ALLEGIANCES
THUNDERCLAN
LEADER: Cherrystar – Bright red ginger she-cat
DEPUTY: Briarpelt – Dark brown she-cat with spiky pelt
MEDICINE CAT: Sweetsong – Cream tabby she-cat with green eyes
WARRIORS
Lionclaw- Bracken -colored tom with amber eyes
APPRENTICE: Mousepaw- Light gray she-cat
Thrushwing – Brown tabby tom with brown eyes
Dustheart – Pale brown tabby tom with amber eyes
APPRENTICE: Shrewpaw – Light gray tabby tom
Cardinalfur – Bright red ginger tom with black eyes
Sundrop – Ginger she-cat with amber eyes and white paws
Smoketail - Dark gray tabby tom with thick fur
Mapleleaf – Tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes
Hareleap – Light gray tom with long legs and short tail
Stormheart – Handsome dark gray tom with long fur blue eyes and white chest
Ivytail – Silver tabby she-cat with long, plumed tail
Yellowstripe – Golden tabby tom with amber eyes
Ripplefur – Silver tabby she-cat with dark gray stripes and icy blue eyes
QUEENS
Snowstripe- Almost white tabby she-cat with icy blue eyes
Kits:
Pepperkit – Very dark gray tabby she-kit with dark gray eyes
Bluekit – Bluish gray she-kit with blue eyes
Mate: Cardinalfur
Morningshine – Tortoiseshell she-cat
Kits:
Mistykit - Pale gray she-kit with blue eyes and long fur
Specklekit – Pale gray she-kit with blue eyes and black spots
Dapplekit – Beautiful pale gray tabby she-kit
Mate: Hareleap
ELDERS
Scorchsong – Mottled cream she-cat (Sweetsong's mother)
WINDCLAN
LEADER: Crowstar – Dark gray tom with dark blue eyes
DEPUTY: Eagleflight – Handsome dark brown tom with white chest
MEDICINE CAT: Sparrowfeather: Brown she-cat with white chest
WARRIORS
Heatherpelt – Silvery gray she-cat with blue eyes
Gorsefur – Black tom with bright blue eyes
Breezesky – Black tom with dark blue eyes
Smallclaw – Small light brown tom with long claws
Goldenthorn – Ginger she-cat with amber eyes
Grasstail – Dark brown tabby tom with green eyes
Silverflower – Gray tabby she-cat with sparkling gray eyes
Cloudpatch – Pale gray tom with blue eyes and a white chest
Raintalon – Light gray tabby tom with blue eyes
Dawnfoot – Cream tabby she-cat with blue eyes
APPRENTICE: Sorrelpaw – Tortoiseshell she-cat with gray eyes (Sorrelash)
Snakefang – Brown tabby tom with one black eye, one yellow eye
Mudwhisker – Dark brown tom with amber eyes
QUEENS
Daisydust – Cream she-cat with yellow eyes
Kits:
Seedkit – Brown she-kit with green eyes
Sagekit - Brown tabby she-kit
Mate: Grasstail
ELDERS
Nettletongue – Cranky ginger tom with brown eyes
SHADOWCLAN
LEADER: Darkstar – Black she-cat with friendly blue eyes
DEPUTY: Shadewing – Dark gray she-cat
MEDICINE CAT: Pinetwig – Red-brown tom
WARRIORS
Hollowbirch – White tom with green eyes and ginger patches
Starlingchirp – Black she-cat with green eyes
Nightpool – Black she-cat with green eyes
Oakstorm – Bracken-colored tom with stormy blue eyes
Burnflame – Ginger tabby she-cat
Tigerfang – Dark brown tabby tom with yellow eyes
APPRENTICE: Ferretpaw – Bracken-colored tom with green eyes
Scarpelt – Scarred brown tom
Rockheart – Dark gray tom with gray eyes and long fur
Bronzefeather – Bronze-colored tom
Squirreltail – Ginger she-cat with plumed tail
Hailstrike – Large gray tom with blue eyes
QUEENS
Flamespark – Ginger tabby she-cat with amber eyes
Kits:
Volekit – Light brown tom with yellow eyes
Mate: Tigerfang
ELDERS
Sharptooth – Ginger tom
RIVERCLAN
LEADER: Wavestar – Silver tabby she-cat with blue eyes
DEPUTY: Ripplefur – Silver she-cat with icy blue eyes
MEDICINE CAT: Softheart – Fluffy cream she-cat with long claws
APPRENTICE: Cloudmoss – Pretty creamy white she-cat with green eyes and long fur with plumed tail
WARRIORS
Troutfin – Gray tabby tom with dark gray eyes
Pikejaw – Gray tom with long fangs
Shimmertail – Black she-cat with glossy fur
Willowleaf – Dark gray she-cat with long fur
Alderclaw – Dark gray tom with long fur
Waterstep – White she-cat with pale gray paws
APPRENTICE: Leafpaw – Brown tom with green eyes
Lilysplash – Pale gray tabby she-cat
Cranebeak – White tom with large eyes and ginger paws
