Fire and Ice/Chapter 9

"Of course! The she-cat [Fireheart] had seen in the woods.. was his sister!"

— Fireheart concluding the kittypet in the woods is his sister in Fire and Ice, page 111

Fire and Ice
Chapter number:	9 (of 30)
Page numbers:	100-111
Point of View:	Fireheart
Chronology

Below contains in-depth information for chapter nine of Fire and Ice. If you are looking for a shorter summary of the entire book, please check the main article.

Chapter Number: 9 (of 30)

Page Numbers: 100-111

Chapter description

Fireheart wakes up to see Graystripe, who is hunched over. He asks Graystripe if he is all right, to which he replies that he is. Fireheart notes that Graystripe is trying to be positive. Fireheart comments that it looks cold, with Graystripe confirming his statement.

As Fireheart asks his friend what he is doing with Brackenpaw, Graystripe informs him that he is going to take his apprentice out and around the territory. Fireheart proposes that he could take Cinderpaw and they could go together. When Graystripe tells Fireheart that they should travel alone, Fireheart suggests that perhaps later they could share a mouse and compare their apprentices in which Graystripe responds that it would be nice.

As Fireheart heads over to the apprentice den for his apprentice, Cinderpaw and calls to her, she steps out of the den and asks him what they are doing, to which Fireheart replies that he is going to show her the territory. Cinderpaw inquiries if they are going to see the Thunderpath, and Fireheart replies that they are. Fireheart asks Cinderpaw if she is hungry to which she replies that she isn't. When Fireheart tells her to follow him, Cinderpaw obeys, and Fireheart's feeling of sadness from talking to Graystripe is replaced with pride for his new apprentice.

As he heads towards the camp entrance, Cinderpaw races past Fireheart, and he calls after her, saying that he told her to follow him, but she replies that she wants to see the view from the top of the ravine. Fireheart overtakes her, then waits for her at the top. Once Cinderpaw reaches the top, she comments that the trees look like they are made from Moonstone and Fireheart warns her that she should conserve her energy, as they have a long way to go.

Cinderpaw asks him where they are going. Fireheart tells her to follow him, and leads her to the training hollow, and tells her that the hollow is where most of the training sessions are held, and adds that a river had once ran through the hollow. He points out the stream to Cinderpaw, and tells her that is where he made his first catch.

She asks him what he caught, and doesn't let him answer, asking if the stream would be frozen. She races to the stream, and Fireheart calls that she could see it another time, but is forced to race after her. After he catches up with her, Cinderpaw comments that they wouldn't be able to catch anything except fish.

Fireheart is filled with happy memories as he stands by the stream. Fireheart warns her to leave the fishing for RiverClan, as he prefers dry paws. Cinderpaw asks him what they are going to do now. Fireheart is filled with excitement, and calls to her that they would be heading to the owl tree. They cross the stream by the tree, and Fireheart warns her that it is slippery, but it is the quicker route. Fireheart lets Cinderpaw go first, and follows close behind, being watchful of the young apprentice.

They both reach the other side, and Cinderpaw asks him where the owl tree is. Fireheart leads her to a tall oak tree. Cinderpaw asks if an owl really lived in the tree. Fireheart asks her if she could see the hole in the trunk of the tree. Cinderpaw peers at the tree, and asks Fireheart if it was a squirrel hole instead of an owl. Fireheart tells her to smell the air. Cinderpaw obeys him, but can't smell anything. Fireheart tells her that he'll show her what squirrels smell like, as squirrels don't go near the owl tree. He asks her what she sees on the ground, and she replies that she sees leaves. He tells her to try digging under the leaves.

Cinderpaw digs under the leaves, and finds an owl pellet; she comments that it smells like crowfood, and asks him if he knew it was there, and he replies that his mentor Bluestar pulled the same trick on him. Cinderpaw asks Fireheart what it is, and he replies that it was an owl pod.

