Mouse Ear

"It's okay. Mouse Ear may look like a big bully, but underneath that tough shell he has a soft heart."

— Holly to Thunder about Mouse Ear in The Blazing Star, pages 19-20

Mouse Ear
The pixel artwork is fanart based on the canon description; undefined traits are left to the artist's interpretation.
Affiliations
Last known:	ShadowClan
Past:	Rogue Tall Shadow's camp
Names
Rogue:	Mouse Ear
Early Settler:	Mouse Ear
Hunter:	Mouse Ear
Warrior:	Mouse Ear
Education
Apprentice:	Eagle Feather
Book appearances
Living	The Blazing Star, A Forest Divided, Path of Stars, Moth Flight's Vision, Thunderstar's Echo, Shadowstar's Life
Living	The Blazing Star, A Forest Divided, Path of Stars, Moth Flight's Vision, Thunderstar's Echo, Shadowstar's Life

Mouse Ear is a big, broad-shouldered, brown tabby tom with ears the size of a mouse's, and part of one ear missing. He has amber eyes.

History

In the Dawn of the Clans arc

The Blazing Star

After a meeting at the four giant oak trees, Thunder hears rustling nearby, and when he calls out, saying for the cats to show themselves, Mouse Ear steps out. The big tabby is joined by his two friends, Holly and Mud Paws—all three cats look disheveled and beaten, their tails low in submission. Holly steps forward and asks if the moorland cats have room for three more denmates, and introduces herself, Mud Paws, and Mouse Ear. Upon introduction, Mouse Ear dips his head and asks in an amused tone if any of the cats present can guess how each of the group got their names. Lightning Tail speaks, noting the ear size of Mouse Ear, and announces that his ears are the size of a mouse's. Facing Lightning Tail, Mouse Ear draws his lips back in a snarl, and Thunder instantly comes to his defense.

Thunder is stopped by Holly, who says that although Mouse Ear looks like a huge bully, the bigger cat is actually really nice and has a soft heart. Mouse Ear hears this, and fires back at Holly that at least he's nice. Holly's fur bristles at her neck, and the cats understand why Holly is named what she is. Mouse Ear and Mud Paws share an amused glance with each other, while their friend kneads the ground in agitation.

Tall Shadow asks the three cats why they want to her group, reminding them of the battle the group had just been through, and that life with them may not be easy. For a moment, Mouse Ear and his friends exchange glances, but then he steps forward. Mouse Ear tells her that they had seen the previous night's battle and how the moor cats had suffered from it, but that they admired the moor cats' bravery. He continues, stating that he and his friends could contribute to the group, as he could fight off nearly every cat, and even a badger once, and because Holly was good at sensing when cats could be trusted.

Holly agrees with him, and adds that Mud Paws was an excellent stalker who could move as silently as a spirit cat. Tall Shadow paws the ground, demanding to know what Holly meant by "spirit-cat". Mouse Ear looks confused, saying that it is just an expression, and that there weren't actually spirit cats there, faking a shudder as he adds that it would be too weird if there were. Thunder realizes that they hadn't seen everything that had happened the previous night, such as the spirit cats' appearance. After his denmates murmur and nod their approval of the newcomers, Thunder decides to accept Mouse Ear, Mud Paws, and Holly to the group.

The three cats settle into life at the moor camp, and Thunder teaches Mouse Ear and Mud Paws how to hunt using rabbit burrows. Sparrow Fur and Owl Eyes rush over to join the training session, and Sparrow Fur runs straight into Mouse Ear, who yowls at her to stay off his paws. Sparrow Fur nips at him teasingly and leaps back. Mouse Ear gently swipes at her, growling that she is an annoying furball.

Mouse Ear goes out on patrol with Thunder and Gray Wing, and they pass by Clear Sky's territory. As they do, a nearby patrol, led by Clear Sky and consisting of Acorn Fur, One Eye, and Tom, hears them. Tom charges at the moor cats, facing Mouse Ear, who is at the front of the patrol. Clear Sky pushes Tom away from Mouse Ear, and as Thunder and Gray Wing arrive, Gray Wing tells Mouse Ear to keep calm, explaining that there is just a misunderstanding. In spite of this, as the rest of the cats talk, and Clear Sky informs the moor cats that Tom and One Eye are his new group members, but Mouse Ear and Tom still face each other aggressively. Thunder steps between the two, telling Mouse Ear to calm himself. Mouse Ear complies, stepping back. However, as the moor cats depart, Mouse Ear glances back, calling to Clear Sky that he is a fool to take One Eye in, as he knew One Eye and that he isn't to be trusted, finishing that Clear Sky would live to regret taking him in.

Mouse Ear, Gray Wing, and Thunder return home from the confrontation, all three cats wondering whether Clear Sky and his newest recruits could be trusted. As they near the camp, Gray Wing spots Tall Shadow keeping watch over the moor, and he wonders whether she has seen One Eye or Tom, to which Mouse Ear adds that everyone needed to know that One Eye had joined the group, and that Holly and Mud Paws would have something to say about it as well, having both known One Eye.

Gray Wing tells the Tall Shadow about what had happened and she calls a meeting. At the meeting, Gray Wing announces to the cats how Clear Sky had two new recruits, and Jagged Peak points out that they had three new cats as well. Mouse Ear stands up, explaining that the new recruits were a rogue and a kittypet, and that the rogue was an old enemy. Holly leaps up, demanding if that cat was One Eye, and Mouse Ear nods. As predicted by Mouse Ear, Holly is outraged, hissing that One Eye was bad news, calling him a bully and a thief, and saying that he manipulates cats and causes trouble.

Realizing that they need to be able to protect themselves from Clear Sky, his cats, and other dangers, the moor cats start training. Mouse Ear trains with Pebble Heart, and Thunder notices that Mouse Ear is trying too hard not to hurt Pebble Heart, so the pair can't get the move right. Pebble Heart suddenly wails and Mouse Ear leaps back, shocked, saying that he hadn't touched him. Later, when the moor cats discuss the spirit-cats and their message to "grow and spread like the Blazing Star", Mouse Ear recalls that the Blazing Star is a type of plant with five petals that grows on the opposite side of the Thunderpath.

Tall Shadow, Thunder, Pebble Heart, Clear Sky, and Mouse Ear go to try to gather some of the Blazing Star. When they reach the Thunderpath, Tall Shadow orders Thunder across first, but Mouse Ear stops him, saying that they hadn't felt the Thunderpath yet. The other cats are confused, but Mouse Ear shows them that placing your paw on the Thunderpath to feel for vibrations lets you know whether monsters are coming. When Mouse Ear does this, he determines that there are no rumbles, and that it is therefore safe to cross. Clear Sky comments that there are things they could learn from the rogues. Impatiently, Mouse Ear tells them they need to cross, because the monsters will eventually come, and dashes across the path, the other cats following.

Mouse Ear leads the cats through the marsh and to a shallow slope, where Mouse Ear points out a yellow flower with five petals—the Blazing Star. The cats begin to argue about what it means. Clear Sky notices that it looks like a paw with claws extended, and thinks that it may mean they need to defend their territory, and Mouse Ear sharply asks him who he needed to defend it from. They return home with samples of the herb, but are undecided on the meaning. Mouse Ear checks the Thunderpath as they return, first sensing a monster, and, after it passes, saying that everything is safe.

Mouse Ear is present at the later meetings in which plans to defeat One Eye are established. He participates in the battle against One Eye and his rogues, and waits in the bushes to ambush them along with Mud Paws, Tall Shadow, and Shattered Ice. When Thunder leaves the camp is his dream to head to the four trees with the other leaders, he almost trips over Mouse Ear, who is sleeping out in the open.

A Forest Divided

When the cats of Tall Shadow's camp discuss whether they should remain on the moor or move elsewhere, Mouse Ear stands beside Dappled Pelt. Mud Paws, in favor of moving away from the moor, adds that he thought that the spirit-cats wanted them to do so. Mouse Ear scorns Mud Paws for this comment, demanding to know if he believed in the nonsense about the spirit-cats. Dappled Pelt points out that Tall Shadow, Gray Wing, and Thunder had all seen them, but Mouse Ear dismisses this proof as a dream, saying that the three probably shared a bad piece of prey before it. Annoyed, Thunder asks him if he wanted to stay on the moor. Mouse Ear protests that he didn't say that, but that he didn't want to move just because imaginary cats told him to.

