"He knew at last what terrible creatures had attacked [Lostface]. He remembered that StarClan had warned Bluestar about a pack. Longtail had discovered the true nature of the evil in the forest, the force that had turned the cats into prey, the hunters into hunted. Not a single dog, separated from its Twolegs, but a whole pack of savage creatures. Fireheart could not imagine where they had come from, but he knew that StarClan would never have unleashed such destruction and risked the balance of life in the whole forest."
Fireheart's thoughts about the dogs
The plan to divert the dogs was carried out in A Dangerous Path, in which a trail of dead rabbits are carefully placed to lead to ThunderClan's camp by Tigerstar, for a pack of dogs to follow and kill the cats who resided there. After seeing the rabbits and smelling Tigerstar, Fireheart figures out what Tigerstar's objective is and begins to develop a plan that will stop the dogs from arriving to the camp.[9]
Soon after, Fireheart and the other Clan cats set out to put the plan into action, intending to lead the dogs over the gorge in RiverClan territory. At first, the plan works smoothly, until the pack leader catches up to Fireheart and grabs his scruff, shaking him violently.[10] Running up to the dog, Bluestar slams against the pack leader. The force of her impact makes the dog release Fireheart from its grip, and it falls over the edge of the gorge—but not before it grabs Bluestar's leg and brings her down with it.
When the dog and Bluestar hit the water, Bluestar begins to drown, but with the combined force of Mistyfoot, Stonefur, and Fireheart, they drag her out of the river. Despite Fireheart believing otherwise, Bluestar is dying. With her final words, she asks her two kits to forgive her, as they had spent their entire life believing that Graypool was their mother, until they found out Bluestar was actually their mother and had given them up to RiverClan. The two warriors forgive their dying mother, and Bluestar, after naming Fireheart the new leader of ThunderClan, lets go of the last life she had been clinging to.[4]
Summary
Premise
- Mousefur: "What do you think?"
- Fireheart: "I don't know. It looks as if there might be a dog loose in the forest, free from the Twolegs."
- A Dangerous Path, page 86
- Several cats, including warriors from WindClan and ThunderClan, report scenting dogs around ThunderClan's border alongside dead rabbits.[11] Despite the dog scent, the fact that rabbits—WindClan's main source of prey—are the animals being killed leads to accusations of the moor cats being thieves.[12] However, Fireheart stops a battle between the two Clans by enlisting the help of Ravenpaw, and assures the leaders of WindClan and ThunderClan that dogs are most likely the culprit of the prey-stealing.[13] Fireheart leads a patrol towards Snakerocks, where dog scent is fresh, and he and his Clanmates figure out that Tigerstar has been killing rabbits and laying them down to create a trail towards ThunderClan's camp.[9]
Overview
Fireheart felt his heart pounding wildly. He should have known his old enemy would be connected with the dark force that threatened the forest. Only StarClan knew how Tigerstar had found out that the dogs were at Snakerocks, but he was using them to destroy the Clan he hated. As he dashed through the trees, Fireheart was afraid that it might be too late to stop him.
Fireheart's thoughts about Tigerstar's plan
- Fireheart manages to stop a battle between WindClan and ThunderClan by having the respective leaders, Tallstar and Bluestar, meet and discuss the prey-stealing.[13] After, two apprentices, Swiftpaw and Brightpaw, attempt to investigate what is stealing all the prey, but they end up encountering dogs, who kill Swiftpaw and severely injure Brightpaw.[14] Fireheart then investigates the area in which they had been attacked and realizes that dogs are indeed hiding there, and that there is a trail for them to follow.[9] Fireheart and the ThunderClan cats develop a plan to lead the dogs to the gorge by outrunning them, but when Fireheart is caught by the pack leader, Bluestar rams the dog into the gorge, sacrificing herself to kill the pack leader and keep ThunderClan safe.[4]
Description
Reasoning with Bluestar
Have you forgotten how WindClan warriors stopped me from traveling to Highstones? And how they attacked you when you brought Cloudpaw home? They show no gratitude, none, for what ThunderClan did for them, when you and Graystripe brought them home from exile! Tallstar is working with StarClan against me! He has allied himself with my greatest enemy, and now he and his warriors invade my territory. He's a disgrace to the name of warrior; he...
