Rising Storm/Chapter 2

"I understand how you feel. Your eyes have always betrayed your heart. But these are my kits, and I will die to protect them if I have to. I'm afraid for them, Fireheart. The Clan will never forgive Tigerclaw—nor should they. But Bramblekit and Tawnykit have done nothing wrong, and I will not let them be punished because of Tigerclaw. I’m not even going to tell them who their father was, just that he was a brave and powerful warrior.”

— Goldenflower about her kits and Tigerclaw in Rising Storm, page 20

Rising Storm
Chapter number:	2 (of 30)
Page numbers:	19-35
Point of View:	Fireheart
Chronology

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

Chapter Number: 2 (of 30)

Page Numbers: 19-35

Chapter description

Fireheart sees Goldenflower and her two kits coming out of the nursery; Goldenflower spots his look of terror when Bramblekit looks at him. They discuss the fact that he and Tawnykit had done nothing wrong, despite their father's betrayal. Then, Whitestorm comes out of the nursery and tells Fireheart that Brindleface's kits were ready for mentors. He also mentions that Bluestar was still ill from the attack with the rogues. He then asks where Cloudpaw was, considering he should have been back to camp sooner, suggesting Tigerclaw may have attacked him. Fireheart snaps back that he had let Brightpaw out into the forest alone. Whitestorm replies calmly that he told her to stay in the ravine and come back at sunhigh. Fireheart then turns away and pads off to Bluestar's den.

Bluestar tells him to enter and he asks her who Brindleface's kits' mentors will be. She angrily asks him who she could trust to train them except for him and Graystripe, apparently forgetting he had moved to RiverClan. He replies that any warrior in ThunderClan would be suitable, and upon hearing this she tells him to decide the mentors for the kits. Fireheart goes and sits outside of Bluestar's den to gather his thoughts before going to the nursery.

Willowpelt greets him outside the nursery and directs him to Brindleface. Brindleface is delighted when she hears her kits will become apprentices and is puzzled when he asks if she would prefer anyone in particular as mentors, as it is traditional for the Clan leader to choose. Suddenly, Fireheart scents Bramblekit and asks sharply where Goldenflower was. Brindleface replies that she had taken them to see the elders, and suspiciously asks if he sees his old enemy in Bramblekit. When he confirms that is true, she tries to convince him Bramblekit is no danger. He runs out of the nursery to the medicine cat den to talk to Cinderpelt.

Fireheart pads through some ferns to the den, and Cinderpelt limps out of a niche in the rock. He thinks about how she had received her injury, and blames himself because she had been his apprentice. Cinderpelt then became Yellowfang's apprentice, and had finally found her place in the Clan. Fireheart looks over and sees her frantically sorting herbs. When he asks her what was wrong, she replies that she should have never agreed to be a medicine cat and how an omen of a rotting bird was for her. Fireheart believes that it was actually an omen about Bluestar, but only reassures Cinderpelt that the omen was about another cat. She then proceeds to tell him how she had made many mistakes lately, since Silverstream's death. He tells her to just ask Yellowfang what herbs went in the poultice and to stop blaming herself for Silverstream's death

After telling her that he had not brought her any fresh-kill, Fireheart tells Cinderpelt about the paralyzing effect Bramblekit has on him. She tells him that he should judge Bramblekit by his own actions, not Tigerclaw's and that there is some of Goldenflower in him, not just Tigerclaw. He then confides that Bluestar had chosen him to pick the mentors and he had no idea who to pick. After Cinderpelt helps him decide on Dustpelt, Yellowfang comes out of the den and asks what they are discussing. Cinderpelt silently goes back to her herbs, and Yellowfang tells Fireheart how she had been silent for days, when she used to be very talkative. After explaining his problem, Yellowfang helps him decide on Darkstripe for the second mentor, although he is uneasy about Darkstripe's future loyalty.

Characters

Major

• Fireheart

Minor

• Goldenflower
• Bramblekit
• Tawnykit
• Whitestorm
• Bluestar
• Willowpelt
• Brindleface
• Cinderpelt
• Yellowfang

Mentioned

• Tigerclaw
• Cloudpaw
• Brokentail
• Brightpaw
• Graystripe
• Silverstream
• Dustpelt
• Sandstorm
• Darkstripe

Errors

• Cinderpelt is referred to as Cinderpaw.