Shorty

"No, she's not. She has never been, and she never will be. You think of her every time you look at Red. She's your daughter's mother, Stick. Go to her; ask her for help. She might be your only chance to save Red."

— Shorty advising Stick in SkyClan's Destiny, page 300

Shorty
The pixel artwork is fanart based on the canon description; undefined traits are left to the artist's interpretation.
Affiliations
Current:	Rogue
Past:	SkyClan
Names
Warrior:	Shorty
Rogue:	Shorty
Kin
Mate:	Cora
Daughter:	Night
Sons:	Branch, Stone
Book appearances
Living	Firestar's Quest, SkyClan's Destiny, Hawkwing's Journey
Living	Firestar's Quest, SkyClan's Destiny, Hawkwing's Journey

Shorty is a small, brown tabby tom with a short stump for a tail and amber eyes.

Shorty lives as a rogue with Stick, Cora, Snowy, and Coal. He helps Firestar find Sandstorm in the Twolegplace. After many moons, he and his rogue friends start to get into fights with Dodge, he and his friends go to SkyClan for help. Dodge is eventually defeated.

When the Kin take over the gorge, Hawkwing kills Dodge, resulting in a better place for the rogues to live in.

History

In the Super Editions

Firestar's Quest

Shorty is a rogue that helps Firestar search for Sandstorm when they are separated on the journey to rebuild SkyClan. He is also seen as a friend of Cora, Stick, Snowy, and Coal, who are all other rogues.

Later, he runs into Sandstorm when she is caught by some Twoleg kits, and helps her escape by distracting the Twolegs. When telling the story, he describes Sandstorm's jump over the fence to be like she sprouted wings. Shorty remarks that Sandstorm had the same sort of scent as Firestar. He offers to show Firestar where he met Sandstorm, but Cora insists that Firestar rests that night. Shorty promises to take Firestar there in the morning, although Firestar sleeps until sunset.

He guides Firestar through the Twolegplace to the place where he meets Sandstorm, a place where young Twolegs live. He points out where Sandstorm left the Twoleg garden from, and suggests that they follow the fence when Firestar can no longer smell Sandstorm's scent. When the ThunderClan leader is attacked by a tortoiseshell kittypet, Firestar thinks that Shorty helps fight the hostile cat off, but in fact, it is actually Sandstorm.

Afterward, he shows the two cats the best way back to the river. Shorty reckons Firestar and Sandstorm are up to something where they might need all the luck they can get.

SkyClan's Destiny

He, Stick, Cora, and Coal intrude on SkyClan territory, strangely calm. When Leafstar asks for their names, Shorty introduces himself politely. After Coal leaves to the medicine den, he- along with the three others- waits expectantly.

Shorty sits with Cora and Stick on the edge of the training clearing, adding onto Stick's comment about the training being useful, saying that a cat could use the skills for a good sleeping place. Shorty and Cora wince as Ebonyclaw and Petalnose practice fight each other. When Leafstar asks them to join, he agrees reluctantly, and is directed to go into Sparrowpelt's group.

When they head back to camp, Shorty suggests teaching them a different way to deal with dogs. Shorty then questions the fact that the Clan is awake all day, and that it doesn't seem right for cats. He rolls his eyes at Sharpclaw, who says that they could hunt by night if they liked, but they prefer the daytime. Shorty notices the daylight-warriors leaving, and asks why. He follows the SkyClan warriors up the trail.

Switching to Stick's point of view, Shorty stands over Stick, prodding him awake, saying that it was happening again, causing Stick to scramble to his paws. Shorty asks that Stick follow him and leads the way to a corner near a gate, talking to Stick about Dodge, Skipper, and Misha. After the fight with Dodge, Shorty helps Percy hide.

In SjyClan, Shorty excitedly agrees to go on a patrol. While they are patrolling, he asks how they managed to fight off foxes. He comments that he would like to learn how to attack as a group, and then asks about what would happen when a strange scent is found. Ebonyclaw and Leafstar answer at the same time, leading to Shorty's confusion.

Later on, the patrol stops in horror at the smell of rats. Shorty exclaims that they should hunt, then asks if they even eat rats. He then stalks around the pile of Twoleg waste and thinks that a Twoleg has cleared out its entire den, because of the sheer amount of waste. After Leafstar starts to go back to report the rats, he is confused and wonders what's wrong with a few rats on the territory.

Shorty is later seen discussing the technique quietly with Stick.

He participates in the battle with the rats, and is directed to go with Sharpclaw's patrol. Shorty and Leafstar chase after a huge female rat, and he bites down on its neck, sharing a satisfied glance with Leafstar.

The brown tabby returns from washing off rat blood in the pool after the battle, to which the kits bounce over and demand to know the story. Shorty reassures Fallowfern he wouldn't scare the kits and heads off to a flat rock near the water's edge.

Shorty is seen back from a hunting patrol, having caught two mice. While Leafstar watches over the camp, she sees Shorty telling another story to the kits.

When the Gathering is starting, Shorty awkwardly sums up a Gathering, saying that they go up the top of the cliff and talk to dead cats. Once Harveymoon and Macgyver return from their moon long punishment, Leafstar introduces Shorty and the other rogue cats.

Later on, Shorty gets named by Sharpclaw as leader of the patrol. Patchfoot mutters that Shorty isn't actually a warrior, and though Sharpclaw still assigns Shorty on the patrol, he is no longer the leader.

Leafstar walks through the forest on patrol, and tells Shorty to catch up. He tries to muffle a yawn, saying that he can't get used to getting up in the mornings. In the late afternoon, Leafstar calls him and the other visitors to come forwards, indicating a ceremony, and she names them warriors. After the ceremony, Shorty promises that no rats will get a whisker past them.

Stick makes Shorty lead a patrol, along with Patchfoot, Petalnose and Sagepaw. Sagepaw mutters to his mother that he doesn't want to take orders from Shorty.

He follows Sharpclaw, coming back from a hunting patrol. Shorty and Cora decide to help gather bedding for the elders, saying that he was happy to and feels bad for Snookpaw.

Back in Stick's point of view, Stick wakes up from a nightmare and sees Red, Cora, and Shorty in the shelter of a sloping piece of wood. Stick checks on the sleeping Shorty, noticing that he was snoring softly. The brown tabby huddles with Cora behind a garbage can, both of them frightened.

Sharpclaw talks to Leafstar, saying he'd set up the patrols, making Shorty one of the patrol leaders. Leafstar refuses, and decides on other leaders.

When the Clan is preparing for the attack on the Twoleg, Sharpclaw assigns him to collect dead branches and brambles. After that, Shorty is seen creeping along and dragging a dead branch.

Shorty, in Stick's point of view, apologizes and says there wasn't anything they could do to stop the Twolegs. Shorty questions Stick about Dodge, though he mentions that they don't know where Dodge sleeps, so it'd be harder for them to attack. Stick goes down an alley and hears Shorty's quick paw steps behind him and sees his friend, who says that he won't let Stick go alone. He continues following him, even after Stick says he is fine alone. Shorty asks him what was wrong and he gasps in horror as Stick relates what he had seen. Shorty protests, saying Red would never do that. Shorty hisses at Stick, talking about Velvet and Red. When Stick found Onion and pins her down, Shorty protests, saying he shouldn't be too harsh on her. Shorty doesn't let Stick kill Onion, pushing his paw away. He wonders what Stick was going to do as he heads for the stream, and he plants himself in front of Stick. Shorty asked him some questions and warned Stick that this was a battle he couldn't win. He suggests seeing Velvet, and that be his only chance to save Red.

Shorty is later seen in the patrol to investigate the noise. He wonders, and says so, if there could be Twolegs hiding, ready to trap them.

When Leafstar wakes up from a dream, she looks outside her den to see him, Stick, and Cora leading a nighttime Twolegplace patrol.

Shorty is at the rear of the patrol and seems to be keeping a lookout. After an explanation from Stick, Shorty advises to look sideways to check what's ahead. Shorty describes a technique about climbing walls. Soon after, a dog comes and races after them. Shorty yells that they should scatter because it's easier for single cats to hide on their own. When Rockshade said he didn't want to hide his scent, Shorty points out that he isn't in his territory. Cora speaks up that they should tell the cats the truth, and Shorty agrees, saying that SkyClan deserved to know.

Back in Stick's point of view, he talks to Velvet and leaves the bush. He spots Shorty sitting a few tail-lengths away. When Stick started getting angry, Shorty said that they're in this together, and asks what Velvet said. Shorty, in shock, said that it's more than just Red and Harley, it's about Percy cats' getting hurt. Shorty said to follow him to a place they can spy on Dodge's camp. When they arrived, Shorty told him to jump on a Twoleg shed so Dodge wouldn't catch them. Shorty steadied Stick with his tail, trying to calm him down. Stick jumped down from the shed shortly after, wanting to launch an attack. Shorty warned that they couldn't do it on their own. Stick suggests kittypet's and Shorty replied that they should find trained cats who wouldn't flinch to protect their home. He reminds Stick of the cat's that came to the forest a while back. Stick admits he's right.

Shorty politely dips his head, thanking them for listening to the story.

Later, when Leafstar finally agrees, Shorty told Sparrowpelt after he asked about his Twolegplace that their's is bigger and that they have a long way to go. After dawn when they wake, Shorty explains what cows are to Shrewtooth.

