Warrior Cats RiverClan / Characters

"This is a Clan unlike any other—a Clan with all the strength, brilliance, and beauty of water. Welcome to RiverClan. I am Leopardstar, the leader here. Can you hear the river? In its flowing current you can see what makes us the greatest Clan in the forest. Nothing can stand against the forces of water, just like nothing can defeat RiverClan warriors when we rise up together. But when trouble comes, RiverClan knows how to weave through the dangers, adapting to the changed world just as the river flows around rocks and over waterfalls. We are grace. We are power. We are RiverClan."

—Leopardstar on RiverClan, Secrets of the Clans

Clan Facts
Leader: Splashtail
Deputy: Berryheart
Medicine Cats: Podlight
Hunting Territory: The lake and streams
Camp: Overgrown island in a stream
Unique Battle Skill: Water combat

Unlike other Clans of Warrior Cats, RiverClan cats love water. These cats live by the water, and fight with all its ferocity. But also like water, RiverClan cats are willing to change their flow to suit their needs. Although known to have contained many heroes and villains, RiverClan is generally renowned for its skilled strategists. If their unique battle skills don't defeat the other Clans, their intelligence will.

Beware of unmarked spoilers!

Note: Please add character tropes exclusive to Dawn of the Clans to the Dawn of the Clans character page, not here.

open/close all folders

General Clan Tropes

Aloof Ally: In a crisis situation, RiverClan's first priority is the safety and well-being of their own cats. Even in peacetime, they sometimes ignore the problems of other Clans — examples include Riverstar being described as uninterested in other Clans' troubles (to the point that he would skip Gatherings if he could) and a medicine cat named Graywing preventing one of her warriors from saving drowning WindClan kits. However, they will help other Clans on occasion without being asked, such as when they offered ThunderClan shelter from the fire in Rising Storm.
Arch-Enemy: They have the worst relationship with Twolegs, who routinely poison their river with garbage, drive away the fish with their loud antics, and even steal RiverClan cats to keep them as kittypets.
Badass Creed: Battles of the Clans gave us:
"RiverClan fish! RiverClan swim! RiverClan warriors use water to win!"
The Beautiful Elite: RiverClan cats are noted to be very beautiful, with sleek and glossy pelts. Unfortunately, this trait also makes them vulnerable to being stolen by Twolegs who want to keep them as kittypets. Rock comments that "a less than perfect cat is not welcome in RiverClan".
Big Damn Heroes:
- In Forest of Secrets, when Tigerclaw leads Brokentail's rogues to attack the ThunderClan camp, a RiverClan patrol - who had been on their way there to discuss Graystripe's kits - arrive and help fight them off.
- In Rising Storm, a RiverClan patrol shows up to save Fireheart and his patrol from Tigerclaw's rogues.
Break the Haughty: They sometimes suffer from this. In Fire and Ice, they were on the verge of starving due to Twolegs poisoning the fish, and Crookedstar was forced to accept help from Fireheart and Graystripe to ensure his Clan would survive until the river was clean again.
Cats Hate Water: Inverted. They are the Clan most notable for marking the river as their territory and swimming in it to catch fish.
Crippling Overspecialization: In the forest, the river in their territory is the easiest source of prey, but this also means they go hungry when something prevents them from taking prey from the river, such as newleaf floods, the water freezing over, or Twolegs poisoning the fish.
Dark Secret: Many RiverClan cats have been stolen by Twolegs to be kept as kittypets because of their beautiful pelts. RiverClan has never told any other Clan about this, because very few of the stolen cats ever returned.
Does Not Like Spam: Mistystar's Omen reveals that they generally avoid mammalian prey like mice, squirrels, and rats, only eating it when they're desperate.
Forever War: In the original series, RiverClan and ThunderClan constantly fought over the rights to Sunningrocks. The argument only ended when the Clans were driven out of the forest territories.
From Stray to Pet: It's mentioned that RiverClan cats are so pretty that humans often "steal" them to keep as pets.
A Handful for an Eye: One of their techniques is temporarily blinding a foe with water.
Informed Attractiveness: RiverClan is a clan full of gorgeous cats. They're so pretty that it's stated humans often "steal" them as their pets.
Island Base: Their camp in the old forest is located on an island. Also, in Dark River, they are temporarily forced to shelter on the Gathering Island while they deal with Twolegs attacking their camp.
Mighty Glacier: Like with ThunderClan, RiverClan cats are described as being large and powerful, but slow.
Signature Scent: RiverClan cats always smell like the fish they eat. Sometimes other Clans call them "fish-breath" or "fish-faces".
Silk Hiding Steel: Leopardstar describes her Clan as graceful yet powerful.
Smug Snake: They sometimes act superior to the other Clans, thanks to their easy source of prey and beautiful pelts.
Rock: When [Crookedstar] was a kit, RiverClan won back the rights to Sunningrocks, and the cats used to swim across the river and stretch out whenever the sky was clear, just to taunt their ThunderClan rivals.
Succession Crisis: This happens to RiverClan in River after their leader, deputy, and then the next cat chosen by StarClan all die.
Theme Naming: Many RiverClan cats have names related to water.
- Forms of water in nature: Graypool, Lakeshine, Rippleclaw, Rainflower, Stormfur, Rainstorm, Mistyfoot, Silverstream, Echomist.
- Aquatic plants: Lilystem, Reedwhisker, Rushtail.
- Aquatic animals: Piketooth, Troutstream, Ottersplash, Voleclaw, Eeltail, Frogleap, Duckpaw.
Trademark Favorite Food: They live almost entirely on fish, which they catch from the river or lake.

Leaders and Deputies

River

"They must see that peace and sharing and honor are good for the group, and that what's good for the group is good for the individual. We find trust in trusting, and learn kindness by being kind."

The legendary founder of RiverClan. Also see his entry under River Ripple in Characters.Warrior Cats Dawn Of The Clans.

Brilliant, but Lazy: He was a genius leader, but he didn't care about the other Clans and skipped Gatherings if he thought he could get away with it.
The Cameo: He appears in the prologue of Long Shadows.
Founder of the Kingdom: He started RiverClan.
Jerk with a Heart of Gold: He was extremely apathetic towards the other Clans, even skipping Gatherings, but he was generous and warm-hearted towards RiverClan.
Leader Wannabe: Like the other founding leaders, he tried claiming that he should rule the entire forest.
The Mentor: He developed the mentor-apprentice system. However, it is unknown if he actually had an apprentice.
Undying Loyalty: To his Clan.

Dovestar

An early leader of RiverClan best known for making a failed proposed addition to the warrior code.

Ambiguous Gender: Their gender is unrevealed.
The Fundamentalist: They attempted to add a law to the warrior code that would force every Clan cat to acknowledge the existence and power of StarClan.
The Leader: Of RiverClan during an unknown period.

Birchstar

The leader of RiverClan when SkyClan was driven out.

The Chains of Commanding: She wanted to help SkyClan the most, but she was too afraid of leading her own Clan to ruin if she helped.
The Leader: Of RiverClan some 20 years before Into the Wild.
Must Make Amends: She apologizes to Cloudstar in the afterlife and gives the new leader of the restored SkyClan one of her nine lives.

Hailstar (Hailstep)

"When you feel doubt, let your heart lead you forward, not back."

Crookedstar's predecessor as leader of RiverClan. He's laid back and doesn't care much for tradition. Plays an important role in Crookedstar's Promise.

Extreme Doormat: While reasonably firm when dealing with other Clans, he's a complete pushover in his own. Rainflower makes several cruel demands of him (changing Stormkit's name, choosing Shellheart as Oakpaw's mentor), and he obliges her every time. He also just rolls over and aquiesces to Leopardkit's demand to be made an apprentice several moons early, which isn't just him letting a kit tell him what to do, it's a direct violation of the warrior code as well.
The Leader: Leads RiverClan in Crookedstar's Promise.
The Mentor: To Blackclaw.
Number Two: He was deputy to Volestar.
Villainous Rescue: In the "Hunting Fish!" short story he saves Dappletail and White-eye, even though they were from another Clan.

Shellheart

"Together we can rebuild anything. Except Clan cats who have drowned trying to rescue bits of wood."

Crookedstar's father. He was the deputy of RiverClan until after Rainflower dies.

Action Dad: He defends Crookedkit from his own mate. When she coldly tells him she blames her son for what happened to him, Shellheart is quick to defend him and breaks up with her. And when Rainflower tells Oakheart that Crookedstar would never be as good as him, Shellheart defends him with this:
Shellheart: Can't you keep your thoughts to yourself, just once?
Gender Bender: Was often called a she-cat in Bluestar's Prophecy.
Good Parents: Unlike Rainflower, Shellheart comforts Crookedstar when his jaw breaks and loves both his sons instead of favoring one over the other.
The Mentor: To Oakheart.
Nice Guy: He was generally very kind and cared about his Clanmates.
Number Two: He was the deputy of RiverClan.
Papa Wolf: When Rainflower decides to change Stormkit's name to Crookedkit (while showing no sympathy towards his injury), Shellheart is quick to defend him. He even breaks up with her before Stormkit says to stop fighting because of him. His dad replies by saying that it was Rainflower's own fault, not his.

Crookedstar (Crookedjaw/Stormkit)

"I'm sorry I can't make you proud of me. But I haven't finished yet. I'll do everything I can to make you glad I'm your son. You'll never make me ashamed of who I am or what I look like."

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/6db8c9891ff8f20e7fe0f32e7c0b5263.jpg

"No Mapleshade, it is you who has lost. I still have the Clan that I cherish. You have nothing and no one."

The leader of RiverClan at the beginning of the series. He broke his jaw on the stepping stones between ThunderClan and RiverClan territory as a kit. This, combined with the fact that he sneaked off the Moonstone and stayed in the barn near WindClan territory for a moon, delayed his apprenticeship by four moons. He trained in the Dark Forest with Mapleshade, making a promise to put his Clan above everything. However, thanks to this promise, Mapleshade caused the deaths of most of his family. He is regarded as one of the greatest leaders the Forest had ever seen.

Abusive Parents: Has been on both sides of this trope.
- Ignored his daughter Silverkit after the death of his mate and other daughters, until his brother Oakheart called him out on it.
- His own mother was quite abusive.
Adaptational Attractiveness: He lacks a crooked jaw on the cover of Crookedstar's Promise, though he had it in an early version of the cover.
Almost Dead Guy: With his dying breaths, Crookedstar advises Leopardfur that the Clans need to look out for each other, and warns her to watch out for Tigerstar.
The Apprentice: To Cedarpelt.
Attractiveness Discrimination: Mainly at the paws of Rainflower, his own mother. When Stormkit is first injured, she's more concerned about what happened to his face rather than his overall wellbeing. Continuously from there, Rainflower shames him for not being her "handsome" son anymore.
Berserk Button: Do not tell him he's like Rainflower.
Birth-Death Juxtaposition: A warrior named Duskwater drowned during the storm that he and his brother were born in. During his leader's ceremony, she gives him the gift of a mother's love.
Born During a Storm: He was originally named Stormkit, as he and his brother Oakheart (born Oakkit) were born as the RiverClan was fleeing a flood during a storm. Their mother took shelter in an oak to give birth to them.
Breakout Character: In the Ultimate Leader Election in late 2008, it was he who made it far enough to go up against Firestar at the end. He lost, which is understandable considering that Firestar's the main character that introduced us to the series, but Vicky said in the next Authortracker that even though she expected Firestar to win, she was surprised that out of all the leaders in the running, Crookedstar would be the one to make it so far. Perhaps this is why she decided to have a Super Edition from his point of view. Not bad for a minor character that died in book 5.
Break the Cutie: When he was a kit named Stormkit, he was in an accident that resulted in his jaw becoming crooked. Shortly afterward, his mother starts hating him and changes his name to Crookedkit, which later becomes Crookedjaw when he becomes a warrior. He makes a promise to a cat from the Dark Forest that he will always remain loyal to RiverClan, and as a result, slowly everyone he cares about is killed off, including his parents, his brother, his mate, and eventually all three of his daughters.
Broken Pedestal: In Crookedstar's Promise, he held Mapleshade in high regard until he found out how evil she was.
Calling the Old Man Out: At his warrior ceremony, Crookedstar finally calls his mother out on her neglect and promises to make her proud of him.
Chocolate Baby: He and his brother are both brown cats (reddish-brown in Oakheart's case) with two gray-furred parents.
Dark and Troubled Past: He sustained a disfiguring injury as a kit. Because his shallow mother couldn't stand having such an ugly kit, she neglected him, favored his brother, and renamed him Crookedkit for his injury. As he grew up, many of the cats he was close to died.
A Day in the Limelight: Got his own spinoff, Crookedstar's Promise.
Despair Event Horizon: In Crookedstar's Promise, he starts slipping into this after Willowbreeze dies. Oakheart and Silverstream save him just in time.
Enthusiastic Newbie Teacher: In Crookedstar's Promise, he becomes a mentor shortly after becoming a warrior. His new apprentice is excited to have someone so young and cool as a mentor.
Foil: To Leopardstar, his deputy and successor. She is a hot-headed, rash and hostile leader, while he is more calm and reasonable.
Forgiveness: Word of God is that he and Rainflower made up in the afterlife.
Happily Married: To Willowbreeze.
I Got Bigger: The accident that broke his jaw stunted his growth as a kit, but he soon ballooned in size as he got older and stronger, surprising everyone who saw him in his sickly state and assumed he'd have trouble growing beyond it.
Innocent Inaccurate: As a kit, he sees two warriors in the midst of a forbidden relationship, but assumes that they are on a secret mission.
I Want Grandkids: As soon as his daughter Silverstream's kits were born, he sent his warriors to bring them home to RiverClan, wanting to have his kin in his own Clan.
Killed Offscreen: He dies of illness in the middle A Dangerous Path.
- His death was shown in the manga of Crookedstar's Promise.
Know When to Fold 'Em: In Into the Wild, he agrees to Brokenstar's demands and grants ShadowClan hunting rights to part of RiverClan territory, preferring to swallow his pride rather than risk his warriors being killed or his Clan being driven into exile, as WindClan was.
The Leader: Of RiverClan.
Like Father, Like Son: He becomes deputy like his father was before him.
Lonely at the Top: As a leader, he has lost basically every cat he loved: parents, brother, kits, and mate. Most of these were due to Mapleshade's intentional invoking of this trope.
Meaningful Name: Originally named for the storm he was born in, but then Rainflower cruelly decides to rename him in reference to his injury.
Meaningful Rename: Invoked by Rainflower, who convinces Hailstar to rename Stormkit to Crookedkit after his accident.
The Mentor: To Sedgecreek.
Momma's Boy: In a Parental Substitute sense towards Brambleberry, who looked after him when after he was rejected by his mother Rainflower. According to Secrets of the Clans, he would do anything she asked.
Named After the Injury: Upon breaking his jaw while playing on the stepping stones as a kit, he ends up being renamed from Stormkit to Crookedkit.
Outliving One's Offspring: Outlives all three of his daughters. Minnowkit and Willowkit die of illness, and their sister Silverstream dies in childbirth.
Playing Possum: He does this to Fleck when they first meet in Crookedstar's Promise.
The Promise: Promises as a kit that he'll always be loyal to RiverClan. He doesn't realize how much this promise will mess his life up.
Reasonable Authority Figure: Crookedstar is probably the most rational and level-headed leader in the original series, aside from Bluestar.
- In Into the Wild, when Brokenstar is threatening the other Clans, he does probably the most reasonable thing he can do at the time and allows ShadowClan to hunt on part of RiverClan territory, a compromise that won't get any of his warriors killed or his Clan driven into exile.
- In Fire and Ice, with a little prompting from Graypool, he swallows his pride and accepts help from Fireheart and Graystripe to feed his Clan when the river is flooding.
- In Forest of Secrets, he's the only Clan leader that doesn't get angry at Bluestar when he finds out that her Clan is sheltering a blinded Brokentail, and calmly asks her to explain why she did what she did, instead of getting enraged and instantly declaring war on ThunderClan. Fireheart notes that this is probably because Brokenstar's actions did the least amount of harm to RiverClan, out of all the other Clans.
  - In the same book, when his daughter's kits are born in ThunderClan, he asks that they be brought to RiverClan, but agrees to wait until they're old enough to safely cross the river.
- In Rising Storm, he lets ThunderClan shelter in RiverClan's camp when they are fleeing the fire.
The Runaway: He runs away from RiverClan after Rainflower neglects him.
Secret Secret-Keeper: When Mistyfoot and Stonefur were brought to RiverClan as kits, he could tell they were from ThunderClan, but pretended he had no idea where they were from. He knew that keeping them would provide two more strong warriors for his Clan and make Bluestar more hesitant to attack RiverClan, knowing her children were in it.
Series Continuity Error: In Cats of the Clans, Rock says that Crookedkit and his littermates were playing too roughly on the rocks when he fell and broke his jaw, but the series had already established that Crookedstar only has one littermate, that being Oakheart.
Significant Birth Date: Born during a storm in RiverClan territory.
Sneaky Departure: As a kit he and Oakheart sneak out of camp through the dirtplace on the day Crookedstar injures his jaw.
The Strategist: He is pretty smart and good at tactics. He got his warrior name by making a strategy to defeat some dogs, then leading RiverClan into battle.
Together in Death: Reunited with his mate Willowbreeze at the end of Crookedstar's Promise.
The Unfavorite: His mother becomes horribly neglectful and abusive toward him after his accident, even forbidding him from sleeping in the same nest as her and Oakkit.
"Well Done, Son" Guy: His mother Rainflower doted on him and his brother, but when he broke his jaw as a kit ruining his "handsome" appearance, she became outright abusive, rarely visiting him in the medicine cat's den and refusing to let the other kits visit him to keep his spirits up, renaming him from Stormkit to Crookedkit, making him sleep alone in the nursery, and frequently saying that he would never be as good as his brother. One of his goals in life was to make her proud of him.
Young and in Charge: He is a very young warrior when he becomes leader.

