The Last Hope/Chapter 17

==Chapter description==
:Lionblaze is anxiously walking around the clearing. Purdy walks up behind the golden tom, telling him he's up bright and early. Lionblaze tells the old cat that he's waiting from the dawn patrol. He ponders if they would return with more scents of strange cats. Firestar appears from the Highledge, telling him to go back to his den after being out on moonhigh patrol. Lionblaze looks back at his leader, telling him that he was also on that same patrol. He recalls finding cat scents in every nook and cranny they searched in ThunderClan territory.
:Sandstorm peaks her head out of the leader's den and mopes saying that no cat can sleep with the thought of an invasion at any minute. Firestar quickly quiets her and she apologizes, but also adding that the Clan should know about the continuous rumors and scent around the territory. Firestar disagrees, telling his mate that he needs to figure out how to fight this hidden evil.
:Jayfeather calls out for Lionblaze, telling him that he dreamed of StarClan last night. Lionblaze hisses back into his ear and asks if they had told him anything. Jayfeather tells his brother that he had found Flametail, the truth has been revealed that he didn't murder the young medicine cat and that he and the rest of the medicine cats are meeting at the Moonpool tonight. Lionblaze questions him asking if it's too late. Jayfeather dismisses his question angrily telling his brother hopefully that if all the medicine cats are willing to join together, the leaders of their Clans will do the same.
:Lionblaze reminds Jayfeather that they still need to find the fourth cat. Jayfeather informs his brother that it isn't Flametail. Lionblaze looks at him inquisitively and the blind tom explains that Mothwing had introduced him to a burning reed the rain couldn't extinguish, but Spottedleaf told him he was looking for the wrong cat. Lionblaze, in frustration, asks if she has told him who it is. Jayfeather shakes his head, telling his golden brother they have to find the cat themselves.
:Lionblaze hears paws pacing through the thorn barrier and tastes the air, noticing the ThunderClan deputy's scent, Brambleclaw. Brambleclaw bursts through the border and into the camp, announcing to the Clan that WindClan had reset their borders and are putting a permanent watch at the stream. Firestar turns to him and replies saying that ThunderClan should do the same.
:Dovewing chirps in and tells Lionblaze and Jayfeather that WindClan is growing furious, mentioning that they have found ThunderClan scents in their territory, Lionblaze's tail twitches as he thinks about Ivypool's whereabouts. Lionblaze crudely jokes that the Clans will tear each other to pieces before the Dark Forest as a chance. The angry golden tom demands Dovewing to wake her sister.
:Ivypool and Dovewing emerge from the yew bush from across the camp. Ivypool groggily walks up to the massive tom and asks what he needs. Jayfeather chips in and tell the she-cat that she must explain what is going on in the Dark Forest. Lionblaze adds that her scent, along with other Dark Forest warriors, is all around the Clans. Ivypool defensively tells the two brothers that she isn't the only Clan cat visiting Clan territories, and Brokenstar has manipulated everyone into thinking that we need to learn about each other's territories to help each other if they are in need. Lionblaze bursts with anger and asks why Clan cats would believe this foolishness.
:Ivypool tells him that some of those cats have no idea how destructive he really is. The white-and-gray she-cat quiets down as she explains that a few of them are cheering for the destruction of the Clans, saying their leaders have grown soft. Lionblaze's eyes grow wide, questioning their belief in the warrior code. He demands their names, but Ivypool stares at her paws and refuses to say that they could still change their minds. The golden warrior bursts into a fury, but Jayfeather breaks his brother's anger and tells him that Ivypool has a valid point and if Clan cats are exposed to their clanmates, they will make them permanent enemies.
:The tired she-cat mention's the death of Beetlewhisker, and the fate of the other Dark Forest warriors if they don't follow Brokenstar. Lionblaze stares at her. Dovewing pricks up her ears to listen for the cat but admits that the tom is gone and there is no trace of him. Jayfeather's voice rumbles and comments the dead leader must be confident for battle if he is ready to kill his own recruits. Lionblaze tells the group that they must be looking for the best places to attack and to inform Firestar as quick as possible. Dovewing starts to follow Lionblaze and Ivypool, but the golden warrior stops her, telling her it will be crowded enough, and to keep company with his blind brother.
