Hello! Thanks for the wonderful reviews! Especially you 'Pandean' also I would like you all to know, that I will be attempting to post a new chapter, at least once or twice a week! (If I don't then please, don't send a kitten army on me!) also I have decided to add (Like in forest of secrets) a Tigerclaw pov, although I won't tell you which chapter I will add it too! (It will be a surprise!) and also I would like to thank cloudsplash3 for finally updating 'Rising Flame' now onward to the chapter…
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Fireheart led her daugther causally through the forest, taking her time to ask Spottedkit what she and Swiftpaw seen and explored. Spottedkit was happy to reply to her mother, her eyes twinkling as she explained about the parts of ThunderClan territory. As they emerged from the trees at the top of the ravine, she found herself wondering what Tigerclaw would have done if he caught Swiftpaw and Spottedkit out of camp.
"Hi!" Cinderpelt's cheerful meow sounded from below her. She was climbing out of the ravine and must have smelled her scent. "Fireheart, you brought Spottedkit! Goldenflower has been upset and frantic since she disappeared."
Fireheart looked at the dark gray she-cats icy blue eyes. There was a gentleness and a look of understanding in them, Fireheart knew she could confide her troubles in her former apprentice. "Well then, you should go on and tell Goldenflower you are alright." Fireheart advised her daughter, who looked sheepishly at Cinderpelt, before scampering slowly down the ravine to disappear in the gorse tunnel.
"I also saw Swiftpaw, he came stalking into camp like an angry badger!" Cinderpelt's whiskers twitched in amusement. "I wonder what got under his pelt!"
"He's on elders duty until further notice," Fireheart replied, explaining to Cinderpelt what had happened.
"You did the right thing Fireheart," Cinderpelt meowed, her eyes looking thoughtful. "But their still young, and we all know Swiftpaw can never say no to Spottedkit."
"Sometimes Cinderpelt, I feel like a horrible mother." Fireheart sighed, watching as Cinderpelt's eyes widened then hardened, with a flick of her bushy gray tail, Cinderpelt began walking leisurely down into the ravine, towards the training hollow. Cinderpelt stopped shortly and sat down, blinking at Fireheart to do the same. And for a moment, Fireheart felt the like apprentice.
"Fireheart," Cinderpelt began, her tone serious and wise for her young age. "You are a wonderful, brave and courageous cat. But having heard you say something like that, I can't help but remember even a strong, independent cat like you can be mouse-brained,"
Fireheart was taken back from what her apprentice said, but Cinderpelt wasn't finished as she carried on: "Everyone knows that you have a lot to do, being deputy, having an apprentice and also raising kits. No one looks down on you for it, you were chosen as deputy because Bluestar thinks you can handle it."
Fireheart felt a pang of regret, Fireheart didn't have the heart to tell her former apprentice how Bluestar only chose her because she didn't trust anyone else...well, besides Whitestorm. "Not to long ago, Spottedkit said she hated me." Fireheart meowed sadly, her eyes down casted at remembering her daughter's words.
"Nonsense," the venom in Cinderpelt's voice came as a shock to Fireheart, making her jade green eyes widen. "If anyone proud of you the most, it's your kits! They idealize you Fireheart, and Spottedkit may say things she regrets, but she will always love you."
"Thank you, Cinderpelt," Fireheart meowed, feeling reassured by Cinderpelt's wise words of wisdom, even though Cinderpelt was younger then Fireheart.
"You're welcome," Cinderpelt meowed, rising to her feet. "You know, Bluestar instinct the only one who believes in you Fireheart. I believe in you too." Cinderpelt's censer words touched Fireheart, it made her rise to her own paws and stand a little taller.
"Now, I'm off hunting, I'll see you later alright?" meowed Cinderpelt, already racing up the bank of the hollow, her gray tail disappearing over the edge.
Fireheart had to purr at Cinderpelt's energy, and not for the first time. Glad that Cinderpelt was a warrior. As Fireheart scrambled up the side to return to camp, a silhouette fell down the side of the hollow, feeling startled Fireheart tipped back her head. Only to sigh with relief at seeing Swiftpaw pass by with a load of fresh moss clamped in her jaws.
Fireheart leisurely made her way to camp, not wanting to catch up with Swiftpaw. As she neared the gorse tunnel, Fireheart heard the clatter of dirt cascading down the ravine. She stopped and waiting, turning her head she saw both Spottedleaf and Mothkit making their way down the ravine, Mothkit's eyes were bright as she held a clump of herbs in her jaws. Spottedleaf was right there beside her, her own jaws were full of herbs as she leaped gracefully to the bottom.
"I seen you been busy." Fireheart meowed, her tail flickering to their collection.
