Midnight (book)/Chapter 19

"If Purdy really did know the way to sun-drown-place it might be quicker to go with him, even if he couldn't move so fast. Perhaps he was the guide StarClan had sent in response to Brambleclaw's prayer. He seemed like an unlikely savior, but he certainly had the courage of any forest cat."

— Brambleclaw deciding to let Purdy guide them to sun-drown-place in Midnight, page 237

Midnight (book)
Chapter number:	19 (of 24)
Page numbers:	222-237
Point of View:	Brambleclaw
Chronology

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

Chapter Number: 19 (of 24)

Page Numbers: 222-237

Chapter description

A dog chases after Brambleclaw and the five other cats as they flee through a forest. They swerve through the undergrowth, trying to lose their pursuer, but the dog stays on their trail. Brambleclaw yells at his companions, telling them to get up in a tree, but all the trees around have smooth trunks and no low-growing branches. Finally, Brambleclaw hears an unfamiliar voice calling to him from above. He realizes that the tree the cat is in is much easier to climb than the others, as it has ivy growing up it. Using the ivy to help pull himself up, the dark tabby tom makes his way up the tree with Tawnypelt, Stormfur, Squirrelpaw, and Crowpaw scrabbling up beside him. The dog remains at the base of the tree, frustrated that the cats are now on branches out of its reach.

However, Feathertail is trapped on the ground, crouching in a nearby briar patch. The silver tabby knows that if the dog notices her, it will be able to catch her, but she also cannot get past the dog to climb tree. Her five companions watch helplessly from above until Crowpaw decides that he can't watch any longer. The dark gray tom launches himself out of the tree, landing near the dog and starting to run. Distracted, the creature chases after the WindClan apprentice, buying Feathertail enough time to get up into the tree with the others. Crowpaw vanishes into the bushes and reappears a little while later, the dog still right on his tail. Crowpaw manages to leap into the tree to safety, and a Twoleg appears a few moments later, grabbing the dog by the collar and taking it away. Feathertail thanks Crowpaw for saving her, thinking that the dog would have caught her for sure if he hadn't come to help, and Brambleclaw praises the apprentice as well.

With the dog away, Brambleclaw suddenly remembers the unknown cat who had pointed the tree out to him. He looks up and sees a old, plump tabby tom climbing down from a higher branch. Seeing the six journeying cats, he asks them why they didn't know that the dog comes out around sunrise. Tawnypelt points out that they have never been to this forest before, and Stormfur adds that they are just passing through. The strange cat says that if they are passing through, they might have an interesting story and would like to hear what it is. Returning to the ground, the six Clan cats ask the old tom who he is. The cat explains that he is a loner who sometimes gets food from Twolegs, who he calls Upwalkers. He adds that used to be a kittypet until his housefolk died, and that those Twolegs called him Purdy. In return, Brambleclaw explains that he and his companions are warriors, introducing each one to Purdy.

Wanting to end the conversation with the loner, Crowpaw says that they need to hunt soon. Purdy responds that there's no need to hunt, explaining that there are other ways to get food and offering to show the travelers. Brambleclaw and Crowpaw are reluctant to trust the loner, but Feathertail points out that they don't know the woods they are in or where to hunt there. Purdy leads them a Twoleg nest to get food, and although the questing cats are apprehensive about it, the tabby tom reassures them that there aren't any Twolegs around. He guides them into a garden in which there is a pool of water with golden fish in it. Feathertail and Stormfur catch several fish, which they eat and also share with Brambleclaw and Tawnypelt. The RiverClan warriors then try to teach Squirrelpaw and Crowpaw how to catch fish. Crowpaw attempts to fish, but he is unable to make a catch and instead splashes himself with water. When he starts to lick his pelt clean, he reacts in disgust and says that the water is salty, even though Stormfur protests that it's not. A few moments later a Twoleg comes, forcing the cats to leave.

Safely out of the garden, Crowpaw turns on Purdy, growling that the fish weren't worth the risk, that the water was disgusting and salty, and that they nearly got caught by the Twolegs. Feathertail calms him down and claims that there was nothing was wrong with the water. The silver tabby she-cat then suddenly realizes why Crowpaw thought the water was salty when the rest of them didn't: because he finally had his saltwater sign. Crowpaw is overjoyed to have finally received his sign, but Purdy asks them what they are talking about. Squirrelpaw replies that it was a message from StarClan, and begins to tell him all about the journey and the prophecy. The old tom becomes even more confused by Squirrelpaw's explanation, as he doesn't know anything about the Clans.

However, Purdy unexpectedly says that he knows where the sun-drown-place they're trying to get to is. He adds that it's only two or three days' travel from where they are, and offers to show them to it. Crowpaw worries that the old loner won't be able to move fast enough to be useful, but Stormfur and Feathertail argue that he might know the way through Twolegplace when they don't. Brambleclaw realizes that the other cats are looking at him to make a decision, and after thinking for a moment, agrees to let Purdy guide them to sun-drown-place.

Characters

Major

• Brambleclaw

Minor

• Feathertail
• Squirrelpaw
• Stormfur
• Tawnypelt
• Crowpaw
• Purdy

Mentioned

• Firestar