The Apprentice's Quest/Cliffnotes

Contents

These notes reflect a bulleted list of major and minor events in The Apprentice's Quest that can be easily navigated. They are intended to serve as a reference for those looking for specific events in re-reading and book discussions and include links to the relevant chapter subpages further detailing each chapter's events.

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Prologue

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• The medicine cats meet at the Moonpool.
  • Littlecloud is having trouble catching up with the others.
• The medicine cats have a dream.
  • Jayfeather notices that the medicine cats are having a shared vision.
  • Firestar, Barkface, Leopardstar, and Blackstar warn the medicine cats of another prophecy.
• Firestar gives a prophecy to the medicine cats, which is: "A time of great change is coming for all the Clans. Embrace what you find in the shadows, for only they can clear the sky."
  • Jayfeather sees a white-tipped tail and a strong scent of ThunderClan. Before he can tell who it is, the cat disappears.

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Chapter 1

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• Alderkit wonders if there is an assessment to complete in order to become an apprentice, while he waits for his apprentice ceremony to start.
  • Sparkkit asks Alderkit who he wants his mentor to be. She says that she doesn't want Berrynose or Whitewing.
• Alderkit wonders who his mentor will be.
  • He reflects on Juniperkit and Dandelionkit, his siblings that died, then goes back to wondering who his mentor will be.
  • Sparkkit tells him to wake up, as their apprentice ceremony is starting.
• Bramblestar makes Sparkkit and Alderkit apprentices. Cherryfall and Molewhisker are their mentors, respectively.
  • Bramblestar, Squirrelflight, Sparkpaw, and Alderpaw talk. Squirrelflight says she is very proud of them.
• Molewhisker tells Alderpaw what being a warrior is like.
  • Alderpaw wishes his mentor was a little more enthusiastic, like Cherryfall.
  • Cherryfall says that the two apprentices will have to start checking the elders for ticks.
• Alderpaw thinks that if this is what being an apprentice is like, he won't like it.
  • He learns that even Bramblestar and Firestar had to take ticks off elders.
• Alderpaw sees Jayfeather and Leafpool talking in front of the medicine cats den, and Leafpool turns to stare at him. Alderpaw wonders if he's done something wrong.

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Chapter 2

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• Alderpaw is missing the nursery, and barely slept on his first day.
• When morning comes, the apprentices and their mentors tour the territory. Both apprentices are surprised at how big the territory is.
  • Sparkpaw scents a mouse and begs to hunt.
  • Alderpaw thinks he scents a shrew but isn't sure if he really does. Sparkpaw points it out instead.
• Sparkpaw catches a shrew on her first try.
  • She tries to tells Alderpaw all about the hunter's crouch, but Molewhisker stops her.
• On Alderpaw's first try to hunt, he hesitates while stalking a vole. Sparkpaw catches a mouse afterward. He and Molewhisker seem annoyed, while Cherryfall praises her.
  • When they get back to camp, Nobody notices Alderpaw and how upset he is. Bramblestar tells his son that when he was an apprentice he messed up hunting, too.
  • Alderpaw feels better, and the leader also tells him that he thinks Firestar was his mentor because he didn't trust him.

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Chapter 3

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• Alderpaw sits outside the apprentices' den grooming himself.
  • He starts to feel a little better about being an apprentice, and Molewhisker praises him for being responsible for helping the elders and doing his share of his chores.
• Alderpaw thinks about how he almost caught a bird the other day and is doing well, but that his sister is doing better.
• Sparkpaw bounds over to him, mewing excitedly about attending their first Gathering together.
  • The two apprentices join Bramblestar's patrol and start to head along the lake.
  • Alderpaw gets nervous, but Squirrelflight and Molewhisker calm him down.
• On the way, Alderpaw and Sparkpaw find some fireflies and have fun attacking them.
• Once on the Gathering island, ThunderClan's patrol divides to mingle.
  • Cherryfall offers to introduce them to others, but Sparkpaw declines.
  • Instead, the two apprentices engage in conversation with a group of ShadowClan apprentices, consisting of Needlepaw, Beepaw, and Sleekpaw.
• The leaders begin the Gathering and each take turns to report their news.
  • The medicine cats reveal the prophecy they've received, which causes a stir as theories start to form.
  • Alderpaw gets uncomfortable with all this talk, especially when the ShadowClan apprentices he's sitting with seem to not care.

