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These questions and many more will be answered in Secrets of the Clans, an illustrated field guide and companion book to the nationally bestselling Warriors series. Including full-color art, fold-out maps, and beautifully designed pages, this is truly a treasure for any Warriors fan.
Chapter One
History of the Clans
Many moons ago, the forest was a wilderness, untamed by territories. In the north lay sweeping moorland; in the south was dense woodland. On the edge of the trees, a tumbling river flowed out of a dark ravine.
Cats came into the forest. They were drawn by the soft rustlings of small creatures, shadows under the water, and the sudden commotion of birds' wings in the trees. These were not warrior cats. They lived in small groups, not yet Clans. There were no borders set down. And they fought constantly, fearful that prey might run out and that their overlapping territories were being threatened.
It was a lawless, bloody time for the forest, and many cats died.
One night, when the moon was full, the cats agreed to meet at a clearing in the forest surrounded by four great oak trees. They argued over stolen prey. Claws flashed; challenging yowls rang across the forest. A terrible battle followed, and soon the ground was wet with spilled blood.
Many cats died that night. Exhausted by their wounds, the survivors slept where they had fought. When they woke they were bathed in moonlight. All around them they saw the spirits of their slain kin, no longer torn and bloodied but shining like fallen stars. They huddled on the ground, and, as the spirits spoke, they saw terrible visionsof the future. They saw the forest drowned in blood, their kits stalked by death at every pawstep. And they knew that the fighting had to end.
"Unite or die," said the spirits.
From among the living cats, a black female was the first to speak. She rose from the ground on stiff, battle-wearied legs. "My name is Shadow," she mewed. "How should we unite, unless we have a leader? I can hunt in the depths of the darkest night. Let Shadow rule the forest!"
"And you would lead us into darkness too!" meowed a silvery gray tom with green eyes. "I am River! I move through the forest along secret paths and hidden places. It is River, not Shadow, who should unite the forest!"
"The forest is more than River and Shadow," growled a wiry brown female. "Wind alone reaches its distant corners. I am as fast as the wind that blows from the high moors. I should be the ruler."
The largest surviving cat was called Thunder. He was a fiery orange tom with amber eyes and large white paws. "What good is any of that compared to my strength and skill at hunting? If any cat was born to rule, it is I."
A furious yowling broke out under the four great oaks, watched in silence by the spirit-cats. Dark clouds suddenly blew across the moon, and the living cats trembled in fear. On the top of a high rock, they saw a tabby cat, one of the fallen, her fur shining though there was no light in the sky. Her eyes flashed angrily at the cats on the ground.
"You are all as foolish as ducks!" she meowed. "Can't you think beyond yourselves for one moment? Think of your kits!"
The four cats—Shadow, River, Wind, and Thunder—looked up at the tabby, but none of them spoke.
"The forest is big enough to feed all your families and many more," she meowed. "You must find other cats like you, choose a home in the forest, and set down borders."
At that moment, the moon broke free of the clouds, revealing a circle of starlit spirit-cats around the edge of the clearing. A white tom stepped forward. "If you do this," he meowed, "we will reward you with eight more lives, so that you may lead your Clans for many moons to come."
Next to speak was a slender tortoiseshell. She stepped forward and stood beside the white tom. "We will watch over you from Silverpelt," she promised, and lifted her eyes to the crowded path of stars that swept across the night sky. "We will visit you in your dreams and guide you on your journeys."
"Once a month," meowed the white tom, "at the full moon, you will gather together here, between the four great oak trees, for a night of truce. You will see us above you in Silverpelt and know we are watching. And if blood is spilled on those nights, you will know we are angry."
"You will be warriors!" yowled the tabby from the high rock.
Thunder, River, Wind, and Shadow bowed their heads.
"From now on, you will live by a warrior code. Your hearts will be filled with courage and nobility, and if you must fight, it will be not for greed, but for honor and justice."
There was a long silence. Finally Thunder nodded his broad orange head. "This is wise advice. I believe we can choose our territories and lay down borders fairly, in peace."
One by one, the other cats murmured their agreement. Then they returned to their homes and sought out cats like themselves, with similar strengths and abilities. River found cats willing to fish for their prey. Shadow gathered nighttime hunters with clever minds and sharp claws. Thunder found hunters who could track prey through the thickest undergrowth. To Wind came the fastest runners and cats who loved the open moors. Then they divided the forest so each Clan had enough prey to survive, and all the cats could live in safety. And when the leaders returned to the four great oaks for the first night of the full-moon truce, their starry ancestors gave them eight more lives, as they had promised.
There was not always peace between the Clans, but that was to be expected—cats are born with claws and teeth for a reason. Still, as long as they lived by the warrior code, their fallen ancestors would watch over them and guide them through their lives.
And so the age of the warrior Clans began.
Excerpted from Warriors Field Guide by Erin Hunter Copyright © 2007 by Erin Hunter. Excerpted by permission.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.
CA_mom
Posted April 5, 2009
The Cat Warrior series is great for boys & girls in 4-6th grade range. This book is best read after the 1st series (1st 6 books) in the Cat Warrior series. It explains the history of how some of the things in the first series came to be - but you need the stories of the 1st 6 to understand what the Secrets are talking about.
