Firestar



Firestar is a well-muscled,[18] slender,[19] lithe,[20] massive,[21] tall,[22] battle-scarred[23] ginger tom with a flame-colored pelt,[1] clear,[24] sharp,[25] brilliant[26] emerald eyes,[19] powerful hind legs,[27] a lean, strong shape,[28] a sleek,[29] thick coat,[8] a pale orange belly,[30] powerful shoulders, long,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-np352_30-0">[31] thorn-sharp claws,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-os172_31-0">[32] soft black pads,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-fq271_32-0">[33] a long scar on his flank,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-os6257_33-0">[34] a long tail,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-np352_30-1">[31] and large ears,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-om2219_18-2">[19] one of which is torn.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-battles110_29-1">[30]

Mate:sandstorm

mother:nutmeg

father:jake

kittypet:rusty    apperentice:Firepaw    warrior:Fireheart    leader:Firestar

Spoiler Warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

Crookedstar's Promise

 * Fireheart is mentioned, though not by name, in the comic at the end of the book when a RiverClan warrior meets with Crookedstar and tells him that a ThunderClan warrior had given Mistyfoot bad news about Silverstream.


 * Bluestar's Prophecy
 * Although not mentioned by name, Rusty is described as akittypet with a flame colored pelt and green eyes, often sitting on a fence overlooking the forest. Bluestar takes an interest in him after watching him while patrolling. Bluestar also sees him hunting a mouse, and notes that he has sharp eyes, and a natural hunting ability. She mentions him to the medicine cat at the time, Spottedleaf, who seems to know pretty quickly why Bluestar is interested in the kittypet. Graypaw is asked by Bluestar to keep an eye on Rusty. It is revealed that Graypaw's encounter with Rusty wasn't an accident, but that it was ordered by Bluestar herself. At the very end, Bluestar is thinking thatGoosefeather is right, and that a fire will blaze through the forest after all. Rusty only appears at the last chapter and the manga, when he is in the ThunderClancamp for the first time. From there, he is taught by Lionheart basic Clan Terminology. Bluestar holds an apprentice ceremony for Rusty, and he earns his name, Firepaw. Bluestar reminds herself of Goosefeather's prophecy, looking at Firepaw as the fire that will blaze through the Clans.
 * ====Firestar's Quest ====
 * Firestar is constantly having dreams about some unknown fleeing cats. After a Gathering, he travels to theMoonstone to share dreams with StarClan. Upon arriving and falling asleep, he speaks to Bluestar, who tells him the cats he is having dreams about are the cats of ancientSkyClan, the fifth Clan of the forest, who were driven out by the other Clans. Firestar wants to help SkyClan, but Bluestar refuses because she wants him to stay and assist his Clan. Eventually, Firestar hisses at Bluestar and argues with her, then wakes up.
 * Later, Silverstream appears to Firestar in a dream, giving him a fish. She reminds him of the life that she gave to him: the life of loyalty to what he feels is right. This convinces him that StarClan wants him to complete this mission, to right the wrong they failed to stop so many moons ago. Firestar is surprised at the taste, thinking that it is "warm and flavorful."
 * Firestar runs into Smudge while on a patrol and discovers that he is having similar dreams. That night, he decides to stay in Smudge's garden, where he then dreams ofCloudstar, the ancient leader of SkyClan. He is told that he is in the old SkyClan camp, and must make a journey to rebuild SkyClan. The next day he comes back to camp to tell Graystripe, Cinderpelt, and Sandstorm all he knows about SkyClan. At first they think that he is going to go back to being a kittypet again, but when he chooses Spottedleaf to go with him on the journey, Graystripe and Cinderpelt agree to watch over the Clan while they're gone. And Firestar tells Graystripe that he wants only Sandstorm to go with him.
 * Sandstorm and Firestar set out in search of SkyClan. Sandstorm suggests that they spend the night in an abandoned Twoleg nest, but as Firestar steps inside, he becomes frightened from his kittypet roots and insists that they find another place to rest. They get separated after a storm hits, and Firestar looks through all of the Twoleg gardens to try and find Sandstorm. He eventually finds some cats in Twolegplaceand they take him to a spot where they get their water, which is how he finds Shorty who says he has seen Sandstorm and leads Firestar to her. He fears that she had died, and feels guilty because they just had an argument about Spottedleaf. Soon they are reunited after Spottedleaf saves him from a hostile kittypet.
 * Firestar and Spottedleaf make it to SkyClan's camp, where they meet an old cat named Sky (later renamed Skywatcher), the last cat alive keeping SkyClan's memory. Skywatcher asks Firestar to rebuild the Clan, and Firestar, feeling forced to say yes, obliges. Two kittypets named Cherry and Boris join the new SkyClan, and get their apprentice names, Cherrypaw and Sparrowpaw. Firestar finds enough kittypets, loners, and roguesaround the area to rebuild SkyClan.
 * Before Skywatcher dies, he tells Firestar the prophecy, which later makes in an appearance in the Power of Three Arc:
 * "There will be three, kin of your kin, who hold the power of the stars in their paws."
 * Spottedleaf becomes very distressed when Sandstorm comes to help her heal Patchfoot, and Firestar lets it slip that he and Spottedleaf had seen each other before in his dream. Spottedleaf  states that Firestar loves Sandstorm and how the two had always seemed to belong together when Firestar first joined the Clan. Sandstorm  says that she couldn't choose a mate, even if she wanted to very much. Firestar also tells Spottedleaf  he would love her for all the moons to come and that she would never be second-best to him. Firestar reveals his love for Spottedleaf  belonged in the life they shared and would last for all the moons to come -- basically he loves Spottedleaf  more than he will ever love Sandstorm; Spotedleaf  is his one true love. Spottedleaf  accepts, although she gets slightly tense when Firestar brings up the name of Sandstorm again.
 * In a dream, Skywatcher also tells him about a medicine cat that he needs to find, and he travels to Twolegplace in search of whoever it is. He asks some cats if they have dreamed of strange things, and a kittypet named Echo says that she has. When she agrees to join SkyClan, he names her Echosong. The Clan finds a large barn full of angry rats which drove out ancient SkyClan. Firestar leads the Clan into attack against them, but Rainfur is killed during the battle, and Firestar loses a life -- Spottedleaf saves him from losing his other lives, and tells him she had to choose him over Rainfur. After he revives, Firestar and the otherSkyClan cats climb a tree hanging above the barn. Firestar leaps into the barn and kills the lead rat, and all the other rats flee. After the battle, he helps Leafdapple earn her nine lives and become Leafstar.
 * In the epilogue, Spottedleaf gives birth to his two kits, whom they name Leafkit, in honor of Leafstar and Sandstorm ; and Squirrelkit, because of her bushy tail.
 * ====SkyClan's Destiny ====
 * He is mentioned a lot by Leafstar during her thoughts, telling stories, and multiple other times on his brave quest to revive SkyClan. Otherwise, he makes no formal appearances in this book. Stick also mentions him when he was trying to find Spottedleaf and Firestar, and tells him that they must find the flame-colored cat.
 * ===In the Original Arc ===

