| "I'm not afraid of the truth! Leafpool is our mother, and Crowfeather - yes, Crowfeather of WindClan - is our father! These cats were so ashamed of us that they gave us away and lied to every single one of you to hide the fact that they had broken the warrior code. It's all [Leafpool's] fault. How can the Clans survive when there are cowards and liars at the very heart of them?" |
| — Hollyleaf in Sunrise, page 305 |
- Below contains in-depth information for chapter twenty-seven of Sunrise (book). If you are looking for a shorter summary of the entire book, please check the main article.
- Chapter Number: 27 (of 28)
- Page Numbers: 297-310
Chapter description[]
- Hollyleaf wakes up from a nightmare and seeks her brother, Lionblaze, for comfort. She asks him what they are going to do, with the discovery that their parents are Leafpool and Crowfeather, the ThunderClan medicine cat and a WindClan warrior. Lionblaze replies that he does not know, and tells her they will talk later. Brambleclaw calls to the two, asking them to join Sandstorm's hunting patrol. Hollyleaf follows them, but is dazed, not sure how she can fit into Clan life knowing the terrible secret of her birth.
- Brambleclaw reminds the patrol that the Gathering is tonight, and that the Clan must eat well before the journey. Sandstorm promises that they will, and departs with her patrol. Hollyleaf follows them, but is lost in her turbulent thoughts - how the warrior code failed her, even though she built her life on it. She notes how many other cats broke it - Squirrelflight by lying, Crowfeather by falling in love with a medicine cat, and Leafpool, who Hollyleaf believes shattered it and trampled it into the dust. Reminded of how Leafpool betrayed her Clan, her duties as a medicine cat, and her kits, Hollyleaf thinks of her as she hunts a mounts and starts ripping it into pieces, imagining that she is clawing the life out of her. Hazeltail races over and asks Hollyleaf what she is doing. Hollyleaf turns on her and orders her to stay out of her fur.
- After the hunting patrol returns, Hollyleaf is too distracted to stay in camp. She heads out to the lake alone and stares out into the WindClan border. She notes that somewhere there is her real father, the cat who made her half WindClan. Hollyleaf knows her home is among the trees, as she hates the open spaces and unrelenting winds. She stares at the moorland, silently screaming to herself.
- At camp, the patrol to attend the Gathering is assembled. Firestar reminds them not to say anything about Sol. Hollyleaf is disgusted as they walk on WindClan land, seething as she believes that she does not belong here, that she wants nothing to do with WindClan. She stares up at the full moon and wonders if StarClan approves of what she plans to do. Ahead of her, she watches Firestar's conversation with Sandstorm and Graystripe. Firestar remarks that the moon at Fourtrees seemed to be brighter, and Graystripe adds that he misses the forest too, as it was the same place they were born. He notes that it must feel the same for the young cats about the lake, and looks at Lionblaze and Hollyleaf. Although Lionblaze acknowledges them, Hollyleaf is unable to reply, jealous of the cats who knew where they belonged. When they reach the island, Hollyleaf tells herself that this is a Gathering none of the cats will forget.
- Hollyleaf rudely ignores Tawnypelt's greeting to her, leading to gossip about her attitude. The black she-cat ignores it, knowing that none of it has to do with anything now. Lionblaze tells Hollyleaf that Crowfeather is here, and Hollyleaf says she knows. She watches Crowfeather sitting next to Nightcloud and Breezepelt, and thinks sarcastically that all his kits are here, and it must be nice for him. The Gathering begins, and Leopardstar reports first. She tells the Clans that prey is running well, and Mistyfoot, Reedwhisker, and Rainstorm drove a fox out of their territory.
- Blackstar goes next. He announces that ShadowClan is thriving, and that Littlecloud had taken Flamepaw for an apprentice. Onestar talks after Blackstar, but has nothing to report save for a dead sheep in the border stream in which his warriors dragged out to keep the water clean. When it is Firestar's turn, he announces that Sol has left the forest. This news is received well by the other Clan leaders, who praise him for seeing sense. Firestar continues to speak, but Hollyleaf interrupts him. She announces that she has something to say that all the Clans should hear.
- Lionblaze pulls Hollyleaf down, telling her that warriors do not speak at Gatherings. Hollyleaf retorts that this one does. She spots Jayfeather out of the corner of her eye, who looks horrified. Despite this, she begins to speak. However, Firestar cuts her off, furious. He tells her that if she has anything to say, it should be discussed with him first, and orders her to be silent. Hollyleaf is about to obey her Clan leader, as the warrior code states, but then tells herself that the warrior code is dead, and there is no need to follow it. Hollyleaf defies Firestar, saying that she will speak now.
- Leopardstar tells Firestar to let her continue, as she would like to hear what she has to say. Onestar and Blackstar both agree, and the other Clans start to challenge Firestar. Firestar concedes, telling Hollyleaf to say what she must. Once the clearing is silent, Hollyleaf begins again. She says that the Clans think they know her, and her brothers Lionblaze and Jayfeather. She tells them that everything they know about them is a lie, and that they are not the children of Brambleclaw and Squirrelflight. In response, Brambelclaw shoots to his paws and asks Squirrelflight why Hollyleaf is saying this. Squirrelflight looks panicked and sorrowful. Knowing she is a mother who is about to lose her kits forever, she confirms what Hollyleaf says - that she is not their mother, and Brambleclaw is not their father.
- Brambleclaw asks Squirrelflight why, and Squirrelflight desperately explains that she had to, since Leafpool is her sister. Brambleclaw asks why she could not trust him, and tells her that he would have helped her, if she had told him the truth. He adds that it is too late now, and walks away. Squirrelflight calls out after him, but Brambleclaw ignores her. Hollyleaf feels pity for Brambleclaw, as he is a noble cat and was not involved in the lies.
- Cinderheart asks Hollyleaf what she had done, and Hollyleaf says she did the right thing. She runs away, still angry. She stops at the border with WindClan and ThunderClan and asks StarClan what she could have done to make things different. When she receives no answer, she goes into camp and into Leafpool's den and waits for her, knowing what she is going to do. When Leafpool arrives, she says she forgives her, and that she loves her. Hollyleaf, infuriated, shows her a pile of deathberries and says that she will eat them, or else she will force her. Leafpool tells her that she had lost her kits, the cat she loved, and her calling as a medicine cat, and asks if it would be easier for her to die or to keep on living. Hollyleaf leaves the den, knowing the answer to this question.
Characters[]
Major[]
Minor[]
Mentioned[]
Notes and references[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Revealed in Sunrise, page 297
- ↑ Revealed in Sunrise, page 305
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Revealed in Sunrise, page 298
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Revealed in Sunrise, page 299
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 Revealed in Sunrise, page 300
- ↑ Revealed in Sunrise, page 301
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6 7.7 7.8 Revealed in Sunrise, page 302
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Revealed in Sunrise, page 303
| Sunrise (book) 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 • Chapter 24 • Chapter 25 • Chapter 26 • Chapter 27 • Chapter 28 | |