Hello! Love all your reviews! Here is another chapter! I hope to see my own Favorite fanfics update soon! (Yep I am getting antsy with some...Fire alone) anyway if you want a real emotional (uncomplete) warriors fan-fiction that will make you cry (in the fetal position that is!) read:
Warriors: Dreams Of Rain by Lightstar45
Anyway, review!
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With a tender lick, Fireheart closed the medicine cat's eyes for the last time. Then she lowered her head onto her shoulder and felt the warmth fade from her body.
She didn't know how long she laid there, listening to her heart beating alone in the shadowy cavern. She thought for a moment she caught a brush of fur along her side, and a gentle rasp of a tongue lightly licking her ear in what seemed to be departure. Is this her form of goodbye? Fireheart let out a sigh at the thought of Yellowfang leaving to the safety of their warrior ancestors. And the thought of the old medicine cat finally finding peace from her troubled burdens.
"I'll be fine, Fireheart." Yellowfang's tender voice ruffled her ear fur, and Fireheart lifted her head and looked around, wondering if she could catch of glimpse of her for the last time.
"Fireheart?" Graystripe called from the entrance. Fireheart struggled to sit up. "I've buried Patchpelt and Halftail," the gray warrior meowed.
"Yellowfang's dead," Fireheart whispered. Her hollow mew echoed off the stone walls. "She was alive when I found her, but she died."
"Did she say anything?"
Fireheart closed her eyes. She would never share Yellowfang's tragic secret with any cat, not even her old friend. "Just that...she was thankful Bluestar let her live in ThunderClan."
Graystripe padded into the cave and bent his head to lick the old medicine cat's cheek. "When I left, I never thought I wouldn't speak to her again," he murmured, his voice thick with sorrow. "Shall we bury her?"
"No," Fireheart meowed firmly, her mind suddenly clear. Yellowfang's departing words echoed in her mind: I'll be fine, Fireheart. And Fireheart was sure she would be. "She was a warrior as well as a medicine cat. She will have her vigil and we can bury her at dawn."
"But we must get back to RiverClan camp and tell the others what has happened," Graystripe reminded her.
"Then I'll come back tonight and sit vigil with her," Fireheart promised. With a glance back at Yellowfang, Fireheart followed after her old friend out of the ruined ThunderClan camp.
The two friends trekked back through the devastated forest in silence. The gray afternoon light was fading by the time they padded into the RiverClan camp. Groups of cats lay at the edge of the clearing, sharing tongues after their evening meal. The ThunderClan cats crouched in an isolated huddle at one side. Fireheart spied her kits playing with Thornpaw and Cloudpaw, Brightpaw was looking on encouraging the kits.
As soon as Fireheart and Graystripe we're spotted by the ThunderClan cats, Spottedleaf instantly rose to her paws, clearly wanting to know what happened to her denmate. But Blustar rose too from where she lay beside Whitestorm. She brushed past Spottedleaf and reached the returning warriors first, her eyes filled with desperate hope. "Did you find Yellowfang and Halftail?"
Fireheart saw Spottedleaf hanging back, waiting patiently but a flicker of anxiousness was there in her amber depths. "They're both dead," she told them. Fresh pain filled her heart when she saw Spottedleaf's sorrow filled eyes. The dark tortoiseshell she-cat hung her head in despair at yet another Clanmate gone. Fireheart wanted to go to her but Bluestar stood in her way. The ThunderClan leader's blue eyes showed no pain. Instead they grew hard and cold, and a shiver ran down Fireheart's spine.
"You told me Fire would save the Clan!" Bluestar snapped over her shoulder at Spottedleaf, who didn't react to her leader's harsh words. "But it had destroyed us."
"No, it's not Spottedleaf's fault," Fireheart began, but she could not find anything else to say. To Fireheart's relief, Cinderpelt hurried forward to press reassuringly to Spottedleaf's side in a show of comfort. Fireheart looked back at Bluestar, her heart sinking at her leader's stony expression.
"ThunderClan will return home tonight," she decided in a voice like ice.
"But the woods are empty. The camp is ruined!" protested Graystripe.
"It doesn't matter. We are strangers here. We should be back in our own territory," spat Bluestar.