Into the Wild

 * As a young kittypet named Rusty, he has been having strange dreams of himself hunting in the forest, though he would always wake up after he failed. Rusty has shown to have great interest in the forest, having inherited it from his adventurous father, Jake. He has a friend named Smudge, who is strongly against Rusty's idea of exploring the forest, claiming it is full of danger.


 * Rusty ventures into the forest, and is attacked by a forest cat named Graypaw. He confronts Graypaw instead of running away like most kittypets would. That impresses the ThunderClan cats, Bluestar and Lionheart, who watch from the bushes. Graypaw is curious at why Rusty is away from his Twoleg nest. He tells Rusty a few things about the Clan he lives in, called ThunderClan. Rusty, in turn, is asking questions about Clan life. As they question each other, Graypaw senses some cats from ThunderClan approaching and tells him to hide. Rusty wonders how Graypaw can scent them, though not saying it out loud. Bluestar and Lionheart appear from their hiding place, and Bluestar reveals that they had been watching the two young cats. She invites Rusty to join ThunderClan and Graypaw is startled, saying that kittypets couldn't become warriors, because they didn't have warrior blood. Lionheart voices Graypaw's thoughts differently, saying that kittypets were too soft for Clan life, deeply offending Rusty, because he himself knows differently. Rusty says that he will think about Bluestar's offer, and Bluestar gives him until sun-high the next day to decide, when Lionheart would be there. During that time he spends his last day with Smudge, and a couple of other friends. When he is seen by Lionheart and another cat, Whitestorm, he chooses to join the Clan, and they take him to his new home. On the way, they asked him if he could smell anything, and were impressed when he said he could smell other cats.


