#also i really wanted to draw leafpool i was so excited to give her the same heart markings squilf has

[eeveekitti]

Lesbian moth wing and leaf pool but only after this is the last ask in the ask box :)

lets go lesbians!!!

[tigerlilyzero-warriorsdesigns]

I saw this challenge to draw Cinderpelt, Bluestar, Ashfur, and Crowfeather floating around to see if people could make them distinct from each other. So here’s my version.

EDIT: I decided I’ll give a little rundown to the thought process behind each design, because why not?

Cinderpelt: Main objective was just to make her look friendly and cute, so I gave her large eyes that are a vibrant cerulean blue with soft features. She has a shorter nose bridge than most as I wanted her to look youthful to accentuate her excitable and peppy personality. I imagine her fur to by fluffy in a wispy kind of way. Out of the others here, her gray is on the warmer side since she’s more approachable than the others.

Bluestar: She is regal looking with slightly broad features. I tried to give her an almost Sarabi-esque (from the Lion King) look to her. She gains small lines under her eyes in her older years when she has her mental breakdown. Also I don’t see her silver highlights as being to due age. In my mind she always had a silver muzzle, even when younger, it’s merely just markings. Her eyes are deep, clear blue.

Ashfur: Despite his larger, more villainous role in latter books, I still see Ashfur as just some guy, mainly because that’s how he was introduced at first. So honestly, I didn’t want him to be that remarkable in design. He’s pretty average looking. Although I’m fond of the idea that he becomes scruffier and more unkempt from series 3 onward. In the first two arcs he doesn’t have his little goatee and his cheek fur was rounder. I think making him look unexceptional and unintimidating adds to his design because he’s not introduced as a villain or anyone special and when you boil him down he really is just some pathetic guy. I might revamp his facial spots though, I’m not sure I’m completely satisfied with how they are.

Crowfeather: Crowfeather always seemed unpleasant to me, so I made him very unapproachable and grumpy looking (that’s where Jayfeather gets it from). He has a long, severe looking face with a few angular features such as triangle-arched eyebrows and a pointed chin that curves into a goatee. I used a shade of blue that boarders a stormy gray for his eyes. I’ll never understand what Leafpool or Feathertail saw in this guy.

[mallowstep]

when all the leaves change in the fall — research masterpost

so i’m writing a human au set somewhere in the 1910s in ireland (really, around 1905-1914ish), and i just needed to throw all of my links and such into one place.

it’s…not a heatherlion fic, but it’s not not a heatherlion fic

anyway, well, you’ll see. if you want to read this.

census data (introduction)

so i was able to find the census data for 1911 in ireland. those of you who are up to date on your irish history (pun intended) may be aware that in the nineteenth century, england “unionized” with ireland.

i can’t believe i’m saying this on a fucking warrior cats blog, but we’re not doing irish history discourse. it’s a complex issue. i come from a family of irish catholics. draw your own conclusions.

anyway.

there’s a lot of important and relevant history that i’m skipping over because this post is supposed to be for me, and you’re not here to read irish history, but basically: there’s a 1851 census and a 1901 census, and nothing in between.

in short, it’s quite lucky i have the census data for the time i need.

since i was able to find this (and i gotta say, it wasn’t easy, like, usually i’m like, “research is just a thing i do” but it was surprisingly difficult to find), and like most national archives it’s…not to be rude, but the site is ugly.

but here’s the home page for the data, with helpful other links including a tram timetable. (and yes, that is very exciting. if you’ve ever written historical fiction, you know how exciting that is. if not, welcome to my descent.)

i was originally focusing on individual names, but i have to name the whole family, and i have all the data, so let us begin.

irish history (short version)

jk you do need a bit of knowledge to understand my decisions.

if you don’t know, the 1850s is approximately the great potato famine. if you don’t know anything about it: it’s worse than you imagine. extra credits did a good series a while back.

england’s rule over ireland will lead into the troubles, a religious conflict that wasn’t…well, okay! let’s just say, it’s like, a joke that you don’t want to talk about it because people feel strongly about it. hopefully, most of you don’t. i do, but i’m being not biased, okay?

anyway, feature history did a two part series if you want to get caught up.

finally, you may ask, matthew, why the heck are you writing about such a weirdly specific time in history? to which i say: well, i wanted to have a religious conflict between heather and lion’s families, in such a way that it would make sense for them to grow up and realize they couldn’t be friends.

my mother’s family is irish and my dad spent a lot of time in northern ireland when i was a toddler, so naturally, it was just a thing i knew about. to the point where it had an impact over my name. it’s a long story that i’m not telling here.

anyway, when i think religious conflict that spirals into a real, violent conflict, i think: catholics and protestants in ireland. it’s far from the only example, but it’s one i know a lot about.

so why, then, am i starting in the 1910s? well…i need heather and lion to be friends growing up, and there’s a particular crisis leading up to world war one that makes 1914 a good date for this fic to cover.

also, i like this era of historical fashion.

alright, now that we’re all on the same page, i can get into what i actually want to talk about.

lion’s family

so now that i have my census data, i was able to actually look through specific families to name people after. that’s right, i’m…at the point in my life where i researched specific families and counties to name my human au warriors after.

this is why? i never talk about the…i think now 3? human aus in the work. like, i can’t say, “okay, there’s holly in this one” because like, her name might be holly in one and minnie in another, you don’t know!

anyway, i searched by head of family, under the following criteria:

church of england

can read and write

married

english (language)

