The Fourth Apprentice/Cliffnotes

These notes are brief, noting major events and minor events in The Fourth Apprentice 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.


 * Bluestar, Yellowfang, Lionheart and Spottedleaf meet by a waterfall in StarClan’s hunting grounds to discuss the third cat of the prophecy.
 * Bluestar complains of the wetness and noise, and Lionheart leads her to a drier spot.
 * The gathered cats argue about meddling in the prophecy.
 * A little later, Feathertail appears, and while Yellowfang argues that it is ThunderClan business, Feathertail says she must watch over Lionblaze and Jayfeather because they are Crowfeather’s sons.
 * Yellowfang ends the meeting by saying she will send an omen and a warning to the third cat of the prophecy.


 * Lionblaze’s point of view.
 * The Clans are attending a Gathering.
 * Rosepetal and Toadstep are announced as new warriors.
 * RiverClan seems very hostile; not cheering the warriors’ names and looking wary.
 * Leopardstar announces that all the fish in the lake belong to RiverClan, and that the other Clans are not to take any, and Blackstar argues with her.
 * There is a drought; all the water has run dry and the lake has been reduced to a very small pond., making all of the Clans, most notably RiverClan, weaker.
 * ThunderClan returns home, and the next day Lionblaze is woken by Cloudtail to go on a water patrol.
 * Reedwhisker and a patrol of RiverClan cats are guarding the lake; they are very hostile as ThunderClan approaches.
 * Cloudtail holds on to his temper and persuades them to let the patrol have some water. Lionblaze wonders how long they can go on in the drought as he loads his moss with water.


 * Jayfeather’s point of view.
 * The young medicine cat retraces a memory from when Firestar lost a life, because Leafpool wasn’t around to help him when Firestar was attacked by a fox.
 * He is very bitter towards his mother.
 * He delivers herbs to the elders and tells them news of the Gathering.
 * He suddenly realizes there is a fire in the camp
 * He is surprised when Dovekit realizes at the same time as him.
 * Lionblaze and a water patrol arrive in time to put it out.
 * Berrynose comes up and asks him to tell Poppyfrost to stay in the nursery because of her kits, but Jayfeather doesn’t think it is necessary.
 * Jayfeather feels defeated because Berrynose doesn’t listen to him, and puts Poppyfrost in the nusery any way.


 * Dovekit’s point of view.
 * Dovekit and her sister, Ivykit, are being groomed for their apprentice ceremony. Dovekit receives Lionblaze as a mentor, and Ivykit receives Cinderheart as a mentor.
 * Dovepaw goes with her mentor, Cinderheart and Ivypaw to explore the territory. They eventually head down to the lake to get water.
 * Berrynose and Spiderleg have become stuck in a mud hole out on the lake, and Thornclaw is grabbing a stick to help them with.
 * Jayfeather appears, and furiously tells Thornclaw that it’s his stick. Thornclaw irritably snarls that he’ll bring it back after Jayfeather gets worked up and yells at him.
 * The two ThunderClan warriors get out, but then a RiverClan warrior, Rainstorm, appears and races toward Ivypaw, accusing her of prey-stealing because she is examining a dead fish. He also falls in the mud hole.
 * Once they get him out, they take him back to camp because he is too weak to return home.


 * Lionblaze’s point of view.
 * Rainstorm thanks Firestar back at the camp for his warriors’ help and the welcome rest.
 * Thornclaw and Spiderleg argue that for saving his life, Leopardstar should give them some fish. Some cats agree, and some do not.
 * Firestar tells them no, because he doesn’t feel it is right to do that.
 * The next day in the morning, Brambleclaw leads a patrol to take Rainstorm home, with Lionblaze and Dovepaw.
 * Mistyfoot greets them at the entrance of the RiverClan camp, but does not let them in. She thanks them for their assistance and leaves; she seems worried about something.
 * When they leave, Dovepaw tells Lionblaze she thinks Mistyfoot is worried about the sick cat in the RiverClan camp.


 * Dovepaw’s point of view.
 * She is having a dream, and Yellowfang appears to her, though she does not know it yet. Yellowfang shows her the lake completely full, and gives her the prophecy: After the sharp-eyed jay and the roaring lion, peace will come on dove’s gentle wing.
 * On awakening, she goes out into the camp and listens to everything going on in the territory; Sorreltail and Brackenfur, hunting near the ShadowClan border, and Berrynose stepping on a thistle. she then wakes Ivypaw and tells her to come hunting with her and Lionblaze.
 * She returns to camp with a mouse and a blackbird, and hears Spiderleg say the stream has completely dried up, and wonders why.
 * She is puzzled, and asks why they don’t know that brown animals are blocking the stream.
 * Every cat looks at her as if she is crazy, and she does not understand and insists she is right. Ivypaw tells her to stop showing off.
 * A little later, Lionblaze finds her and tells her to follow him.


 * Dovepaw’s point of view.
 * Lionblaze leads her out into the forest, and asks her what she can hear. She explains to him that there are waves on the lake, and the dawn patrol is returning. She also mentions that Berrynose trod on a thistle.
 * Lionblaze leaves and returns with Jayfeather, and they ask her many questions about her ability to sense things far away.
 * The two test her; Lionblaze leaves and does something far away. On his return, Dovepaw tells him exactly what he did.
 * Dovepaw begins to realize she is special and has abilites no other cat has. She is very frightened.
 * Jayfeather explains the power of three prophecy to her, and tells her that she is the third cat.
 * Dovepaw is horror struck, and tells them it can’t be true.


 * Jayfeather’s point of view.
 * They move to the abandoned Twoleg nest, so that they aren’t disturbed.
 * They discuss Dovepaw’s powers with her, and the prophecy.
 * Dovepaw is angry and resentful, especially about Ivypaw being left out. She slowly accepts it, though, as the two talk to her.
 * Before Lionblaze takes Dovepaw for some hunting practice, she tells Jayfeather about her dream.
 * The chapter ends with Jayfeather telling her the dream could be important, and welcoming Dovepaw to the three.


 * Lionblaze’s point of view.
 * Lionblaze returns from a patrol of the ShadowClan border at Moonhigh, and is very tired. He goes to Firestar’s den.
 * At first, Firestar talks to him about his heritage, and Lionblaze is very uncomfortable at discussing Leafpool and Squirrelflight.
 * Lionblaze eventually tells Firestar that Dovepaw could be right about the blockage to the stream, and suggests they take out a patrol to investigate.
 * At first, Firestar refuses, thinking it dangerous. Then he tells Lionblaze he’ll propose a patrol made up of all the Clans to investigate at tomorrow’s gathering.
 * Lionblaze leaves, and Dovepaw and Jayfeather meet him outside. He tells them of the plan.


 * Lionblaze’s point of view.
 * The Clans are attending a Gathering. Leopardstar and RiverClan are late.
 * Once RiverClan arrives, Dovepaw tells Lionblaze that Leopardstar was the sick cat she had sensed.
 * Firestar tells the Clans of the plan to adventure upstream, and Onestar and Blackstar agree with him.
 * Leopardstar furiously disagrees, thinking Firestar wants to rid RiverClan of warriors so that they can steal the fish. She tells Firestar that RiverClan will not join.
 * Mistyfoot leaps up and speaks quietly to Leopardstar, then tells the Gathering that RiverClan would send cats.
 * Some RiverClan cats are angry at her for making Leopardstar look weak.
 * Firestar says the Clans must survive.


 * Jayfeather’s point of view.
 * Firestar announces that of ThunderClan, Lionblaze and Dovepaw will go on the patrol to find the water.
 * Many cats are upset by the fact Dovepaw is an apprentice and don't consider her experienced enough for such a journey
 * Ivypaw is jealous and upset because she won’t be with her sister.
 * They eventually settle down.
 * Dovepaw is panicking because she doesn't like keeping secrets, and she doesn’t know what to tell the Clan. Jayfeather tells her not to talk about it.
 * Brightheart comes to help him prepare traveling herbs, but he is distracted by the worry that Lionblaze and Dovepaw won’t come back, and he would be the only one left of the three.
 * Leafpool purposely sends him a memory of when Squirrelpaw and Brambleclaw left the old forest, and how she helped them on their way, and the thought: “I know how you feel. I felt like this, too.”
 * Jayfeather is still bitter towards her however, and walks off to check for adders around the hollow.
 * Purdy joins him, thinking he can help, while telling exaggerated stories.


 * Dovepaw’s point of view.
 * Brambleclaw has escorted Lionblaze and Dovepaw to the ShadowClan border, near the dried up stream.
 * Dovepaw has stretched out her senses, and can hear Mothwing telling Mistyfoot that she fears Leopardstar will lose another life due to her sickness.
 * Russetfur, Toadfoot, and Tigerheart of ShadowClan soon meet them there.
 * After conversing tensely for a while, Petalfur and Rippletail of RiverClan arrive with Mistyfoot, and soon after Sedgewhisker and Whitetail arrive with Ashfoot.
 * Brambleclaw gives the patrol cats some advice, and Dovepaw starts to feel nervous at the different scents of the Clan cats and impatience at the sense of the brown animals moving around upstream.
 * Ashfoot sends them off, giving them a last farewell.


 * Lionblaze’s point of view.
 * The patrol sets off. Toadfoot insists he lead, as it’s his territory.
 * The patrol runs into some Twolegs, who chase them. One grabs Petalfur, but the other cats circle back and snarl and hiss at it.
 * Toadfoot blames Dovepaw, who had squeaked in surprise when she saw the Twolegs, but Lionblaze defends her.
 * There is some question at whether to continue, but ultimately they make up their minds to move on and free the water.


 * Lionblaze’s point of view.
 * Lionblaze is now leading, because they are in ThunderClan territory. They stop shortly, because the RiverClan cats are tired.
 * The ShadowClan warriors and the ThunderClan warriors each hunt in their own territory.
 * On the return, Lionblaze sees that Tigerheart has caught a huge pigeon. He congratulates him, hoping to make up for earlier unfriendliness at the Gathering.
 * After eating, they move on, but Dovepaw senses dogs after traveling ahead some. Lionblaze quickly warns everyone to climb a tree.
 * The WindClan and RiverClan warriors don’t know how to climb, so each cat who does know takes one of them and helps them up the tree. ***Lionblaze takes Sedgewhisker.
 * The dogs reach them as they are a safe level up, but Sedgewhisker falls when one startles her. Toadfoot leaps to Lionblaze’s tree and helps him haul her back up.
 * After the dogs are called away by their owner, Rippletail gets some herbs for Sedgewhisker, who hurt her shoulder, and they make nests in a shallow den they find.
 * Lionblaze takes first watch, but when he returns to the den and finds Dovepaw awake, he tells her that even though she has power, she needed to sleep. She obeys him, and closes her eyes.


 * Jayfeather’s point of view.
 * He hears Ivypaw and Briarpaw talking outside the den; Ivypaw is very grumpy about her sister leaving her.
 * All of the mentors and apprentices go to a battle training session.
 * Jayfeather checks Mousefur’s shoulder where Ivypaw kicked a stone at, and beats a hasty retreat from the elders’ den during one of Purdy’s stories.
 * Brambleclaw has reported everything fine to Firestar, and he leads out a hunting patrol. Jayfeather tells Dustpelt to see him after he gets back when he notices Dustpelt’s back is hurt.
 * Jayfeather goes out to the lake to escape all the pressure.
 * Poppyfrost has come out to the lake to stretch her legs, but Berrynose primly tells her to go back to the nursery. This causes embarrassment and tension among the patrol.
 * The ThunderClan patrol accidently crosses the lake bed on WindClan’s side. Ashfoot and a WindClan patrol tell them to get back in a hostile manner.
 * Jayfeather calms things and gets his Clan back to their side. Breezepelt is especially vehement towards him.
 * He hears the ancient cats tell him, “Beware, Jay’s Wing. Stormclouds are gathering on a dark breeze.”


 * Dovepaw’s point of view.
 * She is irritated when she wakes and realizes Lionblaze took her watch for her.
 * The cats hunt, and the RiverClan cats feel guilty when they don’t catch anything.
 * After following the stream bed, they come across a small pool where there are fish.
 * Rippletail catches a fish, and they all try some before the RiverClan cats finish it off.
 * The group encounters a flock of sheep, and dogs, but thanks to Whitetail and Sedgewhisker, they escape the dogs by running through the sheep.
 * Dovepaw sees that the stream is missing.


 * Lionblaze’s point of view.
 * The group encounters dogs but they manage to hide.
 * They find rabbits but they belong to twolegs, and are being guarded by three kittypets.
 * Snowdrop follow Lionblaze dusturbing his hunt and introduces the other two cats as Jigsaw and Seville.
 * The night after Dovepaw wakes Lionblaze to tell him she can hear the beavers and they are nearly there.


 * Jayfeather’s point of view.
 * Cinderheart is worried about Poppyfrost, because she has been so quiet and sad.
 * Jayfeather enters Poppyfrost's dream and finds her at the Moonpool, trying to contact Honeyfern.
 * He decides he will keep an eye on Poppyfrost.
 * Jayfeather teaches the apprentices about the useful herbs.
 * Longtail asks Jayfeather if there was any word of the chosen cats or if the water had returned.
 * Ferncloud and Daisy tells Jayfeather that Poppyfrost had disapeared.
 * Jayfeather goes to the Moonpool and finds Poppyfrost's scent only to find Breezepelt's as well.


 * Dovepaw’s point of view.
 * Dovepaw senses the brown creatures and knows they're close.
 * Dovepaw dislikes the secrecy Lionlaze uses about her powers.
 * Tigerheart and Sedgewhisker get into a play fight, which is quickly stopped by Lionblaze for some deeper reason then he showed.
 * The patrol encouter twolegs, Petalfur is picked up by one but after playing nice with it she is released and given food from them.
 * They meet a loner named Woody, who gives them information about the brown animals, or beavers. He also shows them the dam that's blocking the river.
 * Rippletail and Petalfur swim in the river and get chased out by beavers.


 * Lionblaze's point of view.
 * He leads the other cats away from the water.
 * He tells them that night might be their best chance to attack.
 * Rippletail and Lionblaze work out that they could attack from two different directions, but are unsure of how to take the dam apart.
 * Woody tells them that he has no idea and to not count him in the attack.
 * They go hunting, and Lionblaze takes first watch for the night.
 * Later that night, the cats split up to attack the dam.
 * Whitetail lets out a battle cry and the cats run forward, springing at the dam.
 * The cats slip on the logs and have difficulty dislodging them.
 * Two beavers appear and attack Dovepaw.
 * More beavers appear, one stunning Sedgewhisker, before Whitetail and Lionblaze work together to fight the others off.
 * Seeing all of the cats fighting for their lives, Lionblaze orders them back.
 * He stays behind, thinking he couldn't be hurt by the beavers.
 * He is proven wrong and calls for a retreat.
 * Lionblaze sees the others still fighting, and watches as a badger tears a long wound down Rippletail's shoulder.
 * The cats then retreat to the shore and Petalfur rescues Rippletail from the water.
 * As dawn approaches, the Clan cats watch as Rippletail dies slowly.


 * Jayfeather’s point of view.
 * Poppyfrost believes that Berrynose is still in love with Honeyfern, and admits that she had always loved Berrynose, even when Honeyfern was alive.
 * Jayfeather tries to take her home, but then Breezepelt comes.
 * Breezepelt is angry with Jayfeather and Lionblaze for being his kin, and says that he will kill Poppyfrost and make it look like Jayfeather had done it.
 * He attacks him, and soon an unknown cat spirit with a broken tail appears to help him.
 * Honeyfern arrives to help Jayfeather.
 * Breezepelt and the cat spirit are driven away.
 * Honeyfern tells Jayfeather that Berrynose does love Poppyfrost, and he just scared of losing her like he had lost her.
 * Yellowfang appears then and says she knows who helped Breezepelt, but she can't reveal who it was.
 * She warns Jayfeather that StarClan and the Dark Forest will be at war, and it will take a power greater than StarClan to defeat them.


 * Dovepaw's point of view.
 * The cats bury Rippletail's body.
 * Lionblaze tells them they can't fight the beavers again but need to find another way to free the water.
 * Petalfur comes up with the idea to destroy part of the dam.
 * Tigerheart tells them they could practice with fallen branches.
 * They find that it would be to difficult to move the branches with two of them luring the beavers away.
 * Lionblaze announces that they should recruit the kittypets to help them.
 * He takes Dovepaw with him back to the home of the kittypets after the rest of the patrol agrees to his idea.
 * Jigsaw, Snowdrop, and Seville all agree to help dismantle the dam.
 * As they walk back to the dam, Dovepaw feels guilty for possibly bring more cats to their deaths.


