Moss Tail

"Fern's right. You ordered us to steal, then kept the prey for yourself and your friends. You've been treating us terribly for a long time! We practically starve, while you let food rot."

— Moss to Slash about how he treated his group in Path of Stars, page 171

Moss Tail
The pixel artwork is fanart based on the canon description; undefined traits are left to the artist's interpretation.
Affiliations
Last known:	RiverClan
Past:	Slash's group River Ripple's camp Loner
Names
Rogue:	Moss
Early Settler:	Moss
Hunter:	Moss Tail
Warrior:	Moss Tail
Loner:	Moss Tail
Kin
Mate:	Dawn Mist
Daughter:	Drizzle
Son:	Pine Needle
Education
Apprentice:	Willow Stream
Book appearances
Living	Riverstar's Home, Path of Stars, Moth Flight's Vision, Thunderstar's Echo, Shadowstar's Life
Living	Riverstar's Home, Path of Stars, Moth Flight's Vision, Thunderstar's Echo, Shadowstar's Life

Moss Tail is a dark brown tom with golden eyes.

History

In the Dawn of the Clans arc

Path of Stars

"Actually, Dawn and Moss are great hunters. They still haven't learned to swim, but they're trying. They'll be catching fish in another moon."

―River Ripple about Dawn and Moss settling into his group ^{Path of Stars, page 199}

As Dawn tells Slash that she might leave Slash's camp to protect her kits, Moss appears from the shadows and anxiously tells her to be quiet as they need to the protection of the group. Dawn turns to her mate and asks if it's really safe, signaling to Beech, who's badly wounded. Slash suggests for Dawn to train next, but Moss moves in front of her, pointing out she's still nursing. Slash immediately suggests for Moss to demonstrate some battle moves instead. Moss's kits are alarmed, with Drizzle pressing against her father, begging him to not to as he'll get hurt. Moss touches his nose to his daughter's head and reassures that no cat will hurt him. He pads into the clearing of the camp and faces Slash while giving glances to Splinter and Beetle. He asks who he will be training with, and seemingly has no fear in his meow. Thunder, who's spying on the camp with Lightning Tail, admires Moss for his courage. Slash chooses Beetle and the tom's eyes shine with disdain when he looks at Moss, but he returns the gaze without flinching, facing Beetle.

Moss throws Slash a look and asks what move to practice. Slash orders to choose what he likes as Beetle will counter. The tom then narrows his eyes, squares his shoulders and shifts his paws into position. Dawn is about to tell her mate to be careful, but a screech interrupts. Thunder and Lightning Tail burst from their hiding places and introduce themselves. Moss backs away from the clearing right before dogs burst into camp. Moss fights a dog beside Thunder, brushing against his fur as he rears up. He jumps onto the dog and clings onto its back like a tick, and the dog tries to shake the tom off its back but is overwhelmed by the attack and flees. Moss gets off when the dog runs across the marshes, rushing back to camp. The cats are successful at driving the dogs away, but Moss has blood welling right above his eye. Slash insults his group for the attack, but Fern says he never cared about them. Moss stands beside Fern, bristling as he glares at Slash, agreeing with the she-cat. He describes what Slash does to the rest of them, that he orders them to steal but keeps the prey for himself and his friends, glancing at Beetle and Splinter, who glare back. Moss points out they have been treated terribly for a long time. They make them starve while letting food rot. Dawn again backs up her mate.

Slash sarcastically suggests to Thunder to look after the group after he decides to abandon them. Moss snarls that no one needs to look after them, his eyes lighting up with rage. After Slash leaves, Fern suggests getting Pebble Heart as he knows how to heal wounds. Moss starts after Lightning Tail who's going to get the tom and suggests coming too. Lightning Tail answers he'll be quicker alone and knows the forest. Drizzle starts stressing that Slash will return, but Dawn reassures her kit that she and Moss will protect them, and it doesn't matter what happens to them. Moss reports that Stone is dead after Beech is declared dead, limping to the tom's body. Pebble Heart orders the group to tend to their injuries, and Moss sniffs Ember, saying he has a wound on his chin. Ember tells the tom to take care of his own injuries first, nodding to the wound above his eyes. After more help arrives and it's decided that the group needs to move to a safer place, Gray Wing asks Moss to help move Frog, who's hardly conscious. Moss agrees and pads to his campmate immediately. He tucks his nose under Frog's shoulder to help lift him up. They try to lift Frog onto Moss's shoulders but the injured tom screeches in pain so Pebble Heart orders them to stop. Moss gently moves away while the others place Frog back onto the ground.

Pebble Heart decides to use a piece of bark to drag Frog; Lightning Tail goes with him find a big piece, and Moss goes too, hurrying across the clearing. Pine asks where Moss is going, and Dawn reassures that he is coming back soon and will not go far. Drizzle wants to go with him, starting to follow his pawsteps, but Violet stops her. Moss soon returns with Pebble Heart and Lightning Tail with the bark. The rogue pushes the bark with his paws before hurrying to help lift Frog onto it. He noses the tom's hindquarters until he is on top of the bark. While trying to convince Wind Runner to take the rogues into her group, Dawn begs her to at least take her kits because it's too cold for them to survive the night. Moss pads to the queen's side, trying to reassure that they can keep them safe. Dawn ignores him and continues begging. The rogues end up settling at Wind Runner’s camp for the night before dispersing among the other Early Settler group. Moss and his kin joins River Ripple's Group.

During a meeting between the Early Settler leaders about the rogues, River Ripple tells of how Moss and Dawn are doing. He reports that they are excellent hunters. They haven't learned to swim yet but are trying hard and will be catching fish in another moon or so. Wind Runner expresses her delight that Moss and his kin has adjusted to their new lives. Later, Thunder thinks about the rogues in the other groups. He wonders what would happen if Dawn and Moss betray River Ripple, and decides to check on the group. He tells this to Violet and she says it'll be great to see them again. Pink Eyes asks if they are the ones with the kits. Thunder confirms it and says he cannot imagine they would cause trouble as they seemed the happiest to leave Slash's Camp. He is sure that River Ripple has made sure they are welcome. River Ripple meets Thunder and Violet, and comments that Dawn and Moss are settling in well. He immediately offers to show them proof. Drizzle greets them, flicking her tail to the water and showing that Dawn and Moss are swimming. Dappled Pelt darts between the mates and orders them to keep their paws churning. With panic in his eyes, Moss frantically moves through the water.

River Ripple comments they'll be diving for fish soon. Violet asks if they should be freezing, and River Ripple replies that they won't if they keep moving. Thunder asks how they will dry off the water in their fur. River Ripple explains a shake, a run through reed beds, and some food will do. Moss and Dawn finish and Moss trails after his mate, relief in his eyes as he pads for shore, pelt dripping. Pine tells him he did great and didn't sink like last time. Moss shakes out his fur before Pine declares he'll race him through the reeds. Before the tom could answer, both kits rush off so Moss rushes at their heels. Dawn also joins in the chase as Thunder comments they are happy. River Ripple asks why they wouldn't be, as there are fish and the river and warm, dry nests at night.

Later, Moss and Dawn follow Dappled Pelt and Shattered Ice to another meeting between the Early Settlers. Once there, they huddle together with their kits, protecting them from the chilling wind. The leaders perform a renaming ceremony, where the new members are given the option of changing their names to be more like those of the other Early Settlers. River Ripple asks Moss if he wants this, and Moss twitches his whiskers happily, agreeing. He announces that he’d like to now be known as Moss Tail. Slash interrupts the ceremony, and Moss Tail and Dawn, now called Dawn Mist, huddle closer to their kits. Slash wants his old campmates back, but Moss Tail's hiss cuts through the air as he declares he'll never share a camp with Slash again. Dawn Mist agrees, stiffening beside her mate. Slash soon leaves and Moss Tail and Dawn Mist return to camp with their kits to keep them safe.

In the Super Editions

Riverstar's Home

Coming Soon

Moth Flight's Vision

Moss Tail sleeps with his mate, Dawn Mist, during Micah and Moth Flight's visit to RiverClan. Moth Flight later remembers that the last time they ate was when Moss Tail brought them a trout a day ago.

In the Novellas

Thunderstar's Echo

When Thunderstar, Lightning Tail, Owl Eyes, Snail Shell, and Apple Blossom are patrolling the RiverClan border, Apple Blossom spots Moss Tail walking along the other side of the river and calls out a greeting to him. The dark brown tom flicks his tail in response and continues to make his way through a patch of reeds. Moss Tail wades his way into the river and dives down under the water, coming back up to the surface with a silver fish in his jaws. He then picks his way back to the shore, nods in farewell to the ThunderClan cats who have been watching him, and heads towards RiverClan camp carrying his fish.

Character pixels

Main images

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

Alternate images

The pixel artwork is fanart based on the canon description; undefined traits are left to the artist's interpretation. Alternative Loner Version

Kin

Members

Mate:

Dawn Mist: Living (As of Shadowstar's Life)

Daughter:

Drizzle: Living (As of Moth Flight's Vision comic)

Son:

Pine Needle: Living (As of Shadowstar's Life)

Tree

Moss Tail ♂

Dawn Mist ♀

Pine Needle ♂

Drizzle ♀

    = Tom

    = She-cat

    = Gender unknown

Appearances

• Riverstar's Home
• Path of Stars (First appearance)
• Moth Flight's Vision
• Thunderstar's Echo
• Shadowstar's Life (Allegiance only)

Trivia

Mistakes

• Despite appearing in Path of Stars, Moss Tail is not listed in the allegiances.
• He was mistakenly called Swift multiple times.
• He is called a dark brown tabby.

Quotes

Moss: "Hush Dawn. We need the safety of the group."

Dawn: "Do you call this safe?"

^{Path of Stars, pages 161-162}

"No one needs to look after us!"

―Moss after Slash suggests for Thunder to look after his campmates ^{Path of Stars, page 172}

Violet: "It'll be great to see Dawn and Moss again."

Pink Eyes: "They were the rogues with kits, weren't they?"

^{Path of Stars, pages 247-248}

River Ripple: "Would you like to change your name?"

Moss: "Yes. I'd like to be known as Moss Tail."

^{Path of Stars, page 263}

"I will never share a camp with you again."

―Moss to Slash about rejoining his group ^{Path of Stars, page 268}

External links

• We Hunt to Survive on the Warriors official website (backup link) (Indirect mention only)
• Stand Together or Fall Divided on the Warriors official website (backup link) (Indirect mention only)
• Asking a Great Deal on the Warriors official website (backup link) (Indirect mention only)
• Protect and defend on the Warriors official website (backup link) (Indirect mention only)
• The Forest Map: RiverClan on the Warriors official website (backup link) (Indirect mention only)