A Dangerous Path/Chapter 13

==Chapter description==
:Fireheart swiftly runs to the WindClan's camp, trying to avoid being seen by anyone. He reflects on how last time he didn't need to hide as WindClan was receiving ThunderClan's help. But now the ginger tom will not stop until he reaches Tallstar or at least one friendly WindClan cat. Fireheart scents WindClan all around him and sees the sun crossing the sky, reminding the deputy of how close the attack was.
:Fireheart crosses the stream, jumping from rock to rock as the WindClan scent gets stronger. The ThunderClan deputy's stomach growls as he scents rabbit but he decides against hunting it as he has little time left and also because he can scent a patrol nearby. Fireheart dives into a bracken path and peers from it. Onewhisker and Gorsepaw are making their way to the bush where Fireheart is, carrying rabbits. Fireheart is dismayed when he sees Mudclaw, knowing the troublemaking tom would never let him speak to Tallstar.
:The patrol passes by without noticing Fireheart's scent but Gorsepaw accidentally drops his rabbit due to the weight of it and stays behind to pick it up. Fireheart sees his chance and calls out the apprentice's name. Gorsepaw looks around for his caller and the ginger warrior reveals where he is. Gorsepaw is shocked to see the ThunderClan deputy but Fireheart signals for him to be quiet. Fireheart urgently asks Gorsepaw to tell Onewhisker that he is here but not let Mudclaw know. He pleads the WindClan apprentice, saying it was for the good of both of their Clans. Gorsepaw agrees and tells the deputy to wait where he is.
:Gorsepaw picks up his rabbit and runs to catch up with the other two warriors and soon another cat returns to Fireheart's hideout. Fireheart is satisfied to see Onewhisker and the WindClan warrior asks Fireheart what he is doing here. Onewhisker says that it took a while to get rid of Mudclaw as the tough warrior would not be happy to see the ThunderClan deputy there. Fireheart says he must pass on a message to Tallstar and Onewhisker inquires what the message is about. The ginger warrior says he cannot tell anybody besides Tallstar and Onewhisker lets him go, saying he wouldn't do this for any cat besides Fireheart. Fireheart follows his friend to the camp where he is met with suspicious glares and he is finally led down to where Tallstar is. The leader asks Onewhisker why he has brought a ThunderClan cat to the camp. Onewhisker says that the deputy wants to speak to Tallstar. Mudclaw hisses that an enemy warrior is not welcome in their camp. Tallstar commands silence and allows Fireheart to speak.
:Fireheart notices that WindClan is crowding around him, desperate to hear what he has to say, so he requests privacy. Tallstar agrees a little hesitantly, asking Onewhisker and Deadfoot to come with him and Fireheart to his den. After they go inside, Fireheart is still aware of WindClan shadows, flickering and watching him from outside, looking for an excuse to attack him. He realizes that he hadn't planned how he would tell Tallstar of Bluestar's attack.
:Fireheart starts out by bringing up ThunderClan's loss of prey and Tallstar immediately snaps that his Clan did not steal it. Deadfoot returns the accusation and the orange tom says the doesn't believe any cat stole anything. Onewhisker wonders what happened then and the ginger warrior responds that ThunderClan found dog scent and dung, and Onewhisker is astonished. Tallstar relaxes and agrees to send out patrols to look for a dog. Deadfoot replies that Fireheart wouldn't have come all this way just to tell them that. The ThunderClan deputy takes a deep breath, not wanting to spill all the secret plans so he decides to make it seem that taking to Bluestar about it would stop everything. He tells them that he can't convince Bluestar and that it may end in an unjust battle. Tallstar asks Fireheart what he wants him to do as this is the ThunderClan deputy's problem. Fireheart asks if Tallstar could meet with Bluestar and Deadfoot is shocked that Bluestar wants a meeting. The ginger deputy replies that it is his idea and Onewhisker realizes that the ThunderClan warrior is going behind his leader's back. The orange tom says it's for the good of both Clans. Tallstar says he could send a messenger to request the meeting and asks if a WindClan cat would be safe on ThunderClan territory to which Fireheart is silent. Tallstar says he can't do this and tells Onewhisker to escort the ThunderClan warrior back but the latter says that Ravenpaw could take the message as he is officially allowed in ThunderClan territory. The black and white leader agrees and Onewhisker leaves to tell Ravenpaw. Tallstar wonders why he feels like there is something Fireheart won't tell him but he doesn't push it and asks Deadfoot to escort Fireheart out. The WindClan leader says he will be at Fourtrees at dawn.
