Nightstar/Main article

Nightstar is a black tom.

He is born to an unknown ShadowClan queen, with his brother, Clawpaw. He becomes Nightpaw and is mentored by Foxheart. Nightpaw is shown to be smaller than the other apprentices, and midway through his training, he begins to have coughing fits. Yellowfang, the medicine cat, fails to find a cure for his ailment, and worries about his capability to keep up with day-to-day warrior duties. Despite that, he becomes a loyal and well-respected warrior named Nightpelt. He is given Brokenpaw by Cedarstar to mentor intentionally, hoping Nightpelt's calm demeanor would teach his apprentice patience. However, all attempts to reign in the unruly apprentice fail. Brokenpaw grows rebellious, and views his mentor as weak and incapable. Brokenpaw instead seeks training from his father, Raggedpelt. He becomes an elder earlier than most, and he leaves the safety of the Clan camp with the other elders when Brokenstar banishes them.

Together with other ShadowClan elders and queens, Nightpelt helps ThunderClan patrol in the battle again Brokenstar. After Brokenstar is exiled, he steps up as the new leader of ShadowClan. StarClan refused to grant him nine lives because Brokenstar is still alive, something Runningnose and Nightstar hide from their Clan, and takes the name Nightstar, appointing Cinderfur as his deputy. He leads ShadowClan into several battles with WindClan and ThunderClan, but eventually dies from a mysterious disease from the Carrionplace before he can appoint a new deputy to replace Cinderfur, who also succumbed to the illness, leaving his Clan vulnerable for Tigerclaw to commandeer.

Super Editions

 * In Yellowfang's Secret,

Novellas

 * In Tigerclaw's Fury,

Detailed description

 * Nightstar is a small, lean, battered, black tom with a long tail and a short, glossy pelt.

Interesting facts

 * Vicky has revealed that Nightstar had asthma.

Mistakes

 * In Fire and Ice, he is mistakenly called Nightpelt despite already receiving his leader name.
 * In Into the Wild, he is listed as a warrior in the allegiances, but in Yellowfang's Secret, he is already an elder.