Nettle (DotC)

Nettle is a huge, thick-furred gray tom.

Moth Flight's Vision

 * After Micah's death, Nettle is seen padding toward Wind Runner with Blossom and Acorn Fur, behind Gorse Fur. Nettle thrusts his muzzle beneath Micah's flanks and heaves him onto his back and Gorse Fur and Blossom crowd beside them, helping to take the weight of the deceased cat's body. Acorn Fur slides among them to press her shoulder beneath Micah's hindquarters, and together they carry the body from the glade. SkyClan gathers around a hole dug within the earth as Nettle and Gorse Fur pause at the edge of it. Moth Flight gets angry with Willow Tail, and she jerks her muzzle toward Micah who lies stiffly on Nettle's flank, and tells her to come and see what she has done. Wind Runner suggests saying good-bye to Micah kindly, and Nettle crouches down and lets Micah's body slip form his shoulders and thud into the hole. Clear Sky talks about how he was initially doubtful of taking in Micah in, and Nettle nods before Clear Sky explains how he was wrong, and the pale gray tom's gaze flits from Nettle to Quick Water as he goes on that all who doubted Micah came to respect him.


 * Later, as Moth Flight returns to WindClan after being in ShadowClan, she sees Thorn, Birch, and Nettle on the SkyClan border, moving slowly among the trees, and she asks Pebble Heart what they are doing. The ShadowClan medicine cat explains that Clear Sky has given orders to have daily border patrols.


 * When Moth Flight and Spotted Fur go to SkyClan's territory to get bark for Slate, Moth Flight hears paws scuff the earth behind her and Spotted Fur, and a hostile mew asking where they are going makes her turn. Nettle stares at her across a patch of blueberries, with Birch and Alder flanking him, but when Spotted Fur explains that Moth Flight came to get medicine for a sick Clanamte, Nettle mews with a sneer that he thought Wind Runner didn't recognize SkyClan anymore. He notes that they have still come to steal form SkyClan, but Moth Flight objects that they are not stealing, and are only taking bark. Alder says that they have to come to the SkyClan camp with them, and when Spotted Fur softly tells Moth Flight that they should go with them, Nettle glares at him, ordering him to stop whispering and get moving. The SkyClan cats fall in beside them and begin to herd them deeper into the forest.


 * WindClan attack SkyClan, and when the WindClan cats enter the camp, the SkyClan cats attack back. Nettle is seen as Wind Runner crashes into him and they fall, squirming like snakes, onto the ground. During the battle, Moth Flight tells her mother to stop, but Wind Runner holds Nettle down, raking his claws with her hind legs without even looking up. Later in the battle, when Moth Flight searches for injuries, she sees Nettle stagger beside Red Claw. When Wind Runner's leg breaks as she fights Clear Sky, Dust Muzzle and Gorse Fur, who had been driving Nettle backward toward a birch trunk, glance over. At their distracted attention, Nettle lashes out and lunches low, and he lunges low and clamps his jaws around Gorse Fur's paw. Dust Muzzle's stops gazing at Wind Runner as he slices across the SkyClan tom's ears. After the battle, when Moth Flight and other medicine cats work to heal the injuries from the fight, Dappled Pelt pads over to where Nettle sways beside the birch tree.

Thunder Rising

 * Nettle, along with Fircone, are mentioned by Thunder to be the two newest members of Clear Sky's group.


 * Nettle and Fircone approach Thunder, asking to speak with him in private. Thunder, although worried about why it has to be "private", agrees to talk to the two cats, and they settle themselves in an area out of anyone's earshot. The two young cats explain that they like the support of the group, but are beginning to doubt whether living with the group is such a good thing due to the killing of cats. Nettle asks Thunder if he can possibly talk to Clear Sky about his motives and the happiness of his group.


 * When Thunder brings up that particular topic to Clear Sky, he notices a hopeful expression on Nettle's face.

