This article contains major spoilers for the recently released book, Ivypool's Heart. Please proceed at your own discretion. |
"Bristlefrost flattened her ears. She had to stop Ashfur. He had hurt so many cats already—she couldn't let him kill Shadowsight. Her nostrils flared as she remembered all the time she'd spent wanting to please the impostor, even as his demands became stranger and stranger. She knew him better than any Clan cat, except, perhaps, Shadowsight. She knew how truly dangerous he was. As Ashfur shifted his weight, she saw her opportunity. But I have to move now. There was no time to second-guess herself. She knew, deep in her bones, that this was right." |
— Bristlefrost making her decision in A Light in the Mist, page 264 |
Bristlefrost is a thick-furred[9] pale gray she-cat[10] with blue-green eyes,[11] neat ears[12] of which one is nicked,[13] and long whiskers.[14]
Bristlefrost was a ThunderClan warrior who served under Bramblestar's, the impostor's, Squirrelflight's, Lionblaze's, and Graystripe's leaderships in the lake territories. She was born as Bristlekit to Fernsong and Ivypool, with her littermates Thriftkit and Flipkit, and was later apprenticed to Rosepetal as Bristlepaw. She saved Rootpaw from drowning, and he developed a crush on her. She earned her warrior name of Bristlefrost, but quickly became depressed as Stemleaf, her crush, rejected her. After Bramblestar's revival, he easily manipulated Bristlefrost into working with him to catch any cat breaking the warrior code. However, Bristlefrost soon learned her leader was an impostor and agreed to become a double agent for the rebels. After Berrynose was exiled for being too slow to protect his leader, the impostor named her deputy, but when Squirrelflight was named leader following the impostor's defeat, Bristlefrost happily stepped down and desired to become a dedicated ThunderClan warrior.
After a journey to retrieve the Sisters, Bristlefrost and Rootspring admitted their love for each other, but found temporary acceptance remaining in their own Clans. After Rootspring was trapped in the Dark Forest following Bramblestar and Squirrelflight's rescue, Bristlefrost and Shadowsight went to save him. Her affection for Rootspring grew, and she began to question whether to leave her Clan for him. Realizing that both StarClan and the Dark Forest were disappearing from Ashfur's influence, Bristlefrost inspired hope in some of the Dark Forest cats to aid them. During the final confrontation against Ashfur, Bristlefrost—the cat who once stood by Ashfur's side—sacrificed herself to save Shadowsight, throwing herself and the estranged tom into the dark water. Her spirit disappeared forever, though her sacrifice allowed StarClan, the Dark Forest, and the Clans to be saved.
Quick Answers
Who were Bristlefrost's parents?
Who was Bristlefrost's mentor during her apprenticeship?
What was Bristlefrost's role in The Broken Code arc?
Is Bristlefrost gone forever?
How is Bristlefrost related to Firestar?
History
Looking for a longer overview? Find one here!
A Vision of Shadows
- "Ivypool says you came to visit us before. But I don't remember you. We'd only just opened our eyes. You look like Ivypool except you don't have white splotches."
- ―Bristlekit to Dovewing The Raging Storm, chapter 3
- She and her littermates, Flipkit and Thriftkit, are born to Ivypool and Fernsong. Bristlekit also meets her aunt, Dovewing, and her cousins, Shadowkit, Lightkit, and Pouncekit, before Dovewing makes the choice to move to ShadowClan to be with Tigerstar. When she and her littermates are old enough, Ivypool spends less time in the nursery and Fernsong moves in to help care for his kits, which is unusual for a tom.
The Broken Code
- Rootpaw: "But you're one of the greatest cats I've ever met. You saved my life when my own Clanmates were too scared even to try. If it weren't for you, I'd be at the bottom of the lake right now, frozen solid like the medicine cats say the Moonpool is. And you came to check on me every day while I was recovering."
- Bristlefrost: "Any cat would have done that. But what have I done since?"