"Then I'll escort you," Graystripe offered.
Fireheart glanced at her friend and suddenly understood the longing in his eyes. Graystripe wanted to go home. The realization flooded Fireheart's mind like a shooting star illuminating the night sky. Fireheart looked expectantly at Bluestar. Surely she could see Graystripe's desire to return to ThunderClan?
"Why would we need an escort?" demanded Bluestar, her eyes narrowing.
"Well, perhaps I could help you rebuild the camp," Graystripe suggested uncertainly. "Maybe stay for a while…" He faltered as Bluestar's eyes flashed angrily.
"Are you trying to say that you want to come back to ThunderClan?" she spat. "Well, you can't!" Fireheart stared at her in stunned silence. "You chose to be loyal to your kits rather than your Clan," the leader snarled. "Now you must live with your decision."
Graystripe flinched. Fireheart gazed at the old leader in disbelief as she turned and called to her Clan, "Get ready to leave. We are returning home!" The ThunderClan cats leaped to their paws at once, but Fireheart felt nothing but disappointment and anger as she watched Bluestar gather her Clan around her.
The leader's gaze was fixed on a point beyond the cats at the edge of the clearing. Mistyfoot and Stonefur stood there, watching the ThunderClan cats. Fireheart saw sorrow pass through Bluestar's eyes as she stared at her grown kits. Bluestar knew better than any cat what it was like to be torn between Clan and kin. She had once chosen to be loyal to her Clan rather than her kits, and it had caused her more pain than she would have wished on an enemy.
WIth a flash of insight as a mother and the knowledge of what she knew, Fireheart thought she understood her reaction to Graystripe's request. It was not the gray warrior she was angry at, but herself. She still regretted leaving her kits all those years ago. Part of her was trying to make sure that Graystripe didn't make the same mistake. The ThunderClan cats circled impatiently in the growing darkness, and Bluestar padded toward Crookedstar.
Fireheart turned and licked Graystripe's shoulder. "Bluestar has her reasons for saying those things," she murmured. "She's suffering at the moment, but she'll recover. And maybe then you can come home."
Graystripe lifted his eyes and stared hopefully at Fireheart. "You think so?"
"Yes," answered Fireheart, praying to StarClan that it was true. Fireheart scurried over to her kits, who were being corralled by Thornpaw and Swifttail, both Brightpaw and Cloudpaw stood by. Fireheart was close enough to hear the ThunderClan leader thank Crookedstar formally for RiverClan's generosity. Leopardfur stood beside them, gazing coolly at the ThunderClan leader. Fireheart hoped that Bluestar would be diplomatic in their farewells.
"ThunderClan is in your debt," Bluestar meowed, dipping her head.
Fireheart saw Leopardfur narrow her eyes at Bluestar's words, her emerald eyes glittering. Her paws prickled warily. What payment would RiverClan demand for this kindness? She wondered. She knew Leopardfur well enough to suspect that she would ask for something in return. Fireheart helped usher her kits forward, picking up a tired looking Tawnykit as she watched Bluestar stalk to the head of her Clan and led them out of the RiverClan camp. Fireheart glanced backward and saw Graystripe standing alone in the shadows, his eyes filled with pain as he watched his former Clanmates walk away.
"Are we going home now?" Hawkkit asked, trotting alongside his mother who nodded. Although she wasn't sure how much her energestic kits would feel once they reached the ruin camp.
Fireheart sighed inwardly as Smallear hesitated again at the edge of the river. It was swollen from the rain, but Darkstripe and Whitestorm, who had carried Bramblekit and Squirrelkit across with them, were waiting in the shallows at the other side. Dustpelt swam beside Fernpaw as the apprentice struggled to keep her little gray head above water, how she had crossed with Hawkkit when they were first fleeing the forest. Cinderpelt had crossed with Spottedleaf. The dark gray warrior had not left the medicine cat's side since Fireheart had returned with the news about Yellowfang, and thought she didn't show it. Spottedleaf was thankful to share with someone her grief, each had taken Mothkit and Hawkkit.
"Hurry up!" ordered Bluestar, snapping impatiently at Smallear. The gray tom glanced over his shoulder in surprise at her harsh tone, and then hurled himself into the dark water. Fireheart tensed her muscles, ready to spring to the rescue, but there was no need. Longtail and Mousefur appeared on either side of the frantically splashing elder, buoying him up with their strong shoulders.
