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Disclaimer: Warriors is owned by Erin Hunter/HarperCollins Publishers LLC
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Yellowfang's Dilemma
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Darkness loomed over the medicine cat den as Fireheart began to shuffle. The warrior groaned, feeling tired as his senses began emerging after a quick slumber. His limbs were numb - his blood flows just starting to wake them up - as he attempted to open his eyes. He yawned slowly, taking in the sights around him.
He was still in the medicine cat den, that much was obvious. The shadows from the thick ceiling of rock, sticks, and foliage seemed to make the den a lot darker than usual, causing it to take longer for his eyes to adjust. He blinked slowly, thinking nothing of it. Perhaps it was simply an overcast since there was no way Tigerclaw or even Yellowfang would let him sleep into the night, would they? Still, something must have been keeping them, but Fireheart couldn't tell if it should concern him or not. Those two would surely be busy after what happened earlier.
The ginger tom steadily rose to his paws, stretching as he reared himself fully awake. He looked around the den once more; everything was just as he remembered it before he went to sleep.
He frowned when his gaze landed on the entrance to the den. Before she left, Yellowfang had promised to talk with him about what happened between him and Tigerclaw. Fireheart assumed that had meant after she had finished tending to the clan, and seeing how it'd grown darker outside than before, Yellowfang should've been done a long time ago. That's not all - nobody must have even entered the den the whole time he was asleep, for they surely would have caused some commotion upon discovering him. Therefore, Yellowfang had to be away from camp somewhere, and Cinderpaw as well, but it just wasn't like them to be gone all day.
Fireheart huffed as he took a step forward towards the lichen, only to quickly halt as he found himself hesitating. He soon remembered how after Tigerclaw was done banishing half of the cats he was close to and blaming him for their leader's death, he'd ordered Fireheart to be confined to the medicine den. If things had stayed personal between them, Fireheart would've marched straight to Tigerclaw and confronted him about how ridiculous his decision was, but now Fireheart's whole reputation with the clan was basically ruined.
And it wouldn't be wise to simply walk out into a clan who believed him a traitor now would it?
Fireheart grumbled, stepping back. His situation wasn't helped by the fact that his entire body ached. As if his wounds weren't causing him enough trouble, ever since his fight with Tigerclaw, Fireheart's nose had been bugging him. Ever since the battle had ended, the air around the camp grew slightly thicker as it carried the sweet scent of blood. This wasn't new to Fireheart - it was like this when Brokenstar attacked their camp when he was just an apprentice, and when he went into ShadowClan to drive that same tom out.
The smell he'd come to realize was still was quite strong; much stronger than after any other battle Fireheart could remember. He could practically taste it as he opened his jaws, breathing in a large whiff. Though it did a good job reminding him of his battles against other clans, it now only made him think of his fight with Tigerclaw. He frowned to himself as he was reminded of that horrible scene, but then his thoughts grew even more disturbing.
After today, he would never taste the blood of fresh-kill the same way again. Tigerclaw had taken the liberty of shoving the orange tom into a pool of Bluestar's blood during their fight, and it was likely due to the overwhelming sense of disgust he experienced at that moment that made him lose in the first place. He spat the last of it out of his mouth by the time Tigerclaw had pinned him down, and ever since then, the smell of blood remained a sickening reminder of what was, without a doubt, his biggest failure yet.
Now here he was, making such a big deal over a scent he was all too familiar with just for simply noticing it. It was odd that he couldn't taste it when he first woke up; he figured he'd gone nose blind to it or something.
Although… That was strange. For some reason, the smell this time around was a bit sweeter than he remembered.
Fireheart snapped his attention to it, raising his head into the air and opening his mouth to catch the scent again. And for a second time, it smelt a bit too sweet - almost like a flower.
Like a flower… or the leaves of tansy used for greencough, even. He thought before realizing. Wait...
Fireheart paused for a moment before his eyes shot open in realization. Spottedleaf!
His mind went wild. Spottedleaf is what it smelt like! The scent of blood certainly held a sweetness to it - that much he learned ever since joining the clan - but this smell was just too much. He was all too familiar, having the former medicine cat appear so often to him in his dreams. How couldn't he recognize it sooner?
But wait… my dreams? Fireheart retraced his thoughts for a moment. Am I in a dream?
His fur stood on end as he looked towards the den's entrance. It had been just as quiet outside as it had been in here, he suddenly noticed. It made sense initially seeing as the clan would likely be holding a vigil for Bluestar now, but Spottedleaf's scent was there with him. He was certain of it, but that begged the question: Was he truly in a dream, or was this reality?
Fireheart thought for a moment. Perhaps she's just visiting Bluestar on her vigil? His eyes couldn't help but widen at the thought. Could I see her again!? With Bluestar even?
Without a second thought, Fireheart quickly jumped to his paws and headed towards the bracken-covered entrance of the den. He raced past the stores of herbs, failing to realize how his wounds strangely weren't affecting him at all, before suddenly coming to stop at the den's entrance. His heart was beating faster, desperate for his legs to keep moving, but then his mind began to work.
What if this isn't a dream? He wondered. Fireheart took a moment to realize what going out into the clearing alone would entail. He stared at the bracken for a moment, thinking, before releasing a tiny sneer.
"I don't care what they think," he thought aloud. That wasn't true, but then again, he decided a long time ago that the opinions of the clan shouldn't dissuade him from trying to discover the truth about something.
Taking a deep breath, he trudged on through the entryway. He didn't know what to expect when he stepped outside - either a clan deep in mourning or a clan fast asleep - but none of that really mattered to him right now. He had to see where this scent was coming from. He had to see Spottedleaf!
Casually stepping out of the den, Fireheart took a look around. It was nighttime, much to his dismay. It was difficult to tell from inside the medicine den what time of the day it was, but undoubtedly it had been unusually dark in there.
Fireheart swept his gaze throughout the clearing, before coming to a thrilling realization. He'd been so nervous about taking a look outside the camp, only to find it had been emptied. He felt a slight panic building within him whilst taking a few steps further from the den. He walked as slowly and as quietly as possible, lifting his nose to scent the air. He grew unnerved as his senses enabled him to confirm his suspicions.
There was not a single cat in camp right now.
