Squirrelflight's Hope

Squirrelflight's Hope is the twelfth book in the Super Editions.
==Dedication==
:Special thanks to Kate Cary
==Blurb==
:A thrilling stand-alone adventure in Erin Hunter's #1 nationally bestselling Warriors series!
:The five Clans are finally settled into their new territories around the lake—but not every leader is satisfied. And when the other Clans pin their frustrations on a group of rogue cats discovered just beyond Clan boundaries, Squirrelflight is caught between her duty as ThunderClan's deputy and her desire to do what's right.
:Bonus! Also includes an exclusive Warriors manga short story.
==Detailed plot description==
:Squirrelpaw and Leafpaw are about to go on their first venture out of camp as apprentices. Their new mentors are Dustpelt and Cinderpelt, respectively. Squirrelpaw hopes to become leader of ThunderClan, and she wants Leafpaw to become her medicine cat. Firestar and Sandstorm congratulate their daughters and say that they are proud of them. The pair of sisters promise to always be together, with Leafpaw mewing that nothing will ever drive the two apart.
:Many moons later, Squirrelflight is deputy of ThunderClan beside the lake, and she goes on a border patrol with Eaglewing, Plumstone, and Bumblestripe. They mark the new WindClan border, noticing that WindClan has not been doing so. That night, Squirrelflight and Bramblestar go to a meeting between Clan leaders and deputies on the Gathering island, called by Harestar. As they travel, Squirrelflight and Bramblestar reminisce about their youth, and Squirrelflight longs for another litter of kits. At the meeting, Mistystar, Harestar, and Tigerstar reveal that they are unhappy with the new borders drawn for SkyClan, but Bramblestar and Leafstar are against any change. Squirrelflight proposes that they give SkyClan the land beyond the abandoned Twolegplace, but is unable to convince Leafstar and Hawkwing. Afterward, Bramblestar and Squirrelflight argue over her lack of support as his deputy and over kits, and Squirrelflight begins to feel that Bramblestar may leave her behind because of his nine lives.
:Squirrelflight continues to struggle with her thoughts about kits and her relationship with Bramblestar as his deputy. Overhearing that Mousewhisker was injured by a weasel, she checks on him and asks him about the territory beyond Twolegplace. Squirrelflight confides in Leafpool about the territory situation and kits, and Leafpool agrees with Bramblestar that SkyClan should not move and comforts her sister, but cannot honor Squirrelfight's request to speak to StarClan, as they are silent. Squirrelflight decides to speak with Leafstar and, using Mousewhisker's information, convinces her to explore the new territory. As they cross ThunderClan land, they are caught by a patrol, and Sparkpelt warily agrees not to tell anyone, including Bramblestar. At the new territory, they are confronted by a group of rogues led by a huge gray she-cat named Moonlight. Once Squirrelflight and Leafstar explain what they are doing there, Moonlight says that her group, the Sisters, will leave once her kits are born, but keeps Squirrelflight and Leafstar prisoner as a precaution against the Clans. They are treated well by the Sisters, but Leafstar still attempts to escape, only to be caught and injured.
:Squirrelflight begins to appreciate the Sisters' way of life, as the Sisters treat her and Leafstar with kindness and care. Squirrelflight learns that the Sisters are taught basic knowledge in herbs, and she offers to help build Moonlight's den. As she works on the den, Moonlight tells her that the Sisters prefer to live without toms, and they can choose to live with their mates or stay with the Sisters. Moonlight notices that the Claw Stars—a line of stars in the sky—are leading to the sunset, and says it is time for Tempest's sons, Grass and Stone, to leave. The Sisters say goodbye to the two toms, causing Squirrelflight to long for home. The next morning, ThunderClan and SkyClan arrive to rescue Squirrelflight and Leafstar, and Moonlight and Squirrelflight explain to Bramblestar why the Sisters were keeping the Clan cats prisoner, allowing the two groups to relax. Bramblestar apologizes for not seeing that Moonlight is expecting kits, but insists that Squirrelflight and Leafstar are coming home. As Moonlight hesitates, Tree bitterly reveals that she was the mother who abandoned him. Leafstar allows the Sisters a moon or two to stay, and Moonlight agrees to relinquish the deputy and leader.
