Peartuft

**Peartuft** is a muscular, sleek-furred dark gray tabby tom with yellow eyes.

## History

Pearkit is born to Yarrowstem and Coalshadow, along with his brother Rootkit. He is the more rambunctious of the two kits, and teases Rootkit for wanting to sit and think instead of play moss ball. Yarrowstem comforts Pearkit by saying that everyone is different, and that it doesn't make Rootkit any less of a good brother for not being the type to want to play with him.
When apprenticed, Pearpaw is given Longbranch as a mentor. Longbranch is a senior warrior of ThunderClan, and Pearpaw is excited to hear about all of the stories of battles past that his mentor has to share. Pearpaw is eager to jump into battle right from the beginning, and Longbranch reminds him that he has to learn how to fight before he can win. Flintstar, worried about Rootpaw's shy demeanor, often tells Longbranch and Vinestep to cooperate in their training schedules. Pearpaw trains with Rootpaw frequently, and is often frustrated at his brother's slow pace.
Pearpaw is invited to his first Gathering. While at the Gathering, he meets the eye of a RiverClan apprentice named Snowpaw. The two begin talking, and grow to be friends before the Gathering is over. They agree that they want to continue talking to one another, and decide that they will keep meeting under the secrecy of nightfall. Pearpaw is enticed by Snowpaw, and feels feelings for her that he can't explain within himself. He is excited to see Snowpaw again and can hardly sleep when he goes home that night.
Pearpaw meets with Snowpaw regularly. He recognizes that he is falling in love with the she-cat, and is relieved when she tells him that she is feeling the same. He feels pangs of regret for defying the warrior code, but wonders how bad it can be when it makes him feel so happy. Him and Snowpaw talk about growing up together and starting a family together, even though the both of them know it would likely never happen.
Pearpaw is made into a full warrior of ThunderClan, along with Rootpaw. They are given the warrior names Peartuft and Rootberry respectively. Peartuft is relieved to have finally completed his warrior training, and is eager to start fulfilling his warrior duties. He is valued by Flintstar for his strength and persistence, and is an honorable warrior of ThunderClan. He remains close to his brother, but always finds him strange in the ways that he persued conflict resolution.
Peartuft continues to meet with Snowpaw, and learns that she had also been made into a full warrior with the name of Snowstorm. One night, he is unaware of Rootberry watching him in the brush nearby. He falls asleep with Snowstorm, and pads home at dawn. Upon arriving back at the warriors' den, he is met by Rootberry, who had been waiting for him. Rootberry tells him that he knows about his secret, but that he will not tell Flintstar about it. Peartuft confesses that Snowstorm has been a consistent part of his life ever since meeting her at his first Gathering. He tells Rootberry that he loves her, and his brother is shocked by this. Fearing that he will be mad, Peartuft pleads with Rootberry to stay quiet about it. Rootberry tells him that he will not alert the Clan of this if Peartuft agrees to break it up. He explains that forbidden relationships are never destined to succeed. Peartuft, with a heavy heart, agrees to break it off with the RiverClan warrior.
At their next meeting, Peartuft tells Snowstorm that they cannot continue meeting. She halfheartedly agrees, but tells Peartuft that she will always remember him as the cat who taught her how to love. They spend one last night together, sharing tongues and laying close to each other until the sky turns pink in the morning. They share a pained goodbye, and part ways for the last time.
When Rootberry is made deputy of ThunderClan, Peartuft is jealous. He thinks of his brother as being too weak to have a leadership role in the Clan, and holds contempt against him because of this. Rootberry is confused, and persistently tries to mend the relationship between them. Peartuft refuses his advances and keeps to himself for the moons to come. Yarrowstem is troubled by the bad relationship forming between her sons and tries to counsel Peartuft into accepting Rootberry's position as deputy. Peartuft tells her that it is not wrong for him to feel this way, and that it will take time for him to come to terms with it.
Peartuft is given an apprentice by the name of Mistpaw. He is cold towards his apprentice, and makes her learn quickly in order to keep up with him. He vents his frustrations to her, since she is the only cat who he can really talk to about his familial problems. Mistpaw agrees with him, mostly due to the fact that he is her mentor, and he finds comfort in the fact that he can finally voice his issues. When Mistpaw gets older, she begins to speak her own opinions, and the two cats form a positive relationship.
Mistpaw befriends Quailpaw, whom is Rootberry's apprentice. This causes the two brothers to cooperate with each other in order to train their apprentices together. They cordially speak to one another, but the tension in the air is always apparent. Mistpaw asks Peartuft if her friendship with Quailpaw upsets him, and Peartuft tells her that it is not his responsibility to voice his opinions about what she does in her personal life.
