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Disclaimer: Warriors is owned by Erin Hunter/HarperCollins Publishers LLC

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The Tensions Rise

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"A ThunderClan spy?"

Crookedstar looked at his deputy, perplexed by what she had just told him. Fireheart sat beside Leopardfur, nervously watching as the two sat with RiverClan's leader in front of his den. Her tail lashed at Crookedstar's questioning tone.

"What else would you call a cat creeping past around border markers?" she growled, glancing at Fireheart. "He looks nothing like a spy, but that's exactly what Tigerstar would want us to believe, wouldn't it? And searching for herbs, of all things? That's nothing short of a lie."

Fireheart pinned his ears, quickly becoming aware he should start speaking for himself.

"S-she misunderstands, Crookedstar! I can explain," he said, nervously. "Yes, I have more credible reasons for being here, but I assure you I mean no harm." He gave Leopardfur a look. "And actually, that 'herbs' thing has some truth to it! We're low on celandine, which only grows around your territory."

Crookedstar remained silent, seeming to consider his words - something Leopardfur seemed to take offense to as she released a stubborn grunt.

"How convenient. Because looking for a herb that only grows near our clan suddenly permits you to enter uninvited," she said, looking at Crookedstar. "As you can see, they must have planned his excuses meticulously, and yet they're still nothing but drivel. You can never trust anything that comes from the mouth of ThunderClan."

Fireheart furrowed his brow, about to retort again before Crookedstar spoke first.

"Enough, Leopardfur. You're speaking from paranoia, again," he said, causing Leopardfur to huff.

"And what could give you the idea that I'm wrong?" she grumbled, irritated.

Looking between the two, Fireheart quickly stepped forward again.

"I'm not here to spy!" he interjected. "I'm here for… well, let's call it a favor."

Leopardfur just scoffed again, hardly seeming to listen.

"So, it's personal, then?" Crookedstar raised a brow, sounding more intrigued, "I assume you are referring to the time when you brought my adventurous grandkits home."

Fireheart gave a quick nod. "You saw it for yourself! I wasn't just going to bring those kits to Tigerstar," he said. "And just like then, I wouldn't be around your territory if it wasn't for a good reason. Crookedstar, I swear this will be worth your time."

"Mmm." The tabby hummed, peering at him. "My time is a lot more valuable nowadays," he said lowly. "However, given all that you've done for us in the past, as well as the rather… indiscreet way in which you've encroached on our territory, I'm led to believe you."

"That is all I want," Fireheart said, feeling a sense of relief from the leader's words.

"To talk?!" Leopardfur blurted, looking back at him. "You came all this way for that? And this late?" She rolled her eyes. "We have enough trouble from ThunderClan during the day!"

"Come now, Leopardfur. Even you must admit, this one is different," Crookedstar said. "Who else from ThunderClan has helped us on so many occasions?"

Leopardfur glared at him. "I can't believe you of all cats are even considering trusting him," she stated plainly, eyeing the scars across the leader's face. "I don't care what he's done. If it comes from that side of the river, it's trouble."

Crookedstar just shook his head lightly - giving Fireheart the idea his deputy argued like this often. He looked towards the ginger tom, waving his tail invitingly.

"Come. We'll speak in my den. But make it quick; I don't have all night."

Fireheart perked up at the same time Leopardfur gave him a frightened look.

"Crookedstar! Alone?" she questioned. "I hardly thin–"

"You may wait outside," the large tabby commanded, looking at her sternly. Although, he quickly softened his tone. "I'll call if I need you, but there's no need to raise any concerns."

His words didn't seem to reassure her. She grunted, a deep scowl on her face.

"We've already raised enough concerns after we brought this fool into our camp," she said lowly. Crookedstar nodded, acknowledging the numerous worried glances cats had been giving them throughout their conversation. He flicked his tail to Fireheart - a signal to follow him as they were about to enter his den.

Fireheart got up and brushed past him before Leopardfur could say anything more. As he passed, Crookedstar gave a confident look to his deputy.

"This doesn't need to be anything more than a quiet conversation. Tell anyone that asks, the ThunderClanner in our camp is none of their concern."

Fireheart looked around the RiverClan leader's den, immediately noticing the contrast between it and ThunderClan's. Small shells and colorful stones lay around inside, almost glittering as small bits of light hit them. The ground was certainly damper, but Fireheart was never in discomfort as he sat on a nest made of woven reeds.

How accommodating. He thought as he took his seat.

