The ThunderClan camp was under attack, beseiged by ShadowClan's wayward rogues. Panting, Fireheart wondered for a moment how he would ever prove to the Clan that the attack had been planned by its supposedly-loyal deputy, Tigerclaw.
But then, he had no time to think; only to act. As he poised himself to re-enter the fray, he looked around the clearing for a target. Suddenly, a thought rang cold and clear through his mind.
Where was Bluestar?
In a heartbeat, Fireheart realized he couldn't see Tigerclaw either. Every instinct told him danger was looming. He started towards the leader's den, but as he did, Willowpelt stumbled into his path, engaged with a much bigger rogue. Fireheart leapt forward in her defense. He took a slash at the larger rogue. Working together silently, he and Willowpelt batted the rogue back until Fireheart's path was clear, and he ran for the leader's den.
As he approached the entrance, he heard the telltale rumbling of an angry snarl. "Remember me to StarClan, Bluestar."
Heart thudding with panic, he raced around the corner, where he saw Bluestar pinned under Tigerclaw's mighty weight. Though the deputy's pelt was scored with fresh new cuts, they didn't seem to matter at all, for his fangs had been sunk deep into Bluestar's limp form.
"T-traitor!" Fireheart managed, leaping forward to bowl Tigerclaw off of Bluestar, but Tigerclaw simply batted him aside. Fireheart leapt again, and this time Tigerclaw let go of Bluestar's scruff and stepped aside, letting Fireheart dash into her body.
She was, truly, dead. Forgetting for a moment about his enemy, Fireheart leaned down to be sure of it, his eyes pricking. Surely his mentor, his wise and seemingly immortal leader couldn't be gone?
Reality came flying back as Tigerclaw pounced on him, pinning him onto the ground by the shoulders. The bigger tom batted Fireheart's belly with his hindpaws. Pain lanced through him, but Fireheart could not tell how badly injured he was. Managing a hiss, he freed a forepaw and slashed it at the deputy's throat – but Tigerclaw simply swung his head away and the blow caught nothing but fur.
"I'd like to flay you, Fireheart," Tigerclaw growled. His voice was too low to hear without straining, and even though the aggression was palpable, so was the satisfaction. Fireheart winced away.
With a snarl, Tigerclaw smacked Fireheart across the face, claws unsheathed. Fireheart felt blood dripping from several cuts above his eyes toward the ground. He could already tell the injury would swell and bruise.
"I'd like to show you how a real warrior fights," Tigerclaw continued. "But I need you for one last thing."
Fireheart's pulse raced like a panicked hare. What could the intimidating tabby possibly mean? But as his mind started racing through the possibilities, a shadow fell over the entrance. Could that be my savior?
A motherly voice, edged with steel, called into the den, "Bluestar, we- Tigerclaw? Fireheart? What's happened here?"
Goldenflower! Tigerclaw's mate, so not his best bet, but regardless, Fireheart tried to call out for help. But as his throat moved to speak, he felt Tigerclaw's unsheathed claws pressing against his throat. A veiled threat. If Fireheart tried to call out, he would be killed. What was Tigerclaw's game?
Tigerclaw cried out to his mate. "Goldenflower! Something awful's happened!"
Goldenflower's breath quickened. "Did he-? Is she-? I thought she had more lives?"
"So did I," Tigerclaw said, his eyes round and wide with false shock. "She must have told this traitor the truth – so he used it against her."
That's what he's doing! Fireheart's mouth went dry. Would the Clan believe Tigerclaw? Could they?
"I- I can't believe.." Goldenflower stammered, and Fireheart's hope flared. "I didn't- What do we do?"
"What were you going to tell Bluestar?" Tigerclaw asked promptly.
"We're losing the battle," Goldenflower said. "I was going to say we needed her help to defend the nursery.. oh, oh StarClan."
"Hold the traitor. I'll go," Tigerclaw said. In a flash the two cats had switched places, and Tigerclaw was gone.
Goldenflower's hold on Fireheart's shoulders was much gentler than Tigerclaw's, but shock prevented Fireheart from speaking. The golden queen's eyes were filled with disbelief, grief, and a startling coldness.
"Goldenflower, I didn't-" Fireheart choked, but the golden queen hissed.
"You'll have your say in front of the Clan," she said. Fireheart was silent.
The sounds of the battle in the camp were quickly extinguished, and soon Tigerclaw reappeared with Darkstripe at his side. "Goldenflower, go rest, my love," Tigerclaw said softly. "You need it."
"I'll stay and see what's done with the traitor," she spat.
"Very well," Tigerclaw replied. He nodded to Darkstripe, who grabbed Fireheart by the scruff. Ouch! For a moment, Fireheart was tempted to turn his claws on Darkstripe and flee; but then, surely if he could say his piece in front of the Clan they'd believe him?
He knew he looked wretched as he stumbled out of the den, in front of the Highrock; his fur was laced with scratches, his eye had swollen and half-closed. Darkstripe hissed and prodded him, urging him to move faster. When the sharp pokes had stopped, Fireheart collapsed on the ground.
The camp was filled with injured warriors, and Yellowfang and Cinderpaw were weaving between them, treating their injuries. Cinderpaw's eyes came to rest on Fireheart, and she gasped, running over.
"What happened? Are you all right?" she said. "Here, I have poppy seeds-"
Darkstripe snapped at her. Cinderpaw jumped back, dropping the poppy seeds. "Don't give him any of those herbs," the dark warrior ordered. "He's a traitor."
Cinderpaw paused. Her eyes flicked back and forth between Fireheart and Darkstripe. "A.. traitor? Fireheart is?"
Darkstripe shook his head. "Tigerclaw will explain soon."
