Unable to sleep, Jaypaw sneaks into the Cave of Pointed Stones. In there Stoneteller greets him and tells him about the signs he has received from his ancestors. Jaypaw asks where the tribe cats came from but Stoneteller does not know, it was so long ago. Jaypaw settles down to sleep and dreams of Rock, who tells him to be careful since these are not his warrior ancestors. As Rock fades away Jaypaw feels frustrated with the lack of answers he is receiving from everyone. When he wakes he finds out there was a fight. The prey hunters were attacked and their prey stolen. Jaypaw helps Stoneteller care for the injured cats but he is frustrated. Hollypaw asks how she can help but he responds that the tribe cats must learn how to start helping themselves.
Stoneteller motions to Brambleclaw and Lionpaw follows, eager to find out what is going on. Stoneteller admits that maybe it is time to leave the mountains for good. Lionpaw knows that the clan cats will never accept them and wonders where they will go. Brambleclaw urges Stoneteller to try borders and patrols. He invites Stoneteller with them to see the border they made. At first Stoneteller says he does not leave the caves, then he changes his mind and goes with the cats. As they walk to border Stoneteller is clearly unhappy but accepts it. Pebble shows Lionpaw how they roll in the mud to blend in with the stones and after doing it he playfully knocks Breezepaw into the mud too. When they get back Stoneteller calls a meeting. Brambleclaw says that they must go to the rogues and establish boundaries. The tribe cats are unconvinced that this will work but Stoneteller allows it. He also adds that if it does not then maybe the tribe will have to leave. The next day the selected cats look the for the rogues while others stay behind to guard the cave. Hollypaw finds the area that the camp is in and they settle down to wait. When the rogues arrive Crag tries to speak to them about territory but the rogues are uninterested, saying that the prey belongs to whoever can take it and that this is about survival and death, and the rogues have no intention of being the dead ones.
Hollypaw is devastated. She has built her entire life around the warrior code and now feels it means nothing since the rogues have no intention of following it. She is also frustrated that even the tribe cats don't seem to understand it. Some of the cats want to fight but Brambleclaw points out to Crag that this is a bad idea right now since they are outnumbered. As they head back to the cave they see the rogues taking prey from territory that is clearly marked as belonging to the tribe. Again they confront the cats and again the rogues don't care. Back at the cave the news that the rogues are not respecting the borders upsets everyone. Stoneteller tells Brambleclaw that all the work they did was a waste. Brambleclaw says they must fight for their land. Furious, Stoneteller tells his tribe that they must vote on what to do. He claims the Tribe of Endless Hunting does not wish him to influence their choice but Jaypaw tells Hollypaw that Stoneteller is lying and can claim anything about their ancestors. Hollypaw is shocked at the idea of someone lying about the ancestors messages. As the cats vote Stormfur and Brook stand with the cats who wish to fight, though whether they get a vote or not is not clear. In the end, much to Stoneteller's dismay, the cats who wish to fight win the vote. The next day as they get ready to leave Jaypaw seeks out Hollypaw and Lionpaw to tell them to be careful, that they must survive the battle.
When they approach the rogues home a plan is quickly devised to send the apprentices in through a hole in the roof. They will startle the cats, causing them to run outside to all the warriors who are waiting for them. Pebble leads the apprentices through the hole and they quickly startle all the cats. Their plan works and the rogues tush out to be met by the warriors. The battle is quick. Lionpaw fights like a warrior and never gets hurt. As he looks for another cat to fight Brambleclaw tells him the battle is over. As the clan and tribe cats look at Lionpaw he notices they are both impressed and a little afraid. Crag tells him that he fought well and will always be remembered. Hollypaw sees him and is horrified, wanting to know how badly hurt he is since he is covered in blood. The rogues approach the cats and agree to the borders and peace. The clan and tribe cats return to the cave.
Jaypaw tries to sleep but cannot so he goes to visit Stoneteller. Stoneteller is upset with how things have turned out but there is nothing he can do when the Tribe of Endless Hunting will not speak to him. Rock appears to Jaypaw to tell him that the cats have won and now the clan cats must go home. Jaypaw is happy and hopes that the Tribe of Endless hinting will help the tribe cats now. But Rock is displeased. The Tribe of Endless Hunting did not ask StarClan for help. Rock feels that the clan cats should not have come. He also feels that the tribe is not a clan - the borders will not hold for forever when the tribe does not truly know or understand how to fight, and nor should they. Jaypaw asks Rock if the tribe cats are the cats from the lake. Rock is surprised that Jaypaw figured it out. He tells Jaypaw that the tribe cats turned their backs on many of their traditions when they came to the mountains and that they wanted peace. Jaypaw asks if the prophecy comes from back then and Rock confirms it. He then tells Jaypaw that he must tell his siblings about the prophecy, that they deserve to know since it involves them. Hollypaw rushes into the cave looking for Jaypaw so he can check over Lionpaw. But Lionpaw is completely fine and Hollypaw admits he fought like a whole clan of cats. Hollypaw admits she does not think the borders will hold and Jaypaw is reminded of Rock warning the same thing. Jaypaw admits that neither the Tribe of Endless Hunting or StarClan wanted them there, but they came anyway to help the tribe and because they needed answers. Hollypaw and Lionpaw are confused but Jaypaw explains that the three of them had to come to the mountains so events unfolded so they could and he begins to tell them of the prophecy.
This is a bit of a sad end. Clearly the tribe's fight is not over yet. However, somehow, the tribe is tied into the prophecy so I hope we will see them again. And I hope that everyone's relationship with one another is explained better. And now that Hollypaw and Lionpaw have been told about the prophecy maybe the story line will move forward. I do feel like it is possible that Lionpaw's power is his ability to fight. But I still do not see what Hollypaw's power is - an obsession with the warrior code is not a power. If anything it is actually kind of negative. She obsesses over it too much and when there is no clear answer she feels panic and despair. When everything is so black and white with no room for gray, that is not necessarily a good thing.
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