As Crookedstat took to his own nest, Fireheart glanced towards the entrance, knowing Leopardfur was just outside, possibly listening in.

The ginger tom lowered his ears slightly. "I don't think your deputy is very fond of me…" he lamented.

"Leopardfur likes security," Crookedstar said, settling into his nest. "Though you may think of her as uptight, she possesses every quality of a strong, efficient leader. She is someone this clan should feel lucky to have."

Fireheart dipped his head, understanding he was right. Leopardfur would treat every cat with the same hostility as he experienced, but that only meant the clan was in responsible paws.

"Well, I know she's suspicious," Fireheart began. "But trust me, I came alone. No cat will come looking for a while."

Crookedstar narrowed his eyes slightly. "Fireheart, I am not all that concerned if someone comes looking for you," he said. "Really, you should be the one who is concerned. You did this same thing under Bluestar, so I don't think your leader will be pleased to hear one of his warriors snuck off to our clan again."

"I am not one of Tigerstar's warriors, and I never will be," Fireheart said flatly. "Crookedstar… the reason I snuck away is to ask for your help. I believe Tigerstar must be stopped, at all costs."

Crookedstar widened his one good eye in surprise. For a brief moment, he remained silent, but Fireheart could see the uncertainty on his face.

"...You sure you're not a spy, Fireheart?" he asked, sounding dubious. Fireheart did not retort, instead giving an earnest nod. The leader had every right to be suspicious.

"If there is one thing you should believe about me, it's that Tigerstar is the last cat I would do anything for. Why would I help the cat who's kept me imprisoned ever since he took Bluestar's place?"

"So, you're saying–" Crookedstar paused, still grasping what he was being told. "You would turn your back on your own clan? "

"My clan?" Fireheart tilted his head, biting back a laugh. "My clan is the reason I look like this, Crookedstar. Tigerstar's put them on a warpath, and believe me, he intends to reach its end."

Crookedstar said nothing, his face growing dark. Eventually, the leader was able to gather his thoughts.

"Every clan believes they are the greatest, and every so often, one of them sets out to prove it," he said. "It had been ShadowClan just this last season, and we all saw how poor the conditions were for the majority of the clan behind Brokentail's facade. Despite how powerful they seemed, ShadowClan was not what Brokentail made it out to be."

"Exactly. And it's happening again," Fireheart said, lashing his tail. "Tigerstar and Brokentail may as well be the same cat."

Crookedstar grumbled, looking deep in thought. "I've never been fond of Tigerstar, even when he was a young warrior. I always kept a wary eye on him, especially at Gatherings," he began. "And at the last one… he carried an aura I'd never seen on him before. He appeared much more content upon the Great Rock than when he sat with the other deputies - as if he finally could look down on those he considered beneath him, and was relishing that fact.

Fireheart just listened intently as Crookedstar raised his head.

"Mudfur, too, has been wary of Tigerstar. He believes there's an evil in him, just like with Brokentail, and after Tigerstar gave me this," He pointed towards the scar over his eye. "Well, frankly, I was inclined to believe him."

I was wondering where that scar had come from. Fireheart admitted to himself before speaking up. "So you know more about Tigerstar than I thought…"

"Yes, and I believe you were right to come to this place," Crookedstar said. "However, if you truly want my help, then you wouldn't mind answering the questions I have."

Fireheart nodded, and Crookedstar dipped into his thoughts for a moment.

"Your friends who now reside here in RiverClan, told me a lot about what happened before they were banished," he said. "And even though my patrols confirmed most of their information, I was still skeptical as they couldn't answer some of my questions. Your fate was one of those questions." His face then turned a bit darker. "But it seems I've found my answer. You said you were imprisoned?"

"Yes. Among other things…" Fireheart shifted uncomfortably. "I think Tigerstar wanted to keep it a secret."

"I see," Crookedstar said. His voice suddenly grew dark. "My patrol was there when Tigerstar announced you had… killed Bluestar." Fireheart's heart nearly stopped before he continued. "But after seeing ThunderClan's supposed hero wage a war against my clan while the supposed murderer saved my grandkits, I figured not everything was as it seemed across the river."

Fireheart looked at him anxiously, too afraid to speak, as the brown tabby leader raised his chin.

"Therefore, if you want to help me, we can start with that. You will lay my confusion to rest and tell me what really happened that day, Fireheart."

Fireheart's eyes widened, his breath catching in his throat. He could almost hear himself screaming internally.

