A Darker Moon

Three cats hold the power of the stars in their paws—but the Dark Forest is rising.

Warriors: Omen of the Stars is the fourth arc in the Warriors juvenile fantasy novel series about feral cats who live in Clans. It is made up of six novels published by HarperCollins from 2009 to 2012: The Fourth Apprentice, Fading Echoes, Night Whispers, Sign of the Moon, The Forgotten Warrior, and The Last Hope. The novels were written by Erin Hunter, a pseudonym that refers to authors Kate Cary, Cherith Baldry, and Tui Sutherland, as well as plot developer and editor Victoria Holmes. Omen of the Stars details the experiences of Jayfeather, Lionblaze, and Dovewing, who, as part of a prophecy, have special powers. The arc's themes deal with forbidden love and the effect that being different can have on relationships. Though the Warriors series has appeared on the New York Times Best Seller list, none of the novels in Warriors: Omen of the Stars have won a significant literary award.

Quick Facts

Author

Erin Hunter

Series

Warriors

Main pov character

Jayfeather
Lionblaze
Dovewing

Affiliation

ThunderClan

Position in arc

Fourth arc (six books)

Lore & Background

The prophecy that drives Omen of the Stars is first spoken in the earlier arc: "There will be three, kin of your kin, who hold the power of the stars in their paws." The three cats are Jayfeather, Lionblaze, and Dovewing. Jayfeather can enter others' dreams and has a deep connection to the past; Lionblaze cannot be defeated in battle; Dovewing can see, hear, and smell things very far away (clairvoyance). The arc reveals that the Dark Forest—the place where evil cats' spirits go—is training living cats in their dreams, led by Tigerstar and his son Hawkfrost.

They recruit cats like Breezepelt and Ivypaw (later Ivypool), aiming to start a war between StarClan and the Dark Forest. The arc also brings back the ancient cat Rock, whose dream sends Jayfeather to the mountains; there he goes back in time as his previous incarnation, Jay's Wing, persuades the ancestors of the Tribe of Rushing Water to stay, and appoints their first Stoneteller. The arc ends with a final battle between the living Clans and the Dark Forest spirits in The Last Hope.

Reader's Guide

Arc: Omen of the Stars Books: The Fourth Apprentice (2009), Fading Echoes (2010), Night Whispers (2010), Sign of the Moon (2011), The Forgotten Warrior (2011), The Last Hope (2012)

Central conflict: The Dark Forest, led by Tigerstar and Hawkfrost, trains living cats in their dreams to fight a war against StarClan. The three cats of the prophecy—Jayfeather, Lionblaze, and Dovewing—must unite the Clans and stop the Dark Forest. Key turning points: The destruction of the beaver dam in The Fourth Apprentice; Lionblaze killing Russetfur in Fading Echoes; Ivypaw agreeing to spy on the Dark Forest in Night Whispers; Jayfeather appointing the first Stoneteller in Sign of the Moon; Hollyleaf's return in The Forgotten Warrior; the revelation of a fourth cat in the prophecy in The Last Hope.

How it links to the broader timeline: Omen of the Stars is the fourth arc, following Power of Three. It continues the story of Jayfeather and Lionblaze from the previous arc and introduces Dovewing. The next arc published, Dawn of the Clans, is a prequel that tells how the Clans began. Rising characters: Dovewing (from apprentice to a key warrior), Ivypool (from jealous apprentice to spy), Lionblaze (from warrior to killer), Jayfeather (from medicine cat to time traveler).

Falling characters: Flametail (drowned), Russetfur (killed by Lionblaze), Breezepelt (revealed as a Dark Forest trainee).

Did You Know?

The Fourth Apprentice was published on 24 November 2009 in the United States, the same day as its Canadian release.
The audiobooks for the first four novels were read by Kathleen McInerney.
The arc features the death of ShadowClan deputy Russetfur, killed accidentally by Lionblaze during a battle.