Spottedleaf put down her herbs, her amber eyes warm but just as bright as Mothkit. "We were low on marigold and dock," Spottedleaf explained, turning to Mothkit she meowed happily. "And Mothkit was kind enough to help."
"That was kind of her," Fireheart meowed. "Did you run into any trouble while out?"
"No!" Spottedleaf mewed, shaking her head.
"Okay, Okay," Fireheart agreed, surprised by the strength that the normally calm and gentle tortoiseshell medicine cat used. "But next time, don't hesitate to ask a warrior to accompany you."
Spottedleaf blinked kindly at Fireheart, "I wouldn't want to bother a warrior for something so simple, you know I once trained as a warrior before switching to a medicine cats apprentice?"
"You did?" Fireheart meowed, ears tipped up in surprise. "Besides, It was a quick find. I just wanted to do something useful, Yellowfang is very busy taking care of Willowpelt right now, she began her kitting this afternoon."
Fireheart felt a flicker of anxiety. The last kitting she had seen had been Silverstreams, the silver RiverClan she-cat had started her kitting too soon, and something had gone wrong during her kitting and had died. Leaving Fireheart to temporarily take in her kits as her own before Graystripe gave them to RiverClan to avoid a fight. "Is she okay?"
Spottedleaf's eyes darkened, Spottedleaf had been the one to help see Silverstream through her kitting. But even though her kits had survived, Spottedleaf had lost Silverstream and the medicine cat, although not her fault, still thought she had had chance of saving Silverstream and had failed in doing so. "One medicine is enough," Spottedleaf sighed, picking up the herbs. "I just wanted to be useful at the moment."
Fireheart couldn't help but guess that Spottedleaf too was thinking about Silverstream. "Come on then," she meowed. "The sooner we find out how she's doing, the sooner we can stop worrying." Fireheart picked up the pace, Spottedleaf picked her herbs again and Mothkit happily scampered at their paws.
"Slow down!" Spottedleaf meowed in amusement. "You'll have plenty of time to meet your new den mates. But for now enjoy the peace while it lasts!"
As they entered the camp Fireheart knew instantly that Willowpelt's kitting had been a success. One-eye and Dappletail were padding away from the nursery, their eyes soft with affection and their purrs audible even from this side of the clearing.
Sandstorm came dashing over to greet them with the good news. "Willowpelt had two toms and a she-cat!" she announced.
"How's Willowpelt?" Spottedleaf asked through her mouthful of herbs.
"She's fine," Sandstorm assured her. "She's feeding them already."
Cinderpelt broke into a loud purr. "We'll have to go and see them soon" she mewed, flickering her tail at Mothkit, and the two she-cats padded briskly towards the medicine cats den.
Fireheart watched them go, when they were in the fern tunnel she turned back to Sandstorm. "Where's Cloudpaw?"
Sandstorm's eyes narrowed mischievously. "Oh, he wanted to go again hunting with Whitestorm and Brightpaw, and I let him."
"Good," Fireheart meowed, pleased to know her young kin was putting such hard work into helping the Clan.
"So what did you do to Swiftpaw?" Sandstorm asked, her eyes twinkling as she studied Fireheart.
"He took Spottedkit out of camp, again!" Fireheart's happiness at Willowpelt's kitting disappeared like dew under the midday sun as she thought of Longtail's apprentice.
"What did he say when you caught them?" Sandstorm prompted, her tone turning more serious.
"He acts like he hasn't done anything wrong." Fireheart meowed in frustration.
To her surprise, Sandstorm didn't seem troubled. "He's young," she reminded Fireheart. "Don't be too upset. I don't think he would intentionally hurt Spottedkit, far from it i'm sure. Just try and explain your concerns with him." Sandstorm gave Fireheart a comforting nudge on the shoulder. "With any luck Swiftpaw would get the idea, and if not, threaten to give him nothing but mouse-tails to eat for a moon!"
Fireheart felt calmer from Sandstorm's reassurance and good humor, but they were interrupted by a furious Longtail. "What gave you the right to give my apprentice elder's duty? Without even even talking to me about it?" the pale tabby demanded, it was no secret that Fireheart wasn't one of Longtail's favorite cats.
"If you kept a better eye on your apprentice," spat Sandstorm, coming to Fireheart's defense. "You'd know that Swiftpaw took one of Fireheart's kits out of camp without permission, and with the warrior code. He should have known not to."
Fireheart was slightly pleased to see Longtail recoil as if Sandstorm had taken a swipe at him. The warrior turned and hurried away, flashing a resentful look at Fireheart over his shoulder.
"Thanks for that," Fireheart meowed, impressed by Sandstorms' ferocity. "Remind me never to go up against you with your sharp tongue."
"I don't like Longtail's insults just as much as you," Sandstorm meowed, her eyes blinking kindly. "Besides it's nice to see that mouse-brain be put in his place, he's to arrogant sometimes."
