#but Mapleshade ESPECIALLY is an interesting mess

[ails-of-ardor-au]

Oooooo! I'm very curious about characters like Mapleshade in this au. Since it was mention having kits with other clans is fine, but not romance, would she need to hide anything? She could claim she didn't know what Appledusk did, or denounce him

Maybe do something dramatic to prove her loyalty? I feel like a lot of things could change in this au, since the leader would have no kits. Maybe Appledusk takes her role instead? From what I gathered in the book, he's more of a coward and manipulative, not afraid to throw others under the bus or hide behind them to get away with things. If he claims Maple loved him, when the topic of kits came up, but she rejects, maybe it sets off a chain of events when his other mate overhears?

I do love the idea of Appledusk turning out to be more of the villain… However, it’s not as simple as just shuffling roles around here

I don’t think that Mapleshade, who was utterly convinced that Appledusk loved her and wanted to be with her, would lie about who sired her litter if she was directly asked; I think she’d keep her mouth shut until someone asked, point-blank, if they were also of RiverClan blood. In addition, at the time that Mapleshade’s kits were born, tensions with RiverClan were high; choosing to unveil the fact that her kits were half-Clan at a time in which the two Clans were seconds away from declaring full-blown war specifically because of Birchface’s death, ThunderClan’s deputy, at the hands of the litter’s father would be a huge mistake.

In a game of love and politics, politics usually proves heavier, as it affects more people — or, in this case, cats.

But rest assured, no matter what, even if Mapleshade stays the unfortunate villain in this story, the actions of those around her will not be blindly rewarded.

(More in tags)

[wcstarless]

ok i know I KNOW that half of my AU's come from "what if Firefall fathered X" but like

what if Firefall fathered Alderheart & Sparkpelt?

First they have the hallmarks of a Firefall litter. Dead siblings, 2 kits left alive. 2nd Bramblestar's a mess and I feel like Leafpool would be like "hey i got this guy..."

This would be a villain Sparkpelt (here she'd be called Sparkfire because duh) AU. Bramblestar called her Sparkfire because she looked like Firestar...right...that's the reason?

Firefall would be annoyed about Alderheart being a bit of a goober just like he was annoyed about Ashfall. But Sparkfire? Forget about it. A girl who looked almost exactly like him?! Sparkfire got spoiled to the point Mapleshade got a little jealous.

Firefall's influence made Sparkfire want to be leader and boy did she go hardcore. Sparkfire loves like 3 people in the clan and the rest are meaningless to her. She still is mates with Larksong who loves her dearly but thinks its weird he wakes up with thorns in his bed a lot...

She obviously loves her brother even though she thinks he's stupid. And she's devoted to her mother. But she absolutely despises Bramblestar and everyone kind of knows it and is confused. Isn't that her father? And because Squirrel is fed up with Bramblestar she has no problem encouraging that behavior.

THIS IS NOT CANON BUT BOY THIS WOULD BE INTERESTING. Especially since I have nothing happening in VoS rn....

(also I imagine the scene where "Bramblestar" sicks the dogs on her differently because technically that's Ashfall trying to kill his sister...)

[cat-alyzing]

@dog-leg I cannot in good mind just leave this absolute treasure of a tag in the notes and it does bring a interesting idea to mind. In BTB Starclan is not pure and has many many cases of messing up badly. They are sloppy, biased, and pretty petty especially against those that break specific rules. The Dark Forest also doesn’t exist at all. All rejected cats who wished to rise to the Star Scape instead are trapped as ghosts in a darker colder version of the world. Depending on their power in life or effect on the living these ghosts can even change the real world though not in massive ways.

In Solestorm’s story when he finally confronts his mother again Star Cats are actually the ones who will him to murder her. Whispering with icy but sweet words, as if testing if he’d jump off a cliff to take their treat. They do this because they know that either him or Oakheart are to be the next leader and know that if Sole took power he’d be far less easy to control compared to his brother who prefers following compared to leading. So if Solestorm just murdered Rainflower he’d be banned from power- it is not a honorable or necessary killing. One purely done by anger (even if it’s pretty justified)

As the words whisper in his ear to murder his mother that wraith (Mapleshade) shows up. A shadow behind his mother just barely visible. Instead of telling him to not attack or even to do it all she whispers is to follow his heart.

So he doesn’t kill Rainflower and she does apologize to him, a better ending that leads to his leadership. Willowbreeze and his two kits dying later on are the Star cats punishment, a final test to see if he’d just break and step away. He grieves heavily and hurts a lot but is visited one last time by that wraith where he learns of her real fate, what happened to her. He now knows of the blood on the stars holy claws and will not follow them raising his daughter fiercely as a independent thinker (debating naming her Willowstream instead as it’s clearly after her mother but also as nod to Mapleshade) and when she ends up dying at the river he blames them again but knows that the kits that lived only did as a reminder of his past and specifically Maple, the mother dying instead this time while the kits lived.

What I am taking from this though is BTB!Silver not rising to the stars. She didn’t even want to she couldn’t ever in good faith become a star when she knew of their cruel ways especially as she knew they’d never allow her father to go as well. Her and Maple actually get to meet this time though as they both posses the rivers, both sides of the world as a symbol of death and life.

[sorrelstream]

entering “proper grammar” mode because I’m writing this on a google docs first and I don’t want to deal with all those ugly squiggles ahdfsdfds…

But!! Here’s the fully answered Ailuornymy question list, as requested by anon :D! More below the cut!

Favourite canon warrior name?

Hmm… let’s see… Honestly? Probably Silverstream! I don’t think we get many -stream suffixes anymore and there’s something soooo pretty about her name and the way it flows !!

Least favourite canon warrior name?

Snowbush. There’s something so clunky about the way this dude’s name reads in my head and I don’t know why!!! Also Harrybrook >:(

Warrior you’d most like to rename?

Harrybrook. I just!! It doesn’t sound nice at all please give him a better name :( Best name-change name? One-eye! I’m not sure if she asked for her name change or not, but I’ll admit “One-eye” is a pretty baller sounding name and I love that. Also Deadfoot has a cool name too (though I wish he had asked for that name change rather than saddled with it :/)!

Favourite canon character overall?

 Mousewhisker and Hazeltail! They’re two unimportant side characters that don’t really do anything ever but man do I love them with my whole heart <3!