Oakheart

"We are a Clan and when one cat fights, he fights for the whole Clan."

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/090d43ad7e2d708e9cf18243f9188bfc.jpg

Brother of Crookedstar, and an extremely well-respected warrior. Often regarded as a paragon of warriorhood, even by cats of rival Clans. He is also the father of Bluestar's kits: Stonefur and Mistyfoot, and took them to RiverClan when Bluestar was forced to give them up. He is killed in the prologue of the first book, and the exact circumstances surrounding his death prove of vital importance in the first few books.

The Ace: He's well-respected, skilled in all parts of being a warrior, charismatic, and considered quite handsome.
The Apprentice: To Shellheart.
Betty and Veronica: As a Jerk with a Heart of Gold, he serves as the Veronica to Nice Guy Thrushpelt's Betty.
Big Brother Instinct: To Crookedstar when they were kits and after the latter's accident.
Born During a Storm: He and his brother, Crookedstar, were born during a storm that had flooded the RiverClan camp. Their mother took shelter in an oak to give birth to them, which is how Oakheart got his name.
Buried Alive: He was killed by falling rocks.
Cain and Abel: In Crookedstar's Promise, he nearly becomes the Abel when Crookedstar almost kills him.
Chocolate Baby: He and his brother are both brown cats, thought Oakheart himself is more reddish-brown, with two gray-furred parents.
Converting for Love: When he and Bluefur are talking about their forbidden relationship, he suggests that she can join RiverClan or he can join ThunderClan to make it work, and mentions that it's been done before.
Distracted by the Sexy: His eyes end up distracting Bluefur so much in a stare-down that she's startled when her Clanmates call for her. Of course, part of it was that she really, really hated him at the time.
Dropped a Bridge on Him: Died early in the series when a boulder fell on him out of nowhere.
Famed In-Story: He's a pretty legendary warrior.
Family Versus Career: Another rare male version; he contemplated either him or Bluefur leaving their respective Clans to be together after finding out that she was expecting his kits. He's willing to leave RiverClan and join ThunderClan for her and their children, but Bluefur turns him down, not wanting to hold him back from his dreams as he could never be deputy or leader like he wants if he comes to ThunderClan.
Fiery Redhead: He has dark red-brown fur and a cocky attitude.
The Gadfly: Comes across as this, what with the way he seems to enjoy poking fun at Bluefur's seriousness or his brother's feelings for Willowbreeze.
"I Know You're in There Somewhere" Fight: At the end of Crookedstar's Promise, he has one with Crookedstar as he attempts to save his brother from his Despair Event Horizon.
Jerk with a Heart of Gold: He can come off as a little abrasive, but he is extremely loyal to his brother and is rather sweet to Bluefur once he falls for her. Mistyfoot also mentions that he was "the best father" a cat could ask for.
The Lancer: To Crookedstar in Crookedstar's Promise.
Leader Wannabe: Always told Crookedstar that he'd become Clan leader and make Crookedstar his deputy. In Crookedstar's Promise, it's eventually subverted. He's very proud of Crookedstar for becoming leader. When Crookedstar wonders why he isn't jealous, Oakheart reveals that he hadn't really wanted to be leader, and his earlier boasting was only because "all kits want to be leader".
Love Across Battlelines: With Bluestar as they are from two different Clans.
Meaningful Name: Named after the oak tree that sheltered his mother when giving birth to him and his brother.
The Mentor: To Loudbelly.
Number Two: To Crookedstar, as his deputy.
Outliving One's Offspring: Outlives his daughter, Mosskit.
Playing Possum: It's his favorite move as an apprentice.
Posthumous Character:
- Mainly shows up in flashbacks or mentioned by other cats who knew him. Is still a very important character to the story.
- Inverted in Bluestar's Prophecy and Crookedstar's Promise, where he has a major role and is very much alive.
Sad Clown: Starts cracking jokes in Bluestar's Prophecy when he and Bluefur vow to never see each other again to cover up the pain.
Secret Relationship: He used to be together with Bluestar, a member of ThunderClan.
Shrouded in Myth: Apparently his skills as a warrior were so great that some cats thought he had never lost a battle his entire life.
Sibling Team: He and his brother Crookedstar were leader and deputy of RiverClan.
Significant Birth Date: Born during a storm in RiverClan territory.
Slap-Slap-Kiss: Has shades of it with Bluefur in Bluestar's Prophecy.
Small Name, Big Ego: Bluestar saw him as this at first in Bluestar's Prophecy...though he later turns out to be a Jerk with a Heart of Gold.
Sneaky Departure: As a kit he and Crookedstar sneak out of camp through the dirtplace on the day Crookedstar injures his jaw.
Spirit Advisor: The prologue of Bluestar's Prophecy reveals that he was guiding Bluestar as she made her heroic sacrifice.
Star-Crossed Lovers: Revealed in Forest of Secrets to be this with Bluestar. They were in love, but because they were from different Clans they could never truly be together.
Together in Death: In A Dangerous Path, he and his beloved Bluestar are reunited in death. They live together now in StarClan.
What the Hell, Hero?: In Crookedstar's Promise, he gives one to Crookedstar for neglecting his daughter.

Leopardstar (Leopardfur)

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/6d6b0fa4644727d35f21ee0fe4c0c4be.jpg

"I am leader here, Blackfoot. I make the decisions. And I'm not ready to give up yet— not if there's a chance of driving out BloodClan."

Crookedstar's third deputy, who becomes leader after he dies. She is a proud and haughty cat, and almost cost her Clan her freedom when she joins Tigerstar's TigerClan and their persecution of half-Clan cats. Died in Fading Echoes; from feline diabetes, according to Word of God.

Acrophobic Bird: Despite being a RiverClan cat, she used to be afraid of water. Her friend Sunfish helped her get over it by putting prey on the far side of the river and telling her she couldn't eat until she was able to swim across to retrieve it.
Action Girl: Like almost all the other she-cats, she is very competent in a fight.
The Apprentice: To Whitefang.
Aw, Look! They Really Do Love Each Other: She and her father butt heads a lot in her super edition, due to Leopardstar's aggression clashing with Mudfur's pacifism. It reaches a particularly nasty boiling point when she exiles him for speaking out against the formation of TigerClan...but afterwards, he affirms that while she may make mistakes, she is still his daughter and he will always love her, and she does likewise.
Bad Boss: Lets Tigerstar take over RiverClan territory without fighting him for it.
Big Bad Duumvirate: Starts off like this with Tigerstar in The Darkest Hour, but it soon becomes clear that she was only his pawn.
Break the Haughty: She begins her leadership of RiverClan as proud and determined to make her Clan strong. When she accepts Tigerstar's offer to join their Clans and create TigerClan, he reduces her to a figurehead in her own Clan and has her loyal deputy, Stonefur, slaughtered before her eyes. After Tigerstar himself is killed by Scourge and BloodClan threatens to take over the forest, she seriously considers leaving the forest with her Clan to live in another territory. Firestar realizes how weakened she has become when she doesn't even demand to lead the other Clans into battle against BloodClan.
Career Versus Man: She chooses her career as deputy/future leader of RiverClan over a relationship with Frogleap. She ends up regretting this multiple times.
Celibate Hero: She never had a mate or any kits (although she was in love with Frogleap), preferring to focus her energies on serving the Clan as its loyal deputy. As she's dying, she muses wistfully about what could have been, had she chosen to have kits.
The Chains of Commanding: In her entry in Code of the Clans, she talks about the difficulties of being leader of RiverClan and struggling to keep her Clanmates alive while facing floods, starvation, fire, poison, predators and Twolegs. This is part of why she agreed to Tigerstar's plan to ally their Clans: she believed it would make both of them stronger. If only she knew what his real plan was...
A Day in the Limelight: She received her own super edition in 2021 titled Leopardstar's Honor.
Dying as Yourself: In Mistystar's Omen, she finally snaps back to being herself just before she joins StarClan.
Enemy Mine: Teams up with Firestar to fight BloodClan in The Darkest Hour. She settles into a Heel–Face Turn after that.
Face Death with Dignity: When severe illness weakens her at the end of her eighth life, she chooses not to fight it and goes peacefully, but not before sharing a final goodbye with her deputy, Mistyfoot.
Fantastic Racism: Said in The Ultimate Guide to have a "pure hatred" of half-Clan cats, but her fondness of Stonefur and Mistystar contradicts this.
Foil: To Crookedstar, her leader and predecessor. He is calm, strategic and reasonable, while she is hot-headed, rash, and hostile.
Frameup: She tries to do this when she accuses ThunderClan and the other Clans of stealing fish in The Fourth Apprentice.
Grade Skipper: She manages to convince Hailstar to let herself be apprenticed early.
Green-Eyed Monster: She is shown in Leopardstar's Honor to be jealous of Mosspelt's relationship with Frogleap.
Heel–Face Turn: Mostly settles into one at the end of The Darkest Hour. She still antagonizes ThunderClan occasionally, but she's much more co-operative and open-minded.
Heroic BSoD: After Whiteclaw dies at the gorge. She isn't aware of returning to camp, stares blankly when Beetlenose asks her where his son is, and then finds herself waking up in the medicine den.
Heroic Sacrifice: In A Shadow in RiverClan she intends to give up one of her lives so that her Clanmates can escape from the fox.
Horrible Judge of Character: By her own admission, trusting Tigerstar was the worst mistake she ever made.
Hot-Blooded: She has a short temper and is a lot quicker to fight than most other Clan cats. She's also extremely passionate about making RiverClan strong.
If You're So Evil, Eat This Kitten!: Orders Graystripe to kill his best friend to prove his loyalty to RiverClan in A Dangerous Path.
It's All My Fault: She feels this way about Whiteclaw's death, wishing she hadn't brought him along, and feeling that she'd passed her hotheadedness onto him.
The Leader: Leads RiverClan for all of The New Prophecy, Power of Three, and for part of the first arc and Omen of the Stars.
Life Will Kill You: She lives for a very long time and dies of diabetes despite her ambition and confrontational disposition.
Like a Son to Me: Always wished that Mistystar could have been her own daughter.
Meaningful Name: She has the spotted coat and fierce temper of a leopard.
The Mentor: To Whiteclaw and Hawkfrost.
My Greatest Failure: Her decision to ally with Tigerstar and create TigerClan leads to the death of Stonefur, her loyal and trusted deputy, and nearly allows Tigerstar to take over the whole forest. She regrets this decision for the rest of her life, even wondering on her deathbed why Mistyfoot remained loyal to her, despite the fact that Leopardstar didn't save her brother.
Rock: She has never forgotten how close she came to destroying her Clan, and if she seems hostile and defensive when dealing with the other Clans, it's not because she doesn't trust them. It's because she no longer trusts her own judgment, and fears for the safety of her Clan if she makes another mistake.
My God, What Have I Done?: She has this reaction when she finally realizes how wrong she was to trust Tigerstar and create TigerClan, even thinking "What have I done?" several times.
Number Two: To Crookedstar for much of the first arc.
Parental Substitute: Sort of. She was asked to take care of Whiteclaw when he was an apprentice as a mother would by his mother, and her best friend, Sunfish, who was currently dying from a deadly wound.
Pet the Dog: In Rising Storm, she escorts the ThunderClan cats fleeing the forest fire to the safety of the RiverClan camp, offers to help bury Patchpelt after his death, and tells Mudfur to help Cinderpelt look after the sick and exhausted cats.
Pride: Her Fatal Flaw. In Leopardstar's Honor, she is so convinced that she has been chosen to save her Clan and that the direction she'll lead them in must be the right one that she brushes off advice from trusted figures such as her father and Crookedstar. She is completely dead-set in her grudge against ThunderClan and Graystripe in particular, to the point she blames them for everything that goes wrong despite evidence to the contrary. As deputies, Tigerclaw is able to appeal to her by stroking her ego, and as leaders he lures her into TigerClan by doing the same—right before he turn her into a Puppet King.
Promotion to Parent: Downplayed, but in a sense. She was greatly involved in Whiteclaw's life since his kithood, as she was best friends with Sunfish. When he becomes an apprentice, however both his mentor Whitefang and his mother die, leading to Leopardfur becoming his mentor. While Leopardfur was his teacher, she had been around Whitepaw long enough and knew he was still young enough to still need a maternal figure, so she stepped up to the plate and tried her best to support him emotionally as he continued his education.
Puppet King: Leopardstar's Honor confirms that she really had no power in TigerClan and was just a figurehead Tigerstar used to exert pressure on RiverClan.
Sanity Slippage: In The Fourth Apprentice, she starts losing her mind. Then she dies.
Secret-Keeper: Leopardstar's Honor reveals that she had seen Silverstream and Graystripe in the midst of their forbidden relationship. Though she wasn't happy, she agreed to keep it a secret after Silverstream begged her to.
Ship Sinking: Original Word of God is that Leopardstar was in love with Tigerstar. Her Super Edition not only josses this, but sinks it firmly in two parts: one, the tom she was actually in love with was the kind Frogleap, and two, while Tigerstar does flirt with her and she does briefly entertain the idea, she discards it upon realizing he's just a selfish bastard who never intended to help her Clan at all, and that their relationship would be more of a political pawn than anything else.
Single Woman Seeks Good Man: In her Super Edition, she entertains a romantic relationship with a childhood friend of hers, Frogleap, who is patient and kind. They ultimately, but amicably, break-up when her career-driven mindset clashes with his family-driven mindset.
So Proud of You: To Mistystar, in Mistystar's Omen. Leopardstar tells Mistystar how much she means to her and how she believes that Mistystar will be a great leader.
Trademark Favorite Food: Her favorite prey is carp. In fact, it's partly how she got over her fear of water: Sunfish caught one for her and made her swim to it.
Truth in Television: A few readers scratched their heads when Word of God stated the cause of Leopardstar's death was diabetes. Feline diabetes is a sadly common phenomenon in overweight cats, and most RiverClan cats are described as plump and portly more often than not. The diet of mostly fish likely didn't help things.
"Well Done, Son" Guy: Her desire to make her father Mudfur proud is a driving point throughout her Super Edition. He's actually a very Doting Parent, but he tends to disagree with his daughter's aggression and pride, which is a point of contention between them.

