Below contains in-depth information for chapter sixteen of Twilight. If you are looking for a shorter summary of the entire book, please check the main article.

Chapter Number: 16 (of 24)

Page Numbers: 226-240

Chapter description[]

Squirrelflight hears Brightheart angrily calling Daisy's name. She sees Brightheart emerge from the medicine cat den, carrying one of Daisy's kits in her jaws. Squirrelflight sees the kits' littermates escape from behind Brightheart. Squirrelflight thinks about how Daisy's stay in camp has been very long, so her kits are beginning to feel more confident to look around camp, knowing that it most likely means trouble. The orange she-cat is amused as she remembers her and Leafpool's kit adventures. Squirrelflight looks closer to see the kit Brightheart is carrying, and recognizes it as Mousekit. Brightheart, her only eye blazing with anger, calls Daisy's name again. Daisy appears from the thorn tunnel with Cloudtail behind her, and demands to know what Brightheart is doing to her kit. Brightheart retorts that she should ask her kits what they were doing in Cinderpelt's den. Brightheart tells the kit she dropped to stop making noise, as she hadn't hurt him, and Daisy demands to know what happened, looking as if she would leap at Brightheart any moment.

Squirrelflight realizes that Brightheart can defend herself, but Daisy might not get away unscratched. She steps forward, ready to interfere if any cat were to attack. Brightheart explains that her kits were in Cinderpelt's den and were messing with her herbs. She asks Mousekit's littermates, Berrykit and Hazelkit, if they had eaten anything. The kits, who are quiet with terror, shake their heads. Squirrelflight realizes that the only reason Brightheart is so furious is because one of the kits could have eaten something dangerous; even though Cinderpelt does not keep dangerous herbs such as deathberries in her den, the kits could have eaten too much of something that would give them a nasty stomachache. Brightheart begins to relax, but tells Daisy to look at the mess they had created in Cinderpelt's den. Brightheart asks why Daisy wasn't keeping an eye on the kits, and Cloudtail defends her, saying she was with him. Brightheart asks if that makes it okay to spoil Cinderpelt's hard work, and Cloudtail tells her that the kits don't know any better. Brightheart retorts that they should. Daisy apologizes to Brightheart, promising that she will make sure it does not happen again. Brightheart snaps at her to do that. 

As Daisy brings her kits away, Mousekit complains that the "ugly cat" frightened him, and Daisy responds that he shouldn't have gotten into trouble. Squirrelflight notices Brightheart flinching at Mousekit's insult, and she offers to clean the medicine den, wanting to avoid being involved in a quarrel between Brightheart and Cloudtail. Squrirrelflight goes into the den, and understands why Brightheart was so mad, noting that there are herbs and berries scattered all over the place. She wonders where Cinderpelt and Leafpool are, and at that moment, Ashfur bursts in, saying that he thought they were supposed to go hunting. He asks why Cloudtail and Brightheart are glaring at each other like a pair of badgers, and Squirrelflight explains what the horseplace cat's kits did. When Squirrelflight is done explaining, Ashfur comments that Clanborn kits would know not to do these sort of things, saying that the kittypets would never be able to settle in the Clan. Squirrelflight, furious, spins around and asks him if he had forgotten that her father, Firestar, was a kittypet. Ashfur apologizes, but says that Firestar is pretty special. He tells Squirrelflight that most kittypets could not live their type of life, as they need Twolegs to look after them. Squirrelflight hisses and unsheathes her claws, but is able to sheathe them again and goes back to collecting herbs. She wonders why Ashfur would make judgements based on a cat's birth, wondering if Ashfur thinks less of her because she has kittypet heritage. She also wonders if he can see that her, Leafpool, Whitepaw, and Cloudtail are as important to ThunderClan as any forestborn cat is.

Leafpool and Cinderpelt enter the medicine den, holding bundles of herbs. Cinderpelt asks what happened, and Squirrelflight explains the situation once more. Leafpool says she will collect more herbs, and Squirrelflight notices that strangely, her sister is feeling guilty about it. Leafpool goes off by herself when Squirrelflight comes to help, and Squirrelflight resolves to watch Leafpool more carefully to figure out what is wrong. That night, Squirrelflight follows Leafpool out of camp and confronts her. Leafpool refuses to tell Squirrelflight why she is leaving and begs Squirrelflight to keep her secret. Squirrelflight agrees, and when they go back to camp she meets Brambleclaw. Brambleclaw asks where Leafpool has been, and Squirrelflight lies to protect her. She decides to go hunting to get away from Brambleclaw, and worries over her sister.

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