Long Shadows Read online

  Warriors

  Power of Three

  Long Shadows

  Erin Hunter

  Dedicated to the memory of

  Jimmy, Dana, and Emmy Grace Cherry

  Contents

  Allegiances

  Maps

  Prologue

  Wind swept across bleak moorland, carrying with it flurries of…

  Chapter 1

  The moon was huge, a golden circle resting on a…

  Chapter 2

  Jaypaw slid into the nursery with a bunch of catmint…

  Chapter 3

  A scarlet leaf spiraled lazily down from a branch above…

  Chapter 4

  Jaypaw turned away from counting poppy heads when he heard…

  Chapter 5

  Jaypaw slid out through the thorn tunnel and stalked into…

  Chapter 6

  The sound of coughing woke Hollyleaf. Raising her head, she…

  Chapter 7

  From the corner of his eye, Lionblaze spotted movement on…

  Chapter 8

  Every hair on Dawnpaw’s pelt was quivering. “This is like…

  Chapter 9

  Lionblaze and Jaypaw crouched with the two remaining apprentices in…

  Chapter 10

  Hollyleaf leaped, sinking her claws into the vole and dispatching…

  Chapter 11

  Jaypaw let out a sneeze as dust from the dried…

  Chapter 12

  Leafpool let out a yelp of horror. “I’m coming!” She…

  Chapter 13

  Lionblaze felt cool grass brushing his belly fur as he…

  Chapter 14

  Every muscle in Jaypaw’s body was yowling with exhaustion as…

  Chapter 15

  Jaypaw forced his legs to carry him forward to the…

  Chapter 16

  Scent tickled Jaypaw’s nose. Mouse! His belly growled, and his…

  Chapter 17

  By the time Jaypaw was full, there was still quite…

  Chapter 18

  A gasp like the wind in the trees rose from…

  Chapter 19

  Lionblaze woke to the sound of coughing. For a moment…

  Chapter 20

  As soon as Lionblaze had caught more prey, he headed…

  Chapter 21

  Jaypaw delivered more tansy to the flat rock outside the…

  Chapter 22

  Gray-green clouds hung low over the forest and the air…

  Chapter 23

  The noise of the storm and the fire faded and…

  Chapter 24

  On the morning after the storm, Lionblaze was chosen for…

  Chapter 25

  Jayfeather curled up in his nest in the medicine cats’…

  Chapter 26

  It was the afternoon before the Gathering. Hollyleaf felt as…

  Chapter 27

  Lionblaze dug his claws into the bank of the stream,…

  Chapter 28

  Jayfeather followed Leafpool back into the camp. A dawn breeze…

  Acknowledgments

  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

  MEDICINE CAT

  LEAFPOOL—light brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes

  APPRENTICE, JAYPAW

  WARRIORS

  (toms, and she-cats without kits)

  SQUIRRELFLIGHT—dark ginger she-cat with green eyes

  APPRENTICE, FOXPAW

  DUSTPELT—dark brown tabby tom

  SANDSTORM—pale ginger she-cat with green eyes

  CLOUDTAIL—long-haired white tom with blue eyes

  BRACKENFUR—golden brown tabby tom

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

  THORNCLAW—golden brown tabby tom

  BRIGHTHEART—white she-cat with ginger patches

  ASHFUR—pale gray (with darker flecks) tom with dark blue eyes

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

  WHITEWING—white she-cat with green eyes APPRENTICE, ICEPAW

  BIRCHFALL—light brown tabby tom

  GRAYSTRIPE—long-haired gray tom

  BERRYNOSE—cream-colored tom

  HAZELTAIL—small gray-and-white she-cat

  MOUSEWHISKER—gray-and-white tom

  LIONBLAZE—golden tabby tom with amber eyes

  HOLLYLEAF—black she-cat with green eyes

  CINDERHEART—gray tabby she-cat

  POPPYFROST—tortoiseshell she-cat

  HONEYFERN—light brown tabby she-cat

  APPRENTICES

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

  JAYPAW—gray tabby tom

  FOXPAW—reddish tabby tom

  ICEPAW—white she-cat

  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 horseplace, mother of Spiderleg’s kits: Rosekit (dark cream she-cat) and Toadkit (black-and-white tom)

