Sunningrocks

"Our elders, and our elders' kin, and their kin before them, fought to keep Sunningrocks in our territory. Many of them lose their lives, giving up their last breath for stones that belong to us. Can we give up where they did not, turn tail and flee when they kept fighting so that their kits could hunt and play and bask on these rocks? Will you fight with me now, in honor of all our elders and unborn kits?"

— Darkstar speaking to RiverClan about Sunningrocks in Code of the Clans, page 34

Sunningrocks
General information
Location	The forest territories by the river
Usage	Leisure spot Hunting Fighting over a pile of rocks

Sunningrocks is a rock formation in the forest territories located on the eastern shore of the river. It is a source of deadly conflict between RiverClan and ThunderClan due to its uses as both a place for cats to bask in the sun and to hunt prey.

Description

Gray Wing: "There's a lot of cat scent around here."

Clear Sky: "I'm not surprised. These rocks must be great for sunning yourself. And there'll be plenty of prey in all these cracks."

^{The Sun Trail, page 196}

Sunningrocks is located to the eastern shore of the river in the forest territories. Along the shoreline of the river, the area is sandy with a thick patch of reeds by the shore. It is a large granite rock formation with several large, smooth, flat, pale gray rocks stacked on top of each other and deep cracks between. On one side, it faces the sun, while the other side is sheer, overshadowing the river. The smooth rocks are flat, making them a desirable location for cats to sunbathe and rest. Within Sunningrocks there is cleft where cats are able to shelter in several gullies and hollows. However, the rocks are also unstable and prone to rockfalls. In the rocks, prey is able to hide in small cavities between the boulders, and the forest surrounding the boulders is lush with prey. A pair of stepping-stones lie not far from Sunningrocks that can be used to cross the river, and another pair lies downstream of Sunningrocks. Herbs also grow nearby.

Location history

"My name is Aspentail. I am kin of your elders and of your elders' elders. I fought for these rocks once, and I will fight for them again, for as many moons as it takes, until ThunderClan learns that Sunningrocks belongs to RiverClan."

―Aspentail introducing herself to Splashheart ^{Code of the Clans, page 36}

Sunningrocks once resided in the middle of the river, where a great flood eventually exposed the rocks to ThunderClan territory. This caused a huge generational conflict where neither Clan were willing to give up the land.

When the early settlers first arrived to the forest, Gray Wing and Clear Sky explored the river and climbed to the pile of rocks in the middle of the water. They were met by Nightheart who declared the pile of rocks to be hers. At some point, these warm rocks became known as Sunningrocks. Eventually, a great flood carved a new course for the river to bend, exposing Sunningrocks to the eastern shore. ThunderClan then claimed the rocks for themselves from RiverClan, resulting in deadly battles between the two Clans. Over time, elders began to pass down tales that some cats believed that Sunningrocks were once submerged in the river itself.

Due to its location, Sunningrocks often switches ownership between RiverClan and ThunderClan. Conflicts have spanned generations over the ownership between ThunderClan and RiverClan, having lasted from the time of Darkstar's leadership and before when the RiverClan cat Aspentail lived. The two Clans fought over the rocks up until the Clans were forced from the forest territories. Most fights that break out over the rocks are border skirmishes, however, some skirmishes have been noted to be outright battles. These battles would often have casualties and would prolong the drawn-out fights over the patch of territory. The first known instance of a conflict at Sunningrocks occurred during Darkstar's leadership, in which RiverClan was victorious at defending the rocks from ThunderClan. Splashheart noticed RiverClan's swarming over the stones to motivate him to continue the fight, and this victory inspired Splashheart to create the third law of the warrior code to honor their kits and elders. Many seasons later, a battle at Sunningrocks resulted in Birchface, and his apprentice, Flowerpaw, falling into the swollen river and drowning. Mapleshade revealed she is expecting the RiverClan warrior Appledusk's kits despite this conflict, and was of the belief that their half-Clan heritage might end the feud over Sunningrocks.

