A Dangerous Path/Chapter 21

==Chapter description==
:Brackenfur warns Tawnypaw and Bramblepaw to stay back, as the place they are in is dangerous. He and Fireheart are at the Thunderpath with their apprentices. Bramblepaw comments that it doesn't look dangerous, but at the same time Fireheart snarls for him to get back as a monster approaches. The dark brown tabby leaps out of the way just in time; a speeding monster whooshes by and stirs the young tom's fur. When it passes, he is shaking. Tawnypaw is astonished and asks what that thing was. Fireheart replies that it was a monster, which carries Twolegs, but it never leaves the Thunderpath, so they're safe as long as they stay away from it. Gazing sternly at his apprentice, the ginger tom explains that when a warrior tells him to do something, he does it. He can ask questions, but only afterwards. Bramblepaw nods and apologizes.
:His mentor notes that he is already recovering; other experienced warriors would've been extremely scared of having such a close encounter with a monster. Since they left camp, the tabby has proven himself to be eager to learn, brave, and curious. Fireheart and Brackenfur are giving their apprentices a tour of the territory, and the former is finding himself moving with stealth along the trails, afraid that he will encounter the dark presence in the forest. He is keeping away from Snakerocks because of what happened there; he knows he will have to deal with the threat soon, but the warrior is waiting until Lostface can tell them what happened. Tawnypaw asks what is on the other side of the Thunderpath. Her mentor replies that it is ShadowClan territory, and asks if they can smell the scent.
:Both apprentices taste the breeze that carries the Clan's scent towards them, and the tortoiseshell announces that they've smelled that before. Brackenfur is surprised and Bramblepaw explains that Darkstripe brought them to the border to meet their father. Fireheart mentions to Brackenfur that he saw both of them, wanting the younger tom to know that this wasn't news to him. He forces himself to add that he can't blame Tigerstar for wanting to see his kits. Tawnypaw eagerly asks if they can see their father. Her mentor tells her no, because Clan cats don't go onto each other's territory. If a patrol catches them they could get themselves into trouble. Bramblepaw insists they can go if they tell ShadowClan Tigerstar is their father, as the ShadowClan leader wanted to see them last time.
:The ginger tom snaps that Brackenfur already told them no, and if they set one paw across the border he'll have their tails. His apprentice looks at him for a while before inquiring why nobody in ThunderClan ever talks to them about their father, and why he even left in the first place. The warrior stares back, and can't see a way out of this conversation. He promised Bramblepaw and Tawnypaw's mother that he would tell her kits about Tigerstar, but he thought he had more time to think about what he would say. Brackenfur murmurs that if Fireheart doesn't reveal the truth, someone else will.
:Relenting, he says they'll find a place to rest and then he'll tell them. They come to a dip in the ground, both apprentices following curiously. He settles down and reminds them that ThunderClan is proud of them both, and they'll definitely be fine warriors. What he says now won't affect that. Bramblepaw and Tawnypaw slide from curiosity to uneasiness, and Fireheart knows they must be wondering what they will hear. He continues and says that Tigerstar is a great warrior, and always wanted to be leader. Before he left ThunderClan, he was deputy. Bramblepaw announces that he wants to be deputy as well. His mentor's fur prickles at the tom's ambition, much like his father's. He orders the tabby to be quiet, and the young tom obeys.
:He explains that at the battle of Sunningrocks, Tigerstar killed Redtail, the ThunderClan deputy, and blamed it on RiverClan's deputy. However, they soon found out the truth. Pausing, Fireheart looks at the two apprentices and finds them staring back in horror and disbelief. Tawnypaw asks if he really did kill a cat of his own Clan, while her brother cries that he doesn't believe it. Feeling sick with the effort to tell these two apprentices the truth about Tigerstar without adding his own bias, the ginger tom meows that it's true. Continuing on with the story, he adds that the dark brown tabby hoped to be made deputy after Redtail, but Bluestar chose a cat named Lionheart instead. Bramblepaw asks if his father killed Lionheart too. Fireheart says that he died in a battle with ShadowClan. Tigerstar then became deputy, but he wanted to become leader.
