Leafpool's Wish

Leafpool's Wish is the fifth e-book novella attributed by HarperCollins. Leafpool is on the cover.

Blurb

 * In this seventy-page digital novella from the world of Erin Hunter's #1 nationally bestselling Warriors series, discover the thrilling story behind Leafpool's greatest secret.


 * Leafpool always knew medicine cats weren't meant for love . . . until she fell for the WindClan warrior Crowfeather. Now she's determined to keep their kits a secret. But to fool all of ThunderClan, she'll need help—from her sister Squirrelflight, and perhaps even from StarClan. . . . Warriors: Leafpool's Wish also includes teaser chapters of Warriors: Dovewing's Silence and Dawn of the Clans #1: The Sun Trail.

Detailed Plot Summary

 * The book begins with Leafpool treating Birchpaw's wounds from the badger attack. She tells him to keep still, or she will have Dustpelt sit on him. Birchpaw protests, saying that it stings, and Leafpool dryly comments whether it hurts more than badger claws. She feels a fresh wave of grief as she remembers the death of her mentor, Cinderpelt. She whispers to herself that she has returned. Brackenfur comes in and asks if she's talking to herself. She tells him she was just remembering something important, then asks if he needs anything. Birchpaw interrupts, asking if he can leave. Leafpool says he can, but he's not allowed out of the hollow. As Birchpaw leaves, Brackenfur says that some cats don't realize just how lucky they are to survive the attack. Leafpool agrees, adding that those who fell will never be forgotten. Brackenfur tells her that the reason he came was because Cinderkit, one of his daughters, had picked up some fleas. Leafpool tells him she'll bring something by sunhigh. Brackenfur says that there's no hurry, and that Leafpool has been looking tired lately. Leafpool says that she's always busy after a battle and a nursery full of kits doesn't help, but every new life in ThunderClan is precious.


 * The two cats leave her den, and Leafpool sees Squirrelflight and Brambleclaw. She wonders briefly if her sister made the right choice. Leafpool soothes the flea bites with a marigold poultice, then retires to her den for the night. She feels lonely without Cinderpelt. When she falls asleep, she meets with three StarClan warriors: Bluestar, Yellowfang, and Lionheart. They lead her to a clearing, where three stars shine brighter than all the rest. Bluestar then tells her that there are cats whom she has yet to meet, cats who will shape her destiny. She will walk a path that no medicine cat has walked before. Lionheart tells her that they have come to give her courage. Bluestar tells her that they will be with her every step of the way, no matter what. Leafpool knows that she made the right choice to stay in ThunderClan. One moon passes, and Firestar has just recovered from losing a life from a Twoleg trap. She is bringing him honey topped with a poppy seed. Firestar protests that he is fine, but he eats it anyway. She goes over the herbs she needs before leaf-bare.


 * Upon seeing Whitepaw, she asks her if she can bring some moss for Firestar. Whitepaw agrees, saying that she can do it before training. Brackenfur asks her if she is stealing his apprentice. Leafpool promises that Whitepaw won't be long, and asks Brackenfur how he felt about Firestar's choice of deputy. Brackenfur says that a Clan without a deputy is vulnerable, and he's glad they have a deputy now. He is also glad Leafpool returned. Berrykit comes rushing out of the nursery and hassles the two, until Daisy comes and tells him to stop bothering Brackenfur. After Daisy takes Berrykit back to the nursery, Brackenfur leaves, telling Ashfur that as soon as Whitepaw returns, they'll take their apprentices hunting. Then Molekit rushes out squealing that he can't be caught. Honeykit says that she can, and runs after him. Then Poppykit and Cinderkit emerge, and Cinderkit asks Leafpool if Firestar is okay. Leafpool tells her that he's fine, and she is relieved, saying that a Clan needs a leader.


