Cloudstar is the leader of SkyClan. Not only is he a leader but a good one. Buzzardtail is his loyal deputy, and best friend. Back in the nursery, Birdflight, his mate, is expecting his kits. Cloudstar loves playing with the current kits in the nursery, and looks forward to his own. Buzzardtail assures him that it is more work than he thinks, but of course Cloudstar thinks he can handle their energy. Just when clan life seems like it cannot get any better, a hunting patrol returns with almost no prey. Alarmed, they report that there was no prey in the forest. The cats are worried about the twolegs, but he assures them its nothing to worry about. Later,he has a dream about danger to his clan, and shortly afterwards, his medicine cat comes to him multiple times to share omens and dreams from their ancestors about destruction, and losing their home, because of the twolegs. Everything steadily becomes true, and his clan is starving to death. Desperate, Cloudstar decides to take back the territory the leader before him gave to Thunderclan. His cats are weak, and they lose the battle. A few days later, his kits are born. At this point he realizes he has no choice but to beg the other clans for some of their territory. At the next gathering, Cloudstar makes his request, but the other clans turn him down. The leader of Thunderclan offers a place for Birdflight and his kits. Birdflight does what's best for the kits. She takes his offer, and the pair parts. Cloudstar and his clan are driven out by the other clans. Now, without a home, his kits, or his mate, he leaves to find a new home for SkyClan.
I thought this book was very good, but I was disappointed that I didn't know more about SkyClan before, when they were strong and healthy. And I wish that I could have gone with Cloudstar on his long journey. I was so sad when Birdflight had to go with Thunderclan because the kits were too small. I think it would be cool to see the kits grow up, and trace their lines to the most recent generation of Thunderclan cats. Overall I really enjoyed this book, and SkyClan is now my favorite of all the clans. Erin Hunter is coming out with new books involving SkyClan, so I can't wait to read them. This is definitely a book that I would read over and over. ( )