CHAPTER 8

Yellowfang growled in defiance at the approaching

pawsteps, but Firepaw could sense her panic. The she-cat

struggled to her feet. “So long. Thanks for the meal. ” She

tried to limp away on three legs and then winced in pain.

“Nuh! This leg’s stiffened up while I’ve been resting. ”

Now it was too late for her to run. Silent shadows slipped

out of the trees, and in a heartbeat the ThunderClan patrol

had encircled Firepaw and Yel owfang. Firepaw recognized

them: Tigerclaw, Darkstripe, Wil owpelt, and Bluestar, al of

them lean and hard-muscled. Firepaw smel ed Yel owfang’s

fear at the sight of them.

Graypaw fol owed close behind. He bounded out of the

bushes and stood beside the warrior patrol.

Firepaw mewed a hasty greeting to his Clan. But only

Graypaw returned it. “Hi, Firepaw! ” he cal ed out.

“Silence! ” Tigerclaw growled.

Firepaw glanced at Yel owfang and groaned inwardly; he

could stil smel the fear-scent on her, but instead of

cowering in submission, the scruffy creature was glaring in

defiance.

“Firepaw? ” Bluestar’s question was cool and measured.

“What have we here? An enemy warrior—and recently fed,

by the smel of you both. ” Her eyes burned into him, and

Firepaw dropped his head.

“She was weak and hungry…” he began.

“And what about you? Was your hunger so bad that you

had to feed yourself before you had gathered prey for your

Clan? ” Bluestar went on. “I assume that you have a very

good reason for breaking the warrior code? ”

Firepaw was not fooled by the leader’s soft tone.

Bluestar was furious—and rightly so. He crouched lower to

the ground.

Before he could speak there was a loud hiss from

Tigerclaw. “Once a kittypet, always a kittypet! ”

Bluestar ignored Tigerclaw and looked instead at

Yel owfang. Suddenly she looked surprised. “Wel, wel,

Firepaw! It seems you have captured us a ShadowClan

cat. And one I know wel. You are ShadowClan’s medicine

cat, aren’t you? ” she meowed to Yel owfang. “What are you

doing so far into ThunderClan territory? ”

“I was the ShadowClan medicine cat. Now I choose to

travel alone, ” hissed Yel owfang.

Firepaw listened, astonished. Had he heard right?

Yel owfang was a ShadowClan warrior? Her filthy condition

must have masked her territorial scent. He might have

enjoyed tackling her more if he’d known.

“Yel owfang! ” Tigerclaw meowed mockingly. “It looks like

you have fal en on hard times if you can be beaten by an

apprentice! ”

Now Darkstripe spoke. “This old cat is no use to us.

Let’s kil her now. As for this kittypet, he has broken the

warrior code by feeding an enemy warrior. He should be

punished. ”

“Keep your claws in, Darkstripe, ” Bluestar purred calmly.

“Al the Clans speak of Yel owfang’s bravery and wisdom. It

may help us to hear what she has to say. Come; we’l take

her back to camp. Then we’l decide what to do with her—

and with Firepaw. Can you walk? ” she asked Yel owfang.

“Or do you need help? ”

“I’ve stil got three good legs, ” the grizzled she-cat

snapped back, limping forward.

Firepaw saw that Yel owfang’s eyes were glazed with

pain, but she seemed determined not to show any

weakness. He noticed a look of respect flicker across

Bluestar’s face before the ThunderClan leader turned and

slowly led the way through the trees. The other warriors took

up positions on either side of Yel owfang, and the patrol

moved off, careful y keeping pace with their lame prisoner.

Firepaw and Graypaw fel in step together at the back of

the group.

“Have you heard of Yel owfang? ” Firepaw hissed to

Graypaw.

“A bit. Apparently she was a warrior before she became

a medicine cat, which is unusual. I can’t imagine her as a

loner, though. She has lived her whole life in ShadowClan. ”

“What’s a loner? ”

Graypaw glanced at him. “A loner is a cat that isn’t part

of a Clan or cared for by Twolegs. Tigerclaw says they are

untrustworthy and selfish. They often live around Twoleg

dwel ings, but belong to no one and catch their own food. ”

“I might end up a loner once Bluestar has finished with

me, ” Firepaw mewed.

