Special thanks to Angelique McCoig.
Dedicated to my three cats: Watson, Betsy, and Sylvester. And also for
Sherlock, who hunts with the warriors in the sky.

ALLEGIANCES

RIVERCLAN

LEADER HONEYSTAR — pale golden-furred she-cat, white-tipped tail and paws

DEPUTY HALFTHORN — dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes
Apprentice, Redpaw

MEDICINE CAT FEATHERPOOL — pretty gray tabby she-cat with blue eyes
Apprentice, Downypaw — fluffy dark gray tom

WARRIORS (toms, and she-cats without kits)

FOXSKIP — bright ginger tom with green eyes and a thick tail
Apprentice, Deerpaw

STAGCLAW — pale brown tabby tom with amber eyes
Apprentice, Scurrypaw

NEWTWHISKER — ginger-and-white tom
Apprentice, Covepaw

CEDARSTORM — huge brown tabby tom with black-tipped ears

FLINTFACE — dark gray tom
Apprentice, Whitepaw

RAVENTAIL — sleek black tom with amber eyes

POPPYPELT — tortoiseshell she-cat with large green eyes

BRIGHTEYES — white she-cat with brown patches and blue eyes

APPRENTICES (over six moons old, in training to become warriors)

DEERPAW — brown tom with yellow eyes

SCURRYPAW — silver-gray tabby tom

WHITEPAW — long-haired white tom with blue eyes

COVEPAW — very pale gray tabby she-cat with yellow eyes

REDPAW — reddish-brown tom with green eyes

QUEENS (she-cats expecting or nursing kits)

GRAYSHELL — speckled gray coat and yellow eyes

TALLFLOWER — pretty tortoiseshell-and-black queen

LEOPARDLEAP — gold-and-white pelt

YARROWFUR — speckled tabby, oldest nursery queen

ELDERS (former warriors and queens, now retired)

BROWNLEAF — large dark brown tabby tom with yellow eyes

PUDDLESPLASH — blue-gray tom, oldest cat in RiverClan

KINKFOOT — short white tom with shaggy fur and a twisted forepaw, retired early

MISTPELT — pale gray she-cat

LILYCLAW — pinkish-brown she-cat with green eyes

SHADOWCLAN

LEADER LONGSTAR — dark yellow tabby tom

DEPUTY ROBINSPECK — mottled brown tabby tom with yellow eyes

MEDICINE CAT LIZARDFUR — black-and-white tom

WARRIORS

WASPCLAW — black tom
Apprentice, Swallowpaw — quick brown tabby tom

PIGEONFLIGHT — white tom with a brown stripe along his back
Apprentice, Briarpaw — dark brown she-cat

SHIVERPELT — massive white tom
Apprentice, Hollypaw — black tom

DARKSTORM — very dark tabby tom

QUEENS

DAWNLIGHT — golden-brown queen

SNOWYWHISKER — thick-furred white queen

ELDERS

BRAMBLEFOOT — dark brown tabby

WINDCLAN

LEADER CLOVERSTAR — cream-furred she-cat

APPRENTICES

WARRENPAW — black-and-white tom with green eyes

SHREWPAW — brown tabby tom

GALEPAW — tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat

THUNDERCLAN

LEADER HARESTAR — white tom with green eyes
Apprentice, Tumblepaw — silver-tabby tom with blue eyes

CATS OUTSIDE THE CLANS

SHATTERED SHELL — friendly, white she-cat spirit

SPLINTERED TREE — dark brown tabby tom spirit, travels with Shattered Shell

EDITH — white she-cat with brown ears and tail, kittypet

MAGPIE — small black-and-white she-cat, kittypet

GROVE — silver-tabby tom

PROLOGUE

A claw-shaped moon shimmered over a green field, tinging the grass silver. It was hot and dry, but the night carried an unusual chill. Something shifted in the brush and two pairs of eyes glowed like embers within the shadows.

Two cats stepped out of the ferns, their pelts glowing softly like the stars above. The smallest of the couple pricked its ears forward as if it were listening for something. As for the other, it was standing nearby, tail lashing irritably.

"We shouldn't be standing out here in the open," said the bigger cat. Its voice and stature indicated that it had been a tom. "We're going to get caught."

"They won't see us. They won't know. Everyone is asleep. We just have to figure out where the saviors are. Our ancestors have sent us to the Clans for a reason, Splintered Tree. Maybe we can't be saved, but the others can." replied the white she-cat. She looked towards the middle of the valley where a Clan's scent was the strongest.

Splintered Tree moved closer to her, his muzzle hovering just above her ear. "What if we don't find anyone capable of walking such a journey? Do you know how many moons it would take to go from here to the far mountains? This is a deadly trip. These cats won't come back to their homes even if they make it, Shattered Shell."

The she-cat lowered her chin. "We have to try. Our ancestors wouldn't send us here if they didn't have a reason to." She pressed her head into Splintered Tree's thick shoulder. "Come on, let's get a little closer."

Shattered Shell slithered across the grass, the tomcat following behind closely. They made it over the hill, which looked out over the exposed camp of WindClan.

"It smells like blood," Splintered Tree meowed. "They must've gotten into a quarrel with another Clan earlier. It's fresh."

"I hope nobody was too terribly hurt!"

"These cats have been fighting each other since they stepped paw onto the ground here. They probably overlook small scratches like they're nothing."

Splintered Tree plopped down onto his belly. Shattered Shell settled onto her rump beside of him, her tail curling around her paws.

Just then, she lurched forward, claws sinking into the ground. Her tail fluffed up and she began to shake. The tomcat was up on his feet then, asking her what was wrong.

Finally, Shattered Shell settled down. She seemed pained by the sudden event, but there was something else bothering her. She looked down at WindClan's camp, then at the tabby.

"Our ancestors have told me who will save our friends." she mewed shakily, her voice struggling to keep itself low and quiet.

"Well, who is it, then?" asked Splintered Tree quickly.

Shattered Shell flicked her tail towards the apprentices' den. "They're in there. And they said there are more. . . .in the other Clans! We must go at once!" The she-cat darted off towards ShadowClan's territory, leaving the tomcat in the dust.