A Dangerous Path/Chapter 24

Chapter description

 * Fireheart emerges from the warriors' den. He spots Sandstorm across the clearing, and makes his way towards her. He has spoken to several warriors about joining the patrol to Snakerocks, but hasn't yet spoken to Sandstorm. He doesn't want to risk her life on this dangerous task, but he knows without a doubt that he wants Sandstorm by his side. When he reaches her, he quickly tells her what Longtail told him, and Fireheart says the Clan needs Sandstorm's speed and bravery for the patrol. As she hesitates, Fireheart adds on that he needs her. He admits that things haven't been the same ever since he stopped the battle against WindClan, but he trusts her. Sandstorm nods, and says that she understood why Fireheart didn't want to fight WindClan, but it was hard for her to stay loyal to the Clan and stay loyal to him. Fireheart apologizes, saying he never meant to hurt her, and admits his love for her. Sandstorm reveals her love for him back, saying that was the reason it hurt so much when Fireheart gave Brackenfur to Tawnypaw to mentor. Fireheart says that he made a mistake, and he didn't know how he could have been so mousebrained.


 * Fireheart orders a double watch on camp that night and sits a vigil himself that night. A sense of horror creeps into him as he listens to the wind through the trees. It seems to sound like Spottedleaf's voice, warning him once again to beware the enemy that never sleeps. Fireheart realizes that the next day could very well mean the destruction of his Clan. While he is staring up at Silverpelt and the warriors of StarClan, Cinderpelt emerges from her den, telling him he should get some sleep. Fireheart looks up once again at Silverpelt, observing how calm it looks up in the sky. Cinderpelt says she can feel the evil growing, and that there was nothing that StarClan could do to help them. Fireheart asks Cinderpelt if she really believed that StarClan didn't send the pack to punish them, and she replies that no, StarClan did not send the evil to the forest. Cinderpelt then orders Fireheart to get some sleep, so he could have all of his strength for the next day.


 * He wakes to see Sandstorm watching over him as he slept. Fireheart braces himself, then wakes the other cats he had chosen for the patrol to Snakerocks—Cloudtail, Whitestorm, Graystripe, and Longtail. Fireheart reminds the patrol they are there to investigate, and not to attack. When they are close to Snakerocks, they come across a dead rabbit. At first the cats believe it was killed by the pack, but after examining it more closely they realize that it was killed by Tigerstar. Fireheart orders Cloudtail and Whitestorm to go back the way they came and look for any more dead rabbits. Fireheart and Sandstorm creep closer to Snakerocks, and discover that there has been more dead rabbits leading right up to the entrance of the cave. Horror shoots through Fireheart's body as he realizes what has happened—Tigerstar has set a trail of rabbits leading straight into the camp. Cloudtail and Whitestorm return, reporting they found two more rabbits with Tigerstar's scent on them. Rapildly Fireheart explains his suspicions, and tells them to grab the rabbits and dump them into the stream. Whitestorm points out that even if the rabbits are gone, the scent will remain, and lead the dogs into the camp anyways. Fireheart realized that fear was making him stupid. After a moments hesitation, he decides to move the rabbits anyways, in hope of confusing the pack and slow them down.


 * They haul the rabbits close the ravine, but decide to leave them all in a heap, hoping if the dogs see them they will stop eat them first. They race back to camp, praying they are not too late. Cloudtail bounds a few paces ahead of the patrol, and stops and lets out an earsplitting yowl. He runs back to Fireheart and asks him why. Fireheart knows why, but he is filled with rage and grief and it is hard for him to answer. He finally is able to tell them it was because Tigerstar wanted the pack to get a taste of cat, for the dead cat lying at their paws was Brindleface.

Major

 * Fireheart

Deaths

 * Brindleface is killed by Tigerstar.

References and citations
Gefährliche Spuren/Kapitel 23