Destruction of the SkyClan forest territory

"StarClan may go where they please. They have betrayed SkyClan. StarClan allowed the Twolegs to destroy our home. They look down on us now, and let the moon go on shining while you drive us out. They said there would always be five Clans in the forest, but they lied. SkyClan will never look to the stars again."

— Cloudstar declaring SkyClan's separation from the Clans in Cloudstar's Journey, chapter 10

Destruction of the SkyClan forest territory
General information
Book	Cloudstar's Journey
Timeframe	Newleaf to greenleaf
Place	The forest territories
Outcome	SkyClan moves to Deepsands Gorge
Chronology
Preceded by:	Battle for Quick Water
Followed by:	The Great Hunger

The destruction of the SkyClan forest territory was an event in Cloudstar's Journey in which SkyClan fled the forest after Twolegs destroyed their territory.

Summary

Premise

"It's not 'a few Twolegs.' More and more of them are coming, more often now. Some times they come in groups, with big Twoleg monsters. They've been patrolling, looking very carefully at SkyClan's territory. I think they're hoping to take it over as their own. If they do, what will happen to SkyClan?"

―Skystar about the Twolegs ^{Shadowstar's Life, page 242}

Early into Clan history, SkyClan cats feared the possibility of losing their territory due to its proximity to the Twolegplace. This culminated in Quick Water, an ancient SkyClan warrior, sabotaging ShadowClan by causing the deaths of their deputy, Sun Shadow and leader, Shadowstar, so that SkyClan might claim ShadowClan's territory. In StarClan, Shadowstar and Quick Water received a vision of SkyClan's territory being destroyed and their warriors fleeing the forest. This knowledge was passed down by SkyClan's medicine cats, who thought that if they did not tell their Clanmates, the prophecy would not come true. Nonetheless, the destruction began during the leadership of Cloudstar.

Overview

"It's a long story. It began many, many seasons ago, in the old forest. SkyClan lived there, too, along with the four Clans that you know. [...] But SkyClan lost their territory because Twolegs took it to build their own nests. And the other four Clans refused to share the territory that was left. They drove SkyClan out of the forest."

―Bramblestar to Alderpaw ^{The Apprentice's Quest, page 103}

Twolegs begin shifting dirt just beyond SkyClan's territory, scaring some of SkyClan's prey, though Cloudstar pays little attention to it. However, the Twolegs begin actively destroying the forest, and Cloudstar resolves to move the border, though the Twolegs continue to destroy their land and scare their prey. After failing to secure more land from ThunderClan in battle, Cloudstar attempts to ask the other Clans to give up territory for his Clan. However, the other Clans refused, resulting in SkyClan leaving the forest.

Description

Construction begins

"I promise. This is where SkyClan belongs. For as long as I have my nine lives, we will never leave the forest."

―Cloudstar reassuring his Clan ^{Cloudstar's Journey, chapter 6}

Twoleg activity was first noticed when it caused prey scarcity along the Twolegplace border. StarClan reassures Cloudstar that SkyClan will fear nothing from the Twoleg activity, though Fawnstep worries. Soon after, Twoleg monsters tore down trees within the territory itself, putting SkyClan cats in direct danger. After organizing a patrol to assess the damage, Cloudstar resolved to move the border back, but the Twolegs moved deeper into the forest, catching the attention of ThunderClan. Soon after, Cloudstar implemented a rule limiting cats to one meal per day, and forbade cats from venturing to the dangerous Twolegplace border.

Battle against ThunderClan

"Cats of SkyClan! Today is a glorious day! Today we have the chance to reset our border marks, to make ThunderClan realize that we will no longer tolerate their trespassing on what was SkyClan's hunting ground long before theirs."

―Cloudstar rallying his warriors ^{Cloudstar's Journey, chapter 8}

Several years before Twoleg construction began, SkyClan's leader, Darkstar, gave away nearly a quarter of SkyClan's territory to ThunderClan so that their neighbors may better feed their kits. His decision remained controversial at the time, and into the near future, as Cloudstar, conscious that SkyClan was losing its territory, launched an attack on ThunderClan in order to regain Darkstar's gift. However, they were unsuccessful, with Redstar's forces claiming a decisive victory.

