A Dangerous Path (20 page)

“You'll mentor Bramblekit?” Graystripe stared at him. “Is that a good idea?”

“Why shouldn't I?” Fireheart asked, feeling his fur start to prickle. “I haven't an apprentice, now that Cloudtail has been made a warrior.”

“Because you don't like Bramblekit,” retorted Graystripe. “I don't blame you, but wouldn't he be better off with a mentor who trusts him?”

Fireheart hesitated. There was some truth in what Graystripe said, but Fireheart knew that he couldn't give the task to any other cat. He
had
to have Bramblekit under his own guidance to make sure he stayed loyal to ThunderClan.

“My mind's made up,” he mewed curtly. “I wanted to ask you who you think would be good for Tawnykit.”

Graystripe paused, as if he wanted to go on arguing, then shrugged. “I'm surprised you have to ask. There's an obvious choice.” When Fireheart didn't speak, he added, “Sandstorm, you mouse-brain!”

Fireheart took a mouthful of vole to give himself time to think of an answer. Sandstorm was an experienced warrior. She had been an apprentice along with Fireheart himself,
Graystripe, and Dustpelt, and she was the only one of the four never to have had an apprentice of her own. Yet something made him reluctant to give Tawnykit to her.

Swallowing the vole, he meowed, “I more or less promised Snowkit to Brackenfur. It's only fair I should ask Bluestar if he can mentor Tawnykit, seeing as he was disappointed so recently. Besides, he's a fine warrior, and he'll do a good job.”

Graystripe's eyes glowed briefly with pride; Brackenfur had been his apprentice, and he was clearly delighted to hear how well the young warrior was doing. Then he twitched his ears disbelievingly. “Come on, Fireheart. That's not the real reason, and you know it.”

“What do you mean?”

“You don't want to give Tawnykit to Sandstorm because you're afraid of what Tigerstar might do.”

Staring at his friend, Fireheart knew that the gray warrior was right. The reason had been there in his mind, but he had refused to admit it, even to himself.

“You want to protect her,” Graystripe went on, when Fireheart didn't speak.

“And what's wrong with that?” Fireheart demanded. “Tigerstar already encouraged Darkstripe to take the kits out of camp to visit him. Do you think that will be the end of it? Do you think he'll be content just to see them at Gatherings?”

“No, I don't.” Graystripe gave an exasperated snort. “But what will Sandstorm think? She's not some pretty little kittypet, hiding behind big, strong warriors. She can take care of herself.”

Fireheart shrugged uncomfortably. “Sandstorm will just have to accept the decision. I'm sure Bluestar will agree to let Brackenfur have Tawnykit.”

Graystripe's amber eyes gleamed in anticipation of trouble ahead. “You're the deputy. But Sandstorm isn't going to like it,” he predicted.

 

“You want to mentor Bramblekit?” asked Bluestar.

Fireheart stood in her den. He had just raised the question of the new apprentices, suggesting that they should hold the naming ceremony at sunset.

“Yes,” he mewed. “And Brackenfur to mentor Tawnykit.”

Bluestar gazed at him with narrowed eyes. “A traitor to mentor the son of a traitor,” she rasped. Clearly she had no interest in who should mentor Tawnykit. “How suitable.”

“Bluestar, there are no traitors in the Clan now,” Fireheart tried to assure her, pushing down his misgivings about Bramblekit.

Bluestar gave a disdainful sniff. “Do what you want, Fireheart. Why should I care what happens to this nest of rogues?”

Fireheart gave up his attempt to reason with her. Backing out of the den, he returned to the clearing. The sun was already going down, and the Clan had begun to gather in anticipation of the ceremony. Fireheart spotted Brackenfur and called him over.

“I think you're ready for an apprentice,” he announced. “How would you like to mentor Tawnykit?”

Brackenfur's eyes glowed. “Do you really mean it?” he
stammered. “That would be great!”

“You'll do a fine job,” Fireheart meowed. “Do you know what to do in the ceremony?”

He paused as Sandstorm appeared from the warriors' den and began walking toward him. “Hang on, Brackenfur,” he muttered hastily. “I'll be back in a moment.” Then he went to meet the pale ginger warrior.

