Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.
These notes reflect a bulleted list of major and minor events in The Elders' 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.
Chapter 1
[ ]
Tawnypelt , Spireclaw , Whorlpelt , and Bloompetal head out on a hunting patrol .
Tawnypelt decides to hunt in the bog by the Thunderpath .
Spireclaw and Bloompetal choose to hunt near the Twoleg den , but Tawnypelt angrily scolds them for their disobedience.
Tawnypelt laments over the younger warriors' disrespect.
At the marsh, Tawnypelt reluctantly lets Bloompetal go with Spireclaw to chase the frogs .
After a long while, Tawnypelt sets out to find them when they do not return.
She meets them as they return with frogs and praises them, doubting that they have learned anything.
She is frustrated with the young warriors' behavior.
The patrol heads back to camp , where Tawnypelt asks Lightleap and Blazefire if she may see their kits .
They tell her that their kits are with Oakfur .
She takes a thrush to the elders' den .
Quickkit , Poolkit , and Beechkit greet her happily.
As Quickkit and Beechkit play, Poolkit shows Tawnypelt her stalking, tackling her brothers.
Tawnypelt tells the kits about how Rowanclaw gave up his leadership and how he died.
Poolkit admires Rowanclaw, and Tawnypelt silently mourns him.
Leafstar rests on a flat stone in the gorge with Billystorm , watching over SkyClan .
Hawkpaw and Duskpaw quarrel and Leafstar stops them, sending them to find their mentors .
Echosong approaches Leafstar and Billystorm and tells them that it is time.
As Leafstar prepares to call SkyClan together, she is woken by a voice.
Leafstar struggles to recognize Hawkwing, her eyesight poor, as he reminds her about a ceremony .
She holds Starlingkit and Robinkit's apprentice ceremony.
Later, Frecklewish rouses Leafstar to take her to the medicine den.
Bellaleaf is extremely ill and suffering seizures with pink eyes.
Sagenose suffers similar symptoms.
Frecklewish, Fidgetflake , and Leafstar find prey in the fresh-kill pile with the same illness.
Sagenose confirms that he ate the contaminated prey.
A hunting patrol returns with Cloudmist having fallen ill.
Cloudmist says that she only drank from the stream .
Leafstar believes that Twolegs may have poisoned the stream.
Hawkwing tests the healthy-looking prey and says that it is fine.
Leafstar warns her Clan not to hunt near the stream or the lake and decides to ask for help at the Gathering .
Gravelnose reports a badger set on their territory .
Leafstar decides to consider their options.
Falling asleep, Leafstar again dreams of the gorge.
She wakes up feeling homesick.
She decides to only eat once a day to preserve prey and to speak with StarClan at the Moonpool .
Shinepaw and Goldenpaw have received their apprentice names and mentors, Finleap and Flipclaw .
Moonkit is upset that she cannot train with her former denmates.
Moonkit and her parents head off to visit Jayfeather and Alderheart .
A voice in Moonkit's head reassures her that she may still be a warrior apprentice.
She recalls always hearing the voice throughout her life.
After some interrogation, Squirrelstar , Alderheart, and Jayfeather decide that Moonkit has no connection to StarClan and that she can be a warrior apprentice.
The following day, Squirrelstar holds Moonkit's apprentice ceremony, naming her Moonpaw and apprenticing her to Sunbeam .
A few days after the ceremony, Sunbeam teaches Moonpaw the hunting crouch.
The voice disrupts Moonpaw's focus, agitating Sunbeam.
Moonpaw manages to quiet the voice and can properly stalk.
Sunbeam sends Moonpaw to hunt by the lake.
While stalking a squirrel , Moonpaw sees her reflection in the lake as well as that of a pale orange tabby that looks similar to the orange half of her face.
The orange tabby tells her not to tell anyone.
Waking from a nap, Tawnypelt hears the roaring of Twoleg monsters in SkyClan territory and remembers the Great Journey .
She heads over to Tigerstar and Cloverfoot .