Leopard-pelt – Ginger she-cat with black-spotted fur
Whitefrost - White she-cat with icy blue eyes
Spiderleap - Black tom with long legs and black eyes
Lotusfur – Light cream tom with green eyes
QUEENS
Junipershade – Bluish she-cat with green eyes
Kits:
Petalkit – Ginger she-kit with pink nose
Thornkit – Golden tabby tom
Mate: Troutfin
ELDERS
Stonefall – Dark gray
PROLOGUE
Two cats, a fiery ginger tom and a pale brown tabby tom, sat next to each other, while facing a roaring waterfall. They were sitting on a flat rock ledge, which was surrounded by green shrubs and spiky hedges. They did not turn when a majestic gray she-cat with shining blue eyes pushed through the bushes and joined their midst and then sat down. The now three cats continued to watch the waterfall until at last a large white tom with big black paws padded up to them.
" Well? Why have you called us here, Firestar?" demanded the white tom immediately as he marched towards the other cats. The bluish gray she-cat jumped up and whirled around, and gazed at the larger tom with narrowed eyes. She clearly disliked the big tom. The dark-eyed tom glowered at her, then turned back to face Firestar.
" It's about the Clans, of course," Firestar replied as he got up, watching the white tom with suspicious green eyes. The white tom rolled his eyes but said nothing.
" Is it a prophecy? Or could it be a warning? Are the Clans in danger?" The tabby tom asked with an amusing but solemn tilt of his head. Firestar's whiskers twitched ever so slightly as the flame-colored tom turned to face his inquisitive old friend.
" The clans are safe, I assure you, Onestar! But it is indeed a prophecy," Firestar replied, finishing with a grim frown. Onestar dipped his head and sat down once more. The gray she-cat watched this exchange with intelligent eyes and finally spoke.
" Whom is it destined for? Which clan?" The she-cat stepped forward boldly with blazing blue eyes. The large white tom bared his teeth as the gray she-cat walked too close. The bluish she-cat twisted her head sharply at the tom and glared at him. The tom glared back. Firestar cleared his throat and interrupted the silent argument.
" It wasn't my prophecy to tell, so I'm not certain. I wasn't the cat who received it, nor is it my duty to tell you. I'm sure Squirrelflight can inform you, Mistystar," Firestar replied. Mistystar nodded her broad gray head and sat down near to Onestar, who blinked at her with friendly amber eyes. The black-footed tom walked a few tail-lengths away and sat down, watching Firestar who was still standing near the perimeter of the clearing.
Finally the bushes rustled and a ginger she-cat leaped out. Her bright green eyes sparkled and she purred as she and Firestar touched noses. Mistystar and Onestar had jumped up as soon as the she-cat entered the rocky clearing and dipped their heads to her in greeting. The tom did nothing but pierce her with dark eyes.
" Squirrelflight, tell them the prophecy," Firestar meowed gently. Squirrelflight nodded and walked in a circle for a moment before clearing her throat. The white tom rolled his eyes again and lazily stretched, extending his long, sharp claws. The tom raked his claws against the rock, leaving deep claw marks etched into the brown stone.
" Dark trees grow tall once more. Two kits have been born to either stop the growth or continue it without flaw. Thunder and lightning will shock the land and shake it to its core. The end is close, the flesh is raw!" meowed Squirrelflight. Mistystar was sitting again. Firestar watched his daughter with curious eyes.
" Of course! I knew it! The perfect little prophecy is for perfect little ThunderClan!" the tom sneered. Onestar shrugged and blinked apologetically to Firestar.
" Well… Blackstar, you ShadowClan cats would handle it easily! You're too… skilled! No challenge for you, no challenge at all," Firestar lied with mischief glittering in his eyes. The white tom nodded with a satisfied smile, not realizing Firestar was joking, until Squirrelflight broke out in uncontrollable purrs.
