Needleclaw

"Not every cat has to be the same."

— Needlepaw to Turtlepaw in Lost Stars, page 19

Needleclaw
The pixel artwork is fanart based on the canon description; undefined traits are left to the artist's interpretation.
Affiliations
Current:	SkyClan
Names
Kit:	Needlekit
Apprentice:	Needlepaw
Kin
Mother:	Violetshine
Father:	Tree
Brother:	Rootpaw
Foster siblings:	Leaf, Squirrel, Moon
Education
Mentor:	Reedclaw
Book appearances
Living	Squirrelflight's Hope, Lost Stars, The Silent Thaw
Living	Squirrelflight's Hope, Lost Stars, The Silent Thaw

Needlepaw is a black-and-white she-cat.

Needlekit is born to Violetshine and Tree, with her sibling Rootkit. As an apprentice, Needlepaw protects her brother Rootpaw from Kitepaw and Turtlepaw, who are constantly mocking him. She participates in several training sessions with her mentor, Reedclaw, and when Bramblestar starts accusing about the code breakers, she strongly believes that if things got worse, she would leave SkyClan. She also has pride in her father, Tree, because he was the "best at settling quarrels".

History

In The Broken Code

Lost Stars

Needlekit is a SkyClan kit, born to Violetshine and Tree alongside her brother, Rootkit. Leafstar calls a Clan meeting to make her and Rootkit apprentices, and she is named Needlepaw, with Reedclaw as her mentor. The other apprentices, Kitepaw and Turtlepaw, come up to her and her brother, congratulating them. They point out how Violetshine looks really proud, while Tree doesn't. Rootpaw says that he shows it differently, and Needlepaw adds that not every cat has to be the same. When Kitepaw tells the two siblings that Turtlepaw was only joking and adds that Tree was weird, she tells them that weird is good and says that Tree is the best at settling quarrels.

Needlepaw and her brother set up their nests in the apprentice' den, after which their mentors tell them to help themselves to some fresh-kill before their first tour of the territory. Tree approaches her and Rootpaw, remarking that they were apprentices now. Needlepaw tells him it's great and tells him that they were going to tour the territory after their meal. Her father tells her to remember what he said about fighting foxes, and Needlepaw replies with a mrrow of laughter, saying not to.

She is taken out with her brother for their first battle training session. Needlepaw manages to hurl herself in the air and flip Reedclaw away from her and land successfully. Dewspring tells her and Rootpaw to practice together. The she-cat pads up to her brother and encourages him when he feels bad for not impressing his mentor. She yowls at her brother when he loses his temper from Kitepaw and Turtlepaw's torments. Needlepaw tells him not to get in trouble because of the two older apprentices when they continue to pick on him. She tells him that he'd only get in trouble with Dewspring if he found out, but, promises her brother that she won't tell on him when he goes through with it.

Needlepaw is seen eating a thrush at the fresh-kill pile when she is approached by Rootpaw. She asks him what was wrong and he snaps at her. She comments and then tells him not to take it out on her. Rootpaw apologises to her, and she gets him to tell her what was wrong. He tells her that he doesn't feel as though others take him seriously because of their father and his abilities. Needlepaw reminds him of Tree's role within the Clans, but, Rootpaw reminds her that he was the first mediator that the Clans had, and that it was a reason why Tree doesn't fit into the Clans and why they weren't respected by the other SkyClan apprentices.

Needlepaw tells him that their thoughts were mouse-brained and what gave them a reason to think that. Rootpaw tells her that due to Tree's role he can rule against SkyClan and that he believes he has to work twice as hard to convince others that he is a loyal member of SkyClan. Needlepaw calmly says that she has the same father, but, instead deals with teasing by telling the other cats to mind their own business. She tells her brother that the only reason Kitepaw and Turtlepaw tease him is because he reacts to them. She adds that he should try not to worry about what their Clanmates think and instead prove himself wrong first.

When Rootpaw catches a large crow, Needlepaw praises him, saying that it was amazing. She later shares his catch with him and the older apprentices. She asks him whereabouts he caught it and adds that Dewspring must have been proud.

She is seen battle training with her brother and their mentors. Needlepaw and Rootpaw are shown a move that allows lighter cats to gain the upper hand. Rootpaw whispers to her that he was going to squash her, but, she tells him he can try. After Reedclaw and Dewspring demonstrate the move, Needlepaw and Rootpaw attempt it. She manages to pull off the move and unbalance her brother. She asks Reedclaw if she did okay, but, is thrown off of her brother when he catches her off guard. They then switch roles, and she attacks Rootpaw.

After the training session ends, the cats head back to camp and she calls to her brother when he becomes lost in thought. Dewspring tells her father that she and Rootpaw were doing well in their training. Reedclaw adds that they were hard workers and didn't complain no matter their task. Tree thanks the mentors and tells Needlepaw and her brother to not be too obedient, as it's important to think individually. Needlepaw tells her father that she knows and that it wasn't a problem.

When the Clans come together in an attempt to break the ice in the Moonpool, Needlepaw stands next to her brother and in front of their parents. She turns to her brother and comments about why warriors were needed if they weren't allowed near the pool. Violetshine tells her that it was because the medicine cats wanted them there in case they needed help. Needlepaw questions further if warriors were meant to be there, believing that the Moonpool was strictly for medicine cats.

Rootpaw asks why there were no ShadowClan cats present. Needlepaw tells him that she overheard their mother telling Tree that the Clan wasn't invited due to their medicine cat apprentice. She tells him that some cats think that the apprentice, Shadowpaw, is the reason StarClan isn't communicating with the Clans.

When the Clan leaders ask the gathered warriors for help, Needlepaw sides with her father in staying out of touching the Moonpool.

Needlepaw calls for her brother from outside of camp, telling him that Violetshine and Tree want to talk to them and that it was important. She leads them out of the forest to their parents. Tree tells her and her brother that he was unsettled by the previous Gathering, not liking Bramblestar's suggestion to start accusing those who have broken the warrior code. He suggests that they leave the Clans, and Needlepaw is shocked asking if he was serious. She tells her father that she doesn't want to leave the Clans and that StarClan wanted them all to live together. Needlepaw promises her father though if things get bad, that she would leave SkyClan.

Trivia

Interesting facts

• Needlepaw has loner blood through Tree and kittypet ancestry via her great-grandparents.
• It is implied that Needlepaw is named after Needletail.
• Since her father, brother, and grandmother can see spirits, it is possible that she can too.

Character pixels

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

Kin

Members

Mother:

Violetshine: Living (As of Wind)

Father:

Tree: Living (As of Wind)

Brother:

Rootpaw: Status unknown

Foster siblings:

Squirrel: Status unknown

Leaf: Status unknown

Moon: Status unknown

See more

Aunts:

Twigbranch: Living (As of Wind)

Unnamed she-cat: Status unknown

Half-aunts/Half-uncles:

Squirrel: Status unknown

Leaf: Status unknown

Moon: Status unknown

Grandmothers:

Pebbleshine: Deceased, verified StarClan member

Moonlight: Deceased, verified ghost

Grandfather:

Hawkwing: Living (As of Wind)

Great-uncles:

Parsleyseed: Living (As of Hawkwing's Journey)

Duskpaw: Deceased, verified StarClan member

Quailfeather: Living (As of Wind)

Great-aunts:

Cloudmist: Living (As of Wind)

Blossomheart: Living (As of Wind)

Sunnypelt: Living (As of Wind)

Pigeonfoot: Living (As of Wind)

Great-grandmothers:

Cherrytail: Living (As of Wind)

Tinycloud: Living (As of Wind)

Great-grandfathers:

Sharpclaw: Deceased, verified StarClan member

Sparrowpelt: Living (As of Wind)

Great-great-uncles:

Rockshade: Living (As of Beyond the Code)

Bouncefire: Deceased, verified StarClan member

Half-great-great-uncle:

Sandynose: Deceased, verified StarClan member

Half-great-great-aunts:

Birdwing: Status unknown

Honeytail: Deceased, residence unknown

Great-great-grandmothers:

Clovertail: Status unknown

Jessamy: Status unknown

Great-great-great aunt:

Flower: Status unknown

Great-great-grandfather:

Unnamed tom: Status unknown

Great-great-great-grandmother:

Unnamed she-cat: Status unknown

Second cousins:

Curlypaw: Living (As of Hawkwing's Journey)

Snipkit: Deceased, verified StarClan member

Fidgetflake: Living (As of Wind)

Reedclaw: Living (As of Wind)

Finleap: Living (As of Wind)

Dewspring: Living (As of Wind)

Tree

Genetic

Template:Rootpaw Tree

Foster

Violetshine ♀

Squirrel ♀

Leaf ♂

Moon ♀

Rootspring ♂

Needleclaw ♀

    = Tom

    = She-cat

    = Gender unknown

Quotes

Needlepaw: "I have the same father. But I just tell the other apprentices to keep their paws out of my business, and they leave me alone. They only tease you because you let them see it bothers you."

Rootpaw: "I know, but—"

^{Lost Stars}

External links

• The Journey So Far: The Raging Storm on the Warriors official website (Mentioned only)
• Which Warrior is Worthy - The Return on the Warriors official website (Indirect mention only)