#I just left them out of the original asks to keep a Thunderclan focus

[frostfour]

So instead of putting more essays into your ask box I decided to make a blog (I can’t believe this name was available!), I’m not much of a writer so no idea if I’ll ever properly put a story together but the brainstorming is fun enough. If anyone is interested the ask box is open!

I’ve mentioned most the main points already but I just wanted to reiterate for the sake of clarity that all four kits are intended to be Augurs its just that training four apprentices at once would be a nightmare so the focus is put on Thornpaw and Brackenpaw to ensure they are ready to move and Brightpaw also trains as Thunderclan’s safety net. Had everything gone as planned Cinderpaw would begin her Augur training once her brothers moved out and would be caught up with help from Frostflower, Yellowfang and a more experienced Brightpaw. Also the only names changed so far were the ones ending -fur and -pelt which considering they were a background cat family made for a lot of changes haha, so say hello to Frostflower, Brackenstripe and Cinderstream.

Oh my god the festival! Yes they would 100% reenact the festival under the roles of their future clans! That would be a golden opportunity for them to be stolen you are so correct I'll note that down for later.

Yeah Frostflower really wasn't sure about Firepaw and even though she insisted on his place in the clan due to the prophecy she personally kept a distance. Firepaw does earn her respect eventually though, helped by her mate Lionheart having a soft spot for him since he acted as his mentor before Bluestar stepped in. Makes it worse when it all crashes down. They do manage to reconcile after Bluestars breakdown though, largely due to Cinderpaw still being close to Fireheart and partially out of necessity.

About the Dogs: So it was super important to me that I kept the canon injuries for the sisters so Brightpaw still goes with Swiftpaw to hunt down the dogs. However shes not entirely untrained, when Cinderpaw was injured they ended up swapping training for a while and Brightpaw trains under Whitestorm (since 3 apprentices between 2 cats is already a handful). Swiftpaw is fed up of being an apprentice for so long and Brightpaw gets caught up in the thrill of being a warrior - although the change in training was temporary Bluestar isn't in the headspace to make readjustments and isnt listening to Starclan and by extension Frostflower. When Brightpaw ends up wounded the mentorships switch back and once recovered a bit she is back to the herbs.

Related to the above though I will say Brightheart and Cinderstream (am I referencing Silverstream? Perhaps) have an interesting dynamic once Frostflower is gone. They are both Augurs, with Brightheart as the Matriarch, but often switch between themselves what roles they carry out. They manage to balance out so that neither has to entirely give up warrior duties and stay stuck in the Augurs den. When Brightheart is expecting though Cinderstream takes the role full time until Brightheart is ready to come back. I just dont see either being fully content without having some outlet for their warrior side.

Yeah DoveIvy and HollyLionJay are around the same age here! With no Bracken around Thunderclan theres no HoneyCinderPoppy so instead the apprentice gang for Po3 would be BerryHazelMouse, DoveIvy and HollyLionJay (you could even throw in AlderSpark if you wanted to be REALLY chaotic)

With BrightCloud I must admit I haven't thought that hard about how the clan sees them, I just knew I had to keep them together because they were my very first OTP when I was like 10<3

AGAIN SORRY FOR THE WALL OF TEXT BUT GLAD YOU LIKE IT!

Don't apologize! It's all very readable and it always leaves a huge grin on my face knowing I've inspired someone else! You've got a great thing going on here, if you are inclined to considering writing this out as a fic or something you'd have my full support.

I'm glad Frostflower and Fireheart managed to reconcile, that's nice for them. Love how he interacts with the Frost family, it's a very sweet if turbulent dynamic between them all.

I like that for them! 3 apprentices at once is certainly a lot and I'm sure the augurs' den was really cramped during that particular period. I like the idea that officially Brightheart gets the title of matriarch as the one initially supposed to stay in ThunderClan but them swapping duties every so often. Certainly an unorthodox way to run things, but Brightheart has the authority to make it so.

YES! The huge apprentice generation in Po3 is my favorite, wish we'd seen more of it! Not to mention how it shifts the dynamic between Jay, Lion, and Dove if they're the same age-ish. Augur AU is already a no powers AU so it's already drastically different anyway, but I still like what this shift brings to the table. I like the idea that in another version of events they could've all been really good friends and I love the possibilities in Jay, Holly, Lion, Dove, and Ivy growing up together.

They deserve to be together, truly!

Thanks for all the delicious thoughts once again, you guys are the best. <3

[malkumtend]

Regrets - An AU where Squirrelflight and Crowfeather ran away from the clans.

Art by @lonely-ghost-606

…

“Do you have any regrets about what we did?”

