Feathertail

Feathertail is a muscular, light silver- gray tabby she-cat with clear blue eyes, and a plumed, feathery tail.

Crookedstar's Promise

 * She and her brother are featured in the manga part of the book as apprentices, play-fighting with each other, while Crookedstar is thinking about how his daughter, Silverstream, still lives on in her kits, Featherpaw and Stormpaw, even after her tragic death of too much blood loss while kitting.

Firestar's Quest

 * At a Gathering, Firestar notices Feathertail and Stormfur, whose warrior names had been announced at the previous Gathering. Graystripe is very proud and happy for them and is constantly telling others they are his kits, despite the fact they are full grown warriors.

Forest of Secrets

 * Featherkit and her brother Stormkit are born to Silverstream and Graystripe at Sunningrocks. In the process, however, their mother, Silverstream dies, due to blood-loss, leaving their father grief-stricken.


 * The kits are taken to ThunderClan to be with their father, Graystripe. Goldenflower nurses them even though she is already nursing Bramblekit and Tawnykit. RiverClan then begins an dispute with ThunderClan, saying that the kits belong to RiverClan, because half-Clan kits traditionally go to their mother's Clan. Graystripe, not wanting to cause a rift between the two Clans, takes his kits to RiverClan, but at the river, decides to go with them. In RiverClan, Featherkit and Stormkit are cared for by Greenflower, and later Mosspelt.

Rising Storm

 * Featherkit continues to live in RiverClan with Stormkit and Graystripe, still being cared for by Greenflower and Mosspelt. When ThunderClan stays with RiverClan after the fire, Graystripe shows Fireheart his kits, who guess correctly if it's Fireheart from all the stories Graystripe had told them. Fireheart states that they will be great warriors, just like their father.

A Dangerous Path

 * Featherkit and her brother continue to live in RiverClan, even after Graystripe, realizing that his true loyalties lie with ThunderClan, decides to go back to live with his birth Clan, after a battle against them over Sunningrocks. She and her brother were alright when he didn't come back, after they knew he wasn't dead. They were almost ready to begin their apprenticeship and felt that they belonged in their mother's Clan, so they remained in RiverClan.

The Darkest Hour

 * She becomes an apprentice, Featherpaw, with Mistyfoot as her mentor.


 * Featherpaw and Stormpaw are taken as TigerClan prisoners by Tigerstar, along with Stonefur and Mistyfoot, for being half-Clan cats. The four cats are kept in an old fox den and nearly starved until Tigerstar decides to bring out Stonefur and the two apprentices. He is going to have them all executed, but Stonefur challenges him by saying his loyalty for RiverClan has never wavered and there is no reason for this brutality. Tigerstar in turn challenges him back, and tells him to prove his loyalty by killing both her and her brother, Stormpaw. Stonefur refuses, so Tigerstar orders Darkstripe to kill him. Stonefur puts up a heroic fight and, though half-starved, gets the better of his opponent, until Blackfoot joins the fray and succeeds in killing him. Featherpaw and Stormpaw are led back to their prison, where they relay the tragic news to Mistyfoot.


 * All three cats are later rescued and brought to ThunderClan by Ravenpaw, Graystripe, and Firestar. They are welcomed into ThunderClan, since their father was in the Clan, though not all the cats were aware of this. Since the three cats are in different territory, Graystripe offers to help train her and Stormpaw with Mistyfoot. When the time comes for all four Clans to fight against BloodClan, she and Stormpaw, along with Bramblepaw, Ashpaw, and Tawnypaw, avenge the death of Whitestorm, the ThunderClan deputy, by killing Bone, the vicious BloodClan deputy. They use the leap-and-hold fighting technique to outnumber and defeat him. After the fight with BloodClan is over, Featherpaw and Stormpaw decide to return to RiverClan, and say their good-byes to Graystripe before they leave. Firestar also informs her and Stormpaw that their father is the new ThunderClan deputy. They are both very proud of Graystripe.

