Rising Storm

Warriors Rising Storm Erin Hunter

To Denise—this is as close to a song as I could get

Special thanks to Kate Cary

Allegiances

THUNDERCLAN

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

SHADOWCLAN

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

WINDCLAN

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

RIVERCLAN

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

CATS OUTSIDE CLAWNS

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

Maps

Prologue

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?