Ivypool and Dovewing stumble into the warrior's den to sleep after their vigil. Dovewing asks Ivypool not to go to the Dark Forest but Ivypool has no choice. She wakes up there, and scenting Tigerheart, hides. But Tigerheart smells her and calls her out. She insists she wasn't hiding but he doesn't believe her. They argue over Flametail, with Ivypool insisting she had no choice. He wonders what Dovewing would say if she knew the truth and Ivypool retorts that he used her sister for herbs. He denies this and leaves. Thistleclaw finds Ivypool but is unimpressed by her news that she is a warrior now. Antpelt arrives too and Thistleclaw arranges their training session. It has the rules that Antpelt must attack Ivypool and force her up a pile of logs. If he does he wins, if he fails Ivypool wins. They fight with claws sheathed and when Ivypool stumbles down Antpelt gives her a moment to recover. Thistleclaw grows furious. He attacks Antpelt, badly wounding him, and calling him a coward. Ivypool screams at him to stop but he doesn't. When he is done he tells Ivypool that Antpelt will recover. She goes to the cat and tells him to wake up in his den at WindClan. Antpelt does, causing Thistleclaw to become even angrier. He does the training session with Ivypool. She makes it to the top of the logs, declaring herself the winner. Thistleclaw points out to her that it means she loses. She responds that he didn't force her up there so she wins. Mapleshade overhears this and tells Thistleclaw that Ivypool is correct. Thistleclaw leaves and Mapleshade tells Ivypool that she had doubts about her loyalty but no longer and when the battle comes Ivypool will fight by her side. Ivypool asks when the battle will be but Mapleshade will not tell her. When Ivypool wakes up clan life is continuing on as normal. She wonders how she can possibly save her clanmates.
Dovewing is waiting to leave for the Gathering. She is upset Ivypool isn't coming but she has to rest after the wounds she received in the Dark Forest. She had begged Ivypool not to go there this night but Ivypool insists she has to - and that she has no choice - causing Dovewing to wonder if Ivypool thinks she is the better one because of her sacrifice. At the Gathering, Dovewing sees Tigerheart but deliberately avoids him. She feels foolish for ever trusting him, especially since he is Tigerstar's kin. But then remembers so too is Brambleclaw. She sits with her own clan during the meeting by Bumblestripe's side. He points out that the medicine cats are not sitting together and Dovewing makes a joke that maybe it is Jayfeather's fault since he can be so prickly. But privately she wonders what is wrong since the medicine cats are not supposed to have borders. Grasspelt. A RiverClan warrior, asks after Briarlight since she hasn't been to any Gatherings in a while. Bumblestripe is caught off guard and Dovewing answers for him, saying Briarlight is busy. They talk about Briarlight for a minute with Dovewing offering comfort as a friend then go their separate ways. Dovewing overhears some WindClan cats talking about a dog attacking Antpelt and leaving him badly wounded. Then Tigerheart finds her but she refuses to talk to him, telling him she doesn't love him anymore. Upset, Tigerheart asks if Ivypool has been saying things about him and Dovewing says no. He tells Dovewing that she doesn't know her sister as well as she thinks she does, leaving Dovewing to wonder what he is talking about. Brambleclaw calls the cats and she leaves. On the way home Blossomfall tells Dovewing that she thinks Bumblestripe is in love with her but Dovewing insists they are just friends. Back at camp she tells Ivypool about the Gathering. When she gets to the part about Antpelt, Ivypool demands to know everything. At first she fears her sister has fallen in love with a WindClan warrior but Ivypool quickly tells her about Thistleclaw attacking Antpelt. Ivypool blames herself for Antpelt's injuries but Dovewing tells her she is wrong. She begs her sister not to go back to the Dark Forest but Ivypool insists she is close to finding out what they need to know and the sisters go to sleep.
