Forest of Secrets/Chapter 4

==Chapter description==
:Fireheart, Graystripe, Sandstorm, and Brackenpaw travel up the ravine on a cold, snowy day. The ginger tom notices the sun is out and hopes that newleaf is coming. Graystripe hopes that the sun will bring the prey out, but Sandstorm teasingly says his stomping will scare it all away. Fireheart is glad to be hunting with friends, as even though their hunting is a punishment, Bluestar never said they had to hunt alone. He goes on to think about earlier that morning, when Tigerclaw had glared at him in passing with the morning patrol trailing behind him.
:Once they reach the top of the slope, Sandstorm splits off while Graystripe tells Brackenpaw to look for mice among the roots. Fireheart feels loss as he watches them, thinking that Cinderpaw should be with them too. He pushes away these feelings, knowing she is safe in the medicine den with Yellowfang. Fireheart scents the air, quickly finding a rabbit and pouncing quickly. He quickly drags it back to camp, where Bluestar tells him to take it straight to Yellowfang in her den. Fireheart is warmed by his leader's approval, and takes it through the medicine den's fern tunnel.
:He spots Cinderpaw and Yellowfang side by side in the mouth of the den. Yellowfang asks what One-eye needs for her cracked pads, and she replies that she needs marigold leaves and ointment of yarrow. Yellowfang praises her, and she brightens up with pride before taking One-eye her medicine. As she stands up to leave, Cinderpaw spots Fireheart standing at the den entrance. She hobbles over to him, and Fireheart is pierced with loss, knowing she would have made a great warrior.
:Fireheart gives Yellowfang the rabbit, and she complains about half the Clan having been in her den since sunrise. The medicine cat sends Cinderpaw off, and as soon as she's out of earshot Fireheart asks how she's settling in, to which Yellowfang snaps at him to stop worrying so much. Fireheart wishes he could, since he does feel partially responsible as her mentor for the incident on the Thunderpath. Then, he remembers how the incident happened, and starts to think it was a trap for Bluestar designed by Tigerclaw. As he returns to hunting, he feels a surge of determination to bring the deputy's guilt into the open for the sake of Redtail, Cinderpaw, and Ravenpaw.
:The day after their hunting punishment, Fireheart decides he can't lose any more time, and plans to visit RiverClan with Graystripe. The gray warrior peeks out over the river, and decides the coast is clear. They slowly cross the frozen river. Once they reached the far bank, they climb into some reeds and scent the air again. Fireheart says to Graystripe that he really needs to talk to a RiverClan cat, and that Silverstream is most likely to help. They both approach the RiverClan camp, with Fireheart wondering how they will get to the island when the water isn't frozen.
:They dash up the slope to a shrub with a clear view of the entrance to RiverClan's camp, to wait for Silverstream. Fireheart is nearly spotted by a tabby carrying prey, but she doesn't scent him due to the prey she is carrying. Leopardfur and four other cats head out of camp on a patrol, and Fireheart shudders at what he envisions will happen if she finds them on this side of the river. As that patrol heads towards Sunningrocks, Silverstream appears. Graystripe purrs at the sight of her, and Fireheart understands why his friend is captivated by the she-cat. Graystripe rises to call out to her, when he realizes it's a hunting patrol with Blackclaw and his apprentice.
:Fireheart doubts they'll be able to separate Silverstream from her companions, but she detects them when Graystripe lets out a short, sharp hiss. Silverstream hears him and tells Blackclaw that she'd catch up with them after she caught a mouse in the bushes. Once Silverstream and Graystripe greet each other, she asks why they have come, as she thought they now only met at Fourtrees. Fireheart explains that he needs to know about the battle where Oakheart died, and asks if she was there. Silverstream offers to bring Mistyfoot to talk to them, and goes to fetch her from camp.
:Fireheart begins to get nervous about staying in RiverClan territory for so long, just as Silverstream comes back with a slender gray queen. Fireheart thinks she looks familiar, then quickly decides he must have seen her at a Gathering. Silverstream tells Mistyfoot it's fine, and that she knew they were here. She still is hesitant to trust the ThunderClan cats, but is convinced by Fireheart they mean no harm. Graystripe and Silverstream leave them alone, which the ginger tom protests to. Graystripe also says to roll in some fox-dung to hide the RiverClan scent when they return. Mistyfoot mentions that she remembers Fireheart from a Gathering, where he was said to be a kittypet. He explains that he's a warrior now, and she asks what he wants to know.
:Mistyfoot tells Fireheart that Oakheart is her father, and that his death was an accident in a rockfall. He asks why one of ThunderClan's warriors heard Oakheart say that no ThunderClan warrior should ever harm Stonefur. Mistyfoot admits that she doesn't know, because Oakheart never protected them from anything, and always wanted them to make their Clan proud. She then says that Graypool might know, if anything. Fireheart asks her if she can come now, but Mistyfoot insists that he leave, since Leopardfur's patrol will be returning soon. As he leaves, Mistyfoot tells him not to forget the fox-dung. He thanks her and goes to find Graystripe.
==Characters==
===Major===
===Minor===
===Mentioned===
==Notes and references==
de:Geheimnis des Waldes/Kapitel 4es:‎El bosque de los secretos/Capítulo 4fr:Les mystères de la forêt/Chapitre 4
Category:Chapter subpages
Category:Forest of Secrets
Category:The Prophecies Begin arc