Dust Muzzle

"Let her pass. Tiny Branch shouldn't have to pay for his father's mistakes."

— Dust Muzzle defending Moth Flight in Moth Flight's Vision, page 351

Dust Muzzle
The pixel artwork is fanart based on the canon description; undefined traits are left to the artist's interpretation.
Affiliations
Current:	StarClan
Past:	WindClan Tall Shadow's camp Wind Runner's camp
Names
Kit:	Dust Muzzle
Early Settler:	Dust Muzzle
Hunter:	Dust Muzzle
Warrior:	Dust Muzzle
StarClan resident:	Dust Muzzle
Kin
Mother:	Windstar
Father:	Gorsestar
Sisters:	Moth Flight, Morning Whisker
Brother:	Emberkit
Education
Apprentice:	Silver Stripe
Book appearances
Living	Riverstar's Home, The First Battle, The Blazing Star, A Forest Divided, Path of Stars, Moth Flight's Vision, Thunderstar's Echo, Shadowstar's Life
Living	Riverstar's Home, The First Battle, The Blazing Star, A Forest Divided, Path of Stars, Moth Flight's Vision, Thunderstar's Echo, Shadowstar's Life

Dust Muzzle is a gray tabby tom with amber eyes.

Dust Muzzle was an ancient warrior of WindClan. He was born a moon early to Wind Runner and Gorse Fur along with his littermates, Moth Flight, Morning Whisker, and Emberkit; however, only he and Moth Flight survived to adulthood. As a young cat, Dust Muzzle remained close to his sister and comforted her when the young she-cat was scolded by their mother for being distracted. Dust Muzzle often worried about his sister when she was off on medicine cat duties, but trusted her judgement, and supported her when she wished to take the injured Wind Runner to the Moonstone. He trained Silver Stripe, and after Dust Muzzle's death, he went to StarClan.

History

In the Dawn of the Clans arc

The First Battle

"Small, but perfect."

―Dappled Pelt about Dust Muzzle's size ^{The First Battle, page 139}

Although initially unnamed, Dust Muzzle, alongside his siblings, are born to Wind Runner and Gorse Fur. Rainswept Flower, a member of Tall Shadow's group, notes that Wind Runner has started her kitting much too early, and Thunder voices concern over their well-being, hoping that they won't die. Turtle Tail comments that Wind Runner wasn't due for another moon, and many of the cats worry for the young kits' welfare.

He is the second kit born, flopping out of his bundle, and Turtle Tail points out that the kit was fine, and invites Thunder to see. Dust Muzzle mewls, eyes closed, and his tail is compared to that of a lizard's. Thunder asks if that was its supposed appearance, and Turtle Tail confirms it. Wind Runner successfully kits, and gives birth to Dust Muzzle, Emberkit, Morning Whisker, and Moth Flight. Dappled Pelt says they are small, but perfect kits. Not long after they are born, however, Dust Muzzle's brother, Emberkit, passes away, and their mother is struck with grief. After arriving upon hearing the news from Gorse Fur, Gray Wing sees Dust Muzzle and his two sisters safely suckling at their mother's belly, and inquires about Emberkit. When Wind rebukes Gray Wing for his comments, Dust Muzzle and the other kits mew fretfully, trying to get to their mother.

The Blazing Star

When the moor cats discover that Morning Whisker has the strange illness that has been stalking the forest, Dust Muzzle is seen with his other sister Moth Flight, watching anxiously from their mother's side as Pebble Heart attempts to help her. As Pebble Heart still attempts to heal Morning Whisker from the mysterious illness, Moth Flight and Dust Muzzle attempt to reassure their mother that her kit will be okay. Dust Muzzle adds that Cloud Spots and Pebble Heart will know what to do.

After his sister dies, Wind Runner take her remaining kits and mate away to live in their own camp. Gray Wing goes to visit them to see how they are doing, and sees Dust Muzzle and Moth Flight playing together on the grass in front of him.

Later, during Clear Sky's fight with One Eye, though unnamed, he and his sister are mentioned when Thunder realizes his mother must have left them at camp with Slate taking care of them.

