After listening to Brambleclaw's report, Leafpaw goes looking for Squirrelflight. Suddenly she feels a stabbing pain and knows that something is wrong with her sister. She finds Squirrelflight speaking to a group of cats about the camp she found so she cannot speak to her now. Cinderpelt calls to all of the cats to discuss where to hold the next Gathering. Mothwing excitedly describes the island but her idea is quickly shot down by the other clans. Hawkfrost interrupts to say that perhaps the island would make a good camp for RiverClan leading to a public argument between him and Mistyfoot, much to Leopardstar's horror and embarrassment. Leopardstar tells Hawkfrost he can take a patrol to the island and they will discuss the camp later. Leafpaw is shocked to see Hawkfrost so openly challenge Mistyfoot. Cinderpelt quickly turns talk back to the Gathering. Firestar suggests coming back to where they are now until a better place can be found and the other cats agree. The one clan starts to break up and become one. Leafpaw sees Crowfeather arguing with a WindClan elder named Rushtail. Crowfeather is trying to get him to move to the WindClan side of the clearing, and he is refusing. Leafpaw offers to help but Crowfeather tells her he does not need the help of a ThunderClan cat. Squirrelflight overhears this and tells Crowfeather to be nicer to her sister. Crowfeather apologizes, and the ThunderClan cats move on, Leafpaw wishing she could heal his broken heart somehow.
Brambleclaw tries to sleep without Squirrelflight beside him. Barkface wakes him, asking for Firestar, and Brambleclaw realizes that Tallstar must be close to dying. Brambleclaw gets Firestar while Barkface goes to find Onewhisker. They reach Tallstar and Brambleclaw tries to leave but Tallstar stops him. He thanks Firestar for everything that he has done for WindClan and then tells Firestar that Brambleclaw would make a worthy deputy. Firestar says nothing and Brambleclaw realizes he would like to be deputy and then leader one day. Tallstar asks for Onewhisker and Brambleclaw goes to find him. He finds Onewhisker heading back to camp with damp moss for Tallstar to drink. He brings Onewhisker before Tallstar who appoints him his new deputy, saying that peace is what is needed and Mudclaw will not bring that. Onewhisker is horrified and Brambleclaw is worried since the correct ceremony was not followed. Tallstar dies. Barkface arrives and Onewhisker tries to back out of Tallstar's dying wish. Barkface is surprised to hear what Tallstar did but both he and Firestar tell Onewhisker he must do as his leader wishes. Firestar and Onewhisker go to speak before the clans but before they can tell the cats exactly what happened Mudclaw angrily interrupts.
Brambleclaw watches as Firestar and Onewhisker finish telling the cats what happened when Tallstar died. Brambleclaw backs their story up but an angry Mudclaw is not interested - he sees only a ThunderClan conspiracy. He accuses the cats of lying but Crowfeather speaks up saying Brambleclaw would not lie about this and greets Onewhisker as Onestar. Some cats take up his cry but others are silent. Mudclaw challenges him to a fight for clan leader but Barkface steps in, saying that was never their way and Tallstar's choice must be accepted. Onewhisker tries to leave Mudclaw as deputy but Mudclaw refuses so he appoints Ashfoot. The gathering breaks up and Onewhisker wonders if he should travel back to Highstones to receive his lives but both Firestar and Ashfoot feel that is a bad choice. Firestar comes over to speak with Brambleclaw. He tells him that until he knows Graystripe is dead he cannot appoint another cat in his place. Brambleclaw feels a mixture of guilt and frustration because he wants to be deputy, and yet he feels that Tigerstar's shadow looms over himself. He wishes he had someone to confide his feelings in but he is fighting with Squirrelflight and he cannot confide in Tawnypelt.
