Forest of Secrets/Chapter 13

"...Silverstream is going to have my kits!"

— Graystripe to Fireheart in Forest of Secrets, page 142

Forest of Secrets
Chapter number:	13 (of 30)
Page numbers:	136-142
Point of View:	Fireheart
Chronology

Below contains in-depth information for chapter thirteen of Forest of Secrets. If you are looking for a shorter summary of the entire book, please check the main article.

Chapter Number: 13 (of 30)

Page Numbers: 136-142

Chapter Summary

Fireheart's PoV

Fireheart wakes up to a cold, damp morning, and he reluctantly hauls himself out of his nest. He pads over to Graystripe's nest, and nudges his friend to wake him up. Graystripe mumbles for Fireheart to leave him alone, wrapping his tail over his nose. The ginger warrior reminds him that they need to hunt for RiverClan, and this gets Graystripe out of his nest. Soon, both warriors are yawning and Fireheart realizes they are both tired from hunting for both RiverClan and ThunderClan. He notes that they'd crossed the river with prey several times, and thanks StarClan that their luck had held so far. Fireheart also feels a stab of guilt as he knows he and Graystripe are betraying their Clan, but thinks that at least no ThunderClan cat had found out yet. The ginger warrior looks around to see if anyone is watching, and glances warily at the dark pelt of Tigerclaw as he sleeps. Fireheart notes that the rest of the warriors were curled up in moss, too sound asleep to ask questions.

He slips out of the warriors' den, and spots Brindleface warily poking her head out of the nursery, but she quickly retreats back inside from the raw, cold wind. Fireheart looks back at Graystripe who is shaking moss off his pelt, and tells him they can go now. The two cats bound over to the gorse tunnel, and just as they are about to leave, a familiar voice calls for Fireheart. They freeze, and glance over over to where Cloudkit is running up to them, calling for them to wait for him. Graystripe is annoyed, and asks Fireheart why his kin always shows up at the most awkward moments. The ginger warrior shrugs, and replies that StarClan knows why.

Cloudkit questions where they are going, and if he can come in an excited manner. Graystripe refuses, saying only apprentices can come out with warriors, and the white kit glares at Graystripe. The white kit hopefully asks Fireheart if he can go because he is nearly an apprentice, but Fireheart refuses too. The ginger warrior meows that they are on a secret mission, so he can't come along this time. The white kit is astonished and asks if it is a secret, and Graystripe hisses that it is -- one that should especially should be kept from nosey kits. The white furred kit promises he wouldn't tell anyone, and pleads to come yet again, and finally Fireheart promises to take him hunting later if he obeys now. Cloudkit agrees, and sulks back to the nursery.

The two warriors pad out onto the ravine, and Graystripe mumbles that he hopes Cloudkit won't tell the whole Clan. Fireheart decides to worry about it later, as he notices that it is slightly raining. He guesses all the prey must be inside their burrows, but quickly scents a squirrel not far away. Fireheart sees the prey near an oak tree, nibbling an acorn. Graystripe mutters that the moment it hears them, it'll be up the tree in a flash. Fireheart agrees and tells him to circle around, and come at it a certain angle. A few moments later the squirrel hears them, and is about to run up the tree when Fireheart knocks it off the tree, and Graystripe kills it. Fireheart compliments his friend, but Graystripe comments that it's stringy but it'll do.

Later, they kill a rabbit and a couple of mice, but when Fireheart senses it must be near sunhigh, he meows that they should take this to RiverClan before their campmates miss them. They uneasily carry the heavy load of prey over the fallen tree, and swim the rest of the way until they are on RiverClan's side of the river. Leopardfur spots them, and welcomes them in a friendly manner; they follow the deputy of RiverClan into the hawthorn bushes that line the RiverClan camp, and drop their prey on the fresh-kill pile.

Stonefur and Silverstream notice, and come over to the warriors. Stonefur asks if that is more prey, and looks grateful, to which Leopardfur reminds him that they need to feed the elders and nursing queens first. Silverstream offers to take the prey to the elders, and questions if Graystripe will help her with a meaningful glance. Fireheart is suddenly alarmed, wondering if the forbidden couple would have another secret meeting, and is disappointed as Graystripe agrees. His gray friend takes the rabbit, and goes with Silverstream to the elders' den. Stonefur asks Fireheart if he wants to take the squirrel to the nursing queens so they can thank him there, and the ginger warrior agrees He is somewhat dazed, finding it awkward to know that Stonefur is half-ThunderClan but doesn't know it himself.

He is pleased to see Mistyfoot lying contentedly in the makeshift nursery, suckling her kits. After Fireheart meets the queens and divides up the squirrel among them, he requests urgently to Stonefur to show him where Graystripe is so they can leave before their Clan notices they are missing. The RiverClan warrior brings him to a place near the elders' den, where three or four elders are digging into the prey, and only meager remains of the rabbit left.

Graystripe and Silverstream are sitting side by side, and as soon as they see Fireheart, they spring up and pad over to meet him. The gray warrior exclaims that Fireheart won't believe what Silverstream just told him. Fireheart warily glances around and notices Stonefur disappearing off into the bushes. He also notes that the elders look sleepy and none of them are paying any attention to Graystripe. Fireheart's fur prickles with unease and he questions what, but comments to Graystripe to keep his voice down. His friend is very excited and he reveals that Silverstream is expecting his kits.

Characters

Major

• Fireheart

Minor

• Graystripe
• Cloudkit
• Leopardfur
• Silverstream
• Stonefur

Mentioned

• Tigerclaw
• Brindleface
• Mistyfoot