Stemleaf

Stemleaf is a sleek, white-and-orange tom with green eyes and a torn ear.
Stemleaf was a ThunderClan warrior under Bramblestar's and the impostor's leaderships in the lake territories. He was born as Stemkit to Thornclaw and Blossomfall alongside his littermates, Plumkit, Eaglekit, and Shellkit. He was apprenticed as Stempaw to Rosepetal, and he grew close with his fellow apprentice Spotpaw. After becoming a warrior, Stemleaf fell in love with Spotfur, and he politely declined to be mates with Bristlefrost, who had a crush on him. When Bramblestar revived and began punishing codebreakers, Stemleaf and Spotfur organized a secret meeting of rebel cats in order to overthrow him. However, Stemleaf was killed in a skirmish against the impostor, causing him to become a ghost, unable to find StarClan. 
Spotfur became pregnant with his kits, but she struggled to find happiness without him. When the Sisters attempted to summon the spirits, Stemleaf was among them, and appeared to be in pain. Stemleaf's spirit was sent to the Dark Forest under Ashfur's control, and he was forced to fight for the dark warrior. After breaking free of Ashfur's control, Stemleaf learned of Spotfur's pregnancy with his kits, and his renewed hope gave him the strength to fight against Ashfur in the final battle. He joined StarClan after, and Spotfur later gave birth to their three kits, Bristlekit, Stemkit, and Graykit.
==History==
===A Vision of Shadows===
:Stemkit is born to Thornclaw and Blossomfall alongside his siblings, Plumkit, Eaglekit and Shellkit. He briefly shares the nursery with Snowbird and her kits, Conekit, Gullkit and Frondkit, and he and his siblings play frequently with Graystripe and Millie, his grandparents. He soon becomes an apprentice and is mentored by Rosepetal.
===The Broken Code===
:He is now a warrior named Stemleaf and befriends Bristlepaw, his former mentor's newest apprentice, and she mistakenly believes he has feelings for her. After her warrior ceremony, Bristlefrost confesses she wishes to be mates with him, but Stemleaf reveals he never knew about her feelings for him, only seeing her as a friend and also admitting that he likes Spotfur instead. After a few awkward interactions, the two rekindle their friendship, and Bristlefrost grows to respect Spotfur. Stemleaf becomes suspicious of Bramblestar's behavior and meets up with several other cats between the Clans to discuss how to deal with his leader, later discovering that he is an impostor of the real Bramblestar. After becoming mates with Spotfur, he, his mate, and Bristlefrost help out the exiled cats, and Stemleaf eventually decides to try and kill Bramblestar with the assistance of Spotfur, Kitescratch, Dappletuft, and Conefoot. However, Stemleaf and the latter two are killed in the attempt. 
:He becomes a ghost, sorrowfully watching over Spotfur and the other Clan cats, unable to ascend to StarClan. Spotfur wallows in her grief; she learns she is pregnant with his kits, and questions whether or not to keep them since Stemleaf is gone. Bristlefrost promises to help Spotfur raise her kits, and Spotfur finds her peace after the Sisters perform a welcoming ceremony for her unborn kits. However, when the Sisters summon the spirits around the lake, Stemleaf's ghost and the others are aggressive, petrified and in pain, and Rootspring and the others worry what is happening with them. Stemleaf, along with other spirits of the dead, are imprisoned in the Dark Forest by Ashfur, under the former StarClan cat's control. Bristlefrost, Shadowsight, and Rootspring manage to save him from Ashfur's control, and learn that hope and strong emotions can break Ashfur's willpower over the spirit cats. Stemleaf finds renewed hope after learning that Spotfur is expecting his kits, and he fights alongside the Lights in the Mist to defeat Ashfur. He is saddened after Bristlefrost's death, and joins StarClan.
