SHADOWCLAN
LEADER
QUICKSTAR—dark brown tom with amber eyes
DEPUTY
COLDSTORM—silver tabby she-cat
MEDICINE CATS
SPICEWHISKER—ginger-and-white tom with blue eyes
APPRENTICE, DUSTPAW (light brown tabby tom)
WARRIORS
(toms and she-cats without kits)
FINCHWING—light brown tom
APPRENTICE, BEEPAW (black-and-white she-cat)
CRISPLEAF—calico tom
SPIDERTAIL—black tom
COPPERFLUFF—ginger she-cat
SMOKESIGHT—dark gray tabby tom
APPRENTICE, WASPPAW (black-and-white tom)
SLATECALL—dark gray tom
APPRENTICE, WAYPAW (dark ginger tom)
ELDERS
DRIFTWATCH—black-and-gray tom
THUNDERCLAN
LEADER
BIRCHSTAR—brown-and-white she-cat
DEPUTY
FRINGEWILLOW—calico she-cat
MEDICINE CAT
HAZELLIGHT—white-and-brown tom
WARRIORS
MOTHWHISKER—golden she-cat
APPRENTICE, FERNPAW (light brown tom)
MOUSECLAW—light brown tabby tom
EAGLEFLIGHT—black-and-brown tom
APPRENTICE, WHITEPAW (white tom with blue eyes)
BRACKENSHINE—white-gold she-cat
DAPPLEPOND—tortoiseshell she-cat
APPRENTICE, WISPPAW (white she-cat)
QUEENS
BIRDWING—brown tabby she-cat
ELDERS
LARKPELT—brown tom
TALLWHISKER—gray she-cat
WINDCLAN
LEADER
SILKSTAR—white-and-gray she-cat
DEPUTY
FLICKERFOOT—brown tom
MEDICINE CAT
SAGELIGHT—golden she-cat
WARRIORS
MARCHWIND—light brown tabby tom
CLOVERSONG—brown tabby she-cat with white paws
HEATHERFUR—tortoiseshell she-cat
APPRENTICE, SMALLPAW (white-and-brown tom)
DAWNHEART—golden she-cat
NIGHTFALL—black tom
APPRENTICE, HAREPAW (light brown tom)
WREATHPELT—light brown she-cat
WILDEAR—golden-brown tom
QUEENS
CHIRPHARE—white and brown she-cat (mother of Downkit, and white-and-brown she-kit, and Burrowkit, a brown tom-kit)
RIVERCLAN
LEADER
TORRENTSTAR—blue-gray tom
DEPUTY
SHOREFALL—sand-colored tom
MEDICINE CATS
MISTPELT—blue-gray she-cat
APPRENTICE, RAINPAW (gray tom)
WARRIORS
WAVETAIL—brown tabby tom
LEAFPELT—spotted calico she-cat
APPRENTICE, TROUTPAW (brown-and-black tom)
SNAILPAD—black tom
ROOTSTRIKE—spotted brown tom
RAVENWING—black tom
APPRENTICE, MUDPAW (brown tom)
WHITESTREAK—black-and-white tom
SHELLFROST—tortoiseshell she-cat
BLADECLAW—black-and-gray she-cat
SKYCLAN
LEADER
FEATHERSTAR—silver tabby she-cat
DEPUTY
QUIETQUAKE—red-brown tom
MEDICINE CAT
SOOTPATH—black-and-gray tom
WARRIORS
WHITEBURN—white tom with black paws
SCRATCHPELT—golden-brown tom
MINTBRANCH—ginger-and-white she-cat
QUAILSPARK—light-brown tom
SQUIRRELFUR—brown tom
SWANWING—white she-cat
ALDERPELT—red-brown tom
FLYFOOT—black tom
QUEENS
AMBERHEART—golden she-cat (mother of Hollykit, and red-brown she-kit; Sprucekit, a brown tom-kit; and Goldenkit, a golden-brown she-kit)
ELDERS
SPARROWSONG—red-brown tom
MAPLEFEATHER—calico she-cat
LONERS, ROGUES, & KITTYPETS
MERCEDES—a small black-and-white she-cat
PHANTOM—black tom with brown patches
A watchful cat's eyes, shining with the light of a thousand seeking justice in the wrong place, flitted around towards every little spot of movement in the shadows of this forest. Shadowed from sight, she hid herself away from the patrol of cats she had been waiting for. Soon, talking came from the direction they must be coming from.
"Call it off, easy," one advised the other with a tenor voice. "No need to make a show of anything yet. Let the other Clans do what they do best and figure things out as they happen."
"Oh," responded a more thought-filled voice (which the she-cat instantly recognized) "it has to be a show. I can't just let it be out there in the world. This is the last chance ThunderClan has to prevent itself from falling into obscurity with StarClan! They used to love us, Streakflight!"
"They haven't yet neglected us, Whitewhisper. Be patient, at least for now. Recklessness is how 'villains' are made."
"Recklessness is how great cats are seen, my friend."
The she-cat was appalled. What kind of things could these cats be plotting behind the backs of their Clan? She herself felt more betrayed than she imagined the others would when they learned what she had found. She crouched lower to avoid the two toms as they walked past her, nerve-wrackingly close.
"And what will we do when the Clans are reminded of our greatness?" Coldflight asked.
"I suppose we can start by," he paused. The spy hid her face so she might be less likely to be seen, and she couldn't tell if he was looking around for some eavesdropper, "keeping an eye out. Anyone could be against us. Any matter of plans to oppose us could be made."
"Like, I can only assume, members of your Clan who might be close to you?"
What kind of a betrayal could they possibly be concocting? The she-cat cursed to herself. To assume someone like—
The branches of the bush she was hiding behind were pulled away by Streakflight, whose silver-white fur was visible to her now. Rhetorically, Whitewhisper added, "someone like my mate? Whirlwind, I had expected so much more from you."
She immediately came to her own defense, stating "I never had any of my own suspicions. Our Clan was curious about the missing cat WindClan was fretting about, and I—"
"I imagine you were out here as the one cat I wouldn't betray?"
She straightened, trying to put up a front of coldness. "Maybe so."
"And you're going to do something about all of this?" Whirlwind had never heard this kind of coldness from Whitewhisper before. When did he start his plot? She wondered.
"The Clans will learn. You'll lose your game."
"Oh, the Clans will learn. That ThunderClan isn't a weak Clan. We are, and always will be, StarClan's favorite."
"But there's been nothing to suggest that we aren't!"
"The Clans all know we've been struggling. The Clans all know we've seemed weak. StarClan included. We've seemed so, well, unimportant. We're the greatest Clan of them all and StarClan hasn't bothered to send us even a sign."
"And you plan to do what?"
"I don't know, Whirlwind. What do you think? I'm going to make myself a sign. Something no Clan will turn us down for."
She couldn't begin to understand his plan. Make StarClan see them by practically mocking the way they assisted the living Clans?
"No cat in ThunderClan would let that happen," she told him.
"You'd be surprised." He looked up at the stars. The moon, just past half-phase, lit his face in a way that highlighted the cold look Whirlwind found so uncharacteristic. He looked to Streakflight knowingly, turned away, and flicked his tail at him as he walked off, continuing in the direction they had been headed. Streakflight nodded.
Whirlwind looked at him. "Why stick with him? He's mocking StarClan! I wish you'd see how terrible this all will end up for the both of you!"
"A lot of cats wish for a lot of things. It's an incredibly baseless mindset, wishful thinking." He looked back to a seemingly preoccupied Whitewhisper, and, as if finally processing the nonverbal command he was given, turned back to Whirlwind with bared claws and lunged for her.