Shorty is seen racing with Cora towards the Twolegplace, obviously excited to be back. Shorty called to Snowy. Snowy explained how Percy had just appeared, and Shorty inspected Percy, saying that he smelled different. Shorty breaks in to Leafstar and Billystorm's conversation, yelling about how the Twolegs will drive them all out if Dodge keeps attacking the Twoleg pets. Shorty then continues more quietly, asking about Red.

Shorty is waiting with Cora and Stick as Leafstar wakes up. Shorty asked about the rest of the Twolegplace cats, wondering about them. Shorty goes and fetches them as Stick had asked them to do. Before Stick and Sharpclaw had finished explaining what they would do, Shorty comes back with the other cats.

When the attack begins, Shorty falls awkwardly. Leafstar picked him up by the scruff, helping him gain his footing. Shorty starts to attack a ginger-and-white tom alongside Cora. Leafstar, going to help Billystorm, sees Shorty and Coal stalking towards the queen. Leafstar then thrusts herself between the two cats and the queen, making Shorty and Coal exchanged a baffled look. Coal questionins why they won't let her attack the enemy queen, but they step aside, confused, as Leafstar and the others grab the kits and ran out the den. After Red is fatally wounded and soon dies, Leafstar tells the Twolegplace cats to use the skills they were taught, with him and Cora nodding in agreement.

Hawkwing's Journey

When SkyClan travels in the Twolegplace, Shorty jumps down from a wall, and greets the cats. Leafstar exclaims that she's glad to see him, and asks how he is. The tom replies that he's fine, then proceeds to meow hellos to Cherrytail, Sparrowpelt, and Waspwhisker. Shorty then questions Leafstar on why they've come, as this must be almost the whole Clan. The SkyClan leader responds that rogues have attacked and driven them out, so they are forced to look for a new place to live. The brown tom sympathizes with them, and convinces Leafstar to let him help her. Shorty then meows that he'll take them to where he's staying, along with Cora, who now has his kits. The tom then leads SkyClan to meet Stick and Coal, along with Snowy and Cora. Shorty announces that they have come because rogues have driven the Clan out of the gorge, which surprises the cats.

Later, Shorty is in a conversation with Leafstar, Stick, Sparrowpelt. The brown tom comments that things are getting bad, just as before, because of Dodge's cats. After Curlypaw is captured, he also offers to go with the SkyClan patrol. He tells Stick that he should be ashamed of himself, as they are their friends. The brown tom ends up not traveling with the SkyClan cats, as Harley meows that only Leafstar and her Clan need to come to Dodge's camp to speak with him. After they finish, Shorty appears, and offers to lead the SkyClan cats out and back to where he lives. Harley asks why his here, and the brown tom replies that he followed his friends, questioning if he'd do any different. The other tom supposes he wouldn't, before sending all of them out.

Trivia

Misstakes

• He has been mistakenly described with half of his tail missing and the end of his tail missing.

Character pixels

The pixel artwork is fanart based on the canon description; undefined traits are left to the artist's interpretation. Rogue Version Warrior Version

Kin

Members

Mate:

Cora: Living (As of Hawkwing's Journey)

Sons:

Branch: Living (As of Hawkwing's Journey)

Stone: Living (As of Hawkwing's Journey)

Daughter:

Night: Status unknown

Tree

Shorty ♂

Cora ♀

Night ♀

Branch ♂

Stone ♂

    = Tom

    = She-cat

    = Gender unknown

Appearances

• Firestar's Quest (First appearance)
• SkyClan's Destiny
• Hawkwing's Journey

Quotes

"I saw a strange cat today. A couple of Twoleg kits had grabbed her. I soon showed them what's what."

―Shorty to Snowy, Stick, Coal, and Cora about Sandstorm ^{Firestar's Quest}

"I've known you too long, old friend. What's wrong?"

―Shorty to Stick while he's going alone in the direction of Red ^{SkyClan's Destiny}

"I think you should go talk to Velvet. She might know what Red's doing, and she might be able to change her mind before it's too late."

―Shorty to Stick giving a suggestion for what to do about Red ^{SkyClan's Destiny}

Shorty: "Sparrowpelt! Cherrytail...and Waspwhisker! And this hulking great creature is little Rabbitkit?"

Rabbitleap: "Rabbitleap now. And this is Plumwillow."

^{Hawkwing's Journey}

Shorty: "That's terrible news. You must let us help you."

Leafstar: "How can you do that?"

^{Hawkwing's Journey}

Harley: "What are you doing here?"

Shorty: "I followed my friends. I needed to know what was going on. Wouldn't you have done the same?"

^{Hawkwing's Journey}