“Bluestar is very fair, ” Graypaw reassured him. “She

won’t throw you out. She certainly seems pleased to have

such an important ShadowClan cat as a prisoner. I’m sure

she’s not going to make a fuss about your feeding the poor

old mange-bag. ”

“But they keep moaning about prey being scarce! Oh,

why did I eat that rabbit? ” Firepaw felt shame burn through

his fur.

“Wel, yeah. ” Graypaw nudged his friend. “That was

mouse-brained. You real y broke the warrior code there, but

no cat is perfect! ”

Firepaw didn’t answer but trekked onward with a heavy

heart. This was not the way he had hoped his first solo task

would end.

As the patrol passed the sentries who guarded the

camp entrance, the rest of ThunderClan came running to

welcome their warriors home.

Queens, kits, and elders crowded on either side. They

peered curiously at Yel owfang as she was led into the

camp. Some of the elders recognized the old she-cat.

Word spread quickly through the Clan that this was

ShadowClan’s medicine cat, and a steady jeering hum

rose up around them.

Yel owfang seemed deaf to the taunts. Firepaw couldn’t

help admiring the way she limped with dignity through the

corridor of stares and insults. He knew she was in a great

deal of pain, and hungry in spite of the rabbit he had caught

for her.

When the patrol reached the Highrock, Bluestar nodded

toward the dusty ground in front of it. Yel owfang fol owed

the ThunderClan leader’s silent command, sinking grateful y

onto the earth. Stil ignoring the hostile stares around her,

she began licking her wounded leg.

Firepaw noticed Spottedleaf emerge from her corner.

She must have scented the presence of an injured cat in

the camp. He watched the crowd part to let the young

tortoiseshel through.

Yel owfang glared at Spottedleaf and hissed, “I know

how to take care of my own wounds. I don’t need your help. ”

Spottedleaf said nothing but nodded respectful y and

stepped back.

Some of the cats had been out hunting, and fresh-kil

was brought for the returning warriors to eat. They each

took some food and carried it away to the nettle patch to

eat it. Then the other Clan cats crowded forward to take

their own share.

Firepaw paced hungrily around the clearing and

watched as the cats crouched in their usual groups,

chewing and gulping. He longed for a morsel, but didn’t

dare to take anything from the pile. He had broken the

warrior code. He guessed that this meant he was forbidden

his share in the fresh-kil.

He paused beside the Highrock where Bluestar was

sharing words with Tigerclaw. Uncertain, Firepaw looked to

his leader for a signal that he was al owed to eat. But the

gray cat and her senior warrior were busy murmuring at one

another in low tones. Firepaw wondered if they were talking

about him. Desperate to know his fate, he strained his ears

to hear what they were saying.

Tigerclaw’s yowl sounded impatient. “It’s just too

dangerous to bring an enemy warrior into the heart of

ThunderClan! Now that she knows the camp, even the

youngest ShadowClan kit wil hear of it. We wil have to

move. ”

“Calm down, Tigerclaw, ” Bluestar purred. “Why should

we move? Yel owfang says that she is traveling alone now.

There is no reason for ShadowClan to hear of it. ”

“Do you real y believe that? What on earth was that

foolish kittypet thinking of? ” Tigerclaw spat.

“But think for a moment, Tigerclaw, ” mewed Bluestar.

“Why would the ShadowClan medicine cat choose to leave

her Clan? You seem to be afraid that Yel owfang wil share

our Clan secrets with ShadowClan, but have you thought

about how many ShadowClan secrets she might share with

us? ”

Firepaw could see by the way Tigerclaw’s fur began to

flatten that Bluestar’s words made sense. The warrior

nodded briefly, and then stalked off to take his share of the

fresh-kil.

Bluestar remained where she was. She looked out

across the clearing, where some of the younger kits were

fighting and tumbling playful y in the dust. Then she stood up

and began to walk toward Firepaw. His heart lurched. What

was she going to say to him?

But Bluestar walked straight past him. She did not even

glance at him; her eyes were clouded with unknown distant

thoughts. “Frostfur! ” she cal ed out as she approached the

nursery.

A pure white cat with dark blue eyes slipped out of the

brambles. Inside, the noise of mewling grew louder.

“Hush, kits, ” purred the white cat reassuringly. “I won’t be

long. ” Then she turned to her leader. “Yes, Bluestar? What

is it? ”

“One of our apprentices has seen a fox in the area.

