ShadowClan

ShadowClan is a group of cats that live in the marshlands and pines of the forest. Their founding leader, Shadowstar, was the first ever leader prior to the group being named. By extension, the prefix "Shadow" was thought to be given to the Clan.

Description
They are proud, loyal, defensive, and slightly arrogant; often seem to be misunderstood and portrayed by the other Clans as battle-hungry, aggressive, ambitious, and greedy for more territory. It was often said when the Clans were in the forest, that the cold north wind of the mountains chilled the ShadowClan warriors' hearts. However, as Rock states in Cats of the Clans, ShadowClan has the smallest amount of territory and prey, which may justify their willingness to add anything to the fresh-kill pile. Even though their fierce warriors and hostile leaders earned ShadowClan its reputation, the leader Dawnstar led Firestar to believe ShadowClan was not always as unfair and cruel as they seem now. Their main prey is reptiles and amphibians, such as lizards and frogs. A secret food source is the carrionplace, though they are careful not to eat crow-food. They also hunt rats from this area when prey is scarce. ShadowClan cats hunt best at night and are better than others at sneaking through undergrowth. In battle, ShadowClan cats use shadows as an advantage to fighting.

In the forest territories
The ShadowClan forest territory is located in an area that Twolegs have no specific name for. The territory also includes Twoleg places such as Windover Road, and the North Allerton Amenity Tip, and the North Allerton Road. Landmarks in this territory include:
 * Camp - A dark, well-concealed hollow hidden deep in shadows. It is surrounded by prickly and fierce brambles.
 * Carrionplace - The cats' name for a landfill, an evil place where numerous rats and diseases lurk.
 * Thunderpath tunnel - ShadowClan cats move freely under the most feared part of the Thunderpath. This has enhanced their reputation for mysterious strength and invincibility. The tunnel goes into ThunderClan and WindClan territory.
 * Burnt sycamore - An ancient tree struck by lightning many moons ago. Apprentices are trained here to hunt at night and stalk through undergrowth.

The forest is quite different on ShadowClan's side of the Thunderpath. Instead of thick trees, there are more pine needles. The camp is protected by brambles, and the entrance is through a tiny path. There is hardly any grass, but the ground is muddy and cool. The leader's den is beneath the roots of a big oak tree. The warriors' den is under a bramble bush. The den looks prickly on the outside, but on the inside, it is lined with pine needles and moss. There is a smooth boulder at the edge of the clearing, known as Clanrock, which serves as a higher place for the leader to address the camp. Propped up next to this large rock is another rock, and it creates a sheltered cave underneath. It is the medicine cat's den. Sick cats can rest in the ferns surrounding the boulder. There is another hollow shielded by a thorn bush. This is the nursery, and the thorn bush provides protection.

In the lake territories
The ShadowClan lake territory is located in an area that Twolegs call the Sadler Woods. The territory also includes Twoleg places such as the Hareview Campsite, the Sanctuary Cottage, and borders called Littlepine Road and the Littlepine Sailing Center. Landmarks in this territory include:
 * Camp - Closer to Twolegs than in the old forest territory, but it is well hidden and difficult for attacking enemies.
 * Twoleg nest - Home to two aggressive kittypets: Susan and Jacques. If they catch Clan cats out alone, they attack immediately.
 * Twoleg path - During greenleaf, Twolegs tramp along these paths all season.
 * Greenleaf Twolegplace - Another place Twolegs inhabit during greenleaf. The Twolegs put up small dens and light terrifying fires. However, they also leave behind food much like the food found at the old Carrionplace.

The camp has a small pool nearby, so the cats don't have to go all the way to the bottom of the lake to fetch water for elders or the medicine cats. The actual camp is in a tangle of brambles, with low-hanging branches and boulders all around and above it. These brambles and branches help protect against badgers and other big creatures. Many trees surround the camp, enabling cats to climb up them and see the activities of the Twolegs on water. From these trees, the cats can see all the Twolegs and their water-monsters in the water. The entrance of the camp is through a thorn tunnel, and brambles. At the camp entrance is a large boulder, which cats have to slip past to enter the camp clearing.In the middle of the clearing grow ferns. There is a clear progression of dens from one side of the clearing to the other which are all in bramble thickets. The nursery is first, then the apprentices, then warriors, then the leader, and finally the elders at the end of the circle. This structure enables the kits and elders closest to the low-hanging branches and the warriors facing the entrance, if any kind of trouble. The medicine den is in a far corner, beyond the leader's den. It is a sandy, hollowed-out floor covered in dried pine needles. There, the branches are not so bunched together, letting the medicine cats examine the skies for omens. Above the leader's den, there is a hazel branch that hangs over. This serves as a kind of vantage point for the leader to address their Clan.

