Splashtail

Splashtail is a broad-shouldered thick-furred brown tabby tom with gray-green eyes.
Splashtail was a former leader of RiverClan in the lake territories. He was born as Splashkit to Sneezecloud and Havenpelt alongside his sister, Fogkit. As an apprentice, Splashpaw was originally mentored by Softpelt. However, after Softpelt's death in a battle caused by the impostor, Splashpaw's training was completed by Minnowtail. Fueled with ambition at a young age, Curlfeather approached him about a new change for RiverClan. As a young warrior, Splashtail conspired with Curlfeather to kill Reedwhisker with the promise of becoming her deputy. After betraying Curlfeather, Splashtail was chosen as Owlnose's deputy, and the young tom's decisiveness and resolve balanced Owlnose's uncertainty.
When Tigerstar forcibly took over RiverClan, Splashtail was one of his strongest oppositionists and began meeting in secret with Berryheart to conspire against Tigerstar's rule. He briefly served as Duskfur's temporary deputy under her temporary leadership. Splashtail eventually rose to be RiverClan's leader after Podlight claimed that he was visited by StarClan. Despite lying about receiving his nine lives, he framed himself as Splashstar, promising to lead his Clan to a greatness never seen before. Harelight was his first deputy, but Splashtail murdered him after he challenged his leader's decisions. He grew more deranged and violent, threatening to kill kits to force others to obey him. After the other Clans confronted him for his actions, Splashtail attempted to escape but was killed by Frostpaw and went to the Dark Forest afterwards.
==History==
===In The Broken Code arc===
====Lost Stars====
:Splashkit is a RiverClan kit, and his sister is Fogkit. Both kits are children of Sneezecloud and Havenpelt.
====The Silent Thaw====
:He is now an apprentice by the name of Splashpaw, and Softpelt has become his mentor.
====Veil of Shadows====
:Splashpaw's mentor, Softpelt, has died during a devastating battle between the Clans.
====Darkness Within====
:Splashpaw's new mentor is Minnowtail.
===In the A Starless Clan arc===
====River====
:He is now a warrior named Splashtail. Splashtail goes on a hunting patrol with Reedwhisker, Fognose, Podlight, and Curlfeather. At some point, Reedwhisker goes missing, and the rest of the patrol assumes he either got lost or returned to camp without them. However, to their surprise, Reedwhisker is not in camp, and they have found out that Mistystar has died suddenly. When Frostpaw learns of Reedwhisker's whereabouts from Leopardstar and leads the patrol to find him, Splashtail and Gorseclaw are doubtful of Frostpaw's capabilities. They find Reedwhisker dead in a ravine, and Splashtail and Gorseclaw dip their heads in respect. As they carry his body out of the ravine, Splashtail wonders what will happen to RiverClan.
:Splashtail escorts Frostpaw to the Moonpool to ask StarClan who their leader should be, and he reassures Frostpaw, having found a new respect for her. Frostpaw reflects how they used to be friends since they were young, and while his sharp words hurt when they were searching for Reedwhisker, she is glad he thinks her to be capable. Frostpaw does not speak with StarClan, but finds a curled feather on the path near the Moonpool. She interprets it as Curlfeather should be their leader, and excitedly tells Splashtail that they should return to camp. When they return, Splashtail is exhausted and Frostpaw thanks him for his help. After Curlfeather's death, Mothwing and Splashtail help Frostpaw to her den, and he suggests that Mothwing should pick some senior warriors to lead, but Mallownose shoots that idea down.
====Sky====
:Splashtail attempts to encourage Frostpaw to eat while she grieves for her mother's death and explains how Mothwing is organizing patrols while the Clan is still in shock. When a ShadowClan patrol arrives asking for catmint to treat Rowankit, Splashtail and Mallownose aggressively confront them until Snaketooth convinces them to allow the ShadowClan patrol to see Mothwing and Frostpaw. After Mothwing explains they do not have any catmint to spare, she sharply tells them to leave, and Splashtail and Mallownose escort them out of camp. When Frostpaw reflects about who to choose as leader, she briefly thinks about Splashtail but notes he is too young to lead. Splashtail visits Frostpaw again after she made her decision, comforting and reassuring her that she made the right choice. When Owlnose stumbles over organizing patrols, Splashtail prompts him on who to send. After, Splashtail compliments Frostpaw again that she made the right choice.