Warn the other queens to guard the nursery careful y. And

make sure al kits less than six moons stay inside the camp

until our warriors have driven it away. ”

Frostfur nodded. “I wil pass on the warning, Bluestar.

Thank you. ” Then she turned and squeezed back into the

nursery to quiet the crying kits.

At last Bluestar strode over to the pile of fresh-kil and

took her share. A plump wood pigeon had been left for her

there. Firepaw looked on longingly as she carried it away to

eat with the senior warriors.

Final y his hunger drove him forward. Graypaw was with

Ravenpaw, wolfing down a smal finch beside the tree

stump. He saw Firepaw approach the pile and flicked his

head encouragingly. Firepaw bent his neck, ready to take a

smal wood mouse in his teeth.

“Not for you, ” Tigerclaw growled, striding up behind him

and pawing the mouse away. “You didn’t bring back any

prey. The elders wil eat your share. Take it to them. ”

Firepaw looked over to Bluestar.

She nodded shortly. “Do as he says. ”

Obediently, Firepaw picked up the mouse and carried it

across to Smal ear. The delicious smel of it wafted up

Firepaw’s nose. He wanted nothing more than to crunch it

up with his strong teeth. He could almost feel its life energy

flooding his young body.

With great self-control, he laid the prey down in front of

the gray tom and then backed away politely. He expected

no thanks and was offered none.

Now he was glad that he had gobbled up the remains of

the rabbit he had caught for Yel owfang. There would be

nothing else for him to eat until he went out hunting again

tomorrow.

Firepaw wandered over to Graypaw. His friend had

eaten his fil and lay with Ravenpaw outside the

apprentices’ den. He was stretched out on his side,

rhythmical y washing a foreleg.

Graypaw saw Firepaw approach, and paused in his

licking. “Has Bluestar mentioned your punishment yet? ” he

asked.

“Not yet, ” Firepaw replied gloomily.

Graypaw narrowed his eyes sympathetical y and said

nothing.

Bluestar’s cal sounded across the clearing. “Let al

those cats old enough to catch their own prey join together

for a meeting of our Clan. ”

Most of the warriors had finished eating and, like

Graypaw, were busy grooming themselves. They lifted

themselves graceful y to their paws and walked over to the

Highrock, where Bluestar waited to speak.

“Come on, ” mewed Graypaw. He leaped up. Ravenpaw

and Firepaw fol owed him as he scampered over and

nudged his way forward into a good position.

“I’m sure you have al heard about the prisoner we

brought back with us today, ” Bluestar began. “But there is

something else you need to know. ” She glanced down at

the raddled she-cat who lay very stil beside the Highrock.

“Can you hear me from there? ” she asked.

“I may be old, but I’m not deaf yet! ” Yel owfang spat in

reply.

Bluestar ignored the prisoner’s hostile tone and

continued. “I’m afraid I have some very grave news. Today I

traveled with a patrol into WindClan territory. The air was

fil ed with the scent of ShadowClan. Almost every tree had

been sprayed by ShadowClan warriors. And we met no

WindClan cats even though we journeyed deep into their

heartland. ”

Her words were met with silence. Firepaw saw

confusion in the faces of the Clan cats.

“Do you mean ShadowClan has chased them out? ”

cal ed Smal ear hesitantly.

“We can’t be sure, ” Bluestar meowed. “Certainly the

scent of ShadowClan was everywhere. We found blood,

too, and fur. There must have been a battle, though we

found no bodies from either Clan. ”

A shocked yowl rose from the crowd in a single voice.

Firepaw felt the cats around him stiffen with shock and fury.

Never before had one Clan driven another from its hunting

grounds.

“How can WindClan have been driven out? ” One-eye

croaked hoarsely. “ShadowClan is fierce, but WindClan is

many. They have lived in the uplands for generations. Why

have they been chased out now? ” She shook her head

anxiously, her whiskers trembling.

“I don’t know the answers to any of your questions, ”

meowed Bluestar. “It is wel known that ShadowClan has

recently appointed a new leader, fol owing the death of

Raggedstar. Their new leader, Brokenstar, gave no hint of

any threat when we met him at the last Gathering. ”

“Perhaps Yel owfang has answers? ” snarled Darkstripe.

“After al, she is of ShadowClan! ”

“I am no traitor! Nothing would make me share the

secrets of ShadowClan with a brute like you! ” growled

Yel owfang, glaring aggressively at Darkstripe. The

ThunderClan warrior moved forward, ears flat, eyes closed

to slits, ready for a fight.

