#Xey'd identify pretty strongly with that Applegate quote about Ruthlessness

[bonefall]

i NEED to know more about waspwhisker/waspstar now that xey seem to be leader during TBC/ASC. are xey as levelheaded as leafstar or more aggressive? i think it would be fun if xey were willing to defend skyclans separate culture WAY MORE than leafstar was willing to. that would especially bring conflict with the imposter and maybe could even lead to a battle!

I'm leaning HEAVILY towards doing it. Killing off Leafstar during Squirrelflight's Horror by having Juniperclaw poison their food makes perfect sense. He was trying to make them desperate to leave the territory, so they'd invade the Sisters' camp.

Plus, then I can delete the Meadow Saffron subplot. There was no new plant that suddenly showed up like a big coincidence RIGHT as tensions escalated-- Sparkpelt can just have gotten a bite of the poisoned food somehow.

(Maybe a diplomatic meeting... I'll think about it.)

Anyway, here's an Intro to BB!Waspwhisker, and how xey would act as Waspstar in comparison to BB!Leafstar;

WASPWHISKER

Once the ShadowClan family tree is complete, I will be going back to SkyClan's overhaul and making it more significant.

But in the meanwhile, Waspwhisker is a very close family cat to xeir mate Fallowfern, and kids; Plumwillow, Rabbitleap, and Creekfeather.

(Nettleplash might be gone, unsure.)

I really like Creekfeather for absolutely no reason. I just like his name lmao. SO I'm probably going to put him into The Kin so I can get mileage out of him as a villain

Having Waspwhisker have to fight and maybe even kill xeir own son sounds absolutely JUICY. Push this guy to the BRINK

Show, over and over, how Waspwhisker is willing to put SkyClan above everything xey've ever loved.

When The Kin absorbed a significant portion of SkyClan, Waspwhisker took Leafstar's side. Though xey can be tough, xey're always fair and rational.

The reason to exclude Daylight Warriors makes no sense and is just based on pride, in xeir eyes. The Daylight Warriors are not the ones attacking the camp right now, are they?

There are SkyClan Warriors in the gorge that night, and there are traitors.

And if that includes Creekfeather... then so be it. Creekfeather has made his choice.

You might think that Waspwhisker is a mean person. Xey're not.

In fact, when it comes to friends and family, Wasp's compassion is absolutely limitless.

Plumwillow and Rabbitleap get their love of long discussions from xem, as a Ba Waspwhisker was always encouraging their curiosity.

Xey like to answer questions with more questions, and guide kits and apprentices by leading them to the right answer instead of outright telling them.

The thing that makes Waspwhisker so brutal is that, well... xey just don't see the value in being overly generous. Xey want what xey are owed.

Down to the last scrap of fur, the final droplet of blood.

As a warrior who has gone through so much, loved so thoroughly, and serves a people who have lost everything, shouldn't respect come with that?

SkyClan has been cheated, threatened, and betrayed from the moment they were driven from the forest. Waspwhisker believes in reciprocity like it's a bank account-- xey simply want the positives and the negatives to be in balance.

It feels clear to xem that the moment they stepped paw into the new forest, the Forest Four saw them as pitiable.

They were not equal. SkyClan is a mixed-blood Clan of ex-kittypets and loners.

The politeness that defines SkyClan, helped to keep coalitions of cats together at a distance through forgiveness and cordiality, is a funny joke to Forest Four.

Though times are changing in Clan Culture, strength is currently still a stronger value than diplomacy.

Leafstar was playing by SkyClan rules. They have their own values, traditions, even a copy of the warrior code that diverges earlier.

But Waspwhisker can see-- what at first seems "amusing" about SkyClan to the Forest Four is quickly hardening into contempt.

And that contempt is mutual.

Forest Four cats are proud, self-absorbed, xenophobic, and stubborn. And they don't even realize that.

They're so used to only ever dealing with each other. With their big bluffs, political showboating, and ceremonial fights.

