Warriors
Rising Storm
Erin Hunter
To Denise—this is as close to a song as I could get
Special thanks to Kate Cary
LEADER
BLUESTAR—blue-gray she-cat, tinged with silver around her muzzle
DEPUTY
FIREHEART—handsome ginger tom
APPRENTICE, CLOUDPAW
MEDICINE CAT
YELLOWFANG—old dark gray she-cat with a broad, flattened face, formerly of ShadowClan
APPRENTICE, CINDERPELT—dark gray she-cat
WARRIORS (toms, and she-cats without kits)
WHITESTORM—big white tom
APPRENTICE, BRIGHTPAW
DARKSTRIPE—sleek black-and-gray tabby tom
APPRENTICE, FERNPAW
LONGTAIL—pale tabby tom with dark black stripes
APPRENTICE, SWIFTPAW
RUNNINGWIND—swift tabby tom
MOUSEFUR—small dusky-brown she-cat
APPRENTICE, THORNPAW
BRACKENFUR—golden-brown tabby tom
DUSTPELT—dark brown tabby tom
APPRENTICE, ASHPAW
SANDSTORM—pale ginger she-cat
APPRENTICES (more than six moons old, in training to become warriors)
SWIFTPAW—black-and-white tom
CLOUDPAW—long-haired white tom
BRIGHTPAW—she-cat, white with ginger splotches
THORNPAW—golden-brown tabby tom
FERNPAW—pale gray with darker flecks, she-cat, pale green eyes
ASHPAW—pale gray with darker flecks, tom, dark blue eyes
QUEENS (she-cats expecting or nursing kits)
FROSTFUR—beautiful white coat and blue eyes
BRINDLEFACE—pretty tabby
GOLDENFLOWER—pale ginger coat
SPECKLETAIL—pale tabby, and the oldest nursery queen
WILLOWPELT—very pale gray she-cat with unusual blue eyes
ELDERS (former warriors and queens, now retired)
HALFTAIL—big dark brown tabby tom with part of his tail missing
SMALLEAR—gray tom with very small ears; the oldest tom in ThunderClan
PATCHPELT—small black-and-white tom
ONE-EYE—pale gray she-cat, the oldest cat in ThunderClan; virtually blind and deaf
DAPPLETAIL—once-pretty tortoiseshell she-cat with a lovely dappled coat
LEADER
NIGHTSTAR—old black tom
DEPUTY
CINDERFUR—thin gray tom
MEDICINE CAT
RUNNINGNOSE—small gray-and-white tom
WARRIORS
STUMPYTAIL—brown tabby tom
APPRENTICE, BROWNPAW
WETFOOT—gray tabby tom
APPRENTICE, OAKPAW
LITTLECLOUD—very small tabby tom
WHITETHROAT—black tom with white chest and paws
QUEENS
DAWNCLOUD—small tabby
DARKFLOWER—black she-cat
TALLPOPPY—long-legged light brown tabby she-cat
LEADER
TALLSTAR—black-and-white tom with a very long tail
DEPUTY
DEADFOOT—black tom with a twisted paw
MEDICINE CAT
BARKFACE—short-tailed brown tom
WARRIORS
MUDCLAW—mottled dark brown tom
APPRENTICE, WEBPAW
TORNEAR—tabby tom
APPRENTICE, TAWNYPAW
ONEWHISKER—brown tabby tom
APPRENTICE, WHITEPAW
RUNNINGBROOK—light gray tabby she-cat
QUEENS
ASHFOOT—gray queen
MORNINGFLOWER—tortoiseshell queen
LEADER
CROOKEDSTAR—huge light-colored tabby with a twisted jaw
DEPUTY
LEOPARDFUR—unusually spotted golden tabby she-cat
MEDICINE CAT
MUDFUR—long-haired light brown tom
WARRIORS
BLACKCLAW—smoky black tom
APPRENTICE, HEAVYPAW
STONEFUR—gray tom with battle-scarred ears
APPRENTICE, SHADEPAW
LOUDBELLY—dark brown tom
GRAYSTRIPE—long-haired gray tom, formerly of ThunderClan
QUEENS
MISTYFOOT—dark gray she-cat
MOSSPELT—tortoiseshell she-cat
ELDERS
GRAYPOOL—thin gray she-cat with patchy fur and a scarred muzzle
BARLEY—black-and-white tom that lives on a farm close to the forest
BLACKFOOT—large white tom with huge jet-black paws, formerly ShadowClan deputy
BOULDER—silver tabby tom, formerly of ShadowClan
PRINCESS—light brown tabby with a distinctive white chest and paws; a kittypet
RAVENPAW—sleek black cat who lives on the farm with Barley
SMUDGE—plump, friendly black-and-white kitten who lives in a house at the edge of the forest; a kittypet
TIGERCLAW—big dark brown tabby tom with unusually long front claws, formerly of ThunderClan
An agonized groan echoed across the moon-bleached floor of a forest clearing. Two cats crouched in the shadows under one of the bushes at the edge. One of them writhed in pain, lashing his long tail. The other cat raised himself to his paws and bowed his head. He had been a medicine cat for many long moons, and yet he could only watch helplessly as the leader of his Clan was overpowered by the sickness that had already claimed so many lives. He knew of no herb that would ease the cramps and fever this sickness brought, and his patchy gray fur bristled with frustration as the leader convulsed again and then fell exhausted into the moss-lined nest. Fearfully, the medicine cat leaned forward and sniffed. There was still breath in the leader’s body, but it was foul and shallow, and the tom’s thin flanks heaved with every gasp.
A screech ripped through the woods. Not a cat this time, but an owl. The medicine cat stiffened. Owls brought death to the forest, stealing prey and even kits that had strayed too far from their mothers. The medicine cat raised beseeching eyes to the sky, praying to the spirits of his warrior ancestors that the owl’s call was not an ill omen. He stared through the branches that formed the roof of the den, searching the dark sky for Silverpelt. But the swathe of stars where StarClan lived was hidden by clouds, and the medicine cat shivered with fear. Had their warrior ancestors abandoned them to the sickness that ravaged the camp?
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