The Last Hope/Chapter 8

"I can't force you to follow the path StarClan has chosen for you, Lionblaze. It's a destiny you must choose for yourself."

— Firestar to Lionblaze in The Last Hope, page 95

The Last Hope
Chapter number:	8 (of 27)
Page numbers:	84-96
Point of View:	Lionblaze
Chronology

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

Chapter Number: 8 (of 27)

Page Numbers: 84-96

Chapter description

Lionblaze pads back to camp, wondering if he should tell Hollyleaf that she is the fourth cat. His mind has been spinning ever since Jayfeather told them about the Tribe's prophecy. He thinks more, wondering if she wasn't the fourth cat and if he would tell her something false. He tries to think about something else and glances over his shoulder. Sorreltail and Squirrelflight are padding after him, and no troubles stir up while the trio patrolled.

As Squirrelflight and Sorreltail talk, Lionblaze is wondering if the Clans do need a fourth cat and if StarClan believes in him, since his destiny is to save the lake cats. He feels a pang at the thought of his destiny changing too, before entering the camp to find Firestar, asking about their patrol. He reports that ShadowClan hasn't crossed the border, and WindClan has well-marked scent lines.

The ThunderClan leader prompts if there's anything else, and Lionblaze knows he's hinting about the Dark Forest warriors, but doubts they can come into the living world, then recalls Ivypool's wounds. He heads off to the warriors' den, and settles beside Cinderheart, although he keeps fidgeting. She tells him not to, and after some brief chat, they go out for a walk, which makes Lionblaze hopeful.

Cinderheart leads Lionblaze to the lake. She tells him that when she sees the lake, she feels nothing could go wrong. She then asks him if they're ever going to be together. Lionblaze pretends he doesn't know what she means, and she tells him they've got to stop fighting their destinies. Lionblaze says he's not fighting his destiny, but Cinderheart won't listen. Cinderheart says she can't get in the way of Lionblaze's destiny. Lionblaze asks if he gets to choose, but Cinderheart says she can't choose if she wants to be a warrior or a medicine cat if she takes a mate. Cinderheart breaks their conversation and asks Lionblaze if he wants to return home, but Lionblaze refuses to listen to her and stares at his own reflection in the lake. Suddenly, Lionblaze leaves Cinderheart at the lake, hoping that she would glance back at him, but she was gone when he turned.

Lionblaze wakes up cold, wet, and stiff from sleeping on stones near the lake. He shakes his fur and thinks about his destiny and his relationship with Cinderheart. When he starts heading his way back to the ThunderClan camp, he runs into the dawn patrol consisting of Graystripe, Cloudtail, Squirrelflight, and Millie. Lionblaze asks to join their patrol, which they reply with numerous questions about his whereabouts and his safety, answering every question with reassurance. Lionblaze asks where the patrol is headed and Millie replies that they are going to the ShadowClan border.

When the four cats reach the border, they smell Ratscar in the wind. Graystripe and the rest of the patrol hurry their pace to the border and see six ShadowClan cats moving along the border. The patrol stiffens at the scent of ShadowClan warriors. Millie growls, asking if they were planning on invading ThunderClan territory. Lionblaze remarks, saying they wouldn't dare. Lionblaze leads the patrol forward to inspect the scent. They come face to face with Ratscar, Smokefoot, Stoatpaw, Dawnpelt, Snowbird, and Olivenose. Lionblaze asks what they are doing at the ThunderClan border. Ratscar, hissing, exclaims that they haven't crossed the border. Smokefoot adds, implying that someone had crossed their borders. Cloudtail stiffens and asks what he is talking about. Stoatpaw says that a ThunderClan cat had been on ShadowClan territory. Lionblaze tastes the air and smells Dovewing, believing that she must have been spying. Dawnpelt moves past Ratscar and claims ThunderClan are trespassers and murderers.

Lionblaze crosses the ShadowClan border to cover Dovewing's scent. Lionblaze says he cannot smell anything. Ratscar tells him to step off of ShadowClan's territory. Lionblaze taunts the ShadowClan warriors as the surround him. He thinks about how this is the perfect chance to shape his own destiny to Cinderheart. Graystripe yells at Lionblaze to get off the border, but Lionblaze once again taunts the ShadowClan cats, asking if they are afraid he will hurt someone. Graystripe once again orders Lionblaze that they did not come here to pick a fight and to get off the border. Lionblaze answers saying they might have come in time to stop a fight. Ratscar eyes Graystripe and asks if Lionblaze is crazy. Squirrelflight asks Lionblaze to come back over the border. Lionblaze refuses to say they assumed and ThunderClan cat had been on their land, and he is just giving them proof. Lionblaze then spits at Ratscar.

