Cloudberry (TC)

Cloudberry is a white she-cat with yellow eyes. She has thick, long fur, bony haunches, and a broad, flattened muzzle.

Goosefeather's Curse

 * Goosekit asks his mother Daisytoe why Rabbitkit is in Cloudberry's den. Daisytoe explains that he got a thorn stuck in his nose, so Cloudberry is treating him. Later, Goosekit hides in the medicine den so that Cloudberry's herbs would hide his scent. Poppykit finds him anyway and as they leave Cloudberry calls out to them, reminding that she told them they cannot play hide-and-seek near her den as it flattens the ferns. Poppykit says that Cloudberry is a grump and bets she never played as a kit. Goosekit agrees that playing was probably banned then. The kits continue playing hide-and-seek and Goosekit finds out that Moonkit is hiding in the medicine den. He hurries to find Moonkit before Cloudberry does as he knows that’ll land them in huge trouble. Once he finds Moonkit, he tells her to move before Cloudberry finds them. Cloudberry suddenly pokes her head out of her den and calls for Swiftpaw, wondering if it’s the apprentice making the noise. Windflight’s patrol soon returns, and Cloudberry pushes her way through the ferns to ask about the borders. Windflight reports that the Twolegplace border is good, and asks about his apprentice, Swiftpaw.


 * Cloudberry narrows her eyes and says she hasn’t seen Swiftpaw since the patrol left and assumed she joined the patrol. Windflight reports she didn’t join, and recalled that Cloudberry asked her to fetch comfrey leaves and return immediately. Swiftpaw’s mother, Flashnose starts stressing about her daughter’s disappearance and asks if Doestar is back. Cloudberry shakes her head and says her patrol is the first to return and there are only kits and elders in camp. While the warriors are patrolling in either searching or hunting, Cloudberry is seen dozing near the entrance of the camp. The hunting patrols soon return and there are alarmed cries as Cloudberry wakes up and reports what is going on. Goosekit speaks to a brown warrior that tells of Swiftpaw’s location and Swiftpaw is found. There’s confusion as Goosekit’s description isn’t any cat in the Clan, but Cloudberry breaks up the discussion. A faint scent of herbs wafts as Cloudberry pads over, saying she thinks they shouldn’t fuss about Goosekit’s claims. She announces that Swiftpaw is back and that’s all that matters. The medicine cat orders Daisytoe to help Flashnose clean her daughter’s fur so she can check her leg. She tells Goosekit to come with her.


 * Goosekit feels small beside the she-cat as he follows her to Doestar. The leader asks Cloudberry what’s going on, and Cloudberry admits she doesn’t know herself. She asks Goosekit to describe everything about the cat that told him where Swiftpaw was. She urges Goosekit to tell everything he remembers, from nose to claws. Goosekit describes the tom, mentioning his fur isn’t as thick as Cloudberry’s. Doestar stares at Cloudberry and says the kit must be mistaken. Cloudberry shrugs and claims they would think so. Doestar asks if it’s a sign; Cloudberry replies that she cannot see how it cannot be and promises to talk to Goosekit. Doestar tells her she thinks she should and leaves the two cats alone. Cloudberry looks at Goosekit and asks if any cat has described that cat to him before. Goosekit shakes his head, and Cloudberry asks if he told his name. Goosekit is getting frustrated and confused, but says he doesn’t. Cloudberry asks if he doesn’t know of the names of any cats in the camp. Goosekit shrugs, and Cloudberry promises she won’t be angry, as if sensing Goosekit hesitation. Goosekit describes the cats he doesn’t know the names of, including a cat beside Nettlebreeze. Cloudberry asks Goosekit to describe that cat, and Goosekit wonders if she’s losing her sight.


