Stormfur and the other cats work on traversing the mountains. It is hard going and there seems to be only one path - and they are not even sure it is the right one. Stormfur is worried about Tawnypelt, whose shoulder seems to be bothering her. They decide to take a break to hunt and rest. Stormfur tries to talk to Feathertail about Crowpaw but she won't hear anything. She insists that things are going to change, the four clans will become one just like them, and she and Crowpaw will get to be together. Stormfur doesn't think it will be like that at all, but he says nothing. The cats continue their hard journey. They reach a point where they are stuck and cannot go back but there seems to be no way forward. Then they see a stream off to the side and are able to jump to it. They follow the stream but it overflows and sends them over a waterfall.
Leafpaw suddenly bursts through the water in shock. She fell in to the RiverClan river while Mothwing was trying to teach her how to fish. Mothwing catches her a fish to eat and she guiltily gobbles it down. They scent Hawkfrost and Leafpaw hides. Hawkfrost talks to Mothwing about how he believes both WindClan and ThunderClan are stealing from them. Mothwing says it does not matter what goes on in other clans so long as RiverClan is safe. Hawkfrost tells her she is a fool, that if the other clans are in trouble they can easily take over the forest and rule it. Mothwing is disgusted and accuses him of being like Tigerstar. He responds that there are worse cars to imitate. Mothwing points out that Tigerstar failed but Hawkfrost counters that he will learn from Tigerstar's mistakes. Mothwing leads Hawkfrost away and Leafpaw suddenly realizes who Hawkfrost reminds her of in his looks - Brambleclaw. Graystripe and Firestar appear and Leafpaw tries to find out who fathered Hawkfrost and Mothwing but they don't know. Leafpaw suddenly feels Squirrelpaw and is able to assure the two fathers that she believes their kits are fine.
Stormfur awakens and sees his friends around him. He knows they should move to shelter but he feels too beat up. He realizes that there are other cats, streaked with mud, surrounding them. He wakes his group up and the strange cats confront them. They offer to take the clan cats to their tribe so they might rest.
Dustpelt had found proof that WindClan is stealing prey. Firestar takes a party to go and speak with Tallstar, but Tallstar is not happy to see them.
The cats enter a cave and Stormfur feels like everyone is staring at him specifically. They meet Stoneteller, who is both medicine cat and leader for his tribe. As they move among the cats they realize that the tribe is both the same and different from their own clans. They also realize that even though the cats deny it, they are terrified of something.
Okay, I was unsure of this side quest involving a strange tribe of cats, but now I am curious. They seem to have decided that Stormfur is their promised savior, but Feathertail has gray fur too. Actually, I thought Feathertail looked more like Silverstream and Stormfur like Graystripe but maybe I am misremembering this. But it is interesting to see cats that are both exactly the same and yet exactly opposite at the same time.
As for Hawkfrost, I see his ambition is slowly beginning to be revealed - but, to be honest, it is a bit disappointing. If he and his sister are Tigerstar's children, then they have a hard enough time escaping their father's memory without being evil as well. It is almost like Hawkfrost inherited his father's evil instead of being his own person. Still, I do want to see where this story goes. I would like to see one where an heir of Tigerstar realizes the error of his ways instead of blindly following the same path. A redemption arc - that is my kind of story.
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