Shadowstar

 * ShadowClan's founder and first-ever leader, Shadowstar formed her group in the marshes of the old forest, and was a wise, collected, and determined cat, and was the first leader to ever lose all nine of her lives. She appointed her nephew Sun Shadow as deputy and Pebble Heart as her Medicine cat.


 * When Sun Shadow and herself are killed by dogs, leaving her one life left, Shadowstar began to grow paranoid about the fact that a cat wanted her dead, noting the amber eyes she had seen before dying. Growing distrustful of her Clanmates and other Clans, she tried to find out who had killed her and her nephew while keeping secrecy, and eventually admitting her fear of ShadowClan crumbling when she dies permanently. After postponing naming her new deputy, she appoints Raven Pelt as Sun Shadow's successor and discovers it was Quick Water who tried killing her before. She goes to war with SkyClan and she and Quick Water kill each other in a fight, to which both she-cats forgive one another afterward.


 * Years later, when ShadowClan is annexed into SkyClan, Shadowstar appears before StarClan spirits demanding that ShadowClan be saved, and there must always be five Clans.

Cedarstar

 * Cedarstar is the leader of ShadowClan after Houndstar. His deputies were Stonetooth and Raggedpelt, and his Medicine cats were Sagewhisker and Yellowfang.


 * Cedarstar leads his Clan for many moons, though more tolerant of outsiders than most, he allowed Red and Boulder to join his Clan, and proved himself to a wise leader. He led battles against WindClan and even to kill an infestation of rats. He allowed Yellowfang to switch to become a Medicine cat, though dubious at first. He also voices concern and disapproval over the personality and character of Brokenkit, purposefully giving him the mentor of Nightpelt to try and balance the aggressive tom's personality. He is later succeeded by Raggedpelt after he dies of an unknown illness, where he ascends to StarClan and voices displeasure over the leadership of the tyrant Brokenstar.

Raggedstar

 * Raggedstar is the leader of ShadowClan after Cedarstar. His deputies were Foxheart, Cloudpelt, and Brokentail, and his medicine cat was Yellowfang, the cat who he had fallen love with.



Brokenstar

 * Brokenstar is the leader of ShadowClan, succeeding his father Raggedstar. His deputy was Blackfoot, and his Medicine cats were Yellowfang and Runningnose.


 * Born in secret to Yellowfang and Raggedstar, Brokenstar grew up neglected and abused by his foster mother, and spoiled by Raggedpelt. After becoming his father's deputy, Brokenstar affirmed his leadership by killing Raggedstar, taking all his nine lives away in order to fuel his greed. His reign quickly established him as a tyrant, abusing the warrior code for his benefit. He apprenticed kits before their sixth moon, forced WindClan out of their home to seize more territory, stole kits from ThunderClan, exiled the Clan elders, and even exiled Yellowfang, even killing cats and showing no remorse over it. His greed and power showed no end until ShadowClan rose up against him with the assistance of ThunderClan, forcing him out with his most devoted followers.


 * Brokenstar lingered around Clan territory and attacked ThunderClan, to which he was blinded by Yellowfang and briefly became a ThunderClan elder until Yellowfang poisoned him with deathberries, where he went to the Place of No Stars in his death, serving as one it's leaders until his death a second time by Yellowfang.

Nightstar

 * Runningnose knew Raggedstar would not give him his nine lives due to Brokentail still living as a prisoner in ThunderClan, and he had died because of an illness.

Rowanstar

 * Rowanstar succeeded Blackstar after the his death. Rowanstar's deputies were Crowfrost, Tigerheart, and Tawnypelt, while his Medicine cats were Littlecloud and Puddleshine, and had reigned for just about two and a half years.


