Squirrelflight's Hope/Chapter 14

"There must be something you can try."

— Sparkpelt to Jayfeather in Squirrelflight's Hope, page 201

Squirrelflight's Hope
Chapter number:	14 (of 30)
Page numbers:	201-214
Point of View:	Squirrelflight
Chronology

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

Chapter Number: 14 (of 30)

Page Numbers: 201-214

Chapter description

Larksong lies unconscious in the medicine cat den. Sparkpelt and Squirrelflight sit by him, while Alderheart wipes away the dark liquid coming from his mouth and Jayfeather looks through the supplies. Alderheart asks Jayfeather if they should give him yarrow, but he answers no. Sparkpelt tells them they have to try something, and Jayfeather tries to get Larksong to swallow some chervil.

Leafpool brings Squirrelflight outside the medicine den, and Squirrelflight asks if Sparkpelt is okay. Leafpool mews that she and the kits are fine, and that Sparkpelt hasn't had any cramps. She also adds that she gave Sparkpelt some thyme, and that she’s strong and will be fine. Leafpool says that she wishes she knew what is wrong with Larksong. Squirrelflight asks her sister if she’s seen any other cat with this illness before, but Leafpool replies that she hasn’t, and neither has Jayfeather. Squirrelflight asks if it’s contagious. Leafpool says she doesn’t know, and that all they know is that the sickness could be in his belly.

Leafpool asks Hollytuft if she noticed anything wrong with Larksong while she was on patrol with him. Hollytuft replies that she hadn’t seen anything odd, and that they had caught a squirrel and put in the fresh-kill pile. Squirrelflight says he had eaten two mice before he came to the nursery. Bramblestar orders Hollytuft to check the fresh-kill pile, but to be careful. As Hollytuft hurries away, Twigbranch asks if it was something he ate. Finleap adds that the prey could have been rotten. Thornclaw says that it had to be fresh, because they caught it that morning. Twigbranch says it could have been sick, but Squirrelflight contradicts her, saying that Larksong would have smelled the sickness. Millie says that no cat is too hungry to not notice if prey is sick or not. Bramblestar says it could be a new sickness, and Hollytuft reports that all the prey smells fresh and healthy.

Bramblestar tells her to get rid of it anyway, and has Hollytuft and Squirrelflight see to it. He tells Bristlepaw and Flippaw to help too. Squirrelflight tells them to take it out of camp and bury it. Hollytuft adds that they’ll have to dig deep so the foxes won’t get it. Flippaw asks why they should care about foxes, and Hollytuft asks if he wants a fox carcass rotting outside of camp. Bristlepaw asks if they’ll get sick from carrying it, and Squirrelflight replies they’ll do it carefully. She tells Flippaw and Hollytuft to start digging while she and Bristlepaw carry the prey. Squirrelflight teaches Bristlepaw how to carry it the right way, and as the two begin to head out of camp, Squirrelflight wonders if it’s selfish to want to have another litter of her own. She reflects on the Clan, and how kinship is not just what makes it strong.

She then remembers how the Sisters help care for all the kits together. After they finish burying the prey, Hollytuft takes Flippaw and Bristlepaw out to hunt for fresh-kill. Squirrelflight decides to find out where the fresh-kill was caught, mentally adds that ThunderClan will need to be more careful about what fresh-kill they bring back to camp if that was what made Larksong sick.

She heads back through camp to the medicine den and asks Leafpool how Larksong’s doing. The brown tabby she-cat responds that he’s still unconscious and that she’s taking Sparkpelt back to rest in the nursery. Squirrelflight’s daughter mews that she wants to stay with Larksong, and Leafpool tells her that he’s in good paws and that she needs to rest and think about her kits. Sparkpelt glumly agrees and goes to the nursery.

Leafpool says that she wishes she could give the young she-cat hope, but they still don’t know how to treat Larksong. Squirrelflight tells her sister to go back to the medicine den and that she’ll look after Sparkpelt. Daisy asks Sparkpelt if there is any news, but Sparkpelt shakes her head.

Daisy asks Squirrelflight if they know what caused it, and Squirrelflight says they don’t. Sparkpelt snaps that it was something he ate, and that they should do something. Squirrelflight tells her daughter that they’ve done everything they can, but Sparkpelt cries that this never should have happened. Squirrelflight and Daisy comfort her.

