Moth Flight's Vision

"What if her journey lay beyond the valley? Past Highstones? Out of sight of the moor? [Moth Flight's] belly tightened at the thought. It felt strange enough to be so far from her Clan. [...] As the sun rose and began to cross the wide, blue newleaf sky, she found herself slowing, unsure of her next paw steps. Perhaps this was where the moth had wanted to lead her; perhaps it had only wanted to show her the rich foliage growing so close to her home."

— Moth Flight pondering her journey in Moth Flight's Vision, page 59

Moth Flight's Vision
General
Author:	Kate Cary
Cover artist:	Owen Richardson
Jacket designer:	Ellice M. Lee
Details
Publish date:	3 November 2015
Identification:	ISBN 9780062291479
Editions:	Hardcover, eBook, Library, Paperback
Summary
In the earliest days of the warrior Clans, a young WindClan cat named Moth Flight is plagued by strange visions of the future—and soon, she will be called on a journey that will change the shape of the Clans forever.
Resources
Chapter subpages
Chronology
Preceded by:	Path of Stars
Followed by:	Thunderstar's Echo

Moth Flight's Vision is the eighth book in the Super Editions. Moth Flight is featured on the cover.

Blurb

At the dawn of the Clans, destiny calls.

The five warrior Clans are newly formed, and the forest is at peace—but much remains uncertain, and in WindClan, one young cat struggles to find her place. Moth Flight is troubled by visions of strange spirit cats that seem to call her toward the high stones in the distance . . . and by the rest of her Clan, who all still see her as a foolish kit with her head in the clouds.

When Moth Flight's distraction nearly causes a terrible accident, she is compelled to go on a journey that will reveal the truth of her dreams—and her own destiny. Moth Flight's path is one that no cat could have predicted, and it will determine the fate of all the Clans for generations to come.

Detailed plot description

Moth Flight is asleep. She is dreaming of a terrible battle in which only two cats are fighting, a dark tabby and a black and white cat. She watches as a she-cat with blue-gray fur dies from a terrible wound. Moth Flight wonders why no cat is helping her, although a cat with fiery ginger fur watches over the blue-gray cat. Mothflight tries to rouse the fighting cats to bury her, but then to her amazement, the she-cat that was dead then rises. The other cats do not seem fazed in the slightest by this miracle, although slightly relieved. Moth Flight has just dreamt about a leader dying then coming back to life. She then sees a big green moth head towards the Highstones, and has an urge to follow it.

Moth Flight awakens to her brother, who is wondering why she is sleeping. Spotted Fur jokes that only old cats sleep, like how Rocky sleeps in the afternoon. Rocky talks about how she could learn lots from him. Moth Flight comments on how nice the newleaf sun feels so warm. Suddenly, she realizes that Slate's kits -Black Ear, Silver Stripe, and White Tail - are missing from the hollow. Moth Flight and Dust Muzzle search the camp thoroughly, and Rocky tells them he had seen the kits playing outside camp, near the RiverClan border. Moth Flight wonders how he could let them out alone. Rocky retorts that watching Slate's kits was Moth Flight's job, and he thought she let them play there.

Swift Minnow scornfully tells Moth Flight that she never does what she is told to do. Moth Flight goes with Willow Tail and Spotted Fur go to retrieve Slate's kits. Much to their relief, they end up finding the kits, who had been wandering on the moor. They spot Sliver Stripe stuck in a rabbit burrow, and see that Black Ear and White Tail are fretting on how they can rescue their sister. Willow Tail and Spotted Fur dig the hole wider to adjust to Moth Flight's body shape, believing that letting her squirm through the hole to rescue the kit is the better idea. Once inside, Moth Flight grabs Silver Stripe and hauls her up to the moor ground, saving her life.

During Silver Stripe's rescue, Moth Flight spots a waxy plant that seems to be some sort of water plant. Intrigued, she picks the plant and brings it up along with Silver Stripe. Willow Tail is annoyed at Moth Flight, asking her what she needs the plant for. Moth Flight tells her she wants to find out. Willow Tail tells her she cannot bring it with her, as the kits are too young to walk back to camp and they need to be carried. Moth Flight, dismayed at the thought of leaving the plant behind, asks if Spotted Fur will carry one of the kits on his back, and Black Ear agrees that he can ride there. Willow Tail snorts and asks if she thinks Black Ear would have enough strength to hold on.

