by Erin Hunter
RIVERCLAN LAKE CAMP
I know I’m biased—but RiverClan found the best lake home.
Have you seen our camp? I’m Mistyfoot, by the way, the RiverClan deputy.
Before we go in, just look around you. The trees are lush, and the stream is full of fish. Back there is the lake. It’s harder to catch fish in the lake than it was in the river, but we’re learning. The biggest problem is the Twolegs. They love this place in greenleaf!
See where the smaller stream joins the main one? On the triangle of land between the streams is our camp. Can you swim across the stream like a RiverClan cat? Or will you splash through the shallows? You can also jump across on these pebble islands. Watch your step! Some of them are slippery!
Well done. You’ve made it. Now, look at all the vegetation! You can barely hear the noise of the Twolegs on the lake. See those brambles? That is the nursery. Quite often there is a patch of sunshine outside the entrance. In those thickets are the dens of the elders and Leopardstar.
Smell that? Sort of sharp and sweet at the same time? That’s how you know we’re near the medicine cat’s den. Come around this thornbush—watch out for the prickles. See how it overhangs the stream? The earth below was washed away, leaving a pool in the roots and a hole in the bank where Mothwing keeps her supplies. She sleeps on that mossy nest. Oh, hello, Willowpaw! Organizing berries, I see. Is Mothwing with Dawnflower? She was complaining of bellyache this morning. We’ll just poke our heads in, take a sniff, and then leave you in peace.
One day this place will be as beautiful as our old camp. We haven’t found as many shells in the water, but the Twolegs leave a lot of shiny things behind that our kits like to play with. We check everything carefully before we bring it into the camp, though. So many Twoleg things are bad for us!
Well, that’s our camp. Watch your paws crossing the stream, and keep an eye out for Twolegs!
LEOPARDSTAR SPEAKS:
A Deadly Alliance
How dare you judge me? Have you been leader of a Clan? Have you had the fate of so many cats in your paws? Have you faced fire, flood, poison, starvation, predators, and Twolegs, all within a few short seasons? Kits and elders were dying under my watch. And I was supposed to sit back and let it all happen?
I am a great leader. I make tough decisions and stick to them. I discipline bad behavior with fair, strict punishment. My warriors respect me and would follow me to the end of the river if I told them to.
And I recognize strength when I see it. Tell me this—why is it all right for Crookedstar to accept help from those bleeding-heart ThunderClan warriors, but wrong for RiverClan to ally itself with Tigerstar? He has a plan for the forest—a vision for all the Clans! If you met him, you’d understand. He knows how we have suffered and how to save us. WindClan and ThunderClan will join us soon, I am sure.
As one Clan, we will rule the forest. No cat will go hungry. There will always be prey somewhere—in the river, in the woods, or on the moors—and all cats will benefit.
Why waste our energy fighting one another when our common enemies are dogs, badgers, and Twolegs? With the combined strength of all our warriors, perhaps we could fight back against the Twoleg monsters! Think of what we could accomplish! Think of how powerful we would be!
Tigerstar believes in TigerClan so strongly. I can see the future spreading out before us as he talks. If I join him now, he and I will be joint leaders. Tallstar and Firestar will have to follow us. I know that Tigerstar is in charge now, but this was his idea. Once everything is settled, he will listen to me.
And if TigerClan is inevitable, as I believe it is, I would rather be the second-strongest cat in the whole forest than cast out of the Clan to wander alone. Tigerstar has been there. He knows what it is to be weak and alone. He told me about it, and I never want to be that cat.
The only thing that makes me nervous is the way he keeps talking about half-Clan cats. I had no idea that Stonefur was half ThunderClan when I made him my deputy. Neither did he, in fact. But now we know he is, he and his sister, Mistyfoot. And half-Clan cats cannot be trusted, Tigerstar says.
He has a point—remember what happened with Graystripe? I always suspected he was spying on us, waiting for a chance to tell ThunderClan our secrets. He betrayed us in the end. Divided loyalties are not what TigerClan needs if we want to survive all the troubles facing us.
