Shadowhunter

**Shadowhunter** was a male tiger, and the former guardian of Rain, Leaf, and Ghost, as well as Sunset Deepwood.

## History

### Pre-series

During the great flood, Orchid uses Shadowhunter's lair as shelter. As soon as Orchid enters the cave, she finds Shadowhunter right outside of the entrance. Initially, Orchid is weary, due to the potential threat he posed to her and her unborn litter. However, Shadowhunter reassures Orchid that he has no intention to harm her or her unborn cubs. Instead, Shadowhunter reveals that Orchid's cubs are destined to take Sunset Deepwood's place as Dragon Speakers. Due to the Dragon Speaker being an important role, Orchid decided to have her children grow up in three different communities for their own safety. Shadowhunter agreed to gather Orchid's children and bring them to Dragon Mountain after their first birthday.
### *Creatures of the Flood*

Shadowhunter journeys to the Northern Forest, where he is discovered by the Slenderwood pandas and red pandas, after killing a red panda. Due to the tiger's appearance in their home, the pandas and red pandas leave the forest together in search of a new home. After an earthquake separates them from their families, Leaf and Dasher seek shelter in a cave, where they are found by Shadowhunter, who informs Leaf of her destiny as the next Dragon Speaker. Shadowhunter also reveals that Leaf has another sibling, much to the latter and Dasher's shock. Dasher is skeptical of Shadowhunter's claim that Leaf has two siblings as he and Leaf were only told that she had one. Shadowhunter goes on to explain that siblings were also destined to become dragon-speakers hence why they were separated, as animals with selfish intentions would exploit the triplets if their future role was discovered. Leaf agrees to travel to the Dragon Mountain with Shadowhunter, but not before they find Plum. Shadowhunter agrees to help Leaf and Dasher find her aunt. When Plum is found, the trio find that she has a scar on her forehead and is ill. Plum explains that she received the scar from a "white monster" that attacked her. Shadowhunter attributes Plum's description of her adversary with her fever and doesn't think she'll survive. However Dasher knows an herb that would cure Plum. Shadowhunter is present when Leaf and Dasher return with Rain. While Plum is recovering, Rain reveals that Sunset isn't dead but is in fact alive and active in the Prosperhill. When Rain reveals that Sunset has turned evil, Shadowhunter is shocked, but nonetheless believes Rain. Shadowhunter then wonders where Leaf and Rain's brother is before leaving to confront Sunset.
### *River of Secrets*

Shadowhunter ambushes a flock of birds from the river that separates the Northern and Southern Forests.
Quietshore looks on as Shadowhunter destroys his nest. Back at Dragon Mountain, Rain expresses her distrust towards the tiger and suggests that he may intend to ambush their group at the Dragon Cave. He eventually arrives at the Egg Rocks where he his spotted by Sunset across the river. Sunset orders Ghost to hide. From the undergrowth, Ghost spots Shadowhunter on the other side of the river.
When Plum confronts Sunset and Ghost, she reveals that Shadowhunter had already collected her two nieces. When Plum is found dead, Sunset blames Shadowhunter for her death. However, Ghost realizes that this is not the case when he examines Plum's corpse. There, he discovers that Plum's wounds are inconsistent to the ones caused by a tiger.
### *Journey to the Dragon Mountain*

Shadowhunter saves Ghost from the monkeys, but is mortally wounded in the process. Shadowhunter tells Ghost to travel to the White Spine to retrieve a blue stone. As Ghost leaves the Broken Forest, Shadowhunter presumably dies from his wounds.
Shadowhunter is later revealed to have recovered from his injuries, as he arrives at Dragon Mountain to assist the triplets in their fight against Dusk. Dusk is frightened by Shadowhunter’s presence and asks who he is. Shadowhunter introduces himself to Dusk as Sunset’s former watcher and the current guardian of the triplets. Shadowhunter acknowledges Dusk’s role in Sunset’s death and tackles the latter into a ravine far below the Mountain. Both Dusk and Shadowhunter are killed in the process, and the triplets mourn the loss of their Watcher.
## Trivia

* Shadowhunter's eye color is inconsistent. He is said to have green eyes as well as yellow eyes, and is shown to have golden-yellow eyes on the cover of *Creatures of the Flood*.

## References

1. ↑ *Creatures of the Flood*, page 6
2. ↑ *Creatures of the Flood*, page 194
3. ↑ Cover image of *Creatures of the Flood*