Battle for ShadowClan (ITW)

"What we can do—what we have to do—is clear. Brokenstar will never stop. So we'll have to stop him."

— Nightpelt to the others about stopping Brokenstar in Exile from ShadowClan, 141

Battle for ShadowClan
General information
Book:	Into the Wild, Exile from ShadowClan, The Prophecies Begin (volume 1)
Date:	Greenleaf
Place:	ShadowClan's camp
Outcome:	Brokenstar and his allies are exiled ThunderClan rescues their missing kits Nightpelt becomes ShadowClan's leader with Cinderfur as his deputy
Combatants
ShadowClan
ShadowClan ThunderClan
Leaders
Brokenstar
Nightpelt Whitestorm
Commanders
Blackfoot
Cinderfur
Strength
Clawface Silver tabby Boulder Russetfur Apprentice Several unnamed cats
Yellowfang Ashfur Dawncloud Wetfoot Brown tabby Brown and white cat Darkstripe Runningwind Mousefur Willowpelt Firepaw Graypaw
Chronology
Preceded by:	Battle for Sunningrocks
Concurrent:	Tyranny of Brokenstar, ShadowClan-WindClan conflict
Followed by:	Journey to bring back WindClan

The battle for ShadowClan was a battle that took place in Into the Wild and Exile from ShadowClan in ShadowClan's camp when ThunderClan and ShadowClan worked together to overthrow Brokenstar and rescue ThunderClan's missing kits. This battle signified the end of Brokenstar's leadership.

Summary

Premise

Runningwind: "So it's that simple, is it? We just drop into your camp, snatch the kits, kill your leader, and go home?"

Ashfur: "You will not meet as much resistance as you think."

^{Into the Wild, page 255}

Brokenstar, leader of ShadowClan, has led his Clan to annihilate WindClan no matter the cost. He shaped ShadowClan to focus on battling WindClan, including sending their kits into battle when they are too young with blatant regard for their safety, starving his Clan so they don't focus on hunting, and exiling those who no longer contribute to the Clan or who get in his way. His tyranny resulted in WindClan's exile, and stealing four kits from ThunderClan to raise as ShadowClan apprentices. Nightpelt, his group of exiled elders, Yellowfang, some of their allies, and a ThunderClan patrol team up to overthrow Brokenstar and rescue the stolen kits.

Overview

"Brokenstar! You think you can take our kits? Turn them into your warriors? Turn them against their own Clan? Let us show you how wrong you are!"

―Whitestorm during the battle ^{Exile from ShadowClan, pages 172-173}

Yellowfang, Nightpelt, Ashfur, and Dawncloud enter ShadowClan's camp with Yellowfang pretending to be their prisoner. Yellowfang attacks Brokenstar which starts the battle, and ThunderClan arrives to help. The battle is short-lived as ends when Brokenstar reveals he was responsible for the deaths of his father, Raggedstar, and Brightflower's two kits, Marigoldkit and Mintkit. His Clan turns on him and Brokenstar and his followers flee.

Description

Brokenstar's tyranny

Main article: Tyranny of Brokenstar

"I will not rest until WindClan has been punished, and until ShadowClan is feared by every cat in the forest. They will bow down before us! From now on warriors will only fight and train for battle. Hunting is of little importance, and cats will have to find food where they can."

―Brokenstar after his leadership ceremony ^{Yellowfang's Secret, chapter 36}

Clawface stole kits from ThunderClan

Following the death of his father Raggedstar, Brokenstar became leader of ShadowClan. Brokenstar led the Clan in a time of constant war against WindClan, accusing them of killing their previous leader. The Clan leader began implementing strict battle training sessions and warriors began to neglecting hunting for the Clan. Brokenstar also began training apprentices before they turned six moons old, breaking the warrior code. Brokenstar also exiled the elders from the camp since they no longer contributed to the Clan. His focus on training their young to fight WindClan resulted in the deaths of many kits, including Mosspaw, Badgerfang, Swampkit, and Blossomkit, and his disregard for their safety resulted in Volepaw's self-imposed exile and the deaths of Mintkit and Marigoldkit. While a majority of ShadowClan supported Brokenstar making the Clan stronger, several cats wished to save ShadowClan from the dishonorable leader, including Nightpelt, Cinderfur, Yellowfang, and a few of their allies.

The missing kits

"I'm a ThunderClan kit! I'm never gonna be a mouse-brained ShadowClan apprentice!"

―Young Thornclaw to Clawface ^{Exile from ShadowClan, page 150}

In order to replenish his ranks, Brokenstar orders Clawface to steal kits from ThunderClan so they can be trained as ShadowClan apprentices. He steals Frostfur's four kits and kills Spottedleaf. Nightpelt, Clawface's brother, confronts him for stealing kits and he is resolved to fight Brokenstar to prevent more deaths. ThunderClan blames Yellowfang for the crimes, but Firepaw and Graypaw track her down and she explains that Clawface was the one who did it. She resolves to save the kits so they aren't killed like the previous ShadowClan ones. Yellowfang leaves to recruit help from the exiled elders led by Nightpelt while Firepaw and Graypaw convince Whitestorm and his patrol to help them. The ShadowClan elders debate amongst themselves whether to break the warrior code attacking their leader, but Ashur and Dawncloud agree to fight with Nightpelt. Yellowfang leads the ShadowClan elders to meet with the ThunderClan patrol and they agree to work together. Yellowfang comes up with a plan for Nightpelt, Ashfur, and Dawncloud to lead her into camp as their prisoner.

Nightpelt leads the attack on ShadowClan's camp until ThunderClan arrives

Schism of ShadowClan

"We thought—despite everything—that you had StarClan on your side, and so must be a good leader. We trusted you...yet you were a murderous traitor all along."

