#I can’t tell if ThunderClan or WindClan would be more fitting

[pinetreepilgrimage]

Into The Chat (1/6)

IN THE NEW WARRIORS PREQUEL SERIES, Jerma is a kittypet human man who joins WindClan under the promise that he won’t lose his streaming career. As Jerma, now Jermapaw struggles to adjust to this new life, he experiences all the struggles clan life brings. Will Jermapaw survive and thrive in this new world? Or will he go back to his twoleg home?.. only time will tell

[skuffypaw]

If you could, how would you write a Redtail novella, or Redtail as a whole?

here is my shitty attempt at a redtail’s debt rewrite. warning: horrible writing ahead.

firstly i want redpaw to be an outcast in some way, never quite fitting in, not knowing how to, struggling with training. (coughcough autistic just like me fr cough) out of his two siblings i think he’d be closer to spottedleaf when they were apprentices, mostly because he’d like the be in the medicine den where it’s quieter.

like most apprentices, redpaw has an admiration for battle and war because of how idolized it is in the life of a warrior. this is especially true when he’s an apprentice in an era of battles between thunderclan and riverclan over sunningrocks. this helps tigerclaw start to influence him more. he realizes this fascination with battle when they’re on the bridge, how he says white-eye is jeleous that she can’t fight in battle when redpaw tells him how she warned him about the dangers of battle. this is why after tigerclaw saves him from the hawk, he creates the debt.

when they get back to camp, redpaw is still shaken up by everything. he feels humiliated at how he acted; freezing and falling, having to be dragged away by sparrowpelt, how it’s his fault their patrol was too late to riverclan. tigerclaw supports him, telling him that he did mess up but sunstar would understand that it was out of his control. this is where redpaw starts to get attatched to tigerclaw. he sticks to him like a leech, estatic that such an admirable warrior at least understands him.

redtail becomes a warrior, he’s still close to tigerclaw. a one-sided friendship. he still feels the need to prove himself to him, and instead of being hesitant about hurting sorrelpaw when she runs into tigerclaw during their hunt, he fights. over the past few moons the neccesity of fighting and battles has been cemented in redtail, and he believes he did the right thing. this is only emphasized by tigerclaw’s praise. redtail doesn’t correct him when tigerclaw retells the story with a few changes to sunstar, not wanting to get in trouble.

when redtail’s at the gathering that follows, his belief that he did the right thing is only heightened when heatherstar says that warriors should be patient with apprentices when they make mistakes. he’s fueled by his own insecurity over his previous failure with the hawk and his general struggle with learning when he was an apprentice.

the battle with windclan goes about the same. redtail isn’t hesitant about it, he’s excited. he listens to tigerclaw’s pep talk, agreeing when he’s told to claw the windclan warriors’ fur off and how weakening windclan will make thunderclan stronger. the intensity of the battle is high, the worst redtail’s been in. he starts to become less focused on attacking windclan warriors and more focused on his clanmates, hence why he still saves bluefur when she’s heavily injured and calls for a retreat. if the battle’s purpose was to strengthen thunderclan, then it’d be more important to save the second in command instead of fighting.

after the retreat, tigerclaw still compliments him for ‘pretending’ to care about bluefur. redtail can’t find it in him to fight back, but he’s starting to consider that the older warrior might be in the wrong. but tigerclaw saved him, guided him through how to be effecient and deadly in battle, was patient with him when his own mentor wasn’t. redtail keeps his mouth shut, not wanting to argue with him or lose his trust.

getting older made redtail realize that there was more to life than battle, but he still wants to keep on tigerclaw’s good side, he still trusts him and admires him. instead of ravenpaw being weirdly bloodthirsty, he’s as he is in tpb, nervous and meek. redtail can’t help but sympathize with him, especially when he sees him struggling with training just as he did when he was an apprentice. he’s more patient with him than tigerclaw is, ignoring the older warrior’s protests when he offers him extra guidance or is more gentle with him.

the sunningrocks skirmish happens, and redtail still defends tigerclaw from oakheart. he doesn’t kill him (hate that fucking retcon oakheart gets crushed by rocks.) but pushes him away when another warrior attacks ravenpaw. the deputy orders him to retreat. once the riverclan cats disperse, redtail checks on tigerclaw to make sure he isn’t terribly injured. that’s when he’s cut down. as he bleeds out on the stones, tigerclaw hisses at him that ever since he’s saved bluestar from dying all those moons ago, he’s gotten softer, weaker. thunderclan needs a better, stronger deputy, that he shouldn’t have bothered saving him from that hawk. redtail bleeds out and dies, the sound of water roaring in his ears.

when redtail wakes up in starclan, the first thing he feels is betrayal. how could tigerclaw do this to him - didn’t he prove himself? wasn’t he good enough? redtail still begs sunstar to do something, anything to warn the clans of how dangerous tigerclaw is. but upon seeing firepaw in the camp below, learning that “fire will save the clan”, redtail’s heart drops, realizing what this poor apprentice is getting himself into and how he can’t do anything to save him.

TLDR; redtail has a closer ‘friendship’ with tigerclaw, is influenced by him and is more battle hungry until he saves bluestar and starts to mellow out, and he stays being his ‘friend’ right up until his death.

other changes i’d make:

i don’t think he’d have a partner / kits. at least in clan. i had the idea of him having a kittypet for a partner but a) idk who and b) idk when. there would be a horrible break up before the windclan battle and a couple moons before his death they’d reconcile.

i’ve considered making him fireheart’s starclan guide instead of spottedleaf, but i feel like that could still work if you just got rid of all the weird romance. maybe they could share the job.

i also want him to be close to darkstripe when he was younger. especially since he was a one kit litter with an unknown father, he sympathized with how he was outcasted. they grew apart as darkstripe grew up since he was influenced by tigerclaw, believing his uncle to be weak.

[grossrottie]

Hey it's me! I was just looking through the most recent food related reblogs and I just wanted to say you have awesome taste in food. It's been a while since Ive agreed with someones taste in food so much because lets be honest, pineapple on pizza and pizza subs are both amazing and no one can tell me otherwise, plus even the other food items I have similar feelings for. Dunno this was random but I just found it funny wanted to let you know you have good taste in not only ships but food too! Anyways hope you are doing well right now and also if you don't mind me asking, how is the Crow x Squirrel fic coming along? I'm just curious as to how your doing and there's anything you wanna share? If not then its fine but I know you like talking about requests so I thought I might be the one to ask about the request. But anyways hope your doing well and love the reblogs lately, due to them I know I realize I know nothing about rats and mice but yeah hope you like this message and hope to hear back when you can!

There’s nothing with random, and I appreciate this ask so much omggg!!! I’ve been thinking abt it for a bit and trying to think of a good answer!

First off, food twinnnssss!!! It’s so cool to learn that others have the same taste as me, we’re pals forever now! /lh pineapple on pizza and pizza subs are so good, YOU have awesome taste as well!!! (In food and ships, of course!)

I’m doing well, what about you? c:

The Squirrel/Crow fic has progressed slightly, but I haven’t gotten into the groove of writing it yet. So far I’ve whittled the ideas down to one I’m gonna go with, but I’m still getting caught on the details (who likes who first? is the feather-crow crush still canon? do they both know they like each other, or does one of them figure it out in the moment?)

One version of a vague outline idea:

Squirrelpaw has a crush on Crowpaw

Crow has a crush on Feathertail

Squirrel sneaks off one night in the tribe cat’s territory (during the six-cat journey) bc she’s pent up. (It’s a smut fic but imma try to be not too lewd when explaining)

Crow cant sleep and goes for a walk. He notices Squirrel’s voice and thinks, then starts to walk towards the noise, worried that she’s hurt. He thinks he hears his voice being called.

He stumbles across her and is surprised, but casually offers to assist her (windclan cats are a bit more relaxed than thunderclan when it comes to mating and relationships) “unless you want me to get brambleclaw?” he offers genuinely.

Squirrel is flustered and confused. “why would I want—“ she realizes that crow didn’t hear her saying his name moments before he came into view. (he did, he just assumed he misheard) “oh, right.”

Then my writing peters out and I’m not sure where to go. Perhaps he develops a crush on her as he ‘helps’ her? Perhaps he realizes that while he admires Feathertail, he loves the back-and-forth banter that squirrel and him have.

But I’m still not sure if it fits at all. I could make it two sided, or one sided, or mutual pining, or something else but I’m a bit stuck.

I’ve written a little bit of a bunch of different ideas, but I can’t lock onto one.

Sorry for the rambling!!! Long story short, too many options and not sure. The requester didn’t give much info aside from “crow/squirrel first time” so I’m really not sure where to go.

Do you have any thoughts abt it? :0 I’d love to hear!! /gen

[away-from-anthills]

chapter four-

(emetophobia/body horror mention warning for this chapter)

The next morning, Antstar had names on his mind.

Coalpaw, Spiderpaw, and Sparrowpaw were set to have their warrior ceremonies in about a little more than a quarter moon. Spiderpaw was to take her final assessment in a few days, and Sparrowpaw was in the process of hers; Coalpaw’s was to begin the day after (but Antstar was fairly confident he’d pass). This was Antstar’s first warrior ceremony as a leader- and not only that, but one of the apprentices involved was his own, and he didn’t want to let Spiderpaw down. He had quite a soft spot for the little gray tabby- part of him wondered if, granted he made it as a leader that long, she could someday be his deputy, just as Shalestar had chosen him.

Coalpaw, he had already figured out, would make for a great Coalclaw. He was as built like a brick as a WindClan cat could be, big and muscly; and the name clicked off the tongue with the refreshing feeling of a cold spring of water.

Sparrowpaw’s defining trait, in his mind, was how much she wanted to be like her mother, Shadeflower, to the point she was training to be a permaqueen just like her. Sparrowshade for her, maybe?... No, that was almost too obvious, and she didn’t have the sly stealth one would expect of a -shade. Sparrowshadow? No, that was too long, and the syllables blended together too much when one tried to say it.

A blue-gray figure passed him. Antstar turned to see Toadpool, making his way to the fresh-kill pile.

“Toadpool,” he said gingerly as he paced up to the tom, “did your grandfather ever tell you how he named cats? For their warrior ceremonies, I mean.”

Toadpool thought for a moment, clicking his tongue. “He did tell me a little bit about it. Not much, though. Why?”

“I’m stuck on figuring out names for- well, you know.” He pointed to where Sparrowpaw was chatting with her uncle Webwhisker, the little brown tabby molly seeking advice for the hunting portion of her test. Antstar could overhear him soothingly reassuring her.

“Oh, Sparrowpaw. Well… she’s like her mother the most, isn’t she?”

“She is, and I was thinking of incorporating that in the name. She’d be pleased with that. But Sparrowshade doesn’t feel quite right.”

“You could try Sparrowflower,” Toadpool suggested. Antstar mumbled the name to himself a few times, but while it was a pretty name, it didn’t fit Sparrowpaw just right. She wanted to be like her mother, yes, but she had the boisterousness of her siblings; she would need something with a touch of playfulness.

Sparrowstem? Sparrowleaf?

“…Sparrowpetal, maybe?” Toadpool suggested, still scrounging for ideas as he nosed through the fresh-kill pile.

That was it! Sparrowpetal- easy to say, playful, but still reminiscent of Shadeflower.

“… I think that’ll do, Toadpool. Thank you.”

Toadpool nodded cheerfully and Antstar turned away, pacing back to his den where he could survey WindClan’s camp from. Antstar found himself quite liking Toadpool. He wasn’t intelligent in a bookish way, or even in a social way, but there was a quiet brilliance about him that he had to have inherited from Shalestar. And, as anxiety had tickled Antstar’s feet throughout his leadership thus far, Toadpool was something of a constant- always confident in his grandfather’s final choice… or, perhaps, too naïve to ever think Shalestar could make mistakes.

Had it been a mistake?

There was a knot in the back of Antstar’s mind that was well on its way to thinking it had been.

Antstar looked across the clearing, hearing the whisper of his name on the wind. It was Sparkthistle- this time, conversing with Stoatslink and an old black molly.

The old black molly Antstar recognized as Crowflower, who had been leading nursery queen before Shadeflower had taken over the position a couple of seasons ago. She was retired, now, but even still she was one of the Clan’s most trusted cats, and it was she who set the tone of the elders’ den.

“I can’t be the only one who sees it… Shalestar must have been out of his mind. All Antstar does is slip up. I think- personally- we’d be better off without him…”

Antstar’s windpipe tangled itself into a knot. Crowflower’s expression was slightly doubtful; Stoatslink, however, nodded, his brows low and his eyes dark with agreement.

Antstar felt his feet take him away. He dashed through the tunnel that led out of WindClan camp, the thorny weeds scratching at him as he neglected to pay attention to where he was going. The sky above him was just slightly overcast, with only a sliver of sunlight slinking through. Antstar felt dizzyingly sick.

WindClan brought you in. And they could surely bring you out.

Suddenly, Antstar stopped himself. Only a fox-length away lay the gorge that separated WindClan’s territory from RiverClan’s. In the distance, he could see a small RiverClan patrol, led by a red tabby with tufted ears. For a moment, she stopped, and gave him a friendly nod of acknowledgement. Antstar nodded back, and watched the patrol slip away, back behind the ferns and stones that RiverClan called home.

The gorge had always calmed him. Even as a kit, he remembered running off to sit by it, taking in the smell and the thrashsound of freshwater that echoed from the gorge’s two walls. There was something so deeply alluring about standing on its rim- so long, of course, as Antstar didn’t think too long about what would happen if he slipped.

“…Sir?”

Antstar, at first a tad startled, turned to see the unwavering gaze of Whitetooth. The nearly-white cat stood behind him, their ears turned to show a slight worry behind two teal eyes that were rarely privy to show emotion.

“…Sir, you left camp rather abruptly. You looked very worried. While I respect your confidentialities, Antstar- pray tell, what bothers you?”

Antstar’s tongue clammed up against his lips, but the Burmese tom couldn’t handle the stress that gripped his heart like a hawk talon. “…I was overhearing Sparkthistle talk to some others. And- she told them that they’d be better off without me. And maybe this is a crazy thought but- what if they go through with that? What if they start rebellion? What if everyone hates me, and when my back is turned they’ll all gang up on me and-“

“Calm yourself, sir: You are not the first or the last to feel this way. I am sure Shalestar, and all the leaders before him, felt very similarly.”

“But I’m not a Clan cat! Shalestar was!”

Whitetooth thought for a few seconds, their pointed snout turned towards the ground below. “You may not be. But there are cats in other Clans who are well loved despite being not of their Clan. Two of us medicine cats, even, were not born in their home Clans. Pebblesky of RiverClan left her ThunderClan birthplace to be in RiverClan, and Rosettepelt was a kittypet who was taken in by the Clan. Both of them are very well respected, and both are gifted at their craft despite that. I have the same faith in you, my friend.”

There was something innately calming in Whitetooth’s voice. It was deep, and smooth, and it felt like it was cradling Antstar’s soul and holding it close until the panic that had seized him earlier ebbed away.

It could be done, couldn’t it.

Everything would be fine.

Suddenly, an unfamiliar yelp of pain echoed across the WindClan sky.

“What was that?” asked Antstar. His ears suddenly pricked as he tried to detect the direction the unfamiliar sound was coming from- was it a trick the gorge was playing on him?

There was another cry. Whitetooth cantered away, their body seemingly remaining perfectly still as their legs cycled beneath them. Antstar followed his medicine cat across the territory, the grasses poking and prying at his sides, until the two were side by side on Outlook Rock. Suddenly, Antstar saw what Whitetooth detected: Six cats- cats Antstar had never seen before- near a bush of red berries. One was collapsed, quivering; the others nervously circled around their fallen associate with a mixture of confusion and terror.

Before Antstar could ask what was happening, Whitetooth sprang from the rock. Determination flashed in their teal eyes as they approached the group.

“What’s going on here?” they asked.

A small, old ginger molly opened her throat to speak, but before she could she was cut off by a much younger tawny-and-white tom. “Juniper had one of these little red berries, and- and he’s hurt! We don’t know why!”

Whitetooth nodded sagely. “I think I can help.” They picked up the unresponsive brown tabby- a small creature, about ShadowClan-size- and laid him belly-up before kneading their paws into the space just below the tom’s chest. One, two, three, four pushes and a chewed-up berry- along with a small, dark seed- went flying out of Juniper’s mouth.

Juniper’s eyes awoke with a start, revealing themselves to be a shade of deep green. He got up, swaying back and forth, and, after schlepping himself over to the corner of the pathway, vomited out whatever else had been in his belly.

“These are deathberries,” said Whitethroat, pointing with their brown tailtip to the bush that sat besides them. “The berry part is harmless, and can even have some medicinal qualities. However, each berry has a seed in the center that can easily claim a cat’s life are they not careful. Your friend here was lucky.”

“Juniper looks too sick to be lucky,” said a large dilute calico molly. She had a point- Juniper looked nauseous and barely cognizant of Whitetooth’s lesson. However, Whitetooth didn’t seem to grasp the point she was making.

“In addition- I’m sorry to say this, but you are trespassing on WindClan territory. We are kind to loners, and we will let you stay, but you cannot stay for too long.”

“The Clans!” said the young patched tawny tom. He was rather tall and very lean, and his paws looked as if he had never quite managed to grow into them. “I thought those were legends! There’s five of you, right? And you’re all noble, and honorable, and-“

“Enough, Baxter,” said a stern-looking old tuxedo molly, her face checkered with scars.

“Who is the leader of this group, anyway?” asked Antstar, trying his best not to be a sudden interruption. The little ginger molly that Baxter had previously interrupted stepped forward. She was very old, her red pelt practically hanging off of her bony frame like a discarded bullfighter’s cape. “I am. My name is Audrey, and these are my friends. I’ve been close to Shrike here-“ -she motioned to the old tuxedo molly- “for a very long time, and since then we have taken in these four cats. Lily was a barn cat who was forced to leave when a new family of Upwalkers took over the farm. Baxter and Stella wandered too far from their respective housefolk and never found their ways back. And Juniper was a rogue living on his own who decided to join us. We haven’t been very lucky in recent moons, however. There was a seventh of us, Bruno, but while we were traveling, he caught a sickness that he never recovered from.”

“I miss him,” reflected Baxter somberly.

Suddenly, a thought- perhaps an insane thought, perhaps a thought too idealistic to be reached without hurting oneself in the process- danced across Antstar’s mind. Of course- maybe some cats of WindClan could never be convinced Antstar could rule well. But what if- just what if- what if he could bring in cats who’d certainly have to think the world of him? “You could all come join us in WindClan!” Baxter looked immediately sold on the idea. Stella, the black cat beside him, also seemed to be immediately warming up to it. The others, however, were apprehensive.

“In WindClan,” started Antstar, putting on his best salesman voice, “everyone cares about each other. We have medicine cats, like Whitetooth here, who can heal the sick. We care for kits and the elderly, and everyone helps each other. There’s work to be done, of course- hunting, fighting; keeping the borders protected and the camp tidy. But when we’re all together, when we’re all asleep under the great big night sky- it’s all worth it.” Antstar almost believed himself for a moment.

“… But I’ve heard the Clans don’t like outsiders,” said Shrike, the gears in her head beginning to turn ever so slightly.

“Well- I was an outsider once. I was taken in by WindClan, too. And I’m their leader, now. Not all cats like outsiders- but they’ll warm up to the lot of you quickly. We’re a rather small Clan, so they will appreciate the extra help.”

“I’m afraid that Shrike and I are too old to do all that hunting and fighting,” said Audrey gently. Shrike seemed to disagree with her, but she didn’t say a word about it.

“The elders of WindClan are well cared for. All of you will be well cared for here, so long as you are loyal to our Clan and do your best.”

Slowly, reluctance bubbled into curiosity, and the little group of loners began to go along with the idea. Baxter and Stella seemed already sold; Juniper, Audrey, and Lily needed a bit of time to make up their minds, and Shrike was the hardest sell- even as they trekked through the tunnel into camp, Antstar got the feeling that she wasn’t entirely sure of WindClan’s merits.

Antstar noted that, just before they made the left turn home, Whitetooth seemed still drawn to the deathberry bush. It was like it had set off an electrical impulse in their mind, and Antstar couldn’t understand what about the deathberries was occupying the medicine cat’s mind.

It wasn’t long before WindClan cats began to approach the strange little group. Stripedwing, Webwhisker, and Molethroat greeted them amicably; Sparkthistle and Stoatslink, however, seemed apprehensive. Crowflower was already entrenched in conversation with Audrey as Antstar made his way up the Tallrock to start a meeting that would inaugurate them- but, just before he did so, a dark red tabby slunk up his side.

“Hello, Russetfoot,” said Antstar. He had not seen his deputy since the early morning, as Russetfoot had been out hunting with the apprentices for much of the day.

“Hi. I was going to ask- what, exactly, are those loners doing here?”

“They seem like a nice bunch of cats. I was going to make them apprentices- we are a small Clan, after all, and they seemed willing to join.”

Russetfoot’s green eyes flickered with a trace of apprehension. “…That’s nice, and we could use the extra help. But… this, so quickly? I support your decision- but could you maybe pipe down a bit before you make a choice like this again?”

Antstar knew that Russetfoot was simply offering critique. That was his job, as a deputy. Yet every time even the slightest trace of rejection crossed Antstar’s path, he felt like his stomach had been torn open and thrown into saltwater.

“… I’ll make sure to.” Away Russetfoot went to corral the crowd, and Antstar started the spiel.

“Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join beneath the Tallrock for a meeting.”

