A Vision of Shadows

A Vision of Shadows is the fifth arc of the Warriors series. It follows Alderheart, Violetshine, and Twigbranch as the fifth Clan comes to the lake and ShadowClan falls apart.

The Apprentice's Quest

 * Alderkit, son of Bramblestar and Squirrelflight, begins his apprenticeship as a warrior apprentice, but later transfers to Jayfeather as a medicine cat apprentice. He gets a vision of the SkyClan cats, and he, his sister, Sandstorm, Molewhisker, and Cherryfall set out to find SkyClan, with Needlepaw tagging along a bit later. Sandstorm is wounded while trying to cross over a barbed fence and dies as a result of her injuries. After her death, the cats decide they should try to find the gorge on their own to honor the dead she-cat's wishes. They continue on, and eventually finds a cat who claims to be the leader of SkyClan, and is named Darktail. The patrol eventually finds out that they aren't the real SkyClan, and escape from their camp. On the way home, the cats are separated after crossing a river, Alderpaw and Needlepaw find two kits and bring them back to the lake where they stay in ThunderClan's care. At the next Gathering, however, ShadowClan demands ThunderClan give them a kit, and so Violetkit is separated from her sister.

Thunder and Shadow

 * When Littlecloud dies, Leafpool goes over to ShadowClan to train Puddlepaw to become the next medicine cat. Twigkit and Violetkit are settling into their new Clans, though Violetkit is having a harder time as the ShadowClan cats are not very friendly but makes friends with Needlepaw. Meanwhile, Darktail and his rogues attack WindClan and Furzepelt dies. However, Needlepaw discovers the rogues in ShadowClan territory and makes friends with them. The rogues try to join ShadowClan twice and are turned away both times, at which Needlepaw and a couple of other young cats decide to leave to join the rogues. Needlepaw takes Violetkit with her, and when the other clans find out, they rebuke Rowanstar for allowing it to happen. But then Violetkit escapes from the rogues and returns to Shadowclan, where there is a sickness named yellowcough. Onestar refuses to give them the herb that grows only on the moor, so Twigpaw is held hostage in the hope that ThunderClan can persuade Onestar to get the herb, ragwort. However, this does not work, and Crowfrost releases Twigpaw. Shadowclan becomes even more sick, with Crowfrost dying, until Kestrelflight and Harespring secretly pick the ragwort and give it to the other clans. After Shadowclan is cured from the yellowcough, Darktail's group invades Shadowclan and takes over, with Rowanstar, Tigerheart, and Tawnypelt leaving to join ThunderClan. When Twigpaw finds out that Violetpaw is still with the rogues, she visits ShadowClan and persuades Needletail and Rain to let her see Violetpaw, but is chased off after a brief conversation.

Shattered Sky

 * All four Clans participate in a battle against Darktail's rogues; however, Onestar orders his cats to retreat, leaving the other Clans to fend for themselves. This causes the battle to be lost to the rogues, leaving RiverClan severely injured. At the next Gathering, Mistystar and Rowanstar berate him for his leaving and Onestar closes his borders. Meanwhile, in the Kin, Darktail is healing from the battle. Violetpaw is beginning to think that he is okay, but he kills Rain after his attempted assassination. He then recruits kittypets into Kin for an upcoming battle to take over Riverclan. The Kin are successful in the battle, but Pinenose and Max are dead, along with a number of RiverClan cats. Mistystar and a few of her cats escape to ThunderClan, while Darktail holds the injured cats as prisoners. Back in ThunderClan, Alderheart and Bramblestar tell the other cats about Skyclan. Twigpaw secretly leaves to find Skyclan because Alderheart thinks he saw her kin, but then Purdy dies. Later on, Alderheart and Mothwing decide to try to get her herbs from the RiverClan camp. In doing so, Alderheart notes how Needletail seems scared, especially when he mentions the missing ShadowClan cats. Darktail then interrogates Violetpaw about their missing herbs, and she reluctantly reveals that Needletail allowed it, at which he makes her a prisoner. Meanwhile, Twigpaw is believed to be dead after it appears she was hit by a monster. ThunderClan comes up with a plan to get RiverClan's territory back by getting some of the prisoners out using Violetpaw. After a few successes, Alderheart comes up with a new plan to keep Darktail and his closest members sleeping by having Violetpaw sneak poppy seeds into their prey. But this fails and Darktail punishes her by trying to drown Needletail, but then attacks him to allow Violetpaw to escape. The prisoners then rise up against the Kin and some former ShadowClan cats help with ThunderClan and drive the Kin back to ShadowClan territory. Twigpaw then comes back with SkyClan, and her father Hawkwing. Violetpaw is also found alive, and a couple of cats go to WindClan to try and persuade them to help when they find the Kin attacking them. They help drive them out, but then Onestar reveals that Darktail is his son and decides to help drive them out. StarClan tells them to remember their names, and the clan cats realize that they must remember their clan's names and skills, and use them to drive out he rogue. In the battle against the rogues, Darktail and Onestar go into the lake during fight, and do not reemerge from under the water's surface. Hawkwing offers his kits a place in SkyClan, though neither are sure whether they want to go.

