Prologue
Ivypool
Ivypool stared in horror at the motionless body of her mother, Whitewing. The ThunderClan camp smelled of death and blood. The metallic stench practically suffocated her, making her feel light-headed.
The tabby and white molly felt hollow. She had witnessed so much carnage, both from her nightly training sessions in the Place of No Stars, and the war that the Clans waged against them. The image of Hollyleaf, with her throat torn open by Hawkfrost, seemed to be burned into her retinas.
That could've been me.
Ivypoolfound herself pressing up against Dovewing's side. This was the first time the sisters had been physically close with each other since they were kits. It was a strangely comforting feeling to her, who had grown distant from her since she discovered that she was a member of the Three.
Birchfall crouched beside his mate and buried his nose in her pelt, closing his eyes in grief. Rosepetal sat beside him, trying to comfort her grieving uncle. Spiderleg and Icecloud were dead, leaving him and Foxleap as the two surviving kits of Ferncloud and Dustpelt's three litters.
As Ivypool sat beside her sister, thoughts and memories started to race through her head. She remembered meeting Hawkfrost in a dream she had as an apprentice. As she looked to her right, the tabby warrior saw the blood-soaked corpse of Brambleclaw. He and his half-brother had fought to their last breath.
"Ivypool, are you alright?" a voice asked, startling her out of her thoughts. She turned her head and saw Cinderheart, her former mentor.
"I'm fine," she answered, feeling her pelt bristling.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you," the molly replied. "I can tell that you're a bit on edge. Why don't you see Jayfeather so he can give you some poppy seeds or thyme?"
Ivypool exhaled loudly. The screams of her Clanmates as they were brutally slaughtered by the warriors of the Dark Forest seemed to resonate within her head. Her claws tore anxiously at the grass. Subsequently, she stood up and padded away from her father and sister.
As she walked through the clearing, she was wreathed by the odor of corpses. Hazeltail and Toadstep sat beside Daisy's body. Brightheart carried the tiny, limp form of Dewkit in her jaws, a solemn gleam in her eye. Snowkit and Amberkit closely followed her.
Jayfeather applied a poultice of marigold and horsetail to the large gash on Foxleap's side. The tabby tomcat are barely aware of the plaster being pressed onto his flesh. He was exhausted, both physically and mentally. Afterward, he slipped him a dried leaf containing some poppy seeds. Foxleap feebly lapped them up and grimaced. Graystripe lay adjacent from him, sound asleep in his nest. His injuries were already tended to.
The blind tomcat's ears swiveled as he heard Ivypool's paw steps. "What are you here for?" he asked.
"I need thyme," she answered.
Jayfeather rose to his paws and approached his stock of herbs. He ferreted out a pungent stem with his paw and picked it up, carrying it to the molly and setting it front of her paws.
"Thanks." Ivypool grabbed the stem with her teeth, the sharp spicy aroma flooding her nostrils. She exited the den and padded towards the apprentices' den, where she consumed the plants that were given to her.
The tabby found herself gazing up at the night sky overhead. There will be many new stars tonight. Hollyleaf, Whitewing, Firestar… Clan legend stated that when a cat died, their spirit became a star in Silverpelt.
"Who's going to be lead us?" Ivypool overheard Molepaw ask Poppyfrost. The two cats were next to Berrynose and Cherrypaw. The young tom laid close to his sister.
"I don't know," his mother answered. "Maybe Jayfeather will get a sign from StarClan."
Suddenly, the tabby and white molly heard the sound of claws scraping against rock. She turned her head and saw Squirrelflight climbing onto the Highledge. Perched atop it, she was the spitting image of her father. There was no need for the ginger warrior to summon her Clanmates, for they were already gathered below her in the clearing.
"Cats of ThunderClan," she began. "You have all fought well. We must honor our Clanmates who gave up their lives in the war against the Dark Forest."
Every cat was silent. Ivypool sat next to Blossomfall. She could scent her anxiety. Hazeltail and Mousewhisker whispered between each other.
"Since Firestar and Brambleclaw are both dead," Squirrelflight continued. "I have taken command as leader. Jayfeather and I will travel to the Moonpool later. A new deputy will also be named."
"Squirrelstar! Squirrelstar!" the cats chanted.
"I say these words before the spirits of my warrior ancestors," she declared. "So that they may hear and approve of my choice. The new deputy of ThunderClan is Lionblaze."
