Prey

**Prey**, or **fresh-kill**, is a Clan term for the animals, both large and small, that are or can be caught for the purpose of consumption.

## **DETAILS**

The importance of eating is something that the Clans are concerned about every single day. They eat to keep up strength and maintain the health of the Clan as a whole. Each of the Clans have a hunting specialty, due to the terrain they are familiar with and the traditions the cats are raised by.

Many different species of prey are hunted by Warriors in the Clans. Usually, after killing prey, Clan cats will give thanks to StarClan for its life, and will bury it to keep it safe from other predators until they are ready to carry it back to camp. The remains (i.e. the bones, feathers, fur) are usually buried.

Clan cats will not kill prey only for fun, without the intention of using it to feed oneself, or the Clan, as this is part of StarClan's Code. It is also in the code that the hunters may not eat until they have caught prey for the rest of the Clan. Traditionally, the weaker cats will be fed before the Apprentices and Warriors. The Leader or Deputy of a Clan must send more patrols before the cold weather strikes. In leaf-bare, prey is much harder to find than in any other season.

## **CROWFOOD**

**Crowfood** is the Clan term for prey that has left to become rotten and unfit to eat. Prey typically is considered crowfood after about one or two days since it was killed. Clan cats will occasionally eat crowfood if they are desperate and starving, but they avoid it as much as possible as it usually causes bellyaches or more severe illnesses. The word "crowfood" is also used as an insult, as in "Shut up, you mangy piece of crowfood."

## **LIST OF PREY ANIMALS**

### **Amphibians**

#### **Frogs**

* **Description:** Leathery gray-green or gray-brown amphibians with powerful hind legs, a small brown patch by each eye and leathery skin. About 6 cm (two to three inches) in length. Usually only caught by FireClan.
* **Book Mentions:** *Hawkstar's Promise*, *Redsight's Secret*, *Clawfrost's Rage, Clawfrost and Cynthia*

*Redsight's Secret -* Redkit unsuccessfully tries to get Tigerleap to eat her favorite kind of prey, frog.

*Clawfrost's Rage -* Softdust catches a brace of frogs for FireClan.

*Clawfrost and Cynthia -* Cynthia watches a ForestClan patrol consisting of Clawfrost, Echopaw, Iceeyes and Bluepaw chasing a frog. Bluepaw comments that they're nasty, but Clawfrost says that distasteful or not, prey is prey.

#### **Toads**

* **Description:** Greenish-brown amphibians with a heavy, rounded shape, thick legs and warty skin. Three to five inches long. Usually only caught by FireClan.
* **Book Mentions:** *Reaper's Fury*

### **Avians**

#### **Blackbirds**

* **Description:** Have glossy black plumage, a long tail, blackish-brown legs, an orange eye ring and an orange-yellow beak. About 26 cm in length. Often caught by ForestClan.
* **Book Mentions:** *Quickstar's Vow**,* *Froststar's Retaliation*, *Hawkstar's Promise*, *Fallenstar's Prophecy*, *Soulstar's Quest*

*Quickstar's Vow -* Houndspots finds Quickclaw patrolling while looking for beech leaves. He says he has a gift for her, and drops a blackbird at her paws. Quickclaw jokingly retorts that at least he didn't get her a squirrel that time.

#### **Chickens**

* **Description:** Normally shades of brown, white, or black plumage. Red markings on the head.Have red wattles the underside of the neck, close to the bill. About 30 cm long. Often caught by Rogues or Loners.
* **Book Mentions:** *The Rise of Maverick*, *The Lone Warriors*, *Yewstar's Storm*

*The Rise of Maverick -*  Maverick was offered chicken by an old she-cat, who comments that she is surprised he doesn't know what it is, since he's a Kittypet. He describes it as the most delicious thing he has ever eaten.

#### **Crows**

* **Description:** Long-legged scavenging birds with a completely black body, a thick neck and a heavy, straight bill. 40-50 cm in length. Considered very difficult to catch.
* ***Book Mentions:** Meaningful Fate*

*Meaningful Fate -* Sunpaw catches an old, yet big, crow, impressing Littletail.

#### **Eagles**

* **Description:** Large size, powerful build, heavy back and beak, keen eyesight and broad wings. About 1 meter long. They have sharp, curved talons.
* **Book Mentions:** *Soulstar's Quest*

*Soulstar's Quest* - Brindlepaw almost gets taken by an eagle, but Twigleaf saves him by clawing at the bird until it loosens its grip.

#### **Eggs**

* **Description:** Unborn birds, found in nests protected by adult birds.
* **Book Mentions:** *Echopaw's Farewell*

*Echopaw's Farewell* - Echopaw, Pounce and Fuzz eat some eggs on their journey to AirClan.

#### **Hawks**

* **Description:** Smaller than eagles. Have impressive eyesight and curved talons. About one foot tall.
* **Book Mentions:** *Froststar's Retaliation*

#### **Falcons**

* **Description:** Small fast birds of prey - speed is faster than that of a hawk's. Have tapered wings with a wide wingspan for flying. Length varies from species to species: from 25 cm to 65 cm.
* **Book Mentions:** *Foxtail's Past*

#### **Finches**

* **Description:** A common type of songbird. About 10 cm in length. Have strong stubby beaks and are pretty and colorful. Often caught by FireClan.

#### **Lapwings**

* **Description:** About 25-41cm long. They are very protective of their young. Their enemies are mainly weasels who hunt their young. Mainly found on the moors. They make their nests in clumps of heather. Often caught by AirClan.
* **Book Mentions:** *Froststar's Retaliation*

*Froststar's Retaliation* - Bumblewing is eating with Frostkit, and mentions lapwings to be her favorite, however, they are only hunted for in the breeding season. Later, Frostpaw watches as lapwings swoop down in the heather protecting their young.

#### **Magpies**

* **Description:** Black and white birds that are related to crows. Very intelligent. About 20-30 cm in length. Often caught by ForestClan.
* **Book Mentions:** *Hawkstar's Promise*

Hawk*star's Promise* - A magpie knocks Hawkkit out of a tree. Later, Stoatbelly organizes a patrol to catch it.

#### **Moorhens**

* **Description:** Medium sized water birds (about 35cm in length). Mostly brown and black with some white markings. Have rounded wings. Weak fliers but fast runners and swimmers. Often caught by EarthClan.
* **Book Mentions:** *Hawkstar's Promise*, *Fallenstar's Prophecy, Soulstar's Quest*

*Hawkstar's Promise* - While Hawkstar walks along the River, he sees fish near the surface and spiky footprints where a moorhen had walked.

*Fallenstar's Prophecy* - Fallenrain spots a moorhen snuffling among roots of a tree. She strikes at it, and Hawkshade shows up to praise her.

*Soulstar's Quest* - After the flood, Soulstar and Flameleap continue along a river searching for recruits. They see many remnants of the flood including moorhens squawking miserably for lost chicks.

#### **Pheasants**

* **Description:** Large birds. Highly ornate with bright colors, wattles and long tails. About one meter in length.
* **Book Mentions:** *Clawfrost and Cynthia*

#### **Pigeons and Doves**

* **Description:** Stout-bodied birds with short necks, short, slender bills. About 32 cm in length.
* **Book Mentions:** *Froststar's Retaliation*, *Fallenstar's Prophecy*, *Clawfrost's Rage*, *Soulstar's Quest*, *Clawfrost and Cynthia*

*Clawfrost's Rage -* Bramblestripe and the other elders of FireClan share a pigeon that Clawfrost and his Rogues bring to camp.

#### **Robins**

* **Description:** Songbird with a reddish-brown breast, brown underparts. Sometimes jet-black to gray. Mostly yellow-brown bill. About 35 cm long. Often caught by ForestClan.
* **Book Mentions:** *Unwavering Spirit*

*Unwavering Spirit -* While it rains, Windspots climbs a tree to try to catch a robin, despite Graynose and Pumpkin telling him it's not a good idea. When he's about to jump, thunder scares away the robin and causes him to slip and fall, getting hit in the head and later dying from the blunt force.

#### **Seagulls**

* **Description:** Mostly white birds with long beaks that squawk very loudly. Usually only seen in the Sandyplace.

Fogpaw sees a seagull fly by, squawking. He asks Dawnsun what it is, as he had never been to the Sandyplace before. Dawnsun explains that seagulls often come to the Sandyplace.

#### **Sparrows**

* **Description:** Small and plump brown-gray songbirds with short tails and stubby yet powerful beaks. About 14 cm in length. Often caught by ForestClan.
* **Book Mentions:** *Fallenstar's Prophecy*, *Soulstar's Quest*, *Echopaw's Farewell*

#### **Starlings**

* **Description:** Black feathers with iridescent markings, bright yellow beaks. About 25 cm in length.
* **Book Mentions:** *Hawkstar's Promise*, *Fallenstar's Prophecy*, *Soulstar's Quest*

#### **Thrushes**

* **Description:** Songbird. Soft-plumaged, small to medium sized birds, about 20 cm in length.
* **Book Mentions:** *Froststar's Retaliation*, *Hawkstar's Promise*, *Fallenstar's Prophecy*, *Soulstar's Quest*

#### **Wagtails**

* **Description:** Small, often colorful birds with long tails, which wag frequently. About 16-19 cm in length. Often caught by AirClan.
* **Book Mentions:** *Foxtail's Past*

*Foxtail's Past -* Zora catches a wagtail and trots happily towards her and Crowbeak's meeting spot to show her what she caught.

#### **Wrens**

* **Description:** Medium to very small songbirds (about 15cm in length). Colors of their plumage can be gray, brown, black and white. Often caught by FireClan.
* **Book Mentions:** *Batstar's Vengeance*

*Batstar's Vengeance -* Batflight catches a wren before noticing Mistyeyes hunting over the EarthClan border.

### **Crustaceans**

#### **Crabs**

* **Description:** Hard-shelled, usually pale orange or red. Referred to as looking like a big spider because of its three pairs of legs. Only seen in the Sandyplace.
* **Book Mentions:** *Twigheart's Devotion*

*Twigheart's Devotion -* In the Sandyplace, Swiftpaw sees a crab scuttle by. He asks Moonheart if it is edible, to which he replies that it is, if you can break its shell, which would only be possible by dropping rocks on it with force.

#### **Crayfish**

* **Description:** Hard-shelled, usually a deep red in color. Rarely ever seen in the Sandyplace.
* **Book Mentions:** *Moonheart's Solitude*

*Moonheart's Solitude -* While out in the Sandyplace, Moonheart and Ashblaze spot a crayfish near the rocky outcrops. Ashblaze leans in to sniff it, and it snaps its pincers, barely missing his nose. Moonheart purrs amusingly at the interaction, while Ashblaze protests good-humoredly.

#### **Sandhoppers**

* **Description:** Very small bug-like creatures that hop about in the Sandyplace.
* **Book Mentions:** *Patchcloud's Path*

*Patchcloud's Path -* Patchpaw has a dream about Leaftrail in the Sandyplace. In it, some sandhoppers appear next to her, jumping suddenly, which spooks her. Leaftrail is amused by it, explaining to her that the sandhoppers are too small to hurt her.

#### **Shrimp**

* **Description:** Small sea creatures that are only seen in the Sandyplace.
* **Book Mentions:** *Morning Breeze*

*Morning Breeze -* While looking for fresh seaweed on the rocky outcrops of the Sandyplace, Lionpaw sees a small pond full of shrimp. He asks Marshwater if he can eat them, and Marshwater replies that he can, as long as he can catch them.

### **Fish**

#### **Carps**

* **Description:** Large fish. Often caught by WaterClan.
* **Book Mentions:** *Hawkstar's Promise, Echopaw's Farewell*, *Stormstar's Omen*

#### **Chubs**

* **Description:** Ray-finned fish. Often caught by WaterClan.
* **Book Mentions:** *Lilyfur's Desire*

*Lilyfur's Desire -* Lilypaw finds a dead eel washed up on the shore of the River and, after also catching a large chub, brings it back to the Willow Falls. Everyone is shocked that she managed to catch one, as eels emit electric shocks when threatened, but Lilypaw admits that she only caught the chub and found the eel dead in the River.

