Chapter Four

A/N: Welcome back to A Twist In A Heart! Now, on with chapter four before I talk too much!

"I think I have second thoughts about this now..." Dovepaw muttered doubtfully.

Lionblaze snorted. "Well, it's too late, now that we're in WindClan territory," he pointed out. Dovepaw kept meowing about what would happen once they came back from retrieving Ivypaw. "See? The WindClan camp is in sight now. If we turn back now, you'd still get into trouble anyway."

His apprentice nodded slowly. "But if Firestar blames everything on me, I'll say that it was your idea!"

"He wouldn't dare blame me, though!" Lionblaze purred back.

Soon they had reached the WindClan camp. Lionblaze quickly checked the entrance. "There's a guard posted there," Dovepaw told him. Lionblaze nodded to confirm this. "We may have to go into camp another way then," Dovepaw continued. "There's a little gap that leads to the medicine cat den. We could go through there, but we have to hide our scent so Barkface doesn't know."

"Yes," Lionblaze nodded. "Let's try that. We have to get Ivypaw back before dawn."

The slipped silently into the WindClan medicine cat den. Barkface was sorting out herbs, not asleep yet even though it was almost moonhigh. He froze for a moment, and the two ThunderClan cats froze, worried that Barkface had found them already. But the medicine cat just returned to his herbs.

"How are we going to get past him?" Dovepaw hissed quietly in desperation.

"Well..." Lionblaze didn't really know what to do. If Barkface refused to sleep after a while, then the only way was to talk to the medicine cat. "We could try to..." He never finished, because he accidentally stepped on a twig.

Dovepaw glared at him. "Now we're dead!"

Barkface looked at where the two cats were hiding. "I knew you were there before that stick snapped, you know," he growled. "Come out already and tell me what you want."

Hesitantly, both Dovepaw and Lionblaze stalked out of their excellent hiding place. Dovepaw was really scared; you could tell by the way she was shivering uncontrollably. But Lionblaze faced the medicine cat bravely.

"We're coming to get Ivypaw back," he answered.

Barkface sighed. "I knew something like this was going to happen."

"Why did Onestar want to capture one of our cats?" Lionblaze asked curiously.

"Onestar never really thought about capturing Ivypaw in the first place, you know," Barkface replied. "During a meeting about Heathertail's birth to kits, Breezepelt asked Onestar about stealing ThunderClan territory."

"He said that?" Dovepaw gasped, and then quickly slapped her tail across her mouth. They weren't supposed to be talking so loud.

Luckily, no one heard their chatting, and so Barkface continued on.

"Onestar said that ThunderClan would be guarding their borders very carefully instead of carelessly leaving it for us to take, but Breezepelt kept protesting until he thought up of the idea of capturing one of ThunderClan's cats." Barkface sighed. "I can't believe that Onestar actually liked the idea."

"So you're against this?" Lionblaze asked.

"Well, what did you think?" Barkface meowed. "That I would let Onestar do this? StarClan wouldn't allow it, you know."

"Then why didn't StarClan stop it?" Dovepaw asked.

Barkface shrugged. "Sometimes StarClan can't do anything to help. I understand that."

"Then will you help us retrieve our apprentice back?" Lionblaze mewed.

"I can't really do much," Barkface replied, "but all I can tell you is that Ivypaw is heavily guarded by WindClan's best warriors. The prisoner's den was just recently made by Breezepelt. He just turned the leader's den into a prisoner's den."

"And Onestar actually let him?" Dovepaw demanded silently.

"Onestar was against this!" Barkface snapped back, but knowing that he had to keep his voice quiet. "But then, well... something happened that I do not know of, and then... that's it."

"So Breezepelt took control of WindClan, practically... for a while," Lionblaze added.

"I guess so..." Barkface answered. "Currently Harespring and Breezepelt himself are guarding the den where Ivypaw is in. If you want to get her, the only way to get in is through the side of the leader's den. That was meant to be a secret exit for Onestar if there was an emergency."

"No one's guarding that?" Dovepaw asked.

"No one knows about it except for me and Onestar," mewed the medicine cat. "So you can fetch her quite easily."

Lionblaze nodded. "Thanks for your help, Barkface," he meowed politely.

Barkface snorted. "If you do get caught, please don't mention anything about me."

"Of course we won't!" Dovepaw squeaked. "You've been a big help to us. Right, Lionblaze?"

"Yeah." Lionblaze was staring at the sky. The moon was bright above the sky. "We'd better go and fetch Ivypaw now," he added. "Before dawn comes, and we're busted."

Barkface purred at this. "You sneaked out to fetch your Clanmate without telling Firestar?" he guessed.

"Not like I liked the idea," Dovepaw muttered. "Thanks for your help... uhh, how do we get to Ivypaw's prison den?"

"Well, there's a patch of long grass not far from where the medicine den is," answered Barkface. "If you crouch low enough, you'll reach there without being spotted, although you're very close to the nursery, and the kits wake up any time, so you have to be careful."

"We'll make sure that they don't catch sight of us," Dovepaw declared. "I know all their tricks."

"This is WindClan, not ThunderClan," Barkface pointed out. "You don't know WindClan kits. They're the best at finding cats hiding in long grass."

Lionblaze sighed. "Can we just get on with getting Ivypaw back?" he asked, interrupting the chit-chat.

"Oh, right!" Dovepaw mewed. "Umm... before we go, Barkface, do you have anything to hide our ThunderClan scent?"

"If you roll yourself up in the grass you should be fine."

"Oh... OK." Dovepaw rolled herself in the grass, and after a while of hesitating, Lionblaze followed her. Once the scent of ThunderClan faded from their pelts, Lionblaze asked Dovepaw, "What's Breezepelt and Harespring doing now?"

"Harespring's complaining that he can't catch up on his beauty sleep," Dovepaw replied, amused. "But Breezepelt's snapping at him, and I can't really catch what he's saying... something about work to be done and... gaining control of WindClan..."

"What?" Lionblaze hissed. Barkface wasn't really listening; Lionblaze was certain that the medicine cat was asleep.

"Is... is this about the Dark Forest?" Dovepaw asked. "As in, Tigerstar telling Breezepelt to gain control of WindClan? Then what about Onestar?"

"I think there's something going on here," Lionblaze replied, his suspicion towards the WindClan warrior growing until it swelled up inside his head. "But what's more important is getting Ivypaw back right now. We can worry about Breezepelt and his stupid ambition later."

Lionblaze padded out of the den and quickly squashed his belly to the ground so that he could not be seen. His pelt did a bit of help by camouflaging him in the grass, but he could still be seen quite easily by kits. Dovepaw mimicked Lionblaze as they stalked quietly towards the patch of long grass.

"Shh!" That was Breezepelt's voice. The two ThunderClan cats stiffened. "I think I hear something. Wait – let me go and check."

"Mouse-dung..." Dovepaw whispered. "Now what?"

"Be quiet," Lionblaze hissed, his voice barely heard.

Breezepelt padded towards the nursery, where Lionblaze and Dovepaw were. Except they didn't make it to the long grass in time. They were really going to get busted. Then Lionblaze breathed out a sigh of relief when he saw the shape of a cat leaving the nursery. Then he froze when he noticed that it was Heathertail herself.

"Heathertail!" Breezepelt mewed. "What are you doing awake so late? You should be getting some rest."

"I couldn't sleep for some reason," Heathertail confessed. "I think it's from the excitement from having kits..."

Lionblaze felt a growl rising from his throat, but he pushed it down. He liked Cinderheart more, anyway.

"Well, if you can't sleep, how about ask Barkface for poppy seeds?" Breezepelt asked. If Heathertail agreed, then both Lionblaze and Dovepaw would be caught, unless Heathertail allowed them to go and fetch Ivypaw, which is unlikely, because Heathertail still held a grudge against Lionblaze.