 * Leafpool reflects that Cinderkit seems so much older then her one moon sometimes. Sorreltail tells her kits not to bother the warriors, and Honeykit says that they were just practicing racing, and Molekit adds that he is quicker, his legs are longer. Honeykit counters that her legs are faster. Honeykit crashes into Whitepaw, who has returned with moss. Sorreltail wonders how she can manage the four. Leafpool is wracked with a squirming in her belly, she figured out half a moon ago what the stars meant: she's having kits. She tells Sorreltail she ate a tough shrew and hurries to check Brambleclaw's wounds. She sees Brambleclaw licking his paws, and realizes she doesn't trust him anymore, not since she saw him in the Dark Forest. She asks to see his paws. After checking him over, she starts to leave. As she goes, Brambleclaw says that she can trust him now, he knows that she saw him in the Place Of No Stars. Leafpool is still uncertain, and as she goes, the kits inside of her squirm again. As she comes out of the warriors den, she notices Berrykit, Hazelkit, and Mousekit attacking Spiderleg, who snaps at them, discouraging their play. Leafpool thinks that Crowfeather would be glad to play with their kits. In her mind's eye she can see Crowfeather playing with their kits, though she cannot tell whether it's WindClan or ThunderClan camp.


 * Leafpool tells herself that she cannot have her kits and betray ThunderClan again. She decides to go to the Moonpool to consult StarClan. She meets with Spottedleaf, who reprimands her for what she has done. Then Yellowfang interrupts and takes her into the forest, where she tells Leafpool about her own forbidden son, Brokenstar. Leafpool asks if her kits will be a terrible mistake as well. Yellowfang tells her never to say that, as all life is precious. Leafpool still feels unhappy with her choice and says that she still did something wrong. Yellowfang explains that in one code, she did do something wrong. She explains further that there is more than one way to judge the inevitable kits, they are not allowed to have mates and kits was because the ancient cats were worried that they would put their kin ahead of their Clanmates. Leafpool asks if ThunderClan will accept her kits, and Yellowfang says that there is no way to know for certain, but she should stay with ThunderClan no matter what. Then they part, and Leafpool is awake once more.


 * Leafpool decides to confide in Squirrelflight. She tells her sister that she needs to tell her something. As they pass out, Mousefur notes that Leafpool is getting plump, and asks if there were plenty of mice at the Moonpool. Squirrelflight says that this was rude of Mousefur, but acknowledges that Leafpool has gotten larger. She is shocked when Leafpool admits her secret, and asks if Leafpool will have to leave ThunderClan. Leafpool tells her that she will not, she needs to have kits and serve her Clan. Squirrelflight suggests that Brightheart can be medicine cat, but Leafpool does not accept this idea, telling Squirrelflight that ThunderClan needs her, not Brightheart. Squirrelflight says that she doesn't have much choice right now, but everything will be okay. Leafpool doesn't think that anything will be okay again.


 * When Brightheart asks her if there's anything Leafpool needs to tell her, Leafpool thinks she suspects something, but she just wants to know why Leafpool is having her help so much. Leafpool wants to know how she would feel about that. Brightheart likes helping, but she wants to stay a warrior. Three sunrises pass. Whitepaw gets injured attempting to catch a hare, and Leafpool relocates her tail. Brightheart is very distressed over Whitepaw's injury. After Whitepaw is settled in Leafpool's den, her mother, Sandstorm tells Leafpool that she seems distracted, and asks if something is wrong. Leafpool tells her that nothing is wrong. She goes out to gather herbs, and sees Crowfeather with a WindClan she-cat. Crowfeather sees her, and tries to talk to her, but she blows him off, officially ending their relationship. She resolves to see Yellowfang again.


