Reed Tail

Reed Tail is a silver tabby tom.

Moth Flight's Vision

 * Reed Tail is present at the Gathering where Moth Flight announces that the spirit-cats want the Clans to have medicine cats. Moth Flight mentions that the medicine cats will learn about herbs by sharing knowledge with those who already know about them, and Swift Minnow points out that her mate Reed Tail is one of those cats. The tom dips his head modestly, stating that he will be happy to share what little he knows about herbs with Moth Flight, who is to be WindClan's medicine cat.


 * Reed Tail and several other WindClan cats construct a special den for Moth Flight after she becomes their medicine cat. Reed Tail pokes his head into the den as Moth Flight is sorting herbs with Silver Stripe, Black Ear, and White Tail playing around her. Reed Tail asks if there is anything he can do to help, and Moth Flight suggests for him to look after Slate's kits. White Tail protests that he wants to stay in Moth Flight's den, but Reed Tail tells him that kits need fresh air and sunshine.


 * Black Ear and Silver Stripe ask Moth Flight what one herb is, and she tells them that it is horsetail, and is for curing twisted tails. Reed Tail contradicts the new medicine cat, informing the kits that the herb is chervil, and is good for treating bellyaches, though he blinks sympathetically at her. Silver Stripe suggests that Reed Tail should be the medicine cat instead of her, and after that comment the silver tabby tom sends the kits away, telling them to go find Swift Minnow.


 * After they leave, Moth Flight admits to Reed Tail that she thinks the kits may be right and that he should be medicine cat instead of her due to his herb knowledge. The silver tabby cat tells her that the spirit-cats chose her for a reason and that perhaps they want a cat as medicine cat that can do more than remember herbs, and he gently comforts her that she has only just started. Their conversation is interrupted by Holly's yowl, and Reed Tail realizes that the kits must be trying to sneak out of camp again. He races out of the den to get to them.


 * When Moth Flight goes out to fetch catmint for Rocky, and Black Ear begs to come along, Reed Tail comes out of the camp to fetch the kit, promising to take him out on the moor if he leaves Moth Flight alone. Moth Flight asks him if Swift Minnow is busy, but Reed Tail explains that she is tired from hunting. After Holly calls that there are mice on the prey pile the kits race back into the camp to get them, Reed Tail trudges after them, remarking that he hopes Slate with let him take them out of the camp because they have more energy than a nest of squirrels.


 * Reed Tail cares for Rocky and the rest of the Clan while Moth Flight goes to visit the other medicine cats in their camps in order to learn more about herbs, but Spotted Fur has to rush to ThunderClan's camp to fetch the white she-cat because Rocky had become ill. When Moth Flight returns to the WindClan camp, she finds Reed Tail and Swift Minnow tending to a weak, feverish Rocky, and Reed Tail explains that Rocky had taken a turn for the worst the previous night. Trying to treat Rocky, Moth Flight sends Swift Minnow to fetch soaked moss to cool him, and Reed Tail asks how he can help. Moth Flight tells him to go fetch moss with his mate. Reed Tail anxiously questions if he is needed here, but Moth Flight assures him that she and Micah, having learned a lot more, can handle the situation. Reed Tail nods and leaves after the gray-and-white she-cat.


 * Reed Tail assumes to role of temporary medicine cat for WindClan when Moth Flight goes to ShadowClan after Micah's death. As Reed Tail later admits to Moth Flight, he uses her medicine den while she is away, commenting that it felt like the best thing to do, as he is the medicine cat in her absence.


 * When Moth Flight does return, Rocky is overjoyed to see her, displeased with the temporary medicine cat's refusal to provide him with catmint for his sore throats. Reed Tail, overhearing, tells Rocky that the only reason why he gets sore throats was from snoring too loudly. Moth Flight thanks Reed Tail for taking care of the Clan while she was gone, apologizing for leaving the silver tabby responsible for everything. When Moth Flight begins to feel grief once more for Micah, Reed Tail comforts her, promising that she will feel at home again in no time.


 * A moon after Moth Flight's return, Reed Tail assists Moth Flight at sorting herbs, and he thanks Moth Flight for teaching him what she had learned from the other medicine cats. As Moth Flight's kits begin to come that morning, Reed Tail races to get someone to go and fetch Pebble Heart to assist with the kits' birth.


