Bright Stream/History

The Sun Trail

 * When Clear Sky and Gray Wing bring back a hawk to feed the Tribe, Bright Stream comes up to compliment them, focused on Clear Sky. Gray Wing leaves them alone and Silver Frost mentions there will be kits when it is warmer, and Gray Wing notes how close his brother and Bright Stream are. Bright Stream later hints that Gray Wing might have kits with Turtle Tail, which embarrasses him. She is hesitant when Shaded Moss and Stoneteller announce that several cats would leave the mountains in search of new hunting grounds.


 * Clear Sky tries to convince Bright Stream to come with him, but she isn't certain, reminding him that she has a few more days to decide. She later asks Gray Wing to hunt with her, making him promise not to pester her about leaving. After a bit, Bright Stream asks Gray Wing what he thinks of Stoneteller's dream, and Gray Wing admits he doesn't know, wondering why other cats wouldn't have the same dream. Bright Stream suggests that only Stoneteller could have such dreams, but goes on to say she loves the mountains and wants to raise her kits there, but always envisioned Clear Sky as their father. She shakes out her pelt and tells Gray Wing not to say anything about it and the two cats catch a hare. Bright Stream asks Gray Wing if he is going to leave, which he denies.


 * When the Tribe is arguing as to whether anybody should leave, Bright Stream hangs back. She and Gray Wing gather stones for the cats to vote with, and is surprised when Gray Wing tells her that Quiet Rain wants them to leave. She asks him again if he is going to go, and reassures him that it wouldn't be cowardly to leave. She casts her vote on the leaving side without hesitation, and leaves the mountains with Shaded Moss and the others. However, she is the first to spot Gray Wing and Jagged Peak when they catch up with the leaving cats, greeting them warmly and asking about the cats who stayed behind.


 * She enjoys the taste of the fish that Dappled Pelt catches, teasing that Clear Sky will want more fish when they reach their new home. When Gray Wing talks to Clear Sky, he reveals that Bright Stream believes she is expecting kits. Gray Wing goes to congratulate her, but she murmurs that she doesn't want any cat to know yet, in case she'd slow them down. When the cats cross over a scree, Bright Stream makes it to the other side safely and helps the others across. Despite Clear Sky's protests, she is chosen along with Turtle Tail and Cloud Spots to lure away three of the eagles that are trapping them, so that the fourth could be killed. During the chase, Bright Stream saves Gray Wing by pushing him into a thorn bush, but is carried away by an eagle. Gray Wing blames himself and Clear Sky is devastated.


 * Throughout the rest of the journey, Gray Wing continues to blame himself for Bright Stream's death. When they reach the forest territories, Gray Wing apologizes to his brother, though it is revealed that Clear Sky doesn't blame Gray Wing, but himself. When Clear Sky and Storm fall in love, Gray Wing is hurt, as he also has feelings for Storm, but believes that Clear Sky deserves to be happy after what happened with Bright Stream.


 * In the extra scene titled The Death of Bright Stream, Clear Sky declares that they attack the eagles. As Bright Stream attacks one of the eagles with Gray Wing, the eagle lifts her into the air. Gray Wing yowls at her to fight back, but Bright Stream's strength begins to ebb. She sees the rest of the traveling cats, looking so tiny from far away. Bright Stream apologizes in her thoughts to her kits, seeing a brief vision of herself with Clear Sky, playing with their kits in a sunlight clearing and telling them stories about the mountains. She realizes that will never happen, and murmurs to Clear Sky not to forget her. She states that she loves him, and will love him forever. Then, blackness overcomes her and nothing exists.

The First Battle

 * When Jagged Peak and Rainswept Flower are discussing who should be the one to talk to Clear Sky, Jagged Peak suggests that Rainswept Flower should go, reminding her that she was a friend of Bright Stream. Gray Wing, who is listening in on this, feels a stab of grief as he remembers how Bright Stream had been Clear Sky's first mate, and how she'd died from being carried off by an eagle while she was expecting his kits. Later, when Petal tells Clear Sky that Birch and Alder are too young to train for battle, and Birch argues that he isn't, Clear Sky agrees that no cat is too young to fight. He then wonders if Gray Wing, Quiet Rain, or Bright Stream would agree.


 * When Gray Wing wonders what the father of Turtle Tail's kits is like, he feels guilty about how his not realizing his feelings for her was what drove her to go to Tom. He knows that she had always loved him, but he'd always been focused on his love for Bright Stream and Storm. While Tall Shadow, Shattered Ice, and Gray Wing discuss how to speak with Clear Sky without causing a war, Gray Wing remembers Clear Sky's losses: Fluttering Bird, Bright Stream, Storm, and Thunder. He comes to the conclusion that all Clear Sky needs is reassurance, and wants to meet him at the four trees, knowing what he will say to his brother. Near the end of the book, after the Great Battle, Gray Wing spots Bright Stream among the spirit cats who had appeared just after the battle has ended at Clear Sky's command.

The Blazing Star

 * Gray Wing thinks their journey has led to many deaths, including Bright Stream’s. He sees Bright Stream along the other deceased, and she tells the Early Settler leaders that they have to grow and spread like the Blazing Star. Back at the Tribe, Stoneteller sees Bright Stream alongside other spirits and asks how they are with her.

A Forest Divided

 * She is mentioned briefly by Quiet Rain, who believes Thunder is Bright Stream's kit, and asks for her. Thunder replies that Bright Stream is dead, and that his mother was Storm, another rogue.


 * After Quiet Rain dies, Bright Stream, Shaded Moss, and Hawk Swoop appear to the greet the speckled gray she-cat. Clear Sky is also able to see the spirit-cats, and rushes to meet Bright Stream, overjoyed to see his first mate again. Bright Stream tells Clear Sky that he needs to leave the past in the past, and that he must to choose fresh paths that will carry him to a new dawn. The tabby she-cat and the rest of the spirit-cats then fade away again.

Path of Stars

 * Clear Sky wonders what Bright Stream and Storm would think of the rogues that joined their group. As Gray Wing loses his life, Bright Stream's spirit comes to him with her kits, one a tabby and the other a pale gray. She blinks at Gray Wing, then touches her nose to both kits' heads and explains they are the kits she was pregnant with when she died. Gray Wing tells Clear Sky, who cannot see them that Bright Stream and her kits are there, and says the kits are beautiful. Bright Stream gives a purr with stars twinkling around her whiskers. She promises her kits will always be with her.

Moth Flight's Vision

 * Bright Stream is first seen being asked to share her blessing with Dappled Pelt in the spirit cats' meeting regarding the first medicine cats. The she-cat pads to the vision of Dappled Pelt and lowers her head to her with a warm gaze. She touches her nose to Dappled Pelt's head and tells her to protect them. When the medicine cats dream at the Moonstone together, Cloud Spots recognizes Bright Stream and touches muzzles, racing to her. Gray Wing mentions the spirit-cats are pleased the medicine cats are sharing knowledge and Bright Stream lifts her tail, telling them they hope they share more.

The Ultimate Guide

 * Gray Wing is said on his page to have been secretly in love with Bright Stream, who loved Clear Sky. She is also said to have been expecting Clear Sky's kits, and was persuaded to join the quest to find their new home. However, it is noted that she was killed, being snatched by an eagle they attempted to hunt. She is again said to have been in love with Clear Sky on his page and had been expecting his kits when he got her to leave to their new home. He blamed himself for her death when Bright Stream was taken by an eagle.