| "I think I know someone who can give us answers. We need to find Sol. He predicted that the sun would vanish. He told Leafpool a great darkness was coming, and the sun would disappear. I think he would have told us more, but Firestar sent him away." |
| — Jaypaw about Sol in Eclipse, page 248 |
- Below contains in-depth information for chapter eighteen of Eclipse. If you are looking for a shorter summary of the entire book, please check the main article.
- Chapter Number: 18 (of 25)
- Page Numbers: 243-249
Chapter description
- Lionpaw swallows his last mouthful of mouse, which had quieted his rumbling belly. He glances up at the sun which shines in the clear blue sky, and wonders if it would disappear again. The apprentice remembers how Heatherpaw had been terrified when she asked what was happening, and he thinks that he can't trust her or the sun, but only himself and his Clan. The clearing slowly empties as Firestar moves from cat to cat and sends them to their dens to rest. Squirrelflight lies in her makeshift nest with Hollypaw and Jaypaw curled beside her, and she is being checked on by Leafpool again. The medicine cat sways on her paws and asks about the other injuries, but Firestar reassures her that Brightheart will see to them and fetch her if she is needed. The Clan leader looks at the one-eyed she-cat who prowls each den, checking on the cats inside. Leafpool argues that she will need rest too, but Firestar counters that she will after Leafpool has gotten sleep. The brown tabby blinks, stifling a yawn, and agrees, under the condition that she will be woken if there is any problem, and she looks at her sister as she says this. Hollypaw nuzzles closer to Squirrelflight and presses her nose against her mother's ea, and Lionpaw wishes he could fight Squirrelflight's battle, as he knows he would win.
- Firestar's muzzle brushes Lionpaw's ear and asks if he shouldn't be rested, but the young tom stares into his leader's eyes and states that he is not tired. Firestar tells him that he should then come to decide what will happen next, and Lionpaw follows him to where Dustpelt, Ashfur, Brambleclaw, Cloudtail, and Sandstorm share a rabbit. The ginger she-cat looks up at their approach and nudges a mouthful of prey toward her mate, noting that he must be hungry. Firestar says that he will eat after the fresh-kill pile is restocked, but Sandstorm stares at him and the morsel she offered, pointing out that he needs his strength. Firestar sits down, shoulders sagging, and takes the piece of rabbit, thanking her.
- Bramnbleclaw sits uncomfortably, the thorn stab in his side clearly hurting, and Lionpaw is angered, but determinedly thinks that no cat will suffer because of Heatherpaw's betrayal. He sits down, thinking that they will now plan revenge on WindClan and RiverClan, since ThunderClan must make them pay for their sneaky attack. Dustpelt, pelt bushed out, asks if they think it will disappear again, and Ashfur, who scores a line in the dust with a claw on his blood-stained paws, says that it might just be the start. Firestar meows that they must not panic, but believe that it was only a message. Lionpaw is surprised that they are only talking about the vanishing sun. Dustpelt argues that the sun might be starting to fail, but Sandstorm counters that it never failed before and shouldn't fail now. However, Ashfur points out that it hadn't disappeared before either, yet Brambleclaw meows that it must have been StarClan's way of warning them to stop fighting. Dustpelt asks why they should be warned, since they didn't start the battle, and Cloudtail reasons that it could have been only a strange cloud that hid it. Lionpaw knows that the warrior was kittypet-born, and doesn't believe in StarClan. Ashfur challenges where the cloud would have come from and where it went, as the sky was clear. Cloudtail shrugs that there must be some explanation, but Dustpelt flicks his tail and insists that it couldn't have been anyone but StarClan. Lionpaw, furious, silently wonders why it should matter. He thinks that the battle with WindClan hadn't been won, but must be finished if they wish to be safe and at peace. He thinks that the sun doesn't matter and that enemies have to be dealt with. The young tom scrapes the ground and Brambleclaw, who stares at him, asks if he has something to say.
- Lionpaw thinks that he has plenty to say and gets to his paws, declaring that they must teach WindClan a lesson. He states that they can't invade without suffering consequences, but Brambleclaw shakes his head and tells his son that enough blood has been spilled. Firestar agrees that the battle is finished, and that they must find out what the vanishing sun means, and Sandstorm asks if Leafpool will go to the Moonpool and share tongues with StarClan. Firestar glances at Squirrelflight across the clearing, saying that she will after their wounded cats can manage with out her. Dustpelt mutters his hopes that it will be soon, and Ashfur agrees that the sooner the better. Lionpaw paws the ground, wondering why they should wait to find out if their ancestors know the answer. He thinks that it is time for actions, not questions, and believes that a battle must be fought. He begins to ask why they can't do something,k but stops when he realizes that he has interrupted Sandstorm, who stares at him with her mouth open. Lionpaw apologizes, backing away, suddenly conscious that he is only an apprentice. Firestar gently suggests that he rests, and Lionpaw nods and turns away, kicking sand out behind him with each step, thinking that they will one day listen to him.
- Hollypaw and Squirrelflight are sleeping, and Lionpaw stops beside them, watching them breathe evenly in synchronization. Jaypaw is gone, the ferns beside Squirrelflight crumpled where he had slept. However, he emerges from the medicine den, carrying dripping moss, ad walks to his mother's side, pressing the wet moss to the warrior's lips. Lionpaw quietly asks if she will live, and though he doesn't look up, Jaypaw says that he thinks she will, as their is no sign of infection. Lionpaw asks if StarClan warned if he would be injured, and he silently wonders if they warned him about anything. The ginger tabby's hear quickens in await for an answer, and his brother, putting the moss down and smoothing a frond of fern curling near Squirrelflight's nose, disagrees and meows that they didn't send a warning about the vanishing sun or battle either. Lionpaw narrows his eyes, aware that his littermate has something on his mind, and he guesses that Jaypaw thinks it doesn't have anything to do with StarClan. The small gray tom confirms this, and Lionpaw, awaiting an explanation, wonders why his littermate is always so mysterious about everything. Jaypaw tentatively begins to say something, and when Lionpaw prods him, the medicine cat apprentice looks up, and admits that he thinks he knows someone who can give them answers.
- The fur along Lionpaw's spine lifts, and his sibling's eyes seem to be watching him as if capable of sight. Jaypaw meows that they need to find Sol, as he had predicted that the sun would vanish. He explains that the tortoiseshell had told Leafpool that a great darkness was coming and that the sun would disappear, and predicts that Sol would have told them more had Firestar not send him away. Lionpaw is greatly disappointed and thinks that his brother is no better than the warriors. Lashing his tail, Lionpaw asks why everyone is obsessing over the sun, as it doesn't matter since it is back and they are okay. He states that they still have to deal with WindClan, as they will come back if ThunderClan don't show them, but Jaypaw interrupts that it does matter, and growls that WindClan are only a problem that they can easily get rid of. He points out that the sun disappeared, and that Sol knew when StarClan didn't. The gray tabby asks his littermate if he realizes what it means, and Lionpaw doesn't, but doesn't admit. The ginger tom asks what they can do about it, and Jaypaw states that they have to find Sol.
- Lionpaw leans back in surprise, and scoffs at his brother not to be silly, as the loner left yesterday and could be anywhere. He adds that Firestar won't let them wonder off to look for the stranger, and points out that there has just been a battle which injured half of their warriors, and might be followed by another invasion. Jaypaw, however, flattens his ears, and snaps at Lionpaw to remember that prophecy. He reminds his brother that they have the power of stars in their paws, making them more powerful than Firestar or StarClan, and exclaims that if Sol knows why the sun vanished, they must find him.
Characters
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Notes and references
| Eclipse chapters | |
|---|---|
| Prologue • Chapter 1 • Chapter 2 • Chapter 3 • Chapter 4 • Chapter 5 • Chapter 6 • Chapter 7 • Chapter 8 • Chapter 9 • Chapter 10 • Chapter 11 • Chapter 12 • Chapter 13 • Chapter 14 • Chapter 15 • Chapter 16 • Chapter 17 • Chapter 18 • Chapter 19 • Chapter 20 • Chapter 21 • Chapter 22 • Chapter 23 • Chapter 24 • Chapter 25 | |