Welcome!

Well… it's been a while. What can I say. Did not mean to take a year to get this out but here is Hidden Shadows.

To those of you not familiar with the series, The Lost Prophecy is an AU in which Firestar never joined ThunderClan, centering on Ravenpaw. There have already been some major divergences is books 1 and 2 so I recommend reading those first.

The clearing, which less than a moon before had been scattered with fallen leaves, was blanketed in snow. A dark tabby tom pushed his way through the icy surroundings. A large rock rose up out of the ground, and in a shadowed crevice was a lichen covered cave entrance. The tom's massive shoulders tensed as his gaze found the cave, but he did not hesitate before he slipped inside.

His eyes narrowed at the sight of a dark gray she-cat. "Bluestar." The dark brown tabby dipped his head.

"Tigerclaw, how is the Clan holding up?" Bluestar meowed, wasting no time on pleasantries.

Tigerclaw flicked his ears; it was the only sign of his irritation. "Well enough. I've ordered every border patrol to hunt on the way back to camp."

"Good." Bluestar frowned. She seemed to notice Tigerclaw's annoyance, but did not comment on it. "With Mousefur and Runningwind injured, every cat will need to contribute to hunting and patrolling. Has any cat checked the RiverClan border lately?"

"I sent Longtail and Dustpelt at around sunhigh. They should be back anytime now."

Bluestar nodded to herself. "What about ShadowClan?"

"I led a patrol myself," meowed Tigerclaw.

"When was this?"

"After dawn."

Eyes clouding, Bluestar turned her head. "Send another at dusk."

"There is no need. All was quiet." Tigerclaw twitched his whiskers. A plan had formed in his mind during a recent day. He needed to be the cat to confront Brokenstar's rogues- if other cats met them first, Tigerclaw might lose his chance.

"All the same, I would like a patrol sent there to be sure. See to it."

Bluestar nodded, dismissing him, and Tigerclaw returned the gesture, frustration making his pelt twitch. Flicking his tail, he padded out into the camp. As Tigerclaw plowed a path through the snow with his broad shoulders, he glanced back at Bluestar. The she-cat was curling up in her nest, completely unaware that her time as leader was approaching its end.

The mouse-brained coward. She was much too soft, much too reluctant to fight. Her cowardliness was the single thing stopping ThunderClan from being the greatest and most powerful in the forest, and yet she still insisted on striving for peace.

Tigerclaw knew though, that ThunderClan needed to make a stand if it was to rise above the rest, and Bluestar was too much of a pacifist to make that decision. That was why ThunderClan needed a new and better leader.

The only cat he could think of who was more cowardly than Bluestar was his own apprentice, Ravenwing- the mouse-heart had barely managed to earn a warrior name. Other complications surrounding Ravenwing aside, Tigerclaw was at least glad that the tom's lack of ability had not lessened Tigerclaw's own status within the Clan. The cat was like a tiny thorn in Tigerclaw's side, barely there, but noticeable enough to want to remove it before it caused an infection.

No cat would believe Ravenwing anyway, if he suddenly decided to reveal what he had seen, but Tigerclaw figured he might need to take care of the problem at some point. Ravenwing had already avoided defeat a few times with whiskers to spare. Surely if Tigerclaw wanted to get rid of Ravenwing, the tom wouldn't be so lucky again.

Tigerclaw slipped into the warriors' den and made his way to his nest. The den was filled with slumbering cats, but Tigerclaw found that he could not sleep. Even as he lay down, he kept his eyes open.

Tigerclaw held back a purr as he imagined the time when he, not Bluestar, would lead ThunderClan. From his spot near the center of the warriors' den, he peered out at the camp. Bluestar was no longer visible through the iced over shroud of lichen that hung across the leader's den entrance, but Tigerclaw pictured her in his mind's eye- peacefully asleep, her chest rhythmically rising and falling, her tail twitching as she dreamed, oblivious that her downfall was so near.

Tigerclaw narrowed his eyes. Soon, Bluestar would realize what a mistake it had been to choose Redtail as her deputy, and not Tigerclaw.

Soon, Tigerclaw would take his rightful place as Clan leader.

Soon, he thought, staring at Bluestar's den, you will be dead.

Allegiances

ThunderClan

Leader- Bluestar- blue-gray she-cat

Deputy- Tigerclaw- big dark brown tabby tom with unusually long front claws

Medicine Cat- Yellowfang- old dark gray she-cat with a broad, flattened face, formerly of ShadowClan

Warriors-

Whitestorm- big white tom

Willowpelt- very pale gray she-cat with unusual blue eyes

Runningwind- swift tabby tom

Mousefur- small dusky brown she-cat

Longtail- pale tabby tom with dark black stripes; Apprentice- Swiftpaw

Dustpelt- dark brown tabby tom

Graystripe- long haired solid gray tom; Apprentice- Brackenpaw

Ravenwing- small, skinny black tom with a white dash on his chest, and white tipped tail

Sandstorm- pale ginger she-cat

Apprentices-

Swiftpaw- black and white tom

Cinderpaw- dark gray she-cat

Brackenpaw- golden brown tabby tom

Queens-

Frostfur- white she-cat with blue eyes

Brindleface- pale tabby she-cat

Goldenflower- pale ginger she-cat

Speckletail- pale tabby, the oldest nursery queen

Elders-

Halftail- big dark brown tabby tom with part of his tail missing

Smallear- gray tom with very small ears

Patchpelt- small black and white tom

One-Eye- pale gray she-cat

Dappletail- tortoiseshell she-cat

Prisoners-

Darkstripe- sleek black and gray tabby tom with paralyzed hindquarters

ShadowClan

Leader- Nightstar- old black tom

Deputy- Cinderfur- thin gray tom

Medicine Cat- Runningnose- small gray and white tom

Warriors-

Stumpytail- brown tabby tom; Apprentice- Brownpaw

Wetfoot- gray tabby tom; Apprentice- Oakpaw

Littlecloud- very small tabby tom

Queens-

Dawncloud- small tabby she-cat

Darkflower- black she-cat

Tallpoppy- long-legged light brown tabby she-cat

WindClan

Leader- Tallstar- black and white tom with a very long tail

Deputy- Deadfoot- black tom with a twisted foot

Medicine Cat- Barkface- short-tailed brown tom

Warriors-

Mudclaw- mottled brown tom; Apprentice- Webpaw

Tornear- tabby tom; Apprentice- Runningpaw

Onewhisker- young brown tabby tom; Apprentice- Whitepaw

Queens-

Ashfoot- gray she-cat

Morningflower- tortoiseshell she-cat

RiverClan

Leader- Crookedstar- huge light-colored tabby with a twisted jaw

Deputy- Leopardfur- unusually spotted golden tabby she-cat

Medicine Cat- Mudfur- long-haired light brown tom

Warriors-

Blackclaw- smoky black tom; Apprentice- Heavypaw

Stonefur- blue-gray tom

Mistyfoot- blue-gray she-cat

Loudbelly- dark brown tom; Apprentice- Silverpaw

Whiteclaw- dark tom with white paws

Silverstream- slender silver tabby she-cat

Cats Outside Clans

Barley- black and white tom who lives on a farm close to the forest

Brokenstar- long haired dark brown tabby tom with a broken tail, formerly of ShadowClan

Blackfoot- large white tom with huge black paws, formerly of ShadowClan

Clawface- battle scarred brown tom, formerly of ShadowClan

Boulder- silver tabby tom, formerly of ShadowClan