Speckletail

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"It's all my fault! I left him...and now he's gone. The hawk should have taken me instead!"

— Speckletail after Snowkit's death in A Dangerous Path, pages 95-96

Speckletail is a pale golden tabby^[9] she-cat^[3] with amber eyes.^[9]

She is born as Specklekit to Harepounce and Stagleap, along with her sister Whitekit. After Harepounce passes away, she and Whitekit are fostered by Rainfur.

After receiving her warrior name, Speckletail, she gives birth to Goldenkit and Lionkit. She later has Mistlekit and Snowkit, the latter being deaf. Fireheart and Cinderpelt inform her of this, and she goes into denial, saying she'll teach Snowkit herself. He is later carried off by a hawk which pushes her to retire as an elder.

When the Clans go on the Great Journey to the lake after the forest gets overrun by the Twolegs destroying it, Speckletail opts to stay with Loudbelly, Frostfur and Shadepelt since she is too old to travel that distance. She eventually dies and joins StarClan.

History

In The Prophecies Begin arc

Into the Wild

While Firepaw searches for ticks on Yellowfang, a group of kits start playing. One accidentally rolls into Yellowfang and she hisses at it. In fear, the little tabby runs and hides behind Speckletail, who is watching the incident. The next day, she goes to tell Firepaw that Bluestar wants to see him. Firepaw asks if she was going to see Yellowfang but Speckletail asks what she would want with that unnatural creature.

After Spottedleaf is killed and Frostfur's kits are stolen, Speckletail is seen speaking to Frostfur. She thinks Yellowfang must be the one to blame, with the help of Ravenpaw, who she believes to be a traitor.

Fire and Ice

One of her kits, a tabby with an unknown name, falls ill with greencough. Fireheart convinces the kit to eat its herbs as practice for when they grow up and become a warrior. He tells the kit that it will have to eat much worse herbs for the trip to Highstones. Her kit is seen with Swiftpaw by a fallen oak tree where the sick cats were kept. The kit recovers later.

Speckletail later asks Fireheart if Tigerclaw is in the warriors den. She also tells him that greencough had spread to the nursery. He is outraged, but she comforts him by saying greencough comes every leaf-bare. She then turns and goes back into the nursery.

Forest of Secrets

She emerges from the nursery for Brackenpaw's warrior ceremony.

Speckletail is seen after Graystripe brings Stormkit and Featherkit to the ThunderClan camp. She interrupts her daughter, Goldenflower, when she agrees to suckle them and asks who the mother is. It is noted that she is a good mother with a ferocious temper. She shows anger for Graystripe and the kits saying that there is bad blood in those kits. She snorts in disapproval after Goldenflower agrees to care for them.

Brindleface talks to Fireheart later about how annoying Graystripe is when he is in the nursery. She tells him they drop hints and Speckletail even asked him if he was expecting kits himself. He goes into the nursery to see the kits and Speckletail makes a rude remark about Graystripe's kits, then pushes her way out of the den.

During the attack from Brokentail's rogues, Speckletail and Brindleface are seen fighting a warrior twice their size.

Rising Storm

Speckletail is seen in the elders' den saying that Willowpelt's kits would be born soon. It is mentioned that she is the oldest nursery queen and her single kit is weak and small after having whitecough.

She later says to the other elders that she is worried about Willowpelt because it is a long journey from the stream and back to collect water, and her kits would be alone. She offers to help carry back soaked moss for Willowpelt and Goldenflower.

Speckletail and the water-collecting patrol come back to the camp panting because Twolegs had chased after them. She frets about the two other queens not having enough water, so Fireheart decides to get some himself.

When Cloudpaw comes back after being captured by Twolegs, and tells ThunderClan a false story, Speckletail expresses her harsh feelings for Twolegs saying that kidnapping cats is typical for Twolegs.

She falls behind with her kit, Snowkit, during the fire and Fireheart helps her to carry her kit. Snowkit is said to be well grown and hard for Speckletail because she is not as young as the other queens. Fireheart carries her kit to the other side of the river.