===Novellas===
:In Spotfur's Rebellion, Stempaw is a ThunderClan apprentice who is close to Spotpaw. Spotpaw often gets Stempaw into trouble, much to the ire of Stempaw's brother Shellpaw. Their friendship eventually develops into love as they become warriors, and Spotfur admires Stemleaf's kind nature and friendliness, though gets suspicious over Bristlepaw's relationship with him. After learning that StarClan has gone silent, Stemleaf and Spotfur decide to become mates as Bramblestar lays sick in the medicine cat den, wishing to stay together to face the hardships ahead. They are pleased when Bramblestar comes back following his unusual losing of a life, but note how radically different he seems to have become in his new life, having become much more strict on following the warrior code and harsh to his Clanmates. After Bramblestar banishes Lionblaze, Stemleaf and Spotfur organize a group that meets at a secret gathering to discuss and act on Bramblestar's sudden change in personality. After they uncover that Bramblestar is an impostor, Stemleaf decides that he needs to be killed to prevent any more cats from being hurt, and convinces several other cats, including Spotfur, to lead an attempt on his life, despite Squirrelflight and Tigerstar, the leaders of the rebels, ordering against it.
:Stemleaf and Spotfur decide to act against the leaders' wishes and kill the impostor, garnering a small patrol soon find the impostor on ThunderClan territory. In the ensuing fight, the impostor slashes open Stemleaf's throat, much to the horror of Spotfur, who, along with Kitescratch, are forced to retreat and leave the body of her mate. While grieving for Stemleaf and knowing they will never have the life they planned together, Spotfur promises to save and protect ThunderClan.
==Detailed description==
===Scars gained===
*Torn ear from Mapleshade while escaping Ashfur and his army of ghost cats in A Light in the Mist.
==Character pixels==
===Main images===
===Alternate images===
==Official art==
==Personality and traits==
:Stemleaf is a friendly, strong, and capable warrior, respected by his Clanmates. He is not afraid to speak up against Bramblestar's methods for dealing with codebreakers.
==Relationships==
===Bristlefrost===
:As an apprentice, Bristlefrost is smitten with Stemleaf, and wants to become a warrior as quickly as possible so they could be mates. However, Stemleaf rejects her in favor of Spotfur. After this, Bristlefrost is sometimes irritated at their displays of affection, but knows that her crush on him was immature. Stemleaf's respect for Bristlefrost is strained when she snitches on Spotfur crossing the border to Bramblestar's impostor, getting her punished. Unsure if it was personally motivated, Stemleaf warns Bristlefrost to be careful about which side she is on.
===Spotfur===
:Stemleaf is affectionate toward Spotfur. After turning down Bristlefrost, he tells the younger cat that his feelings lie elsewhere, with Spotfur instead. He is dismayed when Spotfur is punished for accidentally crossing the WindClan border by having no one talk to her for a quarter moon. He talks to her anyway, and both cats attend the secret meeting of cats who disapprove of Bramblestar's methods of dealing with codebreakers. After his death, he tries to comfort a grieving Spotfur as a ghost.
==Family==
:Stemleaf's parents are Blossomfall and Thornclaw. His littermates are Eaglewing, Shellfur, and Plumstone. He is the mate of Spotfur, and father of Bristlepaw, Stempaw, and Graypaw. For more of Stemleaf's family, click here!
==Appearances==
==Trivia==
===Interesting facts===
*He has kittypet blood through Millie.
*He has the same shade of green eyes as his brother, Shellfur.
===Mistakes===
*He was mistakenly referred to as a senior warrior, though not being old enough to be called one.
*He is mistakenly depicted as mostly ginger on the Warrior Cats website family tree.
==Quotes==
==External links==
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==Notes and references==
de:Zweigblattfi:Varsilehtifr:Tige Feuilluenl:Stamkitpl:Łodygowy Liśćru:Стебель
Category:Toms
Category:ThunderClan cats
Category:Warriors
Category:Deceased characters
Category:Ghost cats
Category:Dark Forest cats
Category:StarClan cats
Category:The rebels