Shimmerwing

**Shimmerwing** is a large, battle-scarred, muscular, tawny she-cat with darker points and pale, icy blue eyes. She has broad shoulders and large paws, and one of her ears is torn. She is known as the **Heart of RiverClan.**

## History

Shimmerwing is first seen as a loyal RiverClan warrior. She has one sister named Brightpool. Shimmerwing associates herself closely with Dapplewing, the RiverClan deputy. She admires Dapplewing's strength and ambition and agrees with her on many issues, including exerting RiverClan's power onto the other Clans. Dapplewing challenges Shimmerwing to become more aware of her own power and trains her mind to become sharper. Although Dapplewing nurtures Shimmerwing's ambitions, she desires to only push herself within the bounds of the warrior code. The two cats tend to disagree with Otterstar on many issues, of which he is well aware.
After Otterstar dies, Dapplestar becomes leader and appoints Shimmerwing, her closest ally, as her deputy. Shimmerwing willingly steps into her new role and the two cats lead RiverClan side-by-side. Shimmerwing helps Dapplestar carry out her military plans against other Clans and rogues on their territory. She is shown to be fearless in battle and obedient to every order given to her by Dapplestar. She builds rage against ShadowClan after Shellfall is critically injured in a border skirmish and Redfern is killed by a fox that ShadowClan cats drove onto RiverClan territory. Shimmerwing tells Dapplestar that they should avenge their Clanmates and teach ShadowClan a lesson.
Shimmerwing is the cat who kills Dapplestar's mother, Shadefire, after she is seen on RiverClan territory.
Shimmerwing serves Dapplestar loyally as her deputy and is often outspoken about Clan politics, much to Sharpfang's displeasure. He harbors a deep hate for her and her beliefs, thinking she is weakening the Clan and Dapplestar with her peace-promoting views. Sharpfang, deciding he doesn't want Shimmerwing to become leader, decides to set up a plan to murder her without getting caught. His attempts in the river and using a aggressive dog from Twolegplace don't work. Shimmerwing is unaware of his plots and doesn't remember the incident due to hitting her head on a rock and getting a concussion. She feels uneasy around the dark tom but doesn't let his sarcasm and anger get to her.
She, along with the rest of Dapplestar's group, becomes close with Moonkit and Sunkit after she and Dapplestar find the lost, orphaned kits on the side of a Thunderpath. After seeing that their mother had been struck and killed by a monster, the two RiverClan warriors take the kits home. Dapplestar decides that Sootwing will nurse them and Shimmerwing names them. Shimmerwing visits the nursery frequently to see the kits and admires their adaptability to RiverClan and their way of life.
At first, Dapplestar proves herself to be every ounce as capable and fierce as she portrayed herself to be during her deputyship. However, over time, Dapplestar becomes increasingly cruel and manipulative. Shimmerwing begins questioning Dapplestar's leadership after she executes Starlingfern and Otterheart as punishment for Echoblossom's forbidden love affair. However, she desperately clings to the hope that Dapplestar was doing what was right for RiverClan. Shimmerwing begins noticing the changes in Dapplestar after that devastating day and reprimands Dapplestar for her treatment of Icepaw and the death of Petalpaw. After Dapplestar begins setting fire to other Clans' territories and murders Talonstar in a gruesome manner, Shimmerwing decides enough is enough, and that Dapplestar is too far gone.
Shimmerwing begins to plot to overthrow Dapplestar and many other RiverClan cats rush to her side, also horrified by their leader's actions. Her biggest ally is her former apprentice, Minnowflight. On the other side, Shimmerwing's friend, Shellfall, gathers his own troops after learning of Shimmerwing's plans. The majority of cats that follow him are RiverClan cats who either support Dapplestar or live by their loyalty to their leader and the warrior code. Shellfall feels he owes Dapplestar his life after she accepts him into RiverClan and swears to fight for her until his last breath. Shimmerwing tries to convince him to open his eyes to Dapplestar's tyranny but he shuts her out, deciding that she is a traitor to her Clan.
RiverClan becomes torn in two over time and Dapplestar's tyranny only gets worse. At last, tensions rise to an all-time high and Shimmerwing confronts Dapplestar deep in RiverClan's territory about her plans to overthrow her and seize leadership. Dapplestar is amused by Shimmerwing's plans and jeers at her, calling her weak, and claims she has been waiting for her. Shimmerwing leaps at Dapplestar and the two engage in an intense battle as the land around them is ablaze. Dapplestar, who is one of the best fighters the Clans have ever seen, overpowers Shimmerwing although she fights her hardest. The tortoiseshell she-cat severely wounds Shimmerwing and she collapses to the ground as Shellfall arrives. Shellfall is horrified by what he sees and Dapplestar gazes at him and Shimmerwing before turning around and walking into the flames. Shellfall screams Dapplestar's name into the blaze, but to no avail, and he turns on Shimmerwing in rage. Realizing that killing Shimmerwing won't bring his leader back, Shellfall turns and stalks away, leaving Shimmerwing injured in the clearing. Minnowflight and Echoblossom find her and learn that Dapplestar is gone. They take Shimmerwing to the Moonpool in a desperate attempt to heal her and help her receive her nine lives.
At the Moonpool, Riverstar and Dappled Pelt appear. They heal Shimmerwing of her wounds but she and Echoblossom are mortified when the StarClan cats tell them that Shimmerwing cannot receive her nine lives at the moment because another cat is contesting her leadership, referring to Shellfall. Riverstar tells them that the civil war must end and the conflict be resolved before they can name RiverClan's new leader. With this new knowledge, Echoblossom and Shimmerwing return to RiverClan, and Shimmerwing officially declares war on Shellfall and his cats.
*Coming soon.*

