Part 3!!! (Hopefully I can finish this soon!!! It was supposed to be a one-shot!!!!) I hope that you enjoy it!!!
Please review and tell me what you think? Yes, Tigerclaw's pov is next!!!
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Fireheart didn't know how to feel about being surrounded by a ShadowClan patrol as they led her and her kits towards the heart of their Clan's territory. Usually she would be suspicious of their actions, and she was, but it was hard to focus on the ShadowClan cats as most of her attention was on her kits. They were curious and energetic, and greatly fascinated by the ShadowClan patrol. It was taking everything she had to rein them in, and prevent them from running off at the first possible opportunity. It seemed the ShadowClan patrol were enjoying watching their shenanigans as they kept sending each other amused looks.
Fireheart's kits were kicking up pine needles and hopping through, thankfully, shallow puddle's. Their energy and excitement knew no bounds in this strange new territory, alongside unfamiliar cats that were taking them somewhere unknown to them. Fireheart's kits were relying solely on their mother for guidance, and Fireheart was relying on the kindness of these ShadowClan warriors to help aid Fireheart and her kits.
So far the only one to truly know who Fireheart and her kits were, was Boulder. And said gray tom was at the head of the traveling patrol, the ShadowClan warrior had found Fireheart and her kits and offered them refuge in ShadowClan. Boulder had been shocked and appalled when Fireheart had reluctantly told him about her and her kits embarrassing ordeal at having to leave ThunderClan and live their lives fending for themselves without the companionship and protection of a Clan.
Boulder hadn't questioned them further, the resolve and reassurance that came from the ShadowClan warrior let Fireheart rest at ease for the time being as Boulder had left to gather a patrol consisting of Wetfoot, Flintfang and Deerfoot to safely escort Fireheart and her army of kits back to ShadowClan's camp so that she may speak to Nightstar.
Fireheart would be lying if she said she wasn't nervous to speak with the ShadowClan leader. The last time she had seen the elderly black tom was when ShadowClan and WindClan had united to attack ThunderClan over sheltering the evil previous ShadowClan leader, Brokentail. They hadn't left on good terms and Fireheart worried that she and her kits would just be driven off again. Boulder had assured the worried nursing queen that he would speak on her behalf.
Fireheart had taken her eyes off Bramblekit for only a moment, having to break-up Hawkkit and Squirrelkit little quarrel over a pine cone, when Bramblekit playfully barreled into his much smaller sibling, Leafkit and sent her flying into Flintfang.
The thick gray furred warrior let out a soft oomph as Leafkit knocked into him. Fireheart's tabby she-kit daughter let out a squeal as it happened and drew her mother's attention. Fireheart was instantly at her daughter's side, apologizing to the senior ShadowClan warrior while picking up Leafkit and simultaneously scolding Bramblekit. But Flintfang simply waved her off, his eyes blinking friendly as he looked down upon Fireheart's kits.
"It's alright." Flintfang meowed, sounding as though he meant it. "Kits will be kits."
"And we'll be having to get used to having a lot of kits now that you'll be staying with us." Wetfoot, a gray tabby tom, spoke up from the rear of the patrol.
It seemed that these ShadowClan cats were more amused than upset. Though Fireheart worried about them being too lax with the situation of bringing in stranger's. To Fireheart this was one of the most serious decisions in her life, third only to joining ThunderClan and becoming mates with Tigerclaw.
As if sensing Fireheart's rising anxiety Deerfoot, who apparently was the brother of ShadowClan's medicine cat Runningnose, tried to get Fireheart to calm down, "You aren't the only strays that we have brought in recently." That seemed to peak Fireheart's interest. And before Fireheart could comment, Boulder was calling back to the rest of the patrol.
"The camp is just up ahead!"
Quickly Fireheart drew her kits together, forcing them to walk closely at her side as they came to the outskirts of a familiar small hollow surrounded by thick undergrowth, Flintfang helpfully pointed out the entrance to the ShadowClan camp. The tangled mass of brambles looked very different from the neat gorse tunnel that led into the ThunderClan camp. Way back when Fireheart had still been an apprentice, the flame-colored had helped ShadowClan drive out Brokentail and his rogue's and liberated ShadowClan from oppression. Back then the camp boundary was full of holes and gaps and the stench of rotting meat wafted through the air. But that wasn't the case now as Boulder led Fireheart and her kits through the thorn tunnel entrance. The rest of the ShadowClan patrol flanking Fireheart's side and rear.
The camp was a hollow with muddy ground surrounded by brambles. And when the ShadowClan patrol appeared with Fireheart and her gaggle of kits all the attention in the clearing shifted their way. Fireheart with a feeling of dread realized they were met with mixed responses. Most were met mostly with curiosity about why Fireheart and her kits were here in their camp, while the rest looked on with uneasy glances and even some suspicion.
The ShadowClan patrol that had escorted the former ThunderClan cats to their camp didn't pay their Clanmates any mind. Instead they ushered Fireheart and her kits aside to a dry area of their camp amongst toadstools that her kits seemed to enjoy crushing with their paws. The flame-colored she-cat was then told to wait as they went to see Nightstar. Though as Fireheart watched them go, movement out of the corner of her eye caught her attention and she went ridged at who she saw; sitting there talking in hushed whispers and occasionally glancing her way was Blackfoot, the former deputy of ShadowClan who had served and eventually was exiled alongside Brokentail and became one of his outlaws. The huge white tom with jet-black paws was also conversing with another one of Brokentail's rogue's, a sleek brown tom with green eyes who Fireheart recognized as one of the intruders that Thornpaw had chased off during the planned attack led by Tigerclaw.
