Longtail

Longtail is a major character in Erin Hunter's Warriors books franchise.
He was previously the best friend of Tigerstar and Darkstripe, though quickly cut ties with them when they betrayed ThunderClan. While he disliked Firepaw at first due to his kittypet origins, he later grew to respect him as a Clanmate and then leader.
== Appearance ==
Longtail is a lean tabby tom with an unusually long tail, pale beige fur with black stripes and green eyes. He also has a large, V-shaped tear in his left ear from his fight with Rusty in Into The Wild and since Firestar's Quest prior to his death he had blind, white eyes with scars from a rabbit's claws.
== Biography ==
=== Code of the Clans ===
Longtail explains to the reader the reason for the part of the warrior code dictating that kits and elders must be fed first by presenting the story of a famine from his early warrior years. He wakes up in the warrior's den with water dripping onto his neck, complaining to Darkstripe about the leaking who advises he report the issue to Redtail. As he exits the den in search of the deputy, Spottedleaf asks him if any hunting parties had been sent out yet, as her patients need food to be able to fight off their sickness. He tells her that he thinks one will be sent out soon, and later wakes up Darkstripe, telling him that the two of them have been chosen to go out and hunt.
As prey is scarce, the two decide to start at Snakerocks, where Longtail catches a squirrel. He intends to take it back to camp to give to one of the ill cats, but Darkstripe suggests that they should eat it themselves instead. He reasons that they need the energy to keep hunting, and while Longtail is unsure at first, he's convinced once his friend starts eating.
When they two get back to camp, they find out that an elder named Poppydawn has died, too weak from hunger to fight off her ailment. Longtail feels guilty, thinking that if they had brought the squirrel back she could have lived, but Darkstripe assures him that it wasn't their fault, and that Poppydawn was going to die soon anyways. He then tells Longtail not to tell anyone about their codebreaking, threatening to pin the blame solely on him if he does. Longtail agrees to keep quiet, but still feels incredibly guilty. He later senses the presence of Poppydawn's spirit and apologizes, but she simply says that it's too late now.
=== The Prophecies Begin ===
==== Into The Wild ====
When Bluestar announces that Rusty will be joining ThunderClan, Longtail and Darkstripe protests that kittypets can't be warriors, with the former taunting him and challenging him to a battle. During the fight, Longtail tears off Rusty's collar and the kittypet rips a large V-shaped nick in his ear before Bluestar interrupts and takes the collar being removed as a sign of StarClan's approval, renaming Rusty Firepaw.
Longtail is not happy when Firepaw brings the former ShadowClan cat Yellowfang into camp, telling him to think before bringing an outsider in, subtly taking another jab at his kittypet origins when he adds that outsiders only bring trouble.
Later, while sneaking out of camp, Firepaw sees Tigerclaw, Darkstripe and Longtail meeting in the night. Tigerclaw tells his lackeys that while visiting the Moonstone, his apprentice Ravenpaw would've had enough time to travel to ShadowClan and back. Longtail comments that the thin black tom must have been telling Brokenstar about ThunderClan's vulnerability considering the timing between him going to the Moonstone and ShadowClan's attack.
==== Fire and Ice ====
Longtail is assigned to be the mentor of Swiftpaw, encouraging his nervous first apprentice during the ceremony to the annoyance of Fireheart, who he had been nothing but condescending to during his own apprenticeship. Later, when Bluestar falls ill with greencough, Tigerclaw assigns him and Darkstripe to guard her. While helping the deputy assign patrols, he taunts Fireheart by saying that he and Graystripe shouldn't be paired together after their fight earlier.
When Fireheart brings his sister's newborn son Cloudkit into ThunderClan to be raised as a Clan cat, Longtail mocks him by stating that the kitten likely won't last past leaf-bare. He is later assigned to guard the captive Brokenstar - now Brokentail - and helps WindClan when they get attacked by RiverClan and ShadowClan.
==== Forest of Secrets ====
Bluestar sends Fireheart, Tigerclaw and Longtail to see if there's a safe way to get to Fourtrees after the ice and snow of leafbare melts and floods the territory. When examining the now swollen river that the cats usually cross, Tigerclaw sees a fallen tree laying across it and orders Fireheart to see if it's safe to walk across. Fireheart slips and falls into the freezing water, almost drowning until Longtail grabs him and pulls him out. The three then agree that trying to cross the river isn't a good idea.
After Tigerclaw's coup fails and he is exiled, he offers Darkstripe, Longtail and Dustpelt to join him as a rouge. All three of them deny going with him, with Longtail horrified at the idea and reaffirming his loyalty to ThunderClan. Fireheart picks up on his fear scent as he sinks into the crowd, silently calling him a coward as he does so.