―Cinderfur to Brokenstar ^{Exile from ShadowClan, page 177}

In ShadowClan's camp, Nightpelt locates the prison where the kits are being held and motions towards Ashfur and Cinderfur. Brokenstar confronts Yellowfang for returning to ShadowClan but she attacks him. The battle breaks out in ShadowClan's camp and Nightpelt worries it's all for nothing, until Whitestorm arrives with his patrol. Not every ShadowClan cat participates in the battle, as Runningnose and frail cats stay on the sidelines. Yellowfang fights Brokenstar and he reveals he killed Raggedstar and Brightflower's kits. The other cats are shocked by this reveal, and ShadowClan turns on Brokenstar. He and his allies flee the camp. ThunderClan reunites with their missing kits and Nightpelt and Whitestorm promise peace between their Clans for one moon while ShadowClan recovers.

Aftermath

«Now we have to put ShadowClan back together. And something tells me that winning the fight might have been the easy part. But then...how does a cat drink a lake? One lap at a time.»

—Nightpelt about rebuilding ShadowClan ^{Exile from ShadowClan, page 182}

Nightpelt (left) was chosen to be ShadowClan's leader. He and Runningnose (right) were the only cats to know the truth about his ceremony.

After the battle, Nightpelt begins organizing patrols to rebuild the camp. Under his guidance, the camp is repaired and hunting patrols are reestablished. Runningnose, Cinderfur, and the rest of the Clan believe Nightpelt should be their new leader, though Nightpelt is hesitant since he wasn't deputy and StarClan hasn't sent a sign. However, he has the whole Clan's support and eventually agrees, promising to name Cinderfur his deputy. Nightpelt declares himself leader of ShadowClan at the Gathering, though is displeased when Crookedstar revokes his prior agreement with Brokenstar to allow ShadowClan to hunt in their land, but Nightpelt continues to use WindClan's former territory to hunt in. However, StarClan refuses to grant Nightpelt nine lives since Brokenstar is still leader and he has fulfilled his promise to make ShadowClan feared. Despite this, Nightpelt leads the Clan as Nightstar, though he only has one life. Brokenstar and his allies continue to torment ThunderClan for some time in revenge.

Characters

Nightpelt

«He's finally done it. Brokenstar has finally gone too far. I thought the only way to defeat Brokenstar was if ShadowClan's warriors decided to rise up and fight against him. But I'm a ShadowClan warrior. Even if I've been cast out of the camp. I can lead the fight against Brokenstar. And that's exactly what I'm going to do.»

—Nightpelt about standing up to Brokenstar ^{Exile from ShadowClan, page 152}

Nightpelt is an exiled warrior who led the exiled elders

Nightpelt was Brokenstar's mentor, though his apprentice never respected him. Nightpelt retires to the elders' den early due to his persistent coughing. Nightpelt was exiled with the other elders by Brokenstar, though he vowed to do his best to protect them. With the others' support, Nightpelt rises as the exiled group's leader and does his best to keep them all safe. Nightpelt is ashamed of what ShadowClan has become with kits training to be warriors Brokenstar's behavior towards Littlepaw and Volepaw, and his insistent need for battle. Nightpelt becomes resolved that Brokenstar must be overthrown to save ShadowClan, and agrees to team up with ThunderClan to defeat Brokenstar and save their stolen kits. After Brokenstar's defeat, Nightpelt leads the recovery efforts and is chosen as ShadowClan's next leader by the Clan. However, StarClan refuses to grant him nine lives, leaving Nightstar susceptible.

Brokenstar

Brokenstar is the tyrannical leader of ShadowClan

"Those kits were weak. They would have been no use to ShadowClan. If I hadn't killed them, some other warrior would have."

―Brokenstar about killing Brightflower's kits ^{Into the Wild, page 261}

Following the death of his father, Brokenstar became leader of ShadowClan. During his reign, he trained kits before they turned six moons old, exiled the elders, and prioritizing fighting WindClan over the daily hunting patrols. Brokenstar made his Clan strong and a majority of the Clan supported him because of it, though the Clan starved, and he killed Mintkit and Marigoldkit. Brokenstar showed no remorse for the deaths of the apprentices. He ordered Clawface to steal kits from ThunderClan in order to make them into ShadowClan apprentices, which resulted in ThunderClan fighting to rescue them. Together with Nightpelt and his ShadowClan allies, Brokenstar was defeated and exiled from ShadowClan. However, he continued to terrorize ThunderClan, and StarClan refused to recognize Nightpelt as ShadowClan's leader with Brokenstar still alive.

Yellowfang

Yellowfang was exiled by Brokenstar and she returned to save ThunderClan's kits

"I'm going to stop Brokenstar. Somehow. Maybe I can plead with StarClan..."

―Yellowfang about Brokenstar ^{Exile from ShadowClan, page 112}

Yellowfang was ShadowClan's medicine cat during Brokenstar's leadership. She was also Brokenstar's mother, though that was kept secret. She grew displeased with Brokenstar's decisions to train kits as warriors, and she frequently challenged him. Runningnose prevented from telling her the truth about Volepaw's death because he was afraid of her reaction and what Brokenstar might do to her. Yellowfang became resolved that Brokenstar must be stopped. To remove Yellowfang from the Clan, Brokenstar framed the deaths of Mintkit and Marigoldkit on Yellowfang and she was exiled. Yellowfang joined ThunderClan as a prisoner, but she returned to ShadowClan to rescue ThunderClan's missing kits. After the battle, Yellowfang decides to join ThunderClan as their medicine cat.