:Bramblestar angrily berates Squirrelflight for going behind his back. Squirrelflight protests and explains that she has solved the problem with SkyClan's territory, although Bramblestar disagrees with her. Bramblestar decides that any and all choices that Squirrelflight makes need to go through him, upsetting and confusing Squirrelflight and diminishing her authority as deputy of ThunderClan. When Bramblestar tells her that she has to tell him which cats will go on the dawn patrol the next morning every night, as he does not trust her, they argue. Sparkpelt interrupts to tell them that she is expecting Larksong's kits. Bramblestar tries to talk to Squirrelflight about having kits, but Squirrelflight storms away and goes to the medicine den to confide in her sister. Leafpool and Squirrelflight head out of camp to talk, and Squirrelflight confesses all her worries to Leafpool and talks to her about the Sisters' traditions. Leafpool comforts her, though she points out that the Clans do things differently from the Sisters. She also reveals that StarClan is still silent.
:Later, Squirrelflight, Larksong, Blossomfall, and Mousewhisker are on a hunting patrol when Snow appears and asks Squirrelflight if a medicine cat can come help Sunrise, who is badly injured. The patrol decides to investigate and Snow takes them to where Hawk, Tempest, and Sunrise are waiting. Squirrelflight realizes that Sunrise needs urgent care and begins guiding the Sisters back to the ThunderClan camp, while Snow tells Squirrelflight that they were attacked by two ShadowClan toms after following them into their territory. Leafpool tries to treat Sunrise, but Bramblestar forbids her from doing so out of fear of upsetting Tigerstar, and he sends Jayfeather and Alderheart to the Moonpool to speak with StarClan. Hawk, Tempest, and Snow are confined to a corner of the camp and forbidden to speak.
:Leafpool attempts to keep Sunrise alive until Jayfeather and Alderheart return, but Bramblestar prevents her from doing much, while the Clan is divided on what to do about the Sisters. Bramblestar speaks with Squirrelflight and Sparkpelt in his den, angrily asking his deputy why she keeps putting him in difficult positions and undermining him. They explain what happened, but Bramblestar argues that bringing cats who attacked ShadowClan into ThunderClan's camp will disrupt the peace between the Clans. Sparkpelt's belly suddenly cramps up and she explains that it happens when she gets upset, which makes Squirrelflight feel guilty. When Squirrelflight asks him if he will let Leafpool treat Sunrise, Bramblestar stalks out of the den. Squirrelflight stays with Sunrise while Leafpool checks on Sparkpelt. Jayfeather and Alderheart return with a message from Hollyleaf that, if the Clans are united, they will be able to distinguish friend from foe. The Clan cats argue about what the sign means, and Leafpool, fed up with the bickering, tries again to treat Sunrise. Bramblestar refuses to allow her, but with persistence from Squirrelflight, gives in.
:At the Gathering, Tigerstar demands that ThunderClan drive out the Sisters, revealing that Strikestone was injured and lost his hearing. Most cats agree, although Leafstar and Squirrelflight try to defend the Sisters. Bramblestar lies and says that they have not seen the Sisters since they gave Squirrelflight and Leafstar back, suggesting that they send Tree to negotiate with the Sisters, but he refuses. Bramblestar insists that they need the approval of StarClan before they do anything, and Tigerstar relents to waiting for a sign from their ancestors. The Gathering is dismissed, and Bramblestar decides that Sunrise and her campmates must leave that night. His plan meets the approval of Alderheart, and Bramblestar allows Squirrelflight to warn the Sisters, but sends Bumblestripe along with her. Squirrelflight warns Snow that the Sisters need to leave, and the Sisters are angered to hear that Tigerstar is considering war. Leafpool gives them herbs, and Squirrelflight convinces Bramblestar to let her go home with the Sisters alone. She explains the situation with ShadowClan to Moonlight, and Moonlight reveals that the SIsters can see and speak with the dead.