==== Rising Storm ====
When Fireheart is chosen to accompany Bluestar to the Moonstone, Longtail sneers that he can't protect her all on his own and that he's no Tigerclaw. Whitestorm cuts in, reminding him that it's a good thing Fireheart isn't like Tigerclaw, before the two of them leave on a patrol with Mousefur and Thornpaw.
As a forest fire blazes through ThunderClan camp, Longtail carries one of Willowpelt's kittens to safety and helps Smallear get across the river. Later, after returning to the now charred camp, Longtail is concerned that Tigerclaw will know there is a Gathering and use that opportunity to attack the cats who stayed behind. Fireheart leaves him in camp, entrusting him to guard it should the rouge tabby attack, and Longtail dips his head promising to do so.
==== A Dangerous Path ====
Due to no longer trusting her Clanmates, Bluestar refuses to make Swiftpaw, Brightpaw and Thornpaw into warriors despite them being ready for it. Longtail urges Fireheart to do something about it, but the orange deputy fails to change the leader's mind. After Swiftpaw is killed and Brightpaw is heavily injured by a pack of dogs that they tried to fight to prove they're ready to be warriors, Longtail is devastated by the loss of his apprentice. He blames Fireheart for it, claiming that if the deputy hadn't sent Swiftpaw to get reinforcements instead of letting him stay and fight during a battle with RiverClan, he would've been a warrior and never would have fought the dogs. 
While investigating the Snakerocks where his apprentice died, the long-tailed tabby discovers Tigerstar's scent and warns Fireheart, asking him to follow him to see for himself. Fireheart doesn't believe him however, assuming he's still in cahoots with Tigerstar and is trying to lead him into a trap. He then goes to Whitestorm with his discovery, insistent that he's telling the truth. Deciding to hear him out, Fireheart is then told that Tigerstar has been spotted leaving a trail of dead rabbits for the dogs to follow into camp. He later helps with Fireheart's plan to get rid of the dogs by leading them off the edge of the gorge.
==== The Darkest Hour ====
When Thornclaw is made into a warrior, Longtail watches on and has a look of both pride and grief when Swiftpaw is given an honorable mention. After Darkstripe is caught feeding deathberries to Sorrelkit and subsequently exiled, Longtail is disgusted by his former friend's actions and loyalty to Tigerstar, cutting ties with him permanently. He then is assigned to finish the training of Fernpaw, Darkstripe's former apprentice.
When Mistyfoot, Featherpaw and Stormpaw are sheltered in ThunderClan after being rescued from TigerClan, Longtail is worried about there not being enough prey to go around, though accepts that there's nowhere else for them to go. He later joins LionClan in the fight against BloodClan, and is almost killed by two BloodClan cats before Firestar intervenes.
=== Firestar's Quest ===
While hunting with Brackenfur, a rabbit that Longtail tries to catch fights back, scratching at his eyes. Brackenfur helps him back to camp while he screeches that he can't see. Brackenfur explains what had happened as the injured warrior is rushed to the medicine den. Longtail asks the medicine cat Cinderpelt if he'll ever be able to see again, and she replies that she can't be sure until she sees how bad the wounds are. Cinderpelt then orders Rainpaw to fetch some wet moss and tells Brackenfur, Cloudtail and Firestar to give him some space in the meantime, requesting to have Rainpaw help her for the rest of the day.
During the night, Firestar finds himself unable to sleep and goes to check on Longtail. He sees him laying in the ferns with his eyes leaking a sticky fluid, too tense to sleep as Cinderpelt tries to soothe him by stroking his forehead and murmuring to him. Firestar asks how he's doing, and as she dabs his eyes with herbs the gray medicine cat reports that the bleeding has stopped but that his eyes are still swollen. Longtail asks worriedly what will happen to him if he ends up going blind and if he won't be able to be a warrior anymore, but Firestar comforts him by saying that whatever happens, he'll still have a place in the Clan. As the wounded tom drifts of to sleep, Cinderpelt voices her concern that his scratches are getting infected due to the rabbit's dirty claws. The leader tells her that she should get some sleep as well, but she then admits that she's afraid that she won't be able to save his vision, and the orange tom assures her that everyone knows she's doing her best, especially Longtail.
