The Ultimate Guide/ShadowClan

The Ultimate Guide
Chapter number:	ShadowClan (of 19)
Page numbers:	60-87
Point of View:	None
Chronology

Below contains in-depth information for the ShadowClan chapter of The Ultimate Guide. If you are looking for a shorter summary of the entire book, please check the main article.

Chapter description/Cats described

Below is a list of the ShadowClan cats mentioned in The Ultimate Guide along with the descriptions given on their pages in a summarized version.

Raggedstar

Raggedstar was born to Featherstorm of ShadowClan, but his father was unknown. As a kit, he was constantly taunted, for others thought his father was a kittypet. This made him want to prove himself more, and he grew up courageous and sharp-tongued, eventually leading to him becoming deputy. Raggedstar, then Raggedpelt, was respected by his Clanmates but wasn't particularly liked due to his prickly nature. Only Yellowpaw saw through to his soft side, and she insisted they find his real father, but when they did a search, they were greeted with hostility and denial. Raggedpelt's father was actually a Twolegplace rogue named Hal who had no interest in his son. Moons later, when the Twolegplace cats attacked ShadowClan, he was faced with his father once more, and this time, Raggedpelt killed him. When Yellowfang became a medicine cat, he was furious, as he couldn't understand why she would give up her future with him. She soon revealed she was expecting his kits, which overjoyed Raggedpelt. She also told him that the kits couldn't know who their real mother was, which then outraged him. The only kit who survived was a crooked-tailed, angry tom, who grew up to be Brokenstar. Raggedstar raised him to be fierce and to fight back against the teasing that came his way. After the death of Cloudpelt, he made his son deputy as soon as possible, but he soon realized he had made a terrible mistake. Raggedstar tried to tell Brokentail to train less fiercely, but, days later, the power-hungry tom killed his own father in a remote part of their territory, blaming it on WindClan.

Sagewhisker

Sagewhisker served under Cedarstar and Raggedstar, dying before cruel Brokenstar became leader. She had an amazing memory for herbs and listened to StarClan, but she was best at observing the cats around her. Sagewhisker realized that Yellowpaw, later Yellowfang, could feel the pain of other cats. The medicine cat encouraged the apprentice's interest in herbs in hopes that she would become a medicine cat apprentice. Yellowpaw seemed intent on becoming a warrior, earning the name Yellowfang. Sagewhisker's suspicions of the warrior's condition were confirmed after the battle with the Twolegplace cats, as she came back feeling her Clanmate's injuries. The medicine cat was patient with Yellowfang, who was still intent on being a warrior. Sagewhisker let her help with treating sickness and injury, never forcing her to give up her duties as a warrior. Eventually, Yellowfang joined her in the medicine den, and the medicine cat helped her find a way to block out the pain. Sagewhisker found out that shortly after Yellowfang became a full medicine cat, the gray cat was expecting Raggedstar's kits. She persuaded the queen to tell him, for the kits would need at least one parent in the Clan. Brokenkit was given to Lizardstripe as soon as he was born, and Sagewhisker kept Yellowfang out of the nursery. The old medicine cat died in her den while sorting herbs; she had fulfilled her duty to her very last breath.

Runningnose and Littlecloud

Runningnose was chosen by Yellowfang to train as a medicine cat. He was weaker than his littermates because it seemed he caught every passing sickness. But the tom was still cheerful and ready to learn. Yellowfang never taught him to cure his own cold, but he became a respected and skilled cat, loyal and patient as always. His life became much harder when Yellowfang was exiled and he was left in the grip of Brokenstar's bloodthirsty rule. He had to patch up tinier and tinier bodies as Brokenstar's obsessive mission to conquer the Clans continued. Even when Brokenstar was captured by ThunderClan, Runningnose had to carry the burden of knowing Nightstar was not granted nine lives by StarClan. Brokenstar had to lose his last life yet and StarClan believed that Nightstar was too old and frail to lead, and both him and Runningnose were left to lie to their Clan. Runningnose wondered how his path led him to hide a terrible secret from his Clanmates all the while trying to keep Nightstar strong enough to lead.