A Forest Divided

Dust Muzzle: "Gorse Fur took us all the way to the top of the moor and showed us Highstones! Did you really travel all that way from the mountains?"

Gray Wing: "Yes, it was a long, hard journey."

^{A Forest Divided, page 134}

When Gray Wing visits Wind Runner and Gorse Fur's camp and arrives at night, Moth Flight and Dust Muzzle are in their nest with their parents. The two kits rush out into the clearing to see the dark gray tom, and when an annoyed Wind Runner meows that her two kits should not be awake, Dust Muzzle responds that they can sleep later. Reed begins to treat the injuries Gray Wing has received from a fox, and Moth Flight and Dust Muzzle offer to help him. Wind Runner won't let them and instead sends them back to their nest to sleep, refusing even to let them eat the grouse Gray Wing caught. Moth Flight is annoyed at her mother for this, but Dust Muzzle reminds her that they can at least look forward to a good meal when they wake up. The two kits then return to their nest.

The older cats keep talking in the clearing, and Moth Flight calls out that she and her brother can't sleep with all the noise. Their father, Gorse Fur, states that it's nearly dawn and that he can take them out to see the moor. Moth Flight and Dust Muzzle are excited at his offer and clamber out again into the clearing. Wind Runner is reluctant to agree to her mate's plan, but her two kits try to persuade her, Dust Muzzle stating that he'll stay with his sister the whole time and will ensure that she doesn't get in trouble. The brown tabby she-cat finally relents, and Moth Flight excitedly races towards the camp entrance, the gray tom-kit following and yowling for his sister to wait for him.

Not too long later, Gorse Fur returns to camp with the two kits. Dust Muzzle and his sister burst through the heather wall excitedly. The gray tom-kit exclaims that their father took them to the top of the moor and showed them Highstones. He curiously asks Gray Wing if he had really traveled all the way from the mountains. Gray Wing replies that he did, to which Dust Muzzle states that he wanted to one day go on a journey like that, and that he wanted to travel further than the eye could see. Reed then calls for the kits to come over and soak up the sunshine with him. The gray tom-kit declines his offer, saying that sunning is boring. He and Moth Flight decide to do a hunt the mouse game instead, and Dust Muzzle, playing the mouse, tries to head between the heather stems of the camp wall.

Gray Wing decides to stay at Wind Runner's camp for a few days, and when he returns from hunting with Gorse Fur and Minnow. Dust Muzzle rushes up to his father, asking Gorse Fur if he can carry the vole he caught. The older gray tabby agrees, and the tom-kit drags the piece of prey towards the fresh-kill pile. A few moments later, Dust Muzzle calls anxiously to his mother, telling her that he can hear pawsteps approaching the camp – it turns out to be Thunder that he is hearing, coming to take Gray Wing back to Tall Shadow's camp to see his mother, Quiet Rain.

After Quiet Rain dies, Gray Wing returns to the moor camp and pads into the clearing. Dust Muzzle, believing him to be an intruder, launches himself upon the older gray tom and rakes his claws across his cheek and his back, tearing out fur. Gray Wing shakes the young tom off, and Dust Muzzle, recognizing him, asks what he's doing at Wind Runner's camp. Gray Wing announces he is staying for good with them, and all of Wind Runner's cats are excited, Dust Muzzle included. Eagerly, the gray tom-kit asks if Gray Wing will give him a badger ride. The dark gray tom agrees to it, and Dust Muzzle eagerly clambers onto his back, with Moth Flight climbing onto Slate's. Gray Wing and Slate take them out of camp, and after carrying the two kits some distance, they let them down, telling them they can run up to the top of the moor. Dust Muzzle springs onto the grass, telling his sister that he'll race her, and the two dash away.

