New Chapter sorry it took so long, my life has been crazy lately and getting more and more complicated so onward with the chapter.

Chapter 4

Maplefall led the small group, through the twolegplace, being mindful to set a pace that didn't harm the kits they were carrying. They had reached the forest by dusk, and were staring into the trees and the thick undergrowth ahead of them. The kit's eyes widened with awe since it was the first time they had ever seen the forest, and they squirmed a little in excitement. Fireheart looked into Maplefall's eyes and she gave him a gentle nodded as a sign for him to lead them through the forest. Fireheart looked back at the other cats present in their group and meowed a warning.

"We are entering, ThunderClan's territory, we need to be careful, and stay quiet. It's still dusk and there is no telling whether or not the dusk patrol has already patrolled here, we need to avoid a confrontation if we can." Fireheart gave a stern look Cloudpaw, as he mentioned the last part. "We have to remember we're carrying the kits." Cloudpaw nodded gently in understanding, being careful not to jostle Stormkit too much. Fireheart gave Princess a reassuring look, and then led the group silently into the forest, stretching his senses as far as they could reach, Princess and Cloudpaw were directly behind them, with Graystripe and Raincloud following close behind, Maplefall brought up the rear, her ears twitching in every direction to try and listen for any sign of a ThuderClan patrol.

Fireheart set a brisk pace for, the RiverClan-ThunderClan border, hoping that the border would help disguise their scent. He was grateful for the kits' silence as they traveled. He figured the seriousness of the others was keeping them from speaking out.

As they neared the border, Maplefall, quickened her pace so that she was beside, Fireheart and meowed quietly in his ear.

"I think I scented a patrol, it seems as though their headed in this direction, we have the wind in our favor, they are downwind of us, we need to increase our pace." She meowed quickly. Fireheart meowed quickly for her to tell the others as he quickened the pace. Fireheart could see the willow trees up ahead that marked the start of RiverClan territory. Fireheart debated whether or not they should cross into RiverClan territory to avoid the ThunderClan patrol, but he soon realized they would have to, if they wanted to get the kits safely through the forest. Without stopping or slowing his pace he padded straight through the willow trees, only to realize that ThunderClan's scent was strong among the willow trees, meaning ThunderClan must have won the territory from RiverClan during their absence from the Clan.

He looked ahead and saw the stepping stones that would carry them to the other side of the river. He headed toward them but realized with a jolt that they wouldn't make it across without being seen, by the patrol. He looked back and saw his mother leap into a tree, Raincloud veered behind a thick bramble bush, Graystripe and Cloudpaw followed her. Princess ran back to climb up the tree that Maplefall, had disappeared into. Fireheart turned around and climbed a tree right across from the tree that Princess and Maplefall were in and waited for the patrol to come their way.

Fireheart could just make out the voices of some of the approaching warriors. They were talking softly to one another before they began to move away from the spot the group was hiding. Fireheart sighed in relief and began to climb down when he heard the footsteps of one of the cats from the patrol coming straight toward the trees that they were hiding in.

"Fireheart, Graystripe is that you?" a familiar voice called out. Fireheart looked and saw the familiar white pelt of Whitestorm pushing through the undergrowth. "It's okay their heading back to camp." Fireheart almost didn't jump down but, remembered that Maplefall, Graystripe and Raincloud were close enough to help him if this turned out to be an ambush. He leaped down watching Whitestorm cautiously.

"Whitestorm, we mean no trouble, we're just passing through ThunderClan territory." Fireheart explain quickly.

"We?" Whitestorm asked as he looked at Fireheart curiously. Fireheart explained that his kin and friends were on a journey and that they had to cross through ThunderClan territory to get to the place they needed to go. As he explained, Maplefall and Princess leaped out of the tree and Graystripe, Raincloud and Cloudpaw emerged behind the bramble bush, they had been hiding behind, with the kits in tow. Whitestorm was surprised to see so many unfamiliar faces with Fireheart but was glad to see Graystripe and Cloudpaw.

