#Cats of bird names clan | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

forestclan-clangen · 1 month ago

Text

MOON 7 (Part 1)

<< FIRST | < PREVIOUS |

Hopechase has a big fight with Olive, pushing her to actually name her kits. She tells her that they're asking Hopechase to give them names, because Olive refuses. Hopechase sympathizes with her fears, but she begs her to give her kits this grace. Olive finally breaks down and names them.

(Hopechase, warrior, female, 89 moons) (Olive, mediator, female, 62 moons) (Branchkit, kitten w/ brown pelt, female, 2 moons) (Perchkit, kitten w/ lilac pelt, female, 2 moons)

Barleywave spends time with Perchkit and Branchkit. He still misses Warblerkit, but he vows to do what he can to protect them.

(Barleywave, warrior, male, 36 moons) (Branchkit, kitten, female, 2 moons) (Perchkit, kitten, female, 2 moons)

Redstar surprises Talonpaw with something nice, as a thank you for doing his apprentice hcores without complaint. Talonpaw wants to be just like Redstar when he grows up!

(Redstar, leader, female, 65 moons) (Talonpaw, apprentice, male, 11 moons)

Iciclepool spends some time with Shiverpaw on patrol, happy to be with her and watch her skills grow. Shiverpaw is just glad to have her mom by her side for a while, especially after everything that happened the moon prior.

(Shiverpaw, medicine cat apprentice, female, 7 moons) (Iciclepool, deputy, female, 63 moons)

Hopechase asks Iciclepool if she'd like to spend some time together. Hopechase asks if Iciclepool ever thought about mates after Cliffstep's passing. She pauses before saying she was very stressed after his passing, but she does miss the support and comfort of a partner. Hope asked if, hypothetically, she ever DID want a partner, what kind of traits would she be looking for? Hypothetically.

(Hopechase, warrior, female, 89 moons) (Iciclepool, deputy, female, 63 moons)

The Plentiful Gathering is hosted, with Cloudthunder cooking and Redstar and Hopechase teaching stories and history. During the festival, Redstar timidly shows an idea for a new Clan symbol - the ideal future she hopes they can reach together: a gentle home, ringed in spears.

(Talonpaw, apprentice, male, 11 moons) (Redstar, leader, female, 65 moons) (Olive, mediator, female, 62 moons) (Cloudthunder, warrior, female, 40 moons)

---

Redstar hoped that the Clan would love this. She really, truly did.

When she was an apprentice, she imagined that these types of festivals would be massive, filled with so many cats willing to show their chosen foods to the Clan, with everyone trying a bit of everything. She was quickly brought back down from her daydreams by Hopechase pointing out that the Clan consisted of eleven members, two of which were kits, three couldn't leave camp without a warrior, and two more were restricted to the medicine den.

"It used to be only one person was in the medicine den, but..." Hopechase eyed Redstar's bandages and splinter stabilizing her back leg.

Redstar's pelt turned hot. She groomed her front paw to hide her shame. She stayed quiet as she thought about what Hopechase said. She admitted that she had a point. Only five cats were capable of hunting the required food on their own - and that's only if she forced Windfur into doing so. The more she thought about it, the most unreasonable it seemed for the Gathering to be grand.

It broke her heart...but she had to be a better leader. Too much all at once would do nothing but stress her Clan.

"Do you have any suggestions for a smaller scale event?" Redstar asked.

Hopechase tapped her tail on the ground pensively. "Well, the celebration was originally to remember the culinary works from the lost clans," she mused out loud. "Unfortunately, many of the preserved recipes were lost with the death of Flametwig."

Redstar's heart sank as she fondly remembered the old gib. Their bushy face lit up with wonder at every spice Chicoryglint would defeatedly surrender. They made the greatest steamed birds and jerky.

She wished she had spoken to them more.

"What I'd recommend," Hopechase started slowly, "is to start with just one Clan this year. When our Clan has more members, we can expand to remember the rest of them."

"But - what if something happens to you? What if we lose that knowledge?"

Redstar's objection was sudden and despairing, and she knew it. She felt guilty the moment Hopechase looked at her quizzically.

"I'm not saying we don't talk about the other three Clans. I'm saying that we choose one Clan to make a dish for, and we could share stories or history of the other Clans during the celebration. You and I could talk about what we know, and explain our plans for future seasons. We're a small Clan now, Redstar. Starting small is the best we can do."

Redstar paused for a while, then sighed. "Very well. You're right. I just...don't know where to start. How could I be made to choose?"

"What about LakeClan?" Hopechase suggested. "They were known for their fish and roe. Cloudthunder has developed quite an adventurous streak over the past year. She's been coming back with all sorts of new things to cook and taste test." Hopechase's whiskers twitched in amusement. "She's always enjoyed working around a fire since she was an apprentice, and I'm sure she'd be glad to see what she could do with some fresh fish, if we can manage."

"But none of us are apt at swimming. How can we catch fish from the lake?"

"Well, it doesn't have to be from the lake..."

****

Redstar and Hopechase had spent more than a week's worth of time preparing for this. When they had announced to the Clan together their plan for this year's revived Plentiful Gathering, there was an anxious excitement in the air. Cloudthunder wanted to try drying out minnows, and Windfur offered to give her some spare rosemary to spice them with. Barleywave offered to rake some fallen leaves for the kits to play in during the festival, and Talonpaw was eager to help with any fishing endeavours. Only Morningpaw seemed hesitant to step outside of camp, and Iciclepool redirected her to keeping Olive company and playing with Branchkit and Perchkit.

Redstar hoped that now, during the second full moon of leaf-fall, she and her Clan had done enough to honor their ancestors.

The sun vanished and the sky had darkened enough for the stars to glitter above. Not a single cloud was present, and Redstar took it as a sign that StarClan was watching over their revived Gathering with interest.

She brought her sights back down to the camp before her. She slowly crawled down from the High Rock, careful not to put weight on her broken leg.

Cloudthunder had made a small cooking fire in the middle of camp, and built it up rapidly with the help of Twoleg matches she stole. The smell of roasted bass invaded her nostrils as it was being cooked over the flames. Redstar's whiskers twitched in amusement as she remembered how Talonpaw acquired it. He wrestled the catch out of the beak of a young heron - much to Iciclepool's dismay and subsequent lecture. Redstar couldn't help but feel a tinge of pride for the tom. Maybe, in another time, an ambitious LakeClan apprentice also ambushed a heron for the prey in its beak. Redstar decided to sit down by the cooking fire, basking in its warmth. She glanced around the rest of camp, admiring her clanmates.

The apprentices took it upon themselves to decorate the camp with Hopechase's guidance. The dark warrior regaled them with stories of the other clans, and they decided to make little decorations for each Clan. Morningpaw and Talonpaw taught Shiverpaw how to make rope from pine roots, and all three of them made frames out of sticks in the shape of cat heads. In each head, they used pine sap as glue to put symbols of the other clans within them.

"But how am I supposed to stick water on this?" Redstar heard Talonpaw complain.

