Turtleshell

Appearance
Turtleshell is a pretty, mottled gray and white queen with distinct tabby markings. She has a short pelt and a slightly puffy tail, as well as long white whiskers.

Personality
Turtleshell was very skittish as an apprentice, but grew into being a confident and motherly warrior. She does not shy from fighting, but prefers a peaceful outcome instead of one with bloodshed. She is fiercely protective of all kits, and never hesitates to lend a helping paw where it needs it.

Book Appearances
 The Cursed Blood 

In Chapter Seven, Turtlekit along with her sister, Moonkit, and her brother, Hornetkit, were born from the she-cat Ivyleaf and the tom Barkclaw. They were not cared for by their mother, and so the queen Hootsong took it upon herself to care for the kits, taking borage in order to cause herself to lactate. The apprentices Owlpaw, Cinderpaw, and Maplepaw took turns in naming them, with Hootsong naming Turtlekit at the request of her father, as he wanted one of his daughter to be named after his own mother.

In Chapter Thirteen, Turtlekit is named Turtlepaw along with her siblings. She is given Underwater as a mentor, and is seen touring the Great Marsh alongside her mentor and Thornpetal. As the two she-cats make scathing comments about Maplecrow, Turtlepaw looks uncomfortable and asks why so many toms moon over her if she's annoying. Thornpetal comments that it's because she fake grieves over getting her brother killed, and that Turtlepaw should stay away from Maplecrow. The apprentice stares wide-eyed at the golden tabby before nodding as they walked past unknowingly by where the warrior was hiding.

In Chapter Fourteen, Turtlepaw tells Maplecrow to 'geroff' as she was still half-asleep as the warrior was trying to wake her. When Maplecrow shook her, she opened her eyes and froze as she realized it was the tortoiseshell warrior that was talking to her. Maplecrow tells her that she and Moonpaw need to come to the medicine den, and Turtlepaw looks at her sister and comments that Moonpaw came back smelling of blood, and asks if that was the reason why they needed to go to see Thistletoe. Turtlepaw and Moonpaw appear before Thistletoe, and Turtlepaw is first to be checked over by the medicine cat. He runs his paw over her belly and across her sides before he clears her and says she can either wait for her sister or go back to the den to sleep. Turtlepaw yawns and says that she's going back to the den, trudging through the snow as she turns away.

In Chapter Sixteen Thistletoe announces that Turtlepaw is now expecting from Ratfang's actions.

In Chapter Seventeen Archstar assures Turtlepaw that she will be well taken care of as an apprentice-queen alongside her sister.

In Chapter Eighteen Turtlepaw is mentioned by Cinderbush to be more than capable of taking care of Cinderbush's kits while she goes into battle.

In Chapter Nineteen Underwater is mentioned to have become part of the rebellious group after Turtlepaw had become an apprentice-queen.

In Chapter Twenty Whorlface defends Turtlepaw by stating that the apprentice cannot be expected to take care of her sister's sole surviving kit when she may not survive her own birthing, much like her sister. Later in the chapter, Turtlepaw has been mentioned vaguely by Smokestar during the Gathering, and Archstar then figures out who snitched and demands from Rowanpelt if he was the one who told about the apprentice-queens to the rival Clan.

In Chapter Twenty One Turtlepaw is mentioned to be close to giving birth by Creektooth.

In Chapter Twenty Two Turtlepaw is noted to started having contractions. Later is reported by Thistletoe that her litter had died, consisting of a tom and a she-kit. Turtlepaw herself is struggling to stay alive from the premature pregnancy and birthing. Her brother, Hornetpaw, states that he was useless against Moonpaw's death, but that if he was braver he could've prevented his sister becoming prematurely pregnant. Maplecrow assures him that Turtlepaw would not want him fighting against a senior warrior, for fear that he would cause injury or even death to himself. She goes on to explain that loosing another littermate might've been the death of Turtlepaw, and that she knows her brother cares for her, and that Hornetpaw should go visit her in the nursery. Hornetpaw then goes to visit his sister. Later in the chapter, she is called valiant by Archstar, and squeals as she was forcibly dragged from the nursery by her mate, Ratfang. Hornetpaw leaps to attack Ratfang, as Turtlepaw should not be moved, and Ratfang drops her to the ground and prepares to fight back. She is forced to her paws, and she groans in pain, with Hornetpaw hurrying to support his sister as much as he can so that she doesn't move so much. She could only mumble her words at the ceremony as Archstar then gives her the name Turtleshell. It is revealed at the end of the chapter that Turtleshell had given birth to the half-faced kits.