3 living children

and then paged through every result to get just those with (at least) 2 sons and 1 daughter.

that gave me fourteen families. i saved all of them to a one tab list in case my first choice didn’t work out.

my first choice being the harris family.

i had a lot of good choices (one family with a daughter named violet was particularly tempting), and another with a son william and a daughter annie mary, but i liked the harris family just…in my gut.

that gives us:

bramble: joseph henry

squirrel: henrietta

jay: joseph henry

holly: henrietta lillian

lion: ian roy

which, well, i hope you can see why i chose them, even though this is a lionblaze centric fic and they don’t have an l in there.

great! am i going to backfill past this? not unless i need to, which is the point of me making this well documented research. i’m going to go through some of the other families at the end to find a leafpool name, because we do need her.

heather’s family

next up! we need a family of catholics in the same general area as the harris family.

so, back to the search.

i was able to narrow it down to the same street as lion, which is great.

honestly, the weirdness of this does not escape me. sue me, it’s warriors fanfic, i like researching. i could do this and just stitch together several families, or something, i don’t know. there’s something appealing to me in knowing that i have done my due diligence.

anyway, we’re again searching by head of household, and:

roman catholic

married

irish and english (language)

1 living child

cork (county)

fermoy urban (ded)

king street (townland/street)

and i again went through and kept only families with at least one daughter. or really, a wife, husband, and other female person in the house.

you can view that list here.

the flanagans were the clear winner here, with their singular daughter named hannah. (parents: john and mary.)

breezepelt’s family

and after that we’re still not done because i need crow, night, and breeze.

i’m searching with the same criteria, this time, though, i’m only keeping families with at least one son.

while i’m doing this, shout out to paddy patrick for being a real person.

here’s my full choice list. this time, i want to match crow’s name more than breezepelt’s, because there aren’t a lot (if any) b names. nightcloud would be nice, too.

i had a tough choice to make here, because there was a norah & john, and a cornelius & catherine. (couldn’t i just combine them? you’re missing the point. this is fun, i’m having fun.)

i ended up going with the cotters, because i preferred james for breezepelt.

this gives us

crow: john

night: norah

breeze: james

are you having fun with two johns? i sure am.

also worth pointing out is that people aren’t actually on the same street. i’m not searching with exact match on. they are all still in the same county, and that’s good enough.

extraneous

i have more than enough names to name any character i need, but some character names i may need.

leaf: looking for single, church of england, women. we’ll be using irene may key

fire & sand: just to fill in where leaf left off, thomas james & alice elizabeth, respectively.

cinder: had to remove the church of england restriction to find her, and then i had too many choices (i’m not paging through like 100 people, okay?), so i decided to search under injury “other,” just to narrow down the options. i chose sarah hanan, who also lives with her brother (nice touch).

and at this point i decided i had more than enough names and the ability to hunt down more whenever i needed them if they came up.

other stuff

i was going to do more than names but then i got tired whoops. it’s like, almost 1 am i’ve been doing this for like an hour.

anyway, that’s fine bc i know a lot about the other stuff i was going to talk about and now you know! i’ve done a bunch of families because that’s how much i care about accuracy.

[stimmypaw]

stimmypaw reads Thunder & Shadow, another blog post

much like the first time, I am continuing to read A Vision of Shadows for the first time and sharing my thoughts as I go! This post of course has a bunch of spoilers for Thunder and Shadow. It’s all in the read more, have fun!

I'm so glad echosong is okay but what will she do??? Where will she go??? I'm so worried

I don't like it that Briarlight is stuck in the medicine den all day, love to see her playing with kits and showing her strength tho she's so sweet and good she deserves better

Now littlecloud is sick too???? Fuck!!!!

Also seems Needlepaw and Alderpaw haven't managed to get along better yet, maybe Alderpaw can talk to her through Leafpool since she's going to Shadowclan?

Also graystripe is awful as always and I love him 2 bits

I love Rowanstar's character too, he's so stupidly proud. Shadowclan has a fun trend of having a long line of mediocre to awful leaders and I feel bad for Tawnypelt, Shadowclans braincell who should be leader.

Jayfeather is gonna miss his friends

YES, SKYCLAN!!!! SKYCLANNNN

Twigkit lifting her front paws im 💖💖💖💖 AAAAA BABY

Graystripe :] he's silly

Omg feather time

If something bad happens to this feather ill fraud my taxes I will commit many crimes this delivery must happen safely and if anyone takes it from violetkit I will Kill

Omg sleekpaw don't be so mean poor littlecloud :c medicine cats are important!!

I see alderpaw leaving his feather behind alderpaw get it to violetkit Now

Oh God imagine being puddlekit, shadowclan needs to get its shit together real fast

Leafpool is just that picture (i do not see) while trying to process the mess they got her in

OKAY SO I'm glad he's getting along with needlepaw and that he can finally give violetkit her feather but LITTLECLOUD GUYS??? LITTLECLOUD?????????

My heart melted with violetkit, this was so sweet, why are the queens so mean to her??? She's just an autistic icon bro!! Like every cat I like in these books.

Alderpaw: hey I have an idea, why don't we commit crimes?