There was the shuffling of pawsteps and the silence of dying conversation, before the air cleared enough that Antstar could speak.

“Earlier today, while I was on a walk with my medicine cat Whitetooth, we ran into these six loners. Whitetooth was able to save one of them from an ailment, and from there they began to consider joining WindClan. They are capable of being fine members of this Clan, and so I have decided to allow them to join us. It will be up to them to prove themselves, but as they will become members of our community-“ -he glared at Sparkthistle, who glared right back- “I expect all of you to be kind and gentle. Remember that your leader was a loner once.”

Sparkthistle snickered something under her breath. Antstar, frankly, did not have the patience to listen to it.

“Baxter, Stella, Lily, Juniper. As members of WindClan, you are expected to take up names that pertain to this Clan’s tradition. Do you understand?”

The four cats nodded their heads. Baxter and Stella looked a tad reluctant to give up the names their housefolk had dubbed them.

“Alright. You are now Birchpaw, Nightpaw, Lilypaw, and Juniperpaw, respectively. While you are all old enough to be warriors, I have enlisted you as apprentices so you can spend the next half-moon or so learning about and adjusting to Clan life. Your mentors will be Sandwhisker, Emberheart, Stripedwing, and Rockscratch. Remember, you will not be apprentices for very long- but you still must make every moment count.”

There was some cheering from the crowd from some of the friendlier cats of WindClan, but there was also enough doubt that the air felt slightly palpable with it.

“And for Audrey and Shrike. These two cats, while dedicated and worthy, have admitted they are too old to be warriors. They will become elders and pass on their knowledge and skill to the Clan. As they are old, I am allowing them to keep their old names.”

Another cheer- another slice of doubt.

“Meeting dismissed. If any of the mentors or apprentices introduced today have questions, feel free to see me.”

That’ll solve the issue, Antstar thought. These cats are going to think the world of me, just as how I saw the world of Shalestar. The cats who doubt me will simply be outnumbered- and now, of course, I will be accepted.

As Antstar went off to the leaders’ den to enjoy a dormouse he had picked up from the fresh-kill pile, he felt Whitetooth following him once again. He looked up to see the cat- who seemed, as they almost always did, to have some indescribable answer.

“Meet me near the gorge tonight, when the moon is at its peak.”

Just as Antstar was about to ask why, the white cat with the brown tail slipped away into the medicine den and was gone.

That night, the thin veil of clouds that coated the sky dissipated, illuminating the WindClan camp with hair-tingling moonlight. WindClan cats slept in the open space of the sandy hollow, close together as if the night might try to pull any one of them away.

Antstar got up out of the leader’s den. Having to adjust to sleeping in a den, rather than in the open air with his Clanmates, was something that Antstar had found very difficult, although the leader’s den was shallow and amounted to little more than a slight cavity in the hollow’s wall The ceiling above him might keep him safe- but it hovered over him, leering, blocking the stars from his sight.

Antstar looked up. The moon had begun to grow thin ever so slightly, and it was at its highest point in its arc, positioned just above the silhouettes of the ShadowClan territory that lay beyond the Thunderpath.

It was time for whatever Whitetooth had wanted to tell him.

Antstar slipped out of camp and away, careful to not awaken any of his sleeping Clanmates. The night beckoned him. There was the distant hum of moths and the glow of fireflies across the moor. Night always comforted Antstar, especially as the days always felt too bright and too busy.

Whitetooth sat by the gorge, acknowledging Antstar with a nod. For a moment, they sat in the silence, with the only sounds coming from the rivers that coursed below. The moonlight reflected off of the water, giving Antstar and Whitetooth’s underbellies an eerie glow.

“Antstar. I know something has been bothering you. There’s a pebble stuck in the back of your head, and you’re not acting much like yourself.”

“… I just… worry. Does the Clan like me? What if they don’t? What if they kill me?”

“You have nothing to fear. If worst comes to worst… I have a solution.”

“… A solution?”

“Yes.” Whitetooth took a second, thinking of the words that were about to bounce off their own tongue. “Did you see the deathberry bushes from when we found those loner cats?”

“…Of course. Why?”

There was a glint in Whitetooth’s eye. It was not a glint of glee, or even of preparation. It was simple, honest, the glint of an apprentice following their mentor’s instruction or of a deputy awaiting their first task. And even yet, Antstar suddenly felt like he didn’t like where his medicine cat’s thoughts were headed.

“Sparkthistle is never going to accept you. She’ll die the way she is, stubborn, spiteful, shrill. But as long as she is around she presents a natural weakness to your leadership, correct?”

Antstar could only nod in agreement.

“Now, deathberry seeds serve another very important purpose. Remember a few moons ago, when that ShadowClan elder Mothfall passed away?” Antstar nodded again, keeping his head close to Whitetooth’s so he could hear Whitetooth’s voice as it became quieter and quieter. “It wasn’t old age or sickness that killed him. Mothfall had a massive lump that developed on his jaw, so large it nearly engulfed the size of his own head. It was horrific, and every moment it was there, he was in horrendous pain. Eventually, he could no longer sleep or eat because of it- he would just sit in the corner of the medicine den, withering, weeping with agony.”

Antstar’s ears flattened with horror at the image of the old ShadowClan tom that his mind was lending him. He had heard of such uncurable lumps, and had even seen a few Clanmates die from them- but nothing like what Whitetooth had just described.

“Now, it would be inhumane to let Mothfall continue surviving when he was barely living. If anything, he was dying a slow death already. But in ShadowClan-“ -they paused, thinking, letting Antstar process the direction they were about to carve with their tongue- “-in ShadowClan, the medicine cats use deathberries for that exact reason. Addertooth fed him a few. There was a moment of nausea and suffering, and then he was gone, and they buried him soon after. The next time we all visited the Moonstone together after that, Addertooth and Rosettepelt looked so relieved. They must have seen him in StarClan then; healthy, thriving, having left the agony of his mortal existence.”

Antstar nodded. But something in his belly felt deeply uneasy. “…But what does that have to do with Sparkthistle?”

“Well, Mothfall was never going to get better. Everyone knew that from the second the lump was first felt.” Whitetooth’s teal eyes narrowed ever so slightly, and their brown ears drew back. “And Sparkthistle is never going to get better, either.”

Antstar stepped back away from the gorge, the horror of what Whitetooth was about to suggest truly hitting him.

“It would be quick- and again, I would only ever do it if you asked me to. Sparkthistle herself would be in no pain- just the moment of nausea, and then she'd land among the stars.” They looked down below the earth, and then raised their chin up as if they were telling a dark joke. “Or in hell, maybe, if StarClan gets sick of her.”

“What- no!” Antstar had to fight to keep his vocal volume at a whisper. “What kind of leader do you take me for? I’m not killing my own Clanmate!”

Whitetooth backed away, and then craned their neck and cocked their head a little to the left. “Fine, then. I will only ever do what you ask me to. But think of this, Antstar, think of what you already know to be true. Sparkthistle is hurting your Clan. And- as a leader- it is your job to protect them…”

Antstar shook his head and walked away, leaving Whitetooth by the gorge. This had to be a bad dream. A rotten dream. He blinked to himself over and over, trying to wake himself up; the realization dawned on him that he was already awake in his reality. But Whitetooth had said they wouldn’t do anything of the sort were Antstar not okay with it, and they were so important to Antstar now that he couldn’t imagine ever mentioning what had just occurred and the things that had just been said to anyone else.

He went back into his den and began to ease into sleep as he heard Whitetooth arrive and slink into the medicine den. But after a moment of thought, he placed his head just out of the den, so the stars could still watch over him, and soon the thoughts of Sparkthistle and deathberries left him entirely as he fell into sleep’s awaiting arms.

[leporellian]

OH my god those designs for the pmv look so cool- i absolutely love the hawkfrost and firestar with the clan symbols instead of faces, that’s so cool and unique. do you have any idea what song you would do, or any other ideas you have for it?? id love to hear more :]

some Ideas:

- song: ruler of everything by tally hall

- the whole pmv would (will?) be set in 3 basic thirds: the mudclaw rebellion, onestar’s paranoia, and then the rise of darktail

- the pmv starts right after onestar and darktail drown, with harespring on the edge of the lake reflecting on onestar’s life. we then go back to tnp-era windclan, where tallstar is dying

- tallstar appoints onestar leader (“you understand, mechanical hands...”) and dies. onestar looks Distressed, but firestar assures him it’ll be Fine. ofc it’s Not Fine

- mudclaw immediately challenges onestar, and despite one’s attempts to appeal to his clan (“do you like how i dance? i’ve got mechanical pants...”), they too join mudclaw. it should be noted that, since this is all from one’s perspective, all of mud’s supporters are black shadows in mud’s shape.

- meanwhile- and i might have shifted timelines around but this is warrior cats so it’s fine- onestar tries to reject smoke and her (and his) child, reasoning that he can’t have her around because of his new role and the political situation in windclan (“i have a wonderful wife; i have a powerful job!”). she clearly disapproves, and for a second the camera lingers on darkkit.

- back to windclan, mud accuses one of being a thunderclan puppet, but one tries to say he‘ll speak for windclan (“if this mirror were clearer, i’d be standing so tall!“) then mud’s rebellion starts- and cats who are from riverclan, shadowclan etc. have their faces replaced with the clan symbols, showing that one sees them as colluders taking advantage of mud’s fragile state. mud tries to kill one, but is chased away and is crushed by the falling tree as he tries to tell onestar he’s working in the clan’s best interest (“i've been you, i know you- your facade is a scam.”)

- one becomes leader Officially and gets his nine lives. he’s extremely reluctant, wincing and grimacing more and more as the moonpool knocks him out, his eyes tightening with fear... (“oh, no, no, no...”)

- and then he opens them to find himself on the gathering tree, with the other leaders. he tries to speak, but his clan- who are all now black shadows of mudclaw, like mud’s supporters were- all insult him. (again, this is from one’s pov, so everything is exaggerated.) he tries to tell firestar about his woes (“do you hear the clock stop when you reach the end? no, you know it must be never ending...”) but firestar simply brushes off one’s situation. onestar looks at firestar, long and hard, and fire’s once-friendly face contorts into thunderclan’s symbol- and onestar realizes that mudclaw’s accusation of him being a thunderclan puppet was true all along.

- onestar runs from firestar and to the moonpool, where he goes to starclan to find tallstar. (this part is from an old official warriors app but i found it fascinating and fitting so it goes here.) he confronts tallstar, and in an essence the burden of leadership, attacking tallstar‘s spirit. he comes out triumphant, although his ear is split; completely losing himself, driven to the brink by stress and paranoia, he breaks into triumphant, almost maniacal laughter- finally, he’s managed to prove himself, he’s managed to defy his position.

- but then as he does (on the last “-and smile”), he snaps out of starclan, back into the real world. dead windclan bodies- many of them, and all of which no longer look like shadows of mudclaw- surround him, seemingly covering the landscape as far as the eye can see. a shadow towers over him, and he turns in all his terror to see...

- darktail. darktail, however, is something of a hydra, with five heads all attached to each other which swivel around. there’s darktail himself, but also smoke, and mudclaw, and tallstar and firestar... all of which reflect the different levels of disappointment they had with him, either right before they died or, in tall’s case, in starclan. darktail confronts onestar, and onestar- finally- owes up to what he’s done (“i’m the ruler of everything, in the end...”) as he does so, darktail‘s heads swivel again to reveal a sixth: onestar himself.

- one and darktail leap at each other (”without breaking down, gliding around...”) and throw each other into the lake. locked to each other, like deers’ antlers in combat, they sink into the depths of the lake, further and further, too far to even be physically possible (again, exaggeration) before disappearing altogether- leaving the pmv exactly where it started, fitting how the song starts and ends the exact same way.

[mallowstep]

For the love of god, please consider renaming some cats, I've seen names like

"One-Eye, Halftail, Oddfoot, FLIPCLAW (what kind of prefix is 'Flip'?) Twigbranch, Clawface etc. Don't get me started on those atrocious SkyClan names with KITTYPET PREFIXES

Harrybrook, Snookthorn, Rileypool

Like tf?

so i'm going to start with saying! as a general rule, i love these names. i will address them each in turn, but i don't have a problem with warriors having "bad names," i have a problem with names that don't make sense given their context.

it does not make sense for blackfoot to be named blackkit, when he's mostly white. (and, as a colorpoint cat, i assume, would be born entirely white.) etc.

but i have no problem with bellaleaf, because well, yeah! makes sense to me.

after all, leaf was named leafdapple, why shouldn't bella be named bellaleaf.

i'm going to discuss each name you brought up in turn, and then, under the cut, i'm going to ramble about naming philosphies.

one-eye: i'm fine with this. i don't mind cats being named after their disabilities, not when it's an established part of warriors culture. (even if it doesn't happen anymore because people would be pissed about it.) i don't know if i think it's right, or if i think cats would have a problem with it, but i think it's good. i'd like to think most cats wouldn't have a problem with it, though. that said, for one-eye in particular, her name was already white-eye, so it feels redundant. food for thought, i suppose.

halftail: i'm not okay with this, because he lost...half his tail? trust me, as someone who had a cat with half a tail, you don't notice it. doesn't make sense. he can keep sparrowpelt, altho tbh i almost always forget about him.

oddfoot: oops i forget him initially! i actually assumed he was named odd because of numbers or something, but apparently it’s a deadfoot situation. we don’t know his kit name, so i’ll assume he was named as either an apprentice or a warrior to fit. it wouldn’t make sense for him to just have the prefix odd, and i’ll give him the benefit of the doubt and assume that he didn’t. if he did, however, i would have a problem with it because that makes his name a compound name, not because his leader renamed him.

flipclaw: i don't have a problem with it. what kind of name is flipkit? the kind of name a mother would give who looks a lot like the cat who traumatized her, i think. more importantly, i think it's cute! doesn't bother me. would i name an oc flipkit? probably not, but that's just me.

twigbranch: oh no i love her name. i love it! it's so cute. it means something, too! it has meaning. nope. no one is taking twigbranch away from me. i love it.

clawface: mixed. i don't really have a problem with a cat being named clawkit, but it feels...violent. shrug. i don't like it, but like, i also don't like sandynose.

and i won't directly address skyclan because uh i already stated my thoughts on them.

skyclan in particular, tho, it actually makes a lot of sense for their names to be like that. there is no reason to apply any clan norms to skyclan names.

i really hope they keep their names, too. tradition and legacy of names is important to them (pebbleshine and violetshine for the most direct example, but it's everywhere), and i want that to stay. i love that leafstar named her kit harrykit. never change skyclan.

as always, i want to say that i do not have a problem with anyone's methodology of naming cats. i do not care. i support every single name in existence (barring certain combinations of color and "-face," and anything in that vein), and i do not want to come across as telling you what you should do.

that includes you, anon! i do not think you should listen to me when i say i like these names. i think you should rename them whatever you want. (i strongly suggest reconsidering skyclan renames, tho. there's established reasons in canon for them to have those names, and i think it's a cool cultural thing worth exploring. i keep meaning to write a funny lil one-shot about it.)

but you know! if you want to rename them, go for it! i support you!

that said, here is what i think (and i am not an authority on this in any way, shape, or form) about names:

i've written extensively about naming traditions in the clans. if you want to read that, "names. leaders. meaning" and "names part two" are where i recommend you look. (note: first link is to my main, before i migrated warriors content here.)

i'm not going to go over any of that in detail, because well, i'd rather talk about something new?

anyway, i don't think there's a reason to rename the vast majority of cats. i have very, very, few rules. heck, in ashes, i even had squilf come out and say that there's not even a problem with cats sharing a prefix.

the two cats i have renamed are yellowstorm and runningcloud, both for very specific reasons: -fang is a suffix that only makes sense if you're a warrior, and yellowfang names runningpaw runningnose, but in this au, sagewhisker names him, and she doesn't seem like the type to give that kind of name.

in yellowfang's secret, which i do generally treat as canon, yellowfang explains runningnose's name. i don't have a problem with her giving that name to him in the slightest. i just don't think sagewhisker would, and that overrode my general conservative approach to cat names.

but i do think, to an extent, cats are named for the world around them. i explored this in "without warning," where cats can be named after all sorts of strange things (elevator is my favourite), because well, they don't know what strange names are and are not.

so, for example, if there was a kit named, say, chaffinchkit, i would probably rename them, because i've set my warriors in the pnw, and there are no chaffinches in america.

i would just name the kit finchkit, because really, a chaffinch just a specific type of finch anyway.

i also refuse to name a kit maggotkit. there are probably other canonical prefixes in this nature that i refuse, but maggot is the big one that comes to mind.

but i don't care that ferns are green and cats aren't green. maybe it's a name passed down through the generations, one they don't even remember the origin of, but now, it is a thunderclan name.

or maybe, it is given to a riverclan cat simply because their mother thinks ferns are nice and soft.

none of that matters to me, because i personally find limiting name to appearance is incredibly boring, and gives up a really nice chance to worldbuild.

in "fair is the night," ivypool and tigerheart have a brief conversation exploring this.

"ThunderClan is different," he says. "You don't use names in the same way. You don't know the Ivy before you. But ShadowClan isn't like that. Dawnpelt knows Dawncloud and Flametail knows Flamefur, but...I have Tigerstar." "That seems ineffective," Ivypool says. "You can get more mileage out of your names. Here, Ivy is for grey kits, right? But wiry ones. We need strong roots. And Dove is for grey kits, or white ones, but its for the ones who are born soft."

they go on, but i would never pass up an opportunity to explore that type of thing. (and yes i see the typo)

similarly, i like the renaming system. i am like, this close to saying i love it.

the only reason i don't make brightheart lostface in everything i write is because it'd be too much of a headache to remind people, and i also don't want to needlessly invite arguments about it.

she keeps her name in "saccharine tithes of love and glory" because it's the kind of au where i can throw small things like that, without worrying, because it fits, tonally.

i wish it didn't set a fic in a very specific tone, but it does, and so, i usually use brightheart.

(also, it's clear that she prefers brightheart in the books, and i respect that. i don't think, in my culture, that makes sense for her, but i've talked about my works as being on a spectrum between canon and me, and most stuff is far enough away from me that i call her brightheart.)

anyway.

part of it is, renaming cats is imposing my rules over canon. i feel that saying "flipclaw should be named something else" asserts that my world is correct, and canon is wrong.

like, tallstar as a name does not make sense in my windclan. a kit can't be tall, and i've established that windclan names are very literal. but i've let it go, because i chose to make that a rule, and now i live with it.

i hope i didn't come off as prescriptivist, here, because i honestly believe if you want to rename cats, you should. i'd even be happy to discuss alternatives.

for clawface, might i suggest scorchface? (the suffix is malleable, frankly, but i don't feel like thinking much about it.) scorch deliberately has negative connotations in shadowclan, so you keep the same effect as clawface. especially since it just kind of sounds ominous.

but as for what i will do, it is not rename cats. i like their names (especially skyclan's), in all their idiosyncratic glory.

[doritopaw101]

Arc1, book 3: Chapter 2

Silverstream sighed as the water lapped at his paws and belly. He felt the soft paws of Featherkit and Gillkit nudge his belly, their small whimpers made him smile. He moved his body a little making it easier for his kits to latch.

'Graystripe says Featherkit looks just like me. I wish I could see that for myself' Silverstream thought with sorrow. Mudfur did his best to save his eyesight, even trying some herb mixtures that he was taught by WindClan's old medicine cat Hawkheart, but nothing worked. Silverstream didn't care too much; there were worse fates.

"Um… Silverstream?" Silverstream turned his head to the sound. Although he couldn't see that well anymore, he recognized the voice as Dogpaw's, and could also smell Vixentail, Blackclaw, and Bluepaw with them.

"Yes, Dogpaw?"

"I brought you some carp," Dogpaw mewed. "I know it's your favorite."

"I made sure that it's not poisoned this time," Vixentail growled, while Dogpaw let out a little whimper of guilt. Personally, Silverstream didn't blame Dogpaw or Bluepaw for the fish, no matter what others thought. He knew the apprentices already had enough struggles, and he knew it was the Twolegs fault.

"Thanks, Dogpaw," Silverstream mewed, pawing at the ground to find where Dogpaw had put the fish. Feeling its wet, slimy form beneath his paws, he bent down and began to chew on it.

Blackclaw must've been watching him struggle to find the fish, because she murmured, "We don't need any more blind cats," under her breath. Vixentail murmured a quiet agreement, but Silverstream still heard them both. He was used to the blind comments by now. He knew the only reason they didn't say it to his face was because he was Stormstar's kin. At least my father still treats me the same.

Silverstream had always tried not to be too offended by Blackclaw's smart remarks. After all, she had always thought he was above everyone else. Being the son of Shimmerpelt and Piketooth, two very respected fisher and fighter respectively.

And as for Vixentail, she liked to follow the black tom's lead a little too much, in Silverstream's opinion.

He was glad Stonefur dumped Blackclaw in favor of Skyeyes. He didn't deserve to be Stonefur's mate.

"How's Featherkit and Gillkit?" Bluepaw asked, the kits in question mewling loudly as they still laid pressing against Silverstream's stomach.

"Loud as ever," Silverstream chuckled. "Hungry too, I think my milk is fine for now though Bluepaw"

"What's it like being blind?" Dogpaw

"Dogpaw!" Vixentail hissed, and the loud thwack of someone's paw hitting the back of the Dogpaw's head followed.

"Ow!"

"It's fine," Silverstream said plainly. "Imagine not being able to see, but your other senses increased tenfold."