This was finally his opportunity! In front of him stood the most powerful cat from another clan, one who could actually stand up to Tigerstar in Fireheart's place.

…But Fireheart quickly shook his head. No, no, he knew despite his enthusiasm, he only needed to plant a seed. Not all he knew had to be passed on to RiverClan - only enough for this one exchange to blossom into something much bigger.

With a deep breath, Fireheart looked toward the leader. "It's a long story… but I'll only tell you what you need to hear."

The evening sky began to glow a light pink as Fireheart and Crookedstar stepped out of the leader's den. The looks of concern on both cats' faces could not be mistaken.

Fireheart had much on his mind. He certainly felt a weight lift off his shoulders, if only slightly, as his burden of knowledge was dispersed.

He did not tell Crookedstar everything - only about Tigerstar's collusion with rogues and Brokentail, and how witnessed Bluestar's murder and thus took the blame and punishment for it. Fireheart couldn't bring it upon himself to mention either Oakheart or Redtail. Nevertheless, what he revealed should've been enough.

Leopardfur had been sitting nearby when they emerged. She looked back, hearing their pawsteps.

"Hmph. Before you ask, the only ones poking around here were Graystripe. I told him to wait nearby," she said to Crookedstar.

The leader seemed not to hear her at first but gave a nod shortly after.

"I appreciate you staying here, Leopardfur," he said, lashing his tail to the side. "Fetch Mudfur, if he's here. Tell him to come over, as I must speak with the both of you."

A look of protest immediately crossed her face, hearing the tabby's low tone.

"What could he have possibly told you?" she said with a growl. "He could be lying through his teeth and we wouldn't be able to tell him wrong."

"I can tell when someone is lying, Leopardfur. I see it all too often," Crookedstar said. "Please, fetch Mudfur."

Fireheart didn't flinch as Leopardfur shot him a look. With a sigh, she turned away.

"This better be worth it…" she growled as she left.

Fireheart turned to Crookedstar after that, giving him a questioning look. The leader raised his chin at him.

"You must understand that I cannot keep this to myself, Fireheart. My deputy and medicine cat will be the only other ones to know," he said before he shook his head, looking down. "Besides, I have to tell them they were right. All this time, I've wanted to avoid war, telling our patrols to keep to our territory to defend what's ours and the like, but they both were against that, claiming our best option was to fight back."

Fireheart wasn't quite sure what to say to that.

"Crookedstar, you have every reason not to believe me, but if you take one step for yourself into that camp, you'll see it's the truth," he said, but Crookedstar lifted a paw in response

"No, no. You've said enough. I will hear no more," he said, giving the ginger tom a stern look. "Fireheart, I thank you for what you've done today, but I advise you to wait for us before you think of leaving. Remember, you are still technically trespassing on our territory, and the code must still be abided by even in desperate times," he explained. "Oh, and just so we're clear, do not think we are allies after today. Know that I would still put every one of my clanmate's lives before you, and if we were to attack, you would not be spared."

Fireheart frowned, but still gave a nod.

"Of course, Crookedstar. I'll try not to be a bother until you're ready."

Hearing that was a disappointment, but Fireheart supposed having a common enemy was the next best thing if they couldn't be allied.

Fireheart gave a weak grin as he turned away, making sure not to go more than a few paces from the leader's den as he knew Crookedstar was right. He did not feel welcome in this clan at all and he knew better than to stroll around.

Nevertheless, trouble always seemed to find him no matter what.

"Fireheart!" A sudden voice called right as the ginger tom was settling down, making him whip around in surprise. His eyes widened, thinking he was in trouble before he suddenly realized it was Graystripe quickly padding towards him.

Fireheart dropped his worries all in an instant. He smiled, opening his mouth to greet his friend before the dark gray tom suddenly gasped.

"By the stars, your face!" He exclaimed. And just like that, Fireheart felt his grin drop. Suppressing an eye roll, he listened as Graystripe went on. "-nd are these scratches new? Fireheart, what in the world happ–!"

A ginger tail lodged itself into Graystripe's mouth, muffling his voice. Fireheart snorted as he spat his tail out.

"Good to see you again as well, you great lump of fur."

Graystripe looked at him oddly, eyes darting across the half-healed wounds on his body, making Fireheart sigh. "Yes, things have gotten a bit worse. No need to shout it for everyone to hear."

Graystripe simply gawked at him, before shaking his head.