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Chapter 4

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• Alderpaw is discouraged that his sister, Sparkpaw, is doing much better in her apprenticeship than he is.
  • Molewhisker is also getting frustrated with Alderpaw for losing concentration in both battle practice and hunting. He eventually talks to Bramblestar privately about his apprentice.
• Bramblestar decides with Molewhisker, Jayfeather, and Leafpool that Alderpaw should become a medicine cat apprentice.
  • Alderpaw accepts this but still feels ashamed that he was so bad at being a warrior apprentice.
• Alderpaw's medicine cat training begins the next day, and he gets acquainted with Jayfeather and Leafpool.
  • Jayfeather begins listing off many names of herbs, and Alderpaw worries that he'll never be able to remember it all.

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Chapter 5

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• Alderpaw is getting along with his medicine cat training, slowly learning what he needs to know.
  • Leafpool has gone to ShadowClan to help out because Littlecloud is sick.
  • Squirrelflight pulls Jayfeather away for a second to talk with him, leaving Alderpaw to help Briarlight with her exercises.
• While Jayfeather is away, Sparkpaw runs back to Alderpaw from the forest, explaining that Cherryfall cut her leg on Twoleg mesh.
  • Alderpaw initially panics, but Jayfeather returns in time to help Cherryfall. Sparkpaw leads them to Cherryfall, and Jayfeather asks Alderpaw to find cobwebs.
  • They take Cherryfall back to camp after Jayfeather patches up her leg.
• Alderpaw confides in Sparkpaw afterwards that he felt scared when he saw Cherryfall in pain and froze up. Sparkpaw comforts her brother, and Alderpaw starts to feel better.

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Chapter 6

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• Alderpaw, Leafpool, and Jayfeather travel to the Twoleg garden near RiverClan territory to fetch catmint, since moles had ruined the supply at the abandoned Twoleg nest.
  • They are confronted by a ShadowClan patrol at the border, made up of Tigerheart, Spikefur, Yarrowpaw, Sleekpaw, and Needlepaw, who is friendly to Alderpaw. The patrol escorts the medicine cats across the border.
• That night, the medicine cats meet at the Moonpool. Leafpool introduces Alderpaw to everyone.
  • Leafpool conducts Alderpaw's official medicine cat ceremony at the Moonpool before StarClan.
  • The medicine cats dream. Alderpaw meets Firestar in his dream.
    • Firestar guides him to a puddle that shows a birds-eye view of SkyClan's camp. Alderpaw realizes that they are conducting a warrior ceremony.
  • Alderpaw is unsure of what Firestar is trying to tell him because he has never heard of SkyClan before. He wakes up at the Moonpool and decides to keep the dream to himself until he is sure what it means.

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Chapter 7

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• Jayfeather and Leafpool tell Alderpaw to sort out old herbs while they collect fresher herbs.
• Cherryfall comes inside the medicine den complaining about her injured paw and Alderpaw inspects it.
  • Alderpaw remembers Jayfeather's advice about comfrey root and spreads poultice over her wound.
  • Jayfeather scolds him for treating the warrior's wound.
• Sandstorm gives Alderpaw advice not to take Jayfeather's words and actions too seriously while Alderpaw is removing the elder's ticks.
• Alderpaw tells Sandstorm about his vision at the Moonpool.
  • Sandstorm tells him they are the Clan she and Firestar re-built, SkyClan.
• Alderpaw tells the two medicine cats about his vision at the Moonpool.
  • Jayfeather and Leafpool go to Bramblestar to inform him of the vision, but Alderpaw isn't allowed to come along.

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Chapter 8

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• Cherryfall tells Alderpaw that Sparkpaw is hurt.
  • Cherryfall explains that the apprentice has fallen out of a tree.
• Alderpaw notices Sparkpaw's leg is misplaced.
  • The medicine cat apprentice pushes her leg back into place.
• Alderpaw profusely apologizes to Bramblestar when he comes back into camp.
  • Bramblestar tells him that he must go on a quest to find SkyClan.
  • The leader tells Alderpaw the history of how Sandstorm and Firestar found SkyClan.

