Fourtrees

"The heart of the forest—and the roots of life for the four Clans—had been ripped out. Nothing would ever be the same again."

— Squirrelpaw's thoughts at Fourtrees' destruction in Dawn, page 75

Fourtrees
General information
Location	Neutral territory in the middle of the forest
Twoleg name	Druid's Hollow
Usage	Gatherings
Discovered by	The Early Settlers

Fourtrees, also known as Druid's Hollow and previously the four trees, is a group of four, large oak trees in a hollow within the center part of the forest territories. It is the location of the Gatherings, where the Clans meet in peace under the full moon. The island serves as the same purpose in the lake territories.

Description

The Fourtrees are located in the middle of the Clans' territories in a steep, large hollow. The hollow is circular and the top of the hollow is lined with ferns and bushes. The four trees are positioned in a circular manner with one tree in each corner. They are also referred to as the Great Oaks. Near the center and off to one end of the large oak trees is a large, jagged rock called the Great Rock. The rock is several tail-lengths high and sometimes cats can have difficulties climbing up its tall sides, though there is a ledge on one side that cats can use to climb to the top. The Clan leaders sit on top of the Great Rock and share their news during Gatherings. Twolegs have also built a path to Fourtrees.

Significance

"The forest needs four Clans. Just as we have Fourtrees, and four seasons, StarClan has given us four Clans. We must find WindClan as soon as possible and bring them home."

―Bluestar to the other leaders ^{Fire and Ice, page 28}

Fourtrees is the location of the Gatherings, peaceful meetings between the Clans under a full moon

Fourtrees has a special connection with StarClan as it was the first location of the spirit cats' appearance. StarClan continued to regularly meet with the founders at Fourtrees during the founding of the Clans. StarClan oversees the truce held at Fourtrees and is capable of sending clouds and lightning to end the Gatherings if the Clans argue. StarClan can even kill combaters with lightning in extreme circumstances. Fourtrees appears as a location in StarClan, serving as the place where Clan leaders receive their nine lives. Fourtrees is also an important burial area, serving as the grave for those who died in the first battle and Quiet Rain, who is buried underneath the Great Rock.

Fourtrees is also a symbol of the four Clans—ThunderClan, RiverClan, ShadowClan, and WindClan, though this excludes SkyClan, an idea that Firestar challenges as ridiculous.

Location history

Gray Wing: "Tell [Clear Sky] I want to meet him at the four trees in a few days' time and discuss territory."

Thunder: "Why not just meet him now? You can get it over with."

^{The First Battle, page 92}

The early settlers discovered the four oaks when they first arrived to the new territories. While the four trees remain neutral territory, Frost speculates that Clear Sky might want to expand his territory to the four trees, and later Clear Sky does expand his land nearby the large oak trees. With tensions rising between the moor cats and the forest cats, Gray Wing asks to meet with his brother Clear Sky at the four trees at the next full moon because it is neutral territory. Gray Wing also wishes to speak on top of the large rock as it reminds him of how he used to speak with his brother in the mountain crags when they were young. However, a battle breaks out, resulting in numerous deaths. Spirits of their fallen arrive to stop the battle. Among other criteria, the spirit cats urge the leaders to meet again at four trees during the next full moon. The four trees continue to be an important meeting area for the early settlers to communicate with their ancestors, and share important news. In the following generations, the Clans continued to meet at the four oaks under a truce to share news with one another, and it would later become known as Fourtrees.

The Great Rock as seen in A Shadow in RiverClan

When SkyClan's territory was destroyed, the fifth Clan was cast aside due to other leaders refusing to give up land. They also cited that SkyClan should leave as there is only four trees at Fourtrees. Bluestar uses the symbol of Fourtrees to urge the other Clan leaders that WindClan should return following their exile. When she presented this idea to Firestar to suggest that perhaps SkyClan was right to leave the forest, Firestar believes that to be a ludicrous idea.

