Dappletail

Dappletail is a once-pretty, dappled tortoiseshell -and-white she-cat with an aged gray muzzle and a shiny, patchy, dappled coat.

Firestar's Quest

 * Dappletail helps to bring Willowpelt's body into the clearing for her vigil. She strokes her fur with one forepaw, expressing grief that such a young, loved cat has to go to StarClan so soon.


 * Before Firestar leaves to help rebuild SkyClan, he sees One-eye and Dappletail sitting together and whispering as they cast swift glances up at him.

Bluestar's Prophecy

 * Dapplepaw makes her first appearance when she hears Patchkit and Leopardkit outside of the apprentice den with Bluekit and Snowkit. Dapplepaw comments about some of the other cats do hunting crouches. She also comments on how Whitepaw is annoyed about cleaning out the nursery because the kits can't keep a clean nest and to remember to show the kits the dirtplace. When Bluekit tells her that she and her sister will be able to now, she replies saying she will tell Whitepaw later, whiskers twitching with amusement.


 * She is confused when Patchkit brings up to her that she made a promise to take them to the sandy hollow. She objects, telling him that she would only take him and his sister as far as the ravine. They are all seen leaving together. She and Whitepaw are seen play-fighting a lot, especially when they are fighting over a good seat on the tree stump to listen to Patchkit and Leopardkit's apprentice ceremony. Once when the two are fighting, she teases Whitepaw about how Patchkit can do better than Whitepaw.


 * Dapplepaw is later shown as a warrior under the name Dappletail, still being White-eye's best friend. It is also mentioned that since she received her warrior name, she often acts as if she is deputy or leader. When Goosefeather interprets danger from WindClan, she is one of the cats eager to fight. She receives pointers from Stormtail before the fight, during which he comes to her defense and aids her when she is injured. Throughout the rest of the book, Dappletail and Stormtail are usually seen together, suggesting that Stormtail may like Dappletail more than Moonflower.

Into the Wild

 * Dappletail is first seen when Graypaw takes Firepaw on a tour of camp. When they come to the elders den, Firepaw meets Dappletail along with the other elders. Smallear then wonders out loud when Bluestar will choose a new deputy. Dappletail, along with One-eye, remembers the season many moons ago when Bluestar had her kits.
 * She is later seen at a Gathering along with One-eye and Smallear, but they go off to talk to other elders from other Clans.

Fire and Ice

 * When ThunderClan is discussing the Gathering back at their camp, Willowpelt asks why ShadowClan and RiverClan would want WindClan's hunting grounds when they have plenty of territory of their own. Dappletail and Frostfur then point out that some RiverClan elders at the Gathering spoke of Twolegs taking over part of their river and scaring the fish away.

Forest of Secrets

 * While Cloudkit is tending to the elders, Dappletail tells Fireheart that he is doing a great job and is very efficient. Later, Yellowfang tells Fireheart that Smallear told her that he had aching joints because of the damp bedding Cloudkit was bringing in. When Fireheart goes to ask the elders about it, Dappletail defends Cloudkit by saying that Smallear complains all the time, and by pointing out that Cloudkit was only a kit. Fireheart was surprised that Cloudkit had managed to win the elder's sympathy.


 * Later, when Cloudpaw is made an apprentice, it is noted that the elders are the first to congratulate the new apprentice.

Rising Storm

 * Dappletail discusses with the other elders about what StarClan will think of ThunderClan after Tigerclaw turns against them and Fireheart is named deputy after moonhigh.


 * She is later seen with One-eye padding away from the nursery; they were seeing Willowpelt's new kits, and their eyes are soft with affection. Fireheart later sees her sitting with Smallear and One-eye near the fallen oak, sharing tongues.

A Dangerous Path

 * She tells Speckletail that Snowkit is deaf, but Speckletail stays in denial. She tells Fireheart about her first litter; one of her kits was white with blue eyes, and he was born deaf. He had disappeared at three moons, and they thought a fox must have gotten him.


 * Lostface is later seen grooming her for ticks. When Fireheart later realizes that the dog pack will be coming to the camp, he tells the Clan they must evacuate the camp. Dappletail asks where they should go, and he replies that they will go to Sunningrocks.

The Darkest Hour

 * Dappletail is seen flanking Speckletail along with Smallear when they return to the camp after the dogs are gone. She approaches the Highrock with them, and Frostfur, to share tongues with Bluestar for the last time.


 * She welcomes Firestar when he visits the elders' den, telling him that he is always welcome after Smallear complains of getting no sleep. Firestar later tells Speckletail that she must stay and take care of the other elders and kits during the battle of BloodClan, and mentions that Dappletail's getting very frail.

Midnight

 * She is mentioned to be the oldest cat in ThunderClan after One-eye dies. However, Speckletail might have been older than her in Bluestar's Prophecy, as she was a young warrior when she was only an apprentice; however, this might only mean she trained longer. Brambleclaw sees her curled up asleep as he enters the elders' den to help Squirrelpaw.


 * Cinderpelt later instructs Leafpaw to take a poppy seed to Dappletail, as her teeth are aching very badly and she's having trouble sleeping. Squirrelpaw later mentions to Brambleclaw that Dappletail wants a vole to eat.

Moonrise

 * During the prey famine, Dappletail starts to lose her mind with starvation and begins to eat a rabbit that has been poisoned by Twolegs, even after being told by Leafpaw that it is not safe to eat. She snarls at Firestar when he pushes her gently away from it. Soon after, she has a severe bellyache and dies after she does not respond to Cinderpelt's herbs.

Starlight

 * Dappletail appears as a StarClan warrior when Leafpaw discovers the Moonpool. It is said that she has returned to her calm and gentle state, compared to her personality in Moonrise. This hints that she now lives in peace in StarClan. It also mentions her as a pretty tortoiseshell, which means that she may have became young again in StarClan.

Secrets of the Clans

 * Dappletail gets annoyed when Sandstorm looks in the elders' den during the tour of the old ThunderClan camp. Sandstorm asks her, "Don't you have an apprentice to torment?" and leaves.

Code of the Clans

 * Dappletail is seen as a young warrior with her friend White-eye. They try to steal fish from RiverClan, and White-eye falls in the water. Dappletail jumps in to save her until Hailstar, the RiverClan leader, rescues her. Pinestar, the ThunderClan leader, and a patrol arrive and suggest that Hailstar ask her and White-eye to eat the fish. The two try the fish, saying that it's disgusting and realize that ThunderClan cats should only eat ThunderClan prey. They then leave fishing to RiverClan.

Trivia

 * Erin Hunter has confirmed that Stormtail and Dappletail didn't have any kits together.

Members
Kits:
 * Unidentified Kits: Status Unknown