What were they doing here? Had they invaded ShadowClan or had they come back when Tigerclaw's plan failed?
The former ThunderClan cats settled themselves among the toadstools, tense and alert. Fireheart could feel her sleek coat begin to prickle in spiky clumps. These had been some of the rogue's that had caused ThunderClan nothing but pain and fear. How could she possibly be able to interact with them if they are indeed a part of ShadowClan?
Fireheart didn't have long to ponder over this as Boulder was quickly returning. "You have to come with me." Boulder meowed, helping Fireheart with the kits. The gray tom sounded calm, and so Fireheart took that as a good sign.
The gray warrior led Fireheart and her kits over to the roots of a big oak tree. Standing beside the roots was a small gray-and-white tom with patchy, grizzled, and ungroomed fur. It took Fireheart a moment to remember that this cat was ShadowClan's medicine cat, Runningnose.
"You can't go in." Runningnose explained, gesturing to the entrance with a flick of his tail. "You can speak to Nightstar from out here."
"Okay." Fireheart said, nervously looking back and forth between the roots opening and the medicine cat. Fireheart's kits were practically balancing on their back paws in order to try and peer inside the dark den.
"Nightstar, Fireheart and her kits are here." Runningnose called down into the den, which Fireheart supposed was the leader's den. "She's the one Boulder had asked to give refuge too."
Then suddenly, a strained, rasping voice was weakly heard coming from within the den, "ask her why she had come here." Runningnose looked imploringly at Fireheart, wanting her to answer.
Steeling herself, Fireheart thought over her response carefully. She needed to make her case and receive the much needed aid if accepted. Finally, when Fireheart thought she had it she replied with, "I am Fireheart, a former warrior of ThunderClan. Both myself and my kits have been exiled from our Clan by Bluestar and have nowhere else to go. Please, I beg you not for myself but for my kits sake. They are too small to take care of themselves and I cannot look after all of them on my own. I hope you can allow us to stay with you and your Clan, just until they are old enough to look after themselves. I will happily contribute in any way to ShadowClan in the meantime for their generosity and help."
Fireheart took in a deep breath after finishing and waited anxiously for Nightstar's verdict. She had left out important information, but didn't think it was relevant pertaining to the moment.
Eventually after a long stretch of silence, Nightstar gave his response, "You and your kits may stay as long as you wish."
Relief flooded through Fireheart and for the first time in what felt like moons the fear of uncertainty began to lessen. "Thank you!" Fireheart called down, not able to keep the sound of pure relief from her voice.
"I'll go fetch Dawncloud." Offered Deerfoot, one of the lingering patrol cats, before going off to find said cat. Fireheart distantly recalled Dawncloud, one of ShadowClan's elder queens who had been introduced to her by Yellowfang and fought alongside the ThunderClan cats to rid ShadowClan of Brokentail.
Lost in thought, Fireheart didn't notice that she and her kits were being watched. Not until that watcher finally decided to reveal themselves.
"Hello there, Fireheart," and like prey, Fireheart froze in motion, hackles raised. The flame-colored she-cat allowed the soothing voice to wash over herself but she didn't relax for one moment, afraid to give whatever was standing by the treeline an opening to attack.
But Fireheart didn't need to have worried. Because stepping out of the shadows was a heart-wrenching familiar big, dark brown tabby tom with unusually long front claws, and amber eyes. Tigerclaw.
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And also if I had done my Heart of Fire Series in RiverClan (I don't know. Firestar being sent to the past, turned into a she-cat that ended up not being able to join ThunderClan this time around so instead she ends up in RiverClan after trying to stakeout ThunderClan but ends up saving Whitepaw/claw and joining RiverClan afterwards.) Firestar and Stonefur would definitely end up together!!! Also Firestar would have a whole other name! Emberpaw! (Her warrior name would be: Emberdust, Emberwing, Emberfall, Embermist, Emberbrook, Emberrain, etc…) She'd also be great friends with Silverpaw/stream, Whitepaw/claw, Stonfur and Mistyfoot!!! (Silverstream would take Graystripe's best friend's space, Stonefur would take Sandstorm's via mate and confidence, Whiteclaw would take Cinderpelt's because he'd have the same energy and admiration, Mistyfoot would be Spottedleaf/Bluestar being all guidance and stuff!) And of course there will be cats that don't like her like Leopardfur and Blackclaw! Emberpaw would have struggles seeing her ThunderClan home being destroyed on the opposite side of the river and she tries her best to help them when she can. (Meaning that Tigerstar does almost take over in this timeline!) Though eventually Emberpaw helps Sandstorm overthrow a tyrannical Tigerclaw (basically pulling a vanished Brokenstar thing) and Sandstorm becomes deputy and then Sandstar! (Also in this universe Silverstream does NOT die but also doesn't want to leave RiverClan so Graystripe ends up coming to live in RiverClan permanently!) Also due to her memories Whiteclaw
doesn't die because Emberpaw prevents the gorge incident by saving him (also saves Sandpaw as well!!) and that is caused by a raid by ThunderClan. Etc...just a thought!!!
