StarClan

StarClan are the deceased warrior ancestors of the Clans who live on in spirit form after dying, and watch over the living Clan cats. There is no specific leader for StarClan, since there are many cats from all four Clans that work together. They are responsible for sending signs and omens to the living cats.

General

 * Clan cats and their descendants who followed the warrior code and led a honorable life as a warrior will reach StarClan when they die, even if they were not part of a Clan at the moment of their death (such as Pinestar or Leafstar's mother).


 * When a cat dies and is going to be guided to StarClan by a StarClan cat, usually by a loved one or a mentor, they merely close their eyes and reopen them a few moments later. When leaders lose lives, those lives appear in StarClan as very faint copies of the leader, but they are unable to hear, speak, or touch other StarClan cats until the leader loses their final life.


 * StarClan cats leave starry paw prints, their eyes shine like moons, and their pelts glow with a pale light, which makes them look like they have stars dappled in their fur. The cats' spirits remain in StarClan until they are forgotten by all living and dead cats over a long time and earned their own peace, causing them to fade away to little more than ghost-like images of themselves.

Territory

 * StarClan's hunting grounds is described as a moonlit night landscape in greenleaf, a land of mist and shadows. It resembles the landscape of The Forest, and several locations exist in both the waking world and in StarClan.


 * For the living cats, StarClan's territory appears as a large, cloudy-looking swath of stars, which has been confirmed to be the Milky Way. Clan cats believe that, upon dying and joining StarClan, a new star appears in Silverpelt. On the other hand, the stars are sometimes regarded as representing the living cats instead of the dead ones.


 * When the Clans migrate to a new territory, StarClan cats follow them in the sky so they can continue watching over them. When SkyClan moved to a new territory, their ancestors separated from StarClan and left with them. When the remaining four Clans left the forest and went to live by the lake, StarClan traveled along with them through unknown sky paths.

Fourtrees

 * The sacred places of the Clans exist in both the waking world and StarClan's hunting grounds. One of these locations is Fourtrees, seen by most cats in their dreams when visiting StarClan (such as a cat during his or her leadership ceremony). Even if it was destroyed by Twolegs, Fourtrees still exists in StarClan, as it will always be remembered by the cats.

Warm-Rocks

 * Warm-Rocks is a place in StarClan territory that was mentioned in Fading Echoes, when Silverstream was looking for her daughter, Feathertail. It is not described in detail, however, the name suggests that it is a relaxing spot, similar to Sunningrocks in the old forest.

Relation to Living Cats

 * StarClan cats watch over the Clans from the sky and send prophecies to guide them or warn them of impending danger. Ancestors usually watch over the living cats of their former Clan, and especially over cats who were close to them in their lifetime; for example, Spottedleaf generally gives advice to ThunderClan cats, but most often to Firestar. Living cats visit StarClan in their dreams, although StarClan cats are able to appear even in the waking world.


 * Medicine cats have a special bond with StarClan, and they are the cats who are usually contacted by the ancestors. At every half-moon, the medicine cats and medicine cat apprentices of each Clan go to their "sacred place" (Moonstone or Moonpool) to speak with StarClan and receive advice about the future. To receive the signs of StarClan, medicine cats either drink the water at Moonpool or touch noses with the Moonstone, initiating the dream.


 * Besides medicine cats, StarClan cats sometimes send messages to leaders (Firestar is known to have received several warnings and prophecies), warriors (such as when Brambleclaw is invited to undertake a quest), or even non-Clan cats (such as Smudge). Other creatures (such as Midnight) may also be given a warning or prophecy for the Clans.

Ceremonies

 * All Clan ceremonies are believed to be supervised by StarClan. The Clan leader performing a ceremony calls upon the warrior ancestors, and promotes a cat by the powers of StarClan. The leader also says that StarClan honors their values and welcomes them.


 * StarClan has the greatest role during leader ceremonies, when they give nine lives to the new Clan leader. Each of the lives are granted by a single ancestor, usually from the same Clan or a cat they knew when they were living, as a gift of an attribute.

