Raid on WindClan

"This attack was unjust. StarClan would never have let you win."

— Heatherstar to Pinestar as he retreats in Bluestar's Prophecy, page 133

Raid on WindClan
General information
Book:	Bluestar's Prophecy, Pinestar's Choice
Date:	Leaf-fall
Place:	WindClan's camp
Outcome:	WindClan's victory
Combatants
ThunderClan
WindClan
Leaders
Pinestar
Heatherstar
Strength
Bluepaw Leopardpaw Snowpaw Stonepelt Adderfang Dappletail Stormtail Sparrowpelt Featherwhisker Moonflower Sunfall Swiftbreeze Robinwing
Deadfoot (Presumed) Unnamed WindClan cat Two WindClan warriors Four WindClan cats Two WindClan cats Unnamed WindClan warrior Hawkheart Unnamed tabby Two more WindClan warriors
Death and losses
Moonflower
Chronology
Preceded by:	Journey to find Sparrow
Concurrent:	ShadowClan-WindClan conflict
Followed by:	Battle for Sunningrocks

The Raid on WindClan was a battle that took place in Bluestar's Prophecy when Goosefeather received an omen from StarClan indicating that ThunderClan would need to attack WindClan in order to survive. Pinestar leads the attack, being led by the assumption from another omen that ThunderClan needed to destroy WindClan's herb supply.

Description

Premise

ThunderClan patrols report scenting WindClan on their territory, concerning Pinestar due to leaf-bare approaching. However, the leader states without any hard evidence, he would not retaliate. ThunderClan's medicine cat, Goosefeather, receives an omen of a vole with flattened fur. He interprets it to mean WindClan will bring about ThunderClan's destruction. Despite being the medicine cat, Pinestar remains unsure if they should attack due to the risk of serious injury or illness so close to leaf-bare. However, with the urging of his senior warriors, the leader decides they will attack at dawn.

Overview

Upon concluding they will fight at dawn, Pinestar organizes cats to join the battle patrol. As ThunderClan prepares for the fight, Goosefeather announces that he has had another omen. The gray medicine cat states he had studied the vole further and found catmint on it, explaining it as StarClan's way of telling them to battle in WindClan's camp and destroy their herbs. While the notion outrages ThunderClan, Pinestar stands with his medicine cat and agrees that they will attack the medicine den.

The patrol leaves ThunderClan camp and heads towards WindClan's moors. The battle soon starts, but as ThunderClan manage to slip into the medicine den, WindClan's medicine cat, Hawkheart, defends his herbs, attacking and killing Moonflower in the process. Pinestar calls for a retreat just as Heatherstar condemns Pinestar for leading such a heartless attack.

Description

Omens of danger

"StarClan save us! It's a sign! Destruction for us all!"

―Goosefeather receiving the omen ^{Bluestar's Prophecy, pages 94-95}

Goosefeather received an omen indicating ThunderClan must attack WindClan's herb storage

As leaf-fall descends upon the Clans, a ThunderClan patrol finds evidence of WindClan hunting on their territory. While some warriors suggest the prey scent had drifted from the moors, others remain confident that it was the rival Clan and not a fox. Stonepelt, a ThunderClan warrior, explains that leaf-fall made WindClan nervous hunters due to their main prey source, rabbits, start to burrow before the cold. This has other warriors begin arguing over the notion of prey being stolen before Pinestar announces they would not retaliate until hard evidence can be found or if StarClan had spoken of it. The leader adds that he will make a statement about it at that night's Gathering, and orders for increased patrolling around the area.

Following the Gathering, ThunderClan returns home to their camp. Featherwhisker explains to those that did not attend that Pinestar had addressed the issue to all the Clans, but, made clear eye contact with WindClan's leader, Heatherstar. However, not long after the patrol's return, Goosefeather shakes and cries out that he has had a sign from StarClan. He presents a vole from the fresh-kill pile with parted fur, explaining the way it is parted appears like a forest flattened by wind. He takes it to mean that ThunderClan will be destroyed by WindClan if they do not heed StarClan's warning. This causes some of the Clan's warriors to rally for a fight that instant, but Pinestar remains hesitant. However, despite the predicament of losing the faith of his warriors, he relents and announces they will fight at dawn.