Fireheart grew even more worried as he analyzed further. He couldn't even get a whiff of a stale scent. The only cat he could detect was Spottedleaf, but that didn't ease his concerns. Had everyone been content with leaving the camp? The kits and elders too? Fireheart could not grasp it as possible; This was not something a clan just does - Tigerclaw's order or not.
Tigerclaw… He wondered. Did he send everyone away?
Fireheart kept himself calm as he traversed through the clearing, his senses on high alert. The smell of Spottedleaf hung in the air, now even stronger than before. Though it gave him some sense of relief to know he wasn't alone, the fragrance was starting to drive him mad.
What is the meaning of this Spottedleaf? he wondered.
Eventually, he came to a stop just in the middle of the camp. His keen eyesight couldn't catch one flicker of movement, not in any of the dens, nor the trees high above. There was no wind to be felt, and no light from the moon. Nature seemed unnaturally quiet, which seemed just about as unimaginable as the camp being empty.
Fireheart opened his mouth to scent again. His eyes and ears told him nothing - only his nose had proven to be of use. The result was the same, unfortunately; just the smell of pine and Spottedleaf.
He slinked around the camp before coming to a stop near the leader's den. He looked on at the den, seeing it was just as dark and lifeless as the others. Fireheart's imagination suddenly kicked in. Maybe the vigil is over and the entire clan is at Bluestar's burial?
Perhaps the clan had a closer relationship to Bluestar than he thought, or maybe this is just... what they do? He had never attended the vigil of a clan leader before, so perhaps this was nothing out of the ordinary. The ginger tom knew that was a bit of a stretch, but it was the only thing he could imagine that made sense. Not only that, but he still had his doubts on whether or not this entire thing was a dream since there was no way Spottedleaf would be this abstruse.
Fireheart turned away from the leader's den and started walking with his head down. After giving it thought, he supposed that in some way, even though he was innocent of the crimes against him, he still somehow was partially responsible for the mess his clan was in. He had all the evidence he needed to expose Tigerclaw, but he had waited too long… and now, Bluestar was no more. He struggled to accept that fact, even now when he was so painfully aware of it.
He sighed, deciding to ease his mind by looking up towards the stars. He figured he may as well try to find her somewhere up there. She would still be looking down on him right? By now, she knows full well that Tigerclaw is a traitor, but would she still give him any assurance?
His eyes darted through the clouds, searching eagerly, but oddly enough, nothing could be found-
...Wait, what?
Fireheart suddenly felt a shiver run through him. He was staring at the sky and looking at… nothing.
Where are the stars?
The sky was darkened - night had been upon him obviously - but that was the thing. The sky was totally dark. It was as if he was staring into an empty void - nothing was to be seen. There was no moon, nor clouds, or stars. How could there be no stars? There are always stars!
Fireheart felt another chill as his gaze wandered towards the treeline-
But wait, that didn't make sense either! How could he tell where the tops of the trees were if there was no light to shine upon them?
Unless… He froze as the sudden realization hit him. The treetops... they were glowing red. A faint red, that could barely be seen against the dark backdrop of the night sky. He gasped - there was only one thing that illuminated such a deep orange!
"FIRE!"
The ginger tom yowled these words at the top of his lungs, completely forgetting there were no cats around to hear him. Before he could take another step, he suddenly gagged.
"W-what is this smell?" His pelt bristled in irritation as he sniffed the air.
It's smoke! He thought, staring ahead. There's a fire just outside the camp!
Fireheart didn't waste another second. He sprang to life, bounding towards the gorse tunnel. The reddish-orange glow had barely extended beyond the evergreen, indicating the fire quickly spread near the entrance to the camp. He knew he had to act quickly to avoid getting trapped in the clearing.
The smell of smoke became frighteningly more potent in the few seconds it took for Fireheart to make it to the tunnel. He skidded to a halt at its mouth, before instinctively sparing a glance back at the camp. This was his nature - his body stopped him from leaving on its own just to ensure he would be the last cat to have escaped.
Is that why you were here Spottedleaf? To warn me after the clan failed to?
Fireheart then caught a whiff of smoke and shook his head. Spottedleaf's scent had faded quickly as he was fleeing, but he didn't have time to question right now. Saving his pelt would be a much wiser objective!
Taking a deep breath, Fireheart ducked into the pricked shrubs of the gorse. His whiskers twitched, now sensing the growing presence of smoke with more than just his nose. Though it was too dark to actually see any signs of it, Fireheart could tell the air was growing thicker as he continued along.
Fireheart bounded further into the tunnel, being extra mindful of where he was going. Even though he had incredible night vision, it proved to be rather impractical when navigating a tightly-packed thicket in pitch-darkness. His heart raced even faster when he suddenly noticed the same reddish glow that was in the sky had now moved in front of him. The fire was closing in on the tunnel!
Fireheart picked up his speed, losing the care he had taken not to scrape his pelt against the thorns. He panted heavily as the shrubs raked his pelt, before skidding to a stop. He looked on in horror as flames had erupted in front of him.
W-where did these come from?! He stuttered to himself. He backed away slightly, his fur now bristling uncontrollably. I can't escape!
Fireheart's mind whirled as he shot his head around, desperately looking for another way to escape. His heart sunk - there was no other place he could go but backward. Fireheart grunted, quickly turning away from the flames back towards the direction of the camp.
I'm going to have to find another wa-
His thoughts were interrupted with a gasp of horror. Where he had just come - it was burning furiously!
W-what? NO! There were no flames here just a moment ago! Fireheart panicked more than ever as his mind exploded. H-How did the fire spread so fast?
His head darted around, hearing the loud crackle of flames. Embers were flying everywhere, singing everything they touched and sprouting even more flames amongst the dry thicket.
A barrage of feelings overcame him as his eyes whipped around fearfully.
How am I going to escape!? He thought.
There's so much smoke - I can hardly breathe! He thought once more.
Am I going to die? ...
Fireheart shuddered, looking in awe around him. He gulped before letting out a whimper. "No..."
He panted heavily, eyes wide. Curling his lip into a growl, his fear fueled his anger.
"NO!"
