Prologue

A gentle breeze rustled the reeds as Morningstar looked out across the camp clearing. The sun was setting in the sky, meaning most of the warriors were getting ready to head to their nests.

The RiverClan leader sighed as she noticed how skinny her warriors were. Shortly after the beginning of greenleaf, a terrible drought had hit the forest. Most of the rivers and streams had completely dried up, leaving little to no water for the cats. RiverClan had suffered the most, as the river was their main source of prey.

"Are you all right? You look troubled," Birchtail, the RiverClan deputy, questioned.

Morningstar gave her friend a faint smile. "I'm fine. I've just got a lot on my mind at the moment," she confessed.

Birchtail took a seat next to her. "Is it about the drought?" he asked.

Morningstar hesitated for a few seconds, before nodding. "I'm worried we'll lose our best warriors to the drought. And with tensions so high with ThunderClan right now, that's the last thing we need." Morningstar's gaze flickered over to the elders den, where her father Sootpelt lived alone. I don't think I could live with myself if my father died because of this drought, she thought.

"I wouldn't worry too much," Birchtail said softly as he draped his tail across her back.

Morningstar let out a deep sigh. "I know." The dark tortoiseshell she-cat then glanced up at the sky and murmured, "I wonder why StarClan has been so silent."

Birchtail shrugged. "I don't know. Perhaps you should send Nightsky to the Moonstone to speak with StarClan? Surely they would share some information with her there."

Morningstar frowned. "I'm not sure if that's such a good idea," she whispered, unable to meet his gaze. Nightsky was Morningstar's sister, and RiverClan's only medicine cat. Despite her skill with herbs, Nightsky had a tendency to lie, exaggerate, and slack off.

"I know you don't trust her," the RiverClan deputy said, "but she's medicine cat for a reason. If StarClan didn't believe she was right for the job, they wouldn't have accepted her as Alderpelt's apprentice all those seasons ago."

"I suppose you're right," she said slowly.

Birchtail gave her a small smile, before nudging her to her paws. "Go talk to her," he urged.

Morningstar nodded, before heading across the clearing to where the medicine cats den stood. Poking her head inside she called out, "Nightsky? Are you awake?"

"Just a second!" Nightsky called out, before appearing a couple moments later. The she-cat's fur was ruffled as though she had just woken up, and a piece of a leaf clung to her chest. Glancing down at her dirty appearance she meowed, "I apologize for how unkempt I look. I've just been very busy lately."

Morningstar smiled slightly before asking, "Do you think you could go to the Moonstone tonight? I would like you to speak with StarClan about the drought."

Nightsky nodded. "Of course. Anything for you!" Without warning, Nightsky nuzzled her sister.

Morningstar backed away, shocked.

Nightsky frowned. "Sorry. I didn't mean-"

"No, it's fine," Morningstar insisted awkwardly. I never realized we were so distant, the RiverClan leader thought with a jolt. We used to be so close as kits, and now we can't even nuzzle one another without feeling awkward.

"I better get going," the black she-cat muttered as she headed towards the camp entrance. "I'll be back sometime tomorrow evening."

The tortoiseshell leader waved her tail in goodbye. "Good luck, and may StarClan light your path!"

Nightsky trekked across the moorland, fatigue clawing at her body. Even though she knew it was ridiculous to be heading to the Moonstone so late, she didn't care. I just want to gain my sister's trust back, she thought wearily.

Finally, the RiverClan medicine cat reached the Highstones just as the sun was rising in the sky. Sighing, she climbed up the steep slope before disappearing into Mothermouth. As she walked down the dark tunnel, she wondered if StarClan would even share with her at all.

For the past few seasons, the starry ancestors had been unusually silent. Nightsky had often wondered if they were mad at RiverClan for Volepelt's death, but surely it wasn't their fault, right? ThunderClan should have known that launching an attack on RiverClan during the thaw would be a bad idea. Yet they had tried anyways, and as a result one of their warrior, Volepelt, had fallen through the ice and drowned.

Finally, Nightsky reached the main cavern where the Moonstone lay. Weak sunlight filtered through the hole in the ceiling, just bright enough to where she could see where she was going. She quickly settled down in front of the Moonstone, and touched her nose to its cold surface.

Within seconds, she found herself standing on a riverbank. Above her head, dark storm clouds gathered in the sky, and thunder rumbled in the distance. Suddenly, a flicker of red caught her movement. Looking down, she realized that the river in front of her was turning red with blood!