 * When Bluestar announces her intent to accept Rusty, many of her Clanmates are infuriated. A young warrior named Longtail taunts him, reminding his Clanmates that Twolegs would invade their territory because of Rusty's collar. Rusty attacks Longtail and hurts him, giving him a torn ear. Longtail tears off Rusty's collar with his teeth, and Bluestar accepts the broken collar as a sign that Rusty should be a Clan cat, and grants him his apprentice name, Firepaw, in honor of his flame-colored pelt.


 * Firepaw is mentored by Tigerclaw and Lionheart, until he eventually gets a very shocking choice for an official mentor: Bluestar. The Clan is very surprised, as it is a high honor, but Tigerclaw remarks that Firepaw wasn't being punished by feeding the enemy warrior, Yellowfang. Bluestar chose him because of his exceptional skill that exceeds the other apprentices, and because she has a suspicion that he was part of the fire prophecy. Tigerclaw continually bullies him, as do the two older and more experienced apprentices, Sandpaw andDustpaw. Graypaw stays by Firepaw's side all the time and they become best friends. Ravenpaw also becomes their friend, overcoming some of his timidness, but Tigerclaw, his taunting mentor, is still a big target of his nervousness.


 * Firepaw catches on very fast to everything he is taught, and soon is recognized as a natural warrior with leadership skills, gaining knowledge of Clan routines and heritage.


 * Later, Firepaw encounters a ShadowClan cat named Yellowfang, who is now living as a rogue since being unfairly driven out by Brokenstar, ShadowClan's cruel leader. They battle, and Firepaw wins, injuring Yellowfang's leg in the process. Instead of turning her over to Bluestar, Firepaw feeds her before feeding his own Clan. After they both have eaten, they are caught by a ThunderClan patrol, which takes Yellowfang into custody. Firepaw's punishment for breaking the Warrior Code is to care for the grumpy former medicine cat.


 * It becomes apparent to Firepaw that Ravenpaw, his timid friend, is in grave danger and cannot stay with ThunderClan, when he eavesdrops on Tigerclaw, Darkstripe, and Longtail's conversation about Ravenpaw being a traitor. Firepaw and Graypaw help him escape and live with a loner, Barley, spreading the rumor that their fellow apprentice had died.


 * Firepaw is shocked and hurt when ThunderClan's medicine cat, Spottedleaf, is murdered by Clawface, a ShadowClan warrior. It is apparent he liked the she-cat, although he knew it was against the warrior code to do so, as medicine cats are not allowed to have mates. Later it is revealed that they both were in love with each other.


 * Later, Bluestar sends Firepaw and Graypaw into ShadowClan territory to find and question Yellowfang and attempt to recover the stolen ThunderClan kits; Brackenkit, Cinderkit, Thornkit and Brightkit. It is later realized that Yellowfang didn't murder Spottedleaf like expected, but Clawface, one of Brokenstar's followers did. Following the successful mission, Bluestar grants Firepaw the name Fireheart and the status of a warrior along with Graypaw, who becomes Graystripe.


 * As he starts his vigil, he notices Tigerclaw's eyes shining back at him. He then reveals silently that he had made an enemy out of the Clan deputy, as Tigerclaw did the same for him.


 * ====Fire and Ice====


 * At the start of the book, Fireheart dreams about a screeching cat, but he is quickly awoken.


 * Fireheart and Graystripe are sent by Bluestar to find WindClan, who has been driven from their land by ShadowClan. The missing Clan is found and returned, with help from Ravenpaw, as he let the Clan shelter in his barn through the rain. They are then accompanied back to ThunderClan territory by two WindClan cats,Onewhisker and Deadfoot. Fireheart, Graystripe and the two WindClan cats are caught trespassing onRiverClan territory, and a fight brews. During the battle, a RiverClan warrior named Whiteclaw falls to his death at the bottom of the gorge. This death is blamed on Graystripe, who had been battling Whiteclaw, but had tried to catch his falling enemy. During the fight, Fireheart saves Sandpaw from falling over the side of the gorge. She snaps at him, not noticing how close she came to death, telling him that she could fight her own battles. Afterwards, she realizes what he did, and slowly begins to warm up to him.


 * When the pair arrive back at camp, Fireheart is given his first apprentice, a she-cat named Cinderpaw, one of the kits he had previously rescued from ShadowClan. Graystripe also is given an apprentice, Cinderpaw's brother, Brackenpaw.


 * On a training session, Fireheart spots a familiar kittypet. When Cinderpaw says that they should drive her away, Fireheart purposely steps on a twig to scare the kittypet away. Fireheart comes to the realization that the pregnant she-cat they saw is Fireheart's sister, Princess. Fireheart starts to visit her and tells her about his life as a warrior.


 * One day, Graystripe and his apprentice, Brackenpaw, go hunting with Fireheart and Cinderpaw near the frozen river. When Graystripe begins to stalk a vole across the river, the ice shatters beneath him. A RiverClan she-cat ends up saving him, introducing herself as Silverstream. This leads Graystripe to fall in love with her, and the two begin meeting secretly, much to Fireheart's annoyance. The two friends begin fighting, and soon stop speaking to one another.


 * Fireheart fetches as much catnip as he can to help Yellowfang during a bout of greencough that threatens the camp and takes one of Bluestar's lives. After he delievers the catnip to Yellowfang, he goes out to find Cinderpaw, who is gravely injured from a monster on the Thunderpath. He spills out all his worries to Princess, whom suggests that it might be a trap that Tigerclaw set up for Bluestar.


 * While hunting, Fireheart decides to visit Princess, whom he knows is close to kitting. Princess gives him her first-born son, Cloudkit, to take back to ThunderClan, and to be raised as a Clan cat. Fireheart had told Princess all about his life in the Clan, and after hearing that Cinderpaw had been hit by a monster, she wants Cloudkit to be his new apprentice. When Fireheart arrives back at camp, the Clan is furious to see that he has brought a kittypet to their Clan. Graystripe speaks up in Fireheart's defense, and Bluestar decides to let the kit stay with ThunderClan. Brindleface, a ThunderClan queen who had lost one of her kits, decides to care for Cloudkit.


 * When Brokenstar, the former leader of ShadowClan returns with a group of rogues, Fireheart is the only fully trained warrior in the camp. While Fireheart is fighting, he sees Clawface and starts battling him fiercely because he killed Spottedleaf. Graystripe then kills him. The handful of able fighters manages to drive the rogues away, and Brokenstar is blinded by Yellowfang during the battle, thus unable to make his escape. Bluestar decides that the Clan would have mercy and keep him as a prisoner rather than slaying a helpless cat, and she changes his name to Brokentail. Fireheart tells Bluestar about Sandpaw's and Dustpaw's strength and courage in the battle. After this, Sandpaw and Dustpaw receive their warrior names: Sandstorm and Dustpelt.


 * When RiverClan and ShadowClan ally to attack WindClan, ThunderClan warriors are sent to aid them. During the battle Fireheart permits Silverstream, Graystripe's forbidden lover, to escape. Darkstripe sees this and quickly tells Tigerclaw, who views it as a defect in Fireheart's loyalty. After the battle, Graystripe thanks Fireheart for not attacking Silverstream and the two quickly rekindle their friendship.


 * ====Forest of Secrets ====


 * After one of the Gatherings, Fireheart and Graystripe sneak away to WindClan territory to find Ravenpaw, and confirm his story of the death of Redtail. When they find him, they question him about what he saw during the battle where Redtail was killed. Ravenpaw explains the story once more, and that Oakheart died from a rock fall, not killed by Redtail, but it was partly his responsibility that he died. Ravenpaw also mentions that Oakheart was fiercely protective of Stonefur before he died, hissing at Redtail when he attacked Stonefur. Fireheart is confused, saying that there are battles all the time. They eat mice, and when returning to camp, Tigerclaw sees them and comments that they have no fresh kill. Fireheart lies that they ate to kept their strength up. Tigerclaw refuses to believe that and takes the pair to Bluestar. She is disappointed and orders them to hunt until sunhigh the next day.


 * Fireheart wants a RiverClan warrior to confirm Oakheart's death, one who had been there. He speaks his fears to Graystripe, who tells him that there is a warrior that he can speak to. Fireheart guesses that it is Silverstream, while Graystripe nods his approval.


 * The next day, in RiverClan territory, Fireheart and Graystripe hide until they reach the camp. They spot Silverstream with Blackclaw and his apprentice, and Silverstream tells him that she's going to look for a mouse in the bushes. Blackclaw gives a mew of approval before racing in the bushes. Graystripe explains Fireheart's fears to Silverstream, and then she gets Mistyfoot to speak to them. Fireheart learns that Oakheart was Mistyfoot and Stonefur's father, and Graypool was their mother, but it still didn't explain why Oakheart had warned Redtail that no ThunderClan warrior would ever harm Stonefur. Mistyfoot tells Fireheart that Graypool can meet him and Graystripe on the half-bridge the next day. Fireheart agrees and he takes off with Graystripe. The next day they reach the half-bridge. He and Graystripe see Graypool appearing with Mistyfoot and Silverstream, complaining it is too cold to go out in the weather. Silverstream replies that it is nonsense, and that it was a warm day. Graypool later sees Fireheart and Graystripe and exclaims that there were ThunderClan warriors here, and she could rip their fur out. When Fireheart explains he was only here to talk, Graypool shoos Silverstream, Mistyfoot, and Graystripe away. Fireheart explains the story about Oakheart's death. Graypool tells Fireheart that she isn't the pair's mother; a ThunderClan cat was. She tells him that Oakheart found two kits in the snow, and the two scraps wouldn't see sunrise if it wasn't for her. She suckled them, and then noticed there was a scent underneath their snowy coats - ThunderClan. Fireheart thanks Graypool for explaining it all then goes back to camp with Graystripe.


