#barley warrior cats

[since-times-long-forgotten]

barley! he’s a dapper little guy!

[sparrowsoupp]

some of the most iconic queer poster children of the warrior cats fandom. happy pride to the girls gays and theys (particularly those who enjoy brawling feline content)

dabble in my headcannons for these pairings under the read-more button if i’ve piqued your interest…

RAVEN x BARLEY (gay x gay)

i know there’s been a bit of controversy going around about these two and how they could be seen as toxic, with barley being insecure over ravenpaw’s connection to thunderclan. i get that perspective for sure, but i think it’s representative of REASONABLE flaws in a real relationship. obviously it’s not ideal that they never completely resolve it (since it’s ‘solved’ in the graphic novel but reopened in ravenpaw’s novella) and i wished that they addressed that more concretely (i say about a fucking middle grade book about talking cats LOL) but even more so i think you could see it as a realistic relationship as with issues in those, they often subdue and reoccur at intervals. it’s just about talking it out with your partner 🦭👍 plus if the majority of their relationship outside of this is good (which i definitely see it as, since obviously the books have to take place at points of conflict for there to be interesting things to write about) then it seems to be a somewhat small flaw.

that being said i haven��t actually read the books this comes up in so take my opinion with grains of salt, just online discourse about it. totally get if your life experience makes you see their interactions another way as this is just my two cents based on my experience with people.

overall i’m not a superfan of the sickly-sweet reputation these two get but i do like them for what i see them as, which is a Normal Relationship with Some Flaws. i like that they find solace in each other in a peaceful place after fleeing their less peaceful pasts. it’s a great dynamic (and i’m a sucker for farms) and i think they compliment each other’s personalities really well, with barley bringing ravenpaw out of the shell he’s been forced into and ravenpaw inspiring more cautiousness in a very brash barley who would otherwise probably jump into fights at the drop of a hat.

on a somewhat unrelated note, as a kid did anyone else wish that ravenpaw dropped his paw suffix? or blue/firestar granted him an honourary suffix for everything the poor kid went through? this isn’t like a super big meanigful thing but it just annoyed me when i was younger that the paw suffix kind of belittles him to apprentice level when after the fuckery the poor kid went through i think he deserves more recognition from the clans than that.

BLUESTAR x YELLOWFANG (bi x bi)

OKAYYY old women! while fanart of the two of them being in a loving happy relationship is very cute i like to take my old woman yuri one-sided and traumatic.

i think that yellowfang would have an unrequited crush on bluestar. what’s there not to like?! at the point when they meet bluestar is a compassionate but commanding cat in the prime of her leadership. after a bit of her being in the camp i think bluestar would also start spending a curious amount of time in the medicine den… unconciously she definitely saw the appeal in yellowfang from the getgo- it definitely strengthens the reasoning of her surprising decision to defend yellowfang as a member of thunderclan depsite risking a full on war with other clans from it, and her other clanmates lives in the process. obviously bluestar’s a leader that wouldn’t base a decision like that just based on a crush, and it was definitely because of what she wants her clan to stand for, but it’s Not a downside that the cute lady she used to see at gatherings gets to stay a while

bluestar’s definitely not letting it occupy her mind though, of course, totally not (the lady has Trauma from her relationship with oakheart and i see her as having an attatchment issue where she doesn’t feel like she deserves to have a healthy relationship, especially after losing mosskit. she’s just not fully ready yet). yellowfang pines as she watches bluestar throw herself fully into her work to distract herself from the growing feelings, and at some point probably grows annoyed with the cat-and-mouse and starts dedicating herself fully to her own work as a medicine cat too. there are moments of sweetness and clarity and words on the tips of tongues, but just as unexpectedly as they come bluestar will turn her head back to her duties.

unfortunately once tigerstar’s betrayal happens all cute flirting comes to a screeching halt as bluestar is consumed by the paranoia. on the good days she’ll hold stilted conversation with her clanmates, but not so much on the bad days. yellowfang hurts as she watches her crush sprial into madness and dysfunction, the likes of which is only heightened when the fire happens and yellowfang passes- completely insetting bluestar’s hatred for starclan for taking her love (who she still does have deeply-buried feelings for) away from her.

overall, can you tell i love inflicting mental anguish on bluestar? it’s my favourite hobby. i’m not even joking.

