Shadowstar

Shadow or Shadowstar, is a large, sleek, thick-furred, black she-cat with green eyes.

The Sun Trail

 * After Stoneteller makes her announcement about the journey and Shaded Moss agrees to lead them, Tall Shadow leaps to her paws, tense with excitement, and says that she'll go. The next morning, Gray Wing wakes to hear the excited chatter of cats. He sees Tall Shadow, Cloud Spots, Dappled Pelt, and Snow Hare sitting together. Tall Shadow rises to her paws and says that she wonders what kind of new hunting techniques they'd need to learn. Snow Hare teases her by telling her she'd always been so good at creeping up on things she'd be able to sneak up on the prey while it's sleeping, and Tall Shadow tells her she might do that.


 * As Bright Stream and Clear Sky are returning to the waterfall, they see a group of cats made up of Shaded Moss, Clear Sky, Dappled Pelt, Rainswept Flower, and Turtle Tail. They are climbing a ridge to find the best way out of the mountains.


 * When Moon Shadow and Dewy Leaf argue over Moon Shadow leaving, Twisted Branch mews that Dewy Leaf had a point, and that cats with responsibilities should stay. Tall Shadow snaps at Twisted Branch, asking if she thinks they were irresponsible to leave.


 * After the cats agree to vote on whether or not the cats wishing to leave the mountains should go, Stoneteller tells Bright Stream and Gray Wing to collect enough pebbles for every cat. When they have collected enough they bring them back to the cave a few at a time, then Shaded Moss and Tall Shadow collect them in a pile at Stoneteller's paws, their gazes solemn.


 * When Stoneteller is speaking to the cats who are leaving, she touches her nose to each of their shoulders and tells them to each find a place where their strengths blossom, mentioning Tall Shadow's gift for stalking and guile.


 * When Gray Wing and Jagged Peak catch up to the cats following the sun trail, the traveling cats come up to meet them. Tall Shadow remarks that they did well coming all the way by themselves.


 * The next morning, as the cats are traveling, Moon Shadow is boasting about scaring of an eagle, and Tall Shadow, loping along behind him, makes no comment on his boasting. Gray Wing remembers that back in the cave she rarely ever spoke, but when she did she was worth listening to. He wonders how one litter could produce one fuzz-brain and one intelligent cat.


 * When Clear Sky begins to explain his plan to get rid of the eagles he tells the cats that he thought four cats could bring down one eagle. He says that he, Tall Shadow, Quick Water, and Jackdaw's Cry could all jump high and, together, had the strength to pull down a bird. After Bright Stream is taken by the eagle Clear Sky and Tall Shadow come running to meet them, Clear Sky exclaiming that they had killed the eagle. Even Tall Shadow is excited, her green eyes gleaming.


 * When Clear Sky emerges into the open the next morning he turns away from the eagle's body at first, but Tall Shadow nudges him towards the dead bird until he crouches and eats a few mouthfuls.


 * She is seen climbing a pine tree in order to get a better view of the path ahead. She tells the group that she can see the way out of the mountains. Moon Shadow asks her which way they are to go, and Tall Shadow replies that they are to go down a slope, and explains triumphantly the directions they will take. She exclaims that it is flat land down there. Later on, Gray Wing offers her fresh-kill, but she turns it down, telling him that they all had eaten well last night.


 * Later on, when the group is attempting to cross the Thunderpath, Jagged Peak exclaims that the monsters were too much for the cats. Tall Shadow snorts at this, stating that the monsters weren't very intelligent by the looks of things, and says that they must outwit them. Once they have crossed and found shelter, cats complain of hunger, causing Hawk Swoop to pipe up, saying that they should never have entered Twolegplace. Tall Shadow points out that this was their best chance of shelter. They encounter fierce-looking kittypets as Moon Shadow goes off on his own, and Tall Shadow goes with Gray Wing and Clear Sky to fend them off. After the kittypets flee, Tall Shadow snaps at her brother, asking him why he had gone off on his own.



