“ | I know my path will cross with Brokenstar again. And one day I will do something to stop this tide of fire and blood that he has unleashed on the forest. | „ |
~ Yellowfang vowing to put an end to her son's reign of terror. |
Yellowfang is one of the tritagonists of Erin Hunter's Warriors book franchise.
Formerly the medicine cat of ShadowClan, Yellowfang was driven out of her birth Clan by her tyrannical son Brokenstar and later taken in by ThunderClan, befriending the warrior Fireheart. When ThunderClan's kits were stolen, she helped to get them back, driving Brokenstar out of ShadowClan in the process. Due to Spottedleaf's death, she became ThunderClan's medicine cat from then on and trained Cinderpaw, who would later go on to succeed her after Yellowfang died during the fire in the camp.
From StarClan, she would guide future medicine cats of ThunderClan with prophecies and during the Great Battle she destroyed Brokenstar's spirit. Afterwards she'd go on to train Puddleshine in medicine cat's role.
Appearance[]
Yellowfang is a large, dark gray she-cat with shaggy, unkempt fur, a short snout and orange eyes. She's covered in battle scars and has cracked, yellowed teeth, of which she was named after.
Biography[]
Yellowfang's Secret[]
Yellowkit is born to Brightflower and Brackenfoot along with her siblings Rowankit and Nutkit. From birth, she's been cursed to feel the pain of other cats around her, something she finds out when she feels Nutkit's stomachache from eating crowfood.
Several moons later, Yellowpaw and her siblings become warrior apprentices, with Yellowpaw being mentored by Deerleap. While touring ShadowClan's territory with him however, she starts to feel a pain in her chest. When the two return to camp, Yellowpaw finds out that the feeling was from her grandmother Silverflame, who is dying. As she's saying goodbye, Yellowpaw can't help but feel anger towards the medicine cat Sagewhisker, feeling as if she could've done more to save her grandmother.
During a training session with fellow apprentice Raggedpaw, he and Yellowpaw grow closer, and the she-cat promises to help him find out who his biological father is. The two go to Twolegplace, where it's revealed that Raggedpaw is the son of a kittypet named Hal. Raggedpaw is heartbroken and in denial when Hal rejects him, blaming Yellowpaw for the incident. Later, Raggedpaw saves her from a WindClan warrior during an attack on the neighboring Clan, which angers Yellowpaw as she tells him she can fight her own battles. After returning home, Raggedpelt is made a warrior before apologizing to the gray apprentice, and she begins to think they could be friends.
Later, Yellowfang becomes a warrior and grows closer to Raggedpelt. Sagewhisker tells her that because of her ability to feel the pain of others she should be a medicine cat, but Yellowfang declines. However, she later changes her mind and becomes Sagewhisker's apprentice due to not being able to focus in battle while feeling everyone else's wounds on top of her own. Raggedpelt, intending to make Yellowfang his deputy should he become leader, isn't happy with this decision and tells her she's making a mistake. Yellowfang tries to assure him that she can still be his medicine cat instead, even though both know they want to have a relationship instead. The two sneak out of camp often to spend time with each other until Yellowfang becomes a full medicine cat, where they then have to stop their meetings much to the brown tom's frustration.
During a Gathering, Yellowfang feels a movement in her belly. While first mistaking it for feeling another queen's kits, she soon realizes with dread that she's the one who's pregnant. Months later, Yellowfang sneaks out of camp and hides in a hollow log when she starts to go into labor. There, she gives birth to three kits: two she-kits and a tom. Unfortunately, both she-kits die soon after birth, leaving only the brown tom left. She buries her two daughters, naming them Hopekit and Wishkit, before bringing the surviving kitten back to camp.
Knowing she wouldn't be able to nurse him herself without exposing to the Clan that she had broken the medicine cat code by having kits, she instead has Lizardstripe - who is currently the only other queen in the Clan - raise him instead. Lizardstripe is annoyed at having to take care of him, but Raggedpelt is overjoyed at his son and has high expectations for him. When asked what his name is, Yellowfang names him Brokenkit. The other cats think the name comes from his crooked tail, but Yellowfang actually named him after her broken heart from not being able to raise him.
Much later, after the death of the previous deputy Cloudpelt, Raggedstar, the new leader of ShadowClan, appoints the recently named Brokentail as his deputy. Yellowfang has a nightmare of her son leading kits into battle, which Raggedstar receives as well, with the latter starting to regret his choice in deputy. Shortly after, Brokentail brings back Raggedstar's body, claiming he was killed by a WindClan patrol, and Yellowfang takes him to the Moonstone to receive his nine lives from StarClan. When Brokenstar becomes leader, Yellowfang realizes that the nightmare she had was a vision of the future, as Brokenstar begins training kits at three moons old and sends them into battle, few of them coming back alive.
While searching for the missing kittens, Yellowfang finds Mintkit and Marigoldkit fatally wounded. She tries to save them, but both kits die from their injuries. Brokenstar finds her curled around the bloody bodies of the kits, and blames her for their deaths, since the kittens had her scent on them and she was covered in their blood. Yellowfang tries to defend herself, but Brightflower refuses to listen and the gray she-cat is driven out of ShadowClan. Yellowfang stumbles into ThunderClan territory to rest, where she meets an apprentice named Firepaw.
The Prophecies Begin[]
Into The Wild[]
Picking up right where her super edition left off, Yellowfang attacks Firepaw while the latter is out on a hunting assessment. The two fight, though the rogue is quickly defeated due to her fatigue. She asks Firepaw to finish her off, but the young apprentice refuses, bringing her a rabbit instead after noticing how thin she is. Bluestar finds the two and brings Yellowfang back to camp with her. The ex-ShadowClan cat tells ThunderClan that she's no longer apart of a Clan, and Bluestar decides to keep her in camp as a prisoner. For breaking the warrior code by eating before feeding the Clan, Firepaw is punished with the task of nursing Yellowfang back to health. While taking care of her, the apprentice forms a bond with her.
At a Gathering, Brokenstar warns the other Clans that Yellowfang had been banished for killing kits, with the ThunderClan cats believing his lie and rushing back to camp. Tigerclaw and Darkstripe incapacitate her until Bluestar orders them to let her go, and tells her Clan that since Brokenstar's words are not to be trusted, Yellowfang will remain in camp. When ShadowClan raids ThunderClan's camp, she defends the nursery from Blackfoot while he attempts to steal the kits. That night, Bluestar asks Yellowfang to officially join the Clan, and the old she-cat accepts. Firepaw asks if she misses ShadowClan, and she says that she misses the ShadowClan she'd grown up in, but the one under Brokenstar's rule had changed too much.
When Frostfur's kits go missing and Spottedleaf is found dead, the cats of ThunderClan immediately assume that Yellowfang had betrayed them and went back to ShadowClan with the stolen kittens. Knowing she's innocent, Bluestar sends out Firepaw to find her alongside Graypaw and Ravenpaw. After Ravenpaw leaves to join Barley at the farm, the remaining two apprentices find her near the ShadowClan camp. She explains that Clawface was the one to steal the kits and kill Spottedleaf, and that she had snuck out of camp because she'd picked up on his scent. Yellowfang manages to rally up the elders that had been exiled and a ThunderClan search party to raid the camp and save the kits. She is brought in by the elders claiming to have found her on the territory, and once Brokenstar had been lured out, the ThunderClan cats invade the camp. During the battle Brokenstar reveals that he had been the one to kill Raggedstar, and was also behind the murders of Mintkit and Marigoldkit, killing the two to frame Yellowfang. Learning this, almost all of the remaining ShadowClan cats turn on their leader and drive him out. As ThunderClan returns home with Frostfur's kits, Yellowfang's innocence is proven and she is offered to take Spottedleaf's place as the Clan's medicine cat, to which she happily accepts.
Fire and Ice[]
Yellowfang is treating an outburst of whitecough in ThunderClan, with Patchpelt, Mistlekit and Bluestar already becoming infected. Later, when she sends Fireheart out to gather catmint for her, his apprentice Cinderpaw is severely injured after being run over on the Thunderpath. Yellowfang is able to save her, though one of her hind legs is irreparably damaged. The medicine cat tells Fireheart that while his apprentice is recovering quickly, she won't be able to continue her warrior training because of her broken leg. While staying in the medicine den, Cinderpaw begins to form a bond with Yellowfang.
When ThunderClan finds bones with ShadowClan's scent in their territory, they think that the opposing Clan has been stealing prey and send a patrol to their territory. However, Yellowfang recognizes the scent as not a normal ShadowClan cat, but Brokenstar and his followers. As the patrol is out, the exiled cats attack the camp in revenge. While fighting Brokenstar, the old she-cat is able to take one of his 9 lives as well as scratch his eyes out, rendering him completely blind. Fireheart suggests she finish him, but Yellowfang refuses, revealing to him that the former leader is her son that she had to give away. She explains that she had broken the code by having kits, and thought that most of her litter dying was her punishment, but then states that the real punishment wasn't her daughters dying, but Brokenkit surviving. She drags Brokenstar into the medicine den and begins to treat his wounds. Yellowfang reasons with Bluestar to keep him alive and as a prisoner, and reluctantly Bluestar agrees to her wishes. Now that he is no longer a leader, Yellowfang changes his name back to Brokentail.