Needlepaw: FINALLY I THOUGHT YOUD NEVER ASK

VIOLETKIT POINT OF VIEW FINALLY???? FUCK YES YESSSS YES YES SHADOWCLAN TIME IM SO HAPPY THIS IS SO COOL

Last time this happened the character immediately died tho

Hm

I am suffering for violetkit

i wish violetkit would spend more time with leafpool im sure she’d be caring maybe?? maybe im just desperate for violetkit to be loved

no one here knows how to treat a kit

OH YES YESSS

YESSSSSSSSSSSSS SSAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAATHEYRE TOGETHER AGAIN

im so sad

im 

broooooo

aaaaa i hope needlepaw treats violetkit better from now on, this is hearbreaking.

Fuck I knew it, the rogues are coming for them aren’t they? And where’s Skyclan now????? fuck fuck fuck

ok I have no clue who Fernsong is but he’s funny already why is he like this what is happening why is he blocking them from looking at Honeykit while talking about how worried he is about her?? Absolutely misterious I love him

  Jayfeather 🤝 Yellowfang

 “I don’t want kits around me”

oh the girls are fighting

oh the girls ARE fighting

furzepelt had a cool name im sorry to hear he only existed to die immediately :c

onestar also is very proud, im glad he accepted help this time tho

SPARKPAW MED CAT MOMENT HAHAH

i forgot bumblestripe was a cat and i was wondering if it was just a typo for bramble

also what’s up with dove and tiger??? i forgot everything about their relationship in the previous books because i don’t care about it and the erins tend to write some pretty boring straight couples

the way they’re described makes me feel like needlepaw and sleekpaw are just differently colored versions of each other at times, are they related?? they don’t seem to be.

and here’s the bit that’s previewed, oh boy, it must have been seriously scary being violetkit, but i hope they don’t convince her the clans hate her :c thunderclan likes her shadowclan just sucks

What do these background cats want from Twigkit???? To shoot lasers out of her eyes?? I guess she isn’t magical or anything but also she’s just a kit??? Firepaw was also just a kittypet and he’s a big deal :/// y’all just don’t get it, I hope Twigkit doesn’t get Dovepaw’s protagonist anxiety

I know Twigkit is being scolded but this scene is just so cute like Jayfeather is just tucking her in a moss bed while being mad at her for leaving camp

Thats another one I need to draw i love them

SPARKPELT YESSSSS YESS SYE SYES YES 🎊🎉🎉🎉🎊🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈💖💖💖💖💖💕💖💕💖💕💖💕💕

Mothwing ableist????? That's cringe

Omg poor kestrelflight

Jayfeather misses Leafpool so bad, Puddlepaw must feel awful though

OLD AGE? H HOW OLD IS LEAFPOOL THEN???

?????? OH GOD IM LOVING THIS???

This apprentice rebellion is Nuts its so good oh fuck!!! I'm loving whats happening here its awful and perfect

Violetkit is getting bitter :c she needs 2 be embraced and loved stat

She is also clearly getting some bad dependency and abandonment issues, desperate to do anything to please so she won't be left alone again :c

FUCK NO NO NO AAAA NEEDLEPAW WHAT WWERE YOU THUNKING??????? JESUS POOR VIOLETKIT

Kitnapping, this is bad

Oh, very interesting

These apprentices and rogues are so smart god this is a perfect plan

Twigkit absolutely is the sunshine

I love her interactions with Alderpaw, I wish she had gotten to see her sister

In comparison Violetkit looking around camp desperate for attention is awful

Oh fuck bribing

NEEDLEPAW DONT BE MEAN TO VIOLETKIT :C

Oh fuck ou fuck the 4chan kids are angry

??? BRO WHAT??? DONT KICK OUT VIOLETKIT, THATS WHY YOUR APPRENTICES TURNED INTO ANCAPS DAMN

I'm angy

Oh no

Something bad happened :c

Bramblestar: good day!

Rowanstar: Oh Is it??? You could say that while starving in winter, cringe ass

Mistystar: its not winter tho

Onestar: well you're fat

God rowanstar must be obliterated

Hey where's the rowanstars maps use idk loon on a lake or something this man has angst!!!

I appreciate Ivypool is her mentor, at least Someone is honest about whats going on and hey they can both relate on the fear of not being special! Ivypool can be very good to Twigpaw im counting on her

Oh fuck

Violetpaw sounds like she's in trouble with the rogues :c aa

AAAA TWIGPAWWWW AAAA

Violetpaw don't be mean about your sister :C she misses you so bad

Sleekwhisker is like that dad that let his kid starve until she learned to open a bean can she didn't want

Holy fuck

Aaaa violetpaw D:

Jesus christ that was awful

That was so intense I was so nervous for Violetpaw, I'm really happy for her now aaaa

Another gathering already? Wowie

I hope Shadowclan gets those herbs soon :c

I see he appeal in FernIvy and I appreciate it

Violetpaw and Twigpaw sharing a den my heart......this is IT

Jayfeather: I want to steal

I'm listening to Burn Pygmalion! and "viscious kin" is very fitting for this series ehhehe

I love violetpaw and twigpaw btw

IM CRYING

I cant believe Alderpaw is an all lives matter kinda guy

Yesss rebel get those herbs alreadyyy

Starclan has agreed to let kestrelflight kill onestar, goodbye onestar /j

Epic I love you harespring

Alderpaw being confused at Jayfeather saying he is proud is the Best

What an ending! Terrifying and hopeful at the same time, I am very excited to see the hijinks Bramblestar and Rowanstar will get into and how they will go searching for Skyclan, it was PAINFUL to have that prologue talking about them with 0 hope of them showing up again Nothing Nada Zilch, feels like that and the ending were just 2 remind us that that was still the major plot point hahaha, I appreciate it I guess. I'm glad Violetpaw and Twigpaw are on uh good terms despite it all, not very ideal and they're both upset but they still consider each other siblings and know they care about each other :'0 Alderheart getting his name is epic too!!! I was hoping he would soon. I loved everything about his interactions with Jayfeather here, loved all the characterizations really it was just top notch, Onestar being a bastard, Needletail, OH AND SHADOWCLAN JOINING THE ROGUES, top notch!!!! The ancap apprentices were a riot.

