Prologue
The full moon floated high above the forest, its cold light washing away all the bright colours of leaf-fall. Four tall oak trees stood together in a clearing, guarding a single icy-looking stone. A river, colder than the North wind itself, wound down into the hollow and circled the rock before continuing its journey south. In fact, the river was so cold, that the tiny stalactites that hung beneath the overhang of the boulder were sheathed in ice. The clearing was silent; no cat dared to Gather here on this sacred night.
The moon's light also bathed a clearing surrounded by tawny-coloured stone, illuminating a thicket of bramble near the highest wall. Three cats crouched within, two surrounding a third as she struggled to give birth.
A gray she-cat writhed on the floor, her pained gasps nearly inaudible. A darker gray she-cat crouched over her, one paw laid soothingly on her flank. "It's all right, Cinderheart, you're doing fine," she murmured. The dark gray she-cat swung around to face the other, a brown tom with reddish paws. "Berryclaw! Fetch me some thyme and borage, quickly!"
"On my way, Sorrowcry," Berryclaw replied, darting out into the moonlight. The medicine cat apprentice paused, then glanced up at the moon. Already a dark slice had been taken from the silver disk; the eclipse had begun.
Back in the nursery, Cinderheart began to whimper as a dark gray kit hit the mossy bedding. Sorrowcry immediately began to lick him clean; he gave a loud healthy cry as she pushed him towards his mother's milk.
"Coyotekit," Cinderheart whispered.
She cried out again and thrashed, then relaxed. A second kit slid out, her mouth open in a silent wail. The moon's light was cut off, plunging the forest into darkness. Sorrowcry couldn't see the new kit anymore; her coat was blacker than the night shadows.
"Sorrowcry?" Cinderheart asked. "Is anything wrong?"
Sorrowcry looked up from the kit, her eyes two points of blue in the gloom. "She's mute," the medicine cat whispered.
Cinderheart gasped. "No, say it's not true!"
Sorrowcry shook her head. "I can't lie to you," she choked. The dark gray she-cat shoved the kit over to Cinderheart and rose to her paws. "I have to tell Redstar."
"No!" Cinderheart cried, leaping up and leaving Coyotekit and his sister wailing. "You can't! He'll kill her, you know that! I can't bear to have it happen again! Please!"
Sorrowcry's eyes were filled with the knowledge of pain as she remembered Cinderheart's first litter. "How will you hide it, then?"
Cinderheart breathed a sigh as she settled down again and let her kits struggle towards her milk. "I don't know," she mewed. "But I'll cover Shadowkit somehow. You know I will."
The branches near the den rustled, and Berryclaw stepped in. A cold was of light follow him; the eclipse was ending. He dropped his bundle and glanced at his mentor. "I brought the thyme and borage."
"Good," Sorrowcry nodded. In an instant she knew she couldn't tell her apprentice; too many cats keeping a secret made it all the more likely it would leak out. The medicine cat broke up the thyme, letting its sharp scent wave over Cinderheart. "Eat some borage; it will help your milk supply."
"Thank you," Cinderheart whispered, her eyes brimming with gratitude. Sorrowcry just gave a curt nod before she turned and exited, Berryclaw following bemused behind her. Above them, the final shadow slipped away, and the moon was whole once more.