Some of the Changing Skies POV characters—like Leafstar and Tawnypelt—are old favorites who have long histories among the Clans. But we also wanted to introduce new, young characters, who would give readers insight into what the less seasoned cats are thinking. Our first young POV character to appear in Changing Skies is Moonpaw.

“Moon” is an unusual name for Warriors cats, but in Moonpaw’s case, it reflects how special her parents, Bayshine and Thriftear, think she is. Moonpaw is a chimera cat: a cat who, due to a rare genetic quirk, has different colored fur on each side of her face, divided by a nearly straight line. As Moonpaw recalls in Book 1 of Changing Skies, her father, Bayshine, thought that his lovely daughter’s face resembled a half moon. And when she was a kit, Moonpaw’s unusual appearance brought unusual expectations: many in ThunderClan imagined that she might be destined to become a medicine cat or that her unique face might be a sign from StarClan.

Readers will find that Moonpaw’s wants are not all that different from other apprentices: she wants to figure out who she is and to serve her Clan. But in Moonpaw’s case, what other cats think about her may have more of an impact on her future than her own goals. Moonpaw’s Clanmates may be right that her unusual face indicates a cat who is destined to bring great change to the Clans. But will Moonpaw choose the right path?