Bluestar to Fireheart about WindClan
- Both Bluestar and Cinderpelt, ThunderClan's medicine cat, receive dreams of an eerie chant: "pack pack, kill kill." Fireheart initially disregards this warning, unable to think of any dangers.[15] Meanwhile, ThunderClan warriors find traces of a dog's presence in their territory, including dog scent and remnants of prey. Bluestar, however, refuses to believe this, and takes the evidence as a sign that WindClan has been stealing prey, arguing that dogs do not roam from their Twolegs.[11] During the following Gathering, Bluestar accuses WindClan of stealing rabbits from ThunderClan territory, using the logic that only WindClan eats rabbits. Tallstar denies the accusation and accuses ThunderClan of stealing prey from WindClan in turn, as WindClan has also found rabbit remains on their land, and he warns that WindClan will be ready to fight.[12] Bluestar plans to attack WindClan, but Fireheart, believing that it is an unnecessary and pointless battle, manages to enter WindClan's camp in order to speak to Tallstar. He tells Tallstar of Bluestar's plans and arranges a meeting at Fourtrees to discuss the matter in a peaceful manner, deciding to send Ravenpaw to give Bluestar a message.[16]
- Bluestar agrees to meet with Tallstar and leads a patrol to Fourtrees that night. Initially, Bluestar is suspicious that it is an invading party due to the size of Tallstar's patrol, but the meeting proceeds. Tallstar asks Bluestar if they can make peace, to which Bluestar calls WindClan prey-stealers and rogues, and tension rises between the two Clans. Tallstar swears that WindClan has not stolen ThunderClan's prey, reasoning that it may be dogs or rogues, and after some back and forth, Bluestar accepts Tallstar's words and sends her cats back to camp. Bluestar is furious at Fireheart for organizing the meeting behind her back and disobeying her orders and punishes him by allowing him to remain deputy, guiding the Clan that she perceives to be traitors.[13] The following day, Bluestar returns from the Moonstone, having received another warning from StarClan about a pack. Fireheart worries about its meaning despite Bluestar's dismissiveness, remembering the chant that Cinderpelt had told him about. He is alarmed by Bluestar's belief that the forest is doomed[17] and, worried that disaster is headed for them, attempts to prepare for a potential attack.[18]
Swiftpaw and Brightpaw
It's Swiftpaw. He... He was really angry that Bluestar wouldn't make him into a warrior. Last night he got all us apprentices together in the den. He said we'd never be warriors unless we did something so brave that Bluestar couldn't go on ignoring us anymore. [...] He said we ought to find out who has been killing prey in the forest. He said you didn't seem bothered about finding our enemy. He wanted us to go to Snakerocks because that's where most of the scraps of prey have been found. Swiftpaw thought we might pick up a trail.
Fernpaw to Fireheart about Swiftpaw's plan
- Fireheart is confronted by Longtail over Swiftpaw still being an apprentice, and Fireheart asks him to be patient until Bluestar recovers.[13] However, due to her delusion that ThunderClan is full of traitors, Bluestar refuses to hold warrior ceremonies for any apprentices except Cloudpaw, intrigued by his dismissal of StarClan. Specifically, she says that Swiftpaw has not proven himself and is untrustworthy. This development upsets the apprentices,[19] especially Swiftpaw, who decides to investigate Snakerocks and find the threat lurking there in order to prove himself worthy of being a warrior. He attempts to persuade his fellow apprentices to accompany him, but only Brightpaw agrees. Sneaking out in the middle of the night, they travel to Snakerocks and are attacked by unknown creatures, and Swiftpaw is savagely killed, while Brightpaw is severely injured.