Midnight

 * Feathertail is chosen by Oakheart of StarClan, the former RiverClan deputy, to be the RiverClan cat to go on the journey to speak with Midnight. Oakheart teasingly asks Bluestar if Feathertail was not mentored well because she had been mentored by their kit, Mistyfoot. Feathertail is chosen along with Brambleclaw of ThunderClan, Tawnypelt of ShadowClan, and Crowpaw of WindClan. Her brother, Stormfur, accompanies her on the journey to protect her, as he fears for her safety.


 * When Squirrelpaw is stuck in "fence stuff", Feathertail and Tawnypelt calmly get her out while the others argue, rubbing chewed-up dock leaves on the younger cat's pelt, making Squirrelpaw's fur slippery so she can escape.


 * A few days after their encounter with the two huge kittypets, Feathertail gets the sign from StarClan about saltwater. She tells Brambleclaw, who was the first one to get the sign. Brambleclaw says that Crowpaw is the only one who hasn't had the sign yet and tells Feathertail not to tell him about her saltwater sign. Feathertail disagrees with Brambleclaw and says that Crowpaw isn't so bad, as she explains that he is alone while she has Stormfur, her brother, and that Brambleclaw has Squirrelpaw and Tawnypelt.


 * Along the journey, the traveling cats encounter a dog while crossing an open field. Brambleclaw heads up a tree with vines after hearing a voice say to come up the tree. The others follow, but Feathertail can't because the dog was blocking her way. Crowpaw suddenly jumps down the tree at the dog, but misses. He then runs, luring the dog away and Feathertail quickly climbs up the tree. Crowpaw soon comes back and jumps back up the tree. Then, all the cats meet Purdy.


 * During the journey, Feathertail develops a slight crush on Crowpaw. She is the only one who understands Crowpaw and sees past his abrasiveness and short temper, and finds something to like about him. She knows he has a soft side, and just wants to prove to the other cats that he is as brave and strong as any warrior. It is mentioned by Brambleclaw that Feathertail was probably the only cat that could call Crowpaw a stupid furball and get away with it.

Moonrise

 * Feathertail's affection for Crowpaw becomes more apparent; they hardly ever leave each others' side. Stormfur is angered by Feathertail's recklessness, especially seeing as their parents were Silverstream and Graystripe, two cats from different Clans, and that both Feathertail and Stormfur almost got killed for being half-Clan. When Stormfur confronts her about this, Feathertail is very defensive, and gets into a slight quarrel with him. She finally says that she was sorry, but that this was none of his business, and she didn't want to talk about Crowpaw. Stormfur says he was only worried about her.


 * Crowpaw later asks if Feathertail would keep seeing him after they returned to the Clans, and she agrees to without any hesitation. In the mountains, she teaches him how to fish.


 * Feathertail is the subject of the Tribe of Rushing Water's prophecy, which said that a silver cat would come to save them from the mountain lion, Sharptooth. The Tribe, however, assumes the silver cat is Stormfur, because Feathertail's silver pelt had been slicked black with water, and so the Tribe took no notice of her. Sharptooth had terrorized the Tribe for moons, and had picked off cats one by one with ease. Stormfur is taken prisoner until he kills Sharptooth for the Tribe, as is supposedly his destiny, but while the other Clan cats attempt to rescue him, Sharptooth attacks and the cats flee. Feathertail sees Crowpaw cornered by Sharptooth. She tells Stormfur and Crowpaw that she hears the voices clearly now and that it was for her to do.


 * In order to save Crowpaw and the entire Tribe, she jumps onto a stalactite from the ceiling, dislodging it, impaling Sharptooth but sacrificing herself. The force of the fall injures her to the point where she dies moments after telling Crowpaw that she cares for him deeply and that she will always be with him. Crowpaw is devastated and says that she needs to be fine, as she has a prophecy to fulfill, and screams in sadness and grief. In her dying moments, Stormfur sees the spirit of Silverstream, his and Feathertail's mother, at the cave entrance. She cries out for Feathertail and grieves for her daughter. Stormfur and Crowpaw also grieve for her. It is then that the Tribe realizes the silver cat had been Feathertail the whole time, not Stormfur.