Sunningrocks remained under ThunderClan's control through Oakstar's and Doestar's leaderships. Sunningrocks was lost under Pinestar's leadership when RiverClan, led by Hailstar reclaimed the rocks. When ThunderClan attempted to reclaim the rocks by lounging on them, Shellheart gave them a warning, though eventually ThunderClan reclaimed them. While escaping Goosefeather at Sunningrocks, Stormkit slipped on the nearby stepping-stones and broke his jaw. RiverClan eventually made a move to reclaim the rocks when they noticed ThunderClan looking weak during leaf-bare, though they retreat when Stormtail arrived with a second battle patrol. RiverClan eventually reclaimed Sunningrocks without a fight from ThunderClan, though they were defeated when Hailstar attempted to claim more land. ThunderClan retook the rocks just after leaf-fall, and Mudfur reclaimed the rocks for RiverClan by defeating the acting deputy Adderfang by himself. Sunstar later reclaimed Sunningrocks for ThunderClan by visiting their camp and threatening unnecessary death in the midst of leaf-bare. Hailstar reasoned with his Clan to allow ThunderClan to have Sunningrocks until newleaf. When Hailstar's warriors returned to Sunningrocks, Sunstar led a battle patrol to warn them, though the battle was lost when Bluefur's patrol had to stop and rescue Redpaw from a hawk. Crookedstar eventually reclaimed the rocks during his leadership. In leaf-bare, Bluefur gave her kits up to their father Oakheart at Sunningrocks.

Leopardstar challenged Bluestar for Sunningrocks after noticing her weakened state, though the battle resulted in RiverClan's defeat

Sunningrocks was frequently challenged under Bluestar's and Crookedstar's leadership. When RiverClan owned Sunningrocks, Leopardfur's patrol came into conflict with Redtail's, resulting in Whitefang's and Sunfish's deaths. ThunderClan eventually retook Sunningrocks until they were forced to retreat in a battle with RiverClan. Bluestar sent her deputy Redtail, Tigerclaw, and his apprentice Ravenpaw to mark Sunningrocks at dawn, though they were met by a RiverClan patrol led by their deputy Oakheart. RiverClan's ownership of Sunningrocks was short-lived when their confrontation resulted in ThunderClan resecuring Sunningrocks, though it also led to Oakheart's death by a rockfall and Tigerclaw killing Redtail. Tigerclaw later claimed that Oakheart killed Redtail and Tigerclaw killed Oakheart in retaliation, a ruse that Fireheart would later discover was false. RiverClan began to hunt near Sunningrocks, creating tension between the two Clans. Graystripe, a ThunderClan warrior, and Silverstream, a RiverClan warrior, began meeting in secret, and Silverstream eventually died giving birth to their kits by Sunningrocks. Graystripe buried her by Sunningrocks. During a fire, ThunderClan fled to Sunningrocks before crossing the river. Leopardstar attempted to reclaim the pile of rocks for RiverClan, until ThunderClan reinforcements arrived. In the midst of battle, Graystripe saved Fireheart from Leopardstar, and Fireheart revealed to Stonefur and Mistyfoot that Bluestar is their mother. When the pack of dogs threatened ThunderClan, Fireheart had Bluestar lead the Clan to Sunningrocks for safety. Prior to the battle against BloodClan, Leopardstar met Mistyfoot at Sunningrocks to ask for forgiveness.

Sunningrocks remained under ThunderClan's ownership with Firestar's leadership following Bluestar's death. When Twolegs began to destroy their homes, ThunderClan relocated to Sunningrocks, making their camp in the narrow clefts. Both WindClan and ShadowClan seek refuge at Sunningrocks when Twolegs destroyed their camps as well. The Clans eventually leave the forest behind on the Great Journey to their new home. Seasons later, Graystripe spots Sunningrocks when he briefly visited the old forest.

Known deaths

This is a list of deaths, ordered chronologically, that took place at Sunningrocks.

• Birchface
• Flowerpaw
• Whitefang
• Oakheart
• Redtail
• Silverstream

Ownership

The following is a list of which Clan owned Sunningrocks by book and Clan leader.

Clan / Leader(s)	From	To
RiverClan / Darkstar	"A Mystical Battle"	Before Mapleshade's Vengeance
ThunderClan / Oakstar - Doestar	Before Mapleshade's Vengeance	Before Crookedstar's Promise
RiverClan / Hailstar	Before Crookedstar's Promise	Crookedstar's Promise
ThunderClan / Pinestar	Crookedstar's Promise / Bluestar's Prophecy	Crookedstar's Promise / Bluestar's Prophecy
RiverClan / Hailstar	Crookedstar's Promise / Bluestar's Prophecy	Crookedstar's Promise / Bluestar's Prophecy
ThunderClan / Sunstar	Crookedstar's Promise / Bluestar's Prophecy	Crookedstar's Promise / Bluestar's Prophecy
RiverClan / Hailstar	Crookedstar's Promise / Bluestar's Prophecy	Crookedstar's Promise / Bluestar's Prophecy
ThunderClan / Sunstar	Crookedstar's Promise / Bluestar's Prophecy	Crookedstar's Promise / Bluestar's Prophecy
RiverClan / Crookedstar	Crookedstar's Promise / Bluestar's Prophecy	Leopardstar's Honor
ThunderClan / Bluestar	Before Redtail's Debt / Into the Wild	Redtail's Debt / Into the Wild
RiverClan / Crookedstar	Redtail's Debt / Into the Wild	Redtail's Debt / Into the Wild
ThunderClan / Bluestar - Firestar	Redtail's Debt / Into the Wild through Dawn	Dawn

Book mentions

• The Sun Trail
• Mapleshade's Vengeance *
• Pinestar's Choice *
• Goosefeather's Curse
• Crookedstar's Promise *
• Bluestar's Prophecy *
• Leopardstar's Honor *
• Onestar's Confession
• Spottedleaf's Heart
• Redtail's Debt *
• Into the Wild * (First appearance)
• The Prophecies Begin, volume 1 *
• Fire and Ice
• Forest of Secrets
• Rising Storm
• A Dangerous Path *
• The Darkest Hour
• Firestar's Quest
• Graystripe's Vow (Then)
• A Shadow in RiverClan * (Flashback only)
• Mothwing's Secret
• Midnight
• Moonrise
• Dawn
• Twilight (Mentioned only)
• Sunrise (Mentioned only)
• The Forgotten Warrior (Mentioned only)
• The Last Hope (Vision or Dream)
• River of Fire (Mentioned only)
• Graystripe's Vow (Now)
• Secrets of the Clans (Retconned)
• Cats of the Clans (Mentioned only)
• Code of the Clans *
• Battles of the Clans

* indicates a battle took place at Sunningrocks

Gallery

Map art

Sunningrocks on the original map

Sunningrocks on the original Twoleg view map

Sunningrocks on the reprinted map

Sunningrocks on the reprinted Twoleg view map

Sunningrocks in the river on the original Dawn of the Clans map

Sunningrocks in the river on the original Dawn of the Clans Twoleg map

Sunningrocks in the river on the reprinted Dawn of the Clans map

Sunningrocks in the river on the reprinted Dawn of the Clans Twoleg map

Official art

A battle at Sunningrocks in The Prophecies Begin, volume 1

Sunningrocks in The Prophecies Begin, volume 1

A battle at Sunningrocks in A Shadow in RiverClan

A battle at Sunningrocks in Code of the Clans

Trivia

Interesting facts

• In Into the Wild, Sunningrocks was referred with a "the" in front of it, similar to the Moonstone and the Moonpool. This was changed in Fire and Ice and has since been referred to as just Sunningrocks.

Mistakes

• Sunningrocks has been misspelled as Sunning-rocks.
• Redtail's Debt depicts Oakheart's death at Sunningrocks being caused by Redtail. However, one of the foundational aspects of The Prophecies Begin was that he did not die that way, and was instead confirmed to be killed by a rockfall.
• In Leopardstar's Honor, RiverClan challenges ThunderClan for Sunningrocks and Leopardfur specifically mentions this fight taking place after her skirmish with ThunderClan that resulted in Whitefang's and Sunfish's deaths. This fight is supposed to line up with the one in Into the Wild (and supposedly Redtail's Debt) where Oakheart and Redtail die. However, RiverClan already owned Sunningrocks by this time as they retook the pile of rocks in the prologue of Into the Wild. This is even mentioned in Redtail's Debt.

Continuity

The following information is from sources considered non-canon, retconned, or from adapted material.

• In Secrets of the Clans, a 2007 field guide, Sunningrocks is said to have been an island that only RiverClan cats could reach. It is also mentioned in the legend, "How LeopardClan Won the River" which tells the story of how LeopardClan got control of the river in the forest.