Moth Flight reluctantly agrees to leave the plant behind so she can later return and retrieve it. Willow Tail asks her why she cares about plants and when Moth Flight calls it interesting, Willow Tail tells her cats should not hunt plants. Spotted Fur tells her that cats are all different, and without that life would be dull. The cats set off towards camp when Willow Tail hears something and slows down, causing Moth Flight to get worried. Then she scents a SkyClan tom. As the group investigates closer, they find it is Red Claw, whom Moth Flight recognizes from a Gathering. She is confused when she finds Willow Tail is hostile towards him and demands to know why he is on WindClan land. She looks at Spotted Fur, who replies with a shrug. Red Claw lazily tells them that he came to enjoy the sunshine. Willow Tail and Black Ear tell him that it is their land and that he should not be there.

Red Claw says he is not hunting, so there should not be an issue. Willow Tail tells him they do not want him to be on WindClan territory because he always brings trouble. Moth Flight wonders if Willow Tail knows something about Red Claw that the Clan does not know and moves to protect the kits. Red Claw, eyes glittering, tells them they cannot tell him what to do because they are not the leaders of SkyClan or WindClan. Spotted Fur tells them it is not worth fighting over, but if they need to they can ask Wind Runner what she thinks. Moth Flight wonders about what her mother would say because she is defensive over their territory. An annoyed Red Claw tells them he just saw a place to rest a few tail-lengths away from the border and he does not think Wind Runner would care.

Spotted Fur repeats what he said about asking her. Spotted Fur tells him there is probably a sunny clearing in SkyClan territory. Red Claw leaves the territory, and Silver Stripe asks who he was. Moth Flight says that it was just a SkyClan cat, as to not worry the kits. Black Ear asks if SkyClan cats are bad, and Moth Flight, with a little bit of irritation, says that they are not and they are just like them. She does not understand why there needs to be borders if they just make everyone suspicious. Willow Tail suggests they follow him and says they cannot trust SkyClan cats.

Moth Flight is angry at her because she said that in front of the kits, thinking there is enough gossip in camp about the other Clans. Spotted Fur suggests they get the kits back to Slate, and Moth Flight agrees, seeing as they are getting cold. Willow Tail said she did not care when she had her plant and asks about what would happen if Red Claw stayed on their land. Moth Flight asks who cares and sets off towards camp, annoyed with the other she-cat. Spotted Fur is sure he would leave and they set off to camp.

They arrive at camp, seeing Slate, who is worried about the kits' safety. The kits run to her, and Silver Stripe tells her about being stuck in the rabbit hole. Slate gets more worried as her kits tell her about their experience. Spotted Fur reassures her that it was too small for badgers to hurt them, which had been a possibility that Slate was considering. Wind Runner glares at Moth Flight, pointing out that Slate had asked to her to watch the kits for her. Moth Flight apologizes as Slate broke in saying she should have asked some one more reliable. Wind Runner, burning with rage, gives Moth Flight a lecture of how she should be more responsible.

Moth Flight is daydreaming while hunting again with the rest of her family. She is chasing after a moth this time when she starts to cross the Thunderpath. A monster is coming at her, but Gorse Fur pushes her to safety at the last minute. Wind Runner, who is furious that her mate and daughter had both had their lives endangered, temporarily exiles Moth Flight, deeming her a threat to WindClan.

Moth Flight sets off on her journey, following the green moth. Spotted Fur finds her and sleeps with her for the night, but in the morning she leaves him. She is crossing a field that when a dog appears, veering away from its job of herding sheep. As she is being chased, a yellow tabby cat named Micah fights off the dog to save her as two other farm cats come to whisk her off to safety. After she is safely inside the barn, the farm cats who saved her, Mouse and Cow, introduce themselves. Moth Flight worries about Micah and the dog, but Cow reassures her that he will be fine. Micah finally comes back to the barn, and, upon seeing Moth Flight, tells her that she shouldn't be here, which confuses Moth Flight.

Cow wonders what Micah is talking about, saying that he didn't even know Moth Flight. Micah explains that he had seen her in his dreams and asks Moth Flight if she has dreams too. She responds that every cat has dreams. Micah glanced to Mouse, and he remarks that Mouse's dreams are made up of chasing mice and rats. Micah says that his own dreams are real, and Moth Flight agrees to this too. Cow then weaves between them, asking Moth Flight if she wants a mouse. Moth Flight shakes her head, knowing that she has a long journey ahead of her. She knew the moth had something to show her, and if her dreams were real, she assumes it has something to do with the spirit-cats. Micah then asks what Moth Flight dreamed about and if she dreamed about him. She tells him she dreams of spirit-cats, and they seem real. She asks Micah what he dreams about, and he tells her that he dreams about Moth Flight and her Clanmates. Moth Flight wonders if Micah is part of her journey.

The next morning, Moth Flight sees the moth fly again and tells Cow and Micah that she has to follow the fly. Cow and Mouse initially try to stop her and let her fatten up, but Micah replies by telling her that since he saw her in his dreams, he will also follow her. They both follow the Moth and reach the Highstones, where Moth Flight asks Micah to wait and goes outside. She meets Gray Wing and other Spirit cats. She is shocked to learn that they live in a Clan, and calls them StarClan, which they adopt. They tell her that each Clan should have a medicine cat, Moth Flight for WindClan, Cloud Spots for ThunderClan, Pebble Heart for ShadowClan, Dappled Pelt for RiverClan and Micah for SkyClan.

StarClan sends messages to all this cats in their dreams while Moth Flight herself tells Micah about his destiny. Micah accepts, and they journey to a Gathering where she tells all the Clan leaders about StarClan's message. She tells each of the Clan leaders that the spirit cats will split the sky, making stars arise. Although initially doubtful, the Clans accept Moth Flight's message, after a flash of light appears to split the sky, just as Moth Flight said.

Meanwhile, Rocky of WindClan is sick, so Moth Flight wanders in search of herbs that will cure him. She encounters Micah, and worries about his safety in SkyClan, due to Clear Sky's reputation of being a stern leader. After, Moth Flight and the other medicine cats travel to Highstones for the first time as a group. When they touch the Moonstone, each medicine cat reunites with lost friends, and they talk to the spirit cats briefly, expressing their pleasure with how they are getting along with their work so far. The medicine cats decide to share everything they know, as coaxed by Stoneteller. Together, they share remedies and ways to use certain herbs, and they eventually suggest that each cat visits a camp to learn their skills and observe.

Moth Flight travels with Micah to RiverClan the next day, despite her mother being a bit uncomfortable with the situation. However, her Clanmates are not so keen on the idea, suggesting that she may not be loyal to her Clan. Dappled Pelt shows Micah and Moth Flight around her den and herbs that grow around the river, but they are interrupted by Night, who says that Drizzle fell in the river and is not breathing. Dappled Pelt is able to save Drizzle by pushing on her chest, and after everything settles down, Moth Flight and Micah stay for the night. Moth Flight has another dream about spirit cats, which makes her uneasy.

Next, Moth Flight and Micah visit ThunderClan, to learn from Cloud Spots. They are given no trouble on the way to ThunderClan, and Cloud Spots is able to show them around and teach them what he knows. The next day, Spotted Fur shows up at ThunderClan's camp in search of Moth Flight, announcing that Rocky is sick again. Moth Flight follows Spotted Fur to the WindClan camp, with Micah accompanying them. Moth Flight is able to treat Rocky, despite the WindClan cats' blatant disapproval of Micah's presence. Both the medicine cats realize that there is infection inside of Rocky's chest, so they go to SkyClan territory to retrieve sap from a tree that they believe will cure it. However, Clear Sky comes across them, furious at the fact that they are collecting herbs on his territory, even going as far to attack Moth Flight when she insults him. Clear Sky demands that Moth Flight leave without the bark she had come to collect, and says that he should have never allowed Micah in his Clan.

Watching them, Red Claw and Willow Tail get into a fight. Micah attempts to stop it, but the tree branch snaps due to the tree rotting, he ends up falling off of the branch he had been climbing on. Red Claw and Willow Tail end up falling as well, but Micah gets crushed by the fallen branch. Moth Flight tries to help him, but since his spine is crushed by the weight of the rotten wood, Micah dies. Moth Flight spends the night grieving beside the yellow tom's body, and Wind Runner arrives in the morning.

