S-- Another glorious chapter if I say so myself! What says you, Ashe?

A- I says indeed! This fan fiction is turning out amazing!!

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The camp was unbearably cold during leaf-bare. With clouds covering the sky and no sun, there was no warmth. It was now freezing even without the snow, but with water that froze and the rare chilling breeze that made it's way through an unnoticed hole in the warriors den.

Fireheart was shivering near Tigerclaw's back. Fireheart wanted space due to feeling nauseous and not wanting to potentially vomit on her mate, again, but this dark and cold night was especially freezing. The sleek-furred flame-pelted warrior was shivering like a hunted mouse.

Suddenly, the soon to be mother felt her mate shift in their shared nest. "Fireheart, come here." Tigerclaw murmured, voice laced with the grogginess of sleep.

"I-I'm okay." Fireheart's voice stuttered quietly. She should have known Tigerclaw wasn't asleep. It was the type of cold that kept one awake. Tigerclaw would of course be worried about his mate in a situation like this.

"You're shaking, Fireheart. Just use my body for warmth." Tigerclaw was just as warm, unimaginably warmer in leaf-bare, with his thick-furred coat that fortunately kept him warm all throughout the cold season. All Fireheart could think about now was Tigerclaw's winter coat and how she wanted to steal it. Silence, until curses spilled hushedly into the air.

Fireheart wiggled closer to his back. Tigerclaw jumped as Fireheart made contact.

By StarClan, Fireheart had to be colder than she thought for her mate to feel that through his thick pelt! But he said nothing, continuing to let Fireheart use his body for warmth.

"You're warm." Fireheart sighed. Curling tighter against the ThunderClan deputy's back. Not minding the hair that smothered her face. The flame-pelted she-cat closed her eyes. She never felt anything this warm before. Or maybe she had in her past life? Body tired from the cold, Fireheart succumbed to sleep.

Completely asleep and now unaware. Tigerclaw shifted so that he was curled around his mate, her head tucked underneath his chin as he pressed her up against his side, his tail easily encircling her entire body.

"You need to take better care of yourself, Fireheart" Tigerclaw grumbled under his breath. "Though may StarClan send you peaceful dreams tonight."

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Fireheart happily chatted around her mouse as her hunting patrol of five made their way back to camp. Sandstorm had led the patrol, as Dustpelt, Fireheart and both Cinderpaw and Brackenpaw had accompanied the pale ginger huntress.

"I'm telling you that I'd make a way better mentor than any of the rest when I get my first apprentice!" Dustpelt meowed, his jaws empty of any prey as it was getting harder to find. "First thing I'll do is show them the training grounds and surprise them with a sneak attack!"

"Traumatizing your apprentice on their first day? What a great mentor you'll be." Sandstorm sarcastically said from the front.

Dustpelt scowled as the patrol burst out into meow's of amusement. "I wouldn't mind being your apprentice, Dustpelt." Cinderpaw said, making Fireheart do a double take. Before Dustpelt could gloat, Cinderpaw added on, "That would be of course after I beg any other warrior to mentor me first, I'd even ask the elders!"

Dustpelt's scowl only deepened as the patrol became more rowdy at the dark brown tabby warrior's expense.

"Joking aside, I really wouldn't mind having you as a mentor, Dustpelt." Brackenpaw said from where he padded alongside Sandstorm, the pale ginger she-cat shot the golden-brown tabby apprentice a sympathetic look as Fireheart ducked her head in guilt.

Dustpelt recovered enough from Cinderpaw teasing enough to respond, "well I wouldn't mind taking you out sometime, Brackenpaw."

"Yes, Dustpelt could learn a lot from you " Cinderpaw purred, nudging Dustpelt's shoulder before quickly darting away before he could cuff her over the ears.

"Where is your mentor, Brackenpaw? I haven't seen any tail or whiskers of Graystripe today." Sandstorm meowed, sounding concerned for the apprentice.

Brackenpaw could only shrug helplessly. "He said he was going --"

"Hunting." Fireheart quietly whispered alongside Brackenpaw, no one listening to the flame-pelted warrior above Brackenpaw's own woes over his missing mentor.

