Twilight/Chapter 7

"The cat Squirrelflight thought she had known would have accepted his disappointment and moved on, given up his hopes of being deputy, and concentrated on being a loyal ThunderClan warrior. But Brambleclaw wasn't that cat anymore. Fear tingled through Squirrelflight again as she wondered just how far he would go to fulfill his ambition."

— Narrator in Twilight, page 116

Twilight
Chapter number:	7 (of 24)
Page numbers:	106-116
Point of View:	Squirrelflight
Chronology

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

Chapter Number: 7 (of 24)

Page Numbers: 106-116

Chapter description

Squirrelflight is seen pausing before a clump of bracken as she scents a foreign cat, noticing that it is not ShadowClan or ThunderClan. Squirrelflight realizes that it is one of the kittypets from a Twoleg nest in ShadowClan's territory. She is ready to chase it, but is stopped by Ashfur and Sootfur. Brambleclaw joins them, scolding Squirrelflight, saying that she could've crossed into ShadowClan territory if she was going to chase it. Squirrelflight is about to protest, but she realizes that the ShadowClan marker is very faint. Ashfur jumps to her defense, and Sandstorm looks at Ashfur, saying that Squirrelflight can defend herself.

Squirrelflight is genuinely thankful for Ashfur standing up for her, and apologizes, saying she didn't see the border. Thornclaw agrees that it is faint, and Sandstorm wonders why they haven't renewed it, as they are usually the first to do it. Squirrelflight comments that if they can't be bothered to renew their markers, then they shouldn't object if a cat accidentally crosses it. Brambleclaw grudgingly agrees with her, but tells her to be careful. Ashfur defends her once again, saying she will be, much to Squirrelflight's annoyance. Squirrelflight is aware of Sandstorm looking at her with surprise, thinking that Sandstorm believes she is depending on Ashfur for protection. 

Ashfur goes on, saying that it isn't Brambleclaw's place to tell Squirrelflight what to do. Brambleclaw tells him that it's any cat's place, asking if he wants trouble with ShadowClan. Both toms unsheathe their claws, and look as if they are about to fight, and Sandstorm breaks up the fight. She sends the patrol back to camp before ShadowClan finds them arguing. Brambleclaw and Ashfur hesitate, still glaring at each other. Squirrelflight snaps angrily at Ashfur to go before her, and Ashfur, surprised, does so. Brambleclaw tells Squirrelflight that she can't blame Ashfur for wanting to take care of her, but Squirrelflight notices that his voice is critical. Squirrelflight hisses at him, saying she knows there's only one cat she can trust with her life.

Brambleclaw's eyes widen, and he asks if there truly is only one. Squirrelflight retorts, saying that Ashfur doesn't go off with a cat from another Clan, a cat who can't be trusted. Brambleclaw stares at her, asking if she wants a loyal warrior to pad after her and smooth all the thorns from her path. He adds that he never used to think she was like that, and thought better of her. Squirrelflight tells him to believe what he wants, and at that moment, Ashfur appears. Squirrelflight snaps at him, asking what he wants. Ashfur replies that he wanted to make sure she was okay, and Squirrelflight's fur flattens. She realizes that no cat can doubt Ashfur's loyalty to his Clan, and thinks that if Brambleclaw was the forest, shadowed by darkness, Ashfur was the lake, glimmering in the light. She and Ashfur head back to camp, but she is aware of Brambleclaw's gaze burning on her pelt. 

At camp, Squirrelflight notices a lot of activity. She sees Leafpool, her sister, and notices she is oddly subdued. Squirrelflight guesses that she is still recovering from the scolding Cinderpelt had given her from staying with RiverClan all night. Leafpool tells her that Firestar had called a meeting due to the fact that it is time that Birchkit is ready to be apprenticed. Squirrelflight thinks that she would like to be his mentor, but guesses she needs to think before she acts if she is going to be responsible for the training of an apprentice. Squirrelflight watches as Birchkit walks to the center of the camp with Dustpelt and Ferncloud.

She feels a rush of admiration for the tom kit as he had lost most of his family due to starvation and had completed the journey from the old forest to the lake while he was just a kit, and he had shown true courage through it. She sees Brambleclaw watching the young cat with ambition in his eyes, and for a moment, Squirrelflight is puzzled until she remembers that cats who want to be deputy are supposed to have one apprentice. She realizes that if Brambleclaw is going to have a shot at being deputy, he would need an apprentice, and due to Graystripe still being missing he would not have a lot of time to get one. Squirrelflight wonders if Brambleclaw will be a killer like his father, Tigerstar, to achieve his ambitions.

Firestar appoints Ashfur as Birchkit - now Birchpaw's - mentor. Squirrelflight watches Brambleclaw's eyes blaze in disbelief. Firestar tells Ashfur that he had known grief and could deal with it well, and that he should pass on his skills to Birchpaw. When the ceremony is over, Ashfur pads over to Squirrelflight, and Squirrelflight purrs at him, telling he never told her that Firestar had chosen him for a mentor. Ashfur responds that he wanted to surprise her. Squirrelflight presses her nose against him, saying that he deserves it. Squirrelflight looks at Brambleclaw, and notices that he is looking at both of them with envy and frustration in his eyes. Squirrelflight wonders what he will do now that his hopes of being deputy was foiled once again.

Sandstorm calls Squirrelflight to come over to her. She tells Squirrelflight that Brambleclaw and Ashfur were close to fighting today, and that was not good. Squirrelflight mutters that it wasn't her fault, and Sandstorm looks at her, telling her that any cat has problems, but she shouldn't let hers get in the way of her duty to her Clan. Squirrelflight tells her that she'll do her best, but they both were acting like furballs. Sandstorm tells her that's tomcats for her. Squirrelflight watches as Brambleclaw heads towards the warriors' den with his head down and tail trailing. Squirrelflight thinks that the cat she used to know would accept the disappointment and go on serving her Clan, and worries about what will happen if Brambleclaw becomes too frustrated to wait to become a deputy.

Characters

Major

• Squirrelflight

Minor

• Ashfur
• Brambleclaw
• Sandstorm
• Sootfur
• Firestar

Mentioned

• Mousewhisker
• Cloudtail
• Brightheart
• Birchkit
• Ferncloud
• Dustpelt
• Whitepaw

Errors

• Birchkit is mistakenly described as gray.