's neck holding her captive.

Cinderpaw wanted to help, but she was unable to even move, held in place by shock and terror. Tigerclaw was going to kill Bluestar! "Help,' she whispered. "StarClan, help her!"

But Cinderpaw could do nothing but stare in horror as Tigerclaw grabbed Bluestar by the scruff of her neck and threw her right into the path of the oncoming monster.