The Last Hope

The Last Hope is the final book in the Omen of the Stars arc. The cat on the cover is Firestar.

Dedication
For Dan, in hope

The Blurb

 * The end of the stars draws near. Three must become four to battle the darkness that lasts forever....


 * After countless moons of treachery, Tigerstar's Dark Forest apprentices are ready to lay siege upon the warrior Clans. As Jayfeather, Dovewing, and Lionblaze prepare to lead their Clanmates into battle, they await the arrival of the mysterious fourth warrior who is prophesied to help lead the Clans to glory.


 * The darkest hour the Clans have ever faced has dawned. Hopes will be shattered and heroes will rise as the warriors fight for their very survival.

Plot Summary

 * In the prologue, Half Moon, Owl Feather, and Broken Shadow of the Ancients meet with Slant of the Tribe of Endless Hunting. Bluestar and Spottedleaf of StarClan appear to discuss about preparation, as there is little time until the Dark Forest attack the Clans. Half Moon notices Midnight and Rock joining the cats. Midnight mentions that she had known Rock since the dawn of the Ancients, and they had watched the first sunrise over the lake. She also mentions that they saw the future of the Clans, Tribe, and Ancient in the sunrise reflected in the lake, though, they fear that a final sunrise will make the ending, just like it created the beginning. The four were born to light the darkest fires, but evil was born like a littermate alongside the four. The meeting cats decide that they will fight alongside the Clans to defeat the darkness that is rising.


 * Ivypool is training the apprentices of the Dark Forest, and smells a bit of blood. It brings back the painful memory of her being forced to fight to the death against Antpelt, in order to become a warrior of the Dark Forest and earn the trust of the senior warriors. She had managed to kill Antpelt, although saddened about it. She yells to the apprentices to stop training at the scent of blood, and to be careful. Hawkfrost hears her say this, and scolds Ivypool. Ivypool shows Birchfall the correct attack, which impresses Hawkfrost once again, and she gains his approval. Applefur appears with her apprentices, Blossomfall and Hollowflight, and she states that the two want to battle Dark Forest warriors instead of apprentices. Tigerstar appears and states that the apprentices need to know each others' moves, in case they need to fight alongside each other. He orders the apprentices to wake up back in their nests, because there is a private senior warrior meeting going on. Ivypool insists that she comes, because she is a mentor, but Mapleshade dismisses this. When the Clan cats have left, Ivypool sneaks over to the meeting to hear what's going on. She finds Brokenstar explaining the master plan using his claws to draw a diagram of what's to happen. After all of the cats leave, Ivypool sneaks forward to take a peek at the diagram, but is just awakened by her sister, Dovewing. Ivypool is irritated but forgets about it. She takes a walk in the forest, and concludes that she will fight with all of her strength when the final battle comes, and will use the Dark Forest tactics against them, and is prepared for death to come.


 * Jayfeather is debating whether to go to the Moonpool or not, as he was forced to step down from being a medicine cat due to Dawnpelt's false accusations. Briarlight urges Jayfeather to go to the Moonpool, but he dismisses this. Jayfeather decides to go to the moonpool after Firestar speaks to him. Later in his dream at the Moonpool, Brambleberry tells him that they must unite all the Clans together as one to fight the Dark Forest. After that, he has another dream, but this time, in the dark forest. Brokenstar appears and shows Jayfeather the training warriors and apprentices. Jayfeather is horrified as he realizes that so many cats are training from each Clan, secretly training at night while their clanmates are sleeping. He wakes up, blind once again. He finds Mothwing at the Moonpool, and she asks if he's alright. He replies that he is fine, and he discovers that Willowshine didn't come. Mothwing is aware that something is wrong with the Clans, and Jayfeather confirms this. He reveals all of the secrets to her about the Dark Forest, the final battle, and their own clanmates training with the evil. Mothwing observes that many of her clanmates have been acting odd lately-restless, and argumentative. Mothwing offers Jayfeather her assistance with this task, and Jayfeather realizes that she might be the fourth cat.