Bluestar leaped into the river and swam easily to the other side, all frailty gone from her body as if fire had purged the weakness from her and burned her strong again. Fireheart slipped into the water after her, Tawnykit firmly in her jaws. Glancing over her shoulder as Swifttail and Thornpaw swam side by side, holding Spottedkit and Leafkit. The clouds above the trees were beginning to thin, and she felt a chill through her wet fur from the fresher wind as she waded from the river. Placing Tawnykit down beside the rest of her kits to help take the kits that Thornpaw and Swifttail carried, but each cat just waved her off. Shaking out there pelts and carried Spottedkit and Leafkit in a slow pace with her mother, who nudge the rest of her kits onward with gentle probs. While the rest of the Clan paused on the shore and stared in silent horror at the forest. Even in the faint moonlight, the devastation was obvious, the trees stripped bare, the musty fragrances of the leaves and ferns replaced by the bitter stench of burned wood and scorched earth.
Bluestar seemed to blind to it all. She strode past the other cats without pausing and headed up the slope toward Sunningrocks and the trail home, even passing Fireheart's slow moving group. Her Clan could do nothing but follow.
"It's like being somewhere else," whispered Sandstorm who had padded up to join them. Fireheart nodded in agreement.
"We'll have a lot of work to do," Brackenfur added, coming to walk beside Sandstorm as he gazed around at the ruined forest.
"No kidding," Swifttail mumbled around a mouthful of Spottedkit's fur. But it came out tired and worn.
The ravine lay like an open wound in the landscape. Sandstorm stopped and peered over the edge, and Fireheart could see her trembling. She was shivering too, even though her fur had already dried from the river crossing. But Sandstorm had Brackenfur to press against. The Clan filed slowly down the steep slope and followed Bluestar into the cmap. Inside the claring the cats gazed silently around the stripped, blackened space that had once been their home.
"Take me to Yellowfang's body!" Bluestar meowed sharply at Fireheart, cracking the silence. Fireheart quickly passed Tawnykit to Goldenflower, her fur bristling. This wasn't the weak shell of a leader she had struggled to protect in recent moons; but nor was it the wise and gentle leader who had welcomed her to the Clan and been her mentor. She began to pad toward Yellowfang's den, and Bluestar followed. Fireheart glanced over her shoulder and saw Spottedleaf walking calmly behind the ThunderClan leader.
"She's in her den," she meowed, standing at the entrance. Bluestar slipped into the shadows inside the rock. Spottedleaf sat down and waited.
"Aren't you going in?" Fireheart asked, watching her friend as she sighed.
"I'll grieve later," Spottedleaf replied, looking frazzled. "The Clan and Bluestar needs me to be strong at the moment." Surprised at the composure in Spottedleaf's voice, Fireheart looked into her eyes. The normally warm amber were unnaturally bright with sadness and grief, but seemed calm as she blinked gently at Fireheart. She returned the gesture, grateful for her strength of spirit in the middle of such endless tragedy.
A chilling wail echoed from Yellowfang's den. Bluestar staggered out, twisting her head wildly and flaring around at the blackened trees. "How could StarClan do this? Have they no pity?" she spat. "I will never go to the Moonstone again! From now on, my dreams are my own. StarClan has declared war on my Clan, and I shall never forgive them."
Fireheart stared at her leader, frozen in horror. She noticed Spottedleaf padded quietly into the medicine cat's den and wondered if she'd gone to grieve for her old friend, but she reappeared a moment later holding something in her jaws, which she dropped beside Bluestar.
"Eat these, Bluestar," she meowed quietly. "They will ease your pain."
"Is she injured?" asked Fireheart, worry creeping into her voice.
Spottedleaf glanced at her, her voice turning soothing and quiet. "In a way. But her injuries cannot be seen." she blinked. "These poppy seeds will calm her and give her mind time to heal." she turned her attention to Bluestar and whispered again. "Eat them, please."
