Billystorm/History

Darkest Night

 * Billystorm is mentioned by Hawkwing as he tells Violetpaw and Twigpaw about Pebbleshine during her apprenticeship. He says she desperate to impress her mentor, and woke before dawn every day to practice before Billystorm woke up, and the warrior would always wake up to find Pebblepaw stalking pinecones or crickets. Hawkwing tells them a story of how Billystorm set her a test, to find a secret way out of the gorge, catch a rabbit, then return to camp, but somewhere along the route, Billystorm would ambush her and try to take her prey. He says when Billystorm ambushed her, Pebblepaw had fought him off using all the battle moves he had taught her, but she had been so desperate to beat him back to camp, she left the rabbit where Billystorm had ambushed her. When Pebblepaw saw Hawkwing waiting for her at the entrance to see how she'd done, she begged him to distract Billystorm, telling him to hide up a tree near a Twoleg nest. After hiding in the tree, before long, Billystorm arrived, saying Pebblepaw told him she saw a dog chasing him. Hawkwing says that Billystorm had been so impressed with her quick thinking, he had let her have first pick of prey.

SkyClan's Destiny

 * Billystorm is first introduced as a kittypet who lives with Twolegs at night and early morning, then serves as a SkyClan warrior during the day time. He is one of the daylight-warriors. The full-time SkyClan warriors aren't friendly toward Billystorm, like they are toward most of the daylight-warriors. Billystorm has an apprentice, Snookpaw, who is also a daylight-warrior.


 * He appears later after the warrior ceremony of Rockshade, Tinycloud, and Bouncefire, to many of the full-time warriors' dismay. He questions Snookpaw teasingly after his apprentice mentions that he wishes that Bouncefire could be his mentor.


 * When the full-time warriors and the daylight-warriors have an argument, it is shown that Billystorm doesn't care about what Firestar said, pointing out that Firestar is no longer there. Leafstar takes him to the training area along with his apprentice and watches Snookpaw practice a new battle move. The group travels back to camp as snow falls, and he is chosen to go explore the area farther up the cliff. He backs out of the mission, explaining last time that his housefolk became worried the last time he stayed overnight when the snow kept him from returning home. This frustrates many of the full-time warriors, but Leafstar dismisses this, telling him to go home if he wished. Once he is gone, many of the warriors mention he always wants to disappear when there is hard work to be done and he should be given a lot to do upon his next return.


 * Billystorm joins a training session with Snookpaw. After the training session, Billystorm speaks briefly to Leafstar, surprising her by announcing his support for her decision to banish Harveymoon and Macgyver. This is the first of several times he backs Leafstar's decisions, an early sign of his feelings for her.


 * Sometime later, the daylight-warriors are not told when the battle against the rats was going to take place, and are outraged that they were left out. Billystorm isn't as angry as the others, and seems more concerned with Leafstar's wounds, another sign of his feelings for the SkyClan leader.


 * The two cats meet up again, this time under the excuse of teaching Snookpaw a new hunting move. When Snookpaw isn't paying attention, Billystorm revealed that the real reason he asked to see her was to tell her that he had seen Sharpclaw and Stick leading an unauthorized patrol to Twolegplace. Leafstar is thankful for his concern, but chooses to disbelieve this.


 * The day after the Clan saves a hurt Twoleg kit, an argument breaks out about what would happen if the Twolegs attacked. Leafstar is wondering what to do when Billystorm and the daylight-warriors enter camp. Leafstar has a sudden burst of inspiration and calls a Clan meeting, making Snookpaw a warrior after Billystorm gives his consent. The newly named Snookthorn joins his mentor, but soon approaches Leafstar, saying he can't be a warrior because he doesn't want to be an enemy of Twolegs.


 * After Snookthorn nearly drowns, Billystorm and Leafstar give Fallowfern's kits a miniature training session. Billystorm seems to really enjoy Leafstar's company, and is shown to be good with kits. Not long after, Billystorm expresses concern for his apprentice to Leafstar, and asks her to accompany him into Twolegplace to see if he's alright. Leafstar accepts, and they make a chaotic venture into Twolegplace, which results in them fleeing from Snookthorn's Twoleg nest.


