Changing Skies: Hidden Moon Review

Warriors: Changing Skies #2: Hidden Moon released one week ago Tuesday, November 4th alongside Into the Wild Collector’s Deluxe Limited Edition. As the second book in the ninth arc of Warriors, the continuing story was eagerly awaited. In the first book, The Elders’ Quest, it felt like the story was barely beginning. The slow progression continues in this new installment.

The story follows Tawnypelt and Moonpaw, as did its predecessor, but swaps out the SkyClan POV of Leafstar for a new character: Starlingpaw. “Indifferent” and “unremarkable” continue to be my opinions of these arc books. In my review for The Elders’ Quest, I wrote about how each storyline was starting. Hidden Moon continues this snail-pace progress.

This article contains heavy spoilers for Hidden Moon and The Elders’ Quest (basically, the Changing Skies arc), as well as spoilers for all the books leading up to it.

As usual, here is the book’s blurb:

Erin Hunter’s #1 bestselling Warriors series continues with the second book in the Changing Skies arc, as the Clans continue to navigate an ominous prophecy that foreshadows the end of the cats’ connection to StarClan.

 

Still healing from an accident that almost killed her, Tawnypelt is eager to share the message she received from StarClan about a “great peril” looming over the clans. But her vision is dismissed by her son and leader, Tigerstar, leaving Tawnypelt with no choice but to take action on her own.

 

Racked with guilt that he caused his father’s death, Starlingpaw is determined to atone for his mistake. His chance comes when Tawnypelt warns him of a “two-faced cat” intent on destroying the clans. Believing himself uniquely suited to find this cat and stop them, Starlingpaw seizes on the opportunity to prove that he is an asset, and not a liability, to SkyClan.

 

Moonpaw is settling into her role as a Thunderclan apprentice, even as she continues to grapple with the voice in her head. But the more she tries to ignore the voice, the louder—and angrier—it grows.

 

Meanwhile, Twolegs have set their sights on the Moonpool, preventing the Clans from reaching StarClan. Will the cats find a way to reach their ancestors before all is lost?

Starting about 12% of the way into the book already, since I already read and reviewed the preview chapters a couple weeks ago, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I neither hated nor loved it.

Frankly, the cutest scene of the entire book happens between Squirrelstar and Tawnypelt. These awesome she-cats gently gossip about Tawnypelt’s crush, with Squirrelstar teasing about the possibilities. When she guessed it was Brackenfur, I actually laughed out loud. The wholesomeness was very needed for both characters. It was also a prime example of characterization I crave but the newer books sometimes lack. Since these two have been fleshed out over dozens of books, it wasn’t hard to be happy about their natural interaction.

The situation with Tawnypelt and Crowfeather continues to interest me. Tawnypelt doesn’t think it would work and might never voice it, considering she doesn’t even tell Squirrelstar. I do hope we get an answer on if Crowfeather feels the same at least. It felt like a possibility since he visited her when she was healing. The grumpy tom might have high loyalty to his oldest friends, but I didn’t expect him to go out of his way to visit another Clan just to see them. He could’ve easily asked after her at the next Gathering. Of course, he’ll have to be alive for that plot to continue.

As for Starlingpaw, I’m relieved he isn’t annoying me. While he does often moan about being the reason his father’s dead, it isn’t too consistent or mopey. It comes up in realistic moments. If anything, he’s more of a comedic relief. His foolishness throughout the book made me roll my eyes and laugh. The young cat made no progress for Tawnypelt and constantly acted like a misguided, accidentally mischievous young’un. His usefulness to the story right now is to merely be eyes for the reader. Seeing what happens during the tribe trip was only possible because of him.

However, Starlingpaw does have one aspect I hope they explore. Since he’s related to Tree and Rootspring, it appears he has some residuals of their spirit-seeing power. At a Gathering, he was able to see Moonpaw’s haunting sister messing around. I find myself wondering how vital that will become. To me, it makes sense that each tom born to that bloodline would get the spirit powers but they’d weaken every time. How that’ll manifest for the lovable Starlingpaw is yet to be seen.

Although I’m irritated the Clans are cut off from StarClan again, I don’t feel as bad for them as I once might’ve. They didn’t take Leafstar or Tawnypelt seriously when they warned them of Twoleg interference, so no Moonpool for anyone! I was thankful that Squirrelstar, Leafstar, Crowfeather, and Icestar supported Tawnypelt when she revealed her prophecy against Tigerstar’s wishes. I was honestly assuming she’d continue to keep it inside due to ShadowClan loyalty.

