Hello my dear reviewers! Another update meaning another chapter! I believe that I might do a Tigerclaw pov either before or at the end! (Kind of like I did for Forest of Secrets!) also look up:
Fallenstar's Fate by Fireworksafterdawn
I like it very much, a good read! So check it out!
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"Fire! Wake up!" Fireheart yowled, snapping her head over to Swifttail who seemed to snap out of it. "We need to leave the camp at once!" Fireheart ordered him. "Tell Bluestar the forest is on fire!" Swifttail gave a nod of the head, paws scratching up dirt across the clearing while Fireheart stuck her head back in the nursery.
"Goldenflower, Willowpelt, Speckletail, there's a fire get the kits out!" Fireheart ducked back out, hoping that they could rally up all the kits as she ran to the elders den and called through the branches to warn them. "Fire! Get out!" Then she raced to where the apprentices were clambering drowsily from their nests. "Leave the camp! Head for the river," she called. Cloudpaw's bewildered face stared at her, still dazed by sleep. "Head for the river!" Fireheart repeated, the other apprentices clambering out of the den.
Swifttail had managed to help Bluestar across the shadowy clearing. The leader's face was a grotesque mask of fear as Swifttail urged her forward with his nose. Frostfur intercepting him as she took over in leading the dazed and frightened leader.
"This way!" Fireheart yowled, beckoning with her tail before rushing past them. Cats were streaming past on either side of her, their fur bristling. The forest seemed to roar around them, and above the noise came a hideous two-tone wailing and the frantic barking of Twolegs as they crashed through the forest. Smoke was billowing thickly into the clearing, now, and behind it the light of the fire grew ever brighter as if bore down on the camp
"Head for the river!" Fireheart called to the mass of streaming cats who surged up and out of camp and into the ravine. "Keep an eye on your denmates. Don't lose sight of one another." She felt an eerie calm within her, like a pool of icy water, while noise and heat and apnic raged outside.
Fireheart darted back to round up her kits, finding them following after Goldenflower their meows filled with alarm as Fireheart drew up. Willowpelt's kits were struggling after their mother. She was carrying the smallest in her mouth, her eyes stricken with fear above the bundle that bumped against her forelegs.
"Are you alright?" Fireheart meowed to the two queens, who nodded. Goldenflower had Spottedkit securely in her jaws, her eyes filled with fear just as much as Spottedkit's were.
"We need to get them out of here," Fireheart meowed, steadying herself as one of her Clanmates rushed by. "Longtail!" Fireheart called to the cat who pushed past her as the warrior scrambled back towards them, Fireheart scooped up another of Willowpelt's kits and passed it to Mousefur, who had raced up behind her. She picked up the third, and then when Longtail reached her side she gave the kit to him. "Stay with Willowpelt!" she ordered, knowing that the queen would keep running only if she knew hers kits were safe.
Fireheart leaned down, picking up Squirrelkit and ushering her kits forward, both Goldenflower and her struggling up the ravine with the kits as the Clan rushed by. Clouds of smoke swirled across the sky, hiding Silverpelt from view. Was Starclan watching this? She wondered briefly. She lowered her eyes against the sting of smoke, concentrating on urging Leafkit and Hawkkit forward with Squirrelkit grasped firmly in her jaws. She glanced back up, seeing Bluestar's thick gray pelt reach the top, bundled along by the other cats. Both Fireheart and Goldenflower and the kits were almost the last one's to arrive, scrambling upward to see fire stretching greedy orange tongues into the ravine, ripping through the bone-dry bracken toward the camp.
Fireheart scrambled onto the ridge, staring at her Clanmates and placed Squirrelkit down beside Leafkit and Hawkkit to speak. "Wait!" she called to the fleeing cats. They stopped and turned to face her. Smoke stung Fireheart's eyes as she peered at her Clanmates through the choking clouds. "Is any cat missing?" she demanded, scanning the faces.
"Where are Halftail and Patchpelt?" Cloudpaw's voice rose in a terrified mew.
Fireheart saw heads turning to look quietly at one another, and Smallear answered, "They're not with me."
"They must still be in camp!" meowed Whitestorm.
"Fireheart, where's Bramblekit?" Goldenflower's desperate wail rose through the trees above the noise of the fire. "He was just behind Mothkit when I was climbing the ravine!"
Fireheart let out a gasp of horror. This meant three of the Clan were missing, and one was her own kit! "I'll find them," Fireheart meowed, scrambling to her paws as she forced her mind to work calmly and ignore the rising panic. "It's dangerous for you to stay here any longer. Whitestorm and Darkstripe, make sure the rest of the Clan make it to the river."
"You can't go back down there!" Sandstorm protested, forcing her way through the cats to stand beside her, Brackenfur not a pawstep behind.
"I have to, my kit is down there and so is Patchpelt and Halftail!" Fireheart replied shortly.
"Then i'm coming too," Sandstorm told her.
"No!" called Whitestorm. "We are short on warriors already . We need you to help get the Clan to the river," Fireheart nodded in agreement.
"Help my kits, Sandstorm," Fireheart meowed, pushing Leafkit toward her.
"But you can't go alone!" Brackenfur protested, his eyes filled with concern, but picked up Tawnykit.
"She won't be!" Then Fireheart saw the matted pelt of Yellowfang as she shouldered her was through the crowd. "I may be old, but I can still move about with haste if I need to. I'll go with Fireheart!"
"But Yellowfang!" Spottedleaf came weaving through the cats, looking at her denmate with fear.
"No time for persuading me to stay," Yellowfang hissed. "Help our Clanmates, me and Fireheart can do this!" Spottedleaf looked like she wanted to protest, but she dipped her head and picked up Mothkit.
"The rest of you, head for the river!" Fireheart called out, taking a moment to stare in the eyes of all her kits, hoping that they know if she didn't return that she loved them very much. Before anyone could argue she began to pick her way back down the ravine into the smoke and heat below.
Fireheart was terrified, not for herself, but for what might become of her son. Desperation kept her running when she reached the bottom of the ravine. She could hear Yellowfang gasping behind her. The smoke made every breath painful, even for her young lungs. Bright flames flicked just beyond the wall of the camp, tearing greedily at the carefully woven ferns, but they hadn't reached the clearing yet. The elder's den ws nearest, and Fireheart struggled half-blinded toward it. She could hear the crackling of flames as they licked at the far side of the fallen oak. The heart here was so intense, it felt as though the fire would burst into the camp at any moment.
Fireheart saw the shape of Halftail slumped below a branch. Patchpelt lay beside him, his jaws buried in Halftail's scruff as if he'd been trying to drag his friend to safety when he collapsed. Fireheart stopped in dismay, but Yellowfang had already rushed past her and began dragging Halftail's body toward the camp entrance.