  MILLIE—striped gray tabby she-cat, former kittypet, mother of Graystripe’s kits: Briarkit (dark brown she-cat), Bumblekit (very pale gray tom with black stripes), and Blossomkit (pale brown she-cat with a dark stripe along her spine)

  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

  SHADOWCLAN

  LEADER

  BLACKSTAR—large white tom with huge jet-black paws

  DEPUTY

  RUSSETFUR—dark ginger she-cat

  MEDICINE CAT

  LITTLECLOUD—very small tabby tom

  WARRIORS

  OAKFUR—small brown tom

  ROWANCLAW—ginger tom

  SMOKEFOOT—black tom

  APPRENTICE, OWLPAW

  IVYTAIL—black, white, and tortoiseshell she-cat

  TOADFOOT—dark brown tom

  CROWFROST—black-and-white tom

  APPRENTICE, OLIVEPAW

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

  RATSCAR—brown tom with long scar across his back

  APPRENTICE, SHREWPAW

  SNAKETAIL—dark brown tom with tabby-striped tail

  APPRENTICE, SCORCHPAW

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

  APPRENTICE, REDPAW

  QUEENS

  TAWNYPELT—tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes (mother of Rowanclaw’s kits, Tigerkit, Flamekit, and Dawnkit)

  SNOWBIRD—pure white she-cat

  ELDERS

  CEDARHEART—dark gray tom

  TALLPOPPY—long-legged light brown tabby she-cat

  WINDCLAN

  LEADER

  ONESTAR—brown tabby tom

  DEPUTY

  ASHFOOT—gray she-cat

  MEDICINE CAT

  BARKFACE—short-tailed brown tom

  APPRENTICE, KESTRELPAW

  WARRIORS

  TORNEAR—tabby tom

  CROWFEATHER—dark gray tom

  APPRENTICE, HEATHERPAW

  OWLWHISKER—light brown tabby tom

  WHITETAIL—small white she-cat

  APPRENTICE, BREEZEPAW

  NIGHTCLOUD—black she-cat

  GORSETAIL—very pale gray-and-white cat with blue eyes.


  WEASELFUR—ginger tom with white paws

  HARESPRING—brown-and-white tom

  LEAFTAIL—dark tabby tom with amber eyes

  DEWSPOTS—spotted gray tabby she-cat

  WILLOWCLAW—gray she-cat

  APPRENTICE, SWALLOWPAW

  ANTPELT—brown tom with one black ear

  EMBERFOOT—gray tom with two dark paws

  APPRENTICE, SUNPAW

  ELDERS

  MORNINGFLOWER—very old tortoiseshell queen

  WEBFOOT—dark gray 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

  WARRIORS

  BLACKCLAW—smoky black tom

  VOLETOOTH—small brown tabby tom

  APPRENTICE, MINNOWPAW

  REEDWHISKER—black tom

  MOSSPELT—tortoiseshell she-cat with blue eyes

  APPRENTICE, PEBBLEPAW

  BEECHFUR— light brown tom

  RIPPLETAIL—dark gray tabby tom

  APPRENTICE, MALLOWPAW

  GRAYMIST—pale gray tabby

  DAWNFLOWER—pale gray she-cat

  DAPPLENOSE—mottled gray she-cat

  POUNCETAIL—ginger-and-white tom

  MINTFUR—light gray tabby tom

  APPRENTICE, NETTLEPAW

  OTTERHEART—dark brown she-cat

  APPRENTICE, SNEEZEPAW

  PINEFUR—very short-haired tabby she-cat

  APPRENTICE, ROBINPAW

  RAINSTORM—mottled gray-blue tom

  DUSKFUR—brown tabby she-cat

  APPRENTICE, COPPERPAW

  QUEENS

  ICEWING—white cat with blue eyes, mother of Beetlekit, Pricklekit, Petalkit, and Grasskit