:Later, Splashtail helps Brackenpelt to the medicine den after she hit her head on the riverbank when it collapsed. Owlnose blames himself for not knowing about the unstable riverbanks before ordering his warriors to cross, though Splashtail defends him. He also suggests sending larger patrols to make sure all of the riverbanks are stable, though Duskfur and Gorseclaw notice how Owlnose tends to rely on Splashtail. After StarClan does not show up to grant Owlnose his nine lives, Splashtail wonders if StarClan is waiting until Owlnose has led for a while. Mothwing prompts Owlnose to pick a deputy and he picks Splashtail since they work well together. His decision is criticized by most of the Clan since Splashtail is young and has not mentored an apprentice yet, though the Clan is interrupted when Tawnypelt arrives with news of an emergency Gathering that night.
:Owlnose and Splashtail's newest roles causes a stir at the Gathering, with Owlnose and Mothwing lying about what was going on. The new leader and his medicine cat tell the other Clans that Mistystar died of greencough, and that Reedwhisker died before he could get his nine lives. After the Gathering, Splashtail and Owlnose struggle to organize patrols until Mothwing steps in. Splashtail notices Frostpaw watching worriedly and she shares her concerns about Owlnose's indecisiveness. Splashtail hopes he and Owlnose will get better over time, and he reassures Frostpaw that she is doing a great job. Frostpaw briefly wonders if she has feelings for Splashtail, but Fidgetflake interrupts them. When Frostpaw, Mothwing, and Owlnose return from the Moonpool, Tigerstar arrives with a patrol to attempt to help RiverClan under his guidance. Splashtail angrily refuses Tigerstar's offer, insisting he must leave or fight. A battle erupts in RiverClan's camp, though it quickly ends when Tigerstar has Duskfur pinned down. Splashtail insists that no cat shall die today. He angrily glares at Tigerstar as the ShadowClan leader insists this is for RiverClan's own good now that he is in charge of the Clan.
====Shadow====
:Following RiverClan's defeat, Splashtail strongly opposes Tigerstar and ShadowClan's occupation of his Clan. When Tigerstar appoints Icewing and Cloverfoot as temporary leaders while he returns to ShadowClan, Duskfur advocates for Splashtail to lead since he was appointed deputy. However, Tigerstar insists Splashtail is too inexperienced, though Frostpaw wonders if the ShadowClan leader wanted a new leader who would not challenge him. He attends the emergency Gathering, though remains silent during Tigerstar's explanation of the battle. Later, Frostpaw reapplies poultice to his wounds from the battle and scolds him to working tirelessly despite her instructions to rest.
:Splashtail disagrees with Frostpaw's decision to step down and train as a warrior. The gray she-cat begins to suspect if he is avoiding her, but also wonders if they can become future mates now that she is training to be a warrior. She abruptly confesses that she wants to be mates with him one day. While Splashtail also has feelings for her, he still views her as a medicine cat. One night, Splashtail, Mallownose, and Duskfur speak with Berryheart, Whorlpelt, and Yarrowleaf at the greenleaf Twolegplace to discuss Tigerstar's unjust occupation of RiverClan. The brown tabby insists that he has the perfect idea who their new medicine cat apprentice should be, and Sunbeam and Nightheart wonder if Splashtail's plans violate the warrior code. While fishing, Splashtail gets a sharp pebble lodged in his forepaw and praises Frostpaw when she expertly removes it. He once again presses her decision to forgo her medicine cat training, though apologizes when Frostpaw sharply defends her choice. She stays behind to fish with him, though he snaps at her to be quiet when she tries to strike up a conversation. After successfully catching a fish and returning to camp, Splashtail apologizes for snapping at her and explains how he needs time to accept her new path. The two briefly argue about Frostpaw's choice again with Splashtail pressing her to make the right choice for RiverClan, though Frostpaw is convinced she does not have a connection with StarClan.