“What's this Graystripe tells me?” Sandstorm demanded as soon as he was in earshot. “Is it true that you asked Bluestar if Brackenfur could mentor Tawnykit?”

Fireheart swallowed. Her green eyes were blazing with anger, and the fur on her shoulders bristled. “Yes, it's true,” he began.

“But I'm more experienced than he is!”

Fireheart resisted the urge to tell her the truth, so that Sandstorm knew he was doing it for her sake and for no other reason. But telling her that she wasn't going to mentor Tawnykit because he wanted to protect her from possible trouble with Tigerstar would make her even more furious. She would only think that he had judged her too weak to deal with the threat posed by the ShadowClan leader.

“Well?” Sandstorm insisted. “Don't you think I'm capable of being a good mentor?”

“It's not that at all,” Fireheart protested.

“Then what? Give me one good reason why I shouldn't mentor Tawnykit!”

“Because I…” Fireheart cast around desperately for something he could tell her. “Because I want you to lead extra
hunting patrols. You're a
brilliant
hunter, Sandstorm—the best. And with leaf-bare here, prey will be scarce again. We're really going to need you.” As he spoke, he realized that what he said was true. Extra hunting patrols led by Sandstorm would be one way to solve the problem of feeding the Clan through the bitter moons of leaf-bare.

Sandstorm, however, was not impressed. “You're just making excuses,” she meowed scornfully. “There's no reason why I shouldn't lead hunting patrols
and
mentor Tawnykit. She's bright and fast, and I bet she turns out to be a
brilliant
hunter, too.”

“I'm sorry,” Fireheart mewed. “I've already asked Brackenfur to take Tawnykit. I'll ask Bluestar to give you one of Willowpelt's kits when the worst of leaf-bare is over. Okay?”

“No, it's not okay,” Sandstorm hissed. “I haven't done anything to be passed over like this. I won't forget this in a hurry, Fireheart.”

She turned away and went to join Frostfur and Brindleface. Fireheart took a step after her and then stopped. There was nothing he could say, and besides, Bluestar had just appeared from her den to call the Clan to the meeting.

As the Clan assembled, Fireheart noticed Graystripe crouching alone not far from the Highrock. Mousefur stalked pointedly past him on her way to sit with the other she-cats. Frustrated at the way some of the Clan still refused to accept Graystripe, Fireheart wanted to go over to reassure him, but he had to stay where he was, ready for his part in the ceremony. A
moment later Cloudtail and Whitestorm appeared from the fern tunnel leading to Cinderpelt's den and settled down alongside the gray warrior, to Fireheart's relief.

Cinderpelt followed them out of the ferns and limped hurriedly over to Fireheart. As she drew closer he saw that her blue eyes were sparkling. “Good news, Fireheart,” she announced. “Lostface just woke up and managed to eat some fresh-kill. I think she's going to be okay.”

Fireheart let out a delighted purr. “That's great, Cinderpelt.” But for all his relief at the news, he couldn't help wondering how Lostface would cope when she learned that her face was so terribly injured.

“She's already sitting up and trying to groom herself,” Cinderpelt went on, “but she's still very shaky. She'll need to stay in my den for a few days yet.”

“Has she said anything about what attacked her?”

Cinderpelt shook her head. “I tried to ask her, but it upsets her too much to think about it. She still cries out ‘pack' and ‘kill' in her nightmares.”

“The Clan needs to know,” Fireheart reminded her.

“Then the Clan will have to wait,” Cinderpelt assured sharply. “Lostface needs peace and quiet if she's going to get better.”

Fireheart wanted to ask her when she thought Lostface would be fit to talk to him, but he had to pay attention to the ceremony as Goldenflower came out of the nursery, flanked by her two kits. Fireheart could see she had groomed both of them especially carefully. Tawnykit's ginger fur glowed like a
flame in the dying sun, and Bramblekit's dark tabby pelt had a glossy sheen. As they approached the Highrock, Tawnykit bounced around with excitement, but Bramblekit seemed calm, padding forward with his head and tail held high.