The two discuss SkyClan hunting close to their border and their warning of the poisoning.
Tawnypelt suggests that Tigerstar send a patrol to check on the Twolegs, but he refuses.
He irritably tells Tawnypelt to lead the evening border patrol, and she takes Birchfeather .
At the SkyClan border, Tawnypelt catches SkyClan scent on ShadowClan land from one cat.
Birchfeather confesses that he has been meeting Ridgeglow , expressing fear of Tigerstar's reaction.
Tawnypelt reassures him that his parents will understand, and he decides to tell them.
In camp, Birchfeather asks for Tawnypelt's support, and she agrees to accompany him.
Birchfeather confesses to Tigerstar and Dovewing that he has been meeting a SkyClan cat and wishes to join SkyClan.
Tigerstar is outraged and Dovewing is upset, and they turn on Tawnypelt.
Leafstar dreams of the gorge again and is woken by the sound of monsters.
She recalls StarClan's silence at the Moonpool.
She worries about the dwindling prey and reports to Hawkwing that StarClan had not spoken to her.
Leafstar mentions Twoleg marks around the Moonpool and the presence of Twoleg objects.
She decides to mention it at the Gathering.
She expresses her doubts and anxieties to her deputy .
The Clans join together for the Gathering.
Squirrelstar announces Shinepaw, Goldenpaw, and Moonpaw's apprenticeships.
Leafstar informs the Clans of SkyClan's struggles with the Twolegs and asks Squirrelstar and Tigerstar to allow SkyClan to follow prey over their borders.
Squirrelstar reports that sick prey has wandered into ThunderClan territory .
Tigerstar and Squirrelstar both refuse to help SkyClan.
Icestar offers to let RiverClan teach SkyClan to fish in the lake.
Leafstar announces that Twolegs have been around the Moonpool, but the other leaders and the medicine cats remain unconcerned.
When Hawkwing and Crowfeather defend Leafstar, the leaders agree to send a mixed-Clan patrol to investigate with Crowfeather leading it.
SkyClan is agitated with the other Clans.
In the morning, Shinepaw and Goldenpaw excitedly discuss the Gathering and encourage Moonpaw to be less shy.
Moonpaw had been distracted by the voice during the Gathering.
When she leaves the apprentices' den, Moonpaw is bombarded by Stemtail , Bristleclaw , and Graywhisker about the Gathering.
Moonpaw silently questions her own lack of excitement about being an apprentice.
She decides to speak with the medicine cats about the voice.
Moonpaw asks Alderheart if medicine cats hear voices from StarClan, disturbing him.
Alderheart notes something bad that had happened in a similar situation but refuses to elaborate.
Worried that the voice is bad, Moonpaw leaves.
Having waited for Moonpaw, Sunbeam reveals that she heard the conversation.
She says that Moonpaw may be destined to be a medicine cat.
Sunbeam explains how she left ShadowClan to be with Nightheart and how it was the right path for her.
Moonpaw decides to try being a medicine cat.
When Jayfeather returns to camp, Sunbeam calls him over to tell him about Moonpaw.
Moonpaw tells Jayfeather and Alderheart that she believes she is having visions , making one up.
Jayfeather is heavily skeptical, causing Moonpaw to doubt her choice.
Chapter 7
[ ]
Tawnypelt meets with Crowfeather, Bayshine, and Leafstar to begin their journey, with Owlnose arriving last.
The cats are disturbed by the silence near the stream.
When they reach the end of Clan territory, Crowfeather delivers a warning, earning Tawnypelt's admiration.
Not far along, they find a large blue wall built over the stream.
From atop a knoll, they spot a huge, unfinished Twoleg den within the walls.
The cats fear the number of Twolegs trespassing on their land and wonder what the Twolegs are doing with the Moonpool.
Once Twolegs arrive and begin working, the patrol swiftly departs.
The patrol worries that they may need to leave the lake, but Leafstar tries to reassure them, to Crowfeather's agitation.
Leafstar suggests patrolling the Twoleg den every quarter moon .
