When Graypaw and Firepaw left the den, Ravencloud approached them. "Firepaw, I want to tell Stormpaw about… the thing before we go," he meowed.
"Okay. And uh, Graypaw will be coming along too. He'll tell the Clan about what we're doing if we don't let him." Firepaw was still upset over this.
"What do you need to tell Stormpaw?" Graypaw asked, curious.
"I can't tell you," Ravencloud mumbled, clearly nervous - likely at the thought of Graypaw eavesdropping, but it could be anything.
Graypaw huffed. "Fine, keep your secrets. I'll wait here. Hurry up and go tell him, wherever he is." He sat, his fluffy tail curling over his huge paws.
Firepaw and Ravencloud went off, side-by-side, looking. They saw Tigerclaw standing tall in the entrance to the warriors' den, only his ear tips getting rained on. Thunder roared in the distance as the two approached him, since he was Stormpaw's mentor after Lionheart died and should know where he was. His amber eyes narrowed when he noticed them.
"We're looking for Stormpaw," Firepaw meowed. "Do you know where he is?"
"He went to the dirtplace," Tigerclaw replied with suspicion. "Shouldn't you all be in your dens, anyway? It's storming. Bad enough Bluestar won't let patrols go out."
"We just wanted to see him," Ravencloud mewed quietly, kneading his paws. His head was bent so that he looked directly at the ground.
"Find him then, and make him go shelter," Tigerclaw ordered. "I'm watching you, Ravencloud." He narrowed his pale eyes even further.
Ravencloud's scruff-fur stood up, but he acted composed anyway and nodded obediently. "Yes, Tigerclaw. We won't be long."
The duo went off and entered the dirtplace, only to see Stormpaw standing stiff. "Stormpaw?" Firepaw called with a concerned tone.
Stormpaw turned around with an awkward chuckle. "Hey!" he mewed. "I was just making dirt."
"It's storming," Ravencloud told him. "Can't you tell?"
"Yeah, of course. I'm standing in it." Stormpaw flicked his soaked tail and approached them. "What's up?"
"Bluestar wants us to go after Yellowfang and get the truth out of her," Firepaw replied. "She wants me to go since Yellowfang trusts me, and for Ravencloud to go because his reputation needs cleared."
"What about me?"
"I want you to come," Firepaw mewed. "We both do." He motioned to Ravencloud.
Stormpaw offered a small grin. "Thanks, but… I'm no good at stuff like this. Plus, I'm sure she's innocent anyway."
"Please come," Firepaw insisted.
"Fine, I guess if you want me to so bad," Stormpaw sighed.
"Graypaw's coming too."
"Why? I thought he hated us 'cause of Darkstripe."
"I don't know. He got me to tell him, even though I wasn't supposed to, and now he's using it as blackmail."
"We have something else to say to you before we go," Ravencloud spoke up.
"What?" Stormpaw asked.
"Oakheart didn't pull Redtail in the path of the boulder," Firepaw meowed.
Stormpaw raised a brow. "So what? He was in its path to begin with then."
"No, he wasn't," Ravencloud breathed, looking as if he were reliving the horrid moment. "It was Tigerclaw who made him get crushed."
"But why?" Stormpaw mewed with more doubt than shock.
"Tigerclaw wanted to be deputy," Ravencloud replied. "But he didn't. Lionheart did. Which is why I believe Tigerclaw was the one to tell ShadowClan we were out of camp, since he disappeared for a while after Bluestar and Firepaw went into Mothermouth."
"And then Lionheart died," Stormpaw murmured.
"He did."
Fury flew into Stormpaw's gaze. "Then let's expose him!" he almost shouted.
"Quiet!" Ravencloud mewed worriedly. "And we can't. Bluestar wouldn't believe a warrior and two kittypet apprentices. Tigerclaw is too good at lying; he's already made it seem like I'm a rat for ShadowClan."
"We have to do something," Stormpaw growled. "He got Lionheart killed! I'll never rest until he's gone. I swear on StarClan, I'm leaving if he ever surpasses Bluestar ."
"Let's start with catching Yellowfang while the storm is still going on," Firepaw meowed. "As soon as it stops, Tigerclaw will jump at the chance to send out a patrol to look for her. We gotta be the first ones to find her. We can't let him claim another innocent victim."
Stormpaw nodded slowly. "Okay, I'll come." He had a determined look about him.
The three left the dirtplace and picked up Graypaw before heading towards the entrance. "Stop!" a voice called, and they did.
Firepaw turned to see Tigerclaw angrily approach. "Where do you four think you're going?"
"Er, we're just-" Firepaw began, but was cut off.
"Tigerclaw, I allowed Firepaw to go," Bluestar interrupted, padding over. "He asked for permission to go look for Yellowfang, and I approved. Good work on getting a few friends to go with you, Firepaw." She nodded. "Safety comes in not just strength, but also numbers."
"Thanks, Bluestar," Firepaw meowed, grateful that she'd saved them. "We'll be going now. We'll come straight back if her scent leads into ShadowClan territory."
"It will, since she took kits for them," Tigerclaw growled.
"Tigerclaw, let them look," Bluestar ordered, then looked back to her apprentice. "Good luck. I have faith that you'll find her."
Firepaw nodded and walked out of the entrance, which Runningwind sat outside of. "I heard Bluestar, but I think you lot are mouse-brained," he huffed, his whiskers dripping with rain. "You're wasting your time."
Firepaw didn't reply, and neither did anyone else. They kept walking, following the scent left by Yellowfang. It, like they all expected, led to the Thunderpath that separated them from ShadowClan territory. They looked from side to side and felt with their paws that no monsters were coming, then dashed across.
