#Snow Fox Apprentice

[amphipolitan]

Star Wars gifset I made from a poem I wrote. Highlighting some aspects & parallels of Ezra and Luke that I like.

Winds May Blow

The north wind comes to blow and blow, Disturbing ghosts from long ago; I watch the desolation grow; I hold them tight, these things I know: Though winds may come to mourn and blow, Defiance still will grow and grow, Fed by a voice from long ago And hope will bloom in winter snow. Be not afraid, when winds may blow; They rose in secret, long ago; What binds our hearts, they cannot know; Be still, and let the shadow show The formless plains of ash and snow Where hope once bloomed, an age ago; Apprentice, rise, and only know The force which binds the high and low, Acceptance for the change we sow, The strength to stand when winds may blow, The warmth which wards the fox in snow, The calm that lets the sapling grow.

[rippleclan]

RippleClan: Moon 91, Part 1

As Wildclaw moves on from grieving Clammask, she and Rattlepelt go for a walk together.

[Image ID: Rattlepelt and Wildclaw approach two black newborns. Under the leftmost kit, it reads NEW PLAYER: VALLEYKIT, 0, MALE, QUIET. Under the rightmost, smoky kit, it reads NEW PLAYER: MIDNIGHTKIT, 0, MALE, POLITE. Under Wildclaw, it reads - CONDITION: GRIEVING.]

Rattlepelt typically despised winter. The snow was beautiful, Longest Night was lovely, and she always purred when kits played in the snow. But her Clanmates had fur. They could handle the cold. The winter wind didn't sting their bodies and quickly numb their limbs. They could safely leave camp! Meanwhile, Rattlepelt stayed huddled in the artisan's den, tucked under extra leather pelts while she, Rabbitjoy, and Frostpaw fixed baskets.

The artisan's den was packed with supplies and tools; leather wraps for managing hot stoves, drums, dry ferns and grass for basket weaving, and more. All those supplies trapped heat within the rocks and brambles. There was just enough work for the three artisans to sit and do their work.

"Trust your claws," Rabbitjoy said as Frostpaw pulled twine through the stakes of her basket, weaving it back and forth. "Your claws are made to snag material like this. Let them hook the twine and treat it as an extension of your paw."

"My wrist keeps getting stuck," Frostpaw muttered. She tried to hook her paw around the next stake, but since she was repairing a hole in the side of the basket, her paw had little room to move. The twine kept slipping off Frostpaw's claws in her effort to pull it through without breaking the basket further.

"Repairing a basket is harder than weaving it from scratch," Rabbitjoy assured her. "Don't worry if you can't make it tight. Try your best."

"How do humans do this?" Frostpaw groaned as she finally pulled her thread back around.

"Malformed paws," Rattlepelt explained with a chuckle, tying off the broken base of her basket. She waved her paw, flexing her pads. "Their paws are flexible and good at crafts, but they barely feel a thing."

"They also don't have claws!" Gingerpaw suddenly stuck his big fluffy head into the aritsan's den, his maple seed necklace bouncing on his chest. Estherfern lingered behind him with a bundle of bark, but her apprentice was ignorant to his mentor's shoving. "They just have hard rocks on top of their paws!"

"Gingerpaw, go away!" Frostpaw whined. "We're working! Don't eavesdrop!" Estherfern finally knocked Gingerpaw away from the artisan's den and back to his chores. As Gingerpaw walked off, laughing, Frostpaw groaned and threw her paws over her ears. "I hate him sometimes!"

"He's just being silly," Rabbitjoy said, patting Frostpaw's back. Rattlepelt placed her repaired basket against the den wall. As she stretched her front legs, Wildclaw peeked into the den. Her amber eyes seemed brighter than they had in a few moons.

"Rattlepelt, come outside!" Wildclaw chirped. "It's finally a bit warm. I want to go on a walk."

"I should really help Rabbitjoy finish the basket repairs," Rattlepelt chuckled, snatching loose twine in her claws.

"You've been trapped in camp for ages," Rabbitjoy scoffed. "If it's warm, go outside! We only have one other basket to repair. Frostpaw and I can fix it." Rabbitjoy rolled the remnants of a broken basket toward her. Wildclaw kneaded the sand, eyes glowing. Rattlepelt purred. It was hard to resist that face.

"Let's go, then," Rattlepelt sighed, fixing her lavender-lined fox pelt onto her back. Frostpaw grumbled under her breath as she searched for fresh twine and Rattlepelt joined Wildclaw outside of the artisan's den.

Wildclaw was right; it was so unseasonably warm that the Clan didn't need a bonfire in the center of camp. Snow clung in piles along the dark and cool corners of the rocks and wood, but RippleClan could once again relax against the cool sand of their home. The land beyond camp was no longer white and brown, but a strange, gray-tinted mixture of tan and green. Though Rattlepelt's skin still danced under the soft chill, it was a pleasurable chill. It was a fool's spring, the sort that RippleClan would usually take full advantage of.

But RippleClan was not, in fact, taking advantage of the good weather. Instead, Wolfgaze, Weevilsight, Ravenweaver, and Trumpetspore hovered around the medicine den. They quietly shared tongues and muttered soft encouragement. Some of their friends and mates (Billowhaze, Anchovystrike, Brightreed, Scaleripple) comforted them, glancing into the shadows of the medicine den and quickly looking away.

"It's Mosspounce," Wildclaw sighed when she noticed her mate's confused look. "Honeybuzz just told his daughters. The infection is getting bad. They aren't sure how much longer he has."

"Should we visit?" Rattlepelt gulped.

"Later," Wildclaw quietly promised, heading for the camp exit. "The walk might give me time to think of what to say." Rattlepelt watched as Honeybuzz trailed out of the medicine den, merging into the small crowd. Trumpetspore scrambled into the medicine den as Honeybuzz spoke softly to Wolfgaze, Weevilsight, and Ravenweaver. Rattlepelt dipped her head, allowing her fox pelt to cover her eyes. She ignored the rest of the Clan and pressed into the false spring.

The birds hesistantly tested the warm weather, chirping their questions to one another, as though their fellow feathered friends could provide an answer. The mid-morning light offered the land a chance to stretch and feed itself before the explosion of frost and snow that would mark the remainder of the year. Twigs and branches, reminders of summer's rich foliage, rubbed against Rattlepelt's fox pelt. Her paws sank into the wet earth. Wildclaw strolled beside her, quiet, her ever-present guardian.

The silence stretched on for longer than Rattlepelt expected. The pair journeyed deeper into the forest, simply basking in the light. At one point, they spotted Tallowheart and Splashtuft, going over a few tales. Wildclaw raised her tail in greeting and passed them by. The two mates wandered over boulders and roots. All the while, Rattlepelt thought and thought and thought.

A twig snapped deep within the trees. Rattlepelt froze, eyes locking on the sound. A great buck stared at Rattlepelt and Wildclaw. Its magnificent crown of antlers snagged leaves that refused to fall from their trees despite the pressure of snow and time. Its brown coat blended into the forest. It flicked a round ear at Rattlepelt, blinking thoughtlessly.

"Wonder if it thinks you're a cat or a fox," Wildclaw hummed. The buck slowly lost interest in the two cats. It bent back down and chewed on a twig just beginning to bud, tricked by the heatwave. Rattlepelt took a deep breath. Her chest still hurt from the shock.

"We should go home," Rattlepelt suddenly said.

"What?" Wildclaw scoffed. "We're barely past mid-morning. Why turn back now?" Rattlepelt couldn't answer her mate. Did she even have an answer?

"Do you ever have a feeling that something bad is about to happen?" Rattlepelt asked. She jumped onto a large, mossy rock and spun in circles, trying to get comfortable among the limp leaves.

"Define 'something bad' for me," Wildclaw said. She joined Rattlepelt on top of the rock.

"We've had a lot of good in our lives lately," Rattlepelt groaned. "You've been a great mother to the toms."

"Now that I don't have a death wish anymore?" Wildclaw chuckled.

"You still get into some good scraps," Rattlepelt hummed, gently bunting her mate. "No, I just mean that even with… what happened with Lemmy, the two of us, we've been alright."

"Don't tell the rest of the Clan this," Wildclaw muttered, batting at the wet leaves under her, "but I get where Lemmy came from with killing Achilles and everything. It all spun out of control for her. I feel bad for her, even if she killed our Clanmates."

"It just makes me think," Rattlepelt groaned, "is it our turn next? When am I going to suffer some major loss again?"

"What do you mean?"

"When will tragedy strike the ones I love? Will one of my moms die? Will something happen to Shrewflame, or Whitepaw?" Rattlepelt pulled her fox pelt off. She was almost panting under its heat. "I feel like something's standing right behind me. Like I'm going to ruin everything."

"Is this about the Shardling? We keep telling you that wasn't your fault. It's not like you wanted to be possessed."

"It still happened, Wildclaw. It nearly broke me. Something's telling me that it will happen again. I know I sound crazy—"

"You don't sound crazy." Wildclaw leaned against Rattlepelt. "It's been a hard few moons. You've been stuck in camp. You're stressed. Why do you think I wanted to go on a walk with you?" Rattlepelt sighed. She forced the ripping, anxious itch in her chest out with her breath.

"You're right, you're right," Rattlepelt groaned.

"I always am," Wildclaw chirped.

"Don't gloat," Rattlepelt chuckled, shoving Wildclaw's muzzle down. Rattlepelt dragged her fox pelt back over her sensitive skin as a breeze made the bare branches dance. Rattlepelt could still smell the deer on the wind, but she smelled something else too, something pungent and stranger than any deer.

"Humans?" Wildclaw muttered, tasting the air. "Oh, those are definetely humans. Yuck." Wildclaw sneered at the smell.

"I hope they aren't setting more traps," Rattlepelt gulped. "Frostpaw almost stepped in one last moon!"

"Let's see if they are," Wildclaw suggested, hopping off the rock. "Keep low, alright?" Rattlepelt nodded. She and Wildclaw crept through the twigs and leaves, letting their noses lead them closer to where the WheatClan and AshClan borders met. As they pushed deeper into the forest, the humans soon became audible. There were two of them, with gangly meows that wavered in pitch. Rattlepelt kept low, the tail of her fox pelt dragging on the undergrowth. Wildclaw, nimble as ever, slipped silently closer to the noisy humans.

The two humans stomped around the corner of the three Clans. They were young from their size, with the tight-fitting leathers that typically marked males. Rattlepelt marveled at the leather's bright colors and strange patterns, unlike anything artisans could achieve. The smaller of the two held his front limbs close to his chest, keeping two small forms steady while his taller friend followed and yowled.

"I've never seen humans fight each other," Wildclaw muttered as the smaller human hissed at his companion. The black masses resting in the human's embrace shifted. Tiny mews broke through the human screeching. Rattlepelt held her breath when two sets of baby blue eyes peeled over the leather. The small human had two black kits!

The storyteller in Rattlepelt imagined what the humans could be doing. Were they yowling about the kits? Who were the kits? Did the humans take them from their mother? Did they even know their mother? Rattlepelt's anxieties slipped away, overshadowed by overwhelming curiosity focused on the strange unknowable creatures called humans.

The small human suddenly made a quick, snappy hiss at his companion. His strange eyes focused on the undergrowth… the undergrowth where Rattlepelt and Wildclaw lurked. The pair stayed utterly still, eyes locked on the smaller human. The small human slowly crouched, still staring at the two mollies. He made a soft, mouse-like chirp that drew all of Rattlepelt's attention. It made her stomach growl, as though she spotted a mouse shuffling through the leaves. Her ears turned straight on to the human. Rattlepelt caught herself before she slipped a paw out of her hiding spot. Whatever strange magic the human was wielding, Rattlepelt could not give in!

The human continued making that alluring sound as he carefully placed the two kittens on the ground. They couldn't have been more than half a moon old. The kits crawled on top of each other, stunned by the sudden lack of warmth. The human crept back like a hunter. He crouched at the side of a tree fox-lengths away from the kits.

"Is this some type of trap?" Rattlepelt asked.

"What kind of trap uses kits?" Wildclaw muttered. "I think… they want us to take the kits."

"I thought humans loved kittens."

"Maybe they don't want to take care of them."

"So they leave them in the forest? How cruel."

"But they aren't, they see us. I think they're looking for Clan cats." Did the humans know about the Clans? Did they know about RippleClan?

The tall human snapped at his smaller friend and grabbed his shoulder. The human spun and shoved him off, sneering. They yipped and growled at each other, with their mangled paws waving wildly at the kits. Rattlepelt steadied her jaw. She crept out of the undergrowth. The nose of her fox pelt touched the light first. Wildclaw snuck alongside her. The humans no longer noticed them.

Rattlepelt snatched the scruff of the bulkier kit, a tom with a slight smoky pattern across his pelt. Wildclaw grabbed his brother, who looked nearly identical. As soon as they had a good hold of the kits, Wildclaw and Rattlepelt ran. The two humans startled, finally aware of what the cats were up to, but they had no chance of catching them.

Rattlepelt and Wildclaw only slowed down when the ocean peeked between the trees. They skidded up to a sandy beach and dropped the kits. Both toms were shockingly quiet, merely huffing at the sudden stop and trying to get their bearings. Rattlepelt panted hard. Wildclaw groaned, stretching her hind legs.

"Well," Wildclaw huffed, "I think we found your bad feeling." She waved a paw at the kits.

"You know this isn't what I meant," Rattlepelt muttered. She sat beside the two black kits. Her fox pelt slipped off from all that running. The tail floated on top of the kittens' heads. The bulky tom's permanently unsheathed claws snagged one of the dried lavender petals woven into the fur. So much like Shrewflame.

"I don't know about you," Wildclaw hummed, slipping next to her mate, "but this feels like one of those moments StarClan designs just for us." Wildclaw dipped her paw in front of the smaller black tom, who instinctively crawled to it. He latched his tiny muzzle onto Wildclaw's toe. "The next step seems pretty clear to me. Ready to be a mom again, Rattle?"

Wildclaw was right. The next step was very clear.

(Rattlepelt: 74, female, artisan, thoughtful, leather artist)

(Rabbitjoy: 127, female, artisan, charismatic, master weaver)

(Frostpaw: 7, female, artisan apprentice, strict, lover of stories)

(Gingerpaw: 7, male, cleric apprentice, childish, curious about humans, moss-ball hunter)

(Wildclaw: 83, female, caretaker, fierce, trusted advisor, good fighter)

(Midnightkit: 0, male, kit, polite)

(Valleykit: 0, male, kit, quiet)

Mosspounce died of an infected wound.

[Image ID: Ravenweaver, Trumpetspore, Washington, Wolfgaze, and Weevilsiht crowd around Mosspounce.]

---

"Lemmy better get here soon," Mosspounce muttered. His bandaged, sightless eyes gazed out of the medicine den. "She'll be… very upset if she misses this."

Mosspounce laid in the back of the medicine den, surrounded by his daughters and Trumpetspore. The other clerics all left the den, giving the family their privacy. Washington was still there, though; Mosspounce had insisted the old tom not leave. The glow of a yellow sunset dripped between the thin gaps in the wood, dappling Mosspounce's pelt. Trumpetspore practically laid in the nest with Mosspounce, curling around him. She whimpered as though he had already died. Whenever her voice rose to a cry, Weevilsight had to close her eyes and push back her sudden rage. She couldn't even think about her father. All she wanted was for her aunt to shut up.

When Mosspounce made his comment, Ravenweaver looked ready to join Trumpetspore in her pre-mature vigil. Wolfgaze's hazel eyes tightened. Weevilsight stuck her nose into Mosspounce's ear. For a moment, she was just a cleric again, checking on her sick patient. Mosspounce's ear burned.

"If she wanted to be here she wouldn't have…" Wolfgaze growled.

Wolfgaze bit her tongue, however, when Ravenweaver quietly snapped "She's still our mom, Wolf." Wolfgaze paced around the empty nests of the medicine den, keeping her supernatural gaze off her father. Ravenweaver crawled to the edge of Mosspounce's nest and rested her head by his sickly-smelling wounds. Her lavender crown fell onto Mosspounce's head. Mosspounce shifted just enough to nose Ravenweaver's forehead.

"Your old molly's just off hunting, Mossy," Washington suddenly coughed from his nest. "She's on her way." Mosspounce purred softly and groomed his daughter's head, unable to lift his own and properly share tongues. All the mollies in the den stared at the old gray tom.

"I don't know if we should lie to him, Washington," Wolfgaze muttered, squirming under Washington's wizened eye.

"He can't understand what's happening anymore," Weevilsight quietly explained. "He's too far gone."

"Don't say that, stop saying that," Trumpetspore whimpered. She buried her face in Mosspounce's back.

"It's happening, Trumpetspore!" Weevilsight suddenly hissed, the petals in her fur fluttering out as she turned to her grieving aunt. "And… and there's nothing else we can do for him." Weevilsight stepped back, forcing her sneer off her face as Trumpetspore wailed again. Trumpetspore clawed at the edge of Mosspounce's nest and shook so hard that Mosspounce moved as well. A painful buzz filled Weevilsight's chest and made her limbs ache. Her head burned with too many thoughts. There was nothing she could do. Not for Mosspounce, not for Lemmy. She was losing both of them in less than a moon.

"I'm not trying to intrude," Washington croaked, shaky paws pushing out from his nest, "but could you help me close to him?" Weevilsight took a while to move, even as Washington groaned under the simple yet mountainous effort of standing. Washington's groaning mixed with Trumpetspore's moans in a painful chorus that threatened to undo Weevilsight's remaining sanity. The tortoiseshell cleric slipped beside Washington and supported his large weight. With Weevilsight under him and his broken leg stiff and splinted at his side, Washington limped to Mosspounce's nest.

"You're a funny old flea-feast," Mosspounce whimpered as Washington fell next to him.

"I'm glad I could make you laugh," Washington purred, "even if we haven't known one another long." Washington set his paw against Mosspounce's shoulder. "I'm sorry to see you go. But this is a good death, in my eyes."

"A good death?" Wolfgaze huffed, marching in front of Washington. "What would be 'good' is if my father wasn't dying at all!"

"But he's dying with his family around him," Washington groaned, waving at the mollies crowded around Mosspounce. "That's more than many get."

"Hi again, Tempest," Mosspounce muttered, lifting his head slightly. "Have you met my mollies? They're good kits." Weevilsight's paws inched toward the exit. She needed to stay, she had to stay, yet her body pushed her outside. Still, she stayed long enough to catch her father's last words.

"Lemmy and I made some good, good kits…"

(Mosspounce: 52, male, caretaker, adventurous, talented fire-starter)

(Trumpetspore: 52, female, warrior, nervous, makes the best pottery, good storyteller)

(Weevilsight: 26, female, cleric, daring, deep StarClan bond)

(Wolfgaze: 26, female, codekeeper, thoughtful, connection to StarClan, great speaker)

(Ravenweaver: 26, female, artisan, den builder, very clever)

(Washington: 219, male, elder, nervous, good mediator)

Mitespark and Wolverineheart have grown closer over time, relying on one another through the recent chaos. They decide to become mates. Wolverineheart’s littermates celebrate with the pair.

[Image ID: Mitespark speaks with Wolverineheart while Boughfur, Thundergale, and Brightreed stand behind their sister in support. Under Mitespark, it says + MATE: WOLVERINEHEART. Under Wolverineheart, it says + MATE: MITESPARK.]

(Mitespark: 33, female, artisan, charismatic, great mediator)

(Wolverineheart: 23, female, warrior, troublesome, student of science)

(Boughfur: 23, female, historian, righteous, great climber)

(Thundergale: 23, female, teacher, adventurous, great hunter, good speaker)

(Brightreed: 23, female, warrior, righteous, student of art)

Moontide and Cobaltchaser don't move in time to avoid a large fir tree falling right on top of them. A patrol doesn't find them until they've both moved on to StarClan.

[Image ID: Moontide and Cobaltchaser are both StarClan spirits. Moontide says, "We need to see our sisters."]

(Moontide: 26, female, teacher, playful, excellent teacher)

(Cobaltchaser: 21, female, codekeeper, righteous, good cook, prey cleaner)

[quiobisecretsanta]

QuiObi Secret Santa 2024 Masterlist

Thank you to everyone who participated in QuiObi Secret Santa this year! The holidays can be busy and emotionally exhausting, but so many creators still turned out to provide us all with some beautiful artworks and stories. We appreciate their efforts and talents!

Please join us for our next event: QuiObi Secret Valentines! You can access the signup form here.

Art

Find me in the Garden Room by bereweillschmidt with accompanying fic

офисная романтика (office romance) by psina dubina

"Surprise for Qui-Gon" by psina_dubina

The Detective and His Apprentice by GavImp

Where You Go, I Follow by bereweillschmidt with accompanying fic

Fic

A Fox Among Wolves by TheSilverQueen

All I Want Is You by atsuyuri_sama

A Study in Humanoid Close Contact Intimacy Rituals by TheSilverQueen

BLUE by DameKikki

Broken Blades/Broken Hearts by ABLM for Kurtssingh

Crossed Swords by FrisianFen

forget the urgency by jynx

Home is Wherever You Are by mischievouschan4

Hostile Takeover (of the Heart) by skywalkingobi

Kindling by sanerontheinside

Mistletoe by Firondoiel

Taking Care by JaggedEdges

to grieve deeply is to have loved fully by Firondoiel with accompanying art by psina_dubina

Shadow and Flame by dogmatix

Snow, Fire Aglow by thesadchicken

Wind's Song by sanerontheinside

Previous Masterlists

This year's Secret Santa challenge is dedicated to Temve, who left us in 2024. We are grateful for the time we had with her. She will be greatly missed.

May the Force be with you, always.

[redux-iterum]

Charred Legacy: Chapter Thirty-Seven

(AO3 counterpart here.)

When Fireheart awoke that afternoon, he internally cursed the blinding white of the snow reflecting the bare sun directly into his eyes. He considered just turning his back to the clearing and falling asleep again, but… perhaps not. Something was niggling in his mind, kneading on it with urgency. Silently, he stood up and went around Ravenwing to step into the open.  

No scent of fire, at least. No dogs, either.

Now, why was that something pushing him to the apprentice’s den?

He had a faint idea, but his optimism was fighting back against that notion, whispering to him, Cloudpaw’s been staying home. You’ve checked on him so many times. He’s still here.

His practical side knew better. Hoping against hope, Fireheart crept to the doorway of the den and poked his head in.

No Cloudpaw.

Son of a fox.

Fireheart looked down. His eyes followed a trail of pawprints, perfectly preserved thanks to the snowless daytime, all the way to the entrance of camp. They were small and carefully spaced out, but even Cloudpaw wouldn’t be able to avoid making a path for his uncle to follow.

And follow he did, at a trot that broke into a run as the pawprints spread out and carried on through the woods. Cloudpaw was well ahead of him; maybe he had left as soon as everyone was asleep.

Don’t yell at him when you find him, his mind said - in a careful way, like it was afraid of its own reaction to the reminder. Be kind and compassionate. He’s not going to react well to a loud voice and scolding words.

Maybe it was the remnants of last night’s events, or just that he had had that talk with Cloudpaw for nothing, but Fireheart was struggling to cool a slightly-too-warm frustration that was begging to boil into anger. He fought it back as hard as he could the entire run, barely remembering to keep an eye on the tracks and follow them exactly.

The snow had been piled up by the fences when Fireheart reached the Houses. He took a moment to catch his breath, finally focusing on what was in front of him. The grass was largely still snowy, but the road and pathways were clear and shining from the sunlight.

That was fine. He had a good idea of where Cloudpaw was at this point.

As his eyes roamed, a black-and-white head was barely visible over one of the fences. With a forced cheer, Fireheart trotted up to that fence, calling, “Hey, Smudge!”

Sure enough, his old friend turned his head and peeked down in surprise. Fireheart waved his tail and waited for Smudge to climb onto the edge of the fence—though, curiously, he didn’t jump down this time. He simply sat there, his tail tapping apprehensively on the fenceline.

“Glad the dogs haven’t gotten you yet,” he said, somehow looking relieved and uneasy at the same time. “We’ve heard a lot about them recently. Apparently they’re close by now.”

“Yeah…” Fireheart sighed. “They’ve killed a few of my Clanmates and mauled an apprentice. It’s a bad time for us right now.”

“I can imagine. I’m—”

“Listen, Smudge,” Fireheart said, surprising himself at his brusque tone. “Did a white-and-ginger tom come through here today?”

“Ah, yeah.” Smudge grimaced, huddling a tiny bit. “He’s been coming by a lot recently. I’m guessing that’s Cloudy?”

“Cloudpaw, yes.”

“Well, I’m sure you can guess where he’s going.” Smudge’s tail swished to the side, scattering a bit of snow and sending it over the rail. “I hope you don’t mind if I stay home this time. I’d like to keep out of family business, and, uh…” He gave Fireheart a nervous look. “You don’t seem to be in the mood for friendly banter.”

“Frankly, I’m not,” Fireheart said. “Sorry, I’ve got to go find him. Stay safe.”  

“Right,” Smudge said, and then quieter, “Right. You too.”

Fireheart didn’t wait for him to disappear back into his yard. He just started off again at a trot, too... Stressed? Frustrated? Anxious, maybe? Whatever it was, he was feeling too much of it to just walk. He tried to pick out exactly what his emotional state was as he went along, unaware of the road becoming somewhat dry and nearly warm under his paws.

He found Rosy’s home quickly, and the closer he got, the more he could hear voices coming from inside her yard: one high and sweet, the other youthful and sheepish.

