Jayfeather wakes up to commotion outside. He finds out Dovewing and Ivypool are missing. Patrols start checking in, unable to find the missing cats. Then Lionblaze's patrol returns with them - and with Hollyleaf. Jayfeather and Lionblaze go off to the side to talk. Lionblaze is happy their sister has returned, but while Jayfeather has been hoping Hollyleaf is alive he realizes he is not quite ready for her to return. Everyone starts asking Hollyleaf questions. Leafpool gushes over her but Hollyleaf draws back. Brambleclaw leaves the camp, and Jayfeather suspects it is because he can't deal with the reunion. Firestar orders a nest made for Hollyleaf and asks everyone to leave her alone for now. Firestar goes over to order Jayfeather and Lionblaze to bed too, telling them they can speak to their sister tomorrow. Before their gathering can break up Dovewing and Ivypool rush over with their news of Sol and WindClan. Everyone is angry - but not overly surprised. Firestar decides that they will wait for WindClan to attack because ThunderClan will have the advantage in the forest. The next day Jayfeather, Lionblaze, and Hollyleaf go for a walk. Lionblaze is welcoming but Jayfeather is angry. Hollyleaf is sad she isn't one of the three, but Jayfeather senses no hostility towards Dovewing for being the third cat. Hollyleaf decides to stay for now until the Sol problem is resolved. Back at camp Jayfeather goes to StarClan, seeking out Ashfur. He feels he needs to talk to the cat to fully understand everything and to decide if Hollyleaf should be back. Bluestar finds him and stops him, telling him that if Ashfur found his way to StarClan then he must belong there - and that StarClan could not choose between Hollyleaf and Ashfur.
The next morning Lionblaze wakes up to find Brambleclaw assigning patrols. Dovewing wonders why Firestar isn't telling the clan about the WindClan threat. She and Lionblaze are puzzled over it but wonder if Firestar doesn't want to start a panic until they get more information. Brambleclaw puts Hollyleaf on a hunting patrol and some of the cats immediately object, since Hollyleaf is a stranger to them. Someone else points out the timing of Hollyleaf arriving at the same time as Sol, but Thornclaw points out that Hollyleaf disappeared at the same time as Ashfur's murder. Poppyfrost responds that Hollyleaf would have spoken up if she had witnessed the murder. Thornclaw responds that is not what he meant. Lionblaze has to watch as his sister is suddenly suspected of murder. He tries to defend his sister but Hollyleaf speaks up. She tells everyone how Ashfur had tried to kill her and her brothers. She admits Ashfur's death is her fault. She starts fo talk about being by the stream when Brambleclaw speaks up. He admits to seeing everything. He tells the clan that he saw Ashfur attack Hollyleaf and Hollyleaf defend herself - accidentally killing Ashfur in the process. Everyone is upset but Brambleclaw says he never spoke up before because he thought Hollyleaf was dead so he saw no reason to speak the truth. Lionblaze is surprised that Brambleclaw is covering for Hollyleaf and wonders if he still loves her as his daughter. Firestar settles the clan down. Hollyleaf wonders if she should never have come back but Firestar assures her this is where she belongs. He feels everyone just needs time for everything to be processed. Hollyleaf is taken off of patrols for the moment but is allowed to stay.
Dovewing is shocked that Hollyleaf actually killed a cat. She feels it is no wonder that Hollyleaf wasn't one of the three. As she gets thinking she asks Ivypool if she has ever seen Ashfur in the Dark Forest. Ivypool admits that while she doesn't know him by sight she doesn't think she has. Overhearing them, Brambleclaw sends them on their way after telling them to stop gossiping. Dovewing is summoned by Firestar, who wants her to check on WindClan. Dovewing hears Onestar speaking to his warriors about being careful on the ThunderClan border, but nothing about Sol. Firestar notices that Onestar said almost the exact same things to his clan about ThunderClan as Firestar said about WindClan. He also figures either Onestar knows nothing about Sol or is hiding his information. Firestar feels Sol has something to settle with the clans, but he does not know why. When Dovewing leaves Firestar's den she finds Bumblestripe waiting for her so they can go to training together. They get there and Blossomfall wants to pair with Bumblestripe but he says no, he wants to pair with Dovewing. This causes Blossomfall to overreact and get mad. When they are done training Blossomfall overly critiques Dovewing, much to Bumblestripe's annoyance and Dovewing's embarrassment. Dovewing tells Bumblestripe to walk back to camp with Blossomfall, since being litter mates is more important than friendship. Before leaving her Bumblestripe says he hopes they are more then friends.
Jayfeather comes back to camp and Mousefur calls out to him. She tells him all about the scene that morning with the truth about Hollyleaf coming out. She guesses that Jayfeather knew all along and he admits he did. She accuses Jayfeather of keeping silent because it suited himself. He counter that it suited the clan. Mousefur is silent for a moment then asks Jayfeather if a darkness is coming. He wonders if Mousefur could be the fourth but she admits that she knows nothing. She also says she never thought she would live to see the end of the clans. Jayfeather tells her that so long as he is breathing he will keep the clans safe. Je sits with Mousefur until she falls asleep. Jayfeather seeks out Hollyleaf, who is walking with Purdy. Jayfeather insists he has to speak with Hollyleaf now. Purdy leaves so Jayfeather and Hollyleaf can speak. Jayfeather realizes just how much Brambleclaw - and even Squirrelflight - mist love him and his siblings. Jayfeather and Hollyleaf make up. As they sit there Lionblaze and Cinderheart's hunting patrol comes back. Jayfeather can feel Lionblaze's pain. He asks what is wrong and Lionblaze accuses him of only caring about the prophecy. Jayfeather convinces Lionblaze to confide in him, so Lionblaze tells him how he and Cinderheart are in love but all Cinderheart can see is the prophecy. She feels Lionblaze is too important to be mates with her. Jayfeather resolves to change Cinderheart's mind. He enters her dreams and shows her moments of Cinderpelt's life - and Cinderpelt's death along with her own birth. Cinderheart realizes that she is Cinderpelt. Confused about who she is and what she is supposed to do she asks Jayfeather. He tells her that StarClan gave her another life so she could be warrior and have kits, just like she always wanted. He also tells her that she is Cinderheart - not Cinderpelt - and that she gets to make her own choices. She thanks Jayfeather for telling her the truth. She also asks who else knows and he tells her only Leafpool.
I am glad the Hollyleaf and Ashfur truth is more or less out. I imagine it was not so noble as that, but I will accept that version of events. I am surprised that Brambleclaw covered for her like that. Since the truth has come out he has been strictly a deputy to his children and left his role of father behind. But maybe that was because he didn't know how to act - or how his children would want him to act.
Also, what is up with Blossomfall's behavior? She flip flops on being friendly with Ivypool and Dovewing and then being cold. And generally she seems to like Dovewing (unlike her relationship with Ivypool). And at first she was happy that there might be something between Dovewing and her brother. But now she is acting the exact opposite.
And Mousefur realizes that the end is coming. She always was sharp. I wonder if she will choose to fight in the battle. It would not surprise me if she does.
Lastly, I hope Jayfeather revealing the truth to Cinderheart helps Lionblaze.
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