Black Ear/Main article

Black Ear is a patched black-and-white tom with thick fur and amber eyes.

Path of Stars

 * Black Ear is born to Gray Wing and Slate along with his siblings, White Tail and Silver Stripe. Although not named yet, he purrs alongside Silver Stripe, his black and white fur fluffing as it dries. Love for his children swells in Gray Wing's chest, and he promises Slate that he will teach his kits how to hunt, and he will keep them safe until they are as strong and brave as their mother. Slate tells Gray Wing that they are lucky to have him as a father, stating that he has raised so many kits and they have all grown into fine cats. Wind Runner says that they should leave Gray Wing and his family in peace. Gray Wing settles besides Slate as she nurses her kits.


 * After Reed reports that Fern is hurt, Gray Wing instantly thinks that dogs are on the moor, and is frightened for the safety of his kits. Gray Wing returns to camp, seeing Slate who has her three kits sleeping at her belly. He remembers how he had volunteered to guard the camp, but Wind Runner had told him to stay with his kits. He lies down next to Slate and his kits, and Black Ear lifts his head, blinking sleepily at Gray Wing. He asks if it is time to wake up. Gray Wing licks his cheek, telling him to go back to sleep. Black Ear rests his muzzle on Silver Stripe's back, and goes back to sleep. Slate asks Gray Wing if they will ever be safe, and Gray Wing replies that nothing bad will happen to his kits for as long as he lives.


 * At the four trees, Slash states that he's had enough of making Clear Sky suffer. He looks at Gray Wing, and states that he was the cat who led his cats away. Wind Runner is instantly worried for Slate and her kits. Gray Wing says they need to get home, and Thunder says that if the kits were in danger, he would be going with Gray Wing. At Wind Runner's camp, Slate is on the ground, but she is able to get up, searching for her kits. Only White Tail and Silver Stripe respond, and White Tail tells Slate that Black Ear wasn't quick enough, and that the invading cats who had attacked the camp grabbed him and took him away. Slate stares in horror at Gray Wing, and Gray Wing says he'll find him. Thunder tells Gray Wing to stay, and he'll find Black Ear. Gray Wing states that they are his kits, and Thunder tells him to let him do this. Wind Runner orders patrols to search different areas of the woods, and Gray Wing is shocked that he can't save his own kit. Thunder promises Gray Wing that he will find Black Ear and bring him home safe.


 * When Gray Wing collapses to the ground, Thunder thinks that everything has gone wrong, especially with Black Ear gone missing. Pebble Heart orders Thunder to go find Black Ear. Thunder realizes that Slash was at the gathering with his rogue campmates, and reflects not seeing Black Ear then. Sparrow Fur points out that they must have taken Black Ear and hid him somewhere. Owl Eyes states that Black Ear would've needed a guard. Sparrow Fur suggests that Swallow guarded Black Ear while Slash was at the meeting. Owl Eyes confirms that they did split up - that Slash and the others went to the gathering while Swallow took Black Ear somewhere else.


 * Thunder says they need to find out where they hid him, and Owl Eyes says that he wouldn't be there anymore. As they search for a hiding place at the end of a trail, Thunder thinks that this weather is too cold for a kit to be out, and realizes that Black Ear might freeze to death out here. Sparrow Fur finds a cave near two boulders, and says that Black Ear was definitely there. Thunder quietly thinks that Swallow was decent enough to find Black Ear some shelter. Thunder checks for himself, scenting kit scent but no blood, relieved that Black Ear wasn't injured. Owl Eyes suggests that they aren't long gone, as carrying a kit must be slowing them down. Thunder remembers seeing Slash letting his campmate getting mauled by a dog, and can't imagine him showing any pity to a kit. Thunder asks how they would get Black Ear away from them without having him get hurt.


