Warriors (novel series)

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The Prophecies Begin

Into the Wild

• Smudge: You're not going to go into the woods, are you?
  Rusty: Just for a look.
  Smudge: You wouldn't get me in there. It's dangerous! Henry said he went into the woods once.
  Rusty: That fat old tabby never went into the woods! He's hardly been beyond his own garden since his trip to the vet. All he wants to do is eat and sleep.
  Smudge: No, really. He caught a robin there!
  Rusty: "Well, if he did, then it was before the vet. Now he complains about the birds because they disturb his dozing.

Graypaw (hissing to Firepaw under his breath) Now Darkstripe is neither young, nor pretty.

Tigerclaw: (growling) Warriors suffer their pain quietly.

• Darkstripe: But the Clan cannot support Yellowfang. We have too many mouths to feed already.
  Graypaw: (whispering to Firepaw) Yeah! And some of them are bigger than others!

• Firepaw: What on earth did you do to please Tigerclaw - fly?

• Greypaw: Well, I'm more lopsided than a one-legged badger. I think I shall just have to settle for hunting stupid mice. They won't stand a chance. I shall just walk up to them and sit on them till they surrender.

• Tigerclaw: Keep your rear down, Ravenpaw, you look like a duck!"

• Lionheart You speak from your heart, young Firepaw. This will make you a stronger warrior one day.
  Tigerclaw (growling) Or it might make him give in to kittypet weakness right at the moment of attack”

Fire and Ice

• Graystripe: If [Cloudkit] carries Fireheart's blood, [he'll] make a good Clan cat.
  Darkstripe: Yeah, Graystripe! How do you know Fireheart has worthy blood of ThunderClan? Did you taste it last night when you tried to take a chunk out of his leg?

• Cinderpaw: I'm never going to be a warrior, am I?

• Cinderpaw: I knew it really, it's just that sometimes I dream about being in the forest, hunting with Brackenpaw, and then I wake up and the pain in my leg reminds me I'll never hunt again. It feels too much to bear. I have to pretend that maybe, one day, I'll be able to hunt.

• Silverstream: You mouse-brain! What are you doing in my territory?
  Graystripe: ...Drowning?
  Silverstream: Can't you drown in your own territory?!
  Graystripe: Ah, but who would rescue me there?

• Graystripe: Stay out of it, will you? I'm going to keep on seeing [Silverstream], whatever you do or say.

• Graystripe: I hope he has them chasing blue squirrels all day!
  Fireheart: But there aren't any blue squirrels.
  Graystripe: Precisely!"

• Yellowfang: That this is Bluestar's final life? Yes, I know. A medicine cat can tell such things.

Forest of Secrets

• Graystripe: Silverstream is having her kits, but it's all gone wrong! She's bleeding so much, and...oh, Silverstream!

• Narrative: Fireheart picked up the kit with his teeth, and left Graystripe beside the cat he had loved more than his Clan, more than honor, more than life itself.

• Dustpelt: I looked up to you. I wanted to be like you. But Redtail was my mentor. I owe him more than any cat. And you killed him. You killed him and betrayed the Clan. I'd rather die than follow you!

• Graypool: Oakheart, Don't talk to me as if i'm mouse-brained. What cat would abandon her kits in the forest, especially in weather like this?

• Graystripe: Prey is scarcer than usual - Riverclan cats are starving since the twolegs moved into their territory.

Rising Storm

• Cinderpelt: Because while you're dreaming about Spottedleaf, there's another cat- a living one- right under your nose whom you should be thinking about instead.
  Fireheart: (puzzled) What are you talking about?
  Cinderpelt: Haven't you noticed?
  Fireheart: Noticed what?
  Cinderpelt: Fireheart, every cat in the Clan can see that Sandstorm is very, very fond of you!

• Tigerclaw:Are you listening, kittypet? I will kill you, and all of your warriors, one by one.

• Fireheart: Well caught, Cloudpaw. I didn't see you coming until it was too late.
  Cloudpaw: Nor did this stupid bird.

• Whitestorm: Don't forget Windclan and Shadowclan are still angry with us for sheltering Brokentail. They don't know yet that Brokentail is dead, and they might attack us again.

A Dangerous Path

• Bluestar: (dying) You will be a great leader. One of the greatest the forest has ever known. You will have the warmth of fire to protect your Clan and the fierceness of fire to defend it. You will be Firestar

The Darkest Hour

• Bramblepaw: (to Tigerstar) Join you? (hesitates)... After everything you've done? I'd rather die!