Pinestar assigns Fuzzypelt, Windflight, Tawnyspots, and Patchpaw to stay behind in case of WindClan retaliation. The other warriors and apprentices, namely Leopardpaw, Bluepaw, and Snowpaw, join the raiding party. The leader adds that they will need the two younger apprentices to assist with carrying messages or tending to any wounds, not fight. At dawn the following morning, the ThunderClan patrol prepare for the fight. Pinestar announces that Goosefeather has more news, allowing the medicine cat to explain he had found catmint on the vole's flank. He states that StarClan wants them to destroy WindClan's medicine stores, meaning the battle should happen in the rival Clan's camp. A few warriors, and Sunfall, voice their displeasure at such an act but Pinestar stands with his medicine cat and explains they will target the den and bring no harm to kits or elders there. With yowl, Pinestar leads his Clan to the moors.

The raid begins

«Bluepaw watched as the battle raged. Screeches and yowls ripped through the howling wind. Blood stained the ground and frothed in red pubbles, lathered by the rain. Fur, heavy with flesh, flew in clumps and snagged on the brambles.»

—Bluepaw ^{Bluestar's Prophecy, page 127}

Bluepaw participated in her first battle

They cross the moors, and Pinestar addresses the patrol, telling Featherwhisker, Swiftbreeze, and the young apprentices to stay hidden until they are needed. With that, the fight soon begins, and Robinwing appears with news that Leopardpaw had been wounded. Swiftbreeze and Bluepaw enter WindClan's camp and see the battle for themselves, watching as the two Clans fight viciously against each other. Bluepaw watches her father and Dappletail fight before Swiftbreeze redirects her focus. Together, they retrieve Leopardpaw, but Bluepaw is heckled by Hawkheart and challenged to a fight. Heatherstar calls him away before he can hurt her, and Swiftbreeze and Bluepaw bring Leopardpaw to safety.

Retreat

«This was not supposed to happen! Goosefeather said we could destroy WindClan's supply of herbs to weaken them, but that no blood would be shed. How did I ever imagine that WindClan would allow us to attack their medicine stores?»

—Pinestar ^{Pinestar's Choice, chapter 6}

A WindClan cat announces that the ThunderClan cats had entered the medicine den, and Hawkheart approaches the den alongside two WindClan warriors. Stonefur and Moonflower emerge from the den moments later, with the latter being caught by the WindClan medicine cat. Hawkheart attacks the she-cat without much hesitation, throwing her across the clearing as Bluepaw watches in horror. Pinestar calls a retreat, but it is too late to save Moonflower's life. As ThunderClan retreats, Heatherstar tells the ThunderClan leader that the attack had been a wrongful act, claiming StarClan would never have allowed them victory and ordering them to take their wounded and leave.

Aftermath

«I am so, so sorry.»

—Pinestar's thoughts ^{Pinestar's Choice, chapter 6}

Moonflower was the only casualty during the fight, leaving behind her two young daughters

As ThunderClan regroups, Bluepaw rushes to her mother's side but finds her unresponsive. Pinestar softly tells her that her mother is dead, which the apprentice denies, citing the warrior code. Hawkheart explains that she had been killed for destroying the medicine supply. However, Bluepaw remains desperate to defend her mother's actions, saying Goosefeather had said it was StarClan's wishes. Hawkheart scoffs at them, wondering aloud why ThunderClan risked so much on Goosfeather's words, before stalking away. The patrol departs, injured and dejected as they pass Fourtrees and return to their own territory and camp. Upon arriving, Swiftbreeze rashly confronts Goosefeather, blaming him for Moonflower's death. Adderfang and Tawnyspots drag her away from the medicine cat as Pinestar announces the loss to ThunderClan. From here, ThunderClan cats slowly begin to doubt Goosefeather's interpretations of messages from StarClan.

At a subsequent Gathering, Heatherstar brings up the the raid and the recovery they were making from the harsh and unneeded attack. Sunfall defends ThunderClan, but the WindClan leader reiterates her point to only include kits and elders recovering after watching their kin be harshly attacked.

Characters

Pinestar

"I agree that it seems harsh, but StarClan has warned us we face destruction unless we act against WindClan's aggression before it's too late. If we attack their medicine supply, they'll be weakened for moons. ThunderClan will be safe."

―Pinestar defending Goosefeather's idea ^{Bluestar's Prophecy, page 113}

Pinestar blamed himself in the aftermath of the battle

Pinestar, the leader of ThunderClan, is initially conflicted over one of his patrols reporting WindClan stealing prey. While he listens to his Clan's concerns, he remains unconvinced due to the lack of evidence and decides to issue a general warning at the Gathering instead. Despite his initial misgivings, he listens to Goosefeather's omen and, with the urging of his senior warriors, agrees to launch an attack on WindClan's medicine supplies.

Pinestar fights alongside his Clan as they attack WindClan in their camp, barely able to distinguish friend from foe. Over the course of the battle, he recalls Goosefeather telling him that they could destroy the herb stores without bloodshed, wondering how he could have believed that. Realizing he and his Clan are outnumbered, Pinestar calls a retreat, but it comes too late and Moonflower is killed. Injured and ashamed, he leads his Clan home, carrying the fallen warrior himself and preparing himself to face their anger.

Goosefeather

"It's like a forest flattened by wind. This is how we will be crushed by WindClan."

―Goosefeather explaining the omen ^{Bluestar's Prophecy, page 97}

Having been plagued with horrific visions his entire life, Goosefeather, ThunderClan's medicine cat is the one to announce ThunderClan's destruction after reading an omen in a vole's fur. He explains to the Clan how the flattened fur represents WindClan destroying ThunderClan. Some of his Clanmates remain unconvinced, while others advocate for battle, finally managing to convince Pinestar into acting. He announces having had another omen the morning of the battle: a shred of catmint on the vole's fur, signifying that ThunderClan must take the battle into WindClan's camp to destroy their herbs. In the end, he does not travel with the battle patrol, instead electing to stay behind and allow his apprentice, Featherwhisker, to travel in his place.

When his sister, Moonflower, is killed during the battle, he is shocked to see her body. Swiftbreeze goes to attack him, claiming that it is his fault that Bluepaw and Snowpaw's mother has died. Several cats agree with Swiftbreeze, even with Pinestar insisting that it is not his fault, and he disappears into the medicine den alongside Featherwhisker.

Hawkheart

"You risked so much on the word of Goosefeather?"

―Hawkheart about Goosefeather's omen ^{Bluestar's Prophecy, page 135}

Hawkheart, the WindClan medicine cat, protected his herbs from ThunderClan, which resulted in Moonflower's death

Hawkheart is the medicine cat of WindClan, having once been a warrior before changing his path. He aids his warrior Clanmates in defending the camp before Heatherstar calls him back to his duties as the medicine cat. When the alarm is called for ThunderClan cats entering his den, he accompanies two WindClan warriors in chasing the intruders out. He confronts Moonflower as she exits and mortally wounds her in doing so. After Pinestar calls for a retreat, he remains near the regrouping ThunderClan cats. When Bluepaw attempts to defend her mother's actions by StarClan and Goosefeather's will, Hawkheart retorts rudely about trusting the old medicine cat.

Quotes

Goosefeather: "StarClan has spoken."

Pinestar: "When?"

^{Bluestar's Prophecy, page 98}

Goosefeather: "How'd it go?"

Pinestar: "I don't know if she managed to destroy their supplies before she died."

^{Bluestar's Prophecy, pages 137-138}

See also

• Bluestar's Prophecy
  • Bluestar's Prophecy/Cliffnotes
• Pinestar's Choice
  • Pinestar's Choice/Cliffnotes