Spottedleaf's Heart/Cliffnotes

======
*Spottedkit plays with her denmates in the clearing.
**Redkit moves to attack a rogue, and Spottedkit protests that she hasn't given the signal yet. Frostkit mentions that no one knows what it's supposed to be.
**Eventually, her denmates become tired of her bossing them around and leave to play a different game.
**Spottedkit is disheartened, and trots over to Swiftbreeze, who says that sometimes it's good to give power to others, as well.
*The pair look at Thistleclaw and Tigerpaw, who have just returned from a patrol.
**Spottedkit pads over to the fresh-kill pile, and she approaches Thistleclaw.
**He offers her the feathers for her nest, and she accepts the gift from him.
***Whitepaw comes over and asks if he can have some too, and Thistleclaw obliges.
***They begin to have some fun, but Bluefur comes over and tells them to stop.
***Thistleclaw is offended, especially when the blue warrior goes on about his training methods with Tigerpaw.
**Redkit and Brindlekit jump on Thistleclaw, winding him.
***Spottedkit helps him recover, and he says she might make a good medicine cat one day.
***She replies that her paws are set on the path of a warrior.
======
*Spottedkit has her apprentice ceremony, and is now named Spottedpaw.
**The Clan cheers for Spottedpaw and her newly named littermates, Willowpaw and Redpaw.
**The new apprentices go out to see ThunderClan's territory, and Thistleclaw and his apprentice join them.
**Spottedpaw is awestruck by the beauty of the forest, and her mentor points out important landmarks.
**Spottedpaw promises to work hard and be the best warrior she can be.
*Awhile later, she and her mentor go out on patrol with Thistleclaw and Tigerpaw.
**Thistleclaw spots a squirrel in a tree, and shows it to Spottedpaw.
***With some encouragement, she climbs the branches in pursuit of it. However, Spottedpaw slips from the tree, and the world goes black.
***The apprentice's parents and Thrushpelt soon arrive, and they worriedly rush her back to camp.
***They set her in the medicine cats' den, with Featherwhisker making Spottedpaw eat some herbs, and assures the cats surrounding that the apprentice will get better.
======
*Spottedpaw races through the trees, running from a fox, attached onto her injured leg.
**She then wakes, realizing it's a dream.
**Featherwhisker tends to her, but Spottedpaw protests that she's bored.
**The medicine cat gives her some herbs to sort, and she finishes quickly
*Poppydawn comes to visit Spottedpaw, and Willowpaw follows.
**The apprentice asks when Spottedpaw will be training again, and Featherwhisker says she needs a few more days to rest.
*In two days, the apprentice is able to hobble around camp unassisted. She meets with Redpaw and Swiftbreeze, who are glad she seems better.
**Thistleclaw returns from patrol, and bounds over to Spottedpaw.
**He offers to take her out on a walk, and soon, the apprentice spots an injury on Thistleclaw's ear.
***She asks why he didn't have Featherwhisker tend to it, he says that he's fine. He goes onto say only the weak get injured in battle.
**Spottedpaw is briefly unsettled by his answer, but moves closer to him. She purrs as she sits down, only thinking about how happy she is sitting here with Thistleclaw.
======
*Spottedpaw organizes Featherwhisker's store, commenting that he'd better not mess it up again.
**She leaves, meowing a greeting to her littermates who have just returned from a hunting patrol.
**Spottedpaw practices her hunting skills with her mentor, and when he is appeased, they separate to go hunting.
*She hears voices coming from a distance, and sees Bluefur, Thistleclaw, and Tigerpaw confronting an intruder.
**Spottedpaw realizes that they have cornered a black kit, and watches as the dark tabby apprentice attacks it.
**She holds her breath as Thistleclaw goads him on until Bluefur steps in to intervene.
**Thrushpelt finds his apprentice and says that they need to return to camp.
***Her shoulder aches, and Thrushpelt says that she can go get herself something to eat.
**Thistleclaw invites her to eat with him, and she follows the warrior to a shady spot.
**Spottedpaw bravely mentions that she saw his earlier confrontation of the kit intruder, but he defends his actions.
**She becomes angry with him, and runs away to a spot near Sunningrocks. Thistleclaw follows her with prey and apologizes.
**She feels at ease with his words, and he invites her come somewhere with him tonight. Spottedpaw agrees, and he disappears into the bushes.