"That's cool!" Dogpaw mewed.

"No, it's not," Vixentail muttered.

"What's going on here?" Silverstream almost jumped at the sound of Voleclaw's voice. He hadn't even noticed the tom creep up on them. "Silverstream, are they bothering you?"

"Only Vixentail and Blackclaw."

"We need to take your kits," Blackclaw said. "Featherkit in fact"

Vixentail made a shocked sound but Silverstream couldn't tell if that was genuine or not.

Silverstream could recognize irritation in Voleclaw's voice now. "Why would you ever?"

"We need to make sure it healthy."

"That's Mudfur and Bluepaw's job, not yours, fish-face," Silverstream growled. "This is my kit, and you will not refer to her as it, you will refer to her as her name and that alone, Blackpaw."

Blackclaw hissed.

"Leave," Voleclaw snapped at the pair. "Don't you have patrols to do? I know Willowheart and I gave you somewhere more important to be, Blackclaw."

Blackclaw released another defiant hiss, but he was still obliged by Voleclaw's orders. Silverstream could hear him mutter angrily to himself as he stalked away with Vixentail following after him. Before the two disappeared, Vixentail called, "Come on, Dogpaw!"

"Dogpaw can stay. You two can swim away," Silverstream replied, curling his tail around Featherkit, Gillkit, Dogpaw, and Bluepaw.

/

Silverstream growled in frustration, water splashing everywhere. He missed another fish.

"Silver, I know you love fishing, but maybe-"

"Don't, Minnow. Just don't," he replied shortly. He knew what his sister would say, and that was sending him back to camp. But Silverstream didn't want to go back there again, not after what had happened with Blackclaw and Vixentail. He thought that by coming out here, he could prove herself to them again by relearning how to fish as a blind warrior, but it seemed impossible.

They felt like a dead weight in the clan, but he didn't want to feel this way anymore. Bluepaw encouraged him to help Mudfur gather herbs, but Silverstream wasn't sure if he should offer to be the old medicine cat's apprentice when his heart still yearned to be a warrior.

"You know that I'm not trying to be rude, but…" she trailed off.

Silverstream sighed. "You know I'm not really useful being blind now."

"I love you, Silver. You're my littermate."

"I know, and I love you too, Minnowpool. That's why I know you wouldn't say what you know is the truth."

Minnowpool's pelt brushed comfortingly against Silverstream's side, and he sighed. Would he ever get to be a warrior again, or was he doomed to be useless to the clan from now on?

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Icefire flicked his tail back and forth, watching the clan as they moved around the camp. He had Mistlekit nuzzled in his tail while Snowkit was playing with Waspkit and Hornetkit. He had managed to assign patrols, with some of Leopardstorm's help. The pointed white tom had been helping him adjust and even helped watch the kits with him before he led a patrol to Sunningrocks.

Taking care of kits was still something he enjoyed doing, even with his deputy duties keeping him on his toes. He'd been taking a lot of care for Milk-kit, Snowkit, and Mistlekit. Mostly to give Nettlemist a break and honestly he didn't mind bonding with the kits and wanted to look out for Milk-kit and Snowkit because they don't exactly fit clan norms.

He saw Shrikepaw bring over a sparrow, her fur just as frazzled and spiky as his Fuzzypelt's had been. "Been hunting?"

"Yep, caught this one easily," Shrikepaw purred. "I caught two squirrels, too."

"Can you take it to the elders?"

"Yep," Shrikepaw mewed. "That was okay, right?"

"Of course, sweetie," Icefire replied, licking his kit's forehead. He chuckled when he felt Milk-kit try to latch, he was so telling her this when she was older. He felt Goldenflower lay beside him. "I'll watch them, go stretch your legs," she mewed. "Shrikepaw, you can help, if you want."

"Cool."

Icefire slowly got up and made his way around camp, deciding to pay a visit to the elders. As he approached the fallen oak where the elders made their den, voices drifted up from behind its bare branches.

"Darkstripe's kits will be born soon, and Cherrycloud and Thymeroot have finally named their kits," Speckletail mewed.

"New kits are always a good omen, sister," White-eye purred. "What are they called?"

"Badgerkit and Stork-kit"

"Starclan knows we could do with a good omen," Smallear muttered darkly.

"You're not still fretting about the ritual, are you?" Patchpelt croaked. Icefure could imagine the old black-and-white tom flicking his ears impatiently at Smallear.

"The what?" White-eye mewed loudly.

"The naming ceremony for the new clan deputy," Patchpelt exclaimed loudly. "You know, when Tiger-roar and Nightshade left a quarter moon ago."

Smallear snorted, and Icefire imagined him nodding at Patchpelt. "A young cat can't be trusted to make wise decisions on the clan's behalf."

Icefure could hear Speckletail tear at her moss bedding with her claws, trying to fluff it to her liking. "A young cat with kittypet heritage, at that," she pointed out hoarsely. Icefire's heart stung at her comment, but it hurt even more when he heard Smallear's next comment.

"I'd trust an experienced traitor over Icefire, especially when his ceremony didn't follow the proper ritual. ThunderClan is as good as dead, with Icefire as our deputy."

His tail drooped as he heard the elders murmur their mutual agreement. His spirit feeling hurt beyond repair, Icefire took a few paces backwards and headed for the fresh-kill pile, wanting nothing more than to sulk and release his hurt on a mouse or two.

Maybe the elders are right, Icefire thought sadly. What if I really am a bad deputy?

/

"We should attack Shadowclan," Seedspots growled. "They're getting too pushy lately."

Icefire struggled to contain his frustration as the meeting progressed. He had been in charge for the meeting of the elite warriors as Bluestar was still sulking in her den, but it was difficult to assert his authority as a leader without his leader here. Once again, he reminded himself of the elders' conversation a night before, and he couldn't help but feel a stab of despair yet again. He wished Bluestar was here.

"They haven't done anything to warrant an attack," Raveneye mewed, the strong wafts of lavender and marigold spreading throughout the room as they spoke.

"So? They are just biding their time and getting ready to strike in the night," the tortie replied. She pointed to the map of attack that she had drawn in the dirt a while ago. "We could attack here."

"We will not attack if they haven't done anything," Icefire mewed before releasing a sigh. "Why start a fight for no reason?" There was already a border scuffle this past moon, and it had been during the last patrol that Darkstripe was allowed to lead before Icefire had the nursery cats confine him to camp. He had been a little relieved at Darkstripe's confinement, because it meant less worrying about whether Darkstripe would slip out of camp and betray ThunderClan's secrets to Tiger-roar and Nightshade somehow. He still didn't know where they were and he knows they would try to kill him, mostly Nightshade. Didn't help that he remembered that they had Brokentail and Dewflare with them.

Icefire had been part of the reinforcements to the scuffle, and he ended up ripping into Whitethroat as the black tom nearly killed Cinderfreeze. Icefire felt enraged during that fight. Whitethroat wouldn't meet with him anymore like he used to, and it was making Icefire constantly worry, and it was getting in the way of his duties. With the new pressure of being the clan's deputy, and admittedly his own insecurities, he realized that he didn't need the added stress of Whitethroat on his mind. Whitethroat would keep shutting him out no matter what he tried, so he decided it was time to be rid of Whitethroat for good.

He was snapped out of his thoughts as Seedspots countered, "You don't want to show ThunderClan's strength? I know plenty of cats who want to slash some ShadowClan hide."

"What's wrong with peace?" Embereyes asked. "At least for the moment."

"If we don't show strength then the other clans will think-"

"Who cares what the other clans think?" Icefire scoffed. "I don't. They can mind their own business." Rising to his paws, he fanned the map away with a quick flick of his tail. "This meeting is over."

"Seriously?" Seedspots snapped. "Don't you have an ounce of bravery in you?"

Icefire ignored her, and decided that was the end of it.

If only it had been that simple, but then, nothing was simple anymore.

He was on a solo hunt at the Owl Tree when he heard the awful news. He was stalking a dove that was pecking at some seeds that Icefire left for it as bait to lure it from the tree. The bird was fat, looking very well-fed this season. It'd be enough to fill two warriors' bellies.

Licking his lips, he began to creep up on his prey, careful not to disturb the leaves with his tail. As he closed in on his kill, he bunched his muscles, preparing to leap and deal the final blow. However, the bird quickly took to the skies when it was startled by a rustle in the bushes not far from his hunting place. Hissing with frustration, Icebelly turned to curse whatever had scared away his catch, only to be cut off short when Brightpaw shot into the clearing, barreling into Icefire.

He wanted to snap at the apprentice for making him miss his catch, but there was a sense of urgency around the younger cat that kept Icefire silent. Brightpaw, out of breath, took a few moments to gain their breath back before quickly mewing, "Icefire, you have to come quick. Seedspots is taking a patrol to the ShadowClan border to fight!"

Icefire felt like he should feel a ripple of shock course through him, but there was nothing. It was just like Seedspots to do something so arrogant, even against his own deputy's orders. Anger engulfed Icefire, but it was mostly directed at himself. If he had been a better deputy he would have done more to prevent Seedspots from leading such a rash attack. "Show me the way, Brightpaw. We have to stop this!"

Brightpaw, though still out of breath, managed to find enough energy to quickly lead him towards the border where Seedspots' patrol had gone. He knew it had been too late when he heard the hissing and screeching of wrestling cats at the Thunderpath. He watched the chaos unfold around him, while Brightpaw stood rigid with fear beside him.

Seedspots' patrol was even bigger than he had imagined. It seemed like half of the clan was present at the fight. He could make out Dustpelt's brown and ginger tabby fur in the cluster, the tom delivering a deep bite wound on Wetfoot's shoulder. Only a mere fox-length away from him, Robinwing and Thornpaw were both tag-teaming on Hollyflower, who looked absolutely terrified by how outnumbered the ShadowClan patrol was.

Icefire charged into the clearing, trying to find Seedspots in the fray. He noticed that Sandstorm had been a part of the fight too, and she was struggling beneath Sharpfang, who had pinned her roughly into the dirt. Icefire launched himself at Sharpfang, throwing her away from his clanmate with sheathed claws.

Sandstorm sat up quickly, her sandy fur now dotted with brown specks of dirt, and her pelt was riddled with fresh wounds. "I could have handled myself, Icefire!" she snapped.

"That doesn't matter. You shouldn't be here!" Icefire snarled at her. "Nobody from ThunderClan should. Where is Seedspots?"

Sandstorm flicked her tail vaguely towards the direction of the Burnt Sycamore. Icefire's gaze turned towards it, spotting the cat in question. Seedspots seemed to be fighting with the leader of the ShadowClan patrol, Russetfur. The she-cat's russet-coloured fur was stained scarlet as Seedspots tore her apart.

"Seedspots! Stop this at once!" Icefire yowled with fury.

If Seedspots heard him, she didn't listen. She dug her teeth deep into Russetfur's fore-leg, bowling them over and exposing her belly. Too wounded from the battle, Russetfur seemed to be hunching over in submission. She looked more vulnerable and weak than a piece of fresh-kill; an easy kill.

Seedspots must've noticed it too, because her muscles bunched beneath her fur, and she pounced at Russetfur again with her claws extended. Seeing an opportunity to end this, Icefire dove into the quarrel on winged paws, nearly dodging Oakfur as Fogtail tripped him over with his long tail. Leaping into the air, Icefire's claws met Seedspots mid-leap, and he slammed his clanmate hard on the ground.

"What the fuck?" he snarled.

"What?" Seedspots said, her fury stopping in confusion at the word 'fuck'.

"What in the name of Starclan is wrong with you?" he snapped.

"What's wrong with you, kittypet?" Seedspots sneered.

"You piece of-" he began, but he cut off as he was shoved away from Seedspots by a blur of black fur. He was too pissed when he saw Seedspots avoid his orders yet again by rolling onto his paws and pouncing on Blazefang now, who was trying to help the injured Russetfur away from the battlefield.

Not giving a damn anymore about stopping the fight, Icefire wrestled his opponent. He had his attacker locked in his claws, and the both of them were standing on their hind-legs, throwing punches and raking each other's faces with unsheathed claws. He realized it was Whitethroat that he was fighting with, but he didn't care. He shoved forward, hissing, trying to go for Whitethroat's neck.

He recognized that it was Whitethroat that he was fighting with, but blinded by fury, he didn't care. He shoved forward, hissing, aiming for Whitethroat's neck. The black tom tried to trip him up with his tail, but Icefire had been trained by the best warriors in ThunderClan. He wasn't falling for that old trick.

Icefire latched onto Whitethroat's tail with his teeth, biting down hard. Whitethroat hissed with pain, and Icefire expected him to retreat back into his territory, but Whitethroat was stronger than he thought. His strength overpowered Icefire's own, and he quickly threw Icefire on his back, forcing him into a pin. The black tom bared his teeth in a snarl.

"Do it," Icefire growled. "Finish me already or get off and run."

"I could never kill you."

"You can't fool me," Icefire retorted, recalling how Whitethroat told him about the times he shredded fought with Badgerfang, his clanmates, and even his own kits. "I know for a fact that you have no problem spilling blood."

Hurt flashed in his eyes at Icefire's jibe, but it quickly turned to anger again. "You don't know anything about me," Whitethroat snapped.

"You didn't let me!" Icefire retorted. "You never let me in. You always shut me out, just like you do with everyone else. I don't know how your clan or your kin can tolerate you."

Whitethroat slammed a paw on Icefire's lower stomach, and in response, Icefire slashed the black tom's belly with his hind-paws. Icefire was about to kick Whitethroat away from him, but he felt the ground shake beneath him, and dread crept up on him.

"Monster!" Icefire yowled.

Every cat began diving for cover, all except Icefire. He scanned the clearing to make sure that every ThunderClan warrior had made it to cover before him, and he felt frozen with fear as he spotted Swiftpaw lying on the Thunderpath, not moving. The monster was barrelling towards him at a rapid speed.

Icefire wouldn't let the apprentice become roadkill. Thinking quickly, he leaped forwards as Fogtail tried to rush to Swiftpaw's aid at the same time, the car nearing closer with every second. Seeing the monster encroach on the apprentice made Icefire panic, and he made a regretful decision.

He kicked Fogtail away as they, too, rushed to Swiftpaw's aid. He launched himself onto the smelly path and grabbed Swiftpaw by the scruff, tossing him towards his mentor on ThunderClan's side of the path before Icefire quickly dove for cover along with him, but he had leaped for safety too late. The car had hit him, and everything went black.

/

Starclan, why!

Thymeroot was frustrated and worried beyond belief. She didn't think things could get more hectic, but of course she had to be wrong. She admired her work on the unconscious Icefire's leg and tail. It hadn't been in the way too much, she managed to pop in back in and stop the bleeding. He'd keep his tail, the fur just needed to grow back and he'd need help lifting it and walking. He already had a limp, it would be worse now.

"Good job, kid," Yellowfang rasped. "The foolish cat will need it."

"He did save Swiftpaw from being killed," Thymeroot pointed out.

"That he did," Yellowfang replied. She gazed at Icefire like a queen gazes at their own kit. "Trying to be a hero."

"Better than being the villain like Seedspots," Thymeroot growled.

"She's already having the tongue lashing she deserves."

"Was it you, Goldenflower, Raveneye, Frostbite or Bluestar?"

Yellowfang chuckled. "All of the above. Raveneye and Frostbite especially tore her down."

Thymeroot couldn't share her mentor's good-nature at the moment. "What's her punishment?"

"Two day exile, and when she returns, apprentice duties until further notice."

Thymeroot sighed. Seedspots definitely deserved more than what she received. This was no time for the clan to be starting petty battles with other clans. Thanks to her, they would not only have to worry about the cryptic imprint that Tiger-roar and Nightshade's exile left on the clan, and now had to watch out for ShadowClan's retaliation.

Worry wormed within her as she cast a side-long look towards Icefire's unconscious form. The clan seemed more vulnerable than ever before. With Bluestar still sulking in her den, Icefire had been the only leader that most of the clan would obey. This attack would leave him out of commission for a long while, far longer than Seedspots' exile would last, and who knew what she'd try to encourage the clan to do next when she returned?

If they return, Thymeroot thought grimly. Seedspots obviously did not respect Icefire's authority, just like Tiger-roar and Nightshade had. Could Seedspots be another traitor in their midst and inform Tiger-roar and Nightshade of ThunderClan's weaknesses? And who would be the first to retaliate on their clan; the newly-aggravated ShadowClan, their traitorous ex-clanmates, or both of them teamed up together?

[gougarpaw]

Graystripe’s Vow

A quick overview, chapter summaries. 

31 chapters + prologue + epilogue + manga

Prologue - FQ

BloodClan is planning on getting revenge on Firestar’s Quest era ThunderClan. They are lead by a new leader, Fury. 

Gremlin is worried about this, since she is pregnant and doesn’t want to hurt her kits.

Chapter 1 - TBC

Graystripe is realizing he’s old. 

Lionblaze looks like Sandstorm, Spotfur has Frostfur’s face, (Frostfur is Ravenpaw’s sibling.)

Thriftear, Thornclaw, Snaptooth, Flywhisker and others disrespect Squirrelflight because she’s not technically leader.

Squirrelflight talks with Graystripe about being deputy/leader. “You can say it, Graystripe. In many ways, Firestar’s ThunderClan was better... at least things seemed easier.”

Graystripe worries about StarClan returning.

Chapter 2 - TBC

Graystripe dreams about being in the (lake) forest with Firestar. The dream turns and Graystripe feels dread. Graystripe imagines Millie and “talks” it out with her. (...) Graystripe asks Brackenfur if “this is the same ThunderClan as Firestar’s ThunderClan.” Brackenfur says it is. 

Plumstone and Thriftear get into a fight. They both call Graystripe (and StarClan) an “out-of-date boomer” (exact quote /j) then Thornclaw, Twigbranch and Lionblaze argue about if Squirrelflight is leader or deputy. Bumblestripe, and then Bristlefrost try to break up the fight but fail. Squirrelflight ends up begging them to stop :(

Flipclaw suggests they rewrite the warrior code while StarClan is gone. The Clan flips out and Flipclaw then says maybe he wants to spend some time outside of the Clan. Snaptooth agrees, Flywhisker agrees, and Thornclaw agrees. 

Graystripe decides to “wander” with them. Squirrelflight feels betrayed. She gives them a moon to return. 

Chapter 3 - FQ

Graystripe ponders life. Willowpelt, his mother, has died. (...) He overhears Brightheart and Ferncloud doubting the purpose of Firestar’s Quest. (not the book, just why Firestar left.) Ashfur and Cloudtail also think Firestar left to live as a kittypet. Mousefur trusts that Firestar isn’t a kittypet, but wants to know where he is.

Cinderpelt yells at Ashfur. (...)

Brambleclaw, Thornclaw and Brackenfur bring Graystripe a dead rabbit with WindClan scent found on their territory (near fourtrees.) Graystripe decides to do nothing about this but increase border patrols, much to the chagrin of the Clan. 

Graystripe goes to sleep with troubled thoughts, and is awoken by somebody screaming.

Chapter 4 - TBC

Graystripe and the boys decide to stop and hunt while they are still in the territory. Hawkwing and a SkyClan patrol appear. Snaptooth spills the beans and embarresses Graystripe and the others. 

Flywhisker asks if Graystripe wants to rest while they hunt, but he goes hunting anyways. He catches a rabbit. Graystripe contemplates returning to the old forest. 

The other warriors talk about how much easier it is to hunt for four. Flipclaw tells Flywhisker that if she were to have kits he’d make sure she’s wellfed. Flywhisker tells him she isn’t interested. He tries again but she shoots him down. 

Snaptooth asks what they will do now. Flywhisker wonders what it would be like to be a kittypet. Thornclaw gets sick of this and leaves. 

Graystripe tells the others that he wants to visit his son, Stormfur. He hopes that by visiting his “past” he can understand his future.

Chapter 5 - FQ

The screaming was Brightheart. She is giving birth. Graystripe is terrified that she will die like Silverstream. Cloudtail gathers herbs for Cinderpelt.

Graystripe welcomes the kit into ThunderClan and pats himself on the back for doing nothing. Then he realizes that Firestar would done something and not just stand around, and feels ashamed.

A few days later, Thornclaw, Sootpaw and Brambleclaw return with more proof of WindClan hunting on their territory. Ashfur says this wouldn’t be a problem if Dustpelt were deputy. 

Graystripe doesn’t know what to do. Mousefur enters camp and tells him that Russetfur wants to speak with Firestar.

Chapter 6 - TBC

The others are nervous about leaving Clan territory. Graystripe has enjoyed hunting. 

Suddenly, dogs. They climb trees and a human comes and takes the dogs away. 

Later that day, Graystripe tells them that he wants to go now. Flywhisker, Snaptooth and Flipclaw tell him he can go without them. 

Flipclaw changes his mind and comes with Graystripe.

Chapter 7 - FQ

Russetfur and Rowanclaw demand to speak with Firestar. Graystripe tells them that Firestar is busy, so they can speak with him instead. Turns out they’ve scented BloodClan on Clan territory. ThunderClan overhears this and instantly smack-talks ShadowClan. (Rowanclaw’s pronouns are switching paragraph to paragraph. *EDIT: I might just be bad at reading... thanks for telling me lol!)

Graystripe tells his Clan that he thinks BloodClan are the ones pretending to be WindClan and causing trouble. Cinderpelt agrees. 

Graystripe, Dustpelt and Brambleclaw go to inspect the BloodClan smell, but get jumped by BloodClan troopers. Graystripe sees Gremlin and knows she’s fit to burst.

