Forest of Secrets/Chapter 3

"Remember Fireheart, water can quench fire."

— Spottedleaf to Fireheart in Forest of Secrets, page 41

Forest of Secrets
Chapter number:	3 (of 30)
Page numbers:	36-42
Point of View:	Fireheart
Chronology

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

Chapter Number: 3 (of 30)

Page Numbers: 36-42

Chapter description

Fireheart and Graystripe return from their visit to Ravenpaw, only to be confronted by Tigerclaw, who demands to know where the two warriors had been. Fireheart states they thought they would hunt, and Graystripe adds that there was none to be found. Tigerclaw retorts to why they had no fresh-kill, then scents mouse on the two younger warriors. Fireheart exchanges a worried glance with his friend, remembering back to when they had hunted the Twoleg barn before returning, thinking it had been quite some time between then and now. He seems to have forgotten how they might have still been carrying the scent of mouse on their pelts. Tigerclaw angrily growls that he must take them to see Bluestar, and leads them to her den.

Tigerclaw wakes Bluestar, who was sleeping, and explains to her how Fireheart and Graystripe had gone hunting and ate without providing any food for the Clan. Bluestar asks the two if Tigerclaw is right, and neither of them deny it, but they make the excuse that they weren't on a hunting patrol and had simply ate the first prey they caught, and been unable to catch any more. Fireheart wishes he could tell Bluestar the truth about where he and Graystripe had been - how they had gone to visit Ravenpaw - but he knows he cannot with Tigerclaw around. Bluestar tells them she is very disappointed in them, and tells them they will have to hunt the next day for the Clan.

As they leave Bluestar's den, they are surprised and relieved at how easy they got off, Graystripe exclaiming that he had been sure that Bluestar would have their tails off. Behind them, Tigerclaw snaps that they were lucky, and that if he were Clan leader, he would punish them properly. Fireheart snarls at Tigerclaw, but stops himself from retorting as Graystripe hisses warningly. Tigerclaw proceeds to mock him for his kittypet origins, and reminds Fireheart that he saw him during the WindClan battle, where he let the RiverClan warrior Silverstream go. Tigerclaw stalks away, and Graystripe exclaims that Fireheart was either really brave or really crazy, to which Fireheart points out that he didn't ask for Tigerclaw to hate him.

When he gets to the warriors' den, Sandstorm asks him what he'd done that Tigerclaw was angry, but Fireheart simply replies that he needs sleep, and will talk to her later. Sandstorm leaves Dustpelt's side to curl up with Fireheart. This causes Dustpelt to glare at him, but Fireheart is so tired that he doesn't care, and falls asleep. In his dream, Fireheart hunts in the forest, and Spottedleaf appears in front of him, and they press together. Spottedleaf draws away, saying there is something she wants him to see. She leads him to a high, grassy ridge, and as he looks out, he sees not the familiar forest, but an endless expanse of water. Spottedleaf reminds him that water could quench fire.

Graystripe wakes Fireheart, and tells him that it is nearly sunhigh, and that they needed to go out hunting. Fireheart remembers Spottedleaf's warning that water could quench fire. He thinks of Spottedleaf's earlier prophecy that fire alone could save the Clan, and wonders if the new warning meant that ThunderClan was doomed.

Characters

Major

• Fireheart
• Graystripe

Minor

• Tigerclaw
• Bluestar
• Sandstorm
• Dustpelt
• Spottedleaf

Mentioned

• Ravenpaw
• Oakheart
• Willowpelt
• Darkstripe

Important events

• Spottedleaf gives Fireheart the message that "water can quench fire".