  ELDERS

  HEAVYSTEP—thickset tabby tom

  SWALLOWTAIL—dark tabby she-cat

  STONESTREAM—gray tom

  THE ANCIENTS

  LEADER

  FURLED BRACKEN—dark ginger tabby tom with amber eyes

  SHARPCLAWS

  BROKEN SHADOW—slender orange she-cat with white paws and amber eyes

  SHY FAWN—dusty brown she-cat with amber eyes

  WHISPERING BREEZE—silver-gray she-cat with blue eyes

  DAWN RIVER—tortoiseshell she-cat with amber eyes

  STONE SONG—dark gray tabby tom with blue eyes

  DARK WHISKERS—large black thick-furred tom

  CHASING CLOUDS—gray-and-white tom with blue eyes

  JAGGED LIGHTNING—black-and-white tom with amber eyes

  CATS IN TRAINING TO BE SHARPCLAWS

  JAY’S WING—gray tabby tom with blue eyes

  DOVE’S WING—pale gray she-cat with blue eyes

  HALF MOON—white she-cat with green eyes

  FISH LEAP—brown tabby tom with amber eyes

  QUEENS

  RISING MOON—gray-and-white she-cat with blue eyes

  OWL FEATHER—wiry brown she-cat with yellow eyes

  ELDERS

  CLOUDY SUN—pale ginger she-cat with green eyes

  RUNNING HORSE—dark brown tom with yellow eyes

  CATS OUTSIDE CLANS

  SOL—white-and-brown tabby long-haired tom with pale yellow eyes

  OTHER ANIMALS

  MIDNIGHT—a stargazing badger who lives by the sea

  Maps

  PROLOGUE

  Wind swept across bleak moorland, carrying with it flurries of rain. The tough grass was sodden and water had burst the banks of a stream, spreading out in a wide pool; its surface bubbled as raindrops splashed into it.

  At the edge of the pool a badger crouched, apparently oblivious to the icy wind and rain. For a long time she gazed into the water as if she could see something there, beyond the broken reflection of gray cloud; then she raised her head and looked around.

  “I have come,” she announced.

  A black she-cat emerged from behind an outcrop of rocks. She was barely more than a shadow; starlight flickered at her paws. She was followed by a silvery gray tom whose green eyes stretched wide as he approached the badger. The starlight that shone around him made him seem a cat formed out of rain.

  “Why are we here?” The silver tom’s voice was hoarse, as if he hadn’t used it for a long time. “On a day like this we should be curled up in a warm den.”

  “True, River,” the black she-cat meowed. “Whose idea was it to drag us out here in weather not even fit for foxes?”

  “Mine.” A third cat appeared from behind a gorse bush, a broad-shouldered ginger tom with white paws. Starlight gleamed in his amber eyes, yet he seemed as insubstantial as a flame. “As you know very well, Shadow. We have to meet.”

  Shadow snorted. “I don’t have to do anything you tell me, Thunder.”

  Thunder dipped his head. “Of course not. But we have been summoned by the danger to our Clans. They are on the brink of being lost forever—and it’s your fault, Midnight.” His voice sharpened.

  Before Midnight could reply, River spoke. “Where is Wind? We can’t discuss this without her.”

  “I’m here.” The voice came from farther up the stream. The wiry brown she-cat was barely visible against the drenched moorland grass; only the shimmer of silvery light around her revealed her outline. She sprang down the slope toward the pool, her paws scarcely touching the ground. “Why are you all huddling here like lost kits?” she asked, a hint of mockery in her tone. “It’s only a bit of rain and wind.”

  Shadow opened her jaws, but Thunder interrupted her. “We’re not all used to living in the open, Wind. But that doesn’t matter now. We need to know why Midnight has revealed the secrets of the Clans.”

  “But why us?” River complained, shivering. “There are younger cats than us in StarClan. Why call us back from the very beginning?”

  Wind nodded. “Haven’t we done enough? We formed the Clans and guided them through their first seasons. They have owed us a debt in all the moons since we walked the forest.”

  “We must still watch over our Clans,” Thunder murmured. “This is a danger like none they have ever faced before.” He turned to the badger. “Midnight, why did you tell our secrets?”

  “Yes, and tell them to that mange-ridden, crow-food-eating loner?” Shadow spat, tearing at the grass with her claws. “My Clan have abandoned their warrior ancestors since he forced his way among them.”

  “On sandy cliffs I met Sol,” Midnight began calmly. “First time of meeting, that was.”

  “And do you give away secrets to every stranger who happens to pad by?” Wind growled.

  “Can’t you see that you gave him power over the Clans when you told him so much about us?” Thunder pressed.

  “Knowledge not always power,” Midnight replied. “Clans not need secrecy to protect themselves. Rogues and loners stay away; they know Clan life is not for them.”