Monster

The term monster is used by the Clan cats for automobiles (cars, trucks, etc.) and motorboats that Twolegs ride in. They believe monsters are living creatures that "swallow" the Twolegs and carry them across roads, which the Clans know as Thunderpaths.

Description

Monsters are huge, sharp-edged creatures with hard shiny pelts and yellow beams shooting from their eyes. Their round black paws smell of burning stone, and the air shudders with sound before they even appear. Twolegs are known to ride inside their 'bellies'. When a monster is parked, they are said to be sleeping. However, monsters are relatively "stupid", as they cling to the Thunderpath as if afraid of venturing out on the grass. A cat can outwit them by holding his or her nerve and getting out of the way. The monsters have left the Thunderpath for certain memorable events such as the destruction of the forest causing the Great Journey.

Monsters travel at a high speed, faster than even the fastest warrior, and can seriously injure or kill even the strongest. They have foul hot wind that tugs at a cat's fur. When a monster sees a Clan cat, it doesn't even slow down, but keeps going, regardless of the killing.

The Clans do make some distinctions between different types of monsters; they recognize the difference between normal monsters and others by giving them related names. The bulldozers used to tear up the forest are tree-eaters. These monsters push over the trees and dig up the earth, frightening off all the prey and making it impossible for cats to live nearby. The motor boats are water-monsters, and the farm vehicles are farm-monsters.

Book Mentions

In the Dawn of the Clans Arc

The Sun Trail

The cats that follow the sun trail cross several Thunderpaths and avoid many monsters. When they first get out of the mountains, Clear Sky and Gray Wing investigate a Thunderpath, where several monsters pass by. When Clear Sky says that they should be able to cross, Gray Wing doubts it, and says that the monsters that had passed could have been old and slow, and that faster and younger monsters could catch them easily. When they cross it, Hawk Swoop freezes in the path of a monster and is nearly hit. As the cats travel through a Twolegplace, they sleep in an old monster den.

Shaded Moss is killed by a monster when he runs out onto a Thunderpath when fleeing from a dog, and Jagged Peak has to be dragged out of the path of a monster by Clear Sky when the cats are crossing a Thunderpath in the forest territories. Later, Storm and two of her kits are killed when a monster knocks down the old Twoleg nest she was raising them in.

The First Battle

River Ripple leads Thunder and Lighning Tail through the Twolegplace, and are nearly killed when a monster roars out of a Twoleg den. They then find the body of Turtle Tail, who had been hit by a monster when she was running after Tom. Another monster roars past them on the Thunderpath as they drag her away from it.

In the Super Edition Arc

Crookedstar's Promise

As Crookedkit tries to go to the Moonstone on his own, he and a rabbit are spotted by a WindClan patrol. They both run, and find them themselves in the middle of a Thunderpath. Suddenly, he hears a growl and sees a monster storming straight towards him. The patrol leaves, but the rabbit tries to cross. Crookedkit backs away from the Thunderpath as the monster screams by, and soon it is gone. As he opens his eyes, he sees the dead rabbit lying on the Thunderpath, killed by the monster. The monster had killed the rabbit without even slowing down to take a bite or snap of its neck.

When Crookedkit gets to the barn, Fleck tells him about farm-monsters. It's easy to hear them, but difficult to determine where they're coming from. He later teaches Crookedkit how to watch out for the monsters that don't stick to the Thunderpath but storm over the mud and grass faster that a cat can run. One day, Crookedkit tries to show Fleck a waiting hole, and goes to show him when all the farm-monsters are sleeping in their dens. Soon after, they hear a rumbling in the distance even though all the monsters are asleep. Fleck panics, saying it's time for harvest. Crookedkit asks what that means, and Fleck replies that they're cutting the corn. A huge scarlet monster trawls through the corn, swallowing up the corn, and they race to save Mitzi and the kits. Almost all of them are fine, but Soot wanders too far from her mother, and is nearly killed by a farm monster. Crookedkit goes out to look for her, and tracks her down by following her fear-scent. Crookedkit finds Soot right when the Twoleg monster is bearing down on her. She is shaken up, but not too shaken to tell Fleck that Crookedkit was the one who saved her.

