ShadowClan

ShadowClan is one of the five. ShadowClan's territory consists of pine forests and swamps. ShadowClan cats are skilled night hunters, relying on the cover of the darkness while hunting, as there is limited undergrowth on their territory. They also have the reputation as the most stealthy of all the Clan cats. ShadowClan's main prey includes frogs, snakes, lizards and other creatures that inhabit the marshlands.

General Information
They have always seemed to be the "darker" Clan, with fierce, more disagreeable warriors. This dark reputation has been earned over the years by an unfortunate run of corrupted leaders, twisted minds, and bitter plots. They are proud, loyal, defensive, and slightly arrogant, but are portrayed by the other Clans as battle-hungry, aggressive, ambitious, and greedy for more territory. It was often said when the Clans were in the forest, that the cold north wind of the mountains chilled the ShadowClan warriors' hearts. However, as Rock states in Cats of the Clans, ShadowClan have the smallest amount of territory and prey, which may justify their readiness to add anything to the fresh-kill pile. Even though their fierce warriors and hostile leaders earned ShadowClan its reputation, the leader Dawnstar led Firestar to believe ShadowClan were not always as unfair and cruel as they seem now.

Forest Territory
In the Forest, ShadowClan lived in the northern territory region, in a pine forest with marshy ground.
 * The ShadowClan camp is described as "a dark, well concealed hollow".
 * It is hidden deep in the shadows on the far side of the Thunderpath, and is surrounded by brambles.


 * They share a border along a Thunderpath with ThunderClan.
 * The ShadowClan cats cross the Thunderpath using a tunnel going under it.


 * West from the camp, on the WindClan side of the territory is Carrionplace.
 * It is a Twoleg dump where disease-ridden rats live.
 * Further to the west is Highstones.


 * On the ThunderClan side of their camp, there is an ancient tree called The Burnt Sycamore.
 * It was destroyed many moons ago by lightning.
 * Apprentices are often trained there to hunt during the night, and to stalk noiselessly.

Lake Territory
At the Lake, ShadowClan lived in the northwestern region.
 * The ShadowClan camp is in a hollow, close to the lake
 * It is closer to Twolegs than the original camp
 * It is well hidden, and difficult to attack


 * They share a border with ThunderClan and RiverClan
 * On the northwestern side of the territory is a Twoleg nest
 * It is home to two very aggressive kittypets named Jacques and Susan


 * To the east of the camp is a Twoleg path
 * Both on the ThunderClan and RiverClan borders, there are Greenleaf Twolegplaces
 * Twolegs come here during greenleaf
 * They build small dens (described as and most likely tents)
 * Sometimes they leave food like the cats would find at Carrionplace

Into the Wild

 * When Brokenstar first opened this sincere Clan of the marshes to a stricter rule, his corrupted mind slowly lead the Clan into devastation as kits were forced to train too early – many of them dying in the process of early training, as Brokenstar trained them to fight as warriors, not apprentices. He framed the medicine cat of ShadowClan at the time, Yellowfang, of killing two kits when he had took them out at four moons and fought them like warriors with claws unsheathed, causing their untimely deaths. His ambition led him to try and conquer other territories and he tried to force WindClan into opening its lands to his Clan. When Tallstar refused, Brokenstar attacked WindClan and drove them out. Later, at a Gathering, he tried to force ThunderClan and RiverClan to share their lands with him. While Crookedstar accepted to protect his Clan, Bluestar refused. To stop ThunderClan's resistance, Brokenstar sent a group of warriors under Blackfoot to kidnap their kits. Later on, Clawface succeeded and killed the ThunderClan medicine cat, Spottedleaf. However, Nightpelt, led a successful coup against Brokenstar and the warriors allied with him.

Fire and Ice

 * Once ThunderClan succeeded in driving off Brokenstar, the Clan slowly began to recover. Nightpelt stepped up in the midst of his Clan's turmoil. However, when he went to receive his nine lives, StarClan rejected him for the mere fact that Brokenstar was still alive, despite that he was banned from ShadowClan. Nightpelt lied to his Clan and announced he had received his nine lives. He took the name Nightstar, and only his current medicine cat, Runningnose, knew of this lie.

Forest of Secrets

 * When informed that ThunderClan was sheltering their hated former leader, Brokentail, they, along with WindClan, attacked ThunderClan, hoping to kill their enemy. ThunderClan was almost defeated if it weren't for the help of RiverClan, who intervened at the last moment to help ThunderClan. Secretly, Nightstar wished for Brokentail to die so that he could become the true leader of ShadowClan.

Rising Storm

 * When a fatal illness struck ShadowClan, Nightstar died, along with his deputy, Cinderfur. His Clan was left without any sense of authority and deeply frightened, because they believed that all of Nightstar's (nonexistant) nine lives have been destroyed by the sickness. Tigerclaw, having recently been banned from ThunderClan, became the new leader. His mind could even be considered more cunning than that of Brokenstar's, as he had fabricated attempts to overthrow ThunderClan's leader many times over. When Yellowfang murdered Brokenstar, StarClan accepted Tigerstar as ShadowClan's new leader, but now, with a fresh Clan so weak, he opened them to a new sense of thinking.

The Darkest Hour

 * ShadowClan trained and slowly became a threat to the Clans once more. At last, Tigerstar's latest plot became apparent. He had brought the devious BloodClan to the forest to force the other Clans to merge with his own. But everything failed when BloodClan's leader, Scourge, murdered Tigerstar. Blackfoot became the new leader of ShadowClan once the four Clans had come together and driven BloodClan away. ShadowClan still lives in a drape of darkness, stirring up tension between the Clans. The twisted thoughts still arouse familiar suspicion from the other Clans.

Firestar's Quest

 * ShadowClan does not appear much in Firestar's Quest, but one major event that happened concerning them was that Tawnypaw received her warrior name, Tawnypelt.

Bluestar's Prophecy

 * At a gathering, ShadowClan announce a new deputy, Raggedpelt after Stonetooth retired to the elders den. Also, Sagewhisker, the ShadowClan medicine cat has a new apprentice, though not mentioned at the gathering, is presumed to be Yellowfang because of her flattened face and thick gray fur.


 * Snowfur of ThunderClan scents ShadowClan, and it turns out three ShadowClan warriors are hunting on ThunderClan territory. Her and her sister, Bluefur run out to attack the warriors. ShadowClan flee, and Snowfur chases them on the Thunderpath, causing her to get hit by a monster and die instantly. When a ThunderClan patrol see the two ThunderClan warriors, Thrushpelt is sent to check for leftovers of ShadowClan.


 * At the next gathering, ShadowClan announce the new medicine cat, Yellowfang, who was the cat Bluefur saw at one of the previous gatherings.


 * At one of the next gatherings that happen, Leopardfoot of ThunderClan tells Bluefur that a new ShadowClan apprentice, Brokenpaw got into a fight with another cat, and Oakheart had to break it up.

Midnight

 * In the prologue, Tawnypelt of ShadowClan is chosen to go on the journey to the sun-drown-place by Nightstar. They otherwise make no formal appearances besides at Gatherings.

Moonrise

 * They are only seen when Firestar leads a patrol to ShadowClan territory so he can speak with Blackstar. Otherwise, they make no formal appearances.

Starlight
Two ShadowClan warriors die on ThunderClan territory by falling into the stone hollow while fighting on Mudclaw's side.

Sunset

 * When Berrykit wanders away from camp and gets his tail caught in a fox trap near the ShadowClan border, a ShadowClan patrol witnesses it but do nothing to help. Later when Brambleclaw and Squirrelflight find him and demand why they didn't help him. Russetfur replies that since he wasn't a clanborn kit, they were not entitled to help him, since Berrykit had been born at the Horseplace.

The Sight

 * Blackstar and ShadowClan are seen at the Gathering that Graystripe and Millie accidentally stumble upon. When Firestar asked whether any other Clan has anything to report, Blackstar replies no.
 * Later, after it's announced that Brambleclaw would remain deputy, he, Graystripe, Ashfur, Brightheart, Jaypaw, Lionpaw, Hollypaw, and Berrypaw go hunting. Birchfall bursts out and finds Brambleclaw and exclaims that ShadowClan had moved the border. A fight breaks out and Lionpaw is sent back for help and is chased by two ShadowClan warriors, which are defeated by Squirrelflight near to camp. Firestar forms a patrol and storms the battle. Graystripe calls for the ThunderClan cats to drive ShadowClan into the brambles, since their territory has no undergrowth. A ShadowClan apprentice, Owlpaw is defeated by Jaypaw and Lionpaw. ShadowClan is driven into a retreat. At half-moon, Littlecloud asks Leafpool is there were any bad injuries to the battle patrol, which she replies that Stormfur was still limping.
 * At the next Gathering, Blackstar accuses Firestar of ThunderClan not really being a real clan anymore since he'd accepted so many Kittypets and Loners into the Clan. Squirrelflight suggests a Daylight Gathering on ThunderClan territory to remember that Great Journey. The other clans agree.
 * At the daylight Gathering, Ivypaw, and ShadowClan apprentice challenges Hollypaw to a battle after she defeats Heatherpaw, a WindClan apprentice. Later, the leaders decide that the contest is a draw, but Blackstar remains arrogant, believing that his clan was best. The Gathering breaks up and all the clans go home.

