Erin Hunter - Sunset

LEADER

FIRESTARginger tom with a flame-colored pelt

DEPUTY

GRAYSTRIPElong-haired gray tom

MEDICINE CAT

LEAFPOOLlight brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes

WARRIORS (toms, and she-cats without kits)

DUSTPELTdark brown tabby tom

SANDSTORMpale ginger she-cat

CLOUDTAILlong-haired white tom

BRACKENFURgolden brown tabby tom

APPRENTICE, WHITEPAW

THORNCLAWgolden brown tabby tom

BRIGHTHEARTwhite she-cat with ginger patches

BRAMBLECLAWdark brown tabby tom with amber eyes

ASHFURpale gray (with darker flecks) tom, dark blue eyes

APPRENTICE, BIRCHPAW

RAINWHISKERdark gray tom with blue eyes

SQUIRRELFLIGHTdark ginger she-cat with green eyes

SPIDERLEGlong-limbed black tom with brown underbelly and amber eyes

APPRENTICES (more than six moons old, in training to become warriors)

WHITEPAWwhite she-cat with green eyes

BIRCHPAWlight brown tabby tom

QUEENS (she-cats expecting or nursing kits)

FERNCLOUDpale gray (with darker flecks) she-cat, green eyes, mother of Dustpelts kits

SORRELTAILtortoiseshell-and-white she-cat with amber eyes

DAISYcream-colored, long-furred cat from the horseplace

ELDERS (former warriors and queens, now retired)

GOLDENFLOWERpale ginger coat, the oldest nursery queen

LONGTAILpale tabby tom with dark black stripes, retired early due to failing sight

MOUSEFURsmall dusky brown she-cat

LEADER

BLACKSTARlarge white tom with huge jet-black paws

DEPUTY

RUSSETFURdark ginger she-cat

MEDICINE CAT

LITTLECLOUDvery small tabby tom

WARRIORS (toms, and she-cats without kits)

OAKFURsmall brown tom

APPRENTICE, SMOKEPAW

CEDARHEARTdark gray tom

ROWANCLAWginger tom

TAWNYPELTtortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes

QUEENS (she-cats expecting or nursing kits)

TALLPOPPYlong-legged light brown tabby she-cat

ELDERS (former warriors and queens, now retired)

BOULDERskinny gray tom

LEADER

ONESTARbrown tabby tom

DEPUTY

ASHFOOTgray she-cat

MEDICINE CAT

BARKFACEshort-tailed brown tom

WARRIORS (toms, and she-cats without kits)

TORNEARtabby tom

WEBFOOTdark gray tabby tom

CROWFEATHERdark gray tom

OWLWHISKERlight brown tabby tom

NIGHTCLOUDblack she-cat

WEASELFURginger tom with white paws

QUEENS (she-cats expecting or nursing kits)

WHITETAILsmall white she-cat

ELDERS (former warriors and queens, now retired)

MORNINGFLOWERtortoiseshell queen

RUSHTAILlight brown tom

LEADER

LEOPARDSTARunusually spotted golden tabby she-cat

DEPUTY

MISTYFOOTgray she-cat with blue eyes

MEDICINE CAT

MOTHWINGdappled golden she-cat

APPRENTICE, WILLOWPAW

WARRIORS (toms, and she-cats without kits)

BLACKCLAWsmoky black tom

APPRENTICE, BEECHPAW

HAWKFROSTdark brown tom with a white underbelly and ice-blue eyes

VOLETOOTHsmall brown tabby tom

SWALLOWTAILdark tabby she-cat

STONESTREAMgray tom

REEDWHISKERblack tom

APPRENTICE, RIPPLEPAW

QUEENS (she-cats expecting or nursing kits)

MOSSPELTtortoiseshell she-cat with blue eyes

DAWNFLOWERpale gray she-cat

ELDERS (former warriors and queens, now retired)

HEAVYSTEPthickset tabby tom

BROOK WHERE SMALL FISH SWIM (BROOK)brown tabby she-cat

STORMFURdark gray tom with amber eyes

SMOKYmuscular gray and white tom who lives in a barn at the horseplace

FLOSSsmall gray and white she-cat who lives at the horseplace

PIPblack and white terrier who lives with Twolegs near the horseplace

MIDNIGHTa stargazing badger who lives by the sea

Night lay heavily over the forest. No wind stirred the long grass at the edge of the path where a massive tabby cat stalked through the shadows. He paused, ears pricked, amber eyes narrowed. No moon or stars shone in the sky above his head but tree trunks thick with fungus shed an eerie glow on the bare earth beneath his paws.

The huge tom opened his jaws to draw in air, though he did not expect to taste the scent of prey. He knew that the twitching of the ferns meant nothing, and the flickering scraps of darkness that he could see from the corner of his eye would vanish like mist if he pounced on them. There was no hunger in this place, but he longed for the sensation of claws sinking into prey and the first warm bite of fresh-kill after a successful hunt.

The fur on his neck and shoulders rose as a new scent drifted toward him: the scent of cat, but not the two he had met here before. This was a different cat, a cat he knew from long ago. He stalked forward, following the scent, until the trees thinned out and he stood at the edge of a clearing washed by sickly light. The other cat came bounding across the open space to meet him, ears flattened and eyes wild with terror.

Tigerstar! he gasped, sliding to a halt and cowering to the ground. Where did you come from? I thought I was alone here.

Get up, Darkstripe. The tabby toms voice was a rumble of disgust. Stop cringing like a terrified kit.

Darkstripe rose to his paws and gave his fur a couple of quick licks. Once sleek like a well-fed fish, his pelt was now thin and tangled with burrs. I dont understand this place, he meowed. Where are we? Where are StarClan?

StarClan do not walk here.

Darkstripes eyes stretched wide. Why not? And why is it always dark here? Where is the moon? A shiver ran through him. I thought we would be hunting across the sky with our warrior ancestors, and watching over our Clanmates.

Tigerstar let out a faint hiss. That way is not for us. But I dont need starlight to follow my path. If StarClan think they can forget about us, theyre wrong.

He turned his back on Darkstripe, shouldering his way through the ferns without waiting to see whether the other cat followed him or not.

Wait, Darkstripe panted, scrambling after him. Tell me what you mean.

The massive tabby glanced back, his amber eyes reflecting the pale light. Firestar thought he won when Scourge took my nine lives. He is a fool. What lies between us is not over yet.

But what can you do to Firestar now? Darkstripe protested. You cant leave this forest. I knowIve tried.

But however far I walk, the trees never end, and theres no light anywhere.

Tigerstar did not reply at once. He padded on through the undergrowth with Darkstripe following close behind. The smaller cat started at every rustle among the ferns and every flickering shadow that fell across his path. Once he halted, eyes staring, jaws open to taste the air.

I can scent Brokenstar! he exclaimed. Is he here too?

Brokenstar, where are you?

Tigerstar stopped and looked back. Save your breath.