To Waspwhisker, it seems as though Forest Four cats see battle like a game. One you play together, with ancient, unspoken rules that SkyClan has been locked out of for generations.

It's been so long since they've known REAL fear that they've forgotten it. SkyClan hasn't.

Claws aren't toys; battle isn't a game. To SkyClan, their skills are a martial art.

To be respected.

In SkyClan's conversation about what "version" of the Warrior Code they will use, and how they interact with other Clans, Waspwhisker has always felt uneasy about the very premise.

Who interprets the Code, to begin with? Us, or them?

WASPSTAR

If I end up going with this, Leafstar will die of poisoning in Squirrelflight's Horror.

Juniperclaw did it to try and convince SkyClan that the Sisters ARE a threat. He wants them out of ShadowClan territory.

At first, Heartstar is going to refute any accusations of her deputy/nephew doing this poisoning. Nepotism is her consistent weak spot.

Waspwhisker might have died too, but someone tasted poison.

(Maybe I'll have it be the wounded sister they are holding as a prisoner. She can recognize a flower in a spoonful of soup and lurch foward to slap it out of their paw, then dump over the pot. Maybe when Squilf's about to have a bite, so there's a big accusation that the sister only stopped it to try and help the one who's been nice to her)

But in any case, when Waspwhisker finds out that it was a Forest Four warrior who did this...

It really solidifies in xem that xeir uneasiness was right.

Juniperclaw may have acted alone, but his feelings were born out of a deeper spite. One that Leafstar was too optimistic about.

They'll never take SkyClan seriously if something is not done about Juniperclaw. Exile is a JOKE.

The only thing that Forest Four cats seem to respect is brutality.

So xey will GIVE them brutality.

You demand we follow your version of this code?

"We'll start with a true warrior not needing to kill to win his battles, unless it is necessary for self-defense. Understand that I have no reason to believe Juniperclaw would not do it again. This was self-defense."

If the Forest Four can't even be consistent about Commandment 1, then they wouldn't be able to handle how SkyClan interprets the rest.

Xey insist SkyClan matters will be handled by SkyClan. When a law would affect another Clan, then we can discuss it.

Like Bramblestar, Waspstar refuses to be pushed around.

Unlike Bramblestar, they aren't a particularly emotional or biased person. In fact, Waspstar is cold.

That reputation is exactly what xey want, though. Let it precede us. "If they fear us, we live in peace. If they respect us, we live in peace. I offer the choice of which type of harmony we have together."

A good diplomat realizes quickly that Waspstar is not unreasonable, though. Getting xem to do anything is a matter of demonstrating mutual benefit.

Or making a show of goodwill.

Hawkwing is chosen as Waspstar's deputy because of his compassion and commitment.

They're not TOO different as well, and that's a plus to Wasp. Xey want the deputy to see eye-to-eye with xem, but still be bold and emotional enough to launch a challenge if needed.

Xey have thought fondly of Hawkwing ever since Plumwillow's mate went missing, and Hawkwing became a father to Wasp's grandkits.

Unfortunately, I can see Waspstar either respecting the Impostor a lot (for living by the same brutality he demands of other Clans) OR coming to a huge battle against the Impostor (for trying to force SkyClan to live a certain way).

In contrast to BB!Leafstar, who would think Bramblefake is a lunatic from the very beginning.

In a nutshell; If the two leaders heard the phrase, "an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind,"

Leafstar would hum and smile, praising the wisdom of the words. There are many ways to win a battle, and she does not want SkyClan to have to lose its peaceful life after enduring so much hardship. "That which cannot be fixed must be broken, and revenge is not something that can be repaired."

Waspstar would gently shake xeir head. That hope died with her. Either SkyClan will choose the change they make, or it will be taken. Our new neighbors respect only one thing, and if we want our kittens to live in peace, then we must study war, "If the enemy has taken your eye, take both of theirs."