Recap / Warrior Cats: Onestar's Confession

Onestar's Confession is the fifteenth Warriors Super Edition. It starts during the "prequel" era (after the events of Tallstar's Revenge) and goes until the events at the end of Shattered Sky.

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In the prologue, which takes place during Shattered Sky, Onestar battles his son Darktail and regrets that it came to this. Everything fades away, and when Onestar wakes up, Tallstar is there. Tallstar tells him that it's not clear yet if Onestar will go to StarClan, so he must wait until the decision is made. Onestar decides to think back over his life.

The first chapter starts with his apprenticeship. Onepaw is part of a patrol that encounters a kittypet queen named Bailey and her kits Melody and Leo in their territory. After a badger attacks, and Bailey helps fight it, she asks if her kits can join the Clan. Tallstar agrees to let them train, and apprentices the two kits, who get the new names Tansypaw and Brushpaw. While Tansypaw isn't too thrilled at being an apprentice, Brushpaw takes to it well. Despite this, they do miss the Twolegplace, and Onepaw and his littermates are interested in it as well, so they repeatedly sneak out there.

The time comes for the apprentices' assessment. Onepaw and his apprentices pass, earning the names Onewhisker, Ashfoot, and Morningflower. Brushpaw and Tansypaw fail, which Tansypaw doesn't mind because she can happily return to Twolegplace, but Brushpaw still hopes to be a warrior, so Tallstar agrees to give him one more chance. Sadly, he doesn't get the chance; he dies when his wounds from a border fight get infected. It's clear to the WindClan cats that kittypets were not meant to join a Clan.

The story next picks up years later, during The New Prophecy. Prey has been growing scarce with increased Twoleg activity, and Onewhisker's nephew Crowpaw goes missing. Onewhisker has been regularly visiting the Twolegplace over time, and has become especially close to a she-cat named Smoke. Meanwhile, within the Clan, Whitetail is his best friend, and he begins to realize that she may have feelings for him.

One day, the Clan grows terribly sick from rabbits they've eaten. Several WindClanners die, and as some of the healthiest cats, Onewhisker and Whitetail do their best to care for their Clanmates. He realizes just how amazing she is and that she's the cat meant for him, and he goes to tell Smoke that they're done. From now on, he'll focus on his Clan, and he decides not to go back to Twolegplace again.

Not long afterward, Smoke tries to find him a couple times in WindClan territory, and when he finally meets with her, she reveals that she's expecting his kits. She wants them to be raised in the Clan, but he refuses - partly because of the danger in the forest, partly because he doesn't want Whitetail to know that he was with Smoke before her.Desperate due to the prey storage, the starving WindClan begins to hunt in the other Clans' territories. Crowpaw returns to the forest, and after Tallstar goes to the Moonstone to share with StarClan, Crowpaw tells his story: he and the other cats went to speak to a badger to learn that the forest is going to be destroyed, and they'll have to leave to find a new home.

Twoleg monsters destroy the WindClan camp, and so WindClan goes to ThunderClan for help. While there, Tawnypelt of ShadowClan reports that their camp is about to be destroyed too, so the Clans rush to help ShadowClan. As they scramble to get all the cats out of the camp, Firestar knocks Onewhisker out of the way of a falling tree, losing a life himself. The Clans all know that they cannot stay in their home, so they agree to leave together at dawn.

That night, Smoke brings her kit - who she reveals she's named Darkkit - to Onewhisker, begging him again to take in their kit, since her Twoleg has died and they'll likely be separated. Smoke sees Whitetail and threatens to tell the whole Clan, but Onewhisker makes a hasty promise that once the Clan finds their new home, he'll come back for Smoke and Darkkit. Smoke agrees, but warns that if he breaks his promise, she'll raise Darkkit to hate him and the Clans.

During the journey, Tallstar confides in Onewhisker that Mudclaw's leadership may not be what WindClan needs. The Tribe welcomes the four Clans into their cave to shelter, and getting some rest does everyone good. Onewhisker suggests that Tallstar give Crowpaw his warrior name; Tallstar agrees and they hold the warrior ceremony, where the young cat chooses his own warrior name, Crowfeather. Immediately after the ceremony, the Tribe's leader, Stoneteller, summons Onewhisker to his den, the Cave of Pointed Stones. He tells Onewhisker that the Tribe of Endless Hunting (the Tribe's version of StarClan) has said that Onewhisker will be crucial to his Clan's survival, and that they have a message for him: "There is something that must be done, and only you can do it. You will know it, when it comes hunting you."

