This article needs improvements. Please consult Darkstripe's Talk Page for details.
| "This is not my Clan. Not any longer. ThunderClan is led by a kittypet, and there's nothing left to fight for. I feel no loyalty to ThunderClan. In the whole forest, the only cat worth following is Tigerstar." |
| — Darkstripe in The Darkest Hour, page 117 |
Darkstripe is a skinny,[8] sleek,[9] large,[10] hard muscled,[11] lean,[11] lithe,[12] dark[13] gray tabby tom[9] with black stripes,[10] and yellow eyes.[14]
History
In the Original Arc
Into the Wild
- When the young kittypet, Rusty, comes to join the Clan, Darkstripe only grudgingly agrees with his leader's decision to make the young cat an apprentice of ThunderClan.
- When Redtail is killed in the battle at Sunningrocks, Darkstripe is appointed Dustpaw's new mentor. When Graypaw says that Spottedleaf was young and pretty, he then states that Darkstripe is neither young nor pretty, when Firepaw directs his attention to Darkstripe. Although Darkstripe is near the apprentices, he doesn't pick up on the statement Graypaw makes.
- When Tigerclaw is made deputy, he decides that Bluestar needs more protection, and appoints Darkstripe and Longtail as her body guards. He, Longtail and Tigerclaw then begin to spread rumors about Tigerclaw's apprentice, Ravenpaw. When Firepaw is told by Yellowfang to roll in garlic to help his rat bites, Darkstripe sees him and asks what he is doing. Firepaw explains, and Darkstripe tells him not to take orders from a rogue before stalking away. Firepaw then leaves to go back to camp, and mocks Darkstripe under his breath by calling him 'Dirtstripe'.
- Firepaw later hears Tigerclaw telling Darkstripe that Ravenpaw is a traitor and that he alerted ShadowClan to attack ThunderClan. He is also on the patrol that raids the ShadowClan camp in search for the missing kits.
Fire and Ice
- It is revealed that Darkstripe mentored Longtail, although it was previously stated in Into the Wild that Dustpaw was his first apprentice.
- Darkstripe is told by Tigerclaw to patrol Snakerocks around the time that Cinderpaw is struck on the Thunderpath. Darkstripe is quick to notice Graystripe's reluctance to fight RiverClan, and questions his loyalty in front of the whole Clan.
- He is furious when Fireheart brings Cloudkit into the Clan, and protests against him at every chance he gets. When Fireheart lets Silverstream go during the battle with WindClan against RiverClan and ShadowClan, Darkstripe sees him and tells Tigerclaw.
- He establishes a strong connection with Tigerclaw and is hardly ever seen without him. They almost always do duties together, like investigating the half-eaten rabbits on ThunderClan territory.
Forest of Secrets
- Darkstripe still treats Fireheart harshly, calling him a kittypet whenever possible, thinking he should never have been accepted into the Clan.
- When Darkstripe is on guard duty over ThunderClan's prisoner, Brokentail, he makes no effort to stop Cloudkit and some other kits when they attack the helpless prisoner. Fireheart is therefore left to break up the fight. Darkstripe, however, takes Cloudkit's side, insisting that the white tom is not doing anything wrong. Then Darkstripe calls Cloudkit a kittypet and is the first one to inform Fireheart's kin of his kittypet heritage.
- After Tigerclaw rebels against the Clan and tries to kill Bluestar, she exiles the tabby warrior. When Bluestar and Fireheart begin to explain Tigerclaw's treachery, Darkstripe calls out that it was impossible, and challenges Fireheart several times throughout the explanation. Before he leaves, Tigerclaw asks Longtail, Darkstripe, and Dustpelt to join him in exile. Darkstripe declines, seeming to be hurt that Tigerclaw didn't tell him what he was planning, and for plotting with Brokentail.