Jagged Peak calls a meeting so that the moor cats will make the decision, and at the meeting, the cats in favor of moving from the moor call out their complaints about living there. Mouse Ear puts in that he is tired of hunting in rabbit tunnels. Thunder objects that they can't leave the moor, to which Mouse Ear argues that they would starve if they stayed. The cats cast stones to decide their future home, Mouse Ear deciding to go with Tall Shadow to the pine forest. He weaves around her, exclaiming that he bets that there is better prey in the pine forest.

The cats who chose to move with Tall Shadow head off to the pine forest. However, there is a slight conflict, as Holly's kits don't want to be carried there, while their mother worries that if they walk, they won't make it because of how far it is and the deep snow. Mouse Ear solves the problem by offering to give them a badger ride. The kits eagerly agree, and Mouse Ear carries Eagle Feather on his back to and across the Thunderpath, letting him off on the other side. He then goes to hunt with Jagged Peak and Mud Paws in the pine forest.

Tall Shadow's cats settle into their new camp. Gray Wing returns from hunting to find Mouse Ear and Mud Paws sharing tongues in the camp. Mouse Ear asks him if he had caught anything, and Gray Wing replies that he had caught a lizard. Mouse Ear questions whether cats could eat lizards, and Gray Wing points out that River Ripple did. Mouse Ear wrinkles his nose, but says that they can't be choosy, asking where the lizard is. Gray Wing explains that he had left it outside of the camp. Holly's kits hear this and ask if they could go fetch the lizard. Holly tells them that they can, but only if they ware accompanied by Mouse Ear. The kits rush out of the camp, Mouse Ear following them.

They return to the camp soon after, Storm Pelt carrying the lizard. Mouse Ear explains that Storm Pelt had followed the scent trail and found the lizard while Eagle Feather and Dew Nose had just run around in circles. Mouse Ear tells Storm Pelt to go put it on the pile, though he adds that there isn’t much of a pile. Gray Wing agrees and comments that they should send out a hunting party, and Mouse Ear offers to go.

Mouse Ear is later seen a few times around Tall Shadow's camp, and he goes out hunting with Mud Paws on several occasions, including when Quiet Rain and Sun Shadow arrive, and during the vigil held for Quiet Rain after her death.

Path of Stars

When Gray Wing comes Tall Shadow's camp when with the the news that Star Flower is going to have her kits early, Mouse Ear is seen sliding into the moonlight. Jagged Peak orders him, Sun Shadow, and Holly to go and find Star Flower and bring her there, but Pebble Heart says that there might not be time, and offers to go too. Pebble Heart tells Gray Wing that he should stay, but Gray Wing protests that he knows where Star Flower is, and that she might die if they follow the wrong trail, and Mouse Ear stops at the entrance, agreeing.

They leave the camp and Mouse Ear hurries ahead, his gaze scanning the shadows, and he asks which way. Gray Wing puffs that they will go toward the ditches, by the Thunderpath, and Mouse Ear hares away, Pebble Heart following. From ahead, Pebble Heart calls if it the right way, and Gray Wing calls for them to wait, and catches up to where Mouse Ear circles Pebble Heart, his gaze scanning the forest. Gray Wing tells them to cross the ditches and head straight, as Star Flower is beyond the thickest part of the forest, and the two toms hare away again. Gray Wing leads Sun Shadow and Holly after Moues Ear and Pebble Heart until they reach the ditches, then veers toward the trail he had followed from the Thunderpath, but as the other two catch up, he notices that there is no sign of Pebble Heart or Mouse Ear's scent, and he exclaims that have gone the wrong way. Holly yowls for Pebble Heart, and paws pound across the ground. A moment later, Mouse Ear crashes from the darkness, Pebble Heart behind him. Gray Wing shows them which way to go and ducks under the trail he had followed earlier, leading them as the trees thicken around them.

When they find Star Flower, Holly says that they must get her back to camp, and Sun Shadow heaves her onto his back. Mouse Ear quickly ducks beneath her, and with Reed and Pebble Heart, the four cats head into the forest. After Gray Wing finds Clear Sky and brings him to the ShadowClan camp, he sees Mouse Ear and Mud Paws pace the far end of the clearing nervously.

During a gathering, Mouse Ear stays near the edge of the clearing with Tall Shadow and Jagged Peak, and they weave around each other, ears pricked, gazes darting to any small stirring of the bracken on the slopes. The leaders discuss how the young cats have been training, and Tall Shadow comments that Storm Pelt, Dew Nose, and Eagle Feather each have their own trainer. She nods to Mouse Ear and comments that he has formed quite a bond with Eagle Feather, and the tabby tom agrees that he is a fast learner. He glances around at the other cats and adds that it is easier if he trains him alone, when he can learn his strengths and weaknesses and build on what he already knows. When Wind Runner and Gorse Fur consider having Moth Flight getting a personal trainer instead of being taught from them, Jagged Peak admits that he was either too soft of hard on Eagle Feather when he was teaching him, and Mouse Ear shifts his paws, agreeing that it is easier to see Eagle Feather's progress with a clear eye. He adds that it seems more difficult to train one's own kit.

At a Gathering later on, Mouse is seen sitting beside Tall Shadow and near Pebble Heart. When Juniper Branch and Raven Pelt receive their new names, Raven Pelt asks to join the first patrol the next day, and Tall Shadow agrees that he can lead it. She glances toward Sun Shadow, Mud Paws, and Mouse Ear as though searching for approval, and they nod.

After Black Ear is stolen by Slash and found by Clear Sky and Thunder, they take him to Tall Shadow's camp, and she tells Mouse Ear that they need his den because Clear Sky is badly hurt. Mouse Ear tells them which way to go, and his reassuring mew beckons them toward the edge of the clearing. Thunder and Clear Sky duck into a gap in the bramble wall, and Clear Sky smells the warmth of Mouse Ear's nest. He notes that the tom had clearly been sleeping in it until only a few moments ago, and Clear Sky gratefully collapses into the soft nest.

In the Super Editions

Moth Flight's Vision

When Moth Flight and Micah go to a Gathering, Mouse Ear is seen being led into the clearing with other ShadowClan cats by Tall Shadow.

After Micah’s death, when Moth Flight comes to ShadowClan, Mouse Ear is seen sitting on a sun-dappled patch of grass at the edge of the clearing. He leans closer to Mud Paws and murmurs into his friend's ear that he heard that she was in love with the farm cat. Moth Flight thinks that he wouldn't know, and is angered that Micah is dead and that these cats wouldn't ever know him. Later in the ShadowClan camp, Moth Flight wakes and Sun Shadow asks if she would want some food. Moth Flight says that Pebble Heart had brought her something to eat earlier, but Sun Shadow tells her that he gave it to Mouse Ear, since he likes mice best. Moth Flight decides to go hunting with Sun Shadow, and as they head out of camp, Mouse Ear is seen talking with Tall Shadow and Mud Paws in the clearing.

Later, as Juniper Branch gives birth to her and Raven Pelt's kits, Pebble Heart brings a twig for her, and he tells Moth Flight that Mouse Ear and Mud Paws are scouring the forest for more.

Many moons later, after Moth Flight gives her kits away, she asks Pebble Heart how Bubbling Stream is. He replies that she leads Dangling Leaf, Dusk Nose, and Shade Pelt on expeditions outside of camp, but promises that someone always tracks them on. He goes on that Mouse Ear followed them through a nettle patch yesterday, and that they all came home with stung noses and pads. When Moth Flight frets about her daughter, Pebble Heart reassures her that she is fine, but that Mouse Ear should have known better than to walk through a nettle patch. He adds that the tabby tom had said that he didn’t want to let them out of his sight, and Moth Flight feels reassured.

In the Novellas

Thunderstar's Echo

Thunderstar's Echo does not formally appear in The Blazing Star , but is listed in the allegiances.

Shadowstar's Life

After Sun Shadow's death, Shadowstar notes that Mouse Ear has amber eyes similar with the cat who watched her and Sun Shadow die. He asks Shadowstar if she wanted him to organize the day's hunting patrols, and she agrees. Juniper Branch also volunteers to order extra border patrols in case the dogs returned, and the two cats glare at each other. Shadowstar notes both were attempting to replace Sun Shadow as deputy.

Both cats physically fight over hunting areas, and Shadowstar calls them both mouse-brains and says they've both failed their Clans for fighting. Mouse Ear blames Juniper Branch and the she-cat swipes at him. The two resume their fight until Raven Pelt, Dangling Leaf, and Mud Paws break them up. Shadowstar admonishes them again, and both cats apologize. Despite that, both cats continue to be at odds and the rest of the warriors begin choosing sides. When Shadowstar announces that Raven Pelt would be the new deputy, Mouse Ear stiffly congratulates him. He participates in the battle against SkyClan and ThunderClan and fights with Honey Pelt.

Trivia

Author statements

• Kate Cary has stated that Mouse Ear, Holly, and Mud Paws are not siblings.

Interesting facts

• He is named after his small ears.

Mistakes

• Despite being listed as 'Mouse Ears' in the allegiances, he is called 'Mouse Ear' in every appearance and mention in The Blazing Star.
• He is again listed as 'Mouse Ears' in the allegiances of Thunderstar's Echo and Shadowstar's Life.

Character pixels

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

Quotes

Holly: "I'm called Holly. These are Mud Paws and Mouse Ear."

Mouse Ear: "Can you guess how we got our names?"

^{The Blazing Star}

"Yes, we saw the fight last night and we can see how you've suffered. But why should that mean we don't want to share a home with you? We respect you for your bravery. [...] We think you're all very brave. We like living on the moor, but it's hard when it's just the three of us. And we think that you could benefit from having us around. I can fight off just about any cat. I even got the better of a badger once! And Holly is really good at sensing whether cats can be trusted."

―Mouse Ear to the Early Settlers ^{The Blazing Star}

"Okay, Mouse Ear, keep calm. It was all a misunderstanding. There's no need to fight."

―Gray Wing to Mouse Ear at seeing Tom ^{The Blazing Star}

Mouse Ear: "Wait! You haven't felt the Thunderpath yet."

Tall Shadow: "What do you mean?"

^{The Blazing Star}

See more

"We'll come with you. Just in case. It'll feel good to do something for Holly."

―Mouse Ear to Tall Shadow about collecting the Blazing Star ^{The Blazing Star}

"Huh! We've smelled plenty of their reek, but we haven't seen a hair of their miserable pelts."

―Mouse Ear about One Eye's rogues ^{The Blazing Star}

Mud Paws: "I thought the spirit cats wanted us to move on."

Mouse Ear: "Spirit Cats! You don't believe that, do you? Dead cats talking to the living?"

^{A Forest Divided}

Mud Paws: "I don't want to stay here! We'll freeze to death by newleaf."

Mouse Ear: "I'm tired of hunting in rabbit tunnels!"

^{A Forest Divided}

Mouse Ear: "Hi, Gray Wing! Did you catch anything?"

Gray Wing: "A lizard."

^{A Forest Divided}

Tall Shadow: "Storm Pelt, Dew Nose, and Eagle Feather each have their own trainer. They've only been learning to hunt so far, but they could learn some battle moves too. You've formed quite a bond with Eagle Feather, haven't you?"

Mouse Ear: "He's a fast learner. And it's easier if I train him alone. I can learn his strengths and weaknesses and build on what he already knows."

^{Path of Stars}

"It's easy for me to see Eagle Feather's progress with a clear eye. It seems more difficult to train one's own kit."

―Mouse Ear about Eagle Feather ^{Path of Stars}

"I gave it to Mouse Ear. He likes mice best."

―Sun Shadow to Moth Flight about Mouse Ear ^{Moth Flight's Vision}

Pebble Heart: "Mouse Ear followed them through a nettle patch yesterday. They all came home with stung noses and pads."

Moth Flight: "Is Bubbling Stream all right?"

^{Moth Flight's Vision}

Juniper Branch: "Why should he tell me where to hunt? I'm a better hunter than he is."

Mouse Ear: "Because I know our territory better than you do. I've been with ShadowClan ever since we came here."

^{Shadowstar's Life}

External links

• Guess That Warrior! on the Warriors official website
• Stand Together or Fall Divided on the Warriors official website (Indirect mention only)