Tigerheart's Shadow/Chapter 32

"I, Tigerheart, deputy of ShadowClan and leader of this patrol, call upon my warrior ancestors to honor Spire. He never knew the warrior code, and yet he lived by it. He healed the sick and protected the weak. He gave his life to save another. I commend him to you as a warrior of ShadowClan, and from this moment forward, he will be known as Spiresight, for his visions and his wisdom."

— Tigerheart honoring Spiresight in Tigerheart's Shadow, page 368-369

Tigerheart's Shadow
Chapter number:	32 (of 35)
Page numbers:	362-373
Point of View:	Tigerheart
Chronology

Below contains in-depth information for chapter thirty-two of Tigerheart's Shadow. If you are looking for a shorter summary of the entire book, please check the main article.

Chapter Number: 32 (of 35)

Page Numbers: 362-373

Chapter description

As Tigerheart slides down the bridge, he calls after Spire, who had just fallen off seconds prior. His mate rushes towards Pouncekit and licks her frantically, but he is still hung up on what happened to Spire. Blaze spots him in the river and rushes towards the edge of the Thunderpath, and Slatefur, Cloverfoot, and Cinnamon run after him. Tigerheart remembers that their friend can't swim, and voices this out loud, while Ant says that he might be alive. However, when they reach the bank, none of the cats there have any luck finding Spire. He sees a monster that sucks in water, before thinking that Spire couldn't have survived.

Tigerheart wonders why Spire didn't find another way, and also if he knew this would happen. The rest of the group tries to find him, but search in vain. He pads over to Blaze, and tells him that Spire saved Pouncekit. Blaze, helpless with grief, asks why he couldn't have found another way. As the brown tabby looks across the stretch of river, he says there was no other way. To help comfort the young tom, he tells him that they will all remember him, as will StarClan, for he helped Dovewing and Tigerheart find lost Clanmates. Meanwhile, Slatefur voices the concern that they won't be able to find their way, as Spire was their guide. Blaze retorts that it's only now they believe him, and that Spire died trying to help them, before asking if losing a guide was all the tom was concerned with.

Sparrowtail tells Blaze that Slatefur didn't mean any disrespect, but points out that they need to be back at the lake before Berryheart has kits. Cinnamon adds that Spire was their only healer, and none of them have too much medicinal knowledge. Both she and Cloverfoot think they should head back to the Silverpath, as it leads to the lake, but Ant insists that it'll take too long that way. Blaze mentions a Twolegplace, and Tigerheart believes it to be the same one he passed when he came to the city. Eventually, they agree to take the path Spire set for them, as they believe he would not have set it if he believed they couldn't follow it.

They travel on the hill until the moon rises, before stopping in a clearing. As Tigerheart reflects on what Spire has done for them, he suggests they honor him in some way. He says that Spire saved Lightkit and Pouncekit, and that they should honor him as a warrior. Sparrowtail asks if they should sit vigil, but Tigerheart declares that they will give him a warrior name, as a vigil is not enough. Even though Cloverfoot points out that he's already dead, the brown tabby says StarClan will know, and that will be enough. Although Spire was never a part of any Clan, Cloverfoot argues that he experienced ShadowClan through the group, and tells Tigerheart that she believes he deserves a warrior name.

With the group in agreement, Tigerheart proceeds with the ceremony. He gives the him the name of Spiresight, which everyone else repeats. Afterwards, Ant asks if they should hunt, and he agrees, while Blaze states that he'll be sitting vigil. The brown tabby says he'll sit vigil as well once the kits are fed, but the moment is interrupted when Berryheart lets out a grunt of pain, as she is going into labor. Dovewing and Cinnamon help her, though the latter is a bit nervous. The others help as well, though Blaze is still holding vigil for his friend. Tigerheart himself is wavering between grief and worry, as he thinks about how the journey ahead of them will be long and hard. Despite all of this, his worries turn into relief.

He knows they'll have to wait, as newborn kits cannot travel, but they will stay until Berryheart's kits are old enough. As her first kit mewls, he remembers how he felt when his kits were born. He watches the sunrise, and Dovewing pads up to him. She tells him that Berryheart had three kits, named Hollowkit, Sunkit, and Spirekit. The queen insisted that no other name for Spirekit would do, and although Tigerheart knows this naming practice isn't common, he is happy with it. Blaze has gone to Berryheart's nest just to see them. He asks if Blaze will be okay, and Dovewing responds that he will grieve, but she doesn't believe that he ever regrets coming with them. She comments on how Spiresight even found the missing ShadowClan cats, and her mate says that perhaps he was guided by StarClan.

Dovewing also asks if they were meant to travel to the city in the first place, and he thinks that they were, as he will return home with Clanmates, both new and old. He reflects on what has happened in the past few days, and knows that he will bring home enough cats to make ShadowClan strong once more.

Characters

Major

• Tigerheart

Minor

• Dovewing
• Pouncekit
• Ant
• Blaze
• Slatefur/Rippletail
• Cloverfoot
• Cinnamon
• Sparrowtail
• Berryheart
• Lightkit
• Shadowkit

Mentioned

• Spiresight
• Hollowkit
• Sunkit
• Spirekit

Errors

• There is a major inconsistency with Rippletail's appearance on the patrol. In Tigerheart's Shadow, he escapes the Kin and is one of the cats that return to ShadowClan, while in River of Fire, he is a kittypet, and Slatefur takes his place in the patrol back to ShadowClan. Kate later confirmed he had become a kittypet, as in River of Fire, and Slatefur is the one who is actually meant to be on the patrol.

Important events

• Tigerheart grants Spire a warrior name so he may enter StarClan.

Births

• Sunkit, Spirekit, and Hollowkit are born to Berryheart and Sparrowtail.

Ceremonies

Spiresight's warrior ceremony

Tigerheart: I, Tigerheart, deputy of ShadowClan and leader of this patrol, call upon my warrior ancestors to honor Spire. He never knew the warrior code, and yet he lived by it. He healed the sick and protected the weak. He gave his life to save another. I commend him to you as a warrior of ShadowClan, and from this moment on he will be known as Spiresight, for his visions and his wisdom. Reference: Tigerheart's Shadow, page 369

Notes and references

Author references