Fireheart's chest ached with longing as he spotted the reed barrier up ahead. The last time he had seen it, it had been demolished by the terrible flood. Now, it grew strong and proud as ever, sheltering the camp from watching eyes.
"There it is," Silverthorn breathed. The tabby's eyes gleamed with excitement.
Fireheart found himself picking up his pace, hurrying ahead towards the front of the group. He was ready to be home.
Leopardstar was not leading the way. She was lost somewhere among the throng of her warriors. Instead, it was Petalstream that padded towards the barrier first. She padded through, and Fireheart darted into camp close behind her.
He paused as he took in the sight of camp.
The dens had finally been properly repaired. Expanded, even. The nursery seemed twice the size. It was a good thing, too, for there were countless kits running about, wrestling one another. Many cats looked on, gray in the muzzle—likely ThunderClan elders. Fireheart felt his chest tighten all over again as he looked at the cluster of kits. Were any of these Sandstorm's?
He couldn't stand in one place for long. Cats were rushing into camp behind him. Fireheart padded forward into the center of camp.
A familiar voice blurted out: "Fireheart!"
The ginger tom blinked and turned towards the source. Silverstream! A purr brewed in his throat, and he ran forward to greet his friend. "I'm back!"
"Thank StarClan for that!" Silverstream purred, brushing against his side. "Beechflower, come here!"
Fireheart felt like he could soar with joy as he saw the big brown tom appear in the opening of the nursery. Beechflower's gaze lit up instantly. "Great StarClan!" the tom exclaimed, hurrying forward. "You're alive!"
Others began to clamor around him—around Silverthorn, too, though the tom looked far more awkward to be greeted so enthusiastically. Fireheart purred loud and deep as he greeted his old friends and Clanmates.
I'm home, he thought. I'm really home.
His spirits quickly began to fall as reality settled back upon him. Fireheart frowned as he saw Leopardstar plod towards the Rockpile. We still need to figure out what to do about BloodClan.
"Tigerstar is dead," Leopardstar hoarsely announced. "He was killed by Scourge. TigerClan is no more."
Her blunt announcement sent the cats that had been left behind into a frenzy.
"Dead?!" a ThunderClan queen gasped. "What happened?"
Leopardstar did not bother to recount the events. She looked beyond exhausted, as though she hadn't slept in seasons. "ThunderClan is returning to the forest," she meowed. "You may stay here for the night if you wish, or go home now." Already she was turning away from her Clanmates. "I don't care which."
Silverstream fixed Fireheart with a panicked look. "Fireheart, what happened at the Gathering?"
Fireheart took a breath and did as best as he could to explain all that had occurred. He told the cats around him how he and Silverthorn had stayed with WindClan until tonight's Gathering, how ShadowClan and WindClan had refused to join TigerClan. When he explained BloodClan's arrival, there were mixed reactions—some cats looked angry, others simply looked startled. Fireheart told them about how Tigerstar lost each of his lives, and how BloodClan planned to return to claim the forest.
Cats grew quiet as he finished. Dawnwhisker bowed her head. "Scourge visited TigerClan once," she meowed. "When Blackclaw was killed. There were so many outsiders… if he has even more cats than that backing him, he poses a serious threat."
Reedtail fixed Fireheart with a curious stare. "You spoke to their leaders," he pointed out. "Do you know them?"
Fireheart felt his throat tighten. "Scourge and Princess are my kin," he admitted, earning a few startled hisses. "I didn't know until very recently, and I didn't know they were friends of Tigerstar's—I swear."
Reedtail frowned, but he didn't pry any further. The night had been so strange and shocking already—what was one more bit of confusing news? Fireheart nearly breathed a sigh of relief as no one else questioned him, even if a few eyed him curiously.
"What do we do?" Grasspelt whispered, her eyes wide with worry. "Where would we even go?"
Fireheart glanced towards Leopardstar's den. "I have no idea what Leopardstar is thinking," he meowed. Or if she's even thinking at all.
Silverstream let out a sigh. "Worrying all night won't get us anywhere," she meowed. She stood up and lifted her voice for all to hear. "Everyone, get some rest. We need our strength in the coming days."
Receiving an order from someone seemed to quell the worries of some. Many nodded their agreement before trudging to their dens, yawning deeply. Fireheart looked towards the Warriors' Den. He was sure there was no nest waiting for him there—but he was glad to be sleeping there, all the same. He murmured a goodnight to Silverstream and Beechflower as they returned to the nursery.
Fireheart nearly turned towards the Warriors' Den—but he saw one more familiar, ragged face that gave him pause. A purr erupted in his throat as he rushed towards the old medicine cat. "Yellowfang!"
The gray molly coughed out a laugh as Fireheart bounded towards her. "I was wondering when you would say hello to me, you scamp."
Silverthorn plodded behind him quietly. He gave Yellowfang a quiet nod, and she blinked impassively at him. "Welcome back, both of you."
"I'm glad you're okay," Fireheart meowed, touching his nose to her ear. "I heard Blackclaw died… I didn't realize just how bad it was."
