The Beginning Prophecy: Firestarter

Chapter Thirty Two

Firepaw, Graypaw, and Sandpaw sprinted ahead of the patrol and into ThunderClan's camp. Spottedleaf shook her head with a soft purr of amusement, and sped up.

Frostfur was lying in the middle of the clearing, her head sadly resting on her forepaws. As Spottedleaf entered behind the three bounding apprentices, she lifted her nose and sniffed the air. "My kits!" She cried, leaping up and racing past Spottedleaf to meet the rest of the patrol as they emerged from the tunnel.

The kits rushed to their mother and nuzzled into her flank. Frostfur curled her soft body around them and licked them each in turn, loudly purring.

Yellowfang silently hung back at the camp entrance, looking on.

Bluestar padded up to the returning party. She fondly looked at Frostfur and her kits, then turned her gaze to Spottedleaf. "Are they alright?" She asked.

"They're well." Meowed Spottedleaf.

"Good job, Spottedleaf. ThunderClan honors you."

Spottedleaf bent her head to accept her praise, and added, "But it was thanks to Yellowfang we saved them."

Tigerclaw's accusing growl sounded from across the clearing. "Likely story. She is a traitor!" The dark tabby strode up to the patrol and stood beside his leader.

If any cat is a traitor, it's you! Spottedleaf thought bitterly. 

"She's not a traitor!" Insisted Sandpaw.

Spottedleaf looked around the camp. The rest of the Clan had gathered quickly in the clearing to see the kits and congratulate the patrol. Some cats had spotted Yellowfang and were looking at her with pure hatred.

"She attacked Runningwind!" Longtail spat.

"Is Runningwind awake?" Asked Spottedleaf curiously, eyes shifting to Bluestar.

The leader shook her head. 

Spottedleaf's breath caught in her throat and her belly clenched. "Is he alive?"

"Yes." Bluestar nodded. "Thanks to your quick response."

Relief rushed over Spottedleaf at the news and the weight on her shoulders eased. Thank StarClan. 

"Look between Runningwind's claws!" Suggested Graypaw. "You'll find Clawface's brown fur, not the gray fur of Yellowfang."

Bluestar nodded at Whitestorm, who darted away from the crowd, into the medicine den where Runningwind was. The cats waited in tense silence until he returned.

"Graypaw is correct." Panted Whitestorm, rushing back to the clearing. "Runningwind was not attacked by a gray cat. Mousefur and Mistyflower even confirmed that Yellowfang's fur was not between his claws when he was brought into the medicine den."

Surprised murmurs rippled through the crowd.

"That doesn't mean Yellowfang didn't aid in taking the kits!" Tigerclaw hissed.

"We never would have recovered the kits without Yellowfang!" Spat Spottedleaf, her exhaustion making her impatient. Her newfound hatred for her nephew made her words slick with venom. "She knew which ShadowClan warrior had taken them. She was hunting him when I—Sandpaw and I—found her. She risked her life returning to ShadowClan territory. It was Yellowfang who came up with the plan that got us into ShadowClan’s camp and gave us the chance to defeat Brokenstar!" She caught her breath. "It was Firepaw and Sandpaw who chased off Clawface, and Dustpaw who prevented Yellowfang from meeting her end at the claws of Brokenstar."