He scrambled to his side, just barely avoiding the falling bundles of scorched bracken as they nearly caved in the tunnel. With no other option, Fireheart threw his entire body into the only part of the gorse that wasn't engulfed in flames. He cursed and spat as the thorns ripped his pelt apart, going so far as to tear his skin. He clambered to find his footing, and soon he was on his paws, gathering his strength and preparing to drag himself through the thicket. He pushed ahead with great force, but to no avail, hissing in pain as the branches kept their hold on him. He flailed his head around wildly, trying with everything he had to escape the grasp the thorns had on his pelt.
His stomach dropped, realizing the worst possible outcome of his escape plan just became a reality. He whipped his head behind him, seeing through watering eyes that the flames were quickly catching up. He looked all around, his heart sinking as the flames grew around his flanks and even over his head. Fireheart now only stared in horror. He couldn't even cry for help, though as if it would even matter.
Here is where the ginger tom was going to die.
His will to fight had left him; all he could do was close his eyes as the heat began draining his energy. The smoke had already begun singeing his pelt well before the flames even appeared, and now the fumes were starting to choke him as well. His lungs were crying with pain, but he knew nothing could stop it. The sounds of disaster kept roaring around him, the heat and the smoke combined made him begin to lose consciousness. He was missing the feeling in his limbs, and couldn't even find the strength to check if the flames had started consuming him yet. They probably were, he figured numbly, even though he couldn't feel anything. His eyes were heavy with tears and fatigue, and soon, he just couldn't see keep them open anymore.
He struggled to draw breath, even as his world faded to black.
Finally, things started to calm down a little. He still couldn't see or hear anything, but for some reason, he felt weightless.
What's going on?
Fireheart tried moving his body. He couldn't feel anything - it was so weird.
Am I… dead? Is this the afterlife?
He could still feel his mind struggling as if he had limbs that would obey. He mentally thrashed about, hoping it was a sign that he was still somehow alive.
But that's impossible. Fireheart thought. I was just consumed by my own namesake.
He still struggled - more now than before in fact - trying anything he could to break through whatever limbo he was in.
What am I even doing here? He thought, simply questioning himself more seeing as his other efforts were having no effect.
So... this is it?
Fireheart couldn't believe this had been what lay at the end of every cat's journey. Is this what waited at the end of a cat's life?
No… wait.
He swore, if only for a moment, that he suddenly could sense the feeling of sound hitting his ear. It was muffled and intangible, but it was there.
What is that?
Fireheart suddenly could hear himself clearly, not just in his mind.
He soon began to feel heavy in his head again. He felt a twitch, before suddenly realizing he could now feel his tail.
And now suddenly, his paws… then his legs… then his spine and head…
What's happening?!
He struggled to understand how he could go from feeling weightlessness to suddenly having his senses again, but the muffled sounds from before had returned. He then felt himself perking his ears, and he could feel his eyelids opening.
"What-"
His eyes were only half-open before his newfound senses had been assaulted.
Fireheart reeled back in surprise as he suddenly found himself back in the medicine cat den, every single bone and muscle in his body groaning in pain. He shot himself alive, gasping for breath. Strangely, it felt like a lifetime since he last had clean air in his lungs.
Confused couldn't even begin to describe what Fireheart suddenly felt, but the sounds of arguing outside quickly stowed his thoughts away.
"-ever understand him. Why does he have to be so difficult?"
Fireheart looked towards the entrance to see Cinderpaw angrily limping her way through the lichen-covered entrance to the den. She held a stern glare as her mentor, Yellowfang quickly appeared behind her to follow.
"Cinderpaw," she said, wariness clear in her voice. "Come now, you know how Longtail gets when clan loyalty is involved. He's just on edge, the same as everyone else."
Cinderpaw kept her gaze ahead of her as she strut across the clearing. "That shouldn't excuse his behavior."
"Aye," Yellowfang nodded. "But for now, we'll just have to deal with it."
Cinderpaw sighed as she came to stop in the back of the den, looking deep in thought.
Fireheart was speechless as he stared in awe. So was everything he just went through a dream? But… his dreams never felt that real before!
The ginger tom quickly stood up, wanting nothing more than to make sure he was awake for real this time, but he stopped as a huge wave of pain coursed through him. This one took him by surprise, and he let out a small cry when his hind legs failed as a result.
"Fireheart!"
Yellowfang suddenly trotted over to him, concern flashing through her eyes. "What did I tell you about straining yourself?"
Fireheart clenched his teeth as he recovered, before looking sheepishly towards her.
"S-sorry, Yellowfang. I… just was dreaming and-"
"Dreaming?" she sneered with a minorly intrigued, yet heavily disapproving look. Cinderpaw perked her ears up, before cocking her head to look at them as Yellowfang continued.
"Please! I've heard more about dreams than you've heard kittypet insults! Let me guess - this fervent imagination of yours suddenly convinced you to disobey me?"
"N-no! I had a nightmare. It-"
"Just save it, Fireheart," she growled. "You shouldn't make any sudden movements like that again, no matter how badly you sleep."
Fireheart winced at her tone but figured she had the right to be concerned. This was all stressful for her as well as him.
"I believe we have more important things to discuss anyway. You have a lot of explaining to do on what in StarClan's name has just befallen our clan, and I think now's a good time to hear it," she said, albeit tiredly.
Fireheart grimaced, as the she-cat looked anything but willing to listen, but he let it slide. Now he was finally getting a chance to explain himself!
"Can we move him first?"
Fireheart looked over at Cinderpaw, pure disgust written across her face. He glanced to where she was gesturing with her tail, only to see the lifeless form of Brokentail still laying in the other corner of the den.
Yellowfang turned to raise a brow at her. "You mean you didn't want a new gaud for our den?"
Cinderpaw blinked, staring at the elder for a moment, before looking away. "Right, I'm moving him."
She gazed towards a pile of herbs, before grabbing a few plain-looking leaves with her mouth and trudging over to where Brokentail lay. She gently bit onto his disfigured tail before using all of the strength she had to drag the fallen warrior along with her. Fireheart couldn't mistake the look on her face - it seemed like she'd rather be doing anything else.
"Thank you, Cinderpaw," grunted Yellowfang, giving her apprentice a sincere look. "Get a couple of warriors to take care of him, then come back to us. I imagine you'd want to hear what Fireheart has to say."