- When Fireheart is made deputy, Darkstripe comments that he won't be taking orders from a kittypet. He also doesn't trust Graystripe very well either. This is most likely because Tigerclaw shares his suspicions about Graystripe going to meet a cat in secrecy.
Rising Storm
- Darkstripe is amused when Fireheart struggles with the deputy duty, and taunts him as often as possible.
- Darkstripe is reluctantly given an apprentice, Fernpaw, by Fireheart, because he thought Darkstripe would want to prove himself to ThunderClan after Tigerclaw's exile. Bluestar has not forgotten that Darkstripe was one of Tigerclaw's allies, and fear flashes in her eyes as she names him as Fernpaw's mentor, but merely states that he is intelligent and bold.
- Darkstripe is the first cat to confirm that Cloudpaw left the Clan. He goes and tells the whole Clan including Bluestar that Cloudpaw returned to a kittypet lifestyle.
- When Cloudpaw is accepted back into ThunderClan, Fireheart tells Bluestar that Darkstripe should tell every cat that Cloudpaw was back because he had been the one to tell every cat he was gone.
- After the fire, Darkstripe argues with Cinderpelt, Dustpelt, and the elders, saying sarcastically that the cats Fireheart left behind in the fire are probably deeply grateful to him. While he does this, Dustpelt scolds him for not showing respect for his lost Clanmates and tells him to watch what he says in front of Fernpaw. Darkstripe is the fittest of the warriors after the blaze and Fireheart puts him in charge of rebuilding the camp wall, to ensure that he doesn't find Tigerclaw.
A Dangerous Path
- Darkstripe sees that Tigerclaw is the new leader of ShadowClan; when he finds out, Fireheart notices that his eyes are shining and he looks excited, and wonders if he would rather have joined Tigerstar as a rogue and then become part of ShadowClan.
- Tigerstar asks him to bring his kits, Bramblekit and Tawnykit, to Fourtrees so that they could meet him. Darkstripe obeys him, but Fireheart follows them, and orders Darkstripe to take the kits back to camp.
- When Graypool goes missing, Fireheart worries that an aggressive ThunderClan cat, immediately thinking of Darkstripe, might kill the elderly she-cat if she had wandered into ThunderClan territory, not knowing that she was just confused and was not looking for a fight.
- Darkstripe is often seen with Dustpelt, though this is probably because their apprentices, Fernpaw and Ashpaw are littermates.
- When Bluestar is obsessed with the idea that it is not dogs, but WindClan that are stealing prey, Fireheart arranges a peace meeting. Darkstripe accompanies the patrol, and during the entire talk, looks impatient and eager to attack the WindClan patrol. Fireheart realizes that if Mudclaw attacked, Darkstripe would too, and there wouldn't be a chance of peace.
- After the peace talk, Longtail admits that it is Darkstripe who is passing information to Tigerstar.
- When the dog pack is supposedly about to attack, he tries to take Bramblepaw and Tawnypaw to ShadowClan territory. He is caught by Fireheart, who asks where he is taking the apprentices. Darkstripe claims that he does not think Sunningrocks is safe enough, and he knows a better place. When Fireheart furiously asks if Darkstripe would let his Clan be torn to shreds by dogs, Darkstripe protests and says he didn't know, only that Tigerstar had told him to bring Bramblepaw and Tawnypaw to him. Fireheart tells Brackenfur to keep an eye on Tigerstar's kits and Darkstripe, as Fireheart doesn't trust any part of him.
The Darkest Hour
- Fireheart is provoked by him because of his kittypet roots after Bluestar's death, and Darkstripe complains that he does not want a kittypet leading ThunderClan. Fireheart challenges Darkstripe by saying he can either leave the Clan or stay under Fireheart's leadership.
- Firestar suspects that Darkstripe is conspiring with Tigerstar, so Firestar tells Brackenfur to keep an eye on him.
