“What promise?” Firepaw felt very confused. Yellowfang seemed to know more than he did about what was going on.
“ShadowClan’s noble leader promised to drive me from every Clan territory,” Yellowfang replied dryly. “What did he say about me?”
“He warned us that our kits were in danger as long as we sheltered the ShadowClan rogue. He didn’t say your name, but ThunderClan guessed who he was talking about. You must leave before the others get back. You are in danger!”
“You mean they believed Brokenstar?” Yellowfang flattened her ears and swished her tail angrily.
“Yes!” Firepaw meowed urgently. “Darkstripe says you’re dangerous. The other cats are scared of what you might do. Tigerclaw is planning to come back and…I don’t know… I think you should go before they get here!”
In the distance Firepaw could hear the yowls of angry cats. Yellowfang struggled stiffly to her paws. Firepaw gave her a nudge to help her up, his mind still spinning with questions. “What did Brokenstar mean when he warned us to keep a close eye on our kits?” he couldn’t stop himself from asking. “Would you really do something like that?”
“Would I what?”
“Would you harm our kits?”
Yellowfang flared her nostrils and looked steadily at him. “Do you think so?”
Firepaw met her gaze without flinching. “No. I don’t believe you would ever harm a kit. But why would Brokenstar say such a thing?”
The noise of the cats was coming nearer, and with it, the scents of aggression and anger. Yellowfang looked wildly from side to side.
“Go!” Firepaw urged. Her safety was more important than his curiosity.
But Yellowfang remained where she was and stared at him. A calm look suddenly came into her wide eyes. “Firepaw, you believe I’m innocent, and I’m grateful for that. If you believe me, then others might. And I know Bluestar will give me a fair hearing. I can’t run forever. I’m too old. I shall stay here and face whatever your Clan decides for me.” She sighed and sank down onto her bony haunches.
“But what about Tigerclaw? What if he—”
“He is headstrong, and he knows the power he has over the other Clan cats—they are in awe of him. But even he will obey Bluestar.”
Rustling in the undergrowth beyond the camp boundary told Firepaw that the cats were almost at the entrance.
“Go away, Firepaw,” hissed Yellowfang, baring her blackened teeth at him. “Don’t make trouble for yourself by being seen with me now. There is nothing you can do for me. Have faith in your leader, and let her decide what happens to me.”
Firepaw realized Yellowfang had made up her mind. He touched his nose to her patchy fur, then crept silently away into the shadows to watch.
Through the gorse came the cats—Bluestar first, accompanied by Lionheart. Frostfur and Willowpelt were right behind them. Frostfur raced away from the troop immediately and ran toward the nursery, the fur on her tail bristling in alarm. Tigerclaw and Darkstripe strode into the clearing, shoulder to shoulder, looking grim. The others followed behind, with Ravenpaw and Graypaw at the rear. As soon as he saw his friends, Firepaw trotted out to join them.
“You went to warn Yellowfang, didn’t you?” whispered Graypaw when Firepaw reached his side.
“Yes, I did,” Firepaw admitted. “But she won’t leave. She trusts Bluestar to treat her fairly. Did anyone miss me?”
“Only us,” replied Ravenpaw.
Around the camp, the cats who had stayed behind began to wake up. They must have scented the aggression and heard the tension in the voices of the returning cats, for they all came running into the clearing, their tails held high.
“What has happened?” called a tabby warrior named Runningwind.
“Brokenstar has demanded hunting rights for ShadowClan in our territory!” replied Longtail loudly enough for all the cats to hear.
“And he warned us about a rogue cat who will harm our kits!” added Willowpelt. “It must be Yellowfang!”
Meows of anger and distress rose from the crowd.
“Silence!” ordered Bluestar, leaping onto the Highrock. Instinctively, the cats settled in front of her.
A loud screech made every cat turn its head toward the fallen tree where the elders slept. Tigerclaw and Darkstripe were dragging Yellowfang roughly from her nest. She shrieked furiously as they hauled her into the clearing and dumped her in front of the Highrock. Firepaw felt every muscle in his body tense. Without thinking, he dropped into a low crouch, ready to spring at Yellowfang’s persecutors.
“Wait, Firepaw,” growled Graypaw in his ear. “Let Bluestar deal with this.”
“What is going on?” demanded Bluestar, jumping down from the Highrock and glaring at her warriors. “I gave no order to attack our prisoner.”
Tigerclaw and Darkstripe instantly let go of Yellowfang, who crouched in the dust, hissing and spitting.
Frostfur appeared from the nursery and pushed her way through to the front of the Clan. “We got back in time,” she meowed with a gasp. “The kits are safe!”
“Of course they are!” snapped Bluestar.
Frostfur seemed taken aback. “But…you are going to throw Yellowfang out, aren’t you?” she meowed, her blue eyes wide.
“Throw her out?” spat Darkstripe, unleashing his claws. “We should kill her now!”
Bluestar fixed her piercing blue eyes on Darkstripe’s angry face. “And what has she done?” she asked with icy calm.
Firepaw held his breath.
“You were at the Gathering! Brokenstar said she—” Darkstripe began.
“Brokenstar said only that there is a rogue somewhere in the woods,” meowed Bluestar, her voice menacingly quiet. “He did not mention Yellowfang by name. The kits are safe. For as long as she is in my Clan, Yellowfang will not be harmed in any way.”
Bluestar’s words were met with silence, and Firepaw heaved a sigh of relief.
Yellowfang looked up at Bluestar and narrowed her eyes respectfully. “I will leave now, if you wish it, Bluestar.”
“There is no need,” Bluestar replied. “You have done nothing wrong. You will be safe here.” The ThunderClan leader lifted her gaze to the crowd of cats that surrounded Yellowfang and meowed, “It is time we discussed the real threat to our Clan: Brokenstar. We have already begun to prepare for an attack by ShadowClan,” Bluestar began. “We’ll carry on with those preparations, and patrol our borders more frequently. WindClan has gone. RiverClan has given hunting rights to ShadowClan warriors. ThunderClan stands alone against Brokenstar.”
A murmur of defiance rippled through the cats, and Firepaw felt his fur prickle with anticipation.
“Then we’re not going to agree to Brokenstar’s demands?” meowed Tigerclaw.
“Clans have never shared hunting rights before,” Bluestar answered. “They have always managed to support themselves in their own territories. There is no reason why this should change.” Tigerclaw nodded approvingly.
“But can we defend ourselves against a ShadowClan attack?” asked Smallear’s tremulous voice. “WindClan didn’t manage it! RiverClan won’t even try!”
Bluestar met his old eyes with her steady gaze. “We must try. We will not give up our territory without a fight.”
All around the clearing, Firepaw saw the cats nodding in agreement.
“I shall travel to the Moonstone tomorrow,” Bluestar announced. “The warriors of StarClan will give me the strength I need to lead ThunderClan through this dark time. You must all get some rest. We have a lot to do when daylight comes. I wish to talk with Lionheart now.” Without another word, she turned and strode toward her den.