- Lost Stars, pages 184-185
- Now apprenticed to Rosepetal, Bristlepaw attempts to complete her warrior training early but fails due to a lack of prey. She saves Rootpaw when he nearly drowns in the lake. After successfully redoing her warrior assessment, Bristlepaw is named Bristlefrost, and confesses to Stemleaf about her feelings for him. Stemleaf politely rejects her instead, which heavily depresses Bristlefrost as she wanted to complete her training early so she could be his mate. After Bramblestar's revival, Bristlefrost becomes obsessed trying to please him, and he lets her organize the daily patrols instead of Squirrelflight. Realizing how dedicated Bristlefrost is to the code, the impostor manipulates her into being his eyes and ears in the Clan, resulting in her Clanmates being punished. Bristlefrost later realizes that her leader is an impostor, and begins working against him with the rebels to try and restore the true Bramblestar as leader.
- When the rebels wish to murder the impostor, Squirrelflight fears for Bramblestar's spirit and makes Bristlefrost promise to protect him. Following a failed assassination attempt on the impostor's life, he exiles Berrynose and names Bristlefrost his deputy instead, despite her never receiving an apprentice. After a devastating battle between the Clans, Squirrelflight is made ThunderClan's leader after they successfully manage to capture the impostor. Bristlefrost happily steps aside and Squirrelflight chooses Lionblaze as deputy instead. Bristlefrost is horrified when several of her Clanmates, including her brother, decide to leave ThunderClan, and questions the stability of her Clan's future. She, Rootspring, Needleclaw, and Spotfur go on a mission to retrieve the Sisters when Rootspring and Tree learn the spirits of their former Clanmates are suffering. She and Rootspring struggle to maintain their growing feelings towards each other, and Bristlefrost promises Spotfur to help raise her kits when the queen discovers she is expecting Stemleaf's kits. They find the Sisters and convince them to help the Clans; however, the spirits they summon are writhing in pain. Bristlefrost and Rootspring admit their love for each other, but both relent that they belong in their own Clan. When the Clan leaders decide to kill Ashfur, Bristlefrost and Rootspring convince Squirrelflight to let Bramblestar go and comfort her.
- Upon learning that Ashfur escaped and kidnapped Squirrelflight, taking her to the Dark Forest, Bristlefrost goes to the Moonpool with a ThunderClan patrol to discuss recent events, and she later suggests that Graystripe become their acting leader following the old tom's wander, in place of Lionblaze. Both Lionblaze and Jayfeather agree with Bristlefrost's suggestion, and Graystripe takes up leadership, with Bristlefrost accompanying the gray tom to the Moonpool and serving as ThunderClan's representative. Bristlefrost later enters the Dark Forest to try and find Shadowsight and Rootspring, as well as try and save Squirrelflight and Bramblestar. She and Shadowsight later re-enter the Dark Forest to try and save Rootspring, but discover in horror that he has been taken captive by Ashfur and made to fight to the death against Snowtuft.
- After saving Rootspring, she, Shadowsight, and some of Ashfur's prisoners discover a thick bramble wall blocking the passage to StarClan. They discover that hope can loosen the brambles, and learn from Leafpool that both StarClan and the Dark Forest are slowly disappearing. Determined to find more cats to help them, Bristlefrost recruits Redwillow, Maggottail, and Sparrowfeather. A joint patrol with StarClan, Dark Forest, and living cats confront Ashfur. The dark warrior nearly drags Shadowsight into the dangerous dark water to kill him, and Bristlefrost sacrifices herself to save him by throwing both herself and Ashfur into the dark water. The dark water prevents her from escaping, and she drowns feeling a surge of love for Rootspring. Her sacrifice allows the trapped spirits to join StarClan, but her spirit is gone forever. Bristlefrost is named a Light in the Mist by Bramblestar due to her sacrifice. As the Clan leaders debate on changes to the warrior code, Rootspring suggests a change to be made for cats who love another in a different Clan.