Fury tells them that she knows that Firestar is gone. BloodClan attacks and defeats Graystripe. They throw him under a fence to get eaten by a dog. The dog is locked in a house, so he survives.

Graystripe heads back to the forest, but encounters Gremlin. She lets him escape. This confuses Graystripe.

Chapter 8 - TBC

Graystripe and Flipclaw make it to the Tribe’s territory. Flipclaw is excited to tell his littermates about this. They encounter two Tribe cats, Moon Shining on Water and Thorn that Grows in Clef. 

Graystripe and Stormfur have a sweet reunion for two sentences. Graystripe meets the kits. Flipclaw hits it off with Feather. They are very VERY good friends, (probably a bit more than friends.) 

Stoneteller mentions a rogue who had come around asking for Clan cats. 

Chapter 9 - TBC

Graystripe tells Stoneteller about all the Bramblestar and ThunderClan problems. Stoneteller has sensed a shadow over the Clans. He tells Graystripe that Graystripe still has a long journey ahead. Graystripe goes to sleep.

A tribe cat tells Stoneteller that the boys Flipclaw and Feather were out hunting, but got trapped in a landslide. Graystripe goes with Stoneteller to help.

Feather manages to get out, but Flipclaw is still stuck. It takes all day, but they get Flipclaw out. Flipclaw’s leg is dislocated.

Graystripe sees Feathertail standing on a shiny rock, and takes it as a sign that he must find the moonstone. 

Chapter 10 - FQ

Graystripe returns to camp. He asks Dustpelt if he knows that Ashfur wants him to be deputy. Dustpelt is surprised. 

Ashfur talks smack about Graystripe getting beat up by BloodClan (same energy as “im built different”) Brambleclaw reminds him that there were too many BloodClan cats for two and a half warriors to fight.

The next day Graystripe tells ThunderClan they must prepare for BloodClan again. 

Chapter 11 - TBC

Graystripe wants to leave the tribe immediately. Stormfur asks why he doesn’t just stay forever. Graystripe considers it, but still wants to go to the moonstone. 

Flipclaw is still recovering. Graystripe tells him about the moonstone, and Flipclaw tells Graystripe that he wants to go home. They part ways.

Graystripe thinks about Silverstream and Millie again. He hunts a mouse and spots Highstones. He nearly gets hit on the Thunderpath. 

Chapter 12 - FQ

Still worried about BloodClan, Graystripe is startled by Shrewkit and Spiderkit playing. ThunderClan is on edge. Graystripe decides now is a good time to tell the other Clans that BloodClan is back.

Graystripe takes Cloudtail and Rainpaw to WindClan. Tallstar believes Graystripe about BloodClan and sends Firestar his well-wishes. They go to RiverClan and meet Stormfur. Leopardstar is angry about BloodClan, and sceptical about Firestar. 

Stormfur and Feathertail escort them off RiverClan territory. 

Chapter 13 - TBC

Graystripe makes it to Highstones. He thinks about visiting Barley. 

An owl scares him, and then a pack of monsters scare him. He escapes and hides in a bush. A fat kittypet stumbles upon him, but leaves to get dinner. Graystripe feels lost. 

Graystripe dreams about Millie’s death. He wakes up and smells the river. He sees sunningrocks. 

Graystripe gets attacked by a cat.

Chapter 14 - FQ

It’s the gathering. Graystripe is nervous about BloodClan still being in the forest. 

Leopardstar and Blackstar are sceptical about Firestar’s whereabouts. She announces that there was a fox on their territory, but that *Mistyfoot chased it off. 

The leaders agree to share news of BloodClan with each other throughout the moon.

Graystripe talks with Stormfur and Feathertail, similar to what he says to them in A Shadow in RiverClan (that they are welcome in ThunderClan.)

Chapter 15 - TBC

Graystripe realizes the kittypet who attacked him is not alone. There are five others. They introduce themselves as WarriorClan! Monkeystar, Bugeater, Fireface, Bigteeth, Clawwhistle, and Chester. They are larping as clan cats during the day, and returning to their humans at night.

Smudge is still alive, and has told the kittypets all about the warriors. They ask if Firestar is with him. Graystripe says he isn’t, but that he is a real warrior. Monkeystar asks him to prove it by fighting her, and he wins.

Graystripe decides to stay with WarriorClan for a little bit, and teaches them how to hunt.

Near sunset, Graystripe decides to leave WarriorClan. Monkeystar bids him farewell. Graystripe finds Four Trees, and is distressed about its destruction.

Chapter 16 - FQ

Graystripe is hunting when he hears someone in the bushes. It’s Gremlin. She wants to give birth to her kits somewhere safe. She says that ThunderClan is the only place she’d want to have her kits. She wants her and her brother to be safe too. 

Brackenfur appears and says that they can’t trust Gremlin. Graystripe and him argue a bit. 

Graystripe goes home and tells Cinderpelt about Gremlin. Cinderpelt decides to go to the moonstone and ask StarClan.

Chapter 17 - TBC

Still trying to get out of the twoleg place, Graystripe finally gets to the exit. He feels like he’s being followed, and lo and behold WarriorClan wants to see the moonstone. 

Graystripe tells them that they can just wait outside for him. They agree and they all set off. When they are closer, they smell a stranger!

WarriorClan is ready for a fight, but the stranger tells Graystripe that they are Gremlin’s kit, and that he had vowed to help Gremlin no matter what. They asked if he would help them too.

Chapter 18 - FQ

Graystripe is going with Cinderpelt to the moonstone. He thinks about Gremlin while he waits outside.

Graystripe falls asleep and dreams about Firestar. Firestar turns into Fury and tells him to wake up. Cinderpelt is back and tells Graystripe that he’s got to make his own decision, and to beware the snake bite.

Graystripe does not find this encouraging.

Chapter 19 - TBC

The stranger, Fang, tells Graystripe that he escaped from an abusive twoleg’s den and wants to go back to get his mate. His mate, Daffodil, is sick and might die (like Gremlin did) in this twoleg’s house.

Graystripe agrees to help but first he wants to go to the moonstone. Bigteeth, Bugeater, Fireface and Chester head back to their humans. 

Graystripe enters Mothermouth and asks StarClan to forgive him from trespassing and asks for help.

Lightning strikes!

Chapter 20 - FQ

Graystripe meets with Gremlin at Smudge’s house. Cinderpelt tells Gremlin that one of her kits is upside-down, and that the birth might be hard.

Fury drops by and asks Smudge if he wants to join BloodClan. He stands his ground, and she tells Gremlin that there will be a Clan meeting. 

Graystripe calls a Clan meeting himself and tells ThunderClan about Gremlin. The Clan is divided about her, but Cinderpelt helps convince them that Gremlin needs their help.

Ashfur loudly objects, but Cinderpelt helps convince the Clan that Gremlin needs their help and means no harm. 

Chapter 21 - TBC

Lightning struck the moonstone and destroyed. Graystripe is terrified. He runs back to Monkeystar, Clawwhistle and Fang and tells them. Monkeystar suggests they go to Barley. 

Fang asks if Graystripe is his father. Graystripe tells him no, but that he is proud of him nonetheless. Fang is disappointed. 

Barley is shocked that Graystripe is still alive. Barley is very old, and doesn’t move much. Monkeystar and Clawwhistle hunt a mouse for him. 

Graystripe asks Barley what he should do, and Barley suggests he sleep on it. Before he sleeps, he hears Fang ask if Barley knew Gremlin.

Chapter 22 - FQ

Back at Smudge’s house, Gremlin and Graystripe have a meet up again. 

Gremlin tells Graystripe that BloodClan will attack in two days, when the camp is at its weakest (all the patrols are out and the patrols who have returned are already tired.)

Chapter 23 - TBC

Graystripe spends the day listening to Barley telling Fang about Gremlin. They go to sleep, but Fang seems unhappy.

Fang tells Graystripe that Gremlin died in the twoleg den that he had escaped from. Fang wants to leave now and free all the other cats too. 

Chapter 24 - TBC

They head out. WarriorClan wants to come with, but Graystripe says it’s too dangerous. He convinces them to stay with Barley.

Graystripe enters the house through a window. The house is unkept, and all the cats are starving. It’s not great. The twoleg is very very old. 

The twoleg shuts the window while he tries to figure out an escape route.

Chapter 25 - TBC

Graystripe speaks with the cats. He learns that Fang used to be named Honeysuckle. 

The cats try to come up with ideas of how to escape. The twoleg’s favorite cat, Petunia, shoots down the idea of attacking the twoleg. 

They make a plan to prop open a door, but it fails. Graystripe feels hopeless.

Chapter 26 - FQ

Graystripe tries to orchestrate a normal day while preparing for a battle with BloodClan. He sends the elders Goldenflower and Frostfur on a “patrol” near twoleg place to scout out BloodClan and the apprentices to the training hollow where they can avoid the battle.

Fury enters camp and the battle begins. The apprentices disobey and try to fight BloodClan. 

Cinderpelt tries to sneak Gremlin out of the fighting, but is spotted by Fury. Snake and Ice try to stop her, and Scraps tries to stop them. Scraps dies. 

Graystripes is about to kill Snake when Fury yells at him to stop. She threatens to kill Gremlin, and the other cats stop fighting too.

Chapter 27 - FQ

Graystripe notices that Fury has been fatally wounded, and tells her if they leave the Clans alone, Cinderpelt can treat her wound. Fury refuses, but starts dying. Fury then decides she wants to live, and ThunderClan wins. 

ThunderClan finally apologizes for not trusting Graystripe. Graystripe talks to Cinderpelt about StarClan’s message, then goes and visits Gremlin. Gremlin is mourning Scraps, and decides that being in a Clan is too violent for her. 

Gremlin decides to become a kittypet, so Graystripe vows to always help Gremlin if she asks. (thats the name of the book fellas we did it)

Chapter 28 - TBC

Graystripe speaks with Daffodil, Fang’s mate. She is very weak. He is worried that Fang has abandoned them.

Later, Fang returns with WarriorClan, and WarriorClan pushes up on a loose board. The kittypets are able to escape. Petunia wants to stay.

A mail man arrives and calls animal control. The cats leave the house but don’t go far. The older cats want to go and get captured, and Daffodil does too. 

The elderly human is taken away in an ambulance, and Petunia wants to stay at the house until she returns. Graystripe convinces her she can still wait, but she has to escape the humans first. 

Fang is sad that Daffodil is gone, and Graystripe has no idea how to comfort him.

Chapter 29 - TBC

Graystripe comforts Fang. 

The escaped cats decide to part ways, either becoming loners, going off to find human caretakers, or joining WarriorClan (and moving to Barley’s barn.)

Graystripe is ready to retire to the elder’s den again. He realizes that it is possible for Clans to exist without StarClan, like WarriorClan has and is. Fang is upset and doesn’t want him to leave. 

Graystripe asks Petunia to be the medicine cat, and encourages her to take on an apprentice in case her human ever comes back. WarriorClan feels like a real Clan now (to Graystripe and Fang.) 

Graystripe prepares to leave.

Chapter 30 - FQ

ThunderClan is back to normal. Firestar is back!

Graystripe tells Firestar that he is not fit to lead, and that he is happy just being deputy. Firestar is just happy to be back. 

Chapter 31 - TBC

Graystripe sleeps in Barley’s barn and tells him what happened. Barley is glad the cats escaped, and that they are welcome in his barn. 

Graystripe is spotted by a hunting patrol and Stormfur greets him. He tells Stormfur that he is returning to ThunderClan, because he’s realized he doesn’t need StarClan to tell him that ThunderClan has changed. He has come to terms with it.

Stormfur is frustrated that Graystripe won’t stay, but calms down and enjoys the rest of the evening with his father for the last time.

Graystripe makes it to the lake, and is excited to be back in the home he loves. 

Epilogue - FQ

It’s the gathering. All the Clans are surprised that Firestar is there. Firestar announces BloodClan’s second defeat, and the Clans chant Graystripe’s name.

Manga - TBC 

A moon later. Monkeystar says that WarriorClan is thriving, but that she is insecure about her leadership skills. Fang is a good deputy, but Petunia keeps leaving for days. 

Monkeystar decides to go and find Petunia. She, Bugeater, Lily and Clawwhistle travel to find the human’s house. They get attacked by kittypets, and are chased off. They find Petunia at the human’s house, rundown and abandoned. 

Petunia doesn’t want to leave the house behind, but knows in her heart that her human will not return. Lily convinces Petunia to come home, albeit regretfully.

Monkeystar comes up with a plan to help Petunia move on. She takes Petunia to the shattered the moonstone. 

Petunia returns joyfully. Gremlin’s ghost had appeared to her, and tells her that the old human is dead but at peace. Gremlin encourages Petunia by telling her that her Clanmates need her. 

The patrol returns to WarriorClan, reinvigorated. 

[brindlestorm]

My Truth or Yours?

CH1 | CH2 | CH3

______________________________________________________________

It hadn’t stopped.

For two moons, every border patrol was on high alert for the ‘fox’ that was scented at the Shadowclan border, but Tigerclaw knew that the only fox hanging around there was none other than their own deputy. When each patrol came back empty-pawed and more confused than ever, suddenly the scent became that of a badger’s.

How convenient, that when Tigerclaw had just chased off a badger from it’s den in the direction of Riverclan, one would show up at the Shadowclan border.

And speaking of Shadowclan, troubling news had occurred at the last gathering. Every clan knew of Brokentail, Raggedstar’s only son, and how proud the leader was of the bloodthirsty creature he had named deputy. Shadowclan and Windclan had been at each other’s throats for almost five moons over supposed prey-stealing, and at the last gathering, Brokenstar had accused Windclan of cowardly attacking and killing Raggedstar when he was on a lone border patrol.

The way Redtail had flinched at the news told Tigerclaw all he needed to know.

At this point, Tigerclaw wasn’t sure whether or not to do more paired sessions with Redtail to keep an eye on him or to keep Ravenpaw as far away from the Thunderclan deputy as possible. The sessions they did have together went seemingly well so long as Tigerclaw was the one coaching Ravenpaw. The poor apprentice jumped more when Redtail talked than himself now, Tigerclaw couldn’t blame him though, not after what they both witnessed.

It was mostly at night now that he caught Redtail sneaking out of camp to meet with the Shadowclan warriors. He always came back smelling strongly of ferns, but now that Tigerclaw knew what to look for, there was always a lingering scent of pines and marshes on the deputy’s pelt.

Tigerclaw had just returned from a hunting patrol with Mousefur and Runningwind when he was summoned to Bluestar’s den.

“Tigerclaw, a word? I need to speak with you and Redtail.”

Tigerclaw’s hackles began to rise, Had Bluestar began to notice the growing animosity he had for the deputy? What did she want to talk to them about?

“It's about your apprentices, I’d like to hear about their progress.” Bluestar continued, paying no mind to Tigerclaw’s unease.

“Of course, Bluestar. Shall I fetch us some prey to share while we speak? Runningwind managed to catch a rabbit on our patrol, that should be enough for the three of us.” Tigerclaw replied smoothly, forcing his fur flat again before Bluestar could notice it.

“A rabbit would be good, thank you Tigerclaw. Grab the rabbit and then come to my den.” Bluestar said, flicking her tail as she headed back to her den where Redtail was waiting for them.

Tigerclaw snatched the rabbit just as Runningwind let it fall from his jaws onto the freshkill pile, leaving a rather confused pair of siblings to watch as he trekked his way up to Bluestar’s den.

The three cats settled down, taking turns eating the prey before Bluestar finally asked about their apprentices.

“Dustpaw is turning into a fierce fighter, he was able to catch me off guard not too long ago, I think he’s getting impatient with the rate I’m teaching him new moves at.” Redtail reported confidently.

“I’m still working with Ravenpaw on his confidence, it's been a little slow going but he’s stopped flinching during battle training. I had intended to test his stealth and tracking two moons ago but I ended up sending him hunting for the queens. Not only did he do that, but he followed me from above from sunset to nightfall. He told me exactly what I had done from the moment he found me to when he got back to where he had buried his prey.”

Not entirely a lie, Ravenpaw was certainly silent when he returned to the Shadowclan border to surprise his mentor. Had it not been for what they caught Redtail doing, Tigerclaw would have been sufficiently impressed by the timid apprentice’s stealth.

Bluestar nodded, “Sounds like Ravenpaw is shaping up to be a good hunter, and how is Dustpaw coming along in that aspect? 

“Dustpaw has been... growing rather quickly.” Redtail said slowly, as if he was unsure how to word it properly. “I think he’s become frustrated with hunting these days, he only wants to focus on his battle techniques. It's been a challenge, though I can’t blame him. It's like every time he adjusts to his paws something else gets bigger. I swear, that tom is growing one leg at a time!”

Bluestar purred in amusement, “Well, it's still a little early to test them on their battle training, but I believe it's about time they had a hunting assessment!”

Tigerclaw nodded, “With all those predators our patrols have been scenting, shall we take them to hunt near the Great Sycamore or the Owl Tree?”

Bluestar shook her head, “No, Redtail can assess them by the Owl Tree tomorrow morning. You and I are taking a patrol, I think Longtail and Runningwind should come as well. We need to check Snakerocks to make sure the rocks blocking the adder-holes haven’t been shifted.”

Tigerclaw bristled slightly, “Shouldn’t I be there to assess my apprentice?”

“I’m sure Redtail can handle those two. I need you on this patrol Tigerclaw, Longtail and Runningwind may be fast enough to catch the adders, but I need your help to shift the rocks with me. Are you up for it?”

Tigerclaw took a breath, yes. Redtail may be a problem, possibly a traitor. But surely he could trust the deputy for a day, his leader was asking him to make sure that Snakerocks would be safe for hunting, an important task with Leafbare creeping up in a moon.

He dipped his head, “Of course I’ll come Bluestar, you can count on me.”

“Good, you can both go and inform your apprentices. Tigerclaw, we’ll wait until after you’ve seen off Ravenpaw before we head to Snakerocks, alright?”

“Yes, thank you Bluestar, I'd like to tell Ravenpaw now if I can, I'd imagine he'll want to fit in some hunting practice before sundown and I ought to be there with him."

Bluestar purred, "At least he's a dedicated one! Redtail, perhaps you should do the same with Dustpaw if your concerns are anything to go by."

Tigerclaw opted to leave first, not pausing to see if Bluestar had anything else to say to him or Redtail. He hurried to the apprentices den, nosing his way through the small entrance. Instead it was Sandpaw who greeted him from where she was resting next to Dustpaw.

“Looking for Ravenpaw?” She rasped, Tigerclaw took a second to pity the molly.

Not even a moon ago yet, Sandpaw had been out training with her mentor when they had a surprise run-in with a fox cub. Whitestorm had tried to order her back to camp but she refused to listen, they were able to drive it off easily enough, but the fox bite Sandpaw had received became infected, only now was she recovered enough to help entertain kits while she was still being confined to the camp.

Continuing on as if she hadn’t expected him to answer anyway, “You just missed him, he went to Spottedleaf’s den, said something about getting me coltsfoot because I was coughing in my sleep last night. If you ask me, he ought to just move his nest in there with how often he spends running back and forth!”

“Thank you, Sandpaw. I’ll go see if Spottedleaf can bear parting with my apprentice. I want to make sure he’s ready for his hunting assessment tomorrow morning.”

Sandpaw’s ears flattened when she heard that and glared down at her leg. 

“I’m sure you’ll get your assessment soon Sandpaw, as soon as your leg has healed I’ll go to Bluestar myself. It won’t take long for you to catch up to your denmates.” Tigerclaw added, kindly.

Sandpaw just sighed and rested her chin on her paws, stifling a cough as Tigerclaw left the den. It only got worse as he left, Tigerclaw didn’t know if coltsfoot would help her, but he hoped to Starclan it would, Thunderclan couldn’t afford to lose any apprentices this season.

Redtail flicked his tail in greeting as he brushed past him into the apprentices' den to collect Dustpaw, Tigerclaw felt his heart clench again at the thought of leaving either apprentice alone with the deputy. Oh how he wished he could stay for the assessment, but the danger of Snakerocks was more important than Redtail at the moment. At the very least, whatever plans Redtail had wouldn’t be able to include the adders, it would be too suspicious to move them so soon after the rocks were checked by the leader herself.

Tigerclaw ducked down low to enter the medicine den, immediately picking up on the conversation between the pair.

“-that could work, but why not just give her tansy then?”

“Because tansy should only be eaten in small doses,” Ravenpaw replied confidently. “Coltsfoot would be better because she can chew on the stalks throughout the night if her coughing wakes her up.”

“You learn quickly!” Spottedleaf purred with amusement. “Take her the three stalks of coltsfoot and a few juniper berries. She can have two berries now with one stalk of coltsfoot, the last berry should be saved for when she wakes up tomorrow.”

“Putting my apprentice to work, are you Spottedleaf?” Tigerclaw rumbled good-naturedly as he entered the den.

“Only because he wants to be!” Spottedleaf replied cheekily. “What can I do for you, Tigerclaw?”

“I’m here to collect Ravenpaw, but I’ll let him see to Sandpaw first seeing as he already came all the way here to do it.

Ravenpaw nodded hurriedly and rushed out of the den with the herbs wrapped carefully in a leaf.

“He visits me a lot you know, pretty interested in herbs.” Spottedleaf began, turning to sort the already neatly stacked pile of herbs in her stores. “Has he ever mentioned it to you?”

“He didn’t have to, I’ve seen it for myself enough times.” Tigerclaw replied flatly, “Everytime we try to go hunting or patrolling, he’s always sniffing around your herb patches or lagging behind to watch the clouds cover the sun.”

