Warriors
Power of Three
Long Shadows
Erin Hunter
Dedicated to the memory of
Jimmy, Dana, and Emmy Grace Cherry
Contents
Allegiances
Maps
Prologue
Wind swept across bleak moorland, carrying with it flurries of…
Chapter 1
The moon was huge, a golden circle resting on a…
Chapter 2
Jaypaw slid into the nursery with a bunch of catmint…
Chapter 3
A scarlet leaf spiraled lazily down from a branch above…
Chapter 4
Jaypaw turned away from counting poppy heads when he heard…
Chapter 5
Jaypaw slid out through the thorn tunnel and stalked into…
Chapter 6
The sound of coughing woke Hollyleaf. Raising her head, she…
Chapter 7
From the corner of his eye, Lionblaze spotted movement on…
Chapter 8
Every hair on Dawnpaw’s pelt was quivering. “This is like…
Chapter 9
Lionblaze and Jaypaw crouched with the two remaining apprentices in…
Chapter 10
Hollyleaf leaped, sinking her claws into the vole and dispatching…
Chapter 11
Jaypaw let out a sneeze as dust from the dried…
Chapter 12
Leafpool let out a yelp of horror. “I’m coming!” She…
Chapter 13
Lionblaze felt cool grass brushing his belly fur as he…
Chapter 14
Every muscle in Jaypaw’s body was yowling with exhaustion as…
Chapter 15
Jaypaw forced his legs to carry him forward to the…
Chapter 16
Scent tickled Jaypaw’s nose. Mouse! His belly growled, and his…
Chapter 17
By the time Jaypaw was full, there was still quite…
Chapter 18
A gasp like the wind in the trees rose from…
Chapter 19
Lionblaze woke to the sound of coughing. For a moment…
Chapter 20
As soon as Lionblaze had caught more prey, he headed…
Chapter 21
Jaypaw delivered more tansy to the flat rock outside the…
Chapter 22
Gray-green clouds hung low over the forest and the air…
Chapter 23
The noise of the storm and the fire faded and…
Chapter 24
On the morning after the storm, Lionblaze was chosen for…
Chapter 25
Jayfeather curled up in his nest in the medicine cats’…
Chapter 26
It was the afternoon before the Gathering. Hollyleaf felt as…
Chapter 27
Lionblaze dug his claws into the bank of the stream,…
Chapter 28
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Other Books by Erin Hunter
Credits
Copyright
About the Publisher
ALLEGIANCES
THUNDERCLAN
LEADER
FIRESTAR— ginger tom with a flame-colored pelt
DEPUTY
BRAMBLECLAW—dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes
MEDICINE CAT
LEAFPOOL—light brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes
APPRENTICE, JAYPAW
WARRIORS
(toms, and she-cats without kits)
SQUIRRELFLIGHT—dark ginger she-cat with green eyes
APPRENTICE, FOXPAW
DUSTPELT—dark brown tabby tom
SANDSTORM—pale ginger she-cat with green eyes
CLOUDTAIL—long-haired white tom with blue eyes
BRACKENFUR—golden brown tabby tom
SORRELTAIL—tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat with amber eyes
THORNCLAW—golden brown tabby tom
BRIGHTHEART—white she-cat with ginger patches
ASHFUR—pale gray (with darker flecks) tom with dark blue eyes
SPIDERLEG—long-limbed black tom with brown underbelly and amber eyes
WHITEWING—white she-cat with green eyes APPRENTICE, ICEPAW
BIRCHFALL—light brown tabby tom
GRAYSTRIPE—long-haired gray tom
BERRYNOSE—cream-colored tom
HAZELTAIL—small gray-and-white she-cat
MOUSEWHISKER—gray-and-white tom
LIONBLAZE—golden tabby tom with amber eyes
HOLLYLEAF—black she-cat with green eyes
CINDERHEART—gray tabby she-cat
POPPYFROST—tortoiseshell she-cat
HONEYFERN—light brown tabby she-cat
APPRENTICES
(more than six moons old, in training to become warriors)
JAYPAW—gray tabby tom
FOXPAW—reddish tabby tom
ICEPAW—white she-cat
QUEENS
(she-cats expecting or nursing kits)
FERNCLOUD— pale gray (with darker flecks) she-cat with green eyes
DAISY—cream long-furred cat from the horseplace, mother of Spiderleg’s kits: Rosekit (dark cream she-cat) and Toadkit (black-and-white tom)