Forest of Secrets[]
Yellowfang starts to train Cinderpaw in how to be a medicine cat, and reassures Fireheart that his former apprentice will be fine. Later, she takes Brokentail to the gorse tunnel, where the two lay in the sun and she grooms his fur in an attempt to bond with him. Impressed by how quickly Cinderpaw is learning, she offers the young cat the chance to be a medicine cat apprentice officially, which she accepts. Later, upon learning that he's still alive and being held prisoner, WindClan raids ThunderClan's camp to kill Brokentail in revenge for him driving them out of the forest moons ago. Yellowfang defends her son, and after the attackers are driven out she apologizes to the Clan for the trouble sheltering Brokentail has brought and thanks them for defending him.
Suffering from guilt over not being able to save the RiverClan warrior Silverstream from dying while giving birth, Cinderpaw is reassured by her mentor that her death wasn't anyone's fault, and that sometimes cats just end up dying regardless. Later, she takes Cinderpaw to the Moonstone to officially become her apprentice.
In his coup against Bluestar, Tigerclaw ends up conspiring with Brokentail about his plan. As Tigerclaw's rouges attack the camp, Brokentail joins in and starts clawing at Dustpelt until Yellowfang has to fight him off, taking yet another one of his lives. After the battle, Yellowfang drags her injured son back into the medicine den. When going to ask her how to heal a cut tongue, Fireheart witnesses Brokentail snapping at her to give him something to make the pain go away. Realizing that the Clans will never be safe as long as he's alive, Yellowfang gives Brokentail deathberries, telling him to eat them to make the pain go away forever.
She scolds him for his actions, telling him she hoped that by sheltering and taking care of him like ThunderClan did for her, he might be able to change, but then says that she was mistaken for thinking that he could ever redeem himself. Yellowfang then chastises Brokentail for never caring about anyone, including his own kin. The brown tom retorts that he doesn't have any kin, to which Yellowfang reveals to him that she's his mother, and that she had to give him away. Brokentail is shocked by this and begins to panic as he feels the poison of the deathberries start to take effect. He is killed by the toxins, and as he was on his final life, dies permanently with his spirit being sent to the Dark Forest for his crimes. When Fireheart walks in, Yellowfang lies that she had tried to save Brokentail but that his wounds were too severe, unaware that the orange warrior had seen the entire thing.
Rising Storm[]
Cinderpaw finishes her medicine cat training, and Yellowfang takes her to the Moonstone and grants her full name: Cinderpelt. When two sick ShadowClan cats named Littlecloud and Whitethroat are brought into camp after being found sleeping on ThunderClan territory, Yellowfang recognizes their ailment as a deadly disease that had claimed many ShadowClan cat's lives in the past. She tells the ThunderClan cats to stay away from the ill warriors, explaining that it's a disease carried by the rats from the carrionplace, and says that the two must leave to avoid spreading it.
When a wild fire engulfs ThunderClan's camp, most of the cats escape and are about to go to the river, until they notice that Halftail and Bramblekit are missing and conclude that they must have been left behind in camp. Fireheart and Yellowfang go back to save them, with the latter telling Fireheart to save Bramblekit as she searches for Halftail. The ThunderClan deputy is able to save the kitten, but quickly loses sight of Yellowfang and is forced to leave her behind after a burning tree falls and traps her inside.
After the forest fire had been extinguished by the rain, Fireheart and Graystripe return to the now charred camp to assess the damage. Fireheart finds Yellowfang curled up in the back of the medicine den, barely alive. He rushes to her side and urges her to get up, but she's too weak from smoke inhalation to do so. She tells Fireheart that she wishes he had been her son instead of Brokenstar, but Brokenkit's birth was a punishment by StarClan for breaking the code. She then tells Fireheart that that he's destined for great things and she regrets not being able to see his destiny unfold first-hand. The orange tom sadly recounts to her all of the good memories he has of her, even long after she has died and Spottedleaf had guided her spirit to StarClan.
The Darkest Hour[]
Yellowfang's spirit appears in StarClan to give Fireheart his seventh of nine lives after Bluestar's death. She gives him a life of compassion, telling him to use it for the sick, elderly, and those weaker than himself. She appears again when Firestar loses his first life in a battle against Scourge. Along with Whitestorm and the other cats who had granted Firestar his nine lives, she fights alongside him as he lands a killing blow on BloodClan's leader.