Fireheart stopped just a body-length away from the fence and stood still, taking slow, quiet breaths to calm himself. It did nothing to cease the fusion of negativity brewing in his gut and chest, but he could at least put on a kind face. He bunched himself up and cleanly leapt onto the railing.

Cloudpaw was reclining with Rosy in the middle of the yard, on a soft, brown cat-bed. Rosy was grooming him, purring.

“And does it…“ Cloudpaw started, then trailed off as a shadow blocked his spot of sunlight. His eyes rose up along the shadow’s path, all the way to his uncle. He froze, fur puffing out in alarm.

Rosy followed his line of sight and stared at Fireheart. She didn’t look particularly delighted to see him, either. The pair stood up as Fireheart jumped down into the yard, their pelts brushing and Rosy’s thin tail protectively wrapping around Cloudpaw’s puffy back legs.

Fireheart blinked slowly. It did nothing to ease either of them. Nor did his question: “Care to explain why you’re here again, Cloudpaw?”

Cloudpaw didn’t get a chance to answer before Rosy straightened up and glared at her brother, surprising him enough to lessen some of the gut-negativity. “Why didn’t you tell me about everything that’s going on? To protect my feelings?”

So she was going to be the one to handle with care. Fireheart breathed in. “Rosy—”

“My Cloudy has been in danger this entire time, and you didn’t tell me!” Rosy snapped. “The dogs and the fire, having to move so far away, losing his friends like that!”

“And his family,” Fireheart said, with a bit more venom than he intended. “Brindleface and Ashpaw. His mother and brother.” His eyes went to Cloudpaw. “Or did you forget to tell her that part?”

Cloudpaw looked down and away shamefully.

“The ones who never told him about me, right,” Rosy said, even snappier. “And that’s not to mention your authority being like it is! An insane leader—”

“She,” Fireheart said with slow, intense emphasis, teeth slightly clenched, “Is not. Insane.”

That got Rosy to back off a bit, her outrage flickering into a startled face. Cloudpaw flinched and stared up at Fireheart, looking very afraid.

It took everything Fireheart had in him to reel it back in, though he wasn’t able to sheathe his claws, the frustration now in that full boil of anger it had been fighting so hard to get to. Slowly, he focused in on his sister, his eyes locking hers in a stare.

“I warned you,” he said calmly, “when you gave him to me. Life in the forest is dangerous. I told you that, and you insisted anyway. Don’t get mad that my warning was accurate when it was you who chose to ignore it.”

Despite his attempts at an even, almost flat tone, heat escaped out of his mouth and slightly burned his words. Rosy’s fur prickled uneasily, and Cloudpaw still regarded his uncle with fright.

“Now.” Fireheart looked at him, earning another flinch. “You yourself know exactly how dangerous it is right now. And you also know that we had a conversation about you not coming here without my word. Yet, oddly, you’re here anyway, and I had to follow you here in the middle of the day, when everyone is conveniently asleep and can’t stop you.” His eyes narrowed just a fraction. “Would you like to explain yourself to me?”

Cloudpaw darted a glance at Rosy, then meekly stepped forward and lifted his head a little higher.

“Well, um…” His feet shuffled guiltily. “Last night, when you came home, you said you saw a dog and a cat die, and… and I got scared about the dogs again, and, well, I just– I wanted to see Rosy, too…” He swallowed. “It’s safe, you know? Like I said. I feel safe here. The dogs can’t get me in this yard.”

Whatever he was looking for in Fireheart’s expression, he evidently didn’t find it, because he hung his head again.

This did nothing to assuage Fireheart’s anger, but a bud of compassion started unfurling in his heart. With that, it was easier to ignore the boiling. He took in a very long breath, finally managed to sheathe his claws, and speak with a more genuine tranquility.

“You know the dogs are likely roaming the Houses right now,” he said. “And if they aren’t, they’re in the woods, where it’s even more dangerous to be out on your own—”

“And all the more reason he should be here,” Rosy said, stepping to the side a little to slightly lean into Cloudpaw. “I’ve decided—he’s staying with me until those dogs are gone.”

Fireheart didn’t have a heartbeat to recognize his surprise before Cloudpaw jerked his head up and stared at her, saying, “What?”

“You’re going to be much safer in this house with me.” Rosy gave a firm nod. “You can go back as soon as they get rid of those dogs.”

Fireheart spoke sternly. “That’s not your decision to make.”

Rosy’s mouth dropped open. “I’m his mother!”

“And you gave up being his mother as soon as you had me bring him to the forest,” Fireheart said. A part of him wilted at the stricken horror on Rosy’s face, but not a big enough part to kowtow to her. “He was raised in ThunderClan. He lives by ThunderClan’s rules. Even if you don’t.”

“You can’t– you—” Rosy stuttered, faltering in her words until she turned quickly to Cloudpaw. “Cloudy, you’ll stay, won’t you? It’s up to you! You can be here as long as you want, and then you can go back!”

“His name is Cloudpaw,” Fireheart said quietly.

Rosy started an arguing word, bristling, but Cloudpaw interrupted her by giving a weak little cough.

“Um…” He tilted his head apologetically. “I should go home. My sister, I don’t want to scare her. An– and I should keep helping with Brightpaw. Visiting her and talking to her and everything.” He peeked at Fireheart. “And eparme would get in trouble if I’m gone without him.”

“But…” Rosy stared at him, aghast. “But those dogs, Cloudy!”

“Rosy,” Fireheart said, managing a softer tone. “I’ll die before I let them get to him.”

Cloudpaw turned his head and blinked at his uncle in a mix of gratitude and fondness. To Rosy, he said, “Yeah, um, I’ll be okay. We can come back later, too.”

Rosy looked between them, starting many words and not finishing any of them. Fireheart took the opportunity to crook his tail for Cloudpaw to follow him, which he slowly did as Fireheart turned around and started for the fence.

“We’ll see you again, Rosy,” Fireheart said. “Even if it takes a while. He’ll be okay, I promise.”

Nothing from her. He could feel her stare on the back of his head when he turned away. Cloudpaw mumbled something to her and, after Fireheart, jumped onto the fence. The pair jumped down together and started off at a brisk walk, which Fireheart only allowed to slow down once Rosy’s house was gone from their sight.

“Thank you for coming home,” he said to his nephew. “I know that was hard for you.”

Cloudpaw still looked very nervous. “Are you going to yell at me?”

Fireheart blinked. “No, of course not.”

“Okay…” Cloudpaw’s ears lowered. “Just– you look like you’re going to start screaming right now.”

That worked; the bubbles and searing heat of fury quelled as Fireheart now fully understood the fear on his nephew’s face. He stopped walking, shut his eyes, and willed the remaining emotions to sink out of his belly, down his legs and through his toes. The road wasn’t as receptive as soil, but it still accepted them, and soon he couldn’t feel even a slight bit of the warmth anymore. Now, all he had was a cooled-down chest and a stomach that wasn’t churning.

He opened his eyes again and looked at Cloudpaw, who was watching him anxiously.

“I’m sorry,” Fireheart said, quiet again. “I’m not trying to scare you. I understand why you came here, even when you knew you shouldn’t.”

Cloudpaw relaxed a fraction. Then he stiffened again. “…Am I going to be punished?”

Fireheart took a moment to consider if he should; punishing his nephew would require an explanation to anyone in the Clan who was curious, which would likely be everyone. He didn’t want to reveal Cloudpaw’s adventures and risk him getting in trouble with all of ThunderClan. On the other paw, the conversation they’d had clearly wasn’t enough—maybe he did have to punish him. But then again, that could just as easily drive Cloudpaw back to Rosy, possibly forever…

“No,” he said at last. “Not yet. But I’m not sure how else to make it clear to you that this isn’t the right thing to do, if you do it again.”

Cloudpaw’s chin wobbled. “I won’t. I really won’t.”

“Good,” Fireheart said. “Thank you.”

They resumed walking, both silent. Exhaustion from early rising was finally hitting Fireheart, causing him to yawn more than once on their way out of the Houses. Cloudpaw seemed a bit sleepy himself, blinking slowly and lowering his tail nearly to the ground.

Fireheart looked at his nephew with a bit of cheek. “Don’t think you’ll get to sleep in tonight. As far as the Clan knows, you’ve been in camp all day. Maybe you went out to make dirt, but that’s it. You should be very well-rested, so we’re going to act like you are.”

Cloudpaw chewed air nervously. “We won’t do fighting training tonight, will we?”

“No,” Fireheart said, casual. “But I think we’ll hunt as best we can until we manage to catch something.”

“Oh.” Cloudpaw blinked. “That’s not too bad.”

“It could be better.” Fireheart stepped into the snowy grass. “Being tired while trying to hunt is pretty difficult. And I’m not going to let you take a nap out here, either.”

Cloudpaw sighed in somewhat-joking disappointment. “I guess that’s fair.”

Fireheart tapped his side with his tail. “Just don’t tell Goldenflower. She’ll get upset with me.”

His apprentice tilted his head. “How come?”

With a twitch of his whiskers, Fireheart replied, “I never told you that story, did I? Well, once, after I took my journey to the Mother…”

[salt-clangen]

Big important question for you!

We know that the cats swear but what was everyone's first swear and why did they say it?

I love questions like these where I can just answer based on vibes, it’s doesn’t affect the story at all but it fleshes out the characters

Wolf- mouse dung, she said it on a dare as a kit and got scolded by her mom for it

Lynx- fuck, she heard Jade say it and didn’t know it was a swear, uses shit more often tho

Snow- fox hearted (WC version of bitch) didn’t swear until she was a warrior and it was when someone else called her a ‘nest stealer’ (WC version of slut) for flirting

Shadow- fox-hearted flea-bag, he invented this term when he was a kit in an argument by mashing several insults together (would be kinda like motherfucker)

Burn- mother fucker, heard Archstar say it at an after gathering when they bonked their head on a branch. Didn’t know what ‘fucker’ meant so he repeated it to Darkfold who actually laughed for once

Otter- shit, heard Lynxpaw say it

Ripple- damn, heard Wolfstar say it

Jagged- slug brained, said it to another apprentice who was annoying her (means cowardly and stupid)

Darkfold- fox hearted, heard Jaggedstar say it to Thornstrike

Greyclaw-mouse brained, said to Ashenstep

Ashen- shit, said to Greyclaw (specifically eat shit)

Nightleap- mouse brained, said as an apprentice to a disrespectful visiting warrior

Lemme know if I missed anyone

[ruinclans-folly]

Character Talk: Lyrestar

Her!! The beloved!! It’s Lyrestar!!

Lyrestar is not the first leader of modern RuinClan. That would be Brightstar. Lyrestar is Brightstar’s successor, however she wasn’t his first deputy.

Lyrestar was brought to the clan as a kitten in the early days of modern RuinClan, when Brightstar was just starting out as leader, after being abandoned by her parents Omen and Magic. She joined the clan on moon 8 at 1 moon old. She talked about her parents a lot during her kithood, not understanding that they left her behind to be taken care of in the clan.

When she was made an apprentice, she was apprenticed to Burnetpoppy. Lyrepaw adored Burnetpoppy and looked up to her like one would to a parent. As far as Lyrepaw was concerned, Burnetpoppy was the closest thing she’d had since Omen and Magic. Throughout her training, Burnetpoppy encouraged her to not be afraid to bend the rules, and to not be afraid to have fun. Burnetpoppy also helped her develop her tunneling skills, resulting in Lyrepaw becoming an amazing tunneler as a warrior and leader.

When Lyrepaw graduated, she graduated a moon early and was named Lyrestreak, honored for her determination.

Lyrestreak didn’t do a whole lot during her early warrior days, but that all changed when she met Monika and Dove. Monika was a new addition to the clan, having been chased from her home at a young age, while Dove was a local loner, wandering aimless and free but always alone. Monika and Dove were close friends who brought Lyrestreak into their friend group pretty quickly. Lyrestreak ended up falling for the Sam and molly pretty hard. Monika and Dove were everything to her, and soon the 3 of them became mates in the blooming blossoms of Newleaf. Dove didn’t join the clan for a long while, content to wander and see Monika and Lyrestreak on date nights. Monika and Dove were there for her when she scarred her paw hunting in the cold snow of late Leaffall. They were there for her when a fox scarred her leg in Greenleaf.

Lyrestreak, despite her playful, cocky nature, never really thought of herself as that great of a warrior. Brightstar trusted Lyrestreak greatly as one of the first warriors of modern RuinClan. Enough so that, when he began his early descent into madness in his old age, he trusted her to punish cats for him. Her chest scars came from one of these ‘punishments’. On moon 34, the same moon that Lyrestreak had announced she was expecting kits, Shardwisper spoke out against Brightstar for something he had done, and he had Lyrestreak punish the young warrior for it. Lyrestreak never liked it when she had to punish cats for Brightstar, but she never spoke out against it out of fear of what he’d do to her. Both Lyrestreak and Shardwhisper ended up injured from the altercation, leaving scars on both of them.

