This book is mainly about the three prophesized cats, Hollyleaf, Lionblaze, and Jaypaw. Evolving around how they overcame their personal probleme and protected their friend Squirrelflight by fighting against her evil pursuer.?
This book start by continuing the last book, about how the mysterious loner Sol, who had prophesized the sun disappearing and led to shadowclan leaving the clans, had taken over the shadowclan, with even the leader of shadowclan, Blackstar, having to listen to his command. Because of Sol's power, all of shadowclan obeyed him closely and no one argued, yet, the lack of a clan means there are only three clans left, and according to their warrior code, the clans only work with four clans. The leaving of shadowclan worried starclan, who are the spirits of dead cat warriors and watch over all the clans, as well as providing guidance. Starclan decided to tell Raggedstar and Runningnose pass on the message to Jaypaw, hoping he can make a fake sign from starclan and make shadowclan believe in starclan again. Eventually, Jaypaw persuaded his littermates, Hollyleaf and Lionblaze, and together they persuaded a shadowclan cat, Tigerpaw, to join them. They eventually created a sign with tree and told Blackstar that peace and safety would only come to his clan if he followed starclan, and Blackstar proceed to drive out Sol.?
While that was happening, Greencough, a disease that had always been with the cats, started spreading in thunderclan again. This time, infecting many of the kits, as well as a few queens, who take care of the kits. Not long after, Firestar also caught Greencough and started struggling just as much as all the other cats. While he was sick, Firestar recommended everyone to shelter at the abandoned twoleg place, where it is relatively safer and warmer than their camp, and is better for the sick cats. Unfortunately, Firestar still lost a life from Greencough not long afterward.
When cats are sick, the medicine cats get really busy, that include Jaypaw. He tried to find the right herbs for Greencough, but the ones within the Thunderclan territory are all unusable. He also know that there are some of the herb in windclan territory, but he have no idea how to get there. He tried to wander through underground tunnels, but didn't succeed, but still found some shocking fact about the past of the lake and their old residents. Eventually, Jaypaw was able to get into a windclan apprentice medicine cat's dream, and they didn't realize that he was real, that cat just thought Jaypaw was just part of the dream. This caused the windclan cat to gladly show Jaypaw where the herbs are. After knowing exactly where the herbs are located, Jaypaw persuaded his brother, Lionblaze, to fetch the herbs. Recently, Lionblaze had many nightmares, including killing a windclan cat that used to be his friend, and he is afraid that this would come true if he listened to Jaypaw and went to the windclan territory to fetch herbs. But, as Greencough spread even more, Lionblaze had no choice but to go fetch the herbs. Just like he feared, Lionblaze met his old friend and had some argument, but still somehow successfully brought back the herbs. Greencough within thunderclan was soon cured, and soon Jaypaw was named a full medicine cat, and is now known as Jayfeather.
Soon, during a storm, the camp was lit on fire and a few kits were trapped in the fire. Squirrelflight was trying to save the kits by putting a stick over to get the over, but she wasn't strong enough herself. Soon, Ashfur came over and bravely pushed the stick over the fire and saved the kits. But then, Ashfur threatened to push Jayfeather, Hollyleaf, and Lionblaze into the fire, because Squirrelflight is their mother and Ashfur disliked Squirrelflight for choosing Brambleclaw over him. Ashfur wanted Squirrelflight to feel what it is like to loose everything she loved by pushing the cats over. Then Squirrelflight revealed that these cats are not actually her kits, but refuse to reveal whose kits they are. Ashfur eventually didn't push them over considering that they are not part of the problem with Squirrelflight. Eventually, they cats agreed to keep this a secret, but Squirrelflight and the three cats still can't trust Ashfur enough. A few days later, right before a gathering where Squirrelflight and Ashfur were both suppose to attend, Ashfur was found dead, killed by a cat and tossed into the stream bordering windclan and thunderclan. It was Squirrelflight and her friends that killed Ashfur, but they kept it a secret.