Squirrelflight's Hope/Chapter 9

"You can argue until dawn for all I care. All I know is that StarClan hasn't told us to let this cat die. I'm fetching herbs to treat her. I will not sit vigil for a cat I could have saved."

— Leafpool to ThunderClan in Squirrelflight's Hope, page 144

Squirrelflight's Hope
Chapter number:	9 (of 30)
Page numbers:	130-146
Point of View:	Squirrelflight
Chronology

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

Chapter Number: 9 (of 30)

Page Numbers: 130-146

Chapter description

Leafpool relaxes, stating that she has stopped the bleeding. The ThunderClan medicine cat asks Bramblestar permission to fetch herbs for an ointment to stop the infection from forming. Before Bramblestar can say anything, Thornclaw and Blossomfall tell Leafpool that they are waiting on StarClan's word. The ThunderClan leader then says to keep Sunrise alive, still denying Leafpool permission to get the herbs necessary for the ointment. Other cats ask if they should move her into the medicine cat den, but Bramblestar says no yet again, so Finleap and Twigbranch go off to find things to make her nest more comfortable. Hollytuft and her patrol return from camp, astonished by the fact that Bramblestar is letting a stranger that hurt a Clan cat stay under their protection. Leafpool asks Bramblestar if she can get Sunrise some poppy seeds, but the tabby tom simply states that it will have to wait, while ordering Flippaw and Thriftpaw to help Finleap and Twigbranch find branches.

Thornclaw asks if ThunderClan has to share their prey, and Bramblestar reasons that since the Sisters will not be allowed to hunt on ThunderClan territory, they will have to share. He then orders Larksong to join his hunting patrol, which causes the latter to stay that Squirrelflight allows him and Sparkpelt on the same patrols as the orange she-cat is expecting kits. Fed up, the ThunderClan leader decisively states that whatever Squirrelflight does doesn't matter, ordering him to hurry up. After the black tom leaves, Bramblestar asks Squirrelflight to tell him in his den why she had brought the Sisters to their camp in the first place. Sparkpelt joins her mother, stating that she was on the same patrol and may be able to shed some light on the situation. In the leader's den, Bramblestar asks why the deputy had done that, so Squirrelflight states that she couldn't let Sunrise die in the woods, with Sparkpelt saying that they couldn't leave her there.

Bramblestar tells her that she could've taken Sunrise to the Sisters' border to let her campmates take care of her, as the ThunderClan leader brings up the fact that they had fought a ShadowClan patrol, stating that Tigerstar will be fuming if he finds out that ThunderClan is sheltering Sunrise. Squirrelflight asks why the dark tabby tom cares about Tigerstar's opinions, but the ThunderClan leader states that StarClan had told them to be united as Clans. The couple continue to argue, with Squirrelflight stating that there are different ways to live life then being part of a Clan, and Bramblestar stating that Squirrelflight prefers the Sisters' way of life better than the Clans'. At that moment, Sparkpelt gets a belly cramp, and Bramblestar says to fetch Leafpool. The queen states that the cramps usually happen when she is upset, so Squirrelflight assures her that her and Bramblestar won't argue anymore.

The dark ginger she-cat then remembers how she used to go to Jayfeather every day, and when the kits finally came, the blind tabby tom couldn't believe it. Then, spotting love in Bramblestar's eyes, Squirrelflight asks if he will allow Leafpool to treat Sunrise. Hardening, Bramblestar states that he needs StarClan's blessing, and exits the den. The dark ginger deputy assures Sparkpelt that she will be okay, and the latter asks Squirrelflight to be nice to her mate. Flinching, the ThunderClan deputy exits the den, and hurries to where Sunrise is lying.

Squirrelflight tells Leafpool of Sunrise's need of poppy seeds and marigold, and the brown tabby she-cat nods. Snow asks why the medicine cat can't do anything, while Leafpool explains that she needs to listen to Bramblestar, as he is her leader. The white Sisters scoffs at the Clan's methods, noting that they need a tom and dead cats' approval before treating a wounded cat. Thornclaw shuts her up, while Squirrelflight asks Leafpool to check on Sparkpelt while she stays with Sunrise.

Now moonhigh, every cat sits stiffly, waiting for Jayfeather and Alderheart to return from the Moonpool. Just as Squirrelflight asks Leafpool why the medicine cats aren't coming, the blind tabby tom and the dark ginger tom enter camp. Alderheart states that they do not know if StarClan gave them permission to treat her, while Jayfeather states that he spoke with Hollyleaf. The ThunderClan medicine cat recalls of his sister's message, which talks about clouds from the mountains making it difficult to tell friend from foe, but if the Clans stay united, they will find a way.

Thornclaw interprets the message as the clouds being the Sisters, but Squirrelflight stops the aggressive tom, stating that the message never tells them who the enemy is. Bramblestar brings up the point that if they treat Sunrise, Tigerstar will be furious at ThunderClan, therefore disregarding the unity of the Clans that Hollyleaf stated is necessary to find the way. Squirrelflight defends Sunrise, stating that if StarClan doesn't allow the Clans to help a needful cat, the Clans shouldn't listen to them. An argument blossoms from this, some cats supporting Squirrelflight's cause of treating Sunrise, and some cats stating that StarClan told them not to.

The Sisters start to leave, wanting to give Sunrise the comfort of friends in her last moments, but Leafpool rises, stating that she will not sit vigil for a cat she could've saved. Bramblestar steps in her way at first, telling Squirrelflight that she must not keep undermining him like that, asking her why she was doing this as his deputy and mate. The dark ginger she-cat answers, stating that a good deputy is not one who blindly follows orders. With that, the ThunderClan leader steps out of Leafpool's way, though he tells Squirrelflight that because of her, there is no more unity in ThunderClan.

Characters

Major

• Squirrelflight
• Leafpool
• Bramblestar

Minor

• Sunrise
• Alderheart
• Jayfeather
• Thornclaw
• Blossomfall
• Snow
• Mousewhisker
• Larksong
• Sparkpelt
• Finleap
• Twigbranch
• Hollytuft
• Dewnose
• Flippaw
• Thriftpaw
• Rosepetal
• Bristlepaw
• Birchfall
• Hawk
• Tempest
• Daisy

Mentioned

• Tigerstar
• Hollyleaf
• Berrynose
• Bumblestripe
• Millie
• Brightheart
• Cloudtail
• Graystripe

Errors

• Flippaw and Hollytuft are present when the Sisters bring Sunrise to ThunderClan's camp, but a few moments later, they both are seen coming into camp and unaware of the events that transpired.

Quotes

"Clouds from the mountains will make it difficult to tell friend from enemy. But if the Clans stay united, the way forward will be clear."

―Hollyleaf's prophecy ^{Squirrelflight's Hope, chapter 9}

Bramblestar: "We can't keep doing this. If you keep undermining my authority, you could destroy the whole Clan."

Squirrelflight: "I have to do what I think is right."

^{Squirrelflight's Hope, chapter 9}