The Blazing Star (book)/Chapter 15

"Really, Clear Sky? [...] You didn't think I would move in without a few friends to back me up? Not even you would be that stupid!"

— One Eye to Clear Sky in The Blazing Star, page 143

The Blazing Star (book)
Chapter number:	15 (of 28)
Page numbers:	138-145
Point of View:	Clear Sky
Chronology

Below contains in-depth information for chapter fifteen of The Blazing Star (book). If you are looking for a shorter summary of the entire book, please check the main article.

Chapter Number: 15 (of 28)

Page Numbers: 138-145

Chapter description

When Clear Sky enters his camp, Petal rushes up to him, telling him to come quick, as there is a problem with Alder. When Clear Sky arrives by Alder's side, he realizes that Petal had called a false alarm, and that Alder was only tired. But Petal protests, continuing that something was wrong anyway, since Alder was unable to focus. But the conversation is cut short by One Eye, who appears at the entrance of the den. At the sight of the latter, Petal draws the kits close into their nest while Clear Sky tried to figure out what was going on. He remembers how One Eye had humiliated him in front of the other leaders, and killed Tom and injured Sparrow Fur, and begins to panic as he asks himself where she is. Clear Sky demands what One Eye had done to Sparrow Fur, but the rogue leader snorts in laughter as a noise came from Sparrow Fur, behind him, who was confined in a hollow tree with the opening blocked by twigs and branches.

Facing up to One Eye, Clear Sky snarls to let Sparrow Fur go free. But when One Eye tells him he can't tell anyone what to do, he also adds that he had claimed Clear Sky's territory as well. One Eye continues to sneer that he would make a better leader for the forest cats than Clear Sky, and at this the latter glances around at his grouped cats, picking out in his mind who would stay and who wouldn't. Realizing inwardly that his situation was hopeless, Clear Sky orders One Eye to get out. But One Eye counters by telling Clear Sky that some of his cats may choose to disown him. Continuing his chain of threats, the former starts to mess with Clear Sky's mind, asking what he was achieving with his group, and their way of life.

One Eye then proceeds to attack Petal, leaving a scratch that resembles an eye. He notes that Nettle also carried his mark, and that sooner or later all of Clear Sky's cats would. Clear Sky reminds him in hostility about the spreading sickness, asking if he wanted to wound every cat during the epidemic. But at this One Eye bares his teeth, and tells Clear Sky to leave. The pale gray tom tries to rally his cats to fight, but most of the cats stayed still. When Petal mews hoarsely to Clear Sky that he doesn't understand, One Eye's cats flood through the entrance to the hollow, their fur clumped and spiky. Knowing that he and his cats had no chance, Clear Sky also noted that they were sorely outnumbered. One Eye threatens him yet again to leave, but Clear Sky glances at his cats, uneasy and cowering against each other.

He begins to leave, and while doing so notices Sparrow Fur again, imprisoned in the hollow tree. Taking his opportunity, Clear Sky jumped to the top and clawed at an opening, which Sparrow Fur had already wriggled through, and tells her to run. One Eye and his rogues are infuriated, and give chase. The two cats dart between trees and bushes, until their pursuers fall behind and were unable to catch up. As they slow down, Clear Sky feels hopeless and defeated as he raises a yowl to the sky when Sparrow Fur asks him what was to be done, but the former says nothing else.

Characters

Major

• Clear Sky
• One Eye

Minor

• Petal
• Birch
• Alder
• Nettle
• Sparrow Fur
• Snake
• Acorn Fur
• Thorn

Mentioned

• Gray Wing
• Thunder
• Tom