Otter

"The two creatures stared at them, their beady eyes bright with rage. Otters! The word came to Frostpaw suddenly. She'd never seen one by the lake, but she had heard Clanmates tell tales about the powerful creatures. They were formidable fighters—dangerous to cats."

— Frostpaw about the otters in Thunder, chapter 10

Otter
Friendly
Current:	Neutral
Creature type
Species:	Lutrinae
Book appearances
Living:	Thunder Rising, Dark River, Thunder

Otters are carnivorous mammals that live near bodies of water that are typically neutral to cats.

Description

Notice: The following content describes otters from the perspective of the Warriors books. Thus, only some or none of this content may be factual information. For more accurate descriptions of otters, please refer to external sources.

«Two heads were poking out of the water close to the bank. As Ripple watched, the creatures swam into the current, then veered around and headed for the bank again. Scrambling out, they revealed long, muscular bodies covered in sleek brown pelts. When they reached the top of the bank they dived back into the river, one chasing after the other, clearly playing and reveling in their strength and skill.»

—Ripple watching the otters ^{Thunder Rising, bonus scene}

Otters are brown-furred creatures, as large as rats or as young cats, with round stubby heads, thick tails, short legs, tiny, round, and flat ears. Their muzzles are broad and whiskered. They also have broad and black noses, beady bright eyes, wide and thick webbed paws, powerful forelegs, and a sharp, musky scent. Their fur is sleek, slippery, and oily, and their hides are tough as bark. Their bodies are also long and muscular. They make chattering birdlike calls.

Otters are expert swimmers, as they primarily feast upon fish, including trout, loach, chub, and salmon, and can navigate swiftly underwater and on land. When they swim, typically only their back will be shown as they glide upon the surface. They can also be found playing in the water and splashing around. They may also leave piles of fish on the shore as they hunt. When threatened, they are formidable fighters.

Relation to cats

"[Dappled Pelt] caught her first fish yesterday. She might have been born in the mountains, but she moves like an otter in the water."

―River Ripple about Dappled Pelt ^{A Forest Divided, chapter 15}

The early settlers were familiar with otters that swam in their territories, as both Thunder and River Ripple mention otters. Ripple meets some otters during his journey down the river. They are also found at the lake territories, as otter dung could be found in RiverClan's territory. At some point, they became rarer by the lake, to the point where Frostpaw only heard about them from her Clanmates. Two RiverClan cats are named after them, Ottersplash and Otterheart. While Frostpaw recounts how otters are dangerous to cats, there has only been two known instance of an otter attacking a cat, both of which when they feel threatened. Ripple is attacked by a pair of otters when his log flows into their territory, and a pair of otters ambushed Frostpaw and Nightheart when they attempted to steal the otters' prey.

Otters also appear in the Clan's lexicon, such as comparing a cat's ability to swim to that like an otter or the sleekness of their fur; Bluefur notes how Oakheart glides upon the surface of the river like an otter.

History

In the Dawn of the Clans arc

Thunder Rising

«It's not my fault I'm in their territory. I don't want to be here!»

—Ripple's thoughts about the otters ^{Thunder Rising, bonus scene}

While clinging to the log as it flows downstream, Ripple spots two otters playing nearby, though he is unsure what they are called. When they notice him nearby, the two otters approach and make angry chittering calls. Ripple, who has never fought in his life, attempts to scare them away by hissing, though this only makes the otters angrier. One otter clutches onto the log and snaps at Ripple, though it falls back into the river as the log sways. The otters don't follow after Ripple as the current tugs the log further downstream.

A Forest Divided

River Ripple tells Tall Shadow how Night has been teaching Dappled Pelt how to swim, complimenting that she's like an otter in the water.

Path of Stars

While Dawn and Moss are learning how to swim, Thunder notices how only Dawn's back shows above the surface like an otter's.

In Power of Three arc

Dark River

Willowpaw: "Let's head up there. It'll be easier to hide. And the otter dung will stop any cats from noticing your scent."

Hollypaw: "Wasn't there anything else you could have used?"

^{Dark River, chapter 13}

To disguise Hollypaw's scent from RiverClan, Willowpaw smothers her flanks with otter dung from the shore. Hollypaw finds the stench revolting. They are eventually caught by a RiverClan patrol, with Minnowpaw remarking that she smells terrible. They are caught by a WindClan patrol, and Breezepaw taunts Hollypaw that RiverClan kits don't know how to wash. After the WindClan cats leave, Reedwhisker orders Hollypaw to wash in the lake, with Willowpaw helping her.

In the Omen of the Stars arc

Night Whispers

When Darkstripe attempts to drown Ivypaw in the murky water, Hollowpaw motions to help her, and the two apprentices pull themselves on the bottom of the river to attack Darkstripe like a pair of otters.

The Last Hope

While hunting, Hollyleaf veers towards the stream to splash like an otter, causing her brother Lionblaze to tease that she's a RiverClan cat.

In the A Vision of Shadows arc

Thunder and Shadow

Cherryfall: "You were right, Sparkpaw. It was a kit on the shore. I was sure it was an otter."

Sparkpaw: "Otters can swim."

^{Thunder and Shadow, chapter 6}

After Sparkpaw rescues Twigkit from the lake, Cherryfall muses how she thought Twigkit was an otter from afar.

In the A Starless Clan arc

Thunder

«[Frostpaw] felt the otter wriggling like a powerful fish between her paws, her heart lurching with terror as it threw back its head, its teeth snapping beside her cheek. It twisted in her grip and she found herself face-to-face with it, her muzzle a whisker away from its stinking mouth. She saw its jaws open as it leaned back, ready to take a bite that would rip into her cheek.»

—Frostpaw's thoughts about the otter ^{Thunder, chapter 10}

During their journey, Frostpaw notices a pile of trout, loach, salmon, and chub by the river shoreline unoccupied. While Frostpaw is eager to eat the fish, Nightheart is hesitant. Suddenly, two otters emerge from the river and attack. The otters are swift on land, easily overpowering Frostpaw as they latch on to her hind legs. She attempts to claw at their flanks, but the otters' hide is too tough. Frostpaw manages to slice its nose, causing the otter to let go. She yowls for Nightheart to aim at its muzzle as Frostpaw slices at her otter's nose and eye. The first otter flees, though Nightheart struggles with the other one. It bites Nightheart' s leg, and together, Frostpaw and Nightheart manage to drive it away.

In the Super Editions

Riverstar's Home

River Ripple: "I'm River Ripple. I fish in the river. Do you like fish?"

One Eye: "I'm a cat, not an otter."

^{Riverstar's Home, chapter 13}

When River Ripple first meets One Eye, he asks if the rogue likes fish, but One Eye retorts that he's not an otter.

Moth Flight's Vision

Moth Flight notes how Pine Needle's fur is now as sleek as an otter's as he's grown up.

Bluestar's Prophecy

Bluefur calls Oakheart over from across the river to tell him she's expecting kits, and she notices how he glides across the water like an otter.

Leopardstar's Honor

While swimming in the rapids, Leopardfur notices how Frogleap darts back and forth in the underwater trench like an otter to catch a carp for his kits.

External links

• Otter