Sparkpelt asserts that ShadowClan must have poisoned the fresh-kill pile. Squirrelflight responds that they were watching the ShadowClan cats the entire time they were in camp. Sparkpelt says that SkyClan watched them too, but they still poisoned Sparrowpelt. Squirrelflight recalls how Juniperclaw had nearly killed Sparrowpelt by poisoning SkyClan’s fresh-kill pile, which lead Leafstar to take SkyClan away from the lake.

Squirrelflight tells Sparkpelt that Juniperclaw acted alone on that, and that Tigerstar would never let it happen again. Sparkpelt asks if he really wouldn’t do that, even when ThunderClan won’t let him get even with the Sisters. She then asks her mother why she even brought the Sisters here in the first place. Squirrelflight replies she didn’t mean to, and that she was trying to help SkyClan. But Sparkpelt continues, saying that they’ve made a secret alliance with WindClan. She goes on about the Sisters and ShadowClan, asking if Bramblestar was trying to make the ShadowClan leader angry. Squirrelflight says that it isn’t Bramblestar’s fault, and Sparkpelt replies that he doesn’t care who gets hurt. Daisy intervenes, saying that Bramblestar would never hurt any cat. Squirrelflight agrees with her, saying that that’s why Bramblestar’s trying to avoid war and make peace. Sparkpelt asks if it’s okay if Larksong dies as long as the other cats are happy, and Squirrelflight mews that it’s not Bramblestar’s fault Larksong is ill. Sparkpelt hisses that she’s lying and says she doesn’t believe her.

Bramblestar enters the den, asking what all the fuss is about. Sparkpelt tells him to admit it. Confused, Bramblestar asks what she means, and Squirrelflight explains how Sparkpelt thinks that ShadowClan poisoned the fresh-kill pile. Bramblestar asks how they could have done it, and Sparkpelt snarls that they’ve done it before. Daisy says Juniperclaw is dead now.

Sparkpelt contradicts her, and Squirrelflight tires to calm her down, thinking that this couldn’t be good for the kits. The ginger she-cat tells Sparkpelt that ShadowClan wouldn’t do that. Sparkpelt says that they wouldn’t have if Bramblestar hadn’t pushed Tigerstar to his limit. As the ThunderClan deputy defends her mate, Sparkpelt demands to know why Squirrelflight’s defending Bramblestar when he’s hardly talked to her and treats her like an apprentice.

Bramblestar snaps at Sparkpelt, telling her that Squirrelflight is one of the bravest warriors he knows and that he doesn’t care how much she’s hurting, but she cannot disrespect the rest of the Clan, and that he has to stand up to Tigerstar or else he’ll push SkyClan around forever. He then says that it’s hard to stand up for what you believe in, especially when your own kin contradicts you at every turn, before glaring at Squirrelflight and leaving the den.

Daisy looks at Squirrelflight and tells her to go get some air while she takes care of Sparkpelt. Sparkpelt apologizes to Squirrelflight and tells her she’ll feel better in the morning and that Leafpool will have figured out a way to help Larksong by then. She leaves the nursery and goes to the medicine cat den to see how Larksong’s doing. Lilyheart is sitting beside him.

Lilyheart asks if Squirrelflight knows what’s caused this, and she replies that they have no idea. She asks if it’s deathberry poisoning, and Squirrelflight responds that it’s not. Lilyheart says that Puddleshine uses deathberries and ShadowClan could have poisoned him. Leafpool agrees with Squirrelflight and says that it’s not deathberry poisoning. Lilyheart frets that they could have found another poison.

The ThunderClan deputy says that ShadowClan has nothing to do with it. She knows that there is enough tension among the Clans already. Squirrelflight assures Lilyheart that they will find out what caused it and find a cure. She adds that it’s a huge shock and tragedy. As she looks into Leafpool’s darkening expression, Squirrelflight realizes she’s making Lilyheart promises she can’t keep. She wonders if Larksong will be the first cat struck down by a sickness the Clans have never experienced before.

Characters

Major

• Squirrelflight

Minor

• Sparkpelt
• Larksong
• Leafpool
• Alderheart
• Jayfeather
• Bramblestar
• Finleap
• Twigbranch
• Thornclaw
• Graystripe
• Millie
• Hollytuft
• Bristlepaw
• Daisy
• Lilyheart

Mentioned

• Birchfall
• Honeyfur
• Berrynose
• Whitewing
• Sparrowpelt
• Juniperclaw
• Tigerstar
• Puddleshine