Tigerclaw

The deputy who wanted ThunderClan for himself.

Tigerclaw is the main antagonist of the original Warriors series by Erin Hunter. An ambitious ThunderClan warrior and mentor of the apprentice Ravenpaw, he murders the deputy Redtail in the hope of taking his place and later becomes deputy under Bluestar. Fireheart exposes his treachery, and after a failed attempt to kill Bluestar he is exiled from the Clan. He goes on to lead ShadowClan under the name Tigerstar.

Quick Facts

Role: Deputy of ThunderClan
Affiliation: ThunderClan
First appears: Into the Wild (original series, Book 1)

Lore & Background

In Into the Wild, Ravenpaw sees Tigerclaw kill Redtail, and Tigerclaw plans to silence his own apprentice; Firepaw and Graypaw take Ravenpaw to a barn outside Clan territory to keep him safe. After Lionheart's death Tigerclaw is named deputy. In Fire and Ice he sets a trap for Bluestar beside the Thunderpath, but the apprentice Cinderpaw is struck instead and left with a permanent limp. In Forest of Secrets he leads a band of rogues into the ThunderClan camp while pretending to defend it, corners Bluestar in her den and tries to kill her. Fireheart arrives in time to save her, and Bluestar announces Tigerclaw's exile. He asks Darkstripe, Longtail and Dustpelt to follow him, and each refuses. By the end of Rising Storm he has become Tigerstar, leader of ShadowClan.

Reader's Guide

Clan: ThunderClan, later ShadowClan. Rank: warrior, then deputy under Bluestar; after his exile, leader of ShadowClan as Tigerstar. Apprentice: Ravenpaw. Kits: Brambleclaw, Tawnypelt, Hawkfrost and Mothwing. Books: the six novels of The Prophecies Begin, from Into the Wild to The Darkest Hour, in which the BloodClan leader Scourge kills him.