Least favourite canon character overall? 

Thistleclaw and Crowfeather. I’ve talked about why I don’t like either of them a lot before so to keep it short they both make me incredibly uncomfortable nor do I enjoy reading about them at all.

Favourite Warriors book? 

The Darkest Hour! It was my first Warriors book that I read from the main series (Sasha's manga was the first Warriors book in general and how I got into Warriors), and MAN does it still stick with me! So many scenes from that book are just iconic. 

Least favourite Warriors book? 

Anything from Dawn Of The Clans honestly :'). I tried so many times to get into reading that arc and I never could get into it -- it just bored me any time I tried. Same for AVoS, eh.

Favourite canon scene or dialogue of all time? 

Such a random scene but there’s a scene I think about all the time from Power Of Three where Lionpaw has a nightmare about Hollypaw, and she just playfully (? ominously?) says “I’m going to get you” while hidden in the shadows before turning into a fox and attacking him. I think about it SO much…...

Favourite canon leader of all time? 

Crookedstar, followed closely by Tallstar! I love them…. 

Character you think deserved better? 

SO, SO MANY. IT’S UNREAL. Hollyleaf didn’t deserve to get killed off the VERY NEXT BOOK after she came back to ThunderClan, Snowkit didn’t deserve to get killed off just to push Speckletail into the nursery, Nightcloud didn’t deserve… literally anything she got both in canon and how the authors and fandom demonized her, Honeyfern…. Silverstream… the list goes on really :’/

Character you’d like to see “morally” flipped (made “bad” or made “good”)?

Leopardstar, kinda?? But not like. Morally flipped? I guess? I just mean I wish they had gone more into her redemption arc and why she allied herself with Tigerstar besides just “oh she was in love with him”. So it’s not that I wish she was morally flipped, but I wish they went more into her morality because she’s soo vague as it is (and, frankly, maybe I’m biased because I like her but I would’ve loved to see her overcome her initial prejudice or perhaps work for forgiveness for her Clan - perhaps her alliance with Tigerstar was out of worry for the entirety of her Clan since she saw him as the strongest cat and not just… because she “loved” him). Same for Breezepelt, honestly! They kept dancing between “he’s a troubled son of a negligent/abusive father” and “he’s evil :)” and personally? As a child of a negligent father who also abandoned me, it would’ve been way more … I’m not sure WHAT the word I’m looking for is but I think Breezepelt’s story would’ve been better if they focused on making him a troubled teen of a negligent, bad father and actually embraced Crowfeather being an antagonist in PO3 instead of not wanting to make him look bad. It’s just weird the erins flip flop between “this character is evil” and “this character is ok” so much it’s FRUSTRATING :/

Favourite AU (alternate universe) concept? 

Answered here! 

Warrior code rule you think is best?

Always help a kitten in need, no matter their heritage! I know that’s not the exact wording but anyways. Perhaps I’m biased because I, in general, don’t like reading about child death (I know it happens and I can handle it in some plots but sometimes it’s just so excessive), but in general I think it’s one of the best and genuinely helpful code laws, especially because kittens always deserve a chance at life. I think the second best rule would be the one that states a warrior does not need to kill to win a battle, because I think that adds a lot more depth (potentially) to how warriors value the lives of others and creates a bigger scene? scandal? when someone is killed in battle versus dying of wounds later on. It also, again, keeps the youngsters like apprentices safe!

Warrior code rule you think shouldn’t exist/should be changed?

If you know me, you won’t be surprised because it’s the same answer as always: the leader’s word is law. I’ve spoken a lot about that code before and even have a comic about its flaws, so I won’t go into it too much here, but I just think it’s a recipe for disaster.

Describe your ideal vision of Starclan/clan afterlife.

Hmmm let’s see… my ideal vision of StarClan/clan afterlife would be a little bit like what it’s like in canon at the moment but with a few twists. I think the borders would dissolve in StarClan so there’d be less in-fighting (though I imagine, after growing up your whole life hating your neighbors, a lot of cats have a hard time getting used to the no-boundary life-style of StarClan, and a lot of young/new spirits tend to stick within their own Clan cliques before venturing out and meeting former members of other Clans. Older spirits would be the ones most used to interacting with former members of other Clans). I think there’d be sections that mimic the corporeal Clan’s territories in theme, but with different landmarks and such so that new spirits have a new world to explore. I’d also take away the fading aspect because I don’t really think that’s… fair? I guess? It’s weird to me but I’d prefer not to go into it. I’d also make it so that there’s no great wisdom to these cats - or, at least, the wiser StarClan spirits are the ones that have been around for as long as anyone can remember. They wouldn’t be able to interfere with the living as much in canon and can only really visit medicine cats, or possibly leaders, in dreams; anyone else has to go to the sacred area to commune with the dead. Not sure what else though! This is just kind of a general idea.

Traditional or non-traditional naming. Thoughts?

I think both have their merits! While I prefer traditional naming systems because I enjoy seeing the way people develop suffix meanings and assign well-known meanings to them (and even connotations!), plus it helps me personally assign even the smallest trait to a side character so they feel just a little more real, I see why people would enjoy non-traditional naming systems as it does give more breathing room for individual name creation. Also, I’m not gonna lie, there’s some gorgeous lyrical names out there that flow beautifully. My heart will always belong to traditional naming, though, I think. 

If traditional: What non-traditional suffix would you include in your system? If non-traditional: What’s your favourite canon suffix?

Traditional! I actually have included some non-traditional suffixes in my system, just for variety! But those are: -throat, -pool, -belly, -fern, -bee, -berry, -chirp, and -tooth, for example. There’s actually quite a few more but I don’t wanna list every single addition shfbd!

Best thing about the clan system as a concept in your opinion?

Hard to pick, honestly! But I do think the best thing about clans as a system is their unity; they’re a little society that has each other’s backs, and the care for young and elderly a lot is touching!

Favourite Warriors fanfiction (or fanfiction writer)?

HA this might be an obvious answer, but 100% solacefruit on ao3 (also: @/ailuronymy and @/burnt-sycamore on tumblr!). His worldbuilding is to die for and there’s something so charming and attention grabbing about his writing style that always has me waiting for the next update. Seriously, probably one of my biggest writer inspirations. 

Favourite Warriors fanartist (includes animators)?

