Fireheart walked alongside Whitestorm, Runningwind, and Brackenpaw as they patrolled along the edges of their territory by the ShadowClan border. A few paces ahead, Cinderpaw was bounding around eagerly, nose in the air as she sniffed for any prey-scent.
"Be careful, Cinderpaw," Fireheart called out to his apprentice. "Remember, we're right next to the Thunderpath."
Cinderpaw paused momentarily. "Don't worry," she called over her shoulder. "I'll make sure to watch where I'm going this time."
She returned to skipping almost immediately, and Fireheart let out a sigh. Although she had progressed fairly quickly since she had returned to training, he still had a difficult time teaching her to use a little caution once in a while. On the other hand, looking at Cinderpaw now, she did seem to be taking extra care not to stray too close to the edge of the Thunderpath.
Progress is progress, I suppose, Fireheart thought. Out loud, he meowed, "Cinderpaw, why don't you practice leaping again? Try jumping from where you're standing onto that tree stump."
After she had recovered enough strength in her injured leg to make it once around the territory, Yellowfang had given Fireheart permission to try reteaching Cinderpaw the basics of hunting and fighting moves. At the moment, they were focused on helping her learn how to leap with only one good back leg.
Fireheart watched as Cinderpaw sank down into a crouch and prepared to spring. He saw her muscles tighten as she pushed off with as much strength as she could muster on her one good leg, her front paws outstretched as she grasped for the tree stump. However, there wasn't quite enough force behind the jump, and her claws scraped the bark as she crashed headfirst into it.
"Cinderpaw! Are you okay?" Fireheart exclaimed worriedly as the gray molly scrambled back to her paws, shaking her fur off.
"I'm okay!" she meowed, oddly cheerful for someone who had just crashed face first into a tree stump.
"Your jump looked much stronger that time," the flame-colored warrior praised his apprentice. "Just a little more and you would have had it."
"Close one, Cinderpaw," Brackenpaw meowed, playfully nudging his sister's shoulder.
Cinderpaw purred. "Just you wait, I'll still be able to out-jump you one day!"
"Settle down, you two," Whitestorm meowed, his yellow eyes gleaming with amusement. "We need to finish this patrol sometime before the next moon, you know."
They continued their path along the ShadowClan border, coming up near the burnt ash tree. Fireheart had Cinderpaw practice her jumping a few more times, and he noted with pleasure that the strength behind each was relatively the same. That meant the first one hadn't been a fluke.
Suddenly, however, the mood turned sour when the patrol came across a dead rabbit lying just inside their territory. Whitestorm padded forward and sniffed cautiously at the rabbit. Fireheart didn't need to see the anger flare in his Clanmate's eyes to know what had been found on the dead animal; the wind carried the scent, along with the story. ShadowClan warriors had been hunting on their territory.
Maybe Tigerclaw did find evidence of them on our territory before, he mused to himself. Then he pushed the thought away. That's not important right now.
"ShadowClan," Runningwind growled. He, too, had picked up the stench of enemy warriors on the dead rabbit.
"I knew they couldn't be trusted," Fireheart growled, feeling a surge of rage at the Clan he and his Clanmates had risked their lives to save from Brokenstar's reign. "Can't trust anyone on that side of the border, no matter whether they kill innocent kits or not."
Yet still, something seemed off. He couldn't place a reason as to why a ShadowClan patrol would go so far as to hunt in another Clan's territory only to leave their catch–or at least part of it–behind. It seemed like an awful lot of trouble to go through if they were only going to waste prey, especially when their own Clan most likely needed all the fresh-kill it could get in these cold, harsh leaf-bare days. Were they trying to send a message, perhaps, telling them that ThunderClan was powerless to stop the prey theft?
"We need to report this to Bluestar," Whitestorm growled. "She needs to know what ShadowClan has done."
"Do you think she'll order an attack?" Fireheart asked.
"She should!" Whitestorm hissed. "And I'll lead it myself if I can. Nightstar has betrayed our trust, and StarClan knows he must pay for it."
The patrol moved swiftly through the forest as they headed back in the direction of the ThunderClan camp. Even Cinderpaw was following the older warriors obediently instead of skipping about as she usually did. Discovering the rabbit remains, reeking of ShadowClan, had cast a dark cloud over everyone's mood.
