Windclan
Leader
Ravenstar - Very dark gray tabby she-cat with green eyes and distinctive black markings.
Deputy
Squirrelleap - Ginger tom with darker spots and sharp green eyes.
Medicine Cat
Hollowstripe - Cream-colored tabby tom with amber eyes.
Warriors
Willowstream - Pale gray and white she-cat with green eyes.
Crookedtail - Tortiseshell she-cat with amber eyes and a twisted tail.
(Apprentice, Jaypaw)
Owlmask - Brown tabby tom with darker markings.
Wildheart - Brown tabby tom with a white-tipped tail and green eyes.
Lionfang - Golden tabby tom with a white-tipped tail and amber eyes.
(Apprentice, Berrypaw)
Dayfall - Pale ginger she-cat with green eyes and long fur.
Wrenwing - Pale brown tabby she-cat with blue eyes and white patches.
Apprentices
Jaypaw - Blue-gray tom with white paws and a white belly.
Berrypaw - White she-cat with green eyes and pale gray stripes.
Queens
Breezefeather - Sleek silver she-cat with blue eyes.
(Mother of Wildheart's kits, Silverkit and Sparrowkit)
Frosteye - White tabby she-cat with one green eye and one blue eye.
(Mother of Lionfang's kits, Goldenkit, Sunkit, and Stormkit)
Elders
Flowermask - Dark brown she-cat with a white muzzle and amber eyes.
Kits
Silverkit - Sleek silver tabby she-cat with green eyes.
Sparrowkit - Brown and white she-cat with green eyes.
Goldenkit - Golden tabby she-cat with darker golden spots and amber eyes.
Sunkit - Golden tabby tom with amber eyes.
Stormkit - White and gray tom with one green eye and one blue eye.
Riverclan
Leader
Thistlestar - Light gray tabby tom with amber eyes.
Deputy
Darktail - Blue-gray tom with a black-tipped tail and green eyes.
Medicine Cat
Mapleleaf - Dark brown tabby she-cat with white paws and amber eyes.
Warriors
Honeytail - White she-cat with a golden-tipped tail and green eyes.
Tigerstripe - Brown tabby she-cat with white paws and distinctive dark stripes. (Apprentice, Emberpaw)
Ashstep - Gray and white tom with darker gray spots and amber eyes.
Spottedsky - Small tortoiseshell she-cat with amber eyes
(Apprentice, Clawpaw.)
Grayspots - Gray and white tom with darker gray splotches and amber eyes.
Hawkwing - Pale brown tabby tom with sharp green eyes.
Apprentices
Emberpaw - Ginger she-cat with amber eyes.
Clawpaw - Dark brown tabby tom with green eyes.
Queens
Whitefeather - White she-cat with green eyes. (Expecting Thistlestar's Kits, Smokekit M, Briarkit M, Snowkit F)
Elders
Tinywhisker - Small brown and white tabby she-cat with amber eyes and short whiskers.
Kits
None.
Thunderclan
Leader
Brackenstar - Dark ginger tom with a black-tipped tail and green eyes.
Deputy
Ivystream - Gray and white she-cat with amber eyes.
Medicine Cat
Lightningpool - Brown tabby tom with green eyes.
Warriors
Nettlefang - Tortiseshell and white she-cat with green eyes.
Runningstep - Black and white tom with amber eyes.
(Apprentice, Lakepaw)
Oakleaf - Dark brown tabby tom with paler brown paws and green eyes. (Apprentice, Shrewpaw)
Flamepelt - Bright ginger she-cat with amber eyes.
(Apprentice, Dapplepaw)
Rainstorm - Blue-gray tom with green eyes and a white-tipped tail. (Apprentice, Shadepaw)
Blizzardflight - White-furred tom with green eyes.
Sweetlight - Pale gray she-cat with amber eyes.
Ripplepelt - Light gray tom with green eyes.
(Apprentice, Pinepaw)
Apprentices
Lakepaw - Gray she-cat with amber eyes.
Dapplepaw - Tortoiseshell and white she-cat with green eyes.
Shadepaw - Gray she-cat with darker gray splashes and amber eyes.
Pinepaw - Brown tabby tom with amber eyes and a black-tipped tail.
Queens
Brightflower - Pale gray she-cat with green eyes.
(Expecting Runningstep's Kits)
Elders
Littlefoot - Small brown tabby tom with blue eyes.
Kits
None.
Shadowclan
Leader
Echostar - Ginger and brown she-cat with white paws and green eyes.
Deputy
Wolftail - Gray tabby she-cat with a jet black tail-tip and amber eyes.
Medicine Cat
Heatherberry - Light gray tabby tom with green eyes.
Warriors
Foxfang - Ginger and white tabby tom with green eyes and a black-tipped tail.
Bluepool - Blue-gray and white tabby she-cat with green eyes. (Apprentice, Whitepaw)
Darkfoot - Gray tabby tom with dark gray paws and amber eyes.
Smokeface - Cream-colored tom with a dark gray face and green eyes.
(Apprentice, Streampaw)
Blossomwind - Dark ginger she-cat with amber eyes.
Blackstripe - Dark Gray tabby tom with distinctive black stripes and amber eyes. (Apprentice, Lilypaw)
Apprentices
Whitepaw - White she-cat with green eyes.