Yellowfang frowned. "Same to you," she meowed. "It was appalling, what Leopardstar did." She curled her lip and shot a baleful look towards Leopardstar's den. "Coward," she hissed. "Fell over like a wounded dog the second Tigerstar started giving orders."
Fireheart followed her gaze and frowned to himself. It's hard to imagine, he thought. She always seemed so… stubborn. And fierce.
Yellowfang nudged him gently, fondness in her orange eyes. "There's time yet for you to catch up on what's happened," she murmured. "You two need rest. As your medicine cat, I order it."
Fireheart touched his nose to hers, purring fondly. Then, he glanced at Silverthorn. "Let's go to the den," he meowed.
Silverthorn nodded and followed as Fireheart padded towards the large den. He ducked inside. The familiar scents of moss and down washed over him. All the scents of RiverClan cats mingled here. He paused and took a breath. The den somehow felt smaller, now, compared to the open expanse of WindClan camp, even though he was sure it had been expanded since he'd last been here. It was cramped and comforting all at the same time, and while Fireheart was sure it would take him time to readjust, he was glad to return to it.
All around, warriors were settling down for sleep. Fireheart scanned the den, and spotted Shadefang and Minktuft near the back of the den. Fireheart padded towards them—he had always slept in the back near them.
Shadefang and Minktuft were sharing a nest now. Both mollies looked up and purred as they saw Fireheart and Silverthorn approaching.
"Sorry there's no nest," Shadefang chuckled. "You didn't give us any warning you were coming home." She reached up to press her muzzle against her brother's shoulder. "Glad to see you home, Silverthorn."
Fireheart touched his nose to Minktuft before he laid down on his side on the bare floor of the den. He hardly minded. He stretched out his limbs, resting his chin on his legs. Silverthorn stepped over him before laying down, his spine touching Fireheart's. Fireheart's pelt lifted at the contact, and he glanced at his friend. "Not sick of me yet?" he asked.
"Not yet," Silverthorn replied, his eyes gleaming. He closed his eyes as he settled in. "I just got used to sleeping next to you in WindClan."
Fireheart privately felt the same. Even though he was back in RiverClan's den, he felt reassured to have Silverthorn by his side. He closed his eyes, breathing in the familiar scents of his Clanmates and home.
Despite all that had taken place that night, it felt right to be home.
Fireheart woke early, far before his denmates had risen. He could tell from the dim lighting that it was hardly dawn. He blinked slowly before breaking into a wide yawn. Guess it'll be a while before I shake the early mornings in WindClan.
The only cat awake was Silverthorn. It seemed he had likewise formed the habit of rising early—he was already grooming his whiskers. "Morning," Silverthorn grunted.
"Morning," Fireheart replied. He stood and arched his back in a stretch. His stomach rumbled. Fireheart shot Silverthorn a grin. "Want to split a fish?"
"StarClan, you bet I do," Silverthorn replied, immediately perking up. Without waiting for Fireheart, he shot out of the den in a flash, narrowly leaping over his denmates in his rush to get to fresh-kill.
Fireheart was quick to follow, not wanting to lose his share of the meal. He padded into the dawnlit camp, relishing the babble of the river in his ears. The sound was a constant in RiverClan—something he hadn't known he would miss until it was gone. But there was no time to dwell on that. Silverthorn was already rushing to the fresh-kill pile.
Fireheart started after him, but paused as a foul stench drew his attention. He turned sharply to see another pile and shuddered at the sight. It was like a fresh-kill pile, but half the food was rotted. Much was now only bones. A crow was perched atop it, picking through the scraps. Flies buzzed around the pile.
Disgusting! Fireheart nearly retched. What is that? He shook his head and turned away. Silverthorn had pulled a large trout from the pile and was dragging it a few fox-lengths away. Fireheart hurried to join him.
Silverthorn ripped out a big bite before he pushed it towards Fireheart. Fireheart leaned down and bit down into the fish, savoring the flavor as he tore off a piece of the flesh and chewed slowly. There was nothing in WindClan that could match the taste of fish. Fireheart swallowed and let out a happy sigh.
A rustle came from the nursery as queens began to emerge. Willowpelt led the way, and behind came Whitecloud and Sandstorm. Fireheart stiffened as he saw her.
Sandstorm's gaze immediately met his. In her jaws was a tiny, pale ginger kit. Brindleface emerged from the den a heartbeat later, carrying a kit that looked like a clump of fire.
There was no doubt in his mind that those were Sandstorm's kits. His kits. His heart clenched at the sight.
Sandstorm passed the kit in her jaws to Willowpelt. She seemed to hesitate for a moment before she crossed the clearing, padding towards Fireheart.
Silverthorn narrowed his eyes at her. "Sandstorm."
Sandstorm didn't look at him. Her gaze was a storm of emotions as she stared at Fireheart. "I'm sorry," she murmured. "I should have told you."
Fireheart's mouth was dry. He had no idea what to say to her. Yes, you should have!