Rootspring reports to Leafstar that all is well in the territory.
Leafstar notices that the hunting patrols are catching just enough prey for every cat.
She and Hawkwing discuss the badger, with Leafstar deciding to lead the patrol.
Hawkwing is wary of letting her lead.
Leafstar announces her plan to the Clan.
The Clan is hesitant to fight a badger.
Gravelnose reveals that there may be more than one badger.
Leafstar admonishes SkyClan for their reluctance to fight, choosing six warriors and refusing to wait.
At the greenleaf Twolegplace , Leafstar reiterates the plan to trap the badger in the hole during the assault.
Rootspring warns that there could be more badgers, but Leafstar dismisses it.
Soon, the badger peers out of the den, and the cats attack.
Kitescratch's leg is injured after the badger tries to pull him inside.
The badger makes it outside, and the cats are frightened and uncertain.
A second, bigger badger attacks Wrenflight .
Leafstar believes she spots a third badger and attacks it, only to realize that it is Starlingpaw.
Amidst the distraction, Kitescratch is injured again, and the cats retreat.
Kitescratch dies from his injury, and Leafstar feels immense guilt for her failed plan, blaming Starlingpaw.
Jayfeather teaches Moonpaw about tansy and other herbs.
Moonpaw grows invested in her lesson.
Alderheart tells Jayfeather that it is time to go to the Moonpool.
They do not allow Moonpaw to attend, as she is not an official apprentice.
Moonpaw practices memorizing the herbs, upset that she cannot learn about the voice in her head at the Moonpool.
She enjoys her review, thinking that it may be keeping the voice at bay.
Upon finishing identifying the herbs, Moonpaw rests.
Moonpaw is woken the next day from a peaceful dream by the wails of cats.
Cherryfall and Lionblaze return injured and report a fox in ThunderClan territory.
Moonpaw helps Jayfeather tend to Cherryfall, and he praises her.
Lionblaze says that the fox crossed from SkyClan land and attacked.
Moonpaw wonders if she wants to have to tend to her injured Clanmates.
As Moonpaw tries to sleep that night, the voice tells her that she is on the wrong path.
Moonpaw remains determined to decide her own future.
ShadowClan gathers to say goodbye to Birchfeather, who intends to move to SkyClan.
Tigerstar and Dovewing do not say goodbye.
Tawnypelt confronts Tigerstar and Dovewing, who are upset that Birchfeather is leaving after they lost Rowankit .
Tawnypelt tells them that Birchfeather cannot understand their pain and persuades them to speak to him.
They offer Birchfeather a formal goodbye.
Tawnypelt accompanies Birchfeather on his journey to the SkyClan border.
She assures him that his parents love him, and he does not require their approval.
They agree to meet each other occasionally.
At the border, they say their goodbyes.
Later, Tawnypelt meets up with the patrol that discovered the large Twoleg nest.
The Clan leaders want them to investigate the Moonpool, where there had been more Twoleg activity.
Palesky joins them in Leafstar's place.
Upon reviewing the planned journey, they set off.
Palesky, Owlnose, and Bayshine feel that the journey is a waste of time, despite Crowfeather and Tawnypelt's recollection of the Great Journey .
At the Moonpool, the patrol finds colorful smears, hard Twoleg stuff, and rock-like objects.
The rock-like objects contain gray powder.
The Twolegs have cut slabs from the slope leading down into the hollow.
Crowfeather and Tawnypelt are worried, but the younger cats remain largely unconcerned.
The Twoleg den and wall appear the same.
Palesky, Owlnose, and Bayshine rush home.
Crowfeather and Tawnypelt try to investigate further but are chased inside the wall by a dog .
They climb onto the Twoleg nest.
Tawnypelt wonders if she has feelings for Crowfeather after he praises her.
Tawnypelt and Crowfeather see Twoleg trash tainting the stream.
SkyClan sits vigil for Kitescratch.
Feeling guilty over the incident, Leafstar falls asleep and dreams of her old Clanmates, recognizing that SkyClan no longer lives in the gorge.
