Sunset/Cliffnotes

These notes are brief, noting major events and minor events in Sunset that will be of consequence later. They are intended to be used as a reference for those looking for specific events for re-reading and the book discussions.


 * Darkstripe finds Tigerstar in the Place of No Stars
 * Tigerstar explains to him where they are and they talk of his plans to take over the Clans using his sons, Brambleclaw and Hawkfrost
 * Darkstripe asks to accompany Tigerstar, but he refuses, telling him that every cat walks alone in the Dark Forest


 * Brambleclaw's perspective
 * Stormfur and Brook, who have just arrived, agree to help ThunderClan to recover after the badger attack
 * Firestar thanks Onestar and his warriors for their help and WindClan return to their own camp
 * Before he leaves, Crowfeather says a final goodbye to Leafpool with whom he had run away before they returned to help defend their Clanmates
 * Squirrelflight and Brambleclaw make up from their prolonged fight
 * Brambleclaw finds out that Cinderpelt has died


 * Brambleclaw's perspective
 * Spiderleg and Whitepaw tell Brambleclaw that Sootfur has also died
 * Brambleclaw gets Rainwhisker to break the news to his sister Sorreltail, who is nursing newborn kits, about their brother's death
 * Sorreltail is heartbroken, begins struggling and yowling, and her mate, Brackenfur comforts her
 * Their kits are introduced as Honeykit, Molekit, Poppykit and Cinderkit
 * It is noted that Cinderkit looks like Cinderpelt
 * When Brambleclaw and Squirrelflight leave the nursery, Cloudtail and Daisy are arguing about her and her kits going back to the Horseplace
 * Midnight leaves the cats, much to Firestar's disappointment
 * Ashfur asks Squirrelflight to sit vigil for Cinderpelt and Sootfur with him, but she declines, promising to do so later
 * Brambleclaw begins rebuilding the warrior's den with Stormfur
 * Leafpool forces him to have his shoulder wound checked
 * Brook and Stormfur agree to guard the camp overnight and Brambleclaw sleeps


 * Leafpool's perspective
 * Leafpool feels guilty that she could not even stay awake to keep vigil for her mentor, Cinderpelt
 * Sootfur and Cinderpelt's bodies are taken away to be buried by Mousefur, Goldenflower, Longtail and Rainwhisker
 * Leafpool checks Ashfur's wounds and Brightheart offers to take Whitepaw to fetch marigold
 * She treats Birchpaw's eye and gives Sorreltail some more borage
 * Leafpool falls asleep and dreams of StarClan
 * She has a vision of Squirrelflight and Brambleclaw walking together, putting her mind at rest about their relationship
 * She dreams of Spottedleaf
 * She accuses her of lying to her about the right decision to make about her love for Crowfeather
 * Spottedleaf explains that Cinderpelt knew she was going to die and tells her Cinderpelt has not left her
 * Leafpool asks Cinderpelt for forgiveness


 * Brambleclaw's perspective
 * Squirrelflight tries to explain to Ashfur that she is better suited to Brambleclaw
 * Ashfur protests that Tigerstar was evil, his paws stained with the blood of innocent cats
 * Squirrelflight says that she'll judge Brambleclaw by his actions, not his father's
 * Brambleclaw volunteers to lead a dawn patrol
 * Spiderleg and Dustpelt go with him and Squirrelflight
 * They find a fox trap set by Twolegs
 * Squirrelflight puts a stick in the loop to investigate and springs the trap thereby solving the problem of how to deal with them
 * Brambleclaw and Squirrelflight talk through their problems concerning Hawkfrost


 * Leafpool's perspective
 * Firestar calls a Clan Meeting and Brambleclaw explains about the fox trap set up by Twolegs and the danger they pose
 * Daisy explains that Twolegs keep large white birds (chickens) that foxes steal which is why the traps are set
 * Squirrelflight tells the Clan how to spring the traps so they become safe
 * Firestar thanks Stormfur and Brook for feeding the Clan after the Badger attack
 * Firestar asks Leafpool if he can go hunting
 * Leafpool agrees but makes him promise to return if it starts bleeding
 * Leafpool tells Squirrelflight about her vision, cheering Squirrelflight up
 * Brightheart becomes jealous when Cloudtail offers to take some watermint to Daisy, accusing him of being less willing to help his injured Clanmates


