Bramblestar/Main article

Bramblestar is a dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes.

He is born as Bramblekit to Tigerclaw and Goldenflower in ThunderClan with his sister Tawnykit. His father is exiled from ThunderClan after he attempts to murder Bluestar. Bramblekit lives on with the association of his father, and constantly attempts to prove himself free of his father's shadow. He becomes an apprentice as Bramblepaw and Fireheart becomes his mentor to keep a close eye on him. As a warrior, Brambleclaw is chosen to go on a quest to find Midnight with several other cats. Squirrelpaw joins him, and the two grow close. In the new lake territories, Brambleclaw becomes deputy and kills his half-brother Hawkfrost when he traps Firestar for Brambleclaw to kill. He becomes a father to Lionkit, Jaykit, and Hollykit, but later breaks up with Squirrelflight when it is revealed their true parents are Crowfeather and Leafpool. He becomes leader of ThunderClan as Bramblestar after Firestar dies in the Great Battle and appoints Squirrelflight as deputy. They forgive each other and have four kits of their own: Alderheart, Sparkpelt, Juniperkit, and Dandelionkit.

The Prophecies Begin

 * He is born to Goldenflower and Tigerclaw along with his sister, Tawnykit. When a fire rages through the ThunderClan camp, Fireheart rescues Bramblekit, who was stranded on the branch of a tree. Bramblekit is said to look exactly like his father, who was known as a traitor and a murderer. Fireheart often views Bramblekit with distrust and sees his father instead when he looks at him. He is later given his apprentice name, Bramblepaw, and is apprenticed to Fireheart. Bramblepaw completes most of his apprenticeship without Tawnypaw, since she runs away after being judged for who her father is, which upsets Bramblepaw. When Tigerstar offers Bramblepaw to join his family in TigerClan, Bramblepaw refuses, and participates with LionClan in the battle against BloodClan. He tries his hardest to complete his training, and eventually earns Firestar's trust.

The New Prophecy

 * StarClan chose Brambleclaw, Feathertail, Tawnypelt, and Crowpaw to make the journey to the sun-drown place to hear StarClan's message from Midnight the badger. Stormfur and Squirrelpaw accompany the journeying cats. Brambleclaw naturally takes on a leadership role of the journeying cats and they grow to respect him. On the journey, he and Squirrelpaw become quite close. They return to the Clans with terrible news that the Twolegs were going to destroy their home and the Clans had to move to a new place. He helps lead the Clans alongside his friends from the journey to their new home by the lake.


 * Brambleclaw becomes close to his half-brother, Hawkfrost, after learning that the RiverClan warrior was his kin. Squirrelflight dislikes and distrusts Hawkfrost, and she and Brambleclaw fight about his relationship with Hawkfrost, and they end up breaking up. He and Hawkfrost train with their father in the Dark Forest, and Tigerstar's plots his sons' takeover of the Clans. Brambleclaw becomes the next deputy of ThunderClan after Graystripe is taken by Twolegs despite not receiving an apprentice. Hawkfrost, encouraged by their father Tigerstar, sets up a trap for Firestar so that Brambleclaw can kill him and become leader. Brambleclaw is shocked and realizes his loyalty is to ThunderClan and his leader, and kills Hawkfrost, fulfilling the Blood Will Spill Blood prophecy. Squirrelflight, after seeing Brambleclaw's unwavering loyalty, begins to trust him again. They become mates shortly after.

Power of Three

 * Brambleclaw becomes a father to Lionkit, Hollykit, and Jaykit. He raises them with pride and love, and he later becomes the uncle to Tawnypelt's kits, Tigerkit, Flamekit and Dawnkit. He leads the journey to assist the Tribe with his family, and becomes temporary leader when Firestar and half the Clan falls ill to greencough. Later, it is revealed that Leafpool and Crowfeather are the true parents of the Lionblaze, Jayfeather and Hollyleaf after they are grown. Brambleclaw is angry and hurt, and turns his back on Squirrelflight after learning that she kept that secret from him for so long, and they stop becoming mates.

Omen of the Stars

 * Despite splitting up with his mate, Brambleclaw still acts as a fatherly figure for Lionblaze and Jayfeather nonetheless. He defends Hollyleaf's actions when she returns to ThunderClan, proving his undying loyalty to his foster kits. Brambleclaw later understands that the reason why Squirrelflight lied to him was because she was protecting her sister. He participates in Great Battle and kills Hawkfrost after he discovered his half-brother killed Hollyleaf. Firestar dies from his wounds after fighting Tigerstar, and Brambleclaw becomes leader of ThunderClan. He receives his nine lives, and appoints Squirrelflight as his deputy because he believes that he could trust her more than any other cat.

