Chapters (35)

LEADER	LEOPARDSTAR—unusually spotted golden tabby she-cat
DEPUTY	MISTYFOOT—gray she-cat with blue eyes
MEDICINE CAT	MOTHWING—dappled golden she-cat
	APPRENTICE, WILLOWPAW
WARRIORS	BLACKCLAW—smoky black tom
	VOLETOOTH—small brown tabby tom
	APPRENTICE, MINNOWPAW
	REEDWHISKER—black tom
	MOSSPELT—tortoiseshell she-cat with blue eyes
	APPRENTICE, PEBBLEPAW
	BEECHFUR—light brown tom
	RIPPLETAIL—dark gray tabby tom
	DAWNFLOWER—pale gray she-cat
	DAPPLENOSE—mottled gray she-cat
	POUNCETAIL—ginger-and-white tom
	MINTFUR—light gray tabby tom
	APPRENTICE, NETTLEPAW
	OTTERHEART—dark brown she-cat
	PINEFUR—very short-haired tabby she-cat
	APPRENTICE, ROBINPAW
	RAINSTORM—mottled gray-blue tom
	DUSKFUR—brown tabby she-cat
	APPRENTICE, COPPERPAW
QUEENS	GRAYMIST—pale gray tabby, mother of Sneezekit and Mallowkit
	ICEWING—white cat with blue eyes, mother of Beetlekit, Pricklekit, Petalkit, and Grasskit
ELDERS	HEAVYSTEP—thickset tabby tom
	SWALLOWTAIL—dark tabby she-cat
	STONESTREAM—gray tom

THE TRIBE OF RUSHING WATER

PREY-HUNTERS	(toms and she-cats responsible for providing food)
	BROOK WHERE SMALL FISH SWIM (BROOK)—brown tabby she-cat
	STORMFUR—dark gray tom with amber eyes, formerly of RiverClan

CATS OUTSIDE CLANS

SOL—brown-and-tortoiseshell long-haired tom with pale yellow eyes

MAPS

PROLOGUE

The forest shimmered in bright sunshine, the undergrowth rustling with prey. Beneath an ash tree, a black tom stretched and let the sun slanting through the branches bathe his belly. With a purr, he lapped at his chest, paws curling in contentment.

Suddenly a tortoiseshell darted out of a bush and hurtled past him. The tom rolled onto his flank and called after her: “Mouse?”

“About to be fresh-kill!” the tortoiseshell answered. She plunged through a wall of ferns and disappeared into the greenery, her white-tipped tail whisking behind her.

Beyond the ferns, the forest floor sloped down into a grassy glade. At the bottom, a dark gray she-cat gnawed at a tick lodged at the base of her tail. She grumbled to herself as she tugged at the fat bug, then stopped and looked up the slope. The ferns at the top were shivering.

“Got you!” A triumphant mew rang out; then the ferns shivered again, harder than before, and the tortoiseshell popped out with a mouse hanging from her jaws. She blinked at the gray she-cat. “Hi, Yellowfang!”

“Good morning, Spottedleaf,” Yellowfang called back. “A good day for hunting.”

“The hunting’s always good here.” With a flick of her head, Spottedleaf tossed the fresh-kill down to Yellowfang before bounding after it.

Yellowfang sniffed at the fresh-kill and jerked backward. She rubbed her paw against her broad, flat muzzle as the dark shadow of a flea scuttled across her nose. “I thought these hunting grounds would be safe from fleas!”

“You probably brought them with you.” Spottedleaf narrowed her eyes at Yellowfang’s matted pelt. “When will you learn to groom yourself?” She leaned forward and began to lap at a large knot of fur on her Clanmate’s shoulder.

“When you stop trying to take care of every cat,” Yellowfang muttered.

A voice sounded at the top of the slope. “I can’t imagine that ever happening.”