 * Brambleclaw's perspective
 * He visits Tigerstar and Hawkfrost in his dreams
 * He tells them of the badger attack
 * Tigerstar also tells Hawkfrost of Stormfur and Brook's return, making Brambleclaw uneasy
 * He wakes with a wound from the fight he had with Tigerstar in his sleep
 * Squirrelflight makes him see Leafpool
 * Brambleclaw hunts with Squirrelflight, Stormfur and Brook
 * When they return, the dawn patrol, led by Dustpelt report Twoleg activity on the lake and a buzzing noise coming from Twoleg monsters
 * Daisy explains that they are boats and are the Twolegs' way of having fun
 * Firestar orders the patrols to keep watch


 * Leafpool's perspective
 * She worries about Brambleclaw and the dreams she suspects he has been having
 * She tries to visit the Dark Forest in her dreams to discover what Brambleclaw has been doing
 * She meets Bluestar, Yellowfang and Lionheart who tell her that her life will change in ways she has not yet seen
 * She sees three mysterious stars and is sure they are a sign, but the StarClan cats will not tell her about them
 * She wakes and tells Birchpaw he can move back to the apprentice den and start light duties again
 * A couple of days later she follows Brambleclaw out of camp at night to the lake
 * She receives a sign from StarClan and the message: Before all is peaceful, blood will spill blood, and the lake will run red
 * Brambleclaw spots her eavesdropping on him


 * Brambleclaw's perspective
 * Berrykit goes missing
 * Firestar asks Cloudtail to take a patrol out to find him
 * Daisy protests, saying she needs Cloudtail to stay to protect her other kits
 * Brightheart is angered by this, and privately Brambleclaw agrees with her
 * Brambleclaw offers to lead the patrol and Firestar agrees
 * Squirrelflight, Stormfur and Brook accompany him
 * The patrol heads towards the ShadowClan border and finds Berrykit struggling in a fox trap with the ShadowClan cats Russetfur, Oakfur and Cedarheart watching silently without helping the kit
 * When challenged, the ShadowClan cats claim they were just keeping to their borders and that they have nothing to do with kittypets in ShadowClan
 * The ShadowClan cats leave, and the patrol frees Berrykit and takes him back to camp
 * Leafpool cares for Berrykit
 * Stormfur and Brook decide to leave for RiverClan, saying that they need to be loyal to Stormfur's home Clan
 * They reveal that they plan to stay with the Clans permanently


 * Leafpool's perspective
 * Leafpool has amputated Berrykit's tail as it is beyond repair
 * She gets a dream from Mudfur, a former RiverClan Medicine Cat
 * He asks her to take a message to Mothwing, telling her where to find catmint to treat an elder with greencough
 * She wakes but decides she must stay in ThunderClan to look after Berrykit; Mothwing will have to find the herbs on her own
 * She visits the Moonpool with the other medicine cats at the half-moon
 * She tells the news of Cinderpelt's death
 * StarClan welcome her in her dreams as a full medicine cat of ThunderClan
 * She toys with the idea of visiting Mothwing after all but refuses to go through WindClan territory to get there, telling herself that that part of her life is over


 * Brambleclaw's perspective
 * He overhears Birchpaw asking Ashfur to train but the grey warrior has reopened his wound on a rock, so Brambleclaw offers to take him on patrol
 * Ashfur is about to refuse when Firestar steps in and agrees
 * Brambleclaw takes Sandstorm and Thornclaw as well and they go towards ShadowClan
 * ShadowClan have set their markers inside ThunderClan territories
 * Brambleclaw sends Birchpaw back to camp to get help and the three warriors challenge the ShadowClan cats
 * They fight with Russetfur, Oakfur, Cedarheart and Rowanclaw
 * They are losing when Birchpaw brings help in the form of Firestar, Squirrelflight, Dustpelt, Spiderleg and Rainwhisker
 * They chase ShadowClan off
 * Back at camp Brambleclaw accuses Leafpool of betraying ThunderClan in telling Littlecloud of Cinderpelt's death and therefore ThunderClan's weakness
 * He is rebuked by Squirrelflight for calling her disloyal
 * Firestar agrees and says it is not Leafpool's fault ShadowClan attacked
 * Brambleclaw apologizes to Leafpool