On moon 36, Lyrestreak had her first and only litter of kits with Monika and Dove. She had 2 sons Plumekit, and Mistlekit, and 3 daughters, Shiverkit, Myrtlekit, and Shadowkit, though at the time none of them realized Shadowkit was a daughter and not a son (Shadow is a trans Molly :] ). Regardless, she adored all of them. The 5 of them eventually grew up to be Plumetail, Mistlebite, Shivermoor, Myrtlebeam, and Shadowhaze. Sadly, Plumetail was the first of her kits to go. She never wanted to outlive her beloved son, but she did. At 43 moons old on moon 79, just 2 moons before Brightstar would pass and Lyrestreak would be named Lyrestar, Plumetail was shoved under a monster by the Thunderpath by Thorntuft.

When Howlshiver, Brightstar’s first deputy, retired, Brightstar unexpectedly made Lyrestreak deputy, stating that she was the only cat he could trust to run his clan. Lyrestreak spent a majority of her deputy-ship fixing the damage Brightstar had done in his old age, struggling to have peaceful talks with the other clan leaders. It worked out in the end, however, as relations with the other clans improved once Lyrestar was leader.

When she went to the Star Falls to receive her 9 lives, the cats who greeted her were Burnetpoppy, Plumetail, Gravelleaf, Sleetshimmer, Luckydapple, Owlpaw, Finchjoy, Spikebramble, and Echofade. Brightstar did not grant Lyrestar any of her 9 lives. Echofade, RuinClan’s StarClan guide and Gravelleaf and Monika’s great grandfather, came in Brightstar’s place.

Lyrestar’s leadership was peaceful for the most part. She was a much more calm and levelheaded leader than Brightstar was, and was well liked by her clan. She lost her first life on moon 91, leading a dog away from RuinClan.

It was near the end of her leadership that things started to go wrong. A rogue group in Twoleg Place, marred by bad experiences with Brightstar’s leadership, began attacking patrols. They even attacked a patrol Lyrestar was on, taking her second life. Despite the aggressive behavior, Lyrestar thought it best to leave them be as to not instigate more aggressive behavior. However, this was a mistake. The leader of the rogue group took this as cowardice.

Lyrestar’s leadership came to a bloody end when the rogues attacked camp on moon 142, taking all of her lives and killing Shivermoor and Mistlebite alongside 34 other cats. Shivermoor was Lyrestar’s deputy at the time, so the deaths of both Lyrestar and Shivermoor left RuinClan in a succession crisis.

After the deaths of both Lyrestar and Shivermoor, StarClan spoke to the clan’s healers. Young Moondream, a healer who was only 20 moons old the day the attack happened and had never once had an apprentice, was to become the clan’s next leader.

[quitealotofsodapop]

Jiǔwěihúlí/Jiuweihuli - The Nine Tailed Vixen

By the way; Wukong in "The Monkey King and the Infant"/TMKATI au isnt the only monkey getting an adoptive parental figure >:3

Went down a little of a Huli jing rabbit-hole after recieveing this ask from @dorothygale123:

And while researching Jin and Yin in the book, I realised some stuff;

In "Journey to the West", the Jin and Yin's mother is frequently described as "aged/old madam", making it likely that she had them in the demon equivalent of middle-age.

Here's the poetry Wukong jots down (he does that alot in the book) when he sees her for the first time;

"Snow-white hair all tousled,

And starlike eyes all aglow.

Her face, though ruddy, has many wrinkles;

She‟s full of spirit though few teeth remain.

Charming—like the frosted chrysanthemum;

Rugged—like an old pine tree after rain.

A scarf of fine-spun white silk wraps her head,

And bejeweled gold rings hang from her ears"

For some odd reason, the monkey cries at the sight of her (his excuse being that he has to bow to her while disguised as a servant). Then he abruptly bonks her and her servants while travelling before stealing her divine Binding Gold Rope and disgusing himself as her to trick her sons. And of course the whole Calabash incident happens, the boys uncle calls down an army of fox demons to fight the pilgrims, and Lao Tzu has to show up and smack his lab assistants across the head.

Which leaves the question... how does Lao Tzu know the kids of a random fox lady???

Well you see, in the Han-era (206 BCE - 220 CE); Xiwangmu was often depicted with a white-furred Huli Jing among her ladies-in-waiting. But any worship of fox-deities was out-lawed in the Song dynasty (960 CE - 1279 CE) due to a cult religion that worshipped Su Daji (of the "Investiture of the Gods/Fengshen Yanyi" fame).

So my idea for Jiuweihuli in the extended LMK-verse, is that she's was once Xiwangmu's og bestie, even long before the celestial tigress became Empress. The fox being among many chaotic and infernal spirits in the future Queen Mother's posse.

Upon the abdication of Yuanshi Tianzun as the Divine Emperor; Jiuweihuli would assist the future-Jade Emperor in his ascension to the throne, gaining her the titles "Dragon-Crushing/Supressing Vixen" due to her defeating multiple draconic rivals in battle.

For many centuries, Jiuweihuli and her family were welcome members of the Imperial Court. The older vixen having a position almost equal to a head consort despite her and the Emperor not having such interest in eachother.

Then the Investiture crisis happened...

Within years, all that Jiuweihuli had built in the Celestial Realm crumbled. The actions of Su Daji soured opinion of the Celestials towards all fox spirits. Jiuweihuli was forced to be exiled from the Jade Palace down to Earth to prevent her being killed in an angry mob.

Penniless, alone, and with only her trusty pipa to her name; Jiuweihuli would travel and sing.

Eventually she gained a reputation as a grand preformer, drawing in audiences and tudis alike. Most of her trainees were unaware of her true nature, and those who did kept it quiet - drama kids loved the tragedy of the vixen's tale and would sing it throughout opera houses.

And one day, some time after the Monkey King tore through Heaven; Jiuweihuli gained a very unusual apprentice.

Jiuweihuli, sitting at her vanity table: "You look familiar." Macaque, stepping out of the shadows: "I was once the attendant to Princess Iron Fan, but I believe both of our places in the court have been absolved." Jiuweihuli: "Oh yeah, I went to that wedding. Had to wear a glamour. Is that Bull prince treating her right?" Macaque: "He is. He was even willing to sacrifice his place in his own court for her." Jiuweihuli: "Ah. Young love. But what brings you here?" Macaque, sheepishly: "I uh... heard you were the person to go to if I wanted to learn how to preform professionally." Jiuweihuli: "...your boyfriend's in jail, right?" Macaque: "Uh, yeah?" Jiuweihuli, getting up from her vanity table: "Good. 'Cus you're about to recieve many admirers." Macaque: :'D!

You see, the older fox spirit knew she wasn't to be the "Vixen of the Stage" for much longer. She was already thousands of years old, and had found herself in the family-way by means of a romance gone sour. So when the dark, mysterious, and deadly beautiful Six-Earred Macaque showed up in her dressing room asking for mentorship? Jiuweihuli knew she had found her understudy.

With the Macaque taking on her most famous roles, Jiuweihuli was able to focus on raising her twin sons; Jin and Yin. Macaque often found himself dragged into babysitting the little terrors by the maternal fox, even if he had to admit their thieving skills were very good. The vixen in turn would protect the monkey from more imposing audience members/fans and encourage his more sarcastic humor.

She was of the shoulders Macaque cried upon when him and Wukong had their falling out.

Eventually the vixen managed to get into contact with an old... "friend" (the twins gag at the thought) Lao Tzu to provide the reckless boys some decent education.

Aaand of course Wukong had to show up centuries later and cause havoc for the fox family when the twins got a little wild with their teacher's stash/artifacts. Luckily Jiuweihuli's brother, Hu A'qi, managed to smooth things over with heaven and offered his studious daughter as another lab assistant to keep the boys in check. Jiuweihuli, cleaning her wounds, sent a letter informing Macaque that his "idiot boyfriend" was out of jail...

Jiuweihuli soon lost her understudy.

The shadow monkey too blinded by anger to consider who would have to pick up the pieces if he failed. Jiuweihuli would eventually go on to teach a hundreds of aspiring actors and musicians, but she always would mourn for her little shadow.

Cue the events of "The Monkey King and the Infant" where Macaque begins frequenting and eventually working at the Megapolis Threatre House. He recognises not only his Brotherhood-era friend Jade-Faced; but a certain old master of his...

Jiuweihuli: "Do I know you?" Macaque: "I should hope so. I was your understudy for many years." Jiuweihuli: "I've trained hundreds of understudies, hon." Macaque: "You trained me during the Tang-era? I could manipulate the shadows?" Jiuweihuli: "Doesn't ring a bell." *sly smirk* Macaque, realises she's messing with him: *sigh* "My idiot boyfriend hit you on the head with a cudgel and I stupidly ran after him and got killed." Jiuweihuli, dropping the act: "Mihou! My little moonlight! Oh how I've missed you!" *gives him a big lipstick-stained smooch on the cheek*

The old vixen is very protective of her understudy now that she has him back. Her motherly side really comes to the surface when she's interacting with the shadow monkey, even if her interactions with her biological children isn't as soft. Jin and Yin get a slap of her sandal more than a few times for their foolishness.

If she learns that Macaque has a kid/kid on the way, Jiuweihuli is going full Grandma-mode. She's always considered her understudy as equal to her own kits and now he's all grown up!! (╥ ω ╥)

And you better believe a certain Monkey King is getting his ass kicked by an old lady the second Jiuweihuli learns he's around.

[mymiraclebox]

Miracle Boxes - The Order Generation

These are the third and current iteration of the Miracle Boxes, stretching into the modern day, marked by the forming of the Order of the Guardians and their quest to seek out all Miraculouses. Because of this we see the most change in what Miraculouses are in each box, and unevenly distributed numbers across the Boxes.

The Miraculous War was started by the Guardian of the Successor Box, wanting to unite all Miracle Boxes under one organization. Some Guardians and their holders joined him, forming the Order of the Guardians, while others were declared as rogues and were forced into hiding.

Kwamis had little say in their fate during this time, as the Guardian of the Successor Box had claimed the earthly Soul Gem, using its magic to bind kwamis to any commands that was given to them. The only comfort the kwamis had was that Order of the Guardians were indeed mostly using their power for the protecting of the world, though at the price of the kwamis' freedom.

---

The Forgotten Box - Hidden (Free) Panda Crow Unicorn

While there has been no change what was once known as the Secret Box, on earth this Miracle Box has truly earned the title of "forgotten", being mostly unknown to the world of the magic. The first Celestial Guardian felt that control of this Miracle Box was his birthright, and went out of his way to suppress knowledge of it when he could not find it, leading to only a handful of people knowing of this Box. However with the right questions anyone could learn of this box by forcing a kwami to reveal what they know.

The Mother Box - Tibet to Paris (Order) Ladybug Black Cat Dragon Cobra Rabbit Bee Butterfly Dog Fox Goat Horse Monkey Mouse Ox Peacock Pig Rooster Tiger Turtle

With the Guardian of the Successor Box being one who who formed the Order of the Guardians and started the Miraculous War, it was natural that this Miracle Box became the one with the most kwamis within it. Taking several kwamis originally from the box, he arranged them in the upper box meant to loosely model the concepts of Yin-Yan and Wuxing. For the lower box he took all the kwamis from the Zodiac Box, with them of course being modeled after the Chinese Zodiac. With this box hosting the only two Alphas the Order has, it is fiercely guarded.

The Wandering Box - Wandering the World (Free) Wolf Platypus Phoenix Kangaroo Octopus Sheep Snow Leopard

When the Island Box was first invited to join the Order, this Guardian did not realize what was she was walking into; and upon learning what the Order had done to the kwamis she attempted to back out, but the Order did not just let them walk away. Only managing to escape with three of the twelve Miraculouses she had come with, the Guardian managed to keep the two Alphas of her box. But that only put a bigger target on her back. Knowing that no place was now safe for her, this Guardian took on the habit of constantly being on the move, wandering about the world to protect her Miracle Box, along with taking in other kwamis that had been displaced from their home Miracle Box thanks to the Miraculous War.

The Reclaimed Box - Tibet to Jordan (Free) Pterosaur Tuatara Komodo Parrot Thylacine

The Guardian of the Zodiac Box was the first Guardian to join the Order, though all the kwamis they had once protected were removed from their box, instead their box became home to other Miraculouses they claimed from around the world. While the original Guardian was content in this new found order, their successor was not. Unhappy with the way the kwamis were being treated, this apprentice betrayed the Order, smuggling all the kwamis in the Miracle Box out. He was on the run for many years with the Order hunting him down, and while some Miraculouses were lost in his flight, he still managed to keep the box he reclaimed safe from the Order's hands, along with five remaining kwamis.