"You could do MountainClan instead?" Morningpaw offered.

"But I wanna use the heron feather I snagged the other day! Using it for LakeClan makes sense!" The black tabby tom grumbled. "It would look really cool if I could make it look like it was floating on water. You think the transparent stuff Twolegs have might work? Like, the things they put food and trash in?"

"You want to leave camp in the middle of the night to steal from Twolegs?! No! What if something bad happened?" Morningpaw protested.

Shiverpaw worked quietly on her piece as the two warrior apprentices bickered. She put a simple bit of a pine branch facing upright to create ForestClan's symbol before putting it aside, and weaving a few more sticks again to make another frame. Redstar suppressed a purr of amusement. She knew Iciclepool was keeping an eye on them from the camp gates - she trusted her deputy to make sure they were safe.

Redstar glanced at the nursery, and saw Windfur helping Olive to her feet. He had spent the past moon pushing her into gentle physical exercises. She still needed assistance to keep her brace intact, but Redstar noticed the steady recovery - and from a molly that recently gave birth, at that. Windfur helped her move outside and settle on a firm bedding near the campfire, next to Redstar. Windfur noticed the leader sitting at the fire, and frowned.

"I thought I told you not move from your den until I came to get you."

"I'm fine, Windfur. I know how to climb down a rock."

"You have a broken leg. One wrong move and your healing process will need to restart." The tom's eyes narrowed. "I'm serious."

Redstar sighed. She didn't like being confined, but she decided not to argue back at this time. "Understood."

Windfur stared at Redstar for a moment before walking away from the fire and towards the medicine den.

Olive, meanwhile, looked around the camp. Her green eyes had been filled with apathy and emptiness for the past two moons, and although she had nursed her kits willingly, it took much longer for her to name them. Redstar watched as the mother's eyes fell on Barleywave and her kits near the apprentice's den, where Branchkit squealed and threw herself into a pile of leaves. Perchkit let out a playful yowl as she jumped in after her. It wasn't long before the kits tumbled out, biting at each other's ears and leaving leaves scattered around camp.

Redstar glanced back at their chef for the night, and couldn't help but snicker. Cloudthunder's pupils were dilated with excitement as she stared intently at the marinated bass.

"This is going to be so good. I can feel it in my bones, Redstar," she said.

"I don't doubt it. It smells wonderful."

"Hopechase told me that LakeClan used to have other spices thanks to trading with MountainClan, like salt and spicebush. Couldn't find any of that, but rosemary will do great!" Cloudthunder started scattering a few dried herbs over the fish's meat.

Olive stared at the food for a while. "...I've never met any cats with the ability to do what ForestClan does," she murmured.

"To do what?" Redstar asked.

"Create fire. Cook food. Cats do not need to do that. We can eat raw meat just fine." The gentle fire was reflected in Olive's eyes. An unknown emotion spread through her. "...Your walls, your gates, your baskets and herbs. I've seen cats play with string and colorful toys provided by their Twolegs. I've seen them steal Twoleg food and pelts. But you...can do what Twolegs do. Not on a large scale like they can. But enough to be an echo."

Redstar waited quietly. Outsiders often had these kinds of feelings towards ForestClan. She assumed Olive had more to say.

"...And still, you choose to live here."

There it was. Redstar braced herself ahead of time, preventing her fur from bristling. Cloudthunder wasn't prepared for it, however, and the grey and white molly's expression darkened. A tense silence fell around the fire as it continued to crackle.

Finally, she found a retort. "Have you ever considered that if there was a territory free of all danger, we would've already gone there?"

"Free of all danger? No. You'll always have to live in places with some danger. But you live here. Where something evil has claimed the territory as its hunting ground." Olive turned to meet Cloudthunder's gaze. The two mollies regarded each other steadily. Cloudthunder saw no hostility in Olive's eyes, just fatigue. The younger molly forcibly relaxed. She misread Olive's intent. She licked her paw and started grooming herself.

"...I know that this place has many evils. We've all seen them," Cloudthunder said. "But, the Clans have been here far before the Woodcrawlers have."

"But there's just one Clan now, is there not? Why stay in this place?"

Redstar's tail tapped against the ground. "Those are reasonable questions to ask, Olive. And ones that many cats have asked themselves. There is a reason why ForestClan has such small numbers."

Olive glanced at Redstar from the corner of her eye. "...Small?" she echoed.

Redstar suppressed a mrrow of amusement. "Yes, we are much smaller than we used to be the year before. A Clan is a society, a culture..."

"....And maybe something we can teach you more about tonight!" Cloudthunder interjected as she started shuffling the bass onto a cold serving stone. The light returned to her words. "It's easier to show you why we value our home and Clan than to tell you."

Olive didn't reply. She took her gaze back to her kits, and watched them play.

The full moon had reached its apex when the cats finally all gathered around the cooking fire, with Iciclepool helping Cloudthunder serve the bass and dried minnows. The apprentices hung their makeshift clan symbols below weaved branches around the High Rock, and Hopechase started to regale them with the history of the Plentiful Gathering.

Redstar listened as Hopechase explained the cultures and renowned traits of the four lost clans - LakeClan, FieldClan, MountainClan and MarshClan. Redstar looked around the campfire, and felt a soft joy as Perchkit and Branchkit listened with wide-eyed awe, questions dancing impatiently on their tongues. Her warriors were focused on Hopechase in between mouthfuls of fish, and the three apprentices listened in varying levels of interest, to Redstar's amusement. Shiverpaw was attentive, Talonpaw was half-listening, distracted by food, and Morningpaw looked almost too focused, as though worried she was going to be quizzed on it later.

"...And so, for this year, we will start small. The Plentiful Gatherings involved the preparation of food found outside our immediate borders, near territory the former clans would've lived. This year, we're starting with one Clan, and we will increase the dishes we will make each year." There was a hint of pride to Hopechase's voice. "Tonight, we have dried minnows and roasted bass, food that would've been a staple to LakeClan meals. LakeClan was thought to be well-fed, as fish were in no short supply near their riverbed home. Salt might've been used as seasoning, if they could trade with MountainClan. But today, we're using rosemary."

"What's trading?" Perchkit asked.

Redstar answered. "It's where one clan would offer up food or materials found on their territory to another clan, usually in exchange for something they couldn't find on their own territory."

Olive's ear twitched. "...And they didn't just try to steal the materials?" she asked.

"Well, that, we don't know," Hopechase admitted. "I have to assume that the Clans weren't completely free of strife - especially in the colder seasons. But what we do know for certain, is that in the end, the clans valued each other." She continued with more solemnity. "In their greatest hour of need, ForestClan housed every cat that escaped from the great monster that rampaged over the territories so long ago. The Wretch was a creature more horrible than we can describe. It cared little about the camps of the other clans, and...it was known to absorb cats into itself," Hopechase said more cautiously as she glanced at Perchkit and Branchkit. They seemed upset, but not horrified, and they remained quiet. "But the Wretch could not breach ForestClan's defenses. The walls of tall pines that cascaded our landscape halted its advance, and prevented it from hurting more cats. Within our camp, the other Clans sought protection and refuge."

