How do you like the chapters so far? I hope you are enjoying them! Also review, follow, favorite! Also love Blazing - Book One: Into the Wild, by : Hissing Willows, I love that fanfiction, so look it up! Also I totally ship her Silverthorn x Fireheart!
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Two days after her meeting with Princess, most of the snow was gone. Buds were swelling and a mist of tiny green leaves was beginning to cover the trees. More important, prey was appearing in the forest. Already, Fireheart happily noted, it was replenishing the pile of fresh-kill, and for the first time in moons the Clan was full-fed. Already, Fireheart was finding waking up in the nursery more natural now, she certainly didn't wake up at the sound of kits squeaking or find it disturbing. And both her and Brindleface were there to calm and comfort them. But Fireheart also felt restless, her paws always twitching for something to do.
That's why, Fireheart found herself raking old bedding out of the nursery with the other queens. Fireheart was pleased to see that Cloudkit was helping too.
"Fireheart, I'm going to show the other kits the good moss place," the kit mewed proudly, but then looked thoughtful. "Is that okay?" Fireheart let out a purr, grateful to see the young kit more thoughtful to others.
"Good idea," Fireheart agreed, as she pulled out some ruined moss. She noticed that even after Tigerclaw relieved him of his duties with the elders, Cloudkit had gone on helping. Fireheart felt proud of the young white kit, and was glad to see him taking part of his adopted Clan. "Watch out for badgers though!" Fireheart called after Cloudkit as he staggered past with a load of bedding.
"Hello, Fireheart, isn't it great to see the sun again" Goldenflower meowed in greeting, placing down a squirrel she had brung into camp and set it down on the fresh-kill pile. "Do you need any help?" Fireheart looked at the pale ginger she-cat, and nodded her head in thanks.
"What about Cinderpaw?" Fireheart asked, blinking as Goldenflower disappeared inside for a moment, then emerged again, pushing a ball of soiled moss in front of her.
"Whitestorm and Mousefur took the apprentices out," Goldenflower replied. "All of the apprentice's, they're hunting fresh-kill for the elders."
"I'm sure they will have their paws full," Fireheart meowed in amusement, making Goldenflower nod as she too looked amused. "And surely the warm weather and sunshine will bring out prey for them."
"It seems more easier now," Goldenflower replied, piling up the ruined moss at the side for some cat to take it off. "Pretty soon it will be newleaf. Just in time for your kits. They will enjoy the sunshine and plentiful prey!" Goldenflower purred out, sidestepping as Speckletail walked out with bracken inside her mouth as she passed by.
"Hopefully they would appreciate being born in newleaf, instead of the middle of leafbare," Speckletail sniffed, her amber eyes filled with aged memories of something Fireheart couldn't know.
"Please, Speckletail," Goldenflower interrupted, her pelt puffed up in aggravation. "Who cares if Fireheart's kits are going to be born in newleaf? It's a good thing, besides plenty of kits are born in newleaf all the time! So stop acting like someone put dirt in your fresh-kill." Speckletail grumbled quietly under her breath, something neither Goldenflower or Fireheart could hear.
"She like's to make a deal out of everything, don't let her get under your pelt," Goldenflower meowed, nuding Fireheart's shoulder gently. "Thank you, I-" Fireheart was distracted on what she was about to say, falling quiet as Tigerclaw seemed to emerge from the gorse tunnel, and place down his fresh-kill on the pile. Looking up his amber eyes found her's, the deeps of his amber eyes seem to brighten at seeing her.
With a quick look at Goldenflower, Fireheart padded up to her mate, and greeted him warmly while nuzzling into him. "What are you doing today?" Tigerclaw asked, eyeing where Goldenflower and Speckletail were rolling the spoiled bracken and moss out of the nursery together.
"Cleaning out the nursery," Fireheart replied, looking up at him. "But what are you doing?" Fireheart asked in interest.
"We need a patrol to go and check along the border of RiverClan," he explained. "No cat has been that way for a few days, and now the snow has gone we need to renew the scent markings. And make sure no RiverClan cats are hunting in our territory," Tigerclaw's eyes looked a tad darker when he added. "If they are, however, they would regret it."
"I'm sure they are sticking to their own territory, due to the thaw," Fireheart was quick to assure, her mind spinning with a thought. "Why don't I go and check with a patrol?" Fireheart meowed, hastily continuing before Tigerclaw could object. "It's not that far of a walk, besides it will be a quick trip then i'll be back in the nursery, safe and sound." Fireheart's chest beat fast with suppressed hope that her mate would agree. She was tired of staying in camp for so long, and she could still walk, it wasn't that big of a deal. "Please, just this once!" She added on, blinking her jade colored eyes innocently up at him.
"Only this once," Tigerclaw growled lowly, his amber eyes narrowing as he seemed to realize that Fireheart was using her will's over him to get what she wanted. "Then it's back to the nursery!" He added sternly, his eyes telling her that he was serious. "Take anyone you want."
"Thank you," Fireheart purred, licking the deputy's ear, while she mewed a hasty good-bye to an amused Goldenflower, and headed for the warriors den. Sandstorm was there, lying on her side and energetically washing, while Graystripe and Runningwind shared tongues nearby.
"Who's up for a patrol?" Fireheart called. "Tigerclaw wants us to check the RiverClan border." Graystripe scrambled to his paws right away at the mention of RiverClan, while Runningwind got up more slowly.