"True," Fireheart meowed, thankful to have someone like Sandstorm as her friend and Clanmate. "Why don't we go and see the new kits?" Fireheart suggested, eager to see the new arrivals.
Sandstorm meowed and agreement, the pale ginger she-cat led the way to the nursery, where Bluestar was just squeezing out of the entrance. The old leader's face was relaxed and her eyes were shining. As Sandstorm slipped inside, she declared triumphantly, "More warriors for ThunderClan!"
Fireheart purred. "We'll have more warriors than any Clan soon!" she meowed.
The leader's eyes clouded, and Fireheart felt a chill of unease spread across her fur. "Let's hope we can trust our new warriors better than our old," Bluestar growled darkly.
"Are you coming?" Sandstorm called to her from the warm shadows of the nursery. Fireheart shrugged off her fears about Bluestar and pushed her way inside.
Willowpelt lay in a nest made of soft moss. Three kits squirmed in the curl of her body, still damp and blind as they kneaded their mother's belly. Fireheart saw a new softness enter Sandstorm's expression. She leaned forward and breathed in the warm, milky scent of each kit in turn while Willowpelt looked on, her eyes sleepy but content.
"They're great," Fireheart whispered. Remembering when her kits were born, how small and helpless they were but a deep affection was all that Fireheart felt at the time. It was good to see kits this again, but Fireheart couldn't help feeling a thorn-sharp stab of sorrow. The last newborn kits she'd seen had been Silverstream's, and Fireheart's mind flew instantly to Graystripe. She wondered how her old friend was-whether he was still grieving, or whether his new life in RiverClan with his kits had helped ease his sadness.
Fireheart felt her heart stutter in her chest when she picked up the scent of her sleeping kits, turning her head she blinked warmly as her kits were curled up asleep in their nest. Behind her, Goldenflower was curled protectively around her kits, her eyes closed and Fireheart's kits sleeping soundly at her side. Looking at them Fireheart couldn't help but let her eyes stray back and forth between each kit in turn, a pang at noticing that Bramblekit, Hawkkit and Leafkit, the tabby's of her litter reminded her of Tigerclaw. And Fireheart felt a pang of guilt and the resentment that ruffled her sleek fur when she noticed Goldenflower's tail wrapped securely around Tawnykit and Squirrelkit, despite Cinderpelt's comforting words, she couldn't help but think that she was losing her kits.
"Aren't they beautiful?" Sandstorm purred out gently to Fireheart, gaining the flame colored she-cat's attention. "Makes me wish I could have a litter of my own."
"Oh, please," Fireheart snorted gently as her tail flickered across Sandstorm's flank. "What with you and Brackenfur, it won't be long until you get your wish."
Sandstorm glared half-heartedly at Fireheart, although in the pale ginger she-cats forest green eyes, there was a kindling spark. "You might just be right." Sandstorm admitted, her eyes straying back to Willowpelt's kits.
Fireheart felt happy for Sandstorm, finding love and starting a future for herself. But it sent a familiar pang of want in her heart, something she repressed for moons when she first coped with loneliness in her Clan, before Cloudpaw joined the Clan and before Tigerclaw took an interest in her.
Fireheart realized she wanted Tigerclaw back, to make her family whole again. But Fireheart also knew that petty wants will never make up for what has happened, Fireheart would have to be content with being a mother to Tigerclaw's kits, and being ThunderClan's deputy.
"You should get some sleep, Willowpelt," Fireheart meowed quietly, nudging Sandstorm out of the nursery. "I'll be back later." Looking over her shoulder into the nursery, Fireheart took in the warm milky scent and the sight of her kits sleeping soundly, promising later to spend more time with them.
0-0
Fireheart woke early the next day. Her kits wrapped up in her tail, with Goldenflower sleeping in the nest beside Firehearts own. Goldenflower had confessed that night when Fireheart returned to the nursery, that she would rather be in the nursery, taking care of the young then hunting and fighting. Fireheart at first was unsure of Goldenflower's choice, but seeing the way Goldenflower interacted with her own kits, Fireheart could tell that Goldenflower seemed more happy in the nursery then anywhere else in the Clan.
With a little reluctance, Fireheart had to silently agree with Goldenflower's choice. Although, a more smaller part of her was actually thankful that Goldenflower would be staying in the nursery, selfishly wanting someone to keep an eye on her kits, although how jealous she may get.
But her thoughts weren't on Goldenflower that morning, no, her thoughts were on Graystripe. Graystripe was Fireheart's best friend since she arrived in ThunderClan, past and present. And him leaving lay heavy at the edge of her mind like rain clouds. She missed her old friend very much, even more then her adopted kits in fact. She wondered what her old friend was up too, today.