- Informed by Fernpaw and Dustpelt about Swiftpaw's plans, Fireheart, Sandstorm, Cloudtail, and Graystripe head to Snakerocks and find the two apprentices. At first, they believe that Brightpaw is dead due to the extent of her injuries. However, she manages to whisper out, "pack pack, kill kill," the same message that Bluestar and Cinderpelt had received from StarClan.[14] Brightpaw is brought to camp while Swiftpaw is buried. Believing that Brightpaw is dying, Bluestar gives her a dying warrior ceremony, naming her Lostface out of anger towards StarClan. Cats are hesitant that Lostface will survive, but Cinderpelt works tirelessly to save her, although she cannot treat Lostface's missing eye, her shredded ears, and the missing half of her face. As a result of Lostface's trauma, she does not recall the incident and fears speaking of it.[20][21]
Tigerstar's plot
Not far from Fourtrees, on the far side of ThunderClan's territory, the river foamed between sheer-sided cliffs. The current was fast and strong, and there were sharp rocks concealed just under the surface. If cats had drowned there, why not dogs?
Fireheart's thoughts about leading the dogs to the gorge
- Longtail reports to Fireheart that he had scented Tigerstar at Snakerocks three times and requests for him to accompany him to Snakerocks. Fireheart believes that this is a trap for Longtail to corner him with Tigerstar, and he shoots down Longtail's idea. Longtail then goes to Whitestorm to try to tell him what he had found, and after Cinderpelt encourages him to listen to Longtail, Fireheart overhears him saying that dogs are living at Snakerocks. Longtail explains to him that there is an entire pack of dogs and that he had seen Tigerstar leaving a dead rabbit outside a cave entrance, where a savage dog had snatched it. He had then heard barking and growling and managed to understand the words as "pack pack, kill kill," the same words from Bluestar's and Cinderpelt's dreams and that Lostface had uttered. Realizing that the dog pack is the threat that StarClan had warned of and that Tigerstar is involved, Fireheart decides to take a patrol to Snakerocks at dawn the following day to figure out Tigerstar's plans.[22]
- Fireheart takes Whitestorm, Sandstorm, Longtail, Cloudtail, and Graystripe to investigate Snakerocks, finding rabbit remains and ShadowClan scent along the way, and Fireheart concludes that Tigerstar is killing prey and leaving it behind. The patrol continues to find more rabbits, and Fireheart soon pieces together that Tigerstar is using the rabbits to lure the dogs to the ThunderClan camp. The patrol races back to camp, fearing that the dogs are on their way there, and they find Brindleface's dead body at the entrance. Fireheart realizes that Tigerstar had killed her to attract the dogs,[9] and he hurriedly informs the Clan of their discovery and that they need to evacuate to Sunningrocks. He develops a plan to wait for the dogs to arrive and then lead them to the gorge in the hopes of drowning them, and he chooses Graystripe, Sandstorm, Mousefur, Longtail, Dustpelt, Fernpaw, and Ashpaw to participate. Darkstripe attempts to take Bramblepaw and Tawnypaw away, but Fireheart catches him and, realizing that the dark tabby is taking the apprentices to Tigerstar, orders them back to camp, asking Brackenfur to watch Darkstripe. When Bluestar wakes up, Fireheart explains the entire situation and informs her of his plan, and Bluestar hesitantly agrees to lead her Clan to Sunningrocks. Fireheart asks Whitestorm to look after her.[4]
The gorge and Bluestar's sacrifice
For the first time Fireheart wondered what he would do when he came to the gorge. He had imagined slipping aside at the last moment to let the unsuspecting dogs dash straight over the edge. Now he realized that might not work; the dogs were much, much closer than he had imagined. Perhaps he would have to leap over himself. If that's what it takes to save the Clan, then that's what I will do.
