Cloudrunner

Cloudrunner is a lithe, pale gray tom with sleek fur, long legs, and a wiry tail.

Tallstar's Revenge

 * Cloudrunner is a warrior of WindClan.


 * Tallkit skids to a halt as Cloudrunner calls to him, walking up a path with Aspenfall, carrying a rabbit in his jaws. Woollytail nods at the rabbit, asking if it is from the high moor, and Cloudrunner responds in the affirmative. At the prey heap he kicks away a stale mouse from the previous day, saying that Woollytail is right as usual. When Woollytail and Hickorynose begin talking about the tunnels, Hickorynose mentions the gorge tunnel and how it will open up new paths to prey by the river, though Cloudrunner says that will only happen if they find a way to stop the cave-ins.


 * When Heatherstar calls a meeting, Aspenfall and Cloudrunner are seen coming down the slope together. The meeting is Stagkit's, Ryekit's, and Doekit's apprentice ceremonies, and Cloudrunner receives the newly named Stagpaw as an apprentice. Heatherstar tells him to share his hunting skill and agility with the new apprentice. This appointment brings about confusion from the tunnelers, who were expecting Stagpaw to be apprenticed to Woollytail instead of Cloudrunner. After Heatherstar explains her reasoning for this to them she tells Cloudrunner and the other new mentors to show their apprentices the territory, and Cloudrunner leads the other five out of the camp.


 * At the beginning of Tallkit's apprentice ceremony, Cloudrunner tells Stagpaw to sit down and stop moving. After Palebird and Sandgorse turn their backs on the ceremony, no cat calls Tallpaw's name until Cloudrunner begins the chant a few moments later. After the ceremony, all the apprentices and their mentors head outside of the camp. Cloudrunner congratulates Tallpaw's new mentor, Dawnstripe, on finally receiving an apprentice, then asks where she is taking him first. Stagpaw buts in before she can reply, telling her they were going to practice battle moves, and Cloudrunner reprimands him.


 * The day of Stagpaw's and his sibling's final assessment, Tallpaw emerges from the apprentice den in the early morning and sees Dawnstripe and Cloudrunner talking together. Later that afternoon, Shrewpaw is the first to spot the older apprentices and their mentors. Stagpaw is the first apprentice to be tested on his observation skills and Cloudrunner is the one who asks the questions. When Cloudrunner tells the apprentices that Tallpaw will be the rabbit the other apprentices have to hunt Dawnstripe explains how it will work to Tallpaw, mentioning that Cloudrunner and the other mentors will be watching them. Cloudrunner tells Tallpaw where to head and tells him to make it as hard as possible for the apprentices to catch him. When the exercise is complete Cloudrunner tells them they did good work and then tells the apprentices that they would next be tested on their hunting abilities.


 * On the day of Tallpaw's first Gathering, Cloudrunner and Hickorynose are discussing the gorge tunnel. Cloudrunner asks him when they can start using it, and Hickorynose tells him they need to shore up the walls before it was safe for moor runners. Cloudrunner asks if they really think the tunnel will make a difference, and Heatherstar tells him it would be a good route to the gorge, while Reedfeather tells him it will make it easier to get to RiverClan territory. Cloudrunner can't decipher why they would need to go there, since there hadn't been a Clan war in moons. Reedfeather points out that there were other reasons for visiting other Clans than for battle. While Tallpaw talks to others, Cloudrunner continues his bickering with Hickorynose, not understanding why the gorge tunnel was a necessity. Cloudrunner turns his words to Stagleap and tells him that the tunnel would be too steep for him to go down, and Stagleap mentions that Tallpaw had said it wasn't. This causes Cloudrunner to turn to Tallpaw, asking if he had really been down it.