 * Soon after her death, Stormfur thought he saw the silhouettes of two silver cats in the waterfall spray; Feathertail and Silverstream. She is buried by the waterfall, which is one of the Tribe's greatest honors. Stormfur is the only RiverClan cat to travel home, and he wished that he really had been the silver cat so that Feathertail would not have to die.

Dawn

 * When the journeying cats get home they think about how they wouldn't have made it without Feathertail. Stormfur goes home with the ThunderClan cats so he can tell Graystripe about his daughter's death. Graystripe asks where Feathertail is and Stormfur tells him what happened. Graystripe yowls his grief saying that it wasn't fair because she was so much like Silverstream. Feathertail looked just like her mother and acted in much the same way so Graystripe may feel like he lost Silverstream twice.


 * She watches Crowpaw receive his warrior name, Crowfeather, as a spirit with her mother, Silverstream. He asks for and is granted special permission by Tallstar to choose the second half of his name, instead of letting the leader choose, and wanted to remember Feathertail, thus choosing Crowfeather.

Starlight

 * When Leafpaw discovers the Moonpool, she is one of the StarClan cats present. She reveals that she walked with both StarClan and the Tribe of Endless Hunting. She also gives Leafpaw a message to pass on to Crowfeather--that he shouldn't grieve, and it would be many moons before they saw each other again. She also says that he should not be blind to the living, referring to one cat in particular he was developing feelings for.


 * Crowfeather later has to save Leafpaw, now Leafpool, from falling off the edge of the stone hollow, and he freezes, remembering Feathertail's death, and how he hadn't been able to save her. He saves Leafpool, though, and confesses his love for her, asking how he could love her so soon after Feathertail's death.

Twilight

 * Since Mothwing doesn't believe in StarClan, Feathertail comes to Leafpool in a dream saying that RiverClan will face danger from Twolegs. Leafpool is scared when the spirit came to her, because she thinks that Feathertail will be angry about the young medicine cat's affections for Crowfeather. Feathertail reassures Leafpool, saying she wants Crowfeather to be happy, and that it is possible for him to love more than one cat in his lifetime.

Sunset

 * She appears to Leafpool in a dream, and guides her to the RiverClan medicine cat apprentice, Willowpaw, making Leafpool promise to help Willowpaw cope up her lack of training from Mothwing. Thus, Leafpool is responsible for Willowpaw's training in receiving and understanding signs from StarClan, since Mothwing cannot do it herself, due to her lack of belief in StarClan.

Outcast

 * Although Feathertail is not mentioned by name, Stormfur mentions her when he tells Stoneteller that his sister was a Clan cat that had died to save the Tribe, and if it weren't for her; all of them would have been eaten by Sharptooth.


 * Leafpool and Jaypaw see her taking prey to the Tribe of Rushing Water, because they need her help and she is part of the Tribe of Endless Hunting, along with StarClan, so she is able to reach the Tribe.


 * When the cats journey to the mountains with Brook and Stormfur, Crowfeather stands a little ways away from everyone else and sits hunched next to a tree by the waterfall. Jaypaw asks Squirrelflight what he was doing and she tells him that Crowfeather is mourning Feathertail, the RiverClan cat, Jaypaw then asks why, as the two cats are not in the same Clan. Squirrelflight explains how he loved her very much and when she died saving him and the Tribe it tore him up inside and how it almost killed him to leave her behind. Jaypaw thinks this is why Crowfeather is so grumpy and he notices Breezepaw staring at Crowfeather, angry that he loved another cat besides his mother, Nightcloud.

The Fourth Apprentice

 * When the ThunderClan cats are discussing about the third cat, she appears because of her love for Crowfeather. When Yellowfang growls that the matter is "ThunderClan business," Feathertail replies back that Jayfeather and Lionblaze are half-WindClan, Crowfeather's sons, and that she grieved for Hollyleaf just as much as them. Yellowfang tells Feathertail gently that they "aren't her kits," which suggests that Feathertail wanted to have kits with Crowfeather.