 * While on the patrol at the RiverClan border, they see the flood and how horrible it is. They also see two kits struggling on a bundle of sticks and Twoleg rubbish. They rescue the kits and are spotted by a RiverClan patrol. Graystripe and Fireheart are astonished by how the flood waters caused so much damage that they had to move their camp. Leopardfur takes them to Crookedstar, who makes Fireheart and Graystripe explain the story. Though Blackclaw is hostile towards them and accuses them of trying to steal the kits. Crookedstar slowly believes the ThunderClan cats, with Graypool's help. Fireheart and Graystripe persuade RiverClan to let them catch ThunderClan prey and help RiverClan's starvation, as Graypool explained that they were nearly dying from hunger.


 * A few days later, Fireheart wakes Graystripe up and reminds him they need to go hunting for RiverClan. Cloudkit follows them out of camp, but Fireheart catches him in time. Graystripe remarks hotly, "Why does your kin have to show up at the weirdest times, Fireheart?" Cloudkit wonders where they're going, and Fireheart replies that they're going on a special warrior mission. Graystripe adds that it isn't for pesky kits. Instead of following them, Cloudkit scampers back to the nursery.


 * They hunt for RiverClan and take the prey to them. Stonefur welcomes them and tells Graystripe to take prey to the queens, and tells Fireheart to take prey to the elders. Fireheart meets back up with his friend after giving his prey to the elders, and figures out that Silverstream is expecting Graystripe's kits. Fireheart is uneasy and scared, but Graystripe is enthusiastic and happy about it. When Fireheart and Graystripe return to camp, Tigerclaw finds them with Cloudkit at his side, learning that Cloudkit boasted about everything to the deputy. He goes to the leader's den with Tigerclaw, Cloudkit, and Graystripe. Bluestar is extremely disappointed with them, and tells Cloudkit he can continue with his elder duties. Cloudkit doesn't seem to mind, as he likes caring for the elders. The blue-gray leader punishes the pair of warriors by making them apprentices for a half-moon once more, including sleeping in the apprentices' den, responsible for the elders; with Longtail to supervise their first hunting session.


 * Silverstream gives birth to Graystripe's kits at Sunningrocks, with Fireheart running to summon Cinderpaw, the new medicine cat apprentice. Though Silverstream dies, Graystripe's two kits, Featherkit and Stormkit, survive. Cinderpaw blames herself for the death of Silverstream.


 * When Bluestar is checking on the nursery, Bluestar explains to Fireheart that she is the mother of Mistyfoot and Stonefur. Fireheart is shocked as he learns the story how Bluestar had given up her kits to save ThunderClan from Thistleclaw. She had three kits, one had died because of extreme cold, the other two living in RiverClan.


 * While Fireheart takes out Cloudpaw, who has been named his apprentice, Cloudpaw is very scared and points that Tigerclaw is leading a patrol of rogues directly to ThunderClan's camp. The two cats follow him, then realize that this was why he sent all those patrols, and sent Fireheart to watch Cloudpaw, to plan an attack on ThunderClan with Brokentail and his old allies. Fireheart stops Tigerclaw from killing Bluestar and finally exposes his treachery. Tigerclaw is exiled from ThunderClan by orders of Bluestar. As he leaves, he threatens Fireheart's life. To Fireheart's and the Clan's astonishment, Bluestar makes Fireheart deputy, instead of an older warrior. However, she violates the warrior code in that she named her new deputy after moonhigh. Many believe this is a bad omen, and are skeptical about their new deputy.


 * Graystripe admits that Fireheart is right. He can't leave his kits in another Clan, so he goes with the RiverClan patrol, which includes Mistyfoot, Silverstream's cousin and best friend, to RiverClan to stay.