MILLIE—striped gray tabby she-cat, former kittypet, mother of Graystripe’s kits: Briarkit (dark brown she-cat), Bumblekit (very pale gray tom with black stripes), and Blossomkit (pale brown she-cat with a dark stripe along her spine)
ELDERS
(former warriors and queens, now retired)
LONGTAIL—pale tabby tom with dark black stripes, retired early due to failing sight
MOUSEFUR—small dusky brown she-cat
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
ROWANCLAW—ginger tom
SMOKEFOOT—black tom
APPRENTICE, OWLPAW
IVYTAIL—black, white, and tortoiseshell she-cat
TOADFOOT—dark brown tom
CROWFROST—black-and-white tom
APPRENTICE, OLIVEPAW
KINKFUR—tabby she-cat, with long fur that sticks out at all angles
RATSCAR—brown tom with long scar across his back
APPRENTICE, SHREWPAW
SNAKETAIL—dark brown tom with tabby-striped tail
APPRENTICE, SCORCHPAW
WHITEWATER—white she-cat with long fur, blind in one eye
APPRENTICE, REDPAW
QUEENS
TAWNYPELT—tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes (mother of Rowanclaw’s kits, Tigerkit, Flamekit, and Dawnkit)
SNOWBIRD—pure white she-cat
ELDERS
CEDARHEART—dark gray tom
TALLPOPPY—long-legged light brown tabby she-cat
WINDCLAN
LEADER
ONESTAR—brown tabby tom
DEPUTY
ASHFOOT—gray she-cat
MEDICINE CAT
BARKFACE—short-tailed brown tom
APPRENTICE, KESTRELPAW
WARRIORS
TORNEAR—tabby tom
CROWFEATHER—dark gray tom
APPRENTICE, HEATHERPAW
OWLWHISKER—light brown tabby tom
WHITETAIL—small white she-cat
APPRENTICE, BREEZEPAW
NIGHTCLOUD—black she-cat
GORSETAIL—very pale gray-and-white cat with blue eyes.
WEASELFUR—ginger tom with white paws
HARESPRING—brown-and-white tom
LEAFTAIL—dark tabby tom with amber eyes
DEWSPOTS—spotted gray tabby she-cat
WILLOWCLAW—gray she-cat
APPRENTICE, SWALLOWPAW
ANTPELT—brown tom with one black ear
EMBERFOOT—gray tom with two dark paws
APPRENTICE, SUNPAW
ELDERS
MORNINGFLOWER—very old tortoiseshell queen
WEBFOOT—dark gray tabby tom
RIVERCLAN
LEADER
LEOPARDSTAR—unusually spotted golden tabby she-cat
DEPUTY
MISTYFOOT—gray she-cat with blue eyes
MEDICINE CAT
MOTHWING—dappled golden she-cat
APPRENTICE, WILLOWSHINE
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
APPRENTICE, MALLOWPAW
GRAYMIST—pale gray tabby
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
APPRENTICE, SNEEZEPAW
PINEFUR—very short-haired tabby she-cat
APPRENTICE, ROBINPAW
RAINSTORM—mottled gray-blue tom
DUSKFUR—brown tabby she-cat
APPRENTICE, COPPERPAW
QUEENS
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 ANCIENTS
LEADER
FURLED BRACKEN—dark ginger tabby tom with amber eyes
SHARPCLAWS
BROKEN SHADOW—slender orange she-cat with white paws and amber eyes
SHY FAWN—dusty brown she-cat with amber eyes
WHISPERING BREEZE—silver-gray she-cat with blue eyes
DAWN RIVER—tortoiseshell she-cat with amber eyes
STONE SONG—dark gray tabby tom with blue eyes
DARK WHISKERS—large black thick-furred tom
CHASING CLOUDS—gray-and-white tom with blue eyes
JAGGED LIGHTNING—black-and-white tom with amber eyes
CATS IN TRAINING TO BE SHARPCLAWS
JAY’S WING—gray tabby tom with blue eyes
DOVE’S WING—pale gray she-cat with blue eyes
HALF MOON—white she-cat with green eyes
FISH LEAP—brown tabby tom with amber eyes
QUEENS
RISING MOON—gray-and-white she-cat with blue eyes
OWL FEATHER—wiry brown she-cat with yellow eyes
ELDERS
CLOUDY SUN—pale ginger she-cat with green eyes
RUNNING HORSE—dark brown tom with yellow eyes
CATS OUTSIDE CLANS
SOL—white-and-brown tabby long-haired tom with pale yellow eyes
OTHER ANIMALS
MIDNIGHT—a stargazing badger who lives by the sea
Maps
PROLOGUE
Wind swept across bleak moorland, carrying with it flurries of rain. The tough grass was sodden and water had burst the banks of a stream, spreading out in a wide pool; its surface bubbled as raindrops splashed into it.
