Prologue

The moon was no more than a claw-scratch, the stars around it twinkled like sliver snowflakes. The crickets, cloaked by the shadows, chirped in rhythm. The thick woodlands of FlameClan surrounded Embershade on all sides. It was so dark the medicine cat could hardly see her paws, and yet she still strode through the woods with confidence.

She had decided to go to the Moonpool in search of answers. So much had happened in the last moon that needed to be accounted for. Countless border skirmishes, suspicious behavior from the other Clans, and the death of one of FlameClan's most respected and powerful warriors: Reedheart. This led her to believe that perhaps StarClan was punishing her Clan. And if that were true, she needed to know why.

A warm breeze swept through Embershade's fur as she continued to make her way through FlameClan territory. After a while, she could hear the gurgling of the stream where she met with the other medicine cats. But tonight there were no medicine cats, it wasn't half-moon. She was making her journey alone.

The faint moonlight turned the clear stream an eerie dark blue. She leapt across the stream with grace and began to trek up AirClan's moor. Stretched before her, the moor seemed endless, and beautiful. She stayed to the shadows and moved quickly to avoid being detected. She was a medicine cat and was allowed to walk on another Clan's territory, but there was no half-moon. If Embershade told an AirClan patrol that she was just going to the Moonpool she highly doubted that they would believe her. They had always been thick in the skull.

Embershade sustained her quick pace until AirClan's wide open moor came to an abrupt end. She began to follow the all-to-familiar stone path that would take her to the Moonpool. The stones under her paws were smooth and they had ancient pawprints etched into them. The stones began to thin out once she reached the bottom of the hollow and the Moonpool came into view. On one side, there was a steep cleft that feed the Moonpool its water. The stars in the sky didn't reflect in the Moonpool's waters; it remained clear and cool. Embershade lapped at the refreshing water and curled into a tight ball, her tail touching her nose.

She blinked her green eyes open and saw the breathtaking forests of StarClan. The sky was a serene mix of orange, pink, and blue. Squirrels chased each other playfully across the grand trees while birds sung their enchanting song. The scent of prey drifted all around Embershade: vole, fish, mouse, shrew, and squirrel.

"Miss me?" Embershade turned towards the sound of the familiar voice and was relieved to see her old friend and Clanmate, Reedheart. He looked younger than the last time she saw him, more like a newly made warrior, than the senior warrior he had been. Silver stars reflected in his golden fur, which showed no sign of his previous injuries.

"Reedheart!" Embershade exclaimed and touched her muzzle to his starry one. "It's so good to see you again!"

He dipped his head, his eyes gleaming. "Same here, Embershade, but why have you come to the Moonpool? It isn't half-moon yet."

Embershade drew in a shaky breath. Answers. That's why she had come, and she was determined to have every question answered before she was sent back to the puzzling reality.

"What's happening to our Clan? So many awful things have happened. Are we being punished? Is there an omen?" Embershade flooded him with questions, and when she saw his gaze darken she knew he had her answers.

He leaned in close. "StarClan isn't punishing FlameClan. All the things that have happened are… signs… that something greater will happen." Embershade listened intently, picking apart every word. "There is a cat whose actions will affect not only FlameClan, but EarthClan too."

Embershade pricked her ears. What did EarthClan have to do with anything? They didn't even share a border with them. "What this cat is going to do," she murmured, "is it bad?"

"See for yourself," Reedheart said, voice heavy with sorrow.

In that instant, Embershade was plunged into a dream, or were they memories? She couldn't decide. There was a cat, faceless, who was battle training and hunting, then the same faceless cat mixing herbs with an admirable proficiency. Is this a medicine cat? Now the cat was with another, they snuggled against each other and made sweet promises, and then faceless cat was huddled against two small faceless shapes. And finally the cat was alone, wailing to the stars in the sky. Regret suddenly swamped over Embershade so strongly that she couldn't breathe; her heart ached until it finally broke.

Embershade woke with a gasp beside the Moonpool, the scent of Reedheart drifted faintly around her. She felt frustration pulse through her. She wasn't ready to wake up yet! She came to the Moonpool in search of answers, and all she received was more questions. Who was the faceless cat? Why were they faceless? Was StarClan keeping the cat's identity secret on purpose?

A voice, no more than a whisper in the wind, suddenly spoke to her.

"Regrets…"

Allegiances

FlameClan

Leader: Blazingstar- dark ginger tabby tom with amber eyes

Deputy: Cherrynose- beautiful red tabby she-cat with green eyes

Medicine Cat: Embershade- tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes

Warriors: Oakfall- handsome dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes

Applespeck- dark red she-cat

Duskshade- handsome gray tabby tom with dark blue eyes

Ryefeather- light brown tabby she-cat

Duststorm- pale ginger tom

Swiftrunner- black-and-white tom

Apprentice, Smokepaw

Grayshadow- dark gray tom with amber eyes

Harespring- light brown tom

Apprentice, Lizardpaw

Owlheart-brown-and-white tom

Spiderflight- beautiful black she-cat with white flecks and golden eyes

Ashpelt- dark gray she-cat with green eyes

Queens: Brightstream- ginger-and-white she-cat with blue eyes (mother to Rosekit, a tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat and Brackenkit, a bright ginger tom)

Lakefall-light brown tabby she-cat with white a white chest (mother to Lionkit, a golden tabby she-cat)

Apprentices: Smokepaw- dark gray she-cat

Lizardpaw- dark brown tabby she-cat

Elders: Onespot- brown tom with one white spot

Whiterose- once-beautiful pure white she-cat

Tawnyfeather- tortoiseshell she-cat with amber eyes