Stonefur

""No cat has ever questioned my loyalty. Come down here and tell me to my face that I'm a traitor!"

Mistystar's brother and the former deputy of RiverClan. He was killed by Blackstar in The Darkest Hour.

The Apprentice: To Crookedstar, who is also his uncle on his father's side.
Big Damn Heroes: At the end of A Dangerous Path, he shows up alongside Mistystar to save Bluestar.
Child of Forbidden Love: He is the son of Oakheart of RiverClan and Bluestar of ThunderClan.
Daddy Had a Good Reason for Abandoning You: Bluestar gave Stonefur and Mistystar up to RiverClan because the Clan deputy position was about to open up, and she'd be ineligible for the post while nursing kits; she knew that if she wasn't chosen, Thistleclaw would be, and that due to Sunstar's age Thistleclaw was likely to go on to become Clan leader and lead the Clan into unnecessary wars.
Defiant to the End: Fights against Tigerstar's cruelty even when it becomes apparent that he will not survive because of it. He dies defying Tigerstar's reign.
Dishonored Dead: Of the undeserved variety. He is killed by Darkstripe and Blackfoot for being half-Clan and his body is left behind. It is assumed he was buried without the honor of Clan ritual.
Doomed Moral Victor: Sure he was the hero in his fight with TigerClan, but he was also weak from not having food for a while, and was easily killed by Blackfoot.
Ear Notch: He has battle-scarred ears, one of which is shredded.
Happily Adopted: He and his sister, Mistystar, had always believed Graypool to be their real mother.
Heroic Bastard: Revealed in Forest of Secrets to be the son of Bluestar and Oakheart.
I Coulda Been a Contender!: He was Leopardstar's deputy and could have become leader, but was murdered by Darkstripe and Blackfoot under Tigerstar's command when he formed TigerClan and turned it against all half-Clan cats. His sister Mistyfoot is made deputy in his place and when she has a Dead Person Conversation with him before becoming leader of RiverClan, she expresses guilt and says it should have been Stonefur becoming leader instead. But he says she is proud of her and she will be a great leader.
Mama's Baby, Papa's Maybe: When in ThunderClan, the Clan assumed that Thrushpelt was the father of Stonekit and his siblings, despite Bluestar never stating it.
Meaningful Name:
- He is named after Bluestar's first mentor, Stonepelt.
- He was also given his prefix because Bluestar wanted her kits names to remind her of the river and their father.
The Mentor: He mentors Stormfur, while his sister Mistyfoot mentors Feathertail. He also mentored minor character Shadepelt.
Number Two: He was deputy of RiverClan before he died.
Papa Wolf: Although he is not Featherpaw and Stormpaw's father, he dies protecting them from the wrath of Tigerstar.
Sadistic Choice: Given one by Tigerstar — prove his worth and loyalty to TigerClan by killing Featherpaw and Stormpaw, or die himself.
Secret-Keeper: Subverted. In The Darkest Hour, Firestar tells him that for now no RiverClan cat knows that he and his sister are half ThunderClan, so they still have the trust of their Clan. However, Tigerstar is eventually going to use this against them. Stonefur replies that he'll tell RiverClan about his heritage himself.
Sibling Team: Always fought alongside his sister Mistyfoot. When he dies, she mournfully wonders what she's going to do without him.
So Proud of You:
- When Tigerstar orders Stonefur to prove his worth to TigerClan by killing Stormpaw and Featherpaw, Stormpaw comforts his sister and bravely says that they'll fight, and he won't let Stonefur kill them. Stonefur silently expresses his pride in his apprentice's courage with a single nod before defiantly daring Tigerstar to kill him, Stonefur, first.
- Posthumously, to Mistyfoot when she is about to become leader of RiverClan, in Mistystar's Omen.
Strong Family Resemblance: Fireheart figures out who Bluestar's kits are because Stonefur and Mistyfoot look exactly like her with their blue-gray fur and blue eyes.
You're Not My Father: When Bluestar reveals that she is actually his and Mistyfoot's mother, he doesn't believe her at first and says, "You're no mother of ours, whatever you say." Later, he changes his mind when he and Mistyfoot arrive to rescue her from the flooding river, and they are able to forgive her and say goodbye to her before she dies.
You Shall Not Pass!: Dies pulling this on Tigerstar to protect Graystripe's kits.

Mistystar (Mistyfoot)

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/f8c2660bdc8b94d5ac814fd2e2d27c8d.jpg

"I'll always be grateful for what you did, but I'm a RiverClan cat at heart."

The leader of RiverClan after Leopardstar, and daughter of Bluestar and Oakheart.

Action Girl: She fights whenever it is needed, and does it very well. It's shown best in A Dangerous Path.
Action Mom: A competent warrior-turned-leader and mother to four kits.
A Day in the Limelight: Stars in the e-book novella Mistystar's Omen.
Badass in Distress: In Dawn she gets captured by Twolegs.
Big Damn Heroes: In both Forest of Secrets and A Dangerous Path, she shows up in the climax to aid ThunderClan.
Breakout Character: The e-book starring her is happening because she's ridiculously popular. In the August 2012 Authortracker newsletter, Vicky wondered why, "one of the most popular characters in the series didn't get her own spinoff earlier."
Child of Forbidden Love: She is the daughter of Oakheart of RiverClan and Bluestar of ThunderClan.
Daddy Had a Good Reason for Abandoning You: Bluestar gave Stonefur and Mistystar up to RiverClan because the Clan deputy position was about to open up, and she'd be ineligible for the post while nursing kits; she knew that if she wasn't chosen, Thistleclaw would be, and that due to Sunstar's age Thistleclaw was likely to go on to become Clan leader and lead the Clan into unnecessary wars.
Family Eye Resemblance: Has the same blue eyes as her mother, Bluestar.
Happily Adopted: She and her brother, Stonefur, had always believed Graypool to be their real mother.
Heroic Bastard: In Forest of Secrets she is revealed to be the result of an affair between the ThunderClan warrior Bluestar and the RiverClan warrior Oakheart.
Hero of Another Story: Given all the adventures she's been shown to have on her own, Mistystar could have easily been the main character of the series.
Heterosexual Life-Partners: With her cousin Silverstream, who gives her a seventh life and a gift for finding happiness even in the darkest of times.
Hollywood Heart Attack: She seemingly rages herself into a heart attack in River, but it's not such a surprise given how old she was at that point as well as all the stress she was under.
Hypocrite: In Veil of Shadows, she exiles Mothwing because Mothwing's mother was a rogue and her father was from another Clan. This, despite the fact that Mistystar herself is born of two cats from different Clans.
Internal Reveal: Mistystar learns that Mothwing doesn't believe in StarClan during Mistystar's Omen, which is something we've known for ages.
I Was Quite a Looker: In the prologue of River she is described as having a once thick and beautiful coat.
The Leader: Becomes leader of RiverClan in Fading Echoes. Her nine lives ceremony is detailed in Mistystar's Omen.
Like Father, Like Son: She becomes Clan deputy like her father Oakheart, her brother Stonefur, and her grandfather Shellheart. Later, she becomes leader like her uncle Crookedstar, and her mother Bluestar.
Mama's Baby, Papa's Maybe: When in ThunderClan the Clan assumed that Thrushpelt was the father of Mistykit and her siblings, despite Bluestar never stating it.
Meaningful Name: Bluestar named her kits Misty-, Stone-, and Moss- because she wanted names that remind her of the river and their father.
The Mentor: She mentors Feathertail, who later gives her one of her nine lives and the gift of accepting her destiny, however difficult it may seem. She also mentored minor character Dapplenose. She was Mothwing's mentor before Mothwing became medicine cat under Mudfur.
Missing Child: Two of her kits are swept away by a flood in Forest of Secrets, but are rescued by Fireheart and Graystripe.
Number Two: In the second and third arcs, as well as the first book of the fourth arc, she serves as RiverClan's deputy. Then she becomes leader in Fading Echoes.
Outliving One's Offspring: Three of her kits, Perchkit, Pikepaw, and Primrosepaw, have died by the time of Mistystar's Omen. She briefly reunites with them in StarClan during her leader ceremony, and receives her last life from Perchkit, along with the gift of bravery.
Secret-Keeper: She keeps the secret of Graystripe and Silverstream's romance, as well as the secret of Mothwing's atheism.
Sibling Team: Always fought alongside her brother Stonefur. When he dies, Mistyfoot mournfully wonders what she's going to do without him.
The Sixth Ranger: In Starlight, she joins the cats who found Midnight in finding new homes because the two RiverClan weren't with the Clans anymore.^note
Stealth Insult: Gives one to ShadowClan as a whole in Battles Of The Clans. Blackstar WAS going to let her go back to patrolling, but when he hears the insult, he blackmails her into keeping it a secret by making her share fresh-kill until the half-moon.
Strong Family Resemblance: With her blue-gray fur and blue eyes, she's identical to her mother, Bluestar. It's what leads Fireheart to figure out the family secret.
Sudden Sequel Death Syndrome: The 8th arc, A Starless Clan, starts with the death of both Mistystar and Reedwhisker.
Surprisingly Sudden Death: While arguing with Duskfur during River, she suddenly collapses and dies.
Took a Level in Jerkass: When she exiles Mothwing in Veil of Shadows, also counts as Hypocrite since she was also mixed. There's also the time she closes off RiverClan borders for what can simply be described as cowardice and fear of Darktail and The Kin, though to be fair, she had far more noble intentions there than the former.
Undying Loyalty: To RiverClan and her leader Leopardstar. She serves faithfully as deputy to her leader, through thick and thin, until Leopardstar's death. For her part, Leopardstar trusts and appreciates Mistyfoot a great deal, and on her deathbed states that she would have been proud to call Mistyfoot her daughter.
Unknown Character: She has four kits, so she must have had a mate at some point, but he's never mentioned and his name is never revealed. Leopardstar's Honor reveals her mate to have been Blackclaw.

Reedwhisker

"I don't like this silence. I can smell ShadowClan nearby."

The son of Mistystar and Blackclaw. Bluestar's and Oakheart's grandson, and later the deputy of RiverClan under Mistystar.

Break the Haughty: In Shattered Sky, Reedwhisker is taken prisoner by Darktail and starved for days as to break his and the other prisoners' (Icewing, Mintfur, and Brackenpelt) willpower. Reedwhisker holds out the longest out of the four, but even he succumbs to his needs and begrudingly swears an oath to the Kin. Even then, Darktail makes him do it twice to further break him.
Dies Wide Open: When his body is finally found after a long time searching for him, his eyes are open and glazed over.
Killed Offscreen: In River, he is last seen leaving the camp on patrol, and is later found dead by his Clanmates.
Like Father, Like Son: He was deputy from Fading Echoes until River, meaning he was deputy for a good number of years like his mother under Leopardstar.
The Mentor: To Rippletail, Pouncetail, Hollowflight and Lizardtail.
Minor Major Character: He gets very little screentime for a Clan deputy.
Momma's Boy: He's Mistystar's only surviving child and the two are shown to be particularly close. In Shattered Sky, Darktail takes him and other RiverClan cats prisoner. Mistystar unsurprisingly isn't happy about losing her last child to the cat who just evicted them from their home.
Neck Snap: In River, after going missing, he is found dead with a broken neck. His Clanmates assume it happened by him falling into a ravine.
Nepotism: Discussed in Mistystar's Omen, where she becomes leader and names Reedwhisker her deputy. Mossypaw thinks he only became deputy because of their kinship, but Minnowtail insists it's because Reedwhisker just happens to the most qualified cat for the job, while also being Mistystar's son at the same time.
Number Two: He's the deputy of RiverClan as of Fading Echoes.
Odd Name Out: He's the only one of his siblings (Perchkit, Pikepaw and Primrosepaw) whose name doesn't begin with "P".
Reasonable Authority Figure: While he's a minor character, the scenes that do include him show him as a reasonable deputy. When he is found dead, the Clan takes it pretty hard.
Series Continuity Error: Being one of Mistyfoot's kits that got saved by Firestar puts him as being born around Fire and Ice; with the number of moons that pass, he'd become a warrior around Firestar's Quest. However, that contradicts his first appearance: in Moonrise he's a new apprentice just barely out of the nursery.
Sole Survivor: The only one of his siblings to survive to adulthood.
Strong Family Resemblance: He is a black-furred cat like his father Blackclaw and brother Perchkit.
Sudden Sequel Death Syndrome: The 8th arc, A Starless Clan, starts with the death of both Mistystar and Reedwhisker.
The Wise Prince: Well, deputy, but he's shown to be a focused and determined cat and was considered a good deputy for his Clan. Mistystar in A Light in the Mist even comments that should she die, he would make an excellent leader.
Took a Level in Jerkass: He's unusually snappy during The Fourth Apprentice, but that's only because the drought makes everyone grumpy.

