Cinders From Fire Will Save The Clan
Summary
What if Fireheart had been on the Thunderpath instead of Cinderpaw, and what if Fireheart had become Yellowfang's apprentice, but somethings are worth breaking the code.
Pain And Danger
Fireheart paced around the clearing lashing his tail worriedly, he had just found out that Bluestar has green cough. Hearing someone calling his name, he pricked his ears and raced over to Yellowfang, who looked very worried. Fireheart skidded to a stop in front of her.
"What's wrong Yellowfang? How's Bluestar?" Fireheart panted, his green eyes were filled with worry as he stared at Yellowfang.
"Bluestar's still sick, and is getting worse, so I need you to get some catmint" Yellowfang snapped, Fireheart nodded and dipped his head to Yellowfang.
"Okay" Fireheart meowed, nodding and heading towards the entrance of the fern tunnel, leaping back in surprise when Dustpaw burst into camp.
"I've just come from Tigerclaw, I have a message for Bluestar" Dustpaw panted.
"She's sick, you can't go in" Fireheart told him, shaking his head and turning back to Dustpaw.
"Tigerclaw needs to see her at the Thunderpath, it's urgent" Dustpaw meowed, beginning to sound frustrated and annoyed.
"What's wrong? You can tell me" Fireheart meowed, and Dustpaw just narrowed his eyes at Fireheart.
"Tigerclaw asked for Bluestar, not some Kittypet pretending to be a Warrior" Dustpaw sneered, glaring at Fireheart who kept a neutral expression.
"Bluestar can't leave the camp" Fireheart meowed, with a frustrated sigh, while Dustpaw continued glaring at him.
"Fireheart is right" Yellowfang meowed, narrowing her eyes at Dustpaw to try and get him to listen, but he continued speaking.
"But Tigerclaw has found evidence of ShadowClan warriors in our territory, they've invated our hunting grounds" Dustpaw said, lashing his tail from side to side in irritation.
"Fireheart, tell me. Do you know weather there is any catnip in the Twolegplace?" Yellowfang meowed urgently.
"catnip?" Fireheart questioned, tilting his head in confusion.
"I need it for Bluestar, it's a herb I haven't used for moons, but I think it'll help her. It has soft leaves and an irresistible scent" Yellowfang quickly explained, and Fireheart nodded his head.
"Yes, I know where to find some" Fireheart meowed, and Yellowfang continued speaking.
"Good, I need as much as you can carry. And fast" Yellowfang meowed, and Fireheart nodded.
"But what about Tigerclaw?" Dustpaw snapped, with a frustrated meow.
"Tigerclaw will have to deal with it on his own for the moment" Yellowfang snapped, glaring at Dustpaw as she turned back to Fireheart.
"Deal with what himself?" Cinderpaw asked, joining the conversation.
"ShadowClan could be in our territory by now" Dustpaw said, not even turning around to look at Cinderpaw.
"ShadowClan?" Cinderpaw asked in shock, her eyes were wide in disbelief.
"Hmm, where's Whitestorm?" Yellowfang asked, and Dustpaw sighed in annoyance, but he answered the older she-cat's question.
"Patrolling Sunningrocks with Mousefur and Sandpaw" Dustpaw answered.
"Bluestar's sick and Fireheart's fetching catnip, we can't risk sending anymore warriors out of the camp. If ShadowClan is in our territory, they might attack here. They've done it before" Yellowfang quietly observed.
"If I'm quick getting the catnip, I could meet Tigerclaw afterward and bring back his message for Bluestar" Fireheart meowed, and Yellowfang nodded.
"But he wants Bluestar to see the evidence for herself, ShadowClan has left remains of Fresh-kill on our side of the Thunderpath" Dustpaw snapped angrily.
"I can go and give Tigerclaw the message, it will save more time" Cinderpaw meowed, racing over.
"No, you stay here, don't leave camp" Fireheart snapped, turning and racing into the forest, he quickly gathered some catmint and raced back to camp, he quickly dropped the precious herbs outside Bluestar's den and took a deep breath before racing back out of camp, racing towards where Tigerclaw was suppose to be. Nearing the Thunderpath he began tasting the air for Tigerclaw's scent, he was to busy to notice that his scent led straight until the Thunderpath and followed it. Suddenly he stiffened and glanced up, seeing a Monster racing towards him, he tried to leap out of the way back to safety. He felt the Monster slam into him and heard a deafening crack and pain shot up his leg before he blacked out.
"Where's Fireheart? Shouldn't he be back by now?" Cinderpaw meowed, staring worriedly in the Direction of the fern tunnel.
"Firehert's not in camp?" Came the worried meow of Bluestar. Cinderpaw and Yellowfang both turned around to see their Clan leader, who still looked tired and drained, but her eyes were shining with worry.
"Bluestar? What are you doing? You should be resting" Yellowfang meowed worriedly, but Bluestar just shook her head and stared at Yellowfang with a look that left no room for arguing.
