Shorestep

**Shorestep** is a sandy gray-brown and white she-cat with yellow eyes.

Shorestep is listed under Allegiance Update 1 and Allegiance Update 2 as a warrior of RiverClan with an apprentice, Heartpaw.

Shorestep is listed under Allegiance Update 3, Allegiance Update 4, Allegiance Update 5, and Allegiance Update 6 as a warrior of RiverClan.

#### Chapter 2

When Iceslide returns to camp, he sees Shorestep demonstrating a hunting crouch for her new apprentice, Heartpaw.

#### Chapter 3

The clan is uneasy about Otterpelt's vision. Heartpaw is following Shorestep, worriedly asking about the vision. Shorestep gently assures her that there's nothing to worry about, and if Maplesky says Otterpelt just had an ordinary dream, he's right. Heartpaw is unsure, and Shorestep tells her to go change Dewwhisker and Shadepath's bedding.

Heartpaw reluctantly goes, but Iceslide can tell that Shorestep is unsure, but doesn't want the younger cats to worry.

When Iceslide is about to sneak out of camp, he sees Shorestep pad into the warriors den.

After Maplesky reassures the clan about the vision, Shorestep nudges Heartpaw and says "See? I told you."

#### Chapter 7

When Iceslide and Frostedcloud return to camp, he sees Grayshadow and Whitedapple laying by the side of the clearing speaking to Shorestep.

#### Chapter 9

When Iceslide is made a warrior again. Shorestep is one of the cats who disapproves. Troutspots grumbles that Iceslide is no warrior. Beside him, Shorestep agrees and narrows her eyes, saying that Iceslide should just stay in twolegplace.

#### Chapter 11

When Iceslide is looking around at the couples in the camp, he notes that those who managed to find love in RiverClan are lucky.

He sees Dipfoot and Shallowpool sitting together, purring. Beyond them, Shorestep watches them coldly for a moment, then snorts and lashes her tail as she stands and walks away. Iceslide remembers that Dipfoot and Shorestep had been mates when he was an apprentice, and are the parents of Coralshine and Perchstripe. He isn't sure what happened between them, but they're no longer mates, and Dipfoot had moved on to Shallowpool.

#### Chapter 13

During a clan meeting, Iceslide is noted to look past Shorestep and Lakesong to see the cats at the front of the crowd.

After Otterpelt wails about her vision, Troutspots says that the medicine cats are hiding something and know something that they don't. Shorestep stares at him and asks "But what? Is RiverClan doomed?"

#### Chapter 18

Frostedcloud asks Shorestep to lead a hunting patrol and take Salmonstripe, Petalfin, and Perchstripe with her. She nods, and Iceslide watches as she and the others leave the camp.

Just after Shallowpool's kits are born, Shorestep yowls Shimmerstar's name, and everyone's attention snaps to the camp entrance. Iceslide stands and stares in alarm as Shorestep limps into camp, followed by the rest of her patrol. Her shoulder trickles with blood.

Shimmerstar shoots over to the warriors and asks what happened. Shorestep spits that they were attacked, wincing as she sits down and licks blood from her shoulder, adding "Rogues!".

Maplesky and Otterpelt hurry over with bundles of cobweb, and Maplesky tells Shorestep to hold still as he begins dabbing her wound.

Salmonstripe explains that about five of them came out of nowhere. They attacked them and stole all the prey they caught. Maplesky confirms that there are no serious injuries.

#### Chapter 21

Shorestep, Troutspots, and Creekleap are clearing snow from the clearing.

When Shimmerstar calls a clan meeting to discuss how to defend against the rogues, Shorestep asks if they're going to make themselves prisoners in their own territory, her tail lashing as she says that they can't tiptoe around these rogues and change their whole way of life.

Many cats meow in agreement, and Shimmerstar raises her tail for silence, saying that she understands and she's right, but they're outnumbered, and a small patrol could easily be killed.

Later that day, Frostedcloud puts Iceslide on a hunting patrol. He notes that Shimmerstar hadn't been kidding about doubling the patrols inside, as Salmonstripe is leading the patrol, and they're joined by Sunripple, Shorestep, Frozenripple, Dipfoot, Risingpaw, Creekleap, and Heronleg.

Hunting is difficult with so many cats trampling about in the snow, so they spread out into smaller groups while staying relatively close to each other.

