Eclipse/Chapter 11

"A time of great emptiness lies ahead," [...] "Nothing will be the same again."

— Sol's warning to Leafpool and Jaypaw in Eclipse, pages 148-149

Eclipse
Chapter number:	11 (of 25)
Page numbers:	153-171
Point of View:	Jaypaw
Chronology

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

Chapter Number: 11 (of 25)

Page Numbers: 153-171

Chapter description

As a warm breeze drifts through the hollow, Jaypaw asks Leafpool, who is gathering poppy seeds, if there is anything else he can do. Leafpool tells him to keep an eye out on noise in the nursery, and he notes that Millie is close to kitting; while the Clan sleeps, Graystripe is on guard. Suddenly, Daisy runs across the clearing, announcing that the kits are on their way, and Leafpool and Jaypaw rush to the nursery. Graystripe urges Jaypaw to look after his mate, and the apprentice sees a memory of him around a deceased silver tabby she-cat. Promising not to let him down, Jaypaw scrambles inside, nervously inquiring if Millie is alright. The latter tries to rasp for StarClan to save her, but the pain from kitting makes her abruptly cut off. Rosekit and Toadkit attempt to see the kits, but Daisy warns them to stay back, and Leafpool orders them to remain silent. She reassures Millie that Graystripe is outside, much to her relief, with her adding that she doesn't want him coming inside yet. Drawing Jaypaw closer to her, Leafpool explains that Millie will have another spasm shortly, each one stronger than the other, and her muscles are working to shove the kits out. Jaypaw is impressed by his mentor's serenity, his heart pounding, sensing Millie's tension as she prepares to deliver the first kit.

Millie pushes the first kit out, and Leafpool and Jaypaw examine it, with Leafpool nipping the sac so it can breathe on its own. Leafpool announces that the next kit is coming, and Daisy takes the first kit, licking it the wrong way and allowing it to start taking in air. Millie delivers the second kit, and Leafpool instructs Jaypaw to nip the sac, which he does with ease. He notes that the kit is already breathing, pleasing Leafpool, who orders him to lick it. The kit quickly warms up after being lapped by Jaypaw, and Millie falls back, preparing to deliver another kit. It pops out seconds later, and purring, she laps at its body. Jaypaw places the male kit next to his sisters, watching proudly as they suckle at their mother's body, whispering that they're lucky to be born in ThunderClan. Graystripe walks in, relieved that his mate is alright, and Millie remarks that the tom resembles him. Seeing that he looks like a bumblebee, he suggests that he is named Bumblekit, and the brown she-kit Briarkit. Millie agrees, wishing to name the tortoiseshell kit Blossomkit, and Graystripe welcomes them to ThunderClan. Leafpool tells Jaypaw that they'll be okay, scrabbling out of the den, and he feels a sense of pride. He comments that the kitting was the most amazing thing, and his mentor agrees, melancholy in her voice. Jaypaw wonders why she isn't as upbeat that ThunderClan has new kits, thinking it could be from delivering kits beforehand, or is jealous of how kits immediately know who their mother is, and he tries to ponder about how Leafpool truly feels.

Later, Jaypaw sleepily heads out into the clearing, plucking a mouse from the fresh-kill pile. Hollypaw greets him, exclaiming that he delivered his first kits, and a happy Graystripe pads outside. The Clan is excited about the kits, and Graystripe remarks that they're perfect, digging through the fresh-kill pile, wanting to give Millie the best piece of prey there. He describes the appearance of the kits to Sorreltail, and Dustpelt mutters that they have Clan names, though Graystripe ignores him. Firestar leaps down from Highledge, telling Graystripe that he chose good names, and Jaypaw detects sorrow from the leader, wondering if it's connected with the silver tabby. Toadkit and Rosekit get over a fight over a comment from the former, but Spiderleg irritably tells them to stop, snapping that they should play a more quiet game, noting that having two kits is hard. Toadkit then attacks his tail, making him yelp in pain. The hunting patrol emerges through the thorn tunnel, and Brambleclaw inquires where the dawn patrol is, causing Firestar to feel guilt for not realizing they were missing earlier. Jaypaw surveys the clearing, attempting to find signs of the missing patrol, but he only catches stale scents and sees an empty landscape in his thoughts. Without warning, blackness seeps into his vision, drowning Jaypaw in darkness before light returns to him. He finds that everything in the clearing is normal, and he warns the Clan that something dark is coming.

