It was getting closer to sunhigh as Fireheart made his way to the farm. He moved quickly, the closer to sunhigh it got the more likely that Cloudtail and Brightheart would reveal what he was really doing. The other cats at the barn definitely knew by now that he was missing, hopefully, the young warriors listened to him and told the others that he was visiting Princess. It was not a lie, but it certainly was far from the whole truth.
He had managed to slip through WindClan territory unbothered, it seemed the threat of Tigerstar being at the TigerClan border was too big to ignore. Too big for the patrol to come after the outsider.
Panting, Fireheart stop in his pace near the edge of the farm, turning to inspect the wounds he had gotten from his run-in with the TigerClan cat. They weren't too bad; they just stung. He could make up an excuse for the blood. Fireheart sat down near one of the dens, licking the blood from his wounds. The tom's heart lurched at a sound that came suddenly from behind him.
Fireheart sprang up, turning to face the den. This den had a fence coming off of it, going around a clearing which reminded him of a garden. He relaxed as he saw what had made the noise, there was an animal inside of the garden. He recalled that Ravenpaw had called it a pig. Fireheart had seen it before, it hadn't seemed dangerous. He just didn't realize how close it was to him.
The big pink creature was just on the other side of the fence, sticking its muzzle into the dirt as it made grunting noises. Fireheart went back to his wounds, muttering, "stupid furball."
That wasn't exactly true, from what he could see the creature didn't have much fur on it. He watched it move away, towards a long hollowed out log. It was then that he noticed that one of the Twolegs was approaching the den. It was carrying something gray in its forepaws and Fireheart could smell food coming from it.
His belly growled, memory going back to how good that rabbit would have tasted. It was a waste of fresh-kill, catching it only to give it to those dogs. Why had Tigerstar done that? Those dogs were useful to him in some way, enough that he was using up prey which could go to the Clan on them. Fireheart couldn't figure out exactly what use they were. They had done nothing but attack two apprentices thus far.
The Twoleg made a mewling noise as it came up to the fence, it was looking at the cat. Fireheart tensed at its approach. He doubted he would need to run, but that didn't mean he wouldn't be ready to do so. The Twolegs never bothered them, it was safe to be near them. They never tried to touch any of the cats, the male mostly ignored them completely but the female would make noises at the cats sometimes like she was now. Fireheart didn't know what they meant, but they didn't seem mean.
She made another noise, putting one forepaw into the gray thing. When she pulled her paw out, there was something yellow grasped in the paw. He could see steam coming off of the yellow stuff. The Twoleg tossed it towards Fireheart, its scent overcame him quickly. It smelled good! His mouth began to water as he cautiously stuck his nose towards the Twoleg food, sniffing it. The female Twoleg had brought Twoleg food out to the barn before, Fireheart had never had it himself before but Ravenpaw and Barley had said it wasn't bad.
He hesitated, watching as the Twoleg turned away to dump the rest of the containment into the hollowed out log for the pig. The creature produced a squeal before it started to messily consume the Twoleg food. Fireheart considered his options for a moment. The pig seemed fine eating the Twoleg food so he knew it was edible, and it was Twoleg food, not kittypet food. It technically was not against the warrior code to eat.
Not that he hadn't broken that rule recently. The Twoleg food smelled delicious, too. Fireheart took a bite of the yellow substance. It was surprisingly warm and sticky, but it was good. Not as good as a mouse, but decent. He heard the Twoleg make a delighted noise, he glanced at it. The Twoleg was still watching him. He knew the Twoleg could understand him as well as he understood it, even so before he took another bite, he mewed, "thanks."
The creature made one more noise before turning away and leaving the cat to his meal. He ate the yellow Twoleg food quickly, licking his muzzle clean as he finished it. He stood and headed out towards the barn.
When Fireheart entered the barn, he spotted Cloudtail and Brightheart. They hadn't noticed him go into the structure, rather they were focused on hunting. He watched as the orange and white warrior got into a crouch, creeping towards a stack of straw. Fireheart couldn't see anything from where he stood, but if he had to guess there was a mouse behind the bales.