 * ====Rising Storm====


 * Fireheart struggles with his deputy duties, much to the amusement of Darkstripe. Fireheart is also still mentoring Cloudpaw, who is being difficult. Bluestar is still traumatized from the disloyalty of Tigerclaw, to the point where she is barely eating.


 * Fireheart and Bluestar attempt to travel to Highstones. On the way, they are stopped by a WindClan patrol led by Mudclaw. The WindClan warriors do not let them pass, and eventually, Fireheart and Bluestar return to camp. The Clan is outraged, and they demand to know why Fireheart allowed the WindClan patrol to turn them back. Fireheart responds with a challenge of his own, asking, "Would you have risked your leader's safety?"


 * Two ShadowClan warriors, Littlecloud and Whitethroat, come into ThunderClan territory, pleading for help. ShadowClan has fallen ill, and Nightstar is dying. Yellowfang tells Bluestar to send the warriors away, because they have a dangerous disease with no known cure, and desperately reminds Bluestar that it had not been long since greencough had taken one of her lives. Fireheart and Sandstorm escort the ShadowClan warriors to the Thunderpath, where they find the tunnel under the Thunderpath inside of ShadowClan's territory. Bluestar tells him and Sandstorm not to inform the clan about the tunnel. Fireheart soon finds out that Cinderpelt has been taking care of Whitethroat and Littlecloud, despite Bluestar sending them away. He tells her that the ShadowClan cats must leave the territory.


 * A patrol comes back with battle wounds. Runningwind, who is part of the patrol, does not return. Fireheart returns to the scene of the attack, not knowing that Tigerclaw had led rogues to attack ThunderClan. Fireheart chases Whitethroat onto the Thunderpath, where he is hit by a monster. Tigerclaw attacks. Fireheart defeats him with the help of Stonefur's patrol, Tigerclaw then tells Fireheart that he will kill ThunderClan warriors one by one.


 * Cloudpaw has been traveling to a Twoleg nest everyday, getting food from the Twolegs. When Fireheart finds out, he tells him to stop, but the apprentice refuses to listen, not understanding how far he was breaking the Warrior Code. Fireheart and Sandstorm follow him on one of his "outings," and helplessly watch as the Twolegs put Cloudpaw in a cage, and take him away in a monster. Fireheart says that he has lost everyone important to him in his Clan, and Sandstorm, who apparently has feelings for him, says that she had thought she had mattered to him, but that she must have been wrong. Fireheart feels bad, because the two had been growing very close. He apologizes at the fresh-kill pile, and is embarrassed to realize that his interactions with Sandstorm have been an interest to his Clan.


 * Soon after, Ravenpaw visits ThunderClan, but as he traveled through the forest to ThunderClan's camp, he is attacked by Fireheart, Sandstorm, and Brightpaw, who had not recognized Ravenpaw at first. Ravenpaw tells Fireheart that he found a white kittypet that was lost, and smelled of ThunderClan. Fireheart sends Brightpaw back to camp to tell Whitestorm where he has gone, and Ravenpaw takes Fireheart and Sandstorm to the Twoleg Nest. On the way, they are chased by some dogs. Sandstorm becomes suspicious of Ravenpaw, questioning whether or not he was leading them into a trap. Fireheart thinks that her fears are ridiculous, and he continues to follow Ravenpaw to Cloudpaw's Twoleg Nest. There, they rescued Cloudpaw from his captivity. On the way back to camp, they are attacked by Mudclaw, his apprentice, Webpaw, and the WindClan deputy, Deadfoot. After the battle, Fireheart brings Cloudpaw to camp, and asks Bluestar if he can stay. Bluestar agrees, and Fireheart suggests that Darkstripe tell the Clan that Cloudpaw will stay, as Darkstripe had been the cat to protest. Bluestar seems disturbed by his coming, but tells him that Darkstripe will tell the Clan.


 * Later that night, Fireheart is woken up by the smell of fire and alerts his Clan of the danger. When everyone is evacuating, they realize that Bramblekit is missing, along with Patchpelt and Halftail. He and Yellowfang return to camp and find Bramblekit stuck in a burning tree. Fireheart rescues him, and the tree falls, separating him from Yellowfang. He drags Patchpelt to the river, hoping to save him, but the elderly tom dies. They take shelter in the RiverClan camp. The next day, he and Graystripe go back to camp. Fireheart finds Yellowfang dying. Yellowfang tells him that she killed her son, Brokentail, not knowing that he already knew this. She asks Fireheart to thank Bluestar for allowing her to stay in ThunderClan, and admits that she wishes that Fireheart was her son. She dies shortly after this.