Answered here!

Most interesting villain?

Mapleshade and Sol, honestly. I’ve rambled about Mapleshade before, I think, but I think her story could have had a lot of potential to call out the misogyny and bias of StarClan and the code, and how mollies are often punished harsher than the toms for their code-breaking. Her story also features how weird the warriors are with the warrior code - it’s like they cherry pick what they want to believe? Oakstar sends three innocent kittens out of the Clan, presumably to die (which they do), despite the code speaking to never endanger a kitten’s life no matter their heritage, and no one ever questions him, or the rest of ThunderClan, for standing by to watch kittens die? Even Frecklewish outright stated she watched the kittens die and did nothing about it. Why? Why was everyone okay with punishing Mapleshade for breaking a rule of the code but no one questioned Oakstar or anyone else in ThunderClan for kicking out the kits alongside Mapleshade, when it was Mapleshade’s crime and not the kits? And why doesn’t Appledusk get punished or ostracized by his clanmates as severely as Mapleshade did? It had a lot of potential but it’s just a mess. Anyways - onto Sol. Another interesting concept kinda messed up by the Erins. In general, I really love villains that are just nuisances at best and no real threat - kind of like Heinz Doofenshmirtz - and with Sol’s backstory being the way it was, he was the perfect opportunity to have him be this little antagonistic shithead who, while annoying and causing problems, wasn’t actually a serious threat, and he of all villains would have had the best shot at redemption I think.

Favourite canon clan?

RiverClan! I love their aesthetic, their territory, and their general vibes. In love with water-based places <3!!

What would you ask Erin Hunter, if you could?

“Would you hand the series off to a new team of writers?” All good series must come to an end, but with Warriors being as broad as it is, I think this is a series where spin offs can be made and still thrive - just not with the current author staff we have at the moment. There’s lots of people with amazing, creative ideas for Warriors, and I know this is just a fantasy at best, but I would love to see a new writing team take over and weave brand new stories and worldbuilding with it in spin-offs. Hell, even I’d love to take a crack at publishing a Warriors spin off, but, again, it’s a fantasy at best.

Top five prefixes (canon or otherwise)?

Sorrel-, Chub-, Mink-, Rose-, and Vervain- (you can tell I like these prefixes considering these are all prefixes of characters featured in my webcomic besides Sorrel-, which is used for my wcsona’s name ha!) Honorable mentions to: Black- (or any color based prefix like Yellow-, Red-, Ginger-, Blue-, Gray-, White-, etc. I don’t know why but I’m fond of them), Beetle-, and Fidget- (which isn’t a traditional prefix, but I think it’s cute hehe.)

Top five suffixes (canon or otherwise)?

Just narrowing down for traditional because I need a smaller pool to pick from habdfsd but! -face, -flower, -stripe, -storm and -nose! 

If you were on Drunk Warriors Rants, what would you talk about?

I have no idea what Drunk Warriors Rants is actually but I’m assuming it’s something where you get drunk and rant about warrior cats so… I would absolutely rant about Hollyleaf and mainly the wild mischaracterization the fandom has made of her break down and the murder of Ashfur. It irks me to no end how so many people have pushed this weird concept that Hollyleaf was aware her parents were Crowfeather and Leafpool when she murdered Ashfur to the point that most people I talk to genuinely don’t realize this, because not only does it just make so sense narratively but I feel like it really does take away from the depth that is her character. I think Hollyleaf is one of the few characters we get, like, an actual depth to, who is developed beyond “typical protagonist with love interest”, and has an interesting arc, downfall, and redemption. When she killed Ashfur, she was totally unaware that Leafpool and Crowfeather were her parents - in fact, the entirety of Sunrise is about Hollyleaf, Jayfeather, and Lionblaze trying to figure out who their parents are, so I honestly don’t know where this whole “Hollyleaf knew about her heritage when she killed Ashfur” thing came from. It really ruins her arc by making her out to be some nonsense cat who killed to keep a secret she spilled anyways, and not a cat who killed to keep a secret she didn’t fully understand yet, who then completely unraveled once she discovered the origins and how her existence completely went against everything she was raised to believe in.

What would your warrior name be?

Pretty obvious answer but my warrior name would be Sorrelstream! Or possibly Sorrelstripe, but I lean towards Sorrelstream. I love to swim a lot actually but I wouldn’t say I’m a particularly strong or skilled swimmer but hey… It’s my warriors sona and I get to give him one (1) skill.

Bonus questions:

Describe your favourite original Warriors characters! 

HONESTLY this question is a little tough because I have such a huuuge cast of original warrior characters it’s hard to narrow down! I’d say if you’re interested in hearing more about my ocs or seeing them in action to check out my @/roseface blog, which is dedicated to my wc comic, or check out my ao3 account (kiittenteeth) because I’ll probably be posting warriors-centric original character stories there soon!

Describe your original Warriors clans! 

Heyyy fun fact! I’m actually working on a small novel fanfic (only about ten chapters long) featuring my fanclans! They’re a group of four Clans set in an abandoned gated neighborhood/area - FernClan (located in the local abandoned mall), PondClan (located in the abandoned golf course), GleamClan (located in the local abandoned restaurant/diner), and FieldClan (located in the abandoned K-12 academy school). I won’t go too much into them here since I want to explore their worldbuilding in my fic, but keep an eye out for them when I drop the first chapter of Ribs! 

Talk about your feelings about the Warriors series! 

Oh man. A lot. The series itself is… disappointing, at best, but I’m awfully attached to it no matter how many times I try to break away from it. It was my biggest media interest growing up (keyword: media), so it’s a pretty big part of me and the way I grew up. Plus I met a good chunk of my friends through warrior cats related areas, so :’)!!! It’s a series that despite all its flaws is incredibly close to me but I’m mainly here to read everyone’s fan content because MAN does the fan content go above and beyond!

(Asked by @/whocares-idont) What’s your opinion on fan made Clan pantheons? 

I LOOVE fan made Clan pantheons actually! Mythology was always something I loved learning about as a kid, and I’m particularly fond of the worldbuilding people make for the Warriors setting. I feel like creating a pantheon and mythos tied to it adds to the depth of the world and makes it all the more interesting and realistic, especially since mythology is such a huge part of so many cultures, both ancient and modern one. I think creating pantheons really adds to the setting people make with warriors, and, honestly, they’re always really fun to read about!!

