Fire and Ice Chapter 30
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Original
Tigerclaw addresses the warriors with a fierce hiss, and orders Whitestorm to wait for his battlecry. He tells Onewhisker to lead them through the WindClan camp. Onewhisker races down the slope, Tigerclaw after him, with Darkstripe right behind the deputy. Fireheart follows Darkstripe into the tunnel leading to WindClan. Graystripe and the other warriors stay at the top of the slope, as the fresh wave of warriors to strike after the initial attack.
Fireheart notes that the last time he had been there in search of a scent trail; now the clearing was swarming with fighting cats. Onewhisker had been right, as WindClan are greatly outnumbered. More ShadowClan and RiverClan warriors wait at the end of the clearing, although WindClan has no backup cats. The whole Clan, including apprentices, elders, and queens, are fighting.
Fireheart sees Morningflower wrestling a ShadowClan warrior. Howling, Fireheart jumps onto the ShadowClan tom's shoulder, and clings onto the surprised warrior, who tries to shake him off. Morningflower rakes him with her claws as Fireheart drags him to the ground. The ShadowClan warrior screeches and escapes, running through the prickly camp wall. Morningflower gives Fireheart a grateful glance, then returns to battle.
Fireheart looks around, shaking drops of blood from his nose. Fresh RiverClan and ShadowClan patrols have joined the fight. ThunderClan's arrival had evened out the numbers for a while, but the second party is needed. Tigerclaw's battle cry is heard, and a moment later Whitestorm comes into the clearing, followed by Graystripe and the rest of the ThunderClan warriors.
Fireheart grabs a RiverClan warrior, tripping him with one paw and holding him down with the other. Fireheart rolls him over and thrashes at his belly with hind claws. The RiverClan tom leaps away and crashes into Onewhisker who rears and attacks the tom without pausing. Fireheart leaves him to finish the fight.
A hiss catches Fireheart's attention, and he sees Graystripe fighting Wetfoot, who had helped rid ShadowClan of Brokenstar. Both are well matched, and Graystripe thrusts Wetfoot away with his back legs, spinning around and looking for another cat to attack. Fireheart sees a RiverClan warrior behind his friend, and wonders if Graystripe would attack of one of Silverstream's Clanmates. Graystripe leaps, but jumps over the RiverClan cat's head, landing on another ShadowClan member's back instead.
Fireheart hears Tigerclaw call his name, and sees the deputy at other end of clearing, where all the Clans are fighting. As he goes to Tigerclaw, Fireheart feels Leopardfur grasp his hind leg and pull him down. Fireheart throws her off and flips on his back. Leopardfur rears up and comes down on Fireheart's exposed belly. He sees Tigerclaw watching him, but despite Fireheart's cries for help, the dark warrior doesn't move. Fireheart draws back his hind legs, and pushes up against Leopardfur's belly. The deputy looks shocked as his kick flings her halfway across clearing. Fireheart struggles to paws and glares angrily and painfully at Tigerclaw. Tigerclaw meets gaze with undisguised hatred and leaps into the thick of the battle.
A blow on back of Fireheart's head knocks him off balance, he sees Stonefur, who prepares to aim another swipe. Fireheart ducks out of way and shoves Stonefur into Whitestorm, who whips around and grasps the RiverClan tom by his scruff. Fireheart tries to help the white-furred warrior, but claws digging into his haunches holds him back. He twists around to see Silverstream. Fireheart knows she doesn't recognize him. She prepares to swipe at him, and Fireheart braces himself, but hears Graystripe calling for Silverstream to stop. The RiverClan she-cat hesitates, shaking her head, then recognizes Fireheart with a silent gasp, and she drops back down to four paws. However, Fireheart reacts instinctively, and without thinking leaps onto she-cat's back and pins her to ground. She doesn't struggle as he prepares to give her a bite on the shoulder. But Fireheart raises his head, feeling Graystripe's eyes bare into him, watching in horror. The look of pain and disbelief brings Fireheart to his senses as he stops, sheaths his claws, and loosens his grip on Silverstream. The she-cat slips away and disappears into surrounding gorse, Graystripe racing after here.
Fireheart's eyes meet Darkstripe's on other side of clearing. The ginger warrior hears Runningwind, who is graplling with Nightstar howl, and Fireheart darts to his Clanmate's side.