• Darkstripe: This is not my Clan. Not any longer. ThunderClan is led by a kittypet, and there's nothing left to fight for. I feel no loyalty to ThunderClan. In the whole forest, the only cat worth following is Tigerstar.

• Bluestar: We watch, but we do not interfere... If we did, would you truly be free?

• Assorted StarClan Cats: Firestar, you are wrong. There were never four Clans in the forest... There were always five.

The New Prophecy

Midnight

• Feathertail: Honestly! Do you toms do anything but argue?
  Tawnypelt: It's what they do best.
  Firestar: He's right, you know.
• Crowpaw: Just like our old home.

Moonrise

• Squirrelpaw: I've changed my mind. I don't want to be a squirrel anymore. I'd rather be a bird!

• Crowpaw: Shelter? If this is shelter, then I'm a hedgehog!
  Stormfur: You're just as prickly...

• Brook: She came. The silver cat came.
  Stormfur: No, I brought her.

• Spottedleaf:(Talking about Firestar) Oh I loved him. Maybe more than a medicine cat should of.

• Crowpaw: No! Feathertail!

• Feathertail (dying): Think you have nine lives, do you? I saved you once....Don't make me save you again.

• Narrative: And when Stormfur looked up at Silverpelt, he could have sworn he saw two silver stars--one slightly larger than than the other

• Brambleclaw: (planning on how to save Stormfur) It's all of us or none. We came on this journey together and we'll finish it together

Dawn

• Birchkit: It tastes like crow-food!
  Ferncloud: You've never eaten crow-food. Now just swallow it (herbs).

• Crowpaw: I'm not frightened of joining StarClan. The forest is dying anyway. At least in StarClan, Feathertail will be waiting for me!

• Crowpaw: I would like to choose my own warrior name. If it is alright, I wish to be known as Crowfeather. I wish to keep alive the memory of... of the cat who did not return from the first journey.

• Squirrelpaw: Oh, Brambleclaw. My heart is with ThunderClan; don't you know that? My heart is with you.

Leafpool: Destiny is not a path you blindly follow. There are still choices to be made, and sometime the heart speaks loudest.

Starlight

• Squirrelflight: If a fox had gotten me you would have heard about it, don't worry.
  Crowfeather: I daresay we would.

• Crowfeather: You walk in my dreams, Leafpool.

• Narrator: (About Leafpool) Even though she had just nearly been killed by two ShadowClan Warriors, she felt as if her paws were walking on the wind, and her head was filled with stars.

Twilight

• Cinderpelt: We cannot change our destiny. We just have to have the courage to know what it is, and accept it...

• Midnight: I have no side. Cats, badgers in peace could live. I speak against attack, but my kin not listen to me. For many days now they talk of blood and revenge.

Sunset

• Narrator : He was so desperate to tell his news to some other cat; he almost felt that if a mouse crossed his path he would stop to inform it that it was about to be eaten by the new ThunderClan Deputy.

• Squirrelflight: Then that means that Brambleclaw's destiny and mine is so intertwined,nothing can tear us apart!!

• Russetfur: Every cat knows that ThunderClan ignores borders, but ShadowClan sticks to the warrior code.

• Brambleclaw: NO I dont want this to happen
  Hawkfrost: (bleeding)It's not over yet.

• Leafpool: It's over. It's over, and peace has come.

The Power of Three

The Sight

• Willowpaw: That's okay. Next time I hope you fall in!

• Sorreltail: Loyalty is proved by what we do, not where we come from

• Jaypaw: She'll (Brightheart) be hurt.
  Narrative: Hollypaw thought she could hear anxiety in Jaypaw's mew. He'd never gotten on well with his mentor, she knew, but he obviously cared about her feelings.

• Hollykit: I want to be able to help the Clan. If I were a medicine cat I could heal my Clanmates when they were sick and I could share dreams with StarClan. As a warrior I could feed the Clan and defend it-I would die to protect the Clan if I had to-but as a warrior I would be limited to fighting with tooth and claw. As a medicine cat I could fight with all the knowledge and power of StarClan. What better way could there be to serve ThunderClan?

• Jaypaw: Great! Let's lump all the useless cats together and hope a tree falls on them!

Dark River

• Birchfall: You're not very sympathic for a medicine cat.
  Jaypaw: I'm here to heal you. If you want sympathy, go to the nursery.

