| “ | 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! | „ |
| ~ Willowpaw to Hollykit about becoming a medicine cat |
Willowshine is a supporting character in the Warrior book series. She was formerly a medicine cat of RiverClan who was trained in healing by Mothwing and in communicating with StarClan by Leafpool. Several moons later, she is killed when trying to enter the Dark Forest to save the ThunderClan deputy Squirrelflight.
Appearance[]
Willowshine is a small tabby she-cat with sleek, soft gray fur and green eyes.
Biography[]
The New Prophecy[]
Dawn[]
After the forest is destroyed, the Clan must journey to a new home at the lake. As The ThunderClan medicine cat apprentice Leafpaw is checking on Dawnflower's kits after the Clans cross a thunderpath, Willowkit squeaks that the monsters would have never caught them, to which Dawnflower tells her to quiet down.
Starlight[]
When several RiverClan cats become sick from a strange liquid left by twolegs, Willowkit helps Mothwing in the medicine den, showing a strong interest in medicine cat duties, with Mothwing's eyes full of affection as she watches the kit help. Mothwing is unable to help Beechpaw when he starts choking on yarrow, so Willowkit reaches down his throat with her tiny paws to pull it out. Her Clan praises her, and she asks Mothwing if that's what being a medicine cat is like, saying it's the best feeling ever, and she can't think of any other way to live.
While Leafpool visits RiverClan to help with the sickness, she tells Willowkit to go back to the nursery and tell her mother Mosspelt how well she did. She also tells the kit that she'll let Beechpaw know that she saved his life. Mothwing later mentions to Leafpool how the gray kitten is always helping her out in the medicine den, and she'd like to have her an an apprentice once she's old enough. Willowkit reports that Beechpaw has recovered soon after.
Sunset[]
During the gray tabby's first Gathering, RiverClan's leader Leopardstar announces that Willowpaw is now Mothwing's apprentice. A bit later, Leopardstar expresses concern that Willowpaw won't be taught to communicate with StarClan, since her mentor doesn't believe in them. After Leafpool learns about Mothwing not believing in StarClan, she thinks that someone else will have to teach her apprentice about them. The spirit of Feathertail then tells Leafpool in her dreams to tell her that StarClan wishes for her to teach Willowpaw about their ancestors in her dreams. The two then appear to Willowpaw and tell her that she'll get used to being visited in her dreams. The apprentice asks Feathertail who she is, as she notices she has a RiverClan cat's scent, but doesn't recognize her. The silver she-cat replies that she was one of the six cats who traveled to the sun-drown place, but had died on the way back, and Willowpaw responds that she'll always be remembered by the Clan. Feathertail and Leafpool then inform the apprentice that there's some catmint near the RiverClan border, to which she says that she wished the Clan had catmint when a warrior named Heavystep fell ill and died.
Willowpaw is later taken to the Moonpool for the first time to become an official medicine cat apprentice. During the ceremony, her mentor asks if she truly wants to be a medicine cat, which she confirms. The golden tabby then presents the apprentice to StarClan, making her apprenticeship official. As the medicine cats then sleep near the Moonpool, the former ThunderClan medicine cat Spottedleaf warns Willowpaw and Leafpool in their dreams about Mothwing's brother Hawkfrost.
Mothwing's Secret[]
Soon after Heavystep's death, Mothwing tries to distract Willowpaw from it by asking her to gather cobwebs, and then having a training session. Willowpaw agrees happily, adding that her mentor did everything she could to save Heavystep, and the golden tabby fears that she's failing her apprentice by not teaching her about StarClan. Soon after her apprenticeship is made official at the Moonpool, Willowpaw asks Mothwing what the dream she had about Hawkfrost meant, to which the older she-cat responds vaguely by asking what she thought it meant. The gray tabby says that Leafpool thinks it means trouble will come for ThunderClan and RiverClan, but she herself isn't sure.
Later, as Mothwing tests Willowpaw's medical knowledge, Blackclaw and Swallowtail bring Voletooth into the medicine den, the brown tom covered in bee stings. As the golden tabby assesses the stings, she asks her apprentice how they should be treated, who hesitates before anwering that they need to apply a poultice made of blackberry leaves, being praised for answering correctly. Voletooth then begs Mothwing to tell StarClan he's sorry, beliving their ancestors are angry with him and punished him with a swarm of bees. Mothwing freezes at this, and Willowpaw tells him that she'll do it for her as her mentor goes to gather the blackberry leaves.
Later, Willowpaw is the first to notice Hawkfrost's dead body being carried into camp and runs into the medicine den. In the den, Mothwing sadly asks Leafpool how he died, reassuring her that Willowpaw is trustworthy. Leafpool explains that Hawkfrost had caught ThunderClan's leader Firestar in a fox trap, and his half-brother Brambleclaw had impaled him through the throat with the trap's stake to save his leader. Afterwards Leafpool and Willowpaw comfort Mothwing as she grieves for her brother.
The Power of Three[]
The Sight[]
Mothwing and Willowpaw visit ThunderClan's camp, where the black she-kit Hollykit is excited to see the apprentice, as they had met when the golden tabby had lent the Clan some catmint earlier. Hollykit bounds up to Willowpaw, wanting to ask her what it's like to be a medicine cat, and notices that she seems troubled. The gray tabby asks her if she's an apprentice, and Hollykit says she isn't yet, asking why she and her mentor are visiting. Willowpaw says she had a prophetic dream that she wants Leafpool to interpret, glancing at her paws and adding it was Mothwing's suggestion. The kit asks what the dream was, and she responds that she can't say until Leafpool is told. She's then beckoned into the medicine den, with Mothwing following her.
After Willowpaw meets with Leafpool, Hollykit greets her as she exits the medicine den. She doesn't respond, a distant look in her eyes, and when the black she-kit asks if Leafpool helped her, she says yes, describing her dream as clouds rolling across the sky before the sun scorches RiverClan camp, burning away all the foliage. When asked what it means by the unsettled kit, she says that Leafpool thinks it means RiverClan's water supply is in danger of a drought, but the gray tabby disagrees, since there was plenty of rain last leafbare. She adds that the ThunderClan medicine cat told her to tell Leopardstar to check all the streams near her Clan's camp. Hollykit then asks her how she became Mothwing's apprentice, and she explains that she helped the golden tabby during a wave of sickness, and that she enjoyed the tasks she did, continuing to help until Mothwing suggested she become her student. When asked if she had always planned to be one, she says that she didn't think of it at first, and it just sort of happened, but that she loves being a medicine cat, and couldn't imagine herself doing anything else. Before Hollykit can ask anything else though, Mothwing calls to her student that it's time to leave, and Willowpaw looks over her shoulder and says goodbye to Hollykit as she exits the camp, making the young black she-kit even more determined to become a medicine cat as well.
At the next meeting, Willowpaw sees Hollypaw's brother Jaypaw, who tells her that his sister didn't want to be a medicine cat anymore, so he took her place. As they walk to the Moonpool, she tries to help Jaypaw, who is blind, by pulling him out of the way of a rabbit den in front of him. The blue-gray tabby gets angry at her since he already knew the den was there, and she says she was just trying to help, hurt. Jaypaw retorts that he doesn't need her help, and she replies irritably that she won't help him next time. Leafpool then has her apprentice apologize to Willowpaw, who says she hopes he falls into a rabbit den next time.
Dark River[]
Hollypaw has a dream where she chases Willowpaw through the woods as it rains, the gray tabby ignoring her when she calls out to her. Upon finally catching up to her, Hollypaw asks what's wrong in RiverClan, who has announced at the latest Gathering that they had to leave their camp and start living on the Gathering island. Willowpaw still doesn't respond though, and she then wakes up, unnerved by the dream.
Later, Jaypaw spies on Willowpaw's dreams at the next meeting and witnesses Mothwing's deceased mentor Mudfur telling her that twoleg children will soon endanger RiverClan, who may lose their home. Hollypaw visits RiverClan out of worry, where Willowpaw is surprised and angered that she came. She then shows the ThunderClan apprentice that her Clan was driven out by twoleg children harassing them. She later moves back into the original camp with the rest of her Clan when the twolegs are dealt with.
Outcast[]
At the next meeting, Willowpaw comes alone, and Leafpool asks where Mothwing is. The apprentice explains that Mothwing stayed in camp to treat Beechfur's infected bee sting, and Jaypaw accuses the golden tabby of staying behind because she doesn't believe in StarClan, and thus doesn't need to visit the Moonpool. Willowpaw then greets Jaypaw coldly, with the blue-eyed tom thinking that he's not too fond of her, either.
Eclipse[]
Mothwing, Willowpaw and ShadowClan's medicine cat Littlecloud are oblivious to the tension between ThunderClan's and WindClan's medicine cats. At the next meeting, the medicine cats all comment on how it will be colder when they next meet with leafbare coming, and Willowpaw says that she'll miss the warm weather. Mothwing then asks Littlecloud if he has an apprentice yet, with the gray tabby exited for more company. Before the group visits StarClan through the Moonpool, Mothwing then grants Willowpaw the name Willowshine for completing her training, with everyone else congratulating her. As they visit StarClan, Jaypaw is warned to stay out of the newly-named medicine cat's dreams.
