Sign of the Moon/Main article

Sign of the Moon is the fourth book in the Omen of the Stars arc. Stoneteller is the cat depicted on the reprinted cover.

Blurb

 * The end of the stars draws near. Three must become four to battle the darkness that lasts forever....


 * The dark forces that have driven a rift between the four warrior Clans are growing stronger. Jayfeather, Lionblaze, and Dovepaw now know that unless they can unravel the true meaning behind the prophecy that binds them, the warrior code could be destroyed forever.


 * While Lionblaze remains focused on protecting ThunderClan from another deadly battle, Jayfeather receives a desperate plea for help from the Tribe of Rushing Water. He must travel to the mountains in search of answers that link the Clans to the Tribe in ways no cat could have imagined. But with the summons comes an ominous warning that suggests the power of the stars may not be enough to save the Clans.

Praise

 * "Reader anticipation runs high for this fourth installment of Erin Hunter's resilient Warriors Omen of the Stars series. Simmering tensions among the four warrior Clans are rising to a boil. As the great battle approaches, both Lionblaze and Jayfeather must undertake perilous assignments. A new release in the popular Warriors fantasy franchise."


 * Barnes and Noble

Detailed plot description

 * The prologue begins in the Tribe of Rushing Water. Stormfur and Brook's kits, Lark and Pine, are seen for the first time. Stoneteller is urged by Bird to find a successor; though reluctant, he agrees. It is also shown that he has lost faith in The Tribe of Endless Hunting.


 * Meanwhile, while Dovepaw and Ivypaw are facing their warrior assessment, Firestar is having another warrior supervise it. Lionblaze has Spiderleg supervising Dovepaw, while Cinderheart has Millie watch over Ivypaw. Dovepaw has a hard time focusing on her assessment because she wants to know how her sister is doing in her assessment. Firestar also has the apprentices do team hunting, and Icecloud is paired with Dovepaw. Icecloud soon falls into a hole, although Dovepaw tried to warn her. After Lionblaze and Spiderleg arrive, Dovepaw offers to go down into the hole to save her. To Lionblaze's horror, he realizes that she fell into the same tunnel that collapsed onto Hollyleaf many moons ago. During the Clan meeting held later, Firestar orders this hole barricaded. It is also during this time that Dovepaw and Ivypaw earn their warrior name, Dovewing and Ivypool.


 * After the meeting, Jayfeather asks Lionblaze if he can check the tunnel. They lower a branch into it and look for Hollyleaf. Jayfeather finds where the tunnels collapse, and feels around to see if he can find Hollyleaf's body. When they find only a tuft of her fur caught in between the rocks, but not her body, they come to the conclusion that the rockfall may have only injured her. Jayfeather comes to the realization that his sister may, in fact, be alive.


 * After their warrior vigil, the two newly named warriors go back to the warrior's den to sleep. Soon enough, both she-cats are asleep. Ivypool pays another visit to the Dark Forest. She confronts Tigerheart about Dovewing, and how she thinks he used her to gain access to Jayfeather's herb stash. Tigerheart denies it, and walks off. She is then found by Thistleclaw, who has her and Antpelt, a WindClan warrior, do some battle training. Antpelt is wounded, and Ivypool encourages him to go back to WindClan and wake up. They are then joined by Mapleshade, who has faith that Ivypool is loyal to the Dark Forest and will be ready when the time comes.


 * Several days later, Dovewing goes to her first Gathering as a warrior. Ivypool is left behind, because she is recovering from her injuries she got from going to the Dark Forest. While at the Gathering, she sees Tigerheart, and says she could never forgive him for what he did. Bumblestripe sees that Dovewing is distressed, and tries to comfort her. Littlecloud's sickness is mentioned, to which Dovewing and Bumblestripe react, saying that he was dying and it was ThunderClan that saved him. Grasspelt, a RiverClan warrior, asks Bumblestripe where Briarlight is. Dovewing steps in and saves Bumblestripe from having to answer, saying that she's busy. Tigerheart and Dovewing meet, although she says there is not more between them. On the way home, Blossomfall notes that Dovewing has stolen her brother's heart.