 * Lionblaze's point of view.
 * He, Dovepaw, and the three kittypets find the other Clan cats and Woody still with them.
 * The others had stacked the branches in a pile and were working out to pull them apart quickly.
 * After they had hunted, the cats agree that Whitetail and Sedgewhisker would be the ones to lure the beavers away.
 * Petalfur shows them that it would be easiest to collapse the dam from the inside.
 * The cats go back to the dam and Whitetail and Sedgewhisker successfully lure the badgers away.
 * It begins raining heavily as the others begin dismantling the dam.
 * The cats manage to collapse parts of the dam until Dovepaw announces that the beavers were returning.
 * They work faster until Toadfoot shouts that a flood was coming towards them.
 * The Clan cats make it back to shore as the flood breaks through the dam and a wall of water sweeps Woody, Snowdrop, Jigsaw, and Seville away.


 * Jayfeather's point of view.
 * Jayfeather wakes up, still at the Moonpool with Poppyfrost.
 * He suddenly tells her that Honeyfern came to him.
 * Poppyfrost nervously asks if she said anything.
 * She is pleased to hear that Honeyfern was happy for her, Berrynose, and their kits.
 * Jayfeather also tells her that Honeyfern said that Berrynose really did love her.
 * Poppyfrost doubts him.
 * The two begin heading home as a storm threatens to break.
 * Jayfeather wonders why Breezepelt had followed Poppyfrost to the Moonpool and threaten to kill her.
 * Both cats return to camp and Berrynose is delighted to see his mate again.
 * Cinderheart thanks Jayfeather for bringing Poppyfrost back and then notices he has a scratch on him.
 * She herds him to the medicine den and makes a poultice of chervil leaves.
 * Jayfeather is reminded that she was once Cinderpelt, and wonders if he would ever be allowed to tell this to Cinderheart.
 * Jayfeather leaves camp and finds the stick.
 * Rock appears and admits that he knows what is happening with the Dark Forest and that Crowfeather and Leafpool were his true parents.
 * Angry, Jayfeather finds a sharp stone and smashes the stick into pieces on it just as the storm breaks.


 * Dovepaw's point of view.
 * The floodwater reaches the Clan cats and they struggle to swim through it.
 * Petalfur and Dovepaw work together to help Tigerheart.
 * All of the Clan cats make it out of the water and back into the forest.
 * Dovepaw's realizes that they had done it; they had freed the water.
 * Whitetail sends a prayer to StarClan, thanking them and asking them to honor Rippletail.
 * Dovepaw looks over at Lionblaze, thinking that they had saved themselves, not StarClan.


 * Dovepaw's point of view.
 * The Clan cats travel back down to their territory and reach ShadowClan first.
 * A patrol consisting of Tawnypelt, Starlingpaw, Redwillow, and Owlclaw find them.
 * Tawnypelt sends Starlingpaw to tell Blackstar and then invites all of the cats to come to ShadowClan.
 * They agree reluctantly.
 * Blackstar meets up them and warmly invites them into the ShadowClan camp.
 * Petalfur declines the offer and the rest follow suit.
 * Lionblaze and Dovepaw return to ThunderClan and Foxleap is the first to spot them.
 * Firestar greets them warmly and the rest of the Clan begin asking them questions.
 * Dovepaw searches for Ivypaw and sees her hanging back from the crowd and looking shyly at her sister.
 * Lionblaze calls Dovepaw over to him to make a full report to Firestar just as Ivypaw confesses that she thought Dovepaw wouldn't miss her.
 * Bumblepaw, Briarpaw, and Blossompaw show the special nest they put together for Dovepaw.
 * Dovepaw tries to sleep but finds that she can't and ends up going for a walk with Ivypaw.
 * They go down to the lake to see if it had grown any bigger.
 * Dovepaw promises to never leave Ivypaw behind again.


 * Jayfeather’s point of view.
 * Poppyfrost's kits begin to come.
 * She gives birth to a big tom and a small she-cat.
 * Jayfeather calls to Berrynose to come see his kits.
 * Berrynose doesn't come, but instead Jayfeather sees Tigerstar, Hawkfrost, and Brokentail's spirits beside the nursery wall, watching over the kits.
 * Lionblaze sees them, and tells them that they could not have the kits and prepares to fight them.
 * The three cats vanish when Daisy speaks.
 * Berrynose arrives at the nursery to see his mate and kits.
 * Jayfeather tells Lionblaze about the cat that helped Breezepelt attack him.
 * Lionblaze confesses to him how Tigerstar used to visit him every night, training him to fight better and stronger than the other warriors.
 * They believe the Dark Forest had Tigerheart and Breezepelt recruited for the battle with StarClan.
 * Lionblaze says, "They're breaking through. And when the battle comes, it will be for real."