:Brambleclaw watches as the two cats enter the den. As Ivypool shifts her paws, Lionblaze tells the two cats they must know the truth. He explains that Ivypool had been spying for as by visiting the Dark Forest. Brambleclaw's voice raises as he asks what they are talking about. Firestar tells his deputy the Dark Forest is rising and it is most likely the answer to the strange scents. Ivypool explains that Brokenstar and Tigerstar have been manipulating cats into thinking they're training to become the best Clan cats they can be. Brambleclaw's eyes become inquisitive as he asks the she-cat his father's role in the upcoming war. Lionblaze answers for her saying he is one of the senior warriors in the Dark Forest and has been recruiting Clan cats through their dreams. 
:Firestar croaks that this battle was destined to come. Leafpool and Squirrelflight appear from the entrance of the cave and ask about the battle their father has mentioned. Firestar tells the golden warrior to reveal his secret to his family. Lionblaze quickly denies and denounces Brambleclaw to Leafpool. The great tom reminds him Leafpool had kitted him, Squirrelflight and Brambleclaw had raised him, and without these events, the prophecy would have never been fulfilled. Firestar tells Lionblaze to leave with Brambleclaw and the two she-cats as Ivypool explains her whereabouts.
:Lionblaze tells his brother that it is time to reveal the prophecy and to tell Hollyleaf to come. Jayfeather reminds his brother that she isn't apart of the prophecy, but Lionblaze insists that she must come too because she knows as much as them. Once the group of cats settles down beyond the camp entrance, Hollyleaf asks what is going on. Jayfeather walks past her, telling her that they must tell their kin about the prophecy. Lionblaze begins the story of the prophecy explaining Firestar was told that three kits would be born with the power of the stars in their paws. Brambleclaw looks at his adoptive kits, questioning all three of them. Hollyleaf quickly corrects him, saying she was not apart of the prophecy. Jayfeather tells the warriors they believed she was one of them at the beginning. Squirrelflight asks who is the third cat and Lionblaze mentions that Dovewing is the third cat of the prophecy.
:Brambleclaw bursts with fury and rage asking the young warriors why they never told him. He angrily asks Squirrelflight if she knew any of this and if this is why she lied. Squirrelflight looks at him with wide eyes, denying his accusations. Jayfeather breaks the tension telling the cats that they had to fulfill their destiny on their own. Leafpool tells her kits they would've helped and they wouldn't have to deal with the burden alone. Lionblaze growls at her and tells her that they wouldn't have had to carry any burden if she hadn't broken her code. Leafpool's eyes spark with pain and Squirrelflight glares at her adoptive son, asking him if he would've preferred not to be born and to have the Clans obliterated. Jayfeather explains that no one has been saved yet. Leafpool adds that they haven't yet and they were born to do so.
:Brambleclaw bitterly asks his former mate why she didn't tell him the truth from the beginning. Squirrelflight quietly tells him that it wasn't her secret to tell, as her sister would've lost so much if the truth got out. Brambleclaw snarls in her direction, saying she lost everything anyway. Leafpool stares at the big tom defiantly and tells him she watched her kits grow into fine warriors and she still serves her Clan faithfully. Lionblaze feels a prick in his heart. He thinks about Leafpool's sacrifice, the numerous times her kits rejected her, and the thought that she will never stop loving them.
:Squirrelflight apologizes to the ThunderClan deputy and expresses her love and happiness to have raised Jayfeather, Lionblaze, and Hollyleaf with him. She assures him that he is their father, and he shouldn't throw everything away because of his anger. Lionblaze tells the dark tabby tom that he was so proud to be his son. Brambleclaw stares at him in surprise and says he couldn't have asked for better kits to raise and that they had no part to play in this game.
:Leafpool admits quietly that the mass lie is her fault and Brambleclaw is wrong to blame her sister. She tells the two cats that these warriors have been accepted into their Clan and they are apart of a prophecy. Squirrelflight hopefully looks at the surrounding cats agreeing that everything happens for a purpose. Lionblaze felt pride build up in his chest and felt enough courage to accept himself as a part of the prophecy.
==Characters==
===Major===
===Minor===
===Mentioned===
==Notes and references==
de:Die letzte Hoffnung/Kapitel 17
Category:The Last Hope
Category:Omen of the Stars arc
Category:Chapter subpages