Brightheart disappeared behind the wall of yellow when she reappeared a few heartbeats later a mouse hung from her jaws. She was shaping up well with Cloudtail and Fireheart's assistance. The injury she had gotten was well healed by the time she had joined the others at the barn, she simply had not had any sort of training before. He watched them a moment longer, he was going to have to tell them that Cinderpelt was dead. He was going to have to tell them about the dogs and Tigerstar. He didn't know what to say. Fireheart called out, "nice catch!"
Both cats turned at the sound of his voice, heading over to meet him. Cloudtail's tail twitched as he meowed, "you're sure cutting it close. We thought you were crowfood for sure."
"I thought I might have been, too." Dog food was more accurate. The creature Fireheart had seen flashed through his mind, the thing was massive nothing like any dog he had seen before. He was lucky that only Tigerstar was aware of him, that one of the pack did not scent him and decide to catch an additional meal to the rabbit. He looked to the white tom, "your mother wishes you well, and says she is glad to hear that you are a warrior."
Cloudtail nodded, "did you tell her what I asked you to?"
"Of course."
"So, what happened?" Brightheart prompted, "did you find what you were looking for?" There was a knowing look in her eye as she mewed. Fireheart's ears went back as he felt his pelt heat up with embarrassment. That was why she thought he had gone? The idea that Sandstorm might have still had some feelings for him might have been part of it, it certainly was the reason he would be going off again for their next meeting but it wasn't everything. He needed to get some cat in TIgerClan on his side, and the pale warrior was a good option. Cloudtail had a puzzled look on his face before his eyes widened with realization.
"Did you go because you like her?"
"No!" Fireheart exclaimed he glanced towards the entrance of the barn. There was no sign of any of the other cats, they would be fine for now. When he looked back to the cats in front of him, Cloudtail was giving him an unbelieving look. Fireheart continued, "That doesn't matter. I got her to believe me, she's on our side now."
He continued his explanation of his conversation with the TigerClan she-cat, pausing in his speech as he got to the part about Cinderpelt's death. Guilt clung to Fireheart like water at the thought of his friend, he should have been able to protect her somehow. First, he hadn't been able to save Bluestar, then Stonefur, and now he had left Cinderpelt to her death.
Cinderpelt was Brightheart's sister as well, she would take this news especially hard. He wouldn't blame the young she-cat if she blamed him for the medicine cat's death, he should have been able to keep her safe. He meowed slowly, "Sandstorm told me that Cinderpelt died. Tigerstar had her killed."
Both cats stared at him in shock as Fireheart explained what happened to the medicine cat. Brightheart's ears went back. She closed her eye and her shoulders hunched as she got into a crouch; Cloudtail quickly pressed against the she-cat. She moaned, "this is all my fault. If I hadn't gone with you, she would be alive."
Cloudtail shushed her, mewing softly "It's not your fault."
Fireheart murmured his agreement, he touched his nose to her shoulder gently, "it's not your fault. She knew what she was doing and she wanted to keep you safe. If it's any cats' fault, it's mine. I'm sorry."
Brightheart shook her head, "it's not your fault, Fireheart."
He blinked in surprise; she didn't blame him? He should have known to have convinced Cinderpelt to come with them. He opened his mouth to respond, when the sound of pawsteps caught his attention, turning Fireheart saw Graystripe and Mistyfoot with all three of the apprentices. They all looked wet. Why would they be wet? Did it start raining in the time Fireheart had been in the barn?
Graystripe's eyes widened and he raced over to the three cats, "Fireheart! Why on earth would you disappear? You could have told us! We thought you were dead. Why is your back bleeding?" His gaze shifted to Brightheart, "what happened?"
