Smallear

Smallear is a gray tom with very small ears, amber eyes, and a nick in one ear.

Crookedstar's Promise

 * Smallear is mentioned briefly at a Gathering by Poppydawn, who says that her son, Thistlepaw, is in trouble with the older cat.


 * Smallear is on the patrol that encounters the RiverClan cats at Sunningrocks, along with Adderfang, Swiftbreeze, and Speckletail. He is seen spreading out with the others to watch Adderfang and Mudfur fight for the rocks, and he and Swiftbreeze hop out of the way of the two as they fight. When Adderfang surrenders to Mudfur, he helps steer his Clanmate towards the trees.

Bluestar's Prophecy

 * Smallear is the mentor of Whitepaw. At the beginning of the book, Goosefeather hears a croaking mew from his den and explains to Bluekit and Snowkit that Smallear is recovering from an adder bite, and it will take a day or two for the poison to be completely gone, and the medicine cat leaves for a few minutes to attend to the warrior. When Goosefeather is gone, Snowkit eats two poppy seeds because Bluekit dared her to. Moonflower gets angry about this and asks Goosefeather to keep watch over her, but the medicine cat protests that he has Smallear to look after.


 * When Goosefeather finds an omen in a piece of fresh-kill, many cats, including Smallear, are unsure about the message that Goosefeather claims StarClan has sent to ThunderClan. Smallear asks Goosefeather if he is sure after Lionkit calls the prey dumb.


 * During the raid on WindClan that Pinestar declared based on Goosefeather's omen in the vole, Smallear is seen after Heatherstar, WindClan's leader, tells Pinestar to collect his cats and leave. Smallear struggles to get on his paws and his flanks are heaving for air. He uncertainly wanders around the clearing until Sparrowpelt comes over to help him go in the right direction.


 * Soon after, when they are still in WindClan camp, Bluepaw discovers Moonflower is dead. Snowpaw comes over unknowing of this and asks Bluepaw about their mother's condition and offers to call for Featherwhisker, the medicine cat apprentice, who is currently treating Smallear.


 * After every cat is treated, the cats set off for ThunderClan camp again. When they near the border of Fourtrees, it is noted that Featherwhisker stays at Smallear's side, as he is still quite unstable.


 * Smallear's apprentice Whitepaw is now a warrior named White-eye, and he has a new apprentice, Sweetpaw. In camp, Sweetpaw barrels towards Bluepaw but stops at the older apprentice's paws clumsily. Smallear and her sister Rosepaw catch up with them moments after, and the latter teases her sister about her 'battle move'. Suddenly, Tawnyspots thinks of a way to keep the nests dry, and explains his thinking. All the cats are in favor of his idea, but for it to be implemented, they need to gather leaves from a certain bush near the ShadowClan border. Sweetpaw asks Smallear if she can tag along, and he replies that she can because the more paws the better; the nests can be dry faster.


 * A little while after this, RiverClan invades ThunderClan territory. Pinestar's strategy includes two patrols to fight them off. Smallear is included on the second patrol.


 * Later on, he and his apprentice Sweetpaw go hunting near Twolegplace with Sunfall and Bluepaw. Sweetpaw finds a bird's nest but Smallear and Sunfall soon confirm that it is abandoned, much to all of their disappointment. After Bluepaw chases a squirrel into Twolegplace, and meets Jake, a kittypet, until Pinestar finds her and takes her back towards camp, Sunfall meets them with Smallear and Sweetpaw following, both carrying a fledgling in their jaws.


 * At Bluefur's first Gathering as a warrior, Oakheart insults ThunderClan about living so close to Twolegplace, claiming that they have 'kittypet friends'. Many cats disagree, and Talltail meows that they cannot steal prey since they are so slow and couldn't catch rabbits. Smallear adds that they can't catch squirrels either.


 * Later, Bluefur leads her first patrol—a hunting patrol—as a warrior and is nervous. The other cats on the patrol are Adderfang, Thistlepaw, Robinwing, and Smallear. It is noted that Sweetpaw is not with her mentor because she is sick in the apprentices' den under close watch and has been unable to move or eat for three sunsets, in which time Rosepaw, her sister, has completed two assessments. After telling them that they are hunting in Snakerocks, Bluefur asks Robinwing and Smallear if they are ready, since Adderfang and a dumbstruck Thistlepaw already are. Bluefur leads the patrol out of camp, being berated about everything by Thistlepaw. The other warriors help him stay in line and be obedient. After purposely making a loud remark to make a bird Bluefur was trying to stalk fly away, the four warriors begin to get angry. Bluefur punishes Thistlepaw when they reach Snakerocks by making him guard for danger, which he is angry about. Smallear and Robinwing nod and the four separate to hunt, where Smallear is the only one to search in the undergrowth. Suddenly Thistlepaw yowls that there is a snake, but when Bluefur looks at him in alarm, he looks up innocently and mews that it is only Smallear's tail, which only infuriates her even more.


 * After Bluefur successfully catches a rabbit, Thistlepaw actually sees real danger, which is a dog. They all scramble up trees, and Smallear is the only warrior she does not know is safe. She does not want to drop her rabbit so she stays silent. Adderfang yowls the warrior's name for Bluefur and Smallear is verified to be safe. Soon enough, a Twoleg gets the dog away from them, and Bluefur slides down the tree trunk. They are excited to see her safe since she could not answer to their call, and Robinwing praises her catch, as Smallear heads over to an ash tree to collect a freshly caught sparrow. As they head back to camp with the prey, Thistlepaw complains why he was made guard since no one listened, but Smallear objects, saying he fled up a tree immediately after he heard the warning about the dog. Suddenly, Thistlepaw hears the dog coming back, and Smallear mews that it probably wants the rabbit Bluefur has. Bluefur sets a trap so the dog does not find the camp, and Adderfang sends Smallear off to warn the rest of ThunderClan. Smallear barrels away.


