The Rat Leader is an unnamed minor villain in Erin Hunter's Warriors book series. He is the cunning and manipulative leader of a large horde of savage rats that terrorize cats. He is described as being bigger than most other rats, with a wiry, muscular body and curved yellow teeth, and unlike other rats, he possesses the ability to speak the language of cats.
The Rat Leader is the main antagonist of the super edition Firestar's Quest.
History
- He is the leader of a large pack of malicious rats that live in a huge, anandoned Twoleg (human) barn. He and his rats secretly watch Firestar and his mate Sandstorm recruit cats to reform the ancient SkyClan and their sinister presence is felt many times.
- When Firestar and Sandstorm are on patrol with some of the new SkyClan cats, many rats (too many to count) suddenly surround them and the rat leader appears. Firestar is surprised that the rat leader can speak cat, although it's noted that its words are twisted and odd. The rat leader informs the cats that the rats had killed SkyClan before and will kill them again. He and his rats attack SkyClan several times, but he prefers not to fight; instead, he chooses to give commands from inside the protection of a mass of rats. When the SkyClan cats begin to gain the upper hand in the battle, he orders the rats to retreat.
- SkyClan attacks the rats' home in response to the rats' ambush on their camp, but rats are too numerous and they are eventually forced to retreat. During the battle, the rat leader personally attacks and kills Firestar, but is soon revived from death by the ghostly StarClan, as he has nine lives. Firestar decides that he needs to find the leader. Unable to tell which rat is the leader, Firestar tries to trick him into talking. He seems to know what Firestar is trying to get him to do, so he keeps silent as to not give himself away. After Firestar has told the SkyClan cats to retreat from battling the rats, Spottedleaf appears to him and hints that appearances are deceiving. Firestar then discovers that Spottedleaf means the mass of rats is taking commands from the leader through small movements, such as a twitch of the tail or brush of fur. Firestar traces the movements to the center of the pack and identifies the real rat leader. Swiftly, and without warning, Firestar attacks and kills him. Without their leader to guide them, the remaining rats flee.