“Stop! ” yowled Bluestar.

Darkstripe immediately halted in his tracks, even though

Yel owfang goaded him on with blazing eyes and a

ferocious hiss.

“That’s enough! ” Bluestar growled. “This situation is too

serious for us to be fighting among ourselves. ThunderClan

must prepare itself. From this moonrise onward, warriors

wil travel in larger groups. Other Clan members wil remain

close to the camp. Patrols wil travel the boundary edges

more frequently, and al the kits must stay in the nursery. ”

The cats below her nodded in agreement.

Bluestar continued. “Our need for warriors is our

greatest obstacle. We shal get around this by speeding up

the training of our apprentices. They need to be ready even

sooner to fight for our Clan. ”

Firepaw saw Dustpaw and Sandpaw exchange a thril ed

glance. Graypaw was gazing up at Bluestar, his eyes wide

with excitement. Ravenpaw just shuffled his paws anxiously.

The black apprentice’s wide eyes showed worry rather than

excitement.

Bluestar went on. “One young cat has been sharing

mentors with Graypaw and Ravenpaw. By teaching him, I

shal speed up the training of al three apprentices. ” She

paused and looked down at her Clan. “I shal take on

Firepaw as my own apprentice. ”

Firepaw opened his eyes wide in amazement. Bluestar

was to be his mentor?

Beside him, Graypaw gasped, unable to hide his

surprise. “What an honor! It’s been moons since Bluestar

had an apprentice. Usual y she trains only the kits of

deputies! ”

Then a familiar voice rose from the front of the crowd. It

was Tigerclaw. “So Firepaw is to be rewarded, not

punished, for feeding an enemy warrior when he should

have been feeding his own Clan? ”

“Firepaw is my apprentice now. I wil deal with him, ”

answered Bluestar. She stared into Tigerclaw’s fierce eyes

for a moment before lifting her head to address the whole

Clan once more. “Yel owfang wil be al owed to stay here

until she has recovered her strength. We are warriors, not

savages. She is to be treated with respect and courtesy. ”

“But the Clan cannot support Yel owfang, ” Darkstripe

protested. “We have too many mouths to feed already. ”

“Yeah! ” Graypaw whispered into Firepaw’s ear. “And

some of them are bigger than others! ”

“I don’t need anyone to care for me! ” spat Yel owfang.

“And I’l split open anyone who tries! ”

“Friendly, isn’t she? ” Graypaw murmured.

Firepaw flicked the tip of his tail in silent agreement.

There were muffled meows from the other warriors as they

grudgingly recognized the enemy warrior’s fighting spirit.

Bluestar ignored the murmuring. “We shal kil two prey

with one blow, as it were. Firepaw, as punishment for

breaking the warrior code, it wil be your responsibility to

care for Yel owfang. You wil hunt for her and tend her

wounds. You wil fetch fresh bedding and clear away her

dirt. ”

“Yes, Bluestar, ” mewed Firepaw, his head bowed in

submission. Clear away her dirt! he thought to himself.

Ugh!

Mocking yowls came from Dustpaw and Sandpaw.

“Good idea! ” hissed Dustpaw. “Firepaw had better be

good at cracking fleas! ”

“And hunting! ” added Sandpaw. “That sack of bones is

going to need feeding up! ”

“Enough! ” Bluestar interrupted them. “I hope Firepaw wil

find no shame in caring for Yel owfang. She is a healer, and

she is his elder. For those reasons alone he should respect

her! ” She shot a sharp glance at Sandpaw and Dustpaw.

“And there is no humiliation in caring for another cat when it

is unable to take care of itself. The meeting is over. I would

like to speak to my senior warriors alone now. ” With that,

she jumped down from the Highrock and marched toward

her den.

Lionheart fol owed her. The other Clan cats began to

move away from the Highrock. One or two congratulated

Firepaw on being chosen as Bluestar’s apprentice; others

mockingly wished him luck looking after Yel owfang.

Firepaw felt so dazed by Bluestar’s announcement that he

just nodded blankly.

Longtail padded up to him. The vee-shaped nick that

Firepaw had cut into the tip of his ear stil showed. The

young warrior drew back his whiskers into an ugly snarl.

“Wel, I hope you’l think twice about bringing strays back

into the camp next time, ” he sneered. “Like I said, outsiders

always bring trouble. ”