 * The next day, she asks Squirrelflight to come with her. Squirrelflight agrees. She is in awe of the Moonpool, and they fall asleep. Leafpool begs Yellowfang to help her figure something out. Yellowfang wakes up Squirrelflight and introduces herself. She tells Squirrelflight that the only way to save the kits is if Squirrelflight raises them as her own. Squirrelflight is horrified at the thought of lying to her Clanmates, and refuses. Yellowfang tells her that she will never have kits. Squirrelflight and Leafpool are apalled by this news, and Yellowfang continues, saying that Leafpool's kits are her only chance to be a mother. Then she and Leafpool wake up, and Squirrelflight tells Leafpool she can't do that for her, and lie to their Clanmates. Leafpool decides to leave camp to give birth, so she tells her Clanmates that she's leaving to find a specific herb on the territory.


 * At the last moment Squirrelflight decides to join her. They leave at sunhigh. After rejecting an old Twoleg nest as her birthing den, they are forced into a hole in the ground after being caught in the middle of a badger fight. The next day, Leafpool realizes that her kits are due that very day, and the sisters hurry away from the fox den. They find a very old tree to shelter in while Leafpool gives birth. The first kit comes, but the second kit has trouble because it has such broad shoulders. Then, Yellowfang comes to help, and they manage to get the kit out. Then the last kit comes, a gray tabby. Yellowfang advises them to stay in the hollow until the kits' eyes open. Feathertail comes to visit the kits, saying that they are perfect. She bears no grudge against Leafpool. Feathertail says that cats will speak of them from moons to come. They must be raised in ThunderClan, and Squirrelflight must mother the kits.


 * The golden tabby looks like a little lion, so she calls him Lionkit. Leafpool wants to call the black kit Crowkit, but lets Squirrelflight name her Hollykit. When the gray tabby finally opens his eyes, Leafpool calls him Jaykit, for his eyes are as blue as a jay's wing. She adds silently that he will be called Jayfeather, like his father, Crowfeather. Half a moon passes, and Hollykit, Jaykit, and Lionkit are playing. Lionkit exclaims that he can jump the highest. Jaykit  says he can too, but lands awkwardly while Hollykit purrs and calls him silly. Then Jaykit falls into a hole. After Leafpool rescues him, she realizes that there is something odd about his eyes. She asks him to fetch him a leaf to clean her up, the biggest one, but when he uses his whiskers instead of his sight, and when he does not choose the largest one, she realizes that he is blind. Squirrelflight wonders what life he'll have, and Leafpool snaps that he'll live just like his Clanmates.


 * They decide to leave the tree. Leafpool is reluctant to go because the kits are so happy there, but if they stay the kits will remember too much. When Squirrelflight tells Lionkit where they are going, he complains that he doesn't want to leave, he likes it at the hollow tree. Squirrelflight says that they're getting too big for the hollow tree. Squirrelflight carries Jaykit. Jaykit complains that just because he can't see doesn't mean that his legs don't work, but Lionkit points out that his legs are shorter than theirs. As they cross the border, Leafpool tells Squirrelflight that the kits must learn that Squirrelflight is their mother, not her. She wishes with all her heart that things could be different. She eats some parsley to dry up her milk, and then heads for camp. Jaykit catches up to her and asks why she isn't walking with them anymore, and she explains that she is ThunderClan's medicine cat. Jaykit asks if that means if she can make him see, and she tells him that she can't. Jaykit takes it in stride. When Squirrelflight enters camp, her Clanmates do not suspect a thing, and they assume that Brambleclaw is the father. Leafpool vows that she will love her kits always.

Trivia

 * This e-book focuses on Leafpool during the time period when she was pregnant with her kits.
 * In the very beginning of chapter 5, the medicine cat's den is mistakenly labeled as the nursery.
 * Despite the HarperCollins website stating there is a teaser for Dovewing's Silence, no such preview exists in the book.
 * At the end of chapter 2, Spiderleg is mistakenly referred to as Berrykit, Mousekit, and Hazelkit's father.

Publication History

 * Leafpool's Wish (EN), HarperCollins (e-book), 22 April 2014
 * Tales from the Clans (EN), HarperCollins (paperback) (included within), 4 November 2014