Fireheart's thoughts about how to get rid of the dogs
- Fireheart instructs Ashpaw and Fernpaw to run for the gorge when they see the dogs, and once Sandstorm has lead the dogs away, the apprentices must head to Sunningrocks. Once he has given every cat their orders, they head out and Fireheart positions each cat along the way to the gorge. Fireheart then warily heads into RiverClan territory and settles down to wait until Graystripe leads the dogs toward him, at which point Fireheart attracts them and begins leading them to the gorge, wondering how to get them over the edge. As he closes in on the gorge, something rams into him, and Fireheart finds himself pinned by Tigerstar.[10] Tigerstar stays long enough for the pack leader to get close and then flees, and before Fireheart can find his bearings, he is grabbed by the pack leader. The pack leader shakes Fireheart in his jaws and Fireheart fears that he and the rest of ThunderClan will die, until he is suddenly released. He sees Bluestar throw herself at the pack leader, saving Fireheart's life and forcing it to the gorge edge. He begins to fall as the ground gives way, but manages to grab Bluestar's leg and pull her down with him, and a few dogs fall after them before the rest flee into the forest.
- Realizing that Bluestar is still alive, Fireheart leaps into the raging river and tries to save her, grabbing her scruff and attempting to swim with her in his jaws, but she is too heavy for him. Mistyfoot and Stonefur suddenly arrive to help, guiding Bluestar to the shore with Fireheart following after. Fireheart hears Graystripe call out a warning, and the gray tom intercepts Tigerstar's approach, warning him back. The dying Bluestar begs for her kits' forgiveness for giving them up to RiverClan, and they forgive her, making amends with their mother. She then appoints Fireheart the new leader of ThunderClan, before closing her eyes and dying. Tigerstar leaves the scene, and with Mistyfoot and Stonefur offering their help in ThunderClan's recovery, Fireheart tells Graystripe that they need to go home.[4]
Characters
Fireheart
- Bluestar: "What is the point? StarClan has decreed that death will come. A dark force walks this forest, and even StarClan themselves cannot control it. Or will not. There is nothing we can do."
- Fireheart: "No. I won't believe that. There is always something that a cat can do, as long as he has courage and loyalty."
- A Dangerous Path, pages 178-179
- In the face of Bluestar's belief that ThunderClan is full of traitors, her illogical accusations against WindClan, and her dismissiveness toward any threat to ThunderClan, Fireheart stands firm and remains determined to protect his Clan.[11] He does everything in his power to find the source of the stolen prey and prove WindClan innocent, finally persuading Bluestar with Tallstar's help.[23][13] Despite Bluestar's dismissiveness, Fireheart works hard to find the dark force in the forest to protect ThunderClan.[17][18] When Longtail comes to him with information about Tigerstar and the dogs, Fireheart manages to push aside his distrust with Cinderpelt's encouragement and listen to the tabby's story, which allows him to investigate.[22] The first to figure out that Tigerstar's main objective is to send the dogs to massacre the ThunderClan cats, Fireheart orders the evacuation of the camp and comes up with the plan to lure the dogs to the gorge, taking control of the grave situation in spite of Bluestar's hopelessness.[9] Despite fearing for his life, he still takes the final stretch, but after Tigerstar pins him down and leaves him to be killed by the dogs, Bluestar saves his life. Fireheart attempts to rescue his drowning leader, but to no avail. Despite Bluestar's loss, Fireheart's plan saves ThunderClan from destruction.[4]
Lostface and Swiftpaw
I ask my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. She has learned the warrior code and has given up her life in the service of her Clan. Let StarClan receive her as a warrior. She will be known as Lostface, so that every cat knows what StarClan did to take her from us.
Bluestar holding Lostface's dying apprentice ceremony
- Distraught over not receiving his warrior name while Cloudtail does, Swiftpaw plans to head to Snakerocks to discover the threat, and Brightpaw accompanies him. They realize that dogs are living there and attempt to fight them, hoping to earn Bluestar's recognition and therefore, their warrior names. However, the battle turns tragic as the dogs slaughter Swiftpaw and maim Brightpaw, leaving her without an eye and with shredded ears.[14][20] Traumatized by the incident, she is too frightened to tell Fireheart about it.[21] She is named Lostface by Bluestar,[20] but Firestar changes her name to Brightheart later on to honor her bravery.[24]
Tigerstar
- Tigerstar: "Greet StarClan for me."