Curlfeather

"Nonsense, you'll be fine. Haven't we always known that you're special? Hasn't StarClan chosen you to be a medicine cat for RiverClan? [..] Of course they have. Remember how you dreamed about Jayclaw leaving you alone in camp? And then he died a few days later?"

Following the sudden deaths of Mistystar and Reedwhisker, Curlfeather is appointed by Frostpaw to become their next leader.

Abusive Parents: In Thunder, it's revealed that she was using Frostpaw as a pawn in order to secure her desired position as leader, seeing that she told Splashtail that Frostpaw believes everything she's told without much question. Curlfeather even admits she pulled some strings to convince her Clanmates and Frostpaw that the latter was born to be a medicine cat that would accomplish great things.
Cruel and Unusual Death: Ripped to shreds by dogs. In front of her young daughter, no less.
Death Equals Redemption: Subverted. Frostpaw realizes in Thunder that Curlfeather, despite sacrificing her life to save her daughter, is in The Place of No Stars for her crimes.
The Dog Was the Mastermind: Conspiring with Splashtail so she may become leader and he can become her deputy, Curlfeather had him kill Reedwhisker to secure her spot as leader after the death of Mistystar and created a false omen for Frostpaw and Mothwing to believe she was being chosen by StarClan to be Mistystar's successor.
Heroic Sacrifice: Her final act is to push her daughter to safety so the dogs won't get her.
The Leader: Interpreting a sign from StarClan, Frostpaw elects Curlfeather as RiverClan's next leader. She doesn't even last a day or even receives her nine lives and name.
Nepotism: Discussed. Both Mothwing and Curlfeather ask Frostpaw if she's just choosing Curlfeather because she's her mother.
Parental Favoritism: While it's not blatantly pointed out, she clearly favors and dotes upon Frostpaw over her son Graypaw and her other daughter Mistpaw. Though since it's been revealed she was conspiring to become leader, how much of this was genuine and how much was her manipulating Frostpaw is up for debate.
Sound-Only Death: In River, Frostpaw closes her eyes so that she doesn't see her mother's death, but she hears it.

Owlnose

"And if the Clans make these changes for ThunderClan, they might endanger RiverClan sometime in the future. What's to stop one Clan deposing another Clan's leader, to grab power?"

With Mistystar, Reedwhisker, and Curlfeather dead, Frostpaw chooses to make Owlnose RiverClan's next leader.

Bad Boss: Played With. Owlnose isn't a bad cat in the slightest, and is actually a pretty well-meaning guy and his Clan genuinely does like him. However, his flaws in that he struggles to make decisions and stick to them, loses his composure when strong authority figures are present, and will backtrack his decisions to make everyone happy makes him a poor leader. He's well aware of this as well, but unfortunately he doesn't get much of a choice.
The Chains of Commanding: Owlnose visibly cracks under the pressure of authority or making hard decisions.
Cool Uncle: Frostpaw certainly thinks of him in high regards when justifying her decision to appoint him leader. It actually becomes a question of how much her bias his affecting her judgement considering Owlnose is a lackluster authority figure.
The Ditherer: Owlnose struggles to stick to a single decision, and it's pointed out that he just wants to make everyone happy, even if that means retracting and contradicting himself.
I Just Want to Be Normal: Owlnose, knowing he's not the proper leader his fragmented Clan needs, steps down and says he just wants to be a normal warrior.
The Leader: Frostpaw believes StarClan wanted Owlnose to become leader, as talking with Curlfeather in StarClan told her to "look beyond the obvious choices". Frostpaw assumes this means Owlnose, much to his bewilderment and the shock of the Clan.
Puppet King: At the end of Sky, Tigerstar has forcibly taken control of RiverClan and effectively makes them a vassal state of ShadowClan. Owlnose, despite stepping down as leader shortly beforehand, is reappointed as leader by Tigerstar, and it's clear that Owlnose is just a puppet leader for Tigerstar for the time being.
Nepotism: Discussed and played with. Owlnose is the littermate of Frostpaw's father Jayclaw. When announcing Owlnose as RiverClan's next leader, Frostpaw clearly thinks highly of him and mentions he's her uncle. RiverClan isn't all that happy with such a young an inexperienced cat becoming leader, and it's implied they're suspicious that Frostpaw first choice her mother, and now her uncle.
Reluctant Ruler: Owlnose is very hesitant to take up the leadership position he's now found himself in, admitting he doesn't think he's qualified. This is a sentiment shared by the majority of the Clan as well.
Strong Family Resemblance: Is a brown tabby like his father Mallownose.
Unexpected Successor: Frostpaw is told to choose the next RiverClan leader, and to "look beyond the obvious choices". She takes this to heart and thinks through all of her Clanmates, thinking of reasons as to why each one should not lead, until she settles on one cat she would never have selected normally: Owlnose. Her Clan is very surprised as to the choice, admitting that he is unexpected.
Young and in Charge: Owlnose isn't that young of a warrior, though there's plenty more experienced than he who would serve better as leader. Not that he particularly has a choice though.

Splashtail

"You should have faith in yourself. You're a bright, talented medicine-cat apprentice, and StarClan wouldn't guide you wrong."

Owlnose's deputy and Reedwhisker's successor.

Beware the Nice Ones: Splashtail is normally a gentle cat, so it terrifies Frostpaw to see how fierce he is when he's prepared to defend his Clan. He's later revealed to not be nice at all, and has been plotting with Curlfeather to take over.
Big Bad: Is shaping up to be this for the eighth arc. He conspired with Curlfeather to kill off RiverClan's leadership and become deputy, with her as leader, and after her death (which he may have arranged) is continuing the plan to become leader himself.
Dragon Ascendant: He was The Dragon to Curlfeather and would have become deputy under her had the plot to install her as leader succeeded. Due to her death, he's adjusted the plan, and is aiming for leadership himself. Since he may have arranged her death, this may be Dragon with an Agenda.
The Leader: He becomes leader at the end of Thunder, thanks to a dream from Podlight.
Nice Guy: Mannered, respectful, kind, and disciplined. While initially the Clan is against him being deputy, they do agree he makes up for Owlnose's shortcomings and is an all-around respectful cat, so he stays. This is a facade, as he and Curlfeather were planning to take over RiverClan, and after her death, he's continuing the plan.
Number Two: Is this to Owlnose when he becomes deputy. Owlnose himself says he chose Splashtail because they work well together. He also planned to be this to Curlfeather when she became leader.
O.O.C. Is Serious Business: At the end of Sky, Splashtail, normally respectful and hardly loses his temper, is noted to be filled with rage when Tigerstar forcefully takes over RiverClan for "their own good", which actually frightens Frostpaw.
Precocious Crush: Frostpaw has a minor one on him. It's unclear if he reciprocates, but he definitely thinks highly of her. He may be faking this to manipulate her, though, as he's revealed to be the one who tried to kill her after she admitted she knew Reedwhisker was killed by a RiverClan cat.
Young and in Charge: Splashtail is only a year old when he's appointed deputy, and it's pointed out several times in the book as well. However, what he lacks in experience he makes up for in being decisive (a trait Owlnose lacks) and just being an all-around nice guy.

Medicine Cats

Graywing

"Your Clan will honor you with a burial for the warriors that you would have been. And you will live on in the law that makes every Clan responsible for the safety of kits, wherever they are born."

A RiverClan medicine cat during the early years of the Clans, responsible for adding a rule to the warrior code that protected all Clan kits.

The Atoner: To make up for not saving the WindClan kits, she brought their bodies to their Clan's border and instituted a law that no Clan cat could refuse to help a kit in danger, regardless of what Clan they were from.
Bystander Syndrome: When three WindClan kits were drowning in the flooded river, Brindleclaw wanted to save them, but Graywing stopped her because she didn't want a cat from her own Clan to drown for the sake of another Clan's kits. She would end up regretting this decision.
Murder by Inaction: Stopping Brindleclaw from saving the drowning kits.
My God, What Have I Done?: When she realizes that she was wrong to prevent Brindleclaw from saving the kits.
One-Steve Limit: Averted; she shares her name with a legendary WindClan warrior, Graywing the Wise.
You Did Everything You Could: Ivystar tells her there's nothing she could have done, but despite trying to convince herself that her leader is right, Graywing still feels guilty. Only after truly realizing that she was wrong does she try to make amends for what she has done (or rather, did not do).

Meadowpelt

"StarClan, please show me how to make my Clanmates understand that the Clan depends on them for its survival, and that they can't play like kits now that they are warriors."

A RiverClan medicine cat who instituted the tradition of new warriors sitting a silent vigil over the camp for one night.

Dr. Jerk: Downplayed, but he's shown to be stern with his patients much like Jayfeather, scolding them for doing stupid things and getting themselves hurt.
Lightningpelt: (after Snaketooth hurt himself climbing one of the Great Oaks) You should have seen him! He practically climbed onto a cloud!
Meadowpelt: If I had seen him, I wouldn't have let him do something so utterly mouse-brained. When will you learn to stop showing off and start putting your Clan first? At this rate, there'll be no warriors left by leaf-bare.
Grumpy Old Man: He's already rather old when he comes up with the tradition of the silent vigil.
Meaningful Name: According to supplementary material, he has stripes on his pelt resembling tiny grass stems.
The Mentor: It is implied that he takes Oatpaw as his apprentice.
Youth Is Wasted on the Dumb: He was worried about his Clan's young warriors because they kept injuring themselves doing stupid stunts for fun like jumping across the river and climbing really tall trees.

Brambleberry

"The only true borders lie between day and night, between life and death, between hope and loss."

"Sometimes bad things happen for no reason, or for reasons we can't begin to understand."

RiverClan's medicine cat during most of Crookedstar's life.

The Apprentice: To Milkfur.
The Cameo: In The Last Hope, she appears to tell Jayfeather that he has to unite StarClan.
The Charmer: According to Secrets of the Clans, she was good at getting her own way—Crookedstar would do anything she asked.
Cannot Tell a Joke: "Perhaps I should change my name. I could be called Swallowherb. See? Because that's what I do. I make cats swallow herbs."
Cool Old Lady: Is a full medicine cat during Crookedstar's birth, and lives well on through the majority of his nine lives.
The Medic: Was RiverClan's medicine cat during Crookedstar's Promise.
The Mentor: To Mudfur.
Parental Substitute: Serves as a foster mother to Crookedstar when Rainflower more or less disowned him. She was also the one who brought him to StarClan after his death.

Mudfur

"I fought to save [RiverClan] from fighting. But they want to fight. I've unsheathed my claws too many times. I want to save lives, not destroy them."

RiverClan's medicine cat in the Original Series. Formerly a warrior, he grew disillusioned when his mate died and believed that true peace could never be found as long as the Clans continued their perpetual war. He eventually decided to train under Brambleberry as a medicine cat. He is Leopardstar's father.

Actual Pacifist: After seeing too much death in his life, he decides not to harm anyone again, and become medicine cat instead.
The Apprentice: To Brambleberry.
Celibate Hero: Subverted. Medicine cats aren't supposed to take mates, but when he was still a warrior he and Brightsky were mates, and he fathered Leopardstar.
Combat by Champion: He fought with Adderfang one on one to decide which Clan would get Sunningrocks.
Combat Medic: He was a warrior for many moons before becoming a medicine cat.
Doting Parent: He loved his daughter Leopardstar dearly and took excellent care of her, right down to even memorizing which fish she liked best and catching them for her whenever he could.
I Will Fight No More Forever: After losing his mate and three of their kits to illness, Mudfur loses the will to fight and wonders if fighting for Sunningrocks over and over again was worth it. But after he fights again against Adderfang and wins, he steps down from being a warrior and became a medicine cat apprentice.
The Medic: As RiverClan's medicine cat, he knows much of herbs and healing.
The Mentor: To Mothwing. When he was a warrior, he mentored Petaldust.
Outliving One's Offspring: Three of his kits died alongside his mate.
Reluctant Warrior: After Brightsky's death he loses much of his will to fight, while still trying to serve RiverClan as a warrior. When he sees that the rest of his Clan is eager to continue fighting, he turns over to pacifism completely.
Secret-Keeper: In Mistystar's Omen it is revealed that he always knew that Mothwing didn't believe in StarClan, but he believed in her and never questioned her devotion to the path of a medicine cat.
Signature Move: Holding the enemy warriors underwater, and forcing them to surrender. This technique made him a feared warrior, and a reason why other Clans' apprentices were not to engage into fight with him.
The So-Called Coward: His unwillingness to fight is first interpreted as a sign of cowardice. He proves the rest of his Clan wrong by challenging ThunderClan's acting deputy to a duel and single-handedly winning back Sunningrocks.
Strange Minds Think Alike: He named his daughter Leopardkit after one of the great Clans, hoping she would survive the illness that killed her mother and siblings. Leopardfoot of ThunderClan had the same idea when she named her most sickly child Tigerkit.
Turn to Religion: Mudfur decides to become the RiverClan medicine cat (the Clan's healer/religious leader) after his mate and kits die and he decides that he has no taste for battle anymore.

Mothwing

"They're just dead warriors! Do you think that when they die, they get clever and brave? Don't you realize that some of them may be as foolish and wrong-headed as they were when they were alive?"

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/b3112e36a616eb99e2d450a5acde6a42.jpg

"I may not share your faith, but I'll always help you fight for what you believe in."

