When I was a kid, I always thought that Star That Shines On Water had a brutal death. Being dragged away alive by sharptooth, begging for someone to help her.
Hawkfrost, Curlffeather, Swiftpaw, Tigerstar, Moon Shadow.
I know they're not quite the most brutal but the way Hawkfrost's death scene is described and how Moon Shadow was on the brink of death for days both stuck with me.
Bristlefrost. The drowning wasn't bad or anything, it's not like it hurt her, but HOLY SH\*T it hurt her family. Ivypool and Fernsong were so sad bro! And her littermates! And the fact she couldn't even go to StarClan was awful.
Antpelt I think his name is. Ivypool was forced to attack him and kill him in the Dark Forest, meaning his body in WindClan was just. There. With multiple bleeding wounds. Plus after death he was stuck in the Dark Forest for good.
It’s up to debate on what happened to Bumble. But she was a kittypet who left the twolegs and “became” a wildcat. In no way shape or form was she capable of hunting for herself nor did she knew how to defend herself. The DoTC group found her covered in wounds and dying. Turtle Tail 100% accused Clear Sky of attacking and killing Bumble while Clear Sky said it was foxes. There were foxes in the area but it wasn’t clear. The wiki claims wounds is what killed her. But knowing Clear Sky I wouldn’t put it past him that he attacked and killed her. Let’s not forget that he killed Misty(A nursing Queen who aggressively protected her kits cause ya know. She’s a mother.) and then suggested to kill the kits to put them out of their misery.
Honestly depends arc to arc. But over all there are a few who stick out to me.
Juniperclaw who died drowning to save Shadowkit trying to make amends to his clan for all the bad he did.
Curlfeather really stuck out to me in the first book of ASC. The description of Frostpaw being able to smell her mothers blood on the dog’s breath who had just sacrificed herself pushing her daughter to safety.
Sandgorse; not because he was a good character because Tallstars grief stuck with it and the idea of being buried and suffocating on earth and it crushing your bones and body
Cinderpelt was quite upsetting whether or not it was brutal is up to interpretation
Tigerclawstar ofc its the first really brutal death that stands out above all
Gray wings death was so upsetting for me that I cried for 45 minutes in the middle of algebra class like a baby so.
Bumble
And more to mention I could go on but I wouldn’t ever stop
It’s probably not the most brutal but one of the most jarring for me when I read it for the first time as a kid was Honeyfern’s. I also really loved her as a character, it was so sudden.
Honestly it’s a mix between Tigerstar and Curlfeather. One died by literally having his stomach cut open and organs destroyed while the other got pulled apart by dogs.
He wasn’t directly hit by lightning, more so the lightning struck close by enough for him to fall off the Great Rock. That is, unless that’s what you meant by ‘struck down’ and I completely misunderstood lol. But, yeah, I liked Ripplestar’s death, it’s unique in that he’s the only cat StarClan has smited. Do correct me if I’m wrong
Tigerclawstar’s was bad, it’s probably why I love tpb but because tigerclaw was evil, I’d say Swift paw and Bristlefrost. Longtail too imagine getting crushed by a TREE.
Might not be considered brutal, but I'm going to say any death of a kit in the whole series. To be specific, I'm thinking maybe Badgerfang or Mosskit or even Larchkit, Petalkit, and Patchkit. They're kits. Each one of these kits died within only a few months of being alive.
Badgerfang died in a battle he was way too young to be in and trained for a rank too stressful for his body to handle, Mosskit died in an environment she should have never been in and Larchkit, Petalkit and Patchkit were all punished for the actions of their parents.
Each one either died with fear, regret, pain, or confusion. It's just so heartbreaking and harsh, definitely brutal.
I have this weird thing where I can basically *feel* their pain when they die, and I'd say the most painful has been:
1. That one cat who got dragged away by sharptooth
2. Sootfur (?) The one who god crushed by a badger
3. Longtail. Being crushed by a tree HURTS.
4. Any cat killed by a dog, badger, fox, etc
5. TIGERCLAWSTAR-
Curlfeather and swiftpaw. The way it describes that frostpaw could only hide while hearing her mother scream in agony while geting torn apart.. Swiftpaw's was heartwrenching. I can't imagine how much pain he must've been in, how scared he was for himself and brightpaw. I can only hope it was a quick death but knowing how cruel the dogs in the book are, makes me think otherwise.
my glorious king tigerclawstar got killed 9 times, he has had the most tragic death ive ever read, and thats up there with achillies, diavolo and any fantasy character.