Although he shared his Clanmates' anger, Fireheart couldn't help feeling as though there was more to the stolen prey than they were seeing. It wasn't only the fact that they had inexplicably left the rabbit to be discovered instead of taking it home to feed their Clan. The scent wafting off the dead prey stirred up an unpleasant feeling that sent the hairs along his pelt rising. It was beyond anger, it was pure, unadulterated hatred.
But why? Fireheart wasn't fond of ShadowClan by any means–far from it–but he didn't necessarily hate them. He hated their untrustworthiness and willingness to break the warrior code, sure, but not the cats themselves. This hatred was different. Every fiber of his being burned with the desire to sink his claws into the fur of whoever the scent on the rabbit belonged to.
"Bluestar!" Whitestorm flung the dead rabbit into the center of the clearing.
"Bluestar just left on patrol," Tigerclaw told him. "What is it you need?"
Whitestorm stared at the deputy. "Look at these!" he spat.
Tigerclaw didn't need to be told what they meant; their scent carried the whole story. His eyes began to burn with rage.
Several warriors gathered around the clearing, roused by the commotion caused by the returning cats. Sandstorm poked her head out of the nursery and Graystripe pushed his way out of the warriors' den. One-eye, Smallear, and Patchpelt all emerged from the elders' den, looking rather irritated at being awoken.
"What has happened?" Willowpelt called out.
"ShadowClan has been hunting on our territory!" Runningwind answered her. "We found the remains of a dead rabbit, stinking to the stars above of those traitorous rogues."
"How dare they?" Frostfur hissed, her white fur bristling.
"ThunderClan," Tigerclaw yowled over the furious hisses of the rest of the Clan. "Rest assured, we will not let ShadowClan get away with this. Whitestorm, Runningwind, Mousefur, and Darkstripe, you come with me. We'll meet up with Bluestar's patrol and tell her what has happened, and then we'll lead a raid on ShadowClan together. Fireheart, Graystripe, you two are in charge of watching the camp while we're gone."
Fireheart didn't miss the sneer the dark tabby tossed his way, and he felt a prickle of anger. Did Tigerclaw think a kittypet was unworthy of following his Clanmates into battle? But he knew better than to voice his displeasure; there were more important matters to attend to. Instead, he dipped his head respectfully, forcing his fur to lie flat.
Within moments, the battle patrol set out through the gorse tunnel. Resigned to his fate, Fireheart settled himself near the middle of the camp, keeping watch for any sign of trouble. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Graystripe slink back into the warriors' den, probably retreating to the safety of his nest.
What a surprise, he thought bitterly, his mouth twisting into a sneer. He gets a job in camp and he still can't be bothered to follow orders.
Yellowfang came padding out of her den. Fireheart opened his mouth to greet her until he saw her pause to taste the air, her orange eyes filling with fear. She sniffed at the dead rabbit's remains. The ginger tom watched her curiously, wondering why she was so interested in the stolen prey.
At last, she lifted her head and met Fireheart's gaze. "Brokenstar!" she rasped.
"What?" Fireheart exclaimed, but a moment later, it all made sense. The way the rabbit had been left out in the open for the patrol to discover like an ominous message, the feeling of hatred that flared up whenever the scent wafted over his scent glands. It was Brokenstar's scent the entire time! "Are you sure?"
"ShadowClan isn't to blame for this!" Yellowfang cried. "This is Brokenstar and his old followers. We must stop Tigerclaw before he reaches the ShadowClan border. He'll be making a huge mistake if he attacks!"
Fireheart's mind began racing. On one hand, he and Graystripe were the only warriors left in camp, and if either one of them left to intercept Tigerclaw's patrol, it would leave the camp even more vulnerable to a possible raid from Brokenstar's rogues. On the other hand, if he sent one of the apprentices, it was possible that they would be caught and killed by the rogues, and he wasn't about to ask Yellowfang or any of the queens and elders to risk their lives on such a dangerous mission. That meant that either he or Graystripe would have to make the trip, but Fireheart didn't like the thought of leaving the camp while Cinderpaw and Sandstorm were in danger.