Tigerstar's daughter by Sasha, and therefore Hawkfrost's sister and Brambleclaw's and Tawnypelt's half-sister. She does not share her brother's motivations, and genuinely wants to help her Clan by serving as their medicine cat. However, she does not believe in StarClan, a fact she keeps secret from everyone except Leafpool, knowing how important belief in StarClan is to the Clans. This essentially makes her the equivalent of an atheist priest.

10-Minute Retirement: In Mistystar's Omen, after finding out that Mothwing doesn't believe in StarClan, Mistystar forces her to retire and promotes Willowshine to full medicine cat, despite Willowshine's protests that she isn't ready. It doesn't last very long, as Mistystar realizes RiverClan needs both its medicine cats.
The Apprentice: To Mistystar when training to be a warrior, then to Mudfur after deciding to become a medicine cat.
Big Damn Heroes: Saves Leafpool (Leafpaw at the time) and Sorreltail from a WindClan patrol by chasing them off in Moonrise.
Celibate Hero: As a medicine cat, she can never take a mate. So far, she's been able to keep her vow.
The Chains of Commanding: Mothwing serves as RiverClan's interim leader after the sudden deaths of Mistystar and Reedwhisker, and over the course of River and Sky she's reeling from the stress of being the leader, deputy, and medicine cat all at once.
A Day in the Limelight: She gained her own novella in 2020 titled Mothwing's Secret.
Defector from Decadence: She's given the option to return to RiverClan in Veil of Shadows, but rejects it because of Mistystar's unjust leadership.
The Dragon: Unwillingly acts as this to Hawkfrost in The New Prophecy.
Evil Stole My Faith: In Sunset, she tells Leafpool that the reason she stopped believing in StarClan is because her brother revealed that he'd faked the omen that made the medicine cat choose her as apprentice, and that if StarClan really existed they wouldn't let him threaten/blackmail her and do evil deeds to gain power.
Flashback Nightmare: At the start of Mothwing's Secret, she has one of the day her brother Tadpole died. It's noted to be a recurring dream that keeps haunting her.
Flat-Earth Atheist: Her justification for not believing in StarClan is that Clan cats are able to create prophecies for the future that always come true in their subconscious. That's arguably more ridiculous than what she's trying to discredit. And she's supposed to be the spiritual leader of her Clan...
- Downplayed as of the River of Fire Barnes and Noble bonus scene, in which she admits something happened in the Great Battle but still doesn’t believe that StarClan are omnipotent.
Hair of Gold, Heart of Gold: She has golden fur and is incredibly devoted to the cats of RiverClan and healing any sickness that plagues them.
Heroic Bastard: She's the result of an affair between Tigerstar, leader of ShadowClan, and Sasha, a she-cat from the Twolegplace. Unlike her brother, she isn't evil.
It's All About Me: A downplayed, but still notable example. At the end of A Light of the Mist, Mothwing admits that the real reason she was so hard on Shadowsight in Darkness Within for being used as an Unwitting Pawn by Ashfur was not because she geniunely felt he needed to learn more as a medicine cat, but because she "needed someone to blame" for her being banished from RiverClan.
The Medic: She's RiverClan's medicine cat.
The Mentor: To Willowshine and Frostpaw.
Monster Brother, Cutie Sister: Mothwing is a pretty and kind she-cat who becomes a medicine cat, while her brother Hawkfrost is noted as looking dangerous as soon as he first appears in the books. It's later revealed that he wishes to follow in their evil father's pawsteps, and to do this he manipulates her to use her position to his advantage and plans a coup.
Nice Girl: She's genuinely kind and caring, in contrast to her brother Hawkfrost.
Nay-Theist: Turns from Flat-Earth Atheist into more of this by the fourth series - she accepts that StarClan probably does exist, but doesn't really "believe" or try to communicate with them.
Only Sane Man: She's literally the only medicine cat who realizes that dividing the Clans is a bad idea.
Parental Abandonment: Her father died before she was born, and her mother ditched her in RiverClan when she was just a few moons old.
Phony Psychic: Not of her own volition, but Hawkfrost blackmails her by threatening to reveal that she doesn't believe in StarClan and forces her to make false prophecies, like the "troublesome stones in the river" prophecy that led to Stormfur and Brook being kicked out of RiverClan.
Prophetic Name: Her name has the same prefix as the first medicine cat in Clan history, Mothflight. In fact, her name was Moth before she was ever a Clan cat.
Rage Breaking Point: At the end of Sky, Mothwing completely breaks down as Tigerstar comes to inform RiverClan that he intends to supervise them as leader. Mothwing, who had been doing her absolute best during the situation, snaps from all the stress of being the Clan's leader, deputy, medicine cat, and effectively Owlnose's yes-woman for leadership decisions. Unsurprisingly, she is not happy when RiverClan becomes subordinate to Tigerstar at the end of the book.
"The Reason You Suck" Speech: Gives a massive one to Mistystar in Veil of Shadows. Mothwing rips into her for her poor treatment of Icewing and Harelight, as well as hypocritically exiling her because of the circumstances of her birth despite her loyally serving RiverClan all her life. She then concludes that if this is the way RiverClan is run, she won't be a part of it anymore.
Skeptic No Longer: Word of God said that in The Last Hope, after seeing a bunch of cats she knew to be dead fighting right before her eyes, she probably stopped doubting StarClan.
- However, in the prologue of The Apprentice's Quest, it was stated that she still doesn't believe in StarClan.
- In Lost Stars she states that she no longer denies that StarClan exists, but she doesn't know if their intentions are good, or that the Clans always benefit from their guidance.
Sneaky Departure: In The Place of No Stars, Shadowsight and Mothwing sneak out of ShadowClan's camp at one point in order for Shadowsight to go to the Moonpool.
Time to Step Up, Commander: During River, following the deaths of Mistystar and Reedwhisker, Mothwing is agreed to be made temporary leader of RiverClan as with their deaths, she is the one with the most authority.
You Are Not Alone: About halfway through The Last Hope, she restores Jayfeather's faith by showing him a sign and promising to fight alongside him.

Willowshine

"I didn't really think about it. It just sort of happened, and then I couldn't imagine doing anything else. Being a medicine cat is great!"

One of RiverClan's two medicine cats alongside Mothwing (formerly Mothwing's apprentice, until Bramblestar's Storm), who is very much a believer in StarClan. She is able to interpret omens for the Clan where Mothwing cannot.

A Day in the Limelight: She's the POV character for the River of Fire Barnes and Nobles bonus scene.
The Apprentice: To Mothwing.
Brainwashed and Crazy: While trying to peacefully dream her way into the Dark Forest to rescue Squirrelflight, Willowshine is intercepted and killed by Ashfur, who then drags her spirit into the Dark Forest. Off-page, the evil StarClan cat turns her into the newest of his mind-controlled spirit cats. Under Ashfur's influence, Willowshine drags Rootspring into the Dark Forest, pretends to help him, tricks him into entering a collapsing cave in hopes of getting him killed, and helps her fellow slave spirits recapture Squirrelflight. Its not until Rootspring sees Willowshine standing glassy-eyed and not helping Squirrelflight does he realize she's been under Ashfur's control the whole time (see below).
Celibate Hero: Medicine cats can't have mates or kits. Like Mothwing, she hasn't broken her vow.
Demoted to Extra: She has a fairly important role in Power of Three, but does next to nothing in Omen of the Stars.
Mind-Control Eyes: While under Ashfur's control, Willowshine's eyes are eerily blank, so she keeps them narrowed to tiny slits while she's with Rootspring so he won't notice this.
The Medic: She's medicine cat of RiverClan alongside Mothwing.
The Rival: In Power of Three, Jayfeather thinks of her as his rival.
Secret-Keeper: She keeps the fact that Mothwing is an atheist secret from her Clanmates.
Tsundere: Switches between being kind and harsh to Jayfeather. It's similar to how he treats her.

Frostpaw

"I'm going to be a real medicine cat! The medicine cat RiverClan needs!"

The new medicine cat of RiverClan as of A Starless Clan.

The Apprentice: Mothwing's new apprentice after Willowshine's death.
Blonde, Brunette, Redhead: A variation. In A Starless Clan, we have brown-and-white Sunbeam, black Nightheart, and gray Frostpaw.
Innocently Insensitive: During Shadow she decides to ask Shadowsight what it was like when he realized his visions weren't from StarClan, to compare it with her own experience. When she asks, he flinches and says "You don't mince words, do you?" and she realizes how painful her words had unintentionally been for him.
It's All My Fault: She blames herself for Reedwhisker's death, feeling she should have had her vision sooner.
Sneaky Departure: At the end of Shadow she sneaks out of camp to go talk to Whistlepaw of WindClan.
Too Unhappy to Be Hungry: After her mother's death, Frostpaw is so depressed that she hadn't eaten in days.
Uncertain Doom: The last we see of Frostpaw during Shadow is her being attacked, having her throat slashed, and falling unconscious. Thunder reveals that she survives thanks to Whistlepaw finding her and the Twolegs that heal her injury.
Wrong Line of Work: Thunderstar states in the prologue of Thunder that Frostpaw was never meant to be a medicine cat, which is a fact she herself learns later in this book as well. Both her own mother, as well as Splashtail, wanted her to be a medicine cat for their own benefits and to use her to gain power for themselves.

Warriors and Apprentices

Cloudberry

"Ryewhisker, you can't do this! We have to fight our own battles!"

An ancient RiverClan she-cat who had a forbidden relationship with Ryewhisker, a WindClan tom.

The Chief's Daughter: She was the daughter of Emberstar, leader of RiverClan.
One-Steve Limit: Averted. In Goosefeather's Curse, the title character's medicine cat mentor is named Cloudberry. In addition, she is stated to have formerly been a RiverClan cat before coming to ThunderClan due to the death of the medicine cat with no successor.
Someone to Remember Him By: Her kits with Ryewhisker are born after his death.
Star-Crossed Lovers: With Ryewhisker of WindClan. When he was killed in a battle by a RiverClan cat, it led to an addition to the warrior code that made it explicitly forbidden to take a mate from another Clan.

Appledusk

"There is no cat more loyal to RiverClan than Appledusk. If I am willing to forgive him for his past mistakes, then so should you, Darkstar."

Former lover of Mapleshade, grandfather of Shellheart, great-grandfather of Crookedstar and Oakheart.

Accidental Murder: He claims that he didn't mean to kill Birchface.
Cruel Mercy: What he ultimately does to Mapleshade, by leaving her alive but rejecting her, taking a new mate, and casting her out of the Clans. Killing her right there probably would have been a kinder fate, and might have sent her to StarClan where she could at least have found peace and reunited with her kits, instead of the Dark Forest where she went to walk alone in solitude and plot her revenge for eternity.
Diving Save: He jumps in front of Mapleshade when she attacks Reedshine.
Easily Forgiven: Reedshine forgives him pretty easily for cheating on her with Mapleshade.
Failure-to-Save Murder: After their kits are swept away in a flash flood, he blames Mapleshade for trying to cross the river with them. She in turn accuses him of this.
Happily Married: With Reedshine, although he doesn't live to see their kits be born.
Heroic Sacrifice: He dies saving his pregnant mate from getting killed by Mapleshade.
It's All About Me: According to Vicky, he genuinely loved Mapleshade, but not more than he loved his position in RiverClan, and his reputation as a loyal warrior.
The Mentor: To Perchpaw.
Misplaced Retribution: Blamed for Flowerpaw's death by ThunderClan. Although he did (possibly accidentally) kill her mentor Birchface by knocking him into the flooding river, Appledusk had no direct involvement in her death, as Flowerpaw jumped in herself to try and save him from the water, but they both drowned.
Outliving One's Offspring: The kits he had with Mapleshade died in a flood a while before he dies.
Revenge by Proxy: Played with. Mapleshade tries to kill his pregnant mate, winds up killing him instead, and when said mate declares that Appledusk will always live on through his kits and their kits in turn, takes it as a challenge.
Slashed Throat: How Mapleshade kills him.
Someone to Remember Him By: Mapleshade kills him, but Reedshine survives to give birth to his kits. His descendants include Shellheart, Crookedstar, Oakheart, Silverstream, Feathertail, Stormfur, Stonefur, and Mistystar.
Star-Crossed Lovers: With Mapleshade, who was a ThunderClan cat. It ended VERY badly.
Taking the Bullet: He takes the fatal hit meant for Reedshine.

Reedshine

"What you have done here is more terrible than anything a Clan cat has done before!"

Appledusk's second mate and the mother of his kits.

Clingy Jealous Girl: She wraps her tail around Appledusk while telling Mapleshade to leave.
Dead Guy Junior: Not her, but after Appledusk's death, she names one of their three kits, Applefrost, after him.
Happily Married: Her and Appledusk, although it doesn't last long before Mapleshade kills him.
Meaningful Name: A reed is a plant that grows in water, appropriate for a RiverClan cat.
No Sympathy: After Mapleshade loses her kits, is blamed for their deaths by Appledusk, and refused shelter in RiverClan, she coldly tells her to go away and that she's caused enough trouble tonight.
One-Steve Limit: Averted. She shares her name with another RiverClan she-cat who appeared in Code of the Clans.
Second Love: Appledusk's second mate after Mapleshade, although it is implied he was seeing them both at the same time.
Someone to Remember Him By: She gives birth to Appledusk's kits after his death. Their descendants include Shellheart, Crookedstar, Oakheart, Silverstream, Feathertail, Stormfur, Stonefur, and Mistystar.

Rainflower

"If he'd stayed in camp he'd never have had the accident. Then he wouldn't be the ugly mess he is now. He'd still be my handsome young warrior."

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/img_7127.png

Crookedstar's mother. Though initially doting, she neglects, ignores, and emotionally abuses him after his disfigurement.