• Birchfall: A midnight adventure. That reminds me of my apprentice days.
  Narrative: He sounded wistful, even though he'd only been a warrior for a few moons. Jaypaw didn't say anything; Birchfall always liked to pretend he was vastly wise and experienced compared with apprentices, but Jaypaw hadn't forgotten the fuss he'd made over getting a thorn in his paw.

• Heatherpaw: Oh, Lionpaw, what have we done?

Outcast

• Tawnypelt: Thanks, Snowbird. There, you see! Snowbird will take care of you, and she'll tell me if you've been naughty.
  Tigerkit: We won't.
  Dawnkit: Even if we never get to have any fun.

• Breezepaw: He's way old, older than any of our elders. Why isn't he dead yet?

Eclipse

• Icepaw: I want to be called Icestorm. Do you think we get to choose?

• Spiderleg: Graystripe, I'm not envious of you. Having three kits! 2 are enough.... Ow! Toadkit when I told you to play with something else, I did not mean attacking my tail!

Long Shadows

• Blackstar: They spoke to us. You were right, Littlecloud. We can't ignore the spirits of our warrior ancestors. Not when they're still watching over us.
• Jayfeather: Midnight said knowledge isn't always power. But sometimes it is. And Ashfur has the power to destroy us all.

Sunrise

• Yellowfang: We'll find out soon enough. Old secrets can't stay buried forever. And if these three cats are not strong enough to deal with the truth, then you, Bluestar, will have destroyed the Clan you love so much...

Omen of the Stars

The Fourth Apprentice

• Dovekit : Fire! The Clan is on fire!!

• Jayfeather: Hey, that's mine! Put it back!
  Thornclaw: Are you mouse-brained? I need it. It's only a stick.
  Jayfeather: It's my stick. If you don't bring it back in one piece, I'll... I'll...
  Thornclaw: Okay, I'll bring back your stupid stick. Keep your fur on.

• Lionblaze: I know what it's like to have a power no other cat understands. It's the loneliest feeling in the world.

• Cloudtail: Wake up. What are you, a doormouse?
  Lionblaze: Did you have to do that? I was having this really great dream...
  Cloudtail: And now you can go on a really great water patrol.

• Mousepaw: Twolegs! Are they sprouting wings and flying as well?

• Jayfeather: When Mousefur sounds nice and sweet, I'll really start worrying!

• Breezepelt(To Jayfeather): Your mother betrayed my father as well as her Clan. You have no right to be a medicine cat. No right to even live among the Clans. I'll never forgive you for what you've done! Never!

• Narrative: His outline began to fade. As it vanished, Jayfeather's fury erupted. He felt around on the ground until he located a sharp stone. Then he snatched up the stick, balanced it across the stone, and brought his forepaw smashing down on one end. He heard the stick break, and splinters pierced his paws. Rock and the ancient clan had betrayed him, too. Did no cat tell the truth, ever?

• Blackstar “Welcome to our camp!" beckoning them with his tail. "Rest here and take your pick of the fresh-kill pile."
  Lionblaze (muttered) "Who are you and what have you done with Blackstar?"

• Breezepelt(to Jayfeather) "Sending you to StarClan isn't enough of a punishment. You need to know what it's like to have every cat in your Clan stare at you, whisper about you. You need to know that you're surrounded by lies and hatred and things that should never have happened."

Fading Echoes

• Littlecloud: We all make mistakes. Some have echoes that last forever.

• Jayfeather: Mistyfoot will make a good leader. She's fair and wise, and the other Clans respect her.

Night Whispers

• Raggedstar: You must burn as brightly as this fire to protect your Clan. Survival is more important than the code of the medicine cats. You must forget your allegiance to them and pledge yourself only to our Clan. From now on, ShadowClan has no allies. Remember this: A time of war is coming, and your warrior ancestors will stand alongside you. No one else."

• Firestar:In the future, any cat caught on the ice will be severly punished.
  Foxleap:Yeah, by death.

• Brokenstar: He's no better than a whining kit. (Darkstripe)

• Yellowfang: I saw Lionblaze fight the fox.
  Jayfeather: And?
  Yellowfang: It was a sign.
  Jayfeather: A sign of what? That he's a mouse-brain?
  Yellowfang: He fought it alone.
  Jayfeather: (shivering) Yeah. I know. He's a mouse-brain. Can you get to the point?

