The Darkest Hour/Cliffnotes

These notes are brief, noting major events and minor events in The Darkest Hour 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.


 * Tigerstar and Boulder go to Twolegplace to look for Scourge and his Clan.
 * They want to make a deal with BloodClan.
 * They meet the BloodClan deputy, Bone.
 * Tigerstar is surprised to see how small the BloodClan leader is, commenting he looked like an apprentice.


 * Fireheart, Stonefur, and Mistyfoot are carrying Bluestar's body back to camp.
 * Graystripe appears and goes to tell the Clan that they can come back to camp.
 * Whitestorm blames himself for Bluestar's death.
 * Fireheart assures him that it wasn't his fault.
 * Fireheart tells him that Bluestar was at peace with StarClan when she died.
 * Whitestorm is relieved.


 * Frostfur finds the two RiverClan warriors, Mistyfoot and Stonefur in Bluestar's den.
 * The two cats leave after telling ThunderClan that Bluestar is their mother.
 * Fireheart is announced to be the new leader.
 * They hold vigil for Bluestar.
 * Fireheart accidentally falls asleep when he is beside Cinderpelt and Whitestorm on the vigil.
 * Cinderpelt is the only one who notices.


 * The elders bury Bluestar.
 * Fireheart and Cinderpelt travel to the Moonstone, encountering a patrol of WindClan cats.
 * Cinderpelt and Fireheart tell them about Bluestar's death.
 * They told Fireheart and Cinderpelt that WindClan grieved for Bluestar's death.
 * They will tell Tallstar.
 * Fireheart and Cinderpelt arrive at the Moonstone.
 * Fireheart lies down in front of Moonstone.


 * StarClan come to him and begin his leader ceremony.
 * Fireheart receives his nine lives and his leader name, Firestar.
 * Bluestar, Redtail, Lionheart, Swiftpaw, Brindleface, Yellowfang, Spottedleaf, Silverstream and Runningwind give Firestar his nine lives.
 * A massive hill of bones appears, interrupting the ceremony.
 * All of the StarClan cats vanish except for Bluestar, who gives him the prophecy, Four will become two. Lion and Tiger will meet in battle, and blood will rule the forest."
 * A river of blood flows towards Firestar.
 * Firestar is horrified and he tries to flee, but his paws were fixed in place.


 * Firestar wakes up and quickly leaves the cave, shaken by the prophecy.
 * Firestar talks with Cinderpelt.
 * Firestar reveals to Cinderpelt that he has been having prophetic dreams since he was a kittypet.
 * Cinderpelt says that all dreams come from StarClan.
 * They go to Barley's Farm.
 * They talk with Ravenpaw and Barley about Bluestar's death.
 * The two cats sleep at Barley's Farm with Ravenpaw.


 * Cinderpelt and Firestar return to camp.
 * ThunderClan warmly greet their new leader.
 * Firestar explains to Sandstorm that his new position won't affect their relationship.
 * Firestar can't decide who to make as deputy.
 * Graystripe tells him that Firestar doesn't have to choose him as deputy.
 * Firestar appoints Whitestorm as deputy.


 * Firestar visits the Twolegplace with Bramblepaw secretly trailing him.
 * Firestar's former housefolk have a new kittypet.
 * Firestar finds out that Bramblepaw is following him.
 * Firestar is impressed.
 * Firestar asks Bramblepaw if he can trust him, which Bramblepaw throws back at him.
 * The two cats talk about loyalty.


 * Darkstripe is talking to Sorrelkit.
 * Sorrelkit collapses with deathberries in her mouth.
 * Graystripe pins down Darkstripe, and the two argue.
 * Graystripe accuses Darkstripe of feeding Sorrelkit deathberries.
 * While Cinderpelt attends to Sorrelkit, Firestar doubts if she will survive.
 * Firestar says that he will decide about Darkstripe after Sorrelkit wakes up.
 * He tells Graystripe that he believes Graystripe over Darkstripe.


 * Firestar asks One-eye how to change Lostface's name.
 * Thornpaw and Firestar scent rogues in their territory while on a patrol.
 * Thornpaw's warrior ceremony takes place; he becomes Thornclaw.
 * Firestar changes Lostface's name to Brightheart.
 * Sorrelkit awakens.


 * Sorrelkit tells Firestar how Darkstripe fed her deathberries after she spied on him talking to Blackfoot, the ShadowClan deputy.
 * Firestar confronts Darkstripe in front of the Clan.
 * Darkstripe is exiled from ThunderClan.
 * Darkstripe leaves.
 * Firestar appoints Longtail as Fernpaw's new mentor.
 * Longtail is proud.


 * Mistyfoot tells Firestar that Tigerstar has been visiting RiverClan.
 * Graystripe asks her how his kits are doing.
 * She replies that they're fine.
 * Firestar talks with Whitestorm about Tigerstar.
 * Firestar plans to reveal Tigerstar's crimes at the Gathering.
 * Firestar chooses Fernpaw, Ashpaw, Thornclaw, Sandstorm, Graystripe and Frostfur to take to the Gathering.


 * The Gathering takes place.
 * Tigerstar announces that ShadowClan and RiverClan have joined together to form TigerClan.
 * Tigerstar invites WindClan and ThunderClan to also join.
 * Both Clans refuse.
 * Firestar tries to tell the cats about Tigerstar's treachery, but Tigerstar flees.


 * ThunderClan returns home.
 * Firestar and Bramblepaw train.
 * Cloudtail shows Firestar his training with Brightheart.
 * Firestar sees a roaring lion as his reflection when he goes to get a drink of water.
 * Spottedleaf appears at the other side of the stream,telling him to "Take heed of what you've seen. Learn what you must be."
 * Firestar tries questioning her, but she's vanished.


 * Smallear offends Tawnypaw.
 * Tawnypaw gets angry about the ThunderClan cats not thinking she's loyal, because of her father.
 * Graystripe frets about his kits.
 * Ravenpaw shows up to pay respects to Bluestar.
 * Firestar, Graystripe, and Ravenpaw sneak to RiverClan to check on Graystripe's kits.
 * They find Tigerstar on top of a hill of bones.
 * Tigerstar has Stonefur, Mistyfoot, and Graystripe's kits as prisoners.


 * Tigerstar has imprisoned Mistyfoot, Stonefur, Featherpaw, and Stormpaw because they are half-Clan cats and that Tigerclan only accepts full-Clan cats.
 * Tigerstar commands Stonefur to kill Featherpaw and Stormpaw to show his loyalty.
 * Stonefur refuses, so Tigerstar orders Darkstripe to kill him.
 * When Darkstripe fails, Blackfoot finishes off Stonefur.


 * Tigerstar ends the meeting.
 * Stormpaw and Featherpaw go back to their prison.
 * Ravenpaw tricks the guard, Jaggedtooth, into leaving his post.
 * Graystripe and Firestar rescue the prisoners.
 * TigerClan is alerted of the prisoners' escape.


 * Graystripe, Firestar, Ravenpaw, Mistyfoot, Featherpaw, and Stormpaw hurry to the stepping stones.
 * TigerClan cats chase the escaping prisoners.
 * A ThunderClan patrol frightens away the ShadowClan cats.
 * The cats return to camp to find that Tawnypaw has disappeared.


 * Firestar organizes a patrol to find Tawnypaw.
 * They find her scent trail, but soon lose it and suspect that Tawnypaw left on purpose.
 * Ravenpaw leaves.
 * Mistyfoot, Featherpaw, and Stormpaw are welcomed into ThunderClan.
 * Mudclaw arrives begging for help, since TigerClan is attacking WindClan.


 * ThunderClan goes to help WindClan.
 * The cats arrive too late, and find Gorsepaw dead, and the rest of WindClan severely injured.
 * Onewhisker talks to Firestar.
 * Firestar sends a few ThunderClan cats and WindClan cats on patrol for WindClan.
 * Tallstar and Firestar decide to meet Tigerstar at Fourtrees.


 * Firestar and Sandstorm go on patrol.
 * Firestar is nervous about the next day's meeting.
 * She convinces Firestar to fight TigerClan, when he was doubting about it.
 * Firestar tells Sandstorm to sleep in his den for the night.
 * Sandstorm agrees.


 * Firestar arrives at Fourtrees and meets Tallstar.
 * Firestar leads both Clans to meet Tigerstar.
 * Tigerstar asks the two Clans once again to join TigerClan.
 * Tallstar and Firestar both reject Tigerstar's offer to join TigerClan.
 * Bramblepaw sees Tawnypaw standing among the ShadowClan cats.
 * Tigerstar says that she left willingly.
 * Tigerstar tells Bramblepaw to join them.
 * Bramblepaw refuses.
 * Rows and rows of stranger cats wearing collars like kittypets appear from the bushes at Blackfoot's signal.