[thistleclaws-hatred]

Chapter Four

Previous Chapter       Next Chapter

Thistlepaw stretched his paws out, the muscles in his shoulders burning in a satisfying way. He moved towards the camp clearing, nudging Leopardpaw awake on his way out. Lionpaw and Goldenpaw had moved into the warriors' den about a few days ago, now named Lionheart and Goldenflower. Thistlepaw still wasn’t used to their absence and he knew it wouldn’t be long until Leopardpaw and Patchpaw were made into warriors.

Adderfang nodded at his apprentice and flicked his tail towards the fresh-kill pile. Thistlepaw and he had developed somewhat of a silent way to communicate, much to the other warriors’ displeasure. Turns out Adderfang liked to mess with his fellow warriors as much as Thistlepaw liked to mess with the apprentices.

The gray tom sat beside the fresh-kill pile, eagerly eating a mouse before his first-ever battle training session today. He had been an apprentice for a little more than a moon and was eager to learn how to defend his clanmates. While Adderfang had shown him a few moves here and there, today would be his first day against an actual ‘enemy’.

Leopardpaw walked past him, her black tail held high as she moved towards her own mentor. Robinwing was talking with Adderfang when the black she-cat approached and Thistlepaw could see the three now talking together. Are they talking about me? 

Now’s your chance to prove your worth. A raspy voice whispered in his ear. Thistlepaw vaguely remembered One Eye from his time in the Dark Forest, a place he hasn’t visited again since he first became an apprentice.

“Would you leave me alone?” Thistlepaw hissed under his breath.

“Not even allowed to enjoy some fresh-kill with you?” Lionheart’s familiar happy voice joked above him.

“Oh, sorry Lionheart, of course, you can join me,” Thistlepaw brightened up.

The large golden tabby sat down, picking a pair of mice off the pile, “Who were you talking to?”

“Oh, um, my nerves,” Thistlepaw lied.

“Today is your first day one on one with another apprentice, yes?” Lionheart asked.

“Yeah.”

“It’s odd that Adderfang would put you against Leopardpaw, especially since she’s a lot more experienced than you, but I think it’ll be a good match,” Lionheart meowed.

“Really?” Thistlepaw perked up.

“You two are about the same size, it’ll be interesting to see who is stronger,” the warrior commented.

“Well...clearly Leopardpaw, no?”

“I said stronger, not more skilled,” Lionheart laughed.

“Oh,” the apprentice blushed under his words. Finishing off his mouse he stood, flicking his tail across Lionheart’s flank as he left to join his mentor.

---------

“Should we be worried about the barking?” Leopardpaw asked, turning her ears in the direction of a loud, echoing bark.

“Probably not,” Robinwing began, “Pinestar sent out a patrol before the two of you awoke to go see if it was anywhere near us.”

Thistlepaw looked over his shoulder as if he expected the dog to leap out of the bushes and attack him. The fur on his spine stood on edge when another bark came roaring through the forest. “No need to worry Thistlepaw. We’re close to another twoleg home.”

“This isn’t near twolegplace though?” Thistlepaw asked.

“No, but there’s a small building through those woods,” Adderfang gestured to the left of them, “Sometimes it’s empty, other times it has twolegs in it. As long as we stay away from it, we’ll be okay.”

Thistlepaw nodded, letting his fur lie flat and following Robinwing through a small hollow in the bushes. In front of the four cats was a wide clearing, a sandy pit stood in the center. “This is the training hollow. We’ve only walked past it as we’ve had no reason to use it,” Adderfang informed his apprentice. “Today, you will learn basic attack and defense skills and put them to the test against Leopardpaw.”

Thistlepaw was bouncing on his paws, excitement flooding his limbs and lending fuel to his muscles. “Remember to keep your claws sheathed. And Leopardpaw, everyone knows you are close to becoming a warrior, so go easy on Thistlepaw,” Robinwing chimed in.

I’m not a kit. Thistlepaw thought bitterly. He turned towards Adderfang, waiting for his mentor to give further instruction. 

“Why are you looking at me? Turn and face your opponent,” Adderfang ordered.

“But...I don’t know anything.” Thistlepaw felt a sudden pit of dread fill his stomach.

“I believe in learning on the job,” Adderfang pushed Thistlepaw towards the black she-cat. “Just use your instincts.”

Mouse-brain! Never should’ve lied about Mapleshade’s hunting training. Thistlepaw looked at Leopardpaw, she suddenly seemed a lot bigger now that the two of them were sizing each other up. The she-cat stalked around Thistlepaw, never letting him out of her direct line of sight. 

She’s going to go for your tail, wrap it around your hind-leg. One Eye whispered to him. Thistlepaw growled lowly at the invisible cat, leaping to the side to face Leopardpaw. The apprentice suddenly charged at him, diving underneath the tom with paws outstretched. Thistlepaw froze in shock as she latched onto his tail and yanked him to the side.

“Wrap your tail around your hind-leg when you are unsure of your opponent. That gives them one less thing to bite down on,” Adderfang instructed.

Should’ve listened to me. Thistlepaw hissed in frustration and circled Leopardpaw, keeping his steps light, much like he was hunting a fast rabbit. Leopardpaw made the first move again and lashed out with a quick paw. Duck! 

Thistlepaw ducked underneath her strike and rammed his head into her chest, akin to how Rushtooth had battled against Mapleshade. Leopardpaw stumbled backward, falling on her side. She quickly stood up and looked over Thistlepaw, “You weren’t wrong about his instincts Adderfang,” she commented.

“Indeed, he’s quicker than a fox,” Robinwing praised.

“Yes, but if this had been a real battle, Leopardpaw would’ve rolled with the move and been back on her paws in an instant. Thistlepaw needs to learn how to use that shock to lash out and catch the enemy when they are weak,” Adderfang instructed. “Now, again.”

Leopardpaw again moved to lash out, and again Thistlepaw butted her off balance. In a single moment, she was back on her paws and caught Thistlepaw’s shoulder with a forepaw. Thistlepaw narrowed his eyes and reared up once he caught his balance, using his size to tower over the she-cat. His paw hit the side of her head, sending her across the clearing. He dropped back onto all-fours, fear sliding up his spine, “Leopardpaw! Are you alright?” Thistlepaw asked.

