PROLOGUE

The dark river warbled quietly as it whisked between its stony bedding, its swift ripples reflecting silver from the half-moon's bright and ominous glow. A soft breeze whispered through the tall, bushy oaks of ThunderClan's territory, lightly ruffling Tigerclaw's brown, tabby fur as it gently brushed past him.

"I'm surprised RiverClan has been so quiet, considering Crookedstar's threat at the last Gathering," Redtail, ThunderClan's deputy, mused aloud to the rest of his patrol. The small tom's pink-and-black nose was in the air, his jaw slacked as he tested the wind for any trace of their rival Clan.

Tigerclaw's ears swiveled to acknowledge the tortoiseshell tom's observation, but he continued to stare out into RiverClan's territory. His deep, amber eyes were narrowed into slits. The deputy had a point; their silence was fishier than their breath.

"All hiss and no bite," huffed a small, dark tom, padding up beside the massive warrior. "They're probably all shaking in their fur at the very thought of having to meet us in battle!" Dustpaw, Redtail's young, headstrong apprentice, began to romp past Tigerclaw, carelessly and arrogantly disturbing the forest floor with each pawstep.

Tigerclaw's amber eyes shot wide open, and he slapped his large tail over the smaller tom's mouth. The tabby's muscles tensed, and he lowered himself to the ground, his belly brushing against the dew-covered blades of grass beneath him. His nose twitched as a sudden stench hit him, and his eyes focused on the river that bordered their territory. The winds had changed direction just in time.

The rest of the patrol mimicked him, falling into position. Dustpaw, looking flustered, retraced his steps to the back of the patrol and settled between a tortoiseshell tabby and a large, smoky-black warrior.

Silhouettes revealed themselves from the riverbank, creeping along the rocks with glinting, unsheathed claws and glowing eyes. As if on signal, their enemies sprung from the bank and hurled themselves across the stones. The ThunderClan patrol had almost no time to prepare themselves.

Within a heartbeat, screeching and yowling filled the night air. In the middle of the frenzy, Tigerclaw swiped a large paw over a reddish-brown tom, sending him sliding against the rocky terrain. Immediately, Tigerclaw pounced and dug his forepaws against the RiverClan tom's chest. He bared his pointed fangs, his chest puffed triumphantly.

"Oakheart," the dark tabby growled, gouging his claws into his enemy's shoulders. "Does your own drowned excuse of a territory no longer satisfy you?" Confidence gleamed in his eyes as the RiverClan deputy bared his own fangs in a hiss.

"After tonight, this will be RiverClan territory!" the chestnut-coloured tom countered, his eyes igniting with fervor.

Infuriated by his gall, Tigerclaw raised an unsheathed paw to silence him when a shrill yowl from his Clanmate resonated within his nicked ears. "Reinforcements from the river!"

The tabby whirled his square head to face the long stretch of water just in time to see more sleek-bodied warriors hauling themselves up the bank, not even bothering to shake the water from their pelts.

He turned back to Oakheart who was struggling beneath him, and glared furiously. "You and your warriors do not belong in this forest!"

The desperate cry of a ThunderClan she-cat pierced through the caterwauling around him. A wiry RiverClan tom, still dripping wet, was sinking his teeth into her shoulder, large paws forcing her down onto her stomach. When he lifted his jaw, scarlet drops of blood dribbled down his silvery chin. She wriggled beneath him, to which he growled, his stained teeth pressed against her neck threateningly.

Tigerclaw leapt off of Oakheart, rushing to her aid. He lunged at the grey tom, his long, hooked claws snagging his coat and knocking him off of her. "Mousefur, run!" he ordered, his brown coat bristling and his ears flat against his skull as he faced the enemy warrior. Mousefur got to her paws, staggering briefly before darting away.

He glanced after her as she raced off, eager to know that no RiverClan warrior would pursue her. When he returned his focus to the opposing RiverClan tom, he saw only a blur of grey fur and ivory claws. A sharp, stinging sensation like fire blazed across the bridge of his nose. He yowled, spitting with anger as blood began to trickle down his muzzle.

Not wasting another moment, Tigerclaw sprang at the warrior, grabbing him with his claws and sinking his teeth into his ear. Tigerclaw did not stop until he tasted the sharp tang of blood. The RiverClan warrior admitted defeat in a wail of distress, struggling free and dashing towards the river, brandishing a newly torn ear.

"Tigerclaw!" Redtail joined his side, a tuft of fur missing from his flank and his tail fluffed up twice its regular size.

Surging with adrenaline, Tigerclaw spun to face the tortoiseshell, noticing the small, black tom quivering by his heels. "Ravenpaw, go back and get reinforcements from camp!" he ordered his apprentice, tail lifting into the air. ThunderClan would not be beaten in its own territory!

"There's no use, Tigerclaw," the deputy insisted, stepping in front of the shaken, black cat. The fur on his spine was on end and his hackles were raised. "He won't make it in time!"