 * Wind Runner leaves behind Reed Tail, along with Eagle Feather, Fern Leaf, and Storm Pelt to guard the camp and protect Moth Flight's kits when the white she-cat attends a Gathering a few moons after her kits are born.


 * Reed Tail often hunts and patrols as well as helping Moth Flight with her duties, such as the morning after the Gathering. Reed Tail and Spotted Fur go out on the dawn patrol, and when they return, the two toms share prey and chat in the tall grass, relaxing after the patrol. After Blue Whisker injures herself trying to climb a rock that morning, Wind Runner, Reed Tail, and Spotted Fur all rush over to see if she is all right. Slate had been supposed to watch the kits, but she had closed her eyes, and after the accident Moth Flight tells her to go rest in her den. Reed Tail notices that Slate's tiredness, and asks what is wrong with her. Moth Flight replies that she thinks she has caught a chill, and Reed Tail offers to check on her. Moth Flight tells him to but also asks him to finish putting comfrey on Rocky so she can watch her kits, and Reed Tail pads away to do both.


 * Moth Flight, however, seeing that Reed Tail is still tending to Rocky, goes to check on Slate first, but Reed Tail slides in behind her. Reed Tail comments that her cough sounds bad, asking Moth Flight what it is, and Moth Flight replies that it is redcough. Reed Tail asks about using the sap, but Moth Flight replies that Slate would need fresh sap. Moth Flight says that she will go to fetch it herself from SkyClan territory, in spite of Reed Tail's protests. She leaves to go do this, telling Reed Tail to look after Slate while she is gone.


 * After the SkyClan battle in which Wind Runner is injured, Moth Flight wonders how she can save her mother, and during this time Reed Tail helps by applying more comfrey to Rocky's aching joints. Moth Flight decides to take Wind Runner to the Moonstone, and she tells Reed Tail to look after the Clan while she is gone, leaving her kit Blue Whisker in the care of Reed Tail and Rocky.


 * After Windstar returns from the Moonstone, Reed Tail is shocked by how her leg had been healed by StarClan, exclaiming that it was hard to believe they had so much power. He asks Windstar repeatedly if she is strong enough to hunt and Windstar irritably tells him that her leg is fine now, that Reed Tail had even checked her leg himself. Reed Tail continues to aid Moth Flight, both with her medicine duties and with watching her kits.

A Forest Divided

 * Reed is briefly mentioned by Slate to Gray Wing, stating that Gray Wing hadn't met him or Minnow yet. It is further explained that they were rogues who had joined Wind Runner's Camp.


 * When Gray Wing and Slate go to her camp after a fight with a fox, Wind Runner calls for him to come look at Slate and Gray Wing's injuries, asking if he was awake. Reed replies by asking how could anyone sleep with all the noise. Reed approaches Gray Wing and sniffs the wound on his neck, determining that he should put herbs on it before it gets infected. He continues to examine Gray Wing's wounds, but Gray Wing tells him to help Slate first.


 * Reed obeys and goes to check the bite on Slate's ear, stating that it is a clean bite and will heal neatly, but it needs some ointment. He adds that it is a shame that the fox got Slate's good ear. When Gray Wing and Slate start to argue, Reed pushes between them, saying he needs to go make ointment. Soon after, Minnow returns to the camp, and it is noted that he is Minnow's mate.


 * Reed returns to them with the ointment he made and begins applying it to Slate's ear. Slate winces and asks Reed if he's sure it will help. He replies that his mother used on him, and that he was healthy. After finishing with Slate, he turns to Gray Wing and treats him. When he finishes, Reed tells him that the ointment was made of dried oak leaf and marigold. Gray Wing says that he will have to tell Pebble Heart. Reed says that Slate had told him how Pebble Heart was a natural healer, adding that he would like to meet him.


 * Wind Runner shares a part of a grouse with him and Slate. After he finishes eating, he lies down in the sun. Later, when Wind Runner's kits, Dust Muzzle and Moth Flight, want to go hunting, Reed invites them to come and lie in the sun with him instead. They reject his offer, Dust Muzzle stating that was "boring".


 * A few days later, Reed checks Slate's ear over to make sure it hasn't gotten infected. Gray Wing calls to him, asking if Slate was all right. Reed replies that in another quarter moon, her ear would be completely healed. Soon after, Dust Muzzle exclaims that he can hear pawsteps. Reed agrees with him, saying there is a forest cat approaching them, who is revealed to be Thunder.


