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"At the Gathering tomorrow night, I'll suggest we add a new part to the warrior code: that all new warriors must spend one night in silent vigil so they understand how much their Clan needs them now."
Troutstar to Meadowpelt in Code of the Clans, pages 65-66

For a new warrior, a vigil is something that they must perform after having received their warrior name. This process consists of staying awake the entire night and guarding the camp in complete silence.[1] This event is also used to honor a fallen Clanmate. In this instance, a cat stays up all night to honor the memory of their Clanmate.[2]

Origins[]

"A night of listening...is that what the warriors need?"
―Meadowpelt Code of the Clans, page 63
This process began in the early days of the Clans, started by Thunderstar, the very first leader of ThunderClan. Upon the death of his deputy, Lightning Tail, Thunderstar proposed sitting with Lightning Tail's body for the night as a way of honoring him. It also gave Thunderstar a sense of peace, knowing that Lightning Tail was safe in StarClan. This idea was shared with the other leaders, and upon Shadowstar's recommendation, implemented into a Clan's process when they mourn their fallen Clanmates.[3]
Code of the Clans states, however, that this was suggested by Meadowpelt, a RiverClan medicine cat. He came up with the idea to try and control some of the younger, wild, and rambunctious new warriors. Troutstar, RiverClan's leader, says that he will bring it to the other Clans to add to the warrior code, because each new warrior needs to see just how much their Clan needs them. Meadowpelt was successful, and the young warriors have a newfound respect and understanding of their role as a Clan warrior.[4]

Kinds of vigils[]

Warrior ceremony[]

Vigil

Feathertail and Stormfur's warrior vigil in A Shadow in RiverClan

"The safety of the whole Clan depends on you! Sorry, I’m really not trying to worry you. Let’s hope nothing does happen, because after all you’re not supposed to make any noise during the vigil."
―Squirrelflight Code of the Clans, page 67
The most important thing that a new warrior can do, these kinds of vigils are to show a dedication to their Clan. This is considered part of the warrior code,[5] and all new warriors are required to stay awake the entire night. It is generally considered bad to speak during their first vigil, unless in case of emergency. If this is the case, cats are to awaken their leader and then the warriors. New warriors are not permitted to eat during their vigil, but they are allowed to drink if they are thirsty.[6] They guard the camp in silence, while the other Clan members have a good rest.[7]
New warriors are supposed to use this time to reflect about their new responsibilities and communicate with StarClan.[8] According to Troutstar, these warriors are meant to use this time to realize just how much their Clan needs them.[9] A warrior's former mentor will let a new warrior know when their vigil is over, which is when the sun is up.[6] Breaking this vow of silence is not something accepted by a Clan leader, and cats can be reprimanded for breaking the vow. It is taken very seriously by the entire Clan.[7]
There have been instances where a new warrior is unable to perform their vigil. In Squirrelflight's case, she was unable to have a vigil due to there being no ThunderClan camp for her to guard. In lieu of this, Firestar assigns her to the patrol exploring the lake territories as a way to prove herself a suitable warrior of ThunderClan. The other Clans and their leaders do not object to this, but they remind Firestar that this does not mean ThunderClan will get extra land.[10]

Vigil for fallen Clanmates[]

Vigil

Tallstar's vigil after his death in Winds of Change

If a Clan cat dies, their body is taken to the center of the camp, and several of their Clanmates, usually the cat's family members and close friends join the vigil. If a cat's mentor is still alive, or if they had an apprentice, they will also sit vigil for them through the night. This is a way of sharing tongues for the last time before the elders and other important cats in the Clanmate's life, bury the cat in the morning.[2] After Lionheart's death, Graypaw helped the elders bury Lionheart.[11] If a Clan is not able to sit vigil for their fallen the entire night, they sit for as long as they can.[12]
In the event of a death of a well-loved and respected Clan leader, sometimes multiple Clans will sit vigil for them. An example of this is Tallstar, a great WindClan leader who had died as soon as the Clans reached their new home by the lake. All four Clans were affected by his death, so they all sat a brief vigil for him.[13] If a Clan is mourning their fallen Clanmates after a large battle, those most important to the fallen cats, such as mates and children, will also assist the elders in burying them. This happens in Dovewing's Silence, due to Purdy being the only surviving elder after the battle with the Dark Forest.[14]
There can also be vigils for cats whose bodies cannot be found, or cats who have disappeared and are presumed deceased, like ThunderClan did when they suspected that Graystripe died,[15] or when Ravenpaw was said to have been killed by a ShadowClan patrol. There is no burial, due to there not being a body, but the cats can still sit vigil and mourn their loss.[16]
Outside of the Clans, cats have been noted to sit vigil for their loved ones out of superstition. One such example was when a cat named Foxy did not sit vigil for his brother when he died. Sharpclaw of SkyClan explains to Firestar that apparently Foxy had died a few days after his brother. The cats believe it was because Foxy did not sit vigil for his brother, due to how close together their deaths were.[17]