"...What happened then?" Branchkit asked meekly.

"I think Redstar is more qualified to answer that one, as a historian," Hopechase meowed as she glanced at Redstar with a glint of affection. Redstar licked her chest a few times, bashful. She cleared her throat, then spoke.

"Well, historically speaking, when the Wretch disappeared, the Woodcrawlers and Nature's Mockeries started appearing around the territory. One of the clerics of ForestClan, whose name has been lost to time, received a vision from StarClan. They dreamed of a large, sprawling camp, housing cats of every background, shape and size - even former kittypets and loners. The cleric stepped outside the camp, and saw that the walls were ringed in sharpened spears, with points of starlight. The light repelled the shadows of monsters. No matter what they did, they could not breach the walls."

Redstar couldn't help but smile as her clanmates listened intently, their eyes flickering. "The vision came with four words. Some saw it as a prophecy, and for others, a mantra. Loyalty. Bravery. Sacrifice. Death. Many cats could not make sense of this sign. Clerics and leaders debated its meaning for many seasons, choosing to follow their own interpretations of the vision. I think - or rather, I hope - that I can share my thoughts with the Clan about these words." Redstar glanced at Hopechase and Iciclepool for encouragement, who nodded at her in response. Redstar took a deep breath as she stumbled to her feet, careful not to put weight on her broken leg.

She felt a tinge of nervousness as her clan watched her. She had never been...this vulnerable with them before. This was something that mattered to her. She only hoped that they treated her kindly.

"I believe that the night the clans almost died, we were sent a message of hope, and peace," Redstar began. "That one day, it was possible to build a sanctuary. Not just for clan cats, but perhaps, one day, all cats who sought refuge against the woods. But, it could not be done without effort." Redstar slowly limped towards the base of High Rock, and picked up a cat head frame that she had made in private, long before the start of the Gathering. As she brought it back towards the circle, she hid it from view, waiting for the right moment to reveal it. She sat back down, and continued. "The words that were shared with us, I believe, had meaning. Loyalty. Loyalty to each other. To this cause, and this faith in a better world. We had to be united against the Woodcrawlers.

"Bravery. We had to be brave. The world was cruel, and dangerous. There would be monsters in our home now, trying to overwhelm us, frighten us away. But in a world where there is loyalty, there will be bravery to remain loyal to our friends, family and cause.

"Sacrifice. No change came without sacrifice. Unfortunately, I would be lying if I said this did not lead to many eras of pain and strife in ForestClan." Redstar's voice lowered. "Many thought this meant collective sacrifice. We would need to sacrifice wants, needs and safety, to guarantee survival of the whole. But I don't believe in this. I believe that in our acts of bravery - there will be sacrifice, no matter what. A parent protecting their children."

Iciclepool's eyes brimmed with sorrow.

"Cats fighting to protect newborns."

Barleywave's head hung low.

"Our love for one another, as clanmates, friends, and family," Redstar meowed. "Love drives sacrifice. We find something we are so willing to be loyal and brave for, that we are willing to sacrifice parts of ourselves for it. Which leads me to the final word."

All eyes were focused on her now. Even Talonpaw had sat up and was now watching her intently.

"Death. I know this has been construed as an omen of fear, especially after how many cats we've lost to the woods for years and years on end. In the past, it was used to justify apprentice trials, and to accept that kits would always be at risk in the woods. But I believe, with all of my heart, that it was always a message meant for the leaders, blessed by StarClan. Why else would our ancestors gift leaders nine lives, if not to use them to protect their clan? It is the embodiment of all the remaining tenants. We must sacrifice, and die, and be brought back again and again. Because that is the burden we must carry. As leader, I will take the lives I'm given, and I will fight with all I have to make sure you are safe. I am one cat. I cannot prevent tragedy." Redstar felt her heart tighten with sorrow as she remembered Warblerkit, and the lives of her former clanmates so long ago. "But I will die trying. Until StarClan calls me one final time."

Perchkit and Branchkit stared at the leader with wide eyes. Had they not been told about the lives Redstar was given? Olive's ear also twitched at this, her expression unreadable.

"I know that for as long as ForestClan has stood, our symbol has been the sturdy pine tree. I come offering a proposition - something to truly separate us from past leadership. A new beginning, and a sign of my commitment to you all."

Redstar pulled the frame she crafted, and held it up for her clan to see. Everyone's heads bobbed to forward to see, and admired the bent branches and lashing knots that took the shape of an arch, with pointed spikes on its outside. On its inside, was a small rectangle with pointed ears - a cat.

Hopechase's whiskers twitched in amusement. "A gentle camp ringed in spears?"

"As I said, I am only offering it as a proposition," Redstar said hastily, the heat rising to her face. "I'd rather leave it to a vote."

"Well, in that case, let's vote," Cloudthunder said with a twitch of her tail. "I like this symbol, Redstar, but I think the pine tree makes us humble. It reminds us of what saved ForestClan during the attack of the Wretch - our defenses, made of pine trees. By that notion, the pine tree itself is both the wall and the spear, no?"

Redstar bowed her head in response. "That is very true. The pine tree is the symbol of our home, and the sign of what we have always been. Regardless of the adversity we face, we will always be ForestClan, and the trees will always be there for us." The leader's tail brushed the ground lightly. "I will abstain from voting, as I believe that this should be a decision made by the clan members themselves."

"Very well. All those for the ringed camp?" Hopechase declared as she raised her tail. Redstar couldn't help but feel her heart race. She looked and saw Barleywave, Talonpaw, and the two kits raise their tails excitedly, but felt deflated when the others didn't.

"Those for the pine?" Cloudthunder asked. Iciclepool and Windfur raised their tails, but the nervous Morningpaw and Shiverpaw abstained, shuffling on their feet. Redstar swallowed down her feelings to be a good leader. Yes, she wanted the ringed camp, deep down. But the pine was also the spear. It was not wrong to keep it.

"Morningpaw, Shiverpaw? It's alright if you wish to keep the pine tree. It's been a symbol for your home ever since you were born."

Morningpaw didn't meet Redstar's gaze, but she hesitantly lifted her tail. "I'm sorry Redstar," she meowed quietly. "I just...I remember my first day out of camp. When Iciclepool and Barleywave taught me how to climb a tree. From the top of a pine, I saw home." She lifted her head, her amber eyes flickering with feeling.

A few of the cats purred at that answer, and Redstar felt empathy for the young cat. She blinked slowly at her in reassurance. "That is a wonderful perspective to have, Morningpaw. I wouldn't ask you to feel any less." The leader looked at the youngest apprentice. "And you, Shiverpaw?"

