Whitestorm could hardly hear anything over the crackling of the fire. Not the birds usually chirping their songs, not the gentle breeze rustling the grass.

And not the scream of Thistleclaw as Bluestar tried to strangle him.

The two cats lay unconscious, one from lack of air and one from too much smoke. Whitestorm approached cautiously, feeling like he would join them soon. Heat burned at his long pelt, making him burning hot and the smoke around him made him feel like fainting.

He lay down beside his father, nuzzling his stomach. He could barely breathe, taking small breaths so he wouldn't inhale too much smoke.

"He's not dead," he choked out emotionally.

Tigerclaw scowled from nearby. "Neither is she."

Whitestorm looked at the RiverClan leader, gaze hardening. His claws sunk into the ground and he stared at his aunt in hatred. The aunt who had made him miserable once she left. The aunt who was responsible for her mother's death.

He almost wished she were dead.

Shakily, Whitestorm got to his paws. "We have to get them out of there," he wheezed. "Tigerclaw, help me."

Tigerclaw inhaled sharply. "You're going to bring her to safety? She tried to kill Thistleclaw. She doesn't deserve us carrying her to the sunningrocks."

"She's a leader," Whitestorm meowed calmly. "She has nine lives. If we left her here, she'd just leave on her own. We'd seem like better cats if we took her back."

Tigerclaw snorted. "Fine, mister diplomat," he hissed, grabbing onto the she-cat's scruff.

Whitestorm quietly grabbed onto his father's scruff and dragged him into the bushes. He coughed and hacked as they went off into the forest, slowly making their way through the licking flames to sunningrocks.

--

Bluestar woke up, hacking and coughing as she woke up. Were Thistleclaw and Sunstar dead? Had she killed him and saved the Clans? It must've just been a dream.

She looked around. She was on one of the sunningrocks with RiverClan and ThunderClan and it was pouring. She moved her head weakly and saw Thistleclaw's weak body next to Sunstar. With a wheeze, she got up to her paws and stared down at him. She couldn't kill him in front of everyone, and he'd immediately go and get his nine lives.

Bluestar hung her head. She had failed. Failed Moonflower and Snowfur and ThunderClan. She looked up to see Whitestorm glaring at her icily. He stalked over with his tail lashing. "I let you live. If I left you, you would have been stripped of your nine lives because of the smoke. I will make you pay for almost killing my father. But not now."

Bluestar watched the white tom, terrified. "I'm sorry, the smoke was-"

"The smoke should've tried harder," Whitestorm hissed, turning on the leader and padding off, over to Tigerclaw.

Bluestar's ears flattened. She felt a pelt press against her and purred. "Hey, Oakheart."

"I was so worried about you! Are you alright?" Her mate fretted, giving her a quick lick on the cheek. "Did you hear what happened to Sunstar? He inhaled too much smoke."

Bluestar nodded. "I was there," she whispered. "I'll tell you later."

Eyes full of concern, Oakheart nodded. "Anyways," he meowed more briskly. "This is Firepaw, a new apprentice of ThunderClan. Apparently, he was a kittypet!"

Rusty- no, Firepaw- dipped his head to Bluestar. "We've met," he meowed swiftly.

Bluestar dipped her head. "Pleased that ThunderClan let you into their camp, Firepaw. Who's your mentor?"

Firepaw puffed out his chest fur, the glint of pride in his eyes. "Whitestorm is!"

Bluestar purred. "He'll be a great mentor. I think you'll turn into a great ThunderClan warrior, Firepaw. I'm scared of getting into a fight with you!"

Firepaw smiled curtly. "Thank you. I'd better be going to help my Clan. Goldenflower inhaled quite a bit of smoke."

Bluestar watched, her approving expression evaporating as he turned away. She turned to Oakheart and teasingly rolled her eyes. Oakheart snickered in return. He looked at Firepaw as he walked over to Whitestorm and the two spoke in low and quiet voices. Bluestar licked her stinging paw that was burned in the fire, watching the cats of ThunderClan and RiverClan talk and help each other. She lay down. Thistleclaw will destroy this peace, she thought grimly. I know he will.

Next to Bluestar, Thistleclaw began to stir. He got to his paws with a shuddering cough, then turned and stared at the RiverClan leader, hatred brimming in his amber eyes. "You..."

Bluestar's tail lashed, and she leaned in close to her enemy. "If you dare tell anyone about when I didn't kill you, I'll tell everyone about when you killed Sunstar and Crookedjaw and Thrushpelt," she spat, eyes blazing.

Thistleclaw's mouth twisted into a sneer. "I was helping my Clan. It was a sunningrocks battle."

Bluestar snorted, taking a step back. "You can try that excuse all you want, but it will never work," she hissed.

Thistleclaw stared at her for a few moments longer, snarling. Raising his voice, he began to speak. "The fire has wounded us, ThunderClan! But we will stay strong with no other Clan's help. I will be off to the moonstone with Spottedleaf right now to get my nine lives. When I am back, we will rebuild this Clan!"

His last words were raised into a yowl, and the cats of ThunderClan began to chant.

"Thistleclaw! Thistleclaw!" They cheered, eyes shining with hope.

Bluestar dipped her head to the grey tom. "Good luck at the moonstone," she mewed through gritted teeth.

Thistleclaw gave her a dazzling grin, the hatred in his eyes contrasting the smile. "Thank you, Bluestar. And thank you, RiverClan, for saving us. You can leave now."

Bluestar's eyes narrowed as Thistleclaw's tail flicked dismissively. "Are you sure you don't need assistance with your Clan?" She asked kindly.

Thistleclaw's fur bristled. "Of course not," he meowed levelly. "You may leave us now. Whitestorm can escort you. Spottedleaf, let's go."

Bluestar dipped her head as Whitestorm reluctantly padded over to her. "We can get ourselves over the rocks and to our territory," she meowed.

Whitestorm, relieved, nodded and padded away.

--

As the patrol of RiverClan cats padded through their territory, Bluestar heard a rustle in the bushes. She turned and saw Willowpelt with her kits following her. The queen's head hung.

"I want to come with you and join RiverClan."