 * Lionblaze is still upset about Cinderheart rejecting him, and stares at her longingly, and while he is eating with his sister, Hollyleaf. Brambleclaw calls Hollyleaf to lead a patrol, having her to leave Lionblaze, and Lionblaze leads a different patrol with Cinderheart. Lionblaze notes that Thornclaw and Blossomfall are acting closer than usual lately, and assumes that they now must be mates. After their patrols, Hollyleaf takes a walk with Lionblaze and the two discuss about all of the difficulties and problematic situations that are happening currently-about the dark forest, the other clans, and Cinderheart's destiny. Jayfeather returns, and he brings news the share with Lionblaze and Dovewing. He reveals the truth about there being a fourth cat, who Lionblaze thinks that is Hollyleaf, Dovewing thinks it's Ivypool, and Jayfeather is certain that it's Mothwing, and the three quarrel. Lionblaze contemplates about the fate of the Clans, and what awaits them.


 * While Dovewing is hunting near the ShadowClan border, she locates Tigerheart. Tigerheart admits that he misses her, but before the two can talk, Ratscar calls for Tigerheart, and he leaves. Firestar finds Dovewing after that, and openly wonders why she's so close to the border. She lies, saying that she's worried. Firestar explains his fears about the dark forest, and tells her that the final responsibility will be his.


 * Ivypool wakes up from another night of being in the Dark Forest. She, along with Dovewing train Cherrypaw and Molepaw. They teach them fighting techniques, and after that Dovewing tells her about the fourth cat, and that Dovewing thinks that Ivypool is the fourth. However, Ivypool is unsure about it. Later, Birchfall finds Ivypool and tells her that the Clan cats that are training in the Dark Forest have organized a meeting at the border that divides WindClan and ThunderClan. Ivypool tells Foxleap to bring a patrol there, and she hides in the trees as she watches in the bushes as the ThunderClan patrol encounters the WindClan cats. Birchfall appears and confirms that nobody crossed the border. Ivypool realizes that her job as a spy is becoming harder.


 * Jayfeather heads towards RiverClan territory, to speak with Mothwing. He encounters Onestar along the way, and lets Jayfeather pass, but he mentions that since the medicine cats have split apart, he felt as if something bad's going to come to the Clans. Jayfeather gives him a slight warning of any cat being able to betray him, and to be aware of any danger. Jayfeather reaches the RiverClan camp, but only manages to speak with Mothwing briefly before Mistystar sends him out of their territory, peacefully. As Jayfeather heads back to ThunderClan, to his horror, the dark forest warriors attack him, but while he's blind, as if he isn't dreaming. A WindClan patrol finds him, but Jayfeather lies that he just fell into a thorn bush and is escorted back to ThunderClan territory.


 * Early in the morning, Lionblaze takes a short walk with Cinderheart. Lionblaze, saddened about not being with Cinderheart, falls asleep at the lake. Later, he wakes up and joins a border patrol that just passes by him. They head towards the ShadowClan-ThunderClan border, and encounter a patrol. Desperate to show Cinderheart that destinies cannot rule lives, he attacks Ratscar in the ShadowClan patrol. He purposely lets himself be beaten, and comes back to camp to show Cinderheart his wounds. She, along with other cats are angry at him for being foolish, leaving Lionblaze alone again.


 * Dovewing comes back from training tree climbing with Bumblestripe, when Blackstar comes to inform Firestar of Lionblaze's iresponsible actions of attacking the ShadowClan patrol previously. He also mentions of a scent of a ThunderClan cat on their territory. Dovewing knows that that was her, and realizes that she needs to be more careful next time.


 * The Dark Forest cats are planning to explore different territories of the Clans, and Ivypool is aware that this is just to get the Dark Forest recruits to know each territory, so they can attack the Clans easier in the final battle. Ivypool is chosen to be the guide for the ThunderClan territory patrol. As they explore the territory, Tigerstar asks Blossomfall to explain to the cats about ThunderClan's technique of climbing in trees to then pounce on their foes, but as she explains, she reveals secrets and techniques to enemy warriors. They find a ThunderClan patrol, and Tigerstar orders to attack, but Ivypool convinces him to not.