Mistpaw is made into a warrior, and given the name Mistcloud. Peartuft is very proud of his apprentice and applauds her for the hard work she has done in training. Mistcloud and Peartuft continue to have a friendship and talk to one another about their frustrations with ThunderClan's leadership. Soon after the warrior ceremony, Flintstar begins to show signs of weakness due to a sickness entering his body. He dies within a few days, and Rootstar is named leader of ThunderClan.
Peartuft does not take kindly to his brother's new leadership. He shows contempt, and confronts his brother a few nights after earning his nine lives. He accuses Rootstar of biting off more than he can chew, and asks him how his Clan can expect a flower-picker to lead them through challenges. Rootstar is saddened by the lack of support by Peartuft, and asks him what he has ever done to wrong him. When Rootstar mentions that he misses the days when they were close, Peartuft dismisses him by saying that those days are long gone.
Peartuft is given another apprentice, Stagpaw. Stagpaw is strong and determined, and is eager to learn what it takes to be a warrior. He openly shows his admiration towards Rootstar and the deputy, Brookfeather, which causes Peartuft to warn him about openly trusting cats in a leadership position. Stagpaw says that it is important for all cats to respect authority, for that is what his mother Heatherice had told him. Peartuft, remembering Heatherice as a dignified senior warrior, simply tells Stagpaw that he should learn how to think for himself.
Stagpaw is later made into a warrior and given the name Stagleap, and Peartuft is proud of him.
Later, Mintsplash begins to take an interest in Peartuft. She starts to visit him while he broods by himself, and opens up her heart to him. Peartuft, never having feelings for another cat since Snowstorm, starts to feel happiness for the first time in a long time. Mistcloud chastises Peartuft for this, and says that the she-cat is too young to love the senior warrior. He tells his former apprentice that she can never understand, for her heart is unable to love in this way. Mistcloud, knowing that she can not deny this, simply tells him to be careful.
Peartuft later admits to himself that he has fallen in love with Mintsplash. He tells her that she is the only cat that can rise a purr out of him, and asks her to be his mate. She accepts, and later falls pregnant. She gives birth to three kits: Mountainkit, Snowkit, and Aspenkit. When Snowkit is born, Peartuft excuses himself from the nursery for a few moments. He noticed that the she-kit looks exactly like Snowstorm, whom he had tried not to think about for the last several seasons of his life. He is overcome with emotion, and his heart begins to yearn for the white she-cat he had said goodbye to all that time ago. When he returns, he suggests that the she-kit be named Snowkit, and Mintsplash finds that name beautiful. Peartuft does not tell his mate the reasoning behind the kit's name.
Peartuft becomes increasingly outspoken in Clan meetings and after Rootstar or Sunfire give out orders. He enjoys the attention that he draws to himself and soon convinces his best friend, Houndheart to join him in rebelling against Rootstar's leadership. Houndheart, who has always looked up to Peartuft as a warrior, supports his friend at every turn. Rootstar becomes exasperated with Peartuft stirring up trouble and repeatedly talks to him one-on-one to try to clear up any bad blood between them. While Peartuft appears civil and agreeable during these meetings, he does not trust anything Rootstar says and believes his brother is trying to silence and hurt him. He keeps his feelings to himself most of the time and performs his warrior duties without question each day, waiting for the right moment to strike.
A terrible illness strikes ThunderClan and infects Peartuft's own mate and kit, Mintsplash and Snowkit. Peartuft is extremely anxious about his family's wellbeing and is devastated when Frostcloud makes him stay away due to the risk of contracting the infection himself. He grows increasingly protective over his family and demands to see them on a regular basis. He grows worried when they continue to get more sick and prays to StarClan that they spare his beloved family.
After Rootstar leaves with a handful of ThunderClan's strongest warriors on a journey to find Guardians of the Dragon Tree, Peartuft seizes this opportunity to begin spreading contempt for Rootstar's leadership, utilizing Houndheart and his daughter Breezeflower's assistance. Soon, some of the younger warriors begin believing Peartuft's lies, including Firefall and Lionflight. Some of the older warriors, who have also had their doubts about Rootstar's leadership, join Peartuft's side. The tension grows within the Clan until it reaches a breaking point after Houndheart claws Sunfire's eyes after a heated discussion with the deputy, severely injuring him. Houndheart is then imprisoned within the ThunderClan camp and guarded by his fellow warriors for several days. During this time, Peartuft schemes a way to break his friend out, and they can finally run away and leave ThunderClan behind.
## Quotes