Fireheart lay in her nest for a few moments, just listening to the steady breathing of her kits before she made up her mind: She would go to the river today to see if she could find her old friend.
Stepping lightly over her kits, Fireheart flashed a glance at Goldenflower. The pale ginger warrior would be waking soon, and would know to look after Fireheart's kits without being asked. She slipped out of the den and gave herself a long, satisfying stretch. The sun was only just showing on the horizon, and there was a powdery softness in the early morning sky.
Dustpelt was sitting in the middle of the clearing talking with Fernpaw. Fireheart wondered grimly what the brown warrior wanted to share with Fireheart's gentle apprentice. Was Dustpelt her mind with malicious gossip? But Dustpelt's fur lay smoothly on his broad shoulders, and Fireheart detected none of the usual arrogance in his tone, even though she couldn't hear what he was saying. In fact the warrior was talking to Fernpaw in a voice as soft as a wood pigeon.
Fireheart approached the pair. When Dustpelt saw her coming, his eyes hardened. Fireheart was also not one of Dustpelt's favorite cats, but he tolerated her to an extent and Fireheart did the same to him.
"Dustpelt, Fernpaw," Fireheart greeted the pair. "Dustpelt, will you take the sunhigh patrol?"
Fernpaw's eyes sparkled with excitement. "Can I go too?"
"I see why not," Fireheart admitted. "As long as someone takes you out hunting later."
"I can do that," meowed Dustpelt.
"Alright," Fireheart meowed, a little confused but this could be a chance to smooth out some of the hostility Dustpelt usually showed towards her. "But take Ashpaw and another warrior too."
"Don't worry," Dustpelt assured her. His eyes were filled with uncharacteristic concern. "I'll make sure Fernpaw's safe."
"Err...good," meowed Fireheart, padding away. She couldn't believe that she had a whole conversation with Dustpelt without the warrior uttering a single barbed jibe.
Once she was out of the ravine, Fireheart raced toward Sunningrocks. The ground was so dry that her paws threw up small clouds of dust where they pounded over the forest floor. When she reached the great stone slabs, she noticed that the plants growing between the cracks had shriveled and died, and it dawned on her with a shock that it had been almost two moons since it had rained.
She skirted the bottom edge of the rocks and headed for the scent markers at the edge of RiverClan territory. The forest thinned out and sloped down to the river here. The air was filled with birdsong and the whispering of wind-stirred leaves, and in the background Fireheart could hear the steady lap of water. She stopped and sniffed the air. There was no scent of Graystripe. Ig she was going to see her friend, Fireheart would have to venture into RiverClan territory. Determination made her more willing than usual to take the risk. Their dawn patrol would be out, but with any luck they would be patrolling the other borders now.
Fireheart crept cautiously across the scentline and pushed her way through the ferns to the edge of the water, feeling exposed and vulnerable. There was still no sign of Graystripe. Did she dare cross the river and try her luck deeper in RiverClan territory? It would be easy enough-the water was shallow now, so she could wade most of the way, apart from the deep channel in the middle, where the current was slow enough to swim without to much difficulty. After all, she'd grown more used to the water than most ThunderClan cats during the terrible floods of newleaf.
An unexpected scent drifting into her half-opened mouth made Fireheart stiffen in surprise. It was the stench of ShadowClan! What were ShadowClan cats doing so far from home? The whole of ThunderClan territory lay between their land and the river. Alarmed, Fireheart backed into the ferns. She inhaled deeply, trying to pinpoint where the smell came from. With a sickening feeling, she recognized more than the scent of ShadowClan. There was a rancid tang of illness to it that she had smelled recently, and it was coming from farther upriver.
Fireheart began to creep slowly through the ferns, their browning tips whispering against her sleek fur. She could see the gnarled trunk of the ancient oak tree ahead of her, just inside the ThunderClan border. Its twisted roots stuck out of the forest floor, the earth under which they had once been buried long since eroded by wind and rain. Nowt here was a space underneath, a small cave walled by roots. Fireheart sniffed again. The smell was definitely coming from there, tainted by the unmistakable stench of sickness.
Fear and desire to protect her Clan and kits made Fireheart instinctively unsheathe her claws. Whatever foulness was in that cave must be driven out of ThunderClan territory. Swallowing the bile that rose to her throat, Fireheart raced from the ferns. She arched her back and stood threateningly in the mouth of the root cave, ready for a fight. But she was met by a heavy silence, broken with shallow, rasping breaths.
She stared into the gloom, her hackles raised. As her jade green eyes grew accustomed to the dim light, she blinked in surprise. The last time she'd seen these cats, they'd been disappearing under the Thunderpath, back to their own territory. It was the two ShadowClan warriors who had sought help from ThunderClan-Littlecloud and Whitethroat.