Sandstorm paused in her washing and looked up at Fireheart. "Just when I was hoping for a bit of peace," she complained. "I've been hunting since dawn." But her tone was good humored, not remotely as unfriendly as she was when they were apprentices. And almost at once she got up and shook herself. "All right," she mewed. "Lead on."
"But why are you leading a patrol?" Runningwind asked in confusion, as he got to his paws.
"Obviously, Fireheart asked to be on it and Tigerclaw agreed," Sandstorm meowed with a teasing edge to her voice directed at Fireheart.
"Really?" Graystripe meowed smoothly, something in his voice that was directed at Sandstorm. "How was your hunting trip with Brackenpaw, go this morning?" the pale ginger she-cat looked startled for a moment, her green eyes wide for only a second before reverting back to being casual.
"We were just hunting, is that such a crime?" Sandstorm replied, falling in behind Fireheart as she led the way out of the camp.
"No, I guess not. But it does seem strange to be out together every morning," Graystripe replied back. Fireheart felt a tingle in her paws as she leaped up the side of the ravine, the conversation light between everyone was filling her with energy. It felt like moons since she'd had a good run without snow to freeze her paws off, and she wanted to stretch her muscles from constant stay in the nursery. "We'll head for Sunningrocks," she meowed behind her shoulder at the rest of her patrol, "and then follow the border up to Fourtrees."
She set a brisk pace through the trees, but not so fast that she failed to notice the brilliant green frongs of new bracken beginning to unfurl, or the first pale buds of primroses pushing out of their green coverings. Birdsong filled the air, and the fresh scent of growing things. Fireheart felt refreshed out here in this air, instead of the cramped milky scent of the nursery. It was good to get out time to time, and not just to go to the medicine cats den or the fresh-kill pile, but out in the open, with the smell and sounds of the forest all around her.
She slowed down to a walk as the patrol approached the edge of the forest. Ahead of her she could hear the sound of the river, free at last from its bonds of ice. "We're almost at the border," she meowed quietly. "From here on we have to keep alert. There may be RiverClan cats about."
Graystripe stopped and opened his jaws to drink in the scent from the breeze. "I can't smell any," he reported. Fireheart wondered if he was disappointed that Silverstream wasn't nearby. "Besides, they'll have plenty prey now that the river's unfrozen," Graystripe added. "Why should they come and steal ours?"
"I wouldn't put anything past RiverClan," growled Runningwind. "They'd steal the fur off your back if you didn't keep an eye on them."
Fireheart saw Graystripe beginning to bristle. "Come on, then," she meowed hastily, trying to distract her friend before he said something that gave away his divided loyalties. "Let's go." She raced away through the last of the trees and burst out onto open ground. What she saw there brought her skidding to a halt, and the memory of one of her dreams crashed into her mind like a thunderclap.
In front of the cats, the land sloped gently down to the river-or what had been the river. Swelled by the melting snow, the fast-flowing water had burst the banks and risen until it lapped the graw barely a rabbit-length from Fireheart's paws. The tips of reeds just showed above it; farther upstream, the Sunningrocks were gray islands in the midst of a shimmering silver lake.
The thaw had certainly come, but not the river was in full flood.
"Great StarClan!" breathed Sandstorm who had padded up beside her.
The other two cats grunted in agreement, but Fireheart was speechless with horror. She had instantly recognized the shining expanse of water, and now she recalled Rock's ominous words. "Water can quench fire."
Fear chilled her as she struggled to understand how this flood could threaten her Clan, so that she was hardly aware of Graystripe trying to attracted her attention until the big gray cat pressed up close to her side. Panic flared in Graystripe's amber eyes, and Fireheart didn't need to ask why. Her friend was afraid for Silverstream.
The land was lower on the RiverClan bank, so the flood waters could spread much farther. As for the camp on the island...Fireheart wondered how much of that was under water. She had grown to like Silverstream in spite of her concerns, and she felt a grudging respect for Mistyfoot and Graypool, too. She didn't want to imagine them driven out of their camp, or worse, drowned.
Runningwind had padded right to the water's edge and was gazing out across the river. "RiverClan isn't going to like this," he remarked. "And a good thing, too. It'll keep them off our territory."
Fireheart felt Graystripe tense at the note of satisfaction in Runningwind's voice. She shot her friend a warning glance.
"Well, we can't patrol the border now," she pointed out. "We'd better get back to camp and report this. Come on, Graystripe," she added firmly, seeing the warrior look once more with anguish across the swollen river.
"Coming," Graystripe croaked out, turning to pad after the rest of the patrol as they headed back to camp.
"Wow! The river is flooded, you think that ThunderClan is in danger?" Sandstorm asked as she padded alongside Fireheart. Her leaf green eyes looking worried.
"I don't know for sure," Fireheart replied, her head swimming with different scenarios of all that could go wrong due to this flood. "Let's just get back to camp and tell Bluestar." Fireheart picked up the pace till the finally arrived in camp, bringing about a look of confusion in their haste to find Bluestar.
"Bluestar we have to talk to you!" Fireheart meowed urgently to her Clan leader, Sandstorm and the rest of the patrol behind her.
"What is it, Fireheart?" Bluestar asked as she turned away from speaking with Willowpelt. As soon as Bluestar heard the news she leaped to the top of the Highrock and gave the familiar call: "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the Highrock for a Clan meeting."