"Redtail, if we turn tail now, Sunningrocks will belong to RiverClan! Is that what you want?" Tigerclaw yowled back at the deputy, lifting his head.

"Of course not! ThunderClan honours your courage, Tigerclaw, but I'm more concerned that we return to camp with each beating heart that came out here! ThunderClan cannot lose more warriors—" Something in Redtail's peripheral vision seemed to have caught his attention. The deputy turned his head, muscles bunching and eyes widening. Tigerclaw's gaze followed, to that of a ThunderClan warrior laying motionless on the ground.

Ravenpaw stiffened, and Tigerclaw felt his own heartbeat drumming in his ears. "Momma!" the small tom shrieked, bolting towards the tortoiseshell tabby. Wordlessly, Tigerclaw and Redtail raced after him, though they skidded to a halt when a brown blur knocked Redtail off of his paws.

"Murderers!" Redtail spat once he had regained his clarity. His blue and yellow eyes were round with fury, sharp claws swiping at Oakheart relentlessly. The RiverClan deputy returned every blow, ruffs of multi-coloured fur scattering in the breeze. Then, in just an instant, the two tussling toms disappeared over the stony edge, and the air was filled with terrifying rumble.

The stones of Sunningrocks began to dislodge, and amongst the scathing roar of the falling crags, two terrified shrieks broke through the night sky.

On the other side of the territory in a sandy ravine, a grizzled, grey she-cat sat alone, muzzle lifted towards the starry night sky. From their dens, she could hear the peaceful breathing of sleeping cats and the serene murmuring of the crickets. However, the she-cat was not at peace.

A petite, tortoiseshell cat approached her from the shadows of her rocky den, climbing up the stony path to her leader. "Bluestar?" she dipped her head in greeting, her mew small and quiet. "...It's keeping you up, as well?"

Bluestar's green gaze remained fixed on the sky, her tail curling neatly around her paws. "They've been gone for longer than I expected. Longtail is already on duty for night watch." The she-cat exhaled, blinking her eyes and lowering her muzzle. "What if Crookedstar has lived up to his promise? I cannot rest, knowing I might have sent Redtail's patrol to their doom."

"I worry too, but I think we both underestimate my brother, and your warriors," Spottedleaf purred, sitting down beside the ThunderClan leader. "You sent some of ThunderClan's finest with him. If they were met by RiverClan at the border, they will return with their heads held high and good news to bear."

Bluestar could not help but purr at her comrade's enthusiasm. "You are a gifted medicine cat, Spottedleaf. In more ways than one."

The tortoiseshell bowed, her amber eyes twinkling.

However, the warmth would not remain for long. Bluestar looked back at her paws, unease creeping through her pelt like ticks out for blood. "But… these are hard times for our Clan. Newleaf is colder than it has been for years, we have so few kits, and all of our apprentices are still very young. ShadowClan grows in numbers every day, it seems. We need more warriors, if we are to survive."

"Bluestar, Goldenflower's two tom-kits are healthy, and Frostfur is about ready to kit any sunrise now," the she-cat pointed out. "Not to mention, Brindleface is back in the nursery as well. ThunderClan will be crawling with kits before you can say 'mouse.'"

Bluestar's whiskers twitched. "Perhaps, but it will be moons before they can even begin their training. Then another two seasons, at the very least, before I can give them their names. We need fully-fledged warriors, and as soon as possible…"

Spottedleaf fell silent, and Bluestar lifted her green gaze back to the starlit sky.

After a moment's hesitation, the tortoiseshell followed her stare. "Are you asking StarClan for answers?" she meowed. The sky glittered above them, offering comfort to the anxious she-cats below.

"I was hoping our ancestors would have some words for me," the dark grey she-cat admitted, her shoulders sagging.

The two she-cats sat in silence, their eyes trained on the swath of milky stars above them.

"What of that kittypet you spoke to?" Spottedleaf chanced. "I know he's in the back of your mind." Bluestar tore her glare from the skies, settling instead on the medicine cat. "...Remember my vision, that shooting star?"

"I do… but what is the relevance?" Bluestar blinked.

"It was like a streak of fire, tearing across Silverpelt..." Spottedleaf murmured. "You say this kittypet tomcat… he obviously shows interest in the forest. He put up a fight, and was respectful when you explained the ways of the Clan to him. Perhaps that shooting star alluded to him, this flame-coloured kittypet of yours. You did ask him to join us, did you not?"

"I did," Bluestar considered. "We need all the fangs and claws we can get ahold of. Lionheart and Whitestorm will meet him at Twolegplace border at dawn to hear his answer."

"I think he will agree," the tortoiseshell meowed confidently.

Bluestar sighed, hope beginning to churn in the pit of her chest. Could her medicine cat be right? Clearing her throat, the lanky she-cat murmured, "We'll just have to wait until the sun rises… hopefully, Redtail's patrol will have returned by then, and we will have a new member in our ranks. We'll see if he truly is that shooting star that StarClan spoke of."