Mistyfoot and the apprentices had followed the gray tom over. Fireheart looked to the apprentices, ordering, "go clean yourself off. This isn't apprentice business." There were some mews of protest but they were quickly silenced by Fireheart's warning gaze. Featherpaw and Stormpaw turned and continued further into the barn but Bramblepaw stayed where he was a moment longer. He looked curious; Fireheart's eyes narrowed. Out of all of them, he didn't want his own apprentice to hear this, "go on."
Bramblepaw's ears went back as he swished the end of his tail nervously before turning to follow where the other two apprentices had gone. Fireheart watched him go. Once the tabby was out of earshot, he turned back to Graystripe and Mistyfoot. His mind whirled, he had so many things he needed to tell them. He needed to tell Mistyfoot about her brother as well as the lies he was going to have to make up. He explained, "after seeing Princess I cut through Clan territory again to make it back here."
Graystripe interrupted him, letting out a furious hiss, "Why would you do that? How much of a mousebrain are you? You could have been caught either time!" Suddenly the gray tom's eyes narrowed suspiciously, "did you get into a fight? Is that why there's blood on your back?"
"No, the only fight I got into was with a bramble thicket. I went through Clan territory because I needed to come back before sunhigh as to not scare you," Fireheart explained.
"You already scared us enough disappearing like that!" There was worry in the other cats' face, "you could have told us!"
Fireheart felt a flash of annoyance. They would have stopped him. Out of any cats, of course, he never told Graystripe. Mistyfoot blinked at the gray tom, nudging him gently with her shoulder, "let him tell what he has to tell."
Graystripe's ears went back but he muttered his agreement. Fireheart flashed a look of thanks at the RiverClan warrior. Fireheart lied, "As I was cutting through, I ran into a patrol," Graystripe gave his friend a look. Fireheart twitched his ear dismissively as he continued his lie, "they didn't see me I was hidden – in the bramble thicket. They were talking and I overheard that Tigerstar had Cinderpelt killed."
Graystripe and Mistyfoot shared stunned looks at Fireheart's words. Graystripe looked to Brightheart; yellow eyes widening, "I'm so sorry, Brightheart!"
He touched his nose to the she-cat's shoulder for a moment before pulling away. The young warrior murmured her thanks, she had a sorrowful look in her eye.
He had more to tell them, he had to tell them about Tigerstar. His mind spun, he had to continue this lie. What would he tell them after his next trip to see Sandstorm? He couldn't use Princess as an excuse again. Perhaps he could make it back to the barn before they noticed? Fireheart continued, "Tigerstar was on the patrol that I ran into." All sets of eyes turned to look at the orange tom as he spoke, "he broke off from them and headed in a different direction from the others. I followed him."
"Why would you do that?" Graystripe exclaimed, "you're as mad as a fox in a fit to have gone on Clan territory alone, why would you follow Tigerstar?"
"He said he had some business to attend to," Fireheart explained, "I wanted to see what that was." He explained how he saw Tigerstar catch the rabbit and bring it to the dogs at the Snakerocks. Brightheart sunk lower as he told the tale, staring wide-eyed at Fireheart. These were the dogs that had injured her. If Tigerstar had been feeding them back then then the dogs were kept there by the cat feeding him.
A memory came to the orange tom, Tigerstar had said he told the Clan cats to stay away from Snakerocks. He must have known the dogs were there before Swiftpaw and Brightheart's fight with them. He must have been feeding them by that point. He had willingly put his Clanmates in danger for whatever ridiculous reason the leader had. Fireheart continued, "Cinderpelt told me she thought Twolegs were bringing the dogs to the forest. It made sense but this? There has to be a reason he's feeding them."
He lashed his tail, irritated. How had the dogs even got there in the first place? It wasn't like dogs lived in the wild. They must have been brought there by Twolegs and got away. How stupid were they to have lost such large creatures? If the Twolegs had simply kept the dogs contained, Swiftpaw would not have died and Brightheart would not have suffered the injuries she'd gotten. The forest wouldn't be in danger of whatever reason it was that Tigerstar was feeding the dogs for.
