Hailstar

Hailstar is a huge gray tom with thick, sleek fur, a wide head, broad shoulders, and yellow eyes.
Hailstar was a RiverClan leader in the forest territories and served as deputy under Volestar with the name of Hailstep. After becoming leader, Hailstar and his mate, Echomist, had three kits, who were given the names Beetlekit, Petalkit, and Volekit. Hailstar mentored Blackpaw and trained him to become a warrior, naming him Blackclaw. After his deputy, Shellheart, retired, he chose Crookedjaw as his successor based on an omen sent to Hailstar. Following a battle with rats, he lost his last life and ascended to StarClan, where granted Crookedstar and Leopardstar one of their nine lives.
==History==
===In the Super Editions===
====Tallstar's Revenge====
:Hailstar apologizes for being late to the Gathering as he and his Clan rush into the clearing, with Hailstar going over to Heatherstar. As Tallpaw watches, he and the other three leaders bound up onto the Great Rock. When it is his turn to speak, he reports that the new-leaf rains have fed the river, which have ended up bringing more fish than RiverClan can eat. 
:After Hopkit becomes gravely ill, Talltail and Barkface go to RiverClan to see if they have any sweet-sedge to spare for him. Rippleclaw growls that Hailstar will decide before he and the rest of the RiverClan patrol take the two WindClan cats to their camp, and Rippleclaw disappears to get his leader. Hailstar appears with round eyes and an anxious gaze, confirming if the WindClan cats need medicine. Barkface explains that as it is leaf-bare, they do not have strong enough herbs to treat Hopkit with. Brambleberry checks with her leader, who dips his head, and she confirms she has some to spare. Lifting his chin, Hailstar says WindClan has never asked for help before, and Talltail replies that his Clan has never needed help before. Ignoring Owlfur's goading about his Clan being weak, he thanks Hailstar for his kindness, and the RiverClan leader responds that no warrior will let a kit die, regardless of the Clan they come from. He tells them Ottersplash and Rippleclaw will help them across the river, and they were lucky because the currents are dangerous after it has rained.
====Yellowfang's Secret====
:Hailstar is seen briefly making an announcement at a Gathering, reporting certain unknown good news.
====Crookedstar's Promise====
:Hailstar calls back to his mate, Echomist, after she called for him a couple of times. The camp is flooding, and Echomist is carrying their kits, Petalkit, and Beetlekit, out of the nursery, leaving Volekit behind. She motions Hailstar to grab him. Hailstar grabs his kit before the water reaches his nest. He tells his Clanmate, Timberfur, to take Volekit to the elders' den. Hailstar then orders his mate to follow him, and she obeys.
:He then calls to his deputy, Shellheart, asking for his opinion. He replies that the elders' den will not be safe for very long. Hailstar makes the decision to abandon camp. Brightsky objects to his orders, but he replies that they must. He debates with her, for Brightsky does not want to leave everything that their ancestors built for them. Shellheart convinces her, and she finally agrees. Echomist arrives to bring the kits out to abandon camp, asking where to go. He tells her to head for higher ground, flicking uphill. When the elders wonder if they are really leaving the camp, he replies that it is just for now. He goes to check if anyone is being left behind, helped by Shellheart. It is noted Duskwater has gone missing, and Rippleclaw asks Hailstar if he can see her from up there. He replies no and checks the den for warm bodies. He does not find anyone and wades off to higher land, asking if they are all there.
:Later, when RiverClan's camp is being rebuilt, Hailstar insists on sleeping out in the open and refuses to let his den be rebuilt until the rest of the camp is finished. After Stormkit is knocked out of a tree by a magpie, Hailstar tells him that it would not have happened if he had stayed in the clearing. He is amused by this behavior and calls to Shellheart. He then tells Shellheart that Stormkit will be a brave warrior if he does not drown himself before training. He suggests that they do something about the magpie, as it is beginning to think it owns RiverClan territory. Shellheart asks if they should drive it off or catch it, and Hailstar responds by saying that they should catch it due to lack of fish. Shellheart immediately wants to send out a patrol to catch the magpie, but Hailstar tells him to wait until Rippleclaw's patrol returns. Tanglewhisker mutters that he hopes they have caught something edible, and Birdsong replies that she is certain that they have. Echomist wonders why they never buried any of the fish that were washed up by the flood like ThunderClan does, and Hailstar says that fish do not keep like forest prey. When the kits volunteer to help rebuild the camp, Hailstar's whiskers twitch. When Echomist objects, he says he is not going to turn down a genuine offer of help. As long as they stayed in the camp, there is no problem. Hailstar then directs the kits to take reeds that Ottersplash was gathering to Softpaw and Whitepaw so Cedarpelt and Timberfur could join Shellheart's hunting patrol.