"What's going on?" she demanded, hoping a StarClan cat would show themselves shortly. Her heart then flickered with hope as the reeds on the opposite bank rustled. To her disappointment, a silver-gray tabby tom stepped out. There was something about this cat that seemed familiar to Nightsky, but she couldn't place what it was.

"That cat is a monster," a familiar voice hissed in her ear.

Spinning around, Nightsky saw that her former mentor Alderpelt was standing there. The dark brown tom's eyes were narrowed in disgust as he stared at the silver-tabby.

"What do you mean?" she asked, her stomach churning nervously.

"There is a monster in RiverClan," Alderpelt meowed ominously. "You will recognize him when you see him. Just know, he is not to be trusted. He must be destroyed, or else all of RiverClan will be doomed!"

Nightsky jolted awake, her heart beating wildly. "I've got to tell Morningstar about this right away!"

The camp entrance rustled as Nightsky bolted into camp. "Where's Morningstar?" she called out. "I need to speak with her immediately!"

"She's out on evening patrol," Shellnose replied.

"Please go fetch her! It's very important," Nightsky told him.

Shellnose nodded, before padding out of camp.

Nightsky paced back and forth through the clearing as she waited for her sister. The sooner she spoke with her about what StarClan had said, the better.

Finally, Morningstar padded into camp, her eyes wide. "Well, what did they say?" she questioned as she headed towards the medicine cat.

"It's very bad," Nightsky breathed as she walked towards her den. Once inside she blurted out, "Alderpelt appeared and told me there is a monster among our ranks. He said that if we don't stop this cat, RiverClan will be doomed!"

Morningstar's expression quickly changed from worried to annoyed. "You were supposed to ask them about the drought!" she hissed.

"Do you think I control what dreams StarClan sends to me?" Nightsky snapped, growing irritated with her sister.

"No, but you could have at least asked! After all, that's what I sent you to the Moonstone for. Instead you had to come back blabbing about monsters and all this other nonsense. Honestly, Nightsky, I sometimes wonder how you even became a medicine cat in the first place!" Morningstar growled.

Nightsky stood there, shocked. Was this really how her sister viewed her? Narrowing her eyes in anger she spat, "Get out of my den at once."

Morningstar rolled her eyes, before storming out of the den.

The black she-cat let out a loud sigh, before slumping to the ground. Why wasn't Morningstar taking her message seriously? She just wants another petty reason to hate me is all, she concluded. A flicker of movement then caught her eye out in the clearing.

Peering out of her den, she saw that Splashflower was leading her two small kits, Ripplekit and Minnowkit, out into the clearing for the first time. How cute, Nightsky thought as she studied them. Her breath then hitched in her throat as she noticed how similar Ripplekit was to the tomcat in her dream.

Surely Alderpelt isn't talking about him? she thought. After all, he's just a kit! How much harm could he do?

Allegiances

RiverClan

Leader: Morningstar - dark tortoiseshell she-cat with amber eyes

Deputy: Birchtail - grayish-brown tabby tom

Medicine cat: Nightsky - black she-cat with amber eyes

Warriors: (Toms and she-cats without kits)

Shellnose - gray-and-white tom with blue eyes

Pikeheart - dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes

Waveheart - long haired white tom with green eyes

Pebblestripe - gray tabby tom with white paws and blue eyes

Rainfall - gray-and-white she-cat

Lilypelt - cream-colored she-cat with blue eyes

Mudfoot - dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes

Swanfeather - fluffy white she-cat with blue eyes

Puddlefur - black-and-white tom with green eyes

Briarpelt - dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes

Queens: (She-cats expecting or nursing kits)

Splashflower - long haired silver tabby she-cat with blue eyes. Mother of Ripplekit (long haired silver tom) and Minnowkit (long haired silver she-kit)

Brambletail - brown tabby she-cat. Expecting Shellnose's kits.

Elders: (Warriors and queens now retired)

Sootpelt - scrawny black tom with amber eyes

ThunderClan

Leader: Ravenstar - black she-cat

Deputy: Redheart - dark ginger tom with yellow eyes

Medicine cat: Acornleaf - brown tabby she-cat

Warriors: (Toms and she-cats without kits)

Firetail - ginger-and-white she-cat

Amberclaw - long legged ginger tom

Nettleclaw - gray tabby tom with dark gray stripes

Seedpelt - gray she-cat with darker flecks

Apprentice: Leafpaw

Dovewhisker - fluffy gray she-cat with white paws

Cinderpelt - black tom with large yellow eyes

Duskfur - silver tabby she-cat with black stripes

Apprentice: Brackenpaw

Snowclaw - long haired pure white tom with blue eyes

Goosewing - black-and-white tom

Mossheart - tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes

Apprentices: (Cats older than six moons in training to become warriors)

Leafpaw - brown tabby tom with white paws

Brackenpaw - brown tabby she-cat

Queens: (She-cats expecting or nursing kits)

Hollystripe - dark brown tabby she-cat. Mother of Kestrelkit (dark brown tabby tom), Fernkit (gray tabby she-kit), and Mousekit (dark brown tabby she-kit).