The Direction Box - Tibet to New York (Order) Thunderbird Bear Beaver Bison Cougar Coyote Deer Eagle Falcon Goose Locust Otter Owl Rattlesnake Raven Salmon Woodpecker

There were few kwamis actually in the Perennial Box when the Order came to claim the Miraculouses in the Americas, rather the kwamis were living all across the continent among many different people. The Order was able to overpower and take lone Miraculouses, but word spread and the remaining holders began to seek out their Guardians. The Guardian of this box had his last stand in what is now the Navajo Nation, but he knew it was a war they could not win. The remaining kwamis told the Order that they would come, only on the condition that their Guardian kept his title, which was honored. The Order modeled the upper box based their own interpretation of the Medicine Wheel they saw many groups using, and the lower box based on what they believed to be this continent's zodiac, though it actually had little basis in the actual cultures they warred with.

The Hidden Box - Mexico (Free) Firefly Raccoon Feathered Serpent Spider Axolotl Jaguar Llama

This was the Miracle Box initially targeted by the Order when they first came to the Americas, their first attack allowing them to claim half of the Miraculouses within the Box. The Guardian of this Box's escape was narrow, managing to get the Alphas within to safety and to stay in hiding with the Jaguar Miraculous. Becoming impossible to track, the Order turned their attention to the other Miracle Box on the continent. This Guardian also became the shelter for other kwamis on the continent fleeing from the war up north.

The Stranded Box - Brazil (Free) Dinosaur Snail Bat Binturong Blackbuck

Like the other Miracle Boxes in the western hemisphere, the Tropical Box was not spared from the Order's attack; resulting in the death of their Guardian and all Miraculouses within being seized save for the Snail Miraculous, this kwami managing to flee before the Miracle Box itself was claimed as well. This Miracle Box went without a human caretaker after the death of the last Guardian, rather the Snail kwami choosing to avoid humanity in favor of seeking out fellow kwamis. Their numbers are few, and they remain hidden together in the Amazon Rainforest, helping humans when they can, but waiting for a chance to fully return among humanity.

The Enduring Box - Zimbabwe (Free) Griffin Penguin Anglerfish Chameleon Giraffe Gorilla Okapi Secretarybird Squirrel Zebra

The Order of the Guardians took the Miraculous war to Africa, just like they had in the Americas, the battle for the Miraculouses being just as fierce. While many Miraculouses were lost from the two African Boxes, just as many were reclaimed as well. While their sister Box had been lost, the remaining holders of the Jungle Box managed to drive the Order of the Guardians out of Africa entirely; leaving this box as largest Miracle Box outside the Order's control. Though the free Miracle Boxes don't have an organized group, the Guardians of the Enduring Box are seen as the natural leaders among those who remain outside of the Order.

The Cycle Box - Tibet (Order) Grim Qilin Dragonfly Frog Camel Cheetah Crocodile Elephant Hippopotamus Hyena Jackal Ostrich Pangolin Rhinoceros Scarab Tortoise Vulture

With the Desert Box being the last Miracle Box the Order was able to claim, they were faced with the reality that they were unable to find any Alpha kwamis outside of the Ladybug and Black Cat. So instead Order of the Guardians placed the kwamis of Light and Darkness within this box, declaring them to be an Alpha Duo, a lie the magical world came to believe. The rest of the Miraculouses placed in this box were meant to be modeled after the natural cycles of the world; with the upper box hosting kwamis meant to symbolize day, night, and the three Egyptian seasons; with the lower box embracing the rest of that ancient calendar.

The Season Box - Tibet (Order) Kelpie Aurochs Lynx Ant Crab Dove Elk Gecko Hedgehog Ibex Lion Moth Mouflon Polar Bear Scorpion Seahorse Swan

With their Guardian willing joining the Order of the Guardians, the kwamis of the Constellation Box remained the same as before, their powers now being used against their will to attack other Miracle Boxes and to bring their fellow kwamis under the control of the growing Order of the Guardians. The twelve original kwamis lay in the lower box, based on the western zodiac. Meanwhile the upper box hosts kwamis taken from other boxes, who are meant to symbolize the passing of the seasons.

The Drifting Box - Tonga (Free) Coral Dolphin Jellyfish Narwhal Ray Seal Shark

Like their fellow kwamis around the world, the ones that were once in the Arctic Box fell victim to an attack by the Order with little warning. With all Miraculouses within stolen save for the Narwhal and the Seal, their Guardian cast the box into the sea in a last desperate attempt to protect them. The title 'drifting' was one truly earned, swept away into the sea for many years. Though washed ashore multiple times, the remaining kwamis did not find someone they found worthy until they encountered more of their kind in the tropics, living without a Miracle Box until they were found at sea.

The Frozen Box - Russia (Free) Yeti Red Panda Moose Quail Weasel Wolverine

In the early days of the Order of the Guardians the Mountain Box was numbered among them, their Guardian too wishing to create organization among those who were duty-bound to protect the Miraculouses. But when she saw that this Order was only creating war she knew that she could not stay. There was no epic betrayal or running away in the night, this Guardian simply went on a mission with the Miraculouses she was assigned in tow, and never came back.

---

The Order Generation is the generation of Miracle Boxes that stands today in modern times. But with the Order of the Guardians having been destroyed by Feast nearly a century and a half ago those in the magical world are looking forward to a change. However there are some kwamis that think that this new beginning should be a world without humanity.

---

The Mage Generation of Miracle Boxes

The True Generation of Miracle Boxes

...A new generation?

[jisreal64]

You know, since there were commercials for both the live-action remakes of Lilo and Stitch and HTTYD during the Super Bowl last night (go birds), it got me thinking on how so many animators, cartoonists, artists, and people within the animation community bitch and whine about how much they hate that Disney keeps making remakes. I’m not here to give my opinion on any of them, BUT one of the complaints I often hear from people is that these movies are “excuses from Disney to not make original stories”, which is arguably the dumbest excuse out of all of them. First of all, these movies aren’t being made by the main animation studio, they’re being made by the live-action film division, second of all, MOST OF DISNEY’S MOVIES AREN’T EVEN ORIGINAL STORIES TO BEING WITH!!! Literally every movie made by the main animation studio prior to the movie Dinosaur was an adaptation, spin-off, or sequel of some kind; in fact, Disney has only ever made 11 original movies, with those movies being Dinosaur, Lilo and Stitch, The Emperor’s New Grove, Brother Bear, Home on the Range, Bolt, Wreck-It-Ralph, Zootopia, Raya and the Last Dragon, Encanto, and Strange World. Because Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Pinocchio, Song of the South, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan, The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, Chicken Little, The Princess and the Frog, Tangled, and Frozen are all based on fairy tales; Bambi, The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad, Lady and the Tramp, 101 Dalmatians, The Jungle Book, The Fox and The Hound, The Many Adventures of Winnie-The-Pooh, The Rescuers, The Black Cauldron, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Tarzan, and Meet the Robinsons are all based on books; Dumbo and The Aristocats are both based on unpublished books; Fantasia is based on various orchestral pieces (as well as incorporating elements from Greek mythology, Slavic mythology, Christian mythology, and the fairy tale The Sorcerer’s Apprentice); The Sword in the Stone is based on Arthurian mythology; Hercules and Atlantis The Lost Empire are both based on Greek mythology; Moana is based on Polynesian mythology and Hawaiian mythology; Robin Hood is based on British folklore; Mulan is based on an epic poem; Big Hero 6 is based on a comic book series; The Great Mouse Detective, Oliver and Company, The Lion King, and Treasure Planet are all revisionist adaptations of Sherlock Holmes, Oliver Twist, Hamelt, and Treasure Island respectively; all but two of the War Time era movies (those two being Song of the South and The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad) all feature Mickey Mouse characters, and thus are spin-offs of the wider Mickey Mouse franchise; Pocahontas is loosely based on true events; The Rescuers Down Under, Fantasia 2000, Winnie-The-Pooh 2012, Wreck-It-Ralph 2 Ralph Breaks the Internet, Frozen 2, and Moana 2 are all sequels; and the movie Wish is a prequel to their 1940 Pinocchio movie. Hell, even with the original films I listed, they also borrowed heavily from other work, Dinosaur is often compared to the biblical story of Moses, and both The Emperor’s New Groove and Home on the Range were both originally going to be revisionist adaptations of The Prince and the Pauper and The Pied Piper respectively. So whether you like the remakes or not, please just keep these two things in mind before you complain about them:

A. They aren’t being made by the original animation studio

And B. Most of those stories weren’t even original to begin with.

[wc-confessions]

Well, can we talk about Russian translation of the warrior names? It's gonna be a long post bc it's very different from the original and might be really weird.

So there is no translation for -kit suffix. Instead kittens have diminutive suffixes and their names are something like Little Snow (Snowkit).

Apprentice names may have -paw suffix, or may not. They also may have diminutive suffixes instead. For example, Bluepaw is Bluepaw, but Firepaw is Little Fire.

Also warrior name and apprentice name not always keep the same prefix. For example, Brackenpaw is Bracken, but Brackenfur is... Brown.

Most of the warrior names are translated without their suffixes. Sometimes they add suffixes that don't have any specific meaning and can't be translated on English (I guess?). Sometimes it's just straight up the translation of their prefixes only. I mean, Squirrelflight is simply Squirrel, Brambleclaw is Bramble, Dovewing is Dove, etc.

Often they change their prefixes for who knows why. So the translated names might have from little to no connection to the original ones. For example:

- Crowfeather is Rook

- Jayfeather is Sparrow

- Feathertail is Swallow

- Sorreltail is Lungwort

- Ivypool is Spark (I have no idea why)

- Meanwhile Sparkpelt is Firelight

In first arc name translation was really... weird. I mean:

- Ravenpaw is Burnt (why???)

- Dustpelt is Smoke

(kinda funny if you consider that they are brothers)

- Sandstorm is Sandstorm but her apprentice name was... Mustard. Yes, like the sauce (it's actually a plant with the same name)

- Graystripe is Steepflank (btw his apprentice name was ughhh... Ball)

- Darkstripe is Stakewall (do cats even know what is it?)

- Yellowfang is something like Pockmarked??? I don't really know how to correctly translate it, sorry

- Whitestorm is Blizzard

- Mousefur is Tuft (like, bunch of fur on cat ears or tail)

- Frostfur is Snow White (yes, like a Disney princess)

- Willowpelt is Blueeye

- Brindleface is Silver Fox

- Rosetail and Brightflower were firstly named as Viburnum and Nasturtium but then they changed it

- Mistyfoot is Invisible (actually, there is a noun in Russian that doesn't exist in English, and it means someone who is invisible)

- Leopardfur was Ocelot, but as leader she becomes Spotted Star (how boring)

Btw leader names almost always stay the same, so there are a few exceptions:

- Tallstar is Star Beam

- Raggedstar is Shred of Comet

- Crookedstar is Meteor

(yes, these two don't have "star" in their names)

- Tigerstar and Brokenstar are something like Starscratcher and Starbreaker (wow, evil)

- btw Tigerclaw is just Claw. No tiger.

Also -heart is often changed to -mane for some reason. For example, Fireheart is Firemane, Alderheart is Aldermane, Cinderheart is Cindermane. Tigerheart is Clawmane, if it even makes sense (his leader name is Clawstar, so no confusion between two Tigerstars).

And sometimes characters just keep the same name. For example, Ashfur as an apprentice and a warrior is Coal (or more like Little Coal, which is why nobody takes him seriously /hj)

.

[bonefall]

Honestly, I'm falling in love with your characterization of Frostfur. Big battle scarred woman who loves her son-in-law and babies, outspoken advocate for Firestar, secret bastard of a medicine cat. She's so interesting and babygirl and I hope she gets a lil page about her like you have with Heartstar and Acorn Swoop~!

I'll end up giving her a summary later on, but I've been doing some sketches to get a better 'feeling' for her. Especially since her kittens are going to all become big players going forward, I want to make sure you can see a bit of her in the four of them;

[ID: Several iterations on BB!Frostfur. The one in the center is the oldest, with long belly fur and a long snout, labelled "Too long, too much muzzle, and too angy." In the top left corner, she is painting makeup onto Cloudtail, saying "I think red brings out the color of our eyes." Below that she is looking over her shoulder at you. Next is a headshot where her ear is cut off, and she starts to display the 'lip scar.' Then there's a guide to her various scars. Above that she is making bloodcones out of snow.]

SO enjoy this little babble on various free-form thoughts I'm having about her character;

I have enough snarky, assertive types in ThunderClan. I need someone who's more sweet and gentle to balance things out.

I ALSO noticed that Whitestorm and Cloudtail are large, fluffy, pure white cats. So I decided Frostfur works better as being short-furred.

The first sketch was based on her secret biofather Featherwhisker. I decided I don't want it to be so obvious, so the similarities became more subtle as time went on.

For example the shape of her head, and just a few droopy tufts.

There should be one scar that defines her above all others, so I decided that there's a slice from nose to chest, which nicked her lip open.

Her tooth is always poking out a little bit

Always looks 'friendly,' so I tried to channel a kitty cat who wants to play. Little muzzle, whiskers usually visible, big eyes

But don't let that fool you, she's a fantastic warrior, covered in scars to prove her mettle.