" It's quite true you know," Blackstar snapped with an angry snarl, jumping up. Squirrelflight shrugged but smiled unashamedly. Blackstar hissed and swiped at the ginger she-cat with his claws unsheathed.
" No! We mustn't fight among ourselves. The prophecy is clear enough. It's about the Dark Forest," Onestar concluded. Blackstar slowly withdrew his paw but hissed once more at Squirrelflight, who lashed her tail furiously. Firestar watched his daughter with amusement in his green eyes, which were the exact same color as Squirrelflight's.
" So the Dark Forest is returning, and may rise up again," Mistystar muttered. Her blue eyes darkened with worry about the Clan she had once led. Firestar nodded sadly.
" And two kits have been born into ThunderClan. And it couldn't be the kits of Morningshine, because she has three. Oh… Poor Snowstripe. Her kits will determine the fate of both the Dark Forest, and StarClan," Firestar murmured. Squirrelflight whimpered at the thought of kits having their fate laid out for them.
" Bluekit must be the good one, for she is the reincarnation of Bluestar!" Squirrelflight meowed loudly. Firestar nodded with calculating eyes. Mistystar turned and waved her paw over a small puddle that had collected near the very edge of the brown, rocky ledge from the waterfall's spray. It glowed silver for a few heartbeats then depicted an image of Snowstripe, a pale tabby, curled up in her nest with Bluekit and Pepperkit coiled up against her chest.
" Pepperkit doesn't look evil either," Mistystar pointed out. " And Bluekit is Bluestar, she's just a reincarnation. But anyways, Bluestar doesn't know the prophecy," Mistystar added.
" Well, I think Pepperkit looks just like a ShadowClan warrior. I'll have to visit her dreams so I can see what's she's made of," Blackstar growled with dark eyes. Squirrelflight snorted and covered her purrs of laughter. Blackstar whipped around.
" I'm sorry! I can't help it if I find you incredibly amusing!" Squirrelflight protested indignantly. Blackstar rolled his eyes and went to look at the kits from Mistystar's puddle.
" Neither of them look evil, actually," Blackstar remarked with surprised eyes. Squirrelflight managed to cover her snort this time, and buried her muzzle under her ginger paws.
" Of course they don't look evil, mousebrain! First of all, they're kits, and second of all, they're sleeping!" Onestar meowed a-matter-of-factly. Blackstar shrugged with a quiet hiss and continued watching.
" They aren't half bad. I mean, they aren't as ugly as those other wispy gray kits," Blackstar murmured. Firestar was astounded. Blackstar never had a mate, so he never had a kit either. Did Blackstar wish he had had kits in his life?
" Having kits is most rewarding of anything at all," Mistystar meowed softly. She gazed at Blackstar with no hostility in her deep blue eyes. And Mistystar would know; her son had grown up to be RiverClan leader! Onestar looked at the kits wistfully, because he, too, had never had kits.
" Even if they hate you," Squirrelflight put in, her eyes clouding with memories of when Jayfeather, Lionblaze and Hollyleaf had found out they were half-Clan and that their birth had broken the warrior code in so many ways.
" They don't hate you now, Squirrelflight," Firestar meowed, nudging his daughter. Squirrelflight snapped back to reality and nodded with a small smile playing on her lips. Her father had always supported her.
" They weren't even your own," Blackstar meowed bluntly, smirking. Squirrelflight gasped crossly and fell into a crouch position. Blackstar turned to face her and regarded the angry ginger she-cat almost lazily.
" Just one pounce and a couple of swipes, that's all I'll need to teach that mangy piece of crowfood a lesson!" Squirrelflight yowled. Firestar rushed forward and bit her scruff just before she leaped. He hauled her to the side of the rocky clearing and hissed at her.
" That's no way to treat a Clan leader! Even if he spoke crudely, it's the truth. Blackstar is blunt and direct with what he wants to say, you'll have to understand at some point that he won't bother buttering you up. Now leave at once since you obviously can't control yourself." Firestar gently pushed Squirrelflight to the bushes and returned to the other leaders.
" Next time, Blackstar, think before you speak to my daughter like that," Firestar meowed coldly, his eyes glowing like chips of green-hued ice. Blackstar shrugged but nodded reluctantly. Firestar blinked, satisfied, and sat down at the center of the clearing.
" We'll have to wait and see who will be the one to bring our downfall and who will be our savior. Let's meet again here to watch their apprentice ceremony," Onestar suggested quickly. Mistystar nodded enthusiastically, her dark blue eyes gleaming with the prospect of leaving.
