Deerleap

Deerleap is a gray tabby she-cat with white legs.

Yellowfang's Secret

 * After the apprentice ceremonies of Raggedpaw and Scorchpaw, Deerleap, said to be one of the most senior warriors, is seen returning from a patrol with a blackbird. Later on, she is seen before the apprentice ceremonies of Yellowkit and her littermates, appearing from the warriors' den with Amberleaf and being followed by Toadskip and Featherstorm. She is chosen by Cedarstar, who says that she is a wise and experienced cat, to be the mentor of Yellowkit. The newly named Yellowpaw turns to face Deerleap as she steps into the clearing, waiting for her new apprentice. Approaching her new mentor, Yellowpaw notes the friendly gleam in Deerleap's eyes and promises Deerleap that she would do her best.


 * When the ceremonies and noise die down, Deerleap suggests to Yellowpaw that they should go on a tour of the ShadowClan territory before dark. Following Deerleap, Yellowpaw begins to feel sharp pains in her stomach. Hearing Yellowpaw's yelp, Deerleap turns around, and asks what the matter was. When Yellowpaw manages to gasp out what is happening, Deerleap meows that she should go see Sagewhisker. Yellowpaw protests, but Deerleap states in a determined manner that the territory would not go away. She lays her tail across Yellowpaw's shoulders and guides her to the medicine cat's den. When Toadskip tells Deerleap where Sagewhisker is, Deerleap thanks him and she sends Yellowpaw into the elders' den.


 * Yellowpaw returns from the elders' den without treatment and Deerleap asks her, her voice tinging with impatience, if Yellowpaw was feeling any better and that if she was, they could set off. Yellowpaw insists that she is fine and Deerleap leads the way through the brambles. Yellowpaw breathes that the forest goes on forever and Deerleap responds, with an amused glint in her eyes, that it was not quite so. Urging Yellowpaw to continue, she leads her apprentice along a different path. Yellowpaw discovers a scent and some tracks, causing Deerleap to halt and look back at her. Deerleap glances quickly at the tracks and says that they belonged to a fox. When Yellowpaw gets anxious, Deerleap reassures her that it was fine, since the scent was stale. Deerleap then adds that they would have to keep a lookout whenever they were outside of camp.


 * When a hunting patrol returns, Deerleap calls out a greeting to Cedarstar who waves his tail to acknowledge it. When Yellowpaw slips into a drift of snow, she worries that Deerleap will think she is a stupid kit. However, Deerleap simply waits for Yellowpaw to struggle out without saying anything. Deerleap mews that when the weather was warmer the ground was marshy and wet, making it a good place to catch frogs. Lost in thought, Yellowpaw realizes that Deerleap had asked her a question and mutters an apology. Sighing, Deerleap tells Yellowpaw that she was asking what the best way of catching a frog was. Yellowpaw makes a suggestion, and in response Deerleap twitches her whiskers and tells her that the idea might work, but that she needed to remember that frogs could swim, too. She explains that it was best to find a frog on land and catch it with two cats: one to block off the pool it came out of and one to catch it. Deerleap then says that they would practice with the other apprentices when newleaf arrives.


 * Upon coming to the edge of ShadowClan territory, Deerleap asks Yellowpaw if she could smell their scent markers. Angling her ears in the direction toward ominous shapes, Deerleap explains that it was the Twolegplace. She warns Yellowpaw that ShadowClan cats did not go there, because it was a place for dogs and kittypets. Deerleap then explains to Yellowpaw what the Twoleg dens were and looked like. When a cat leaps onto the wooden fence then vanishes on the other side, Yellowpaw observes that it had something around its neck. Deerleap nods, stating that it was a collar and most kittypets had them. She says that it signifies that the kittypets belonged to Twolegs and could never be free, adding that Yellowpaw should be thankful that she would never have to wear one.