The New Prophecy[]
Starlight[]
After the Clans move to the lake following the forest's destruction, a new prophecy is received: "Before there is peace, blood will spill blood, and the lake will run red." The cats of StarClan, Yellowfang included, discuss what this could mean, but are uncertain and wary of what it's referring to.
Sunset[]
Yellowfang, Bluestar and Lionheart all visit ThunderClan's new medicine cat Leafpool in her dreams, where they warn her that she's going down a path few medicine cats have travelled, and assuring her that they'll be there to help her through it.
Leafpool's Wish[]
Like in Starlight, Yellowfang, Bluestar and Lionheart warn Leafpool that she's traveling a path few medicine cat have walked. She notices that Yellowfang looks tense, as if she wants to say more, but a secret promise is stopping her. Later, Leafpool finds out what the three meant when she discovers that she's pregnant, and the WindClan warrior Crowfeather is the father. Before the kittens are born, Yellowfang urges Leafpool's sister Squirrelflight to raise them as her own to cover up the secret, lying that she's barren and would never have kits of her own, thinking it would be the only way to convince her. As Leafpool goes into labor, she has trouble giving birth, so Yellowfang shows up to help her, giving birth to three kittens; Hollykit, Jaykit and Lionkit.
The Power of Three[]
The Sight[]
Jaypaw meets Yellowfang while walking in Leafpool's dreams as she sleeps near the Moonpool, with the old gray she-cat telling him to be careful where he walks. He then asks her about the other medicine cats that share dreams with StarClan, pointing out RiverClan's medicine cat Mothwing specifically. Yellowfang responds bluntly, which leaves Jaypaw confused.
Dark River[]
Yellowfang catches Jaypaw as he spies on the dreams of the RiverClan medicine cat apprentice Willowpaw, scolding him for it. He then questions her on how much power he and his siblings hold, and she tells him to figure out his powers' purpose before using them.
Eclipse[]
Yellowfang, Whitestorm, Spottedleaf and Bluestar all discuss the prophecy of "There will be three, kin of your kin, who hold the power of the stars in their paws", believing that Hollypaw, Jaypaw and Lionpaw are the three mentioned. Despite Bluestar's opposition to the idea, Yellowfang believes the three should be told of this prophecy, reminding the others that they already have too much of the truth withheld from them, referring to their true parentage. After Bluestar leaves, Spottedleaf anxiously asks why Yellowfang is so worried, and she responds that she isn't sure, but just has a feeling that something is wrong.
After finding out that Cinderpaw is a reincarnation of the deceased Cinderpelt, Jaypaw goes searching for answers, where he finds Yellowfang. She tells him to be patient, annoying him with her excuses, and tells him to focus on serving ThunderClan, and to trust that StarClan will soon reveal everything. After ShadowClan abandons their faith in StarClan following a solar eclipse, Yellowfang appears to Jaypaw once more to tell him that StarClan has surrendered.
Long Shadows[]
Jayfeather overhears Yellowfang discussing the outbreak of greencough in ThunderClan with Whitestorm and Spottedleaf, asking what good the Clan's medicine cats are when they don't have the right herbs to help. She adds that she'd offer her own pelt if it would help, but it wouldn't do any good.
Sunrise[]
Yellowfang attacks Bluestar for keeping the three's birth parents a secret and letting the situation spiral out of control, as after the three and Ashfur learned the truth, Hollyleaf killed Ashfur to avoid having him spread it. She says that the secret has been festering, and more blood will be spilt before the whole of ThunderClan learns of it. She later visits Jayfeather once more, saying that StarClan has withheld the truth from him and his littermates for too long before showing him a crow's feather, revealing to him that Crowfeather is their birth father.
Omen of the Stars[]
The Fourth Apprentice[]
Yellowfang takes Bluestar, Lionheart and Spottedleaf to a waterfall to discuss the prophecy. Bluestar complains that the waterfall is too loud, and Yellowfang responds that its supposed to be, so that no one else can eavesdrop. She then continues that the "Kin of your kin" prophecy still hasn't been fulfilled, and that Hollyleaf - who is presumed to be dead after she ran into the collapsing underground tunnels - was not one of the three prophesized cats like her brothers. She states that the true three are now together, but Jayfeather and Lionblaze probably won't recognize the third as part of the prophecy, exclaiming that there could be trouble if they don't figure it out soon. Lionheart worries that who the think is the third will be wrong again like with Hollyleaf, but the old gray she-cat retorts that they won't be wrong again, and that they must trust in the prophecy and the living Clans.
