ShadowClan

ShadowClan is one of the four Clans. ShadowClan's territory consists of pine forests and marshes. ShadowClan cats are skilled night hunters, relying on the cover of the darkness while hunting, as there is limited undergrowth on their territory. They also have the reputation as the most stealthy of all the clan cats. ShadowClan's main prey includes frogs, snakes, lizards and other creatures that inhabit the marshlands.

General Information
They have always seemed to be the "darker" Clan, with fierce, more disagreeable warriors. This dark reputation has been earned over the years by an unfortunate run of corrupted leaders, twisted minds and bitter plots. They are battle-hungry, aggressive, ambitious, and greedy for more territory. It was often said when the Clans were in the forest, that the cold north wind of the mountains chilled the ShadowClan warriors' hearts. However, as Rock states in Cats of the Clans, ShadowClan have the smallest amount of territory and prey. Even though their fierce warriors and hostile leaders earned ShadowClan its reputation, the leader Dawnstar led Firestar to believe ShadowClan were not always as unfair and cruel as they are now.

Forest Territory
In the Forest, ShadowClan lived in the northern territory region, in a pine forest with marshy ground.
 * The ShadowClan camp is described as "a dark, well concealed hollow"
 * It is hidden deep in the shadows on the far side of the Thunderpath, and is surrounded by brambles


 * They share a border along a Thunderpath with ThunderClan
 * The ShadowClan cats cross the Thunderpath using a tunnel going under it


 * West from the camp, on the WindClan side of the territory is Carrionplace
 * It is a Twoleg dump where disease-ridden rats live
 * Further to the west is Highstones


 * On the ThunderClan side of their camp, there is an ancient tree called The Burnt Sycamore
 * It was destroyed many moons ago by lightning
 * Apprentices are often trained here to hunt during the night, and to stalk noiselessly

Lake Territory
At the Lake, ShadowClan lived in the northwestern region.
 * The ShadowClan camp is in a hollow, close to the lake
 * It is closer to Twolegs than the original camp
 * It is well hidden, and difficult to attack


 * They share a border with ThunderClan and RiverClan
 * On the northwestern side of the territory is a Twoleg nest
 * It is home to two very aggressive kittypets named Jacques and Susan


 * To the east of the camp is a Twoleg path
 * Both on the ThunderClan and RiverClan borders, there are Greenleaf Twolegplaces
 * Twolegs come here during Greenleaf
 * They build small dens (described as and most likely tents)
 * Sometimes they leave food like the cats would find at Carrionplace

Into the Wild

 * When Brokenstar first opened this sincere Clan of the marshes to a stricter rule, his corrupted mind slowly lead the Clan into devastation as kits were forced to train too early – many of them dying in the process. He framed the medicine cat of ShadowClan at the time, Yellowfang, of killing two kits when he had took them out at four moons and fought them like warriors, causing their untimely deaths. His ambition led him to try and conquer other territories and he tried to force WindClan into opening its lands to his Clan. When Tallstar refused, Brokenstar attacked WindClan and drove them out. Later, at a Gathering, he tried to force ThunderClan and RiverClan to share their lands with him. While Crookedstar accepted to protect his Clan, Bluestar refused. To stop ThunderClan's resistance, Brokenstar sent a group of warriors under Blackfoot to kidnap their kits. Later on, Clawface succeeded and killed the ThunderClan medicine cat, Spottedleaf. However, Yellowfang, Firepaw and Graypaw along with a ThunderClan patrol and a group of ShadowClan warriors led by Nightpelt, led a succesfull coup against Brokenstar and his warrior bodyguards.

Fire and Ice

 * Once ThunderClan succeeded in driving off Brokenstar, the Clan slowly began to recover. Nightpelt stepped up in the midst of his Clan's turmoil. However, when he went to receive his nine lives, StarClan rejected him for the mere fact that Brokenstar was still alive, despite that he was banned from ShadowClan. Nightpelt lied to his Clan and announced he had received his nine lives. He took the name Nightstar, and only his medicine cat, Runningnose, knew of this lie.

Forest of Secrets

 * When informed that ThunderClan was sheltering their hated former leader, Brokentail, they, along with WindClan, attacked ThunderClan, hoping to kill their enemy. When RiverClan is driven out of their camp, Fireheart and Graystripe help them by get food. When Bluestar finds out, they are forced to be apprentices again. Secretly, Nightstar wished for Brokentail to die so that he could become the true leader of ShadowClan.

Rising Storm

 * When a fatal illness struck ShadowClan, Nightstar died, along with his deputy, Cinderfur. His Clan was left without any sense of authority and deeply frightened, because they believed that all of Nightstar's (nonexistant) nine lives have been destroyed by the sickness. Tigerclaw, having recently been banned from ThunderClan, became the new leader. His mind could even be considered more cunning than that of Brokenstar's, as he had fabricated attempts to overthrow ThunderClan's leader many times over. When Yellowfang murdered Brokenstar, StarClan accepted Tigerstar as ShadowClan's new leader, but now, with a fresh Clan so weak, he opened them to a new sense of thinking.

The Darkest Hour

 * ShadowClan trained and slowly became a threat to the Clans once more. At last, Tigerstar's latest plot became apparent. He had brought the devious BloodClan to the forest to force the other Clans to merge with his own. But everything failed when BloodClan's leader, Scourge, murdered Tigerstar. Blackfoot became the new leader of ShadowClan once the four Clans had come together and driven BloodClan away. ShadowClan still lives in a drape of darkness, stirring up tension between the Clans. The twisted thoughts still arouse familiar suspicion from the other Clans.

Firestar's Quest

 * ShadowClan does not appear much in Firestar's Quest, but one major event that happened concerning them was that Tawnypaw received her warrior name, Tawnypelt.

In the New Prophecy Series

 * In the original Forest, ShadowClan territory is completely ripped from its roots. Twoleg monsters tear the trees down and endanger all of the cats; however, they manage to escape the turmoil with ThunderClan's help. On the Great Journey to the lake, one of their apprentices, Smokepaw, falls off a cliff to his death. The ShadowClan cats adapt to being around the other Clans and befriend many; their scents mix with the other cats and seemingly forget their roots to their own Clan. Once they reach the Lake, however, they separate from the three other Clans and make their home in the pine forest northwest of the lake. Unlike in the original Forest, they do not have anything like Carrionplace nearby, therefore eliminating the threat of hordes of rats, but also taking away the source of food that they could eat during leaf-bare. But the pines provide a perfect home for foxes and badgers, which they encounter several times. ShadowClan remains with obvious pride, and establishes their strong bitter attitude once more for the other Clans.

In the Power of Three Series

 * There is a small battle between ThunderClan and ShadowClan in The Sight. Later Sol convinces Blackstar to not believe in StarClan, which causes Blackstar to state that the whole of ShadowClan will not believe in them. They fight alongside ThunderClan in a battle against WindClan and RiverClan.

The Fourth Apprentice

 * Along with ThunderClan and WindClan, they protest at a Gathering when Leopardstar says that the other Clans are stealing their fish, and that the lake belongs to RiverClan. When a ThunderClan patrol is collecting water, Lionblaze sees a ShadowClan patrol fighting with a RiverClan patrol. When Firestar and the other Clan leaders agree to let two cats from each Clan to find out what is happening to the water, Blackstar chooses Tigerheart and Toadfoot. When the patrol comes back, Blackstar eagerly welcomes them back, seeming happier than normal since the drought has ended.

Fading Echoes

 * ThunderClan attacks ShadowClan because ThunderClan wanted the Twoleg clearing back, but ShadowClan wanted to keep it and they also wanted the old Twoleg nest. During the battle, Russetfur, the ShadowClan deputy, is killed by Lionblaze in the battle. After that, they gave the Twoleg clearing back. A lot of ShadowClan patrols appeared in this book. The first one consisted of Crowfrost, Tigerheart, Ratscar, and Pinepaw, and the next included Oakfur and Ferretpaw, and the last consisted of Ratscar and Toadfoot.