Sunday, March 7, 2021

darkest night: part one

A tom anticipates the coming change of seasons when he sees fur flash. He calls out to the cat and recognizes Needletail. He is happy to see her as it has been a while. He greets her and realizes she is sad. She tells him that she trusted the wrong cat and needs help making it right again. As the tom talks to her, he realizes Needletail is dead.

Twigpaw is out hunting with her clanmates. She listens as they argue over SkyClan. She realizes some cats are upset she has brought SkyClan to the lake. They feel there isn't enough room for a fifth clan. The argument drags in more cats when they return to the camp. Upset with what some of the cats are saying, Twigpaw leaves them. Ivypool follows her and the two cats make up. Ivypool admits she was just worried about Dovewing and Tigerheart and that she why she argued against looking for SkyClan. A new argument breaks out when Owlnose accuses ThunderClan of not feeding Mosspelt, a RiverClan elder. While most of the RiverClan cats have returned to their camp the badly wounded and elders are still with ThunderClan. Twigpaw is confused as Mosspelt had been sleeping and there is still plenty of prey. Mistystar arrives and puts an end to the argument. She thanks Bramblestar for his hospitality but says it is time for all of the RiverClan cats to leave. The leaders part peacefully. 

Alderheart tends to Tinycloud, the SkyClan queen, and tells her that her litter will be the first SkyClan kits born beside the lake. When they leave Leafpool tells him he should not have said that as not every cat believes SkyClan belongs here, and if SkyClan were to stay it means someone must sacrifice land. Alderheart is upset by her words, and becomes even more so when he realizes Sparkpelt feels this way. When he confronts Sparkpelt she tells him that StarClan only wanted SkyClan found and that they said nothing about SkyClan moving to the lake. She feels that SkyClan should return to the gorge. At the gathering Alderheart realizes there is still much hostility between the clans. The leaders take their places but Leafstar and the rest of the SkyClan cats sit with ThunderClan. Arguing breaks out and some cats feel Rowanstar should step down as clan leader. Things calm down, then Mistystar announces that RiverClan will not be coming to gatherings for a while and RiverClan's borders are closed. She then takes her cats and leaves. When Bramblestar points out they still need to discuss SkyClan she tells them to make the decision without her. Leafstar takes her place beside the other leaders and the debate begins. Sparkpelt says whatshe believes and Tigerheart counters her, suggesting to Rowanstar they should sacrifice some of their land. Rowanstar follows the advice of his deputy and land is set aside by the ThunderClan border. The next day SkyClan prepares to leave and Twigpaw has her assessment, which she passes. But before she can be given her warrior name she tells Bramblestar she wishes to join SkyClan.

Violetpaw dreams of Needletail, who is furious with her. Hawkwing wakes her from her dream and she settles back to sleep. The next day she worries about her dream while trying to settle into her new clan, as she has officially left ShadowClan. She worries about Hawkwing's relationship with Twigpaw and her own place with her kin. Hawkwing tells them of their mother, who is just like Twigpaw, making Violetpaw feel more despondent. But then Hawkwing tells Violetpaw she is just like him, making her feel wanted and accepted for the first time in her life. 

Twigpaw is off with some of the other apprentices gathering twigs for building the camp. She is struggling with fitting in and feels like an outsider. She misses the cats of ThunderClan and the new territory is strange to her - and it doesn't help that Hawkwing and Violetpaw are so alike. As she spends time with the other apprentices she realizes they are more alike than she thought and she starts to open up. On the way back to camp a branch cracks and falls. She grabs Finpaw to save him and the branch lands on his tail. She sends Dewpaw to the camp to get help while she races off to ShadowClan to get Puddleshine. When they return the warriors were unable to move the branch and Puddleshine worries that Finpaw will die from shock, so he decides to cut Finpaw's tail in half. Hawkwing takes Twigpaw away so she doesn't have to see. He brings her back to her nest to sleep. As she dozes off she listens as Hawkwing and Leafstar decide to send a patrol to find missing clanmates.

I can't help but feel Twigpaw should have stayed in ThunderClan. I hope she finds happiness with SkyClan. It is different for Violetpaw, who is a bit needier and who was never wanted in ShadowClan. Twigpaw was loved and welcomed in ThunderClan. She must miss that. However, she is starting to make friends outside of her sister, so that is good. I see Violetpaw being very happy here with her father. Twigpaw, we will have to see. And I am glad space was made for SkyClan, but I am worried about RiverClan closing their borders. 

As for Needletail, who was she meeting with? Why is Violetpaw having a nightmare about her? Is it just a nightmare, or is it a vision? Why would Needletail be hostile if it was a vision? She knew she was sacrificing her life so Violetpaw could escape. I would like to think Needletail is with StarClan now but I doubt it. I don't think she deserves the Dark Forest, though. In the end she chose the right path. But she had rejected StarClan and I don't see her walking with them after everything she did. Is there an in-between place for the clan cats?

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