Ratscar tells Stoatpaw that this is a chance to practice his attack moves, and to use them on Lionblaze. Lionblaze bristles as the apprentice hurls at him, afraid of hurting Stoatpaw. Lionblaze asks Ratscar if ShadowClan sends its apprentices into battle first. Ratscar snarls and lunges at Lionblaze after he taunts him once again. Squirrelflight asks the rest of the patrol to help, but Graystripe stops her, saying that he started the fight, and he should be the one to finish it. Lionblaze defends himself from the worst of the blows Ratscar throws, thinking to himself that he should not fight back. When Lionblaze feels the blood running through his furs, he rolls over and kicks Ratscar away with his hind paws. He doesn't want his Clanmates thinking he let him win; he attempts to hook Ratscar's paws, but he leaps in time and pierces Lionblaze's pelt until he screeches. Ratscar lets go of Lionblaze and shoves him back over the ThunderClan border, telling him to get off ShadowClan territory.

Lionblaze is pinned down by the rest of the patrol and Graystripe apologizes to Ratscar saying they had no orders to trespass. Ratscar scolds them, asking if ThunderClan warriors know what discipline is. Graystripe reminds him that tensions are running high in all of the Clans. Dawnpelt flexes her claws and tells the ThunderClan patrol to go home. Stoatpaw taunts them as they leave. Lionblaze is filled with satisfaction as pain rushes through his body, exclaiming in his thoughts that he can choose his own destiny. Ratscar yells at them, while they're leaving, to tell their leader a battle will occur if more ThunderClan cats cross ShadowClan borders.

Lionblaze looks at Squirrelflight's shocked reaction. He thinks about his Clanmates probable opinion on his actions. Graystripe turns around to face Lionblaze, and asks him what he was doing. Squirrelflight joins the argument and asks Lionblaze if he was covering up a scent on the ShadowClan border. Graystripe tries to have her leave the conversation and says he didn't have to start a fight over covering a scent. Lionblaze apologizes for his actions, and Graystripe replies with Firestar's opinion on the matter.

When Lionblaze enters the ThunderClan camp, Sandstorm is the first cat to greet him, along with Spiderleg, Berrynose, and Poppyfrost, curious as to why Lionblaze is bloody and beaten. Lionblaze tells them a ShadowClan patrol beat him. Poppyfrost, in amazement, says Lionblaze is their best warrior and ShadowClan must have put up a very hard fight. Lionblaze hears Cinderheart from the fresh-kill pile. Cinderpelt asks him what he did, exclaiming that he isn't supposed to get hurt. Cinderheart stiffens and asks Lionblaze if he had gotten himself hurt on purpose. Lionblaze reminds her that she was the one who told him that he could shape his own destiny and that he chose to be normal. Cinderheart tells him he should have made the right choice. Lionblaze asks her if she knows if his choice in hurting himself was the correct one. Cinderheart hisses at him, pointing at the wounds he has accumulated from fighting the ShadowClan patrol, and turns away from Lionblaze.

Jayfeather directs Lionblaze to the medicine den to heal his wounds. Lionblaze prepared for a lecture from his brother about his actions and his wounds. Briarlight, in her nest, asks Jayfeather and Lionblaze what had happened, but Jayfeather tells her to go get fresh-kill from the fresh-kill pile. Jayfeather tells Lionblaze to sit down while he chews leaves into a poultice. Firestar, at the entrance of the medicine den, demands an explanation from Lionblaze about his actions and his wounds. Lionblaze defends himself, asking if he had to always win fights. Firestar shoves his face into Lionblaze's, exclaiming that his destiny is to always win whatever fight he comes across and he has no say in what his destiny is. Lionblaze rustles and tells the ThunderClan leader that he had not wished for his destiny, and he can't make him do what he didn't want to do. Firestar takes a step back and agrees with Lionblaze, telling him his destiny must be formed by himself.

After Firestar leaves, Lionblaze turns to Jayfeather and asks if he is going to scold him like everyone else. Jayfeather refuses and Lionblaze is taken aback. Jayfeather tends to Lionblaze's wounds while he is begging Jayfeather to tell him off. Jayfeather tells him that he is starting to doubt the prophecy now with the addition of a fourth cat. Lionblaze thinks about Jayfeather's words, wondering if the prophecy isn't enough to save the Clans.

Characters

Major

• Lionblaze
• Cinderheart

Minor

• Squirrelflight
• Sorreltail
• Firestar
• Graystripe
• Cloudtail
• Millie
• Ratscar
• Smokefoot
• Stoatpaw
• Sandstorm
• Spiderleg
• Berrynose
• Poppyfrost
• Briarlight
• Jayfeather

Mentioned

• Hollyleaf
• Leafpool
• Dovewing