I don’t know what Tigerstar plans to do with our half-Clan cats, but I know something must be done. For now, I’ve allowed him to leave a few ShadowClan warriors in our camp to protect us. They’re not like RiverClan cats. They’re building a hill of prey bones down by the riverbank. It gives me nightmares....
SIGNIFICANT LEADERS
RIVERSTAR
Silvery gray, long-furred tom with green eyes.
Generous and warm-hearted with his own Clan—uninterested in the troubles of other Clans. (Would skip Gatherings if he could!)
Founder of RiverClan—worked with Thunder, Shadow, and Wind to develop warrior code.
Thought to have suggested mentoring program of training apprentices.
Deputies: Unknown
Apprentices: Unknown
CROOKEDSTAR
Huge light-colored tabby tom with green eyes and twisted jaw.
Determined, strong, and willing to bend the rules for safety of Clan.
Guided Clan through terrible leaf-bare and flood.
Accepted help from ThunderClan warriors to save Clan from starving.
Offered shelter to ThunderClan when fire drove them from their home.
Deputy: Leopardfur (later Leopardstar)
Apprentices: Graypaw (Graypool), Stonepaw (Stonefur)
LEOPARDSTAR
Spotted golden tabby she-cat.
Proud, hostile, and fierce. Single-minded about what is best for RiverClan. Showed bad judgment in turning over control of RiverClan to Tigerstar.
As deputy, she helped ThunderClan when they fled the fire in their camp.
Also led her Clan to their new lake home, where she quickly established a strong base.
Deputies: Stonefur, Mistyfoot, Hawkfrost (temporarily)
Apprentices: Whitepaw (Whiteclaw), Hawkpaw (Hawkfrost)
SIGNIFICANT MEDICINE CATS
DAPPLEPELT
Delicate tortoiseshell she-cat.
Brave, reckless, quick to act.
Saw being a medicine cat as a different type of warrior, fighting the invisible enemies of sickness and injury on behalf of her Clanmates.
Saved an entire litter of kits after the nursery was washed away by a flood. (See Beyond the Territories, How the Moonstone Was Discovered.)
BRAMBLEBERRY
Pretty white she-cat with black-spotted fur, blue eyes, and a strikingly pink nose.
Charming, quick-thinking, and good at getting her own way—Crookedstar would do anything she asked.
Cautious about interpreting StarClan’s omens.
Came up with a clever way to hide medicinal herbs in fresh-kill so sick kits would eat them.
MUDFUR
Long-haired, light brown tom.
Patient, intelligent, and straightforward.
Interpreted moth’s wing sign to choose his new apprentice, despite her non-Clan origins.
MOTHWING
Beautiful dappled-golden she-cat with large amber eyes in a triangular face, and a long pelt rippling with dark tabby stripes.
The daughter of a rogue cat, Sasha, and the former leader of ShadowClan, Tigerstar, Mothwing struggles for acceptance by her Clan.
Believes StarClan does not exist.
With Leafpool’s help, healed her Clan when kits brought traces of Twoleg poison back to camp.
SHADOWCLAN
BLACKSTAR ON SHADOWCLAN
Greetings. I am Blackstar. You must be brave indeed, to approach the territory of ShadowClan. Few are welcome here, in our world of secrets and darkness. We are a Clan of cunning and cleverness, a Clan well suited to the shadows and the cold north wind. No other Clan can walk t
he paths of night like we do. Other Clans may be faster or stronger, but we are the most dangerous warriors: fierce, proud, and independent. We are ruthlessly willing to do what it takes to protect our great Clan. There won’t be any softhearted alliances here! ShadowClan will always be the dark heart of the forest.
* * *
Clan character: Battle-hungry, aggressive, ambitious, and greedy for territory. It is said that the cold wind that blows across the ShadowClan territory chills their hearts and makes them suspicious and untrusting.
