fire and ice: part four

Be prepared for a long post because these four chapters were packed.

First, Fireheart tries to talk to Silverstream, pleading with her to leave Graystripe be. But she refuses. Then whitecough starts spreading through the clan. Whitecough is not that serious, but it can lead to greencough which can kill. And worse, Bluestar has caught whitecough.

But then things get even worse. Yellowfang needs catnip to help battle the sickness spreading through the clan. Greencough is present and Bluestar has it. Yellowfang sends Fireheart to go gather catnip. Before he leaves Dustpaw arrives insisting that Bluestar must go meet Tigerclaw by the Thunderpath immediately. Both Yellowfang and Fireheart refuse to let that happen, arguing that Bluestar is much too sick. Dustpaw insists, insisting that Bluestar must see Tigerclaw's evidence herself - the evidence of ShadowClan cats hunting in their territory. An argument ensues when Fireheart says he will meet Tigerclaw after gathering the catnip and Dustpaw mocks him for being a kittypet warrior. Yellowfang overrules them all by telling Dustpaw his duty is to the camp first. Cinderpaw overhears and offers to go in Fireheart's place but he tells her no and runs off.

He gathers the catnip for Yellowfang but when he bring it back to camp he realizes Cinderpaw is missing. He looks for Graystripe to ask him to look for her while he seeks Tigerclaw but can't find him anywhere. He takes off towards the Thunderpath and realizes Cinderpaw must have ignored him and gone on ahead. He arrives on time to hear Cinderpaw's scream, just like in his earlier dream.

Fireheart and Tigerclaw meet at Cinderpaw's broken body - Fireheart in horror, Tigerclaw in shock. Darkstripe comes running up, telling Tigerclaw he can find no trace of ShadowClan but stops when he realizes what has happened. They all return to camp immediately, with Fireheart carrying Cinderpaw. 

Fireheart brings Cinderpaw to Yellowfang and finds out that Bluestar might die. He goes to sit with his leader and she passes in the night. She wakes up in the morning with her final life. Fireheart goes to check on Cinderpaw and exchanged words with Tigerclaw on the way - both cats angry at the other. Yellowfang tells Fireheart that Cinderpaw may make it, only time will tell. But she will never be a warrior now. Fireheart tells Yellowfang that Bluestar died and Yellowfang admits she knows this is Bluestar's last life. Fireheart goes to rest from his long night but finds Graystripe angry at him for trying to warn Silverstream off. Between Bluestar's death, his inability to find Graystripe when he needed his help, Cinderpaw's injury, and greencough spreading through the camp Fireheart does not care.

The next day Graystripe tries to talk to Fireheart about things going on in the camp, but Fireheart points out to him that of he was around he would already know these things and wouldn't need to be told. Fireheart then goes to collect more catnip for Yellowfang. While in the area he decides to see his sister and see if she had her kits yet. Princess did and while visiting Fireheart unloads his troubles on her. She suggests that perhaps Cinderpaw's accident was really a trap for Bluestar. She offers to let Fireheart live with her but he tells her that he cannot leave the forest life. Princess understands because she too wishes for the forest sometimes. Fireheart returns to the camp where Tigerclaw tells him he knows Graystripe is sneaking out and that from now on Graystripe must stay with the sick cats. Fireheart points out that Graystripe has neither whitecough or greencough but Tigerclaw does not care. He also forbids Fireheart from seeing Bluestar until she is fully better and her den is no longer contagious, saying that he does not want Fireheart getting sick.

Fireheart apologizes to Frostfur, Cinderpaw's mother, for what happened but she does not blame him. He tells Graystripe that Tigerclaw says he must stay with the sick cats but Graystripe said that Yellowfang cleared him. He and Graystripe argue more about Silverstream and Fireheart warns his friend that Tigerclaw is onto his disappearances.

So much is going on here. Bluestar has lost another life - and I am convinced that Tigerclaw was trying to take one. Between how sick Bluestar was (he should not have been demanding she go and meet him in that condition), Cinderpelt's accident, and Darkstripe's offhand comment I really do think Tigerclaw was trying to stage an "accident." Only Cinderpelt was the victim - which makes me wonder how deep Tigerclaw's ambition runs. Does he regret what happened?

With Bluestar only having one life left things are not looking good. Fireheart somehow needs to convince her of the truth before it is too late - though it is possible that with only one life left Bluestar may succumb to her grief over the betrayal.

As for Graystripe and Fireheart, somehow they cannot seem to say what they both really want to say. In Fireheart's case that he trusts the other and only worries out of love. But Graystripe needs to meet him halfway and acknowledge that he does have torn loyalties.

Chapters: 15 to 18