 * Jayfeather receives a dream and feels a calling to return to the mountains, and Firestar chooses Squirrelflight, Foxleap and Dovewing to accompany him. Yellowfang hears of this and confronts Jayfeather about it. She tells him that the Dark Forest is rising, and he should be concentrating on his Clanmates, not going off to the mountains. Yellowfang and Jayfeather go for a walk in StarClan, and along the way, he sees Flametail, and much to his surprise, Ashfur, whom Yellowfang says only loved too much. She then goes on to say that everything is up to Jayfeather, and that he's not just protecting the four Clans of the lake, but StarClan as well.


 * Lionblaze goes on a hunting patrol with Cinderheart, Leafpool and Birchfall. During the patrol, Lionblaze and Cinderheart talk about the prophecy, and how it means that they can't be together. Cinderheart thinks that Lionblaze is too important to be her mate, but he disagrees. Cinderheart then goes off hunting, and catches a bird with moss in its beak. She then says that it must have a nest and a mate, and she'll never go back to it. She then starts acting oddly, about how she'll never have a mate or kits, and when Lionblaze tries to comfort her, she runs off. Leafpool hears this, and comes to talk to Lionblaze saying that Cinderheart probably still loves Lionblaze.


 * While in WindClan's territory, Dovewing casts out her senses to the WindClan camp to find Antpelt dying from a Dark Forest battle. She hears Breezepelt say to two of his Clanmates, Sunstrike and Furzepaw, that he's still on their side, and will be in the Place of No Stars. Farther on in their journey, they are found by dogs. Squirrelflight's first reaction is to get Jayfeather out of danger, which shocks Dovewing. Luckily, a Twoleg calls for the dogs, thus saving the cats.


 * Ivypool pays another visit to the Dark Forest, where they have another training session. All of the Dark Forest apprentices are told by Hawkfrost to attack him, and afterwards, he wants to know what they learned. Ivypool notices a few familiar faces, including Icewing and Sunstrike, two cats she'd seen at Gatherings. Soon after Hawkfrost's demonstration, she decides to reveal her presence, and Hawkfrost tells the cats to practice what they just learned on her. Tigerheart takes it personally, and also attacks her, as revenge for her attacking his brother. Brokenstar interrupts their scuffle to introduce a new Dark Forest cat, Blossomfall. Soon enough, Ivypool comes to the realization that the Dark Forest is succeeding in recruiting an army of loyal warriors from inside the Clans.


 * Three sunrises after leaving camp, Dovewing, Jayfeather and the other cats arrive at the Tribe's land. They are found by Wing, Sheer, Dark and Rain, four Tribe cats. They are escorted back to the Tribe's cave, where they are met by many other cats, including Crag and Talon. They meet Brook's kits, Lark and Pine. Soon, Stoneteller appears, and he isn't happy about the Clan cats coming, but is soon convinced by Jayfeather that they only came to give young cats the experience of the mountains. While sharing prey, a few of the Tribe to-bes show Dovewing and Foxleap how they hunt eagles. They are soon scolded by Night.


 * A restless Dovewing casts her senses out on the Tribe territory, and she can soon hear many things, including the rogues that the Tribe had problems with in Outcast. Soon enough, they cross the border and raid the Tribe territory in search of prey. Her thoughts are soon disturbed by Jayfeather, who had made his way up to the cliff top. The two then talk about why they are really there. Jayfeather thinks that it has to do with the prophecy and their destiny. They are soon joined by Stormfur. Jayfeather catches him up on how the Clans are doing, and they soon get to talking about who Stoneteller's successor is. Stormfur says that Stoneteller has refused to name a successor, and that the Tribe is uneasy about it. Dovewing wonders if their destiny is not only to protect the Clans, but also the Tribe.


 * Lionblaze goes on another hunting patrol, this time with Cinderheart, Toadstep and Rosepetal. Toadstep wants Lionblaze to teach him some battle moves, but he tells Toadstep that he needs to fight like himself, and not any other cat. They don't get much done before they are interrupted by Bumblestripe, who is out of camp with his sister, Briarlight. The dog that was attacking them eventually gets called in by its' Twolegs, much to everyone's joy. They soon go back to where they left Cinderheart, and every other cat is fine. Cinderheart and Lionblaze talk for a brief moment, and Cinderheart tells him that he is a hero to many cats, although he doesn't think so.


 * Back in Tribe territory, Jayfeather is left with the other Tribe cats, while the rest of them go out on patrol of hunting. He goes to find Stoneteller, and then reveals why he is really there, to help. Stoneteller is doubtful that his Tribemates will stay in the mountains once he dies. Jayfeather soon has a vision, where StarClan is being destroyed, and then his vision leads him back to the past, where he lives as Jay's Wing.