:At the Gathering, Splashtail and several others speak out against Icewing's report that things are well in RiverClan under Tigerstar's guidance. After Frostpaw receives a vision from Reedwhisker about his murder, Frostpaw decides to tell Splashtail about it, knowing she can trust him. The brown tabby is shocked by Frostpaw's revelation, although he is not fully convinced by her hypothesis that a RiverClan cat killed their former deputy. He questions the validity of her vision, especially since her previous ones were false, and convinces her to speak with an experienced medicine cat to verify her message. Frostpaw decides to speak with Whistlepaw, the WindClan medicine cat apprentice, and Splashtail warns her to be careful.
====Thunder====
:At an emergency Gathering a quarter-moon later, Splashtail announces that Frostpaw is still missing. Whistlepaw reveals that she found traces of Frostpaw's blood on the moor, indicating that she might have died. Meanwhile, Frostpaw and Nightheart travel to the Cats of the Park under Riverstar's guidance. There, Frostpaw learns to meditate, and she accepts that it was Splashtail who had attempted to murder her when she tried to reach Whistlepaw. Upon further reflection, Frostpaw realizes that she remembers Splashtail following her, she remembers his shadow following her and Curlfeather to the Moonpool. Later on, a vision from Riverstar reveals that Splashtail and Curlfeather plotted together to kill Reedwhisker, though he eventually turned on her.
:When Frostpaw returns to the lake along with Nightheart, Wasp, and Waffle, they hide while spectating the Gathering. Duskfur, RiverClan's temporary leader, announces that Podlight is their new medicine cat. The new healer declares that he received a dream from RiverClan indicating that Splashtail should be their new leader. Frostpaw wonders if Splashtail is scheming with Podlight to secure leadership, since the new medicine cat is her mother's littermate. She is horrified and scared for her Clan at the prospective idea of Splashtail leading RiverClan, after everything he has done to her.
====Wind====
:As the other leaders begin to accept Splashtail as RiverClan's newest leader, Frostpaw speaks up from the crowd, surprising everyone who thought she was dead. She insists that Splashtail and Curlfeather conspired together to kill Reedwhisker, and Splashtail later turned on her mother. However, Splashtail claims that he knew about Curlfeather's manipulations of Frostpaw but was working against her. He claims that Frostpaw is confused and, as RiverClan's newest leader, he refuses to welcome her back into RiverClan, saying that he is unable to trust Frostpaw given her past mistakes and does not want to cause a rift in RiverClan while they recover from their many losses.
:A quarter-moon later, Frostpaw sneaks into RiverClan's camp and spots Splashtail aggressively training his warriors for battle. Mothwing tells Frostpaw that Splashtail has been in no hurry to visit the Moonpool for his nine lives. During the half-moon meeting, Jayfeather questions Podlight's visions about Splashtail being the rightful leader of RiverClan, and the other medicine cats urge Podlight that Splashtail needs to visit the Moonpool for his leader ceremony. Later, Puddleshine and Frostpaw spy on Splashtail and Podlight visiting the Moonpool. With Mothwing busy attending to Splashtail's mother as she gives birth to her new litter, it is just Podlight and Splashtail at the Moonpool. Due to the sanctity of the leadership ceremonies, Podlight and Splashtail are unsure how they are supposed to proceed, but both toms plan to just wait long enough for their Clanmates to believe them. Splashtail scoffs about potentially seeing Reedwhisker again after killing him. Riverstar appears, though Splashtail and Podlight cannot see him, further proving that they are liars. 
:At the Gathering, Splashtail announces that he is Splashstar, but Frostpaw openly calls him a liar. However, Leafstar and Harestar accept Splashstar. Splashtail announces Harelight as his new deputy and the birth of his mother's kits: Floatkit, Rapidkit, and Troutkit. After the Gathering, Duskfur and Icewing inform Frostpaw that they believe what she said about Splashtail. Later, Splashtail accuses Duskfur, Icewing, and Mothwing of being traitors when they disappear. Harelight questions his leader's motives, and Splashtail kills him with a swipe at the throat. Promising to lead RiverClan to a new glory, Splashtail appoints Berryheart as his new deputy.
====Star====
:Splashtail is haunted by Curlfeather's violently wounded ghost in his dreams and in the waking world. She taunts him for weak leadership when the other Clans are against him; Curlfeather even mocks that his own Clanmates are plotting behind his back. Setting his sights on controlling the other Clans, Splashtail first plots against ShadowClan in retribution for their prior takeover. Using Berryheart and Brackenpelt as pawns, the two she-cats lure Tigerstar and several of his strongest warriors to the island with a ruse that RiverClan has overthrown Splashtail. However, RiverClan's warriors trap the ShadowClan cats on the island, preventing them from escaping. As a result, Splashtail leads his other warriors in a violent assault on ShadowClan's camp, ruthlessly targeting the nursery and the elder's den. Meanwhile, Fognose and Sneezecloud steal SkyClan's kits as hostages upon Splashtail's orders.