- Darkstripe manages to get rid of Brackenfur by saying to him that he needed to make dirt. He goes instead to meet secretly with the ShadowClan deputy, Blackfoot. While he is returning from it, he realizes that Willowpelt's daughter, Sorrelkit followed him and saw him meeting with Blackfoot. In a desperate attempt to conceal the truth, Darkstripe feeds her deathberries, telling her that they were a reward for stalking him. As Sorrelkit collapses, Graystripe attacks him. Darkstripe sullenly says that he is trying to stop her from eating them. However, most of the Clan do not believe him, and Dustpelt refuses to talk to him.
- Sorrelkit manages to survive the poisoning, and tells the Clan that Darkstripe fed her bright red berries, deathberries, as what he called a reward for following him. Before Firestar exiles him, he says that he didn't have any loyalty to ThunderClan anymore, because it was led by a kittypet, and the only cat left in the forest worth following was Tigerstar. Firestar exiles him, and Darkstripe goes to join TigerClan.
- When he is told to kill Stonefur by Tigerstar because he is half-Clan born, he does so without question, but loses to the half-starved prisoner, needing the help of Blackfoot to finish Stonefur off.
- After Tigerstar's death, Darkstripe grieves for the TigerClan leader. He is now alone, and blames Firestar for Tigerstar's death, telling Firestar that he turned Scourge against Tigerstar.
- In the battle between LionClan and BloodClan, Darkstripe attacks a BloodClan she-cat, knocking her away from Firestar. At first, Firestar thinks that Darkstripe had found loyalty in ThunderClan again, but he is proven wrong when Darkstripe tries to kill him, claiming that he no longer felt loyalty to the forest cats and that the only cat worth following had been Tigerstar. Graystripe comes and then kills Darkstripe with his last words describing his desolate feelings, perhaps referring to either his entrance to the Dark Forest, or the way he felt after Tigerstar's death. Graystripe then remarks that there was one less traitor in the forest now.
In the New Prophecy Arc
Sunset
- Darkstripe is seen in the prologue, as a member of the Dark Forest. He somehow manages to come across Tigerstar. He feels very scared and confused about the Dark Forest and acts very unlike himself when he was alive. He notes how he had tried to leave the forest, but he said that it went on forever. He also asks where StarClan was, and that he thought that he would be running across the sky, watching over ThunderClan, which means that he didn't think he would end up in the Dark Forest, therefore thinking he wasn't evil and cruel.
- He finds the scent of Brokenstar and he calls out his name, only to be silenced by Tigerstar. Darkstripe questions what Tigerstar will do now, expresses disbelief on Tigerstar's plots to kill Firestar, and says that Hawkfrost was indeed Tigerstar's son, with a strange note in his voice. He then asks Tigerstar if they can travel together. Tigerstar turns him down with a hint of regret in his voice, yet no hesitation. He tells Darkstripe that all cats must walk the path of shadows alone. Darkstripe then watches Tigerstar bound away into the forest, and still wanders there, lost and confused in the dark place.
In the Omen of the Stars Arc
Fading Echoes
- Darkstripe is seen briefly in the prologue after Breezepelt trains with Hawkfrost. He winds around Tigerstar, purring that Hawkfrost could match any warrior as there weren't many cats with such skill and strength. Tigerstar silences Darkstripe, telling him that Hawkfrost knew his own strengths. Darkstripe begins to protest but Tigerstar cuts him off. While the cats discuss Crowfeather to Breezepelt, Darkstripe slinks forward and tells Breezepelt that Crowfeather had never valued him. He is shooed back by Tigerstar shortly after.
- When Jayfeather and Spottedleaf enter the Dark Forest to figure out what exactly Tigerstar is plotting, they spy on the activity going on in the Dark Forest. Darkstripe is seen in a training session that includes Snowtuft and Shredtail.
Night Whispers
- Ivypaw sees him wandering around the Dark Forest during her training sessions.