Dark River

 * Tawnypelt gives birth to Flamekit, Tigerkit, and Dawnkit.

Outcast

 * When Stormfur and Brook are ready to return to the mountains, a patrol is assembled to come and ask whether Tawnypelt would like to join them, since she had been part of the first patrol who found Midnight. Blackstar agrees and Tawnypelt leaves with the patrol while her kits would be cared for by Snowbird, another ShadowClan queen.

Eclipse

 * When WindClan attacks ThunderClan's cats, Hollyleaf is sent to the ShadowClan camp after RiverClan had begun to help WindClan. Tawnypelt finds Hollyleaf and brings her to the ShadowClan leader. Blackstar sends out some of his warriors to help ThunderClan defeat WindClan and RiverClan. The battle ends when Sol's prediction of a big, black disc covers the sun, leaving the stunned cats in horror.

Long Shadows

 * ShadowClan invites Sol into their Clan. Soon, Sol manages to make Blackstar and the rest of ShadowClan turn their backs on StarClan, and inserts his own ideas for ShadowClan to follow. At a Gathering, Blackstar announces that they won't show up at future Gatherings. Jayfeather suspected that the reason that Sol chose to join ShadowClan instead of ThunderClan was because he realized that Blackstar would be easier to convince to denounce StarClan than Firestar. Blackstar later forbid Littlecloud from going to Moonpool.

Sunrise

 * After Sol is brought back to the Clan territories by ThunderClan, Blackstar and Rowanclaw come to ThunderClan with Reedwhisker and Mistystar of RiverClan, and Tornear and Onestar of WindClan. They demand that ThunderClan get rid of Sol right away. Lionblaze thinks to himself that Blackstar would be much to proud to admit that he had believed Sol's words and had nearly destroyed ShadowClan by not believing in the Warrior Code. The three leaders threaten ThunderClan that Sol had better be gone by the next Gathering otherwise they'd unite their three clans and get rid of him themselves. That night is half-moon and Jayfether travels to the Moonpool alone, since Leafpool had to stay behind at Honeyfern's vigil. He meets Flamepaw, who is now training under Littlecloud as his apprentice. When they get to the hollow, Littlecloud introduces Flamepaw to StarClan as his new apprentice. Jayfeather meets Flamepaw in a dream, who says that he wants to meet Tigerstar. Once the other Medicine cats awake from their dreams, Littlecloud says that he thinks that Flamepaw had done very well for his first time, saying that he'd met Nightstar, who was ShadowClan's leader back in the old forest. Jayfeather asks about the mystery herb that had been mixed into Mousefur's tansy last Leaf-bare and Littlecloud replies that he thinks it sounds like Parsley and says that it doesn't do much, but it stops queens' milk from coming if their kits die. The Medicine cats return to their own territories.
 * Lionblaze allows Sol to escape for the name of his, Jayfeather, and Hollyleaf's father. When Sol get out of his prison, he says that he wasn't ready to know yet and says that he'd be in the Abandoned Twoleg Nest in ShadowClan territory. When the three go and visit him, Sol says nothing and the three leave. They see a ShadowClan patrol and hide. When they get back to camp, the same patrol of ShadowClan come to camp, Ivytail points out the three intruders, and demand to know why they were so far into ShadowClan territory. Jayfeather replies that they were looking for herbs. At the next Gathering, Blackstar says that Firestar has seen sense since Sol was no longer with ThunderClan and presumably, the leaders believe that ThunderClan drove him out but in reality, Lionblaze let him escape. Hollyleaf tries to speak, but Firestar tries to stop her. But Blackstar eggs her on, saying that he was curious to know what ThunderClan secrets Firestar doesn't want anyone to know about.

The Fourth Apprentice

 * Along with ThunderClan and WindClan, they protest at a Gathering when Leopardstar says that the other Clans are stealing their fish, and that the lake belongs to RiverClan. When a ThunderClan patrol is collecting water, Lionblaze sees a ShadowClan patrol fighting with a RiverClan patrol. When Firestar and the other Clan leaders agree to let two cats from each Clan to find out what is happening to the water, Blackstar chooses Tigerheart and Toadfoot. When the patrol comes back, Blackstar eagerly welcomes them back, seeming happier than normal since the drought has ended.

Fading Echoes

 * ThunderClan attacks ShadowClan because ThunderClan wanted the Twoleg clearing back, but ShadowClan wanted to keep it. The two Clans fought each other for control over the clearing. During the battle, Russetfur, the ShadowClan deputy, is killed by Lionblaze in the battle. After that, they gave the Twoleg clearing back. A lot of ShadowClan patrols appeared in this book. The first one consisted of Crowfrost, Tigerheart, Ratscar, and Pinepaw, and the next included Oakfur and Ferretpaw, and the last consisted of Ratscar and Toadfoot.

Night Whispers

 * In the beginning of the book, Fernshade, Yellowfang, and Sagewhisker are arguing about the past battle between ThunderClan and ShadowClan and the death of Russetfur. Fernshade blames Yellowfang for her apprentice's death and then leaves to guide Russetfur to StarClan.


 * When Lionblaze and Cinderheart are on an early patrol, they meet Flametail at the border that hasn't been marked, indicating that ShadowClan hasn't accepted the border change. Flametail blames Lionblaze for Russetfur's death and leaves. It is revealed that ShadowClan train their Medicine cats as warriors too, therefore, Flametail knows how to fight.


 * Flametail is later shown going through his herb store and that Littlecloud is showing signs of being ill. Flametail urges him to rest and then attends a clan meeting where the new deputy, Rowanclaw is going over the battle and what they need to work on. The warriors and apprentices begin their training. Later, Flametail travels to the Moonpool where he receives a dream where he is surrounded by walls of flames and Runningnose, Nightstar, Russetfur, and Fernshade come to him and explain that the past battle had been unjust. Raggedstar and Sagewhisker appear to him and warn him that something terrible is coming and that ShadowClan must stand alone to survive. The dream fades and Flametail leaves the Moonpool. Flametail tells Blackstar and Littlecloud about his dream, but Littlecloud refuses to cut the ties between ShadowClan and ThunderClan because a ThunderClan cat, Cinderpelt had saved his life. Flametail reminds him that Cinderpelt is dead and the two quarrel.


 * The night that Dovepaw meets Tigerheart at the border, they are followed by Ivypaw who is furious with Dovepaw. The two quarrel until Tigerheart hears a patrol coming. He pushes Dovepaw under a bush but Ivypaw is unable to hide and the ShadowClan patrol captures her and takes her to camp and Tigerheart leaves with the patrol. Ivypaw is guarded by Starlingpaw and pestered by Kinkfur's kits. Blackstar tells her that she will be free to go home soon because they were going to trade her for some of the catmint that Jayfeather grows in the Abandoned Twoleg Nest. Later, Starlingpaw is relieved of her guard duty by her mentor Tawnypelt who allows Ivypaw to stretch her legs and use the dirtplace. She requests to go and see Kinkfur's kits, since he'd snapped at they earlier. She apologies to them for scaring them, at which Sparrowkit replies that he wasn't scared. Later, a ThunderClan patrol as assembled to fetch her and brings catmint for the trade.


 * Later, Kinkfur asked Flametail to check on Mistkit, who'd lost her voice. Her gives her some herbs to eat and tells her to rest. Her brother and sister, Sparrowkit and Dewkit are shown making facing at the herbs.



While playing a game on the frozen lake Flametail fall in. Jayfeather goes in to save him but Rock appears and tells Jayfeather that it is Flametail's time to die, causing Jayfeather to swim back out and causing Flametail to drown. Flametail wanders into the dark forest and Brokenstar tells Ivypaw to kill him. At first Ivypaw refuses but then she hurls herself at him to be stopped by Flametail's brother Tigerheart who refuses to let Ivypaw to destroy what was left of his brother.