Shrubstar

**Shrubstar** is a light brown tabby tom with a small scar on his neck. He has lighter-colored back paws and sharp green eyes.

**Shrubstar** is the current leader of SkyClan. He was born as **Shrubkit** to Voletooth and Chicoryleaf alongside his sibling Buzzardkit. When he was a kit, he was very self-conscious of being smaller than Buzzardkit and usually lost in playfights against them. To make up for his perceived inadequacy, he overexaggerated his accomplishments and boasted frequently, much to the annoyance of the other young cats. Chicoryleaf indulged him in this and rarely encouraged him to play respectfully and practice humility. On the other hand, Voletooth was a distant parent and hardly checked in on his kits or mate. Shrubkit craved his attention and often acted out to get his father to acknowledge him.

He was apprenticed to Tamarackneedle, but during this time, Voletooth spent more time training and mentoring him as well. The senior warrior encouraged him to value success above anything else, and to never let anyone intimidate him. **Shrubpaw** took this to heart and always felt the need to prove that he was the best at anything, and if anyone claimed otherwise, he perceived it as a personal slight against him. He picked fights often and made competitions to prove his superiority. Other cats got very annoyed at his rudeness and cocky attitude, especially Clovepaw and his sibling Buzzardpaw, but Hazelpaw and later Rushpaw were drawn to his brashness and bold demeanor.

In the middle of his apprenticeship, a harsh winter made prey scarce and there was a famine around the delta. Shrubpaw, who was an excellent hunter (and very proud of it) hoarded food in a tree hollow. It took all of his will power not to tell anyone that even through the toughest of winters, only he was such a good tracker that he could still find prey to eat. Buzzardpaw noticed him sneaking off and decided to follow him and discovered the tree hollow. She confronted him about it and pleaded for him to share, as everyone in SkyClan were starving. He snapped back at her that everyone should only look after themselves in a crisis and that food should be preserved for those strong enough to catch it. He threatened them not tell anyone, and they reluctantly complied. Buzzardpaw eventually starved to death, and Shrubpaw did feel a tiny hint of remorse. However, he crushed it down and told himself that Buzzardpaw brought it upon themself, and they should have trained harder.

During the spring, he earned his warrior name, **Shrubthorn**, and quickly gained respect for his hunting skills. Shrubthorn and Voletooth were critical of Gullystar's more gentle approach to inter-Clan conflict, desiring a leader who would compromise less often with other Clans. Voletooth believed that SkyClan was in the position to be the most dominant Clan around the delta with the proper leadership, so he plotted a way to depose of Ospreycatch and become the deputy himself. Once deputy, he would take out Gullystar with Shrubthorn's help and he would take over as leader, appointing his son as the deputy. Unbeknownst to Voletooth, Shrubthorn was not satisfied with playing second fiddle to his father, and desired to take the leadership for himself. He put all of his effort into gaining Gullystar's favor, and eventually convinced the leader to give him an apprentice of his own, Stormpaw. Luckily for Shrubthorn, Gullystar was a poor judge of character who remained unaware of his malicious intentions. After Cocoa, a kittypet, joined SkyClan as Cloverpatch, Shrubthorn developed a deep belief that kittypets were weak-willed and did not belong in the Clan. During this time, Rushclaw became one of his loyalist friends/supporters, along with several senior warriors that opposed the welcoming of kittypets into SkyClan's ranks.

Once Shrubthorn had an apprentice, his and Voletooth's plan could be set into motion.

## Killed victims

* Buzzardpaw *(indirectly caused)*
* Ospreycatch *(alongside Voletooth)*
* Voletooth
* Gullystar *(caused)*
* Skinkstep *(indirectly caused)*
* Cloverpatch *(Shrubstar's orders)*

## Trivia

* He exhibits symptoms of Antisocial Personality Disorder