When Fireheart woke up the next morning, he could see his misty breath it the air. He had had a dream and Bluestar had been in it… Suddenly a jolt of pain punctured his heart, Bluetsar; he told himself, is dead. He got up onto his paws and stretched before padding quietly out of the warrior's den and into the open. He winced. The icy camp floor burnt his already cracked paw pads. I wonder if Yellowfang can do anything for my sore feet, he thought.
He walked over to the medicine cat's den on hunter's paws to avoid waking up the rest of the clan as it was barely dawn. Yellowfang was sorting through the supply of herbs and berries, carefully checking each piece to make sure it was fresh. "Yellowfang!" mewed Fireheart, relieved that he didn't have to wake up the moody she-cat. "Fireheart, don't creep up on me like that!" she meowed in annoyance.
"I didn't want to wake up-"he started.
"Now, can't you see that I'm busy? What do you want?" Yellowfang interrupted.
"I just wondered if you could do anything for my cracked paw pads." Fireheart asked politely.
"I'll make you a poultice, then you should be okay to go on the Dawn Patrol." she mewed wickedly, knowing that he wouldn't argue with her suggestion.
"Okay." Fireheart sighed.
Yellowfang started to chew up some marigold and gumweed to make the poultice.
"Where's Cinderpelt?" Fireheart asked.
When Yellowfang had finished chewing, she replied, "She went to find some catmint and woke me up with her stomping! Greencough often spreads to our clan in leaf-bare." She started to spread the poultice over Fireheart's paw pads, making sure to get into all the cracks. "There you go! Now rest here until it has dried off, you should be just in time for the patrol!" Yellowfang said in an uncharacteristically cheerful mew.
The medicine had dried and Fireheart's paws felt much better, although the cold still bit at them. Graystripe came bounding up to meet him. "Going on the Dawn Patrol?" he asked. "Yes, as instructed by Yellowfang." Fireheart responded moodily.
"Yellowfang?" Graystripe guffawed.
"It's a long story!" Fireheart mewed good-humouredly. "Who's leading the patrol?" he inquired. "Whitestorm." replied Graystripe. This cheered Fireheart up a bit as he was fond of the kindly big white tomcat. The patrol started to gather, it consisted of: Whitestorm, Fireheart, Graystripe, Mousefur, Dustpelt and Runningwind. Finally, Whitestorm lead them through the bramble tunnel and into the freezing forest beyond.