:Rippleclaw returns and reports that ThunderClan has taken Sunningrocks. When Rippleclaw asks who would lead the battle patrol, warriors continue to gather. Stormkit, hanging on top of a willow tree branch, announces that ThunderClan was stealing Sunningrocks, resulting in Hailstar growling at the young kit to get down, reasoning there was no time for games. Faced by Shellheart, Hailstar is asked by his deputy if they were seriously going to give up Sunningrocks. Hailstar looks to his warriors for their opinions about what to do. The general opinion is not to fight, and the medicine cat, Brambleberry, backs this up by saying that she had lost all of her herbs during the flood and will be unable to tend to wounded cats. Hailstar agrees not to fight, but sends Shellheart, suggested by Piketooth, to tell Pinestar, the ThunderClan leader, to enjoy Sunningrocks while he can because RiverClan would take them back when they wanted to.
:When Stormkit and Oakkit nag Brambleberry to help gather herbs, Brambleberry tells the two kits to ask Hailstar, but Stormkit refuses. Stormkit remembers that Hailstar would not let him shadow Rippleclaw's patrol twice and Shellheart's patrol once. When Stormkit creates the idea of leaving camp through the sedge, Oakkit reminds him that Hailstar told the two kits that he wouldd make them wait an extra moon to become apprentices if they caused trouble again. Stormkit replies that Hailstar did not mean it, reasoning that he was not a frog-brain, knowing that providing more warriors for the Clan was important. After Stormkit tumbles down the riverbank, Oakkit mutters sarcastically, and Stormkit defends himself, claiming that Hailstar would not let them explore.
:After Stormkit has recovered enough from his accident, Rainflower is seen padding out of Hailstar's den, after arguing with Shellheart, to discuss renaming Stormkit. He then solemnly calls a Clan meeting, and as the Clan gathers, Rainflower is seen sitting next to him. Hailstar's voice is somber as he performs the renaming ceremony, suggesting that he does not quite agree with Rainflower's choice.
:Shortly before Oakkit is to be made into an apprentice, Rainflower visits Hailstar's den to tell him who she wants to mentor her son. When they are done talking, Hailstar calls a Clan meeting for the apprentice ceremony. He calls to Oakkit and then calls to Shellheart. Surprisingly, he makes Oakpaw Shellheart's apprentice despite the fact that they are father and son. When Rainflower's eyes glow, Crookedkit realizes that she had discussed this with Hailstar earlier. Hailstar then says that Oakpaw and Shellheart shared courage, strength, and loyalty. Rainflower then sharply asks Shellheart if he was going to thank her, reasoning that Hailstar understood the logic of the strongest warrior to train the strongest apprentice.
:When Crookedkit returns to RiverClan after his brief hiatus with Fleck and Mitzi, Hailstar is waiting for him in the center of the camp. He is surprised to learn that Crookedkit had been hunting for himself. He then growls that the kit had everyone worried, but that it is good to have him back. Hailstar then goes on to welcome Crookedkit back into the Clan, saying that he was born in RiverClan so that is where he belongs. Most cats back up his decision. However a few, Rippleclaw and Cedarpelt, do not agree. After the decision is made to allow Crookedkit back into the Clan, Hailstar wonders where the kit was. He says that he went to ask StarClan if it was his destiny to be a kit forever. Hailstar wonders what StarClan told him, and Crookedkit says that he never reached the Moonstone, but found his answer when he saved Mitzi's kits. He then promises never to run away again, and Hailstar dips his head, saying that RiverClan always needs strong warriors.
:After Crookedkit saves Fallowtail's kits, Graykit and Willowkit, from a heron, Hailstar appears from his den to see what is going on. After hearing about how big the heron was, he congratulates the warriors and apprentices who fought it off. Then he calls the Clan together for a meeting and makes Crookedkit an apprentice for his bravery. He assigns Crookedpaw to Cedarpelt because the warrior distrusted Crookedpaw when he returned to the Clan.