The First Battle

 * Clear Sky flicks his gaze to Fircone and Nettle, and it is noted that despite joining recently, they had little loyalty to Clear Sky. It is mentioned that they had persuaded to challenge Clear Sky's thinking, making the latter prompted to teach them commitment and courage. Nettle and Fircone the circle Clear Sky, before Leaf joins Nettle and exchanges glances with him. When Clear Sky notes of Thunder and Frost's permanent departure from the group, Nettle and Fircone exchange glances. As he informs his cats to report any signs of disloyalty from Falling Feather, Fircone and Nettle shift their paws uneasily. Clear Sky looks down at Fircone and Nettle, and goes on to report of cats questioning his decisions, making Nettle unsheathe his claws defensively.


 * When Clear Sky begins to start some battle training, he tells Nettle to fight Fircone, but Nettle objects, as he doesn't want to hurt his companion. Clear Sky replies that he could keep his claws sheathed, as he merely wanted to see his fighting technique, and could learn his skills before the others showed theirs. Nettle then assures him that he was ready, whisks his tail, and drops to a crouch. Fircone begins to stare at Nettle, making him narrow his eyes. Fircone then leaps, Nettle rearing to meet him midair, and the sound of their bodies clashing rings throughout their camp. The two drop, and Nettle lands on Fircone, raising and slamming his paws onto the latter's shoulders. Fircone kicks out his hind legs as Nettle rears to hit again, his hind paws catching Nettle's chin, and thrusting him backwards. Nettle collapses onto the ground, and Clear Sky goads Fircone to finish him off.


 * Fircone is noted to not have expected Nettle to attack him forcefully, and he hisses at the latter, leaping. Nettle scrabbles to his paws, but is too late, and Fircone hits him hard, making him smash to the ground. Letting out some growls, Nettle curls like a caterpillar, and grabs Fircone's hind paws, clamping his jaws around his leg until he staggers and falls. He claims that no cat could finish him, and Nettle dives for Fircone's throat. However, Clear Sky grabs Nettle's scruff, and reminds him that they didn't hurt each other. Nettle claims that Fircone tried to hurt him, and Clear Sky compliments him on his move, nodding approvingly at Nettle, as it was unexpected, that he moved well in the air, and Clear Sky requests for Nettle to teach them his move. As Fircone shows a battle move to Leaf, Nettle, curious, leans forward, and remarks that he wasn't aware that Fircone could accomplish such a feat. Clear Sky is satisfied, as they are merely interested in improving their fighting skills.


 * After encountering a dog, Clear Sky notices Fircone and Nettle standing in the middle of the clearing, square on as they face the gap where the brambles open into the forest. As Dew and Thorn arrive in their camp, Nettle hisses at them as they pad inside. Nettle then points out Thorn's appearance, but she replies that she was merely molting. When Jackdaw's Cry and Thunder head to Clear Sky for diplomatic purposes, Nettle and Fircone groom each other in the clearing. Clear Sky soon spots the two visitors, and Fircone and Nettle pad closer. Once the two moor cats head out with Falling Feather, Nettle hurries across the clearing, asking if things were fine, and Clear Sky confirms it. After Clear Sky encounters Tom, Nettle is said to have returned from a border patrol, and lies with Petal and Leaf, chewing prey, under an oak's shade.


 * As they meet up at the four oaks, Gray Wing points out that Fircone and Nettle were rogues, and they were his allies. As Tall Shadow makes her speech, Nettle and Fircone hurry closer, fur rippling. Once the battle begins, Nettle catches Tall Shadow's cheek, and Thunder thrusts himself beneath Nettle's belly, heaving him off his paws, and sends him flying. Once the battle is called off, Nettle glances at Petal uncertainly, asking about what they would do next. Nettle then pads after Quick Water, along with Dew and Thorn, as they depart from the four oaks.

The Blazing Star

 * Nettle, Thorn, and Dew are some of the cats at a meeting at the four oaks. They watch River Ripple leave because he has no desire to listen to bickering cats.


 * Nettle and Petal are the cats left behind to guard Clear Sky's camp. Standing behind One Eye, his eyes are filled with a mixture of guilt and horror when Clear Sky returns to check on the kit Alder. Clear Sky asks what is going on, but Petal doesn't meet his gaze, and her face shows the same guilt as Nettle's. When One Eye tells Clear Sky that the camp is his territory, Clear Sky wonders which of his cats he can trust, and thinks of how Leaf, Thorn, Nettle, and Snake just recently joined his group. One Eye has Petal show Clear Sky the raw clawed circle on the pad of her forepaw, and One Eye proudly states that she and nettle now carry his mark.


 * After One Eye is killed and Clear Sky returns to his camp, Nettle, Thorn, and Leaf are noted to look glad to see him. However, Snake blames Clear Sky for allowing One Eye into the camp and leaps at Clear Sky, attacking him. However, Sparrow Fur barrels into Snake, and Nettle throws himself into the battle, raking his claws across Snake's ears. He yowls to the other cats to come, and exclaims that they can't let a kit fight for their leader. Quick Water agrees, and she, Acorn Fur, Thorn, and Leaf leap into the gray.

A Forest Divided

 * Clear Sky observes his camp, and he sees Nettle, Acorn Fur, and Leaf pad out of the brambles at the far end of camp. His pelt damp, Nettle comments that he's never seen prey so scare, and wonders if they'll make it to newleaf as he walks past his campmates and stops beside his leader. Clear Sky thinks desperately that the only way to survive was to convince the other groups to work together, so he tells Nettle he's going to Gray Wing's camp. The tom's ear twitches, and he asks why. Clear Sky shifts his paws, and remembers that Nettle had fought beside him when he'd fought to keep his boundaries. He wonders what the gray tom might say when he tells him they should all share their land and live as one group, but thinks he'll understand it's when he knows it's what the spirit-cats wanted.


 * Clear Sky tells Nettle that he wants to see Jagged Peak's kits, and the tom looks up at the yellow clouds, replying that the weather's closing in and there'll be heavy snow before the day closes out. The leader interrupts him, stating that he was a mountain cat and is used to getting snow in his whiskers. Nettle shrugs, and glances to the other side of the clearing where Blossom emerges from beneath a holly. Later on Clear Sky's way to visit his brother, he thinks that the gray tom was right about an incoming snowfall as a stone-tang laces the air.


 * As he watches his camp with his chin hanging over the branch he is resting on, Clear Sky watches his campmates, seeing Nettle and Thorn sharing tongues amongst the roots of the beech tree. As Cloud Spots comes up to the prey pile, Sparrow Fur and Owl Eyes get into a minor squabble about what to give him, and she gives Cloud Spots the prey she caught, and Cloud Spots goes over to where Nettle and Thorn are, settling beside them. Star Flower later mentions Leaf and Nettle when she points out to Clear Sky that they share an instinct that he does not, having been born and raised in the forest all their lives.


 * Nettle and Leaf lie beside the pitiful fresh-kill pile like guards as they warily eye their campmates, watching them argue over Clear Sky's hunting rules. Thunder points out to his father that two hunting patrols a day isn't enough, and if he is so scared Thunder is eating his catches, he could send out Leaf and Nettle with him to keep watch, as it would actually give them something to do.


 * When Thunder and Lightning Tail go to Clear Sky's camp to take a message to him, Alder and Birch hop from their nests, followed by Quick Water, Sparrow Fur, and Nettle. Nettle growls that he hopes the two haven't come looking for more recruits for their camp, as no more of Clear Sky's cats would join them.


 * After Quiet Rain's death, Clear Sky and Star Flower return to the camp, and both Acorn Fur and Nettle had come rushing up to greet them, asking what had taken them so long to return home. Clear Sky tells them both of his mother's death, and Acorn Fur and Nettle brush past him, sympathetic.

Path of Stars

 * When Clear Sky returns to camp the morning after Star Flower's capture, he finds his campmates staring at him uneasily, having been informed by Quick Water of what happened. Sparrow Fur and Nettle circle the clearing, narrowing their eyes as their leader pads into the center of the camp. Clear Sky says that they kidnapped her, and he looks at the expressions of the cats in camp, but Nettle blinks, giving nothing away. The pale gray tom insists that they have to get Star Flower away from the rogues, but Nettle frowns and points out that Quick Water says she went with them freely. Clear Sky snaps back that she had no choice. While answering many questions, the leader mentions that Slash wants a share of their prey, causing Thorn to swap looks with Nettle and recall how when the two were loners, they left offerings at the edge of the woods to keep the rogues off of their land. Nettle nods, confirming that they traded prey for peace. Clear Sky meets his campmate's gaze and says that they can do it again, but Quick Water argues that they can't survive leaf-bare if they give away half of their prey. Nettle flicks his tail and reasons that it doesn't need to be half; rather it can be just enough to keep them happy. However, the other cats voice their disapproval of the idea and bring up the possibility that Star Flower is untrustworthy. Thorn suggests that she may be setting another trap, and while Clear Sky refutes the idea, Nettle reminds the leader that she has done it before when she led them into One Eye's ambush. In the end, only Sparrow Fur, Alder, and Acorn Fur come with Clear Sky to talk to the other leaders.