 * After Goosekit describes the cat, Cloudberry nudges the kit’s shoulder and says to go ask Nettlebreeze the she-cat’s name. She walks across the clearing and hisses to leave her to do the talking as they enter the elders’ den. She raises her voice as she greets Nettlebreeze and says she looks comfortable. Cloudberry asks if she knows a pale orange she-cat with a white belly and paws, the cat that Goosekit described. Nettlebreeze claims it’s his mother Dawnfeather, and asks why she is asking and if she has brought a message from StarClan. Goosekit started gasping she’s right there, but Cloudberry clamps her tail over his mouth and lies to Nettlebreeze. She says that Dawnfeather told her to report to him that all is well and she is watching over. The white she-cat then steers Goosekit across the camp into her den, sits down and curls her tail over her paws, saying Goosekit can talk now. Goosekit is confused, as Nettlebreeze didn’t see Dawnfeather at all despite the she-cat sitting beside the elder the entire time. Cloudberry fixes her gaze on Goosekit as she explains Dawnfeather is dead, died way before Cloudberry joined ThunderClan. She shifts her haunches as she says the brown warrior who told Goosekit about is Beetail. He was the deputy under Oakstar’s leadership when she joined ThunderClan, and was a brave, kind warrior.


 * Goosekit asks if she means Beetail is dead, and Cloudberry nods. She explains that the other cats he saw, she doesn’t know who they are. She thinks they were once ThunderClan cats many moons ago and only Goosekit can see them, but no one else. Goosekit asks why he can see dead cats, and Cloudberry admits she doesn’t know and StarClan hasn’t told her. She rolls around a moss with her paw until it crumbles, seemingly nervous. She tells Goosekit he has a gift, one that not every cat will appreciate so he shouldn’t tell it to anyone. Cloudberry asks if he understands what she just said. Goosekit thinks that the Clan would want to know their ancestors are with them in camp. There’s a flash of anger in Cloudberry’s eyes as she snaps it doesn’t work like that. She explains that warriors are trained to be suspicious of anything outside the warrior code, and preferably from inside their borders. Goosekit instantly remembers that Cloudberry was from RiverClan but joined ThunderClan after the Clan’s only medicine cat Ravenwing was killed. He wonders if ThunderClan was at first unwelcoming even though they needed a medicine cat. Cloudberry stands up and paces, saying he has to become her apprentice, and hopes StarClan will guide her on how to help Goosekit with his gift. She stops and stares at Goosekit as she asks if he wants to become a medicine cat.


 * Doestar performs Goosekit’s apprentice ceremony, and Cloudberry is indeed selected to be his mentor. Doestar mentions that she hopes Cloudberry will pass down everything she knows to him. The Clan is in an uproar, as Goosepaw is only four moons old. Cloudberry says as the medicine cat, she asks the Clan to trust her decisions, and reassures they’re doing the right thing. Rainfur asks if StarClan told her to do this, and there’s a pause. Cloudberry then lies StarClan did choose Goosepaw path and claims she must help him to follow that path. Goosepaw mentions to his sister that she’ll miss him because he’ll be sleeping in Cloudberry’s den. During that conversation, Cloudberry watches and waits for Goosepaw to come join her. Later during the half-moon, Cloudberry urges Goosepaw to come with her into the mothermouth as the moon will rise soon. Goosepaw hurries after Cloudberry, and Cloudberry reassures her apprentice he doing it right, urging him to follow her. Goosepaw tucks closer to her haunch and breaths her herb scent for comfort. When they finally reach the Moonstone, Goosepaw starts seeing Cloudberry’s shape as the medicine cats settle down beside the Moonstone. Echosnout mutters that Goosepaw is too young, and the apprentice remembers that Echosnout was once Cloudberry’s mentor and can still think she can boss the ThunderClan cat around. Chiveclaw defends Cloudberry, saying if she thinks Goosepaw needs to start training now, he asks who they to object are. Cloudberry nudges Goosepaw to shuffle closer to the Moonstone.


 * Goosepaw whispers for Cloudberry before they could fall asleep and dream, and Cloudberry asks what’s the matter. Goosepaw questions if they are going to see StarClan. Cloudberry says they are but they need to be still and silent for them to come. Goosepaw points out that he sees StarClan everywhere all the time. Cloudberry sighs and says he hasn’t seen the most important StarClan cats, and he can only do that at the Moonstone. Goosepaw wriggles to look at his mentor and wonders if he doesn’t need to come to the Moonstone, and that he could become a medicine cat already. Cloudberry points out his been her apprentice for a quarter moon, and he doesn’t know all the herbs and how to treat sickness. She asks what he should do if a queen is struggling to give birth to a kit. She finishes that he isn’t ready to become a medicine cat and prods his cheek with a paw. She instructs him to put his nose to the Moonstone and go to sleep. Echosnout mutters for them to quiet down, and Cloudberry apologises before leaning her muzzle to the Moonstone. Goosepaw rushes out during the ceremony, and Cloudberry catches up to him, asking what he is doing. Cloudberry glares from the Mothermouth as she explains that he cannot leave until the ceremony is over, and urges him to return as the other medicine cats are waiting. Goosepaw explains the terrifying things StarClan whispered to him, and Cloudberry walks over to press her shoulder against him, reassuring that everything’s alright. She explains they’ll have to try to find a way to control the visions. Goosepaw explains it’s not visions; it’s him seeing StarClan spirits. Cloudberry tells him to find a way to ignore them as there’s more to being a medicine cat than communing with StarClan. She explains that there are herbs to learn and omens to watch for, and cats must see him preparing to be a medicine cat the way his expected to as no one should know of, but then stops and reluctantly says his gift.


 * As Goosepaw talks to Moonpaw, Cloudberry's warning that his gift must be kept a secret echoes in his mind. He makes up a story that he is talking to himself so that he memorises herbs better. Moonpaw points out that Cloudberry doesn’t talk to herself like that, but Goosepaw says he isn’t Cloudberry. He thinks that Moonpaw is lucky to have one mentor, as Pearnose is also teaching Goosepaw to be a medicine cat. The apprentice thinks that his ears will wear off with Pearnose’s and Cloudberry’s constant nagging. He receives a vision of kittypets attacking a ThunderClan patrol, and rushes back to camp. Cloudberry asks if that is Goosepaw and pushes through the ferns covering the medicine den. She asks if he brought back the medicine herbs she gave him. She later is talking to Doestar and Pineheart in the leader’s den. Goosepaw rushes in and asks to talk to Cloudberry. Cloudberry asks what is going on, sounding cross. Goosepaw wonders if it’s a good time to tell the news of his vision, but reports the vision anyway. Cloudberry leans forward and breathes hot air on Goosepaw, asking if it’s a vision of the future. Goosepaw explains he felt right in the vision, and Cloudberry narrows her eyes and asks if it means the battle is happening now. Goosepaw doesn’t know but thought he should tell his mentor, and Cloudberry says he did the right thing.


 * Cloudberry straightens up, turns to Pineheart and Doestar and says to send a patrol to find Squirrelwhisker’s patrol as they could be in danger. Pineheart asks if she’s received a sign. Cloudberry admits not to her but is convinced they should treat it seriously. Doestar asks where to find Squirrelwhisker and Cloudberry touches Goosepaw flank with her tail to prompt him to tell where. Pineheart questions that they are doing this because an apprentice said so, but Cloudberry lifts her head and says they are doing this because she said so too. She points out that she and Goosepaw are his medicine cats. Pineheart glares at Cloudberry for a moment before obeying. Doestar turns to Cloudberry and hopes she is right to trust her medicine cat. The white she-cat then brushes her tail against her apprentice and urges him to move as they need to sort their herbs due to the possibility of wounded warriors. Rabbitpaw asks what is happening, and Cloudberry reassures that Pineheart is checking on Squirrelwhisker’s patrol and there’s nothing to worry. She pads into the ferns then stops and turns to ask Goosepaw what is wrong, who’s stopped himself. The tom says he wishes he was going, but Cloudberry points out he doesn’t know how to fight because it’s not what medicine cats do. She asks if he’s going to help with the herbs now since he left so many in the forest.


 * While they bring the herbs back, Goosepaw rushes forward as the patrols are back at camp, ignoring Cloudberry’s calls to wait for him. He finds Squirrelwhisker bleeding and injured. Cloudberry runs past her apprentice, yowling to let her through. Cats step aside so she can reach Squirrelwhisker and the she-cat crouches beside Squirrelwhisker and inspects him. Doestar mentions that it wasn’t luck Pineheart’s patrol was there to save Squirrelwhisker’s patrol, and Cloudberry glances over her shoulder to shake her head at Goosepaw, signalling she is keeping his secret. Doestar however calls for a Clan meeting, and announces that Goosepaw had a vision. She asks Cloudberry to have Goosepaw receive his full name, and Cloudberry steps out of the crowd and dips her head. She tells Doestar she is generous, and gladly agrees to give Goosepaw his full name at the next half-moon. However, Cloudberry explains that she is sure Goosepaw knows he has lots to learn and will continue his training until she joins StarClan. Cloudberry fixes her gaze on Goosepaw and nods.


 * Cloudberry performs Goosepaw’s medicine cat ceremony and renames him Goosefeather. She rests her muzzle briefly on Goosefeather before stepping back. Echosnout sniffs she hopes he doesn’t get ideas about knowing more than the other medicine cats, and Cloudberry lifts her tail, reassuring that Goosefeather knows that he’ll never stop learning. Cloudberry nods to Goosefeather to leave the cave and get some fresh air. Later, Cloudberry sticks her head into the rock cleft that they use to store herbs, exclaiming great StarClan and asking if they are out of borage already. She withdraws her head while sneezing and tells Goosefeather there’s only dust and to bring borage back while he goes to fetch herbs. Goosefeather asks to take an apprentice, but Cloudberry shakes a leaf from her ear and fixes her gaze of Goosefeather. She tells him that as far as she’s still concerned, he is an apprentice. She reminds him that it was Doestar’s idea to give his full name, not hers. Goosefeather snaps he earned it as he saw the kittypets attack the patrol. Cloudberry turns back to the piles of leaves and explains his visions are a gift from StarClan, but everything else needs to be taught and learned. She orders him to go fetch the medicine herbs while they are still green. While he’s out, Goosefeather remembers how Cloudberry reassured him that the forest will come back to life when leaf-bare ends.


 * Smallear tells Goosefeather that Cloudberry needs him as Larksong is starting to give birth. When Goosefeather arrives, Cloudberry is quietly talking to the queen as Goosefeather crouches beside his mentor. She soothingly murmurs to Larksong that Goosefeather has arrived to see and welcome her first kit, and urges her to push one more time. When the kit arrives, Cloudberry draws the bundle to her with her paw and nips the clear sac that surrounds the kit. She gives the kit to Goosefeather and tells to clean him up. She turns back to Larksong and runs a paw over her flank, purring she has a son and there’s another one still coming. Cloudberry urges the queen to not give up. Another kit is born, and Cloudberry pushes him to Larksong. She tells the she-cat to it’s another tom, and with a loud voice already after the kit gives a yowl. Cloudberry purrs then tells Larksong clean up her kit so he can feed. Goosefeather says he thinks the one he’s tending to is hungry and Cloudberry instructs her apprentice to put the kit to Larksong’s belly as he will know what to do. As the medicine cats watch the kits suckle, Goosefeather expresses awe and amazement, and Cloudberry agrees, saying that she never gets tired of this moment.


 * Cloudberry starts to pull away the stained moss and tells Goosefeather they need to freshen her nest and give her peace. Goosefeather touches one of the kits and receives a vision. He tells Cloudberry that this kit will be a medicine cat. He touches the other one and discovers the other will be the Clan leader. He stares at Cloudberry, and he says they are really special and that Doestar should be told that they are. Goosefeather gets up but Cloudberry uses her tail to block him, insisting that every kit is special. She tells Goosefeather he may think he knows their future, but only StarClan truly does. She asks Goosefeather to let the kits’ grow up with the burden of knowing their future, as a normal Clan cat. Goosefeather growls he didn’t grow up as normal, because Cloudberry knew he would be a medicine cat. Cloudberry sighs and explains he was always different, but insists he has to keep what he has seen as a secret this time. She rests her tail on his shoulder and says he has a great gift, and it will feel like a burden sometimes. Cloudberry believes StarClan has gifted this to him for a reason, and wants him to be grateful for it and treat it carefully. She glances over her shoulder to the kits, and then says to leave the little family alone to rest, and to let the rest of the Clan know the good news. From then on during other births, Cloudberry insists on dealing with them on her own, instead sending Goosefeather to get soaked moss and fresh bedding in fear of him seeing the futures of the kits.