Shiverpaw looked away, shuffling on her feet. Redstar noticed that Shiverpaw had become more withdrawn since the last half-moon, and she knew why. She felt a pang of sympathy for the poor kit. Being tasked with carrying StarClan's greatest secret was a burden she knew very well - one that Redstar had chosen to put aside. She could not help StarClan when she was alive - only when her soul was accepted above could she help them fight the Iris. For now, she could only control what happened here. But it seemed like that knowledge weighed on Shiverpaw's decision, which saddened the calico leader.

"I...I don't know," Shiverpaw mewed. "I...I feel like it's...a heavy task. To ward off everything. To...be responsible for protecting everyone." She swallowed. "I'm sorry."

"It's alright, Shiverpaw." Iciclepool, her mother, touched her nose to her kit's ear. "While I do love the new symbol, I think we need more time to grow like the forest." The deputy gave Redstar a kind look, and Redstar nodded. She understood her position.

"I dunno, I think you're all overthinking it," Talonpaw scoffed. The young tom's tail flicked with anticipation. "Like, yeah, ForestClan has pine trees. But that's not the thing that defines what we do, or who we wanna be! Maybe the pine tree was a good symbol when the other clans were here, but they aren't. We need to make a new symbol - one that represents not just ForestClan, but the other clans too. They didn't just die for nothing, right?" Talonpaw took his gaze towards Redstar, seeking approval. Redstar couldn't help but feel her heart warm with affection. Someone understood what message she wished to convey - and she was happy.

"That's my reasoning as well," Barleywave spoke. "The other clans came to ForestClan for protection, but it sounds like they simply conglomerated into ForestClan. If we became a clan ringed in spears, we'd be making them a promise to never forget them. We're not just ForestClan - we're all the Clans. That's why you made four points, right? One for each lost clan?"

Redstar looked at her symbol again. Yes, she did make four points on the arch.

That was completely unintentional.

"Yes, of course that was a part of it," Redstar lied. "I didn't want to sway anyone's opinion based on it, however, so I kept quiet."

"Well I like it!" Branchkit piped up. She jumped to her feet excitedly. "It means that anyone who sees it knows they're safe!"

"Yeah! And I like the little cat," Perchkit added. The older cats purred in amusement.

Cloudthunder seemed pensive. "Well, in that case, without your vote Redstar, it means we're tied." The young she-cat looked at Olive, who had remained quiet. "What about you, Olive?"

Olive looked at her with wide eyes. "Me?"

"Well, yes. You're a part of the clan."

Olive looked like she wanted to hide behind her whiskers. "I don't know about that," she mumbled.

"Olive, you've been here for half a year," Barleywave snapped. "Don't try to tell us that we shouldn't see you as a clanmate, because we won't believe you."

Cloudthunder suppressed a mrrow of amusement at Barleywave's comment. "It's true, you have been with us since newleaf. Your voice matters to us."

Olive blinked rapidly, as though caught off guard. After a few moments, she asked, "Has it really been that long?"

"Since the end of newleaf, yes," Windfur confirmed. His dark blue eyes softened. "I know it hasn't been pleasant for you."

"And yet, you would spend your resources to help a loner like me. A cat with a broken back, pregnant, in these woods. And I haven't been able to repay a single thing in return."

"But mama, we love you," Perchkit mewed as she stumbled towards her mother with wide eyes. "Branchkit and I wouldn't be here without you."

"And we really like it here!' Branchkit added.

Redstar bowed her head. "Helping vulnerable cats is the right thing to do, Olive. There's nothing to repay."

Olive looked at the innocent eyes of her two kits, then lifted her head to meet Redstar's gaze.

"...Please vote for the spear camp?" Branchkit blurted.

The clan laughed and Perchkit shoved her sister roughly. "Stop it, Branchkit! It's her choice!"

"But it's so cool!" Branchkit whined and rolled around on Olive's paws. "Pleeeeease?"

Olive huffed lightly. She lifted her paw and put it on Branchkit's face, causing her to squeak in protest.

"Nooo! Stop!" Branchkit whined in between trying to playfully bite her mother's paw.

Redstar then saw something from Olive that she had never seen since the molly was first brought into camp. After months of pain and sorrow, Olive smiled.

"Redstar. You said that in the vision, the camp housed outsiders. Is that true?"

"Yes, that is correct."

"I didn't understand why you stayed in these woods at first. And a part of me still doesn't. But I think I understand a little better what you are trying to do. It's...kind. Almost too kind to seem true." Olive removed her paw from her kit, letting the little kitten scramble and dash away giggling. "But if that's truly what your shared goal is, exemplified through your treatment of me, even if I can't ever return the favor," the queen's green eyes softened with kindness. "Then it feels like the ringed camp already exemplifies everything you've been to me."

At this, Branchkit and Perchkit squealed with delight and tackled each other in their joy, barrelling towards Talonpaw.

"Hey, hey! Careful! Watch the plates!" Talonpaw protested as he pushed aside the flat stones.

Redstar purred deeply at the sight. Joy swelled in her heart. She could not express the gratitude in proper words. But still, she felt like if half the clan wished to keep the old symbol - she could not simply ignore that.

"I've decided on a compromise. The pine tree has always been ForestClan. Like Cloudthunder said, it keeps us humble. It is our home. We've always relied on the safety of the pines, and it's only right to honor it. So, the ringed camp will represent all clans. The ones of the past, StarClan, and ForestClan's future. The clan we wish to become, together."

At this, Iciclepool and Morningpaw visibly brightened, and Windfur nodded sagely.

"Oh, this is so exciting!" Cloudthunder exclaimed with her chest fur puffed out. "We're making history today with a new symbol! We'll have to find a way to tell this story to future kits, wouldn't we?"

"Didn't you vote against it?" Windfur asked, his head tilted.

"I can still be excited that we're making history, beebrain!"

Redstar purred in amusement, and watched as her clanmates started chatting among themselves with the warmth of fire surrounding them.

She took her eyes to the night sky. The stars flickered brilliantly above, as though showing their approval. She twitched her whiskers, and hoped that she made them proud.

---

< PREVIOUS | NEXT >

58 notes · View notes

urautismdiagnosis · 1 month ago

Text

LANGUAGE HEADCANONS

including the vegimals, also some pirate culture lore for kwazii ig

@calamaroo

BARNACLES

Barnacles learned basic English as an extracurricular when he was younger, but he only really learned it (and gained the accent) when he went to university in Manitoba (polar bear capital of the world and the university works by, with, and for indigenous people with a lot of foreign people coming to study). he's got a similar thing with the speaking Russian and I'm gonna steal the specific language of inuktuk from you.

Also because the Arctic has so many different countries in it (although everyone in the Arctic considers themselves as just "the Arctic because wtf are u gonna do about borders? come through the snow storm and take me to another snowy white spot that looks exactly the same (to you) as the other snowy white spot I was in? FCK borders in the Arctic no one there gives a sht)

Anyways they do have a common sign language because I LOVE SIGN LANGUAGE AND WILL INSERT IT EVERYWHERE I CAN

------------------------------------------------------------

KWAZII:

Kwazii did grow up with a very mixed pirate crew, although A LOT of members were either English speaking or Japanese speaking predominantly , he also watched a lot of old kids anime as a kid in Japanese as well lol. not to mention the native island cultures they often interacted with including my very fictional "meowri" (they're sphinx cats with ttattoes and very loosely inspired by Polynesian cultures)...