Thunder Rising

 * Hawk Swoop and Tall Shadow are seen by Gray Wing, grooming themselves while talking to each other.


 * Turtle Tail and Gray Wing return to the camp to find Hawk Swoop, Dappled Pelt, Cloud Spots, and Rainswept Flower gathered in front of Tall Shadow, who is instructing the cats to gather more power in their hind legs so they can deal with an enemy who creeps up behind them. She tells Rainswept Flower to try again. Rainswept Flower kicks against a large piece of bark - propped against a big rock by Tall Shadow - and sends scraps of the bark into the air. Tall Shadow praises Rainswept Flower and tells Cloud Spots that it was his turn to try. Turtle Tail says to Gray Wing that she's surprised to see Tall Shadow teaching fighting techniques. Before Gray Wing has the chance to respond, Shattered Ice runs up to Tall Shadow, shouting that a cat was found on their territory, pointing to Turtle Tail with his tail.


 * Tall Shadow pads over to Turtle Tail, while the rest of the group gathers around them. Gray Wing, impressed by how noble and dignified she looks, clearly confident in herself as the leader, thinks she could not possibly be welcoming to the Turtle Tail. Tall Shadow dips her head to Turtle Tail, greeting her politely. She notices that Turtle Tail is pregnant, and congratulates her, asking who the father is. Turtle Tail says that there is no father; at least, not a father she wants involved in the kits' lives. Tall Shadow exchanges a glance with Gray Wing, showing she understands Turtle Tail's refusal to tell the group who the father was. She turns to the other cats and tells them that Turtle Tail has returned to them, and that she is expecting kits. She comments on how the kits will strengthen the group. Shattered Ice protests, stating that the kits will only be more mouths to feed. Angered, Tall Shadow turns to him and tells him that if he is so concerned about food, he should go hunt. Shattered Ice begins to protest again, but is silenced by Tall Shadow's warning glance.


 * After Shattered Ice leaves to go hunt, Tall Shadow beckons Turtle Tail over to a patch of moss, and Gray Wing follows. The three cats watch Acorn Fur and Lightning Tail chase butterflies while they sit together. Jagged Peak limps over to them, and Turtle Tail notices his injury. The pregnant she-cat asks what happened, and states that she thought he was living with Clear Sky. Jagged Peak begins to explain what happened, but cannot finish the story, clearly upset. Tall Shadow says that Clear Sky wants only healthy cats, so Jagged Peak came to the moorland cats. She says that it might take a while, but Jagged Peak will get better. She looks kindly at the injured tom, who nods. Turtle Tail apologizes to Jagged Peak, clearly sympathetic.


 * Tall Shadow asks Turtle Tail what she thinks of their new home, asking if they'd changed much since she'd left. She goes on to say that it is good to see Turtle Tail back, and that she'd love to hear about what made the queen want to return to them. Turtle Tail avoids Tall Shadow's questions, instead asking if Tall Shadow and Gray Wing if they were glad they left the mountains. The pregnant she-cat continues, recalling what Stoneteller had told the group, and how she had been praised on her speed and sharp eyes. After a moment, Turtle Tail's happiness fades from her face, to which Tall Shadow asks her what's wrong. Turtle Tail says how she isn't sure how she can use her strengths to benefit the group, motioning to her swollen belly. Tall Shadow says that Turtle Tail still has her sharp eyes, and that her skills are needed in the group more than ever. She looks around thoughtfully, saying that she needs a cat to be the ears and eyes of the hollow; someone to watch the horizon and report back to her, asking if Turtle Tail would do that. Confused, the queen asks why the hollow needs to be watched. Tall Shadow tells her that things are not as happy as they seem; even though cats are well fed and cared for, the times had changed. She mentions Clear Sky, and how his cats have made it clear that the forest belongs to them, and if a cat is seen on their territory, they will be driven off.



A Forest Divided

 * Tall Shadow is first seen by Clear Sky while the founding leaders are sharing a dream with the spirit cats. Clear Sky mentions that she looked surprised, as though just awakening.