Leafpaw is worrying about Onewhisker and Mudclaw, but Cinderpelt tells her to let it go for now. She tells her to help the elders with Mothwing but before she can Hawkfrost returns and calls a meeting. Both Leafpaw and Sorreltail question if this is appropriate behavior on his part. They listen as Hawkfrost speaks of his wonderful the island is and how it will be a perfect camp. Squirrelflight is upset and Leafpaw asks her what is wrong. Squirrelflight admits she does not trust Hawkfrost and Leafpaw agrees. Mistyfoot tells Hawkfrost that she has already found a camp. Leopardstar agrees with Mistyfoot and Hawkfrost accepts his leaders answer. Leafpaw points out that Hawkfrost might only be trying to do what is best for his clan but Squirrelflight believes he is challenging Mistyfoot. Leafpaw points out that although they don't trust him he actually hasn't done anything yet. Leafpaw rests and Cinderpelt awakens her. She goes off to help Mothwing with gathering water for the elders when she realizes that Mothwing has been using water contaminated with crow food. Mothwing is upset - she didn't realize the water was tainted because she could only smell the mousebile on her own fur. Leafpaw worries for the cats who drank the water.
Squirrelflight collects Brambleclaw and brings him to Crowfeather and Tawnypelt so the four of them might say goodbye. It is time for the clans to go their separate ways. Before parting the leaders speak one last time about making rough boundaries that will be set at the next Gathering. Hawkfrost seeks out Brambleclaw to tell him goodbye. Brambleclaw senses that Hawkfrost wants to tell him more but a cat calls for him and he must go. Squirrelflight is upset that Brambleclaw was talking to Hawkfrost. Brambleclaw says he was only trying to he friendly but Squirrelflight counters with Hawkfrost's attempt to grab the island. Brambleclaw points out that only RiverClan can use the island anyway and Squirrelflight stalks off angrily. Brambleclaw doesn't understand why the one friendship that should have held together seems to be falling apart the fastest. The one clan officially becomes four and Firestar has Brambleclaw and Squirrelflight lead the way. The cats feel uneasy walking through strange territory and Brambleclaw and Squirrelflight are afriad they won't be able to find the new den before the sun goes down. But they do find it and take the clan there. The clan has mixed reactions to the den with Mousefur being the most vocal about disliking it. As Brambleclaw tries to help Ferncloud settle in he loses his temper and gets into a fight with Mousefur, who feels he should be helping her. He realizes that Firestar is watching as Brackenfur comes to his rescue, soothing Mousefur. Brambleclaw finds himself wondering if Brackenfur should be deputy instead but he fears the real reason he will never be deputy is because of Tigerstar. He tries to find Squirrelflight to sleep with her but she does not answer him when he calls so he curls up with Goldenflower and Longtail instead.
So I feel that this is the beginning of Hawkfrost's dark journey. Openly challenging Mistyfoot like that was shocking. It is also not what I thought he would do. He spoke of not making the same mistakes as Tigerstar but here he is, making them. Being openly ambitious and hungering for the spot of deputy. Granted, he isn't outright murdering anyone for the position like Tigerstar did but I feel that it is still the same mistake. Hawkfrost can justify his actions as being for his clan all he wants but that is also the same argument Tigerstar used to justify his actions. And while Hawkfrost might believe his intentions are pure nothing says that Tigerstar didn't believe the same.
I also feel torn over Brambleclaw and his desires. Part of me feels that the old Brambleclaw would have never aspired for deputy - he would have been happy with just being a trusted warrior - and I feel a bit betrayed by this development. However, in all fairness, Brambleclaw is now used to being the leader. It is understandable that suddenly having to answer to someone chafes. I also feel he is being overly paranoid about Tigerstar being his father, but considering how some of the cats treated him when he was a kit - and how his sister felt driven from the clan - that is not a wholly unreasonable way to feel. But I think his paranoia is making his problem with Squirrelflight worse - however I place some of the blame at her feet too. Hating Hawkfrost herself is no reason to basically forbid Brambleclaw from talking to him. I think the two of them need to be more honest with each other and then they would realize that most of their fears are unfounded but instead they seem to be pulling apart. And really, Squirrelflight really needs to be there with Brambleclaw if he is going to pursue a friendship with Hawkfrost. I do believe Hawkfrost is the bad guy here and Squirrelflight should not let Brambleclaw face that alone. And while Leafpaw does not trust Hawkfrost either she at least admits that she has no real proof to back her feelings.
Lastly, though, I do want to say that Mothwing as a medicine cat is a mess. Breaking the warrior code with Leafpaw back in the forest, freezing when Leafpaw had to save the drowning cat, her blunder over the Moonstone, and now giving cats sick water. She really can't seem to do much right.
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