Forest of Secrets/Chapter 6

==Chapter description==
:Fireheart feels so astonished that he can barely speak; and he asks Graypool if Mistyfoot and Stonefur really did come from ThunderClan. Graypool reiterates what she previously said, clarifying that Oakheart did not steal them for RiverClan. Though Fireheart is stunned, he apologizes for inferring that Oakheart might have had bad intentions. He questions why Graypool took care of ThunderClan kits that had that Clan's scent on them, especially in the harshest season when prey was scarce. Graypool shrugs and answers it was simply because Oakheart asked her to. She notes that even though he was not deputy then, he was still a fine young warrior and an asset to RiverClan. The gray elder tells Fireheart that she had recently given birth to kits, but they had died due to the cold, so she had extra milk to help care for them. She further explains that the kits would have died if she had not cared for them, and that their ThunderClan scent soon faded.
:The ginger tom questions if Mistyfoot and Stonefur know all this, and Graypool harshly responds that they do not know, and if he ever tells the siblings, she will rip his liver out and feed it to the crows. She thrust her head forward, baring her teeth and drawing her lips back as she speaks. The ginger warrior flinches, and Graypool growls that they've never doubted she was their real mother, and notes she likes to think they look a little like her. Fireheart feels something prick in his mind, and he thinks to himself what Graypool just said should mean something to him. The elder insists the two warriors have always been loyal to RiverClan, and she doesn't want their loyalty to be divided now—similar to Fireheart's own struggles with being a former kittypet. He swears by StarClan never to tell them, and the old cat stretches, relaxing. Graypool replies that she accepts his word but doesn't know if this helps him at all except for the reason why Oakheart didn't want a ThunderClan cat to harm Mistyfoot or Stonefur, but that perhaps the deputy's loyalties were divided on their behalf. Fireheart purrs that he's very grateful for the information, and leaves the territory at her request.
:Fireheart's mind spins with the fact that Mistyfoot and Stonefur have ThunderClan blood as he returns to camp. He notes that they were loyal to RiverClan now with no idea of their decided heritage. Fireheart reflects that blood loyalty and Clan loyalty aren't always the same, as his kittypet roots don't make his commitment to ThunderClan any less strong. He wonders if Bluestar would be willing to accept that Tigerclaw had killed Redtail now that Mistyfoot had confirmed how Oakheart died. Fireheart decides to ask the leader about Graypool's newest revelation also, since she might be able to tell him if a pair of kits had ever been stolen from ThunderClan's camp. When he reaches the clearing, the ginger warrior makes straight for Highrock. As he approaches Bluestar's den, he hears two cats meowing together, and picks up both Bluestar and Tigerclaw's scents. Fireheart quickly presses himself against the rock as the deputy shoulders his way out of the curtain of lichen that covers the den. 
:The dark tabby calls over his shoulder that he's going to lead a hunting patrol to Snakerocks, since no cat has hunted there for a few days. Bluestar agrees that it's a good idea, and follows her deputy out of the den. She notes that prey is still scarce, and asks StarClan to grant the thaw soon. Tigerclaw grunts agreement, and lopes off towards the warriors' den, not noticing Fireheart who crouched by the rock. When he has left, the ginger warrior pads over to the mouth of the den and enters once the leader agrees he can come in. In the dim interior, Bluestar faces him and asks what it is the warrior wants to talk about. Fireheart takes a deep breath, and asks the leader if she remembers the story that Ravenpaw had told of Tigerclaw killing Redtail at the battle at Sunningrocks. Bluestar stiffens, and growls to Fireheart that that is over because she has enough reasons to be satisfied it isn't true. Fireheart bows his head respectfully and mews that he knows, but has found more information. He continues explaining his story, including that he had visited Ravenpaw after the last Gathering. She observes that was the reason he was late, and Fireheart meows quickly that he had to find out the truth. Bluestar interrupts him, and tells him to wait a moment because she wants to know if Ravenpaw changed his story around. 
:Fireheart promises that wasn't the case, it was that he'd misunderstood his friend and explains to Bluestar that Redtail was only partly responsible for Oakheart's death but didn't intend to kill him. Fireheart notes that this is what she couldn't believe; that Redtail would deliberately kill another cat. After trailing off for a moment, Fireheart confesses that he went across the river and spoke to a RiverClan cat to confirm this. He looks at his paws, and braces himself for Bluestar's fury at him trespassing on enemy land but her eyes betrayed nothing but an intense interest. Fireheart continues meowing that they know for a fact that Tigerclaw lied about how Oakheart died, because he was killed by a rockfall and not by Tigerclaw himself. He questions that since he lied about that, he could be lying about how Redtail died too. As he speaks, Bluestar looks troubled and narrows her eyes to a sliver. She lets out a long sigh, and murmurs that Tigerclaw is a fine deputy, and the charges brought against him are serious. Fireheart quietly agrees, but points out to Bluestar how much of a threat he is as she sinks her head into her nest.
:Fireheart ventures that there's something else; a strange thing about two RiverClan warriors. Bluestar looks up at this, and her ears prick forward in interest. He meows that Ravenpaw told him in the Sunningrocks battle Oakheart had stopped Redtail from attacking a warrior named Stonefur. Fireheart notes that Oakheart had said no ThunderClan warrior should ever harm Stonefur. He says he had the chance to speak with one of the RiverClan elders, and she had told him that Oakheart brought Mistyfoot and Stonefur to her when they were tiny kits. Fireheart comments that it was leaf-bare then, and the kits would've died with no one to take care of them. He mews that the elder, Graypool, suckled them but when she first washed them she noticed they had a layer of ThunderClan scent. Fireheart questions Bluestar if that could be true, and if kits had ever been stolen from the ThunderClan camp.
:For a few heartbeats, Fireheart isn't sure if his leader heard him because she is so still. Then Bluestar rises to her paws and pads over to Fireheart, hissing at him that it is all nonsense and not what she expected of him. She tells Fireheart briskly that he'd be better off thinking about his own duties rather than coming into her den and telling tales about Tigerclaw. Bluestar studies him for a moment, and comments that maybe her deputy is right to doubt Fireheart's loyalty to the Clan. Fireheart stammers that he's sorry, but thought Graypool was telling the truth. Bluestar lets out a long breath, all the interest in her expression replaced with cold and remote. She orders him to go do something that benefits a warrior, and never bring this up again. Bluestar asks if he understands, and Fireheart quietly mews he does and backs out of the den. 
:His paws scrabble on the sand in his haste to obey, and he only stops all the way across the clearing, several fox-lengths away from Bluestar. Fireheart feels bewildered, and recalls that Bluestar seemed willing to listen to him until he mentioned the stolen ThunderClan kits, then she'd refused to hear any more. A sudden chill sweeps through Fireheart as he worries that Bluestar will wonder how he'd talked to the RiverClan cats. He thinks that she might also find out about Graystripe and Silverstream. Fireheart sighs, knowing that for a short time he'd let himself think he'd be able to convince Bluestar of Tigerclaw's treachery, but now feels frustrated that he blew his opportunity.
==Characters==
===Major===
*Fireheart
===Minor===
===Mentioned===
==Notes and references==
de:Geheimnis des Waldes/Kapitel 6es:‎El bosque de los secretos/Capítulo 6fr:Les mystères de la forêt/Chapitre 6
Category:Forest of Secrets
Category:The Prophecies Begin arc
Category:Chapter subpages