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Why had Tigerclaw sent him so near his old haunts? Had he wanted to test him? Could it be the great dark warrior didn’t trust his loyalty to ThunderClan?
The feeling that Tigerclaw didn’t trust his loyalty lingered with him still.
“The needs of ShadowClan are simple. In order to survive, we must increase our hunting territory. That is why I insist that you allow ShadowClan warriors to hunt in your territories.”
“Must,” repeated Brokenstar. “WindClan failed to understand this. In the end, we were forced to drive them out of their territory.”
But among the other ShadowClan apprentices, the tabby no longer looked unusually small—they all looked tiny and undernourished, more like kits of three or four moons than full-fledged apprentices.
“We’ll go one at a time,” meowed Tigerclaw. “Ravenpaw, you first.”
In the world above, Tigerclaw is a fearless and mighty warrior, but down here, where the spirits of StarClan speak, a cat needs a different kind of strength.
“It’s all right,” Bluestar rasped. “I am still here. I have lost a life, but it wasn’t my ninth.” Joy flooded Firepaw. He looked at Tigerclaw, expecting to see relief on his face, but the dark warrior was expressionless.
“It wasn’t Tigerclaw who saved you. It was Barley,” Firepaw whispered as he took some more cobwebs from Ravenpaw. “Barley?” Bluestar sounded surprised. “Is he here?”
“It is a long time since I saw you lose a life, Bluestar.” Firepaw overheard Tigerclaw’s whispered words. “How many have you lost now?” Firepaw couldn’t help feeling surprised at Tigerclaw’s open curiosity. “That was my fifth,” replied Bluestar quietly. Firepaw strained his ears, but Tigerclaw did not reply. He padded on, lost in thought.
To Firepaw’s confusion, the dark tabby’s eyes seemed to be fixed on Ravenpaw rather than the fallen deputy.
“He’s wanted to be deputy ever since he took care of Redtail—” Ravenpaw mewed. He stopped abruptly. “Took care of Redtail?” Firepaw echoed. His mind suddenly raced with questions. What did Ravenpaw know? At the Gathering, had his account of the battle with RiverClan been true? Was Tigerclaw responsible for Redtail’s death?
Yellowfang blinked slowly. “I miss the old ShadowClan,” she meowed at last. “The way it used to be.”
“How long did you say Ravenpaw was missing on the journey to Mothermouth?” asked Darkstripe. “Long enough to have traveled to ShadowClan’s camp and back,” came the deputy’s menacing answer. The fur on Firepaw’s tail bristled angrily. That’s impossible! he thought. He was with us the whole time!
“And the Clan would be better off without a traitor like Ravenpaw.” “I have to say I agree with you, Darkstripe,” murmured Tigerclaw, his voice heavy with emotion. “Even though he’s my own apprentice . . .” He trailed off as if he were too upset to say any more.
“Thanks,” Firepaw mewed. “Are you sure you’re okay?” “Go and see to your friend,” answered Spottedleaf, avoiding his gaze.
“Firepaw,” she hissed. “StarClan spoke to me moons ago, before you joined the Clan. I sense they want me to tell you this now. They said only fire can save our Clan.” Firepaw stared at Spottedleaf, mystified. The strange passion faded from her eyes. “Take care, Firepaw,” she meowed in her normal voice, and turned away.
Firepaw held the menacing amber gaze for a few moments. Warrior and apprentice, for a heartbeat their eyes were locked as enemies.
What should he tell his leader? That Tigerclaw was plotting to get rid of his apprentice? And what would he say when Bluestar asked him why? Could he bring himself to say out loud that he suspected Tigerclaw had killed Redtail? Even though he had no evidence beyond Ravenpaw’s excited storytelling at the Gathering? By the time they reached the sandy hollow, Firepaw had still not spoken. The hollow was empty.
Firepaw nodded, completely caught up in her words. His senses were fully alert. All thoughts of Ravenpaw and Tigerclaw had disappeared,
And it wasn’t until they reached the camp boundary that Firepaw realized he’d forgotten to tell Bluestar about Ravenpaw.
Firepaw settled down, his eyes fixed on the entrance to the camp, and waited for Ravenpaw. After overhearing the warriors’ conversation last night, he couldn’t shake the feeling that something dreadful was going to happen to his friend. His heart lurched as he saw Tigerclaw enter the camp alone.
Tigerclaw was lying beside Whitestorm, sharing tongues, but with one eye fixed on the apprentices’ den.
At last the black apprentice crawled closer to Firepaw and whispered hoarsely into his ear, “Because the RiverClan deputy didn’t kill Redtail; Tigerclaw did.”
“It’s okay, Ravenpaw,” Firepaw purred, touching the skinny black body with his nose. “I’ll help you get out of this.”
“As you wish. But I’m going to see them. It must be a good sign, having new kits in the camp.” Yellowfang shrugged. “Sometimes,” she muttered darkly.
“There was a time, when Tigerclaw was a young warrior, that I feared for the strength of his passion. Such energy can need careful channeling. But now I am proud to see how much respect the Clan has for him. I know he is ambitious, but his ambition makes him one of the bravest cats I have ever had the honor to fight alongside.”
“You’re not sending Tigerclaw?” Firepaw couldn’t help asking. “Tigerclaw is a great warrior, but in this case his loyalty to the Clan may cloud his judgment,” Bluestar explained. “He wants to give the Clan the vengeance it desires. No cat can blame him for that. The Clan believes Yellowfang has betrayed us, and if Tigerclaw thinks he can reassure the Clan by handing them the dead body of Yellowfang, that’s what he will do.”
“Good-bye, my sweet Spottedleaf,” he murmured.
He led Graypaw and Ravenpaw upstream to a log that rested only a kittenstep above the rushing water.
“What if Tigerclaw comes looking for me?” Ravenpaw’s voice was small against the rumbling storm. Firepaw met his gaze steadily. “He won’t. I will tell him you are dead.”
Brokenstar eyed her coldly. “You found his body. Didn’t you recognize my fur between his claws?” Yellowfang stared in horror as he continued. “He was a soft and foolish leader. He deserved to die.”
“I should have killed you when I had the chance,” he spat at Yellowfang. “It seems I must have some of my father’s softness. I was a fool to let you leave ShadowClan alive!”