Jayfeather seeks out Firestar and tells him about his vision telling him he needs to go visit the Tribe. Firestar is unhappy but allows Jayfeather to go. He tells him he cannot have Lionblaze, much to Jayfeather's dismay. Firestar points out that Jayfeather isn't going there to do any fighting and Lionblaze is needed to protect his clan. Unable to argue with that logic, Jayfeather accepts it. Firestar does allow him to take Dovewing, though, and tells him to take Squirrelflight and Foxleap. Jayfeather doesn't want to take Squirrelflight, but Firestar is uninterested in their fight and feels Squirrelflight will be an asset since she knows much about the Tribe. Again, Jayfeather is unable to argue with Firestar's decision. He tells Lionblaze that he has to stay behind and Lionblaze is upset. He offers to give Foxleap some extra training but Jayfeather tells him there is not enough time since they leave first thing in the morning. Yellowfang appears to Jayfeather, asking him not to go. She takes him to StarClan to talk. While there, Jayfeather is shocked to see Ashfur. Yellowfang responds that of course Ashfur is with StarClan. She says he didn't actually murder anyone and his biggest fault was loving too much - the same fault as Squirrelflight. Yellowfang shows him StarClan, telling him that he is the only thing protecting it and the clans. She is asking him not to go but Jayfeather tells her he has to. When he wakes up he tells Briarlight that he needs to leave her for a while. She is upset but becomes better after he assures her she isn't going to die while he is gone. Jayfeather and Firestar gather the cats who are going. Squirrelflight asks Brambleclaw if he has any messages to pass on. Jayfeather realizes she is hoping that he will wish her luck but all Brambleclaw says is to tell Stormfur and Brook that they are missed. Purdy tries to tell Jayfeather some stories but Jayfeather cuts him off, saying there isn't time. But he does ask Purdy to look after Mousefur.
Lionblaze, Cinderheart, Birchfall, and Leafpool are out hunting. Lionblaze and Cinderheart talk, and he tries to explain to her that they can still be together. Cinderheart disagrees, telling him he belongs to all of the clan, like a medicine cat, and that he cannot be tied to a mate and kits. At first he is upset that she is no longer upset, but then he hears the sorrow behind her words as she talks about how all she ever wanted was to be a warrior and have a mate and kits. He tries to tell her that she will find another mate but she becomes upset and tells him that he doesn't understand and races away. He realizes Leafpool has overheard part of the conversation. He finds himself confiding in Leafpool, and she assures him that Cinderheart is still in love with him. He asks her if she misses being a medicine cat and she tells him yes. She then tells him that he must listen with his heart because that is where his destiny lies.
Dovewing heads out on the journey with the other cats. As she and Foxleap excitedly look around she casts her senses out and overhears Antpelt's death, which upsets her - especially since she can't explain to her annoyed clanmates what is wrong. As they continue on their journey she has a hard time tuning out all the noises around her and Jayfeather has to help her concentrate. They go under a hedge and when they come out the other side Squirrelflight is happy to not be stuck but then she looks downcast. Dovewing thinks to herself that it is as if Squirrelflight is talking to a cat who isn't there. Then a dog appears and Squirrelflight immediately thinks of Jayfeather first. Dovewing realizes she still thinks of him as her kit. As everyone gets Jayfeather to safety, then themselves, Squirrelflight threatens the dog. A second dog comes and leads the first one away and back to the sheep. Foxleap and Dovewing are amused that they are acting like a mentor and apprentice.
First of all, I am glad Ashfur is with StarClan. What he did is wrong, no doubt about it, but I've been desperately hoping he wasn't in the Dark Forest. He did what he did not for personal ambition, but out of grief and love. And hopefully he can find peace now.
Second of all, StarClan didn't seem very divided as Yellowfang showed Jayfeather around. She was chatting up cats from other clans who were offering to share their food with her. So is StarClan divided or isn't it?
And I'm a bit curious about Tigerheart. Has he not realized these cats are evil? I get Ivypool murdering Flametail would be devastating, but this is not the first (nor, I imagine, the last) example of cruelty there. And now Antpelt is dead! When will Tigerheart realize that things are not right? Is he fully committed? Though, I imagine Tigerstar is protecting him. I hope Antpelt gets to go to StarClan. He didn't seem wholly evil, just misguided.
On a final note, I feel bad for Lionblaze. Cinderheart is clearly still in love with him - and not budging. And I can't believe that he opened up with Leafpool on this! Maybe forgiveness is in the future? And Dovewing seems close with both Foxleap and Bumblestripe. I wonder if romance is in her future?
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