Feathertail then shows up, to which Yellowfang tells her that the discussion is for ThunderClan cats only, but Spottedleaf convinces the others to let the RiverClan warrior join in. She then says that StarClan can warn and guide the three, but in the end, they'll choose their own ways to go. Bluestar and Yellowfang then have a breif debate over sending one of the three a sign on who the third cat is, but the former soon concedes. She then asks the medicine cat if she'll send the sign to Lionblaze or Jayfeather, but she replies that she'll send it to the third.
Yellowfang then appears in the dreams of Dovepaw, telling the young apprentice that she's the third prophesied cat. After the WindClan warrior and Jayfeather's half-brother Breezepelt attacks him at the Moonpool with Brokenstar, Yellowfang tells him that she knows who helped his attacker, but doesn't reveal who it was to him. She then warns him that a war between StarClan and the Dark Forest is approaching.
Fading Echoes[]
When Jayfeather tries walking in the dreams of ShadowClan's medicine cat Flametail, Yellowfang shows him around StarClan, telling him that its residents have all the prey they can eat and are generally quite content, excepts when they see their living descendants suffering. When he asks about a semi-transparent cat that passes by, she informs him that when cats are entirely forgotten by the living world, their spirits fade from existence, assuring him that it's nothing to fear, as faded cats have earned their peace. She adds that she doesn't have to worry about fading yet, as no one will forget a "cantankerous old badger" like her anytime soon.
Jayfeather then shares his worries that the Dark Forest is planning something, and she suggests they go there to speak with Tigerstar, Spottedleaf joining them on the way there. Yellowfang is incredibly nervous as they enter the Place of No Stars, and soon the three of them encounter Brokenstar. After he leaves, Spottedleaf notices how distressed Yellowfang is from seeing her son again, and advises that she go back to StarClan while the other two go on, which she does.
Night Whispers[]
Yellowfang gets into an argument with Fernshade and Sagewhisker, who believe she could've done something to prevent the recent battle between ThunderClan and ShadowClan that the Dark Forest influenced into happening. As Fernshade goes to bring Russetfur's spirit to StarClan, as she had been killed in the aforementioned battle, Yellowfang asks her to tell her she's sorry.
When Jayfeather sees Yellowfang's spirit sitting outside his medicine den, he demands for her to speak, and she says that Lionblaze fighting off a fox on his own recently is proof that ThunderClan is meant to fight the Dark Forest alone, stating the other Clans will all perish if they fight as well. Jayfeather retorts that the Dark Forest is every Clan's problem, but she disappears before he can continue. After he walks through the dreams of Willowshine and WindClan's medicine cat Kestrelflight, Yellowfang hisses to him that the Clans must stand alone or perish. When he tries telling the other medicine cats about the Dark Forest's attack, she pushes him over and says that the other Clans will disappear into darkness if he doesn't keep quiet on the matter. As Mothwing visits Jayfeather to talk about the Clans uniting for the battle, Yellowfang tells him not to listen to her, saying she was born an idiot and would die one, but Jayfeather ignores this and goes along with Mothwing's plan.
Sign of the Moon[]
Yellowfang appears to Jayfeather to tell him not to go to the mountains to help the Tribe of Rushing Water. When he finds out that Ashfur resides in StarClan despite trying to kill him, his siblings and his grandfather, she stops him from confronting the gray warrior. She tells him that Ashfur only loved too much, and that if he found his way to StarClan, then he must deserve to be there. Despite her urging him not to, Jayfeather then goes to help the Tribe anyways,
The Forgotten Warrior[]
Yellowfang meets with Jayfeather at the top of a windy hill, explaining that they needed to meet in a place where no one could overhear them when he complains. She tells him that ThunderClan needs another fully-trained medicine cat, and he suggests Leafpool, who has since stepped down from her position and became a warrior after the Clans learned of her past relationship with Crowfeather. Yellowfang retorts that it's like Leafpool was never truly a medicine cat due to breaking the warrior code, before saying it's time for Cinderheart to discover her past life as Cinderpelt.
After he tells Cinderheart about her past life though, Yellowfang angrily confronts him over this. He points out that she'd been the one who told him to tell her, and she admits that she was very distracted when she did so, and didn't actually mean it.