Abusive Parents: Tried to force her son out of her life after he broke his jaw.
Attractiveness Discrimination: Infamously known for disowning her son Crookedstar after the incident that resulted in his jaw being broken as a kit.
Death by Falling Over: During a battle, a dog accidentally runs into her; she falls and hits her head on a rock. This one's a little more realistic in that she doesn't die instantly; her son debates whether to first fetch the medicine cat or drive away the dog. He chooses to fight off the dog first, and in that amount of time, she dies, and he feels responsible for her death.
Dies Wide Open
I Have No Son!: She abandons Crookedstar after his accident.
Irony: She falls and hits her head on a rock, almost in the same way Crookedstar fell on a rock and breaks his jaw.
Kick the Dog: Does this a few times. The first is when she forces Stormkit to sleep in his own nest when he needed the comfort of his mother. The second is when she cruelly has his name changed to "Crookedkit." The third is when she arranges for Shellheart to mentor Oakpaw because she said that only the best warriors can train the strongest apprentices. And the fourth is when she cruelly says that Crookedpaw would never be as great as Oakheart...at Oakheart's warrior ceremony.
Never Speak Ill of the Dead: In Crookedstar's Promise, once she dies, everyone pretty much forgets her bad qualities.
No Sense of Humor: In Crookedstar's Promise, she begins scolding Crookedjaw and Oakheart for telling friendly jokes about the queens, making a boring lecture about how the queens "enjoy helping their Clan". Crookedjaw and Oakheart just roll their eyes at this.
Parental Favoritism: Favors Stormkit over Oakkit at first, but later makes sure Oakheart gets special treatment, much to both Crookedstar and Oakheart's dismay. She doesn't even give Crookedstar one of his nine lives.
Parental Neglect: Outright ignored Crookedstar after he broke his jaw.
Social Darwinist: She says the reason she told Hailstar to make Oakheart Shellheart's apprentice is because she thinks only the strongest warriors can train the strongest apprentices.
The Stoic: She lost her cheerfulness after Crookedstar broke his jaw.

Fallowtail

"I am loyal! I haven't seen Reedfeather in moons. I love [Willowkit and Graykit] more than my own life and I planned to bring them up as true RiverClan warriors. How can you even suggest taking them away from me?"

A RiverClan she-cat who became mates with a WindClan warrior, Reedfeather.

Death by Despair: Subverted. While she doesn't die, she slips into such a deep depression after Reedfeather takes Willowkit and Graykit to live with him in WindClan that her Clanmates begin to fear that she'll die of a broken heart. This prompts Hailstair to rescue the kits and reunite them with their mother.
The Mentor: To Softwing.
Secret Relationship: Was in one with Reedfeather of WindClan, leading to the birth of Graypool and Willowbreeze.

Echomist

"Hush, Beetlekit. He looks very well considering what he's been through."

A RiverClan she-cat who was a queen when Crookedstar was a kit.

Happily Married: To Hailstar, RiverClan's leader.
Nice Girl: Echomist is a kind, motherly and loving cat.
Parental Substitute: After Rainflower rejects Stormkit, Echomist lets him sleep in her nest with her own kits.
Team Mom: Looks after every kit in the RiverClan nursery, whether they're her own or not.

Whitefang

"Of course [I'm scared]! I'm not stupid. Battles are dangerous."

Leopardstar's mentor. That's basically all that describes him.

The Apprentice: To Timberfur.
The Big Guy: One of the biggest cats in RiverClan at the time, just behind Crookedstar.
The Mentor: To Leopardstar, as well as Whiteclaw's first mentor.
Nice Guy: When he caught Leopardkit outside of camp as a kit, he was cross, but he also answered all of her questions and helped her identify different smells. As a mentor, he was noted for being kind and patient.
Slashed Throat: This is how he dies.

Beetlenose

"A warrior should be ready for anything!"

A kit of the RiverClan leader Hailstar, Beetlenose grew up with Crookedstar and Oakheart, and was therefore one of their close friends, even if he annoyed them at times.

The Apprentice: To Ottersplash.
Cuteness Proximity: At the end of Crookedstar's Promise, he bursts out of the nursery and squeals about how cute Crookedstar's daughter is.
Doting Parent: For such an arrogant and hot-headed tom, he was a very loving father to Vixenleap, Grasswhisker, and Whiteclaw and his relationship with Sunfish was a devoted one.
Expy: Of Berrynose. He has the same ego and love of fighting that the cream-colored ThunderClanner has, and the same suffix to show that it's intentional.
Hot-Blooded: Loves fighting more than anything else that is not himself or his mate.
Jerk with a Heart of Gold: He's pretty darn annoying and not especially kind, but he's an unfailingly loyal warrior, and a loving mate and father.
The Mentor: To Reedtail.
The Nicknamer: He says that Crookedstar should be called "Birdbrain" and "Scarpaw".
Outliving One's Offspring: He outlives his son, Whiteclaw.
Right Behind Me: As an apprentice he is complaining about having Ottersplash as his mentor at one point when his littermates suddenly try to shush him. He's confused about why, until Ottersplash makes a comment from right behind him, and due to his lack of respect, assigns him to spend the afternoon cleaning the elders' den.
The Rival: To Crookedstar. Or so he says.
Small Name, Big Ego: He thinks very highly of himself because he's the Clan leader's son.
Vitriolic Best Buds: With Crookedstar.

Petaldust

"I'll fight to the death if have to."

Beetlenose's sister who is much more down to earth than her over the top brother.

The Apprentice: To Mudfur, before he became a medicine cat.
The Chief's Daughter: She was Hailstar's only daughter and always retained a kind personality to everyone around her.
Foil: To Beetlenose.
Only Sane Man: Of Crookedstar's generation. She's the calmest, kindest, and the one with the least drama.

Sunfish

"We've got to be able to catch land prey as well as river prey."

Leopardstar's former nursery denmate, as well as Silverstream's foster mother.

The Apprentice: To Voleclaw.
Best Friend: Sunfish is not only Leopardstar's best friend, but also gives Leopardstar a life for friendship at the latter's nine lives ceremony.
Last Request: Before she dies, Sunfish asks Leopardfur to take care of Whitekit.
Meaningful Name: She shares her name with a real-life species of fish.
Parental Substitute: She becomes Silverstream's foster mother after Willowbreeze dies.
Secret-Keeper: She was the only cat to know about Leopardstar's initial fear of water and Sunfish helped Leopardstar to get over it by placing prey on the far side of a stream, and say that Leopardstar could not eat until she waded through the water to fetch it.

Skyheart

Shimmerpelt and Piketooth's daughter and the foster sibling of Leopardstar.

The Apprentice: To Softwing.
The Bully: She serves as this to Leopardstar back when they were kits. After Leopardkit gives away Skykit's spot during a game of hide-and-seek, Skykit ends up taking her revenge out on her foster sister by holding her head underwater for a several seconds. Then tells Leopardkit that Blackkit and herself don't even like playing with her and only do so because Shimmerpelt makes them and that she'll go to the Dark Forest for causing the death of her mother, Brightsky. Luckily she ends up maturing as she gets older and Leopardstar shows no animosity towards her.
Denied Food as Punishment: At one point in Leopardstar's Honor Tigerstar suggests doing this to Skyheart after she initially refuses to eat a ThunderClan mouse.
Disproportionate Retribution: During a game of hide-and-seek in Leopardstar's Honor, Leopardkit reveals Skykit's hiding spot to one of their denmates. As revenge, Skykit pushes Leopardkit underwater and holds her there for several seconds.
Shipper on Deck: As an apprentice she ships Leopardpaw and Frogpaw.

Sedgecreek

"Sorry! I know I talk too much but I just want to be the best apprentice. I'm so glad you're my mentor. You're the strongest cat in RiverClan, except Rippleclaw, but he's old—not an elder or anything—but you're younger and you remember what it's like to be a 'paw."

Ottersplash and Timberfur's daughter.

The Apprentice: To Crookedstar.
Genki Girl: As an apprentice she is shown to have a lot of energy and enthusiasm.
Motor Mouth: The narration even describes her as "chattering like a blackbird".
Crookedjaw's head was spinning. "Slow down," he meowed.

Graystripe

See Warrior Cats Thunderclan Leaders And Deputies

Whiteclaw

"You trained me to be a loyal RiverClan warrior. It's all I ever wanted to be."

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/img_7128.png

A RiverClan tom from Fire and Ice. His death sparked Leopardstar's hatred of Graystripe.

The Apprentice: First to Whitefang, then Leopardstar.
Did Not Get the Girl: He admits to having a crush on Silverstream and tells Leopardstar that he plans on asking her to become his mate, but is afraid he will come across as foolish. Silverstream shows no romantic interest in him.
Disney Villain Death: Though not a villain, he dies when he falls into the gorge.
Heroic BSoD: After the death of his first mentor Whitefang and his mother Sunfish he falls under this category. He starts dreaming that his friends and family are all gone and just leave him behind. Leopardstar comforts him that she'll never leave him.
Keet: He is excitable, enthusiastic, and cheerful as a young apprentice.
Trademark Favorite Food: His favorite fish is carp.

Mosspelt

"But you brought us here because you believe we can work together. We did it before, didn't we? For the Great Journey? Will you give up so quickly this time?"

A RiverClan queen who is Feathertail's and Stormfur's foster mother. Her daughter Willowshine becomes Mothwing's apprentice.

Agony of the Feet: She has a claw torn out when fleeing from the fishing Twoleg in Leopardstar's Honor.
Break the Cutie: She was quite chipper and cute as an apprentice and young warrior...then she lost her mate and two of her kits on practically the same day in Leopardstar's Honor. The next time we see her, she's haunted and overprotective of her last surviving kit.
Caught in a Snare: While trying to steal fish from a Twoleg in Leopardstar's Honor, she gets caught in a net.
Cool Old Lady: She's become quite old in recent books, and is one of the few characters from the first arc to still be alive as of River of Fire.
Death of a Child: During the flood in Leopardstar's Honor all three of her kits are swept away. Sadly, two of them don't survive.
Everybody Knew Already: According to her, while Graystripe was in RiverClan, everyone knew he still longed for his home in ThunderClan by the way he would gaze sadly at the trees from across the river.
Know When to Fold 'Em: In Shattered Sky, when Darktail refuses to let RiverClan reclaim their dead after the battle, an enraged Mistystar nearly attacks him, but Mosspelt stops her, reminding her leader that attacking is exactly the kind of reaction that Darktail wants. Mistystar protests that they can't leave their dead Clanmates, but Mosspelt reassures her that not even Darktail can stop their spirits from traveling to StarClan, and that they can hold vigils for them that night, no matter where their bodies are.
The Mentor: To Swallowtail, Pebblefoot and Perchwing.
Nice Girl: Mosspelt is a kind and amicable she-cat, looking after Graystripe's motherless kits and giving him news about them even after he returns to ThunderClan.
Outliving One's Offspring:
- Outlives her adoptive daughter, Feathertail.
- The poor girl outlived all of her kits. Her two sons drowned as kits, Dawnflower died from the drought in The Fourth Apprentice and Willowshine was killed by Ashfur in The Place of No Stars.
Parental Substitute: When Featherkit and Stormkit are brought to RiverClan, she becomes a surrogate mother to them, since their birth mother, Silverstream, is dead.
Slapstick: She appears as an apprentice in the manga chapter of Crookedstar's Promise, and accidentally falls into the river during a fishing lesson.
Trauma Conga Line: Loses her mate Frogleap in a fishing accident and then her two sons Woodkit and Robinkit end up drowning shortly afterwards.
What Happened to the Mouse?: In Forest of Secrets, when RiverClan shows up to claim Graystripe's kits, they mention a queen named Greenflower who recently lost two kits and will take care of them, but she never reappears in further books and Mosspelt takes care of the kits instead.

Feathertail

"Think you have nine lives, do you? I saved you once. Don't make me save you again."

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/5b64fcfa7c206d208400c241eb8ee1fe.jpg

^{Click here} to see her appearance on the cover of Moonrise

Graystripe's daughter, she was among the four cats chosen to journey to Midnight and find a new home for the Clans. She forms a relationship with Crowpaw, and almost brings out a friendly side to him. Unfortunately, she does not survive the journey, and sacrifices herself to kill Sharptooth, a mountain lion preying on the Tribe of Rushing Water.

