Oakheart

Oakheart is a large, sleek, muscular, hefty, dark reddish brown tom with a broad head, broad shoulders, a thick tail, slick, glossy fur, a well-muscled frame, massive front paws, and clear amber eyes.

Crookedstar's Promise

 * While RiverClan is evacuating their camp due to flooding, Rainflower begins to give birth. Brambleberry, the medicine cat, hurries her into a tree, where she gives birth to two toms. One she names Stormkit because of the storm he was born in, and the other Oakkit, because of the oak she had sheltered in.


 * One moon later, while Stormkit is climbing the limb of a fallen tree, Oakkit warns him to be careful.


 * When ThunderClan invades Sunningrocks, Oakkit and Stormkit sneak out of camp to watch the RiverClan warriors negotiate with the four ThunderClan cats on Sunningrocks. Oakkit and Stormkit sneak out to Sunningrocks again later. They see Goosefeather gathering herbs, and attempt to sneak up on him. Goosefeather turns on them, though, and chases them to the stepping stones. Oakkit gets across safely, but Stormkit slips, and breaks his jaw on the rocks.


 * Oakkit often keeps Stormkit company when he is recovering in Brambleberry's den. At Rainflower's request, Hailstar renames Stormkit to Crookedkit. Also, Oakkit is made an apprentice, Oakpaw, though Crookedkit isn't. Shellheart is made his mentor, which is very unusual, as parents usually aren't allowed to train their own kits. Rainflower says that she had asked Hailstar to do this, because she wanted the best warrior to mentor her kit.


 * When Crookedkit returns to RiverClan from living with loners, Oakpaw and Shellheart greet him. Oakpaw goes on a patrol with Owlfur, Shellheart, and Softwing, the other cats on the patrol, and when they return, tell Hailstar that Oakpaw saved the rest of the patrol from a dog. As a reward, Hailstar makes him a warrior, Oakheart. He notes his qualities of courage and quick wit.


 * Oakheart is chosen to help reclaim Sunningrocks. Hailstar calls for a gathering in which war against ThunderClan is waged. Before the battle, Oakheart is asked by Rainflower to keep an eye on Crookedpaw. He wishes his brother good luck in the battle.


 * After Crookedpaw comes up with a plan to scare away a troublesome dog, Oakheart is in the attack patrol. He tells Crookedpaw that it was a good plan as they run after Hailstar. When Crookedpaw lures the dog past his Clanmates and it flees, he leads the charge after it, driving it back towards it's home.


 * After the incident with the dog, he teases his brother about Willowpaw, and asks if he likes her. When Crookedpaw tells him she's just a denmate, he doesn't seem convinced.


 * Oakheart is the one to fetch Crookedpaw and Willowpaw back to camp, saying that Hailstar wanted everyone there. After the announcement that RiverClan would take Sunningrocks back, Crookedpaw recieves his warrior name, Crookedjaw. Oakheart runs up to his brother afterwards and congratulates him, then says it's Rainflower's loss if she can't be proud of him.


 * At a leaf-fall Gathering, Crookedjaw asks him why she-cats wait until the last minute to move into the nursery. He shrugs and says he'd think they'd like having everything done for them. When Rainflower says that maybe they enjoy helping their Clan, he sniffs and says he was glad he didn't have to sleep in the nursery, since Frogkit and Sunkit were being loud.


 * He watches the old cats, saying they'd talk the night away if they could. He then asks his brother how it feels to be a warrior instead of an apprentice at the Gathering, and is then led away by his mother to meet Talltail, saying he'd be WindClan's leader one day.


 * When arguing starts over cats being accused of crossing scent lines, he says that ThunderClan were always a bunch of kittypet friends. As Crookedjaw asks if Pinestar knew they were going to take back Sunningrocks, he replies that he was acting strange, but wonders how he could know. He asks what Bluefur said, and if he felt weird talking to her when they were planning an attack, saying that he kind of felt sorry for her.


 * When Shimmerpelt is kitting, Crookedjaw turns to him and suggests they start collecting bulrushes for a training wall for the kits. Oakheart purrs and says it's a bit early to do that.


 * After the kitting, he washes his paws. He asks his brother if he was okay and tells him to stop fidgeting when he says he is. When they wake up, Oakheart asks why he was so cheerful, and if he had been dreaming about Willowpaw, getting his nose flicked by Crookedjaw's tail as he passes.


 * He is in his brother's patrol, checking the Twoleg bridge for WindClan scent. He says they shouldn't ruin Whitefang's dream when Crookedjaw asks if they should wake him up, then asks what the mission was. When Graypaw asks if they could fish, he tells her she could if she wanted to carry it for the rest of the morning.
 * As they check the bridge, he starts growling, seeing Twolegs right by Graypaw, who was on the other side. The patrol manages to escape from the Twoleg kits.


 * Half a moon later, he is seen leaping down from the willow tree. He says it's never too hot to talk about battles, and that Hailstar had said claw-moon, and glances up at the sky. When Crookedjaw says he'd rather be taught to swim by a snake than by Beetlenose, Oakheart doesn't answer, saying that he bet Hailstar was going to announce the retaking of Sunningrocks. He is chosen to be part of the patrol that would re-mark the Sunningrocks border. When Crookedjaw tries to appease Beetlenose, he purrs and says that they must fight as a Clan.


 * Two days later, as he is guarding Sunningrocks, he remarks that it is surprising that ThunderClan hadn't tried to fight for the rocks yet, and that they'll be able to bring the elders soon. As a ThunderClan border patrol passes, he bounds down off the rocks and peers at the patrol, turning away after Bluefur hisses at him viciously. When Whitefang asks if he saw anything, he says it was just a nosy young warrior. Crookedjaw asks if it was Bluefur, and says that he seemed really interested in finding out about her. Oakheart tells his brother that he wasn't the one who mooned over she-cats. The two tussle for a moment, before Fallowtail scolds them.


 * When Hailstar leads a patrol to claim more of ThunderClan's territory, he goes on his brother's patrol to check the bridge and fence. He tastes the air, and when Crookedjaw asks him if he can see a cat, he asks if he thinks Twolegs were taking their kittypets out with them. When Crookedjaw says it's a warrior, he still can't see it. Oakheart purrs that he thinks he should get Brambleberry to check his eyes, and that Beetlenose would be mad since he was collecting herbs and had missed two patrols.


 * When the adult Twoleg sees the cats, he hides behind a rock. When Willowbreeze is captured, he asks what they should do. He tells the cats that they couldn't rescue her then, as there were too many Twolegs.


 * He is called over by his brother who is trying to reassure the kits that Twolegs won't invade the camp. He tells the kits that they rarely go beyond the marsh meadow. He tells Crookedjaw that he's leaving when his brother proposes they could stalk Oakheart, and leaves with Petaldust and Whitefang.


 * He is found near the alders after Petaldust, Whitefang, and Crookedjaw deal with another dog. Whitefang tells Crookedjaw that Oakheart thought he had seen ThunderClan cats by Sunningrocks. His pelt is wet, and he looks startled when he is found. Crookedjaw asks what happened and if it was Bluefur, and he replies that it wasn't worth mentioning, admitting it was her. He is reminded of the patrol, and dashes away to get back to them.


 * As Shellheart is organising patrols, he is asked to come on a hunting patrol with Mudfur, Petaldust, and Crookedjaw. He delivers a fish to the nursery before they go. He teases Petaldust when she falls into the river after catching a huge pike. He wonders where ThunderClan are, and says there was usually a warrior or two yowling at them. When Crookedjaw says they might be mourning Snowfur, he asks why he didn't mention it, and how she died. Oakheart then says he feels sorry for Bluefur.


 * A quarter moon later, he is at another Gathering. Hailstar asks where he is, saying he wanted him to tell the Gathering about the pelt-dens. Crookedjaw points him out. After Hailstar tells the cats RiverClan's news, Oakheart bounds up onto the Great Rock, to the surprise of many. He tells the Clans about the pelt-dens, and Crookedjaw admits to himself that he does look like a leader on the rock.


 * Oakheart receives his first apprentice, Loudpaw, who is later made a warrior, Loudbelly. Afterwards, when he brings Stonekit and Mistykit to the Clan, he does all the hunting for them. It is revealed by Mapleshade that they are Oakheart and Bluefur's kits. Crookedstar is upset but, Mistykit and Stonekit are his kin, and thus he would not throw them out of the Clan. When he is confronted by this from Crookedstar, there is a challenging hint in his voice telling Crookedstar he would defend his kits if his leader decided to throw them out.


 * When Crookedstar is hunting with Loudbelly and Piketooth, Crookedstar wishes Oakheart was with them, saying he was fast and light enough on his paws to cross the snow without breaking the frosty crust. He says that Oakheart was resting, after a vicious battle with Thistleclaw three moons ago that had left him with a wrenched leg.