The golden tom let out a short gasp, his eyes widening in disbelief.
"What?" Toadstep exclaimed. "Squirrelflight, you can't do this! He's a Dark Forest trainee!"
The eyes of every cat were suddenly trained on him. Lionblaze stood up and glared at the tomcat, his ears flat.
"How do you know that?" he demanded.
"What are you talking about, brother?" Rosepetal inquired.
"I agree with Toadstep," Poppyfrost chimed in. "Firestar wouldn't allow this to happen, nor would he approve of it. This is an insult to our Clanmates who died fighting against the Dark Forest."
"Poppyfrost, I can't believe you would say something like that!" Cinderheart yowled.
"It's true though," Toadstep retorted, narrowing his eyes at Thornclaw and Birchfall. "Every cat who has trained in the Dark Forest is a traitor, and they should be exiled."
Dovewing faced the black and white tom, her eyes blazing with green fire. Ivypool had never seen her sister look so angry before. "Stop being so ungrateful," she snarled. "Without my sister, we would all be crowfood!"
The clearing was on the brink of disorder. Cats glared at each other, their pelts bristling and tails lashing. The tabby and white molly felt Blossomfall press up against her.
"ENOUGH!" Squirrelflight yowled. Every cat froze and looked up at her. "It's settled. We only have so many warriors left." She gestured with her tail that the Clan meeting had come to an end and climbed down.
"Are you ready to leave?" Jayfeather asked.
She nodded. "Yes, let's go."
Ivypool winced as she tried to support Briarlight's weight. Her shoulders were broad and muscular from her many exercises to prevent fluid from collecting in her lungs. Even Lionblaze, who was renowned for his incredible strength, found the task difficult.
From the corner of her eye, she could see Mousewhisker and Rosepetal lifting up Millie's body. Overhead, the sky was turning a pale gray hue as the sun began to rise from the horizon. The time had come for the cats to bury their Clanmates.
Ivypool and Lionblaze entered the thorn tunnel with Bumblestripe at their heels. The three cats trekked through the forest until they came close to the lake. "Be careful," He said as they set her body down on the grass.
They were shortly followed by the second group. Once the brown and white molly was placed next to her daughter, Bumblestripe gazed wistfully at them.
He has to bury his mother and sister.
Ivypool and Lionblaze started digging. Once the hole was big and deep enough for Briarlight, they placed her inside. The gray tomcat rushed inside, burying his nose in his sister's fur.
"Bumblestripe, what are you doing?" the golden warrior asked. "You have to get out so we can bury Briarlight."
"I want to say goodbye to her one last time." he murmured, his amber eyes vivid with grief.
"Quit being so insensitive, Lionblaze," Rosepetal snapped. "Haven't you forgotten that you lost your mother and sister too?"
The tom said nothing, only letting out a gusty sigh. Leafpool, his biological mother, had also been a casualty of the war.
"Rest well, sister," Bumblestripe whispered into Briarlight's ear. Afterward, he climbed out from the hole.
Lionblaze, Ivypool, and Mousewhisker buried the brown warrior's corpse. They patted the soil with their front paws until it was firm.
The gray and white tom sighed. "It's going to take us a whole moon to bury our Clanmates!"
"Not if we work together," Lionblaze told him.
Ivypool gazed out at the lake. The sun was a slowly rising ball of fire as it climbed higher and higher in the sky. This would be a day that the Clans would never forget, one that would engraved in their memories for moons and perhaps seasons to come.