All Girls Want Bad Boys: While Crowpaw isn't exactly bad, he's still quite abrasive and short-tempered. She falls for him anyway, and makes an effort to bring out his good side.
Almost Dead Guy: Lives just long enough to say goodbye to her brother and echo Crowpaw's words back at him.
The Apprentice: To Mistystar.
Beneath the Mask: She stars in her own manga, A Shadow in RiverClan, which reveals that the sweet she-cat readers were familiar with was actually wrestling with a lot of trust issues after the events of The Darkest Hour.
Big Damn Heroes:
- When Hawk falls into the river in a Shadow in RiverClan, she runs across the camp and dives in afterward to save him.
- Earlier in the same book, her friend Ferncloud accidentally crosses the border while chasing prey. Blackclaw and Heavystep catch the two of them while they catch up, and while Ferncloud tries to diffuse the situation, insisting she doesn’t want to fight over it, the two toms (mostly Heavystep) don’t care and plan to beat her up to teach her a lesson, just because they feel like it. Before they can, however, Feathertail dives between them, throwing herself at Heavystep and giving Ferncloud time to escape back into her own Clan.
- Saves Crowpaw from Sharptooth by jumping on a stalactite and dislodging it to impale Sharptooth, but sacrificing herself in the process.
Brooding Boy, Gentle Girl: Aside from Leafpool, she's the other gentle girl to Crowfeather's brooding boy.
Character Development: Her manga is about her journey to overcome her trauma and trust issues and find her belonging in RiverClan.
Child of Forbidden Love: She is the daughter of Silverstream of RiverClan and Graystripe of ThunderClan.
The Chosen One: One of the four chosen journeying cats. She's also the silver cat that is prophesied to kill Sharptooth.
A Day in the Limelight: She has her own manga which is titled A Shadow in RiverClan.
A Death in the Limelight: She has two POV chapters shortly before she dies in Moonrise.
Fire-Forged Friends: She becomes this with the party she was traveling with in The New Prophecy due to all they endured together. She and Crowfeather even fall in love with one another.
First Love: To Crowfeather.
Forgiveness: This is the theme of her graphic novel. She eventually finds it in her to forgive Leopardstar.
Freudian Trio: In The New Prophecy she, Leafpool and Tawnypelt were the Superego to Brambleclaw and Stormfur's Ego and Squirrelflight and Crowfeather's Id.
Generation Xerox: Looks quite a lot like Silverstream. And like Silverstream, she dies before her mate does, who moves on to find another love.
Good Is Not Nice: In A Shadow In RiverClan, she is distant from her Clanmates due to the trauma she underwent, but when it comes down to it she will still jump at the chance to save them, even if it means risking her life, and generally act like an ideal Clan cat in that respect.
The Heart: Among the cats chosen to go on the journey in The New Prophecy, Feathertail is the one most likely to appease any in-fighting by being understanding and considering everyone's point of view. Especially noticeable when she deals with the abrasive Crowpaw.
Heroic Bastard: Has a ThunderClan father and a RiverClan mother.
Heroic Sacrifice: In Moonrise, she falls to her death in order to kill Sharptooth to save the Tribe and her friends.
History Repeats: Like Mistyfoot and Stonefur before them, Feathertail and her brother Stormfur are a half-ThunderClan, half-RiverClan pair of siblings who spend their early kithood in the former Clan before being raised by the latter Clan.
Hyper-Awareness: Tawnypelt notes that she is the only one to notice an easier path to the Sun-Drown place during her story in Secrets of the Clans, and she's also the one to figure out how to kill Sharptooth with a stalactite. Her manga shows her being the only one to notice when Hawk falls into the river and nearly drowns, and she jumps in to save him.
Innocent Blue Eyes: Very much there to accent Feathertail's purity of spirit.
I Want My Beloved to Be Happy: Like her mother before her, Feathertail doesn't mind that her love finds a new she-cat after she dies.
May–December Romance: While not the most stark example of this trope and given the fact that they don't become official, Feathertail was a seasoned warrior that was born in the third book of the first arc whereas Crowpaw was an apprentice in the middle of his training and born between the first arc and the second.
Misunderstood Loner with a Heart of Gold: During her manga. She rebuffs her clanmates' attempts to spend time with her because she has a hard time trusting them. From their perspective, though, she's aloof and curt.
Past Experience Nightmare: In A Shadow in RiverClan, while away on a patrol and sleeping next to Leopardstar, Feathertail has a nightmare of Leopardstar once again accepting Tigerstar's decision to kill her and her brother for being half-Clan.
Secret-Keeper: Her manga reveals that she knew about Hawkfrost and Mothwing being Tigerstar's children—Sasha told her, and she kept quiet because she promised, because she considered them friends, and because she didn't want them to face the prejudice she and her brother had.
Secret Secret-Keeper: Going off the above trope, Hawkfrost and Mothwing almost certainly didn't know that Feathertail knew.
Shell-Shocked Veteran: Her manga details how traumatic almost being killed at the Bonehill was for her; while Stormfur is congenial and gets along with the rest of the Clan, Feathertail has difficulty trusting them, especially Leopardstar, and has several flashbacks/nightmares of her Clanmates chanting for her death.
The Smart Guy: Acts as the most sensible one (along with Tawnypelt) during the journey.
Sneaky Departure: The New Prophecy begins with Feathertail and a cat from each Clan getting an omen telling them that they need to go on a journey far away from the Clans. Since they can't let their Clanmates in on this, they have to sneak away from the Clans and meet up together for the journey.
Spirit Advisor: Continues to show up as a StarClan spirit after her death.
Star-Crossed Lovers: With Crowfeather. Both of them are from separate Clans, but become close in their journey for a new home. When they finally confess their love for each other, Feathertail is killed shortly afterwards in a Heroic Sacrifice.
Strong Family Resemblance: She has been noted to look a lot like her mother, Silverstream.
Women Are Wiser: In Midnight, when Squirrelpaw gets stuck under a fence, the males of the group - Brambleclaw, Stormfur, and Crowpaw - start arguing aggressively about what to do. The she-cats Tawnypelt and Feathertail, meanwhile, actually come up with an idea to get Squirrelpaw out, and successfully free her. They even ask afterward if all toms do is fight.
Workaholic: In her manga, she keeps busy to avoid talking to her Clanmates.

Stormfur

See Warrior Cats: Tribe of Rushing Water.

Hawkfrost

"There are worse cats I could imitate [than Tigerstar]."

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/4fbce7ecc437cb7f2853bace319d571d.jpg

"Then you're a fool, and stupid too."

^{Click here} to see his appearance on the cover of Sunset

Son of Tigerstar by Sasha, and Brambleclaw's half-brother. Hawkfrost is very similar to Tigerstar in his manner and personality, but hides his true motivations due to the Clans' lingering hatred of Tigerstar. In many ways, he serves as Brambleclaw's Evil Counterpart.

Almost Dead Guy: Sneers at Brambleclaw while dying and warns him that nothing is over.
The Apprentice: To Leopardstar.
Arch-Enemy: To Brambleclaw and Ivypool.
Arc Villain: The main villain of The New Prophecy, but not the series overall.
Asshole Victim: Brambleclaw destroys his spirit once and for all in The Last Hope. He fully deserved it.
Avenging the Villain: He wants to kill Firestar because he blames him for Tigerstar's death, even though Firestar gave Tigerstar plenty of chances to stop what he was doing and didn't actually kill Firestar. It only becomes more absurd when you realize that Scourge was going to kill Tigerstar no matter what Firestar said.
Bastard Bastard: Never knew his father in life, but is just as evil.
Bitch in Sheep's Clothing: When he's alive, he almost never shows his true nature. He's also one of the best in the Dark Forest at seeming kind.
Big "NO!": He gives one in Return to the Clans when his brother Tadpole dies.
Blood from the Mouth: He coughs up clots of blood shortly before he dies at the end of Sunset.
Cain and Abel: With Brambleclaw.
Dark Is Evil: Looks a lot like the evil Tigerstar.
Deader than Dead: Bramblestar kills his spirit in The Last Hope.
Dirty Coward: In The Last Hope, he flees the battle when it looks like he might lose. Unfortunately for him, his brother Brambleclaw catches him.
Disc-One Final Boss: Appears to be the Big Bad of Warrior Cats: The New Prophecy, but he turns out to be working for Tigerstar.
The Dragon: Serves as Tigerstar's dragon in The New Prophecy and Power of Three. In Omen Of The Stars, he becomes the second-in-command of Brokenstar instead.
Dragon-in-Chief: During The New Prophecy he was more dangerous than Tigerstar due to Tigerstar being dead, but afterwards he goes back to being lower ranked than Tigerstar.
The Dying Walk: Brambleclaw stabs his half-brother in the throat with a stake from a trap. Hawkfrost, despite struggling to breathe and speak, gets up, stumbles toward Brambleclaw to call him a fool, and then, for some reason, turns around and walks toward the lake, collapsing at its shore. His blood mingles with the water to complete the prophecy "Blood will spill blood and the lake will run red".
Entitled Bastard: Outright says several times that he "deserves to be deputy."
Even Bad Men Love Their Mamas: Despite being a hammy villain, he loves his mother Sasha. In fact, he scolds ThunderClan for antagonising her and bids farewell to her when the Clans leave the forest.
Evil Cannot Comprehend Good: His plan to take over the Clans fails because he literally cannot understand why his brother would rather earn the position of Clan Leader than kill the current leader and take it.
Evil Counterpart:
- To Brambleclaw. He idolizes Tigerstar without acknowledging any of his faults, and his ambition is totally self-serving, unlike Brambleclaw's.
- He could also count as one to Mothwing. Mothwing devotes herself to serving her Clan as medicine cat rather than become mixed up in Hawkfrost's schemes.
Evil Mentor: To Ivypool and as one of two evil mentors to Lionblaze.
Evil Plan: He has a similar plan to his father Tigerstar's original plan, to become Clan deputy and then murder the leader. He even has help from his dad's spirit. He manipulates Mudclaw into staging a coup in order to weaken WindClan, and Hawkfrost nearly succeeds in killing the ThunderClan leader Firestar.
The Family That Slays Together: Him and his father, Tigerstar.
Faux Affably Evil: Polite and cordial to Brambleclaw, Lionblaze, and especially Ivypool, but it's probably a facade.
Freudian Excuse: His brother died in front of him as a kit, then his mother abandoned him with a warning that he had to keep his father secret or else the Clan would hate him. And when the Clans did find out, it's because his mother spilled the secret herself.
Generation Xerox: Basically Tigerstar but with a white belly and blue eyes.
The Heavy: In the second arc. While his dad Tigerstar is the Big Bad, his schemes to take over the Clans are the main driving point, partially because his dad is dead and only appears as a Spirit Advisor.
High-Pressure Blood: At the end of Sunset after Brambleclaw stabs Hawkfrost in the throat with a wooden stake. After he removes the stake, blood splashes out of Hawkfrost's wound like there's no tomorrow. Hawkfrost then gets up and proceeds to deliver his Final Speech, which causes blood to flow faster and faster from his wound. By the time he's done, you would expect him to have lost at least three cats' worth of blood; but then he falls into the lake and proceeds to fill it with what little of the red stuff he's got left in him.
Hypocrite: Hawkfrost often claims that everything he does for the sake of his Clan, but its pretty clear to most cats and to the reader, that he's more concerned about fulfilling his own ambitions.
- In Sunset, he makes it clear that he hates being judged by his heritage, but later bullies and condemns Brook for her background.
Icy Blue Eyes: Is a very calm and collected villain, for the most part.
Impaled with Extreme Prejudice: Brambleclaw kills him by ramming a spike through his neck.
Insane Troll Logic: In Sunset, he tells Brambleclaw that Firestar deserves to die because he didn't try to save Tigerstar from Scourge. So death is the punishment for not being able to react during the three seconds it takes for a lightning-fast Psycho for Hire to cut down your Arch-Enemy? Yeah, nice going Hawkfrost.
It's All About Me: His motivation in trying to rule the Clans is that he thinks that he (and only he) can run the Clans better than the current leaders. Plus, he constantly speaks up in Gatherings even though he's not allowed to while the leaders speak (thus annoying several others).
Just Between You and Me: He does this at the end of Sunset. His plan wasn't particularly complicated, but before trying the strike the killing blow, he felt the need to tell Brambleclaw that he was just testing him. And of course, after Brambleclaw impales him, he remembers something else important and says a little extra as he bleeds to death.
Kick the Dog:
- In The Last Hope, the only reason he randomly kicks Beetlewhisker's corpse and insults him is to show the audience how awful he truly is. It's really satisfying when Brambleclaw finishes him off because of this, and his other actions.
- When he gets Stormfur and Brook in trouble and reports to Leopardstar about Brook, he says that she almost got run over by a car...before adding coldly that it was a shame it didn't kill her. This makes Leopardstar scold him briefly for it.
Large Ham: Easily the hammiest (and cheesiest) character in the series. With the Clans being what they are, that really says something. In a chapter of The Last Hope featuring Firestar, Tigerstar, Brokenstar, Mapleshade, and Breezepelt at their most over-the-top, he manages to outdo all their efforts combined. While essentially spending the chapter as a punching bag.
Leader Wannabe: Wants to rule the entire forest.
Manipulative Bastard: Excels at this. He's able to, in no particular order, trap his sister with blackmail, recruit Ashfur to help him kill Firestar, turn RiverClan against Stormfur and Brook, and bring Ivypaw into the Dark Forest by taking advantage of her insecurities.
Meaningful Name: As fierce as a hawk and as cold as frost.
Monster Brother, Cutie Sister: Mothwing is a pretty and kind she-cat who becomes a medicine cat, while her brother Hawkfrost is noted as looking dangerous as soon as he first appears in the books. It's later revealed that he wishes to follow in their evil father's pawsteps, and to do this he manipulates her to use her position to his advantage and plans a coup.
Most Definitely Not a Villain: In-universe there's a lot of drama in The New Prophecy riding on whether he's a villain or not. But to the readers, it's pretty plain.
My Death Is Just the Beginning: Like father, like son.
No, You: In The Last Hope, when Ivypool calls him a traitor, he responds with, "You're the traitor. And this time, I'll kill you."
Number Two: Temporarily serves as Leopardstar's deputy when the current deputy is kidnapped by Twolegs.
Opposed Mentors: He is Ivypool's Dark Forest mentor, while Cinderheart is her Clan mentor.
Parental Abandonment: His father died before he was born, and his mother left him with RiverClan when he was only a few moons old. While Hawkfrost still loves her, the subconscious impact it had on him birthed his worst fear: abandonment.
Self-Disposing Villain: In The Last Hope, he taunts Brambleclaw and Ivypool until he gets killed for it.
Smug Snake: Especially after his death. He's a very good manipulator, but he'd be better if he could avoid gloating about it so much that cats feel compelled to kill him.
Stepford Smiler: Pretends to be all nice and good to Brambleclaw in The New Prophecy.
That Man Is Dead: After his death, his sister Mothwing grieves for Hawk - not the manipulative villain he had become as Hawkfrost, but the innocent brother he used to be.
Troubled Abuser: He's emotionally manipulative, if not abusive, to his sister Mothwing. He also has a deep-seated fear of abandonment and his first few moons of life were quite traumatic.
The Unfavorite: To his half-brother Brambleclaw. Even though Hawkfrost is on their father Tigerstar's side while Brambleclaw is not, it is implied that Tigerstar prefers Brambleclaw, to the point where he congratulates Brambleclaw for killing Hawkfrost.
Used to Be a Sweet Kid: He may be evil, but as Hawk he was quite cute. Feathertail's manga adds onto this, showing him as an enthusiastic, if Hot-Blooded, apprentice who genuinely gets along with her.
Villainous Lineage: He's evil like Tigerstar was evil.
We Will Meet Again: In Sunset, after Brambleclaw kills him, he hears Hawkfrost's voice saying "We will meet again, my brother. This is not over yet."
Why Did It Have to Be Snakes?: A Shadow in RiverClan reveals that, unsurprisingly, watching his brother drown right in front of him left him afraid of water. Feathertail teaches him to swim, after which point he overcomes it.
Wounded Gazelle Gambit: After he insults Stormfur and Brook, Stormfur attacks him. The surprising thing is...he's not fighting back. He was instead pretending to cower under the blows to turn RiverClan against the Tribe cats. Even Brambleclaw (who had watched this) admits that it was clever.
Wrestler in All of Us: His fighting style can be summed up as "pin opponent down and inflict lots of pain".
You Fool!: At the climax of Sunset, Hawkfrost informs Brambleclaw that he is a fool... and stupid.

Rippletail

"I only ever wanted to help my Clan. My life was worth that."

One of the two RiverClan warriors chosen for the patrol to bring back the water. He dies sacrificing himself to save one of the other cats.

A Death in the Limelight: He appeared very briefly in Twilight but not once in the seven books between Twilight and The Fourth Apprentice. In The Fourth Apprentice, he has a much more significant role.
The Apprentice: To Reedwhisker.
Heroic Sacrifice: He is the only one of the cats who goes on the journey to bring back the river that dies.
The Medic: Before the journey begins, Mothwing teaches him about herbs to use and he acts as this when the cats get injured.
The Mentor: To Mallownose.
The Smart Guy: On the journey to find the water, his knowledge of herbs helps the cats when they are injured.

Rainstorm

"Yes. And I'm grateful to them. But then they said that they wouldn't let me come back home unless Leopardstar gave them some fish."

A RiverClan tom desperate to protect his Clan from the drought. After fighting with Ivypool over a fish, he falls into a mud patch, but is saved by Thornclaw.