The Lost Warrior

 * She appears along with Silverstream to Graystripe in a dream, telling him that his son, Stormfur, was still alive. She assures him that she is safe and happy with her mother.

Secrets of the Clans

 * Feathertail is the warrior who gives the reader a tour of RiverClan's camp in the old forest.


 * When Tawnypelt talks about the end of the journeying cats trip in Midnight's cave, she mentions that while she, Squirrelpaw, and Brambleclaw fell, it was Feathertail, of course, who found an easier way down by using rocks and ledges.


 * When Crowfeather speaks about forbidden love he says "Feathertail understood me. She died saving us all from Sharptooth. Then I just wanted to serve my Clan to my limits and join her in StarClan." A little later he says how when he rescued Leafpool all he could think about was how he had failed Feathertail and she had died because of it. When Leafpool looked at him he said he remembered Feathertail having the same look in her eyes.

Cats of the Clans

 * Rock explains to Adderkit, Mosskit, and Blossomkit about Feathertail's part in RiverClan and ThunderClan. He says that Stormfur was all Feathertail had left and the two were never seperated. He told the kits "she was known as a gentle cat but had the courage of a full-grown warrior as well as loyalty to her Clan and knowledge of what it felt like to be persucuted." He says this may be why the Tribe of Endless Hunting choose to make her the subject of their prophecy. The prophecy came true, but it cost Feathertail her life.

Trivia

 * She has SkyClan blood, because her grandfather, Patchpelt, is Spottedleaf's brother.
 * In Cats of the Clans, it is mistakenly stated that Stonefur is Feathertail's mentor instead of Mistyfoot.
 * She is part WindClan since her grandmother, Willowbreeze, was half WindClan.
 * She and her brother have four types of blood: ThunderClan, SkyClan, RiverClan, and WindClan.
 * She has been described as having a flecked gray pelt.
 * She is portrayed without stripes in Crookedstar's Promise, as well as The Lost Warrior.
 * When Crowpaw got his warrior name, he requested it to be Crowfeather in honor of her.
 * She has been mistakenly described with amber eyes.

Members
Foster Mother:
 * Mosspelt:

Mother:
 * Silverstream:

Father:
 * Graystripe:

Brother:
 * Stormfur:

Half-Brother:
 * Bumblestripe:

Half-Sisters:
 * Briarlight:
 * Blossomfall:

Grandfathers:
 * Crookedstar:
 * Patchpelt:

Grandmothers:
 * Willowpelt:
 * Willowbreeze:

Great-Grandmothers:
 * Rainflower:
 * Swiftbreeze:
 * Fallowtail:

Great-Grandfathers:
 * Shellheart:
 * Adderfang:
 * Reedfeather:

Half-Aunts:
 * Sorreltail:

Half-Uncles:
 * Darkstripe:
 * Longtail:
 * Sootfur:
 * Rainwhisker:

Nieces: 
 * Lark That Sings at Dawn:

Nephews:
 * Pine That Clings to Rock:

Great-Uncles: 
 * Oakheart:
 * Redtail:

Great-Aunts:
 * Leopardfoot:
 * Spottedleaf:
 * Graypool:

Cousins:
 * Molepaw:
 * Honeyfern:
 * Cinderheart:
 * Poppyfrost:
 * Molepaw:
 * Cherrypaw:
 * Mistystar:
 * Stonefur:
 * Mosskit:
 * Reedwhisker:
 * Three Unidentified kits:
 * Nightkit:
 * Mistkit:
 * Tigerstar:
 * Bramblestar:
 * Tawnypelt:
 * Tigerheart:
 * Flametail:
 * Dawnpelt:
 * Hawkfrost:
 * Mothwing:
 * Tadpole:
 * Sandstorm:
 * Leafpool:
 * Squirrelflight:
 * Lionblaze:
 * Jayfeather:
 * Hollyleaf: