So recently the writing team revealed the title for arc 9: Changing Skies ! Nice and vague... they also teased both Whistlepaw's involvement (maybe as a POV 👀) and the reappearance of an "old friend" from TPB.
Here are the lists of cats it COULD be, and why I think they are / are not a possibility
MOST LIKELY
Brightheart
why: we just got a graphic novel all about her
why: popular
why not: old
Smudge
why: he is literally Firestar's "old friend"
why: graphic novel is coming out reminding us that he exists
why not: what is smudge going to do ?????? he's like 15 now and on the other side of the mountains
LIKELY
Barley
why: the current writing team really likes him
why not: same issue as smudge kinda. old and far away
Stormfur
why: the Tribe hasn't been relavent in a while. hmmmm
why not: I think I am the only stormfur stan on the planet and the writing team knows it
UNLIKELY
Brackenfur
why: has a small but fervent fanbase a la Icewing and look where that got her
why not: a bit late to give him any kind of plot relevance
why not: has not spoken a word in like four years
Princess
why: like Smudge, the graphic novel has revived interest in her a bit
why not: probably dead ?? idk why I think she's dead and smudge isn't i just have the feeling
why not: has 0 fanbase or attention given to her
Tawnypelt
why: universally beloved character
why not: old lady with no stakes in any conflict whatsoever
why not: "old friend" kind of implies an underutilized character and she is very much utilized
NEAR-IMPOSSIBLE CHARACTERS THAT TECHNICALLY QUALIFY: Brambleclaw, Cloudtail, Henry, Mosspelt, Oakfur, Thornclaw
I hope it's Smudge. Please give us old man Smudge. Reveal that he is visited each night by ghosts of SkyClan past (ones that have no reason to care about modern SkyClan) I beg.