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. He died as helived, Fireheart, a few seasons before you came to join us, attacking a RiverClan patrol on the border.Wildand arrogant to the last.I couldn t stand by and let him destroy my Clan. Did you give the kits to Oakheart yourself? Yes.I spoke to him at a Gathering, and he agreed to take them.So one night I crept out of the campand took them to the Sunningrocks.Oakheart was waiting, and he took two of them across the river. Two of them? Fireheart was startled. You mean there were more than two? There were three. Bluestar bowed her head; her mew was scarcely audible. The third kit was tooweak to cope with the journey.He died with me, by the river. What did you tell the rest of the Clan? Fireheart thought back to the Gathering, when Patchpelt hadsaid only that Bluestar had lost her kits. I& I made it look as if they had been taken from the nursery by a fox or a badger.I tore a hole in thenursery wall just before I left, and when I came back, I said that I had been hunting and had left my kitssleeping safely. Her whole body trembled, and Fireheart could tell that confessing to this lie was causingBluestar more pain than losing a life. Every cat searched, she went on. And I searched too, even though I knew there was no hope offinding them.The Clan was devastated for me. She dropped her head onto her paws.Forgetting for amoment that she was his leader, Fireheart crossed the floor of the den and gave Bluestar s ears a gentle lick.Once again he remembered his dream, and the faceless queen who had faded away, leaving her kits tocry for her.He had thought the queen was Silverstream, but now he realized she was Bluestar as well.Thedream had been both prophecy and Clan memory. Why are you sharing this with me? he asked.When Bluestar looked up, Fireheart could hardly bear to see the sorrow in her eyes. For many seasons I put the kits out of my mind, she answered. I became deputy, and then leader,and my Clan needed me.But lately, with the floods, and the danger to RiverClan and your discoveries,Fireheart, making me hear again what I knew very well already& And now another pair of kits who are halfRiverClan, half ThunderClan.Perhaps this time I can make better decisions. But why tell me? Fireheart repeated. Perhaps after so long I want a cat to know the truth, meowed Bluestar with a slight frown. I thinkyou of all cats might understand, Fireheart.Sometimes there are no right choices. But Fireheart was not sure that he understood at all.His mind was whirling.On one paw he couldpicture the young warrior, Bluefur, fiercely ambitious, determined to do the best for her Clan, even if it meantunimaginable sacrifices.On the other, he saw a mother grieving for the kits she had abandoned so long ago.And what was probably more real to him than either, the gifted leader who had done what she felt was bestand borne the pain of it alone. I won t tell another cat, he promised, realizing how much she must trust him to have revealed hersecrets to him like this.125 of 167 6/26/2009 8:00 PM WarriorsForestofSecrets file:///H:/E-Books/E/Erin%20Hunter/Erin%20Hunter%20%5BWarriors. Thank you, Fireheart, she replied. There are difficult times ahead of us.The Clan doesn t need moretrouble. She rose to her paws and stretched as if she had been curled up in a long sleep. Now I must speakwith Tigerclaw.And you, Fireheart, had better go and find your friend. The sun was beginning to sink, turning the river into a ribbon of reflected fire, as Fireheart returned tothe Sunningrocks.Graystripe crouched beside a patch of freshly turned earth at the top of the riverbank, hisgaze fixed on the blazing water. I buried her on the shore, he whispered as Fireheart padded up and sat down beside him. She lovedthe river. He raised his head to where the first stars of Silverpelt were beginning to appear. She hunts withStarClan now, he mewed softly. Someday I ll find her again, and we ll be together. Fireheart was unable to speak.He pressed himself more closely to Graystripe s side, and the two catscrouched there in silence as the bloodred light faded. Where did you take the kits? Graystripe meowed at last. They should have been buried with her. Buried? Fireheart echoed. Graystripe, didn t you know? The kits are alive. Graystripe stared at him, jaws gaping, his golden eyes beginning to glow. They re alive Silverstream skits my kits? Fireheart, where are they? In the ThunderClan nursery. Fireheart gave him a quick lick. Goldenflower is suckling them. But she won t keep them will she? Does she know they re Silverstream s? The whole Clan knows, Fireheart told him reluctantly. Tigerclaw saw to that.But Goldenflowerdoesn t blame the kits, and neither does Bluestar.They ll be cared for, Graystripe; they really will. Graystripe scrambled to his paws, moving stiffly after his long vigil
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