Influence
There is contradiction in the books about how much influence does StarClan have over the living world:
 * Lionheart and Bluestar state that StarClan has no control over what happens to cats in the living world; the most they can do is to warn cats in dreams.
 * In Firestar's Quest, Spottedleaf appears in the waking world and offers a bundle of burdock root to Sandstorm, and also in Firestar's Quest, Silverstream gives Firestar a fish.
 * If cats fight during a Gathering, StarClan covers the moon with clouds and lightning, even if the sky was clear before, implying that they have some power over nature.
 * In Sunset, StarClan makes Cinderpelt reincarnate as Cinderkit, Brackenfur and Sorreltail's daughter, instead of accepting her spirit among them, implying that they have power over life and death. Also Jayfeather, Lionblaze and Dovewing had been reincarnated from Jay's Wing, Lion's Roar and Dove's Wing although it is unknown whether StarClan did this. However, once reaching StarClan, a cat not be reincarnated.

Life in StarClan

 * Cats in StarClan are restored to the age in which they were happiest (i.e. Yellowfang is old because she was happiest near the end of her life in ThunderClan, but Bluestar is young again because she was happiest at the peak of her youth). They also do not age in StarClan. Cats who die keep their name at the highest rank they had or would have achieved; Smallkit, for example, becomes Smallstar, as had he survived longer he would have become leader.


 * Prey is always plentiful and cats have no defined tasks (such as hunting and training), and are free to do as they please, so they are mostly content, except when seeing living cats suffer.


 * StarClan has no hierarchy, thus there is no defined leader or deputy, although cats respect those who were their leaders or mentors in the living world.


 * Once a StarClan cat ceases to be remembered by any living or dead cats, they will slowly seem to appear as the faintest star and will live their life in StarClan peacefully and alone. Usually, they do not send dreams to any living cats except on special occasions.

Other Ancestors

 * The opposite of StarClan is the Place of No Stars, or Dark Forest, made up of cats who committed unforgivable evil deeds during their life. It has a sort of border with StarClan's hunting grounds, appearing as a wall of mist. StarClan cats can enter the Place of No Stars, but when they do, they risk never being able to escape. Cats who make up the Place of No Stars, such as Tigerstar and his son Hawkfrost, on the other hand, have no choice but to stay where they are.


 * The Tribe of Rushing Water have their own spirit ancestors, the Tribe of Endless Hunting. Feathertail, who is a RiverClan cat, but dies protecting the Tribe, is able to walk with both StarClan and the Tribe of Endless Hunting.


 * Formerly part of StarClan, SkyClan's ancestors left, along with SkyClan and are now separate. However, they have rejoined StarClan after Leafstar's leader ceremony, when they were able to meet each other again. it is also mentioned in the leader's dream, SkyClan's ancestors and the warriors in the forests had met and where hunting running together as one.

Crookedstar's Promise

 * Crookedkit meets Mapleshade, a cat he believes to be from StarClan but is actually from the Dark Forest. That night, he decides to travel to the Moonstone to find out why they could allow such cruelty to befall him. He never makes it to the Moonstone, but returns without seeing StarClan. Mapleshade lets him continue thinking she is from StarClan and trains him. One night when in the Dark Forest, Crookedpaw asks to see StarClan's territory. Mapleshade skillfully dodges this question, but lets him think that it is still StarClan.


 * When it is time to meet StarClan for real, Crookedpaw travels with Willowpaw and others. He touches his nose to the Moonstone, but gets to the Dark Forest instead of StarClan. Mapleshade sees him and tells him that this is what StarClan looks like. When Pinestar stirs up trouble at a Gathering, StarClan sends a few wisps of clouds to block the moon until the fighting stops. Soon it is time to choose the new deputy of RiverClan, and the Clan is buzzing with excitement. Crookedjaw goes hunting, and brings back a squirrel with a crooked jaw. When the senior warriors see this, they conclude that StarClan must have sent this sign to make Crookedjaw the new deputy. When Crookedjaw meets Mapleshade again, she reveals that she sent the squirrel. Crookedjaw then finds out from Silverhawk and Thistleclaw that Mapleshade is a cat from the Dark Forest.


 * Soon, Hailstar dies, and Crookedjaw is to be made the new leader of RiverClan. He then confesses to Brambleberry that StarClan did not send the sign, and that he shouldn't be the leader of RiverClan. He had made a promise to Mapleshade to be loyal to his Clan above all other things, without knowing this meant Mapleshade could take all of the cats he loved. Brambleberry assures him that Mapleshade did not have that kind of control, and that all these hardships truly mean that he is to be leader.


 * StarClan makes its true first appearance during Crookedstar's leader ceremony in which he is given his nine lives by cats of their ranks. Crookedstar swears from that point on to only walk with RiverClan and StarClan, and not with the Dark Forest.


 * StarClan's hunting grounds is later seen in the short graphic novel at the end of the book, when Crookedstar is standing at the edge of it and the Dark Forest's hunting grounds. He sees Silverstream walk to StarClan, and Mapleshade taunts him for it. However, he remarks that everyone he loved is now safe from her in StarClan.

Bluestar's Prophecy

 * WindClan scent has been found all over some squirrel blood inside ThunderClan territory, and Pinestar wonders whether to fight or not. He consults Goosefeather to see if there was any sign from StarClan, but Goosefeather says there was none. Pinestar then concludes that there will be no battle with WindClan since there is not enough proof. Later, when Goosefeather goes to the fresh-kill pile, he sees a vole with flatedned fur. He cries out that this is an omen from StarClan, meaning WindClan is going to attack them, because it looked like the forest was flattened by wind. Pinestar agrees that StarClan has spoken, and they make plans to attack WindClan. Many warriors are skeptical on how to beat a big Clan, and Goosefeather then bursts out that there is catmint on the fur of the prey. He convinces Pinestar in thinking that to defeat WindClan, they must attack their medicine supply. They attack the following morning, and lose badly. Heatherstar says that StarClan would have never let them win, and ThunderClan returns home.


 * While Bluepaw is running from a fox a burning branch falls right in front of her and it is extinguished by the rain. While Goosefeather is patching her up he says "You are like fire, Bluepaw, and you will blaze through the forest. But, beware, even the strongest of flames are extinguished by water." This is a prophecy from StarClan.


 * One day, Pinestar says that he needs to go to the Moonstone to talk to StarClan for very important reasons. He brings along Bluepaw with him. While Pinestar shares tongues with StarClan, Bluepaw sleeps and gets blessings from them. When it is morning, Pinestar comments that StarClan has been good to him. Soon afterward, Pinestar leaves the life of a warrior to become a kittypet, and Sunstar becomes the new leader with blessings from StarClan. However, he was only given eight lives because Pinestar left with his ninth and became a kittypet, never surrendering his ninth life and leader position. Snowfur dies afterward, and Featherwhisker wisely states that when StarClan calls, no medicine cat can stop them.


 * Tigerkit's siblings all die, with him being the remaining. Goosefeather is seen apologizing to StarClan, saying that that cat should not have lived.


 * Bluestar is sure that she can see Snowfur and Moonflower in the stars watching over her with their expressions and opinions of whatever she's doing, speaking silently to her. Examples of this include after she had gone to meet Oakheart at Fourtrees and when she gave her kits to Oakheart and RiverClan.


 * When Bluefur is kitting, Snowfur's voice from StarClan encourages and helps her give birth to her kits.


 * When Bluefur has her leader ceremony she sees many StarClan cats. The only ones mentioned by name are the ones giving Bluestar her lives: Pinestar, Mumblefoot, Larksong, Sweetpaw, Sunstar, Goosefeather, Mosskit, Moonflower, and Snowfur.

Firestar's Quest

 * At a Gathering, when SkyClan begs imploringly for the rest for the Clans to help, the ancient WindClan leader looks down at them scornfully. Larkwing, his medicine cat, says that StarClan won't be pleased if the four Clans drive SkyClan out. Swiftstar looks at his medicine cat and says that if that is the case, StarClan would be sending clouds to cover the moon. Other cats ask if StarClan really wants there to be five Clans in the forest, as there are only four trees at Fourtrees. Cloudstar angrily admits defeat, and a few cats wish that StarClan go with them. Cloudstar snarls that from this day on, StarClan may go where they please, as they have betrayed SkyClan. StarClan had allowed the Twolegs to build homes in their camp, and they look down while they are being driven out without saying a word. They had said that there would always be five Clans in the forest, but they lied. Therefore, Cloudstar swears never to look up at the stars - or StarClan, again, considering that they did not help them in their time of need.


 * A face starts haunting Firestar, and he thinks it's from StarClan. He tells Cinderpelt about these so-called "dreams" from StarClan, but Cinderpelt says she can't help, and he should consult StarClan himself. Firestar heeds her advice and goes to the Moonstone. There he meets Bluestar at StarClan who tells him about about SkyClan. Firestar is shocked that SkyClan had never tried to find them, and now know that StarClan lied. Bluestar tells him to worry about ThunderClan, but Firestar asks if it's the will of StarClan to ignore suffering cats.


 * Spottedleaf appears in a dream to tell Firestar more about SkyClan. She confirms that they did exist and she learned of their story after she had joined StarClan. When Firestar is confused about how StarClan could allow a whole Clan to leave the forest, Spottedleaf comforts him by saying that StarClan does not control everything within the forest. She also tells him that the SkyClan ancestors do not walk the same skies as those who walk in StarClan. Silverstream appears to Firestar in a dream, offering him a fish. After this dream Firestar is convinced to help Skyclan.


 * When Willowpelt dies, Firestar says that she'll be welcomed in StarClan. As Firestar meets the scattered cats of SkyClan, he starts to tell them about StarClan. Firestar and Sandstorm are worried about who the leader and medicine cat of the Clan will be, and Firestar reassures her that StarClan will send them a sign.


 * Spottedleaf appears in a glowing cat form in the Skyclan medicine cat den and gives them a burdock root to help cure a rat bite. She then tells Sandstorm that Firestar really does love her. As she passes Firestar she says that she would give anything for things to be different (that she wouldn't be a medicine cat).


 * Firestar has a dream from Cloudstar, SkyClan's past leader, saying that a kittypet who dreams of their warrior ancestors, but had not yet heard of the Clan, would become their new medicine cat. When she meets Firestar and Sparrowpaw he is asking Oscar about the dreams. Echo then appears and tells Firestar that she thinks he is looking for her. She then tells him that she has dreams of cats with stars in their fur. Oscar calls Echo mad for joining SkyClan, who were also angry with him. Oscar's words do not shake her decision, and decides to join SkyClan t be the medicine cat.


 * The medicine cat, Echosong, soon gets a message from their ancestors that Leafdapple is to be the leader of SkyClan. She is shown a vision of leaves dappling the ground. In Leafstar's leader ceremony, Redstar, Birchstar, Dawnstar, and Swiftstar appear from StarClan and apologize to Cloudstar for not allowing SkyClan to stay. They each give her a life, as well as Cloudstar, Birdflight, Skywatcher, Leafstar's Mother, and Spottedleaf.


 * As Skywatcher dies he passes on the ancient prophecy to Firestar. "There will be three kin of your kin, who hold the power of the stars in their paws."

SkyClan's Destiny

 * In the prologue,

Into the Wild

 * StarClan sends Spottedleaf a sign through a falling star. She interprets the message as "Fire alone can save our Clan". The fire turns out to be a kittypet named Rusty, who joins ThunderClan soon after, and fulfills this prophecy.


 * Graypaw, an apprentice of ThunderClan, tells the new apprentice, Firepaw, all about StarClan and Silverpelt and how StarClan watches over the Clans and guides them through harsh times and helps them through the dark times.

Fire and Ice

 * Spottedleaf enters Fireheart's dream to give him a message from StarClan.

Forest of Secrets

 * Spottedleaf tells Fireheart, "StarClan is calling you... do not be afraid." Fireheart thinks that meant he was dying, although StarClan was telling him that he was about to become deputy.

Rising Storm

 * Spottedleaf tells Fireheart, "Beware an enemy who seems to sleep."


 * Bluestar loses her faith in StarClan, and even declares war on them after a fire destroys most of ThunderClan's territory.