## Theme song

**Shimmerwing and Dapplestar:** *I'll Follow You* by Shinedown
**Shimmerwing after the fall of Dapplestar:** *Stockholm Syndrome* by Muse
## Personality

Loyal, ambitious, patient, and driven. Shimmerstar desires to do what is right even if it requires her to leave her comfort zone. She fiercely loves her Clan and will fight for them until her last breath.
## Interesting facts

### Facts revealed by the roleplayer

* Shimmerstar suffered a form of Stockholm Syndrome when she served Dapplestar as deputy. Dapplestar held her captive emotionally, by making her swear to serve her even in death, and Shimmerwing failed to see the evil cat that Dapplestar had become.
* She will not have a mate or kits. Shimmerstar's primary focus is making RiverClan strong.
* Shimmerstar will always miss Dapplestar and Shellfall despite what happened between them.
* Shimmerwing will always be in love with Runningflame even though she knows nothing will ever happen between them.

## Quotes

"*No wonder your cats have turned against you, talking like that. You have to command respect and loyalty. How can you do that when your own understanding of loyalty is as fragile as a newborn kit?*"
—Shimmerwing to Winterfall

"*Shimmerwing, your loyalty is the only thing I can truly rely on in this world. Keep up the good work.*"
—Dapplestar to Shimmerwing

"*This is for Dapplestar, for everything you have put her through! You don't deserve to live.*"
—Shimmerwing to Shadefire before she kills her

"*The consequences of becoming leader are great and I must bear them alone. I have lost my mentor, my best friend, and half of my Clan because of one cat's hunger for power. I am relieved they are gone, but the pain of their loss will forever weigh down my heart.*"
—Shimmerstar reflecting on the loneliness of her leadership

"*She’ll always hold out doing everything she can until the bitter end, that one. Always has. But, if you’re in a place where all is fair game… you’ll never meet a more terrifying warrior in all your life.*"
—Dapplestar about Shimmerwing

**Narrator**: "*The flames of ShadowClan die, replaced by a blanket of deceptive darkness that suggests there was never a fire there at all. Shimmerwing's claws are clenched fruitlessly as she thinks of her own lack of power. How could this have gone so wrong? Where did things take a turn towards this end?*"

**Dapplestar**: "*We're leaving.*"

**Narrator**: "*Dapplestar turns her back on the destruction she has wrought at ShadowClan, having enacted a brutal atrocity without batting an eyelid.*"

**Shimmerwing**: "*How can this be? What did I do wrong?*"
**Narrator**: "*Shimmerwing asks herself over and over again, her vacant eyes trained on Dapplestar's fading figure. At the same time, it occurs to her that this is not the problem she should be focusing on.*"
**Shellfall**: "*Shimmerwing. Orders for your troops, please.*"
**Narrator**: "*Her head whips up at the sound of Shellfall's voice. With Dapplestar's departure, it is Shimmerwing's troops who should be next to receive their orders. Placing the carnage behind her, her eyes sweep out over the warriors under her command. In the corner of her eye, she sees a shadow swiftly moving. There may be yet be lives saved, after all. She moves the second she realizes, hurling herself headlong into the thicket.*"
**Shellfall**: "*Shimmerwing!*"
**Narrator**: "*Shellfall runs like mad after Shimmerwing, who has sprung off like a rabbit all of a sudden. Behind them, the waiting warriors can do little but exchange uncomfortable glances.*"
**Narrator**: "*Brushing aside the long blades of grass growing thick in the underbrush, Shimmerwing comes across a young kit lying face down. His entire body is burnt, and there is a gash in his neck; the work of one from RiverClan.*"
**Shellfall**: "*Oh no, he couldn't have been attacked by stray warriors, could he...?*"
**Narrator**: "*Shimmerwing crouches down and hauls the tiny body up, half convinced he may have been killed on purpose. The kit opens his eyes and looks up into Shimmerwing's, the grimace of pain relaxing somewhat.*"
**Kit**: "*Brother...*"
**Narrator**: "*Shellfall's eyes widen with alarm at that thin, high voice. The kit kneads Shimmerwing in response, a serene smile coming over his features... and then he moves no more.*"
**Shimmerwing**: "*Someone so young, caught in those flames...*"
**Narrator**: "*Helplessness is a raw wound inside of her as she imagines the terror this kit must have gone through.*"
**Shimmerwing**: "*This is wrong.*"
**Narrator**: "*Shellfall does not reply to these whispered words, spoken to no one in particular... he merely stares at the kit's lifeless form, his expression a blank mask.*"