"Why should I believe you?" Bluestar demanded, clearly untrusting. Fireheart's pelt began to bristle, was Bluestar still on about Spottedleaf's omen? But before she could say anything in Spottedleaf's defense. Bluestar bent her head and licked up the small black seeds.
"Come," Spottedleaf meowed gently, and led the ThunderClan leader away. Fireheart watched them go, and hoped for the best for both Spottedleaf and her leader.
She padded into the den and grasped Yellowfang's crumpled smoke-stained body by its scruff. She heaved it into the moonlit clearing and arranged it so that Yellowfang rested with the same dignity with which she had lived. When she had finished she bent down to give her old friend one final lick. "You shall sleep beneath the stars for the last time tonight," she whispered, and settled down beside her to sit in vigil as she had promised.
Spottedleaf joined her as the three-quarter moon began to slide away and the horizon glowed cream and pink above the blackened treetops. Fireheart stood and stretched her tired legs. She gazed around the devastated clearing. "Don't grieve to much for the forest," murmured the dark tortoiseshell she-cat beside her. "It will grow back quickly, stronger because of the injuries it has suffered, like a broken bone that heals twice as well. Things will turn out alright." Fireheart let her words soothe her aching mind. She dipped her head gratefully to her and went to find the rest of her Clan.
Mousefur was sitting guard outside Bluestar's den.
"Spottedleaf ordered it," Whitestorm explained, padding out of the shadows. The warrior's pelt was still stained with smoke and his eyes were red-rimmed from the fire and exhaustion. "She said Bluestar was sick, and needed to be watched over."
"Good," Fireheart meowed. "How are the rest of the Clan?"
"Most of them slept a little, once they'd found places dry enough to lie down." Whitestorm replied, and Fireheart felt a jolt of guilt that she didn't find a place for her kits to sleep before she sat vigil for Yellowfang.
"We should send out a dawn patrol," Fireheart meowed outloud. "We wouldn't want to be caught off guard."
"Who will you send?" asked Whitestorm.
"Darkstripe seems the fittest of the warriors, but we'll need his strength to start rebuilding the camp." Even as she spoke, Fireheart knew she wasn't telling the whole truth. She wanted to keep the dark striped tabby warrior where she could see him. "I'd like you to stay here as well, if that's okay?" Whitestorm dipped his head in agreement as Fireheart continued. "We need to tell the other cats what's happening."
"Bluestar is sleeping. Do you think we should disturb her?" A worried frown crossed Whitestorm's face as he spoke.
Fireheart shook her head. "No. We'll let her rest. I'll speak to the Clan." She bounded onto the Highrock in a single leap and called the familiar summons. Below her, the Clan cats padded drowsily from the wreckage of their dens, their tails and ears flicking in surprise when they saw Fireheart waiting where their leader usually stood to address them.
"We must rebuild the camp," she began once they had settled in front of her. "I know it looks a mess now, but it is the height of greenleaf. The forest will grow back quickly, stronger because of the injuries it has suffered." She blinked as she repeated most of what Spottedleaf had said to Fireheart.
"Why isn't Bluestar telling us this?" Fireheart stiffened as Darkstripe challenged her from the back of the group.
"Bluestar is exhausted," Fireheart told him. "Spottedleaf has given her poppy seeds so that she can rest and recover." Anxious murmurs rippled through the cats below. "The more she rests, the quicker she'll recover," Fireheart reassured them. "Just like the forest."
"The forest is empty," fretted Brindleface. "The prey has run away or died in the fire. WHat will we eat?" She glanced anxious at Ashpaw and Fernpaw, her face shadowed with a mother's concern even though her kits had left the nursery.
Fireheart glanced briefly at her own kits, who sat with Goldenflower below gazing at their mother in awe. But Hawkkit's eyes were the biggest out of all of her kits as he stared at her with pride.
"They prey will return," Fireheart assured, turning back to address the Clan. "We must hunt as usual, and if we need to go a little farther to find fresh-kill, then we will." Murmurs of agreement rose from the clearing, and Fireheart began to feel a surge of confidence.
"Longtail, Mousefur, Thornpaw, and Dustpelt-you'll take the dawn patrol." the four cats looked up at Fireheart and nodded, unquestioning. "Swiftail, you can replace Mousefur on guard duty and make sure Bluestar is not disturbed. The rest of us will start work on the camp. Whitestorm will organize parties to gather materials. Darkstripe, you can supervise the rebuilding of the camp wall."
