Chapter 9

CHAPTER 9 As her Clan stared at her in horror, Bluestar spun around and stalked away to her den. Fireheart took a pace after her, but without turning her head she snapped, "Leave me alone!" There was so much venom in her voice that Fireheart stopped in his tracks. What am I supposed to do now? he asked himself. He could see that the Clan was on the edge of panic. The shock of the hawk's attack, and Bluestar's interpretation of it, was turning them into frightened kits. His own legs were shaking, but he pushed his fears away and sprang onto the Highrock. "Listen!" he called. "Gather 'round, all of you." Gradually the cats obeyed him, creeping into a huddle at the base of the rock. Several of them glanced fearfully up at the sky, as if they expected the hawk to return. Fireheart noticed Fernpaw pressing close to Dustpelt, and Longtail crouched on the ground as if he thought StarClan were going to start raining fire on them there and then. And then Fireheart spotted Cloudpaw. The apprentice was gazing around in bewilderment.

"What's all the fuss about?" he meowed to Brightpaw. "Every cat knows StarClan is just a tale for kits. They can't really do anything to us." Brightpaw faced him with shock in her eyes. "Cloudpaw, that's not true!" she exclaimed. "Come on!" Cloudpaw gave her an affectionate flick with his tail. "You don't really believe that load of thistledown, do you?" He showed his indifference by sitting down and giving his paws a thorough wash. Fireheart stared down at his apprentice with cold dread chilling the blood in his veins. He had known for a long time that Cloudpaw had no respect for the warrior code, but he had not realized that his apprentice did not believe in StarClan at all. On the other side of the clearing, Cinderpelt and Brindleface were gently guiding Speckletail in the direction of Cinderpelt's den. Cinderpelt stopped, mewed something rapidly to Brindleface, and came limping back toward the rock. "I think you might need me, Fireheart," she mewed. "But make it quick. I have to take care of Speckletail."

Fireheart nodded. "Cats of ThunderClan," he began, raising his voice, "we've just seen something terrible. No cat can deny that. But we have to be careful about what meaning we give to this tragedy. Cinderpelt, is Bluestar right? Does this mean that StarClan have abandoned us?" Cinderpelt spoke up clearly from where she sat at the base of the rock. "No," she meowed. "StarClan haven't shown me anything to suggest this. The camp is more exposed since the fire, so it's not surprising that the hawk could see its prey." "So it was just an accident that we lost Snowkit?" Fireheart prompted. "Just an accident," Cinderpelt repeated. "Nothing to do with StarClan." Fireheart saw the Clan begin to relax and realized that Cinderpelt's certainty had reassured them. The cats still looked shocked and grief- stricken that Snowkit had been snatched away, but the wild stares of panic were fading. But along with his relief came the worry that once the Clan had recovered from their shock, they would start asking themselves why Bluestar

had gone so far as to declare war on their warrior ancestors in StarClan. "Thank you, Cinderpelt," Fireheart meowed. Cinderpelt flicked her tail and limped quickly toward her den. Fireheart took a step forward on top of the rock and gazed down at the upturned faces. "There's something else I need to tell you," he began. He wasn't at all sure he should be saying this, since Bluestar insisted that WindClan was responsible for the dead rabbits, but with the safety of the Clan at stake he couldn't keep silent. "We think there's a loose dog on ThunderClan territory. We haven't seen it, but we've scented it at Snakerocks and near Fourtrees." An anxious murmur rose from the cats, and Sandstorm called out, "What about the dogs at the farm beyond WindClan territory? Maybe it's one of those." "Maybe," Fireheart agreed, remembering how the savage creatures had chased him and Sandstorm while they were searching for Cloudpaw. "Until it goes away again," he went on, "we all have to be especially careful. Apprentices

mustn't go out without a warrior. And all cats who leave camp have an extra duty. Look for traces of this dog—scent, pawmarks, scattered scraps of prey…." "And dung," Mousefur put in. "The filthy creatures never think of burying it." "Right," meowed Fireheart. "If you come across anything like that, report it to me right away. We need to find out where the dog has made its den." As he gave his orders he did his best to hide his growing sense of dread. He could not stifle the feeling that the forest was watching him, concealing a deadly enemy somewhere among the trees. At least the threat from Tigerstar was a straightforward fear of attack from a known enemy. This hidden dog was another matter, unseen and unpredictable. Dismissing the Clan, Fireheart leaped down from the Highrock and made his way toward Cinderpelt's den. On the way, he spotted Brackenfur limping back into the camp with Swiftpaw just behind him. The ginger warrior's fur was torn where he had forced his way through

briers and undergrowth in his pursuit of the hawk. One look at his lowered head and dejected expression told Fireheart all he needed to know, but he waited for Brackenfur to come up and make his report. "I'm sorry, Fireheart. We tried to keep up, but we lost it." "You did your best," Fireheart replied, pressing his head against the younger warrior's shoulder. "There was never much hope." "A waste of time and effort right from the start," Swiftpaw growled, though his eyes betrayed his frustration at their failure to save the kit. "Where's Speckletail?" asked Brackenfur. "With Cinderpelt. I'm just going to check on her. You two help yourself to fresh-kill and then get some rest." He waited to see that the two cats obeyed his order before continuing to Cinderpelt's den. Sandstorm fell into step beside him. When they reached the clearing outside the medicine cat's den, they found Speckletail lying there with Brindleface crouched beside her, licking her