#let kits and apprentices get their full name challenge

[rippleclan]

RippleClan: Moon 74

Rattlepelt starts weaving lavender through her fox pelt to mark her changed self since her possession. Splashtuft cuts his leg on ocean debris and develops a scar.

[Image ID: Rattlepelt now has a sprig of lavender by her ear. Under her, it reads + ACCESSORY: LAVENDER, - CONDITION: BITE WOUND. Splashtuft now has a small scar on his left hind leg.]

(Rattlepelt: 57, female, artisan, thoughtful, leather artist)

(Splashtuft: 22, male, historian, adventurous, fast runner, student of art)

(Moon 74, Part 2)

Estherfern’s kits become apprentices.

[Image ID: Estherfern’s five kits now have apprentice sprites. Under Thunderpaw, it says LEVEL UP! THUNDERKIT → THUNDERPAW, BULLYING → ADVENTUROUS. Under Boughpaw, it says LEVEL UP! BOUGHKIT → BOUGHPAW, QUIET → RIGHTEOUS. Under Brightpaw, it says LEVEL UP! BRIGHTKIT → BRIGHTPAW, SKY → LONESOME, + PERMANENT CONDITION: SOCIAL ANXIETY. Under Foampaw, it says LEVEL UP! FOAMKIT → FOAMPAW, UNRULY → TROUBLESOME. Under Wolverinepaw, it says LEVEL UP! WOLVERINEKIT → WOLVERINEPAW, SKITTISH → COMPASSIONATE.]

---

“Let me be the first to say that you five have a hard apprenticeship ahead of you,” Downstar declared over the camp as Estherfern sat behind her kits. All five sat as groomed as Estherfern could get them, trying to remember their mother’s lessons on decorum. Brightkit shook harder than anyone else, ears threatening to tilt down. Wolverinekit and Foamkit’s tails poked at the other, unable to keep their excitement hidden. Thunderkit sat just a bit closer to the Shiprock while Boughkit remained the only one still and politely attentive, as Estherfern taught her to be. The rest of RippleClan listened with similar captured attention to their leader.

“On top of some of the personal struggles you face,” Downstar continued, ��I’m afraid you won’t have the same freedoms most of your Clanmates had at your age. We can’t risk you being caught unawares by the spirit that claimed our beloved deputy.” Estherfern would make sure of that. She had already performed a ritual over the apprentice’s den with Honeybuzz and Weevilpaw, guarding the incoming apprentices from harm.

“Despite that,” Downstar said, “RippleClan will ensure you are ready for the challenges ahead. The five of you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. Thunderkit, from this day forward until you receive your full name, you shall be known as Thunderpaw. You have expressed interest in the path of a caretaker, and I have chosen Drumtooth as your mentor.” The newly named Thunderpaw jumped up, scanning the crowd behind her mother for her new mentor. Drumtooth slipped around Estherfern and the other kits. Thunderpaw was almost Drumtooth’s size, making it easy for her to touch his nose. Her whole pelt shivered with excitement. 

“In order to give you the best pawhold on your future,” Downstar added as Drumtooth and Thunderpaw returned their gaze to her, “Troutpool and Paleseed have arranged for you to receive some lessons in Clan-sign from Mummichogleap, a deaf warrior of SlugClan. I’ve already informed Drumtooth of this arrangement and with his help, you shall become an excellent caretaker.”

“I’ll try, Downstar,” Drumtooth promised with a deep nod.

“Me too,” Thunderpaw chirped.

Clan-sign? Estherfern had never heard of any lesson plans. She was Thunderpaw’s mother, why hadn’t she been informed? She found Troutpool to the side of the crowd, seated with Tallowpaw and Slushpaw. Troutpool’s focus was on Thunderpaw as she and Drumtooth moved aside for the next kit of the litter to earn their name. Why would Troutpool agree to these lessons? How much time would this Clan-sign take away from Thunderpaw’s important lessons? Why did she have to learn such a trick when she should use that time to hone her survival skills? If they had to talk to someone outside the Clan for these lessons, obviously no one in RippleClan knew Clan-sign. What would be the point of learning something no one else understood?

Estherfern got so caught up in herself, she nearly missed when Boughkit stepped forward and Downstar delivered her new name.

“From this moment on,” Downstar declared, “until you receive your full name, you shall be known as Boughpaw. You have chosen a historian’s path, and I have chosen Oilstripe as your mentor.”

“You did?” Oilstripe muttered so quietly Estherfern barely heard her. She crept out of the crowd, focus shifting between Boughpaw and Downstar.

“Weedfoot taught you well, Oilstripe,” Downstar sighed with a slow nod. “I want you to continue following in her pawsteps by training a new apprentice.” Oilstripe held her breath at the mention of the former deputy. She sighed, bowing softly with a quiet purr. She softly touched noses with Boughpaw and escorted her to the side.

“Brightkit,” Downstar called. Brightkit didn’t move at first, eyes locked on Downstar, paws stuck in the sand. Foamkit head-butted him from behind, making him skitter forward. He fought to his paws, staring up in awe at his leader. “From this day forward until you receive your full name, you shall be known as Brightpaw. In order to craft you into the best warrior you can be, Trumpetspore shall be your mentor. Her wisdom and skill shall guide you down the path you’re destined to follow.” Estherfern hid her disappointment when Trumpetspore came up. The black molly was too awkward for Estherfern’s tastes. Brightpaw needed a mentor with strength and confidence to supply him with what he lacked. Estherfern bit her tongue as Trumpetspore and Brightpaw touched noses.

“Foamkit,” Downstar said, but the ticked molly was up and ready before her name was even called. “From this moment on, until you receive your full name, you shall be known as Foampaw. You have decided to be a caretaker like your sister, so I have chosen Mosspounce as your mentor. Don’t get into too much trouble, now.” A chuckle rose through the Clan as Mosspounce bounded to his new apprentice. The pair smacked into one another’s faces in their eagerness to touch noses. Now if only Foampaw was a warrior and Brightpaw was a caretaker. Their mentors would have been good influences then. 

“Now Wolverinekit,” Downstar sighed, focusing on the youngest and fluffiest of the litter. “You have yet to tell me what path your paws wish to follow. As such, I will place you as a warrior apprentice, and you may change this path if you feel called to do so at any time. Do you understand?”

“Yes, Downstar,” Wolverinekit said. Estherfern tensed. Why was her confident, curious daughter unsure what to train as? It was her vision, Estherfern was sure of it. She felt insecure in her skills, she had to. How could she not? There had to be a way to cure her vision, no matter what anyone else said. Estherfern would find that cure.

“Then from this moment on, until you receive your warrior name,” Downstar declared, “you shall be known as Wolverinepaw. Leathermask shall be your mentor.” The Clan began to cheer before Leathermask even got close to Wolverinepaw.

“Thunderpaw! Boughpaw! Brightpaw! Foampaw! Wolverinepaw!” What a long chant! It seemed undignified for a priestess to raise her voice like everyone else. Still, her children deserved the honor. Estherfern yowled along with her Clanmates as her five kits beamed in the praise. 

“Can we all train together?” Thunderpaw asked, gently pawing Drumtooth’s shoulder. “Can we go see Battle Beach?” Wolverinepaw and Foampaw’s eyes glinted at the idea. 

“Maybe we should get you all settled in the apprentice’s den first,” Oilstripe suggested. “It’s almost sunhigh. We might as well make sure you all have a place to sleep, considering how little room there is in there.”

“I’m making my nest next to Vervainpaw!” Foampaw yowled. She charged across camp, ignoring Estherfern entirely.

“I already said I’m sleeping next to her!” Wolverinepaw huffed, running after her sister. The other cats trailed after the excited mollies, accepting the congratulations of their Clanmates as they passed. However, only four apprentices headed for the apprentice’s den. Brightpaw whispered something in Trumpetspore’s ear. Trumpetspore listened intently and nodded. Brightpaw scurried off toward the warrior’s den. Now what was so important that Brightpaw would run away as soon as his ceremony was over?

Estherfern trailed through the dissipating crowds after her only son. Brightpaw paused at the edge of the den, looking in and out. Estherfern paused outside the artisan’s supply den, pretending to nibble an itch on her paw. Spikecrash padded to the warrior’s den with a big yawn. From the corner of her eye, Estherfern saw Brightpaw paw at Spikecrash before she could enter. She turned her ear to the conversation.

“That was horrible,” Brightpaw gulped. “I thought you said the ceremony wouldn’t be bad!”

“It wasn’t, I promise,” Spikecrash insisted, tail to Brightpaw’s shoulder. “Do you remember what I told you?”

“My heart makes me more scared than I need to be around others,” Brightpaw muttered, head sinking, “but I need to trust my heart too, don’t I?”

“Social anxiety can be a deceitful disorder of the mind, Brightpaw,” Spikecrash said. “When it comes to these moments, your heart wants to run away, but just remember, you don’t have to. Whatever you may think, it’s not what everyone else thinks. Try to remember that the next time you have to talk to a lot of cats.” 

Social anxiety? Now what was that? Estherfern had never heard of a disorder of the mind before. She knew mediators dealt with those sorts of issues, but she had dismissed them as simple emotional problems. Was Brightpaw sick? How long had he been talking to Spikecrash? Why had he not told Estherfern what was wrong? Another kit of hers, sick, set apart from the Clan, placed at disadvantage…

Estherfern would not stand for this.

(Downstar: 133, female, leader, wise, trusted advisor, very clever)

(Estherfern: 108, female, cleric, bloodthirsty, great mediator, prophecy seeker)

(Brightpaw: 6, male, warrior apprentice, lonesome, lover of art)

(Wolverinepaw: 6, female, warrior apprentice, compassionate, always asking questions)

(Foampaw: 6, female, caretaker apprentice, troublesome, always wandering)

(Thunderpaw: 6, female, caretaker apprentice, adventurous, moss-ball hunter)

(Boughpaw: 6, female, historian apprentice, righteous, constantly climbing)

(Drumtooth: 22, trans male, caretaker, loyal, great hunter, clever)

(Oilstripe: 78, female, deputy, charismatic, ghost speaker)

(Trumpetspore: 35, female, warrior, nervous, excellent potter, good storyteller)

(Mosspounce: 35, male, caretaker, adventurous, talented fire-starter)

(Leathermask: 22, male, warrior, nervous, good fighter, eloquent speaker)

(Spikecrash: 49, female, mediator, wise, good speaker, lore keeper)

Stormkit is worried about Lightningkit, who whimpers in her sleep.

[Image ID: Stormkit approaches Lightningkit, asking "Lightningkit?"]

---

The nursery was so different from the one Stormkit saw in her earliest memories. That nursery had been so packed with kits and queens, there was barely any room to move come nightfall! But now, with Estherfern’s litter in the now stuffed apprentice’s den, only two nests remained. Stormkit was getting too big to sleep with her father and littermates in the same nest, but she stayed close to the warmth of Waspdawn’s chest regardless, at peace with the weight of his chin on her back.

She wasn’t sure what woke her up at first. Her droopy eyes took a while to adjust to the dark and empty den. Sandkit and Yellowkit were thrown on top of each other, lost in their dreams. Waspdawn breathed slowly, his escaping breath tickling Stormkit’s fur. Their nest was a dark golden blur in the deep shadow. Puddlewhisper slept in the back of the den with Lightningkit and Cobaltkit. She, her siblings, and James took turns sleeping with Lightningkit and Cobaltkit in the nursery ever since Weedfoot left camp and returned as still and limp as Littlekit had once been. Whatever woke Stormkit, the noise came from the back of the den.

Stormkit pulled herself out from under Waspdawn’s chin. His head plunked into the nest. Stormkit froze, waiting for Waspdawn to wake up, but he remained asleep, breath now fiddling with the loose moss at the nest’s edge. Stormkit crawled out of the nest and peered deeper into the nursery. A tiny whimper caught her ear. 

“Lightningkit?” Stormkit whispered. Deep blue eyes burst to life at Puddlewhisper’s side. Really, did neither adult hear her denmate’s cries? 

“Huh?” Lightningkit gulped with a crack in her voice. “Stormkit?”

“Were you crying?” Stormkit asked. She snuck closer to the long-furred kit. Cobaltkit and Puddlewhisper were still deeply asleep, but Lightningkit, tucked by Puddlewhisper’s leg, blinked sleep from her eyes.

“Was I?” Lightningkit mumbled. “Sorry.” She rubbed her face in her nest.

“Are you alright?” Stormkit asked. She sat at the edge of the nest, studying her kin’s dark face.

“Maybe,” Lightningkit said. “I… think I was dreaming about my mom.” Her voice quivered and her whiskers shivered. “I thought Puddlewhisper was her for a moment. I really wish she was here.” Stormkit licked Lightningkit’s shoulder. She gently nuzzled the red molly.

“I wish I could bring her back for you,” Stormkit mumbled. 

“It’s too quiet in here,” Lightningkit gulped, no longer able to keep her sorrow from her words. She pressed into Stormkit with another whimper.

“Puddlewhisper and my dad won’t be too mad if we walk around camp,” Stormkit suggested, pulling her face out of the mess of Lightningkit’s long fur. “Let’s walk around.” She gently nipped Lightningkit’s paw, pulling her out of the nest. Lightningkit swallowed hard. She crawled away from Cobaltkit and Puddlewhisper. Stormkit leaned against Lightningkit, nudging her onwards. The two crept out of the dark nursery and into the camp clearing, dimly lit by a small fire.

It wouldn’t fill the nursery again, or the gaps in either molly’s lives, but it would help a bit. It was the best two kits could do for one another.

(Stormkit: 5, female, kit, know-it-all, loves to eat)

(Waspdawn: 40, male, codekeeper, strict, learner of lore, clue finder)

(Lightningkit: 4, female, kit, self-conscious, always wandering)

Anchovypaw gets lost on patrol.

[Image ID: Anchovypaw is lost.]

---

Anchovypaw was not lost. He just wasn’t sure which part of the forest he was in. When you’re focused on the hunt, the trees all start to look the same! It wasn’t Anchovypaw’s fault. He was trying to feed his Clan! Still, the smell of autumn consumed his path from Halibutdusk and the rest of the hunting patrol. All he could smell were sharp orange leaves and the two dead mice in his jaws.

Anchovypaw set the mice at his paws and called, “Halibutdusk? Splashtuft? Billowpaw?” All he received in return was a flutter of leaves dancing overhead. One landed on top of his head. He chuckled and batted the leaf off. Alright then! If he couldn’t call out to his patrol, he would just go home. The camp was by the ocean; if Anchovypaw kept walking east, he would eventually hit the beach and would find his way back to camp in no time at all. Besides, being alone meant…

Anchovypaw pounced on a fat oak leaf. The crunch sent glee pounding through his pelt. He purred and wiggled his flank, no longer caring about the proper hunter’s crouch. He pounced on a pile of leaves blown into the crook of a thick trunk. He purred harder with each crack and crinkle. He rolled in the leaves, closing his eyes and enjoying the dappled light creating strange shadows on his eyelids.

Anchovypaw rested his head on the leaves and stared out at the mix of green, orange, and red that was the forest of RippleClan. Autumn was by far the best season to wash over the territories. Maybe he could convince Weevilpaw and Wolfpaw to sneak out and jump in the leaves. Except… no. It wasn’t safe to be out alone. No one else had been able to see the ichor covering Downstar as Rapidleaf carried her into camp, mixing with her blood. Not everyone understood what it meant for such danger to stain the walls of camp. Too many remembered the Shardling’s wild yellow eyes tearing into the nursery.

Anchovypaw hurried to his feet, the leaves scattering around him. Halibutdusk was likely getting nervous. No matter how much Anchovypaw wanted to enjoy the beautiful, cool day, he had to get home, for everyone’s sake. Yet as he reached for his mice, something black caught his eye. It had been hidden underneath the leaves at first, but now it absorbed the dappled light in the shape of a blurred paw print. The paw print was made of ichor.

Anchovypaw cleared away the leaves. He slapped and smacked them to the side, using his tail to clear as many as he could. He found three more ichor-stained paw prints under the leaves. They pointed toward the unseen ocean, but were thicker going the other way. The first paw print Anchovypaw found was the farthest along the stranger’s path, with only the slightest stain of ichor telling Anchovypaw what had happened. There was no way to know just where they were going, if they were heading for camp or somewhere else… but Anchovypaw could figure out where the paw prints came from. He had to. For his friends. For his siblings. For Robinkit and his mother.

Picking his mice back up, Anchovypaw traced the paw prints through the leaves and litter. He slowly followed the trail backwards, brushing aside leaves as he went. The trail looped around pines and firs, as though enjoying a humble stroll. But nothing that left paw prints like these could be considered humble.

The ichor pooled at the edge of a dark den dug under the weak roots of a thin tree. Anchovypaw took a deep breath, but could not smell anyone inside the den. All he smelled were herbs. Creeping around the thick paw prints, Anchovypaw peered inside the den.

A mushroom circle filled the interior of the den. Anchovypaw might have thought it natural at first glance, but each mushroom had been plucked, dried, and carefully placed within the den. A strange green poultice filled the holes in between the mushrooms. Anchovypaw couldn’t tell what herbs were used, but it reminded him of chats with Weevilpaw in the medicine den. The black ichor dripped out of the heart of the circle and into the dip near the den’s entrance. Someone made this strange circle, but who? Whoever left the ichor behind, Anchovypaw was the only one who could get rid of it. He would show the clerics, Weevilpaw, and Wolfpaw the den, but first, he had to handle the threat. This time, he’d be the one to defeat it. It was his gift to bring the things to life. It was his responsibility.

Anchovypaw set his mice aside and peered at the puddle of ichor. He could already taste it. It hadn’t been too long since the Shardling stampeded through the nursery, but in that moment, Anchovypaw felt both five moons and five hundred moons old, the tragedy both a day and a thousand days in the past. Anchovypaw dipped his muzzle into the ichor pool and grabbed hold. 

The ichor pulled from the pool like flesh ripped from prey. This time around, Anchovypaw could keep his feet firmly planted as the supernatural goop dragged itself out of the circle, collecting in Anchovypaw’s jaws. He braced himself as the Dark Forest energy manifested in his grasp. It was the size of an apprentice, only slightly smaller than himself. But the size didn’t matter. Anchovypaw would deal with it.

As the manifestation opened its red eyes, forming feline ears and a sharp, swishing tail, Anchovypaw threw it to the grass. The beast was only prey to him; dangerous prey that had to be snuffed out like a dying fire. Anchovypaw dug his teeth into the spirit’s throat. It screeched and gurgled like bubbling mud. Anchovypaw stood on its flank and pushed down, biting harder and harder. The creature clawed at Anchovypaw’s pelt, taking out chunks of brown and white fur. Anchovypaw dug his claws in in return. The ichor pooled between his pads. 

Anchovypaw didn’t let go until the creature dissolved into nothing but dripping goop, leaking like salt water from the apprentice’s bared jaws. All that remained was a small pile of ichor, sloshing like wet clay. Anchovypaw sat beside it, panting and gagging on the taste. StarClan, he hated that part. Whatever energy remained over the strange den, it was gone. 

But how did it get there in the first place?

(Anchovypaw: 9, male, warrior apprentice, playful, curious about StarClan)

Estherfern senses a presence on patrol.

[Image ID: Estherfern sees the ghost of Harvest. Under Estherfern, it says + GUIDANCE FROM STARCLAN: BEWARE (PROPHECY).]

---

Estherfern rarely got moments alone when she lived with the cat-minded human. That den had been so packed and chaotic, she considered anything that didn’t hurt to be a blessing. But when she did get time to herself, when she could quiet her mind, the realms of the spiritual opened to her. That’s what made her so good at connecting with the afterlife of the Clans, how she won the admiration of the other clerics despite her disdain for medicine, how she found security. She was good at it.

So why were her prayers unanswered now?

“This should fix it,” Estherfern grumbled as she rubbed the earthy poultice in the gaps of the mushroom circle. The poultice had dried up the last time Estherfern visited her private den; that was likely why she was met with silence on her last visit. Either that, or her offering had been unsuited for her guest. A little trial and error was to be expected; there was only so much she could ask Terracottafoot about these summoning rituals without raising the odd cleric’s suspicion. The rest of it was pieced together from Troutpool and Honeybuzz’s lessons on channeling StarClan spirits (a ritual Estherfern hoped to see in practice sooner rather than later).

Estherfern rubbed the last of the fresh poultice into the dirt and licked her paw clean. She stepped out of the den and grabbed her new offering; a tuft of Lightningkit’s fur, plucked from her nest while the kit played with her sister. Sure, Estherfern’s earlier attempts had been partial successes, but she had yet to have a full conversation. She had only managed to recreate a pool of that strange ichor that peeled off Rattlepelt’s skin moons ago, but that splashed and rolled deep into the forest before she could do anymore. Perhaps Estherfern shouldn’t have focused on stories of a long-dead cleric, but heeded one of Oilstripe’s stories; a tale of a father who would do anything for his kits. Perhaps this approach, with this offering and Estherfern’s earnesty, would prove successful.

“I call upon the spirit of Hawthornstealer,” Estherfern said as she placed the offering inside the circle, “banished from StarClan for his disastrous pursuit of his offspring’s legacy. Despite your sins, your assistance is required. Return to the Clans, if only for a moment. Speak to us.” Estherfern sat at the edge of the circle and closed her eyes. The summer sun beat onto her spiky pelt and lulled her mind. She kept her ears pricked, waiting for the sound of bubbling mud.

“Estherfern!” The brown cleric jumped, her head smacking into the ceiling of her makeshift den. She turned, slightly dazed. The sun crowned a brown and white figure outside the den. Glowing white eyes glared through Estherfern. Starlight sparkled and shifted across the figure’s pelt. Estherfern had not known her for long, but she couldn’t forget Harvest and the fury which she fought for her kits. A fury that was now turned to Estherfern.

“Beware, Estherfern!” Harvest yowled. Unfelt wind buffeted her pelt. Estherfern’s spine curled. “The spread of spores produces nothing but decay! They grow not in light, but darkness! A path without sight, without sound, heart pushing out of your chest, is a blessing compared to the fate that awaits the rot!”

And with that, she disappeared. The wind stirred Estherfern’s heart in the dead queen’s absence.

(Estherfern: 108, female, cleric, bloodthirsty, great mediator, prophecy seeker)

(Harvest: 58, female, queen, nervous, good fighter)

[bonefall]

Willowclaw Nightcloud sparring buddies to lovers slowburn send post

[ID: A headshot Willowclaw from Warrior Cats. She's a fluffy gray cat with deep, reddish amber eyes and white highlights.]

Background characters that mysteriously vanish between books that I get to give brand new personalities to, my beloved

She's allegiance-only. We know nothing about this woman. There's a Missing Kit statement that she got her name for being a "Fierce Fighter" and that's it. So obviously I'm obsessed with her and I'm giving her stuff to do in BB <3

I might have do the Sparring Buddies to Lovers slowburn or I might just have them remain friends... but in any case here she is. A future buddy of Nightcloud. Girl who has positive opinions on Nightcloud but never really said anything until Nightcloud reached out.

Are you READY for RANDOM INFORMATION THAT I COMPLETELY MADE UP FOR HER? LETS GO

She LOVES kibble. It's her favorite food. She can't even begin to try and recreate the dish at home because then it would be known that she regularly takes food from humans.

Willowclaw is known as one of the strongest warriors in WindClan, but also one of the most secretive. She barely talks and her Clanmates gossip about her a lot because she's so mysterious.

She secretly speaks a fair amount of Seamew because she does hang out with local barn cats and loners. Yew probably learned some Clanmew from her.

That's also where her three kits came from, various local toms. She claimed Queen's Rights of course.

Those kits are Furzepelt, Boulderfur, and Dewspots.

(I wish I could give Dewspots some kits of her own too... but WindClan has sooo fewww catsss)

Her family is 100% different from the Missing Kit statement; her mother and father are Robinflight (prev. Robinwing WC) and Whintail (prev. Gorsetail TNP), her brothers are Owlwhisker and Weaselfur.

Willowclaw is probably slightly older than her brothers, and she looks NOTHING like them. I'm not sure if she was adopted or if one of her parents had an affair but I don't think she's completely related to Owl and Weasel.

Aftergathering attender. Brings kibble and drives a hard bargain to any cat who's curious about what crunchies taste like.

When she's in camp she's usually training, likes border patrols.

She's known as a loner, but she pulls her weight and isn't CHRONICALLY absent so she's left to it.

Anyone who talks bad about her can get clobbered if they want; she's not afraid to exercise her Right to Challenge.

Honestly though? She has good opinions about Nightcloud (strong, hardworking, polite, yet not a total pushover), but she thinks Breezepelt is a bad egg. She's not entirely unfounded in that opinion either-- Furzepaw was Breezepelt's apprentice, and he brought her into the Dark Forest with him. Furzepelt later runs off with him and Sunstrike to join The Kin, too.

(her relationship with furze was... strained. She loves her daughter, but blames most of her problems on Breezepelt. She doesn't understand why she can't just be like Dew and Boulder.)

Meanwhile HARESPRING, blessed boy, mentor of her sweet boy BOULDERFUR, is going to make a wonderful deputy because he has learned from his mistakes. Thank the Stars it wasn't Crowfeather.

She's one of the few cats who fins Crowfeather absolutely INSUFFERABLE. Egotistical little freak. It's no wonder Breezepelt turned out the way he did, when Crowf is SO full of himself. She was popping the FRESH kibble when Onestar stripped him of his Honor Title and exiled him for a while as Just Crow.

But, these opinions, she keeps to herself. Willowclaw rarely does more than react with a smug smile or a grumble-- and she CERTAINLY doesn't get involved in politics. Which is a shame because she's strong and senior enough to be considered for the role of Deputy, but she's really not a leader.

When she makes friends with Nightcloud, she'll be in camp a lot more, almost like Night's "melting" her shell a bit. It's met with baffled rumors from the other WindClan cats. Was it really THAT easy? Nightcloud just asking to hang out with Willowclaw more? THAT'S what got her to be more social?

"Yes," She deadpans, side-eyeing anyone who's still talking, "Maybe they just weren't interesting enough."

[hyunllx]

Another thing that I’m adding to my rewrite is that kits and apprentices that die dont remain nameless. This has always been so dumb to me. So I’m borrowing a page out of ASoIaF and now every kit and apprentice that dies before receiving their full name will be given a suffix during their wake/vigil that corresponds with the clan they lived in most of their life or identify the most with:

Thunderclan: -storm, -thunder, or -lightning (Swiftlightning for Swiftpaw, Moss-storm for Mosskit, etc)

Shadowclan: -shade, or -shadow (Hopeshadow, Smokeshade, etc)

Riverclan: -stream, -river, or -pool (Morningstream, Primrosepool, etc)

Windclan: -breeze, or -wind (Finchbreeze, Adderwind, etc)

Skyclan: -cloud, or -sky (Duskcloud, Snipsky, etc)

[warriorsbutnotreally]

Sandstorm Is Tigerstar's Daughter AU

So, to preface this

a lot of changes had to be made to canon

but in the end it came to a result that made me happy

and to add - this isn't super long

I don't even span the full first arc

Self edit before this is even posted; I got carried away and this is longer than I expected

this was a fun idea and [admittedly] I almost ignored it - cause I was worried I would have no ideas - until a bunch of cool ideas hit me at once and then I got excited about it

There's also changes to some relationships for very obvious reasons!

Sandkit is born alongside her brothers Swiftkit and Lynxkit [who are not Patchpelt's kits. You cannot convince me they're Patchpelt's. I have a lot of negative emotions towards the retconned family relationships in Warriors]. They are born about six moons before Rusty / Firepaw joins, meaning Swift and Lynx are older than they are in canon.

Sandkit is very proud of her heritage, as is her brothers and the three are close. Lynxkit is the most level-headed as his brother and sister can be stubborn and hot-headed.

When they're apprenticed, Tigerclaw goes out of his way to have his kits apprenticed to cats he considers his friends by convincing Bluestar and Redtail that it's a good idea. Sandpaw goes to Whitestorm, Swiftpaw goes to Longtail, and Lynxpaw goes to Darkstripe.

When Firepaw joins ThunderClan, Tigerclaw is quick to make sure his kits do not like and do not trust this kittypet and allows them to openly antagonize Firepaw. This gets so bad that apprentices den is split into two factions; the group who likes Firepaw; Firepaw, Graypaw, and Ravenpaw and the group who wants him gone; Sandpaw, Swiftpaw, Dustpaw, and Lynxpaw.

However, after their first patrol together, Lynxpaw is the first to change his mind about Firepaw. He becomes more welcoming, but expresses to Firepaw in private that he doesn't want his siblings to turn against him. Firepaw and Lynxpaw bond quietly behind Sandpaw and Swiftpaw's backs.

Sandpaw sticks close to her father or her mentor most days and as Bluestar's mental health starts to slowly decline, Tigerclaw is planting the seeds of disloyalty into her head. This only gets worse when she learns that Lynxpaw and Firepaw are friends and she lashes out at her brother

Swiftpaw is still on Sandpaw's side, however, and refuses to budge, though he's unsure about being angry at their brother.

When Fireheart and Graystripe become warriors, Sandpaw is even more outraged and - with some prompting from her father - starts making plans to make Fireheart's life just a little worse every day

Sandpaw sticks with Tigerclaw and it's thank to him that Bluestar finally gives her and her brothers their warrior names while Fireheart and Graystripe are out saving WindClan; Sandstorm, Swiftfang, and Lynxclaw.

When Tigerclaw tries to clear Bluestar on the Thunderpath, Sandstorm does manage to stop Cinderpaw from going as she knows the apprentice isn't the target.

After Bluestar fails to show, however, Sandstorm and Tigerclaw start up a different plan. Sandstorm openly blames Fireheart for the fact she didn't show, despite her being sick with greencough.

They do try to drag Swiftfang into their plans, but he expresses concern. He only agrees after Sandstorm peerpressures him into it, but it's clear that he believe they're going too far.

When Bramblekit and Tawnykit are born, Sandstorm becomes like a guardian older sister who spends time with them. This has her thinking of starting a family, but she wants to wait until she finds a proper mate - she is considering Dustpelt - and when her father is finally Tigerstar

Swiftfang does eventually tattle on them before the rogues attack and turns Sandstorm and Tigerclaw in as traitors, as he finds himself unable to just sit back and let them kill Bluestar and Fireheart, especially as he believes Lynxclaw loves the former kittypet.

Sandstorm is outraged as she and her father are exiled from the Clan. She tries to get Dustpelt to join, and for a moment she thinks he will until he reveals he'll never be able to stand beside someone who willingly walked with Redtail's killer.

After joining ShadowClan, Sandstorm assists her father in working hard, though she dislikes ShadowClan's territory. She starts considering having kits, not for a family, but for strong warriors that are loyal to her and her father.

When he becomes Tigerstar, he makes Blackfoot his deputy and Sandstorm is irritated but decides that gives her time to work out her own plan.

She starts carefully deciding which cat is the strongest in ShadowClan and, after being rejected by Blackfoot, settles on Boulder to sire her kits.

While she's courting Boulder, she learns of BloodClan and tells Tigerstar. The three go and meet Scourge and her plans change as she starts talking with Bone.

She's early into expecting Bone's kits when Scourge kills Tigerstar and she lashes out at the BloodClan cats. She isn't killed and ShadowClan ends up exiling her after she refuses to renounce her father's crimes.

When Scourge and Bone are killed, Sandstorm sneaks into the ranks and quickly earns favor with BloodClan as they know who she is and she reveals that the kits she's close to having are the proper heirs of BloodClan.

Cats try to challenge her, but Sandstorm allows herself to be brutal and relentless, which soon catches the eye of a certain one-eyed molly.

Fury becomes co-leader as she teaches Sandstorm the shaky customs of BloodClan and the two become close by the time the kits are born.

There are four kits born to Sandstorm; a dark calico tabby she-cat named Omen, a pale ginger and white tom named Talon, a mostly black tom named Bane, and a dark tabby with white patches named Tiger

Sandstorm instantly favors Tiger more than any other of her kits and is determined that he'll take over BloodClan when the time comes.

As the kits grow older, Fury and Sandstorm grow closer and eventually the two becomes mates and work together to help BloodClan grow better and stronger.

Sandstorm starts spying on the Clans again and learns, angrily, that Firestar and Lynxclaw are mates now and that the two have had a litter of kits together; Squrrielkit, Leafkit, and Spottedkit [Squirrel is dark ginger, Leaf and Spotted are both tortoiseshells] [how is also up for interpretation]

Sandstorm starts making plans again to take down ThunderClan and Fury is more than happy to help.

This comes together in an idea to steal the kits and hold them hostage until Firestar comes to get them.

The first attempt doesn't go well and many BloodClan cats are wounded in trying, but that doesn't stop either leader and they try once more. This time they manage to steal two of the kits; Squirrelkit and her brother Spottedkit.

While watching the two kits, Sandstorm is overtaken by rage at her brother becoming mates with 'the enemy' and for a brief moment she actually considers killing one of the kits. She actually almost kills Squirrelkit before she is stopped by Bane [he and the others being the age of older apprentices].

Bane becomes the watcher of the kits and he bonds well with his cousins and feels pity for them. When he learns his mothers' plans, he convinces Omen to help him carry them back home before any needless death happens. Omen is hesitant at first, but agrees and the two carry the kits back to ThunderClan.

When she learns about this, Sandstorm is outraged and she considers a regular punishment until Fury insists that Bane needs to be made an example of.

Sandstorm allows Fury to publicly kill their son and Omen feels like she's the only one truly horrified at this. Talon seems openly interested in the violence and Tiger was never easy for her to understand, as they are rather withdrawn and never talked to her or their brothers as they were being trained to take over BloodClan.

Sandstorm goes on to not allow Omen to be alone and Omen has a guard with her at all times.

Eventually Omen escapes her guard and flees to the Clans, being taken in by ThunderClan, who promise to protect her.

There she meets her cousins again, plus Leafkit, and gets to know her uncles, Lynxclaw and Brambleheart. She is treated with love and welcoming for the first time in her life and she finds herself about to cry.

She chooses to join ThunderClan after a moon of thought as well, as she fears what will happen if she ever encounters her mothers again. She is given the name Lightpaw.

Eventually Sandstorm does attack again and Lightpaw tries to hide, only to be found by her brother Talon and attacked. He almost kills her only to be killed by Firestar.

This outrages Sandstorm even more.

She attacks Firestar and takes away one of his lives, but before she can do more harm, she is attacked by Lightpaw.

Lightpaw fights her mother off and Sandstorm swears that she'll have her revenge and that ThunderClan will never be forgiven

Lightpaw tries to reason with her sibling, Tiger, but they push her away and lash out, angry that she let their brother die She tries to reason more, but it's useless

She watches as they leave

.

BloodClan does return in the form of Tiger, eventually, but my brain didn't plan that far, but Sandstorm eventually does pass away and Tiger kills Fury in a silent retaliation against her as they never forgive her for killing Bane.

She and Fury do also end up with another litter; a ginger tabby she-cat named Wrath, and an albino tom named Wisp.

Lightpaw eventually earns the name Lightstep and she's the one chosen to represent ThunderClan in the Great Journey.

Spottedkit/paw ends up being killed by BloodClan in a random, aggravated attack and Squirrelflight almost dies in the same attack, but survives, unlike her brother

Squirrelflight eventually becomes mates with Shrewpaw/heart, who survives in this AU and they have a very happy and healthy relationship

Lightstep originally is crushing on Feathertail, but she passes away. Later she actually becomes mates with Daisy and the two are very happy and comfortable wives to help take care of kits who need help raising.

Swiftfang leaves ThunderClan and ends up joining WindClan to get away from all the drama involving his family. He never takes a mate or has kits and he's perfectly happy just living a nice life.

[tallstars-rewrite]

Chapter 27

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“What are the tenets of the warrior code?” Dawntripe asked. 

Tallpaw sat up straight as he recited. “A warrior protects the helpless: no kit or sick will be left behind. A warrior has mercy for their enemies: they do not seek to spread death unnecessarily. A warrior values life, and is without greed: they never take their prey or land for granted and thank StarClan for all our blessings. A warrior rejects trading freedom and dignity for a chained life of comfort. And above all, our lives and loyalty is to our clan, whatever the cost.” Tallpaw had spent ages memorizing the right words to say and the intensity with how to say them until he knew it like the back of his paw. He felt a rush of relief when Heatherstar nodded her approval.

“You have trained him well, Dawnstripe. His progress has been impressive.” She said and Dawnstripe purred with pride for her apprentice as Heatherstar continued, “I think you were right in recommending him to take his assessment now. As long as you remember, young Tallpaw, that you will be judged harshly. Most apprentices would need to train at least another moon before being considered for their full warriors ceremony.”

Tallpaw dipped his head “I understand Heatherstar. Thank you for the opportunity. I promise I will not let you down.”

He spoke with practiced evenness that he had been mastering throughout his training, since indeed he felt or thought very little that was not dedicated to improving his ability and impressing his elders. He offered first to join every patrol that would have him, extended training sessions well past sunhigh when the rest of the clan dozed, and spent most of his downtime cleaning nests and fetching fresh bedding. Though often exhausted and sore, his body had never failed him. Keeping busy kept him focused and even sometimes kept the dreams away. Even so, Tallpaw felt like it wasn’t enough. There was still upset restlessness in his belly. A restlessness he was sure would be satisfied as soon as he’d proven himself worthy of his name.

Heatherstar eyed him. “Hareflight informs me Shrewpaw is ready to take his assessment again. All the better for apprentices to take it together. You will both be ready by evening, I presume?”

“Yes Heatherstar,” Tallpaw said. He hid his irritation at the thought of dealing with Shrewpaw throughout this important trial. Heatherstar wanted to know he was above letting personal squabbles get in the way of what needed to be done, but Tallpaw was not confident the high strung tom would not do something to try and sabotage him. But surely...after already failing an assessment, even Shrewpaw wouldn’t risk doing anything to jeopardize this one. We both want the same thing. And after it’s done, hopefully I won’t have to think of him again.

Even so, a battle assessment against Shrewpaw was not something he looked forward to. Shrewpaw could easily match many of the best warriors in his fighting skills. It was certainly not raw ability that had been holding him back from his name. Tallpaw shook the apprehension buzzing around in his head like a fly away to the back of his mind. He could handle Shrewpaw. It didn’t matter if the battle assessments were won, it was about the skill shown during it. And he knew Shrewpaw well enough by now to know exactly how he fought. Being ‘just good enough’ isn’t going to cut it. I need to be better. And I will. Shrewpaw isn’t going to get in my way.

***

“An enemy has invaded,” Dawnstripe debriefed Tallpaw and Shrewpaw, who stood side by side, stiffly avoiding each other's gaze. Hareflight acted as the intruder. There was almost an ease when they didn’t have to speak to each other, and relied only on tail signals and the steps they knew by heart.

The ambush went off without a hitch. Tallpaw used his size advantage to bowl Hareflight off his paws while Shrewpaw lashed out with lightning fast paw strikes.

“You did well, keeping track of each other.” Hareflight said, catching his breath as he picked himself up. He looked relieved. “I am impressed.”

The next part was a little more nerve wracking. One on one combat. Shrewpaw eyed Tallpaw carefully as they circled each other, and arched his back in a menacing snarl. It was all postering of course, Shrewpaw was certainly very good at that. His unkempt dark brown fur bristled to make him look twice his size. But Tallpaw knew in the back of his mind that it wasn’t all acting. Shrewpaw rarely needed to fake anger, especially directed towards him. 

Tallpaw struck first this time, feigning the left and then boxing Shrewpaw hard on the side of the head. Shrewpaw responded just as fast, and shoved into Tallpaw’s chest. The toms grappled each other and wrestled fighting for an advantage. Shrewpaw had latched himself to Tallpaw’s side and was very difficult to get off, like an obnoxious little thorn. At last, he shook Shrewpaw’s grip loose and they broke off. Shrewpaw spat out a small clump of fur and circled again.

“You’ll have to do more than cling like a burr,” Tallpaw growled.

“Will I?” Shrewpaw spat “You fall like a tree, and then all you do is flail.”

“Only if you can actually knock me down first.”

Their voices were hushed. Their mentors were a distance off, watching their moves without getting in the way. Shrewpaw took Tallpaw’s challenge and grappled around his neck and shoulders. Tallpaw bit at him but somehow Shrewpaw scratched onto his back and yanked his scruff. The feel of needle sharp claws digging into his flesh made him gasp. He can’t seriously mean to start a real fight now. Tallpaw was more angry than anything else. He snarled and took Shrewpaws forepaw in his jaws and bit harder than he normally would, then yanked him sideways, wincing as claws dug in harder. “Can’t you fight like you're supposed to for once?” Tallpaw growled. “Are you sure you even know how to behave like a warrior?”

He thought Shrewpaw might have laughed. “Rich coming from you, go on and tattle on me then. You know you can’t beat me in a real fight.”

“I’m not here to prove myself to a fox-hearted kit.” Tallpaw hissed in his face. 

Shrewpaw struck him surprisingly hard, and his nose felt wet. “Who do you have to prove yourself to? You're pathetic, and so transparent.”

“Just shut up and fight me Shrewpaw.” Tallpaw growled.

“I’m glad you feel guilty, you know. You deserve to. You got what you deserved and lost what I lost, and you have no one to blame but yourself.”

Tallpaw knew, somewhere in the back of his head, that Shrewpaw was only saying something so awful because he desperately wanted him to lash out first. To do something obvious that would cause him to fail, and delay his ceremony.

He knew that, and yet anger blurred Tallpaw’s vision as he slammed into Shrewpaw and sank his teeth into his scruff, shaking him hard. Shrewpaw clawed into the back of his neck and bit at his face. Tallpaw’s eyes were squeezed shut but didn’t pull away. The two toms rolled into the grass and kicked and swiped but Tallpaw refused to yowl when Shrewpaw stuck his claws into his pelt. It was as if Shrewpaw was daring him to. Go on and yowl, they’ll stop us. But he wouldn’t. Shrewpaw wouldn’t either. Tallpaws back stung everywhere. But he kept his rage on a leash and always stopped just short of cutting too much skin, letting teeth pinched flesh painfully without tearing it. Just enough to keep it from showing.

Dawnstripe bounded up to him, her fur bristled a bit and she looked wary.

“That’s enough. You’re both clearly capable.” Hareflight said, looking suspiciously at Shrewpaw’s pelt at a small dark stain soaking in beneath his tabby fur. It was unclear if it was from Tallpaw’s cuts or his own. Tallpaw stiffened at the sight of it. 

Suddenly, Shrewpaw laughed.

“Guess we both got a bit caught up in it, huh Tall?” he said with a purr. 

Tallpaw gaped at him for only a moment. But he forced his fur to lie flat.

“Yeah, I’m sorry Dawnstripe. My eagerness got the better of me. I’m alright though, Are you Shrew?”

“Course, just a scratch!”

Tallpaw felt a rush of relief as their mentors seemed to have bought it. It wasn’t so unusual for cats to get over eager and let their claws slip a little, was it? It didn’t mean anything bad. Dawnstripe and Hareflight nodded in satisfaction, looking relieved at the apprentice's apparent ease with each other. “Be a bit more careful in your spars. But I know how eager you are, Shrewpaw” Hareflight said. “We’ll move on to the last part. If you agree, Dawnstripe?”

Dawnstripe nodded. “Unless you need a brief rest to tend to those scratches.”

“No, we’re fine, it’s nothing.” Tallpaw mewed. He searched her gaze for a hint of suspicion. He stopped his tail twitching and smiled at her. There’s nothing to worry about, he thought desperately. He felt he’d gotten good at convincing her of that, it was the only way she was letting him take the assessment early. 

Soon, the apprentices were both making their way to where they would have their hunting tests. Tallpaw felt faint claws of guilt poking at him. He really hated lying to Dawnstripe, even about small things. She deserved better than that. But he had to do this. He needed to become a warrior, and he needed her to believe he could do it. The friendly gleam in Shrewpaw’s eyes turned cold again the moment their mentors turned.

 Nice try, but you can’t mess me up without taking yourself down with me. Tallpaw thought bitterly. Hate me all you want, but we’re going to get through this. 

Unfortunately even when they split up, his fur still pricked and his claws itched with frustration. But he knew clawing Shrewpaw wouldn’t make it any better.

***

Tallpaw’s feet thudded across the ground, all his senses honed in on the small hare sprinting ahead of him. I just need to catch this, and then I’ll be one step closer. One step closer to it all paying off. 

Shrewpaw might be faster with his claw strikes, but he wasn’t a match for Talltail’s speed. A hare, even a very young one, was much faster and more clever than a rabbit, not to mention much more dangerous. Which was exactly why that was Tallpaw’s chosen prey. The hare banked sharply to the right and Tallpaw let his body react for him, his long tail streaming behind him, anchoring his weight as he turned just as sharp. I’d like to see Shrewpaw pull off a turn like that, he almost laughed. It was surprising that even now, he could forget that Shrewpaw had no interest in competing with him anymore. There was less glory in it. They both just wanted to be done with each other. Tallpaw tried not to think about the hollow sound of the ground under his paws. There must be a tunnel. Hare’s didn’t burrow like rabbits, but he wasn’t sure if it would try for a hole in a last desperate attempt to escape. It sent a bolt of fear through him. He wouldn’t have the guts to chase this prey down a hole, but he didn’t want to fail either. Tallpaw pressed himself harder than he ever had before, forcing his paws to pick up more speed. This hare would not ruin his assessment. No matter how hard he pushed himself, the creature stayed ahead of him. He pushed until he felt his lungs would burst, but it still wasn’t quite enough. Why isn’t it enough, just...stop! There was a thick gorse patch ahead, too narrow for him to follow. The hare was headed for it. With a cry of frustration he sprang as it began to duck into a narrow hole amongst sharp branches and stone. It screamed as his claws connected with its hindquarters. Tallpaw struggled against it, trying to dodge its wildly kicking legs. It was a small hare, but that didn’t mean it wasn’t strong. He wanted to yowl in pain when it kicked him hard in the neck, but it just made his frustration flare up. 