In the bonus scene, when Slate first meets Wind Runner and her family, Moth Flight and Dust Muzzle pad over curiously towards the injured dark gray cat. The white she-kit exclaims that Slate must be dead, but Dust Muzzle says that she isn't, and that Slate is looking up at them. Worried the stranger might have the forest sickness, Wind Runner orders her kits to stay away from the dark gray she-cat and the two obey. Wind Runner eventually ends up letting Slate stay in her camp while her wounds heal, and the dark gray she-cat sees Moth Flight and Dust Muzzle playing together. The gray tom-kit calls out to his mother, complaining that his sister had bitten his tail.

Path of Stars

Dust Muzzle stays in camp to help Reed and Minnow build a den, although Gray Wing soon wishes he'd chosen the young gray tabby to come on the hunting patrol instead of Moth Flight, as Dust Muzzle is a much more accomplished hunter than his sister.

Slash and his cats begin stealing prey from all the groups of cats, and the rogues swipe prey from Dust Muzzle and Moth Flight, leaving the two shaken. Wind Runner and the other leaders agree to have a meeting at Fourtrees to discuss the issue, and while they do, Dust Muzzle and Moth Flight are left behind at camp with Spotted Fur.

With tensions with Slash's group mounting, Reed and Minnow spend the afternoon instructing Moth Flight and Dust Muzzle on the different fighting techniques. The two cats are eager to learn the skills and keep practicing them until after sunset. The next day, Dust Muzzle goes on a hunting patrol and conceals himself in a rabbit burrow. Further down the slope, a rabbit comes out of one of the other holes, and the young gray tabby darts out of his hiding place and chases down the rabbit, catching it and killing it. Slate marvels at how good of a hunter he is at only six moons old as the young tom drags his rabbit back up the slope and places it in a patch of grass to pick back up later. The patrol is later attacked by a group of Slash's rogues, and Dust Muzzle has to wrestle with a black tom. The black tom, pinning him to the ground, is soon joined by an orange she-cat, who jerks at the young gray tom's leg, causing him to cry out in pain. The gray tabby manages to struggle free from the two rogues and turns on them with flailing paws.

A little while later, when Slate is kitting, Dust Muzzle and Moth Flight rest together in a patch of sunlight beside the tall rock. Later that day, Dust Muzzle goes out hunting with Willow before rushing to where Fern is lying injured after she is attacked by Bee. When he sees that Moth Flight's pelt is covered with Fern's blood from having helped treat her injuries, he sniffs his sister gingerly, commenting that she looks like she's been in a fight. Shuddering, he asks the white she-cat if touching Fern's wounds had made her feel sick.

Dust Muzzle and Moth Flight attend the meeting in which Slash's former campmates are formally welcomed into the groups. When Slash arrives and hints that he's going to harm Gray Wing's kits, the two young cats rush back to Wind Runner's camp with the others. It is discovered that Black Ear has been taken by the rogues, and Dust Muzzle is sent with Swift Minnow and Reed Tail to look for the black-and-white kit by the river, and he and his campmates immediately race out of the camp to start searching.

In the Super Editions

Riverstar's Home

Coming Soon

Moth Flight's Vision

"Dust Muzzle will make a fine hunter one day, but Moth Flight is special, can't you see that?"

―Gorse Fur to Wind Runner about Dust Muzzle and Moth Flight ^{Moth Flight's Vision, page 33}

Dust Muzzle wakes his sister, Moth Flight, from a dream, and asking her what she was talking about in her sleep. Moth Flight then realizes that she has lost Slate's kits, who she remembers that she was supposed to be watching. She asks her brother to help her find them. He declines, saying he's always getting her out of trouble and that he is tired from hunting right now. Spotted Fur goes to look for the kits with the white she-cat instead. Once the two young cats return, having found the kits, Wind Runner scolds Moth Flight, as she should not have lost the kits, but Dust Muzzle glances sympathetically at her. Wind Runner, Gorse Fur, and their two kits then go on a hunt, as a family. With a glance at Wind Runner, Dust Muzzle says hopefully to Moth Flight that hunting will put them all in a good mood, and adds that the brown tabby she-cat cannot be mad at her daughter forever.

