A cat tribe interprets signs from the Tribe of Endless Hunting. They see that a silver warrior from beyond their clan will come and save them from the Sharptooth.
Stormfur awakens and looks around at his sleeping friends. He feels a stab of jealousy when he sees Brambleclaw and Squirrelpaw sleeping together. He tries to talk to Midnight about her words last night, but Squirrelpaw wakes up and rouses the others. The cats head off, eager to head home and concerned with what they might find. Stormfur watches in alarm and he realizes Feathertail and Crowpaw are becoming attached romantically. Midnight takes them as far as the woods where they run into Purdy. Purdy tries to attack Midnight and save the young cats - much to their amusement. The cats hunt and rest while Stormfur wrestles with his feelings for Squirrelpaw as well as his feelings about Feathertail and Crowpaw falling in love.
Firestar calls a meeting at Highrock, and Leafpaw attends already knowing what he will say. Firestar warns the cats about the Twoleg monsters that his patrol saw tearing up the forest. Cinderpelt admits that StarClan has told her nothing, but she does not believe it is their will that they are destroyed. Firestar asks everyone to keep extra alert while they are outside the camp. The meeting ended, Firestar decides he needs to speak to Blackstar. He gathers up some cats, including Leafpaw and Cinderpelt. They cross easily into ShadowClan territory but when they come across Russetfur with a party of cats she attacks, uncaring why they are there.
Foxes arrive and Purdy offers to fight them off but Midnight, who also speaks fox, convinces them to go away. The foxes warn that this is their territory and they will be back that night, so the cats had better be gone. The cats debate which is the best way to go. Midnight tells them they must cross the mountains but some are unsure. Others think that perhaps they should go back through Twoleg place but some refuse to get lost in those twisting paths again. In the end the cats decide to follow the mountains. Purdy is upset and tries to warn them of something but Midnight cuts him off. He then tries to go with them but Midnight talks him out of it. Stormfur wonders what it is that Purdy is so worried about.
Firestar convinces Russetfur to bring them to Blackstar, but he is not interested in anything Firestar has to say. He points out that ShadowClan can always eat the rats now that Littlecloud knows how to cure the disease the rats carry. Cinderpelt is furious that he silences his medicine cats fears and Firestar is upset he cannot get through to him. Blackstar says they will speak at the next Gathering and the cats leave. Leafpaw decides she needs to sneak into WindClan territory to speak to Tallstar and convinces Sorreltail to go with her. A patrol finds the two cats and attacks them, uninterested in why they are there. The fighting cats accidently enter RiverClan territory. Mothwing sees them and attacks the WindClan cats. She talks with Leafpaw and Sorreltail, admitting that WindClan smells like fear. Leafpaw sadly points out that everything is changing, thanks to the monsters, and Mothwing starts to say something about ambitious cats and then abruptly breaks off. Leafpaw worries that Mothwing might know another cat with the ambition of Tigerstar.
I feel like things are still dragging a bit, but it is the first few chapters. Things at the camp seem to be at a standstill since no one knows what to do.
The POV seems to have switched from Brambleclaw to Stormfur for this novel, which is different. Never before has a non ThunderClan cat been given a POV for a chapter. It is interesting to see his point of view for a change. He seems to be in love with Squirrelpaw, which I feel is rather out of left field. But he also acknowledges that Brambleclaw and Squirrelpaw are probably falling in love themselves. He has a sense of odd man out since Feathertail has suddenly decided she is in love with Crowpaw. I understand that feelings could logically develop between a group of cats travelling together but I feel it is all very rushed. All last book all they did was fight until the last few pages when they suddenly decided they were all BFFs. Now, all the sudden, everywhere I look cats are in love. Brambleclaw and Squirrelpaw makes sense - that was laid out in the very beginning of book one - but none of the others do. There was never a hint that anyone felt anything for someone else - until now. And now suddenly there are two forbidden romances (since you cannot fall in love with someone outside your clan) and one is a love triangle. It seems a bit much to suddenly swallow.
I also feel trepidation about this new clan of cats. Clearly they are one of the other warrior tribes that Midnight spoke of. But I feel like this story is dragging enough already. I really don't know that a side quest with a random cat clan is needed.
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