"Why have you come back?" Fireheart spat. "Go home, before you infect every Clan in the forest!" She drew back her lips, baring her teeth, when a familiar voice sounded behind her.
"Wait, Fireheart! Don't hurt them!" the voice was Spottedleaf's.
"Spottedleaf! What are you doing here?" Fireheart spun around to face the tortoiseshell medicine cat. "Did you know about this?"
A pile of herbs lay at Spottedleaf's paws. She lifted her head high, her amber eyes flashing with defense. "I'm a medicine cat, Fireheart. And it's my duty to help sick cats, no matter what Clan they are from. They had nothing but sickness to go back to."
"So they came straight back!" Fireheart demanded angrily. "Where did you find them?"
"Near Sunningrocks. Mothkit was the one to find them actually, when we were collecting herbs yesterday. They were looking for a safe place to hide," explained Spottedleaf.
"My daughter found them?" Fireheart's jade green eyes widened in alarm. "And she helped you bring them here?"
"Of course not!" Spottedleaf snapped, her fur slightly bristling. "I wouldn't risk Mothkit's health, that's why I wouldn't allow her near them!" Spottedleaf's concern for the ShadowClan cats were more obvious then anyone else, Fireheart knew if Spottedleaf could she would have taken pity on the both of them.
"Did you think you could treat them without any cat finding out?" Fireheart wondered aloud. She couldn't believe that Spottedleaf had exposed herself-and the rest of the Clan-to such a risk.
Spottedleaf met her eyes, undaunted. "Don't pretend that you're against this. You felt just as sorry for them," Spottedleaf reminded her. "You couldn't have turned them away a second time, I saw the look in your eyes, don't deny it!"
Fireheart could see that she believed what she had done was the right thing, and Fireheart had to admit the truth in the medicine cat's words-Fireheart couldn't deny she felt sorry for the sick cats, and had felt uncomfortable with Bluestar's lack of compassion. "Does anyone else know? Does Yellowfang know?" she asked, her anger fading.
"No, I haven't said anything. And only Mothkit knows, besides you," answered Spottedleaf.
"How sick are they?" Fireheart questioned.
"They're starting to recover." Spottedleaf had a hint of pride in her voice.
"I still smell sickness," Fireheart meowed suspiciously.
"Well, they're not completely cured yet. But they will be, healing takes time. It's not like we can stuff a cat's mouth full and let em go. " Spottedleaf said with a bit of sarcasm that she must have picked up from Yellowfang.
Littlecloud's voice rasped from the shadows behind her. "We're getting better, thanks to Spottedleaf."
Fireheart could hear that Littlecloud's voice was already stronger than it had been in the ThunderClan camp, and the young warrior's eyes shone brightly in the gloom. "They do sound better," she admitted, turning back to the young medicine cat. "How did you do it? Yellowfang seemed to think this sickness was deadly."
"I must have found the right order in which to apply the herbs," Spottedleaf replied mildly, her eyes betraying her achievement.
"Well done!" Fireheart meowed, proud of her friend. She thought instinctively of how Bluestar would relish the news that a ThunderClan cat might have found a cure for ShadowClan's strange sickness. But then she remembered that Bluestar was not the leader she had once been. Clouded by her obsession with the threat of attack.
Fireheart realized that as long as the ShadowClan cats remained here, they were in danger. She was afraid Bluestar would order them to be killed if she found out they were still on ThunderClan territory. "I'm sorry, Spottedleaf." She shook her head. "These cats must leave. It's not safe for them here."
Spottedleaf's ears flattened and her black tipped, gold and brown-striped tabby tail lashed in frustration. "They're too ill right now to do anything. I might be able to heal them, but I haven't hunted since I was an apprentice. They haven't eaten properly for days."
"I'll catch them something now," Fireheart offered. "It should give them enough strength to travel home."
"But what about when we get back?" Whitethroat rasped from the shadows.
Fireheart couldn't answer that, but she couldn't risk their sickness finding its way into ThunderClan territory. What if a ShadowClan patrol came into ThunderClan territory looking for their missing warriors? "I'll feed you, then you must go," she repeated.
Littlecloud's voice was hoarse and high-pitched as he pushed himself to a sitting position, his paws scrabbling on the hard earth. "Please don't send us back! Nightstar is so weak. It's as if the sickness takes a new life from him each day. Most of the Clan think's he's going to die."
Fireheart frowned in disbelief. "Surely he has plenty of lives left."
"You haven't seen how ill he is!" cried Whitethroat. "The Clan is scared. There's no cat ready to take his place."
"What about Cinderfur, your deputy?" asked Fireheart. The two ShadowClan cats looked away and didn't answer. Did that mean that Cinderfur had died already, or that he was just too old to become leader? Like Nightstar, Cinderfur had been an elder when Brokentail had been driven out. Fireheart felt her sympathy winning in spite of her better judgment. "Okay." She sighed reluctantly. "You can stay here until you're strong enough to travel."
