Night Whispers

Night Whispers
First edition cover
Author(s)	Erin Hunter
Cover artist	Wayne McLoughlin
Country	United States
Language	English
Series	Warriors: Omen of the Stars
Genre(s)	Children's literature Fantasy novel
Publisher	HarperCollins
Publication date	November 23, 2010
Media type	Print (Hardback)
Pages	295
Preceded by	Fading Echoes
Followed by	The Sign of the Moon

Night Whispers is a children's fantasy novel, the 3rd book in the Warriors: Omen of the Stars series.^[1] Written under the pseudonym of Erin Hunter, three separate authors contribute to the story. Night Whispers was released on November 23, 2010.^[2]

Plot

In the prologue, two ShadowClan cats, Sagewhisker and Fernshade, confront Yellowfang because they believe that she could've stopped the deadly battle between ThunderClan and ShadowClan and, perhaps, Russetfur from dying. Lionheart, Bluestar, Mudfur, Oakheart, and Mudclaw arrive. The eight discuss how to deal with the threat of the Dark Forest. Realizing that they have to fight, Fernshade leaves to fetch Russetfur, as she was Russetfur's mentor. Meanwhile, after the battle with ShadowClan over a strip of territory, Jayfeather is busy treating the injured. He speaks to Lionblaze about killing Russetfur, though the conversation quickly turns towards the Dark Forest. The brothers agree that they should not ignore any signs now. After a full day, Jayfeather rests, only to find himself in Ivypaw's dream, discovering that she and Tigerheart are receiving training from the cats in the Dark Forest. Meanwhile, Lionblaze notices something on top of the hollow and goes with Cinderheart to investigate. The duo talk about Lionblaze's actions during the battle until they are interrupted by the discovery of a white owl. Cinderheart says she worries about him. Lionblaze confusingly asks why, in which Cinderheart states that they are friends. They run until they find the place where Hollyleaf had vanished beneath the earth. Lionblaze is haunted by his memories of Heathertail and Hollyleaf. The two then decide to do an early border patrol, though they soon run into Flametail, who is angry with Lionblaze for killing Russetfur. He calls him a murderer, and runs off. The next morning, Dovepaw overhears Lionblaze and Jayfeather talking about Ivypaw. She tries to slip away and find them, but is followed by Ivypaw. The two then go out with Cinderheart and Berrynose, since Lionblaze is nowhere to be found. She uses her power to listen in on Lionblaze and Jayfeather, then confronts Ivypaw about her visits to the Dark Forest. Ivypaw denies that this is wrong. The two fight and Ivypaw runs off, leaving Dovepaw by herself. After finding out about Ivypaw, Lionblaze seems anxious. Jayfeather walks back to camp, while noticing that leaf-bare is coming soon. When he's back in camp, he and Millie are arguing about Briarlight. As Millie is leaving, Dovepaw walks in and informs Jayfeather that she knows about Ivypaw training in the Dark Forest. Dovepaw wants to try and stop her from going, but Jayfeather tells her to leave Ivypaw alone for now. Flametail and Toadfoot talk about how ShadowClan is going to take back the land that was stolen from them during the battle. After he observes battle training, Flametail is called by Blackstar to speak with him in his den alongside his mentor, Littlecloud, who seems to be ill. After asking them whether StarClan sent them a sign or not, Blackstar asks Littlecloud to go to Moonpool to share tongues with StarClan. However, since Littlecloud is ill, Flametail takes the position and goes to the Moonpool, leaving Littlecloud with the queen, Ivytail to help him. Soon after, a fox is spotted on ThunderClan territory. Dovepaw and Lionblaze track it down and chase it off. Since Lionblaze is invincible, he was not hurt, but Jayfeather puts some "ointment" on his fur so no one suspects. However, Cinderheart finds out, and breaks up with Lionblaze, telling him that he had a "much bigger destiny than her". Later, Spottedleaf sends Jayfeather a dream about Ivypaw entering the camp, with the dark forest cats behind her. They attack ThunderClan, and a brown tom attacks Graystripe, and kills him. Millie attacks her mate's murderer, and the brown tom kills her, also. As Ivypaw slips through the ThunderClan entrance, the whole Clan is ruffled. When Ivypaw asks why, Blossomfall responds that ShadowClan hasn't marked the new border yet. As Jayfeather stares at her from Highledge, it is made known that Ivypaw is aware that Jayfeather knows about her training in the Dark Forest. She goes back to Blossomfall saying she thought it would have been an omen from StarClan. Blossomfall answers her, saying it means that ShadowClan hasn't recognized the new border. When Dovepaw asks Ivypaw if she'd help her and Leafpool fix the warriors' den, and Ivypaw agrees to do it later. Then Cinderheart asks where she has been, because Dovepaw has been back for a long time. Ivypaw lies, and says she's been practicing her stalking. The chapter goes with Cinderheart telling Ivypaw is as good as her sister at things, and they both share fresh-kill. Ivypaw then inquires why the Clan is not talking about the recent battle, and Blossomfall answers her, saying that ThunderClan won, so they don't need to talk about it. Ivypaw mumbles they should learn how to be better at fighting. As Ivypaw enters the Dark Forest she bumps into Mapleshade. Hawkfrost tells her to leave Ivypaw alone, and Ivypaw notices that Mapleshade is disappearing slowly. Ivypaw asks nervously if all cats disappear, to which Hawkfrost tells her that eventually they will. Ivypaw blurts out that Jayfeather and Dovepaw know that she's here. Hawkfrost says she's not doing anything wrong. Hawkfrost introduces Ivypaw to Snowtuft, Shredtail, Sparrowfeather, and Thistleclaw. As the cats train, Sparrowfeather cheats, and Thistleclaw catches her. He tells the cats to restart, but no cheating this time. When Flametail arrives at the moonpool, he goes to the water to drink. Flames appear from the edge of Moonpool. There, he sees all of ShadowClan's ancestors. Sagewhisker appears and tells Flametail that a great war is coming. Then Sagewhisker tells Flametail to name all of the cats there. Flametail recites the cats names and notices that only ShadowClan ancestors are there. Raggedstar tells him that ShadowClan must stand alone. Sagewhisker then states that StarClan has been put into the Clans they were born to. Raggedstar continues, saying that allies should not be trusted, and to only trust your Clan and ancestors. As the cats start to fade, Flametail notices Russetfur, saying she looks younger and strong. When he comes back to ShadowClan, he tells Littlecloud, and Blackstar what he saw. Littlecloud does not agree and Blackstar does. Flametail is furious, thinking that Littlecloud is too connected to ThunderClan. Ivypaw, realizing that Tigerstar lied to her, flees and admits to the Three that she visited the Dark Forest. However, this turns in good hands, as she reports information to Jayfeather in her dreams. Meanwhile, ShadowClan cats are venturing onto the ice - Flametail included. Flametail and a few other cats decide to play a game called "preystone" where you try to get a stone into a dent in the shoreline guarded by another cat. Partway through, however, the ice breaks under Flametail, who begins to drown. Jayfeather who was nearby, leaps in to save him, but the ice closes up. Jayfeather is determined to save Flametail until Rock appears and tells Jayfeather that it is Flametail's time to die, not his. Jayfeather lets go of Flametail, who drowns as a result. Shortly afterward, Ivypaw visits the Dark Forest, now as a spy, and Brokenstar takes her on a test to prove her loyalty. She finds out the test: To kill Flametail - who is confused about no longer being in StarClan, and does not know where he is. Ivypaw is baffled, as she doesn't think that a dead cat could die. But Brokenstar says a cat's soul does die, either slowly as he or she is forgotten, or by any blows that would kill a living cat. Ivypaw starts to pounce, but is stopped abruptly when Tigerheart comes in, ferociously defending his brother. Tigerstar lets Flametail go, saying that he is not a threat. He believes Ivypaw, even if hesitant now, will fight with them when the battle comes.

Summary

As Jayfeather , Lionblaze, and Dovepaw continue to seek answers to the mysterious prophecy that binds them, they learn that another cat may play an essential role in defeating the Dark Forest.

References

1. ^ "Author Tracker Email". Wands and Worlds. http://www.wandsandworlds.com/community/node/8742. 
2. ^ http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0061555150/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?ie=UTF8&cloe_id=db3dcc08-7cf9-49e6-91a0-a77a3022d670&attrMsgId=LPWidget-A2&pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=0671525743&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1PRWE4G3B24W833FFJH9