| "On the far side of the clearing was a vast hill of bones. They gleamed like stripped branches in the last of the watery daylight, some tiny shrew bones hardly bigger than teeth, others as big as the leg bone of a fox or a badger." |
| — Narrator about Bonehill in The Darkest Hour, page 160 |
The Bonehill was a pile of prey bones constructed near the river in the old forest that was used as a vantage point for TigerClan leaders to address the Clan during Clan meetings.[1]
Description[]
- The Bonehill was constructed by ShadowClan warriors staying in RiverClan's camp to give them protection, under orders of Tigerstar. The structure is vast, and is situated away from RiverClan's main camp, and is much closer to the river from a smaller stream. It is made of various prey bones of varying sizes, from shrew bones to leg bones from foxes and badgers.[2] The bones creating the hill are said to be sun-bleached in nature.[3] Due to the nature of it, the Bonehill is said to smell of carrion. [4] Its location on the riverbank also clogged up smaller streams, creating near-stagnant pools of water.[2]
Location history[]
- After Tigerstar is killed by BloodClan's leader, Scourge, Leopardstar makes the decision to tear down the Bonehill. She claims to tear it down due to it serving as a reminder of a darker time.[5] In the following moons, the clearing that was used remains abandoned, and filled with the few remnants of the collect bones lying around.[6]
Significance[]
- Firestar is given a prophecy following his nine lives ceremony where he encounters the Bonehill in his dreams. However, the structure is made up of both prey and cat bones alike and Firestar is washed away by a river of blood before waking up, the scent of Bonehill still lingering.[7]
- Bonehill served as a figure of power for Tigerstar. By constructing it, he was able to look down upon the cats that served him.[1] He used it as a place to preach his ideals and own ambitions to the cats of TigerClan and order cats to death, such as any with Half-Clan blood.[8] Following his death, its presence was seen as a reminder to a darker time to those involved with Tigerstar, and is torn down.[5]
Known deaths[]
This is a list of deaths, ordered chronologically, that took place at Bonehill.
History[]
In the The Prophecies Begin arc[]
The Darkest Hour[]
- During his leadership ceremony, Firestar watches as a hill of bones appears in the clearing. Due to the unnatural light, he is able to see that it is made of cat and prey bones alike and that despite the bones being clean, reek of carrion. Firestar is given a prophecy about the Bonehill and its meaning, before being washed away by a river of blood.[7]
- Firestar, Ravenpaw, and Graystripe sneak onto RiverClan territory to check on Graystripe's kits. The three toms soon find the Bonehill, near the river, away from RiverClan's main camp. Firestar notes that it was only made of prey bones, unlike his dream. Tigerstar sits atop the structure and calls a Clan meeting, ordering the trial of Half-Clan cats, such as Stonefur, Featherpaw, and Stormpaw.[8]
- After Tigerstar is killed and the four Clans decide to unite against BloodClan, the Bonehill is torn down by Leopardstar.[5]
In the Super Editions[]
Leopardstar's Honor[]
- Coming Soon
In the Stand-Alone Manga[]
A Shadow in RiverClan[]
- Feathertail recalls painful memories of Leopardstar's alliance with Tigerstar that created TigerClan. She speaks of the tom's hatred of Half-Clan cats and the following death of Stonefur, while he remains perched upon the Bone Hill.[10]
In the Tigerstar and Sasha arc[]
Return to the Clans[]
- Mothpaw and Hawkpaw are found playing with the remnants of the Bonehill. Leopardstar lectures them on how horrible Tigerstar was and how much pain they suffered because of him.[11]
Book mentions[]
- Leopardstar's Honor
- The Darkest Hour (First appearance)
- A Shadow in RiverClan (Flashback only)
- Return to the Clans
- Secrets of the Clans (Retconned)
Gallery[]
|
Please do not edit this gallery  Bonehill in Return to the Clans  Bonehill in A Shadow in RiverClan |
Trivia[]
Interesting facts[]
- By building the Bonehill, Tigerstar broke the fourth rule of the warrior code, which states that prey shall be killed only to be eaten.[2]
- Tigerstar claims that his idea to build the bonehill came from Skyheart's refusal to eat a stolen mouse, so that TigerClan would always remember to be grateful for the surplus of food TigerClan brought them.[12]
Continuity[]
The following information is from sources considered non-canon, retconned, or from adapted material.
- In Secrets of the Clans, a 2007 field guide, Leopardstar mentions the Bonehill when speaking of her alliance with ShadowClan. It is mentioned that the construct was built by Tigerstar and his warriors.[13]
See also[]
Notes and references[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Revealed in The Darkest Hour, page 162
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Revealed in The Darkest Hour, page 160
- ↑ Revealed in The Darkest Hour, page 161
- ↑ Revealed in The Darkest Hour, page 159
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Revealed in The Darkest Hour, page 277
- ↑ Revealed in Return to the Clans, page 81
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Revealed in The Darkest Hour, pages 55-57
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Revealed in The Darkest Hour, page 166
- ↑ Revealed in The Darkest Hour, page 172
- ↑ Revealed in A Shadow in RiverClan, pages 21-26
- ↑ Revealed in Return to the Clans, pages 80-81
- ↑ Revealed in Leopardstar's Honor, chapter 31
- ↑ Revealed in Secrets of the Clans, page 53
| Locations in the Warriors series | |
|---|---|
| The lake territories | Moonpool • Horseplace • River Alba • The lake • The mossy clearing • The island • The Sky Oak • Silverpath • The tunnels |
| The forest territories | Barley's farm • Moonstone • Bonehill • Sunningrocks • Highstones • Fourtrees • Carrionplace • River Chell • The Owl Tree • The Great Sycamore • Tallpines • The broken nest • Snakerocks • Beech copse • The sandy hollow |
| Other locations | Cave of Pointed Stones • Deepsands Gorge • Camp • Twolegplace • Thunderpath • The mountains • Sun-drown-place • Whispering Cave • Skyrock • Star Tree |
| Afterlives | StarClan • The Place of No Stars • Ghost residence • The Tribe of Endless Hunting • The ancestors • River of Spirits • Unnamed afterlife |