At once cats began to pour out of their dens and into the clearing. Fireheart took her place at the front of the crowd, noticing with a prickle of worn irritation that Cloudkit had com bouncing along after Brindleface, although he was to young to attend a meeting. But as she went to confront the kit about staying in the nursery, Tigerclaw came walking past, and crouched down briefly to speak to the white kit. Although Cloudkit opened his mouth in a silent wail of protest, Tigerclaw gave him a hard look, and with a flick towards the nursery, Cloudkit went grumbling back. Satisfied, Fireheart looked around. She saw Yellowfang and Spottedleaf listening from the mouth of the fern tunnel. Even Brokentail emerged from his den, nudged along by Mousefur.
The bright morning was coming to an end. Clouds were massing to cover the face of the sun, and the gentle breeze had strengthened until a stiff wind blew across the clearing, flattening the fur of the cats who crouched around the Highrock. Fireheart shivered, and didn't know whether it was from cold or apprehension.
"Cats of ThunderClan," meowed Bluestar. "Our camp may be in danger. The snow has gone, but the river has burst its banks. Part of our territory is already flooded."
A chorus of dismay rose from the Clan, but Bluestar raised her voice above the yowls. "Fireheart, tell the Clan what you have seen." Fireheart stood up and described how the river had overflowed near the Sunningrocks.
"It doesn't sound that dangerous to us," meowed Darkstripe when she had finished. "We have plenty of territory left for prey. Let RiverClan worry about the floods."
A murmur of approval broke out, although Fireheart noticed that Tigerclaw stayed silent. He sat at the base of the Highrock, motionless except for the twitching tip of his tail. Fireheart thought about getting up and joining him, but sat motionless as her leader continued.
"Silence!" spat Bluestar. "The water could spread here before we know it. Something like this is bigger than Clan rivalry. I don't want to hear that any RiverClan cats have died from these floods."
Fireheart noticed a hot glow in her eyes as she spoke, as if her words meant more than she had said. Puzzled, Fireheart wondered why her leader would be so concerned and sympathetic running deep within her toward the RiverClan cats that have caused the Clan so much trouble. Then the thought of kits came up, Bluestar had kits that disappeared, wasn't it? But Bluestar said they were taken by a fox, but it didn't sit right with her...somehow she pictured Bluestar alongside Mistyfoot and Stonefur, was this what she was trying to remember? Was Bluestar linked to these two? Was she the mother? Something within her struggled to say yes, looking back all those moons ago, didn't she once say that they were linked together? That they were kin? Fireheart shook her head, trying to shake away the pounding annoyance induced headache that her memories wouldn't allow her to remember. It didn't help that most of them only focused on Tigerclaw and what he may or may not do in the future.
Patchpelt spoke up from among the elders. "I remember the last time the river overflowed, many moons ago. Cats from all Clans drowned. Prey drowen, too, and we went hungry even though our paws stayed dry. This is not just RiverClan's problem."
"Well said, Patchpelt," meowed Bluestar. "I remember those days, too, and I hoped I would never have to see such times again. But since it has happened, these are my orders. No cat is to go out alone. Kits and apprentices must not leave the camp without at least one warrior. Patrols will go out to discover how far the floods reach-Tigerclaw, see to it."
"Yes, Bluestar," meowed the deputy. "I'll send out hunting patrols, too. We must build up a stock of prey before the water rises any further."
"Good idea," agreed Bluestar. She raised her voice again to address the whole Clan. "The meeting is over. Go to your duties." She leaped down lightly from the Highrock and padded across to talk with Patchpelt and the other elders.
Fireheart wanted to desperately ask Tigerclaw to let her go on a hunting patrol, but decided against it. And began to turn toward the nursery, when she noticed Graystripe edging away from the circle of cats. Fireheart headed after him, and caught up just as he broke for the gorse tunnel.
"Where do you think you're going?" she hissed in the gray warriors ear. "Bluestar just said that no cat should go out alone."
Graystripe turned a panicky look on her. "Fireheart, I have to see Silverstream," he protested. "I have to be sure she's okay." Fireheart let out a long sigh of exasperation. "How will you get across the river?" she asked
"I'll manage," Graystripe promised grimly. "It's only water."
"Don't be such a mouse-brain!" Fireheart spat, remembering the time Graystripe had fallen through the ice, when Silverstream rescued him. "You nearly drowned once before. Wasn't that enough for you?" Graystripe didn't answer, just swung his head around and stared out the gorse tunnel.
"How can we get out of camp, without drawing suspicion?" Fireheart whispered aloud to Graystripe, who looked shocked, which Fireheart just sighed at. "I'm coming with you!" Fireheart meowed sternly, glaring into the other cats eyes while thinking.
"I can help!" Cinderpaw's meow made both cats jump in surprise. Her tail was curled around her paws as she gazed at Fireheart and Graystripe with excitement. "Just wait here and I'll take care of the rest!" Before either Fireheart or Graystripe could say anything, she dashed off to speak with Tigerclaw.
"Tigerclaw! Graystripe wants to see how well a move I been practising on is going, Fireheart wants to watch! Is that alright?" Cinderpaw asked the deputy, Tigerclaw regarded her for a moment, glancing briefly up at Fireheart and Graystripe before nodding.
