This is the second Christmas chapter...
Fireheart
The night was dark. Hulking clouds covered the moon, forbidding the silver light to touch the cats so far below. Fireheart sat in the center of the camp, unable to sleep. He hated the night. His dreams were of Spottedleaf. The one thing that he could never get back. If only she could see me now. She would be so proud. He was the deputy of ThunderClan. The great Tigerclaw couldn't even stop him. He was like fire in a dead forest. But he couldn't let his guard down yet. I need these forest cats to look up to me. I need them to follow me like the blind mice they are. That meant that he wasn't completely free of enemies yet. There was still Yellowfang. Now there was a tricky problem.
He didn't think she completely knew of his motives, and yet he had trouble believing that she trusted him. A medicine cat is too important a cat to have as a potential threat. At the same time, he couldn't just kill her or kick her out of the Clan, even though that would be easy. Cinderpaw was far from being a skilled medicine cat. If something would happen… ThunderClan would be helpless. Fireheart heard footsteps behind. A quick sniff revealed that it was, in fact, Yellowfang. He didn't turn around.
"I'm surprised to see you still awake, Fireheart," the old cat mewed.
"Couldn't sleep," he replied, pleased by how vulnerable he could sound.
Yellowfang sat down beside him, "Are you sick? You don't look sick."
"No, I am not sick."
She purred hoarsely, "So it's your thoughts keepin' you up. What's bothering you?"
"It's hard to believe that Tigerclaw would betray the Clan. He could have been such a great leader."
Yellowfang eyed him carefully, "Yes, he would have been. I didn't think he had a deceiving bone in his body."
Fireheart sighed heavily, "Just shows you how sneaky he was. He was a murderer. He was a liar."
Yellowfang changed the subject, "How's Bluestar? Does she need more poppy seeds?"
Fireheart shook his head in feigned sadness, "Sadly, yes. I'll get them in the morning. I wish she could get well."
"You're doing a fine job, you know. Not wonderful, mind you, but fine."
"Thanks…"
Yellowfang stood up, "I'm going to sleep. You want some poppy seeds for yourself?"
"No, I'll be fine."
"Whatever you say, Fireheart."
Fireheart was still awake as the sun rose up out of the tree line, bringing dawn with it. Fireheart had been thinking after Yellowfang had left. There was something he needed to discuss with his leader.
He nodded greetings to the cats who were just beginning to stream out of their dens. When he reached the leader's den, he reached out with a paw and shook Bluestar.
"Wake up, Bluestar. Wake up. There's something I have to tell you."
She blinked her eyes open, "What is it?" She sounded like she didn't really care. Any cat who is broken by losing a few friends is weak.
"I wanted to ask you something. What did you mean when you said you were meeting with cats that don't care about the Code?"
"When did I say that? I don't remember saying that."
"Remember, when Tigerclaw was trying to kill you."
Her eyes were glazed from the poppy seeds, "Oh. There are cats that meet at the first quarter moon on Gathering Island. I'm not supposed to tell anyone. Can I tell you?"
Fireheart purred, "Don't worry, you can tell me anything."
"Good. I can't tell Redtail everything or he'll kill some cat. Don't tell him, alright?"
"I won't. I promise."
"Thank you, Fireheart. I knew that I could trust you." Here eyes closed again, and this time Fireheart let her sleep.
The cats who break the Code never last very long.
The thought surprised Fireheart. He flicked his ear like he was trying to get rid of a flee. That was not always true. Only the weak cats needed a Code. He would be fine. He was smarter than the others.
He whirled around and left the den. Suddenly, the atmosphere inside the den had seemed choking. He tried to forget what he had thought, but it refused to go away.
Fireheart didn't admit it, but the thought had scared him.