(Prologue at the end of allegiances.)

Cedarclan

Leader – Blizzardstar – huge white tom with dark blue eyes

Deputy – Whiteshade – white tom with black tabby markings and amber eyes

Apprentice – Fraypaw – solid dark gray tom with gray eyes

Medicine Cat – Plumleaf – plump pale gray she-cat with kindly brown eyes

Apprentice – Petalpaw – tabby she-cat with white chest and paws

Warriors –

Shadowgrove – large black and white tom

Elkheart – sturdy dark brown tabby tom

Sweetsorrel – tabby she-cat with white paws

Cloudspots – white and gray tom

Apprentice – Morningpaw – pretty calico she-cat

Brushfire – ginger she-cat with bushy tail

Blackmoth – black she-cat with green eyes

Apprentice – Dawnpaw – seal point Siamese (formerly a kittypet)

Swiftwing – black and white tom with long legs

Apprentice – Hawkpaw – dark tabby tom with gray eyes

Falconstorm – dark tabby tom with powerful shoulders

Kestrelfeather – brownish red tom

Apprentice – Heronpaw – black and smoky gray tom with yellow eyes

Ferntail – gray and white patched she-cat with a long curly tail

Talonscore – heavily scarred ginger tom

Apprentice – Crowpaw – black tom with blue eyes

Stonepelt – gray tabby tom

Apprentice – Specklepaw – speckled gray and white she-cat

Runningriver – slim silver tabby she-cat

Slatefoot – strong dark gray tabby tom with black markings

Cherrynose – tortoiseshell she-cat

Queens –

Honeyleaf – cream colored she-cat with blue eyes

Mother to Swiftwing's kits; Wolfkit (gray tom) and Cyotekit (black and cream tom)

Quailstep – soft furred gray she-cat

Expecting Talonscore's kits

Spottedfur – dappled brown she-cat with white chest

Oldest nursery queen; stays to help take care of nursing and expecting queens

Elders –

Beepelt – striped gray and black tom

Foxtail – ginger she-cat with white tail tip

Hollowtree – dark tabby tom with large paws

Willowclan

Leader – Cougarstar – sandy brown she-cat with black paws

Deputy – Owlears – brown she-cat with tufty ears

Medicine Cat – Minnowflash – very small silver she-cat

Warriors –

Fogpelt – huge white tom

Apprentice – Beetlepaw – black tom

Iristail – calico she-cat with striking green eyes

Twistedroot – large tabby tom with twisted tail

Apprentice – Sorrelpaw – small calico she-cat

Ripplepelt – black and gray tabby she-cat

Yarrowfang – black tom with yellow eyes

Lightfoot – pale tabby she-cat

Cheetahspot – spotted tabby she-cat

Tigerfang – dark tabby tom with dark stripes

Breezeflight – white and gray tom

Apprentice – Splashpaw – gray tabby she-cat with white spots

Sootstep – dark gray tom with darker paws

Brackenheart – ginger tabby tom

Frozenpelt – white tom

Hornetsting – black and white she-cat

Apprentice – Houndpaw – large brown tom

Wingshadow – swift black tom

Sparkwhisker – pale tabby tom with white whiskers

Spottedowl – spotted she-cat with large eyes

Queens –

Flowerstream – longhaired tabby she-cat with green eyes

Mother to Fogpelt's kits; Stormkit (gray tom) and Flightkit (white and ginger she-cat)

