The Elders' Quest/Cliffnotes

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*StarClan cats sit around a pool, watching over the lake territories.
*Skystar predicts that a new danger is coming to the Clans.
**Leafpool suggests sending a prophecy, and Tallstar wants to send it to an older cat who can understand the urgency of the situation.
**Firestar says that he knows someone who can guide the Clans.
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*Tawnypelt, Spireclaw, Whorlpelt, and Bloompetal head out on a hunting patrol.
*Tawnypelt decides to hunt in the bog by the Thunderpath.
**Spireclaw and Bloompetal choose to hunt near the Twoleg den, but Tawnypelt angrily scolds them for their disobedience.
**Tawnypelt laments over the younger warriors' disrespect.
*At the marsh, Tawnypelt reluctantly lets Bloompetal go with Spireclaw to chase the frogs.
**After a long while, Tawnypelt sets out to find them when they do not return.
***She meets them as they return with frogs and praises them, doubting that they have learned anything.
**She is frustrated with the young warriors' behavior.
*The patrol heads back to camp, where Tawnypelt asks Lightleap and Blazefire if she may see their kits.
**They tell her that their kits are with Oakfur.
*She takes a thrush to the elders' den.
**Quickkit, Poolkit, and Beechkit greet her happily.
**As Quickkit and Beechkit play, Poolkit shows Tawnypelt her stalking, tackling her brothers.
**Tawnypelt tells the kits about how Rowanclaw gave up his leadership and how he died.
**Poolkit admires Rowanclaw, and Tawnypelt silently mourns him.
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*Leafstar rests on a flat stone in the gorge with Billystorm, watching over SkyClan.
**Hawkpaw and Duskpaw quarrel and Leafstar stops them, sending them to find their mentors.
**Echosong approaches Leafstar and Billystorm and tells them that it is time.
**As Leafstar prepares to call SkyClan together, she is woken by a voice.
*Leafstar struggles to recognize Hawkwing, her eyesight poor, as he reminds her about a ceremony.
*She holds Starlingkit and Robinkit's apprentice ceremony.
**Starlingpaw is apprenticed to Nectarsong and Robinpaw to Gravelnose.
*Later, Frecklewish rouses Leafstar to take her to the medicine den.
**Bellaleaf is extremely ill and suffering seizures with pink eyes.
**Sagenose suffers similar symptoms.
*Frecklewish, Fidgetflake, and Leafstar find prey in the fresh-kill pile with the same illness.
**Sagenose confirms that he ate the contaminated prey.
**A hunting patrol returns with Cloudmist having fallen ill.
***Cloudmist says that she only drank from the stream.
*Leafstar believes that Twolegs may have poisoned the stream.
*Hawkwing tests the healthy-looking prey and says that it is fine.
*Leafstar warns her Clan not to hunt near the stream or the lake and decides to ask for help at the Gathering.
**She sends Tree and Rootspring to warn ShadowClan and Tinycloud and Rabbitleap to inform ThunderClan.
**Hawkwing takes a few cats to clear out the poisoned prey.
*Gravelnose reports a badger set on their territory.
**Leafstar decides to consider their options.
*Falling asleep, Leafstar again dreams of the gorge.
**She wakes up feeling homesick.
**She decides to only eat once a day to preserve prey and to speak with StarClan at the Moonpool.
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*Shinepaw and Goldenpaw have received their apprentice names and mentors, Finleap and Flipclaw.
*Moonkit is upset that she cannot train with her former denmates.
**Her parents, Thriftear and Bayshine, tell her that she may need to be a medicine cat due to her appearance.
***Moonkit is distraught.
*Moonkit and her parents head off to visit Jayfeather and Alderheart.
**A voice in Moonkit's head reassures her that she may still be a warrior apprentice.
***She recalls always hearing the voice throughout her life.
**After some interrogation, Squirrelstar, Alderheart, and Jayfeather decide that Moonkit has no connection to StarClan and that she can be a warrior apprentice.
*The following day, Squirrelstar holds Moonkit's apprentice ceremony, naming her Moonpaw and apprenticing her to Sunbeam.
*A few days after the ceremony, Sunbeam teaches Moonpaw the hunting crouch.
