Crookedstar's Promise/Chapter 29

"She's dead. Our mother is dead."

— Oakheart to Crookedjaw about Rainflower in Crookedstar's Promise, page 359

Crookedstar's Promise
Chapter number:	29 (of 40)
Page numbers:	347-360
Point of View:	Crookedjaw
Chronology

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

Chapter Number: 29 (of 40)

Page Numbers: 347-360

Chapter description

It is greenleaf now, and Crookedjaw, Oakheart, and Beetlenose are training their apprentices in the beech copse. Sedgepaw struggles to pounce correctly, but Beetlenose offers some suggestions to help her improve. Loudpaw complains that he wants to practice battle moves instead, commenting how RiverClan needs to retake Sunningrocks from ThunderClan as soon as possible. Crookedjaw reminds him that Hailstar is hesitant to fight, and they instead practice how to distract a Twoleg. Reedpaw pretends to be hurt while Sedgepaw correctly explains to their mentors that they should race back to camp and hide the elders and kits. Oakheart praises her and encourages the apprentices to practice climbing trees to scope out for Twolegs.

Beetlenose and Crookedjaw follow their apprentices up some beech trees until Sedgepaw yowls that she sees a large dog not far. While Oakheart shoves Loudpaw up the tree, Crookedjaw orders the apprentices to remain hidden in the branches. With the dog approaching closer, Crookedjaw plans for the three of them to lure the dog away from camp. Despite Crookedjaw's orders, Reedpaw darts down his tree and races to warn the camp of the approaching mutt. The three warriors race towards the dog and flee through the beech copse. As the dog readily chases after them, the three cats split up, and the large dog chases after Crookedjaw along the river not far from camp. However, Rainflower is at the shore drinking from the river, and despite Crookedjaw's best attempts to rapidly lead the dog away, the dog crashes into Rainflower, sending her into the rocky shallows. The twisted-jaw warrior attacks the dog to lure it away, but Oakheart and Beetlnose arrive to help. Oakheart orders his brother to check on Rainflower as the two toms lead the dog elsewhere.

Rainflower lays in the water unmoving, and Crookedjaw notices in horror that she's bleeding and her eyes are open and blank. He feels compelled to fetch Brambleberry, but Mapleshade encourages Crookedjaw to save his Clanmates from the dog. Realizing there's nothing more he can do for his mother, Crookedjaw leaves her on the shore and chases after the dog. The three warriors lure the beast back towards his Twoleg. Their relief is only momentary when Oakheart asks about Rainflower, and Crookedjaw admits he left her, assuming she had died when she hit her head on a rock. His brother furiously questions why he didn't fetch Brambleberry to make sure, and he runs back towards the river. When Crookedjaw arrives, Oakheart's crouched by her body and reveals that their mother is dead.

Characters

Major

• Crookedjaw

Minor

• Sedgepaw
• Oakheart
• Beetlenose
• Reedpaw
• Loudpaw
• Rainflower
• Mapleshade

Mentioned

• Hailstar
• Shellheart
• Echomist
• Brambleberry

Important events

Deaths

• Rainflower dies from blunt force trauma.

Errors

• Mapleshade is mistakenly described as orange-and-white.