【 Lightleap, the best jerk ever <3 】by Willowlight

Willowlight shares why they love Lightleap.

Hi, I’m Willowlight and today I’m going to talk about my favorite character from Warrior Cats. She is from the A Starless Clan arc, and goes by the name of… No, it’s not Sunbeam, Nightheart, or Frostpaw. This cat is actually not a protagonist! But she is still amazing, and she is known as… drumroll… Lightleap!

【 About Lightleap 】

Lightleap is a she-cat and warrior of ShadowClan. She has a brown tabby pelt, amber eyes, and a proud, headstrong personality. She has two littermates, Pouncestep and Shadowsight, two younger brothers named Rowankit and Birchkit (iirc, I’m not 100% sure about that), and a mate, Blazefire. She does not have any kits at the time I am writing this.

【 Lightleap’s History 】

In A Vision of Shadows, Lightkit was born to Dovewing and Tigerstar 2 outside of the Clans, but quickly came to ShadowClan with the rest of her family. When she was six moons old, she became known as Lightpaw and was apprenticed to Stonewing, and trained hard to earn her warrior name, Lightleap.

In The Broken Code, she volunteers to go as ShadowClan’s representative to go to the Dark Forest to defeat Ashfur, and is picked, but she becomes too anxious and must be replaced by Shadowsight.

By the time A Starless Clan comes around, our favorite troublemaker has become, well, a troublemaker. Lightleap has become reckless and is desperate to prove herself after the events of The Broken Code. It is revealed that she sneaked across the RiverClan border because a Clanmate dared her to, and when chasing squirrels, she falls and hurts her friend, Sunbeam. Lightleap tells Sunbeam not to tell anyone, and she reluctantly agrees. When Shadowsight, the Clan’s medicine cat and Lightleap’s brother forces Sunbeam to tell the truth about what happened with Lightleap, and tells Tigerstar 2 and Dovewing. Lightleap assumes that Sunbeam told them out of choice, and becomes angry at her friend. A while after this, Lightleap starts hanging out with Blazefire, who was originally Sunbeam’s mate. She dares him to catch mice in a tunnel, and rocks fall on it, trapping Blazefire.

In the next book, Sky, Lightleap goes on a journey with a few other cats to steal catnip from a Twolegplace and cure several cats who are sick with greencough, including her younger brother Rowankit. The patrol is too late to save Rowankit, leading to the kit’s death, and Lightleap blames herself for not going fast enough. She also grows closer to Blazefire, becoming his mate.

She is not featured as much in Shadow as she was in the former two books of A Starless Clan, but iirc she is picked to help guard the RiverClan camp, and is excited about this. She also seems to support Nightheart’s decision to join ShadowClan, complaining with a few other cats that his tasks were too hard.

I have not read Thunder or Wind, so I cannot say anything about her in those two books.

【 My Predictions for Lightleap 】

If you have been reading A Starless Clan (Which, hopefully you have been because it’s the best arc imo), you will know that some cat has murdered Reedwhisker. It is shown that Sunbeam heard the screams of a RiverClan cat, and while investigating, ran into Lightleap, leading some to think that Lightleap was Reedwhisker’s killer. It is possible that this is true, as ShadowClan did take control over RiverClan, which Lightleap seemed excited about. However, I highly doubt this, as Frostpaw noticed Reedwhisker was shocked, as though his RiverClan Clanmate was his killer. I believe that Reedwhisker’s killer was a RiverClan cat looking for an opportunity to seize power.

Since Sunbeam and Nightheart are both in ThunderClan, after Shadow there will be no ShadowClan PoV, meaning there won’t be a PoV from Lightleap’s Clan. However, there is hope that we haven’t seen the last of our favorite reckless brat. Since she is now guarding RiverClan, she may appear in Frostpaw’s chapters, which I am very excited for!

【 Why Lightleap is Special 】

Now, you may be asking, “Willowlight, why do you LIKE this jerk?” Well, there are a few reasons why. Lightleap makes the book more interesting by stirring up drama, and, despite her impulsiveness, is clearly an important member of ShadowClan. But that alone isn’t enough to make her my absolute favorite.

Then why is she my favorite, anyway?

Because I love this pesky little brat. Lightleap’s goofy pranks and dares just make the books SO. MUCH. BETTER! It’s hard not to love her stupidity, especially when you can relate to it yourself like I can. While some people hate Lightleap and say she is too reckless, I will never be one of those people.

Never.

She is a butthead. But she is my butthead. Give it up for Lightleap!

【 Trivia about Lightleap 】

【 ⯌She has ThunderClan blood through Dovewing and Tawnypelt, and kittypet blood through Cloudtail.
【 ⯌She looks just like her father, Tigerstar.
【 ⯌According to Kate Cary, she was named to celebrate the differences between her parents, Dovewing and Tigerstar 2.
【 ⯌Once, she was mistakenly called Shadowkit.

What do you think of Lightleap? Do you love her like I do, or do you find her stupidity to be infuriating rather than endearing? Whatever you think of this lovable little brat, I would love to hear your thoughts!

Willowlight out!

【 “Sure, Blazefire and I have been spending time together. But only as friends! We have a lot in common, that’s all. We like to do stupid stuff, and take risks, whereas you… Sunbeam, you’re all about the rules.” – Our favorite dumb cockroach <3 】