Brokenstar

Born in secret to medicine cat Yellowfang, but raised by an ambitious queen named Lizardstripe, who did not wish for another kit, Brokenstar walked a twisted path from the beginning. As soon as he opened his eyes, he was determined to prove to ShadowClan he was stronger, braver, and fiercer than any of them. Undoubtedly loyal to the warrior code and his Clan, Brokenstar quickly became deputy to his father and leader, Raggedstar. Soon after, he killed the leader, foreseeing himself at the head of ShadowClan, despite knowing where his father would end up: StarClan. Now a leader, Brokenstar unleashed violent attacks on WindClan, going as far to train kits to fight. Yellowfang became unable to bear this, and spoke out against him, resulting in her exile. Brokenstar continued his vicious reign, chasing WindClan out, before setting sights on ThunderClan and their territory. However, he was done in due to underestimating them, and overextending his power, and wound up blind and beaten, held prisoner by the cats he tried to destroy. Yellowfang cared for him, still keeping his birth mother a secret. When he started plotting with the deputy, Tigerclaw, and former warriors of his Clan, Yellowfang decided to stop him. Feeding him deathberries, Brokenstar died, learning who kitted him, and how he did that to himself. Now in the Dark Forest, he continued to rage upon the Clans, joining with Tigerstar once more to recruit warriors from around the lake, and appeared in the final battle. Yellowfang came down from StarClan, and broke Brokenstar's neck, sending him from the Clans forever.

Nightstar

Nightpelt was a well-respected warrior. Cedarstar gave him Brokenpaw as an apprentice, hoping to soften the apprentice's anger with Nightpelt's gentleness. Brokenpaw saw his mentor as weak and cowardly and instead sought training from Raggedpelt. When Brokentail became a warrior, Nightpelt retired to the elder's den, ready to live peacefully. Nightpelt volunteered to be ShadowClan's leader when Brokenstar was captured by ThunderClan. He traveled with Runningnose to the Moonstone, only to learn that StarClan refused to give him nine lives due to still seeing Brokenstar as the leader. Nightstar's greatest act of courage was to lie to his Clanmates and tell them StarClan had approved of him in order to protect them against Brokenstar. He tried to help his Clan into peace and recovery, but illness and old age caught up with him, and he died after a few seasons leading. Greencough took his one life, leaving his Clan to be taken over by Tigerstar.

Tigerstar

Tigerstar was born in ThunderClan to Leopardfoot and Pinestar. Soon after he was born, Pinestar left, seeking refuge in the life a kittypet. The shame of such betrayal stayed with Tigerstar for his life and beyond; his pelt burned with the need to prove his loyalty. Mentored by the cruel and ambitious Thistleclaw, Tigerpaw, whose warrior name was going to be Tigerclaw, wanted to be the greatest warrior his Clan could know. A skirmish with a stray kittypet, which he won with ease, left him fueled up with the need for victory. In a battle over Sunningrocks, Tigerclaw saw the chance to kill Redtail, the deputy, and blame it on RiverClan. Bluestar eventually made him deputy, as he he hoped, but soon, her sights turned onto a new comer in the ranks: Firepaw. A former kittypet, who joined ThunderClan, and he seemed to be stealing her attention and confidence, which Tigerclaw worked hard for. As Bluestar turned old and frail, he decided to speed up the process of becoming leader, and attempted to lure her to the Thunderpath. Instead, a young she-cat named Cinderpaw fell victim to this trap, turning Tigerclaw even more desperate. He sought out the aid from Brokentail, a prisoner of his Clan, and Brokentail's former allies to attack ThunderClan from the inside. Tigerclaw's plan failed, the attackers being driven away, and he was banished, leaving with his parting words swearing revenge. The former deputy found this by working his way into ShadowClan, aided by the rogues, and succeeded Nightstar, the old ShadowClan leader, who was failing to keep the sick Clan in place.

At once, Tigerstar began plotting against his former Clan, laying rabbits to lure dogs into their camp, then forming an alliance with Scourge and BloodClan. Forgotten now, Scourge was the small kittypet he'd hurt all those moons back, and when time came to attack the Clans, he turned on Tigerstar and killed him, taking all his nine lives with a single blow. Unfazed, Tigerstar found death as no obstacle, and walked in the dreams of his sons, Hawkfrost and Brambleclaw, training them and urging them to kill Firestar. Hawkfrost of RiverClan seemed ready to do anything, but Brambleclaw, on the other hand, realized his loyalties were with Firestar, so he killed his half-brother. This left Tigerstar undaunted, and he began walking in the dreams of more and more Clan cats, raising an army of restless, discontented, or battle-hungry warriors, and finally lead an onslaught of dead and alive cats to attack the Clans. Tigerstar struck Firestar fatally, taking the ThunderClan leader's final blow, but died from a blow his enemy landed, putting him beyond influence, and a warrior's darkest dreams for good.

Blackstar

Blackstar had the difficult task of taking over after Tigerstar’s death. ShadowClan was left in ruins, awash in blood of its own warriors, and haunted by the mistake of bringing BloodClan into the forest. He took a loyal, dogged, and almost unnoticeable path when restoring his Clan to strength, and had faith in the virtues at the heart of ShadowClan, and the courage and loyalty coursing through every one of his warriors. He acknowledged his role by bringing death to the forest, but refused to apologize on behalf of the cats who didn't walk in his Clan anymore. Instead, Blackstar looked for the future, spoke calmly at Gatherings, without challenge, and let Tawnypelt, a ThunderClan born cat, but now ShadowClan, go on the journey for their new home. Now settled into their pine forest home beside the lake, Blackstar became disillusioned with the troubles: Twolegs, kittypets, and scarce prey, which is what he hoped to escape journeying from the forest. When Littlecloud, his trusted medicine cat, didn't seem to get reassurance from their ancestors, he started to question living at the lake. Then, after a violent battle between all four Clans broke out, a rogue named Sol arrived, offering a new way of life. The rogue told Blackstar each cat is more powerful than StarClan, since they can create their own destinies. Since Sol predicted an eclipse, it convinced him to believe the strange cat, and changed his name to Blackfoot, ceased apprentice training, and forbid Littlecloud from attending the half-moon Gathering with other medicine cats. Out of desperation, Dawnpaw, and Tigerpaw, two ShadowClan apprentices, schemed with ThunderClan cats, Jaypaw, Hollyleaf, and Lionblaze, to create a fake sign and make Blackfoot believe in StarClan once more. Blackfoot arrived, and Jaypaw pretended to be a StarClan spirit, telling him of a dire warning of what can happen to his Clan. At the last moment, two real StarClan cats appeared, Runningnose, and Raggedstar, and Blackstar regained his leadership position, banishing Sol, and his faith came back. He led his Clan into the battle against the Dark Forest, and survived. One of the oldest leaders, Blackstar was proud of his warriors' fighting skills and fearsome reputation. He was ready to lay down each of his lives to defend the warrior code.

Russetfur

Russetfur was born in Twolegplace by some strays, and given the name Red. She went with Boulder, another lone cat, to ShadowClan after seeing their proud lifestyle, keeping cats in line. Cedarstar changed her name to Russetpaw, and she worked hard, becoming one of the best apprentices, and quickly gained respect from her Clanmates, along with her warrior name, Russetfur. During an attack, her father, a kittypet named Hal, was killed by Raggedpelt, and she was reasonably devastated. Despite this, she never knew Raggedpelt was also Hal's son, thus making her related to him. Russetfur dedicated her life to serving ShadowClan, and was rewarded for her efforts when Blackstar made her deputy. She had a reputation among the other Clans for her sharp tongue, and short temper. Russetfur had played a vital role establishing her Clan's new territory at the lake, taking on the troublesome kittypets that lived near her new home. Even as she grew older, she remained the deputy, keeping younger warriors in line with her brisk words and high expectations. Eventually, Russetfur lost her life, killed by Lionblaze in a battle between ShadowClan and ThunderClan, and there were suggestions she shouldn't have been allowed in the chaos. It was the death she'd have chosen for herself though, bravely, and fighting on behalf of her beloved ShadowClan.

Boulder

The ShadowClan tom Boulder was born and raised in Twolegplace. His first encounter with forest cats was when Yellowpaw, a ShadowClan apprentice, and Raggedpelt, a ShadowClan warrior, came to his home, looking for Raggedpelt's father. Even then, Boulder was full of curiosity for the Clan cats, describing them as mysterious and wild. Later, he took part in a battle against the Clan with the other strays, for they caught them stealing prey. The forest warriors emerged victoriously, but Boulder was felt nothing but admiration for the way ShadowClan fought, for the cats could've killed him and his companions, but did not. He grew intrigued of their fierce battle skills, the warrior code, honor, and dignity. With another Twolegplace rogue, Red, Boulder traveled to the forest, requesting to join the wild cats, and their leader, Cedarstar, agreed. He received Mousewing as a mentor, but decided to keep his name, which was seen as a challenge by many, but only due to his attachment to the name Boulder. The newly made apprentice trained hard, and his origins were soon forgotten by his Clanmates, and proved himself to be courageous and skillful. When Tigerstar arrived in ShadowClan, Boulder was an outspoken supporter, seeing worth in the former ThunderClan deputy, all the while hoping he could restore his beloved Clan to its old glory. When Tigerstar announced he planned to take over the forest, it was Boulder who spoke up about the Twolegplace cats, and took his new leader to talk with Scourge, the small leader of the alley cats. However, Boulder was too trusting, and when Scourge came, he killed Tigerstar, then waged war upon the four Clans. Desperate to make amends for that, Boulder fought fiercely, strong as a horde of badgers, and helped defeat the BloodClan cats. He never mentioned his old roots from then on, and died a loyal ShadowClan cat in the elders' den, beside the lake.

Tawnypelt

Born in ThunderClan to Goldenflower and Tigerstar, Tawnypaw was Brambleclaw's littermate, and a bright and confident apprentice, but had a quick temper that usually led her into arguments with her Clanmates. She was horrified to learn why her father was exiled, which happened when she was in the nursery, and insisted her loyalty lay with ThunderClan and her Clanmates. She ignored Tigerstar's requests to join him once he became leader of ShadowClan, but when he allied his Clan with RiverClan, more cats became judgmental. Her breaking point came when Smallear compared her to her murderous father, saying he never liked cleaning out the elders' den, Tawnypaw left ThunderClan, and settled in ShadowClan. Even after her father's death, she stayed, earning a warrior name, Tawnypelt, and Blackstar's trust. Tawnypelt went off to find the Clans' new home, being the representative for ShadowClan, and her courage and willingness made the group bond quickly. She was less hasty to dismiss Crowfeather because of his temper, even encouraging Feathertail to see past the WindClan warrior's shyness and look beyond. Feathertail died saving Crowfeather from Sharptooth, and it is said that perhaps Tawnypelt doesn't regret getting them close. Tawnypelt was visited by Tigerstar during dreams, and, like her brother, refused to get secret training from him, knowing it wouldn't have helped her achieve peace, security, and loyalty to one Clan. Instead, she found that in Rowanclaw, and she eventually gave birth to his kits, Tigerheart, Dawnpelt, and Flametail. Tawnypelt proved that being loyal doesn't mean treating others as enemies, and stayed fair to ThunderClan and Brambleclaw, raising her kits to be the same. While her brother never seemed to escape their father's lingering reputation, Tawnypelt lived free of Tigerstar, independent and finding a sense of purpose Tigerstar himself would've been proud of.

Flametail

Flametail was born to Rowanclaw and Tawnypelt, and littermate to Dawnpelt and Tigerheart. When he was an apprentice, Flamepaw was not given a mentor, due to Blackstar losing faith in StarClan and ceasing all training of the younger cats. A rogue named Sol had encouraged this, since he was the same cat who predicted the eclipse. Tawnypelt didn't wish for her kits to grow up like that, and sought refuge in her birth Clan, ThunderClan. Flamepaw was particularly mad, since he wanted to become Littlecloud's apprentice, and was close to achieving this. But all the same, he and his brother and sister were excited to meet Jaypaw, Hollyleaf, and Lionblaze, who were kin since Brambleclaw, their father, is Tawnypelt's brother. When Jaypaw came up with the idea to fake a sign from StarClan, Flamepaw was keen to help him, and when Blackstar became trapped under tree roots, he was rewarded by seeing Raggedstar and Runningnose. The encounter sealed his faith in his ancestors, and Flamepaw became Littlecloud's apprentice. Despite being faced with lots of responsibility when his mentor fell ill, Flametail persevered, treating his Clanmates after a ThunderClan-ShadowClan battle. While visiting the Moonpool, the young medicine cat was warned by Raggedstar of a time of war, and ShadowClan must stand alone. Littlecloud disagreed, but was stuck in the elders’ den due to sickness, which gave Flametail the opportunity to convince Blackstar to cut off communication with the other Clans. As well as that dire prophecy, Flametail began experiencing horrible nightmares, of him falling through ice and drowning. Even slipping in puddles triggered these visions, and he chose to interpret it as more trouble coming for ShadowClan. Seeing as he was exhausted and haunted by those visions, Clanmates Dawnpelt and Olivenose got him to come out onto some ice and play. The ice broke beneath Flametail, sending him into the living version of the visions, where he drowned and was confined to a watery grave. He was aware of Jayfeather, struggling to get him above the water, but with a hairless cat nudging the ThunderClan tom away and to the surface, where they left Flametail to drown. Flametail was forced to watch his Clanmates fight the Dark Forest from StarClan.