 * All of the ancient cats that choose to leave their old territory, are arguing, saying that it was a bad choice to leave. Broken Shadow still thinks that Fallen Leaves will come out of the tunnels, and Half Moon comforts her, telling her otherwise. Jayfeather tries his best to assure the cats they will live, because he knows they are what becomes the Tribe of Rushing Water. Half Moon trusts him, and she wishes the rest of the cats would.


 * Ivypool confronts Blossomfall about the Dark Forest in the daytime. Blossomfall says that she was invited, and she doesn't want to talk about it. Blossomfall and Ivypool soon end up in the tunnels where Hollyleaf disappeared, and they decide to explore. They end up getting lost, and soon discover there are cats living in the tunnels. They soon run into a cat with ginger fur, later revealed to be Fallen Leaves, and they realize they're not alone. He promises to lead them out of the tunnels, and does. Along the way, he leaves them, and then they are confronted by another cat, who then continues to lead them out. After they are lead out, the two make their way back to camp, and Blossomfall is scolded by Millie, who was furious. Blossomfall seems upset about it, and replies that at least she gets noticed in the Dark Forest.


 * He soon realizes that he doesn't want to leave the ancient cats. Rock tells him that he's too important and powerful for him to stay in the past, and tells him that Half Moon is meant to become the first Stoneteller. Rock admits he knew it all along, saying that Jayfeather has the power of the stars. Jayfeather tells Half Moon everything, and Half Moon first thinks it's a joke, but soon believes him, later on becoming their first Healer. Shy Fawn has her kits, and one of them is named Lion's Roar. Jayfeather soon comes to realize that the three of them are there, in the forms of ancient cats. Dovewing as Dove's Wing, and Lionblaze as Lion's Roar.


 * Dovewing and the other Tribe cats soon find Flora being carried off by an eagle, and they try their best to save her, but not before losing Swoop, who died trying to save Flora. The eagle's talons had dug into her back, and she got carried off. Foxleap gets blamed by Splash, but Dovewing assures him that if it wasn't for Swoop, they could have lost Flora.


 * Jayfeather is visited by the Tribe of Endless Hunting. He sees that many of the ancient cats are there, with the exception of Jay's Wing, Dove's Wing and Lion's Roar, saying that they live on in ThunderClan. While looking for Half Moon, he meets Cloud, who tells him that she is the mother of the present Stoneteller, and that it is his time to join the Tribe of Endless Hunting. She also states that it is up to Jayfeather to choose the next Stoneteller. Cloud also says that the end of the stars draws near, and three must become four to challenge the darkness that lasts forever. She leaves him by saying that the fourth is with them, and they don't need to search far. The book concludes with Jayfeather choosing Crag as the next Stoneteller, and Half Moon saying that she'll wait for him forever.

Author statements

 * The Erins revealed that there will be new kits in Sign of the Moon, though "not the ones you might expect", and that Ivypaw and Dovepaw will get their warrior names in the book.
 * Dovepaw's and Ivypaw's warrior names are found out to be Dovewing and Ivypool.
 * The new kits are later revealed to be Stormfur and Brook's. The kits' names are revealed in the book to be Lark That Sings at Dawn and Pine That Clings to Rock.

Mistakes

 * A compiled list of the errors present in Sign of the Moon can be found here.

Publication history

 * Sign of the Moon (EN), HarperCollins (Hardcover), 5 April 2011
 * 月光印记 (CN), Shaanxi Publishing Group (paperback), 31 May 2012
 * Знамение Луны (RU) OLMA Media Group (hardcover) 2 October 2013
 * Spur des Mondes (DE) Verlagsgruppe Beltz (hardcover) 23 December 2014
 * Sign of the Moon (EN), HarperCollins (paperback; reprint), 3 November 2015
 * l'Empreinte de la Lune (FR), Pocket Jeunesse (paperback), 17 March, 2016
 * Kuun merkki (FI), Art House (hardcover), 13 April 2018, translated by Nana Sironen
 * 月のしるし (JP), Komine Shoten, 30 May 2018, translated by Yukako Takabayashi

References and citations
Spur des MondesЗнамение луныL'empreinte de la luneKuun merkkiSpoor van de maanZnak Księżyca月光印记