The Sisters

"Our ancestors were kittypets, as you call them. All the Sisters are descended from den-bound cats. Our first Mothers were one family."

— Moonlight to Squirrelflight on the Sisters' ancestry in Squirrelflight's Hope, page 82

The Sisters are a group of traveling cats.

Description

Snow: "Do you expect me to let a grown tom into our camp?"

Squirrelflight: "But Tree is your kin, isn't he?"

^{Squirrelflight's Hope}

The Sisters are descended from a single kittypet family, and as such, retain much of the physical appearances as their ancestors; notably having long, thick, and sleek fur, as well as being large and well-muscled. The Sisters are much larger and stronger than the average Clan cat. Creek, a kit by all standards, was able to hold off both Thornclaw and Cloverfoot, who were both fully grown adults and senior warriors, in separate fights on his own, and only by intervention from Crowfeather was Creek thrown off balance from Cloverfoot.

The Sisters appeal more to the she-cats of the group. The leader of the Sisters is always a she-cat, as none of the toms stay past kittenhood. The cats of the group tend to call the older she-cats "Mother" even if not biologically related; cats of similar age often call each other "Sister", or "Sisters", while the toms are simply referred to by name only. While there is a leader, some she-cats, such as Snow, Hawk, and Tempest tend to also take on a leadership role but are never outright called a leader, acting as a second in command of sorts. There does not appear to be an official ceremony for choosing a leader, as with Moonlight's death, both Snow and Tempest seem to have taken up the role, though not explicitly stated.

The Sisters have a dislike of toms, and more specifically ones not related to them. Notably, Bramblestar, Thornclaw and Tree are resented by Snow simply for being toms and the latter two also for holding a position of authority in the Clan. When the toms of the Sisters are around six moons, they are cast out from the group to "find their own path", as they believe the toms have a deep connection to the land and must wander and protect it, not tied to the Sisters. They decide specifically when a tom is ready by "The Claw Stars". A ceremony is held for the leaving toms at night. Toms that are cast out become loners, rogues, or kittypets. Members are also taught basic herb knowledge, according to Flurry, though are not as particularly skilled as a Clan's medicine cat.

Given that the toms are cast out, the Sisters likely take a local loner, rogue, or kittypet as a mate when they temporarily settle down, or possibly when they are journeying. It is not mandatory for a she-cat to stay with the Sisters when pregnant, or has kits, as Moonlight states that Tempest could have stayed with the father of Grass and Stone, but chose not to. The Sisters also help raise the kits alongside the mother.

All members of the Sisters and cats descended from them, can communicate with ghost cats. The exact reason for this is unknown. Moonlight explains that the ability is passed from mother to kit, though she also explicitly mentions that the ability pertains to all those descended from the Sisters. Tree, however, is able to bring ghost cats so all living cats can see them, which is a detail not mentioned by Moonlight. It is unknown if she just neglected the information, or if the power is rather specific to Tree himself. Seeing how Rootpaw, Tree's son and Moonlight's grandson, has the same abilities as them, it is likely that Moonlight simply did not mention it.

The Sisters believe their ancestors will guide them, similar to the Clans' beliefs of StarClan. The ancestors will follow the cats, regardless if they are a she-cat that stayed with the group or a tom that was cast out. When a member of the Sisters die, they go to the ghost residence, where they can communicate with their living kin and guide them.

Territory

The Sisters do not permanently occupy territory, rather, they settle down when a she-cat is ready to give birth, and move when the kits and queen are old enough before repeating the process.

History

In the Super Editions

Squirrelflight's Hope

"Do you think like a Clan cat too? Dividing land out like prey to be given to others. Have you forgotten that as a tom, you are protector of the land? You should wander it, not own it!"

―Moonlight to Tree about the roles of toms ^{Squirrelflight's Hope}

The Sisters are first encountered by Squirrelflight and Leafstar while they are scouting for a new territory for SkyClan. While being held hostage, Moonlight, the leader, explains their way of life and Squirrelflight sympathizes with Moonlight over their different lifestyles. Grass and Stone are sent away by the Sisters to parts unknown, and Squirrelflight wonders how the Sisters could possibly want to cast out the toms since she loves the toms in her life. A ThunderClan-SkyClan patrol goes to retrieve the two she-cats a day later, with Bramblestar livid that Squirrelflight went behind his back and isn't making running his Clan any easier. Tree briefly reunites with the Sisters, but condemns them, especially Moonlight, for abandoning him as a kit.

A patrol of the Sisters step into ShadowClan territory, where they are encountered by Strikestone and Stonewing. The two toms try to fight them off, but Strikestone is injured by Sunrise, to which Stonewing wounds Sunrise in retaliation before escaping with Strikestone. Sunrise's wound is too severe to be treated alone, so Snow decides to try and find ThunderClan so they can heal Sunrise. A ThunderClan patrol led by Squirrelflight encounters them on a patrol, and takes them back to camp for Leafpool to heal. ThunderClan is divided between helping an innocent cat or worsening the relations between the other four Clans. Bramblestar is livid that Squirrelflight has gone behind his back yet again, and put him in a position where he can't make an easy decision. Bramblestar orders Jayfeather and Alderheart to go to the Moonpool to seek StarClan's guidance, which angers Squirrelflight and the Sisters as Sunrise could die. Bramblestar remains firm in his order, and if Sunrise dies, then so be it. Leafpool convinces Bramblestar to at least let her try and prevent an infection from spreading, which Bramblestar reluctantly agrees to. Snow voices her dislike of both Bramblestar and Thornclaw for being toms, believing they shouldn't be in a position of authority, though Squirrelflight and Leafpool explain that Bramblestar is their leader and all ThunderClan cats need to follow and respect him.

Jayfeather and Alderheart return to ThunderClan and say they are able to treat Sunrise, but at the gathering, Tigerstar announces to the Clans of the rogue group that attacked Stonewing and Strikestone, revealing that Strikestone's ear has been permanently damaged by them and is livid over his nephew's injury. Mistystar and Harestar agree that they should be driven out so that the territory they occupy can be used for SkyClan. Leafstar says that she will not move her Clan until Moonlight gives birth, and Bramblestar agrees that they should wait it out and avoid a battle. Tigerstar, Mistystar, and Harestar disagree, noting that they captured Squirrelflight and Leafstar, and injured the latter as well. As the Gathering ends on a sour note, Bramblestar orders the Sisters out of ThunderClan's camp to avoid sparking more fights, and Squirrelflight helps the injured Sunrise leave with Tempest, Snow, and Hawk.

Tensions between the Clans eventually reach a breaking point as WindClan and ThunderClan make a secret alliance, much to the chagrin of RiverClan and ShadowClan, and a sickness infects ThunderClan which claims the life of Larksong, further putting stress on Bramblestar as Squirrelflight continually speaks to the Sisters and undermines him. Squirrelflight and Leafstar ask Tree to try to reason with Moonlight, as they are mother and son, and Tree agrees only reluctantly. Snow initially refuses to let Tree into the Sisters' camp because he is a full-grown tom, but eventually relents. Unfortunately, Tree's attempt to convince Moonlight to leave fails because of Moonlight's stubbornness and Tree's grudge against her.

Eventually, the Clans, minus SkyClan, go to war against the Sisters, but Squirrelflight and Leafpool get to the camp first and discover Moonlight is kitting. As the Clans arrive to drive out the Sisters, the rogues stand their ground and refuse to move, which instigates a battle, resulting in the death of Moonlight, Leafpool, and nearly Squirrelflight. When the battle is finished, SkyClan comes and offers the Sisters a spot in their territory until Moonlight's three kits are weaned. The Sisters readily accept, and the Clans go back to their own territory.

When Moonlight's kits Leaf, Squirrel, and Moon are a few days old, the Sisters leave SkyClan to continue traveling, but not before thanking SkyClan and Squirrelflight for all they've done for them and their lifestyle.

Members

Current members

• Snow
• Tempest
• Furze
• Creek
• Flurry
• Sparrow
• Hawk
• Sunrise
• Squirrel
• Leaf
• Moon
• Petal
• Ice
• Moonlight's unnamed kits

Former members

• Tree
• Grass
• Stone
• Moonlight
• Cloud
• Haze
• Stream
• Chestnut
• Snail
• Mud
• Spider
• Moonlight's unnamed sons
• Furze's Son

History of ranks

Leaders
Name Gained rank in... Left rank in... Cloud Before Tree's Roots Before Tree's Roots Moonlight Before Tree's Roots Squirrelflight's Hope

Trivia

• They appear to based on Amazonian culture.