A Dangerous Path

While her son, Snowkit, is playing with her grandson, Bramblekit, he makes a noise as if he is in pain. Speckletail rushes over after Fireheart stops Bramblekit and she helps her kit back up. Fireheart tells her that Cinderpelt should check on Snowkit, but she is offended at his interference and takes Snowkit back into the nursery.

Brackenfur later talks to Fireheart, saying he wants to mentor Snowkit and he is worried because Snowkit doesn't respond when spoken to. They decide to find a way to get Cinderpelt to check Snowkit without upsetting Speckletail.

Later, Speckletail is seen sitting with Snowkit and Cinderpelt outside the nursery. She calls her son to her and once he comes she licks him lovingly. Fireheart, who had been watching, then calls Snowkit over with only his voice, no movements. Although Snowkit is looking right at Fireheart, he doesn't come to him when he calls three or four times. Speckletail gives her kit a nudge after he doesn't go to Fireheart, and he then walks over to the deputy. After praising him, Fireheart leads the kit back to Speckletail and Cinderpelt. When Cinderpelt tells Speckletail that Snowkit is deaf, she becomes angry and she says she already knows. Bluestar, who had been observing, then tells Speckletail that her kit will never be a warrior. This causes Speckletail to become enraged and she retreats into the nursery.

After hearing the upsetting news that Snowkit can never be a warrior, Speckletail attempts to mentor him herself, signaling with her paws and tail. However, Snowkit just plays with his mother's paws, rolling over and having fun.

When Fireheart hears yowling in the clearing, he rushes out to see the clearing almost deserted and a hawk circling above it. Snowkit still plays, not being able to hear anything. Speckletail yowls frantically for him to come, but he doesn't hear her. She tries to run out to get him, but at that same moment the hawk swoops down and grabs Snowkit. Speckletail races forward and springs upward to try and rescue him, but when she grabs the hawk's talons to try and drag it back down, the hawk frees one of its talons and claws her face, causing her to fall without her kit. Snowkit is carried away by the bird. Some of the other Clan cats gather around the anguished Speckletail and try to comfort her, but she blames herself for Snowkit being carried away and feels responsible. She declares that she will have no more kits and will retire to the elders' den.

When Lostface is sent to the elders den because of her injuries from the dog pack, they care for each other, both thinking they have been assigned the task of taking care of the other, and they develop a strong bond. This helps Speckletail get over the loss of her son.

The Darkest Hour

After Fireheart returns to the camp with the news of Bluestar's death, she and Frostfur go into Bluestar's den and find Stonefur and Mistyfoot sharing tongues with the dead leader for the last time. They are hostile at first, and very angry with them for trespassing. Fireheart then tells the whole camp that Stonefur and Mistyfoot are Bluestar's kits. Speckletail reacts to this with anger and confusion.

When Firestar talks to One-eye about Lostface, she comes over. It is mentioned that Speckletail and Lostface had developed a close bond while Lostface had been in the elders den.

She is later seen training with in the training hollow, before they have to fight. Speckletail is left in charge of the camp while the four Clans, now known as LionClan, leave. LionClan confronts BloodClan to protect the camp in case the battle of Fourtrees goes to BloodClan. When Firestar tells her that she won't be fighting, she protests. He tells her that Smallear and One-eye would barely make it to Fourtrees, and that Dappletail is getting very frail. Firestar instructs her to get the kits and elders away to Barley's barn if the BloodClan cats get as far as the camp. Speckletail promises him that she will do her best.

In The New Prophecy arc

Midnight

She is seen with Longtail when Brambleclaw and Squirrelpaw go to clean out the elders' den. She comments that she heard of Squirrelpaw going missing but knew she would just have gone off alone. She tells Squirrelpaw that Firestar used to get in a lot of trouble when he was a warrior, and tells her the stories of his adventures.

