The Last Hope/Chapter 4

"Is that all you caught? It's not leaf-bare yet!"

— Bumblestripe appalled at the efforts of the hunting patrol in The Last Hope, page 40

The Last Hope
Chapter number:	4 (of 27)
Page numbers:	34-47
Point of View:	Lionblaze
Chronology

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

Chapter Number: 4 (of 27)

Page Numbers: 34-47

Chapter description

Lionblaze is eating a mouse when Hollyleaf comes over and joins him. Cinderheart approaches the two siblings, saying that Brambleclaw wants them to take a hunting patrol to the lake, however, Hollyleaf does not come because she must lead another patrol, so the two choose Blossomfall and Thornclaw to accompany them instead. As Lionblaze watches them play catch-the-squirrel with each other, he guesses that in a season or two, Blossomfall will be nursing Thornclaw's kits, but he comes to the shocking conclusion that these cats are not mates—they are training with each other in their dreams.

Blossomfall twists her foreleg in a bramble, but Cinderheart tends to her, using her knowledge of medicine from her past life, Cinderpelt, whom was a medicine cat and the cats continue to go on with the hunting. In the end, there is little fresh-kill, and as they bring it back to camp, Bumblestripe comments that it is not leaf-bare yet. Back at camp, Hollyleaf invites Lionblaze for a walk. They discuss Cinderpelt and Cinderheart, and Hollyleaf concludes their discussion with the fact that no matter what Cinderheart is, she is still both of their friends.

Lionblaze challenges Hollyleaf to a race, and comments that it is like Hollyleaf never went away, but Hollyleaf wishes that were true, and Jayfeather and Dovewing then appear. Jayfeather sends Hollyleaf away, and Jayfeather reveals to the Three that there is a fourth cat, and that the Tribe of Endless Hunting told him this when he was in the mountains. The cats are shocked, believing that they were not good enough, and that they could not manage by themselves. Dovewing thinks that they did something wrong. Jayfeather shrugs and declares that they need to find the fourth cat, and Dovewing declares that it must be Ivypool. Jayfeather turns to face her, and reminds her that Ivypool was recruited from the Dark Forest, and has no special powers. He adds that it could be a cat from another Clan.

A thought strikes Lionblaze, and he realizes that it must be Hollyleaf, and that is why she came back. Jayfeather says that it could be Mothwing, and Lionblaze asks him what special power Mothwing possesses, but Jayfeather answers him with another question: what special power Hollyleaf has. Dovewing insists that Ivypool can dream her way into the Dark Forest, but Jayfeather tells her that a lot of cats can do that, and that it is pointless arguing, and he leaves. Dovewing suggests that StarClan will send a sign, and Lionblaze's belly feels hollow as he wonders if StarClan knows what is happening. Lionblaze asks himself how he can trust them with the faith of the Clans.

Characters

Major

• Lionblaze
• Hollyleaf
• Cinderheart

Minor

• Millie
• Graystripe
• Rosepetal
• Blossomfall
• Brambleclaw
• Cloudtail
• Brightheart
• Thornclaw
• Firestar
• Squirrelflight
• Daisy
• Ferncloud
• Mousefur
• Purdy
• Bumblestripe
• Berrynose
• Whitewing
• Dovewing

Mentioned

• Cinderpelt
• Briarlight
• Hazeltail
• Cherrypaw
• Foxleap
• Toadstep
• Ivypool
• Mothwing

Trivia

• In the reprinted version of The Last Hope, Mousewhisker replaces Thornclaw on the patrol, and Lionblaze thinks that Mousewhisker and Blossomfall will soon be mates.