Leafstar wakes in time for Kitescratch's body to be buried.
She is confronted by Reedclaw for falling asleep, but Reedclaw is stopped by Hawkwing.
Harrybrook comforts his mother, assuring her that she is not at fault for what happened.
Leafstar confides in him about considering stepping down.
Reedclaw calls SkyClan together to discuss Leafstar's leadership due to her age.
Many cats support her.
She decides that a vote will occur at sunhigh .
Due to the vote, Leafstar is unable to attend the patrol to investigate the Twoleg activity, to her relief.
At sunhigh, Reedclaw again gathers the Clan to vote.
The Clan ultimately votes to keep Leafstar as leader.
Jayfeather tests Moonpaw on her herb knowledge and she identifies them correctly.
Alderheart persuades Jayfeather to let Moonpaw attend the half-moon meeting.
On the way to the Moonpool, Moonpaw wishes she had an ordinary name.
She reflects that the voice is convinced that Moonpaw should not be a medicine cat.
At the Moonpool, Alderheart notes the increase of Twoleg trash.
Moonpaw is introduced to the other medicine cats.
She is irritated by the implication that she is special because of her face.
The medicine cats discuss Tawnypelt and Crowfeather's news about the Twolegs but are largely dismissive.
News is then shared about whitecough outbreaks and SkyClan's troubles.
Moonpaw and the other medicine cats settle down to communicate with StarClan.
The voice disrupts her concentration.
When Moonpaw opens her eyes to check if she is in StarClan's territory, she sees the orange tabby in her reflection again, seeming malevolent.
In her attempt to get rid of it, Moonpaw falls into the Moonpool.
In camp, Moonpaw tells Alderheart and Jayfeather about the orange tabby.
They accept the orange tabby as a legitimate vision.
Alderheart warns her to have more control over herself when she receives visions.
While Moonpaw grooms herself before bed, the voice mocks her for thinking that she can decide things for herself.
Chapter 13
[ ]
Tawnypelt, Puddleshine, and Shadowsight discuss the Twoleg activity at the Moonpool.
Tigerstar dismisses Tawnypelt and Oakfur's concerns, shutting down the conversation.
Tawnypelt decides to visit Birchfeather.
Tigerstar refuses to send a message and does not allow Dovewing to speak.
At the SkyClan border, Tawnypelt is met by Rootspring's patrol.
Rootspring agrees to retrieve Birchfeather.
When he arrives, Birchfeather hesitantly tells Tawnypelt about the vote against Leafstar and the badger incident.
He is dismissive of the issue, annoyed that he has not received his trials.
Tawnypelt offers for him to return to ShadowClan, but he is devoted to Ridgeglow.
While wondering if she will love again, Tawnypelt thinks of Crowfeather.
Birchfeather returns home.
Tawnypelt silently hopes that Leafstar knows that growing older is not wrong.
Tree informs Leafstar that Hawkwing wishes for him to mediate between Leafstar and Reedclaw.
Leafstar questions this since Reedclaw is unwilling to speak with her.
He suggests that she give Hawkwing more responsibilities.
Leafstar worries that Hawkwing wants her to resign.
Tree offers to speak with some of those who voted against her.
The discussion is interrupted by a fight between Gravelnose and Harrybrook over a squirrel leg.
Gravelnose reveals that Wrenflight is having his kits, and Leafstar lets her have the prey.
Leafstar finds two chubs and Hawkwing distributes them among the reluctant SkyClan cats.
Trying to alleviate tensions, Leafstar apologizes to Starlingpaw for blaming him for his father's death and assures him that he is not at fault.
Leafstar approaches Hawkwing about driving out the badgers to preserve prey.
Hawkwing asks to lead the patrol this time and she reluctantly allows it.
The badger patrol returns, having successfully defeated the badgers, and the Clan praises him.
They hesitate to acknowledge Leafstar, who wonders again if Hawkwing is undermining her.