"Thank you, Fireheart," Littlecloud meowed wheezily. His eyes glittered with gratitude. Fireheart dipped her head, realizing how hard it must be for these proud ShadowClan warriors to admit they were dependent on another Clan.
She turned away and padded past Spottedleaf. She whispered as Fireheart passed, "Thank you, Fireheart. I knew you would understand why I took them in." Her eyes brimmed with warm compassion. "I couldn't let them die. Not...not when I have the ability to."
Fireheart blinked at her friend's determination, and kind spirit. Fireheart leaned over to lick her ear affectionately. "You are a great medicine cat, and ThunderClan is lucky to have you." Fireheart purred. "Although you are starting to act like Yellowfang!" Spottedleaf scoffed half-heartedly at the remark.
It didn't take Fireheart long to catch a thrush and a rabbit for the ShadowClan cats. This part of the forest was rich in prey. She was careful not to stray across the RiverClan border. Although it was tempting-the scent of prey was strong from there, and it had been a long time since Fireheart had tasted water vole. But she was pleased with the juicy rabbit she found beside Sunningrocks, and the thrush was an easy catch, too busy cracking open a snail to hear her stealthy approach.
Spottedleaf was crouched beside the ancient oak when Fireheart returned, chewing berries and spitting the pulp into her herb mixture. Fireheart nudged the fresh-kill into the root cave, but she didn't enter. The stench of sickness made her wary of going inside.
She looked at Spottedleaf as she worked, feeling a sudden tingle of fear for the dark tortoiseshell she-cat. She must have entered the cave many times. "Are you okay?" she meowed quietly.
Spottedleaf looked up from her herbs. "Yes, I'm fine," she assured. "Besides, I've been dealing with sick cats for a long time if you forgot what a medicine cat is for?" Spottedleaf teased, her amber eyes sparkling as Fireheart shuffled her paws in embarrassment.
Spottedleaf's eyes softened as she added: "And I'm glad you found out about these cats. I didn't like keeping secrets from the Clan."
Fireheart flicked her tail twitched slightly in unease. "I think we should keep this to ourselves," she told Spottedleaf.
Spottedleaf narrowed her eyes in thought. "You're worried about what Bluestar would do, wouldn't you?"
Fireheart sighed, not being able to hide anything from the medicine cat. "Sometimes, she does or says something that catches me off guard and I'm afraid of what she would do if-"
"Yes, I've noticed," Spottedleaf replied, her voice a little downcasted.
"Has anyone else seem to have noticed?" Fireheart wondered aloud, her sleek fur rising in alarm at the thought.
"To be honest," Spottedleaf sighed regretfully. "I think most of the Clan has."
"What are they saying?" Fireheart wasn't sure if she wanted to hear the answer.
"She has been a great leader for a long time, I know this well. They are simply waiting for her to become that great leader again." Spottedleaf reply soothed Fireheart. The Clan's faith was moving, and should be trusted. Of course Bluestar would recover.
"Are you coming back with me?" Fireheart meowed, watching Spottedleaf shake her head.
"I have to finish up here." Spottedleaf picked up another berry with her teeth and started to chew.
Fireheart felt strange as she walked away, leaving Spottedleaf alone with the two ShadowClan cats and a stench that made her fur creep. She wondered if she'd done the right thing by letting them stay.
Outside the ThunderClan camp, she sheltered beneath a leafy bush and gave herself a good wash. She screwed up her eyes at the stink of the sick ShadowClan cats. She wished she could wash away the taste with a drink from the stream behind the training hollow, but it had dried up days ago. She'd have to follow its course back toward the river if she were to find water, and it was time she returned, before her Clanmates started to wonder where she was. She would return to find Graystripe another day.
Sandstorm met her as she emerged from the gorse tunnel into the clearing. "Been hunting?" she asked, her pale green eyes flashing in concern for a moment, making Fireheart wonder what that was about.
"Looking for Graystripe, honestly." Fireheart decided to admit to the easier part of the truth.
"I don't suppose you found any signs of Swiftpaw or Spottedkit?" Sandstorm meowed, her face grim at Fireheart reaction.
"Their not in camp?" Fireheart asked, her eyes widened in surprise until they narrowed into slits.
"They disappeared sometime this morning, no one has seen them." Sandstorm admitted. "We sent out the apprentices to look for them, and the patrols are keeping a lookout as well. Along with the hunting parties."
Fireheart took a calming breath, her eyes crewing shut for a moment as she pictured where they could have gone. The last time Spottedkit was out, she had said something about showing Swiftpaw that not all kittypet's are bad. So she must have gone to see Princess.
"I think I have an idea as to where they had gone," Fireheart announced swiftly, logic over powering her anger and fear.