======
*Spottedpaw waits for Thistleclaw, wondering where he'll take her.
*Goosefeather enters, telling her that she is the one who loves foolishly.
**She is confused by his words, not understanding what they mean.
*She hears a crack, seeing Thistleclaw in front of of her.
**He beckons her to follow him, and the two cats race through a dark, dank forest.
*Thistleclaw takes her to meet a cat named Mapleshade.
*Mapleshade orders Thistleclaw and Houndleap to fight, and the two cats viciously attack with claws unsheathed.
*Spottedpaw is horrified, realizing that she's in the Place of No Stars.
**She returns with some bracken to stop bleeding, and presses it against Houndleap's wounds.
*Spottedpaw asks the bleeding cat why Thistleclaw, but the spiky warrior approaches from behind.
**He answers that he's becoming a better warrior, and she protests that this is evil.
**Thistleclaw seems to disagree, and she starts to run away from him into the looming forest.
======
*Spottedpaw awakens, her pelt filthy and matted.
**Her littermates are shocked at her condition, and tell her to clean up before training.
**Thrushpelt quickly spots her, and tells her that they are going on a border patrol.
***The warrior then seems to take a second look at Spottedpaw, instead saying that she should go clean up, then meet her later for training.
**Spottedpaw then ducks into some ferns to clean up, hoping no one will notice her.
**Thistleclaw sees the apprentice and offers to take her out training with Whitepaw and Tigerpaw.
**Spottedpaw says yes, and he returns with the two following him.
*The spiky warrior pairs Whitepaw and Tigerpaw against each other, saying Spottedpaw will fight the winner.
*The three apprentices race to the sandy hollow, with Tigerpaw easily winning.
**They then begin their training match, and Whitepaw manages to beat his competitor by flicking sand in his eyes.
*Thistleclaw summons Spottedpaw to fight Whitepaw, and she fares well.
**She almost beats the white apprentice when the tortoiseshell pauses, remembering that the move she'd been about to use came from the Place of No Stars.
**Spottedpaw flees in terror at the memory, but Thistleclaw comes after her. He confronts her, and she bleats that being in that Place of No Stars is wrong.
**Thistleclaw refuses to listen to Spottedpaw, saying that he must do it to keep his Clan safe.
**He then insists that he would do anything for her, the she-cat he loves.
======
*Spottedpaw wakes early the next morning, and Featherwhisker asks her why she's up.
**She says that she had bad dreams, unwilling to say the real reason.
**The apprentice turns away, noticing that Stormtail is very frail, and seemed to be drinking a lot.
***Spottedpaw asks if the warrior is okay, but is ignored as Speckletail then leads the cats out of camp.
**She tells her thoughts to Featherwhisker, who agrees that he'll go and bring the gray tom back to camp.
**However, White-eye bursts into the den with a thorn in her eye. The warrior panics, but Featherwhisker is able to treat the injury.
*The medicine cat tells Spottedpaw to go after Stormtail, and she races to Snakerocks.
** Spottedpaw informs the cats of the situation, and they spread out to find Stormtail.
**The tortoiseshell apprentice spots him slumped beneath a boulder.
***She wails for help, as he is unconscious but still breathing.
*They bring him to camp, and Spottedpaw runs ahead to warn Featherwhisker, and the tom lays out a nest for him.
**The patrol comes in and sets Stormtail down, and Featherwhisker diagnoses him with the thirsting sickness.
**Spottedpaw then leaves the den, reprimanding Bluefur for letting Stormtail on patrol earlier.
**Thrushpelt soon interrupts her, leading his apprentice out into the forest. The tom tells her that it's okay if she wants to be a medicine cat apprentice, as he can tell she likes helping Featherwhisker.
***She is appalled, but after some thought, Spottedpaw insists that she wants to be a warrior.
======
*Spottedpaw dreams herself into the Place of No Stars, and goes to find Thistleclaw.
**She sees him in Mapleshade's training sessions, pummeling a fox-colored she-cat.
***Spottedpaw tries to step in and stop it, but is too late, and the she-cat fades from beneath her.
**She is bewildered, and Mapleshade orders Thistleclaw to get rid of her.
**He leads her away from the scene, asking what she wants.
***Spottedpaw pleads with him to stop coming here, so they can have a future together.
***She says that if he truly loves her, he'll promise to never come here again.
**Thistleclaw shakes his head, saying that being in the Place of No Stars is a part of his destiny that he can't ignore.
**Spottedpaw pleads with him one last time, but it is to no avail.
*She wishes him the best, and then awakens in her own nest, smelling of blood.