I guess that leaves no choice, then, he thought grimly. Let's hope Graystripe still has a little loyalty left.
"Leave this to me," he meowed to Yellowfang. "I'll send Graystripe after them."
He waited for her to nod in reply before turning and bounding off into the warriors' den. As he entered, he saw Graystripe jerk his head up in surprise. His yellow eyes narrowed as soon as he saw Fireheart.
"What do you want?" the gray warrior asked rudely.
"Now isn't the time," Fireheart snapped. "You need to get to Tigerclaw and tell him there's been a mistake. It wasn't ShadowClan that left the dead rabbit; it was Brokenstar."
Graystripe stared at him, all hostility suddenly replaced by shock and fear. "Brokenstar? You're sure?"
"Yes, I'm sure," Fireheart hissed. "Now go! I don't know how far Tigerclaw has gotten by now, but you need to catch up to them before they cross the border!"
"But I can't leave the camp!" Graystripe protested. "Why don't you go instead? You're faster than me anyway."
"I need to be here to help Cinderpaw in case Brokenstar and his rogues come before we can meet up with Tigerclaw's patrol," Fireheart replied impatiently. "As for your camp confinement, well, you're just going to have to break the rules again, aren't you? Don't worry, at least it will be for the good of the Clan this time."
His former friend's eyes flashed, and he opened his mouth to reply. Before he could say anything, however, a yowl of alarm sounded from the clearing. Forgetting all about the current situation at hand, Fireheart spun around and raced out of the den. The sight that greeted him sent a chill running down his spine.
Brokenstar stood at the edge of the camp, his eyes glittering with a mixture of hatred and triumph. Four warriors prowled about behind him, their fur matted and their expressions twisted with bloodlust.
"So, you two are the only warriors left!" he sneered to Fireheart and Graystripe. "This will be easier than I thought!"
Bluestar and Tigerclaw had nearly led their respective patrols to the ShadowClan border when a gray blur nearly crashed into the ThunderClan leader. She reared back in surprise, her pelt standing on end until she realized that it was Graystripe.
"What are you doing out of camp?" she asked sharply. She still hadn't forgiven him for attacking Fireheart.
"You need to come back now," Graystripe gasped out. "Brokenstar and his warriors are attacking our camp! They were the ones who left the dead rabbit. Fireheart sent me to fetch you."
"Fireheart's back in the camp?" Ravenflight echoed. He glanced around before focusing his attention on Graystripe again. "But if you're here, then that means..."
"He's the only warrior left in camp!" Mousefur exclaimed.
Bluestar didn't waste any time. Signaling to her warriors to follow her, she turned tail and led the way swiftly back to the camp. The trees seemed to pass by in a blur as she raced through the snow-covered woods. Her only focus was on reaching her kit and making sure he was safe.
The camp was alive with the sights and sounds of battle when they entered. Yowls and screeches pierced the air, along with occasional bits of flying blood and fur. Bluestar blinked as her muzzle was splattered with blood before quickly shaking herself off. She didn't have time to freeze; she had to find her son. The blue-gray molly glanced around anxiously. There he was, locked in a fierce tussle with one of the rogues. As they rolled past her, Bluestar didn't miss the look of vengeful hatred in her son's eyes, nor the telltale scent of the rogue. It was Clawface, the warrior who had killed Spottedleaf and stolen Frostfur's kits, one of whom was Cinderpaw, Fireheart's apprentice.
She felt a thrill of mingled fear and elation; both warriors were fighting to kill.
"Why don't you just give in already?" Clawface hissed, lunging forward to sink his teeth into Fireheart's neck. Bluestar's muscles tensed as she prepared to spring forward to help her son, but he managed to dodge out of the way at the last second. "You don't stand a chance against me, kittypet."
Fireheart narrowed his eyes. "After today, Clawface, our nests will be lined with the remains of your entrails, you kit-stealing murderer."
Clawface lunged for Fireheart, but the ginger tom was faster. He quickly slipped around Clawface, using his back legs to send the rogue sprawling and one foreleg to twist his head around until a sickening crunch sounded throughout the clearing. Fireheart let go of Clawface and he dropped to the ground, his eyes glazed and his neck twisted at an odd angle.
