Rabbitleap (SkC)/History

Darkest Night

 * Rabbitleap is first seen as he stands in the empty SkyClan camp, looking around the clearing. He is informed that Finpaw has been injured, and he asks if it's bad. The tom adds that he wishes Echosong was still alive. Leafstar enters the camp, confused, so Hawkwing tells her that Rabbitleap can explain what's happening.


 * Rabbitleap is one of the cats chosen to go on the journey to find any remaining SkyClan cats that got lost during or before they left for the lake. He asks Violetpaw, who is also going, if she has eaten, for it will be a long journey, and they may not be able to stop and eat. He stretches as the others say their goodbyes and leaves the camp. After they've traveled for two days, the group runs into a large Thunderpath. Violetpaw is nervous, so Rabbitleap encourages her to cross. He safely makes it across the wide stretch of stone. As the apprentice apologizes for freezing in the middle of the Thunderpath, the brown tom tells her all that matters is she's safe.


 * Violetpaw wakes up in the middle of the night, spotting Molewhisker shove Rabbitleap in his sleep. The latter wriggles and snorts before falling silent again. Later, as the group of cats continue forward, Rabbitleap's pelt is noted to be ruffled from sleep. He crosses the field of broken stalks alongside Molewhisker and Blossomheart. They reach Barley's farm, and the brown tom tells Cloudmist and Cherrytail that Macgyver and Sandynose are at their new camp, and Tinycloud has had kits. He continues about how Plumwillow's kits are apprentices now.


 * Rabbitleap tries to convince Cherrytail and Cloudmist to rejoin SkyClan. He mentions that they're barely even a Clan, and they don't even have a medicine cat. Later, Rabbitleap and the others finally reach the gorge, pelts dusty from the journey. When Fidgetpaw appears, he stares happily at Rabbitleap and Blossomheart as they wind around him. The brown tom enters a hollow near the stream, closely followed by Mintfur's kits. Nettlesplash asks what happened to Darktail's rogues, and Rabbitleap replies that the other Clans chased them off. The next day, Rabbitleap clusters around Violetpaw with the others to look at the Twoleg nest where Frecklewish is trapped. Later, as they begin their plan to rescue the medicine cat, the brown tom comments that he's glad he's not climbing the tree. Frecklewish escapes the Twoleg, so Rabbitleap and the rest of the SkyClan cats hare towards the gorge.


 * Violetpaw thinks about how Rabbitleap has gently trained her along the journey back to the lake, offering tips and support. After the black-and-white apprentice finds Tree, the other cats form a circle around him, the brown tom standing behind him with his hackles high. After getting to know the loner a little bit better, Rabbitleap comments that he seems friendly. When the journeying cats arrive at SkyClan's territory, it is noted to reek of ShadowClan. Rabbitleap leans forward to sniff a bramble. He suggests inspecting the camp. The tom looks bewildered as he sees ShadowClan apprentices in the SkyClan camp.

River of Fire

 * Rabbitleap does not formally appear in River of Fire, but is listed in the allegiances. After they return to SkyClan, Rabbitleap has received his niece Palepaw as an apprentice.

SkyClan's Destiny

 * Rabbitkit is born to Fallowfern and Waspwhisker. He and his siblings, Creekkit, Plumkit, and Nettlekit, are roughhousing with each other trying to show off all the moves they know, demanding to become warriors. After Nettlekit falls in the river, they are scolded for not being careful enough, but Billystorm is blamed the most for teaching the kits battle moves. Leafstar defends Billystorm, saying that kits play all the time, and most of the time, they don't watch where they put their paws. Leafstar tells them they can still do the battle moves as long as their mother, Fallowfern approves.


 * Later, after Stick, Cora, Coal, and Shorty arrive in the Clan, they are invited to join the training session that is about to begin. Rabbitkit and his littermates want to join in, but Fallowfern refuses. This upsets the kits, and Fallowfern agrees to let the kits have their own little practice by the pool, as long as they don't fall in.


 * When Billystorm decides to show his apprentice, Snookpaw, some fighting moves, providing he goes back to his Twoleg, Fallowfern's kits disagree, asking him to teach them instead. Billystorm and Leafstar offer to watch the kits so that Fallowfern can have some rest. The two lead the kits to the training area, and teach them to climb trees. Leafstar commands Rabbitkit to climb up to the first branch of a tree. When he finishes scrambling up the tree, he boasts in excitement. His sister, Plumkit, went ahead and climbed up the tree nearly all the way. Leafstar quickly gets her down soon, however. After they finish practicing on the tree, Rabbitkit and his littermates pretend that Leafstar and Billystorm are enemies. The kits return to their nests after sharing a blackbird that Billystorm caught.