He explains that owls eat the same prey as the Clan cats, but that the owls couldn't digest bones so the stomachs of the owls make the owl pods and spit them out. He tells her if she finds an owl pod, she found an owl. Cinderpaw asks him why they would want to find an owl.

Fireheart notes the alarm in Cinderpaw's voice, who must have been told one of the elders' stories about owls carrying away young kits who strayed from their mother. Fireheart explains to her that owls get a better view of the forests, and that on windy nights a Clan cat could follow the owls.

Cinderpaw nods to her mentor, and Fireheart is relieved to see that she does listen. She asks him where they are going to go next, and he replies that they are going to the Great Sycamore. Fireheart leads her to the tree, and she comments on how big it is.

Fireheart tells her that Smallear had once climbed up the sycamore tree when he was an apprentice. Cinderpaw is surprised, and Fireheart jokes that when Smallear was an apprentice, the tree was a sapling. Cinderpaw rushes off again, and Fireheart scents adders, as Cinderpaw is heading toward Snakerocks.

Fireheart sees Cinderpaw on one of the lower boulders, and she tells him that she'll race him to the top. He tells her to get down from there, and she obeys. Fireheart tells her that they are at Snakerocks, where adders live, and tells her that one bite from an adder could kill her.

Cinderpaw expresses her fear, and Fireheart tells her that they would go to the Thunderpath next. He leads her to the Thunderpath. He notes that Cinderpaw wants to peer out and sniff the Thunderpath, but tells her to stay back, as there is a monster coming.

Cinderpaw scents the air, and expresses her distaste as a monster heads toward them; she asks Fireheart if that is a monster. As it rushes past, Fireheart asks her if she could scent anything else other then the Thunderpath. She comments that she could smell the same scent when Brokenstar attacked the ThunderClan camp, and asks Fireheart if ShadowClan territory was across the Thunderpath.

Fireheart tells her that it is, and comments that they should get out of there, as Fireheart feels uncomfortable being close to the hostile Clan's territory. He takes Cinderpaw the long way back to the ThunderClan camp, through Twolegplace. Fireheart warns Cinderpaw to stay alert, as Twolegs sometimes walked on the path with their dogs. Fireheart scents the air, and Cinderpaw cries out when she sees a light brown tabby she-cat.

Cinderpaw comments that it is a kittypet, and tells Fireheart that they should chase her out. Fireheart doesn't share his apprentice's aggression, and before Cinderpaw can attack the kittypet, he makes a noise. The she-cat is alarmed by the noise, and runs off. Cinderpaw expresses her disappointment, and comments that her brother, Brackenpaw, probably chased lots of stuff. Fireheart tells her that he probably didn't almost get bitten by an adder. He tells her that he is hungry, and leads her through Tallpines.

Cinderpaw complains about the pine needles, and Fireheart warns her to stay quiet, as there is no undergrowth, and he feels uncomfortable in the open. Treecutplace is silent, and he notes it would be silent until greenleaf.

They arrive back at the camp, and Fireheart feels exhausted. Cinderpaw goes to find her brother, and Fireheart sees Graystripe signalling to him by the nettle clump, and Graystripe tells Fireheart that he got him some prey.

Fireheart asks Graystripe if it was a good day, and Graystripe replies that it was better than yesterday, and explains to Fireheart that he enjoyed the day, and comments that Brackenpaw was keen to learn. Fireheart tells him that Cinderpaw was the same.

Graystripe jokes that he kept forgetting he was the mentor and not the apprentice. Fireheart agrees, and they share tongues until Graystripe falls asleep. Fireheart stays awake, still scenting the tabby she-cat they had saw near his former home. Then realizes the she-cat was his sister, Princess, based from her scent.

Characters

Major

• Fireheart
• Graystripe
• Cinderpaw

Minor

• Princess (Unnamed)

Mentioned

• Brackenpaw
• Bluestar
• Smallear
• Brokenstar

Errors

• Cinderpaw says that ShadowClan scent was on the stolen kits, but she herself was one of the stolen kits.