The First Battle/Cliffnotes

Contents

These notes reflect a bulleted list of major and minor events in The First Battle 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.

Prologue

• Gray Wing watches the Tribe in a dream.
  • He views Jay Frost trying to help an elder rid of stones in their nest.
  • He notices Misty Water and Lion's Roar arguing over Misty Water refusing to eat.
  • He looks at Snow Hare and Twisted Branch sharing tongues with each other.
  • He also sees Dewy Leaf's kits running underfoot.
• Stoneteller notices him and they discuss his life on the moor.
  • Gray Wing thinks about how the tribe cats had seen so much death when they left the mountains.
  • Stoneteller tells him that she believes in him and that changes made in blood were also new beginnings.

Chapter 1

• Clear Sky watches Thunder and Frost leave, and thinks that Thunder doesn't understand why Frost had to leave the camp.
  • He remembers how Falling Feather told Thunder she almost wished she could go with him.
• Clear Sky spots Falling Feather and confronts her about her comment to Thunder.
  • She tries to defend herself and calls him greedy.
  • Clear Sky rakes her across the nose and says that cats in his camp should never doubt their loyalty to him.
• Clear Sky calls a meeting.
  • He announces that Thunder and Frost had left the forest.
  • He tells the forest cats there is no room for disloyalty and that Falling Feather would be punished for thinking about leaving with Thunder and Frost.
    • The cats are ordered to report any signs of her disloyalty and to take her prey and give her orders if they wish.
• After saying that expanding borders is for their own good, Clear Sky tells Fircone and Nettle to demonstrate their fighting skills, as they would need them for defending borders.
  • The two cats show good promise and have to be dragged off of each other to stop fighting.
  • Clear Sky explains how the forest cats would begin training for the battle to protect their borders.
  • Leaf asks Fircone for a demonstration of his fighting techniques.

Chapter 2

• Wind Runner and Gray Wing argue over whether or not to start a fight between Clear Sky's cat and themselves.
  • Rainswept Flower asks what there was to fight about, as Clear Sky chose to live in the forest and they chose to live on the moor.
• Turtle Tail's kits come tumbling out of the brambles.
  • They attempt to play in the clearing, but Gray Wing tells them to play out of the way.
  • Turtle Tail worries that they will fall when they begin a bramble-climbing contest, but Gray Wing reassures her.
• The adult cats continue to argue until Gray Wing asks Cloud Spots for his opinion on the matter.
  • He says that the prey heap was empty, and the kits would be hungry soon.
  • Gray Wing sends Jackdaw's Cry, Shattered Ice, and Gorse Fur out hunting. Hawk Swoop joins them.
• Wind Runner, Gray Wing, and Tall Shadow discuss the problem of Clear Sky's constantly expanding borders until Rainswept Flower interrupts them.
  • She and Cloud Spots smell the air excitedly, and Hawk Swoop runs into the clearing, saying that Thunder was home.
  • Gray Wing spots him and warmly tells him that he had grown.
• He then asks why Thunder had left the forest, but before Thunder can answer, Frost limps into camp, and Hawk Swoop explains why they left. This reassures Gray Wing that Thunder isn't a spy.
  • Cloud Spots tries to examine Frost's wound, but Frost bristles until Cloud Spots explains what he is doing.
• Gray Wing asks again why Thunder left but takes him just outside the camp for the answer.
  • Thunder and Gray Wing discuss Clear Sky's cruelty and Thunder tries to tell his uncle that they must either defend their borders or convince Clear Sky to stop taking the land, or he will take everything.
  • Gray Wing agrees to try to reason with his brother.
• They reenter the camp and Gray Wing tells Tall Shadow his plan, and she questions his safety.
  • Tall Shadow tells him he can go as long as others are with him, and he calls a meeting.
  • The group gathers around him and explains his plan.
    • Cloud Spots voices his concerns about doing it so soon and Thunder agrees with him.
• Gray Wing climbs into his nest, soon joined by Turtle Tail and her kits.
  • Jagged Peak offers the kits prey, which they eagerly eat.
• Just as Gray Wing begins to fall asleep, he hears Pebble Heart crying out, clearly having a dream.
  • Pebble Heart mews that kin shouldn't be fighting and that he and his siblings were all alone.
  • Gray Wing comforts him, despite worrying about the dream's meaning.

Chapter 3

• Thunder walks back to camp, carrying a mouse.
  • He looks around the camp, but can't spot Acorn Fur or Lightning Tail.
• He enters Cloud Spots' den and offers the mouse to Frost.
  • When Thunder asks Frost how he is, Cloud Spots tells him that his friend has a fever and the infection in his leg had been left for too long.
  • Frost asks if he will survive and Cloud Spots assures him he will.
• Thunder pads out of the den and sees Jagged Peak playing with Owl Eyes and Sparrow Fur.
  • He realizes that he is, in fact, teaching them battle moves, and gets into a heated argument with Jagged Peak.
• As he stalks away from Jagged Peak, Hawk Swoop comforts Thunder, and reassures him that he will be accepted by the others eventually.
• Suddenly, Lightning Tail jumps on Thunder, knocking him over.
  • He and his sister greet Thunder warmly and bombard him with questions.
  • Wind Runner calls them away to battle training, and Thunder objects strongly, provoking and argument with Wind Runner.
• After Tall Shadow officially welcomes Wind Runner into their group, Turtle Tail leads an angry Thunder away to talk to him.
  • She tells him that the other cats were just worried about what Clear Sky would do next and want to be ready.
  • Thunder decides that if they have to fight, he'll help them.

Chapter 4

• Tall Shadow reports that she had formally welcomed Wind Runner and Gorse Fur.
  • He notices Thunder behind her, bristling, and agrees to join the she-cat at the rock in a minute.
• When asked what was bothering him, Thunder tells Gray Wing that Wind Runner was teaching the kits to fight.
  • Gray Wing, confused as to why this is a bad thing, tells his nephew that they must be prepared, in case talking with Clear Sky doesn't work.
• Tall Shadow calls Gray Wing back over to her, and Wind Runner tells him she is expecting kits.
  • Gray Wing warmly congratulates her, but Wind Runner worries that her kits will be resented, as they will be extra mouths to feed, then suggesting that they leave after Tall Shadow mutters that it was a bad time for kits to be born.
  • Gray Wing strongly protests, saying that Wind Runner has earned her place many times and her kits will be raised by the rest of the group as if they were their own.
• He and Tall Shadow leap onto the rock with the rest of the group surrounding them.
  • Tall Shadow announces that Wind Runner was expecting kits.
  • The group voices congratulations and concerns for the coming cold season, but Tall Shadow assures them that there will be enough food.
  • They decide to celebrate with a feast, eating like mountain cats by sharing.
• Gray Wing goes to his nest after the feast and drifts off.
• He is woken when he hears soft murmuring outside his nest.
  • Rainswept Flower and Jagged Peak move away from his nest, and Gray Wing follows them.
  • The two discuss how Gray Wing talking to Clear Sky won't work, and how Rainswept Flower might be a better option.
• As the two walk back to camp, Gray Wing questions whether Jagged Peak might be right.

Chapter 5

• Birch, Alder, and Clear Sky are running through the forest. Clear Sky thinks that the kits are slow.
  • He tells the kits that they were going to play hide and seek to practice finding their enemies.
• Alder and Clear Sky go and hide while Birch stays behind to give them time before going after them.
  • When they come to a clump of ferns, Alder suggests they hide behind them, but Clear Sky tells her to hide behind a tree and attack Birch when he comes looking for her.
• Alder protests, saying they didn't warn her brother.
  • Clear Sky tries to explain that cats with battle tactics are more likely to win battles than those who don't, however dishonorable it may seem.
  • He then orders her to roll in some mud to disguise her scent.
• Suddenly, they hear a dog heading towards Birch, and Clear Sky races after it.
  • The dog circles the beech and leaps at Birch, barely missing his tail.
  • Petal suddenly comes racing up the slope, and she and Clear Sky distract the dog until a Twoleg calls the dog away.
• They find the kits and Petal agrees to take them home.
  • As they walk, Alder tells Petal about their training session.
  • Petal glares at Clear Sky, telling him the kits were too young for battle training.
• The later that day, Clear Sky is woken up by yowling.
  • He discovers that two rogues had come to ask if they could join the group.
  • They tell him the information they knew about the moor cats.
• Clear Sky comes to the conclusion that Gray Wing was starting a battle.
  • Clear Sky accepts the rogues, and promises himself he'll bring his brother war.

Chapter 6

• Thunder waits in the fog to join Gray Wing in meeting Clear Sky.
  • Jackdaw's Cry comes up behind him, and they discuss Jackdaw's Cry's distaste for Thunder.
  • River Ripple appears from the fog with a lizard in his mouth and offers it to the moor cats.
  • They decline and River Ripple settles down to eat the lizard, saying that Clear Sky was hogging all of the good prey.
• Jackdaw's Cry and Thunder tell him they were going to talk to a Clear Sky that day to tell him he can't claim more territory.
  • River Ripple wishes them luck and offers them the rest of the lizard, but the two politely decline.
• He leaves and Thunder asks if others were coming, before Gray Wing comes up behind them, saying he told the others not to come.
  • He goes on to say that just the two of them should go and tell Clear Sky to meet him at the four trees in a few days' time.
  • They agree and set off to see the forest cats' leader.
• They head into the forest and are almost immediately found by Petal and Falling Feather.
  • Falling Feather greets her brother warmly but is growled at by Petal, who argues with them before Falling Feather offers to take them to Clear Sky.
• They follow the white she-cat to the camp, where Thunder observes the clearing.
  • He notes two new cats in the clearing and wonders if his father was recruiting more cats.
  • Clear Sky jumps down from an oak branch, greeting the moor cats coldly.

Chapter 7

• Clear Sky watches Thunder and Jackdaw's Cry come into the camp and fight to keep a calm appearance.
  • He circles the two moor cats, spooking them before telling them he would talk.
  • He calls Falling Feather, and the four head out of the camp to speak.
• He leads them to an old oak and slithers under the roots.
  • He notes that he had the advantage inside the cramped space.
• The two toms explain what Gray Wing wants to speak with Clear Sky.
  • They argue about his boundary shifting until Clear Sky agrees to meet his brother at the four oaks.
  • They head back to camp and Clear Sky shows the moor cats that his group was thriving.
• He announces his part of the deal to meet at the four trees; Jackdaw's Cry had to stay at his camp until the meeting.
  • Thunder protests, but Jackdaw's Cry reassures him before Thunder leaves.
• Clear Sky jumps and climbs to the top of the camp's oak and looks out across the land.
  • He thinks about the deaths he caused and decides there was no peaceful way to share the land.
  • He jumps down and tells Petal to gather the other cats around to prepare for battle.

Chapter 8

• Thunder is worried about leaving Jackdaw's Cry behind at Clear Sky's camp.
  • Meanwhile he is crossing the boundary between Clear Sky and Gray Wing's border.
• Thunder is attacked by Tom, a kittypet that bullied Turtle Tail in her kittypet days.
  • Tom is surprised that Bumble is dead and blames Clear Sky as he scents him on her grave.
  • Tom claims Turtle Tail to have stolen his kits, Tom then asks Thunder to lead him to Turtle Tail.
  • Thunder refuses to take him to the hollow but agrees to tell Turtle Tail he saw him.
• Thunder goes in a zig-zag pattern to make sure Tom is not following him.
  • Thunder feels he should not know where Turtle Tail lived.

Chapter 9

• Gray Wing is playing with Turtle Tail's kits in the clearing.
  • Jagged Peak takes the kits and plays with them as Gray Wing rests.
• Gray Wing asks where Pebble Heart is. Turtle Tail tells him he is helping Cloud Spots.
• Gray Wing begins wheezing.
• Tall Shadow sees Thunder comeback from Clear Sky's Camp
  • Jackdaw's Cry is not with him.
• Thunder tells Gray Wing that Clear Sky is willing to meet, but notices there is a problem.
  • The moor cats ask Thunder where Jackdaw's Cry is.
  • Thunder tells them Clear Sky is keeping him prisoner until Gray Wing and Clear Sky meet at four trees.
• Hawk Swoop interrogates Thunder about the condition of Jackdaw's Cry in Clear Sky's camp.
  • Thunder tells her that Jackdaw's Cry is safe until after the meeting.
• The moor cats look to Gray Wing, but he looks to Tall Shadow.
  • Tall Shadow tells them Jackdaw's Cry must stay with Clear Sky if that's what it takes to achieve peace.
• Thunder tells Gray Wing and Turtle Tail about his encounter with Tom.
  • Gray Wing defensively stands in front of his mate.
• Turtle Tail says she must meet with Tom so he won't come looking for the kits.
• Tall Shadow and Gray Wing agree to go with her.
• When they meet Tom, he fights with Thunder, Turtle Tail and Gray Wing. Tall Shadow stops the fighting cats.
• Tom demands to see his kits and Gray Wing accidentally lets slip that they live in a hollow.
• The moor cats leave but Gray Wing starts to have an asthma attack.
• Gray Wing falls asleep and dreams about the mountain cave. Stoneteller warns him to wake up because his loved ones are in danger.
• Wind Runner has begun her kitting.

Chapter 10

• Rainswept Flower reveals that Wind Runner's kits are coming too soon.
• Turtle Tail goes to check on her, and orders Thunder to find a stick for her to bite down on.
• Thunder must go into the forest to find a sturdy stick. He climbs a tree and retrieves a young shoot.
• Back at camp, Turtle Tail says the stick is good and Thunder may come in and see Wind Runner.
• Wind Runner gives birth to three toms and a she-kit.
• Turtle Tail's kits are missing.
• Turtle Tail, Jagged Peak, Hawk Swoop and Shattered Ice go to look for them. Tall Shadow and Thunder force Gray Wing to rest.
• They discover that Tom took the kits and Turtle Tail goes after him.
• Thunder sends Jagged Peak home while he and Lightning Tail go after Turtle Tail.

