Theories on Leafpool in The Broken Code by Pineblossom

Pineblossom ponders on Leafpool’s fate in the upcoming super edition and series. Huge spoilers for Squirrelflight’s Hope and The Broken Code: Lost Stars!

SPOILER WARNING: This article contains spoilers for Squirrelflight’s Hope and The Broken Code: Lost Stars. Do not continue reading this article if you’d like to remain spoiler-free for either book.

So in the Lost Stars sample, Alderheart and Jayfeather mention that Leafpool passed (which I am SO sad about) but the book never said how she died. Here are some ways I think she may have died.

1. Sickness
What I’m thinking is that maybe there was a severe bout of greencough or something that took Leafpool’s life, as well as possibly Larkwing, Millie, and Ambermoon, because a lot of time passed between the end of Raging Storm and the beginning of Lost Stars. The only thing against this is that there hasn’t been another leafbare between the two books.
“‘And maybe we’ll be able to speak with Leafpool,’ Willowshine added, her voice soft with grief. Shadowpaw had hardly known the ThunderClan medicine cat, but he had heard stories about her and knew how much every cat in the forest admired her…Alderheart drew closer to his Clanmate. ‘She still watches over us from StarClan,’ he murmured.” Lost Stars

2. Something related to Squirrelflight’s Hope
This is the most likely cause, since Squirrelflight’s Hope was originally called Squirrelflight’s Kin. Other than that info, we don’t really know much about how she could have died in that book. One theory of mine is that maybe the rogues had a part in that. I don’t actually think the rogues killed her outright, because in the blurb it sounds like the rogues are innocent, but maybe it was a mistake by someone who didn’t know her role in Clan life and thought she was just another enemy.
“And when the other Clans pin their frustrations on a group of rogue cats discovered just beyond Clan boundaries, Squirrelflight is caught between her duty as ThunderClan’s deputy and her desire to do what’s right.”

3. An animal attack or normal threats to Clan life
Finally, of course there are always the risks of Clan life: badgers, foxes, dogs, and more. They are especially prevalent during greenleaf, which is in the middle of the time period of the break. No matter what killed her, she was probably beyond saving, because if someone could have saved her, Jayfeather would have been all bitter and saying that he should have saved her like he was when Briarlight died. Instead, in the sample he was just sad about her death.
Again, all we can do is W.A.S! If anyone has any other theories, post on the comments!