 * After the attack on the Twoleg, Billystorm goes on a hunt with Leafstar, Cherrytail, and Mintpaw. Billystorm and Leafstar later confess their love for each other, but they are interrupted by Egg, who has decided to join SkyClan. Echosong tells Leafstar that she can't have kits since she's a Clan leader, and that leads to a quarrel between the two.


 * During the attack on Dodge and his followers, Leafstar loses a life and Billystorm, not knowing that leaders have nine lives, yowls in agony. When she awakens, he is surprised and overjoyed while he kneads the ground in embarrassment.


 * Leafstar, later, is thinking that she had a deputy and medicine cat to trust even if she had to step down from her duties for a while to nurse kits with him. Later, she tells Billystorm that they need to talk.


 * In the manga adventure at the end of the book, Billystorm scolds Rabbitpaw when he catches a squirrel instead of the required bird. He then tells Leafstar that he has to leave to go back to his Twolegs. Later, he helps Sharpclaw and his patrol rescue Leafstar and Rabbitpaw from the dogs. He is seen clawing at the dogs, then calls for Frecklewish to look at Leafstar's leg. He then is seen looking worriedly at her. He is last seen during Rabbitleap, Creekfeather, Nettlesplash, and Plumwillow's warrior ceremony.

Hawkwing's Journey

 * Billystorm rushes to find his apprentice, Pebblepaw, and two other apprentices, Duskpaw and Cloudpaw, suffering wounds from a fire. He reprimands his apprentice for her abrupt disappearance, and Ebonyclaw orders him to fetch Echosong and Frecklewish. He returns with Leafstar and mourns with the rest of the Clan over Duskpaw's death.


 * He is chosen to lead a patrol to find ThunderClan with Waspwhisker, Hawkwing, Blossomheart, and Pebblepaw. He recalls Darktail's instructions to find the Clans: first, travel through the Twolegplace, cross a Thunderpath, and look for a tree that splits into three, and from there head for the setting sun. Billystorm explains they'll know they're heading the right way when they come across a clearing ringed with trees with a stream. The Clans will be two days' journey beyond that. Billystorm is confident of the journey. On the journey, he speaks high about Firestar, and, unlike the other members of the group, doesn't believe he is dead. He recounts what Leafstar told him of the other Clans; the other Clans believe ThunderClan is bossy and ShadowClan can't be trusted as far as you could throw them. He wonders out loud if the statements were true.


 * They stop to hunt, and Billystorm is impressed at Pebblepaw's catch. He compliments his apprentice before settling down to eat. He takes the lead again into the Twolegplace, and orders his patrol to crouch when they come upon some Twoleg kits. He instructs his patrol on how dangerous and unpredictable Twoleg kits can be, and orders the patrol to outrun the Twoleg kits by crossing a nearby Thunderpath. Hawkwing is hit with something after they all cross, and Billystorm amusingly informs the frantic warrior that he was hit with water. The patrol laughs at Hawkwing's predicament with Billystorm struggling to keep a straight face. When Hawkwing and Pebblepaw later get into an argument, Billystorm is ready to step in until deciding to let his apprentice fight her own battles. After they spat at each other, Billystorm attempts to calm Hawkwing down, saying that quarreling amongst each other will only make the journey more difficult.


 * Billystorm is convinced they've reached the tree with a trunk that splits into three, but Hawkwing is not. Before the group can bicker again, Billystorm puts it up to a vote, with the majority voting that this tree was the one Darktail was talking about. Hawkwing is still unconvinced and secretly hopes that Billystorm hasn't doomed the group. The group starts heading towards the setting sun. The discussion turns towards SkyClan's unfortunate history with the other Clans. Billystorm encourages his Clanmates that the other Clans regretted what happened, and the current ones have no reason not to welcome them. He and Waspwhisker excitedly talk about meeting Firestar's kin, and like most of the other cats, are eager to meet the other Clans.


