Twoleg

Twoleg is the Clans term for a human. Twolegs vary greatly in appearance, but are mostly bipedal with long extremities, thin, short hair covering most of their bodies, hair of varying length on top of the head that can grow to extreme length, two eyes facing forward, a mouth filled with mostly blunt teeth, and fingers on their upper extremities that can be used to pick up items. Twolegs vary in skin color from stark white to near-black, and natural hair colors vary in the same way.

General
Twolegs are tall, smooth-skinned creatures with removable pelts (presumably coats/jackets) to keep them warm, and thick fur on their heads and occasionally on their faces. They stay in areas called Twolegplaces, and look after kittypets, dogs, and other animals. They occasionally ride in the bellies of monsters, or on the backs of horses. They live in large, boxy nests with hard roofs and floors surrounded by neat gardens and fences. They also seem to like dogs.

Twolegs are also known by cats as housefolk, workfolk, Upwalkers, or Nofurs.The Clan cats find their gestures, motives, and habits strange, and they do not understand why Twolegs do such things.

Language
Twoleg language seems to come across to Clan cats as angry gibberish, although kittypets seem to understand Twoleg speech to some extent. For example, Rusty, Princess, and Sasha are aware of their names given to them by their owners, and also of the names of their owners. Purdy says, "Upwalkers called me different names... the Upwalker who had the fire called me Purdy." Additionally, kittypets apparently know the Twoleg words for certain Twoleg-related things and concepts, for instance the names of rooms in a house.

Structures and Monsters
Throughout the series, Twolegs have brought all sorts of strange things into the world of the Clans. Cats regularly see Twolegs sitting in various types of monsters (vehicles such as cars and trucks), and even ones that float on water, which they refer to as water-monsters (motor boats). The Clan cats are rightfully scared of the monsters for reasons other than the noise. Twoleg monsters have tried hitting cats in the past. They occasionally succeed as with Cinderpaw and Whitethroat. Cinderpaw was maimed for life after a monster ran over her leg, whilst Whitethroat was crushed instantly.

They also see Twoleg houses, which are known to them as dens or nests, and feel uncomfortable inside them because of the enclosed space inside the roof and walls. A few notable Twoleg structures are Barley's Farm, the abandoned nest in the ThunderClan lake territory, the Horseplace, Firestar's previous home, Princess' home, Susan and Jacques' home, the Greenleaf Twolegplace, and the Halfbridges.

Relation to Clan cats
Most Twolegs like cats, but they typically cause trouble for them because of their ignorance, such as:
 * They disturb Clan cats and scare away prey when coming to the Forest in greenleaf to camp and swim.
 * They often try to capture Clan cats and rogues to keep them as kittypets. Mostly RiverClan suffers of this, as their territory has the most Twoleg activity and their warriors are plump enough to be mistaken for kittypets - many of their warriors have been captured and taken away.
 * In Forest of Secrets, they scare away many of the fish that feed RiverClan by invading the shores of the river and polluting it, forcing the normally prosperous Clan into near starvation.
 * Throughout the course of Moonrise and through Dawn, Twolegs impact the Clans' livelihoods in several ways, including poisoning the rabbits on WindClan territory, capturing Clan cats and rogues, and destroying the Forest itself, which forces the Clans to flee the Forest for a new territory.
 * In Twilight, RiverClan kits find and taste a liquid Twoleg substance (supposedly battery acid) in their territory, and many cats fall ill or die because of the poisoning.
 * In Sunset, they set fox traps in ThunderClan territory; Berrykit gets trapped in one, losing his tail and Firestar nearly loses all his remaining lives at once after being driven into one by Hawkfrost.
 * Some Twolegs dislike stray cats and will try to harm them (usually to protect their kittypets), for example Susan's and Jacques' housefolk, or Petal's housefolk.
 * They also took Cloudpaw because he went to the Twolegs for food.
 * Twolegs are seen observing beavers damming a stream in The Fourth Apprentice.

Housefolk
"Housefolk" is the kittypet term for Twolegs, usually referring to their owners. They are much kinder than workfolk, as stated several times by Cody.

In Dawn, Leafpaw is speaking to Firestar about Cody leaving. Firestar says that she probably misses her housefolk, and Leafpaw is surprised to hear her father use a kittypet word.

Workfolk
Workfolk are mostly construction workers but just about any worker falls in this category. They are seen in The New Prophecy Arc, when they come to tear down the forest. They ride in tree-eaters instead of monsters, and often stray off the Thunderpath.

Twoleg Kits
Twoleg Kit is the Clan word for human babies, toddlers, and younger children. They are often seen with full grown Twolegs.

