Prologue

               It was a cold windy night. A tired gray she-cat lay on her side inside the ThunderClan nursery. A golden tabby tom stood proudly beside her. Four kits lay near her belly and the tom smiled as he looked at them. “What have you named them?” the tom asked.

               “That one is Vinekit,” the gray she-cat said exhaustedly, gesturing to a gray kit.

               “That one is Goldenkit,” she said, pointing at a golden she-kit.

               “That’s Moonkit,” she said, pointing to a pale silver she-kit.

               “And that’s Owlkit,” she said, licking the light brown kit with her tongue.

               A brown tom pushed his way into the nursery, meowing a greeting. “You have wonderful kits, Lionblaze and Cinderheart,” the tom said.

               Lionblaze nodded. “Thanks, Woodpelt,” he said.

               “May I have a look at them?” Woodpelt asked.

               “Of course,” the ThunderClan deputy meowed.

               Woodpelt studied them for a moment before turning back to face Lionblaze. “The gray kit and the golden kit…” he began.

               “Vinekit and Goldenkit,” Cinderheart interrupted.

               Woodpelt nodded briskly. “Vinekit and Goldenkit are dead,” the medicine cat said.

               Cinderheart gasped and Lionblaze stared at medicine cat in horror. “And the brown one…” Woodpelt continued.

               “Owlkit,” Cinderheart said softly.

               Woodpelt took a deep breath. “Owlkit is barely breathing. I’m afraid he won’t make it through the night.”

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               Two StarClan cats sat together in a grassy field. “Why did Owlpaw have to inherit his father’s powers when the Prophecy of the Three has already been fulfilled?” a bluish-gray she-cat asked.

               A flame-colored tom sighed, resting the tip of his tail on her back. “You know it was not StarClan’s decision, Bluestar. StarClan does not control everything,” Firestar meowed quietly.

               Bluestar nodded slowly. “Why do you want do give him the knowledge that has the power to destroy our Clan?” she asked, tilting her head. “That is StarClan’s decision, Firestar, and I don’t see why we should tell him the secret.”

               Firestar stared at the blue sky, the bright sunlight reflected in his emerald eyes. “If he doesn’t know Darkshine’s secret, Darkshine will never become leader and ThunderClan will perish,” he responded. “Owlpaw must know.”

                Bluestar didn’t look satisfied, but after a moment’s hesitation, she nodded in agreement. “Fine, Firestar, we’ll do it your way. But if ThunderClan falls by Owlpaw’s feet, I swear I will tear your throat out,” she hissed.

               The fur on his neck bristled. “Try it!” he spat, claws unsheathed. Then, he took a deep breath and managed to control his anger. “You know that I’m only trying to do what’s best for our Clan, Bluestar.”

               The blue-furred she-cat stared at him calmly. “Aren’t we all?” she asked.

               The two cats rose to their paws and padded away from the field. As they were about to fade into a distance, a loud rumble shook the earth. “It will be proven that knowledge is power, and the One will have the power to save or destroy his Clan in his paws,” an unknown voice whispered.

               An old tom with sightless gray eyes appeared. “Rock!” Bluestar meowed.

               “The One must be prepared, or ThunderClan will be destroyed,” Rock meowed ominously.