"Don't just stand there," she growled through a mouthful of fur. "Help me get them out here and find your kit!"
Fireheart was snapped out of her momentary daze. Fireheart grasped Patchpelt in her jaws and pulled him across the smoke-filled clearing and into the tunnel. She struggled not to cough as she tugged Patchpelt through the gorse, its sharp spines clutching at the old cat's matted fur. Fireheart reached the bottom of the ravine and started to scramble upward. Patchpelt twitched in her jaws, and Fireheart felt his body convulse as she retched in a series of violent spasms. Fireheart pushed on up the steep slope, her neck aching from the weight of the unconscious cat.
At the top she dragged Patchpelt onto the flat rocks, and the old tom lay there, wheezing and helpless. Then Fireheart turned to look for Yellowfang and hopefully her kit. The medicine cat was just struggling out of the gorse tunnel, her flanks heaving as she fought against the deadly smoke. The trees that had sheltered the Clan were being swallowed up by fire, their trunks enveloped in flames. Fireheart saw Yellowfang stare up at her with Halftail clutched in her jaws, her orange eyes huge.
She flexed her hind legs, ready to jump down the rocks toward her, but a familiar terrified mewling made her look up. Peering through the billowing smoke, she saw Bramblekit clinging to the branches of a small tree that sprouted from the side of the ravine. The bark of the tree was already smoldering and as Bramblekit cried desperately, the trunk burst into flames.
Without stopping to think, Fireheart sprang at the blazing tree. She dug her claws into the trunk above the flames and hauled herself up to her kit. The fire raced up the trunk behind her, licking at the bark as Fireheart reached forward, wobbling, and lunged for her kit. The tiny tabby was clinging to a branch, his eyes tightly shut and his mouth open wide in a silent scream. Fireheart grabbed him in her jaws and almost lost her balance as Bramblekit let go immediately and swung down into thin air. With her teeth still embedded in Bramblekit's scruff, Fireheart managed to keep a grip on the rough bark. There was no way she could climb back down the trunk now. The flames had taken to strong a hold. She would have to go as far along the branch as she could, then jump down to the ground. Holding Bramblekit more firmly, and blocking out his wails of alarm, Fireheart crept away from the trunk.
The branch dipped and swayed under her weight, but Fireheart forced herself to keep going. One more pawstep and she tensed, all senses alert. Behind her flames scorched her sleek pelt, filling her nostrils with the bitter smell of burning fur. The branch dipped again, this time with an ominous splintering sound. StarClan help me and my kit! Fireheart prayed silently. The branch trembled underneath her, and all at once Fireheart was unprepared for the branch to snap.
With a cry of alarm Fireheart felt the world dip as she plummeted straight down,hitting the side of the ravine with her shoulder. Bramblekit wailed as Fireheart fought frantically for a paw hold, her right paw snagging on a tumbling rock that was very loose and could give out at any moment. Her back legs worked frantically to find a perch that could lift herself up and finding none. Fear and desperation made Fireheart flail and dig frantically at the sleek dusty dirt on the side of the ravine. Only the claws on one of her paws keeping them from the wall of flames not even a mouse-tail below them.
"StarClan help me and my son!" Fireheart thinks in desperation, the rock trembling with strain of keeping mother and son above an inferno. Fireheart looked up, fear as she gazed up in horror. She saw that the fire had burned right through the trunk of the tree, sending the whole tree toppling into the ravine. Alive with flame, the tree crashed away from the terrified cat's, just barely skimming Fireheart's side but near enough to sense its hot nettle like pokers, crashing below under them, hiding the entrance to the camp behind a wall of burning branches. Fireheart's eyes scanned ruffly for Yellowfang, not seeing her. The fear of losing Yellowfang was diminished by the fear of her and her son's own deaths.
Fireheart could feel her struggles weaken as her claw tips begin to crack, Fireheart in an attempt to hoist herself up tried to use her other paw to hold onto the rock only resulting in making the rock tremble and break loose. With a yowl of fear muffled out by her son's own cries of fear, Fireheart began to slide down the ravine towards the burning camp. And as she closed her eyes, waiting for StarClan to come and collect her and her young kit a sharp pain exploded from her neck fur, making her body snap painfully upwards and scrape against the hot dirt of the ravine.
Fireheart felt herself being dragged up the side of the ravine, powerful paws turning up the dirt as they dug deep into the side of the ravine. Holding up both Fireheart and Bramblekit, a formidable attribute due to Fireheart's size along with Bramblekit's. Peeking open her jade colored eyes that stung from the smoke and heat around them, Fireheart made out a dark tabby. Who was holding tightly to Fireheart like she was a kit herself, easily hauling her up the ravine with puffs of breath that went over her ears, making her lightly shiver although the forest around them was burning.
The dark tabby dragged them up the slope and over the rise to the top, when the tabby had a firm landing at the tom he helped pull Fireheart up who scrambled up, adrenaline coursing through her now that she had a spark of hope. As she turned her eyes to her savior she dropped Bramblekit in shock, her jade green eyes widened at the massive, broad shouldered dark brown tabby who's amber eyes were filled with concern as he gazed at both Fireheart and Bramblekit whose small body was pressed between Fireheart's trembling legs. No words could escape Fireheart, nor could she regester the dangerous crackling of the flames behind her.
Because this cat, was Tigerclaw.
Fireheart could only gawk as the muscular tabby now stood before her, his nose sniffing over her then to their son who hide himself in Fireheart's belly fur. Amber eyes locked with her jade green ones, it felt like an eternity with them just staring into each other's eyes. Which made Fireheart jump in shock when Tigerclaw began speaking. "We can't stay here, we'll burn to death!" Tigerclaw bent down to take a squeaking Bramblekit into his jaws, and promptly thrusted him to Fireheart, who took him hastily.
"Tigerclaw? What are you doing here?" Fireheart mumbled through a mouthful of kitten fur.
"I came back for you," Tigerclaw replied, scanning the area before signalling with tail for Fireheart to follow. "I saw that the forest was burning and I was concerned that something might have happened." Fireheart felt her pelt prickled with emotion, even though she had betrayed his trust and basically was the one that banished him from ThunderClan...Tigerclaw still cared.
"Wait! Yellowfang and Patchpelt!" Fireheart turned back around, her eyes looking for any signs of the old medicine cat and Patchpelt.
"Yellowfang's stuck in camp by the fallen tree," Tigerclaw rasped, the smoke making his voice already sound raw. "And Patchpelt is dead. We need to move now, or else we'll be the ones dead next."