Veterinarian
Cody describes veterinarians as "Twoleg medicine cats" who heal kittypets and other animals, and have much more medicines to work with than Clan cats do.

A specific type of veterinarian is the Cutter, one that spays or neuters cats. Cats who have been spayed or neutered by the Cutter come back different, as described as being plump and lazy, like Henry.

Firestar's Twolegs
Rusty lived up with his Twolegs up until met he a ThunderClan patrol and decided to join ThunderClan. They appear to care for him and would always fill up his food and water bowls in the kitchen. They are seen again in Firestar's Quest, where they have a child and another kittypet named Hattie.

Ken and Jean
Ken and Jean were elderly Twolegs, the owners of Sasha. Jean dies from sickness, and Ken moves for a retirement home (and later dies as well). As a result, Sasha leaves the nest and becomes a rogue.

Petal's Housefolk
The owner of the kittypet Petal is an elderly man who lives in a run-down house in the wilderness. He locks Petal in his house and does not give her enough food, despite Petal having to take care of her kits. He dislikes Rainfur especially, and is often seen throwing objects at him. Later, Firestar and Rainfur rescue Petal despite the Twoleg's efforts to stop them. It is also learned that he kept Shrewtooth, a SkyClan warrior, prisoner.

Sol's Twoleg
This elderly Twoleg woman appears in the SkyClan and the Stranger arc. She feeds members of SkyClan that come to her nest and gives Birdpaw medicine for her eye, although Leafstar puts a stop to it when she discovers what's happening.

The Twoleg later comes to the gorge that makes up SkyClan's camp and finds Leafstar and her kits. She puts the four cats in a basket and takes them to her nest to care for them. There, Leafstar discovers a cat named Harry, who says that the Twoleg is kind and that Leafstar should stay. However, Harry aids in SkyClan's efforts to free Leafstar, and leaves the Twoleg woman to join SkyClan.

Firestar's Quest

 * In the prologue, Moonstar comes to the Gathering saying Twolegs have destroyed their territory. Redstar steps forward, saying that his patrols have detected more Twolegs lately, but they couldn't have destroyed it all. Moonstar sadly says they have, and then proceeds to ask for more territory. As the Clans refuse, Moonstar snarls that StarClan have allowed the Twolegs to destroy their territory, and they will never look to the skies again.


 * At a Gathering, Blackstar reports that they have seen more Twolegs lately. They stride around yowling and sometimes let their monsters leave the Thunderpath. Leopardstar reports that Twolegs bring boats onto the river, and their kits scare off all the fish. However, the river is low this season, and not many Twolegs are there. Firestar concludes by saying Twolegs haven't been bothering ThunderClan.


 * When Firestar visits Bluestar in StarClan, she tells him about SkyClan. Once the Twolegs had started building their nests in their territory, they had left in search for land they could thrive in. Smudge comes to visit Firestar later, saying that he might have to live in the forest. Firestar asks why, hoping that his Twolegs haven't thrown him out. Smudge says no, as his Twolegs have been very nice to him. He explains why, and Firestar assures him that he wouldn't have to leave his Twolegs. He goes to visit his nest and sees Hattie, who tells him about his old Twolegs. They had dug up an old bush with roots that had stretched across the whole yard, and also planted some new trees.

Into the Wild

 * Cloud meets Cloverfern and suggests to her to find an owner for herself since her life would be much easier. The shaggy she-cat interrupts the ginger kittypet to state that there isn't anything worse than being a kittypet, since they're nothing but Twoleg toys. she also says that cats born in Twolegplace could never be wild cats, to which Cloud protests that isn't true.


 * After the arrival of Bluestar and Lionheart, the ThunderClan leader states that Cloud is still a tom. Cloud is confused by what she meant by this, and she gravely explains he hadn't yet been taken by his Twolegs to see the Cutter.


 * Cloud arrives at the ThunderClan and Longtail begins to taunt him for the collar his owners had put on him. In the ensuring fight, Longtail rips the collar off and the newly named Firepaw buries it.


 * When Tigerclaw and Lionheart take Graypaw and Firepaw out to take a tour of the territory, they come across a Twoleg path. The golden tabby asks Firepaw if he could smell anything. He smells the faint scent of one and his dog. Lionheart asks if it is safe to cross now, to which the ginger apprentice states it is.


 * The cats come upon Tallpines, where Tigerclaw explains the place was made by Twolegs. He goes on to say that they take they trees they cut down over to the Treecut place that lies nearby. After Firepaw stops to listen for the sound of the monsters, Graypaw tells him everything will be quiet for a few more moons, until the time of greenleaf.

Forest of Secrets

 * In the prologue, when Oakheart brings Graypool the kits, the she-cat asks who would abandon kits in such cold weather, and Oakheart suggests that it was probably rogues or Twolegs.