"And how am I supposed to do that?" demanded Darkstripe. "The ferns are all burned away."
"Use whatever you can," answered Fireheart. "But make sure it is strong. We mustn't forget the threats from WindClan and ShadowClan, and the rogues. We must stay alert. All kits must remain in camp. Apprentice's will travel only with warriors." Fireheart gazed down on the silent Clan. "Are we agreed?"
Loud mews rose from the crowd. "We are!" they called.
"Right," Fireheart meowed. "Let's start work!" the cats began to move away from the Highrock, weaving among one another swiftly to gather around Whitestorm and Darkstripe for their instructions. Fireheart jumped down from the Highrock and padded softly over toward Sandstorm. "We need to organize a burial party for Yellowfang."
"You didn't mention her death," Sandstorm pointed out, her green eyes puzzled.
"Or Halftail's!" Fireheart glanced down as Cloudpaw, Sandstorm's apprentice and Fireheart's young nephew, mew sounded beside her. The young apprentice sounded reproachful.
"The Clan knows they are dead," Fireheart told them, feeling her fur prickle uncomfortably. "It is for Bluestar to honor them with the proper words. She can do it when she's better."
"And what if she doesn't recover?" ventured Sandstorm.
"She will," Fireheart said strongly, but her voice seemed to break and Sandstorm seemed unconvinced. But it made Fireheart start thinking, Sandstorm voiced the fears of all the Clan. If Bluestar had really turned her back on the rituals of StarClan, Yellowfang and Halftail would never hear the proper words to send them on their journey to Silverpelt. Fireheart felt her dwindling confidence slide away. What if they couldn't find enough fresh-kill to feed the Clan? What if one of the Clans took this opportunity to attack? And what will Fireheart do if Tigerclaw came back again? "If Bluestar dosen't get better, I don't know what will happen," she murmured.
Fire flashed in Sandstorm's eyes. "Bluestar made you her deputy. She'd expect you to know what to do!"
"I'm trying ok?" Fireheart snapped, making Sandstorm look startled. "Sorry," Fireheart huffed, her thoughts frazzled at how unfair she sounded. "It's just a lot to do right now." Sandstorm stared at Fireheart a moment, sizing the flame-colored she-cat up a moment before nodding her head to herself.
"Me and Cloudpaw can organize a burial for Yellowfang," Sandstorm mewed casually. "And then Cloudpaw can help with repairs around the wall. And I could help with hunting afterwards, if that's alright?" Fireheart blinked gratefully at the orange she-cat's offer and nodded with a relieved look on her face.
"Thank you," Fireheart meowed, flicking her tail as she departed across the clearing. But it left a frightening question that she couldn't begin to think what it might mean.
What if Bluestar never recovered?
Fireheart shook away the thought, right now the Clan needed her to be strong and active. Fireheart padded over to where Goldenflower had her kits, Willowpelt and Speckletail also laid beside them, their kits protectively by their sides as they kept vigil for signs of danger.
"We need to get the nursery set up first, to keep the kits safe and a place to sleep," Fireheart announced, her eyes scanning the clearing. "Frostfur, Brindleface!" Fireheart called out to the two she-cats, who stood waiting at the side of the clearing for their orders from Whitestorm, but as their deputy called to them they padded over, their eyes brimming with curiosity. "Would you mind helping find something for the the queens to sleep on? The kits need a nest to sleep in, it's not good to have young kits out in the open."
"Of course," Brindleface meowed at once, Frostfur nodding her head in assistance.
"Good, Willowpelt, Speckletail and Goldenflower can help supervise the construction of the nursery. I'll come along and help bring the moss." Fireheart rose to her paws, Brindleface and Frostfur following just behind. Fireheart stopped briefly to tell Whitestorm where she was going, and the senior warrior nodded as he saw the three she-cats off.
"We could try finding bracken and moss near the ShadowClan border," Frostfur suggested, her frost blue eyes seemed calculating.
"I don't think the fire had reached that far," Brindleface added, nodding along to Frostfur's words.