#### **Cods**

* **Description:** Big sea fish that very rarely wash up on the shore of the Sandyplace.
* **Book Mentions:** *Batstar's Vengeance*

*Batstar's Vengeance -* After the fire in FireClan, Mistyeyes shows up near the FireClan border and brings Batflight a huge cod that she found dead on the Sandyplace so that she can share it with her Clan. She playfully assures her that it couldn't have been dead for longer than a day, from the smell it had. Batflight doesn't say this, but she admires Mistyeyes's keen sense of smell.

#### **Eels**

* **Description:** Long, slimy fish that may give out electric shocks when threatened. Often caught by WaterClan.
* **Book Mentions:** *Lilyfur's Desire*

*Lilyfur's Desire -* Lilypaw finds a dead eel washed up on the shore of the River and, after also catching a large chub, brings it back to the Willow Falls. Everyone is shocked that she managed to catch one, as eels emit electric shocks when threatened, but Lilypaw admits that she only caught the chub and found the eel dead in the River.

#### **Minnows**

* **Description:** Tiny fish. Often caught by WaterClan.
* **Book Mentions:** *Hawkstar's Promise*, *Stormstar's Omen*, *Heronclaw's Story*

#### **Trouts**

* **Description:** Large fish. Often caught by WaterClan.
* **Book Mentions:** *Hawkstar's Promise*, *Stormstar's Omen*

### **Mammals**

#### **Bats**

* **Description:** Small furry animals with large ears and whose forelimbs form webbed wings. Only mammal capable of true flight. Range of different lengths - smallest bat is 29mm long.
* **Book Mentions:** *Unwavering Spirit*

*Unwavering Spirit -* While coming back from a night patrol, Pumpkin sees a bat flying around near the Rough Hollow. He nods towards Windspots, and Windspots leaps into the air and catches the bat in his jaws. Pumpkin praises him, but tells him that there was no need to be such a show-off.

#### **Hares**

* **Description:** Long legs and ears similar to a rabbit. Fur is commonly an orange shade of brown. Very fast; can reach speeds of 45mph. About 45 cm. Often caught by AirClan and also their main prey alongside rabbits.
* **Book Mentions:** *Froststar's Retaliation*

#### **Mice**

* **Description:** Small brown rodents with long, naked tails, whiskers, large ears and prominent dark eyes. About 10 cm in length. Found on every Clan territory.
* **Book Mentions:** *Froststar's Retaliation*, *Hawkstar's Promise*, *Fallenstar's Prophecy*, *Soulstar's Quest*, *Clawfrost and Cynthia*, *The Lone Warriors*

#### **Rabbits**

* **Description:** Compact animals with long legs, oval-shaped heads, long ears and light brown fur with a lighter underbelly. About 35 cm long. Often caught by AirClan, and also their main prey alongside hares.
* **Book Mentions:** *Froststar's Retaliation*, *Hawkstar's Promise*, *Fallenstar's Prophecy*, *Soulstar's Quest*, *Yewstar's Storm*, *Clawfrost and Cynthia*, *The Lone Warriors*, *Molestar's Shadow*

#### **Rats**

* **Description:** Small rodents with long bald tails and fur that ranges from gray-brown through black. About 25 cm in length.
* **Book Mentions:** *Froststar's Retaliation*, *Hawkstar's Promise*, *Soulstar's Quest*

#### **Shrews**

* **Description:** Small, rodent-like creatures. Have gray to brown fur, long noses, small eyes and rounded bodies, About 9 cm long.
* **Book Mentions:** *Meaningful Fate, Froststar's Retaliation,* *Fallenstar's Prophecy*, *Echopaw's Farewell*

*Meaningful Fate -* Mudpaw sees Windpaw laying in a sunny patch with two shrews near him. She asks him if he's planning to eat both of them, to which he replies that, as tempting as that sounds, he's saving one for Graypaw. Later, Graypaw mentions that she hopes that Windpaw saved her a shrew, since they're her favorite kind of prey.

#### **Squirrels**

* **Description:** Rodents with fluffy tails and small paws. Majority are gray, though black, albino and red ones exist. About 8.5 cm in length. Often caught by ForestClan.
* **Book Mentions:** *Quickstar's Vow*, *Froststar's Retaliation, Redsight's Secret*, *Hawkstar's Promise*, *Fallenstar's Prophecy*, *Clawfrost and Cynthia,* *Soulstar's Quest*

*Quickstar's Vow -* Houndspots finds Quickclaw patrolling while looking for herbs. He says he has a gift for her, and drops a blackbird at her paws. Quickclaw jokingly retorts that at least he didn't get her a squirrel that time. Houndspots asks her what's wrong with squirrels, and she tells him that, although prey is prey, she doesn't like them much because they have too much fur.

