Outcast/Chapter 3

"I just feel like every cat expects she-cats to have kits, and I'm not sure I want that. I want to be a warrior."

— Hollypaw to Squirrelflight about the apprentice's future in Outcast, pages 33-34

Outcast
Chapter number:	3 (of 29)
Page numbers:	30-43
Point of View:	Hollypaw
Chronology

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

Chapter Number: 3 (of 29)

Page Numbers: 30-43

Chapter description

Hollypaw pushes her way into the nursery, with fresh-kill in her jaws. She sets down her prey, a blackbird, in front of Daisy, who thanks the young apprentice for bringing her some fresh-kill to eat. As Toadkit and Rosekit lay suckling from their mother's belly, Daisy reaches out with one paw to feel the bird, saying that it was a plump one. A jealous Icekit and Foxkit look on, and their mother, Ferncloud, tells her two kits that they are old enough to fetch their own prey from the pile- she reminds her kits to also fetch some prey for Millie, whose belly is swollen with her own kits.

Hollypaw wonders to herself if her Clan will expect her to have kits when she grows older, just like Daisy, Ferncloud, and Millie. While she knows that kits are the future of the Clans, she also feels a great weight on her shoulders, and her thoughts are interrupted by Honeypaw. The other apprentice tells Hollypaw that the elders have already been taken a squirrel, so Hollypaw doesn't have to feed them. Hollypaw suggests going out for a patrol, and she thinks of asking Brackenfur, but Honeypaw reminds her that a hunting patrol had already been sent out, and that said patrol is returning.

As soon as Honeypaw sees Berrynose, one of the Clan's new warriors, she starts to moon over him, and Hollypaw thinks to herself that Honeypaw is too young to be thinking about taking a mate. Hollypaw thinks to herself that she would much rather be a Clan leader, instead of a nursing queen. Seeing her mother, Squirrelflight, she bounds over to her.

The black she-cat asks Squirrelflight how she managed to be a good warrior and raise kits, and although she catches an unknown look in her mother's eyes, that look soon vanishes and Squirrelflight tells Hollypaw not to plan so far ahead in life, and that StarClan already has her path set out for her paws to follow. She tells Hollypaw to look at the various other she-cats that have had kits and then returned to their warrior duties. Squirrelflight rests her tail on Hollypaw's shoulder, and mews that she shouldn't worry about it and should concentrate on her warrior training.

Later, Hollypaw returns from hunting and finds ThunderClan gathered in the middle of camp. Seeing Cloudtail and Brightheart nearby, she asks what's going on. Brightheart replies that Foxkit and Icekit are going to become apprentices, and Cloudtail snorts that it is about time they do, recalling how they frightened him into thinking ShadowClan was attacking. Brightheart pokes him with her paw, saying that kits will be kits.

Firestar starts the meeting and assigns Squirrelflight to mentor Foxpaw. The ginger tom tells Squirrelflight that her time for an apprentice is long overdue, praising her courage and loyalty to her Clan. Whitewing also gains her first apprentice, and she is given Icepaw. Birchfall snorts, and says that he would have been just as good of a mentor, but Sandstorm reminds Birchfall that Whitewing had put off her own warrior ceremony so that Birchfall wouldn't have been the only apprentice.

After the ceremony, Hollypaw is approached by Brackenfur, who says that Firestar wants them to join the Clan leader on the evening patrol. Hollypaw is excited, as joining the leader on a patrol is a great honor and not something that happens very often. The three cats soon depart on their patrol, and they make their way towards the ShadowClan border to renew their scent markers. Soon, Firestar halts and pricks his ears, hearing yowling in the distance. Firestar bounds away, and Hollypaw tries to keep up with him. She soon emerges from the bushes, only to see Berrynose and Birchfall in a skirmish with Oakfur, Russetfur, and Rowanclaw, three of ShadowClan's senior cats.

Firestar stops the fight, and demands to know what is going on. Birchfall and Berrynose had crossed into ShadowClan territory and were caught by Oakfur and his patrol of cats. While Firestar does say that the border markings are faint, Oakfur explains that they were the evening patrol who were sent to renew the scent markings. Rowanclaw tells Firestar that they also caught Berrynose and Birchfall stealing prey, and neither accused tom denies the accusation.

Rowanclaw says that he hopes Firestar punishes Berrynose and Birchfall, and Firestar says that he will. By this time, another cat joins the group, and it is none other than ShadowClan's leader, Blackstar. Growling at Berrynose, Blackstar turns to Firestar, and Hollypaw thinks that the ShadowClan cat will attack Firestar. When Blackstar speaks next, however, the tone in his voice is tired, and Blackstar says to Firestar that they should have never come to the lake, and that StarClan were wrong to bring them there. Firestar's eyes cloud, and he softly mews that the forest is gone. Blackstar says that there must have been ancient cats living in the forest before they were, and long before they had divided into Clans.

Hollypaw is shocked at the idea of ancient cats, and she thinks back to when she, Jaypaw, Lionpaw, and two WindClan cats had saved WindClan's kits. She knew that her brother, Jaypaw, hadn't told her everything about how they had escaped the flooding river, and she thinks about the cats who might have lived by the lake before the Clans. Her thoughts are broken by Brackenfur, who reassures her that this skirmish will end without any more fur being ripped off.

Firestar sends Birchfall and Berrynose back to camp, and orders them to wait under the Highledge until Firestar and his patrol return to camp. Berrynose casts an angry glare at Firestar, however, before darting away. Firestar had not seen the look, due to him turning back around and continuing his patrol, with Hollypaw and Brackenfur beside him. While they continue, Hollypaw thinks about the ancient cats and wonders where they are now, since the Clans are beside the Lake.

Characters

Major

• Hollypaw

Minor

• Daisy
• Rosekit
• Toadkit
• Foxkit
• Icekit
• Ferncloud
• Millie
• Honeypaw
• Graystripe
• Brightheart
• Berrynose
• Squirrelflight
• Firestar
• Cloudtail
• Birchfall
• Jaypaw
• Leafpool
• Poppypaw
• Cinderpaw
• Sandstorm
• Lionpaw
• Dustpelt
• Whitewing
• Brackenfur
• Russetfur
• Oakfur
• Rowanclaw
• Blackstar

Mentioned

• Thistlekit**
• Sedgekit*
• Swallowkit*
• Breezepaw*
• Heatherpaw*

*While not formally mentioned, the events in the tunnels included Thistlekit, Sedgekit, Swallowkit, Breezepaw, Heatherpaw, Jaypaw, Lionpaw, and Hollypaw. Due to Hollypaw, Lionpaw, and Jaypaw already being listed, they are omitted from this list.