 * Tigerstar introduces the new cats as BloodClan and their leader Scourge.
 * Tigerstar says that he and BloodClan will rule the forest.
 * Tigerstar orders the BloodClan cats to attack, but no cat moves.
 * Firestar finally tells the cats about Tigerstar's treachery.
 * Scourge says that only he can command his Clan, and that there will be no battle today.
 * Tigerstar attacks Scourge.
 * Scourge severely wounds Tigerstar.
 * He loses all of his nine lives at once, one after the other.
 * Scourge announces that he and BloodClan are staying in the forest.
 * He gives the Clans three days to make a choice: either flee or fight.


 * Firestar is shaken by Tigerstar's death, feeling, to his surprise, grief.
 * He and Tallstar agree to fight BloodClan.
 * Bramblepaw is horrified and sad at Tigerstar's death.
 * Firestar tells Bramblepaw that now he is free of Tigerstar.
 * ThunderClan return to camp and prepare for the battle.
 * Sandstorm and Graystripe begin training a training schedule, with Sandstorm training the kits.


 * Ravenpaw and Barley turn up.
 * Barley tells Firestar that he was once part of BloodClan.
 * Barley tells Firestar Scourge's weakness; they don't believe in StarClan, but Firestar does not understand.
 * Ravenpaw and Barley decide to fight against BloodClan, too.
 * Longtail reports that BloodClan is in ShadowClan territory.
 * Cloudtail and Firestar go to warn Princess about BloodClan.


 * Whitestorm asks Firestar that whether it is even worth fighting BloodClan, because even if they win, they would be left with very few survivors.
 * Firestar sees the cats who gave him his nine lives along with Stonefur and Gorsepaw in a dream.
 * Bluestar tells him that StarClan do not rule the forest.
 * She tells him that StarClan care for every cat in the forest; from the smallest kit to the oldest elder.


 * Firestar thinks that he can ask RiverClan and ShadowClan to fight BloodClan.
 * Graystripe, Sandstorm, Cloudtail, and Bramblepaw come looking for him.
 * He tells them that he will ask RiverClan and ShadowClan to fight with them.
 * They go into RiverClan territory.
 * Bramblepaw asks if he can talk to Tawnypaw there.
 * Firestar asks Leopardstar to fight with them.
 * Leopardstar asks him if he will be their leader.
 * Firestar agrees.
 * Darkstripe appears and asks if Leopardstar is mad, asking a kittypet to lead them.
 * Darkstripe blames Firestar for Tigerstar's death, even though Firestar says that Tigerstar brought it all on himself.
 * Boulder tells Firestar why Tigerstar brought BloodClan into the forest.
 * Tawnypaw arrives and tells Firestar why she left.
 * Leopardstar and Blackfoot agree to fight.
 * Darkstripe refuses to fight, and leaves.


 * Firestar tells Speckletail that she is not coming with them.
 * Firestar tells her that she will be in charge of camp in case BloodClan attacks.
 * Brightheart will come to the battle.
 * Firestar says that she is as strong as any warrior now.
 * Whitestorm tells Firestar that he has been proud to serve as his deputy.
 * Whitestorm thinks he is going to die in the battle.
 * They leave the camp to go to Fourtrees.


 * Firestar tells Scourge that there is no need to fight and that they will let him go back in peace.
 * The fight begins.
 * Darkstripe attacks Firestar, but fails and is killed by Graystripe.
 * Whitestorm is killed by Bone.
 * Firestar makes Graystripe deputy.
 * Featherpaw, Stormpaw, Bramblepaw, Tawnypaw, Ashpaw, and Fernpaw kill Bone.
 * Jaggedtooth attacks Bramblepaw, but Tawnypaw drives him away.
 * Firestar sees Scourge attacking Onewhisker and attacks him.


 * Scourge attacks Firestar harshly.
 * Firestar loses his first life.


 * Firestar sees a pale outline of himself join StarClan.
 * He sees Whitestorm in StarClan.
 * StarClan tell him that there were always five Clans in the forest.
 * Firestar revives.
 * He sees Scourge attacking Cloudtail, making him, Onewhisker, and Firestar the three cats who fought Scourge and lived.
 * He attacks Scourge, and after a brief fight, kills him.


 * Leopardstar and the RiverClan cats come to thank him.
 * He learns that Mistyfoot is the new deputy.
 * Featherpaw and Stormpaw go back to RiverClan.
 * Blackfoot comes to say that he will now be the ShadowClan leader and that they won the battle after all.
 * Tallstar comes and tells Firestar that they chased BloodClan out of the forest.