Cinderpaw grunted to acknowledge her before eventually shambling her way out of the den. Fireheart thanked the stars that cats took longer than half a day to start decomposing. He suddenly felt the fur rise along his spine as he sensed Yellowfang staring at him.
Fireheart turned hesitantly. "You're gonna hear me out? After everything, Tigerclaw just said up there?"
He hoped he didn't sound too eager, but he just couldn't help himself.
"I believe it's the least you owe us," Yellowfang stated. "When I went out there, the clan looked anything but content about this whole situation, but they would rather focus on the passing of their leader than your supposed betrayal at the moment."
Fireheart lowered his head, suddenly having felt a small sense of guilt. "I see… but they still believe him, don't they? They believe everything Tigerclaw said?"
Yellowfang simply looked straight at him. "You're insinuating that Tigerclaw lied to them."
"I know he lied to them! He's lied to everyone, Yellowfang!" Fireheart bristled. Yellowfang widened her eyes, having not expected such hostility.
"Settle down now," she told him gently. "I assume you have a very good reason to believe such a thing."
"Yes, I have a few actually!" Fireheart said, without a hint of doubt in his voice.
"Mmph. You seem… rather confident," Yellowfang observed, peering at him. "Very well then, but I hope you realize just how unpopular your claims are. From what I could tell, not much became of Cloudpaw's plight."
"Um, well. That was just… uncalled for," Fireheart said, drooping his ears. "Cloudpaw is still new to the clan, and he shouldn't have been put on the spot like that. He was just defending himself."
"I agree, to an extent, but Cloudpaw still said the things he said," Yellowfang remarked. "Now, before I hear you out, I must ask you the same thing that was asked of him."
Her bright orange eyes were now staring right through him. Fireheart watched at her warily, almost intimidated.
"Do you conspire with rogues Fireheart?"
His eyes flashed a small hint of red. What?! The ginger tom growled, feeling his fur begin to bristle.
"No, Yellowfang! Never!" He suddenly met Yellowfang's glare with a piercing one of his own. "I've never had any desire to make a deal with rogues or any outsider for that matter!"
Yellowfang sat there, listening to him speak. Seeing she was making no attempt to counter him, Fireheart kept going.
"I tell you Cloudpaw and I have never even spoken with them before - I helped drive them out of ShadowClan with you, remember?"
He saw a flash of anger in her eyes now. "Of course I remember! I'm old, not senile!" Yellowfang declared.
She paused to let her fur settle, giving her chest a quick lick. "The way I see it there's no reason why you'd want to betray our trust like that. At the same time, I'd imagine a kittypet like you would want nothing more than to gain our trust."
Fireheart suddenly found himself beaming towards the old medicine cat. "Exactly! I'm so glad you understand Yellowfang!"
She scoffed. "Now, now, I don't have any proof that you didn't meet with those rogues-" she looked at him dubiously. "But… I suppose I'll believe you."
Fireheart widened his eyes. At that, he couldn't help but sigh with relief. Even if she was just one cat, having and keeping Yellowfang's trust was something he felt proud about on a personal level.
The old she-cat suddenly raised her voice. "However, I'm not all too interested in that. I'm more curious as to what truly happened in the leader's den a little while ago."
Fireheart saw that glare she had given him a moment ago return. He suddenly anticipated another blunt question just like before.
"So, Fireheart, did you kill Bluestar?"
Prepared or not, Fireheart couldn't help but reel back in disgust at such a question. Did this cat believe him or what?
"No, Yellowfang! I- how could I do something like that?" he stuttered. "It's Tigerclaw… it was all him! He's the one you should punish, not me! All of this is-"
Fireheart suddenly felt his throat flare up with pain, and before he knew it, he was hunched over on the brink of another coughing fit.
"Remember your injuries, Fireheart. Don't push it now," Yellowfang warned. Fireheart took a moment to breathe after almost choking from his injury.
It wasn't long after that before he could suddenly hear the sound of approaching footsteps. A voice caught his attention as Fireheart shook his ruffled fur out.
"What's all this noise in here?"
Yellowfang turned around. "Ah, Cinderpaw, come sit."
Fireheart looked up to see Cinderpaw had finished whatever she'd gone to do with Brokentail. The smoky dark she-cat looked at them both for a second, before nodding, walking over to take her place next to Yellowfang. Fireheart noticed she didn't have the leaves she was carrying in her mouth from before - she must've found someone else to take care of Brokentail.
"You sure took your time," commented Yellowfang, inspecting her.
Cinderpaw looked at her offended. "Well, everyone is still sharing tongues with Bluestar, but Tigerclaw noticed me and fetched a few cats to help."
"I see, did he question you?" Yellowfang asked as she looked away, sounding uninterested.
"About Brokentail? No, he didn't even seem to care. But he did ask me if Fireheart was in our den, which I confirmed," she replied, looking towards Fireheart.
Yellowfang nodded. "Thank you, Cinderpaw."
Her apprentice purred. "No problem."
Fireheart listened to their conversation, all the while feeling skeptical as to how Yellowfang could ask questions like that and not sound at least somewhat concerned. He took another moment to consider the information Cinderpaw just gave him before releasing a depressed grunt.
"So all of them are grieving without us, huh?"
Yellowfang shifted her head to look at him with an amused expression.
"Well, for one thing, someone has to watch you," she rasped. "Another thing, medicine cats sit vigil overnight for all deceased members of their clan. We always have time to grieve then, and we're also allowed to help the elders bury the body in the morning if we so please."
Fireheart considered her words before simply nodding. He had no idea how medicine cat traditions worked, so that was news to him. Though he frowned a bit, knowing that wasn't something he was particularly proud of since he had always wanted to know everything he possibly could about clan life, including medicine cats.
Cinderpaw nodded in agreement at her mentor's wisdom, before observing the barren look on the ginger tom's face with interest.
"Speaking of the dead… " she began. Fireheart perked his ears towards her.
She held a worried expression as she looked between them. "Just what is going on here? Why was Fireheart accused of murder?"
Yellowfang hummed, before lashing her tail. "That is what I want to know too. Fireheart, you just told me Tigerclaw was the one that killed Bluestar, correct?"