Wanting to prove herself capable, Leafstar decides to hunt alone.
While hunting a rabbit , she slips on icy rock and falls into a ravine, knocked unconscious.
In a dream, Echosong comforts Leafstar and warns her not to doubt herself, as she will make things easier for someone by doing so.
Leafstar wakes three days later to being carried by Harrybrook and Rootspring.
SkyClan is upset with her.
She feels worried about what is happening in her Clan.
Goldenpaw and Shinepaw ask Moonpaw about her experience at the Moonpool.
As Moonpaw returns to the medicine den, the voice again insists that she will not be a medicine cat.
Moonpaw tends to her chores, feeling proud of her skills.
She begins to doubt herself because of the voice.
Jayfeather returns and notes that he feels Moonpaw is not truly invested in becoming a medicine cat.
He tells her the story of Ashfur and questions if Shadowsight's experience is what she is experiencing, scaring her.
Moonpaw sneaks out at night to journey to the Moonpool and speak with the orange cat.
The orange cat tells her that they are one and insists that they are real.
To prove that they are real, the orange cat gives Moonpaw insight into the future: that the sun will vanish the next day and will be found in a hollow tree.
At sunset the following day, Moonpaw believes that the orange cat had been wrong and is ready to abandon her medicine cat training.
The Clan is woken in the night to Myrtlebloom's cries that her kits are missing.
Ivypool reports that the kits are not in the camp.
Squirrelstar leads a patrol to search for the kits and Moonpaw follows them.
The patrol finds Oakkit and Hazelkit near the lake.
They explain that Sunkit had left and they followed him but lost him.
Cinderheart takes them home.
Moonpaw realizes that Sunkit is connected to the voice's prediction and finds him in the hollow tree by the Thunderpath.
His leg has been injured from a root.
He does not tell her why he left camp.
Back at camp, the Clan is overjoyed to see Sunkit, especially his parents.
Moonpaw lies to Squirrelstar about how she knew where to find Sunkit.
Jayfeather calls Moonpaw into the nursery .
Sunkit explains that a cat who looked like Moonpaw took him to the hollow tree.
Moonpaw is shaken by the orange cat's actions, wondering what they may be capable of.
Tawnypelt dreams of Rowanclaw, who tells her that she is right to trust her instincts.
He assures her that he would not mind her finding love again.
Waking up, she thinks of Crowfeather.
Later, Tawnypelt catches a squirrel near the SkyClan border.
Ridgeglow confronts her and attacks her when she refuses to give up the prey.
Birchfeather stops them and explains that he is completing his trial.
Tawnypelt assures him that he will find something to catch.
Tawnypelt finds a rabbit and chases it across the border, and Birchfeather catches it.
In camp, Tigerstar questions Tawnypelt about chasing the rabbit onto SkyClan land.
He is upset that she helped Birchfeather stay with SkyClan.
He punishes her with night guard duty for a quarter moon.
Retreating to her den, Tawnypelt thinks that no ShadowClan cat understands her and that she respects no cat more than Crowfeather.
Leafstar dreams of the past.
She sees two boulders with a dark gap between them as Echosong calls her.
She awakens to Hawkwing's call, and he tells her to come outside.
Outside, she notices that the camp appears well-tended to and that there is more prey.
Reedclaw again wishes to depose Leafstar, reasoning that she is older and has made harmful mistakes.
She says that the Clan's welfare has improved under Hawkwing's leadership.
Despite protests from Hawkwing and Rootspring, the vote commences.
The Clan votes to depose Leafstar, upsetting her.
Hawkwing points out that the other leaders must agree.
At the Gathering, Reedclaw declares SkyClan's decision to depose Leafstar.
Reedclaw lists off Leafstar's recent actions to Tigerstar, explaining that Hawkwing has helped SkyClan recover.
The other leaders appear unable to decide, confused and wary.
Leafstar voluntarily surrenders her leadership, and the cats cheer for her.
Moonpaw struggles with guilt and confusion over the incident with Sunkit and cannot decide whether to be a warrior or a medicine cat.