ShadowClan

Leader: Bramblestar - large black tom with green eyes

Deputy: Cherrynose - ginger tabby she-cat with white paws

Medicine cat: Honeyleaf - pretty golden tabby she-cat with amber eyes

Warriors: (Toms and she-cats without kits)

Hollowbelly - black-and-white tom

Dawnfire - creamy-brown she-cat with green eyes

Snaketail - brown tabby tom

Apprentice: Ivypaw

Oakfall - reddish-brown tabby tom

Plumfur - dark gray she-cat with a white chest and underbelly

Apprentice: Streampaw

Smokeheart - gray tabby she-cat with blue eyes

Stormsky - black-and-white she-cat with green eyes

Spiderleap - brown tabby tom with darker stripes and amber eyes

Marshtuft - brown tabby tom

Rowancloud - long haired dark ginger tom

Apprentices: (Cats older than six moons in training to become warriors)

Ivypaw - black tom

Streampaw - pale gray she-cat with blue eyes

Queens: (She-cats expecting or nursing kits)

Cedarheart - pale brown she-cat. Mother of Willowkit (pale brown she-kit) and Beechkit (pale brown tom)

Elders: (Warriors and queens now retired)

Dustbelly - pale brown tom with a white belly

Brightshine - ginger-and-white she-cat

WindClan

Leader: Burrowstar - tabby-and-white tom with green eyes

Deputy: Swiftheart - dark gray tom

Medicine cat: Breezetail - elderly gray she-cat with blue eyes

Warriors: (Toms and she-cats without kits)

Hareflight - light brown she-cat

Waspfall - large ginger tom with yellow eyes

Apprentice: Blackpaw

Milkfur - creamy white tom

Gorseclaw - lithe brownish-gray tom

Badgerstrike - black she-cat with white muzzle and chest

Apprentice: Poppypaw

Berryheart - cream-brown tom with blue eyes

Grassleap - brown tabby she-cat

Apprentice: Lionpaw

Rosefoot - dark ginger she-cat with green eyes

Apprentices: (Cats older than six moons in training to become warriors)

Blackpaw - pure black tom with long tail

Poppypaw - dark brown tabby she-cat

Lionpaw - golden-brown she-cat

Queens: (She-cats expecting or nursing kits)

Sheepfur - long-haired white she-cat.

Mottleflower - pretty tortoiseshell she-cat with yellow eyes. Expecting Waspfall's kits.

Wrenfeather - ginger tabby she-cat. Mother of Dewkit (ginger-and-white tom), and Sunkit (ginger tabby tom)

Elders: (Warriors and queens now retired)

Flowerspots - brown-and-white she-cat with battle scarred muzzle

Owlflight - blind gray tom with torn ear tips

SkyClan

Leader: Flystar - large ginger tom with amber eyes

Deputy: Petalfall - rose-cream furred she-cat with dark green eyes

Medicine Cat: Bumblebee - yellow tabby she-cat

Medicine Cat Apprentice: Fawnpaw

Warriors: (Toms and she-cats without kits)

Starlingfeather - dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes

Hawksnow - brown tabby tom speckled with white

Nightfur - black tom

Apprentice: Weaselpaw

Quailheart - dappled gray tom

Fernpelt - dark brown tabby she-cat

Mousefang - sandy-colored she-cat

Apprentice: Hazelpaw

Rainleap - silver tabby she-cat with blue eyes

Cloudstorm - small pale gray tom with white splotches

Apprentice: Stoatpaw

Birdflight - long haired brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes

Buzzardtail - ginger tabby tom with green eyes

Apprentices: (Cats older than six moons in training to become warriors)

Fawnpaw - light brown she-cat

Weaselpaw - brown-and-ginger tom

Hazelpaw - ginger tabby she-cat with green eyes

Stoatpaw - ginger-and-white tom

Queens: (She-cats expecting or nursing kits)

Goldenfur - golden tabby she-cat. Expecting Flystar's kits.

Hootwing - dark brown tabby she-cat.

Elders: (Warriors and queens now retired)

Adderstrike - deaf dark brown tabby tom

Squirrelstep - fluffy gray tom