Fire and Ice/Chapter 26

Chapter Summary

 * Dustpaw, Sandpaw and Yellowfang immediately jump into defensive position alongside the queens as Brokenstar and his group of rogues attack. Cinderpaw limps behind the defensive line to join but Dustpaw spits as her, and Cinderpaw scrambles back into the medicine den. All the elders grab the kits with Brindleface bringing Cloudkit and hiding them all in the nursery. She tugs at the brambles while ignoring the thorns before joining the defense. Fireheart jumps from the Highrock and runs to Yellowfang’s side, arching his back and hissing at Brokenstar. He tells him he lost last time, and he’ll lose again. Brokenstar spits never, and claims Fireheart may have taken ShadowClan away from him, but he cannot be killed due to his lives. Fireheart says that one ThunderClan life is worth more than ten of Brokenstar’s, and yowls to attack.


 * Fireheart leaps for Brokenstar and grasps the starving flea-bitten rogue, but the rogue is still strong, biting into Fireheart’s hind leg. Fireheart gives a yowl and a hiss of rage but holds on. Brokenstar scrambles forward on the cold ground, trying to wiggle free. Fireheart feels his claws raking Brokenstar as he makes it. Fireheart lunges again but is attacked by Clawface on his hind leg, the rogue stares at the ThunderClan warrior with narrowed eyes. Fireheart remembers how the tom killed Spottedleaf, never expecting to see him again. He murdered Spottedleaf so Brokenstar could take Frostfur’s kits. Fireheart feels rage as he twists around and leaps onto Clawface. Fireheart glimpses and smells Spottedleaf, realizing she has come to help avenge her death. The ginger tom hardly feels pain as he flies at him, and Clawface flails his front paws at Fireheart, raking his ear. Fireheart staggers and is instantly set on by Clawface, pinning him and biting his neck. Fireheart yowls to Spottedleaf that he cannot do it and begging for help. The weight is lifted and Graystripe stands over in horror. He drops Clawface’s body, having killed the tom. Fireheart lets Graystripe know that he killed Spottedleaf.


 * Fireheart immediately asks if Bluestar is with Graystripe. The gray tom shakes his head, reporting their leader sent him back to get Tigerclaw, as they found Brokenstar’s stench on some bones and figured out that he is leading the attack. Tigerclaw is leading an attack on ShadowClan, originally thinking that ShadowClan are the cats responsible for the bones. Two cats crash into the tom’s and it is Frostfur fighting fiercely with a rogue. Fireheart remembers that these are the cats that stole her kits, and hatred shines in the she-cat’s eyes. Fireheart knows Frostfur doesn’t need help since the rogue flees screeching later. Frostfur tries chasing, but Fireheart calls her back, stating that she has wounded him enough that he’ll remember her. Frostfur halts with sides heaving before another rogue screeches past with Dustpaw in pursuit, giving him a last bite. Fireheart notes that Brokenstar and another rogue is left, and sees Sandpaw pinning the rogue on the ground. The rogue relaxes, and Fireheart wills her to watch out as his using the special technique of faking defeat. Sandpaw was okay as the rogue springs up and Sandpaw leaps off him then grasps the warrior, flips him over then rakes his belly. Only when the rogue is squealing did she let him go and the rogue flees the camp.


 * There is a silence as ThunderClan takes a minute to recover before Fireheart wonders where Brokenstar is, and quickly scans the clearing, worrying about the kits’ and elders’. A yowl comes from the medicine den and Fireheart rushes over, worrying about Cinderpaw’s safety. He finds Brokenstar pinned down by Yellowfang as the tom loses a life. Yellowfang’s claws are red and her face twisted and eyes glazed. Brokenstar wakes up to his new life, and Fireheart prepares for Yellowfang to take it away, but she refuses to. She reveals that Brokenstar isn’t on his last life, but cannot kill him because she is his mother. Fireheart states that medicine cats aren’t allowed to have kits, and Yellowfang reveals the story about her, her mate Raggedstar, Brokenstar, Hopekit and Wishkit. Fireheart remembers that Yellowfang was horrified when Brokenstar revealed he killed his father, and notes he now knows why. Yellowfang thinks that she originally thought her two she-kits dying was her punishment, but it was truly Brokenstar’s crimes that was, and now she cannot kill him. Fireheart asks if he knows she is his mother, and Yellowfang shakes her head before Brokenstar wakes up, wailing he cannot see, his eyes scratched beyond healing. Fireheart prods the warrior, and Brokenstar begs for his life much to Fireheart’s shock. Yellowfang promises to care for him, dragging him to a nest.


 * Fireheart checks to see if Cinderpaw is alright, and the she-cat is at Yellowfang resting place. Fireheart reports the rogues are gone and about Brokenstar and asks if she is okay. Cinderpaw shamefully says she should have fought beside him. Fireheart exclaims she would have been killed, but Cinderpaw reports that what Dustpaw said and told her to go hide with the kits and elders. Cinderpaw thinks she doesn’t mind being killed as she feels no use to the Clan as she is now. Fireheart feels pity for her and tries to find something to say before Yellowfang calls to Cinderpaw to fetch cobwebs. Cinderpaw disappears and brings the cobwebs, and Yellowfang orders her to bring comfrey roots. Fireheart leaves, knowing he cannot do anything else and is worried more about the Clan. He reports to Dustpaw about Brokenstar and orders him to guard the rogue. He thanks Graystripe for saving his life as the tom stares at Clawface’s body. Graystripe lifts his gaze and says he’d give his life for his friend. Fireheart watches as his friend turns away and thinks their friendship isn’t over yet.


 * Bluestar rushes into camp with Longtail and Swiftpaw, much to Fireheart’s relief. Bluestar scans the camp with wide eyes and spots Clawface’s body. She asks if Brokenstar attacked, if his dead and what happened to the other rogues. Fireheart answers her questions, and Bluestar asks ThunderClan if anyone is badly hurt. They shake their heads, so Bluestar orders Sandpaw and Swiftpaw to take out Clawface’s body and bury it, since he doesn’t deserve the honor of their ritual. The apprentices drag out his body while Bluestar asks of the elders’ status. Fireheart reports they are in the nursery, and Halftail exits it, alongside the other elders and kits. Cloudkit scampers to Brindleface, being greeted with a brisk lick as the kit turns to watch Clawface’s body being dragged away. He asks if his dead and to go and see and Brindleface quickly hushes him. Bluestar asks about Tigerclaw’s patrol, and Fireheart reports that that Tigerclaw decided to attack due to the bones, and after realizing that it’s Brokenstar scent on the bones, he sent Brackenpaw to go get Tigerclaw. Bluestar questions that Brackenpaw probably has to cross the Thunderpath, and Fireheart admits he was the only warrior and had no choice. The concern in Bluestar’s eyes give away to understanding as Bluestar knows Fireheart couldn’t leave the camp unguarded, and commends Fireheart on his work.


 * She orders Fireheart to send Yellowfang to her after she’s finished with Brokenstar, and Tigerclaw’s patrol immediately rushes in. Fireheart is relieved to see Brackenpaw is with them, looking exhausted but not hurt. Bluestar asks if Brackenpaw found them before they attacked a ShadowClan patrol. Tigerclaw reports they haven’t even crossed the Thunderpath and asks if they are burying Clawface. Bluestar nods, and Tigerclaw admits that Brackenpaw was right, and asks if Brokenstar is dead. Bluestar reports no and Yellowfang is caring for him, and Mousefur exclaims they cannot, exchanging glances with Runningwind. Tigerclaw growls they should kill him, not waste time healing him. Bluestar states they’ll discuss this when Yellowfang is finished. Yellowfang exits the medicine den and reports she’s finished now.


 * Tigerclaw asks if she left Brokenstar alone, but Yellowfang reports Dustpaw is guarding him, and has been given poppy seeds so will sleep for some time. She explains that Brokenstar is blind, so there’s no way for him to escape and he’d die within a quarter moon alone anyway. Tigerclaw snarls it’ll be easier, since they can let the forest kill him. Yellowfang protests they cannot kill Brokenstar, as that would make them no better than he is. Tigerclaw’s tail flicks in anger as Bluestar asks Whitestorm for his opinion. Whitestorm thinks that it will be a burden to care for Brokenstar, but admits Yellowfang is right, sending him to his death or killing him. StarClan will know how low the stooped. One-eye steps forward and suggests taking Brokenstar prisoner, as they’ve done it in the past for many moons and can do it again. Fireheart remembers Yellowfang was first a prisoner of ThunderClan, and waits for Yellowfang to point it out to Bluestar, but the medicine cat doesn’t. Tigerclaw questions the thought of keeping the rogue in camp, eyes blazing. Fireheart agrees with the deputy, he doesn’t like the thought of killing, but even without his sight it will be difficult to keep the Clan and him safe within the camp. Bluestar asks for confirmation of Brokenstar’s blindness and asks if he has any other wounds. Fireheart puts in that he clawed him badly, and Yellowfang gives a small nod, a sign of forgiveness for Fireheart’s actions.


 * Bluestar asks when his wounds will heal, and Yellowfang reports in about a moon. Bluestar gives permission for Yellowfang to nurse him until then, and states they’ll discuss his future after. Bluestar declares he’ll be known as Brokentail now, as they cannot take away StarClan’s gift of lives, but he is not a leader anymore. Bluestar questionably looks at her deputy, and Tigerclaw doesn’t speak but gives a tail twitch. Bluestar announces it is settled, and Brokentail is staying.

Deaths

 * Clawface: Killed by Graystripe
 * Brokenstar: Loses a life, killed by Yellowfang

Other

 * Brokenstar leads an attack on ThunderClan while most of the warriors are out.
 * Graystripe saves Fireheart’s life, reigniting their friendship.
 * The attack is a failure. Brokenstar is demoted from leader to elder, and renamed Brokentail after being taken prisoner.