 * In a dream, Jayfeather finds Dovewing and Lionblaze, surprisingly, in the same dream. Lionblaze and Dovewing find out that Jayfeather can see in dreams, and Jayfeather feels that they need to go to the tunnels, and he leads them down there. They find Rock there, and Jayfeather introduces Lionblaze and Dovewing to Rock. Jayfeather realizes that the three were summoned by Rock to this dream, so that they could speak with him. Rock reveals that if the three weren't born, the dark forest wouldn't exist. He reveals his scorn about the Clans, hissing that they keep memories for too long. Rock mentions that the three are failing, and the ancients appear to ask about why the three have abandoned them and the Clans by giving up on trying to save everyone. The dream ends with Rock wailing for the three to find the fourth.


 * Still determined to prove that Hollyleaf is the fourth cat, Lionblaze takes his sister out in the forest for a run. He "assesses" her, but without her knowing, and he observes if she contains any special qualities. He firsts tests her running, wanting to know if she possesses more speed than any other cat. Then, a climb. During the climb, Hollyleaf chases a squirrel and catches it. Hollyleaf tells Lionblaze that she isn't the fourth cat, but tells him not to give up and to keep looking.


 * At a gathering, all of the leaders discuss that there have been odd scents of no Clan cat that is known, deep in each of their territories. At first, the leaders accuse other Clans of trespassing, but they come to the conclusion that these are most likely scents of rogues crossing through each territory. These cats are later revealed to be the dark forest patrols.


 * At a dark forest gathering, Brokenstar reveals to the recruits about the final battle. Beetlewhisker is horrified about attacking his clanmates, and declares that he's going to leave the dark forest. He explains politely to Brokenstar that he is grateful for the fighting skill, but that he will leave. With this, Brokenstar cruelly kills him, and declares that the same will happen to anyone else who wants to leave.


 * Mothwing visits the ThunderClan camp to take Jayfeather away to see something. Firestar allows the two to go, and Mothwing takes him to RiverClan territory, and shows him smoldering reed, which is odd, since it has been smoldering for days, not even the rain could put it out. Jayfeather interprets this as an omen, one to find Flametail.


 * Jayfeather finds himself in a dream, and Spottedleaf finds him, surprised of his appearance. Jayfeather explains that he needs to speak with Flametail, and hesitantly, Spottedleaf agrees to help him finding Flametail, though it is difficult since StarClan has split apart. As the two cross into the ShadowClan area of StarClan, they find a patrol consisting of Hollyflower, Cedarheart, and Russetfur. Cedarheart allows the two to look for Flametail, since he is aware that this is being done to save StarClan and the Clans. Jayfeather falls in a deep reed bed, and is drowning. Flametail appears and refuses to save him because Jayfeather didn't save Flametail, and is angry that he died a stupid way to die. Spottedleaf urges Flametail to help, and tells him that he is the fourth, but which is not true. Flametail saves Jayfeather, and agrees to tell Littlecloud that Jayfeather did not kill him. Later, Spottedleaf reveals to Jayfeather that Flametail is not the fourth cat.


 * Jayfeather, Lionblaze, Dovewing, and Hollyleaf reveal the secrets about their destinies, and the Dark Forest to Brambleclaw, Leafpool, and Squirrelflight, as Firestar tells them to. They are fascinated by the destinies, yet worried about the upcoming final battle. After this, they all apologize to each other about past events, such as Leafpool's betrayal, and Brambleclaw forgives Squirrelflight.


 * Jayfeather summons the other medicine cats of each Clan to a dream, and he tells them about the Dark Forest and final battle. They agree to unite StarClan, so they go to the Moonpool, and the StarClan cats appear. The four medicine cats convince StarClan to unite, and Bluestar reveals the fourth to Jayfeather. She takes him to the fourth's dream, who is actually Firestar. Jayfeather tells Firestar that he is the fourth, and then takes him to see the training Dark Forest cats. After, that, he takes Firestar back to the Moonpool where the StarClan cats await. With this, the four medicine cats agree to take their leaders to the island so that the four reveal this to the leaders.

Trivia

 * The title and cover of the book were revealed on July 12th, 2011.
 * Prior to being released, author Kate Cary has often referred to it as "The Final Hope".

Antpelt is still accidenty listed in the allegiances desite of dieing in sign of the moon.

Publication List

 * The Last Hope (EN), HarperCollins (hardcover), 3 April 2012
 * The Last Hope (EN), HarperCollins (eBook), 3 April 2012
 * The Last Hope (EN), HarperCollins (Enhanced eBook), 3 April 2012