Fireheart nodded to Tigerclaw's words, she couldn't risk her son nor their own safety for staying any longer. If Tigerclaw was telling the truth then Yellowfang would be unable to be reached. And Patchpelt's body would be to much of a burden to drag through a burning forest. But Fireheart couldn't help but take one final glance down the burning slope before quickly following Tigerclaw.
"Where's the rest of our kits?" Tigerclaw meowed as he came to keep in step beside Fireheart, their fur touching as they briskly raced through the burning forest.
"With Goldenflower and Sandstorm, their heading for the river!" Fireheart replied, stumbling a bit only to be corrected when Tigerclaw grasped her by her scruff, keeping her balanced as she struggled on with her son making her top heavy.
"Near Sunningrocks I suppose," Tigerclaw thought out loud, directing their course that way. They raced through the forest side by side, weaving and jumping across obstacles in their way but their pawsteps were in sink as if they were the same cat. When the scent of her Clanmates were stronger and indicated that they were just ahead, Fireheart wondered how she would explain Tigerclaw. But Tigerclaw automatically came to a stop, his eyes were narrowed into amber slits as he stood with his head drawn up high. "You carry on, our kits need you as well as ThunderClan." Tigerclaw meowed.
"You're not going back there are you?" Fireheart asked in alarm, her eyes stretching wide. "You'll die! Come with me to the river, the fire won't reach there!" Tigerclaw softly touched Fireheart's cheek with his nose, doing the same for a shocked Bramblekit, his eyes huge and unfocused.
"I'll be fine," Tigerclaw assured, then he turned around and sprinted off through the woods where Fireheart would not dare return.
"Be safe," Fireheart whispered in her kits fur, turning abruptly as she followed the trail of the other cats and catching up with the rest of ThunderClan at Sunningrocks as Tigerclaw predicted.
When she arrived it was to the faces of horror-struck Clanmates that crouched on the smooth stones. Did they think they were safe here? They should have kept going to the river. Fireheart narrowed her eyes trying to find Goldenflower and Sandstorm that had her kits.
"Fireheart!" Spottedleaf called out to her, coming to glide out from the throng of cats. Fireheart quickly approached her, thrusting Bramblekit forward for her to inspect.
Spottedleaf looked her son over, while Fireheart looked on anxiously before Spottedleaf soothed her worries. "He's just dazed, he'll be fine." Fireheart sighed with relief, and pulled Bramblekit towards herself to give him a quick wash.
"Fireheart! Where's Halftail, Yellowfang and Patchpelt?" Sandstorm's call made her look up, Goldenflower had Spottedkit, Hawkkit, Leafkit huddled around her while Squirrelkit, Tawnykit and Mothkit were huddled around Sandstorm and Brackenfur.
"Patchpelt is dead!" Fireheart announced, shocked mews rippled back across the rock at Fireheart announcement. "And Yellowfang…" Fireheart felt pain in her chest, so sharp it was as if a splinter from the burning tree had lodged in her heart. "I don't know," she admitted. "I lost her in the smoke while she was rescuing Halftail. I was going to go back, but my son…" Her voice trailed off as she gave Bramblekit a soothing like to the head. What was happening to their Clan? Did StarClan truly want to kill them all?
Fireheart picked up Bramblekit and came to sit among the rest of her kits, bringing Leafkit and Squirrelkit to press against her flank while Bramblekit sat squally between her paws. She sat still and listened to the forest. She could feel her fur prickling in the sultry air. A breeze rustled through the trees, blowing from the direction of the camp. Fireheart opened her mouth, trying to distinguish fresh smoke from the stench of her singed fur. Was the fire still burning? Then she realized she could see the sky filling with clouds of smoke as the breeze drove the flames steadily toward Sunningrocks. Her ears flattened as she heard the roaring of the fire rise above the soft murmuring of the leaves.
"It's coming this way," she yowled, her voice sore and harsh after breathing in the smoke. "We must keep going to the river. We'll only be safe if we cross to the other side. The fire won't reach us there."
The cats looked up, startled, their eyes gleaming dimly through the night. The light from the fire was already shining through the trees. Clouds of smoke began to billow down onto Sunningrocks, and the sound of the flames grew louder, fanned by the rising wind.
Without warning the rocks and the forest were illuminated by a blinding flash. A thunderous crack exploded over the heads of the cats, making them flatten themselves against the rock. Fireheart lifted her eyes toward the sky where she crouched over three of her kits. Behind the billowing smoke, she could see rain clouds rolling in overhead. Aga-old terror mingled with relief as she realized that the storm had broken at last.
"Rain is coming!" she yowled, encouraging her cowering Clanmates. "It will put out the fire! But we must go now or we won't outrun the flames!"
Brackenfur pushed himself up from the rock first, Tawnykit clamped firmly in his jaws. As understanding rippled through the rest of the Clan, the other cats stood up too. Their horror of the fire outweighed their instinctive fear of the raging skies. They shifted restlessly across the rock face as Fireheart picked up Squirrelkit, they were not sure which was to run, and Fireheart watched on as Goldenflower picked up Leafkit and Sandstorm grabbed a petrified Spottedkit. She looked at her remaining kits Hawkkit, Bramble and Mothkit. With a dreadful feeling she swept her remaining kits to her side. The cats started to move farther apart now, revealing Bluestar sitting motionless halfway up the rock, her face tilted to the stars. A brilliant fork of lightning split the sky, but Bluestar remained still. Was she praying to StarClan? Fireheart wondered in disbelief.
"This way!" she ordered. She signaled with her tail as another crash of thunder drowned out her voice.
The Clan began to stream down the rock toward the trail that led to the river. Fireheart could see the flames flickering between the trees now. A rabbit pelted past her, terrified. It didn't even seem to notice the cats, weaving through them as it hurtled from the fire and the storm and slipped under the rock, instinctively seeking out the sanctuary of the ancient stone. But Fireheart knew that the flames would soon engulf this part of the forest, and she didn't want to risk losing anymore cats to such a terrible death.
"Hurry!" she called through a mouthful of her daughter's ginger fur. The cats began to run, Mousefur and Longtail were carrying Willowpelt's kits once more, while Fireheart was thankful that Cloudpaw, Fernpaw and Dustpelt came to scoop up her remaining kits. Whitestorm and Brindleface flanked Bluestar, encouraging the ThunderClan leader onward with gentle nudges.
Fireheart looked around at her kits, each of her kits held safely in the jaws of warriors and apprentices alike. And Fireheart was pleased to see the newly made warrior, Swifttail helping carry Speckletail's kit, who was struggling with her kit grasping in her jaws. The kit was well grown and Speckletail was not as young as the other queens. She was proud that she had suggested making him a warrior.
