Forest Of Secrets

“Oh?” Tigerclaw paused while he looked deliberately in all directions and then asked, “What happened to the rest of your patrol? And some cat must have sent you,” he added, before Fireheart could reply. “It wasn’t me, even though I sent out all the other patrols.”

“We just thought…” Graystripe began feebly.

Tigerclaw ignored him. He thrust his huge head so close to Fireheart that he could smell the deputy’s hot, rancid breath. “If you ask me, kittypet, you’re far too friendly with RiverClan. You might have been over there to spy—or you might be spying for them. Which side are you on?”

“You’ve no right to accuse me!” Anger made Fireheart’s fur bristle. “I’m loyal to ThunderClan.”

A deep growl came from Tigerclaw’s throat. “Then you won’t mind if we tell Bluestar about this expedition of yours. And we’ll see if she thinks you’re so loyal. As for you…” He glared down at Cloudkit, who tried to meet his amber gaze boldly, but couldn’t help retreating a pace or two. “Bluestar ordered that no kits were to leave camp alone. Or do you think Clan orders don’t apply to you, like your kittypet kin?”

For once, Cloudkit didn’t reply; his blue eyes looked scared.

Tigerclaw swung around and stalked back toward the trees. “Come on; we’re wasting time. Follow me, all of you,” he snarled.

When they reached the camp, Fireheart saw Bluestar standing at the foot of the Highrock. A patrol made up of Whitestorm, Longtail, and Mousefur was reporting to her.

“The stream is flooded as far as the Thunderpath,” Fireheart heard Whitestorm say. “If the water doesn’t go down, we won’t be able to make it to the next Gathering.”

“There’s still time before—” Bluestar broke off when she saw Tigerclaw approach her. “Yes, what is it?”

“I’ve brought these cats to you,” the deputy growled. “One disobedient kit, and two traitors.”

“Traitors!” echoed Longtail. His eyes met Fireheart’s with an unpleasant gleam. “Just what I’d expect of a kittypet,” he sneered.

“That’s enough,” Bluestar ordered, with the faintest hint of a snarl in her voice. She dipped her head toward the cats in the patrol. “You may go, all of you.” She turned back to Tigerclaw as they moved away. “Tell me what happened.”

“I saw this kit leaving camp,” Tigerclaw began, flicking his tail toward Cloudkit, “after you ordered that no kits or apprentices should go out without a warrior. I went to fetch him back, but when I got into the ravine, I realized he was following a scent trail.” He paused, and glared challengingly at Fireheart and Graystripe. “The trail led to the stepping-stones downstream from the Sunningrocks. And what should I see there but these two brave warriors”—he spat the words out—“crossing back from RiverClan territory. When I asked them what they were doing, they gave me some fish-and-mouse story about checking to see how far the floods stretched.”

Fireheart braced himself for Bluestar’s anger, but the Clan leader remained calm. “Is this true?” she asked.

During the journey back from the stepping-stones, Fireheart had had time to think. He couldn’t imagine the trouble he would be in if he tried to lie to Bluestar again. Now, seeing the wisdom in her face and the penetrating look in her blue eyes, he knew he had to tell her the truth. “Yes,” he admitted. “We can explain, but…” He shot a glance at Tigerclaw.

Bluestar closed her eyes for a long moment. When she opened them again, her expression was as unreadable as ever. “Tigerclaw, I’ll deal with this. You may go.”

The deputy looked as if he was going to object, but under Bluestar’s clear gaze he kept silent. He gave her a curt nod and marched off toward the pile of fresh-kill.

“Now, Cloudkit,” meowed Bluestar, turning to the white kit. “Do you know why I ordered kits and apprentices not to go out alone?”

“Because the floods are dangerous,” replied Cloudkit sullenly. “But I—”

“You disobeyed me and you must be punished. That is the Clan law.”

For a moment Fireheart thought that Cloudkit was about to protest, but to his relief the kit just dipped his head and mewed, “Yes, Bluestar.”

“Tigerclaw got you to help the elders for a few days recently, didn’t he? Very well, you can continue with those duties. It is an honor to serve the other cats in the Clan, and you must learn that it is an honor to obey Clan orders, too. Go now, and see if they have any jobs for you.”

Cloudkit bowed his head again and scampered off across the clearing, his tail held high. Fireheart suspected he quite enjoyed looking after the elders, and that his punishment wasn’t as bad as it might have been. He couldn’t help worrying that Cloudkit still hadn’t learned his lesson about respecting the ways of the Clan.

Bluestar settled down on the ground with her paws tucked under her. “Tell me what happened,” she invited the warriors.

Taking a deep breath, Fireheart explained how he and Graystripe had rescued the RiverClan kits, and been taken to the camp by RiverClan warriors.