Thundersnake

"We need to get inside. [...] There's an entrance along here."

— Tigerheart in Tigerheart's Shadow, page 304

Thundersnake is a term that cats use for trains. Thundersnakes can only stay on given paths, or Silverpaths, as referred to by cats. The term Thundersnake is usually only used by cats who don't live in the city. Thundersnakes are primarily used for the transportation of Twolegs, but can also transport other items.

Description

Thundersnakes move very fast. They are composed of several big monsters, all linked to one monster, that is known to growl often and make a lot of noise. When inside tunnels, a light on the front of the monster activates, lighting up the tunnel. Thundersnakes can only stay on tracks, and never leave them. Thundersnakes used for Twoleg transportation frequently stop at Twoleg dens called "stations". There, gaps open on the side of the Thundersnake open, and Twolegs rush in and out of the carriage.

Thundersnakes travel along the Silverpath, which runs through stations to make stops at to unload twolegs and pick them up. Twolegs wait at the stations for the Thundersnake to arrive to carry them to their destination, but some other cats also inhabit the areas, such as rotpile cats like Mae or Scrap.

Location

Thundersnakes run through tunnels along Silverpaths, or in open land, and cannot leave the track. It stretches far from near the lake to the city.

Appearances

In the Super Editions

Tigerheart's Shadow

When Ajax and Tigerheart are seen by a Thundersnake, Ajax nudges Tigerheart and tells him to jump on before it closes and that it will lead to the Twolegplace. Tigerheart blinks and says he's never going into the belly of a Thundersnake, but Ajax argues its okay, and he's been in one before. The kittypet then explains that inside a Thundersnake is loud and smelly and full of Twolegs, and that his Housefolk carried him in a cage, and he jokes that he survived. At this, Tigerheart meows he will walk instead.

Later on, Tigerheart meets Dash, who hangs around the station where the Thundersnake makes brief stops. After he helps battle the rotpile cats of Dash's behalf, he continues with his journey to find Dovewing along the Silverpath. Moons later, when their kits are born, Dovewing, Tigerheart, and their kits travel by Thundersnake part of the way back to the lake, where the kits had to be carried for the majority of the journey, accompanied by a few guardian cats. During this time Lightkit is almost hit by a Thundersnake whilst fooling around on the Silverpath. After this experience, Spire suggests that the group should travel on foot away from the tracks.

See Also

• Twoleg
• Silverpath