Goldenflower

Goldenflower is a sleek, pale ginger tabby she-cat with yellow eyes, and a small nick in one ear.

Crookedstar's Promise

 * At a Gathering, she is noted to be one of ThunderClan's newest warriors. While a group of warriors talk, Goldenflower is seen staring at Bluefur. She then stands up and says that she was going to make sure Bluefur was okay.

Bluestar's Prophecy

 * Goldenkit and her brother, Lionkit, are born to Speckletail and Smallear in ThunderClan. Bluepaw notes that Goldenkit looks small next to Lionkit, because of his mane-like fur on his neck. She is seen being given her first taste of mouse by Speckletail and complains that it is too chewy, so Lionkit offers to eat it for her. Later, when she is told to go outside with the other kits so that Bluepaw can clean the nursery, she complains about the cold weather.


 * She is soon given her apprentice name, Goldenpaw, and Dappletail becomes her mentor. She attends her first Gathering shortly after the battle with WindClan, and is seen looking nervous before Dappletail comforts her. She is shy when her apprenticeship is announced before all of the other Clans.


 * Goldenpaw later helps Swiftbreeze, Stormtail and Dappletail clear snow away from the camp entrance.


 * In a training session, Goldenpaw is reluctant to attack Bluepaw, but as soon as Bluepaw says that she is a ShadowClan warrior attacking the nursery, Goldenpaw attacks. She is so vicious that Bluepaw attacks her too harshly, accidentally nicking the tip of her ear. Bluepaw apologizes, but Goldenpaw remains eager to train. When she gets back to the clearing, Speckletail fusses over her ear, and gets mad at Bluepaw, but Goldenpaw brushes it off, simply saying she has her first battle scar, seeming very proud to have it.


 * During the battle with RiverClan over Sunningrocks, she is part of the patrol that waits at the top of the ravine to protect the camp. Later, she teasingly scolds her brother for showing off about his hunting skills. She is seen going for a training session with Dappletail prior to her assessment and later patrols the ShadowClan border with Dappletail and Speckletail. When Dappletail gets a seed in her eye and goes to visit Featherwhisker, Goldenpaw is taught tree climbing by Thrushpelt. She is excited that he lets her climb so high, and says that Dappletail would not have let her do the same. Bluefur, who is watching, promises she will not tell Dappletail.


 * Goldenpaw soon receives her warrior name, Goldenflower, along with Lionpaw, who becomes Lionheart. At her first Gathering as a warrior, she is heard saying that Oakheart doesn't have any brains. She and Lionheart sit up straight when their new rank is announced.


 * Goldenflower goes out on a hunting patrol with Bluefur, Thrushpelt, and Lionheart. She is also part of the patrol that visit the RiverClan camp to take back Sunningrocks.


 * Goldenflower later eats a meal with Lionheart, Whitestorm, and Bluefur. She leads a patrol of Bluefur, Thrushpelt, and Patchpelt to check the Twoleg border. She jokes lightly about scaring kittypets. When she suggests they split up, she checks the Treecutplace with Patchpelt. Goldenflower is seen returning from an unsuccessful hunting patrol with Lionheart and Whitestorm, and comments that the prey was too well hidden.

Into the Wild

 * Goldenflower is a ThunderClan queen, and her only kit is Swiftkit.


 * When Ravenpaw faints after bringing the news that Redtail is dead, Goldenflower rushes over to help him. She licks his cheek in comfort, and tells someone to get the Clan's medicine cat, Spottedleaf.

Fire and Ice

 * When ShadowClan attacks the ThunderClan camp, Goldenflower fights fiercely, clawing at a huge gray ShadowClan tom. After the battle, she helps to rebuild the camp, and is seen fortifying the nursery walls along with Frostfur.


 * Goldenflower is Tigerclaw's mate and moves to the nursery, carrying his kits. Her other son is apprenticed and he receives his apprentice name, Swiftpaw. He receives Longtail as his mentor.


 * When Bluestar is sick with greencough, Goldenflower is seen watching over her in the leader's den, gently licking Bluestar's head to cool it, like a mother nursing her kit. Goldenflower's son, Swiftpaw, is ill with a cold.


 * When Fireheart brings his nephew, Cloudkit, to the ThunderClan camp, Goldenflower remarks that he is too small and weak to survive leaf-bare. Cloudkit indeed catches a chill, but survives after Brindleface has Yellowfang give him herbs.

Forest of Secrets

 * Goldenflower is now heavily pregnant, and she is seen pushing a ball of soiled moss out from the nursery. Fireheart greets her and remarks that it will soon be newleaf, just in time for her kits.


 * She later gives birth to Bramblekit and Tawnykit.


 * When Silverstream dies during her kitting, Bluestar asks Goldenflower to nurse the kits, Featherkit and Stormkit, telling her about Silverstream's death. Although the other queens fiercely protest and the entire Clan is generally hostile, Goldenflower softens and agrees to nurse them, remarking that she has plenty of milk. She cares for them with the same love and affection as for her own kits, although she is exhausted and strained, and Fireheart admires her kindness.


 * When Crookedstar demands that Featherkit and Stormkit must be returned to RiverClan, Goldenflower is very disappointed, so Bramblekit and Tawnykit comfort her.

Rising Storm

 * Goldenflower's kits grow, and they leave the nursery for the first time; their mother shows them around the camp and introduces them to the elders. After Tigerclaw's treachery, several Clan cats are suspicious of the two kits, and Fireheart still cannot help but notice the similarity between Bramblekit and his father. However, Goldenflower notices, is very protective of her kits, making sure they are treated well by every cat. She does not plan to tell them who their father was, just that he was a brave and powerful warrior.


