Riverstar

Riverstar, also known as Ripple or River Ripple, is a large, stocky silver tom with sleek, long, thick fur, and emerald-green eyes.
Riverstar was the first leader of RiverClan in the forest territories. Ripple lived with the Cats of the Park until Twolegs destroyed their home. He was swept away towards the forest territories, where he renamed himself River Ripple in honor of the river who saved his life. River Ripple lived as a loner near the river, and befriended Night and Mist, who taught him how to swim and fish. He was briefly captured by Twolegs and lived as a kittypet. Feeling the call of the river, River Ripple returned and encountered the groups from the mountains. He befriended them, but remained distant. However, he was inspired by their culture and loyalty towards each other, and River Ripple eventually formed his own group of loners next to the river. His group was originally informal, but he was officially called to be leader after the spirit cats appeared at the four trees.
River Ripple's group accepted all visitors. His group was renamed RiverClan, and he later gained his nine lives with the name of Riverstar. He appointed his long-time friend, Night, as deputy, and Dappled Pelt became his medicine cat. When his former mentor Arc arrived from the Cats of the Park with news of Slash's terror, Riverstar journeyed there with Arc and Drizzle. After defeating Slash, Riverstar became mates with Finch. She followed him back to RiverClan and gave birth to their kits, Arc Shadow, Ripple Shine, and Dusk Smoke. Following his death, Riverstar ascended to StarClan. Many seasons later, Riverstar appeared at Leopardstar's nine lives ceremony, giving her a life for acceptance. Riverstar was remembered as a good-natured and wise cat, and his Clan became the first to formerly implement the mentor-and-apprentice training program. Riverstar guided Frostpaw to the Cats of the Park during a leadership crisis in RiverClan, so that she could learn to choose the Clan's next leader.
==History==
===Dawn of the Clans===
:As a young cat, Ripple lived with the Cats of the Park, spending his days relaxing and meditating. He is guided by his mentor, Arc, who teaches him how to hunt. When Twolegs invade and capture the cats, Ripple is separated and falls into the river. He is swept away downstream until he reaches the forest, where he meets Night. He thanks the river for saving his life, and renames himself River Ripple.
:River Ripple lives near the river for many moons, enjoying his independent and care-free lifestyle, until the mountain cats appear. He first meets Gray Wing, Wind, Gorse, and Rainswept Flower. They find the silver tom nice and friendly, but odd. The mountain cats don't think much of River Ripple until he rescues Clear Sky's group from a fire. After the Great Battle, River Ripple appears at the end. Thunder asks why he didn't help them, but River Ripple has no interest in meddling with their affairs. When the spirit cats of the fallen visit the leaders, Clear Sky questions River Ripple's involvement since he is just a loner. Storm refutes this, explaining River Ripple had plenty of experience and lived in the forest before the mountain cats arrived.
:He creates his own camp near the river and welcomes any cat who wanted to join. He participates in the battles against One Eye and Slash, though prefers to keep his distance and not get involved if necessary. However, he always welcomes any cat into his camp and is more than willing to offer his wisdom. His group is later renamed RiverClan.
===A Starless Clan===
:Riverstar appears to Frostpaw in dreams and guides her to the Cats of the Park, where she learns to meditate so that she can accept the truths she has been searching, and to learn how to choose RiverClan's next leader. When Frostpaw learns that her mother Curlfeather had plotted alongisde Splashtail to kill Reedwhisker, Riverstar confirms to her that Curlfeather is in the Dark Forest, but reassures her, telling her to remember that Curlfeather's last act in life was to save her.
:When Puddleshine and Frostpaw go to the Moonpool to spy on Splashtail while he pretends to receive his nine lives, Riverstar appears beside him, although neither Splashtail nor Podlight, his medicine cat, can see him, giving Frostpaw and Puddleshine confirmation that they are both frauds.
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===Super Editions===
:In Riverstar's Home, Ripple is swept away from his home downriver after Twolegs destroy the park. Washing up near a strange forest, he renames himself River Ripple after the river. While the two loners Night and Mist teach River Ripple how to hunt and swim, he longs for the closeness of his former parkmates and his lover, Flutter. After spending the cold moons as a kittypet, River Ripple returns to the river when his Twolegs bring home a dog, and he meets the mountain cats. While still distant, River Ripple is curious by their loyalty and closeness in their groups, though is confused by their insistence on claiming territory and not sharing. River Ripple decides to form his own informal group of loners with Night and Mist, and they welcome passing loners. However, the group has no loyalty towards each other, and the others come and go as they please. Spirit cats summon River Ripple to the four trees where a devastating battle occurs. They urge him to be the stepping stones to help them cross over, and soon the spirit cats materialize. River Ripple is called to be a leader for his official group. Despite Night's concerns, River Ripple welcomes all cats to his group. Later, the groups are named to Clans, and River Ripple's is called RiverClan. He soon earns his nine lives, but he is distraught to see his beloved Flutter in StarClan. She grants him his final life, and he is renamed Riverstar.