The fire was beside them now that they had turned toward the river. Fireheart kept one eye on the advancing wall of flames as she urged the Clan onward. Around them the trees began to sway as the storm winds swelled and began to stir the burning forest, fanning the flames toward them. The river was in sight, but they still had to cross it, and few of the ThunderClan cats had done much swimming. There was no time to go farther downstream to the stepping stones.
As they hurtled across the RiverClan scentline, Fireheart felt the heat of the fire against her flank and a cruel roaring that was even louder than the Thunderpath. She raced forward to lead the way down to the riverbank and skidded to a halt where the forest floor gave way to the pebbly shore. The smooth stones glowed silver as lightning flashed once more, making Squirrelkit flinch back into Fireheart in fear, but the thunder that followed was hardly audible above the roaring of the fire. The Clan stumbled ater Fireheart, their eyes filled with a new terror as they stared at the fast-flowing river. Fireheart felt her spirit quail at the thought of persuading her water-shy Clanmates to enter the river. But behind them the fire tore through the trees in relentless pursuit, and she knew there was no choice.
Fireheart dropped her daughter at her paws and turned to face the Clan. "It's shallow enough to wade most of the way," she yowled. "Much shallower than usual. There's a place in the middle where you'll have to swim, but you'll make it." The cats looked at her with horrified eyes. "You have to trust me!" she urged.
Swifttail, being the arrogant but brave warrior he was padded briskly past with Speckletail's kit firmly in his jaws and waded into the river with it until he stood up to his belly in the dark water. Then he turned and with a gleam in his eyes flicked his tail as if showing that it was easy and to encourage the others to follow.
Fireheart stept back as her Clanmates padded into the water, she watched carefully as Goldenflower, Sandstorm, Brackenfur, Dustpelt, Fernpaw and Cloudpaw crossed with her six kits. Fireheart looked down between her legs to see Squirrelkit stare at the cats that were crossing, her green eyes huge as two giant stones.
"Just keep your paws turning!" Fireheart called to her Clanmates, watching as they plunged headlong into the river. As Whitestorm passed she picked Squirrelkit up, silently asking with her eyes for Whitestorm to take her. The white warrior did so without verbally being asked, making Squirrelkit let out a surprised mew. Fireheart watched anxiously as the last of her kits crossed, her heart lurched when Whitestorm stumbled but regained his footing and crossed without further incident.
When Fireheart tore her eyes from them to look back at her Clanmates she saw Smallear hesitating at the river's edge. On the far side, Sandstorm was standing belly-deep in water, helping the cats as they struggled to the shore. She called encouragingly to the old gray tom, but Smallear backed away as another bolt of lightning lit up the sky. Fireheart dashed toward the trembling elder, grabbed him by the scruff, and plunged into the river. Smallear wailed and floundered as Fireheart struggled to keep her head above the surface. The water felt icy after the heat of the flames, and Fireheart found herself gasping for breath, but she plower on, trying to remember how easily Graystripe had swam this same channel.
Suddenly a swift current dragged her and Smallear off course. Fireheart flailed with her paws, feeling panic rise in her chest as she saw the gently sloping bank slip past and a steep wall of mud loom in its place. How would she climb out of here, especially with Smallear? The elderly tom had stopped struggling now, and hung like a deadweight in Fireheart's jaws. Only his rasping breaths in Fireheart's ears showed that he was still alive, and might yet survive the crossing. Fireheart floundered in the water, trying to fight the current and keep Smallear's muzzle above the water.
Without warning, a mottled head reached down from the bank and grabbed Smallear from her. It was Leopardfur, the RiverClan deputy! Scrabbling in the mud for a pawhold, she dragged Smallear out, dropped him on the ground, and reached down again for Fireheart. She felt her teeth sharp in her scruff as she hauled her up the slippery bank. She felt a wave of relief as her paws sank into dry ground.
"Is that everyone?" Leopardfur demanded.
Fireheart looked around her. RiverClan cats were weaving among the ThunderClan cats as they crouched, drenched and shocked on the pebbles. Graystripe was one of them.
"I-I think so," Fireheart stammered. She could see Bluestar lying under some trailing willow branches. She looked small and frail with her soaked fur flattened against her scrawny flanks.
"Seems like it." Leopardfur noted, her eyes scanning the bank for any stragglers and finding non. Fireheart felt relief to find that her Clanmates were safely on the other side of the river, and out of harm's way of the fire. "Come, we'll take you to camp."
"The...the RiverClan camp?" Fireheart questioned, her ears pricking with surprise.
"Unless you prefer to return to your own," answered Leopardfur coldly. She turned and led the way up the slope, away from the river and the flames. As the thunderClan cats heaved themselves to their pas and began to follow, heavy drops of rain began to fall through the canopy above. Fireheart twitched her ear. Had the rain come soon enough for the burning forest? More exhausted than ever Fireheart, through her tiredness, briskly padded off to check on her kits that were still being held by the same warriors and apprentices. Seeing Fernpaw struggling with carrying Hawkkit, she took her son from her, blinking in thanks to the pale gray apprentice. The rain began to fall more heavily, pounding the forest as Fireheart fell in behind the other cats, her paws stumbling over the smooth pebbles as her son swung from her tired jaws.
The RiverClan deputy led the blackened, bedraggled group through the reed beds beside the bank, until an island appeared ahead. In any other season it would have been surrounded by water; now the path merely glistened in the fresh rainfall.
Fireheart recognized this place. It had been ringed by ice the first time she had been here. Reeds had pled sharply through the frozen water then; now they swayed in a great swathes, and silvery willow trees grew among the rustling stems. The rain cascaded down their delicate, trailing branches onto the sandy ground below. Leopardfur followed a narrow passage through the rushes and onto the island. There was a lingering smell of smoke here, but the roar of the flames had faded, and Fireheart could hear the merciful sound of raindrops splashing down into the water beyond the reeds.
Crookedstar stood in a clearing in the center of the island, his fur bristling on his shoulders. Fireheart noticed how the RiverClan leader flicked his eyes through the ragtag group of ThunderClan warriors suspiciously, but Leopardfur padded over to the light brown tabby and explained, "They were fleeing the fire."
"Is RiverClan safe?" asked Crookedstar at once.
"The fire won't cross the river," replied Leopardfur. "Especially now that the wind has changed."
Fireheart sniffed the air. Leopardfur was right; the wind had changed. The storm had been carried in on a wind much fresher than any she had smelled for a while. It rippled through her sodden fur, and Fireheart felt her mind begin to clear. Water dripped from her whiskers as she put Hawkkit down to swing her head around to see where Bluestar was. She knew she should greet Crookedstar formally, but she was huddled among her Clan, her head low and her eyes half-closed.