"It wouldn't hurt to check." Fireheart mewed, although she had mixed feelings of going to the ShadowClan border, she did not protest to the two former queens satisfied tones. Surprisingly, the fire here wasn't too severe and they managed to scrape off moss from some of the trees that were still standing unharmed from the blaze. When they collected a good amount of moss and dry grass, they took trips carrying them back and forth even collecting some for the warriors as well. One the third trip back, Brindleface and Frostfur had gone on ahead, but Fireheart hesitated, a smell lingered in the air, so shallow was the smell that she almost missed it underneath the stink of the Thunderpath.
Fireheart sat down her bundle of moss and grass and sniffed deeply, although the air stank of the Thunderpath, so did the scent of squirrel. Her mouth watered at the thought of a juicey squirrel for the non-existing pile of fresh-kill.
Stalking along through the trees, she lowered herself as she spotted a squirrel, a surprisingly plump one. Sitting idly on a root of a tree next to the Thunderpath, it seemed unaware of Fireheart's presence and Fireheart couldn't help feel excited as if this was her first hunt. Wouldn't Willowpelt enjoy a plump squirrel? Dropping into the hunter's crouch Fireheart stalked forward, her eyes trained on the squirrel and the squirrel solely.
With her ready to spring a slide of a snapped branch startled the squirrel, Fireheart's brimmed with shock as the squirrel began to flee, without hesitation Fireheart lunged forward but the squirrel was already racing away. Fireheart dashed forward, her eyes narrowed on the squirrel as she refused to let it get away. The chase seemed to take on forever in Fireheart's opinion, but it couldn't have been a few heartbeats before she had the squirrel between her paws and snapped its neck.
Standing up proudly to admire her catch she looked up to notice the scent of pine, startled she glanced around her. Tall pine trees were scattered around along with the mashy watered down ground below her feet and that clung to the squirrel, the scent hung heavily with one smell. ShadowClan.
Fireheart's fur stood on end as she realized, in her haste to catch the squirrel, she must have crossed the Thunderpath without realizing it. She could hardly see the Thunderpath, although she could still smell it somewhere nearby. With a shunder of fear Fireheart thought it best to leave, she stared down at the squirrel, wondering if she could bring it with her. It was originally on ThunderClan territory but ran into ShadowClan where she killed it, did that make it ShadowClan's? But if she left it, it would surely rot which was against the warrior code not to waste fresh-kill. But if she left it and a ShadowClan patrol found it, it would give them a reason to attack ThunderClan! With her busy with her thoughts, Fireheart didn't notice the soft plops of an approaching cat until they were hardly a mouse-length away.
"You realize that you're on ShadowClan territory?" meowed a deep rumbling voice. One that made Fireheart jump in fright. The flame-colored she-cat turned around quickly, an apology and an explanation on the tip of her tongue that quickly died away when she stared into the amused amber eyes of Tigerclaw.
Fireheart openly gawked, Fireheart never thought she would run into massive tabby so soon after the fire. Tigerclaw now stood before her, slowly circling her as his paws slide with ease through the marshlands, his tail flickering back and forth and he looked, pleased, as his eyes roamed over Fireheart. She in return eyed him. Since she had no time to scanne Tigerclaw over during the fire, she took the moment to see with surprise that he had filled out more. Gaining weight under hard muscles, along with his pelt looking more tamed and well groomed then Fireheart's, as if he hadn't been in the fire in the first place. But then again, he was a rogue and had plenty of time to do such things while Fireheart had more duties than any other cat in all of ThunderClan.
"And you caught a squirrel, I thought ThunderClan would be more honorable and more respectable to the warrior code." although his voice was teasing, and his eyes were relaxed Fireheart couldn't help but that that as an insult.
"We are honorable, unlike some cats I could mention!" Fireheart spat back, her eyes blazing with age old anger. Tigerclaw glanced away briefly, but kept up his circling, making Fireheart turn her head like an owl to keep him in her sight.
"What are you doing all the way in ShadowClan territory?" he asked, coming to stand directly in front of Fireheart, only a mouse-tail away. But it was close enough for her to feel the hot breath on her muzzle.
"If you must know," Fireheart began, keeping her tone indifferent. "I chased this squirrel from ThunderClan territory and didn't realize I crossed the ShadowClan border."