:Fireheart hunts a vole at Fourtrees before returning to his Clan. He sees Whitestorm, Frostfur, Brightpaw and Cloudpaw returning to camp as he does. Whitestorm reports that everything is quiet and the dog is probably gone now and Fireheart wants to have a word with Whitestorm about the dog. The senior warrior eats a squirrel while the ThunderClan deputy tells him about the situation. Whitestorm is furious at the deputy for going behind his leader's back and wonders why Fireheart didn't tell him or one of the senior warriors first and Fireheart apologizes, saying he didn't want to get anyone else into trouble. Whitestorm says that Tallstar must know something is up and he might attack them first. So Whitestorm gathers apprentices while Fireheart gathers the warriors. He wakes up Sandstorm and asks her to wake up the others as it is important. She asks what the matter is but the deputy does not answer. He goes out and sees Brindleface and Mousefur. The deputy wonders if he should call Cinderpelt.
:When he gets back to the warriors' den, everyone is up and Darkstripe grumpily asks what the matter is. Fireheart explains, aware of Sandstorm's pale green gaze but he can't bring himself to meet her gaze. Once he is done, Mousefur asks Whitestorm if he agrees with what the ThunderClan deputy has done. Whitestorm says he wouldn't have done it, but he doesn't agree with attacking WindClan either when he believes it is a dog stealing prey. Mousefur and Brackenfur agree with him. But Sandstorm asks how they can keep secrets from their leader and Fireheart says he didn't have a choice. Darkstripe jeers that kittypets have no idea what the code means. Fireheart defends himself saying he knows the code well, that is why he doesn't want an unjust attack and Darkstripe is silent.
:Fireheart continues, saying that WindClan haven't done anything wrong and it would hurt ThunderClan to fight and many cats would die. Brindleface agrees, saying their children would get hurt. Frostfur agrees too and everybody quietly murmurs amongst themselves. Longtail asks what Fireheart wants them to do and the deputy says a few warriors need to attend the Fourtrees meeting, and he continues to wonder what will happen if something goes wrong. Sandstorm gets angry and asks Dustpelt to tell Fireheart what a horrible idea it is but Dustpelt agrees with his deputy. Mousefur asks what will happen if they do have to battle and Fireheart thinks it won't because Tallstar might only bring a few warriors, not all. Mousefur wonders what will happen if WindClan attacks instead. Longtail says he won't go in that case and Dustpelt calls him a coward. Longtail protests that he is loyal and Fireheart says he can guard the camp instead if he wants to. Whitestorm offers to go as do Brackenfur, Darkstripe and Dustpelt. Mousefur doesn't, saying she will not go against her leader. Brindleface and Frostfur agree to go too to prevent battle and Sandstorm agrees to go because she agrees about the dog but she doesn't like lying to her leader.
:Darkstripe asks if they should take any apprentices along and he adds that Fernpaw is too young to go and Dustpelt immediately agrees. Whitestorm says the same for Brightpaw. Brackenfur wonders if Bluestar will find it strange if there aren't any apprentices with them so Fireheart suggests taking Swiftpaw and Cloudpaw. Then he requests Brackenfur and Frostfur to stay back at camp and help guard the camp and they agree. Fireheart finds Ashpaw on guard and asks him to watch for Ravenpaw and let him in if he comes.
:Fireheart finds Cinderpelt talking to Mousefur and she looks up in annoyance as he arrives. She asks him why she wasn't invited to the meeting and he responds that it was just for the warriors. Cinderpelt says the ThunderClan deputy thought she wasn't interested in keeping things from Bluestar and Fireheart says he is just coming to tell her now. He asks Mousefur to get rest in a hostile manner and the she-cat lives with a glare. Cinderpelt says she hasn't received any omens from StarClan about a battle and she doesn't know if this is the best way to prevent one. Fireheart asks the medicine cat if she has a better idea and she says she doesn't but tells him to be careful of Bluestar and to be gentle with her. Fireheart says he doesn't want to go against her, he just wants her to see battle isn't the answer. He asks Cinderpelt if she thinks he's wrong, but the dark gray she-cat says it's not for her to say, it is Fireheart's decision and no cat can make it for him.
==Characters==
===Major===
===Minor===
===Mentioned===
==Notes and references==
de:Gefährliche Spuren/Kapitel 13fr:Sur le sentier de la guerre/Chapitre 13nl:Gevaar!/Hoofdstuk 13
Category:A Dangerous Path
Category:Chapter subpages
Category:The Prophecies Begin arc