Not that we’re cowards, mind you. Every ShadowClan cat, down to the tiniest kit, will fight to the death to defend our territory and our pride. We’re the fiercest Clan in the forest, no matter what any other cat might say.
I wasn’t born a ShadowClan cat—but I’m very glad I’m here now. I like being ferocious, and I like hunting in the dark. You won’t find me lolling around in the sun like those RiverClan cats or crashing through the forest making as much noise as a ThunderClan cat.
But we can have fun too. Smokepaw and I like to climb trees near the lake and watch the Twolegs on the water. Their boats look like swan wings. The Twolegs make a lot of noise and splashing, and sometimes the boats tip over and they fall in!
Then they get back up and fluff out their wings to try again.
You’ve never seen anything so funny. I would never set paw on a boat—leave that to the RiverClan cats!
Anyway, slip on through these bramble bushes and you can see the camp. Like in the old camp, there is a clear progression of dens from one side to the other: nursery first, then the apprentices’ den, then the warriors, the leader, and the elders at the end of the circle. That puts the kits and elders closest to the lowest-hanging branches and leaves the warriors facing the entrance, in case of trouble.
The medicine cat’s den is in that far corner, beyond the leader’s den. Littlecloud found a place where the branches aren’t so bunched together—he needs to see the sky so he can read the signs from our warrior ancestors.
Blackstar makes his announcements from the branch that hangs over his den. You should see him swarm up that tree when he’s angry!
So that’s our camp. I’d let you poke your nose into the dens, but ShadowClan cats aren’t friendly to strangers. Even though Blackstar said it would be okay, I think you should keep your stay as short as possible. And if I were you, I wouldn’t linger on ShadowClan territory. Head this way, cross a stream, and you’ll hit ThunderClan’s part of the forest. You’ll be perfectly safe there. They take in strays all the time, those softhearted geese.
Bye now!
Significant Leaders
Black she-cat with green eyes and thick fur.
A strategist, ferociously independent
(even untrusting of Clanmates), bold in battle.
Founder of ShadowClan—worked with Thunder, Wind, and River to develop warrior code (she spent the rest of her life complaining about it).
First of founding leaders to die—losing ninth life in battle she started with other Clans.
Deputies: Unknown
Apprentices: Unknown
Large dark brown tabby. Fur ragged and patchy from fighting as a kit.
Proud and cunning—failed to see his son Brokentail’s bloodthirsty nature until too late.
Defeated rats in violent battle near Carrionplace that kept them from bothering ShadowClan for many moons.
Deputies: Foxheart, Cloudpelt, Brokentail (later Brokenstar) Apprentices: Clawpaw (Clawface), Brokenpaw (Brokentail)
Long-haired dark brown tabby with torn ears and a broad, flat face. Tail bent in middle like broken branch.
Cold, ambitious, heartless, murderous, and cruel.
Killed own father, Raggedstar.
Weakened Clan by focusing its energies on war, apprenticing kits too early, and forcing Clan to eat crow-food instead of prey.
Blinded and killed by own mother, Yellowfang.
Deputy: Blackfoot (later Blackstar)
Apprentices: Mosspaw, Volepaw (both died mysteriously before becoming warriors)
Elderly black tom.
Brave but frail.
Took over leadership when Brokenstar was driven into exile.
Struggled to rebuild broken Clan—StarClan did not grant him the nine lives of a leader.
Died from sickness from Carrionplace shortly after his deputy died, leaving Clan target for Tigerstar’s ambitions.
Deputy: Cinderfur
Apprentice: Dawnpaw (Dawncloud)
Large dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes and long front claws.
Ambitious, crafty, charismatic, and brilliant fighter.
Exiled by Bluestar after attempt on her life.
After period in exile, gained leadership of ShadowClan—rebuilding it with exceptional efficiency.
Allied ShadowClan with RiverClan to make TigerClan.
Brought BloodClan into forest at cost of many cats’ lives.
Killed by Blood, the leader of BloodClan.
Deputy: Blackfoot (later Blackstar)
Apprentice: Ravenpaw (while in ThunderClan)
Large white tom with huge jet-black paws.
Arrogant and defensive. Tigerclaw brought him back to ShadowClan from exile—he still feels a hint of gratitude and loyalty toward the dangerous tabby.
Led Clan away from Twoleg devastation in the forest to new lake home.
Deputy: Russetfur
Apprentice: Tallpaw (Tallpoppy)
Significant Medicine Cats
Dark gray tabby tom.
Selfless, caring, desperate to help his Clanmates with any problem.
Weakened himself by working tirelessly.
Realized that rats at Carrionplace were a source of infection.
(Unfortunately he died from a rat-borne infection.) (See Beyond the Territories, How the Moonstone Was Discovered.)
(See ThunderClan Medicine Cats, Yellowfang.)
Small gray-and-white tom with perpetual sniffle.
Nervous and quiet. Lived long enough to retire and become an elder.
Apprentice: Littlecloud
Undersize brown tabby tom with light blue eyes.
Compassionate and devoted to his calling.
Close friends with ThunderClan medicine cat Cinderpelt ever since she saved his life.
As a warrior, sought help from ThunderClan during time of terrible disease. Returned with remedy that saved ShadowClan.
As soon as I found out I was going to have kits, I knew it was a punishment from StarClan. Medicine cats are not supposed to fall in love. My relationship with Raggedstar was wrong in every way, and I knew it.
But I never expected all of ShadowClan would be punished for my mistakes.
I kept my secret well. No cat knew that their medicine cat was carrying kits, although of course I told Raggedstar. He was so pleased…
That should have frightened me even more. The arrogance of thinking we could do whatever we wanted, without consequences…
It was a hard birth, a horrible birth. That was an omen too. I snuck out of camp that morning, knowing my kits were coming. I found a hollow in a dead tree, filled with damp leaves. There was a smell of toadstools and something rotting, but I didn’t have the strength to drag myself any farther. And I hoped the stench would hide my scent while I gave birth, alone in the woods. I didn’t want any ShadowClan cats to find me, not even Raggedstar. I just wanted it to be over.