Spotfur's Rebellion

"I am loyal. But being loyal isn't just following one cat. It's working together to make our Clan better. Even if that means standing up to Bramblestar."

— Spotfur to Snaptooth and Flywhisker in Spotfur's Rebellion, chapter 7

Spotfur's Rebellion
General
Author:	Clarissa Hutton
Cover artist:	Owen Richardson
Jacket designer:	Alice Wang
Audiobook narrator:	MacLeod Andrews
Details
Publish date:	6 April 2021
Identification:	ISBN 9780062857446
Editions:	Paperback, e-book, audiobook, audio CD
Summary
As an apprentice, Spotpaw learns that a warrior's duty is loyalty to her Clan and the warrior code. However, when ThunderClan's leader begins acting strangely, Spotfur realizes she must break the code in order to save her Clan.
Resources
Chapter subpages
Chronology
Preceded by:	River of Fire
Concurrent with:	Lost Stars, The Silent Thaw, Veil of Shadows
Followed by:	Darkness Within

Spotfur's Rebellion is the twentieth novella attributed by HarperCollins.

Dedication

Special thanks to Clarissa Hutton

Blurb

A young warrior's choice to defy her leader for the good of all five Clans.

Detailed plot description

Looking for a shorter overview? Find one here!

Spotpaw is a young ThunderClan apprentice. On a patrol with her mentor, Leafshade, she goes toward the WindClan border, seeing if she can cross it. She wants Stempaw to notice her and to be her friend, but is instead scolded by Leafshade, who says that Darktail took over ShadowClan because cats didn’t listen. Later in the camp, Bumblestripe says that the Clan needs strong, honorable warriors, not rebels. She and Stempaw decide to sneak up on a training session between Bumblestripe and his apprentice, Shellpaw. Spotpaw gets the idea to pounce on Bumblestripe when he's not expecting it, but the warrior slams her to the ground and is about to attack her. Their mentors decide that they are a bad influence on each other and that they need to be punished separately, despite Spotpaw’s protests. Cinderheart and Lionblaze talk to her, and they say that she should not have interrupted Shellpaw’s training. Spotpaw vows to be a good and loyal apprentice.

A moon later, the camp floods after days of rain. The Clan evacuates the camp, but Flipkit is separated from his family after falling behind. It begins to rain harder, and they are away from the rest of the Clan. Spotpaw guides Flipkit to safety through the woods after finding signs of where cats had walked. Ivypool and Fernsong thank her, and Spotpaw is proud that she helped the Clan. Stempaw is impressed, and the next day, it stops raining. She thinks to herself that being with the tom feels good and natural, and they can perhaps become mates when they are warriors. Spotpaw feels a glow of pride within her, and knows that StarClan guided her well.

Not long after Spotfur receives her warrior name, there is a bitterly cold leaf-bare and StarClan goes silent. The apprentice Thriftpaw gets into trouble for trying to cure a kit with herbs by herself, and is sent to find more of the herbs she had messed up as punishment. However, she gets lost in the snow until Spotfur's patrol finds her. Spotfur and Stemleaf discuss with Bramblestar that it was too dangerous for Thriftpaw to be sent out like that alone. He agrees and makes a rule to keep the apprentices in camp for the rest of the leaf-bare. Both cats are happy and relieved that their leader listened to them. After Bristlefrost confesses her feelings to Stemleaf, the tabby tom privately tells Spotfur what had happened. He explains that he has only ever felt that way about Spotfur.

Bramblestar falls severely ill during a patrol, and the whole Clan worries about what will happen. When Spotfur brings him prey, Bramblestar behaves as if he is lost. The leader's condition does not improve, despite the medicine cats' efforts. In the midst of this uncertainty, Stemleaf and Spotfur decide to stop waiting and officially become mates. Shadowpaw comes from ShadowClan claiming he had a vision from StarClan telling him that they should put the leader in the snow. At first, ThunderClan rejects this, but the medicine cats later hesitantly agree, although Jayfeather still opposes this idea. The treatment does not work, and Squirrelflight returns the next morning announcing that Bramblestar is dead. A patrol takes his body back to camp, and they hold a vigil after his death. The cats speak of their memories with the leader. However, at the end of it he suddenly moves, and Spotfur thinks to herself that it was just the wind. Bramblestar then opens his eyes, and the entire Clan is surprised but relieved.