:The next day, Hailstar leads the dawn patrol. When he returns, he finds to his surprise that the WindClan deputy, Reedfeather, is sitting in RiverClan's camp. Reedfeather says that he has come to RiverClan to bring his kits home. As everyone wonders what he could mean, Fallowtail lets out a cry of protest. The WindClan deputy responds by saying that they are as much his as hers, implying that he is their father. Hailstar asks if it is true that Fallowtail's kits are half-Clan, and she does not attempt to deny it. Reedfeather says that they will grow up stronger in WindClan, but Hailstar refuses to allow Reedfeather to take the kits, despite Reedfeather's threat of war. Desperate to keep peace, Fallowtail tells Hailstar that Reedfeather may have the kits. Hailstar is surprised, but allows Reedfeather to have the kits.
:Later, Hailstar is on patrol with Piketooth and Beetlenose when they encounter Reedfeather. Reedfeather tells them about ThunderClan's attack on the WindClan camp to steal Hawkheart's medicine supplies. Hailstar immediately returns to camp to tell Brambleberry to hide her supplies. Later that day, Cedarpelt reports Crookedpaw to Hailstar for defeating a warrior in a training fight. The leader tells the apprentice that, though he may want to finish his training early, he should be patient and enjoy his apprenticeship while it lasts.
:Suddenly Shellheart, Owlfur, Softwing, and Oakpaw race into camp to tell Hailstar that, while they were on patrol, they were attacked by a huge dog and that Oakpaw drove it off. Hailstar makes Oakpaw a warrior with the name Oakheart for his bravery.
:That night, Hailstar leads his Clan to a Gathering. There, he announces that RiverClan has been free of Twolegs since the snowfall. Ottersplash then reminds him about the Twoleg kits that fell through the ice, and Owlfur says that they would not be back for a while. Hailstar goes on to announce that Oakheart is now a warrior. Many RiverClan cats are annoyed that Hailstar said nothing about Fallowtail's kits.
:The following evening, Hailstar announces to his Clan that they will be taking back Sunningrocks tonight. When the battle patrol arrives at Sunningrocks, Hailstar tells his newest warriors and Crookedpaw that this is their first battle and that they will have many other chances to prove their strength and skill. Hailstar then tells Shellheart to prepare the battle line. Suddenly, a ThunderClan battle patrol arrives. Hailstar announces that Sunningrocks is RiverClan's again, and Pinestar orders ThunderClan to attack. Pinestar lunges at Hailstar, and the two leaders begin to fight. After a while, Shellheart orders RiverClan to retreat. When they return to the camp, Hailstar loses his eighth life from his wounds. Several of the Clan are angry at Hailstar because he was unable to lead them to victory.
:A few nights later, Hailstar launches a raid on WindClan to return Fallowtail's kits to RiverClan. As they near the river with the kits, Reedfeather attacks them with four of his Clanmates. The RiverClan patrol splits, Timberfur and Rippleclaw carry the kits across the river, and Hailstar, Owlfur, and Ottersplash stay behind to fight. Reedfeather hits Hailstar with a blow so hard that it stuns him. When Hailstar recovers, the two toms fight, and Hailstar ends up holding Reedfeather's head beneath the surface of the river. Caught up in the frenzy of the battle, Hailstar does not realize he is killing the WindClan deputy until Owlfur stops him.
:Sometime later, Hailstar names Graypaw and Willowpaw apprentices. Brightsky is Graypaw's mentor, and Owlfur is Willowpaw's.
:The next day, Hailstar calls Crookedpaw to take a walk with him. He questions the apprentice on his goals and says that Brambleberry is worried about him. This implies that Brambleberry may know he is training with a Dark Forest warrior and has shared her concerns with Hailstar. Hailstar does not mention this again.
:One moon later, Hailstar is dozing when Crookedpaw comes up with a plan to scare away a troublesome dog. After listening to the plan, Hailstar suggests that the Clan should scare the dog now. He forms a battle patrol, consisting of himself, Cedarpelt, Whitefang, Rippleclaw, Beetlenose, Oakheart, Ottersplash, Rainflower, Piketooth, Fallowtail, Shellheart, Shimmerpelt, Softwing, and Crookedpaw. Something goes wrong, but the cats stick to the plan, and the dog is scared away. Hailstar is impressed by Crookedpaw's bravery. He names Crookedpaw a warrior as Crookedjaw, and after Shellheart announces his retirement, Crookedjaw is chosen in his father's place.