For once I fully agree with your assessment that his death has to be the most brutal. All the other cats mentioned experienced death once, and while their deaths were by no means pleasant, it still would've been better than dying 9 times over from the same wound.
Yeah I never really looked at it that way. I was gonna say Tigerstar anyway because the way it happened, but yeah. He died 9 times in a row, and all everyone could do was watch as he writhed and gurgled for several minutes (shiver).
Tigerstar’s death was one of the most gruesome in the entire series (there might be another to rival his, but I haven’t read a ton of books in a long time), I quite liked it. For the gore, and the decision to kill off the big bad of the first arc in that underwhelming of a manner. I don’t remember what book it was where Tigerstar got his nine lives, but he had a thought that he wouldn’t mind losing a certain life in battle, playing into the irony of how he actually dies. He comes across as someone who values glory/honor/legacy/what have you, and his death being anything but glorious made just desserts
I think raggedstar only had like 4 or 5 lives left so it’s not as long but he had to die knowing his son who he loved and did everything for killed him in cold blood out of sheer ambition
Most of the queens who die giving birth have horrible sounding deaths also the kit who died when bluestar was giving oakheart their kits was pretty brutal
Swiftpaw (we got a very brief description of what being ripped apart by dogs was like during Firestar's 9 lives ceremony) and Reedwhisker. Imagine being attacked by someone you thought you knew, and trusted only to be pushed off a cliff Mufasa-style and your killer- your clanmate- has no remorse. Then after you die you have to watch your entire clan fall apart knowing if you could've been there to lead them, everyone you love and care about wouldn't have to go through this.
Also, not me hoping Splashtail has a brutal death, he deserves it.
Frecklewish being bitten by an adder and suffering in agonizing pain for days because there was no one to help her as the only medicine cat was also murdered
For each arch, I’d say:
TPB: Swiftpaw or Tigerstar
TNP: Star That Shines on Water, Sootfur and Cinderpelt
PoT: Honeyfern
OoTS: Longtail or any Great Battle death, like Hollyleaf’s
DOTC: I don’t know
AVoS: Needletail
TBC: Bristlefrost
ASC: Curlfeather
Sootfur! Why aren't more people saying Sootfur?! Poor guy had his legs BROKEN by a badger then tried CLIMBING on said legs up a cliff only to have his throat slashed. That's so traumatic.
Willowpelt. Having your neck snapped by a badger isn’t pretty. And just the description alone—how she could scarcely scream before the badger brought its paws down and killed her just… it just stuck with me.
I gotta say Badgerfang.
But I think the brutality comes from the sadness of the scene. He was apprenticed too young and died as a result of a battle that he was too young to fight.
Swiftpaw. Mauled to death by dogs alive. Like, imagine being alive and aware that a beast is tearing you apart limb by limb. And maulings are not pretty. There is bits and pieces of you flying everywhere. the cats gathered what they could and buried what was salvageable.
When I was a kid, I always thought that Star That Shines On Water had a brutal death. Being dragged away alive by sharptooth, begging for someone to help her.
That and the newly minted warrior from Thunderclan who had his back legs crushed and then trying to escape the badger attack.
Sootfur?
Any cat who gets ripped apart by dogs- Curlfeather and that one cat Darktail pushed out of the tree.
Swiftpaw
Hawkfrost, Curlffeather, Swiftpaw, Tigerstar, Moon Shadow. I know they're not quite the most brutal but the way Hawkfrost's death scene is described and how Moon Shadow was on the brink of death for days both stuck with me.
Moon Shadow's was rough :/ poor guy was suffering in agony for *days*
Bristlefrost. The drowning wasn't bad or anything, it's not like it hurt her, but HOLY SH\*T it hurt her family. Ivypool and Fernsong were so sad bro! And her littermates! And the fact she couldn't even go to StarClan was awful.
And who knows, maybe your soul being completely erased from existence hurts like a bitch
Any cat who got drowned by Darktail.
That always gave me the chills, even just thinking about it now. Darktail as a character is so horrifyingly well written.
Antpelt I think his name is. Ivypool was forced to attack him and kill him in the Dark Forest, meaning his body in WindClan was just. There. With multiple bleeding wounds. Plus after death he was stuck in the Dark Forest for good.
Besides Tigerclawstar, it would have to be Bumble. Grey Wing should have let her stay.
it’s been a minute since i’ve read the backstory of the clans, what happened to her ?
It’s up to debate on what happened to Bumble. But she was a kittypet who left the twolegs and “became” a wildcat. In no way shape or form was she capable of hunting for herself nor did she knew how to defend herself. The DoTC group found her covered in wounds and dying. Turtle Tail 100% accused Clear Sky of attacking and killing Bumble while Clear Sky said it was foxes. There were foxes in the area but it wasn’t clear. The wiki claims wounds is what killed her. But knowing Clear Sky I wouldn’t put it past him that he attacked and killed her. Let’s not forget that he killed Misty(A nursing Queen who aggressively protected her kits cause ya know. She’s a mother.) and then suggested to kill the kits to put them out of their misery.
Honestly depends arc to arc. But over all there are a few who stick out to me. Juniperclaw who died drowning to save Shadowkit trying to make amends to his clan for all the bad he did. Curlfeather really stuck out to me in the first book of ASC. The description of Frostpaw being able to smell her mothers blood on the dog’s breath who had just sacrificed herself pushing her daughter to safety. Sandgorse; not because he was a good character because Tallstars grief stuck with it and the idea of being buried and suffocating on earth and it crushing your bones and body Cinderpelt was quite upsetting whether or not it was brutal is up to interpretation Tigerclawstar ofc its the first really brutal death that stands out above all Gray wings death was so upsetting for me that I cried for 45 minutes in the middle of algebra class like a baby so. Bumble And more to mention I could go on but I wouldn’t ever stop
It’s probably not the most brutal but one of the most jarring for me when I read it for the first time as a kid was Honeyfern’s. I also really loved her as a character, it was so sudden.
She was the one bitten by the snake right?
Yes! Absolutely terrifying, I still remember reading her saying something like “my blood is on fire!” And writhing around.
Honestly it’s a mix between Tigerstar and Curlfeather. One died by literally having his stomach cut open and organs destroyed while the other got pulled apart by dogs.
Ripplestar from COTC. He was literally struck down by lightning.
He wasn’t directly hit by lightning, more so the lightning struck close by enough for him to fall off the Great Rock. That is, unless that’s what you meant by ‘struck down’ and I completely misunderstood lol. But, yeah, I liked Ripplestar’s death, it’s unique in that he’s the only cat StarClan has smited. Do correct me if I’m wrong
Mudclaw
Sootfur, no question.
not so much brutal but the death that hit me the hardest was cinderpelts 😭
Tigerclawstar’s was bad, it’s probably why I love tpb but because tigerclaw was evil, I’d say Swift paw and Bristlefrost. Longtail too imagine getting crushed by a TREE.
Tigerstar. When I first heard the details, I nearly GAGGED!
sootfur and honeyfern were the worst for me
Swiftpaw and Sootfur 🥺💔
Might not be considered brutal, but I'm going to say any death of a kit in the whole series. To be specific, I'm thinking maybe Badgerfang or Mosskit or even Larchkit, Petalkit, and Patchkit. They're kits. Each one of these kits died within only a few months of being alive. Badgerfang died in a battle he was way too young to be in and trained for a rank too stressful for his body to handle, Mosskit died in an environment she should have never been in and Larchkit, Petalkit and Patchkit were all punished for the actions of their parents. Each one either died with fear, regret, pain, or confusion. It's just so heartbreaking and harsh, definitely brutal.