#### Chapter 22

RiverClan is awoken by Driftpaw wailing for help by the camp entrance. Shimmerstar reaches him with Frostedcloud and Salmonstripe and starts to ask what's going on. Driftpaw cuts her off and cries that they have to help them, his eyes lit with terror as he says that their camp is under attack by the rogues. He's nearly tripping over his words he's speaking so fast. He says that they're outnumbered, and it's bad. His father is already badly wounded, and his mentor, Windwhisker, is dead.

Driftpaw desperately begs them to come and hurry. Shimmerstar promises that they will. She quickly turns to her warriors and scans the nearest cats. She calls on Salmonstripe, Mudslip, Sunripple, Shorestep, Warmmoss, and Iceslide, then pauses as more cats hurry out into the open, calling on Winterlight and Heronleg to come too.

Driftpaw's tail is twitching back and forth in impatience and fear as Shimmerstar turns to him and orders him to lead the way. Driftpaw spins and races out of the camp, and the RiverClan cats follow.

When they reach the WindClan camp, they're surprised to find it quiet. The battle has ended. Shimmerstar hesitates as they near the gorse tunnel, raising her tail for her cats to stop. When she decides that it's safe, she leads the way into the camp.

Shimmerstar turns to her warriors and quietly tells them to help the wounded if they can, as Hivepelt and Silverberry would appreciate the help.

#### Chapter 23

When Iceslide reaches the RiverClan camp, he finds it under attack by the rogues. Dipfoot is guarding the nursery where Shallowpool and their kits are, hissing at Oil Tail and Glass Face to stay back, his fur fluffed up so that he looks twice his size. The two rogues face him, hissing and snarling.

Shorestep leaps to his side and bares her teeth, spitting that she can take them and telling Dipfoot to get Shallowpool and the kits somewhere safe.

Dipfoot looks at his ex-mate in surprise. It's noted that they've been hostile toward each other since they stopped being mates. But now, Shorestep is willing to fight to protect his new family. He starts to point out that there are two of them.

Shorestep cuts him off and shoots him an angry glare, accusing him of thinking she's too weak. She repeats herself for him to get Shallowpool and his kits out of here, calling him a mouse brain.

Dipfoot stares at her for a moment, then turns and runs into the nursery. Oil Tail starts after him, but Shorestep canons into him, knocking him aside and slashing her claws across his shoulder. Glass Face lunges at her and sinks his teeth into her shoulder, and she yowls in pain as the two rogues overpower her. Beyond them, Dipfoot leads his family out of the camp.

Iceslide forces his shocked body to race into battle. He leaps at Glass Face and knocks him away from Shorestep, telling him to get out of their camp. Iceslide hears a cry nearby and turns, gasping. Oil Tail raises his head from Shorestep, his chin dripping with her blood. She lays dead with a wound in her neck, her eyes wide and glazed.

When Dipfoot, Shallowpool, and the kits return to the camp, Shorestep lays dead by the nursery. As Shallowpool quickly guides the kits into the nursery, trying to keep them from seeing. Dipfoot stares at the body numbly for a long moment before following them.

As Iceslide lets his gaze drift across the clearing, he sees Shorestep's body among others, and notes that they'd still be alive if he hadn't brought the rogues here, and it's all his fault.

#### Chapter 24

Iceslide awakes, and his stomach twists as he remembers the events of yesterday and the cats who died, naming Shorestep as one of them. Sorrow and guilt pulls at his heart. He feels unable to resurface.

#### Chapter 29

Shorestep is one of the cats that Iceslide thinks about while waiting for Bone Shred to arrive.

## Quotes

*"Hush, there's nothing to worry about. Maplesky has been a medicine cat since I was just a kit. He knows what he's doing. If he says it was an ordinary dream, he's right."*

-Shorestep to Heartpaw in *"Beyond the River"*, chapter 3

*"See? I told you."*

-Shorestep to Heartpaw after Maplesky reassures the clan about Otterpelt's vision in *"Beyond the River"*, chapter 3

*"He should just stay in twolegplace."*

-Shorestep to Troutspots about Iceslide in *"Beyond the River"*, chapter 9

*"We were attacked! Rogues!"*

-Shorestep when her patrol returns wounded in *"Beyond the River"*, chapter 18

*"Are we going to make ourselves prisoners in our own territory? We can't tiptoe around these rogues and change our whole way of life!"*

-Shorestep to the clan in *"Beyond the River"*, chapter 21

*"I can take them! Get Shallowpool and the kits somewhere safe!"*

Dipfoot: *"There are two of them-"*

*"You think I'm too weak, do you? I said get them out of here! Go, you mouse-brain!"*

-Shorestep about to fight the rogues threatening the nursery in *"Beyond the River"*, chapter 23