The Darkest Hour/Chapter 4

==Chapter description==
:All around Fireheart is darkness and a chilling cold. The ginger tom has not been that cold in a while, feeling like every last scrap of warmth is sucked from him. His legs twitch as cramps nip at them; the tabby tom imagines himself made of ice, and that if he moves, he will shatter. No dreams come, and there are no signs of StarClan, beginning to panic Fireheart. He opens his eyes narrowly, but then he widens them with shock. Instead of sitting at the Moonstone, he sees short grass, night scents bathing him, of plants growing with dew.
:Fireheart scrambles into a sitting position, and then realizes just where he is: the hollow at Fourtrees. The towering oaks, in full leaf, rustles over his head, and Silverpelt glitters beyond them in the night sky. Fireheart wonders about how he came here and if this was the dream that Cinderpelt promised. He raises his head and looks up at the sky, and he is unable to remember it being so clear; Silverpelt looked closer than he had ever seen before, barely higher than the topmost branches of the oaks. As Fireheart gazes into the sky, he realizes the stars are moving, before they descend to the ground; the spirits of StarClan approach him, stars in their fur and eyes, smells of ice and fire emitting from their pelts. The deputy looks along the line of cats, and feels happy upon noticing Bluestar and Yellowfang, and his beloved medicine cat, Spottedleaf. Lionheart, younger and stronger, comes forward, and delivers Fireheart's first life: a life of courage.
:The strength of Lionheart's blessing sears the ginger tom, and he feels the tear of claws and teeth against his pelt. As the feeling subsides, he wonders how he will make it, before Redtail, the former deputy who was killed by Tigerstar, comes forward, and gives Fireheart a life for justice. As the power of the life fades, Redtail thanks him for revealing the truth, and he's replaced by Silverstream, Graystripe's former love, and she delivers a life of loyalty to the young tom. Runningwind, another cat killed by the treacherous Tigerstar, paces forward, giving Fireheart a life of tireless energy; this causes the deputy to feel as though he is running through the woods, exhilarated and energized, but the feeling eventually fades, and Brindleface delivers Fireheart's next life: one of protection. The life ripples the tabby with strength like those of the ancient LionClan and TigerClan.
:As the next StarClan cat approaches, the ThunderClan tom feels guilt, recognizing him as Swiftpaw, killed by dogs as he tried to prove himself worthy of a warrior name, and angry at Bluestar. The black-and-white tom shows no rage as he blesses Fireheart with the life of mentoring, which follows up with terror and a flash of red, causing the ginger tabby to guess that what he felt is what Swiftpaw experienced as he was living his last moments in life. Yellowfang is the next cat to approach, and Fireheart remembers her as an independent and brave cat when she was alive, also recalling his last moments with her, as she lay dying. The dark gray she-cat gives him a life for compassion, telling him to use it well for elders, or anyone weaker. As he receives the life, Fireheart feels close to the old medicine cat, remembering her sharp tongue, honor, and warmheartedness. Spottedleaf takes Yellowfang's place, and her life is one for love, causing the ThunderClan deputy to feel warmed, and safe, like he did as a kit with his kittypet mother.
:Bluestar walks toward him, and Fireheart is surprised to see her strong and young again, unlike the defeated and stressed cat he had known before her death, and she greets him warmly, saying that she knew he would be a good leader someday. She gives him a life of nobility, certainty, and faith, telling her former apprentice to use it well. The agony of the life shakes him, feeling the leader's ambition, anguish as she gave away her kits, and ferocity as she fought for ThunderClan. As the power dissolves, the StarClan spirits walk forward, and Bluestar hails Fireheart as Firestar, and the spirits cheer his new name, before they stop, a startled hiss interrupting them. The new leader spins around, aware of a disturbance, and is horrified to see a huge pile of bones, reeking with the stink of carrion, piled up together, cat bones jumbled with prey remains. The StarClan cats had vanished, and although Firestar can feel Bluestar, he cannot see her.
:She murmurs in his ears that four will become two, lion and tiger will meet in battle, and blood will rule the forest. He demands to know what she means, but Bluestar's presence vanishes, leaving Firestar alone with the stinking bones. Blood begins oozing from the pile, forming into a stream that flows toward him. He cries out, but there is no answer except for the gurgling of the red, sticky blood, lapping at his fur.
==Characters==
===Major===
===Minor===
===Mentioned===
==Important Event==
===Ceremonies===
==Notes and references==
de:Stunde der Finsternis/Kapitel 4es:La hora más oscura/Capítulo 4fr:Une sombre prophétie/Chapitre 4nl:Vuurproef/Hoofdstuk 4
Category:The Darkest Hour
Category:The Prophecies Begin arc
Category:Chapter subpages