 * Brambleclaw's perspective
 * A Gathering takes place
 * Tawnypelt reveals to him that Blackstar didn't hear the news of the badger attack from Littlecloud, but from Hawkfrost
 * Bramblecaw realises he told Hawkfrost himself in the Dark Forest and then falsely accused Leafpool
 * Leopardstar announces that Heavystep has died from greencough
 * Leafpool looks distraught at this news
 * Leopardstar also announces Mothwing has taken an apprentice, Willowpaw
 * Mothwing reveals a sign from StarClan in front of the whole gathering, which is interpreted by Hawkfrost as being a sign to get rid of Stormfur and Brook
 * Onestar reports that all is peaceful in WindClan
 * Firestar reports the badger attack and thanks Onestar in public for his help. He also reports the deaths of Sootfur and Cinderpelt
 * Firestar challenges Blackstar about ShadowClan's invasion of ThunderClan territory
 * Blackstar excuses his behaviour by claiming Twolegs are taking over ShadowClan territory
 * Leopardstar and Blackstar demand more territory for their Clans
 * Onestar and Firestar refuse
 * The cats begin to fight among each other


 * Leafpool's perspective
 * A cloud covers the moon, stopping the fighting and ending the Gathering
 * She overhears Mothwing arguing with Hawkfrost about the sign
 * Hawkfrost has blackmailed Mothwing into faking the sign
 * She speaks briefly with Crowfeather who tells her they should not even be friends anymore
 * Brightheart goes back to warrior duties
 * Spottedleaf sends Leafpool a sign: a butterfly's wing
 * Leafpool realizes that Hawkfrost must have planted the moth's wing sign that made Mudfur take Mothwing as a medicine cat apprentice
 * She realizes someone else is going to have to teach Willowpaw about StarClan as Mothwing does not believe in StarClan


 * Brambleclaw's perspective
 * He dreams of the Dark Forest and sees Tawnypelt rejecting Tigerstar
 * She sees Brambleclaw and tells him he is silly to trust Tigerstar and that he should focus on his Clan instead
 * Daisy and her kits go missing
 * Cloudtail and Brambleclaw go to the Horseplace to find Daisy
 * Smoky rescues them from the horses and takes them to the barn
 * They persuade Daisy and the kits to return to ThunderClan
 * They decide to stay the night in the barn


 * Leafpool's perspective
 * She dreams of Feathertail
 * Together they visit Willowpaw's dreams and show her the catmint
 * Feathertail confirms Leafpool's fears that Hawkfrost faked the moth's wing sign but reassures her that StarClan do not hold this against Mothwing
 * Feathertail tells her that she must mentor Willowpaw in the ways of StarClan
 * She wakes to find Daisy and her kits have returned
 * Leafpool encourages Cloudtail to hunt with Brightheart
 * She receives the "blood will spill blood" prophecy once more


