The Fourth Apprentice Read online

  Omen of the Stars

  Warriors

  The Fourth Apprentice

  Erin Hunter

  Contents

  Allegiances

  Map

  Prologue

  Water poured over the lip of the rock in a…

  Chapter 1

  A full moon floated in a cloudless sky, casting thick…

  Chapter 2

  Jayfeather picked through the herbs in the storage cave at…

  Chapter 3

  Dovekit wriggled with excitement as Whitewing’s tongue rasped around her…

  Chapter 4

  Lionblaze halted in the center of the clearing and let…

  Chapter 5

  A paw clipping against her ear woke Dovepaw; keeping her…

  Chapter 6

  Dovepaw followed Lionblaze through the thorn tunnel and into the…

  Chapter 7

  Jayfeather winced at Dovepaw’s dismay as she learned that she…

  Chapter 8

  Lionblaze pushed his way through the thorn tunnel and padded…

  Chapter 9

  Lionblaze gazed up at the full moon hanging above the…

  Chapter 10

  As soon as Jayfeather woke on the morning after the…

  Chapter 11

  Dovepaw stood on the rocks at the mouth of the…

  Chapter 12

  With the gazes of all four deputies on them, the…

  Chapter 13

  Lionblaze cast sidelong glances at Dovepaw as she padded beside…

  Chapter 14

  As soon as the thorn barrier stopped quivering after Brambleclaw,…

  Chapter 15

  A dry, dusty breeze swept over Dovepaw, rattling the branches…

  Chapter 16

  Lionblaze heard panic in his apprentice’s wail and saw the…

  Chapter 17

  Jayfeather lifted his head and tasted the air, which had…

  Chapter 18

  Dovepaw felt her pelt stand on end with excitement as…

  Chapter 19

  Lionblaze led the patrol away from the water and into…

  Chapter 20

  What in the name of StarClan made her come all…

  Chapter 21

  Lionblaze and Toadfoot lowered Rippletail’s body into the hole they…

  Chapter 22

  Lionblaze jumped up onto the bank of the stream and…

  Chapter 23

  Jayfeather groaned as he forced his eyes open on darkness.

  Chapter 24

  Dovepaw sank her claws into a branch as the wave…

  Chapter 25

  The daylight grew stronger as the cats headed back through…

  Chapter 26

  “What’s happening?” Berrynose poked his head into the entrance of…

  Acknowledgments

  Warriors Adventure Game

  Fever Dreams

  After the Adventure

  About the Author

  Other Books by Erin Hunter

  Credits

  Copyright

  About the Publisher

  ALLEGIANCES

  THUNDERCLAN

  LEADER

  FIRESTAR—ginger tom with a flame-colored pelt

  DEPUTY

  BRAMBLECLAW—dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes

  MEDIGINE GAT

  JAYFEATHER—gray tabby tom

  WARRIORS

  (toms and she-cats without kits)

  GRAYSTRIPE—long-haired gray tom

  DUSTPELT—dark brown tabby tom

  SANDSTORM—pale ginger she-cat with green eyes

  BRACKENFUR—golden brown tabby tom

  SORRELTAIL—tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat with amber eyes

  CLOUDTAIL—long-haired white tom with blue eyes

  BRIGHTHEART—white she-cat with ginger patches

  THORNCLAW—golden brown tabby torm APPRENTICE, BRIARPAW

  SQUIRRELFLIGHT—dark ginger she-cat with green eyes

  LEAFPOOL—light brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes, former medicine cat

  SPIDERLEG—long-limbed black tom with brown underbelly and amber eyes

  BIRCHFALL—light brown tabby tom

  BERRYNOSE—cream-colored tom

  HAZELTAIL—small gray-and-white she-cat

  APPRENTICE, BLOSSOMPAW

  MOUSEWHISKER—gray-and-white tom

  APPRENTICE, BUMBLEPAW

  CINDERHEART—gray tabby she-cat

  LIONBLAZE—golden tabby tom

  FOXLEAP—reddish tabby tom

  ICECLOUD—white she-cat

  TOADSTEP—black-and-white tom

  ROSEPETAL—dark cream she-cat

  APPRENTICES

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

  BRIARRAW—dark brown she-cat

  BLOSSOMPAW—tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat

  BUMBLEPAW—very pale gray tom with black stripes

  QUEENS

  (she-cats expecting or nursing kits)

  FERNCLOUD—pale gray (with darker flecks) she-cat with green eyes

  DAISY—cream long-furred cat from the

  WHITEWING—white she-cat with green eyes, mother of Birchfall’s kits: Dovekit (gray she-cat) and Ivvkit (white tabby she–cat)

  POPPYFROST—tortoiseshell she-cat, expecting Berrynose’s kits

  ELDERS

  (former warriors and queens, now retired)

  LONGTAIL—pale tabby tom with dark black stripes, retired early due to failing sight

  MOUSEFUR—small dusky brown she-cat

  PURDY—plump tabby former loner with a gray muzzle

  SHADOWCLAN

  LEADER

  BLACKSTAR—large white tom with huge jet black paws

  DEPUTY

  RUSSETFUR—dark ginger she-cat

  MEDICINE CAT

  LITTLECLOUD—very small tabby tom

  APPRENTICE, FLAMETAIL (ginger tom)