• Tigerheart: What are you doing? I won't let you destroy what's left of my brother!!!!

• Flametail: At least we always know what Tigerheart is thinking.
  Tigerheart: I bet you don't know what I'm thinking now.
  Dawnpelt: No, but it won't be long before you blurt it out.

• Mothwing: They're just dead warriors! Do you think that when they die, they get clever and brave? Don't you realize that some of them may be as foolish and wrong-headed as they were when they were alive?

• Sparrowkit: Can you fly?
  Ivypaw: Fly?
  Sparrowkit: The warriors said you flew down from the trees in the battle.
  Ivypaw: Oh, yes. All ThunderClan cats can fly.
  Starlingpaw: Liar.
  Ivypaw: It's not my fault ShadowClan kits have poppy seeds for brains.
  Sparrowkit: No we don't!
  Ivypaw: (snarls)
  Sparrowkit: (squeaks)

Sign of the Moon

• Leafpool: Destiny isn't a path that any cat follows blindly. It is always a matter of choice, and sometimes the heart speaks loudest. Deep down, I always knew what I had to do, and that's why I came back to the Clan. Lionblaze, whatever else happens, I trust you to know the right thing to do as well. Listen to your heart, because that's where your true destiny lies.

• Jayfeather(Jay's Wing at the time): Let me stay here with Half Moon. This is my only chance to live like my Clanmates, to raise kits and grow old with a mate.

• Foxleap: Today's meal? You mean you only eat once a day? Don't you get hungry?
  Young Tribe Cat: Don't you get fat?

• Blossomfall (to Dovewing): You know you've stolen my brother's heart.

• Foxleap: When the Clans have a common enemy, we unite to defend ourselves. We have to help those cats!

• Yellowfang: His (Ashfur's) only fault was to love too much.

• Briarlight: You're all wet and muddy!
  Jayfeather: Yeah, and claws are sharp. Anything else obvious you want to point out?

• Half Moon: I will wait for you forever, Jay's Wing !

The Forgotten Warrior

• Jayfeather: What are you gonna do? Walk up to a fox and say 'Can you please make some dirt for me?' No, I don't think so.

• Hollyleaf: My name is Hollyleaf.
  Ivypool: But you're dead!
  Hollyleaf: Obviously not.

• Dovewing: Tigerheart can't be part of my life... but Bumblestripe could be.

• Brokenstar: Let all cats old enough to kill their own enemies gather here!

• Hazeltail: Who'd have thought that Hollyleaf killed Ashfur? Isn't it awful? How did she ever keep it a secret?
  Foxleap: Well, she left soon after. Do you think she was brave or a coward to run away like that?
  Hazeltail: She must have been brave, because she came back... oops.
  Lionblaze: So you've just remebered that Hollyleaf is my sister.

• Jayfeather: Great! One medicine cat who can't see, and another who can't walk. ThunderClan would be invincible!

• Narrative: Dovewing half expected her Clan to stream out through the thorn barrier and race for the WindClan border without any more discussion. Even though she knew what a bad idea that would be, her paws itched to be on the move.

The Last Hope

• Hollyleaf: Don't pretend the past never happened, Lionblaze. It's like my shadow. Always following me.

• Jayfeather: Half Moon! Are you here?
  Half Moon: Jay's Wing!
  Jayfeather: You came.
  Halfmoon: Of course, my love.I must fight.

• Amberkit: Why is Ferncloud asleep?
  Dewkit: She's tired after all the fighting, silly. Dustpelt will wake her up.
  Dustpelt: Ferncloud? Ferncloud!

• Prophecy: There will be three cats, kin of your kin, with the power of the stars in their paws. They will find a fourth, and the battle between light and dark will be won.A new leader will rise from the shadow of his death, and the Clans will survive beyond the memories of his memories. This is how it has always been, this is how it will always be.

• Lionblaze: Is Jayfeather back?
  Bumblestripe: He got back just after you left.
  Lionblaze: Was he okay?
  Bumblestripe: He snapped at Hazeltail for getting in the way, hissed at Cherrypaw for trampling on Ferncloud's moss, and ordered Foxleap and Toadstep to fetch comfrey... So I guess he's fine.

• Narrator: Graystripe pushed past Tigerheart and Whitestorm and crouched beside his old friend (Firestar).
• Graystripe:I would have taken your place if you had let me.
• Narrator: His voice was hoarse with grief

• Firestar: The time has come to fight our greatest enemy. We can fight alone, or we can stand together. We're stronger side by side, as we were for the Great Journey. Uniting against the Dark Forest is our only hope.

Guides

Cats of the Clans

• Rock: According to tradition, they are named for the first thing their mother sees when they are born, although to my mind that would lead to a lot of kits being called Roof of Cave or Wall of Cave or Floor of Cave.

Code of the Clans

• Pinestar: Thank you. You were right. I had to tell the Clan myself. You have a good spirit, young one. When it is time for you to receive your warrior name, tell Sunfall I would have named you Lionheart

Secrets of the Clans

• Brightheart: I would not have survived that dark time if it weren't for Cloudtail. He gave me another destiny, and I knew that no matter what I looked like, I would be alright. As long as Cloudtail loved me, I was no longer Lostface, but Brightheart

• Tallstar (stiff with neck fur bristling) WindClan was driven from the forest once, never again. Our territory is ours, and we'll fight for it. Is Thunderclan with us?

Battles of the Clans

• Reedfeather: These are my kits as well as Fallowtail's. You said we could have them!

• Ottersplash: Those kits are ours, and you know it!

• Fallowtail: I'd like her warrior name to be Willowbreeze, and Graypaw to be Graypool. That way I'll always know that my daughters carry the strength of wind and water.

Enter the Clans

• Firestar: leave me alone you mouse-brained idiot

• Lizardstripe: What is that?
  Yellowfang: It's a kit.
  Raggedstar: It's my kit.
  Lizardstripe: Oh, yes? What a miracle. If I had known toms could have kits, I would have made Mudclaw have these brats of mine himself.

Super Editions

Firestar's Quest

• Bluestar: There are cats who would argue that there should never have been a fifth Clan in the forest at all. Why are there four oaks at Fourtrees, if not to stand for the four Clans?
  Firestar:Are you mouse-brained? Are you telling me SkyClan had to leave because there weren't enough trees?

• Birdflight: I will always be here. We will walk the skies together forever.

• Echo My name is Echo. I dream of cats with stars in their fur.

Skyclan's Destiny

Narrator: All the stars in the sky didn't seem to give enough light to see where the future lay.

Leafstar: He seems to think the same way I do, and when he's not here, I feel...empty.

Crookedstar's Promise

• Crookedjaw: You'll never make me feel ashamed of who I am or what I look like.

• Mapleshade: Can you imagine what it feels like? To be rejected twice? To be a loner when all you tried to do was love?

• Mapleshade: Do you remember what I said? Do you remember my exact words? I can give you everything you ever dreamed of, power over all your Clanmates, if you promise to be loyal to you Clan above all other things. Do you make that promise ? And you did! You promised ! You chose to sacrifice every cat you ever loved. Your mother, your brother, your mate, and now your own kits: From that one promise, I could take them all!
  Crookedstar: You're crazy!
  Mapleshade: But I'm also dead. Which means you can't hurt me!

• Willowbreeze: (to Crookedstar) You'll be a wonderful father. I'm so happy Hailstar brought me back from WindClan. I've loved being with you and with RiverClan.

Bluestar's Prophecy

• Leopardkit: We'll be in trouble if we get caught, were not supposed to leave the camp until we're apprentices, remember?

• Adderfang: Would you sacrifice our own kits and elders to save theirs? If we don't attack now, ThunderClan will be destroyed. Is it not worth risking a few WindClan lives to save all of ours?

• Sunstar: ThunderClan has kits in the nursery, and the warriors' den is full. We face troubles, it is true. RiverClan pushes at our borders, and kittypets threaten our prey. But the Clan is well fed, and the forest is rich in prey. I vow to make ThunderClan as powerful as the great Clans of old. Today's ThunderClan will be remembered alongside TigerClan and LionClan. Our warriors are courageous and loyal and skilled in battle. There is no reason to feel besieged by our enemies. We have defeated them before and we will do so again. Let me carry you forward in a new era in which ThunderClan is so respected and feared that no cat will dare set a paw on our lands.

• Thrushpelt: You know how I feel about you, Bluefur. I'd do my best to make you happy, I promise. And I'll love your kits as though they were my own.

• Snowfur: You have sacrificed so much. And our Clan walks a safer path now. With this life, I give you pride, so that you may know your own worth and the worth of your Clan. Thank you for raising Whitestorm. You were chosen long ago, and StarClan has never regretted its choice.

• Dappletail: If we can't trust StarClan, then we are lost.

• Heatherstar: This attack was unjust. StarClan would never have let you win. Take your wounded and leave.

• Crookedjaw I've got my warrior name, too!
  Bluefur Crookedjaw?"
  Crookedjaw How did you guess? (A purr rumbled in his throat.)
  Bluefur Because your tail's still straight.

• Whitestorm: If wishes were prey, we'd feast like lions come leafbare. But we'd die of boredom. You know that's not what the life of the Clans is like. The warrior code guides us through the dark times, the cold, and the hunger. And the good times seem all the greater for it.

• Oakheart: The only thing that can hurt me is being apart from you.

Yellowfang's Secret

•Yellowfang: What, keep on burying kits who should still be at their mothers bellies? Keep on treating wounds from battles that should never have been fought? Keep on sending the elders to the farthest corner of the territory because their wisdom is valued less than dirt!

• : He fought like a lion. He should not have died because he should not have been fighting! I will never train kits again. It's wrong and brings shame to the clan.

Hollyleaf's Story

• Hollyleaf: Do you want to get out of here or not?
  Ivypool: Yes, we do. But how do we know you won't lead us further in?
  Hollyleaf: Because I'm a ThunderClan cat like you. My name is Hollyleaf.

Ravepaw's farewell

• Leafstar:We will wish him a warriors farewell.

• Ravenpaw:I won't make it home will I

Manga

The Lost Warrior

• Silverstream: You are a warrior of ThunderClan, Graystripe, your place is with them.

• Millie: "Kittypet". That's funny! Are you new in the neighborhood, Graystripe?

• Kittypet 1: I heard that warriors eat bones!
• Graystripe: Yes we do,now get out of here before I eat you!

Warrior's Refuge

• Millie: (laughing) 'I can fish,' he says. 'I'll catch us a meal,' he says.

• Mille: Don't worry, I've got this.
  Dogs: Run.
  Millie: No. I won't!
  Dogs: (confused) Please?
  Millie: No. Go away.
  (Dogs leave.)
  Greystripe: (thinking) I don't think I'd be more surprised if Firestar floated down out of the sky and licked me on the nose.

• Husker: Hey! You two! Go away!
  Dogs: All right, all right! We were just curious! You don't have to be rude.

The Rise of Scourge

• Scourge: My littermates said I was too small...too weak. But I have proven them wrong. I've learned how to live for blood. Because that's the key. The only answer. I am leader of BloodClan. I am Scourge. And I have won!

Escape From the Forest

• Sasha: But even as Tigerstar haunts my thoughts, I realize that he no longer haunts my heart. I'm not afraid of him anymore. Plus, he was wrong about me. Dead wrong. I'm not nothing. I'm Sasha.

Shattered Peace

Ravenpaw: No way am I telling Barley about this, I'd never hear the end of it.

Plays

Brightspirit's Mercy

• Lionblaze: Hollyleaf reckons we’re going to be invaded by other Clans wanting our prey. They've got feathers for brains if they try. Have you seen how thin they are?
  Jaypaw: Well no, Lionblaze, I haven’t seen, actually.

• Jaypaw: I was thinking—that’s all. You should try it some time.

• Hollyleaf: We brought you this (fresh-kill).
  Breezepaw: Don’t touch it, Ashfoot! They’ve probably put deathberries in it!

Other

Spottedleaf's Honest Answer

• Spottedleaf: At first [Firepaw] was just another apprentice to me—different in that he had been born a kittypet, but as curious, bold, and occasionally mouse-brained as the rest of them.

• Spottedleaf: When ShadowClan invaded the ravine and sent me to StarClan much, much too soon, I lay in my den for a moon, wishing Firepaw could join me. I should not have died then!

• Spottedleaf: After one of those moonless nights, Sandstorm was his mate, and I knew that the invisible river between us had grown too wide to leap across. Did you know that he came looking for me in a dream, sought me out to explain that he had to move on and that he couldn’t be in love with a memory anymore? I am not a memory! I wanted to wail, like a kit abandoned by its mother. I am here, I still love you. I will walk beside you forever. But what is that compared with the warmth that Sandstorm can offer him, the solid presence of a mate to help him lead the Clan, to give him beautiful children and watch their kin grow up together? I will still be young when Firestar grows old, but Sandstorm will match him step for step, reflecting his graying fur and slowing paws like a pool of clear water. Does Firestar love Sandstorm? Oh yes, I have no doubt about that.