Dawn

The New Prophecy Warriors Dawn Erin Hunter

Special thanks to Kate Cary

Allegiances

THUNDERCLAN

LEADER

FIRESTAR—ginger tom with a flame-colored pelt

DEPUTY

GRAYSTRIPE—long-haired gray tom

MEDICINE CAT

CINDERPELT—dark gray she-cat

APPRENTICE, LEAFPAW

WARRIORS (toms, and she-cats without kits)

MOUSEFUR—small, dusky brown she-cat

APPRENTICE, SPIDERPAW

DUSTPELT—dark brown tabby tom

APPRENTICE, SQUIRRELPAW

SANDSTORM—pale ginger she-cat

CLOUDTAIL—long-haired white tom

BRACKENFUR—golden brown tabby tom

APPRENTICE, WHITEPAW

THORNCLAW—golden brown tabby tom

APPRENTICE, SHREWPAW

BRIGHTHEART—white she-cat with ginger patches

BRAMBLECLAW—dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes

ASHFUR—pale gray (with darker flecks) tom, dark blue eyes

RAINWHISKER—dark gray tom with blue eyes

SOOTFUR—lighter gray tom with amber eyes

SORRELTAIL—tortoiseshell and white she-cat with amber eyes

APPRENTICES (more than six moons old, in training to become warriors)

SQUIRRELPAW—dark ginger she-cat with green eyes

LEAFPAW—light brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes

SPIDERPAW—long-limbed black tom with brown underbelly and amber eyes

SHREWPAW—small, dark brown tom with amber eyes

WHITEPAW—white she-cat with green eyes

QUEENS (she-cats expecting or nursing kits)

GOLDENFLOWER—pale ginger coat, the oldest nursery queen

FERNCLOUD—pale gray (with darker flecks) she-cat, green eyes, mother of Dustpelt’s kits

ELDERS (former warriors and queens, now retired)

FROSTFUR—beautiful white she-cat with blue eyes

SPECKLETAIL—pale tabby she-cat

LONGTAIL—pale tabby tom with dark black stripes, retired early due to failing sight

SHADOWCLAN

LEADER

BLACKSTAR—large white tom with huge jet-black paws

DEPUTY

RUSSETFUR—dark ginger she-cat

MEDICINE CAT

LITTLECLOUD—very small tabby tom

WARRIORS

OAKFUR—small brown tom

APPRENTICE, SMOKEPAW

CEDARHEART—dark gray tom

ROWANCLAW—ginger she-cat

APPRENTICE, TALONPAW

NIGHTWING—black she-cat

TAWNYPELT—tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes

QUEENS

TALLPOPPY—long-legged light brown tabby she-cat

ELDERS

RUNNINGNOSE—small gray and white tom, formerly the medicine cat

BOULDER—skinny gray tom

WINDCLAN

LEADER

TALLSTAR—elderly black and white tom with a very long tail

DEPUTY

MUDCLAW—mottled dark brown tom

APPRENTICE, CROWPAW—dark smoky gray, almost black tom with blue eyes

MEDICINE CAT

BARKFACE—short-tailed brown tom

WARRIORS

TORNEAR—tabby tom

WEBFOOT—dark gray tabby tom

APPRENTICE, WEASELPAW

ONEWHISKER—brown tabby tom

ROBINWING—light brown she-cat with blue eyes

APPRENTICE, THISTLEPAW

QUEENS

ASHFOOT—gray queen

WHITETAIL—small white she-cat

ELDERS

MORNINGFLOWER—tortoiseshell she-cat

OATWHISKER—creamy brown tabby tom

RIVERCLAN

LEADER

LEOPARDSTAR—unusually spotted golden tabby she-cat

DEPUTY

MISTYFOOT—gray she-cat with blue eyes

MEDICINE CAT

MUDFUR—long-haired light brown tom

APPRENTICE, MOTHWING—dappled golden she-cat

WARRIORS

BLACKCLAW—smoky black tom

APPRENTICE, VOLEPAW

HEAVYSTEP—thickset tabby tom

APPRENTICE, STONEPAW

STORMFUR—dark gray tom with amber eyes

HAWKFROST—dark brown tom with a white underbelly and ice blue eyes

SWALLOWTAIL—dark brown tabby she-cat with green eyes

APPRENTICE, SPLASHPAW

QUEENS

MOSSPELT—tortoiseshell she-cat

DAWNFLOWER—pale gray she-cat

ELDERS

SHADEPELT—very dark gray she-cat

LOUDBELLY—dark brown tom

THE TRIBE OF RUSHING WATER

TRIBE-HEALER

TELLER OF THE POINTED STONES (STONETELLER)—brown tabby tom with amber eyes

PREY-HUNTERS (toms and she-cats responsible for providing food)

GRAY SKY BEFORE DAWN (GRAY)—pale gray tabby tom

BROOK WHERE SMALL FISH SWIM (BROOK)—brown tabby she-cat

CAVE-GUARDS (toms and she-cats responsible for guarding the cave)

TALON OF SWOOPING EAGLE (TALON)—dark brown tabby tom (formerly leader of the outcasts)

JAGGED ROCK WHERE HERON SITS (JAG)—dark gray tom (former outcast)

ROCK BENEATH STILL WATER (ROCK)—brown tom (former outcast)

BIRD THAT SINGS AT DUSK (BIRD)—gray tabby she-cat (former outcast)

CRAG WHERE EAGLES NEST (CRAG)—dark gray tom

SHEER PATH BESIDE WATERFALL (SHEER)—dark brown tabby tom

NIGHT OF NO STARS (NIGHT)—black she-cat

KIT-MOTHERS (she-cats expecting or nursing kits)

WING SHADOW OVER WATER (WING)—gray and white she-cat

FLIGHT OF STARTLED HERON (FLIGHT)—brown tabby she-cat

CATS OUTSIDE CLANS

BARLEY—black and white tom that lives on a farm close to the forest

RAVENPAW—sleek black cat that lives on the farm with Barley

CODY—a tabby kittypet with blue eyes

SASHA—a tawny-colored rogue she-cat

OTHER ANIMALS

MIDNIGHT—a star-gazing badger who lives by the sea

Map

Prologue

Stars glittered coldly on a forest stripped bare by a bitter leaf-fall.

Shadows moved through the undergrowth—thin shapes, fur flattened by the chilly evening dew, slipping between the stems like water through reeds. The cats’ pelts did not ripple with muscle as they once had; instead, their fur clung to the bones beneath their thin frames.

The flame-colored tom leading the silent procession lifted his head and tasted the air. Even though nightfall had silenced the Twoleg monsters, their stench clung to every dying leaf and branch.

The cat took comfort from the scent of his mate beside him; her familiar scent mingled with the hateful Twoleg odor and softened its cruel tang. She matched his pace stubbornly, even though her faltering stride betrayed her long-empty belly and wakeful nights.

“Firestar,” she panted as they padded onward. “Do you think our daughters will find us when they come home?”