14 out of 15 people found this review helpful.
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Posted October 8, 2008
This gives you all the info that you need to know for the Wwarriors series. If you are hooked on this series like me, this is definetly something that you don't want to miss out on!
10 out of 10 people found this review helpful.
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Posted February 21, 2011
it is awosome it tells the history the secorites but i can't tell you any more read the sampile if you like it by it
7 out of 8 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.hey anyone who wants to be in snowclan tell me
PS my name is leopardstar leader of snowclan
6 out of 13 people found this review helpful.
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Posted December 22, 2011
This is a sweet book,its real cool and Ilearned new things. FIRESTAR RULES!
4 out of 5 people found this review helpful.
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Posted October 10, 2011
What the headline says.... BUT SERIOUSLY! ITS A LITTLE ANNOYING
4 out of 12 people found this review helpful.
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Posted July 9, 2011
This book reveals secrets you will not learn in other books. Great book.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.
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Posted January 5, 2012
Great book for younger Warriors fans
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
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Posted December 27, 2011
This book is ... AWESOME!!!!!!
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
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Posted August 9, 2007
erin hunter u have inspired me.. my dream is to become an author like you.. im writing a book similiar to your books erin.. i love all the warrior books more than anyone can imagine.. and i love firestar.. ive always loved him ever since the very first book 'into the wild'.. these are definately my favorite books ever.. i cant wait for the next book in the series.. i know its gonna be great.. when i read your books i go into a different world.. its simply amazing.. i hope it never ends.. erin keep writing! sending out my love to all you true warrior fans and erin and all of the clans especially thunderclan!
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
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Posted January 3, 2013
$ $
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2 out of 4 people found this review helpful.
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Posted December 29, 2011
This handybfield guid tells you every thing including medicines and what they do
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Posted July 9, 2011
this book is great
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Posted December 26, 2012
Awsome book! I really enjoyed the list of herbs and medicines the cats use in the wild. I even like the story of how Tigerclan got their stripes! I really recomend this book to people who read the Warriors serries!!!!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted October 19, 2012
Rise of BloodClan Improved(The spinoff of Rise Of BloodClan) Allegiances SkyClan Leader-Patchstar- pretty dappled she-cat with pale green eyes Deputy- Lilyclaw- ginger she-cat with dark amber eyes Medicine Cat- Redpool- reddish tom with light green eyes Warriors- Birchheart- black tom with white chest and belly, tawny eyes Squirrelpelt- russet she-cat with darker paws and hazel eyes Silvernose- silver tabby tom with white paws and bushy tail Ravenflight- ginger-and-white she-cat with blue eyes Swiftfang- blue-gray tom with amber eyes Lichenscar- raggedy gray tom with yellow eyes BloodClan Leader- Scourge- small black tom with one white paw Deputy- Bone- black and white tom with green eyes Warriors- Willow- ginger she-cat with white underbelly, Scourge's mate Ginger- pale ginger she-cat with dark paws and muzzle Jasper- dark gray tom with white paws and chest, amber eyes Sedge- spotted tom with hazel eyes Berry- silver tabby she-cat with blue eyes Raven- black tom with one white paw and icy eyes Rain- golden she-cat with dark glow Lion- golden tom, Lionblaze's son Boulder- skinny gray tom Thorn- sleek orange tabby tom, green eyes Spin- pale white she-cat Star- white she-cat with dark patches, Foxleap's daughter Slash- dark blue-gray tom with amber eyes Sorrel- scarred she-cat with icy eyes Leaf- spotted she-cat with orange eyes Ice- black and white tom with icy eyes Cynder- shade-furred she-cat with pale blue eyes Snake- black and white tabby tom with sleek underbelly Storm- stormy gray tom with sharp claws and teeth Snow- white she-cat with yellow eyes Blood- russet tom with white eyes Mouse- large ginger tabby tom with black paws Snipe- black and white tom Barley- black and white tomcat Violet- black and white she-cat with purplish glow Indigo- blizzard-colored tom with raggedy fur Brick- russet ginger she-cat with reddish glow Wing- sleek dusty she-cat with night-black fur and jagged teeth, angered easy
1 out of 4 people found this review helpful.
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Posted June 28, 2012
AT BLAZE FIRST RESULT.ALL POSITIONS OPEN BUT LEADER.JOIN TODAY!~FLAMESTAR
1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Posted June 25, 2012
VERY GOOD BOOK!!!!!
1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Posted May 13, 2012
I,Dragonheart invit you to join thunderlan!
1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Posted June 2, 2012
Are you looking for a clan that follows the warrior code? A clan not full of shapeshifters? Look no further. Hi im Gingerstar, leader of Eagleclan. If you are looking for a clan with those qualitys then why not join? Eagleclan gets its name from its bravery strength and loyalty like an eagle. We accept all cats. All role plays open but leader and deputy. ( Deputy is fawnfur ) lots of cats have joined. Why not you? Go to eagle wings result one to join. See you there! •¿Gingerstar¿•
1 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
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Posted March 23, 2012
It is amazing
1 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
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Overview
These questions and many more will be answered in Secrets of the Clans, an illustrated field guide and companion book to the nationally ...