"I'm surprised you didn't get hit by a monster," Tigerclaw meowed, his whiskers twitching in slight amusement, although there was an undertone of distaste as well.
Me either, Fireheart thought. "But I didn't!" she pointed out stubbornly, her eyes flashing in defense.
"No, you didn't." Tigerclaw meowed, they stayed like that. Just watching each other, waiting for possibly the other to say something, to do something but both unsure of just what.
"How are the kits?" Tigerclaw meowed finally, his eyes filled with concern. "How is Bramblekit? Was he alright? And Spottedkit, Squirrelkit, Hawkkit, Mothkit, Leafkit and Tawnykit? Are they alright as well?" Fireheart felt startled for a moment, taken aback by Tigerclaw's concern for their kits. Did he still care about them? And if he did, why did he put them in harm's way when he brought those rogues into camp!
"Their fine," Fireheart assured quietly, even if Tigerclaw had done horrible things in the past, he still has a right to know that his kits are safe.
"That's good," Tigerclaw breathed, looking relieved as he seemed to relax from a burden that seemed to have weighed him down till now. "And what about you?"
"I'm fine," Fireheart replied, her paws shifting with uncertainty. "What about you though? Were you hurt in the fire?"
"No, I got away before it could do serious harm to me." Tigerclaw assured, looking pleased that Fireheart had asked.
"That's good," Fireheart meowed softly, gazing at Tigerclaw with relief in her jade green eyes. "But what are you doing on ShadowClan territory?" she asked in puzzlement, watching as his eyes glinted with a spark of triumph and also mischief.
"Can't really be on ThunderClan territory, now can I?"
"Well, no, but ShadowClan?" Fireheart stuttered, her fur heating up under his teasing.
"It's not so bad," Tigerclaw meowed, his massive head swinging around at the pine forest around them. "Once you get used to the terran and the land."
"You seem to have become a ShadowClan cat yourself," Fireheart replied with a bit of teasing of her own, it was frightening how they could easily fall into a pleasant conversation with each other.
"You could say that." Tigerclaw replied, the glint still there.
"But seriously," Fireheart's face turned more concern than anything. "What if a ShadowClan patrol catches you here?" the question seemed to amuse Tigerclaw, if the snort of laughter was anything to go by.
"They won't," he replied, his amber eyes smoldering with fire.
"And how can you be so sure of that?" Fireheart asked suspiciously, eyes narrowing in confusion.
"I'm very sure," Tigerclaw replied, tail flickering with dismissal. "How is Hawkkit? Has he master the hunting crouch? What about Bramblekit? Has he begun to show interest in fighting? How has Leafkit been, still hanging around Thornpaw i'm sure! Is Spottedkit still hiding in the nursery or in Mothkit's pelt? What about Mothkit, has she decided to become a medicine cats apprentice? Has Squirrelkit been into any more trouble? What about Tawnykit? Has she climbed a tree yet like she wanted too?"
"Yes, Hawkkit is learning the hunter's crouch, Bramblekit is still a kit and likes to play wrestle right now. Yes Leafkit is fine, No, Spottedkit is as brave as ever. Mothkit has decided to become a medicine cat now that Yellowfang is dead. Squirrelkit is always in some sort of trouble and no Tawnykit has not yet climbed a tree. And what about Leafkit and Thornpaw now?" Fireheart managed to answer his questions, her eyes scrunched up as to why he would add in Leafkit and Thornpaw's friendship.
"Leafkit and Thornpaw?" Tigerclaw seemed to stare at Fireheart in amusement, as she tilted her head in confusion. "Nothing at all." But before Fireheart could ask for him to explain himself, he carried on. "Yellowfang is dead?"
Fireheart nodded sadly, her ears drooping at the death of the old medicine cat. "I was there when she died, Patchpelt and Halftail died too…" Tigerclaw blinked in sympathy, more so for Fireheart then the actual dead cats.
"Their in StarClan," He assured, his head resting on top of Fireheart's and she could scent his pine filled odor, along with the lingering traces of other cats.
"Of course they are." Fireheart murmured, allowing this one moment of peace to pretend that things were back the way things were. If just for a moment. "I should leave," Fireheart meowed after a moment, her eyes opening to stare up at Tigerclaw who looked torn for a moment, before settling on begrudging acceptance.