Detailed description
Scars gained
The following is a chronological list of scars and/or major injuries that Bristlefrost has gained:
- Nicked ear from a Dark Forest rogue in the battle against Ashfur in A Light in the Mist.[13]
Character pixels
The pixel artwork is fanart based on the canon description; undefined traits are left to the artist's interpretation. |
Official art
Please do not edit this gallery |
Killed victims
This list shows the victims Bristlefrost has killed:
- Dark Forest rogue[15] (Spirit)
- Ashfur[16] (Spirit)
Ceremonies
Bristlefrost's warrior ceremony | ||||||||||
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Bristlefrost's deputy ceremony | ||||
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Personality and Relationships
- Main article: Bristlefrost/PR
- Bristlefrost is brave, eager, and has a strong sense of duty. While serving as the impostor's aid and secret spy for the rebels, Bristlefrost developed a negative reputation with her Clanmates. For more of Bristlefrost's personality and relationships, click here!
Family
- Main article: Bristlefrost/Family
- Bristlefrost's parents are Fernsong and Ivypool, and her siblings are Flipclaw and Thriftear. For more of Bristlefrost's family, click here!
Appearances
- River of Fire (First appearance)
- Tawnypelt's Clan (Allegiances appearance; mentioned in text)
- Spotfur's Rebellion
- The Raging Storm
- Squirrelflight's Hope
- Lost Stars
- The Silent Thaw
- Veil of Shadows
- Darkness Within
- Graystripe's Vow
- Daisy's Kin
- The Place of No Stars
- A Light in the Mist †
- River (Mentioned only)
- Sky (Mentioned only)
- Thunder (Mentioned only)
- Ivypool's Heart (Vision or Dream)
- The Ultimate Guide: Updated and Expanded Edition
Merchandise
Toys and Plush
Bristlefrost Large Plush Cat
- Large soft plush of Bristlefrost.
- Now, here's a Warrior Cat you can cuddle up to. Complete with tufty fur and enchanting eyes, Bristlefrost is now a proud member of the official plush collection.
- Approximately $34.99 USD.
Trivia
Author statements
- Kate likes Bristlefrost as a character and thinks she would make a good leader of ThunderClan.[blog 1]
- Kate believes Bristlefrost to be short-furred.[blog 2]
Interesting facts
- Bristlefrost and her littermates have WindClan blood through Crowfeather, her great-grandfather.[17]
- She was made deputy despite never mentoring an apprentice.[7]
- Bristlefrost's sacrifice in the dark water in A Light in the Mist was meant to mirror her saving Rootspring from drowning in Lost Stars.[18]
Mistakes
- She is referred to as a senior warrior in Lost Stars despite being too young to be considered one.[19]
- In her bio for The Ultimate Guide: Updated and Expanded Edition, Bristlefrost is listed with dark gray fur.[20]
Quotes
- Bristlefrost: "I really-really-like you. I've always felt that we might be mates one someday. And now that I'm a warrior, maybe this is the time for us to start thinking of each other in a new way?"
- Stemleaf: "I'm sorry. I had no idea you felt like this, Bristlefrost. I like you a lot, but I always thought of you as a friend-a really good friend, almost like another littermate. I've never felt...that way about you."
- Lost Stars, page 141
- Bristlefrost: "We never thanked StarClan for the prey! We must thank StarClan."
- Dewnose: "I thanked StarClan. Just not out loud."
- The Silent Thaw, pages 57-59
- Bristlefrost: "How will StarClan come back if we keep breaking the code?"
- Spotfur: "Do you really think they'll come back if no cat talks to me for a quarter moon?"
- The Silent Thaw, page 118
- "I told you. I'm worried about Bramblestar. He's been acting weird. But you say it's not Bramblestar. And that makes sense. Bramblestar was always kind. He always wanted the best for his Clan, but I think this Bramblestar wants to hurt ThunderClan. He doesn't care who suffers."
- ―Bristlefrost to the others concerned about Bramblestar The Silent Thaw, page 234
- "Why would I spy for an impostor? You have to trust me. I only tried to help Bramblestar before I knew what he was. But now that I know he's not Bramblestar, I want to protect my Clan. I'll do anything you ask."
- ―Bristlefrost to the cats at the secret meeting The Silent Thaw, page 238
- Rootspring: "I'm sorry for doubting you. But I didn't know what to think. If I didn't like you so much, I wouldn't have felt so angry when it looked like you had turned on me and the others."
