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"It is a sign. StarClan gives our prey to us, and StarClan can take it away. We should give thanks to our warrior ancestors that we are able to eat at all. They provide every mouthful as well as our ability to hunt and feed ourselves. From the next Gathering, there will be an addition to the warrior code. Prey must be killed only to be eaten, and we must give thanks to StarClan for its life. This is the way of the warrior."
Prey, or fresh-kill[1], is a Clan term for the animals, both large and small, that are caught for the purpose of consumption.[2]
Details[]
The importance of eating is something that all of the Clans are concerned about every single day.[3] They eat to keep up strength and maintain the health of the Clan as a whole.[4] Each of the Clans have a hunting specialty, due to the terrain they are familiar with and the traditions the cats are raised by.[5]
Many different species of prey are hunted by the Clan cats. Usually, after killing prey, a cat will give thanks to StarClan for its life,[6] and will bury it to keep it safe from other predators until they are ready to carry it back to camp.[7] The remains (i.e. the bones, feathers, fur) are usually buried.[8]
Cats will not kill prey only for fun, without the intention of using it to feed oneself, or the Clan, as this is part of the warrior code.[9] Prey is killed with respect for giving its life to feed the Clan.[10] It is also in the warrior code that the hunters may not eat until they have caught prey for the rest of the Clan.[11] Traditionally, the weaker cats will be fed before the apprentices and warriors.[12] In leaf-bare, prey is much harder to find than in any other season. Clans may stockpile prey to prepare for the shortage during leaf-bare.[13]
Crowfood[]
"Crowfood" is the Clan term for prey that has left to become rotten and unfit to eat.[4] Prey typically is considered crowfood after about one or two days since it was killed.[14] Clan cats will occasionally eat crowfood if they are desperate and starving, but they avoid it as much as possible as it usually causes bellyaches or more severe illnesses.[4][15] The word "crowfood" is also used in Clan terminology, such as, "We'll be crowfood if Bluestar finds out."[16]
In the old forest, a source of crowfood was Carrionplace, where rotten prey could always be found, but it was known to carry sickness.[14] However, when ShadowClan was led by Brokenstar, his warriors sometimes resorted to eating it, as at the time, the warriors were used for fighting, not hunting. Crowfood is also known as carrion.[15]
Leathery gray-green or gray-brown amphibians with powerful hind legs.[17] Only eaten by ShadowClan.[18]
Starlight - Littlecloud comments on his hunger and wouldn't mind eating a frog or a toad. That causes the other medicine cats to stare at him in surprise, but Littlecloud defends himself, saying, "They don't taste that bad!"[19]
Secrets of the Clans - During the tour of the old ShadowClan camp, Boulder says to the reader "Oh, I see you've spotted a frog. I know they look pretty unappetizing - trust me, I was as reluctant as you to try them when I first came to the forest. But you should try them. Peel off the skin first - that's very chewy. Underneath, it tastes like if you mixed rabbits and fish together."[21]
Into the Woods - Sasha watches a ShadowClan patrol consisting of Tigerstar, Rowanpaw, and Jaggedtooth chasing a frog. Rowanpaw comments that they're nasty, but Tigerstar says that distasteful or not, prey is prey.[22]
Greenish-brown amphibians with a heavy, rounded shape, thick legs and warty skin. Three to five inches long.[25]
Starlight - Littlecloud comments on his hunger and wouldn't mind eating a toad or a frog. The other medicine cats exclaim in surprise, but Littlecloud defends himself, saying, "They don't taste that bad!"[19]
Avians[]
Blackbirds[]
Blackbird
Highest level of classification
Description
Species: T. merula
Have glossy black plumage, a long tail, blackish-brown legs, an orange eye ring and an orange-yellow beak. About 26 cm in length.[26] Often caught by ThunderClan.