 * They continue through a pine forest until Yellowpaw smells an acrid sent, and hears a loud roaring sound. Yellowpaw asks if the sound she heard was thunder and Deerleap replies that she will see in a few heartbeats. They come upon a narrow stretch of ground covered in a layer of dirty snow. Yellowpaw reaches out a paw to touch it, but Deerleap pushes her back. A roaring sound begins and a scarlet creature flies pasts them. Yellowpaw exclaims that it did not spot them, and Deerleap tells her that the creatures mostly do not and they stick to the Thunderpath. Yellowpaw exclaims that the creature must have been a monster, and that she had thought they were just myths. Yellowpaw asks about the Twoleg's inside of the monster and Deerleap, puzzled, tries to explain.


 * Deerleap shows Yellowpaw where ThunderClan territory begins, and then leads her to a tunnel that leads under the Thunderpath. Deerleap explains that the tunnel comes up on the other side of the Thunderpath, and that the territory all the way to Fourtrees belonged to ShadowClan. Deerleap also adds that it was the way ShadowClan went to Gatherings.


 * They continue until they reach another Thunderpath tunnel. Deerleap explains that it led straight into WindClan territory, and asks Yellowpaw what they should do about it. Yellowpaw answers correctly and Deerleap praises her. When they are about to leave Yellowpaw sees Rowanpaw and Finchflight. She tries to speak to Rowanpaw but she does not have time, as Deerleap was already continuing onward.


 * Much farther on Deerleap stops and asks Yellowpaw what she can smell. Yellowpaw says that she can smell ShadowClan sent, and asks if it was the border. Deerleap tells her it was the border, and then asks Yellowpaw if she can smell anything else. Yellowpaw says that she could smell something nasty, and asks if it was another Clan. Deerleap tells her that it was the Carrionplace, and tells Yellowpaw to stay away from it, because rats lived there.


 * When they return to camp Deerleap asks if Yellowpaw enjoyed seeing the territory, to which Yellowpaw responds that she had. Deerleap tells Yellowpaw that they would start with hunting practice the next day.


 * Yellowpaw mentions to her siblings, Nutpaw and Rowanpaw that Deerleap had been working her very hard, and complains. Deerleap calls Yellowpaw to train with her, and Yellowpaw goes to meet her.


 * Deerleap tells Yellowpaw they were going to hunt at the big ash tree, as no cat had been there for a day or two. When Yellowpaw catches a lizard Deerleap praises her. They return to camp and the apprentices start bragging about what they caught. Deerleap suggests that they give the apprentices a joint training session, saying there was no point in standing around. As they leave Rowanpaw mutters to Yellowpaw that Deerleap never stopped. When the reach the training area and Yellowpaw asks if they can practice the move Raggedpaw and Scorchpaw are doing Deerleap tells them that they could practice the move.


 * While practicing Deerleap advises Yellowpaw to grip her opponent harder, and to focus on hanging on to him and pinning him down. When they return to camp Deerleap asks Yellowpaw if she needs to see Sagewhisker about her scratches, and when Yellowpaw says no Deerleap tells her to take the rest of the day off, even though there was no visible wound. She also instructs Yellowpaw to tell Sagewhisker if the pain did not clear up.


 * Yellowpaw, Nutpaw, and Rowanpaw follow Deerleap out of camp for a training session with Foxpaw and Wolfpaw. Deerleap tells the cats that they were going to do a hunting exercise, and when Wolfpaw complains, she asks him if he would rather be searching the elders for ticks. She then explains that they were going to work in pairs, Nutpaw with Rowanpaw, Foxpaw with Yellowpaw, and then tells Wolfpaw that he would have to work with herself. She then tells Yellowpaw and Foxpaw to head through the marshes towards the Thunderpath, and to come back when they had caught one piece of prey. She reminds them that they were supposed to be hunting in pairs.


