Tallstar's Revenge/Chapter 21

"We're just visitors, like the rogues. We arrive, we eat, we sleep, and then we move on to StarClan. [...] I'll only ever see heather and grass and sky."

— Tallpaw thinking about Clan life in Tallstar's Revenge, page 230

Tallstar's Revenge
Chapter number:	21 (of 45)
Page numbers:	225-238
Point of View:	Tallpaw
Chronology

Below contains in-depth information for chapter twenty-one of Tallstar's Revenge. If you are looking for a shorter summary of the entire book, please check the main article.

Chapter Number: 21 (of 45)

Page Numbers: 225-238

Chapter description

As leaf-fall approaches, the visitors prepare to leave. Two moons have now passed since Sandgorse's death, and Tallpaw thinks about how his Clanmates have treated them like nothing had happened. Dawnstripe asks Tallpaw if he's going to say goodbye, as Heatherstar is expecting everyone to see them off. He begrudgingly follows her, passing Appledawn and Hickorynose, who had already said their goodbyes and were going to stay behind with Meadowslip and her litter.

Lilywhisker presses her muzzle to Bess's as Flamepelt bids farewell to Sparrow. Mole thanks them for sharing their den. Shrewpaw apologizes for his attitude towards Reena at the beginning of their visit before hurrying back to Hareflight. Heatherstar looks to Tallpaw expectantly, waiting for him to say goodbye. He does so stiffly, but Heatherstar doesn't seem to notice. She tells the visitors that WindClan is on the verge of change, ready to unite her Clan as warriors instead of dividing into moor runners and tunnelers. The rogues bid the Clan cats goodbye, heading downslope as the others watch.

Tallpaw stares after them, still angry. He thinks about how Sparrow is the reason he can never follow in his father's footsteps, and Doespring startles him out of his thoughts to remind him that they're leaving. He turns to follow his Clan back home, noticing how close Palebird and Woollytail are and deciding to make sure that the tom isn't bothering her. As they travel, he thinks about how he'll soon be a warrior, then an elder, feeling his life laid out before him and thinking about how it was similar to an old story being told countless times. Dawnstripe challenges him to a race, shaking him from his thoughts, and he runs after her, determined to escape his anxiety.

Despite having been gone for days, the Clan still talks about the visitors, missing them and worrying about them. Tallpaw frowns, figuring the life of a warrior would be too hard for the visitors, before dragging a rabbit over to where Sandgorse's nest was. Distracted, he barely notices Dawnstripe talking to him, scolding him about his lack of focus during training, before she reminds him that his visit to the Moonstone is that night. Shrewpaw, once he finds out, is displeased that Tallpaw is going with him, before the two toms set out with their mentors. They take off as it approaches sunset, and Dawnstripe explains that the Thunderpath will be the hardest part of the trip before reminding the two toms to behave. The group hurries across the moor towards the Thunderpath, and Shrewpaw races across, ignoring his mentor's warning. He is nearly killed by an approaching monster, but he makes it across uninjured, and soon Tallpaw and Dawnstripe join him and Hareflight. They approach Highstones, and the patrol scrambles up towards Mothermouth, before entering the shadowy tunnel.

Characters

Major

• Tallpaw
• Dawnstripe
• Shrewpaw
• Hareflight

Minor

• Heatherstar
• Appledawn
• Hickorynose
• Lilywhisker
• Bess
• Sparrow
• Flamepelt
• Mole
• Reena
• Reedfeather
• Woollytail
• Mistmouse
• Plumclaw
• Algernon
• Doespring
• Palebird
• Stagleap
• Ryestalk
• Flailfoot
• Hawkheart
• Barkpaw

Mentioned

• Sandgorse
• Meadowslip
• Whiteberry