Yellowfang's Secret - Deerleap catches a blackbird, which Yellowkit is impressed by. [27] Later, when Yellowpaw goes hunting she stalks a blackbird but she accidently alerts it and it flies away.[28] Then later, Yellowfang is hunting in the forest and catches a huge blackbird which impressed Raggedpelt. [29]
Fading Echoes- When Blossompaw and Ivypaw are hunting together, and Blossompaw catches a blackbird, and Ivypaw thinks that Hawkfrost would have sneered at such a clumsy catch.[30]
Bluetit[]
Bluetit
Highest level of classification
Description
Species: C. caeruleus
Small, energetic birds that are brightly colored in blue and yellow, along with white and black markings. Intelligent and able to solve problems in order to find food more efficiently. Lives in many different habitats, including woodlands, parks, gardens and other areas alongside humans. Mainly feeds on insects and is a foliage gleaner.
In Fire and Ice, Fireheart grabs a bluetit from the fresh-kill pile to share with Sandstorm.[31]
Chickens[]
Chicken
Highest level of classification
Description
Subspecies: Gallus gallus domesticus
Normally shades of brown, white, or black plumage in common breeds, though comes in over one hundred color varieties and over two thousand breeds. Red, purple, or black comb on the head. Have red, purple, or black wattles on the underside of the neck, close to the beak. Very intelligent and able to think with complex feelings, and has over two hundred words in their language, even ones that describe certain animals. About 30 cm long,[32] though their length heavily depends on breed. Can be as tall as 40 inches or as small as 6 inches. Often caught by rogues or loners.
In The Rise of Scourge, Tiny was offered chicken by an old she-cat, who comments that she is surprised he doesn't know what it is, since he's a kittypet. He describes it as the most delicious thing he has ever eaten.[33]
In Shattered Peace, Willie, Minty, Tess, Snapper, and Pounce come into the barn where Ravenpaw and Barley live. After the barn catches fire, Ravenpaw and Barley find Willie, Tess, Snapper and Pounce in the rafters above the chicken house. Willie sneers at them and they attack the chickens, killing some chicks.[34]
In The Heart of a Warrior, when the ThunderClan group tries to attack the rogues, the chickens notice and give out an alarm, thinking that they're part of the rogues as well.[35]
In Hawkwing's Journey, during SkyClan's journey, Hawkwing and Pebbleshine are searching for food, when they come across a truck carrying cages of chickens. However, as they are attempting to hunt the chickens in order to feed the Clan, the truck takes off, taking Pebbleshine with it.[36]
In Sunset, Daisy mentions Twolegs keeping large birds for fresh-kill, and that they set out traps for foxes that attempt to kill these birds for themselves. The birds mentioned are most likely chickens that are of a meat production breed.[37]
Crows[]
Crow
Highest level of classification
Description
Genus: Corvus
Long-legged scavenging birds with a completely black body, a thick neck and a heavy, straight bill. 40-50 cm in length.[38] Considered very difficult to catch.[39]
In Dark River, Brackenfur catches a crow after Hollypaw questions him about the new kits in ShadowClan and whether she would be able to fight them in battle.[40]
Hawks[]
Hawk
Highest level of classification
Description
Order: Accipitriformes
Smaller than eagles. Have impressive eyesight and curved talons. About one foot tall. [41]
In A Dangerous Path, Snowkit is taken by a hawk flying over ThunderClan camp searching for prey. His mother, Speckletail, was unable to free him from the hawk's talons.[42]
In Moonrise, Crag teaches Stormfur how to hunt hawks by saving him from one.[43] Later, Stormfur catches a hawk to share with the other travelers.[44] It is noted that the hawk chicks are taken prey in the season of "freed-water"[45]
In Dawn, when all the Clans are starving, Tornear reports that Crowpaw had captured a hawk a few days ago.[46]
In The Sun Trail, Gray Wing and Clear Sky together bring down a hawk, [47] and drag it back to the cave for the others to eat.[48]
Large size, powerful build, heavy back and beak, keen eyesight and broad wings. About 1 meter long.[50] They have sharp, curved talons.[51] Favored prey for the Tribe of Rushing Water.[52]
Moonrise - Stormfur almost gets caught by an eagle as he jumps across a gap on the way to the Tribe of Rushing Water.[53]
Dawn - Marshkit almost gets taken by an eagle, but Brackenfur saves him by clawing at the bird until it loosens its grip.[54]
Outcast - As Jaypaw crosses a gap on the way to the Tribe, an eagle screech startles him. Pebble tells the cats that only cave-guards know how to fight attacking eagles.[55]
The Sun Trail - The Tribe is known for hunting eagles, but in one incident, Bright Stream is carried away by an eagle while following the sun trail, and Clear Sky is devastated.[57]
Falcons[]
Falcon
Highest level of classification
Description
Genus: Falco
Small fast birds of prey- speed is faster than that of a hawk's. Have tapered wings with a wide wingspan for flying. Length varies from species to species: from 25 cm to 65 cm.[58] Most commonly taken piece of prey by the Tribe of Rushing Water.
Moonrise - Brook is chasing a mouse when a falcon gets it before her. A second prey-hunter jumps in, and the two catch the falcon and kill it before it swoops away.[59]
Dawn - As the Clans are journeying through the mountains, they try to find the Tribe. Suddenly, they see a falcon feasting on a shrew. Three mud-streaked cats jump out at the falcon and kill it, and the Clans find the Tribe.[60]
Also known as chaffinches.[39] A common type of songbird. About 10 cm in length. Have strong stubby beaks and are pretty and colorful.[61] Often caught by ThunderClan.
In Crookedstar's Promise - Sedgepaw catches her first prey: a finch. She stares at it on the fresh-kill pile for a long time, waiting quite a while for someone to eat it.[62]
Lapwings[]
Lapwings
Highest level of classification
Description
Genus: Vanellus
About 25 cm - 41cm long. They are very protective of their young. Their enemies are mainly weasels who hunt their young. Mainly found on the moors. They make their nests in clumps of heather.
Tallstar's Revenge - Plumclaw is eating with Tallkit, and mentions lapwings to be her favorite meal, however, they are only hunted for in the breeding season.[63] Later, Tallpaw watches as lapwings swoop down in the heather, protecting their young.[64]
Magpies[]
Magpie
Highest level of classification
Description
Family: Corvidae
Black and white birds that are related to crows. Very intelligent.[65] About 20-30 cm in length.[66] Often killed by ThunderClan.
In Forest of Secrets, Cinderpaw offers to take Bluestar some fresh-kill and she grabs a magpie. Upon lifting the bird off of the fresh-kill pile, its flesh falls away to reveal that it is covered with maggots.[68]
Moorhens[]
Moorhen
Highest level of classification
Description
Genus: Gallinula
Medium sized water birds (about 35cm in length). Mostly brown and black with some white markings. Have rounded wings. Weak fliers but fast runners and swimmers.[69]
Crookedstar's Promise - While Crookedstar walks along the river, he sees fish near the surface and spiky footprints where a moorhen had walked.[70]
Firestar's Quest - After the flood, Firestar and Sandstorm continue along the river searching for the Gorge. They see many remnants of the flood including moorhens squawking miserably for lost chicks.[72]
Pheasants[]
Pheasant
Highest level of classification
Description
Subfamily: Phasianinae
Large birds. Highly ornate with bright colors, wattles and long tails. About one meter in length.[73]
Dawn - Shrewpaw chases after a pheasant over a Thunderpath, knowing that such a large bird would feed the Clan very well, and he is hit and killed by a monster. Thornclaw, Shrewpaw's mentor, explains this to Firestar when he returns to camp.[74]
Sunrise - Brambleclaw disturbs a pheasant while leading the patrol back from the sun-drown-place. The pheasant flies out of a patch of bracken and lets out an alarm call, and scares a squirrel out of the undergrowth.[75]
Also known as a wood pigeon.[11] Stout-bodied birds with short necks, short, slender bills. About 32 cm in length.[77]
In, Tigerclaw's Fury, Cedarheart and the other elders of ShadowClan share a pigeon that Tigerclaw and his rogues bring to camp.[78]
In Rising Storm, Cloudpaw kills a pigeon before Fireheart is able to and mistakes it for a dove.[10] Cloudpaw neglects to bring it back,[79] and when later interrogated by Fireheart, Cloudpaw says that some owl probably flew off with it.[80]
In A Dangerous Path, Whitestorm reports pigeon feathers scattered all over the ground near Snakerocks and the place reeked of dogs. Fireheart dismisses it, and says it isn't important.[81]
In The Last Hope, a pigeon caught by Berrynose is put on the fresh-kill pile. Graystripe eyes it hopefully but is advised by Firestar to go hunting to get some exercise. Hollyleaf then jokes about Graystripe looking like the pigeon.[82]
Robins[]
Robin
Highest level of classification
Description
Genus: Turdus
Songbird with a reddish-brown breast, brown underparts. Sometimes jet-black to gray. Mostly yellow-brown bill. About 35 cm long.[83]