Spottedleaf flinched slightly, “Well, it's nice to have an apprentice interested in herbs, I’m not trying to take him from you Tigerclaw, I was just making  conversation.”

The slight hitch in her voice told Tigerclaw that she was worried she may have overstepped, so he did the only thing he knew how to do in situations like this.

Tigerclaw placed his massive paw gently on Spottedleaf’s face, effectively silencing whatever else she was going to say.

“Ravenpaw and I have already talked about it. His trip to the moonstone will be coming up soon, when he shares dreams with Starclan, his path will be revealed to him then. But until that day comes, I will continue to train him as a warrior. I won’t stand in his way, but I won’t let him slack off on his battle training either. No offense to you of course, Spottedleaf, but I want him to be able to hold his own in a fight no matter what he ends up as.”

Spottedleaf playfully batted Tigerclaw’s paw off of her face, “Excuse you, but I can hold my own in a fight, thank you very much! Thrushpelt taught me more than just hunting!”

“In that case, perhaps you’d like to sit in during a training session? Not that you have anything to prove, I’d just like to see you in action for myself.”

Just before Spottedleaf could make a retort, Ravenpaw made a reappearance.

“Tigerclaw? You said you needed me for something?”

“Ah yes, we’re going to do some training. I’ll tell you about it as we walk.”

Tigerclaw left the den with Ravenpaw trotting along at his heels, and untrue to his word, Tigerclaw didn’t speak a word the entire walk until he found the abandoned den he talked to Ravenpaw in a few moons ago.

“Tigerclaw? What’s going on-?” 

“Quiet!” Tigerclaw hissed as he shoved Ravenpaw down the hole, with a squeak, Ravenpaw tumbled in.

He scrambled to his paws, spitting out dirt and glared at his mentor. “Hey! What was that for?”

“You and Dustpaw have a hunting assessment tomorrow morning at dawn.” Tigerclaw told him.

Ravenpaw’s ears pricked up, “Really? Wow, it's so soon! You really think we’re ready?”

But then his brow furrowed. “But what does that have to do with you pushing me down a hole?”

“I won’t be there to assess you. Bluestar wants me to go with her to Snakerocks to make sure the adder-holes are still blocked.”

Ravenpaw looked confused still, but Tigerclaw just sat back and waited for it to sink in for his apprentice. 

“....... No.”

“No, what?” Tigerclaw rumbled.

“No, I... I’ll refuse to take the assessment! I’ll... I’ll tell Spottedleaf I’m sick so that she’ll keep me in camp! A... a bad piece of prey or something!” 

Ravenpaw was shaking now, eyes darting around. “Tigerclaw please don’t make me do this! I don’t want to be anywhere near him, I can barely keep quiet even with you there, I just... I can’t!”

Tigerclaw moved to sit next to Ravenpaw, placing his chin on the apprentice’s head to offer comfort. 

“I know Ravenpaw, I don’t want you to be near him either, but there’s nothing we can do about this. Besides, who’ll protect Dustpaw if you aren’t there?” Ravenpaw shuffled his paws dejectedly, “Dustpaw has always been the better fighter, he doesn’t need me.”

“He doesn’t know about Redtail though, and we can’t tell him because it would put him into more danger. He needs you Ravenpaw, he just doesn’t know it.”

Ravenpaw flicked his tail thoughtfully, “I... I could keep an eye on Redtail for you? Where’s the assessment supposed to be? Maybe I could stray near the border, see what happens?”

“You will do no such thing!” Tigerclaw thundered, jumping to his feet to glare down at the apprentice. “Don’t do anything that could put yourself in danger, do you hear me? I... I can’t lose you Ravenpaw, as your mentor I’m supposed to keep you safe, but when I can’t I expect you not to do anything stupid!”

His apprentice nodded mutely, gaze downcast. Tigerclaw sighed and rested his chin back on Ravenpaw’s head.

“Your assessment will be by the Owl Tree, promise me you’ll stay safe?”

“I promise.”

Ravenpaw didn’t get any sleep that night, not even his sore muscles from training could convince him to close his eyes for some rest. He just watched as his brother slept on his side of the den with Sandpaw.

Tigerclaw had drilled him until sundown, not on hunting, but the best to avoid being followed or throw a cat off his scent. Ravenpaw did get his chance that night to show off his tree stalking skills. Despite the danger, Ravenpaw couldn’t help but be a little smug about the look on his mentor’s face when he dropped down on top of him.

Both mentor and apprentice returned to camp satisfied with their progress, and Ravenpaw swore to himself he would do whatever it took to keep his brother safe. Dustpaw didn’t talk to him as much as littermates usually did, Ravenpaw often wondered why. It wasn’t that his brother avoided him, he just didn’t... talk to him.

Maybe Dustpaw still saw him as the weak, sickly kit everyone had to dote on just so he could live to see his apprentice ceremony, or maybe Dustpaw wished his mentor was Tigerclaw instead of Redtail.

Five moons ago, Ravenpaw would have happily swapped mentors with his brother when he saw how kindly Redtail treated his brother, a harsh contrast to Tigerclaw’s gruff commands and tendency to start training before the sun could even warm the training hollow.

But now.....

He would still trade mentors if it were possible, anything to keep his brother away from their traitorous deputy.

At least he and Tigerclaw had the upper paw in all this. Redtail still didn’t know that the mentor and apprentice were onto him, and as long as Redtail didn’t know then they were safe.

But how long could they allow this to continue? For every meeting Redtail had with the Shadowclan cats, he would do something heroic for the clan. Be it fighting off the mother fox of the cub Sandpaw fought by himself, to staying out all night to to restock half of the prey pile during Leaf-fall to feed the elders and queens in the morning. 

There was no way to cast the deputy into doubt at this point, which left Ravenpaw and Tigerclaw to helplessly watch as Redtail betrayed their clan in secret.

Ravenpaw tiredly got to his paws. He could hear Redtail giving orders to the dawn patrol, may as well wake up his brother so they have time to wash themselves before leaving.

Ravenpaw prodded at his brother, who was snoring so loud he was amazed that Sandpaw could stand it. Dustpaw snorted and rolled over, sleepily kicking at his brother. 

When the next few tries were met with the same reaction, Ravenpaw instead decided to wake up Sandpaw instead. Her coughing had went down some during the night, it wouldn’t hurt to wake her up to remind her to eat the rest of her herbs.

It also came with the added bonus of not accidentally waking her up while waking up Dustpaw, she’d have his pelt if she was woken up rudely for no reason.

Sandpaw had always been an early riser, which made Ravenpaw’s job much easier.

Gently, Ravenpaw poked his denmate’s shoulder, jostling her awake as subtly as possible. “Sandpaw? You need to wake up and eat some more coltsfoot and juniper berries, remember? Spottedleaf told me to wake you up at dawn to remind you.”

Sandpaw blearily opened her eyes and blinked up at him, for a moment Ravenpaw thought she was going to snark at him, but instead she just sighed and pulled the stalk and berry closer.

As she munched on the coltsfoot, Sandpaw eyed Ravenpaw. “Shouldn’t you be leaving for your assessment?”

“I will be, as soon as I wake up that sleepy slug over there.” Ravenpaw snorted, flicking his tail towards his brother, who was now sleeping on his back with his tongue hanging out slightly.

Sandpaw stifled a laugh, “Want me to wake him up? I could screech in his ear for you.” she offered.

“Thank you, but I can get him up myself. Mind standing back? I think Dustpaw ought to learn how it feels to be woken up the way he would wake me up when we were kits.”

Sandpaw purred as she stood up to give Ravenpaw more room, Ravenpaw backed up a bit, then took a flying leap at his brother, pushing him out of his nest and all the way through the entrance of the apprentice’s den.

That... wasn’t what he had meant to do, but at least his brother was awake now!

In the clearing, Ravenpaw could hear laughter from the warriors about to leave on patrol, as well as his brother hissing and spitting while struggling to get the dirt out from his pelt, still disoriented from being woken up.

“Who did that?!” He heard Dustpaw shriek.

Ravenpaw looked to Sandpaw nervously, hoping she would at least offer to face Dustpaw’s wrath with him.

“Nope, not today.” Sandpaw snickered, curling back up in her nest. “I’ve had my herbs, watched you make the biggest mistake of your life, I think I’ll go back to sleep now! Good luck on your assessment, Ravenpaw. Hope you make it out alive, Dustpaw’s going to be on your tail all day.”

Ravenpaw sighed and squared his shoulders, taking a deep breath before he stepped out of the den, immediately the clearing fell silent.

Dustpaw turned to glare at him, “Why. In Starclan’s name. Did you do that?!”

Ravenpaw licked his paw innocently. “We have an assessment this morning, remember?”

“Then next time, wake me up the way any other normal cat would!” Dustpaw hissed crossly.

“I tried though,” Ravenpaw protested. “You almost kicked me halfway out the den in your sleep!”

“Not my fault you can’t stand your ground against a sleeping enemy.” 

“The only dangerous thing about you was your snoring, you’ve probably scared away all the prey in the forest in your sleep alone! And if you don’t believe me, feel free to ask Sandpaw how bad it was. You were sleeping next to her after all.”

Dustpaw spluttered, and Ravenpaw honestly wasn’t sure what Dustpaw was more upset about. How he woke his brother up, or teasing him about his closeness with the injured molly.

Fortunately for Ravenpaw, Bluestar and their mentors padded over.

“Ravenpaw, did you attack Dustpaw?” His leader asked.

Ravenpaw flattened his ears and looked away, “I didn’t mean to push him out of the den, I figured I’d just jump on him the way he used to do to me in the nursery!”

Bluestar just stared at him passively, waiting patiently for him to continue.

“I swear! Besides, he always beats me in battle training, I didn’t think I’d even be able to push him out of his nest! I just wanted to wake him up... And he was sleeping pretty soundly, nothing else I was doing would wake him up.”

Redtail took the chance to speak up, “Normally Ravenpaw, I would ask you to leave waking my apprentice up to me for an assessment, but Dustpaw... You should have been up by dawn, Tigerclaw and Ravenpaw stayed out later than we did for training and Ravenpaw woke up just fine on his own. What’s your excuse?”

Dustpaw gaped at his mentor, his brother attacked him, and he was the one getting in trouble?!

“I.... well, I was up with Sandpaw! I heard her coughing so I stayed up in case she needed something!”

“Nice try, Dustpaw!” Came a shout from the apprentice’s den, “I woke up four times and the only one awake was Ravenpaw, not you!”

“So what I’m hearing is that Ravenpaw stayed out later than we did, stayed up later to help my daughter through the night, and still managed to be up before you?”

Dustpaw scowled at the ground, tail lashing hard enough to stir up the dust. Ravenpaw immediately felt bad for his brother, it wasn’t his fault he slept in, so what if he was a little tired? Ravenpaw hoped that neither of them would get in trouble over this.

When it became clear that Dustpaw wasn’t going to respond, Redtail just sighed. “You’re lucky this is an informal assessment Dustpaw, rather than your final. Let's get a move on you two, we’re wasting daylight just standing around out here”

Redtail headed for the entrance while Bluestar and Tigerclaw stayed with the apprentices for a moment.

“Neither of you are in trouble; Dustpaw, you aren’t the first apprentice to oversleep and you won’t be the last. And Ravenpaw, don’t feel bad about this, Patchpelt overslept once as an apprentice and it took me and his sister dragging him over to the freshkill pile to wake him up!” Bluestar reassured them.

Ravenpaw purred in amusement, trying to imagine the good-natured senior warrior as a young apprentice, what was funnier was imaging his leader dragging the old cat around camp while he slept.

Pressure on his shoulder pushed him out of his thoughts, Tigerclaw had bent his head to nudge Ravenpaw in greeting. “Good luck out there Ravenpaw, make me proud and stay safe.”

“I will, Tigerclaw, I promise!”

“Can we get going now?” Dustpaw asked sullenly, glancing at the entrance where Redtail was waiting, tail twitching impatiently.

“Go on you two, I expect to see the freshkill pile refilled when we return!” Bluestar called after them.

The apprentices nodded and hurried off to follow Redtail up and out of the ravine.

As they walked, Ravenpaw found his thoughts turning back to the real problem at the moment. What could be done about Redtail?

Tigerclaw made him swear not to do anything that would put him in danger, but how long could they just sit around while Redtail makes friends with their enemies? How long did they have before Redtail led Shadowclan into the heart of their camp?

Glancing at Redtail, Ravenpaw almost dismissed that thought entirely. Maybe once, Ravenpaw would trust the deputy without question, but even before that day at the thunderpath, he had noticed Redtail acting.... Well, acting not normal. 

He had noticed Redtail’s coming and going in the night, returning just before dawn looking exhausted but still doing his duties for the clan and organizing patrols. The deputy looked half dead most of the time, it was a wonder he was still awake, even if it only happened once or twice a quarter moon.

Ravenpaw wished he could go back to the times when he was blissfully ignorant of the true nature of their deputy and able to walk alongside him without flinching. Now he found himself on high alert whenever the deputy disappeared from sight.

It just didn’t make sense! How could their deputy, the cat Bluestar clearly trusted above all, betray them like that?

“Ravenpaw, are you listening?” Came the annoyed mew of the deputy.

“Aahh! Sorry Redtail, I guess I’m more tired than I thought.” Ravenpaw stuttered out.

Redtail snorted, “Dustpaw, why don’t you share some of that extra sleep you got with your brother? Looks like he needs it more.”

“How about I give him a good nick on the ear? That’ll wake him up plenty.” Dustpaw muttered.

“Sure, but I get to give you one if you try.” Redtail retorted. “I don’t want any more attitude from you today Dustpaw, you’re lucky Bluestar didn’t send you to clean the elder’s den instead of doing your assessment.”

“Dustpaw, from the Owl tree you will go downstream for your hunting assessment. Ravenpaw, you can go upstream. Bring all of your catches back here by Sunhigh, whoever catches the most gets first pick of the freshkill pile when we return. Are you ready?”

The apprentices leapt to their paws, even Dustpaw managed to look a little excited.

“Go!” 

And with that, the apprentices took off, one throwing up leaves as he hurtled downstream while the other flung himself at the nearest tree, disappearing into the branches above.

_______________________________________________________________

Ravenpaw was trying to focus on his assessment, really, he was. He caught a few birds while stalking along the branches, as well as a small squirrel. Leafbare would be here soon so he had to be careful he didn’t over hunt or catch prey that was too young.

Idly, Ravenpaw wondered if he ought to do some hunting on the ground soon. He had already returned to the holly bush by the Owl Tree with his catches a few times now so that he wouldn’t have to dig up his prey twice. Redtail probably couldn’t see him from where he was so high up, and he hadn’t heard the tell-tale signs of a cat following him from above.

Redtail... couldn’t see him?

Maybe this was the chance he needed!

He could deal with Redtail on his own, all he needed to do was get Redtail to follow him as far as the thunderpath! From there he could confront the deputy about his alliance with Shadowclan and then....

Shadowclan would be welcome to take him if it came to that.

Ravenpaw glanced down and saw Redtail sniffing the base of a tree a few fox-lengths away. Purposely, he pushed his weight onto a thinner branch, making it bounce and drop leaves onto the ground.

Redtail glanced up and Ravenpaw made sure to turn quickly, letting the deputy catch a glimpse of him before bounding away along the branches, leaving a careful trail for the deputy to follow.

Ravenpaw was going to get to the bottom of this, he would not let Redtail destroy his clan! ________________________________________________________________

Oh no, Ravenpaw... What are you planning? Would you believe me if I said that this came to twelve pages? Man this took awhile! I hope you all enjoyed it!

[sparky-is-spiders]

Evil Rusty AU! (OR: That One Time When Firestar Tried to Conquer the Whole Dang Forest)

So remember the giant text wall I made that accidentally lavished Hollyleaf with love and praise? Well it’s time for another one!

So I was trying to come up with AU ideas and then I thought about that time Bluestar got really pissy with Rusty ‘cause he was like “well why don’t you guys all share???” and I realized that Bluestar didn’t really make any good points about the four clans being seperate and also constantly fighting and so I realized: huh, what if Rusty wasn’t convinced by angry shouting about territory?

This AU will be called the Evil Firestar AU, or the EFAU for short. It works with the idea that Firestar is more manipulative than his canon counterpart. They share the same desire to protect and help all cats, sure, but while canon!Firestar fit his ideals to match those of the Warrior Clans, EFAU!Firestar has different ideals, partially from his time as a kittypet where everybody could pretty much visit everybody else and eat everyone else’s food (provided that they didn’t go in the city) and partially because Bluestar doesn’t manage to convince him about that whole “sharing is bad” thing. EFAU!Firestar likes to think of himself as lawful good, and he does have good intentions, but he’s manipulative and has the kind of ambition that can fog up a moral compass.

So, there’ll be two different outcomes, depending on how shady Firestar is willing to get: Firestar wins and Firestar loses. But both have the same basic starting point and they only diverge at around Forest of Secrets. Whether he fails or succeeds is up to whether or not he realizes and confronts his manipulative behavior or willingly sinks further into it.

I’ll be covering the first three books here. The next post will (probably) be about books 4-6 and cover the Firestar loses timeline.

So, without further ado, let’s begin!

Into the WIld: Things go pretty much the same way the first three books go. For the most part, anyway. The first book does start off a little bit different. It is told from Spottedleaf’s perspective. She has a dream of a fire surrounding fourtrees. Shadowy monsters lurk outside the fire, but Spottedleaf sees that they dare not cross it, and that the clan cats don’t seem to be scared of the fire itself. She interprets this as “Fire will save the clans” or something and goes to talk to Bluestar, who’s like “yeah, seems legit”.

Later, Bluestar sees Rusty and is like “He looks like fire if you squint” and so she has Graypaw attack him. That chapter goes about the same, only when Rusty says “Why don’t you guys share?” Bluestar doesn’t convince him. He just... doesn’t see what the problem of merging clans would be. Surely they wouldn’t have to fight for survival every day if they were all one entity that wasn’t getting into constant border fights? But he knows better than to argue with her. Maybe she has a point that he just, didn’t see???

When he hears about how Redtail died in a battle with RiverClan he doubts Bluestar a little bit more. This respected, high-rnaking warrior was killed over a pile of rocks??? Seriously???? It’s a little ridiculous.

He’s also surprised by how small ThunderClan’s population is. The camp is easily big enough for several dozen cats, and there are only around ten? He asks Lionheart about it later, and Lionheart tells him about how ThunderClan has fallen on hard times, and how they lost cats in battles with the other clans and whatnot. Fireheart thinks “Well maybe if you guys unified instead of constantly FIGHTING. This wouldn’t be a problem!” But he holds his tongue. These clan cats are too set in their ways. They need to be convinced, and a measly little apprentice can’t do that. But maybe a deputy, like Lionheart, could...

When he’s introduced to the idea of StarClan, it gets even worse. These cats have the same ancestors who they worship in the same way. Why are they seperate? What is the difference between the four clans?

He spends some time with the elders. He brings them food and cleans their bedding and listens to their stories. He wants to learn about the clans. Their similarities, their differences. He wants them to tell him that Bluestar was right and give good reasons as to why. But they don’t tell him anything that manages to change his mind. In fact, their stories of the four clans inadvertently convince him of his own opinion even more: the clans are the same, and this seperation only harms them.

He trains and befriends Graystripe and Ravenpaw and everything is going well. And then he meets Yellowfang.

He attacks her at first, only to realize that she’s a starving old lady and not a threat at all. He brings her food and barrages her with questions. She doesn’t tell him much, except that she’s from ShadowClan. This makes Firepaw ask even more questions. It’s his first encounter with a cat from another clan and he is so curious.

Although taking care of Yellowfang is his punishment for feeding an enemy warrior and eating before bringing food back to his clanmates, he enjoys her company. She reminds him a little of the elders in ThunderClan, although he’s careful not to tell her that. Firepaw also sees that cats from ShadowClan can be just like cats from ThunderClan, and it feeds his clan unification idea.

After that, things go the way they do in the books. ShadowClan attacks, Ravenpaw tells Firepaw and Graypaw the truth about Tigerclaw, Operation: Recue Ravenpaw goes off without a hitch, the kits are stolen, and Brokenstar is defeated.

Seeing the differences between Brokenstar and Bluestar gives Firepaw a newfound respect for Bluestar, but it doesn’t stop him from holding onto his idea for clan unification, especially when he sees the ShadowClan cats working so well with the ThunderClan cats to drive off Brokenstar.

Firepaw and Graypaw become Fireheart and Graystripe. On the night of the vigil, a plan forms in Fireheart’s mind. It isn’t terribly detailed, and for now he views it as a wishful fantasy rather than as an actual possibility, but the seeds have been planted.

A young ex-kittypet turned warrior can’t convince four whole clans to change their entire way of life, but with the right moves, maybe a leader could.

Fireheart vows to himself, then and there, that he willbecome Fireheart, and he will unite the clans as one under his rule.

Fire and Ice: This book stays mostly the same. Fireheart and Graystripe go and collect WindClan. Fireheart befriends Onewhisker, sure, but he also chats with as many WindClan cats as possible. His reasoning for this is threefold (although he’s only really aware of the first two reasons):

1. He needs allies for his plan.

2. He is DEATHLY curious about WindClan. He wants to know as much as possible about all the clans and this is the perfect opportunity to learn about WindClan’s traditions and cultures and beliefs. He’s dissappointed to learn how similar WindClan is to ThunderClan. He tells himself that it’s just because he wanted to learn something cool and new instead of just realizing that WindClan was just another ThunderClan but, like, fast, but...

