Sunrise (Warriors)
Encyclopedia
Sunrise is the sixth and final book in Erin Hunter's
Warriors: Power of Three children's fantasy novel series. HarperCollins
published it on April 21, 2009. The plot follows Jayfeather, Hollyleaf, and Lionblaze on their quest to find Ashfur's true murderer. It was originally to be titled "Cruel Season". While critics criticized the number of characters, they felt the book would quickly grab readers in.
ThunderClan discusses Ashfur's murder, and many think that a WindClan cat killed him since he was found on the WindClan border. To find out, Firestar sends a patrol to WindClan, but Onestar denies the possibility. As the patrol leaves Ashfoot tells ThunderClan that she sighted Sol near the sight of Ashfur's dead body, and this leads to the thought that Sol killed Ashfur.
Firestar sends Birchfall, Brambleclaw, Brackenfur, Hazeltail, Hollyleaf, and Lionblaze to the sun-drown-place to find Sol. The patrol finally finds Sol in the Twolegplace where Purdy lives. Brambleclaw persuades Purdy to live in the Clan as an Elder, where he will have enough food to eat and be treated well. Both Sol and Purdy agree to go to ThunderClan. When the patrol returns to the Clan Sol denies killing Ashfur and is kept under guard in the camp.
One day, Lionblaze is on the flat rocks with Honeyfern and Berrynose. Millie and Graystripe's kits are playing around when a poisonous snake comes from under the rocks behind Briarkit. Honeyfern jumps and pushes Briarkit out of the way, but she is bitten by the snake. Leafpool rushes to help Honeyfern, but it is too late, the poison had already taken control of her body and Honeyfern dies.
Being the most curious of the Three, Jayfeather tries to find out who his true parents are. When asking around about his birth, Mousefur reveals that Leafpool accidentally put a weird herb in Mousefur's tansy soon after Jayfeather's birth. After wandering around the forest, Jayfeather comes across the strange herb, but does not know what it is. To find out, Jayfeather asks Littlecloud in a dream when the medicine cats meet at the Moonpool. The ShadowClan medicine cat recognizes it as parsley, an herb that will stop the milk of a cat who's kits died. Suddenly, Jayfeather remembers that while going back to the camp at birth, there was another cat with him besides Squirrelflight: Leafpool, Jayfeather's true mother.
At the camp, Hollyleaf too learns that her mother is Leafpool by learning Leafpool came back to the camp the day Hollyleaf and her littermates were born. In response, Leafpool tells the truth: Hollyleaf killed Ashfur, and the tuft of fur found in Ashfur's paw belonged to Hollyleaf.
Angered that StarClan is still keeping the father of the Three a secret, Yellowfang comes to Jayfeather in a dream and tells him, "The time for lies and secrets is over. The truth must come out. StarClan was wrong not to tell you who you were a long time ago," and leaves him a crow's feather, showing their father is Crowfeather of WindClan.
At the gathering, Hollyleaf reveals the secret about her and her brothers' parents truly are, Leafpool and Crowfeather. Crowfeather denies that he ever had any kits besides Breezepelt, and he states that Leafpool and their kits mean nothing to him. Brambleclaw and Nightcloud are both outraged about never being informed. Although Hollyleaf feels proud of finally revealing the secret, Jayfeather and Lionblaze are both confused and angry. Seeing how everyone feels she did something wrong, Hollyleaf runs off into the tunnels which collapses, possibly killing her.
Suddenly, Jayfeather realizes that only he and Lionblaze are part of the prophecy's Three. However, as he watches Whitewing's kits walking in the clearing, he realizes that one of the kits will be the third, being the granddaughter of Cloudtail who is the nephew of Firestar.
stated, "While the numerous characters may be confusing to those unfamiliar with the series, it will not take many pages for them to become enthralled with the adventures of the cats and anxiously be awaiting future books."
Erin Hunter
Erin Hunter is a pseudonym used by the authors Kate Cary, Cherith Baldry, and Tui Sutherland, along with editor Victoria Holmes. Under this pen name, they have written two series of books. They are best known for the Warriors series, but the authors have also created another similar series called...