Bramblestar behaves erratically after coming back from losing a life, punishing cats for the smallest things. Lilyheart is ordered to sleep alone on the moor after catching no prey by herself. Spotfur, Lionblaze, and Bristlefrost go on a patrol by the WindClan border, and she and her father cross it while chasing prey. Bristlefrost tells the leader, and he states that Spotfur must be silent for a quarter moon and Lionblaze is temporarily exiled, which angers and shocks the Clan. Spotfur and Stemleaf know that something is not right, and they try to convince their Clanmates to stand up against the leader's behavior. Although Spotfur and Stemleaf are both concerned, her siblings, Snaptooth and Flywhisker, do not seem to think anything is wrong. They then discuss this with Thriftear, who agrees, but is also wary because of Bristlefrost, who is constantly watching and reporting cats. After talking to Twigbranch and Finleap, they decide to formulate a plan to also meet with cats from other Clans.

Spotfur and Stemleaf convince cats from other Clans to listen, and they set up a secret meeting to discuss the issues. She is surprised at the number of cats who attend, including Rootpaw, Tree, and many others. During the meeting, the cats argue about what they should do. Stemleaf says they must get rid of the ThunderClan leader. Tree explains that the cat currently in Bramblestar's body isn’t actually Bramblestar, while the real leader is stranded as a ghost. Spotfur is horrified and shocked at this news. The cats also suspect it may be Shadowsight, but Spotfur does not think that the young medicine cat would do such a thing. Just as they exit the meeting, Bristlefrost reveals that she overheard, and claims that she came to join them. The spotted she-cat is suspicious of Bristlefrost, but the pale gray she-cat says that Squirrelflight already suspects Bramblestar isn't actually Bramblestar. Bristlefrost explains that the real leader's ghost had sent the deputy a message through Tree.

Squirrelflight, Lionblaze, and a few others hide in the old SkyClan camp. The deputy tries to convince the other Clans about the impostor, but only Tigerstar of ShadowClan is willing to stand with them. Stemleaf thinks that killing the leader may be the only option. Later, Bramblestar announces that Squirrelflight died, but Bristlefrost tells Spotfur that she is actually alive. The rebels hold another meeting, and Crowfeather announces they should kill the leader. However, Squirrelflight insists that they should wait, but Spotfur and Stemleaf know they must act as the deputy would never agree to killing the last connection to her mate. They create their own plan to kill the leader, defying Squirrelflight. Spotfur, Stemleaf, Dappletuft, Kitescratch, and Conefoot secretly attack Bramblestar while he is with Bristlefrost, and he tells the pale gray she-cat to get a patrol. However, the impostor and his patrol are too strong. Spotfur watches as Stemleaf is killed by the dark tabby in the battle, and she also sees Dappletuft and Conefoot on the ground. Spotfur is horrified and grief-stricken, but she knows that for Stemleaf's sake she has to run away to continue the fight later. After the battle, Squirrelflight speaks with the warrior. The deputy vows that no matter what, she will always fight for ThunderClan and try to bring it back to how it was. This inspires Spotfur, and despite having lost Stemleaf, she decides to do the same.

Publication history

• Spotfur's Rebellion (EN), HarperCollins (paperback), 6 April 2021
• Spotfur's Rebellion (EN), HarperCollins (e-book), 6 April 2021
• Spotfur's Rebellion (EN), HarperCollins (audiobook), 6 April 2021
• Spotfur's Rebellion (EN), HarperCollins B and Blackstone Publishing (audio cd), 6 April 2021
• Punktfells Aufstand (DE), Beltz & Gelberg (paperback), 16 August 2023

Gallery

US covers

English Language Edition
Released in North America & United Kingdom

English Audiobook
Released in North America

Foreign covers

German Language Edition
Released in Germany

External links

• A Warrior's Choice on the Warriors official website (backup link)
• Exclusive Title and Cover Reveal! A Warrior's Choice on the Warriors official website (Warrior Cats Hub app only) (backup link)
• Exclusive Title and Cover Reveal: Upcoming Novella Collection on the Warriors official website (backup link)