—Shellfall and Shimmerwing

"*Cats of RiverClan! Dapplestar is dead, which means I am your new leader. There will be no more fear or suffering. It is time for a new Clan to rise out of the ashes.*"
—Shimmerwing to RiverClan after Dapplestar's presumed death

"*Once, I was your biggest follower. I believed you would make RiverClan stronger than any other Clan by the lake. But now I see everything I believed was just a lie. You don't deserve to be the leader of any cat.*"
—Shimmerwing to Dapplestar

"*I stood by her for so long.*"
—Shimmerwing about Dapplestar

"*Quickly. Prepare for battle. There is nothing else to do but stop her. I am done. I have decided to stop chasing after a cat I will never reach.*"
—Shimmerwing to Iceshine

"*Shimmerwing readies her stance. The tip of her claws runs true, aimed straight for the leader she once believed in.*"
—Narrator

"*Shellfall's sacrifice has prevented the destruction of this world. Now it is up to you to decide what we do with it.*"
—Sedgefall to Shimmerwing

**Shimmerwing**: "*So you have come to ask, have you?*"

**Shellfall**: "*What?*"

**Shimmerwing**: "*Is there nothing you wish to know of me?*"

**Shellfall**: "*What made you do it? You were Dapplestar's most loyal cat. So why, at the time, did you...*"
**Shimmerwing**: "*It was faith.*"
**Shellfall**: "*Is that all? There's nothing else you want to say, then.*"
**Shimmerwing**: "*That is the only answer I have to give.*"
**Shellfall**: "*I see. And yet, I still want you to live.*"

—Shimmerwing and Shellfall

"*Shellfall will face Shimmerwing on the battlefield. He has declared Shimmerwing as 'an enemy of Dapplestar.' Yet, on the other hand, it was all an inevitability as well. Two cats stand divided now where once they stood as the combined power of RiverClan... underneath Dapplestar.*"
—Narrator

"*In this battle claiming the name of vengeance, the terrain and battle moves that were Dapplestar’s triumph will fall out of play. Feeling that she was fighting against fate herself, Shimmerwing sweeps through the enemy ranks.*"
—Narrator

**Narrator**: "*The stalemate continues with neither side bulging an inch. The breeze carries more moisture by the minute. The ominous clouds hang low overhead.* Not much time*. Eyes still trained on Shellfall’s motionless forces, Shimmerwing raises her head and lets out a battle cry. At that signal, her warriors throw themselves into the fray. Shellfall’s gaze flickers downwards in a moment’s hesitation… and when he too, raises his head, he gives an identical signal to charge. Angry roars overlap as warriors clash along the riverbanks. As the air fills with howls of pain and the sound of flesh ripping, Shimmerwing runs into the chaos. The battlefield reeks of the copper tang of blood. The strength difference between Shellfall’s forces and ours is plain to see. Ever since Dapplestar’s disappearance, the winds of criticism have been blowing firmly in Shimmerwing’s direction. Rumors that she is ‘a traitor who shot the leader she served for so many years’ spread like wild fire, worsening by the day. Plus, with Dapplestar’s whereabouts still unknown, many wonder who they should follow. As a result, the opposing forces are almost double in number. Winning does not seem at all likely, and yet...*"

**Shimmerwing**: "*Why do we even have a chance? How are we holding up at all?*"

**Narrator**: "*Only one reason comes to mind. Shellfall’s words echo back to her.*"

**Shellfall**: "*And yet... I still want you to live.*"
**Shimmerwing**: "*You’re naive too, Shellfall.*"
**Narrator**: "*However, the term seems to fit Shimmerwing’s former self just as perfectly. Shimmerwing reflects back to Dapplestar’s final moments.*"
**Dapplestar**: "*So you’ve finally come. I grew tired of waiting.*"
**Narrator**: "*Standing among the inferno that the glade had become was her one and only leader.*"
**Shimmerwing**: "*I did not come here to take your life.*"
**Dapplestar**: "*Come for me with everything you believe in.*"
**Narrator**: "*Yet, she, and everything she represented disappeared into the flames on RiverClan territory. Never able to learn what was truly in the warrior’s heart, Shimmerwing was left with feelings that seemed to burn all on their own.*"
**Dapplestar**: "*One must be prepared to do that which must be done in order to uphold one’s principles.*"
**Shimmerwing**: "*So true.*"
**Narrator**: "*Shimmerwing mutters under her breath, cleaving through Shellfall’s combatants that stand in her path. Just then… the thick, looming clouds blanketing the sky burst open. Raindrops begin to splash against the dirt.* I didn’t make it in time, then... *She clawed another enemy warrior and look up into the gray. If it rains, her warriors will have a hard time fighting, their claws will be slipping through the peaty, wet marsh.*"
**Shimmerwing**: "*I should have known you would not see things my way.*"

—Shimmerwing in the final battle