Warriors: Power of Three children's fantasy novel series. HarperCollins
HarperCollins
HarperCollins is a publishing company owned by News Corporation. It is the combination of the publishers William Collins, Sons and Co Ltd, a British company, and Harper & Row, an American company, itself the result of an earlier merger of Harper & Brothers and Row, Peterson & Company. The worldwide...
published it on April 21, 2009. The plot follows Jayfeather, Hollyleaf, and Lionblaze on their quest to find Ashfur's true murderer. It was originally to be titled "Cruel Season". While critics criticized the number of characters, they felt the book would quickly grab readers in.
Plot summary
Sunrise begins with Leafpool repeating a long-used ritual to send Ashfur to StarClan. During the process, she discovers a tuft of fur in Ashfur's claws, and she knows who's it is. She begins to wonder if Ashfur's death was all her fault.ThunderClan discusses Ashfur's murder, and many think that a WindClan cat killed him since he was found on the WindClan border. To find out, Firestar sends a patrol to WindClan, but Onestar denies the possibility. As the patrol leaves Ashfoot tells ThunderClan that she sighted Sol near the sight of Ashfur's dead body, and this leads to the thought that Sol killed Ashfur.
Firestar sends Birchfall, Brambleclaw, Brackenfur, Hazeltail, Hollyleaf, and Lionblaze to the sun-drown-place to find Sol. The patrol finally finds Sol in the Twolegplace where Purdy lives. Brambleclaw persuades Purdy to live in the Clan as an Elder, where he will have enough food to eat and be treated well. Both Sol and Purdy agree to go to ThunderClan. When the patrol returns to the Clan Sol denies killing Ashfur and is kept under guard in the camp.
One day, Lionblaze is on the flat rocks with Honeyfern and Berrynose. Millie and Graystripe's kits are playing around when a poisonous snake comes from under the rocks behind Briarkit. Honeyfern jumps and pushes Briarkit out of the way, but she is bitten by the snake. Leafpool rushes to help Honeyfern, but it is too late, the poison had already taken control of her body and Honeyfern dies.
Being the most curious of the Three, Jayfeather tries to find out who his true parents are. When asking around about his birth, Mousefur reveals that Leafpool accidentally put a weird herb in Mousefur's tansy soon after Jayfeather's birth. After wandering around the forest, Jayfeather comes across the strange herb, but does not know what it is. To find out, Jayfeather asks Littlecloud in a dream when the medicine cats meet at the Moonpool. The ShadowClan medicine cat recognizes it as parsley, an herb that will stop the milk of a cat who's kits died. Suddenly, Jayfeather remembers that while going back to the camp at birth, there was another cat with him besides Squirrelflight: Leafpool, Jayfeather's true mother.
At the camp, Hollyleaf too learns that her mother is Leafpool by learning Leafpool came back to the camp the day Hollyleaf and her littermates were born. In response, Leafpool tells the truth: Hollyleaf killed Ashfur, and the tuft of fur found in Ashfur's paw belonged to Hollyleaf.
Angered that StarClan is still keeping the father of the Three a secret, Yellowfang comes to Jayfeather in a dream and tells him, "The time for lies and secrets is over. The truth must come out. StarClan was wrong not to tell you who you were a long time ago," and leaves him a crow's feather, showing their father is Crowfeather of WindClan.
At the gathering, Hollyleaf reveals the secret about her and her brothers' parents truly are, Leafpool and Crowfeather. Crowfeather denies that he ever had any kits besides Breezepelt, and he states that Leafpool and their kits mean nothing to him. Brambleclaw and Nightcloud are both outraged about never being informed. Although Hollyleaf feels proud of finally revealing the secret, Jayfeather and Lionblaze are both confused and angry. Seeing how everyone feels she did something wrong, Hollyleaf runs off into the tunnels which collapses, possibly killing her.
Suddenly, Jayfeather realizes that only he and Lionblaze are part of the prophecy's Three. However, as he watches Whitewing's kits walking in the clearing, he realizes that one of the kits will be the third, being the granddaughter of Cloudtail who is the nephew of Firestar.
Reception
A lukewarm review from Children's LiteratureChildren's Literature (journal)
Children’s Literature is an academic journal and annual publication of the Modern Language Association and the Children’s Literature Association Division on Children's Literature. The journal was founded in 1972 by Francelia Butler and promotes a scholarly approach to the study of children’s...
stated, "While the numerous characters may be confusing to those unfamiliar with the series, it will not take many pages for them to become enthralled with the adventures of the cats and anxiously be awaiting future books."