Squirrelflight's Hope/Chapter 27

==Chapter description==
:Squirrelflight struggles to open her eyes as pain throbs in her head and hind leg. Squirrelflight recognizes Jayfeather's voice as he tells her she is in the medicine cat den. She smells Alderheart and Bramblestar around her, and a sickly scent fills her with dread. Squirrelflight recoils as a bitter taste bathes her tongue, and Alderheart says it will help. Squirrelflight struggles to sit up. Bramblestar tells her to try not to move, and she is relieved that she is with them and that he loves her. 
:Squirrelflight is worried about Leafpool, and tries to see her sister, calling Leafpool's name. Jayfeather blocks her gaze, and she is alarmed. Squirrelflight pushes Jayfeather away for she has recognized the scent. When Squirrelflight sees Leafpool her sister's gaze is blank and cloudy. Grief overwhelms Squirrelflight and she is dragged into darkness.
:Squirrelflight opens her eyes, and Leafpool is leaning over her, saying she came back. Relief swamps her, and she tells her sister that she thought she lost her. Squirrelflight asks Leafpool if she died too, and Leafpool answers that Squirrelflight did not, stars glimmering in her pelt. Grief tears at Squirrelflight as she states that Leafpool has. Leafpool says she is glad to be there, as her friends will join her eventually. Squirrelflight wishes she could go back, and Firestar says that the herbs are working, and she could live if she fights. 
:Sandstorm tells Squirrelflight that she is badly hurt. Her mother goes on to ask what will happen if her daughter's leg doesn't heal properly, and if she would be able to be deputy. Sandstorm also asks what would happen if Bramblestar doesn't want Squirrelflight as a deputy or mate. Squirrelflight insists that is why she needs to go back, and she doesn't care what will happen as she has to make things right with her Clan. She adds that her kits are also there. Sandstorm states she has kits in StarClan. Squirrelflight replies that ThunderClan needs her. Sandstorm says that she doesn't want her to suffer, and asks Squirrelflight why she should part with Leafpool there, in life and death. Sandstorm finishes by telling Squirrelflight that she should join them.
:Firestar reminds his mate that Squirrelflight needs to make her own decision. Leafpool tells her that death won't separate them, and that she will watch over her sister, saying that being apart only makes their relationship stronger. Squirrelflight is hopeful that Leafpool could also go back, but her sister replies that ThunderClan doesn't need her. She states that she feels happy there, in StarClan. 
:Firestar asks if Squirrelflight is going back, adding that he is proud of her. He tells her to tell the Clans to turn towards StarClan, not away from them. Squirrelflight says that they have been listening. Firestar states that perhaps they haven't been listening hard enough, and she says that they will try harder. She tells Sandstorm to tell her kits that she will be back, and Sandstorm anxiously says to be brave. Squirrelflight tells Leafpool that she is sorry to leave her. Leafpool understands, and says to tell Jayfeather and Lionblaze that she is sorry for the lie. She adds that she will be watching them, even if they are far apart. Squirrelflight fixes a picture of Leafpool in her mind.
:Squirrelflight closes her eyes as she is ready to go back. She is in a memory where she is a kit, and is chasing Leafpool. Next, they are apprentices and Leafpool and Squirrelflight are waiting for their mentors. She wonders if Leafpool's memories are different from hers. The scene shifts, then Brambleclaw is asking whether she could've told the truth. Squirrelflight remembers they were talking about the lie she and Leafpool had told. Finally, she and Bramblestar are lying under the sun together. Leafpool tells her to take care of them, and pads away. Squirrelflight feels the earth underneath her, and says good-bye to Leafpool, grief pulling her into darkness.
==Characters==
===Major===
*Squirrelflight
===Minor===
===Mentioned===
==Notes and references==
Category:Super Edition arc
Category:Squirrelflight's Hope
Category:Chapter subpages