Allegiances:
The Clan of the Morning Sun
Chieftain: Mossy Moon - dark brown tabby she-cat with ice blue eyes, a white chest and muzzle
Regent: Falling Star - white furred she-cat with cream colored ears and paws and amber eyes
Healer: Red Maple - russet she-cat with white forepaws and yellow eyes
Fighters: Cloudy Water - dark gray and white tom (council cat)
Rising Water - very pale gray tabby she-cat (council cat)
Sage Fur - mottled brown and cream she-cat with green eyes
Soaring Hawk - large, broad, dark brown tabby tom
Trainee: Jagged Path
Yellow Sky - dark smoky gray she-cat
Trainee: Spotted Owl
Sharp Wind - dark reddish-brown tom with black stripes (council cat)
Raven Swoop - sleek black tom
Rabbit Nose - pale brown tabby and white tom
Trainee: Blossom Dust
Drifting Leaf - dusty brown she-cat with golden patches
Dewy Grass - mottled dark gray and brown she-cat
Dappled Fur - sleek, light brown tabby she-cat with small white spots
Hunters: Smoke Pelt - dark gray tabby tom with amber eyes
Quick Clouds - white tom with large pale gray patches
Trainee: Tall Pine
Bracken Tail - dark golden brown tabby tom with a ginger tail (council cat)
Maple Sky - tortoiseshell and white she-cat with amber eyes
Trainee: Fern Dapple
Dawn Sky - pretty pale gray and white she-cat
Waving Fern - dark brown and gray dappled she-cat with a gray tail
Running Wave - lithe dark brown tabby tom
Passing Storm - dark gray tom with a dark streak along his spine
Trainees: Fern Dapple - silver tabby she-cat with darker markings
Jagged Path - black and dark brown tabby tom
Spotted Owl - black and white dappled she-cat
Blossom Dust - light brown she-kit with golden patches
Tall Pine - white tom with black patches
Mothers: Willow Leaf - slim silver tabby she-cat with white face, paws, chest and tail tip, (mother of Amber Mist (lithe amber-gold she-kit with one white paw and a white chest) and Whispering Rain (pale silver she-kit with blue-grey speckles and white paw)
Elders: Tumbling Stone - solidly built dark gray tom with graying muzzle
Quiet Sun - pale red and golden tabby she-cat with yellow eyes
Shining Feather - skinny pale gray tabby she-cat
The Clan of the Flowing Waters
Chieftain: Gray Moon - sleek gray tom with stormy blue eyes
Regent: Wind Fur - gray tabby tom with black stripes and amber eyes
Trainee: Frosted Leaf
Healer: Apple Blossom - dark brown she-cat with a white chest and green eyes
Fighters: Ebony Leaf - pale gray tabby she-cat with jet-black stripes (council cat)
Crow Tuft - black tom with amber eyes (council cat)
Dark Night - sleek black tom with yellow eyes
Sun Splash - yellow she-cat with white paws, tail tip, and splash on her chest
Misty Stream - pale silver and white tabby she-cat
Trainee: Holly Blossom
Duck Flight - thick-furred sandy-brown tom
Quiet Stream - pretty silver tabby she-cat
Storm Breeze - dark gray she-cat with blue eyes
Hunters: Flower Dew - thick-furred golden-brown and white tabby she-cat (council cat)
Honey Song - golden tabby she-cat with green eyes
Lily Pool - tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes (council cat)
Nettle Claw - mottled dark gray tabby tom with dark green eyes
Trainee: Shadowed Fur
Curled Bracken - dark brown tabby tom
Splash Tail - mottled gray and brown tabby she-cat
Sky Stripe - pale golden and white tabby tom
Trainees: Shadowed Fur - black tom with orange tipped ears and orange tipped tail
Holly Blossom - longhaired black she-cat with green eyes
Frosted Leaf - pale gray she-cat with a white belly, tail tip, ear tips, and paws
Mothers: Cloudy Sky - pale gray she-cat with a black tipped tail and smokey blue eyes, mother of Light Feather (very pale gray and white tom), Stream Song (gray tabby she-kit) and Patch Tail (pale gray and white patched tom)
Pine Needle - lithe silver tabby she-cat, mother of Blue Clouds (blue-gray tom), Mint Leaf (pale gray tabby she-kit), Waving Reed (light gray tom), and Bright Pebble (white she-kit with silver patches)