“You stupid creature!” he hissed “Just die already!” 

He hauled it back hard and fought to grip its neck, but missed, and it turned its head to snap at his face. Even when it tore a small chunk out of his check with its sharp front teeth, he refused to give in. The kill was messy as Tallpaw fought with the hare that was trying to drag itself, and him, into the dark crevice under the thorns. At last a final burst of determination let him connect his teeth with its neck and tear a hole into it. The creature finally lay still as blood pooled around it. Tallpaw quickly dragged it all the way back, wincing at the blood trickling down his face.

 He looked down with a twinge of guilt at the mess he had made of the prey. His claw marks scored down its sides and its fur clumped with blood and kicked up soil. Why would he get so angry at a creature trying to escape? Hares were a respected animal in WindClan, one of the few things swifter than themselves. It was clearly not full grown, otherwise he wouldn't have had a prayer of taking it down. It was a pitiful, messy way to be killed. 

“Sorry,” he mumbled as he blinked down at the hare. “Thank you for your life.”

 It was probably silly to feel so guilty over prey. Tallpaw stared at its body longer than he should have. It put up a fight, and to be caught by such a lousy hunter… He pictured eyes of hunters past shaking their heads at him. But all he could do was hope Dawnstripe hadn’t heard him yelling at it from wherever she was watching from. He’d caught the young hare, and now all he could was not put it to waste.

“Congratulations,” Dawnstripe’s purr caught him off guard. She was closer than he’d thought.

“I almost lost track of you. You're incredibly fast. I wasn’t sure you would do it when you chose that as your target, but you really pulled it off.” Dawnstripe sniffed the hare appreciatively.

Tallpaw dipped his head in thanks. So she hadn’t seen what a messy kill it was. The scratches were covered up in dirt.

“You’ve done well today, Tallpaw.” Dawnstripe said. “I think you’ve shown you're ready. You’ve improved so fast over these moons, and I’ve taught you all the skills you need to hunt and fight. There’s only one more thing to do. It’s nearly sunrise now, so we’ll return to camp and wait for Hareflight.”

They didn’t talk on the walk back as she had to help him drag the catch. He couldn’t help but feel there was more to Dawnstripe’s words when she said he knew how to hunt and fight. It felt like there was something she was leaving out that he still didn’t know. He wished he knew what it was.

chapter list / previous / next

[mossear07]

Lost Thunder WC au

An au where the clans are so horrified by Thunderclan’s suggestion, that they drive them out instead. Instead of disbanding, however, they manage to cling onto life, albeit barely. Rusty, Smudge, and his family live near the gorge, and Rusty still joins Thunderclan.

- Allegiances(* means early death, and () means changed fate, both of which will be explained in “story”)

- Thunderclan:

- Leader:

- Bluestar

- Medicine cat:

- Spottedleaf*

- Deputy

- Lionheart/ap. Greypaw

- Warriors:

- (Rosetail)

- Tigerclaw/ap.(Ravenpaw)

- Whitestorm/ap. Sandpaw*

- Mousefur

- Queens:

- Frostfur*

- Kits:

- Brightkit, (Cinderkit), (Thornkit)

- Foster kits:

- Bramblekit, (Goldenkit(Tawny))

- Brindleface

- Kits:

- Ashkit

- Story:

- Rusty still joins Thunderclan, but Mousefur is the one to challenge him.

- Tigerclaw’s plan is to lead dogs to a certain area using Frostfur’s body, convince Bluestar to go to that area before the dogs come, leave her to die, and drag a dead dog back to camp, claiming that he killed the dog that killed her. Unfortunately, the plan goes sour.

- The dogs go to the camp instead. Brightkit is given the wounds she has in canon, Spottedleaf is killed, and Sandpaw dies shortly after. Bluestar finds out the plan, and banishes Tigerclaw into the TwoLegplace. This backfires later.

- Ravenpaw had always been a sickly kit, so he was the only cat with herbal knowledge. He is made into the medicine cat, and Bluestar forces him to take an apprentice. He sees a thorn in the herb supply, and since Thornkit already showed he was a fast learner, he took him as an apprentice.

- Greypaw and Firepaw are made warriors at the end of the second book, and are named Greypelt, after Willowpelt, and Firestorm, after Sandpaw’s planned warrior name. The two start showing romantic interest in each other.

- At the beginning of the third book, Rosetail and Firestorm are given Brightkit and Cinderkit as apprentices. Cinderkit gets injured on the thunderpath, but still becomes are warrior.

- The fourth book is mostly about the growing instability in Thunderclan. Many cats think they should disband. Greypelt and Firestorm become mates midway through. Firestorm finds his sister, and as she dies, she asks him to take her surviving son. Cloudkit joins Thunderclan.

- The fifth book is about BloodClan. Tigerclaw lied to Scourge about how the gorge was full of prey, and convinces them to attack the gorge. His plan is to kill Scourge after the gorge is overrun, and take over BloodClan.

- In the sixth book, BloodClan realises that Tigerclaw has lied, and Scourge kills him. They decide to attack the gorge anyway, because they’re desperate.

- The battle is absolutely bloody. Lionheart and Bluestar are killed, and the fighting only ends when Firestorm kills the weakened Scourge.

- Ravenpaw, now Ravenflight, sees a rose petal float towards the leader’s den, and takes Rosetail to get her nine lives. She chooses Firestorm as her deputy, makes Brightpaw and Cinderpaw warriors, and announces that Thunderclan will leave the gorge. This last statement causes an uproar, and Firestorm runs off to talk to her about it. She argues that she’s seen enough starvation and death to know that no cats can survive in the gorge. Firestorm agrees, but asks where they would go, since the whispering cave was here. Rosestar mentions that there was an old Thunderclan story about other clans, in a safe land filled with prey. He say that that’s just a story, but Rosestar says that they should ask Starclan about it. They do, and after a bit of question dodging and denying, say that the other four clans drove them out of their original home. They said one last time not to go there, but accidentally let it skip that it was downstream. At the very end of the book, Bramblepaw and Goldenpaw get their warrior names, Brambleclaw and Goldentawny. Firestorm finds two kits outside of camp, with no mother to be found. He and his mate, Greypelt, adopt them, and name them Squirrelkit and Leafkit.

- In series two, book one, Thunderclan starts to go down the river, until they see four giant trees near a full moon. They make camp nearby, masking their scent from predators. They wake up to noise and smells coming from the four trees. Firestorm, Greypelt, and Whitestorm are sent to it, and they find a massive group of cats gathering. They decide to tell Rosestar this, and when she arrives, they hear an announcement be made. They hear all of the other clan’s announcements, and Firestorm accidentally slips into the clearing after they’re all done. This causes chaos to erupt in the crowd, with cats scrambling to attack him. He runs up one of the trees, only to have a brown tabby tackle him. Rosestar screams for them to stop, and that they come in peace, but is too busy fighting another cat to help him. Firestorm feels fangs enter his throat, and sees the world slip into darkness. He sees a bright ginger cat that he can’t recognise say that it’s not his time yet. Firestorm asks is he’s in Starclan, but the Tom only repeats what he said. The next thing Firestorm knows, he wakes up with a phantom pain in his neck, and the tabby is laying on the ground, dead. The cats go silent, and he watches as some of them start to turn on each other. A big tabby with a clawed face jumps on him, but this time Rosestar tackles him instead. The tabby, along with some others, see the cats around them start to close in, and make a run for it. Some cats start to chase them, and a brown tom walks his way. Firestorm is about to run, but the cat says that he only wants to help heal him. Rosestar and him reluctantly agree, and it’s clear the crowd doesn’t like it. While they’re being healed, Firestorm asks is he’s the medicine cat. The cat, named Mudfur, nearly drops the herbs he was holding and asks how he knew what a medicine cat was. Rosestar explains that they come from Thunderclan, that she was their leader, and that her clan had gone downstream to try to find better hunting grounds. He says that there’s only ever been four clans, Riverclan, Skyclan, Shadowclan, and Windclan. She says that they once heard of four clans in a story, which is why they went downstream. He doesn’t believe them, and they go to the moonstone. After dodging and weaving around the topic, Swiftstar finally tells them the story. They all, rightfully so, flip out. They tell the rest of the clans this, and while some cats have their doubts, they agree to work out borders after Riverclan argues that they could have territory if each of the clans gave up a little bit. The clans disagree, but their leaders and medicine cats agree, so the new territories look like this.

- This causes many issues for the clans, but everything remains somewhat stable. Thunderclan attends gatherings, and are accepted, somewhat, by the others, as a clan.

- Five cats get sent to the sun drown place, like canon, these cats are: Brambleclaw, Mosspelt, Crowpaw, Rowanclaw, and Petalowl(Skyclan).

- Mosspelt is the mother of the friend group, and makes sure everyone is ok. Petalowl didn’t want to come, but had no choice. Squirrelpaw tags along like in canon.

- Things continue like canon, mostly, but Whitestorm has his and Brindleface’s second litter, Dawnkit, Sunkit, and Treekit.

- When they reach the lake, the Sisters problem never happens, since Thunderclan went with the other clan originally. Here is the territory map.

That’s all I have for now, but I might think of more later.

[fan-clan-fun]

My apologies if this is to long- I got a wee bit carried away.

Long isnt a problem at all! I enjoy seeing what people send me!

Anyways- this focuses on the alliances of CliffClan, Ranking Sytem, Naming System and SunTrails, in that order ^^. And apologies in advance for any typos!

Alright! Let’s take a look!

Chieftain

BattleWinner: Reddish brown she cat

Champion

QuickStrike: Pale brown and black she cat

Healer

GloryGiver: Golden and white tabby she cat.

SkyForger

LightningEyes: Black tabby tom with bright yellow and turquoise eyes.

Sun Warriors

HonorSeeker:Sleek Black Tom with a scared face

DeathSeeker:Ginger and black she cat

PathFinder: light, reddish brown tabby tom

MoonJumper: White tom with a black mask

HawkCatcher: White, ginger and brown tabby tom

ShadowWalker: Dark blueish grey shecat

I’m sure you will mention this later, but these names are fascinating with how different they are than most warrior names. 

Warriors

Eagle: Golden tabby tom with e white chest and short tail.

Dust: Ginger and brown tabby she cat

Shiver: White tom

Cliff: Reddish brown tabby tom

Wing: Cream colored she cat

Beetle: Brown and ginger she cat with black markings.

Rattle: Pale brown tabby tom.

Bluff: Brown and white tabby she cat

Sharp: Ginger tabby tom

Ridge: Spikey furred ginger tom

Stripe: Brown tabby with a large black stripe going down his back.

Coast: Sandy colored ginger tom

Apprentices

Cardinal: Bright red she cat with black markings

Pine: Tortoiseshell tom

Whirl: Brown tabby she cat

Honey: Golden brown tabby she cat.

Den Mother

Bramble: huge brown tabby she cat with white speckles around her face.

Queens

Bee: Ginger and brown she cat with a white face - to Fire and Blaze.

Thorn: dark brown tabby with a pale underbelly - Mother to Coriander, Dawn, Crow and Yarrow.

Pebble: speckled grey she cat - mother to Ant.

Elders

RockBreaker: Ancient brown and grey tom.

Adder: brown and ginger tortoiseshell she cat.

FoxBite: Ginger tabby tom.

Ranking System

Chieftain: These cats are basically a leader and deputy rolled into one. They take care of everything within the clan, as they prefer to be the ones souly in charge. These cats do not receive 9 lives, as they believe it is weak that a cat has to rely on 9 lives to rule their clan properly. They still have a the Chieftain go to the MoonShrine, and instead of earning 9 lives they spend the night learning from past Chieftains and Leaders.

I like that the clan has a different view on nine lives, although I am assuming the other clan does normally have nine lives for their leader? Or where would they know of the idea of nine lives?

Champion: The Champion is much like a deputy, but they do not have as much power as one. They mainly act as a sort of enforcer of the law and keep the clan in line. They cant schedule patrols or anything like that though. To become a champion, you must earn a Blazing Sun in the SunTrails.

Oh that’s cool, I really like the name Champion for the second in command. 

Healer: As their name states, Healers look after the clans wellbeing. They are like Medicine cats but lack the spirituality of one, and instead focused souly on their clans health. There are often more than one healer at a time, usually around four or five. These cats can have kits and mates as long as there is at least one other fully trained healer.

I appreciate that the clan doesnt have only one or two healers, it makes it easier to not lose the knowledge, and gives them the freedom to have kits and families.

SkyForger: The spiritual connection to StarWalkers. These cats are often described as other worldly, as if they where sent from the Stars themselves. They can often be defined by one particular trait, usually the eyes are a telltale sign. They interpret prophesies, talk to StarWalkers, and bring forth storms. SkyForgers are also just as their name implies, they are especially gifted craftsmen (craftscat?) In nearly all aspects.

Im curious as to what in the Skyforger’s eyes marks them as special. Is it a color? A shape? And crafting? Id love to hear more about a crafting system!

SunWarriors: These cats are particularly gifted, as they have completed the Sun Trial and earned a Full Sun. They are who the Cheiftan falls on for advice, and are the first ones sent on dangerous tasks.

This seems to be like a higher class within the clan, although at least it is one determined by merit and not birth, which is something I haven’t seen yet, so pretty cool. 

DenMother/Father: A cat that looks over the nursery as a whole. When queens need a break, are sick, or are gone for a extended amount of time the Den Mother looks after the kits. They are also in charge of the camps dens, making sure everything its structurally in control and comfortable. They are like a general manager for the camp and also double as a extra mom to whoever needs it.

Ive always been fond of a rank like this one. 

Apprentice: Much like ShoreClan, CliffClan has subscribed to the idea of not letting a apprentice have one set mentor. They believe it is a greater learning opportunity to learn from various warriors than from one.

Naming System

Cats with higher ranking titles are the only ones with two worded names. These names often describe a skill that this cat is particularly good at. An example would be PathFinder: a cat that is especially skilled in tracking and hunting.

The only way a cat can get such a name is through completing a Full Sun or Blazing Sun Trail, or becoming a medicine cat or Cheiftan as they automatically earn a two word name. These cats are named SunWarriors for completing the Full Sun, and will be newly named by their leader. To be called by their dead name is extremely disrespectful.

Cats with one worded names are basically everyone else. These names usually go along the lines of Bird, Rock, Dawn, or Sand. Very simple and straight to the point.

Sounds like a good reason for cats to really strive to become Sun Warriors! And a nice badge of pride and talent for their positions. 

Sun Trials

The Sun Trails are held twice every year in CliffClan. Anyone over the age of 10 moons can enter, as the trial is very tough and dangerous and strenuous on the soul. The trial itself last for about a day or so, and includes a list of challenges a warrior has to face in a certain amount of time with certain skill and precision.

A warrior can be scored from 1 - 10 scratches, 1 being the worst, 5 being okay, 7 being very acceptable, and 10 being outstanding. They're five cats that judge the trials, they are usually the leader, champion, elders, and healer.

So Im curious, does this mean warriors can attempt to enter the trials multiple times? Are most Full Suns older/more experienced or talented warriors? 

Little Sun

You've taken the longest and have completed the littlest of the challenges, you only get this tittle for competing in the trials.

Rising Sun

You are faster than a little sun, and have completed more of the challenges. You have potential but didn't earn a high enough score to gain a Half Sun.

Half Sun

You are about as average as you can be. Your not failing, and your not succeeding. You have lots of potential to be better, and are looking apon by your peers in curiosity. You will be made a Sun Warrior Apprentice.

Full Sun

You are remarkably fast and have a strong sense of compassion to finish the trials, you have immense skill and would be made a Sun Warrior.

Blazing Sun

You have completed the trials in recorded breaking time, you completed all trials with amazing vigor and strength and have earned the title of Blazing Sun. You are the best of the best, you have earned the spot as Clan Champion.

I can see that you have a lot of really good ideas here! Im excited to see more, especially some more info about the clan culture!

[the-dumbest-po3-au]

DPO3 AU: Prologue 1 - Hollykit

read this on FFN / AO3

"And this is... dandelion?"

"No, Hollykit. That's milkweed."

"Oh." Hollykit stared at the milkweed, ears drooping. Why can't I ever get it right? she wondered, spearing the roots on her claw.

"Honey, no!" Leafpool batted her paws away. "Don't pierce the roots, the sap will leak out... oh, dear. We don't have very much in stock, I hope it's still salvageable..."

As Leafpool bent over the milkweed roots, Hollykit shrank back towards the door. Everyone knew that Leafpool had only taken Hollykit on because no other apprentices would even consider being a medicine cat. With her lack of talent, Hollykit would never have even made it past the door otherwise. At first, she'd taken it as a challenge; before the moon was over, Hollykit would prove to everyone that she deserved to the medicine cat apprentice! Except... it hadn't worked out that way.

I can't get anything right, Hollykit thought miserably. It's almost been an entire moon and I don't even have the basics memorized. I'm supposed to be the medicine cat! The entire clan is depending on me! If I can't even tell milkweed from dandelion, I've failed them all.

Suddenly, Hollykit couldn't stand to be in the den any longer. Ignoring Leafpool's cry of surprise, she turned tail and fled from the den. The dawn patrol was just coming in, so the camp was full of milling warriors. Hollykit gritted her teeth and sprinted through their midst.

Blossomfall yelped as Hollykit plowed past her, and Spiderleg oofed when she drove a sharp elbow into his gut. I'm sorry! Hollykit wailed internally. Even when I'm not trying, I still hurt my clanmates. There's no option left but to leave.

At last, she broke free of the crowd and scrambled out of camp. All the border patrols were in camp, and the hunting patrols were all on the lake side. There was nothing but trees between her and the Twolegplace. Feeling heartsick, she looked back at the camp one last time. Goodbye, mom. Goodbye, dad. Goodbye, Cinderkit and Leafpool. Thank you for being kind to me, I know I didn't deserve it. Maybe, some day, we'll meet again.

Turning her back on her beloved clan, Hollykit plunged into the wildnerness. Each step was a torment, drawing her further and further from her kin. But this was necessary; sacrifice was necessary sometimes, and if that sacrifice was her - for the good of the clan, she would offer herself up on the pyre. Even if that sacrifice tore her heart in two.

"Hollykit!"

Maybe they would remember her, maybe they wouldn't. Perhaps they would think of her at first - something to be whispered in clandestine gossip, spoken with fear and pity and a sad resignation. Later, her name would simply fade away. Only those closest to her would remember her, and hold her name tucked safely in their hearts, long after the rest of the clan had forgotten it.

"Hollykit?"

After they passed on, however, there would be no one left to remember her. One by one, they would fall, and Hollykit's memory would fade day by day until the last one was gone. Her story, untold, would trickle into the soft, welcoming soil and vanish forever, lost and forgotten in the annals of history. The story of the sacrifice - one so bravely offered up by a kit, for her vast love for the clan - would-

"Hollykit, you tiny stupid fleas-for-brains-rabbit, what in Thunderstar's sweet name do you think you're doing?"

Hollykit, cut off in the midst of her contemplations, looked up. Cinderkit slapped her across the face.

"Don't you go running off like that, you scared the mouse-dung out of us! Blossomfall said she almost broke her ankle tripping over you! What were you thinking?"

Hollykit touched her face gingerly. It hurt. "It was- it was necessary," she said, tearing up.

Cinderkit considered this. "How necessary? Like fate-of-the-clans necessary? Or all the juniper berries need to be the same color necessary?"

"Thunderclan's fate hangs in the balance," Hollykit told her earnestly. Of all the cats in Thunderclan, Cinderkit was the one she trusted to see it clearly. "I must go, Cinderkit. Give my regards to my parents-"

"Why, though?"

"Why what?"

"Why do you have to leave?"

"Oh." Hollykit tried to remember why, realized she couldn't, and re-walked through her entire path that day until she remembered the entire terrible episode with the milkweed. "Oh, Cinderkit! It was horrible!" she threw herself on her friend's shoulder, weeping bitterly. "I couldn't - Leafpool said - it was milkweed," she sobbed.

"Okay," said Cinderkit, rubbing circles on Hollykit's back with her paw. "It's alright, cry if you need to. I'm sure we'll get all this sorted out right away. Once you're done, tell me what happened?"

Hollykit shook her head wildly, sending drops of snot and tears everywhere. "I can't! It's unfixable! Cinderkit, I'm a- a- I'm a horrible medicine cat!"

"I'm sure you're much better than you think," Cinderkit said reasonably. "You fixed up my paw pretty well the other day. It looked so professional, and you're not even an apprentice yet!"

Hollykit glowed with pride, but the much greater issue was still there. "But Cinderkit, I couldn't tell the difference between milkweed and dandelion. Milkweed and dandelion! They look nothing alike! If I gave a cat milkweed instead of dandelion for a cough, I could kill them!"

She expected Cinderkit to be just as stunned by this horrifying revelation, but Cinderkit simply tilted her head. "But you won't," she pointed out. "Leafpool will be there to make sure you don't make any mistakes, and by the time you're doing it solo, you'll know all the herbs by heart!"

"But what if I don't?" Hollykit wailed.

"You will," Cinderkit said. She practically radiated confidence, as though there was only one truth in this world and it was that Hollykit was an utterly fantastic medicine cat.

Some of that confidence couldn't help but rub off on Hollykit. "Well, maybe," she sniffled, rubbing away the tears. "Thanks, Cinderkit. For being so patient with me."

Cinderkit nudged her comfortingly. "No problem. Hey, I think I'm getting better at this!"

"Yeah. You weren't very good the first four times."

"But the fifth time, I aced it."

"That was the time you accidentally implied Firestar would throw me out and I made it to the border before you caught up again."

"Yeah, well..." Cinderkit seemed discomfited for about half a second before bouncing back again. "I give the best peptalks of all time, and that's what counts!"

Hollykit sniffled again and nodded fervently.

"Now," Cinderkit added, clapping her on the back, "You need to get down to camp and apologize for making Leafpool worry. And to Spiderleg for elbowing him. But probably not to Blossomfall, 'cause she's a jerk."

"You're right." Hollykit stared at her paws. "But how can she ever forgive me?"

Cinderkit smiled. "Oh, don't worry. I think she will."

...

The medicine cat den was dark and cool after so long outdoors and it took Hollykit's eyes a moment to adjust. Towards the back of the den, Leafpool's hunched shoulders loomed large and daunting in the gloom.

Hollykit swallowed. "Leafpool?"

Leafpool startled and raised her head. "Oh, there you are! I couldn't find you anywhere."

A wave of guilt washed over her. Hollykit dropped her gaze to the ground, unable to meet the medicine cat's eyes. "I'm- I'm sorry, Leafpool," she said in a rush. "I know I'm no good as a medicine cat, and I can't tell the herbs apart, and every time I get something wrong I run away, and-"

A wall of fur enveloped her, cutting off her stammering apology with a warm embrace. Hollykit blinked, confused, before squeaking in surprise when Leafpool swiped a tongue across her ears.

"Don't be sorry, honey," Leafpool told her softly, drawing Hollykit closer. "You're not even a medicine cat apprentice yet- no one expects you to remember everything. And even when you become my apprentice, I'll be here for you, so you don't have to worry about getting it wrong the first time."

Hollykit went very still. "When I become...?"

The warm flank beside her went abruptly rigid. "Oh! Only if you still to, of course," Leafpool said quickly. "I wouldn't want to pressure you, or anything," she hesitated, but when Hollykit looked up, Leafpool's eyes were warm. "But for what it's worth, I'd be honored to mentor you."

Hollykit gasped. Even after all my failures... she still believes in me? "Yes!" she squeaked. "Oh my Starclan, yes! You're sure it's- I can really-?"

Leafpool purred. "I'll have to let Firestar know, but I'm sure he'll allow it. Everyone knows how good you are at healing, after all."

Hollykit almost corrected her - that morning alone posed a hefty contradiction - but Cinderkit's absolute confidence flashed through her mind, and she narrowed her eyes. "I'm gonna be the best medicine cat ever," she vowed instead.

A soft sigh gusted over the fluff of her ears, and above her, Leafpool smiled. If she'd looked up, she'd have seen Leafpool's mouth curl into a sad, bittersweet smile. "I know you will, Holly."

[thunders-warcats-stuff]

Leafpool Headcanons

Canon stuff

I think she was supposed to take after her aunt, Princess, and that's really cool, but unless you remember Firestar's siblings, you have to wonder where her pattern came from. She's a pretty good medicine cat, the first I've ever seen as wanting to be a medicine cat even if she recanted in favor of her feelings.

That rule is stupid. Do medicine cats have to give up their parents and siblings and friends as well? Make that the rule and I get why breaking it is such a crime. Pull the whole "you must give up all earthly things" thing that they have monks and other similar religious leaders do and I'll believe for a second that she deserved a trial. We didn't see Yellowfang or Bluestar get one. We didn't see Raggedstar get one for enabling Brokenstar. What the fuck, Erins?!

I wish her relationship with Crowfeather was more fleshed out. We got more of her oogling Mothwing and pages upon pages about how pretty the golden she-cat was but Crowfeather might as well have been a one-night-stand that she got pregnant from.

Like Bluestar.

Which makes it a lot more hypocritical that Bluestar and Yellowfang were at that "trial."

Goodness, StarClan is driving me up the wall.

The Erins did such a good job of portraying Mothwing through Leafpool's eyes that I'm actually not surprised there's a Mothpool fandom. It actually makes sense here. Leafpool didn't wake up one day and say the RiverClan medicine cat was pretty, she thought that gal was smokin from the get go. All the favors they've exchanged throughout the books could be because Mothwing doesn't believe in StarClan, but it's also a really good indicator that they're in love.

Lesbian medicine cats, WOOHOO!

Let these cats have feelings, Erin!

I really wish she had advocated for Jayfeather. I wish he wasn't forced into the medicine den by "destiny" (fuck you, Spottedleaf. And StarClan's warped version of Yellowfang.) He could have helped her out with herbs or interpreted a message but he didn't have to be a full-time medicine cat. He fought her every step of the way and it showed every single book.

Also: naming your son after the father he's not supposed to know he has is a major fuckup. Leafy, my girl, what are you doing?!

Speaking of major fuckups, are we just going to floss over the fact that Hollyleaf tried to kill her relative(aunt-turned-mother)? Yeah,it was a sign of her breakdown after she found out The Secret but damn, the words that spilled outta Leafpool's mouth made me wanna scoop her up. She and Squirrelflight inherited Sandstorm's tongue, for sure, because they are extremely good liars when desperate.

I think all of Squirrelflight's Hope was stupid so that's what I've got to say on that.

AU stuff

I wish she and Squirrelflight had the same pelt. Maybe a reddish brown. That'd be cool.

I think she and Crowfeather would have been better off as friends built up over time. Maybe he could help her navigate a relationship with Mothwing, but they never showed any true indication of wanting to be with each other. Crowfeather was getting over a broken heart and Leafpool was happy to go with it. Could they be friends? Absolutely. But as lovers... Either let them run away together or let them figure out they're not good for each other.

My personal AUs have Leafpool as a character who orients herself around others. She encourages cats. She heals them. She gives great advice. But taking for herself is foreign to her when she's spent so much time in service to others as a medicine cat.

Don't get me wrong, she's not subservient. She's just as feisty as her sister and in one of my fics she stands up to Firestar when he goes too far trying to keep Squirrel and Bramble from figuring out the message StarClan sent Bramble. She's a messenger for StarClan and she takes that seriously. But maybe she's a bit too serious about that.

Sorreltail remains a friend of hers. Leafy delivers everyone's kits but she coos extra hard over Sorreltail's.

She helps Brightheart and Cloudtail figure out what's up with their relationship. Cloudtail isn't in love with Daisy, he's ecstatic at the chance to prove that outsiders can make it in ThunderClan. He was given a lot of shit in the books so of course he would attach his success to Daisy and her kits. It's not something Brightheart picks up on because the Clan has always rallied around her and treated her well. But Leafpool knows stories that her father won't tell anyone. Mostly about his childhood and how he didn't fit in. It helps every now and then.

The medicine cats are more like co-workers than anything else. They're doctors and religious interpreters, so of course they'll side with each other over their Clans and turn to each other for advice. But their mileage varies. Cinderpelt, Little loud, Mudfur, and Barkface had different relationships with each other than their apprentices. So on and so forth.

In all of my fics, the "medicine cats can't have kits" rule is challenged. It's either abolished earlier than the first book because Mothflight's issues no longer apply, or spread to encompass all relatives and abolished later on because it proves to be a strain on mental health.

Leafpool tells her parents that she's pregnant in all iterations of my fics. Some of them, Squirrel tells Bramble. Some of them, Squirrel doesn't know and really does find them in the forest. She always suspects in those but surely her sister would never!

[skeptycats]

Vicky Archives #4

CODE OF THE CLANS - A little light humour

Vicky Holmes, the former editor of the Warriors series, has been doing short extract readings on Facebook since the start of the UK lockdown back in March. There’s some really cool anecdotes hidden within some of these videos, so I decided to begin penning them down for posterity and easy reference.

I won’t be transcribing filler, hedging and false starts but I’m including some amount of preamble just to be comprehensive.

A little short one this week! My health is a little poor at the moment so it’s a couple days late anyway, but I hope you enjoy!

#1 Into the Wild | #2 Forest of Secrets | #3 The Darkest Hour | #4 Code of the Clans | #5 Firestars’ Quest | #6 Twilight | #7 Long Shadows | #8 Leafpool’s Wish

---

Hello! It is Tuesday, March the 31st, last day of March, and I’m in a bit of a down mood today, I’m sure a lot of us are. The realities of lockdown are setting in, I’m bored, I want to go shopping - and I never want to go shopping! I’d just like a change of scene.

I decided today to go for some light relief. I’m going to do a reading from Code of the Clans, which was I think the first book I wrote completely on my own, so I storylined it, brainstormed it, and actually did all the writing on my own. It’s a lot harder without Kate or Cherith to help because obviously I was responsible for all of the words, but I was also able to play with the Erin Hunter voice myself. It was lovely, and I really enjoyed it.

Code of the Clans is something which we call non-fiction. Obviously it’s still fiction, but it was delving into the world behind Warriors. The structure, the heritage, the religion. It was just a pure exercise in fantasy, it was a delight. 

I’m going to read a short section from Code #11, which is ‘boundaries must be checked and marked daily. Challenge all trespassing cats.’ I’m going to read a short scene in which Whitestorm teaches border tactics to some familiar faces when they were apprentices. I can remember when I wrote it I was smiling, and giggling to myself. I’m probably going to do the same now, so forgive me for effectively laughing at my own jokes. We all need a bit of humour today. 

Is every cat here? Firepaw, Graypaw, Ravenpaw, Sandpaw, and Dustpaw? Dustpaw, stop trying to push Firepaw into the brambles. I’m not blind; I can see what you’re doing. Firepaw, go to the other end of the line. Sandpaw, he does not have fleas! Stand still, all of you.

As Lionheart told you, we’re going to practice border defense today. You can be the patrol, and I’ll be a deputy from another Clan who’s crossed the boundary. Who’d like to lead the patrol? Don’t look so terrified, Ravenpaw. I won’t make you be the leader if you don’t want to be. Graypaw, why don’t you have first turn? If you could just pick up that stick in your mouth and use it to draw a line across the sand, we’ll call that the border. Sandpaw, it doesn’t matter that the line is wobbly. Boundaries aren’t whisker-straight, code are they? So, you’re on that side, walking along on a dawn patrol. Off you go, patrol!

Did you really need to yawn like that, Graypaw? Oh, I see, it’s because it’s the dawn patrol, and you’re tired. Well, let’s pretend you all had a really good night’s sleep and are full of energy. Now, what should you be doing? Yes, sniffing, tasting the air—what for? That’s right, Sandpaw. ThunderClan border marks. And what else? Yes, Firepaw. The border marks of the other Clan. But only where the two borders meet. Beside the river and the Thunderpath, it would be bad news to find any scents of RiverClan or ShadowClan, because it would mean they’d crossed over from their side. So keep sniffing.

Maybe not that much, Sandpaw. Have a good sneeze and you should get the sand out of your nose. So, border marks, border marks. Can you smell both sets? Good. But what’s this? A cat from another Clan has ignored the marks and stepped over your border?

No, Ravenpaw, I didn’t mean we were actually being invaded. The cat from the other Clan is me. See how I just stepped over the line in the sand? What are you going to do about it? Wha . . .whoa! Stop treading on my ears!

Well, yes, Dustpaw, launching an attack and knocking me back across the border is one option. But is it wise to take on a cat twice your size? Or a trained warrior with more experience than you? The purpose of a patrol is to assess the situation and report back to your Clan leader. You won’t be able to do that if your pelt is clawed to shreds at the farthest part of the territory from the camp. Any other ideas?

How about asking what I’m doing? I might have a valid reason for crossing the border, especially if I’m alone. That’s right, Graystripe: [TN: Vicky points out the name error here] What do you want? is a good way to start. Don’t be too hostile: Remember, you are in the stronger position, because this is your territory and you have the right to defend it. Unless I have a very good explanation for crossing your border, I don’t have any rights at all. What do you think my reply might be?

Yes, Ravenpaw, I might need your help. My Clan might have been invaded, we might have serious trouble with prey, or we might have sickness that needs your herbs. All these reasons would mean that I am weak, so you can allow me into your territory but never out of sight.

If I am hostile, then meet me with hostility—which isn’t the same as aggression, Dustpaw. You’ve started with a strong challenge—What do you want?—and now you need to give me some sort of warning. Ravenpaw, what would you say?

Hmmm. If you’re going to threaten to claw a cat’s ears, you should try not to look so terrified at the prospect. Firepaw, would you like to try? Ah, yes, I like that you indicated the rest of your patrol. It’s always good to let the enemy know they’re outnumbered. Sandpaw, put that fire ant down. No, I don’t care that Firepaw might not know what it is. Now is not the right time to show him—and he certainly doesn’t need to get bitten by one.

