Veil of Shadows
Maps
Dedication
Special thanks to Cherith Baldry
Contents
Cover
Maps
Title Page
Dedication
Allegiances
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Excerpt from Bravelands #1: Broken Pride
About the Author
Books by Erin Hunter
Back Ads
Copyright
About the Publisher
Allegiances
THUNDERCLAN
LEADER LBRAMBLESTAR—dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes
DEPUTY BERRYNOSE—cream-colored tom with a stump for a tail
MEDICINE CATS JAYFEATHER—gray tabby tom with blind blue eyes
ALDERHEART—dark ginger tom with amber eyes
WARRIORS (toms and she-cats without kits)
THORNCLAW—golden-brown tabby tom
WHITEWING—white she-cat with green eyes
BIRCHFALL—light brown tabby tom
MOUSEWHISKER—gray-and-white tom
APPRENTICE, BAYPAW (golden tabby tom)
POPPYFROST—pale tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat
LIONBLAZE—golden tabby tom with amber eyes
ROSEPETAL—dark cream she-cat
BRISTLEFROST—pale gray she-cat
STEMLEAF—white-and-orange tom
LILYHEART—small, dark tabby she-cat with white patches and blue eyes
APPRENTICE, FLAMEPAW (black tom)
BUMBLESTRIPE—very pale gray tom with black stripes
CHERRYFALL—ginger she-cat
MOLEWHISKER—brown-and-cream tom
CINDERHEART—gray tabby she-cat
APPRENTICE, FINCHPAW (tortoiseshell she-cat)
BLOSSOMFALL—tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat with petal-shaped white patches
IVYPOOL—silver-and-white tabby she-cat with dark blue eyes
EAGLEWING—ginger she-cat
APPRENTICE, MYRTLEPAW (pale brown she-cat)
DEWNOSE—gray-and-white tom
THRIFTEAR—dark gray she-cat
STORMCLOUD—gray tabby tom
HOLLYTUFT—black she-cat
FLIPCLAW—tabby tom
FERNSONG—yellow tabby tom
HONEYFUR—white she-cat with yellow splotches
SPARKPELT—orange tabby she-cat
SORRELSTRIPE—dark brown she-cat
TWIGBRANCH—gray she-cat with green eyes
FINLEAP—brown tom
SHELLFUR—tortoiseshell tom
PLUMSTONE—black-and-ginger she-cat
LEAFSHADE—tortoiseshell she-cat
SPOTFUR—spotted tabby she-cat
FLYWHISKER—striped gray tabby she-cat
SNAPTOOTH—golden tabby tom
QUEENS (she-cats expecting or nursing kits)
DAISY—cream long-furred cat from the horseplace
ELDERS (former warriors and queens, now retired)
GRAYSTRIPE—long-haired gray tom
CLOUDTAIL—long-haired white tom with blue eyes
BRIGHTHEART—white she-cat with ginger patches
BRACKENFUR—golden-brown tabby tom
SHADOWCLAN
LEADER TIGERSTAR—dark brown tabby tom
DEPUTY CLOVERFOOT—gray tabby she-cat
MEDICINE CATS PUDDLESHINE—brown tom with white splotches
SHADOWSIGHT—(gray tabby tom)
WARRIORS TAWNYPELT—tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes
DOVEWING—pale gray she-cat with green eyes
STRIKESTONE—brown tabby tom
STONEWING—white tom
SCORCHFUR—dark gray tom with slashed ears
FLAXFOOT—brown tabby tom
SPARROWTAIL—large brown tabby tom
SNOWBIRD—pure white she-cat with green eyes
YARROWLEAF—ginger she-cat with yellow eyes
BERRYHEART—black-and-white she-cat
GRASSHEART—pale brown tabby she-cat
WHORLPELT—gray-and-white tom
HOPWHISKER—calico she-cat
BLAZEFIRE—white-and-ginger tom
CINNAMONTAIL—brown tabby she-cat with white paws
FLOWERSTEM—silver she-cat
SNAKETOOTH—honey-colored tabby she-cat
SLATEFUR—sleek gray tom
POUNCESTEP—gray tabby she-cat
LIGHTLEAP—brown tabby she-cat
CONEFOOT—white-and-gray tom
FRONDWHISKER—gray tabby she-cat
GULLSWOOP—white she-cat
SPIRECLAW—black-and-white tom
HOLLOWSPRING—black tom
SUNBEAM—brown-and-white tabby she-cat
ELDERS OAKFUR—small brown tom
SKYCLAN
LEADER LEAFSTAR—brown-and-cream tabby she-cat with amber eyes
DEPUTY HAWKWING—dark gray tom with yellow eyes
MEDICINE CATS FRECKLEWISH—mottled light brown tabby she-cat with spotted legs
FIDGETFLAKE—black-and-white tom
MEDIATOR TREE—yellow tom with amber eyes
WARRIORS SPARROWPELT—dark brown tabby tom
MACGYVER—black-and-white tom
DEWSPRING—sturdy gray tom
APPRENTICE, ROOTPAW (yellow tom)
PLUMWILLOW—dark gray she-cat
SAGENOSE—pale gray tom
KITESCRATCH—reddish-brown tom
HARRYBROOK—gray tom
BLOSSOMHEART—ginger-and-white she-cat
TURTLECRAWL—tortoiseshell she-cat
SANDYNOSE—stocky light brown tom with ginger legs
RABBITLEAP—brown tom
APPRENTICE, WRENPAW (golden tabby she-cat)
REEDCLAW—small pale tabby she-cat
APPRENTICE, NEEDLEPAW (black-and-white she-cat)
MINTFUR—gray tabby she-cat with blue eyes
NETTLESPLASH—pale brown tom
TINYCLOUD—small white she-cat
PALESKY—black-and-white she-cat
VIOLETSHINE—black-and-white she-cat with yellow eyes
BELLALEAF—pale orange she-cat with green eyes
NECTARSONG—brown she-cat
QUAILFEATHER—white tom with crow-black ears
PIGEONFOOT—gray-and-white she-cat
FRINGEWHISKER—white she-cat with brown splotches
GRAVELNOSE—tan tom
SUNNYPELT—ginger she-cat
ELDERS FALLOWFERN—pale brown she-cat who has lost her hearing
WINDCLAN
LEADER HARESTAR—brown-and-white tom
DEPUTY CROWFEATHER—dark gray tom
MEDICINE CAT KESTRELFLIGHT—mottled gray tom with white splotches like kestrel feathers
WARRIORS NIGHTCLOUD—black she-cat
BRINDLEWING—mottled brown she-cat
APPRENTICE, APPLEPAW (yellow tabby she-cat)
LEAFTAIL—dark tabby tom with amber eyes
EMBERFOOT—gray tom with two dark paws
SMOKEHAZE—gray she-cat
APPRENTICE, WOODPAW (brown she-cat)
BREEZEPELT—black tom with amber eyes
HEATHERTAIL—light brown tabby she-cat with blue eyes
FEATHERPELT—gray tab
by she-cat
CROUCHFOOT—ginger tom
APPRENTICE, SONGPAW (tortoiseshell she-cat)
LARKWING—pale brown tabby she-cat
SEDGEWHISKER—light brown tabby she-cat
APPRENTICE, FLUTTERPAW (brown-and-white tom)
SLIGHTFOOT—black tom with white flash on his chest
OATCLAW—pale brown tabby tom
HOOTWHISKER—dark gray tom
APPRENTICE, WHISTLEPAW (gray tabby she-cat)
FERNSTRIPE—gray tabby she-cat
ELDERS WHISKERNOSE—light brown tom
GORSETAIL—very pale gray-and-white she-cat with blue eyes
RIVERCLAN
LEADER MISTYSTAR—gray she-cat with blue eyes
DEPUTY REEDWHISKER—black tom
MEDICINE CATS MOTHWING—dappled golden she-cat
WILLOWSHINE—gray tabby she-cat
WARRIORS DUSKFUR—brown tabby she-cat
MINNOWTAIL—dark gray-and-white she-cat
MALLOWNOSE—light brown tabby tom
HAVENPELT—black-and-white she-cat
PODLIGHT—gray-and-white tom
SHIMMERPELT—silver she-cat
LIZARDTAIL—light brown tom
APPRENTICE, FOGPAW (gray-and-white she-cat)
SNEEZECLOUD—gray-and-white tom
BRACKENPELT—tortoiseshell she-cat
JAYCLAW—gray tom
OWLNOSE—brown tabby tom
ICEWING—white she-cat with blue eyes
SOFTPELT—gray she-cat
APPRENTICE, SPLASHPAW (brown tabby tom)
GORSECLAW—white tom with gray ears
NIGHTSKY—dark gray she-cat with blue eyes
HARELIGHT—white tom
BREEZEHEART—brown-and-white she-cat
DAPPLETUFT—gray-and-white tom
QUEENS CURLFEATHER—pale brown she-cat (mother to Frostkit, a she-kit; Mistkit, a she-kit; and Graykit, a tom)
ELDERS MOSSPELT—tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat
EXILED CATS
SQUIRRELFLIGHT—dark ginger she-cat with green eyes and one white paw
Prologue
Spiresight stretched himself out on a sun-warmed rock, enjoying the last rays as the sky above his head turned to scarlet. It was peaceful here, in the little clearing surrounded by bramble thickets. In fact, his whole existence had been peaceful since he had died. His last moons traveling with the ShadowClan cats, his death saving one of their kits, seemed almost like a dream. Even though Tigerstar had given him a warrior name and begged StarClan to admit him to their hunting grounds, he had chosen to remain a ghost, free to wander between the lake and the city without any cat to challenge him.
Spiresight had only known a small number of ShadowClan cats during his life, but since his death he had taken the opportunity to observe all the Clans, to try to understand them.
I have a pretty good idea of how they work now, he thought. And the more I learn, the more I think something is wrong.
The shiver that passed through Spiresight’s pelt was not just because of the dying sun. His sense of unease deepened. It was more than just his fear that danger was lurking within the Clans . . . suddenly, he felt sure that a specific cat needed his help. But who?
Since he’d died, Spiresight had never felt such a strong sense of urgency. He jumped up and sped toward the lake, his ghostly paws skimming the surface of the ground. Something seemed to be tugging at him, opening up a path before him.
Twilight gathered around Spiresight as he ran; clots of deeper darkness formed beneath the trees. Before he reached the lake, he spotted a brown tom striding purposefully through the forest, the white splotches on his pelt glimmering eerily in the dusk. Spiresight took a sniff, but his instincts told him this was not the cat he was looking for. He ran on.
Soon he heard a rustling in the bushes and paused, all his senses alert. Just ahead of him he picked up the strong scent of crushed catmint. Taking a couple of cautious paces forward, Spiresight poked his head around a clump of fern and blinked in surprise.
Just off the path he had been following, a cat was rolling in a clump of catmint, working it thoroughly into his fur. By now it was too dark for Spiresight to make out any details, though he could see that the cat was a muscular, powerful tom.
Spiresight’s sense of danger sharpened. This is part of what has drawn me here, he realized.
He doubted whether the other cat would be able to see him, but even so he moved as stealthily as he could as he drew closer. He was still a couple of tail-lengths away when the tom abruptly sat up, then settled into a hunter’s crouch, peering into the undergrowth ahead of him. Almost immediately, he pounced, vanishing among the clustering ferns and bushes.
A cry split the silence of the night. Spiresight froze as he recognized the voice. That’s Shadowsight!
Shadowsight had been only a kit when Spiresight died—in fact, it was his life that Spiresight had saved in his last moments. Even then, Spiresight could tell the kit was special. And now Shadowsight had grown into a gifted medicine cat. Spiresight pushed his way through the bushes to see the powerful tom attacking Shadowsight, raking his claws across the young medicine cat’s defenseless back. As Spiresight watched in horror, he gripped Shadowsight by the scruff, gave him a vigorous shake, then slammed his body against a nearby tree trunk before letting him drop.
Shadowsight fell limply to the ground. His paws twitched briefly, then grew still.
Spiresight let out a yowl of shock and anger. He flung himself at the tom, clawing at his shoulder and throat, but his paws passed harmlessly through the tom’s thick fur.
Spiresight flung back his head and let out a yowl, a desperate attempt to summon other cats to help. But there was no response. I’m a ghost; I should have known no cat could hear me.
The tom picked up Shadowsight’s body and began dragging him deeper into the undergrowth. Spiresight followed, his eyes wide with dismay.