History[]

In The Prophecies Begin arc[]

Into the Wild[]

"His spirit may have left to join StarClan, but the Clan will share tongues with Redtail one last time."
―Graypaw to Firepaw Into the Wild, page 43
Ravenpaw, a young ThunderClan apprentice, barges into ThunderClan's camp and reveals that Redtail, ThunderClan's deputy, has been killed by an enemy warrior. Upon Tigerclaw's retrieval of Redtail's body, many cats of ThunderClan approach the deputy's body and begin to groom him. Firepaw sees this and asks Graypaw, one of the other apprentices, what these cats are doing. Graypaw does not take his eyes off Redtail's body, but explains that they are sharing tougues with Redtail one last time, even though his spirit has already ascended to StarClan. Bluestar approaches Redtail's body, and says that he was a brave warrior. Several other cats join Bluestar, and Graypaw remarks that Redtail's apprentice, Dustpaw, will be sad. Graypaw says that Bluestar will likely sit vigil for Redtail the entire night, since he was one of the Clan's best warriors and her deputy for many moons. Firepaw asks if he and Graypaw should join Redtail's vigil, but Graypaw mews that only cats closest to Redtail will share his last night in ThunderClan, such as Dustpaw, Bluestar, and Smallear. Bluestar says that they will stay with Redtail for the night, and bury the deputy's body at sunrise. Some time later, Firepaw experiences another vigil, this time for fallen Clanmate Lionheart. Graypaw joins the elders in the morning to bury Lionheart's body, as the golden tom was his mentor.
Fireheart and Graystripe are told by Bluestar that they must sit in a silent vigil until dawn, having gotten their warrior names. When Fireheart tries to talk to Bluestar, breaking his vow of silence, Bluestar reprimands him and explains that the ritual is very important and whatever he needs to say can be done in the morning.[7] Fireheart dips his head in respect, realizing that there is not anything that he can do about the problem with Tigerclaw right now. Fireheart and Graystripe exchange looks, but do not speak to one another.[18]

In The New Prophecy arc[]

Starlight[]

As an alternate form of her warrior vigil, Squirrelflight of ThunderClan is permitted to join the patrol of cats who were chosen to travel around the lake to scout for a new home for each Clan. She is joined by the others she traveled with as an apprentice- Brambleclaw, Tawnypelt, and Crowfeather. To take Feathertail's place, Mistyfoot is chosen due to her being RiverClan's deputy and knowing best what would suit RiverClan. Firestar urges the cats to not spend too much time exploring and put finding a home for each Clan as their top priority.
WindClan loses their leader, Tallstar, upon arriving at their new home by the lake. Brambleclaw notices that WindClan is not able to sit vigil for their leader the entire night, and wonders if WindClan's grief feels even more raw due to not being able to take as much time to honor their beloved Clanmate. Ashfoot and Crowfeather sit closest to Tallstar, sheltering his body. Other Clans join in mourning Tallstar, including Firestar, Squirrelflight, and Leafpaw. The medicine cat apprentice notes how strange it is to hold a vigil during the morning hours, but knows that these circumstances are different than usual. Winds of Change shows this scene, and shows that all four Clans mourned and sat vigil for Tallstar due to how wise and beloved he was by all of the Clans.

Sunset[]

"He was loyal through and through. He was the truest friend that a cat ever had. StarClan will receive him with honor. Farewell, Graystripe. May StarClan light your path."
―Firestar reflecting on Graystripe's legacy Sunset, pages 253-254
Firestar has struggled with running ThunderClan without his deputy, Graystripe. After a long time thinking and trying to come to terms with his loss, Firestar decides to announce to ThunderClan that he believes Graystripe has died. ThunderClan, along with Graystripe's son Stormfur, and his mate, Brook Where Small Fish Swim, decide to hold their own kind of vigil for Graystripe. Firestar reflects on his friendship with Graystripe, and how he was the first Clan cat that he had met when he was still a kittypet. Firestar mews that he could not have asked for a better friend, and Stormfur adds onto that, saying that Graystripe was also an excellent father. Brackenfur and Dustpelt reflect on their relationships with Graystripe, commenting that he was a good mentor and that they knew Graystripe would have their backs, no matter if they did not always see eye-to-eye. Firestar says that he was the best kind of friend to have, and that he was always loyal to his friends. Saying goodbye to Graystripe was difficult for Firestar, and Leafpool can see that her father has given up trying to stay strong and hide how much losing his friend has shaken him.
After Firestar has finished sitting vigil for his friend, he uses this time to talk with Leafpool about who the next ThunderClan deputy would be. One of the choices is Brackenfur, but Firestar wonders if he would be the best choice. Leafpool reveals that she has had a sign while sitting vigil for Graystripe, and that she believes it is meant to be Brambleclaw who will become ThunderClan's next deputy. While there are objections, namely Dustpelt, the brown tabby backs down when Leafpool discusses her sign with him. Ashfur is another cat to object, but he is soon silenced by Squirrelflight. After their argument, the Clan disperses, and some of ThunderClan continues to mourn Graystripe.

In the Novellas[]

Thunderstar's Echo[]

"Perhaps we can all honor our warriors by spending a last night with them before they pass on to StarClan."
―Shadowstar Thunderstar's Echo, chapter 10
After Lightning Tail's death, Thunderstar decide that he will not sleep the night after he dies, and instead opts to guard Lightning Tail's body and sit with him one last time. Thunderstar does not want to abandon Lightning Tail and leave him alone just yet, and it gave him peace. Speaking to Riverstar, Thunderstar mews that it felt right and the best way to honor Lightning Tail for everything that he had done for him and ThunderClan, and gave him one last chance to say goodbye. Thunderstar passes on this suggestion to Riverstar, Windstar, Skystar, and Shadowstar, and Riverstar says that it is a good idea to show respect for the dead. The other leaders agree with Riverstar, and Shadowstar suggests that the Clans start doing that as a way to honor their fallen Clanmates.

In the Stand-Alone Graphic Novels[]

Winds of Change[]

After Tallstar's death, all four Clans sit vigil for the great WindClan leader, as he was highly respected and well-loved throughout all of the Clans. Many Clan cats can be seen mourning Tallstar, with Onewhisker and Firestar seen with their heads together, clearly upset at the death of their friend. Throughout the vigil for Tallstar, Mudclaw wonders why he was replaced by Onewhisker, and if he had done something to disappoint his former leader. Despite the vigil being a time for remembering, Mudclaw is unable to focus on anything other than him losing his deputyship and he discusses it with Tornear, his littermate. Tornear, knowing that Onewhisker was a good cat, says that he would not lie to their faces, even if Mudclaw does not trust Firestar. After their discussion, they go back to mourning Tallstar with the other Clans.

A Shadow in RiverClan[]

Upon receiving their warrior names, Feathertail and Stormfur are assigned to guard the camp the entire night. This is their warrior vigil, and Mistyfoot tells the new warriors that they must not speak the entire night and use this time to think about their newfound responsibilities as warriors of RiverClan. She mews that they should also use this time to communicate with StarClan as well. After Mistyfoot is done with the formalities, she tells Feathertail how proud she is of her, and adds that Stonefur, her brother, would be proud of Stormfur. Feathertail uses her vigil as a chance to think about what happened when she and her brother were apprentices, and the incident at the Bonehill that resulted in Stonefur's death. Caught in her memories, Feathertail soon realizes that her warrior vigil is over. Stormfur happily mews that they are warriors of RiverClan and that they were successful with their vigil. Feathertail asks Stormfur if he believes they made the right choice, by not staying with Graystripe. Stormfur says that it is a little too late to wonder about that now, since they just completed their warrior vigil. Feathertail vows to be the best RiverClan warrior she can be, and she and Stormfur try to move past what happened to Stonefur and how they were treated by RiverClan.

In the Field Guides[]

Code of the Clans[]