- Fireheart: "Only after you!"
- A Dangerous Path, page 303
- Due to his bitterness over being exiled from his birth Clan and his inability to take over leadership, Tigerstar trains a dog pack and attempts to unleash them on his hated rivals.[9] However, Fireheart thwarts his plan by luring the dogs over to the gorge. Unable to give up victory just yet, Tigerstar attempts to interfere, pinning Fireheart down just when the dogs seem to be catching up to him. Tigerstar saves his own life by leaping away just in time, but much to his dismay, Bluestar rescues Fireheart, and after the death of the pack leader and two other dogs, the pack retreats, unable to finish Tigerstar's goal of massacring the ThunderClan cats.[4]
Bluestar
When I saw the Clan at Sunningrocks, the strong helping the weak...and I knew you and the others had gone to confront the pack...I knew my Clan was loyal. I knew StarClan had not turned their backs on us. I knew... I knew that I could not leave you to face the danger alone.
Bluestar to Fireheart
- Originally, Bluestar refuses to believe that the prey-stealers are dogs, instead pinning the blame on WindClan due to her mind being ravaged by her war against StarClan,[12] though Fireheart and Tallstar are able to persuade her otherwise.[13] After StarClan warns her again of an evil force in the forest, she is dismissive and does not believe that it is worth fighting.[17] Following a battle with RiverClan over Sunningrocks, Bluestar makes Cloudpaw a warrior, impressed with his lack of belief in StarClan, which influences Swiftpaw and Brightpaw to check out Snakerocks.[19] This results in Swiftpaw's death and Brightpaw's maiming,[14] and Bluestar gives Brightpaw the name Lostface as an act of defiance against StarClan.[20] When Fireheart finally proves that the dog pack is a threat, Bluestar agrees to lead her Clan to Sunningrocks as their leader.[25] Upon seeing her Clanmates helping each other, Bluestar gains clarity at last and follows Fireheart, saving his life from the pack leader. Bluestar is rescued from the river by Stonefur, Mistyfoot, and Fireheart, but is unable to recover from the amount of water in her lungs. Giving her last life to ThunderClan to protect them against the dogs, she is able to make peace with her children and StarClan at last.[4]
Strategy
- After figuring out that Tigerstar's plan is to lead the group of dogs to camp, Fireheart evacuates ThunderClan and sends them to shelter at Sunningrocks.[25] Fireheart then figures out how to divert the pack away from ThunderClan's territory—to set up another scent trail for them to follow, which will send them over the gorge. He places cats at regular intervals towards the gorge: first, Ashpaw and Fernpaw are to wait at the top of the ravine until the dogs reach ThunderClan's camp. They are then to run to the gorge, and once they see Sandstorm, they are expected to climb a tree. Fireheart places Sandstorm at the next interval, then Longtail, Dustpelt, Mousefur, Graystripe, and lastly, Fireheart himself. Once the dogs reach Graystripe, Fireheart will run straight to the gorge and lure the dogs over.[10]
Aftermath
- The death of Swiftpaw is a particularly hard blow for the Clan, especially for his mentor, Longtail, his mother, Goldenflower, and Brightheart.[20] The pack leader and a few other dogs drown in the gorge and ThunderClan is able to safely return home.[4][26] The loss of Bluestar is devastating,[27] but her sacrifice leaves everlasting ripples in ThunderClan's history and results in Firestar being named the new leader of ThunderClan.[28] Thornpaw is finally made a warrior, Thornclaw, and Lostface gets her name changed to Brightheart.[24] Although she is still forced to live with the terrible scars the dogs had given her, she eventually accepts herself for who she is with Cloudtail's support.[29] Scourge had known Tigerstar's plans of the dogs all along, and once he finds out that they had been thwarted, he admonishes Tigerstar for his failure.[30]
Legacy
- Dogs continue to be feared, and the sacrifice Bluestar made is still remembered by the Clans.[source?] When dogs invade WindClan territory in the lake territories, ThunderClan remembers the incident with the pack in their old camp. They are afraid that it may be on the same level of severity, but they find out it is not, although the memory will still live with them.[31] Brightheart's face is often a grisly reminder for the cats of the chaos the dog pack had sowed.[32]
Quotes
Pack, pack. Kill, kill.