Gorse Fur comes with the SkyClan cats, Nettle, Blossom, and Acorn Fur. Helping each other, the Clan cats carry Micah's corpse from the glade. A grave had been dug for the medicine cat, and Clear Sky is there with Star Flower. Moth Flight blames Micah's death on the SkyClan leader, since he has a craving for borders. She snaps at Red Claw and Willow Tail, then at Clear Sky, but Star Flower defends her mate, questioning whose to blame. Moth Flight remembers being in Dappled Pelt's den, and Micah asked her to be his mate, and they planned their future with soft voices.

The cats hold a vigil for the fallen medicine cat, with each of them telling their own stories of Micah. Moth Flight wishes the yellow tom to find good hunting, swift running, and shelter wherever he is, but she does not stay for the burial, and runs off. Pebble Heart follows her, and comforts her, but Moth Flight does not want to go to WindClan and mourn, like Slate. The ShadowClan cat offers for the white she-cat offers to let her stay in Tall Shadow's camp, and Wind Runner appears, running toward them.

Moth Flight tells her what she wants to do, and her mother agrees, wishing her well. The two medicine cats make it to ShadowClan's camp, and she is accepted to the Clan by Sun Shadow, who supports her. Moth Flight settles into a nest, and some cats talk about her, asking why she is in the camp, but Tall Shadow silences them. She eventually drifts into sleep, and has another dream of the flame-colored tom, going through the same ceremony with different cats. She sees the ginger tom staring with love at a starry tortoiseshell, but she slashes the vision away, and wakes up.

Moth Flight opens her eyes to find Pebble Heart pawing at her shoulder. She wonders briefly where she is, and then remembers that Micah died, before hoping that perhaps it was just a dream. Pebble Heart lays down some moss, and she drinks the water from it gratefully, but refuses to eat. The medicine cat urges her to, despite her protests, and Moth Flight drinks more of the water, going off about her constant dreams angrily.

Pebble Heart says her dreams are important, and Moth Flight snaps at him. At this, Pebble Heart asks if she wants to check up on the pregnant Juniper Branch with him, but she refuses. So he leaves the den, and Moth Flight goes back to sleep. Moth Flight dreams that Micah is looking for her, but cannot find her.

Sun Shadow wakes Moth Flight up, and asks her to go hunting with him. Moth Flight agrees to this, and they go to hunt near some ditches. Sun Shadow talks about how he understands Moth Flight's pain, as his father, Moon Shadow, was already dead when he came, and his traveling companion, Quiet Rain, died soon after they came. Moth Flight fails to catch a frog, but Sun Shadow catches it instead. They pad back to camp, and Moth Flight yet again refuses food. She curls up in her nest, and mourns over Micah again.

Moth Flight dreams of Micah, who tells her to be strong not for herself, but for something else. Moth Flight's twisted leg awakens her before Micah can finish his sentence. Later, Pebble Heart wakes Moth Flight up, as Juniper Branch has begun her kitting. There is swelling in the queen's belly, and the kits cannot come out. Moth Flight tells Juniper Branch to focus on her breathing, and the swelling goes down. Juniper Branch delivers three kits, Dusk Nose, Dangling Leaf, and Shade Pelt but Dusk Nose is not breathing. Moth Flight saves it by pushing the water out of its chest. Seeing the happy family only causes Moth Flight more grief from the realization that she could never be that happy without Micah. 

One moon later, Moth Flight and Pebble Heart are collecting herbs. Pebble Heart says that the medicine cats missed Moth Flight at their recent meeting, and Moth Flight wonders when she will be ready to take up her duties again. Cow and Mouse, having heard of Micah's death, come to find Moth Flight. The medicine cats take the visitors to ShadowClan's camp, where Cow asks if Moth Flight will return to the mood to have her kits. Moth Flight realizes that the reason she has become so plump in the past moon is because she is carrying Micah's kits. She travels back to the moor, where she learns that Clear Sky is still tightening his borders. Her Clanmates congratulate her on her not yet born kits, and she begins training Reed Tail for times when she is unable to perform her duties. 