In Chapter Twenty Four, Turtleshell is noted to have made a recovery, and was in the warriors' den along with Thornpetal and Maplecrow when a yowl sounded in the camp, the she-cat looking alarmed. She watches as Barkclaw dies at the claws of Archstar, and cries out his name, rushing to his side as he bleeds out. Hornetstripe and Ivyleaf comfort her as she wails uncontrollably.

In Chapter Twenty Five, Turtleshell presses close against Maplecrow, shivering and looking for support as Ratfang stares her down. Maplecrow defends the she-cat, curling her lips up in a daring snarl. It is noted that the two are no longer mates, and that Turtleshell is scared of him. As the apprentice ceremony ends, Turtleshell steps forward to greet the newly named Wasppaw.

In Chapter Twenty Six, Hornetstripe tells Archstar that he allowed for Ratfang to strip Turtleshell of her confidence after becoming an apprentice-queen and dying.

In Chapter Twenty Seven, it is revealed that Turtleshell was almost taken by Ratfang again, but that he was first attacked by Tinylarch before being killed by Hootsong in a skirmish, the adopted mother determined to protect the queen.

 The Cursed Blood : The Wild Flames

Turtleshell is listed in the allegiances as a queen to Raventail's kits, her sons being Runningkit, Scorchkit, and Dawnkit.

In Chapter One, Turtleshell is seen outside the nursery with her litter as Lynxkit zooms past her into the den.

In Chapter Two, Turtleshell snags Havenkit back into the nursery and puts her in the nest with her kittens, bristling in shock as she protectively stands above them. It is revealed that Turtleshell had saved Havenkit before the viper could bite her, effectively being faster than the striking snake. As Chasingkit has his fit, Havenkit tries to see but Turtleshell pulls her back deeper into the queen's nest. She gives her kittens a stern glare and growls that none of the kits are allowed to leave the nest until she gets back. She says that Thornpetal will be keeping an eye on them until she's back, and that they are going to share a nest with Maplecrow's litter of Moonkit, Lynxkit, and Havenkit. She leaves the nursery after giving a nod of her head to the golden tabby and then returns with Moonkit. She relinquishes Havenkit to Cinderbush as the queen takes up Maplecrow's nest, so that Turtleshell's wouldn't be overrun. Thistletoe arrives at the nursery and orders every cat to eat a poppy seed, and Turtleshell obeys.

In Chapter Three, Turtleshell grabs one of the wet kittens that has just given birth from Thistletoe and placed it at Thornpetal's belly. Turtleshell steps in later as her litter and Maplecrow's wants to have a badger ride with the newborn Wolfkit, and states that he could be hurt if they do something like that.

In Chapter Five Turtleshell is asked by Shadestar to fetch Hootsong's hunting patrol, consisting of Waspfur and Tigerpad. She nods before she leads two unnamed volunteers out of camp to get them. She later returns to watch the apprentice ceremony of Maplecrow's litter.

In Chapter Six Turtleshell is revealed to be the crush of Chasingpaw, to which Raventail calls out to the young tom that Turtleshell was spoken for already.

In Chapter Nine it is mentioned that Turtleshell's litter is about to become apprenticed.

In Chapter Ten, Turtleshell's grooming of Dawnkit was being interrupted by Wolfkit. She is later called to Shadestar's den along with her mate and Cypressfur, the queen looking worried.

In Chapter Eleven Turtleshell is looking proud sitting next to her mate as their litter is made into apprentices.

In Chapter Fourteen, Raventail tells Lynxpaw that before Turtleshell, he loved Maplecrow. However, watching all that Turtleshell had gone through and still bloom into a beautiful, gentle she-cat, that there was no way he couldn't love her.

In Chapter Fifteen, Turtleshell questions if the peace maker scenario will work, stating that StreamClan had always seemed reasonable to her, but she flicks her tail to show that she doubts and is still nervous about it.

In Chapter Seventeen, Turtleshell is mentioned to be the gentlest cat in the Clan, and that Firefang's mother was Turtleshell's littermate.

In Chapter Twenty Three, Turtleshell happily announces that the cats who had gone to GustClan were back, and rushes to meet Dawnpaw and Tigerpaw as Runningpaw pounces on them affectionately.

In Chapter Twenty Five, Shadestar mentions that Firefang is also Turtleshell's and Hornetstripe's blood, and asks if his aunt and uncle cared for him rhetorically. Turtleshell is mentioned to have had a sister that was taken away from her by Chasingstorm. Later Turtleshell and Raventail are seen speaking in quiet voices, occasionally looking over at Havenflower to show that they were talking about her.

In the Epilogue, Turtleshell raises her tail to ask a question during the reveal of Firefang's and Lynxtuft's betrayal. She asks how Archstar could still exist, when he only has one blood link and one kit to follow him, whereas StarClan has many believers to make them exist, and several blood ties. Turtleshell cuts herself off in shock as she realizes that Maplecrow's litter was Archstar's, and sympathetically murmurs the queen's name. Turtleshell shudders with her eyes glazing over as Hornetstripe brings up what had happened to his sisters.

 The Cursed Blood : The Shadow Fold

In Chapter Three, Turtleshell was mentioned to have trained by Underwater, though the two did not get along anymore. She met eyes with Havenflower, looking uncomfortable, but it is noted that the two are friends despite Turtleshell being a mother-figure for the tortoiseshell. She goes on patrol with Havenflower, Wolfstep, and Hornetstripe, splitting up to hunt.

In Chapter Four, Turtleshell gasps in shock along with Underwater as Shadestar announces that he no longer wants expecting queens in the Clan, that is until the threat to them is done and over with.

In Chapter Five, Lynxtuft realizes that Ratfang is the one who hurt Turtleshell, and remembers that when the queen had begun to give birth that she was wracked with fear until Raventail and Maplecrow soothed her down. Maplecrow had pressed her side to Turtleshell's spine, and Raventail stuck by his mate's head and murmured encouraging words in her ear throughout the birthing. Hootsong explained to Chasingkit upon his questioning of why she was afraid, saying that her brother was the one who hurt Turtleshell when she was very, very young.

In Chapter Six, Turtleshell is stopped by her brother's tail and is told that their sibling, Moonpaw, saved Moongaze. They stare at Havenflower with a look of nostalgic pride.

In Chapter Seven, Havenflower notices that Turtleshell was looking plump as of late, and wonders if she is the queen that will break Shadestar's words.

In Chapter Twelve, Turtleshell rejoices at the news of Havenflower's expectancy. Turtleshell is mentioned to be able to go to if Havenflower is anxious about kitting, being happy that her brother found a mate, and that she always thought that Havenflower was a special and sweet kit. She is later assigned to stay in camp on the night of the Gathering.

In Chapter Sixteen, Turtleshell frets along with Hootsong that Havenflower's grief and distraught feelings would damage her litter.

In Chapter Eighteen, Turtleshell cries out her father's name and races to greet him, the two touching noses before separating. He gives her a doting look before continuing on in the fight.

In Chapter Twenty, Turtleshell is mentioned to be missing a substantial chunk of fur from her shoulders and was nudging her mother's body.

 The Coming : Into the Storm

In Chapter Thirteen, Turtleshell greets Firstorm from where she is sitting by Honeydrizzle, and comments that she thought it was interesting that golden eyes were so rare and sprinkled about the Clans. She mentions that Maplecrow was now in StarClan and that she had a golden eye as well, and that it passed down to her kits.

In Chapter Fifteen, Honeydrizzle mentions that she was chatting with Turtleshell when Firstorm had approached her at the Gathering.

 The Coming : Hunters and Hunted

Turtleshell does not formally appear, but is in the nursery with her second litter, a tom-kit named Dotkit.

The Coming : Eye of the Storm

In Chapter Six, Turtleshell helps Sootheart in keeping her mate conscious by asking him questions. She's seen holding a wound closed with her paws and looking alarmed, her eyes wide with fear and desperation.

In Chapter Seven, Turtleshell is seen with Havenflower pressed against her side. She had her tail wrapped around Havenflower's haunches, and was tucking her in close to her side as if the tortoiseshell was one of Turtleshell's kits.

In Chapter Ten, Turtleshell asks Otterheart what they were going to do about the cats who couldn't move, glancing worriedly at her unconscious mate. Turtleshell snaps that she wouldn't leave Raventail behind, and then announces that she's joining the fight as Blackberry rouses the Clan into action.

Trivia

 * Turtleshell was one of the apprentice-queens during the reign of Archstar.
 * She was the only one to survive.
 * She was named for her distinct pelt.
 * She lived to be a very happy elder under the reign of Moonstar.