Bluefur meets with Oakheart at Fourtrees, and the two spend the night together there. Seasons later, Tigerstar and Leopardstar, leaders of TigerClan, meet with Tallstar and Firestar at Fourtrees and pressure them to join TigerClan. When they refuse, Tigerstar orders BloodClan to attack, though he is slain by their leader Scourge. The four Clans, united as LionClan, fight against BloodClan at Fourtrees, which results in a victory for the Clans. A pack of foxes later make their home at Fourtrees, resulting in the Clans uniting to chase them away. Seasons later, the six cats chosen by StarClan meet at Fourtrees under a new moon to discuss their dreams. Later, they meet at Fourtrees before leaving to find Midnight. During the destruction of the forest by Twolegs, the four great oaks are ripped from the ground by monsters. The Great Rock is also thrown to the side with large scratch marks on it. Many moons following, the clearing is made into a circular hard path with smooth grass at the top of the hollow. The remnants of the Great Rock remain as a pile of crushed rocks.

Midnight instructs the cats to stand upon a great rock and a dying warrior will show them the way to their new home. They interpret this as the Great Rock at Fourtrees. The four Clan leaders sit upon the Great Rock and wait for Midnight's sign to no avail. However, Midnight actually meant Highstones, and the cats witness a shooting star while standing on on Highstones at the start of the Great Journey.

Known deaths

This is a list of deaths, ordered chronologically, that took place at Fourtrees.

• Fircone
• Frost
• Rainswept Flower
• Falling Feather
• Jackdaw's Cry
• Hawk Swoop
• Ripplestar
• Tigerstar (all lives)
• Darkstripe
• Whitestorm
• Bone
• Firestar (first life)
• Scourge

Book mentions

• The Sun Trail
• Thunder Rising
• The First Battle
• The Blazing Star
• A Forest Divided
• Path of Stars
• Moth Flight's Vision
• Thunderstar's Echo
• Shadowstar's Life
• Cloudstar's Journey
• Mapleshade's Vengeance
• Pinestar's Choice
• Goosefeather's Curse
• Tallstar's Revenge
• Yellowfang's Secret
• Crookedstar's Promise
• Bluestar's Prophecy
• Leopardstar's Honor
• Onestar's Confession
• Spottedleaf's Heart (Mentioned only)
• Redtail's Debt
• Into the Wild (First appearance)
• Exile from ShadowClan
• Fire and Ice
• Forest of Secrets
• Rising Storm
• Tigerclaw's Fury
• A Dangerous Path
• The Darkest Hour
• Blackfoot's Reckoning
• Firestar's Quest
• Graystripe's Vow (Then)
• A Shadow in RiverClan
• Mothwing's Secret
• Midnight
• Moonrise
• Dawn
• Starlight (Mentioned only)
• Twilight (Mentioned only)
• Sunset (Mentioned only)
• Dark River (Mentioned only)
• Sunrise (Mentioned only)
• The Forgotten Warrior (Mentioned only)
• Bramblestar's Storm (Mentioned only)
• Graystripe's Vow (Now) (Mentioned only)
• Secrets of the Clans
• Code of the Clans
• Battles of the Clans
• The Ultimate Guide (Mentioned only)

Gallery

Map art

Fourtrees on the original map

Fourtrees on the original Twoleg view map

Fourtrees on the reprinted map

Fourtrees on the reprinted Twoleg view map

Fourtrees on the original Dawn of the Clans map

Fourtrees on the reprinted The Sun Trail map

Fourtrees on the reprinted Dawn of the Clans map

Fourtrees on the reprinted Dawn of the Clans Twoleg map

Fourtrees on the Moth Flight's Vision map

Official art

Fourtrees during leaf-bare on the original cover of The Darkest Hour

Fourtrees in Secrets of the Clans

Finchstar on top of the Great Rock in Code of the Clans

Fourtrees on the cover of Enter the Clans

Fourtrees during leaf-bare in Ravenpaw's Path

The Great Rock in Ravenpaw's Path

Fourtrees during leaf-bare in A Shadow in RiverClan

The Great Rock in A Shadow in RiverClan

Fourtrees in Exile from ShadowClan

Fourtrees during leaf-bare in Moth Flight's Vision

Trivia

Mistakes

• Fourtrees has mistakenly been called "Four Trees".

Continuity

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

• In Secrets of the Clans, a 2007 field guide, Fourtrees is described as the location for the battle that would give way to the creation of the Clans. The concept of Gatherings is also introduced to the four Clan leaders.

External links

• Marvellous Maps on the Warriors official website (Indirect mention only) (backup link)

See also

• The forest territories
• The Great Battle
• Gathering