Cinderpaw looked askance to Fireheart, but he knew he couldn't speak or Darkstripe would have his pelt. He shook his head at her, dropping his eyes to the ground, and she scurried away.
Tigerclaw, who had reached the top of the Highrock, yowled. The Clan's heads turned to him. "I present to you Fireheart, now a prisoner," he said.
A chorus of worried mews interrupted him. Warriors looked at one another in surprise and dismay.
"A… prisoner?" some cat piped up. Fireheart strained his neck to see through the crowd, and realized Sandstorm had risen from the back, her brow arched in skepticism. "Fireheart is a loyal cat. He was Bluestar's own apprentice. What has he done? And where is Bluestar?"
"Just now, during the rogue attack, Fireheart killed her," Tigerclaw said simply.
The Clan burst into yowls or shock, anger and despair. One of the elders called, "But she wasn't on her last life!"
Yellowfang stepped forward. "No, she was. Cinderpaw and I knew."
"Fireheart must have known too, since he attacked her," Tigerclaw added in a growl. "I came in to ask Bluestar to help with the fighting, but came upon her body. Then the traitor leapt on me, too. It is only thanks to StarClan's will that I stopped him."
The sounds of protest and disbelief swelled louder, but there was an angry undertone. Fireheart shrunk. How could things have gone so wrong?
"There must be some mistake!" Graystripe yowled, pushing through the crowd. "Fireheart would never!"
"Then what do you think happened?" Tigerclaw snarled. "Perhaps you were in cahoots with him. After all, you're a traitor too!"
A chorus of mews rose in agreement. The elders eyed Graystripe suspiciously, and he backed away from them.
"How do we know what happened when all we've heard is what you've said? Let him speak in his defense – it's only fair!" Graystripe retorted.
"Why should we have to listen to the words of a traitor?" Longtail said. "I say drive him out now!"
Sandstorm got to her paws, and the Clan quieted. Despite the situation, there was a rush of pride in Fireheart's chest as he realized how well respected his friend had become in the Clan, and how quickly. But the happiness quickly dropped away, replaced by a shiver of apprehension as he noticed the cold look in her green eyes.
"Graystripe is right. Even if Fireheart is guilty, we must hear him speak. It's the honorable thing to do," she said.
"Very well," Tigerclaw assented.
Fireheart's heart soared. Finally, he could tell the Clan the truth! There would be no more of this suspicion! He could only hope they could drive Tigerclaw out once he was finished speaking.
"It wasn't me who killed Bluestar," he said, sitting up straighter. "It was Tigerclaw! He's wanted to be leader for moons."
"If that's so, why hasn't he done anything before now?" Darkstripe jeered.
"He has," Fireheart snapped. "Do you all remember when Redtail died? Tigerclaw claimed that Oakheart killed him, but he was lying. Tigerclaw himself killed Redtail, using the battle as a cover story!"
Murmurs of dissent traveled through the crowd, but only Longtail spoke up. "How would you know? You weren't even a part of the Clan for that battle?"
"I know, but I spoke to someone who was," Fireheart said. "Ravenpaw was there, and witnessed the whole thing."
"Ravenpaw's dead!" Dustpelt said, pushing his way forward through the crowd. "You of all cats ought to know that."
Fireheart shook his head. "Actually… he's not. I helped him run away after Tigerclaw tried to kill him for knowing too much."
Dustpelt snarled, and jumped. Before Fireheart could react, the brown warrior had him pinned against the Highrock by the shoulders. "This is ridiculous!" Dustpelt spat. "We all know my brother is dead. We held vigil for him. You can't try to use his death against us like this – it's sick!"
"Dustpelt, calm down," Sandstorm said, darting forward. "There's no use. Let him go."
Heart racing, Fireheart didn't move as Dustpelt let him down and moved back, with Sandstorm, to where the rest of the Clan sat.
"That's enough of this," Darkstripe said, looking up to Tigerclaw on the Highrock.
"No, wait!" Fireheart cried. He had to prove himself to the Clan! "I have more proof. Oakheart wasn't killed by Redtail, he was killed by a rock fall. RiverClan warriors told me so! And Tigerclaw has already tried to kill Bluestar by setting a trap for her, but Cinderpaw fell into it instead!"
Cinderpaw's eyes rounded with shock. "Fireheart, I know you feel bad about what happened to me, but it was never any sort of trap. It was just a sad accident," she said.
No! This is going all wrong! Fireheart's jaws parted to speak once more, but with as he tried to stand, he found himself woozy. His scratches, untreated, had lost a lot of blood. For a moment, his vision browned out, and a pounding found its way into his ears, for a moment preventing him from hearing any cats' words.
"Yes, that's enough of this nonsense," Tigerclaw said. "Fireheart, as acting leader of ThunderClan, I sentence you to exile. You will leave ThunderClan territory now, and if any cat sees you here after sunrise tomorrow, they'll have my permission to kill you. Any cat fool enough to remain loyal to you and follow you will be treated the same," he added, raising his head and looking around the clearing.
Fireheart tried once more to stand, his legs shaking with the effort. He wondered if he could even make it off ThunderClan territory by sunrise – and then wondered if that might be what Tigerclaw intended. 'I'd like to flay you, Fireheart.'
He walked by the throng of cats slowly and painfully, aware of their cold gazes on him. To his surprise, one cat stood.
Graystripe. Of course.
His friend rushed over to support him and lead him towards the gorse tunnel. "You don't have to do this," Fireheart said quietly. "You don't have to leave the Clan – and your kits – for me."
"You're right, I don't," Graystripe said simply, and continued walking. After a pause, he added, "Besides. Traitors should stick together."
AN: This writing is like 2 years old at this point, oof. It improves in a few chapters, though.