Fireheart

Fireheart nodded and let Bluestar steer him into a small hollow sheltered by juniper bushes and brambles. Bluestar's countenance was solemn, telling Fireheart that this was serious occasion.

"You're on your way to find WindClan," Bluestar began as soon as they were settling in the hollow. "And I don't want to distract you from that. But as important as your mission is, there's something else I need you to do for me."

"What's that?" Fireheart asked.

"When you reach WindClan, you will most likely meet a cat named Mudclaw. He's prickly and obstinate, but I need you to talk to him."

"What for?"

"I need a report on his Clan. Don't worry, he'll give it to you: just tell him I sent you. He may refuse at first, but if you keep pushing he'll tell you."

"I'll talk to him," Fireheart promised. He was beginning to wonder where Graystripe was, and if the gray warrior had even realized that Fireheart wasn't with him.

"Go now," Bluestar ordered. "Graystripe will be missing you." Fireheart nodded hurriedly to his leader and left the hollow.

It didn't take him long to find Graystripe. The two warriors practically ran into each other as Fireheart shoved through the brambles.

"There you are!" Graystripe exclaimed. "Where did you go? I thought a badger got you while I wasn't looking!"

"I'm fine. Just took a detour," Fireheart lied. "Let's go."

The two headed off. They hadn't been walking for long before they ran into a patrol consisting of Whitestorm, Sandpaw, and Runningwind. Literally ran into, as Graystripe nearly crashed into Runningwind.

"Sorry!" panted Graystripe, stopping. Fireheart halted next to him. Whitestorm dipped his head to them, the same mindless respect in his eyes.

"I hear you to are going on a mission," he meowed.

"Yes," Fireheart answered.

"Then may you have StarClan's protection," mewed Whitestorm gravely. Gee thanks. A bunch of dead cats are now in charge of my safety.

"What for?" Sandpaw sneered. "You off to catch voles?"

Runningwind leaned down and murmured something in the apprentice's ear. Her expression quickly changed from one of scorn to one of guarded curiosity.

The patrol stepped aside to let Fireheart and Graystripe pass. The pair raced on and quickly left the area of the forest surrounding the camp.

Neither warrior said much as they raced through the woods. The journey was easy now, since they were still in territory that they knew, but both toms knew that once they reached the border the territory would be much more unfamiliar and the going harder.

After a while they reached the brook that separated ThunderClan and WindClan. After a pause and with some trepidation, Fireheart and Graystripe crossed the border and entered WindClan territory.

"Is it always windy up here?" Graystripe asked, shivering. Well, it is called WindClan, Fireheart thought. Out loud he answered,

"Well, I suppose there aren't any trees to block it." The bright ginger warrior screwed up his eyes. It was windy on the moorland. The quick, stiff breezes blew the sand up into the air and tossed it into the warriors' eyes.

Fireheart sniffed the air. For a moment all he could smell was wind and sand. Then he realized that there was a… fishy smell in the air.

"Do you smell RiverClan?" he asked, turning to Graystripe. The gray tom lifted his nose and then shook his head.

"No. Do you think there might be some here?"

"Maybe." Why else would I smell them? "They might want to make the most of WindClan's absence, especially since they know WindClan will be back soon."

"Well, I can't smell anything now," Graystripe murmured. Huh, Fireheart thought as they continued. He's actually being quiet for once. Maybe miracles really do happen.

The two cats padded quietly along a frozen trail of sedge. The trail was sheltered somewhat by heather, but was still far more open than the ThunderClan warriors were used to.

A fresh scent stopped Fireheart in his tracks. "Can you smell that?" he hissed to Graystripe, crouching lower in the heather.

"Yes," Graystripe answered, crouching low as well. "RiverClan!"

Fireheart dropped into a crouch, keeping his ears flat and his tail still. Beside him, Graystripe lifted his head just high enough to peek over the bushes. "I can see them," he murmured. Fortunately he was being quiet. "They're hunting."