 * After Willowbreeze and two of Crookedstar's kits die, Oakheart stands up to Crookedstar and tells him he is acting like Rainflower. They begin to fight until Silverkit tells Sunfish that they are fighting. Oakheart then nudges Crookedstar forward to introduce himself.


 * In the manga at the end of the book, Crookedstar mentions that he misses Oakheart, and wishes his brother could be present to see RiverClan as peaceful as it is.

Bluestar's Prophecy

 * In the prologue, Bluestar is drowning in the gorge after one of the dogs from the dog pack pulls her in. She hears Oakheart's spirit guiding her while she was swimming, and he tells her that their kits were waiting for her.


 * At a Gathering, Hailstar announces him as a new warrior, Oakheart. His brother, Crookedpaw, tells a ThunderClan apprentice called Bluepaw that they are littermates.


 * Later on, Bluefur is with a ThunderClan patrol and the RiverClan warriors are sunning themselves on Sunningrocks. Oakheart goes to investigate and the two lock gazes. Bluefur snarls at him but finds she is drawn to his gaze. Sunfall, the ThunderClan deputy, tells Bluefur to come back, but she can't turn her eyes away. Oakheart finally breaks eye contact and walks away.


 * Oakheart is chased off ThunderClan territory by Bluefur when he is sunning himself on Sunningrocks. Bluefur spits insults at him and attacks, causing Oakheart to throw Bluefur into the river. He tells her to stand up when she appears to be drowning in one of the shallowest parts of the river.


 * Bluefur catches a bird, and Oakheart compliments her from his side of the river. She is crossed and asks if he was spying, and he teases that he can patrol his own border.


 * When ThunderClan takes a patrol to RiverClan to ask for Sunningrocks back, Oakheart tells Bluefur to meet him the next day at moonhigh at Fourtrees. At Fourtrees, Bluefur and Oakheart meet. There, after standing in the cold for a bit, Bluefur challenges Oakheart to a race to the top of one the four oaks. Oakheart then reveals he can't climb, and Bluefur shows him how to climb trees. They climb up one of the oak trees. Once at the top, Oakheart vows to teach Bluefur how to swim. Bluefur has no interest, for she fears the water because of Goosefeather's prophecy. Oakheart and Bluefur then build a nest in one of the roots of the great oaks and they fall asleep together. Bluefur soon becomes pregnant with their kits, Mosskit, Mistykit, and Stonekit.


 * In a meeting at the border, Oakheart tries to convince Bluefur to join RiverClan, or let him join ThunderClan. Bluefur refuses both and insists on raising the kits as pure ThunderClan. When Tawnyspots, the ThunderClan deputy, becomes ill, Bluefur makes a heartbreaking choice and gives the kits to Oakheart to raise as she doesn't want the bloodthirsty Thistleclaw to be deputy. On the journey to RiverClan in the middle of a snow storm, Mosskit dies of frostbite. Snowfur comes and leads Mosskit away to StarClan.


 * Bluefur can tell that Oakheart doesn't understand why she is giving up the kits, but that he agrees to take them all the same. She then takes the kits to Sunningrocks for Oakheart to take them to RiverClan. When doing so, Mosskit freezes in the snow and Bluefur buries her, taking Mistykit and Stonekit to him. Oakheart takes the kits to RiverClan, and the two never speak to each other again after this meeting, fearing some cat would put some connections to two strays found in RiverClan to Bluefur's lost kits, though his former mate admits to herself that she never stopped loving him or their kits.

Yellowfang's Secret

 * Oakheart is present at Yellowpaw's second Gathering. She asks who the two strange, sleek cats were, to which Brackenfoot replies that they are Oakheart and Timberfur of RiverClan.

Into the Wild

 * In the prologue, Oakheart, now the deputy of RiverClan, leads RiverClan into battle against ThunderClan at Sunningrocks. He is challenged by the ThunderClan warrior, Tigerclaw. Tigerclaw tells him to get off ThunderClan territory. Oakheart then replies that Sunningrocks belongs to RiverClan now. During the battle, the ThunderClan deputy, Redtail realizes that ThunderClan can not match RiverClan's number of warriors, and he orders ThunderClan to retreat. Oakheart then yells a battle cry signaling that RiverClan has won Sunningrocks.