This was a good book!!! Flowed very nicely and smoothly, reading in shadowclan's point of view for more than around 3 chapters was great. I can barely wait for the rest!!! Will Violetpaw find belonging in this new era of Shadowclan??? Or will she leave again??? Will Alderheart somehow figure out where Skyclan is and get them together at the lake??? Will Twigpaw get all the spicy details of Dovewing's secret romance with Tigerheart??? Who knows!! But I am very excited to find out what happens next :D

[need1etail]

Chapter One

Alderkit stood in front of the nursery, anxiously shifting his weight. He unsheathed his claws, digging them into the hard earth of the stone hollow, then sheathed them again to shake dust from his paws. Now what happens? he asked himself, his belly churning as he thought about his apprentice ceremony, which was only moments away. What if there’s some sort of assessment before I can be an apprentice?

Alderkit thought he had heard something about an assessment once, perhaps a few moons before Hollytuft, Fernsong, and Sorrelstripe had been made warriors. But I can’t really remember. He tried to focus on the memory, but couldn’t recall it. I was so little then. His heart started to pound faster and faster in his chest. He tried to convince himself that one of the warriors would have told him if he was supposed to prove that he was ready. Because I’m not sure that I am ready to be an apprentice. Not at all. What if I can’t do it.

Deep in his own thoughts, Alderkit jumped in surprise when a cat nudged him hard from behind. Spinning around, he recognized his sister, Sparkkit, her orange tabby fur bushing out in all directions. “Aren’t you excited?” she asked, bouncing with enthusiasm. “Don’t you want to know who your mentor will be?” Alderkit’s heart sank. He hadn’t thought about mentors and Sparkkit reminding him made his chest even tighter than it already was. “I hope I get someone fun! Not a bossy cat like Berrynose, or Whitewing. She sticks too close to the rules I think she recites the warrior code in her sleep! Or worse, Jayflight. He’s so bossy and grumpy all the time.” Alderkit shoved his sister lightly. He knew she didn't mean her words, but it was still rude to speak about her kin that way.

“That’s enough.” Squirrelflight, the kits’ mother and Bramblestar’s deputy, emerged from the nursery in time to hear Sparkkit’s last words. “Jayflight is your kin, Sparkkit, don’t disrespect him.” Sparkkit stuck out her tongue a little, a glint of amusement in her eyes. “You’re not supposed to have fun with your mentors,” she added, licking one paw and smoothing it over a stubborn tuft on Sparkkit’s head that wouldn’t lay down. “You’re supposed to learn from them. Berrynose, Whitewing, and Jayflight would make excellent mentors. You would be lucky if Bramblestar gave you to one of them.”

Squirrelflight’s words were sharp, but Alderkit could detect her eyes shining with love for her kittens. Alderkit knew how much his mother adored him and his sister. He was only a kit, but he understood that Squirrelflight was old to have her first litter, and he remembered their shared grief for his lost littermates: Juniperkit and Dandelionkit. Juniperkit, who had barely taken a breath before he died, and Dandelionkit, who had never been strong, and who had slowly weakened until she died almost two moons later.

Sparkkit and I have to be the best cats we can be for Squirrelflight and Bramblestar.

Sparkkit, meanwhile, was not at all cowed by her mother’s scolding speech. She twitched her tail and cheerfully shook her pelt until it was fluffed up again.

Alderkit wished he had his sister’s confidence. He hadn’t wondered until now who his mentor would be, and he gazed around the clearing to the other cats with new and curious eyes. Ivypool would be an okay mentor, he thought, spotting the silver-and-white tabby she-cat returning from a hunting patrol with Lionblaze and her mate, Blossomfall. She’s friendly and a good hunter. Alderkit watched her brush against Blossomfall and lick her on the bridge of her nose before making her way to drop off the prey she caught on the fresh-kill pile. Lionblaze is a bit scary. He shifted his gaze to the tall tabby tom and suppressed a shiver at the sight of the muscles rippling under his golden fur. He loved Lionblaze, but the fact that he was so big still frightened him. It definitely won’t be Blossomfall. She mentored Sorrelstripe not that long ago. Or Dovewing, she mentored Fernsong, or Brightheart, who mentored Hollytuft. As he was searching the clan, he saw Leafpool outside her den with Briarlight and Dovewing. Dovewing was massaging her mate’s back while Leafpool helped the paralyzed she-cat with her exercises. Alderkit watched in interest until his aunt caught his eyes and blinked warmly at him. He quickly turned away.

Lost in thought, Alderkit watched Brackenfur, who had paused in the middle of the clearing to give his ear a good scratch. He was probably a good mentor when he was a warrior. He's been kind to me since I was a kit, but he's also firm.

“Hey wake up!” Sparkkit trod down hard on Alderkit’s paw, making him jolt. “It’s starting.” Alderkit realized that Bramblestar had appeared on the Highledge outside his den, way above their heads on the wall of the stone hollow.

“Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the Highledge for a Clan meeting!” Bramblestar yowled.

As the cats in the clearing turned their attention to Bramblestar and began to gather together, Alderkit though that his father seemed to stand taller and stronger than all of them—even strong warriors like Lionblaze and Dovewing.

He’s so confident and strong. I’m lucky to be his son.

Bramblestar ran lightly down the tumbled rocks and took his place in the ragged circle of cats that was forming at the foot of the rock wall. Graystripe, the Clan’s previous deputy, purred as the kits passed him, and Sorrelstripe, one of the youngest warriors, held her head high, as if proud to have finished her own apprenticeship. Squirrelflight gently nudged her two kits forward until they stood in the circle. Alderkit’s belly began to churn even harder and he tightened all his muscles to stop himself from trembling. I can’t do this! he cried silently, trying not to panic.

Then he caught sight of his father’s gaze on him: such a warm, proud look that Alderkit instantly felt comforted. He took a few deep breaths, forcing himself to relax.

“Cats of ThunderClan,” Bramblestar began, “today is a great day, for it’s time to make two new apprentices. Sparkkit, come here, please.”

Instantly, Sparkkit bounced into the center of the circle, her tail standing straight up and her fur bristling with excitement. She gazed confidently at her leader.

“From this day forward,” Bramblestar meowed, touching Sparkkit on her shoulder with his tail-tip, “this apprentice will be known as Sparkpaw. Rosepetal, you will be her mentor.” Alderkit turned to the dark cream she-cat, who didn't look as surprised as he thought she would. Papa probably told her that Sparkpaw would be given to her. “Rosepetal, you’ve trained your past apprentices excellently, and I trust you will share with her your loyalty to your clan, your quick thinking, and your excellent hunting skills.”

Sparkpaw dashed across the circle to Rosepetal, bouncing with happiness, and the dark cream warrior bent her head to touch noses with her.

“Sparkpaw! Sparkpaw!” The Clan began to yowl.

Sparkpaw gave a pleased little hop as her Clanmates chanted her new name, her eyes shining as she stood up beside her mentor.

Alderkit joined the acclamation, pleased to see how happy his sister looked. Thank StarClan! There wasn’t any kind of test to prove that she was ready.

As the yowling died away, Bramblestar beckoned to Alderkit with his tail. “Your turn,” he meowed, his gaze encouraging Alderkit on. Alderkit’s legs were suddenly wobbly as he staggered into the center of the circle. His chest felt tighter than ever, as if he couldn’t breathe properly. But as he halted in front of Bramblestar, his father gave him a slight nod to steady him, and he stood with his head raised as Bramblestar rested the tip of his tail on his shoulder.

“From this day forward, this apprentice will be known as Alderpaw,” Bramblestar announced. “Toadstep, you will be his mentor. You are a loyal, brave, and energetic warrior, and I know that you will do your best to pass on these qualities to your apprentice.”

As he padded across the clearing to join his mentor, Alderpaw wasn’t sure how he felt. Toadstep was a great warrior, loyal, brave, determined; but, as Bramblestar said, he was also full of energy. Alderpaw didn’t think he would be able to match Toadstep’s enthusiasm about his first apprentice. He wondered if Bramblestar chose Toadstep so Alderpaw would learn to be less anxious and more optimistic. He swallowed and let Toadstep touch his nose to Alderpaw’s.

I hope I will make you proud of me, Alderpaw thought. I’m going to try my hardest!

“Alderpaw! Alderpaw!”

Alderpaw ducked his head and gave his chest fur a few embarrassed licks as he listened to his Clanmates caterwauling his name. At the same time, he thought he would burst with happiness. At last, the chanting died away and the crowd of cats began to disperse, heading toward their dens or the fresh-kill pile. Squirrelflight and Bramblestar padded over to join their kits.

“Well done,” Bramblestar meowed flicking his tail over Alderpaw’s ear. “It wasn’t so scary, was it?”

“It was great!” Sparkpaw responded, her tail waving in the air. “I can’t wait to go hunting!”

“We’re so proud of both of you,” Squirrelflight purred, giving Sparkpaw and Alderpaw a lick around the ears. “I’m sure you’ll both make wonderful warriors one day.”

Bramblestar dipped his head in agreement. “I know you both have so much to give to your Clan.” He stepped back as he finished speaking, and waved his tail to draw Rosepetal and Toadstep closer. “Listen to your mentors,” he told the two apprentice. “I’m looking forward to hearing good things about your progress.” Alderpaw caught a glint of emotion in his father’s eyes. With an affectionate nuzzle, he turned away and head toward his den. Squirrelflight too gave her kits a quick cuddle, and then she followed her mate.

Alderpaw noticed Lionblaze stand from his spot next to Cinderheart and their kits, and bound over to them. “Congrats!” he purred, nudging his cousins in the shoulder with his nose, nearly knocking Alderpaw off his paws. Alderpaw purred. Lionblaze always acted like a big brother to him. The tall tom’s eyes sparkled. “After you do your new apprentice duties, let's have a mouse together, okay?”

Alderpaw nodded. The golden warrior licked the apprentices’ ears swiftly before joining Cinderheart. Alderpaw and Sparkpaw were left alone with Toadstep and Rosepetal.

