The Sun Trail/Cliffnotes

These notes are brief, noting major and minor events in The Sun Trail 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.


 * Half Moon is watching several cats fight over an eagle carcass.
 * A gray-and-white elder grabs it and gives it to Misty Water, who refuses to eat.
 * Lion's Roar comes up to Half Moon and tells her that something must be done about the starving cats.
 * Half Moon protests that Jay's Wing had promised the mountains were their home.
 * Half Moon receives a sign in the form of a brilliant light and realizes that only some of the cats need to leave the mountains.


 * Gray Wing and Clear Sky are out hunting.
 * They catch a hawk and bring it back to the cave.
 * Bright Stream compliments Clear Sky on the catch and Silver Frost comments that they will be mates and nudges Gray Wing toward Turtle Tail.
 * Shaded Moss and Stoneteller call a meeting to announce that Stoneteller had a sign and that those who choose to go can leave with Shaded Moss.


 * Gray Wing and Bright Stream go out hunting.
 * They discuss Stoneteller's dream and leaving the mountains.
 * They catch a snow hare.
 * Fluttering Bird dies of starvation.
 * Quiet Rain refuses to bury her while her body is still warm.
 * Eventually, her and her remaining kits bury Fluttering Bird.
 * Clear Sky tries to convince his mother to come with him on the journey.


 * Dewy Leaf argues with Moon Shadow about leaving the mountains.
 * Stoneteller sets up a vote to decide whether or not the journeying cats should leave.
 * It is decided that if a cat wants to leave, they may.
 * Gray Wing goes out to hunt.
 * Stoneteller and he discuss Stoneteller's dream and the leaving cats.


 * The traveling cats leave the cave on the path of the rising sun.
 * The remaining adult cats go out hunting.
 * Gray Wing catches a young hawk.
 * Dewy Leaf and Twisted Branch catch a snow hare.
 * Jagged Peak goes on a hunting lesson with Gray Wing.
 * A hawk almost carries Jagged Peak off.
 * He manages to kill a snow hare.
 * Jagged Peak goes missing the next morning.
 * Misty Water and Gray wing attempt to track him and find that he is trying to follow the journeying cats.
 * It is decided that Gray Wing will go find Jagged Peak and join the traveling cats.


 * Gray Wing is prevented from finding Jagged Peak because of a blizzard.
 * When he is able to leave, Gray Wing is given advice by the elders.
 * Gray Wing and Quiet Rain search for Jagged Peak until they come across a thinly iced waterfall and Quiet Rain tells Gray Wing she cannot go any farther.
 * Gray Wing runs across the ice and it breaks after he crosses.
 * After losing Jagged Peaks scent for a little while, Gray Wing finds him being attacked by an eagle.
 * They drive the eagle away, although Gray Wing is injured, and Gray Wing comforts Jagged Peak.


 * Gray Wing and Jagged Peak continue to follow the traveling cats
 * After climbing a sheer cliff face, they are forced to shelter from a blizzard.
 * Gray Wing falls into a stream
 * Jagged Peak saves him with a stick
 * Jagged Peak leads the two of them on the scent trail of the other cats.
 * They soon tire and find shelter for the night
 * Gray Wing dreams that he is in the cave with the other cats, and when he wakes up, he can still hear their voices
 * He discovers that the traveling cats are very close and he and Jagged Peak run to meet them.
 * The others greet them warmly.


 * The cats continue their journey
 * Gray Wing and Turtle Tail walk together in the back.
 * Clear Sky tells Gray Wing that Bright Stream is expecting kits.
 * The cats walk in pairs across a scree.
 * Jagged Peak spots eagles coming towards them.
 * Gray Wing rescues Dappled Pelt from slipping.
 * Clear Sky makes a plan to catch one of the four eagles since they are trapped.
 * Gray Wing, Bright Stream, Turtle Tail, and Cloud Spots lead three of the eagles away, while the others kill the fourth eagle.
 * Bright Stream is caught by one of the eagles when she is trying to save Gray Wing.


 * Gray Wing attempts to save Bright Stream, but Turtle Tail and Cloud Spots stop him.
 * Clear Sky listens to Gray Wing explain what happened
 * The cats cross a river via some stepping stones.
 * Quick Water falls in and Falling Feather saves her.
 * The cats decide to settle down for the night in a thicket of bushes.
 * Jagged Peak and Moon Shadow catch some prey.
 * The cats run into a herd of sheep.
 * Gray Wing races across the field and catches a rabbit.
 * No one can eat very much, as they are all full from the night before.


 * The traveling cats continue along the riverbank.
 * The cats smell a acrid scent and hear rumbling.
 * Clear Sky and Gray Wing go ahead to check it out and discover a Thunderpath.
 * The two brothers investigate and help the other cats cross.
 * They continue through the forest, and Clear Sky and Tall Shadow jump into a high oak to see how far the trees go on.
 * They say the trees end not too far away, but won't say what is beyond them.
 * Shattered Ice scents a dog, and the dog chases after them until a Twoleg comes and retrieves it.
 * It begins to rain when the cats start traveling away from the trail where the dog had chased them.
 * They come across a Twolegplace, and Shaded Moss tells the others they have to find shelter.


 * The traveling cats travel alongside the Thunderpath to the Twolegplace.
 * They settle down for the night in an abandoned monster den.
 * Gray Wing takes first watch with Rainswept Flower.
 * A monster comes close to the sleeping cats, but it doesn't find them.
 * Hawk Swoop and Jackdaw's Cry take second watch.
 * Moon Shadow goes out hunting.
 * Moon Shadow gets into a fight with some kittypets and the other cats save him.
 * The cats decide to leave the Twolegplace.
 * They all hunt in the open away from the Twolegplace.
 * Gray Wing fails to catch anything.
 * They have cross a marsh before finding a barn with plenty of mice to shelter in.
 * Rainswept Flower wonders if the barn is their new home.