Streampaw - Dark gray tom with a white tail tip.
Lilypaw - Tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes.
Queens
Amberstorm - Dark brown tabby she-cat with green eyes.
(Expecting Foxfang's kits)
Mistylight - Tortiseshell she-cat with a white muzzle and amber eyes. (Mother of Darkfoot's kit, Barkkit)
Leafblaze - Dark brown she-cat with a white tipped tail.
(Mother of Smokeface's Kits, Cherrykit, Lostkit, Flowerkit)
Elders
None
Kits
Barkkit - Brown tabby tom with amber eyes.
Cherrykit - Ginger she-cat with green eyes.
Lostkit - Brown and white tabby tom with a twisted paw.
Flowerkit - Brown and white she-cat with amber eyes.
~ Prologue ~
A cold storm blew through the forest that day. Every cat stayed inside their warm dens, avoiding the freezing rain and dreary mist outside. All except three. An elderly cream-colored tom with dark stripes, a gray-colored she-cat with strange black markings, and a huge ginger-spotted tom with a fluffy pelt.
"Why, Hollowstripe, did you find it necessary to bring us out in the rain?" the she-cat muttered, shaking droplets of water out of her whiskers. The cream-colored tom snorted in response. "It's a prophecy. One the other cats of Windclan shouldn't hear…" he muttered, flicking his tail dismissively.
"So what is this prophecy?" the orange tom intervened, his wet fur fluffing up again. "And why couldn't we discuss it in the medicine den?"
Hollowstripe paused for a moment, then said, "because, one of the queens is in the medicine den. I told you before, this is for our ears, and our ears only."
The black she-cat frowned. "Do you mean Breezefeather? She's one of our most trusted warriors. I'm sure this is something she'd be able to hear, unless it's really bad."
Hollowstripe hissed impatiently. "Ravenstar, it's about her kits. They were recently named… Sparrowkit and Silverkit. Now, listen. The prophecy was…
In the Sparrow's talons she holds peace,
If your truce ever begins to cease,
But beware of the Sparrow's own plight,
For it could damage the Sparrow's flight,
A wingless Sparrow could fall to the ground,
Leaving only a lonely sound," he finished.
Ravenstar nodded. "Yes, it has to be talking about Sparrowkit. But for all I know, Sparrowkit can't fly. So, I assume it's also stuffed with awkward Starclan metaphors."
Hollowstripe huffed in frustration. "That's not the point. Either way, it says basically: If things start going badly, Sparrowkit will save the forest, unless she ruins everything, then a 'lonely sound' will be left. Who could that be?"
The fluffy orange tom spoke up this time. "Is it Echostar? I don't know what to think of her. As deputy, I consider it my duty to watch the leaders at the gathering. Thistlestar looks amused, Brackenstar looks amiable, and Echostar looks bored."
A grin flickered across Ravenstar's face. "True,
Squirrelleap. But I bet if we wanted to manipulate the prophecy, maybe I could convince Frosteye to name one of her kits Echokit or Songkit. She's expecting. Wrenpaw and Daypaw's warrior ceremonies are coming up. I could name them Dayecho and Wrensong, as insurance," she said, and could hardly stifle her laughter.
Hollowstripe hissed again. "This is a serious matter. Ravenstar, you have three lives left, and I don't want to have a leader named Squirrelstar. This could seriously affect the future… of you and Windclan," Hollowstripe said.
Ravenstar tensed up and pricked her ears, her fur standing on end and green eyes wide. "We're being watched."
A rustling sound came from the bushes, and all three cats heard the squealing of a tiny kit. Ravenstar leapt after it, and soon saw the cause of the noise.
Silverkit, hardly out of the nursery, hardly two moons old, was staring up at her with big eyes. Her tiny body looked even smaller with wet fur, and her little paws pattered against the ground with a noise almost as quiet as the raindrops.
Ravenstar lunged forward and grabbed Silverkit by the scruff, ignoring the squealing of the tiny kit. "What are you doing out here? You're soaked through! What if you get sick?" Ravenstar demanded, and the kit offered little response before Hollowstripe and Squirrelleap had caught up.
"I… I heard you leave camp and wanted to come too! You sounded like you were going somewhere fun," said Silverkit, shivering violently. Ravenstar's expression softened as she asked gently, "how much did you hear?"
"Something about… Echostar and… um… something about squirrels? I didn't really understand, sorry…" mumbled Silverkit. Ravenstar nodded. "Okay, let's get you back to camp." She flicked her tail, signaling Squirrelleap and Hollowstripe to follow her, and together the cats entered the camp and warmed up in the heathery dens of the moor.
But something was bothering Ravenstar. The look on Silverkit's face was something she hadn't seen in a long time. It disturbed her deeply, but she couldn't quite remember what it was.
It was moonhigh before Ravenstar was able to put her paw on it. On the face of the kit was the thrill of getting away with a lie. A chill went down Ravenstar's spine. Why was she doubting the words of a two moon old kit? Silverkit could hardly speak or run. The kit said it only remembered about hearing things on Echostar and Squirrelleap, but was that the truth?
Ravenstar felt strangely troubled, and though she knew she shouldn't be so suspicious of such a young cat, she could hardly stop her expression from souring every time she remembered that night. Ravenstar felt a prick of dread as she wondered…
How much does that kit really know?