The Clans finally arrive at their new home, a lake. Tallstar is pretty weak, and Onewhisker is upset at how Mudclaw is acting like he's already Clan leader. A few days later, Barkface fetches Onewhisker; Tallstar is dying and has asked for him. To Onewhisker's shock, with his dying breaths, Tallstar makes him deputy of WindClan so that he will become leader instead of Mudclaw. After the announcement to the Clans, Mudclaw rejects the offer to remain deputy, so Onewhisker appoints his littermate Ashfoot.

The Clan settles into their new camp and territory, but they still haven't found a new Moonstone for Onewhisker to receive his nine lives. The day after he gives some territory to ThunderClan, Mudclaw speaks to him in private, asking if he really thinks he'd be the better leader of the Clan, and when Onewhisker points out that it doesn't matter because Tallstar chose him, Mudclaw threatens to challenge him for leadership.

A few days later, Leafpaw of ThunderClan visits and reports that StarClan has guided her to their new Moonstone place, and they decide that Onewhisker will go there in a few days to receive his nine lives. Before this can happen, Mudclaw makes his move: he and several other cats attack the camp. A ThunderClan patrol arrives to help Onewhisker, and they successfully defeat the rebels; they go after Mudclaw and Hawkfrost, and arrive in time to see lightning striking a tree, crushing Mudclaw. Onewhisker's leadership is now secure, and Onewhisker vows to be the leader his Clan needs.

Finally, Onewhisker heads to their new place - the Moonpool - to receive his nine lives. He receives them from Tallstar (judgment), his father Stagleap (strength), his mother Wrenflight (love), Whitetail's mother Sorrelshine (loyalty), Brushpaw (friendship), Windstar (survival), Gorsestar (sense), his former apprentice Gorsepaw (compassion), and Mudclaw (determination). Tallstar hails him by his new name, Onestar.

Two Gatherings later, Ashfoot advises Onestar that he may still need to prove to some of their Clanmates that their Clan matters more than his friendship with Firestar. He gets annoyed at the Gathering that RiverClan and ShadowClan are thanking Firestar for ThunderClan's help (meanwhile, he gets criticized for doing the same), and starts to argue about how the Clans should be separate. Firestar speaks to him, hoping they can still be friends, but Onestar's priority is to keep his Clan safe.

Seasons later, Whitetail gives birth to their kits. Galekit was stillborn, but their surviving kit, Heatherkit, is healthy. Her birth, along with a conversation with Crowfeather (who was thinking about Leafpool and tried to visit her), make him think of Smoke and Darkkit. Firestar visits to congratulate him and bring herbs for Whitetail, and the meeting is awkward. At the next Gathering, Firestar is unhappy that Onestar doesn't punish Crowfeather for trespassing; Onestar insists that WindClan is his own business and that he doesn't need ThunderClan's help.

The next scene is a few seasons after that - after the Great Battle against the Dark Forest, and during the events of Crowfeather's Trial. The Clan's been having trouble with stoats, and his new deputy Harespring suggests asking for ThunderClan's help (and Bramblestar offers it at the Gathering), but Onestar refuses to accept ThunderClan meddling in his Clan's business. A comment about being a father reminds him of Smoke and Darkkit, and he has a nightmare about a full-grown Darkkit before being awakened by stoats attackign his Clan. He loses a life during the battle, and Tallstar warns him that the dream he was having is a "taste of what's to come".

A moon later - after they finally did accept ThunderClan's help - Onestar decides that it's time to face his past. Telling his Clan that he's going to the Moonpool, he heads back toward the old forest. In the mountains, he is found by the Tribe's new Stoneteller, the cave-guard formerly known as Crag. Stoneteller warns him that darkness is approaching the Clans, and that Onestar is pulling that darkness to them - and that he can stop it, but it will cost him dearly.

Finally, Onestar reaches the old territories, and the Twolegplace he used to visit. There, he learns that Darkkit is now called Darktail. Melody tells him that Smoke and Darktail had been taken in as kittypets, but Darktali developed a mean streak. After he killed another kittypet and attacked a Twoleg kit, Smoke knew he'd be in trouble and they left; later, she was killed by a Twoleg monster. Melody doesn't know where Darktail is now, and Onestar knows he'll never forgive himself for the way things turned out.

The next scene takes place during A Vision of Shadows. Onestar’s granddaughter - coincidentally named Smokekit - goes missing, but they find her. Something had attacked her, causing her to go unconscious, and Onestar suspects it was Darktail. When a branch nearly falls on him - with a flash of white up in the tree - he's even more certain. He visits the Moonpool for advice, only to get a cryptic response from Tallstar. Onestar interprets it as meaning that he needs to confront Darktail head-on.

The next day, rogues attack a patrol, and indeed, Darktail is among them. Onestar brings him aside, and Darktail reveals that he blames Onestar for Smoke's death, and intends to hurt every cat Onestar loves in revenge. The fight ends (with ThunderClan's help), but Onestar loses a life, and his Clanmate Furzepelt dies. Onestar steps up his Clan's patrols and guard duties. .

At a Gathering, Rowanstar reports that the rogues have settled near his territory, and that several ShadowClan cats joined them. Onestar is furious at this - even more so when the other Clans refuse to immediately drive out the rogues. About a half moon later, a few ShadowClan cats come to ask for herbs since their Clanmates are sick, but Onestar won't help while the threat of Darktail is not dealt with: not even when the entire Gathering is furious at him for his actions, not even when his own Clanmates, including his daughter, begin to lose respect for him.

ShadowClan eventually recovers, but only because Onestar's deputy and medicine cat, Harespring and Kestrelflight, go behind his back. And the trouble isn't over yet: Darktail and his rogues have taken over the rest of ShadowClan. The Clans decide to fight, including Onestar and WindClan. During the battle, Onestar fights Darktail, but then Darktail whispers to him that he'd likely end up in the Dark Forest for rejecting and then killing his son. Onestar, who is currently on his last life, panics at this and frantically calls for his Clan to retreat. Naturally, everyone blames him for the Clans losing, and Onestar, furious, decides to close his borders. Despite this, Bramblestar brings a patrol to Onestar to tell him that there was a fifth Clan called SkyClan that Firestar had long ago rebuilt, and that Darktail had driven them out of their home. Onestar both feels guilty that his son had harmed even more cats, and furious that ThunderClan had kept SkyClan secret.

Onestar dreams of Smoke, and apologizes for what he'd done to her and Darktail. Her response is only to say "You have to help". That same day, Kestrelflight reports that Darktail and his Kin have now taken over RiverClan as well. Darktail then leads an attack on the WindClan camp, but a patrol arrives to help, and Darktail leaves - but not before revealing to WindClan that he has a history with Onestar. Onestar finally decides that it's time to tell the Clans the truth. He tells his story to the other leaders (including the leader of the newly-arrived SkyClan), and vows that he and WindClan will help drive off Darktail once and for all.

Whitetail and Heathertail speak to Onestar afterward, and he tells them he's at peace with the possibility that he may die the following day. The Clans battle, each one using their special skills. Onestar and Darktail fight once more, and their fight takes them into the water. Although Onestar regrets that he has to kill Darktail (and lose his own life in the process), he is glad he lived a full life and that he has saved the Clans.

Back in StarClan, Tallstar comes back and asks Onestar if he's reflected on his life. Onestar says he has, and that although he's made mistakes, he's tried to atone for them. Tallstar tells him that because of this, he has earned his place in StarClan, and that this is where he belongs.

In the comic at the end, one day after joining StarClan, Firestar comes to visit Onestar. Onestar confesses that he still doesn't know if he should be there. Firestar agrees that Onestar made mistakes, but reassures him that he did good too. As they walk, Firestar tells Onestar he's had a vision of thick mist falling over the territories. There'll be trouble coming, and the Clans need strong leadership for that - so it's time for Onestar to give Harespring one of his nine lives. He gives him a life for honesty, calls him by his new name Harestar, and tells him to always put his Clan first.

This book contains examples of the following:

• Action Prologue: The book opens with Onestar battling and trying to kill Darktail.
• Afterlife Welcome: Tallstar greets Onestar in StarClan.
• All Your Base Are Belong to Us: Darktail and his rogues attack the WindClan camp.
• Almost Dead Guy: Tallstar knows he's dying and summons Onewhisker to him so that he can name him deputy instead of Mudclaw.
• Antagonistic Offspring: Smoke raises Darktail to hate his father, and after her death he intends to make Onestar suffer.
• Audience Participation: The official site held a poll as to which version of the dust jacket they should use: a blue one or a red one; blue won.
• Battle-Interrupting Shout: Bramblestar stops a battle between rogues and Clan cats by shouting "Stop!"
• Battle in the Rain: The battle against Mudclaw happens during a storm.
• Betrayal by Inaction: Onewhisker thinks back to how a few days prior, a fox had attacked the camp heading straight toward him. He's pretty sure that Mudclaw had seen it and had willingly decided to not warn him, hoping it would kill him.
• Big Damn Heroes: ThunderClan shows up just in the nick of time a couple times, such as when Mudclaw's rebels attack the camp.
• Blood Is Squicker in Water: Downplayed. In his underwater fight with Darktail, Onestar notices some blood spurting out, but it's dispersed quickly in the water.
• Bolt of Divine Retribution: Mudclaw's attempted rebellion ends when lightning strikes a tree, causing it to fall on him and kill him - and also creating a bridge to the island so that they can use it for Gatherings. This is taken as a sign from StarClan that Onewhisker is the rightful leader.
• Cave Behind the Falls: The Tribe of Rushing Water lives in one, and the Clans stay there briefly on their journey.
• Child of Forbidden Love: Onewhisker has a kit with a kittypet, which is not allowed per the warrior code.
• The Coup: Mudclaw flat-out tells Onewhisker that he's going to challenge his leadership, and does indeed lead a failed rebellion against him.
• Creepy Blue Eyes: Darkkit's eyes are described as "a vivid, unsettling blue", meeting Onewhisker's gaze with such intensity and anger that it makes Onewhisker shiver.
• Cryptic Conversation: After Onestar tells StarClan about his fears about Darktail, Tallstar's only responses are "you know what you must do" and "A mother bird will sometimes leave her nest to draw a hunter’s eyes away from her young."
• Dark Is Evil: Onestar's son Darktail ends up being the main antagonist of the book.
• A Day in the Limelight: This book is Onestar's only POV.
• A Death in the Limelight: Onestar dies during his Super Edition.
• Death of a Child:
  • The apprentice Brushpaw dies after being injured in a fight against ShadowClan.
  • Several unnamed apprentices die from poisoned rabbits.
  • Darkkit, Crowpaw, and Heatherkit are the only kits in their litters to survive.
• Disappeared Dad: Onewhisker is this for Darkkit. Since Smoke was a kittypet and Onewhisker was a Clan cat, Darkkit only saw his dad a few times - the last of which was when Onewhisker said that the Clans were leaving and promised (without meaning it) that he'd come back for them. Smoke raised Darktail to hate his father and the Clans, and Darktail went on a rampage of revenge against him.
• Diving Save: Firestar pushes Onewhisker out of the way of a falling tree, taking the hit himself and losing a life.
• Don't Ask: This is Tallstar's response when Whitetail asks where Mudclaw found healthy prey. Turns out he stole it from the other Clans' territories.
• Even Bad Men Love Their Mamas: Darktail is evil and cruel, but he loved his mother Smoke, describing her as the only cat he ever cared for.
• The Famine: Increased Twoleg activity in WindClan territory makes prey scarce, and many cats go hungry.
• Foregone Conclusion: The book tells stories mostly already seen in other books, and starts with a scene that takes place later in the book, so we know the conclusion of much of the plot.
• Greater Need Than Mine: Tallstar refuses to eat, saying that the queens and elders need it more, and even loses a life due to this.
• Heroic Sacrifice:
  • Firestar gives up one of his lives to save Onewhisker's.
  • Onestar loses his final life in order to ensure Darktail's death.
• How We Got Here: The prologue shows Onestar fighting his son, Darktail. The book itself goes back to when he was young, and shows his actions leading up to that point.
• Implied Death Threat: A nonverbal example; Darktail captures Smokekit and chokes her, leaving her unconscious but not badly wounded. Onestar understands this as a threat from Darktail that he's able and willing to kill Onestar's Clanmates if he chooses.
• Incurable Cough of Death: ShadowClan comes down with a sickness and are in desperate need of herbs. Onestar's decision to deny them until they drive out Darktail is not a popular one.
• Internal Reveal: Onestar finally tells the Clans about his history with Darktail before the end of the book, something that he has kept secret for years.
• Interquel: The book spans a time frame from before the first series to during the sixth.
• It's All My Fault:
  • Several cats blame themselves for Brushpaw's death: Bailey for bringing him to the Clan, Tallstar for allowing them to try to become warriors, and Onewhisker for convincing him to stay.
  • Onestar feels guilt for Smoke's death and the way that Darktail turned out, feeling that it wouldn't have happened if he hadn’t rejected them.
• Judgement of the Dead: Onestar has to wait and see if StarClan will let him in.
• Keeping Secrets Sucks: Onestar's secret (that he'd had a relationship with Smoke and had a son with her) haunts him his whole life: paranoia about getting in trouble, about his new mate Whitetail finding out, fear that others would blame him for Darktail's actions. He mentions afterward that it feels very freeing to finally talk about secrets.
• Killed Off for Real: Tallstar and Onestar both lose their nine lives in the book.
• Killed Offscreen: This happens several times in the book; Brushpaw, Deadfoot, Stagleap, and Ashfoot's deaths are mentioned after the fact.
• King on His Deathbed: Tallstar is very weak and on his last life during the journey to the Clans' new home, and - to Onewhisker's (and evidently Tallstar's) annoyance, Mudclaw's already acting like he’s the leader of his Clan. In his dying statements, he makes Onewhisker deputy, kicking off a bit of a Succession Crisis.
• Leave Him to Me!: Onestar tells Bramblestar that Darktail is his during the final battle.
• Lonely at the Top: Leadership is a lonely role. Onewhisker thinks about this during Tallstar's leadership, glad that he doesn't have to make difficult decisions. When he does become leader, he wishes that he could have friends again like when he was a warrior, and when Rowanstar's Clan abandons him, Onestar is briefly sympathetic because he knows how it feels.
• Look Both Ways: Smoke dies when she's hit on the Thunderpath.
• Lowered Recruiting Standards: Onepaw understands that part of the reason WindClan intends to keep the kittypets secret unless they become warriors, is that they'll look desperate if they have to resort to recruiting kittypets - especially if they're kittypets that don't have what it takes to become warriors.
• Mama Bear: Despite being a kittypet with no fighting experience, Bailey helps fight the badger to protect her kits. There's even a moment where it rushes at Onepaw, Melody, and Leo, and she leaps at it alone, snarling, "Not my kits, you flea-pelt!"
• Meaningful Name: Smoke named Darkkit in the style of the Clans, due to the kit's father being a Clan cat and her hope that her son could be raised there. The name "Darkkit" specifically was named after the most notable part of his appearance: his black tail.
• Meaningful Rename: Several cats earn their apprentice and warrior names, and Onestar earns his leader name. Darkkit also is renamed Darktail offscreen to reflect that he's now an adult.
• The Migration: One chapter focuses on part of the Clans' journey to their new home.
• Miles Gloriosus: Onepaw exaggerates stories of his life in the Clan, making it sound like one full of battle and excitement where he's a brave hero. (For instance, an incident where ShadowClan accidentally crossed the border and the patrols only unsheathed their claws was spun into a tale about a fierce battle where Onepaw saved Deadfoot's life.)
• The Mutiny: Onestar's deputy and medicine cat disobey his direct orders by providing medical aid to ShadowClan. He's furious and feels betrayed.
• Mutual Kill: Onestar and Darktail grip each other underwater too tightly for either cat to escape, killing them both.
• My Life Flashed Before My Eyes: As Onestar dies, he sees memories of his life, from his kithood to his time as leader. Seeing this, he's at peace when he passes, knowing that he has lived a full life and ended it in the service of his Clan.
• Nature Versus Nurture: Onestar wonders several times whether Darktail turned out evil because of his abandonment of him, or because he was evil all along. By the end of the book, he sees true madness in Darktail's eyes and suspects that the darkness was inside his son all along.
• No One Could Survive That!: Onewhisker thinks this after the tree lands on Mudclaw. Indeed, Hawkfrost pulls Mudclaw's body out shortly afterward.
• Non-Indicative Name: Melody points out that Onepaw has four paws.
• Nostalgia Heaven: Onestar appears in StarClan in what seems to be WindClan's old territory, where he grew up.
• Offing the Offspring: Onestar realizes that in order to save his Clan, he needs to kill his son Darktail.
• Origins Episode: This book is Onestar's.
• A Pet into the Wild: Bailey brings her kits to WindClan, thinking that it'll be a better life for them to be self-sufficient rather than being dependent on Twolegs. It doesn't work out; Melody returns to her kittypet life, and Brushpaw dies.
• Perspective Flip: Many of the scenes were originally seen from other perspectives in other books, including the events surrounding leaving the forest, Mudclaw's rebellion, some scenes from Crowfeather's Trial, and his fight with Darktail.
• The Promise: Onewhisker, without thinking, promises that he'll come back for Smoke and Darkkit. Smoke can tell that he doesn't really intend to keep it, and the promise haunts him for years.
• Redemption Equals Death: Onestar sacrifices himself to ensure Darktail's death, and hopes that he can redeem himself for his past mistakes by ridding the Clans of this evil.
• Roaring Rampage of Revenge: Darktail blames Onestar for Smoke's death, and wants to hurt everyone Onestar loves in revenge.
• Ruler Protagonist: Most of the book takes place during Onestar's leadership and involves him trying to be the best leader he can.
• Screw the Rules, I'm Doing What's Right!: Harespring and Kestrelflight ignore their leader's direct orders and go behind his back to give ShadowClan the herbs they need.
• Sneaky Departure: Onewhisker sneaks away repeatedly to go to the Twolegplace. Crowpaw also sneaks away from his Clan, going so far as to try to hide his scent in a stream.
• Start to Corpse: Two deaths happen immediately in the prologue (Onestar's and Darktail's).
• Still the Leader: Mudclaw essentially takes over the Clan leadership before Tallstar's death. However, Tallstar is still Clan leader, and his last action is to make Onewhisker his successor instead.
• Succession Crisis: Tallstar makes Onewhisker deputy before he dies, meaning that Onewhisker is now the rightful leader of WindClan. However, only Onewhisker and his ThunderClan friends witnessed it, meaning that the previous deputy Mudclaw and several of their Clanmates are very skeptical.
• Teacher/Student Romance: Onestar and his former apprentice Whitetail become mates. Whitetail is the first one to develop feelings (after she's a warrior), and Onestar falls for her after realizing she likes him that way.
• Tempting Fate: Onewhisker thinks about how glad he is that he's not Clan leader and that it’s not likely to happen. Guess what does happen not long afterward.
• Title Drop: Well, almost: "Silence fell as Onestar ended his confession."
• Too Unhappy to Be Hungry: Ashfoot remains in her den, refusing to eat due to her worry about her missing son.
• Unsuccessful Pet Adoption: Smoke and Darktail are adopted by a new Twoleg, but it doesn't work out: Darktail killed another kittypet and attacked the Twoleg's kit, so Smoke left with Darktail so that animal control wouldn't take him away.
• Vagueness Is Coming: Onewhisker privately thinks that the Tribe of Endless Hunting's warning to him isn't very helpful, since it doesn't explain its meaning.
• The Villain Knows Where You Live: Darktail makes it clear that he knows where Onestar lives by briefly kidnapping one of his grandkits, and Onestar feels the threat, knowing that Darktail and his rogues could attack him and his Clanmates at any time.
• While You Were in Diapers: Onewhisker tells Mudclaw to show Tallstar more respect, since he was leader when Mudclaw was a kit mewling in the nursery.
• Would Hurt a Child: Darktail kidnaps Smokekit and chokes her into unconsciousness, which Onestar takes as a message that he could have killed her.
• You Dirty Rat!: In one scene, Onewhisker's patrol fights a group of rats; they're noted as having malignant eyes.
• You Got Guts: The WindClan patrol is pretty dismissive of the idea of the kittypets joining the Clan, but when Leo stands up to Mudclaw's insults about being soft, Deadfoot comments, "That one has spirit, at least."