Elders: Icey Stone - very pale silver tom
Hazel Fall - hazel-brown tabby tom
Speckled Moss - light gray she-cat with dark brown speckles and green eyes
Shimmering Wave - sleek black she-cat
Clan of the Dark Caves
Chieftain: Hawk Moon - dark brown tabby tom
Regent: Broken Breeze - pale gray tabby she-cat with a white tail tip
Healers: Night Pelt - black tom with green eyes
Trainee: Doe Leap
Fighters: Owl Eye - dark brown tabby tom with one yellow eye, blind in the other
Dawn Leaves - silver and white tabby she-cat with amber eyes
Dark Flame - dark gray tom with lighter stripes and belly (council cat)
Hare Stripe - light brown tabby and white tom
Falling Leaf - tortoiseshell she-cat
Vole Leap - light brown tabby she-cat with dark gray stripes
Lark Feather - thick-furred brown tom
Trainee: Bright Blossom
Hunters: Flash Tail - black tom with a white underbelly, chest, and tail (council cat)
Dusky Fur - thick-furred dark brown she-cat (council cat)
Trainee: Dappled Feather
Lightning Foot - sleek black tom with one white foot (council cat)
Sun Shade - golden tabby tom with light paws, belly and tail tip and green eyes
Weasel Whisker - ginger tabby tom with green eyes
Snow Drift - white she-cat with a few pale gray patches
Trainee: Birch Shade
Shadow Step - dark gray tom with darker forepaws
Trainees: Dappled Feather - silver and black tabby she-cat
Birch Shade - cream tom with brown streaks
Bright Blossom - tortoiseshell she-cat
Doe Leap - mottled light brown she-cat
Mothers: Ember Heart - amber-brown she-cat with grey patches, mother of Flower Petal (small white she-cat, with tortoiseshell patches) and Wolf Howl (dark grey she-cat with a light brown muzzle, underbelly, and paws)
Quick Breeze - small white she-cat with pale yellow eyes
Elders: Fox Nose - ginger tom with a light underbelly and paws
Silent Step - pale gray and white tabby she-cat
Damp Whisker - mottled gray tom with darker markings
Shrew Tail - dark brown tom with three darker paws and one white sock
The Clan of the High Peaks
Chieftain: Grass Moon - blue-gray tabby she-cat with white paws and green eyes
Regent: Ash Leap - pale gray tom with darker patches
Healers: Silver Song - silver and white tabby she-cat
Blue Streak - blue-gray tom with a darker streak along his spine
Fighters: Echoing Breeze - blue-gray she-cat (council cat)
Wild Claw - dark brown tabby tom with darker stripes
Melting River - silver and white tabby tom (council cat)
Trainee: Sunny Leaf
Falcon Wing - ginger and brown tabby and white tom
Tawny Fang - tawny brown tabby tom with blue eyes
Cedar Frost - silver tabby tom
Trainee: Prickling Thorn
Feather Flight - light gray she-cat with darker dapples
Swift Sky - silver she-cat with white patches
Hunters: Clear Gaze - mottled ginger and cream tabby she-cat with green eyes (council cat)
Rising Fawn - white she-cat with brown dapples and amber eyes
Small Foot - black and white she-cat
Soaring Jay - black tom piercing blue eyes
Darkening Skies - very dark gray tom with lighter gray paws (council cat)
Singing Dove - sleek light brown tabby she-cat
Trainee: Sandy Pelt
Sheer Ledge - mottled gray tabby tom
Robin Song - mottled orange and cream she-cat
Trainees: Sandy Pelt - light brown tabby and white tom
Sunny Leaf - golden brown she-cat with amber eyes
Pricking Thorn - brown tabby tom with spiky fur
Mothers: Windy Song - very pale gray she-cat, mother of Fluttering Wing (elegant white she-cat) and Bubbling Creek (very dark tabby gray tom)
Soft Dusk - dark brown tabby she-cat, mother of Berry Pelt (pale cream and white tom), and Morning Mist (pale gray tabby she-kit)
Elders: Breezy Feather - skinny dark brown and gray she-cat with pale blue eyes
Stone Foot - light gray tom with one white foot
Windswept Rock - light gray tom with dark patches
Prologue
Spotted Owl. That irritating, wishy-washy, and arrogant Clan of the Morning Sun trainee. She was all Sharp could think about on many-day-long trek home from their failed mission in the Clans' secret valley.