 * It is noted that Rabbitkit has pains in his stomach, so Frecklepaw and Echosong went off to fetch herbs for him.


 * Rabbitkit and his littermates once again play pretend, saying the plotline is them having to scare off a huge Twoleg, or else the Twoleg will attack the camp. Plumkit and Rabbitkit both want to be Sharpclaw, and Rabbitkit says that Plumkit cannot be Sharpclaw, anyways, because she's a she-kit. When Nettlekit wants to pretend to be Billystorm, Rabbitkit, Plumkit, and Creekkit disagree, saying that he's a kittypet. Nettlekit later gives in, deciding to be Sparrowpelt. When Echosong talks to Leafstar about having Frecklepaw for her apprentice, Leafstar once again disagrees. In a suggestion, she offered one of Fallowfern's kits. However, all the kits mew in protest. Rabbitkit says that he thinks being a medicine cat is boring.


 * Later on, when the Clan cats hear a mysterious noise, presumably a Twoleg, Rabbitkit and Plumkit claim that the horrible old Twoleg is coming to get them. Clovertail says it's nonsense, telling the kits to stop trying to frighten every cat, and if it was a Twoleg, it'd be a young one. The Clan decides to investigate, and leaves Clovertail and Fallowfern to take care of the kits. Soon after they investigate briefly, Plumkit pretends to be an injured Twoleg, wailing for help. Rabbitkit joins in with the pretend game in a playful manner.


 * Fallowfern's kits manage to get up on the Rockpile. With Plumkit pretending to be leader, she names all her littermates to warriors. When Nettlekit refuses to accept the name, and he snarls, saying that he wants to live with Twolegs so he won't have to hunt for his food, nor sleep on mold with Plumkit's paws in his mouth. Leafstar says that if they don't want to become apprentices, that's fine, listing out all the things they wouldn't be able to do. Rabbitkit steps in, protesting, saying it was just a game. When Leafstar turns her back, Rabbitkit boasts that he'll be the best at hunting, followed quickly by Plumkit's disagreement.


 * In the manga at the end of the book, Rabbitpaw is on his assignment to catch a bird, but instead, he brings down a plump squirrel. When he is told that the assignment was to catch a bird by climbing a tree, he objects that feeding the Clan is more important and a fat squirrel would feed more mouths rather than a bird. Billystorm points out that climbing trees is a very important part of being in SkyClan, and Leafstar asks why he wouldn't climb the trees. Rabbitpaw then admits that, though he wants to be able to, when he gets on a branch, he doesn't know where to put his paws, and he gets scared. He asks Leafstar if he'll ever be a warrior, and Leafstar simply replies that she doesn't know, and that climbing trees is a very important part of the warrior assessment. Then Harveymoon and Macgyver come, and tell them about the dogs.


 * At night, after Leafstar rounds up the patrol, Rabbitpaw begs Leafstar to take him with them. Leafstar uncertainly agrees and tells him to keep close to her. Rabbitpaw stays with Leafstar as they search for the dogs. A kittypet tells them where they should find them. Leafstar then splits the team into two. Rabbitpaw stays with Leafstar with Sharpclaw's order while the rest go to the Twoleg nest. Rabbitpaw asks if Sharpclaw is punishing him for not being able to climb trees, and she reminds him that she had told him to stay close, but is cut off by the dogs' barking. Leafstar and Rabbitpaw hear the dogs getting closer and run into a dead end. Leafstar spots the kittypet from before, and hisses that it had lied to the patrol. The kittypet snarls that the cats of Twolegplace don't need intruders meddling in their lives. Rabbitpaw looks for a way out, and points out that they could hide in the silver bins. Rabbitpaw is made a warrior with the name of Rabbitleap soon afterwards, along with his siblings: Plumwillow, Creekfeather, and Nettlesplash.

Hawkwing's Journey

 * When the patrol that tried to find Firestar’s kin returns, Rabbitleap, Plumwillow and Nettlesplash emerge into the open. They give loud calls as they spot their father and hurl themselves at him. Waspwhisker staggers under the force of his kits'. After they finish their greetings, Waspwhisker states they need to talk to Leafstar. Rabbitleap agrees they they should do that. It’s noticed that the three siblings now seem somber, and it’s revealed later it’s because the camp was attacked by raccoons. After the raccoons second attack, Rabbitleap explains there were more this time. Standing beside Blossomheart, he asks what the Clan will do now.


