River of Secrets

* Front cover
* Audiobook cover

**River of Secrets** is the second book in the Bamboo Kingdom series.

Ghost and Shiver are featured on the cover.

## Blurb

**One kingdom. Three worlds. Explore the secrets of the *Bamboo Kingdom* in the second installment of this thrilling new series from bestselling Warriors author Erin Hunter, perfect for fans of *Wings of Fire* and *Endling*.**
For three pandas in the Bamboo Kingdom, secrets have changed everything. Rain, Ghost, and Leaf have only just discovered the truth about their families—but they don’t have all the facts. And while they attempt to piece together the puzzle of their pasts, a threat is growing ever stronger in their homeland—a liar masquerading as a leader.
Sunset, the so-called Dragon Speaker, has his own agenda, and the discovery of the triplets from an ancient prophecy will only get in his way. While Rain and Leaf struggle to agree on the next right moves, Ghost, struggling to adapt to panda life, falls under Sunset’s spell.
Separated, the three panda siblings are left without the information they need to take the traitorous Dragon Speaker down. But if they can find each other—and trust each other—they may be able to rally the pandas of the Bamboo Kingdom to their side.
## Plot

### Prologue

Quietshore's point of view.
Two black-necked cranes named Quietshore and Stillwater are flying to their nest on the river. When they arrive at the site, their nest is not where they left it, and Stillwater finds it sitting on a rock away from the river. Quietshore takes it as a sign that the floodwaters are finally going down. While they build a new nest, Stillwater exclaims that something just breathed on her. She states that she has something to do and promptly flies away. Quietshore attempts to follow her, but their new nest breaking away in the current distracts him and he gets it back into position. While looking for twigs to shore it up, he finds a bone, and shortly after discovers hundreds of bones in the river, also realizing that even the rock they built their new nest on was really a skull. Suddenly, a panicking group of small animals startle him, and he looks back and sees a tiger stalking on the riverbank. The tiger leaves the crane alone, inadvertently letting his nest drift away again.
### Chapter 1

Leaf's point of view.
Leaf, Dasher, and Rain are gathering purple leaf for Plum. Leaf thinks back on the discovery of Rain, her unknown third sibling, and their destiny as Dragon Speakers, thanking The Great Dragon for bringing her this far. Plum asks Rain about life in the Prosperhill, and Rain's abrupt answer shows her trouble getting used to her new circumstances. Plum inquires about Sunset's actions, unable to believe that the kind Dragon Speaker she had known all her life could be a killer. Rain explains that no one else is suspicious because they still believe every word he says. The conversation turns to the new Dragon Speakers, and Plum looks at her nieces in ecstasy. Now that Plum has recovered enough to travel, the four creatures lay out a plan to travel to the Dragon Mountain and induct Leaf and Rain as official Dragon Speakers. Rain is hesitant and reluctant to set out, but Leaf is able to persuade her. They head toward the mountain, with Leaf wondering about the dragon ritual.
### Chapter 2

Ghost's point of view.
Ghost tries to eat a strange new piece of food, pouncing and trying to hold it down like a snow leopard, while Shiver cheers him on. Sunset, across the river, instructs Ghost on how to hold his food, revealed to be bamboo, and eat it. Ghost finds it the most delicious thing he has ever eaten, but when Shiver tries it, she finds the plant revolting. The young animals' laughter reminds Ghost how he lost Winter, and his new gnawing questions about his panda family and where his birth mother might be. Sunset introduces Ghost to some of the animal species of the Bamboo Kingdom, and tells him about the Great Dragon and the Dragon Speaker. Shiver realizes he is talking about The Snow Cat, and Ghost realizes Sunset himself is the Dragon Speaker, suddenly in awe of his new friend. Two flying squirrels pass by and inform Sunset that the floodwaters are receding by Egg Rocks. Ghost accompanies Sunset to the spot, and the Dragon Speaker explains about the flood and how no one could cross the river until now. When they arrive, all sorts of animals are crossing the Egg Rocks and reuniting on both sides of the river. Ghost and Shiver cross the waters and Ghost finally finds himself among the Prosperhill pandas.
## Trivia

* Despite the books repeatedly stating that Ghost has no spots or markings, only solid-white fur, on the cover of *River of Secrets* Ghost has pale yellowish-brown markings.
	+ This is likely due to the fact that, in real life, leucistic (white) pandas have these darker spots.

## Gallery

### English covers

**English Language Edition**
Hardcover, E-book, Library & Paperback Binding**English Language Edition**
Audiobook & Audio CD Binding**English Language Edition**
Textless Cover
### Foreign covers

**Simplified Chinese Language Edition**
Unknown Binding**French Language Edition**
Hardcover, E-book Binding**Finnish Language Edition**
Hardcover Binding**Finnish Language Edition**
Audiobook Binding
## References

1. ↑ Revealed on Johanna's art portfolio
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Revealed on HarperCollins.com