Thunderstar and Lightning Tail run from the dogs, but the four of them herd them together and trap them between them. Thunderstar tells Lightning Tail to run towards the trees while he runs in the opposite direction. It works and Lightning Tail breaks free and the dogs chase Thunderstar. He doubles back and races to the trees, but the dogs catch him. They bite into him as he struggles to break free. Then Lightning Tail is there, fighting the dogs. They break free and race into the woods, leaving the dogs behind. Exhausted, they lie down to rest. Thunderstar wonders if they are dying but Lightning Tail reminds him that he has received nine lives from StarClan. Thunderstar remembers that Moth Flight brought Windstar to the Moonstone so Windstar could be given nine lives. After that the other leaders went. Thunderstar knows that Windstar died and came back, but he didn't see it and isn't sure it is true. Blackness claims him. He wakes up to find himself and Lightning Tail fine in a safe clearing. Thunderstar feels they need to get back to their clan immediately. Gray Wing arrives and Lightning Tail realizes they are dead. After talking for a bit, Thunderstar says good bye to his friend and wakes up. He sits vigil by Lightning Tail's body.
The next morning, Thunderstar hides Lightning Tail's body then goes back to the fence. Deciding that stone and brambles don't work he looks around. He sees a large boulder and is able to dislodge it by digging away the dirt in the front. It rolls down the hill but hits something and goes off course, getting stuck. Unable to move it again, Thunderstar needs a new plan. He hopes that if the twolegs realize the fence is broken there they will fix it. Gathering his courage, he sneaks into the camp. Making sure the twolegs are paying attention he yowls to rouse the dogs and then races through the hole. The dogs give chase and he runs away. Eventually he realizes the dogs are not following him and he looks back. The twolegs have a hold on the dogs are a fixing the fence. Happy that his plan worked he goes back to Lighting Tail and buries him, sad that his friend is dead but relieved that the dogs will not bother them again.
Thunderstar quietly enters the camp. He nods a greeting to Leaf but says nothing. Everyone is asleep so he goes to his den. Violet Dawn is there sleeping, and he curls up with her but he is unable to sleep. He disturbs her and she wakes up. He tells her of Lighting Tail's death, and his own. Her cries of grief wake up the clan. Thunderstar goes out to address everyone. He is worried they will blame him for Lightning Tail's death, but instead they speak of their fond memories of him. Days later everyone is still grieving. Violet Dawn tells Thunderstar he needs to put a stop to it by naming a new deputy. She suggests Owl Eyes since he was acting deputy while they were away and he did such a good job. Thunderstar isn't ready to name a new deputy yet, but he understands he needs one. Before he can speak the words, however, Violet Dawn realizes the kits are coming.
Cloud Spots and Shivering Rose herd Violet Dawn into the nursery. Thunderstar sits outside and finds himself confessing his fears of being an awful father to Owl Eyes. Owl Eyes is amused, and tells Thunderstar that compared to loving and taking care of an entire clan, loving and taking care of kits should be easy. Violet Dawn has four kits, and as Thunderstar looks at them he realizes how silly all of his fears were. Loving them is the easiest thing.
The clans meet at Fourtrees. Thunderstar asks to go first and everyone starts talking about his kits. He tells everyone that he and Violet Dawn had four, and everyone expresses happiness. Skystar speaks warmly, saying how happy he is to have more kin. Thunderstar is surprised at his father's words and feels happy - he also acknowledges privately that he still seeks his father's approval. He then speaks of Lighting Tail's death, and everyone mourns him. He speaks of sitting vigil by Lightning Tail's body. Riverstar says it is a good idea to honor the dead and Shadowstar puts forward the suggestion that maybe this should be a practice they all adopt. The leaders ask if he has chosen a new deputy. He looks out over the other deputies and then at his own clan. He knows he needs to pick a new deputy but he misses Lightning Tail. He names Owl Eyes his new deputy. His clan cheers and Owl Eyes looks on in shock. Later he apologizes to Owl Eyes for springing it on him and asks him to be his deputy. Owl Eyes agrees and tells Thunderstar he would be happy to serve his clan. Thunderstar goes to lie down with Violet Dawn and their kits. He tells her he named Owl Eyes, which makes her happy. She tells him he needs to name the remaining two kits since she has already named two. He does so. As a thunder and lightning storm breaks out he reflects on how he misses Lightning Tail, but he is happy and one day he will see his friend again.
So Lightning Tail dying was sad, and I am glad Thunderstar solved the dog problem as well as his fatherly fears, but I really don't understand the point of this story. I feel like I am missing something - probably something obvious. But I don't know what I am supposed to be looking for or what meaning I am supposed to be taking away. In the end Thunderstar found peace with his best friend's death and was able to name a new deputy - and learn that life goes on - but I still feel I must be missing something. It is a nice, but sad, message and meaning, but is that all? Or is there something more?
Like... the birth of traditions? Apparently no one has ever sat vigil by a fallen comrade before. I was wondering why Thunderstar didn't bring Lightning Tail's body back to camp so everyone could sit vigil. Now I know why - because that was never done before. Or receiving nine lives. Thunderstar knew that Windstar supposedly died and came back - but he didn't actually KNOW because it had never been done before. He wasn't sure that he actually believed he would come back, but he did. This story seems to be a succession of firsts. Sitting vigil, receiving nine lives, calling those who can catch their own prey - all of these things are a given in clan life but they had to start somewhere and they seemed to have started with Thunderstar's story. I wonder if there will ever be a book series that falls between this story line and Firestar's. One that explains why medicine cats no longer have kits and introduces the new way to name everyone. I got a glimpse into the beginning of the clans, but I would like a deeper peek. But first, I have to read Thunderstar's story.
No comments:
Post a Comment