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bonefall · 11 months ago

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BB!Nightcloud

Nightcloud Woobification Army ASSEMBLE.

There's actually very little canon information on Nightcloud outside of how her ex-mate deflects blame onto her, which she is notoriously demonized for. So for Better Bones, I've cooked up a backstory from scratch! I feel this character deserves to exist outside of her romantic relationship, y'know?

Make sure to check the BB!WindClan Family Tree if you recognize any of the repurposed Missing Kits!

Clanmew Name: Oogarhai (The period of time where the sun has set + fat cloud) Official nickname: Nico (NIghtClOud), Oogi (OOGarhaI)

Alignment: WindClan

Relationships: Ex-mate - Crowfeather Child - Breezepelt Family (all deceased) - Hillrunner (Mi), Downwind (aunt, bio-mother), Tawnyfur (sister), Crowfur (grandparent) Mentor - Addersong

Nightcloud is a controversial warrior of WindClan, and also among its largest, strongest cats. She continuously finds herself tangled up in nearly every massive conflict since the day they arrived at the lake, with only some of these events being things she ever had a choice to be involved in.

Though she yearns for a more peaceful life, her violent, stressful childhood following the WindClan Massacre carved deep distrust of outsiders into her bones. It lead her to the lowest point in her life, fighting for Mudclaw during the WindClan Civil War. The following years of distrust, Crowfeather's mistreatment, and the abuse towards her son, Breezepelt, made much of Nightcloud's life lonely and stressful.

In spite of that, she absolutely adores her son and stands by his side no matter what. After the secret that Crowfeather sired kits with a ThunderClan Cleric is revealed and he is banished for a few moons for dramatic, codebreaking behavior at the reveal, a "spell" that he cast over WindClan begins to lift. In his absence, Nightcloud is able to truly begin fixing her reputation.

Though Breezepelt still has a way to fall as a new POV in BB!AVoS, where his treatment as a Dark Forest trainee drives him to join Darktail's cult, Nightcloud's life begins to turn around after her mateship with Crowfeather crumbles. After participating in a secret plan to rescue her boy and several Kin members under the command of her future leader and son-in-law, Harespring, she is solidified as one of the most powerful fighters in the entire Clan and occupies a lofty position as one of its most reliable brawlers.

She's also developing a friendship with Willowclaw about it, which is neat.

Glossary

Upbringing

WindClan Civil War

Mateship & Abuse

Breezepelt and BB!AVoS

Trivia and Misc

Upbringing

The Mothermouth Moorland War came to a cruel and bloody quietus at the claws of Brokenstar's ShadowClan, ending a three-generation long conflict with an event called the WindClan Massacre. Along with the rest of their Clan, a pair of twins was forced into exile; Downwind and Hillrunner.

They looked out for each other, and ferociously protected the tattered Clan while living in the Tangle of Thunderpaths. It was hard, but they had each other and that was enough.

After Bluestar's champion, Fireheart, fetched WindClan to bring them home, Downwind soon gave birth to her first litter. A pair of sisters; one of them practically a little copy of her mother... and the other one who looked hilariously nothing like anyone in their family. The twin girls were named Nightkit, and Tawnykit.

They'd barely settled in before Nightstar and Crookedstar turned on them, attacking to try and drive them out AGAIN. If it wasn't for Bluestar and her reinforcements, ThunderClan's charity, they might have succeeded.

But this time, Downwind refused to run. Hillrunner saw her twin, limp, red, and ragged outside the nursery. The kits were too young to remember her, or to understand the significance of their new Mi's anguished cries that night. They came so far together, only for Hillrunner to lose her other half in the place where things were supposed to get better.

NOTE: On adopting the kits, Hillrunner is then considered their "Mi," a primary parent in Clan culture. Her biological relation as the aunt is superseded.

Nightkit and Tawnykit only knew Hillrunner as their Mi. They only know that Downwind was identical to her-- except for a scar across Hiller's nose.

Hillrunner was notoriously short tempered, paranoid, and easily offended. She shouldn't have been raising kits alone, but what choice did she have?

She was CONVINCED that she'd failed Downwind that day, and that something could have been done to avoid the WindClan Massacre. So she was dedicated to making sure her own kits were better prepared.

They knew the whole territory by heart by their 6th moon, and even major abandoned tunnels below the moor

Most apprentices don't learn how to differentiate individual warriors out of scent marks until a moon or two into training. Night and Tawny knew it before they became 'paws.

Ever trying to ask a question, or tell Hillrunner that they didn't want to do something, was "backtalk;" argue too much and she would hit them with a punishment.

Punishments, "lessons," were usually strenuous physical tasks, like doing laps, moving large objects, or being made to carry a stone in the mouth for hours.

The sort of thing, in hindsight, was probably meant to be a sort of "cover"... the Clan thought the 'Lessons' were harsh but 'understandable'. No one would step in.

If Hillrunner was angry though, she would also just straightup smack them. She was less creative when she was in a mood.

As an adult, Nightcloud will tell you how messed up it used to be... but sometimes she preferred when Hillrunner was moody. If she got hit, the creative "lesson" wouldn't be applied to Tawnykit too.

Because Nightkit got in trouble more often than Tawnykit, there was a sort of sour resentment between them, mixed in with the unbreakable sense of solidarity.

Tawnykit: "You got US in trouble. But no one else in the world knows what we're going through. I love you. I'm going to take this out on you when we're alone. I can't believe you did this to me, I can't believe our Mi did this to us. Can't you try harder?? We did nothing wrong. Why am I paying for YOUR mistakes?"

Hillrunner says she, "Just wants you to be safe. ShadowClan won't hit you with their claws sheathed! This is what real life is like! If you'd just LISTEN to me you'd know this is for your own good!"

The little family was "close," in the way that mice tied together at the tail are close, even as they desperately pull at the knot and gnaw at each other's flesh.

Hillrunner convinced them the world was terrifying, that they couldn't entirely rely on their clanmates, and the most important thing in life is Gan, blood-family.

"The ONLY ones who will turn out for you, who you can rely on, who will be there until the end, is your family. The only way you'll lose us is if you're not strong enough, and I'll make you strong. I promised. You'll see!"

When she finally became Nightpaw, Hillrunner continued to try and have control over her... but the new mentor, Addersong, would not be bullied. And he would not let his apprentice get pushed around either.

He taught Nightpaw that now that she was an apprentice, she was free to make her own choices.

If she needed him around when she confronted Hillrunner, he would be there.

And if she needed to be the one to do that alone, he would support that too.

But on one condition; he would never tolerate someone speaking down to his apprentice in front of him. THAT is a matter of his pride. Capiche?

That was a term she could handle.

She had always known that she didn't want to be like Hillrunner, and that one day she'd be free of all the torment she was put through, but Addersong was the one who showed her the way out. Protected her when others didn't.

It gave her a sense of newfound confidence, and freedom. Like maybe the world WASN'T so terrible after all. And maybe... there's people out here who are kinder and more loving than she was ever allowed to believe.

And then, Hillrunner died in a TigerClan attack

And she began to wonder if it was HER fault when Tawnyfur fell to BloodClan

And suddenly Addersong's lessons felt far away. And maybe that was a good thing.

Hillrunner tried to teach her that family, KIN, was the most important thing in the world, and Nightcloud began to reject that. And now they are all dead.

She didn't appreciate them enough while they were alive. And now they are gone.

So... she pushed Addersong away. He figured she needed space to mourn.

WindClan Civil War

While Addersong was composing Tiger's In A Heap with his buddies and others were baking Tiger-shaped tunnelbuddies to welcome relations with BloodClan, Nightcloud was joining the group that was critical of the decision.

Especially when Snapper and Leo-- sorry. They call themselves Snappaw and Brushpaw. When those two joined the Clan. Ex-BloodClan traders. Not to mention Pigeonflight's... charge, also acquired from BloodClan

Nightcloud felt like she was the only one who remembered that they fought BloodClan. That Clan cats died in that battle.

Until she found others, echoing the same feelings she did, and more.

Mudclaw was the most legitimate member of the group, organizing this group of cats with "concerns."

Those "concerns" started having weight when things began to sour in the Moor. The poisoning, the Mothermouth's collapse and the death of Barkface and his apprentice, Blackfur... eventually a warrior, Runningbrook, was SHOT by a human as if she was a grouse.

Someone called the two apprentices "jinxes," pointing out the bad luck they'd brought to them, and it stuck.

But Tallstar did nothing. Didn't listen to the concerns, and insisted that Snapper and L-- Snappaw and Brushpaw, that they were part of the Clan now.

Eventually they were all forced out of their home, and sent on a journey following Crowfoot and the other Chosen cats to a new land. Tallstar just continued to look weaker and weaker.

All around Nightcloud (and the cats who would eventually become the Rebels), the Journey was uniting the Clans in a way that was never seen before. Apprentices were trying out ancient recipes that had been untouched for generations. Warriors from WindClan were helping to carry kits from ShadowClan.

It was terrifying. It felt WRONG. It filled her with a sense of deep dread and unease. No one was enforcing the boundaries that made the four groups into Clans.

When they arrived at the lake, what would HAPPEN there? Would there even BE a WindClan? Or would they just get lured into forming the new TigerClan?

Through all of this... Mudclaw seemed strong, and sure of what needed to happen next. He was certainly more of a leader than the feeble Tallstar, who had allowed the jinxes to follow along on the Great Journey.

So when Tallstar was allegedly on his deathbed, and mysteriously swapped his deputy to Onewhisker, Nightcloud was one of the very first to call foul play.

It felt like an awful betrayal, to know that Firestar, one of the FEW cats outside of WindClan that Hillrunner spoke fondly of, could be trying to pull the wool over their eyes.

But just LOOK at the other witness-- Brambleclaw. Son of Tigerstar. This was a PLOT, and Onewhisker should be ashamed of himself!

Mudclaw jumped at the opportunity Nightcloud presented.

But... the newly honored Crowfeather came forth too, to calm the tension.

"Brambleclaw is a LOT of things and untrustworthy isn't one of them," Yet, he put up a smokey-black paw when his friend's eyes lit up, "But a change in deputy? To Onewhisker, of all cats?"

Onewhisker: "no offense, right? ...right?"

"So if no one here is lying, then Tallstar's brain fell out on the way here and I'm not going on ANOTHER journey to look for it. Mudclaw is the rightful leader of WindClan."

His endorsement of Mudclaw sent the Clan reeling. His own mother, Ashfoot, came forth to argue against her son, and his aunt Morningflower pointed out that Mudclaw was his mentor.

OF COURSE the two jinxes also argued in favor of Onewhisker. Leo had even joined in the first place because he wanted to be with him.

The compromise that the Clans reached, at ThunderClan's treacherous suggestion, was that they would wait until StarClan could sort the matter out and confirm the rightful leader.

But of COURSE ThunderClan felt like they could wait for StarClan. THEY had two Clerics, Leafstripe and Cinderpelt.

In the meanwhile, the Clan started to split in two. Those who were backing the feeble Onewhisker, and those who were supporting the powerful, charismatic Mudclaw.

Nightcloud refused to allow her Clan to fall into the claws of ThunderClan's ambition. WindClan could not be allowed to be seen as WEAK. Weakness invites invasions. Invasion invites death.

Not everyone that joined Mudclaw's side of the rebellion believed that ThunderClan was lying. Crowfeather believed it was the truth. Mudclaw himself did as well, though he didn't discourage beliefs that benefited him.

Nightcloud absolutely did believe that ThunderClan lied. And that cats outside of the Clan can't be trusted.

...and then.

Mudclaw started working with non-WindClan cats, namely Hawkfrost. The rebels were joined by reinforcements, given quiet support and aid, handed the knowledge that they would have extra backup if things got violent.

At first, Nightcloud was one of the most vehemently opposed to them.

At first.

But... Hawkfrost has some good points about all of the Clans needing to be strong and independent.

And he's right, that; "ThunderClan's plotting won't stop with one Clan. Tigerstar came from ThunderClan, after all."