:Fireheart doesn't want to burden the young cats with the more horrifying stories, so he picks up when Tigerstar brought rogues from the forest to attack his Clan. In the midst of the chaos, he tried to kill Bluestar. Tawnypaw gasps that he couldn't do that; she is their leader. While straining to keep his voice neutral, the warrior explains that Tigerstar thought he could become leader in her place. However, he was exiled, and he joined ShadowClan, becoming their leader.
:Bramblepaw asks if their father was a traitor. Fireheart replies that yes, he was, but they both can be proud of being members of ThunderClan, and that they aren't responsible for what their father did. They can be great warriors that are loyal to ThunderClan and the warrior code. Tawnypaw thanks Fireheart for telling them, and asks if it's really true if the Clan is proud of them. Tawnypaw nods, satisfied, but Bramblepaw is still uneasy. Fireheart tells him that if he works hard and is loyal to ThunderClan, that no cat will blame him for what his father did. However, instead of being reassured, Bramblepaw hisses at him, saying that he's seen the looks that Fireheart has given him, and Bramblepaw doesn't believe that Fireheart will ever trust him. While Fireheart hesitates, he whips around and runs to the top of the hollow, Tawnypaw close behind, to meet Brackenfur. As Fireheart and Brackenfur lead the two apprentices back through their territory, Fireheart is on the lookout for the mysterious evil in the forest. He sees no evidence: no scattered prey, and no unusual scents. He decides that he must talk to Lostface as soon as possible.
:Early the next morning, Fireheart emerges into the clearing to see the dawn patrol—consisting of Graystripe, Sandstorm, Dustpelt, and Ashpaw—getting ready to leave. Fireheart races over to Sandstorm, but she turns her back on him, and races out of camp, calling to Graystripe over her shoulder to meet her at the top of the ravine. Fireheart is overwhelmed with sadness, but Graystripe reassures him that given time, Sandstorm will come around again. His conversation is interrupted as Dustpelt and Ashpaw arrive, collect Graystripe, and head out of camp. He notices that Dustpelt no longer seems to be hostile towards Graystripe, and wonders if time was all that Graystripe needed so he could finally be a true part of ThunderClan again. 
:Fireheart heads over to Cinderpelt's den. He sees Lostface seated in a patch of sunlight with Cloudtail gently washing her. Fireheart notices that Lostface's wounds along her body are healing nicely, and for a moment he thinks she is almost back to normal. But when she lifts her face, he can see the wounds on her face that will never truly heal. He feels a pang of sorrow when he remembers how lively she had been before her accident, and he vows to drive the evil out of the forest. When Fireheart approaches, Lostface lets out a whimper and shrinks back into Cloudtail. He reassures her, and explains to Fireheart that he came up on her blind side. Cinderpelt agrees with the white tom, and adds that there isn't much more that she can do for Lostface. 
:Cloudtail suggests Lostface go live with the elders for now, until she gets stronger. The injured she-cat protests at first, saying she isn't an elder, but Fireheart says she'll be doing him a favor, and since Speckletail was still grieving the loss of Snowkit it would be good for the elder to have a young, energetic cat around. Fireheart adds that it would be just until Lostface gets her strength back, and Cloudtail nods, saying that once she's recovered he will help her train. Hope glimmers in her good eye, and agrees. Before he leaves, the ginger tom asks her if she can remember what attacked her, but Lostface shakes her head and says that she can't. Cloudtail growls, promising when they find out who did this to her, he will make crowfood of them.
==Characters==
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===Minor===
===Mentioned===
==Notes and references==
de:Gefährliche Spuren/Kapitel 21fr:Sur le sentier de la guerre/Chapitre 21
Category:A Dangerous Path
Category:Chapter subpages
Category:The Prophecies Begin arc