"This is becoming ridiculous!" Sandstorm suddenly fumed, "Graystripe should really straighten up and mentor you properly. I'll even have a word with him myself!"

"It's also what he always says when he's going off somewhere alone." Dustpelt remarked, his amber eyes narrowing. "It's getting repetitive. All these solo hunting trips of his. Sounds almost suspicious."

"What? Like he isn't hunting when he says he is?" Cinderpaw meowed, blinking as though she never thought of Graystripe doing anything but what he claims to be doing.

"All I'm saying is it's just becoming a bad habit with no proof that hunting is the only thing he's been doing." Dustpelt defended himself. "Though what do you think about this, Fireheart. You probably know what Graystripe's been up to, seeing as you both are so close as friends."

Fireheart nearly choked on her mouse as their attention was all aimed at her now. Fireheart didn't want to lie but she certainly couldn't tell the truth! Fireheart internationally cursed Graystripe for putting her in this position to cover for him when he promised to take Brackenpaw out today. But like all the rest of the time he failed to uphold that promise.

"I don't currently know at the moment." Fireheart decided to go with half-truths. "I've been so busy with Cinderpaw, Tigerclaw, preparing for the kits with Spottedleaf, and making sure Cloudkit is okay on top of warrior duties that it's been kind of hard to keep up with the oversized fur-ball these days."

Dustpelt snorted in disbelief. "That just sounds like a cover for when you truly mean he's dumped your friendship in fox-dung for something or someone else."

"Whatever it is, I'm going to have a few choice words with him." Sandstorm swore as she stared into the awe-struck amber eyes of Brackenpaw. "I'll demand an answer and shred his pelt if I don't get one."

"You should also inform Tigerclaw about Graystripe's behavior, Fireheart." Dustpelt added, sounding unusually calm from how he was acting just a moment ago. "I'm sure he'll straighten up Graystripe if you'd only ask."

Fireheart was put on the spot. Her jade-green eyes flickering from both Dustpelt and Sandstorm's expecting looks, to the confused one of her own apprentice and finally resting on the pleading one of Brackenpaw.

"I- I'll see what I can do." Fireheart weakly promised.

"See that you do that," Dustpelt said, nodding in semi-approval. "Otherwise Brackenpaw might remain an apprentice forever."

Brackenpaw eyes widened in horror as Sandstorm quickly tried to reassure the apprentice, "I'll sooner mentor him than let something like that happen."

"Yep, we know." Dustpelt rolled his eyes as Cinderpaw made gagging sounds. "I'm sure you wouldn't want to wait around forever to have kits with Brackenpaw here."

Sandstorm sputtered and nearly spat out her prey as Fireheart's ears perked up in surprise. Since when did Sandstorm and Brackenpaw become so close? And Sandstorm wanting to have kits with Brackenpaw seems so bizarre and out of nowhere, but from the looks of it Brackenpaw didn't seem to oppose the idea.

Fireheart wondered how she didn't see it before. Though perhaps they were just better at hiding it. Just like Graystripe was hiding his with Silverstream.

The day passed rather mundanely once they returned to camp. Warriors came and left.

Fireheart decided to eat her prey alone, with just her thoughts as company. It felt like everyone was questioning Graystripe's absence so much more in this life than in her previous one. Or had it been that she was so focused on helping Graystripe and uncovering Tigerclaw's treachery that she just hadn't noticed?

The flame-pelted warrior furiously took a bite out of her mouse. This was all different. Thats what she wanted, right? Change? Of course its what she wanted! But not like this! She didn't want to lose Graystripe, he'd been with her through thick and thin!

But where was he when Fireheart had got run over by a monster, and had injured her tail? She didn't have an answer. He'd been mad at her. But that was no excuse! She could've died!

Fireheart was upset. She was stressed. She didn't want to lose her best friend!

It was so stressful to be burdened with the secret knowledge of Graystripe meeting with another she-cat from a different Clan. She wished she could just confide in someone from time to time. Tell them about her troubles and worries about Graystripe.

The soon-to-be mother sighed. But she couldn't. The only cat she would ever be able to be would be Graystripe, and he seemed less than thrilled to talk to her these days.