Long Shadows

 * She appears in the prologue, meeting with the other three original leaders, Thunder, Wind, and River. The four leaders argue with the badger, Midnight, who told a loner, Sol, of the Clans. Sol sought out the Clans that Midnight told him of, and has convinced ShadowClan to give up their belief in StarClan. The four leaders are angry and worried for the Clans as Sol now holds much power, and the leaders are angry at Midnight for telling Sol their secrets. Shadow says that she wants to rip Midnight's throat out for what she has done, but knows that it won't change anything.

Secrets of the Clans

 * Shadow is the founder and first leader of ShadowClan. She aids the other original leaders, Wind, Thunder, River, and presumably Sky (who is not mentioned) to create the Warrior Code, and apparently spends the rest of her life complaining about it. She is described as a strategist, ferociously independent, even to the point of distrusting her own Clanmates, and bold in battle. Her nature is shown when she is the first cat to declare that she can lead all the cats in the forest by reminding the other cats of her natural ability to stalk and hunt in the dead of the night.


 * Shadow is the first of the ancient leaders to lose her ninth life, in a battle she started with other Clans.

Code of the Clans

 * Shadow is mentioned briefly, along with Thunder, Wind, River, and Sky, after the great battle at the dawn of Clans. The spirits of those killed in the battle compel the remaining cats to be at peace. She, along with the other four new leaders, vow to create their Clans and find ways to stop the fighting.

The Ultimate Guide

 * It is mentioned on Gray Wing's page that Tall Shadow stepped back from leading the cats on the moor to take care of her injured brother. Gray Wing emerged as leader in her place.


 * She has her own page.


 * The narrator describes Tall Shadow as a thick-furred, black female with green eyes, and explains how she left the mountains and joined the retreating group. She is described as a watchful and a thoughtful cat, rather uneasy and suspicious of strangers, and was always the last one to accept foreign cats into their group. However, this caused a quarrel among Tall Shadow's group, which led to some cats wanting Gray Wing to take Tall Shadow's place. But Shadow's uneasiness wasn't all that caused arguments - it was also her insistence on watching the camp, in which other cats felt she should be taking her duties as a leader more seriously.


 * When Moon Shadow dies, Tall Shadow's anxiety and grief was too much to bear, and willingly gave Gray Wing leadership over the moor cats, but afterwards, she resumed her authority among the cats and joined Gray Wing as equal leaders. Somewhere along the road, Tall Shadow become the first leader of ShadowClan - Shadow, and led her cats to the pine forest across the Thunderpath to live.


 * It is mentioned on Dappled Pelt's and Cloud Spot's shared page that Dappled Pelt stayed with Tall Shadow's group and stayed loyal, even after being taken care of by Clear Sky's cats. It is also mentioned on Gorse Fur's page that he followed Wind Runner wherever she went, from Tall Shadow's and Gray Wing's group to elsewhere.

Trivia

 * In an Erin Hunter Chat, Vicky revealed that Thunder, Shadow, River, Wind, and Sky did not take the suffix "-star" on the end of their names, because the tradition had not yet been established in their time.
 * This, however, contradicts information in Secrets of the Clans, which shows the founders of the Clans to have the "-star" suffix.
 * When asked if Tall Shadow and Shadow are the same cat, Kate Cary replied that Tall Shadow does indeed become a leader, but the author states that her becoming a leader is all she knows. However, Vicky later confirms that Tall Shadow and Shadow are one and the same.
 * On her blog, Kate Cary confirmed that Tall Shadow will have a point of view in Dawn of the Clans book five, A Forest Divided.
 * This was however proved to be false, as Kate's chapter got edited out in the final draft.
 * It has been said in Secrets of the Clans that Shadow got her name from the way she hunted at night, however, Shadow had already had the suffix of her name prior to finding her talent for night hunting.

Members
Father:
 * Unnamed tom:

Brother:
 * Moon Shadow:

Nephews:
 * Dancing Leaf:
 * Sun Shadow:

Niece:
 * Crow Muzzle: