Changing Skies

"What did we really gain by moving to the lake? What kind of leader have I been?" This article contains major spoilers for the recently released book, The Elders' Quest. Please proceed at your own discretion.

"Beware the two-faced cat with one paw in each world."

— Bluestar to Tawnypelt in The Elders' Quest, page 246

Changing Skies
Release date
7 January 2025
Authors
Cherith Baldry, Clarissa Hutton
Books
The Elders' Quest, Hidden Moon, Changing Skies: Book #3, Changing Skies: Book #4, Changing Skies: Book #5, Changing Skies: Book #6
Resources
Artwork • Characters
Chronology
Navigate to Warriors books for all arcs.
Preceded by:	A Starless Clan

Changing Skies is the ninth arc of the Warriors series. It features Starlingpaw, Leafstar, Tawnypelt, and Moonpaw as the Moonpool faces destruction.

Concept development

"Our hope is that each perspective is a compelling one for readers. As far as the story team is concerned, no matter one's age, we all have something to contribute, and you ignore those younger or older than you at your own peril."

―"The story team on exploring age in Changing Skies" on the Warrior Cats website

In a livestream with the German Warriors Instagram, Cherith Baldry confirmed that there would be a ninth arc and she would be writing the first book in October 2023. On September 14th, the Warriors website announced that they would be working on brainstorming plots for the ninth arc in the coming weeks. Winners of the Beyond the Fence short story competition were invited to create character names for the new series which were later revealed to be Shyfrost and Rufus. On January 31st, 2024, the Warrior Cats website teased that they were hard at work writing the first book and planning the second, which they teased would feature a central character who "will be an old friend whose adventures we've been following since the very first WARRIORS arc."

In April 2024, HarperCollins Australia, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble were reporting the first book to be released on January 7th, 2025, two months after the end of the previous arc, A Starless Clan, ended. On May 4th, the title of the arc was revealed to be Changing Skies, and the Warriors website acknowledged it as the ninth arc title the following day. The title of the first book was revealed on May 15th, The Elders' Quest. The title, blurb, and cover were revealed on the Warriors website shortly after, with Leafstar, Moonpaw, and Tawnypelt as the main characters. On May 30th, the description and a brief backstory of Moonpaw was revealed. On October 19th, the release date of the second untitled book was revealed to be October 14th, 2025 on a brochure for edelweiss.com, which also confirmed that the arc would be six books long. On November 12th, the allegiances and first three chapters of the book were released on the Warriors website. The Elders' Quest was officially released on January 7th, 2025.

On January 31st, the story team posted an article about the theme of age in the Changing Skies arc. They discussed the strengths of using characters both young and old as "we thought it would be fun to parallel the two far ends of the generations present within the Clans—displaying the weaknesses and strengths of each, the tensions between them, and how much they need each other to survive and thrive. And nothing brings warrior cats together like a good prophecy!" The story team also teased that a new apprentice point-of-view character will be joining the second book. The untitled second book was later pushed back to a November 4th release. On February 14th, the blurb for the second book was revealed, and on February 16th, the Warrior Cats official social medias teased the title of the book with a guessing game. The title of the second book, Hidden Moon, was revealed on February 24th, alongside Starlingpaw as the new apprentice point-of-view character. Clarissa Hutton, who previously worked on the novellas, joined the main series writing team alongside Cherith Baldry.

More Coming Soon

Summary

Tawnypelt worries about the Twoleg construction beyond their borders, reminded of the severity of the Great Journey, though only Crowfeather agrees with her. Leafstar's leadership is threatened when her Clanmates vote to depose her, and she agrees to step down. Moonpaw wants to train as a warrior, though she is frequently distracted by a voice in her head. Her parents inform her that she has a dead littermate; Moonpaw realizes that her sister has not moved on to StarClan and may have sinister intentions. StarClan warns Tawnypelt of a time of darkness approaching, and to beware the two-faced cat with one paw in each world.

More Coming Soon

Books

The Elders' Quest

Twolegs being construction of a large Twoleg den outside of Clan territory and begin encroaching towards the Moonpool. Reminded of the Great Journey, Tawnypelt worries about the implications of the Twoleg construction, though her Clanmates dismiss her claims. Only Crowfeather agrees with her, and Tawnypelt begins to develop feelings for him, as he is the only cat who seems to understand her. In SkyClan, Leafstar's leadership is questioned due to her failing eyesight and the attack on the badgers that resulted in Kitescratch's death. Led by Reedclaw, SkyClan votes to depose her, and Leafstar decides to step down at the Gathering. In ThunderClan, Moonpaw wants to train as a warrior, but she is frequently distracted by a persistent voice in her head - a ginger tabby she-cat that resembles her. After briefly training as a medicine cat apprentice, Moonpaw returns to her warrior training, though she worries about the voice's true intentions when she lures Sunkit out for Moonpaw to find. Thriftear and Bayshine tell Moonpaw about her dead sister, a ginger tabby she-cat. Tawnypelt receives a prophecy about a great peril approaching and to beware a two-faced cat.

Hidden Moon

Coming Soon

Characters

Main characters

• Tawnypelt
• Leafstar
• Moonpaw
• Starlingpaw

Major characters

• Tigerstar
• Hawkwing
• Frecklewish
• The voice
• Birchfeather
• Crowfeather
• Reedclaw
• Nectarsong

Supporting characters

• Fidgetflake
• Tree
• Echosong
• Thriftear
• Bayshine
• Sunbeam
• Shinepaw
• Goldenpaw
• Ridgeglow
• Dovewing
• Jayfeather
• Alderheart
• Kitescratch
• Sunkit

Important events

Book	Event
The Elders' Quest	Twolegs begin to encroach on the Moonpool, prompting the older cats to worry. Leafstar is deposed from leadership by her Clanmates who believe she is no longer fit to lead. Moonpaw discovers that her dead littermate lives on as a voice in her head.
Hidden Moon	TBA
Changing Skies #3	TBA
Changing Skies #4	TBA
Changing Skies #5	TBA
Changing Skies #6	TBA

Publication history

Coming Soon

Interactive map: Events timeline

Coming Soon

See also

• Erin Hunter
• Warriors books
• Arcs
• Changing Skies arc

External links

• Revealed: Series 9 details on the Warriors official website (backup link)
• New Changing Skies character names chosen by short story contest winners! on the Warriors official website (backup link)
• Exclusive: Changing Skies book one cover, title and blurb! on the Warriors official website (backup link)
• Meet Moonpaw - a look at the new POV character for Changing Skies! on the Warriors official website (backup link)
• The story team on exploring age in Changing Skies on the Warriors official website (backup link)
• Exclusive title and cover reveal for Hidden Moon on the Warriors official website (backup link)