| "Then by the powers of StarClan I give you your warrior name. Squirrelpaw, from this moment you will be known as Squirrelflight. StarClan honors your courage and your determination, and we welcome her as a full warrior of ThunderClan." |
| — Firestar performing Squirrelpaw's warrior ceremony in Starlight, page 26-27 |
- Below contains in-depth information for chapter one of Starlight. If you are looking for a shorter summary of the entire book, please check the main article.
- Chapter Number: 1 (of 23)
- Page Numbers: 7-33
Chapter description[]
- Brambleclaw is standing at the top of a slope, looking down at the lake during a sunset, and he is happy that the Clans have found their new home, just as the badger Midnight had promised. All around him, warriors from all Clans are murmuring to each other, all eyes fixed on the unfamiliar landscape just below the hill. Brightheart mews that they can barely see anything in this light, and Cloudtail comforts his mate. Russetfur, ShadowClan's deputy, demands about Twolegs. Blackclaw points out that everyone is tired and weak, and that foxes or badgers could easily track them down in this state.
- For a moment, Brambleclaw is scared, but then realizes that StarClan wouldn't have brought them here to perish on their first night. Squirrelpaw then asks if they are going to stand there all night. When Brambleclaw turns around, she is clawing the grass excitedly and exclaims that they did it and they found their new home. The antsy apprentice tries to run down the hill, but her father, Firestar, stops her. Firestar points out that the place is new and they need to keep a sharp eye out for trouble and adds that StarClan also didn't expect them to leave their wits in the forest.
- Squirrelpaw looks over at Brambleclaw, and still looks excited. Firestar suggests to Blackstar and Leopardstar that they send out a small patrol of cats to check out the land. Leopardstar and Blackstar agree but also say that they are too exposed. Mudclaw, whom is filling in for Tallstar, meows that Tallstar needs rest. Firestar decides to send the patrol out, but the remaining cats follow slowly and try to find a more sheltered place. Leopardstar orders Russetfur and Mistyfoot to go to the lake and back. The two deputies slink close to the ground, and soon disappear from sight.
- Squirrelpaw demands why Brambleclaw isn't moving. Brambleclaw mews slowly that he wants the four remaining cats that went on the journey to find Midnight with him to come too. Brambleclaw very strongly wants to go with his friends one more time before they are forced to part. Tawnypelt purrs in agreement, and asks where Crowfeather is. Brambleclaw then spots him with the crowd of cats gathered around Tallstar, who looks like he can barely put one paw in front of the other.
- Squirrelpaw calls over the gray-black tom, whose tone isn't friendly. Brambleclaw urges him to come with them to end the journey they started. Crowfeather refuses, because Feathertail is dead and Stormfur is in the mountains. Brambleclaw is struck by grief; he had respected Feathertail as a friend and was shocked at her death caused by Sharptooth, and he also missed Stormfur bitterly, but he knows that Crowfeather's agony over Feathertail is more extreme. Squirrelpaw attempts to comfort Crowfeather, and he grudgingly agrees to come to explore. They are noted to walk past Mothwing, Tallpoppy and her kits, Cloudtail, Brightheart, and Cedarheart.
- Brambleclaw thinks of how that they are actually all from different Clans, and how painful the good-byes will be. Squirrelpaw then impatiently tells Brambleclaw to walk faster. As Brambleclaw thinks of how good a piece of prey would be, Tawnypelt starts to hiss and beckons towards a Twoleg fence. The scent of Twolegs is stale, though Crowfeather and Brambleclaw detect horse scent. Whitepaw then asks what horses are, and Tornear comforts her by mewing that they are nothing to worry about. Brambleclaw and the other continue walking. Soon they stop, spotting Cinderpelt and Leafpaw, and Cinderpelt explains that the patrol the leaders sent had come back. Mistyfoot is speaking: she says that the ground is boggy around the lake. Firestar comes to the consensus that they are staying for the night, as the land around the lake sounds uncomfortable, and for other reasons. Suddenly, Tallstar falls to the ground, and Mudclaw bounds over. Brambleclaw asks Crowfeather about his fragile leader, and he finds out that Tallstar is on his last life.
- Blackstar then announces that they will make camp there, and Squirrelpaw is annoyed that he is speaking for all of the leaders, but no other cat seems to mind. Firestar then orders the deputies to each find a few warriors to take watch while the others sleep. When Barkface and Mudclaw try to find Tallstar a sleeping place, Crowfeather bids them a hasty good-bye and rushes towards his weak dying leader. Tawnypelt also takes her leave moments later. Brambleclaw debates whether he should volunteer to stay awake on watch. He sees Firestar giving orders to Sorreltail and her mate, Brackenfur, and he assumes he isn't needed in that sense, and searches for something else to do.
- Brambleclaw sees Dustpelt, Ferncloud, and their only surviving kit, Birchkit with Longtail. Goldenflower, the second ThunderClan elder, is with them. Squirrelpaw, Dustpelt, and Brambleclaw lead Ferncloud, Birchkit, and the elders to a sheltered place where they can sleep. Brambleclaw hopes, seeing Leafpaw pass by, that StarClan had followed them here and this was the place that they were destined to find. Dustpelt tells Brambleclaw and Squirrelpaw to rest after they ask to hunt for them. Brambleclaw and Squirrelpaw end up sleeping in a gorse bush. Brambleclaw thinks about how they haven't established a proper camp yet before drifting off to sleep. Brambleclaw's dreams are strange and ominous; he is looking for something in a forest but can't remember what he is looking for, and each path he takes ends quickly in something unassailable. Then he is woken up by Squirrelpaw, who calls him a hedgehog and prods him in the side.
- Squirrelpaw tells Brambleclaw that they are going hunting. Brambleclaw is astounded by all of the land and is satisfied that there are few Twoleg nests. He describes in detail the land around him, and his heart is lifted when he realizes that he will be under trees again at long last. The leaders then come out from a gorse thicket, probably at the end of a meeting. They come to the conclusion that Tallstar is not dead, but close to it. The four cats leap onto the tree stump, but because of the lack of space Leopardstar willingly stands on a root. Squirrelpaw remarks that they need a new place for Gatherings; this would not do. Every cat emerges from their sleeping places to the stump. Tallstar is noted to be not well enough to attend the gathering. Firestar starts talking about the duties to be done and decisions made, but Mudclaw interrupts him, ordering hunting patrols to hunt in their respective territories, rather rudely. Onewhisker stands up for Tallstar, but Mudclaw coldly replies. Mudclaw foolishly meows that the other three Clans can't take all of the territory for themselves and leave out WindClan in their ignorance.
- Onewhisker and Squirrelpaw are notably angry, Squirrelpaw yowling as if the Clans would leave out WindClan. Firestar calmly breaks up the growing dispute, and sides with Mudclaw, instead of his old friend. Onewhisker quietly growls something defensive, but sits. Firestar does meow that Onewhisker has a point, and continues on how it is difficult for a deputy to step in as leader. Mudclaw looks angry, and as he parts his jaws, Blackstar cuts in before he can make a sound. Mudclaw still wears a furious expression. Firestar continues, and meows that he wants to start ThunderClan's new life by making Squirrelpaw a warrior. Squirrelpaw squeals ecstatically and bounds over to her father. Firestar meows that because she made the journey to the sun-drown-place, and leading the Clans to this new home, ThunderClan thinks that she deserves to become a warrior. As Squirrelpaw makes her way up to the leaders, Sandstorm and Leafpaw look at her proudly and lick her a few times. Dustpelt also comes over to accompany her.
- Firestar tells the Clan that it was the first time any cat has performed this ceremony on their new home, and with a burning intensity in his eyes. Brambleclaw understands that by calling upon their warrior ancestors, they were claiming this strange land as their own. Firestar confidently addresses the starry spirits as if they were glowing in the sky. The ThunderClan leader asks Squirrelpaw if she was willing to uphold the warrior code and defend and protect her Clan, even at the cost of her life. Squirrelpaw agrees, her voice ringing out clearly. Firestar gives Squirrelpaw her warrior name, Squirrelflight, honoring her courage and determination, and welcomes her as a warrior into ThunderClan.