 * Later, Graystripe explains to Fireheart that RiverClan are starving since the Twolegs moved into their territory.


 * When Fireheart goes to ask Graypool for more information on the battle at Sunningrocks, she tells him that when Oakheart had brought her the kits, he told her that they were found in the forest, as if abandoned by rogue cats or Twolegs, although Graypool hadn't believed it.


 * When Darkstripe reveals to Cloudkit that he was a kittypet, and Fireheart explains to his kin that a kittypet is a cat who lives with Twolegs, and that his mother, Princess, lives in a Twoleg nest. Later, when Fireheart smells rogues in the Twolegplace, the scent is mixed with that of Twoleg rubbish. Princess and Fireheart talk, and she offers her brother some food in her Twoleg nest, although he doesn't want it.


 * Later, Fireheart and Graystripe see some apprentices trying to stay afloat in the river on a mat of twigs, leaves, and Twoleg rubbish. At the RiverClan camp, Fireheart recalls how he once thought of RiverClan cats as plump and sleek until Silverstream told him that due to the Twolegs staying by the river during greenleaf and stealing away most of the prey, they aren't fed well. By now, the Twolegs have left, although RiverClan still can't hunt with the river frozen. When Fireheart and Graystripe learn that the river is practically poisoned, Graypool explains that it is the fault of the Twolegs, as the river is filthy with Twoleg rubbish. Back at the ThunderClan camp, when Fireheart explains what happened to RiverClan to Bluestar, he says that they were told that the Twolegs poisoned the river.


 * When Fireheart smells Tigerclaw's smell near Twolegplace, he wonders what the deputy is doing there, as he hates everything about Twolegs. When Cloudpaw wants to see his mother, Fireheart asks him if he can smell dogs or fresh Twoleg scent, but Cloudpaw can't, and they go. They come to Princess's place, where in the center of the grass some Twoleg pelts hang on a spiky, leafless tree. When Fireheart asks Princess if she saw strange cats, the kittypet says that she heard them yowling at night, and that her Twoleg gets up and shouts at them. When Cloudpaw goes to see Princess a while later, Fireheart tells him that he can call to her if he has caught fresh-kill, but that he can't go looking for her in the Twoleg gardens or nests.

Outcast

 * When the journeying cats see Purdy, Breezepaw scoffs that he couldn't catch a mouse, and Purdy agrees that he gets food from his Upwalkers. When Tawnypelt remembers how they had been attacked by rats on the Journey to Midnight, Purdy purrs that the rats are there no more, as Upwalkers came and built a nest there, clearing out the rats. As the apprentices talk, Breezepaw spots some sheep, and guesses that there must be a Twoleg farm nearby.


 * When Purdy saves Lionpaw, Hollypaw, and Breezepaw from the dogs, he tells the dogs to go back their Upwalkers and ask them to be fed. As the cats are about to go to bed that night, and Hollypaw gets rid of Purdy's ticks, she asks if his Twolegs don't take care of his ticks. Purdy responds that his Upwalker died, and he found a few others who occasionally feed him, but don't mess with his pelt.

After the Flood

 * Leafstar thinks about how the flood left the camp open to attacks from foxes, rats, rogues, and Twolegs, and she imagines two cats discovering some Twoleg footprints in some mud. Later, when Billystorm discovers Silverthorn, Harveymoon exclaims that it is Twoleg stuff.


 * Later, Leafstar comes to her den to find her kits playing with moss, and she asks if they are stalking it, but Firekit says that they are pretending that their housefolk gave it to them. Leafstar is horrified, and Harrykit explains that Billystorm said that they can go live with him now, to keep them safe from another flood, and Firekit adds that he said that the housefolks' den never floods. Leafstar confronts Billystorm furiously, and he counters that she should let him take them to his home, where his housefolk will take care of them. That night, Leafstar's kits ask her when they will go to Twolegplace, and Harrykit adds that Billystorm said that the housefolk were really nice and would play with them.


 * When Leafstar assesses Sol, they come to the abandoned Twoleg den, and Leafstar explains to the curious Sol that a mean old Twoleg used to live there, and he terrorized Shrewtooth and Petalnose a long time ago. She goes on that they attacked him and his dog last night, and they had to use violence to teach him a lesson. When she says that they don't go near there, Sol asks if he is still there, but Leafstar answers that he is gone, but there are bad echoes there.

Trivia

 * Twoleg is always spelled with a capital T, as if it is a Clan name.
 * Despite posing a constant threat towards the Clans, no Twoleg is ever killed in the series, except for Jean, who died of sickness. This is most likely to avoid controversy and accusations of being immoral.

References and Citations
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