  WARRIORS

  OAKFUR—small brown tom

  APPRENTICE, FERRETPAW (cream-and-gray tom)

  ROWANCLAW—ginger tom

  SMOKEFOOT—black tom

  TOADFOOT—dark brown tom

  APPLEFUR—mottled brown she-cat

  CROWFROST—black-and-white tom

  RATSCAR—brown tom with long scar across his back

  APPRENTICE, PINEPAW (black she-cat)

  SNOWBIRD—pure-white she-cat

  TAWNYPELT—tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes

  APPRENTICE, STARLINGPAW (ginger tom)

  OLIVENOSE—tortoiseshell she-cat

  OWLCLAW—light brown tabby tom

  SHREWFOOT—gray she-cat with black feet

  SCORCHFUR—dark gray tom

  REDWILLOW—mottled brown-and-ginger tom

  TIGERHEART—dark brown tabby tom

  DAWNPELT—cream-furred she-cat

  QUEENS

  KINKFUR—tabby she-cat with long fur that sticks out at all angles

  IVYTAIL—black, white, and tortoiseshell she-cat

  ELDERS

  CEDARHEART—dark gray tom

  TALLPOPPY—long-legged light brown tabby she-cat

  SNAKETAIL—dark brown tom with tabby-striped tail

  WHITEWATER—white she-cat with long fur, blind in one eye

  WINDCLAN

  LEADER

  ONESTAR—brown tabby tom

  DEPUTY

  ASHFOOT—gray she-cat

  MEDICINE CAT

  KESTRELFLIGHT—mottled gray tom

  WARRIORS

  CROWFEATHER—dark gray tom

  OWLWHISKER—light brown tabby torn

  APPRENTICE, WHISKERPAW (lightbrown tom)

  WHITETAIL—small white she-cat

  NIGHTCLOUD—bla
ck she-cat

  GORSETAIL—very pale gray-and-white tom with blue eyes

  WEASELFUR—ginger tom with white paws

  HARESPRING—brown-and-white tom

  LEAFTAIL—dark tabby tom with amber eyes

  ANTPELT—brown tom with one black ear

  EMBERFOOT—gray tom with two dark paws

  HEATHERTAIL—light brown tabby she-cat with blue eyes

  APPRENTICE, FURZEPAW (gray-and-white she-cat)

  BREEZEPELT—black tom with amber eyes APPRENTICE, BOULDERPAW (large pale gray tom)

  SEDGEWHISKER—light brown tabby she-cat

  SWALLOWTAIL—dark gray she-cat

  SUNSTRIKE—tortoiseshell she-cat with large white mark on her forehead

  ELDERS

  WEBFOOT—dark gray tabby tom

  TORNEAR—tabby tom

  RIVERCLAN

  LEADER

  LEOPARDSTAR—unusually spotted golden tabby she-cat

  DEPUTY

  MISTYFOOT—gray she-cat with blue eyes

  MEDICINE CAT

  MOTHWING—dappled golden she-cat

  APPRENTICE, WILLOWSHINE (gray tabby she-cat)

  WARRIORS

  REEDWHISKER—black torn

  APPRENTICE, HOLLOWPAW (dark brown tabby tom)

  RIPPLETAIL—dark gray tabby tom

  GRAYMIST—pale gray tabby she-cat

  APPRENTICE, TROUTPAW (pale gray tabby she-cat)

  MINTFUR—light gray tabby tom

  ICEWING—white she-cat with blue eyes

  MINNOWTAIL—dark gray she-cat

  APPRENTICE, MOSSYPAW (brown-and-white she-cat)

  PEBBLEFOOT—mottled gray tom

  APPRENTICE, RUSHPAW (light brown tabby tom)

  MALLOWNOSE—light brown tabby tom

  ROBINWING—tortoiseshell-and-white tom

  BEETLEWHISKER—brown-and-white tabby tom

  PETALFUR—gray-and-white she-cat

  GRASSPELT—light brown tom

  QUEENS

  DUSKFUR—brown tabby she-cat

  MOSSPELT—tortoiseshell she-cat with blue eyes

  ELDERS

  BLACKCLAW—smoky black tom

  VOLETOOTH—small brown tabby tom

  DAWNFLOWER—pale gray she-cat

  DAPPLENOSE—mottled gray she-cat

  POUNCETAIL—ginger-and-white tom

  CATS OUTSIDE CLANS

  SMOKY—muscular gray-and-white tom who lives in a barn at the horseplace

  FLOSS—small gray-and-white she-cat who lives at the horseplace

  OTHER ANIMALS

  MIDNIGHT—a star-gazing badger who lives by the sea

  Map

  PROLOGUE

  Water poured over the lip of the rock in a smooth curve and roared down into a chasm. Far below, it tumbled and foamed into a pool. The rays of the setting sun set a myriad of trapped rainbows dancing in the spray.

  Three cats sat on the edge of the river just upstream of the waterfall. They watched as a fourth cat approached, stalking delicately across the shaggy moss that covered the riverbank. Starlight sparkled at her paws and misted on her gray-blue fur.

  The newcomer halted and raked the waiting cats with an icy blue stare. “In the name of all Clans, why did you choose to meet here?” she demanded, irritably shaking one forepaw. “It’s far too wet, and I can’t hear myself think.”

  Another she-cat, with ragged gray fur, rose to face her. “Stop complaining, Bluestar. I chose this place because it’s damp and noisy. I have things to say that I don’t want any other cat to overhear.”

  A golden tabby tom beckoned with his tail. “Come and sit by me. There’s a dry spot just here.”

  Bluestar padded across to him and sat down with a contemptuous sniff. “If this is dry, Lionheart, then I’m a mouse.” Turning to the gray she-cat, she added, “Well, Yellowfang? What is it?”

  “The prophecy has not been fulfilled,” Yellowfang meowed. “The Three have come together at last, but two of the cats might not recognize the third.”

  “Are you sure we’ve got the right Three this time?” Bluestar asked sharply.

  “You know we have.” The speaker, a beautiful tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat, dipped her head gently toward the cat who had been her Clan leader. “Didn’t we all have the same dream on the night the One was born?”

  Bluestar flicked the tip of her tail. “You could be right, Spottedleaf. But so much has gone wrong that it’s hard to trust anything now.”

  “Of course she’s right.” Yellowfang twitched her ears. “But if Jayfeather and Lionblaze don’t recognize the One, there could be more trouble. I want to send them a sign.”

  “What?” Bluestar rose to her paws again, waving her tail commandingly as if she still held authority over the old medicine cat. “Yellowfang, have you forgotten that this prophecy isn’t even ours? It could be dangerous to interfere with it. I think we should leave it alone.”

  Spottedleaf blinked, puzzled. “Dangerous?”

  “Do you think it’s a good idea to have cats in the Clans who are more powerful than the stars?” Bluestar challenged, facing each cat in turn. “More powerful than us, their warrior ancestors?” She swept her tail in a gesture to include her unseen Clanmates, who were elsewhere in the beautiful, prey-filled forest. “What will become of ThunderClan if—”

  “Have faith, Bluestar,” Lionheart interrupted gently. “These are good and loyal cats.”

  “We thought that about Hollyleaf!” Bluestar retorted.

  “We won’t be wrong again,” Yellowfang mewed. “Wherever the prophecy came from, we have to trust it. And we have to trust our Clanmates beside the lake.”

  Spottedleaf opened her jaws to speak, only to turn sharply at the sound of another cat brushing through the undergrowth a few fox-lengths farther upstream. A silver-furred she-cat burst out into the open and raced toward them, starlight swirling around her.

  “Feathertail!” Bluestar exclaimed. “What are you doing here? Are you spying on us?”

  “We’re all Clanmates now,” the former RiverClan warrior reminded her. “I guessed why you were meeting, and—”

  “This is ThunderClan business, Feathertail,” Yellowfang pointed out, with just a hint of her sharp yellow teeth.

  “No, it’s not!” Feathertail flashed back at her. “Jayfeather and Lionblaze are half WindClan—Crowfeather’s sons.” Her blue eyes filled with distress. “I care about what happens to them. I have to watch over them. And I grieve for Hollyleaf just as much as you do.”

  Spottedleaf stretched out her tail to touch the silver she-cat on the shoulder. “She’s right. Let her stay.”

  Yellowfang shrugged. “They aren’t your sons, Feathertail,” she cautioned with unexpected gentleness. “We can warn them and guide them, but in the end they will go their own way.”

  “All sons and daughters do that, Yellowfang,” Bluestar commented.

  For a few heartbeats Yellowfang’s expression darkened, and her amber gaze was fixed on the distance, as if she saw a lifetime of painful memories sketched in the sky. The sun was slipping down below the horizon, the red-streaked clouds fading to indigo. In the pool below the waterfall, the whirling foam shone pale in the shadows.

  “So what do we do now?” Lionheart prompted. “Yellowfang, you mentioned sending a sign.”

  “I still think we shouldn’t get involved,” Bluestar insisted before Yellowfang could reply. “The third cat is already strong and clever, even if we don’t know what her special power will be. If she’s the right one, won’t she figure everything out by herself?”

  “We can’t sit by and do nothing!” Feathertail protested, sinking her claws into the damp ground. “These young cats need our help.”

  “I think so, too,” Lionheart agreed with a nod toward the silver she-cat. “If we had meddled more”—he glanced at Bluestar—“Hollyleaf might not have been lost.”

  Bluestar’s neck fur bristled. “Hollyleaf made her own choices. These cats have to live their own lives. No cat can d
o it for them.”

  “No, but we can guide them,” Spottedleaf meowed. “I agree with Yellowfang. I think we should send a sign.”

  “I can see you’ve all made up your minds.” Bluestar sighed, letting her neck fur lie flat again. “Very well, do what you wish.”

  “I will send an Omen.” Yellowfang bowed her head; briefly the other cats saw beyond her matted fur and brusque manner to the deep wisdom of the medicine cat she had once been. “An Omen of the Stars.”