She's gone up against foxes, badgers, rogues, and has defended Sunningrocks many times. Bluestar trained her well, and no one can deny this.

I'm not sure when she's going to die, but in any case, she's not being "left behind" in TNP because she's too old and weak to travel. What the fuck was that, like sincerely

"Bye mom thanks for not slowing us down have fun starving to death" ??????

She either ends up in the Elder's Den for a while with Goldenflower, or dying in the WindClan Civil War

as a side note, she is not becoming deputy. I'm satisfied with the entire Firestar deputy plotline from Whitestorm to Longtail to Graystripe to Brambleclaw to Brackenfur. That's no longer open to shuffles, I cannot fit more into that drama.

However, she is totally eligible for a different high-ranking position! Cooking and Construction are still open. Cooking is kind of barren right now, actually, and it may be cute for her to train her daughter-in-law Sorreltail.

She also has at least two apprentices now. The first is either Runningwind or Mousefur (since Blue doesn't need an apprentice while she's leader and Redtail won't be mentoring his future mate's sister), and the second is Elderberry to ease her out of the nursery.

If neither Mouse and Run end up being her apprentices, then Tulipflight or Chestnutface might be. But she will be having 2 apprentices.

[pain-is-too-tired]

But I'm Trying My Best

Saint Bernard sits at the top of the driveway You always said how you loved dogs I don't know if I count But I'm trying my best When I'm howling and barking these songs

Little thing for my Birch Eyes au :3

Pretty much in this au Ashfur lives after the fire scene, choosing not to expose anything just yet and actually trying to plan something better.

But sometime after(before Dove and Ivy are born) Birchfall questions Ashfur on why he's been so on edge(avoiding others, snapping at Fern etc). In bout of severe paranoia, Ashfur ends up attacking and killing Birch, leaving him hidden in the snow.

Just idea that's been on my mind for a long while. Birch was not only his nephew but his Apprentice. One that Ashfur had even used to trick Firestar into the fox trap(similar to how Tigerstar had tricked Birchfall's father to get Bluestar to the thunderpath,something don't think is talked enough about actually-)

Ashfur killing his own kin really showing how far he's starting to spiral, especially after when it haunts him. Feeling as though the eye like markings on the birch trees are watching/judging him,etc.

[redux-iterum]

Charred Legacy: Chapter Sixteen

(AO3 counterpart here.)

Would the humans never go away?

Fireheart had to admit to his own building frustration as each night had the same answer to if the Clan could go back home: they could not, because the cars and humans were still in the forest. Each announcement from whoever scouted over the moorland elicited a louder and louder communal groan. They could all be grateful for the warm air in the Barn as the slush became snow that did not touch their temporary home, but even that was thinning their patience with how stuffy it could get.

What was also thinning quickly was the rodent population in the Barn. Every night it became steadily more challenging to find a mouse—the wisest of them had hid all this time and were not inclined to be discovered just because there was more room for them to wander. Granted, the added difficulty wore out the apprentices and warriors quicker, giving them all something to spend their energy on. Though, as Fireheart thought with every meal, he’d love to spend that energy on finding a mole or bird.

Bluestar and Speckletail allowed cats to walk around outside after the wrestling between apprentices got too loud and frequent, with the caveat that apprentices were to stay with a warrior at all times. To Fireheart’s disappointment, the kits were not included, and the two litters were stuck inside as the rest of the Clan got to explore the farmland.

“I’m sorry, little guy,” Fireheart said to Cloudkit as he prepared to go out with Greystripe. “I wish I could take you with me.”

Cloudkit, to his credit, did not pout about it as much as he could have. He just looked at the ground with a sigh.

Fireheart gave him a friendly nudge with a paw. “I’ll try to find something fun to bring back for you and your siblings. Is that alright?”

The fluffy kit perked up a little and nodded. “‘Kay. Make it really fun.”

Fireheart used the same paw to ruffle his nephew’s head-fur. “I’ll do my best.”

Bramblekit came up beside Cloudkit, glancing at Bluestar as she flinched walking by him. “What kinda fun will it be?” 

Fireheart ignored the look on Bluestar’s face and said, “It’s a surprise. Try to guess before I come back.” 

He turned and trotted away, catching up to Greystripe, and the pair strode off to the Barn’s right.

“I feel bad for the kits,” Greystripe said, shaking a snowflake off of his nose. “If I’m bored, I can only imagine how they’re doing.”

Fireheart opened his mouth and caught a snowflake of his own, taking a pause to marvel at the ice turning to water on his tongue before answering. “And even if they could go outside, there’s not much to do here. I mean, I know we kind of do the same thing every day at home, but…”

“We get to at least travel all over the place wherever we choose,” Greystripe replied. “And we do it a lot—hunting or marking borders or chasing off foxes—which means the nights we get to stay home and relax are so much sweeter, don’t you think?”

“You have a point.” Fireheart’s paw scraped at the very, very thin layer of snow on the ground. “I hope the humans leave soon.”

Greystripe grumbled, “They better. I don’t even know what they think they’re doing in there. The fire’s out.”

“I still think they’re looking for the dogs.”

“For this long? And they wouldn’t have caught them by now?”

“Well…” Fireheart started, before his eyes drifted over to a pair of cats ahead and to the left. “Ask him.”

“Get him to argue your point for you, sure,” Greystripe said with a friendly (restrained) nudge, and then called, “Hey, Ravenwing!”

Their friend looked up from watching Snowpaw pat and scoop at the snow and frozen earth. “Oh, hi. Where are you two going?”

“Just seeing if there’s anything out here that isn’t a mouse.” Greystripe led the way up to him. “Is this a new training tactic?”

Ravenwing gave Greystripe a dry look. “He’s exploring snow for the first time.”

Snowpaw seemed to just now notice the older toms. He straightened up and gestured with a twitch of his fur, something that Fireheart faintly remembered to mean “cold”, to which he nodded. He used a paw to point to Snowpaw and then to the white-dappled ground: that’s you. Snowpaw gleefully nodded back and scooped at the snow again, pulling it towards him in a molehill-lump.

“I’m glad that he’s enjoying himself,” Greystripe said, giving the little tom a fond look.

“Well!”

Eyes turned to Barley, round and smelling like strange meat, as he trotted over to them from the direction of the house. His patched fur, short though it was, flared out merrily.

“That’s the first time I’ve seen a cat like the snow,” he continued. “I sure hope he doesn’t get tired of it—he’s perfect for hunting in this weather.”

Ravenwing huffed a short chuff and turned to his apprentice again. “He’s going to need that coat, yeah. Hunting outside of the Barn is tough enough as it is.”

Barley blinked, then caught on and sighed sympathetically. “Ah, you’ve gotten the fever. Sick of mice, I take it?”

“A little,” Greystripe said. “Isn’t there anything else out here?”

“Well, sort of, but you don’t have to hunt it.” Barley turned around, gesturing with his tail for the warriors to follow.

Ravenwing nudged Snowpaw, getting his attention again, and was the first to go after Barley. Fireheart and Greystripe walked together, and Fireheart frowned as he sniffed the scent coming off of the loner.

What is that? he thought, narrowing his eyes. I could swear I’ve smelled it before…

He got his answer quickly, when Barley took a turn and trotted for a pair of dishes on the outside wall of the Barn. One dish had kibble in it, and the other had several slabs of pale meat. They were raw and fresh, and they smelled so familiar…

“Chicken!” Barley announced proudly. He took a step back, clearing the path to the food. “I only had one chunk myself. By all means, have at.”

Fireheart chanced a look at his friends, predicting their stunned and revolted faces.

“This is from your humans, isn’t it?” Greystripe said, grimacing. “There’s no way I’m eating that.”

Snowpaw tapped Ravenwing and signaled ‘prey’, tilting his head. Ravenwing shook his and said to Barely, “Er, we appreciate the offer, but… I think we’d all prefer natural-caught food.”

Barley, surprisingly, did not look remotely bothered. He rolled a broad shoulder. “Ah, well. I thought I’d offer. Didn’t want it to go to waste. Surely someone’s hungry enough to eat this, though.”

Fireheart thought for a moment. “Greystripe, help me bring some of this to the kits. They won’t mind it’s not mouse.”

“Seriously?” Greystripe squinted at his friend.

“Seriously,” Fireheart said breezily, and maneuvered past Barley to chomp down on a rather thick slab of meat, pulling it away from the bowl. He didn’t wait for Greystripe, just trotted off back in the direction of the doorway, not wanting to admit that the taste of the chicken was good enough to almost make him eat it himself. Going by the surprised noise Greystripe made, he had the same reaction.

Ravenwing and Snowpaw trailed behind as Fireheart entered the Barn, Greystripe now at his side. He called wordlessly and dropped the meat down at his paws, which Greystripe copied, and waved his tail in greeting as the kits waded through and around a pile of hay to investigate, Goldenflower behind them.

“Got a special treat for you, kits!” Fireheart said cheerfully. “Are you hungry?”

A few squeaks of eagerness, and Cloudkit led the charge as they crowded around the chicken and started biting into it without even sniffing it. Fireheart purred, watching their tails wag.

“What is this, honeymouse?” Goldenflower circled the kits and greeted Fireheart with a headbump. “It doesn’t smell like anything I know.”

“Barley’s humans threw out some extra meat for him,” Fireheart said, and just as she opened her mouth, he added, “I know, it’s from humans, but he’s not going to eat it all and it’d be silly to let food go to waste in winter.”

Goldenflower shut her mouth again with a sigh through her nose, though her eyes were affectionate. “Very well, then.”

“’Wh’zi?” Cloudkit asked, chomping on a chunk.

“It’s called ‘chicken’,” Fireheart replied. “It’s a meat only kittypets eat, because it’s given to them.”

Cloudkit’s rich blue eyes widened, surprised and intrigued. He swallowed his mouthful. “You mean they don’t hunt for food?”

“Right. They just eat what they get.” Fireheart caught the start of a grimace on Goldenflower’s face and hurriedly added, “But their food isn’t very good anyway. It’s way better to hunt.”

Cloudkit hummed thoughtfully as he took another bite.

“Well, at least they have something to distract them,” Brindleface said sleepily, yawning as she came around the corner to join the kits and matriarch. “Don’t tell Dustpelt you got them this, he’ll be furious.”

“About what?” Swiftpaw asked as he popped up around the outside of the door, trotting in with Lizardtail and nearly bumping into Ravenwing just ahead of them. When Fireheart gestured to the kits, he had a briefly confused look at what they were eating before saying, “Oh, yeah, don’t tell him about that. Barley offered me some of that stuff earlier, actually.”

“He didn’t take it,” Lizardtail said, in a tone like that was something to be proud of.

Fireheart decided not to comment on that, instead asking, “Did you go out to hunt too?”

Swiftpaw grumbled a sigh. “And there wasn’t anything out there.”

Lizardtail looked at his apprentice humorously, saying to Fireheart, “He’s trying to prove he’s ready for his assessment.” He tapped Swiftpaw with his tail. “Apparently, catching a lot of prey is the qualifier.”

“Something’s gotta be!” Swiftpaw gave his mentor a frustrated scowl. “You even said yourself that it’s about time for me to get my name! I know we’re not at home, but for crying out loud…!”

“Easy, easy.” Lizardtail gave a ‘quiet’ gesture with his paw. “Your sister doesn’t have a name either.”

“And it’s time for her, too!”

“Well, sometimes seer apprentices take longer.”

Swiftpaw grumbled again. Fireheart watched as his paws tip-tapped and his claws poked at the hard ground. Even with the appearance of mere eagerness to get his name, his jaw was clicking a bit and his tail-fur stuck out.

You just want a distraction while you’re not at home, Fireheart thought sympathetically.

“We’re all a little frustrated and bored,” he said aloud. “I get it. I’d love to see Swiftpaw get his name here, honestly. Think of that: he’d be the only cat in ThunderClan to have his ceremony where humans could see.”

Lizardtail’s lip twitched in distaste. “They better not peep in. We’ve been lucky that they haven’t bothered us.”

“Oh, they looked in here,” Goldenflower said, and though her voice was gentle as ever, her claws sank into the straws. “Earlier, when you all were gone.”

“They didn’t come in, at least,” Brindleface said. “Just looked and then left.”

Greystripe finally spoke up with a snort. “Hey, Swiftpaw, maybe your assessment can be chasing the humans away.”

“I could totally do that.” Swiftpaw chuffed even with the overly confident tone. “They’d see skinny old me and pelt it for their house.”

“You’re not that skinny anymore,” Lizardtail said, gently pushing at Swiftpaw’s side. “Ravenwing is way thinner than you. And you’re not fighting any humans.”

“I could fight Terror right now,” Swiftpaw said, nudging Lizardtail back. “A human’s nothing for an assessment.”

“What’s Terror?” Ashkit asked, lifting his head from what remained of the chicken.

“Oh—” Swiftpaw looked down at him, calming down immediately. “It’s a spirit. Uh, a scary one. It shows up as the most frightening thing you can imagine. Kind of a test, I think.”

“Ohhhh,” Ashkit said, blinking blankly. He tilted his head. “Why’s it test you?”

“A ‘test’ is a way to put it, I guess,” Ravenwing said, adding to Ashkit, “In stories, a lot of cats have to face it down and overcome their fear to continue on their quest. It could be a monster, or a Titan, or a human, or an owl. Whatever scares you the most, it sees, and it turns itself into.”

Aspenkit mumbled something nervously, but Ashkit puffed out his chest. “Well, I’m not afraid of nothing. I can fight it!”

Brindleface nosed his ear. “You don’t fight Terror, baby. You just have to be very brave and stand your ground.”

Tawnykit squinted. “That doesn’t sound very hard.”

“It’s harder when it’s the thing that scares you the most,” Ravenwing said, and gave a dark imitation of Yellowfang’s smirk, muttering seemingly to himself, “I’d love to see my Terror. Big stupid ball of judgement.”

Greystripe bumped his head on Ravenwing’s shoulder. “You’re lucky the thing doesn’t exist, then.”

“It totally exists!” Swiftpaw exclaimed, looking shocked. “Why else would we have stories about it?”

“RiverClan’s got poems about talking squirrels,” Greystripe scoffed. “You don’t say those are real.”

“RiverClan’s dumb,” Swiftpaw said, missing Fireheart’s instant frown. “But everyone talks about Terror. WindClan, ShadowClan, everyone. It’s real.”

“I see it every day,” Ravenwing murmured to Fireheart.

Fireheart turned his head away from watching Greystripe and Swiftpaw argue to whisper back, “I don’t think you see it as much as you used to.”

Ravenwing opened his mouth like he was about to make another sardonic remark, then closed his mouth and turned his eyes to Snowpaw, who was sniffing at the remains of the chicken.

“No,” he said quietly. “I don’t. You’re right.”

Warmth—pride, really—bloomed in Fireheart’s chest and he mimicked Greystripe’s headbump to Ravenwing’s other shoulder. “You’re like a whole new cat these days, you know that? It’s amazing.”

Ravenwing made a very soft and calm version of a splutter. “I don’t know…”

“Would you, as an apprentice, have been able to even try and talk to Snowpaw, much less teach him anything?” Fireheart said. “Or tell a story to everyone in the Clan? Or…”

Or expose murders in a trial?

Fireheart swallowed that thought. “Or anything, really? You were too afraid to even talk to Greystripe when I met you.”

He gauged Ravenwing’s eyes, which had turned contemplative. His face was completely serene—something Fireheart didn’t think he’d ever see in his life.

“I just mean to say I’m proud of you,” he added. “We all are, but me and Greystripe especially.”

Ravenwing twitched his whiskers, his eyes still on his apprentice, tussling with Cloudkit.

“Thanks,” he said, and purred under his breath.

[kiskivmiske]

Spec-evo-esque warriors AU, far into the future. Humans have apparently driven themselves to extinction, and cats, landlocked on Bri'ish islands, eventually took over the ecosystem as cats are an invasive species.  After taking warm spots of native species, they evolved and adapted to different environment, replacing:

ThunderClan: bobcats, foxes, badgers.

RiverClan: beavers, otters, seals

WindClan: deer, pigs, foxes

SkyClan: owls, hawks 

ShadowClan: mustelids

Tribe of Rushing Water: whereabouts unknown (yet) 

The Sisters: whereabouts unknown (yet) 

Contains mentions of nuclear war. 

          _____________________________________

Prologue

         The morning was chill and misty. White plumes  stretched across the meadow, from the Ruins all the way to Highstones. A couple of hawkfinches, quarreling over a piece of prey filled the air with constant clicking. 

        Reedpaw shifted in her nest made of rye stalks and stretched her front paws forward, flexing her long sickle claws. A rush of cold wind flew over her head, blowing away a clump of gray storm clouds. She noted to herself, that the past few moons rains have poured more and more often. On one paw, it promised a rich harvest of catapples and barley, on the other paw, wet soil made it harder to hunt. Not without her hooves sinking in it. RiverClan were probably thrilled, though. Their main waterway flooded and more fish went inland from the Sun-Drown-Place.

        But WindClan wasn't all that happy, being forced to build temporary shelters. Unlike RiverClan, who naturally possessed broad webbed paws to traverse mud and sludge, WindClan had thin slender legs and narrow paws with three hooves and a big hooked claw on each one. They were born to run on a solid surface. At one point, their leader suggested they stop being nomadic and build a camp on the outskirts of the Ruins, on the elevation, but the elders were concerned about food running out. Traveling all the way around Highstones in leafbare weather was proven to be difficult. Although hooves allowed to climb steep slopes of Highstones, slippery snow threatened to throw anyone down the chasm at any given moment. 

       Reedpaw stood up, looking around. She noticed her sisters, Goldenfrost and Appleleaf sharing a moleworm at the edge of the apple forest. A strange structure made of rocks towered above them providing shelter from the wind.

"Hey!" Goldenfrost waved her short white tail. "We have some freshkill reserved for you!"

       Reedpaw found moleworms disgusting, with their long hairless bodies and large yellow teeth on eyeless faces. She was more of a mushroom type. A catapple would be rather nice, too. Or a hare. But they haven't seen a hare herd in a long time, so they had to resort to whatever the soil gives them: bugs, moleworms, groundsparrows, wheat, barley, nuts, and, of course, catapples, their favorite treat that is always abundant.

       Reedpaw wrinkled her nose, thinking of the way to reject the hairless treat politely. 

        "No, thanks, I'm not hungry yet," Reedpaw shook her head, nodding at the woods. "I was just about to take a walk through the forest."

        "Make sure not to run into one of those creatures who build those nests!" Appleleaf whispered. "Shrikebeak said they are still out there!"

         "Shrikebeak is a compulsive liar, and we all know that. Warbringers had destroyed themselves moons and moons ago."

         "Warwho?" a small gray kit rolled out of the nursery tent. While apprentices and hunters did sleep under the sky, kits had to be contained in tents, in case a murder of crows decides to pay a visit. 

         "Warbringers, Daffodilkit, " Appleleaf repeated patiently. "They are creatures from ancient times. With no fur, walking on two legs and paws with opposing thumbs much like SkyClan's. They tamed creatures made of metal and built nests so high they reached the sky. Long ago, more moons than we can count, they dominated the world. They brought our ancestors here with them. But their reign didn't last long. Way too ambitious for their own good, they tried to get more and more land for themselves. But there's only so much land in this world you can have. They started to fight each other. Using their technology, they crafted a weapon that sowed mushroom clouds all over the world. For years this land was shroud in darkness. And when the clouds dissipated, warbringers were no more. Our ancestors survived. Five clans: Thunder, Sky, Wind, Shadow and River. Before the Lasting Snowfall they fought each other for every piece of prey. But after it, they decided to make peace, unless they wanted to go extinct, too."

         "Why are we called that, then?" Daffodilkit tilted his head to the side. 

         "We are called WindClan, because we are light and swift like wind. ThunderClan are huge, with strong paws that make the ground shake as they walk. SkyClan live in treetops and soar from one tree to another like birds. ShadowClan are accustomed to the darkness of a long cave system they live in. And  RiverClan is pretty self explanatory. They hunt in rivers and lakes."

         "I haven't seen any of them, really."

          "That's because our island is way too big. We are divided by a larger distance than before. You know what? Legends say, long ago this place was the home of our ancestors. Where we live now was the cradle of all WindClan. The Ruins belonged to ThunderClan and ShadowClan. And the Stone Forest," Appleleaf gestured at tall structures resembling trees without bark or branches, "was RiverClan's land. But as Warbringers went extinct, we took their territories, adapting to them in our own ways. The only reminder of those twoleg creatures are statues of them."

          "That's so cool!" Daffodilkit shouted in awe. "I would like to see the Ruins myself! I want to see the statues, too!"

          "I can show you," Reedpaw nodded. "But not right now. You're way too small! We don't want you to be snatched by a dog, do we?"

          "What's that?!"

          "Large vicious beasts. Long ago, they were loyal servants to Warbringers. Now, they survive on the remains of their masters' civilization."

          "Awh," Daffodilkit dipped his head in disappointment. "But if I become an apprentice?"

          "Then, I guess, you can come with us," Reedpaw smiled, nudging the kit with her nose. "Don't be that sad about it. Ruins are pretty boring, actually."

           Reedpaw froze, her large years perked up. Something was moving behind them in the underbrush. Something big and heavy, at least twice an average WindClan hunter. Ferns rustled and a massive creature with broad frame and massive paws went into the sunlight. 

         "A dog!" Daffodilkit shrieked. "Everyone run!”

Chapter 1 "Expedition"

    "Spongepaw!"

     Anemonepaw jolted upwards, hearing the commotion outside. She stepped out of her den on the side of a tall cliff. Majority of RiverClan hunters and crafters were just stirring awake, gathering their spears and tying off floating platforms from posts. Warbringers left a lot of trash behind, which barely decomposed. But it was surprisingly useful for making flotation devices for prolonged hunting campaigns. Crafters tied those weirdly shaped bubbles together with ropes. These platforms were also used as a base for nests, in case the sea level rises. Anemonepaw and her mentor, Waverun, also had one in their herb storage. 

       Young apprentice carefully made her way down the granite cliff and onto the beach. Her brother, Spongepaw, was arguing with two hunters: his mentor Sharkbite and his friend Squidspots.

        "What was your assignment, Spongepaw?" Squidspots hissed, lashing his spotted tail resembling a gray octopus tentacle. 

        "Catching fish," sandy yellow apprentice with faint brown spots responded. 

        "And what did you bring here?" Pale gray Sharkbite continued, his blue eyes now two narrow slits. 

        "I brought fish!"

        Squidspots pulled out a transparent clump of  jelatinous substance out of freshkill pile. 

        "Jellyfish. Is. Not. A. Fish, " he said slowly, accentuating every word. 

      "But it has "fish" in it!" Spongepaw objected. 

      "But it's not a fish."

      "Is starfish a fish?"

      "No!" Sharkbite shouted. 

       "Stop yelling at him, he's trying his best!" Anemonepaw's older brother, Kelpfur stood between Squidspots, Sharkbite and Spongepaw, putting his big paw on Squidspots' head, pushing him away. "Sharkbite, you're his mentor. How is he supposed to learn if all you do is yelling at him?!"

      "Fine!" Sharkbite scoffed. "Look, Spongepaw. Take everything that ends with "fish", but doesn't have fins out of the pile and toss it back into water."

     Apprentice nodded and started picking small orange starfish out of his basket. Then, he threw out something big and brown. 

    "What did you do?! You foambrain!" Squidspots yowled. 

    "You said throw out everything that ends with fish. So I threw out crayfish."

   "You can keep crayfish! Now go get it back!"

    "I'll help him," Anemonepaw meowed shortly, walking past two hunters. 

    She jumped off a sandy shallow into the darker crevice, using an empty shell to push crayfish away from its burrow, while Spongepaw crawled from behind, trapping it into a basket. 

    "Good job," Kelpfur put his tail on Spongepaw's shoulder as he climbed back on a shallow. 

     "I wish I could train with Anemonepaw," the apprentice complained. "She knows how to stand up for herself."

      "Squidspots and Sharkbite are just being obnoxious because they finished their apprenticeship earlier. I'll talk to Eelnose and hopefully she'll remind them who our leader is," Kelpfur finished his sentence by sitting down to lick his webs. It usually meant that he's done talking. 

    Two siblings continued on their way along the shoreline, looking for any crabs to catch. Sun was already high enough, and Anemonepaw's white pelt was glowing, probably bright enough to see from the camp. The only dark spot on her body was her red nose and slightly brighter golden area around it. It was unusual for RiverClan, where the majority had dull brown, gray or dusty colors. Apart from that, she was absolutely normal, with typical sturdy paws, long body, big head with arched nose and a powerful square jaw with protruding fangs. 

    "So, what's the plan for today?"

    "Waverun told me to wait for her to finish sorting herbs. When Pipersong comes back, she's going to take me inland, to a neighbouring RiverClan colony," Anemonepaw stopped for a second to press her tail against left side, away from the sun. Her thick strong tail was almost furless, just like anyone else's, but her lighter color meant a bigger risk of sunburn. 

    Spongepaw froze, wrinkling his nose. With a loud caw, a big black bird landed on the beach. It held a rather large crab, breaking its shell with a thick hooked beak. 

    "Do you think it's edible?" he whispered. 

    "Maybe, but I'm not sure if we can take it down. Perhaps, we should stay hidden," Anemonepaw responded, pushing her brother into the reeds. 

    "Yeah, maybe you're right."

