Thunderclan:
Leader:
Dawnstar – a yellow tabby she-cat with bright green eyes
Deputy:
Sharpeye – a black tom with remarkable eyesight
Medicine Cat:
Snowbelly – a black she-cat with a white belly
Warriors:
Voletooth – a grey tom with white spots on his jaw
Petalsky – a white she-cat with brown stripes
Dewtail – a brown tabby she-cat with blue eyes
Apprentice, Wingpaw
Clawfoot – a fierce-looking orange tom
Jaggedwing– a grey tom with vibrant blue eyes
Foxtail – a small black she-cat with a large, bushy tail
Greyfoot – a large grey and white tom
Mosswater – a tortoiseshell she-cat with vibrant green eyes
Fawnspots – a light brown she-cat with white spots
Adderstrike – a black tom
Hollowfur – a sand-colored she-cat with blue eyes
Apprentice, Rockpaw
Nosetail – a cream colored tom with white spots on his nose.
Apprentices:
Rockpaw – a grey and black tom with yellow eyes
Wingpaw – a calico she-cat
Queens:
Heartsong – a black and white she-cat with a white heart on her chest. Expecting Greyfoot's kits.
Leopardshine – a golden she-cat with darker spots. Mother to Owlkit. Nosetail's mate.
Flowerstream – a tortoiseshell she-cat. Mother to Nightkit and Rosekit. Sharpeye's mate.
Elders:
Lionstripe – an old yellow and orange tom
Frostwhisker – an old calico she-cat
Riverclan:
Leader:
Troutstar – a grey tom with white spots
Deputy:
Wetwhisker – a black she-cat
Medicine Cat:
Rainfoot – a tortoiseshell she-cat
Warriors:
Leaptail – a grey tom with white speckles
Apprentice, Smallpaw
Softfur – a ginger she-cat with a scar through her right eye
Reedpelt – a black tom with brown stripes
Whisperpelt – a grey she-cat with striking green eyes
Apprentices:
Smallpaw – a brown tabby tom with darker brown stripes
Queens:
Windflower – a white she-cat. Mother to Toadkit. Reedpelt's mate.
Amberfoot – a brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes. Mother to Waterkit and Pebblekit. Leaptail's mate.
Elders:
Flowertail – an old yellow she-cat with a white tail-tip.
Windclan:
Leader:
Rabbitstar – a grey tom with white on his chest and paws
Deputy:
Sharpfang – a yellow tom with a scar on his left flank
Medicine Cat:
Ashtail – a black she-cat with a grey tail-tip
Warriors:
Swiftfeather – a calico she-cat
Willowbreeze – silver she-cat with bright blue eyes
Clawtooth – orange tabby tom
Apprentice, Stormpaw
Short-tail – a brown tom with an injured tail
Runningfur – a fast-running blueish she-cat
Gorseclaw – a cream-colored tom
Apprentices:
Stormpaw – a brown tabby tom with striking green eyes
Queens:
Sunstripe – a yellow she-cat with darker stripes. Mother to Heatherkit, Webkit, Thistlekit, and Antkit. Clawtooth's mate.
Nightwing – a black she-cat with clear green eyes. Mother to Breezekit. Short-tail's mate.
Elders:
Barkfoot – an old brown tabby tom with only one eye.
Stalkwhisker – a yellow she-cat
Harestorm – a dust-colored tom with faded blue eyes
Shadowclan:
Leader:
Flamestar – a she-cat with a bright ginger pelt
Deputy:
Oakclaw – a dark brown tom
Medicine Cat:
Moonwhisker – a fluffy white she-cat with grey patches.
Warriors:
Russetstorm – a black she-cat with brown spots
Smokewhisker – an ash colored tom with white speckles
Duskfall – a cream colored tom
Goldenwing – a golden she-cat with dark green eyes
Apprentice, Snowpaw
Crowfoot – a pure black tom with yellow eyes
Snakefur – a grey tom with a scar on his left paw from an adder bite.
Apprentice, Redpaw
Apprentices:
Snowpaw – a white she-cat
Redpaw – a reddish-brown she cat
Queens:
Ivyfang – a brown she-cat with blue eyes. Expecting Smokewhisker's kits.
Elders:
Frogleap – an old grey tom
Prologue
Snowbelly walked up to the Moonpool with the other medicine cats. One by one, Raincloud, Ashtail, Moonwhisker, and finally, Snowbelly, touched their noses to the Moonpool.
"Greetings." Snowbelly heard a cat say. She opened her eyes and saw that the other medicine cats were standing beside her.
"Greetings." the first cat repeated. Snowbelly looked up and realized it was Bluestar, an old leader of ThunderClan. "I have brought you all here to warn you about a new prophecy.
"'Four cats with crossing skills
must journey to a land of hills
For in order to find what they require,
They'll have to become like the old fire.' "
Bluestar looked each medicine cat in the eye. "You must only share this with your leaders, until you find the four cats with crossing skills."
"What are crossing skills? Cats who have really good balance?" Ashtail wondered.
"Where is 'the land of hills'?" Snowbelly asked. "Can't you be a little more specific?"
"'Become like the old fire'? What old fire?" said Raincloud.
"But what do we require?" asked Ashtail. "It's newleaf, and there is plenty of prey for all the Clans.
The other medicine cats nodded. "We are stronger than ever before!" Moonwhisker boasted.
Bluestar nodded. "And you will need that strength in the moons to come. There will be a terrible darkness coming to the Clans, and many cats will die."
"How can we stop it?" Raincloud asked.
"That, you have to find out on your own." Bluestar said, and suddenly they were back at the Moonpool.
"What do you think it means?" Snowbelly asked as she stretched her legs.
"No idea." said Ashtail grimly. "But whatever it is, it isn't good."
"That is for sure." mewed Raincloud as they left the Moonpool and started heading back towards their meeting place.
"We should tell our leaders tonight." decided Moonwhisker.
"Agreed." Snowbelly said. "I wonder who the four cats are?"
"I guess we won't know until the time is right." meowed Ashtail sensibly. "I'm worried about the darkness coming to the Clans that Bluestar warned up about, though."
"I wonder how many cats will die?" Moonwhisker worried. "What good are we as medicine cats if we can't help them?"
"I agree." Snowbelly said. "Maybe we should all take on apprentices to help us." She suggested. "Maybe we could help our Clans better with more paws."
"That's a good idea, Snowbelly." meowed Raincloud. "I agree."
"Me too." agreed Ashtail.
"Then it's settled." Moonwhisker said. "We will all look for apprentices."
I have to go now. I'll see you all at the Gathering!" Snowbelly said, and headed in the direction of the ThunderClan camp. I wonder what Dawnstar will think of this? She wondered as she walked through the forest. Snowbelly felt a drop of water on her head. I'd better get to camp fast, before it pours!, she thought, and ran almost the whole way home.
When she arrived at the ThunderClan camp, she was soaked to her bones.
Voletooth, who was guarding the camp that night, nodded to her respectfully as she passed. "Petalsky left a squirrel in your den for you."
"Oh, thanks!" Snowbelly purred. "I'm starving." She started towards the medicine cat den, but then remembered the prophecy. Unfortunately, it is more important than my belly. She reminded herself, and instead padded to the mouth of Dawnstar's den.