"Why don't we go and find them together?" suggested Sandstorm. "Maybe if I talk to Swiftpaw too, we can make him see sense."
Fireheart nodded gratefully. "It's worth a try, and if not I don't know what I can do." Fireheart flicked her tail to Sandstorm and the two she-cats raced out of camp.
She led the way through Tallpines, neither cat speaking as they ran lightly over the ground. The air was still, and the needled felt soft and cool beneath their paws. Fireheart was acutely aware that this trail was as familiar to her as the route to Fourtrees or Sunningrocks, but Sandstorm was more cautious, pausing every so often to sniff the air and check for scent markings. As they padded out from the pine forest and into the green woods, Fireheart sensed that Sandstorm's anxiety was building. She glanced at her and saw the tension in her shoulders as the line of Twoleg nests loomed ahead of them.
"Are you sure this is the way they come?" she whispered, looking nervously from side to side. A dog barked and Sandstorm's fur bristled.
"This is where they were last time," Fireheart took a second to take a wiff of the air, and sure enough the fresh smell of Spottedkit and Swiftpaw where there. And to her dread led into Twolegplace. "And don't worry about the dog, it won't leave its garden." Fireheart assured her, feeling uncomfortably that she knew things like this. Sandstorm had taunted her about her kittypet origins when she had first joined the Clan, and now that she accepted her so completely as a forest cat, Fireheart was reluctant to remind her that she had been born somewhere different.
"Don't the Twolegs bring their dogs out here?" she asked.
"Sometimes," Fireheart admitted. "But we'll have plenty of warning. Twoleg dogs don't exactly creep through the woods. You'll hear them before you smell them, and their stench isn't subtle." She hoped her humor might help Sandstorm relax, but she remained as tense as ever.
"Come on," she urged. "Spottedkit and Swiftpaw's scent is here." She rubbed her cheek against a bramble stem. "Does it smell fresh to you?" Fireheart hoped that the question would distract Sandstorm a bit.
Sandstorm leaned forward and sniffed the bramble. "Yes."
"Then they must have headed for Twoleg place." Fireheart padded around the bramble, a little disappointed and worried when it veered away from Princess's garden. It seemed that Spottedkit must have gotten lost. Even though Fireheart loved her sister, having Swiftpaw meet her would be disastrous, the Clan knew that Fireheart visited her, but they had no real idea of the affection that bonded her to Princess, and she preferred to keep it that way. Having Cloudpaw and her kits meet her would be as close as Princess would get to meet Clan cats, and be protected from those outside her kin and comfort.
As they followed the scent trail, Fireheart's growing anxiety only seemed to increase. The confidence of both Spottedkit and Swiftpaw scent trail began to mix with their growing fear and anxiety, both young cats were scared due to being in an unfamiliar place.
Fireheart felt an ominous chill ripple down her spine, making her pelt prickle. Something was wrong, the scent began to reek of a Twoleg monster although it was a bit apart from where Spottedkit's and Swiftpaw's where. Suddenly their scent trail veered off, and sharing a concerned glance with Sandstorm, speed up their pace.
Something felt wrong to Fireheart, something bad. She led Sandstorm along sleek wooden fence's. The scent of Swiftpaw and Spottedkit's were full out fear. As Fireheart raced around a corner she let out a gasp of horror.
There was a red roaring monster waiting patiently on the Thunderpath, A Twoleg kit was leaning outside the door of one of its openings. While another, older Twoleg was crouched down onto the Thunderpath, reaching inside a small nook in a corner of what looked like a shiny bin that Twolegs put their waste. When the Twoleg pulled back, a cut off wail of fear echoed ominously through Fireheart's ears.
In the Twoleg's paw, flailing her ginger paws in the air, was Spottedkit. Fireheart let out a screech as she raced towards her daughter, who had her amber eyes wide open in fear as she swung from the Twolegs paw. Fireheart was no more than halfway there, when a black-and-white patch blurr threw themselves as the Twoleg, hissing at the Twolegs feet.
But as they latched onto the Twolegs leg, the Twoleg kicked out with its other foot, catching the side of the cat's head. Not even loosening its grip on Spottedkit. Fireheart let out a caterwaul as the Twoleg quickly got into the monster with Spottedkit. Fireheart was no more than a mouse-length away before the monster was speeding off down the Thunderpath.
Fireheart, with no regards of her safety struck out an unsheathed paw, scratching the end of the red monster before it speed out of sight with her daughter.
"No!" Fireheart screeched, her voice catching of she inhaled the choking fumes of the monster. Fireheart kept running until she began to limp lamely, her paw was bleeding and so was her scratched up padds.
"Fireheart, Wait!" Sandstorm's cry was dimly heard as Fireheart came to a stuttering stop, her ears pounding with blood as she stared off to where the monster had gone. With her daughter.
