Into the Forest/Chapter 6

Below is an in-depth chapter summary of chapter six of *Into the Forest.*If you are looking for a shorter summary of the whole thing, please check the main article.

## Information

### General

**Chapter Number:**6 (of 10)

**Page Numbers:**65-75

**Point of View:**Furrypaw

### Chronology

**Preceded:**Chapter 5

**Next:**Chapter 7

## Chapter Summary

It starts with Furrypaw walking into the medicine den, telling Jayfeather she'd gotten his yarrow . She then asks if he remembered when Bramblestar had said she could leave. Jayfeather replies that he thinks he'd said sunhigh, and Furrypaw points out that it's almost sunhigh. Jayfeather tells her to find Squirrelflight Bramblepaw and Firepaw . Furrypaw asks if he'd be able to hold up on his own, since something could easily happen to someone, and he was still sick. Jayfeather assures her that she was just leaving for the day, and Leafpool  and Brightheart were there. Furrypaw calls a farewell, then exits the medicine den, looking for Squirrelflight. She spots her foster mom returning from patrol , and asks if she was ready. Squirrelflight asks ready for what, and Furrypaw replies that they were leaving soon, and that she wanted to see her family. Squirrelflight tells her that she didn't like the idea of going into a Twoleg nest , and Furrypaw points out that she'd done it before. Squirrelflight snaps that it was involuntarily.
Firepaw appears from behind them, and asks if Squirrelflight was too scared to visit Furrypaw's family. Furrypaw replies that she was. Squirrelflight insists that she wasn't and Firepaw says that they should just go. Furrypaw reminds him not without Bramblepaw, and Bramblepaw comes up from behind them. Squirrelflight calls up to the Highledge to Bramblestar, saying that she was leaving. Bramblestar climbs down from the Highledge and rubbs up against his mate, telling her to stay safe. Squirrelflight tells him not to worry about her. Firepaw impatiently asks if they could leave, and Furrypaw calls "See ya later, alligator!" to Bramblestar as they start leaving. He gives her a confused look, and she tells him that he needs to say "In a while, crocodile!". Bramblestar repeats it questionably. Furrypaw disappointedly meows to forget it and walks out of camp.
As the group is walking towards the WIndClan border , Furrypaw comments that they need travel music. Bramblepaw asks what she means, so Furrypaw breaks into song, singing *On my Way*by Phil Collins. As she's towards the end of the song, a WindClan patrol, including Breezepelt, Leaftail , Furzepelt , and Oatclaw , stops her. Squirrelflight apologizes, saying they were just having fun. Leaftail hisses to stop having fun, and that they're scaring all the prey . Oatclaw agrees, threatening to shut up or they'd attack. Furrypaw begs them to let her finish the song, since she was almost finished. Furzepelt permits her to proceed, but if she sang any more after that, they'd eat their words. Furrypaw thanks them, then finishes up the last few lines. As she finishes, Squirrelflight asks if they can be on their way, and Breezepelt hisses that they could, but to stop scaring their prey, and adds that if Onestar asks why the patrol had gone back to camp empty-pawed, they'd say it was "that stupid Twoleg cat  that ThunderClan foolishly took in". Furrypaw snaps that she was standing right there, and wasn't deaf. Leaftail yells we know as they turn away. Firepaw hisses after them. Squirrelflight says come on, with a hint of anger in her eyes as she stares after the patrol.
They eventually reach the horseplace , and Furrypaw wonders if Silky would be glad to see her, or mad that she'd run away. She assumes that it'd be a mix of the two. She walks in and calls her mother's name, and Silky turns around, excitedly asking what had happened. Furrypaw replies that she'd joined the wild cats, and that it was her destiny, and was certain it was for her, and had already been accepted into the Clans by their warrior ancestors, and finishes by telling her to call her Furrypaw. Silky says that she wasn't the only one who'd been worried, and steps aside to reveal Furrypaw's sister. Furrypaw questions that she hadn't gotten sold, and her sister replies that no one seemed to want her. Silky tells Furrypaw that her owners had said that if no one bought her in a few days she'd go to the shelter. Furrypaw's sister asks Furrypaw how she knew wild cats were here. Furrypaw explains her Twoleg story, and her sister exclaims that she'd done the same thing, and loved the Warriors series, and used to talk about the books with her friend from church. Furrypaw is struck with a realization, and asks if it was Kelsey. Furrypaw's sister asks if it was Elizabeth, and Furrypaw cries that she couldn't believe her best friend was her sister. Her sister agrees, and then Squirrelflight enters, asking what was happening. Silky asks who Squirrelflight was, and Furrypaw's sister screams Squirrelflight's name. Squirrelflight asks why Furrypaw's sister knew her name, and Furrypaw explains it all. Squirrelflight comments to Furrypaw's sister that they looked similar. Furrypaw takes a closer look at her sister, and realizes that her sister was ginger with a white belly--similar to Squirrelflight. Silky states that it still didn't answer her question. Furrypaw replies that Squirrelflight was her foster mom. She explains that she'd needed milk, and Squirrelflight had had two sons her age, then calls for Firepaw and Bramblepaw. They walk in, and Firepaw says that they'd heard the whole thing, and Bramblepaw cries that there was another like her.