:Squirrelflight's hunting patrol chases a rabbit and is confronted by Breezepelt's patrol, who believe that ThunderClan should not hunt on moorland. Bramblestar decides to visit Harestar, and he agrees with Squirrelflight that SkyClan may need to move, though he may be willing to chase off the Sisters if need be. They are escorted to WindClan camp, where Harestar demands that ThunderClan gives them their territory back, and Bramblestar reluctantly agrees to let WindClan hunt there, provided that the other Clans do not know in order to avoid conflict. Back at ThunderClan camp, Tigerstar and Mistystar come to speak with Bramblestar. They know about Bramblestar's agreement with Harestar, and Mistystar has demanded the marshland back from ShadowClan as a result. Bramblestar refuses to involve himself, warning that they may find themselves at war if they threaten Leafstar.
:After Tigerstar and Mistystar leave, Squirrelflight visits Sparkpelt, whose kits have moved, and again longs for her own kits. Larksong comes to visit his mate, but he collapses, not breathing, and Alderheart manages to revive him. The medicine cats are unable to figure out what sickness he has, and ThunderClan gets rid of their prey to be safe. Once she returns, Squirrelflight stays in the nursery with Sparkpelt, who accuses ShadowClan of poisoning the prey and Bramblestar of provoking them. As a rumor spreads about ShadowClan poisoning ThunderClan, Squirrelflight accompanies Jayfeather and Alderheart to speak with Puddleshine, obtaining permission from Bramblestar. Squirrelflight warns Cloverfoot of the illness, looking for signs of guilt in ShadowClan. She finds out that conflict between ShadowClan and RiverClan has escalated, and Tigerstar confronts her with hostility, warning that ShadowClan will drive out the Sisters if they have to.
:Squirrelflight, Jayfeather, and Alderheart conclude that ShadowClan did not cause Larksong's illness. They check a mouse for signs of illness, but find nothing, and Squirrelflight experiences a moment of exhaustion and weakness. They return home to find that Sparkpelt is sick, and Squirrelflight tells Leafpool that she may be having kits. As Jayfeather and Alderheart round up potentially sick cats, the Clan suspects that the Sisters brought the sickness, and Squirrelflight takes a patrol to see them. At the Sisters' camp, Moonlight and Snow tell them about meadow saffron, a poisonous flower, and that dandelion root will help if given quickly. The medicine cats try to treat Larksong, but he suffers a fit, and Jayfeather says that it is too late to help him. Sparkpelt suddenly starts kitting and gives birth to two toms and a she-kit, and just as he greets his daughter, Larksong dies, as does the last-born kit.
:Larksong's family sits vigil for him and his kit, and Squirrelflight worries about Sparkpelt's bond with her surviving kits, as her daughter is grieving deeply. Sorrelstripe and Daisy care for Sparkpelt's kits until she is able to do so. Some cats blame the Sisters for everything that is happening, and Squirrelflight offers to visit them to find out more about meadow saffron, though Bramblestar forces her to take a patrol. When they meet her, Leafpool and Squirrelflight notice that Moonlight has not kitted yet. Moonlight describes the flower to them, and when she learns of Sparkpelt's kit's death, the Sisters hold a ceremony for him with Leafpool's permission, and are able to see him and Larksong. On a hunting patrol, Leafpool catches a sparrow and shares it with Squirrelflight, and Squirrelflight confides in her about her tense relationship with Bramblestar and worries about the Gathering.
