ALLEGIANCES

…

PINECLAN

LEADER THICKETSTAR — large, dark gray tabby tom with yellow eyes

DEPUTY FOXSHADOW — dark ginger she-cat with amber eyes

MEDICINE CAT FEATHERPOOL — pale gray-and-white she-cat with blue eyes

WARRIORS (toms, and she-cats without kits)

BATFUR — dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes

CEDARWHISKER — golden-brown tabby tom
APPRENTICE, SPIDERPAW

OSPREYWING — dark brown tabby tom with yellow eyes

WILLOWCLOUD — white she-cat
APPRENTICE, WRENPAW

GOLDENTAIL — golden-brown tom with green eyes
APPRENTICE, WARBLERPAW

BOLTSTORM — black tom

BRANCHLEG — long-legged dark brown tabby tom

APPRENTICES (cats over six moons old, in training)

SPIDERPAW — brown-and-white tabby tom with yellow eyes

WARBLERPAW — mottled, dark ginger tabby tom

WRENPAW — dark brown tabby she-cat with yellow eyes

QUEENS (she-cats expecting or nursing kits)

PETUNIAFUR — pale blue-gray queen, mother to Cedarwhisker's kits: Mothkit (a black she-kit), Fernkit (a blue-gray she-kit), and Puddlekit (a dark brown tabby tom)

MAPLESHINE — ginger-and-white she-cat with blue eyes

DEWPETAL — tortoiseshell fur, blue eyes, expecting Thicketstar's kits

ELDERS (retired warriors and queens)

NEWTBELLY — speckled brown tom with amber eyes

MISTYWHISKER — fluffy gray she-cat

BEECHFALL — cream-furred tom, blind

…

MEADOWCLAN

LEADER MOORSTAR — cream tabby tom

DEPUTY EMBERCLOUD — black she-cat with amber eyes

MEDICINE CAT SAGENOSE — white tom with green eyes

WARRIORS

BADGERFALL — black-and-white tom

WARBLERWING — pale ginger tabby tom
APPRENTICE, WARRENPAW

DRIZZLEFUR — silver-gray tabby tom with blue eyes

DARKTHROAT — white tom with a black flash on his ches

HONEYWHISKER — tortoiseshell she-cat with amber eyes

POLLENBREEZE — golden-brown-and-white she-cat

PEAKFANG — dark gray tom

APPRENTICES

WARRENPAW — swift, black-and-white tom with green eyes

QUEENS (she-cats expecting or nursing kits)

CINDERLIGHT — pale gray queen, mother to Fawnkit (pale brown she-cat) and Wolfkit (small, dark gray tabby tom)

ELDERS (retired warriors and queens)

NEEDLECLAW — white tom

BLIZZARDFUR — speckled gray tom

…

CATS OUTSIDE CLANS

FREDDIE — dark brown tabby tom, kittypet

ROGER — golden-brown tabby tom, kittypet

FLOOD — blue-gray she-cat, loner

PROLOGUE

...

Something wild and loud blasted through the forest, awakening the trees from their stillness. A swift-moving light tore through the darkness and a cloud of smoke rose up above dewy leaves. It was the Long Monster; a hideous beast that smelled like blood and soot. It had carved its way into the woods many seasons ago, even before the first cats stepped paw into the brush. It had been there first, and as long as its space was respected, nobody would be hurt or killed.

Someone was watching the Long Monster from the shadows. Glowing eyes flickered like crackling embers. Shafts of light coming from inside the Long Monster cast themselves upon the viewer. It was a cat. She was gray-and-white and had a long, flicking tail. Her pelt ruffled from the wind caused by the Long Monster.

"What're you doing out here?" came a voice from behind. The she-cat looked over her shoulder.

"I just came out here to think, Thicketstar. The Long Monster just so happened to have come by at the right time. I've never been this close to it." she meowed.

"And I'd hope this is the closest you'll ever get to it." Thicketstar replied. "So, what's up Featherpool? You said you came to think. What's that all about?"

Featherpool shifted her gaze back towards the Long Monster; it was still moving violently through the trees. "I was just thinking about the season changing. I don't know if I'm ready for leaf-fall. We've had a rather decent greenleaf, wouldn't you say?"

"Yes." Thicketstar remembered the fat squirrels and mice the hunting patrol had caught earlier in the morning. Every cat in PineClan was able to eat. "It's been one of the best since I became leader. We're catching so much prey we hardly need to hunt every morning."

"Your kits will be nice and healthy once they're born thanks to how much food Dewpetal is getting. Are you excited about becoming a first time father?" Featherpool purred as she thought about her soon-to-be-born nieces and nephews bouncing around the nursery. Dewpetal and Thicketstar were fine warriors; hopefully their kits would inherit their excellent hunting and fighting abilities to protect and feed the Clan.

"I'm extremely excited! How many kits do you think she'll have?"

"It's not easy to tell. We'll know when they're born. I suppose it'll be at least two." Featherpool replied. Dewpetal was incredibly plump and round. She would definitely be having more than two kits in that litter.

"I hope StarClan is kind to us this leaf-fall and leafbare," Thicketstar murmured as he looked up towards the flickering stars. The ancestors stared back at him, but were they listening? Sometimes, the young leader had no clue.

"So do I. I was only able to get through last leaf-bare because Dropletwhisker was there to mentor me. I don't know how I'm going to do it without him." Featherpool sighed. She curled her tail over her paws. Thicketstar nudged her softly.

"You have his wisdom. You're our medicine cat now. We all believe in you." he said to her gently. She glanced at him and for a moment, her worry seemed to dim. But there was something there still. Thicketstar knew his sister better than anyone else. "Is there something you need to tell me?" he asked.

"I-I don't know if I want to tell you," she mewed.

"Why not? You know you can tell me anything."

He was right. And she was a medicine cat. StarClan had been silent for seasons, and Featherpool hadn't had any visions until a moon ago. With a breathy sigh, she muttered, "I keep having strange dreams. I believe StarClan has sent me an omen, but I'm not sure what it's about."

"Care to elaborate?" Thicketstar asked.

"Okay." She inhaled deeply. "I keep envisioning the stars forming two birds. Those birds attack each other. I never know who wins; the big one or the little one. I don't know what it means. I've been trying to figure it out for the past moon."

"You've been having these dreams for a while?"

Featherpool murmured, "I first had it when I visited the Starlit Place to speak with StarClan. It's been recurring only a little bit since, but enough for me to remember."

"Do you have any idea what it could mean?" Thicketstar pressed.

She shook her head. "I told you, I don't know."

Just then, the Long Monster gave a final roar before it fled into the darkness. The forest was still once more. Featherpool lifted her head to the starry sky above. A sharp, claw-shaped moon glowed faintly between a countless number of stars.

"I hope to know," the medicine cat added quietly.