"There you go! Let's go!" Cinderpaw said excitedly, passing by the two shocked warriors. Fireheart felt a prickle of anxiety as she watched Graystripe padded quickly after the young apprentice. This sneaking around has like this, Fireheart knew Bluestar would be furious if she knew that two of her warriors were risking their lives to go into enemy territory when their own Clan needed them so badly. And the sceptical question of divided loyalty as well. But Fireheart couldn't just stand there and let Graystripe go alone. Her friend could be swept away in the floods and never return, and now they had dragged her former apprentice with them if things went wrong.
"Thanks, Fireheart, Cinderpaw," murmured Graystripe as they left the tunnel. "I won't forget this."
"Neither will I!" Cinderpaw mewed, Cinderpaw took the lead as the two warriors scrambled up the steep, rocky slope after her. As they gained with her, Fireheart gestured for her to follow as Graystripe and Fireheart headed into the forest, retracing the steps of their earlier patrol, with Cinderpaw in tow. Fireheart noticed how muddy the ground was underpaw. The melted snow had soaked the earth like the heaviest rainfall, even without the deadly spread of floodwater from the river.
When they reached the edge of the trees Fireheart realized that the water had risen even farther. The Sunningrocks were almost submerged now, and the current swirled around them in tight circles. "We'll never make it across there," Fireheart meowed while Cinderpaw let out an excited meow of amazement.
"Let's head downstream," Graystripe suggested. "We might be able to use the stepping stones."
"We can try," Fireheart mewed uncertainly. She took a glance at Cinderpaw who stood by her side, she was about to follow her friend when Cinderpaw seemed to prick her ears at something.
"Wait! I think I heard something!" Fireheart strained her ears, wondering what Cinderpaw may have heard, hopefully not RiverClan warriors of all things. Then a thin, wailing sound, above the wind and the rushing of the torrent. "Graystripe wait!" Fireheart called out, while Cinderpaw still had her ears pricked, straining to catch the sound. Then Fireheart heard it again, louder this time-the panic-stricken mewing of kits in distress.
"Where are they?" Cinderpaw asked, sounding terrified, looking all around and up into the trees. "I can't see them!"
"Calm down Cinderpaw," Fireheart snapped, not wanting a panicked apprentice on her paws.
"There." Graystripe called, flicking his tail in the direction of the Sunningrocks. "Fireheart, they'll drown!"
Fireheart saw that the current had driven a mat of twigs and debris up against the Sunningrocks. Two kits balanced precariously on it, their tiny mouths stretched wide as they wailed for help. Even as Fireheart watched, the current tugged at the mat, threatening to sweep it away. "Come on," she yowled to Graystripe. "We got to reach them somehow! Cinderpaw, stay where you are!"
Taking a deep breath, she wadded into the flood. The water soaking into her fur at once, and a paralyzing, icy chill crept up her legs. The tug of the current made it harder to stay on her paws with every step she took. For a moment, Fireheart that this was a bad idea. But then she heard the mewing of the kits, and even if they weren't her own and from an enemy Clan, they were still kits, and they were a responsibility of all.
Graystripe splashed in behind her, but when the water reached his belly fur he stopped. "Fireheart…" he choked out. Fireheart twisted around to give him a comforting nod. She could understand how the river might terrify Graystripe, after his near-drowning a few moons ago.
"Stay there," she meowed. "I'll try to push the mat over to you."
Graystripe nodded, trembling too violently to speak. Fireheart waded forward a few more paces, thrashing her legs instinctively to push herself through the black water. She glided smoothly enough, thanks to her sleek fur. They were upstream of the Sunningrocks; if StarClan was kind, she should be carried down toward the kits.
For a moment she lost sight of them in the wind-ruffled waves, though she could still hear their terrified cries. Then the smooth gray bulk of a Sunningrock loomed up beside her. She kicked out strongly, fearing for one panic-stricken heartbeat that she would be swept right past.
The current swirled; Fireheart's paws worked furiously, and the river tossed her against the rock, driving the breath out of her body, making her cringe in pain and exhaustion. She scrambled at the rough surface, bracing herself against the rushing water, and found herself face-to-face with the two kits.
They were both very small-still suckling from their mother, Fireheart thought with a pang. One was a black and one gray, their fur plastered against their tiny bodies, and their brilliant blue eyes wide with terror. They were crouched on a tangled mat of twigs, leaves, and Twoleg rubbish, but when they saw Fireheart they started to scramble toward her. The mat lurched and their wails grew louder as river water sloshed over them.
"Keep still!" Fireheart gasped, paddling madly against the current. Briefly she wondered if she could climb onto the rock and haul the kit sup with her, but she was not sure how long it would be before the Sunningrocks were completely submerged. Her best plan was still to push the mat over to Graystripe. Looking back, she saw that her friend had already moved downstream, into a good position to catch the mat as it was swept toward him, and to Fireheart's fleeting irritation due to the fact she had to save these kits, Cinderpaw was ready beside him. Also looking ready to be there if anything went wrong.
"Here we go," Fireheart muttered. "StarClan help us!" She pushed herself off the rock, thrusting at the mat with her muzzle to guide it into the current. The two kits whimpered and flattened themselves against the twigs.
Fireheart put every last scrap of energy into pushing the mat ahead of her with her nose and paws. She could feel exhaustion draining the strength from her limbs. Her fur was soaked, and she was so cold she could hardly breath. Raising her head and blinking water out of her eyes, she realized with horror that she had lost sight of Graystripe and Cinderpaw and the bank. It seemed as if there was nothing in the world but the churning water, the fragile mat of twigs, and the two terrified kits.
Then she heard Graystripe's voice, sounding close by. "Fireheart, Fireheart, here!" she could even hear Cinderpaw's louder wail as well.
Fireheart thrust again at the mat, trying to propel it towards the voices. It spun away from her, and her head went under. Coughing and choking, she clawed her way back to the surface, to see Graystripe pacing on dry land just a few tail-lengths with Cinderpaw looking anxious beside him.
For a heartbeat Fireheart felt relief that she was nearly there. Then she focused her blurred eyes on the kits again, and fear pulsed through her. The mat was beginning to break up. Fireheart watched helplessly as the twigs underneath the gray kit gave way and the tiny creature was plunged into the torrent. Fireheart set up a wail of alarm.
"No!" Graystripe yowled, launching himself after the drowning kit. Fireheart lost sight of them. The kit left on the mat squealed desperately, trying to cling to the twigs as they were split apart by the current. With the last of her strength Fireheart drove herself forward, sank her teeth into the little creature's scruff, and kicked out for dry ground.
Within moments she was in the shallows where Cinderpaw was wading in and took the black kit from her. Stone-limbed she staggered out and sat down heavily, watching as Cinderpaw set the kit down and began licking its fur.
Glancing downstream, she saw Graystripe splashing out of the shallows, with the gray kit gripped firmly in his teeth. He padded up to Fireheart and set it gently on the ground beside Cinderpaw, who switched over her licking to the gray kit.
Fireheart watched in exhausted worry, but as she looked she saw the rise and fall of their flanks as they breathed. "Thank StarClan," she muttered. Soon she joined Cinderpaw in licking the kits, she licked the black kit as she had seen the other queens in the nursery do to their little ones, rasping her tongue against the lie of the fur to rouse the kit and warm it. Soon the black kit twitched and coughed up a mouthful of river water. It took longer for the gray kit to respond, but Cinderpaw was relentless, but at last it too coughed up water and opened its eyes.
"They're alive!" exclaimed Graystripe, his voice filled with relief as he watched the two she-cats anxiously.
"Yes, but they won't live long without their mother," Fireheart pointed out, still exhausted more now than ever. She sniffed the black kit carefully. The river water had washed off much of the Clan scent, but she could still detect a faint trace. "RiverClan," she mewed, unsurprised. "We'll have to take them home."
Fireheart's courage almost deserted her for good at the thought of crossing the swollen river. She had almost drowned rescuing the kits, and she was exhausted, she had put herself and her unborn kits in danger once, was she willing to do the same to cross the river. Her limbs were cold and stiff, and her fur was soaked. She wanted nothing more than to creep into her own nest in the nursery and sleep for a moon.
Graystripe, still crouched over the gray kit, looked as if he felt the same. His thick gray fur was flattened against his body, and his amber eyes were wide with anxiety. "Do you think we can get across?" he asked.
"We've got to, or the kits will die," Forcing herself to her paws, Fireheart leaned down for the black kit again but Cinderpaw was already picking it up by its scruff and looked defiantly at Fireheart. Fireheart didn't feel anything but exhaustion as Cinderpaw padded beside her as they headed downstream. "Let's see if we can cross by the stepping-stones, like you said." Fireheart called to Graystripe, as he padded after them, carrying the gray kit through the wet grass at the edge of the floodwater.
When the river was at its usual level, the stepping-stones were an easy route across for RiverClan cats. The longest leap from rock to rock was no more than a tail-length, and RiverClan controlled the territory here on both sides of the river. Now floodwater completely covered the stones. But where they had once broken the surface, a dead tree, its bark stripped away, lay across the river. Fireheart guessed that some of its branches had been caught on the submerged stepping-stones.
"Thank StarClan!" she exclaimed. "We can use the tree to cross." She lead the way, and waded out into the flood toward the splintered end of the tree trunk. The kit that Cinderpaw was holding, seeing the churning water barely a mouse-length below its nose, began to mewl and struggle feebly.
"Keep still, both of you," growled Graystripe gently, as he set down the gray kit for a moment to adjust his grip. "We're going to find your mother."
"Here let me take the kit," Fireheart offered her apprentice, but seeing the stubborn look on her face, Fireheart wasn't getting the kit that easily. "Why don't you follow behind both me and Graystripe, so that neither of us fall?" She suggested, and for a moment, Cinderpaw looked like she was thinking it over carefully, before nodding. Passing the kit over, which Fireheart was thankful that it went limp again so it was easier to carry. She had to lift her head high to keep the tiny creature clear of the water as she floundered toward the tree, Cinderpaw in between both Graystripe and Fireheart, keeping an eye on them both carefully.
Fireheart was instantly reminded on how difficult and tiring it was to carry the kit last time, but she reached the tree without needing to swim and sprang upward, clawing for a grip on the soft, rotting wood. Once she had pulled herself up, her main concern was keeping a pawhold on the smooth, slippery trunk. Gingerly placing each of her paws in a straight line, Fireheart padded toward the opposite bank with the river churning beneath her, sucking at the tree as if it wanted to sweep it, and its burden of cats, away downstream. Fireheart glanced back to see Graystripe following with the gray kit, Cinderpaw just behind. Both their faces creased with determination.
At the far end of the trunk divided into a tangle of broken branches. Fireheart ducked down to squeeze through them, being careful not to let the kit's fur catch on the splitters. It was harder to find a pawhold as the branches tapered, and she ran out of anything that might bear her weight when there was still a gap of a coup of fox-lengths separating her from the far side of the river. Fireheart took a deep breath, flexed her hindlegs, and leaped. Her front paws hit the bank while her hind paws kicked madly in the rushing current. A tingle of burning pain shot up her legs, but she thrashed splashing up water, the kit started to struggle again. Fireheart kept her teeth clenched in its neck fur as she sank her front claws into the soft earth and scrambled upward until she stood safely on the bank. She lurched forward a few paces and set the kit down gently.
Glancing around, she saw Cinderpaw helping pull Graystripe out of the water a little way downstream. Cinderpaw taking the kit to join the other while Graystripe shook himself. "The river water taste foul," he spat.
"Look on the bright side," Fireheart suggested, nudging the pitiful scraps of fur toward herself, to wrap her slightly unseen recognizable crooked tail around them. "At least it should disguise your scent. RiverClan cats won't know that you're the warrior who's been trespassing on their territory. If they ever found out-"
She broke off as three cats crashed out of the bushes just beyond Graystripe. Fireheart braced herself as she recognized Leopardfur, the RiverClan deputy, and the warriors Blackclaw and Stonefur. Forcing her tired legs to move, she picked up the black kit, Cinderpaw taking the gray kit, and padded along the bank to stand beside Graystripe, with Cinderpaw pressing reassuringly to her side. The gray warrior hauled himself to his paws, and the two she-cats once again set down their kits and faced their enemies together.
Fireheart wondered if the RiverClan cats had overheard what she was saying to Graystripe, and Cinderpaw. She knew that she and Graystripe were to exhausted to stand up to a patrol of strong, fresh warriors, and Cinderpaw was looking tired herself with her drooped tail and flattened ears. Fireheart's head spun as she tried to summon enough energy for a fight into her frozen paws, if they wanted to fight, then they will have one. They was no way she wouldn't put up a fight for her unborn children, Cinderpaw looked the same. But to her relief, the RiverClan cats halted a few tail-lengths away.
"What's this?" growled Leopardfur. Her golden-spotted fur bristled, and her eyes were flattened against her head.
Beside her, Blackclaw stood with his lips drawn back in a snarl. "Why are you trespassing on our territory?" he demanded.
"We're not trespassing,' Fireheart meowed quietly, trying not to show hostility. "We pulled two of your kits out of the river and wanted to bring them home."
"Do you think we nearly drowned ourselves just for fun?" Graystripe blurted out. Cinderpaw shot him an amused look, but Fireheart felt to waterlogged to care.
Stonefur paced forward until he was close enough to sniff the two kits. "It's true!" His blue eyes widened. "They're Mistyfoot's missing kits!"
Fireheart stiffened in amazement, despite the cold and exhaustion. She knew that Mistyfoot had recently had kits, but hadn't realized that the kits they had rescued were hers. She was even more thankful now that they had been able to save the kits lives, but she knew they mustn't let any of these cats know that Mistyfoot had friends in ThunderClan.
Leopardfur did not relax the fur on her shoulders. "How do we know you saved the kits?" she snarled "You might have been trying to steal them." Fireheart stared at her. After risking their lives in the floodwater, she couldn't believe that they were actually being accused of stealing the kits.
"Don't be such a mouse-brain!" Cinderpaw snapped, glaring beside Fireheart. "We risked our lives to pull these kits out of the water and bring them back. Do you honestly think a pregnant she-cat, an apprentice and a fat warrior would do something like that? No cat from Thunderclan tried to steal your kits when we could walk across the river on the ice. Why do you think we'd try it now?" Fireheart looked surprised at her former apprentice outburst, a spark of pride for her came through the wariness. While Graystripe looked scandalous at being called fat.
Leopardfur looked thoughtful however at the apprentice's words, but Blackclaw stalked up and thrust his head aggressively into Cinderpaw's face whose gray fur was bristle. Fireheart snarled in warning, ready to shred him if he tried anything.
"Blackclaw!" Leopardfur meowed sharply. "Back off! We'll let these cats explain themselves to Crookedstar, and see if he believes them."
Fireheart opened her mouth to protest, but left the words unspoken. They would have to go with the RiverClan cats; in their exhausted state she and her companions had no hope of winning a fight. At least Graystripe would be able to check on Silverstream. "All right," Fireheart meowed. "I just hope your Clan leader can see the truth when it's in front of his nose."
Leopardfur led the way along the bank, while Blackclaw picked up one kit and stalked threateningly alongside the trio, Cinderpaw made sure, to Fireheart's pride and comfort, that she was between Fireheart and him. Making sure that if any where to attack, they had to go through the apprentice first. Stonefur brought up the rear, carrying the other kit.
When they reached the island where the RiverClan cats had their camp, Fireheart saw that a wide channel of racing water separated it from the ridge of dry ground, wrenching at the overhanging boughs of the willow trees. No cats were visible through the reeds, and Fireheart could see a silver water lapping among the bushes that concealed the camp.
Leopardfur paused, her eyes widening in alarm. "The water has risen since we left camp," she meowed.
As she spoke, a yowl came from behind them at the top of the slope, where Fireheart and Graystripe had hidden to talk to Silverstream. "Leopardfur! Up here!" Fireheart turned to see the RiverClan leader, Crookedstar, emerging from the shelter of the bushes. His pale tabby coat was soaked, fur sticking out in all directions, and his twisted jaw made him look as if he was mocking the patrol and their prisoners.
