Firestar's Quest/Chapter 26

"Are you there? If you are, show yourselves to us. And for the new Clan's sake, please send us a medicine cat."

— Firestar praying to his ancestors in the Whispering Cave in Firestar's Quest, page 369

Firestar's Quest
Chapter number:	26 (of 36)
Page numbers:	341-369
Point of View:	Firestar
Chronology

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

Chapter Number: 26 (of 36)

Page Numbers: 341-369

Chapter description

Firestar wakes up and thinks about Skywatcher's prophecy from the night before. He pushes his fears as the prophecies predict future moons. He walks out of his nest to wake the warriors and apprentices to begin setting borders. He finds Sharpclaw and tells him the plan. They wake Cherrypaw and Sparrowpaw. The young cats ask if there is a hunting patrol, so Firestar tells the apprentices that Sandstorm will lead the hunting patrol later, and they can eat on the way.

Firestar leads the group to the area where Clovertail and her kits were saved. They begin placing their first scent markers. Leafdapple asks the tom if other cats will respect their boundaries, and Sharpclaw immediately jumps in to defend the border. Leafdapple mentions they can recruit more rogues, and the patrol continues. After a couple more markers, the ginger tom wants to include the forest for prey without stepping on the other rogues' tails. Sharpclaw tells him they can mark their territory upstream to keep Rainfur and Lichen outside. Firestar asks about Tangle, but Sharpclaw and Leafdapple shrug off the issue.

The apprentices hunt while the rest of the patrol sets their markers. Cherrypaw and Sparrowpaw give their prey to their mentors. Despite the unusual effort, he applauds their dedication to becoming Clan cats. Cherrypaw notices a dead tree and tells Firestar it would be a good place for a marker. Firestar agrees but points out the flaws of open space territory. He reminds the patrol that badgers and foxes are more dangerous in a place with nowhere to hide. The cats agree, and they mark a nearby oak tree instead. The patrol finishes their markers and runs into Sandstorm, leading a hunting patrol with Shortwhisker and Patchfoot. Sandstorm mentions that she hasn't seen Skywatcher today, and the tom heads back to camp to check on him. He finds the old tom curled in a small den, unmoving and cold. Firestar grieves the wise cat and wishes StarClan to light his path.

He returns to camp and calls a Clan meeting to announce Skywatcher's death. He notices his Clanmates show little grief over Skywatcher, but they insist on staying awake over the cat's death. Firestar is confused about their familiarity with a vigil, but they insist it's a superstition instilled into them over generations. Sparrowpaw and Cherrypaw offer to do a proper vigil for Skywatcher since they are all related through SkyClan blood. Throughout the vigil, Firestar and Sandstorm watch as the camp grows tired, except for Leafdapple, who stares contently at the stars.

Firestar wakes up and notices Shortwhisker isn't in camp. He looks for the tom at the rock by the river, and the tom jumps. Shortwhisker grows defensive and tries to reassure him and his place in the Clan. Shortwhisker understands, but he does not believe Firestar's words. The leader returns to camp and notices that only Clovertail and her kits remain. The queen tells her that Sandstorm took the camp on a training session. Firestar leaves the queen with Leafdapple and Sparrowpaw to check on his mate. He observes her training session, and Shortwhisker grows impatient with his lackluster skills. Shortwhisker runs off, and Firestar catches up with him. The tabby tom explains his failures and insecurities to Firestar, and the ginger tom offers a private training session. Shortwhisker looks pleased, and they begin. Shortwhisker barely misses Firestar when trying to pounce on him, and Firestar praises him for his efforts. Shortwhisker complains again, but the leader tries to convince him to see the good moments. They try again, and Shortwhisker catches Firestar off guard. The tabby tom jumps on top of him and gets his jaw around Firestar's neck. Firestar rolls over, and Shortwhisker loses balance. Shortwhisker apologizes for hurting him, but Firestar only gives him praise. Shortwhisker admits he wants to continue training independently, and Firestar returns to camp.

Sandstorm complains about Clovertail's resistance when training with the other cats, and Firestar pleads with his mate to give her more time. The ginger she-cat is annoyed, and they lay on the hot rocks. The two forest cats reminisce over their ThunderClan memories and wonder how their friends are doing. Their conversation halts short when Clovertail jumps into the nearby river to save Bouncekit from drowning. Firestar and Sandstorm assist the queen, and the kit throws up some water. The kits mention hearing voices in the Whispering Cave, to Firestar's surprise. Clovertail sends her kits back to the nursery angrily. The ginger leader turns to Clovertail and comments that she might have RiverClan blood as well, to her dismay. Sandstorm and Firestar remind the she-cat about the importance of being a Clan cat and a warrior. Clovertail grows anxious that she might not be helpful to the Clan, but Firestar congratulates her on her bravery in saving Bouncekit. After the support, Clovertail agrees to join the following training sessions.

The next day, Firestar returns to camp with the dawn patrol and finds Sparrowpaw, Shortwhisker, and Leafdapple having a serious conversation by the Rockpile. Firestar interrupts their discussion, and Shortwhisker mentions the stories Clovertail's kits told about the Whispering Cave. They grow anxious about the potential of ghosts and foxes within the cave. Firestar tells the cats they will inspect the cave later and designates hunting patrols. After the SkyClan cats leave, Firestar worries about the Clan's lack of a medicine cat. Firestar leads SkyClan into the Whispering Cave later in the day. Shortwhisker notices something glowing at the back of the cave. The cats gather and see the cave's water reflecting light onto the moss. Looking around the cave, Sharpclaw notices his reflection in the walls and claims they are the scary cats the kits were worried about. Firestar tells SkyClan about the origins of the cave without telling them the importance of a medicine cat. As the cats leave the cave, Firestar turns back. He calls out for the spirits in the cave and sends them a sign for a medicine cat.

Characters

Major

• Firestar

Minor

• Clovertail
• Bouncekit
• Tinykit
• Rockkit
• Sandstorm
• Sharpclaw
• Leafdapple
• Cherrypaw
• Sparrowpaw
• Patchfoot
• Shortwhisker

Mentioned

• Skywatcher
• Rainfur
• Lichen
• Tangle
• Foxy
• Foxy's brother
• Graystripe
• Sorrelpaw
• Dustpelt
• Clovertail's mother
• Brambleclaw
• Tawnypelt
• Tigerstar

Important events

Deaths

• Skywatcher dies from an unknown cause.