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"No. I think they were angry with me for staying away. But I had to stay with my Clan, didn't I?"
— Kestrelflight to the other medicine cats in Darkest Night, page 77


Kestrelflight is a soft-furred,[4] mottled gray tom with white splotches like kestrel feathers.[5]

Kestrelflight is the current medicine cat of WindClan, and has served under Onestar's and Harestar's leaderships. He trained as a medicine cat apprentice under Barkface as Kestrelpaw, and befriended Willowpaw and Jaypaw. After his mentor's death, he became his Clan's sole medicine cat as Kestrelflight. When Darktail attacked WindClan, Onestar closed the borders and refused to let Kestrelflight help ShadowClan or leave without an escort. Kestrelflight and Harespring provided ShadowClan the lungwort despite Onestar's orders after seeking confirmation with StarClan. Kestrelflight remained loyal to his Clan, however, and recognized Mistystar making the same mistake in shutting off RiverClan's territory from the rest of the Clans. During StarClan's silence, Kestrelflight was skeptical of Shadowsight's ability to communicate with their ancestors and the impostor's schemes. After StarClan's return, Kestrelflight decided to train Whistlepaw.

History[]

Looking for a longer overview? Find one here!

Power of Three[]

Kestrelpaw: "Hey, Jaypaw, what's it like, being blind?"
Jaypaw: "Everything's dark. But, I can hear and scent okay, so that's how I find my way around."
Kestrelpaw: "That's really tough."
Jaypaw: "I manage."
—Jaypaw describing to Kestrelpaw what being blind is like Outcast, page 58
Kestrelpaw is the WindClan medicine cat apprentice mentored by Barkface. He falls ill due to whitecough during Jaypaw's first half-moon meeting, and later travels to ThunderClan to ask Leafpool for some catmint. He befriends the other apprentices, Willowpaw and Jaypaw, though the latter preferred if he didn't. Later, Jaypaw visits his dreams to learn the location of catmint on WindClan's territory, and Kestrelpaw amicably, albeit heedlessly, shows Jaypaw the best areas to catch prey and gather herbs.

Omen of the Stars[]

"But who will this battle be against? Why must we fight alone? Tallstar never saw any weakness in allying the Clans with others to make it stronger."
―Kestrelflight to Barkface and Daisytail Night Whispers, page 153
He earns his full name, Kestrelflight, and becomes WindClan's sole medicine cat after Barkface's death. In StarClan, Barkface attempts to convince Kestrelflight to stand alone with WindClan, but Kestrelflight reminds his mentor how Tallstar saw benefits working with other Clans. He becomes distant and suspicious of the other medicine cats, and agrees Jayfeather should step down as ThunderClan's medicine cat after he is accused of murdering Flametail. Flametail and Jayfeather visit Kestrelflight and prove Jayfeather's innocence. He and other medicine cats meet with the Clan leaders to discuss the Dark Forest's plan to destroy the Clans.

A Vision of Shadows[]

"Once a leader has made up her mind, it is hard even for a medicine cat to change it. They will come back in their own time, just as we did."
―Kestrelflight about Mothwing and Willowshine not at the Moonpool Darkest Night, page 81
He and his ancestors reveal to the medicine cats the prophecy to clear the sky and shares the news with the rest of the Clans at the Gathering. Onestar's paranoia forces him to send escorts to guard Kestrelflight during the half-moon meetings after Darktail attacks WindClan. When ShadowClan desperately requires lungwort, Kestrelflight begs Onestar to help, but his leader refuses. Alderpaw confronts Kestrelflight during the Gathering, but the medicine cat is conflicted between remaining loyal to his leader and helping innocent cats. Harespring comes up with an idea to give the medicine cats the herb, and Kestrelflight consults StarClan who agrees.
Onestar prohibits Kestrelflight from attending the half-moon meetings, and after his leader confesses his demons with Darktail, Kestrelflight wishes Onestar sought his console. Kestrelflight suspects Mothwing and Willowshine were ordered to stay away from the half-moon meetings as he was. He remains loyal to his Clan when RiverClan closes its borders. He meets with the other medicine cats to discuss SkyClan lacking one, and greets Frecklewish and Fidgetflake when they return.