 * When the weather turns hot and dry, the warriors assist Goldenflower and Willowpelt by bringing them moss soaked in water so they could lick the moisture from that, as they could not leave their kits to make the long journey to the river.


 * Goldenflower is wary of the uneasiness Fireheart feels around Bramblekit, and understands why Fireheart feels that way, but asks him to not hold Tigerclaw's actions against the innocent kit. She is lost for words when Fireheart rescues Bramblekit during the fire that rages through the forest.

A Dangerous Path

 * Goldenflower is seen scolding Bramblekit when he plays too roughly with Speckletail's kit, Snowkit. Fireheart is still suspicious of Bramblekit because of his resemblance to Tigerclaw, who is appointed as ShadowClan's leader, Tigerstar - but Bramblekit respects Fireheart since he saved him from the fire. Goldenflower suggests that it should be Fireheart who tells them who their father is, but Fireheart decides not to tell them yet.


 * Goldenflower later brings out her kits in the forest for the first time, and Bramblekit manages to catch a mouse. Later, Bramblekit and Tawnykit become apprentices. Bramblekit, now Bramblepaw, receives Fireheart for a mentor, and Brackenfur mentors Tawnypaw. Goldenflower returns to her warrior duties. Soon afterwards, Fireheart keeps his promise made to Goldenflower, and tells Bramblepaw and Tawnypaw about Tigerstar's actions.


 * Her eldest son, Swiftpaw, is mauled and killed by a dog pack near Snakerocks, while trying to find the source of the missing prey. His companion, Brightpaw, loses half of her face and ear.

The Darkest Hour

 * Goldenflower takes Fireheart's side when Darkstripe says that he will not accept a kittypet as a leader. She still cares about her kits and is very protective of them, even though they are apprentices now.


 * The Clan cats are increasingly hostile against Bramblepaw and Tawnypaw, especially after Tigerstar's recent deeds, and Tawnypaw runs away to join ShadowClan. Goldenflower becomes frantic and blames Firestar for it, saying that he never trusted Bramblepaw and Tawnypaw, and always saw their father in them. Firestar admits to himself that she is right, while Sandstorm calms Goldenflower down.


 * She participates in the final fight against BloodClan.

Midnight

 * Goldenflower is the eldest ThunderClan queen. Although she has no kits of her own to nurse, she decides to stay in the nursery to help take care of Ferncloud's kits, instead of becoming a warrior once more, as her hearing and eyesight are no longer sharp enough to keep up with the hunting patrols.

Dawn

 * She travels with the rest of the Clans to the Lake.

Starlight

 * She is listed as an elder in the allegiances, although her elder ceremony is not shown in the book.


 * When the cats finally arrive at the Lake, Goldenflower is very tired and leans on Brambleclaw's shoulder as they go down the slope towards the water. She is often seen supporting Longtail, a blind warrior, guiding him with her tail and describing their new surroundings to him.


 * When ThunderClan arrives at their new home in the stone hollow, she comforts her son, Brambleclaw, who is exhausted and in poor spirits after the journey to the camp.


 * She moves into the elders' den, together with Longtail, and later they are joined by Mousefur. It is mentioned that she enjoys trying out new spots for the elders' den in the new camp.


 * She is only slightly troubled by the stomach ache some of the elders get from drinking tainted water given to them by RiverClan medicine cat Mothwing; she says that her belly ached a bit, but she vomited and then it felt better.

Twilight

 * Goldenflower remains as an elder with Longtail and Mousefur, and continues to look after Longtail, guiding and helping him. She participates at the first Gathering held on the Island, and is seen talking with elders from the other Clans.


 * When the badgers attack the ThunderClan camp, she climbs the Highledge together with Mousefur and Longtail, as it is more sheltered than the elders' den.

Sunset

 * After the fight with the badgers, Goldenflower is seen climbing down from the Highledge. She has a deep scratch down one side, and she is guiding Longtail with her tail across his shoulders. She, along with the other two elders, carries Cinderpelt to her final resting place.


 * Later, Goldenflower is seen limping, complaining of cracked pads, so Leafpool makes a poultice of yarrow for her.

Secrets of the Clans

 * Her elder ceremony was given as an example in the Ceremonies section, and she speaks about what it means to become an elder. Goldenflower talks about how she dreamed to be a warrior and mentioned that even apprentices listened to her. She says that when she was a queen nursing Swiftkit, an elder named Rosetail died defending them against a ShadowClan attack, saying that she would have done the same. Goldenflower talks about a sad elder's duty, to bring the body of a dead cat out for burial. She says that she wants to stick around and enjoy being an elder for many moons.

Trivia

 * In Into the Wild, it is suggested that Goldenflower had more than one kit in her first litter, but it is unknown what had happened to them.
 * Goldenflower truly did love Tigerstar.
 * She peacefully died of old age in between The New Prophecy and the Power of Three series.
 * In the allegiances of Firestar's Quest, she is mistakenly listed as an elder.

Members
Mate:
 * Tigerstar (formerly):

Sons:
 * Swiftpaw:
 * Unnamed tabby kit: Status Unknown, Most Likely Deceased
 * Bramblestar:

Daughter:
 * Tawnypelt:

Mother:
 * Speckletail:

Father:
 * Smallear:

Brother:
 * Lionheart:

Half Brother:
 * Snowkit:

Grandsons:
 * Tigerheart:
 * Flametail:

Granddaughter:
 * Dawnpelt: