Eight
Getting back to ThunderClan took less time than getting to RiverClan did, though that was probably because two RiverClan warriors accompanied Stormstar and were more than willing to carry Firepaw and Ravenpaw while Stormstar made sure Spottedleaf remained upright. He chatted with her about any herb he could think of. They talked about what herbs grew better by the river and their forest counterparts. They talked about what to do when a cat was sick or injured in a certain way. They talked about what StarClan was like from each of their viewpoints, though Stormstar said that he wasn't allowed to speak of what occurred during his nine lives ceremony. Firepaw and Ravenpaw learned a lot about all kinds of things during the walk back to Sunningrocks, including that Stormstar and Oakheart had been raised by the Clan medicine cat after their mother was deemed unfit for them. Oakheart didn't like to talk about why, but Firepaw could guess. After all, everyone in ThunderClan had been shocked to hear that Firepaw would be a warrior apprentice.
Whitestorm, Lionheart, Willowpelt, and Longtail were waiting at the ThunderClan border when the group reached Sunningrocks.
"Thank you for seeing our medicine cats home safely." Whitestorm said as he and Lionheart took Ravenpaw and Firepaw from the RiverClan warriors.
"They'll be staying for a bit." Spottedleaf said tiredly. "There are things they can help me explain, things Bluestar needs to know."
Lionheart cut off all objections with a dip of his head and started to walk away from the rocks, urging everyone to follow.
LINE BREAK
Getting to camp wasn't as much of an ordeal but their entrance was met with plenty of questions.
"To me, ThunderClan!" Bluestar barked out. "There is a reason for the presence of RiverClan warriors. We must trust that our medicine cats know what they are doing."
"We do!" Ravenpaw called out. "Bluestar, we must speak to you! It is a matter for the Stars."
"Alright, I'll allow their presence. Step into my den, you all. I get the feeling this will change the fate of my Clan."
"Indeed it will." Stormstar rumbled.
Bluestar ushered the newcomers into her den and settled into her nest.
"Spottedleaf, Ravenpaw, start talking." She ordered calmly.
"Tigerclaw killed Redtail!" Ravenpaw blurted out. "We went to RiverClan for proof. I… I couldn't be the only one to admit to this, Bluestar, I just couldn't!"
"I understand." Bluestar offered. "So, what is the evidence?"
"They came to ask how Oakheart died. Tigerclaw told his Clan an elder's tale that he slew Oakheart because Oakheart killed Redtail. Oakheart did not, in fact, kill Redtail. Stonefur can tell you what he saw of the battle."
"Stonefur." Firepaw hoped no cat heart Bluestar's voice crack on the name. Oakheart winced out the corner of his eye. "Say your piece. What happened at the battle?"
"Oakheart died in a rockfall." The grey tom explained. "Redtail was still alive when the rocks fell and RiverClan retreated shortly after that. Redtail was alive when I last saw him."
"And Oakheart was gone by then." Bluestar sucked in a breath. "So he couldn't have killed Redtail. Tigerclaw is a liar and a murderer."
"Yes." Spottedleaf exhaled roughly. "But there is more."
"Give me one good reason not to rip his throat out!" Bluestar growled.
"The same reason Firepaw is here." Spottedleaf insisted. "If we kill him, he will become a spirit. Just like the spirit that used Firepaw to attack Longtail. He will not be judged by StarClan until we find out what keeps them from us. If a spirit of questionable morality can cause physical harm to living cats, think of what Tigerclaw could do as one of those spirits?"
"He could make cats hurt each other and leave no reason to find." Bluestar breathed. "Nevertheless, Tigerclaw must be dealt with. Normally, I would exile him, but the fact that you've brought up malevolent spirits makes me think that even as a living cat Tigerclaw won't stay away. This is… a difficult choice to make. Losing contact with StarClan takes my usual punishments away and I doubt that letting him have free reign of the forest is the best idea."
"Perhaps you leave it be." The grey molly that accompanied Stormstar offered.
"And you are?" Bluestar prompted curiously.
"Mistyfoot. If the potential for harm to the Clan is equal no matter what you do, perhaps keeping this secret is the best thing."
