Stoat (creature)

"The stoats were smaller than the cats, but they were fast and nimble, their long, wiry bodies easily dodging the blows the cats aimed at them. Crowfeather found himself fighting beside Harespring, trying to drive the brutes back into the tunnels. But there were too many of them; when Crowfeather lashed out at one stoat, two or three others would hurl themselves at him, trying to climb onto his back or knock him off his paws. He knew that if he lost his balance and fell, he would not get up ever again. He shuddered inwardly at the thought of those thorn-sharp teeth meeting his throat."

— Crowfeather's thoughts about the stoats in Crowfeather's Trial, page 58

Stoat (creature)
Friendly
Current:	Neutral
Past:	Hostile
Creature type
Species:	M. erminea
Book appearances
Living:	Crowfeather's Trial

Stoats are small nocturnal mammals that previously posed a threat to WindClan.

Description

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

«The stoats were smaller than badgers, but they were fast and wily, and Crowfeather knew from the previous skirmish that their teeth were sharper than eagle talons. And in the bright sunlight, their pure white pelts were unnerving. It's like being attacked by a blizzard.»

—Crowfeather about the stoats ^{Crowfeather's Trial, page 179}

Stoats are small creatures with long, wiry bodies, and small dark eyes. They have sharp teeth with spiny fangs, and long sharp claws. Their fur is normally brown, but during leaf-bare, the stoats' fur turns to white with the exception of their black tail-tips to help them camouflage with the snow. They also make chittering cries.

While stoats are smaller than cats, they are fast and nimble, and a pack of stoats can easily overpower a patrol of cats. Even older or sick stoats can pose a serious threat to an experienced warrior. Stoats can also leap into the air to avoid or jump on the backs of their enemies. Stoats are territorial and will be aggressive towards other animals near its den. The stoats are also depicted with some level of intelligence, using the benefit of attacking in swarms to their advantage, evading WindClan's attempts to blockade the tunnel entrances, and locating WindClan's camp to raid it.

Stoats live in undergrown dens and once settled in the tunnels underneath WindClan's and ThunderClan's territories not long after the Great Battle. They are opportunistic predators, feasting on the same prey as cats and store it in their dens, though it often spoils into crow-food. They are also nocturnal, hunting at night and sleeping in their dens during the day. Stoats are typically solitary creatures, though have been known to live in large packs.

Relation to cats

"Of course I've seen stoats before—we all have—but not in a large pack like this. These snow-white ones are ferocious. We need to take them seriously."

―Harespring about the stoats ^{Crowfeather's Trial, page 368}

The Clan cats are vaguely familiar with stoats, enough for some cats to be named after stoats such as Stoatfur from ShadowClan and Stoatfur from SkyClan. Cats in WindClan were surprised to see white stoats in leaf-bare, suggesting that stoats are not a common creature encountered in the Warriors universe; Hootpaw even described them as ghost cats when he first saw one.

Not long after the Great Battle, a pack of stoats moved into the tunnels, resulting in scarce prey for WindClan and ThunderClan. The stoats ignored the Clans until they ventured into the tunnels, resulting in prompt retaliation from the stoats. Each time WindClan attempted to attack the stoats, the stoats fought ferociously back, even overpowering WindClan's strongest warriors, before eventually retaliating on their own on WindClan's camp. The stoats were thought to have killed Nightcloud, and later took one of Onestar's nine lives. The Clans gain the advantage by killing a sheer number of stoats to intimidate the rest to flee.

Known deaths

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

• Onestar (one life)

History

In the Super Editions

Crowfeather's Trial

Main article: Battle against the stoats

"Onestar, I'll make you the same offer that I made before. ThunderClan is ready to help. We must work together; it's the only hope we have of driving out the stoats."

―Bramblestar to Onestar ^{Crowfeather's Trial, page 360}

During the leaf-bare season, a pack of stoats move into the tunnels underneath WindClan's and ThunderClan's territory. Hootpaw first glimpses them by the tunnel entrance near the ThunderClan border, describing them as white ghost cats. Kestrelflight also receives a warning from Barkface of dark water in the tunnels overpowering the wind, suggesting an imminent fierce struggling for WindClan. After WindClan discovers the creatures are white stoats, the Clan ponders if they are meant to be the dark water in Kestrelflight's dream. While scouting the tunnels, Crowfeather's patrol is easily overwhelmed by the stoats and results in Nightcloud's apparent death.

Onestar keeps the stoats problem hidden from ThunderClan and Bramblestar, much to the ThunderClan leader's ire since the stoats threaten both Clans. Onestar refuses to let ThunderClan get involved, insisting WindClan can handle the stoats on their own. He sends Weaselfur, Breezepelt, and Heathertail to scout the tunnels, but they are also severely injured by the fierce stoats. WindClan prepares for war against the stoats, but their battle strategy is interrupted when the four apprentices arrive to help. The battle results in another loss for WindClan, so Onestar plans to barricade the tunnel entrances on WindClan's side, hoping the stoats will bother ThunderClan instead. However, the stoats weasel through the blockages and retaliate on WindClan's camp, resulting in Onestar losing a life. Only after ThunderClan and WindClan unite to defeat the stoats do the smaller creatures flee the tunnels permanently.

See also

• Crowfeather's Trial
• Stoatfur (ShC)
• Stoatfur (SkC)

External links

• Stoat