 * At the Gathering, Tallpaw, not used to the trees covering the sky, becomes nervous. Cloudrunner approaches him and tells him he would get used to it. Tallpaw asks him how any cat could live under the trees and Cloudrunner shrugs, then tells him he supposes a cat could get used to anything. When the leaders approach the Great Rock, Cloudrunner beckons Tallpaw farther into the crowd. Tallpaw follows Cloudrunner closely and they sit down next to Stagleap and Doespring. All the Clan leaders say that their Clans had enough to eat, prompting Tallpaw to ask if the other Clans ever went hungry. Cloudrunner is the one to answer him, muttering that no Clan would admit to hunger, and points out the fresh injuries on some of ThunderClan's warriors. At Heatherstar's turn to speak, she fails to mention the new tunnel, which Tallpaw questions. Cloudrunner tells him that the tunnels gave them a tactical advantage, so it was better not to share them. Upon returning from the Gathering to see that the visitors have arrived, Cloudrunner calls Bess's name and bounds towards her.


 * After the battle with ShadowClan, Hareflight and Cloudrunner are crouching together at the edge of the bracken. After Brackenwing dies, Cloudrunner, Aspenfall, and Hareflight take her body into a grassy hollow. Later the tunnelers return, shocked to see the battle's aftermath. As the Clan begins to fight among themselves Cloudrunner asks them where they were when they were needed, and at their answer asks if they were warriors or rabbits. Heatherstar pushes between Cloudrunner and Sandgorse, telling them that they couldn't let Brackenwing's death divide them. She adds that it is thanks to their visitors that WindClan is safe.


 * Later, Coudrunner and Redclaw shoo Tallpaw back as the elders take Brackenwing away for burial. The next day, Cloudrunner is sent out to hunt with Aspenfall, Doespring, and Mole. When Heatherstar decides to stop tunneling, Aspenfall and Cloudrunner exchange approving looks. He declares that their days of hiding are done. Woollytail repeats the word "hiding" in disbelief, and Larksplash responds that Cloudrunner means that it is time WindClan faced the world with their heads high, and she adds that they will be the strongest once every warrior has battle skills, and that they will make StarClan proud.


 * When Tallpaw's warrior ceremony is about to begin, Cloudrunner peers over the rim of the Meeting Hollow and calls for him to hurry, or else he'll miss it. Later, Talltail sits in his nest, and he can hear Cloudrunner and Appledawn snoring muzzle to muzzle. When it is time for the dawn hunting patrol, Cloudrunner comments that they will need to hunt, sniffing at the patch where the prey heap was supposed to be. He, Appledawn, Hareflight, and Talltail leave camp to go on the patrol. Talltail inquires the way they should go, and Cloudrunner answers anywhere near the woods and Fourtrees. He suggests that Talltail hunt by RiverClan's border, and he and Hareflight will search the brambles. He tells Appledawn to go with Talltail before spotting RiverClan warriors hunting on land.


 * Hareflight meows that the river must be frozen, as RiverClan cats don't like mice over fish. Cloudrunner puts in that they didn't mention it at the Gathering. Talltail repeats what the warrior had said to him before, telling him that Clans don't admit when they're starving. Cloudrunner simply tells them to keep an eye out, as hungry Clans will cross borders. After Talltail lets Piketooth and Nightsky escape with stolen prey, Cloudrunner and Hareflight return. Cloudrunner asks what happened, and Appledawn reports that Talltail let a RiverClan patrol steal prey. Talltail defends himself by saying that it was their prey, as it came from their own territory. Appledawn argues that, once it crosses their border, it's WindClan's prey. Cloudrunner asks if it's true, to which Talltail responds that it is.


 * Later on, Rabbitkit asks Talltail for a badger ride, as Cloudrunner says they're too big. When Talltail announces that he is leaving WindClan, Cloudrunner and Ryestalk murmur their farewells. After Talltail returns, Cloudrunner is seen emerging from the edge of the clearing alongside Aspenfall. Larksplash suggests that Talltail and Cloudrunner go retrieve the hawk Talltail killed, but Heatherstar interrupts, saying that Redclaw and Hareflight are doing so already.


 * A little while later, Plumclaw, Woollytail, Larksplash, and Cloudrunner race back into camp. Cloudrunner growls that ShadowClan has crossed the border, and they have left scent marks on the brambles at Fourtrees. Heatherstar insists that they won't let ShadowClan provoke them, and that they won't fall for their rival's tricks. Cloudrunner protests that it isn't a trick, but a warning, and that they need to prove that they are not afraid. Cloudrunner is last seen going into battle against ShadowClan and fighting Newtspeck.