The other apprentice stood up, shaking her head clear, “Of course I am! I used to train with Lionheart. Great move.”

You show good instincts. Next time you attack, imagine she is a ShadowClan warrior. One Eye instructed him.

“I don’t need two mentors!” Thistlepaw growled.

“Thistlepaw!” Adderfang snapped, “That is no way to talk to Robinwing!”

Thistlepaw looked at the brown she-cat, a blush rushing to his face, he hadn’t realized that she’d been talking. “Oh, I’m sorry Robinwing. I didn’t mean it like that.”

Robinwing narrowed her eyes in a challenge, “Then perhaps you would like to face me.”

Adderfang stifled a laugh next to his fellow warrior, “I think he would,” he managed out.

Robinwing entered the clearing, standing on the opposite end to Thistlepaw. The apprentice swallowed back his fear when he saw the lithe she-cat look him up and down. For once, One Eye was silent.

Robinwing wasted no time in rushing Thistlepaw, knocking him off his feet and rolling with him when the tom tried to roll back to his paws like Leopardpaw had done moments before. Thistlepaw felt the air escape his lungs when he landed on his back, Robinwing placing most of her weight down on his chest. He struggled in the dirt below her, trying to throw her off. 

Hind-legs into the stomach. A thought entered his mind. Not his own, he knew that, but he followed it nonetheless. When Robinwing raised her paw up, claws sheathed, of course, to mimic a battle-ending chest blow, Thistlepaw pushed his hind-legs into her lower stomach and heaved her off with every ounce of strength he had.

Robinwing landed gracefully across from him, his move barely seeming to affect her. “Good. Maybe you were listening to me after all.”

Thistlepaw stood up, blushing again, “I’m sorry Robinwing.”

“I’m sure you are,” Adderfang chided his apprentice, cuffing him around the ear, “You will spend the rest of the day clearing the elders’ den and getting rid of their ticks.”

-------

Thistlepaw grimaced, the foul taste of mouse-bile rested heavily on his tongue. He had spent nearly all day getting rid of the ticks on Mumblefoot. By the time he finished and left the elders’ den, the sun was nearly gone.

“Mouse-dung,” Thistlepaw muttered upon realizing that the fresh-kill pile was almost empty. He probably didn’t deserve any tonight anyway. He dragged his paws out of camp, heading towards the river to wash off his paws. Featherwhisker wasn’t joking when he said that mouse-bile would ruin his entire night.

Thistlepaw grumbled a string of curses to himself and entered the river. The cool water lapped at his fur and weighed it down, making him look more like a kit than an apprentice. The moon was now above him, leaving the air cold and bitter with a hint of the coming leaf-bare hanging in the wind.“Mouse-bile?” 

Thistlepaw carefully turned around in the water, seeing Snowfur on the shore. A dumb smile was on her face as the apprentice nodded in response, dragging himself out of the water. “Punishment for not listening to Robinwing today.”

“Well, mouse-brain, you should listen to her! She’s one of the quickest hunters and fighters in the clan,” Snowfur sassed, nudging him.

“Yeah, I know. I’m just lost in my head,” Thistlepaw sighed, sitting down and licking his chest fur, trying to dry himself before he got sick.

“You’re always lost in your head,” Snowfur shook her head, laying next to the apprentice. She leaned over and licked along his flank. Thistlepaw stopped his own grooming and looked down at the white she-cat. The moonlight shone down upon the pair, reflecting off of the water and highlighting them in a pale glaze.

Snowfur gazed up at Thistlepaw, seizing her grooming of his wet fur, the moonlight caught her blue eyes and entranced the young apprentice, “Yes?” She asked, a happy look in her eyes.

“Nothing, um, you just...look really pretty right now,” Thistlepaw blushed, turning away from her gaze.

Snowfur purred and sat up. She flicked her tail under his chin to make him look at her, “You’re cute when you’re embarrassed.”

Thistlepaw folded his ears back, looking over at the river. He carefully weighed his options and looked back at the beautiful she-cat next to him. He licked between her ears, tail stiff as he waited for her response.

Snowfur smiled and pressed into his fur, leaning her head on his shoulder and giving his ruffled fur a quick lick. Thistlepaw purred loudly, wrapped his tail around hers and pressing back against her. The pair sat silently, watching the gentle flow of the river as the moon shone high above them.

[needlewind]

Warrior Cats Twenty Questions

Figured I’d answer these, since it’ll be pretty long I’ll put it under a read more

1. How did you get into Warriors?: I can’t really remember at this point? It was some time in middle school. I think my cousin was interested in them and showed them to me in the library. All I remember is that the first book I read was Eclipse and I was hella confused.

2. Favorite Arc: I’ve only read up to like half of oots but I think I have to say the first one? It’s just the best written and a majority of my favorite characters are in it.

3. Favorite Book (excluding mangas, super editions, novellas): This is hard considering how long it’s been since I read the books but I think it’s a tie between Fire and Ice and Forest of Secrets.

4. Favorite Super Edition, Novella, or Manga: Tallstar’s Revenge. Literally no contest, it’s probably the only warriors book I’d actively recommend to someone else.

5. Favorite Clan: Windclan. Mostly because of Tallstar’s Revenge, but I also really loved the Windclan cats in the first series. They just seemed much more passive and connected then the other clans.

6. Favorite Character: Graystripe. Admittedly, I’m just very very nostalgic for who he was in the first book. His introduction was the whole reason I kept reading and ended up falling in love with the series.

7. Least Favorite Character: Tigerstar the first. Fuck this guy. Enough said.

8. Most Aesthetically Pleasing Cat: I really love how people draw Dovewing actually, like very fluffy and short with the little mask. Ferncloud, Squirrelflight, and Frostpaw are all very cute too.

9. Favorite Leader: I want to say Tallstar but I think I just liked him a lot as a warrior. I guess Firestar? That feels like a lame answer and he didn’t do much as a leader but I still think he was a good leader which I can’t say about... most Warrior Cat leaders.

10. Favorite Villain: Mapleshade. Say what you will about her outside of her novela but Mapleshade was nuanced and way more interesting then ‘brown tabby 700.’ Also Snowtuft? I’m not sure if he even counts but he’s my skrunkly.