Her question suddenly brought new energy to him. Fireheart raised his head to look her in the eyes. "Yes, I saw it clearly! I rushed in there after fighting off a rogue. I did it because I couldn't see Bluestar anywhere in the clearing, and I got worried, so I went into the leader's den…"
He lowered his head as he trailed off, but realizing neither two she-cats stopped him, he knew they were truly willing to hear him out.
Fireheart raised his head with confidence. "And that's where I found Tigerclaw sitting next to her body in a pool of blood."
He paused to let them gather what he'd just revealed. Yellowfang had a trivial look in her eyes, and Fireheart could tell she was deep in thought. He turned to see Cinderpaw carrying the same look, but opted to look towards the ground instead of him.
It was Cinderpaw who spoke first.
"So… wait, but how is that possible?!" she quivered. "Tigerclaw would never do something like that... "
Yellowfang snapped out of her thoughts as she nudged her apprentice with her shoulder.
"Remember, we should keep our voices down," she said in a loud whisper. "From now on, we will ensure this conversation be kept between us."
Seeing her apprentice's disturbed yet firm nod, she then turned to Fireheart. "And you... Need I repeat myself when I say that your throat injury won't heal if you keep raising your voice?"
Fireheart winced as the old medicine cat reminded him of that one particular stigma. He didn't need reminding - he shouldn't have had it in the first place!
Cinderpaw looked surprised at her mentor. "His throat is injured?"
Yellowfang gave a slow nod before Cinderpaw shifted her concerned look onto Fireheart. The ginger tom knew she'd want to see it for herself at some point, but that didn't mean he was eager to show it off. Begrudgingly, he lifted his chin towards the roof of the den to give Cinderpaw a clear view of the bite marks scored on his jugular.
Cinderpaw squinted at him, before releasing a sharp gasp. "When did that happen?"
"Tigerclaw of course," Fireheart replied, lowering his head. "Did you not hear him boasting about it after my stupid coughing fit?"
That only just seemed to confuse Cinderpaw more, as she gave him an odd look. Meanwhile, Yellowfang seemed to be holding back a snicker.
"That's what caused it?" Cinderpaw continued. Fireheart gave her a nod, causing her to look away, almost like she was ashamed.
"I see… Sorry, I wasn't paying attention," she admitted, her eyes growing warm with sympathy. Fireheart meanwhile failed to withhold a light snort.
"Don't be sorry. It's good you weren't listening, since his entire speech was full of mousedung anyway."
He growled as he reminded himself of what that traitor had told the clan. It was worse seeing as they hardly questioned him too!
"Mmm, right. So you didn't plan this whole attack with those rogues?" Cinderpaw asked. Fireheart snapped his attention back on her.
"Of course not, Cinderpaw! I wouldn't dream of it! Why don't you believe me?" he whined.
"I-I do Fireheart!" Cinderpaw stammered. "It's just, Tigerclaw seemed so confident that you were the reason. He's always looked out for the clan. Why would he lie?"
"Because all he cares about is POWER! That's why!"
The two medicine cats winced at his ferocity. Fireheart knew Yellowfang would probably try to scold him again for yowling with an injured throat, but he desperately needed to let out what information had been bottled-up in his mind.
"He'd strike down any cat that stands in his way! He got rid of my apprentice and Graystripe in a heartbeat, he killed Redtail in hopes of becoming deputy, and now he's killed Bluestar to become clan leader!"
Cinderpaw looked awestruck at him. Yellowfang held her eyes wide open, and Fireheart thought for a second she would try to argue with him.
"I-..." Cinderpaw began but ultimately shut her mouth. She curled her lip before looking at her mentor.
"Yellowfang, has he gone insane?"
The old medicine didn't turn to acknowledge her, but instead, kept her gaze on the warrior. Meanwhile, Fireheart just felt like a set of claws had torn right through him. How was Cinderpaw going to doubt him after everything they'd been through together?
"I can prove it to you both!" Fireheart raised his head boldly as his mind started recalling every piece of evidence he'd seen. "Tigerclaw said he killed Oakheart as revenge for killing Redtail, but it was really a rockfall that killed him! Then he killed Redtail afterward and blamed it on Oakheart!"
The two cats seemed to freeze at his revelation. If Cinderpaw looked concerned before, now she seemed downright afraid. Yellowfang appeared to finally react to their conversation, putting on nearly an identical look of shock as her apprentice.
"H-how do you know all of this?" Yellowfang trembled.
Fireheart turned away for a moment, thinking, before looking to her again.
"Ravenpaw told me; Both I and Graystripe know the truth."
Cinderpaw narrowed her eyes at him. "That's absurd! How could Ravenpaw have simply told you two about this and nobody else? Plus, he's dead! What good is his word if he can't back it up?" she argued.
"He's not dead," Fireheart finally revealed. He'd been waiting for a good time to bring it up, seeing how that arguably might've been the most jarring news he had to offer. Therefore, he wasn't surprised when a look of confusion crept its way onto both the medicine cats.
He frowned. "It's… complicated. Both I and Graystripe feared Tigerclaw would kill him somehow since he was aware Ravenpaw knew the truth, so we sent him away to live in the barn close to the forest."
Cinderpaw absorbed his words, before looking at the ground. He couldn't blame her for finding this all hard to believe, especially that last bit. He noticed Yellowfang seemed to have a look of doubt as well.
He sighed. "I'm sorry, but Ravenpaw had to leave, and we knew he would never be safe unless we could convince everyone that he was dead."
Cinderpaw sat still for a moment, before slowly nodding her head in understanding. He knew she couldn't find much of a reason now to argue, seeing as she was still a young kit then. Yellowfang, on the other paw, looked perturbed by the revelation, before opening her mouth to speak for the first time since they all sat down together.
"That is quite surprising. It disturbs me that you've had this knowledge for so long; no wonder you never liked Tigerclaw."
Fireheart looked at her, then nodded in agreement. He went to speak again, but he heard Cinderpaw's soft voice.
"I just don't understand. Tigerclaw has been planning all of this?"
She sounded defeated - which Fireheart hated - but she had to know. Everyone had to find out at some point! He then debated on whether or not to reveal anything else, before realizing he may never get a chance to explain himself again.