Prey: Frogs, lizards, and snakes that live in ShadowClan’s boggy, peaty territory. A secret food source is the Twoleg garbage dump on the far boundary, although they have to be careful not to eat infected rats or crow-food.
Hunting skills: ShadowClan cats hunt by night better than other Clan cats and are skilled at skulking unseen through the undergrowth.
* * *
SHADOWCLAN FOREST TERRITORY
(1) ShadowClan camp: A dark, well-concealed hollow, the camp is hidden deep in the shadows and is surrounded by brambles as prickly and fierce as the hearts of ShadowClan warriors.
(2) Carrionplace: Yuck! Smell that? This is an evil place where rats and disease lurk.
(3) Thunderpath tunnel: The ability of ShadowClan cats to move freely across the most feared border of the Thunderpath has enhanced their reputation for mysterious strength and invincibility.
(4) Burnt Sycamore: An ancient tree destroyed by lightning many moons ago. Apprentices are often trained here to hunt at night and stalk noiselessly through the undergrowth.
SHADOWCLAN FOREST CAMP
My name is Boulder. Ah, I can see you’ve realized it’s not a warrior name. Well, I used to be a loner in Twolegplace, and proud of it. I caught prey for myself. I could look after myself. Then I met a cat from ShadowClan. He told me about the forest. He wanted me to give up my freedom and join his Clanmates! I nearly clawed off his fur. I didn’t need a leader or a Clan.
But he kept talking, and some of the things he said made sense. Like, what was I going to do when I was old and couldn’t catch my own prey? I’d never thought about that before.
I agreed to visit his camp. Follow me, and you’ll see what I saw on that day I first came to the forest. I’ve never left since.
I love the forest on this side of the Thunderpath. The soft carpet of pine needles under my paws. The fresh and sharp smell of the pines. The boggy soil is full of amazing smells; can you sense prey darting around under the leaves?
Through these brambles, that’s right. This tiny path—here, where my paws are—leads to a hollow. I know it’s not exactly grassy around here, but the ground is muddy and cool. Good for keeping fresh-kill fresh. Our leader sleeps over there, beneath the roots of that big oak tree. The warriors’ den is over there, underneath the bramble bush. I know it looks prickly on the outside, but inside it’s lined with pine needles and moss. I can tell you, it’s a lot more comfortable than any place I found to stretch my paws in Twolegplace.
The smooth boulder at the edge of the clearing is where the leader speaks to us. Do you see that other rock propped against it, creating a sheltered half cave underneath? That’s where the medicine cat lives. There are holes dug in the ground to keep the leaves and berries fresh, and sick cats can rest in the ferns that grow on the other side of the boulders. I never had another cat care about my injuries when I lived in Twolegplace.
The nursery’s over there, in that hollow shielded by a thornbush. You can smell the scent of milk from here—a new litter was born yesterday. I don’t spend much time with the tiniest kits—always worried I’ll step on them or something—but I like watching them grow into strong apprentices and loyal warriors.
Why do you keep staring at the fresh-kill pile? Oh, I see you’ve spotted a frog. I know they look pretty unappetizing—trust me, I was as reluctant as you to try them when I first came to the forest. But you should try them. Peel off the skin first—that’s very chewy. Underneath, it tastes like if you mixed rabbits and fish together. Honestly! Well, okay, maybe leave it for one of the warriors. Look, I know the other Clans think ShadowClan cats are strange and dark-hearted, but we’re loyal warriors, just like them. There’s no need to fear us.
Not all of the time, anyway.
SHADOWCLAN LAKE TERRITORY
(1) ShadowClan camp: Much closer to Twolegs than forest home, but the camp is still well hidden and should be difficult for enemies to attack.
(2) Twoleg nest: Home to two aggressive kittypets. Don’t let them catch you out alone, or you’re kittypet food!
(3) Twoleg path: Steer clear of these during greenleaf. Twolegs tramp up and down these paths all season long!
(4) Greenleaf Twolegplace: Another place haunted throughout greenleaf by Twolegs, who put up small dens and build terrifying little fires here. On the plus side, sometimes they leave behind food like we used to find at Carrionplace.
SHADOWCLAN LAKE CAMP
I never thought Blackstar would let you into the ShadowClan camp. He’s a little prickly mostly. But we like having a cat in charge who says exactly what he thinks.
I’m Tawnypelt, and I found this place—you’ve heard about that?
I tell you, by the time we found the camp, I was getting worried. The territory looked right—pine trees everywhere, shadows, and darkness. But the tree branches were much higher than we were used to, and there wasn’t much undergrowth.
It was getting dark when we came up this slope here. Did you see the pool down at the bottom? It’s close to the camp so we can fetch water for the elders and kits without having to go all the way to the lake. Here, follow me up these boulders until we get to that top one—it’s got the best view of the camp.
Great, isn’t it? You can barely tell there are so many cats down there, hidden below the tangles of brambles. And look at all these low-hanging branches all around and above us. You won’t catch us getting trampled by badgers like ThunderClan!
Not that we’re cowards, mind you. Every ShadowClan cat, down to the tiniest kit, will fight to the death to defend our territory and our pride. We’re the fiercest Clan in the forest, no matter what any other cat might say.
I wasn’t born a ShadowClan cat—but I’m very glad I’m here now. I like being ferocious, and I like hunting in the dark. You won’t find me lolling around in the sun like those RiverClan cats or crashing through the forest making as much noise as a ThunderClan cat.
But we can have fun too. Smokepaw and I like to climb trees near the lake and watch the Twolegs on the water. Their boats look like swan wings. The Twolegs make a lot of noise and splashing, and sometimes the boats tip over and they fall in! Then they get back up and fluff out their wings to try again. You’ve never seen anything so funny. I would never set paw on a boat—leave that to the RiverClan cats!
Anyway, slip on through these bramble bushes and you can see the camp. Like in the old camp, there is a clear progression of dens from one side to the other: nursery first, then the apprentices’ den, then the warriors, the leader, and the elders at the end of the circle. That puts the kits and elders closest to the lowest-hanging branches and leaves the warriors facing the entrance, in case of trouble.
The medicine cat’s den is in that far corner, beyond the leader’s den. Littlecloud found a place where the branches aren’t so bunched together—he needs to see the sky so he can read the signs from our warrior ancestors.
Blackstar makes his announcements from the branch that hangs over his den. You should see him swarm up that tree when he’s angry!
So that’s our camp. I’d let you poke your nose into the dens, but ShadowClan cats aren’t friendly to strangers. Even though Blackstar said it would be okay, I think you should keep your stay as short as possible. And if I were you, I wouldn’t linger on ShadowClan territory. Head this way, cross a stream, and you’ll hit ThunderClan’s part of the forest. You’ll be perfectly safe there. They take in strays all the time, those softhearted geese.
Bye now!
SIGNIFICANT LEADERS
SHADOWSTAR
Black she-cat with green eyes and thick fur.
A strategist, ferociously independent (even untrusting of Clanmates), bold in battle.
Founder of ShadowClan—worked with Thunder, Wind, and River to develop warrior code (she spent the rest of her life complaining about it).
First of founding leaders to die—losing ninth life in battle she started with other Clans.
Deputies: Unknown
Apprentices: Unknown
RAGGEDSTAR
Large dark brown tabby. Fur ragged and patchy from fighting as a kit.
Proud and cunning—failed to see his son Brokentail’s bloodthirsty nature until too late.
Defeated rats in violent battle near Carrionplace that kept them from bothering ShadowClan for many moons.
Deputies: Foxheart, Cloudpelt, Brokentail (later Brokenstar)
Apprentices: Clawpaw (Clawface), Brokenpaw (Brokentail)
BROKENSTAR
Long-haired dark brown tabby with torn ears and a broad, flat face. Tail bent in middle like broken branch.
Cold, ambitious, heartless, murderous, and cruel.
Killed own father, Raggedstar.