"What happened?" Leopardfur demanded as she reached her leader.
"The camp is flooded," Crookedstar replied. His voice was flat with defeat. "We've had to move up here." As he spoke, two of three other cats emerged cautiously from the bushes. Fireheart noticed Graystripe brighten when he saw one of them was Silverstream, and sharing a glance with Cinderpaw, who only rolled her eyes.
"And what have you brought us?" Crookedstar went on. He narrowed his eyes at the ThunderClan trio. "ThunderClan spies? As if we didn't have enough trouble!"
"They found Mistyfoot's kits," Leopardfur told him, nodding to Stonefur and Blackclaw to bring forward the kits. "They claim they pulled them out of the river."
"I don't believe a word of it!" spat Blackclaw, setting down the kit he carried. "You can't trust a ThunderClan cat."
"Well you should!" Cinderpaw spat back, her hackles rising. Fireheart couldn't find within herself to rebuke the young apprentice.
At the mention of the kits, Silverstream had turned and disappeared rapidly under the bushes again. Crookedstar padded forward and sniffed the pathetic bundles. By now they had begun to recover from their ordeal and were trying to sit up, though they still looked completely waterlogged.
"Mistyfoot's kits went missing when the camp flooded," Crookedstar remarked, turning his cold green gaze on the trio. "How do you come to have them?"
Fireheart exchanged an exasperated glance with Graystripe and Cinderpaw, exhaustion making her short-tempered. "We flew across the river," she mewed sarcastically.
A loud yowling interrupted her. Mistyfoot broke out of the bushes and came racing over to them. "My kits! Where are my kits?" She crouched over the tiny scraps of fur, staring wildly around as if she thought the other cats would try to take them away from her. Then she began licking them furiously, trying to comfort both of them at once. Stonefur pressed up close against her and mewed comfortingly into her ear.
Silverstream followed more slowly and stood beside her father, Crookedstar, eyeing the ThunderClan cats. Fireheart was relieved to see her faze pass with apparent indifference over Graystripe. She would not give them away, she was sure.
More cats emerged after her and gathered curiously around. Fireheart recognized Graypool, who gave no sign that she had ever seen her before, and Mudfur, the RiverClan medicine cat who crouched beside Mistyfoot to examine the kits.
All the RiverClan cats were wet through, and the fur clinging to their bodies showed they were skinnier than ever. Fireheart had always thought of RiverClan cats as plump and sleek, well fed on fish from the river. That was until Silverstream told her that Twolegs had stayed by the river during greenleaf, but RiverClan had been unable to hunt when the river froze. And instead of bringing much needed food, the thaw had driven them out of their camp completely.
In spite of her pang of pity, Fireheart could also see the unfriendliness in their eyes, and hostility in their flattened ears and twitching tail tips. Fireheart knew her and her companions have to work hard to convince Crookedstar that they had really saved the kits.
The Clan leader was at least prepared to give them a chance to explain. "Tell us what happened," Crookedstar ordered. Fireheart began at the point when her former apprentice heard the kits wailing and seen them stranded on the mat of debris in the river.
"Since when have ThunderClan cats risked their lives for us?" Blackclaw broke in contemptuously as Fireheart described how she had pushed the kits through the torrent to the riverbank.
Fireheart bit back an angry retort, and Crookedstar hissed at the warrior. "Quiet, Blackclaw! Let her speak. If she's lying we'll find out soon enough."
"She's not lying." Mistyfoot looked up from where she was still nuzzling her kits. "Why should ThunderClan steal kits when all the Clans are finding it hard to feed themselves?"
"Fireheart's story makes sense," Silverstream observed calmly. "We had to abandon the camp and shelter in these bushes when the water started to rise again," she explained to Fireheart. "When we came to move Mistyfoot's kits, we could find only two of them. The other two were missing. The whole nursery floor had been washed away. They must have been swept along the river to where you found them."
Crookedstar nodded slowly, and Fireheart realized that the hostility of the RiverClan cats was fading-all except for Blackclaw, who turned his back on the ThunderClan cats with a snort of disgust.
"In that case, we're grateful to you," meowed Crookedstar, though he sounded grudging, as if he could hardly bear to be in debt to a ThunderClan cat.
"Yes," mewed Mistyfoot. She looked up again, her eyes glowing softly with gratitude. "Without you, my kits would have died."
Fireheart dipped her head in acknowledgement, her eyes softening on the pair of kits that were wrapped safely in their mother's tail. But how safe are they without food? Impulsively, she asked, "is there anything we can do for you? If you can't go back to your camp, and if prey's scarce because of the flood-"
"We need no help from ThunderClan," growled Crookedstar. "RiverClan cats can look after themselves."
"Don't be such a fool." It was Graypool who spoke, with a glare at her leader. Fireheart felt a new surge of respect for her; she guessed that not many cats would dare to take that tone with Crookedstar. "You're too proud for your own good," the elder rasped. "How can we feed ourselves, even with the thaw? There are no fish to eat. The river's practically poisoned; you know it is."
"What?" Graystripe exclaimed; Fireheart was too shocked to say anything, while Cinderpaw made a cut off squeaking sound.
"It's all the fault of the Twolegs," Graypool explained to them. "Last newleaf, the river was clean and full of fish. Now it's filthy with Twoleg rubbish from their camp."