Fireheart looked blankly at the empty Thunderpath before her, despair clutching her heart. Her body was numb with shock, she didn't even register another pelt beside her. A loud wailing began, filled with deep eerie grief that she was hardly aware that she was making, it was a sound of a broken hearted mother.
"Fireheart," Sandstorm's soothing whisper and the comforting press of her pelt went unnoticed as Fireheart stared straight ahead. Her mind fogged by grief and misery, and her voice echoing around the empty Twoleg nests. She couldn't block out the look of fear on her daughter's face or the fact that she couldn't save her.
"Your pads are bleeding, and you wrenched a claw," murmured Sandstorm softly. Fireheart numbly looked down at her paws, her eyes blinking owlishly at the oozing blood and one of her front paws almost completely covered. Fireheart just stared, the pain barely recognized due to the pain and grief she was feeling for her daughter.
Sandstorm leaned down to begin clearing the wound, to try and keep it from getting infected. It stung, but Fireheart didn't protest. Fireheart watched her, when she was done she gave Fireheart a look of pure sympathy and sadness. "S-she's gone," Fireheart choked out, anguish heavy in her voice.
"She'll find her way home," Sandstorm assured, but Fireheart saw the flicker of uncertainty go through her pale green eyes.
"But she's just a kit," Fireheart pointed out, distress clearly in her voice. "She's too-" Fireheart was cut off when a streeck zoomed past her, their tail held high and bristling in the air as they ran past.
"Spottedkit!" they howled, and the blur disappeared around the corner where the monster had gone.
"Swiftpaw! Come back!" Sandstorm yowled after him, racing off around the corner to stop the young apprentice. Fireheart watched them go, after a few moments, Sandstorm was leading Swiftpaw back.
His head was down and his tail was dragging behind him, his ear was nicked and his paws were just as bad as Firehearts. But when he was a mouse-length away Fireheart felt nothing but loathing and hatred for the apprentice who allowed her daughter to be taken. With blind bitter rage Fireheart lunged at the apprentice, her claws unsheathed. The apprentice was completely caught off guard as Fireheart took a swipe at him, tearing his nicked ear even further, making him yelp in pain.
As she turned back to swipe at him again, Sandstorm bawled into her, making her fall onto her side while Sandstorm stood protectively over Swiftpaw who was crouched down in fear. Fireheart scrambled to her paws, sending Swiftpaw a menacing glare as she strode past.
Sandstorm followed silently behind her, making sure that she was in between the deputy and apprentice. Fireheart led them blindly along the route they came, past the Twoleg nests, and into the safety of the woods.
"Fireheart," Sandstorm meowed as she padded up beside Fireheart, who was stalking through the leafy forest floor. "Why did you attack Swiftpaw?"
Fireheart's sleek fur bristled in anger as she whipped around and stared accusingly at the young apprentice. "He was the one that got my daughter taken by Twolegs." Fireheart spat at the apprentice, who shrank back with a flinch of pain, probably not due to his injuries though.
"Fireheart," Sandstorm tried again, but the upset mother continued. "No! He took my daughter here without anyone knowing and he put her in harm's way!" Fireheart couldn't stand another second, before Sandstorm could say anything more to soothe the upset mother, she bolted through Tallpines blindly, ignoring the cries of Sandstorm as she pelted away.
Fireheart pushed herself through ferns and tight bramble bushes, getting briars and leaves and dirt caught in her fur, and making her paws start bleeding again. But she didn't care, Spottedkit was gone, her kit was gone, her youngest daughter was gone and she would probably never see her again. Her eyes watered as twigs slapped at her ears, muzzle and eyes, but she carried on wherever her paws would take her. She came skidding to a halt when she found herself on top of the ravine, overlooking the camp.
With a pang of grief she rushed down the side of the ravine, scrapping her paws to shred as she tore down and into the gorse tunnel, squeezing past a surprised Brackenfur while she was at it. When she came into the clearing she streaked straight towards the medicine cats den, rushing past a startled Dustpelt who hissed at her.
Fireheart rushed into the medicine cats den, startling Spottedleaf and Yellowfang who looked up in alarm. "Fireheart?" Yellowfang began, her orange eyes wide at the distress that Fireheart was in but Fireheart didn't let her finish.
"Spottedkit is gone!" Fireheart wailed, and promptly allowed herself to share her grief with the two trusted medicine cats, not even registering her Clanmates gathering outside, listening to the young queen's grief.
0o0o0o
So how did you like this chapter, you must all hate me now? I hate me too, so don't worry! I will hopefully update soon, so that I don't keep you all on edge and in suspense! But review and all that jazz! I love me some reviews...except when they are really criticizing, so keep the hatred to a minimum! Love, review, favorite!
