Juniperclaw

***Spoiler warning:** Plot and/or ending details follow.*

**Juniperclaw** is a sleek, skinny, lithe black tom with green eyes and a thin tail.

**Juniperclaw** was a ShadowClan deputy under Tigerstar's leadership in the lake territories. He was born to Dawnpelt and Crowfrost alongside Strikestone and Sleekwhisker, and as an apprentice, **Juniperpaw** was mentored by Stonewing. He, along with the other apprentices, felt ShadowClan was no longer feared and eventually left to become one of Darktail's rogues, giving himself the name of **Juniperclaw**. After realizing Darktail's true sinister intentions, he fled to ThunderClan.

Following the Kin's defeat, Juniperclaw mentored Whorlpelt and still heavily spoke out against Rowanstar. When ShadowClan was annexed, Juniperclaw became part of SkyClan under Leafstar. In the wake of Tigerstar becoming leader, Juniperclaw rejoined ShadowClan and became deputy after Tawnypelt stepped down. Trying to end the fighting with SkyClan, Juniperclaw poisoned SkyClan's fresh-kill, which Alderheart uncovered, thus Tigerstar stripped him from his deputy position for his crimes. Subsequently, Juniperclaw escaped ShadowClan and saved Violetshine and Shadowkit in a flood, which in atonement for his actions, he let himself drown. Afterwards, Cloverfoot succeeded him as deputy.

## History

*Looking for a longer overview? Find one here!*

### *A Vision of Shadows*

> There are cats in SkyClan *right now* who followed Darktail. I'm one of them. Will you drive us out too, one day? Don't you believe a cat can change?
>
> Juniperclaw to Leafstar, River of Fire

Juniperpaw is a young ShadowClan apprentice with Stonewing as his mentor. His parents are Dawnpelt and Crowfrost, the ShadowClan deputy. He and his littermates speak out against the warrior code, much to their parents' horror. Juniperpaw eventually leaves ShadowClan with Needlepaw, Sleekpaw, and Violetkit to join Darktail and his rogues, giving himself the name of Juniperclaw. While he enjoys the freedom of being a rogue, he realizes how cruel Darktail is and regrets his decision to leave ShadowClan. He manages to escape with his brother, Strikestone, with help from their mother. He participates in driving out the Kin from the lake, but still holds resentment against Rowanstar for letting ShadowClan be taken over. During this time, he is given Whorlpaw as an apprentice.
After Rowanstar loses confidence in his leadership and Tigerheart disappears, the entirety of ShadowClan joins SkyClan. After Leafstar turns away his sister, Sleekwhisker, and Yarrowleaf, Juniperclaw helps harbor them in ShadowClan's old camp, and begins to spite Leafstar. He later rejoins ShadowClan when Tigerheart becomes leader, and Whorlpaw becomes a warrior. At the reformed ShadowClan's first Gathering, he is announced as ShadowClan's new deputy in place of Tawnypelt, which sparks an uproar among the Clans as Juniperclaw had abandoned ShadowClan in favor of being a rogue with Darktail.
As the fight with SkyClan reaches its peak, Juniperclaw decides to poison SkyClan with deathberry seeds to coerce them to leave the lake and nearly kills Sparrowpelt. However, his plot is discovered by Alderheart and the accusations are brought before ShadowClan, to which Juniperclaw admits to poisoning SkyClan, but tries to affirm that he did it for the sake of ShadowClan. ShadowClan is horrified, and Strikestone and Tigerstar effectively disown him as family, the latter demoting him from deputyship. Juniperclaw escapes the camp soon afterward and upon discovering Violetshine and Shadowkit in a flood, he sacrifices himself to save them both to atone for his actions. After his death, Cloverfoot succeeded him as deputy.

## Personality and Relationships

Main article: Juniperclaw/PR
As an apprentice, Juniperclaw was a rude, arrogant and rebellious cat with no respect for rules, elders, his own Clan or the other Clans. While he realized some of his wrongs after Darktail's rule, Juniperclaw maintained his defiance through his deputyship. For more of Juniperclaw's personality and relationships, click here!
## Family

Main article: Juniperclaw/Family
Juniperclaw's parents are Crowfrost and Dawnpelt, and his littermates are Strikestone and Sleekwhisker. For more of Juniperclaw's family, click here!
## Appearances

* *The Apprentice's Quest* (First appearance; mentioned only)
* *Thunder and Shadow*
* *Shattered Sky*
* *Darkest Night*
* *Tigerheart's Shadow*
* *River of Fire*
* *Tawnypelt's Clan*
* *The Raging Storm* †
* *Squirrelflight's Hope* (Mentioned only)
* *Veil of Shadows* (Mentioned only)

## Trivia

### Interesting facts

* Juniperclaw has ThunderClan blood through Tawnypelt.