"And if he tries something like this again?" Spottedleaf asked warily. "He would kill a medicine cat if he knew that StarClan didn't see him. Ravenpaw and I are not safe as long as he suspects we know what he did."
"It would just be until the Clans figure out what happened to StarClan. With the medicine cats working together, surely this uneasiness you all share will be over soon?"
"Perhaps." Bluestar allowed. "I… suppose that could be considered a course of action. We do have bigger things to worry about, with Brokenstar in power. And right now, Tigerclaw is one of our more powerful cats. But… do we know why he killed Redtail?"
"He was hoping to be made deputy in Redtail's place." Ravenpaw choked out.
"Then, for now, we'll give him what he wants. It would pain me so to lose Lionheart as a trusted advisor, but it would pain me, even more, to lose him altogether. His pride will recover as long as he has life."
"That… will hurt a lot of cats." Spottedleaf mused.
"They don't have to know. Only Lionheart does. And it is for his own safety."
"Fair enough. So… we honestly do nothing?"
"Unfortunately, that seems like our only option. It is just until StarClan is back among us. After that, Tigerclaw is done for."
"Fine." Stormstar grumbled. "If you'll excuse us, we must be going."
"Thank you for your advice and we would appreciate you keeping this in confidence." Bluestar insisted.
"Of course." Stormstar snorted. "Who would believe me if I said I spoke to a mute cat who can see ghosts?"
LINE BREAK
Firepaw followed the RiverClan cats to Sunningrocks. Oakheart was among them, and suddenly Firepaw knew something more of what happened to those RiverClan kits and why Thrushpelt was so upset about it.
You… you're their father, aren't you? Firepaw said as he and Oakheart trailed the others through the forest.
"Yes. Bluestar and I… it wasn't quite a mistake. We knew exactly what we were doing and at any other time, those kits would have been raised as ThunderClan with no problem."
What stopped that? Firepaw wondered.
"Bluestar wanted to be deputy. She wanted that, needed it, I guess, more than she wanted or needed motherhood."
"She loves those kits." Thrushpelt corrected him sharply. "She loves those kits and she loves you. She was tearing herself up over that battle twice over because not only did she lose one of her friends, she lost you. There are… a lot of things she never got to tell you. A lot of regrets she has about how she did things. And while I judge her actions on their own merits, her feelings for you and those kits were strong."
"Not strong enough to stay." Oakheart muttered bitterly. "But then, I don't know what I was thinking when I asked her to. She loves ThunderClan more than any cat she could ever meet."
"When we get to StarClan, you're going to learn some things about what she faced. You can judge her once you have all the pieces of what she went through, but not before." Thrushpelt insisted.
"Why can't you tell me?"
"Some things are better experienced for yourself. I can talk to you until Twolegs drive the prey off, but it won't let you understand what she went through. That was a lesson I had to learn the hard way."
"I guess I'll have to take your word for it." Oakheart scoffed. "Good day, ThunderClanners. We'll meet again at some point, I suppose."
"With luck, we'll all be in StarClan soon. You'll see what I'm talking about then." Thrushpelt insisted.
"Good luck, then."
The red-brown tom shuffled out of the camp once more and Firepaw couldn't help but recall how similar this was to the night of Redtail's vigil.
LINE BREAK
"Lionheart, Firepaw, I must speak with you both."
Firepaw whipped around to find that Bluestar had tracked the patrol she assigned to escort the RiverClan cats out of their territory.
"I've checked the perimeter. We're alone." Bluestar said, seeing the concern in Firepaw's eyes.
"Bluestar, what is the meaning of this?"
"I'm going to do something very stupid that might endanger the lives of all our Clanmates. But it has to be done and I need you with me on this."
"What-?"
"Lionheart, please. I need you to agree to what I'm about to tell you. I need you to be completely with this. I cannot run this Clan without you, but objecting will cost you your life."
"Is that a threat?" Lionheart asked calmly, his twitching tail and blazing eyes the only things betraying his anger.
"No, of course not. You know I can't raise claws to you. It's a warning. Tigerclaw wants the deputy position."
"Like every senior warrior with a set of claws on them, why does this concern you?"