Poppyfrost then runs through the thorn tunnel, nervous, as Birchfall and a strange tom enter the camp. The tom is heather-scented, and his mind is full of flashing images which Jaypaw cannot distinguish. Hollypaw explains that he is tall, and is brown-and-white, combined with tortoiseshell, realizing that he is the lion she saw earlier. While Jaypaw wishes to know more, Firestar approaches the stranger, and asks Thornclaw why he is here. Thornclaw is confused and speechless, so the stranger opts to speak for him, saying that he is glad to meet Firestar, much to the shock of the ThunderClan cats. Stunned, the leader questions what he wants from them, and he replies that it was his time to come, only baffling ThunderClan more. Toadkit, amazed, questions who he is, and the stranger reveals that his name is Sol. Brambleclaw advises the kit and his sister to rest, and as they scramble back into the nursery, he inquires where Sol was found. Thornclaw states that he was at the WindClan border, and the strange tom adds that he was waiting for a patrol; Jaypaw tries to read his thoughts again, but has no success. Sol comments that he thought ThunderClan would be welcoming, pointing out that they help any cat, and Firestar brings up that he wants nothing. The tortoiseshell tom concludes that they want him gone, but he requests to mingle with the Clan for a short time, which Firestar reluctantly agrees to.

He is introduced to Brambleclaw and Leafpool, and Sol is pleased to meet the medicine cat. Icepaw and Foxpaw then greet him, but Brambleclaw tells them that they should be training, and Whitewing swiftly takes the two apprentices out of the clearing. Rosekit and Toadkit run out of the nursery, and Daisy angrily scolds them for trying to play with Millie's kits, but seeing Sol, she becomes embarrassed and takes them near the apprentice den so they can play. Squirrelflight and Sandstorm return from their hunt, becoming surprised at the sight of Sol, who asks if they ever run short of prey. Brambleclaw mentions that prey is lacking in leaf-bare, but they survive regardless, and Firestar offers him a meal. Sol declines, gazing at Jaypaw, questioning why they have blind cats in the Clan, and Leafpool mews that he's her apprentice. Remarking that it's better, Sol wishes to speak to the two, having news for them. He adds that he's just passing through, though can leave early, but Leafpool insists on speaking with him, saying that they can hear what he has to say in the forest. Firestar grants her permission, urging her to take Jaypaw with her. Leafpool takes him and Sol to a mossy clearing outside of camp, and crouching down, Sol warns that darkness is coming.

Jaypaw realizes that he is referring to the darkness he saw, and Leafpool asks the stranger to clarify. Sol hypnotically adds that great emptiness is on its way, and the Clans will never be the same afterward. Leafpool states that StarClan hasn't shown her anything, but Sol ponders if they even know everything, believing them to only be generic spirits of their ancestors. Jaypaw knows he is bold for speaking his thoughts out loud, wondering if he knows StarClan or the Tribe of Endless Hunting, but Leafpool prevents him from talking. She firmly responds that StarClan helped to guide the Clans to the lake, and they will continue to have faith in their ancestors, though Sol thinks that they can fend for themselves. Leafpool then heads back to camp without a word, and Jaypaw follows when he suddenly detects the presence of Foxpaw and Icepaw, pointing out that they should be training. Icepaw, not embarrassed for being found out, asks if the sun really will die, but he warns her to be quiet. Foxpaw says that the others should know, but Jaypaw spits that spreading gossip will cause a panic, and they should think like warriors. Hoping his words will keep them quiet, he ushers them back to the hollow, where Lionpaw questions what Sol told his brother. Jaypaw hears Firestar telling Sol that a patrol will take him to the border, and his paws warm as the stranger approaches. He reminds him to be wary of the approaching darkness, and when Lionpaw demands to know what he said, Jaypaw replies that it doesn't matter.

Characters

Major

• Jaypaw
• Leafpool
• Sol

Minor

• Graystripe
• Daisy
• Silverstream (Unnamed) (Vision or Dream)
• Millie
• Rosekit
• Toadkit
• Blossomkit
• Briarkit
• Bumblekit
• Hollypaw
• Longtail
• Cinderpaw
• Icepaw
• Mousefur
• Sorreltail
• Dustpelt
• Firestar
• Spiderleg
• Brambleclaw
• Ashfur
• Lionpaw
• Poppyfrost
• Birchfall
• Thornclaw
• Sandstorm
• Foxpaw
• Whitewing
• Squirrelflight

Mentioned

• Rock

Important events

• Millie gives birth to her and Graystripe's kits, Blossomkit, Briarkit, and Bumblekit.
• Sol arrives at the ThunderClan camp,, and foretells of great darkness in the Clans.