The Last Hope[]
Yellowfang tells Jayfeather that he's not important, which angers him into starting a fight. Since StarClan is now divided he then asks her if she can give a message to Flametail for him since she was once a member of ShadowClan, but she angrily responds that she's now a ThunderClan cat. When the medicine cats work together to reunite StarClan, Yellowfang protests, but the former ThunderClan leader Sunstar snaps at her for this. He tells her she can leave if she wants to, so she stays quiet and allows the medicine cats to reunite StarClan.
During the fight against the Dark Forest, Yellowfang sees Brokenstar invade ThunderClan's nursery and kill Ferncloud when she tries to stop him. Yellowfang then runs straight for him, sinking her teeth into his throat until his neck snaps, causing him to fade away forever. After Mapleshade kills Spottedleaf and causes her to fade as well, Yellowfang comforts Firestar, saying it was Spottedleaf's destiny. After Firestar's death, she appears with all the other cats who gave him his lives - save for Spottedleaf - as they begin to recite the lives they'd granted him. Afterwards, she returns to StarClan with all the others.
Bramblestar's Storm[]
In a dream, Bramblestar sees a giant silhouette of a cat looming over the lake, which soon comes into form as her recognizes them as Yellowfang. She puts her paws into the lake, causing it to turn blood red, and says that blood doesn't always mean death, and it will bring more strength that Bramblestar could possibly imagine. He says he doesn't understand, but she doesn't reply, disappearing as he wakes up. He later realizes what she means though, when his bond with his sister Tawnypelt gives them both the strength to fight off the badgers that had been terrorizing ShadowClan.
Much later, when Squirrelflight thinks she's getting sick, Yellowfang appears to her to apologize, saying she should have told her the truth long ago. When Squirrelflight asks what she means, she reveals that she lied about the ginger she-cat being barren, thinking it was the only way to convince her to raise Leafpool's kits as her own. Squirrelflight is surprised and asks why she's being told now, to which Yellowfang reveals that she isn't sick, but is pregnant with her and Bramblestar's kittens. She then wishes Squirrelflight well as she leaves, the ginger she-cat thanking her extatically.
A Vision of Shadows[]
Thunder and Shadow[]
When Alderpaw, the son of Bramblestar and Squirrelflight and a medicine cat apprentice visits the Moonpool, Yellowfang appears to him in his dreams. He doesn't recognize her before she introduces herself, recalling how she was a former ShadowClan medicine cat who killed her own son to save ThunderClan. He asks if Twigpaw and Violetpaw - two cats that were found as orphaned newborns and brought back to the Clans while trying to search for SkyClan - were related to a prophecy about finding something in the shadows to clear the sky. Yellowfang, amused, doesn't confirm or deny this, saying she'd forgotten the impatience of youth when Alderpaw growls in frustration. She then says she's there to praise Alderpaw for standing up for his beliefs when he said that the Clans should make WindClan give ShadowClan the herbs they need to cure their yellowcough outbreak. She says he's proven he has what it takes to be a medicine cat, and that StarClan has made the right choice in picking him.
She then comments on how StarClan doesn't always speak with one voice, and Alderpaw growls that sometimes, they don't speak at all. Amused, she asks if he wants them to guide the living world's every pawstep, or if he'd rather walk his own path. The young tom then asks her why StarClan would tell ShadowClan's new medicine cat Puddleshine about the lungwort that can cure yellowcough, without telling WindClan's leader Onestar to let ShadowClan gather it. She replies by questioning what lesson anyone would have earned then. He then asks how he can help ShadowClan, but she begins to disappear as he wakes up, reminding him to stand up for what he believes in as she does.
Shattered Sky[]
During a half-moon meeting, Firestar shows the medicine cats a star-shaded leaf with five points, and Yellowfang explains to them that it means there are five Clans, including SkyClan, who must live peacefully together at the lake. She continues that ShadowClan must reclaim the land that was stolen from them by a group of rogues known as The Kin, asking the medicine cats if they understand, to which they all nod.
River of Fire[]
When Needletail claims that ShadowClan's former leader Rowanstar - now Rowanclaw - is solely responsible for the Clan falling apart and eventually disbanding, Yellowfang points out that Rowanstar didn't understand how much of a threat The Kin's leader Darktail posed until it was too late. She then reminds Needletail that she and several of her Clanmates had willingly left ShadowClan to join The Kin, but she sarcastically remarks that the old gray she-cat knows everything before going back to blaming Rowanclaw.
Yellowfang then admits that she though Brokenstar's reign was bad enough, and Rowanclaw predecessor Blackstar says he believed Rowanclaw would be a good leader in his place, but asks what he could've done after almost his whole Clan betrayed him. ShadowClan's founder Shadowstar then appears to the other's surprise, stating that her Clan must be restored, or the other Clans will soon fall as well.
