Prologue

The moonlight filtered through the trees on the island, guiding the way for the cats trekking home from the Gathering. For once, no threats or arguments broke up the night and no clouds covered the sky. StarClan's peace had been held, though Onestar himself was still smarting over the fact that ThunderClan was involved in a new prophecy. ShadowClan too, now that they'd claimed the other kit.

He supposed it wasn't something that could be helped. ThunderClan was the apple of StarClan's eye and it looked to him like they'd stay that way. Perhaps it was his Clan's destiny to go unnoticed, undetected-they were more invisible than the ShadowClan warriors that stalked in the night when it came to their ancestors.

Onestar lifted his tail, signaling for his cats to climb across the Tree-Bridge. His Clan was strong, even if it wasn't in the spotlight. Back in camp, his daughter was nursing her newborn kits, his deputy was keeping watch vigilantly in case of a nighttime raid. He had that to be grateful for, at least. Even if he thought his reign was marked with bad luck ever since Mudclaw's failed coup, he couldn't deny that WindClan were doing quite well lately.

He hopped up on the Tree-Bridge, purring with amusement as he saw Breezepelt kneading the worn bark with his paws as he slowly made his way across. "Eager to get back to camp?" he called.

Breezepelt almost fell off the log, eliciting purrs from the other WindClan cats. The smoky black cat lashed his tail and hissed, but for once his barbed tongue was quiet. Onestar had noticed a slight change in him ever since his mate-Onestar's daughter-had kits. He feared at first for Smokekit and Brindlekit-their father was a willing accomplice to the Dark Forest and though Onestar had kept him close instead of exiled him like many of his council argued, he always kept one eye on the dark tom. He would he know what type of father he'd be? Of course, Onestar couldn't exactly blame him. The disaster that was Crowfeather and Nightcloud's relationship wouldn't exactly make for a well-adjusted cat. Everyone in WindClan could see through Crowfeather and Nightcloud's relationship-it was obvious every time some cat caught Crowfeather staring across the border and whenever Nightcloud cast a sad glance toward the nursery.

The WindClan cats crowded at the end of the log, their fur fluffed up in the cool leaf-fall air. The anticipation between them was almost tangible-waiting until everyone was finally off so they could run as fast as the wind itself until they were back home. Onestar yowled his go-ahead and the Clan raced forward, their pelts blurring in the night.

At camp Kestrelflight was giving Heathertail another dose of borage. Her milk was coming as well as it could for her newly born kits, but the crisp leaf-fall air would slowly turn into frigid leaf-bare and he'd seen himself how the fresh-kill pile dwindled into nothing once the rabbits went below ground. Heathertail would need all the milk she could make for her kits then.

The she-cat winced at the taste. "I don't think I'll ever get used to that," she said.

Whitetail, an elder and the young queen's mother, purred. "I said the same when I had you! It's worth the taste though."

Heathertail gazed at her two kits with eyes full of love. "Anything for these little ones." Smokekit wandered a bit from her mother's belly and Heathertail gently guided the she-kit back with her tail. "She's going to be a stubborn little thing, like her father."

Kestrelflight's gaze darkened. He hoped to StarClan neither of the kits took after their father. He'd been vocal about his opinion about Breezepelt. A cat who willingly fought for the Dark Forest could never properly be with his Clan again. But by the time it came to a vote, Heathertail was already pregnant with the tom's kits and the majority of the senior warriors thought it'd be too cruel for them to grow up without a father. It'd most likely be the opposite. He thought.

"Both are fine kits," he said. That at least was true.

A caterwaul made the medicine cat run outside. "Kestrelflight!" The yowl of his leader had the medicine cat's spotted hackles raise. StarClan, please let it be okay! He raced out of the nursery as the party from the Gathering crowded in the small clearing and the sleeping cats woke up and padded out to find them.

A anguished cry went out from one of the she-cats. The WindClan deputy, Harespring, lay dead in the hollow. His brown-and-white fur covered in blood. Onestar stood with his head bowed. "We found him by the border with RiverClan, already dead."

Cries of outrage filled the night air. "They dare kill our deputy on the night of the truce?" Nightcloud yowled. "We should attack at once!"

Other cats meowed in agreement. "Make them pay!"

"Fox-hearts!

"Fish-faced, crowfood eaters!"

Kestrelflight padded up to Harespring's steadily cooling body. There was no smell he recognized on it-not a fox or badger or RiverClan's fishy stink. He screwed his eyes in concentration...something was there...but could it be?

Onestar raised his voice. "We have no cause to believe RiverClan killed Harespring." He raised his tail to stop the arguments springing up from the crowd of hissing cats. "But suffice to say, as soon as we have the evidence we need, Harespring will be avenged!"

"He was killed on the RiverClan border!" Crowfeather yowled. "Who else could it be?"