Allegiances
ThunderClan
Leader: Squirrelstar- dark ginger molly with a white paw and green eyes
Deputy: Lionblaze- golden tabby tom with amber eyes
Medicine Cat: Jayfeather- blind gray tabby tom with blue eyes
Warriors:
Thornclaw- golden brown tabby tom
Birchfall- gray tabby tom
Mousewhisker- gray and white tom
Cinderheart- gray tabby molly with blue eyes
Poppyfrost- tortoiseshell molly
Foxleap- reddish brown tabby tom
Toadstep- black and white tom
Rosepetal- dark cream molly (Apprentice, Molepaw)
Bumblestripe- pale gray tom with black stripes
Blossomfall- tortoiseshell and white molly
Dovewing- pale gray molly with green eyes
Ivypool- silver tabby and white molly with blue eyes
Apprentices:
Molepaw- brown and cream tom
Queens:
Brightheart- ginger and white molly (mother of Cloudtail's kits: Amberkit- pale ginger molly, and Snowkit- white tom)
Hazeltail- small gray and white molly (expecting Thornclaw's kits; caring for Sorreltail's kit: Lilykit- tabby and white molly)
Elders:
Graystripe- heavily scarred gray tom
ShadowClan
Leader: Rowanstar- ginger tom
Deputy: Crowfrost- black and white tom
Medicine Cat: Brindlepelt- tortoiseshell and white molly
Warriors:
Applefur- ginger molly
Olivenose- tortoiseshell molly
Shrewfoot- gray molly with black paws
Scorchfur- dark gray tom (Apprentice, Sparrowpaw)
Tigerheart- dark brown tabby tom
Dawnpelt- cream-colored molly (Apprentice, Mistpaw)
Ferretclaw- cream and gray tom
Stoatfur- ginger tom
Apprentices:
Sparrowpaw- brown tabby tom
Mistpaw- light gray molly with spiky fur
Queens:
Pinenose- black molly (mother of Toadfoot's kit: Sloekit- black molly)
Elders:
Oakfur- small brown tom
Snowbird- white molly
WindClan
Leader: Whitestar- small white molly
Deputy: Weaselfur- ginger tom with white paws
Medicine Cat: Kestrelflight- mottled gray-brown tom (Apprentice, Sootpaw)
Warriors:
Leaftail- dark brown tabby tom with yellow eyes (Apprentice, Commpaw)
Emberfoot- gray tom with two dark paws
Harespring- brown and white tom
Sedgewhisker- light brown tabby molly (Apprentice, Frostpaw)
Swallowtail- dark gray molly
Whiskernose- pale brown tom
Furzepelt- gray and white molly
Beetlefoot- black tom
Larkwing- pale brown tabby molly
Apprentices:
Sootpaw- dark gray tom (medicine cat apprentice)
Commapaw- tortoiseshell molly
Frostpaw- white tom
Queens:
Sunstrike- tortoiseshell molly with a white mark on her forehead (mother of Harespring's kits: Badgerkit- black and white tom, Tansykit- yellow tabby molly, Waspkit- ginger tom, and Brownkit- dark brown molly)
Heathertail- light brown tabby molly with blue eyes (expecting Breeze's kits)
Elders:
Crowfeather- dark gray tom with blue eyes
Gorsetail- gray and white molly
RiverClan
Leader: Mintstar- light gray tabby tom
Deputy: Duskfur- dark brown molly
Medicine Cat: Willowshine- gray tabby molly with green eyes
Warriors:
Mallownose- light brown tabby tom
Robinwing- tortoiseshell and white tom (Apprentice, Minkpaw)
Grasspelt- light brown tom
Minnowtail- dark gray molly (Apprentice, Redpaw)
Hollowflight- dark brown tabby tom
Troutstream- pale gray tabby molly
Rushtail- light brown tabby molly
Mossyfoot- brown and white molly
Heronwing- dark gray and black tom
Apprentices:
Minkpaw- dark brown tom
Redpaw- ginger and white molly
Queens:
Icewing- white molly with blue eyes (mother of Mintstar's kits: Nightkit- dark gray molly, and Breezekit- tabby and white molly)
Petalfur- gray and white molly (expecting Mallownose's kits)
Elders:
Reedwhisker- black tom
Graymist- light gray tabby molly
Breeze's Group
Leader: Breeze- black tom with amber eyes, formerly of WindClan
Night- black molly, formerly of WindClan
Nettle- dark brown tabby tom, formerly of RiverClan
Copper- dark ginger molly, formerly of RiverClan
Lizard- pale brown tom
Raven- black and white molly
Perch- gray and white molly
Rust- dark ginger tom
Maverick- black and white tom
Mouse- small brown tom with a white chest and paws
Fang- white tom with green eyes
Jasmine- light gray molly
Cocoa- brown and white molly
Lacy- tortoiseshell molly
Spike- dark brown tom
Grass- pale brown tabby molly
Shimmer- silver-gray molly
Lake- gray tabby molly
Cats Outside Clans
Smoky- muscular gray and white tom
Floss- small gray and white molly
Coriander- tortoiseshell and white molly
Sol- tortoiseshell and white tom with pale yellow eyes