3. A small part of Fireheart really, really wants to believe that the clans have such different cultures that they could never combine. He knows that his plan will be difficult. That he might lose. That he might have to make sacrifices, or even sacrifice other cats (he finds that particular idea disgusting, but if he has no other choice, if he has no other way to save the four clans... he hopes it doesn’t come to that). Fireheart also respects Bluestar, likes Bluestar. She’s a good leader, noble and brave. He’s not sure that he could ever be that good at leading a single clan, let alone ThunderClan. If WindClan isn’t like ThunderClan, if the two are so dissimilar that they could never be combined, then he doesn’t have to go through with the plan. He could just let things be. Become a regular ThunderClan warrior, maybe take a mate, maybe have kits, when he’s older.

When RiverClan attacks them on the way back, Fireheart is confused and angry. They weren’t invading or hunting on RiverClan land, they were just taking WindClan home. Whiteclaw’s death just makes it worse. Cats were injured, a cat died, and because what? Because of stupid borders? Because of rules that weren’t being violated and wouldn’t even be neccessary if the clans teamed up???? It’s ridiculous!

But he does get a new apprentice. This is excellent news. He can perhaps teach her that the clans would be better as one than as four. Plus, becoming a mentor is a sign that Bluestar likes and respects him. It’s also a requirement for a deputy. He needs this if he ever wants to put his plan into motion. It’s vital.

He tries to train her as best he can, showing her around the territory and teaching her how to hunt and fight. Cinderpaw is eager to learn and picks up skills quickly. He talks to her about the other clans sometimes, telling her as much as he can get away with. He talks about how they’re “just like us, really” and how “we worship the same ancestors and go to the same place when we die” and Cinderpaw starts to feel and show more empathy for the other clans. He’s winning her over.

And then Graystripe meets Silverstream.

Fireheart doesn’t approve of their relationship, sure. But Graystripe is his friend, and Silverstream seems nice enough. He knows what would happen if they were discovered and that is what angers him. These two cats just want to be together, but because the clans HaVE tO Be SEpErATe they could both be punished for it. It’s another arguement in favor of clan unification. No such thing as divided loyalties if there aren’t any divides.

Fireheart doesn’t want his friend to get in trouble, but he doesn’t want to stop him, either. He sees this for what it could be: an opportunity. Their relationship forges a connection between RiverClan and ThunderClan. Silverstream is the daughter of Crookedstar, so of course she has influence in RiverClan. If they have any kits, those kits could be the bridge to unite ThunderClan with RiverClan.

And so he covers for Graystripe. He trains Brakenpaw for him, makes excuses for Graystripe’s absence, even helps him sneak out of camp. He briefly speaks with Silverstream, telling her that he doesn’t want them to get in trouble, so even though he doesn’t 100% support their relationship, he’ll do his best to help them. He then proceeds to ask her 50 billion questions about RiverClan culture. Silverstream and Graystripe are both a little confused. Silverstream is also annoyed and a little worried. She isn’t sure whether or not Fireheart is aware of his manipulative tendancies, but either way she doesn’t like them, even though she has no clue what (if anything) his larger goal is here. Graystripe has no idea what the problem is. Fireheart is his best friend! He’s just being a supportive wingman. Surely.

Cinderheart gets into her accident. It upsets Fireheart greatly. He did genuinly care about her and seeing her so hurt makes him feel awful. He should’ve done more to stop her from going...

Fireheart is meeting with Princess. He likes talking to her about his issues, and a little bit about his plan. He knows that she’s the only cat who will really listen to him and agree with them. It’s his only respite from the stress of covering for Graystripe, dealing with one apprentice who isn’t even his and coping with the injury of his own, and worrying about how to tell Bluestar about Tigerclaw’s guilt.

Sandpaw is kinda into him and Fireheart has no freakin’ clue.

When Princess tells Fireheart that Cinderheart’s accident might have been a trap laid by Tigerclaw and intended for Bluestar, Fireheart is furious. She has to talk him down from immediately running after Tigerclaw to kill him. Fireheart asks what he should do about this once he’s calmed down, and Princess tells him to keep an eye on Tigerclaw. He can’t bring this up to Bluestar without proof, and most of what he has is circumstantial and not enough to prove that Tigerclaw is a criminal (Ravenpaw saw him murder Redtail, sure, but everybody believes that Ravenpaw is dead and telling somebody that ‘my friend who is totally dead now btw said that the highly respected deputy that everybody who isn’t me and my friend trusts killed that guy who was deputy way back when. He was the only witness.’ It’s not as solid to the clan as it needs to be, y’know?). Fireheart needs to make sure that a trap like this isn’t laid again, for starters. To get the evidence that he needs and to protect his clanmates, he should spy. Listen in on their conversations Tigerclaw and his friend’s conversations, spend more time with them (volunteering to go on patrols that just happen to have Darkstripe or Longtail on them, etc.).

Minus the spying, the rest of books two and three go pretty much the same. Firestar can never collect enough evidence (because nobody just says ‘so about that guy, Redtail, who I very much murdered’ casually or out of the blue, even to their friends). Cloudkit is also taken in.

Book three opens with Firestar being frustrated by his lack of progress with the spying.

He tries to investigate other avenues talks to both Ravenpaw and Mistyfoot about the battle where Oakheart was killed.

When he and Graystripe save Mistyfoot’s kits, they’re accused of trying to steal them and are taken back to RiverClan’s camp. Fireheart makes a coment under his breath about how “if all the clans were united, this wouldn’t be happening.” Graystripe shoots him a funny look but decides not to comment.

Firestar is pissed about being accused of trying to steal kits, but he sees the situation that RiverClan is in and decides that he wants to help him.

He’s shocked and worried when he hears that Silverstream is expecting Graystripe’s kits, but part of him is also happy. Not just for his friend, but also for himself. This will make it easier for him to sway Graystripe, Silverstream, and the future kits, to his side. He wonders briefly if he’s being shitty and manipulative but decides that it doesn’t matter.

Things progress pretty much the same from here on out.

Silverstream dies when she has Featherkit and Stormkit. Graystripe is distraught. Fireheart is also very upset, but also wonders if he can use this to his advantage. Here is where a slight divergence happens. On the Fireheart/star succeeds track, he tells that voice to shut up and ignores it. His friend’s lover just died, that’s an awful thing to think. It makes him wonder if his actions are as good as his intentions and plants a seed in his mind. That seed will eventually force him to confront his shitty behavior and try to be better. On the way back to camp, Fireheart does his best to comfort Graystripe and make sure that Tigerclaw doesn’t get a chance to so much as speak to him. On the Fireheart/star fails path, he listens to it. He comforts Graystripe, sure, but he also makes sure to mention how maybe things would be better if the clans were all one. He’s sneaky about it, so Graystripe doesn’t think too much about it until that night in the nursery (he is gonna stay with his kits and that is final), where he wonders about how different thing would have been if Bluestar was in charge of all the clans...

Things go mostly the same way that the books did. Longtail saves Fireheart from drowning, Cinderpaw becomes a medicine cat apprentice, the ShadowClan and WindClan attack ThunderClan because they learn that ThunderClan is harboring Brokenstar (yes I know that this happened before Silverstream died shush.)

When the rogues attack ThunderClan camp, Fireheart defends Bluestar from Tigerheart. When the battle is over, Fireheart tells the clan that Tigerclaw tried to kill Bluestar and reveals what really happened to Redtail. Tigerclaw is exiled and none of his friends go with him.

Fireheart is named deputy and Graystripe goes to RiverClan with his kits.

Here we have another divergence. When Cinderpaw takes the Magpie to Bluestar that turns out to be crowfood, Fireheart sees it. He believes it to be an omen from StarClan that Bluestar’s leadership will rot. On the Fireheart succeeds track, this makes him feel really crap, and he decides that he’ll do his absolute best as deputy to help and support her when she needs it. On the Fireheart fails track he sees it and goes "Well, guess that that technically makes me the leader then, huh? Bad news for Bluestar, I guess, but it’s good news for the mission. It’s good news for me.“

Next time!: I wanna expand on that atheist Firestar AU I mentioned awhile back, so you can expect that eventually.

Next time on EFAU: It’s the Firestar fails arc! If you thought that this AU stuck too closely to the events of the books for this to be much of an AU, don’t worry. Things are about to get a lot more interesting (hopefully). Ever wondered what would happen if Firestar was more willing to ignore Bluestar? If he discovered the dogs at Snakerocks? If he teamed up with BloodClan instead of TigerClaw? You’ll find out! Eventually. Hopefully. These take a really long time to make so if I were you I wouldn’t hold your breath.

[puppypaw-wc]

Mothpool AU Rambles - Po3

I made some Mothpool hypokits.

Quailwing (named after Mothwing and equivalent to Jay) is a dilute chocolate mackerel tabby tom with blind blue eyes (blue is inherited from Mothwing).

Russetleaf (named after Leafpool and equivalent to Holly) is a chocolate and red mackerel torbie she-cat with green eyes (green is inherited from Leafpool who carried the gene from her parents... she’s also a demigirl cuz I said so).

Lynxcloud (equivalent to Lionblaze) is a fluffy reddish-orange mackerel tabby tom with amber eyes (inherited from Leafpool).

I got the genetics from a genetic generator (I changed them a bit though...) so they should be accurate.

Excuse me as I rant about an AU idea I had-

So basically.

Leafpool (at the time Leafpaw) ends up getting really close to Mothwing while Squilf is out and about.

Mothwing feels comfortable telling her that she’s trans and just didn’t want to tell anyone outside of RiverClan, because she already knew she was by the time she was apprenticed so why would anyone care? Plus she didn’t want to get discriminated against even though at this rate the Clans are used to same sex couples (Firestar and Graystripe are a thing, Sandstorm’s also there) and trans cats (Firestar, Sandstorm, probably a lot of others)...

Anyways, most of TNP goes the same, but then Leafpool ends up having kits with Mothwing instead... Mothwing is surprised to hear this, but the two of them, Squirrelflight and Ferncloud (who Leafpool decides should nurse the kits... Mothwing has other thoughts though) go to have the kits away from the Clans.

The first born is a chocolate she-kit (you’ll see...). Before even seeing his eyes or anything Leafpool knows that she should be named Quailkit, so she is.

Next is a chocolate and red mackerel torbie she-kit. Mothwing names this one Russetkit, having heard of ShadowClan’s deputy and her friendship with her mother Sasha.

Lastly is a fluffy red she-kit (they trans boiiiiiiiiiiii). While Leafpool wants to name her Mothkit, Mothwing advises against it and Squirrelflight decides to name her Lynxkit.

When it comes time to go home though, Lynxkit has established a bond with Mothwing, who already wanted at least one of the kits to come to RiverClan. Leafpool bids her daughter and Mothwing farewell and brings Quailkit and Russetkit to ThunderClan.

Quailkit soon decides that he/him pronouns fit him better after getting to know his grandfather Firestar, and in RiverClan Lynxkit does the same upon getting to know Mothwing, who he has a close bond with, better.

The only cats who know the truth in RiverClan are Leopardstar, Willowpaw and Mothwing, while in ThunderClan many more know the truth - Squirrelflight, Brambleclaw (vaguely;he knows the Three aren’t his and Squilf’s kits but doesn’t know who they are), Firestar, Sandstorm and the nursery permaqueens.

The Three get apprenticed. Russetpaw is excited to be a medicine cat apprentice, while her brother Quailpaw is determined to become a warrior and overcome his disability. Meanwhile in RiverClan, Lynxpaw is excited to become a warrior, despite his crush on Willowpaw slowing his progress down a bit.

Now here, Quailpaw and Russetpaw don’t switch roles. While Russetpaw does still struggle with herb meanings and such, Leafpool gives her ways to remember them, through little rhymes or short songs. Quailpaw gets training in his dreams from Yellowfang, Spottedleaf and Cinderpelt (though Cinder’s presence is weaker due to her also being by Cinderpaw’s side as a guardian angel/imaginary friend to her, more on that later), learning how to hunt through both sight and smell.

Eventually Russetpaw goes to RiverClan to make sure everything’s okay, before getting stuck due to Twoleg doing... I don’t know what they were doing during Dark River. During her time in RiverClan she bonds with both Lynxpaw and Willowpaw, the latter of whom she was already close to due to medicine cat meetings.

Now, in the canon books, Lionpaw meets with Heatherpaw in the tunnels. Here, however, instead we have Quailpaw meeting with Minnowpaw... I’m not sure where. Perhaps they were exploring ThunderClan territory and accidentally overstepped the borders, Quailpaw falling into the tunnels and them LARPing there? Anyways, both want to be warriors despite both having short fuses. Unlike in the canon books where after saving the WindClan kits Lionpaw and Heatherpaw’s friendship fades away, Quailpaw and Minnowpaw keep being friends, talking at Gatherings and occasionally asking Russetpaw, Willowpaw, Leafpool or Mothwing to tell them something or give them something when they come over to help. The kits they save here are Sneezekit and Mallowkit.

And as in the canon books, Lynxpaw trains in the Dark Forest. Tigerstar mentoring him honestly makes sense to me - there’s probably been several leaders named Tigerstar who have been colored like him given Tigerheart. Anyways, Tigerstar tells him he just wants to help him hone in on his powers. Of course, he wants to, so he trains in the Dark Forest.

Oh, also Russetpaw does have a power! At first Quailpaw tells her about his power and she pretends to be the one with it. However, after a bit, Leafpool figures out the facade and confronts Quailpaw about it. Russetpaw’s power takes longer to manifest, but she does have it, and it’s getting cats to tell the truth, basically hypnotizing them. She uses it a bit before she runs away into the tunnels to get cats to confess to breaking the warrior code, but after the reveal she decides that maybe she shouldn’t do that and instead uses it to figure out who’s training in the Dark Forest.

Anyways, onto Outcast!

Due to Brook and Stormfur formerly taking refuge in RiverClan, Leopardstar decides that one of their cats should go to the mountains as well alongside Crowfeather, Breezepaw, Squirrelflight, Tawnypelt, Quailpaw, Russetpaw and Brambleclaw. Lynxpaw volunteers, and his mentor (Dawnflower, Minnowpaw’s mom) therefore goes as well. Mothwing considers going, but ultimately doesn’t, instead deciding to teach Lynxpaw some herbs due to not fully trusting Russetpaw’s herb skills. He becomes a bit interested in them, but not enough to become a meddie.

After watching Lynxpaw during the battle with the rogues, Quailpaw tells him and Russetpaw a prophecy.

There will be three, kin of a great leader’s kin, who hold the power of the stars in their paws. Look for the sharp-eyed quail. Listen out for the lynx’s roar. After both of these events have come and gone, peace will come on a gentle russet leaf.

Russetpaw is certain that she and Quailpaw are two of the cats in the prophecy, simply believing that Lynxpaw’s prefix being mentioned is just a coincidence due to the commonality of the prefix.

Lynxpaw doesn’t know what to think about it.

The prospect of being important excites Quailpaw. The cats who doubt him won’t any longer when they find out he’s a prophecy cat! Or at least, that’s what he hopes...

Eclipse goes about the same... aside from Lynxpaw not wanting to fight Quailpaw! He just became friends with him, and might be in the prophecy with him!

Sol tells Lynxpaw that he can explain the prophecy. Lynxpaw decides that he should tell Mothwing and Willowpaw about it, and firstly tells the latter of the two.

Willowpaw and him both agree that the great leader is likely Firestar, but could also be one of the original leaders, leaving Heatherpaw and Breezepaw as possible candidates. Lynxpaw tells her that Quailpaw told him the prophecy, and she says that they’re possible candidates too. He starts to have low self esteem after this, but Willowpaw comforts him and the two basically get together but they don’t realize cuz they’re dumbasses.

The two of them then go to tell Mothwing. At first she’s hesitant to believe them - she’s never really seen StarClan as much of a higher force then the living cats, they’re just dead cats, they’re as reckless and at times mouse-brained as they were when they were alive. 

But she sees the glow in Lynxpaw’s eyes. It reminds her of what she loved about Leafpool. She sees Leafpool in the son she could never treat as her own. Believing Willowpaw to have received the prophecy (mouse-dung, we forgot to tell her that Quailpaw told me the prophecy), at the next Moonpool meeting she gives her her medicine cat name - Willowshine.

Due to how valiantly he fought in the battle, Lynxpaw is given his warrior name of Lynxcloud. Minnowpaw is given her warrior name at this time as well, as is Pebblepaw, with those two being named Minnowtail and Pebblefoot like in canon.

Quailpaw is also given his warrior name by Firestar, that being Quailwing after Mothwing.

Long Shadows is mostly the same except for one minor change, that being that Jay’s Wing is now named Quail’s Feather. Flamepaw, Dawnpaw and Tigerpaw help the Three fake an omen to get Blackstar to believe in StarClan again like in the canon books. The fire scene is also slightly different... but anyways, Russetpaw gets her full name of Russetleaf.

Now the fire scene... the whole reveal happens but afterwards Squilf reassures Russetleaf and Quailwing that she loves them as if they were her own kits, and that Brambleclaw does as well. 

Quailwing takes a while to accept it, still being confused about his power... StarClan has given cats powers before, but for all he knows he’s just a kittypet or rogue or loner who was brought to the Clan at a young age. And how does Lynxcloud fit into this? Eventually though, he accepts it, deciding to try to help whoever the Three are with whatever the prophecy requires them to do.

Russetleaf, however, can’t accept it. She’s a disgrace to her Clan and has no right to be a medicine cat. She should’ve known she wasn’t in the prophecy, she doesn’t have a power at all... Cinderheart notices something’s wrong and talks to her about it, and they get together and she starts to feel better, even if she realizes that she’s breaking the code... she’s stopped caring anymore.

Eventually though, Russetleaf’s power appears and she’s confused. She accidentally uses it without realizing after Quailwing finds out that Leafpool’s their mother, in an attempt to figure out who their father/sire is. Also yes, I did shuffle events... partially cuz I forgot the order they happen in.

Russetleaf carried the blood red berries in her jaws as she entered camp. No one questioned her, though she saw a few cats giving her weird looks. I have to do this, she thought.

As she entered the medicine cat den, Leafpool looked up at her, fear in her eyes.

“Russetleaf, what are you-” Russetleaf cut her off.

“I know now,” she hissed, “Mother. I may not know who our father is, but-”

The medicine cat cut her off. The tortioseshell tabby noticed that her eyes looked... focused on something else, as if in a trance.

“While she’s not your father, per-say, Mothwing sired you, Quailwing and Lynxcloud,” her mother mewed, “now, may I please leave the den?”

Her eyes looked normal again halfway through her second sentence. Still confused, Russetleaf nodded, allowing Leafpool to exit the den.

What did I just do?

She experiments with her power, seeing who may’ve broken the warrior code. Mousewhisker (relationship with Minnowtail), Squirrelflight (hiding the truth), Brambleclaw (same as Squilf), heck, even Firestar (giving prey to RiverClan, giving Yellowfang prey and eating some of it before bringing it to the Clan, hiding Graystripe’s relationship with Silverstream, probably more)! ... all of them admit it.

She begins to feel... power-hungry. While the Dark Forest has been unable to recruit her due to her loyalty to ThunderClan, they are able to do one thing: will her to kill Ashfur. Leafpool had taught her some fighting techniques she’d learned from Cinderpelt and Mothwing, she knows a decent amount, and uses them to kill Ashfur. To keep her Clan safe.

This starts to weigh her down. She feels terrible. She broke the code... but she did it to keep her Clan safe! ... didn’t she?

She can’t keep it inside any longer. She tells everyone the truth at a Gathering. Mothwing and Leafpool are exposed. Firestar doesn’t want to make her give up her position, but Leafpool insists on it, scared of what Russetleaf could do. Leopardstar, who’s always been a code junkie even if she made two half-Clan cats deputy, made one of Tigerstar’s kits temporarily deputy even though she (I think) knew he was Firestar’s son, allowed one of Tigerstar’s kits who was formerly a rogue to be a medicine cat, relinquishes Mothwing’s position.

Lynxcloud says he wants to talk to his siblings, and they all go to the tunnels. Russetleaf needs to tell someone what she did... so she tells her brothers. And she runs in. And it seems as if she’s gone... dead...

But two young kits have potential.

[thunders-warcats-stuff]

New Prophecy AU headcanons

These are mostly used in my fic Midnight Storm and will be incorporated in other fics as well. They came about after Just a Dream so while I might incorporate some of it into that AU, it’s not likely to mesh well.

Main Cast Personalities

Tawnypelt is extremely sure of herself but constantly trying to prove that she belongs somewhere. She knows what she is vapable of and is very good at self-advocating and generally speaking up, but she doesn’t feel like the cats of her Clan like or believe in her at all because of where she came from and who she’s related to. 

That couldn’t be further from the truth but, much like the marshes they live in, ShadowClan are a bunch of soggy furballs who wouldn;t know how to express an emotion if it saved a life. It’s why Tigerclaw fit right in. Don’t get me wrong, they’re still cats with emotions and they talk and laugh and live like any other Clan, but multiple generations of tyrants (Brokentail and Tigerclaw) stunted them and cut them off from their culture so it’s really hard for them to get that back.

Brambleclaw is less ambitious and less sure of himself. He knows where he stands when it comes to his family tree and he was raised with the love of his Clan, but that's it. He doesn't want to believe that he was destined for anything great because he knows what happens to cats who are destined for greatness. They die horribly tragic deaths. He doesn't want that to happen to anyone he knows. 