Long Shadows[]
At the next meeting, everyone else notices Littlecloud is absent, and Willowshine quietly suggests that he may be able to visit StarClan in his dreams from ShadowClan camp. She then starts being nicer to Jaypaw, though there is still a slight edge to her voice when she talks to him. After Jayfeather completes his training and earns his full name, he tells the gray tabby that she has nothing to act superior to him about now, and she replies that she always liked Hollyleaf more than him.
Sunrise[]
Willowshine and Mothwing are late to the next meeting due to having to get a thorn out of Petalkit's eye. Littlecloud recommends they use celandine for the wounded eye, to which Mothwing asks if they have any left in stock, and she answers that they don't have much, but it should be enough.
Mistystar's Omen[]
After Leopardstar dies, Willowshine offers to escort her successor Mistyfoot to the Moonpool, trying and failing to convince her when she declines. Mistyfoot then thinks that the gray tabby's insistence is because she's eager to prove herself. Later, Mothwing and Willowshine lay rosemary and watermint on Leopardstar's body, the latter saying they're using the last of their watermint, and the former replying that the deceased leader needs it more than them.
After becoming leader and learning that Mothwing doesn't believe in StarClan, Mistystar hears the golden tabby telling Willowshine that they need to stock up on comfrey and cobwebs from within the medicine den. She then remembers the green-eyed she-cat's offer to escort her to the Moonpool, realizing that she knew her former mentor didn't believe in their ancestors, and offered so the leader wouldn't find out.
Later, Mistystar offers to help Willowshine gather herbs, and as they're out, Willowshine get soaked in water from a fern, joking that she wished it only rained at night so their paws would stay dry. The leader then keeps questioning her about Mothwing's teaching until it's obvious that the golden tabby doesn't believe in StarClan, and confronts her about this. Willowshine defends Mothwing, explaining that Leafpool taught her how to speak to their ancestors in her dreams, so she knows enough to handle everything concerning StarClan. Mistystar retorts that she's too young to carry the responsibility, and Mothwing should've told the leader about her lack of faith sooner. Willowshine angrily warns Mistystar not to say anything she might regret before storming off.
As Willowshine goes to the next medicine cat meeting alone, Mistystar realizes how often Mothwing had avoided going with excuses like an injured kit or a pregnant she-cat nearing labor. Before the gray tabby leaves, Mothwing asks her to thank Jayfeather for lending some herbs and ask the WindClan medicine cat Kestrelflight how Tornear's cough is doing. Willowshine glances at the leader nervously as she leaves. Once she returns, the blue-gray she-cat tells her that Mothwing has been demoted, and she will be RiverClan's sole medicine cat from now on. This shocks her, and she protests that isn't fair to either of them, adding that she still has much to learn from Mothwing. Mistystar responds that StarClan will guide her from now on, but Mothwing refuses to step down, stating that she'll wait until the next Gathering to announce her demotion.
After RiverClan's deputy Reedwhisker is badly wounded by a dog, Mistystar tells Mothwing to let Willowshine handle it, saying she's perfectly capable of healing him alone. The gray tabby is stunned by the severity of Reedwhisker's injuries, but her leader assures her that she can heal him. The leader later checks up on her, where she tells her that she's doing everything she can, but her son is only barely holding on. Eventually with some encouragement from her deceased brother Stonefur, Mistystar realizes that Reedwhisker will die if Mothwing doesn't help him, and to Willowshine's relief she reinstates her as a medicine cat, accepting her lack of belief in StarClan.
Omen of the Stars[]
Fading Echoes[]
At the next meeting, as Willowshine settles next to the Moonpool with the other medicine cats, Jayfeather considers spying on her dreams, but decides against it.
Night Whispers[]
While using her special powers, Dovewing hears Mothwing ask Willowshine if she fixed Pouncetail's bedding from across the lake. At the next meeting, she remarks how cold it is as everyone heads to the Moonpool, wanting to go on ahead and saying the others would have to catch up with her. She worries about the absent medicine cats, hoping they're alright. As she visits StarClan, Mudfur and Graypool try convincing her to cut ties with the other Clans' medicine cats, claiming that RiverClan must stand alone in the upcoming battle against the Dark Forest. They warn her in incomplete sentences, and terrify her with the descriptions of what will happen in the battle, leaving her shaking in fear when she wakes up.
Sign of the Moon[]
Warriors begin noticing how awkward all the medicine cats are around each other, wondering what happened to cause it. At the Gathering, Willowshine keeps her distance from her fellow medicine cats, staying close to Mothwing and speaking quietly. All of the medicine cats there stay with their Clanmates the whole time, avoiding communicating with the others after the now divided StarClan told them to.