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Chapter 9

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• Sandstorm is arguing with Bramblestar about joining Alderpaw on his quest.
  • Sandstorm says she is the only cat in the Clan who knows about SkyClan.
• Bramblestar announces that Molewhisker, Cherryfall, Sparkpaw and Sandstorm will join a patrol with Alderpaw due to a vision he has had.
  • Leafpool gives the patrol herbs for their journey.
• The patrol stalls at the Thunderpath.
• Sandstorm and the rest of the patrol encounters Twolegs.
  • The Twolegs leave food, and the patrol eats their left-over food.

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Chapter 10

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• Molewhisker asks to hunt, but Sandstorm tells him that they must cross the Thunderpath.
  • The patrol disagrees and Sandstorm reluctantly lets them hunt first.
• Alderpaw tries to hunt with his old mentor, Molewhisker.
  • The monsters on the Thunderpath start throwing objects at the cats.
  • Sandstorm stalls one more night to cross.
  • The next morning, the patrol quickly crosses the Thunderpath.
• Before the patrol goes to sleep, Alderpaw and Sandstorm encounter a fox.

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Chapter 11

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• The fox injures Sandstorm and Alderpaw is crushed into a tree.
  • The rest of the patrol helps fight the fox, but they are also injured.
  • Needlepaw appears and attacks the fox, and the creature runs away.
• The patrol tells the ShadowClan apprentice that they must take her back to her camp.
  • Needlepaw refuses and Alderpaw lets her join the quest.
• Alderpaw begins to care for Sandstorm's wound, despite her refusal.

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Chapter 12

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• Alderpaw inspects the elder's wound again and treats her infection.
  • Sparkpaw tells her brother about his injuries and she helps him take care of the cut on his ear.
• Needlepaw offers to take watch for foxes while the patrol sleeps.
• Alderpaw has a dream of the SkyClan cats begging for help.
  • He wakes up and tells the patrol they need to move as soon as possible.
• Alderpaw tells Sandstorm about his recent vision.
  • He notices her wound is getting worse, but Sandstorm refuses treatment.
• The medicine cat apprentice notices Needlepaw overhearing his conversation with Sandstorm.

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Chapter 13

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• Needlepaw tells Alderpaw she overheard everything about his conversation with Sandstorm.
• The patrol finds a barn and they jump over a fence.
  • Sandstorm falls over while leaping over the fence.
    • Alderpaw notices that Sandstorm has scratched her injury on the spikes.
• The patrol encounters cows.
• After walking around the barn, they encounter a monster eating grass.
  • The patrol quickly runs away and jumps another fence to escape.
• Alderpaw demands that Sandstorm should rest.
  • Sandstorm slowly gets sicker and feverishly mentions the true intentions of the quest.

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Chapter 14

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• Alderpaw sees a starry cat walking toward him, eventually realizing it is Sandstorm.
  • Sandstorm tells him the rest of the path he must take to reach the Gorge.
• Alderpaw wakes up to Sandstorm's dead body lying next to him.
  • The patrol sits vigil for Sandstorm.
• After her body is buried, Needlepaw tells Alderpaw to tell the rest of the patrol the true reason for the quest.
  • Alderpaw agrees and informs his Clanmates.

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Chapter 15

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• Alderpaw recognizes rocks from his visions.
• The patrol runs into a large SkyClan cat.
  • Alderpaw tells the cat that they have traveled far to meet SkyClan.
  • The cat brings them to their leader.
  • He tells the patrol his name is Rain.
• SkyClan's leader is Darktail.
  • Alderpaw questions the way of their Clan.

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Chapter 16

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• Darktail hits a cat who was coughing loudly.
  • Alderpaw tells Darktail that the cat should see their medicine cat, but the cats don't seem to have one.
  • Alderpaw teaches the SkyClan leader about treating sicknesses.
• Rain takes Needlepaw and Alderpaw on a tour around the territory.
  • Alderpaw overhears Needlepaw and Rain's conversation and runs back to his clanmates.

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Chapter 17

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• The patrol, excluding Needlepaw, hunts for themselves.
• Alderpaw runs into a tom he recognizes from his visions.
  • The tom tells the apprentice that his name is Mistfeather.
• Mistfeather tells Alderpaw that the real SkyClan was exiled by a bunch of dangerous rogues.
  • Darktail overhears Mistfeather and Alderpaw's conversation and kills Mistfeather.

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Chapter 18

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• Alderpaw speaks against Darktail's actions of killing the original SkyClan warrior.
  • Darktail accuses Alderpaw and his Clanmates of conspiracy against Darktail.
  • Needlepaw stands up for Alderpaw but is unmoved by Darktail's menacing presence.
• Cherryfall and Molewhisker tell the patrol that they must leave as soon as possible
  • The patrol is imprisoned in a den and Alderpaw informs them of what Mistfeather had told him.

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Chapter 19

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• The patrol tries to sneak out of the former SkyClan camp.
  • Sparkpaw questions why they should leave if StarClan had sent them there.
  • Alderpaw tells his sister that the quest is a failure.
• The patrol tries to cross the river and creates a plan to make Darktail think they fell into the river.
  • Alderpaw falls into the water and heads toward a waterfall.
• Needlepaw and Alderpaw are separated from the rest of the patrol.

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Chapter 20

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• Alderpaw and Needlepaw make a nest in the Twolegplace.
• Alderpaw wakes up to noisy kittypet kits and Needlepaw bringing him prey.
• Alderpaw and Needlepaw find the rest of their patrol's scents
  • They are relieved they haven't been captured by Darktail and begin following their scent.
    • The scent trail later dies out and they head back to camp without the rest of their patrol.
• Needlepaw eats kittypet food and lures Twolegs to give her food scraps.
• The two apprentices ask a kittypet for advice on crossing the river.

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Chapter 21

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• Alderpaw expresses his anger and disappointment of failing his quest to Needlepaw, who isn't understanding.
  • Needlepaw says he might have interpreted his vision incorrectly.
• Alderpaw and Needlepaw come across the barn they passed earlier.
  • They set up nests for the night and sleep inside the barn.
• Alderpaw dreams of Sandstorm saying she wanted to die doing something important.
  • Alderpaw complains to Sandstorm about SkyClan and the condition of his patrol.
• Alderpaw wakes up after Sandstorm tells him to find a different path.
  • Needlepaw tells him they need to go home.

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Chapter 22

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• Alderpaw tells Needlepaw about his recent vision with Sandstorm.
• Alderpaw and Needlepaw go under the Thunderpath to find two very young kits inside the tunnel.
  • Alderpaw and Needlepaw try to feed the young kits with a vole.
  • Needlepaw calls the black-and-white kit Violetkit.
  • Alderpaw calls the gray kit Twigkit.
• Needlepaw tells Alderpaw that these kits must be related to his visions.

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Chapter 23

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• Needlepaw and Alderpaw separate as they reach the lake.
  • They argue between which Clan gets which kit.
• Molewhisker, Birchfall, Poppyfrost, and Berrynose run into the two apprentices and are delighted they are safe.
• Needlepaw mentions to the ThunderClan patrol that they have brought kits.
  • Alderpaw tells his clanmates that they can be cared for in ThunderClan, despite his previous argument with Needlepaw.
• Birchfall tells the ShadowClan apprentice that the kits will be brought to the next gathering so ShadowClan can choose which kit they want.
  • Needlepaw reluctantly agrees and leaves for her Clan.

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Chapter 24

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• Alderpaw visits Twigkit and Lilyheart’s kits.
• Jayfeather finds his apprentice and tells him that Bramblestar and Leafpool want to talk.
• Alderpaw tells his father the dangers of his quest and how he feels about the mission.
  • Bramblestar tells his son that ThunderClan cannot help SkyClan.
• Alderpaw explains how he and Needlepaw had found Twigkit and Violetkit and how he believes they could be related to the quest.
• Twigkit and Violetkit are brought to the gathering and are introduced to the other Clans.
• Bramblestar and Rowanstar discuss about the importance of the kits and who would get which kit.
  • The ThunderClan leader chooses Twigkit and the ShadowClan leader chooses Violetkit.