"Take the squirrel with you, you caught it after all." Tigerclaw mewed, leaving out the undertone that Fireheart picked up anyway. He knew that ThunderClan would need the prey, and was letting her have it instead of taking it himself. As he began showing her the way to the Thunderpath, they fell into a quiet peaceful walk, it ended however at the sight of the Thunderpath.
"This is where I leave you," Tigerclaw meowed, just as he had during the fire. Fireheart flickered her tail in goodbye, her eyes sad as she hurried across the Thunderpath without stopping. Putting the Thunderpath between them. As she headed back to the burnt forest, she heard Tigerclaw call out to her. "I hope we can meet again!" but Fireheart didn't turn back to show how much those words had hurt her, because she knew she couldn't see him again.
When she arrived into camp with the squirrel clamped firmly in her jaws, it was to the sight of her panicked Clanmates. Startled, Fireheart dropped the squirrel at the edge of the clearing and quickly ran up to the first cat she saw, it was Brackenfur.
"What's going on?" Fireheart demanded, the normally calm golden-brown tabby tom looked worried and his fur was spiked up with concern.
"It's Brindleface," he began, making Fireheart's own fur stand on ends as Brackenfur continued. "When she was coming back with Frostfur, they went through Snakerocks, and an adder bit her. She's with Spottedleaf now but…" Brackenfur trailed off, he didn't have to say anything. There was no cure for an adder bit.
"I should go check on Frostfur," Fireheart murmured, going to find beautiful white she-cat. She found out she was stationed by Brindleface's side. Refusing to talk to anyone around her, Fireheart slipped in to see her crouched over Brindleface who was crunched over in pain like a kit. Frostfur laid next to her, soothingly licking her pelt and murmuring soft words into her ear. Spottedleaf was there was well, forcing Brindleface to eat poppy seeds, her face defeated.
"There's nothing I can do," Spottedleaf whispered as she saw Fireheart, who came to press against Spottedleaf's side. "I feel so useless, all I can do is try-try to ease the pain."
"It's not your fault," Fireheart reassured, nudging Spottedleaf's shoulder gently.
"But it feels like it." Spottedleaf sighed, her eyes glazing over in pain. It wasn't long before Ashpaw, Fernpaw and Cloudpaw came to join in on the grief of their mother and foster mother's pain. Fireheart couldn't stand the sight of such heartbreak and left the medicine clearing to sit with grief at the edge of the clearing.
That night, ThunderClan lost a mother, a warrior, and a loyal Clanmate.
0o0o0o
Okay, I know, short but full of feels right? Don't worry about two more chapters till...a dangerous path! And you do remember the last chapter right? With Fireheart's dream? Well, that's kind of important! Also review and favorite and all that! (Truth be told this was supposed to be longer, but you know! I just feel like an update! Cause I feel like it!)
Also a few facts!
Yes, Tigerclaw will have his own pov, mark my words!
Yes, Tigerclaw is still on the path that he set for himself at the end of 'Forest of Secrets'
Yes, Leafkit is totally crushing on Thornpaw and vice versa, I mean look Thornpaw is more mature, easy going and patient, Leafkit is sweet, kind and caring and is more compatible with Thornpaw, they just fit!
Yes, Mothkit is destined to be a medicine cat, and the influence on being Clan born will play a part in her belief in StarClan! And also Spottedleaf! Majorly Spottedleaf!
Hawkkit stays good! And he is totally a mama's boy!
Swiftpaw deserves his warrior name, that's why I gave him one!
I gave Swiftpaw the name Swifttail after his mentor, Longtail!
Will Fireheart see Tigerclaw again? Don't they always run into each other eventually? XD
Brindleface's death was to make a few points later in the series that will lead into a much bigger plot twist!
Yes, I blame Fireheart for her foolishness and big heart for what's to come!
I hate Sasha! (So she won't be in this...at all!)
And I hate Millie! (This will be expressed later in the second series and will be a main reason with what I have in mind for what actions I will take!)
And I hate Darktail (Okay that is an unrelated thing but still! You just have to hate that guy!)
Anyway review!