"Cinderpaw, your accident-" he started, sounding remorseful. "That was also Tigerclaw's doing. He had intentionally requested for Bluestar to meet him there so a monster would hit her, but you were the one caught in it instead."
Cinderpaw suddenly shot her eyes open, before giving him a look of pure terror. Yellowfang looked stunned as well.
"I… I can't believe it."
Yellowfang gave Fireheart a sharp look, before turning towards her apprentice. "Cinderpaw… "
"He's the reason I couldn't become a warrior?" she said, more to herself than anyone.
Yellowfang suddenly appeared alarmed. "Cinderpaw, you told us all how you've come to accept the path of a medicine cat."
Cinderpaw suddenly whipped her head around to face her. "It's not that! It's just… that foxheart is to blame for all the pain I had to go through?!"
Both cats around her look surprised. Neither had ever seen Cinderpaw so enraged. Yellowfang looked like she was about to speak again but Cinderpaw cut her off.
"I've accepted what I've become, Yellowfang. I've no doubt this is my path," she said, looking at her mentor. "But what do you even think about all of this, huh? Tell me, could Tigerclaw really be that cruel?"
Yellowfang forced herself to calm down, before nodding towards her. "Well, Cinderpaw..."
She looked away for a moment, gathering her thoughts.
"When I went out into the clearing after you brought Fireheart here…" she started, facing both of them now. "The clan was gathered around Bluestar - as they should. Tigerclaw was the only one that wasn't among them, instead, looking on from the Highrock."
Both of them were listening as she paused. Fireheart watched as her expression turned dark.
"The look on his face, it was like-" she hesitated. "Like Brokenstar."
Fireheart perked his ears at that name. Ever since he'd been prisoner, Brokenstar had been referred to by his warrior name Brokentail. If Yellowfang was comparing Tigerclaw with Brokenstar, then she'd truly seen something terrible in him. The old medicine cat waited for a moment, looking at the two cats beside her, before releasing a sigh.
"I guess I should explain that one better, huh?"
Fireheart and his former apprentice shared a look of confusion before Yellowfang spoke.
"Many seasons ago, Raggedstar had been the leader of ShadowClan, and Brokentail was his deputy. There was one night when said deputy had burst into camp out of nowhere as I was up heading to get some late-night fresh kill. He was screeching that Raggedstar had been killed. I shoved past him to see it for myself, and sure enough... he was right. All nine of Raggedstar's lives had been taken away at once in a brutal attack."
Fireheart widened his eyes as Cinderpaw gasped. He never knew a leader could lose more than one life at a time. He suddenly felt his compassion for Yellowfang grow even more now, knowing secretly that Raggedstar had been her mate if she'd been Brokentail's mother.
She continued her story, completely emotionless. "We all now know that Brokenstar was the one who killed him, but there was no way of knowing that at the time. It's just… he had seemed so intent on grieving for his father. When I told him he had to receive his nine lives from StarClan, he refused, saying he wouldn't leave his father's body in the cold."
Fireheart noticed the tone of her voice shift into a more resentful one.
"That memory keeps coming back to me ever since Bluestar made him prisoner, and every time I see him, I get angry with myself. It was so clear to me how little he cared for the clan. All of us were just a means to an end, but whenever I brought attention to it, I was shunned," she sneered angrily. "Eventually, he'd reach the height of his power when he began naming apprentices moons before they were old enough, but most cats had grown so loyal they refused to believe anything he did was wrong - only me and the elders had the sense to see how horrible he was."
Fireheart suddenly realized the connection Yellowfang had been making in his mind.
"For a long time, most cats in ShadowClan looked up to Brokentail with nothing but respect. It was after he became clan leader, however, when I noticed everything start to fall apart."
Yellowfang suddenly was trembling, no doubt due to recalling what was possibly the worst times of her life. Unfortunately, according to what Fireheart knew, she'd been given many experiences that fit such a description.
Cinderpaw looked thoughtful towards her mentor.
"Yellowfang, I know you've had…" she hesitated for a moment. "A poor history with clan leaders, but I don't see what that has to do with our problem."
Yellowfang cast her apprentice a sharp glance. "It has everything to do with our problem! As I said, my former clanmates looked up to Brokenstar because they didn't know any better. I trusted him myself for a while, but all of that quickly went down in flames. Eventually, Brokenstar got so fed up with me that he blamed me for the deaths of some kits… the clan believed him without question… I was banished… and the rest, you all know."
Fireheart looked at her with sadness. Her situation back then was a lot worse than he'd originally thought. He noticed Cinderpaw still looked confused, and Fireheart thought for a moment if he should try to explain what Yellowfang meant, but his plan was quickly subdued.
"My point, Cinderpaw, is that if I had acted sooner, then perhaps I could have done something about it much earlier. This is my dilemma, can't you see? I know what a cat who's killed someone for power looks like, and while I can't confirm that Tigerclaw is guilty of murder, Fireheart here says otherwise. So if it turns out Tigerclaw really did kill Bluestar for power, then-" she faltered. "Then I would be making the same mistake as before, just sitting by idly picking through my blasted stash of herbs..."
Fireheart looked at Yellowfang comfortingly, before glancing towards Cinderpaw. She seemed to be taking in her mentor's words, having given her a nod. Although, Fireheart could still see a bit of confusion on her face, much to his dismay.
He sighed.
"This is what he wants, you know."
The two she-cats perked their ears at him as Fireheart looked towards the ground.
"He knew that I was aware; This attack was his plan, and everything he accused me of on the Highrock - he did. I think he wanted to get rid of Bluestar and me at the same time by killing her and then blaming it on me. If I tried to accuse him of anything, then the clan would have to choose who's side to believe, and… you see how that went with Cloudpaw."
Fireheart forced himself to think about Cloudpaw's banishment. Everyone had to agree that was a bit too cruel right? He watched as Yellowfang simply looked at him with dismay, meanwhile, Cinderpaw lashed her tail.
"That doesn't sound like something he would do, but if it's true... " the smoky she-cat suddenly appeared determined. Yellowfang saw this and gave her a look of disapproval.