"I-I'm sorry, Fireheart. I know I haven't done much to help you, but it's not that I've given up! It's just–... t-there's so much to do!" he explained, giving a weak chuckle. "I mean, turns out, you have to fit into a clan first before trying to convince another one is bad."

"Mm… I'm sure things have been just as hectic this side of the river," Fireheart replied. After an awkward moment of silence, Fireheart just shook his head, growling. "Oh, nevermind, Graystripe. Forget about all that. For now, can we just… talk? You know, like old friends?"

Graystripe blinked, seeming surprised, but eventually his expression softened. "If that's what you want, then I would love to," he said before furrowing his brow. "And whaddya 'mean old friends?' What are we, elders? Just because I have kits doesn't mean I'm old!"

Fireheart grinned. This was just what he needed. Right now, there was no Tigerstar, no war, and no curses. It was normal, something Fireheart came to value more and more with each passing day.

"I don't want to hear you complaining," Fireheart said. "You know your daughter called me mister, right?"

"Ah… yes," Graystripe replied, flipping a paw. "She spends way too much time with the elders, is all I'm gonna say."

Mrm, she also called me 'uncle'… My poor ego. Fireheart thought. Maybe she spends a lot of time with Cloudpaw, too?

He looked up, scanning the clearing as a few cats passed by, giving them looks but ignoring them nonetheless.

"So where are those kits now? And Cloudpaw? I was hoping to see them, too," Fireheart said. He heard Graystripe suck in a breath.

"Well… the kits are in the nursery. Sleeping, I hope," Graystripe told him, sounding hesitant. "By the way, it's probably better if you… don't go around them. The queens threw a fit the last time you were involved with those two, and I doubt they'd be thrilled to see you again. That and also, you might… er, you know… spook them a little. No offense."

Fireheart widened his eyes.

"Ah." He ran a paw over his scars, and with that came a small crushing blow to his self-esteem. Nonetheless, Fireheart nodded in understanding. "I suppose you're right. Perhaps they shouldn't see me like this."

Lifting his chin, he scanned the clearing again. Fine, so I can't see the kits. But then, what about-?

"FIREHEART!"

A loud cry made him flinch, and it was then as if StarClan themselves heard him, Fireheart turned his head to see a young snow-white tom's form barreling through the camp towards him, catching a few concerned looks in the process.

Fireheart blinked, speechless, as Cloudpaw screeched to a halt in front of him, gasping for breath but still beaming.

"I finally found you!" he exclaimed, flicking his bushy tail in excitement like a dog.

After a moment's awe, Fireheart's eyes suddenly lit up with joy.

"Oh, Cloudpaw!" he exclaimed excitedly.

He went to nuzzle his sister's kit, only to lift his head higher than he'd been expecting. His rambunctious nephew had grown since the last he'd seen them, and surprisingly, the young tom looked leaner than most of his clanmates as well, despite the RiverClan diet he must've had.

But Fireheart didn't question it. He simply wished to enjoy the embrace with his only kin in the forest. Cloudpaw purred loudly, pulling away after a moment.

"I heard you were around here! I came as fast as I-..." The apprentice drifted off as he got a good look at his former mentor.

Fireheart frowned, sighing internally. Just like that, the moment was ruined. He sighed, taking a step away. His nephew may as well see all that's become of him. Fireheart didn't mind. He felt much less shame in his appearance around those he cared about anyway.

However, the apprentice just stared awkwardly, not knowing what to say. Fireheart gave an uncomfortable groan, tilting his head away.

"I know it looks bad, but," Fireheart began before giving a weak smile. "I'm glad you look well, Cloudpaw. To me, that's more important."

Cloudpaw still held a blank look on his face as if he was still trying to process what he was seeing.

"I'll kill him," he said flatly. Fireheart pinned his ears, but Graystripe stepped next to the apprentice before he could say anything, giving Fireheart a similar look of concern.

"You know, Brokentail was never treated like this, I'll tell you that much," he said

Fireheart had to suppress an eye-roll. Well, it seemed this topic just couldn't be avoided. I guess I should just be thankful I saw them today.

"The clan you know is not the same anymore, Graystripe," Fireheart said before peering at the many small litters of scratches on his flanks. "It's the apprentices who did most of this. Tigerstar's taken over their training, and he's been sure to include me in it, as you can see."

"What!?" Cloudpaw exclaimed, looking suddenly distraught. "That… That can't be true, I-I trained with them! I know them!" he cried, stuttering in disbelief. "N-no, there has to be some mistake. They would never even think about doing this! Brightpaw, Fernpaw, Thornpaw… er, e-even Swiftpaw wouldn't do this to someone!"

