Ranking all three installments of this manga, this book falls right in the middle. Mothwing is one of my favorite characters in Warrior cats, so it's fun to see her as a kitten, even though she and her siblings display rather generic kit personalities. (It's also interesting that Hawkfrost is so timid... I wonder if Tadpole's death really changed his demeanor so much.) Still, I can see the similarities between Mothwing and Sasha, and that's satisfying. I remember the scene in "The New Prophecy" where Sasha says goodbye to Mothwing, who instantly starts rolling on the ground like a kitten when she sees her mother. Their relationship has always intrigued me, and Sasha's characterization in this manga aligns with the daughter that we see in the main series.
My main issue with this installation is also my main problem with this manga series overall: Tigerstar. I don't understand why Sasha insists on loving him, despite everything. It makes sense that Mothwing and Hawkfrost would be distressed upon hearing that their father was a mass murderer, but why would Sasha respond to their confusion by saying, "Don't worry, your father had redeeming qualities, too"? Supposedly, Sasha recognizes that Tigerstar was evil, but she doesn't do a good job of teaching her kittens this (which explains why Hawkfrost is so eager to train with Tigerstar in the Dark Forest). Oh well. At least it was nice that Russetfur kept Sasha's secret. (Seriously, Sasha had a better rapport with every cat in this book besides Tigerstar. Even Leopardstar looked charming from Sasha's perspective!) And it makes sense that Sasha would choose to leave the Clans in the end. Her fear of being recognized by ShadowClan was legitimate and didn't feel contrived.
I would love to know what Sasha got up to after this manga ends, especially once we get past the Clans leaving in "The New Prophecy." Wouldn't it be hilarious if she wandered for a bit and accidentally stumbled upon SkyClan in the gorge? She would think, "Perfect! A Clan that doesn't know about Tigerstar!" And then she would be reunited with her daughter in the new territory, several story arcs later! Still, Sasha could have gone to the lake with her children in the main series, after revealing that Tigerstar was her mate... They had nothing else to gain from her absence. Honestly, I'm still not sure I understand her change of heart in that moment. But that's a complaint for a different book.
On a final note, I'm perplexed by the character Tadpole. I wonder why the authors chose to give Sasha a third kitten, whom we never meet in the main series. If I recall correctly, he's never mentioned in any other books, either (besides Mothwing's novella). You could argue that his death is part of Hawkfrost's character development and motivation to become a warrior, but I don't think that this manga or the main series explores this avenue of thought, and adding that "tragic" shift to his character adds little to his overall story arc, in my opinion.