Once they are out of camp, Wind Runner tells Moth Flight to stay with Dust Muzzle while she is hunting, believing that she is incompetent and will bring home nothing but leaves if she is left to her own devices. Meanwhile, she and Gorse Fur go to check the high burrows for rabbits. Once they have gone their separate ways, Dust Muzzle tells Moth Flight to ignore their mother, and that her bad mood won't last. Moth Flight replies back saying that their mother was going to torture her the rest of the day, just because she had fallen asleep. Dust Muzzle reminds her gently that she was supposed to be watching the kits. She defends herself by saying that the kits were found safe, and that she wonders why their mother couldn't be pleased with that. Dust Muzzle replies by telling her to forget about it and to focus on catching some prey.

Dust Muzzle then wonders aloud whether or not Willow Tail caught up with Red Claw, a SkyClan tom who had been found on their territory earlier. Moth Flight replies saying she hoped not, as she might get hurt. Dust Muzzle then says that she was smart enough not to fight him by herself. Moth Flight replies saying she might try, as she had been very angry with him. Dust Muzzle replies that she may, but that Willow Tail and Wind Runner did have a reason to be upset, as the reddish-brown cat should not have been on their territory. The young gray tabby finishes that the next Gathering was only two days later, and that they should wait and see if there was any more trouble then. Dust Muzzle breaks off from the conversation, spotting a shrew nearby at the roots of a gorse bush. Moth Flight attempts to catch it, but when she pounces, she leaps too far and lands in the gorse bush. Dust Muzzle has to dive after the shrew and get it instead. Moth Flight exclaims that she wishes she could be as good as him at hunting and the young gray tom replies that she will be one day; she just needs practice. He adds that he wouldn't mind if his sister pretended that she had been one to catch the shrew so that Wind Runner wouldn't be angry, but Moth Flight declines his offer.

Determining that there probably wouldn't be any prey left after Moth Flight's crash through the bushes, the two littermates decide to go and find Wind Runner and Gorse Fur. As they approach their parents, they hear them arguing about Moth Flight. Wind Runner is frustrated with her daughter, exclaiming that the white she-cat needs to take more responsibility and demands to know why she couldn't be more like her brother. Gorse Fur tries to defend Moth Flight, saying that while Dust Muzzle is a good hunter, she is special. Moth Flight is upset at her parents' words, but Dust Muzzle tries to reassure her, saying that their father is just trying to explain how the white she-cat is different from other cats, but not in a bad way. As Moth Flight is again unsuccessful at trying to hunt, Dust Muzzle reassuringly reminds her that her chosen prey, lapwings, are difficult to catch.

When Rocky becomes ill, Moth Flight, now WindClan's medicine cat, has to go to Twolegplace to fetch catmint for the old tom. When Dust Muzzle learns of this, he fears for his sister's safety, worried the white she-cat might run into rogues there. He and Spotted Fur decide to accompany her on her journey to get the herb. When the three first set out, Moth Flight begins running, but Dust Muzzle warns his sister to slow down. They make their way through the forest and to the Twolegplace, where they split up in trying to find the catmint. Moth Flight finds it and picks some, but ends up getting chased away by a Twoleg. She manages to escape, and Dust Muzzle anxiously asks if she's okay. When he realizes that she's fine, he rolls his eyes, explaining to Spotted Fur that his dreamy sister nearly got caught by a Twoleg. Moth Flight protests that she can't help but be dreamy, to which Dust Muzzle frets that this quality will one day get her into trouble.

When Moth Flight returns home from spending a moon with ShadowClan after Micah's death, Dust Muzzle is one of the first cats to run up to greet her, and he presses his nose to her cheek affectionately. Another moon later, the white she-cat begins to give birth to Micah's kits, and Dust Muzzle races to ShadowClan to fetch Pebble Heart to assist in the kitting. However, when the two toms finally make it to WindClan camp, Moth Flight has already given birth.

A few moons later, Moth Flight attends a Gathering, padding to Fourtrees alongside her brother. When Sparrow Fur rushes to the Gathering to beg the other Clans' medicine cats to come help Clear Sky's injured son, Tiny Branch, the white she-cat tries to go help, but her path is blocked by Shattered Ice. Dust Muzzle growls for the RiverClan tom to let her pass, saying that the tan-and-silver tom shouldn't have to pay for his father's mistakes. Moth Flight later thanks her brother for his support. The next day, Dust Muzzle and Fern Leaf lead a patrol towards the gorge to hunt lapwings.