 * When Gray Wing returns to the camp after Quiet Rain's death, Minnow and Reed are mentioned to have been hanging back in shadows.

Path of Stars

 * Reed, Minnow, and Dust Muzzle stay in camp weaving a new den against the camp wall while the rest of Wind Runner's cats go hunting. When the hunting party returns to camp, they find the three cats hard at work, weaving heather into the gorse frame of the wall.


 * While the group leaders meet with Slash, Gray Wing leads a mission to rescue Star Flower from Slash's camp. Reed, Leaf, and Lightning Tail are part of the patrol. Gray Wing notes that Reed had insisted on joining the patrol from the start. He is grateful for the silver tabby's support, realizing they might need his healing skills depending on what state they find Star Flower in. When Fern takes a while to arrive, the patrol is uneasy, and Reed comments that he hopes that she hurries, because they need to get her away while Slash is occupied with the meeting. He adds that if Slash is willing to kidnap a pregnant queen, who knows what he would do to the cats caught trying to help her escape.


 * When Fern finally does arrive, Leaf exclaims that they thought she wasn't coming, but Reed calmly says that they are just glad she made it there safely. Gray Wing and Reed sneak into the clearing where Star Flower is being kept as Lightning Tail and Leaf distract the two guards. Gray Wing slips into the clearing first, and Reed comes through the ferns behind him, asking how Star Flower is.


 * Star Flower leaves the clearing, pushing through the bracken, and Gray Wing nods for Reed to follow her; the two begin to run for the pines. The other two guards Slash posted, who were previously hunting in the Carrionplace, hear the commotion and one of the guards starts chasing Reed and Star Flower. Reed begins to fight with a tortoiseshell she-cat, rolling around on the ground with her.


 * Reed continues to struggle beneath the tortoiseshell, asking if Star Flower has been hurt in the fighting. Gray Wing tells him to run away with her, and he swipes the tortoiseshell's tail, allowing Reed to get free. A ginger tom pursues Reed and Star Flower as they flee, but Lightning Tail handles him. With Slash's guards defeated, Gray Wing races up to Star Flower and Reed, only to find Reed huddled over Star Flower's body. Panicked, Gray Wing demands to know what happened, and Reed, equally as frightened, stammers that Star Flower's kits are coming.


 * Gray Wing asks him if he's sure, and Reed snaps that he is, returning his gaze to Star Flower. Looking at the Thunderpath nearby, Gray Wing exclaims that they need to get Star Flower away from there, but Reed points out that she can't walk in her state. Gray Wing calls that he'll go get help, and when Reed objects that he needs to catch his breath, he argues that Reed should stay because he knows more about herbs, telling him to find something for Star Flower. Reed protests that he doesn't know anything about forest herbs, but Gray Wing growls at him to guess, sprinting off to get aid from Tall Shadow's camp.


 * Reed is still crouched beside Star Flower when Gray Wing returns with some of Tall Shadow's cats. Reed's paws glitter darkly, and Gray Wing asks if that is blood. Still looking panicked, Reed confirms his suspicions. Reed explains that he had found some thyme for the shock and is having Star Flower concentrate on her breathing to help the pain, but that he cannot stop the bleeding. Pebble Heart asks if there is any sign of the kits, and Reed replies that while there isn't yet, he hopes it won't be long due to the amount of blood. They decide to try to take Star Flower back to Tall Shadow's camp, and Reed helps carry her, supporting her flank.


 * When Slash's cats begin to steal their prey, Wind Runner's cats attend a gathering to discuss it, but Reed and Spotted Fur stay back to protect the camp. Later, as the cats prepare for battle with Slash's cats, Gray Wing remembers how Reed and Minnow had spent all of the previous afternoon training Moth Flight and Dust Muzzle on fighting techniques. When the rogues do attack one of the Wind Runner's hunting patrols, Reed joins the fight, streaking from the heather towards the rogues with Minnow, Spotted Fur, and Moth Flight following him.


