"Once I thought to set my paws on the way of a medicine cat, but that was not the path StarClan laid down for me. Now I will do all I can to help those in need. Whichever Clan they belong to—or Tribe." |
— Brightspirit to the newly named Jayfeather in Long Shadows, page 255 |
Brightspirit is a silver tabby she-cat with green eyes.[4]
Brightspirit was a former SkyClan cat, who resides in StarClan with her parents, Shiningheart and Braveheart. She assisted Jaypaw in finding catmint to cure ThunderClan's greencough outbreak by giving him a prophecy. During Jayfeather's medicine cat ceremony, she congratulated him on earning his full name.
History[]
In the Power of Three arc[]
Long Shadows[]
- "Seek for the wind. The wind holds what you seek."
- ―Brightspirit telling Jaypaw where to find catmint during the greencough outbreak Long Shadows, page 145
- Brightspirit visits Bluestar, Whitestorm, and Jaypaw while they are discussing the sick ThunderClan cats. She and her parents, Braveheart and Shiningheart, are treated with great respect within StarClan. Bluestar welcomes them and says that their presence honors them, and it has been a long time, implying that StarClan holds them in the highest regard. Brightspirit speaks to Jaypaw and tells him to seek for the wind, as it holds what he wants. Although Jaypaw does not understand what she means at first, he eventually discovers that she is referring to the catmint growing on the very edge of WindClan territory. He notes that she is unlike any other StarClan cats he has seen and they smell like Clan cats, but there is a different scent there as well that smells like something carried by wind and starlight. He thinks about her and her words multiple times after their encounter.
- Brightspirit also appears to Jayfeather when he becomes a full medicine cat, and she seems quite happy that he is now a true medicine cat. He thanks her for telling him where to find catmint when his Clan needed it very badly, and she replies that she was glad to help. She notes that she had once thought to set her paws on the way of a medicine cat, but then says that it is not the path StarClan laid down for her. She says she now will do all she can to help those in need, belonging to Clan or Tribe. As she is about ready to depart, Jayfeather hesitantly asks her if he will see her again. She answers that that is in the paws of the stars.
In the Short stories and plays[]
Beyond the Code: Brightspirit's Mercy[]
- "It takes great strength to have mercy—more strength than it takes to win a battle."
- ―Brightspirit to Jaypaw Beyond the Code: Brightspirit's Mercy, page 10
- Brightspirit first appears when Jaypaw is confronted by his siblings about the stick, and what it is used for. Hollyleaf and Jaypaw have a small quarrel, to which Brightspirit tells the medicine cat apprentice not to fight, because the season is cruel enough. Jaypaw originally thinks that it is Hollyleaf talking, but Brightspirit's mother replies that it is actually her daughter, to which Jaypaw is surprised. Brightspirit and her parents tell Jaypaw that ThunderClan has to share prey with the other Clans, because they are starving. The three StarClan cats tell Jaypaw to tell his siblings this, and he does.
- Throughout this exchange, both Lionblaze and Hollyleaf are confused by their brother's actions. This implies that only Jaypaw can see Brightspirit and her family, whereas Lionblaze and Hollyleaf cannot. After Jaypaw and his siblings give prey to WindClan, Brightspirit is praised by her mother for her resourcefulness. She says that Jaypaw is a good cat, and her father agrees, but says there is a difficult path ahead of him. Brightspirit says that she will be with him every step of the way. The three cats fade, but not before Brightspirit casts one final glance over to ThunderClan territory.
Character pixels[]
The pixel artwork is fanart based on the canon description; undefined traits are left to the artist's interpretation. |
Kin[]
Members[]
Mother:
- Shiningheart:[3] Deceased, verified StarClan member
Father:
- Braveheart:[3] Deceased, verified StarClan member
Tree[]
Braveheart ♂ | Shiningheart ♀ | ||||||||||||
Brightspirit ♀ | |||||||||||||
= Tom
= She-cat
= Gender unknown
Appearances[]
- Long Shadows (First appearance)
- Beyond the Code: Brightspirit's Mercy
Trivia[]
Interesting facts[]
- Brightspirit is dedicated to a Warriors fan named Emmy Grace Cherry,[5] who died when a tornado struck her home in Atkins, Arkansas. The Erins decided to give the young fan and her parents special warrior names in their honor. Brightspirit is the girl's name, and her mother and father are Shiningheart and Braveheart, respectively.[5]
- A rank for Brightspirit cannot officially be substantiated based on information known about the character, which is somewhat slim. The only verifiable fact we have in regards to her rank is that it's one of the "adult" ranks, indicated by the fact that her suffix is not 'kit' or 'paw'.[1] She is also not a medicine cat, because she tells Jayfeather that she thought her paws were once set on the path of becoming a medicine cat, but that wasn't the right way for her.[6]
Author statements[]
- In response to a statement about one of Rootpaw's potential warrior names being Rootspirit, and how some thought it would be offensive to Emmy, Kate responded that Emmy had a character named after her to remember her in the first place. The "-spirit" suffix was meant to keep Emmy's memory alive.[blog 1]
Emmy Grace Cherry[]
- Emmy Cherry was a ten year old girl whose parents were Jimmy and Dana Cherry.[5] They were killed when a tornado hit their house in Atkins, Arkansas on February 5th, 2008. Emmy was described as a bright, generous, and beautiful girl who loved animals. Lynn[5] of Vintage Books, who knew Emmy, quoted;
- "Erin Hunter has no greater fan than Emmy Cherry. She has not only read every book, but insisted that we all read them. I am 50 years old, and reading them. Her grandparents are reading them. Her aunts are reading them. Every child in the Middle School is going to read them. Because they are Emmy's favorite authors."
- It is also revealed that Emmy's cat, Shasta, survived the tornado, but consequently lost the use of one leg. Emmy Cherry is Brightspirit's real name, and she survives in the Warriors series for books to come.[5]
Quotes[]
- "Don't quarrel. Leaf-bare is cruel enough."
- ―Brightspirit telling Jaypaw not to argue with his siblings Beyond the Code: Brightspirit's Mercy, page 4
- Shiningheart: "You did well, Brightspirit. I'm very proud of you."
- Brightspirit: "Jaypaw is a good cat. He just needs to trust himself more."
- Beyond the Code: Brightspirit's Mercy, page 10
External links[]
- Author Profile: Cherith Baldry on the Warriors official website (Mentioned only)
Notes and references[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Revealed in Long Shadows, page 144
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Revealed in Erin Hunter Answers Your Questions Summer 2011
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Revealed in Beyond the Code: Brightspirit's Mercy, page 6
- ↑ Revealed in Long Shadows, pages 144-145
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 Revealed on silverpelt.co.uk (backup link)
- ↑ Revealed in Long Shadows, page 255
Author references