:Splashtail's warriors overwhelm the remaining ShadowClan cats, and Splashtail claims them as RiverClan's prisoners. He threatens to kill Cinnamontail's four kits if ShadowClan revolts. Before returning to his own camp, Splashtail orders Berryheart's death when he learns of her imminent betrayal. As RiverClan's prisoner, Nightheart learns of Splashtail's ruthless regiment over his Clan: Mosspelt and his own mother Havenpelt are imprisoned in the nursery, his younger littermates are held as hostages to coerce RiverClan to fight, Graysludge and Mistslime were given horrid names as a sign of their mother's betrayal, and the Clan priorities constant battle training over hunting. When Gorseclaw overhears Nightheart speaking with Fognose, the RiverClan warrior drags him to Splashtail's den, where the leader is yowling to himself while his littermates cower nearby. Splashtail indifferently tells Gorseclaw to kill Nightheart, goading the white tom when he hesitates. 
:Owlnose arrives and attempts to coerce his Clanmates to turn against Splashtail, but the RiverClan leader silences him with a slash. Squirrelstar, Harestar, Leafstar, and numerous warriors from the other Clans arrive to put a stop to Splashtail's violence. Splashtail instead forces his warriors to attack by threatening to kill Troutkit. While RiverClan is quickly overwhelmed, Splashtail flees the camp with Floatkit, attempting to reform a new RiverClan. However, he is thwarted by Frostpaw, who manages to kill him.
===In the Changing Skies arc===
====The Elders' Quest====
:
===In the Super Editions===
====Ivypool's Heart====
:When Whistlepaw receives a dream from StarClan to right an ancient wrong or it will result in a river of blood, the other Clans wonder if it might refer to Splashtail's reign of RiverClan. While the other four Clans agree to send representatives to the fox-head mountain, Splashtail refuses to participate. However, Icewing arrives with news of her exile in ShadowClan and Splashtail's growing violence. 
==Character pixels==
==Official art==
==Killed victims==
*Reedwhisker
*Curlfeather (Indirectly caused)
*Harelight
*Berryheart (Indirect; Splashtail's orders)
==Ceremonies==
==Leader info==
==Kin==
===Members===
Mother:
:Havenpelt: 
Father:
:Sneezecloud: 
Sisters:
:Fognose: 
:Rapidsplash: 
:Floatshimmer: 
Brother:
:Troutshine: 
===Tree===
==Appearances==
==Merchandise==
===Toys and Plush===
====Berryheart & Splashtail - Mini Collector Figures====
*Series 7
*This unlikely duo of allies found themselves standing together as leader and deputy of RiverClan. Berryheart's regret over Needletail's death and helping Darktail take over her Clan have made her determined to never again let an outsider harm her Clan - but perhaps the greatest harm came from within all along. Splashtail is young, and around Clanmates he's mild and pleasant, but inside burns a burning hunger for power that hasn't been seen in generations, with the strength to sweep all the Clans away in its fervor.
*Sturdy mini figure of Berryheart and Splashtail, approximately 7cm in height.
*Also included in a three-pack bundle with the rest of Series 7: Briarlight and Purdy, and Onestar and Darktail.
*Approximate individual price is $12.99 USD, and the three-pack bundle is $38.97 USD.
==Trivia==
===Interesting facts===
*Splashtail was made deputy despite the fact he never mentored an apprentice before.
==Quotes==
==External links==
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==Notes and references==
de:Spritzschweiffi:Loiskehäntäfr:Splashtaillt:Splashtailno:Plaskhalepl:Pluskający Ogon (ZK)pt-br:Rabo de Respingoru:Плескохвост
Category:Toms
Category:RiverClan cats
Category:ShadowClan cats
Category:Warriors
Category:Deputies
Category:Leaders
Category:Point of view characters
Category:Characters with merchandise
Category:Deceased characters
Category:Dark Forest cats