Jayfeather calls Moonpaw inside and asks her what is bothering her.
She recalls that the voice had dismissed Sunkit's claim of seeing a cat like Moonpaw and knows that being a medicine cat is not helping her.
She decides to become a warrior apprentice under Sunbeam again.
Getting Sunbeam alone, Moonpaw asks to be her apprentice again.
She promises to be more focused and dedicated to her training.
Sunbeam accepts her, warning her not to make her regret it.
Despite her doubts, Moonpaw resolves to ignore her voice and focus on becoming a warrior above all else.
On night duty, Tawnypelt reflects over her discomfort with ShadowClan and Tigerstar.
She finds herself in a dream of the Great Journey and the destruction of the forest, as well as the new Twoleg den, a monster, and a kit in danger.
She feels uneasy about her dream, worried about the Twolegs.
Upon being relieved by Flaxfoot , Tawnypelt rushes from camp to investigate the Twoleg den.
Birchfeather finds her at the SkyClan border, on dawn patrol for his trial.
When Tawnypelt explains her dream to him, he decides to accompany her.
The pair slip beneath the blue wall and split up to search for the cat in trouble.
Tawnypelt investigates a pile of shiny logs.
The pile begins to fall and Tawnypelt ends up falling into a deep hole.
She realizes that she is the cat in trouble from her dream.
At dawn, Moonpaw heads out with Sunbeam for training, accompanying Flipclaw, Finleap, Goldenpaw, and Shinepaw.
Goldenpaw and Shinepaw are startled that Moonpaw is training as a warrior again.
They offer Moonpaw advice for hunting, mentioning things that they get wrong.
Sunbeam reviews the hunting crouch and stalking with Moonpaw.
Moonpaw successfully catches a rabbit, earning Sunbeam's praise.
They return to the rest of the patrol, and they praise Moonpaw's catch.
Moonpaw investigates an elder bush when she hears rustling, only for something to pull her tail and giggle around her.
She realizes that the voice is touching her, and it invites her to play.
She returns to hunting, disturbed.
While the hunters pursue a squirrel, the voice tries to get Moonpaw's attention.
Moonpaw ignores it, managing to catch the squirrel with her fellow apprentices.
She feels happy and proud of her skills.
As the patrol returns home, the voice complains about Moonpaw ignoring it.
Finding herself in open ground under stars, Tawnypelt believes herself dead.
Rowanclaw, Dawnpelt , and Flametail greet her.
Bluestar approaches and tells Tawnypelt that she must return to the living to lead the Clans against a coming danger.
The former leader's vagueness agitates Tawnypelt.
As Tawnypelt wakes, Bluestar warns her about a two-faced cat.
Tawnypelt finds herself in SkyClan camp, having been rescued by SkyClan.
She recalls her dream with StarClan, and she tries to tell Fidgetflake and Frecklewish, but falls unconscious again.
Moonpaw cleans the warriors' den, refusing Goldenpaw and Shinepaw's offer to help so that she can stay distracted.
Something hits Moonpaw on the shoulder and the bedding vanishes.
Sunbeam arrives and praises her work, sending her to rest.
The apprentice retires to bed, feeling satisfied with her choice to train as a warrior.
Something cold presses against her, and the voice tells her that they are one.
Petrified, Moonpaw rushes out of the den and decides to confide in her parents.
Moonpaw tells them that she hears a voice in her dreams.
Her parents reveal that the cat is Moonpaw's sister, who died shortly after her birth.
Moonpaw is overwhelmed with grief, unable to believe that her sister had been hidden from her.
Thriftear believes that the lost kit is speaking to Moonpaw from StarClan.
Realizing that her sister is unkind and is not in StarClan, Moonpaw rushes out of camp, unable to tell her parents the truth.
At the lake, Moonpaw peers into the water and sees her sister.
Moonpaw tries to convince her sister to go to StarClan, but she grows angry and threatens to make Moonpaw be with her in her world.
End of spoiler warning