### Author statements

* Kate thinks Juniperclaw went to StarClan, claiming that "because he redeemed himself at the end, and he was only misguided, not evil."

### Mistakes

* Juniperclaw has been mistakenly described as a she-cat.

## Quotes

**Stonewing**: "*How could you embarrass me like this? Haven't I been a good mentor to you? I've taught you everything you know.*"

**Juniperpaw**: "*Cats are born knowing how to hunt and fight. Why do I need you telling me what I already know?*"

—After the apprentices speak out against the older cats *Thunder and Shadow*, page 144

> Not even WindClan respects us anymore. At the last Gathering, Fernpaw called us a bunch of frog-eaters. In the old days, apprentices from other Clans didn't even dare speak to us. Ratscar told us that ThunderClan used to tell nursery stories about how terrifying we were. I bet their nursery stories aren't so scary now.
>
> Juniperpaw on why he wants to join Darktail, Thunder and Shadow

> I'm going with her. Nobody's going to tell me what prey I can eat ever again.
>
> Juniperpaw after Needlepaw goes rogue, Thunder and Shadow

***See more***

**Strikestone**: "*I suppose we do get a rabbit, and no bloodshed.*"

**Juniperclaw**: "*I still wish we could have left them with a scratch or two.*"

—Strikestone and Juniperclaw after a battle is prevented *Tigerheart's Shadow*, page 66

**Leafstar**: "*Darktail was our enemy! He killed our Clanmates too!*"

**Juniperclaw**: "*How? You only joined our last battle with the rogues. I don't remember hearing that any of you died.*"

**Leafstar**: "*He invaded our home in the gorge and took over. Eventually, he drove us from our camp.*"

**Juniperclaw**: "*Eventually?*"

—Juniperclaw and Leafstar at a Gathering *Darkest Night*, page 35

> Scorchfur wasn't alone in wanting a stronger leader than Rowanstar.
>
> Juniperclaw about Rowanstar at a Gathering, Darkest Night

**Juniperclaw**: "*Oh, that’s enough! You kits need to settle down right now. You’re waking up the whole camp!*"

**Dovewing**: "*Sorry, Juniperclaw. But they’re only kits.*"

**Juniperclaw**: "*Maybe that’s how kits act in ThunderClan, but here we expect them to have some consideration for their Clanmates.*"

—Juniperclaw after Shadowkit, Pouncekit and Lightkit wake him up *Tawnypelt's Clan*, page Chapter 1

*End of spoiler warning*
## External links

* The Warrior Code: An Outdated Relic? on the *Warriors* official website (Indirect mention only) (backup link)
* Best of the Worst on the *Warriors* official website (Indirect mention only) (backup link)
* Creating an Antagonist on the *Warriors* official website (Indirect mention only) (backup link)

## Notes and references

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Revealed in *The Apprentice's Quest*, allegiances
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Revealed in *Tigerheart's Shadow*, allegiances
3. ↑ Revealed in *River of Fire*, chapter 20
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Revealed in *Thunder and Shadow*, page 176
5. ↑ Revealed in *Shattered Sky*, allegiances
6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Revealed in *Shattered Sky*, chapter 10
7. ↑ Revealed in *River of Fire*, allegiances
8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Revealed in *The Raging Storm*, page 317
9. ↑ Revealed in *Thunder and Shadow*, page 182
10. ↑ Revealed in *Thunder and Shadow*, page 205
11. ↑ Revealed in *Shattered Sky*, chapter 14
12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Revealed in *The Raging Storm*, chapter 6
13. ↑ Revealed in *The Raging Storm*, chapter 25
14. ↑ Revealed in *The Raging Storm*, chapter 14
15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 Revealed in *Thunder and Shadow*, page 82
16. ↑ Revealed in *Tawnypelt's Clan*, chapter 1
17. ↑ Revealed in *Rising Storm*, page 20
**Author references**

1. ↑ *The Raging Storm* Spoiler Page on Kate's Blog (backup link) (screenshot)
2. ↑ *Silent Thaw* Spoiler Page on Kate's Blog (backup link) (screenshot)
1. ↑ Juniperclaw was born into ShadowClan, left for Darktail, rejoined, later merged into SkyClan, and then rejoined once again.

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