| "Run! Now! Make this count, Violetpaw!" |
| — Needletail's last words to Violetpaw in Shattered Sky, page 218 |
Needletail is a sleek, silver-gray she-cat with white chest fur.[10] She has a lithe,[11] long body, a thick tail,[12] a small gray nose,[13] and bold green eyes.[10]
Needletail was a ShadowClan apprentice under Rowanstar's leadership in the lake territories and previously a rogue in the Kin under Darktail. She was born to Berryheart and Sparrowtail as Needlekit, and as Needlepaw, she was apprenticed to Tawnypelt. She joined Alderpaw's quest to find SkyClan, and the two apprentices discovered two orphaned kits whom they named Violetkit and Twigkit. When Violetkit was taken to join ShadowClan, Needlepaw befriended her, but being frustrated with Clan life and the warrior code, Needlepaw and other apprentices rebelled against Rowanstar. Needlepaw joined the Kin renaming herself Needletail and unofficially mentored Violetpaw. She grew close to a rogue named Rain, but after his death, Needletail had second thoughts on Darktail's leadership and was imprisoned. When it was discovered that Violetpaw was working against the Kin, Needletail sacrificed herself to save her against Darktail, Sleekwhisker, and Roach, who drowned her. She became a ghost, leading Violetpaw to Tree, and reuniting with former Clanmates and Alderheart. After giving a message, she ascended to StarClan. She took part in the battle against Ashfur in the Dark Forest where she reunited with Violetshine and killed Darktail's spirit with the help of her friend.
History[]
Looking for a longer overview? Find one here!
A Vision of Shadows[]
- "I'm sick of living in a Clan that only cares about peace. The rogues would have made us strong. But, if you don't want them to join us, I'm going to join them!"
- ―Needlepaw deciding to go live with the rogues Thunder and Shadow, page 176
- Initially, Needlepaw ignores Violetkit, but after being pressured by Alderpaw, the two become friends, and Needlepaw allows Violetkit to meet in secret with her sister, Twigkit. She would often leave ShadowClan's camp in the middle of the night and secretly spend time with Rain and the rest of The Kin as they grow more powerful beyond ShadowClan's territory. When a rebellion arises among the ShadowClan apprentices, she aligns herself with Darktail, abandoning her clan to to join the rogues and taking Violetkit with her. Changing her name to Needletail, she unofficially mentors Violetpaw and is shocked and hurt when she returns to ShadowClan. However, Needletail convinces her to join the Kin after Darktail takes over ShadowClan.
- After Darktail kills Rain and the cats who attempt to flee his Kin, Needletail realizes her mistake. She allows Mothwing and Alderheart to recover herbs from their camp, causing her to be starved in the prisoners' den. When Violetpaw is caught sneaking poppy seeds into Darktail's prey, Needletail is nearly drowned because she was blamed for the betrayal. Darktail tells her to earn her life by killing Violetpaw, but Needletail instead attacks him, Sleekwhisker, and Roach, allowing Violetpaw to escape. She is killed, but her spirit leads Violetpaw to Tree, a cat prophesied to help the Clans, before joining StarClan.
The Broken Code[]
- Ashfur: "But we're so much alike, you and I."
- Needletail: "I'm nothing like you."
- A Light in the Mist, page 161
- Needletail is part of the StarClan cats who make it through the unblocked barrier and helps the living defeat Ashfur. She challenges him and his ideals and actively works on distracting Ashfur and those he possessed to weaken him. She avenged her own death by killing Darktail's spirit alongside Violetshine. In the aftermath of the battle, Needletail is amongst the StarClan cats who decide to rearrange the warrior code based on importance in order to fit the Clans' current priorities better.
Character pixels[]
Main images[]
The pixel artwork is fanart based on the canon description; undefined traits are left to the artist's interpretation.  Kit Version  Apprentice Version  Rogue Version  The Kin Version  Prisoner Version  Ghost Residence Version  StarClan Version |
Alternate images[]
The pixel artwork is fanart based on the canon description; undefined traits are left to the artist's interpretation.  Warrior Version |
Official art[]
|
Please do not edit this gallery.  Needletail on the cover of The Apprentice's Quest  Needletail on the cover of Shattered Sky  Needletail in The Ultimate Guide: Updated and Expanded Edition  Needletail's Warriors website fact sheet  Needletail's Warriors website fact sheet for A Vision of Shadows  Needletail's silhouette on the Warriors website  Needletail's icon on the Warriors family tree |
Killed victims[]
This list shows the victims Needletail has killed:
Personality[]
- Needletail is rebellious,[15] careless, rude,[16] independent, eccentric,[17] and insolent.[18] She has a sharp tongue[19] and can be impulsive.[20] She sometimes also manipulates others to get what she wants.[21] As an apprentice, she often challenged Rowanstar's leadership and choices, inspiring other ShadowClan apprentices to do the same;[22] after Rowanstar refused to let Rain, Raven, and Flame join the Clan, Needlepaw decided to leave ShadowClan to join the Kin.[23] However, she also cares greatly for some cats,[24][25] and eventually forms a close friendship with Violetkit when she was brought to ShadowClan by Rowanstar.[26] She ultimately sacrificed herself to save Violetpaw from Darktail, Roach, and Sleekwhisker.[5] Needletail can be very moody with others: at times both cold and pressuring, or attentive and concerned.[27][12]
Relationships[]
Violetshine[]
- Needletail: "All this that's happening to me...it's not your fault, Violetpaw. All the mistakes we made were mine."
- Violetpaw: "That doesn't matter now. Don't worry about anything. I'm going to get you out of here."
- Shattered Sky, page 169
- At first, Needletail ignores Violetshine when she is a kit in ShadowClan. But after some convincing from Alderheart, she decides that it might be cool to have a kit following her around, and pays more attention to Violetshine.[27] Violetshine begins to rely on Needletail as her only friend in ShadowClan, and follows her when she defects from ShadowClan to join Darktail's rogues.[28] Needletail eventually sacrifices herself to save Violetshine from Sleekwhisker and Darktail,[5] and later appears as a ghost and guides Violetshine to Tree before finally joining StarClan.[29] Violetshine names one of her kits, Needleclaw, after her.[30]
Alderheart[]
- Needletail: "Hi there."
- Alderheart: "Needletail! You made it to StarClan!"
- River of Fire, pages 99-100
- Coming Soon
Darktail[]
- Needletail looked up to Darktail and deeply respected him, desiring to be as tough and powerful as he is.[source?] She joined his Kin and is cruel to the weaker cats in it, like he was.[31] However, she later realizes the full extent of Darktail's bloody ways, and ultimately sacrifices herself to help stop him, admitting she should never have followed him.[5]
Tree[]
- As an apprentice, Needletail is caught by an owl and dropped far away from her home. There, she meets Tree, and she thinks he is weird. Tree helps her get back to ShadowClan, and opens up to her about how his mother and sister abandoned him. When they arrive in ShadowClan, Needletail asks if Tree can join the Clan, but her Clanmates are strongly against it. Needletail does not understand why they have to treat outsiders this way, but Tree explains that he's fine being a loner.[32] As a ghost, Needletail leads Violetpaw to Tree, who is the six-toed cat said to fend off the storm in a vision.[33]
Kin[]
Members[]
Mother:
- Berryheart:[34] Deceased, verified the Place of No Stars member
Father:
- Sparrowtail:[34] Living (As of The Elders' Quest)