 * When Slate starts to go into labor, Gray Wing races across the clearing to Reed's den. The tom is asleep, curled around his mate Minnow. He calls out to Reed, and Reed wakes, blinking up at him, asking what was wrong. Gray Wing informs him that Slate’s kits are coming, and asks him if he has ever assisted a kitting. Reed tells him that he has, but that it was when he was rogue, and his eyes darken as he speaks. Gray Wing demands to know what had happened, and Reed explains, avoiding his gaze, that the kits had survived, but the queen died. Horrified, Gray Wing asks how, and Reed tells him that the queen was sick, and that Slate will be fine because she is as healthy as a hawk.


 * Reed and Wind Runner enter Slate's den to help her deliver the kits. Gray Wing nervously pokes his head in after the two. Reed assures him that everything will be fine, and Wind Runner adds that they have both helped at a kitting prior to this. Wind Runner tells him to leave and Reed agrees, instructing him to go pace in the clearing, because he would need his breath in order to be able to greet his kits. Gray Wing reluctantly obliges, although he acknowledges that Reed is right. After the kitting is over, Gray Wing returns to the den. Reed comments that he'll take a hunting patrol out, as Slate will be hungry and he and Wind Runner leave Gray Wing with his mate and his newborn kits.


 * The next day, while Wind Runner, Gorse Fur, Fern, and Reed are hunting, Reed's shocked, horrified yowl rings out. He cries for the group's cats to come quick, and that Fern has been injured. Wind Runner's cats respond to the yowl, and as Wind Runner rushes up the slope, she explains to the others that something has attacked and wounded Fern, and that Reed is with her, trying to stop the bleeding. Wind Runner explains that Reed had been hunting with her and Gorse Fur and that they were tracking a blood scent, which they initially believed to be from an injured rabbit. Reed had found the blood scent's source first – Fern – and he had called out her name, rushing over to her.


 * When the others of Wind Runner's cats reach Reed and Fern, the silver tabby tom is leaning over the injured she-cat. Gray Wing asks if she's going to be all right, and Reed responds that they have to stop the bleeding. Reed allows Moth Flight to help him treat Fern, even telling Wind Runner that she knows what she is doing when her mother tells her not get in the way. Reed sends Minnow to fetch more cobwebs. Anxious, Gorse Fur asks Reed if it was a dog that inflicted the wounds, but Reed states that they are cat scratches.


 * As he struggles to treat Fern, he is relieved when Minnow delivers cobwebs. He gives some of the cobwebs to Moth Flight, and instructs the white she-cat on how to use them to stop bleeding, and he presses some of the cobwebs onto Fern's shoulder. After continuing to treat her, Reed inspects the gash Moth Flight treated with the cobwebs, and approves Wind Runner's request to move her. When Gray Wing asks to take a shift guarding the camp that night, Wind Runner refuses to let him, and Reed backs her up, telling him that a warm den is better for his breathing than the cold air.


 * Reed is present at the Gathering in which the former rogues are formally welcomed into the groups. When the rogue cats decide to change their names, Reed walks forward, announcing that he would like to change his name as well. He explains that he has been a moor cat for a long time, and would like his name to reflect that. His mate Minnow agrees, calling out that she now wants to be called Swift Minnow. Wind Runner protests their wish to rename themselves, but Reed cuts her off. He says that, while he knows she doesn't like change, he would appreciate being called Reed Tail from then forward. Wind Runner, although hesitant, agrees to Reed Tail and Swift Minnow's name change.


 * After Slash appears at the Gathering makes threats against Slate and Gray Wing’s kits, Reed Tail rushes back to Wind Runner's camp along with the rest of the group. As they return, they find Slate wounded and Reed Tail crouches beside her, lapping her injured and bleeding neck rapidly. Reed Tail is sent by Wind Runner, along with Swift Minnow and Dust Muzzle to search for Black Ear by the river.


 * Reed Tail, with some assistance from Moth Flight, continues to carry out medicine duties for Wind Runner's camp. He offers Gray Wing some coltsfoot as he struggles with his breathing as he waits for Slate to return to the camp with Black Ear, who has been rescued. Reed Tail asks Moth Flight how Spotted Fur is after she checks on the injured tom, and she replies that he is sleeping. Reed Tail questions as to whether he has a fever, but Moth Flight replies that he doesn't.

Mistakes

 * Reed is not listed in the allegiances of A Forest Divided, despite appearing in the book.

Members
Mate:
 * Swift Minnow:

Mother:
 * Unnamed she-cat:

References and Citations
Камышовый ХвостSchilfschwanzReed Tail