A Dangerous Path/Chapter 27

Chapter description

 * Fireheart snarls at Tigerstar and struggles to escape his grasp, but can't get free. Tigerstar tells Fireheart to greet StarClan for him, and Fireheart replies that he will only after Tigerstar. Much to Fireheart's astonishment, Tigerstar releases him; before Fireheart realizes what happened, Tigerstar turns around and flees up the nearest tree. He turns to run, but the pack leader is looming over him. Fireheart closes his eyes and prepares to meet StarClan.


 * The pack leader grabs Fireheart in his jaws and starts spinning him around. Fireheart yowls for StarClan to save him, but nothing happens. Suddenly, he hears a yowl and Fireheart is flung to the ground. Dazed, Fireheart looks up just in time to see Bluestar ramming into the dog once again. Bluestar's blow sent the dog spinning to the very edge of the gorge. The dogs paws scrabble on the loose soil, but can't get a grip, and the lead dog goes over. Just as the dog is about the vanish from sight, he sees the pack leader grab onto Bluestar's hind leg, and pull her over as well. Two of the other dogs in the pack can't stop in time, and run over the edge as well.


 * Fireheart is confused— why hadn't Bluestar stayed at Sunningrocks with the rest of the Clan? Gazing at the river from above, he sees Bluestar's head bobbing in the water before disappearing underwater again. Fireheart is left with no choice. Yowling at Bluestar that he is coming, he hurls himself into the gorge.


 * Thrashing desperately, Fireheart manages to stay afloat, and he spots Bluestar struggling a few fox-lengths away from him. Desperation makes Fireheart swim faster, and he grabs onto Bluestar's scruff. The extra weight pulls Fireheart down, and his instincts tell him to let go of Bluestar and save his own life. Nevertheless, he holds on, working desperately to save his leader's life. He almost loses his grip as a dog knocks him to him, rolling downstream helplessly. Fireheart spots the riverbank and makes an effort to push Bluestar towards it, but a black tide is threatning at the edge of his vision to knock him unconscious. Just before Fireheart is about to drown, Bluestar's weight suddenly vanishes. Fireheart stares in astonishment as he recognizes Mistyfoot, swimming confidently with Bluestar in her mouth. He then hears Stonefur on his other side, telling him to let go of Bluestar. Fireheart manages to stay afloat and climb out of the river, gasping for air


 * Mistyfoot and Stonefur lay Bluestar down on her side. Fear shoots through Fireheart as he sees Bluestar unmoving on the riverbank. Suddenly, he hears Graystripe call out a warning to him. He turns to see Tigerstar racing across the Twoleg bridge towards him, but Graystripe races in front of the massive tabby and cuts him off, telling him to stay back. Tigerstar snarls in frustration, but realizes it is a battle he will not win. Mistyfoot gasps, telling Fireheart that Bluestar is alive. Fireheart races back to Bluestar's side. She opens her eyes and focuses on Mistyfoot and Stonefur, her eyes softening as she recognizes them. She is weak, but she manages to speak anyways. She talks to them about how she owes Graypool for being an excellent mother, and Oakheart, too, for being a mentor to them. She says she watched as they grew up and gave everything they had to their adopted Clan, and if she had kept them they would have given their all to ThunderClan. She begs for forgiveness, and Mistyfoot and Stonefoot do. Bluestar purrs, as for the first time she is sharing tongues with her kits. Tigerstar stares at astonishment at the scene, but doesn't say anything.


 * Fireheart asks Stonefur if they have their medicine cat, but Stonefur gently shakes his head, saying that Bluestar is on her way to StarClan. Fireheart starts to protest, but when she speaks again, it is to Oakheart, telling her that she is ready. Fireheart crouches next to Bluestar in dismay, and she says that when she saw her Clan at Sunningrocks, the strong helping the weak, she knew that her Clan was loyal and that StarClan had not turned their backs on ThunderClan. She revealed the prophecy, Fire will save the Clan, and she says that Fireheart never realized it, but he was the fire that will save ThunderClan. She tells him that he will be a great leader, one of the best the forest will ever know. Fireheart protests again, but this time it is too late. Bluestar closes her eyes and does not move again.


 * Graystripe walked over to them, his eyes clouded with grief, trying to reassure Fireheart. Tigerstar stood beyond them, fury and astonishment in his eyes. Then he spun around without a word and raced back to ShadowClan territory. Mistyfoot and Stonefur offer to help carry Bluestar back to camp, and Fireheart agrees gratefully, adding that they'll need all the help they can get. Realization hits Fireheart—he is the leader of ThunderClan, and his Clan was waiting for him, safe, at Sunningrocks.

Deaths
Bluestar dies.

References and citations
Gefährliche Spuren/Kapitel 21