 * The medicine cats stand at the fresh-kill pile and finds soft prey for Nettlebreeze who’s complaining about a toothache. Goosefeather asks Cloudberry if she saw Sunkit jump then, commenting he is already more powerful than his brother, Featherkit. Cloudberry looks at Goosefeather with a weary gaze as she says to be careful or the kits might hear. Goosefeather hisses he is just making an observation, but Cloudberry shakes her head. She points out he sees their future every time he looks at him and tells him to not let that blind him to the present. Goosefeather snaps he cannot ignore what he saw and that Sunkit will become leader of ThunderClan, which makes him special. In response, Cloudberry insists that all kits are special. They are the most perfect creatures that ever walked the forest to their mothers. She explains they need to treat each Clanmate as equal as medicine cats, and no cat deserves more care than the other. Cloudberry tells Goosefeather he should know this already. The she-cat however breaks off when Doestar approaches, asking if every cat has eaten. Cloudberry reports almost every cat has, and says she can have the remains of a squirrel, pushing it towards her leader.


 * Doestar however refuses the squirrel, insisting to give it to the queens instead. Cloudberry insists she has to eat and her warriors don’t want to see her starving. Doestar points out they have three new litters of kits and wonders how they’ll feed the entire Clan. Cloudberry says they will with clever hunting like it has always been done. She urges her leader to trust the warriors and promises ThunderClan will survive. Goosefeather soon wakes up at night and sees Cloudberry in her nest, snoring with her tail over her nose. Goosefeather receives a vision and reports to Doestar, and she asks the tom to fetch Cloudberry as she wants her to listen to this too. Goosefeather runs to wake the medicine cat, who’s goes to sit in the leader’s den and listen to Goosefeather. He explains that his vision shows ThunderClan starving in a very cold leaf-bare that is coming. Cloudberry gazes into the distance and says she can think of something to try. She remembers an incredibly cold leaf-bare when she was a RiverClan kit, and that the river froze and the fish are trapped in it. She explains that the warriors broke some pieces of ice and dragged them to camp. The fish inside were incredibly cold and dead, but when they put the ice in the dens to melt, the fish becomes the perfect fresh-kill. She concludes that the cold somehow kept the prey fresh. Goosefeather asks if she means to wait for the river to freeze and eat the fish. Cloudberry says no and explains they need to find a way to store and keep their prey fresh when they cannot eat anything else.


 * Doestar asks Goosefeather to keep his vision a secret, and Goosefeather remembers that she and Cloudberry are concerned of their Clanmates reaction if they discover about his powers. Goosefeather wonders if they worry about his feelings as he carries the weight of his Clan’s future all by himself. Three sunrises later, Goosefeather heads out to find catmint as Cloudberry wants to gather the leaves to preserve it before the frosts kill it off. During a Gathering, Doestar announces the three new litters of kits and Chiveclaw comments to Cloudberry she’ll be busy with them. Cloudberry nods and thanks StarClan they are fit and healthy, although they are noisy. Echosnout snorts that in her day, kits knew to be quiet. Cloudberry flicks her ears and says in Echosnout’ day, she was one of those kits and cannot recall being quiet at all. After the Gathering, ThunderClan heads home in the rain and Goosefeather follows Cloudberry into their den with steamed pelts. The white she-cat shakes her fur to get rid of the water, stating the she’d rather it be cold than wet as the weather manages to reach her bones. Cloudberry stiffly climbs into her nest to curl up, while Goosefeather places feathers on her flank to help keep the medicine cat warm. He reassures her that the wind will blow the rain away and it’ll be clear by dawn.


 * The rain doesn’t get better, causing the prey that was buried to store and preserve to spoil. ThunderClan suffers the starvation that Goosefeather had visioned, and Goosefeather and Cloudberry wear out their paws in their search through the snow to find leaves to cure their Clans bellyaches and ward off fevers and coughs. As Goosefeather tends to Nettlebreeze’s deceased body, Cloudberry crunches snow as she limps to him. The medicine cat seems hollow and her teeth are too big for her mouth. Cloudberry croaks that Rabbitpaw has dug up worms and she’s going to share it with Rainfur and her kits, and asks Goosefeather if he wants some. Goosefeather says to save them for herself, and Cloudberry whispers into his ear with a rotten-smelling breath. She says that they did everything they could, and it’s not his fault they could not avoid this disaster. She points out the rain make the prey spoil and it is just bad luck. Goosefeather lifts his head to his mentor and says bad luck doesn’t exist, only destiny. As leaf-bare ends the starvation passes, but Cloudberry develops a wheeze. Goosefeather turns to the she-cat and tells her to lie in the sun and his going to find catmint. He urges her to have some when he returns, but Cloudberry refuses. She shakes her head and insists she is fine, but thinks it’s a great idea to look for herbs as Specklekit has been complaining of a bellyache. She thinks it’s because Rainfur has given her a good feed, the first good one since her mother Harepounce died, but Cloudberry advises to give her some medicine anyway.


 * Cloudberry adds to go get chervil too, and Goosefeather asks if there’s sickness still. Cloudberry carefully explains it’s good to have some around, but her gaze flits to Doestar. Goosefeather asks his mentor if Doestar is sick while she watches her leader limp into her den. Cloudberry doesn’t give a straight answer, but declares she’ll care for her leader herself. She orders to have no one but her enter the leader’s den, and fresh-kill and wet moss is to be left outside. She also tells Goosefeather to bring to her whatever herbs he manages to find. Cloudberry gives a pause before looking straight at Goosefeather, warning him to not let anyone know their leader is sick. She explains that the fawn she-cat is on her last life and will panic the Clan from the thought of losing their leader now. Cloudberry rests her tail on her apprentice’s shoulder and says a medicine cat has to keep a lot of secrets. Goosefeather brings a large mouse and soaked moss to the entrance of the leader’s den and calls for Cloudberry. The medicine cat peers her head out and asks if he is alone. Goosefeather nods and Cloudberry says that’s good and to not let any cat get near. She reaches out to scoop the mouse and moss and asks Goosefeather to stay nearby as she’d like to know his close.


 * At dawn, Cloudberry stands at the mouth of the medicine den, shoulders slumped in exhaustion as she tells Goosefeather that Doestar has died. Goosefeather offers to help with the deceased leader, but Cloudberry still insists she’ll do it alone, and no cat can come close to the body during the vigil, due to the risk of catching the sickness Doestar had. Cloudberry states the Clan is still too weak to fight off the sickness. Goosefeather wishes to ask about her safety, but knows what Cloudberry intends to do and can only follow her orders and honor her. Cloudberry hauls her leader out of her den as the Clan keeps back in horrified silence as the medicine cat stumbles into the clearing, keeping a firm hold on Doestar’s ruff. She stops at the centre to look around at her Clanmates, reassuring they can still honor their deceased leader without the risk of catching the sickness. She begs for their sake to stay back, lies down and presses her nose against Doestar’s cheek. Goosefeather looks at Doestar’s body, and sees another cold, lifeless body stretched out beside the leader with fur stirring in the breeze faintly. Goosefeather knows that is a vision and they’ll be sitting vigil for Cloudberry soon.


 * At dawn, Cloudberry wakes Goosefeather and tells him she’ll bury Doestar while he takes Pineheart to the Moonstone for his leader ceremony. The old medicine cat admits she is too weak for the journey, and asks Goosefeather if he knows what to do. Goosefeather feels as if Cloudberry is being pulled away, the distance between them lengthening until they are a claw mark of light in darkness to each other. As if reading his thoughts, Cloudberry tells the tom he was a great apprentice and will be a great medicine cat. She urges him to trust his instincts and remember everything she has taught him. She leans forward to press her forehead against Goosefeather and says goodbye to her friend. Goosefeather whispers he doesn’t want to leave her, but Cloudberry replies she has to leave and he is not the only one who cannot change the future. She lifts her head to gaze at Goosefeather, saying she doesn’t envy his powers as he has to live with terrible knowledge of the future. She instructs him to put his Clan above all else and prays for StarClan to guide his path. She turns away and Goosefeather watches her bend over Doestar’s body once more.

Interesting Facts

 * Vicky revealed that Cloudberry is the medicine cat to succeed Ravenwing on her Facebook page.
 * Vicky likes a fan's idea that Cloudberry is a warrior turned medicine cat from a different Clan and moved to ThunderClan to help them. This is proven true, as she is a former RiverClan cat.

Mistakes

 * Vicky implies on her Facebook that Cloudberry is a tom. However, in Goosefeather's Curse, Cloudberry is a she-cat.

References and Citations
Cloudberry (DC)Морошка (Грозовое племя) Cloudberry (CT)