**The voice disrupts Moonpaw's focus, agitating Sunbeam.
**Moonpaw manages to quiet the voice and can properly stalk.
**Sunbeam sends Moonpaw to hunt by the lake.
**While stalking a squirrel, Moonpaw sees her reflection in the lake as well as that of a pale orange tabby that looks similar to the orange half of her face.
***The orange tabby tells her not to tell anyone.
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*Waking from a nap, Tawnypelt hears the roaring of Twoleg monsters in SkyClan territory and remembers the Great Journey.
*She heads over to Tigerstar and Cloverfoot.
**The two discuss SkyClan hunting close to their border and their warning of the poisoning.
**Tawnypelt suggests that Tigerstar send a patrol to check on the Twolegs, but he refuses.
***He irritably tells Tawnypelt to lead the evening border patrol, and she takes Birchfeather.
*At the SkyClan border, Tawnypelt catches SkyClan scent on ShadowClan land from one cat.
**Birchfeather confesses that he has been meeting Ridgeglow, expressing fear of Tigerstar's reaction.
**Tawnypelt reassures him that his parents will understand, and he decides to tell them.
*In camp, Birchfeather asks for Tawnypelt's support, and she agrees to accompany him.
**Birchfeather confesses to Tigerstar and Dovewing that he has been meeting a SkyClan cat and wishes to join SkyClan.
**Tigerstar is outraged and Dovewing is upset, and they turn on Tawnypelt.
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*Leafstar dreams of the gorge again and is woken by the sound of monsters.
**She recalls StarClan's silence at the Moonpool.
*She worries about the dwindling prey and reports to Hawkwing that StarClan had not spoken to her.
**Leafstar mentions Twoleg marks around the Moonpool and the presence of Twoleg objects.
***She decides to mention it at the Gathering.
**She expresses her doubts and anxieties to her deputy.
*The Clans join together for the Gathering.
**Squirrelstar announces Shinepaw, Goldenpaw, and Moonpaw's apprenticeships.
**Leafstar informs the Clans of SkyClan's struggles with the Twolegs and asks Squirrelstar and Tigerstar to allow SkyClan to follow prey over their borders.
**Squirrelstar reports that sick prey has wandered into ThunderClan territory.
**Tigerstar and Squirrelstar both refuse to help SkyClan.
**Icestar offers to let RiverClan teach SkyClan to fish in the lake.
**Leafstar announces that Twolegs have been around the Moonpool, but the other leaders and the medicine cats remain unconcerned.
***When Hawkwing and Crowfeather defend Leafstar, the leaders agree to send a mixed-Clan patrol to investigate with Crowfeather leading it.
*SkyClan is agitated with the other Clans.
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*In the morning, Shinepaw and Goldenpaw excitedly discuss the Gathering and encourage Moonpaw to be less shy.
**Moonpaw had been distracted by the voice during the Gathering.
*When she leaves the apprentices' den, Moonpaw is bombarded by Stemtail, Bristleclaw, and Graywhisker about the Gathering.
*Moonpaw silently questions her own lack of excitement about being an apprentice.
**She decides to speak with the medicine cats about the voice.
*Moonpaw asks Alderheart if medicine cats hear voices from StarClan, disturbing him.
**Alderheart notes something bad that had happened in a similar situation but refuses to elaborate.
**Worried that the voice is bad, Moonpaw leaves.
*Having waited for Moonpaw, Sunbeam reveals that she heard the conversation.
**She says that Moonpaw may be destined to be a medicine cat.
**Sunbeam explains how she left ShadowClan to be with Nightheart and how it was the right path for her.
***Moonpaw decides to try being a medicine cat.
*When Jayfeather returns to camp, Sunbeam calls him over to tell him about Moonpaw.
**Moonpaw tells Jayfeather and Alderheart that she believes she is having visions, making one up.
***Jayfeather is heavily skeptical, causing Moonpaw to doubt her choice.
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*Tawnypelt meets with Crowfeather, Bayshine, and Leafstar to begin their journey, with Owlnose arriving last.
**The cats are disturbed by the silence near the stream.
*When they reach the end of Clan territory, Crowfeather delivers a warning, earning Tawnypelt's admiration.
*Not far along, they find a large blue wall built over the stream.