11. Favorite Medicine Cat: Cinderpelt. Listen, I love a lot of medicine cats, but Cinder is literally one of my favorite characters in the whole series. Like, she’s my daughter and I love her.

12. Overrated Character: Daisy. She hardly shows up? And all I remember about her is that she insulted Brightheart basically immediately and that she was a den mom. Like I don’t understand why people love her so much.

13. Underrated Character: Deadfoot. Most people only remember him from that prologue in Midnight where he pulled nepotism and picked Crowfeather for the journey but in Tallstar’s Revenge he was actually fucking adorable. Interesting enough he was born with the twisted paw and he’s one of the few Warrior Cats I can think of who became a warrior even with a disability (because the Erins are ableist-), also Tallstar and him are half-brothers. I find him fascinating and I really wish he’d been a leader.

14. Favorite Minor Character: Does Swiftpaw count? I mean- he wasn’t exactly in the story for very long. I’m gonna say he counts. Anyway- yeah, Swiftpaw. He’s one of those characters I wanna stick under a microscope and study.

15. Favorite Pairing: Squirrelcrow (Squirrelflight x Crowfeather).

16. Least Favorite Pairing: Firetiger (Firestar x Tiger(claw)star) just... no.

17. Favorite Friendship: Crowfeather and Feathertail as friends is the highlight of my life (honestly there’s a lot I could put here but I don’t have a lot of friendships I don’t ship in some capacity so...).

18. Favorite Moment: The training scene in Into the Wild where Ravenpaw ends up catching an snake. Listen, I’m so nostalgia blind, but I love the main trio in that book so fucking much. Peak Warrior Cats.

19. Most Tragic Death: The death of Mapleshade’s kits really messes with me. All kit deaths do but those especially because it was completely avoidable and they had no idea what was going on.

20. Favorite Battle / Fight Scene: The end of Into the Wild with the raid on Shadowclan was iconic.

[twilights-800-cats]

mapleshade’s vengeance was good but jesus i couldn’t get over the fact that mapleshade actually thought her half-clan warrior-code-breaking babies would actually stop a riverclan-thunderclan blood war like wtf mapleshade did you forget the actual world you live in or something???????????????

goosefeather’s curse is interesting though, especially goosefeathers’s ability - but wtf is up with thunderclan medicine cats and strange special powers???

like id get it if powers like these were something all medicine cats had the capability of getting - that’s a really cool concept and i like it - but its only been thunderclan or cats that would become thunderclan eventually that get these powers.

and oh boy the more we try to add to the previous generations of cats the more errors we’re going to end up with lol. like im excited for the redtail novella as much as the next person but there are a lot of pre-main series novellas and the continuity is just going to get really messed up if they keep making them. they honestly should stop after the redtail book.

also im cracking up at two characters named frecklewish, how did yall forget that

[voidingvindication]

some Mapleshade HCs that i know will never be canon but i’m letting myself believe they are

Hey just a warning a friend of mine and I thought of these HCs solely because I want to give Mapleshade more character, and give her some morality. So if you don’t like the idea of Mapleshade being capable of being kind to kits then don’t read these and then try to attack me or send me hate for it, I don’t care.  I put them under a Read More for a reason, take it or leave it.

Concept: If kits WERE put into the Dark Forest ((They aren’t, but that would be an interesting concept)) or wandered into it and either didn’t want to leave or got stuck there by being there too long, Mapleshade would take care of them because she would remember her own kits. If they wanted to go back to Starclan and still had time, Mapleshade would begrudgingly let them go. The only kits Mapleshade refuses to like are anyone related to Appledusk, including Oakheart and Crookedstar’s kits, though she oddly never tried to mess with Mistystar, even though she became a leader.  -This was either because Mistystar is half-clan and Mapleshade knew the struggles she’d have to face with that knowledge would be punishment enough, or because Mistystar did once dream of Mapleshade, however she refused to involve herself in any promises like Crookedstar did, either because he warned her or because she knew she wasn’t to be trusted. -Mapleshade wasn’t involved in Feathertail’s death, she knew she was going to die young and left her alone. However, when Stormfur stayed with the tribe she couldn’t do anything to antagonize him, since he was too far away from the Dark Forest’s reach, however much she wanted to. Bonus: Appledusk wanted nothing to do with his and Mapleshade’s kits, ESPECIALLY Patchkit since he looked so much like her, so he basically disowned them in Starclan, and anytime they bumped into Ravenwing, Frecklewish, or Oakstar or any of the cats in Thunderclan during MV, they’d hiss at them and insult them, and thus, feeling alone, the three went searching for their mother, ending up in the Dark Forest maybe because they just wandered in there or because a cat told them the truth about what happened to Mapleshade, and they found her and she took them in, hiding them from the other cats in the DF so they couldn’t hurt them and so her kits wouldn’t have to see the shit that goes down there. Thus, the only cats Mapleshade is ever truly kind to are Patchkit, Petalkit, and Larchkit + the kits from the headcanon above. BONUS BONUS: The reason why Mapleshade is so scared of fading away((even if that isn’t canon I personally believe she is)) is because one or two of the kits she took in were even older than she was, and they ended up fading away one day and it just b r o k e her because she realised that one day her kits would be alone without her. PLUS everytime she notices that her own kits are fading more and more she feels even worse. ONE MORE BONUS: Mapleshade tries to prevent herself from fading by influencing and appearing for cats similar to Tigerclaw, Goosefeather, and Crookedstar, so they’ll remember her and possibly mention her to living cats, which makes her appearance less faded and gives her a few more seasons to stay around. Also, since Mapleshade didn’t canonly die a second time in The Last Hope, you can bet your ass that I believe that she’s still around and messing with certain characters. She would.

[almighty-letu]

20 Warrior cats questions

I wasn’t tagged, but i really wanted to do this challenge.

1. How did you get into Warriors?

When i was, maybe around 12 or 13, i was browsing through youtube when i stumble upon the SSS warrior cat animated series. From there i watched other animated projects related to warriors, i had no idea what was going, then i did a little research and discovered the series. And just a year later, i finally got my hands on Into the wild.