:Hailstar helps go get dry grass and moss for new nests, but when rats attack, Hailstar is killed. Later on, Crookedjaw goes to the Moonstone with Brambleberry. Dawnstripe, Talltail, and Reedfeather stop them, but they explain that Hailstar was dead, so the WindClan cats say that they are allowed to pass. When they reach the Moonstone, Hailstar gives Crookedjaw the life of courage, telling him to let his heart lead him forward. It is noted that he looks young and healthy again. Seasons later, Hailstar greets Crookedstar into StarClan.
====Bluestar's Prophecy====
:Hailstar is the leader of RiverClan, appearing at the Gatherings. During the second Gathering, he brings his Clan to the meeting late, which he claims is due to the bad weather.
:Later into the night, he announces a new warrior, Oakheart. Hailstar also tells the other Clans that Twolegs have stopped bothering RiverClan and that the fishing is still good, despite the ice. Several times, Hailstar is seen launching an attack on Sunningrocks to reclaim them, and although he failed the first time, he later stole the rocks without even having to fight ThunderClan. Much later, after Sunstar becomes ThunderClan's leader, Sunstar takes a patrol to RiverClan's camp and convinces Hailstar to give up the rocks without a fight.
:Hailstar loses his last life from a rat bite. His deputy, Crookedjaw, takes on role of leader, becoming the newly named Crookedstar.
====Leopardstar's Honor====
:While playing hide and seek with her denmates, Leopardkit wonders if Hailstar would mind if she used his den as a hiding place. Skykit, however, whisks her away to show her a better hiding place before dunking the golden kit in the river. Later on, she sneaks out of camp and is promptly found by Whitefang who takes her to see the RiverClan leader. Hailstar invites the kit into his den alongside Whitefang and her father, Mudfur. The leader does not scold the kit, instead pointing out her adventure and reminding her it is against Clan rules for kits to leave camp. He tells her that to become a warrior it is crucial for her to learn how to follow rules, and as he starts to talk about her apprenticeship, Mudfur interjects she still has three moons to wait.
:As Leopardkit points out her denmates would already be apprentices by that moon, Hailstar thoughtfully points out it would be difficult to split them all up. Mudfur disagrees with the notion, as she would be too young to be an apprentice. Only after Mudfur resigns to his daughter's argument of becoming an apprentice, Hailstar formally agrees with the notion.
:In the moons following, Hailstar returns to camp followed by Voleclaw, Crookedjaw, and an injured Mudfur. He waves Leopardpaw away from her father, to allow Brambleberry to treat his wounds. The tom ushers her away to wait alongside her denmates, stating he has important matters to discuss with the senior warrior. The leader talks with Tumbefur and Rippleclaw as the camp buzzes with excitement over the news of Sunningrocks and Mudfur's decision to train as a medicine cat. Hailstar leads Ottersplash and Piketooth to the camp's edge as the exitement settles down. He later agrees to wait for Skypaw to pass her warrior assessment before naming Leopardpaw and the other apprentices as warriors.
:Hailstar leads a patrol to a barn to fetch dry bedding and prey, following a large downpour. He, Crookedjaw, Petaldust, Sedgecreek, and Leopardfur, find the barn and begin collecting the dry grass all before being attacked by rats. Hailstar raises the alarm as he and his warriors fight the rodents. Sedgecreek calls out to him amongst the fight as he is overwhelmed by the swarming rats. Crookedjaw manages to grab the gray tom as the warriors begin to create a circle to try and escape the barn. Hailstar becomes exhausted at the effort of fighting as Petaldust returns with a backup patrol to help drive back the rats. The tom collapses to the stone, blood welling from a throat injury. Brambleberry, having arrived with Petaldust, is unsure of who to treat between her leader and Sedgecreek, but Hailstar tells her to tend to the young warrior. With his last words, the gray RiverClan tom tells Crookedjaw to lead their patrol home safely. Brambleberry confirms his wound had been too serious to heal, and with that the leader is carried back to camp where vigil is held. Hailstar is later buried at Sunningrocks.
:At her nine lives ceremony, Leopardfur is visted by Hailstar. He commends her courage for the fight against rats those moons ago and her determination to become one of RiverClan's noteworthy leaders. The former leader gives her the life of bravery, which Leopardfur witness some of the tom's memories as he leaves her with the parting wish to protect RiverClan with her life.
===In the Novellas===
====Goosefeather's Curse====
:Hailstep is listed as the deputy of RiverClan under Volestar.