*Redsight's Secret* - Two StarClan cats are seen chasing a squirrel up an oak tree.

*Fallenstar's Prophecy* - A plump squirrel falls on top of Fallenkit. Later, Fallenpaw makes her first catch on her first day as an apprentice: a squirrel. The Warriors and Elders are noted to be especially impressed, and Fallenpaw waits for a cat to pick it off the fresh-kill pile.

#### **Voles**

* **Description:** Have very small, gray, stout bodies, a short hairy tail, a slightly round head and small ears and eyes. About 15 cm in length. Often caught by FireClan.
* **Book Mentions:** *Patchcloud's Path*, *Froststar's Retaliation, Redsight's Secret*, *Hawkstar's Promise*, *Fallenstar's Prophecy*, Soulstar's Quest, *Yewstar's Storm*

*Patchcloud's Path* - Honeypad attempts to joke around by saying he has eaten too many voles.

#### **Water Shrews**

* **Description:** Large shrews with small ears, a waterproof coat and a tail with a line of stiff fur that acts as a rudder. About 15 cm long. Often caught by WaterClan.
* **Book Mentions:** *Meaningful Fate*

*Meaningful Fate -* During a gathering, Brightstar mentions that her Warriors have found a lot of water shrew nests near WaterClan's side of the River.

#### **Water Voles**

* **Description:** Small rodent with a short nose and tail and dense brown fur. About 25 cm in length. Often caught by WaterClan, but also found on ForestClan territory, often near water sources.
* **Book Mentions:** *Soulstar's Quest*

#### **Wood Mice**

* **Description:** Look like normal mice but have longer, larger ears and a long, narrow snout. Often caught by EarthClan.
* **Book Mentions:** *Quickstar's Vow*

*Quickstar's Vow* - Volepaw stalks and catches a wood mouse, and Houndspots tells Quickstar about it.

#### **Weasels**

* **Description:** Long-bodied mammals, usually brown. Often caught by EarthClan.
* **Book Mentions:** *Sylvester's Secret*

*Sylvester's Secret -* Cloudstorm is mentioned to have caught a weasel. Sylvester glances proudly at his former Apprentice, and gives him a nod as he passes by.

### **Reptiles**

#### **Adders**

* **Description:** Venomous snakes with long scaly bodies. Greenish-brown color in females and steely gray in males. Body marked with indented zigzag stripes. About 1 meter or longer in length. Can be referred to as a viper.
* **Book Mentions:** *Fallenstar's Prophecy*

*Fallenstar's Prophecy* - Mousestep tells Fallenkit and Acornkit that Jupiter is recovering from an adder bite.

#### **Lizards**

* **Description:** Small brown reptiles with mottled, leathery skin and low slung bodies. They also have long, whip-like tails and stuck-out legs. Many shapes and sizes, though the ones caught by Clan cats are shorter, around 15 cm.
* **Book Mentions:** *Redsight's Secret*, *Soulstar's Quest*

*Redsight's Secret* - Redsight is said to have caught a lizard on her first hunt with Flowerfall as an Apprentice.

*Soulstar's Quest* - Soulstar disturbs a lizard basking on a rock. As his shadow falls on it, the lizard whisks into a crack.

#### **Snakes**

* **Description:** Long, thin reptiles with mottled skin in shades of dark and light brown that range from yellow to red. On average they are about 1.5 meters, although sizes may vary between species and such. FireClan sometimes catch these.

### **Bugs**

#### **Beetles**

* **Description:** Shiny, wide-bodied, black insects with black legs.

### **Worms**

#### **Earthworms**

* **Description:** Slender, long, soft bodied invertebrates that burrow into the ground.
* **Book Mentions:** *Mousestep's Curse*

*Mousestep's Curse* - During the hard leaf-bare, Badgerheart offers to share Mousestep worms that were dug up by Rubblepaw.