"I once thought the same thing, Cloudpaw," Fireheart replied. "but in their minds, I deserve it, and that's all it takes. They've all been fed lies they can use as excuses. Tigerstar is good at manipulating like that… tricked an entire clan, after all."

Cloudpaw stared in disbelief before suddenly narrowing his eyes.

"Nrgh, frogscat!" he snarled, shaking his head. "If they'd just bother to think for once, then they'll see how full of mouse bile he is!"

"Quiet down!" Graystripe lightly lashed him with his tail before looking back at Fireheart. "What are the other mentors doing? Whitestorm? Mousefur? They're just all cool with this?"

"Not quite," Fireheart replied. "From what I could tell, some are complaining about it, but it's not like I'm around to hear those conversations. Tigerstar's been cutting back, but I'm sure that's only because he's moving on to another step in his plan."

Graystripe sighed, hanging his head. "What a nightmare," he grumbled. "His training sounds like it's messing with their minds. Our patrols always tell Leopardfur about how aggressive ThunderClan's apprentices are…"

"Wait, what?!" Cloudpaw exclaimed as he whipped his head towards Graystripe. "Is that why she hasn't assigned me any patrols yet?"

Graystripe shot him a glare as if silently telling him 'Be quiet. We'll discuss it later'.

Fireheart furrowed his brow. Last I knew, Cloudpaw would dread the idea of going on patrol.

Graystripe quickly turned around, disregarding the question.

"Fireheart, is there anything you can do over there? Someone else who can help you?"

Fireheart had to think about that for a moment. The medicine cats helped, obviously, but they were basically stuck in the same position as him. Besides them, there were certainly some cats he wanted to try his luck with, but he had no guarantee of their help.

"Well," Fireheart began with a sigh. "If I had help, then I wouldn't be here. I told Crookedstar everything he needs to know about Tigerstar and what's been happening in ThunderClan, in exchange for RiverClan's help. Call me a traitor, if you must."

"N-no, I would do the same thing! It's just… I never imagined you would have to resort to something like that," Graystripe said, looking sympathetic.

Fireheart was about to respond when suddenly, his ears picked up a loud mewl to his side. Looking over, he saw that Crookedstar was outside of the leader's den dismissing both Leopardfur and Mudfur.

"Speaking of Crookedstar, it looks like he's done talking," Fireheart lamented. "He'll probably make me leave soon."

Cloudpaw mewled in surprise. "You're leaving? Already?"

Fireheart gazed at him sadly. "ThunderClan will soon notice I'm gone, Cloudpaw. I can't stay here forever," he explained, but Cloudpaw still kept a stubborn look, stammering as he tried to find something to say.

"...B-but, I've missed you!"

Fireheart closed his eyes, taking a breath. "Cloudpaw–"

"N-no, wait! T-there's so much you've gotta know!" Cloudpaw blurted so frantically that his fur nearly spiked. "So, I-I ended up in ShadowClan after I ran away, right? And a cat named Russetfur helped me get to RiverClan… though she attacked me first…" Fireheart tensed up when he heard that, but Cloudpaw was already moving on before he could inquire about anything. "But ever since then, I've gotten to learn so much here, Fireheart. You know, er… Mistyfoot taught me to swim! And now she's teaching me to hunt… and the apprentices here aren't all that bad either. And–"

Cloudpaw stopped as Fireheart rested a tail over his shoulder, giving him as comforting a look as one could give.

"I'm sorry…" he said. And he truly was. He was sorry Cloudpaw was robbed of an apprenticeship, much less everything else. He was the one to bring him into the clans, after all.

Cloudpaw was speechless for a second before growling as he suddenly pulled away.

"It's so unfair!" he seethed. "Why do we have to deal with this?! Is it because we're kittypets?"

Fireheart stepped back in surprise, quickly pinning his ears. "Of course not, Cloudpaw, and you can claw whoever says that!"

Cloudpaw huffed as he continued fuming to himself with rage. Fireheart exchanged a worried look with Graystripe before calmly making his way to the apprentice, taking a seat beside him.

Fireheart said nothing as he slowly leaned over, resting his shoulder against his and purring lightly into his soft fur. After a while, the action seemed to help as Cloudpaw appeared to calm down, much to Fireheart's delight.

The ginger pulled away, looking down at him. "Cloudpaw, I promise… One day... we'll complete our training, alright? And this will all be nothing more than a bad memory."