Tigerheart's Shadow[]
After Rowanclaw's death, Tigerheart returns to the Clans after living as a rogue for a while to restore ShadowClan and become its new leader, but is killed on the way back. His body is put into the Moonpool, where StarClan revives him with eight lives instead of nine. During this ceremony, Yellowfang appears to give him his fifth life. She grants him a life of forgiveness, saying it will give him more power than vengeance ever could.
Squirrelflight's Hope[]
As they teeter between life and death, Squirrelflight and Leafpool wake up in StarClan, where six cats hold a trial for them to determine of they belong in StarClan after breaking the code and lying to their Clanmates. Yellowfang is one of these six cats, sypathetic towards the two sisters and advocating that they be let in. She calls out two of the other judged, Bluestar and Moth FLight, for their hipocrasy in repremanding Leafpool for breaking the same code they had also broken, and points out that she'd broken the code as well, but was let into StarClan. Ultimatly, Yellowfang's defense of Leafpool and Squirrelflight sways the other judges, and both are allowed into StarClan, though the latter decides to return to the living world instead.
Quotes[]
“ | Raggedstar: I've made a terrible mistake, haven't I? Our son wants nothing but to lead ShadowClan into battle. I should have never made him deputy! What can we do to stop him? Yellowfang: He's our son now, is he? I have never been allowed to be his mother! You said you would only keep my secret if I never called him my son. What can I possibly do to change him? Brokentail is your problem, Raggedstar. Raggedstar: But- Yellowfang: You have told me too many times that I am nothing more than a medicine cat. I heal my Clan, that's all. You are responsible for what your warriors do. |
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~ Yellofang telling Raggedstar that their son is his responsibility now. |
“ | Brokenstar: Yellowfang, you cannot stay here. For your own safety, you must leave. Yellowfang: You mean, j- join the elders? Brokenstar: No. I cannot protect you within this territory after what has happened. Your Clanmates are too angry over these deaths. You have to understand that I don't want to do this, but I have no choice. I must banish you from ShadowClan. Yellowfang: This is exactly what you wanted! You couldn't have known that those kits would die, but this is your perfect opportunity to get rid of me! I am the ShadowClan medicine cat! This is where I belong! Blackfoot: Not anymore, Yellowfang. Come, I'll escort you to the border. Yellowfang: Get off me! I'll find my own way! Runningnose: I'm so sorry! I'll prove it was a fox! You'll be back soon! Come to the next half-moon Gathering! Yellowfang: Runningnose, you have been a dear and loyal friend, but I cannot stay here. Not as long as Brokenstar rules. This is not the ShadowClan I pledged to serve. They are lucky to have you. May StarClan light your path, always. Runningnose: But, Yellowfang- |
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~ Yellowfang getting banished from ShadowClan |
“ | Bluestar: Yellowfang, I wish you to replace Spottedleaf as medicine cat to ThunderClan. I'm sure you'll find all her supplies as she left them. Yellowfang: Thank you, Bluestar. ShadowClan is not the Clan I once knew. ThunderClan is my home now. |
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~ Yellowfang officially joining ThunderClan |
“ | Fireheart: Is this his last life? Why don't you finish him off? He murdered his father, banished you from your Clan, and tried to kill you. Yellowfang: It's not his last life, and even if it were, I couldn't kill him. Fireheart: Why not? StarClan would honor you for it. Yellowfang: He is my son. Fireheart: But medicine cats are forbidden from having kits. Yellowfang: I know. I never intended to have kits. But then I fell in love with Raggedstar. There were three kits in my litter. But only Brokenstar survived. I gave him to a ShadowClan queen to bring up as her own. I thought that losing two of my kits was punishment from StarClan for breaking the warrior code. But I was wrong. My punishment wasn't that two of my kits died. It was that this one survived! And now I cannot kill him. I must accept my fate, as StarClan wishes it. |
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~ Yellowfang revealing to Fireheart that Brokenstar is her son |
