Into the Wild

Graypaw, Ravenpaw, and Firepaw all excel in their hunting assessment. At camp, the kits from the nursery watch the apprentices in awe as they return laden with prey, making Firepaw glow with pride. Bluestar summons Firepaw unexpectedly; Tigerclaw has reported Firepaw’s meeting with Smudge to her. Bluestar questions Firepaw’s commitment to ThunderClan, and Firepaw, aghast, assures her that this is his home now. He tells Bluestar that seeing Smudge reminded him of what his own life could have been and how grateful he is to be an apprentice warrior of ThunderClan. Bluestar accepts this, and their conversation shifts to Yellowfang; Yellowfang has spoken highly of Firepaw to Bluestar, and Firepaw glows as he realizes he feels the same toward the crotchety old she-cat. Bluestar likes Yellowfang as well but still sees her as a potential enemy; for now, Yellowfang must remain a prisoner. As a reward for their superb hunting, Bluestar invites Firepaw, Graypaw, and Ravenpaw to attend the Gathering that night. As Firepaw and his friends excitedly anticipate their very first Gathering, a dark thought suddenly occurs to Firepaw—could Tigerclaw have sent him to the Twolegplace on purpose? Does Tigerclaw doubt Firepaw’s loyalty to ThunderClan?

Firepaw mingles with RiverClan and ShadowClan cats for the first time at the Gathering at Fourtrees. He sees ShadowClan’s leader, Brokenstar, for the first time; the dark tom gives Firepaw an uncomfortable feeling. Firepaw listens to Lionheart’s stories about the mythical big-cat Clans that roamed the forests before the four present Clans and gave them traits like speed and hunting prowess—TigerClan, LionClan, and LeopardClan. An undersized ShadowClan apprentice listens as well; Firepaw thinks that the apprentice looks too young to be six moons, the minimum age for apprenticeship. When Lionheart questions the ShadowClan apprentice, he asserts that he is of age but does not meet Lionheart’s eyes, and Firepaw notices that all the other ShadowClan apprentices look very young too. Firepaw overhears Ravenpaw animatedly recounting the battle of Sunningrocks where Redtail died; however, according to Ravenpaw, it was Redtail who killed Oakheart, not Tigerclaw. Firepaw is confused; he notices Tigerclaw watching Ravenpaw from the shadows with a look of horror and fury. Before Firepaw has time to contemplate this further, Brokenstar calls the Gathering to order—although WindClan is ominously absent. Brokenstar demands hunting rights in the other Clans’ territories, to the outrage of all assembled, citing his Clan’s increasing numbers as justification. Brokenstar threatens to run the other Clans out of their territories as he did WindClan if they refuse him. Crookedstar, RiverClan’s leader, acquiesces, but Bluestar does not. Before the Gathering concludes, Brokenstar warns the other Clans that one of ShadowClan’s members recently broke the warrior code and was driven out; he says kits are not safe around this cat. ThunderClan immediately realizes Brokenstar is alluding to Yellowfang. Sensing his Clanmates’ rancor, Firepaw races back to camp; he needs to hear the truth from Yellowfang before the others reach her. Firepaw is conflicted over whether his actions constitute disloyalty, but nonetheless he hurries onward.

Yellowfang is already awake when Firepaw arrives back at camp; she anticipated that Brokenstar would defame her at the Gathering. Firepaw believes in Yellowfang’s innocence and tries to convince her to run, but the old she-cat is resolute: she will remain and face Bluestar’s judgment. Firepaw’s faith in her is enough for Yellowfang. But it’s not Bluestar that Firepaw worries about—it’s Tigerclaw. Yellowfang says that Tigerclaw is arrogant and knows the influence he has on the other cats, who all admire him, but even he must heed Bluestar. Firepaw’s Clanmates return, and despite their animosity toward Yellowfang, Bluestar allows her to stay. She reminds the Clan that Yellowfang has committed no injury to them thus far and that their true enemy is ShadowClan. ThunderClan must prepare to face them alone; they can count on no alliance with RiverClan or WindClan. Bluestar plans to journey to the Moonstone, an underground cave far beyond the Clans’ territories where leaders and medicine cats receive direct guidance from StarClan. Graypaw tells Firepaw that the journey to the Moonstone is essential for an apprentice to become a warrior; accordingly, Bluestar selects Firepaw, Graypaw, and Ravenpaw to accompany her there, along with Tigerclaw. Firepaw goes to Spottedleaf for traveling herbs to prepare them for their journey the next day; she nuzzles his head affectionately before he leaves her den. Outside, Firepaw notices Tigerclaw speaking sharply to Ravenpaw in a corner of the camp; Firepaw can’t hear their words, but Ravenpaw seems terrified and flees from Tigerclaw. Firepaw’s thoughts turn toward the journey to the Moonstone and the events of the Gathering, and the strange conversation between Tigerclaw and Ravenpaw vanishes from his mind.