A Dangerous Path/Chapter 17

Chapter Summary
Fireheart's PoV
 * Fireheart reveals to Mistyfoot and Stonefur that Bluestar is their mother. The warriors freeze, their eyes wide with shock. Fireheart explains that they were born in ThunderClan, and their father Oakheart brought them to RiverClan. Stonefur accuses the deputy of lying, but Mistyfoot meows that the ginger tabby doesn’t lie. He asks his sister why they should believe Fireheart, and advances to attack the ThunderClan cat, but Bluestar steps in front of her Clanmate. The leader greets the RiverClan cats as her kits, praising them for being such fine warriors. Stonefur and Mistyfoot look at each other, ears twitching uncertainly. Fireheart urges them to leave Bluestar alone.


 * Suddenly, a loud yowling alerts the ThunderClan deputy to look up. Graystripe warns Fireheart in time for the ginger tom to see Leopardstar plunging down the rock towards him. He narrowly avoids her first attack, but the she-cat quickly pins him to the rock. The RiverClan leader begins to rake his belly, and he struggles to get free. Fireheart feels pain stabbing him and fights to take another breath. Moments later, Graystripe pulls Leopardstar off his friend, pinning the furious she-cat. The RiverClan leader asks the gray warrior why he did that, and orders him to attack the ginger tabby or leave her Clan. Fireheart feels a stab of dismay, and Graystripe stares at him with an equal amount of emotion. The gray warrior says he won’t attack the deputy, and this sets Leopardstar off on a rant about how bad she’ll punish him for this.


 * A chorus of yowling drowns out the leader’s threats, revealing a wave of ThunderClan cats streaming down Sunningrocks. Leopardstar takes on look at the newcomers, and then turns to flee. The rest of the ThunderClan cats give chase, leaving Fireheart and Graystripe standing at each other. The deputy thanks his friend for not attacking him, knowing it must have been a hard choice. Graystripe shrugs, saying that there was no other option. The pair then catch up with the rest of ThunderClan, watching RiverClan flee back to their territory. Bluestar tells her kits that since they know she is their mother, they will be welcome in ThunderClan’s camp if they wish to see her. Both warriors turn away from her, and Stonefur tells the leader to leave them alone. Leopardstar then points at Graystripe, calling him a traitor and claiming that Sunningrocks would be RiverClan’s if he hadn’t interfered. The leader orders that if the gray warrior is seen on their territory, then he should be killed. She then limps back further into her territory, leaving Graystripe staring dejectedly after her.


 * Sandstorm asks Fireheart what happens, and he explains that Graystripe saved his life. The she-cat questions what he’ll do now, as he can’t go back to RiverClan. Fireheart wants Graystripe to come back to ThunderClan, but knows it isn’t his decision. The deputy moves to find Bluestar, and sees her on the slope. She meows that her kits hate her, and he apologizes for telling them the news. Bluestar says it’s okay, as she always wanted them to know. She states that they should go back to camp now, walking over to where her warriors are gathered. Fireheart walks beside her, and congratulates Cloudpaw for his combat skills. The apprentice comments that it’s great that they did all the fighting, as no StarClan warriors were on their side. Bluestar eyes the apprentice thoughtfully, eyes gleaming with interest. As the cats begin to head back to camp, Fireheart alerts Bluestar that Graystripe is here. The leader’s eyes vaguely drift over the gray warrior, and Darkstripe growls and offers to drive him off their territory. Bluestar orders the warrior to wait, telling Fireheart to explain the situation.


 * The deputy reports that Graystripe helped him find her when she was cornered by Mistyfoot and Stonefur. He adds that the gray warrior also saved his life, requesting for him to come back to ThunderClan. Darkstripe breaks into the conversation, asking why a cat who left of his own free will should be allowed to return. Graystripe ignores him, telling Bluestar that he’d like to be ThunderClan again, if allowed to. Darkstripe again spits that she can’t take back a traitor, as he might betray the Clan again. Bluestar meows that if Graystripe is a traitor, then he is no different than the rest of ThunderClan. She says adding one more to the bunch won’t make a difference, then yowls at Fireheart that he should have let her kits kill her. Gasps from other cats fill the air, and the deputy remembers that most of the Clan isn’t aware of Bluestar’s mental state. He knows that arguing with her is fruitless, so instead asks if Graystripe can stay. Bluestar replies that the gray warrior may do whatever he likes, and starts padding tiredly back to camp.