- Later, when Ivypaw was taking her final test to prove her loyalty to the Dark Forest. Although he does not formally appear, Ivypaw scents him following her, and Brokenstar comments that he is of no more use than a whining kit. It is mentioned that Ivypaw doesn't like Darkstripe, because something about him makes her nervous. It is also mentioned that he bit Tigerheart after a training match, then denied it.
The Forgotten Warrior
- He is seen as the cats are gathering for the Dark Forest meeting. He crawls up on his belly and looks admiringly at the leaders, before Hawkfrost orders him back to the others. He creeps away, dragging his tail.
The Last Hope
- Darkstripe is first seen when he ambushes Cloudtail and Dovewing. Cloudtail snarls at him telling that he isn't surprised that Darkstripe is fighting alongside traitors. Darkstripe spits at him, calling Cloudtail a kittypet before they engage in battle. Dovewing springs forward to help when Cloudtail is attacked by Sparrowfeather. Darkstripe sneers at her telling her that since Sparrowfeather's finishing Cloudtail off he gets to kill her by himself.
- After a long battle, a Dark Forest warrior calls to Darkstripe and Sparrowfeather, telling them to leave Cloudtail and Dovewing to bleed to death because the Dark Forest is attacking the camp.
- Later in the battle, after Brokenstar is killed by Yellowfang, he retreats along with Thistleclaw and the other Dark Forest cats.
In the Field Guide Arc
Code of the Clans
- Darkstripe is in a story about the rule that kits and elders must be fed before warriors. Even though many cats are sick and tired, he thinks of himself first. When he wakes up to rain and a leaking den, he tells Longtail to go find Redtail and have him fix the den so he can sleep. When prey is scarce in ThunderClan, and many cats are sick from greencough, he and Longtail go out hunting at Snakerocks, and soon found a squirrel. Darkstripe suggests that they eat it to have more strength to find other prey. Longtail is hesitant, but eventually gives in, after he takes the first bite.
- Darkstripe ends up catching two mice, and Longtail catches a blackbird. They drag the fresh kill back to the camp, and on the way there, Darkstripe makes Longtail go through the thornbush first, resulting in Longtail losing some chunks of fur.
- Later, when they return to camp, they are told that the elder Poppydawn had died, because she was so weak from lack of food. Longtail thinks it's their fault that she died; if they had come back with the squirrel she could have lived. However, Darkstripe tells him that it's already over because she's already dead, and orders Longtail not to tell anyone. He sees nothing wrong with what they did, and threatens to tell everyone that Longtail forced him to eat before the elders if he says anything. Darkstripe feels no pity at her loss, but Longtail is wracked with guilt.
Battles of the Clans
- Darkstripe is seen on a patrol with Dustpaw, Longtail, Ravenpaw, and Tigerclaw. When Tigerclaw sends Dustpaw up a tree to catch a squirrel, Longtail and Darkstripe both stare at Dustpaw with scorn in their eyes. It is noted that they stick close to Tigerclaw the whole time. When ShadowClan starts to invade, he, along with the rest of the patrol, use the Lightning Strike to confuse the ShadowClan cats. They outsmart ShadowClan and win.
In the Novellas
Tigerclaw's Fury
- As Tigerclaw looks for cats to help him in exile, Darkstripe is among those cats, sitting with other warriors. He confesses that he thought Tigerclaw was the finest warrior in the forest, but he had planned with a tyrant, which makes Tigerclaw wonder if it was Brokenstar. Darkstripe adds that Tigerclaw said nothing, and declines his offer to come with him. When Tigerclaw encounters some ShadowClan cats, it is noted that he does not miss Darkstripe. As a fire rages on in ThunderClan's camp, Fireheart tells Whitestorm and Darkstripe to make sure the rest of the Clan makes it to the river.
