Crowfeather became deputy of WindClan after Onestar died, and Harestar appointed him deputy; his earlier secret about his kits had already been revealed before that promotion.

What happened

  • Crowfeather’s secret fathering Leafpool’s kits was exposed earlier, during the revelation of Hollyleaf, Lionblaze, and Jayfeather’s parentage.
  • Even after that scandal, he remained in WindClan and continued to serve as a senior warrior.
  • When Onestar died, Harestar chose Crowfeather as deputy.

Why it still happened

Crowfeather’s appointment seems to have been based on rank, experience, and leadership value rather than on whether his personal life was spotless.

In other words, the secret damaged his reputation, but it did not permanently block him from rising in WindClan.

In fandom terms

A lot of fans see it as a classic “forgiven by the clan” moment: Crowfeather had made a mess of his private life, but WindClan still trusted him enough to give him the job.

That is why the promotion often feels surprising to readers, even though it fits the later canon.

TL;DR

He did not become deputy because the secret was ignored; he became deputy later, after Onestar’s death, when Harestar selected him despite the old scandal.