"It's because we were being quiet, like you said. We'd never have heard that fox if we'd been in our dens."
―Nettlepad Code of the Clans, page 65
Meadowpelt is an ancient RiverClan medicine cat, and he serves under Troutstar. As Meadowpelt is shredding a willow stick, he hears his name being howled from somewhere outside of his den. Meadowpelt barges out from his den, wanting to know what is going on. After finding out that Snaketooth is hurt, Meadowpelt thinks to himself that this is not the first time this group of cats have gotten hurt doing silly things. Meadowpelt gives Snaketooth some herbs, and asks Oatpaw to assist him in getting back to the medicine cat den. Meadowpelt overhears Snaketooth, Nettlepad, and Lightningpelt talking, and he soon finds out that this group of warriors is going to jump into the gorge on the full moon. Nettlepad says that if Snaketooth does not get better and make the jump, then Nettlepad would win their bet. They keep their voices low, thinking Meadowpelt is asleep, and the young warriors exit the medicine den.
Afterwards, Meadowpelt goes to Troutstar to report in on Snaketooth's condition. The older cat replies that Snaketooth is okay, although whether the young cat will be able to hunt and fight again is beyond his knowledge. Troutstar is unable to fathom why his younger warriors keep wanting to do stupid things, and Meadowpelt reveals that he had overheard Snaketooth, Lightningpelt, and Nettlepad planning to jump into the gorge. He asks Troutstar's permission to go to the Moonstone to talk to StarClan, and although Troutstar is not sure about involving StarClan, Meadowpelt is certain this is what needs to be done. Angry, Meadowpelt says that this generation of warriors is irresponsible, and they can't learn paitence from mentoring since there are not enough apprentices to do so. Troutstar is surpised when he finds out that despite them all being hurt by their antics, the young cats continue to do these things anyways.
After visiting StarClan and seeing a vision of a respectful and kind RiverClan, Meadowpelt gets the idea of a night that warriors spend listening instead of talking, and guarding the camp in silence. While he is unsure that this will fix the problems, he wants to bring it up with Troutstar anyway, in an attempt to make something work out in their favor. Troutstar is not convinced by Meadowpelt, but assigns the cats to their guard duty nevertheless. Meadowpelt hopes that a sleepless night will make these younger warriors less rambunctious and less likely to carry out their plan of jumping into the gorge. Molewhisker, Nettlepad, and Lightningpelt are the cats chosen to perform this duty, with Troutstar putting an emphasis on staying silent and listening to their surroundings.
Meadowpelt is awoken by the sounds of Nettlepad screeching and howling. The medicine cat jumps up and races into the clearing, with Nettlepad saying that they discovered a fox about to attack the nursery. Sunspots, a nursing queen, thanks Nettlepad, Molewhisker, and Lightningpelt for their courage and bravery, saying that they saved her kits from an accident. Meadowpelt praises them as well, saying that they should be proud. Nettlepad says the only reason they were able to hear the fox is because they were quiet and listening to their surroundings. Meadowpelt rattles off their mouse-brained ideas, and Nettlepad is ashamed that Meadowpelt found out about their idea to jump into the gorge. Lightningpelt returns and says that they have chased off the fox, but they are warned by Fernleaf, an elder, that the fox may come back and that they need to be ready to fight it. Lightningpelt and the others say that this is not a problem.
Meadowpelt is approached by Troutstar, who thanks the medicine cat for his idea of a vigil. Meadowpelt says the idea was StarClan's, not his. Troutstar tells Meadowpelt that he will announce this idea to the other leaders at the Gathering the following night. They decide to make all new warriors perform a silent vigil upon receiving their warrior name, so that they may understand and reflect upon how much they are needed by their Clanmates.
ThunderClan warrior Squirrelflight explains to the group of visiting kittypets the importance of having a warrior vigil. She says that it is both the proudest and scariest night that a new warrior can have. She gives tips to the visiting cats on ways to successfully get through the long night of silence. She suggests jumping onto Highledge, but reminding the cats to keep quiet. She suggests to keep moving, and not to lay down near any dens, lest the snoring make a cat sleepy. Squirrelflight says the safety of the Clan is of the utmost importance, and that a cat must pay attention to their surroundings. She says that if there is danger, that a cat must first wake the Clan leader, then the warriors, and that a cat is not to investigate on their own. Squirrelflight mews that if a cat is thirsty, they may drink, but they are not permitted to eat until the sun has risen. After the sun is up, a cat's former mentor will relieve the guarding cat of their duty and they will be permitted to speak and rest.

Trivia[]

  • Despite having a section in Code of the Clans,[6] Squirrelflight did not have a warrior vigil.[19]
  • Although Code of the Clans states that the warrior vigil was created by Meadowpelt,[4] Thunderstar's Echo shows that this concept was suggested long before that.[3]

See also[]

Notes and references[]

  1. Revealed in Into the Wild, page 270
  2. 2.0 2.1 Revealed in Into the Wild, page 52
  3. 3.0 3.1 Revealed in Thunderstar's Echo, chapter 10
  4. 4.0 4.1 Revealed in Code of the Clans, pages 57-66
  5. Revealed in Code of the Clans, page 4
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 Revealed in Code of the Clans, pages 66-67
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 Revealed in Into the Wild, page 271
  8. Revealed in A Shadow in RiverClan, page 21
  9. Revealed in Code of the Clans, pages 65-66
  10. Revealed in Starlight, pages 29-30
  11. Revealed in Into the Wild, page 201
  12. Revealed in Starlight, page 134
  13. Revealed in Winds of Change, page 65
  14. Revealed in Dovewing's Silence, chapter 2
  15. Revealed in Sunset, page 253
  16. Revealed in Into the Wild, page 269
  17. Revealed in Firestar's Quest, page 351
  18. Revealed in Into the Wild, page 272
  19. Revealed in Starlight, page 30
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