#AVoS felt like getting dragged back to ProtagonistClan as more interesting things were happening in the background

[bonefall]

Is Alderheart still being a parent/brother figure for Twigbranch and having a little family with Needle and Violet where they have secret meetings to reunite the sisters? I liked that aspect, though I feel it could also be moved so a WindClan cat takes Alder's place so Twigbranch gets more screentime, as long as the "cross-clan family" thing is preserved and maybe given more focus.

@halogenwarrior

I'm actually suuuuper waffling on what to do with Twigbranch in general. She MUST stay in ThunderClan, because that's where she is in canon up to the current arc... but Bonefall AVoS is MASSIVELY POV-shifted and swapping over to be a Wind/Shadow centric arc.

(Newcomers: Bonefall AVoS is a story about how The Kin is able to infiltrate ShadowClan by exploiting legitimate discontent in its apprentices, pulling a lot of ex-DF trainees in such as Breezepelt in as its ranks grow. It could have been stopped so much earlier but because the Law of the Lake has not been adopted yet, by the time the others are helping it's done MASSIVE damage.)

I feel like in-canon, when we spend time with Alderheart... it feels like this big distraction as the more important things are happening in the background. I feel super confident in my POV shift but the problem is that it makes material that DID work in canon even more of a distraction. You get me?

The Kin is staying longer and having more buildup So the mixed-Clan family thing is sort of being swallowed by it

We aren't in ThunderClan at any point So we wouldn't get much insight to Twigbranch's and Alderheart's older sibling-type relationship until Bramblestar's Divorce/Whatever the serious name of that book is going to end up being lmao

And... I'm just gonna show my L dudes. I'm not sure what people enjoy about Twigbranch so I'm having a hard time even beginning to think of what I'm trying to preserve here. I know she's really loved by the fandom but... is it just because she was adopted and her thing with Alderheart is cute? Am I missing something here?

So please-- share why you like her as a person and character! I could really use the input. What should I try to preserve about her in particular?

ESPECIALLY in AVoS.

In later arcs, I like that she struggles with mentorship... I like that she set firm boundaries with Finleap... I like that she gets bullied by the impostor fsdfssd but like, do people like her because she's a little pathetic? Is it like, the appeal of a sad, wet kitty? Is it that she's one of the only characters who's ever set a boundary for herself?

Hey Bones, how are you going to handle Alderheart's switch into becoming a med cat? In cannon it's...pretty disgusting ngl. They basically kinda force him, and this is before he had any dreams about Skyclan, so...which made me even angrier at the Alder/Velvet situation because No, Jay he didn't willingly choose! It's just..ug. I wish we could give one of Lion/Cinder's multiple litters to him cause he's such a good dad.

Oh it's GROSS in canon, I completely agree. It's insulting how consistently disabled cats get shoved into the medcat role. Girl... that is anxiety. This man is displaying Severe Anxiety. That is an ADA-recognized disability

Some noteworthy changes

Bonefall AVoS has a big POV shift The POVs are split between Heathertail, Breezepelt, and Needletail with her POV shifting to Violetshine after her death. It is a WindClan and ShadowClan centric arc; we are not in ThunderClan.

Alderheart and Sparkpelt are the kittens of Jessy and Bramblestar. And Jessy may have taken Alderheart in the kitty-divorce. His visions lead him back to the Clan; Velvet is an old childhood friend.

Jayfeather is not Alderheart's family. Bramblestar loudly disowned the Three at that fateful gathering and they did not forgive him. Jayfeather wouldn't take it out on a kid but... he's really not happy with the situation.

Bramblestar's issues with his kids would be so large it would fill up an SE Bramble is emotionally abusive. His children have extremely complex feelings on him. They love him, but also dread dealing with him, but appreciate him for things he's done, but also feel like their pain isn't justified... it's a lot.

Not to mention how Alder and Spark feel about each other Spark blames Jessy for leaving her all alone, but Alder doesn't blame her at all. Spark feels like Alder takes away her 'right to be angry' in a sense but can't articulate that. Alder feels like she's not the same cat he remembers.

I like these guys they're fucked up. They ended up being so interesting that I had to remove their POV completely for Bonefall AVoS. They're so fascinating that they would eat up all of The Kin's screentime, which should be the main focus of this arc.