At the edge of the pool a badger crouched, apparently oblivious to the icy wind and rain. For a long time she gazed into the water as if she could see something there, beyond the broken reflection of gray cloud; then she raised her head and looked around.
“I have come,” she announced.
A black she-cat emerged from behind an outcrop of rocks. She was barely more than a shadow; starlight flickered at her paws. She was followed by a silvery gray tom whose green eyes stretched wide as he approached the badger. The starlight that shone around him made him seem a cat formed out of rain.
“Why are we here?” The silver tom’s voice was hoarse, as if he hadn’t used it for a long time. “On a day like this we should be curled up in a warm den.”
“True, River,” the black she-cat meowed. “Whose idea was it to drag us out here in weather not even fit for foxes?”
“Mine.” A third cat appeared from behind a gorse bush, a broad-shouldered ginger tom with white paws. Starlight gleamed in his amber eyes, yet he seemed as insubstantial as a flame. “As you know very well, Shadow. We have to meet.”
Shadow snorted. “I don’t have to do anything you tell me, Thunder.”
Thunder dipped his head. “Of course not. But we have been summoned by the danger to our Clans. They are on the brink of being lost forever—and it’s your fault, Midnight.” His voice sharpened.
Before Midnight could reply, River spoke. “Where is Wind? We can’t discuss this without her.”
“I’m here.” The voice came from farther up the stream. The wiry brown she-cat was barely visible against the drenched moorland grass; only the shimmer of silvery light around her revealed her outline. She sprang down the slope toward the pool, her paws scarcely touching the ground. “Why are you all huddling here like lost kits?” she asked, a hint of mockery in her tone. “It’s only a bit of rain and wind.”
Shadow opened her jaws, but Thunder interrupted her. “We’re not all used to living in the open, Wind. But that doesn’t matter now. We need to know why Midnight has revealed the secrets of the Clans.”
“But why us?” River complained, shivering. “There are younger cats than us in StarClan. Why call us back from the very beginning?”
Wind nodded. “Haven’t we done enough? We formed the Clans and guided them through their first seasons. They have owed us a debt in all the moons since we walked the forest.”
“We must still watch over our Clans,” Thunder murmured. “This is a danger like none they have ever faced before.” He turned to the badger. “Midnight, why did you tell our secrets?”
“Yes, and tell them to that mange-ridden, crow-food-eating loner?” Shadow spat, tearing at the grass with her claws. “My Clan have abandoned their warrior ancestors since he forced his way among them.”
“On sandy cliffs I met Sol,” Midnight began calmly. “First time of meeting, that was.”
“And do you give away secrets to every stranger who happens to pad by?” Wind growled.
“Can’t you see that you gave him power over the Clans when you told him so much about us?” Thunder pressed.
“Knowledge not always power,” Midnight replied. “Clans not need secrecy to protect themselves. Rogues and loners stay away; they know Clan life is not for them.”