Which, speaking of Tigerstar, he’s royally pissing me off this arc. He is arrogant and dismissive of one of the oldest and wisest cats of the Clan, who used to be his deputy and is his mother. When he first became leader of ShadowClan, I was excited to see him blossom. Now, with how disrespectful he is and how often he bulldozes others, I hate him as leader. Tawnypelt should be applauded for pushing against his brutish authority. It seems like it’ll be good for her character to have a well-needed vacation away from him in ThunderClan.

I do appreciate that between Tawnypelt and Starlingpaw, the Warriors team is exploring an important concept. While Tawnypelt feels no one will listen to her because she’s too old, Starlingpaw feels no one will listen to him because he’s too young. It highlights a true problem in society where old people are thought to be irrelevant and young don’t have enough experience to speak. I hope at some point in the arc, the two of them share these thoughts and connect on the feeling. Maybe they’ll both have more respect for their age-opposites in their Clans.

With Tawnypelt in ThunderClan and the prophecy mentioning “elders,” it makes sense that she is spending time talking to the ThunderClan elders. Yet, them telling Tawnypelt they might not go with a move worries me. Did they include that to mirror the elders lost in The New Prophecy? Will they be convinced to go with, or is this foreshadowing that the Clans will be swayed by the elders to stay? I hope the potential territory move isn’t a fake out. The cats are talking about it so much, I’m waiting for the “syke.”

Speaking of answers, it’s about time I turn to the character with the most going on: Moonpaw. The intrigue around her sister only grows. In the book, we see her increasingly interact with the real world. Moonpaw is even risking no sleep to avoid her in her dreams. It’s when Moonpaw begins sleeping in the medicine cat den to avoid “sleepwalking” that the drama ramps up. Not only does Jayfeather sense another presence and that something is wrong, Brambeclaw is involved too.

Sick with a terrible infection, the previous leader grows close with Moonpaw. Her sister, later revealed to be named Morningkit, keeps visiting Brambleclaw, who can see her in the waking and dreaming world. Originally confused by her presence, he shifts into a protector role for Moonpaw, telling Morningkit to go away and she doesn’t belong there. When Moonpaw tries to tell her sister to move on to StarClan, Morningkit retaliates in anger.

Born sickly and dying soon after, she seems to blame Moonpaw for living. I wonder if the chimera theory is partially right. If Moonpaw absorbed too many nutrients in the womb before their birth, she might be the “cause” for Morningkit coming out weak. The only string left then is why is Morningkit around and why is her spirit aging? Does it have to do with the attachment between the sisters?

It gets more confusing, too, because Brambleclaw mentioned seeing Snowtuft, who is double-dead (physical body and spirit), when he saw Morningkit one time. So, what plane are they in? Was it a writing mistake to mention Snowtuft? Brambleclaw does say it appears they travel to different locations, even the Dark Forest. I like the concept of Morningkit being able to go through different planes, I just want more information.

I don’t see yet how Moonpaw’s plot will relate to Tawnypelt and Starlingpaw’s. Sure she might be the “two-faced cat” mentioned in the prophecy, but what does that have to do with the Twolegs, Moonpool, and moving? Starlingpaw, with his spirit powers, may be able to defeat Morningkit, but why would he need to in regards to the Clans? It’s still full of mystery.

Though slow, Hidden Moon knows how to leave on a cliffhanger. With Crowfeather potentially dead from a fall and Morningkit able to physically harm Moonpaw, readers have plenty to anxiously wait for in book 3, Chasing Shadows. I only hope that the action picks up for the rest of the books. In the old books, plot points moved so fast you could barely catch a breath before the next thing. Characters were developed, lives were in danger, and cats didn’t run circles around every single conversation. Changing Skies has the potential to be good if it picks up.

Even before Hidden Moon released, the Erin Hunter team revealed the name, cover, and blurb of the third book in the series. Chasing Shadows is expected March 31st and will hopefully kick the plot into gear. With Moonpaw revealing Morningkit’s voice and presence, I wonder how it’ll play into the storyline. Can Tawnypelt and Starlingpaw figure out what’s going on? Will the Clans move territories? I’m hoping so.

Next year’s releases.

2026:

Warriors: Changing Skies #3: Chasing Shadows: March 31, 2026

Warriors Graphic Novel: The New Prophecy #1: June 30, 2026

Warriors: Super Edition #19: Darktail’s Judgement: (details to come)