Feathertail is ambitious in the sense that she can't stand RiverClan and will take any excuse she can get to get the hell out of there. They've never liked her and they never liked her brother and they barely tolerate her mentor and they would have just sat back and watched the four of them die, they did watch Stonefur die, because they were halfclan and RiverClan must be perfect. 

Crowpaw is this close to getting his warrior name but he knows a sign when he sees one. He follows it like any WindClan cat worth their salt but it's taking him away from the only family he has and he's so close to getting his warrior name, why couldn't he have a bit more time?! So he spends most of the time balancing his wants and needs with the call of StarClan and trying not to let either one overrun him. Crowpaw will ask to be named Crowflight instead of Crowfeather, because he wasn’t quite in love with Feathertail so much as admiring her carefree attitude. Squirrelpaw will ask for the same suffix for similar reasons.

ShadowClan customs 

Tawnypelt lives in a Clan that reveres her strength. Of course she would be picked by StarClan for a prophecy, she's just the right cat for it. The daughter of a strong leader who would have led ShadowClan to greatness if only he'd kept his sights within their borders.

Anyway, ShadowClan admires Tawnypelt because they see her as the leader that Tigerclaw could have been. Strong, smart, brave, able to adapt to their lifestyle easily, but also willing to stand up for what's right. She did  that a lot of because she was nursed alongside Feather and Storm and Goldenflower never forgot that even if she personally doesn't remember.

Also because Tigerclaw killed her older brother, which Goldenflower definitely never forgot. Oh, when it came out after A Dangerous Path that Tigerclaw was behind the dogs... I can only imagine the grief and rage that Goldenflower went through all over again and since her kits are apprentices now they're kind of old enough to understand why she's so absolutely furious with their father.

So ShadowClan isn't eager to let her go out somewhere far away and never come back. Not when she's their star. But a call from StarClan must be heeded nonetheless. 

ThunderClan customs

Leaders and deputies visit the kits when they're first born and determine possible warrior names based on the parents' wishes. There's always a long list at first that gets whittled down as training goes on. Kits are watched every day of their lives by someone, be it the leader, the medicine cats, the nursery queens, to determine their lives. The right mentor, the best possible friends for them, potential mates, your whole life is mapped out in those childhood moons.

Firestar was seen as an outsider not only because he wasn't a fighter, but because much of their culture places emphasis on kits and the way they grew up. He missed out on all of that, so how could he be a true ThunderClan cat? It was the surprise of the moons when Sandstorm announced she was having his kits and would gladly teach him their ways. Firestar did a pretty good job of adapting to that emphasis despite no one speaking for him as a kit.

RiverClan customs

RiverClan had a huge problem with how laid-back they were. Cats didn't really partake in each other's lives. As long as cats  were ready to fight when they needed to be, why should they? 

They believe heavily that the River is their portal to StarClan, so everything good that comes from it or that happens around it must be blessed. Bad things happening to the entire Clan is a cause for introspection, which they aren’t very good at. Bad things happening to one cat means that cat should be avoided until their luck changes. 

This is much to the detriment of everything else, occasionally including their ancestors. When Crookedstar’s jaw was broken, he was shunned because it was seen as a sign that he had fallen out of favor with the River. StarClan had to send a number of signs proving Crookedstar’s destiny to counteract the Dark Forest spirits that hung around Crooked, seeing him as easy prey. Mapleshade is the one who stuck around the longest and is the one he blames for all his bad luck.

That changes when Crookedstar becomes leader. He starts commanding that cats spend time with each other. Starts quizzing cats on their likes and dislikes, how much they know about their families, what their sibling's kits are up to, any information he can get his paws on. It cuts back on the fights for Sunningrocks, surprisingly. 

He knows the second Silverstream has found someone else for herself. At first he thinks it's a rogue and is okay with it as long as she keeps her loyalties to RiverClan. Then he finds out the truth and eventually she dies and the kits come to RiverClan with the father and Crookeedstar realized then that this time of peace and family won't last long after he's gone. So he does his best to make Greystripe feel welcome but there are too many differences. 

Cats can't just switch Clans at will because there are different ways of hunting and fighting, the medicine cat sees different things in the same puddle of water, the elders know different versions of the same tale, there's entirely new territory to get used to. It's not a surprise that Greystripe has to leave his kits but Crookeedstar admires the grey tom anyway. The last cat he knew to put his kits before his Clan had also been a grey tom, his father, and despite everything that happened over his life, Crookestar turned out better for Shellheart's dedication to his family. 

WindClan customs

WindClan believes themselves closest to StarClan and that becomes a bit of a problem in this case. No omens are ever seen as benign. Everything means something all the time. Barkface is the most overworked medicine cat of the lot because every cat goes to him for something, a leaf glittering in the wind after a bad mouse could mean death, according to some cats who thought they knew better than him, so Barkface and Tallstar spend a lot of time telling cats that their little "Prophecies" mean nothing until StarClan says so, and StarClan says so through Barkface. 

It's why he's so unnerved when Crowpaw comes to him. Ashfoot is one of the quieter ones when it comes to interpretation, but even she knows when the clan has been whacked aside the head with an omen in the form of a dream. Crowpaw is hailed as a hero when the news comes out and he doesn't know how to handle it.

[fencesandfrogs]

an abridged history/explanation of warrior cats if you didn’t read them as a kid and have questions (a primer)

welcome. i’m going to keep things to the point, this is not a plot summary, just, well, its a pandemic and people are seeking items of childhood comfort and its come to my attention that a lot of people didn’t read these books as kids and then they come up in conversation and they act shocked so! i felt compelled to write this.

[2.5k words, 10min read. section headers, no pictures. not a ton of helpful formatting. i don’t want to say don’t read this because obviously i wrote it and think it’s worth reading, but i’ll be honest, this is a lot.]

section one: about me

i was an avid reader as a child, most of which fits solidly into “stories for another time,” and some of which would necessitate me adding tags onto this post that are, well, not necessary. so i will skip over that backstory but for those aware of lexile scores, i had one that was too high for literally any book that was appropriate to give me. so reading in school was torture and reading for fun was excellent.

now because i was a first-ish grader and my mom was trying to keep the fifth harry potter out of my hands, she looked desperately for something else to pass to me. her friend, who had a daughter a year or two older than me, was into these cat books, and my mom was like “here honey you like cats” without thinking too much about it.

which is good, because as i’ll get into, it was a really good fit for me. but like a dozen books later she asked me about the plot and well. i think at that moment she realized that it might have been better to just let me read harry potter.

but yeah i continued to read them long past the recommended reading ages and still as a Young Adult will return to them for nostalgia, and also as i will get into, some really good books. (see a list of books for “morbidly curious but i don’t want to spend 56 to 168 hours reading this”)

i’m not fully caught up on the series but this is not a plot summary so that should not impact my ability to discuss this

section two: content warnings

these books (not this post) includes the following:

discussion of castration (1.1 series 1, book 1, i’m not including this on every item/discussion because this is a complicated series but i want to demo how up front some of this is)

teenage romance/sex/pregnancy (1.1ish-1.3 or 4, continues throughout the series quite a lot, comes up again in 3.4/5, 4.4-5, and a bit in 5)

death from childbirth (1.can’t remember which book, many others)

unwanted pregnancy (se super edition, or a longer one off novel, discussed in 4&5)

sex/implied, discussed, and very very very heavily hinted but never directly said/shown (1.1-3ish, se, other)

murder (constantly, 1.1, 1.4, literally every book, 3.5, i’m just listing the ones i remember off the top of my head that were particularly graphic)

disability/illness, esp. the debilitating and/or deadly nature of it (1.3-5ish, 3.1, but all of 3, 3.4ish)

dementia (1.3-5, i’ve heard in some of the later series?)

abuse (7/8 this is reported i haven’t read these books but based on what i know it’s def there)

child abandonment (1.4-5, 3.4/5, it’s also all over the place but i think those are the only major character incidents of it)

treason (1.3-5, all over the place)

the horror/tragedy of war (background, but pretty constant)

disagreeing with an integral religion/tradition (3, based on the series title, 8, and generally scattered)

the corrupting influence of power (1.4/5, possibly 7/8, others)

racism (1, 3-5, possibly others)

sexism (se, background)

patriarchal societies (se, seems to be somewhat softened based on what i’ve heard but i’m not entirely sure about this)

and more! but it starts to get stranger and this is enough to prove my point

basically everything that could go wrong does

oh yeah! child abuse also child abuse that’s a very major theme in the first series as well as during other points. and elder abuse in the first series.

okay i’ve made my point.

section three: the appeal

look. so. i think we’re kind of pastel-ify children’s literature based on movies. see, parents have to watch children’s movies with their kids, so they can’t be gritty and intense because a lot of parents will say “not for my nine year old! they can’t deal with treason!” and that seems to be bleeding into children’s literature.

but warriors is not that. it’s intense, it borders on “too gruesome for children,” and it’s from a time where kids books got to be serious and heavy and dark because they were about animals. which was great because i couldn’t find books at my reading level that weren’t too thematically difficult, so i got to read something below my reading level, but thematically too hard, so it kind of balanced out.

and then well. so. the series grows with the audience, but the books don’t grow in terms of like difficulty so new readers start deep into it and it’s a complicated thing, the fandom history is complex, but.

the appeal is that parents don’t usually read the books their kids read and so they see a book about cats and assume it’s fluff, and kids who are starved of complex content get to read hamlet-for-kids.

section four: worldbuilding/lore

oh yeah also there’s some really deep lore to explore. so there’s two bits of appeal.

i’m not doing a full world/plot summary, but i’ll explain some common elements here.

thunder/shadow/wind/riverclan: harry potter houses for cats (gryffindor, slytherin, hufflepuff, ravenclaw, except this doesn’t work for the last two but that’s fine because no one cares about them despite riverclan being pretty important in most of the books)

-kit/-paw/-star: naming conventions. everyone has a two part name. (we’ll use cinder as an example because i like the two cinders we know, even tho neither of them get to be cinderstar.) babies are -kit (cinderkit), then when they’re apprentices, which is like being a student, you know, elementary through high school, you’re paw, so cinderpaw. then you get an Official Name from ur clan leader (cinderheart). if you become clan leader, you get to be -star (cinderstar). i know i haven’t explained clan leaders bear with me. this is kind of important because i have the names burned into my memory so i cannot simply always call firestar firestar if he was firepaw at the time of the events i’m describing. it won’t be ambiguous, cinderheart/cinderpelt are a special case. if this is tricky for you it’s fine just only read the first part of the name.

clan (leader, deputy, medicine cat, elder): roles with in the clan. leaders literally have nine lives. deputies are next in line and chosen by the leader. leaders usually go through several deputies, because deputies don’t have nine lives. medicine cats are doctors. they also have an apprentice. those are all one per clan. elders are just retired cats. they’re not a special category per say, but i wanted to mention them.

warrior: adult.

warrior code: laws.

star clan: dead cats. this ties into the religion which is pretty important to the books but for the most part if you understand that dead cats get to give guidance and send their approval, you have the gist of it.

section five: so um, what the fuck

so we start with a cat named rusty who runs into the woods to join thunderclan and then his name is firepaw and we all forget that he’s named rusty except for like that one time it comes up again. bluestar is a great leader with some corrupt deputies but fireheart eventually takes care of it and becomes clan leader which is a big deal.

then a bunch of other shit happens and suddenly ashfur is possessing brackenstar and being (more) abusive to squirrelflight (who is on the outs with brackenstar anyway for lying about their kits jayfeather, hollyleaf, and lionheart because they’re actually the children of firestar’s other daughter leafpool who had them with crowfeather after she fell in love with him but he’s from windclan and she’s a medicine cat so that’s double illegal and apparently hollyleaf is alive even though she yeeted herself into a pit and died because she killed ashfur when he threatened to reveal this but couldn’t live with being the product of an illegal meeting and then it was all pointless because leafpool stopped being a medicine cat out of guilt anyway and jayfeather is just an ornery bitch about everything but especially all of this)

i’m not explaining any of that.

section six: i repeat: so um, what the fuck

so the thing about these books is they’re soap operas and dramas about cats and that means they get just as strange and chaotic as anything else in the genre. i think a lot of people like me, who read them as children, regard the series we knew as a child (usually either the first three or the first five, plus super editions) as something good and warm and comforting (despite being dark and gruesome) because they made us feel good.

they were also a breeding ground for young fandom because of all the the drama that exists and the nature of the books providing that.

section seven: super editions

the simple answer to what a super edition is has already been given (it’s a novel length one-off about a single character, and its usually either a side character - bluestar, crowfeather - or a event/perspective we don’t get to see - firestar, skyclan, greystripe - and they’re generally more mature)

my favorite super edition is bluestar’s prophecy. i read it at like 16, slinking into the children’s library with a stack of other ya fiction and a “children’s book” which dealt with unwanted pregnancy, grief, forbidden love, and more. still not sure why that’s in the children’s section.

section eight: about the drama

so there’s been a lot of fandom drama about these books. i can’t tell you about the nuances, because i am an old fan, so i watched but didn’t partake. the highlights reel that i can recall goes as follows (please note i will refer to characters by name without explanation. it’s fine. the point of this section is to convey the pettiness of this drama):

tigerstar: did he do anything wrong? (the answer is holy shit yes, this isn’t discourse, it’s okay to like a villain)

scourge: did he do anything wrong, also what color is his collar? (also yes, doesn’t matter)

was the new prophecy (2)/omen of the stars (3)/etc good? (yes, eh, no, yes, no comment, no comment)

should jaypaw or hollypaw be medicine cat apprentice (neither of them, but jaypaw’s employment opportunities are limited because he’s blind, so its gotta b him)

uhh a massive tangle around this parentage drama between squirrelflight, leafpool, brackenfur, and crowfeather, which i used as the crux of humor for how batshit the plots can get, so i’m not even going to pretend i can make it funny, but just know that it’s batshit and the correct opinion is as follows: no one is right, but squirrelflight has done the least wrong, brackenfur is an asshole to her where it’s unwarrented, and hollyleaf is an idiot

and the current drama centers around brackenstar and ashfur and is tied directly to the point above, which is why i’ve kind of given up trying to make jokes about this because this is the culmination of like 35 novels.

section nine: i feel like i need to have some conclusive point to justify writing all of this

but i don’t have one, because this was really an excuse to ramble about an old passion for like half an hour. i mean i guess i can say, like, i think younger fans are sort of embroiled in this drama they don’t really have context for, because i’m not kidding, the current drama centers around the grandchildren of our original cast.

it’s kind of hard to know why, say, mistystar matters if you don’t know that she’s the child of bluefur and oakheart and if you don’t remember the drama that surrounded that when bluestar was dying and tigerstar and leopardstar were ruling a combined shadow/riverclan.

(i really hope that’s intelligible i tried to lay the groundwork for it. basically, there’s a biracial kid in a very segregated society who becomes the leader of one of the clans. which is obviously drama, especially considering that that clan was part of a weird supremacy movement a while back.)

& you know? i really hope one of the new series gets to be like, a soft reboot. just. end the current drama and pick up again with the latest generation. a) we’re starting to run out of names, and b) i think that it’s kind of tipped over the edge of sane.

the series also used to be very low fantasy. the cat societies are reasonably close to feral cat colonies (the biggest detail is that toms don’t all have their own territory, but there’s honestly in-universe discussion of this and it’s basically a culture thing), and while star clan/religion is a real and legitimate thing, there’s also a discussion of its abuse and most of the early books don’t really use star clan/related ideas as a physical force so much as a plot device, barring, like, when a new leader gets their nine lives.

honestly, i’ll always adore these books for serving the role they did, and a lot of the series is fantastically well written. but the fandom surrounding it can be, uh, not great because 9-14 year olds don’t really have good brains to understand this.

also, i’m very sad that i can’t find the flash game that was for the great prophecy. it was not very fun, but i enjoyed playing it, so if anyone knows the url so i can search the internet archive for it, please let me know.

section ten: i’m morbidly curious but there are 56 hours of books to read, assuming a very fast reading pace, so is there something i can start with to experience this without dedicating 4 days to it?

yes, there is.

it’s called bluestar’s prophecy. it’s standalone, and i should have given you enough of a background on the lore that you don’t need to know anything else. i’ve already given away the twist in series 1 that it would spoil, so you’re all good on that front.

if you want more, or want the original experience, the first series is self contained and quite good. i’ve given the broad outlines of the plot, but trust me, there’s a lot of surprises and all sorts of things i skipped over because while i like it, it’s not exactly fandom primer material

i also enjoy firestar’s quest and skyclan’s destiny for super editions, but you’ll need to read the first series to understand FQ and FQ to understand SD, so it’s not exactly a starting point. also, SD especially deals with a very different set of themes as the other books.

also, if you were to, say, search “readwarriorcats” (no spaces) on duckduckgo, and then click on one of the first links, you know, not the official site, the one hosted on one of those free website things, you know, not wix, not wordpress, the other one, you would only find lists of the books with hyperlinks.

;3

[thunder-the-ranger-wolf]

A Proper Gathering

Excerpt from the Mute!Firepaw Ghost fic

@official-darkforest if you feel like reblogging this for the people interested in that AU, I’d be grateful. I wasn’t sure how much of this would fit in a submission.

▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂

The clearing was packed. Cats milled around with others, scents mingled as the four groups interacted in an almost friendly manner for the first time Firepaw had seen since he took this job. Several voices called out his name, all of them sounding like the bells that the humans put on their doors to tell the weather. Ghosts often sounded like that but it was more obvious when they were emotional. At least this time it was because these cats were happy to see him. The ginger tom was suddenly knocked off his paws by a rush of air. A mountain of fur surrounded him as each young cat clambered to be seen.

“Firepaw, you made it!” Thornkit of WindClan crowed. “This is the first Gathering I’ve been to ever, there are so many cats!”

“Alright, alright now, let the nice tom find his paws. I’m sure he’s just as excited as you are to be here.” One of the queens, a cream molly from ShadowClan, drawled fondly. “It’s good to see you well, Firepaw. One good thing about ThunderClan is they make sure their kittens are properly fed. Why, I bet the only Clan better at that would be RiverClan, with all their fishing.”

“Don’t you fish as well, Birchpool?” One of the apprentices snickered. “We live in a marsh!”

“That we do, kit, but the fish we find in the marsh aren’t always worth going after. Especially when the rest of those creatures are willing to fight you for it.”

You… have to fight your prey? Firepaw muttered, surprised.

“Has any cat ever mentioned a snapping turtle?”

No… I know what a turtle is, I think, but I’ve never seen one. And I didn’t know they could bite.

“I’ll take you to the marsh sometime and show you what I’m talking about. You won’t be so keen to visit us ShadowClan cats once you know how we eat.”

“Well, he might like it. I bet it would taste really good!” The apprentice, Branchpaw, crowed.

“How do you know, kit? No one’s ever gone after a turtle and lived to bring it back.”

“It’s prey!” Branchpaw scowled. “I bet I could kill one easy!”

“Maybe when we get back to StarClan.” Another apprentice scoffed. “They’re only ever easy hunting there!”

“Why can’t Larchfall see me?” A young voice that sounded close to tears asked quietly. The other ghosts stepped back to reveal a small tortoiseshell kitten with silver-blue eyes. “He’s my kin. I thought he loved me but he never talks to me anymore. He talks to the others, though! Why not me?”

“Well, kitten…” Birchpool crooned. “It’s because he can’t see you. He would talk to you all the time if he knew you were there.”

“But I am here! And you all can see me just fine!”

“It’s different, honeycomb.” Another warrior murmured, wrapping a ginger-spotted tail around her similarly colored kit. “Larchfall isn’t ignoring us, little one, we went to sleep. Remember how we couldn’t see or touch anything after that?”

“Yes.” The kit mumbled. “I wanted to climb a tree once but I just went right through it. I figured out how later though! We can fly, did you know that?!” The kitten crowed, fur bushed up.

“Yeah, it’s amazing!” Branchpaw chirped. “What’s your name? And who’s Larchfall?”

“This is Petalkit. Larchfall is my mate, I’m her mother’s sister, Lilystem.”

Well, Petalkit, why don’t I tell Larchfall that you’ve been asking after him? He might start talking to you if he thinks you can hear him. Firepaw prompted.

“You… you would do that?” Lilystem murmured, astonished. “He’s been so alone in RiverClan. I mean, of course, the Clan is there for him, but we never had any kits of our own and now we can’t reach Petalkit’s parents in StarClan because we got stuck here-. I mean-.”

“We get it.” Birchpool offered soberly. “It’s always rough when you figure it out. Oakheart was the most recent RiverClan cat to pass, he could probably tell you more about why we’re stuck here.”

The red-brown tom appeared by Lilystem’s side as if he’d been summoned by the sound of his name but said nothing.

“Oakheart… That’s one of Rainflower’s boys! He’s my nephew. Petalkit is his cousin by my other sister, Echomist. She and Hailstar are up in StarClan having a grand old time but I don’t think they know Petalkit is missing. They’d die of shock all over again.”

“Ouch…” Birchpool muttered, one eye closed as she tried to imagine what the tortoiseshell before her mumbled.

Okay, that’s… a lot to deal with and no doubt her parents are worried sick by now, but Larchfall should know that you’re still here and we, well, I, can do something about that. Do you want me to?

“I… yes. If only because he’s getting on in moons and it looks like he’s giving up and I don’t want that for him.” Lilystem insisted.

Okay. I can tell him. Let me get someone who knows how I talk and we’ll go from there.