Toadstep faced Alderpaw, blinking in excitement. “Being an apprentice is a big responsibility,” he meowed, obviously trying to have a serious tone, but failing, his voice edging with excitement. “You must pay close attention to everything you’re taught, because one day your clan may depend on your fighting and hunting skills.” Alderpaw sat up straight and nodded. “You’ll have to work hard to prove you have what it takes to be a warrior,” Toadstep went on, his eyes wide.

Alderpaw held his head high and blinked at his mentor, afraid he didn’t look very worthy to be an apprentice. Rosepetal was speaking to her own apprentice behind him. “We’ll have such fun exploring the territory!” the cream she-cat meowed. The enthusiasm seemed to boost Toadstep, too, because he looked like he was about to burst. “And now you’ll get to go to Gatherings.”

“Can we start learning to hunt now?” Sparkpaw asked eagerly.

Toadstep and Rosepetal looked at each other, and Alderpaw thought they looked ever so slightly guilty. “Not right now,” Toadstep replied. “Apprentices have special duties for the well-being of the whole Clan, and we wanted you to start with a different part of apprenticeship than most apprentices do.”

“What do we have to do?” Alderpaw asked, eyeing the two mentors.

There was a guilty look on Rosepetal’s face as she meowed, “Today we agreed that you two are going to make sure the elders are comfortable by getting rid of their ticks. You’ll need some mouse bile. You can ask Leafpool for some and they’ll tell you how to use it.”

“Mouse bile!” Sparkpaw wrinkled her nose in disgust. “Yuck!”

Alderpaw’s heart sank further. If this is being an apprentice, I’m not sure I’m going to enjoy it.

Sunlight shone through the roof of the den, beneath the hazel bushes where the elder’s lived. Alderpaw wished that he could curl up in the warmth and take a long nap, but instead he was combing his claws painstakingly through Graystripe’s long pelt, searching for ticks. Sparkpaw was doing the same for Purdy, while Sandstorm and Millie looked on, patiently waiting for their turn. Brackenfur was laying next to the two she-cats, his small amount of ticks already finished by Sparkpaw.

“Wow, you’ve got a massive tick here!” Sparkpaw exclaimed. “Hold still and let me get it for you, Purdy.” With clenched teeth, she picked up the stick Leafpool had given her, which had a ball of moss soaked in mouse bile stuck to one end, and awkwardly bent her head so she could dab the moss onto Purdy’s tick.

The old tabby shook his pelt and sighed in relief as the tick fell to the ground. “That’s much better, young’un,” he purred, blinking gratefully at the young apprentice.

“But this stuff smells horrible!” Sparkpaw grumbled around the twig. “I don't know how you elders can stand it.” Suppressing a sigh, she began parting Purdy’s clumped, untidy fur in search for more ticks. Alderpaw heard stories about Mousefur, a snappy elder who died during the Great Battle, who used to groom Purdy’s pelt every night. Squirrelflight told Alderpaw that the elder would scold him about not taking care of himself, but he would never pay attention to her.

“Now you listen here, youngster,” Purdy meowed, tucking his paws under his chest. “There’s not a cat in ThunderClan who wasn’t an apprentice, cleaning off elder’s ticks just like you are.”

“Even Bramblestar?” Alderpaw asked, pausing with one paw sunk deep into Graystripe’s pelt. It was hard to imagine the huge leader as a small apprentice.

“Even Firestar,” Graystripe responded, a purr rumbling in his throat. “He and I trained as apprentices together. I’ve lost count of the number of ticks we pulled, but we probably only pulled so many because we were such trouble makers.” His eyes filled with emotion as he spoke about his old friend. “Hey!” he added, giving Alderpaw a soft prod to the side. “Watch what you’re doing, please. Your digging your claws into my shoulder!”

“Sorry!” Alderpaw meowed, relaxing his claws. In spite of being scolded, he felt quite content. Cleaning off ticks was a messy job, but there were worse things that sitting in a shaft of sunlight and listening to the kind elders. He looked up briefly to see Sandstorm’s green gaze resting lovingly on him and his sister as she settled herself more comfortably in the bracken of her nest.

“I remember when your mother was first made an apprentice,” she sighed, shaking her head. “Dustpelt was her mentor. I wish you had met him—he died during the Great Storm, killed by badgers. He was one of our best warriors, and he didn’t put up with any nonsense. Even so, Squirrelflight sure was a match for him!”

“What did she do?” Alderpaw asked, intrigued to think of his serious, fierce mother as a difficult young apprentice. “Please tell us!”

Sandstorm scoffed and rolled her eyes. “What didn’t she do? Slipping out of camp to hunt on her own . . . getting stuck in bushes, falling into streams . . . I remember Dustpelt saying to me once ‘If that kit of yours doesn’t shape up, I’ll claw her pelt off and hang it on a branch to frighten the foxes off!’”

Sparkpaw stared at her grandmother, her mouth gaping. “He wouldn’t have!”

“Of course not,” Sandstorm purred, her green eyes alight with amusement, “but Dustpelt had to be tough with her. He saw how much she had to offer her Clan, but he knew she wouldn’t live up to her potential unless she learned discipline.”

Brackenfur purred. “She was just enthusiastic about being an apprentice.”

“Well, she sure did live up to her potential,” Alderpaw meowed.

“Alderpaw!” Graystripe gave the dark ginger apprentice another prod. “What about my ticks, huh?”

“And ours!” Millie put in, with a glance at Sandstorm. “We’ve been waiting moons!”

