Sunset/Chapter 3

==Chapter description==
:Leafpool wakes up, crouched in the stone hollow beside Cinderpelt's body where Firestar is next to her, also grieving for the gray she-cat. The tabby she-cat realizes that its dawn due to the pale light above the hollow. She tries to draw in her mentor's scent, but only tastes death after noting that she'd only come to the vigil after treating all of the injured cats following the badger attack. Leafpool feels awful at the fact that she'd fallen asleep during the vigil, owing it to her exhaustion beforehand. She recalls her dream where she'd heard Cinderpelt's awful cry of pain after being struck by a badger, while on her journey with Crowfeather. The she-cat notes that despite returning to ThunderClan, her thoughts are still occupied by the WindClan tom.
:She gets to her paws as she comes to the conclusion that her duties were to ThunderClan. Leafpool sees Stormfur and Brook on guard duty while the rest of the camp begins to stir. The young medicine cat sees Brackenfur stir near the nursery while Brambleclaw and Dustpelt emerge from the warriors' den. She notes that the elders would soon prepare to carry both Cinderpelt and Sootfur's bodies for burial, as she tries to sense Cinderpelt's spirit. Leafpool tries to imagine herself padding through the stars, but, doesn't scent any trace of the gray she-cat. She wonders if her former mentor had rejected her for leaving ThunderClan for Crowfeather and silently cries out for her to forgive her and not leave her alone. Longtail's voice cuts through her silent prayer as he, Mousefur, and Goldenflower begin to carry the fallen cats together. Thornclaw approaches Sootfur's body as Leafpool commends him for training the young cat well. Rainwhisker also appears, asking if he could help bury his brother. Leafpool warns him about his injured leg, but, Mousefur lets him help. The Clan gathers to silently farewell the two deceased cats before beginning to organize the day's patrols.
:Leafpool sees Brambleclaw and Squirrelflight sitting together, and Leafpool is a little surprised, thinking that they weren't close anymore. Looking around, she finds Ashfur watching the pair as well and is shaken by the fury in his eyes. Fear sweep through the medicine cat for her sister, worrying about the time when she had seen Brambleclaw in the Dark Forest with his half-brother and his father. Leafpool wonders if she should tell her sister about the sinister dream, but decides not to. She walks up to Ashfur and tells him that his wounds need to be treated. Ashfur, still angry over Squirrelflight, nods. Leafpool tells him his wounds are healing well, and Ashfur bounds off to join Dustpelt and Spiderleg, who are rebuilding the camp wall. Brightheart walks up to Leafpool and offers to help her pick herbs. Leafpool agrees, feeling guilty that she had ever thought Brightheart was an annoying "replacement" once.
:As they leave, Leafpool returns to the den, when Birchpaw sees her, he tries to stand up but falls back on his paws. Leafpool warns him to stay still, and checks on his eyes. She shudders, realizing how close the apprentice had come to his death. Leafpool renews his poultice and tells him to get some sleep. When he does that, she goes off to find Sorreltail with her kits, to give them borage. Leafpool spots Stormfur and Brook returning with big bundles of fresh-kill in their jaws and realizes how hungry she is, remembering that the last time she had eaten was when she was a loner. Brook offers her some fresh-kill, and Leafpool gratefully eats it. As she eats, Spiderleg and Ashfur bound up to her, with Spiderleg meowing that it was good to have her back. Completely embarrassed, she nods and leaves.
:Berrykit, Hazelkit, and Mousekit interrupt her, who barrage her with questions. Daisy scolds them, telling them that Leafpool is busy. Leafpool, whose mouth is full of borage, is unable to reply. She nods at them and steps into the nursery. Sorreltail lays inside, with Brackenfur beaming at his four kits. As she watches, she notes that they might get more and more distant, as Sorreltail was a mother, and she was ThunderClan's medicine cat. As she leaves, she briefly mutters to StarClan that she had sacrificed everything for them, and wonders if they got what they wanted.
:Leafpool busies herself during the day. Brightheart and Whitepaw help her replenish her supplies and Leafpool notes that she had managed to treat the wounds of every cat in the Clan. She looks around the camp as cats begin to retire for the night. Leafpool sees the pile of thorns Dustpelt and his helpers had scraped together for the camp's entrance while Sandstorm and her hunting patrols had replenished the fresh-kill pile. Despite being exhausted, Leafpool finds herself unable to rest. She leaves camp to sit near the lake to watch the starlit water. The she-cat recalls the nights she had snuck out of camp to visit Crowfeather and compares them to the present and how both grief and loss weighed heavily on her. As she watches the water, Leafpool sees starry pawprints appear across the lake that soon form the shapes of both Brambleclaw and Squirrelflight together. Following the vision, she falls asleep and meets Spottedleaf in her dreams. 
:The sight of the former medicine cat makes her furious as she calls Spottedleaf a liar. Spottedleaf takes the accusation in stride as she comforts Leafpool and tells her that she had followed her heart, just as her advice had been. Leafpool questions her more before asking about Cinderpelt, saying that she hadn't seen her in her dreams at all since her passing. She voices her fear of the gray she-cat being angry with her for leaving, but Spottedleaf reassures her that she didn't hate her at all and that she was walking a different path. Confused, Leafpool tries to question further but Spottedleaf leaves and the tabby soon wakes up seeing the lake again. Getting to her paws and stretching, Leafpool calls out to Cinderpelt, promising to the she-cat that she'd never leave ThunderClan again until StarClan calls her and asks for her former mentor's forgiveness.
==Characters==
===Major===
===Minor===
===Mentioned===
==Notes and references==
fr:Coucher de soleil/Chapitre 3
Category:The New Prophecy arc
Category:Chapter subpages
Category:Sunset