LEAFPOOL x MOTHWING (bi x lesbian)

okay this one might make you realise i love doomed yuri. Anyways,

put simply, i think leafpool and mothwing find each other attractive and secretly hook up on a frequent basis for some…. Funny Business. Hanky-Panky, if you will. ‘no-strings-attached’ yeah right i don’t think sapphics have ever pulled off a no strings attatched relationship without casualities.

mothwing definitely wants to confess but leafpool by that point has been forcing herself to move on and ends up telling mothwing about ‘liking’ crowfeather right before mothwing works up the courage (reading leafpool x crowfeather for the first time in the canon books geniunely felt like someone’s ao3 crackship. i guess that’s what traumabinding will do to two mfs). or maybe mothwing notices that leafpool is pregnant (which HOW THE HELL DID NOONE NOTICE IN CANON) and backs the hell off from that. maybe a very angsty argument over that… delicious.

how very ‘good luck babe’ by chappell roan of them! i think things end pretty awkwardly for mothpool and neither leafpool nor crowfeather are really in love with each other they’re just something shiny and distracting from each of their respective circuses of personal lives. i literally hear the clown music playing as they run away together. maybe it’s tinnitus.

they probably pine for each other forever and ever after that, neither falling in love again because they never get over each other. damn. how awkward is it to see your kind-of-ex at the moonpool every month…

anyway thanks for reading though beau’s cat rambles! if youve stuck it out to here… a tip of the hat to you

[lycoathropy]

Posting my art again cause I moved blogs 🔥

[0firestardontlikewaffles]

The bfs

[motordyk]

theyd do this in the fall i think

[roseeemoon]

Have a RavenBarley doodle in these trying times

[iamhollywood]

so ravenpaw died in barley's paws. ok. ok i'm normal about that (shaking and crying)

[norsevvy]

quick barley doodle <3 i love this guy so much

[vixymix101]

Ravenpaw x barley cause they silly!!

[kritterjitter]

anyways hi warrior cats tumblr i need to introduce my cat named Barley (yes hes named after Barley warrior cats) hes really dumb

[starryumbreons]

un Gatos

THE SHIP TAG IS ONLY FOR THE BOTTOM PICTURE

[hayfeather8771]

Take a Barley guys!

[sageokami]

Stfu 3/4 of Erin hunter they are canon

[sticktailwcdesigns]

Barley, Loner

First Appearance: Into the Wild, The Prophecies Begin Arc; Field Guides, Yellowfang's Secret Apparently

[council--board]

a barley [warrior cats] stimboard ? :3

Barley from Warrior Cats stimboard

Requested by: anon

x | x | x x | - | x x | x | x

[nickelbag610-blog]

Ravenpaw's Farewell is Very Gay.

So I just finished Ravenpaw's Farewell and it was actually a good send off for the character. It would have also been the perfect tragic gay love story that wasn't just a burry your gays story. If they actually had the balls to call them partners/mates. But no they were just roommates guys.

God it's kinda disappointing because this story has a lot of potential and they wouldn't have even had to change that much. Just refer to them as mates and keep everything else the same. Gay relationship deserve to be represented by name not just hinted at. And RF could have actually taught a lot had they just simply referred to them as gay.

It could have shown an older gay couple who were pass the honeymoon faze and just living their normal every day life. Because in Ravenpaw's Farewell specifically they had been together for years. So it makes since for them to be comfortable enough in their relationship that they don't have to be consiently showing affection. And sleeping in the same nest, hunting for each other and just general domestic stuff will show them as normal. Because gay relationships are normal.....