**From atop a knoll, they spot a huge, unfinished Twoleg den within the walls.
**The cats fear the number of Twolegs trespassing on their land and wonder what the Twolegs are doing with the Moonpool.
*Once Twolegs arrive and begin working, the patrol swiftly departs.
*The patrol worries that they may need to leave the lake, but Leafstar tries to reassure them, to Crowfeather's agitation.
**Leafstar suggests patrolling the Twoleg den every quarter moon.
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*Rootspring reports to Leafstar that all is well in the territory.
*Leafstar notices that the hunting patrols are catching just enough prey for every cat.
*She and Hawkwing discuss the badger, with Leafstar deciding to lead the patrol.
**Hawkwing is wary of letting her lead.
*Leafstar announces her plan to the Clan.
**The Clan is hesitant to fight a badger.
***Gravelnose reveals that there may be more than one badger.
**Leafstar admonishes SkyClan for their reluctance to fight, choosing six warriors and refusing to wait.
*At the greenleaf Twolegplace, Leafstar reiterates the plan to trap the badger in the hole during the assault.
**Rootspring warns that there could be more badgers, but Leafstar dismisses it.
*Soon, the badger peers out of the den, and the cats attack.
**Kitescratch's leg is injured after the badger tries to pull him inside.
**The badger makes it outside, and the cats are frightened and uncertain.
**A second, bigger badger attacks Wrenflight.
**Leafstar believes she spots a third badger and attacks it, only to realize that it is Starlingpaw.
***Amidst the distraction, Kitescratch is injured again, and the cats retreat.
*Kitescratch dies from his injury, and Leafstar feels immense guilt for her failed plan, blaming Starlingpaw.
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*Jayfeather teaches Moonpaw about tansy and other herbs.
**Moonpaw grows invested in her lesson.
*Alderheart tells Jayfeather that it is time to go to the Moonpool.
**They do not allow Moonpaw to attend, as she is not an official apprentice.
*Moonpaw practices memorizing the herbs, upset that she cannot learn about the voice in her head at the Moonpool.
**She enjoys her review, thinking that it may be keeping the voice at bay.
**Upon finishing identifying the herbs, Moonpaw rests.
*Moonpaw is woken the next day from a peaceful dream by the wails of cats.
*Cherryfall and Lionblaze return injured and report a fox in ThunderClan territory.
**Moonpaw helps Jayfeather tend to Cherryfall, and he praises her.
**Lionblaze says that the fox crossed from SkyClan land and attacked.
**Moonpaw wonders if she wants to have to tend to her injured Clanmates.
*As Moonpaw tries to sleep that night, the voice tells her that she is on the wrong path.
**Moonpaw remains determined to decide her own future.
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*ShadowClan gathers to say goodbye to Birchfeather, who intends to move to SkyClan.
**Tigerstar and Dovewing do not say goodbye.
*Tawnypelt confronts Tigerstar and Dovewing, who are upset that Birchfeather is leaving after they lost Rowankit.
**Tawnypelt tells them that Birchfeather cannot understand their pain and persuades them to speak to him.
**They offer Birchfeather a formal goodbye.
*Tawnypelt accompanies Birchfeather on his journey to the SkyClan border.
**She assures him that his parents love him, and he does not require their approval.
**They agree to meet each other occasionally.
**At the border, they say their goodbyes.
*Later, Tawnypelt meets up with the patrol that discovered the large Twoleg nest.
**The Clan leaders want them to investigate the Moonpool, where there had been more Twoleg activity.
**Palesky joins them in Leafstar's place.
**Upon reviewing the planned journey, they set off.
*Palesky, Owlnose, and Bayshine feel that the journey is a waste of time, despite Crowfeather and Tawnypelt's recollection of the Great Journey.
*At the Moonpool, the patrol finds colorful smears, hard Twoleg stuff, and rock-like objects.
**The rock-like objects contain gray powder.
**The Twolegs have cut slabs from the slope leading down into the hollow.
**Crowfeather and Tawnypelt are worried, but the younger cats remain largely unconcerned.
*The Twoleg den and wall appear the same.
**Palesky, Owlnose, and Bayshine rush home.
**Crowfeather and Tawnypelt try to investigate further but are chased inside the wall by a dog.
***They climb onto the Twoleg nest.
***Tawnypelt wonders if she has feelings for Crowfeather after he praises her.
**Tawnypelt and Crowfeather see Twoleg trash tainting the stream.
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*SkyClan sits vigil for Kitescratch.
**Feeling guilty over the incident, Leafstar falls asleep and dreams of her old Clanmates, recognizing that SkyClan no longer lives in the gorge.
**Leafstar wakes in time for Kitescratch's body to be buried.
***She is confronted by Reedclaw for falling asleep, but Reedclaw is stopped by Hawkwing.
*Harrybrook comforts his mother, assuring her that she is not at fault for what happened.
**Leafstar confides in him about considering stepping down.
*Reedclaw calls SkyClan together to discuss Leafstar's leadership due to her age.
**Many cats support her.
**She decides that a vote will occur at sunhigh.
*Due to the vote, Leafstar is unable to attend the patrol to investigate the Twoleg activity, to her relief.
**Hawkwing sends Palesky.
*At sunhigh, Reedclaw again gathers the Clan to vote.
**The Clan ultimately votes to keep Leafstar as leader.
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*Jayfeather tests Moonpaw on her herb knowledge and she identifies them correctly.
*Alderheart persuades Jayfeather to let Moonpaw attend the half-moon meeting.
*On the way to the Moonpool, Moonpaw wishes she had an ordinary name.
**She reflects that the voice is convinced that Moonpaw should not be a medicine cat.
*At the Moonpool, Alderheart notes the increase of Twoleg trash.
*Moonpaw is introduced to the other medicine cats.
**She is irritated by the implication that she is special because of her face.
*The medicine cats discuss Tawnypelt and Crowfeather's news about the Twolegs but are largely dismissive.
**News is then shared about whitecough outbreaks and SkyClan's troubles.
*Moonpaw and the other medicine cats settle down to communicate with StarClan.
**The voice disrupts her concentration.
**When Moonpaw opens her eyes to check if she is in StarClan's territory, she sees the orange tabby in her reflection again, seeming malevolent.
***In her attempt to get rid of it, Moonpaw falls into the Moonpool.
*In camp, Moonpaw tells Alderheart and Jayfeather about the orange tabby.
**They accept the orange tabby as a legitimate vision.
**Alderheart warns her to have more control over herself when she receives visions.
*While Moonpaw grooms herself before bed, the voice mocks her for thinking that she can decide things for herself.
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*Tawnypelt, Puddleshine, and Shadowsight discuss the Twoleg activity at the Moonpool.
**Tigerstar dismisses Tawnypelt and Oakfur's concerns, shutting down the conversation.
*Tawnypelt decides to visit Birchfeather.
**Tigerstar refuses to send a message and does not allow Dovewing to speak.
*At the SkyClan border, Tawnypelt is met by Rootspring's patrol.
**Rootspring agrees to retrieve Birchfeather.
*When he arrives, Birchfeather hesitantly tells Tawnypelt about the vote against Leafstar and the badger incident.
**He is dismissive of the issue, annoyed that he has not received his trials.
**Tawnypelt offers for him to return to ShadowClan, but he is devoted to Ridgeglow.
***While wondering if she will love again, Tawnypelt thinks of Crowfeather.
*Birchfeather returns home.
*Tawnypelt silently hopes that Leafstar knows that growing older is not wrong.
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*Tree informs Leafstar that Hawkwing wishes for him to mediate between Leafstar and Reedclaw.
**Leafstar questions this since Reedclaw is unwilling to speak with her.
**He suggests that she give Hawkwing more responsibilities.
***Leafstar worries that Hawkwing wants her to resign.
**Tree offers to speak with some of those who voted against her.
*The discussion is interrupted by a fight between Gravelnose and Harrybrook over a squirrel leg.
**Gravelnose reveals that Wrenflight is having his kits, and Leafstar lets her have the prey.
*Leafstar finds two chubs and Hawkwing distributes them among the reluctant SkyClan cats.
*Trying to alleviate tensions, Leafstar apologizes to Starlingpaw for blaming him for his father's death and assures him that he is not at fault.
*Leafstar approaches Hawkwing about driving out the badgers to preserve prey.
**Hawkwing asks to lead the patrol this time and she reluctantly allows it.
*The badger patrol returns, having successfully defeated the badgers, and the Clan praises him.
**They hesitate to acknowledge Leafstar, who wonders again if Hawkwing is undermining her.
*Wanting to prove herself capable, Leafstar decides to hunt alone.
**While hunting a rabbit, she slips on icy rock and falls into a ravine, knocked unconscious.
**In a dream, Echosong comforts Leafstar and warns her not to doubt herself, as she will make things easier for someone by doing so.
*Leafstar wakes three days later to being carried by Harrybrook and Rootspring.
**SkyClan is upset with her.
**She feels worried about what is happening in her Clan.
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*Goldenpaw and Shinepaw ask Moonpaw about her experience at the Moonpool.
**As Moonpaw returns to the medicine den, the voice again insists that she will not be a medicine cat.
*Moonpaw tends to her chores, feeling proud of her skills.
**She begins to doubt herself because of the voice.
**Jayfeather returns and notes that he feels Moonpaw is not truly invested in becoming a medicine cat.
**He tells her the story of Ashfur and questions if Shadowsight's experience is what she is experiencing, scaring her.
*Moonpaw sneaks out at night to journey to the Moonpool and speak with the orange cat.
**The orange cat tells her that they are one and insists that they are real.
**To prove that they are real, the orange cat gives Moonpaw insight into the future: that the sun will vanish the next day and will be found in a hollow tree.
*At sunset the following day, Moonpaw believes that the orange cat had been wrong and is ready to abandon her medicine cat training.
**The Clan is woken in the night to Myrtlebloom's cries that her kits are missing.
**Ivypool reports that the kits are not in the camp.
**Squirrelstar leads a patrol to search for the kits and Moonpaw follows them.
*The patrol finds Oakkit and Hazelkit near the lake.
**They explain that Sunkit had left and they followed him but lost him.
**Cinderheart takes them home.
*Moonpaw realizes that Sunkit is connected to the voice's prediction and finds him in the hollow tree by the Thunderpath.
**His leg has been injured from a root.
**He does not tell her why he left camp.
*Back at camp, the Clan is overjoyed to see Sunkit, especially his parents.
**Moonpaw lies to Squirrelstar about how she knew where to find Sunkit.
*Jayfeather calls Moonpaw into the nursery.
**Sunkit explains that a cat who looked like Moonpaw took him to the hollow tree.
*Moonpaw is shaken by the orange cat's actions, wondering what they may be capable of.
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*Tawnypelt dreams of Rowanclaw, who tells her that she is right to trust her instincts.
**He assures her that he would not mind her finding love again.
*Waking up, she thinks of Crowfeather.
*Later, Tawnypelt catches a squirrel near the SkyClan border.
**Ridgeglow confronts her and attacks her when she refuses to give up the prey.
**Birchfeather stops them and explains that he is completing his trial.
***Tawnypelt assures him that he will find something to catch.
*Tawnypelt finds a rabbit and chases it across the border, and Birchfeather catches it.
**She is seen by Yarrowleaf.
*In camp, Tigerstar questions Tawnypelt about chasing the rabbit onto SkyClan land.
**He is upset that she helped Birchfeather stay with SkyClan.
**He punishes her with night guard duty for a quarter moon.
*Retreating to her den, Tawnypelt thinks that no ShadowClan cat understands her and that she respects no cat more than Crowfeather.
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*Leafstar dreams of the past.
**She sees two boulders with a dark gap between them as Echosong calls her.
*She awakens to Hawkwing's call, and he tells her to come outside.
**Outside, she notices that the camp appears well-tended to and that there is more prey.
*Reedclaw again wishes to depose Leafstar, reasoning that she is older and has made harmful mistakes.
**She says that the Clan's welfare has improved under Hawkwing's leadership.
**Despite protests from Hawkwing and Rootspring, the vote commences.
***The Clan votes to depose Leafstar, upsetting her.
***Hawkwing points out that the other leaders must agree.
*At the Gathering, Reedclaw declares SkyClan's decision to depose Leafstar.
**Reedclaw lists off Leafstar's recent actions to Tigerstar, explaining that Hawkwing has helped SkyClan recover.
**The other leaders appear unable to decide, confused and wary.
**Leafstar voluntarily surrenders her leadership, and the cats cheer for her.
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*Moonpaw struggles with guilt and confusion over the incident with Sunkit and cannot decide whether to be a warrior or a medicine cat.