Sandstorm shut her eyes, her tail dropping low. "I made a mistake, I know that," she meowed. "But I thought I was doing what was best for my Clan and my kits." She paused, before she went on. "I want to explain it all to you." Her gaze was pleading. "Will you meet me tonight at sunset? Where we used to meet?"
Fireheart stared at her, his jaws agape. After a moment, he nodded, still struck with silence.
Sandstorm looked relieved. "Thank you," she murmured. "The rest of ThunderClan is going home. I'm going with them." She turned away and hurried back to join the queens. Fireheart watched stiffly as they made their way out of camp. The older kits hurried alongside their parents, eyes bright and curious.
A kit back near the nursery let out a mew of protest.
"It's not fair!" Duskkit complained. "Why does Sorrelkit have to go?"
"Hush," Skyheart replied, giving her kit a firm lick. "She is part of ThunderClan."
"I thought we were TigerClan!" the kit cried.
Fireheart felt a stab of sympathy for the kits. He had never considered how strange this would all be—some kits had clearly been born into TigerClan. Even though Tigerstar's reign had been brief, it had left an impression that would last. I hope they come to understand.
By the time he looked back to the ThunderClan queens, they had already disappeared behind the reed barrier. Fireheart stared at the quivering reeds, his heart in his throat. Sandstorm… hurt stabbed at his chest. Why didn't you tell me before?
Sandstorm felt some of the tension in her heart release as she stood atop the ravine, looking down into ThunderClan's camp. It had been neglected in the Clan's absence. Birds casually flitted about as though cats had never been a threat here. Clumps of moss were scattered about, likely dragged out of dens by a scavenger. Over time, Tigerstar had slowly moved all the Clan into the RiverClan camp. ThunderClan territory had been purely used for hunting.
I wonder if he promised BloodClan our old camp. Sandstorm's stomach churned as an image of Tigerstar's corpse flashed in her mind. She tried to force it out of her mind. The horrible fool. What was he thinking? She still wasn't sure how to feel about his death. It had been truly terrifying to witness—but he had deserved it all the same. She was sure he had been responsible for deaths in WindClan during the invasion, and he had been ready to exterminate all that refused TigerClan. There was no reasoning with that.
The ThunderClan cats that had already returned home were beginning to work briskly at setting the camp right once more. Apprentices were carrying off clumps of moss and branches, while Bluefur doled out patrols to the gathered warriors. She paused as she spotted the queens and elders.
Willowpelt led the way down the ravine, Sandstorm close behind. Leafkit dangled from Sandstorm's jaws, letting out soft mewls of protest. Not much longer, little one.
Bluefur lifted her chin and called out to the queens. "The nursery is ready for you!"
Sandstorm dipped her head gratefully to her. She was glad that Bluefur led ThunderClan now. The senior warrior had always been calm, reasonable, and respectful. Sandstorm trusted that she would be able to heal the wounds left by Thistlestar and Tigerstar.
The queens headed to the nursery. Large, freshly made nests were scattered around the den. Sandstorm smiled to herself as she chose one and settled down. Even the moss smelled better in ThunderClan.
She placed Leafkit down gently, tucking her into her belly. Brindleface swiftly deposited Squirrelkit beside her, and the pair of kits set about suckling greedily at milk. Sandstorm allowed her eyes to close. She had slept fitfully the night before, and being home once more was putting her at ease for the first time in a long time.
A yowl split the air. "All cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the Highrock for a Clan meeting!"
Sandstorm twitched an ear, but did not move. She could miss this meeting. Sandstorm rested her chin on her paws, exhaustion weighing down on her. Her kits needed her now.
The other queens left their older kits in the den as they sat just outside the nursery. Sandstorm could hear voices as the meeting commenced, but did not pay any mind to it. If anything important happened, she was sure someone would let her know. Bluefur's likely filling everyone in on what happened, she thought. Leopardstar didn't exactly do a great job of it.
Some cheering began after some time, jolting Sandstorm out of her dozing. She closed her eyes once more as it died down.
The nursery rustled as Whitecloud stepped inside. "Sandstorm, she's asking for you."
Sandstorm blinked and lifted her head. "Who?"
"Bluestar," he meowed. "She's asking for you to come out."
Sandstorm frowned. She glanced down at her kits. They had already fallen asleep. "Alright." She stood up carefully and stepped over her kits, leaving the den slowly so as not to disturb them unnecessarily. Sandstorm stepped out of the nursery and into the sunlight.
Bluefur—Bluestar, now—stood atop the Highrock, sunlight warming her blue pelt. She stared down at Sandstorm, head held high. "Sandstorm, come forward."
What? Sandstorm blinked in confusion. ThunderClan warriors whispered curiously. After a heartbeat, Sandstorm obeyed, padding slowly towards the Highrock.
"Now that ThunderClan has returned, it is in need of a deputy," she meowed. Bluestar's eyes glowed with warmth. "I say these words before StarClan, so that the spirits of our warrior ancestors may hear and approve of my choice. The new deputy of ThunderClan is Sandstorm."