"Even if it's true, you wouldn't do a thing!" she exclaimed. "Cinderpaw, you know you're going to be his medicine cat. You're going to have to trust him and guide him, as all medicine cats are sworn to do."
"But Yellowfang! He's got you for that!" she stated, lashing her tail again. "Plus he's like - ten times older than me! He'll never listen to anything I say!"
Yellowfang simply huffed. "There will come a time when StarClan calls me, Cinderpaw. But you're still young - very young. The time will come for you to prove your worth as a medicine cat soon enough, and I admit that being the apprentice of one hardly helps in that, but... you'll earn Tigerclaw's respect. I promise~"
Yellowfang brought her tail over her back, earning a small grin from her apprentice. "Thank you," Cinderpaw replied, her anger fading as she looked warmly towards her mentor. "But I suppose we have bigger problems to worry about now, huh?"
Yellowfang nodded, before looking towards Fireheart, who'd been watching their exchange with a purr. "I think you've already told us more than we should now. You're lucky the both of us are medicine cats, and ones who've grown rather fond of you too."
Fireheart's smile widened as he felt his spirit leap into the air. "So, you believe me?" He said, half-declaring. Yellowfang's expression seemed to grow dark.
"Let's not jump to conclusions, Fireheart. I haven't seen any proof of your claims whatsoever, and I doubt there's much to go around," Yellowfang stated. Fireheart winced at the sudden change in tone.
"W-well…" he looked away, sounding dismayed. He wanted to tell her something to help her believe him, but what else was there?
Suddenly he perked his ears in revelation, before turning to look at her. "Ask RiverClan about the Sunningrocks battle! All of them know how Oakheart truly died!"
Yellowfang stared at him, before thinking about it for a moment. "Well, that would be a good place to start. But, remember it would merely be one small step towards proving yourself and proving that Tigerclaw is what you say he is."
Fireheart looked disappointed as she said that, but shook it off. He should consider himself lucky that any cat was even trying to listen.
Yellowfang abruptly stood up, leaning forward and stretching her back legs with a grunt, before looking back.
"Alright, I need to get some fresh air outside of camp. This gutted den is the last place I want to be in," she grumbled. Fireheart tilted his head at her.
"Don't you want to share tongues with Bluestar?"
He would think she'd be super serious about sharing tongues with the dead, considering she was an experienced medicine cat and all. However, Yellowfang simply shook her head.
"I did that whole thing while I was inspecting injuries earlier," she explained. "I didn't get to know Bluestar for very long, but I made sure to thank her again for taking me in. I don't think I could ever pay her back for that - especially now, since she went and died on me."
Fireheart seemed to wince at that, eliciting a hoarse chuckle from the old medicine cat.
"Don't let her death weigh on you so much Fireheart," she rasped. "She lived a long and honorable life I'm sure. And although her wisdom will be missed, just remember that she is with StarClan now. Bluestar will be watching over us - over you."
Yellowfang seemed to emphasize that last part. Fireheart brightened up slightly hearing the wisdom from the old medicine cat. Though he knew Bluestar was still with him in spirit, it was nice to have others reciprocate his feelings.
Fireheart sniffed. "Well… you know she was pretty humble too. She only took you in because it was the right thing to do," he said, before grinning fondly. "You owe her for that, but I know you don't owe me anything for taking care of you back then, right?"
"Don't you start bringing that up," Yellowfang snorted. "Should I remind you who you're stuck with for the next half-moon?"
"I had to put up with you for longer," Fireheart smirked.
Yellowfang raised her browed amused. "Hmph. Smug little rat aren't you?" She shook her head as Fireheart purred. Perhaps being confined to the medicine den wasn't so bad…
Meanwhile, as both of them were busy having their conversation, Cinderpaw silently concluded that she'd heard enough and went to the other side of the clearing to dabble with their herbs. StarClan only knew what she was up to, but if Fireheart had to guess from the look of it, then it was probably making poultices.
Yellowfang shook the grass out of her fur before calling in her direction. "Cinderpaw, I'm going out! Don't let StarClan's gift of salvation slip past you if he tries to leave~"
Cinderpaw gave her a cheeky grin. "Of course!"
Yellowfang headed out soon after, just as Cinderpaw seemed to finish whatever she was making. After putting whatever it was inside a leaf, she limped her way over to where Fireheart was sitting. He watched her silently as she came over and inspected her stock. He sat there for a moment, debating if he should try and talk to her or not, before eventually deciding a question wouldn't hurt.
"Cinderpaw, do you believe me?" he asked. He never got a clear answer from her before, so he figured he should just be blunt like Yellowfang had been with him.
Cinderpaw didn't respond at first, not taking her gaze away from the herbs. She hummed as she poked at a small dark-colored seed. "I don't see why'd you lie. You're a good cat, Fireheart, no matter what they say."
Fireheart felt a huge relief being lifted from his shoulders."I'm glad you think that Cinderpaw."
She turned to look at him then. "Just don't prove me wrong. As Yellowfang said, I don't see how I can trust anything you say, but it sure sounds believable. Tigerclaw's the one that got me den-ridden for StarClan's sake!"
"Well, that was kind of my fault too," Fireheart mumbled. Cinderpaw pinned her ears back.
"Oh, give that nonsense a rest! I was the one who couldn't listen, remember?"
Fireheart nodded at her, before sighing. "All too well."
The two of them remained silent for a short while as Fireheart watched Cinderpaw organize the dozens of different seeds and leaves in her pile. Suddenly, the she-cat looked up from her work and peered towards the entrance to the den, as if she was listening to something. She was soon frowning.
"Ugh. It sounds like Yellowfang didn't make it very far before someone decided to ruin her mood," she said. Fireheart gave a small chuckle, though wondering at the same time how he couldn't hear anything.
"Does that happen often?" he quizzed.
"Obviously! Did you see how I was when I was kit?"
Fireheart raised a brow at her. Cinderpaw suddenly fluffed her fur up in embarrassment.
"Don't answer that," she said hastily. "But seriously! I was just the beginning - now everyone seems to tick her off!"
"Actually, it was me who started that tradition," Fireheart raised his chin, feeling a sense of pride.
"Don't make it a competition! I know more than anyone how to get on her nerves!"