Fireheart wondered if this was what Tigerstar had looked like when he had first been made an apprentice. Had he shown the same promise of courage and a long life in the service of his Clan? Had his Clan leader and his mentor had any idea of what he was destined to become?

Bluestar called both kits forward to stand beside her at the foot of the Highrock. Fireheart noticed that she was looking more alert than usual, as if even she could not be indifferent to the prospect of more warriors to fight for her Clan.

“Brackenfur,” she began, “Fireheart tells me that you are ready for your first apprentice. You will be mentor to Tawnypaw.”

Looking nearly as excited as his new apprentice, Brackenfur stepped forward, and Tawnypaw ran up to meet him.

“Brackenfur,” Bluestar continued, “you have shown yourself to be a warrior of loyalty and forethought. Do your best to pass on these qualities to Tawnypaw.”

Brackenfur and Tawnypaw touched noses and withdrew to the side of the clearing, while Bluestar turned to Fireheart.

“Now that Cloudtail is a warrior,” she went on, “you are free to take on another apprentice. You will be mentor to Bramblepaw.”

Her eyes glittered as she gazed at Fireheart, and he realized with a flash of horror that she was suspicious of his
motives in offering to train Tigerstar's son. Fireheart tried to meet his leader's icy gaze steadily. Whatever Bluestar thought, he
knew
that he was motivated by loyalty to his Clan.

Bramblepaw padded toward his mentor, and Fireheart went to meet him in the middle of the circle of cats. Looking down into the young cat's eyes, he felt both stirred and challenged by the blaze of enthusiasm there.

What a warrior he'll make!
Fireheart thought, and then added silently, If only he weren't Tigerstar's son!

“Fireheart, you have shown yourself to be a warrior of rare courage and quick thinking,” meowed Bluestar, her eyes narrowed. “I'm sure that you will pass on all you know to this young apprentice.”

Fireheart bent his head to touch noses with Bramblepaw. As he led the new apprentice back to the side of the clearing, Bramblepaw asked, “What do we do now, Fireheart? I want to learn
everything
—fighting and hunting and all about the other Clans….”

In spite of his misgivings, Fireheart had to admit that Bramblepaw clearly knew nothing about the old hostility between his mentor and his father. That was thanks to Goldenflower, who sat looking at them with an unreadable expression. Fireheart guessed she wouldn't be too pleased that he had chosen to train Tigerstar's son himself. And what would happen when Tigerstar found out? He could feel Darkstripe watching him closely and knew that the dark warrior would take the news to Tigerstar at the next Gathering, if not before.

“All in good time,” Fireheart promised the eager apprentice. “Tomorrow we'll go with Brackenfur and your sister to tour the territory. Then you'll learn where the borders are and how to recognize the scents of the other Clans.”

“Great!” Bramblepaw let out an excited squeak.

“But for now,” Fireheart went on as Bluestar drew the meeting to a close, “you can go and get to know the other apprentices. Don't forget you sleep in their den tonight.”

He flicked his tail in dismissal, and Bramblepaw dashed off to his sister's side as the other cats started to crowd around, congratulating the two new apprentices and calling them by their new names.

Watching them, Fireheart saw Graystripe get up and come toward him, passing Sandstorm on the way. He heard the ginger she-cat meow, “Graystripe, aren't you sorry you weren't given an apprentice?”

“In a way,” Graystripe replied. He sounded awkward, shooting Fireheart a sideways glance as he spoke. “I can't expect one for a while, though. Half the Clan haven't accepted me yet.”

“Then half the Clan are stupid furballs,” asserted Sandstorm, giving the gray warrior's ear a lick.

Graystripe shrugged. “I know I'll have to prove my loyalty before I can mentor an apprentice again. And you'll have one soon,” he added, as if he could read her mind, “when Willowpelt's kits are ready.”

An annoyed look flashed across Sandstorm's face. Fireheart wondered whether he ought to try talking to her again,
but as she spotted his hesitant approach she turned to Graystripe and meowed loudly, “Come on; let's see if there's any fresh-kill left.”