Because of the general culture of the pirate crew being diverse (esp cuz of interactions on ports/other crews) there was also a lot slang and terms that was known shared and sort of used as a basic communication system for everyone.

so there'd be random Spanish and Arabic terms from the most niche origin points just being used commonly, and that includes a lot of outdated ones, cultural sayings, or words that just don't exist in a lot of other languages, and etc

not to mention that because of how old the pirate clan he was a part of was (founded in 1920s) and because of the different crews there's genuinely like hundreds and hundreds of them being in these isolated communities and even being born and raised in them. so there's a lot of words that cant even be found anywhere else, so kwazii does get frustrated when he cant express what he wants to say but he just... cant even translate the word

OR the words everyone else uses for it doesn't make any sense! it... it kinda makes him feel stupid sometimes

also because his clan did work with a lot of wild animals as non tech sources of information (you feed them and then they get u good info!! for strategy, spying, whatever! and no one even blinks an eye cuz its just a crow (an extremely intelligent bird)!) but uh... the problem with that is that well alot of animals uhhhh misunderstand stuff

so that means that all the names of locations, descriptions of wild animals, ways of naming ships, and all the information would've have to have been animal comprehension friendly. not to mention be more coded cuz of non-friend pirate clans and G O V E R N M E N T S- so I'd get some wacky name replacements for all sorts of things.... its really a mess XD, a beautiful mess but still

also explained why so many of the pirate tales about *insert scientific name of the episode's animal* was often over exaggerated with strange details... including ones pirates shouldn't even known. Like how could they know about sword fish making the water around them warm?

its because a lot of that info CAME from the animals... animals who... don't understand numbers and say things like "and it was 20 feet tall!" even if it was only 5.... because it FEELS that tall to the small animal yk? also not understanding science on a deeper level so its all explained in a strange way. Ofc the pirates DONT help the issue because they be exaggerating the hell out of their own stories-

yeah sure the snake was "long as the river itself" Cj and SURE it was 20 sharks or whatever and not THREE that chased you kwazii

lying in story telling is just a form of pirate love actually, so is pranks and pickpocketing but kwazii refrains lol... this turned into me yapping about the blorbo

-----------------------------------------------------------

BASIC COMMUNICATION SKILLS:

Speaking of the basic communication thing, the octonauts crew was trained on the main words for rescue related communication in more common languages like Arabic, Chinese, Spanish, etc and will take time to learn (or just refresh) before heading to a new location.

Because in my own au the communication abilities of the wildlife is a lot more limited based on their level of intelligence. so an orca would technically be bi lingual in their own orca language and be able to speak nearly identical to a humanoid person

also like I said before about sign language, BASIC PIRATE SIGNS THAT ONLY OTHER PIRATES KNOW AYYYYYYYYY

-------------------------------------------------------------

DASHI:

Australian Dashie my beloved<3 honestly she WOULD have learned several languages and learned more for/from her friends shes so capable and incredible fr. also FCK it MORE sign language! I headcanon shes CODA, which means you're the child of one or two parents who are both either hard of hearing or Deaf! so she actually was learning sign very VERY young from her mom <3 and well the rest of her family cuz they all knew it lol

--------------------------------------------------------

PESO:

peso is obviously bilingual and he's the BEST at the basic communications skills thing and most well versed cuz he deals with the most animals one on one, so he actually can communicate with pretty much all the animal creatures, even taking the time to learn some slang terms the animals might have learned so that they'll feel safer and more comfortable around him!

he also picks up on a lot of dialects especially since his cousins are so diverse

-----------------------------------------------

TWEAK:

as for tweak she knows a lot of Spanish actually because hey! Miami has A LOT Spanish speakers, so much that's its actually made an entirely new developing dialect unique to the area!

tweak actually understands a decent amount of Japanese and Russian but.... not for normal conversations, more like because of all the engineering studying she did! research papers, studies, articles, lectures, books etc etc... so she could probably have a full conversation about the physics and math of submarines in those languages but if you wanted to talk about like... how you're feeling today or what you want for dinner she can not answer that LMSO

INKLING:

inkling would absolutely know like SO many languages, I have the headcanon that the reason he actually met barnacles in that university was actually because he studied LAND SPECIES for years (and continues to enjoy observing his crew and doing behavioural experiments on them without anyone noticing, esp since they're so diverse and they're in such a unique social environment on the octopod! but shhhh don't tell the others it would ruin the natural response they have! he does this with love btw)

hes also literally mega brained so I'd be surprised if he didn't at least understand the basics of any language the octonauts knew purely based on his own curiosity....

SHELLINGTON:

hehe Gaelic go brrrrrr

also because I headcanon Shellie as being a a mix of Eurasian otters and small clawed Asian otters, I think he does have some Philippine heritage and knows some Tagalog but not that much and he's a bit sad about that in all honesty. his *ss would also know latin

VEGIMALS:

IVE BEEN PLANNING TO MAKE A VEGIMALESE LANGUAGE POST:

ok so basically their language is entirely unique and not just because of them being the only known vegimals:

the thing is that their vocal cords (or vegetable/fish equivalent) isn't really made for the languages they hear on the octopod... or English.

the thing is they are their own little pod, and during their earliest developmental years they spent the MAJORITY of their time only with eachother or with shellington, what this means is that while some of the verbal and auditorial cues they have is just innate to vegimal understanding- (and also had difficult time replicating sounds shellington made, while it being easier to replicate a word one of the other vegimals made)

they quite literally made their own words for a lot of things while talking with eachother, before shellington had even realized! a lot of their language development did formulate very similarly to english (and Gaelic) because that's what they were hearing from shellington!

as they continue to grow and get older (they're really only about like 11 to me) their English has actually improved a lot, because they've learned how to mimic the others better, that's how they learned that the vegimals still used a lot of the literal baby talk words that shellington used with them while they were growing up, but just in their own original language

not to mention a lot of their language does have a lot of the meaning derived from the enunciation, tone, rhythm, and etc... so that means its a bit harder for those who just.. don't have the built in brain biology to distinguish those sounds to understand them

ofc shellington did literally raise them so its much much easier for him to understand because (whether he realizes it or not) he was actually learning the language AS they developed it! ofc over the years the other octonauts have actually started to subconsciously pick up on the meanings of those more subtle language features of vegimalese, and combined with knowing the vegimals slang/phrases, and the vegimals learning how to replicate more and more English ones, their understanding of the vegimals only keeps increasing

but to anyone else who isn't an octonaut its.... kinda like hearing a lil guy yip yip a bunch of gibberish and then everyone else in the room going "oh yes of course! that's a great idea Tototofrit! and don't worry, well make sure our fish friends aren't scared as we perform your very clever and crafty plan!"

also my friend said I can pull off a decent vegimal accent so if anyone wants any tips lmk (I would stim in vegimalese in middle school btw LMSO but I did learn a decent amount on how they pronounce things and their speech patterns... still working on perfecting it but I got some starter tips LOL)

also the reasons halibeet and pikato don't show up as much as the other vegimals is because they're just genuinely more introverted, halibeet and pikato do enjoy each other's quiet company tho (as well as the other vegimals, but they're really more homebodies who just aren't as into the whole adventure stuff)

60 notes · View notes

barrenclan · 1 year ago

Text

PATFW: Animal Name Systems

As more non-Clan characters get introduced to the story, I’ve been having fun coming up with the naming systems for various animals. In real life there would probably be more natural variety within a whole species, but also making up little systems is fun so I don’t care. Also, as a technical note, obviously none of these names are in “English”. They’re in whatever language animals speak. So, like, Hacksaw is not literally “hacksaw”, it’s the animal word for that object.

Cats - with the exception of warriors (who obviously have an incredibly specific naming system), cat names tend to be more loose, and can be named after many things. In general, they are shorter. House cats are also an exception, as they are named by people and so their names can be very different. Ex. Cashew, Summer, Rowan, Egret, Thrasher, Jackalope

Wolves and coyotes - like cats, wolves also have a more loose naming system. Often wolves are named after someone else, to honor them. Coyote communities are heavily linked to wolf communities, so their rules are similar. In general, they are longer. Ex. Coldbreath, Nightshade, Lucky-Foot, Antlerhorn, Ranger

Deer - deer are always named after plants. No exceptions to this. Often the plants are ones that the parents admire or enjoy. Ex. Wild Rose, Juniper, Hyssop, Maple, Lingonberry

Mountain lions - they are named after some kind of aspirational trait at birth that their parent is hoping they fulfill. Sometimes this leads to funny, ironic circumstances, but usually the kitten is shaped by their name and strives to embody it. Ex. Ferocity, Swiftness, Cunning, Power, Caution

Porcupines - for the first year of their life, porcupine kits are named after the order in which their mother gave birth to them. Ex. First, Second, Third, etc. When the porcupine has come of age, they are given their adult name. These names are short and functional, usually no more than four letters. Ex. Mud, Snap, Snow, Blue

Falcons - chicks are never given names by their parents, and are generally treated as indistinguishable when young. Once they leave the nest, falcons name themselves whatever they like. Frequently these names are inspired by human artifacts, as falcons (and many other bird cultures, as well as raccoons) value their liminal relationship to humans. Ex. Hacksaw, Highway, Black-Wing, Perils, Artemis

Bears - at birth, bears are given short, silly names, meant to be inconsequential. Ex. Fuzz, Seed, Bug, Baby. When they come of age, they are given an adult name by the eldest bear, whether it’s a large group or just a family. These names are structured as some kind of brag about the individual’s qualities, to impress others and display dominance. They are composed of two words in the trait separated by a hyphen. Ex. Longest-Claws, Fiercest-Roar, Strongest-Jaw, Thickest-Pelt. However, if the bear is disliked or considered weak, they can be also be called a version of this structure that is an insult. Ex. Dullest-Mind, Weakest-Strike, Softest-Heart. The greatest shame of all, though, is an adult bear forced to keep their childhood name.

#lore

580 notes · View notes

elementclangen · 1 year ago

Text

Moon 55-Leaf-fall

Rosemarypaw (12) is stressed. Her mentor is still grieving Egretshell’s death, so she is left to care for the Clan all on her own. She’s not ready for that yet! She doesn’t even have her full name. At least she works well with Yuccawillow (34) and the deputy can help her out. Antlerpaw (12) is still feeling down after Egretshell’s death. She’s pretty spacy, and can’t seem to focus on her training. Yuccawillow still doesn’t know how to help her. Noticing this, Bird (84) finds a bit of fluff that reminds him of Antlerpaw and thinks about giving to her, but isn’t sure if they’re close enough for a gift to be appreciated. Nessie (51) is not a fan of Bird. He thinks that the other tom is too stuck up and rude. Nessie is also paying attention to Peakspots, helping her brush up on her battle skills. It’s a good chance for both of them to practice fighting other fire-blessed cats. And it’s an excuse for Nessie to spend more time with her. Shadestar (150) got in a small argument with Peakspots about her spending so much time chasing after toms. But it ended good-naturedly. Chervilcry (34) is still stressed about being the only mediator, and she hopes that ElementClan considers her a good one. Rindlefish (56) feels like the leadership has been absent lately. She thinks she would run the Clan better (again, doesn’t seem to realize that a non-powered cat can’t be leader). While on patrol, Rindlefish and Shadestar find a young kit that they bring back to camp. They name her Caterpillarkit (4) They don’t think she has any powers, at first, but they notice that plants seem to want to move towards her. They determine that she is a (very weak) earth-blessed cat. Rindlefish decides to care for her (to everyone’s surprise), and Rosemarypaw is excited to have another Healer around once Caterpillarkit is apprenticed.

#clangen #clan generator #elementclan #elementmoons #rosemarypaw #egretshell #yuccawillow #antlerpaw #bird #nessie #peakspots #shadestar #chervilcry #rindlefish #caterpillarkit #Caterpillarkit has such a long name. Why #wc #Warrior Cats

1 note · View note

mouseclangen · 6 months ago

Note

i know Swallowpaw was named after a bird, but you cant convince me he wasnt named in-universe for being a food greedy little bimch. his other parent saw him drink every drop of milk off his mother as a newborn and them off every other nursing cat bc he kept whining of hunger despite being literally full of milk already. Orangepaw probably told him they will name him 'Swallowmilk' for that as an insult and that's why he left, bc he refuses to challenge his evergrowing hunger and instead throws a tantrum over not having every mouse in existence. Frostpaw needs to run before he gets eaten too. the clan will be soon named BrainClan bc the Mouse got eaten too.

pack it up orangepaw we know it’s you

#THIS GUY IS SO ANGRY ? ??#mouse brain clan #everyone answers ?? idek cause this ask was insane #clangen

94 notes · View notes

theanoninyourinbox · 1 year ago

Text

NEW LONGSTAR AU - THE NOT-SO-LONG BALLAD OF FIRE AND FLAME

Before Fire Prophecy

Talltail seeks to kill the Loner that he believes killed his father. With the help of a kittypet named Jake, he finds the strength to forgive, and instead saves Sparrow from the Monster, and returns to Windclan with new determination in his heart and a dear…friend…that he leaves behind. It is with this new spirit that he protests the renaming of Hopkit, and he stays Hoppaw. The two remain close friends throughout their lives.

In Riverclan, Stormkit is renamed Crookedkit, but Rainflower is also renamed – Rottenflower. Crookedkit’s name is given as a sign of survival, and Rottenflower’s as a sign of her true heart. Crookedkit still leaves for a time, still is haunted by the Geist Mapleshade, but with his head a little higher and heart a little clearer.

Tiny is playing on an old stump when the Thunderclan Patrol finds him, and Thistleclaw orders Tigerpaw to attack. Bluefur intercedes, and the heavily injured kitten is brought back to camp to be treated. Sunstar decides to keep the poor little thing, and Frostkit is semi-adopted by Bluefur.

Yellowfang is about to bury Hopekit and Wishkit when the sounds and smells of Twolegs alert her. She knows they will try to take her and her remaining kit, so she grabs Brokenkit and runs. The twoleg, stretching their legs after a long car ride, finds the two kittens and sees signs of life in the little tortie. They rush the cold kitten to a vet, and with time and effort, little Nutmeg thrives.

As Frostkit heals, a moons-long process, he makes friends with Spottedpaw and Whitepaw. Eventually he notices that Thistleclaw keeps trying to get Spottedpaw alone, and with the help of Thrushpelt, discovers the horrible truth. Thistleclaw is dragged before the clan, and with Spottedpaw’s testimony, the Traitor is banished from the clans permanently. Spottedpaw becomes a Healer apprentice, and Thrushpelt begins to mentor Frostpaw.

Nutmeg eventually is introduced to a handsome orange tabby named Jake, and falls in love. He breaks her heart by leaving when she’s due to give birth, and swears to take care of her beloved bundles of joy by herself.

Raggedstar lies dying, with his daughter Brokentail laughing as she cleans the blood from her paws, and realizes the enormous mistake he made with the way he raised her. He dies, and watches as Brokentail receives her lives from the Dark Forest. Watches her kill kits. Watches her banish her own mother. What has he done?

Longpaw is mentored by Frostfoot, making an unusual pair. Longpaw is eventually named Longtail, and wonders what his future holds for him. He does not see the starry crown behind his head, ethereal and light as a dream.

Bluestar and Spottedleaf sit together on a hillside, Leader and Oracle Healer, and a pair of stars fall burning from the sky. Fire Will Save The Clans.

The Long Ballad of Fire and Flames

Rusty the kittypet has yet another strange dream, of a red-tailed bird falling from a rainy sky. He and his friend Smudge discuss the happenings around the neighborhood. Princess, Rusty’s sister, forbids Rusty from going to the forest by himself. Later that night, Rusty tries to catch a mouse on the border and gets tackled by a gray tabby, who is impressed when Rusty flings him off. After meeting his mentor Lionheart, Rusty agrees to meet them the next morning, to see the Clan. Rusty tells Princess about this.

The next morning, Rusty sneaks past a still sleeping Princess and a worried Smudge, and meets Bluestar, Graypaw, and Lionheart. The Thunderclanners refuse to wait for his sister. They head off to camp, with Rusty leaving a subtle scent trail so Princess can find him. Princess wakes up, and follows the trail with stealth and careful steps.

At camp, Bluestar introduces Rusty as a potential clanmate, and some cats take offense to that. Darkstripe demands he be tested, but Frostfoot tells him to calm down, what, are you threatened by him? Really? Lionheart gets inbetween them to break it up, but cocky Longtail challenges the kittypet before anyone can stop him. Frostfoot is mortified. Rusty accepts, and the two square off. Longtail gets the upper paw almost immediately, and gets a hold of Rusty’s collar. As he pulls, he hears a yowl of outrage. And suddenly he is FLUNG bodily, his ear burning, the collar still in his mouth.

He gets up, and there is an ENORMOUS molly standing over the fallen kittypet, the warriors and camp guards at the ready to fight. As Spottedleaf helps him to his feet, Longtail hears the Tortie scolding Rusty for leaving without her, I TOLD you there would be trouble but noooOOOooo you don’t listen to your sister! You just listen to your silly dreams!! Bluestar interrupts, impressed with the boldness of the kittypet and interested with the dreams comment. Princess introduces herself, and after Rusty says he agreed to the fight, apologizes to a still stunned Longtail. Rusty explains he has dreams that come true sometimes, and tells Bluestar and Spottedleaf about the red-tailed hawk dream. Spottedleaf asks to mentor Rusty in the arts of healing and Starseeing, and Bluestar agrees, asking is Princess would like to join as well. Frostfoot mildly scolds Longtail for leaping without looking, and Princess and Rusty become Flamepaw and Firepaw, with Bluestar herself mentoring Flamepaw.

And then Ravenpaw rushes into camp. Redtail is dead, he screams, and collapses. And pandemonium rises.

After Tigerclaw brings Redtail’s lifeless body back to camp, and the apprentices and kits are shielded from the sight by Whitestorm and Lionheart, the pair of siblings settle in. Firepaw makes fast friends with Ravenpaw and Graypaw, and Flamepaw befriends Dustpaw and Sandpaw. The pair drag Longtail into being their friend as well, which brings Frostfoot and eventually Swiftpaw into the equation as well.

Longtail begins to mentor Swiftpaw, and finds that he loves teaching. With the help of Frostfoot and the other Mentor cats, he begins to become more humble and less cocky. Longtail begins to appreciate his friendship with Firepaw and Flamepaw, and takes more time to live, not just be a Hunter and Mentor.

One day, while gathering herbs for the Healer’s Den, Firepaw is knocked off his feet by an old gray and yellow molly. He springs to his feet, ready to fight, but the attacker is just…staring at him. Like she’s seen a Geist. He cautiously asks if she’s alright, do you need help ma’am? And she moans something unintelligible, falling to the ground in a dead faint. Firepaw panics, and drags her back to camp. There, she is identified as Yellowfang by Spottedleaf, who tells Firepaw of her alleged crimes, and how she believes that Yellowfang was framed. Said Healer wakes up, takes one look at Flamepaw coming in to drop off a mouse, and promptly wails in grief and pain. The three of the get her to calm down, and she quietly apologizes, the siblings look like…patients she lost long ago. Bluestar listens to her tale of Brokenstar being a False Star, and while still weighing the information, relegates Yellowfang to being a War-Bound for the time being.

Bluestar does not hear the story Yellowfang tells to the Healers and the Apprentice Brawler. She does not see the siblings take the old molly to meet their mother. She does not know a family has been made as whole as it will ever be.

At the Gathering, Brokenstar tells everyone how she ran out Windclan, and Bluestar realizes that Yellowfang was probably telling the truth. As she had just revealed Thunderclan had Yellowfang as a War Bound, she begins to prepare for an attack, and she is correct – Shadowclan tries to kill Yellowfang, and succeeds at killing Lionheart and her dear friend Rosetail. Her heart grows a crack. She names the brave Tigerclaw, names Yellowfang part of Thunderclan, and tries to go on.

Then Ravenpaw leaves, begging shelter at The Barn with Bluestar’s old friend Barley, for reasons the apprentice refuses to communicate. All his friends Graypaw, Firepaw, and Flamepaw will say is that he needed to be something that the Clans couldn’t let him be. And the crack grows.