And, if things go wrong... they will need the extra claws. They couldn't fight against the remainers alone.

"Hold on, who says we'll be fighting anything?"

Wide, innocent blue eyes, "You can't believe that ThunderClan will just let the word of StarClan shine through, can you?"

He's... reasonable. He's right.

So, in the BLINK of an eye, she and Crowfeather were surrounded by Thistle Law supporters. OPEN ones.

And Mudclaw himself didn't seem to mind all that much.

For Nightcloud, it was too late to have doubts, especially when Hawkfrost's lie made such perfect sense. When the Moonpool was discovered by that THUNDERCLAN Cleric, Leafstripe, Honored by the new name Leafpool, that was the last push she needed to ride into battle with Mudclaw.

ThunderClan had to be stopped at ALL COSTS before they installed a fake, sniveling little mouse to do all of their bidding. If Onewhisker had to die to prevent it?

Then... so be it.

They created a plan. Onewhisker was organizing WindClan to carry out a Muirburn, a carefully controlled fire to return the territory to heathland.

They would sabotage it, and throw him into the same fire meant to cleanse their new home. It would be symbolic, practically religious in its righteousness.

But CROWFEATHER betrayed them. Bolted to his friends in ThunderClan, that daughter-of-Firestar and the Tigerkin liar.

During the battle, Nightcloud leapt on Leo and went for a ferocious bite to the back of the neck. She was ripped off by another warrior just in time, taking a chunk of his scruff with her.

It gave him a permanent, gnarly scar. A reminder to Nightcloud of how close she came to killing him, and how much she hated such a kindhearted tom.

The tide of battle turned as the ThunderClan reinforcements came behind Crowfeather. In that instant, it was as if StarClan had torn open the sky, and the heavens were bleeding rain upon the burning moor.

Nightcloud fled along with the other rebels, and bore witness to StarClan's smiting of the false idol.

With a clap of lightning, a tree from the Gathering Island toppled down, crushing Mudclaw beneath it.

She stopped running, staring in breathless awe. The rain washed away the mud and the ash that clung to her pelt, and for the first time in moons, she felt like her mind was clear.

It was like, for a brief moment, the song of fear and anger behind her eyes forgot the lyrics, leaving her with cold reality.

"What have I DONE?"

That sabotaged Muirburn was one of the most short-sighted, cruel, evil things she can imagine any cat taking part in... but at first, her regret was just in the amount of destruction it had caused, not in the ideology she'd fought to defend.

The heinous act had caused the peat below the moor to catch on fire, and WindClan was playing Whack-A-Mole with the various little blazes that kept popping up in the area; and THAT was what initially made her regret her role in the Civil War.

But... she had to work next to Snapstorm and Brushblaze, just like any other Clanmates. Pigeonflight's daughter had also come into her own, Cranberrysplash. And ThunderClan continued to send aid to help with the reckless disaster she'd been part of.

She still grappled with a strong, immediate distrust of strangers... but it was tempered by the sobering realization she had while watching Mudclaw die.

And the shame, knowing that she'd been taking out her grief of losing Tawnyfur and Hillrunner on all these innocent cats.

Onewhisker's lenience... was mercy. All along.

She tried to punish herself for ever criticizing her new leader for "weakness." WindClan needed all the paws it could get to fight the fires and continue to feed the Clan, and Onestar was the cat who understood that.

He showed unfathomable kindness and wisdom by giving her and the other rebels no punishment.

She vowed to atone for it. She would not waste her second chance.

Nightcloud had been so busy trying to make up for what she'd done, fighting fires, building dens, and carefully rotating hunts to manage the prey populations that she barely registered that she didn't see much of Crowfeather after the night of the Muirburn.

While WindClan was gossiping, she was largely left out of the loop for being distrusted at the time.

When he came back, they started spending a lot of time together.

Mateship & Abuse

She liked Crowfeather. They'd been in each other's orbit since the Civil War, and she admired his judgement at nearly every turn. Mudclaw seemed like a good choice for a lot of people, but Crowfeather had seen when his true colors started to show. He made a truly heroic choice at the end. So when he expressed interest in her, it felt like she was going to be his next good call.

Nightcloud had so, so much to prove.

In spite of his absence, Crowfeather was a hero to the Clan. The warrior blessed by StarClan to bring them to their new home, a land of a thousand more stars, he who betrayed the traitors.

And in spite of that. He had a loneliness. He requested a name to honor the cat of another Clan, a lover he had lost on his mission

He is loud, passionate, and yet there seemed to be a niche in his heart he wanted to fill.

So... she wanted to be his missing piece, in service of the great love that binds a Clan together. To help him.

To prove she could mean something to someone, and be trusted in turn by a Clan that, rightfully, looked at her with suspicion.

but she didn't LOVE him so much as she RESPECTED him.

and he never saw her as much more than an in-Clan replacement for Leafpool, especially while he was secretly reeling from her dumping him and cancelling their elopement plans.

It didn't really strike her that they were mutually using each other; Crowfeather to affirm his loyalty to the Clan, and Nightcloud to prove she could love and be loved.

And neither of them were even accomplishing that. But, there's a difference between them.

While Nightcloud was trying, GOD she was trying... Crowfeather quickly grew frustrated that she was a person, and not just the perfect image of the "true love" that Feathertail and Leafpool would have given to him

So he started FINDING things to criticize about her. Reasons that he could use to justify why it's not HIS fault he's not happy, but hers.

She's clingy. She's too cold. She's less attractive when she's carrying their child. She's too demanding when she tells him to help out with the kit.

NOTHING she did was right, and meanwhile, even when Breezekit was young, Crowfeather was an awful Ba.

Depending on his mood, he was either too rough or too distant, a dichotomy he used to describe as Nightcloud being unable to make up her mind. Does she want him to help, or does she want space??

Problem is, you can't be fair with unfair people. When Crowfeather would say ANY of this, she would try to take his words in good faith

And Breezekit's formative moons were spent watching his mother twist herself in knots, trying to avoid whatever his father was complaining about that week.

But it NEVER satisfied him. It never COULD.

and worst of all...

Whenever she DID fight back, dragged down into explosive arguments after biting her tongue again and again, Crowfeather would ALWAYS bring up Feathertail. She's dead, and so Nightcloud could never defeat this ideal, NONEXISTENT image of this nearly perfect hypothetical lover that he could have had.

Crow: "And YOU don't even care. You CUT me, Nightcloud! I am being flayed and left to DIE from infection, and you don't even care."

Night: "Of course i care, I'm here aren't i?? Feathertail loved you, but I do too! And I'M in YOUR Clan, in case you haven't NOTICED."

Crow: "Oh you love me do you? I don't think you do. There's a reason I loved Feathertail enough to be so tempted away from my Clan, but YOU'RE such an awful person that YOU happily did ARSON."

Night: "I... I wasn't-"

Crow: "Wasn't trying to betray your Clan? Wasn't trying to make me feel like some kind of animal?? What WERE you trying to do, then?"

Night: "I've ALWAYS tried to make up for what I did, I was trying to-"

Crow: "To WHAT? To hurt me? Like you always do? All I wanted was you to see that I'm-"

Night: "Can you cut it out?! I wanted-"

Crow: "STOP Interrupting me, this is exactly what I mean! Feathertail NEVER made me feel this way, she would let me finish and listen to everything I have to say before trying to jump in. WHAT have I done wrong exactly? What IS it this time?? Hm???"

Night: "I-- Crowfeather I'm trying! I didn't mean to make you feel that way, and I'm not trying to fight. I just don't know what you want from me, I'm-"

Crow: "I say it over and over and over!! Are you stupid? I should have been with a rabbit, at LEAST it would have given me faster children!"

Night: "Can you stop being a CHILD for a minute and TELL me what you want me to do? In simple terms? Or is that just too much?"

Crow: "Fine. But im not going to repeat myself again. I don't deserve this, you're lucky I'm gracious."

When Breezekit became Breezepaw, Nightcloud had lost patience with this treatment. She still tried to be gentle with Crowfeather, but he was starting to force her into making a choice; Was she going to protect her son? Or was she going to keep endlessly trying to appease her husband?

In her head... SHE might "deserve" it. She knows she's "difficult." And that a lot of the things Crowfeather says about her are "true"

And if she's lonely, she "brought it on herself" by doing awful things. That's why she tries so hard to atone for them.

But Breezepaw is her BABY, and Crowfeather makes him feel like a little brat. Yells at him, finds reasons to pick on him, gives him the cold shoulder when he's done wrong...

At first, it looked like overprotectiveness, because she was often shoving herself between Breezepaw and his father, never backing up Crowfeather when he was punishing their son, and "downplaying" her son's rude behavior.

In reality, those were the actions of someone who was trying to prevent arguments from turning into abuse.

Those were things HILLRUNNER used to do with her, though at the time, she didn't realize that Crowfeather was in the same positions that her Mi had once been in

In fact, she continued to grapple with the deep feelings of shame, that she might be like Hillrunner when she was trying so hard to be different.

But the truth remained, that she recognized the same patterns that she was forced to be hyperaware of, and was trying to stop them before they escalated.

It took MANY years, well into Breezepelt's adulthood, AND well into her divorce, before she realized that.

Protecting her son was as reflexive as a hunting crouch. It was just something she did.

Unfortunately, Crowfeather was the one with power in this situation. And his immense sway was palpable. If he vented to a Clanmate about how hard it was to have a mate who undermines him and a son who defied him, they'd believe him.

So, Breezepelt started getting written off as "a problem kid" by the adults.

What changed... was Hollyleaf's reveal at that fateful Gathering.

She had been desperately trying to "atone" for what she'd done for years, guilty and shameful that she'd been complicit in an attack that had gotten cats killed and set the peat on fire. She kept proving herself, over and over, as Crowfeather held his love for an outsider up over her head.

And then she finds out he was HIDING this from her, ALL THIS TIME. There'd been ANOTHER MOLLY from another Clan she was being compared to.

Unlike canon; Crowfeather knew. He didn't need to be told. Hollyleaf looks just like his father Deadfoot. Lionblaze has his tail tip. Jayfeather is a miserable git.

They were born 2 months after Leafpool left him, choosing her Clan and her CLERIC FRIEND over HIM. He isn't stupid.

Emotions ran high and, right in front of his wife, at a PUBLIC GATHERING, he made another love confession to Leafpool. That she never should have abided her vow because she belonged with HIM.

Leafpool was fucking mortified. On top of her life crumbling as the secret was revealed, she was undergoing the cat equivalent of being cornered in a public space as an unwanted ex begs you to acknowledge your LOVE.

Leafpool is completely and utterly out of love for Crowfeather, not a SINGLE flicker of it left in her heart, but NIGHTCLOUD felt like Leafpool's tears were because she missed Crowfeather soooo much.

And after YEARS of being compared to FEATHERTAIL, only to find out she was being contrasted to LEAFPOOL all along??

And that Crowfeather really WOULD just break the code for any OTHER lover? Even "a treacherous, vow-breaking, abominable little [cat meow censor] FROM ANOTHER CLAN?"

AND A CLERIC?????

YEARS of trying to unlearn bigotry, keeping lessons about unity kept close in spite of the growing tensions between the Clans, having an open mind towards the people she'd unfairly judged, trying to atone for following Mudclaw... What's the point??

She was humiliated, embarrassed, scandalized. For moons she'd tried to appease him, and then he goes after HER SON, and then DOES THIS.

But something was different.

Onestar had enough of Crowfeather and his shenanigans.

By making a fool of himself at that Gathering, he made a fool of the WHOLE Clan.

Not only did he sire kittens with a Cleric, in a half-clan relationship, vanishing for a week to go on a holiday as the Clan was fighting peat fires, but he didn't even have the decency to NOT TELL AN ENTIRE GATHERING THAT HE DOESN'T REGRET IT.

Onestar snapped.

CrowFEATHER is an Honor Title. CrowFOOT was in respect to his deceased father, Deadfoot.

These names are both too honorable.

