ALLEGIANCES
SQUIRREL-STALKERS
Flight – orange she-cat
Pool – dark gray she-cat
Shine – white she-cat. Mother of Hawk, Lightning, and Mirage
Cocoa – brown she-cat
Kay – light gray she-cat
Ledge – tortoiseshell tom
Branch – brown tom
Dove – white she-cat
Jump – white tom
Cliff – light brown tabby tom
Drop – gray she-cat
Rain – gray tom
Chirp – orange she-cat
Dry – dusty brown tom
Fall – orange tom
FISH-EATERS
Willow – light brown tabby she-cat. Mother of Grass, Swim, and Claw
Reed – light brown tabby tom
Stream – blue-gray she-cat
Stone – dark gray tom
Cassie – white she-cat
Fluffy – white tom
Sand – sandy orange tom
Rock – dark gray tom
Scale – tortoiseshell tom
Mist – light gray she-cat
Dew – light gray tabby she-cat
MOUSE-POUNCERS
Tangle – brown tom
Vine – brown tabby tom
Ivy – gray she-cat
Dapple – tortoiseshell she-cat. Mother of Yew and Lavender
Thorn – gray tabby tom
Candy – orange she-cat
Creek – gray she-cat
Leaf – light brown tabby she-cat
Pounce – light brown tabby tom
Hollow – gray tom
Fern – dusty orange she-cat
Fire – dusty orange tom
RABBIT-CHASERS
Owl – gray tabby tom
Chase – light gray tabby she-cat
Leap – dusty orange she-cat
Moth – orange she-cat
Crow – dark gray tom
Song – pale gray she-cat. Mother of Echo, Boulder, Bounce, and Sparrow
Cody – light brown tom
Scratch – pale brown tom
Cloud – white tom
Hare – white tom
Heather – light brown tabby she-cat
Gorge – light brown tabby she-cat
SNAKE-HUNTERS
Night – black tom
Scar – dark gray tom
Black – black she-cat
Moon – tortoiseshell she-cat
Snow – light gray she-cat
Howl – dark brown tom
Talon – brown tom
Eagle – brown and white tom
Scarlett – ginger she-cat
Fang – brown tom
Lizard – gray tom
Frog – gray tom
Marsh – pale gray she-cat
PROLOGUE
The scent of young cats wafted from the entrance of the den.
"You may come in!" a black and white dappled she-cat rasped from inside. She lay down comfortably on her nest and waited for the kits to find their way inside.
Branchkit, Riverkit, and Squirrelkit tumbled into the Elders' den, fighting each other to sit right in front of her. Cloudwhisper sighed, knowing why Winterheart sent her kits to the Elders' den.
The kits made themselves comfortable, Squirrelkit having won her way to the center. Her brothers didn't look happy, but they let their sister have her way.
"I believe I know why you're here." Cloudwhisper said to them. They nodded eagerly.
"We want -," Squirrelkit started, but Cloudwhisper cut her off.
"- to check my ticks!" Cloudwhisper said, letting out a mrrow of laughter at their shocked faces.
"No, we want a story!" Riverkit complained.
"Yes, I know." Cloudwhisper meowed, thinking of a story they would love. Of course, she would pick the story of the time before the Warrior Code, the story she told to every new kit, and the time she lived in as a very young kit. "I've got the perfect story for you."
"Tell it to us! Please!" the kits said, looking at the elder with pleading looks. "Is it about before the clans?"
"Yes." Cloudwhisper answered, playing their game.
"Is it about LionClan and TigerClan and LeopardClan?" they asked.
"No." now the three kits looked confused.
"I am going to tell you about the time when there were no warriors, apprentices, medicine cats, leaders, deputies, or elders. I am going to tell you a story before the clans and before the Warrior Code. I am going to tell you the story of my mother's mother, before the dawn of the clans."