Chapter 11

• Clear Sky is patrolling with Snake when they come across Tom with the kits. He lets them go on their way.
• Back at camp, Clear Sky draws a circle for his cats to practice fighting in. He tells Falling Feather to lay on her back and try to throw Snake off when he attacks her.
• Once everyone is done training, the clearing is covered in blood.
• Clear Sky denies Jackdaw's Cry any prey, and won't allow him to hunt.
• Angrily, he leaves the camp and finds Thunder and Lightning Tail looking for Turtle Tail and the kits. Clear Sky denies seeing them.

Chapter 12

• Thunder and Lightning Tail search the meadow for signs of Turtle Tail or the kits.
• They meet a rogue named Swift, who tells them Tom and the kits were heading for the river.
• At the river, Lightning Tail picks up Turtle Tail's scent. They try to use stepping stones to cross, but Lightning Tail falls in.
• River Ripple saves him, then offers to take them into Twolegplace.
• While in Twolegplace, they are almost ran over by a monster.
• Lightning Tail notices Turtle Tail's lifeless body on the side of the Thunderpath.

Chapter 13

• They hide Turtle Tail's body under a flowery bush.
• River Ripple introduces them to a kittypet named Flower, who shows them where Tom lives.
• They find Tom and the kits in a monster den and watch Tom beg a twoleg for extra food.
• Thunder realizes he can't fight Tom in front of the kits, and tries to reason with him.
• Lightning Tail convinces Thunder to give up, but reveals he has a plan.

Chapter 14

• Back at camp, Gray Wing wakes up.
• Jagged Peak informs him that Turtle Tail went after Tom, and Thunder went after Turtle Tail.
• Shattered Ice informs him that Tom took the kits across the river and Turtle Tail, Thunder and Lighting Tail followed. He believes they'd be back by sunset.
• Tall Shadow asks Gray Wing if he's thought about what to say to Clear Sky yet.
• Gray Wing believes Clear Sky keeps expanding his territory because he's scared of himself. He, Shattered Ice, and Tall Shadow discuss what might scare Clear Sky.
• Gray Wing reasons Clear Sky is afraid of losing another loved one. He and Tall Shadow go to the four oak trees to find the perfect spot to talk.
• Anxiously, Gray Wing decides to head home to wait for Turtle Tail.
• Back at camp, one of Wind Runner's kits, Emberkit, has died.
• Gray Wing tries to comfort Wind Runner, but can't say the right words. She's very upset.

Chapter 15

• Thunder and Lightning Tail are trying to come up with a plan on how to get the kits away from Tom.
• They decide Lightning Tail will distract Tom while Thunder tries to convince the kits to come home.
• Back at the Twoleg den, Lightning Tail, Thunder and River talk about all the things the kits won't get to do if they stay with Tom.
• Lightning Tail lures a Twoleg into the den and acts like a kittypet to make Tom jealous. The kits are terrified of being picked up or touched by the Twoleg.
• Tom tries to lash out at Lightning Tail, surprising the kits.
• The kits decide they want to go home and River Ripple sneaks them out of the den.
• After rescuing Lightning Tail from the Twolegs, he and Thunder escape from Twolegplace.
• Tom tries to follow them, but they warn him never to come onto the moor again, and that his kits will remember him as the cat who killed their mother.
• Lightning Tail and Thunder catch up to River Ripple and the kits.
• River Ripple returns to his nest.
• Sparrow Fur is excited to tell Turtle Tail and Gray Wing what happened. Thunder's breath catches in his throat as he realizes Turtle Tail wouldn't be there.

Chapter 16

• Everyone is worried because the kits haven't returned yet.
• The kits return home, calling for Turtle Tail.
• Thunder informs Gray Wing that Turtle Tail is dead.
• Sparrow Fur is angry at Thunder for bringing her back to a home with no mother. She collapses his grief and Gray Wing comforts her.
• The other cats offer their respects and Rainswept Flower mentions how happy Turtle Tail was to be with Gray Wing.
• Rainswept Flower wakes him up the next day, and tells him Thunder had left Turtle Tail's body by the Twolegplace. Her pelt was covered in flower petals.
• The moor cats hold a burial for Emberkit. Although they can't bury Turtle Tail, they use it as a ceremony to remember her by.

Chapter 17

• Gray Wing is preparing for the meeting with Clear Sky.
• A few guards are placed near the hollow.
• Before they leave, Pebble Heart warns Gray Wing that there's danger ahead.

Coming Soon

Chapter 18

Coming Soon

Chapter 19

Coming Soon

Chapter 20

Coming Soon

Chapter 21

Coming Soon

Chapter 22

Coming Soon

Chapter 23

Coming Soon