Squirrelflight and her clan head to the island for their first Gathering. Squirrelflight is excited and wants to explore. She sees Brambleclaw go off to talk to Hawkfrost and feels upset and lonely. Suddenly Ashfur is there, ready to explore the island with her. Ashfur tells Squirrelflight that Brambleclaw is a loyal ThunderClan cat - no matter who his brother is. They attend the Gathering and listen to what the clans have to report, as well as the rules for traveling in other clans lands. Leopardstar claims the marshes where they held their last Gatherings as her own and with Firestar's support she gets them. As the cats break up to leave Blackstar makes a snide comment about ThunderClan still not having a deputy. Squirrelflight fears that Brambleclaw might want to be deputy - and might kill, just like his father, to become leader.
As the Gathering breaks up Leafpool tries to talk to Crowfeather but Cinderpelt stops her. Later she dreams of Feathertail. Feathertail says that Mothwing's dreams are closed to StarClan so she needs Leafpool to carry a message that Twolegs are going to bring danger to RiverClan. Leafpool can't figure out how to sneak off and warn Mothwing until Squirrelflight tells her about some cat mint she found. After getting permission from Cinderpelt to collect it she goes off to gather some and take it to Mothwing. She sneaks off to the RiverClan camp where she is welcomed for her gift. She tells Mothwing the truth of why she is there. Though Mothwing does not believe in StarClan she does trust Leafpool. Together they go looking for something that the Twolegs could have done that will bring danger to the clan but they find nothing. Mothwing insists Leafpool spend the night and she guiltily does.
Squirrelflight, Brambleclaw, Ashfur, and Sandstorm are out together. Squirrelflight accidently crosses into ShadowClan territory causing yet another fight between her and Brambleclaw. When Ashfur leaps to her defense Sandstorm is shocked that Squirrelflight would let another cat answer for her. Squirrelflight feels a mixture of emotions over Ashfur's behavior. The cats start to head back to camp and Squirrelflight and Brambleclaw argue even more - with Squirrelflight saying that Ashfur is the only cat she can trust. Brambleclaw is upset but Squirrelflight throws his friendship with Hawkfrost in his face. Ashfur interrupts their fight and the cats all head back. Back at camp Firestar names Ashfur as mentor to Brichpaw. Squirrelflight is happy for her friend but also notices Brambleclaw's disappointment. She wonders again if Brambleclaw could kill to achieve his goals and reminisces about her old friend who would have once accepted the loss of being picked for an apprentice and moved on.
Leafpool and Cinderpelt head to the Moonpool - it is time for the medicine cats to gather. Cinderpelt is upset with Leafpool for staying away overnight - Firestar had even sent out a search party to look for her. Cinderpelt suspects she also snuck off to see Crowfeather, causing Leafpool to be even more upset. At the Moonpool Leafpool meets up with Mothwing. Mothwing tells her that there still is no sign of the coming danger. The cats drink the water and dream. Leafpool dreams of a dark, windy place with the voices of cats crying in the distant. She races through the trees towards a light ahead but when she reaches it she awakens. When the other cats wake up they decide to discuss the dream. Leafpool is relieved but as they start talking of claws and jaws attacking Leafpool realizes she had a different dream. Leafpool despairs that she wasn't shown the same vision and fears it is because of her feeling for Crowfeather. She decides not to admit having a different dream. Leafpool and Mothwing leave together and Crowfeather waylay her, asking her to meet him soon. She agrees.
Squirrelflight goes out with a hunting patrol and they find Daisy (from the horse place) with her kits. Daisy ran away because she was afraid the Twolegs would take away her kits like they took away Floss's. They bring everyone back to camp. Cloudtail reports to Firestar while Squirrelflight seeks out Leafpool - but Leafpool is short tempered and Squirrelflight can't figure out the emotions she feels coming from her sister. Squirrelflight heads over to hear Cloudtail's report and hears Brambleclaw point out that the cats are kittypets and don't belong with the clan. Cloudtail gets upset and Firestar steps between the two warriors before the argument escalates. Firestar says the cats may stay as long as they like. Cloudtail goes off with Daisy to help her settle in. Brightheart is upset with how close Cloudtail seems to be with the new cat. She offers to help too but Daisy is horrified when she sees Brightheart's face and instead of helping Brightheart leaves.
First of all I am going to be very upset if Cloudtail decides he loves Daisy more then Brightheart. The concept of the cats having a single mate and marrying didn't really exist until Firestar/Sandstorm and Dustpelt/Fernpaw. Before that it wasn't always known who the father of the kits were and it was implied that cats did not have to mate for life. Now, cat marriage seems to be a thing and I will be upset if Cloudtail picks someone over Brightheart - after him being so desperately in love with her for so many novels.
But, I do hope Daisy will stay. The clan could use her kits. And as Firestar and Cloudtail have proved over and over being clan born isn't everything.
And, I will give Squirrelflight some credit here. I think she is completely wrong about Brambleclaw and is overreacting but she does have some valid points. Mainly, the old Brambleclaw would have accepted being passed over as a mentor and not been upset. I think she is way out of line with her fears that if Brambleclaw is made deputy he could kill Firestar. Brambleclaw cares very much for Firestar and when Firestar was his mentor the two cats were very close. He looks up to, respects, and admires Firestar - I don't think for one moment he would ever consider killing him for power. However, I am also sure that Tigerstar is going to wish for that and is grooming Brambleclaw to do that exact thing. But I think Brambleclaw is good and Squirrelflight is wrong. But, like I said, old Brambleclaw would have accepted being passed over for an apprentice - he would have also blamed it on his father, but he would have accepted it.
As for Leafpool, I feel she is a mess. Between Mothwing's secret and Crowfeather's love she is everywhere but where she should be. I foresee her doing something stupid - even more stupid then staying the night at RiverClan.
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