Fire and Ice/Chapter 13

Chapter Summary
Fireheart's PoV
 * Fireheart sits by the pine tree where his apprentice, Cinderpaw had buried her first lot of fresh-kill. When Cinderpaw and Brackenpaw arrived, Brackenpaw could barely hold his catch. Fireheart feels relieved, as Tigerclaw would not be able to criticize the apprentices hunting.


 * Fireheart offers to carry Cinderpaw's prey back, and they headed back to the ThunderClan camp. When they had arrived, some of the cats were already taking prey, and Tigerclaw heads up to them, waiting for them to return. He asks Fireheart if they caught all the prey themselves, and replies that they had, and Tigerclaw tells Fireheart to join him and Bluestar to eat.


 * Cinderpaw and Brackenpaw show admiration, as it was usually a privledge to eat with the leader and deputy of the clan, but Fireheart doesn't share in the apprentices excitement, as he wanted to share his report to Bluestar alone.


 * Tigerclaw asks Fireheart if he has seen his friend, Graystripe, as he was supposed to stay in camp with his cold, and Tigerclaw comments that he hasn't seen Graystripe since sun-high. Fireheart admits that he hasn't seen him, and wonders if he was with Yellowfang.


 * Tigerclaw heads back toward Bluestar, who was eating a pigeon, Fireheart starts to worry about his friend's disappearences, he selects a small chaffinch, but regrets the decision, as he didn't want to report with a mouthful of feathers.


 * Bluestar welcomes Fireheart, and tells him that Tigerclaw had reported that the apprentices had caught plenty of prey, but Tigerclaw glares at Fireheart critically. Fireheart agrees, and tells her that they have never hunted in the mist before, but that didn't put them off, and reports that he watched Brackenpaw catch a wood mouse with excellent stalking.


 * Bluestar questions about Cinderpaw, and he notes the steely glint in her eyes, and he wonders if she was worried about Cinderpaw's abilities. Fireheart replies that her hunting skills were developing, and that she had lots of enthusiasim.


 * Bluestar questions if he was worried if that would make her reckless, and Fireheart replies that she was quick and inquisitive, and an eager learner, which makes up for her eagerness. Bluestar replies that Cinderpaw's eagerness worried her, and that she will need careful guidance in her training, Fireheart's spirits are lowered, and wonders if Bluestar was unhappy with his mentoring.


 * Bluestar comments that Cinderpaw was always going to be a challenge, but she was turning into a fine hunter, and tells Fireheart that he has done good work with her, and compliments him for taking over Brackenpaw's training also, and tells him to carry on mentoring both of the two apprentices for the time being.


 * Fireheart notes Tigerclaw's anger, and thanks Bluestar. Tigerclaw tells Fireheart his friend had returned. Fireheart sees Graystripe appearing from behind the nursery. Fireheart suggests that he was probably getting some peace and quiet, as he was still feverish, and it couldn't have been easy being stuck in camp.


 * Tigerclaw comments that Graystripe should be concentrating on getting better, as leaf-bare was no time for getting sick, as Mousefur was coughing on patrol, and voices his hope that StarClan would protect them from green-cough, as they lost five kits to it last year.


 * Bluestar agrees, and voices her hope that they wouldn't have a hard leaf-bare, as it was never an easy time for the clans, and tells Fireheart to take the chaffinch to Graystripe, as he would want to hear how his apprentice did on his assessment.


 * Fireheart thanks Bluestar, he picksup the chaffinch and heads toward Graystripe, who was eating a wood mouse, as Fireheart drops his prey beside his friend, Graystripe sneezes. Fireheart asks him if his cold was no better. Graystripe replies that the cold was no better, and comments that he would have to stay in camp for awhile longer.


 * Fireheart notes the cheerfulness in his friends voice, but didn't want to betray his suspicions of Graystripe being up to something. Fireheart tells Graystripe that Brackenpaw did really well on his assessment. Graystripe comments that that was good.


 * Fireheart comments that Brackenpaw was a great hunter, and questions Graystripe about his disappearances. Graystripe asks him why he wanted to know, Fireheart replies that he didn't see him after Fireheart's last night patrol, and that Tigerclaw also noticed his absence.



Major

 * Fireheart
 * Graystripe