“What do you mean?” Crowfeather yawned, raising his head and blinking the sleep out of his eyes. He looked to his side. He thought she was curled beside him, ready to sleep off the rabbit they had caught earlier. Instead, she lay on her back, staring up at the night sky.

“It’s a simple question, isn’t it?” Squirrelflight said, her tone too dry to sound annoyed.

“I… I guess.” Crowfeather shifted so his head was above hers. “I’m just wondering why you’d ask that.”

Squirrelflight shrugged, her emerald eyes looked dulled by the dark hills. “I’m just wondering.”

Crowfeather felt a sharp gust of wind scratch his coat with cold claws. He grunted. “I see.”

“So do you?”

Crowfeather’s brow furrowed. Did he regret what they did? There were many things that they did. He scanned the hills around them, focusing on an invisible distance they’d long since abandoned. To the left of them, a few tree-lengths from the steep hill they’d decided to camp at, a thick ground of unsearched woods lay open for the pair to explore. Even though they weren’t close, Crowfeather could catch the unknown smells that beckoned them further away from their original lives.

Crowfeather thought they would go into it tomorrow.

“Not especially.” Crowfeather said. He watched Squirrelflight blink, the same blank expression on her muzzle. The tom’s tail curled closer to his partner. “It wouldn’t do me any good to regret now. It’s too late for that.”

Squirrelflight’s muzzle scrunched in a way Crowfeather couldn’t read. Her ears twitched gently. “Yeah.” She sighed. “I know.”

Her voice drifted into the night like a dying hope.

Crowfeather bit his lip, the pain offered a good counter to the uncomfortable quivering along his tail. He looked away, debating if he wanted to ask the question or hear her answer. “So… Do you have any regrets?”

Squirrelflight cast him a glance, her head edging back. Their eyes locked for a minute. Crowfeather waited, uneasy but patient. Squirrelflight’s mouth opened a few times but closed within a blink. The cold air around them and the whistle of the night was the only consistency of their silence.

The silence was frustrating. So incredibly frustrating. Crowfeather fought to hold his tongue.

If there was one thing he knew, he couldn’t rush her.

She needed her own time.

So, he suffered through the quiet, if that was what she needed to speak.

Even if he was scared of what she might say.

Squirrelflight exhaling through her nose made Crowfeather jolt back to attention. “No.”

Crowfeather settled a little, but he kept his gaze fixed. “But?” He sensed.

“There isn’t really a but…”

“So why did you ask then?”

“Guess I just wanted to know.”

“What?” Crowfeather’s muzzle creased, “It’s a bit of a random question, don’t you think?”

Squirrelflight’s eyes narrowed, “Well ‘sorry’, I just thought I’d ask.”

A low hum rumbled in Crowfeather’s throat, his ears flattened back. “No normal cat ‘just asks’ something like that?”

“Was that supposed to be a jab?” Squirrelflight closed her eyes with a huff, “I don’t think you’re in any position to call any cat abnormal.”

“And you are?”

“You’re missing the point, mouse-brian.”

“You’re the one who brought it up.”

Squirrelflight rolled onto her side, effectively ending the conversation is she so wished.

Despite the heat storming his ears, Crowfeather knew in his gut that fighting wouldn’t help them. If he wanted a reason from his mate, he wouldn’t get it by making her mad.

Even if she was the one who started it…

Crowfeather grumbled, then he sighed.

By the stars, they were a couple of overgrown apprentices. He looked down at her, his mouth thin, almost feeling he could laugh at the stubbornness glaring off her.

She really was difficult when she wanted to be.

But then again, so was he.

They matched each other, and maybe that was why they were stuck with each other.

Crowfeather offered a light touch of his tail to her back. He heard a low mumuring he couldn’t decipher, but he assumed it was something to do with his tail and a mouse trap. He chuckled lightly, keeping his touch on her. Slowly, Squirrelflight’s back stopped shivering and he saw her body descend with a low breath.

Then her tail moved, the tip laying over his.

All was buried and forgiven.

Crowfeather sniffed, the sound reverberated over the hills. “Did I do anything to make you think I regretted leaving the clans?”

Squirrelflight started up, her tail flaring, before going still. Slowly she rolled onto her belly, facing the tom. It was hard to read the sinking expression, but Crowfeather assumed that she was fighting between giving the easy answer or the truth.

“No, I just thought… I dunno, you might have thought about it.”

“Well, I haven’t.” Crowfeather leant down a little, trying to match her height. “So, have you?”

Squirrelflight looked down. Crowfeather noticed her fur lying flat on her back. “Well…”

Crowfeather inhaled tightly. “You have, haven’t you?”

Squirrelflight didn’t respond straight away. “N- Well, I…” He could tell she hated the idea of lying to him. “Not for long.” When she looked up and saw Crowfeather’s stilted gaze she let out another sigh. “But yeah.”

A short, relative silence filled the air, as Crowfeather alternated between casting this off as a bad dream or waking up and wishing that it was. Either way, he said nothing. The idea that she could regret going with him, that she could regret him, filled him not with anger but a crushing guilt.

“Do you want to go back?” He said quietly.

Her eyes flashing, Squirrelflight rose up with a mrrow of shock. “Of course not!” She meowed.

Crowfeather looked at her with a shadowy scepticism. He was afraid to feel relieved.

“I didn’t mean I regret running away in the first place.” Squirrelflight said, giving her mate a hard stare.

“So what did you mean?” Crowfeather asked, his voice low as he sat on his hind legs.

Squirrelflight turned away with a groan. Her tail was thumping against the ground in clear irritation.

The fact she didn’t look at him made him second guess that he was the focus of it.

“It’s just…” Her breathing began to slow down and her movements became sluggish and tired once more. As another cold gust passed them, Squirrelflight was reserved once more to a still shadow. Her gaze kept low. “You don’t regret anything about leaving?”

Crowfeather paused. “Nothing I can think of.”

“So the idea of leaving was never… scary to you?”

The dark tom’s brows rose.

“The fact that you’re never going to see your family again.” Squirrelflight said softly. “That never bothered you?”

Crowfeather stared. Squirrelflight’s whiskers twitched as a look of pain grazed her. He didn’t need to think twice about who she was thinking of. But, as soon as she mentioned it, he did find the face of a sleek grey cat fill his vision.

A cat he had never said goodbye to.

Like she could have understood that.

“You’re not scared that you don’t have a clan anymore?” Squirrelflight stiffened.

Scared. The word confused Crowfeather for a bit, but he thought he knew what she meant. The safety, the security, the pattern. Knowing you would be protected, knowing what to do every day without worry, knowing that you had a clear pattern to follow. Comfort and reliance.

“That’s what’s bothering you.” It wasn’t a question. “You miss your family and your clan.”

Squirrelflight looked up as if she was shocked at how reserved his tone was. “Don’t you?” She asked.

Crowfeather thought back. It wasn’t an unfair question. Any normal cat would miss those they grew up with every day of their lives.

But like Squirrelflight had said, he didn’t have the right to judge what was normal.

“I miss my mother sometimes.” Crowfeather admitted. “But that’s about it. I didn’t have anyone else I was close to in Windclan.”

Squirrelflight mrrowed in astonishment. “Seriously?”

Crowfeather gave a self-deprecating chuckle. “You’re talking to me, remember? If you thought I was bad on the journey, you wouldn’t want to see me in my clan.” To his delight, Squirrelflight betrayed herself with a small chuckle. “I suppose I was close to…  my mentor. But… that’s buried bones.” The less he said about Mudclaw, the better.

Squirrelflight knit her brows together, staring at the ground with a slackened jaw. Her shoulders had sunk under an invisible weight.

Crowfeather pursed his lips and took a hesitant step towards her. When she didn’t flinch away, he stopped just when he was close enough to graze his paw with hers. “I take it you have fonder memories of your clan?” Like that was hard.

Against her better instincts, Squirrelflight stared ahead to the hills. As if they could see the shape of the forest they once knew. “Sometimes.” She echoed him. Her ears fell down like dying leaves. “I miss my sister terribly. We were always close.”

Crowfeather nodded, a sympathetic hum on his lips. “You must have been. If not I don’t think she would have let you leave like that.”

When Squirrelflight had shown up at the border with Leafpool, Crowfeather had almost burst from the terror. But it only took a moment and a good look at the medicine cat’s wet eyes for him to realise she was keeping their secret. Even as the weeping sisters embraced one final time, Leafpool had not even looked like she was going to reveal their secret.

And from how far they’d gotten since then, it seemed that she never had.

“I think about my parents as well. About whether they’re worried about me or not.”

“Of course they are.” That didn’t seem like a comfort or a jab.

“Well if they are,” Squirrelflight took a sharp intake of breath, “I can’t help but feel bad. I want Thunderclan to carry on without me, not waste time looking for me. If there’s a patrol looking for us right now,” She grimaced, “I hope they give up soon. They have their own problems to deal with and I shouldn’t be one of them.” Her face went dull again, as if being stung by a wasp too many times to feel the pain.

Crowfeather blinked slowly. “They will be looking for you.”  He dipped down so his cheek rested against hers. He was relieved when she nestled a little closer to him. “And that’s because you mean something to them.”

He’d been torn between comforting her with what he knew was true, reminding her of the love of home, and the beckon of silence that could keep her close to him.

But it hadn’t lasted long.

“My clan won’t care a whisker where I am, I can promise you that. But yours will search day and night for you, they’d only do that for a cat like you.”

Squirrelflight scoffed, “What? A leader’s daughter.”

“No. An amazing, beautiful Warrior.” He purred. He watched Squirrelflight’s eyes go wide and felt her face fill with heat. Her breathing began to become thin. Crowfeather lowered his eyes again. Her happiness pricked his determination once more.

“And if you miss them that much, we can go back.”

Squirrelflight paused.

Crowfeather coughed away the tightening in his throat. “I mean, if you think you’d be happier there… it’s worth it.”

“Don’t be silly.”

A brushing feeling curled under Crowfeather’s chin. Now it was his turn to go stiff. He laboured above Squirrelflight as she purred under his chin, her small body feeling perfect against the curve of his own. Her thick fur rustled against him, making his face drain of colour.

“I wouldn’t have left if I thought I’d be happier there.”

Crowfeather’s gaze skittered down until he found her. She was warm under him, smiling with a crescent moon grin. “But you said...”

“That I have regrets, but not that I regret everything.” Her muzzle had nuzzled into his chest and when he peered down he could barely see the hard determined glint of emerald. “I do miss my family. But when I don’t think of them, I think of everything else in Thunderclan.”

The fire that burned her scowl communicated the images of her thoughts.

The bitter feud of two toms, demanding their place beside her, too engrossed in their hate to notice the disgust on her face.

The way her clanmates offered nothing but tired grimaces and pleads for the peace of quiet whenever she made her voice heard.

The way her parents warned her to stay close to the clan whenever a cat complained of her ‘too-close’ relationships with the cats she travelled with for moons.

The way that it only took the mere sound of her voice to illicit a groan somewhere she couldn’t see, but she knew was close.

She could remember it all with a painful clarity.

Crowfeather licked her forehead gently.

“Trust me, I’m not so desperate that I’d want to go back to that.”

“Okay.” Crowfeather said, even though he wasn’t sure how he could even mutter that one word as his throat felt like it had been stuffed with dirt. He listened to her purr underneath him until his paws felt strong again and the cold air somehow felt refreshing.

Then he blinked, brows furrowing again. “Wait. If you don’t want to go back, then why did you ask me if I regretted leaving?”

Squirrelflight went still, and while that did make Crowfeather chill a little he did think an answer was deserved.

“Well, just because I’m happy here didn’t mean you were.” Squirrelflight broke away a little, licking her shoulder quietly. “You never told me much about your life in Windclan.”

“You wouldn’t want to know.” Crowfeather rolled his eyes.

“I’m serious!”

“So am I. I don’t have the fondest memories of Windclan, Squirrelflight.”

“I didn’t know that.”

“What do you mean?”

“Isn’t is obvious? If you wanted to go home then…” She trailed off, looking at her paws again.

Crowfeather had been stunned into silence. He tried to make something articulate, but his mouth hung half-way, as if it was trying to mimic actual speech.

Did she honestly think he wasn’t…

“Crowfeather.” Squirrelflight addressed, as stern as ever. It drew Crowfeather to look down until he was eye to eye with the hard-faced ginger cat. “There aren’t great memories for me in Thunderclan, but if there were for you.” There was only the briefest flash of fear of the molly’s face. “I’d want you to be-”

Her voice came out into a squeak as she felt herself dragged off her hind paws. Her head hit something soft and firm as her backside slid along the calm drifting grass. Squirrelflight couldn’t catch her breath as she felt something on her chest, gently holding her in place like a kit in its mother’s mouth. In the dark, it was hard to make it out as Crowfeather’s foreleg.

She realised, face burning all the while, that the soft mound her neck rested on was actually Crowfeather’s smooth chest. His steady heartbeat patted her skin, as if mocking her rapid pulse.

She was about to pull herself away when she felt a soft touch to her cheek. Along with a soft smacking sound.

Squirrelflight’s protests died before they could begin.

That hadn’t been a nose peck or a lick.

What it had been… Well it made Squirrelflight realise she couldn’t say a word even if she tried.

The alarm, the surprise of moments like this with Crowfeather, moments she could hardly imagine he was capable of, it just made her melt where she was.

Which only meant she eased deeper into his embrace.

“Now look who’s being silly.” Crowfeather uttered. Each word was warm on Squirrelflight’s already burning cheeks.

“Hu-Hu-Huh?” The slightest sound was all Squirrelflight found she had the strength to gasp, and even then she stuttered as if every part of her didn’t feel like hot sand. The rumbling in her chest was bizarrely comforting.

“Why would I ever go back to Windclan?”

Squirrelflight couldn’t whisper the obviousness of her soaring doubts.

But that was okay.

Because Crowfeather wrapped his foreleg just a bit tighter around her, and actually pulled her gently against him. And when he spoke it tingled everywhere. “I’ve been at home ever since I met you.”

With that, he gave her cheek another deserved kiss.

As the feeling burst over her once more, Squirrelflight found herself shaking far less than she could have ever imagined. Her paws cradled over the foreleg on her chest, holding onto it with all the care she could muster. Her heart rate began to soften until she heard it perfectly align with his. Only just a little less noticeable than the shimmer of their purrs.

As her neck peacefully sank back, her cheek being cradled by the warmth of his neck, Squirrelflight felt the invisible shape of the forest sink away until she couldn’t see it in the shadows anymore.

And she found she was okay with that.

She closed her eyes, not caring enough to give some witty comeback that may have suited her.

It didn’t suit this.

But Crowfeather spoke nonetheless. “Y’know, I’m kind of surprised, Squirrel.”

“About what?” Squirrelflight said, not opening her eyes.

“When you talked about regrets, my first thought was that you were scared about Starclan.”

“Oh.” Squirrelflight edged back a little more. “No, I’m not worried about that.”

“Really?”

“Mhmm.”

“I… How come?”

Squirrelflight opened her eyes as she craned her head just enough to peck Crowfeather’s chin with her nose. She giggled as she felt his heart begin to thump. “Just look at the stars.”

Crowfeather did and, despite the cold air, or the grey clouds that passed like fading wounds, he could have sworn the stars had never looked so beautiful as he pulled the ginger cat close once again.

...

Side note - this is not an indication of what will happen in ILYL. It is a separate AU.

And to hell with it, if I say these humanised cats can kiss they can kiss. So there!

Anyway this is the last Drabble until the next chapter of ILYL is finished. Hope you liked them so far.

[sunset-embers-warriors-designs]

Hey hey I have another warrior cats AU where Sandstorm, Dustpelt, and Ravenpaw are littermates originally born in Shadowclan

- The three kits are born to Dawncloud and Stumpytail (Chose this pair because Dawncloud mentions having lost kits to Brokenstar’s leadership, and she and Stumpytail are noted to be really close in Tigerclaw’s Fury). Dawncloud knows for sure she can’t keep her kits here because of what happened to her brothers, so she and Stumpytail take the kits to the Thunderclan border in hopes a patrol will pick them up. They don’t tell anyone in Shadowclan about it, but folks are suspicious.

- In the morning, a Thunderclan patrol finds the kits and brings them straight back to camp, where they’re adopted by Dappletail. Dappletail’s two kits, Cricketkit and Featherkit, had passed away very recently, and she was among the only available queens to nurse them. It takes like 2 hours for her to decide that these kits are hers now, and she names them Sandkit, Dustkit, and Ravenkit. Thunderclan has no idea where these kits could’ve come from - they smell a little like Shadowclan, but they were right on Shadowclan’s border so cannot confirm. The running theory is that they’re rogue kits who’s mother died on the thunderpath.

- Dappletail absolutely adores these kits, and they adore her. She’s a very no-nonsense mother and expects them to be on their best behaviour at all times, and raises them on traditional “hard work is good” values. Much to her dismay, Ravenkit is the only one who follows rules without making a fuss about it every time. Sandkit and Dustkit are both really energetic and rebellious, and they love to test the boundaries every chance they get, but Dappletail is way more patient than they are.

- Sandkit, Dustkit, and Ravenkit grow up with little knowledge of how they were found. They know they were brought into Thunderclan from the outside, but only because their clanmates keep talking about it like it’s a big deal. Dappletail tries to shield them from cats like Swiftbreeze, Sparrowpelt, Tigerclaw and Darkpaw who keep muttering about them, but some of it starts to settle in their minds. Particularly Ravenkit

- Ravenkit’s social anxiety starts to take form, which doesn’t make his reputation among his clanmates any better. To combat this, Redtail introduces Dappletail’s kits to Graykit, his nephew who’s got no littermates of his own to play with. Sandkit and Dustkit still prefer to keep to themselves, but Ravenkit and Graykit are immediate best friends.