“Well, if it’s because of that throat then Stormheart might have an idea of what to say.”

Stormheart?

“Oakheart’s brother.”

Oh, the RiverClan leader. He had the same warrior name as his brother?

“That happens sometimes. It did with the ThunderClan deputy and her sister. Their names were Bluestep and Snowstep.”

She’s the leader now. Firepaw crowed. And she’s mentoring me. She’s a great cat!

“No doubt she is, kit.” Lilystem chuckled. “Thank you so much for helping us get through to Larchfall. It’s been hard on Petalkit, not being with her parents and then getting stuck here like this.”

“Yeah, a lot of us had to figure that out the hard way.” Birchpool grumbled.

I can’t empathize completely, but I know it’s tough being separated from cats you love. Let me at least help you contact this one.

“You’re a sweet one, Firepaw. Good luck.” Lilystem murmured. Firepaw nodded his thanks and got to his paws, weaving through the crowd, and leaving the rest of the group to talk among themselves as they waited for him to get back.

“I wonder if it’s lifted yet. The barrier, whatever it is.” Birchpool mused. “I mean, WindClan is back in the forest and ShadowClan can’t drive them out again. Surely StarClan will welcome us once more now that the forest is balanced.”

“Firepaw’s not sure that’s what’s keeping us from StarClan.” Oakheart corrected nervously. “He thinks it’s something about Brokentail and now that WindClan is back, I’m inclined to agree with him. I don’t think StarClan can interact with the living as long as that tyrant is alive.”

“But that’s… he’s got nine lives! StarClan gave those themselves!”

“Maybe not.” Branchpaw scowled.

“What?” Lilystem hissed frantically, covering Petalkit’s ears. “Why would you say that?!”

“Well, you know ShadowClan is old-fashioned.” Branchpaw offered warily. “We’ve always been a bit more strict about the warrior code. Even though we accept rogues and were at the front of the kittypet raids, we taught those we recruited the Clan ways as we saw them.”

“Oh, yes, I remember hearing about the kittypet raids. Roachstar stopped them and everyone was outraged when Brokentail announced his new warriors from the Twolegplace. I’m surprised all four Clans didn’t rise against him right then and there!”

“It’s… complicated.” Birchpool added. “But we know there are other skies because of those kittypets and we choose to devote ourselves to StarClan. But with the news of other skies, well, Branchpaw might be right to say that another set of ancestors could have given Brokentail his lives.”

“What kittypet’s ancestors could give such a wretched being that much power?!” A new voice spat. “And who in their right mind would?!”

“Never said they were in their right mind, Thrushpelt. Just that it might be possible.”

“I hope it’s not.” Thrushpelt shivered. “I can’t imagine any spirit seeing Brokentail as a worthy leader.”

“StarClan wouldn’t.” Branchpaw insisted. “Not after all he’s done.”

Heads up everyone, I’m back with Larchfall and Longtail’s agreed to help me speak. Firepaw announced.

Indeed, Firepaw was followed by two cats, one a cream tom with dark stripes and the other a darker-furred elder with misty green eyes.

“Well, kit. This ThunderClan cat said you wanted to tell me something about my kin. What are we doing here?”

Firepaw nodded and trotted off, returning shortly with a flower that he placed on the ground. He pointed first at the stem and then at the petal of the flower. Then he pointed at Larchfall’s chest.

“Firepaw usually approaches cats when he knows a StarClan cat has mentioned you. In this case, there are two and you know them well. I think one is… Petal?”

Firepaw nodded and raised his paw so that it lay stiff in midair halfway between him and the ground.

“They’re smaller than him so it’s probably Petalkit?”

Firepaw nodded and pointed to the flower again.

“The next one is a cat with Stem somewhere in their name.” Longtail muttered. “Bigger than Firepaw, so either an older apprentice or a warrior.”

“Lilystem is my mate and Petalkit is her sister’s kit. You’re saying you heard from them? Did they come to you in a dream from StarClan?”

Firepaw made a “not quite” gesture.

“Firepaw can see the spirits of our ancestors.” Longtail explained. “Most of them are in StarClan but some of them come to visit their loved ones.”

“So… Lilystem and Petalkit are here.” Larchfall murmured. “Can they see me? Will they know if I talk to them?”

“They’ll always know.” Longtail said at Firepaw’s nod. “In fact, Petalkit thinks you should talk to her more.”

“Does she?” Larchfall chuckled roughly. “I… I can do that.”

“Good.” Longtail offered. “Thank you for hearing us out.”

The black tom nodded awkwardly and padded off, more than a bit stunned.

“Thank you, Firepaw.” Lilystem whispered, voice thick with tears. “I think he might actually believe you.”

Hopefully. But even if he doesn’t, he’s got something to think about.

“Yes… yes, I think he does.”

Petalkit pranced around her aunt, tail waving and face glowing with cheer.

Firepaw flicked his tail, signaling to Longtail that he could go if he wanted, and tuned back into the conversation being had around him.

“So… about this barrier.” Thrushpelt scowled. “What, WindClan being back wasn’t enough. It’s specific to Brokentail?”

“Looks like it.” Oakheart offered soberly. “And until this is resolved, I don’t think any cat will go to StarCla when they die.”

“What, like they’ll be stuck like us?! They won’t even know their ancestors are waiting for them?!” The other ShadowClan apprentice yelped.

“Be quiet, Pikepaw!” Branchpaw snapped, eyeing Oakheart nervously.

“Oh…” Pikepaw mumbled, following his fellow apprentice’s gaze. “Sorry. I didn’t meant to-.”

“It’s fine.” Oakheart sighed. Pikepaw licked his chest fur embarrassedly and curled up beside his friend, burying his nose in his own pelt and mumbling to himself.

“But yes, they’ll be stuck like us. And… we don’t know what it has to do with Brokentail. I said earlier that his lives could have been given by some other ancestors, but even that’s just a theory.” Oakheart insisted. “We don’t know that this will be resolved with Brokentail’s death.”

“Even if it is, as far as we know he’s never lost a life. How are we going to get to StarClan if he’s the one blocking our path and he’s got the nine lives of a leader?!”

A tense silence consumed the ghosts and Firepaw twitched his ears and bared his throat.

“Is Firepaw trying to say something?” Birchpool asked warily. “That’s an awful wound he’s got. Does he need a medicine cat?”

“A medicine cat can’t help.” Thrushpelt admitted. “But usually he does that to get a cat’s attention. Or if he’s talking to us, it means he’s nervous about what he has to say. Or doesn’t want to say it.”

“Makes sense.” Oakheart murmured. “But in this case… I think he’s trying to say something about his throat.”

Firepaw nodded awkwardly, hoping he wouldn’t have to say the rest aloud.

“He doesn’t need a medicine cat, so aside from the fact that the wound exists, nothing’s wrong.” Birchpool offered.

“He… we were talking about Brokentail just now. Could Firepaw be saying something about his throat has to do with Broktentail?”

“What, like Brokentail gave him that wound?!”

“No, we know who gave it to him and it wasn’t Brokentail.” Oakheart muttered bitterly. “Maybe he’s saying we have to hurt Brokentail… possibly like Firepaw himself was… hurt.”

“Oooo…” Several cats cringed or turned away at Firepaw’s confirming nod.

“He’s a leader, though. IF he dies, he’ll just come back and wreak havoc on the living all over again.”

“Then someone will have to make it an injury he can’t come back from.” Branchpaw insisted darkly.

“Stars above, Branchpaw!” Pikepaw yelped. “How in the name of the First Ancestors do you come up with this stuff?!”

“The same way he thought it was a good idea to slaughter us.” Branchpaw snapped, getting to his paws. “He deserves every scratch he gets! One for every star in the sky and ten for every cat he’s ever gotten killed! I bet Badgerfang would agree with me.”

“Badgerfang isn’t here!” Pikepaw howled. “You can’t speak for him and you can’t speak for me!”

“Don’t tell me you want that monster to live?!”

“No!” Pikepaw snapped. “I just… this isn’t right! We’re talking about killing a cat nine times over in the worst ways possible! He’s-.”

“Deserving.” Branchpaw sneered. “For all the pain and misery he’s caused this forest and every cat in it. He’s lucky all ShadowClan did was blind him.”

“If every ShadowClan cat is as vengeful as you are, we might not have to do anything to Brokentail. We could just let the living handle it.”

“They won’t.” Pikepaw scoffed. “They’re not fox-brained enough to risk dying at his claws when he comes back, and that’s if they succeed in the first place! This is mouse-brained and fox-hearted and I can’t believe you all are thinking of this!”

“Don’t you want to go to StarClan?” Branchpaw asked quietly. “Your mom and dad will be there. And your siblings.”

“Like that’s something to look forward to.” Pikepaw scowled. “I was the runt, remember? It’s why I died in the first place.”

“C’mon, Pike, they didn’t mean-.”

“They meant it!” The grey tom howled. “They never wanted me, none of them did! They were glad when I was chosen to start training!”

“Pikepaw…”

“You’re plotting! You’re planning for another cat to die just like Brokentail planned for us to die and kept at it until we did! My mother pushed me out of the nest early for that scheme of his and you want to try and turn it back on him?! When he’s the one who came up with all this in the first place?! It won’t work and we’ll all die! Why do you think my mother gave me up?”

“That’s a load of foxdung and so is she.” Birchpool growled.

“I… I can’t exactly blame her.” Pikepaw admitted. “She had to focus on the ones who had a chance. I was going to die anyway-.”

“You don’t know that.” Oakheart insisted. “You’re here because Brokentail was a cruel leader but more than that, your mother was cruel to you. That’s not your fault and it’s not your job to defend a cat that would do such a thing.”

“When it comes to Brokentail, it looks like the only way to restore this balance is to kill him.” Birchpool sighed. “But since we’re ghosts, we would have to use the world around us to do that. Possess a dog and set it on him, maybe. Or get someone to poison his food. We can’t interfere directly, though. The living will have to find some way to strip him of those lives.”

“You don’t have to be involved, Pikepaw. None of us have to do anything. The living cats are already upset with him. It’s only a matter of time before someone is desperate enough to want him dead completely.”

Firepaw found that he couldn’t listen anymore, too sick at the thought of all that Pikepaw had admitted. But the ghosts planned well into the night and decided to meet again in three sunrises after they got input from other Clanmates.

Firepaw didn’t know how this Mission would end, but these groups were some of the fiercest he’d ever run interference for.

[twilights-800-cats]

<< Allegiances || Chapter 16 || Chapter 17 || Chapter 18 || From the Beginning || Patreon >>

Chapter 17

Mothwing’s stomach roiled as she looked down at her meal. She knew she should be happy that the squirrel was so fat, that her Clanmates were full and happy and sharing tongues around her in the evening light to the loud buzzing of cicadas and Twoleg monsters – but she could only stare at the squirrel and think of it as the rabbit that Barkface had split open days ago, its poisoned entrails spilling out for all to see.

How are they surviving? She wondered, staring down at her fresh-kill. No rabbits, and with their territory in shambles…

The more she thought about WindClan, the less hungry she became. Mothwing pushed the squirrel to the side and forced herself to look away, her stomach feeling like stone.

Beside her, Mudfur sighed. “It will be all right, Mothwing,” he assured. “StarClan will provide.”

Mothwing looked over at her mentor. His eyes were glassy and tired, and his pelt lay half-groomed. She busied herself with picking out the stray dead leaves from his thick fur.

“Do you think StarClan can save WindClan?” she wondered as she worked, hoping for Mudfur’s guidance. Her mentor had always found strength in StarClan.

Mudfur’s whiskers twitched in thought. “If they can’t, then who can?” he rasped. “WindClan has always had a strong belief in our ancestors. They will end--” He broke off into a fit of coughing.

Mothwing’s heart sank into her stomach as she watched her grandfather hacking his life away. “I’ll get you some tansy,” she decided.

She got to her paws and darted for the medicine cat’s den. Tansy was easy enough to find in the storage log, brought out towards the front so that Mudfur’s coughing never pained him for too long. Mothwing grabbed a few petals and was back at Mudfur’s side in a heartbeat, coaxing him to lap up the medicine from her paw.

He chewed the petals gratefully and with little difficulty. Mudfur licked his lips as his coughing subsided. “Thank you, Mothwing,” he sighed. “I’m grateful for you…”

Mothwing butted her head against his shoulder. “You’re growing weaker and weaker,” she meowed quietly, conscious of her Clanmates. No doubt that they saw Mudfur’s coughing fit. “Do you plan on retiring?”

Mudfur snorted. “Want to be rid of me so quickly?” he chuckled.

Mothwing lifted her head. “Of course not!” she insisted. “But how long can you possibly go on…?”

“I’m not going anywhere ‘till your training is done.” Mudfur’s eyes shone with affection, and Mothwing lowered her shoulder fur. “You’ve got the makings of RiverClan’s greatest medicine cat, Mothwing.”

Mothwing’s heart warmed, and she purred, “Thank you so much, Mudfur. It’s only thanks to you.”

Mudfur’s tail flicked. “Some cats are born with the talent – I think you were,” he meowed on. “That’s all there is to it.”

Mothwing curled around her mentor, rasping her tongue along his pelt. His words did a lot to soothe her worries, but… If I have the talent, then why can’t I think of a way to help WindClan?

The reeds rustled around the camp entrance, and Mothwing lifted her head. Ripplecloud padded in, followed by Goldenpaw and Frostsplash. All three had a strange look on their face, and Mothwing’s whiskers twitched at the tension the patrol had brought with them into camp.

“Go on,” Mudfur rasped.  He nudged her to her paws. “I can groom myself, you know…”

Mothwing twitched her whiskers. Normally it would be Mudfur who saw to worry about such things, but lately Mothwing knew it had become her job… just as being medicine cat to the whole Clan would be, sooner rather than later. Ripplecloud led his patrol over to where Leopardstar was eating, and Mothwing met them there – she kept herself within hearing earshot but not too close that she offended the warriors.

“What is it?” Leopardstar wondered. By now, the whole Clan had seen the returning cats and felt the unease they had brought with them. Mothwing blinked, watching as her Clanmates slowly began to gather around, ears pricked and eyes darting about with curiosity.

Ripplecloud knew it, too. He shifted his weight and reported, loud enough for every cat to hear, “ThunderClan has moved to Sunningrocks.”

Shock rippled through the Clan, and Leopardstar got to her paws, abandoning her trout. Her eyes were wide, and her tail stiff. Mothwing shivered. Sunninrocks had forever been a piece of contested territory between ThunderClan and RiverClan – was this some sort of show of dominance?

“What do you mean?” Leopardstar wondered.  

“I mean exactly as I say,” Ripplecloud went on, looking nervous as the bearer of this news. “All of ThunderClan was at Sunningrocks – elders and kits, too – and they were gathering up moss and bracken for nests.”

Frostsplash added, “I spotted their medicine supply; I think they mean to stay for some time.”

“How dare they!” hissed Falcontail. He pushed his way to the front of the crowd, his tail lashing. “Sunningrocks is ours!”

A murmur of agreement rose, but Leopardstar cut it off with a lash of her dappled tail. She raised her chin and meowed, “Everyone, stay calm.” To Ripplecloud, she asked, “Do you know why they’ve done this?”

Ripplecloud frowned. “I spoke with Tinystar by the stepping-stones,” he admitted. “He said that the Twolegs came too close to his camp, and he decided to move his Clan until the Twolegs leave, or a more suitable place can be found.”

“Huh!” Blackclaw huffed. “Next he’ll be in our rushes, claiming that to be ‘more suitable!’”

“Typical ThunderClan,” agreed Leafwhisker.

Mothwing frowned. “Why would he move elders and kits if he were planning an invasion?” she reasoned. “Not to mention having Brackenfur move all his supplies!” She looked to her mother. “There’s no doubt to me that he’s telling the truth – if the Twolegs could destroy half of WindClan’s territory in a moon, they can do the same to the forest.” After all, the monsters had thought very little of the four massive oaks at Fourtrees.

Leopardstar met her eyes evenly. “You don’t think there will be an invasion?” she asked.

Mothwing shook her head. “Not at all,” she insisted. Her heart fluttered, conscious of her Clanmate’s eyes on her. “Tinystar just isn’t the type to risk his entire Clan like that. If he’s moved them to Sunningrocks, it’s because that’s the safest place for them right now.”

Falcontail frowned. “Don’t claim you know their intentions,” he meowed, his voice low. “If their territory is being taken by the Twolegs, then they’ll need more room to hunt eventually – and where does that leave them?”

“RiverClan!” answered Blackclaw. “They’ll be taking our prey in a quarter moon!”

Mothwing swallowed. Despite knowing in her heart that Tinystar wouldn’t normally instigate… what would he do when his Clan began to starve? We thought the same of Tallstar, but his warriors were stealing our prey as the Twolegs advanced. If Tinystar faced the same problems… he might have no other choice.

“We should double our patrols,” insisted Falcontail. Several cats nodded in agreement. “We can’t risk ThunderClan setting one pawstep over the river – not when WindClan is already pushing our borders!”

“What if they’re working together?” wondered Brackenflight. “They’ve done it before!”

“Maybe ShadowClan is in on it, too,” suggested Frostsplash. “We’ve heard nothing from them for moons, and you know they’ll take territory if they think they need it…”

Mothwing sank her claws into the earth as she watched her Clanmates ripple with speculation. Nothing good can come from letting this go on! She glanced at her mother, begging for her to say something.

Thankfully, it seemed like Leopardstar wasn’t having it. She raised her voice above the others: “That’s enough, all of you!”

When she had their attention, Leopardstar curled her tail around her paws, holding herself tall and confident. “I agree with Mothwing; I don’t think an attack is imminent – but that doesn’t mean we won’t prepare ourselves. The Twolegs are upsetting the balance in the forest, and RiverClan will rise to defend what’s ours – when Tawnypelt’s patrol returns, we will formulate a plan.”

Mothwing sighed with relief. Finally! Maybe now that Leopardstar was acknowledging the Twolegs as some sort of threat, the rest of RiverClan might stop ignoring the issue too. Maybe then we can all figure out what to do!

“Where is Tawnypelt’s patrol?” asked Dawnflower. The young queen had come from the nursery to sit with Frostsplash. “They’ve been gone a long while…”

Leopardstar frowned. “Has any cat seen or heard from them?” She looked to Ripplecloud. “Have you?”

Ripplecloud shook his head. “We were patrolling Sunningrocks – Tawnypelt took the WindClan border.”

As if StarClan had sent the answer, the reed entrance rustled again – but it was only Heavystep and Reedpaw who appeared, and both looked far more anguished than Ripplecloud’s patrol had. Mothwing’s heart was beating in her ears as she looked at Reedpaw – the apprentice was dragging his paws, his eyes downcast.

“What happened?” Goldenpaw wondered, pushing forward. His littermate, Rosepaw, followed him. “Where’s Tawnypelt?”

Reedpaw looked helplessly at his siblings, then back to Heavystep. The big tom gave him a sympathetic look before addressing the rest of the Clan: “We caught a WindClan patrol on our side of the border, near the Twoleg bridge. Tawnypelt gave chase to one of them – we followed, but then…”

“Then what?” Leopardstar demanded. Shoulders stiff, she pushed through the crowd to stand before Heavystep. Mothwing’s heart ached as she saw the panic rise in Leoaprdstar’s eyes. “What happened? Where is Tawnypelt?”

Heavystep bowed his head. “Both of them ran into some strange Twoleg things. Like nests, but they were walled in…”

“We tried to get them out,” Reedpaw whimpered, “but we couldn’t.”

Mothwing’s heart sank. The entire Clan was stuck in a rapt silence, all eyes on Heavystep.

“Twolegs came and took the nests away,” Heavystep finished. He hung his head in shame. “Tawnypelt is gone, Leopardstar. I’m so sorry.”

In the silence, Mothwing could hear the loud roar of the Twoleg monsters as they advanced through the land of the Clans. Swallowing, she raised her head to a sky feathered with clouds. The warriors of StarClan weren’t out yet, but she knew they were still there. They had to know what to do.

Tell me! She pleaded. Please! We need your help!

There was no answer.

[need1etail]

Slightly more innocent and kinda adorable Breezepelt AU

So like. An AU where Breezepelt doesn't lash out and deals with his problems in a healthy way? Cause I can do that

- Breezepaw would often go to Barkface and Kestrelpaw to vent about his worries about his mother and father, making the weight of his anxiety lessen with the help.

- He still resents his father, but as a warrior he actually tells him off, telling him he should have been in his life, no matter what the circumstances. It's a real emotional scene and it ends with Breezepelt running off and accidentally crossing into RiverClan territory, where he meets Willowshine. She talks about how she didn't have much of a relationship with her father (Reedwhisker) either and they bond over that

- After Breezepelt finds out the three are his kin he's still pissed. He doesn't try to hurt anyone, but he wonders why he got stuck with Crowfeather while they got a loving family in ThunderClan.

- Breezepelt isn't happy in WindClan, and he knows he can't go to ThunderClan, since he's still bitter about the Three. He sneaks off to RiverClan but slips in the river and hurts his leg. Mistystar agrees to let him stay for a while, and after he's healed he tells Mistystar he wants to join RiverClan. Every cat is sort of hesitant, it's really out of the blue and they all know he wouldn't be able to adjust very well.

- Eventually, Willowshine convinces him he can't run away from his problems and he returns to WindClan where his family, including Crowfeather, welcome him back with open arms. Crow and him still need some healing but eventually they form a stronger bond and Breeze is a lot happier.

Does this fit that AU? I hope it does cuadjejdjs