Into the Forest/Chapter 9

Below contains an in-depth summary for chapter nine of *Into the Forest.*If you would like a shorter summary of the whole thing, please check the main article.

## Information

### General

**Chapter Number:**9 (of 10)

**Page Numbers:**118-125

**Point of View:**Furrypaw

### Chronology

**Preceded by:**Chapter 8

**Next:**Chapter 10

## Chapter Summary

Furrypaw is encouraging Gingerpaw , saying that if Cinderheart  was a ShadowClan  warrior , she wouldn't take it easy on her. Gingerpaw complains that she's tired. They're at the training hollow with Cinderheart and Leafpool . Gingerpaw's whitecough had gone away, and Furrypaw is pushing her to catch up, despite pushing her being the reason she was sick in the first place. Cinderheart gently encourages her to try again. Gingerpaw reaches to swat at Cinderheart, but she sends her flying, complaining that she was too slow. Gingerpaw states taht she's tired, and lays panting on the floor. Furrypaw tells her that she needs to use effort, and Gingerpaw replies that she was sleepy and lets out a giant yawn. Leafpool warns Furrypaw not to push her too hard. Furrypaw suddenly feels a jolt of guilt, wondering what kind of sister--and friend--she was. Furrypaw shakes the thought from her mind and focuses on her training. Cinderheart comments that she's really good. Leafpool suggests that she takes a break too. She goes back to camp and looks for Gingerpaw, and finds her asleep in the apprentices' den. Bramblepaw's voice from behind her startles her. He asks why she's pushing her so hard. Furrypaw replies that she needed everyone to be ready. Bramblepaw asks what they were ready for, and Furrypaw replies that it'd scare Bramblepaw and distract him from training, but she needed him training.
Gingerpaw wakes up, her voice groggy. Furrypaw apologizes for being a terrible sister and friend. Gingerpaw accepts the apology, since she knew something was bothering Furrypaw. She asks if she wanted to do battle training, and Furrypaw tells her that Leafpool told her to take a break. Jayfeather appears from behind them, saying that he needed Furrypaw to get celandine , and sends Bramblepaw with her.
While they're walking through the forest, Bramblepaw comments that she'd been spending a lot of time with Firepaw , and clarifies that she wasn't going to mate him. Furrypaw replies that she wouldn't, and Bramblepaw seems to be interrogating her, commenting on how she'd never have feelings for Firepaw and how wrong it is. Furrypaw admits that she has feelings for Firepaw, and thatshe's trying to drift away but couldn't, and admits to Bramblepaw that she loved Firepaw. Bramblepaw cries that it's against the Warrior Code , and Furrypaw pointed out that Yellowfang broke the code and gave birth to Brokenstar. Bramblepaw adds that Brokenstar was a blood-thirsty murderer. Furrypaw says that Leafpool gave birth to Jayfeather Lionblaze and Hollyleaf and they were loyal cats, and were part of a prophecy . Bramblepaw changes the subject, asking what celandine looks like. Furrypaw replies that it's a yellow flower with four petals, and he spots a clump. They divide the clump evenly between them and take it back to camp in silence, and deposit the herbs without saying anything.
Furrypaw notices Gingerpaw teaching the kits basic defense moves, and asks what she's doing. Gingerpaw replies that she could tell something had been bothering Furrypaw, and assumed there was a battle, so was teaching the kits basic battle moves. She adds that Larkkit  was doing the best, then Leafkit, then Honeykit , then Brightkit, then Cloudkit , and that Sunkit was doing the worst. Furrypaw noticed Sunkit was gazing at the sun, paying no attention to what was happening. Gingerpaw snaps Sunkit's attention back and asks her to try the move again. Sunkit clumsily ducks and rolls on her back, but doesn't stop rolling. Gingerpaw calls Sunkit's name again, andIvypool points out that she was just a little kit, barely a quarter moon old. Gingerpaw states that Brightkit and Cloudkit were doing fine, and Ivypool replies that boys tend to like fighting more, and then asks what the point in training the kits was, because there was no big battle coming up. Gingerpaw and Furrypaw share a glance, ad Ivypool's voice fills with anxiety as she asks if her kits were in danger. Furrypaw replies that the odds were low, but it was better safe than sorry. Brightkit tells Sunkit that she was supposed to be practicing battle moves, and Sunkit complains that she was having fun and didn't want to practice battle moves. Brightkit hisses that being a warrior isn't about having fun, and Sunkit wails that she's hungry. Ivypool leads Sunkit to the nursery where she can suckle. Gingerpaw instructs the kits to try the move again, and they simultaneously duck, twist, and roll, then spring to their feet. Cloudkit asks why Sunkit couldn't do it. Furrypaw thinks that Gingerpaw could be a good mentor.
Ivypool says she hopes the training is all for nothing, and points out that if there wasn't something coming up, why the double training, training the kits, and double patrols? Furrypaw and Gingerpaw don't know how to respond, and are relieved when Daisy tells Ivypool to stop being negative. Gingerpaw dismisses the battle training, and they run to their parents to show off their moves. Sunkit continues to roll around the hollow. Furrypaw hopes the kits won't have to fight.
Gingerpaw asks if Furrypaw would like to go swimming, since it's fairly warm. They go to the lake, and Furrypaw tells Gingerpaw on the way that she's in love with Firepaw, and asks that if she gives birth to his kits if she would take them as her own, like Squirrelflight did for Leafpool. Gingerpaw says she would, and then they race to the lake. While Furrypaw is swimming, she sings *Welcome*from the movie *Brother Bear:*"*Welcome to our family time! Welcome to our happy-to-be time! This is our festival, you know it best of all, we're here to share it all!*"
Furrypaw suggests using a stick as a dive toy, and Gingerpaw agrees. They take turns throwing and retrieving, until the sun began to set. They walked to camp, and Furrypaw almost has enough fun to forget the battle, but nothing could take the image out of her head.

## Characters

### Minor

* Jayfeather
* Leafpool
* Cinderheart
* Gingerpaw
* Bramblepaw
* Sunkit
* Brightkit
* Cloudkit
* Larkkit
* Leafkit
* Honeykit
* Ivypool
* Daisy

### Mentioned

* Yellowfang
* Brokenstar
* Lionblaze
* Hollyleaf
* Firepaw
* Squirrelflight