Redtail

Redtail is a small, dark, dappled tortoiseshell tom. He has a distinctive, bushy ginger tail as red as fox fur, and feathered ears.

Moth Flight's Vision

 * Redtail is one of the cats present during Firestar's leader ceremony. Moth Flight witnesses Redtail give Firestar one of his nine lives, and she also sees other cats present, although she is unable to speak to them.

Bluestar's Prophecy

 * Redkit is born alongside his littermates, Spottedkit and Willowkit, to Swiftbreeze and Adderfang. Their older siblings are Patchpelt and Leopardfoot. Redkit is seen with his littermates and mother just before the Clan meeting.


 * He is later made an apprentice, with either Sparrowpelt or Adderfang assigned as his mentor. Thistleclaw scolds him for not swiping high enough, to the horror of Bluefur. When Bluefur takes her kits to RiverClan, Stonekit brags that Redpaw has already shown him how to do the hunting crouch.


 * Near the end of the story, he is sitting with Bluestar as Redtail, and he is now the deputy of ThunderClan. They watch the apprentices, Dustpaw, Ravenpaw, Graypaw, and his daughter, Sandpaw.

Into the Wild

 * During one of many battles between ThunderClan and RiverClan over Sunningrocks, it is clear that ThunderClan is outnumbered and does not have the power to win their battle. Redtail, ThunderClan's deputy, realizes this, and decides that it is time for ThunderClan to retreat, making the conclusion that it is unsafe due to RiverClan's numbers. Redtail calls to Tigerclaw, one of ThunderClan's strongest warriors, telling him that he believes this battle is useless, caused by the sheer amount of enemy cats they have to fight. Redtail urges Tigerclaw to abandon the battle, saying that Bluestar would not want them to risk their warriors by trying to fight for an impossible victory. Leaping onto a boulder, he yowls to ThunderClan, ordering them back to ThunderClan's camp. Redtail and the others retreat into the woods, although Tigerclaw holds back for a moment and stares at the battlefield with a grim face, realizing that ThunderClan has lost Sunningrocks. He eventually follows Redtail and the others in his Clan back into the trees, towards ThunderClan's camp.


 * During another fight with RiverClan over Sunningrocks, Redtail dies at the claws of Tigerclaw, the same ThunderClan warrior who tried to convince Redtail to keep fighting RiverClan over Sunningrocks. Tigerclaw lies about Redtail's death, telling the rest of ThunderClan that the RiverClan deputy, Oakheart, had killed Redtail. Tigerclaw says that he had killed Oakheart to avenge his fallen Clanmate's death. However, Tigerclaw's apprentice, Ravenpaw, witnessed what actually had happened. Oakheart had been killed by an accidental rockfall while he and Redtail were fighting, and then Tigerclaw took the opportunity to kill Redtail and blame it on Oakheart.


 * Ravenpaw describes Redtail as very brave, and Bluestar refers to him as a noble cat who was never swayed by pride or self-interest. Dustpaw is devastated when he hears that his mentor has died. Tigerclaw had hoped to succeed Redtail after his death, but Bluestar chooses Lionheart as the next deputy instead. However, after Lionheart is killed in a battle against ShadowClan, Tigerclaw is chosen as the new deputy, achieving his ambition at last. Firepaw later learns from Ravenpaw the truth about Redtail's death, and takes him away from ThunderClan to keep him safe from Tigerclaw.

Forest of Secrets

 * Fireheart continues to investigate the real reason behind Redtail's death, and the tortoiseshell tom is mentioned by Fireheart multiple times, as he questions different cats and tries to get justice for the fallen deputy.


 * When Tigerclaw's treachery is finally exposed after he tries to murder Bluestar, Fireheart announces Tigerclaw's role in Redtail's death to the rest of ThunderClan. This causes Dustpelt, Redtail's apprentice and a once strong supporter of Tigerclaw, to reject Tigerclaw when the latter invites Dustpelt to follow him into exile. Shaking with grief and anger, Dustpelt tells Tigerclaw that he would rather die than follow him, because he killed Redtail, who was his mentor.

The Darkest Hour

 * Redtail appears as one of the cats who gives Firestar his nine lives. With his life he gives Firestar justice, and thanks Firestar for revealing the truth when no one else could, referring to Firestar exposing Tigerclaw's role in his death.