"Because he's willing to do whatever it takes to get it. And we can't physically stop him."
"I don't think I understand what you're saying. We have a cat in the Clan who might challenge me for the position and your response is to do nothing?"
"My response, in normal times, would be to kill him."
"Kill-? What has he done to deserve that?! Anyone can challenge a leadership position, especially if they see the current cat as unfit."
"Redtail wasn't unfit!" Bluestar snapped, striking the ground with an unsheathed paw as Firepaw hopped to his paws and yowled indignantly.
"What does Redtail have to do with this? He was killed by Oakheart."
"No he wasn't."
"What?"
"The RiverClan deputy died when the rocks fell. RiverClan retreated with his body before Redtail was killed."
"So, what, Oakheart didn't kill Redtail… and Tigerclaw didn't kill Oakheart. So Tigerclaw killed Redtail? Why?!" Lionheart snarled out the last word, leaping to his paws with all of his claws showing. "And why can't we kill him?!"
"He wants the deputy position. And we can't kill him because if we did, his spirit would remain to wreak havoc among the living."
"What in the name of StarClan-? Have you perhaps eaten some bad prey? Stayed up too late? You've been acting strangely ever since Spottedleaf said she couldn't go to the Moonstone-."
"Spottedleaf couldn't go to the Moonstone because we've been cut off from StarClan. As such, any cat who dies will be forced to roam the lands they lived on as a ghost. Some ghosts can interact with the living world. It's how Firepaw got injured."
"What, a ghost possessed Longtail?"
"A ghost possessed Firepaw and made him attack Longtail."
Lionheart exhaled roughly and turned to Firepaw.
"Is all of this true? Is that really what happened to you?" He asked quietly.
Firepaw nodded, then winced, and tapped the ground once.
"That's how he says yes." Bluestar offered quietly. "He can still see ghosts, he just can't talk. He's agreed to stay and help us figure out why StarClan can't reach us."
"So… our dead walk around the forest as ghosts, right?"
Firepaw tapped once.
"Is Redtail in StarClan?"
Firepaw tapped twice.
"No." Bluestar said for him. "He's one of the ghosts that Firepaw can interact with. Before he was silenced, Firepaw mentioned Robinwing, Thrushpelt, and Adderfang."
"I think I remember some of what you're talking about." Lionheart offered soberly. "And yes, I see why killing Tigerclaw is no longer an option. So… what's the plan?"
"I have to give Tigerclaw what he wants. At least until we figure out why we can't reach StarClan. Then I'm going to send him there myself."
"What do you need me to do?"
"Step down as deputy. Say you've realized you want to focus on helping Frostfur with her kits and being there for Greypaw and Firepaw."
"Already things I was planning to do. You know me too well, Bluestar."
"And I have no doubt you could handle it all if you had to. But I value your life more than I can spare your pride."
"As you are right to. I will announce this when we get back to camp."
"Something else just occurred to me." Bluestar mused quietly.
"That being…"
"I don't know why Tigerclaw wishes to become deputy. Perhaps he expects to lead after me. But, if all goes well, it should not happen anytime soon."
"And if it doesn't?"
"You cannot let him become the leader of ThunderClan. Of any Clan. He will bathe the borders in blood and reshape our Clan in his own image, whatever that may be. It's what I feared would happen with his mentor."
"But you became deputy first." Lionheart murmured, eyes bright with realization. "Alright. So… Stars forbid if you die anytime soon."
"If there is no known cause, then Tigerclaw was the one who killed me." Bluestar insisted. "This is just until we find out what happened to StarClan. Then he dies."
"Then he dies…" Lionheart growled lowly. "That traitor is lucky I can't rip his throat out here and now! Redtail was our friend!"
"I know…" Bluestar whispered, agonized. "By the Stars, I know. I failed him. I cannot fail you as well. Please do not let me risk your life over pride."
"You won't." Lionheart informed her. "I need to focus on Greypaw and Firepaw and helping Frostfur with her litter. That was always something I intended to do."
"Thank you, old friend." Bluestar murmured, pushing her head into Lionheart's broad shoulder. "Thank you so much."