:The Gathering is very hostile, and Bramblestar and Tigerstar argue over the Sisters. Leafstar admits that she does not wish to harm the Sisters and will not move SkyClan until they leave, and Tigerstar asks Bramblestar for support to fight the Sisters, which Bramblestar refuses to give. At Leafstar's request, Tree at last agrees to speak to Moonlight, though he seems to have little faith that she will be reasonable. Squirrelflight, Leafstar, and Tree visit the Sisters, where Snow informs them that Moonlight will give birth soon. Though she is disgusted to see Tree, Snow takes them to Moonlight, but Moonlight does not appreciate Tree's request for them to leave and scolds him for acting like a Clan cat, refusing to leave. Moonlight's response infuriates the leaders, who, despite Squirrelflight's protests in favor of Moonlight's kits, decide to send a strong patrol to intimidate the Sisters into leaving, and to fight if they refuse. SkyClan, however, will stay out of it, and Squirrelflight is deeply disappointed in Bramblestar.
:Back at camp, Bramblestar confronts Squirrelflight for her lack of support, expressing his desire to maintain peace as StarClan wants. Squirrelflight, sympathizing but still disagreeing, promises to accompany him to confront the Sisters. That night, Squirrelflight dreams of accidentally killing Sparkpelt's dead kit, and Leafpool suggests that it may have been about Moonlight's kits. They rush to the Sisters, with Leafpool revealing that she also dreamed of Moonlight's kits, and they find that Moonlight is struggling to give birth to a stuck kit. Leafpool gives her herbs gathered by Squirrelflight, Hawk, and Snow, and Moonlight successfully gives birth to three kits, with Leafpool reviving the second kit. Just as Moonlight's kitting finishes, the Clans arrive, and Leafpool, Tempest, Snow, and Hawk work to move Moonlight and her kits to a cave. Tensions rise when Squirrelflight reveals herself to the Clans, and as the Clans accuse her of disloyalty, the Sisters refuse to leave. When Sunrise attacks Harestar, battle erupts. Squirrelflight recruits Twigbranch's help to stop the fight, but the Sisters flee, chased by the Clans.
:Bramblestar confronts Squirrelflight again, who tells him about the kits, and they realize that the Sisters have gone to defend Moonlight. Flurry attacks Bramblestar, but she rushes off to help when Twigbranch reports that the kits are trapped, and Squirrelflight, Bramblestar, and Twigbranch follow. Moonlight refuses again to leave, and just as Bramblestar informs Tigerstar about the kits, the Sisters attack. The cave begins to collapse, and Squirrelflight rushes in to help Leafpool and Hawk save the kits, digging them out. As they are leaving, the cave falls in, knocking both Squirrelflight and Leafpool unconscious. The two sisters find themselves in StarClan and see Larksong, who says that they are dying and lets them see themselves and their Clan through a pond. More of their family and former Clanmates greet them, including Firestar, Hollyleaf, Cinderpelt, Sorreltail, Ferncloud, Mousefur, Longtail, and Squirrelflight's kits, Dandelionkit and Juniperkit. Larksong's kit also appears, and Larksong reveals that he has named him Flickerkit. Squirrelflight spots Ashfur, to her shock, though it seems that he has made peace with Hollyleaf.
:Firestar reveals to the sisters that, before they can join StarClan, they must confront their past mistakes. He takes them to meet with several cats, including Tallstar, Bluestar, Crookedstar, Yellowfang, Moth Flight, and Littlecloud. Leafpool is confronted for having kits as a medicine cat, as well as taking a WindClan mate, and she argues that she gave them up to serve her Clan. Yellowfang defends her, pointing out Bluestar and Moth Flight's hypocrisy, but Moth Flight does not back down. Leafpool appeals to them on Squirrelflight's behalf, and Squirrelflight attempts to argue that she lied to protect everyone, but eventually can only apologize. The StarClan cats decide to allow them to join StarClan if they die, and Firestar offers to show them around. They spend time and reminisce with their former Clanmates, watching them play, though Squirrelflight desires to return to the living. They discuss the kits, with StarClan reassuring Squirrelflight that they are happy and that families can be together freely.
