Forest of Secrets/Chapter 14

"We'll find a way to get through this."

— Silverstream to Graystripe about their relationship in Forest of Secrets, chapter 14

Forest of Secrets
Chapter number:	14 (of 30)
Page numbers:	143-153
Point of View:	Fireheart
Chronology

Below contains in-depth information for chapter fourteen of Forest of Secrets. If you are looking for a shorter summary of the entire book, please check the main article.

Chapter Number: 14 (of 30)

Page Numbers: 143-153

Chapter description

Fireheart is very shocked and asks Graystripe and Silverstream if they are both out of their minds. He adds that the situation is disastrous. Graystripe blinks and disagrees, saying the kits would bring them together. Fireheart protests and continues, saying they come from different Clans, and that Graystripe could never claim them as his own. He adds that neither could Silverstream expose the fact of Graystripe being their father. Silverstream responds that she does not care; all that matters is she knows. Graystripe disagrees by saying everyone should know; they haven't done anything wrong with being in love. Fireheart tells him yet again that these will not be his kits, but instead RiverClan kits. He tries to show Graystripe how he thinks the situation is complicated.

Fireheart connects this with Mistyfoot and Stonefur, and realizes that the whole cycle would start again with a new set of kits. He suddenly hears a cat approaching along the line of the bushes and reminds Graystripe it was time to be heading back to their Clan. Graystripe quickly gives Silverstream a goodbye. Silverstream tells him that they would find a way to get through this. As Graystripe and Fireheart walk back to camp, Fireheart wonders how long this would go on until some cat found out.

Fireheart offers to hunt for a while in case ThunderClan notices they are gone. He is cut off by Cloudkit calling for him. Graystripe is annoyed and Fireheart is shocked; he asks what Cloudkit is doing here and that he had told him to stay in the nursery. Cloudkit admits that he had tracked them all the way from camp. Fireheart is disappointed that their chances of a 'gone off to hunt' story had been wasted, now that Cloudkit had seen them.

Before he can answer, he is cut off by a low and menacing growl that says they would like to know too. Fireheart gets more shocked as Tigerclaw steps out from the bracken. Cloudkit comments that Fireheart is really brave and that he had told him that he and Graystripe had went on a special warrior mission. Tigerclaw asks if Fireheart had told Cloudkit what the special mission was. Cloudkit says no but he could guess Fireheart and Graystripe had went to spy on RiverClan. Tigerclaw tells Cloudkit to be quiet and he challengingly asks Fireheart if that is true. Fireheart notices Graystripe is frozen with fear so he answers that they had wanted to check how far the floodwaters had stretched. Tigerclaw then implies that they had not asked permission. Graystripe starts but Tigerclaw cuts him off, accusing Fireheart of being too friendly with RiverClan. He says Fireheart might have been spying on them or spying for them. Fireheart meows angrily that Tigerclaw has no right to question his loyalty, and declares he is loyal to ThunderClan. Tigerclaw decides to take them all to Bluestar's den.

When they enter, Whitestorm, Longtail, and Mousefur are reporting to Bluestar. They say the stream has flooded the Thunderpath and they may not be able to make it to the next gathering if the water doesn't go down. Bluestar is about to answer when she notices Fireheart, Graystripe, Cloudkit, and Tigerclaw. Tigerclaw presents them as one disobedient kit and two traitors. Longtail yowls they are traitors and this is exactly what he'd expect from a kittypet. Bluestar dismisses the patrol, and asks her deputy what happened.

Tigerclaw summarizes that he saw Cloudkit leaving camp after the rule that neither apprentices or kits were allowed out of camp. He says he caught up to the kit and noticed he was following a scent trail - here, he glares at Fireheart and Graystripe. Tigerclaw continues, saying that he noticed the two heading back from the RiverClan border, and made up a story that they had wanted to see how far the flood waters had stretched. Bluestar asks if this is true, and Fireheart confirms it is but he would explain; he glances at Tigerclaw, and Bluestar dismisses the deputy.

Bluestar confronts Cloudkit asking if he knew why she had made the rule that kits and apprentices could not go out of camp alone. Cloudkit answers that it was because the floodwaters were dangerous, and Bluestar tells him he had disobeyed her and had to be punished. The kit dips his head and says yes; Bluestar tells him that Tigerclaw has jobs for him, and it is an honor to obey; she dismisses the kit and, after he leaves, the leader finally asks the warriors to tell her what had happened.

Fireheart explains exactly what they were doing, and says the RiverClan camp was underwater so they couldn't go into their camp, and that the Twolegs had poisoned the river so eating fish made the cats ill, so in that case, they had offered to hunt prey for RiverClan, and today Tigerclaw had caught them as they returned. Graystripe adds that they are not traitors as they only wanted to help.

Bluestar responds that she understands and respects their good intention and that every cat deserves to live but they shouldn't have taken responsibility for matters like that; they acted deceitfully by sneaking away, lying to their deputy, and hunted for another Clan above their own. She says that this is not how a warrior acts.

The two warriors bow their heads in shame. Fireheart tells her they are sorry, but his leader tells them sorry isn't enough and that they deserve to be punished, and since they haven't been acting like warriors recently, they must know how it feels to be an apprentice again. They would have to feed the elders and see to their needs and, when they hunt, they must have another warrior supervise them. Fireheart is outraged, but Bluestar reminds him that he has broken the code and cannot be trusted so they must be with someone who is trustworthy, and there will be no more visits to RiverClan.

Graystripe anxiously asks if they will be actual apprentices again, and Bluestar, amused, says they are still warriors but will act as apprentices until she decides they are trustworthy again. Graystripe adds they are really sorry, and Bluestar says she knows and dismisses Graystripe but asks Fireheart to stay for a moment. Fireheart is surprised and nervously waits for Bluestar to speak. After Graystripe is out of earshot, Bluestar asks Fireheart if any RiverClan warriors had died, and Fireheart responds that Crookedstar had never mentioned any drowned cats. In response, Bluestar frowns and asks him to tell Graystripe they may both eat, and to send Tigerclaw to her.

As he leaves, he notices Bluestar on her rock, staring off into the distance. He wonders why the ThunderClan leader would be so anxious about RiverClan warriors.

Characters

Major

• Fireheart
• Graystripe

Minor

• Silverstream
• Cloudkit
• Tigerclaw
• Bluestar
• Whitestorm
• Longtail

Mentioned

• Mistyfoot
• Stonefur
• Oakheart
• Mousefur
• Crookedstar