 * While his leadership started out promising, many of ShadowClan's younger members longed for the days of the older ShadowClan, where the Clan was feared. This allowed Darktail to appeal to them and eventually caused several members to leave ShadowClan in favor of being a rogue. Rowanstar's leadership failing, he struggled to lead his Clan through the yellowcough plague, an epidemic that cost him three cats, including Crowfrost, his deputy. After choosing Tigerheart as his successor, Darktail usurped leadership from Rowanstar, and ShadowClan turned against their leader, forcing him, Tawnypelt and Tigerheart to seek shelter in ThunderClan.


 * After the Kin was driven out, Rowanstar tried to help ShadowClan rebuild and grow stronger, but he had lost the respect of his clanmates, who turned to Tigerheart for leadership instead. Rowanstar struggled with his leadership to the point of making the ultimate decision of annexing ShadowClan into SkyClan, reverting back to his warrior name and deeming himself a failure, returning what lives he had to StarClan. When offered the position of ShadowClan's leader again, he turned it down, having lost confidence in himself and instead vouched for Tawnypelt to become the leader. He is later killed saving Flaxfoot and Hopwhisker, and just before his death, tells Tawnypelt that their son, Tigerheart, will return for ShadowClan. He appears in StarClan and gives Tigerheart his first life, and now reunited with Dawnpelt and Flametail, his other deceased children.


 * While most cats remember him as the leader who allowed his Clan be taken over by rogues, and even gave up his own leadership, he is remembered more fondly by his kin as a kind individual who wanted the best for his birth Clan.

Tigerstar

 * Tigerstar is the leader of ShadowClan after Rowanstar, his father. Tigerstar's deputies were Tawnypelt, Juniperclaw, and currently Cloverfoot, and his Medicine cat is Puddleshine, and shares his name with his maternal grandfather and past leader of ShadowClan, Tigerstar.


 * He was one of the children of Rowanclaw and Tawnypelt, having served as a warrior for many moons before being appointed the successor to Crowfrost in the aftermath of the yellowcough plague. He followed his parents to seek shelter in ThunderClan, rekindling a past romance he had with Dovewing and eventually struggled to balance being the leader ShadowClan seemed to think he was, and not trying to undermine his father for leadership. When Dovewing reveals she is pregnant, Tigerheart leaves ShadowClan to go be with her, fathering Shadowpaw, Lightleap, and Pouncestep with her. He gained leadership skills from his brief time with the guardian cats, and decided to return to his Clan after a few moons, taking four members from the group to join his Clan. He eventually ran into four ShadowClan warriors, Berryheart, Sparrowtail, Cloverfoot, and Slatefur, and they joined him back on his patrol to ShadowClan. Tigerheart died saving a kit from an owl, and briefly went to StarClan where he was resurrected by them with eight lives to lead and reinstate the fallen ShadowClan.


 * Now focused on rebuilding his Clan, Tigerstar appointed Tawnypelt his deputy, but she stepped down, causing him to appoint his sister's son, Juniperclaw, in her place. He affirms his place as leader and grows aggressive towards SkyClan, pushing harder and harder to make his Clan strong again. In a last-ditch effort to get of SkyClan with a battle, Juniperclaw goes behind his back and poisons SkyClan's prey pile. While Tigerstar denies the claims of Juniperclaw's actions initially, he is shocked when his nephew admits to it and demotes him back to a warrior, appointing Cloverfoot in his place, and apologizes to SkyClan as he was so focused on making his Clan whole again, he forgot there needed to be five Clans at the lake.


 * When the new borders prove to be ineffective, Tigerstar demands they be readjusted so his Clan can eat properly. When the Sisters come around, and maim Strikestone, Tigerstar's nephew, he grows livid and demands they be forced out, becoming much angrier and helping lead the battle to drive them out.

Interesting facts

 * White Tail gave ShadowClan its name.

Author statements

 * Although Vicky doesn't think that ShadowClan has a particular regional accent, she imagines several of them to sound like the British actor Alan Rickman.
 * Kate says the general size of ShadowClan cats are medium and large.