"We mean you no trouble, we only want to get through your territory unharmed, and we haven't been hunting only traveling through." Maplefall meowed calmly, standing beside Fireheart. "Will you grant us safe passage?" Whitestorm looked at every cat present, before turning his attention back to Maplefall.

"I'll admit I was only expecting, Fireheart, Graystripe, Cloudpaw and the possibility of Graystripe's kits when I came over here," Maplefall seemed to tense a little as Whitestorm spoke softly, "However, if your only passing through, then I think I'll escort you to Fourtrees but if your found here in the morning I cannot help you."Fireheart stared at Whitestorm in shock, as the tom beckoned them to follow him through the forest. Fireheart padded up beside the white warrior.

"We're grateful to you Whitestorm but, why are you helping us?" he asked softly, Whitestorm watched him out of the corner of his eye.

"Because I think what happened with you, Graystripe and Cloudpaw was unfair and if Tigerstar hadn't banished you three you'd have every right to be here, just as I do." Whitestorm meowed gently. "And I feel that Bluestar would have wanted me to let you go." Fireheart felt a pang of sadness at the thought of his former leader and mentor; he wondered what she would think of all that had happened to them and the Clan and for the first time he wondered if he was doing the right thing. His thoughts were plagued with the journey ahead of them, as he followed Whitestorm to Fourtrees.

As they reached Fourtrees, Fireheart noticed that it was drawing closer to the time he was to meet with Goldenflower. He looked around him to see if he could make out any pale ginger cats lurking in the forest. He figured it would probably wouldn't be much longer till the pale ginger queen made her appearance, and he wonder if Whitestorm knew anything about it, but he figured that if Whitestorm knew he would have said something. He shook the thoughts away as he glanced down at the familiar slope that lead down to where they held the gathering.

"I think this is far enough, I'm sure you and Graystripe can lead them the rest of the way, I must return to camp."Whitestorm meowed.

"Wait how can we trust you not to tell anyone you saw us?" Maplefall asked narrowing her eyes in suspicion. Whitestorm watched her carefully.

"You have my word as a warrior of ThunderClan, I promise not to tell anyone I saw you this night, however if you are caught within our territory in the morning then there is not much I can do to help you." Whitestorm answered calmly, Maplefall regarded him closely and gave him a nod.

"I will hold you to your word," she meowed simply.

"Take care, may StarClan be with you." He called as he headed back to toward the ThunderClan camp.

"And you as well," Fireheart called after him as he watched him go. Raincloud looked on in worry, Graystripe seemed relieved that Whitestorm was on their side and had helped them. It made Fireheart have hope that maybe Goldenflower wasn't trying to set him up, that she legitimately has something of importance to tell him.

"Are you sure he can be trusted?" Maplefall asked quietly. Fireheart looked at her in surprise.

"He gave you his word as a warrior of ThunderClan." Maplefall sniffed a little.

"I don't rely on the word of any warrior other than warriors of SkyClan; we have little reason to." Maplefall replied as she looked down the slope that would lead them into Fourtrees. She signaled with her tail for the others to follow her down the slope into Fourtrees. Maplefall gave a soft look as she looked up at the Great Rock, the kits squealed in excitement as they looked around Fourtrees, the raced over to one of the great oaks and proceeded to play a game of hide and seek using the large tree roots to hid behind, but it didn't last long when Raincloud called them to her . Princess seemed a little nervous as she looked around as if expecting a ThunderClan patrol to appear and attack them, Cloudpaw must have noticed as well since he brushed his pelt up against her's and purred words of encouragement to her. Fireheart noticed that Graystripe had adopted a pensive look on his face and Fireheart wondered if he was having second thoughts about going on this journey, and decided to speak with his friend before they headed off to the spot they planned on meeting Fireheart after he met with Goldenflower. Graystripe looked up at Fireheart as he approached.

"Are you alright Graystripe?" Fireheart asked

"Yes, it's just I've been thinking about Ravenpaw and I think we should warn him that Tigerstar's leader now," Fireheart blinked slowly at Graystripe as he listened to his friend.

"He may already know about it, remember his and Barley's farm are on the way to Highstones." Graystripe shook his head slowly.

