Thorn

Thorn is a scrawny, skinny, mangy brown she-cat with splotchy fur, notched ears, and blue eyes.

Moth Flight's Vision

 * During Micah's burial, Thorn is seen staring bleakly at his body.


 * Later, as Moth Flight returns to WindClan after being in ShadowClan, she sees Thorn, Birch, and Nettle on the SkyClan border, moving slowly among the trees, and asks Pebble Heart what they are doing. The ShadowClan medicine cat explains that Clear Sky has given orders to have daily border patrols.


 * When Tiny Branch dies, Thorn and Quick Water press against Star Flower and support her. During the battle between WindClan and SkyClan, Thorn is seen sliding from the ferns crowding the other side of the hollow, blue gaze narrowed on Fern Leaf, who is pinned to the ground by Birch. Thorn drops into an attack crouch and shows her teeth. Moth Flight tries to warn her Clanmates, but is too late, and Thorn is on Fern Leaf's back, hindlegs scraping lumps from the young she-cat's back. Moth Flight wishes she could help her Clanmate but thinks that she can't harm, when gray fur suddenly flashes beside Thorn. Dust Muzzle plunges toward Thorn and rips her away from Fern Leaf.

Thunder Rising

 * As Wind recalls the day prior, she mentions she met Thorn and Dew at the moor's edge. She notes that they were never friendly to each other, but they left each them alone, which keep them pleased. However, Wind mentions that they ended up chasing the same hare on that day, which was large enough for them to share, but Thorn and Dew dragged it away. They are said to have threatened to claw their pelts if they came anywhere near it, and Gorse remarks that it never occurred prior to the mountain cats' arrival.

The First Battle

 * Thorn and Dew find Clear Sky's camp, Thorn declaring that they found them. Dew introduces Thorn to the group, and Thorn dips her head, hoping that they would have room in the camp to allow two new members. Nettle comments on Thorn's mangy appearance, remarking that she looks sick, and Thorn assures him that she was merely molting. As the forest cats consider allowing them in, Clear Sky knows that he couldn't let Thorn and Dew be accepted easily. Thorn reasons that they should be accepted, as they could hunt prey for themselves and the group. Dew mentions that Thorn, although appearing scrawny, was as quick as a ferret, and Thorn notes Dew's skills.


 * Clear Sky asks for more, but the two rogues glance at each other. Thorn then adds that they had been watching the moor group, and notes of a tom with big white paws. Dew explains that the kits were practicing battle skills, and Thorn adds that they learned to attack a dead rabbit. He notes that the older cats were discussing how to turn hunting moves into fighting skills, and they were about to practice until a black cat interrupted them. Falling Feather asks if it was Tall Shadow, and Thorn doesn't question the possibility. Dew adds that they made a speech, and Thorn notes that after the cats chanted, they ate. Afterwards, Clear Sky accepts the two cats into his group, making them members.


 * When Thunder and Jackdaw's Cry go to Clear Sky's camp to send him a message, Thorn and Dew watch them, ready to fight. After their discussion, Thunder asks how Thorn and Dew got across, and Clear Sky explains that they got permission to join. After Clear Sky encounters Tom, Thorn rears over Dew, and lunges for the latter. Dew rolls out of the way, facing Thorn, and remarks that she thought he got her. Thorn remarks that one day, Dew's speed would fail her. Once battle training begins, Thorn pads to Snake so that she can go first. After Falling Feather and Snake are done, Thorn and Leaf go next. Once all cats have been trained, Clear Sky tosses a thrush to Thorn.


 * During the battle, Thorn has Lightning Tail in a badger-grip, exposing his throat, and her hind paws hack fur lumps from his pelt. Lightning Tail twists in Thorn's grip, and sinks his teeth into Thorn's shoulder. Thorn screeches in response, and lets go of him. After the battle, Dew and Thorn follow Quick Water.

The Blazing Star

 * After the spirit cats give the forest cats a message, River leaves, and Thorn, Dew, and Nettle watch him go. As One Eye teaches Clear Sky's cats some fighting techniques, he tells Thorn that in order to win her fights, she has to distract her enemy, and sends himself at her as practice. Thorn braces herself, trying to come off as intimidating, and One Eye leaps at her as if he was aiming for her neck. She brings his paws up to fend him off, but One Eye pushes her over, rakes her belly, and waits for Thorn to stand up again. He comments that had he used his claws, Thorn's belly would've been torn open, and she is unable to respond to this. One Eye snorts that he would know what to do, and Thorn nods, while other cats nervously laugh.