Fireheart felt her belly clench with anxiety. ThunderClan could not afford to let RiverClan know how weak their leader was. With a stern look to her son to stay where he is, Fireheart quickly stepped forward in her place. "Leopardfur and her patrol showed great kindness and courage in helping us flee the fire," she meowed to Crookedstar, dipping her head low. Above her lightning still flickered across the cloudy sky and thunder rumbled in the distance, rolling away from the forest.
"Leopardfur was right to help you. All the Clans fear fire," replied the RiverClan leader.
"Our camp was burned and our territory is still on fire," Fireheart went on, blinking away the rain that streamed into her eyes. "We have nowhere to go." She knew she had no choice but to throw herself on the mercy of the RiverClan leader.
Crookedstar narrowed his eyes and paused. Fireheart felt her paws grow hot with frustration. Surely the RiverClan leader didn't think this wretched group of cats posed any threat? Then Crookedstar spoke. "You may stay until it is safe for you to return."
Relief flower through Fireheart. "Thank you," she meowed, blinking gratefully.
"I'll ask Mudfur to help your medicine cat." The mottled she-cat scanned the drenched and shivering cats. Her eyes narrowed as her gaze fell on the huddled shape of the ThunderClan leader. "Is Bluestar injured?" questioned the RiverClan deputy.
"The smoke was very bad," Fireheart replied carefully. "She was among the last to leave the camp. Excuse me, I must see to my Clan." She stood up and padded over to where her kits were crouched beside Goldenflower who was huddled near the center of the group of cats, her body huddled with the kits pressed around her.
"How are they?" Fireheart asked as she came to sniff at all her kits, checking to see if they were all right.
"Their fine," Goldenflower assured. "But Willowpelt…" Goldenflower pointed with her nose at where the pale gray she-cat lay with her kits. Fireheart looked around for Spottedleaf, and found her with a brown tom who was following her among the ThunderClan cats. He carried a bundle of herbs in his mouth, which he lpaced on the damp ground when Spottedleaf paused beside Willowpelt and her kits. The tiny cats were wailing pitifully, but refused to drink when Willowpelt pressed them to her belly.
Fireheart hurried over. "Are they okay?"
Spottedleaf nodded. "Mudfur suggested we give them honey to soothe their throats. They'll be fine, but it's done them no good to breathe in the smoke."
The brown cat at her side meowed to Willowpelt. "Do you think they could manage a little honey?" The gray queen nodded and watched gratefully as the RiverClan medicine cat held out a wad of moss dripping with a sticky, golden liquid. She purred as her tiny kits licked at it, first tentatively, then greedily as the soothing sweetness entered their mouths.
Fireheart padded back toward her kits. Spottedleaf had everything under control, when she collected her kits Goldenflower went to look after Willowpelt, leaving Fireheart and her kits to seek shelter at the edge of of the clearing and lay to wash her kits. Their singed fur tasted foul as she brushed her tongue along their pelts, non fighting to stop their mother as they accepted the lapse of her tongue cleaning their fur. Fireheart's body ached with tiredness but she carried on licking. She wanted to wash away all trace of the smoke before she rested.
When she had finished her kits were already half asleep, she glanced around the camp as she finished with her last kit, Squirrelkit. The RiverClan cats had fled the rain into their dens, leaving the ThunderClan cats to huddle in groups at the edge of the clearing beneath the whispering wall of reeds, seeking any protection from the pounding rain. Fireheart perked slightly as she spotted the dark shape of Graystripe moving among his former Clanmates, soothing them with his gentle mew but Fireheart was too tired to call out to him. Spottedleaf had finished tending to the cats and was curled up, exhausted, in between Cinderpelt and Ashpaw. Fireheart could just make out Sandstorm's pale ginger flank, rising and falling steadily next to Brackenfur's golden-brown pelt, sharing warmth between each other. Bluestar was asleep beside Whitestorm.
Fireheart rested her muzzle on her forepaws, listening to the rise and fall of her kits breathing as they were pressed up against her. The rain making a nice, drowsy sound to fall asleep to. As her eyes closed, the image of Tigerclaw helped to sooth her mounting fears. With a withering thought of if he had escaped the fire, she finally retreated into the refuge of sleep.
Fireheart felt as if she had slept for only a moment when she woke. A cool breeze breeze was ruffling her fur, making her kits shift around her. The rain had stopped. Above, the sky was filled with billowing white clouds. For a moment she felt confused by the unfamiliar surroundings. Then she became aware of the sound of voices meowing nearby and recognized Smallear's trembling mew.
"I told you StarClan would show its anger!" rasped the old tom. "Our home has gone; the forest is no more."
"Bluestar should have appointed the deputy before moonhigh," fretted Speckletail. "It's the custom!"
Fireheart rose to her paws, her ears burning, but before she could do anything, Cinderpelt's mew rose into the air. "How can you be so ungrateful? Fireheart carried you across the river, Smallear!"
"She nearly drowned me," complained Smallear.
"You'd be dead if she'd left you behind," spat Cinderpelt where she was standing by Spottedleaf. "If Fireheart hadn't smelled the smoke in the first place, we might all be dead!"
"I'm sure Patchpelt, Halftail, and Yellowfang are deeply grateful to her." Fireheart's fur rippled with anger as she heard Darkstripe's sarcastic yowl.
"Yellowfang will thank her herself when we find her!" meowed Spottedleaf as she finished checking on the elder, her amber eyes narrowed into slits as she looked at Darkstripe.
"Find her?" echoed Darkstripe. "There's no way she'll have escaped that fire. Fireheart should never had allowed her to go back to the camp."
Spottedleaf's ears flattened in disbelief and anger, while a growl grew in Cinderpelt's throat. Darkstripe had gone to far. Fireheart was about to pad out from the shadows but a blur of ginger shot out from under her paws. "My mother is a hero, you bee-brain!" came Squirrelkit irritated yowl, her ginger fur spiked up with anger as she came to confront Darkstripe.
Fireheart quickly chased after her daughter, her eyes widened finally realizing that her kits weren't all asleep as they seemed to be. "That's right." agreed Spottedleaf, ushering the kit away from the irritated dark striped tabby. The medicine cat gave him a warning look as she pushed a still bristling Squirrelkit behind her, next to Fernpaw who stared staring at Darkstripe with horror in her eyes.
Fireheart opened her mouth to intervene in that moment, but it was Dustpelt who spoke first. "Darkstripe! You should show more respect for your lost Clanmates, and"-he glanced sympathetically at the frightened Fernpaw- "be more careful with what you say. Our Clanmates have suffered enough already!"
Fireheart was taken aback to hear the young warrior challenge his former mentor. Darkstripe eyed Dustpelt with equal surprise, then narrowed his eyes dangerously.