"Just because it's on the way to Highstones doesn't mean, Tigerstar went near the farm; remember the last time with the rats." Graystripe pointed out and Fireheart began to think about what Graystripe had said and realized he was right. Ravenpaw and Barley's farm was pretty big and the two cats could easily have been out of the sight of Tigerstar and him out of their sight. It would be bad if Tigerstar went to Highstones for some reason and accidently bumped into Ravenpaw who was just trying to peacefully enjoy life as a loner.

"Okay, but can we make it there tonight? And will they let us stay the night there?" Fireheart wondered.

"If they know the situation I'm sure they would and you know Ravenpaw would do whatever he can to help us out if we need it." Graystripe meowed confidently. Fireheart beckoned for Maplefall to join them and the others as well. They explained the situation with Ravenpaw and how they wanted to go check on their friend and make sure he was aware of Tigerstar and mentioning that he was close to the Highstones where the Moonstone was kept. Princess seemed very interested in going when she heard Highstones being mentioned.

"I think I need to go there, I think there is something there that I'm supposed to know" She meowed. Raincloud agreed knowing it would be a safe place for the kits to sleep for the night. Maplefall wasn't too keen on the idea of going, but knowing that the others wished to go left her no choice.

"Very well will go, do either of you know the way?" Maplefall asked, and Graystripe stepped forward.

"I know how to get there and Fireheart knows also so he'll know where to look for us when he's finished here." Graystripe assured her as he nuzzled his kits. He padded up to Fireheart and wished him luck, Cloudpaw offered to stay and help him, but Fireheart declined reminding him that he was needed to protect the kits. Raincloud wished him well and told him that their ancestor's would watch over him and keep him safe. Maplefall gave his son a gentle lick on his ear and walked over to the kits to help carry them and Princess brushed her cheek against Fireheart's telling him to be safe.

Moments later Fireheart was alone and sat patiently waiting for Goldenflower to appear. He decided to climb the oak tree that stood before WindClan's territory so he could have the advantage in case it was an ambush. His mind began to wander to a dream he had had a few days ago. In the dream he was perched quietly in a tree, the same way he had been when WindClan and ShadowClan had come to kill Brokentail, but instead of quietly climbing down the tree and staying out of sight of the approaching warriors, he leaped down fearlessly on the back of the cat closest to him and suddenly many other unrecognizable cats had leaped down from the surrounding trees and attacked the intruders. While Fireheart hadn't recognized the cats something told him they were allies. Fireheart wasn't sure what the dream meant but he blamed the dream on the battle move his mother taught him called the Sky Drop.

Suddenly Fireheart heard a noise from the ThunderClan side of the clearing. He tensed his muscles watching as a figure emerged from behind a thick juniper bush. He recognized Goldenflower's pale ginger pelt as she slowly walked further into the clearing. Fireheart tried to catch the scent of another cat, but couldn't really scent any other cats. He decided it was safe enough and jumped down making himself known to Goldenflower. She jumped in surprise not expecting him to leap down from one of the great oaks.

"Fireheart you startled me" she breathed fixing her gaze on Fireheart's.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you Goldenflower." Fireheart replied watching her curiously. "May I asked why the mate of the cat who banished my friend, my kin and I from ThunderClan, wishes to speak with me here?" He noticed Goldenflower's eyes hardening when he had mention her being the mate of Tigerstar and his curiosity grew even more.

"He's not my mate any longer," she spat with such fury, that Fireheart flinched and began to watch her warily. He wondered briefly what Tigerstar had done to anger the usually kind queen.

"You're not, but why I thought you liked him?" Fireheart asked carefully hoping the queen wouldn't lash out at him in anger for asking a simple question.

"Because of Stormkit and Featherkit," Fireheart stared at her in more confusion.

"Stormkit and Featherkit caused you to no longer be mates?" Fireheart questioned, and Goldenflower nodded in confirmation. "But why I don't understand."

"It happened just after Tigerstar banished you three, I had decided I wanted to take a walk and Speckletail was watching the kits. I hadn't gone too far from the camp when I heard voices talking nearby. I quietly moved closer to where I heard the voices and I saw it was Tigerstar speaking with Darkstripe. At first I had thought they were just having a meeting about Darkstripe's duties, but that made no sense since they could just talk in the leader's den, but I figured they didn't want anyone bothering them I was just about to leave when I heard him mention Graystripe's kits and so I listened closer. Darkstripe asked Tigerstar if he was going to give them to RiverClan and Tigerstar told him no. I thought this meant that he finally was accepting the kits but I was wrong." She shook her head sadly. "He told Darkstripe that he didn't want those 'filthy halfclan kits' near his own kits but that he would tolerate them a bit longer so that when they were old enough he would make sure they disappeared before they became apprenticed." Fireheart stared at her in horror.

"But why did he let Graystripe and I take the kits if he wasn't giving them to RiverClan?" Fireheart asked feeling better that they had gotten the kits when they did.

"He told Darkstripe they didn't fit in his plans, I don't know what those plans he had were but there is nothing good about them if it involved killing kits. I think Tigerstar is convinced you aren't living in any of the Clans and that was why he let you take the kits."

"I suppose so, but why are you here Goldenflower? Graystripe's kits are safe already and I doubt Tigerstar will go looking for them." Fireheart pointed out.

"Yes I know they're safe and that's why I'm here." She turned around and gave a low meow calling for someone in the forest. Fireheart tensed again as he watched the juniper bush shake and three figures emerged from the bushes, he recognized the cats immediately.

"Yellowfang what are you doing here?" Fireheart meowed in shock as the old ragged medicine cat came to sit near Goldenflower.

"Oh I'm fine Fireheart thanks for asking." She rasped sarcastically with a hint of amusement in her stare. "If you must know I saw Goldenflower sneaking out of camp throught that hole behind the nursery, I followed her and confronted her about what she was doing, when she told me I just had to come and see you."Fireheart shook his head clear of all the questions that plagued his mind, which seemed to overwhelm him when he saw the familiar faces of Goldenflower's kits: Bramblekit and Tawnykit. Fireheart looked to Goldenflower for an explanation.

"After I discovered Tigerstar's plan for Graystripe's kits I couldn't stand to be with Tigerstar any longer and I decided that I would figure out a way to get the kits to RiverClan if I had to, but then you and Graystripe appeared and asked for the kits back and when Tigerstar actually let them go I was relieved, but as I was bringing them to you I realized I couldn't let my kits be around a cat that would kill helpless kits simply because of who their parents were, even if he is their father. Even if it meant I had to give them up" She murmured softly licking the ears of each of her kits gently. "Fireheart will you take my kits with you? I just can't keep them in ThunderClan not while Tigerstar is there. The way he talked about this plan of his sounded as if he had planned to be made the leader soon, almost as if he knew Bluestar was going to die and if he was involved with Bluestar's death then I really don't want my kits near him." Fireheart looked on in disbelief that Goldenflower was here with the sole purpose of giving him her kits and that Goldenflower seemed to have learned that Tigerstar might have planned Bluestar's death. He was very surprised to know that Goldenflower was planning on giving him her kits. 'If Goldenflower believed they lived in the Twolegplace then that would mean…' Fireheart's eyes widened in surprise

"Wait Goldenflower, you want your kits to be kittypets?" Fireheart asked

"If that's what it takes yes, I refuse to keep them in ThunderClan." She meowed roughly wrapping her tail around her kits gathering them around her. Fireheart thought for a moment about the situation.

"What about you Goldenflower, what will you do?"

"I will stay in ThunderClan, no other clan would accept me and I couldn't be a kittypet, I would miss the outdoors, but the kits have a chance they could find happiness it isn't too late for them."

"What if I said that I was actually going on a journey, with my kin and a few friends?" when Goldenflower looked at him questioningly he began to explain all about what he had learned during his time in the Twolegplace and about the journey they were traveling on, he even mentioned the traveling herbs and how they believe that Princess might be a medicine cat.

"That's what happened to those herbs." Fireheart turned with alarm to face Yellowfang, he had forgotten she was there.

"What do you mean?" Fireheart was certain he knew what herbs she was referring to but he wasn't sure.

"Yesterday Cinderpaw , came to me about a list of herbs she had dreamed about. I noticed that all the herbs she listed are used to make traveling herbs, she told me she dreamt of all these herbs growing in a spot near the twolegplace, she went to the spot but didn't see them anywhere, so she guessed that it might have been a sign of StarClan of some kind, so she gathered all the herbs and left them in the spot believing that StarClan was going to use the herbs to give her a sign, she waited a while but figured that whatever StarClan was asking of her they would tell her when the time was right, this morning she went and looked at the pile and all of the herbs were gone." Yellowfang explained, and Fireheart knew that his earlier assumption was right, and that Cinderpaw had been the one to give Princess the herbs she needed to make the traveling herbs.

"Maplefall didn't tell me Princess was a medicine cat, I might have come sooner if I had known," a voice spoke up from a nearby bush. Goldenflower jumped in alarm, pushing her kits behind her, and Yellowfang jumped to her side. Fireheart tensed ready to spring at the cat who had spoken, but the voice sounded familiar to him. A heartbeat later, a large ginger tom emerged from behind one of the great oak trees; Fireheart relaxed quickly at seeing the familiar face of Jake and was glad he had caught up with them. Goldenflower and Yellowfang relaxed a little but were still ready to attack the strange tom, should he turn aggressive.

"It's okay, this is Jake he was a SkyClan warrior, and he is my father. He won't hurt the kits." Fireheart meowed soothingly to the two she-cats. This calmed the two down and they meowed their greetings to Jake who returned them. Goldenflower turned her attention back to Fireheart.

"Are you asking me to join you in your search for SkyClan?"

"Yes, you've made it clear that you don't trust Tigerstar and that you don't want to stay in ThunderClan anymore, but you have nowhere else to go and its clear you don't want to be separated from your kits you could come with us." Fireheart assured her as he could see a little skeptism in her eyes, but he could also see a need to be with her kits. Goldenflower looked to Yellowfang who gave her a gentle nod.

"I'll go, I'll help out with whatever is needed, as long as my kits are cared for." Goldenflower decided wrapping her tail around her kits. Jake nodded in acceptance; Yellowfang watched it all in silence.

"We better get a move on if we want to catch up with the others." Jake meowed Fireheart agreed with him and he walked up to Yellowfang, and brushed his pelt against her flank purring softly.

"Goodbye Yellowfang, I'll miss you, take care of Cinderpaw and tell Whitestorm thank you when you see him, he'll know why." Fireheart murmured in the old she-cat's ear. Her throat rumbled with a deep raspy purr.

"I'll miss you too, Fireheart take care of everyone on that journey, I would teach you some herb remedies to help you on your journey, but I'm sure your sister can figure that out, take care of the kits." She rasped gently. Fireheart let Yellowfang speak quietly with Goldenflower for a moment, and he saw Jake looking at Goldenflower's kits. Fireheart drew his attention to the two kits still wrapped in her tail. The dark tabby tom caught his gaze and for a moment he felt like Tigerstar was staring at him as he looked at Bramblekit. Fireheart wonder what the young tom thought of Tigerstar and also wondered if Tigerstar had already begun influencing his kits into his way of thinking. Fireheart shook these thoughts from his mind and looked at Jake with a questioning look on his face.

"I think I've met the father of this those kits or rather the father of their father, if it's the same Tigerstar." Jake murmured to Fireheart, before he could answer, Goldenflower had flashed a sign that she was ready to go, and she picked up Tawnykit in her mouth, Jake gave a reassuring look to Goldenflower and picked up Bramblekit picked up Bramblekit looking to Fireheart to lead them.

"I'll be heading back now, I'll try and make sure to throw off your trail." Yellowfang told them as she headed back toward the ThunderClan camp.

"Thank you Yellowfang and tell Whitestorm thank you as well." Fireheart called after her.

"May StarClan guide your path" She meowed back

"And yours as well," Fireheart answered. He turned to look at Goldenflower and Jake and headed up the WindClan slope that would take them to WindClan territory.

(Okay their heading for Ravenpaw and Barley's farm, in the next chapter and more secrets are revealed.

Review and let me know what you think.)