Prologue

"Are you sure we can't change their fates? They're such strong kits. It'd be a shame to just-."

"Goldenhawk, you're a medicine cat. You know that StarClan has no business meddling in the world of the living."

Goldenhawk sighed and glanced at the playing kits once more. There was a tiny tom, golden-brown with tabby stripes; and two she-cats, one black with white flecks and the other white with brown tabby splotches. All three were healthy and lively. They would make great warriors one day.

"Can't we at least warn them of what lies ahead, Shiningstar?"

The she-cat sighed.

"Come, Goldenhawk."

Shiningstar got to her paws and turned away from the camp. Goldenhawk followed after one last look at her former home. Her shimmering paws made no sound as she padded after her companion.

"I understand that you want to help, Goldenhawk," Shiningstar sighed once she caught up. "It's only natural for a medicine cat, or even a leader like myself. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I want to protect those kits as much as you do."

Goldenhawk sighed. "Shall we return then?"

"Sounds good to me."

Goldenhawk shut her eyes. When she opened them again, she was back in the forests of StarClan. While Shiningstar padded deeper into the woods, she remained at the edge, gazing sadly at her paws.

I need to be there to protect my Clan. Maybe if I wasn't so reckless, I would be.


Goldenhawk stalked through the undergrowth. The night was so thick she could scarcely see her own paws in front of her. She was following Ivystar and his only son, Wolfkit through the woods. Warriors from both OneClan and DuskClan had both reported sightings of ShiningClan's leader on their territory. He denied the claims, yet Goldenhawk was still suspicious.

"Are we almost there?" Wolfkit squeaked.

"Yes, just through those ferns," Ivystar replied.

Goldenhawk tasted the air to get an idea of where in ShiningClan territory they were. She tasted river-scent.

We're nearly at the edge of the territory, Goldenhawk thought. Ivystar must not want any witnesses to whatever he's about to do.

Her stomach lurched. She silently prayed that Ivystar wasn't about to do what she thought he was.

She ducked under a clump of ferns and peered through the leaves. She had a perfect view of Wolfkit and Ivystar.

"Wow! The river is even cooler than mother told me it was!"

"Yes, it is impressive isn't it? This is the edge of ShiningClan territory. DuskClan lies just over there."

Goldenhawk unsheathed her claws and bunched up her haunches. Suddenly, Ivystar's head whipped around and his yellow eyes fixed on the fern that she was hiding in. Goldenhawk's fur stood on end, and she tried to scoot backwards. Her back paw landed on a dead leaf, and it made a noisy crunch.

Mouse-dung! She thought.

Ivystar's eyes narrowed, and Goldenhawk nearly gasped.

Aren't Ivystar's eyes green?

Goldenhawk growled and launched herself at the cat.

"Impostor!" she screeched.

The tom dodged skillfully and had her pinned to the ground in a heartbeat.

"You medicine cats are far smarter than the warriors, aren't you?"

"Who are you?" Goldenhawk spat.

"It would be no fun if I told you now, would it?"

Goldenhawk twisted her neck to look at Wolfkit.

"Run, Wolfkit!"

"Ink, Mangle, Snake! Keep him surrounded!" the tom yowled.

Suddenly, three cats slipped out of the undergrowth and stood around Wolfkit. They bared their teeth like dogs, and their tails lashed furiously. Goldenhawk had to squint as moonlight reflected off of something attached to one's back leg. It looked like something a Twoleg would make. She heard the tom above her chuckle, and she turned her attention back to him.

"Time to make sure we have no witnesses," he purred.

Before she had time to react, the tom's jaws were fastened around her neck. Goldenhawk yowled in pain and fury. She clawed wildly at his face, but to no avail. He released her neck and stepped back, licking the blood from his muzzle. Goldenhawk heard Wolfkit wail something that sounded like her name, and then everything went black.


Wolfkit bit back a terrified wail. He couldn't let these mangy loners get to him.

Everything's fine, he thought. Mother and father will come and save me.

He was snapped out of his thoughts by an ear-splitting yowl. The gray tom who had led him here had fixed his teeth in Goldenhawk's neck. Blood gushed from the wound.

"Goldenhawk!" he wailed.

The tom released the old she-cat and stepped back. He swiped his tongue around his muzzle. Wolfkit turned his attention back to Goldenhawk. She lay limp in a pool of her own blood.

"She hardly put up a fight," he muttered. "It's a shame she followed the medicine cat's path. She had a strong body."

Just then, a cat burst forth from the bushes and bowled the gray tom over.

"Father!" Wolfkit squeaked.

Ivystar's eyes widened when his opponent finally relaxed under his paws.

"Graykit?"

The tom thrust his back paws into Ivystar's stomach and scrambled away while he was distracted.

"It's just Gray now," he snarled.

"Adderstrike, Ashpuddle, take care of the others," Ivystar commanded once he shook his surprise off. "Buzzardflight, get Wolfkit back to camp and bring back reinforcements!"

Before Wolfkit knew what was happening, the cats around him had fallen into clawing, hissing heaps of fur. He yelped when something grabbed him by his scruff. His body thumped against a mass of long black fur.

"Buzzardflight?"

The tom grunted in response. He slowed to a stop and let Wolfkit drop to the ground.

"Keep up," he panted after a moment of rest, and then began trotting towards camp. Wolfkit scurried after him.

"Will mother and father be ok fighting those…" What were they? Rogues? Another Clan?

"Ivystar and Adderstrike are ShiningClan's leader and deputy. They'll be more than fine."

"Okay…"

"Now, let's get you back to Emberpad. She's been worried out of her fur since she found out you left."