They kept on walking, but they soon found that the storm was lightening. Now there was only a slight sprinkle, and this worried all but Graypaw. This meant that a patrol, right then, was probably being sent out. They sped up at once, abandoning any sort of stealth that they'd had. Yellowfang's life was on the line more so than before.
Firepaw soon realized that they were right behind her, as he saw a glimpse of her tail. He pounced, sending her to the ground. He pinned her, determined she was innocent but still not mouse-brained enough to be more sorry than safe.
"What in the name of StarClan…!" Yellowfang hissed, then realized it was Firepaw. "Get off me! We're almost to their camp. I could've made it there by now."
"No, we couldn't have," Firepaw meowed. "Did you take the kits?" He choked. "Did you kill Spottedleaf?!" If she did, he wouldn't be able to forgive her no matter how close they were.
"No, I did neither!" Yellowfang replied, pushing him off with her superior strength. She got to her paws. "Listen. I know who killed her and took the kits. It's a warrior named Clawface; I recognized his scent. He's one of the actually loyal ones, not loyal just out of fear."
"So what do we do?" Stormpaw asked. "Do we take them back?"
"Of course, mouse-brain!" Yellowfang huffed. "I was thinking of sneaking in and getting them out by myself, but help makes this easier. I have a plan now. I'll go get the elders - they were exiled out of camp - and they'll probably help us. Go wait by the border for a patrol-"
"One was sent out," Firepaw mewed. "To look for you."
"Then wait for that one," Yellowfang ordered. "Explain to them what I just told you, and have them come to this exact spot. I'll meet you here with the elders. We're gonna attack the camp, drive Brokenstar and his lackeys out for good."
"That's insane!" Ravencloud gasped.
"I'm down," Graypaw meowed, flexing his claws excitedly.
"All of those cats together won't be enough to overpower the rest of ShadowClan, will it?" Firepaw asked.
"There are cats that don't want to follow Brokenstar, but are too afraid to rebel," Yellowfang replied. "They'll join us when they see us attack, I know for sure. I especially know that Runningnose, my old apprentice, will definitely fight. I taught him some battle moves during his training, so he'll do well."
Stormpaw's eyes were narrowed with determination. "Let's do this. Let's drive that tyrant out!" His tail lashed.
"Yeah!" Firepaw meowed, his worries wiped away by the thought of ShadowClan being rid of Brokenstar.
"Then go," Yellowfang meowed. "See you back here. Say anything you can to convince the patrol that I'm innocent and to come."
Yellowfang turned and disappeared in the shadowy pines. By this point, the rain had fully stopped. Firepaw led his little patrol back to the Thunderpath, and he sat to watch for their Clanmates. Soon, they saw them approach.
There were six cats on the patrol: Whitestorm, Willowpelt, Frostfur, Brindleface, Longtail, and Dustpelt. It looked as if Whitestorm were the leader. When they reached the Thunderpath, practically all of them took on a surprised expression. They crossed the Thunderpath when they were sure there were no monsters.
"What are you four doing over here?" Whitestorm asked, looking especially concerned for Graypaw.
"Bluestar sent us to look for Yellowfang," Firepaw replied for the entire group. "We spoke to her, and she's innocent. A warrior named Clawface killed Spottedleaf and stole Frostfur's kits. Since Yellowfang used to be in ShadowClan, she knew his scent." He then explained the plan to attack.
Whitestorm nodded slowly. "I always trusted that Yellowfang was anything but a murderer, so I'll trust her and you now. If we're going to do this, we'll need more than some rebels and a patrol. I'll send for a few more cats."
"I can go," Dustpelt offered. "I'll get help."
"Then go," Whitestorm meowed, and the ticked tabby dashed off across the Thunderpath after checking for monsters. "One of you need to wait here for him and the cats he brings back."
"I'll stay," Ravencloud mewed.
"Very well. Just follow our scent when they come."
"Let's go already," Frostfur growled. "Those fox-hearted cats have my kits!"
Firepaw led the rest of the cats to the meeting place. He sat underneath a pine whose leaves were still dripping with rain water. It wasn't long before Yellowfang led a group of old-looking cats to the spot.
"I see you managed to convince them," Yellowfang meowed. "Let me introduce you to the elders. The black tom there is Nightwhisker, a tom who should still be a warrior but has breathing problems. The gray tom beside him is Ashclaw, and the dark gray tabby is Cinderwing.
"Nightwhisker managed to sneak into camp and ask one of the warriors, Dawncloud, about rallying up the cats who aren't too happy with Brokenstar. You probably wouldn't know since you haven't been in ShadowClan, but it isn't hard to find them. Anyway, now at least they know to attack when we come in."
"Did you manage to ask a queen about securing the stolen kits' safety?" Whitestorm asked.
"Tallpoppy has them hidden in the nursery, and she'll protect them in case any ShadowClan warrior tries getting to them or if they try joining the battle," Nightwhisker replied for Yellowfang. "They're safe. When the battle is over, you will be given them without a fight. We can unanimously promise that."
"Now let's go," Yellowfang meowed. "It's time to attack."
"Not yet," Whitestorm interjected. "I have a few extra cats coming."
"They'd better hurry up then," she snorted.
They waited, and luckily it was only a short period of time before Dustpelt and Ravencloud arrived with Tigerclaw, Darkstripe, and Cherrysong. Yellowfang appeared to be satisfied, since she turned and began leading them to ShadowClan's camp.
The elders and ThunderClan cats followed without hesitation, all united by their hatred for Brokenstar.
This is probably the fourth or fifth rewrite of this chapter. I'm sorry it's taken me so long to get it out. Also, I rewrote Chapter 10 while stumped with writer's block. You know, the one with the trial? Go check it out. It's much better than before.