"Bluestar, Firepaw will die if you don't tell him he can eat. I know it's a tough leafbare, but there is enough prey for everyone. Firepaw will do anyone no good if he dies," Yellowfang tells her leader. The two women have adopted Firepaw simultaneously, and the young boy has shown signs that concern them. Both know Firepaw will not say anything about his former home, but the signs are there.
"Bluestar?" Lionheart's head pops into her cave. Both turn to him.
"Yellowfang, good you're here. Firepaw collapsed during training, and Mousefur brought him to your place. However, you weren't there. Dustpaw is with him," Lionheart tells her. Yellowfang looks to her co-parent. Bluestar sighs.
"Grab some fresh kill," Bluestar orders. Lionheart's forehead squints, and he looks confused.
"Has Firepaw not been eating again?" He questions the two women. Both look at him.
"What do you mean by that?" Yellowfang's hiss makes Bluestar hold her medical. Lionheart blinks at them.
"Firepaw only eats whenever Sandpaw makes him eat with her. Other than that, Firepaw doesn't eat," Lionheart says.
"Who knows is the issue?" Bluestar demands her confidence. Lionheart looks at the two mothers. He can see how this is going to play out.
"Everyone," He replies. Bluestar sighs. She didn't want this to be a Clan issue.
"Get him to eat," She orders. Yellowfang grabs a mouse and goes to her cave. She orders everyone out. She throws the mouse towards the boy.
"You need to eat this mouse, now," She orders her youngest son. The boy looks at her but slowly eats the mouse. It must've taken him an hour or two to eat the mouse. She didn't mind, as she could see that if he ate it fast, he would've gotten sick. It also showed her how little he had eaten since coming to the clan.
"Firepaw!" Graypaw, Sandpaw, and Dustpaw came back. The fourth apprentice looks at them and then to his mom. Yellowfang likes to sigh a lot, as she sighed again.
"Firepaw is staying with me," She tells the apprentices. Sandpaw sits next to him. The only girl does not let the darker redhead go. The last two days have been an eye-opener for her. Firepaw confided in her about his former home life, and she has done everything she can to help him heal.
"Out Graypaw, Sandpaw, Dustpaw," Bluestar orders. Redtail, Lionheart, and Whitestorm all come in.
"We need to train," Redtail tells them. The six leave. Firepaw is alone with the two women who became his moms.
"I'll train you as well, Firepaw, but first, you need to tell me everything from your previous home life," Bluestar tells the younger boy. The boy tells them everything he has said to Sandpaw about. Two months later, after Tigerclaw attacked them again, Firepaw stopped him from killing Bluestar. The four have become warriors.
"Fireheart! Sandstorm!" Cinderpaw, Brackenpaw, and Thornpaw run towards the two ginger-haired couple. The two turn towards the three siblings. Lionheart and Frostfur look over to the three. The older warriors have noticed a change in Fireheart after Bluestar and Yellowfang started to parent him. Sandstorm and Dustpelt got closer to the younger boy when Graystripe began seeing Silverstream.
"Cinderpaw, Brackenpaw, Thornpaw, what's wrong?" Fireheart asks the three younger apprentices.
"Have you seen Graystripe? We've looked everywhere for him," Cinderpaw asks her mentor. Lionheart and Frostfur came to them with a frown. Fireheart and Sandstorm look at each other. Bluestar has overheard that question.
"Fireheart?" Bluestar questions her son. He sighs. The clan knows that Bluestar and Yellowfang are his mothers and will report him to his moms.
"He might be in Riverclan with Silverstream," Sandstorm answers for him. The woman refuses to let this continue. Graystripe has responsibilities to the clan and needs to be punished.
"How long?" Redtail questions. He needed to talk to Bluestar about something but heard about Graystripe.
"Three weeks ago," Fireheart muttered. Bluestar looks at him. Fireheart is the shortest warrior but the fastest warrior. Sandstorm is taller than him.
"Redtail, Willowpelt, Runningwind, and Sandstorm will go to Riverclan and retrieve Graystripe. Brackenpaw, your new mentor, will be Runningwind," Bluestar orders. Lionheart and Frostfur nod in approval.
"I'll take Fireheart, Cinderpaw, and Brackenpaw to train," Whitestorm says to Bluestar. The leader nods in approval. The two apprentices cheered, making Fireheart run after them. The clan smiles.
Sandstorm takes Redtail, Willowpelt, and Runningwind to the Riverclan border. They see Crookedstar, Oakheart, Stonefur, his apprentice Shadepaw, and Mistyfoot at the border.
"What is going on?" Crookedstar asks the Thunderclan's deputy and three warriors. Willowpelt heard some bushes rattle and turned to see some move. She beckons for Mistyfoot to come with her. The gray-haired warrior follows with caution. The two female warriors open the bushes to see their missing warriors.
"Redtail," Willowpelt calls, looking disapproval of her son. Both warriors are blushing.
"Crookedstar," Mistyfoot calls to her leader while looking in shock at her cousin. Both leaders go to them.
"How long has this been going on?" Crookedstar demands. Silverstream hides behind Graystripe to cover herself.
"Three weeks. Thunderclan found out today," Redtail answers the leader. When Graystripe and Silverstream covered themselves and came out. Sandstorm and Runningwind glared at the gray-haired warrior and took him away. Shadepaw and Mistyfoot take their silver-haired warrior back with them.
"What will become of this?" Crookedstar questions the deputy. Redtail looks at him with a blank look.
"Bluestar will decide," Redtail tells him.
"Do you want me to go talk to her?" Oakheart questions his leader. Redtail laughs. Willowpelt rolled her eyes as Stonefur looked at his deputy. Crookedstar raises an eyebrow.
"Stonefur will go," Crookedstar says, making the younger man snort. Redtail and Willowpelt guide Stonefur to Thunderclan. When they reach a tree, Fireheart is thrown in front of them.
"Fireheart! Are you okay? Where does it hurt?" Sandstorm questions her soon-to-be mate. Redtail and Willowpelt stand in front of them while Stonefur helps Sandstorm.
"I'm good, Sandstorm," Fireheart soothes her. Redtail sees Runningwind and Whitestorm tackling Graystripe to the ground. Stonefur sees Bluestar and Yellowfang running. The medical goes to the younger boy.
"That's enough! Graystripe, you are in the Queen's den, you will help them with whatever they need, and the Elder's den. Brackenpaw is training with Runningwind. Until I see improvement in you, this will be your punishment," Bluestar tells her young warrior. Graystripe struggles against the two senior warriors.
"That good for you, Stonefur?" Willowpelt questions the Riverclan warrior. He stays in front of Fireheart.
"Yes," He says and waits for Graystripe to be out of sight. Fireheart tugs on his arm, and the blue-gray-haired warrior turns to him. The more petite boy hugs him. Stonefur has been a big brother to Fireheart whenever he needed someone to talk to.
"Thank you, Stonefur," Fireheart mutters. Yellowfang and Bluestar see their sons as a family.
Four moons later, Sandstorm is next to her mate as he gives birth to their children. She didn't want to get pregnant, and Fireheart loved his mate and was willing to carry their children. They're holding their twin daughters. Squirrelkit and Leafkit.
Stonefur discovered that Oakheart and Bluestar were Mistyfoot's and his parents, and Bluestar adopted Fireheart. The two got to know their little brother and are protective of him. Graystripe is with Silverstream with Stormpaw and Featherpaw.