Brightpaw
- Longtail: "Dogs, Fireheart. A whole pack of them. I told you I scented Tigerstar over at Snakerocks. I...I thought I should warn him about the danger there—and I wanted to know what he was doing so far into ThunderClan territory. Well, I found out."
- Fireheart: "Go on."
- A Dangerous Path, pages 272-273
[Longtail's] fear convinced Fireheart. He had been expecting an attempt by Tigerstar to steal the kits, but this was something far more complicated. How could he ever have imagined that the ShadowClan leader would give up his grudge against ThunderClan? He realized that he should have been more afraid of Tigerstar all along. Somehow he was linked to the dark force in the forest. Yet Fireheart didn't know what Tigerstar wanted with the dogs, or what advantage he could gain by feeding them.
Fireheart's thoughts
- Fireheart: "Where are the dogs?"
- Longtail: "In the cave. That's where I saw Tigerstar leave the rabbit yesterday."
- A Dangerous Path, page 284
- Fireheart: "That's it! We'll steal the trail. We'll steal the trail!"
- Sandstorm: "What do you mean?"
- A Dangerous Path, pages 290-291
With the death of the lead dog, the threat of the pack had gone from the forest, and his Clan was waiting for him, safe, at Sunningrocks.
Fireheart's thoughts
Notes and references
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 Revealed in A Dangerous Path, page 291
- ↑ Revealed in A Dangerous Path, page 6
- ↑ Revealed in A Dangerous Path, page 301
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 4.8 Revealed in A Dangerous Path, chapter 27
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 Revealed in A Dangerous Path, page 300
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Revealed in A Dangerous Path, page 311
- ↑ Revealed in A Dangerous Path, page 305
- ↑ Revealed in A Dangerous Path, page 304
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5 Revealed in A Dangerous Path, chapter 24
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 Revealed in A Dangerous Path, chapter 26
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 Revealed in A Dangerous Path, chapter 8
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 Revealed in A Dangerous Path, chapter 10
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 13.4 13.5 Revealed in A Dangerous Path, chapter 14
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 Revealed in A Dangerous Path, chapter 19
- ↑ Revealed in A Dangerous Path, chapter 3
- ↑ Revealed in A Dangerous Path, chapter 13
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 Revealed in A Dangerous Path, chapter 15
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 Revealed in A Dangerous Path, chapter 16
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 Revealed in A Dangerous Path, chapter 18
- ↑ 20.0 20.1 20.2 20.3 20.4 Revealed in A Dangerous Path, chapter 20
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 Revealed in A Dangerous Path, chapter 21
- ↑ 22.0 22.1 Revealed in A Dangerous Path, chapter 23
- ↑ Revealed in A Dangerous Path, chapter 9
- ↑ 24.0 24.1 Revealed in The Darkest Hour, chapter 9
- ↑ 25.0 25.1 Revealed in A Dangerous Path, chapter 25
- ↑ Revealed in The Darkest Hour, chapter 1
- ↑ Revealed in The Darkest Hour, chapter 2
- ↑ Revealed in The Darkest Hour, chapter 4
- ↑ Revealed in Secrets of the Clans, page 14
- ↑ Revealed in The Darkest Hour, chapter 19
- ↑ Revealed in The Sight, chapter 21
- ↑ Revealed in The Sight, chapter 8