When Spotted Fur and Moth Flight are captured by SkyClan after trying to get the bark from Clear Sky's forest, Dust Muzzle and the rest of WindClan come to attack the camp, and Blossom launches herself onto Dust Muzzle's back and sinks her teeth into the gray tabby's neck. Birch and Thorn work together to attack Fern Leaf, pinning her to the ground, but Dust Muzzle comes to his Clanmate's aid, ripping Thorn away from the dark gray she-cat. The gray tabby later battles Birch, slashing against the ginger tom with vicious blows. He then moves on to fighting Nettle at his father Gorse Fur's side, slicing his claws across the SkyClan tom's ears.

Two days after the battle is over, he is seen bringing prey to the fresh-kill pile along with Spotted Fur and Fern Leaf. Dust Muzzle sides with his sister when Moth Flight goes to persuade Gorse Fur and Jagged Peak to let her take Wind Runner to the Moonstone. The gray tabby states that they need to trust Moth Flight, as the white she-cat has never been wrong before. He extends his support for Moth Flight further, as he and Spotted Fur offer to accompany her and Wind Runner on their journey. The two toms walk on either side of Wind Runner, pressing their shoulders against hers to support the injured she-cat as she walks across the moor. Dust Muzzle and Spotted Fur help her across the Thunderpath, now half-carrying the WindClan leader. As they continue their journey, Moth Flight starts to doubt if she interpreted the sign StarClan sent her correctly, but Dust Muzzle assures his sister that she is right and that Wind Runner will not die. When they finally reach Highstones, Dust Muzzle and Spotted Fur remain at the entrance as Moth Flight takes her mother down to the Moonstone.

A few days later, Windstar sends Dust Muzzle out to train the young she-cat Silver Stripe in stalking techniques.

In the Field Guides

The Ultimate Guide

Although not addressed by name, Dust Muzzle is briefly mentioned Wind Runner's page. When Wind realized that she was expecting Gorse's kits, she went to Tall Shadow's group. She and Gorse were eager for the protection of this larger group of cats, wanting the best for when Dust Muzzle, Moth Flight, Morning Whisker, and Emberkit were born. After the Great Battle, the family stayed on the moorland, but left the hollow where Tall Shadow had her group of cats, not wanting to be part of the conflict. Dust Muzzle eventually became part of what would be known as WindClan, with his mother and father as leader and deputy, respectively.

Character pixels

The pixel artwork is fanart based on the canon description; undefined traits are left to the artist's interpretation. Kit Version Early Settler Version Hunter Version Warrior Version StarClan Version

Official art

Please do not edit this gallery Dust Muzzle's icon on the Warriors family tree

Kin

Members

Mother:

Windstar: Deceased, verified StarClan member

Father:

Gorsestar: Deceased, verified StarClan member

Sisters:

Moth Flight: Deceased, verified StarClan member

Morning Whisker: Deceased, verified StarClan member

Brother:

Emberkit: Deceased, verified StarClan member

Nephews:

Spider Paw: Deceased, verified StarClan member

Honey Pelt: Deceased, verified StarClan member

Nieces:

Bubbling Stream: Deceased, verified StarClan member

Blue Whisker: Deceased, verified StarClan member

Grandnieces/nephews:

Three unnamed kits: Living (As of Moth Flight's Vision comic)

Grandmothers:

Windstar's mother: Deceased, residence unknown

Gorsestar's mother: Status unknown

Aunt:

Windstar's sister: Deceased, residence unknown

Distant descendants:

Mistmouse: Deceased, verified StarClan member

Stagleap: Deceased, verified StarClan member

Doespring: Deceased, verified StarClan member

Ryestalk: Deceased, verified StarClan member

Onestar: Deceased, verified StarClan member

Tornear: Deceased, verified StarClan member

Mudclaw: Deceased, verified StarClan member

Morningflower: Deceased, verified StarClan member

Ashfoot: Deceased, verified StarClan member

Gorsepaw: Deceased, verified StarClan member

Crowfeather: Living (As of Ivypool's Heart)

Darktail: Deceased, no residence

Heathertail: Living (As of Ivypool's Heart)

Galekit: Deceased, verified StarClan member

Eaglekit: Deceased, verified StarClan member

Hillkit: Deceased, verified StarClan member

Downkit: Deceased, verified StarClan member

Storkkit: Deceased, verified StarClan member

Quailkit: Deceased, verified StarClan member

Smoke's kits: Deceased, residence unknown

Breezepelt: Living (As of Ivypool's Heart)

Jayfeather: Living (As of Ivypool's Heart)

Lionblaze: Living (As of Ivypool's Heart)

Hollyleaf: Deceased, verified StarClan member

Crowfeather and Nightcloud's kits: Deceased, residence unknown

Hollytuft: Living (As of Ivypool's Heart)

Sorrelstripe: Living (As of Ivypool's Heart)

Spotfur: Living (As of Ivypool's Heart)

Flywhisker: Living (As of Graystripe's Vow)

Smokehaze: Deceased, verified StarClan member

Brindlewing: Living (As of Ivypool's Heart)

Appleshine: Living (As of Ivypool's Heart)

Woodsong: Living (As of Ivypool's Heart)

Fernsong: Living (As of Ivypool's Heart)

Snaptooth: Living (As of Graystripe's Vow)

Thriftear: Living (As of Ivypool's Heart)

Bristlefrost: Deceased, no residence

Myrtlebloom: Living (As of Ivypool's Heart)

Flipclaw: Living (As of Ivypool's Heart)

Bayshine: Living (As of Ivypool's Heart)

Graypaw: Living (As of Ivypool's Heart)

Stempaw: Living (As of Ivypool's Heart)

Bristlepaw: Living (As of Ivypool's Heart)

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Tree

Unnamed ♀

Unnamed ♀

Unnamed ♀

Unnamed ♀

Windstar ♀

Gorsestar ♂

Micah ♂

Moth Flight ♀

Morning Whisker ♀

Dust Muzzle ♂

Emberkit ♂

Spider Paw ♂

Blue Whisker ♀

Honey Pelt ♂

Bubbling Stream ♀

Three kits

See more

    = Tom

    = She-cat

    = Gender unknown

Appearances

• Riverstar's Home
• The First Battle (First appearance)
• The Blazing Star
• A Forest Divided
• Path of Stars
• Moth Flight's Vision
• Thunderstar's Echo (Allegiance only)
• Shadowstar's Life (Allegiance only)
• The Ultimate Guide (Mentioned only)

Trivia

Mistakes

• He, Morning Whisker, and Moth Flight are accidentally listed under Clear Sky's camp in the allegiances for The Blazing Star, as he and his sisters are shown to be living with their parents in Tall Shadow's camp.
• When Windstar is assigning Silver Stripe and her siblings their mentors, she first says Dust Muzzle is to train her, but then Storm Pelt is shown ready to teach Silver Stripe. Earlier in the chapter, Storm Pelt is said to be training White Tail.

Continuity

The following information is from sources considered non-canon, retconned, or from adapted material.

• In Secrets of the Clans, a 2007 field guide, his descendants live on in WindClan through Ashfoot and Crowfeather.

Quotes

Moth Flight: "I wish I was as good at hunting as you."

Dust Muzzle: "You will be one day. Until then, why don't we tell Wind Runner you caught this?"

^{Moth Flight's Vision, page 32}

Moth Flight: "What if I was wrong?"

Dust Muzzle: "You're never wrong."

^{Moth Flight's Vision, page 434}

External links

• Stand Together or Fall Divided on the Warriors official website (backup link) (Indirect mention only)
• The forest map: WindClan on the Warriors official website (backup link) (Indirect mention only)

Fan content

• Our Favorite Moth Flight Artwork on the Warriors official website (backup link)