A moon later, Moth Flight begins to kit. She gives birth to four kits: Blue Whisker, Bubbling Stream, Honey Pelt, and Spider Paw. Micah visits her in a dream and tells her that someone is coming to visit her. Acorn Fur comes to WindClan's camp. She tells Moth Flight that she had a dream about Micah wanting Moth Flight to train her as a medicine cat. Moth Flight agrees, and trains Acorn Fur until Clear Sky forbids them from seeing each other. At the next Gathering, SkyClan does not show up. The other Clans are arguing over whether or not to shun SkyClan when Sparrow Fur appears and announces that Tiny Branch was bitten by a fox. The medicine cats rush to save the kit, but he dies. Moth Flight is concerned for her own kits, and is relieved to find them safe.

The next day, Moth Flight is treating Rocky's joints when Blue Whisker falls off of Wind Runner's rock. The kit is unharmed, but Slate is revealed to have redcough. Moth Flight and Spotted Fur go to gather bark from SkyClan's tree, but SkyClan finds them and holds them hostage at their camp. Clear Sky believes that Willow Tail has been stirring up trouble simply to get revenge on Red Claw, and he plans to keep his hostages until Wind Runner apologizes for her Clan's hostility. A group of WindClan cats attack the SkyClan camp, and Willow Tail reveals that she has been causing hostility between the two Clans. She is blinded, and Wind Runner has a broken leg, as well as a neck wound.

Wind Runner's wound becomes infected, and nothing Moth Flight does will cure it. Moth Flight decides to ask Dappled Pelt for help,but her kits follow her and Spider Paw falls into the river. Moth Flight saves him, and takes her kits back to the camp. She sees the green moth again. It seems to be leading her to Highstones, and Moth Flight understands that she must take Wind Runner there. Gorse Fur is reluctant, but he finally allows her to carry out her plan. Moth Flight, Dust Muzzle, and Spotted Fur manage to get Wind Runner to the Moonstone. There, Wind Runner loses a life but is gifted with eight more by StarClan. She takes the name Windstar, and is healed of her wounds. The other medicine cats take their Clan leaders to the Moonstone, where each receives eight extra lives. Thunder becomes Thunderstar, Clear Sky becomes Skystar, River Ripple becomes Riverstar, and Tall Shadow becomes Shadowstar.

The medicine cats meet at the Moonstone, where Acorn Fur reveals her growing affection for Red Claw. Moth Flight tells her and all the other medicine cats that they must never take a mate. Moth Flight explains that she is torn between her kits and her medicine cat duties, and that she is going to give up her kits. She sends Blue Whisker to ThunderClan, Honey Pelt to SkyClan, Bubbling Stream to ShadowClan, and Spider Paw to RiverClan. Each medicine cat takes an oath never to take a mate or have kits, so that they can better serve both the living Clans and StarClan.

In the manga, Moth Flight is treating Drizzle's injured leg when she hears that Blue Whisker is close to kitting. She visits ThunderClan, but Blue Whisker's kitting has begun. Moth Flight helps Blue Whisker deliver three kits, and, to her surprise, her other kits join her to welcome the happy family. She reveals to them that she expects to die soon. She sees the moth one last time, and she knows that she will go to StarClan a happy cat, and be with Micah once more.

Trivia

Interesting facts

• This book was initially called Mothflight's Vision by Kate on her blog. The title has been typed as Moth Flight's Vision on all subsequent mentions.
• Kate has stated that two BlogClan names were included in the first draft of Moth Flight's Vision - one starting with a S and one starting with an H; they were included because they belonged to loyal BlogClan members, and that they didn't overlap with other names in the storyline.
• This book takes place one moon after Path of Stars.

Mistakes

A compiled list of the errors present in Moth Flight's Vision can be found here.

Publication history

• Moth Flight's Vision (EN), HarperCollins (hardcover), 3 November 2015
• Moth Flight's Vision (EN), HarperCollins (eBook), 3 November 2015
• Moth Flight's Vision (EN), HarperCollins (Library Binding), 3 November 2015
• Moth Flight's Vision (EN), HarperCollins (paperback), 1 November 2016
• 蛾飛的幻象 (ZH), MorningStar (paperback), 15 April 2017

See also

• Allegiances
• Chapter-by-Chapter notes
• Character list
• Book cover gallery