Starleaf (character)

## Starleaf

**Starleaf** is a female baboon who is the spiritual and religious guide of the Brightforest Troop. She reads the signs given to her by the Moonstones from the Great Spirit or nature. The baboons and the Crownleaf always consult her on decision making, for they ask the outcome of them. The Starleaf also uses various objects to help her read and tell the future. In *Code of Honor*, she used the Moonstone along with different colored and translucent stones to help her read the future of the troop and Bravelands. She said that all will be well and that the Great Spirit will choose a new Great Parent.

## Appearance

The Starleaf is a stately female baboon. The fur on her forehead is streaked white and she has amber eyes and a serious expression.

## Biography

### *Broken Pride*

When Starleaf first appears, she is called on to decide what to do with Fearless. She holds the Moonstone up to the sky and says that finding Fearless suggests good luck. She is later seen when her son hurts his leg.

### *Code of Honor*

Later in *Code of Honor*, the Starleaf hosted a Moon Reading to determine the fate of the Brightforest Troop and Bravelands. The Moon Reading was held on the night of a Blood Moon. The whole troop attended the Moon Reading, but many of them had developed disregard for Moon Readings, especially the Strongbranches. When the Moon Reading began, Starleaf held up the Moonstones up to the sky as the moon turned red and said that the moon told her that there will be death and despair. The troop hooted and howled in commotion while Stinger Crownleaf tried to calm them down. Stinger then said that since the moon had turned white again that Starleaf should search for other signs, but she insisted that her readings were correct. Starleaf stated that clouds obscured the shape of the Blood Moon and mentioned the torrential downpours, the ravaging winds, and the unbearable heat. She explained how this caused a great drought that caused animals to die. She also said she found rotting moss on trees, which was a sign of the troop being in the midst of turmoil and that they needed to regain their true ways. Stinger purposely mislead the troop into perceiving the Moon Reading was about past troubles when Bark and Grub Crownleaf were murdered. He said that he has stabilized the troop and will help them find the right path. However, Stinger did say that Titanpride was the danger to Bravelands and that the Brightforest Troop must be in unity and vigilant to end the turmoil. Starleaf continued to protest that her readings were not mistaken, but Stinger quickly repealed this by saying that the moon was past it's pinnacle.

Later that night, Stinger and the Strongbranches- excluding Thorn- planned to murder Starleaf because Stinger had convinced them that she was a traitor. Thorn rushed to Starleaf's quarters and quickly escorted her to live in the same kigelia forest as Nut. Starleaf questioned Mud's safety, but Thorn promised that he would protect him. Starleaf thanked him and also thanked Nut for offering to give her any portion of food he had foraged. Thorn quickly returned to the makeshift base of the Brightforest Troop with all the baboons in commotion. The other Strongbranches questioned Thorn as to where he was and where Starleaf went and Thorn lied, saying he murdered her, himself. They eventually find out about Thorn's schemes and have her killed and wound Nut in the process.