Rootpaw/Main article

Rootpaw is a yellow tom with blue eyes.

Lost Stars

 * Rootkit is a SkyClan kit, born to Violetshine and Tree alongside his sister, Needlekit. Leafstar calls a Clan meeting to make him and Needlekit apprentices, and Rootkit thinks that he wants to be the best warrior he can be. He is named Rootpaw, with Dewspring as his mentor. However, the young apprentice is sensitive about the strange behavior of his father, Tree, which the two apprentices Kitepaw and Turtlepaw pick up on after the ceremony, and tease him about.


 * Rootpaw admits to Tree that he was embarrassed because his father had insisted that the spirits of Wrenkit's dead siblings were still watching over the young kit, annoying the rest of the Clan. Tree defends himself, but Rootpaw remains frustrated with the mediator.


 * Two days later, Rootpaw has battle training with Dewspring and the other apprentices. He struggles with a battle move that Needlepaw seems to get right away, causing him to become embarrassed yet again, though his sister comforts him. Turtlepaw offers advice, but Kitepaw suggests that Rootpaw is not cut out for warrior life like his strange father. Rootpaw threatens the reddish-brown tom, and Turtlepaw reminds them that they'll get in trouble for fighting, though it's not likely that Rootpaw would win. This causes Rootpaw to snap, and he lunges unsuccessfully at the tortoiseshell she-cat. The older apprentices continue to taunt him, but Rootpaw insists he'll become a strong warrior.
 * Kitepaw suggests that to prove himself, Rootpaw should help them collect herbs by the lake, though Needlepaw urges her brother not to listen to the tricky apprentices. Rootpaw agrees to come along, though Kitepaw and Turtlepaw continue to tease him, and after one taunt too many, Rootpaw attacks them. However, they dodge, and Rootpaw falls into the lake. He is rescued by a ThunderClan apprentice, Bristlepaw, and brought to the ThunderClan camp to recover.


 * Kept there for a few days, Rootpaw recovers, and grows to admire Bristlepaw. She advises he stay away from Kitepaw and Turtlepaw, and focus on his training. Rootpaw thinks she's very smart, but she just brushes it off as knowing enough to keep away from those kinds of cats. A SkyClan patrol arrives soon after to take him home, and he hears his father, much to his chagrin. Rootpaw reflects on how he doesn't want to be like Tree, and how his father doesn't seem to even try to fit in. On the way back, he also mentally disagrees how Tree talks about the way of the warrior not being the only one, and who is really true to himself when his father lives under rules he doesn't really respect.


 * Waking up for a training session, his mentor explains that Turtlepaw and Kitepaw are being punished for their part in Rootpaw's almost drowning, and Rootpaw objects by saying it's his fault too. Dewspring says that they're older and should know better, and is he a bit disappointed in his apprentice for going along with them in the first place. Apologising, he goes along with his mentor to train.
 * After training, he catches a plump crow, and sets off to camp. On the way, he sees tree lay on the snow, walking prey to kill it. After seeing him do that, root paw decides his father is belongs in the clans after all.



Interesting facts

 * Rootpaw has loner blood through Tree and kittypet ancestry via his great-grandparents.
 * Rootpaw will receive his warrior name in book three of The Broken Code, and the choice for Rootpaw's warrior name will be in the hands of the fans. The choices are Rootspirit, Rootspring, Rootfall, and Rootwing.
 * Rootspring was the winning name.
 * Out of the Lost Stars main characters, Rootpaw is Cherith Baldry's favorite, citing his difficulties with his father and his potential to become "an outstanding cat."

Author Statements

 * Kate said the spirit suffix will suit him by the time he gets his warrior name.