Quotes

"Remember what happened to Birchface and Flowerpaw? Those rocks belong to us, and we'll kill as many of your Clanmates as we need to until you give them up."

―Rainfall to Mapleshade ^{Mapleshade's Vengeance, chapter 1}

"Then [ThunderClan] are fools. But Sunningrocks has always made our Clans a little mouse-brained."

―Appledusk's one good opinion ^{Mapleshade's Vengeance, chapter 1}

Doestar: "For cats who swim, a river is no kind of boundary. Your battle for those rocks is not over yet."

Pinestar: "And lose more lives for the sake of warming our pelts on a heap of stones? I can't wait."

^{Pinestar's Choice, page 180}

Hailstar: "We saw ThunderClan at the Gathering. Leaf-bare has left them hungry, as usual. They look weak while we are strong. At sunset, we take back Sunningrocks!"

Owlfur: "How? Are we just going to move the markers again?"

^{Crookedstar's Promise, chapter 14}

Thistlepaw: "It would be a perfect day to be lying on Sunningrocks."

Adderfang: "I can't believe Pinestar hasn't done anything to take them back from those RiverClan fish-faces."

^{Bluestar's Prophecy, chapter 19}

«When will [Sunstar] take back Sunningrocks? Bluefur pressed her claws into the earth. She wanted to see the look on Oakheart's arrogant face as they drove those thieving fox-hearts back across the border.»

—Bluefur's thoughts about Sunningrocks ^{Bluestar's Prophecy, chapter 24}

Mudfur: "Too much blood has been shed already over these stones."

Swiftbreeze: "That sounds like a surrender."

^{Crookedstar's Promise, chapter 30}

"If you prefer a battle, then we'll fight, but are the rocks worth it? You have the river to fish in. Your paws are too big to reach far into the cracks of Sunningrocks; your pelts are too clearly marked to stalk prey there. It is no use for RiverClan's ways of hunting."

―Sunstar to several RiverClan cats ^{Crookedstar's Promise, page 410}

"We've been fighting over Sunningrocks for years, some cats say that the rocks were in the river once, so RiverClan thinks of them as theirs. I don't know about that—they've been on ThunderClan land as long as any cat in the Clans now can remember. But RiverClan won't admit they're ours."

―Sparrowpelt to Redpaw ^{Redtail's Debt, chapter 1}

"Oakheart! How dare you hunt in our territory? The Sunningrocks belong to ThunderClan!"

―Tigerclaw to Oakheart ^{Into the Wild, page 1}

Oakheart: "What are you doing here? This is our territory now."

Redtail: "Sunningrocks is ours. It's past time for this to be settled. Tell Crookedstar that ThunderClan isn't backing down. This has gone on long enough."

^{Redtail's Debt, chapter 8}

«Every cat knew that Sunningrocks belonged to RiverClan. It always had, and it was humiliating to have ThunderClan hunting and patrolling there as though they were the true owners. This was her chance to put things right. She could finally redress the balance that Crookedstar had refused to. And it would be easier now than ever before. Leopardstar's fur prickled with excitement. Perhaps StarClan had arranged for it to be so easy. They could be hoping that Sunningrocks would finally be returned to the right Clan. Surely, it would be foolish and ungrateful—mouse-brained, even—not to take advantage of the situation?»

—Leopardstar's thoughts about retaking Sunningrocks from ThunderClan after noticing Bluestar's weakness ^{Leopardstar's Honor, page 438}

"Sunningrocks has always belonged to RiverClan, even though we allowed ThunderClan to hunt here for a while. But ThunderClan stands in our debt after the help we gave you at the time of the fire. Today we claim that debt, Bluestar. We are taking Sunningrocks back."

―Leopardstar to Bluestar ^{A Dangerous Path, page 184}

"Sunningrocks was the safest place to hide, […] Sunningrocks is as far from the Twolegs and their tree-destroying monsters as we could get within out territory, and close to what little prey is left in the forest."

―Cinderpelt to Squirrelpaw ^{Dawn (book), page 43}

External links

• Marvellous Maps on the Warriors official website (Indirect mention only) (backup link)
• The Forest Map: ThunderClan on the Warriors official website (backup link)

See also

• ThunderClan's forest territory
• RiverClan's forest territory
• River Chell
• Battles