(Prologue at the end of allegiances.)
Cedarclan
Leader – Blizzardstar – huge white tom with dark blue eyes
Deputy – Whiteshade – white tom with black tabby markings and amber eyes
Medicine Cat – Plumleaf – plump pale gray she-cat with kindly brown eyes
Apprentice – Petalpaw – tabby she-cat with white chest and paws
Warriors –
Shadowgrove – large black and white tom
Elkheart – sturdy dark brown tabby tom
Sweetsorrel – tabby she-cat with white paws
Cloudspots – white and gray tom
Apprentice – Morningpaw – pretty calico she-cat
Brushfire – ginger she-cat with bushy tail
Blackmoth – black she-cat with green eyes
Swiftwing – black and white tom with long legs
Apprentice – Hawkpaw – dark tabby tom with gray eyes
Falconstorm – dark tabby tom with powerful shoulders
Kestrelfeather – brownish red tom
Apprentice – Heronpaw – black and smoky gray tom with yellow eyes
Ferntail – brown and white patched she-cat with a long curly tail
Talonscore – heavily scarred ginger tom
Apprentice – Crowpaw – swift black tom
Stonepelt – gray tabby tom
Apprentice – Specklepaw – speckled gray and white she-cat
Runningriver – slim silver tabby she-cat
Slatefoot – strong dark gray tabby tom with black markings
Cherrynose – tortoiseshell she-cat
Frayclaw – gray tabby tom
Dawnheart – Siamese tom (born a kitty-pet)
Queens –
Honeyleaf – cream colored she-cat with blue eyes
Mother to Swiftwing's kits; Wolfkit (gray tom) and Cyotekit (black and cream tom)
Quailstep – soft furred gray she-cat
Expecting Talonscore's kits
Spottedfur – dappled brown she-cat with white chest
Oldest nursery queen; stays to help take care of nursing and expecting queens
Elders –
Beepelt – striped gray and black tom
Foxtail – ginger she-cat with white tail tip
Hollowtree – dark tabby tom with large paws
Willowclan
Leader – Cougarstar – sandy brown she-cat with black paws
Deputy – Owlears – brown she-cat with tufty ears
Medicine Cat – Minnowflash – very small silver she-cat
Warriors –
Fogpelt – huge white tom
Apprentice – Beetlepaw – black tom
Iristail – calico she-cat with striking green eyes
Twistedroot – large tabby tom with twisted tail
Apprentice – Sorrelpaw – small calico she-cat
Ripplepelt – black and gray tabby she-cat
Yarrowfang – black tom with yellow eyes
Lightfoot – pale tabby she-cat
Cheetahspot – spotted tabby she-cat
Tigerfang – dark tabby tom with dark stripes
Breezefoot – white and gray tom
Apprentice – Splashpaw – gray tabby she-cat with white spots
Sootstep – dark gray tom with darker paws
Brackenheart – ginger tabby tom
Frozenpelt – white tom
Hornetsting – black and white she-cat
Apprentice – Houndpaw – large brown tom
Wingshadow – swift black tom
Sparkwhisker – pale tabby tom with white whiskers
Spottedowl – spotted she-cat with large eyes
Queens –
Flowerstream – longhaired tabby she-cat with green eyes
Mother to Fogpelt's kits; Stormkit (gray tom) and Flightkit (white and ginger she-cat)
Sparrowflight – dark tabby she-cat with white belly
Expecting Sootstep's kits
Meadowheart – light brown tabby she-cat
Expecting Sparkwhisker's kits
Elders –
Clawface – heavily scarred black tom
Bubblefur – fluffy gray she-cat
Three-foot – gray tabby tom with only three paws
Silversnow – very old silvery gray she-cat
Pineclan
Leader – Griffonstar – dark ginger she-cat with yellow eyes
Deputy – Beartooth – huge shaggy brown tom
Apprentice – Flamepaw – ginger tom
Medicine Cat – Finchfoot – yellow and white tom
Warriors –
Icefang – white she-cat
Echogorge – large dark tabby tom
Needlefur – tabby tom
Apprentice – Graypaw – gray tabby tom
Longshadow – tall black tom with white chest and belly
Apprentice – Frostpaw – white she-cat
Sunstripe – tabby tom with white stripe down spine
Wildfang – long haired ginger tom with a snaggletooth
Apprentice – Moonpaw – long furred mottled gray she-cat
Waterwhisker – gray and white she-cat
Goldensap – pale ginger she-cat
Rainshadow – dark gray tabby tom
Apprentice – Pebblepaw – dappled gray tom
Littlerose – cream she-cat
Specklepelt – speckled she-cat
Lizardtail – brown tabby tom with thin tail
Dappleheart – White patched tabby she-cat
Stonefoot – heavy gray tom
Scarletclaw – dark ginger she-cat
Galepelt – mottled gray tom
Queens –
Cloudfeather – fluffy white she-cat
Mother to Sunstripe's kits; Poppykit (tortoiseshell she-cat), Turtlekit (brown tom), Badgerkit (black and white tom), and Downykit (fluffy white she-cat)
Elders –
Mousetail – sandy brown she-cat
Shadepelt – dark brown and black tom
Crookedstripe – tabby tom with crooked tail
Alderclan
Leader – Palestar – aged pale tabby tom with blue eyes
Deputy – Eagletalon – golden tabby tom
Medicine Cat – Frostglade – blind white she-cat
Apprentice – Whiteheart – ginger tabby with white chest, paws, and ringed tail
Warriors –
Rowantail – long haired heavy set ginger tom
Mudmask – white and brown splashed tom
Skyclaw – long-legged tabby she-cat with white underbelly
Apprentice – Hornedpaw – ginger tom
Riverwhisper – gray tabby she-cat
Ravenwing – sleek black she-cat
Apprentice – Flutterpaw – golden she-cat
Mossfoot – pale tabby tom
Barkpelt – mottled brown tom
Ashstorm – gray tom with fierce eyes
Nighthawk – black tom with amber eyes and one white ear
Apprentice – Coalpaw – white tom with black paws and ears
Dustyfur – pale brown long haired she-cat
Spitfang – white and black tom
Apprentice – Acornpaw – auburn tom
Snakefeather – unusually spotted gold, brown, and gray tabby tom
Daisyspring – golden she-cat with white paws
Silverwhisker – white and gray longhaired tabby she-cat
Apprentice – Mothpaw – white and brown she-cat
Queens –
Larkflight – white she-cat with light gray tabby markings
Mother to Nighthawk's kits; Jumpkit (ginger tom), Tinykit (little tabby she-cat), and Whiskerkit (long haired black and white tom with long whiskers)
Quietsong – pale tabby she-cat
Mother to Rowantail's kits; Nutkit (warm brown tom) and Sweetkit (pale ginger she-cat)
Cricketchirp – black she-cat
Expecting Barkpelt's kits
Elders –
Patchpelt – black, brown, and white tom
Creampelt - pale cream she-cat
Junipertail – ginger she-cat
Rabbitfoot – pale brown tom
Olivenose – velvety brown she-cat with lame leg
. . .
"Momma, why is Papa taking Dovekit away?"
"Dovekit is with Starclan now my darling."
"Does that mean I will never see her again?"
"No dear, it means she gets to walk with her ancestors until we come to join her."
"Can't I go there now?"
"No love. Your mother needs you here to look after your brothers. Can you do that for me?"
"Okay Momma. I promise."
"That's my little Heronkit."
The faint outline of his father's broad shoulders stood sentinel against the moon. Heronkit snuggled closer to his mother's soft fur. He could feel the cold air prick at his ears and nose, but he did not complain. He could sense the solemn mood that hung like low mist over the camp, even though he did not fully understand why. If Dovekit was only going to Starclan, a place he could come see her soon, why was everycat so sad? He pressed himself to his mother's warm flank, still puzzled by the lump in his throat. Tiredness weighed his eyelids down as he watched the moon sail high overhead. His brothers were already asleep in a tangled lump at the base of Heronkit's tail.
Unwilling to leave his grieving mother alone, Heronkit trained his yellow eyes on the small circle of stars that remained unhidden by the canopy of needles above their heads. He hoped that he could imagine their cold light into fireflies. After a few seconds, Heronkit saw something silhouetted against a cloud. Squinting, he tried to make out what it was. The shape reminded him of a cat. But how could a cat be in the sky?
Heronkit sat up a little straighter and perked his ears. He watched with an open mouth until the shape passed in front of the silver light of the moon. A beautiful white she-cat was illuminated in front of the moon, a long plumy tail trailing out behind her. Her legs were stretched out like she was in the middle of a leap, but they did not touch down. Heronkit's eyes grew huge as he watched her sail past the moon and out of sight.
"Goodbye Dovekit. See you soon." Heronkit whispered to the now empty night sky.