Bluestar's Prophecy/Chapter 23

==Chapter Summary==
:Sunfall announces that they had driven off the RiverClan cats, and Adderfang reports no sign of RiverClan left. Sunfall thanks the senior warrior. Bluefur only hears half of the words, as she is staring at Sweetpaw's body in the clearing, noticing that looked just like Moonflower had at her mother's vigil. Bluefur is swallowed immediately by grief, and watches as Rosepaw crouches beside the body, Thistleclaw murmuring he would help them bury her. 
:Featherwhisker and Goosefeather emerge from the medicine cat den, and the medicine cat apprentice gently asks his mentor to chew herbs into a pulp. Goosefeather starts chewing at the leaves at his apprentice's prompting. Featherwhisker inspects Thistleclaw first, remarking that his wound was deep and sends him to Goosefeather. He advises Snowfur to wash her fur in the stream so she wouldn't get queasy with RiverClan blood. Bluefur's wrenched claw is taken care of by Goosefeather, the ointment smeared on it. 
:Sunfall's mew signals the leader's approach. The Clan falls silent. The deputy asks where he had been, and Pinestar avoids the subject, asking if they had won. The reply is that they had, and Pinestar calls a Clan meeting. Mystified, Bluefur glances at Rosepaw. Lionpaw joins them, staring at his paws. Bluefur briefly wonders if the cheerful tom was sulking, but immediately dismisses the idea. Bluefur notes Lionpaw was hiding something about their leader.
:Pinestar gazes down at his Clan, and his voice echoes through the hollow as he states he can no longer be their leader; he would become a kittypet. Stormtail, Adderfang, Sunfall and Poppyfrost voice their shock. Pinestar bows his head, responding he was honored to serve them for so long. He states he has led eight good lives for ThunderClan, but wasn't ready to risk his ninth. Poppyfrost asks what could be more honorable them dying for your Clan, and Weedwhisker points out that he could share tongues with lost Clanmates in StarClan. Pinestar sighs, and states he was doing it for ThunderClan. Stormtail growls he was doing it for himself.
:Though he looks scared of speaking out, Lionpaw asks if they wanted a leader who no longer wished to leave. Bluefur stares at the tom, and thinks that she would gladly give all of her nine lives for defending her Clan if she were leader, and wonders if she wanted a reluctant leader. Her Clanmates whisper to each other, looking at Pinestar as though they no longer recognized him. Pinestar states Sunfall would lead them well. The deputy warns Pinestar that the other Clans might not. Pinestar, amused, meows he could imagine them proposing a new addition to the warrior code that true warriors despised the life of a kittypet. The reddish tabby tom adds that Sunfall would make ThunderClan strong. Sunfall responds that he was honored.
:Pinestar springs down the rock, and looks around at his former Clanmates. Bluefur guesses that he was wondering if they would let him go without a fight. Sunfall and Larksong express their sadness that Pinestar was leaving. White-eye declares Sunfall will make a good leader, and the Clan agrees. As Pinestar weaves among his Clanmates one last time, Thistleclaw flinches away. Bluefur feels irritation for the warrior's lack of respect.
:Their former leader pauses beside Lionpaw, murmuring a thank you. He continues that he was right; he had to tell the Clan himself, and it wouldn't have been fair for ThunderClan if he had kept them in the dark. Pinestar adds that he had good spirit, and tells him to tell Sunfall that he would've named him Lionheart. Bluefur finally is able to confirm that Lionpaw was keeping a secret, and is impressed he had kept it secret out of loyalty to Pinestar.
:Leopardfoot steps forward with their kits at her side, and asks if he wouldn't stay to watch their cats. Tigerkit is the only one who is strong in the litter, and pounces in Pinestar's tail. Pinestar states they would be fine with her, and adds he was proud of them, especially Tigerkit. Pinestar murmurs to Tigerkit to be strong and serve his Clan well. He pads into the gorse tunnel and disappears.
:Speckletail and Sparrowpelt fret about not having a leader. Sunfall jumps up onto the Highrock, and announces he would travel to the Moonstone tonight. Goosefeather is horrified, and states StarClan wouldn't allow it, continuing that Pinestar should've told StarClan his plans to become a kittypet. He warns that Starclan would never grant him nine lives.
:Adderfang murmurs that Goosefeather should give up his medicine cat role. Weedwhisker warns him that the old tom had served his Clan well for many moons, and Larksong whispers she would talk to him, and states Featherwhisker was able to take it up by himself. Robinwing agrees, and Tawnyspots hisses at them to show more respect. Featherwhisker decides to go to the Moonstone with Sunfall, and adds that Starclan would never abandon them. Sunfall promises to keep faith in StarClan, and Bluefur guesses he was feeling as though he'd went into a river, unable to find the bottom. Bluefur whispers to her sister Snowfur that she hoped Sunfall was right.
==Characters==
===Major===
===Minor===
===Mentioned===
==Trivia==
*This chapter aligns with chapter 9 of Pinestar's Choice and "Pinestar's Secret" of Code of the Clans.
==Notes and references==
fr:La prophétie d'Étoile Bleue/Chapitre 23
Category:Super Edition arc
Category:Bluestar's Prophecy
Category:Chapter subpages