Bluestar's Prophecy/Chapter 20

"Too many omens. Three cats poisoned, two only whiskers from StarClan […] Why such a difficult birth for the Clan leader's mate? The kits may not make it through another night. [Tigerkit] is too weak to mew, let alone feed. I should help them, yet how can I when the signs are clear?"

— Goosefeather to Bluefur about the omens in Bluestar's Prophecy, page 268

Bluestar's Prophecy
Chapter number:	20 (of 45)
Page numbers:	262-273
Point of View:	Bluefur
Chronology

Below contains in-depth information for chapter twenty of Bluestar's Prophecy. If you are looking for a shorter summary of the entire book, please check the main article.

Chapter Number: 20 (of 45)

Page Numbers: 262-273

Chapter description

Bluefur wakes up in the middle of the night to stabbing pain in her stomach and has to leave the warriors' den to go to the dirtplace. In the clearing, she encounters Rosepaw, who says that both she and Sweetpaw also have stomach pain. Bluefur concludes that their illness must be related to the mouse that they shared the previous evening. Bluefur wakes up again as dawn breaks and goes back to the dirtplace. While out of her den, she spots Lionpaw exiting the camp. She also smells Pinestar's fresh scent and guesses that the ThunderClan leader is taking him out.

Bluefur goes back to her den and sleeps until sunhigh, then emerges into the clearing again. Her belly is still sore, but she feels much better. She immediately heads over to Featherwhisker to see how Leopardfoot and the kits are doing, to which the medicine cat responds that they are alive, for now. Bluefur does not think he sounds very hopeful. Bluefur informs Featherwhisker about her stomachache, and Poppydawn in turn tells him about Rosepaw and Sweetpaw. Poppydawn says that Rosepaw is very ill, and adds frightfully that Sweetpaw is worse. Bluefur then asks Featherwhisker if Leopardfoot's kits have names yet, to which he responds that the two she-kits are named Mistkit and Nightkit, while the tom is Tigerkit. Bluefur remarks that Tigerkit is a very fierce sounding name. Featherwhisker agrees and says he thinks Leopardfoot wanted him to be a fighter. Grimly, he adds that the tom-kit will have to be in order to survive his first days. The medicine cat then sends her to get herbs to soothe her stomach from Goosefeather.

Bluefur heads into the medicine cats' clearing, and calls out to Goosefeather. The speckled gray tom's appearance, with wild eyes and ruffled fur, frightens Bluefur when she first sees him. However, she recovers herself and explains how she has a stomachache. Goosefeather responds that there are evil omens everywhere. He points out how Bluefur, Rosepaw, and Sweetpaw had been poisoned, and that the two apprentices are so sick that they could die. He adds that Leopardfoot and her kits are also barely alive, especially Tigerkit, and questions why the Clan leader's mate had such a difficult birth. Goosefeather finishes that he should be helping all these cats, but then asks how he can when the signs are clear. Bluefur is alarmed, especially by his last statement, so instead of getting herbs, she rushes out of the medicine den. Frightened, she wonders if Rosepaw and Sweetpaw are really as ill as Goosefeather made them out to be, so she goes to the apprentices' den to see how they are doing. When Bluefur enters, Rosepaw lifts her head and mews a weak greeting to her friend, but Sweetpaw does not stir.

Bluefur leaves the apprentices' den and heads out of camp for some fresh air. Out in the forest, she meets Lionpaw. Upon spotting him, Bluefur asks where Pinestar is, since the two had left camp together. Bluefur questions Lionpaw about why he had been out with the Clan leader, and Lionpaw answers evasively. Bluefur, however, scents catmint on his fur and guesses that the secret Lionpaw is keeping from her is that he and Pinestar had been in the Twolegplace. As Bluefur heads back into camp, Pinestar also returns, so she does not have an opportunity to further question Lionpaw. Bluefur notices that Pinestar smells of fresh bracken, and she knows he must have rolled in it to disguise the scent of Twolegplace. She wonders how he could be going there and meeting with kittypets when he is supposed to be their leader. However, as soon as Pinestar reaches camp, he heads into the nursery to see Leopardfoot and his three kits for the first time. Poppydawn and Swiftbreeze, speaking together, comment that it is about time that he did this, as the kits might have died the previous night and never met their father. Bluefur realizes that other cats are also beginning to question Pinestar's loyalty, but that they probably do not know just how far from the warrior code he is straying.

Characters

Major

• Bluefur

Minor

• Rosepaw
• Snowfur
• Lionpaw
• Weedwhisker
• Poppydawn
• Featherwhisker
• Goosefeather
• Sweetpaw
• Stormtail
• White-eye
• Robinwing
• Thrushpelt
• Pinestar
• Swiftbreeze

Mentioned

• Leopardfoot
• Sunfall
• Mistkit
• Nightkit
• Tigerkit
• Jake

Trivia

• This chapter aligns with chapter 9 of Pinestar's Choice and "Pinestar's Secret" of Code of the Clans.