 * On his way to the meeting with the other group leaders, Clear Sky worries if the meeting might have been one of Slash's tricks, but he recalls how each of his campmates have a position to guard; Nettle and Thorn are stationed at the camp entrance.


 * Later, after Star Flower is rescued, brought back to Clear Sky's camp, and gives birth to three kits, Thunder goes to meet his newest kin. As he crosses through the forest towards the camp, he picks up recent scents of Nettle and Birch.


 * During the next Gathering, Nettle is seen sitting beside Blossom and a pacing Clear Sky.


 * Not long after, Clear Sky is in his camp and is aware of the meager prey they have, but he reassures himself that the hunting party, consisting of Blossom, Birch, Nettle, Quick Water, and Thorn, would be back soon. Sure enough, the patrol soon returns, and Blossom has two mice. Clear Sky looks hopefully at the other cats, hoping that they have prey, but he is dismayed to see that the only other catch is a vole that hangs from Nettle's mouth. The latter pads forward and apologizes for the small catch, claiming that they did their best. Quick Water reminds her leader of how there was little prey in the mountains during leaf-bare as well, but Nettle chips in that they will survive. He adds that River Ripple will share his fish, or they could scavenge in Twolegplace. The gray tom continues that most of them have lived as loners and know what it is like to suffer through difficult times.


 * On his way to the next Gathering, Clear Sky recalls how Red, a tom they had found on the border the night before, is now a part of their group, even though Quick Water and Nettle had objected, the two still not ready to trust another rogue. During the Gathering, the cats talk about Slash's former campmates, who now are living with them, and Clear Sky defends that he did not take in any of Slash's rogues because he has many cats, and has taken in rogues before. Leaf recalls One Eye, but the gray leader argues that most of the time he takes in good cats, stating that Thorn, Nettle, Birch, and Alder are as loyal as any camp-born cat. The cats talk about their new campmates' trustworthiness, and as they do, Clear Sky frets about how Red is in camp with his kits, then he reminds himself of what he had said about Thorn, Nettle, Birch, and Alder's loyalty, despite them not being camp-born. River Ripple says that they will find trust in trusting, and upon hearing this, Clear Sky reassures himself that Red would be a good campmate, like Blossom, Thorn, and Nettle. When the Gathering is over, Thunder comes to Clear Sky and warns that Red had brought the pack of dogs into the rogues' camp, causing Clear Sky to worry and wonder if Quick Water and Nettle were right.


 * Later, Nettle and Red are seen coming into Clear Sky's camp, their paws flecked with frost, and the latter carrying a mouse. Nettle informs Clear Sky that Gorse Fur has crossed the border and is heading towards the camp. The leader's kits hurry toward their father and ask to leave camp and meet them, but are denied due to being too young. Flower Foot asks when they will be old enough, and Nettle nudges the kit's cheek with his muzzle, joking that she will be when she can fight a fox. As the kits play with Red, Nettle asks Clear Sky if he should escort Gorse Fur through the woods, but just then the aforementioned cat enters the clearing. The tabby explains to the forest tom that Bee, one of Slash's rogues in Wind Runner's camp, has returned to her former leader, so the groups should be more cautious about Slash's former campmates. Hearing this, Clear Sky sends his kits who were playing with Red back to their nest, causing Nettle to hurry towards Clear Sky and question why the latter made the young cats stop playing. Clear Sky tells his campmate about Bee, and Nettle's gaze flashes towards Red. He asks if Clear Sky thinks the auburn tom would do the same, and the leader says that he doesn't know, but they must find out. Nettle's pelt ripples along his spine and he asks how his leader plans to do this. Clear Sky says that he has a plan, but needs his campmate to help him.


