The Darkest Hour/Chapter 4

"Welcome Fireheart, my apprentice, my warrior, and my deputy. I always knew you would make a great leader one day. With this life I give you nobility, certainty, and faith. Use it well as you lead your Clan in the ways of StarClan and the warrior code."

— Bluestar giving Fireheart one of his nine lives in The Darkest Hour, page 53

The Darkest Hour
Chapter number:	4 (of 30)
Page numbers:	45-56
Point of View:	Fireheart/Firestar
Chronology

Below contains in-depth information for chapter four of The Darkest Hour. If you are looking for a shorter summary of the entire book, please check the main article.

Chapter Number: 4 (of 30)

Page Numbers: 45-56

Chapter description

All around Fireheart is darkness and a chilling cold. The ginger tom has not been that cold in a while, feeling like every last scrap of warmth is sucked from him. His legs twitch as cramps nip at them; the tabby tom imagines himself made of ice, and that if he moves, he will shatter. No dreams come, and there are no signs of StarClan, beginning to panic Fireheart. He opens his eyes narrowly, but then he widens them with shock. Instead of sitting at the Moonstone, he sees short grass, night scents bathing him, of plants growing with dew.

Fireheart scrambles into a sitting position, and then realizes just where he is: the hollow at Fourtrees. The towering oaks, in full leaf, rustles over his head, and Silverpelt glitters beyond them in the night sky. Fireheart wonders about how he came here and if this was the dream that Cinderpelt promised. He raises his head and looks up at the sky, and he is unable to remember it being so clear; Silverpelt looked closer than he had ever seen before, barely higher than the topmost branches of the oaks. As Fireheart gazes into the sky, he realizes the stars are moving, before they descend to the ground; the spirits of StarClan approach him, stars in their fur and eyes, smells of ice and fire emitting from their pelts. The deputy looks along the line of cats, and feels happy upon noticing Bluestar and Yellowfang, and his beloved medicine cat, Spottedleaf. Lionheart, younger and stronger, comes forward, and delivers Fireheart's first life: a life of courage.

The strength of Lionheart's blessing sears the ginger tom, and he feels the tear of claws and teeth against his pelt. As the feeling subsides, he wonders how he will make it, before Redtail, the former deputy who was killed by Tigerstar, comes forward, and gives Fireheart a life for justice. As the power of the life fades, Redtail thanks him for revealing the truth, and he's replaced by Silverstream, Graystripe's former love, and she delivers a life of loyalty to the young tom. Runningwind, another cat killed by the treacherous Tigerstar, paces forward, giving Fireheart a life of tireless energy; this causes the deputy to feel as though he is running through the woods, exhilarated and energized, but the feeling eventually fades, and Brindleface delivers Fireheart's next life: one of protection. The life ripples the tabby with strength like those of the ancient LionClan and TigerClan.

As the next StarClan cat approaches, the ThunderClan tom feels guilt, recognizing him as Swiftpaw, killed by dogs as he tried to prove himself worthy of a warrior name, and angry at Bluestar. The black-and-white tom shows no rage as he blesses Fireheart with the life of mentoring, which follows up with terror and a flash of red, causing the ginger tabby to guess that what he felt is what Swiftpaw experienced as he was living his last moments in life. Yellowfang is the next cat to approach, and Fireheart remembers her as an independent and brave cat when she was alive, also recalling his last moments with her, as she lay dying. The dark gray she-cat gives him a life for compassion, telling him to use it well for elders, or anyone weaker. As he receives the life, Fireheart feels close to the old medicine cat, remembering her sharp tongue, honor, and warmheartedness. Spottedleaf takes Yellowfang's place, and her life is one for love, causing the ThunderClan deputy to feel warmed, and safe, like he did as a kit with his kittypet mother.

Bluestar walks toward him, and Fireheart is surprised to see her strong and young again, unlike the defeated and stressed cat he had known before her death, and she greets him warmly, saying that she knew he would be a good leader someday. She gives him a life of nobility, certainty, and faith, telling her former apprentice to use it well. The agony of the life shakes him, feeling the leader's ambition, anguish as she gave away her kits, and ferocity as she fought for ThunderClan. As the power dissolves, the StarClan spirits walk forward, and Bluestar hails Fireheart as Firestar, and the spirits cheer his new name, before they stop, a startled hiss interrupting them. The new leader spins around, aware of a disturbance, and is horrified to see a huge pile of bones, reeking with the stink of carrion, piled up together, cat bones jumbled with prey remains. The StarClan cats had vanished, and although Firestar can feel Bluestar, he cannot see her.

She murmurs in his ears that four will become two, lion and tiger will meet in battle, and blood will rule the forest. He demands to know what she means, but Bluestar's presence vanishes, leaving Firestar alone with the stinking bones. Blood begins oozing from the pile, forming into a stream that flows toward him. He cries out, but there is no answer except for the gurgling of the red, sticky blood, lapping at his fur.

Characters

Major

• Fireheart

Minor

• Bluestar
• Yellowfang
• Spottedleaf
• Lionheart
• Redtail
• Silverstream
• Runningwind
• Brindleface
• Swiftpaw
• Yellowfang

Mentioned

• Graystripe
• Tigerstar
• Featherpaw (Unnamed)
• Stormpaw (Unnamed)
• Cloudtail
• Brokentail
• Nutmeg (Unnamed)

Important Event

Ceremonies

Firestar's leader ceremony
StarClan: Welcome, Fireheart. Are you ready to receive your nine lives? Fireheart: Yes. I'm ready. Lionheart: With this life I give you courage. Use it well in defense of your Clan. Redtail: With this life I give you justice. Use it well as you judge the actions of others. Thank you. You revealed the truth when no one else could. Silverstream: With this life I give you loyalty to what you know to be right. Use it well to guide your Clan in times of trouble. Runningwind: With this life I give you tireless energy. Use it well to carry out the duties of a leader. Brindleface: With this life, I give you protection. Use it well to care for your Clan as a mother cares for her kits. Swiftpaw: With this life I give you mentoring. Use it well to train the young cats of your Clan. Yellowfang: With this life I give you compassion. Use it well for the elders of your Clan, and the sick, and all those weaker than yourself. Spottedleaf: With this life I give you love. Use it well, for all the cats in your care - and especially for Sandstorm. Bluestar: Welcome, Fireheart, my apprentice, my warrior, and my deputy. I always knew you would make a great leader one day. With this life I give you nobility and certainty and faith. Use it well as you lead your Clan in the ways of StarClan and the warrior code. I hail you by your new name, Firestar. Your old life is no more. You have now received the nine lives of a leader, and StarClan grants you the guardianship of ThunderClan. Defend it well; care for young and old; honor your ancestors and the traditions of the warrior code; live each life with pride and dignity. StarClan: Firestar! Firestar! Firestar! Firestar!
Reference: The Darkest Hour, pages 48-54