:Seasons later, Arc abruptly arrives to the forest territories with a plea to help: Slash and his rogues have driven out the park cats from their new home. Riverstar feels torn between protecting his new Clan and his loyalty towards Arc and the park cats, but he eventually agrees to help. Riverstar, Arc, and Drizzle travel upstream to the Cats of the Park, and Riverstar loses his first life saving Drizzle from the river. At the park cats' forest home, Riverstar's battle plan to defeat Slash fails when he loses his second life to Snail, but his revival scares Slash's rogues away. Riverstar falls in love with Finch, one of the park cats, and is hesitant to leave her. Upon Drizzle and Arc's insistence, Riverstar eventually agrees to go home using a log to travel down river. Back in RiverClan, Finch gives birth to their kits: Arc Shadow, Ripple Shine, and Dusk Smoke. He also formalizes apprentice-and-mentor training partnerships and promotes Drizzle and Pine Needle to warriors. In Riverstar's two moon absence, SkyClan has taken over part of their territory. Riverstar leads his warriors into battle against SkyClan and successfully defend their territory.
:In Moth Flight's Vision, River Ripple encourages Moth Flight to speak at the Gathering when she arrives with a message from the spirit cats. He accepts Dappled Pelt as RiverClan's medicine cat and allows Moth Flight and Micah to stay and learn. River Ripple teaches them how to save a drowning cat when Drizzle falls into the river. He receives his nine lives to become Riverstar.
==Character pixels==
===Main images===
===Alternate images===
==Official art==
==Ceremonies==
===Lives granted===
==Leader info==
==Personality==
:Riverstar is a laid-back, thoughtful, and friendly cat. He can be a calming presence to those around him, and is very accepting to cats who want to join his group. Although he is seen as odd to some other cats for eating fish and swimming, the cats of RiverClan are proud of their abilities and heritage.
==Relationships==
===Arc===
:Arc was Ripple's mentor when they were living in the park, and they shared a bond. When the park started being destroyed around them, they stayed together and escaped. However, Ripple was separated from Arc, and he felt lost without his mentor. But he made a new life for himself when the river carried him to safety, and renamed himself River Ripple in thanks.
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===Flutter===
===Finch Song===
===Arc Shadow, Dusk Smoke and Ripple Shine===
==Kin==
===Members===
Mate:
:Finch Song: 
Daughter:
:Ripple Shine: 
Sons:
:Dusk Smoke: 
:Arc Shadow: 
Foster son:
:Spider Paw: 
===Tree===
==Appearances==
==Trivia==
===Interesting facts===
*When he was born at the Park, Riverstar was named Ripple for the movement of the river water.
*Riverstar was the winner of the 2021 Super Edition contest, and his Super Edition titled Riverstar's Home was released in 2023.
===Author statements===
*Kate has expressed an interest in writing more about Riverstar, saying "there's something mysterious and secretive and he's a lovely character."
*Kate imagines Riverstar as pale gray with some mottling on his fur. However, she thinks Cherith may imagine him differently.
===Mistakes===
*In an Erin Hunter Chat, Vicky revealed that Thunder, Shadow, River, Sky, and Wind did not take "-star" on the end of their names, because the tradition had not yet been established in their time.
**This, however, contradicts information in Secrets of the Clans, which shows the founders of the Clans to have the "-star" suffix. Also, this information is supported by Moth Flight's Vision, which shows that all leaders did, in fact, take "-star" as the suffix of their name.
*Riverstar has mistakenly been called "River Rippled" twice.
*In Riverstar's Home he is mistakenly called Ripple, even though he did not have that name at the time.
*Riverstar has mistakenly been described with amber eyes, and was said to have rippling tabby stripes. He is also depicted with stripes on the Warrior Cats website and on the cover of Riverstar's Home.
*He was mistakenly called a rogue and a warrior.
*In his bio for The Ultimate Guide: Updated and Expanded Edition, Riverstar is listed with dark gray fur.
===Continuity===
*In Secrets of the Clans, a 2007 field guide, River is the founder and the first leader of RiverClan, working with Thunder, Wind, and Shadow to develop the warrior code. He is the cat who created a mentoring program for training the apprentices. He is known to be generous and warm-hearted with his own Clan, but not interested in the other Clans' troubles, even skipping Gatherings when possible.
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==Notes and references==
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Category:Toms
Category:RiverClan cats
Category:Leaders
Category:Main characters
Category:Point of view characters
Category:Wind (book) characters