Hostage For Macguffin: Nearly happened. Some ThunderClan considered making RiverClan give them some fish before he was returned, but it didn't happen.
Hot-Blooded: He tries to attack a new apprentice because he (wrongly) thinks she's trying to eat a dead fish that should rightfully be RiverClan's.
Jerkass: In addition to trying to fight a young cat for no reason, he doesn't seem very grateful when ThunderClan saves him from the mess he gets himself into.
Too Dumb to Live: He was so intent on attacking Ivypaw under the impression she was trying to steal an already-dead fish that he failed to notice the deep mud that a couple of ThunderClan warriors had to be rescue from just a moment earlier.

Icewing

"Don't let Tigerstar see you're afraid. Keep quiet and do exactly what he says or you'll never see your home again."

A she-cat who trained in the Dark Forest. She is the mother of Beetlewhisker, Petalfur, Grasspelt, Pricklekit, Nightsky and Breezeheart.

The Exile: In Veil of Shadows Mistystar exiles both her and Harelight for fighting on the opposite side of the battle.
Outliving One's Offspring: She outlives her entire first litter.

Beetlewhisker

"[The Warrior Code] teaches us to be strong! I don't know what you are trying to do, but you'll never make me despise the warrior code, or my Clan!

A tom training in the Dark Forest. After learning of the Dark Forest's true intentions, he tries to leave, but it's too late...

And I Must Scream: His body is left to rot in the Dark Forest with his spirit trapped inside it, as the Dark Forest doesn't want him, and StarClan can't reach him. This leaves him in a state of perpetual agony until the Dark Forest is defeated and StarClan finally rescues him.
Defector from Decadence: He tries to be, anyway.
Heel–Face Door-Slam: Pretty much as soon as he tries to leave the Dark Forest, he gets killed by Brokenstar.
The Leader: In The Last Hope, Brokenstar names him representative of the RiverClan Dark Forest trainees.
Neck Snap: How Brokenstar kills him.
No Body Left Behind: Because he died in the Dark Forest, his body disappeared in the living world.
Series Continuity Error: A pretty big one. Even though he is killed during The Last Hope, he appears in the allegiances of A Vision of Shadows and even appears during Shattered Sky.

Hollowflight

"I told him how the other apprentices were bullying me, and he said he'd teach me how to stand up to them."

A young cat who trains with the Dark Forest because he is bullied in his Clan.

Anti-Villain: Technically trains in the Place of No Stars, but he's a nice guy.
Apologizes a Lot: Used to show his relative timidity.
The Apprentice: To Reedwhisker.
Big Damn Heroes: In Night Whispers, he appears to save Ivypool from Darkstripe after she loses her footing in sludgy Dark Forest water.
Continuity Snarl: In Night Whispers, he has already been in the Dark Forest for some time, but in Sign of the Moon, it is only his second time visiting. Regardless, his character benefits from it.
Dark Is Not Evil: He has a dark pelt like many of the villainous cats in Warriors. He ends up being good, though.
Heel–Face Turn: He fights on the side of the Clans in The Last Hope.
Morality Pet: To Ivypool, who had to abandon her morals in order to spy on the Dark Forest.
Shrinking Violet: He turns to the Dark Forest for training and support because his Clanmates were bullying him and he couldn't or didn't stand up for himself.

Softpelt

"Help me! I can't get on!"

A cat first introduced in A Vision of Shadows. She's Lakeheart's daughter.

The Apprentice: To Mintfur.
Ash Face: In River of Fire she gets covered with soot when fire comes through RiverClan territory.
Barred from the Afterlife: Because StarClan is blocked off at the time of her death, she's stuck as a ghost. She is finally able to enter StarClan at the end of A Light in the Mist.
Brain Washed And Crazy: After her death, Ashfur, off-page, imprisons Softpelt and many other fallen Clan cats who are stuck as ghosts, in the Dark Forest, where he mind-controls them into being his personal army.
Killed Offscreen: Died in the battle near the end of Veil of Shadows.
The Mentor: To Splashpaw.

Dappletuft

A cat first introduced in A Vision of Shadows. He's Lakeheart's son.

The Apprentice: To Duskfur.
Barred from the Afterlife: Because StarClan is blocked off at the time of his death, he's stuck as a ghost. He is finally able to enter StarClan at the end of A Light in the Mist.
Brain Washed And Crazy: After Dappletuft's death, Ashfur, off-page, imprisons him and many other fallen Clan cats who are stuck as ghosts, in the Dark Forest, where he sadistically mind-controls them into being his minions.
Dishonored Dead: In Veil of Shadows he is one of the cats who tries to kill the impostor and gets killed himself as result. Since trying to murder a Clan leader is a crime, and because Mistystar doesn't know that Bramblestar is an impostor at this point, Dappletuft is buried as a rogue without the honor and vigil he normally would have gotten.

Harelight

"I would have been here for them both, whatever happened."

A cat first introduced in A Vision of Shadows. He's Lakeheart's son.

The Apprentice: Though his mentor was initially listed as Beetlewhisker in the allegiances, this was a mistake as Beetlewhisker had died back in The Last Hope. His actual mentor, according to the Spotfur's Rebellion allegiances, was Mallownose.
The Exile: In Veil of Shadows Mistystar exiles both him and Icewing for fighting on the opposite side of the battle.
The Mentor: To Frostpaw, after she steps down from her medicine cat apprenticeship and trains as a regular warrior.
Number Two: To Splashtail, after he becomes leader.

Other Riverclanners

Brightsky

"Never be afraid of the future, for it brings wonderful things."

Mudfur's mate and Leopardstar's mother.

Death by Childbirth: This is what causes Mudfur to decide to become a medicine cat.
Incurable Cough of Death: Gets sick before her kits are born and as a result dies as soon as they are born along with three of her kits.
The Mentor: To Graypool.
Series Continuity Error: In Tallstar's Revenge, she's called "Nightsky", instead of her real name.

Willowbreeze

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/willow_3867.bmp

"You'll be a wonderful father. I'm so happy Hailstar brought me back from WindClan. I've loved being with you and with RiverClan."

Crookedstar's mate from Crookedstar's Promise. She is half-Clan, descended from RiverClan and WindClan. As such, she is somewhat of an outcast in RiverClan, but Crookedstar understands her.

The Apprentice: To Owlfur.
Child of Forbidden Love: Graypool and Willowbreeze are the kits of Reedfeather of WindClan and Fallowtail of RiverClan. They're brought to their father's Clan for a while.
Chocolate Baby: She and her sister Graypool are gray cats, while their parents Fallowtail and Reedfeather are brown.
Damsel in Distress: Gets kidnapped by Twolegs and imprisoned in a trap at one point, requiring Crookedjaw and Graypool to rescue her.
Doomed by Canon: Vicky even went so far as to say she was doomed before Crookedstar's Promise was released.
Happily Married: To Crookedstar.
Heroic Bastard: Her father is the WindClan deputy Reedfeather.
Incurable Cough of Death: She catches greencough, but the catmint, usually a sure cure in greencough cases, doesn't help her.
Meaningful Name: The breeze suffix refers to her WindClan roots.
Together in Death: She reunites with Crookedstar when he dies and goes to StarClan.

Silverstream

"You're obsessed with Clan loyalty. If you could see beyond your nose, you'd realize...there's a lot more to life than what we've got in one little Clan. Graystripe is a great and worthy warrior. If the warrior code can't deal with this...then maybe the warrior code needs to change. I know you're worried because you love me. And I love you too. I'll always be your daughter. But you have to let me choose my own future."

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/eecd48224c3df96a3c523b4e2ddd72ec.jpg

"I'll be waiting."

The daughter of Crookedstar, Silverstream saved Graystripe from drowning while Graystripe was hunting. After this, they fell in love and snuck away from their clans to meet. However, Silverstream dies delivering Graystripe's kits.

Almost Dead Guy: During Forest of Secrets, as she dies, she tells Graystripe goodbye, that she loves him and that he should take care of their kits.
The Cameo: Has a brief one in Fading Echoes. In The Last Hope, she has a larger one as one of the cats leading a newly deceased Firestar into StarClan.
Chekhov's Gunman: Helps Fireheart get in touch with cats who can give him information on Redtail's death.
The Chief's Daughter: As the daughter of Crookedstar, the Clan leader and the closest you can get to a chief, she plays this role.
Dating What Daddy Hates: Against her father's wishes, she falls in love with Graystripe, a ThunderClan cat.
Death by Childbirth: Bleeds out while giving birth to Graystripe's kits.
Faux Action Girl: She only ever fights once, and is easily defeated by Fireheart.
First Girl Wins: Although Graystripe takes another mate after her death, Word of God is that Silverstream will be the one he chooses in StarClan.
Heroic BSoD: She doesn't actually have one, but she is the cause of a major one for Graystripe and Cinderpaw.
I Want My Beloved to Be Happy: Does not begrudge Graystripe his new mate.
I Will Wait for You: Tells Graystripe that she'll be waiting for him during The Last Hope, before helping to lead a newly deceased Firestar into StarClan.
The Lost Lenore: After her death, she's this to Graystripe.
Love Across Battlelines: Her romance with Graystripe. Inter-Clan romances are banned specifically because they lead to the conflict of loyalty to Clan vs. loyalty to mate in a battle.
Rescue Romance: Falls in love with Graystripe after saving him from drowning in the river.
Royal Brat: In a sense. She assumes that she can get away with certain things or not punished as severely for potential wrongdoings because of her status as the leader's daughter...this includes her forbidden romance with Graystripe of ThunderClan and bearing his kits.
Sacrificial Lamb: Oh yes. Her entire purpose was to create drama. First by giving Graystripe a reason to break the warrior code, then by having his kits, then by dying.
Same-Sex Triplets: She had two sisters from the same litter as her named Willowkit and Minnowkit.
Satellite Love Interest: Her first appearance in the second book was only to rescue Graystripe from drowning. She never had an appearance where it didn't involve another more important character, and the only notable thing she did outside of bearing Graystripe's kits was getting Firestar in touch with cats who knew something about Redtail's death.
Secret Relationship: With Graystripe, as they are from different Clans.
Screw the Rules, I'm Doing What's Right!: She makes her first appearance saving Graystripe from drowning, even though (in her own words) if her father caught her saving a ThunderClan cat, he'd "shred [her] for kit bedding!" During Firestar's leader ceremony, she gives him his third life and the gift of loyalty to what he knows to be right.
Star-Crossed Lovers: With Graystripe, since they're from different Clans. And she dies giving birth to his kits.
Strong Family Resemblance:
- Her fur is just as soft as her mother Willowbreeze, and she has the exact same head markings as her.
- She has similar ear shape and tail length to her father Crookedstar.
Tsundere: Type B. She is shown to be incredibly kind and affectionate, but she is also rebellious and spunky.
Walking Spoiler: A big one for the first series. It's kind of hard to bring her up without mentioning that she dies while giving birth to Graystripe's kits.

Graypool

"Don't be such a fool [Crookedstar]. You're too proud for your own good. How can we feed ourselves, even with the thaw? There are no fish to eat. The river's practically poisoned; you know it is."

Sister of Willowbreeze and mother of Mistystar and Stonefur. Actually their adoptive mother.

The Apprentice: First to Brightsky and then to Piketooth.
Child of Forbidden Love: Graypool and Willowbreeze are the kits of Reedfeather of WindClan and Fallowtail of RiverClan. They're brought to their father's Clan for a while.
Chocolate Baby: She and her sister Willowbreeze are gray-furred cats born to brown-furred parents.
Death by Falling Over: She's flustered when Tigerstar snarls in her face, so she takes a step backward, only to lose her footing on the steep riverbank and hit her head on a rock.
Dying as Yourself: After going senile in A Dangerous Path, she comes to her senses just before she dies and realizes that Tigerstar isn't Oakheart and she just blurted everything out to him.
Heroic Bastard: Her father was the WindClan deputy, Reedfeather. He and Graypool's mother broke up when their relationship was revealed.
Intro-Only Point of View: The prologue of Forest of Secrets is from her perspective, and is the only time she gets a perspective chapter.
Meaningful Name: Named for RiverClan: because she and her sister are half WindClan and half RiverClan, they were named Willowbreeze and Graypool to signify wind and water together.
Never Mess with Granny: In Forest of Secrets, she threatens Fireheart that she'll rip his liver out if he tells anyone the secret she just shared with him. He's pretty sure she's capable of it.
Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: Due to growing senile, in A Dangerous Path she mistook Tigerstar for Oakheart and told him about the cats from ThunderClan she had raised. This ends up hurting the heroes in a big way.
Oh, Crap!: In A Dangerous Path she is incredibly shocked when she realizes that Tigerstar isn't Oakheart and she just told him about Mistyfoot and Stonefur. This is followed by her death.
Outliving One's Offspring: Her kits die before she adopts Mistystar and Stonefur.
Sanity Slippage: She's so old that she starts going senile in A Dangerous Path.
Series Continuity Error: In the flashback during the Forest of Secrets prologue, she has one surviving kit before she adopts Mistykit and Stonekit, but according to Crookedstar's Promise, both of her kits were dead by that point.
Scatterbrained Senior: She has something like dementia, getting confused about what's going on and who she's talking to.
Secret-Keeper: Always suspected Mistystar and Stonefur of being ThunderClan, or half-Clan, but never told anyone but Firestar.
Skyward Scream: After the deaths of Swankit, Splashkit, and Morningkit, she would regularly go out to the river's edge and yowl her heartbreak to the stars when her grief became too much to bear. Her Clanmates give her the space, saying that she must be trying to call out to them.

Characters / Warrior Cats RiverClan

Edit Locked

River

Dovestar

Birchstar

Hailstar (Hailstep)

Shellheart

Crookedstar (Crookedjaw/Stormkit)

Oakheart

Leopardstar (Leopardfur)

Stonefur

Mistystar (Mistyfoot)

Reedwhisker

Curlfeather

Owlnose

Splashtail

Graywing

Meadowpelt

Brambleberry

Mudfur

Mothwing

Willowshine

Frostpaw

Cloudberry

Appledusk

Reedshine

Rainflower

Fallowtail

Echomist

Whitefang

Beetlenose

Petaldust

Sunfish

Skyheart

Sedgecreek

Graystripe

Whiteclaw

Mosspelt

Feathertail

Stormfur

Hawkfrost

Rippletail

Rainstorm

Icewing

Beetlewhisker

Hollowflight

Softpelt

Dappletuft

Harelight

Brightsky

Willowbreeze

Silverstream

Graypool

Previous

Index

Next