Prologue
Somehow, Brambleclaw felt he should have known all along. He knew that Hawkfrost had ambitions—if only he'd realized sooner how far his half-brother was willing to go. Still, the dark tabby was at peace. He knew now the brilliant destiny that awaited Hollystep. The bold warrior was already a strong leader, and commanded respect from not only their own Clan-mates but warriors of other Clans as well.
"Watching over Squirrelflight?" The soft voice came from Bluestar. The ThunderClan leader's blue fur shone with starlight.
Brambleclaw couldn't help but to laugh. "No," he admitted. "Hollystep. Squirrelflight would march up here and have my whiskers off if she thought I was still trying to tread on her tail."
"And you think Hollystep wouldn't?" Bluestar's whiskers twitched in amusement. She digressed with a sigh. "I keep an eye on her as well. She holds the fate of all of ThunderClan in her paws, but until destiny brings her to us to receive her name and nine lives we can only wait."
Brambleclaw sighed, turning his gaze back to ThunderClan's camp. Duskpaw and Sootpaw were just emerging from the apprentices' den, Duskpaw looking half asleep and Sootpaw looking as unenthusiastic as ever.
"Bluestar," Brambleclaw glanced over his shoulder to make sure the she-cat was still there. When he saw her tilt her head, he continued, his gaze straying back to the apprentices, "Why is it that we can't see the apprentices' destinies as clearly as we can see some warriors'?"
Bluestar sighed. "Because apprentices are full of questions and indecisions. Hollystep has always been ambitious and straightforward, so her destiny came to us clearly."
"But don't the medicine cats search Silverpelt for signs the night a litter is born, to see what the kits may have in store for ThunderClan…?" Brambleclaw remembered Firestar telling him once that Cinderpelt never shared what she saw on those nights. The medicine cat kept a strict 'wait and see' policy.
"They do," Bluestar acknowledged. "And in the stars we show them where their paws may take them, though it is never set in stone, and doesn't always come to be the way one may have thought at first."
Frowning thoughtfully, Brambleclaw glanced down one last time. His heart warmed as he saw Squirrelflight trotting towards their kit and her apprentice, her fur blazing in the faint dawn sunlight. She was still the most beautiful cat in all the forest, but he knew now that he would have to wait a long time before he could see her again. Hollystep stood and stretched, finished assigning patrols and called to Squirrelflight, who nudged Sootpaw playfully and led him to the thorn tunnel.
Prepare them well, Hollystep… You're the only cat that can.
ThunderClan
Leader: Firestar-handsome ginger tom
Deputy: Hollystep-dark brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes
Medicine Cat: Leafpool-light brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes
Apprentice, Redpaw
Warriors: Sandstorm-pale ginger she-cat
Brackenfur-golden-brown tabby tom
Apprentice, Sweetpaw
Cloudtail-long-haired white tom
Brightheart-ginger and white she-cat
Ashfur-pale gray (with darker flecks) tom with dark blue eyes
Rainwhisker-dark gray tom with blue eyes
Sorreltail-tortoiseshell and white she-cat
Apprentice, Littlepaw
Spiderleg-long-legged black tom with a brown underbelly
Apprentice, Duskpaw
Squirrelflight-dark ginger she-cat with green eyes
Apprentice, Sootpaw
Birchfall-light brown tabby tom, amber eyes
Apprentice, Speckledpaw
Hazelfang-dark gray tabby and white tom
Apprentice, Fawnpaw
Fenneltail-dark tortoiseshell tom with white markings
Snowheart-large white tom with gray paws and pale amber eyes
Nettlemask-black she-cat with a brown underbelly and green eyes
Spottedcloud-spotted black and white she-cat
Apprentices: Redpaw-pale ginger tom with darker tabby stripes, green eyes
Duskpaw-big dark brown tabby tom, green eyes
Speckledpaw-dappled tortoiseshell and white she-cat, amber eyes
Littlepaw-small dark ginger she-cat with amber eyes
Sweetpaw-dark gray she-cat with white flecks and blue eyes
Sootpaw-lighter gray tom with black markings and amber eyes
Fawnpaw-pale brown tabby she-cat with white chest fur and paws, blue eyes
Queens: Ferncloud-pale gray (with dark flecks) she-cat with green eyes
Sunpetal-pale golden tabby she-cat with blue eyes, expecting Snowheart's kits
Elders: Dustpelt-dark brown tabby tom with a badly broken front leg
Longtail-pale tabby tom with dark black stripes, blind
Mousefur-wiry brown she-cat