FieldClan
Leader: Darkstar: dark gray tom with amber eyes
Deputy: Hawkfire: brown tabby tom with white forepaws and green eyes
Medicine Cat: Brindlefrost: silver tabby she-cat
Warriors
Rainpetal—silver tabby she-cat with yellow eyes
Russetbird: small russet and white she-cat with bright green eyes
Dustcloud: lazy cream tom with deep green eyes
Eagleheart—brown tabby tom with yellow eyes
Swiftfrost: small black and white tom with amber eyes
Rowanflower: small russet she-cat with white paws and underbelly and green eyes
Rushfoot: small pale silver tabby tom with yellow eyes
Queens:
Morningstream: pale ginger and white she-cat with amber eyes (Expecting Eagleheart's kits)
Spottedthorn: small tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes (Mother of Rushfoot's kits: Cherrykit, Aspenkit, and Flintkit)
Ripplesong: silver tabby she-cat with blue eyes (mother of Dustcloud's kits: Mudkit and Smokekit)
Skypool: silver tabby she-cat with blue eyes (expecting Dustcloud's kits)
Kits:
Owlkit: spotted pale brown tabby she-cat with silver tipped points and green eyes
Aspenkit: silver tabby she-cat with a fluffy, white-tipped tail and green eyes
Flintkit: gray tabby tom with white forepaws and green eyes
Mudkit: gray tabby she-cat with yellow eyes
Stormkit: long-furred dark gray tom with yellow eyes
Elders
Dawntalon: cream tom with darker dapples and yellow eyes
Fallowfang: deep russet she-cat with green eyes
OceanClan
Leader: Spraystar: blue gray tom (with darker and lighter dapples scattered over his pelt) with blue eyes
Deputy: Ivyheart: silver tabby and white she-cat with green eyes
Medicine cat: Cindershade: long-furred dark gray she-cat with yellow eyes
Warriors
Waterstorm: dappled blue gray tom with white paws and blue eyes (apprentice: Stempaw)
Dewflower: silver tabby she-cat with green eyes
Adderclaw: gray and light brown tom with yellow eyes (apprentice: Redpaw)
Willowheart: silver tabby she-cat with green eyes
Cedarleaf: russet tom with yellow eyes
Echocloud: silver tabby tom with green eyes (apprentice: Cornpaw)
Hailstep: dappled gray tom with white underbelly and blue eyes
Ravenwing: black she-cat with green eyes (apprentice: Smokepaw)
Robinsong: dark gray she-cat with ginger flash on chest; green eyes (apprentice: Featherpaw)
Queens:
Goldenwing: golden tabby she-cat with yellow eyes (mother of Cedarleaf's kits, Leafkit and Frozenkit)
Mistysong: pale gray she-cat with white paws and blue eyes (expecting Waterstorm's kits)
Kits:
Leafkit: pale brown tabby she-cat
Frozenkit: mute silver tabby she-cat
Elders:
Briarsong: tortoiseshell she-cat with yellow eyes
CliffClan
Leader: Dawnstar: cream she-cat
Deputy: Silversplash: silver tabby she-cat
Medicine cat: Grayleaf: long-furred gray she-cat
Warriors:
Fogfang: pale gray, almost white, tom with blind, ghost blue eyes (apprentice: Jaypaw)
Frogfoot: dark gray and dark brown tom (apprentice: Blackpaw)
Ratwhisker: dark gray tom
Toadleap: dark brown tom (apprentice: Bramblepaw)
Embersong: dark gray she-cat with black paws
Queens:
Fernfang: dark gray she-cat (mother of Ratwhisker's kits: Pinekit and Galekit)
Elders:
Timberstep: gray tom
Prologue
Night had fallen over the FieldCan camp as Darkstar leapt onto Highrock, his silhouette barely discernible against the black sky. "May all cats old enough to mate gather here under Highrock for a clan meeting!" he yowled in his raspy mew. Ears flicked; confused mews rose up. This was not Darkstar's normal call. Offering a few grumblings, the warriors dragged themselves up beneath the Highrock, prepared to observe what their leader had to say at such an hour. With some coaxing, Rowanflower got Swiftfrost out of the den. Spottedthorn, the former rogue, stood in the corner of the clearing, away from the rest of the cats.
"As you all know," Darkstar began, "We are in dire need of young cats. There are no apprentices in the den, no kits in the nursery, none on the way." Young warriors murmured their approval; the senior warriors glanced at one another uneasily. They didn't like where this was going. Swiftfrost curled into Rowanflower, eyes gleaming with grief. She murmured something comforting to him and glanced back up to Darkstar.
"After consulting with Brindlefrost and Hawkfire, we have found a plan to…" Darkstar swallowed hard. "…to provide more kits." The cats apprehensively muttered to themselves. "We have organized mating orders—"
"No!"
"We can't!
"We'll be mocked!"
"Ridiculed!"
"Silence!" Darkstar bellowed. Head bowed, he began, "I am not exempt from my own order. I will mate with Rainpetal. Hawkfire will mate with Russetbird. Dustcloud will go with Ripplesong and Skypool. Swiftfrost shall go with Rowanflower—" The yowling of disapproval had grown so loud, he could no longer be heard. Swiftfrost was hunched over in grief; Rowanflower was murmuring in his ear. Dustcloud's mouth was gaping open; Ripplesong and Skypool were speaking soft protests between themselves. "Shut up!" Darkstar yowled again. Quiet resumed. "Eagleheart and Morningstream have been paired. Finally…" He glanced from Rushfoot to Spottedthorn. "Rushfoot and Spottedthorn."
The silver tabby howled. "No! I won't mate with a rogue!" His claws lashed against the ground. "I refuse! I won't do it!"
"I'm no more rogue than you!" Spottedthorn snapped in return.
"Filthy thinblood!"
"Stop!" Darkstar hissed. Both froze. "Any capable cat who refuses to take part in this will be put into immediate exile. Good night." He turned and whisked into his den, frightened of the weight of what he had just done.