DEDICATION
Special thanks to Cherith Baldry
ALLEGIANCES THUNDERCLAN LEADER BRAMBLESTAR—dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes DEPUTY SQUIRRELFLIGHT—dark ginger she-cat with green eyes and one white paw MEDICINE CATS LEAFPOOL—light brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes, white paws and chest JAYFEATHER—gray tabby tom with blind blue eyes ALDERHEART—dark ginger tom with amber eyes WARRIORS (toms and she-cats without kits) BRACKENFUR—golden-brown tabby tom CLOUDTAIL—long-haired white tom with blue eyes BRIGHTHEART—white she-cat with ginger patches THORNCLAW—golden-brown tabby tom WHITEWING—white she-cat with green eyes BIRCHFALL—light brown tabby tom BERRYNOSE—cream-colored tom with a stump for a tail MOUSEWHISKER—gray-and-white tom POPPYFROST—pale tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat LIONBLAZE—golden tabby tom with amber eyes ROSEPETAL—dark cream she-cat BRIARLIGHT—dark brown she-cat, paralyzed in her hindquarters LILYHEART—small, dark tabby she-cat with white patches, and blue eyes BUMBLESTRIPE—very pale gray tom with black stripes IVYPOOL—silver-and-white tabby she-cat with dark blue eyes APPRENTICE, TWIGPAW (gray she-cat with green eyes) DOVEWING—pale gray she-cat with green eyes CHERRYFALL—ginger she-cat MOLEWHISKER—brown-and-cream tom SNOWBUSH—white, fluffy tom AMBERMOON—pale ginger she-cat DEWNOSE—gray-and-white tom STORMCLOUD—gray tabby tom HOLLYTUFT—black she-cat FERNSONG—yellow tabby tom SORRELSTRIPE—dark brown she-cat LEAFSHADE—tortoiseshell she-cat LARKSONG—black tom HONEYFUR—white she-cat with yellow splotches SPARKPELT—orange tabby she-cat QUEENS (she-cats expecting or nursing kits) DAISY—cream long-furred cat from the horseplace CINDERHEART—gray tabby she-cat BLOSSOMFALL—tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat with petal-shaped white patches (mother to Stemkit, a white-and-orange tom-kit; Eaglekit, a ginger she-kit; Plumkit, a black-and-ginger she-kit; and Shellkit) ELDERS (former warriors and queens, now retired) GRAYSTRIPE—long-haired gray tom MILLIE—striped silver tabby she-cat with blue eyes SHADOWCLAN LEADER ROWANSTAR—ginger tom DEPUTY TIGERHEART—dark brown tabby tom MEDICINE CAT PUDDLESHINE—brown tom with white splotches WARRIORS TAWNYPELT—tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes APPRENTICE, SNAKEPAW (honey-colored tabby she-cat) JUNIPERCLAW—black tom APPRENTICE, WHORLPAW (gray-and-white tom) STRIKESTONE—brown tabby tom STONEWING—white tom GRASSHEART—pale brown tabby she-cat SCORCHFUR—dark gray tom with slashed ears APPRENTICE, FLOWERPAW QUEENS SNOWBIRD—pure white she-cat with green eyes (mother to Gullkit, a white she-kit; Conekit, a white-and-gray tom; and Frondkit, a gray tabby she-kit) ELDERS OAKFUR—small brown tom RATSCAR—scarred, skinny darn brown tom WINDCLAN LEADER HARESTAR—brown-and-white tom DEPUTY CROWFEATHER—dark gray tom APPRENTICE, FERNPAW (gray tabby she-cat) MEDICINE CAT KESTRELFLIGHT—mottled gray tom with white splotches like kestrel feathers WARRIORS NIGHTCLOUD—black she-cat APPRENTICE, BRINDLEPAW (mottled brown she-cat) GORSETAIL—very pale gray-and-white she-cat with blue eyes LEAFTAIL—dark tabby tom with amber eyes EMBERFOOT—gray tom with two dark paws APPRENTICE, SMOKEPAW (gray she-cat) BREEZEPELT—black tom with amber eyes LARKWING—pale brown tabby she-cat SEDGEWHISKER—light brown tabby she-cat SLIGHTFOOT—black tom with white flash on his chest OATCLAW—pale brown tabby tom FEATHERPELT—gray tabby she-cat HOOTWHISKER—dark gray tom HEATHERTAIL—light brown tabby she-cat with blue eyes ELDERS WHITETAIL—small white she-cat RIVERCLAN LEADER MISTYSTAR—gray she-cat with blue eyes DEPUTY REEDWHISKER—black tom MEDICINE CATS MOTHWING—dappled golden she-cat WILLOWSHINE—gray tabby she-cat WARRIORS MINTFUR—light gray tabby tom APPRENTICE, SOFTPAW (gray she-cat) DUSKFUR—brown tabby she-cat APPRENTICE, DAPPLEPAW (gray-and-white tom) MINNOWTAIL—dark gray she-cat APPRENTICE, BREEZEPAW (brown-and-white she-cat) MALLOWNOSE—light brown tabby tom BEETLEWHISKER—brown-and-white tabby tom APPRENTICE, HAREPAW (white tom) CURLFEATHER—pale brown she-cat PODLIGHT—gray-and-white tom HERONWING—dark gray-and-black tom SHIMMERPELT—silver she-cat APPRENTICE, NIGHTPAW (dark gray she-cat with blue eyes) LIZARDTAIL—light brown tom HAVENPELT—black-and-white she-cat SNEEZECLOUD—gray-and-white tom BRACKENPELT—tortoiseshell she-cat APPRENTICE, GORSEPAW (white tom with gray ears) JAYCLAW—gray tom OWLNOSE—brown tabby tom LAKEHEART—gray tabby she-cat ICEWING—white she-cat with blue eyes ELDERS MOSSPELT—tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat SKYCLAN LEADER LEAFSTAR—brown-and-cream tabby she-cat with amber eyes DEPUTY HAWKWING—dark gray tom with yellow eyes WARRIORS SPARROWPELT—dark brown tabby tom MACGYVER—black-and-white tom APPRENTICE, DEWPAW (sturdy gray tom) PLUMWILLOW—dark gray she-cat SAGENOSE—pale gray tom HARRYBROOK—gray tom BLOSSOMHEART—ginger-and-white she-cat APPRENTICE, FINPAW (brown tom) SANDYNOSE—stocky light brown tom with ginger legs RABBITLEAP—brown tom APPRENTICE, VIOLETPAW (black-and-white she-cat with yellow eyes) BELLALEAF—pale orange she-cat with green eyes APPRENTICE, REEDPAW QUEENS TINYCLOUD—small white she-cat ELDERS FALLOWFERN—pale brown she-cat who has lost her hearing
MAPS
PROLOGUE
The dying sun bronzed the rock outcrop where a tom sat, his yellow fur aflame as shadows lengthened behind him. It had been a good day. He’d caught enough prey to fill his belly and chased butterflies beside a stream where the water was clear and tasted of the mountains. Below him, there was a cleft in the rocks; high enough to be safe from prying foxes, and facing away from the wind, it would make a good place to spend the night.