 * Later, when a ThunderClan apprentice, Ravenpaw, returns from the second battle at Sunningrocks, he says that Oakheart was leading a party of RiverClan warriors toward Sunningrocks. Ravenpaw said that Tigerclaw told Oakheart to back down, but Oakheart said that RiverClan had to be fed. When Tigerclaw returns, he said that Oakheart killed Redtail, but he was able to avenge Redtail's death by killing Oakheart. Afterwards, the ThunderClan apprentice, Graypaw, remarks that Oakheart was one of the greatest warriors in the forest.


 * At a Gathering, a ThunderClan apprentice, Firepaw, listens to Tigerclaw talk about the battle at Sunningrocks, but he doesn't mention Oakheart's death. Firepaw assumes it is so he doesn't offend RiverClan warriors. But when Ravenpaw tells the story at the same Gathering, he says that Redtail raced past him yelling, "Oakheart is dead!" Firepaw is then confused, because he thought that Oakheart killed Redtail and Tigerclaw then killed Oakheart. But according to Ravenpaw, Redtail killed Oakheart.


 * Later, Ravenpaw confirms that the falling rocks killed Oakheart, not Redtail.

Forest of Secrets

 * In the prologue, Oakheart is seen with his fur fluffed against the cold by the river, emerging from the reeds. Irritably shaking the snow from his paws as he sinks into the snow drifts, Oakheart continues with two unknown kits in front of him. Every time they attempt to stop, he nudges them on. As the three cats move forward, the river widens out and they arrived at a small island near the bank. Oakheart meows in encouragement that they were almost there, to the kits. Sliding down the bank into a narrow pathway, Oakheart continues on through the reeds and leaps onto the dry earth of the island. The biggest kit scrambles to follow him as the smaller kit collapses on the ice and remains there, pitifully mewing. Pausing for a moment, Oakheart jumps down beside the kit and attempts to nudge it to its paws. Too exhausted to move, the kit's ears are licked by Oakheart to comfort it. Proceeding to pick the helpless scrap up, Oakheart carries it onto the island.


 * As bright eyes watch Oakheart from shelter, he leads the way to a large clump of bushes, which is the nursery. As Oakheart draws closer, a she-cat suckling a kit raises her head. Oakheart sets down the kit and the other one staggers into the shelter from behind him. Oakheart is asked by the queen what he has brought, in which he replies that they were kits who needed a mother to look after them. Eyes shocked, Graypool asks who the kits belonged to, knowing they didn't belong in RiverClan. She also asks where Oakheart found the kits. Not meeting the eyes of Graypool as he speaks, Oakheart claims that he found them in the forest and says that the kits were lucky that a fox had not found them first. Graypool rasps with disbelief, telling Oakheart not to talk to her as if she is mouse-brained. She demands what cat would abandon kits in the forest, especially in the current weather. Oakheart shrugs, suggesting that rogues or Twolegs would. Nosing the small kit, Oakheart says that he couldn't just leave them there. He pleads for Graypool to care for the kits, as her other kits died and the ones he brought will unless she helped them. Graypool murmurs that she will take care of them, then.


 * Puffing his chest out in a sigh of relief, Oakheart picks up the first kit and then the next, laying them next to Graypool. When the kits were settled, Graypool meows that she didn't understand, asking why two kits would be alone in the forest, noting that their mother must be frantic. Oakheart prods a piece of moss with his paw, telling Graypool that he didn't steal them. Graypool looks at Oakheart for a while before admitting that she didn't think he did, but adds that Oakheart wasn't telling her the whole truth. Oakheart says that he has told her all that she has needed to know, but Graypool snaps that he hasn't, demanding how the mother of the kits would feel. Lifting his head, growling, Oakheart says that the mother was probably a rogue cat and the weather wasn't good to be looking for her. Attempting to protest, Graypool is cut off as Oakheart speaks, springing to his paws, leaving the nursery. He promises Graypool that he will bring her some fresh-kill over his shoulder as he exits. As Graypool begins to wash the kits, she suddenly identifies the scent of the kits, noting that Oakheart refused to explain their origins.


 * Fireheart and Graystripe visit Ravenpaw so he can tell them the story of Sunningrocks again. Ravenpaw tells them that when Redtail attacked a RiverClan warrior and also Oakheart's son, Stonefur, Oakheart came out of nowhere and said that no ThunderClan warrior would harm Stonefur. Ravenpaw then says that Redtail sprung on Oakheart, knocking them both off of a cliff, under an overhang, and then a rock collapsed on top of them. Then Redtail came and yowled that Oakheart was dead. Ravenpaw tells them that Oakheart was killed by a rock slide, not Redtail.