"I can hear you thinking from the medicine cats den." Yellowfang huffed, startling the flame-pelted warrior as the elderly medicine cat suddenly appeared, and came to settle down beside Fireheart.

The mother-to-be flattened her ears in embarrassment. "Sorry,"

Yellowfang looked from Fireheart to her mouse and back. "You are aware that you are now eating for more than yourself, right? Or has the Clan been feeding me nonsense?" The dark gray she-cat rasped, looking quizzly at the first ThunderClan cat that accepted her into the Clan.

Fireheart shrugged. "I am, but I guess I'm not that hungry at the moment."

Yellowfang huffed, unconvinced. "What nonsense, it's leaf-bare. Everyone's hungry, especially the queens. I hear everyone whining about how hungry they are, and how they wish for just one piece of prey. So go on, eat. Don't waste it."

The warrior hesitantly obliged, and realized that she was actually really hungry. She was just too deep in her thoughts to realize.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd assume you're stressed about something." Yellowfang pinned Fireheart with a pointed look.

"Something like that," Fireheart mumbled.

Yellowfang hummed thoughtfully. "Well you might want to avoid whatever that is giving you stress. It can be dangerous for the kits."

Fireheart's eyes widened in horror. "W-what?!"

"It's not too much of a danger in the earlier stages, but once you get to the final weeks, it does become dangerous." Yellowfang warned.

"O-okay." Fireheart hastily agreed.

Yellowfang continued to watch Fireheart even as she ate her mouse. No doubt watching the rate she ate. There was nothing worse than being watched while eating. It made one self-conscious but Yellowfang was her medicine cat and therefore was tasked with making sure that she was healthy.

"Once you're done eating, and you've digested it enough, you should pop in the medicine den for a check up." The old she-cat rasped.

The flame-pelted she-cat nodded. Watching as the older medicine cat headed back to her shared den with Spottedleaf. Then her attention drifted towards Bluestar and Tigerclaw as they both padded out from the leaders den, they seemed to be talking in hushed tones, but it also seemed urgent in the way that Tigerclaw seemed to be pressing the ThunderClan leader about something.

Eventually Bluestar nodded and Tigerclaw seemed to ease up, appearing satisfied. Rising to her paws, Fireheart thought it would be nice to spend time with her mate, however it was Bluestar who had caught Fireheart approaching and signaled for the soon-to-be mother to follow her into her den. Startled, Fireheart shared a fleeting look with Tigerclaw who jerked his head towards Bluestar's den, appearing to know what was going on.

Fireheart grew more anxious the more steps she took towards Bluestar's den. Had Bluestar realized what she was doing? Was she going to get exiled?

Bluestar laid down across from where Fireheart was, and signaled for Fireheart to do the same. She did, and tucked her paws under her.

"Well, Fireheart," Bluestar started, doing nothing to ease the she-cats worries. "It's been a while since we simply chatted, has it not?"

With a pang, Fireheart realized that Bluestar was right. Between all her planning, Tigerclaw, and worries for Graystripe, she'd been neglecting her other friendships. She would have to fix that.

"I suppose it has." The flame-pelted warrior ducked her head in embarrassment.

Bluestar had an amused glint in her eyes. "I suppose I can't blame you, I see you've been busy. How are the kits?"

"Last time I checked with Spottedleaf, she said they were as healthy as could be!" Fireheart replied. "I would hope so, they've been making me nauseous like there's no tomorrow!"

"I heard," Bluestar purred. "The queens say it usually goes away after a while."

Fireheart sighed. "I hope so, I don't want to throw up on Tigerclaw again."

The blue-eyed leader's whiskers twitched in amusement. "I'm sure he doesn't mind too much, he did sign up for this, after all."

The warrior shrugged. "I suppose. I still feel awful about it, though."

"It's only natural." Bluestar mewed. "Although I've noticed you seem a bit stressed lately."

"I suppose I have," Fireheart replied.

"Anything in particular?" The pale blue-gray leader gently inquired.

What could she tell her? That Graystripe was off galavanting with a RiverClan she-cat? That that was why she took over Brackenpaw's training unofficially? That Graystripe had practically ghosted her for said she-cat?

The flame-pelted she-cat decided to just keep it simple. "You know, usual Clan things. I never realized how stressful things could be until you're pregnant and cats start trying to protect you from all sorts of things."