It is later mentioned that she has aching joints due to the damp weather and Leafpaw prepares her a poultice of daisy leaves.

Moonrise

When the Twolegs start to tear up the forest, Speckletail asks Cinderpelt if she had any dream from StarClan telling them what should they do.

She looks sorrowful while she sits vigil with the Clan when Dappletail dies from a poisoned rabbit.

Dawn

When the Clans prepare to leave the forest, Speckletail decides to stay behind. Together with Frostfur, she points out that she is too old for a journey and would only hold the others back. Firestar respects her decision. Speckletail goes to the RiverClan camp to watch over Mudfur, who is dying. She also joins two RiverClan cats, Loudbelly and Shadepelt, who are also staying behind, due to not being strong enough to make the journey to the Clans' new territories. Speckletail and the others staying behind sit in the clearing in RiverClan's camp, and she bids farewell to them as they depart for their new home.

In the Super Editions

Crookedstar's Promise

She is on the patrol at Sunningrocks when RiverClan attempt to take them. She emerges from the bushes after Adderfang, Smallear, and Swiftbreeze. She and her Clanmates spread out to watch Adderfang fight Mudfur one-on-one for the rocks, and when her Clanmate surrenders to Mudfur, she helps steer him back toward the trees.

Bluestar's Prophecy

While waiting to meet their father for the first time, Bluekit and Snowkit watch as Speckletail returns from a hunting patrol with a dark tabby and a large gray tom. Moonflower tells her kits that the dark tabby tom is Sparrowpelt, and the she-cat is Speckletail. Bluekit admires the two voles she had caught as the golden tabby walks into camp, followed by Stormtail.

Moonflower urges her kits to sit with her behind Speckletail and Stonepelt before Patchkit's and Leopardkit's apprentice ceremony. Speckletaili answers Moonflower's question as to what the meeting is about, saying that she thinks Pinestar has something planned for two kits.

Four moons later, Bluekit is awoken from her sleep by the clutter of kits and queens in the nursery. She irritably remembers that Speckletail had given birth to Goldenkit and Lionkit two moons ago, and her kits never stopped wriggling and mewling, even if they were quiet in that moment. Deciding to give up on sleeping, she looks over at the golden queen's nest, envying Lionkit's thick fur, and Goldenkit stirs a little before pressing closer to her mother.

When Bluepaw comes into the nursery to replace the old moss, Speckletail is seen offering her two kits a mouse to eat. Goldenkit complains that the mouse is chewy, and Lionkit offers to eat her share, apparently liking the new food. Speckletail scolds him and tells him that he has had plenty; she then tells him to get more if he wants. She prompts the kits to go out while Bluepaw cleans out the moss, even though the kits protest because they had heard Goosefeather predict that there would be rain. She asks Bluepaw how the Gathering was, and Bluepaw responds by saying it was great, unwilling to say how little she had understood it. Speckletail remarks on how the Clan needs to concentrate on fighting hunger instead because there were so many kits in the nursery.

When Goosefeather predicts WindClan's destruction from the way a vole's fur is flattened by the wind, Speckletail is shown to be worried for Goldenkit and Lionkit, wrapping her tail around them protectively. She comforts her daughter, who is frightened, by telling her she'd be safe in the nursery. Later that same day, she is outside the nursery with Poppydawn, watching over all of the kits. When the cats return from the battle, she rushes up to Smallear and checks him for any injuries. Later, Speckletail is seen sitting with Stonepelt and Tawnyspots near the elders' den. She mentions that a thaw will be coming soon and will bring rain.

After Goldenpaw and Lionpaw return from a battle training session with Sunfall, Swiftbreeze, and Bluepaw, she is horrified to see that Goldenpaw has a nick in her ear. When Bluepaw returns with no prey, Sunfall appears to be unhappy, and Speckletail says that she is glad that there are no kits to feed, but the apprentices still need to grow.

Later, she panics when a branch that catches fire is close to the gorse tunnel. While Sunfall organizes patrols, Speckletail is put on a patrol with Dappletail and Goldenpaw to check the ShadowClan border.

After Pinestar leaves the Clan to become a kittypet, Speckletail worries that they have no leader. Sunfall announces that he is the new leader, and when he comes back from receiving his nine lives, Speckletail asks him what StarClan had said.

Speckletail goes on a border patrol with Thrushpelt, Fuzzypelt, White-eye, and Bluefur to the RiverClan border. When they are at the border, Speckletail wonders if RiverClan will try attacking again, like they did earlier.

Speckletail is later chatting with Poppydawn, Windflight, and Dappletail before Tigerkit's apprentice ceremony.

Firestar's Quest

Speckletail is at Brambleclaw's warrior ceremony. Shrewkit plays with his brother, Spiderkit, and they toss balls of moss at each other. When one ball hits Speckletail in the chest, she hisses at them. When Willowpelt dies, Speckletail, along with the other elders, carry her body to the burial place, leading the procession.

She goes to the meeting when Firestar and Sandstorm are about to leave the forest to find SkyClan. She glares up at Firestar as if he were an apprentice who had scratched her while searching for ticks, giving the impression she was very displeased with him leaving.

In the Novellas

Goosefeather's Curse

Specklekit is born along with her sister, Whitekit, to Harepounce around leaf-bare. It is said that Cloudberry insisted on handling the births on her own, as she didn't want Goosefeather to see the kits futures unroll.

After their mother's death, Specklekit and Whitekit are taken in by Rainfur. Specklekit had previously been complaining of a sore belly, but Cloudberry dismisses it as her getting her first proper feed since her mother had died.

Spottedleaf's Heart

Tawnyspots tells Speckletail to lead a patrol to check for rogues. The warrior nods and trots towards the camp entrance with her patrol at her heels. During the patrol, Speckletail asks Spottedpaw is she is looking for Stormtail, trotting up. She glances over her shoulder, explaining she thought he was behind her but now he has disappeared. The warrior asks where Stormtail has gone. She orders the patrol to spread out and look for the tom, to which they find Stormtail collapsed against a holly bush. She orders Thistleclaw and Bluefur prop him up on either side of him and for Rosetail to carry his haunches. Speckletail looks around before ordering Spottedpaw to carry his tail, making sure it doesn’t catch in the thorns. When they reach the ravine, Speckletail tells Spottedpaw to run ahead and warn Featherwhisker, and the patrol eases Stormtail onto a nest in front of the medicine cat.

Redtail's Debt

Speckletail returns from a hunting patrol with Tigerclaw and Sparrowpelt and immediately goes to Sunstar's den. She reports they saw RiverClan warriors on Sunningrocks. She agrees with Sparrowpelt against allowing the apprentices to join the upcoming battle. She notes Frostpaw and Brindlepaw are almost warriors, but Redpaw and Willowpaw are still new apprentices and barely out of the nursery. Sunstar agrees to compromise by allowing the apprentices to join the second battle patrol.

Tigerclaw's Fury

Speckletail does not formally appear in Tigerclaw's Fury, but is listed in the allegiances.

Trivia

Interesting facts

• Snowkit was killed to give Speckletail an extra nudge to move into the elders' den.^[10]

Author statements

• In an Erin Hunter chat, Vicky Holmes confirmed that Speckletail, Loudbelly, Frostfur, Shadepelt, and any other elders left behind may have died up to a few moons after the Clans left. Their confirmed cause of death is unknown, however.^[11]
• Vicky has said that Speckletail and Smallear may have been mates once,^[12] and that Smallear may have fathered Lionheart and Goldenflower.^[13]

Character pixels

Please do not edit this gallery Kit Version Queen Version Elder Version Loner Version StarClan Version

Official art

Please do not edit this gallery Speckletail's icon on the Warriors family tree

Kin

Members

Mate:

Smallear: ^[14] Deceased, verified StarClan member

Sons:

Snowkit:^[15] Deceased, verified StarClan member

Lionheart:^[16] Deceased, verified StarClan member

Daughters:

Goldenflower:^[16] Deceased, verified StarClan member

Mistlekit:^[17] Status unknown

Mother:

Harepounce:^[5] Deceased, verified StarClan member

Father:

Stagleap:^[18][14] Deceased, verified StarClan member

Foster mother:

Rainfur:^[19] Deceased, verified StarClan member

Sister:

One-eye:^[5] Deceased, verified StarClan member

Foster sister:

Dappletail:^[19] Deceased, verified StarClan member

Foster brothers:

Tawnyspots:^[19] Deceased, verified StarClan member

Thrushpelt:^[19] Deceased, verified StarClan member

Trees

Genetic

    = Male

    = Female

    = Gender Unknown

Foster

    = Male

    = Female

    = Gender Unknown

Quotes

Notes and references

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} Revealed in Erin Hunter Chat 2
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} Revealed in Dawn, page 223
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2} Revealed in Into the Wild, allegiances
4. ↑ Revealed on [1]
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1 5.2} Revealed in Goosefeather's Curse, chapter 8
6. ↑ Revealed in Bluestar's Prophecy, allegiances
7. ↑ Revealed in A Dangerous Path, page 101
8. ↑ Revealed in A Dangerous Path, page 89
9. ↑ ^{9.0 9.1} Revealed on Vicky's Facebook
10. ↑ Revealed to be a in Erin Hunter Chat 6, undefined
11. ↑ Revealed on [2]
12. ↑ Revealed on Vicky's Facebook
13. ↑ Revealed on Vicky's Facebook
14. ↑ ^{14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 14.4 14.5 14.6 14.7 14.8} Revealed on the Warriors website family tree
15. ↑ Revealed in A Dangerous Path, page 44
16. ↑ ^{16.0 16.1} Revealed in Bluestar's Prophecy, page 48
17. ↑ Revealed in Rising Storm, page 16
18. ↑ Revealed on Facebook Page
19. ↑ ^{19.0 19.1 19.2 19.3} Revealed in Goosefeather's Curse, chapter 10
20. ↑ ^{20.0 20.1} Revealed in Bluestar's Prophecy, page 467
21. ↑ ^{21.0 21.1} Revealed in Rising Storm, pages 19-20
22. ↑ Revealed in Secrets of the Clans, page 116
23. ↑ ^{23.0 23.1 23.2} Revealed in Dark River, pages 20-21
24. ↑ ^{24.0 24.1 24.2} Revealed in The Apprentice's Quest, page 10
25. ↑ Revealed in The Apprentice's Quest, chapter 1
26. ↑ ^{26.0 26.1 26.2} Revealed in The Last Hope, page 216
27. ↑ ^{27.0 27.1 27.2 27.3} Revealed in Sunset, page 27
28. ↑ ^{28.0 28.1 28.2 28.3} Revealed in Shattered Sky, page 47
29. ↑ Revealed in Firestar's Quest, page 509
30. ↑ ^{30.0 30.1} Revealed in Sunrise, page 317
31. ↑ ^{31.0 31.1} Revealed in The Forgotten Warrior, page 146
32. ↑ ^{32.0 32.1 32.2} Revealed in Thunder and Shadow, page 348
33. ↑ ^{33.0 33.1 33.2} Revealed in Tigerheart's Shadow, chapter 18
34. ↑ ^{34.0 34.1 34.2} Revealed in The Apprentice's Quest, allegiances
35. ↑ ^{35.0 35.1} Revealed in The Fourth Apprentice, page 299
36. ↑ ^{36.0 36.1 36.2} Revealed in Bramblestar's Storm, page 478
37. ↑ ^{37.0 37.1 37.2} Revealed in River of Fire, allegiances
38. ↑ ^{38.0 38.1 38.2} Revealed in River of Fire, page 203