 * Later, Fireheart goes over to RiverClan to talk to Oakheart's daughter, Mistyfoot, who confirms that Oakheart was killed by a rock slide, but has no idea why Oakheart said that Stonefur would not be harmed. When he goes over the second time to RiverClan, Mistyfoot brings Graypool. Graypool then reveals to Fireheart that Mistyfoot and Stonefur came from ThunderClan, but that is all she knows.


 * After Bluestar discovers that Fireheart had been going to RiverClan she then confirms that Mistyfoot and Stonefur both came from ThunderClan. She also reveals that they were her kits, and Oakheart was the father. She tells the whole story of how she and Oakheart met and when she gave up her kits, so she could become deputy, instead of the bloodthirsty Thistleclaw.

A Dangerous Path

 * Although he doesn't formally appear, as Bluestar dies, she asks if Oakheart is coming for her. This signals that she is ready to join StarClan.

Midnight

 * Oakheart chooses the RiverClan representative to go on the great journey to meet Midnight. Despite Bluestar's challenge of his choice, he chooses Feathertail, and appears to her in a dream to tell her of her duty. In turn, he challenges and jokes at his mate's choice, but not in an offending tone. When Bluestar challenges him, he asks if she was not well mentored. This was because Feathertail's mentor was Mistyfoot, Bluestar and Oakheart's daughter.

Starlight

 * Oakheart is briefly seen at the beginning of the book at the Moonpool. When Bluestar is worried about trouble in the Clans he tells her that they're not kits and they know how to defend themselves against foxes, badgers, and Twolegs.

Night Whispers

 * In the prologue, he appears in StarClan with Lionheart and Mudfur discussing the uprising Dark Forest.

Cats of the Clans

 * Rock mentions that Mosskit should be proud of Oakheart for raising Mistystar and Stonefur to be strong, respected warriors. When Rock talks about Crookedstar, he mentions that when he brought Mistystar and Stonefur to Riverclan, he came to Crookedstar with a tale of finding two kits lost in the snow. Oakheart gave his two kits to Graypool, one of the oldest queens in RiverClan. He knew she would recognize their scent, but he trusted her to keep quiet. Rock tells Mosskit that all three of his kits inherited Oakheart's strength and courage.

Battles of the Clans

 * He does not make an appearance, but Tigerstar mentions him when he is taking the reader on a tour of the old territories. At Sunningrocks, he points out the spot where he claims Redtail cornered Oakheart in a narrow gully and attacked him, then stepped back when he was dying.

Mistystar's Omen

 * At Mistyfoot's leader ceremony, Oakheart appears to his daughter and apologizes for not acting as a true father to her in life. He promises that they will walk together in StarClan one day and gives her a life for finding the courage to follow her heart.

Trivia

 * He has mistakenly been described with green eyes.
 * He has been described as tawny.
 * His mother was originally a she-cat named Lilystem. However, this was changed to prevent an inconsistency in a scene in the book.
 * He was once mistakenly called Oakpaw in Crookedstar's Promise even though he had already received his warrior name.
 * He has been described as fox-colored.
 * He has mistakenly been described as bracken-colored.
 * On Twitter, Kate Cary confirmed Bluestar and Oakheart are mates in StarClan, but that she and the rest of the Erin Hunter team never had time to point it out in the books.
 * He is mistakenly described as a dark brown tabby tom.
 * In Mistystar's Omen, Mistystar mentions that she did not know Oakheart to be her father until after Bluestar's death. However, in Forest of Secrets, long before Bluestar's death, Mistyfoot tells Fireheart that Oakheart is her father.

Members
Mate:
 * Bluestar:

Daughters:
 * Mistystar:
 * Mosskit:

Son:
 * Stonefur:

Father:
 * Shellheart:

Mother:
 * Rainflower:

Brother:
 * Crookedstar:

Granddaughters:
 * Primrosepaw:

Grandsons:
 * Reedwhisker:
 * Perchkit:

Grandkits:
 * Pikepaw:

Nieces:
 * Silverstream:
 * Willowkit:
 * Minnowkit:

Grandniece:
 * Feathertail:

Grandnephew:
 * Stormfur:

Great-Grandniece:
 * Lark That Sings at Dawn:

Great-Grandnephew:
 * Pine That Clings to Rock: