Sunrise (book)/Chapter 16

==Chapter description==
:Lionblaze wakes up to the excited clamor of his Clanmates. He leaves the warriors' den to find nearly the whole Clan gathered in the clearing despite it being so early. He spots Hollyleaf standing nearby with Brackenfur and Hazeltail, but feels he cannot make his way over to her, as though part of what they used to be has died with Ashfur. The Clan eagerly waits as Firestar appears from his den. The dawn patrol returns early, and Brambleclaw tells them to take longer checking over ShadowClan's border next time, then attempts to assign hunting patrols, but grows irritated as no cat pays him any attention. Everyone is too fixated to see what Firestar will do with Sol. The Clan leader decides it is time to deal with it now, and Brambleclaw fetches Sol. 
:Purdy rushes from the elders' den, wishing to defend the loner, but Brackenfur reassures him that they will not hurt Sol. Firestar asks the tortoiseshell tom if he knows why he is here, and Sol confidently answers they think he is responsible for the death of a cat, which brings forth hostile yowls from the Clan who are convinced he is the murderer. Sol ignores them, and Firestar explains how they had found Ashfur's body in the stream on WindClan's border with bite marks in his neck, and asks if Sol denies it was him. Sol tells him to think about what he is saying, that the truth will be known when it is time. The leader follows up with more questions, Sol responding he saw and did nothing, heard and scented no one in particular, making Firestar grow frustrated. He sends the loner off to eat and says they will talk again later, and Cloudtail is assigned to guard him.
:Brambleclaw is at last able to assign patrols, and gives the cats who traveled to find Sol the morning to rest, but Lionblaze is unsure if that will happen as his Clanmates gather around them, asking questions about their journey and Sol. Purdy comes over and fiercely defends Sol, and Sandstorm assures him he will be okay if he is innocent, then leads him to the fresh-kill pile, while he glares at the others as he follows her. Hollyleaf is sympathetic that he is the only one defending the loner while everyone else has already decided. Lionblaze wants to ask what she thinks, but she heads off before he can speak and he is unsure if he wants to know her answer. 
:Firestar beckons the remaining warriors to where he sits at the bottom of the Highledge, and Lionblaze picks up on his edginess. The leader calls Leafpool over, and asks if she knows of any way they can be sure Sol is the killer. She shakes her head, and Sorreltail suggests having him bite on a leaf so they can measure the bite marks to compare to Ashfur's wound, but Leafpool states that Ashfur has been buried too long at this point. Graystripe reminds them how ThunderClan had kept Brokentail prisoner in the old forest where he ended up scheming with Tigerstar and attacking from within their camp, and states they cannot trust Sol while he is here. The gathered warriors suggest punishment ideas, but Firestar says they cannot do anything until he is proven guilty, and asks Leafpool to watch for signs from StarClan. He says that Sol will stay under guard until they have more evidence and StarClan's help.
:As the days pass, Lionblaze grows frustrated as he waits for an opportunity to discuss the prophecy alone with Sol. After spending the morning training with the apprentices, Lionblaze, Honeyfern, and Berrynose lay down in the sun on the basking rocks. Honeyfern and Berrynose sit together, watching Millie's kits play nearby, talking about having their own kits together in the future. As Millie's kits play, Briarkit falls next to a crack in the rocks, and Lionblaze notices the dark shadow of a snake behind her. Honeyfern notices too, and reaches Briarkit before Lionbaze has a chance to leap. She pushes the kit away, and before she can get herself clear, the snake lunges forward and bites down onto the warrior's shoulder, and she lets out a pained cry for help.
==Characters==
===Major===
 
===Minor===
===Mentioned===
==Notes and references==
fr:Soleil levant/Chapitre 16
Category:Power of Three arc
Category:Chapter subpages
[[Category:Sunrise (book)]