“Sorry . . .” Alderpaw began rapidly searching through Graystripe’s pelt, and almost at once he came across a huge, swollen tick. That must be really uncomfortable for Graystripe. Picking up his mouse bile twig, he dabbed the tick with the moss, at the same moment, he happened to glance up, and spotted his aunt, Leafpool, speaking with Jayflight intently just outside the medicine cat’s den. Alderpaw knew that Jayflight was sort of like Leafpool’s assistant, figuring out omens, and helping her find infections. As Alderpaw wondered vaguely what was so important, both the medicine cat and the warrior turned toward him. Suddenly he felt trapped in Jayflight’s blind blue gaze and Leafpool’s searching one.

A worm of uneasiness began to gnaw at Alderpaw’s belly. Great StarClan! Are they speaking about me? Have I messed something up already?

Yeah so I tried to go a couple different ways but I decided I liked this more. Here’s the first chapter again!

[stimmypaw]

stimmypaw reads the apprentice’s quest, a blog post

A big one, just a bunch of thoughts as I’m reading it, of course, lots of spoilers for the first book in the Warrior Cats series A Vision of Shadows. This will be covering just the first book tho, it’s all in the Read More, let’s gooooooo!!!!

Vision Of Shadows time

Lots of new cats!!! I don't remember these guys as kits or anything wrow!!! I like their names but itll take a while to get used to them

Also cant believe they printed stormcloud's dead name

Omg there's a cat named beepaw

I love these cats all of them so much im going 2 cry

All new names are perfect

I FORGOT HOW GORGEOUS THE CAT VIEW IN THE RECENT BOOKS WAS, LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT

I'm glad leafpool smokes weed

I love reading from Jayfeather's point of view, his grumpiness hasn't grown on me ever but thats just me, I still enjoy it lots he's great and its fun

Firestar and Leopardstar's characterizations are On Point i love it

OOF i feel so bad when jayfeather is mean to others, poor kestrelflight, I love those two

Lovely Jayfeather moments now its time for the first chapter

I like this duo! Also I didn't think I'd ever say this but shut up squirrelflight one can have fun AND learn with their mentors

Sparkkit sounds nice she makes jingling bell noises when she walks around

Alderkit is chadphobic /j

I can see Alderkit taking deep breaths to relax its rotating in my mind its beautiful

God this first chapter feels so good and comfortable, like eating noodles and chicken nuggets. I am so so deeply in love with it, its gorgeous!

Sparkkit is so perfect too, and Graystripe remembering Firestar aaaaaa

DUSTPELT SAID WHAT? PHDHAHAHHA OH NOOOO I don't remember their relationship much, must have been fun, I love young little creature squirrelflight I MISSED HER SO BAD WOW

I started reading the second chapter and died, I think ill take a break now 2 sleep heehhee

I love them describing twoleg stuff its always so fun and alien, like watching an animal planet show about funny sea creatures.

Also I have determined sparkpaw is my favorite, might be my favorite cat ever next to hollyleaf??? I really identify with her and also she's autistic i have decided that

Alderpaw baby noooo hhhh their mentor at least is trying to show its okay, he seems very emotionally distant so far and alderheart feels very emotionally needy, actually both of them do, did I mention I love Sparkpaw??? I might be imprinting myself 2 much on her

I love how like, its clear both of them are absolutely anxious and worried about others opinions on them, which is clearly something they got from being Firestar's grandkids, deputy kids and leader kids. And bramblestar too, I recall him being quite the anxious lad ahhah. Sparkpaw will be showing confidence and being loud but the second anyone isn't approving of her or she does something "wrong" she gets small and quiet, and she ended up setting a high bar for herself by being good at hunting and fighting so I'm curious to see how that will go. Also there's nothing wrong with being guided through a crowded place to meet others Sparkpaw!!! I bet the two of them would be stuck without not knowing how to talk to others had Needlepaw not shown up. I love them, my gf is mocking me saying I'm a Sparkpaw kinnie.

Apprentices will like learn about a thing and tell everyone about it all the time and assume its always true in every situation and thats valid I love kids like that. Also in my head Needlepaw kinda looks like a porcupine. Oh boo she's fatphobic >:(

I love apprentices they are so fun and silly, just making fun of the leaders like its nothing. The way they are clearly learning and absorving everything their warriors say and do like sponges its just ***chefs kiss***

Omg shadowclan is just full of 12 year olds help

And then the old person said "it sure is hard being old!" And everyone clapped

Shout-out to pretty Riverclan apprentice #481977 I love her

Leafpool: 👁👁

Alderpaw: I knew it im cursed and awful and terrible and I will never amount to anything

I wish the cats didn't seem to be giving up on him so easily though

Ah yes the classic thunderclan move "you suck, into the medicine hole you go"

The way sparkpaw changes the things she says and how she does when it isn't the status quo around her oooooooooooooyeaaaaaaa I love 1 autistic cat

Alderpaw considering your problems lesser than other cats won't help you deal with them better bro

I love Needlepaw's excitement about Alderpaw being a medicine cat apprentice, and her sarcasm, she feels like a preppy teenager

Ahhh this is so good, I am so thirsty for family moments like this, just Alderpaw bonding with grandma, I’ll definitely want to draw this one it’s so sweet.

Oh to be young and silly.

I really am enjoying like, Alderpaw’s struggles to seeing how he fits in the clan, how he fits in himself, how he wants to be seen and what he wants to be, it’s really good. I Am Engaged(tm) With This Plot.