He barely thought about how plan—the critical mission they had spent moons carefully crafting had oh-so-wonderfully backfired because of the work of three annoying little trainees.
Nor how they would most likely receive severe punishments upon their disgraceful arrival home once the other cats in the Bands found out they had failed.
Nor the furious, but sorely disappointed look that would sit on his father's face.
Not even what would happen to him if the others ever figured out the real reason Brisk had vanished without a trace.
Nope. She was all Sharp could think about—and it irritated him to no end. Sharp knew he shouldn't be thinking about Spotted Owl. They weren't friends. His fake friendship with her was just another part of the ruse. Besides, she had admired and adored him and what did he do? Betray her. And then what did she do? Attack him.
He didn't even know why she was on his mind so much. But maybe it was small, secret part of them that still liked Spotted Owl; admired her fire and her innocence. Or perhaps it was the still lingering feeling of guilt at the way she fire-like anger in her eyes, and behind that, haunted betrayal, during the final battle. Or maybe it was the fact that he saw a little of himself in her.
Sharp let out a loud scoff, then immediately ducked his head, glancing around himself to check that he hadn't drawn any unneeded attention to himself. No, he shouldn't think like that. Any sympathy shown toward the Clans put a target on his back. He was already treading on thin ice because he had refused to obey the order to kill Spotted Owl's brother, Tall Pine. Sharp didn't know of the others on the patrol were aware yet—he had not let Brisk to live to reveal the truth—but it was only so long before they realized. Besides, Sharp reminded himself, the Bands and the Clans were fierce, and the most recent plot only deepened their canyon of rivalry. The still stinging cuts all across his body delivered by Spotted Owl and her siblings were a constant painful reminder of that fact.
Sharp's attention was jerked back his surroundings as a harsh cry came from the front of the patrol. Someone had called his name.
"Sharp!" The cats parted as one of the leaders of the patrol—a dark gray she-cat named Cinder—trotted back through the ranks. Sharp's ears instinctively flattened as Cinder approached, but he pushed them forward, unwilling to show any weakness in front of her.
"Yes, Cinder?" Sharp met her gaze evenly, his tone cold and uninterested.
"Why are you skulking at the back of the patrol like that Clan-scum?" Cinder asked with a sneer, her face tilted so Sharp couldn't help but stare at the long scar that bisected her left eye. She jerked her head toward the head of the patrol. "Get up front with us. Crow's orders. He wants to make sure daddy sees you looking all nice and leaderly." She turned abruptly. "Let's go!"
Sharp wanted to turn tail and flee to the safety of the rear of the patrol, but he willed his paws to follow Cinder to the front. He puffed out his chest and lifted his tail authoritatively, feeling his usual mask of calm indifference settle over his face.
"Good. He's here." Crow grunted. "We're almost there. Let's get this next part other with." The black tom began shuffling forward again. The rest of the patrol slowly followed suit.
The long like of cats trudged along the forest floor like a slow stream of water choked with mud. Sharp, along with the patrol leaders, Crow, Cinder, and another she-cat called Icicle led the ragged group along the familiar trail. Several cats limped, and everyone sported various half-healed wounds, but they kept up a quick, urgent pace, both eager and anxious to reach their destination.
The patrol trekked along the trail, winding between the oaks, birches, and maples of the forest that gradually started to thin, revealing the shimmering waters of a vast lake in the distance. The dried leaves crunched under the cats' paws, the only sound to be heard in this still wood, as even though it was the warmest season, no birdsong floated through the trees. Even the wind didn't rustle the leaves, seeming to hold its breath along with the rest of the forest in anticipation of what the patrol's return home would bring.
The patrol veered away from the bright lake in the distance and instead made for the dark looming forms of the distant pines. Gradually, the dried leaves turned to slippery pine needles, soft and soundless underfoot, so now it was nearly dead-silent. The tall pines rose high above their heads, their high branches reaching for sunlight and creating a dense roof overhead. Five enormous pine trees stood grandly not far ahead in a wide semi-circle. A large ticket stretched between the trees, a tangle of branches and undergrowth weaved carefully together over many moons to make a thick, nearly impenetrable wall. The sole entrance was a small circular opening near the base of one wall, barely noticeable save for the flattened earth around it. The patrol approached hesitantly and paused outside, cautious now.
Crow glanced around at the other cats, checking if their attention was trained on him, then he turned and slipped inside. Cinder and Icicle followed close behind him, leaving Sharp caught in between the barrier and the patrol, with no choice but to duck inside as well. He crouched and slithered through the short tunnel, the branches above him tugging at his pelt and stepped out into the clearing on the other side.
The camp was a large circle of dens built right into the towering walls with wide, dusty clearing in the middle. It had been used formerly by the Five Pines Band as their camp for generations, but after the union of the Bands, it had been reinforced and built into a grand war camp where many cats stayed, including some of the most important.
The cats of the war camp drew back as the patrol filed in one by one. Conversation buzzed in the air, and there were meows of joy as some of the cats recognized their friends or family and rushed forward to welcome them home.
Sharp found himself in the midst of the reunions and pushed his ears forward as he searched the crowd, nodding to others, though no one welcomed him. He looked for a familiar pale gray shape, not daring to let hope rise in his chest, but as he suspected, there was no sign of her. Instead, an amber-brown she-cat wandering through the crowd caught his attention.
"Acorn!" Sharp called out before he could think better of it.
The amber-brown she-cat turned swiftly toward him, the bright hope in her face draining away at the look in the ginger and brown tabby tom's eyes. She stepped closer, so they stood a mere tail-length apart. "I can't find Timber anywhere. What happened? Is he—"
"I'm so sorry," Sharp murmured, regretting that by calling attention to himself he had appointed himself as the one to deliver the grave news of one of the patrol leader's deaths to his only family.
"Oh, no," Acorn moaned, pressing her muzzle into Sharp's chest fur. Soft sobs broke her next words. "I begged him not to take that assignment, but he was so proud to be selected as mission leader. Now he's dead. My brother is dead."
"It's going to be all right," Sharp said, awkwardly trying to comfort the grieving she-cat. "I know you're sad, but we will honor the sacrifice Timber made in service to the greater good. He will be praised for his deeds and remembered as a hero." The words tasted bitter and wrong on his tongue.
"No, it will never be okay." Acorn sniffled, turning away. Her eyes were glassy and her tail dragged in the dust as she shuffled away.
Sharp started after her but stopped as he became aware of the hush that quickly fell over the crowd. The cats stepped back, nodding their heads respectfully as two powerful cats strode regally through the crowd. The first was a golden-brown tom, Sleek, the camp-master, who kept close to the side of a second cat, a massive ginger tabby tom, who was none other than Thunderclap, the supreme commander of the Bands himself.
"I see the mission patrol has returned." Thunderclap halted in the center of the crowd, his tone quiet, but the crowd was dead silent, so it seemed to echo throughout the camp. "Welcome back at last. It has been four moons. I sincerely hope that you have returned with tidings of great victory, and not terrible defeat, for all of our sakes." He pivoted, his grave gaze traveling slowly around the ring of cats. "Now, mission leaders, step forward and report."
There was brief silence as the cats waited, and then a shuffling as the cats shifted to let the three remaining leaders come forward into the ring. Crow, Cinder, and Icicle made a line before Thunderclap, their heads bent, and tails held low. Despite their display of respect, Sharp could see Crow's tail twitching a little, and he couldn't help but notice Cinder's somber expression, an odd contrast to her earlier cocky grin.
The entire clearing waited tensely as Thunderclap regarded the three cats silently for a moment, a thoughtful frown on his face. "I believe we selected four leaders from among the best soldiers for this mission. Where is your fourth?"
Cinder, Crow, and Icicle exchanged glances, before Crow hesitantly spoke up, "Timber was killed in battle, slaughtered by those Clan-scum." His lip curled at the last word.
Thunderclap nodded. "Hmmm, and how did that happen? Correct me if I'm wrong, but the plan was not to engaged the Clans in battle, but instead to incite a war between them?"
"N-no, you're right," Crow replied hastily, "but—"
Thunderclap's face betrayed the hint of a snarl. "But what?"
"But things didn't work out according to the plan," Cinder said, interrupting before Crow could say another word. Her face was serious, but there was a tiny, almost indistinguishable flicker of desperation in her eyes. "We had to improvise. You see, there were these three trainees…"
Sharp's eyes didn't leave Thunderclap's face as Cinder, with additional input from Crow explained what had happened in the Valley of Hidden Stars that had ended in their defeat and disgraceful return home. The supreme commander's face remained expressionless, but by the end of the tale, his green eyes smoldered like fiery embers.