Darkest Night

 * In ThunderClan, RiverClan is slowly leaving to return to their territory and SkyClan is given part of ShadowClan's territory to settle in at the gathering as ShadowClan is very small with so many missing Clanmates. Surprisingly, both Violetpaw and Twigpaw join them and they are given mentors to train them, even though they were both ready to become warriors. Finpaw ends up having some of his tail cut off after a branch falls on his tail and is unable to be cut free. The medicine cats then get a vision about a six-toed cat, though none of the cats in the clans have six toes on any foot. Some of SkyClan's cats then go to the gorge with Molewhisker to try and find some of their missing Clanmates. One the way, Hawkwing finds Cherrytail and Cloudmist in Barley's barn, but they are hesitant to come back to Skyclan. At the gorge, they mind Mintfur, Nettlesplash, and their kits in the gorge and get Frecklewish out of the Twoleg den that captured her before returning to the clans. On the way back, Cloudmist and Cherrytail decide to return with them. Violetpaw also finds Tree, a loner that has six toes on one paw, and decides to bring him back. Meanwhile, Dovewing goes missing, and no cat knows where she is. Soon afterwards, a rockslide ravages ThunderClan's camp, due to the recent rain. Snowbush ends up dying from an infection in his broken hind leg. At the Gathering, Rowanstar reveals that Tigerheart has gone missing, and asks to join SkyClan with his remaining Clanmates in exchange for the rest of their territory. Leafstar agrees, and when Hawkwing's patrol returns, she decides to make Violetpaw and Twigpaw warriors. Violetpaw becomes Violetshine, but Twigpaw decides to go back to ThunderClan, at which Violetshine is furious at. Finpaw decides to go with her just to be with her. Tree, the medicine cats, and the former ShadowClan cats go down to the lake and Tree summons the dead ShadowClan cats to talk to their Clanmates. Rowanstar gives up his leader name, thinking of himself unworthy to be a leader.

River of Fire
Leafstar struggles to keep SkyClan and the former members of ShadowClan together, as Rowanstar doesn't have the strength to continue being a leader of a disloyal clan. Twigpaw and Finpaw go to ThunderClan, and after some persuasion, are allowed back into the clan. Twigpaw struggles in ThunderClan as Sparkpelt is named her mentor and she is forced to do her whole apprenticeship over again. Sleekwhisker and Yarrowleaf try to join SkyClan after learning what happened to Shadowclan but are turned away, much to the dislike of the former ShadowClan cats. Meanwhile, bellyache hits the Clans and the medicine cats get a message that 'the shadows are approaching and must not be dispelled', and is believed to be a message that ShadowClan is coming back. Tree is having trouble finding a place in SkyClan but becomes closer to Violetshine. Sleekwhisker and Yarrowleaf are allowed into SkyClan after being discovered again in SkyClan territory. Twigpaw sneaks off to SkyClan with the help of her sister in the hopes of finding out if one of the former ShadowClan cats are suitable to be a leader for ShadowClan. A storm hits, and two fires start: one in Twolegplace and one in RiverClan territory. ThunderClan shelters two kittypets, Velvet and Fuzzball, and rescues a couple of WindClan cats. Meanwhile, Leafstar tells SkyClan to bunker down, but the former ShadowClan warriors insist on helping the other Clans. Leafstar is growing more and more irritated with Tawnypelt, who is constantly undermining her authority. At a Gathering, RiverClan is welcomed back and Tree is given the role of mediator and will help work out disagreements. Alderheart grows closer to Velvet, but Briarlight gets sick and dies. In SkyClan, Sleekwhisker takes Tawnypelt and Sleekwhisker's kits hostage with cats from the Kin. They are eventually rescued, but Rowanstar dies. Velvet and Fuzzball go back to Twolegplace and Twigpaw and Finleap get their warrior names, Twigbranch and Finleap. But some former ShadowClan cats come with news that Tigerheart is back, along with the missing ShadowClan cats. Tigerheart is at the Moonpool, dead, but StarClan gives him nine lives and he is named the new leader of ShadowClan. The former ShadowClan cats go back with their new leader, along with Dovewing, who has has his kits and is now living in Shadowclan, much to the dismay of ThunderClan. Alderheart travels to Twolegplace to see Velvet one last time before going to the half-moon meeting, where he gets a message that 'The sky has cleared at last, but the Clans must come together to make the forest grow'.

Important events

 * - style="width: 100%; background:#ffb5b2; text-align:left;"
 * The Apprentice's Quest
 * - style="width: 100%; background:#ffd0af; text-align:left;"
 * Thunder and Shadow
 * - style="width: 100%; background:#f4ffaf; text-align:left;"
 * Shattered Sky
 * - style="width: 100%; background:#afffb9; text-align:left;"
 * Darkest Night
 * Tigerheart offers to give SkyClan half of ShadowClan territory. Hawkwing leads a patrol to search for the rest of SkyClan. Rowanstar asks to move in with SkyClan, along with his Clan. Rowanstar gives up his leadership and is now Rowanclaw.
 * - style="width: 100%; background:#afceff; text-align:left;"
 * River of Fire
 * - style="width: 100%; background:#e4c9ff; text-align:left;"
 * The Raging Storm
 * }
 * - style="width: 100%; background:#e4c9ff; text-align:left;"
 * The Raging Storm
 * }
 * }
 * }

References and citations
Vision von SchattenA Vision of ShadowsA Vision of ShadowsВидение теней