Into the Wild - When Smudge talks about Henry, he mentions that Henry caught a robin in the woods. Also, Smudge says that baby robins were out stretching their wings, after which Rusty asks if he caught any.[84]
Starlight - A hunting patrol starts to leave when Birchkit says he wants to come too, as he's good at hunting. To prove it, he jumps at a robin at the edge of the hollow. Brambleclaw and Dustpelt lunge for him, and Brambleclaw catches him first.[85]
Dark River - When it suddenly starts raining, Stormfur and Brook are seen crouched below the Highledge sharing a soggy robin.[86]
The Sun Trail - When Petal and Fox are hunting, a robin starts singing in a tree, and Petal thinks about how she hates bullies and robins. She then unsuccessfully attempts to catch it. [87]
Sparrows[]
Sparrow
Highest level of classification
Description
Family: Passeridae
Small and plump brown-gray songbirds with short tails and stubby yet powerful beaks. About 14 cm in length.[88]
Yellowfang's Secret - Nutkit admits that he found a dead sparrow in a bramble patch, which later causes him to get a bellyache. [89]
Darkness Within - Shadowsight observes his Clanmates on a hunting patrol as he tries to learn their techniques, and accidentally scares off four sparrows, upsetting Hollowspring.[91]
Starlings[]
Starling
Highest level of classification
Description
Family: Sturnidae
Black feathers with iridescent markings, bright yellow beaks. About 25 cm in length.[92]
In Rising Storm, Cloudpaw runs past a small group of starlings, and the birds scurry upward in a flutter of wings.[94]
In Midnight, Cloudtail feasts on a starling, happy there is good food even though prey is so scarce.[95] Later, Brambleclaw gulps down a starling as Squirrelpaw asks him if he's had any more dreams from StarClan.[96]
Thrushes[]
Thrush
Highest level of classification
Description
Family: Turdidae
Songbird. Soft-plumaged, small to medium sized birds, about 20 cm in length.[97]
In Outcast, Jaypaw accidentally startles a thrush that Berrypaw was stalking, causing Berrypaw to be furious, considering that it is his warrior assessment.[101]
Wagtails[]
Wagtail
Highest level of classification
Description
Genus: Motacilla
Small, often colorful birds with long tails, which wag frequently. About 16-19 cm in length.[102]
Dark River - Lionpaw is hunting with Ashfur when the older tom scolds the young apprentice when he had missed a wagtail that had escaped his paw. It flies onto a branch above the training hollow before calling in alarm and flying away.[103]
Wrens[]
Wren
Highest level of classification
Description
Family: Troglodytidae
Medium to very small songbirds (about 15cm in length). Colors of their plumage can be gray, brown, black and white.[104]
The Sight - Jaykit smelled out a wren with a belly alive with maggots in the fresh-kill pile and shows it to Leafpool, who praises him for finding it.[105]
Dark River - When it suddenly starts raining, Hollypaw and Cinderpaw are caught in surprise. They skid in the rain, picking a wren and a mouse from the fresh-kill pile and Cinderpaw grimaces at the muddy wren.[106]
Eggs[]
Eggs
Highest level of classification
Description
Genus: Various
Unborn birds, found in nests protected by adult birds.[107]
Sign of the Moon - Stoneteller ends all border patrols, angrily pointing out that with the coming thaw the Tribe will be able to eat eggs and young birds stolen from nests despite the intruders stealing their other prey. This suggests that eggs and chicks are only stolen in times of greatest need.[108]
Code of The Clans- The ancient WindClan apprentice Quickpaw is mentioned to have a knack for tracking and carefully recovering plover eggs.[109]
In A Dangerous Path, Graystripe catches a slippery silver fish from the river and gives it to Fireheart and Sandstorm, saying they will need prey after the fire.[81]
In Midnight, Feathertail catches shiny golden fish from a Twoleg garden pond during the journey to Midnight. These fish are quite unlike any other fish the Clan cats have seen before.[115]
A large fish found in the white-waters of the gorge.[127] Has silver scales.[128]