*Jayfeather calls Moonpaw inside and asks her what is bothering her.
**She recalls that the voice had dismissed Sunkit's claim of seeing a cat like Moonpaw and knows that being a medicine cat is not helping her.
**She decides to become a warrior apprentice under Sunbeam again.
*Getting Sunbeam alone, Moonpaw asks to be her apprentice again.
**She promises to be more focused and dedicated to her training.
**Sunbeam accepts her, warning her not to make her regret it.
*Despite her doubts, Moonpaw resolves to ignore her voice and focus on becoming a warrior above all else.
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*On night duty, Tawnypelt reflects over her discomfort with ShadowClan and Tigerstar.
*She finds herself in a dream of the Great Journey and the destruction of the forest, as well as the new Twoleg den, a monster, and a kit in danger.
**She feels uneasy about her dream, worried about the Twolegs.
*Upon being relieved by Flaxfoot, Tawnypelt rushes from camp to investigate the Twoleg den.
*Birchfeather finds her at the SkyClan border, on dawn patrol for his trial.
**When Tawnypelt explains her dream to him, he decides to accompany her.
*The pair slip beneath the blue wall and split up to search for the cat in trouble.
*Tawnypelt investigates a pile of shiny logs.
**The pile begins to fall and Tawnypelt ends up falling into a deep hole.
**She realizes that she is the cat in trouble from her dream.
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*At dawn, Moonpaw heads out with Sunbeam for training, accompanying Flipclaw, Finleap, Goldenpaw, and Shinepaw.
**Goldenpaw and Shinepaw are startled that Moonpaw is training as a warrior again.
***They offer Moonpaw advice for hunting, mentioning things that they get wrong.
*Sunbeam reviews the hunting crouch and stalking with Moonpaw.
**Moonpaw successfully catches a rabbit, earning Sunbeam's praise.
*They return to the rest of the patrol, and they praise Moonpaw's catch.
*Moonpaw investigates an elder bush when she hears rustling, only for something to pull her tail and giggle around her.
**She realizes that the voice is touching her, and it invites her to play.
**She returns to hunting, disturbed.
*While the hunters pursue a squirrel, the voice tries to get Moonpaw's attention.
**Moonpaw ignores it, managing to catch the squirrel with her fellow apprentices.
***She feels happy and proud of her skills.
*As the patrol returns home, the voice complains about Moonpaw ignoring it.
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*Finding herself in open ground under stars, Tawnypelt believes herself dead.
**Rowanclaw, Dawnpelt, and Flametail greet her.
**Bluestar approaches and tells Tawnypelt that she must return to the living to lead the Clans against a coming danger.
***The former leader's vagueness agitates Tawnypelt.
***As Tawnypelt wakes, Bluestar warns her about a two-faced cat.
*Tawnypelt finds herself in SkyClan camp, having been rescued by SkyClan.
**She recalls her dream with StarClan, and she tries to tell Fidgetflake and Frecklewish, but falls unconscious again.
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*Moonpaw cleans the warriors' den, refusing Goldenpaw and Shinepaw's offer to help so that she can stay distracted.
**Something hits Moonpaw on the shoulder and the bedding vanishes.
**Sunbeam arrives and praises her work, sending her to rest.
*The apprentice retires to bed, feeling satisfied with her choice to train as a warrior.
**Something cold presses against her, and the voice tells her that they are one.
*Petrified, Moonpaw rushes out of the den and decides to confide in her parents.
**Moonpaw tells them that she hears a voice in her dreams.
**Her parents reveal that the cat is Moonpaw's sister, who died shortly after her birth.
**Moonpaw is overwhelmed with grief, unable to believe that her sister had been hidden from her.
**Thriftear believes that the lost kit is speaking to Moonpaw from StarClan.
*Realizing that her sister is unkind and is not in StarClan, Moonpaw rushes out of camp, unable to tell her parents the truth.
**At the lake, Moonpaw peers into the water and sees her sister.
**Moonpaw tries to convince her sister to go to StarClan, but she grows angry and threatens to make Moonpaw be with her in her world.
Category:Cliffnotes
Category:Changing Skies arc
Category:The Elders' Quest