After visiting the Moonstone, Firestar goes to check up on his still-healing Clanmate, noticing that Longtail's eyes are a milky white and leaking again. When asked if he can see anything, the tabby replies that he can, but everything is blurry. Cinderpelt says that his eyes are still infected and that nothing she tries is helping, and her patient, caught in self-loathing, growls that he's going to be a burden on his Clanmates for the rest of his life. Firestar tries to encourage him by reminding him that Brightheart learned to adapt with only having one eye, but it doesn't work as Longtail retorts that she at least still has vision in her other, adding that they should just leave him to be eaten by foxes. Cinderpelt advises that Longtail be left alone for a while, and as Firestar exits the medicine den he reassures the pale tabby tom that even if he goes blind, he's still just as valuable to ThunderClan.
Later, after Willowpelt's vigil, Longtail greets his leader. Firestar hopefully asks if he can see him, but Longtail replies that he isn't sure, as everything is still blurry, adding that he could tell it was him by his scent. Firestar then asks if his eyes are getting better, to which Longtail admits that they're only getting worse before Cinderpelt interrupts the conversation with a new remedy she wants to try. He agrees to try the poultice, though doesn't sound optimistic about it. She then asks her patient if he wants anything, and he answers that he wants to speak with Firestar about his apprentice Sootpaw. He says that he's worried about how Sootpaw isn't being taught by anyone at the moment, and Firestar tells him that they'll find someone else to be his temporary mentor until he recovers. Longtail tells the leader not to lie to him, and that he's accepted the fact that he's going to go blind. Firestar says that's a topic that they'll address when they get there, before asking if Thornclaw would be a good substitute. Longtail agrees with his choice, saying that it's a good thing that Sootpaw finally has a new mentor.
=== The New Prophecy ===
==== Midnight ====
After going blind, Longtail decides to retire and moves into the elder's den. He's seen gossiping with Speckletail while Brambleclaw and Squirrelpaw look after the elders, with the former thinking about how much younger he is than his denmates. Later, Squirrelpaw notes that he has the appetite of a starving fox.
==== Dawn ====
As the Clans are about to leave for the lake due to the forest being destroyed by twolegs, Longtail initially wants to stay behind with Speckletail, Frostfur, Loudbelly and Shadepelt. Firestar convinces him to go on the journey with the rest of the Clans by pointing out that he was still very young and reminding him that he still had a place in ThunderClan. With the help of Goldenflower, Longtail makes it through the dangerous journey and settles into ThunderClan's new camp by the lake.
==== Starlight ====
Goldenflower helps Longtail by guiding him through the camp and describing his surroundings to him so that he may get a bearing of his new home. After some of the elders get sick from drinking tainted water, Longtail is unaffected, which the medicine cats conclude is either because he's younger than the other elders or he simply didn't drink any at all.
==== Twilight ====
During a badger attack, he, Goldenflower and Mousefur hide in the elder's den. When Squirrelflight tries to get them to evacuate the camp, Longtail is unable to climb out of the den and insists he be left behind so that the others may save themselves. Mousefur refuses to abandon him and grabs onto his tail, guiding him up the Highrock to safety.
==== Sunset ====
Longtail says that the badgers had better not come back, as he doesn't need to see them to fight and can find them by their rancid scent. He then helps to bury Sootfur and Cinderpelt, who were slain in the battle, carrying the latter off with Goldenflower. When Stormfur is in ThunderClan, he mutters that Firestar would do anything to let Graystripe's kin into the Clan.
=== The Power of Three ===
==== The Sight ====
During the apprentice ceremonies of Hollypaw, Jaypaw and Lionpaw, Jaypaw notes that Longtail is still rather young and thinks about how unfair it is for him to be an elder so early. He later helps Brightheart train Jaypaw, as he has experience with being blind and can help the young tom work around his lack of sight. Jaypaw is very rude to him however, saying he's just telling him things he already knows, but regardless the pale tabby tom remains enthusiastic to be training an apprentice again. 
When Graystripe at last returns to the Clans with Millie in tow, Longtail scents him and comes out of the elder's den to greet him despite Mousefur's claims that he's imagining Graystripe's scent. Later, he grows worried that Mousefur may be sick, and though Jaypaw ignores him, his suspicions are proven right as Mousefur falls ill with greencough.
==== Dark River ====
He tells Leafpool that he's considering going out into the forest despite his disability while she treats his infected tick bite with poultice. Leafpool momentarily stops, causing him to fidget and ask if she's done. After he hears about ThunderClan's trouble with the other Clans, Hollypaw sees him forming an escape plan with Mousefur and Brightheart should there be an attack on the camp. When Hollypaw is punished with the task of helping the elders, Longtail asks her if she was treated well and if Firestar was too harsh on her. The young she-cat snaps that she was just trying to help, and he remains adamant that warriors are trained to fight their enemies, not talk, and that their borders must be defended. He then guesses that WindClan is trying to steal ThunderClan's territory after RiverClan had lost theirs.
