A/N: story begins several moons after The Last Hope. Not in sync with anything thereafter

Prologue

A clap of thunder split the sky, drowning out tired cries from below. Jayfeather urged quietly, well-practiced by now. Finally, he was rewarded with a single tiny bundle. He frowned, knowing by touch that the kit was rather small, even for a newborn. As he set it down, Squirrelflight began licking it vigorously for a moment, until the medicine cat nosed his way in between them.

"It's not breathing yet," he mewed over the pouring rainfall, at the same time gently rubbing the kit's chest with his paw. Beside him, Squirrelflight trembled anxiously, too tired to speak.

With a spluttering cough, the kit came to life; there was a collective sigh of relief from the cats present, accompanied by a weak, pitiful squeak from the kit. Jayfeather wasted no time in reaching for the pile of herbs he had brought.

"Eat this," he mewed to the queen, "It's borage, to make your milk come."

Squirrelflight dutifully chewed the bitter leaves, while Jayfeather brushed aside the poppy seeds he had brought. The birth had been a difficult one and Squirrelflight was exhausted – she wouldn't need any help sleeping tonight.

There was a rustling as Bramblestar shouldered his way into the nursery, pelt drenched from the storm outside. Jayfeather hissed at the interruption; overanxious fathers were such a nuisance.

"Is it over?" the leader asked breathlessly, "Is Squirrelflight okay? How many?"

"Just one." The medicine cat replied curtly.

Bramblestar sniffed at the newborn. "Is he supposed to be so small?"

"He's beautiful," Squirrelflight purred, undeterred by her mate, "He looks like Firestar, doesn't he?"

There were murmurs of agreement from the other queens, and Jayfeather heard the rasping of Bramblestar's tongue as he licked Squirrelflight lovingly. "He'll make a wonderful warrior, just like his mother."

"Just like all Firestar's kin," Squirrelflight purred in response.

Outside, the rain pounded on.

ALLEGIANCES

THUNDERCLAN

Leader: Bramblestar – dark brown tabby tom

Deputy: Squirrelflight – dark ginger she-cat

Medicine Cat: Jayfeather – blind grey tabby tom

Leafpool – dark brown tabby she-cat

Warriors:

Birchfall – light brown tabby tom

Whitewing – white she-cat with green eyes

Berrynose – cream colored tom

Poppyfrost – tortoiseshell she-cat

Lionblaze – golden tabby tom with amber eyes

Foxleap – reddish tabby tom

Apprentice: Tansypaw

Icecloud – white she-cat

Apprentice: Redpaw

Toadstep – black and white tom

Briarlight – dark brown she-cat

Bumblestripe – pale grey tom with dark stripes

Dovewing – pale grey she-cat with blue eyes

Ivypool – silver and white tabby she-cat with dark blue eyes

Cherryfall – ginger she-cat

Molewhisker – brown and cream tom

Seedwing – pale ginger she-cat

Amberheart – ginger she-cat

Snowfire – big white tom with amber eyes

Dewclaw – grey tabby tom

Apprentices

Redpaw – ginger tabby tom with white chest and paws

Tansypaw – black and white she-cat with yellow eyes

Queens

Daisy – cream-furred she-cat

Hazeltail – small grey and white she-cat; mother of Molewhisker's kits, Cricketkit (grey and white she-cat), and Turtlekit (grey and white tom)

Cinderheart – grey tabby she-cat; expecting Lionblaze's kits

Elders

Brightheart – ginger she-cat with white patches

Cloudtail – long-haired white tom with blue eyes

Millie – grey tabby she-cat

Thornclaw – golden-brown tabby tom

Brackenfur – golden brown tabby tom

SHADOWCLAN

Leader: Rowanstar – ginger tom

Deputy: Tawnypelt – tortoiseshell and white she-cat

Medicine Cat: Littlecloud – very small tabby tom

Apprentice: Finchpaw

Warriors

Oakfur – small brown tom

Toadfoot – dark brown tom

Applefur – mottled brown she-cat

Apprentice: Acornpaw

Crowfrost – black and white tom

Olivenose – tortoiseshell she-cat

Owlclaw – light brown tabby tom

Shrewfoot – grey she-cat with black feet

Scorchfur – dark brown tom

Apprentice: Honeypaw

Tigerheart – dark brown tabby tom

Apprentice: Lightningpaw

Dawnpelt – cream furred she-cat

Pinenose – black she-cat

Kinkfur – tabby she-cat with long fur

Ivytail – tortoiseshell and white she-cat

Lizardspots – dark brown tabby she-cat

Apprentices

Finchpaw – pale ginger she-cat

Honeypaw – pale ginger she-cat

Lightningpaw – pale ginger tom

Acornpaw – brown tabby tom

Queens

Snowbird – pure white she-cat; mother to Crowfrost's kits

Ravenkit (black tom) and Asterkit (black she-cat)

Elders

Ratscar – brown tom with long scar

Starlingwing – ginger tom

Snaketail – dark brown tabby tom

WINDCLAN

Leader: Onestar – pale tabby tom

Deputy: Leaftail – dark tabby tom

Medicine Cat: Kestrelflight – mottled grey tom

Warriors

Whitetail – small white she-cat

Nightcloud – black she-cat

Gorsetail – pale grey and white she-cat

Weaselfur – ginger tom with white paws

Apprentice: Thistlepaw

Harespring – brown and white tom

Antpelt – brown tabby tom with a black ear

Emberfoot – grey tom with two dark paws

Breezepelt – black tom with blue eyes

Sunstrike – tortoiseshell she-cat with a white spot on her forehead

Apprentice: Sagepaw

Furzeclaw – grey and white she-cat

Apprentice: Eggpaw

Whiskerstream – pale tabby tom

Boulderstrike – large grey tabby tom

Rabbitfoot – mottled brown she-cat

Quailfeather – brown tabby tom

Eagleflight – brown and white tom

Nettletail – black she-cat

Apprentices

Eggpaw – white tom with blue eyes

Thistlepaw – pale tortoiseshell she-cat

Sagepaw – grey tom

Queens

Heathertail – light brown tabby she-cat with blue eyes. Mother of Breezepelt's kits Flintkit (grey tom), Runningkit (black she-cat) and Hailkit (cream and white tom)

Sedgewhisker – light brown tabby she-cat. Expecting Whiskerstream's kits.

Elders

Ashfoot – gray tabby she-cat

Swallowtail – dark gray she-cat

RIVERCLAN

Leader: Mistystar

Deputy: Reedwhisker – black tom

Medicine Cat: Willowshine – gray tabby she-cat

Warriors

Minnowtail – dark grey she-cat

Mintfur – light grey tabby tom

Apprentice: Beaverpaw

Pebblefoot – mottled grey tom

Mallownose – light grey tabby tom

Graymist – pale grey tabby she-cat

Robinwing – tortoiseshell and white tom

Apprentice: Elmpaw

Grasspelt – light brown tom

Duskfur – brown tabby she-cat

Apprentice - Blizzardpaw

Rushtail – pale brown tabby tom

Mossycloud – brown and white she-cat

Hollowflight – dark brown tabby tom

Apprentice - Cloverpaw

Troutleap – grey tabby she-cat

Pikefur – brown tom with green eyes

Creekfeather – black tom with white chest and paws

Apprentices

Elmpaw – black she-cat

Blizzardpaw – big white tom

Beaverpaw – mottled brown tom

Cloverpaw – black and white she-cat

Queens

Petalfur – grey and white she-cat. Expecting Grasspelt's kits.

Elders

Pouncetail – ginger tom

Mosspelt – tortoiseshell she-cat

A/N: yes, there are cannon characters that got left out of allegiances. Blossomfall, Lilypaw, etc. ThunderClan had too many warriors so some of them had to die /: