Owl (creature)

"Owls get a better view of the forest than we do. On windy nights, when scents are hard to follow, you can look out for owls and follow where they hunt."

— Fireheart to Cinderpaw in Fire and Ice, chapter 9

Owl
Friendly
Current:	Hostile
Creature type
Species:	Strigiformes
Book appearances
Living:	Riverstar's Home, The Blazing Star, A Forest Divided, Path of Stars, Moth Flight's Vision, Cloudstar's Journey, Goosefeather's Curse, Tallstar's Revenge, Crookedstar's Promise, Bluestar's Prophecy, Fire and Ice, Forest of Secrets, Rising Storm, A Dangerous Path, A Thief in ThunderClan, Ravenpaw's Path, Starlight, Twilight, The Sight, Dark River, Outcast, Hollyleaf's Story, Fading Echoes, Ravenpaw's Farewell, The Apprentice's Quest, Thunder and Shadow, Darkest Night, Tigerheart's Shadow, The Raging Storm, Squirrelflight's Hope, The Silent Thaw, Graystripe's Vow, Sky

Owls are nocturnal avians that are enemies to cats in the Warriors series.

Description

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

«Alderpaw mulled over her answer. He was only partly comforted: Did his mother mean that somewhere else there were owls big enough to take cats as their prey? And if there were, couldn’t they come to the forest one day?»

—Alderpaw's thoughts about the owl ^{The Apprentice's Quest, chapter 3}

Owls are massive birds with powerful, wide wings, large eyes, a wide belly, thick plumage, speckled feathers, sharp talons, and may come in colors ranging from solid gray, brown, white, or brown-and-white. Their beady eyes glow in the darkness. They make loud screeches, and long hooting sounds, and they may call out to their mates. Their young are called owlets, with fluffy feathers.

Owls live in holes in tall trees, such as oaks. They are nocturnal, and prey upon mice and voles. They typically only eat live prey, though may steal prey from the fresh-kill pile. If given the opportunity, they will attempt to snag smaller cats. They cannot digest bones and fur, so they regurgitate them into pellets. Owl pellets on the ground are a sign that an owl must live nearby. Owls are silent and expert hunters at night, specializing at swooping down silently to ambush their prey. They rarely go near water, such as the lake.

Relation to cats

«A screech ripped through the woods. Not a cat this time, but an owl. The medicine cat stiffened. Owls brought death to the forest, stealing prey and even kits that had strayed too far from their mothers. The medicine cat raised beseeching eyes to the sky, praying to the spirits of his warrior ancestors that the owl’s call was not an ill omen.»

—Runningnose's thoughts about the owl ^{Rising Storm, page 2}

The Ancients and the mountain cats were familiar with owls, as cats such as Owl Feather were named after them, and Gray Wing was familiar with the sounds of owls. Screech of Angry Owl, an prey hunter in the Tribe of Rushing Water, was also named after owls. Owlstar's former name, Owl Eyes, was given in honor of his wide eyes resembling an owl's eyes. Other cats include Owl Song, Owlstar, Owlfur, Owlwhisker, Owlclaw, and Owlnose.

Owls live in forests, such as ThunderClan's forest-filled territory, and ShadowClan's lake territory, and it was common to hear owls hooting in the distance. In ThunderClan's forest territory, an owl lived at the Owl Tree. In ShadowClan, owls were thought be signs of bad omens, as they stole prey and small kits. Sometimes, cats can follow owls at night to find places to hunt.

Owls can also prey upon small cats. As an apprentice, Smallear's ear was nicked when an owl attacked him. To prevent their young from wandering away from camp, ThunderClan queens tell their kits the elders' tale of how owls would carry off kits if they strayed too far from their mothers. Cats that have been attacked include Rainpaw, Needlepaw, Violetkit, Hollowkit, and Ambermoon. Owls will rarely attack a Clan's camp unless it detects weakness or an abundance of prey. Owl attacks are often fatal.

Some cats use owls as a metaphor in their day-to-day language. Gray Wing compares Turtle Tail's kits all lined up neatly as owlets on a branch, Jaypaw compares Hollypaw's fretting as an anxious owl, and Lionpaw believes the older warriors are as superstitious as owls. Sandstorm later compares Dovepaw's intense staring of Tigerheart to that of an owl. While playing with his grandchildren, Graystripe jokes that the four kits weigh more than owls. At a Gathering, Leopardfur thinks that Fireheart and Graystripe look like a pair of smug owls.

Known deaths

This is a list of cats, ordered chronologically, who were killed by owls.

• Tigerstar (First life)
• Ambermoon

History

In the Dawn of the Clans arc

The Sun Trail

During their journey, Gray Wing compares the sounds the monsters make on the Thunderpath to the long hooting of owls, though much louder.

The Blazing Star

Thunder rests uneasily throughout the night and is woken briefly by an owl's hooting.

A Forest Divided

While searching for a safe place to settle as their new camp, Thunder and his cats hear an owl in the distance. Lightning Tail suggests they should hunt, but knowing that owls and foxes might be around, Thunder recommends they wait until morning. Later, Thunder comes across a large oak tree with a gap near the top. After noticing owl pellets nearby, Thunder concludes an owl must live there. During a storm, Thunder hears an owl hooting among the wind.

Path of Stars

While searching for Fern in the marshlands, Gray Wing watches as an owl flying overhead and catches prey.

In The Prophecies Begin arc

Fire and Ice

Fireheart shows Cinderpaw the Owl Tree, explaining how an owl lives there. He gently tricks Cinderpaw into finding an owl pod, as Bluestar once did with him. Fireheart explains how they can follow owls at night to find the best places to hunt.

Rising Storm

In ShadowClan's camp, a gray owl swoops into the camp and rakes its talons on Runningnose's den. Runningnose interprets an omen from StarClan when an owl's wing obscures a bright star that ShadowClan will pay a high price for their new future. Later, Smallear recounts to the other elders how an owl near Sunningrocks nicked his ear as an apprentice, though he boasts that he left the owl a much larger scar.

In The New Prophecy arc

Dark River

Jaypaw teases Hollypaw that she's more nervous than an anxious owl. Later, Lionpaw thinks how some cats are more superstitious than owls when some cats murmur about Tawnypelt's choice for Tigerkit's name.

Outcast

During their journey to the mountains, an owl hoots nearby, spooking Talon of Swooping Eagle and Night of No Stars, until Brook Where Small Fish Swim reassures them.

In the Omen of the Stars arc

Fading Echoes

Sandstorm scolds Dovepaw for staring at Tigerheart during the Gathering, comparing her stare to that of an owl's. Later, in an attempt to cheer up Mousefur, Purdy asks her to recount how Longtail fought off an owl from snatching a kit.

Night Whispers

While checking their territory at night, a snowy-white owl swoops near Cinderheart and Lionblaze, spooking both cats. Later, Ratscar compares ThunderClan's tree tactics in the previous battle to that of owls.

In the A Vision of Shadows arc

The Apprentice's Quest

Alderpaw: "I’ve heard stories about huge owls, big enough to snatch up a cat. Is it true?"

Squirrelflight: "The owls in these woods aren’t big enough to attack a cat."

^{The Apprentice's Quest, chapter 3}

While on their way to the Gathering, an owl swoops by, spooking Alderpaw, though Squirrelflight insists that the owls nearby aren't large enough to attack cats. This confuses Alderpaw, however, as he wonders if there are owl large enough that can take away cats.

Thunder and Shadow

"Dying from the fall seemed better than being shredded by an owl in its nest."

―Needlepaw to Tree about the owl attack ^{Thunder and Shadow, bonus scene}

While sneaking Violetkit out of camp to meet with her sister in secret, an owl hoots nearby. Violetkit panics since she didn't realize that owls could fly, which Needlepaw scolds her for not knowing. While venturing to Darktail's camp by Needlepaw's request, an owl attacks Violetkit, though Rain and Roach rescue her.

In the bonus scene, Needlepaw is swooped up by an owl while night hunting with her mentor, Tawnypelt. The owl carries her away from Clan territory, though Needlepaw manages to escape by slashing at the owl and landing in a tree. She finds Tree, a loner, who guides her back to Clan territory. He warns against crossing the marsh to avoid the owl attacking again. Her Clanmates are shocked when Needlepaw returns, having sat vigil for her.

Darkest Night

Kestrelflight: "Was that a sign from StarClan? Owls rarely go near the water."

Jayfeather: "What do you think they’re trying to tell us? That an owl will save us?"

^{Darkest Night, chapter 23}

While following Needletail's ghost, Violetpaw notices an owl gliding between the trees. Later, Gravelpaw boasts that he climbed a really tall tree because he was hunting for owls. Later, when the medicine cats meet by the lake at night, they spot an owl gliding over the lake before disappearing back into the forest. Kestrelflight wonders if it's a sign from StarClan, though Jayfeather is very skeptical.

In The Broken Code arc

Veil of Shadows

Kitescratch lies that he sustained his injuries from fighting an owl, though Shadowsight doubts his claims since Kitescratch is too large to be attacked by an owl.

In the Super Editions

Bluestar's Prophecy

To protect her kits from the nearby owl, Bluefur hides her kits in holes in the snow to keep them safe.

Bramblestar's Storm

To honor their dead from the Great Battle, ShadowClan lists the names of the dead at the first owl call each night.

Tigerheart's Shadow

«For a moment, the memory flashed in Tigerheart’s mind. Hollowkit had weighed so little when he’d pushed him clear of the owl’s talons. Terror flooded him as he remembered the claws curling around his flanks and the ground falling away. He closed his eyes, trying to block out the thoughts, wishing he could block out the pain, seeking the refuge of sleep.»

—Tigerheart's recollection about the attack ^{Tigerheart's Shadow, chapter 34}

While searching for Spire, Tigerheart, Dovewing, and Blaze notice a large owl circling ahead. Later, during the final stretch of their journey back home, an owl attacks their temporary camp, lunging for the kits. It snags Hollowkit, though Dovewing and Tigerheart attack the owl. The owl latches onto Tigerheart and attempts to fly away with him until Tigerheart lashes out at its belly. He later succumbs to his wounds, though the others drag him to the Moonpool, where he is revived as Tigerstar.

Squirrelflight's Hope

While on a border patrol, Squirrelflight recalls how Ambermoon was attacked and killed by an owl a moon prior on a clear day. Moonlight later describes meadow saffron as tall purple flower with dead leaves, like an owl without feathers.

Graystripe's Vow

«Graystripe wasn’t sure whether an owl could be dangerous to a full-grown cat like him, but he didn’t want to find out the hard way.»

—Graystripe's thoughts about the owl ^{Graystripe's Vow, chapter 13}

During his journey near Highstones, Graystripe notices an owl following him and decides to take a route underneath the cover of rocks.

In the Novellas

Ravenpaw's Farewell

Ravenpaw and Barley hunt at twilight while large brown-and-white owls fly overhead.

In the Stand-Alone Graphic Novels

A Thief in ThunderClan

An owl begins to steal prey from ThunderClan's fresh-kill pile, leading Cloudtail and Brightheart to investigate. When Brightheart brings up her suspicions to Firestar, the Clan leader is hesitant to accuse any cat without solid proof. She and Cloudtail originally suspect it to be one of their Clanmates when they cannot detect any other Clan scent. Noticing large claw marks, Brightheart asks Thornclaw, Sootpaw, and Ashfur to dig up come comfrey so she can compare their claw marks in the dirt. The strange claw marks are angled. After Graystripe discovers their snooping, the Clan deputy scolds both of them for not informing him sooner. Brightheart suggests setting a trap with lots of fresh-kill to bait the intruder. After they decide to stop for the night, Rainpaw is about to eat some of the prey when an owl snags him. Brightheart claws the bird so it lets him go, and Graystripe suggests they move the fresh-kill pile under some bushes.

Official art

Please do not edit this gallery Owl (creature) in Ravenpaw's Path Owl (creature) in A Thief in ThunderClan

Trivia

Continuity

The following information is from sources considered non-canon, retconned, or from adapted material.

• In Secrets of the Clans, a 2007 field guide, according to legend, Owlstar as an apprentice learned the secrets of night hunting by following the tawny owl each night from the Owl Tree. Because of this, Owlstar became a silent and deadly hunter like the owl.

External links

• Owl