:While Leafpool hunts with Cinderpelt, Squirrelflight spends time tree hunting with Hollyleaf, Juniperkit, and Dandelionkit, taking down a squirrel. Larksong, Flickerkit, and Sandstorm join them, and Larksong expresses grief at being separated from Sparkpelt. Squirrelflight, homesick, desperately wants to return to her living Clanmates, and after saying goodbye, she leaps into the pond. She finds herself in ThunderClan camp, but cannot communicate. She goes to the medicine den and feels guilty when she sees Jayfeather's pain, and she listens to Bramblestar doubting himself as leader. When Alderheart leaves, she decides to try to send him a sign by chasing a squirrel to him, but he does not understand. Squirrelflight suddenly ends up in the Sisters' camp, where SkyClan is building a new camp for themselves, and finds another spirit named Blade, who used to speak with the Sisters. Blade informs her that SkyClan took the Sisters back to their own camp after the battle, and Squirrelflight rushes there, feeling pain in her head.
:Moonlight is injured, and Violetshine is caring for her kits. Tree is able to see Squirrelflight and speaks with her, but she begins to fade away, and but is unable to finish the messages she wants him to pass on. She finds herself back in her body in the medicine den, where she is being cared for by Jayfeather and Alderheart, but when she tries desperately to see Leafpool, she ends up back in StarClan, where she finds that Leafpool has died. Firestar says that Squirrelflight can survive if she fights, and she chooses to return, while Leafpool is happy to stay in StarClan. On the way back to the living, Squirrelflight sees memories of her life. She wakes up in the medicine den again, and after checking her over, Alderheart and Jayfeather say that she is fine. Bramblestar and Lionblaze visit her, relieved that she is well. The Clan holds a vigil for Leafpool, and Squirrelflight sees that she has been forgiven. Jayfeather and Lionblaze grieve, expressing their forgiveness for Leafpool, and Squirrelflight passes on Leafpool's message of love to them.
:The next day, Squirrelflight visits Sparkpelt and her kits, Flamekit and Finchkit. Sparkpelt is refusing to eat, despite Stormcloud's best efforts. Squirrelflight encourages her to cherish her kits, telling her about seeing Larksong in StarClan and passing on Larksong's message, and Sparkpelt finally summons the will to play with her kits, causing Squirrelflight to feel happy with the kits that ThunderClan already had. She goes to visit the Sisters, finding out from Hawkwing that Moonlight has died, and speaks with Snow and Tempest about Moonlight and Leafpool. They say that Moonlight has told them to travel beyond the moor, and tell her that Moonlight's kits are named Leaf, Squirrel, and Moon. At the Gathering, Squirrelflight speaks with Hawkwing, who says that the Sisters helped SkyClan settle in. The Clans argue over the Sisters again, with Tigerstar confronting Squirrelflight, but Bramblestar defends her. They grieve for Leafpool, calling her name. Squirrelflight tells the Clans that StarClan has asked them to pay closer attention to their signs. When the Gathering breaks up, Squirrelflight and Bramblestar promise to never again argue as they did, and Bramblestar apologizes to her.
:In the comic, Squirrelpaw and Leafpaw are on their first trip outside of camp as apprentices with their mentors. As Dustpelt and Cinderpelt are teaching them, Brambleclaw shows up and teases the new apprentices. While the warriors talk amongst themselves, Squirrelpaw tries to catch a rabbit and Leafpaw pursues her, accidentally knocking Squirrelpaw into the river. They manage to get out and find their way back to the patrol, and Dustpelt assigns them a punishment. Squirrelpaw, however, feels encouraged in knowing that she and Leafpaw will always have one another.
==Trivia==
===Interesting facts===
*The working title of the book was Squirrelflight's Kin.