- The three of them become apprentices shortly after Graypaw. As he’s entered this teenaged stage, Dustpaw has become a bit more angsty and difficult to talk to, so Bluestar assigns him Redtail, as Redtail is experienced at being the cool uncle and she thinks he can get through to him. Sandpaw demonstrates really great hunting and stalking potential, and so to encourage those skills even more, she’s given Whitestorm as her mentor. For Ravenpaw, Bluestar *had* planned Rosetail to mentor him before she all of a sudden decided to retire. Mousefur and Runningwind were only just made warriors, so they aren’t ready for their own apprentice yet. The only option left is Tigerclaw; Bluestar figures Tigerclaw can help Ravenpaw become more bold and sure of himself. Dappletail fights her on this because of Tigerclaw’s attitude, and offers to train her son herself, but Bluestar tells her “Parents can’t mentor their own kits, sorry”

- Ravenpaw departs on a patrol with Tigerclaw, Redtail, Runningwind, and Mousefur on a mission to go get Sunningrocks back. Dustpaw would have come, as Redtail’s apprentice, but he’s grounded for misbehaving during training or something. In the chaos of the retreat after the battle, Tigerclaw commits the Redtail murder, and Ravenpaw is the only witness. When he gets back to camp to scream that Redtail is dead, he gets sick to his stomach when he locks eyes with Dustpaw.

- Redtail’s death drives a wedge between the brothers. Ravenpaw has this immense guilt that he just can’t explain to Dustpaw, and Dustpaw takes it as pity, which he’s far too proud to accept. Sandpaw is caught in the middle, but then floats over to Dustpaw. Ravenpaw still has Graypaw, and the new guy Firepaw to keep him company, but as Sandpaw sees it, Dustpaw doesn’t have anyone else.

- As they get older, the siblings feel the pressure to prove themselves as loyal Thunderclan cats more than ever. Tigerclaw uses Ravenpaw’s unknown background as a way to spread rumours about him being a Shadowclan spy, which Dappletail refutes every time its brought up. Dustpaw tries to speak out against it, but his new mentor, Darkstripe, shuts him up by saying if he was “really” Thunderclan, he’d be wary of Ravenpaw like the rest of them. Sandpaw feels the need to demonstrate her allegiance to Thunderclan by bullying Firepaw, which Dustpaw then joins in on. Firepaw being the most recent outsider to come into camp makes her and her brothers less of a target for suspicion and gossip, so she does not hesitate on getting involved in the Firepaw bullying.

- Back in Shadowclan, someone overhears Dawncloud and Stumpytail talking about their kits and how they’re doing in Thunderclan, and reports back to Brokenstar. Brokenstar exiles the two and decides he’ll get his revenge on Thunderclan by taking some kits of their own.

- Ravenpaw’s death is faked after Brokenstar is dethroned, which makes Dustpaw and Sandpaw kind of snap back into reality. Dappletail is absolutely heartbroken, and becomes very bitter with all of her clanmates that took part in the Ravenpaw being a spy gossip. She always knew her son was a good cat, and she’s furious that the only proof Thunderclan would accept was his death. Dustpaw and Sandpaw stand by their mother, but they can’t hold it against their clanmates like she does. Dustpaw was *part* of the rumour’s start. They opt not to tell her this, and the two just try to focus on being good warriors for the time being. 

- Dawncloud’s only confirmation on her three kits making it safely to Thunderclan was when she saw them at their first gathering, and heard them announced as new apprentices. When only Dustpelt and Sandstorm are announced as new warriors, she feels a dire need to ask someone in Thunderclan what happened, but also is terribly afraid to.

- While he’s still somewhat associated with Tigerclaw’s crew, Dustpelt isn’t as into it as Darkstripe and Longtail are. Dappletail talks his ear off all the time about how Tigerclaw was one of the cats who started those rumours, and to “keep an eye on him”. Dustpelt was never one to listen to his mother unquestioningly though, he kind of keeps a paw on both sides to observe and see for himself whats really going on. Meanwhile, Sandstorm becomes more of an ally to Fireheart. Clanmates turning on one another and playing this game of outsiders and real warriors is the very thing that got her brother killed, and so Sandstorm has given it up as she’s grown older and lets both herself and Fireheart prove themselves real warriors by their actions and dedication to their clan. Because they’re focusing on such different things, Sandstorm and Dustpelt have drifted apart. Dappletail thinks the independence is good for them, since they’ve been side by side since they were kits, but Sandstorm still gets worried when she sees Dustpelt growing further away from her.

- Tigerclaw is revealed as a traitor, and the truth about Redtail’s murder and Ravenpaw’s witnessing is revealed. Dappletail has this moment of rage and triumph, because once again, it’s proven that her son wasn’t a traitor. Dustpelt is furious, and has to re-think a LOT of how he acted in his apprenticeship. After the exile, he cuts ties with Darkstripe and starts talking more with Sandstorm again

- Around the time that the battle with Bloodclan is approaching, Ravenpaw and Barley arrive from the farm to assist in the fight, and Dappletail and her family realize he’s still alive. There’s a very tearful family reunion. After the battle is won, they beg him to come home to Thunderclan, but Ravenpaw chooses to stay on the farm. They make him promise to visit when he can.

- Dappletail gets to celebrate her first grandchildren in Spiderkit and Shrewkit, followed closely by Squirrelkit and Leafkit. Squirrelkit and Shrewkit are Best Friend Cousins and become the same kind of dynamic duo that Dustpelt and Sandstorm were when they were kids. Unfortunately, Dappletail starts to become senile when they become apprentices, and eventually dies.

- Shrewpaw, Larchkit, and Hollykit’s final resting place is around the same place as Dappletail, so she can keep an eye on them

- On their way to leave the forest territories, the clans stop by Barley and Ravenpaw’s barn. Sandstorm and Dustpelt ask him one more time to join them back in Thunderclan, or else they might never see each other again. Ravenpaw still wants to stay at the barn, and the siblings say their final goodbyes.

- Both Sandstorm’s grandsons and Dustpelt’s granddaughter end up being part of the prophecy. When this is revealed, they’re both just a little bit proud.

- At the end of the battle against the dark forest, Dustpelt and Sandstorm have both lost their mates, and Dustpelt’s lost another kit. Sandstorm decides that she wants to retire, and tries to convince Dustpelt to do the same. He refuses, because keeping up with things around camp is the only way to keep from thinking on his grief. Sandstorm waits a season or two to see if he changes his mind, but he dies in battle before he can retire. Sandstorm retires alongside Graystripe instead, and regrets that she didn’t do more to for Dustpelt. She, Spiderleg, and Birchfall are his most frequent visitors at his resting place.

- When Sandstorm dies on the journey to find Skyclan, Firestar is the first to fetch her and bring her to Starclan. However, right past the entryway, there are Dappletail, Dustpelt and Ravenpaw.

- The three of them end up meeting Dawncloud and Stumpytail in Starclan. They’re not very close, and their relationship is less parents and children as opposed to friendly acquaintances, but they’re glad to finally learn about exactly how they got to Thunderclan. 

[thunders-warcats-stuff]

Burning Water Chapter 1 part 1

Fireheart  shivered.  His  flame-colored  fur  was  still greenleaf-light, and since leaf-fall was temperamental, it would  be  a  few  moons  before  it  was thick enough to  keep  out  cold  like  this. He  shuffled  his  forepaws  on the  hard earth. The  sky was  finally growing  light  as  dawn  crept  slowly  in. But  even  though his  paws  were  cold, Fireheart  could not  suppress  a glow  of pride.  After many moons  as  an  apprentice, he  was  a  warrior at  last. In his  mind, he  replayed  yesterday’s  victory at  the  ShadowClan  camp:  Brokenstar’s  glittering  eyes  as  the tyrant  backed  away from he and Dustpelt, hissing  threats before  fleeing  after his rogue companions. The  remaining  cats  had been  grateful  to  ThunderClan for helping  them  to  get  rid of their brutal leader, for the  recovery time that  ThunderClan had promised. Brokenstar had not  just brought  chaos  to  his  own Clan; he  had driven  the  whole  of WindClan right  out  of their own territory. He  had been  a  dark shadow  in  the  forest  long  before  Fireheart  had left  his  kittypet  life  to  join ThunderClan. But  for Fireheart,  there  was  another shadow  troubling  his  mind:  Tigerclaw,  ThunderClan’s  deputy. Fireheart  shivered  as  he  thought  of the  great  ThunderClan warrior who had terrorized  his  apprentice, Ravenpaw.  In the  end, Fireheart  and his denmates had helped  the  frightened  apprentice escape  into  Twoleg  territory beyond the  uplands. Afterward, Sandstorm  had told  the  Clan  that  Ravenpaw had  been hit by a monster saving his brother, Dustpelt. It was for the best that the Clan was uncertain about the black apprentice's fate. It left the option of return, if Ravenpaw ever felt safe enough, and Tigerclaw wouldn't leave the Clan just to silence an already-gone apprentice.  No, he would focus on the one who knew about him for sure. Tigerclaw's vicious murder of Redtail, Sandstorm's father and the  old ThunderClan deputy, still had no clear motive. Yes, he was deputy now, but  that was after Lionheart had died in a battle with ShadowClan. If the battle hadn't happened, if Lionheart hadn't died, would Tigerclaw have tried to kill Greystripe’s former mentor?

Fireheart  shook his  head  to  clear  it and turned  to  glance  at  Greystripe  sitting beside  him.  His first friend's thick gray  fur was  ruffled up against  the  cold, and  Fireheart  guessed he  was  looking forward to  the sunrise.  Neither of them spoke their wishes to the other two beside them.

