Forest of Secrets/Chapter 15

"Well, if it isn't our newest apprentice, Firepaw!"

— Longtail taunting Fireheart about his punishment in Forest of Secrets, page 154

Forest of Secrets
Chapter number:	15 (of 30)
Page numbers:	154-161
Point of View:	Fireheart
Chronology

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

Chapter Number: 15 (of 30)

Page Numbers: 154-161

Chapter description

Longtail swaggers over to where Fireheart sits eating a vole, and taunts him by asking if he's ready for a training session. He meows that Tigerclaw had sent him to be his mentor. Fireheart slowly rises to his paws, and guesses that Tigerclaw chose Longtail to be his hunting supervisor because was the cat that hated him the most. Graystripe jumps up and takes a pace toward Longtail, and threatens the warrior to watch what he says because they're not apprentices. Longtail replies that that's not the way he'd heard it, but Fireheart snarls that they'll put him right unless he wants his other ear torn. The pale tabby takes a step back, and remembers the defeat by Fireheart when he'd first arrived in camp. Longtail blusters that Tigerclaw will have the warriors' tails off if they touch him, and Fireheart swiftly retorts that it would be worth it. The pale tabby is silent, then he grunts that if they're going to hunt they'd better get on with it.

Graystripe and Fireheart lead the way put of the gorse tunnel, and once in the forest, Longtail loudly suggests places to hunt. Prey is hard to find, as the day is cold and gray with a thin sheet of rain. Fireheart is about to pounce on a chaffinch when Longtail jeers at him that his stance is worse than a three-legged rabbit. The prey flutters away, letting out a loud alarm call. Fireheart is furious, and Longtail meows that he shouldn't make excuses and couldn't catch a mouse if it sat between his paws. The ginger warrior braces himself for a fight, but then wonders if Longtail was deliberately provoking him. He thinks that Longtail would have a fine story to tell if he attacked the pale tabby. Fireheart growls that if Longtail thinks he's so good, he should show them how it's done. The warrior responds that there probably isn't any left after the ruckus already made, and Fireheart tells him now he's the one making excuses.

Graystripe emerges from the bracken carrying a vole, which he buries for later pickup on the way back to camp. Longtail uses the interruption to turn away and stalk through the tunnel of bracken Graystripe had made. Graystripe watches him go, and asks what's the matter with the warrior. Fireheart shrugs and replies nothing, and comments that they should keep hunting. Longtail left the pair alone after that, and by sunset the two warriors had collected a respectable pile of fresh-kill. Fireheart suggests that Graystripe take some fresh-kill to the elders, and then grabs a squirrel to take to the medicine cat's den. He spots Yellowfang and Cinderpaw sitting together, and he notes that his former apprentice looks happy and alert. Fireheart listens as Yellowfang teaches Cinderpaw how to make a poultice for aching joints. The small gray she-cat asks if it will taste bad, and the medicine cat replies that it probably won't.

Fireheart gives the squirrel to Yellowfang, and she comments Runningwind had told her earlier that he was back on apprentice duties. She tells him that he was a mouse-brain for thinking no-one would find out he was helping RiverClan. Fireheart mumbles incoherently, and Yellowfang switches the subject of their conversation. Yellowfang says it's for Smallear's aching joints, which were most likely caused by his nest being lined with damp moss. Fireheart asks if this is about Cloudkit, and she nods, noting that he's been careless about the moss he's brought in by not shaking off the water. He promises that he'll have a word with his kin, and Yellowfang grunts in approval. Cinderpaw asks if her ragwort is chewed enough, and the medicine cat says it's excellent. The gray apprentice's eyes glow from the praise, and Fireheart silently thanks Yellowfang for making his former apprentice feel needed. Yellowfang sends Cinderpaw off to get some juniper berries, and on the way she thanks Fireheart for the squirrel.

Fireheart leaves the medicine cat den, and looks for Cloudkit in the nursery. The white kit isn't there, but the ginger warrior finds the young tom listening to Halftail's story. Halftail asks if he's come to listen to the story, but he says no, noting that he can't stay long. Fireheart reports what Yellowfang said about Cloudkit bringing in damp bedding, but all of the elders say that it's nonsense. The ginger warrior's fur prickles with embarrassment, as he hadn't expected to find the elders making excuses for Cloudkit. He asks the kit if he has brought in damp bedding, and Cloudkit sulks and says he'd tried. The elders shoo Fireheart out of the den, saying that Smallear has had aching joints since before Cloudkit was littered, so it wasn't his fault. The warrior is glad to escape into the clearing, and goes over to the fresh-kill pile for something to eat. As he trots over, he spots Tigerclaw and Brokentail sharing tongues. He wonders if he's seeing the deputy's merciful side, and considers that Bluestar might be right about Tigerclaw's innocence. Fireheart slowly pads to the fresh-kill pile, and wishes to the tips of his claws that he could be freed by the burden of what he knew.

Characters

Major

• Fireheart

Minor

• Longtail
• Graystripe
• Yellowfang
• Cinderpaw
• Halftail
• Dappletail
• Patchpelt
• Cloudkit

Mentioned

• Tigerclaw
• Bluestar
• Runningwind
• Smallear
• Brokentail
• Redtail