 * Brambleclaw's perspective.
 * Brambleclaw watches Berrykit and Mousekit play-fight, and gives some tips to them on fighting
 * Firestar comes and asks Brambleclaw to scout out ShadowClan and RiverClan territory
 * He says Dustpelt has seen Twoleg activity; they were putting up small green-pelt things on sticks. He wants to know how much Leopardstar and Blackstar will ask for at the Gathering, if anything, if the Twoleg activity is interfering with hunting
 * Brambleclaw reassures Firestar he won't be caught, and sets off to scout
 * He stays within two tail-lengths of the lake as he enters ShadowClan territory, and spots the Twolegs and their green pelt things. He determines that Blackstar is using the Twolegs as an excuse for more territory; everything is fine in ShadowClan
 * As he reaches the RiverClan border and waits for some Twolegs to pass, he is shocked when he sees Brook race out after a squirrel, Stormfur following. She crosses barely into ShadowClan territory and kills the squirrel, while Stormfur yowls for her to come back
 * She darts back across, nearly getting hit by a monster, but Hawkfrost appears, saying she stole the prey from ShadowClan and trespassed. He shows hostility, saying Brook can't behave properly, and orders them back to camp with him
 * Brambleclaw follows them stealthily, and he decides to spy on what happens to make sure everything turned out alright
 * He sees that most of the Clan side with Hawkfrost, and want Stormfur and Brook gone. Hawkfrost provokes Stormfur into a fight, and Blackclaw and Mistyfoot have to pull them apart. Leopardstar orders Stormfur and Brook to leave
 * Brambleclaw catches up with them as they leave, apologizing that it happened. Stormfur snarls that Hawkfrost wants to be deputy, and he felt Stormfur threatened that, so he tried to get him out of RiverClan
 * Brambleclaw offers them shelter in ThunderClan for the night
 * Stormfur warns Brambleclaw that the path he walks can only lead to trouble
 * Brambleclaw is deeply troubled as they walk on; he feels for Brook and Stormfur, yet he also believes Hawkfrost must be right in some way to have done this


 * Brambleclaw's perspective
 * He takes Stormfur and Brook to see Firestar, and he invites them to stay the night, at least, and they will talk more in the morning
 * Brambleclaw takes them to get something to eat, then finds them nests in the warriors' den. He also explains to Squirrelflight what happened, before they both fall asleep
 * In the morning, Brambeclaw asks Sandstorm to take out Stormfur and Brook on a patrol, so they can learn the territory. Dustpelt overhears, and seems disgruntled to hear they might be staying
 * When Brambleclaw comes back from a hunting patrol, he finds that Mousefur and Dustpelt have called a Clan Meeting, and he finds Stormfur and Brook distressed
 * As Firestar comes out, they tell him ThunderClan is becoming too mixed; that he's taking in too many strange cats
 * Firestar disagrees, saying how they need Daisy's kits, and more warriors to defend their territory
 * As the Clan argues, Firestar has enough; he tells them they will make Stormfur and Brook welcome, and goes angrily back into his den
 * As Squirrelflight asks Stormfur and Brook out to hunt, Brambleclaw goes to speak with Firestar in his den
 * Even though Brambleclaw can hear Tigerstar screeching at him, he knows this is the right thing, and he tells Firestar he needs to appoint a deputy, so the Clan can appear strong
 * Firestar cannot believe Graystripe is dead, and Sandstorm appears, gesturing to Brambleclaw to leave for a moment so she can talk to her mate


 * Leafpool's perspective
 * Firestar visits Leafpool to talk to her about a new deputy
 * Stormfur and Leafpool convince him that Graystripe might not ever come back
 * Firestar calls a Clan Meeting, and announces Graystripe's death. The Clan immediately unites with him in grief, and he tells them he will think of a new deputy before moonhigh
 * Leafpool has a dream of brambles with claws protecting the hollow, interpreting as StarClan's sign that Brambleclaw should be the next deputy
 * She comes to Firestar and tells him about it. He agrees, though he had almost decided on Brackenfur
 * Firestar announces Brambleclaw deputy. When some cats protest, even Brambleclaw himself in astonishment, he calls Leafpool forward and she explains her dream. The Clan accepts it, except for Ashfur
 * Ashfur sneers coldly that Leafpool is lying because Squirrelflight is her sister and that Squirrelflight and Brambleclaw are mates. Squirrelflight lunges at him, furious, but Brambleclaw quickly stops her
 * Firestar asks if any other cat agrees with Ashfur, but none do, and Brambleclaw is made deputy
 * As Brambleclaw receives congratulations from his Clanmates, Leafpool sees the ghostly image of Tigerstar beside him


