Darkest Night/Chapter 4

"I need to cut [Finpaw] clear. Find me a sharp stone."

— Puddleshine to the SkyClan cats about Finpaw's trapped tail in Darkest Night, chapter 4

Darkest Night
Chapter number:	4 (of 23)
Page numbers:	55-66
Point of View:	Twigpaw
Chronology

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

Chapter Number: 4 (of 23)

Page Numbers: 55-66

Chapter description

Twigpaw glances nervously at the pines, watching them sway in the fierce wind. She misses ThunderClan territory, because here, the trees seem ready to fall over. Finpaw tells the she-cat to stop looking at the trees and help him. Twigpaw recalls that she is on a mission from Leafstar, with Finpaw and Dewpaw, to collect twigs to build camp. She pads toward the tom, questioning whether he thinks the trees will fall or not. Dewpaw wriggles out from beneath a bush, asking why they would, as they're all very old. Twigpaw points out that it's very windy, and squeaks when a twig lands on her back. Finpaw's whiskers twitch, meowing that he thought she's used to living in a forest. Twigpaw insists ThunderClan territory is different, but the tom reminds her that ShadowClan doesn't seem to mind the wind. Dewpaw adds that there's plenty of twigs around, due to the wind blowing them off branches.

Twigpaw looks around, seeing twigs everywhere. She starts to gather some, annoyed that she's been sent out on an apprentice duty. The she-cat reflects that she'd already passed her assessment, and could've been a ThunderClan warrior by now. However, she pushes the thought away, reminding herself that she chose to be here with her kin. Twigpaw thinks that the SkyClan cats are nice, but that she's used to the order and routing in ThunderClan. She decides that their customs must be different because they're still settling in, but is still skeptical of SkyClan's acceptance of kittypets. Twigpaw is appalled by the idea of daylight warriors, and is worried about how few cats the Clan has overall. The she-cat feels left out when with Violetpaw and Hawkwing, and is lonely.

Finpaw asks Twigpaw if all ThunderClan cats are dreamers, and she jumps in surprise. She says sorry, blaming it on the new environment. She asks if they miss the gorge, but both he and Dewpaw tell her that they've never been there, and were born beside a different lake later on. Twigpaw is surprised, and Finpaw meows that he wishes he'd seen the gorge, because other cats talk about it so much. Twigpaw feels sympathetic, and agrees, glad that she's not the only one feeling left out. Finpaw jokes that the next time their Clanmates talk about the past, they can remember their day collecting twigs. He then says that they should probably gather more twigs, so the apprentices start to look around.

Twigpaw dives underneath a bush and pulls a few twigs out. However, she thinks she sees a snake and squeals, trying to get away. Finpaw purrs loudly, commenting that it's just a twisted root. Twigpaw shakes out her fur, saying that the wind is making her nervous. Finpaw suggests that they head back, and tells Dewpaw that they're leaving. As the gray tom heads towards them, a gust of wind brushes the trees. A large crack fills the air, and Twigpaw sees a large branch falling towards Finpaw. She yowls a warning, dragging the tom towards her. The branch hits the ground with a sickening thud, and dust showers down around them. Twigpaw calls out Finpaw's name, and she and Dewpaw realize his tail is stuck.

Twigpaw and Dewpaw realize that the branch is too large for them to move off of Finpaw. The gray she-cat asks Finpaw if he can speak, and he gasps out affirmatively. She tells him that they're going to get help, but panics realizing that SkyClan has no medicine cat. The she-cat tells Dewpaw to fetch help from camp to move the branch while she goes and gets ShadowClan's medicine cat. He protests that they can't leave Finpaw behind, but Twigpaw insists that it'll be fine. She promises Finpaw that he'll be okay, and he urges them to hurry. Twigpaw begins to run towards ShadowClan territory, glancing back to see Dewpaw racing back towards SkyClan's camp.

Twigpaw pelts through the forest, not sure where she's going, but hoping to find a trail. Scents being to thicken, and the she-cat follows them until she finds the camp. Twigpaw rounds a corner, skidding into the entrance. The ShadowClan cats are shocked and hostile of her presence, but Puddleshine asks her what's wrong. She tells him that Finpaw's tail is trapped, so he goes to get some herbs. Puddleshine quickly returns, so the apprentice quickly nods to Rowanstar before racing out of camp. Twigpaw leads the medicine cat to Finpaw, and there are SkyClan warriors already trying to move the branch. However, even with every cat trying, the branch doesn't move. Puddleshine slides past them, examining Finpaw. He asks the tom if he's hurt anywhere else, but the apprentice's eyes are glazed over, and he doesn't answer. Puddleshine informs everyone that Finpaw is in shock, and needs to get warm. Plumwillow presses against her kit, and cats begin to panic because the branch won't move.

Puddleshine orders some cat to find him a sharp stone, to cut Finpaw free. Plumwillow is shocked, but the medicine cat insists that the apprentice will die of shock if he stays here much longer. Sandynose asks if this is the only way, and Puddleshine nods in affirmation. Macgyver brings a sharp stone, and the medicine cat flicks his tail, waving the warriors away. Hawkwing urges Twigpaw to come back to camp with him, but she protests, wanting to know if Finpaw will be okay. The deputy says that Puddleshine will do his best, but that she probably needs to rest as well. Twigpaw asks where Violetpaw is, and Hawkwing tells her she's out on patrol. Her father notes that she may be back by now, and that they should go check. Twigpaw casts a mournful glance over her shoulder, but Hawkwing leads her away.

Once in camp, Rabbitleap asks them what's happening. Hawkwing tells him that Finpaw had an accident, and his tail is stuck under a branch. They wish that Echosong was still here, or even Frecklewish. Leafstar enters camp, and Hawkwing tells Rabbitleap to fill the leader in on the situation. He then leads Twigpaw to her nest, and Violetpaw helps settle her sister in. Gratefully, the gray she-cat snuggles into the moss. Leafstar asks how Twigpaw is, and Hawkwing says she'll be fine. Violetpaw asks who Echosong and Frecklewish are, and the leader tells her that they were once SkyClan's medicine cats. Hawkwing laps at Twigpaw's head, commenting that perhaps they should start to look for their lost Clanmates. Violetpaw asks to come on the patrol, but Leafstar meows that it's too soon to tell who will go, but that they should send one soon. Twigpaw hears this, thinking that she should go too if Violetpaw and Hawkwing are. However, as the she-cat slips into sleep, she knows that she can't leave not knowing if Finpaw is okay.

Characters

Major

• Twigpaw
• Finpaw

Minor

• Dewpaw
• Scorchfur
• Juniperclaw
• Puddleshine
• Rowanstar
• Hawkwing
• Plumwillow
• Sandynose
• Fallowfern
• Rabbitleap
• Blossomheart
• Macgyver
• Violetpaw
• Leafstar

Mentioned

• Reedpaw
• Millie
• Graystripe
• Echosong
• Frecklewish

Errors

Inconsistencies

• Rabbitleap is said to be helping free Finpaw's tail from a branch, but he was also mentioned to be hunting with Violetpaw at the same time.