"I presume you are referring to Tigerclaw?" Bluestar asked, amusement lacing her words.

Fireheart nodded. "How could you have possibly guessed?"

The leader shrugged. "Lucky pick of the choices, I suppose."

Fireheart's jade eyes found those of Bluestar's ice-blue orbs. From deep within Fireheart's chest, something stirred, and perhaps it was because Bluestar was being so earnest, so open and willing to truly listen and understand, that brought Fireheart to say what she did, "Graystripe is seeing Silverstream."

Fireheart had just blurted it out, appalled and in horror of her sudden betrayal of her friends' trust. She couldn't believe she had said that! Graystripe had entrusted that secret to her and she had meant to keep it, she truly did, but she just couldn't handle it anymore! Now Bluestar would probably kick Graystripe out of the Clan, Bluestar would --

"The RiverClan she-cat, I take that is who you are referring to?" Bluestar stated it so calmly, as though they were just talking about the weather and not breaking the warrior code, that it took Fireheart a moment to process what she had just said.

"Y-yes?" Fireheart answered hesitantly.

Bluestar hummed, gazing somewhere over Fireheart's shoulder. "Yes, I believe that Silverstream is the daughter of Crookedstar if I remember correctly. Very lovely, I can see why Graystripe is being led astray."

"Y-you know about them?" Fireheart asked, in complete disbelief.

Bluestar blinked and looked back at Fireheart. "About Graystripe secretly meeting up with a RiverClan she-cat? I've had my suspicion, him sneaking out at all times of the day and coming back late. Also, I'm not blind during the gatherings. The Great Rock holds a great view of the entire clearing."

"Why aren't you doing anything if you know?" The soon-to-be mother demanded, before quickly apologizing for how strongly and accusing she had just been to her leader.

Bluestar just waved her off, taking no offense. "I'm trusting that Graystripe remembers his loyalty to ThunderClan. This is his home. We are his kin. He needs time to remember and end things on his own terms."

Fireheart almost snorted at the absurdity. She knew he wasn't going to. She had tried to talk sense into him. Many times. Over countless moons in fact. Graystripe didn't even put up a fight when ThunderClan was against RiverClan during the fight where ShadowClan and RiverClan were teamed up against WindClan and ThunderClan. Fireheart had to let Silverstream go for the sake of her longtime friend.

"And what happens then, if things were to keep progressing?" Fireheart urged. "What happens if Graystripe ends up having kits with Silverstream, what then?"

That caused Bluestar to stiffen, her eyes going unfocused and like that, Fireheart remembered, "What would happen, if they ended up like you?"

Bluestar's hackles suddenly began to rise and Fireheart flinched at the sudden blaze of anger in her leader's eyes. Then she relaxed, and the anger was replaced by a distant look of memory and loss. "You guessed," the pale blue-gray she-cat murmured. "I thought you might. Yes, Fireheart, Mistyfoot and Stonefur were once my kits."

Silence fell over the pair as that confession sinked in, and Fireheart wasn't sure how to continue it, but Bluestar took the initiative and started speaking herself, "you must be very observant and have pieced things together with stories you had to have heard from others."

Fireheart shifted uneasily, she couldn't very much tell Bluestar that this conversation had happened in a past life, so she went with a half-truth, "I've heard things from the elders about you once having kits. I also heard an elderly RiverClan queen tell about RiverClan finding abandoned kits that smelled like ThunderClan. And two of RiverClan's warriors look shockingly like you and--"

Bluestar raised her tail, indicating that she wanted Fireheart to stop. "I think those RiverClan warriors you're speaking about are Stonefur and Mistyfoot." It was a fact, not a question, but Fireheart nodded anyway.

Bluestar sighed, no longer looking at anything as she closed her eyes. "Oh, Fireheart, you might one-day understand, or perhaps not, but when I was a warrior I met a RiverClan warrior, Oakheart, he was charming in every way, someone that was so easy to get along with. Oakheart and I secretly began seeing one another and it was a quick whirlwind of emotions and thrills. Eventually I did fall pregnant. I didn't want to leave my Clan, and I refused to allow Oakheart, he was so important to RiverClan, he was destined to be their deputy. I had expected to raise them on my own. But there was a bitter leaf-bare. The Clan was half-starved and I had barely enough milk to feed my kits. I knew that in RiverClan they would be well cared for. In those days the river was full of fish, and RiverClan cats never went hungry."

Fireheart gazed sadly at her leader, but knew that wasn't it. "But there was something else that caused you to give them away, wasn't there?"

"Sometimes I wish you weren't so observant." Bluestar sighed. FIreheart decided not to take it to heart. "Yes, there was another reason. The deputy then was about to retire, and I knew I was a good candidate for the position. But I knew I wouldn't be considered if I had kits. There was another cat at the time, Thistleclaw. He was also a good cat to consider, but he was too rash, and his answer to everything was to fight. I couldn't leave the Clan with a deputy like that."

Fireheart nodded. "And you staged it to make it seem like a fox had gotten them in the nursery, right?"

Bluestar sighed. "It was the hardest thing I'd ever done. One of my kits died on the journey. It was too cold for them."

"I'm sorry," Fireheart mewed, sincerely meaning it. She could never imagine giving up her kits, even if it meant saving the Clan.

Or, could she? The soon-to-be mother didn't know. But this was another reason, and further proof that the Clan's would be better off joining together. She was positive that Bluestar and Graystripe definitely weren't the only ones to participate in other Clan affairs. Well, she knew they wouldn't be the last.

"Thank you for trusting me with this information, Bluestar." The flame-pelted she-cat meowed.

Bluestar ducked her head. "Before you go, you and Graystripe have been chosen to go to the gathering tonight. I can't prevent him from going forever but will keep an eye on him for now. Why don't you go get checked out by Yellowfang or Spottedleaf before we head out."

"The Gathering?" Fireheart mused. "Thank you, Bluestar. I will!" Bluestar dismissed her, and left the leader's den before making her way to the medicine cat's den.

It was cold outside of the den, making Fireheart understand why almost no cat was in the clearing. Most cats were either in their den, fighting off the cold, or out doing their duties. The flame-colored she-cat was a tad disappointed to not see her mate, as Fireheart wanted to see him before the gathering. But alas, it seemed that wouldn't be the case.

She pushed her way into the medicine cat den.

"About time," Yellowfang huffed. "I thought I'd have to drag you in here myself."

Fireheart snorted. "No need, I had just been talking to Bluestar."

Yellowfang rolled her eyes. "Well lay down. We don't have all day." Fireheart shook her head at the older cat's grumpy remarks, but followed her instructions anyway.

The old battle scarred medicine cat padded her stomach. "Yeah, they're fine." She gruffed. "Have you been chosen to go to the gathering?"

Fireheart sat up and nodded. "I wonder what's going to happen?" She mumbled.

"Well there's definitely going to be tension." Yellowfang scoffed. "So soon after a battle. I'd keep an eye on your pelt if I were you."

"You really think they would break the truce?" Fireheart inquired, eyes wide.

The old she-cat shrugged. "You never know. Just stay on guard."

"Alright," Fireheart nodded in agreement. "I will, thank you, Yellowfang."

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Hello everyone, co-author (Ashe) here, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! Gathering will be the next chapter.

Fun Facts:

Fire and Tiger have officially made up from the last chapter! Yeah!!!

More involvement with pregnancy than any of my other work because all I've got referenced is Bluestar and whatever other cat has given birth but nobody has ever gone into detail about it!!!

Yes, poor Tigerclaw goes through the motions of having a hormonal pregnant mate that occasionally now throws up on him…it's just a faze!!

First the mood swings, now the morning sickness, going through it all!!!

Fireheart's friend group is changing!!! Moving away from Graystripe and more towards Dustpelt and Sandstorm territory!!!

Sandstorm x Brackenfur!!! Ship name can be: Sandfur!!

Neither I nor my Beta like Graystripe, my Beta really doesn't like Graystripe more than me, Graystripe is going to have consequences for being a bad friend!

Bluestar being optimistic! Gonna bite her in the tail!

Hate Silverstream in this fic but love her in my Heart of Water so check that one out!!! I made Silverstream better in that one!! More of a girl boss if you ask me!!!