Cloudpaw turned, staring at him with wide blue eyes, and Fireheart could see tears welling up in them. He simply huffed before turning away, unable to look at his former mentor any longer. Fireheart couldn't help but frown a little. It hurt his heart to see his nephew so down and broken, but for now, there was nothing more he could do.

It was then, Fireheart heard Leopardfur's mewl to the side. Looking over, he noticed a group of cats forming around her that he could only assume was their patrol. He then turned to face Graystripe, who seemed equally disappointed that their reunion had been cut short.

"Time to go, it looks like," Fireheart said. "Thanks for caring for him, Graystripe. It means more than you think."

With that, Fireheart dipped his head to them and began to walk away, not wanting to prolong the solemn moment any longer.

"Fireheart, wait!" Graystripe suddenly called, making him stop. He glanced back, seeing a spark of hope in his friend's eyes.

"...Why not stay with us?"

Fireheart's breath hitched. He looked at his friend thoughtfully for a moment but just shook his head in the end.

"I can't do that, Graystripe," he replied. Graystripe took a step forward, pleading.

"You owe them nothing! Not after what they've done to you," he exclaimed with a growl. "If you stay, then we'll be together again. We can protect you from Tigerstar… we could even find a way to defeat him!"

"No… No, I can't just leave, Graystripe. Tigerstar would do everything he can to drag me back. He'd hurt even more cats, just for me to be right back where I started," Fireheart explained. "And besides, there are still… things I want to do. Cats I want to protect. I believe there's still hope to be found, Graystripe, and I plan on finding it."

The look of resolve in his eyes must've been enough, as Graystipe merely responded with an exhale.

"Alright. That's good, Fireheart," he said. "I'm sorry. I wasn't trying to say there's no hope left for our clan… I just… want you to be okay, you know? Can you blame me?"

"I'll be fine," Fireheart huffed lightly. "You don't have to worry. As long as I know you have my back."

Graytsripe gave a smile back. "That, I can do," he said with a nod.

"And so can I!" Fireheart perked his ears as Cloudpaw suddenly turned around, stepping towards him. "We're both with you, Fireheart! And by StarClan, I'll make sure everyone here is too. The day we take Tigerstar down, it'll be my claws raking his ugly hide first. He will pay for everything he's done, I swear by it."

Fireheart raised a brow, surprised by his tone. Nevertheless, he couldn't help but grin at his passion.

"Well, I can't promise you'll be the first, but don't let that distract you. Train hard and become a warrior first," he told him. "I know your apprenticeship has been difficult, but… just know I couldn't be more proud of you, Cloudpaw. You'll make an amazing warrior one day."

Cloudpaw grinned, nodding his head furiously.

A throat was suddenly cleared behind them. Fireheart turned to see Leopardfur staring at him with a small patrol behind her.

"Time's up, ThunderClanner. We need to get you out of here before nightfall, so let's hurry," she said. Fireheart blinked, noticing a lot less bite in her tone than before.

The deputy then peered towards Cloudpaw. "And you. By now, you should know all apprentices have chores in the evening. Get to them!"

Frowning, Cloudpaw gave one last look at Fireheart before scampering off. Feeling a tail over his back, Fireheart saw Graystripe about to follow the apprentice.

"I'd better go catch him," he said with a grin. "Good hunting, Fireheart."

Fireheart only smiled as he left, turning around before Leopardfur could snap at him next.

You as well, Graystripe.

The walk away from camp was only slightly less stressful than the one where they were escorting him in. Leopardfur's patrol still kept a wary eye on him, but Fireheart felt some solace thinking that they were fighting on the same side, even if they wouldn't consider it.

Looking over, Fireheart saw that Mistyfoot was trailing behind him. He slowed a little to match her pace, making her look over at him questioningly.

"Did you forget to mention how Cloudpaw was your apprentice last time?"

Her eyes widened, not expecting that. She let out a small exhale as she realized what he meant.

"Ah, well, some things slip the mind when you're in a panic, you know," she giggled, shaking her head. "It's only been official for a half-moon now. He is doing well - much better than we all expected. I'd say you didn't do a half-bad job with him."

The praise from the RiverClan warrior made Fireheart feel warm. He's heard much more often about how he failed as a mentor - it was nice to hear the opposite.

"He was still shaving off that kittypet laziness when I had him, I'll admit. But whatever you're doing has really changed him. You must be a great mentor," he said. Mistyfoot only huffed lightly at the compliment.

