Dark River/Chapter 12

"I had to do something! ThunderClan are getting ready to fight WindClan. Everyone's scared about what will happen if RiverClan is driven out of its home."

— Hollypaw on her reasons for visiting RiverClan in Dark River, page 188

Dark River
Chapter number:	12 (of 21)
Page numbers:	175-192
Point of View:	Hollypaw
Chronology

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

Chapter Number: 12 (of 21)

Page Numbers: 175-192

Chapter description

Graystripe yowls at Hollypaw to watch out as he and Millie carry brambles across the camp. Hollypaw asks what the brambles were for, noting the already finished extension of the warriors' den, but Hazelpaw explains that they are reinforcing the nursery. Upon hearing this, Hollypaw becomes frustrated, wondering why everyone is so convinced that there is going to be a battle. As Hollypaw looks around the camp, she sees other signs of the cats preparing for battle. Brightheart runs through a drill with Mousefur and Longtail, irritating the elders, who claim they already know what to do in the case of a battle. Meanwhile, the warriors discuss the possible battle. Stormfur and Brook wonder why WindClan would attack them when it is RiverClan that is in trouble. However, Whitewing and Thornclaw point out that the trouble with RiverClan affects all the Clans, especially if RiverClan is displaced from their home. Stormfur agrees, saying that none of the borders will be safe if that happens.

Hollypaw's mentor, Brackenfur, calls to her that there has been a change of plans with her training session. He explains that, instead of hunting, they are going to have battle training along with her denmates Hazelpaw and Mousepaw. Dismayed, with Stormfur's ominous words ringing in her ears, she realizes she has to do something to help RiverClan and thus prevent the battle. She races off, ducking behind the elders' den, hiding from Brackenfur and waiting for him to leave the camp without her.

When he finally does, she races up the Highledge to Firestar's den, where he and Sandstorm are sitting. Hollypaw bursts out that they have to stop the battle. Calmly, Firestar points out that the battle might not happen, but there is nothing wrong with being prepared in case it does. Hollypaw protests that they should be helping RiverClan instead of preparing to battle WindClan. However, Firestar explains that RiverClan has to be allowed to solve its own problems. Leafpool enters the den and tries to reassure Hollypaw about the possibility of a battle. Firestar and Sandstorm tell her to go find Brackenfur so that she does not get behind on her training. Furious that she was ignored, Hollypaw storms down from the Highledge. Leafpool calls after her, and Hollypaw stops, glaring back and asking why no one would listen. Leafpool reminds her that they are more experienced than Hollypaw and that she has to trust them to do the right thing. She also suggests that Hollypaw should go join her mentor.

Hollypaw rushes away, but instead of going to her training session, she decides to go visit Willowpaw in order to find out what is going on with RiverClan. She reaches the moor and she crosses WindClan's territory, luckily not meeting any patrols. Hollypaw continues along the shoreline of the lake until she reaches the island where RiverClan's temporary camp is. She crosses the tree bridge and creeps along the perimeter of the island, hoping to find Willowpaw.

Suddenly, Hollypaw hears a kit cry out, and scents marigold, and she realizes someone is treating a kit with herbs. She rushes towards the noise, finding Mothwing and Willowpaw treating a kit who stepped on pine needles in what appears to be their temporary medicine den. When they finish, Mothwing leads the kit and its mother, Icewing, back to the nursery. With Willowpaw alone now, Hollypaw reveals herself, much to the medicine cat apprentice's shock, and to Mothwing's as well when she returns. Hollypaw desperately explains that she had to do something, and that ThunderClan is going to fight WindClan because everyone is scared about what will happen if RiverClan has to leave their home. Mothwing and Willowpaw tell her RiverClan is not going to leave, but Hollypaw is unconvinced, noting how their cats look half-starved and how they moved everything from the old camp. Sighing, Mothwing tells Willowpaw to show her but to stay out of sight.

Willowpaw races away, Hollypaw following curiously. She disguises Hollypaw's ThunderClan scent with otter dung and leads her into RiverClan territory. Willowpaw points out an island in the middle of a stream, which she explains is the old RiverClan camp. Hollypaw sees RiverClan warriors and apprentices standing on the sides of the stream, pushing stones into it. Willowpaw explains that they are trying to block the stream in order to make it wider and deeper, but Hollypaw is confused about why they are doing so. Suddenly, Minnowpaw rushes down the stream's side, yowling that they are coming. All the other cats abandon their work immediately and flee towards the lake. A group of Twoleg kits appears. One of the kits crosses the stream to the island of RiverClan's camp, poking the bushes there with a stick as the others yowl approvingly. Willowpaw asks Hollypaw if she now realizes why RiverClan had to leave its camp.

Characters

Major

• Hollypaw

Minor

• Graystripe
• Millie
• Hazelpaw
• Ferncloud
• Foxkit
• Icekit
• Mousepaw
• Brightheart
• Longtail
• Mousefur
• Whitewing
• Thornclaw
• Stormfur
• Brook Where Small Fish Swim
• Brackenfur
• Firestar
• Sandstorm
• Leafpool
• Birchfall
• Ashfur
• Lionpaw
• Mistyfoot
• Icewing's kit
• Icewing
• Willowpaw
• Mothwing
• Pouncepaw
• Minnowpaw
• Reedwhisker
• Voletooth
• Blackclaw
• Twoleg kits

Important events

• Hollypaw visits RiverClan, and learns that they left their camp due to Twoleg kits.

Errors

• Mistyfoot is mistakenly described as stone-colored.