- Bristlefrost: "You like me? Even after...?"
- Veil of Shadows, pages 250-251
- "Oh, don't be sorry, Squirrelflight! I never deserved to be deputy, and I'm sure StarClan would never have approved, no matter what the false Bramblestar said. I'm just not ready. I'm so glad to step back for a cat who's truly worthy."
- ―Bristlefrost to Squirrelflight about stepping down as deputy Veil of Shadows, page 278
- Needleclaw: "You're thinking about her, aren't you? [...] I knew it! You have to get over her. You two can never happen."
- Rootspring: "We're just friends."
- Darkness Within, pages 143-144
- Bristlefrost: "It's not like you to take unnecessary risks. [...] I know you're brave, but you're not foolish. And now you're carrying kits, shouldn't you be more careful, not less?"
- Spotfur: "And what if I don't want the kits?"
- Darkness Within, pages 171-173
- Rootspring: "We need to make a choice. I can join ThunderClan, or you can join SkyClan. As long as we're together, I don't care which."
- Bristlefrost: "You do care. I know you do. You know exactly which of us you think should leave our Clan. You're hoping I will leave ThunderClan."
- Darkness Within, pages 273-274
- «Love surged through Bristlefrost's chest. Rootspring was willing to fight to save something she cared about, even if it meant sacrificing his own happiness.»
- —Bristlefrost's thoughts about Rootspring Darkness Within, page 306
- Squirrelflight: "I've imagined losing Bramblestar many times. In battles, to sickness, but never like this. I thought I'd have eight more lives to say good-bye, but he's gone before I was ready, and I can't let go of the idea that he's still out there."
- Rootspring: "He's not. Something terrible is happening to the spirits around the lake. Perhaps it's better that he's not among them."
- Darkness Within, pages 310-311
- «She watched [Ashfur] sink toward the darkness below. His face was distorted by the water, and yet the terror in it was clear. Bristlefrost felt a surge of triumph. They'd done it! Ashfur was scared at last. He saw her, his eyes rounding with disbelief for a moment before he slipped from sight and vanished into the shadow. All that remained was his last breath as it bubbled past her to the surface and disappeared. He was gone. It was over. She had done what she had always wanted to do, from the time she was a tiny kit. She had saved her Clan. She had saved all the Clans.»
- —Narrator A Light in the Mist, page 266
- «It's time to rest.»
- —Bristlefrost accepting her death A Light in the Mist, page 266
- «[Bristlefrost's] heart ached with love, and she felt a stirring inside her. How could she leave [Rootspring]? She tried to reach out a paw and pull herself up, but there was nothing to grip but water, and the water would never let her go. Grief pierced her heart, not for herself, but for Rootspring. Her work was finished, but he had loved her, and now he would have to live without her. I'm sorry. Her mind grew hazy. But we beat him. We destroyed Ashfur. We saved the Clans.'»
- —Narrator A Light in the Mist, page 267
- «Thoughts of Rootspring filled her mind. He was pressing beside her beneath a spreading willow, the warmth of him seeping into her fur. Was it a dream or a memory? She couldn't tell. Now they were hunting, running through the forest, side by side, so close their pelts touched. And then she saw herself cocooned with him in a nest. Had they shared one after all? Surely they had, she thought, with a rush of love. Tails entwined, they were gazing proudly at three tiny kits. Of course it was real. Of course these were memories of the life they must have shared. The cold that gripped her seemed at last to let her go. She closed her eyes and in her last moment felt only warmth. Only love.»
- —Bristlefrost's last thoughts A Light in the Mist, page 267
- «Rootspring dropped onto his belly and pressed his muzzle to the ground. He would listen to the earth. It would tell him where she was. If he reached deep enough, he could find her. He'd done it before beside the lake. The Sisters had taught him to sense, through the deepest energy of the earth, any cat connected to him. Closing his eyes, he felt for her. The warmth of her spirit must be somewhere, and he'd find it. He had to. But the ground betrayed nothing except the coldness of the Dark Forest. Rootspring felt the emptiness like unendurable pain. Bristlefrost hadn't only lost her life; she'd lost her chance to live on in StarClan. He would never see her again. She was gone from his life, and his only wish now was that his own spirit would seep into the earth and join her.»