 * Clear Sky had told Red that the latter and Nettle would spend the night hunting as a test of skills. The gray tom instructed to hunt but not eat, and before dawn the next morning, the forest leader tracked Nettle and Red's scent to under the arching roots of an oak. Clear Sky watches as Nettle pads around the russet rogue and suggests that they eat one piece of prey. He complains that he is starving, and that Clear Sky would never no, but Red objects that he promised to take back all of his catches to camp. The brown tom says that his campmate can eat, but he will not, so Nettle rolls his eyes and calls Red a mouse-brain. The gray tom bites into a mouse and notes it to taste good, then looks at Red and once again offers that he has some. Still, Red pads away from his campmate and repeats that he made a promise to Clear Sky. Said tom wonders if Red had guessed that Nettle was spying for him, so he decides to push the rogue a little harder. The pale gray tom slides beneath the roots of the oak and pads toward the cats, catching Nettle's eye as he nears, while Red scans the trees for more prey. Nettle quickly swallows his mouthful and kicks the remains of the mouse closer to the auburn tom.


 * Clear Sky angrily says that he told them not to eat, and Red looks around, gazing at the remains of the mouse then to Nettle. The latter blinks at his campmate calmly and states that he told him they weren't supposed to eat. Red starts to object, then cuts himself off, apologizing to his leader that they were very hungry. He promises not to do it again, then points out their impressive catch. Clear Sky, suspicious of how honorable Red is acting, orders them to catch more prey, then stalks away and ducks under a clump of bracken to spy on Red more. Nettle questions why Red took the blame, and the brown tom answers that it seemed like the right thing to do. The gray cat narrows his eyes, stating that Clear Sky would never take the blame for him, which surprises Red. Nettle announces that he is the meanest cat in all the groups, and he adds that the leader was spying on them because he doesn't trust them even after hunting all night. Nettle continues that Clear Sky doesn't trust anyone, not even Nettle himself, and he adds that being loyal to Clear Sky is a waste of time. He finishes that the gray tom is hardly better than Slash and has killed cats before, but his campmates only put up with him because they are scared of him. Red objects that Clear Sky is kind to Star Flower and his kits, and Nettle snarls that it's because they belong to him, but he wasn't very kind to his first litter. The gray tom continues that his kits' mother ran away, and only one of them survived; Clear Sky winces, because although he had asked Nettle to test Red's loyalty, he hadn't been prepared to hear the harsh truth himself. Red asks his campmate what happened to Thunder's littermates, and Nettle slowly circles the rogue, murmuring that no one knows.


 * The brown tom asks why he is telling him this, and Nettle answers that Red was a rogue once, like most of the group, and might understand that many are unhappy with Clear Sky's leadership. He adds that, when the cats found out that Red was one of the cats who drove Slash out, they hoped he would do the same to Clear Sky. However, Red is horrified at the idea, and despite Nettle urging his campmate, the auburn tom is angered and tells Nettle that he is lucky to have Clear Sky as a leader. He thrusts his muzzle closer to Nettle's, and the latter half closes his eyes, suggesting that they make Red leader. The rogue lashes out at the gray tom, who yowls and says that it was just an idea. Red leaps at Nettle, and Clear Sky springs out of his hiding place and races for the two cats, then separates the two. Red objects that Nettle is a traitor and wanted to drive their leader out, but Clear Sky says that he told the gray tom to. Red realizes that they were testing him, and the leader explains that they had to after the news about Bee. Red understands the pale gray cat's motives, and Clear Sky nods to Nettle, saying that it is time to officially make Red a part of the group.


 * During the next Gathering, where Slash's former rogues are officially made a part of the groups, Nettle is seen standing beside Clear Sky. However, the Gathering is interrupted by Slash, who announces that the groups will pay the price for what they have done. Clear Sky, thinking that the rogue has hurt Star Flower, rushes back to camp, with Acorn Fur, Nettle, and Birch racing after him, their pelts bristling.

References and Citations
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