A Dangerous Path

 * Spottedleaf and Yellowfang visit Fireheart in a dream. Together, they show him WindClan territory, telling him that this is where a "battle will not be fought". Bluestar tells Fireheart that he was the fire that would save the Clan.

The Darkest Hour

 * Bluestar tells Fireheart that "Four will become two, lion and tiger will meet in battle, and blood will rule the forest", thus warning him about the dangerous battle with BloodClan and to become LionClan. Fireheart also gets his nine lives from the following StarClan members: Lionheart, Redtail, Silverstream, Runningwind, Brindleface, Swiftpaw, Yellowfang, Spottedleaf, and Bluestar.


 * In the battle against BloodClan after Firestar looses a life and is ready to face Scourge, he feels the cats who had given him his nine lives pulsing with energy beside him, ready to fight this battle on the behalf of Firestar and help him bring peace and harmony to the Clans. With their help, he manages to kill Scourge and save the forest from BloodClan's control.

Midnight

 * The cats of StarClan came together and chose four cats, one from each Clan, to go on a journey to find a new home for the Clans.


 * Cinderpelt receives a sign in a clump of burning bracken: "Fire and tiger will destroy the Clan." This means that the daughter of "Fire" (Squirrelpaw) and the son of "Tiger" (Brambleclaw) will destroy the Clan. Firestar tries his hardest to separate the two, in fear of the destruction of ThunderClan. However, the prophecy became true, but "destroying the Clan" meant that the two cats would destroy the suffering Clan and rebuild it by leading them to the lake territory.

Moonrise

 * It is discovered that the members of StarClan are not the only warrior ancestors in the sky; the mountain Tribe, the Tribe of Rushing Water, has their own set of ancestors, the Tribe of Endless Hunting. From the Tribe of Endless Hunting: "A silver cat, not from this tribe, will save us from Sharptooth." It was thought to be Stormfur, but it was actually Feathertail, his sister.

Dawn

 * Later, StarClan reveals the path to the new territory, by showing a "dying warrior." The dying warrior turned out to be a shooting star, as Squirrelpaw discovered, which showed the Clans where to go. In the mountains, Spottedleaf visits Leafpaw and tells her that StarClan is always watching the Clans.

Starlight

 * Spottedleaf leads Leafpaw to the Moonpool, the new gathering place for the medicine cats to share tongues with StarClan.


 * Yellowfang gives Leafpaw the prophecy "Blood will spill blood, and the lake will run red."


 * During the rebellion against Onewhisker, StarClan sends lightning down to crash a tree to kill Mudclaw, but to also create an entrance to the Island, the Clan's new Gathering place.

Twilight

 * StarClan tells Cinderpelt that she will be joining them soon, though they do not know when.

Sunset

 * Spottedleaf tells Leafpool that Cinderpelt was reborn to life as Cinderkit, one of Sorreltail's kits.

The Sight

 * When Jaykit falls into camp, Spottedleaf comes to him, and when he awakens in the medicine cat's den, he asks Leafpool who the cat is.


 * Spottedleaf interrupts Jaypaw's conversation with Tigerstar and Hawkfrost.


 * Also, the prophecy about Firestar's "kin of kin" is revealed to Jaypaw.

Dark River

 * Lionpaw makes friends with a WindClan apprentice Heatherpaw and they secretly play in some tunnels. When the tunnels flooded and Jaypaw, Lionpaw, Hollypaw, Breezepaw, Heatherpaw, Sedgekit, Swallowkit, and Thistlekit are trapped inside, StarClan was powerless to help them. It was only with the help of Fallen Leaves and Rock that they survived.

Outcast

 * The Tribe of Endless Hunting tell Jaypaw about the prophecy told to Firestar: "There will be three kin of your kin, who hold the power of the stars in their paws."

Eclipse

 * In the prologue, Spottedleaf is seen chasing a mouse, and accidentally disturbing a flea-infested Yellowfang. Whitestorm and Bluestar then come and join them, and they begin arguing about the three kits in the prophecy.