Sparrowflight – dark tabby she-cat with white belly

Expecting Sootstep's kits

Meadowheart – light brown tabby she-cat

Expecting Sparkwhisker's kits

Elders –

Clawface – heavily scarred black tom

Bubblefur – fluffy gray she-cat

Three-foot – gray tabby tom with only three paws

Silversnow – very old silvery gray she-cat

Pineclan

Leader – Griffonstar – dark ginger she-cat with yellow eyes

Deputy – Beartooth – huge shaggy brown tom

Apprentice – Flamepaw – ginger tom

Medicine Cat – Frostglade – blind white she-cat

Apprentice – Whiteheart – ginger tabby with white chest, paws, and ringed tail

Warriors –

Icefang – white she-cat

Echogorge – large dark tabby tom

Needlefur – tabby tom

Apprentice – Graypaw – gray tabby tom

Longshadow – tall black tom with white chest and belly

Apprentice – Frostpaw – white she-cat

Sunstripe – tabby tom with white stripe down spine

Wildfang – long haired ginger tom with a snaggletooth

Apprentice – Moonpaw – long furred mottled gray she-cat

Waterwhisker – gray and white she-cat

Goldensap – pale ginger she-cat

Rainshadow – dark gray tabby tom

Apprentice – Pebblepaw – dappled gray tom

Littlerose – cream she-cat

Specklepelt – speckled she-cat

Lizardtail – brown tabby tom with thin tail

Dappleheart – White patched tabby she-cat

Stonefoot – heavy gray tom

Scarletclaw – dark ginger she-cat

Galepelt – mottled gray tom

Queens –

Cloudfeather – fluffy white she-cat

Mother to Sunstripe's kits; Poppykit (tortoiseshell she-cat), Turtlekit (brown tom), Badgerkit (black and white tom), and Downykit (fluffy white she-cat)

Elders –

Mousetail – sandy brown she-cat

Shadepelt – dark brown and black tom

Crookedstripe – tabby tom with crooked tail

Alderclan

Leader – Palestar – aged pale tabby tom with blue eyes

Deputy – Eagletalon – golden tabby tom

Medicine Cat – Finchfoot – white and yellow tom

Warriors –

Rowantail – long haired heavy set ginger tom

Mudmask – white and brown splashed tom

Skyclaw – long-legged tabby she-cat with white underbelly

Apprentice – Hornpaw – ginger tom

Riverwhisper – gray tabby she-cat

Ravenwing – sleek black she-cat

Apprentice – Flutterpaw – golden she-cat

Mossfoot – pale tabby tom

Barkpelt – mottled brown tom

Ashstorm – gray tom with fierce eyes

Nighthawk – black tom with amber eyes and one white ear

Apprentice – Coalpaw – white tom with black paws and ears

Dustyfur – pale brown long haired she-cat

Spitfang – white and black tom

Apprentice – Acornpaw – auburn tom

Snakefeather – unusually spotted gold, brown, and gray tabby tom

Daisyspring – golden she-cat with white paws

Silverwhisker – white and gray longhaired tabby she-cat

Apprentice – Mothpaw – white and brown she-cat

Queens –

Larkflight – white she-cat with light gray tabby markings

Mother to Nighthawk's kits; Jumpkit (ginger tom), Tinykit (little tabby she-cat), and Whiskerkit (long haired black and white tom with long whiskers)

Quietsong – pale tabby she-cat

Mother to Rowantail's kits; Nutkit (warm brown tom) and Sweetkit (pale ginger she-cat)

Cricketchirp – black she-cat

Expecting Barkpelt's kits

Elders –

Patchpelt – black, brown, and white tom

Creampelt - pale cream she-cat

Junipertail – ginger she-cat

Rabbitfoot – pale brown tom

Olivenose – velvety brown she-cat with lame leg

. . .

"Momma, why is Papa taking Dovekit away?"

"Dovekit is with Starclan now my darling."

"Does that mean I will never see her again?"

"No dear, it means she gets to walk with her ancestors until we come to join her."

"Can't I go there now?"

"No love. Your mother needs you here to look after your brothers. Can you do that for me?"

"Okay Momma. I promise."

"That's my little Heronkit."

The faint outline of his father's broad shoulders stood sentinel against the moon. Heronkit snuggled closer to his mother's soft fur. He could feel the cold air prick at his ears and nose, but he did not complain. He could sense the solemn mood that hung like low mist over the camp, even though he did not fully understand why. If Dovekit was only going to Starclan, a place he could come see her soon, why was everycat so sad? He pressed himself to his mother's warm flank, still puzzled by the lump in his throat. Tiredness weighed his eyelids down as he watched the moon sail high overhead. His brothers were already asleep in a tangled lump at the base of Heronkit's tail.

Unwilling to leave his grieving mother alone, Heronkit trained his yellow eyes on the small circle of stars that remained unhidden by the canopy of needles above their heads. He hoped that he could imagine their cold light into fireflies. After a few seconds, Heronkit saw something silhouetted against a cloud. Squinting, he tried to make out what it was. The shape reminded him of a cat. But how could a cat be in the sky?

Heronkit sat up a little straighter and perked his ears. He watched with an open mouth until the shape passed in front of the silver light of the moon. A beautiful white she-cat was illuminated in front of the moon, a long plumy tail trailing out behind her. Her legs were stretched out like she was in the middle of a leap, but they did not touch down. Heronkit's eyes grew huge as he watched her sail past the moon and out of sight.

"Goodbye Dovekit. See you soon." Heronkit whispered to the now empty night sky.