The Darkest Hour/Chapter 30

==Chapter description==
:Firestar watches as Cloudtail scrambles to his paws and looks at Scourge's body. He exclaims to his leader he saved the forest while the ginger tom thinks about how much trouble Cloudtail was when he was young. He tells his nephew to find Cinderpelt to get treatment for his wounds. Looking around, Firestar finds cats of the four Clans near their medicine cats, and knows there is no need for LionClan, the Clans are now four again.
:He panics when he can't find Sandstorm, but then spots her stumbling across the clearing. The tom sees her injuries are not life-threatening. She appears relieved and murmurs they drove out BloodClan. Firestar suddenly feels light-headed and Sandstorm takes him to Cinderpelt, where he collapses on the grass. He thinks he's going to lose another life, but realizes he is okay as Fernpaw presses cobwebs into his pelt. Graystripe asks if Firestar's okay, but Firestar says he's tired, that's all. He sits up after Sandstorm tells him more cats are coming, and finds a group of RiverClan cats with Leopardstar leading them. The RiverClan leader thanks him for defeating and killing Scourge.
:Leopardstar then says she is taking her Clan home to grieve for the injured and dead. When Firestar inquires about ShadowClan, she says they must go back to their own territory, and reveals she has a new deputy, Mistyfoot. Mistyfoot appears along with Featherpaw and Stormpaw. She says although she is grateful for ThunderClan's help, she is a RiverClan cat at heart. Firestar nods, and asks why be deputy after the execution of Stonefur. She replies Leopardstar asked her before the battle, and she has to do it for her brother. He dips his head and respects Mistyfoot's decision. Stormpaw says he's coming with her because RiverClan needs them, and Featherpaw agrees. She asks Graystripe if he'll come see them, and he replies to his kits to make him proud.
:After Firestar tells him their father is ThunderClan's new deputy, the two apprentices twine their tails. Leopardstar signals for her patrol, and the RiverClan cats leave. His gaze falls on a group of ShadowClan cats, with Bramblepaw chatting to his sister, Tawnypaw. Blackfoot walks up to Firestar, and the ThunderClan leader asks the tom what he's going to do now. Blackfoot says he's going to the Moonstone to receive his nine lives to become ShadowClan's new leader. Firestar says he should learn from his wrongdoings, he saw him murder Stonefur. However, he doesn't reply. He beckons Bramblepaw toward him while Blackfoot leads his cats out of the clearing with Runningnose behind them.
:Firestar turns around and finds himself face-to-face with Barley and Ravenpaw. Ravenpaw tells the ginger tom he should keep a lookout for Blackfoot, and Firestar says ThunderClan will be ready for him if he's planning something. Barley states the cats in Twolegplace can live in peace, as to which the ThunderClan leader asks if he wouldn't go back there. The black-and-white loner adamantly meows not on his life and they're going to the barn, with Ravenpaw adding it was fun to fight with LionClan. They say their goodbyes, and Firestar decides to check on WindClan. A small group of WindClan cats huddle around Barkface, but some warriors and Tallstar are not present.
:However, Tallstar appears along with Mudclaw and Morningflower, with a few apprentices. Firestar asks what's going on, and Tallstar replies they chased BloodClan to the Thunderpath, and that most will not come back. He sees a similar glow in Morningflower's eyes, feeling avenged for the death of her son Gorsepaw. Firestar meows the time of LionClan is over, and they are now four Clans again, only to meet in peace at Fourtrees. Tallstar tells him they owe him freedom, then pads toward his warriors. Firestar jumps up onto the Great Rock and dares to believe the battle will become a distant memory.
:He imagines the spirits of StarClan are standing around him, and Firestar thanks them for making him understand the battle wouldn't be ThunderClan's alone. Suddenly, he catches the familiar scent of Spottedleaf, and she tells him he is never alone and she'll help him forever. For a moment Firestar feels grief, as if the deceased medicine cat hadn't died moons ago, but in the battle. Graystripe jumps on the rock with Sandstorm and Bramblepaw following. Sandstorm says Fire did save the Clan, with Graystripe adding the four Clans have returned. Firestar secretly thinks there are five Clans, not just the forest Clans, but also StarClan. The leader looks at the sun rising over the clearing, thinking that a dawn had never been brighter.
==Characters==
===Major===
===Minor===
===Mentioned===
==Trivia==
*This chapter aligns with chapter one of Blackfoot's Reckoning.
==Notes and references==
es:La hora más oscura/Capítulo 30fr:Une sombre prophétie/Chapitre 30
Category:The Darkest Hour
Category:Chapter subpages
Category:The Prophecies Begin arc