- —Rootspring after Bristlefrost's death A Light in the Mist, page 271
- "I loved Bristlefrost. I was going to join ThunderClan to be with her. But I never got a chance to tell her that. She died believing that I'd chosen my Clan over her, and I will never see her again or have a chance to let her know she was more important to me than even my own Clan. I don't need your pity. I just want things to change. If I hadn't spent so long trying to choose between my Clan and Bristlefrost, we could have spent what little time we had left together. Instead we spent it torturing ourselves over where our true loyalties lay. My loyalty would always have been with her, and if it meant moving to her Clan, then my loyalty would have been with her Clan, because what was important to her was important to me."
- ―Rootspring about Bristlefrost A Light in the Mist, page 330
- «Slate and Beach obviously had no idea how to keep their surroundings clean, but she couldn't be too annoyed with them. She remembered too clearly when her own kits were the same age. Of course Bristlefrost had been frighteningly capable, even then, she remembered with a renewed pang of grief, but that was Bristlefrost. Flipclaw seemed to leave a path of chaos behind him wherever he went, and Thriftear preferred to only clean up when things had gotten truly unpleasant. Like all Clan apprentices, they had to be trained to keep the camp clean, especially the dens, or they would probably have been just as careless.»
- —Ivypool's memories of Flipclaw, Thriftear, and Bristlefrost Ivypool's Heart, page 78
External links
- Bristlefrost's profile on the Warriors official website (backup link)
- Outpacing other 'Paws (and Mentors) on the Warriors official website (backup link)
- Bristlefrost: A Tribute on the Warriors official website (backup link)
- The deaths we remember on the Warriors official website (backup link)
- The Broken Code characters - a visual guide on the Warriors official website (backup link)
- Lost Stars Main Characters Artwork on the Warriors official website (backup link)
- Our Favorite Bristlefrost Artwork on the Warriors official website (backup link)
- The Broken Code trio artwork on the Warriors official website (backup link)
- More of our favorite Bristlefrost artwork on the Warriors official website (backup link)
- Bristlefrost's death artwork on the Warriors official website (backup link)
- Our favorite Bristlefrost artwork on the Warriors official website (backup link)
- Lost Stars and Path of a Warrior on the Warriors official website (backup link) (Indirect mention only)
- Writing Lost Stars on the Warriors official website (backup link) (Mentioned only)
- Squirrelflight's Hope on the Warriors official website (backup link) (Mentioned only)
- Codebreakers: Brainstorming The Broken Code on the Warriors official website (backup link) (Mentioned only)
- The Journey So Far: Lost Stars on the Warriors official website (backup link) (Mentioned only)
- Exclusive! Veil of Shadows: Excerpt on the Warriors official website (backup link) (Allegiance only)
- The Journey So Far: The Silent Thaw on the Warriors official website (backup link) (Mentioned only)
- Exclusive! Graystripe's Vow: Excerpt on the Warriors official website (backup link)
- Exclusive! Darkness Within: Excerpt on the Warriors official website (backup link)
- The Journey So Far: Veil of Shadows on the Warriors official website (backup link) (Mentioned only)
- Exclusive! The Place of No Stars Excerpt on the Warriors official website (backup link)
- Exclusive! A Warrior's Choice Excerpt on the Warriors official website (backup link)
- The Journey So Far: Darkness Within on the Warriors official website (backup link) (Mentioned only)
- The Place of No Stars and A Warrior's Choice on the Warriors official website (backup link) (Indirect mention only)
- Exclusive! A Light in the Mist: Excerpt on the Warriors official website (backup link)
- The Journey So Far: The Place of No Stars on the Warriors official website (backup link) (Mentioned only)
- New Release: A Light in the Mist on the Warriors official website (backup link)
- The best of the broken on the Warriors official website (backup link)
- The journey so far: A Light in the Mist on the Warriors official website (backup link) (Mentioned only)
