Yellowfang's Secret

"I know my path will cross with Brokenstar's again. And one day I will do something to stop this tide of fire and blood that he has unleashed on the forest."

— Yellowfang after her banishment from ShadowClan in Yellowfang's Secret, page 501

Yellowfang's Secret
General
Author:	Cherith Baldry
Cover artist:	Wayne McLoughlin
Jacket designer:	Megan Stitt
Details
Publish date:	October 9th, 2012
Identification:	ISBN 0062082140
Editions:	Hardcover, E-book
Summary
"A terrible force is on its way, with the power to pierce deep into the heart of ThunderClan. And it will be brought by a ShadowClan medicine cat." Yellowfang has dedicated her life to ShadowClan. She is a loyal medicine cat, ready and willing to do anything to protect her Clanmates and keep them safe. But a dark secret haunts her, threatening her life and the lives of every cat around her....
Resources
Chapter subpages
Chronology
Preceded by:	Tallstar's Revenge
Followed by:	Crookedstar's Promise

Yellowfang's Secret is the fifth book in the Super Edition arc.

The Blurb

One secret could destroy them all....

Yellowkit is a ShadowClan cat through and through and she can't wait to become a fearless warrior. Then Yellowkit trains as an apprentice and finally receives her warrior name, Yellowfang—and much to her surprise, she realizes that her paws weren't meant to shed blood. Her true destiny lies as a healer, and she takes her place as ShadowClan's medicine cat apprentice.

But Yellowfang's dreams are haunted by a dark prophecy, and every paw step she takes seems drenched in heartache. As she struggles to separate herself from her warrior past, she realizes that the future she faces is bleak and dim—colored by a devastating secret that could destroy the warrior Clans.

The Praise

"Like other ShadowClan cats, Yellowkit has always dreamed of being a warrior, but as she begins her apprenticeship, she makes a discovery that is intensely disturbingly: Her paws are not those of a warrior, but of a healer. As she reluctantly begins her training as a medicine cat, her dreams are haunted by a prophecy she cannot completely understand and a sense of dark foreboding. What she does not yet know is that her fate conceals a secret that could destroy all the warrior Clans. Erin Hunter's fierce feline classic continues in high style."

-Barnes and Noble

Detailed Plot Summary

Six cats, healers from each of the four Clans that govern the woods, rivers, and moors gather at Highstones, for a half-month ritual which enables each cat to share dreams with their warrior ancestors, StarClan. Sagewhisker, Hawkheart, Milkfur, Bramblepaw, and Goosefeather welcome a new medicine cat apprentice, mentored by Goosefeather himself, Featherpaw of ThunderClan. Goosefeather asks him if he's ready to delve deeper into StarClan and share its knowledge, and Featherpaw confirms that he truly is ready. Goosefeather presents him as a medicine cat apprentice to their ancestors, having his new rank seen clearly in their eyes. Featherpaw touches his nose to the Moonstone, and shares dreams with the spirits. He sees Mallowfur, and Mallowfur greets him warmly, reassuring Featherpaw that although she shares tongues with her ancestors, she will always be with him. Featherpaw's name is called by a mysterious tom, and he announces that he as a message for him. Featherpaw is awestruck, amazed that he receives a message from StarClan during his first visit. 

The cat grunts in annoyance, knowing that the new apprentice won't think it's that great once he's heard it. The spirit cat tells Molepelt that a "dark force is on its way, with the power to pierce deep into the heart of ThunderClan. And it will be brought by a ShadowClan medicine cat." Featherpaw is shocked, explaining how the medicine cat code contradicts that as medicine cats have no enemies. Molepelt disregards him, telling Featherpaw how he was once a ShadowClan medicine cat. He admits that he and his Clanmates performed a wrong to another Clan, a Clan that belonged in the forest as much as any of the other warrior Clans, but was driven away due to their selfishness. Molepelt confesses that he knew what he did was wrong, and he has waited, his heart full with dread as he anticipated the Clans to be punished. Featherpaw is still confused, wondering how the Clans would be punished. Molepelt warns Featherpaw that the time has come. That a poison will spring from the heart of ShadowClan, and spread to all the other Clans. He adds that a storm of blood and fire will sweep through the forest, but he is broken off by Hollowbelly, asking what Molepelt thinks he's doing, spilling the secrets of an ancient prophecy to a new ThunderClan medicine cat. Hollowbelly tries to convince Featherpaw that things are different, and there is no need to punish ShadowClan, for the medicine cat code will keep the cats safe. Molepelt calls Hollowbelly a fool, saying that nothing will stop this tide of blood. Hollowbelly makes Featherpaw promise to not tell any cat, for even the future is lost in the mist of StarClan. Featherpaw promises, and starts to leave, but wonders to himself. If Molepelt was telling the truth, it didn't make sense. How in StarClan could ThunderClan be threatened by a ShadowClan medicine cat?

Yellowkit, a newly born kit to her parents, Brightflower and Brackenfoot, leaps out of the nursery with her littermates, Nutkit and Rowankit. They chase Littlebird, Lizardfang ,and Silverflame, pretending that the elders are invading WindClan warriors. Yellowkit, pretending to be Cedarstar, ShadowClan's leader, playfully forces the elders to surrender, and they joke about how they don't want to fight the kits as they are too strong for them. Yellowkit turns on Nutkit, telling him to be the WindClan warrior, as she knows "awesome" battle moves. Raggedkit, an older kit, scoffs at Yellowkit, saying she's only a kit. Yellowkit retorts, asking him what he is. Raggedkit brags about how he and his brother, Scorchkit will be apprentices soon, and that it'll be moons before Yellowkit and her siblings become apprentices. Scorchkit boasts about how they'll be warriors prior to them being apprentices. Raggedkit and Scorchkit show the kits more advanced battle moves, and Nutkit suggests that they suggest mice in the brambles. Raggedkit scoffs at them, doubting their ability, and Nutkit, catching up on elders' gossip about who fathered Raggedkit, calls Raggedkit a kittypet to his face. Raggedkit is furious, and he dares Nutkit to say it again, which Nutkit, frightened but bravely obglies. Brightflower interrupts them, bringing her kits back to the nursery. Yellowkit looks back, wondering what it was like to not know your father - especially if every cat assumes that he's a kittypet. 

Nutkit suggests to play in the warriors' den, and he calls Yellowkit a scardey-mouse for refusing, daring her to peek under the bush. Yellowkit knows she can't back down, but is warned by Rowankit that Brightflower is watching her. Yellowkit turns to her, noting how she eats with her mate and checks on her kits every so often, leading Yellowkit to wanting to be like her - a warrior, and a queen to have kits to bring up as valuable and loyal warriors to their Clan. Feeling inspired by this, Yellowkit comes up with a game - to be a mother, and teach her kits to catch frogs. She scolds her "kits", calling the two untidy, and Nutkit tells her that he thinks this is a dumb game, and that her pelt isn't peachy clean either. Yellowkit cuffs him, playfully telling him to not talk to his mother in that tone. Brightflower praises Yellowkit, telling her that she'll make a great mother and a warrior. However, Cedarstar's call cuts them short, and they gather for a Clan meeting. However, a thorn in Yellowkit's paw irritates her, and she protests about it, only to see that there is no thorn. After the slight embarrasment that she had dragged so many cat's attention to her for something that wasn't there, Raggedkit and Scorchkit become apprentices, now known as Raggedpaw and Scorchpaw, being taken under Brackenfoot and Crowtail's wings.  

Trivia

• Vicky revealed on her Facebook page that this book is very emotional.
• Yellowfang's Secret does not include a map of the territories like the other books.

Publication History

• Yellowfang's Secret (EN), HarperCollins (hardcover), October 9, 2012
• Yellowfang's Secret (EN), HarperCollins (e-book), October 9, 2012
• Yellowfang's Secret (EN), HarperCollins (paperback), 8 April 2014

See Also

• Allegiances
• Chapter-by-Chapter Notes
• Character List
• Book Cover Gallery
• HarperCollins Browse Inside

References and Citations

Template:Warriors Book