Squirrelflight's Hope/Chapter 5

==Chapter description==
:Squirrelflight is content staying with the Sisters for the time being. She thinks to herself that the group has warmed up to her and Leafstar, even going so far as to make sure that Leafstar's wound is healing properly. Despite Leafstar still wanting to leave, Squirrelflight notices that she has stopped complaining as frequently about the prey or the scent of the land they were on. The ginger she-cat feels guilty that the Sisters will likely face a patrol of angry Clan cats, likely because of Leafstar and Squirrelflight not returning to their Clans right away. Flurry comes to visit the two she-cats and tends to Leafstar's wounds from her escape attempt. The Clan cats are surprised at the Sisters' ability to use herbs, as medicine cats are generally the only ones able to use medicine without any problems. Flurry explains that the older cats, whom they call mothers, are the ones who teach the kits, and they all teach each other.
:Leafstar looks out of the den and sees that Moonlight, Creek, Snow, and Sparrow are dragging honeysuckle vines into camp. The SkyClan leader lets her curiosity get the better of her and asks what the cats are building. Flurry looks at the cats and tells Leafstar that they are building a den for Moonlight to give birth in. Squirrelflight asks when Moonlight's kits will come, and the she-cat replies that it should be in about a moon. Moonlight approaches and asks if their captives have eaten, and inquires the condition of Leafstar's wound. Flurry reports that she is on the mend, and Squirrelflight mews that Sparrow had brought prey for them to eat. She goes on to say that she wishes that Moonlight would let them help, as she does not like being treated like a Clan elder.
:Moonlight tells Squirrelflight that she will have to settle for being treated like a Clan elder, but she is welcome to help around the Sisters' camp instead, to which Squirrelflight happily offers to do so. Leafstar, however, opts to stay off of her leg and is content just watching things play out. As they are building, Squirrelflight takes the chance to ask more about the Sisters' way of life, including why Tempest did not stay with her mate. The pregnant she-cat replies that Tempest could have gone with her mate if she wanted to, but she did not raise her children alone, and that she had the love and support of the entire group. Moonlight puts a great deal of emphasis on the cats in the Sisters' group being able to live life how they want to, instead of being tied down.
:Remembering that Grass and Stone are both toms, Squirrelflight asks Moonlight what will happen to them, and the leader of the Sisters says that she will have to wait until tonight to find out. She goes on to say that Tempest will miss them at first, but there will be new litters to take care of, as the Sisters are all mothers to their young. She explains further that Grass and Stone will go wherever they want to go, whether that be with Twopaws or live as loners or rogues. Squirrelflight is shocked that a cat would willingly become a kittypet, but Moonlight reminds the ginger she-cat that their ancestors were kittypets, and that they were all from one family.
:Squirrelflight ponders life with the Sisters, from being able to take any tom that she wants as a mate, from letting her sons go when they reach a certain age. She thinks that there are no rules about falling in love. Squirrelflight worries that Moonlight would have sons that she would have to send away, but the Sister is not worried about that and says that they cannot hold onto their loved ones forever. Baffled, the ginger she-cat asks about Moonlight's former mate, and learns that Jack was a house cat. The kittypet was fun to be around and good-looking, but Moonlight would have not been happy staying with him. Her life is with the Sisters. Moonlight says that when her kits are old enough, she will take them to meet Jack, in hopes that they will get to know their father and maybe even decide to stay with him.
:Leafstar asks Squirrelflight if she plans on staying with the Sisters, given how she seemed to fit in and how curious she was about the group's customs and past. The she-cat denies wanting to stay, admitting that she only wants to make herself useful to the group while she is around. Soon, it is time to say goodbye to Grass and Stone, and Squirrelflight is offered the chance to join the Sisters and witness their ceremonies. She joins Sunrise, Moonlight, Tempest, and the others at the top of a hill, and Squirrelflight notices that the two young toms seem excited to be leaving. Tempest tells her sons to take care of themselves and be happy. Stone looks visibly upset, telling Tempest that he will always remember her.
:Moonlight approaches the two toms, saying that they must walk throughout the night and not look back. She mews that once dawn approaches, the two young cats will have left their kithood behind. She advises Grass and Stone to wander in peace, and both cats thank Moonlight for their words. The Sisters raise their voices to the sky and encourage the two toms to have a peaceful journey. Squirrelflight thinks of Bramblestar and Sparkpelt as she watches Grass and Stone leave, and notices that Tempest has leaned against Snow for support. Squirrelflight thinks to herself that she will try again tomorrow to see if she and Leafstar are allowed to leave the Sisters.
==Characters==
===Major===
===Minor===
===Mentioned===
==Notes and references==
Category:Chapter subpages
Category:Squirrelflight's Hope
Category:Super Edition arc