Ryewhisker

Ryewhisker is a lean ginger tom with black fur around his left eye, a patch of black on his back, black legs, tail and ears, and he has green eyes.

## Shadows of the Horizon

Ryewhisker is a RiverClan warrior who is revealed to have been the mentor of Hawkshadow, known to stir common border skirmishes and rush into battle. He is shown to be proud when his apprentice is announced as a newly-made warrior. When few cats show welcoming to Hawkshadow as a warrior, he gets irritated, and demands Hawkshadow deserves more of a welcome. Nettlefrost mutters that anything would annoy him when Swiftdapple questions the RiverClan warrior to herself. It is revealed Ryewhisker, despite being a troublemaker, has more supporters than expected in WindClan and ShadowClan, and even ThunderClan, though likely out of fear, and his closest are Reedtail and his own apprentice. Other cats mentioned to be supporters of Ryewhisker are Thistlefang and Fawnspots. Ryewhisker then attempts to attack Pebblesplash as he comments Hawkshadow only became a warrior as Ryewhisker demanded and threatened Frostleaf.

Ryewhisker is one of the chosen cats alongside Hawkshadow to leave the Clans to fulfil StarClan’s prophecy, though is only chosen as his Clanmates are desperate to get rid of him. Reedtail is angered he cannot go with him.

## Ice

Ryewhisker is first seen trying to provoke a fight with some of the ThunderClan cats. He insults them but later stalks off after Swiftdapple stands up for her Clan. He also mocks Leafspeckle and Snowfeather after they scold him for his behaviour. Ryewhisker later appears after the flood with Hawkshadow, who both attempt to murder Swiftdapple. He shows no respect for the warrior code or StarClan, but ends up being attacked by Nettlefrost before he could attack Swiftdapple. Ryewhisker flees with Hawkshadow after realising their plans had failed and they decide to become rogues, breaking off with the Clan cats.

Ryewhisker encounters with the Clan cats, where he reveals him and Hawkshadow had been collecting rogues to ambush the Clan cats in hope to kill them so the prophecy would not be fulfilled.  He becomes outraged when he witnesses Swiftdapple almost killing Hawkshadow and tries saving him. Nettlefrost pulls him off of the ThunderClan she-cat and he yowls before dying, as Nettlefrost had snapped his neck in the process.

Ryewhisker is mentioned several times throughout the book by his apprentice Hawkshadow, who tries doing things the tom would approve of, and even reflects on several memories they had together. Near the end of the book, Ryewhisker appears as a spirit in Swiftdapple’s dream, engaged in a battle with a black cat who reveals himself to be Breezepelt. Ryewhisker’s voice echoes out to Swiftdapple after the cats fade away, and he states his death will be avenged by loyalties tied to him.

## Quotes

**Hawkshadow**: "*Since when did I take orders from a kittypet? Who died and put you in charge of us all?*"

**Ryewhisker**: "*Yeah! RiverClan doesn’t take orders from any other Clan! I say I should be in charge of this group as I am the better warrior. RiverClan is the best and the strongest Clan of them all.*"

—Ryewhisker agreeing with Hawkshadow, *Ice*, page 1