"Really? That's unlike you," Fireheart rolled his eyes playfully.
"Quiet," she scoffed. Fireheart grinned, finally deciding to lay off on his former apprentice, before noticing her ears were perk again.
"I think they're done out there," she said. "That's strange… usually you would've heard the other cat yowling after getting their ears shredded by now."
"Right… that is strange. Um… " Fireheart said, before trailing off. "Well, what were you going to do today? Before… you know."
Fireheart knew that was a pretty lame question to ask, but he didn't want to just sit in silence if he could help it. He'd like this to keep going this way.
"Probably just pick herbs to experiment with later... in other words, nothing," Cinderpaw replied. Fireheart nodded, deciding not to ask what 'experimenting' was supposed to mean. Before he could say anything else, Cinderpaw perked her head up.
"That reminds me, I wanted to check if there's broom still growing in the forest. Usually, that stuff disappears once leaf-bare ends, but there could still be some left."
Fireheart watched reluctantly as she put away the bundle of dark-colored seeds she'd been collecting, before turning to look at him.
"I'll be back soon. Don't do anything stupid okay? I don't need Yellowfang stressed out even more than she is already."
Fireheart grimaced, lowering his head onto his paws. "I can't do much of anything right now…"
"Which is a good thing," Cinderpaw said, giving him a weak but still genuine smile.
Fireheart watched her turn to leave before suddenly hearing the sound of heavy footsteps approaching from outside. He saw Cinderpaw's fur fluff up at the unexpected visitor, and Fireheart suddenly shot his head up with alarm.
"Cinderpaw?"
Coming out of seemingly nowhere, Tigerclaw pushed through the bracken as his deep, threatening voice sounded throughout the den. Fireheart winced, feeling a chill as he looked towards Cinderpaw. She looked so small and helpless next to him...
Get away from him, Cinderpaw!
He fought the urge to yowl out to her before quickly doing a double-take. Oh... right. How mousebrained would Tigerclaw be to attack a medicine cat apprentice in the middle of the day?
Cinderpaw blinked. "Do you need something, Tigerclaw?"
The massive tabby didn't seem to pay attention as he shot a glare in Fireheart's direction. Fireheart recoiled a tiny bit before returning it, hoping Tigerclaw wouldn't notice just how vulnerable a state he was in. However, Tigerclaw simply looked away from him without so much as a challenge.
"Your mentor has informed me that you're experienced enough to travel to the Moonstone without a guide, correct?"
"Yes," Cinderpaw confirmed with a questioning tone. "I just went to Highstones yesterday to be accepted by StarClan, remember? The route is still fresh in my mind."
"I see." He narrowed his eyes. "Yellowfang was just complaining to me about her aching joints, and as such, cannot make the journey to Highstones for my nine lives ceremony."
Cinderpaw gave him a puzzled expression. "Well... she's indeed been having issues like that for the past few days, but I didn't think it was that bad."
"I'm not finished," Tigerclaw said. "She believes it would be a great experience for you to see how a leader gains their lives."
Cinderpaw widened her eyes, looking shocked. "She wants me to take you to Highstones?"
"Yes, and while she had a trifle of an excuse, I happen to agree with her," Tigerclaw stated. "This will certainly give you the mark of a true medicine cat… and the day after you've been accepted by StarClan no less..."
Fireheart glared at their exchange. He wondered what Cinderpaw was thinking after listening to what Fireheart had to say regarding the soon-to-be clan leader. Tigerclaw noticed the apprentice had frozen still, looking hesitant, before leaning a little closer towards her.
"Of course, this won't be a problem, now will it?"
Cinderpaw snapped back up at him. "N-No, Tigerclaw, of course not! I'm honored, truly… I'll be prepared!"
"Then I expect to see you first thing tomorrow morning before the clan is awake. Your limp will surely slow us down, so we must not waste any sunlight," Tigerclaw affirmed, before peering towards Fireheart.
"And as for him," he said, resentment clear in his eyes. "I've decided to put him under the medicine cats' supervision for the time being. He will stay here and be cared for by you and Yellowfang despite how little he deserves it. Meanwhile, I don't want him anywhere outside of camp, understand?"
"Yes, Tigerclaw," Cinderpaw nodded. Fireheart watched as a small gleam flashed through his eyes. He loves giving orders that much doesn't he?
The large tabby purred with content. "Good, and I understand if you have any concerns. I promise that once I've settled into my new position, and the damage this traitor has done has been repaired, then I will figure out a permanent solution."
With one last scornful look, Tigerclaw turned away from them both and padded out of the medicine den. Fireheart breathed a sigh of relief - one he didn't even know he'd been holding - before looking dismayed. He knew it would only be a matter of time before the large tabby would be pestering him again.
Cinderpaw seemed to breathe a small sigh of relief as well. She turned to give Fireheart a look of worry before heading out of the den after Tigerclaw.
Fireheart watched her go, before realizing he was alone in the medicine den once again. He'd never noticed until now, but it was rather quiet here. He would occasionally hear the sound of conversation outside, and he wouldn't be able to mistake the call of a clan meeting or an attack, but otherwise, it was quite tranquil.
The silence, however, had only reminded Fireheart of his nightmare from before. Just like now, it had been so quiet when he first woke up inside the den. But then he went out to find nobody in the camp at all. Even more disturbing, the sky had seemed like a void, and the forest had been engulfed in fire. He swore he was even killed by it!
Fireheart shuddered, remembering the feeling of terror and dread he'd experienced at that moment. That was the strangest dream he'd ever had, not even the ones with Spottedleaf could compare.
Spottedleaf… Fireheart thought. What is StarClan trying to say to me?
...
A/N - Tigerclaw's almost ready to begin his uprise, but what could that mean for Fireheart? Nothing good I imagine, but it's too early to tell. At least we can have our overwritten light-hearted chats with everyone's favorite cat with a leg injury, right?
… Oh, what? She's not everyone's favorite anymore? Ah, man…
Anyways, this chapter doubled in length as I was writing it, so that's fun. I shot for 5,000 words and then wrote 10,000 - very cool and not detrimental to the pacing whatsoever. Be prepared for me to say that at the end of each chapter honestly... it's a chronic disease I have to live with.