"*Bow down to me! I was always supposed to be* your *leader!*"
—Peartuft to Rootstar during their battle

"*It's not about the destination that we all end up at as mortal beings. It's about the journey, the little moments, the every day victories. That's what makes life worth living.*"
—Peartuft to Dapplestar

**Snowstorm**: "*Peartuft, I'm so glad to see you tonight. These past few days have been quite eventful...*"

**Peartuft**: "*We can't keep meeting. I'm sorry, Snowstorm, but this has to be our final meeting.*"

**Narrator**: "***Snowstorm widened her eyes, her mouth slightly agape. She was speechless for a few moments.***"

**Peartuft**: "*I'm sorry, my love. This is nothing I wanted. You know our dream — our home underneath the waterfall, our kits playing in the meadows. In another life, that is where we will be. Together always.*"
**Snowstorm**: "*Let's forget about it until the morning, alright?*"
**Narrator**: "***Snowstorm softened her gaze, and approached Peartuft. She settled down beside him and rested her head on his dark pelt. A purr rose in both of their throats.***"
**Peartuft**: "*I love you, Snowstorm. My meadow.*"

—Peartuft and Snowstorm's final meeting

"*How can I expect* you *to better our Clan, when you can't even better yourself? Rootberry, don't look me in the eye and tell me that Flintstar is making a good decision.* You *know that you aren't ready, and you know that it is selfish to accept the position anyways! ThunderClan has been built up to be so great... and you are a thorn in its side.*"
—Peartuft to Rootberry

"*Mistcloud, you cannot tell me to how to love when your own heart is too tough to bleed. I loved once, and though I can never have that again, Mintsplash has made me feel happiness again for the first time in many seasons. Please, I am asking you as my friend, to stay by my side.*"
—Peartuft to Mistcloud

"*I do not wish harm upon my brother. If the stars have written his destiny and guided him to be our leader, then so be it. I appreciate the support you all show for me, however, and I believe that we can get things done if we keep our momentum.*"
—Peartuft to his supporters

## Personality

In his earlier years, Peartuft was described as clever, charming, and a loyal warrior and friend. He could sweet-talk his way out of any bad situation and had a talent for public speaking, and he showed many positive leadership qualities.

In later years, Peartuft became increasingly disillusioned about his brother's success and became paranoid about falling into his shadow. His jealousy and hatred only continued to grow as Rootstar became deputy and then leader. He felt as though no cat paid him any attention anymore, when he was used to constant praise as a kit and apprentice, and decided to obtain this attention in different ways.

After Peartuft's rebellion against ThunderClan, many cats could describe him as cunning, cruel, and manipulative. He separated himself from the morals he was taught as a young cat and began to think of himself as above the Warrior Code.