*As of August 2020, the book will be reprinted to exclude an offensive implication.Revealed on twitter.com 
===Mistakes===
*The trial scene presents several different continuity errors:
**In The Forgotten Warrior, Bluestar tells Jayfeather that StarClan does not judge the dead or choose their fate. However, in Squirrelflight's Hope, StarClan organizes a trial for Leafpool and Squirrelflight to decide if they can stay with them or not.
**StarClan berates Leafpool and Squirrelflight for their lies regarding Jayfeather, Lionblaze, and Hollyleaf. However in Leafpool's Wish, StarClan themselves encourage Squirrelflight to take in Leafpool's kits, lying that she will never have kits of her own. StarClan even promises to provide support for Leafpool before she's even aware she is pregnant.
**Moth Flight states that they chose Lionblaze and Jayfeather as part of the prophecy and they could have chosen any cat, but The Fourth Apprentice establishes that the prophecy did not come from StarClan, and the StarClan cats themselves were unsure who the Three exactly were.
:A compiled list of errors present in Squirrelflight's Hope can be found here. 
==Publication history==
*Squirrelflight's Hope (EN), HarperCollins (hardcover), 3 September 2019
*Squirrelflight's Hope (EN), HarperCollins (e-book), 3 September 2019
*Squirrelflight's Hope (EN), HarperCollins (audiobook), 3 September 2019
*Squirrelflight's Hope (EN), HarperCollins B and Blackstone Publishing (audio cd), 3 September 2019
*Eichhornschweifs Hoffnung (DE), Beltz & Gelberg (hardcover), 19 August 2020Revealed on amazon.de 
*Eichhornschweifs Hoffnung (DE), Julius Beltz GmbH & Co. KG (e-book), 19 August 2020Revealed on beltz.de 
*Squirrelflight's Hope (EN), HarperCollins (paperback), 1 September 2020
*松鼠飛的希望 (TW), Morning Star (paperback), 15 December 2021Revealed on morningstar.com.tw
*松鼠飞的希冀 (CN), China Children's Publishing House (hardcover), 1 January 2022, translated by Lang YuRevealed on taobao.com
*L'espoir de Poil d'Écureuil (FR), Pocket Jeunesse (e-book), 11 July 2024Revealed on lisez.com
*L'espoir de Poil d'Écureuil (FR), Pocket Jeunesse (paperback), 16 August 2024, translated by Aude CarlierRevealed on indigo.ca
==Gallery==
===US covers===
SE-12.jpg|English Language EditionReleased in North America & United Kingdom
SE-12-FC.png|English Language EditionTextless Cover
SE-12-FLF.png|English Language EditionFront Flap
SE-12-FLB.png|English Language EditionBack Flap
SE-12-2.png|Alternate English Language EditionReleased in North America & United Kingdom
SE-12-A.jpg|English AudiobookReleased in North America
===Foreign covers===
SE-12-CN.png|Simplified Chinese Language EditionReleased in China
SE-12-CN-FC.png|Simplified Chinese Language EditionTextless cover
File:SE-12-CN-RR-FLB.jpg|Simplified Chinese Language EditionBack flap
File:SE-12-CN-RR-FLF.jpg|Simplified Chinese Language EditionFront flap
SE-12-CN-2.png|Alternate Simplified Chinese Language EditionReleased in China
SE-12-ZH-TW.jpg|Traditional Chinese Language EditionReleased in Taiwan
SE-12-FR.png|French Language EditionReleased in France
SE-12-DE.jpg|German Language EditionReleased in Germany & Austria
File:SE-12-DE-FC.png|German Language EditionTextless Cover
==External links==
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==Notes and references==
de:Eichhornschweifs Hoffnungfi:Squirrelflight's Hopefr:L'espoir de Poil d'Écureuilit:La Speranza Di VoloDiScoiattolopl:Nadzieja Wiewiórczego Lotupt-br:A Esperança de Voo de Esquiloru:Надежда Белки
Category:Super Edition arc
Category:Books
Category:Squirrelflight's Hope