SPARKPAW NOOOOOOO but also Yes I want her to be shown vulnerable and weak please 

POP, god watching this stuff always awful, the cats must have thought he broke her ahahah

Also, really great that they learned from Dovewing and now like leave choices and discussions about prophecies between adults

And plus Brambles seemed to take the time to explain stuff to him, seems he wont be going alone either the 1 thing is that he will be the only one knowing what the journey is really about, why though??? I didnt read Firestar's Quest or whatever why does Skyclan need to be secret??? Seems quite silly really!

YESSSS SANDSTORM GET HIS ASS FIGHT FIGHT LOVE THIS LOVE SANDSTORM

I could feel squirrelflight nearing explosion here, this was very fun, i wish they werent hiding this though!!!

The secret thing is showing to be a plot point so I am once again Very Engaged

Also, wonderful dialogue bit, someone asked Bramblestar why an Elder is going and:

Lovely perfect perfect

I miss you dovewing

SQUIRRELFLIGHT LOVE YOU

Oh boy this is it

Traveling book moment

Graystripe: Soooo you're excited to go on the journey to the old territories and Skyclan?

Sandstorm: Yes! It's been ages and-

Graystripe: I'm sure the tribe will love the visit too

Sandstorm, groaning: Oh noooo I forgot about how the tribe is in the way of every journeyyyyy noooooo they're such a racist caricature, please tell me you have a plan

Graystripe: Yes don't worry about it the writers forgot about the tribe in my comic book so you can just use the excuses i did to actively avoid it

Sandstorm: Oh thank Starclan

Sparkpaw's desperation to prove herself oof, her anxiety with understanding the prophecy, oh boy, and Alderpaw feeling too overwhelmed by the questions and not managing to talk!!!! I am so glad they are both autistic

Hoping "Being Leader" wont mean theyre putting nonsense responsibility on the apprentice again

Ah good Sandstorm is on the lead again, as she should, she should have been leader she would have been great

I can't believe Alderpaw thinks I look stupid and diseased :( /j

Everything about this twoleg scene was scandalous I loved it, Sparkpaw just toppled over a trash bag and they are eating from it, iconic, also did those twolegs throw out a whole turkey? Damn

Its not that Sparkpaw is freakishly good at hunting she is very hungry and constantly on the watch for things to eat

BRO Ive never been in a road where the drivers are this wild, throwing bottles out of the car????? Ive seen Fruit being thrown like once or twice, what the fuck!!! I'm glad they are going to wait until the morning to continue

Okay I was not expecting Needlepaw to show up this girl is chaotic I love her

ACTUALLY YEAH WHY DIDNT THEY TELL THE OTHER CLANS ABOUT THIS SINCE THE PROPHECY IS ABOUT ALL THE CLANS???

Needlepaw is like Rono from Bambi 2 if he wasnt a mean bully and thats very epic

Very curious character though, how come her mentor isnt teaching her the warrior code properly? Is that an issue with all apprentices?? Is the clan overwhelmed by 12 year olds and they won?

Having lots of fun trying to play the game "what animal are they describing this time" the erins made here, im glad they're in a farm. Worried about Sandstorm though :c

Fuck im worried about sandstorm a lot, her wound hurt on Me

Yeah water is good youre right sandstorm

Aw man I hope she's okay let her at least survive to meet skyclan please

NOOOOOOOO SANDSTORMA A AAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Sandtteooonrjrbbbmmnnnnnnnnnn

I am so sad

Alderpaw denying it, Starclan shining upon their vigil, everything crushed me i cried

Alderpaw considers Nihilism

Haven't seen a cat thank starclan for prey in a while its

Oh look they time skipped a journey! They don't tend to do that thats nice

I'm so excited to be meeting The Skyclan that everyone in the fandom knows now

So far they seem kinda mean but thats most clans at first glance really

Okay somethings up

I uh have heard of Darktail pretty sure he's a bad guy so yeah something really bad happened to Skyclan

Am worried

Darktail sounds like an evil himbo* i may be enjoying him actually

*himbos are usually nice by default so he's just evil and stupid and strong

Does needletail know these cats already?????

Ah

Shit

Oh okay fuck

I've been quietly reading the rest because I am just concerned and I want them to be okay as quickly as possible

Waterfalls are a classic nice

Oh boy time for our unlikely duo of Alderpaw and Needlepaw to get out of a Mess!

I did not expect this to end up with the two of them journeying into parenthood, but I'm happy it did

Well actually I'm very unhappy theyre so lost and there's no sign of Skyclan I am very worried for everyone involved Sparkpaw must be feeling awful!

Twigkit is a great name

Yeah this ended terribly

Overall! Frigging loved it this book was GOOD and a great start for the series I am very excited to read the rest, SO WORRIED ABOUT SKYCLAN THO AAAA the characterizations were great the characters were great the pacing was fun and I didn't get bored once!

I think o only wish I had read this sooner really so I could look up others thoughts without getting heavily spoiled about the last books, I can watch a few videos already though thats a start ahhaha. But yeah it was great and it felt very good to read, haven't swallowed up a book so quickly in a very long time!!! Very happy I finally got my hands on this 💕💖💕💖💕💖 cant wait 2 start the next one

If you read all this, hope you had fun hahaha, ill be making more of these cus theyre fun and I like talking about warrior cats thats just my thing

Til next time