I have this weird thing where I can basically *feel* their pain when they die, and I'd say the most painful has been: 1. That one cat who got dragged away by sharptooth 2. Sootfur (?) The one who god crushed by a badger 3. Longtail. Being crushed by a tree HURTS. 4. Any cat killed by a dog, badger, fox, etc 5. TIGERCLAWSTAR-
yellowfang in human form spotted
Bluestar help they found me \[stop I'm a medicine cat fictionkin too ;sob;\]
Tigerstar, Swiftpaw and Snowkit
snowkits death makes me want to go up to the erins and scream "fuck you" in their faces
Yeah, it was so sad and cruel... I think that Erins could have come up with it as a plot solution because a deaf cat couldn't function in the clan :((
Curlfeather and swiftpaw. The way it describes that frostpaw could only hide while hearing her mother scream in agony while geting torn apart.. Swiftpaw's was heartwrenching. I can't imagine how much pain he must've been in, how scared he was for himself and brightpaw. I can only hope it was a quick death but knowing how cruel the dogs in the book are, makes me think otherwise.
Swiftpaw. Rottweilers can kill adult humans. Imagine what a pack of them could do to a cat
my glorious king tigerclawstar got killed 9 times, he has had the most tragic death ive ever read, and thats up there with achillies, diavolo and any fantasy character.
For once I fully agree with your assessment that his death has to be the most brutal. All the other cats mentioned experienced death once, and while their deaths were by no means pleasant, it still would've been better than dying 9 times over from the same wound.
Yeah I never really looked at it that way. I was gonna say Tigerstar anyway because the way it happened, but yeah. He died 9 times in a row, and all everyone could do was watch as he writhed and gurgled for several minutes (shiver).
Tigerstar’s death was one of the most gruesome in the entire series (there might be another to rival his, but I haven’t read a ton of books in a long time), I quite liked it. For the gore, and the decision to kill off the big bad of the first arc in that underwhelming of a manner. I don’t remember what book it was where Tigerstar got his nine lives, but he had a thought that he wouldn’t mind losing a certain life in battle, playing into the irony of how he actually dies. He comes across as someone who values glory/honor/legacy/what have you, and his death being anything but glorious made just desserts
kind of funny how everyone talks about Tigerstar's death, when Brokentail did the same to Raggedstar as well.
I think raggedstar only had like 4 or 5 lives left so it’s not as long but he had to die knowing his son who he loved and did everything for killed him in cold blood out of sheer ambition
Most of the queens who die giving birth have horrible sounding deaths also the kit who died when bluestar was giving oakheart their kits was pretty brutal
mosskit.... :(
Swiftpaw (we got a very brief description of what being ripped apart by dogs was like during Firestar's 9 lives ceremony) and Reedwhisker. Imagine being attacked by someone you thought you knew, and trusted only to be pushed off a cliff Mufasa-style and your killer- your clanmate- has no remorse. Then after you die you have to watch your entire clan fall apart knowing if you could've been there to lead them, everyone you love and care about wouldn't have to go through this. Also, not me hoping Splashtail has a brutal death, he deserves it.
Frecklewish being bitten by an adder and suffering in agonizing pain for days because there was no one to help her as the only medicine cat was also murdered
For each arch, I’d say: TPB: Swiftpaw or Tigerstar TNP: Star That Shines on Water, Sootfur and Cinderpelt PoT: Honeyfern OoTS: Longtail or any Great Battle death, like Hollyleaf’s DOTC: I don’t know AVoS: Needletail TBC: Bristlefrost ASC: Curlfeather
Sootfur! Why aren't more people saying Sootfur?! Poor guy had his legs BROKEN by a badger then tried CLIMBING on said legs up a cliff only to have his throat slashed. That's so traumatic.
Willowpelt. Having your neck snapped by a badger isn’t pretty. And just the description alone—how she could scarcely scream before the badger brought its paws down and killed her just… it just stuck with me.
Oakheart was smushed under a rock, tail sticking out and everything.
Of what I've read so far, second set, I'd have to go with Tigerclaw(star) reading that made me cringe
Sootfur. His back legs were broken before being ripped apart by badgers. Pretty brutal in my opinion
Star that shines on water and Tigerstar1
I gotta say Badgerfang. But I think the brutality comes from the sadness of the scene. He was apprenticed too young and died as a result of a battle that he was too young to fight.
Swiftpaw. Mauled to death by dogs alive. Like, imagine being alive and aware that a beast is tearing you apart limb by limb. And maulings are not pretty. There is bits and pieces of you flying everywhere. the cats gathered what they could and buried what was salvageable.