"He went to go help Tigerclaw, he had sent Dustpaw to tell us that Tigerclaw had scented ShadowClan on our borders" Yellowfang explained, and Bluestar frowned slightly, her tail lashing back and forth worriedly
"Well I have a bad feeling that something bad has happened. C'mon Yellowfang and Cinderpaw, we're going to go investigate" Bluestar meowed, and the three cats then raced through the fern tunnel as fast as they could.
Bluestar's stomach dropped at the sight that greeted them when they finally reached the Thunderpath. Fireheart was lying on the Thunderpath with blood pooling around him, his hind-leg was severely damaged. Walking on shaking paws, Bluestar slowly approached Fireheart, once she got a better look, she motioned Yellowfang over with her tail.
"Bluestar? Are you alright? You look like your going to be sick, you should go back to camp and get some rest" Yellowfang meowed worriedly, as she looked at Bluestar, who was wide-eyed and shaking. But despite the shock of it all, Bluestar just simply shook her head and stayed where she was.
"I-I'll be f-fine, Yellowfang. We need to get Fireheart back to camp now" Bluestar meowed, but just as Bluestar had gently lifted her former apprentice onto her back, Tigerclaw appeared out of nowhere.
"Serves the Kittypet right" Tigerclaw hissed, glaring at Fireheart with such hatred and distain that it sent chills down Bluestar's spine. Bluestar's eyes narrowed into slits and she hissed at Tigerclaw. But before Bluestar could open her mouth to defend her former apprentice, someone else beet her to it.
"How-how dare you! There's no Scent of ShadowClan here, Tigerclaw. It was all a trick, and to think you are a respectable warrior. No one can be called that if they try to set a trap to kill their own Clan leader, you know that Bluestar is sick and she still is, yet you planned a trap to kill her! And for what? Just because she has compassion to take in a former Kittypet as her apprentice? Then Fireheart offers to help you but I bet he figured out your little scheme, but when he tried to escape, it was already to late. How could you be okay with trying to kill one of your own Clanmates? Do you have any compassion at all Tigerclaw?" Cinderpaw hissed, her eyes were narrowed into angry slits and her fur was bristling with anger. Bluestar and Yellowfang were stunned at Cinderpaw's outburst and Bluestar looked about ready to claw Tigerclaw's eyes out. But it seemed that Cinderpaw had more to say on the matter.
"I'm glad I listened to Fireheart when he told me to stay in camp, because it could have been me instead of him getting hit by the Monster. At least I'm not a Mouse-brained idiot like you! And now I understand why Fireheart and Graystripe were suspicious about you" Cinderpaw yelled, her claws scraping hard on the ground as she glared up at Tigerclaw. Her eyes filled with tears and she was about to open her mouth to continue speaking, but Yellowfang's sharp meow stopped her.
"That's enough, Cinderpaw. I think you've got your point across" Yellowfang meowed gently, and Cinderpaw stared down at her paws as she held back the tears that threatened to fall from her eyes.
"I-I'm sorry I just... I just feel like I should have gone with Fireheart to help him. If I had, this wouldn't have happened" Cinderpaw whispered, as she looked up at Yellowfang and Bluestar with tearful blue eyes.
"C'mon, Bluestar. Forget about Tigerclaw for now, Fireheart needs help and fast" Yellowfang's sharp meow brought Bluestar and Cinderpaw back to reality and the three cats ran as fast as they could back to camp without injuring Fireheart any more then he already was.
"He's hurt very badly, I think I might be able to save him. But I can't Promise anything" Yellowfang meowed, as she examined Fireheart's injury.
"Thank you Yellowfang" Bluestar meowed, staring worriedly at Fireheart, Bluestar knew that Fireheart was a strong fighter, but even she was doubting if her former apprentice would survive.
"But he's going to live right?" Cinderpaw meowed worriedly as she stared at the unconscious form of her mentor.
"I can't be sure right now, he's severely hurt. The bone in his hind-leg has been shattered" Yellowfang meowed, looking at Cinderpaw and Bluestar with uncertainty shining in her eyes.
"But, it'll mend right? He'll be training me again by Newleaf?" Cinderpaw asked, as she stared up at Yellowfang with a hopeful expression on her face.
"Cinderpaw, Bluestar, whatever happens, Firehert will never be a warrior now" Yellowfang meowed sadly, as she looked from Firehert, then to Cinderpaw and finally her gaze landed on Bluestar, who looked just as heartbroken as Cinderpaw, maybe even more so, after all, Bluestar had been the one to bring Fireheart into the Clan and she had been the one to mentor him.
"No, how can you say that? He'll heal" Cinderpaw meowed, glaring up at Yellowfang with anger and sadness shining in her eyes. Yellowfang knew that the young apprentice was upset, she wasn't angry at Yellowfang herself, she was angry that Fireheart couldn't train her anymore because of his injury.
"I'm sorry, but he won't. The damage to the bone is irreparable" Yellowfang meowed gently, Cinderpaw slowly nodded and stared down at her paws sadly.
"Now, Bluestar. Go to your den and get some rest, you're not fully Recovered yet and we don't want any other cats getting green cough" Yellowfang ordered with a sharp meow, and Bluestar gave a long, drawn-out sigh before she reluctantly nodded and left the medicine den to get some more rest.