 * Later, when Jaypaw travels to the Moonpool, he walks in Littlecloud's dream, where Runningnose is talking to him about restoring Blackstar's faith in moving to the lake. Sol also deludes Blackstar and convinces him StarClan is not always right. After the Gathering, Jaypaw is visited by StarClan in a dream, where Yellowfang reassures him that all answers will come in time.

Long Shadows

 * In the prologue, Thunder, Shadow, River, and Wind are arguing with Midnight over why she told Sol about the Clans.


 * Jayfeather, Lionblaze, Hollyleaf, Tigerpaw, Dawnpaw, and Flamepaw fake a sign to make Blackstar believe in StarClan again, but it turns out to be real.

Sunrise

 * In the prologue, Bluestar and Yellowfang are seen arguing about the kits finding out about the prophecy. Yellowfang attacks Bluestar, who reminds her she's her leader.


 * Later, Yellowfang comes to Jayfeather in a dream. She tells him she can tell him who his father is, and gave him a crow's feather.

The Fourth Apprentice

 * Between the last series and this book, Barkface died, Leopardstar lost her seventh and eighth lives, and Firestar lost his fifth.


 * During the prologue, Bluestar, Yellowfang, Lionheart, and Spottedleaf discuss the Prophecy, and Feathertail appears as well. Yellowfang later appears in a dream to Dovepaw telling her that she is a part of the Prophecy, therefore one of the Three.


 * When Jayfeather follows Poppyfrost to the Moonpool and they are attacked by Breezepelt and a cat from the Place of No Stars, Honeyfern appears from StarClan and drives off Breezepelt and the mysterious attacker. She also tells Jayfeather to tell Poppyfrost that "Berrynose truly loves her, he is just afraid of losing her as he lost me".


 * Jayfeather and Lionblaze begin to suspect that a war between StarClan and the Place of No Stars is coming.

Fading Echoes

 * When Jayfeather visits the Moonpool, he tries to step into Flametail's dream, but Yellowfang meets him and takes him to another part of StarClan's hunting grounds. They discuss Jayfeather's suspicions that the Dark Forest is planning something, so they and Spottedleaf decide to visit the Dark Forest. Along the way they see five of Firestar's lives, and Yellowfang explains how leaders' lives go to StarClan as they lose them, but until their final life is lost, the lives will not be able to hear or speak to other StarClan cats.

Night Whispers

 * Fernshade, Sagewhisker, Bluestar and Yellowfang are talking about the past, which includes Brokentail, Russetfur and the past battle with ShadowClan and ThunderClan. Sagewhisker blames Yellowfang for it all, saying that she should have stopped it, by sending a message to ThunderClan. Fernshade also blames Yellowfang for Russetfur's death. Moments later, Lionheart comes with Oakheart and Mudfur. They discuss the Dark Forest and how they can't trust anyone. It is also mentioned that they don't know which cats the Dark Forest is training. Later on, Mudclaw joins them. Then the meeting ends and Fernshade goes to fetch Russetfur. Right before she leaves, Yellowfang tells Fernshade to apologize to Russetfur for her.

Sign of the Moon

 * Yellowfang doesn't want Jayfeather to go to the mountains, and she tries to talk him out of it. She gives up on trying to convince him, and the two go for a walk in StarClan's territory. Jayfeather says that there are a lot of fresh herbs there. He also says that some of the cats looked strong, with colors as vivid as if they were still alive. Others, he notes, look so faded, that the next breeze would blow them away.


 * While in StarClan, Jayfeather sees many cats, including Lionheart and Whitestorm, who are with a white queen and a small kit (which could possibly be Snowfur and Mosskit). Jayfeather also sees Crookedstar, Barkface and much to his sorrow, Flametail. As they walk on, Jayfeather also sees Ashfur, to his amazement and shock.


 * They continue to walk on, and Jayfeather is astonished at what he sees next, the whole of StarClan's forest, warm and inviting. Yellowfang says that all of this depends upon him, and that he's not just protecting the four clans, but StarClan as well.

Trivia

 * During Into the Wild, Graypaw accidentally says StarClan is a tribe.
 * StarClan and the Tribe will never meet.