"You failed?" Thunderclap exclaimed. His face twisting into a furious snarl. He spun around, his gaze raking the cats around him who shrank. His eyes alighted once more on the three cats before him. "We spent moons meticulously planning this mission down to every fine detail. We selected only the best of our soldiers to guarantee victory over the Clans. And you failed! You were defeated in battle because of three kits! You ran away from the fight like sniveling cowards! You returned home in disgrace with nothing but excuses! You failed!"
The three mission leaders cowered at the commander's last roared statement. Thunderclap scoffed in disgust and turned his head away before he continued in a dangerously calm tone. "Loyalty. That is all that is expected from all members of the Bands. Loyalty to the Bands. Loyalty to your camp-master. Loyalty to the captains. Loyalty to me. If you are not loyal, you have no place here."
Some of the cats in the crowd trembled a little as Thunderclap's gaze raked the throng again. He spoke once more, in a booming voice this time. "I will discuss with my captains what type of punishment is warranted for this failure and disloyalty. It will be announced tomorrow at sunhigh, where everyone will gather in this camp to hear. Now, begone. This meeting is finished."
At Thunderclap's order, the three cats hurriedly dipped their heads and rushed off into the quickly dispersing crowd. Several cats hurried to the entrance and vanished into it, presumably carrying the message to the cats in the other camps. Sharp turned, trying to slip away unnoticed, but a short call stopped him.
"Sharp!"
The ginger and brown tabby tom halted. "Thunderclap!" He forced a smile on his face as turned to greet his father.
Thunderclap trotted up to Sharp and looked him over. Sharp instinctively tensed as his father's scrutinizing green gaze—yet another physical trait they shared, though that was about it.
"You look surprisingly well." Thunderclap commented, surprisingly nonchalant despite his announcement a moment before. "Though you still have several half-healed scratches. Did you not fare well in that final failed battle?"
"N-no, I mean, I did okay," Sharp stuttered. "I fought well in fact, using all the moves I learned, but at one point I was fighting three cats—"
"Still," Thunderclap interrupted coldly, "as my son I expected you to do better. You were sent along as a representative of our family and keep the other cats in check. When I hear a fuller report of the mission, I hope to hear about the deeds you performed to the tiniest detail. I certainly know you wouldn't've let me down."
"Of course not," Sharp mumbled, his eyes fixed on paws.
"Now, I expect you to get your wounds taken care of and a night of rest," Thunderclap said briskly. "You will be back in training tomorrow at dawn. It seems that you still need more practice."
Sharp flattened his ears at his father's comment.
"Ember, your brother, is doing quite well in training, you know. And he's six moons younger than you."
"Half-brother. Ember's not my real brother."
"No matter. I will see you tomorrow." Thunderclap whisked around and began padding away.
"Wait!" Sharp called after his father. He swallowed as the powerful ginger tom turned back toward him. "C-could I go see Sage? My sister? She must be in the Sandy Hollow Camp."
Thunderclap frowned. "Very well. But you still have to make sure you're ready a vigorous training session tomorrow. It's not my fault if you're unprepared." He turned again and strode briskly away.
"Thank you!" Sharp called after him. Grinning, he turned toward the entrance, eager to see the his sister, the only one who would be happy to see him, but his smile faded as he thought about having to tell her about everything that had happened since he'd left her more than four moons before, and everything that had already taken place since his arrival home. Thinking about the mission brought back his earlier thoughts, thoughts about that annoying trainee.
Should I tell Sage about Spotted Owl? Sharp wondered as he slipped through the entrance. She'll demand to know everything. No, I'd better not, he decided. It's safer that way, for both of us. Now, if I could just stop thinking about Spotted Owl...
I'm back! Yay! Finally! I had hoped to get this posted a few weeks ago and I know it's been more than a month since I finished book 1, but I had a lot to do and then school started, but here it is, finally! If you are new, and probably have no idea what's going on, I recommend you go back and read book 1. You can find a find a link on my profile page. If you aren't new, welcome back! I am so excited to be continuing this series! I hope you liked this prologue from Sharp's point of view. Unfortunately, that is all I have planned to be from his POV for this book.
As for an updating schedule, there won't be one at least for now because I just started school and my life is pretty crazy right now. I will be updating about every other week, hopefully on the weekend.
I also took the time to finally compile the full allegiances. I hope you enjoy them and the prologue. Let me know in a review what you think of Sharp and Thunderclap.
Please review, follow, and favorite! I'll see you all soon with chapter one from Spotted Owl's POV.
- A Warrior At Heart