After the Flood/Part 1

"What if I'm torn between caring for my kits and caring for my Clanmates? Will the Clan be vulnerable if my attention is divided?"

— Leafstar to herself in SkyClan and the Stranger, page 16

After the Flood
Chapter number:	1 (of 3)
Page numbers:	1-39
Point of View:	Leafstar
Chronology

Below contains in-depth information for chapter one of After the Flood. If you are looking for a shorter summary of the entire book, please check the main article.

Chapter Number: 1 (of 3)

Page Numbers: 1-39

Chapter description

Leafstar introduces SkyClan, or at least, what is left of it. She points out that the flood had left the camp ravaged and had claimed the life of one of their elders. She is sorry to admit that everyone's mourning for Lichenfur was very brief, and that the flood had left the Clan vulnerable, exposing them to dangers such as Twolegs, foxes, and rogues. Leafstar continues to explain that the rebuilding of SkyClan's camp will take lots of energy and strength being spent, and that the apprentices now work as hard as some of the warriors, and notes that Clovertail is currently supervising the building of new nests. One of the elders, Tangle, is still grieving for Lichenfur, and Leafstar worries about this and promises to keep a close eye on him. Sharpclaw is managing shifting heavy objects, and she expects Waspwhisker and Sparrowpelt to join him, but Harveymoon takes her by surprise by contributing immensely to cleaning out the camp, and thinks that he is really helpful when she thought he was the laziest cat she'd ever met.

When Mintfur approaches carrying a large branch, Harveymoon flirts with her while Leafstar tries to dislodge a branch from the foot of one of the dens. Her kits ask eagerly if they can help, but the Clan leader dismisses them, saying they could continue cleaning out the soiled bedding in dens. Firekit and Stormkit exclaim that there's rainclouds rolling in, thinking it is going to rain and wash them all away. The two kits start to scramble up the cliff after Harrykit, but Leafstar brings them back down and convinces the kits that there won't be another flood.

As she watches the warriors attempt to clean the camp, she wonders how her mate, Billystorm, could be so optimistic, but just then Clovertail walks up and offers to accompany Firekit, Harrykit, and Stormkit in collecting feathers for Tangle's nest. The kits become very excited, and Leafstar thanks Clovertail for keeping them busy while she assists the other cats in removing debris.

She notices that Sharpclaw and his mate, Cherrytail, had been arguing ever since the flood about Cherrytail overworking herself, as she's expecting his kits. Leafstar is amused by this and asks him to speak in private.

Her deputy is uncertain whether StarClan will send them a sign or not. She mentions Sol, and the two begin to discuss if he really belongs in the Clan. After this Leafstar watches her Clanmates continue to work, and flinches when Sparrowpelt slips and falls while trying to move a fallen branch. The warrior calls for Echosong, who dashes over and takes him to the medicine den. She notes that she is a skilled and capable medicine cat, and no one could ask for anyone else. Later Leafstar reminisces about Sol when he enters the camp carrying a vine of ivy leaves. He suggests they could line their nests with it, but Leafstar insists they're poisonous and could get into a cats' eyes. Sharpclaw walks up and tells her that he doubts Sol's loyalty, but she replies that he should give him a chance.

Leafstar calls after Sol, catching up to him and saying that it would be a help to clear the stream, but he answers that he was about to offer to collect fresh herbs for Echosong. She dismisses this, and he finally agrees to help the other warriors. Leafstar enters the medicine den and asks Echosong how Sparrowpelt is coping. She responds that he had only popped his shoulder loose, and that it'll just be sore for a while. Leafstar asks if StarClan had told her anything, but the medicine cat tells her that the flood might have been another sign to remind SkyClan of how vulnerable they are. The leader begins to worry that some of her Clanmates might go back to their old lives.

Leafstar is asleep while curled around her kits. She wakes in a dream to see Spottedleaf standing on the cliff of the gorge. She asks the StarClan cat if her Clan is safe anymore, but Spottedleaf warns Leafstar that there is a single cat within her Clan that would cause trouble. Leafstar guesses if she meant Sol, but says that all he wanted is to be a loyal warrior, but Spottedleaf ventures that it may not be his destiny.

The next morning Billystorm returned to camp. Leafstar notes that he was battered during the aftermath of the flood, and told him that he should catch up on sleep. The two sit side by side facing the gorge, Leafstar and Billystorm observe the wreckage, until he offers to help Shrewtooth and Harveymoon remove mesh. When Billystorm comes to help them, the three discover silverthorn washed up a in a pile of leaves, and he notes that it could be deadly. Leafstar assists them in hauling it out of camp using their paws, and then depositing it in an empty tree stump. The the ginger-and-white tom worries and asks his mate if it would be safe for their kits to play there. Leafstar believes the kits will be fine, and decides to leave them with Clovertail for a little bit.

She sets off through the territory with Sol to gather herbs for Frecklewish and Echosong. They find cobwebs, and then Leafstar asks if he could find any yarrow. When Sol leads her into a lush clearing filled with yarrow, she starts to believe that there's nothing sinister or harmful about him. They continue to walk through the forest when Sol asks Leafstar when she's going to make him a warrior. But she responds that he needs to be assessed, and that being a warrior is following the warrior code, not just hunting and patrolling for your Clan.

When they arrive back at camp, Leafstar notes that the walk with Sol soured quickly. She notices Fallowfern, Patchfoot, and Petalnose waiting for her, and asks Fallowfern what she needs help with, and the she-cat replies that it is the dens. She continues that the warriors are having trouble rebuilding them, doubting that the camp is safe to live in anymore. Leafstar questions this, but Petalnose adds that the three of them might be leaving in case the gorge floods again. The SkyClan leader protests that their Clanmates need them, but Patchfoot says they might not have any more Clanmates let if there's another flood.

Leafstar pads away, her head spinning. She enters her den, asking her kits where Billystorm is while they are playing with some moss, and notes that it's a nice piece of moss.

Stormkit and Firekit respond excitedly that they'e pretending that their housefolk gave it to them, and Leafstar is shocked when they add that Billystorm said that they can go live with him to keep them safe if there's another flood. Leafstar gets angry and leaves the den to find Billystorm padding into camp carrying a squirrel. Furious, the SkyClan leader hisses at him and demands how he could think of taking their kits away. When Billystorm protests that the kits would be safer with him, she snarls that she can't just forget that she gave birth to three kits. He protests again, but Leafstar flies into a rage and screeches at him to get out of the camp.

Billystorm replies that she needs him more than she ever knows. She furiously denies this and demands that he leaves camp immediately. Afterward Echosong walks up and tries to comfort her, but Leafstar dismisses the medicine cat.

Characters

Major

• Leafstar

Minor

• Clovertail
• Tangle
• Birdpaw
• Sharpclaw
• Harveymoon
• Cherrytail
• Sol
• Firekit
• Stormkit
• Harrykit
• Shrewtooth
• Spottedleaf
• Echosong
• Fallowfern
• Patchfoot
• Petalnose

Mentioned

• Lichenfur

Important events

• Billystorm is exiled from SkyClan.

Notes and references

After the Flood chapters
Part1 • Part2 • Part3