prologue
"Yellowfang," A young gray she-cat mewed at the sight of her former mentor. "Have you a message for me?"
"Cinderpelt," Yellowfang greeted the young medicine cat, her eyes shining with wisdom and starlight. "A raincloud shall place the paws of the Clan on the path of survival."
"What do you mean?" Cinderpelt asked anxiously. StarClan has never spoken so clearly to her before, and that worried her. "Is ThunderClan in danger?"
" I meant what I said: A raincloud shall place the paws of the Clan on the path of survival." Yellowfang repeated the prophecy once, and then bounded up into the starry sky.
"Wait!" Cinderpelt yowled after the StarClan warrior. "Don't leave me!" But Yellowfang has already disappeared into the night sky. A wave of despair washed over Cinderpelt. Surely the Clan couldn't be in more danger than it has been when the dog pack roamed the forest. Would the Clan make it through yet another challenge, with the cold, unforgiving leafbare closing its jaws around them?