Bluestar raced over to her son, who stepped back and panted, exhausted. His pelt was bleeding profusely from several deep cuts, and she knew he wouldn't have enough strength to last much longer. For a moment, blind to the battle around them, she pressed her fur against her kit's flank.
"Bluestar," Fireheart meowed tiredly.
"Come on. We'll get you to Yellowfang's den," she meowed.
For once, Fireheart didn't argue and simply allowed her to lead him to the safety of the medicine den. He was noticeably unsteady now and kept swaying every time he walked. His battle with Clawface had clearly taken quite a toll on him. Bluestar felt a lump in her throat. Why did it always have to be Fireheart?
"Don't worry about me," Fireheart grunted, obviously noticing her expression. "I'm not going to die. I just need some cobwebs and probably the entire supply of poppy seeds as well."
"Why must you always put yourself in danger?" Bluestar murmured, feeling her eyes mist over.
"I think it's more accurate to say that danger found me this time," the flame-colored warrior pointed out. Bluestar just shook her head and licked one of his wounds gently.
As they entered the medicine den, Bluestar found Cinderpaw inside, nursing several cuts of her own. The young apprentice looked up, gasping in horror when she saw her mentor. Scrambling back to her paws, she limped over to Fireheart.
"What happened? Are you okay?" she asked frantically. "Who did this?"
"Clawface," Fireheart replied. "Don't worry Cinderpaw, I'm fine. Nothing a few cobwebs and some poppy seeds can't fix right up."
Cinderpaw's tail drooped. "I'm sorry I couldn't be there to help."
"That's not important right now," Fireheart meowed gently. "The important thing is that we're all fine."
Cinderpaw still didn't look convinced, so Fireheart added, "But if you want to help, you could start by fetching some cobwebs for me. I should probably start tending to my wounds before I bleed out a river in this den."
The gray molly nodded. "Okay, Fireheart," she meowed, turning around and disappearing into Yellowfang's stores in search of cobwebs.
Fireheart sat down, curling his tail around his paws. His emerald eyes glittered with exhaustion and pain, but other than that, his wounds didn't appear to be bothering him too much. Bluestar licked his forehead, torn between rejoining her Clanmates in battle and staying to make sure her kit would be okay. But the sounds of battle were fading now. Her warriors could make do without her. Right now, Fireheart needed her more.
The ginger tom turned his head toward the entrance. "It's quiet now," he murmured. "Is the battle over, do you think?"
"I think it must be," Bluestar replied. "Lie down, Fireheart. You've had quite the day today."
"Don't I always," Fireheart yawned, stretching out on the stone floor and closing his eyes. Cinderpaw reemerged and began applying cobwebs to her mentor's wounds. "Oh, and Bluestar?"
"Yes, Fireheart? What is it?" Bluestar asked gently.
Fireheart blinked one eye open at her. "Dustpaw fought like a warrior today. The Clan would have been in a lot more trouble without his strength. If I may, I'd like to suggest that he receive his warrior name since Darkstripe wasn't here to see it."
Bluestar nodded thoughtfully. "Yes, I agree. We'll hold his ceremony tomorrow, then." She licked his forehead again. "Now, get some rest, for StarClan's sake. Don't worry, I'll see to it that you're filled in on everything that happens later."
Fireheart just nodded and closed his eyes once more. A moment later, his flank was rising and falling steadily as he dozed. Bluestar watched her kit sleeping peacefully for a few moments before turning and padding out of the medicine den. She would be sure to return to check on him later, but for now, she needed to address her Clan about the rogues' invasion.
Brokenstar finally returned...don't worry, Fireheart's okay. He's just (very) tired. Hey, it's been a long few moons for the poor guy.
Clawface is dead, and this time, Fireheart is the one who killed him. When you murder the boy's medicine mentor and try to kidnap his kit friends (well, they're not exactly kits anymore, but still), you're going to have a bad day. He'll see to it that you do.
Dustpaw will become a warrior at last...no plans to change his name, so he's just going to be Dustpelt.
Bluestar's still pissed at Graystripe, not that anyone can really blame her. He did kind of attack her son. However, he actually did something useful for once. We'll see if she decides to lift his punishment in the face of everything that's happened.
Thanks for reading!
-TheShadowedWarrior