Is this the best idea? Bluestar thought doubtfully. Maybe I should have left Tigerclaw back at camp, or I stay behind.
She shook her doubt away, which had started building up in her mind like a squirrel building up a stash of acorns. Bluestar suddenly wondered if Fireheart knew Nutmeg on a personal level. I'll have to ask him when I get the chance.
"How much farther?" Cinderpaw asked.
"Cinderpaw," Fireheart meowed sharply. "Hush."
"It's alright," Bluestar meowed. "Not too much farther, though. About half a day of traveling left and then we'll be there."
The apprentice groaned. "My paws are about to fall off?" she complained.
"Cinderpaw!" snapped Fireheart. "Stop complaining."
Bluestar glanced over her shoulder to see Graystripe butt Fireheart with his flank. The gray tom gave his friend a concerned look through amber eyes. She fell back to walk beside the two toms.
"Bluestar," Graystripe meowed quietly enough for only her to hear. "I want to talk to you."
Bluestar nodded her head Then her and Graystripe fell back. "Tigerclaw," Bluestar called to him. "Keep going forward."
She turned her blue gaze to Graystripe. "Well?" she prompted.
Graystripe drew in a deep breath before speaking. "It's Fireheart," he emwed.
"what about him?" Bluestar's voice softened. She knew what was coming.
"I'm worried he's hiding something he shouldn't be," Graystripe told her. "The past moon or so he's been acting like this, and I don't know why. I've talked to Cinderpaw, but she knows about as much as I do."
"I have noticed a change in..." Bluestar's voice trailed off as she searched for the right word. "Temper," she finished.
Graystripe's voice suddenly grew very quiet, so Bluestar had to lean in closer to him to hear what he was saying. "I- I know I probably won't be able to stay in ThunderClan, but . . ."
"What do you mean?" Bluestar asked. "Why would you not be able to stay in ThunderClan?"
"Do you know Silverstream of RiverClan?" he asked her. She nodded her head, wondering what Crookedstar's daughter had to do with anything.
"Well, I think she's why Fireheart's acting like he is," the gray warrior meowed. "I- I fell in love with her and I think my distraction is irritating him."
Bluestar thought for a moment. "You could be right," she agreed. "But I'm not going to send you away from the Clan for falling in love. You're a strong and loyal warrior. It would be unwise to exile you for something as simply as love."
Graystripe dipped his head to Bluestar gratefully. "Go on," she urged. "Brackenpaw's looking at you like he has something to tell you about."
The fluffy gray warrior dipped his head again, then padded up to walk beside Fireheart with Brackenpaw telling him something.
Graystripe fell in love with Croookedstar's daughter, Silverstream of RiverClan, Bluestar recalled. I wonder if Graystripe is 100% right about that being the reason Fireheart's is acting the way he is.
Bluestar hesitated for a split second as a thought struck her.
Wait-