River (book)/Chapter 5

==Chapter description==
:Frostpaw is sharing tongues with Curlfeather, who expresses her happiness for being bold at the Gathering the night before. She refuses this praise, and buries her head in her prey. Reedwhisker then announces a hunting patrol and picks out three warriors including Curlfeather. Mothwing scolds Frostpaw for eating prey instead of healing. Before she can protest, Curlfeather interrupts, agreeing with the golden tabby and leading her daughter to her duties. As Frostpaw follows Mothwing to the medicine den, Brackenpelt bristles as she walks past them, questioning Mistystar on the changes being made to the code, especially about switching Clans. Mosspelt joins in, and instead of answering their questions, Mistystar jumps on the Highstump and calls for a Clan meeting to discuss the matter publically.
:She asks Mosspelt directly what the problem with accepting the code is, and the elder uncomfortably reasons that it's too big of a change, with Duskfur doubting the change because of the few cats that went to the Dark Forest. More cats eventually join in to confront their leader, and point out how it would only benefit the Lights in the Mist. Owlnose also states that it benefits her even further, as she was born half-Clan. Mistystar grows hostile, reminding them that she could not control the circumstances of her birth and that it was no problem for Leopardstar when she became deputy. Duskfur insists that this discourages cats to stay with their own Clan, and the rest of the Clan calls attention to how getting rid of a leader would only make sense in ThunderClan considering the problem with Ashfur and Bramblestar, but that this wouldn't happen in RiverClan. Mistystar firmly expresses that these issues would have been useful when Tigerstar tried to put ShadowClan with RiverClan to create TigerClan, but Shimmerpelt tells her that it was in the past. 
:Mothwing walks up to the Highstump to back Mistystar up, stating that everything she's saying is true. Duskfur objects, believing that more living cats should decide the code. Mistystar hisses that they were the only cats brave enough to risk their own lives to save their Clan. Duskfur counters that the blue-gray she-cat was once on the side of Ashfur. Mistystar admits that it was wrong of her in turn, before suddenly breaking off and falling off the stump. She rasps for help, and the senior medicine cat rushes to her side, with Frostpaw soon joining her. Gasping for air, her body soon goes limp; and Mothwing quickly has Frostpaw do chest compressions to save her. The apprentice asks if she should get chervil for her, but her mentor soon realizes that it's too late to save her, telling her to stop pressing. Frostpaw trembles as she steps back, remembering that StarClan gave her nine lives, turning to Mothwing and asking if she has any lives yet, but she simply shakes her head. 
:The other cats insist that she is getting her next life, but Mothwing states that this was her last. The Clan begs the two healers to make sure that she gets to StarClan, with Frostpaw going to hold Mistystar's paw. She shuts her eyes tightly and asks her ancestors to take the fallen leader into their care. A she-cat then appears before her, who gently reassures the young cat that she is safe and one of them now. Frostpaw opens her eyes and tells the Clan that the late leader is safe with their ancestors, and that Willowshine appeared to tell her. RiverClan cheers her name in gratitude, before Mothwing suddenly remembers that Reedwhisker is on patrol, and asks where he is. Frostpaw reflects on how he will be a good leader.
==Characters==
===Major===
===Minor===
===Mentioned===
==Important events==
===Deaths===
*Mistystar: Unspecified causes
==Notes and references==
Category:River (book)
Category:A Starless Clan arc
Category:Chapter subpages