Furrypaw suggests that her sister could come back with her to ThunderClan, and then she wouldn't have to go to the shelter. Her sister says that she'd love to go. Squirrelflight comments that it was time they get back to camp, so Furrypaw tells Silky to say hi to Smoky for her, and her sister tells Silky to say bye to Smoky for her. Silky asks if she was actually leaving, then asks why she would want to be a wild cat. Her sister repiles with "Why *wouldn't*I want to be a wild cat?" Furrypaw cries that she was going to be Clanmates with her best friend who is now her sister, and cries that it was so unreal. Silky agrees with the last statement. Squirrelflight says that they needed to get going, so the two sisters say farewell to their mom, and Furrypaw's sister promises to visit when they could. Bramblepaw asks if they could leave, and Furrypaw says they could. As they start walking home, Furrypaw's sister asks if they wanted travel music. Furrypaw says she does, and Squirrelflight screams no, because if they did WindClan would claw their ears off.
They're in Bramblestar's den, explaining to Bramblestar their story. Furrypaw's sister begs him to let her stay. Bramblestar says she can, and then mutters that the other Clans would hate him forever, before calling a Clan meeting. Furrypaw notices Cloudtail scowling at her sister. Bramblestar explains the story, and Ivypool and Fernsong complain. Bramblestar says that they would welcome her with open arms and name her Gingerpaw, then gave her Cinderheart  as a mentor . Gingerpaw complains that she wanted to be a medicine cat apprentice, and Furrypaw reminds her that she was the medicine cat apprentice . Gingerpaw sighs that she could settle for being a warrior , and Bramblestar says that it was warrior or leave. Gingerpaw decides on warrior, and Bramblestar dismisses the meeting.
Furrypaw and Gingerpaw walk down from the Highledge, and Cinderhearts greets Gingerpaw, telling her her first task as an apprentice was cleaning the elders' den. Furrypaw's offers to help, and while they're cleaning, Bumblestripe bursts in, screaming that Ivypool was expecting his kits . Graystripe , Sandstorm , and Millie all congratulate him, and Graystripe suggests to tell Whitewing  and Birchfall that their daughter was expecting. Bumblestripe agrees and rushes out of the elders' den. Graystripe mews that he remembered being that excited. Gingerpaw states that she hopes she'll be that excited someday, and Furrypaw says she does, too. Sandstorm reminds her that she could never be that excited, because she's a medicine cat. Furrypaw once again feels she'd made the wrong decision in life.
Furrypaw and Gingerpaw leave the elders' den, and Furrypaw announces that she had a great idea. Gingerpaw asks what it was, and Furrypaw replies that they could sing *Frozen.*Gingerpaw asks where, and Furrypaw replies the area behind the warriors' den, where Jayfeather Lionblaze and Hollyleaf  used to play. They race over there, and it says that Gingerpaw won, but Furrypaw was a *very*close second. They sing *For the First Time in Forever (Reprise)*, and as they finish, Firepaw and Bramblepaw enter, saying it was beautiful. Gingerpaw scolds that they'd scared her, and Bramblepaw replies good. Bramblepaw says he thought Gingerpaw sounded better, and Furrypaw is offended. Firepaw says he thought Furrypaw sounded better, and Gingerpaw is offended. Bramblepaw suggests that they stop talking about who sounds good and who doesn't.
From outside, Lionblaze calls for Firepaw and Bramblepaw to go hunting. Then Jayfeather calls for Furrypaw, so she pokes her head out, asking what he wanted. Jayfeather replies that they were going battle training. Furrypaw asks if Leafpool could teach her that, since Jayfeather hadn't learned much since he was blind. Jayfeather growls and stalks off, and a moment later Leafpool appears instead, happily confirming that Furrypaw wanted her to train her. Furrypaw confirms, and asks if Gingerpaw could join, and Leafpool says she could. They go battle training, and Leafpool teaches them a simple defensive move. Both are clumsy at first, but quickly get the hang of it--they're simply too slow. Furrypaw suggests calling it a day afterwards, and the three she-cats head back to camp.
As Furrypaw settles into her nest, she feels a pang of loneliness since her sister was in a different den. After a while, Gingerpaw curls up next to her in the medicine den, and Furrypaw purrs so loudly she feels she must be waking up Jayfeather.

## Important Events

### Ceremonies

#### Gingerpaw's Apprentice Ceremony

**Bramblestar:**"*Yes! And I'm going to welcome her with open arms! We shall name her Gingerpaw. Her mentor will be Cinderheart.*"

Reference, *Into the Forest,*page 71

## Characters

### Minor

* Firepaw
* Bramblepaw
* Jayfeather
* Squirrelflight
* Bramblestar
* Sandstorm
* Graystripe
* Millie
* Bumblestripe
* Ivypool
* Fernsong
* Gingerpaw
* Leafpool
* Cloudtail
* Cinderheart
* Silky
* Breezepelt
* Furzepelt
* Leaftail
* Oatclaw

### Mentioned

* Smoky
* Whitewing
* Birchfall
* Hollyleaf