"Those fish-faces can't let us have a moon of peace! I told you they crossed the scent line the other day!" Breezepelt's claws made furrows in the dirt.

Crowfeather cuffed his son over the ear. "That was an apprentice, moron!"

Breezepelt turned toward his father, fur on end, spitting with fury. "You just blamed RiverClan yourself, hypocrite!"

"Do something," Kestrelflight whispered to Sedgewhisker, who stood beside him. The she-cat thrust herself in between the bickering toms.

"Be quiet and listen to what your leader says!" she hissed.

Onestar, used to Crowfeather and Breezepelt by now, felt a swell of appreciation for the she-cat. "There are other matters about Harespring's death that we must discuss."

The cats who stayed in the camp eyed each-other uneasily as Gorsetail stepped forward, a small kit swinging between her jaws. It couldn't have been more than a quarter-moon old. She placed the kit next to Harespring, where it proceeded to press itself against the dead deputy's belly, wailing.

"The kit was found with Harespring. He was curled around her when we found him. It seemed...like he was protecting her." Onestar said.

Emberfoot, a newer warrior, stepped up to the kit, poking it with a dark paw. The she-kit mewled weakly and pressed itself closer to Harespring. "She looks a little like him," he mused. "They're the same shade of brown, though only her tail-tip is white."

"You dare accuse our deputy of being in a forbidden relationship?" Nightcloud hissed.

Emberfoot twitched his ear at the furious she-cat. "Well, it's not like it's a new thing. We all know about Crowfeather's kits."

Crowfeather thrust his way into the center of squabbling cats. "I am loyal!"

"Everyone!" Onestar jumped up on the Tallrock, yowling for his clanmates to be quiet. "The wind carries our voices. If an enemy has murdered Harespring, they can not hear us arguing and causing chaos amongst ourselves! Whatever secrets Harespring left have died with him. All we can do is carry on and hope justice will be served."

Heathertail padded from the nursery, blinking sleepily. "What about the kit?" she said. "She'll die without any milk. I have plenty, I could take her."

"Heathertail-" Breezepelt started but the queen slapped her tail across his mouth.

"Don't be stupid, Breezepelt. She's done nothing. Wherever she's from, no kit should feel unwanted." Heathertail padded up to where Harespring and the kit lay. The she-kit quivered in fright as Heathertail gave it a few, warming licks. "There now, shhh. It'll be okay." The queen gazed at Onestar. "I offer to take in this kit. She was with Harespring for a reason-he might've even died for her. Kin or not, I will honor that."

Onestar nodded, pride in his gaze. His daughter was growing into a formidable young cat. "Of course, Heathertail."

Whitetail came next to her daughter and helped her lick the dried blood off the kit's fur until it shone golden-brown. "She does look a lot like Harespring," she murmured. "Ears especially."

"Harespring always hated his large ears," Heathertail purred. "He was worried he'd be named Hare-ear!"

The cats of WindClan let the two she-cats through to the nursery, where Heathertail placed the young kit beside her own daughters. The kit pressed against the queen's belly and began to suckle.

Before the WindClan cats dispersed, Onestar had a final announcement. "It pains me to do this so soon, but the moon is waning. I say this before StarClan, so the spirits of Harespring may hear and approve my choice. The new deputy will be Sedgewhisker!"

Sedgewhisker bowed her head. "I am honored and I accept. Thank you. I promise to make Harespring's spirit proud."

The WindClan cats began to disperse, mewing to each other about the way the night had turned. The few cats closest to Harespring pressed their nose against the deputy, sharing tongues for the last time. Before he could join them, Onestar looked into the nursery where his daughter had settled with her kits. "She needs a name," he said. He couldn't help but think if this kit was Harespring's. Her fur was a similar shade of brown and her larger-than-normal ears were almost identical to the former deputy. He did remember the young Harepaw begging him before his warrior ceremony to name him anything-anything-besides Hare-ear. But she was skinny-even for WindClan and long-limbed for such a little kit. He thought he knew his deputy well enough to know if something was going on. Surely, he'd know if Harespring had been with a she-cat. There were obvious signs! It wasn't like he stole away during the night like Crowfeather used to-like his daughter had admitted one tearful night after the battle with ThunderClan and the cat who stole the sun. He shook his head. StarClan help us through this. Let us figure this out, please. Harespring, wherever you are, answer our pleas. He was suddenly wondering if this was how ThunderClan felt all the time, with all their prophecies and drama.

"I've named her Flightkit," Heathertail said. "Clanborn or not, she'll have the speed of the wind in her name."

Onestar nodded and went out to join his vigil.

Kestrelflight stared at the stars, a little ways away from the vigil. Was it his imagination, or was one of the stars a deep red color? A bad feeling grew in his belly, churning it like an old, tough mouse. Voices blew on the wind, all nameless. This is only the beginning.

AN: This is my first Warriors Fanfic! Please tell me what you think!