- Exclusive! Thunder: Excerpt on the Warriors official website (backup link) (Mentioned only)
- Warrior Cats books that will make you cry on the Warriors official website (backup link)
- Ivypool's Heart: the details on the Warriors official website (backup link) (Mentioned only)
- Scariest Warrior Cats books on the Warriors official website (backup link) (Indirect mention only)
- Best Warrior Cats book with a mystery on the Warriors official website (backup link) (Mentioned only)
- Best Warrior Cats romance books on the Warriors official website (backup link) (Mentioned only)
- Exclusive! Ivypool's Heart chapters on the Warriors official website (backup link) (Mentioned only)
- Grief and hope in Ivypool's Heart on the Warriors official website (backup link) (Mentioned only)
- The cats of The Broken Code on the Warriors official website (backup link)
- Who are the cats on The Broken Code book covers? on the Warriors official website (backup link)
- Filling in the blanks: an insight into the creative process on Ivypool's Heart on the Warriors official website (backup link) (Mentioned only)
- A Legacy of Fire on the Warriors official website (backup link) (Indirect mention only)
- Character Spotlight: Spotfur on the Warriors official website (backup link) (Mentioned only)
- Sunbeam and Nightheart: an unlikely Warrior Cats love story on the Warriors official website (backup link) (Mentioned only)
- Ivypool and Fernsong - support and understanding in a Warriors romance on the Warriors official website (backup link) (Mentioned only)
- Top five funniest Jayfeather lines on the Warriors official website (backup link) (Mentioned only)
- Darkness Within: A look at the most popular fan theories on the Warriors official website (backup link) (Mentioned only)
- Winners of the January Fan Challenge + New Challenge Announcement on the Warriors official website (backup link) (Mentioned only)
- The Place of No Stars: A look at the most popular fan theories on the Warriors official website (backup link)
- A Light in the Mist: A look at the most popular fan theories on the Warriors official website (backup link) (Mentioned only)
- Winners of the November 2022 fan challenge + new challenge announcement on the Warriors official website (backup link)
- Winners of the New Year's resolution fan challenge on the Warriors official website (backup link)
- Winners of the scary scene fan challenge on the Warriors official website (backup link)
- Our Favorite Rootpaw Artwork on the Warriors official website (backup link)
- Possessed Bramblestar Artwork on the Warriors official website (backup link)
- Veil of Shadows Scenes Artwork on the Warriors official website (backup link)
- Leafbare Scenes Artwork on the Warriors official website (backup link)
- More Darkness Within Scenes Artwork on the Warriors official website (backup link)
- Lights in the Mist artwork on the Warriors official website (backup link)
- Top five scenes of The Broken Code artwork on the Warriors official website (backup link)
- Spotfur and Stemleaf artwork on the Warriors official website (backup link)
- Warrior Cats love stories on the Warriors official website (backup link)
Notes and references
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Revealed in A Light in the Mist, page 267
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Revealed in River of Fire, page 199
- ↑ Revealed in Veil of Shadows, page 78
- ↑ Revealed in A Light in the Mist, page 328
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Revealed in Lost Stars, allegiances
- ↑ Revealed in Lost Stars, page 141
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Revealed in Veil of Shadows, page 199
- ↑ Revealed in Veil of Shadows, page 278
- ↑ Revealed in Lost Stars, chapter 16
- ↑ Revealed in River of Fire, page 203
- ↑ Revealed in Darkness Within, page 321
- ↑ Revealed in Darkness Within, page 272
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 Revealed in A Light in the Mist, page 260
- ↑ Revealed in Darkness Within, page 150
- ↑ Revealed in A Light in the Mist, page 261
- ↑ Revealed in A Light in the Mist, page 266
- ↑ Revealed in Sunrise, page 317
- ↑ Warrior Cats HQ answers your questions on the Warriors official website (backup link)
- ↑ Revealed in Lost Stars, page 189
- ↑ Revealed in The Ultimate Guide: Updated and Expanded Edition, page 54
Author references