Sister:
Brothers:
- Hollowspring:[35] Living (As of The Elders' Quest)
- Spireclaw:[35] Living (As of The Elders' Quest)
See more
Nephew:
Niece:
Uncles:
Aunts:
- Cloverfoot:[34] Living (As of The Elders' Quest)
- Mistcloud:[38] Deceased, verified StarClan member
- Beenose:[39] Deceased, verified StarClan member
- Yarrowleaf:[39] Living (As of The Elders' Quest)
- Bluebellkit:[blog 1] Deceased, verified StarClan member
- Dewkit:[38] Deceased, residence unknown
- Gullswoop:[37] Living (As of The Elders' Quest)
- Frondwhisker:[37] Deceased, verified StarClan member
Grandmothers:
Grandfather:
Great-uncle:
First cousins:
- Flaxfoot:[42] Living (As of The Elders' Quest)
- Hopwhisker:[42] Living (As of The Elders' Quest)
Tree[]
| Unknown | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Kinkfur ♀ | Scorchfur ♂ | Snowbird ♀ | Ratscar ♂ | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dewkit ♀ | Mistcloud ♀ | Sparrowtail ♂ | Berryheart ♀ | Cloverfoot ♀ | Beenose ♀ | Yarrowleaf ♀ | Nettle ♂ | Buster ♂ | Gullswoop ♀ | Frondwhisker ♀ | Conefoot ♂ | Bluebellkit ♀ | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| See more | Fringewhisker ♀ | Spireclaw ♂ | Hollowspring ♂ | Needletail ♀ | Hopwhisker ♀ | Flaxfoot ♂ | Pouncestep ♀ | See more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sunbeam ♀ | Nightheart ♂ | Sprucepaw ♀ | Redpaw ♂ | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| See more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
= Tom
= She-cat
= Gender unknown
Appearances[]
- Onestar's Confession (Mentioned only)
- Pebbleshine's Kits
- The Apprentice's Quest (First appearance)
- Thunder and Shadow
- Shattered Sky †
- Darkest Night
- Tigerheart's Shadow (Mentioned only)
- River of Fire
- The Raging Storm (Mentioned only)
- Lost Stars (Mentioned only)
- The Silent Thaw (Mentioned only)
- Daisy's Kin (Mentioned only)
- A Light in the Mist
- River (Mentioned only)
- Shadow (Mentioned only)
- The Ultimate Guide: Updated and Expanded Edition
Merchandise[]
Toys and Plush[]
Needletail & Violetshine - Mini Collector Figures[]
Needletail and Violetshine
- Series 8
- Though they started off as strangers, a lonely apprentice finding an abandoned kit, they ended as sisters bonded forever through love. Needletail led her young friend into great danger with the Kin, but once she realized her mistake she gave up everything she had left to save her. Violetshine grew up lonely and unwanted in ShadowClan, then lived her days in fear with the Kin, only to finally find where she belonged in SkyClan.
- Sturdy mini figure of Violetshine and Needletail, approximately 7cm in height.
- Also included in a three-pack bundle with the rest of Series 8: Rock and Midnight, and Sol and Brokenstar.
- Approximate individual price is $12.99 USD, and the three-pack bundle is $38.97 USD.
Trivia[]
Interesting facts[]
- In an earlier draft of the allegiances for The Apprentice's Quest, Needletail was originally the daughter of Stonewing and Wasptail along with Puddleshine, Beenose, and Yarrowleaf.[blog 2]
- Needletail is one of the few single-litter kits in the series.[34]
- Needleclaw is named after her.[43]
Author statements[]
- Kate has sympathy for Needletail, but she cannot understand why she was so crabby.[blog 3]
- Kate has said she would not be surprised if Needletail named herself after Darktail.[blog 4]
Mistakes[]
- Needletail was mistakenly called a ShadowClan warrior, despite never earning the rank.[44][45][46]
- Needletail is depicted without white chest fur and a gray nose on the cover of Shattered Sky.[47]
Quotes[]
- Main article: Needletail/Quotes
External links[]
- Needletail's profile on the Warriors official website (backup link)
- The deaths we remember on the Warriors official website (backup link)
- The cats of A Vision of Shadows on the Warriors official website (backup link)
- A Vision of Shadows characters - a visual guide on the Warriors official website (backup link)
- A Vision of Shadows Main Characters Artwork on the Warriors official website ([none backup link])
- Needletail's death artwork on the Warriors official website (backup link)
Notes and references[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Revealed in River of Fire, page prologue
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Revealed in Thunder and Shadow, pages 176-177
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Revealed in The Apprentice's Quest, allegiances
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Revealed in Darkest Night, page 300
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 Revealed in Shattered Sky, page 218
- ↑ Needletail's profile on the Warriors official website (screenshot)
- ↑ Revealed in Thunder and Shadow, page 198
- ↑ Revealed in Shattered Sky, chapter 11
- ↑ Revealed in Thunder and Shadow, page 13
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Revealed in The Apprentice's Quest, page 46
- ↑ Revealed in A Light in the Mist, page 164
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Revealed in Thunder and Shadow, chapter 12
- ↑ Revealed in A Light in the Mist, page 138
- ↑ Revealed in A Light in the Mist, pages 246-247
- ↑ Revealed in The Apprentice's Quest, page 203
- ↑ Revealed in The Apprentice's Quest, chapter 3
- ↑ Revealed in The Apprentice's Quest, chapter 16
- ↑ Revealed in The Apprentice's Quest, page 52
- ↑ Revealed in The Apprentice's Quest, chapter 22
- ↑ Revealed in Thunder and Shadow, chapter 23
- ↑ Revealed in The Apprentice's Quest, chapter 11
- ↑ Revealed in Thunder and Shadow, chapter 5
- ↑ Revealed in Thunder and Shadow, page 176
- ↑ Revealed in The Apprentice's Quest, chapter 19
- ↑ Revealed in Thunder and Shadow, chapter 13
- ↑ Revealed in Thunder and Shadow, chapter 2
- ↑ 27.0 27.1 Revealed in Thunder and Shadow, chapter 1
- ↑ Revealed in Thunder and Shadow, chapter 22
- ↑ Revealed in Darkest Night
- ↑ Revealed in Lost Stars, page 273
- ↑ Revealed in Shattered Sky, chapter 3
- ↑ Revealed in Thunder and Shadow: Bonus Scene
- ↑ Revealed in Darkest Night, page 280
- ↑ 34.0 34.1 34.2 34.3 34.4 Revealed in Tigerheart's Shadow comic
- ↑ 35.0 35.1 35.2 Revealed in Tigerheart's Shadow, page 371
- ↑ 36.0 36.1 Revealed in The Elders' Quest, allegiances
- ↑ 37.0 37.1 37.2 Revealed in Shattered Sky, allegiances
- ↑ 38.0 38.1 38.2 Revealed in Night Whispers, page 241
- ↑ 39.0 39.1 Revealed in Thunder and Shadow, page 336
- ↑ 40.0 40.1 Revealed in Tigerheart's Shadow, page 336
- ↑ Revealed in The Last Hope, page 279
- ↑ 42.0 42.1 Revealed in River of Fire, chapter 17
- ↑ Revealed in A Light in the Mist, page 210
- ↑ Revealed in Darkest Night, pages 95-96
- ↑ Revealed in A Light in the Mist, page 139
- ↑ Revealed in The Ultimate Guide: Updated and Expanded Edition, page 89
- ↑ Revealed on the cover of Shattered Sky
- ↑ Needletail's kit name, Needlekit, has only ever been revealed on the Warriors website.
Author references
- ↑ Thunder and Shadow Spoiler Page on Kate's Blog (backup link) (screenshot)
- ↑ EXCLUSIVE: Complete Allegiance List for The Apprentice's Quest! on Kate's Blog (backup link) (screenshot)
- ↑ Darkest Night Spoiler Page on Kate's Blog (backup link) (screenshot)
- ↑ The Raging Storm Spoiler Page on Kate's Blog (backup link) (screenshot)
| Kin cats | |
|---|---|
| Leaders | Darktail |
| Members | Rain • Raven • Nettle • Roach • Dragonfly • Flame • Silt • Thistle |
| ShadowClan defectors | Needletail • Juniperclaw • Sleekwhisker • Violetshine • Berryheart • Cloverfoot • Beenose • Sparrowtail • Mistcloud • Buster • Birchbark • Lioneye • Slatefur • Puddleshine • Strikestone • Dawnpelt • Stonewing • Grassheart • Whorlpelt • Snaketooth • Flowerstem • Snowbird • Scorchfur • Yarrowleaf • Conefoot • Frondwhisker • Gullswoop • Ratscar • Oakfur • Pinenose • Spikefur |
| Kittypet recruits | Max • Zelda • Loki |
| RiverClan prisoners | Reedwhisker • Mintfur • Icestar • Brackenpelt |