The state of ShadowClan's uncorrected opinions on the warrior code has caused Rowanstar to lose not only his territory but Darktail has even managed to sway warriors and apprentice's to join him from the Clan. Darktail, his rogues and his ideals are a threat to all of the Clans but they won't be able to defeat him if the rifts between the Clans continue to widen. RiverClan is barely recovering, ThunderClan and ShadowClan are figuring out how to share a camp and Onestar has forced WindClan to sever all ties to the other Clans and close their borders.

Alderheart is convinced that his original prophecy to find the remaining cats of SkyClan is essential to the survival of all five Clans. Will the Clans be able to fulfill the prophecy StarClan laid out for them before Darktail and his rogues destroy the Clans and the warrior code in one fell swoop?

There is a LOT of upheaval in this book - the appearance of Darktail and his rogues have taken a toll on the Clans and made age old Clan vs. Clan complaints regarding behavior make a return. I really have grown to like Violetpaw's character and she has come along way from where she was. As for Twigpaw, she's still a little bit to much like Alderpaw with all the self doubt and constantly needing assurance for something but she DOES survive a solo trek to come back with SkyClan in tow. Onestar's big secret isn't as shocking as it was cowardly, he at least admitted his mistake to all Clan cats but not before it became essentially a requirement. As much as I didn't like Needletail's attitude she redeemed herself in a really big way and she reminds me a little bit of Yellowfang.

Solving the prophecy given to Alderheart was a little anticlimactic for me, I know that having SkyClan at the lake will complicate several matters. They really were only relevant to finally being able to drive the rogues from the territory after each clan remembers where their strengths lie. Violetpaw and Twigpaw having kin within the SkyClan wasn't a huge surprise even though it wasn't who they were looking for. I am interested to see where they will choose to go - with their blood kin or stay with the Clans that raised them. I would recommend this book (and series) to middle-grade readers who love cats (or anyone who does), low fantasy and anthropomorphism. ( )

4.5 stars, because while I couldn't stop reading, I was missing that feeling you get when you fall in love with a book. Still pretty good, though. ( )