“ | Yellowfang: Lie still, Brokentail. You have lost a life. You're going to be fine. Brokentail: What do you mean? If I've got another life left, why do my wounds still hurt? Yellowfang: StarClan have healed the wound that killed you. The others still need the skill of a medicine cat. Brokentail: Then what are you waiting for, you scrawny old pest? Get on with it. Give me something for this pain. Yellowfang: All right, I will. Here. Eat these berries, and the pain will go away for good. (Yellowfang hands him deathberries, which he eats) you and my Clan cast me out and I came here. I was a prisoner, just like you. But ThunderClan treated me well, and at last they trusted me enough to be their medicine cat. You could have earned their trust, too. But now - will any cat trust you ever again? Brokentail: Do you think I care? Yellowfang: I know you care for nothing, Brokentail. Not your Clan, nor your honor, nor your own kin. Brokentail: I have no kin. Yellowfang: Wrong. Your kin have been closer to you than you ever dreamed. I'm your mother, Brokentail. Brokentail: Spiders have spun webs in your brain, old one. Medicine cats never have kits. Yellowfang: That's why I had to give you up. But I never stopped caring... never. When you were a young warrior, I was so proud of you. And then you murdered Raggedstar. Your own father. You killed kits of our Clan, and made me take the blame. You would have destroyed our Clan completly. So now it is time to put an end to all tjis treachery. Brokentail: An end? What do you mean, you old... (Brokentail tries to stand, but finds his paws are going numb) What have you done? I can't... can't feel my paws. Can't breathe... Yellowfang: I fed you deathberries. I know this is your last life, Brokentail. Medicine cats always know. Now no cat will ever be hurt again because of you. |
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~ Yellowfang telling Brokentail that she's his mother while killing him |
“ | Fireheart: Yellowfang! Yellowfang: Fireheart. I'm glad it's you who came. Fireheart: I shouldn't have left you here. I'm so sorry. Yellowfang: Did you save Patchpelt? Fireheart: He had breathed in too much smoke. Yellowfang: Halftail too. Fireheart: But we saved Goldenflower's kit! Yellowfang: Which one was it? Fireheart: Bramblekit. Yellowfang: You're a brave warrior, Fireheart. I could not be prouder of you if you were my own son. And StarClan knows how may times I wished you were, instead of Brokentail. I killed him. I poisoned him. I wanted him to die. Fireheart: Hush, Save your strength. Let me fetch you some water. Yellowfang: Water's no use to me now. I want to tell you everything before I- Fireheart: You're not going to die! Tell me what I can do to help you. Yellowfang: Don't waste your time. I'm going to die whatever you do, but I'm not afraid. Just listen to me. I wish you had been my son, but I could not have borne a cat like you. StarClan gave me Brokentail to teach me a lesson. Fireheart: What did you need to learn? You are as wise as Bluestar herself. Yellowfang: I killed my own son. Fireheart: He deserved it! Yellowfang: But I was his mother. StarClan may judge me how they will. I am ready. Fireheart. Fireheart: Yes? Yellowfang: Thank you for bringing me to ThunderClan. Tell Bluestar I have always been grateful for the home she gave me. This is a good place to die. I only regret that I will miss watching you become what StarClan has destined you to be. |
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~ Yellowfang's last words |
“ | With this life I give you compassion. Use it well for the elders of your Clan, and the sick, and all those weaker than yourself. | „ |
~ Yellowfang during Fireheart's leadership ceremony |
“ | Bramblestar: Yellowfang! Squirrelflight: Why are you here? Oh no! Am I... Am I that sick? Yellowfang: No! No, Squirrelflight, that is not the news I bring. I am so sorry. I should have told you long before this moment. Squirrelflight: Should have told me what? Yellowfang: I lied to you. I thought it was for the best. You had to take care of Leafpool's kits... And I thought it was the only way I could persuade you. Squirrelflight: Whay are you telling me this now? Yellowfang: Because you are not ill, Squirrelflight. Quite the opposite, in fact. Squirrelflight: ...Oh! Yellowfang: Be well, Squirrelflight. Squirrelflight: Thank you! Thank you! |
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~ Yellowfang apologizing to Squirrelflight and revealing that she's pregnant |
“ | I am Yellowfang, once of ShadowClan. With this life, I give you forgiveness. Forgiveness will give you more power than vengeance will ever bring. | „ |
~ Yellowfang during Tigerheart's leadership ceremony |
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- Yellowfang's condition is extremely similar to (and likely based on) mirror-touch synesthesia, which is a condition in which those afflicted can feel the sensations of others.
- Yellowfang is one of Kate Cary's favorite characters, and when asked which cat she would choose to make real if she could, Kate chose Yellowfang to give her a happy life. Fittingly, Yellowfang's death was also Kate's least favorite death scene to write.
- Yellowfang is mistakenly called a tom on page 184 of Fire and Ice.
- Yellowfang is one of the two cats in the series to kill another character both physically and permanently as a spirit, with the other one being Brambleclaw.
External Links[]
- Yellowfang on the Warriors Wiki
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