**Spottedpaw pushes her way out of the den, seeking Featherwhisker.
***On the way, Stormtail thanks her for saving him, and Bluefur apologizes for what she said the previous day.
**Spottedpaw accepts the apology, and finds the medicine cat in his den. The tom asks if she needs help, but she replies that she'd like to become his apprentice.
======
*Tigerclaw receives his warrior name from Sunstar along with Whitestorm.
**The Clan cheers for them, and Spottedpaw notices that Bluefur is pregnant.
**Spottedpaw senses Thistleclaw watching her, but doesn't return the glance.
***She knows that he plans to become the next deputy, after Tawnyspots.
*Featherwhisker leads her back to the medicine den, commenting that he wishes White-eye and Bluefur had waited until newleaf to bear kits.
**Spottedpaw seems to agree, and both conclude that the Clan will care for the queens no matter how hard the leaf-bare.
*Shortly after, Bluefur's kitting begins in the nursery. Spottedpaw assists her and soon, two healthy she-cats and a tom are born.
**Thrushpelt enters the den, asking what Bluefur would like to name them.
***She names her kits Stonekit, Mistykit, and Mosskit.
***Featherwhisker comments that the father didn't choose any of the names, but Spottedpaw dismisses the comment. She lets out a long purr, thinking about how perfect the kits are.
======
*Spottedpaw is exhausted from fetching so much wet moss for her Clanmates.
*She sees Tawnyspots emerge from the dirtplace, looking very frail.
**The apprentice worries about him, knowing he might have to step down soon.
*Bluefur's kits approach Spottedpaw, asking if she's brought a treat for them.
**She says that it's only fresh moss, and quickly delivers the moss to Goosefeather, and sets out to get more.
*On her way out of camp, she sees Thrushpelt bring a squirrel over to the kits as a treat.
**They get excited, but Bluefur insists that they've had enough to eat already. Thrushpelt apologizes to the kits, and walks away with his prey.
**Thistleclaw returns from a patrol, announcing that they beat some kittypets today.
***Spottedpaw notices that Fuzzypelt has a splinter, and the apprentice realizes it came from the Twolegplace when the patrol purposefully sought out the innocent.
**Bluefur comes to the same conclusion, and is angry.
**Spottedpaw says that they may as well get used to a bossy Thistleclaw as he's bound to be deputy soon.
***The queen's eyes darken, and replies that that won't happen if she can help it.
**Spottedpaw urges her to focus on her kits, but Bluefur insists that she loves them, but her Clan might need her.
***The apprentice is confused by the conviction in her voice, and watches her walk away.
*On the night of the Gathering, Bluefur requests to go with the patrol.
**Spottedpaw agrees to watch the queen's kits, and Bluefur thanks her.
*The cats begin to file out of camp. Spottedpaw gives a mint leaf to Tawnyspots, then checks on the nursery to see every cat asleep.
**Later that night, Bluefur tells Spottedpaw in a low voice that she's made her choice.
*Spottedpaw goes to sleep, but is awakened by a soft rustle and some murmuring.
*She sees that Stormtail is on guard, and they both look for the source of the sound.
**Spottedpaw then turns slightly and realizes that Bluefur and her kits are sneaking out.
***She feels conflicted, knowing that whatever the queen is doing is for a purpose.
**Spottedpaw tells Stormtail to go take a look, and the medicine cat apprentice insists that he go look on the other side of the ravine.
*Spottedpaw follows Bluefur to Sunningrocks, where she sees two shapes talking.
**She realizes that the queen is giving away her kits, and prays to StarClan that they stay safe.
*A voice sounds in her mind, telling her that the kits will be okay.
**Spottedpaw knows that the voice is Snowfur's, who is Bluefur's sister.
**The medicine cat apprentice vows that she and Bluefur will both guard their hearts, and never be foolish or blind again.
de:Tüpfelblatts Herz/Kapitelnotizen
Category:Spottedleaf's Heart
Category:Novellas
Category:Cliffnotes