Cautiously, Fireheart stretched up to look.

Four RiverClan warriors were chasing a rabbit through a patch of gorse. Fireheart easily recognized Blackclaw from the Gathering. Next to the smoky black tom was Leopardfur, a sleek mottled golden she-cat.

Blackclaw pounced, his claws unsheathed, but came up again with nothing to show for the chase. The rabbit had bounded away was now sheltering in the safety of her warren.

Fireheart and Graystripe pressed down against the frozen ground again. "They're bad at rabbit hunting," Graystripe hissed scornfully.

"I guess RiverClan is more used to catching fish," Fireheart replied, amusement tingeing his mew. Then his nose twitched as he picked up the scent of a frightened rabbit coming near them. With a pang of dread, Fireheart heard the pawsteps of the RiverClan warriors fast approaching after it. "They're coming this way! We have to hide."

"Follow me," whispered Graystripe. "I smell badgers this way."

"Badgers?" Fireheart asked. "Are you sure that's safe…?" He'd heard more than one story about cats losing body parts from badger attacks. Taking on a badger in the forest would be one thing, but fighting one on the moor…

"I don't think there are any badgers back here," Graystripe answered. With some trepidation, Fireheart followed the grey warrior back through the heather trail.

Fireheart sniffed, and picked up strong foxlike scent. He almost stopped, but the sound of the approaching RiverClan warriors spurred him on until he reached a thick patch of heather.

"Here!" Graystripe declared, pushing aside the clump of plants to reveal a sandy hole. "Get inside! They're coming."

Cautiously, Fireheart followed Graystripe into the set. The stench of badger was overwhelming, and Fireheart shivered instinctively at it. It's a good thing this is abandoned.

Pawsteps thudded overhead. Both ThunderClan warriors held their breath as the steps halted and one of the RiverClan warriors yowled, "Badger set!" From the rasping, slightly deep mew, Fireheart could tell it was Blackclaw.

A second voice―Leopardfur's, from the sound of it―answered: "Is it abandoned? The rabbit may be hiding inside."

Fireheart felt Graystripe's fur bristling beside him in the dark. The ginger warrior didn't feel very at-ease at the moment either. If the RiverClan warriors came into the set, there would be no avoiding a battle. A four-on-two battle wouldn't be any help to their mission.

"Wait, the scent leads this way," Blackclaw called overhead. There was a scrabble of paws, and the RiverClan warriors charged away.

Graystripe slowly exhaled. "D'you think they're gone?"

"Maybe we should wait a bit," Fireheart suggested, letting his fur lie flat. Graystripe nodded and let silence fall over the set.

There were no sounds, but for the whistling of the wind in the heather. Graystripe nudged Fireheart. "Come on."

Fireheart cautiously followed Graystripe into the daylight. There was no sign of the RiverClan patrol. A fresh breeze blew over the two cats, and Fireheart looked around. "We should head for the WindClan camp," he said. "It'll be the best place to pick up their scent."

"Okay," answered Graystripe. They started off again, keeping their mouths slightly open to pick up the scent of any RiverClan cats in the area. The stopped at the foot of a large hill that sloped steeply.

"I'll climb up and look around," Graystripe offered, before leaping up the hill. Fireheart had no problem with this; if someone was going to be spotted, Fireheart would rather it be Graystripe than himself.

After a few moments Graystripe returned. "There's a hollow over there, and a gap in the gorse bushes. It might be the camp."

"Let's check it out," Fireheart mewed. The two moved off.

As they neared the hollow, the fire-colored warrior ran ahead to look over the edge and into the hollow.

What met his eyes was breathtaking. Below him spread a long, wide scoop in the sand, ringed by hills and gorse bushes. In the center of the hollow stood a huge rock with a large gorse bush growing against it. Near that was another large rock. The hollow had many holes in it, which presumably led to fox, rabbit and badger burrows.

Fireheart and Graystripe had found the camp.