Fire And Ice

“You wouldn’t have realized how thin the verge was there.” Fireheart shook his head slowly. “You must have run straight onto the Thunderpath.” Why wasn’t Tigerclaw where he said he’d be? he thought with a flash of rage. He could have stopped her from running out! Princess’s words rang ominously in his head. Was it a trap? He pictured Tigerclaw, crouching downwind, hidden among the trees, staring out at the verge, waiting—

“How’s Cloudkit?” Cinderpaw’s mew cut short his thoughts. She clearly wanted to change the subject.

Fireheart was happy to oblige, especially if it meant talking about Princess’s son. “Getting bigger every day,” he meowed proudly.

“I’m dying to meet him. When are you going to bring him to visit me?”

“As soon as Brindleface lets me,” Fireheart answered. “She won’t let him out of her sight at the moment.”

“She likes him, then?”

“She treats him just like her other kits,” Fireheart meowed, “thank StarClan. To be honest, I wasn’t sure if she’d take to him. He looks so different from her other kits.” Even Fireheart couldn’t deny that Cloudkit’s snowy pelt of soft fur looked out of place beside the other kits, with their forest-colored coats of short, mottled fur. “At least he gets on well with his nursery mates…” Fireheart’s voice trailed away. Hestared at the ground, feeling a twinge of anxiety.

“What’s the matter?” Cinderpaw prompted gently.

Fireheart shrugged. “I’m just sick of the way some of the other cats look at him, like he’s stupid or worthless.”

“Does Cloudkit notice these looks?”

Fireheart shook his head.

“Well, don’t worry then,” Cinderpaw mewed.

“But Cloudkit doesn’t even know he was born a kittypet. I think he just assumes he’s from a different Clan. But if they keep giving him these dirty looks, he’s going to realize there’s something wrong with him.” Fireheart looked at his paws fretfully.

“Something wrong with him?” echoed Cinderpaw in wonder. “You were born a kittypet and there’s nothing wrong with you! Look, by the time Cloudkit works out where he comes from, he’ll be able to start proving that a kittypet can be as good as any Clanborn warrior. Just like you’ve done.”

“What if someone tells him before he’s ready?”

“If he’s anything like you, he was born ready!”

“When did you get so smart?” Fireheart meowed, rather surprised by his apprentice’s sharpness.

Cinderpaw rolled onto her back with a dramatic moan. “Suffering can do that to a cat!” Fireheart prodded her stomach with a paw, and Cinderpaw squeaked before scrambling back onto her side. “No, really,” she mewed. “Look who I’ve been hanging out with lately!”

Fireheart tipped his head on one side questioningly.

“Yellowfang, you dope,” Cinderpaw scoffed. “She’s one sharp old cat. I’m learning a lot.” She sat up. “Yellowfang said there’s a Gathering tonight. Are you going?”

“I don’t know,” Fireheart admitted. “I’m going to ask Bluestar later. I’m not exactly popular with the Clan at the moment.”

“They’ll get over it,” Cinderpaw promised. She nudged his shoulder. “Shouldn’t you go and find out if you’re going, then? They’ll be leaving soon.”

“You’re right,” Fireheart replied. “Will you be okay till Yellowfang gets back? Do you want me to fetch you some fresh-kill?”

“I’ll be fine,” Cinderpaw assured him. “And Yellowfang’ll bring me something. She always does. I’m going to be the fattest cat in the Clan by the time she’s finished with me.”

Fireheart felt a burst of happiness to see his former apprentice recovering her spirit. He was tempted to stay and keep her company, but she was right—he should find out if he could go to the Gathering. “I’ll see you tomorrow, then,” he meowed. “There should be plenty of news from the Gathering.”

“Yeah, and I want to hear it all,” Cinderpaw mewed. “Make sure Bluestar lets you go! Quick!”

“I’m going, I’m going,” Fireheart retorted, getting to his paws. “’Bye, Cinderpaw.”

“’Bye!”

Fireheart stopped at the edge of the clearing and looked around for Bluestar. She was talking with Willowpelt outside her den. Fireheart reached them just as Willowpelt stood up to leave. The slender gray warrior nodded to Fireheart as she padded away.

Bluestar gazed at Fireheart with knowing eyes. “You want to go to the Gathering,” she meowed. Fireheart opened his mouth to speak, but Bluestar interrupted him. “All the warriors want to go tonight, but I can’t take every cat.”

Fireheart felt disappointed. “I wanted to see WindClan again,” he explained. “To find out how they’ve been getting on since Graystripe and I brought them home.”

Bluestar narrowed her eyes. “I don’t need reminding of what you did for WindClan,” she meowed sharply, and Fireheart flinched. “But you’re right to be concerned,” Bluestar went on.

“You and Graystripe may come to the Gathering tonight.”

“Thank you, Bluestar,” Fireheart meowed.

“It’ll be an interesting Gathering,” Bluestar warned him. “RiverClan and ShadowClan have much to explain.”