Lichenfur

"The elder cat, Lichenfur, seldom has pleasant words for any cat, but she means no harm."

— Leafstar thinking about Lichenfur in The Rescue, page 9

Lichenfur
The pixel artwork is fanart based on the canon description; undefined traits are left to the artist's interpretation.
Affiliations
Current:	SkyClan
Past:	Loner
Biographical information
Cause of death:	Drowned
Names
Elder:	Lichenfur
Loner:	Unknown
Book appearances
Living	SkyClan's Destiny, The Rescue, Beyond the Code
Living	SkyClan's Destiny, The Rescue, Beyond the Code

Lichenfur is a mottled gray she-cat with a rumpled pelt, and amber eyes.

History

In the Super Editions

SkyClan's Destiny

Lichenfur joins SkyClan about three moons after Firestar and Sandstorm leave. She moves into the elders' den and seems to fit in with her Clanmates complaining about the moss in the elders' den.

Leafstar is having a dream that a flood is sweeping away the two elders, Tangle and Lichenfur. They struggle frantically as they are swept out of their den, and they flail on the surface for a moment before vanishing.

She shares tongues on a flat rock in the sun with her denmate, Tangle, a former rogue, now residing as an elder along with Lichenfur. The two are content, and Tangle seems to get along with her. It is revealed that she had lived in the woods farther up the gorge, and although she was aware of SkyClan, she avoided it. After nearly dying by being caught in a fox trap, a patrol found and brought her to the camp for healing, and Lichenfur was glad to give up the life of a loner. Leafstar mews softly that she had wisdom to teach the Clan, and comments that every Clan needed its elders.

When confronting his leader, Sagepaw notes that he was about to check the elders for fleas, but Leafstar asks if he wanted to do it. She then enters the den and greets Lichenfur and Tangle. Lichenfur raises her head from her nest of moss, eyes wide in shock, and asks if the other Clan leaders searched elders' pelts for fleas, barb in her voice. Leafstar guesses that Lichenfur thought that she was inviting criticism by taking on tasks below her ranking. The SkyClan leader replies that she could let them lie there with fleas in their pelts while leaving them in peace, making Lichenfur grudgingly admit that it was alright. As Leafstar settles beside Tangle, Lichenfur asks about how she sent Harveymoon and Macgyver away, referring to them as kittypets.

While Tangle tells Leafstar that the path SkyClan walks on was shadowed, Lichenfur comments that cats were supposed to see in the dark, and she didn't want a blind leader, hostility in her tone. Tangle gives her a nudge, informing Leafstar to ignore her, as she had sat on a thistle all night, and Leafstar leaves the elders. After Sagepaw's incident, Lichenfur and Tangle emerge from their den, and pad slowly toward the Rockpile, before settling on a flat rock. When the four rogue visitors arrive, Tangle and Lichenfur crouch beside the fresh-kill pile, sharing a pigeon. Lichenfur, in particular, asks for their purpose of being there and glares at them with narrowed eyes. She bats crossly at a pigeon feather that is stuck to nose, and asks how they heard about SkyClan, sarcastically assuming it was by squirrels passing whispers through the trees. Leafstar explains that they knew Firestar and Sandstorm and Lichenfur doubtfully responds by saying a maybe.

After the fight with the rats, Echosong requests for Frecklepaw to get a poultice of daisy leaves, as Lichenfur had been complaining of back pain. As a Clan meeting begins, Tangle and Lichenfur join Clovertail, Fallowfern, and their kits, after hauling themselves up the trail, complaining every paw step of the way, but Leafstar knows that neither of them would think about missing a Gathering. Towards the end of the Gathering, Lichenfur hauls herself to her paws, shaking her pelt, and asks about the bedding of her den, believing that the moss hadn't been changed for a moon. Snookpaw apologizes to Lichenfur and promises to get some as soon as he got there in the morning. Lichenfur then mutters something, and sits down again, leaning across to mew something into Tangle's ear.

The next morning, Snookpaw informs Billystorm that he couldn't come on patrol, as he needed to fetch fresh moss for Lichenfur and Tangle, and Leafstar is impressed with his loyalty to his promise that he made to the elders. As Leafstar sits by the river, Lichenfur shuffles up to her, commenting that she might had known that Snookpaw didn't keep his promise, as there was no sign of him, and they were stuck with their old moss. Leafstar remarks that she saw him go into the cave herself, and wonders if he had returned. Lichenfur shakes her head, and Leafstar goes to see what happened to him. Snookpaw is found to be clawing down on a moss bundle, a large heap of it on the cave floor beside him, and Leafstar compliments him, remarking that it would be a fine nest for Lichenfur and Tangle. After Snookpaw falls into the river, Lichenfur questions the trivial amount of moss, as there wasn't enough to make a bed for a tick, and Leafstar comments that it would be all she would be getting at the time. Lichenfur blinks, calling Snookpaw a clumsy apprentice, and thinks that he should watch where he's putting his paws, and Leafstar leaves her.

After the rogue visitors are made warriors, Leafstar notices that Lichenfur is one of the many cats to keep quiet. Shortly after she finds Snookpaw with his Twolegs, Leafstar asks if any cat had checked the elders' bedding, as she didn't want Lichenfur complaining again. During another Clan meeting, Lichenfur and Tangle emerge to sit in the entrance to their den. She is then seen with Tanglefur as they wash themselves on a rock. When Egg is brought in, Lichenfur and Tangle fluff up their fur against the rain, and snatch a piece of fresh-kill before going back into their den. Some time later, Leafstar calls for a Clan meeting to begin Egg's apprentice ceremony, and Lichenfur and Tangle emerge from their nests, fur rumpled with sleep. As they deal with the young Twoleg kit, Lichenfur asks if they managed to find her kin, raising a hind leg to scratch behind her ear, and comments that having a Twoleg in the gorge gave her the creeps.

Once the Twoleg kit is returned to her family, Lichenfur and Tangle are down by the river, using their tails to wipe out any paw prints in order to hide the camp. The next morning, there is yet another Clan meeting, and Tangle and Lichenfur appear, stretching out in a sunny spot near the river's edge. When they are attacked by bees, Lichenfur and Tangle slide out their claws, as if they were an enemy they can attack. They lead the bees into the river, and Leafstar launches herself at Tangle and Lichenfur, pushing into the river. Lichenfur shoves Tangle's head under the water, ending his screech. Afterwards, Tangle questions her decision, and Lichenfur remarks that she would let him get stung the next time.

In the SkyClan and the Stranger arc

The Rescue

Lichenfur watches Rabbitleap teach a move to three apprentices. She asks if he plans on landing on his prey and squashing it to death, to which Waspwhisker replies that she shouldn't be rude. Leafstar says that Lichenfur rarely has anything nice to say but never means any harm and it was good for Waspwhisker to stand up to her. Soon after, Ebonyclaw's patrol returns, reporting that they had discovered a trail of fox scent. Lichenfur remarks that Ebonyclaw's idea for marking the trail was good for a daylight-warrior.

Later, Leafstar decides to punish Nettlesplash and Sandypaw for eating Twoleg food and says that she thinks that checking Lichenfur for ticks and changing out her bedding should be suitable. The two young cats clearly express their disgust of this. Back at camp, they are seen cleaning the elder's fur.

Beyond the Code

Lichenfur is first mentioned when Birdpaw and Honeypaw come up to Leafstar and Echosong, and the medicine cat speculates that they clearly didn't enjoy removing the elder's ticks. Honeypaw says that Lichenfur told her she was clumsy as a turtle, which she didn't have to say.

After Sol and his patrol come back to camp with enough prey to feed the Clan for days, Lichenfur and Tangle complain about the noise, but Leafstar invites the elders to join them, as they haven't had that much food in moons.

When the foxes attack SkyClan, Leafstar's kits are near the nursery, wanting to fight. But when Leafstar was about to head over to them, Lichenfur picks them up and takes them back inside. Leafstar thanks her after the foxes leave, and she responds by saying that even though they were pests to her, she had grown used to them being around her.

At the gathering, when the wind suddenly cools, Lichernfur sniffs the air and announces that rain is on its way, which receives positive comments from the cats around her.

When the gorge becomes flooded, Lichenfur is killed by the raging waters, and her body is discovered by Cherrytail. Leafstar and the Clan are shocked and saddened by the elder's death, and they gather around her dead body. Sparrowpelt asks Leafstar if they can sit vigil for her, and Leafstar allows it, announcing that that night they would sit vigil for their lost Clanmate.

After the Flood

When Leafstar introduces herself and how a sudden flood almost destroyed them, she mentions that it claimed the life of one of their elders, but that their mourning for Lichenfur had to be regrettably short.

Lichenfur does not formally appear but is thought of by Leafstar when Clovertail and others are building Tangle's nest. He is noted to be distraught over her death, as he is not complaining about building his own nest like he usually does. After Clovertail assigns Leafstar's kits the task of finding feathers for Tangle, Leafstar asks how he is doing, and Clovertail sadly states that she is worried, as he has been hit hard by losing Lichenfur.

Character pixels

The pixel artwork is fanart based on the canon description; undefined traits are left to the artist's interpretation. Loner Version Elder Version

Quotes

"Cats are supposed to be able to see in the dark, and I for one don't want a blind leader."

―Lichenfur about Leafstar's leadership ^{SkyClan's Destiny}

Tangle: "What were you trying to drown me for?"

Lichenfur: "Next time I'll let you get stung."

^{SkyClan's Destiny}

Lichenfur: "Ridiculous. Bouncing about all over the place. We're cats, not rabbits. What does he plan to do, land on prey and squash it to death?"

Waspwhisker: "There's no call to be rude, Lichenfur. My son's skill is something to be proud of."

^{The Rescue}

"Hold it right there you sorry little scraps! You're going nowhere!"

―Lichenfur to Leafstar's kits ^{Beyond the Code}

"They may be pests... But I've kind of got used to having them around."

―Lichenfur about Leafstar's kits ^{Beyond the Code}

"Oh, no... no... Nooo... It's Lichenfur! She's dead!"

―Cherrytail discovering Licherfur's death ^{Beyond the Code}

SkyClan cat: "Lichenfur..."

SkyClan cat: "No..."

^{Beyond the Code}

Sparrowpelt: "Leafstar...? Could we... would it be all right if we sit with her? For the rest of the night, I mean... Like we did with Rainfur? Or... Or I mean, I know the dens are wrecked... Do you want us to get started putting them back together instead?"

Leafstar: "No... No. The camp can wait for a while. Tonight we'll sit vigil for our lost Clanmate."

^{Beyond the Code}

Leafstar: "How's [Tangle] doing?"

Clovertail: "Well, I'm ... I'm a little worried. Losing Lichenfur has hit him really hard."

^{After the Flood}