Erin Hunter
Crowfeather's Trial
Dedication
Special thanks to Cherith Baldry
Allegiances WINDCLAN LEADER ONESTAR—brown tabby tom DEPUTY HARESPRING—brown-and-white tom APPRENTICE, SLIGHTPAW (black tom with flash of white on his chest) MEDICINE CAT KESTRELFLIGHT—mottled gray tom WARRIORS (toms and she-cats without kits) CROWFEATHER—dark gray tom APPRENTICE, FEATHERPAW (gray tabby she-cat) NIGHTCLOUD—black she-cat APPRENTICE, HOOTPAW (dark gray tom) GORSETAIL—very pale gray-and-white she-cat with blue eyes WEASELFUR—ginger tom with white paws LEAFTAIL—dark tabby tom with amber eyes APPRENTICE, OATPAW (pale brown tabby tom) EMBERFOOT—gray tom with two dark paws HEATHERTAIL—light brown tabby she-cat with blue eyes BREEZEPELT—black tom with amber eyes FURZEPELT—gray-and-white she-cat CROUCHFOOT—ginger tom LARKWING—pale brown tabby she-cat SEDGEWHISKER—light brown tabby she-cat ELDERS (former warriors and queens, now retired) WHISKERNOSE—light brown tom WHITETAIL—small white she-cat THUNDERCLAN LEADER BRAMBLESTAR—dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes DEPUTY SQUIRRELFLIGHT—dark ginger she-cat with green eyes MEDICINE CATS JAYFEATHER—gray tabby tom with blind blue eyes LEAFPOOL—light brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes WARRIORS GRAYSTRIPE—long-haired gray tom DUSTPELT—dark brown tabby tom SANDSTORM—pale ginger she-cat with green eyes BRACKENFUR—golden-brown tabby tom CLOUDTAIL—long-haired white tom with blue eyes MILLIE—striped gray tabby she-cat with blue eyes THORNCLAW—golden-brown tabby tom SPIDERLEG—long-limbed black tom with brown underbelly and amber eyes BIRCHFALL—light brown tabby tom WHITEWING—white she-cat with green eyes APPRENTICE, CHERRYPAW (ginger she-cat) BERRYNOSE—cream-colored tom MOUSEWHISKER—gray-and-white tom CINDERHEART—gray tabby she-cat IVYPOOL—silver-and-white tabby she-cat with dark blue eyes LIONBLAZE—golden tabby tom with amber eyes DOVEWING—pale gray she-cat with green eyes ROSEPETAL—dark cream she-cat APPRENTICE, MOLEPAW (brown-and-cream tom) POPPYFROST—tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat APPRENTICE, LILYPAW (tabby she-cat with white patches) BRIARLIGHT—dark brown she-cat, paralyzed in her hindquarters BLOSSOMFALL—tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat BUMBLESTRIPE—very pale gray tom with black stripes APPRENTICE, SEEDPAW (golden-brown she-cat) QUEENS BRIGHTHEART—white she-cat with ginger patches (mother to Snowkit, a fluffy white tom-kit; Amberkit, a pale ginger she-kit; and Dewkit, a gray-and-white tom-kit) DAISY—cream, long-furred cat from the horseplace ELDERS PURDY—plump tabby, former loner with a gray muzzle SHADOWCLAN LEADER BLACKSTAR—large white tom with jet-black forepaws DEPUTY ROWANCLAW—ginger tom MEDICINE CAT LITTLECLOUD—very small brown tabby tom WARRIORS CROWFROST—black-and-white tom TAWNYPELT—tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes APPRENTICE, GRASSPAW (pale brown tabby she-cat) OWLCLAW—light brown tabby tom SCORCHFUR—dark gray tom TIGERHEART—dark brown tabby tom FERRETCLAW—cream-and-gray tom APPRENTICE, SPIKEPAW (dark brown tom) PINENOSE—black she-cat STOATFUR—skinny ginger tom POUNCETAIL—brown tabby tom QUEENS SNOWBIRD—pure-white she-cat DAWNPELT—cream-furred she-cat ELDERS SNAKETAIL—dark brown tom with tabby-striped tail WHITEWATER—white she-cat with long fur, blind in one eye RATSCAR—brown tom with long scar across his back OAKFUR—small brown tom SMOKEFOOT—black tom KINKFUR—dark gray tabby she-cat with long fur that sticks out at all angles IVYTAIL—black, white, and tortoiseshell she-cat RIVERCLAN LEADER MISTYSTAR—gray she-cat with blue eyes DEPUTY REEDWHISKER—black tom APPRENTICE, LIZARDPAW (light brown tom) MEDICINE CATS MOTHWING—dappled golden she-cat WILLOWSHINE—gray tabby she-cat WARRIORS MINTFUR—light gray tabby tom MINNOWTAIL—dark gray-and-white she-cat MALLOWNOSE—light brown tabby tom APPRENTICE, HAVENPAW (black-and-white she-cat) GRASSPELT—light brown tom DUSKFUR—brown tabby she-cat MOSSPELT—tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat with blue eyes APPRENTICE, PERCHPAW (gray-and-white she-cat) SHIMMERPELT—silver she-cat LAKEHEART—gray tabby she-cat HERONWING—dark gray-and-black tom ICEWING—white she-cat with blue eyes QUEENS PETALFUR—gray-and-white she-cat ELDERS POUNCETAIL—ginger-and-white tabby tom PEBBLEFOOT—mottled gray tom RUSHTAIL—light brown tabby she-cat
Maps
Prologue
Crowpaw pressed himself back into the crevice. He winced at the sharp points of rock jabbing into his fur; they told him the space was too shallow to shelter him. He let out a cry of terror as he gazed up at the looming head and shoulders of Sharptooth, the huge lion-cat. Sharptooth stooped over him, scraping at the rock with one paw’s massive talons. Moonlight filtering through the waterfall cast a glow on his face, showing Crowpaw lips drawn back in a cruel snarl, curved fangs, and jaws dripping with drool. Sharptooth’s rancid breath swept over Crowpaw, and his eyes glared down, savage with hunger.
I can’t believe I’m going to die like this! Crowpaw thought desperately. Not after all we’ve been through! We’ve left our homes, traveled so far, and faced so many dangers. We met the badger Midnight and discovered a new destiny for our Clans. I want to be part of that… I want to be part of our future! But now it’s over…
Crowpaw could hear the wailing of the Tribe cats and see skinny forms perched on ledges high above the cave floor in shades of gray and brown. His panicked gaze sought out Feathertail, and his heart warmed when he spotted her gray pelt. She was crouching beside her brother, Stormfur, on a ledge just under the roof.
She is so beautiful! I don’t want to die before I have the chance to…
Then, somehow, above the terrified cries of the other cats and the snarling of Sharptooth, Crowpaw heard Feathertail.
“I can hear the voices clearly now,” she meowed. “This is for me to do.”