Leopardstar's Honor/Chapter 20

"[...] A warrior is heart and mind. It is not how we hunt and fight that defines our success, but how we face tragedy, how we rise above it. This is how we prove we are true warriors. That is what Frogleap would have done. That is what he would expect us to do, because he knew, just as I do, that RiverClan warriors are truest of all, and if we face more challenges than other Clans, it is because we are stronger and braver than any of them."

— Leopardfur to her Clan in Leopardstar's Honor, pages 332-333

Leopardstar's Honor
Chapter number:	20 (of 35)
Page numbers:	327-344
Point of View:	Leopardfur
Chronology

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

Chapter Number: 20 (of 35)

Page Numbers: 327-344

Chapter description

Leopardfur and her patrol bring Frogleap's body back to camp, and she is unable to explain what happened. Stonefur tells Mistyfoot what happened and she sends the curious kits back into the nursery while she fetches Mosspelt. Mosspelt runs out and crouches beside her mate, mourning. Their Clanmates ask what happened, and as they grieve, Skyheart explains in Leopardfur's stead. Mudfur comforts her and says that Crookedstar should stay in his den, so Leopardfur goes to inform him of Frogleap's death. The leader seems to struggle with the news and appears weak, murmuring to himself. Leopardfur leaves him to speak to their Clan, praising Frogleap and saying that they should make him proud by not allowing grief to stop them. Mosspelt asks why StarClan took him, and Leopardfur encourages her Clan that Frogleap would want them to rise above adversity as warriors.

Leopardfur accompanies Mosspelt to tell the kits what has happened, telling Timberfur to start the vigil. Mistyfoot takes her kits to see Graypool, and Mosspelt and Leopardfur tell Mosspelt's kits that their father has died. Robinkit and Woodkit are distressed, but Dawnkit does not seem to understand, only worried about eating. Leopardfur offers to retrieve one of the fish the patrol had caught for them. Later, dreaming, Leopardfur sees the forest falling and the river flooding. She is awakened by the wailing of her Clanmates and realizes that the camp is being destroyed by a flood. She orders Stonefur and Silverstream to go to the nursery and sends Mosspelt to the elders' den with her kits. She watches them save the kits and is about to help when the nursery is swept away by the flood, and Perchkit and Pikekit are lost with it. When nobody knows where he is, Leopardfur searches out Crookedstar, ordering a full evacuation. She meets Crookedstar as he is leaving his den and helps him, but he tells her to help her Clanmates so he can check for stragglers.

Leopardfur tries to help Mosspelt through the channel, but a wave crashes over them, and Mosspelt's kits are lost to the water. As Leopardfur keeps her from leaping in after them, Crookedstar jumps into the water to save the kits. Returning to her Clanmates, Leopardfur doubts that Crookedstar and the kits will survive, and she waits for Crookedstar's return. At dawn, she sees Crookedstar's body and heads out to get him, taking Mudfur and Stonefur with her. They find Crookedstar curled around the kits, and they begin to rub their chests to attempt to resuscitate them. As she works on Dawnkit, she worries for Crookedstar's life, feeling unprepared for leadership. She manages to revive Dawnkit, but Robinkit and Woodkit do not survive. Crookedstar awakens from losing a life, and Leopardfur finds herself understanding the magnitude of his responsibilities as leader.

Characters

Major

• Leopardfur

Minor

• Loudbelly
• Skyheart
• Sedgecreek
• Stonefur
• Shimmerpelt
• Grasswhisker
• Blackclaw
• Mistyfoot
• Perchkit
• Pikekit
• Reedkit
• Robinkit
• Woodkit
• Dawnkit
• Mosspelt
• Heavystep
• Reedtail
• Cedarpelt
• Lakeshine
• Mudfur
• Crookedstar
• Primrosekit
• Timberfur
• Piketooth
• Graypool
• Silverstream
• Vixenleap
• Emberdawn

Mentioned

• Frogleap

Important events

• The RiverClan camp floods, and Perchkit and Pikekit are swept away.
• Mosspelt's kits are swept away in the flood, but Crookedstar gets them to shore, losing a life. Dawnkit is saved by Leopardfur.

Deaths

• Crookedstar: drowned
• Robinkit and Woodkit: drowned

Errors

• Mosspelt was said to have Robinkit in her jaws, with Woodkit and Dawnkit clinging to her back, but a few pages later, she is said to have Dawnkit in her jaws, with Woodkit and Robinkit clinging to her back. This error is fixed in the paperback edition, with Dawnkit replaced by Robinkit in their second appearance.
• Crookedstar is called gray. This mistake is fixed in the paperback edition.