 * Later, when Bluefur returns from a patrol, worn out from the day, Lionheart complains about being stuck in camp, but Adderfang and Smallear convince him it was for good reason, since he fixed a hole in the camp wall and now it is stronger than ever. The conversation turns to the subject of Tawnyspots, who is very sick; Smallear meows that the only exercise he's been doing lately is going back and forth to and from the dirtplace.


 * Bluefur watches her kits, and warns them to not disturb Smallear, but they do so anyway.  He is angered by Bluefur's kits when they wake him up, but then his temper is lost when Mosskit tumbles down, telling him to look at her, and Bluefur apologizes.


 * At the end of the book, he is mentioned in Bluestar's thoughts. He is one of the elders listed along with White-eye, now One-eye, Sparrowpelt, now Halftail, and Dappletail.

Into the Wild

 * He is first seen when he senses trouble. This is proven when Ravenpaw returns from a battle with RiverClan.


 * Later, when Firepaw and Graypaw visit the elders' den, Smallear is the first to offer the two apprentices a share of their fresh-kill.


 * At a Gathering, he is one of the first cats to object against Brokenstar asking for more territory.

Fire and Ice

 * Fireheart tells Cinderpaw that Smallear said he'd climbed to the top of the Great Sycamore when he was an apprentice then jokingly states that it was only a sapling when Smallear was an apprentice.


 * Smallear is a minor character, only appearing when he warns Fireheart about upcoming danger.

Forest of Secrets

 * He appears first complaining of stiff joints; Yellowfang later says it's the worst case she's seen in moons, and Fireheart thinks it's because Cloudkit brings in damp bedding. But, when Fireheart later asks the other elders if there is a problem with damp moss, they say Cloudkit is doing a fine job and that Smallear would complain even if StarClan themselves descended from Silverpelt to bring him bedding.

Rising Storm

 * Smallear fusses with some of the other elders about Fireheart's deputy ceremony, saying that his deputyship will be a dark time for ThunderClan because Bluestar named him deputy after moonhigh, breaking the warrior code.


 * When the elders are going to the river to get water during the drought, he brags about how he was attacked by an owl as an apprentice, and it gave him a nick in his ear. He claims that his claws left greater scars than the owl's.


 * Later, when the forest is on fire and ThunderClan is forced to cross the river to stay safe, he is reluctant to swim across the river, so Fireheart carries him across by his scruff. Afterwards, he declares that the fire is connected to the fact that Fireheart's deputy ceremony was late, and comments that Fireheart almost drowned him as he was brought across.

The Darkest Hour

 * When Firestar needs to speak to One-eye about changing Lostface's name, he complains about not getting any sleep but Dappletail tells Firestar not to mind him because he was always welcome. Later, he cruelly mocks Tawnypaw for being the daughter of Tigerstar, saying that she would end up like her father because she was late cleaning the elders' den. Tawnypaw says that what he said was one of the reasons she left, as most would think she would end up like her father.

The Ultimate Guide

 * It is mentioned on Tawnypelt's page that she was pushed to the breaking point by Smallear's comparison of her with Tigerstar because she seemed to share her father’s reluctance for clearing out the elders’ den.

Tigerclaw's Fury

 * As the fire goes on in the forest, Smallear notes that Halftail and Patchpelt weren't with him, while farther down the path.

Goosefeather's Curse

 * Smallpaw is an apprentice of ThunderClan and his mentor is Hollypelt. He eventually becomes a warrior and is given the name Smallear. Smallear rushes to Goosefeather and says Larksong is having her kits and Cloudberry needs his help.

Pinestar's Choice

 * Smallear comments to Pinestar that he made the right choice, flicking a midge with his tail off his fur. Pinestar asks what he means and Smallear gestures to Leopardfoot, saying he means her. Smallear's eye glints as he states that cats are talking. Pinestar retorts that he didn't think he was one for gossip. Smallear pricks his ears, asking if the rumors are true and if they'll be hearing the patter of little paws around the nursery soon. Pinestar replies new kits are always a blessing, not wanting to have this conversation with Smallear. The leader tells himself he is feeling nervous because of Smallear's curiosity.


 * Sweetpaw calls to Smallear, saying he promised to take her battle training after sunhigh. Smallear heaves himself to his paws, asking StarClan to save him from overenthusiastic apprentices.

The Elders' Concern

 * Smallear is seen fussing with Halftail, Dappletail, and Patchpelt about Bluestar choosing Fireheart as her deputy after moonhigh. He seems to be the least supportive of Fireheart, and says that he was neither the best hunter or the best fighter in the Clan. He continues by saying that he will never forgive Bluestar for this, and Fireheart will never be the deputy in his eyes.

Interesting facts

 * Vicky has said that Smallear and Speckletail may have been mates once, and that Smallear may have fathered Lionheart and Goldenflower. After much speculation, this was later confirmed to be true.

Members
Mate:
 * Speckletail:

Son:
 * Lionheart:

Daughter:
 * Goldenflower:

References and citations
Безух Kleinohr Petite Oreille Kleinoor Pikkukorva Ouško Orejitas Małe Ucho