"Dustpelt's right," Fireheart meowed, keeping her head held high, stepping forward. "We shouldn't be arguing." She wouldn't be fazed by their gossip. Darkstripe, Smallear, and the others whipped around to stare at Fireheart, their ears and tails flickering awkwardly as they realized she had heard their conversation.
"Fireheart!" Graystripe's mew interrupted them, and Fireheart saw her friend crossing the clearing, his fur damp from the river.
"Graystripe, Have you been on patrol?" Fireheart asked, turning away from the ThunderClan cats and padding over to meet her old friend.
"Yes, and hunting," meowed Graystripe. "We can't all sleep the morning away, you know." He nudged Fireheart on the shoulder and went on: "You must be hungry. Come with me." He led Fireheart toward a pile of fresh-kill at the edge of the clearing. "Leopardfur says this is for your Clan," Graystripe told her.
Fireheart's belly growled with hunger. "Thanks," she meowed. "I'd better let the Clan know." She went over to where the ThunderClan cats were gathered and noticed that her other kits have woken groggily and had joined Squirrelkit, their head's tilted in confusion at Squirrelkit's upset attitude. "Graystripe says that the pile of food is for us," she announced.
"Thank StarClan," Goldenflower meowed from where she sat with Willowpelt, licking Swifttail's ash covered fur.
"We don't need other Clans to feed us," sneered Darkstripe.
"I suppose you can go hunting if you want," Fireheart meowed, narrowing her eyes at the stripped tabby warrior. "But you'll need to ask Crookedstar's permission first. After all, this is his territory." Darkstripe snorted impatiently and padded toward the fresh-kill pile. Fireheart looked at Bluestar. She hadn't reacted to the news of food at all.
Whitestorm twitched his ears. "I'll make sure everyone gets a share," he promised, glancing at Bluestar.
"Thanks," Fireheart answered.
Graystripe padded up and dropped a mouse on the ground at her paws. "Here, you can eat this at the nursery,' he meowed. "There are some kits I want you to see."
"Graystripe, I think it's best if I stay with my kits." Fireheart meowed, her eyes trailing over towards where Spottedkit sat with a nervous look on her face next to Mothkit, who was watching Spottedleaf.
"They can come too," Graystripe meowed dismissively. A spike of annoyance flared through Fireheart, but relented, she knew what kits Graystripe was talking about and she wouldn't mind seeing them again.
"Kits!" Fireheart called, gaining her children's attention, "Come here." She flicked her tail to signal them to come towards her, and like a little pack of mice came hurtling to their mother.
"What is is?" Hawkkit asked, his eyes brimming with curiosity.
"We're going to see someone," Fireheart replied, picking up the mouse and followed her friend toward a tangle of reeds with her kits trailing behind. As they approached, two silver bundles hurtled through a tiny gap in the thickly woven stems and rushed toward Graystripe. They flung themselves at him, and Graystripe rolled over happily, batting with gentle sheathed paws as the kits climbed over him. Fireheart knew at once whose kits they were.
Graystripe purred loudly. "How did you know I was coming?" he rumbled.
"We smelled you!" answered the larger kit.
"Very good!" Graystripe praised him. As Fireheart took the last mouthful of mouse, the gray warrior sat up and the kits tumbled off him. "Now it's time you met an old friend of mine and your old denmates," he told them. "We trained together and she also took care of you."
The kits turned their amber eyes on Fireheart, staring up at her in awe.
"Is this Fireheart?" meowed the smallest kit, it was Featherkit. Graystripe nodded, and Fireheart felt a glow of pleasure that her friend had spoken about her already to his kits.
"It's good to see you again, Featherkit, Stormkit although I think you are too young to remember me," Fireheart purred, leaning down to their level. Making their eyes grow wide with wonder.
"Father told us that you helped us when we stayed in ThunderClan," Stormkit meowed, his eyes shining with interest.
"Yes, I did, and these were your denmates," Fireheart gestured to her own kits that were peeking out behind her at Stormkit and Featherkit.
"Go on, say hello," Fireheart encouraged her kits, nudging Hawkkit forward as he was always the more courageous and reckless kit.
"Hello!" Hawkkit squeaked as he stood before Featherkit, who was eyeing him with interest.
"Hello!" Featherkit mimicked, her eyes shining with amusement. When Hawkkit greeted them Firehearts other kits tumbled over themselves to get a look and greet the two RiverClan kits.
"They're great, and growing fast," Fireheart purred, keeping an eye on her kits as they interacted with the RiverClan kits.
"Yeah," Graystripe agreed, his eyes soft. "More thans to Greenflower than me, I have to say. She's the one who looks after them." Fireheart heard a note of wistfulness in her friend's voice, and wondered just how much Graystripe missed his old home. A fresh breeze ruffled Fireheart's sleek fur, foretelling that StarClan maybe sending more rain to the forest.
"Where's Yellowfang?" asked Graystripe after a moment of quiet, and just listening to the kits.
Fresh grief welled up in Fireheart's chest. "Yellowfang came back to the Thunderclan camp with me to look for Patchpelt, Halftail and Bramblekit. I lost her in the smoke. A...a tree fell into the ravine and I don't think she came out, Tig-the tree blocked the exit and I didn't see her." Fireheart thought it best to keep Tigerclaw's involvement a secret for now, Graystripe shouldn't be concerned with Fireheart's business as he had his own right now. She also couldn't help a feeling of fear about her surviving the flames. "I don't suppose you found any scent of her on your patrol?" Fireheart asked, a small part still not giving up on the old medicine cat.
Graystripe shook his head. "I'm sorry."
"Do you think the fire's still burning after that storm?" meowed Fireheart.
"I'm not sure. We saw a few plumes of smoke while we were out." Graystripe replied.
Fireheart sighed. "Do you think any of the camp will be left?"
"You'll find out soon enough," answered Graystripe. He lifted his head and stared up at the sky. "Looks like it's going to rain again." As he spoke, a large drop of rain landed on the ground beside them. "That should put out the last of the flames."
Fireheart felt her head spin with grief as more drops spattered through the trees and splashed on the brittle reeds. Before long, the rain was pouring down for the second time, and it seemed that StarClan was weeping for all that had been lost.
"I should find shelter for my kits," Fireheart meowed, getting to her paws and calling out to them. "Come on kits, let's find somewhere to shelter for now." The kits flicked their tails in goodbye to Stormkit and Featherkit as they padded after their mother, the RiverClan Greenflower was already calling in Stormkit and Featherkit.
Fireheart led her kits towards where Thornpaw, Cloudpaw and Brightpaw were sheltered under a wide overhang of reeds. Fireheart ushered her kits under, Cloudpaw and Thornpaw moving over to make more room for them. Fireheart sheltered beside her group of kits, snuggling Tawnykit and Bramblekit close as the other kits huddled together and looking grumpy at the rain.