The Forgotten Warrior[]
When the ShadowClan warrior Dawnpelt accuses Jayfeather of killing her medicine cat brother Flametail by drowning him in the lake, Willowshine agrees with everyone who wants him to step down from being a medicine cat until he can prove his innocence.
The Last Hope[]
At the next meeting, Mothwing and Jayfeather are the only two to come, with the former explaining that Willowshine didn't attend because StarClan told her to break ties with the other medicine cats. The golden tabby then says her former apprentice told her of an upcoming battle against the Dark Forest, shocked when he confirms this. When the two head back home, Mothwing tells Jayfeather that she'll try to get Willowshine to come to the next meeting.
Later, Jayfeather visits RiverClan to talk to Mothwing, during which Willowshine is unwilling to speak to him until he can prove he didn't drown Flametail. Mothwing shoos the gray tabby away, annoyed at her blind faith in StarClan. Later, Mothwing shows Jayfeather a burning reed in RiverClan, thinking he would know what it means. He asks if she's shown Willowshine yet, but she replies that the younger she-cat isn't looking for signs. The ThunderClan medicine cat later tells her what happened, and the green-eyed tabby says that Mothwing told her to go speak to StarClan, which she doesn't normally do. Once getting all the medicine cats by the Moonpool, Jayfeather clears his name by having Flametail's spirit tell them all that his death was an accident, and the blind tom had been trying to save him.
Jayfeather later tells the other medicine cats in one shared dream that the spirits of the Dark Forest are beginning to manifest, and that the strange scents around their territories are not from rogues, but Dark Forest trainees. The medicine cats then all agree to get their leaders to meet up, where they'll team up and discuss a battle plan.
Mothwing's Secret (cont.)[]
On the eve of the battle against the Dark Forest, Willowshine prepares her herbs to treat cats injured cats, certain that the Dark Forest will attack their camp. During the battle itself, she tends to a wound on Troutstream's leg while the ThunderClan warrior Rosepetal guards the two from attackers. A few moons later, Willowshine runs out of the medicine den when Mallownose and Icewing bring a badly wounded Petalfur into camp. The two medicine cats are unable to get Petalfur to stop bleeding, so Mothwing tells the gray tabby to go get some horsetail. Once the injured warrior's bleeding stops, Willowshine and Mallownose bring her to a nest in the medicine den to recover. Mistystar thanks StarClan for Petalfur's survival, but Mothwing thinks that it was her and Willowshine's skills that saved their Clanmate, not their ancestors.
Crowfeather's Trial[]
Kestrelflight is escorted to the next medicine cat meeting by his Clanmate Crowfeather, and Willowshine insists that the dark gray warrior stay outside the Moonpool hollow, threatening to claw him if he doesn't. Littlecloud agrees with this, but reminds her that medicine cats don't attack others. At the next Gathering, Mistystar reports that RiverClan suffered a whitecough outbreak, but assures that Mothwing and Willowshine quickly took care of it, and it never developed into greencough.
Bramblestar's Storm[]
At the Gathering, as cats describe how each of their Clans are honoring those who were killed in the battle against the Dark Forest, Mothwing steps forward and says that she and Willowshine grew a circle of ferns to honor their deceased Clanmates. She adds that these ferns were damaged in a recent flood, but will grow back soon.
A Vision of Shadows[]
The Apprentice's Quest[]
At a medicine cat meeting, all the medicine cats visiting StarClan are shocked when they have one large shared dream. Willowshine and Leafpool anxiously murmur before the spirits of Firestar, Leopardstar, Blackstar, Flametail and Barkface appear. Willowshine dips her head in respect to Leopardstar, and the spirits then give the medicine cats the prophecy "Embrace what you find in the shadows, for only they can clear the sky."
At the next meeting, the medicine cats find out that Leafpool and Jayfeather now have an apprentice named Alderpaw. Littlecloud complains that ThunderClan has too many medicine cats, but Willowshine tells the apprentice that there can never be too many cats taking care of their Clan. Once they reach the Moonpool, Willowshine murmurs that it amazes her every time.
Thunder and Shadow[]
On their way to the next meeting, Willowshine asks Alderpaw how his training is going, and he says he thinks it's going well, but Jayfeather might not agree. She jokes that Jayfeather has probably never agreed with anyone in his life, assuring the ginger tom that he'll be a great medicine cat, as he's trained by one of the best. At the Moonpool, the group starts talking about a violent band of rogues known as The Kin who've shown up recently, and the gray tabby suggests that they might have left already due to having to complete with the Clans for prey. When Jayfeather asks Leafpool how much longer she's going to be training ShadowClan's new medicine cat Puddlepaw, as Littlecloud had died without a successor, Mothwing and Willowshine offer to help him in his Clan, but he declines. The group is confused when StarClan doesn't tell them anything, but Willowshine concludes that The Kin must not be much of a threat if their ancestors didn't warn about them. As she and Mothwing leave, they call to the other medicine cats that they'll see them at the next Gathering.
At said Gathering, Alderpaw wishes he didn't have to sit next to the other medicine cats, thinking that they're too serious and solemn. ShadowClan's leader Rowanstar then announces that Puddleshine has had his first vision form StarClan, to which Willowshine exclaims that he's really a medicine cat now. She then apologizes to Mothwing, remembering that her former mentor doesn't believe in StarClan.
At the next meeting, when Puddleshine reports there's an unknown sickness afflicting ShadowClan, Willowshine suggests he use birch sap to help treat it, as it gives energy. Jayfeather asks if the sap can cure coughs, but she says she doesn't know, as they've only recently discovered it. Later, when Puddleshine finds out that the lungwort that can cure the sickness is only found in WindClan, Kestrelflight and the Clan's deputy Harespring go behind their leader Onestar's back and allow the other medicine cats to gather some of the herb.
Shattered Sky[]
After the Clans lose a battle against the The Kin, Leafpool offers to go to RiverClan to help Willowshine and Mothwing heal their injured Clanmates, but Bramblestar doesn't allow her to go, insisting that the two can handle it themselves. At the next Gathering, the two ignore Kestrelflight's greeting, as WindClan's sudden retreat is what caused the Clans to lose the battle.
After The Kin invades and takes over RiverClan, Willowshine and Mothwing quickly start tending to wounds with cobwebs to stop the bleeding. As the Clan flees their territory, The Kin's leader Darktail asks Mistystar where she's taking the warriors with the worst injuries, but Darktail refuses to let her, keeping them as prisoners. Mothwing asks Alderheart to help her sneak into the old camp and check on the prisoners, as Willowshine is busy with treating the cats who did escape.
When RiverClan takes refuge in ThunderClan camp, Squirrelflight suggests that the most injured warriors are moved to an abandoned twoleg house nearby to make the camp less crowded, and that Leafpool and Willowshine will go as well, though Bramblestar and Mistystar don't agree to this plan. Later, at the next meeting, Alderheart reveals to the other medicine cats that he's figured out the most recent prophecy, "The Clans must remember their names", means that they can drive The Kin out by utilizing each of the Clans' individual strengths and working together.
Darkest Night[]
After Darktail is killed and The Kin is driven out, ShadowClan goes back to their old territory, but RiverClan stays in ThunderClan with the newly-arrived SkyClan. At the next Gathering, Mistystar announces that RiverClan's border will be closed for a while while they rebuild, promptly leaving and returning to their camp. Due to these closed borders, neither Willowshine nor Mothwing attend the next meeting, and Firestar tells the other medicine cats that RiverClan must return. The medicine cats later go to RiverClan to tell the two about a new prophecy, "The dark sky must not herald a storm", but a patrol turns them away.
Later, as Alderheart is gathering herbs by the lake, Willowshine runs over to him and informs him of a vision she's had of a cat with six toes. She's nervous as she talks to him, knowing she's not supposed to sneak out of her Clan's territory, but the ginger tom convinces her to share this information with the others. The two then tell each of the Clans, but the cats of ShadowClan breaks out into an argument once they're told. The two watch in shock as the argument escalates into Tawnypelt and Scorchfur fighting, and quickly leave.
The medicine cats, remaining ShadowClan cats, and a six-toed cat named Tree later meet at the lake's shore, near where Darktail had drowned many of his victims. Tree then uses his special powers to summon the spirits off all the cats The Kin has killed, and the living cats are all shocked when Rowanstar steps down as ShadowClan's leader, returning his nine lives and regaining the name Rowanclaw.
River of Fire[]
In a bonus flashback epilogue, Willowshine sorts through the herb supply, worrying if the amount of watermint will be enough to give Havenpelt and Softpaw another dose, concluding that she'll have to delay the dose. As she exits the medicine den and sits in the sunlight, she wishes there was more she could do, reflecting that ThunderClan and WindClan are suffering from an herb shortage as well. She then thinks about RiverClan's closed borders and the tension in the Clan. She suddenly receives a vision of the camp engulfed in flames, which terrifies her. She's shaken from the vision by Jayclaw calling her name, and is shocked to see him bleeding. When asked, the warrior admits with shame that he got into a fight with his brother Owlnose, apologizing and asking for some herbs to treat the scratches. She goes to get some, realizing that the tensions in the Clan are starting to show. As she applies the herbs, Jayclaw complains about the sting, before apologizing again and saying he won't complain anymore.
After the golden tabby gets back from herb gathering, Mothwing and Willowshine then converse outside the medicine den about their watermint supply, with the older she-cat reporting that she couldn't find any when she was out. The green-eyed tabby then laments that they can't borrow some from another Clan like usual with the borders closed. She then starts telling her former mentor about Jayclaw's and Owlnose's fight, but is interrupted by Curlfeather vomiting. The warrior apologizes for busying them, but they tell her not to worry about it, preparing a nest for her in the medicine den. After giving Curlfeather some watermint, the younger she-cat says she's going to go look for more.
Willowshine heads towards the WindClan border as a storm rolls in, wondering what it could mean before finding there's no watermint, walking back to camp in disappointment. Once she gets back, she tries telling Mothwing about her vision, but it gets brushed off as just a bad dream. She insists it was real, asking the golden tabby how she can deny StarClan's existence, and the two start arguing about it before talking about the watermint supply. They hope Mistystar will reopen the borders soon, then hear a call of distress and see Mosspelt dropping to the ground, rushing her into their den.
The day after, as she stares at the last bit of watermint, Willowshine worries about how many cats will need it. She asks Mothwing if they should give it to Mosspelt, but the golden tabby says they shouldn't give it to someone so frail that they might not survive anyways, which horrifies the younger she-cat. Mothwing then apologizes, saying she just wants to do what's best for the Clan. The two then go talk to Mistystar, begging her to reopen the border, with the gray tabby telling her about her vision. Mistystar isn't convinced however, turning away and saying that it's too early for the borders to reopen, believing the illness afflicting many of the Clan will pass soon when the medicine cats try to reason with her. As they leave the leader's den, Willowshine envisions the camp on fire once more.
Later, Willowshine sits next to Mosspelt during a storm, apologizing to her mother for not being able to help more. Mosspelt assures her it's ok, but her daughter promises she'll find a way to get more herbs, telling Mothwing that she's going to speak to Mistystar again, though the amber-eyed she-cat doesn't think it will work. When she confronts the leader about the borders again though, Mistystar snaps at her that no one tells a leader what to do, commanding her to go back to her medicine cat duties, which infuriates her. She then tells Mothwing that she's going to try finding watermint at the WindClan and ThunderClan borders, to which the golden tabby hesitantly agrees to go, since it's an emergency. She insists that she needs to go alone though, and though she worries about her being attacked, Mothwing complies.
As soon as Willowshine leaves the medicine den though, lightning strikes the middle of the camp, starting a fire. The flames quickly spread to the whole camp, and the gray tabby recognizes with horror that this is what her vision was warning her about. Mistystar orders everyone to evacuate and Mothwing begins guiding the sick cats to safety, with the younger medicine cat spotting some ThunderClan warriors coming to help. She shows the leader this, and the blue-gray she-cat's eyes soften, realizing that the other Clans are still willing to help RiverClan. As Mistystar bounds off, Willowshine then starts helping with the evacuation, thinking to herself that this fire might be fore the best, as it will force the leader to finally accept help from the other Clans.
Mistystar allows Alderheart to gather some watermint despite the closed borders, though some cats of RiverClan aren't happy with this since they're going through a shortage, with Willowshine shifting her paws uncomfortably. She and Mothwing are absent once more at the next meeting, so everyone agrees to start without them. When RiverClan's camp catches on fire, Willowshine limps towards the cats from other Clans to help with the evacuation, telling them that she thinks Mistystar and a few others fled towards WindClan. SkyClan's deputy Hawkwing asks how they can help, Reedwhisker says they need shelter, with the gray tabby adding that they need their wounds tended to as well. She tells them that the medicine den's herb storage was destroyed by the fire, and Mothwing got burned while trying to save it.
At the next Gathering, Mistystar reopens RiverClan's borders and asks the other Clans for help, as with Mothwing too injured to help, Willowshine is overwhelmed with taking care of the Clan. Leafpool then volunteers herself to come over and help. At the next meeting, Mothwing and Willowshine attend for the first time in a while, dipping their heads when the others greet them.
The Raging Storm[]
At the next meeting, the medicine cats receive a vision of five saplings, with all of them blowing away in the wind when one is uprooted. They interpret this as meaning the five Clans must stick together, but SkyClan's medicine cat Frecklewish complains that ShadowClan has been antagonizing her Clan ever since Tigerstar became the new leader. The others then promise her to talk to their leaders about letting SkyClan stay at the lake. They announce this vision and what they think it means at the next Gathering, causing the Clans to begin arguing about SkyClan until their leader, Leafstar, angrily states that she's taking her cats back to their old home in a far away gorge.
Willowshine joins a search party to go retrieve SkyClan, and as the group trudges through the rain they come across a rapid river, which the gray tabby doubts they'll be able to cross. They take shelter for a bit and continue on their journey when a loner named Spider tells them where he saw SkyClan going. They soon find the Clan clinging to trees to avoid a flood, and help rescue them by bending down a branch for them to cross, with everyone then returning to the lake.
The Broken Code[]
Lost Stars[]
In a bonus flashback epilogue, Alderheart brings Jayfeather to the Moonpool, telling him there's a hurt cat there. When they get there though, all the other medicine cats are waiting, telling Jayfeather that the hurt cat is him. They recognize that he's been silently mourning Leafpool ever since she died in a cave-in, and encourage him to visit her in StarClan to find closer. They then all leave him and Alderheart at the Moonpool for some privacy.
At a medicine cat meeting a few moons later, the gathered cats all report how the long leafbare has affected their Clans. When they get to the Moonpool, they're shocked to find it completely frozen, leaving them unable to speak to StarClan. They assume that they'll be able to once the ice thaws, and all head home. It's still frozen at the next meeting however, and they decide to go home early once more.
At the next Gathering, Tigerstar announces that his son Shadowpaw, ShadowClan's new medicine cat apprentice, had recived a vision from StarClan about a darkness in the Clans. Despite Tigerstar's insistance though, the other medicine cats doubt this vision is real. At yet another meeting, the medicine cats begin to worry that the frozen Moonpool isn't what's causing StarClan's silence. They then begin arguing about the legitamacy of the vision Shadowpaw had recived once more. Later, several cats from every Clan but ShadowClan, including the medicine cats, try to break the Moonpool's ice, but are unsuccessful. At the next Gathering, Tigerstar announces that Shadowpaw has had another vision of fire, and paired with their ancestors' silence, this convinces the other medicine cats that Shadowpaw is telling the truth, wondering why StarClan is only communicating with him.
The Silent Thaw[]
All the medicine cats congratulate Shadowpaw as he earns his full name, Shadowsight. They are distraught when StarClan remains silent even after the Moonpool thaws. At the next meeting, when Shadowsight shares a vision about cats who've broken the warrior code in the past, Willowshine wonders if they should tell their leaders about it.
Veil of Shadows[]
Willowshine and Mothwing wait for Puddleshine and Shadowsight to meet them at the Moonpool. Puddleshine arrives alone, surprised to not see Shadowsight with them, as the thought he'd gone on ahead. They then try searching for the dark gray tom, but loose his scent in a large patch of crushed catmint.
After Rootpaw of SkyClan summons the spirit of Bramblestar, trying to convince them that the ThunderClan leader is possessed, Willowshine is doubtful that it's really him. Soon after, Bramblestar convinces Mistystar to banish Mothwing for being born to a ShadowClan leader and a rogue, as well as not believing in StarClan. Mothwing glances doubtfully at Willowshine, who snarls at her leader for casting her former mentor out. The gray tabby then becomes RiverClan's sole medicine cat, and decides not to tell Mistystar that Bramblestar may be possessed out of fear that she'll be banished too. She decides to tell her eventually though, but the blue-gray she-cat doesn't believe her. When RiverClan, WindClan and ThunderClan fight against ShadowClan, SkyClan and the rebels Bramblestar had gotten exiled, Willowshine supports the latter's side. It's the revealed that Bramblestar really is possessed, after which he's imprisoned in ShadowClan.
Darkness Within[]
At the Gathering, as Squirrelflight reveals that the cat possessing Bramblestar is most likely her ex-mate Ashfur, Willowshine says that she and her Clan had always believed Ashfur tried to kill Squirrelflight's adoptive daughter Hollyleaf. Later, a mass vigil is held for all who died because of Ashfur, but Willowshine, Reedwhisker, Lizardtail and Gorseclaw are the only RiverClan cats to attend, explaining that Mistystar didn't want to honor traitors to her Clan, even if those traitors were fighting against Ashfur.
At the next meeting, she's sad that Mothwing is now a ShadowClan medicine cat. StarClan is still silent, but Willowshine refuses to believe they've been abandoned, speculating that Ashfur may have cut them off. She then says that it's been difficult being the Clan's only medicine cat, but Mothwing insists that she won't return to RiverClan until Mistystar allows Harelight and Icewing, who had been banished for opposing their Clanmates in the fight against Ashfur, to return. The gray tabby then questions Kestrelflight's decision to take an apprentice without StarClan there to make the apprenticeship official. Later, Willowshine visits SkyClan's camp, where a group of she-cats known as The Sisters use their powers to make the spirits unable to go to StarClan appear. No one but The Sisters, Tree and Rootspring can see the spirits, but they're all shocked and horrified when the two yellow toms describe them as crying out in anguish while Ashfur watches, pleased.