 * When One Eye kills Tom, Thorn mutters that Tom didn't deserve to die like that. Thorn and Leaf then carefully pick up Sparrow Fur's limp body, and head into the trees. As Clear Sky wonders who he could trust out of his cats, he notes that Thorn is among several to have recently joined his group. When he tries to rally cats to help him fight One Eye, he notices Acorn Fur and Thorn slide out their claws. After Petal dies, Cloud Spots advises for Clear Sky to look out for Sparrow Fur, and the latter notes that Thorn has tracking skill. When he returns, Thorn shows pleasure at Clear Sky's arrival. As Clear Sky' cats fight Snake, Thorn is among the few to join in the fray.

A Forest Divided

 * Shortly after Milkweed and her kits arrive, Thorn and Nettle share tongues among the roots of a beech tree. Sparrow Fur gives her catch to Cloud Spots, who takes it, and settles beside Thorn and Nettle. While Thunder is annoyed at his father, Thorn nudges past him, who excuses herself, as she heads for the prey pile, despite the camp's crowded state. Thunder asks if it's worth the effort, and Thorn picks her way past Pink Eyes and Quick Water, and nods politely to Milkweed. As Blossom and Leaf argue, Blossom brings up the fact that Owl Eyes caught a rabbit, but was happy to share it with Thorn and Acorn Fur.

Path of Stars

 * As Clear Sky re-enters the camp, Thorn and Alder spin around him. During his observations of his campmates, Clear Sky notices Thorn fidgeting beside Nettle, shifting weight from one paw to the other. When Clear Sky reports about Slash's request, Thorn asks what he wanted. After her leader responds, Thorn reminisces to the times with Nettle where they would leave offerings at the woods' edge, in order to please the rogues so their territory would be left alone. When the topic of the amount of prey they would have to give is brought up, Thorn remarks that cats like and Slash weren't pleased until they got what they wanted. While Clear Sky tries to come up with reasons for being concerned with Star Flower, Thorn questions if he would be as desperate had the rogues taken a different cat.


 * Birch suggests to give Star Flower's kits a home, but Thorn claims she may merely be setting up another trap, and then wonders if she set up her own kidnapping to lure the group leaders. When Clear Sky is about to leave, Thorn advises to have not many cats leave the camp, in case if the rogues returned, due to their vulnerability. As he heads off to the four trees, Clear Sky reminds himself that he had Thorn and Nettle stationed at camp entrance. When Thunder visits Clear Sky's camp to see his kits, Acorn Fur and Thorn share tongues beside yew. Thorn comments that more lukewarm weather was on the way, which wouldn't help the prey situation. As he looks for prey, Clear Sky notes that he had nearly sent Thorn hunting with Sparrow Fur.


 * After an incident with Slash and his rogues, Clear Sky sends a large patrol consisting of many cats, one of them being Thorn. When the group returns, Thorn carries no prey. As she settles down in her spot of preference - between some beech roots - she comments that prey didn't always survive the early snow. Thorn also makes mention of their warm nests, and of their hope of better hunting in the future. At another gathering, Clear Sky mentions that Thorn was as loyal as any camp-born cat, and later reminds himself of his words. He also considers Red as a good campmate, like Thorn and the others. Back at camp, Thorn and Sparrow Fur glance at Clear Sky's kits from the clearing's edge, where they sort through the prey pile.

Trivia

 * There are some inconsistencies with Thorn's gender and description. She and Dew are listed as either a mangy tom or a gray she-cat, but this is swapped regularly, even sometimes differentiating from the books' chapters to the allegiances. These mistakes begin in Thunder Rising, and continue into more recent books, including A Forest Divided and Path of Stars. The following list shows which books have Thorn as which gender.
 * Male: The First Battle, The Blazing Star, A Forest Divided, Moth Flight's Vision, and Thunderstar's Echo.
 * Female: Thunder Rising, The First Battle.
 * Kate Cary confirmed that both Thorn and Dew are she-cats.

References and Citations
Dorne Thorn Заноза