Glimmer of hope on the horizon

Prologue

"Today I'll tell you why you have this name, Squirrelpaw."

The little cat jumped excitedly to her mother. "Is that another exciting story?" she wanted to know from her.

Lost in thought, her mother stared into the dusk. "Maybe... But she's sad too," she replied after a long silence and wrapped her bushy tail around her daughter. "Listen carefully, because it will be very important for you."

"Why am I called that? Can I guess again first?" she begged.

"Of course." Her mother smiled while the ahapprentice tought hard.

"Did you catch a squirrel when you were pregnant with us?"

"No."

"Did we almost die because of a squirrel?"

"No."

"Is it because my fur resembles that of a squirrel?"

"No, they have longer and bushier fur."

"Was it Dad's idea?"

"No."

"Is it because of some two-legged thing I don't know about?"

"No, I was never a house kitten."

"Is it because of a legend?"

"Hmmmm."

"A squirrel legend?"

"No."

"Is it something to do with your heritage?"

"What do you mean?"

"I thought you said you were descended from some cats from another Clan!"

"What were the clans called?"

Squirrelpaw pondered. She had heard many stories about the other clans that lived far away from her own. ShadowClan had also moved to them from this area. "ShadowClan, ThunderClan, RiverClan and WindClan?"

"That's right. And which clan am I from?" the cat asked her daughter. It's important that she doesn't forget her history.

"ThunderClan! Is that where my name comes from?"

"Well-"

"I know it! You had a mate in ThunderClan with that name!" Squirrelpaw was happy.

Her mother had to disappoint her. "No, it wasn't like that."

"I don't feel like it anymore!" Squirrelpaw sulked. Her mother licked her head lovingly.

"Many leaf changes ago, the siblings Leafpool and Squirrelflight lived in ThunderClan," she began to tell. "Leafpool was a medicine cat, Squirrelflight was a warrior. They understood each other very well and Squirrelflight had a mate called Brambleclaw, who was the second leader of the clan. But then Leafpool became pregnant. Squirrelflight found out and after the birth of Leafool's kits, she raised them as her own, pretending they were her kits. These three kits became very powerful and were later named Jayfeather, Thistleleaf and Lionglow."

"But that's against the law!" Squirrelpaw scurried around her mother indignantly. "That Leafpool was a healer and still had kittens and lied to the Clan!"

Her mother didn't say anything back, she just sighed. "Listen, promise me that you'll always take care of Thistlepaw and always be there for her, no matter what. Will you promise me that?" she said seriously.

Squirrelpaw nodded without thinking about it for long.

The subject of her name was far from over for her."But then why did you name me after her sister?" she wanted to know. "And Thistlepaw after her daughter?"

"Squirrelpaw, you have a great future ahead of you. One day your name will be Squirrelflight and you will understand why your ancestor did that."