2. Favorite Arc?

Well, i haven’t read Omen of the stars yet, neither Dawn of the Clans (But i want to read it soooo badly!) nor Vision of shadows. Which leaves the first three series to choose from. I’m going to go with The prophecies begin, just because how well it is written. Maybe it’s because it’s the first series, but even today the story still holds up. I was so excited to start reading Power of three, but was kind of disappointed by the amount of filler it was put in. And i was really interested in the New prophecy arc at first but after they reached the lake, it kind of dragged from there. So the first series it is.

3. Favorite Book? (excluding mangas, super editions, novellas)

Oh that’s a tough question!

I think it will be a tie between “The darkest hour” and “Long shadows”. The darkest hour was the epic conclusion to the first series, and everything before was building up to this big moment, and it was just so cool to see the four Clans uniting to stand against BloodClan. Though the only nitpick that i have is that it’s kind of lame that the big bad is killed off so easy just so we can get a new “surprise” villain. But Scourge is cool, and i like him. (Yeah, i know he’s overrated, but i still like him as a villain)

“Long shadows” in my opinion was the first true warriors book that i have read since the end of the first series. Don’t get me wrong, not to say everything else was bad before this book, it just didn’t keep my interest from beginning to end. Some conflict stuff happened here and there, but that’s it. So much stuff happens in “Long shadows” and none of it was filler. I remember every single detail that happened in that book. And of course, there is the great fire scene near the end and the cliffhanger ending.

4. Favorite Super Edition, Novella, or Manga?

Okay, i’m going to cheat a little here and pick one for each.

For favorite super edition, my personal favorite is Tallstar’s revenge. I love the way WindClan is portrayed in this book. Tallstar’s point of view is very interesting, especially when you notice the change when he comes back. His relationship with Jake, of course. I haven’t read all of them, i’m currently reading Firestar’s quest and it’s good so far. If i had to rate the super editions i read from my favorite to my least favorite, the order would be: Tallstar’s revenge, Crookedstar’s promise, Firestar’s quest (Again, i’m still reading it, but so far from what i have seen this is where i would rate it. May change the further i progress in the story) Yellowfang’s secret, and finally Bluestar’s prophecy.

My favorite novella is “Mapleshade’s vengeance”. I love how dark it is. How it shows the darker side of warriors, the way Mapleshade went from a loving queen to this tormented, sick and twisted cat with a thirst to kill everyone who wronged her. But the interesting thing for me, is that she isn’t doing this for herself. (For the most part) But for her kits.

And for the manga, well... the only manga i read was “The rise of Scourge”. So i guess this is my favorite! XD

5. Favorite Clan?

ShadowClan. As much as i love the development and culture of WindClan from Tallstar’s revenge, ShadowClan is the one that catches my interest the most. I don’t remember now from where i read it, but when i saw this: “It was often said when the Clans were in the forest, that the cold north wind of the mountains chilled the ShadowClan warriors' hearts.” I thought this was so cool. ShadowClan is often judged to be the “slytherin” of the series. The obvious bad guys/bullies, and i think they deserve more. I haven’t read VoS, but from what i have heard, they are once again in the tyranny of some rogue. Can’t they catch a break for once? I wish this Clan was represented better.

6. Favorite Character?

Only one? Can i mention several? This is warriors after all. There are lots of characters! Fuck it, i’m doing it anyway.

Hollyleaf, love her character arc and i ship her with Fallen Leaves. Jayfeather, his grumpiness is really appealing (Unlike some other cats that i know *Cough cough* Bluestar *Cough cough*) his point of view is very interesting and i was always looking forward to read his parts in the books. Brambleclaw, and i do say “Claw” rather than “Star” because i don’t know how he is as a leader. I liked his struggle to set himself apart from his father, and his relationship with Squirrelflight. Cinderpelt, she deserved better. Yellowfang, grumpy grandmother with sharp tongue (Too bad her character is ruined and tainted further on into the series) Crookedstar, he suffers and goes through so much and yet he still becomes such a great leader. Brokenstar, no i don’t like him in the way that i understand what he went through and his motives are justified. I like him for how cool of a villain he was. (I like villains okay?) He killed kits by training them too hard, he killed his father, he banished his own mother, and ruled over ShadowClan with threats. He was so diabolically evil, how can you not love it? Whitestorm, he was very cool as this wise and respectable warrior. Um... i think that’s it.

7. Least Favorite Character?

Raggedstar, Crowfeather, Rainflower, Leopardstar, and Onestar.

I hate everything about Raggedstar. His character, his relationship with Yellowfang, his actions. He’s so whiny, and really despicable. I don’t care if you have daddy issues or not, you don’t manipulate the one you love just because she decided to become something else.

Crowfeather had so much potential, and i originally liked him in the new prophecies series. But then he became cold and uncaring, and i guess you could make the argument that’s what the Erins were going for after his failed relationship with Leafpool. But he should have been more honorable! Actually be loyal to WindClan because he is loyal, and not because he has to. Taking Nightcloud as a mate just to prove his loyalty is such a mean move, because he essentially used her. And then when the truth comes out about the three, he completely shifts the blame solely to Leafpool, and gets away scotch free! He better get a good redemption in Omen of the stars or else... i’m going to get angry.

Rainflower, Terrible, terrible mother. I hate her so much.

Leopardstar, not much to say in this one. I just don’t think she’s a very good leader, nor did she do much of anything to deserve her position. And she got on my nerves.

Onestar, what’s there to say about this douche cat that hasn’t already been said? He was great as Onewhisker, then he got his nine lives, and i guess one of his gifts was the gift of being an ass because after he became leader his character decided to change and become a complete jerk for no reason. So much for keeping the peace between ThunderClan and WindClan, am i right Tallstar?

8. Most Aesthetically Pleasing Cat?

This is going to be kind of a strange one: Ivypool, even though i don’t know much about her i really like her design. I like tabbies.

9. Favorite Leader?

I like Blackstar. He’s grumpy most of the time, and yeah, he makes some bad decisions. But hey, so does all of the other leaders. I personally would not mind to see a super edition about him. He used to be the deputy for both Brokenstar and Tigerstar, and when the position passed onto him, he stepped up and became a honorable leader. I would like to see this change more closely.

10. Favorite Villain?

As much as i like Brokenstar, i have to go with Mapleshade. She’s the queen of the Dark forest basically. I think she’s still around, if i’m not wrong? But the way she has solely devoted herself to revenge, to even manipulate a kit into basically selling his soul to her at the cost of his loved ones lives, is pretty messed up. Also, can i say that we should have more she-cat villains in the series? We need more she-cat villains in these series. I am so tired of big scarred tabbies going around being evil and stuff. 

