Crowfeather’s Relationship’s by Mistystream

Mistystream takes a look at Crowfeather’s relationships.

After Crow-feather’s return to Wind-clan, he is not trusted due to his forbidden romance with Leaf-pool. In order to restore the clan’s faith in him, he gets together with a she cat named Night-cloud, who wants kits. She is not romantically interested in Crow-feather, yet she is incredibly possessive with him. They have a son named Breeze-pelt.

Nightcloud

The relationship between them was always this: Night-cloud wanted kits, while Crow-feather wanted the clan to trust him again. At the time they thought it would be a perfect arrangement. But Night-cloud became extremely possessive over Crow-feather and Breeze-pelt.
This is not to say that all of the blame should fall onto Night-cloud. Crow-feather, even though he knew Night-cloud didn’t love him, shouldn’t have ignored Breeze-pelt, or openly talk about his feelings with Leaf-pool in front of them.
Night-cloud and Breeze-pelt are very close, and this is shown throughout the books.

“If Night-cloud were a gentle, loving cat like Leafpool, or feisty and warmhearted like Squirrel-flight, it would be easier to feel sorry for her. After all, Crow-feather took her as a mate to prove he was loyal to Wind-Clan in spite of trying to run off with the Thunder-Clan medicine cat. But she’s a difficult she-cat to like, with her short temper and her possessiveness over Crow-feather and her son, Breeze-paw.”
―Rock on Night-cloud Cats of the Clans, page 54

This shows that the Crow-feather and Night-loud cannot stand each other. Crow-feather hates her short tempered, possessive nature, and she hates his continued attention towards Leaf-pool while ignoring their son.

“Night-cloud had carried Breeze-paw like a kit. His hind legs had dragged over the forest floor, but he was too exhausted by shock to complain. Crow-feather had padded beside his mate the whole way, offering to help, but Night-cloud kept hold of her kit as though she might lose him again at any moment. Now she lay curled around him, warming his quivering body, her breath falling and rising in time with his.”
―Night-cloud after Breeze-paw falls into the badger set The Sight, page 355

This shows Night-cloud inability to get past her jealousy, to a point where she refuses to even try to connect to Crow-feather. She doesn’t really try to make an effort. This is understandable though, she probably would find it exhausting if she tried to become friends with him. Her bitterness clouds her judgement and she decides to not really make an effort.
“He only has one son. Crow-feather is Breeze-pelt’s father. No one else’s!”
―Night-cloud to Leaf-pool Night Whispers, page 202

Night-cloud hates both Leaf-pool and the three, and doesn’t try to stop Breeze-pet from killing them. She refuses to accept that Crow-feather has another family. This is her possessiveness showing once again. Night-cloud treats Crow-feather like an object. He belongs to her, and is not allowed to talk, or even look at Leafpool.
During this meeting a very controversial event happens. Nightcloud, in a fit of jealousy, screams for Leaf-pool to stay away from Crow-feather. She sinks her teeth into his pelt and starts dragging him away. She is extremely rough and short tempered. Crow-feather manages to get away and attacks her. Breeze-pelt has to jump in and physically tear Crow-feather off of Night-cloud.
Night-cloud should not have started dragging him away. In fact this implies that she is a rather large and strong she cat, so it she might have hurt him even more due to her strength. However, Crow-feather should not have attacked, but instead tried to defuse the situation. They were both in the wrong.

Crowfeather: “Should we…should we be mates again?”
Nightcloud: “No, and if you’re honest with yourself, Crow-feather, you don’t want that either. Admit it: We don’t love each other, and maybe we never did.”
Crowfeather: “I think you’re right. But…I do admire you, Night-cloud. You’re an amazing warrior.”
—Crow-feather talking to Night-cloud about how they used to be mates Crowfeather’s Trial, page 244

This is Night-cloud admitting that she never loved him. He never loved her either, and they seem to come to peace with each other. This is how they should’ve always been; just friends.

Breezepelt
Crow-feather: “This has to stop! I will not watch you harm a whisker on that cat!”
Breeze-pelt: “I always knew you hated me!”
Crow-feather: “I never hated you! That’s just what you were determined to believe. And Night-cloud encouraged you.”
—Crow-feather arguing with Breeze-pelt The Last Hope, pages 308-309

Crow-feather doesn’t want to hurt Breeze-pelt, and he doesn’t hate him. Just like Crow-feather says Night-cloud raised Breeze-pelt to despise his father. Crow-feather should have been more involved with Breeze-pelts life, which would have stopped him going to the Dark forest completely.
Crow-feather was ashamed of his son going being a Dark Forest trainee. He still loved him, despite everything. Crow-feather genuinely cared about all of his children equally, buy due to his unfortunate life he could never let himself admit it. Crow-feather is quite like Night-cloud and Breeze-pelt. They were all driven by bitterness, hate and grief.

Leafpool and the Three
“You mean nothing to me, Leafpool. That moon has passed. My loyalty is only to Wind-Clan, and I have no kits other than Breeze-pelt.”
―Crow-feather disowning his Thunder-Clan kits Sunrise, page 306
Crow-feather is obviously lying when he says this. He is trying to rebuild his damaged reputation to please his clan.

“I’m sorry I didn’t accept you and your littermates when I found out about you. I’m sorry that I said I had only one kit, and that anything else was a lie. If I’d known . . .If I’d only known when you were kits, when you needed me, surely things would have been different. I have no excuses, but . . . I hope you can forgive me for the way I acted.”
―Crow-feather to Lion-blaze about him and his littermates Crowfeather’s Trial, page 269
This is him admitting that he had lied. He never wanted to disown them, he felt pressured by his clan to reject them.

Crow-feather always cared about his kits, but was ashamed of them. He had to finally work through the shame in order to realize that he does love them, and that he always did. Especially with Breeze-paw.
Crow-Feather has had a very rough life, and it has turned him bitter and cold, but deep down he still loves his family, even if he has given up hope of being truly happy.