The Apprentice's Quest/Chapter 21

"My visions were telling me to go to SkyClan and bring them back to share our territory by the lake—to clear the sky, like in the prophecy. I messed up! I didn't understand the first vision right away, and then Sandstorm died...We got to the gorge too late. We couldn't find what lay in the shadows, because SkyClan had already left. Now the sky will never clear! Who knows what will happen to the Clans? And it's all because I'm a terrible medicine cat!"

— Alderpaw to Needlepaw in The Apprentice's Quest, page 254

The Apprentice's Quest
Chapter number:	21 (of 24)
Page numbers:	254-262
Point of View:	Alderpaw
Chronology

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

Chapter Number: 21 (of 24)

Page Numbers: 254-262

Chapter description

Alderpaw rants how he feels he has failed his quest from StarClan since SkyClan was driven from the gorge before they arrived. After he's finished rambling, Needlepaw rebukes Alderpaw for thinking he's failed since it seems SkyClan was driven away before they set out on the quest, so Alderpaw's visions must mean something else. He mulls over his friend's words as they cross the Twoleg bridge Bob had pointed out. With Sandstorm's death and SkyClan long gone, he wonders what they should do next regarding the prophecy.

For several sunrises, Alderpaw and Needlepaw follow the setting sun. Needlepaw spots the farm that they first passed during the start of the journey, and Alderpaw remembers with a pang that Sandstorm died here as well. As it begins to rain, Needlepaw darts towards the barn, ignoring Alderpaw's calls to stop. The ThunderClan medicine cat apprentice begrudgingly follows her into the barn, yowling out for her to avoid the horses tethered up. He snaps at Needlepaw for darting away, but she argues that the Twoleg barn provides a warm shelter from the rain. Alderpaw realizes she's right, and Needlepaw later apologizes. Sandstorm visits Alderpaw in his dreams, explaining that it was her time to die and she is now reunited with Firestar. Alderpaw wails how he's failed his quest and is unsure what to do next, though Sandstorm insists he still has time to complete his quest but he needs to find a different path. Alderpaw is unsure about her message but he shortly wakes up.

Characters

Major

• Alderpaw
• Needlepaw

Minor

• Sandstorm

Mentioned

• Mistfeather
• Bob
• Molewhisker
• Firestar
• Darktail
• Sparkpaw