Heathertail shook her head. "I'll just take a stroll around the territory," she answered.

"OK," Breezepelt agreed, "but be careful. There could be ThunderClan cats lurking around, ready to capture one of our cats so that they can get their stupid apprentice back."

Lionblaze felt Dovepaw bunch her muscles together, as though all she really wanted was to sink her claws in Breezepelt's throat. Lionblaze himself felt that way.

"She's only an apprentice," Heathertail pointed out. "You should've just captured a warrior instead."

"But there are only about a couple of apprentices in ThunderClan," Breezepelt protested. "And it's too late to change anything, you know."

"I guess," Heathertail replied. She exited the camp and Breezepelt returned to where he was guarding the den where Ivypaw was in. Lionblaze moved his tail ever so slightly to indicate that they were safe to keep moving. Soon, they reached the patch of grass that Barkface was talking about.

"Then... how do we get to Ivypaw's den?" Dovepaw hissed.

"When Heathertail returns, of course," Lionblaze whispered in reply. "Breezepelt and Harespring will have their attention on her, and the entrance to the camp is opposite the leader's den, so then we should be able to slip in the den without getting caught. And to get out... we can just run out?"

"But we'll get caught," Dovepaw whispered back in protest.

"So? At least we'll still make it out with Ivypaw."

"But then..."

"We have a reason for being in WindClan territory, right?"

"... true, but..."

"Then we'll do what I said." Lionblaze concentrated on the nursery, in case any naughty kits came out. Dovepaw had her mind focused on the den with Ivypaw in it. They waited in silence until they heard rustling in the entrance.

Heathertail had come back. But that was quite quick.

"Why did you come back so quickly?" Harespring asked the WindClan queen, padding towards her. Breezepelt went after him, leaving the den unguarded.

"I'm growing sleepy now," Heathertail replied. "Umm... I noticed a few herbs that looked fresh growing just near the ThunderClan territory..."

"Let's go now," Lionblaze hissed, and after Dovepaw nodded, they quickly scooted towards the prisoner's den. No one noticed them as they entered the den. Ivypaw was sleeping, her tail covered over her eyes as though she didn't want to see anyone.

"Ivypaw..." Dovepaw prodded her sister gently, like she usually does when she wakes Ivypaw up. The ThunderClan apprentice opened her eyes and withdrew her tail from her eyes.

"Uhh... Dovepaw?" Ivypaw murmured, then her eyes flew wide open and she leaped to her paws. But before she could yowl, "Dovepaw!" Lionblaze quickly pointed to the entrance of the den. Ivypaw stopped to listen to the WindClan cats talking, and then added, "Oh. Now I remember."

"We're going to bring you back to ThunderClan, Ivypaw," Dovepaw whispered. "Umm... Lionblaze...?"

"Yes," Lionblaze mewed quietly. "But you've got to be quiet when we leave. It's better to leave unnoticed, but if we can't do that, then we'll have to run for it."

"OK." Ivypaw nodded. She stared at the WindClan cats. They seemed to be chatting some more. "We can't get out now, can we?"

"We could get out by the medicine den," Dovepaw answered.

"That seems good," Lionblaze agreed. "But we can't really get back, because we have to pass the nursery again, and a kit is bound to hear us."

"But no one heard us when we came in," Dovepaw pointed out.

"Yes, but we made a run for it. Now we have to stalk back."

"Oh... I get it. Then I guess we have to run for it."

The three cats decided to eavesdrop on the WindClan cats while they waited.

"So you want to go and pick up the herbs now?" Breezepelt asked. "Well, we can, but who's going to look after the apprentice?"

"She's sleeping right now," Heathertail assured him. "I can go and check."

Immediately, Breezepelt protested. "What if she is awake and attacks you?"

Heathertail sighed, impatient now. "Breezepelt, she's an apprentice. Like an apprentice can defeat me, OK? And I don't really need help if she does attack me. Seriously," she added when Breezepelt was about to protest some more.