 * The group comes upon a stream, and Billystorm suggests they should follow it, since Darktail mentioned a stream they had to follow. They stream leads to a clearing, lifting the spirits of the questing cats. Before they can make camp, Pebblepaw detects the scent of badgers. As the patrol had left the camp many days ago, Darktail mentioned the clearing used to be home to badgers, but the group quickly discovers that is not the case anymore. Badgers erupt from their dens, and two smaller ones attack Waspwhisker, Billystorm and Pebblepaw. The three cats attempt to defend themselves, but Billystorm is gravely injured. Hawkwing finds him unresponsive lying in a pool of blood. Hawkwing fearfully wonders what they will do without their leader, and how much SkyClan and Leafstar depend on him. Fortunately, the sight of Billystorm gives Hawkwing and Pebblepaw the strength to drive away the badgers, with Pebblepaw desperate to avenge her mentor.


 * Once the badgers flee, Pebblepaw attempts to rouse her mentor, but Waspwhisker reveals he's already dead. Pebblepaw is stricken with grief, and Blossomheart wonders out loud what they're going to tell Leafstar. Waspwhisker responds they'll tell the Clan Billystorm died a warrior's death.


 * The remaining cats sit vigil for Billystorm. Hawkwing suggests to bury Billystorm before they leave to make camp away from the badgers, but Pebblepaw wants to bury with his Clanmates back at camp. Waspwhisker gently disagrees, stating his body will only attract more predators, and the group is currently too weak to defend themselves. Pebblepaw silently agrees, and the four cats respectfully bury their lost comrade. Hawkwing notices that Pebblepaw blames herself for Billystorm's death because she left him to help Blossomheart and Hawkwing.


 * After, Waspwhisker wants to move on and find the Clans in Billystorm's memory. However, Pebblepaw argues continuing the quest would be disrespectful to her mentor's memory. Waspwhisker points out that is what Billystorm would've wanted. Hawkwing replies that Billystorm would've wanted them to survive, and going home is the only option to ensure that. Waspwhisker concedes, and the journeying cats begin the quest home. On the way home, Hawkwing wonders if Darktail deliberately wanted them to run into the badgers, causing Billystorm's death.


 * As the SkyClan cats journey closer to home, Hawkwing realizes the pain of telling Billystorm's death to their Clanmates grew sharper with each step home. He recalls how Leafstar changed SkyClan's warrior code so she could have a family with Billystorm. The group runs into a patrol, and Nettlesplash asks where Billystorm is. Waspwhisker avoids the question and asks to speak to Leafstar. When they finally gain an audience with Leafstar, who's already struggling to deal with the death of Honeytail from raccoons while the cats were gone, Hawkwing reveals the death of her mate. Leafstar is frozen from shock as Hawkwing explains he died the death of a brave warrior. He notes that his leader was summoning every scrap of self-control, but could clearly see how much pain she's in. The news of Billystorm's death spreads quickly; the entire Clan grieves for the lost warrior, and Firefern, Stormheart, and Harrybrook are seen huddling together in comfort.


 * During a meeting, Hawkwing insists Darktail knew about the badgers and wanted Billystorm killed. He argues this to the rest of the Clan and to Darktail, who insists it was an honest mistake. Sandynose replies that Billystorm's death was down to fate. Hawkwing argues against this, sputtering how it could be fate for Billystorm to be killed by badgers. He silently wishes he never found Darktail so Billystorm would still be alive.


 * When Hawkwing and Sharpclaw get into an argument about the former's maturity, Hawkwing retorts that he survived a quest that Billystorm couldn't, striking a nerve within Leafstar. Hawkwing later regrets he brought up the deceased warrior, thinking that it was too cruel to Leafstar to mention her dead mate. Hawkwing continues to blame Billystorm's death on Darktail, and rants about this to Echosong.


 * Later, Darktail apologizes to Hawkwing about Billystorm. He tells Hawkwing that he didn't mean for any cat to suffer. Hawkwing angrily believes Darktail doesn't understand how much Billystorm meant to the Clan.


 * When the second quest returns empty-pawed, Mistfeather brings up Billystorm's death again, stating they haven't gained anything from these quests but lose Billystorm. Leafstar is once again struggling with the mention of her deceased mate, and orders Mistfeather to stop.


 * Leafstar mentions Billystorm during Pebblepaw's warrior ceremony; she recounts how her first mentor was killed by badgers and Sandynose, Billystorm's replacement, was lost. He is mentioned again when Hawkwing realizes that Harrybrook is the only remaining kit of Leafstar and Billystorm.

The Rescue

 * Billystorm is seen sitting protectively by Leafstar, and Leafstar remarks that she wouldn't be where she is today without his help. While the Clan runs smoothly and the patrols carry on, Billystorm tells Leafstar that she's done an amazing thing. Leafstar modestly dismisses this compliment, but Billystorm says that she's united the Clan. The Clan is only a few seasons old, and its future looks secure at last. When Leafstar goes to hunt a bird, Echosong is filled with concern about her kits. She then frantically asks Billystorm why he didn't stop her. Billystorm replies that no cat can stop Leafstar.


 * When Leafstar has a dream about being torn between her kits and the Clan, she wakes up frantically, and Billystorm greets her and asks if she's had a bad dream. Leafstar says that he's early, and Billystorm replies that he wanted to see how she was doing, and that his instincts were right. Leafstar says she's fine, and asks if his Twolegs will be worried. Billystorm answers that they think he's enjoying the newleaf sunshine. He then brings the subject back, saying that she does look tired. She once again replies that she's fine. Sharpclaw then arrives asking if she'll join a patrol, and she declines, saying that Billystorm should go.


 * Leafstar and Echosong are collecting herbs for the Clan when Billystorm quickly arrives, apologizing about being late in getting to the gorge. His housefolk had shut him in and he had to wriggle out of a window. Leafstar jokes that she thought he looked a little squeezed. However, Billystorm still looks frantic, and asks why she's up there, possibly looking for him. Echosong says that if something were wrong with Leafstar, she'd hardly go to Twolegplace to tell him. He asks to make sure that they would send someone, and Leafstar reassures him.


 * As Leafstar runs back from Twolegplace, pain starts to arrive from the beginning of her kitting. Billystorm comes, worriedly asking if she's all right. She snaps back that she's not and that something's wrong. Clovertail calmly says that her kitting is about to begin, and Billystorm helps carry her into the medicine den. He is depicted pacing around the nursery in anxiety. Echosong finally comes out and announces that he is a father to two she-cats and one tom. Leafstar invites him to come and see, and says that she hasn't named them yet. He replies that their names will come once they get to know them. When he sees them, he whispers that they're beautiful. However, not long after that, an elderly Twoleg woman takes his mate and kits. As she is being carried away, she tells Billystorm to tell Nettlesplash, as he'll know where the Twoleg lives.


 * Leafstar starts to feel guilty about naming the kits without Billystorm. Finally one day, Sharpclaw and a patrol arrive to save her. They peek in through the window, and Billystorm asks if she and the kits are all right. She says that they're fine, but they need to get out. Billystorm says that they're coming up with a plan to get her out of there. He and the patrol make noises at the door and the Twoleg brings a bowl of milk. Billystorm tries to sneak in, but the Twoleg stops him, saying Leafstar needs peace and quiet. All attempts fail, so the Clan goes back.


 * The second patrol arrives later and Harry and Nettlesplash help save the kits. They run to the other clearing where Billystorm carries one of the kits back to the camp. Billystorm stays the whole night for Leafstar's comfort even though he can't do that very often. After a Clan meeting, Leafstar tells Billystorm that she thought of some names for their kits: Firekit, Stormkit, and Harrykit. Billystorm replies that he does like those. Just then, Harry arrives to ask if he can be admitted into a Clan when Billystorm adds that he must train to be a warrior, learn to hunt, guard borders, and be willing to give up his life. Harry agrees, and admits that his real name is Sol. Billystorm is seen walking away from him warily.

Beyond the Code

 * Billystorm is first seen when the daylight-warriors and full-time warriors are arguing. Leafstar is trying to break them up, but then Harrykit hurts his nose. Billystorm tries to help Harrykit, but doesn't know what to do. After a few moments Sharpclaw tells Leafstar to tend to her kit, and he'll take over.


 * Billystorm and Ebonyclaw offer to go hunting, but do not take any prey themselves. This pleases both Leafstar and Sharpclaw.


 * Billystorm and Leafstar discuss things about Sol. After the talk, Billystorm agrees with her to train Sol the ways of a warrior. That night after the Gathering, he decides to spend the night in the gorge in Leafstar's den with her and their kits. It is raining heavily. After a while Sharpclaw tells them they need to evacuate the lower dens, as the water is rising, and things go the wrong way as water bursts into the gorge, flooding it. Everyone gets to safety, but as soon as the water drains away Cherrytail finds Lichenfur's soaked body.

After the Flood

 * Billystorm arrives at camp after spending the night at his Twoleg nest. He and Leafstar are upset as they look at the wrecked camp and he decides to go fix the worst bits. He, Harveymoon, and Shrewtooth find some silverthorn and Harveymoon is glad they found it before someone stumbled into it. Billystorm agrees and says it is deadly. He and Leafstar get rid of the silverthorn and Stormkit comments it looks nasty. Billystorm tells his kits to stay away from it and is very serious about it. He then asks Leafstar if it will be safe for the kits to play in the gorge and she assures him they'll be fine.


 * When Leafstar sees the kits playing with moss, she asks them if they're stalking it like a mouse, but Firekit tells her they're pretending Billystorm's housefolk gave it to them which surprises her. Harrykit also says that Billystorm told them they can live with him in his Twoleg nest which makes Leafstar get very angry with her mate. She then drives him out of camp and everyone is shocked as they watch him leave. As she drives him out, she calls him by his kittypet name, "Billy."


 * Leafstar thinks Billystorm took the kits when they go missing, but when she goes to his Twoleg nest and takes him up onto the roof for a talk, she tells Sharpclaw he doesn't have the kits and Billystorm asks her if they're missing and she tells him they've been missing since the afternoon. After a short argument, Billystorm returns to his Twoleg nest.


 * In the morning, Leafstar, Billystorm, and Echosong go searching for the kits. When Leafstar apologizes to him, he asks her if he said he would blame her and she says he didn't, but he said the kits wouldn't be safe in the gorge and she tells him he was right about that. Billystorm says the kits probably went looking for him because he stopped coming to camp and blames himself for it, but Leafstar tells him it's her fault.


 * When rogues attack the camp, he helps Leafstar and Echosong down the gorge and they start to fight the aggressive rogues. During the fight, he is attacking two cats. Eventually, they drive out the rogues.


 * As Leafstar is about to banish Sol, Billystorm tells him he's going far away and never coming back, but Sol snaps at him that he makes him sick. Sol calls Billystorm pathetic, and belittles the daylight warrior. Upon hearing this, Billystorm's attitude changes, and he announces the SkyClan cats present that he is staying in SkyClan, a daylight warrior no longer. Leafstar is shocked at this decision and questions him, but he insists. When Sol leaves, Billystorm is worried he'll appear at the camp, but Leafstar tells him to let him try.

The Ultimate Guide

 * Billystorm is mentioned very briefly to have been Leafstar's mate and had decided to stay in the gorge once he saw how much his family meant to him.

Ravenpaw's Farewell

 * Billystorm now has a new apprentice, Pebblepaw. Echosong mentions that Hawkpaw is very committed as long as he is kept away from Billystorm's apprentice. Ravenpaw goes to talk to Leafstar and is introduced to Billystorm. Ravenpaw says they cannot let kittypets rush into their camp and Billystorm snaps they are hardly welcoming them. Leafstar calls for a Clan meeting and Ravenpaw walks from behind Billystorm and Sharpclaw. When the Clan waits for the kittypets to invade, Billystorm is crouched in the grass beside his apprentice. He unsheathed his claws and gathers his haunches as the kittypets approach, getting ready to spring.