And even a DISHONOR Title is too good for this sort of behavior.

If he cannot behave like a Clan cat, then he WILL NOT BE ONE.

For one moon, Crow, no suffix, just Crow, would live on his own in total exile.

It was such a scandal that Nightcloud was horrified. The whole Clan had turned to look to her, see what she would do, desperate to know how she was reacting and what she would do next.

But... their tune changed.

They weren't looking at her like Crowfeather's ungrateful mate. They were curious about her judgement.

CrowFEATHER had convinced so many people that Nightcloud had been the problem, with his immense sway and influence.

But what he did was shocking and abhorrent to WindClan. Now he is just Crow, a rogue on the border.

And Nightcloud is as reliable as she always has been.

What really causes Crowfeather to begin to change here in BB, is that when he comes back... nearly everyone has been better off without him.

After a moon, Crow came back thinking that Nightcloud would snarl at him, or they'd fight, or she'd weep, or... something negative.

But instead, she greeted him. Cordially. Casually. With the tiniest little lilt to her tone that you only hear when you're forced to welcome someone you dislike.

For the rest of BB!OotS, they were together but... distantly. If it wasn't totally over, it was visibly dying.

They had a few more fights, public spats, but now that the Clan didn't seem to have Crowfeather's back...

He started to lose his nerve, and she stopped feeling terrible for things that happened long ago.

Now WindClan was following Nightcloud's lead on Crowfeather. When she was gracious, so were they. When she was pushed to snapping, they saw him like the unreasonable one.

But, honestly? That attention made Nightcloud uncomfortable.

She disliked the sway she now seemed to have over her ex-mate's reputation. She hated him and everything he did, especially in the few times that he would STILL try to deflect blame onto her, but... wielding that kind of social sway, after being an outsider for so long, it felt heavy and toxic in her belly.

Between OotS and AVoS, she realized that she's not like him. He reveled in the spotlight and influence he had over the Clan as a result of his power, adored attention and drama and being able to command it. Crowfeather would complain that life was so unfair, but he ENJOYED how the rules were applied so loosely to him, and how well he was treated because of the pain he'd gone through.

She doesn't.

In fact, she even resents the finicky opinions of her Clanmates. That earning their respect, in the end, was something she had absolutely no control over. She'd gone through so much for so long and so very few cats had ever had her back, and to be vindicated now of all times?

It was sour. Not comforting.

If she made any mistakes during OoTS, it was enabling Breezepelt's growing xenophobia in the midst of her own pain and frustration. She didn't KNOW that he was being recruited by the Dark Forest. If she did, she would have done something to try and stop him.

Breezepelt and AVoS

The worst part of it all was that none of this newfound reputation carried over to her opinions about her son. Breezepelt continued to be hated and distrusted because of his role in the Battle of the True Eclipse (BOTTE), where the Dark Forest killed so many warriors. He'd fought until the end of the night.

Of course she was disappointed in him. Of course she knew he'd done something awful. But she had too, so many years ago.

The fact he had also been a victim of Crowfeather's slander was disregarded in the eyes of WindClan, and for his role in the fight, Onestar gave him and his complicit friends Dishonor Titles.

Breezepelt became Dodderheart-- a reference to a parasitic type of bush, native to heathland, which strangle and kill the flowers. Harespring didn't get off without one. Darkseeker had sought his biological father in the Dark Forest, Mudclaw, and then the BOTTE had killed his Mi and biological uncle, Torear.

Nightcloud tried to encourage her son to follow Darkseeker's lead in seeking atonement, but he had decided that this meant; "My own mother had taken HIS side, that damn traitor who threw me under the boar so that he could save his own reputation, distancing himself from THE REST OF US so that he can climb the ranks! WELL!"

When The Kin arrived at the lake, lead by the mysterious Darktail, Nightcloud was powerless as the pied piper called forth cats of many Clans.

He appealed to everyone who felt alienated. Every HalfClan cat still dealing with stigma, every young warrior frustrated by the dogged separation of the Clans... and, especially, to all of the Dark Forest trainees who still lived.

It was a trap, and Breezepelt was drawn to it.

As the situation got worse and worse, Nightcloud could only watch from afar as Onestar responded with furious embargoes, aggression, and fury towards any type of contact with Darktail's cats.

Along with Brushblaze and Harespring, now deputy and having shed his Dishonor Title, she plotted ways to undermine Onestar's strict orders and try to reach her son.

And.... Crowfeather, too.

To her surprise, he wanted to help.

The irony was overwhelming. Yes Breezepelt, or Dodderheart, damn Onestar's pernicious name, YES he had been making his own choices for a long time, but Crowfeather knew full well who had set him on this path.

In spite of how he'd try to deflect the blame for seasons on seasons.

Hedgehogs took flight that day, because his response was, "You think I don't know that? ...that's why I'm here."

Someone else might have wanted to shove that back in his face, drink in every drop of smugness they'd earned, tell Harespring to kick him from the help efforts for causing so much pain in the first place..

...But Nightcloud isn't like that someone else.

Breezepelt was what mattered to her. Anyone who was going to help was another alibi, another mouth to carry herbs, another set of claws to fight by their side.

...is that what working with others really means, at its core?

Maybe it's not love that truly binds us, but a sense of duty. The commitments we make to each other, and the honor to keep them.

She loves her son. And by extension, she loves Heathertail and Harespring who love him.

But her Clanmates... she doesn't love them. Or Crowfeather.

And Crowfeather wasn't here out of love for her. Maybe not even love for Breezepelt as a person. He was here for honor. Repentence. To right a wrong.

Whatever reason he was here; it still meant he was HERE. To help.

In that moment, she thinks back to the words of Hillrunner. That only blood-family would ever turn out for you, and strength was what allowed you to keep them.

Looking over to Brushblaze, thinking to her Clanmates, she finally had the wisdom to see the words for what they were

It was the scared, broken philosophy of a molly who had lost everything a hundred times over, clinging to something that made sense, trying to scare her kits into never leaving her side.

Nightcloud was truly unlike her. Surrounded by allies of all kinds, united in their goal to rescue her son and other Kin captives and victims.

She was entitled to her reasonable distrust, but not held back by it. She never would forgive Crowfeather, but they could work together. For Breezepelt.

Hillrunner wasn't completely wrong about strength. It was an asset.

But so is faith.

After they'd brought Breezepelt home along with many others, bedraggled and shaken by their experiences, Nightcloud was absolutely shocked by how graciously Onestar seemed to be towards them.

She didn't question it at the time, but when Onestar spent his final life stealing a plan Breezepelt admitted was his own, to sacrifice himself drowning Darktail, it suddenly made sense.

After Harestar took power, she had cemented herself as one of his favorite warriors. A powerful, loyal brawler, who was willing to do anything under his command. Breezepelt had accepted at this point that he was never going to have a position of power due to his past; and that was okay.

She spent a lot of time with the grandkits Breezepelt eventually had with his mates, Harestar and Heathertail. For the first time in a long time, she's finally at peace with the family she's acquired.

Trivia and Misc

I'm tempted to swap Crowfeather and Nightcloud as deputy. I feel like Nightcloud makes a very interesting one.

At the same time though, I do like the drama of Crowstar and Squirrelstar as opposing leaders, so I'm still unsure.

For some reason whenever I think of Nightcloud, I think of ABBA songs lmao. Thank You For The Music, or maybe Knowing Me Knowing You.

As you can see, I split up Crowfeather's Trial and shuffled it around. I feel like for most of OotS, Nightcloud and Crowfeather are doing nothing but arguing and the development feels incredibly rushed because it's all in an SE, so I've pushed a major event back.

They also never actually describe their verbal arguments; so I'm using them to make my take on Crowfeather more clear. He's emotionally abusive.

Something that I often feel isn't done enough is abusers who are popular, and also funny. How devastating it feels for someone you love to mock you in public, and then a bunch of people laugh because "you deserve it."

Or just see you as the aggressor by default

Knowing you can't do shit about it because they're just more loved than you. Their word vs yours.

(especially when paired with trauma that makes you forget major details so you can't even recall any examples in the moment, so you just get painted as clingy and whiny)

All that said, there's a ton of abusive cats in BB, most of them never improve or get better, but Crowfeather will.

And from Nightcloud's perspective, that's a good thing. And I want to capture that deeply bittersweet feeling.

She's happy he's not so terrible anymore... but god, it doesn't undo any of the AWFUL things he did and said to her.

Anyway, I really want to fit Nightcloud's buddy Pickle in somehow, but I'm still working it out. Pickle was such a cute character

Hillrunner and Downwind are repurposed Missing Kits! WindClan is ridiculously tiny so I had to stretch it pretty thin.

I don't see a ton of Nightcloud origin stories, so the one I figured made the most sense was picking up on the observation others have made about her "coddling" behavior

In-canon, because Crowfeather is abusive to his kid, it suddenly implies that a major reason why Nightcloud is so protective of Breezepaw in arguments is because she's trying to prevent it from escalating into abuse.

Eventually I'd like to build out some more friends, and expand on her budding friendship with Brushblaze. Not to mention Willowclaw.

Maybe I should repurpose Crowfeather's Trial into an SE about Nightcloud... Nightcloud's Thaw, maybe. Something about a change that's a long time coming, so I can show her new backstory and how she reacts to all the changes in WindClan towards her reputation.

And that's Nightcloud! I think she deserves an AU where she gets to be a more fleshed out supporting character, as a treat <3

#Tw abuse #Tw child abuse #BB!Nightcloud #Better Bones AU #Character Summary #Tw abusive relationship

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writtenonreceipts · 3 months ago

Text

Rowaelin Month Day One: Long Distance Surprise @rowaelinscourt

Month Masterlist // AO3

Notes: drabbly and quick (poor edits), most of my energy went into different prompts, haha. But I wanted to write for as many as I could this year!

Warnings: none, ~1k words

.*.*.*.*.

Thinking of You

A chill clung to the air as Aelin stepped from the English Department building. It was late and cold and all she wanted to do was go home and change into her pajamas and not have any type of responsibility until next week. Unfortunately for her, she was in Grad School and taking a break didn’t exist in her routine functions. In fact, she probably wouldn't know what a break was until she was graduated with a degree in hand.

Adjusting the strap of her backpack, she took off for the other side of campus. If she kept a quick pace, she could be safe inside her apartment in under half an hour. She didn’t live too far from the school, something she’d insisted upon when moving to Adarlan. While she refused student housing, she still wanted to be close for events, classes, and her internship. Thankfully, she’d gotten all her wishes. Well, all except one.

When her phone buzzed in her pocket, she fumbled for it. She caught it on the third ring, pressing the screen to her ear.

“Hello?”

“Fireheart.” Rowan’s voice was a balm to her soul, washing over her with warmth and affection.

“Hi,” she said again, trying to fight off the emotion that burst in her chest just by hearing his voice.

“Are you back at your house yet?” Rowan asked.

He always called her around this time, knowing it was when she got out of her last workshop of the day and was leaving campus. He always said it was a coincidence but Aelin suspected he didn’t like her walking alone and in silence.

“No, just left,” she sighed. “Things ran long.”

More words threatened to spill out, but Aelin bit them back. It wasn’t worth bringing it all out now. She ducked down a path that cut between the administration offices and south parking lot. The path was lined with maple trees, their canopies hanging low with gold and yellow leaves. It would only take another sudden drop in temperature before all the leaves would fall away leaving behind bare and empty branches.

“How was your day?” she asked, hoping to push any attention away from her. “Did you get funding for your project?”

Rowan, over a thousand miles away, had accepted a prestigious job at a museum in Terrasen. With his degree in Ancient Slavic History and Languages, he was invaluable to his team. He was working towards his own master’s degree with this internship. Which meant different schools. It was remarkable what he’d been working on over the last few months. And even though she missed him more and more each day they were apart, she as insanely proud of him.

“Yeah, I did,” he said. Aelin could hear the smile in his voice. “We’re going to be able to work on a new display with access to those journals from Germany I was telling you about?”