Cloudtail's eyes were ablaze with fury as Fireheart finished his telling. The white tom's fur was on end, he sank his claws into the barn floor below him as he spat, "How dare he."
He rose to his paws and began to pace angrily. As he did, the sound of cats approaching caught Fireheart's attention. He turned to see Ravenpaw and Barley had entered the barn. The loners spotted the Clan cats and came over. Ravenpaw had a relieved look on his face as he bounded over to the group, "Fireheart!"
Both cats turned their attention to Cloudtail quickly as the young warrior let out a furious hiss, Brightheart touched her nose to the tom's shoulder as she softly mewed, "there's no reason to get riled up, what's done is done. We can't do anything about it now."
"No reason?" Cloudtail exclaimed; his voice was getting louder each time he spoke. He turned to face Brightheart, "These dogs attacked you. They killed Swiftpaw! And he's feeding them! He attracted the dogs there and is keeping them like a stupid Twoleg!"
"What happened?" Barley asked the loners' eyes were wide with alarm as he watched Cloudtail's raging. Cloudtail jerked around towards him, there was still fury in his eyes as he looked to the black and white tom. Barley took a step back, startled by the young warrior's reaction.
Brightheart touched her nose to Cloudtail's shoulder again, "don't take it out on them, you need to relax."
"I'm not taking it out on them!" Cloudtail responded, his voice was getting louder and louder. Cloudtail continued, "what happened is Fireheart found out that Tigerstar is feeding the pack of dogs that attacked Brightheart and Swiftpaw." He dug his claws into the ground below him, "That foxhearted idiot allowed for dogs to stay on his territory. Encouraged them to!"
His voice was getting too loud, Fireheart twitched his tail nervously. The apprentices might pick up on what Cloudtail was saying. Fireheart spoke, "Cloudtail-"
The white tom ignored his kin completely, "that foxdung eating mange-pelt could have gotten Brightheart killed!" he stopped in his pacing, claws digging into the floor below, he growled "I'll kill him. I'll destroy Tigerstar for what he's done. He'll regret the day he was born."
"Why?" Cloudtail stiffened at the mew. They all did. Horror filled Fireheart at the voice. He felt as though his heart had stopped beating. Fireheart turned his head towards the cat that had spoken. Bramblepaw stood a few tail lengths behind Brightheart and was looking expectantly at Cloudtail. His tail twitching anxiously as he continued, "why do you want to kill my father?"
Cloudtail turned his head slowly to look at Fireheart, the anger he had just felt was gone, instead, there was an unspoken question in his blue eyes. Fireheart clawed at the ground below him uneasily, how much of what Cloudtail said had the apprentice heard? He had sent Bramblepaw, Stormpaw, and Featherpaw away for a reason. Fireheart could feel all eyes on him. He looked around at the group of cats, what did they expect him to do? Was he supposed to tell Bramblepaw the truth?
Of course, he was. Fireheart was the one that had brought Tigerstar's son to the farm in the first place. What was he going to tell him? He couldn't keep lying to Bramblepaw. He was bound to find out one day.
Fireheart padded slowly towards the brown tabby; his amber eyes shifted from Cloudtail to his mentor. Fireheart froze. Tigerstar flashed through his mind as he looked into those familiar eyes. The close call he had just had with the TigerClan leader was fresh in his mind. He felt a flash of unnerving fear as he took a ragged breath. Those eyes widened.
"You're doing it again!" Bramblepaw exclaimed, "why are you scared of me? Why does Cloudtail want Tigerstar dead? What happened? What did my father do? What did I do?" There was a desperate plead in the cat's voice. Fireheart could feel the other cats' eyes still on him, it felt as though they were burning on the back of his head. No other cat spoke. Fireheart blinked a few times and took another deep breath, steadying himself.
"You've done nothing wrong. Come on, kit." Fireheart spoke softly to his apprentice, "there's something I need to tell you. Let's go on a walk."