====Redtail's Debt====
:It is mentioned at a Gathering that he recently lost his ninth life and is succeeded by Crookedstar.
===In the Field Guides===
====Code of the Clans====
:When two ThunderClan warriors, Dappletail and White-eye, fall into the river attempting to catch a fish, his warrior, Owlfur, fishes Dappletail out, while Hailstar rescues White-eye. Dappletail thinks about how much trouble they will be in after being rescued by the RiverClan leader.
:He brings out White-eye from the river after she "caught" a fish, correcting her by saying she squashed it against a rock and that it wasn't hers to catch it in the first place. He rightly accuses the two ThunderClan warriors of stealing just before Pinestar and Sunfall show up. Hailstar invites them across, and Owlfur suggests that the two cats be punished by making them eat the fish that they were trying to catch. White-eye comments that it is disgusting, saying that it was wet, cold, slimy, and tasting of stones and muddy reeds, and Hailstar lets them go, saying nearly being drowned was enough of a lesson.
====Battles of the Clans====
:Hailstar is RiverClan's leader during the time Fallowtail's kits are taken from their Clan. While he wants to get them back for Fallowtail, he looks for a sign from StarClan, wondering if that is what he should do. When nothing moves, he realizes that StarClan had spoken with their silence, saying that the mission would go on. He goes to the warriors' den and calls Timberfur, telling him to get Rippleclaw, Owlfur, and Ottersplash. They meet outside the camp, and Hailstar explains that they were going to take back Fallowtail's kits from WindClan.
:When Rippleclaw points out that WindClan had doubled their patrols, Hailstar tells them that they had not patrolled around the cliff, and he knew because he had been watching them. He leads the cats across the border and to the top of the cliff. When they are making their way through WindClan territory, he wonders whether it was wise to bring Ottersplash on the patrol since her white markings flashed in the darkness. He quickly shakes the thought away, thinking that they might need her. When they get the the WindClan camp, Timberfur and Rippleclaw attack the guards, and Hailstar and the rest of the patrol enter the camp. When they get into the nursery, a queen named Dawnstripe lets out an alarmed cry, waking up the WindClan cats.
:Hailstar finds Fallowtail's kits and takes them out of the nursery, where he finds a line of WindClan warriors waiting for him. Hailstar and his patrol dash out of the camp, with the WindClan cats storming after them. He tells his warriors to get into the river. While running towards the river in an attempt to escape, Hailstar is stopped and confronted by Reedfeather, WindClan's deputy, and Graykit and Willowkit's father. Initially, Reedfeather is set to strike, but halts once he notices that Hailstar and the others are in the river. Taking advantage of Reedfeather's pause, Hailstar dashes over and knocks Reedfeather into the river. The RiverClan leader holds Reedfeather under the water and almost kills him, but is stopped by Owlfur. They drag him out of the water and make their way back to RiverClan's camp, winning the battle and taking Fallowtail's kits home.
====The Ultimate Guide====
:It is mentioned on Crookedstar's page that an expedition to hunt rats at a nearby farm led to the death of Hailstar.
==Character pixels==
==Official art==
==Ceremonies==
===Lives granted===
==Leader info==
==Kin==
===Members===
Mate:
:Echomist: 
Sons:
:Voleclaw: 
:Beetlenose: 
Daughter:
:Petaldust: 
Granddaugthers:
:Vixenleap: 
:Grasswhisker: 
Grandson: 
:Whiteclaw: 
===Tree===
==Appearances==
==Trivia==
===Mistakes===
*Hailstar has been mistakenly described with amber eyes.
*Hailstar has been mistakenly described as WindClan's leader.
*In Yellowfang's Secret, he is shown making the report for RiverClan at a Gathering after he was supposed to have died.
===Author statements===
*James Barry confirmed that Hailstar appears in the comic of Crookedstar's Promise to greet Crookedstar into StarClan.
==Quotes==
==External links==
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===Fan content===
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==Notes and references==
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Category:Toms
Category:RiverClan cats
Category:Leaders
Category:Bluestar's Prophecy characters
Category:Code of the Clans characters
Category:Battles of the Clans characters
Category:Deceased characters
Category:Crookedstar's Promise characters
Category:Mentors
Category:StarClan cats
Category:Yellowfang's Secret characters
Category:Tallstar's Revenge characters
Category:Point of view characters
Category:Redtail's Debt characters
Category:Leopardstar's Honor characters