- Brambleclaw notes determination was an unusual virtue to mention in a warrior ceremony, and wonders if the two were wondering all the times they had clashed. Pride floods through him as he recalls her tireless courage and refusal to admit defeat. Leafpaw bounds up to her sister, calling her new name. Squirrelflight's new name is chanted by the cats around Leafpaw, and Brambleclaw notices all the Clans seem pleased that Squirrelflight has received her warrior name. Tawnypelt and Crowfeather push through the crowd to greet Squirrelflight as Brambleclaw thrusts his way through the cats. Tawnypelt meows her congratulations, and Crowfeather rests his tail on her shoulder. Brambleclaw teasingly tells Squirrelflight that she would still have to listen to the senior warriors. Dustpelt puts in that he couldn't see any difference, since Squirrelflight never did what she was told, and the newly made warrior thanks her mentor for everything.
- The meows die down as Blackstar signals for silence and announces that they will send a patrol consisting of one cat from each Clan to explore the new land. Firestar continues that Brambleclaw, Tawnypelt, Crowfeather and Mistyfoot would go. Squirrelflight protests that she wanted to go, and reasons a patrol of four cats wouldn't be enough to explore unknown territory. Firestar agrees with this, and the ShadowClan leader reluctantly agrees after WindClan and RiverClan agree. Squirrelflight is granted permission to go with the patrol.
- Firestar instructs the cats to go all the way around the lake, and to keep watch for Twolegs. Firestar estimates it would take about two days to travel around the lake. Mistyfoot calls that they will try their best, and Leopardstar and Firestar wish them good luck. Brambleclaw takes the lead at first, but gives Mistyfoot the position after realizing she should be in charge since she was a deputy. Leafpaw warns Squirrelflight to be careful. Brambleclaw tells Leafpaw he would take care of her, and Squirrelflight mock indignantly shoots back that it would be her watching him. Leafpaw tells her sister it would be great if she looked out for herbs and then whisks back around toward the temporary camp. Mistyfoot meows that they should see where StarClan has brought them.
Characters[]
Major[]
Minor[]
- Brightheart[1]
- Cloudtail[1]
- Russetfur[1]
- Blackclaw[1]
- Firestar[2]
- Blackstar[2]
- Leopardstar[2]
- Mudclaw[3]
- Tallstar[3]
- Barkface[3]
- Mistyfoot[3]
- Tawnypelt[4]
- Crowfeather[4]
- Onewhisker[5]
- Mothwing[6]
- Tallpoppy[6]
- Tallpoppy's kits[6]
- Cedarheart[6]
- Whitepaw[7]
- Tornear[7]
- Cinderpelt[8]
- Leafpaw[8]
- Unnamed Clan cat[9]
- Sorreltail[10]
- Brackenfur[10]
- Dustpelt[11]
- Ferncloud[11]
- Birchkit[11]
- Longtail[11]
- Goldenflower[11]
- Sandstorm[12]
Mentioned[]
Important events[]
Ceremonies[]
| Squirrelflight's Warrior Ceremony | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ||||||||||
Trivia[]
- This chapter aligns with chapter thirteen of Onestar's Confession[13] and part one of Winds of Change.
Notes and references[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Revealed in Starlight, page 7
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Revealed in Starlight, page 8
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Revealed in Starlight, page 9
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Revealed in Starlight, page 10
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Revealed in Starlight, page 11
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 Revealed in Starlight, page 12
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Revealed in Starlight, page 13
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Revealed in Starlight, page 14
- ↑ Revealed in Starlight, page 16
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 Revealed in Starlight, page 17
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 Revealed in Starlight, page 18
- ↑ Revealed in Starlight, page 25
- ↑ Revealed in Onestar's Confession, chapter 13
| Starlight chapters | |
|---|---|
| Prologue • Chapter 1 • Chapter 2 • Chapter 3 • Chapter 4 • Chapter 5 • Chapter 6 • Chapter 7 • Chapter 8 • Chapter 9 • Chapter 10 • Chapter 11 • Chapter 12 • Chapter 13 • Chapter 14 • Chapter 15 • Chapter 16 • Chapter 17 • Chapter 18 • Chapter 19 • Chapter 20 • Chapter 21 • Chapter 22 • Chapter 23 | |