Aelin couldn’t help her own smile as she listened to him talk about his project. It always sparked warmth in her chest to hear him talk about his passions. It was a comfort to, just hearing his voice.

They’d met on their first day of undergrad classes in a biology course. Despite their names being on opposite ends of the alphabet, they’d been partnered together through the entire semester. It had gone horribly from day one. They hadn’t gotten along, in fact, all their lab assignments ended in an argument and a threat from the TA to flunk them both. Why they weren’t separated, Aelin would never know, but she was grateful for in nonetheless.

Somehow in the chaos of it all, they’d become friends. And then more.

“Aelin?” Rowan’s gentle prodded broke her from her revere.

“Yeah, I’m here,” she said.

She made it to the main road, streetlamps bright as day. This side of campus was always well lit, even as it neared ten.

“You sure you’re alright, Fireheart?” Rowan asked. “I know the start of a new semester is hard.”

“Yeah,” she said again, “yeah, I’m fine.”

She tried to lighten her voice and stay upbeat, she didn’t want him to worry. Rowan already had enough to worry about.

“Aelin.” Rowan shifted on the other side of the phone and Aelin heard a door shut and what sounded like a beer opening. “I know you.”

Aelin blinked back the tears that started burning behind her eyes. She would not cry. She hurried through the courtyard of her apartment complex, cutting a direct line to her apartment.

“Hold on, I’m almost to my door,” she said. She really just wanted a second to collect herself, especially while on the phone with Rowan.

“Good,” Rowan said, “there should be something waiting for you.”

“What?”

His words didn’t register until she was hurrying up the stairs that led to her door. As soon as she reached the landing she found a large box waiting on her welcoming mat.

“What did you do?” she asked. She unlocked her door, pushing it open so she could toss her bag in. “Hang on, I need two hands.”

After dropping her phone on the couch, she returned back outside to grab the box. She carried it to the kitchen before returning for her phone.

“Buzzard, what did you do?” Aelin pressed again. She put the call on speaker so she could open the box a little less chaotically with a pair of scissors.

“I thought you could use a pick-me-up,” Rowan said.

The box wasn’t a simple little thing either. Aelin started pulling things out—fuzzy socks, candles, bath salts, and chocolate. So much chocolate. In fact, most of the box was chocolate.

This time, Aelin couldn’t hold back the tears. Hot tracks rolled down her cheeks as she stared at the items now laid out across her counter. It had been ages since anyone had done something like this for her since she’d felt loved.

“Ro—” she began.

“I wanted to come down myself but we got the approval—”

“Rowan,” she chuckled, shaking her head as she lifted the phone closer to her mouth. “I know.”

She sniffed, wiping her nose on the collar of her shirt. Dealing with emotions had never been her strong suit. It had taken nearly a year to tell Rowan she loved him for hells sake.

“I know you won’t listen, but try not to eat all that chocolate tonight, yeah?” he said.

“Ha-ha,” Aelin mocked. She rolled her eyes and cracked open the hazelnut truffles. “I make no promises.”

Rowan let out a laugh. “Hmm. You going to tell me how your day really went?”

“No,” she said. “It doesn’t matter anymore.”

And it didn’t. because now at least, she could talk to him. She could listen to him ramble on about whatever new quirk he’d learned in his studies. She could listen to his steady breathing. She could simply spend a few minutes with him.

It wasn’t until she was drifting off to sleep with the phone tucked between her ear and her pillow that they finally disconnected, Aelin whispering a soft I love you and Rowan promising to see her soon.

She hated this routine of theirs but soon…soon they’d be reunited.

#rowaelin #rowaelinmonth #rowaelinmonth2024 #aelin galathynius #rowan

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sparrowsoupp · 1 year ago

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so a ‘swiftpaw lives’ au is nothing new here BUT hear me out:

in this au, everything happens as it does in the first arc up to the night where swiftpaw and brightpaw sneak out of camp to fight the dogs. as they are leaving, cloudtail somehow sees/hears/notices and is obviously suspicious so trails them into the forest secretly.

as they get closer to the dogs’ den he realises their plan and confronts the pair, trying to get them to return to camp. swiftpaw is defiant and argues back, escalating into a fight as cloudtail tries to physically knock some sense into swiftpaw. brightpaw looks on in horror trying to break up this fight. this is obviously not a very quiet battle, considering the participants are two bullheaded teenage boys, and so the dogs are woken up anyway.

swiftpaw leaps into action as brightheart freezes in paralysing fear. as a dog lunges at her, cloudtail notices and leaps into the dog’s jaws, pushing brightpaw out of the way in the process. in a burst of fear and strength, brightpaw notices swiftpaw unconcious and unable to move with a missing leg and grabs him to run away, escaping from the dogs and leaving cloudtail to bleed out and die (hence the main catalyst for differences in this au: cloudtail dies in swiftpaw’s place). she doesn’t realise this at the time, hoping cloudtail will understand since he is still up and fighting, and not thinking about the consequences of leaving one cat alone to fight a pack of dogs.

bluestar renames them in the same way lostface was named in the original arc, brightpaw being renamed lostface and swiftpaw being named dogleg, and fireheart is ANGRY with the pair (and himself) for the needless loss of his nephew’s life. no renaming ceremony is held, and they are made to keep their names in rememberance of their foolishness. (sidenote: i think this would also spark a major shift in fireheart’s good nature and personality, leading to MAJOR knockon effects for the rest of the series, but i haven’t thought about it too much yet and also i need to reread the books) and because cloudtail isn’t around to advocate for lostface’s warrior retraining, she is relegated to be a medicine cat and never really emotionally recovers in the same way she could in the books because cloudtail isn’t around to offer her that emotional support. she also very much blames herself for letting him fight a battle that he never signed up to fight and dying in the process, the overwhelming levels of guilt weighing on her constantly to the point where cats are a little creeped out by how empty even her remaining eye looks.

on the other hand (paw?), dogleg is left seething with anger and bitterness towards his clan. (i imagine him after the attack as a somewhat ashfur-like character, except much more extreme) a lot of his toxicity and anger would be taken out on lostface, one of the only cats he talks to anymore, and instead of brightheart and cloudtail entering a very healthy and positive relationship instead lostface ends up in a secret (VERY toxic) relationship with dogleg. she remains attached to him i think because of the trauma they experienced together. i have to think more about that, though. (maybe even kits?)

in the end something something dogleg forces lostface to start poisoning food as the clan’s medicine cat to take revenge on other cats like bluestar or fireheart. i think this culminates in dogleg turning very traitorous somehow.

that’s what i have so far! feel free to sends asks/tag with suggestions or ideas of knockon effects of this change. thanks for reading this big ol paragraph of me rambling about cats lol, appreciate y’all 🦭👍

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redux-iterum · 2 months ago

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Charred Legacy: Chapter Twenty-Eight

(AO3 counterpart here.)

However, the world does not stop for grief. Fireheart and the rest of the Clan had duties to attend to, prey to catch, borders to mark. Keeping them busy would stave off that sinkhole of despair; that seemed to be the running theory, anyway, if Speckletail’s constant orders were anything to go by.

Fireheart didn’t blame her. She was in a tough situation, he knew that, and she was doing an admirable job for what she had in her supply. But it did strike him that she was more running herself ragged than busying her Clanmates.

“I’m fine,” she would say every single time Fireheart checked on her. “Just do your duties and take care of your apprentice. Let me handle this.”

And every time, with increasing exasperation, he would think, Why would you expect me of all cats to drop the subject when you’re visibly not doing well? He’d never say it, but he was certain it was showing on his face, because she’d dart her eyes away and hurry off to do something else.

He obeyed her, at least, kind of just to humor her. Not entirely—Cloudpaw was eager to learn and explore, and Fireheart was eager to show him new knacks and skills. Having Cloudpaw’s learning style on the mind, his nephew caught onto lessons quickly. Fireheart watched with pride as his nephew started finding and catching prey on his own (though he still missed the jump here and there). Even better, he seemed as disinterested in learning to fight as Fireheart was in teaching him.

“Figures,” Darkstripe muttered one night. “The cat who’s never even raised a paw to defend his Clan would have an apprentice just like him.”

Fireheart’s thoughts escaped him before he could trap them between his teeth. “Well, hopefully your apprentice is learning a lot of great fighting skills from you. You’re famous for that, I hear.”

Darkstripe twitched his lip, but didn’t respond. Cloudpaw gave Fireheart a cheeky look, and he couldn’t resist a wink back.

One night, Cloudpaw was unusually subdued. Fireheart had brought him out to the southern part of the forest for tree-climbing practice on a surprisingly clear night, the stars glittering overhead and the air kindly still. At Fireheart’s order, Cloudpaw clambered up a few trees, sliding down once or twice and landing on his back, getting covered in snow. Even this didn’t seem to make him want to talk.

Well, Fireheart knew what to do with that. “Is something bothering you, little guy?”

Cloudpaw stood up from his slide down a trunk, shuffling his feet a little. Bark-slivers were pulled off his claws as he sharpened them on an exposed root. He didn’t look at his uncle for a long moment, until he approached and more-or-less forced eye contact.

“Do kittypets go out at night?” he asked at last.

Fireheart had a faint idea where this was going. “They sometimes do. They’re usually up in the day, or in the evening. Why?”

As he suspected, Cloudpaw hesitated before asking quietly, “Can we go see Rosy?”

Fireheart only paused to gauge what time of night it was: a little less than halfway through. To the increasingly nervous-looking Cloudpaw, he said, “Of course we can. Come on.”

He turned around and started off towards the Houses. Cloudpaw scurried along behind him, catching up quickly with his tail high and bristling in stress at the same time. Fireheart let him sort through his anxieties on his own, and the organized questions came soon:

“What if she doesn’t come out?”

“We’ll try another night.”

“Will we get in trouble if someone sees us?”

“Speckletail is pretty understanding. But we might get scolded a little by anyone else.” He blinked reassuringly. “Don’t worry. No one’s coming this way tonight and we have time to chat a little before anyone wonders where we are.”

Then a much bigger worry. “…What if she doesn’t like me?”

Fireheart stopped at that one and gave his nephew a gentle look. “She will. I promise.”

Cloudpaw met his eyes, saw the confidence in them, and settled. He took in a deep breath and nodded, walking with a more certain stride alongside his uncle.

They reached the Houses quickly. Fireheart took the lead, trotting through the grass and onto the stony, skinny road. Cloudpaw made a face at the new texture on his paws, but he didn’t say anything until they stopped in front of Rosy’s house.

“Is this it?” he whispered, like he was afraid to be heard.

Fireheart nodded. “You’ll be able to climb this fence easy, but wait for my signal. I want to surprise her.”

At this, Cloudpaw’s eyes lit up. He sat down and watched Fireheart leap up onto the top of the fence and jump down into the yard without a word.

“Rosy!” Fireheart called, pawing at the flap in the door. “Rosy?”

Only a heartbeat passed before he was nearly tackled by his sister as she sped out of the house. She barely stopped in time to avoid completely bowling him over, but he did have to stumble back a few steps.

“Fireheart!” she cried, purring like a car. She wove around him, rubbing her fur and face on his shoulders and neck. “You’re here!”

“I am here.” Fireheart bumped his head against hers when she stood still for a moment. “I’m sorry it’s been so long. A lot’s been happening.”

“I– I heard.” Rosy’s joy slipped into an anxiety similar to Cloudpaw’s. “The fire, I smelled the smoke. I was so worried for you and Cloudy. Is he okay? When can I see him again?”

“Oh…” Fireheart falsely paused in uncertainty. “About that…”

He immediately regretted the joke when Rosy’s yellow-green eyes bulged in terror. Quickly, he turned his head and called, “Come on over!”

A bit of scraping and scrabbling, and a ginger-pointed face popped up over the fenceline. Rosy gasped as Cloudpaw landed with admirable grace and stood as tall as he could. Fireheart realized too late that there was still snow on his back.

“Cloudpaw,” Fireheart said, gesturing, “This is your birth-mother, Rosy.”

He didn’t get a chance to say anything else. Rosy burst forward with a cry of joy and scooped up the considerably wider apprentice in a single-paw embrace, holding him to her chest like he was still a tiny kit. Fireheart watched with amusement and warmth as Rosy licked the top of her son’s head, purring so loudly Fireheart half-wondered if her humans could hear her.

“Oh, look at you!” She drew back to touch her nose to where she had licked. “Look at my baby boy!” She released him to wind around him too, nosing him and chattering excitedly. “You’re so big and handsome now, Cloudy, look at how lovely your fur is- oh, you poor thing, you’re covered in snow, here—”

Cloudpaw had a face Fireheart wished he could somehow capture somewhere other than his memory: confused, startled, bashful, and cautiously happy all at once. It was quite a mix of emotions to see as Rosy dusted his back and sides clear of any remaining snow, still talking the whole time.

“…and your colors are coming out so beautifully, you look just like your father—” She finally came to a stop in front of him, purring through her words. “You must be such a big, strong warrior!”

“Oh…” Cloudpaw meekly lowered his head a bit. “I’m just an apprentice right now.”

“He became one early,” Fireheart told Rosy. “He’s Cloudpaw now.”

“Oh, yes, yes, sorry.” Rosy shook her head. “Name changing, I forgot.” She returned her attention to her son. “When do you get your warrior name? Will it be soon? You have to come and tell me as soon as you get it! I’d love to hear your real grown-up name!”

“Rosy?” Fireheart took a step towards her. She looked his way and he twitched his whiskers. “You’re overwhelming him a little.”

Rosy looked back at Cloudpaw, who gave her a sheepish nod, and stepped back with a deep inhale. She shook herself hard and spoke slower.

“I’m sorry, baby boy,” she said, still shuffling a little in place. “I’m just so excited to see you again! Fireheart must have told you, I gave him to you so that I could know you were safe and happy.” Her ears fell back a little and her voice softened. “All of your siblings went away to different houses so long ago. I miss you and them every single day. I’m just so grateful that you got to live nearby and be taken care of. The molly who nursed you, will you tell her I said ‘thank you for raising my son’?”

Cloudpaw stiffened immediately. His eyes darted to Fireheart’s, and his uncle stepped in.

“She knows,” he said. “And she was happy to raise him.”

Rosy didn’t appear to notice the change in his volume; she simply continued on with the conversation. “Tell me everything! I heard you grew up with that molly’s litter? What are they like? How is being an apprentice? What’s your favorite thing about the forest? I want to hear it all!”

“W-well, um…” Cloudpaw sat down at a gesture from Rosy. “My brother and sister are Ashpaw and Aspenpaw. They’re both grey, like mi.”

“‘Mi’,” Rosy echoed, a little muted herself. Before anyone had time to reflect or respond, she shook her head and brightened up again. “Are they big and fluffy like the rest of your Clan?”

“Well, Ashpaw’s pretty skinny,” Cloudpaw said, slowly growing more confident. “He’s not as tall, either. Aspenpaw, she’s regular-sized. We all train together sometimes. It’s really fun, because we’re still kind of playing, but we’re learning at the same time.”

“He’s been excellent at tracking down prey so far,” Fireheart added. “And he’s snuck up on me in the snow before he was even an apprentice.”

Rosy trilled. “You’re amazing! I knew you would be.”

Cloudpaw relaxed a little more. “I mean, I just follow pawprints and scents. It’s not really that hard… but I like doing that in the forest, too. I didn’t see any of it before the fire, because kits aren’t allowed out of camp until they become apprentices.” He perked up. “And Fireheart saved us! Eparme*, tell her about that.”

“We’re supposed to be showing you off.” Fireheart approached and sat down to the side so Rosy still had complete access to Cloudpaw. “I can tell her about that later.”

Rosy shuddered. “Yes, please wait. I’d love to hear the story someday, but the idea of you both being stuck in a fire… it’s too awful.”

“It was really scary,” Cloudpaw confirmed. “But we’re okay now.” He hesitated. “But… Patchpelt died, when we were running away.”

“Ohhh…” Rosy moved forward and started grooming Cloudpaw’s head. “I’m so sorry, baby boy. Was he a good friend of yours?”

Cloudpaw spoke quietly. “He was an elder, and he was nice. Ravenwing was really, really sad.”

“My friend,” Fireheart elaborated. “Patchpelt was his grandfather.”

Rosy looked to Fireheart now. “Was he the one I met? Black and skinny?”

Fireheart nodded.

“Poor thing…” Rosy turned back to Cloudpaw, but she seemed to be speaking to herself. “I don’t know if it’s worse to know exactly what happened to someone you love or to never know.”

There was a brief moment of silence.

Fireheart broke it. “Cloudpaw, is there anything else you want to tell Rosy? We should leave pretty soon, before dawn starts coming up.”

“Uh…” Cloudpaw thought for a moment. His words were soft and a bit hesitant, but they were earnest. “It was nice to meet you, Rosy. Mira. Um. You know.” He straightened up again. “I’ll come back when I can.” He peeked at Fireheart. “If I can.”

Fireheart nodded warmly.

Rosy rasped her tongue over his left ear. “Please do come back soon, Cloudpaw. And Fireheart. I’ve missed you both so much. It was torture, not knowing if you were okay.”

“I’m sorry about that.” Fireheart stood up, tilting his head with the apology. “We ended up traveling all the way across the territories to live in the Barn—a big, empty house—and we had to wait to go home until all the humans were gone.”

Rosy sighed in a sad way, rather than exasperation or frustration. “I think I can be ready to hear the story the next time you come by. When will that be, do you know?”

Cloudpaw looked inquiringly at Fireheart.

“I don’t,” he said. “There’s still a lot going on for us.”

Another inquiring look, one with a clear message: Do we tell her about…?

About what didn’t matter. There were too many things to say that would send her into a panic. Fireheart just shook his head.

“Well, alright…” Rosy licked Cloudpaw’s forehead a final time, then turned and pressed her own head under Fireheart’s chin. “Thank you for coming. Thank you so much for– for everything. Taking care of him, teaching him, bringing him here…” Her wide eyes were wet when she drew back. “You don’t know how much that means to me.”

Fireheart touched his nose just above and between her eyes. “It’s been an honor.”

Cloudpaw said nothing, just blinked kindly at his mother. Rosy blinked back and stood there, watching them as they jumped up onto the rail and over the fence. Fireheart didn’t hear her flap open again, even after they were quite a distance away.

“She was nice,” Cloudpaw said at last. “I like her.”

“Good!” Fireheart bobbed his head encouragingly. “I meant it when I said I don’t know when we can go back, but I’ll get you back there as soon as I can. As long as it’s safe.”

Cloudpaw paused. “Should we have told her about the dogs? What if they come into the Houses?”

Fireheart sighed. “My friend here knows about them. The last I heard, rumors were going around, but Rosy doesn’t leave her yard very often. And, well, I didn’t want to tell her about the dogs when they’ve done… what they’ve done.”

Cloudpaw shivered.

“If you weren’t there, I would have said something,” Fireheart continued. “But I can’t bring you to her for the first time and immediately tell her you’ve been in more danger than just the fire.”

“…Okay.”

Fireheart looked at his nephew. “What’s on your mind? The dogs?”

“No,” Cloudpaw almost murmured. “I’m just thinking.”

Fireheart tapped his side with his tail. “Well, if you want to share those thoughts, I’m right here. Rosy will be, too.”

At this, the tension in Cloudpaw’s body eased. His fur smoothed out and his tail raised.

“Yeah.” His eyes softened. “She will. I’m glad I met her.”

“See, I told you she’d like you, remember?”

A small crease in his blue eyes. “…Yeah.”

*“Eparme”: uncle.

#warrior cats #redux iterum #iterum #chapter #chapter twenty eight #book three #arc one #charred legacy

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leiawritesstories · 3 months ago

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Naughty Chef

Rowaelin Month 2024, Day 4: Accidental Nude @rowaelinscourt

Word count: 1.1k

Warnings: swearing, suggestive content/slightly NSFW

Surprise! Another episode of Chef Rowan! Enjoy!!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“42 up, 43 up, 51 in two minutes, and—what do you want, Moonie?” Wiping the rolled-up sleeve of his white chef’s jacket across his sweaty, flushed face, Rowan shot a sharp look at Fenrys, who had appeared out of nowhere in the expo window. “Hurry the hell up, we’re buried in tickets.”

“I know.” Fen cleared his throat. “Just stopping by to check on the 86 list and give expo another set of hands.”

Rowan glanced at the scribbled notes on the back of a guest check that was tucked into his side of the expo window. “We’re down to three halibut all day and one of the prep cooks said the mushrooms were slimy, so no stroganoff besides what we have in the fridge. That’s all for now.”

“Fen, I need a comp on table 52!” Dorian, one of the servers, hurried around the corner. “You got a minute?”

“Go on, boss man.” Rowan waved an empty frying pan at Fenrys as the blonde man left the expo hall. “Lor, where the fuck is that ribeye for 51?”

“Don’t fuckin’ rush me, asshole!” Lorcan yelled from his station. Rowan chuckled and turned back to the orders he was working on, knowing Lorcan’s surliness was his way of showing affection. The two of them had been working for long enough to know each other’s cooking times and moods, and every so often he liked to needle the grumpy man in the middle of dinner service just to get a reaction.

The music pumping from the speakers abruptly paused, and the voice on Rowan’s phone—it was his turn to pick the music—announced a message from Aelin. “Fireheart sent you a photo. Would you like to open it?”

“No,” Rowan called, and the music started back up. He’d check his phone as soon as he was done with this ticket, because he didn’t want to miss a single photo or text about his precious angel baby girl, and Aelin frequently sent him Lana updates while he was at work.

Lorcan snickered. “Aww, is Daddy Chef anxious about his wittle girwie?”

“Asshole.” Rowan finished plating up the shrimp skewers he’d been grilling, slid the plate across the expo window, and threw a wadded-up rag at Lorcan’s ass. “Give me five, I’m gonna go check what Aelin said. You want music, Lor?”

“Want me to play you a lullaby?”

“Hey, Vaughan!” The chef down at the cold line looked up, brows raised in question. “How about you run the music while I duck into my office for a minute? Lorcan decided to be a dickwad.”

“When is he ever anything but a dickwad?” Vaughan pulled out his phone and connected to the Bluetooth speakers. “Go on and cry over your baby, Chef.”

“All of you are dicks,” Rowan grumbled, affectionately. He left the kitchen, walked past the dishwashing station in the back, and pushed open the green-painted door of his office. Technically, he shared it with Lorcan, but his co-executive chef had once walked in on him cooing and blowing kisses to his baby daughter over the phone and declared that the office was ruined and he never wanted to step foot in it again.

Taking a seat in the worn leather swivel chair, Rowan pulled his phone out of his pocket and opened his texts. He tapped on Aelin’s name, which was the top of his list, and opened the photo she’d sent him a few minutes ago.

And his heart fucking stopped.

Eyes the size of dinner plates, jaw nearly on the floor, and all of his systems short-circuiting, Rowan gaped at the picture on his phone, desperately trying to control the sudden rush of his blood directly to his groin. Because the picture was not Lana, but Aelin. Aelin, who was standing in front of her full-length mirror wearing tiny, nearly sheer scraps of flimsy lace, the pieces so tiny that he couldn’t tell what color they were from the photo. Aelin, whose artfully tousled wavy hair and smoky eye makeup and bold red lipstick made a forest fire erupt in his blood.

>>what do you think of this for tonight?

<<You’re fucking stunning, Fireheart.

Seconds later, gray dots pulsed as Aelin responded.

>>oh my gods

>>i’m so sorry!!!

>>that was supposed to go to the girls chat

>>oh my gods

<<You send…those pictures to the girls chat?! Aelin, you’re naked! It was irrational, he knew, to expect his fiancée not to ask her close friends about her outfits, but he was hard in his office and he wanted that photo only for himself.

>>yes, you hovering buzzard. who else would give me honest opinions?

<<Me

>>love, you like everything i wear

>>it’s not a complaint, but i do want to surprise you sometimes

<<Naughty girl

<<You’d better be wearing that when I get home tonight. That, and nothing else.

>>ro, we have a baby…

<<We’re gonna have two babies if you keep getting new lingerie, baby. I want to see it when I get home. On you, then on the floor.

>>hmm, sounds like someone’s a little worked up. He could practically hear the smirk in his fiancée’s voice. Instinctively, he locked the door, stood up, and angled the cheap mirror that was propped against the far wall. She wanted to tease him with photos of her looking absolutely sinful while he was at work? He’d give her something to think about, too.

Rowan unbuttoned his jacket, revealing his bare, tattooed skin, and unzipped his pants. Shoving a hand into his boxers, he wrapped a fist around himself and faced the mirror, turning slightly to emphasize the rock-hard bulge. Before he could think better, he turned his flash on and snapped the photo, the bright light illuminating the gloomy space of the office and casting the angles of his figure into light and shadow. He sent it, turned his phone back to Do Not Disturb, shoved it in his pocket, left the office, and made a beeline for the staff bathroom.

Several minutes later, he emerged more composed, straightened his chef’s jacket, and headed back to the kitchen. He nodded his thanks at Nico, the sous chef, who had taken over his station while he was…on break. Lorcan shot him a knowing smirk, wiggling his dark brows suggestively, and Rowan flipped him off, turning his attention back to the flood of tickets pouring off the printer.

It was almost eleven o’clock by the time he clocked out and left through the back door, tiredly driving home through quiet streets. He unbuttoned his jacket as he walked up the steps to his house, and pushed through the front door. Inside, he carefully stepped out of his shoes and left them on the shoe rack before heading down the hall towards the bedroom.

Where his fiancée was waiting, sprawled on their bed wearing barely more than a smirk.

~~~

TAGS:

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@thegreyj

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@mariaofdoranelle

@rowanaelinn

@house-of-galathynius

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@charlizeed

@booknerdproblems

@earthtolinds

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@sweet-but-stormy

@clea-nightingale

@autumnbabylon

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@fauna-flora11

#my writing #rowaelin month #rowaelinmonth #rowaelinmonth2024 #aelin galathynius #rowan whitethorn #rowan x aelin #rowaelin #rowaelin fanfic #rowaelin fanfiction #throne of glass #throne of glass fanfic #throne of glass au #chef rowan

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acourtofquestions · 1 month ago

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Rowaelin Chapter 41 Kingdom of Ash:

She'd rebuild it—what she had been.

Perhaps one last time, perhaps only for a little while, but she'd do it. If only for Terrasen.

Rowan swooped from the mast, shifting as he reached her side at the rail. He surveyed the night-black sea beyond them. "You should rest." She slid him a glance. "I'm not tired." Not a lie, not in some regards. "Want to spar?" He frowned. "Training can start tomorrow."

"Or tonight." She held his piercing stare, matched his dominance with her own.

"It can wait a few hours, Aelin."

"Every day counts." Against Erawan, even a day of training would count.

Rowan's jaw tightened. "True," he said at last. "But it can still wait. There are ... there are things we need to discuss." The silent words rose in his animal-bright eyes. About you and me.

Her mouth went dry. But Aelin nodded In silence, they strode into their spacious quarters, its only decoration the wall of windows that overlooked the churning sea behind them. A far cry from a queen's chamber, or any she might have purchased as Adarlan's assassin.

At least the bed built into the wall looked clean enough, the sheets crisp and stainless. But Aelin headed for the oak desk anchored to the floor, and leaned against it while Rowan shut the door.

In the dim lantern light, they stared at each other.

She'd endured Maeve and Cairn; she'd endured Endovier and countless other horrors and losses. She could have this conversation with him. The first step toward rebuilding herself.

Aelin knew Rowan could hear her thundering heart as the space between them went taut. She swallowed once. "Elide and Lorcan told you... told you everything that was said on that beach."

A curt nod, wariness flooding his eyes. "Everything that Maeve said." Another nod.

She braced herself. "That I'm-we're mates."

Understanding and something like relief replaced that wariness. "Yes."

"I'm your mate," she said, needing to voice it. "And you are mine."

Rowan crossed the room, but halted a few feet from the desk on which she leaned. "What of it, Aelin?" His question was low, rough.

"Don't you..." She scrubbed at her face. "You know what she did to you, to ..." She couldn't say her name. Lyria. "Because of it."

"I do know."

"And?"

"And what do you wish me to say?"

She pushed off the desk. "I wish you to tell me how you feel about it. If…"

"If what?"

"If you wish it wasn't so."

His brows narrowed. "Why would I ever wish that?"

She shook her head, unable to answer, and stared over her shoulder toward the sea.

It seemed like he would close the distance between them, but he remained where he was.

"Aelin." His voice turned hoarse. "Aelin."

She looked at him then, at the pain in his words.

"Do you know what I wish?" He exposed his palms, one tattooed, the other unmarked. "I wish that you had told me. When you realized it. I wish you had told me then."

She swallowed against the ache in her throat. "I didn't want to hurt you."

"Why would it ever hurt me to know the truth that was already in my heart? The truth I hoped for?"

"I didn't understand it. I didn't understand how it was possible. I thought maybe ... maybe you might be able to have two mates within a lifetime, but even then, I just ….." She blew out a breath. "I didn't want you to be distressed." His eyes softened. "Do I regret that Lyria was dragged into this, that the cost of Maeve's game was her life, and the life of the child we might have had? Yes. I regret that, and I wish it had never happened." He would bear the tattoo to remember it for the rest of his days. "But none of that was your fault. I will always carry some of the burden of it, always know I chose to leave her for war and glory, and that I played right into Maeve's hands."

"Maeve wanted to ensnare you to get to me, though."

"Then it is her choice, not yours."

Aelin ran a hand over the worn wood of the desk. "In those illusions she spun for me, she showed me variations on one more than all the others." The words were strained, but she forced them out. Forced herself to look at him. "She spun me one dreamscape that felt so real I could smell the wind off the Staghorns."

"What did she show you?" A breathless question.

Aelin had to swallow before she could answer. "She showed me what might have been—if there had been no Erawan, if Elena had dealt with him properly and banished him. If there had been no Lyria, none of that pain or despair you endured. She showed me Terrasen as it would have been today, with my father as king, and my childhood happy, and..." Her lips wobbled. "When I turned twenty, you came with a delegation of Fae to Terrasen, to make amends for the rift between my mother and Maeve. And you and I took one look at each other in my father's throne room, and we knew."

She didn't fight the stinging in her eyes. "I wanted to believe that was the true world. That this was the nightmare from which I'd awaken. I wanted to believe that there was a place where you and I had never known this suffering and loss, where we'd take one look at each other and know we were mates. Maeve told me she could make it so. If I gave her the keys, she'd make it all possible." She wiped at her cheek, at the tear that escaped down it. "She spun me realities where you were dead, where you'd been killed by Erawan and only in handing over the keys to her would I be able to avenge you. But those realities made me ... I stopped being useful to her when she told me you were gone. She couldn't get me to talk, to think. Yet in the ones where you and I met, where things were as they should have been ... that was when I came the closest."

His swallow was audible. "What stopped you?"

She wiped at her face again. "The male I fell in love with was you. It was you, who knew pain as I did, and who walked with me through it, back to the light. Maeve didn't understand that. That even if she could create that perfect world, it wouldn't be you with me. And I'd never trade that, trade this. Not for anything." He extended his hand. An offer and invitation.

Aelin laid hers atop his, and his callused fingers squeezed gently. "I wanted it to be you," he breathed, closing his eyes. "For months and months, even in Wendlyn, I wondered why you weren't my mate instead. It tore me up, wondering it, but I still did." He opened his eyes, and they burned like green fire. "All this time, I wanted it to be you."

She lowered her gaze, but he hooked a thumb and forefinger around her chin and lifted her face.

"I know you are tired, Fireheart. I know that the burden on your shoulders is more than anyone should endure." He took their joined hands and laid them on his heart. "But we'll face this together. Erawan, the Lock, all of it.

"We'll face it together. And when we are done, when you Settle, we will have a thousand years together. Longer."

A small sound came out of her. "Elena said the Lock requires—"

"We'll face it together," he swore again.

"And if the cost of it truly is you, then we'll pay it together. As one soul in two bodies.

Her heart strained to the point of cleaving. "Terrasen needs a king."

"I have no intention of ruling Terrasen without you. Aedion can have the job."

She scanned his face. He meant every word He brushed the hair from her face, his other hand still clasping hers to his chest, where his heart pounded a steady, unfaltering rhythm.

"Even if I had my choice of any dream-realities, any perfect illusions, I would still choose you, too."

She felt the truth of his words echo into the unbreakable thing that bound their very souls, and tilted her face up toward his. But he made no move beyond it.

She frowned. "Why aren't you kissing me?"

"I thought you might want to be asked first."

"That never stopped you before."

"This first time, I wanted to make sure you were ... ready." After Cairn and Maeve. After months of having no choices whatsoever.

She smiled despite that truth. "I'm ready to be kissed again, Prince."

He let out a dark chuckle and muttered, "Thank the gods," before he lowered his mouth to hers.

"You're my mate." Her words were a breathless rush. "And I am yours."

The world might have been burning around them for all she cared, all he cared, too.

"Together, Aelin," he promised, and she heard the rest of the words in every place their bodies joined. Together they would face this, together they would find a way.

Together we'll find a way, their mingling breaths, the crashing sea, seemed to echo.

Together.

#Chapter 41 #Kingdom of Ash #Sarah J. Maas #Aelin Galathynius #Rowan Whitethorn #Rowaelin #soulmates #mates #spoilers and notes in tags cause this chapter and also spoilers in post cause this chapter first read react with me read along #Rowaelin chapters scenes moments quotes #they want to make it possible bring that love to light #am I allowed to cry? — Again the word endured — finally the dream — the sand she still sees — he’s magic being steady — them talking time #again if Maeve could convince Rowan Lyria was his mate how bad was it when she convinced Aelin her actual mate was dead… this hurts me…#the fact Aelin stopped being useful because it destroyed her beyond belief but the dreams the dreams almost got her because its all she wan #again then both feeling sorry and the other not realizing and then consent and then comfort and love & I just wanted it2be U how could I no #I know you are tired Fireheart (ALL THE TROPES IN ONE LINE… UGH I MISSED THIS SHIP)#together. one soul in two bodies. their endgame like literally they are. I’d choose you too. even the apologies that were needed just heali #what it might have once been — together — not alone — not returning alone — the king and queen of Terrasen — I need u more — 2 whatever end #Aelin watched the boat until it disappeared trying not to stare too long at the clean unstained sand beneath her boots #always north — she didn’t care she just wanted far away — who knew — what she knew-the letters she sent-Valg-dark blood that had turned red #If it had been another dreamscape or some fragment that had blended into the very real memory of Connall's death. — always a plab&theory #all these things to deal with later-she’d rebuild all she had been-her match helper mirror-matched his piercing stare with her own-wait/res #A far cry from a queen's chamber or any she might have purchased as Adarlan's assassin. — how far we’ve come-she had ENDURED she can do it #I'm your mate she said needing to voice it. And you are mine. — Lyria. — I do know. and?&what do you wish me to say?-this was perfect #If what? If you wish it wasn't so. His brows narrowed. Why would I ever wish that? — Aelin. she looked at him at the pain in his words #the way it's changed since Mistward... and grown... even in names like Whitethorn Galathynius together — the brain thoughts are back —#The kiss was gentle-light. Letting her decide how to guide it. So she did. — he’d do it all night if that was what’s he wished #Together we'll find a way their mingling breaths the crashing sea seemed to echo. Together. — mountains and oceans #Might’ve been before-thought snapped-the bond- u r my mate&I am urs-the world might have been burning for all she cared all he cared too #Together they would face this together they would find a way. — claiming him as he claimed her — a scar a marker a tattoo

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wc-confessions · 7 months ago

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one thing i really enjoyed about the first arc tbh is how they spent a lot of time showing us Fireheart/Firestar dealing with the minutia of day to day leadership duties. I really liked reading the bits where he divided up regular patrols and duties and handled regular leadership tasks. i had so much fun reading those bits, i liked getting to know the individual members of the clan through this and seeing Fireheart learn how to handle his newfound responsibility like this. i wish we got more of that in as much detail in any of the later arcs, i kinda miss it :(

ㅤ

#confession #firestar

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live-moonzie-reaction · 2 months ago

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LETS GOOOOO DRS2 PART 2

-*yawns* WAS THAT A S I G H OF DISSENT????

-love how nobody notices the two teenage ninja JUMPING ON THEIR CUBICLE WALLS

-How did I know Sora was gonna land on Arin

-What you need??? What do you need???

-THEY FOUND JAY’S LAST NAME

-ITS QUASHING TIME!!!

-and we back to Lloyd’s Moonwatcher arc I’ve missed this

-hmmm gee i wonder Lloyd what kind of being, presumably some sort of embodiment of evil, has enough power to move a dojo. (Moonkitti voice) Gee Fireheart what a mystery

-also can I just say I LOVE that the first scene of the OG 6 ninja is of Lloyd and Nya I just love them as a duo

-WYLDFIRE AHXJDNCNFBFB

-…oh. Oh she’s coping… well…

-GOTTEM

-Nya: I’m sure they’re fine.

(Cut to Arin and Sora dangling in a giant birdcage over a pit of lava)

Arin: Huh. Apparently this is a canon event.

Sora: THIS IS A WHAT???

-okay so i was close

-That one agent: (rips off own arm)

-“THOSE ARE MY FAVORITE FEET!”Implying he has more than two

-THE SUBTITLES SAID MATRIARCH THUDS OH NO

-subtitles written by Queen Scarlet frfr like.

✨Thrilling✨ music plays

(Thrilling music plays, in plain text)

-OH IS SHE DEAD?!? OH IS SHE DYING??? OH SHE’S DYING

-ahhh his name is Nokt is it?

-“everything is war” “the fight is what fuels me” ah response

-“bEcAuSe I dOnT tRuSt YoU”

-Jordana’s lil smirk at Nokt is SENDING ME

-Lloyd hears something from the Matriarch???

-oh and then immediately she dies oOp

-WOW IT REALLY IS A MOONWATCHER ARC HUH?!?

-ANOTHER BABY!!!

-Lloyd getting yoinked like a hatchling by Zanth just added ten years to my lifespan :D

-poor Riyu shxkxndkfjgnfb

-oh my gosh not these guys again smh

-I’m sorry but Freebooters just sounds so stupid to mefor no reason

-THANK YOU NYA

-As someone who’s read MANY books I don’t think a lack of books is the problem here

-🎶aNd vLaDiMiR cOlLeCtS cErAmIc UnIcOoOoOoOrNs🎶

-BRO IS SO FIRED UP OVER THR MATRIARCH WE LOVE HIM you know what’d be funny

-WYLDFIRE AS A ROCKETBOOSTER

-aaand there’s the mountain dragons

-sad mountain dragon hours

-so is Lloyd being the diplomat to the dragons… pUrPoSeFuL or…?

-MOTION!

-L L O Y D YOU DONT JUST SAY THAT SHXKSNFKTJTHF

-I’M SORRY A SOURCE DRAGON D I E D?!?

_______

-SHE CALLED HERSELF THE RED NINJA AUGH

-NYAS HERE

-NYA BEING WYLDFIRES COOL AUNT

-O h s h e ’ s c o p i n g w e l l

-“maybe being trapped forever in the nether-space isn’t that bad?”

(Cut to Kai in the nether space)

Kai: (Bo Burnham voice) HOW WE ALL FEELIN TONIGHT?!?

-once again, hey I was close

-P I E F L A V O R

-“your best friend?” AAAAAAGH

-SORA HE DOESNT HAVE AN ELEMENT

-ARE WE BACK TO RONTU AND EGALT?!?

-…okay new voice claim for Darkstalker

-YEEEEAAAAAAAAAH ZANE AND LLOYD!!!!!

-excited Lloyd hours :D

-also is it just me or is the voice filter on Zane just cranked up more and more every season lately?

-it’d be SO FUNNY if Rontu and Egalt somehow knew Wu or at least interacted with him in the past

-NO.

-OH LLOYD’S GOTTA TEACH EM. Well this’ll be fun

-Rontu’s lil head shake dhekcbeckngk

-ZANE’S SO EXCITES IN THE BACKGROUND LOOK AT HIM

-After sixteen seasons someone calls him Master Lloyd again

-Rontu: (gives speech about Lloyd’s heart being too big)

Lloyd: geez man I wasn’t expecting to be psychoanalyzed today 😭🤚

-Egalt: eh it’ll be fine

(Cut to everyone with BOWLS ON THEIR HEADS)

-STEWJITSU WXHIECJICEB buddy no 💚

-somehow I feel like the pressure’ll break him or turn him evil or something

-“you’re never useless, Arin” snxkdnckgngng I’m so soft

-Arin’s so excited shxbdkfmgb

-EUPHRASIA!!!! :D HER!!! :D :D :D !!!!!!

-ooooo she lookin shifty 👀

-so many. So many.

-I read the subtitles first and thought he said “Master of Ledgering” andjckfngbgv

-smh they can’t even go in???

-book guy with the professional talk and then Wyldfire just. “My dude.”

-Huh. Apparently either shade and shadow are two different elements or Shade had a kid.

-JAY ON THE ELEVATOR THEME RETURNS FOR ALL OF ONE SECOND

-“You’re intruding on OUR intrusion!” I love Wyldfire‘s dialogue so much

-HE UNDERSTOOD JIRO!!! AAAAAAAA!!! AAAAA!!! AAAAAAA!!!

-Oh that’s RIGHT Wyldfire’s acrophobic

-WE HAVE A BEATBOXER NOW??? (giddy acapella kid noises)

-I love Roby already shxkdngbfv

-WE FINALLY FOUND THE FUSCHIA NINJA LETS GOOOO

(starts braiding hair (two braids, don’t worry) and doesn’t write for multiple episodes)

-(pauses braiding) ohhh no Frak did it didn’t he the master is Ras’s master

__________

-ohhh now I see it no yeah Arin’s going evil sorry

-…the writers did realize we were KIDDING about the Wyldfire boyfriend thing right?

-oh suddenly I do not like Roby is it just me or does it feel like he’s not gonna give the powers back

(One band concert later)

-ELEMENTAL MASTER OF PLANTS JUST THINKS HES REALLY GOOD AT GARDENING THIS IS WHAT I LIKE TO SEE!!! people with powers being oblivious to them the beloved

-Nya IMMEDIATELY chatting with the other elemental masters is GOLDEN “LIKE THE HAIR! :D”

-Is Jordana possessed or smth?

-Wyldfire snarling :D

-Wyldfire being angry at Cinder noice noice

-the perspective makes it look like Nya just casually touches the edge of the fire and that’s really funny to me

-poor Lloyd just wants to make friends man

-OH YOU’VE GOTTA BE KIDDING ME

-BEATRIX IS JUST HERE NOW WHXJDKCMFKGN

-HOLD ON THIS IS ZEATRIX?!?

-Girl I SAW the spirit dragon you TOTALLY WERE INVITED

-okay for once I’m on Ras’s side here lol I just wanna see people tear down Zeatrix

-wait hol up it’d be REALLY funny if Lloyd decided to sass her the way he just sassed a SOURCE DRAGON EARLIER

-Okay I now want to see a spin off series of shorts a la Wu’s Teas called Nya’s Awkward Dinners

-Zane: (shuts door nicely)

-Well. Uh. Wyldfire boyfriend. Unfortunately the only version I have on hand of this meme is this one so

-how funny would it be if this was a Harumi situation and Roby’s the one who killed the matriarch

-Man I thought for SURE we were gonna get Lloyd Plagued By Visions TM

-WHAT IS THAT GOO AND WHATS IT GONNA DO TO LLOYD

-OH.

-THE LIL ZING SOUND EFFECT WHEN LLOYD USES HIS POWERS MY BELOVED

-ARIN WITH THE GRAPPLERRRR WOOOOO

-“I WAS ACTUALLY GETTING A GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP FOR A CHANGE >:(” he’s so silly

-OH COME ON THESE GUYS AGAIN???

-okay it’s Zeatrix

-No. absolutely not. There’s no way.

-Zant-Tanz: Unfortunately, we have an impostor among us.

-J A Y !

____________

-j a y shxjskdkfnfn

-WE GET TO SEE THEM DANCE?!?

-Lloyd you weren’t even IN spin harmony

-OHHH IT GOT SAD :(

-Poor… POOR Nya…

-You. You do realize he could’ve set one on himself to throw himself off the trail right.

-I DO NOT TRUST FRAK

-I’m glad Riyu also does not trust Frak lol

-She’s looking for Roby she’s looking for Roby

-AAAGH just when I thought she couldn’t get any more Peril-coded she pulls this shxnskcnfjgb

-Awwww Cole and Geo :)

-Sora: (very obvious cat ears slowly lower)

Jordana: understandable have a great day

-I KNEW IT I KNEW IT FROM THE BEGINNING

-“I wouldn’t lie to you Arin :3 Except for that one time with the object Spinjitzu at the blood moon but all the other times I wouldn’t lie to you! :3 :3 :3”

-it’s the overlord again isn’t it /hj

-WYLDFIRE JUST APPEARING

-Now… hear me out… destruction is an element… 🤨📸💚💜

-oh boy Zane’s up first

-“I am limber. I am loose. (chuckles) I’m in danger!”

-Zane so help me you gotta ice rink it

-NOOOOOOOOO ZAAAAAANE

-ohhh Zane :(

-Wait. If Arin’s gonna be a detective because he can’t compete, ZANE now can’t compete, and Zane already has a detective persona… 👀👀👀

-oh it’s Nya vs Jay isn’t it

-GOSH DANGIT WHY DO I HAVE TO BE RIGHT

-ohhhh 😭😭😭

-some loser in a Jay wig 😭😭😭

-bLiNgEd OuT dAgGeR

-Oh poor poor Nya

-SILENT FIST IT NYA COME ON

-oh geez Nya’s just going THROUGH it

-Nya won but like STILL

-STOP IT I’M BAWLING AUGH

-AAAAAAAAAAUGUFUFHFHFHGHDUXHGH

-I will never be okay again

-The presumable leader of the forbidden 4/5 is just sitting there and Kai’s first and immediate instinct is “Helloooo? BOO!”

-Riyu just hearing Kai’s voice in his head dhcnxkfmgngb

________

-OF COURSE CINDER HAS A SLEEP MASK WITH HEARTS FOR EYES

-SAD JAY HOURS AGH

-sad :(

-oh. OH. OHHHH THIS IS WHAT TURNS HIM TO THE RAS SIDE

-Lloyd 🤝 Riyu: DRS2 Moonwatcher arcs

-Ooooof good luck Sora

-OKAY WE GOOD WE GOOD

-WYLDFIRE!!!

-oh c o m e o n he did that on purpose for SURE

-…from Ninjago to Cam Half Blood REAL QUICK

-WYLDFIRE DOWN WYLDFIRE IS DOOOOWN

-sad Wyldfire hours

-O H T H A T S I T

-anything can be a verb if you try hard enough

-they’re gonna get found out they’re gonna get found out

-Riyu being mid Moonwatcher arc (yes I’ve gotta keep up this bit now) is gonna be interesting for the investigation lol

-THEY GOT FOUND OUT

-Sora you jinxed it

-okay Ras you shut up

-NOOOOOOOO

(Stops because quiet hours and cannot emote)

-AAAAA AAAAA AAAA AAAAAAA

-OUGH poor Arin :(

-NO WHY WOULD YOU EVOKE THE FSM BLOODLINE EVIL STUDENT TAX

-ARIN NOOOOO

-…okay does calling the merge an act of evil feel oddly xenophobic to anyone else or am I an idiot

-Lloyd did not cause the merge that’s ridiculous abxjdkcmfbfb

-Okay Wu makes a LITTLE more sense I guess but still??? Was it really???

__________

-hang on how do we know Wu caused it???

-Arin: so I’m supposed to believe your some kinda hero?

Ras: oh, no, I’m just that one villain character everyone loves

Arin: idk man I think that’s Cinder. For some reason.

-SAVE THEM FROM EACH OTHER??? WHAT DOES THAT MEEEEAAN???

-Arin please tell me you heard that obvious evil laugh you were RIGHT THERE

-COLE YOURE LITERALLYTHE MASTER OF EARTH

-…never mind then

-sad Arin hours :(

-ARIN NOOOOO 🥺

-Aaaand Darkstalker Kai is back poor Riyu

-CMON PHRASIA YOU GOT THIS

-LETS GOOO LETS GOOO

-Euphrasia 🤝 Arin: Immune to sarcasm

-NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

-LETS GO TOX!

-ooohh ooh that’s gotta hurt

-she’s been possessed by the one sleeping hasn’t she

-Arin, explaining the masks to Frak: (animus magic hours)

-oh and this is how he spinjitzu’s normally isn’t it

-woulda look at that. Oof.

-FRAK. FRAK NO.

-They’re fighting each other aren’t they.

-Don’t think I didn’t notice the writers giving up on ever naming Lloyd’s element ever again lol

-LLOYD HOURS! YAYAYA!

-PALEMAN CALLED HIM GREENIE ITS CANON NOW

-oh that’s his face. Huh.

-idk Roby last I checked he flirted with Geo

-Sora: Hey Arin! :D

Arin: (angy)

Sora: Oh my fsm it’s worse than we thought! They made him EMO!!!

-cmon coooole

-NOOOO ARIN AAAGH

-sad Arin and Sora hours

-ARIN THAT’S NOT WHAT SHE SAID

-NOOOO COLE

-Okay Nokt you are. The worst.

-Nya’s gonna lose isn’t she

-Nya get the gem

-“A FRIENDLY DESTROY” once again Wyldfire is Peril

-OKAY NOPE ROBY’S EVIL

-“tHaNkS wYlDfIrE.”

-okay yeah it’s gonna be a smokescreen thing or smth

-ARIN NO ARIN NO ARIN NO ARIN NO

-OH NO SORA CANT RISING DRAGON

-YEAAAAAH SORA!!!

-Ohhh Arin’s edgy now

-ah yes Ball of Wu

-👀👀👀 there’s a monastery over here???

————

-Kai no braincell moment we love him

-no, Wyldfire, ninja do not sleep in.

-Riyu: YOU GET A MOONWATCHER ARC!

-GENETICS FOR THE WIN

-hold on is that Darth Vader???

-aaaand we’re back to this.

-I love the half-effort drawing shxkcnskxmfnfbv

-Wyldfire, of all people: She’s super powerful but can’t control her anger. Huh. Pathetic.

-Sora’s trying her best to be nice shocking

-HIGH LEVELS OF CRINGE

-and immediately Lloyd gets a vision we love to see it

-HE’S GONNA LOSE??? Once again my dude destruction is an eleme- (gets mugged)

-Poor poor Geo wbfbfkfngngb

-THE PAST IS FOR DEAD PEOPLE

-ROBY’S EVIL HES EVIL HES EVIL

-I K N E W I T

-AAAAAAAAA

-Wyldfire’s now gonna get a Harumi situation shekxnekfjgngv

-poor POOR Lloyd

-Cole out here being dadlike to the enemy we love him

-LLOYD KNOWING HES GONNA LOSE MAKES THIS HURT IN SUCH A SPECIAL WAY

-Zeatrix (ranting)

Lloyd: (actively witnessing The Horrors)

-I am now hoping this season ends with Cole adopting yet another snake child

-ARIN APPEARING AT THE WORST TIME

-WYLDFIRE YOU’RE MAKING IT WORSE

-OH CHAMILLE’S BACK!!!

-ROBY WITH THE FAKEOUT?!? GOSH D A N G I T

-LIFE?!?!?

-EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

-BRO THAT JUST SOUNDS SO COOL

-still like energy better tho

-“The very angry elemental master of shockwave” shxjdkcmfbffv

-AND YEET YOUR OPPONENT OFF THE PLATFORM SHXNDKXNDJGBFBGV

-she will not, in fact, thank Euphrasia.

-“only small masters dhxkcnfngb”

-ya don’t say Sora it’s almost like he had a VISION OF LOSING TO HER

-THE GOTCHA IS BACK!!!

-AGH HES PLAGUED BY VISIONS MID-FIGHT THATS NOT FAIR :(

-oh my word he’s being Clearsight about it THIS is how he loses

-THEY QUITE LITERALLY BROKE THE GAME.

-Gren :D

-ITS THE SWORD ITS T H E SWORD

-no. NO.

-Lloyd died of 1d4 “I quite literally saw this coming” damage

________

-YOUR CAREGIVER BOT

-Here I was thinking she couldn’t possibly get any more Peril-coded after last season BOY WAS I WRONG.

-Arin, of all people: Just because someone ACTS nice doesn’t mean they aren’t capable of turning on you.

-THEY’RE PLAYING CLUE

-SORA V FRACK!!! Well this isn’t going to be emotionally fraught

-Frak’s glare at Sora I can’t

-NOT THE MAAASK!!!

-YEAAAAAAHHH LETS GO FRAK

-We respect Frak in this household

-solve the equation its some sort of code I’m betting you

-BLECKT?!?

-Wyldfire being able to play her awkwardness as the obvious crush is GOLDEN

-WYFY I’M LOSING IT

-sNeAkY bOoTs :P

-IT’S BLECKT?!?

-Lloyd :<

-CROWN MONO STEREO. Now lemme run this through an anagram finder or something.

(Many internet anagram decoders later)

-okay that got me NOTHING useful

-OH. Oh Arin solves it immediately.

-AND WE BACK TO THE VISIONSCAPE!

-ARIN’S EVIL NOW

-We love Motion here :)

-LLOYD VS NOKT?!? BUT LLOYD DIDNT GET THE POWER TRANSFER?!?!?

-He’s so awkward shxkcnfkgng

-“The… imperium girl”

-okay okay we good (until he inevitably loses)

-ONCE AGAIN DESTRUCTION IS AN ELEMENT

-Y’ALL WAIT THAT COULD BE SO COOL IF HE USES ONI POWER AND ARIN PUTS TWO AND TWO TOGETHER AND SEES IT AS ANOTHER LIE AND THAT’S WHAT PUSHES HIM TO RAS’S SIDE?!?

-please please let that be what happens

-NOOOOOOO LLOOOOOOYD

-BLECKT I HATE YOU FOREVER

-ZANE WITH THE HUNGER GAMES REFERENCE?!?

-Lily :D

-aaaand we’ve got Wu

—————

-OH IS THIS A FLASHBACK

-RAS?!?

-okay why would he want to resurrect the forbidden 5?!?

-oh no wait he’s got different eyes and stripes I’m stupid that’s like his great great grandpa or smth

-so so many different villains. so many.

-man Blekt is so mean smh

-Wyldfire… did you set up a brick to fall on him so you had the excuse to tackle him in rage…

-LETS GOOO WYLDFIRE

-“it rarely ever decimated their entire village”

-HE SPEAKS!

-ah he only speaks in one word at a time.

-HE DID?!?!?!?!? WHAT?!? Dwcbevnkenifjifreip

-Poor... Poor Sora.

-“My Spinjitzu won’t spin-jitz” Sora 2024

-Sora: how would I use these powers?

-Lloyd: well you see despite being in the midst of an awkwardly timed Moonwatcher arc I cannot read your mind

-TEAM UP?!?

-Zur is so. Agh. Mood tho.

-OH ITS SORA VS NOKT!!!

-she does Spinjitzu at the end doesn’t she

-OKAY SHE CAN DO IT ARIN STYLE THATS PROGRESS

-LETS GOOO SORA WITH THE BRAINPOWER

-ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED BKDENCKPWDNCKEVFNIO

-Loving how the soundtrack at “he says he caused the merge” transitions from what I’m pretty sure is the Ninjago overture in a minor key to just. ✨oop we ending this early time to go back to that minor key✨ idk I can’t explain it

-Nokt: 🎶anything you can do I can do better🎶

-Roby you should know to NEVER say that

-NOOOOOOOOOOOOO

-the season ends with the forbidden five going out and then Kai just appearing in the chaos to sing What’d I Miss from Hamilton

-WYLDFIRE SHOULDVE DONE THE PHOENIX WRIGHT POINT

-The Phrasia :D

-also I love how the guy kept his umbrella hat THE WHOLE TIME

-Bleckt: 🎶BECAUSE OF YOU🎶

-HOW DID HE JUST. Huh?

-just great. Amazing in fact.

-and there it is.

-Yup. And Jordana got possessed.

-I’m sorry Ras can CHANGE HIS STRIPE AND HAND COLOR ON COMMAND?!?

-yup. Yup and the wolf masks can Dr. Octopus now. of course they can.

-CINDER CAN YOU STOP THROWING RANDOM TEENAGERS AROUND PLEASE AND THANK YOU

-Kizzy (master of balance) just jumping on one of the wolf masks like a trampoline is now my favorite thing ever

———

-Oh hey Nya’s back :D

-Cole just. Just smack them off the cliff while they’re evil laughing.

-nope okay cool. This is fine.

-The surge of serotonin I get every time I see Euphrasia onscreen I sWEAR

-“i SiNcErElY dEtEsT rIsInG dRaGoN.”

-Zane and Nya are just like “oh my goodness it’s Lloyd and Morro all over again”

-LETS GOOO ARIN

-ROBY THIS IS WHY YOU DO IT FAST AND DONT MONOLOGUE

-AND HE FELL OFF A CLIFF

-Okay but I LOVE that mask on Rox tho

-Also Jordana pulling an Anemone the beloved

-Ras: I know the truth about this universe.

Arin: …Dude chill I just want my mom and dad

-ARIN NOW IS NOT THE TIME TO BE EDGY

-THE STANG TO YOUR ZOOT ASHXJCNGKGB

-man all the baddies out here using wind huh. And then there’s just. Euphrasia.

-KAI’S BAAAAAAAAAAACK!!!!!

-AND BONZLEEEE!!!

-YEAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!!!

-Kai do you have NO OBJECT PERMANENCE

-HE GOT DRAINED JUST IN TIME!!!!!

-SHOUTOUT TO EUPHRASIA FR YOU GO GIRL PUSH CINDER WITH THAT WIND OF YOURS YEAAAAAAAH

-Ras just immediately getting KO’d

-…the evil student tax :(

-AND THEN KAI

-the mood swings are strong with this season

-MASTER WU

-The vengestone birdcage! Like in crystallized! Bleckt reveals he’s part Oni and shatters it

-UMBRELLA HAT GUY JUST HAD THAT HAT ON THR WHOLE TIME

-Im guessing Sordana shippers having a field day with this one

-SORA JUST DRAGGING LLOYD OFFSCREEN IM CRYING

-buuut Jay’s still gone :(

-“another mortal” implying that someone’s tried to do all of this BEFORE

-AGH I love Motion so much

-…Motion you idiot Ras is gonna take that next season

-I swear Arin’s just suddenly REALLY edgy sbxkxmxmfnfngbg

-AND THATS THE END AAAAGH

#ninjago dragons rising spoilers #Ninjago dragons rising #ninjago Dr spoilers #lloyd garmadon #zane julien #cole brookstone #euphrasia ninjago #jay walker #nya jiang #kai jiang #sora ninjago #Arin Ninjago #ninjago wyldfire #ninjago Frak #Ninjago bleckt #ninjago Roby #live Moonzie reaction

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