Appeal at the Gathering

"They came with huge monsters that pushed over our trees and churned up the earth. All our prey is dead or frightened off. The monsters are crouched around our camp now, waiting to pounce. SkyClan's home has gone. I have brought my Clan here to ask your help. You must give us some of your territories."

―Cloudstar at the Gathering ^{Cloudstar's Journey, chapter 10}

Following the complete destruction of SkyClan's territory, Cloudstar brought his weakened Clan to the Gathering and pleaded with the other leaders to give SkyClan some of their land. Several cats sympathized with the battered Clan, and WindClan's medicine cat, Larkwing, assured that StarClan would be angry if the Clans refused to help. However, no leader stepped forward to offer SkyClan sanctuary, forcing them to leave the forest.

Cats who left the forest

• Cloudstar
• Buzzardtail
• Fawnstep
• Nightfur
• Quailheart
• Stoatfur
• Weaselwhisker
• Fernpelt
• Mousefang
• Rainleap
• Hazelwing
• Starlingfeather
• Hawksnow
• Oakpaw
• Acornpaw
• Snailpaw
• Tansypaw
• Mintpaw
• Webkit
• Hatchkit
• Emberkit
• Mistlekit

A kit, an apprentice, and an elder are reported to have died before SkyClan reached the gorge, though none are identified by name.

Aftermath

After being turned away by the other Clans, Cloudstar renounced his allegiance to StarClan, though his medicine cat, Fawnstep, still walked with them in dreams, and SkyClan warriors continued to follow the warrior code. SkyClan settled in Deepsands Gorge and persisted for several years, but ultimately disbanded after the Clan was ravaged by rat attacks and starvation. It would not be revived until Cloudstar's spirit sought the assistance of Firestar, who journeyed with his mate, Sandstorm, on a mission to rebuild the forgotten Clan twenty-nine years after their exile. Modern SkyClan remained in the gorge for approximately eight years until being driven out by Darktail and finally rejoining the other Clans in the lake territories. SkyClan's ancestors also rejoined StarClan, having formerly walked in separate skies.

Major characters

Cloudstar

"Cowards! Where are you? Come and face me, and tell me now that SkyClan is safe! Give me a sign that there is still some hope. Show me that you haven't given up on us! You are all we have left!"

―Cloudstar challenging StarClan ^{Cloudstar's Journey, chapter 10}

Cloudstar, leader of SkyClan at the time of his Clan's banishment.

Cloudstar had been leader of SkyClan for many seasons before Twoleg construction began at the Clan's border. He initially dismissed the increasing Twoleg activity, believing that they would not further encroach into SkyClan territory and that the prey their monsters had startled would soon return. However, as time progressed Cloudstar was unable to deny the threat the Twolegs posed to SkyClan's wellbeing, though his faith in StarClan assured him that he could lead his Clan through any turmoil.

Forced to go back on the word of his ancestors in his attack to reclaim ThunderClan's territory, Cloudstar suffered another blow to his faith, defeated and unable to feed his starving Clan. Dreaming of StarClan's territory, Cloudstar called out a challenge to his ancestors, demanding to know why they had abandoned him and pleading for a sign. With no response, Cloudstar's crumbling faith caved in, and he formally renounced his allegiance to StarClan as he led SkyClan away from the forest, with no aid offered by the other Clans.

Redstar

"StarClan approves, doesn't it? [...] Then this means that the territory we fought over today belongs to ThunderClan by right. Darkstar's word stands, now and forever. It will never be given up!"

―Redstar after ThunderClan's victory. ^{Battles of the Clans, page 152}

Redstar, leader of ThunderClan at the time of SkyClan's banishment.

The leader of ThunderClan and Cloudstar's greatest rival, Redstar played a pivotal role in SkyClan's departure from the forest. Sharing a border, ThunderClan and SkyClan were consistently at odds, particularly over the strip of contested territory which was gifted to ThunderClan by a previous SkyClan leader, Darkstar. Redstar was among the first of the cats outside of SkyClan to learn of the Twoleg activity in their territory, for which he taunted Cloudstar. He led his Clan to victory against SkyClan when Cloudstar attempted to reclaim their former territory, forcing the Clan to abandon the forest. However, Redstar was not disturbed, interpreting the clear night sky as a sign of StarClan's approval.

When Cloudstar brought all of SkyClan to the Gathering to plead for territory, Redstar was the first to demand they leave. Yet while he showed no sympathy for the fleeing Clan, Redstar allowed Cloudstar's mate, Birdflight, sanctuary in ThunderClan so she could raise her newborn kits. After his death, Redstar appeared alongside the other Clan leaders of his time at the leadership ceremony of Leafstar, the first SkyClan leader after the Clan's resurrection, apologizing to Cloudstar and giving Leafstar a life for wisdom.

Dawnstar, Swiftstar, and Birchstar

"We've paid for it. None of us could rest easily after SkyClan was gone. Guilt clawed us for the rest of our lives."

―Swiftstar explaining the leaders' regret ^{Firestar's Quest, page 494}

Dawnstar, Swiftstar, and Birchstar (pictured above) refuse to help SkyClan. When the Clan is reinstated, they each give Leafstar a life as a form of apology.

The leaders of the other three Clans were hesitant about assisting SkyClan. Though prey should have been plentiful in greenleaf, Dawnstar, leader of ShadowClan, believed her Clan, as the largest, had no land to spare. Swiftstar, leader of WindClan, declared that his Clan could barely feed themselves with their territory. Birchstar, leader of RiverClan, was the most sympathetic of the leaders, but she again refused Cloudstar, arguing that RiverClan was also experiencing a prey shortage — despite what her plump appearance suggested. Furthermore, Swiftstar and Birchstar doubted that SkyClan could survive in another Clan's territory. After their deaths, Dawnstar, Swiftstar, and Birchstar appeared alongside Redstar to apologize for their refusal to help SkyClan. Each gave a life in Leafstar's leadership ceremony; Dawnstar gave a life for determination, Swiftstar for selflessness, and Birchstar for sympathy.

Fawnstep

"I'm so sorry, Cloudstar. You should not have lost that battle. It is a defeat that we cannot survive."

―Fawnstep admitting SkyClan's defeat ^{Battles of the Clans, page 157}

As SkyClan's medicine cat, Fawnstep interpreted an omen of dismembered prey, warning Cloudstar that SkyClan was in imminent danger. As the destruction continued, she suffered nightmares, reporting to Cloudstar that the other medicine cats had similar dreams. Her final vision was of SkyClan fleeing the forest after a Gathering, and the medicine cat claimed that ThunderClan's victory left them no choice but to leave.

Birdflight

Cloudstar: "Birdflight, no. How can I leave you?"

Birdflight: "You must. Our Clan needs you, but our kits need me just now."

^{Firestar's Quest, page 6}

Birdflight, Cloudstar's mate, stays behind to raise their kits in ThunderClan.

Birdflight was a pregnant queen during the destruction of SkyClan's territory, and the mate of Cloudstar. Her kits being newborns at the finality of the destruction, Birdflight was unable to join the rest of her Clan in leaving the forest, but she was offered sanctuary by the ThunderClan medicine cat, Kestrelwing. She spent the rest of her life as a ThunderClan cat, alongside her kits, Gorseclaw and Spottedpelt. It was many seasons after her death that she and her kits were reunited with Cloudstar, after SkyClan was revived by Firestar.

Quotes

Quick Water: "What's happening? Our territory is gone. . . ."

Shadowstar: "But where is Skystar? Is [the leader] . . . kin of Skystar?"

^{Shadowstar's Life, chapter 10}

"I don't agree. We know that Twolegs take trees from treecutplace, but they've never troubled us anywhere else. They don't even bring their dogs into that part of the territory. Once the prey gets used to the noise from the yellow monsters, it will come back. You had bad luck hunting today, that's all."

―Cloudstar's initial reaction to the monsters ^{Cloudstar's Journey, chapter 1}

Firestar: "There's something you need to know. When I had been leader of ThunderClan for just a few moons, Bluestar came to me and told me about a terrible mistake that the four Clans had made a long time ago: that they allowed a fifth Clan to leave the forest."

Bramblestar: "A fifth Clan? But there isn't a fifth Clan!"

^{Bramblestar's Storm, chapter 32}

Trivia

Author statements

• Victoria Holmes imagines that SkyClan was driven from the forest roughly twenty years after the Clans were founded; "slightly less than half the entire time the Clans have been in the forest."

See also

• Cloudstar's Journey
• Cloudstar's Journey Cliffnotes
• Journey to rebuild SkyClan