A Vision of Shadows

 * Squirrelflight and Bramblestar have a litter of four kits, Dandelionkit, Juniperkit, Alderkit, and Sparkkit. Dandelionkit and Juniperkit die during kithood but Alderkit and Sparkkit go on to be apprentices. He encourages Alderpaw through his fumbled warrior training, before switching his path to become a medicine cat. He and Squirrelflight begrudgingly allow their kits go on a quest to find SkyClan after Alderpaw received a vision. Bramblestar tries to act as a voice of reason when SkyClan returns to the lake, although he is against giving up his territory for them. He is against his nephew Tigerheart claiming the leadership of ShadowClan, becoming Tigerstar, like Bramblestar's own father was many years ago. He also tries to help SkyClan stay at the lake, but ultimately gets distracted when Juniperclaw is accused of poisoning SkyClan, which turns out to be true. He then gives up some of ThunderClan's territory so SkyClan can stay, along with the other four leaders.

Super Editions

 * In Bramblestar's Storm, Bramblestar struggles to find his own path after Firestar's legacy. He leads his Clan through the Great Storm, and begins developing feelings for Jessy, a kittypet who was taking shelter in ThunderClan. He helps another refugee, Frankie come to terms with the loss of his brother, and also realizes his love for Squirrelflight through Jessy, and stays loyal to her in the end. In the manga, Squirrelflight is expecting his kits.

Personality and traits

 * Bramblestar is described as resolute, careful, devoted, and moral. Haunted by his father's dark past, he is determined to prove to every cat that he is a good and loyal warrior. He has a natural gift for leadership, and he has a kind and caring heart. Bramblestar is always determined to do the right thing, no matter how difficult it may be.

Detailed description
Bramblestar is a huge, muscular, dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes. He has glossy fur, broad shoulders, long, curved claws, and a long scar on his shoulder.

Interesting facts

 * Bramblestar is the spitting image of Tigerstar and Hawkfrost, despite the fact that Hawkfrost has white.
 * Bramblestar's appearance was based on that of Cherith's pet cat, Bramble. Additionally, the dedication of A Dangerous Path reads "To the real Bramblepaw," which refers to him.
 * Bramblestar's warrior name, Brambleclaw, was chosen in honor of his father, Tigerclaw.
 * He has SkyClan blood, because his father, Tigerstar, is a descendant of Gorseclaw.
 * Bramblestar chose Squirrelflight as his deputy to show his respect and loyalty towards her.

Author statements

 * Vicky says that Squirrelflight didn't tell Bramblestar about Jayfeather, Lionblaze, and Hollyleaf not being theirs because she wanted Bramblestar to love the kits as if they were his own.
 * Kate had "never forgiven Bramblestar for stealing the deputyship from Graystripe" and said that his ruthless ambition has always appalled her.
 * She also said that if she were to write the storyline, she would make Firestar choose Graystripe as the deputy instead, then later make Graystripe give up his deputyship for the good of the Clan. She also feels that Graystripe never got a chance to show off his true nobility.
 * When Bramblestar stood up for Hollyleaf, calling Ashfur's death a mistake, it was revealed by Vicky that he had never actually seen Hollyleaf kill Ashfur - he was just making the best deduction he could.
 * Kate thinks he ought to have lost a life or two in between arcs.

Mistakes

 * He is mistakenly called Bramblepaw by Ravenpaw, even though he would have had his warrior name already, because Leafpool and Squirrelflight were already born.
 * On the cover of Midnight, Bramblestar is mistakenly shown with green eyes.
 * Vicky has stated that Bramblestar probably cannot forgive Squirrelflight. However, this statement proves to be false, as Bramblestar forgives Squirrelflight in The Last Hope.
 * It was revealed by Kate that Bramblestar and Squirrelflight reconciled their relationship after the events of The Last Hope and became mates again. However, this was contradicted in "Confidential Notes", saying that Bramblestar and Squirrelflight could never be mates, but she will remain his deputy. In Bramblestar's Storm, that is proven to be incorrect as they become mates again at the end of the book.
 * Despite the fact that Thornclaw is speaking with Blackstar in Fading Echoes, Bramblestar is shown speaking in Night Whispers.
 * Bramblestar says that Dewnose, Snowbush, and Ambermoon are the first cats he made apprentices. This is wrong, since Lilyheart and Seedpaw are older than Cloudtail and Brightheart's litter, and should have been made apprentices before the three cats between The Last Hope and Bramblestar's Storm. Vicky has said the reason for this will be explained in Dovewing's Silence. This was never touched upon.
 * He is mistakenly shown to be deceased on the Warriors website family tree.
 * His name was mistakenly spelled Bramblelclaw.
 * In River of Fire, he tells Twigpaw that he was an apprentice when Graystripe left to join RiverClan, although in reality he was still a kit.
 * He is listed as Bramblepaw on the Warriors website family tree, and is also mistakenly depicted as a red-and-white tom.