At thirteen moons, Perchpaw is the oldest apprentice in ThunderClan. A diligent and talented son of the deputy Sparrowsong and senior warrior Waspfang he may be, but his apprenticeship was disrupted some moons ago when the keeper Darkleaf succumbed to blackcough without an apprentice. Showing equal affinity for the role in their emergency training, Perchpaw and his brother Timberpaw were eventually brought before the Mooncave for StarClan itself to elect a new keeper... and the stars chose Timberpaw.

Perchpaw does not resent the outcome of this event, and is altogether happy to continue as a warrior apprentice under his mentor Claypool, feeling his brother's destiny must simply be greater than his own. This belief only affirmed when a mysterious wraith-cat begins threatening Timbertail, and it is Perchpaw alone who steps in to hunt for answers.