"Just let her," Harespring meowed. "We're wasting time, anyway."

Breezepelt nodded and Heathertail advanced the leader's former den. Lionblaze and Dovepaw were immediately pushed back by Ivypaw. "Hide in the shadows!" Ivypaw hissed. Lionblaze and Dovepaw did just that.

Heathertail poked her head in. Ivypaw stared at her. "What do you want?" the apprentice snarled.

"Nothing, really," Heathertail replied. "I was just checking."

"And isn't it supposed to be Breezepelt and Harespring checking? Aren't you looking after your kits?" Ivypaw growled.

"Well, I'm going to collect herbs, and the two toms and coming with me," Heathertail answered. "And you better stay put, OK? Otherwise, once I catch you, I'll rip your throat out." Lionblaze felt like ripping Heathertail's throat out before she touched Ivypaw. Dovepaw, too, felt the same as well.

"Not before I rip yours, Heathertail," Ivypaw replied coldly. Heathertail purred and left the den, shouting to Breezepelt and Harespring, "She's fine. Let's go; it's a surprise for Barkface."

Once the coast was clear, Lionblaze, Dovepaw and Ivypaw quickly ran out of the den and decided to go past the nursery and into the medicine cat den. They did what they did before; race past the nursery. Except the moment they did that, a squeal broke in there, and it turned out that one of Heathertail's kits – Goldenkit, to be exact – was screaming for milk.

That could've woke up everyone in camp. The ThunderClan cats didn't have much time.

"Hurry!" Lionblaze hissed. "Into the medicine den!" They dived in there and squeezed into the hole and out of camp. Just at the moment they left, Onestar had entered the medicine den. Barkface was wide awake when they ran into the den.

"What's the squealing about?" the WindClan leader growled.

"Just a kit," Barkface assured him. "Heathertail will treat to it."

But the squealing went on and on, and soon Onestar was getting restless.

"Where's Heathertail?" the voice came from Emberfoot. "I can't see her in the nursery."

"Let's go," Lionblaze mewed to the two apprentices. "We need to get back before anyone spots us." He was about to move when Dovepaw hissed, "But Breezepelt and Harespring are guarding the ThunderClan border! How can we get past?"

"And why's he?" Ivypaw asked.

"I don't know..." Dovepaw replied.

"Where's Heathertail, then?" Lionblaze meowed. "Shouldn't she tell Breezepelt off or something?"

"She's looking at the herbs," Dovepaw answered, "although they don't look like herbs that Jayfeather uses. I think they're bright red berries... she's telling Breezepelt that she'd have to grab them with her teeth quite tightly because she's taking a lot of them..." Then the apprentice gasped. "That's deathberries!"

Lionblaze stared at her in shock. Heathertail was going to die if she touched them. "Let's go and stop her!"

"No way," Ivypaw mewed disgustedly. "Let her die. I'd rather see her dead than see her mock me."

But some part of Lionblaze wanted them to save Heathertail. Even though they showed much, much hostility towards each other, Lionblaze couldn't forget the time that they spent together when they were younger. They had been best friends, never thinking about the time that had to face each other in battle... until Lionblaze himself brought it up.

"No," Lionblaze said firmly. "We're going to help her, whether you like it or not."

"What?" There was a hint of amusement in Ivypaw's eyes. "You like her?"

"I do not," Lionblaze snapped. "I just don't want to see a cat die. Instinct," he added.

"Oh..."

"Whatever," Dovepaw hissed. "Let's get out of here before we get caught by Onestar himself and get busted!"

They quickly ran off – Dovepaw leading – and it was only a heartbeat later when they reached the border. They saw Heathertail there, reaching out with her jaws to grab the berries that would lead to her death. Breezepelt was staring at the three ThunderClan cats in shock and anger, and so was Harespring.

Quickly, Lionblaze jumped out in front of Heathertail and yowled, "NO!"

A/N: Sorry, but this was longer than expected. Thanks for reading and tell me what you think about it through a review!