The Broken Code[]

"I don't know why you're all getting your tails in a twist. Bramblestar went on to his next life; it's that simple. And now he's going to lead the Clans to reconnect with StarClan. Do you, as medicine cats, want that or do you want to sow suspicion and discontent by listening to this...this apprentice?'"
―Kestrelflight to the others about the appearance of Bramblestar's ghost Veil of Shadows, pages 13-14
Following StarClan's silence from the Moonpool, Kestrelflight doubts Shadowpaw as their only way to communicate with StarClan, and questions the ShadowClan medicine cat's visions. When Rootpaw summons Bramblestar's ghost and reveals the truth about the impostor, Kestrelflight is doubtful and isn't inclined to believe an apprentice. After the impostor is outed as Ashfur, Kestrelflight believes that killing the dark warrior would restore StarClan, and that Ashfur should atone for all the suffering he's caused. He also considers taking on Whistlepaw as an apprentice, noting her interest in herbs, but refuses to make the decision for her. This causes conflict with the other medicine cats, who argue that Kestrelflight should wait for a sign from StarClan, or to wait for Whistlepaw to make the choice herself. After being told of Ashfur kidnapping Squirrelflight, Kestrelflight readily agrees to go to the Moonpool, and discusses the silence of StarClan with the other medicine cats. When StarClan returns and Ashfur is defeated, Kestrelflight decides to train Whistlepaw with StarClan's approval, and apologizes to Shadowsight for making him feel inadequate.

A Starless Clan[]

Kestrelflight meets Mothwing’s new apprentice, Frostpaw, and he is respectful towards her. His appprentice, Whistlepaw, makes friends with Frostpaw. Later, when Frostpaw is injured, Whistlepaw helps her in secret, and she wants to get Kestrelflight, but Frostpaw begs her not to. When Kestrelflight learns of this, he is angry and scolds Whistlepaw.

Character pixels[]

Main images[]

Alternate images[]

Personality[]

As an apprentice, Kestrelflight was very friendly but not the brightest.[6] He struggles when loyalty to his Clan and his duty as a medicine cat conflict.[7][8] He appreciates advice from StarClan when he is unsure of what to do.[9]

Appearances[]


Trivia[]

Author statements[]

  • A fan proposed that his full medicine cat name should be Kestrelflight, though Victoria Holmes suspected he was going to be called Kestrelwing instead.[10]

Mistakes[]

  • He has been mistakenly said to look just like Owl Feather.[11]
  • He was mistakenly called Kestrelwing.[12]

Quotes[]

Willowpaw: "Look how big it is."
Leafpool: "Meltwater."
Kestrelpaw: "It's wide enough to hold every star in the sky."
—Kestrelpaw showing amazement at the flooded Moonpool Dark River, page 47


"Curling into a tight ball, Jaypaw closed his eyes. He had never walked in the dreams of a cat who was so far away, but Kestrelpaw, the WindClan medicine cat apprentice, had always been open and friendly toward him. Dumb, but friendly...Maybe that would make it easier to step into his dreams."
―Jaypaw's thoughts about visiting Kestrelpaw's dreams Long Shadows, page 155


Jaypaw: "So what about herbs? It looks pretty bleak up here. Not the right place for growing most kinds of plants."
Kestrelpaw: "Wrong again! We've got good stocks tucked away along the streams, and in that bit of woodland next to the ThunderClan border."
Jaypaw: "That must be good for water mint. What about catmint?"
Kestrelpaw: "Oh, yes, we've got plenty of that. Down there."
—Jaypaw tricking Kestrelpaw to tell him the location of catmint in his dreams Long Shadows, page 157


See more
«Onestar had just reported the death of Barkface, and Kestrelflight, the remaining WindClan medicine cat, looked rather nervous to be representing his Clan alone for the first time.»
—Kestrelflight as the sole WindClan medicine cat The Fourth Apprentice, page 6


Littlecloud: "Hopefully the hollow will be sheltered from this wind."
Kestrelflight: "You sound like an elder."
Flametail: "He almost is one."
Littlecloud: "Cheek!"
—Kestrelflight and Flametail teasing Littlecloud about his age Fading Echoes, page 212


Barkface: "Explain it to him, Daisytail. I knew he wouldn't believe me alone."
Kestrelflight: "It's not that I don't believe you. It's just hard to take in."
Daisytail: "I stood up for my Clanmates once so that I could protect their future. I led the queens against a leader who believed that kits should be trained before they were six moons. There comes a time where we must stand and fight."
Kestrelflight: "But I'm a medicine cat. I follow a different code than a warrior."
—Kestrelflight, Barkface, and Daisytail, discussing the separation of the Clans Night Whispers, page 153


Onestar: "It seems that our medicine cats are in charge of the Clans now."
Firestar: "They know things we don't."
Kestrelflight: "We have seen our enemy, you have not."
Firestar: "Not yet."
—Onestar, Firestar, and Kestrelflight discussing their unseen enemy, the Dark Forest The Last Hope, page 220


Kestrelflight: "Onestar is worried about the rogues. He's ordered every cat to have an escort if they leave camp."
Jayfeather: "Doesn't he trust StarClan to watch over you?"
Kestrelflight: "Since the fight with the rogues, he doesn't seem to trust anyone. If only I'd been there when he was hurt. I might have helped him."
Jayfeather: "There was nothing you could have done [...] The sooner Onestar pulls himself together, the better. Have you thought of slipping a few poppy seeds into his prey? It would give the Clan a break while he slept it off."
Kestrelflight: "I might try it."
—Kestrelflight and Jayfeather Thunder and Shadow, pages 129-130


Alderpaw: "Kestrelflight? Surely you won't let Clan cats die?"
Kestrelflight: "I can't betray my Clan."
Mothwing: "It's not fair to ask that of him."
Leafpool: "Of course it's fair. He's a medicine cat, not a warrior! What's not fair is asking innocent cats to die because of one cat's stubbornness!"
Onestar: "If ShadowClan drives the rogues away, they can have the herbs."
Kestrelflight: "I'm sorry."
—The medicine cats during the Gathering Thunder and Shadow, pages 243-244


Rowanstar: "We only recovered because Harespring and Kestrelflight have more compassion than you! They gave us the herb!"
Onestar: "Is this true?"
Harespring: "I could not let a Clan die."
Kestrelflight: "I consulted StarClan. They told me that it was the right thing to do."
—Harespring and Kestrelflight to Onestar about giving ShadowClan lungwort Thunder and Shadow, pages 355-356


Sneezecloud: "If it's important, [StarClan will] let us know."
Kestrelflight: "Perhaps they only want to share with cats who behave like a real Clan."
Sneezecloud: "How dare a WindClan cat judge RiverClan after what Onestar did! Cats died when he closed WindClan's borders. He deprived them of herbs that could save them, all because he couldn't face the fact that he'd fathered Darktail."
Kestrelflight: "This has nothing to do with Onestar. He's dead. Harestar is our leader now."
Shimmerpelt: "So you're a real Clan again?"
Kestrelflight: "We've learned what happens when you reject the other Clans."
—Kestrelflight, Sneezecloud, and Shimmerpelt quarreling Darkest Night, pages 120-121


Kestrelflight: "Are you sure you heard the vision right?"
Shadowsight: "I told you everything I saw and heard."
Kestrelflight: "But how can we be sure you remembered right? He's the youngest of us. Why should we trust a cat with so little experience?"
Puddleshine: "He's been having visions since he was a kit. And he's trying to do the right thing."
Frecklewish: "The vision sounds pretty clear. I don't see how Shadowsight could have gotten it wrong."
Kestrelflight: "But it doesn't make sense. Why is Dovewing named and not Tigerstar? They both fell in love with cats from different Clans. They both ran away. Why should only Dovewing be held responsible? It doesn't seem fair."
—Kestrelflight about Shadowsight's vision The Silent Thaw, page 163

External links[]

Notes and references[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 Revealed in The Sight, allegiances
  2. 2.0 2.1 Revealed in The Fourth Apprentice, allegiances
  3. Revealed in A Light in the Mist, page 316
  4. Revealed in Long Shadows, page 156
  5. Revealed in The Apprentice's Quest, allegiances
  6. Revealed in Long Shadows, page 155
  7. Revealed in Thunder and Shadow, pages 243-244
  8. Revealed in Night Whispers, page 153
  9. Revealed in Thunder and Shadow, page 356
  10. Revealed in Erin Hunter Chat 5
  11. Revealed in Long Shadows, page 214
  12. Revealed in Sign of the Moon, page 182
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