 * Later, Redtail is mentioned when Ravenpaw comes out of the barn he and Barley share. It is said that Ravenpaw was the only cat besides Tigerstar that knew of Redtail's death.


 * During the battle against BloodClan, Firestar sees the dark fur and bushy red tail of Redtail, along with all the other StarClan cats that gave him his nine lives.

Outcast

 * Longtail mentions to Foxkit and Icekit that Tigerstar killed Redtail.

The Last Hope

 * Redtail appears when Jayfeather is going over the cats who gave Firestar his nine lives, shortly after the leader's death. Jayfeather notes that he gave Firestar courage, though Redtail actually gave him justice.

Code of the Clans

 * Redtail briefly appears in one of the stories and is sick with greencough. He is overheard by Longtail speaking with Bluestar about hunting patrols. He orders Longtail and Darkstripe to go hunt, since they weren't sick.

Battles of the Clans

 * In "Dustpaw Speaks: Shadows in the Forest", Dustpaw mentions that Redtail was stuck in camp with a bellyache after eating a rotten blackbird, and so he went out training with Tigerclaw instead. Tigerclaw asked if Redtail ever taught Dustpaw how to catch prey in trees, while he was teaching him how to swing from branches. His name is mentioned when Tigerclaw, Dustpaw, Darkstripe and Longtail confuse the attacking ShadowClan patrol with multiple Lightning Strikes. Dustpaw then calls out to Redtail, to fool the ShadowClan patrol into thinking that there are more cats fighting them.

The Ultimate Guide

 * It is mentioned on Tigerstar's page that in a clash over Sunningrocks, Tigerclaw saw his chance to become deputy of ThunderClan, so he killed Redtail, blamed it on their rivals and was eventually made deputy.


 * Redtail is also mentioned on Ravenpaw and Barley's page that Ravenpaw was put in terrible danger by witnessing Redtail's death then lying about it to his Clanmates.

Spottedleaf's Heart

 * Redkit is playing with Spottedkit and attacks Brindlekit, who is pretending to be one of the rogues. Spottedkit yells at him because she had not signalled for him to attack yet and tells him he can no longer play as the deputy. Redkit says he doesn't want to play with Spottedkit because she is too bossy. Redkit jumps at Thistleclaw and winds him, causing Featherwhisker to see what is happening.


 * Redpaw is apprenticed to Halftail, along with Spottedpaw and Willowpaw. During the apprentices' ceremony, Tigerpaw is seen glaring at the newly appointed apprentices. Redpaw tells Spottedpaw not to worry about it. He is taken to see the territory with Halftail, Thistleclaw, Tigerpaw, Thrushpelt, Spottedpaw, and Willowpaw join them.


 * Redpaw notices Spottedpaw is out of the medicine cat den and goes over to talk to her.


 * The tortoiseshell tom is seen dragging a squirrel Willowpaw caught through the gorse tunnel with her. When asked whether Willowpaw caught it he says it nearly flew off with her.


 * He wakes Spottedpaw up after her visit to the Dark Forest, and asks where she was the night before.

Ravenpaw's Farewell

 * Barley reminds Ravenpaw why he left ThunderClan, that Tigerclaw knew Ravenpaw saw him kill Redtail.

Tigerclaw's Fury

 * When Tigerclaw invites Dustpelt to follow him into exile, the latter refuses, because Tigerclaw killed his mentor, Redtail. Tigerclaw instantly remembers Redtail, thinking he deserved to die because he was too much like Bluestar, always seeking peace. The dark brown tom is jerked from the memories of the red slash opening in Redtail's throat when Bluestar begins talking.

Interesting facts

 * He has SkyClan blood, because he and his sisters, Spottedleaf and Willowpelt, are SkyClan descendants.
 * It is odd to note that Redtail fathered Sandstorm, as male tortoiseshells typically cannot father kits because they are commonly born sterile.

Mistakes

 * He has been mistakenly described with a russet pelt and red.
 * In The Last Hope, it is said that he gave Firestar a life of courage, when he really gave him a life of justice, and Lionheart gave him courage.

Members
Mate:
 * Brindleface:

Daughter:
 * Sandstorm:

Father:
 * Adderfang:

Mother:
 * Swiftbreeze:

Brother:
 * Patchpelt:

Sisters:
 * Leopardfoot:
 * Willowpelt:
 * Spottedleaf:

References and citations
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