I have A Light in the Mist! [Spoiler Thread]

Bristlefrost wasn't even my favorite protagonist from this arc (Rootspring is) and I also didn't care for RootBristle at all due to it just being yet another forbidden romance (although it seemed more mature and healthier than others from before). But she still did not deserve to die like this. Yes it was impactful however there were so many other cats to take down Ashfur and I'm not saying they should have permanently died in her place instead. No one needed to sacrifie themselves in my opinion. Either Bramblestar or Squirrelflight (or both) could have killed him and then died of their wounds thus ascending to StarClan and letting another cat rise up for ThunderClan leadership. It did not have to be Bristlefrost and especially not like this.

When Daisy comes back to TC to help with Spotfur's kits it's mentioned that the sisters are now gone. They are still here. I guess Spotfur's kits really were born after the arc ended.

He's 13

The medicine cats crouch beside the Moonpool, a chill seeming to be present due to Graystripe’s death. The Clan cats had carried the message to the Clans that Ashfur had been defeated and the connection to StarClan restored and that they would be able to share with StarClan again. Shadowsight knows that he wont ever share with StarClan and wonders if he will feel empty inside forever. He wonders if telling the other medicine cats the truth would make them have him stop coming to the Moonpool, and he realizes that if Mothwing can still come, he could too.

Kestrelflight and Puddleshine say their leaders ordered extra hunting patrols so that they could celebrate with a feast. Kestrelflight says that if StarClan approves, they will celebrate Whistlepaw becoming his medicine cat apprentice, but there are already so may reasons to celebrate.

When asked by Puddleshine, Mothwing says that it is time she returned back to RiverClan as Mistystar has finally apologized to Icewing and Harelight for banishing them and allowed them to return.

They share tongues with StarClan. Puddleshine watches them, Mothwing hanging back, and he wonders whether he should join her or the other medicine cats. He realizes that he should tell Puddleshine the truth.

He tries to share with StarClan, hopeful, and closes his eyes when dipping his muzzle in the Moonpool. He sees nothing but darkness. As he sits up, Mothwing gives him a puzzled look and Shadowsight notes she looks content with not sharing with StarClan. He wonders if he asking too much, as he had walked in StarClan territory and had actually spoken with Firestar, and if a medicine cat could really ask for more than that.

The medicine cats wake up, Puddleshine asks him what he saw. Alderheart says he saw Graystripe, who is catching up with Millie and Briarlight and glad to be among his old Clanmates. Kestrelflight says that StarClan told him Whistlepaw will be a fine medicine cat and that they must learn from what happened with Ashfur. Puddleshine adds on by saying StarClan told him to think seriously about changes to the warrior code and they hope everything that happened will bring the Clans together and make them stronger. He eagerly asks Shadowsight if StarClan told him the same.

Shadowsight confesses he saw only blackness. Mothwing supports him by saying he has been through a lot and that’s why. Shadowsight rejects this when Puddleshine agrees with her and admits that he no longer has a connection with StarClan as he never really had a connection to them in the first place since his destiny was to see only into the shadows. His visions all belonged to Ashfur, and upon his death, those visions disappeared too. He apologizes to the medicine cats for not being a real medicine cat.

After hesitating, Puddleshine brightly asks him what he means and that he is a perfectly fine medicine cat and will soon be as good as him, purring. Mothwing supports him by saying theres more to the job than just sharing with a bunch of dead warriors. Shadowsight points out that she was so angry with him for bringing Ashfur back. Mothwing apologizes for being so hard on him, saying she had to be angry with some cat and needed someone to blame as she was grieving for her place in RiverClan. She admits that she might have been fooled by Ashfur if he tried her too but would never have been brave enough to follow him to the Dark Forest.

Jayfeather asks him why he is making such as fuss, as Mothwing gets along without StarClan fine, looking at her apologetically. Shadowsight assumes he is sorry for revealing her secret at the Gathering. Jayfeather tells him that perhaps he was a mouse-brain for helping Ashfur and may make plenty more mistakes as he is young, but his heart is in the right place. Kestrelflight and Alderheart add on to their support.

They look at him with respect. The emptiness in his heart seems to fill with joy. He feels sure that the darkness Ashfur pulled him into had dispersed forever. For the first time, Shadowsight doesn’t feel like an outsider and is accepted at last.

WHISTLEPAW MEDICINE CAT CONFIRMED!

After Whistlepaw being hinted at becoming a medicine cat apprentice in DW, I'm so glad this book confirms it even if it's two books later. I'm also glad that Shadowsight is being accepted and that Jayfeather is apologetic towards Mothwing.

It has been half a moon since Ashfur’s defeat. At the Gathering, the Clans cheer Bramblestar’s name, who is self-conscious but pleased to be back. It is the biggest full moon of Greenleaf. Despite their losses, the Clans are relieved that order has been restored. But Rootspring cant share their joy, feeling no more than a spirit haunting the camp

In the past half-moon, Needleclaw had done her best to comfort him but Rootspring wishes she would leave him alone so he could mourn alone in the forest. He didn’t want to worry his Clanmates so he joined every patrol and told kits about his time in the Dark Forest, telling them how brave Bristlefrost was.

Bramblestar gives a recap of what happened and thanks them for bringing him back, thanking Squirrelflight the most. Rootspring sees all the warriors looking prideful and wonders how they could have forgotten how easily they turned on each other and how far they had gone in obeying Ashfur and how they suggested to kill Bramblestar when the truth came out. He remembers how he watched Bramblestar as a ghost and feels a new respect for Bramblestar and thinks he is being generous with his speech.

Bramblestar tells them to remember how Ashfur nearly destroyed the Clans by using the code against them. He looks at Tigerstar and tells him he understood from the start that using rules to exile warriors was wrong and refused to follow Ashfur and tells him that he would never thought he would say it but Tigerstar showed courage and wisdom above all the Clans. Rootspring sees Dovewing and Tigerstar exchange a prideful glance and has to push back resentment in his belly, wondering why their love worked while his and Bristlefrost’s hadn’t. He feels ashamed and doesn’t want to be bitter, but anger would sometimes overwhelm him and he would wonder why life could be so unfair and why her bravery and been rewarded with death. Tree senses his pain and comforts him, telling him to let the Clans celebrate as they have suffered too.

Bramblestar tells them to remember and calls out the names of the spirits Ashfur took control over, the cats who volunteered to go to the Dark Forest and Rootspring and Shadowsight. He remembers the dead, naming Willowshine and Graystripe and specially remembers Bristlefrost, who gave up everything including StarClan, and that she would always be remembered. Ivypool looks at him hollow-eyed while Fernsong’s eyes are glistening.

Bramblestar tells them he wants to honor the volunteers who entered the Dark Forest by giving them a special title. They would from now on be known as Lights in the Mist. The Clans cheer this new title. The SkyClan cats look at Rootspring with pride, but his heart only aches with Bristlefrost’s memory and wonders what a title could mean without her.

Mistystar tells them that StarClan agreed to reorder the rules, loyalty being at the heart of a true warrior and willingness to protect those weaker than themselves, but there are still issues with the code StarClan asked them to consider. Breezepelt indignantly says they already know that she wants to allow cats from different Clans to become mates and how StarClan could approve of a plan that would undermine all the Clans. Mistystar argues and is supported by Tigerstar, but Kitescratch, Shimmerpelt Lionblaze all voice their support of Breezepelt.

Rootspring gives a speech, asking them if they would ever question his loyalty, Kitescratch responding that they never would. Rootspring then continues and admits that he was going to join ThunderClan to be with Bristlefrost because he loved her, much to the shock of the other cats. He says that he never got the chance to tell Bristlefrost that he was going to join her Clan and had died believing he chose his Clan over her and would never have that chance again.

He tells them that he wants things to change and that his loyalty would have always been with her over his Clan, and if it meant moving to her Clan, then his loyalty would have been with ThunderClan because what was important to her was important to him. Harestar asks him what would happen to his loyalty to the Clan that raised him. Crowfeather points out that leaving a Clan for a crush would only cause more problems and knows that Rootspring’s love was not a crush but true love and tells the leaders some loves are worth switching Clans for and that they need to work on a solution all the Clans would agree on and think seriously about. Eyes all over the clearing now narrow not with indignation, but thoughtfulness.

Mistystar tells the Clans about finding a way to remove a leader who had lost the trust of their Clanmates so that a cat like Ashfur would never abuse them again, but Rootspring does not care as grief still controlled him.

Tree asks Rootspring if he is staying for the vigil, as the Clans are sitting vigil for the fallen. After being nudged to his paws and guided by Tree, he, Violetshine and Needleclaw choose a spot where a tree overhangs a patch of grass and sit. Rootspring lets sadness overwhelm him, his heart seeming to break as he imagines Bristlefrost’s ghost in the space in the middle of the clearing, knowing that her spirit would never be with him and was gone forever.

Spotfur approaches him, heavy with kits, and asks him if he could make Stemleaf appear. Ivypool and Fernsong also approach him and ask if he can also make Bristlefrost appear. Rootspring thinks it seems to cruel to let the latter know that they would never see her again but knows he cant make them appear. He tells Spotfur that Stemleaf knows about their kits and is watching over her, but she must wait until she joins him in StarClan to see him. Spotfur accepts his word and sadly pads away.

Ivypool and Fernsong still watch him hopefully. Ivypool says she knows what happens when you die in the Dark Forest, but Bristlefrost still must be somewhere. Fernsong asks him to try as that would bring them much comfort. He cant bring himself to refuse despite knowing it would be impossible and tries to reach her. He sees images of him with Bristlefrost under a willow tree, running with her in the forest, curled up with him and three tiny kits – one yellow and white and two pale gray like her. It was as though the earth was telling him what would have been and what was, or perhaps it was showing him what he had hoped for with all his heart. Sadness engulfs him. He tells Ivypool and Fernsong, whose pelts quiver with hope, that she isn’t there. Fernsong calmy accepts and touchs his nose to Ivypool quietly telling her she is gone. Ivypool asks if she will always be in their hearts. Fernsong tells her she will live on inside them and her spirit will last for as long as theirs. They thank Rootspring and pad away.

SkyClan leaves, Rootspring and his kin joining them. Rootspring takes one last look at the clearing and his eyes fall on Shadowisight, who looks back, eyes shimmering with grief and exhaustion, and nods. Rootspring nods back and turns to follow his kin back home. Fernsong’s words about Bristlefrost’s spirit living on inside them ring in his mind. His heart still aches at the thought of failing to save her life and never seeing her again or hearing her gentle mew in the living world or StarClan, but he knows that she would never truly be gone and would always be with him as long as cats remembered her.

As he noses his way into the grass, the sun begins to spill light across the lake and Rootspring feels grief at last beginning to loosen its grip on his heart.

THE END