"This stinks," Hawkkit meowed, his tabby fur fluffed out and his white belly fur looking dull due to missed ash.
"When can we go back home?" Leafkit meowed, her pale amber eyes wide in dismay as a raindrop fell on her nose making her stumble back into Thornpaw.
"We will, as soon as it's safe to return." Thornpaw assured her, licking her head in comfort before Fireheart could.
"When will that be?" Bramblekit asked, his head buried on top of Fireheart's front paw.
"Soon," Fireheart meowed, hoping that it would at least.
"Do you think the camp is destroyed?" Brightpaw meowed, her fur prickled with anxiety.
"Nothing we can't fix, I'm sure." Fireheart assured, although she wasn't certain. Was this all a lie to comfort her kits and Clanmates?
"The Clan is strong," Cloudpaw put in, his white fur brushing against Spottedkit's in a comforting gesture. "We'll get by." Cloudpaw's eyes were filled with determination, a look that settled Fireheart's feelings, if only a little.
By late afternoon the lingering smell of smoke had been replaced by the stench of wet ash, but Fireheart relished its bitter odor. "The fire must be out by now," she meowed to Graystripe, who had come to join in sheltering beside her beneath the clump of reeds. "We could go back and see if it's safe for the Clan to return."
"And look for Yellowfang and Halftail," Graystripe murmured. He didn't add in Patchpelt, as everyone knew that Patchpelt was dead, if Tigerclaw wasn't telling the truth before, Fireheart was certain that Patchpelt is dead now.
'I'll have to ask Crookedstar if I can come," Graystripe added. The words came as a shock to Fireheart. She had almost forgotten that Graystripe belonged to another Clan now.
"I'll be back soon," called the gray warrior, already bounding away.
Fireheart got to her feet and gazed across the clearing to where Bluestar was huddled next to Whitestorm, as if the white warrior were the only barrier between her troubled mind and the horrific fate that had befallen her Clan. Fireheart wondered if she should tell her leader where she was going. She decided not to. For the moment she would act alone and rely on her Clan to sheild their leader's weakened state from the curious RiverClan cats.
"Fireheart," Cloudpaw meowed from he sat beside Brightpaw and the kits. "Do you think the fire is out?"
"Graystripe and I are going to check,' Fireheart told him.
"Can I come?" The white apprentice asked, his blue eyes gleaming.
Fireheart shook her head. She didn't know what they would find at the ThunderClan camp. She also didn't want to put the white apprentice in harm's way if they run into trouble, although she was sure that the trouble had probably run away from the forest due to the fire.
"I'd do everything you told me," Cloudpaw promised earnestly.
"Then stay and help take care of your Clan," Fireheart meowed. "Whitestorm needs you here.".
Cloudpaw hid his disappointment by lowering his head. "Yes, Fireheart," he mewed
"You can help us look after the kits." Thornpaw added, making Fireheart throw the golden-brown tabby warrior a thankful look.
"Tell Whitestorm where I'm going," Fireheart added. "I'll be back by moonrise."
"Okay," Cloudpaw muttered. Receiving a nudge from Brightpaw.
"And you be on your best behavior," Fireheart said sternly to her kits who peeked up at their mother with innocent eyes.
"We're always on our best behavior!" Squirrelkit defended, although Fireheart didn't believe her for a second.
"Says the kit who tried to put a fire-ant in Hawkkit's fur while he wasn't looking," Fireheart replied blandly, watching Hawkkit whip his head around to glare at his sister.
"But I mean it, If Thornpaw says that you put one whisker out of place-" Fireheart let her threat hang, internally amused by their pouting looks.
"Don't worry, we'll play a game or something." Thornpaw assured, staring down at Leafkit who looked back up to him. "They won't get into to much trouble."
"You'll be surprised Thornpaw," Fireheart meowed as she padded forward when Graystripe returned with Crookedstar by his side.
The pale tabby's amber eyes were narrowed inquiringly. "Graystripe tells me that he wants to travel with you to your camp," he meowed. "Can't you take one of your own warriors?"
"We lost three Clanmates in the fire," Fireheart explained. "I don't want to find them by myself."
The RiverClan leader seemed to understand. "If they have not survived, you'll need the comfort of an old friend," he meowed gently. "Graystripe may go with you."
"Thank you, Crookedstar," replied Fireheart, dipping her head. With one last glance at her kits and the three apprentices, Graystripe led the way to the river.
On the other side of the swiftly flowing water, the forest was blackened and charred. The tallest trees had managed to retain a few of their leaves, which fluttered bravely at the tips of their highest branches. But it was a small victory when the rest of their branches were blakcen and strippded bare. StarClan may have sent the storm to put out the fire, but it had come too late to save the forest.
Graystripe slipped into the river without speaking and swam across. Fireheart followed him, struggling to keep up with her strongly paddling friend. As they climbed onto the bank at the other side, the two cats could only stare in horror at the remains of their beloved woodland.
"Seeing this place from across the river was the only comfort I had," murmured Graystripe.
Fireheart glanced at her friend with a pang of sympathy. It sounded as if Graystripe were even more homesick than she had thought. But she didn't have a chance to ask any questions before Graystripe charged up the shore toward the ThunderClan border. The gray warrior crossed it eagerly, pausing to add his own scent mark. Fireheart couldn't help wondering if her old friend was thinking of RiverClan boundaries-or ThunderClan.
Despite the devastation Graystripe seemed to relish being back in his old territory. As Fireheart pushed on to the camp, Graystripe wove back and forth behind her, sniffing intently before catching up to his friend. Fireheart was amazed that she could recognize anything. The forest was changed beyond belief, the undergrowth burned away, the air empty of the scent or sound of prey. The ground felt sticky underpaw where rain and ash had mingled to make black, acrid-smelling mud that clung to their fur. Fireheart shivered as raindrops dripped onto her wet pelt. The sound of a single, brave bird singing in the distance made her heart ache for everything that had been lost.
As they neared the ravine, Fireheart stopped her mouth opening into a silent gasp of horror. Patchpelt's body was just as she left it, on the flat rocks at the top of the ravine. But his small black-and-white elder was covered completely in black soot and his ears and face were horrifically burned into disfigurement. Fireheart felt a clenching in her gut to know that she left the elder's body to burn in such a way.
"We'll bury him later," Graystripe promised as he nudged Fireheart along the ravine to see the camp. The camp was clearly visible, stripped of its protective canopy, the hard earth gleaming like black stone in the rain. Only the Highrock was unchanged by the fire, apart from a slick of sticky black ash.