" Of course," Blackstar meowed in a mockingly friendly tone. Onestar lashed his tail, annoyed, but didn't hiss or growl. Firestar dipped his head to the three other cats and stood up. Blackstar turned away from the puddle as it turned silver then stopped shining.
" Yes, good idea. I'll meet you all here in a few moons," Firestar called over his shoulder as he departed, quickly followed by Blackstar who rushed out of the clearing. Onestar dipped his head to Mistystar and left as well, trotting into the bushes. The gray she-cat sat down to face the waterfall, which rushed down the steep cliff noisily.
" Poor ThunderClan, poor, poor ThunderClan," Mistystar meowed sadly, shaking her head. Why had such young, innocent kits gotten wrapped up in a potentially dangerous prophecy?
She looked up as Squirrelflight re-entered the clearing.
" I'm worried. How can the Dark Forest come back if we already defeated it?" Squirrelflight meowed darkly. Mistystar got up and licked Squirrelflight's shoulder consolingly.
" There will always be evil cats, no matter where you go," Mistystar replied unhappily. Squirrelflight nodded and closed her eyes as she lifted her chin.
" We'll have to fight them again, won't we," Squirrelflight meowed. It wasn't a question; it was a statement. Mistystar jerked her head up and sat down next to the smaller ginger she-cat.
" Well, of course! And I suppose they'll come back even then. There is no light without the darkness," Mistystar muttered, blinking her eyes miserably. Squirrelflight shrugged and opened her eyes.
" That's why StarClan is here. We must fight the darkness forever. We are the stars but they are the black in between." Mistystar was amazed! Squirrelflight clearly had more insight into the prophecy than any other cat, and was possibly more enlightened about why StarClan existed.
" Yes, yes, I agree." Mistystar stammered over her words. Squirrelflight purred quietly and sat down next to the gray she-cat.
" I wonder why Blackstar is always so aggressive?" Squirrelflight wondered. Mistystar quickly recovered from her shock and gave a ragged purr.
" He was a rogue once, and was Tigerstar's deputy. He had to be mean and cruel the whole time to please Tigerstar," Mistystar answered.
" I know that, but why is he still so aggressive towards us, his fellow Clanmates? Does that mean he should have gone to the Dark Forest?" Mistystar cringed at the mention of the Forest.
" Well, I don't think he ever got used to the idea of being Clanmates with RiverClan or ThunderClan!" Mistystar purred and continued, " No cat deserves to go to the Dark Forest unless they have killed or plotted something evil. Ashfur, you know him, he didn't go to the Dark Forest because his only crime was to love too much," Mistystar murmured.
" Yes, I've been told that numerous times!" Squirrelflight hissed while she stiffened up and her ginger fur bristled. Mistystar apologized by blinking at the other she-cat.
" I'm sorry, I am still sensitive about him," Squirrelflight muttered after she had calmed down a bit. Mistystar nodded knowingly. Ashfur had done so much to Squirrelflight and her family, of course it was a sensitive subject.
" No, I understand! Blackstar did nothing worse than follow Tigerstar. Even though he may have done some… unlawful things, he was still a loyal ShadowClan cat even though he was never Clanborn. Blackstar was a strong leader and this is his reward. I'm sure he'll be remembered for quite a long time," Mistystar added. Squirrelflight nodded in silent agreement.
" What did he mean when he said that Pepperkit looked like a ShadowClan warrior? Maybe he can detect the shadows inside her?" Squirrelflight questioned. Mistystar dipped her head.
" Maybe so, but for now, we aren't sure about much, other than that those two kits will decide the fate of the Dark Forest. Bluekit may be the reincarnation of Bluestar, but that doesn't mean Bluekit will be the good one. Bluestar doesn't know the prophecy, so Pepperkit could be the good one, or Bluekit," Mistystar replied.
" Well, I must go now. It's nearly sunhigh, I'm sharing some freshkill with Leafpool," Squirrelflight explained as she stood up. Mistystar looked up at the blue sky and was surprised to see the sun shining right down on the two she-cats.
" You know, you look just like your mother," Squirrelflight commented as she ran out of the clearing. And it was true. Mistystar's usually gray fur glowed a bluish hue in the sun.
" I hope my mother is as clever in this life as she was in her last," Mistystar murmured as she rolled onto her back and bathed in the warm sun.