"And the fish are poisoned," Mudfur added. "Cats who eat them fall ill. I've treated more cats for bellyache this leaf-bare than in all the time since I've been the medicine cat."
Fireheart stared at Graystripe then Cinderpaw, and then back at the hungry RiverClan cats. Most of them couldn't meet her eyes, as if they were ashamed that a cat of another Clan should know about their troubles.
"Then let us help," she urged them them all. "We'll catch prey for you in our territory and bring it you, until the floods have gone and the river is clean."
Even as she made the offer, she knew that she was breaking the warrior code that demanded loyalty to their own Clan alone. Bluestar would be furious with her if she found out she was prepared to share ThunderClan's precious prey like this. But Fireheart couldn't bring herself to abandon another Clan in their need. Bluestar herself said our welfare depends on having four Clans in the forest, she reminded herself. Surely it's the will of StarClan.
"Would you really do this for us?" asked Crookedstar slowly, his eyes narrowing with suspicion.
"Yes," Fireheart meowed honestly.
"And I'll help too," promised Graystripe, with a glance at Silverstream.
"And me!" Cinderpaw added on, her blue eyes flashing to Fireheart for a moment.
"Why, would you something like this for RiverClan?" Crookedstar challenged, ignoring Graypool's snort of impatience.
"Because, I'm an expecting mother," Fireheart meowed, her eyes shifting to where Mistyfoot crouched over her kits. "And if I had the opportunity to share what I can spare, then I would. Because you have to show compassion and love towards all of them, even if their not of your own litter or even your Clan, or a Clan entirely." Fireheart explained, sweeping her eyes around back to Crookedstar she saw a glint of pride in Graypool's yellow eyes.
"Then the Clan thanks you," grunted Crookedstar. "None of my cats will challenge you in our territory until the floods go down and we can return to our camp. But after that, we will fend for ourselves again." He turned and led the way back to the bushes. His subdued cats followed him, casting glances back at Fireheart and her companions as they went. Not all of them, Fireheart could see, trusted them or believed in their offer to help.
Last to go was Mistyfoot, nudging her kits to their paws and guiding them up the slope. "Thank you all," she murmured. "I won't forget this."
Fireheart and her friends we left alone as the RiverClan cats disappeared into the bushes. As they picked their way down the slope again toward the river, Graystripe shook his head in disbelief. "Hunting for another Clan? We must be mad."
"What else could we do?" Fireheart retorted. "Let them starve?"
"But it was a nice gesture," Cinderpaw added on to Fireheart's statement.
"No!" Graystripe defended. "But we'll have to be careful. We'll be crowfood if Bluestar finds out."
Of Tigerclaw, Fireheart added silently. What will he say if he finds out we're feeding RiverClan? Or worse, finds out i'm not staying put in the nursery!
As they dragged their way through the woods, they managed to arrive at the ravine without passing out from exhaustion. "We all know what we say if asked where we been?" Fireheart asked, her tail dragging behind her.
"We were out training and we got carried away, and ended up falling into a stream?" Cinderpaw said with a tired yawn, her gray paws dragging behind her.
"Let's go then," Graystripe muttered, picking up the mouse that luckily found its way under his paws when they came heading back from across the river. Fireheart and Cinderpaw meowed in agreement, following him down the gorse tunnel to come out into the clearing.
Fireheart instantly gestured to Cinderpaw to go on ahead to the apprentice den, for a much needed rest. Without saying a word Cinderpaw dragged herself toward the apprentice den, and disappeared inside.
Fireheart looked around, and sighed as she dragged herself toward the medicine cats den. As she entered the scent of herbs and muttering from Spottedleaf could be heard. Fireheart's ears pricked in amusement despite her exhaustion and wanting to just sleep for a moon.
"Everything alright?" Fireheart's voice made Spottedleaf visibly jump, turning around the younger medicine cat's eyes widened, letting out a meow of alarm at must appear to be a waterlogged flame colored queen.
"What happened?" Spottedleaf asked instantly, coming to look Fireheart over. Fireheart explained the false story to Spottedleaf as she sniffed carefully sniffed along the length of Fireheart's body, parting her fur with one paw to make sure that no leeches had fastened themselves onto her skin. "Breathing okay, Fireheart?" she asked gently. "Do you feel sick?"
"No more than normal I suppose?" Fireheart muttered. "I just feel like I just want to sleep for a moon."
"I think you're alright," Spottedleaf meowed, stepping back from Fireheart. "But I would like you to have something for a fever and your milk," Spottedleaf added, bringing out the green leaves. "You're in luck, I managed to find some nice fresh one's, although small." Spottedleaf looked happily on as Fireheart ate them, only satisfied until Fireheart had eaten all that was in front of her.
"You should get some rest now, but if you feel any pain come straight back, or send for me!" Spottedleaf advised seriously, Fireheart nodded and meowed a farewell, and sluggishly made her way to the nursery. Where she curled up in her nest, taking only a moment to view Brindleface curled around her kits and Cloudkit, and seeing this. Fireheart thought of Mistyfoot and her kits that they were able to save. And she knew they were doing the right thing by feeding RiverClan.
0o0o0
Well, How do you like this chapter? I don't think it's longer than any of my other chapters! But it is an update! So I hope you enjoy and review! Kits will be born...shortly? Maybe, kind of, we'll see! XD anyway thank you my faithful followers! I love you guys! Well until next time I suppose!