After a while, Spiresight realized that the tom was heading toward a rocky area on the border between ThunderClan and SkyClan. When he reached it, he scrambled among the rocks, dragging the motionless body of the young medicine cat between his forepaws. Suddenly Spiresight realized what he intended to do.
“No!” he snarled, leaping forward, but once again the tom didn’t even flinch. Spiresight watched in horror as he swung Shadowsight by the scruff and tossed his body into a deep ravine. The limp gray form bounced off a jutting rock and landed beside the roots of a twisted thorn tree.
The burly tom gazed down at him for a moment, then whipped his head around in Spiresight’s direction, his eyes wide and watchful. For a moment Spiresight froze, almost certain that the cat had spotted him. But a heartbeat later the large tom turned and raced away, vanishing into the undergrowth.
Spiresight gazed down into the ravine, his fear turning to despair; by now the darkness was so deep that he could hardly make out Shadowsight’s body lying on the rocky ground. I refused StarClan so I could watch over my friends. Why was I forced to witness this?
Letting out a wail of anguish, he crouched down at the very edge of the gully.
Why did my instincts send me here, if I couldn’t stop this? he asked himself in a storm of guilt and grief. My friend is dead, and there’s nothing I can do!
Chapter 1
Rootpaw shuffled his paws nervously, darting glances at the medicine cats around him. Just being at the Moonpool spooked him: the spiral path stippled with the paw steps of cats so ancient that even their memory was lost; the continual gushing of the water that cascaded into the pool; the Moonpool itself, awash with reflected moonlight and starshine.
We don’t belong here, he thought, his gaze catching briefly on his father, Tree, who was sitting beside him. This place is only for medicine cats. He remembered the last time he had been allowed to visit the Moonpool, when the medicine cats had tried to break the ice in the hope of helping StarClan reach them. That didn’t feel right either, and it didn’t help us reconnect with StarClan.
Even the medicine cats were looking anxious, Rootpaw realized. The medicine cats from all the Clans were here, except for ShadowClan. While they waited for Puddleshine and Shadowsight to join them, the half-moon rose higher in the sky, and Rootpaw’s pelt tingled with mounting tension.
I just want to get on with it.
He and Tree had traveled to the Moonpool in the hope that they could make Bramblestar’s wandering spirit appear to the medicine cats at their usual half-moon meeting. If they could, then every medicine cat would know that the cat inside Bramblestar was not the real leader of ThunderClan. And that would mean ThunderClan shouldn’t follow his orders.
But it’s a big if, Rootpaw thought gloomily. He knew that some of the medicine cats weren’t happy allowing Tree to approach so close to the Moonpool. They couldn’t accept the strange talents he had inherited from his kin in the Sisters, or his disregard for the warrior code. But for once Rootpaw was comforted by his father’s presence. He hated to admit it, but the situation they were in now was bigger than the code.
“What’s keeping the ShadowClan cats?” Kestrelflight muttered, rising to his paws and pacing from the water’s edge to the bottom of the path and back again. “We’re wasting moonlight,” he added with a glance at the sky.
“They’ll be here in a minute,” said Tree. “We thought we heard a cat wailing in pain on the way here.”
“Who was it?” Alderheart asked anxiously.
Tree shrugged. “We never found any cat. We kept on looking for a while, but then Puddleshine figured that the injured cat must have been able to get back to the ThunderClan camp. Shadowsight had stayed behind to gather cobwebs, so Puddleshine went back for him while we came here.”
“I hope they haven’t run into trouble,” Alderheart responded. “We can’t start without them.”
Jayfeather let out a snort, the tip of his tail twitching irritably to and fro.
Before any other cat could speak, a rustling sound came from the bushes at the top of the hollow and Puddleshine appeared, pushing his way through the thorny branches and running lightly down the spiral path to join his fellow medicine cats.
“Sorry I’m late,” he panted. “I—”
“Where’s Shadowsight?” Rootpaw interrupted. He had felt relieved at the arrival of the ShadowClan medicine cat, until he realized that Puddleshine was alone.
Puddleshine gave him a blank look, then glanced around in confusion. “Isn’t he here?” he asked. “I thought he must have gotten ahead of me.”