Chapter 14

CHAPTER 14 When Fireheart returned to the clearing, there was still no sign of Ravenpaw. His belly churned. The moon was high in the sky. Before long, Bluestar would lead her warriors into battle against WindClan, and all hope of a peaceful solution would be lost. Where was Ravenpaw? Perhaps Onewhisker hadn't been able to find him. Or perhaps he couldn't come—or he was on his way but would arrive too late. Fireheart wanted to dash out into the forest and look for him, but he knew that would serve no purpose. Then he saw a flicker of movement at the entrance to the camp, and heard a mewed challenge from Ashpaw. Another cat answered, and Fireheart shivered with relief as he recognized Ravenpaw's voice. Springing forward, he bounded across the clearing. "Okay, Ashpaw," he meowed to the apprentice. "I'll look after Ravenpaw—you stay on guard." He touched noses with the sleek cat who emerged from the gorse tunnel. "It's good to see you, Ravenpaw. How are you?"

Even as he asked the question he could see that the former apprentice was looking well. His black pelt shone in the moonlight and his strong muscles rippled beneath the fur. "I'm fine," Ravepaw replied. He looked around the clearing, his amber eyes very wide. "It seems strange to be here again, Fireheart. I'm sorry to hear you're having trouble with WindClan. Onewhisker told me everything, and he swore they haven't been stealing prey." "Try convincing Bluestar of that," Fireheart meowed grimly. "Look, I hate to rush you—I know you must have run like the wind to get here so fast—but we don't have much time. Follow me." He led the way to Bluestar's den. The ThunderClan leader was curled in her nest, but when Fireheart looked closely at her he could see a gleam of moonlight reflected from her narrowed eyes. She was not asleep. "What's the matter, Fireheart?" she asked, sounding annoyed. "It's not time to go yet. And who's that with you?" "It's Ravenpaw, Bluestar," the loner meowed,

stepping forward. "I've come with a message from Windclan." "WindClan!" Bluestar sprang to her paws. "What does that Clan of thieves want to say to me?" To Ravenpaw's credit, he didn't flinch, though Fireheart knew he must remember the days when he was a Clan apprentice and Bluestar's anger was something to be feared. "Tallstar wants to meet with you, to discuss the loss of prey," he told her. "Does he?" Briefly Bluestar glared at her deputy, her eyes blazing with blue fire. For a heartbeat Fireheart was sure she had guessed what he had done. There was an ominous pause. "Bluestar, surely it would be better to talk than fight?" he ventured. "Don't tell me what to do," Bluestar snapped. Her tail-tip twitched irritably. "Get out of here. Ravenpaw and I will discuss this together." Fireheart had no choice but to leave the den. He hovered around outside, listening to the murmur of voices but unable to make out what Bluestar and Ravenpaw were saying. After a while Whitestorm emerged from the

warriors' den and padded over to join him. "The moon's going down," the white warrior meowed. "Bluestar will want to leave soon. Is Ravenpaw here yet?" "Yes, he is," mewed Fireheart. "But I don't know whether—" He broke off at a movement from inside the den. A heartbeat later, Bluestar stalked out with Ravenpaw behind her. She paced forward until she reached Fireheart, her tail lashing. "Gather a patrol," she ordered. "We go to Fourtrees." "Does that mean you are going to talk with Tallstar?" Fireheart asked bravely. His leader's tail lashed again. "I will talk," she meowed. "But if there is no agreement, then we will fight." The night was still dark when Bluestar led her warriors into the hollow where the four great oaks stood. Fireheart padded at her shoulder; the smallest of rustles told him that the other cats were following. His heart lurched as an owl hooted in the distance. He had barely had a chance to murmur his thanks to Ravenpaw for

bringing Tallstar's message before the black cat had slipped away from the ThunderClan warriors. He would follow a different route back to his farmland home, keeping well clear of Fourtrees. Bluestar paused at the top of the slope. As the other warriors caught up with her, starlight cast a faint sheen on their fur, touching their pricked ears and reflecting from their wide eyes. Fireheart could almost taste their anticipation. When he looked across the border into WindClan territory, he thought at first that the sweep of moorland was empty, stretching up to the night sky. Wind swept across it and rustled the oak trees in the hollow behind him. Then he caught sight of movement up ahead, and he realized that a line of cats was standing there, with Tallstar at their center. His stomach clenched as Fireheart realized that Tallstar, too, had brought his warriors with him. "What's that?" Bluestar hissed, turning to glare into his eyes. "So many WindClan cats? I thought I was coming here to talk." Her eyes glared furiously at Fireheart, some sharpened instinct flooding her expression with understanding. "This

looks more like an ambush than a meeting of leaders." At a flick of her tail, the ThunderClan warriors moved up in purposeful silence to form a tight line on either side of their leader, facing the WindClan cats. Fireheart felt the air crackle with tension, and he realized that it would be all too easy for fighting to break out, even if WindClan did not attack first. Would Tallstar keep his word, and try to talk to Bluestar rather than fight? "Tallstar?" Bluestar meowed coldly. "What have you to say to me?" Waiting for the WindClan leader's response, Fireheart nervously sheathed and unsheathed his claws. He did not know if the line would hold. If just one cat moved forward, battle could engulf them all. He saw Dustpelt exchange a tense glance with Brindleface, as if both cats were thinking the same as he was. Next to him, Sandstorm kept her gaze fixed on the WindClan cats, her ears flat to her head. Swiftpaw stared nervously at his leader, but he held his place in the line. Cloudpaw, on Fireheart's other side, had dropped into the hunter's crouch, his rump