Forest Of Secrets

“Except we couldn’t go into their camp,” he meowed. “It’s underwater. They’re staying in the bushes on higher ground for now.”

“I see…” murmured Bluestar.

“They haven’t much shelter,” Fireheart went on. “And they’re finding it hard to catch prey. They told us that the Twolegs have poisoned the river. Cats get ill if they eat the fish.”

As he spoke he caught a worried look from Graystripe, as if his friend thought it was dangerous to reveal so many of RiverClan’s weaknesses. Some cats, Fireheart knew, would see this as a good chance to attack RiverClan. But he believed Bluestar was not like that. She would never try to take advantage of another cat’s troubles, especially not in leaf-bare.

“So we felt we had to do something,” he finished. “We…we offered to catch prey for RiverClan in our territory, and we’ve been taking fresh-kill across the river to them. Today Tigerclaw saw us coming back.”

“We’re not traitors,” Graystripe put in. “We only wanted to help.”

Bluestar turned to him, then back to Fireheart again. She looked stern, but there was a glimmer of understanding in her eyes. “I understand,” she murmured. “I even respect your good intentions. All cats have the right to survive, whatever their Clan. But you know perfectly well that you can’t take matters into your own paws like that. You acted deceitfully in slipping away on your own. You lied to Tigerclaw—or at least you didn’t tell him all the truth,” she added, before Fireheart could protest. “And you hunted for another Clan before your own. This is not how warriors behave.”

Fireheart swallowed uncomfortably and looked sideways at Graystripe. His friend’s head was bowed and he was staring at his paws in shame.

“We know all that,” Fireheart admitted. “We’re sorry.”

“Feeling sorry isn’t always enough,” Bluestar meowed, with an edge to her voice. “You will have to be punished. And since you haven’t acted like warriors, we’ll see if you can remember what it’s like to be apprentices. From now on, you can hunt for the elders and see to their needs. And when you hunt, you’ll have another warrior to supervise you.”

“What?” Fireheart couldn’t help the word escaping in a mew of outrage.

“You have broken the warrior code,” Bluestar reminded him. “Since you can’t be trusted, you’ll go with someone who can. There must be no more visits to RiverClan.”

“But…we won’t be apprentices again, will we?” Graystripe meowed anxiously.

“No.” Bluestar allowed a gleam of amusement to soften her eyes. “You are still warriors. A leaf cannot return to the bud. But you will live as apprentices until I think you have learned your lesson.”

Fireheart forced himself to breathe evenly. He was so proud to be a warrior of ThunderClan, and shame overwhelmed him at the thought of losing his warrior’s privileges. But he knew there was no use arguing with Bluestar, and deep inside he admitted the punishment was fair. He bowed his head respectfully. “Very well, Bluestar.”

“And we really are sorry,” Graystripe added.

“I know.” Bluestar nodded to him. “You may go, Graystripe. Fireheart, stay a moment.”

Surprised, Fireheart waited a little nervously to find out what Bluestar wanted.

The Clan leader waited until Graystripe was out of earshot. Then she asked, “Tell me, Fireheart, have any RiverClan cats died in the floods?” She sounded distracted, and for once she didn’t meet Fireheart’s eyes. “Any warriors?”

“Not that I know of,” Fireheart admitted. “Crookedstar didn’t say that any cat had drowned.”

Bluestar frowned, but she didn’t ask any more. She gave a tiny nod, as if to herself. Then, after a brief hesitation, she dismissed Fireheart. “Find Graystripe and tell him you may both eat,” she ordered, her voice expressionless and firm again. “And send Tigerclaw to me.”

Fireheart bowed his head and stood up to leave. On his way across the clearing, he glanced back at Bluestar. The gray she-cat was still crouched at the foot of the rock, her eyes staring into the far distance. He couldn’t help feeling puzzled by his leader’s urgent questions.

Why should she be so worried about RiverClan warriors? he wondered.

Chapter 15

“Well, if it isn’t our newest apprentice, Firepaw!”

Fireheart looked up from his vole to see Longtail swaggering toward him, his tail waving in the air. “Ready for a training session?” the warrior sneered. “Tigerclaw sent me to be your mentor.”

Taking his time, Fireheart swallowed the last of the vole and rose to his paws. He could guess what had happened. Bluestar had told Tigerclaw about the punishment, and Tigerclaw had wasted no time in organizing the first patrol. Naturally he would choose the cat who disliked Fireheart the most to supervise his hunting.

Beside him, Graystripe jumped up and took a pace toward Longtail. “Watch what you say,” he snarled. “We’re not apprentices!”

“That’s not the way I heard it,” replied Longtail, swiping his tongue appreciatively over his jaws as if he had just swallowed a tasty morsel.