Clan  tradition demanded silence  on this  night.  This  was  their vigil. After an apprentice earned their warrior name, they were set to guard the camp. The night could also be used for reflection. Halftail, a huge, light brown elder who had lost part of his tail to a badger, was  one  of the  first  cats  to  wake. Fireheart glanced toward the  warriors’ den at  the  other side  of the  clearing. Through the  branches that  sheltered the  den, he  recognized  the  broad shoulders  of Tigerclaw  as  he  slept. At  the  foot  of Highrock, the  lichen that  draped  the  entrance  to  Bluestar’s  den twitched, and Fireheart saw  his  Clan  leader  push her way out. She  stopped and lifted her head  to  sniff the  air. Then  she  padded silently  out  of Highrock’s  shadow, her long  fur glowing  blue-gray in  the  dawn  light.  

Bluestar  had mourned Redtail’s  death with  the  rest  of the  Clan, originally believing  him  to have  died by the claws of Oakheart,  the  deputy  of  RiverClan.  Fireheart  had  hesitated  before,  knowing  how important  Tigerclaw  was  to  her, but  the  danger  was  too great.  Bluestar  now  knew  that  her Clan  was harboring  a  cold-blooded murderer. Tigerclaw  emerged from  the  warriors’ den and met  the leader  at  the  edge  of the  clearing. He  murmured something  to  her, his  tail  flicking  urgently. Fireheart  stifled his  instinctive  meow  of greeting. The  sky was  growing  light, but  until  he  knew  for sure that  the  sun was  above  the  horizon, he  dared not  break his  silence.  He nodded respectfully  at  the  two cats  as  they  passed him.

Beside  him,  Sandstorm  nudged  Fireheart  and pointed  upward with  her  nose.  An  orange visible  on the  horizon.

“Glad to  see  the  dawn, you four?”  Whitestorm’s  deep  meow  took Fireheart  by surprise. He  had barely noticed  the  warrior’s approach, but according to everyone else, stealth was the white tom’s forte. It was how he'd gotten his name. He passed that on to Sandstorm apparently, because she shared many of the traits that made her an excellent hunter with her mentor.

Fireheart  and his three denmates  nodded together.

“You may speak now.” Whitestorm chuckled, touching noses with each of them in turn. “Your vigil  is  over.”  

Yesterday he  had fought  side  by side  with  them  in  the  battle  with  ShadowClan, and judging by the respect  in his  eyes  as  he  looked at  them, Fireheart could say with pride that he'd proven himself.  

“Thank you, Whitestorm,”  Fireheart  meowed  gratefully. He  stood and stretched his legs  one  at  a time. Greystripe, Dustpelt and Sandstorm moved stiffly, each unlocking their muscles from the solid guard they'd stood all night.

“Brrrrr!”  Greystripe  meowed, shaking  the  chill from  his  fur.  “I  thought  the sun would never come  up!”

“With fur as thick as yours, I'm surprised you feel anything,  much less the cold.” Dustpelt taunted,  surprisingly tame.

The brown warrior would never forgive himself for leaving his brother to find a new home in a storm as bad as the one that had smothered the territories.  But Ravenpaw had insisted on getting as far away from ThunderClan as possible thanks to the threat posed by the current deputy. So far, all Dustpelt knew about Tigerclaw was that he'd been one of the best warriors in the Clan. Then he called for the battle to take back Sunningrocks from RiverClan, an ancient grudge that would change only with the course of the river. Something must have happened there, because Fireheart and Ravenpaw had come back terrified beyond belief and Dustpelt had needed a new mentor. It was a good thing that Dustpelt had been well beyond needing more training, because Darkstripe was... something else. He'd have to ask Bluestar to hold off on giving Willowpelt’s first son an apprentice, because the black tabby could do with a bit more training himself. How Longtail got his warrior name, Dustpelt would never know. Then again, Longtail was a decent warrior so maybe Darkstripe had something else distracting him. He did seem to be following his old mentor rather closely. Could Fireheart and Ravenpaw have been right about Tigerclaw’s plotting?

“Are you going to be alright?” Greystripe asked softly.  Dustpelt looked up. They’d reached  the  fresh-kill pile.  

“One  mouse  each and  two chaffinches  to  share!” Sandstorm crowed.

The  four friends  picked  up their meal  and looked at  each  other. Dustpelt's  eyes  suddenly sparkled  with delight.

“I  suppose  we  take  it  to  the  warriors’  side  of the  camp  now,”  he  meowed.

“I  suppose  we  do,”  Fireheart  purred, padding  to  the  patch of nettles  where  they  had often  watched  Whitestorm,  Tigerclaw,  and  the  other  warriors  share  fresh-kill.