Trivia
- He has been described with silver stripes.[15]
- He has SkyClan blood because his mother, Willowpelt, is Spottedleaf's sister.[16]
- He has been described with a black pelt.[17]
- He has been mistakenly described as a black tabby.[18]
- He has been mistakenly described with pale blue eyes.[19]
- Cherith's favorite death to write was Darkstripe's.[20]
Character Pixels
The pixel artwork is fanart based on the canon description; undefined traits are left to the artist's interpretation.  Apprentice Version  Warrior Version  Alternative Warrior Version  Rogue Version  Alternative Rogue Version  Alternative Rogue Version |
Family
Members
Father:
- Tawnyspots:[21] Deceased, verified StarClan member
Mother:
- Willowpelt:[21] Deceased, verified StarClan member
Half-Brothers:
- Graystripe:[22] Deceased, verified StarClan member
- Rainwhisker:[23] Deceased, verified StarClan member
- Sootfur:[23] Deceased, verified StarClan member
Half-Sister:
- Sorreltail:[23] Deceased, verified StarClan member
Grandfather:
Grandmother:
- Swiftbreeze:[25] Deceased, verified StarClan member
Uncles:
Aunts:
- Leopardfoot:[26] Deceased, verified StarClan member
- Spottedleaf:[25] Deceased, no residence
Cousins:
- Longtail:[27] Deceased, verified StarClan member
- Tigerstar:[28] Status unknown
- Mistkit:[28] Deceased, verified StarClan member
- Nightkit:[28] Status unknown
- Sandstorm:[22] Deceased, verified StarClan member
- Bramblestar:[29] Status unknown
- Tawnypelt:[29] Living (As of Wind)
- Hawkfrost:[30] Deceased, no residence
- Tadpole:[30] Deceased, unknown residence
- Mothwing:[30] Living (As of Wind)
- Leafpool:[31] Deceased, verified StarClan member
- Squirrelflight:[31] Status unknown
- Lionblaze:[32] Living (As of Wind)
- Jayfeather:[32] Living (As of Wind)
- Hollyleaf:[32] Deceased, verified StarClan member
- Tigerheart:[33] Status unknown
- Flametail:[33] Deceased, verified StarClan member
- Dawnpelt:[33] Deceased, verified StarClan member
Half-Nephews:
- Stormfur:[34] Living (As of Graystripe's Vow)
- Bumblestripe:[35] Living (As of Wind)
- Molepaw:[36] Status unknown
Half-Nieces:
- Feathertail:[34] Deceased, verified the Tribe of Endless Hunting and StarClan member
- Blossomfall:[35] Living (As of Wind)
- Briarlight:[35] Deceased, verified StarClan member
- Cinderheart:[36] Living (As of Wind)
- Honeyfern:[36] Deceased, verified StarClan member
- Poppyfrost:[36] Living (As of Wind)
- Seedkit:[37] Status unknown
- Lilykit:[37] Status unknown
Half-Grandnieces:
- Cherrypaw:[38] Status unknown
- Lark That Sings at Dawn:[39] Status unknown
Half-Grandnephew:
- Molepaw:[38] Status unknown
- Pine That Clings to Rock:[39] Living (As of Graystripe's Vow)
Half-Grandnephew/Nieces:
- Unnamed Kits:[40] Status unknown
Distant Ancestors:
- Cloudstar:[41] Deceased, verified StarClan member
- Birdflight:[41] Deceased, verified StarClan member
- Gorseclaw:[41] Deceased, verified StarClan member
- Spottedpelt:[41] Deceased, verified StarClan member
Tree
= Tom
= She-cat
= Gender unknown
Quotes
- Firestar: "Cats of ThunderClan. I've called you together so that you can witness what Darkstripe has to say. You all heard what happened to Sorrelkit yesterday. She's awake now, and Cinderpelt says she'll be fine. I've talked to her and she confirms what Graystripe said. Darkstripe did feed her the deathberries. So, Darkstripe. What have you to say for yourself?"
