dawn: part six

The cats continue on their journey. Squirrelpaw is out hunting. Things are getting harder for the clans. Stormfur is trying to find the tribe cats. When she goes to attack a falcon another cat attacks her instead. It is Talon of the tribe. He is happy to see her but upset when he finds out that she and the clans are trying to cross the mountains this time of year. He insists that everyone must come to the cave. They reach the clans in time to see an eagle attack. They chase the eagle off. Stormfur comes running up to say he has scented the tribe only to find them already there. The tribe cats lead them to the waterfall.

Leafpaw is excited to learn about the similarities between the clans and the tribe. Stoneteller even shows her and Cinderpelt the Cave of the Pointed Stones. That night while Leafpaw sleeps Spottedleaf visits her. In the morning she tells Cinderpelt, who is glad that StarClan is speaking to them. The snow is bad so the cats need to stay for a bit. They help with the hunting and Leafpaw talks more with Stoneteller. That night Stoneteller holds a feast with the tribe and the clans in honor of Feathertail and her friends. Tallstar names Crowpaw a warrior and Crowpaw makes the request that his name be Crowfeather in honor of Feathertail. Tallstar agrees. Crowfeather sits vigil and as Leafpaw watches him she thinks she sees Feathertail and Silverstream.

Squirrelpaw and Stormfur go hunting before it is time to leave. While out Stormfur tells her that he is leaving RiverClan. He has lost his father and sister, he wants to be with Brook now. Squirrelpaw is upset. Brambleclaw asks her what is wrong and she tells him. As they talk she realizes that Brambleclaw mistakes her sorrow for heartbreak. She tells him that Stormfur is a friend and it is he she is in love with. The clans are ready to leave and Stormfur announces he is staying and Leopardstar lets him. The cats exit the mountains unsure where they are going next.

As they travel Leafpaw and Sorreltail talk about where they are. It is a good place to make a new home but they have not recieved a sign from StarClan yet. The cats are unsure what to do and Cinderpelt has Leafpaw confess to her dream - a dream of water with silverpelt reflected in it with Spottedleaf nearby. As the cats start to move along Leafpaw sees a vision of silverpelt reflected in water and knows they have found their new home.

I am surprised that Stormfur went with the tribe now - I figured it wouldn't happen until book six - but I am not surprised by his choice. This is where Feathertail is buried and Brook lives. Even if Graystripe were here, despite how close he is to his father I think he would have left.

I am glad the story of their journey is over with. I wonder now how things will play out. My guess still is Hawkfrost.

A final note - and I did mean to say this earlier but I forgot - I cannot believe that Firestar and Cloudtail left without saying goodbye to Princess. She was constantly in the shadows in the other books and here she never gets a voice or to say goodbye - or even to know what happened to her brother and son. I hope a goodbye happened off the page and just was not mentioned to us.