    Everyone in RiverClan was big and sturdy, but had second shortest legs of all five Clans. They could leap from platform to platform, even if they were far apart, but ultimately lacked agility for vertical jumps. If attacked from air, they would have a very hard time defending themselves. 

     The bird hopped along the water, looking around for prey. Then, suddenly, Spongepaw felt wind on his pelt and a massive black shadow swooped over him. He shrieked, covering his head, but the shadow ran over him, colliding with an enormous bird of prey, sinking teeth deep into its throat. It was a big feline, much larger than any RiverClan, with long but sturdy legs, big round head and long fluffy tail. Fur was dark brown with thick black stripes. 

    "Ah, it was yours?" the stranger dropped her prey, meowing apologetically. 

    "No, we were just hiding from it. You aren't going to hurt us?" Spongepaw blurted out. 

     "Of course not. If I wanted to, I'd aim for two tasty apprentices rather than this old corvid. I'm Dillpaw, ThunderClan's herbalist's apprentice."

      Anemonepaw had never seen a ThunderClan, but assumed they aren't much bigger than the others. Looks like she was wrong. Dillpaw, being an apprentice, was gigantic even compared to their leader, Eelnose. She had thick fur, in some places as hard as pine needles. Whoever tried to bite them, probably had to suffer from sores all over their snout and palate. 

     "I'm also a herbalist's apprentice! I'm Anemonepaw, and this is my brother, Spongepaw."

     "What's that?" Dillpaw tilted her head to the side. 

     "What exactly?"

     "Things you were named after."

     "They are..." Anemonepaw paused for a moment.

      "They are sea creatures, " Spongepaw continued for her. "Anemone looks like a plant, and sponge is like a... a morel mushroom or a squishy rock with holes, but Kelpfur said they're actually animals, like worms. And dill is that fluffy plant, right? By the way, are you looking for plants?"

     "Not really, just wanted to collect some spiderwebs."

     "You aren't from far away, are you?"

     "No, ThunderClan lands start after that column," Dillpaw nodded at a piece of ruins on the edge of the cliff. "This is the only piece of land where we have an opening to the sea, because it floods the swamp. And you, RiverClan, as far as I know, hate swamps."

     "True!" Spongepaw nodded. "We hate stagnant water."

     "And we like mushrooms that grow in this humid environment."

      Anemonepaw wrinkled her nose. How could anyone eat mushrooms? They're slimy, stain paws and have a disgusting smell! But, as she knew, ThunderClan weren't fans of a meat only diet. Their thick fur and skin even protected them during raids on wild bee hives. Honey would make any other Clan violently nauseous, but for them, it seems, it was a nice treat. 

     "You need spiderwebs, huh?" Spongepaw shifted his attention for a second to reach out and grab a big crab. "Waverun usually travels across the Highstones to fill her storage."

     He put his prey between his powerful jaws and cracked the shell. Then pushed it towards his sister. 

     "Here, have something to eat. I don't remember you taking anything out of the pile. Regarding the spiders, I think she mentioned the underground ruins."

     "I think I remember that place. You mean the old Warbringer hideout? With a broken door?"

     "She said something about a cracked rock at the entrance, I assume that's it."

      Anemonepaw nodded at her left side. Waverun was approaching the three with four empty baskets dangling at her side. 

     "Here, you'll carry these," she took off two baskets and pushed them towards Spongepaw. "Sharkbite told me to take you with us. I'll teach you how to fish in rivers."

      Waverun used to be a hunter before. After partially losing her sight, she decided to join old herbalist Pipersong in his den. Their colony was rather large, and one healer wasn't enough for them. Waverun considered taking another apprentice from Finsplash's litter when they are old enough, just so she could make even bigger expeditions without the fear of a sudden epidemic. 

     "Are you going with us?" Anemonepaw asked, noticing that Dillpaw got up. 

     "Yes, I really need as much webs as possible. Don't worry, I've got," she pointed at a dry purple plant in her fur, "enough thyme on me. Hillsnow has three assistants in his den.”

     "Before we go into the woods, remember: always look down. Snakes blend well with fallen leaves. And do not attempt to eat berries without my approval," silver tabby waved her white tipped black tail, leading the group. "There are two kinds of yew bushes. One is called deathberries. Only one of them can kill an adult hunter. Only the red part is relatively safe to consume. The other kind is called flameberries. They were cultivated by ThunderClan healers and have smaller, wrinkled seeds. They must be consumed whole in order to kill off parasites in your guts, if any other herb is ineffective. It's also poisonous, but only if you eat a dozen at the time."

     "Why are they called flameberries?"

     "Because, when you use a dirtplace after them, your lower intestines feel like they're burning," Waverun pointed at a small bush, growing in a long shady hollow, stretching along their path.  "Look at these berries," she said. 

     "These would be flameberries? Right?" Spongepaw moved closer to look at wrinkled seeds. 

    "No, there are dry berries from last year. Flameberry bushes usually don't have leftover seeds, because snowtreaders peck them out. Birds are immune to their burning component. To distinguish them, you'll have to break one of their berries between two rocks. If its smell makes you cry, that's flameberries. If not, deathberries."

    "The more you know," Spongepaw pushed the branch away from his face, as if the bush could attempt to forcefully part his jaws and feed him poisonous seeds. 

    The forest changed to two steep gray cliffs with a waving path between them. The healer put one paw on a boulder and looked up. 

    "Thank you for letting us through your land. May your spirits find peace," she whispered, before turning towards three apprentices. "A great tragedy took hold over this place before the Lasting Snowfall. Warbringers launched a weapon, targeting their colony on the other side. But, due to some mistake, it struck Highstones. There were not only our Clans, but also the Tribe. And this is the place where they used to live."

    "You mean-  they exploded?" Spongepaw whispered. 

   "Exactly. Either that or they went deep into the cave system and were buried alive."

    Spongepaw shivered, wrapping his tail around legs. 

    "Each time we pass through Highstones, we must pay respect  to the deceased," Waverun continued. 

   "May your spirits find peace," Dillpaw, Anemonepaw and Spongepaw said in unison. 

   "Watch your step and don't try to look down the path," the healer instructed. "You will feel dizzy and fall."

     Jagged peaks of Highstones towered above a narrow dusty path. Very few grasses and bushes chose cracked gray cliffs as their home. Several yellow spots of rockfoils dotted the mountain on the other side of a gorge. As the group went around a cliff, Anemonepaw saw a massive pit in the ground. Highstones were levelled in an almost perfect round shape. The hollow, surrounded by mountains, was covered in lush vegetation, with one blue dot of a lake in the center of it. 

     "Long ago you could get sick by being there," Waverun said. "But now it's harmless. This lake produces mud that can ease joint pain. And its water can kill some skin infections. But you can't drink it."

     "Is it still poisonous?"

     "No, but it's very salty. All five clans visit this place in the newleaf to rest and chat."

     "Can we go there now?" Spongepaw asked. 

    "It is forbidden, unless you're a healer. You see, this hollow is swarming with small animals. Mice, birds, squirrels, frogs, lizards, hares..."

     Anemonepaw narrowed her eyes. In the golden light of the setting sun she could see dark splotches moving around the lake. Hare herds! So dense they covered the landscape. 

    "We let all the animals live here in peace, so we don't overhunt them," Dillpaw finished. "Especially hares and bushgoats."

     Anemonepaw could feel her mouth watering at the mention of small ungulates inhabiting mountains. But she brushed it off, intently looking at the path beneath her paws. Three gray birds with leftover white fuzz on their chest ran on a slope above them, but she didn't want to risk falling down for a couple of snowtreaders. 

      "Look, you guys! A turtle!" Spongepaw lifted his claw, pointing at a rock-like creature grazing on a patch of foliage. Spongepaw dropped in a hunting crouch and slowly moved towards prey.

       "That's a tortoise, not a turtle," Waverun shouted. "And you're not supposed to hunt it!"

      "Why?" Spongepaw turned around to look at their healer before he heard an angry hiss. Tortoise straightened its wrinkled neck and clicked big pointy beak. The next moment, it charged at Spongepaw. Apprentice rolled back just in time. Tortoise snapped the air in the exact same spot were Spongepaw's throat was a moment ago. 

      "Because they're omnivorous!" Waverun replied. 

      Spongepaw rolled away and jumped up, breathing heavily. Anemonepaw circled around the distracted reptile, grabbed its exposed neck and broke it using her strong jaw. The animal went limp, its legs sliding in the dust from underneath its body into a laying position. 

      "Prey's on!" she huffed, breaking the carapace. 

      "I think it's enough adventuring for one day," Waverun breathed out in relief. "Eat up and let's find a place to rest."

      The group got away from the path just in time. With a loud clap a flashes of white light up the mountain. Rain, a slight drizzle at first, soon turned into a strong torrent, capable of washing anyone off the cliff, coupled with a freezing wind. 

      As soon as Dillpaw finished her share of prey, she dropped on her belly at the entrance. Spongepaw was spinning in circles, shaping a pile of dry plants into a more comfortable nest, while Anemonepaw and Waverun examined plants lining up the wall. 

      "I've never seen this vine," Waverun admitted. "Remind me to get some on our way back."

      Anemonepaw reached out to touch the plant, but hesitated, looking at it with distrust. A new flash of lightning made it easier to see thick vines which resembled dried goat veins. Wrinkling her nose in disgust, she backed away, sitting on the nest next to her brother. Tired, both of them quickly drifted to sleep. 

       Spongepaw shivered, waking up. It was still dark, but Anemonepaw and the others were nowhere to be seen. The air felt cold, and the smell reminded him of damp earth. The rain was still falling. There was no way anyone could go out in this weather! Spongepaw's gaze stopped on a tree growing just outside the cave entrance, which was particularly odd. He didn't remember seeing any trees since they left the shore. Spongepaw got up and slowly, carefully, approached the tree. How is it growing on a hard rock?! Where do its roots go?  Then he realized: the tree had to roots at all. Just a cut log with branches, standing upwards on the edge. Before Spongepaw tried to touch it, another boom of thunder shook the air, knocking him off balance. The tree shook, too. Spongepaw froze, expecting it to fall on him, but the trunk rocked away from him, plummeting into the void below. He could hear a faint splash below as it fell. 

      He woke up, feeling Anemonepaw's tail poking his side. 

     "The rain's over. We need to move, carefully," she whispered. 

     "Isn't the path too slippery?"

     "That's why we must be careful," Anemonepaw nudged her brother. "C'mon, Waverun said we must move!"

     Spongepaw slipped out of the cave, following slowly walking Waverun and Dillpaw. He sunk his claws deeper, trying to get a better grip. Thankfully, because of strong wind, this side of the path was protected from rain, going around an overhanging cliff. Waverun looked tense, as if something scared her enough to make her leave the safety of their cave in the middle of the night. Her head was hanging low, back arched, tail tucked between her legs. 

      "Can you at least tell us what's happening?" Anemonepaw pleaded. 

      Waverun stopped to point at the overgrown crater. In the middle of it, just by the lake, there was a small flickering orange light.

     "Fire. I know only one creature who can wield fire," the healer said, her face as dark as the stormcloud above them. "Warbringers

[adarkrainbow]

A long, long time back (back in the distant year of 2009), a DeviantArt user by the name of "jisuk" put in place a collaborative project about Dark Fairytales for charity.

The idea was simple: gather several DeviantArt artists who would create together illustrations for a "dark fairy tales" card game titled "Broken Spell". It was a really cool project, and I still quite love it. Since it has been drowned since by years and years of DeviantArt growing into the strange mess it is today, I will copy-paste below some of my favorite pieces of this online deck with ther references. If you want to check the full set of art, check the folder jisuk created for the project right here.

Beauty and the Beast, by nati.

"Hatebride" by blix-it (actually the Inuit legend of Sedna)

The Grimms' Fitcher's Bird by lampton.

Jack and the Beanstalk by Ahvia

Kintaro, by xiaobaosg

Red Riding Hood by theCHAMBA

Tom Thumb by katiedesousa

Swan Lake by ethe

The Emperor's New Clothes by shingworks

Catskin by okkisaurus

Goldilocks and the Three Bears by moosekleenex

The tale of Koschei and Maria Morevna by msh

Snow White by jisuk

The Juniper Tree by mero-ix

Journey to the West/The Monkey King by doctajules

The Golden Mermaid by jandruff

The Boy who Drew Cats by cbernie

Rapunzel by robotnicc

Hoffmann's The Sandman by fresh4u

Here are some of the fairytale references for art I could not (or didn't want) to include in this post:

La Belle Dame sans Merci

The Princess and the Pea

Jack the Giant-Killer

The Sorcerer's Apprentice

The Frog Prince

Mother Hulda (Frau Holle)

My Lord Bag of Rice (Japanese folktale)

Fox Sister (Japanese folktale)

Aladdin

The Little Mermaid

The Emperor and the Nightingale

Thumbelina

Peter Pan

Snow-White and Rose-Red

The Three Soldiers