A Light in the Mist (book)/Cliffnotes

Contents

These notes reflect a bulleted list of major and minor events in A Light in the Mist (book) that can be easily navigated. They are intended to serve as a reference for those looking for specific events in re-reading and book discussions and include links to the relevant chapter subpages further detailing each chapter's events.

Prologue

• The Dark Forest cats are circled around Rootspring and Snowtuft, who have been fighting.
• Ashfur recalls his plan to destroy StarClan and the living Clans and seek revenge on Squirrelflight and Bramblestar.
  • He realized StarClan relied on the Clans for power, and that cutting the connection would make both vulnerable.
  • The gray tom had cut off the path between the Dark Forest and StarClan, before digging a tunnel between the two worlds for him to go through.
• The gray tom also recalls how he found out he could enter the living world.
  • He realized that a leader that had lost their life was open to possession by another spirit after Mistystar lost her life.
  • Ashfur used that knowledge to enter Bramblestar's body after the ThunderClan leader lost a life.
• He set his plan into motion.
  • He persuaded StarClan to let him into the living world to observe the Clans, then blocked his secret tunnel.
  • The connection being cut off caused the Clans to become vulnerable and lose faith in StarClan.
  • This chaos opened an opportunity for him to convince Shadowsight to kill Bramblestar, so he could slip into his body.
• As the imposter Bramblestar, he began turning the Clans against each other and tried to win Squirrelflight's favor, but his plan backfired on him.
  • The Clans turned on him and Squirrelflight rejected his advances once more.
  • He blames Squirrelflight for his plan to expose the Clan for being hypocrites.
• After Squirrelflight fakes her death and the Clans betray him, Ashfur escapes to the Dark Forest.
  • The ginger she-cat is kidnapped and taken to the Dark Forest with him, to try to convince her to love him.
  • That plan also backfired, as she escaped with Bramblestar.
• He vows to abandon any hope and instead destroy anything he could to take everything from the living Clans, including StarClan and the Dark Forest.
• Ashfur then gives Snowtuft the order to kill him.

Chapter 1

• Rootspring hears the order to kill him.
  • Snowtuft looks at Rootspring with desperation in his eyes before leaping at him.
  • Rootspring manages to offset his balance and throw him to the ground.
  • He hears all the other cats yowling for the white tom to finish him off, including Sandynose and Stemleaf.
• The two toms continue fighting.
  • Snowtuft has a look of apology in his eye as they continue attacking each other.
  • Rootspring thinks about the cats who rebelled against Ashfur, and how they would not be acting **like this if Ashfur weren’t controlling them.
  • He also notices Mapleshade as Snowtuft lands on top of him, as well as Darkstripe, and remembers that normal Dark Forest cats were following Ashfur as well.
    • When he notices Darkstripe, murderous rage boils up inside of him, because the dark tabby tom was the reason Rootspring was stuck in the Dark Forest.
    • However, he is shocked by this feeling, and resolves to not let the Dark Forest get to him.
• Rootspring then leaps at Snowtuft and pins him to the ground.
  • He doesn’t kill him, because he doesn’t want to erase the tom’s existence and he hopes that he could get Snowtuft out and possibly into StarClan.
  • Their hesitation prompts Ashfur to ask the mob of cats to kill Rootspring, and they all surge towards him.
• Remembering his mentor’s advice, Rootspring charges at Dappletuft, the weakest link, who has a limp.
  • He breaks through and begins running away from the controlled cats, taking care to avoid the shadows, before the cats catch up with him.
• Rootspring nearly gives up.
  • He thinks he will die, but memories of Bristlefrost shake him out of his fear and he resigns himself to his fate.
  • Out of the corner of his eye, he sees the gray she-cat and believes her to be a mirage, before she charges at the group of cats.
  • She tells him to run, but he turns to help her fight instead.

Chapter 2

• Shadowsight wakes in the Dark Forest, and looks for Bristlefrost.
  • He sees Bristlefrost and Rootspring fighting Ashfur's cats
  • He wonders how to help them with his limited skills, but then spots Ashfur, who is controlling the group.
• Shadowsight wonders how strong Ashfur’s hold over the cats is.
  • He remembers how Ashfur’s control over Bramblestar was broken when Shadowsight broke his concentration.
  • He realizes that controlling all the cats is taking a toll on Ashfur
• He uses his connection with Ashfur to read his emotions to figure out how to distract him
  • With his connection, he realizes that Ashfur is choosing to target the Clans because Squirrelflight chose Bramblestar instead of him.
• Shadowsight sets his plan in motion.
  • He shouts that Squirrelflight loves Bramblestar, and that she will never choose Ashfur, hoping to distract him.
  • The spirit cats start regaining control, and Shadowsight tells them that Ashfur is controlling them and they must fight it.
  • He yells at the cats to run while Ashfur's concentration is broken.
  • Some cats flee, others stay frozen because they’re too frightened.
• The remaining cats begin running, but Ashfur orders the Dark Forest cats to bring them back.
  • Slowly, the spirit cats are being herded back, while Rootspring, Bristlefrost, and Stemleaf make their escape.
  • Mapleshade darts after them, and pins down Stemleaf, before slashing his chest.
• Shadowsight sees Ashfur following him and runs through the trees, hoping to hide.
  • However, Ashfur continues running after him and soon catches up.
  • Shadowsight turns around to face the tom, who traphs him against a tree trunk.
  • He hopes that he has given Bristlefrost and Rootspring enough time to get away.

Chapter 3

• Bristlefrost and Rootspring are running away while Ashfur is attacking Shadowsight.
  • Rootspring then tells her to get Stemleaf and he’ll take care of Ashfur.
• Stemleaf is being attacked by Mapleshade.
  • Bristlefrost sees this and knocks the tortoiseshell to the ground.
  • They wrestle for a while, before she tells Stemleaf to run.
• Instead of running, the tom is watching Rootspring guiding Shadowsight away from Ashfur.
  • She realizes his attention is back on the spirit cats.
  • Stemleaf warns her to get away, as he might not be able to fight Ashfur’s mind control.
  • He then loses control and Bristlefrost scrambles away.
• She catches up with Rootspring and Shadowsight; the latter is unresponsive.
  • The spirit cats have surrounded them and are closing in.
  • Bristlefrost feels unable to fight any longer.
• As she is considering sacrificing herself, a white cat lunges at Ashfur.
  • The cat is revealed to be Snowtuft, and he breaks Ashfur’s concentration enough to free the spirit cats from his control again.
  • He yells at them to run, and Ashfur orders the Dark Forest cats to pursue.
• Rootspring helps Shadowsight away from the chaos, and Bristlefrost follows.
  • As they escape, she hears an agonizing wail, and wonders if that was Snowtuft dying.
• They notice two cats running after them: Stemleaf and a skinny black tom.
  • Bristlefrost prepares to fight, but Stemleaf assures her that they’re not under Ashfur’s control.
• Shadowsight stirs and recognizes the black tom, who is Spiresight.
• The medicine cat points out that they’d need the Moonpool to get back to the living..
  • He also points out the path from the Dark Forest to StarClan, and suggests that Stemleaf and Spiresight could use it to get there, although it’s blocked.
• They argue about the nature of the Dark Forest before Bristlefrost interrupts them to suggest they find this blocked path.
• Shadowsight leads them towards the border, but everyone is unsure of where they’re going.
• Rootspring reveals to Bristlefrost that in the fight before, he was afraid of dying and he could only think of her.
  • Stemleaf notices the two of them and teases them for a bit.
  • She says they’re not mates and Rootspring says they love their Clans as well as each other.
  • The ginger tom seems surprised and replies that he would have chosen Spotfur if she was in another Clan, prompting Bristlefrost to muse on this.
• They travel farther until they encounter Willowshine.
  • She promises she’s not being controlled, and Bristlefrost confirms this.
  • The RiverClan cat reveals that Ashfur has more control over medicine cats, but no control if he’s too far.
  • She also informs the group that Snowtuft is dead.
• Willowshine is able to point them to the entrance.
  • She says it feels like StarClan is pulling her towards them, and both Stemleaf and Spiresight say they can feel it too.
• Led by Willowshine, they stumble across the entrance, blocked by knotted branches and vines.
  • The group begins to despair for a bit, until Bristlefrost, determined to find a way, tells Stemleaf to think of his kits.
  • His mood brightens, and he vows to protect them, no matter what.
  • This leads to a vine loosening and snapping, and the cats deduce that hope is what will serve them best here.
  • They begin picking away at the branches, but it progresses slowly.
• Bristlefrost states that they need help, and suggests freeing some more spirit cats, but Willowshine asks how they’ll free them.
  • She then suggests bringing more Clan cats here to help.
• They’re interrupted by a voice, who turns out to be Leafpool.
  • She asks what’s going on, and Rootspring tells her everything about Ashfur.
  • Leafpool reveals the worsening state of StarClan, and guesses that Ashfur has upset the balance between the worlds.
• As they discuss how to defeat Ashfur, Willowshine suddenly announces that he’s close.
  • They decide to split up and get away from the barrier, while Shadowsight wakes himself.
  • Unable to, he decides to find the Moonpool to get back to the Clans.
• Afterwards, all three of them split up to ensure a greater chance of survival, and as she runs, Bristlefrost tries to cling on to her hope.

Chapter 4

• Looking behind him, Rootspring lets out a sigh of relief upon not seeing any one of Ashfur's cats.
  • He recounts how he had almost been caught twice; once, he had been forced to pause because of the murky water, and the second time was when he was climbing up a gully.
• The yellow warrior licks his wounds as he hears a voice in his head, repeating his name.
  • Frozen, he turns around, but no cat appears as the voice continues.
  • Rootspring asks aloud who or what the voice is as he realizes that Bramblestar's ghost had spoken to him in the same way.
  • He wonders if Ashfur is speaking to him in the same fashion, so he decides to ignore the voice.
• The SkyClan tom remembers Dewspring's advice, telling him that if escape is not an option, then the only solution is to face the enemy. Rootspring realizes that that option is foolish right now, but he decides to retrace his steps and figure out what Ashfur is doing next.
• As the yellow warrior heads up the gully, he hears the same voice again, this time more urgent.
  • It asks what he is doing, but Rootspring crossly replies that it does not need to know as he carries on retracing the spirit cats' steps.
• Sniffing cat scents, he detects Ashfur and Darkstripe's scents along with Softpelt and Strikestone's. The yellow tom rejoices in not being able to detect Willowshine, Stemleaf, or Spiresight.
• Rootspring spots Ashfur giving Silverhawk the order to guard the Moonpool tree with Clawface as he realizes that that's where Shadowsight is going.
• Next, the dark warrior turns to Houndleap. He gives the Dark Forest warrior the task of searching for Rootspring and the others with him.
  • Mapleshade brings up her problem; she wants to be leader of the patrol, but Ashfur retorts that if that's what she really wanted, she wouldn't have let Rootspring escape the first time.

Chapter 5

• Shadowsight is searching for the Moonpool, though he is injured.
• He is lost and begins to doubt himself until he finds a large tree that leads to the Moonpool.
  • Shadowsight climbs the tree, and jumps across the branches until he falls.
  • Though he feels stupid for falling, he tries again because he doesn’t want to disappoint everyone.
• When he reaches the top, he enters the water and kicks up until he reaches the surface.
• He joins with his physical body and encounters several Clan cats.
• The cats are arguing over their course of action.
  • Bramblestar is insistent that they act now, but Leafstar asks that he stay out of this for now.
  • She also says he might be tainted by his time in the Dark Forest.
  • When Squirrelflight defends him, the other cats also accuse her of being tainted, but Ivypool puts her foot down and says the Dark Forest didn’t make any of them evil.
• Shadowsight, frustrated by their lack of action and their bickering, speaks up to defend Bramblestar and Squirrelflight.
  • He is greeted by Dovewing and Tigerstar, and is then bombarded with questions by the other cats.
  • Tree and Ivypool then ask where their kits are, and he tells them they’re stuck in the Dark Forest, but they’re fine.
• He then informs them of what’s happened since he was in the Dark Forest.
• Ashfur has been controlling the spirits of cats that can’t get to StarClan.
  • Bramblestar mentions that he also has allied with other warriors of the Dark Forest, though Snowtuft’s actions prove that Ashfur doesn’t have every warrior on his side.
• Shadowsight mentions their meeting with StarClan, specifically Leafpool, and the blockage.
  • Though Ashfur has blocked them off from StarClan, they can remove the blockage with hope.
• The Clan cats are skeptical and reluctant to help.
  • They feel as though it would be better to let the Dark Forest disappear.
  • Shadowsight points out that StarClan will disappear, and they have to try to save them.
• This argument persuades all the cats.

Chapter 6

• Bristlefrost is running.
  • She jumps over a ditch in time and climbs the slope.
• She continues to make her way through the Dark Forest until she hears voices.
  • Making her way to the edge, she hears Maggottail, Redwillow, and Sparrowfeather conversing.
• Redwillow and Sparrowfeather are worrying about the Dark Forest shrinking, while Maggottail is still waiting for Ashfur to deliver on his promise.
• Bristlefrost leans out to hear them, but she slips and lands in front of them.
  • She runs, but they follow.
• They corner her and she turns to fight.
  • However, the three cats don’t fight normally; their claws are sheathed and they simply jump on her.
  • Maggottail then tries to push himself into her, but he fails to do anything.
• She asks what they’re trying to do, and they tell her they’re trying to possess her.
  • Bristlefrost points out that they can’t take over her body so easily.
  • Ashfur was only able to take over Bramblestar’s body because he slipped in while Bramblestar was losing a life.
• Bristlefrost asks them to join her, and though Maggottail wants to stick with Ashfur at first, she manages to persuade them.
  • She uses their fears and the fact that Ashfur lied to them.
• Sparrowfeather thinks it’s hopeless, but Bristlefrost promises that hope still exists, even in the Dark Forest.

Chapter 7

• Rootspring has been captured by Mapleshade and Houndleap, who are now guarding him.
  • Frustrated, he wishes he could have fought them, but he was already injured.
  • He wonders how Bristlefrost and Shadowsight are doing.
• Rushtooth runs to the prison to inform the two guards that Ashfur is coming.
  • The tom is pleased that they’ve caught Rootspring.
• Ashfur arrives, and Rootspring asks him why he’s trying to hurt StarClan, because they haven’t done anything.
  • The gray tom states that StarClan shouldn’t have gotten in his way.
  • He brags about being able to rule the Clans, but Squirrelflight didn’t appreciate him.
• Ashfur laments that she still chose Bramblestar over him even after he brought her to the Dark Forest.
  • Rootspring points out that Squirrelflight owes him nothing.
• Ashfur reveals that he will destroy the Dark Forest, along with StarClan.
  • None of the Dark Forest cats trying to listen in know about this.
• As he rambles, Rootspring hears a voice inside his head, which tells him to trust it.
  • The voice tells him to look in Ashfur’s eyes and repeat after it.
  • Rootspring tells Ashfur that he has betrayed StarClan’s trust.
• Ashfur freaks out when he hears this, and runs off to check the barrier.
• Rootspring tries to escape, but Mapleshade stops him.
  • He then asks the voice what to do now.

Chapter 8

• Shadowsight asks the Clan leaders if they’ll send help.
  • They hesitate and he tells them they have to because otherwise they’ll lose StarClan.
• Leafstar replies by saying if what he says is true, then they must do something.
  • However, Mothwing wonders whether they should take the risk of losing more cats.
  • She says they were able to survive without StarClan, but Jayfeather and Bramblestar point out that the Clans suffered.
• Mistystar says she’s not willing to risk more of her cats for Bristlefrost and Rootspring.
  • Bramblestar and Squirrelflight argue that they should try.
  • Shadowsight adds that this is their last chance to reconnect with StarClan.
• Harestar, Mistystar, and Mothwing then say they don’t need to do anything for StarClan, and Puddleshine is appalled.
• Shadowsight breaks up the arguing by saying that if they give up, Ashfur wins, as abandoning their ancestors is what he wants.
  • Tree adds his perspective on how they’ve always defended their beliefs in StarClan when questioned, and asks what the Clans are without them.
  • He and Ivypool ask everyone not to give up on their kits.
• All five Clans agree to fight for StarClan.
• Mothwing wonders how they’ll get cats into the Dark Forest and the Sisters appear, saying they can help.
  • The leaders decide that whoever goes must volunteer. Ivypool and Squirrelflight volunteer, but are shut down by Bramblestar.
  • Graystripe then volunteers, saying he still has an important role to play.
• The other Clans return home to ponder who shall go.
  • Tigerstar volunteers, but the Clan shuts him down.
  • Other cats volunteer, such as Cinnamontail, Cloverfoot, and Lightleap
  • In the end, ShadowClan cheers Lightleap’s name, solidifying her as a volunteer.

Chapter 9

• Bristlefrost leads the Dark Forest warriors to the barrier.
  • Along the way, Maggottail questions whether they should do this.
  • He worries about being caught by Ashfur, and also wonders if Bristlefrost is telling the truth.
• The Dark Forest cats wonder if they’ve been trying to possess her incorrectly.
  • Redwillow suggests getting rid of her spirit, and Maggottail suggests killing her altogether.
• Sparrowfeather disagrees with killing Bristlefrost, because they’ll lose their chance of helping the Clans and the Dark Forest.
  • She points out the puddle forming on the floor when Maggottail asks if the Dark Forest needs saving.
• The cats argue about whether Bristlefrost is telling the truth.
  • While they debate about what is best for them, she notes how selfish they are.
• Using this to her advantage, she says there’s a huge patrol of Clan cats preparing to invade the Dark Forest, and they wouldn’t stand a chance by themselves.
  • This convinces them.
• When they arrive at the barrier, she notices a gap and Sparrowfeather says that it seems less stiff.
  • Bristlefrost tells the Dark Forest cats they can help get rid of the barrier.
  • She says they and StarClan balance each other out; if it disappears, they disappear.
• Needletail appears and informs the group of StarClan’s decline, and Bristlefrost asks the Dark Forest cats to help in the meantime.
• Needletail also asks after Rootspring, but Bristlefrost doesn’t know where he is.
  • She feels dizzy. Suddenly Rootspring appears in her head to warn her of Ashfur’s appearance.
• Though they try to run, Needletail can’t get back to StarClan.
• Ashfur arrives with Sandynose, Softpelt, Strikestone, Dappletuft, Conefoot, Berrynose, and Rosepetal.
  • After he sees Needletail, he orders them to kill her.

Chapter 10

• Rootspring is trapped in a prison, guarded by Mapleshade, Rushtooth, Darkstripe, and Silverhawk.
  • While waiting, he worries about his friends.
• He talks to the voice inside his head, asking them for ideas, and the voice tells him to get Darkstripe’s attention.
  • After he does, the voice then tells Rootspring to repeat what they tell him.
• Echoing the voice’s words, he asks Darkstripe if he’s okay being Ashfur’s lackey, and Tigerstar's lackey before that.
• The dark tabby responds that Ashfur is a means to an end, and that all he wants to live again and doesn’t care about any other cat.
  • At this point, Rootspring’s eyes have changed color, scaring Darkstripe and intriguing the other cats.
• A fight seems imminent, and Rootspring is doubtful that he can take on all four cats.
  • The voice says they’ll fight them by taking over his body.
  • He wonders if this is a trick by Ashfur, but they assure him that this is not the case.
  • The voice reveals themselves as Firestar, and Rootspring gives up his body to him temporarily.
• Firestar, in Rootspring’s body, walks over to the Dark Forest cats and asks them why they’re following Ashfur.
  • Darkstripe states that Ashfur will help them live again, which means the Dark Forest doesn’t matter, but the former leader states that slipping into a leader’s body does not mean the other Dark Forest cats can steal any cat’s body.
• He tells them to let Rootspring go, or else they would be up against the living Clans and Starclan.
  • Darkstripe asks who he is if not Rootspring, and finally figures it out by looking into his eyes.
  • He then challenges Firestar to a battle, while the other cats watch closely.
• They battle for a while as Firestar reminds himself that he must protect Rootspring’s body.
  • He pins down Darkstripe and demands that he give up, but the tabby retorts that he’d rather be destroyed.
  • Knowing that if he dies, so does Rootspring, he bites down on the tom’s neck, killing him.
• Mapleshade has already run away, while Rushtooth disavows the entire situation.
• Silverhawk stays behind, then asks Firestar if Ashfur has been lying to them, and he replies that Ashfur’s plan will destroy the Dark Forest and the cats living in it.
  • He then invites the other cat to join him, who accepts.
• The gray tabby swears on his mate Emberdawn’s spirit that he will not harm Rootspring when he returns to his body.
• Firestar then releases the young warrior back to his body, who is disoriented.
  • He asks where Darkstripe is, and Silverhawk replies that Firestar killed him.
• The Dark Forest cat asks what they do now, and Rootspring responds that they must find Bristlefrost.