 * At the end of the book, Fireheart takes his Clanmates to the gathering, because Bluestar had refused to go. When they arrive, they find that Nightstar had died, along with his deputy, Cinderfur. This confuses Fireheart, as Nightstar only received his nine lives and name at the Moonstone a few moons ago. When the new ShadowClan leader finally arrives, Fireheart is horrified to find that Tigerclaw is ShadowClan's new leader.


 * ====A Dangerous Path ====


 * Several hunting and border patrols find remains of rabbits and fresh-kill, along with evidence of a dog by Snakerocks. Bluestar believes it is WindClan, despite Fireheart's warnings that it is actually a dog. She plans to attack, but Fireheart comes up with a plan to divert the battle behind Bluestar's back, by traveling to WindClan to speak with Tallstar and ask him to have a peaceful meeting with Bluestar to work things out between the two rival Clans. He asks WindClan to have Ravenpaw be the messenger to ThunderClan from WindClan. When he tells the rest of the warriors about what he has done, and asks for their help, most of them are angry, including Sandstorm, who even asks Dustpelt to tell him what a stupid idea that was, but to Fireheart's dismay he agrees with his plan.


 * The apprentices Cloudpaw, Brightpaw, Swiftpaw, and Thornpaw are long overdue for their warrior ceremony, but when Fireheart asks Bluestar about it, she says that only Cloudpaw will be made a warrior, as all the others' mentors are "traitors." Fireheart tries to convince her to rethink it, but she remains stubborn, and soon holds Cloudpaw's warrior ceremony, naming him Cloudtail.


 * Two apprentices, Brightpaw and Swiftpaw, devise a plan to rid the Clan the problem of the dog at Snakerocks and tells it to Ashpaw, Fernpaw, and Thornpaw. Swiftpaw says that if they get rid of it, Bluestar will notice them, and they'll be made warriors. In the end, the only ones to go through with it are Brightpaw and Swiftpaw. But what they find at Snakerocks isn't just a dog; it's a whole pack of them. Fireheart learns from Fernpaw the following morning where the missing apprentices went, and Cloudtail swears to "shred anything that's hurt Brightpaw." When they got there, they noticed Swiftpaw was killed, and Brightpaw was badly injured, as Cinderpelt was unable to save her eye and ear, and she was terribly scarred.


 * When the time comes for Bramblekit and Tawnykit to become apprentices, Fireheart asks Bluestar to choose mentors for them, but she tells him to choose. He chooses to be Bramblekit's mentor himself, and Brackenfur to mentor Tawnykit, even though Sandstorm was the obvious choice. She is furious at him for this and makes it a point to ignore him afterward. Fireheart cannot tell Sandstorm why he chose Brackenfur as Tawnykit's mentor: he wishes to protect her from Tigerstar, as he is afraid that the ShadowClan leader will harm the mentors of his kits.


 * Fireheart finds out that Tigerstar is feeding a pack of wild dogs, who had killed Swiftpaw earlier in the book, and at the same time brutally injured Brightpaw. They find a trail of killed rabbits leading to the ThunderClan camp as Tigerstar's bait for the dogs, and at the end of the trail, the queen Brindleface, brutally murdered to give the dogs a taste for cat blood. Cloudtail is outraged when he discovers this, claiming he would flay Tigerstar, and scatter his entrails from the ThunderClan camp to Highstones. Tigerstar's intention was for the dogs to devour the ThunderClan cats after learning to like cat blood. Fireheart and a few other cats attempt to break the trail up, but the blood has already stained the ground and the dogs are still surely going to come to the camp, so they give the call to evacuate. Every cat except for a select few, Fireheart being one of them, leaves for Sunningrocks. Fireheart tells them to "Climb a tree as soon as you get there." Before they leave to get rid of the wild dogs, Fireheart reveals to Sandstorm his love for her.


 * At the end of the book, while Fireheart is trying to get the wild dog pack to go over the gorge, Tigerstar stops him and pins Fireheart down. Bluestar shows up and knocks the dog that is attacking Fireheart over the edge of the gorge along with herself. Fireheart tries to save her by jumping in after her, but he almost drowns. Mistyfoot and Stonefur appear and, since they are RiverClan cats and swim well, help Fireheart carry Bluestar up on to the bank where the ThunderClan leader shares tongues with her children one last time. Bluestar dies, but not before telling Fireheart that he is indeed the fire that was prophesied to save ThunderClan. After his leader's death, Fireheart looks at Graystripe. Graystripe dips his head in the deepest respect, and Fireheart is horrified because he realizes he is now the leader of ThunderClan, and has lost the easy friendship he shared with Graystripe.