==== Outcast ====
While Lionpaw, Icekit and Foxkit visit the elder's den, Longtail tells them about Tigerstar. He's noted to be uneasy while doing so, as Tigerstar used to be his friend and someone he looked up to. He later comments that he wishes he could go back to the mountains, missing the wide open spaces and the scents the wind would carry.
==== Eclipse ====
During the titular eclipse battle, he and Mousefur are lead to safety on top of the Highledge by Lionpaw. After the fight is taken outside of ThunderClan camp, he, Mousefur and all the queens and their kittens take shelter in the camp, with Longtail unable to find room to sit down because of how crowded it is. He is later seen trying to comfort Bumblekit, who is upset and missing his mother, and inquires if Hollypaw had seen the sun vanish during the earlier battle.
==== Long Shadows ====
Longtail greets Jaypaw warmly when the medicine cat apprentice comes to remove ticks off of him and the rest of the elders. When hearing about the fight at the recent Gathering, Longtail falls silent and Jaypaw senses that he's upset that he wasn't there to protect his Clanmates. He's later seen convincing Mousefur to eat the herbs that Jaypaw gave her to increase her strength. Soon he catches the sickness that many of his Clanmates have gotten and is quarantined in the abandoned twoleg building with them. Much later, after Ashfur is found dead, he helps Mousefur bury his body.
==== Sunrise ====
Leafpool asks Jayfeather to take Longtail and Mousefur out for a walk in the woods while he gathers some herbs. While out, Mousefur tells Jayfeather that both of them know Leafpool only had him accompany them so that they wouldn't get lost or hurt. The two elders then find a sunny spot to rest, with Longtail convincing Jayfeather to continue on without them.
A while later, Longtail, Mousefur and Purdy all take a liking to basking in the sunlight. Berrynose, Lionblaze and Honeyfern join them, finding out that Mousefur and Longtail have fallen asleep while listening to one of Purdy try to convince them that Sol was a good person and that he was right when he said that they shouldn't believe in the idea of cats in the sky. Longtail informs him that StarClan is very important to them, and that he'd understand why if he decided to stay in ThunderClan. 
=== Omen of the Stars ===
==== The Fourth Apprentice ====
When a drought strikes the Clans, Jayfeather gives some ragwort to the elders to help them keep their strength up. Longtail convinces Purdy to eat them, and Jayfeather notices that his voice is hoarse and his paw are unsteady, concluding that he must have been giving most of his food and water to Mousefur.
He later greets Jayfeather when the gray tabby visits the medicine den, asking for news on the travelers and if they've discovered what's blocking the river yet. He wishes that they get home safely, and as he speaks Jayfeather realizes how old and frail he is now.
==== Fading Echoes ====
When Dovepaw senses that a large tree is about to fall into camp, the cats all evacuate to avoid it. Mousefur however tries to rush back in, remembering that she left a half-eaten mouse behind and doesn't want to waste prey. Longtail stops her, telling her to leave it, but she persists anyways. Not wanting her to risk her life, Longtail volunteers to get it instead. Briarpaw runs after him to stop him, and just as they enter the elder's den the tree falls on top of them, crushing them. Lionblaze goes in to save them, finding Longtail dead and Briarpaw with a broken spine. The Clan is devastated by his death, especially Mousefur who blames herself for causing it. She and Purdy sit vigil for him that night before his body is buried the next morning.
==== The Last Hope ====
Jayfeather sees Longtail's spirit sitting beside Whitestorm in StarClan with his eyes no longer scarred. He greets Jayfeather and asks how Mousefur is doing, to which the medicine cat answers that she's grumpy. Later, he shows up with the rest of StarClan to aid the Clans in their battle against the Dark Forest. When an unnamed Dark Forest cat kills Mousefur in the battle, he flies into a rage and kills them, causing their spirit to fade away forever. Once the battle is won, he returns to StarClan with the rest of the spirits.
== Trivia ==
* He was named after his tail and always knew that his warrior name would be Longtail.
* He is described both as beige and silver multiple times, and there is no conformation on which description is the right one.
* Author Victoria Holmes has stated that Longtail and Mousefur never developed any romantic feelings for each other, and instead are just very close friends.
* He is mistakenly called "Longstripe" in Code of the Clans.
* He's listed in the allegiances of Mistystar's Omen, despite the fact that he's supposed to be dead by the time the book takes place.
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