- Darkstripe: "She's lying, or she made a mistake. Kits never listen to what any cat says. She obviously didn't hear me properly when I told her not to eat them."
- The Darkest Hour
- Darkstripe: "You're mine, kittypet. It's time for you to die."
- Firestar: "So now you're fighting on the side of Tigerstar's murderer? Have you no loyalty?"
- The Darkest Hour
- Darkstripe: "...Why is it always dark here? Where is the moon?...I thought we would be hunting across the sky with our warrior ancestors, and watching over our Clanmates."
- Tigerstar: "That is not the way for us. But I don't need starlight to follow my path. If StarClan think they can forget about us, they're wrong."
- Sunset
- "You can't leave this forest. I know-I've tried. But however far I walk, the trees never end, and there's no light anywhere."
- ―Darkstripe to Tigerstar about the Dark Forest Sunset
- Longtail: "We killed her...."
- Darkstripe: "We did not! Greencough killed her. She was old and weak. We are the important cats; we should eat first. Do you want to do what's best for your Clan?"
- Code of the Clans
References and Citations
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Revealed in The Darkest Hour, page 276
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Revealed in Into the Wild, allegiances
- ↑ Revealed in The Darkest Hour, page 271
- ↑ Revealed in The Darkest Hour, page 295
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Revealed in Into the Wild, page 52
- ↑ Revealed in Fire and Ice, page 14
- ↑ Revealed in Rising Storm, allegiances
- ↑ Revealed in Night Whispers, page 162
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Revealed in Into the Wild, page 39
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Revealed in Into the Wild, pages 33-34
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Revealed in Into the Wild, page 89
- ↑ Revealed in Night Whispers, page 164
- ↑ Revealed in Into the Wild, page 33
- ↑ Revealed in Code of the Clans, page 37
- ↑ Revealed in Fading Echoes, page 3
- ↑ Revealed to be a in Erin Hunter Chat 4, undefined
- ↑ Revealed in A Dangerous Path, page 5
- ↑ Revealed in The Last Hope, page 254
- ↑ Revealed in Forest of Secrets, page 300
- ↑ Revealed to be a in Erin Hunter Chat 3, undefined
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 Revealed in an unknown book, page dark
- ↑ 22.0 22.1 Revealed in an unknown book, page oskits
- ↑ 23.0 23.1 23.2 Revealed in Rising Storm, page 120
- ↑ Revealed in an unknown book, page adder
- ↑ 25.0 25.1 25.2 Revealed in Bluestar's Prophecy, page 362
- ↑ 26.0 26.1 Revealed in Bluestar's Prophecy, page 8
- ↑ Revealed in an unknown book, page long
- ↑ 28.0 28.1 28.2 Revealed in Bluestar's Prophecy, page 266
- ↑ 29.0 29.1 Revealed in Rising Storm, pages 19-20
- ↑ 30.0 30.1 30.2 Revealed in Return to the Clans, pages 2-3
- ↑ 31.0 31.1 Revealed in Firestar's Quest, page 509
- ↑ 32.0 32.1 32.2 Revealed in Sunrise, page 305
- ↑ 33.0 33.1 33.2 Revealed in Dark River, pages 20-21
- ↑ 34.0 34.1 Revealed in Forest of Secrets, page 223
- ↑ 35.0 35.1 35.2 Revealed in Eclipse, page 158
- ↑ 36.0 36.1 36.2 36.3 Revealed in Sunset, page 27
- ↑ 37.0 37.1 Revealed in The Forgotten Warrior, page 146
- ↑ 38.0 38.1 Revealed in The Fourth Apprentice, page 299
- ↑ 39.0 39.1 Revealed in Sign of the Moon, page 2
- ↑ Revealed in an unknown book, pages http://katecary.co.uk/blog/the-last-hope-spoiler-page/comment-page-11/#comment-49886
- ↑ 41.0 41.1 41.2 41.3 Revealed in Erin Hunter Chat 4