Bluestar's Prophecy

When Pinestar takes Bluefur to the Moonstone, they look down at the Thunderpath from above. Bluefur looks at the monsters and compares them to insects, but she knows how big and fast they can go, traveling at a huge speed. Soon, she gets to the Thunderpath, and there is an endless stream of monsters racing past. The monsters pound from both directions, and Bluefur wonders how they'll ever get there. Pinestar then yells to run, and the two streak across. Suddenly, Bluefur slips, and her mid whirls as another monster howls towards her. Terrified, she runs faster, and the two make it across.

Later, Snowfur runs from Bluefur and they encounter three ShadowClan warriors. They were hunting for a squirrel on ThunderClan land. One of them comment that they shouldn't have chased it over the Thunderpath. Bluefur and Snowfur jump out, attacking. The three cats try to fight, but pelt in terror over the Thunderpath. Snowfur streaks after them, yelling, when a monster roars straight at Snowfur. Without slowing, it slams into her body, leaving her lying like a wet leaf. The three ShadowClan warriors peer from their side, gaping in horror. Snowfur then dies from getting hit by the monster.

Firestar's Quest

In the prologue, Cloudstar appears, telling the Clans that Twolegs have destroyed their territory. They came with huge monsters that pushed over the trees and churned up the earth. All their prey is frightened off and dead. The monsters are now crouched around their camp, waiting to pounce.

In the first Gathering, Blackstar says that they have seen more Twolegs in their territory. Sometimes they even let their monsters leave the Thunderpaths and crash through the woods. Mistyfoot, alarmed asks if they are chasing his cats. Blackstar replies that they don't even know they are there. As long as they hide, they are safe. Tallstar comments that the monsters would still scare off the prey.

In the Original Arc

Into the Wild

When Bluestar, Firepaw, Graypaw, Ravenpaw, and Tigerclaw are going to Moonstone, Firepaw sees a monster rushing toward him.

Fire and Ice

When Fireheart tells Cinderpaw not to go to the Thunderpath, she does anyway and gets hit by a monster. She is not killed, however her leg is severely injured and Yellowfang says that she will live, but she will be permanently handicapped and can never be a warrior. She feels that she is a burden to the Clan, but eventually she becomes Yellowfang's apprentice as a medicine cat.

Rising Storm

A Twoleg monster hits Whitethroat on the Thunderpath when he is running from Fireheart, and kills him. Also, Cloudpaw is taken away in the belly of a monster.

In the New Prophecy Arc

Midnight

It is revealed that in the time between Firestar's Quest and this book, Sorrelpaw was hit by a monster, injuring her shoulder. However, it was not a permanent injury like Cinderpelt's; it only delayed her training for three moons, so she was made a warrior after her brothers Sootfur and Rainwhisker.

When Brambleclaw and Squirrelpaw are preparing to leave on the Great Journey to find the sun-drown-place, they sleep under a "sleeping" monster before they leave, to shelter from the rain.

The first monsters veer off the Thunderpath into the forest and begin ripping up dirt and trees, much to the surprise and fear of the warriors.

Moonrise

Many more monsters are seen in the forest as the Twolegs begin dominating the area. The prey is scared away by their presence, so the Clans struggle to find food in the harsh conditions.

Dawn

Monsters continue to tear up the forest.

Later, Shrewpaw gets hit and killed by a monster when chasing a pheasant onto the Thunderpath.

Graystripe is last seen being taken away in the back of a monster after saving Brightheart, Leafpaw, Mistyfoot, and several other cats from being trapped and taken away by the Twolegs.

In the Lost Warrior Arc

Warrior's Refuge

Graystripe and Millie encounter a monster on the Thunderpath by Husker's barn, and narrowly escape, and flee into a corn field. However, another monster (corn harvester) cuts through the corn, separating the two cats.

Warrior's Return

Graystripe gets hit on the shoulder by a monster and later, Graystripe and Millie ride to the sun-drown-place on the back of a monster.

In the Field Guide Arc

Secrets of the Clans

Tawnypelt uses the word boat, showing that the Clan cats differ sailing boats from the monsters on the Thunderpath.

Trivia

• The Clan cats will never understand what monsters and Thunderpaths really are.