And then Shadowclan steals Frostfur’s kits, Lionheart’s kits. They kill Spottedleaf, Firepaw wailing over her body. She goes with her Warriors, Brawlers, and their apprentices to rescue the innocent. They are met by Senior Warriors and other banished cats from Shadowclan, aided by Yellowfang in secret. Brokenstar is run out of the clans. Yellowfang takes over Firepaw’s training, and Flamepaw and Graypaw are named Flamewish (per her request) and Graystripe. Why is the crack still growing?

Flamewish, Graystripe, Longtail, and Swiftpaw are sent to retrieve Windclan. It goes well, until a Riverclan patrol tries to fight them, and Whiteclaw falls off a cliff while fighting Graystripe.

When the group returns, Flamewish and Graystripe receive their first apprentices – Cinderpaw and Brackenpaw. Flamewish finds Mentoring difficult, and asks Longtail for advice. The pair become close friends. Firepaw and Sandstorm make bets as to when they’ll become mates. Unfortunately, Cinderpaw is lured away from camp and gets hit by a Monster. (It’s a car, just – just call it a car!! -Firepaw) Firepaw saves her life, and Yellowfang bestows the name Fireheart upon him at the next half-moon.

Also unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately), at seeing her apprentice so badly injured, Flamewish has an unusual reaction. She goes into labor. Seeing as Flamewish had no idea she was even a little pregnant (as she put it), things get a little crazy. Longtail is flabbergasted, Bluestar is confused, Yellowfang is baffled, and Fireheart is delighted but also flabbergasted. Flamewish does some calculating, then privately asks Fireheart to go bite Smudge in the face for her.

(This means Flamewish misses Graystripe meeting the gorgeously muscled Riverclan molly)

But it DOES mean she spends time in the Nursery with Brindleface, her kits Fernkit and Ashkit and Frostfoot and his kits Flykit and Coldkit. Frostfoot who had just gone out one day and brought back the pair, claiming them as his. Bluestar was frustrated and elated at the same time.

The three become even closer when Brokenstar attacks, as they defend the Nursery together. Longtail and Swiftpaw help drive off the Rogues together, and after Yellowfang blinds Brokenstar and leaves her Brokentail the War Bound, Swiftpaw is rewarded with his Adult Name – Swiftspirit. (Later, Longtail will see this as an omen, unknowingly given by Starclan through Bluestar…) Graystripe is later caught giving prey to Riverclan, and punished by having his apprentice taken away – Longtail is suddenly a Mentor again! And Brackenpaw has so many things to learn!

Cinderpaw makes a nearly full recovery, but her time in the Healer’s Den had made her rethink her life – she wants to heal others. Flamewish cracks a joke about her brother poaching her apprentice, but wishes her well.

And then Brokentail’s War Bound status becomes known. And Thunderclan is attacked. And Tigerclaw is at her throat, keen claws at her throat. But as her heart shatters, a yowl of outrage rings through the air, and Longtail and Flamewish HAUL the Traitor off of her. Bluestar banishes Him, and she holds the pieces of her heart and weeps – there are no stars in her tonight. She waits too long, then names the astonished Longtail as Deputy.

Then Graystripe begs for the Healers to help him – they find the laboring Silverstream and do what they can, but Featherkit and Stormkit outlive their mother. Graystripe leaves for Riverclan, refusing to abandon his kits. Fireheart and Flamewish can’t blame him, but it still hurts. And Brokentail is dead. Yellowfang tells her leader that he dies of natural causes, but Bluestar does not see the look on Fireheart’s face. (She will eventually learn that he just watched his grandmother kill his uncle) Then the fire. Oh the fire. Patchpelt and Halftail, coughing and then forever breathless. Fireheart and Flamewish race to find Yellowfang – to find their family. She lies in a hollow tree, and blesses the Stars that she has enough time to say goodbye. To say how proud she is of them – both her life paths. I’ll always watch over you. (and Yellowfang keeps this promise)

Bluestar feels her mind failing, rain through the treetops instead of thoughts. So when she sees the Traitor leading Shadowclan as a False Star, she just…lets go. She watches Leopardstar rise and her clan move around her like a fever dream. She watches the hawk impassively as it goes for Snowkit, and barely reacts when it takes Speckletail instead. She doesn’t react when Longtail promotes Snowpaw to train under Brackenfur, or when Flamewish brings the elderly deaf kittypet Brahm to teach Snowpaw and Mistlepaw and others Pawspeak. She doesn’t react to the death of Swiftspirit or the maiming of Brightpaw, save to curse the Stars that left her broken by naming the poor thing Lostface.

(Longtail MOURNS. He refuses to eat, has to be pried from his nest, and it takes a teary Flamewish admitting she misses the tom she loves for him to snap out of it. The pair find solace in each other. Fireheart and Sandstorm are too busy and too worried to exchange the mouse that they bet. Neither ever says who won that bet)

Rabbits lead a bloody trail to poor Brindleface, and Longtail makes a plan to lead the dogs away from their den and over the river-cliffs. Bluestar nods absently, but there’s a shining spark in her eyes that hasn’t been there in ages. The runners lead the killer hounds up to the cliffs and away, but one grabs Longtail, pinning him and scratching his face. But a blur of blue streaks onto the dog’s back, and overbalances them both into the river. A pair of Riverclan warriors leap into action, and Bluestar says goodbye to her family, Frostfoot and Whitestorm having raced to the scene.

Longtail is escorted to the Moonstone by Fireheart, and finds himself in Starclan. He receives his lives from Nightstar, Runningwind, Speckletail, Lionheart, Redtail, Silverstream, Yellowfang, Bluestar, and finally Swiftspirit. Longstar vows to stop Tigerstar and his cronies. He names Whitestorm as Deputy, and begins planning.

Tigerstar goes after Windclan, pinning and seemingly killing Gorsepaw, but as soon as the Shadowclan Battle Patrol leaves, he brings his head up and smiles weakly at his frantic mother. He will be scarred for life, but he will have his chance to live.

At Riverclan, Stonefur defends the apprentices to his last breath, and Graystripe rescues his kits from Tigerstar and Leopardstar. Some Riverclan cats escape in the chaos, unwilling to follow their leader on this path.

Finally, with Windclan and Thunderclan united against the forces of Riverclan and Shadowclan, Tigerstar plays his deadliest card yet, as hordes of strange city Rogues appear. Led by a figure some Thunderclanners recognize. Thistleclaw. But the rogues, no, the Bloodclanners, call him Tyrant. Tigerstar boasts to the assembled clans how he killed Bluestar using the dogs and

Tyrant kills Tigerstar with a slash to the underbelly

Nine lives gone, in a single blow

The battle comes the next day, all four clans together – Longstar and Tallstar, Leopardstar and Blackstar.

Bone holds down Whitestorm, and is ripped of by a squad of apprentices, including his own, Brightheart.

Darkstripe goes after the Healers, and Graystripe strikes him down. His body is never found, and a gray tabby wanders desolate, his mistakes weighing on his soul.

Longstar strikes the final blow against Tyrant

And life goes on

199 notes · View notes