In Riverstar's Home, Riverstar and his patrol hunt where the river flows into the gorge where salmon sometimes migrated.[129]
In Leopardstar's Honor, Leopardfur and her patrol steal a large salmon from a fishing Twoleg.[127]
Trout[]
Trout
Highest level of classification
Description
Phylum: Chordata
Also called rainbow trout.[116] A large fish[117] with brown spotted scales. Swims in shoals[121] and in deep water.[130]
In Leopardstar's Honor, Leopardpaw catches a rainbow trout for her father Mudfur since it is his favorite type of fish.[116]
In Mistystar's Omen, Mistystar mentions that although the water was refilling into the lake, there were no large fish like trout, or carp.[117]
Mammals[]
Bat[]
Bat
Highest level of classification
Description
Order: Chiropterage
Small furry animals with large ears and whose forelimbs form webbed wings. Only mammal capable of true flight. Range of different lengths- smallest bat is 29mm long.[131]
Sunrise - Lionblaze notices a bat flying near a Twolegplace and tries to catch it. Birchfall says that he wished he'd caught it, and suggests then they could have all had a bite to eat. Lionblaze says it would been a very small bite since there were six of them.[132]
Long legs and ears similar to a rabbit. Fur is commonly an orange shade of brown. Very fast; can reach speeds of 45mph.[135] About 45 cm[136]
Moonrise - In order to kill the mountain-cat, Sharptooth, the six Clan cats try to kill him with a mountain hare filled with deathberries.[137]
Eclipse - After the Clans have helped with the rogues, Hollypaw sees an eagle flying after a hare that is pelting in terror.[138]
Sign of the Moon - Jagged Lightning is seen dragging back an enormous snow-white hare.[139]
The Sun Trail - After being taught how to catch one, Jagged Peak successfully catches a snow hare, which is bigger than himself. [140]
Mice[]
Mouse
Highest level of classification
Description
Genus: Mus
Small gray[1] or brown[3] rodents with long, naked tails, whiskers, large ears and prominent dark eyes. About 10 cm in length.[141] Found on every Clan territory. Also known as wood mice.[11]
In Into the Wild , Firepaw's first prey that he catches is a mouse.[3]
In Mistystar's Omen, Mistystar leads a patrol through some bracken, where they find a nest of hairless mice. They hunt and kill the mice, but she knows that they are too tiny to fill the fresh-kill pile.[117]
The Sun Trail - While stopping for a rest as they follow the sun trail, Jagged Peak and Moon Shadow are shown bringing back a small brown bird, and a rat almost the size of a kit.[147]
Rabbits[]
Rabbit
Highest level of classification
Description
Family: Leporidae
Fast,[94] compact animals with brown fur,[148] with white tails,[94] long legs,[6] oval-shaped heads, long ears and light brown fur with a lighter underbelly. About 35 cm long. [149]WindClan's main prey.[150]
In Into the Wild, Smudge mentions that wild cats that live in the woods eat live rabbits for breakfast.[1]
In A Dangerous Path, ThunderClan patrol finds remains of a scattered rabbit not far from camp, and Bluestar uses this as evidence to show WindClan have been stealing prey from ThunderClan.[42] Later, Tigerstar leaves a trail of rabbits to ThunderClan's camp for the pack to follow.[151]
In Darkness Within, Hollowspring and Blazefire catch a rabbit together and demonstrate cooperative hunting techniques to Shadowsight.[155]
Shrews[]
Shrew (terrestrial)
Highest level of classification
Description
Family: Soricidae
Small, rodent-like creatures.[156] Have gray to brown fur, long noses, small eyes and rounded bodies, About 9 cm long.[157]
In Into the Wild, Graypaw says that Sandpaw and Dustpaw must have eaten a shrew while on duty.[158]
In Rising Storm, Cloudpaw is gone for a long time, making Fireheart anxious. When he comes back, he has a tiny shrew in his mouth, and Fireheart asks him how many cats that's going to feed.[156]
In The Darkest Hour, when Firestar, Graystripe, and Ravenpaw sneak onto RiverClan land, they spot the bonehill, and Firestar notes that he can see shrew bones.[14]
Squirrels[]
Squirrel
Highest level of classification
Description
Family: Sciuridae
Rodents with fluffy tails[148] and small paws. Majority are gray, though black, albino and red ones exist. About 8.5 cm in length. [159]
Bluestar's Prophecy - A plump squirrel falls on top of Bluekit.[160] Later, Bluepaw makes her first catch on her first day as an apprentice: a squirrel. The warriors and elders are noted to be especially impressed, and Bluepaw waits for a cat to pick it off the fresh-kill pile.[161]
In Crookedstar's Promise, when Crookedkit is with Fleck, Mitzi, and her kits, Fleck gives him a live vole, and urges him to kill it. Crookedkit mentions it is a strange tasting mouse, but Fleck corrects him, telling him it is a vole. Fleck tells him that they should bring it back to Mitzi. [167]
Water shrews[]
Water shrew
Highest level of classification
Description
Genus: Neomys
Large shrews with small ears, a waterproof coat and a tail with a line of stiff fur that acts as a rudder. About 15 cm long.[168]
In Dark River, Mistyfoot is seen stalking a water shrew. She catches it and her whiskers twitch with triumph as she walks back to her Clan. Hollypaw sees this and realizes how hungry RiverClan is getting.[169]
Water voles[]
Water vole
Highest level of classification
Description
Genus: Microtus
Small rodent[12] with dense brown fur.[158] About 25 cm in length.[170] Usually prey of RiverClan, but also is found on ThunderClan territory, often near water sources.[158]
In Fire and Ice, Graystripe falls into the river while trying to catch a water vole.[12]
Fast,[175] venomous snakes with long diamond-patterned bodies.[176] Body marked with indented zig-zag stripes. About 1 meter or longer in length.[177] Also known as the common European viper.
Into the Wild, Ravenpaw catches an adder on a hunting assessment when he is assigned to Snakerocks, impressing both Graypaw and Firepaw.[176]
Cats of the Clans - Adderkit is killed by a snake bite, hence the name. Tallstar avenged the young kit's death by killing the snake shortly afterwards.[178]
Mapleshade’s Vengeance - At a Gathering, a ShadowClan cat recalls Marshpaw stepping on an adder during a patrol, saying it was a bad way to die.[179] Later, Mapleshade confronts Frecklewish by Snakerocks, and Frecklewish lunges at her. When Mapleshade dodges, Frecklewish lands in a pile of stones, where she suffers an adder bite.[180]
Snakes[]
Snake
Highest level of classification
Description
Suborder: Serpentes
Long, thin reptiles with mottled skin in shades of dark and light brown that range from yellow to red. On average they are about 1.5 meters, although sizes may vary between species and such. ShadowClan sometimes catch these.[181]
Into the Wild - Ravenpaw catches an adder, a type of snake (See more under Adders).
SkyClan's Destiny - Harveymoon and Macgyver, two daylight-warriors, are seen killing a snake.[182]
Sunrise - Honeyfern is killed by a venomous snake while sacrificing her life to prevent Briarkit from getting bitten.[183] In order to stop anymore snake-provoked deaths in the hollow, Firestar devises a plan for the snake to eat a mouse stuffed with deathberries and thorns, however the plan fails,[184] leaving the cats to constantly put stones across the area in which the snake had been living in.[185]
Cats of the Clans - Adderkit is killed by a bite from a venomous adder, hence his name. Tallstar avenged the young kit's death by killing the snake shortly afterwards.[178]
Lizards[]
Lizard
Highest level of classification
Description
Suborder: Lacertilia
Small brown reptiles with mottled, leathery skin and low slung bodies. They also have long, whip-like tails and stuck-out legs. Many shapes and sizes, though the ones caught by Clan cats are shorter, around 15 cm[186]
Firestar's Quest - Firestar disturbs a lizard basking on a rock. As his shadow falls on it, the lizard whisks into a crack.[187]
Code of the Clans - When the story of the four original leaders is being told, it is mentioned that the cats with a taste for lizards and snakes followed Shadow.[189]
↑It should be noted that rats are not often consumed by Clan cats, as they usually contain disease, especially the rats at Carrionplace in the old forest.