 * A fox peeks from the cave, and Thunder decides to drive it back. Sparrow Fur brings up the fact that they might lead it to Black Ear. They are able to defeat the fox with Clear Sky's help, and Thunder tells Clear Sky that Black Ear had been taken by Slash and his rogues. Owl Eyes tells Clear Sky that Swallow hid Black Ear at an outcrop while Slash went to the gathering, and when it was over, Slash had gone back to fetch them. They see the rogues try to cross the Thunderpath, and Clear Sky sees a small shape dangling from one of the rogue's jaws. Thunder exclaims that it is Black Ear. The rogues suddenly cross the Thunderpath quickly, and Sparrow Fur yowls out Black Ear's name. Thunder follows her gaze, seeing the kit stranded in the middle of the Thunderpath, staring at a monster roaring towards him with his fur bushed out. Owl Eyes gasps, exclaiming that the monster is going to kill him.


 * Clear Sky stares at Black Ear, and runs through the path, sinking his teeth in his scruff and yanking him away from the Thunderpath. He curls himself around the kit, and he and Black Ear are dragged to the other side by Thunder and the other cats. Clear Sky asks if Black Ear is alive, and Black Ear meows softly that he wants to go home. Clear Sky asks if the rogues hurt him, and Black Ear replies, saying that they wouldn't let him go home. He asks if Slate is okay, saying that he saw them hurt her, although he was dragged away right after. Clear Sky tells the tiny kit she's fine, and Black Ear asks about his siblings. Clear Sky replies that they are safe and sound, and tells the young kit that he needs to get him back to his mother. Sparrow Fur says they need to get him warm first, and suggests heading to Tall Shadow's camp, as it's the closest. Sparrow Fur picks up Black Ear by the scruff, and he struggles, complaining that it hurts. Thunder lets the kit ride on his back, and Sparrow Fur tells him to make sure he hangs on. Black Ear snuggles in deeper between Thunder's shoulder blades, and curls his claws into his fur. Sparrow Fur says she will tell Gray Wing and Slate that Black Ear is safe. Black Ear states that he wants to go back to the moor. Sparrow Fur tells him he needs shelter and warmth, and that he's had a nasty shock. She reassures him that if Slate is well enough, she'll bring her back with Pebble Heart.


 * Black Ear asks hopefully if they'll bring Gray Wing. Sparrow Fur and Thunder exchange a nervous look, and Clear Sky senses that Thunder doesn't want the kit to know something. Clear Sky presses his nose to Black Ear's head, saying that not many kits get to visit another cat's camp before they are a moon old. When they reach Tall Shadow's camp, Jagged Peak greets them. He looks at the bedraggled kit on Thunder's back, asking what happened. Thunder tells Jagged Peak how Slash had kidnapped Black Ear, and says that they need to get Black Ear somewhere warm. Black Ear looks at the branches above him, asking if it is always this dark. Jagged Peak replies that it isn't dawn, and Black Ear asks why he is awake. Jagged Peak responds that they were waiting for news.


 * Thunder brings Black Ear in a warm den, in which Holly slips into and starts to lick Black Ear's wet fur. Black Ear purrs, saying she smells like Slate, only different. Thunder tells the kit that Slate is on her way here. Holly points out that the kit is freezing, and asks Thunder to get some more moss. Clear Sky asks if Black Ear will be okay, and Holly replies that he'll be fine once he gets warm. When Thunder talks to Clear Sky, Clear Sky says that he couldn't have let Black Ear die, saying that it was his duty to save Gray Wing's kits as Gray Wing had once saved his. Clear Sky is aware that Black Ear is gone, asking where he is. Thunder replies that Holly took him to her nest, saying that the best thing for him was having Storm Pelt, Dew Nose, and Eagle Feather fidgeting over him, as that would warm him up and help him forget what he had been through quickly. Slate is in the camp, trying to convince Holly that she needs to take Black Ear home. Holly replies that he isn't well enough to travel yet, and Pebble Heart reassures her he'll be fine, as he was warm and full-fed. Slate says that he needs to see Gray Wing, before ... She is unable to finish her sentence. Clear Sky realizes Gray Wing is dying, and Slate picks Black Ear up to go and visit him.


 * Gray Wing is unable to rest; at least, not until Black Ear gets back to camp. White Tail asks if Black Ear is coming back to camp, and Gray Wing replies yes, that Gorse Fur had said Black Ear was found, and Slate was fetching him. Gray Wing aches with the need to see Slate and Black Ear. Slate pads into camp, with Black Ear hanging on her back. Black Ear asks why Gray Wing is in the snow, flinging himself against his father. He huddles in his fur, saying that Slash stole him but he escaped, and now he's home, and he missed Gray Wing so much. Slate orders Black Ear to give his father some space, and Gray Wing asks if he is okay. Slate replies that he was fine, but he had quite an adventure, and says he will tell Gray Wing about it. White Tail charges into the den in which Gray Wing is transported to, exclaiming that Thunder told him that Black Ear was nearly killed by a monster. Silver Stripe adds that Clear Sky saved him, and Black Ear dramatically states that he was dropped in the middle of the Thunderpath.


 * Slate tells Black Ear that he's safe now, and that's all that matters. Black Ear asks if Gray Wing is sick, and White Tail replies that he has the sniffles. Wind Runner says that she is glad they got Black Ear back, and they will never lose him again. Gray Wing pulls Black Ear closer, trusting Wind Runner to keep her promise. When Pebble Heart, Clear Sky, and Jagged Peak enter the den, Gray Wing thinks that Sparrow Fur and Owl Eyes should be here, as they helped rescue Black Ear.


 * Gray Wing holds Black Ear close, telling him to look at Pebble Heart. Black Ear asks why, saying it's only Pebble Heart. Gray Wing tells Black Ear that Pebble Heart is the gentlest cat he knows, and that if he was ever in trouble, he should see him. Gray Wing says that Pebble Heart will always know what to do. White Tail asks Gray Wing why everyone was coming to visit him, and Gray Wing says they came to make sure Black Ear was okay. After White Tail asks why their kin don't live in their own group, Gray Wing replies they have their own groups. He realizes that group isn't a good word, and doesn't represent them, so he says they have their own Clans instead. Black Ear asks what their Clan is called, and Gray Wing tells him they are called WindClan. Silver Stripe and White Tail name ThunderClan and ShadowClan, and Black Ear suggests that River Ripple's group be called RiverClan. When Turtle Tail visits Gray Wing in his last moments, she looks sadly at his kits, saying that she wishes he could stay with them, but it is their destiny to know him as only a memory. In his final moments, Gray Wing tells Black Ear to forgive any harm he has been done and to show kindness to his Clanmates, as they are all fighting a hard battle and sometimes kindness is all they need. Black Ear is confused, telling Gray Wing it sounds like he is saying goodbye. Gray Wing replies that he is. Black Ear wails no, scrambling over his flank and pummeling his shoulders. Gray Wing lets out his dying breath, and he gets to his paws as a spirit cat, and turns to see his kits and Slate clinging to the body that he no longer needs. He whispers that he will always be watching them. He turns away and pads after the other spirit cats, heading for StarClan's hunting grounds.

Moth Flight's Vision

 * He is first mentioned when Slate asks Moth Flight to watch him and his siblings for a little while. Moth Flight falls asleep, and he goes missing. Once he is found, he panics, telling Moth Flight that Silver Stripe was stuck in a hole, and that they tried to help her out but she was too far in. He hears footsteps and thinks there's a badger in the tunnel, but Willow Tail reassures him that the tunnel is too small for a badger. Moth Flight snaps at him, asking why he left camp, and he replies innocently that they were going to ask, but she was asleep. He offers to ride on her back on the way home so she can collect her plant, but Willow Tail insists that he should be carried.


 * Later, when Willow Tail sees Red Claw, she says that this is their land, and Black Ear is quick to agree, but Red Claw merely looks at him with amusement. He asks Moth Flight if SkyClan cats are bad, and she replies of course they aren't.


 * Later, he is seen when Moth Flight comes back to camp with Micah, and he tells her that Wind Runner will be happy she is back. He is seen much later in the book teaching Moth Flight's kits a hunting crouch in the clearing of camp. He is given Spotted Fur as his mentor, after his littermate get their mentors also.


 * In the manga which appears to take place many seasons later, he is seen watching Moth Flight tend to Drizzle, as a fully grown cat.

Interesting facts

 * Black Ear is the cat who named RiverClan.
 * He has rogue blood via Slate.

Mistakes

 * He has been mistakenly called White Tail.
 * Despite being old enough to be considered a "hunter", Black Ear is listed in the allegiances as a kit.