 * When Hawkwing is woken, he steps quietly around a snoring Rabbitleap. However, Rabbitleap is woken when he has realized rogues are attacking. He is seen battling a group of rogues at the edge of the river with Tinycloud and Harrybrook. Despite the warriors efforts, the Clan is driven out. When they regroup, Echosong tells about a vision involving a body of water. Rabbitleap asks if she means the river and is about to mention something else before being interrupted. Echosong explains that her vision means the Clan are to leave and settle by a lake and Leafstar plans to leave and do so. Plumwillow protests they cannot leave without knowing what happened to their missing Clanmates. Rabbitleap agrees with her, asking about Frecklewish and Mistfeather. He openly wonders where they are. SkyClan decides to leave anyway, and Rabbitleap’s apprentice, Parsleypaw, has his warrior ceremony beforehand. Leafstar asks Rabbitleap if his apprentice has been well trained and knows what it means to be a warrior. Rabbitleap solemnly agrees he has and he does.


 * During the journey to find ThunderClan, SkyClan passes through the Twolegplace where Stick and Dodge’s cats live. Leafstar wants to avoid all of them, but Rabbitleap points out they don’t need to. He states that some are friends and remembers them living with the Clan, although he was only a kit at the time. He reminds the Clan that they were friendly. They see their friends anyway, and Shorty recognizes Rabbitleap as Rabbitkit, calling him a great hulking creature. Rabbitleap corrects him, and introduces his sister’s warrior name too. Dodge captures Curlypaw, and Rabbitleap is selected as part of the patrol to get her back.


 * The Clan eventually settles beside a lake, but Echosong protests it is not the one she saw in her vision. Rabbitleap asks if she means they have to leave and travel more. He protests his paws are still worn out. Echosong insists they must keep going but Rabbitleap explains they are exhausted. He exchanges a doubtful glance with Birdwing as he adds they are insane to leave a place as good as this. The camp is attacked by Twolegs and dogs however, and Hawkwing and Plumwillow escape with Plumwillow’s kits. Rabbitleap is part of the patrol that finds them. The Twolegs attack the camp again, this time with strange clothing and sticks with cobwebs at the end. Rabbitleap asks what they are doing, but no one answers. The Twolegs capture SkyClan cats using the cobwebs and leave. Leafstar decides to leave but Sagenose protests about leaving Fidgetpaw and Birdwing. Rabbitleap also adds about leaving Waspwhisker too. When Firefern and Rileypool die of a sickness, Hawkwing puts Rabbitleap as part of the patrol to bury them.

Tigerheart's Shadow

 * At the ShadowClan-SkyClan border, Rabbitleap stands beside Sandynose, fur ruffled and eyes alight. Rabbitleap politely dips his head to Tigerheart, stating his hope that they are having better luck with hunting than they are. The ShadowClan deputy replies they aren't yet. A ShadowClan hunting patrol chases a rabbit over the border and Tigerheart misses it, so Rabbitleap races after a pursuing Sandynose. Tigerheart admits to the patrol that he missed the prey because he was talking to Rabbitleap and Sandynose. The two SkyClan warriors return back to the border having successfully caught the rabbit. They give it to the ShadowClan cats, and Grassheart dips her head to them, stating it was very nice of them. Rabbitleap and Sandynose leave the border without another word. Grassheart comments that they were generous, and Tigerheart agrees they are lucky to live near very honorable warriors.


 * When Plumwillow catches a rabbit on ShadowClan territory, she points out that Rabbitleap and Sandynose caught them a rabbit on SkyClan land and ShadowClan took it away since it came from their territory. Juniperclaw replies if they want to give away food, it is up to them. Tigerheart protests that ShadowClan owes SkyClan for the prey Rabbitleap and Sandynose gave them.

Ravenpaw's Farewell

 * A brown tom is seen calling to Riley and Bella. Riley explains that his name is Rabbitleap and that they're going on patrol with him later on.

The Rescue

 * Rabbitleap is seen with Birdpaw, Honeypaw, and Sandypaw. He appears to be giving them a lesson on jumping, and asks if they are paying attention and the apprentices reply with a yes. He then gives a sample jump and says they'll be surprised by how high they can jump with practice. Lichenfur is watching and seems to dislike the idea. Waspwhisker retorts that there's no need to be rude, as his son's skill is something to be proud of. The three apprentices are eager to start jumping and all jump on top of a rock. Clovertail arrives and tells them to be careful, and Birdpaw replies that they're being careful. However, the moment she says that, she falls off and wounds her eye, and Clovertail rushes over to see if shes okay. Waspwhisker then scolds Rabbitleap for not realizing how young they are, and how much he pushes them towards disaster and Rabbitleap then feels guilty and apologizes.