11. Favorite Medicine Cat?

Jayfeather. He’s a good medicine cat who’s not afraid to call out on StarClan’s bullshit when he has to. And he always does what is needed of him to fulfill the prophecy.

12. Overrated Character?

Bluestar. At this point, you are probably thinking i hate her guts, aren’t you? I don’t hate Bluestar, i don’t think i even dislike her. But the fandom treats her as if she is the greatest thing ever. If anyone so much as utters that they dislike her they are immediately showered with a storm of hate. How dare anyone dislike Bluestar? She’s fine guys, but she isn’t all that. Calm down. You can love her, of course you can, but we can dislike her too you know.

13. Underrated Character?

Dustpelt. I like his background development. He hated Firestar at first, and i guess he had a thing for Sandstorm. But then he met Ferncloud and discovered a softer side to him, and became a really loyal and devoted warrior.

14. Favorite Minor Character?

Longtail. He started off as a generic bully character, but he got development and managed to redeem himself in the end. Too bad he was put in the elders den. By a rabbit, of all things! (Which btw, why did the Erins send him off to the elders den for? I never got that) Also for honorable mentions goes to both Brackenfur and Runningwind.

15. Favorite Pairing?

I have so many! Fire x Sand - Good development, Squirrel x Bramble - i love me so love/hate relationships, Holly x Fallen -  They helped each other out and have a cute relationship, Willow x Crooked - They are adorable, and of course Tall x Jake - So precious.

16. Least Favorite Pairing?

Crow x Night - He used her, end of story (In fact, might as well put all Crowfeather pairings in here, their all terrible) Spider x Daisy - This was completely out of nowhere, and he was never there for her or their kits. Spotted x Fire - Forced.

17. Favorite Friendship?

Brambleclaw and Stormfur, they were very good buddies during their journey to see Midnight, and i’m glad they kept the friendship even long after.

18. Favorite Moment?

Bluestar’s death. I swear i don’t hate her guys! I just really liked this moment, and thought it was a good conclusion to her character. Her reunion with her kits is very emotional.

19. Most Tragic Death?

It’s a tie between Stonefur and Cinderpelt’s death. Stonefur kept fighting til his last breath in what he believed was right. In front of an audience no less! Cinderpelt, despite everything she went through, was not afraid to lose her life to defend Sorreltail and her kits.

20. Favorite Battle / Fight Scene?

The climax to “Eclipse”. Kind of out of nowhere, especially with the great battle against BloodClan in “The darkest hour”. But this battle is so suspenseful. It’s not kept in the point of view of one single character throughout the whole thing, it keeps switching between Lion, Jay, and Holly as different events keep on happening. It’s Wind and River teaming up to drive out Thunder, leaving them no choice but to team up with Shadow. The four Clans fighting against each other, only to be stopped by the sun being blocked out. It’s a great scene, and i get the chills every time i re-read it.

[cat-in-a-basement]

It has been a while!

Ah, hello everyone. I realize I have not posted anything in, well, months. Maybe. I guess I have a confession to make.

I’m just not as into Warriors as I once was. And, the reason why is kind of silly. I feel no pull towards it after my favorite character, Hollyleaf died, and the quality of the books declined (at least in my opinion.) Yes, it is a rather silly reason. Oh well. .-.

Plus, er…I’m getting tired of the discourse. I don’t want to argue and debate like I used to. I have no more motivation.

So, here is the thing. I would like to move my blog towards maybe an WC ask blog, or something of the sort. I do like the idea of creating a human warrior cats list of how I see them, but admittedly I am concerned on the, er, reactions. I’m not a person who tries to make them look all unique, or in an original style. I like the anime style of drawing, so I combine my own style with that signature look. As well, I draw them how I see them, and I guess some people might not like me for that. Or look for a reason to complain. I don’t like dealing with that. I am a perpetual mess of severe anxiety and do not need that.

Another thing I was thinking of was a music cover blog. I’ve wanted to start covering various songs on YouTube, but I’m waiting until I have an actual recording system so the quality isn’t absolutely garbage. Maybe this summer after finals.

I also have ideas for Warrior Cat songs, but as of now only two have been written down, and they need to be worked on.

One thing I have also considered is a DF blog/answer blog, in the style of my DF spoofs. I put a lot of effort into those and I think answering as the characters in that spoof series would be really entertaining. Especially Hawkfrost. ESPECIALLY Hawkfrost. It would also let me get back to drawing cats again. My skills are slipping. But hey, my humans have gotten leaps and bounds better.

And, one more thing. I’ve had Warrior Cat amvs planned I always wanted to do, but my ideas are too ambitious for the skills I possess when it comes to animation. AKA: zilch. ): Sooo, if anyone were interested in taking them up and making them reality, I could give the entire thing out. They’re pretty darn detailed. Actually, I’ll share them all in a later post if anyone is interested. I should look them all up on the unofficial forums! ^^”

But ah, yes, I apologize for not posting in so long. I’m just so busy this year, and have little motivation to keep up my Warrior Cat knowledge up to date. I guess I just don’t care about the books anymore.

Here is a list (I like lists) of things I want to get done or do pertaining to warriors. I just would not expect more updated things, like from A Vision of Shadows.

·       Cat of the Month (Currently have 12 planned out) Basically, a cat representing the current month. Ex: Firestar for August, Ravenpaw for May, etc.

·       Seven Heavenly Virtues (I would probably not start on this until the summer.)

·       Humanized!Warrior Cat race/ethnicity headcanons (Currently a work in progress – genetics is not simple – also I dread the discourse)

·       Humanized!Main Character Artwork (each would take at least month each, based on what I want to do with them)

·       More music (I really want to create a Mapleshade song)

·       Drawing my OCs and friend OCs (Especially for my friend Bramia and the story she is writing)

·       Give a detailed post about what ideas I had for Warrior Cat AMVS to see if anyone is interested in taking them up as a project

·       Take over the world

·       Draw cat ships – canon, non-canon and crack pairings

I will try and be more active, but I just don’t hold the same interest as I used to.

As compensation for the haitus here is a drawing I drew for a friend’s birthday