 * Brambleclaw's perspective
 * He visits Tigerstar to tell him the news and Hawkfrost is there too
 * They both congratulate him, but when Brambleclaw mentions StarClan, Tigerstar tells not to speak of them as he gained his position by his own skills
 * Tigerstar reveals his plan that Hawkfrost will rule RiverClan and ShadowClan, and that Brambleclaw will lead ThunderClan and WindClan
 * He plans to take over at a Gathering: this shocks Brambleclaw
 * Hawkfrost and Brambleclaw agree to meet in real life to discuss alternative plans
 * Brambleclaw wakes and sends out the patrols


 * Leafpool's perspective
 * She goes to the Moonpool to meet the other medicine cats
 * Mothwing performs the ceremony to induct Willowpaw as a medicine cat apprentice
 * Leafpool saw three stars on the sky. Spottedleaf says it's a sign.
 * Spottedleaf shows Leafpool in her dream that Cinderkit is Cinderpelt reborn
 * Together, Leafpool and Spottedleaf meet Willowpaw in her dreams and they show her a vision
 * Mothwing confesses to Leafpool that Hawkfrost faked the moth's wing sign and destroyed her belief in StarClan
 * Leafpool feels sure that the dream she shared with Willowpaw means something bad for RiverClan and ThunderClan, and thinks this is connected to Hawkfrost


 * Brambleclaw's perspective
 * He goes to meet Hawkfrost
 * He notices that Hawkfrost has ShadowClan scent on him, but the RiverClan cat says he must have picked it up going through their territory to get to ThunderClan
 * He argues with Hawkfrost about Tigerstar's plan
 * Brambleclaw hears a cat in pain and rushes towards the sound to see Firestar caught in a fox trap, saying Birchpaw sent him with news that Blackstar was on ThunderClan territory
 * Hawkfrost admits that he trapped Firestar, claiming he did it for Brambleclaw so that he could become ThunderClan leader
 * Hawkfrost tells Brambleclaw to kill Firestar


 * Leafpool's perspective
 * She is with Sorreltail and her kits when she gets a vision of blood and realizes something terrible is happening
 * She tells Squirrelflight; her sister agrees to go with her to find out what
 * Ashfur comes towards them, telling them that Firestar is caught in a fox trap
 * When Squirreflight asks why he didn't help him, he tells them that Brambleclaw and Hawkfrost are there too and he couldn't fight them both off so he came for help


 * Brambleclaw's perspective
 * He battles internally with himself on whether to tighten the noose around Firestar's neck, causing him to lose his remaining lives, so he could become leader of ThunderClan
 * Hawkfrost goads him on, saying how they could get revenge for their father
 * Brambleclaw knows he wants to lead his Clan, but not like this. He refuses to kill Firestar, and starts digging up the stake, telling Firestar to keep still
 * Hawkfrost attacks him, telling him it was all a test and he was a traitor to everything Tigerstar had planned. He tries to kill him, but Brambleclaw grabs the sharp stake from the ground and jabs it into Hawkfrost's throat.
 * Before Hawkfrost dies, he says that he didn't plan to kill Firestar alone and there is a traitor in ThunderClan. Brambleclaw begs him to tell him more, but Hawkfrost dies, his blood turning the lake red
 * Brambleclaw prepares to be exiled, as Firestar had seen him struggling with the desire to kill him, but Firestar tells him he did well; how his path had been harder than most, but he had seen it through, and won
 * Firestar lets his head fall, exhausted, while Brambleclaw asks himself what his father would do to him now


 * Leafpool's perspective
 * Squirrelflight tells Ashfur to go back to camp, while both sisters dash off towards the lakeshore, following Ashfur's fear scent
 * Leafpool's initial mistrust of Brambleclaw has grown, and she fears that she will lose Firestar
 * As they reach the site, Leafpool sees Brambleclaw standing next to Firestar with blood on his paws, but Firestar reassures that Brambleclaw saved him from Hawkfrost
 * Squirrelflight thanks Brambleclaw for saving her father's life, and starts to groom Firestar
 * Leafpool looks past the ferns to see Hawkfrost's body and the scarlet cloud of blood in the lake, and she realizes the prophecy has been fulfilled
 * Blood had spilled blood, in the form of Brambleclaw killing Hawkfrost, his kin, and the lake had turned red with his blood
 * Leafpool is convinced that peace has finally come