Nightcloud/History

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

This page contains the detailed history for Nightcloud.

History

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In The New Prophecy arc

Starlight

Nightcloud is a WindClan warrior when the Clans arrive at the new territories, although she isn't listed in the allegiances.

On his deathbed, Tallstar decides that his current deputy, Mudclaw, wasn't the right cat to lead WindClan, so he makes Onewhisker deputy instead. When Firestar announces this to the other Clans, Nightcloud is furious, along with some of the other Clans’ cats, and also her own Clanmates, including Webfoot. She believes that Mudclaw should be leader, not Onewhisker.

Nightcloud joins Mudclaw when he leads the rebellious attack against Onewhisker and his supporters to reclaim leadership of WindClan. When ThunderClan joins the fray, she is seen wrestling with Squirrelflight. The ThunderClan warriors batters Nightcloud's side, teeth sunken into her scruff. Brambleclaw rushes over to help, and the black WindClan cat tears free, then flees.

Twilight

At a Gathering, she stares at Onewhisker as he announces his new name, Onestar, and his now nine lives with an unreadable expression, showing neither contempt nor approval.

When badgers attack ThunderClan's camp, Onestar chooses her and several other warriors to go help them. As soon as they arrive, Nightcloud and Onestar immediately go help Ashfur with the badger he was trying to fight, and succeed in driving it off.

Sunset

Sunset does not formally appear in The Blazing Star , but is listed in the allegiances.

In the Power of Three arc

The Sight

Nightcloud now has a mate, Crowfeather, and one son with him, Breezepaw.

She is in the WindClan camp when the dogs attack; she and Owlwhisker are in charge of leading one of the dogs away from camp, when Brambleclaw, Berrypaw, Ashfur, Lionpaw and Spiderleg come to help them.

She returns to camp when all the dogs have been driven away. She sees how Crowfeather is treating Breezepaw as if he didn't trust him to do his duties, and chides her mate, saying he should have more faith in their son. When Breezepaw hints that WindClan could have handled the dogs without ThunderClan's help, Nightcloud rebukes him as well, reasoning that Heatherpaw might have been hurt if it hadn't been for the brave apprentice. She looks at Lionpaw as she says this.

At the daylight-Gathering, Breezepaw participates in the squirrel hunting competition with Lionpaw, but while they are in the forest, an abandoned badger set collapses underneath them, burying them alive. Jaypaw, having had a vision that this would happen, races to them, and the other Clans see him. Nightcloud, along with Crowfeather, are among the first cats to reach the two apprentices. Nightcloud is horrified, and helps Jaypaw dig them up. Once they get Breezepaw and Lionpaw out, Nightcloud is worried that Breezepaw wouldn't live, but Leafpool, the ThunderClan medicine cat, confirms that he would. She is relieved, but becomes tense when Leafpool, while speaking with Crowfeather, says she would do anything to save his son; Crowfeather had been in love with Leafpool before he had taken Nightcloud as a mate. She is extremely grateful to Jaypaw, though. She refuses to let Crowfeather help as she carries Breezepaw back to ThunderClan's camp. She stays behind with Breezepaw and Lionpaw, assuring Jaypaw that she could take care of them, and that he should go to the Gathering.

Dark River

On a patrol with Tornear, Harepaw, and Owlwhisker, Nightcloud is the first cat to be spotted by Leafpool when she and Jaypaw are going to WindClan to speak with Onestar. Jaypaw notes the jealousy edging his mentor's tone. The patrol allows Leafpool and Jaypaw to come with them back to WindClan to speak with WindClan's leader, though they are suspicious. Nightcloud takes up the rear of the patrol behind the ThunderClan cats. When Leafpool and Crowfeather are addressing each other, Jaypaw senses Nightcloud's fury and jealousy, though he doesn't understand why.

Outcast

As Crowfeather and Breezepaw are preparing to go to the mountains to help the Tribe, Nightcloud steps out of the crowd to say goodbye. She presses her pelt lovingly against Crowfeather's, but he merely licks her ear in response as he stares off into the distance.

Eclipse

When Onestar leads an attack against ThunderClan, she goes with them. She helps attack Firestar's patrol. When Poppyfrost is about to answer Lionpaw as to whether there were any WindClan warriors nearby, Nightcloud attacks her, and fights her viciously.

Long Shadows

Long Shadows does not formally appear in The Blazing Star , but is listed in the allegiances.

Sunrise

Nightcloud attends a Gathering with Crowfeather and Breezepelt. Hollyleaf announces that Squirrelflight and Brambleclaw were not her real parents, as they had been led to believe, but Leafpool and Crowfeather were. Nightcloud and Breezepelt, enraged, hiss at Crowfeather as he tries to deny it, saying he only had one son, Breezepelt. Nightcloud's pelt is fluffed out, and looks as if she wants to claw Leafpool.

In the Omen of the Stars arc

The Fourth Apprentice

The Fourth Apprentice does not formally appear in The Blazing Star , but is listed in the allegiances.

Fading Echoes

When two ThunderClan apprentices, Dovepaw and Ivypaw, sneak into WindClan's camp, Nightcloud is highly suspicious of ThunderClan. She snarls that another patrol could have disguised their scent, but another warrior sneers, asking if she really thought ThunderClan were that clever. Nightcloud glares at the cat, and then slinks back, growling.

Night Whispers

Nightcloud is out hunting with Breezepelt and Crowfeather. Breezepelt catches a thrush, but Lionblaze snatches it away. Breezepelt insists it was his thrush, but Lionblaze refuses to give it back, causing them to get into a vicious fight. Crowfeather is seen looking on silently, and Nightcloud hisses at him, asking if he even cares that his son is getting hurt.

The arrival of Leafpool, Cinderheart, and Dovepaw stop the fight. Leafpool screeches at Crowfeather, asking how he could watch his two sons fight. Nightcloud steps forward, seething, and says that Crowfeather had only one son, Breezepelt, and no others. Breezepelt slashes Leafpool's flank, but when he does, Crowfeather pulls him off her, to Nightcloud's fury. When she drags Crowfeather away from Leafpool, he jumps away and hisses at her. Breezepelt jumps to Nightcloud's defense, showing that he only held Crowfeather accountable for the hardships of his life, not Nightcloud.

Finally, the three WindClan cats let the ThunderClan patrol keep the thrush, though as they leave, Nightcloud shouts that next time, they would shred them.

At a Gathering, Mistystar announces that, with the lake frozen in the shallows, hunting had been difficult. From amongst the crowd, Nightcloud growls that it would make a change for the fish-eaters to go hungry as well as the other Clans during leaf-bare.

Sign of the Moon

Sign of the Moon does not formally appear in The Blazing Star , but is listed in the allegiances.

The Forgotten Warrior

Nightcloud is present at the first Gathering Hollyleaf attends after she rejoins ThunderClan. She follows Crowfeather's gaze to her, and scowls. She demands to know if Hollyleaf thought she was welcome.

The Last Hope

Nightcloud is out patrolling with Gorsetail, Owlwhisker, and Crouchpaw when they find a very weak Jayfeather returning from RiverClan. He lies about what happened, saying he had fallen into a thorn bush. Crouchpaw whimpers that Jayfeather was the medicine cat who killed Flametail, and Nightcloud calls him a murderer. Gorsetail is more sympathetic, saying that he was a cat who needed their help. Owlwhisker states they'd show him to the border, and when Gorsetail asks if he could walk that far, Nightcloud says she would drag him if he couldn't. While they escort Jayfeather to the border, Nightcloud and Crouchpaw follow, distrust sparking from their pelts. Owlwhisker and Gorsetail decide to escort Jayfeather back to ThunderClan camp, and tell Nightcloud and Crouchpaw to keep hunting.

Breezepelt tries to kill Lionblaze after Hollyleaf dies, trying to avenge himself, but Crowfeather tears him off, saying that he wouldn't let Breezepelt harm a hair on that cat. He says that he never hated Breezepelt, but that's what he wanted to believe, and Nightcloud had encouraged it. Breezepelt runs off afterward.

In the A Vision of Shadows arc

The Apprentice's Quest

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

Thunder and Shadow

When Leafpool and Alderpaw go to the WindClan camp to ask Kestrelflight for lungwort for ShadowClan, Nightcloud looks nervously toward a den entrance at the head of the clearing, and Alderpaw wonders if she is looking at Onestar's den.

Shattered Sky

Shattered Sky does not formally appear in The Blazing Star , but is listed in the allegiances.

Darkest Night

Nightcloud is present at a Gathering. When Rowanstar decides to give up leadership of ShadowClan and seek solace with SkyClan, Nightcloud is one of the cats to object. Her ears twitch, and she yowls anxiously that SkyClan must not replace ShadowClan. Her mews are met by Leafpool, who says that ShadowClan and SkyClan becoming one is not what StarClan wanted when they brought SkyClan to the lake.

River of Fire

When lightning starts a fire in RiverClan, Nightcloud goes with her apprentice Brindlepaw and Gorsetail to investigate. They join with a ThunderClan patrol to go and assist any cats who need help. They find a log and collectively work to push it across a stream, making a bridge. The RiverClan cats are able to escape using this, and move towards the lake shore. Mistystar, Bramblestar, and Nightcloud talk together about what should be done next. Since they can't stay in their still burning camp, the black she-cat offers them shelter in WindClan's camp, as Harestar would be willing in to take any cat.

Her apprentice and granddaughter Brindlepaw becomes a warrior, Brindlewing.

The Raging Storm

Coming Soon

In the Super Editions

Crowfeather's Trial

Nightcloud is mentioned by Crowfeather as he looks back on how their son Breezepelt turned out. He feels that she is part of the reason he was so distant with his son but acknowledges that she had good reason to be protective; Breezepelt was the only kit in their litter to survive.

She, Hootpaw, Harespring, Slightpaw, Crowfeather, and his apprentice Featherpaw go on a hunting patrol. Crowfeather feels tension between himself and Nightcloud throughout the entirety of the patrol. When Harespring and Crowfeather miss a rabbit, Nightcloud hares after it. She and Crowfeather make the catch together, but she doesn't acknowledge his praise and stalks past him with the dead rabbit in her jaws. Crowfeather feels irritated that she is ignoring him but tries to shrug it off. When her apprentice, Hootpaw, thinks he saw a ghost cat in the tunnels, Nightcloud reprimands him for saying such mouse-brained things.

Nightcloud and her son are seen spending a lot of time together in the camp. Crowfeather feels jealous of their relationship and angry that he will never be included.

At the Clan meeting when the Clan is discussing what to do about the mysterious white thing that Hootpaw saw in the tunnels, Breezepelt volunteers to go check it out. Nightcloud immediately volunteers to go with her son. Onestar chooses Crowfeather to join the patrol as well and Nightcloud and Breezepelt look unimpressed at the idea.

The next day, the patrol goes to check the tunnels for suspicious activity. Breezepelt suggests that they all explore the tunnels together instead of splitting up and Crowfeather rebukes him harshly. Nightcloud, irritated, asks Crowfeather why he had to be so brutal to their son. They argue about how Crowfeather should treat Breezepelt since the rest of the Clan was treating him so badly. Nightcloud tells Crowfeather that he should love Breezepelt as his father and give him a chance to prove his loyalty again, and she expresses regret in not being able to bind their family together.

Breezepelt and Nightcloud split off as the patrol ventures deeper into the tunnels. The patrol discovers that the tunnels are inhabited by vicious white stoats and a fight ensues. The rest of the patrol fight the stoats at the entrance to the tunnels and Breezepelt suddenly races out, yowling, followed by a multitude of stoats. After the fight ends, the patrol is astonished when they realized Nightcloud isn't among them and never made it out of the tunnels with Breezepelt.

Breezepelt and Crowfeather make an attempt to look for Nightcloud in the tunnels and end up on ThunderClan's side. They are unsuccessful and Crowfeather continues to worry about Nightcloud.

That night, Crowfeather dreams that Ashfoot, his dead mother, leads him to Nightcloud's bloody, mangled body in the tunnels where she had disappeared. He is horrified and decides to go try to find her in the middle of the night since he can't go back to sleep. He ends up on ThunderClan territory and finds some of Nightcloud's scent and blood on the rocks and grass. A flattened patch of grass and strong fox scent nearby suggests that she was attacked and eaten by foxes. Crowfeather sorrowfully accepts this evidence of her death and goes to tell his Clan and Breezepelt. He wishes he had told her how much he appreciated her instead of getting into a fight that fateful day.

The next night, Onestar announces that WindClan will have a vigil for Nightcloud, believing she is dead. Onestar hands Nightcloud's apprentice, Hootpaw, to Gorsetail to finish his training. After some cats forlornly say some kind words about Nightcloud, Weaselfur suggests savagely that Breezepelt was responsible for her death. Some of the WindClan warriors protest at this absurd claim, including Breezepelt. The argument comes to an end and Crowfeather sits vigil for his dead former mate, telling his Clan that they will miss Nightcloud and Breezepelt will always love her.

Onestar announces Nightcloud's death at the next Gathering. The Clan cats are saddened and shocked at the news. Weaselfur blames Breezepelt once more in front of all the Clans, and they are horrified. A few other cats take his side. Breezepelt, obviously hurt by this false claim, quickly defends himself by saying he would never hurt Nightcloud as she was the only cat who ever loved him. Breezepelt swears he will kill every last stoat to avenge Nightcloud's death.

Crowfeather asks Kestrelflight if he has seen Nightcloud in StarClan. The medicine cat replies that he spoke to Barkface who claimed that Nightcloud has not been seen anywhere in StarClan. Crowfeather is overjoyed at the news. He tells Breezepelt, who maturely responds with determination to go find Nightcloud and save her.

After Onestar temporarily banishes Crowfeather from WindClan for going behind his back to talk to ThunderClan, Crowfeather finds a loner named Yew who uses healing herbs on his head after a nasty fall. Yew claims he saw a black she-cat with WindClan scent a half-moon ago, and she appeared to be badly injured. Crowfeather instantly realizes that must have been Nightcloud. Yew says she was beyond the help of his herbs so he sent her into Twolegplace to find help from Twolegs. Crowfeather is surprised, as Nightcloud would never go into a Twolegplace willingly unless it was an absolutely dire circumstance.

Crowfeather returns to WindClan to get Breezepelt and go find Nightcloud. Featherpaw, Heathertail, and Hootpaw overhear their conversation and join their patrol, and Gorsetail comes because she is Hootpaw's replacement mentor. They follow her faint scent to the Thunderpath and then into Twolegplace.

Unable to detect a clear scent trail to lead them to Nightcloud, the patrol asks a couple of sleeping kittypets if they had seen her. The tom kittypet tells them that Nightcloud had turned up a while ago in the garden next door and recalls that they thought she was weird because she was talking about WindClan and StarClan. The patrol goes next door and peer through a window into the Twoleg nest. They see Nightcloud curled up next to a white tom kittypet with a cone around her head, which they think of as a "white leaf." Crowfeather is extremely jealous to see her so close to another tom.

Nightcloud is excited and happy to see her Clanmates at the window. The white kittypet complains that she doesn't need to leave with these cats because they took so long to find her, and there's snow outside. Nightcloud uncharacteristically tells the kittypet, named Pickle, in a friendly way that she must leave and go back to WindClan. Nightcloud invites Pickle to go with her but he refuses because he thinks he must guard the housefolk.

When the WindClan cats try to free Nightcloud from the Twoleg nest, Pickle interferes by directing their attention towards him and Nightcloud instead. The Twolegs pick up Nightcloud and despite her struggles, she couldn't free herself. Breezepelt is furious and lunges at the Twoleg, who drops Nightcloud in response. She runs with her Clanmates out of the Twoleg den.

Breezepelt and Heathertail help Nightcloud claw the white cone off of her head. She reveals how she ended up in Twolegplace after the stoat attack. Nightcloud describes that a group of foxes had found her wounded and chased her, but a nearby Twoleg and his dogs chased the foxes away. Her encounter with Yew at the edge of the forest led to her going to get help from the Twolegs, and Yew directed her into Twolegplace. She reveals a long wound down her side that had been surgically sutured by the Twolegs and was healing well, which the Clan cats find odd-looking.

When the patrol returns to WindClan with Nightcloud, Onestar is furious because they had left the camp unguarded and the stoats attacked while they were gone. He reprimands them for breaking the warrior code and having him worried sick about their safety, but welcomes Nightcloud back and tells her that he is glad she is safe. Onestar tells Nightcloud to rest but she refuses, claiming that she did nothing but rest and eat while she was a kittypet. She immediately offers to help Kestrelflight treat injured cats and Onestar approves.

Crowfeather is happy to have Nightcloud back, but he doesn't know what to say to her. Nightcloud continues to get frustrated with him for not talking to her. Crowfeather feels hopeless, wanting to connect to her and Breezepelt more than anything.

When Leafpool treats Crowfeather's stoat bite, she gives him advice about how to deal with Nightcloud and Breezepelt. She encourages him to tell him how he really feels and that he has a good future with them. Nightcloud comes in to visit and it is initially awkward between Crowfeather's two former mates. Leafpool leaves Crowfeather and Nightcloud alone together to talk. She opens up to him about how she actually didn't want to go back to WindClan at first when she was badly hurt, and she enjoyed the comfort of her temporary kittypet life. Nightcloud fondly remembers Pickle and how he was kind and generous towards her. Crowfeather feels shameful that he was once her mate and never treated her like that and apologizes to her. He offers to be her mate again but she gently refuses, saying that they don't love each other and perhaps they never did. They agree to get along for Breezepelt's sake and be respectful of one another.

At the next Gathering, Onestar announces the return of Nightcloud and the Clan cats are happy to see her again. She is pleased by them chanting her name.

Nightcloud fights in the battle against the stoats with WindClan and ThunderClan. She and Crowfeather work together to kill stoats. Crowfeather reflects on how well they work together and knows she will always fight for him and WindClan. They are both proud of their son for fighting valiantly as well.

When Breezepelt is badly injured in the battle against the stoats, Nightcloud doesn't leave his side and helps care for him. Crowfeather and Heathertail also stay close to Breezepelt. When Kestrelflight announces that Breezepelt will be okay, they are all overjoyed. Nightcloud and Crowfeather are amused when they see how Heathertail and Breezepelt are in love, and they comment there will be more kits in the nursery soon.

Breezepelt's wound gets infected and his parents and Heathertail are once again terrified for his life. Nightcloud, desperate for Breezepelt to get well, tells Crowfeather to fetch Leafpool for help. He is surprised and immediately goes to fetch her from ThunderClan. Jayfeather gives Crowfeather burdock root to take back to Breezepelt to treat his bite, and he takes it back to WindClan. Nightcloud is seen continuing to stay by her son's side with relentless love. Crowfeather admires her strength and loyalty and is proud that she had his kits, even if he didn't love her like he should have. Breezepelt recovers and his loved ones are happy and relieved.

Things between Crowfeather and Nightcloud progress to a steady friendship and they find that they enjoy each other's company, even if they are not mates. They share pride in their son, Breezepelt, and look forward to a good future together.

Bramblestar's Storm

Nightcloud is seen springing forward alongside Leaftail after Amberpaw falls into the stream, trapping Rosepetal between them when she jumps out at them. Nightcloud claws at her ear in anger, demanding that she return to her side of the border, claiming that she is invading their territory. Bramblestar agrees with her and tells Rosepetal to get back into their side of the border.

Later, Nightcloud is seen yowling in outrage after a ThunderClan patrol brings down a huge white bird her patrol had previously been hunting down. She demands to have it back, even showing her claws, which have scraps of white feathers caught in them, as evidence. She hisses at Hootpaw when he says they need it more, telling him to be quiet when he admits that WindClan is having trouble collecting prey due to rabbits becoming scarce.

Tigerheart's Shadow

Tigerheart's Shadow does not formally appear in The Blazing Star , but is listed in the allegiances. She has gained Brindlepaw as a new apprentice.

In the Field Guides

Cats of the Clans

Nightcloud is grouped with her son, Breezepaw. Rock, the narrator, says that if she was gentle and loving, or feisty but warmhearted, it would be easier to pity her, but with her short temper and possessiveness over Crowfeather and Breezepaw, she was difficult to like. He also confirms that Crowfeather only took her as a mate to prove he was loyal to WindClan, despite his love for Leafpool. Rock says that what some might call a love for her kits, he called jealousy and arrogance. He says that she should let Breezepaw prove his own worth without jumping in to defend him, and to remember that she was the only cat StarClan had spared to live beside Crowfeather as a mate.

The Ultimate Guide

Nightcloud is mentioned on Crowfeather's page to have become his mate and had given birth to his son, Breezepelt.

Nightcloud shares a page with Breezepelt. Nightcloud was beginning to believe she'd never get to have kits, when Crowfeather invited her to be his mate. After thinking she could make him fall for her, she realized soon enough that he only wished to prove his loyalty to WindClan. Not a very good second-best choice, she didn't like Crowfeather very much, but she loved Breezepelt. Breezepelt never got to prove his own worth because of Nightcloud, and was influenced by his mother's actions toward Crowfeather.

In the Short stories and plays

After Sunset: We Need to Talk

When Crowfeather is speaking with Leafpool at the border, he says that WindClan had only just begun to trust him again, thanks to Nightcloud. Confused, Leafpool asks what he meant, and Crowfeather reveals that Nightcloud had his son, Breezekit, last moon. However, when he says this, he doesn't show any pride or excitement about it. Crowfeather says that Nightcloud was a good cat and a great mother. However, Leafpool is astonished and is upset that Crowfeather would mate with another she-cat so soon when she still loved him.

Ultimate Leader Election: Firestar

When the Clans decide if Firestar should lead all the Clans temporarily, she votes for individual leaders, along with Ashfoot and Tornear from WindClan.

In the Novellas

Leafpool's Wish

Nightcloud and Crowfeather encounter Leafpool while on a small border patrol. Leafpool remembers Nightcloud, and recalls her less than friendly attitude towards ThunderClan. She asks Crowfeather if anything was wrong, and inquires as to who Crowfeather was talking to. Crowfeather shakes his head, and tells Nightcloud it wasn't anyone important, and twines his tail with Nightcloud. Leafpool thinks to herself that Nightcloud was the important she-cat in his life now, having taken her as a mate, and wondered if the black tom was lying about wanting to go back to how things were.

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