"Oh, please, I'm merely a stand-in. Cloudpaw already knows half the stuff I teach him," she said. "But no, he fits in just fine. Sure eats like a RiverClan cat, if nothing else."

Fireheart looked at her quizzically, remembering how stubborn the apprentice used to be when it came to learning. Maybe after what happened, he wants to become a warrior now more than ever.

Fireheart continued to stare a bit longer at her, perhaps a little more than he should have. Maybe it was the evening sun reflecting off her pelt, but Fireheart could sense something different about her.

…Have I really never noticed how much she looks like Bluestar?

Of course. Bluestar had told him her secret before - how she had RiverClan kits. Mistyfoot resembled her almost perfectly, when he thought about it.

I might be the only one alive who knows of their true heritage. He pondered. Although… I don't think Bluestar ever wanted to tell her or Stonefur about it.

He shook his head.

A problem for another time.

Feeling a tail brush his side, Fireheart turned to see Mistyfoot eyeing him before nodding her head to the side. Fireheart looked over, only to discover they were not only within eye-sight of the river, but Leopardfur had been approaching him with something in her mouth.

She dropped a bundle of leaves at his feet. Fireheart looked at it, eyes widening with surprise. It was celandine.

"And… what is that for?" he questioned, eyeing her suspiciously. Leopardfur stared at him flatly.

"You wouldn't want to go back to your poor medicine den empty-pawed, would you?"

"Oh… I see," he responded, his suspicion now replaced with embarrassment. "Thank you."

I would've completely forgotten about that. Fireheart grimaced at the thought as he snatched the herbs up. The patrol

"Consider it a parting gift, because you're on your own from here, " she said before narrowing her eyes. "And don't even try coming back now. Your… intel is appreciated, but now we are nothing close to being allied. We've enough leeches in our river to deal with."

Fireheart simply nodded, having gotten the same message from Crookedstar earlier. Speaking through the herbs, he waved his tail in a friendly goodbye as he trotted away from the patrol.

"Whatever you say, as long as it leads to Tigerstar's defeat."

The moon and stars had grown bright by the time Fireheart was slinking his way through the gorse tunnel.

In a perfect world, he could just slip into his den without anyone having the faintest idea of where he'd been. But of course, he was living in a world that was anything but, as his hopes were dashed the moment he stepped into the clearing.

Darkstripe was sitting near the entrance, talking with Brackenfur, the two of them exchanging worried looks. It was Brackenfur who spotted him first, mewling to the other tom before pointing in his direction.

Fireheart clenched his eyes, groaning to himself as Darkstripe whipped around. Why can't I just catch a break?

The ginger tom growled but stood tall as Darkstripe approached.

"Where in StarClan's name have you been, kittypet? Who gave you permission to leave?" he snarled. "No, scratch that. How did you leave? Brackenfur's been here since the patrols left and he never even caught a trace of you! No scent, no tracks, no nothing!"

Fireheart just returned his glare with a blank look. Internally, however, he was snickering. Despite its setbacks, Fireheart couldn't help but be entertained by the chaos Umbra's methods created.

Fireheart set his herbs on the ground, giving the tom a shrug. "It sounds to me like you should learn more about tracking instead of fighting."

Darkstripe curled his lip, about to retort before suddenly, his nose twitched. "You… you smell like RiverClan," he murmured. "Don't tell me you paid them another visit… did you?"

Fireheart frowned, turning serious as his anxiety crept up inside of him. He had his excuse right at his paws - all he had to do was to lie, however… would it be enough?

"Fireheart?"

A soft voice made everyone look to the side. Cinderpaw could be seen trotting over from the medicine den, Yellowfang quickly following behind.

Darkstripe glared at her. "You," he spat roughly. "Did you have a paw in this?"

Cinderpaw was taken aback by his tone. Looking back at Yellowfang, she could only see her mentor was just as confused as she was.

It was then, seeing the two medicine cats come onto the scene, that an idea struck Fireheart.

Once the small she-cat glanced over, Fireheart made sure to wear a pleading look, prodding the herbs beneath him. Cinderpaw looked down at them, puzzled at first, but Fireheart could see the gears start to turn in her head.

Please, Cinderpaw, say something for me! Anything!

And then, with a sudden jolt, Cinderpaw's eyes widened.

"O-oh, you found it!" she exclaimed, moving towards the herbs.

"...Found it?" Darkstripe questioned, his head following her as she walked past. "So this was your doing?"

"We needed this herb; it grows by RiverClan," Cinderpaw explained as she stepped in front of Fireheart, sniffing at the small plants. "He's been helping us medicine cats, Darkstripe! Surely you wouldn't want poor, fragile me to journey all the way near RiverClan for this?"

Darkstripe leered at her, opening his mouth to retort before Yellowfang interrupted.

"Cinderpaw, he is not supposed to be helping us anymore," she said, unamused. "If you want assistance, ask me or any other cat beside him. If you really need his help, us medicine cats now have to ask first."

Cinderpaw gave a small frown, blinking innocently. "I was not made aware of that," she said, dipping her head. "I apologize. It won't happen again."

Darkstripe grimaced at the display before him. After a moment of tense silence, he just scoffed, turning away.

"It's late, so I'm letting this slide," he said to her. "But never let him go on his own like that, unless you get permission from me or Tigerstar. Understood?"

Cinderpaw nodded. "Loud and clear, deputy."

Fireheart watched in relief as Darkstripe proceeded to drop the conversation there, lashing his tail as he walked away. He glanced at Cinderpaw as she approached him, who just shrugged.

"I annoy him a lot," she said, grinning.

Fireheart was about to chuckle before Yellowfang cleared her throat, staring them down like a troubled mother.

"I know your lying voice, Cinderpaw," she groaned. "Just what do you think you're doing?"

"No, really, Yellowfang! I knew Fireheart couldn't leave camp, but he helped you while I was gone! I thought there was some exception," Cinderpaw said. Unlike before, Fireheart could tell that wasn't a complete lie and that she genuinely wasn't sure.

Well, that sounds like a fair excuse. He thought, but Yellowfang wasn't having it.

"No leaving camp means no leaving camp," she said sternly. "As much as you two might not like it, that's the rule, and we must follow it. Otherwise, there'll only be trouble."

She stalked over, grabbing the celandine from below Fireheart. She gave them both one last irritated look before making for the medicine den.

Fireheart flicked his ears, feeling Cinderpaw prodding his side.

"You know, I just found out we needed that herb," she said. "That was pretty quick thinking on your part."

"I could tell you the same thing," Fireheart replied. He was impressed. He banked on Cinderpaw to distract Darkstripe, not come up with an excuse and handle it all completely alone. "I owe you this one."

"Don't mention it," Cinderpaw scoffed before her face turned more serious. "I'm not going to ask you what you did, but… just know I had to lie for you."

Fireheart nodded with understanding, nuzzling her cheek. "I know. Medicine cats shouldn't lie, but believe me, it was for a good cause."

Cinderpaw rolled her eyes before playfully pushing him away, snickering.

"Lying for a good cause, huh? Then I suppose apprentices really do take after their mentors," she said, shaking her head.

With that, she turned around to make her way back toward the medicine den, and Fireheart was left with his thoughts as he made his way back to his.

So, just what will RiverClan do next, now that they know the truth?

Crookedstar surely believed what he heard, but he didn't think of him as an ally. In that case, how much did Fireheart really benefit from their conversation?

Perhaps it's better if I simply have a good relationship with RiverClan. It'd cause problems if they publicly ally themselves with me of all cats.

Looking around as he slunk next to the prisoner's den, Fireheart was able to catch a glimpse of Sandstorm, Dustpelt, and Darkstripe all talking near the Highrock - most likely about him and how he managed to escape unseen.

Fireheart furrowed his brow.

But I know Umbra wouldn't settle for a relationship like that, and I shouldn't either. I'm not afraid of consequences anymore, after all.

His eyes landed on Sandstorm in particular.

So, you want to help, do you? ...Then, there is much we have to discuss.

…

A/N - Uh oh. Cloudpaw and Cinderpaw are both little menaces, aren't they?

Sooo I am happy to inform y'all that this chapter was quite a bit more fun to write than the last one! And I'm glad since we should finally be getting into da REAL juicy stuff soon :) Here's hoping for some sort of divine influx of motivation!

Moving on, I altered my storyline a bit, including combining future chapters for pacing purposes. If I'm going to take forever to upload, I may as well make it worth the wait, you know? They will be longer, but also cut down enough to the point of not dragging on.

Also, I'm now planning on getting IoB chapters out after every few TSoT chapters or so since, well, I actually want to prioritize one story over the other, so unfortunately, that means I can't "release one chapter each a month" or whatever I said before…

Buut no matter. Just know that both fics are alive and well, no matter how long it takes for me to update one of 'em :p