 * ====The Darkest Hour ====


 * After Bluestar's death, he travels to the Moonstone with Cinderpelt for his leadership ceremony. He receives his first two lives from Lionheart (courage) and Redtail (justice). Then he thanks Fireheart for "Revealing the truth when no other cat could." His next four were from Silverstream (loyalty to what is right), Runningwind (energy), Brindleface (protection), and then Swiftpaw (mentoring). Fireheart apologizes to Swiftpaw; however he is seen as having no anger in his eyes, only "wisdom beyond his age." The ceremony then continues, and Fireheart receives his next two lives from Yellowfang (compassion) and Spottedleaf (love). She then tells Fireheart to "use it for the cats in your care -- especially Sandstorm," confirming that his love for Sandstorm and they becoming mates was okay with her. His final life is given to him by Bluestar, and with her life she gives him nobility, certainty, and faith. Once Firestar receives his leader name, the ceremony is interrupted with chanting and by a pile of cat and prey bones rising out of the ground. Bluestar then gives him this prophecy: "Four will become two, Lion and Tiger will meet in battle, and Blood will rule the forest."


 * Then blood flows out of the hill and he thinks he is going to be swept away by the rushing current. When he wakes up he imagines that he can still smell the stench of blood. On their way back they stop at the barn where Barley and Ravenpaw live and catch a few mice.


 * He gets back and Brackenfur wildly apologizes to him because he let Darkstripe, whom he was watching, out of his sight when Sorrelkit was fed the deathberries. Later, he exiles Darkstripe for his betrayal to ThunderClan, when he tried to kill Sorrelkit with deathberries after she had tracked him meeting up withBlackfoot, the ShadowClan deputy. Cloudtail complains about the cruelty of Lostface's name and asks if it could be changed. Firestar asks if that is possible and is told by Cloudtail if he thinks that Halftail and One-eye were born with those names, he's crazy. Firestar then goes to One-eye and is told how to perform the name-changing ceremony. Later, he renames Lostface as Brightheart.


 * Firestar and Sandstorm are apparent mates now. Though it is not directly stated until later books, Cinderpelt is in love with the ginger leader, though he never knows. She seems to flare up at Sandstorm a few times, but eventually the two warm up and become great friends.


 * Meanwhile, Tigerstar, leader of ShadowClan, tries to unite all four of the original Clans to form TigerClan. OnlyLeopardstar joins him, showing bad judgment as a leader. Tigerstar also brings BloodClan into the forest. He brings Scourge and BloodClan to a Gathering.


 * Scourge believes that Tigerstar is just a normal Clan leader, but then Firestar reveals to all the Clans, including BloodClan, Tigerstar's treachery, and Scourge then rips all of the ShadowClan leader's lives away when Tigerstar acts like Scourge is under his control.


 * Suddenly, Firestar realizes that Scourge is the real enemy. After wondering for a while what Scourge's weaknesses in battle are, Barley and Ravenpaw come to ThunderClan. Barley then tells him that he used to be a member of BloodClan, and that it was not a Clan at all, really, just a gang of vicious cats who fight for their own survival. Then Barley tells Firestar that Scourge's weakness is that he doesn't believe in StarClan. At first, Firestar is confused, until Barley explains that Scourge has one life, while Firestar has nine. Then, Firestar realizes how he can beat Scourge. He then convinces RiverClan's leader, Leopardstar and ShadowClan's leader, Blackfoot to join LionClan in the fight against BloodClan. They both agree, and the battle preparations began. He decides to teach the kits basic self-defense moves, and while training them, Sandstorm mentions how she would love to be Sorrelkit's mentor.


 * On the day of the battle, Firestar declines Scourge's offer, and the battle commences. Darkstripe is killed by Graystripe, and then that causes them to notice that Whitestorm is injured heavily by Bone, and Firestar rushes to his side. Whitestorm then tells Firestar that he knew he wanted Graystripe as his deputy. He then names Graystripe the new deputy, and when he asks if he's sure, Firestar responds, "Never surer."


 * Once he finds Scourge, the two begin battling. Scourge delivers a mortal blow to Firestar, causing him to lose the first of his nine lives. He is then met by Bluestar and Whitestorm, who inform him of his lost life. He then sees a faint outline of himself among the starry masses. Once he has healed, he goes back after Scourge. Scourge is blown away, as he believed Firestar to be dead. Firestar ends up killing Scourge, effectively ending the battle and ensuring peace in the forest at last.