Had they been gay honestly the theme of "Do what you want to do with your life" honestly would have been a lot stronger. Because Ravenpaw running away to escape death is probably a very unfortunate reality some LGBT people have to face. So they can relate to him. Now Ravenpaw's reason for running away had nothing to do with his sexuality but that's okay. As people can still relate to that relief of being somewhere safe, of having good memories of a place you were run out of, of having people you still care about still live in that place you weren't safe in but they support you. And I like how they handle these feelings. Ravenpaw found " a good friend" in his new place of safety. His "best friend" walks with him to his birthplace so Ravenpaw can reminisce and Ravenpaw trust Barely enough to talk to him about his complicated feelings of his original home. And Barely trust him enough to bring up his insecurities about Ravenpaw possible leaving him due to how much Ravenpaw talks up his time there. But Ravenpaw is mature enough to reassure "his best friend" that he won't leave him and Ravenpaw admits he uses his good memories to burry his bad ones. But does still remember his bad memories. Ravenpaw reassures his partner that he doesn't regret leaving and his place is with him.

Ravenpaw has strong desire to help Barley's niece and nephew be warriors because they really want to be. And that causing a fight. But that fight is a normal martial fight. Not a relationship ending one or a little one. But one where the couple have ideation differences. And they fight but don't immediately break up or go one break but rather sleep in different beds and give each other space. But still care about each other even if they are mad. Because before Ravenpaw and the kits leave Barley feeds them all before going on a walk to get some space. While we don't know what Barley is thinking he does eventually catch up with the three. And Ravenpaw is so happy and Barley does the completely normal thing and admits he was wrong and supports his "total best friend" and will go with him for surpost and protection. And Barley absolutely showers Ravenpaw in love by saying how brave his is. Which makes since because Ravenpaw had a lot of anxiety while in Thunderclan so him telling him how brave he is, is probably very important to Ravenpaw.

When being threatened by the kittypets Barely (who is the stronger of the two as at this point Ravenpaw is weak and dying of Stomach cancer) puts himself in front of Ravenpaw to protect him. To note Barley is nice and doesn't like to fight due to his own past trauma but he doesn't hesitate to defend his sick "friend." Once they are allowed in Skyclan Barley goes on a hunting patrol and tries extra hard so Ravenpaw can rest. As Barely is worried and noticed Ravenpaw wasn't doing to well and wanted him to rest. And even as Ravenpaw is dying he begs Barley to help him in one last fight. As Ravenpaw wants to fight as a warrior one last time. And dispite Barley not wanting him too. He understands how important it is to Ravenpaw and dispite his tears agrees to fight side by side with Ravenpaw. And after the fight is over Barley begs Ravenpaw to relax but Ravenpaw wants to celebrate with the clan. He and Barley attend the ceremony that Barley's niece and nephew get as they join Skyclan. And as Ravenpaw is dying Echosong and Barley take him to a soft patch of grass and Barley shakes with sadness as he trying hiding it form Ravenpaw as he cuddles with him one last time. And the two's last conversation is giving comfort to each other. At the end Ravenpaw gives up Heaven ,as he was raised to believe it, to wait for his "best friend". You know the heaven that has everyone he knew growing up, his parents, siblings, friend, old leader, are in. But gives it all up so he can be with/ look over Barley. He also rejects a warrior name because he was Ravenpaw for most of his life and it's what his "best friend" knows him as.

The writers gave Ravenpaw the maturity they were to scared to give Firestar. When given the choice Ravenpaw doesn't even hesitate when he says he WANTS to be with Barley. Because Ravenpaw is mature enough to understand his husband of like 7 years (which in cat years must be like 40 years) is more important to him then a group he was with for under a year. While still important Ravenpaw probably took Barley insecurities about Ravenpaw choosing his old clan over him to heart and that probably helped with his destination. Because the two firmly believe their home is with each other.

It's a beautiful end because Barley sacrifices so much for Ravenpaw in this book alone. And I love that Ravenpaw returns that love by sacrificing his place is Starclan to wait and eternally be together with Barley. The aren't a great gay couple because they never fight or agree with each other on everything or are perfect at everything. They would have been a great gay couple because they realize that no amount of luxury, or safety, or food, or happiness can replace the love and trust they have with each other. They may fight but at the end of the day neither would want to be rid of the other. Because they WANT to be there for the other as much as the other WANT the other in their life. And that's truer love then most romance in Warriors. They deserved each other and deserved better from the company who said their love was inappropriate.