The Place of No Stars[]
After Ashfur escapes, Rootspring announces that he's kidnapped Squirrelflight and dragged her body through the Moonpool into the Dark Forest. The leader and medicine cats then go to the moonpool to search for clues, with StarClan still unreachable. Willowshine, Mothwing and Mistystar all try getting to StarClan by swimming in the Moonpool, but this proves fruitless. Frecklewish suggests that only a dead cat can give access to the Dark Forest, and Shadowsight says that he must be the one to go there, since he's already done it before. The others disagree though, not trusting the dark gray tom after he accidentally helped Ashfur escape, so they decide to send in Willowshine instead. As they prepare her to be sent, Mothwing tells her to try focusing on Softpelt's spirit. Rootspring then sees her spirit frantically trying to re-enter her body as she's dragged into the Moonpool, and to everyone's horror they realize she's dead. Mothwing blames herself for this, and the group wonders if someone was waiting on the other side for her to arrive. Despite Shadowsight's determination to go in next, Rootspring suggests they regroup and try a better plan later.
When the cats return to the Moonpool, several of the warriors go back to get Mistystar and Harestar, when Willowshine's spirit suddenly leaps from the Moonpool and grabs Rootspring, dragging him under. She brings him to the Dark Forest, where she apologizes for scaring him and explains that she needs his help. As the two walk through the Place of No Stars, they see two spirits, Mapleshade and Silverhawk, walking by while complaining about Ashfur. Willowshine tells the yellow tom to follow Mapleshade. Rootspring quickly loses track of his target, and after nearly getting crushed by a cave-in, he reunites with Willowshine by a lake of dark water, who is surprised to see him. She points out an island in the lake where the trapped spirits are being kept, guarded by another Dark Forest spirit named Darkstripe.
Meanwhile in the living world, as she walks back to the Moonpool with Mothwing and Tree, the ThunderClan warrior Bristlefrost asks the golden tabby if she can show her how to dream herself into the Dark Forest, wanting to save Rootspring. Mothwing hesitantly explains it to her, telling her not to focus on her dead Clanmates as she does, as she believes that's what got Willowshine killed. Back in the Dark Forest, Rootspring and Squirrelflight go to the island in hopes of retrieving Bramblestar's body, but find that the trapped cats have been brainwashed by Ashfur and attack them. Rootspring narrowly escapes, and on the lake's shore he realizes with horror that Willowshine had tricked him, as she has also been brainwashed all along.
A Light in the Mist[]
As Bristlefrost, Shadowsight and Rootspring flee from Ashfur, the un-brainwashed Willowshine, Stemleaf and Spiresight meet up with them, telling the three living cats that a Dark Forest cat named Snowtuft had died protecting them from Ashfur. Willowshine then leads the group to the border between StarClan and the Dark Forest, which they discover is blocked by a thick wall of brambles. When Bristlefrost tells Stemleaf that his mate Spotfur is expecting their kittens, the bramble wall loosens a bit, and the group realizes that hope can weaken it. The groups combined hope loosens it even more, and after Leafpool tells them from the other side that both StarClan and the Dark Forest are disappearing, they notice Ashfur approaching and split up after a short fight.
Soon after, when Bristlefrost, Needletail, Sparrowfeather and Maggottail climb up trees to escape Ashfur, they see him and his forces kidnap Willowshine, Berrynose and Stemleaf. After the kidnapped cats are rescued and Shadowsight returns from the living world with some reinforcements, one of them being Mistystar, the RiverClan leader apologizes to the medicine cat for not preventing her death. She then joins in the final battle against Ashfur, which is won when Bristlefrost sacrifices herself to drown Ashfur in the dark water.
With Ashfur gone, both StarClan and the Dark Forest are restored, and the bramble barrier between them is destroyed, allowing Willowshine to finally pass on to StarClan alongside all the other trapped spirits. At the next Gathering, the real Bramblestar thanks everyone who helped save him and the Clans, and honors all those who had died, naming Willowshine, Graystripe and Bristlefrost in particular.
A Starless Clan[]
River[]
Frostpaw, Mothwing's new apprentice, recalls how nice Willowshine was to her in her kittenhood, and is sad that the golden tabby will not get to see her again. At her first medicine cat meeting, Alderheart tells Frostpaw that he hopes she'll be kind like Willowshine was. She then briefly sees the gray tabby's spirit while visiting StarClan through the Moonpool. After Mistystar abruptly dies, Willowshine tells the apprentice that she's safely guided the leader to StarClan, which helps ease Mothwing's grief.
External links[]
Willowshine on the Warriors Wiki
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