Fireheart rushed down the slope, sending grit and ash crumbling ahead of her. The tree where she had saved her son, and then saved by Tigerclaw, was nothing but a heap of charred sticks now, and she leaped over them easily. She searched for the gorse tunnel that had once led to the clearing, but only a tangle of blackened stems remained. She picked her way through and hurried into the smoke-stained clearing.
As she stared around, her heart pounding, she felt Graystripe nudge her again. She followed the gray warrior's gaze to where Halftail's scorched body lay at what used to be the entrance to the medicine cat's fern tunnel. The medicine cat must have tried to get the unconscious elder back into the safety of the camp, hoping perhaps that the cracked rock where she had made up the medicine cat's den would protect them from the flames.
Fireheart started toward the burned shape, but Graystripe meowed. "I'll bury Halftail along with Patchpelt. You look for Yellowfang." He picked up the limp body and started to drag it out of the camp toward the burial place.
Fireheart watched him go, her heart frozen with dread. She knew this was why she had come back to the camp, but her legs suddenly felt to weak to move. She forced herself to walk over to the burned stumps that lined the path to Yellowfang's clearing. There was no sheltering green tunnel now. The medicine cat's home was open to the sky, and the only sound was the relentless patter of raindrops on the slimy ground.
"Yellowfang!" she called, her voice hoarse, as she padded into the clearing. The rock where the medicine cats had made their den was black with soot, but, mingled with the smell of ash, Fireheart detected the familiar scent of the old medicine cat. "Yellowfang?" she called again.
A low, rasping mew answered her from inside the rock. She was alive! Shaking with relief, Fireheart slipped into the shadowy cave.
There was barely light enough to see. Fireheart had never been in here before, or maybe she had in her past life? and she paused for a moment, blinking as her eyes adjusted to the gloom. At the foot of one wall was a row of herbs and berries, stained by smoke but unburned. Then she glimpsed a pair of eyes shining at her from the far end of the narrow cavern.
"Yellowfang!" Fireheart rushed to the medicine cat's side. She lay with her legs crumpled beneath her, soot-covered and wheezing, too weak to move. She could barely hold Fireheart's gaze, and when she spoke her voice was breathless and feeble.
"Fireheart," she croaked. "I'm glad it's you who came."
"I shouldn't have left you here." Fireheart pressed her muzzle against her matted fur. "I'm so sorry."
"Did you save Patchpelt?"
Fireheart shook her head hopelessly. "No, he died."
"Halftail's dead too," rasped Yellowfang.
Fireheart saw her eyelids quiver and begin to close, and she meowed desperately, "But my kit is safe!"
"Which one was it?" Yellowfang murmured.
"Bramblekit." She watched as Yellowfang closed her eye briefly, and her blood ran cold. Was Yellowfang dead?
"You're a brave warrior, Fireheart," Yellowfang suddenly opened her eyes wide and stared fiercely at her. "I could not be prouder of you if you were my own kit. And StarClan know how many times I've wished that you were my daughter, instead of"-she drew a shallow, grating breath, and Fireheart knew every word stuck thorn-sharp in her throat-"Brokentail."
Fireheart flinched as the old medicine cat revealed her terrible secret: that ShadowClan's brutal leader had been her son, given up at birth because medicine cats were not allowed to have children. Who knew what agonies Yellowfang had endured as she watched her son kill his own father to become leader, and then destroy her Clan with his bloodthirsty ambitions?
And how could Fireheart tell her that she already knew this? That she had understood that the reason she had wanted to give Brokentail sanctuary in her adopted Clan was because she wanted one last changed to take care of the son she had given up? She leaned forward and licked her ears, hoping to soothe her, but she went on.
"I killed him. I poisoned him. I wanted him to die." her rasping admission collapsed into painful coughing.
"Hush. Save your strength," Fireheart urged. She knew this, too. She had watched, as she fed Brokentail the poisonous berries after the traitorous cat helped Tigerclaw's rogues attack ThunderClan. She had witnessed the cruel warrior die at his mother's paws, and she had heard Yellowfang give away her real relationship with the heartless tom. "Let me fetch you some water," she offered.
But Yellowfang shook her head slowly. "Water's no use to me now," she croaked. "I want to tell you everything before I-"
"You're not going to die!" Fireheart gasped. Feeling a shard of ice pierce her heart. "Tell me what I can do to help you."
"Don't waste your time." Yellowfang coughed angrily. "I'm going to die whatever you do, but I'm not afraid. Just listen to me." Fireheart wanted to beg her to be silent, to save her breath so that she could live a few moments longer, but she respected her enough to obey her even now.
"I wish you'd have been the daughter I have always wanted, but I could not have borne a cat like you. StarClan gave me Brokentail to teach me a lesson."
"What did you need to learn?" Fireheart protested. "You are as wise as Bluestar herself."
"I killed my own son."
"He had to be stopped."
"But I was his mother," whispered Yellowfang. "StarClan may judge me how they will. I am read."
Unable to answer, Fireheart dipped her head and began frantically licking her fur, as if her love for this old she-cat were enough to hold her in the forest for a long while longer.
"Fireheart," Yellowfang murmured.
Fireheart paused. "Yes?"
"Thank you for bringing me to ThunderClan. Tell Bluestar I have been grateful for the home she gave me. This is a good place to die. I only regret that I will miss watching you become what StarClan has destined you to be." The old medicine cat's voice broke off, a wizing caught overcoming her.
"P-promise me, Fireheart," Yellowfang hissed through a pain filled suck of air. "That you'd be a better mother to your kits then I have ever been to my own. To watch and love them like I couldn't. I w-wish that you'd have been my daughter and them m-my own kin, to w-watch and g-grow up, M-Mothkit will make a f-fine medicine cat," Yellowfang's rusty purr trailed away, and her flanks heaved with the effort of sucking air into her smoke-scorched lungs.
"Yellowfang," Fireheart pleaded. "Don't die!" Her painful breathing clawed at her heart, and she realized there was nothing she could do. "I promised I will, but please don't be afraid of StarClan. They will understand about Brokentail," she promised wretchedly. "You will be honored by our warrior ancestors for your loyalty to your Clanmates and for your endless courage. So many cats owe their lives to you. You helping me when I broke my tail. ANd when there was greencough, you fought day and night…"
Fireheart could not stop the words from tumbling out even though she knew the old medicine cat's breathing had faded into everlasting silence: Yellowfang was dead.
0o0o0o
I just felt like this was the place to stop you know? That this was a very emotional part of the book that needed to have a suspenseful cliffy! So i hope you enjoyed this! I will also update again soon! So please, enjoy and review! (and wahhhhhhhhhh, poor SkyClan! You know what I'm going to do? I am going to do one for Firestar's quest! Like be a side part of Heart of Fire series! You know?)
