Finalized allegiances

Leader: Flamepool – russet tabby she-cat

Deputy: Havenpelt – black and white she-cat

Medicine Cat: Larkeye – dappled brown she-cat

(Apprentice, Thornpaw)

Heir: Not chosen yet

Warriors

Mist-tail – dark gray tom with ragged fur

Whitesnow – fluffy white she-cat

Hazeflower – pale gray tom with amber eyes

Fernsplash – brown tabby she-cat with green eyes

Birdleap – ginger tabby she-cat

Adderstone – pale ginger tom with a paler underbelly

Meadowbush – pale ginger tabby she-cat

Brindleshade – lilac tortoiseshell she-cat with amber eyes

Creekwater – white tom with very pale gray patches (apprentice, Thicketpaw)

Feathernose – silver tabby she-cat with amber eyes

Roseclaw – cream furred she-cat with a white blaze on chest

Redstone – dark ginger tabby tom

Maplegrove – reddish brown tortoiseshell she-cat

Hickorybranch – dark brown tabby tom with blue eyes

Apprentices

Valleypaw – pale ginger tabby tom with green eyes

Thornpaw – dilute tortoiseshell she-cat with large ear tufts

Thicketpaw – long-haired brown tabby tom

Queens

Flickerwing – flame point she-cat (expecting Hazeflower's kits)

Leafstorm – pale ginger tabby she-cat (mother to Birdleap's kits: Rabbitkit and Owlkit)

Elders

Ashfrost – gray she-cat

Risingsun – pale ginger tabby tom. Former medicine cat.

Outsiders

Leader: Dryblade – ginger and white tom

Deputy: Hollyshade – russet-furred she-cat with a torn ear

Medicine Cat: Thrushfeather – pale ginger she-cat with curly fur (apprentice, Windpaw)

Warriors

Shadefoot – dark gray tabby she-cat

Timbernose – spiky-furred brown spotted tabby tom (apprentice, Breezepaw)

Koi – ginger tabby and white tom

Silverfish – silver tabby tom

Sunbrook – pale ginger she-cat (apprentice, Puddlepaw)

Boulderfrost – heavyset dark gray tom

Opal – dilute calico she-cat (apprentice, Mossy)

Dawnshadow – long-haired red tabby tom (apprentice, Leopard)

Duskshade – dark brown tabby tom (apprentice, Dandelion)

Woodleaf – pale ginger tabby tom with scars on flank

Lionmane – long-haired golden tabby tom

Snowy – white and silver tabby she-cat(apprentice, Splash)

Robincrest – brown tortoiseshell she-cat

Nightpool – dark gray tom with amber eyes

Blazepelt – silver tabby tom with amber eyes

Tempest – scarred blue-gray tomcat

Ember – red tortoiseshell she-cat

Dropletleaf – white she-cat with one blue and one yellow eye

Ridge – pale gray tabby tom with a scar across his face

Apprentices

Windpaw – dark ginger tom with a white underbelly and a crooked tail

Breezepaw – pale ginger she-cat with a white muzzle, underbelly, and paws

Leopard – golden spotted tabby tom

Dandelion – golden tabby she-cat with copper eyes

Cloverpaw – brown tabby tom

Puddlepaw – pale gray and white she-cat

Splash – calico she-cat with green eyes

Mossy – pale brown and white tabby tom

Queens

Ebonyice – black and white she-cat with amber eyes (mother to Boulderfrost's kits: Crowkit, a dark gray tom, Heronkit, a pale brown tom, and Flightkit, a gray and white she-kit)

Cloudyfur – gray tabby she-cat with white paws (mother to Tempest's kits: Stormkit, a gray tabby she-kit, and Skykit, a blue-gray tom)

Bear – dark brown tabby she-cat with green eyes (mother to Blazepelt's kit: Molekit, a brown tabby tom-kit)

Prologue

A scraggly group of felines moved along a stream. There was no light except for the few stars that glittered coldly over them.

"Good stars, Smoketuft," a brown tomcat growled. "Is this supposed to lead us to a 'better future'?"

The small silver tabby in front looked at the brown cat. "I'm simply taking the path our medicine cat spoke of, Muddypelt," she mewed. "We grieve deeply for Marshfur, but we must move on to our home. She would want it."

Muddypelt scowled. "You're lucky that you are leader," he spat, "and that my sister believed in you."

Smoketuft only twitched her whiskers. "I need to speak with Duskfeather," she meowed curtly. "Excuse me, Muddypelt. Get the others ready to settle in for the night."

Muddypelt lashed his tail and turned around. He started to bark out orders to the other cats. "Gravelspots, go hunting. Take Rosepaw and Minnowfin with you. You two: Hawkpaw and Treepaw! Go gather some moss for the elders and queens. Nutstripe, you go hunting too with Bluesky, Speckledbush, and Brackenfang…"

Smoketuft nodded approvingly at her deputy and headed deeper into the woods. A few heartbeats later, she came across a large cliff with a pale brown and white figure at the tip of a ledge.

"Smoketuft," Duskfeather acknowledged as his leader sat by him.

"Duskfeather." Smoketuft's voice held a wavering fear. "How far do we have left?"

Duskfeather could practically smell the terror and faltering faith weaving around Smoketuft's pelt. He held back a scoff.

"Not much longer," he replied with a shrug. "Only a couple days until we reach the maze."

"You said that…" Smoketuft hesitated before going on, "you said that the maze would be a ground of prosperity for us."

"Yes, yes I did."

"And you also said that my descendants will all become leaders, if I'm not mistaken."

Duskfeather dipped his head. "That is also true."

"Are you… sure that the ground will guarantee such a future for my kin?"

Duskfeather sighed. "Yes, Smoketuft. It will make sure that your kits will become leaders."

"Good." Duskfeather heard the relief loud and clear in the tabby's voice. Smoketuft rose to her paws. "I will no longer bother you. Just come back to camp before dusk, or I'll send out a patrol after you."

"Please don't send Muddypelt or Fallowpaw," Duskfeather called out.

"I will take that into consideration," Smoketuft called back in amusement.

As soon as the silver she-cat left, Duskfeather exhaled. He looked out across the fog that was covering the view. A bad sign. Duskfeather knew what would happen. He would die from old age and also from guilt, knowing fully well that he had lied to the clan. Truthfully, yes, the ground they were heading to held great promise. The kin of Smoketuft and Marshfur would be leaders for a few generations. But under their rule… Duskfeather shuddered. The clan would become twisted and rot from the within. There would be no more rules and no more codes. No more honor and no more trust. Families would fall apart as they forgot their ancestors. The stars would become faded until they were just a distant memory. And Duskfeather would be punished for this.

Duskfeather looked down at the foggy canopy. He would be punished. Punished in the harshest, cruelest way possible…