 * While Yellowpaw explains about the WindClan scent Wolfpaw and Deerleap return. When Yellowpaw is done speaking Deerleap tells Blizzardwing to head back to camp with reinforcements, and then tells Foxpaw and Wolfpaw to go with him and stay in camp when they got there. After Foxpaw and Wolfpaw complain she tells them that they are much to young for battle, and then asks Yellowpaw and their litter mates if they were ready to fight. She tells Blizzardwing they would wait by the tunnel entrance. Deerleap leads the rest of the patrol to a clump of marshy grass and tells them to stay down unless she tells them to move. When the rest of the battle patrol comes Deerleap rises to greet them and asks where Blizzardwing was, Stonetooth says it he stayed behind to guard the camp in case WindClan tried to bring the battle to them. Deerleap says she would like to see them try. When Stonetooth says they will give WindClan a chance to explain themselves Deerleap says they will not be able to explain WindClan sent and pigeon feathers inside the border.


 * When Yellowpaw thinks about the first time she saw WindClan warriors at a Gathering, and how she had been to nervous to speak to any of them. Deerleap had told her afterwards that a lot of apprentices felt that way, and sometimes even senior warriors did.


 * Deerleap calls to Yellowpaw from outside the apprentices' den. When Yellowpaw arrives Deerleap explains that they are going to raid the rats in Carrionplace. Deerleap and Yellowpaw are put on Stonetooth's patrol. When they arrive Yellowpaw realizes she has not been this close to the Carrionplace since Deerleap showed it to her on her first day of apprenticeship.


 * Two moons after the raid on Carrionplace Yellowpaw asks Deerleap if they were joining a patrol for the day, to which Deerleap responds no. After noticing that her mentor had not been calling her for training as early for the past moon, Yellowpaw realizes that Deerleap was growing old. Deerleap tells her they were going to travel to the Moonstone. She tells Yellowpaw that they were leaving right away, so they had to see Sagewhisker for traveling herbs. When Yellowpaw asks what they were Deerleap tells her that the herbs are sorrel, daisy, chamomile, and burnet, and that they give you strength and stop hunger pangs.


 * Deerleap and Yellowpaw travel as far as the Thunderpath, then turn and follow it to the edge of ShadowClan territory. They arrive at a smaller Thunderpath and Yellowpaw asks if they have to cross it. Deerleap tells her yes and that she will be fine as long as she remembers but then Yellowpaw interrupts and finishes Deerleap's sentence by saying to look, listen, and scent. Deerleap purrs and tells Yellowpaw she is right then moving on to explaining the rules to crossing a Thunderpath. Deerleap tells her that if you cannot hear, smell, or scent a monster then it is safe to cross. She then tells Yellowpaw to tell her when they should go. When Yellowpaw tells her that it is safe, Deerleap runs beside her. They reach the other side and Deerleap tells Yellowpaw one more thing, that when you start running you should not look back.


 * When Yellowpaw asks if they need to go near some Twoleg dens, Deerleap says no, and that they were headed for Highstones and the Moonstone. She then points to the hills, where they were headed, with her tail. Deerleap tells Yellowpaw that they were going to stop for a bit, and lays down in the grass. After a while she tells Yellowpaw she was very proud of her, and that the moons were passing. She mews that she will soon be joining the elders, and that Yellowpaw will be her last apprentice. She says that she was sure Yellowpaw would become a great warrior. Yellowpaw tells her that she was a fantastic mentor and that she wouldn't let Deerleap down.


 * When night falls, Deerleap leads Yellowpaw to Mothermouth. She tells Yellowpaw to follow her, and that even though she would not be able to see, Yellowpaw could still scent her. She also tells Yellowpaw that there was nothing to be afraid of. When they enter Mothermouth Yellowpaw follows Deerleap's scent. They step out into a large space and Deerleap tells Yellowpaw that it was the cave of the Moonstone. When the moon's light falls on the Moonstone Deerleap tells Yellowpaw to lay down and touch the stone with her muzzle.


 * Yellowpaw wakes up with a jolt and realizes that Deerleap had pulled her away from the Moonstone, and was calling her name. Deerleap tells Yellowpaw that they had to leave and to follow her quickly. Yellowpaw tries to tell Deerleap about her dream, but Deerleap tells her not to talk about it. When they are back in front of Highstones, Deerleap tells Yellowpaw that they would go down the hill a little way, then rest and hunt before they went home. As they head down the slope Deerleap tells Yellowpaw not to talk about her dream with others. She adds that only medicine cats share what StarClan tells them, and that Yellowpaw must use her knowledge of her future wisely.


 * After Yellowfang's warrior ceremony, Sagewhisker asks if Yellowfang had dreamed of serving her Clan as a warrior when she went to the Moonstone with Deerleap.


 * When Cedarstar leads a patrol to attack the kittypets after they had stolen a squirrel from ShadowClan Yellowfang is put on a patrol with Deerleap. When Yellowfang asks if the kittypets would scent all of them coming Deerleap says that kittypets could not smell a fox if it was right in front of them. When the battle begins and Yellowfang hesitates in attacking Deerleap gives her a shove and tells her to attack, and that it was what Deerleap had trained her for. Later on in the battle Yellowfang sees a big tabby tom holding down Deerleap with one paw on her neck. Yellowfang swipes her claws down the tabby's side, and he scrambles away. Deerleap rises to her paws and tells Yellowfang thanks, but that she had been okay really, and had been about to throw the tabby into the brambles. Yellowfang thinks that it was not true, but she refrains from saying anything.


 * After the battle, Deerleap notices that something is wrong with Yellowfang and asks her what was wrong. Yellowfang tells her that she was fine but Deerleap still thinks there is something wrong. She sniffs Yellowfang all over, but only finds a scratch or two and concludes that something must be wrong that she could not see. She tells Yellowfang to lean on her shoulder and that Sagewhisker would treat her when they got back to camp. They are the last cats to return to camp and Yellowfang is thankful towards Deerleap. When Sagewhisker asks what was wrong with Yellowfang Deerleap tells her that Yellowfang didn not have any visible injuries, but could barely walk. Sagewhisker tells Deerleap to leave Yellowfang with her.


 * When Cedarstar calls for the Clan to gather for Foxpaw and Wolfpaw's warrior ceremony Deerleap, Archeye, and Blizzardwing sit down next to the apprentices' mentors.


 * When Yellowfang catches a blackbird, Deerleap and several other cats congratulate her. A little bit later in the day, when Yellowfang asks about joining another hunting patrol, Stonetooth tells Yellowfang that Deerleap is going to lead a patrol with Toadskip and Ashheart. Yellowfang dashes off to tell Deerleap she was joining the patrol after she ate. While Yellowfang is talking to Ashheart on the patrol Deerleap pads back to them and tells them that they were supposed to be hunting, not chattering like a pair of starlings. Yellowfang apologizes and Deerleap tells Yellowfang to hunt in a bramble thicket, and Ashheart in a clump of fronds. She then says that she should not have to split them up for them to get any work done. After Yellowfang picks the coltsfoot she found she notices Deerleap and Toadskip watching her with puzzled looks. When Yellowfang explains why she picked them Deerleap tells her to leave them on the ground and pick them up after hunting. After Yellowfang explains that they would wither if she did Deerleap tells her to take them back to camp, and then come right back.


 * When Yellowfang goes to the Moonstone for the first time as a medicine cat apprentice she remembers the last time she had gone there with Deerleap.


 * When the rats attack a ShadowClan patrol Deerleap emerges from the tunnel with them. The entire patrol is said to bear scratches and bite marks.


 * After Yellowfang leaps down into the battle with the rats she notices a huge rat attacking Deerleap, which Yellowfang leaps on top of and kills.


 * When Brokenkit comes out of the nursery for the first time Deerleap says that he would make a strong warrior one day.


 * Deerleap returns from a hunting patrol with Raggedpelt, Foxheart, Mudclaw, and Russetfur.


 * After returning from touring the territory with Runningpaw, Yellowfang sees the elders laying in a sunny spot and sharing fresh-kill. Deerleap had recently moved to the elders' den with Crowtail and Archeye and was telling them how she used to have been able to climb the highest tree in the forest without a problem. Archeye asks her if she could climb down again and Deerleap snaps that she is not up there slapping Archeye with her tail.


 * After Cedarstar dies, Deerleap and Crowtail bring his body out into the clearing so the Clan can pay their respects towards him.