Firestar's Quest/Chapter 8

"I have waited long for you to come, a strong cat, a leader, and one who bears no taint of our betrayal in his blood. You are not descended from the cats that drove us out, and yet you are a true Clan warrior. It is your destiny to restore SkyClan."

— The gray-and-white tom telling Firestar his destiny in Firestar's Quest, page 86

Firestar's Quest
Chapter number:	8 (of 36)
Page numbers:	83-93
Point of View:	Firestar
Chronology

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

Chapter Number: 8 (of 36)

Page Numbers: 83-93

Chapter description

Firestar asks the strange cat for his name, but the mysterious tom claims that he doesn't need it anymore. The leader asks if he came from SkyClan, surprising the tom. Firestar explains that SkyClan left the forest before the cat cuts him off. The SkyClan warrior tells him the other Clans drove them out because there was no more room. Firestar recalls his conversation with Bluestar and can't believe what the tom says. Firestar asks if StarClan came to their rescue, but the tom spats in his face and claims their ancestors left them to rot. The warrior continues saying that he would not force his Clanmates to abandon their faith, or the warrior code because it is all they had left. The cat explains where they are standing used to be the old SkyClan camp, and finishes by saying SkyClan has permanently disbanded. He comes to Firestar hoping to rebuild SkyClan before it is lost forever. He claims he is a Clan cat with no ancestors that once drove them out and ends their conversation by telling him it is his destiny to save SkyClan.

Smudge runs out the Twoleg door and asks Firestar if he dreamed about the cats. Firestar agrees and explains the history of SkyClan to the kittypet. Smudge asks the tom if he will help the cats, and he mentions that he will try his best. He wonders if he must help another Clan when his loyalty lies with ThunderClan. He turns to his friend and tells him that he will inform the patrols to keep a lookout for him. He leaves Smudge and turns back into the forest.

The forest feels oddly unfamiliar as he thinks about his dream with the SkyClan warrior. He finds Thornclaw, Sootpaw, Willowpelt, and Ashfur on a dawn patrol. Firestar mentions that Thornclaw can take Sootpaw as his apprentice until Longtail recovers from his blindness. The leader comments that he will join the patrol and observe his training. Sootpaw performs his basic border patrol skills, and the apprentice notices a scent he has never smelled before. Firestar and Thornclaw also sniff the air and find a badger among the smell. He remembers the incidents with Cloudtail when he was a kit and with Swiftpaw and Brightheart. The group looks for the badger near Snakerocks, but the scent trail fades. He calls for his Clanmates and turns around to find the scent. Firestar looks up and finds the huge animal from behind some bramble thicket hovering over Sootpaw.

Characters

Major

• Firestar
• Cloudstar (Unnamed)

Minor

• Smudge
• Hattie
• Thornclaw
• Sootpaw
• Ashfur
• Willowpelt

Mentioned

• Bluestar
• Graystripe
• Longtail
• Cinderpelt
• Cloudtail
• Brackenfur
• Swiftpaw
• Brightheart

Trivia

• This chapter aligns with part two of A Thief in ThunderClan.