So, you’ve challenged the trespasser, warned me that there’s a whole patrol here that can take me to your Clan leader if that’s what I wish; what next? That’s right, Graypaw, let me—the intruder—speak. If I can’t give you a convincing explanation for what I’m doing on your territory, if I don’t ask to be taken to Bluestar at once, then chase me off with no more questions. Don’t provoke a full-scale war—chasing means chasing, not catching and clawing. Just make it clear that you will defend your boundaries from any kind of invasion, even one paw across the border. A good warrior is always ready to fight, but only if it’s absolutely necessary: A good warrior will seek a peaceful, claws-sheathed solution first.

You will all make good warriors one day. Don’t look so doubtful, Ravenpaw. You need to find only a little more courage to be as good as your denmates. Your hunting skills are excellent— Dustpaw, you’d do well to watch him. Who knows? You might even lead this Clan one day!

Now, back to camp, all of you, and leave this old warrior to enjoy the sun in peace.

BEHIND THE SCENES

That was fun. Always cheers me up to revisit some of the humour, and there was a lot of humour in Warriors. Both Kate and Cherith excelled at introducing some comedy, especially around kits interacting with the older cats.

That’s something I was very aware of when I was writing the ‘non-fiction’ books like Code of the Clans and Battles of the Clans. It’s very easy to think of Warriors as super intense and super involved and traumatic and emotional, but you can’t sustain that. It’s exhausting to write and it’s exhausting to read, just as it’s exhausting to live. I think at the moment there’s a danger that we’re all sort of living on a bit of a knife’s edge, living on our nerves, and I’m certainly starting to feel that. It’s okay to take a break, with your writing and with your general day-to-day life. Laughter is the best medicine, literally. Writing about kits just gives me the giggles every time. And yes, it feels self-indulgent to laugh at my own jokes, but hey, I’m on my own, I have to make my own jokes.

It was very interesting there because of course I spotted a typo - one of my famous errors! - that Graypaw had been referred to as Graystripe. Obviously I wrote Code of the Clans when we were probably on series two at least, if not three, so I was thinking of these cats as their warriors names, and obviously forgot I was supposed to be calling Graypaw ‘Graypaw’ there. I have obviously made lots of mistakes over the years. I think my favourites are the fact that Heavystep died and comes back to life several times, and Rowanclaw started off as a she-cat and then pops up as a tom. So we could perhaps claim the first transitioned fictional cat? But it was an honest mistake.

One of my fondest memories from going on tour is when I would turn up in a bookshop and some very earnest little child would turn up with a book full of post-it notes, and they’d solemnly say that they’d pointed out all the typos and errors in the book and marked them with post-its, and would I like to take the book away so I could do the corrections. No, is the short answer. I’m sorry for the mistakes, but it’s not up to me to correct them. That’s the publishing, that’s further down the line. We have corrected errors in some books, but it has to be big mistakes, you have to go in and change the printing plate. All I can humbly say is ‘I’m sorry’. I’ve written a lot of words, they’re not always going to be the right ones. 

[doritopaw101]

Arc1, book 2: Chapter 6

"I want to kill the sun" his quick and blunt words made Graypaw jump. Raveneye was used to his words by now.

Raveneye and Dustpelt finally earned their warrior names. Good thing too, Icebelly was getting bored without Raveneye around.

It was how they got their names was what interested Icebelly. Ravenpaw and Dustpaw had to fight their mentors or parents, apparently that was the tradition but it had been getting lost lately. Robinwing very much pushed for this

"You've already let Embereyes, Nettlemist, Gingerblaze, Sandstorm, and Icebelly get their names without honor, you will not do the same for my kits, it was fine with Cherrycloud and Chestnutclaw because of the Shadowclan attack, there's no excuse for this Bluestar" she had spat which was shocking news to Icebelly that she actually called Raveneye her kit.

Leopardstorm and Redtail were fine with it and so it went.

It was shocking true for Thunderclan tradition to fight your mentor to receive your warrior name. If you lost you'd have to keep fighting til you won.

However things were sort okay at the moment, thanks to the weather, he visited Princess every day recently, slipping away to see her between patrols and hunting but he drew the line with Cinderpaw's training. Tiger-roar's talk drove that in his mind. However he finally managed to convince Gingerblaze to meet Princess and they met was...interesting. It was like another version of Luna and Princess trading insults, he was doomed.

He was worried when Flamepaw and Moonclaw finally met Gingerblaze.

Willowpelt's kits had just been apprentices: Rosepaw to Frostbite, Ebonypaw to Raveneye, Petalpaw to Redtail, and Owlpaw to Leopardstorm.

He's been to Riverclan once but that was understandable. Swanlight was kind and he got to spend some time with Condorpaw and Lakepaw as well as Silverstream, he even got to watch Silverpaw and Mosspaw's ceremony a few moons ago.

-Flashback-

Icebelly felt Greenflower's kits curling into his belly fur. It helped ignore the glares he was getting from the other Riverclan cats. Suneyes and Blackclaw were staring him down with hate in their eyes as they passed the nursery, or at least that's what Flamepaw described them being.

"They sure love you" Greenflower purred.

"It's like this in the nursery back at Thunderclan I swear" he replied holding Poolkit up when the kit slipped down to his neck. Flamepaw chuckled, Tidekit climbing on her head.

The nursery walls were lined with a fresh batch of lilies and lotus. It helped to brighten the already lively nursery, helped match the beautifully colored camp. It was a great contrast to the dull Thunderclan camp that Icebelly lived in.

"Well you are a fluffy mess so I don't blame them" Silverstream purred, rubbing himself against him, the tabby curling his tail around his own. Icebelly tried wrapping his paws around the tabby's neck, when he began to Silverstream smirked at him "Can't keep you paws off me Fluffball" Icebelly stuck his tongue in return "You're a handsome tease, I will get you back" he wrapped his paws around Silverstream's neck, nuzzling into Silverstream's fur.

Him being so close to Silverstream was sort of a test between the tabby and Greenflower, to know the cat who her lover was with. Greenflower nuzzled Silverstream softly "He's right when he says you're a tease Silver"

Silverstream stuck his tongue out at them "Ya'll love me anyway"

Greenflower licked his check "Indeed I do"

"All cats old enough to swim, gather round the high rock for a clan meeting" Stormstar called

"Should I go back to my camp?" Icebelly asked

"I don't see why you should" Swanlight mewed as she padded by, Condorkit and Lakekit following close behind her.

"Yeah besides Silverpaw and Mosspaw enjoy your company, they'll be grateful that your here to see their ceremony" Silverstream added

"Our ceremony is today" Lakekit burst out "You said you'd be here"

"Yeah but Blackclaw-"

"Say no more" Icebelly mewed "I'm glad I stopped here today"

"Really?" Lakekit mewed, she came up to his neck at full height

He licked her ears "Really"

Icebelly slowly stood up, letting Greenflower collect her kits and padded out with Flamepaw on his right and Silverstream on his left. He sat at the back, to draw the least attention to himself.

"More company" Flamepaw purred "Vixenpaw and Grasspaw are crude"

"Hey don't forget Shadepaw and Bluepaw" Silverstream mewed "Shadepaw's great"

"Too much energy in that cat" Flamepaw replied, her moss scarf shaking slightly "I can't deal with that and Bluepaw's a seer in training" she looked ahead at Mosspaw and Silverpaw "What kind of names will they get?"

"Probably -ripple, -creek or dive for Mosspaw, she's one of our best divers so far or -pelt for her fur and probably -tide or -river for Silverpaw, he's a trickster and he's a great swimmer"

"We gather here today for a warrior ceremony of two apprentices: Silverpaw and Mosspaw" Stormstar lowered his gaze, his flower crown slipping a little but was knocked back. "Mudbelly Mistyfoot do you believe these two are ready for warriorhood?"

"I do Stormstar" Mistyfoot mewed

"He's ready Stormstar" Mudbelly agreed

"Very well, Silverpaw and Mosspaw step forward"

The two apprentices stepped forward, both looked ready to burst with anticipation. Silverpaw hid his scar with his head fur well, cars still got him and Silverstream confused.

"Mosspaw from this day forward you shall be known as Mosspelt, your clan thanks you for your abilities in diving and fishing and Silverpaw from this day forward you shall be known as Silvertide, your clan thanks you for your abilities in fighting and good spirit"

"Mosspelt Mosspelt Silvertide Silvertide"

Stormstar straightened up "As is tradition, these two warriors will do The Great Night Swim, they will catch the night scaled fish and bring it back to camp as proof as well as anything else they find worthy"

"May you do well young warriors" Oakjaw mewed

"Come on you two" Fallowtail purred, her red smithstone ear rings gleaming in the light "Me and Frogleap will lead you" Silvertide and Mosspelt quickly followed their parents out of camp, determined to complete the swim.

"Otterstrike going to join them?" Icebelly heard Grasspaw ask, he glanced at the heavyset warrior. Strong muscles that he very much didn't get from Frogleap or Mallowtail.

Otterstrike huffed "Can't, Oakjaw wants me on otter patrol"

"Can't we just chase them out" Grasspaw drawled

"I wish" Otterstrike replied "at least they bring some prey"

"Someone's too sun-eyed" Silverstream muttered

Icebelly glanced at Silverstream and Greenflower "How was The Great Swim for you two?"

"Amazing" Silverstream mewed "I found a big one, Willowheart had to help me carry it since it was too heavy to fit in the vine bag I had. I also found some great shells"

"You gave them to the kits" Greenflower purred "Eelkit wouldn't let one go"

"Of course, my kits deserve only the best" Silverstream puffed his chest in pride "I'm the spoil parent"

Greenflower rolled her eyes "Clearly"

"Greenflower?" Icebelly asked "What about you?"

"Mine was alright, I was the only new warrior at the time and I'm not clanborn so the pressure was greater. The fish were small but still valuable though. I remember when Dawnscale made them into a necklace for me, I have it in my nest"

"Don't forget the challenge I had to do" Flamepaw called

"Challenge?"

"Yep, some of the clan wasn't fine with me just blindly joining so they called for The New Fish Challenge"

"What did you have to do?"

"They taught me a few things then sent me out to bring some items back, so show what it means to be a Riverclan cat"

"Not as tough as it can get" Greenflower added "It could've been much worse"

"That is not all Riverclan" Stormstar continued "We have two new minnows ready for apprenticeship: Lakekit and Condorkit, step forward"

The two kits stumpled forward, both held smiles of excitement.

Reedtail sat beside Swanlight, tails entwined "Already know who's Lake's mentor" he mewed

"Did you sway Stormstar or Oakjaw to tell you?" Swanlight smirked

"Maybe"

"Lakekit until you have received your warrior name you shall be known as Lakepaw, Voleclaw, you were an excellent mentor in Suneyes and I know you'll pass on all your skills to young Lakepaw and Condorkit until you have recieved your warrior name you shall be known as Condorpaw, Whiteclaw you are ready for your first apprentice. You have excellent training from Leopardclaw and I know you'll pass on all your skills to young Condorpaw"

Voleclaw and Whiteclaw padded over to the apprentices, they were holding two ends of an otter pelt bag, they tossed it up revealing white roses and rosebuds that showered over the new apprentices.

"Lakepaw Condorpaw Lakepaw Condorpaw"

-Flashback ends-

Icebelly smiled at the memory, the beauty of Riverclan would always interest him to no end.

"Why do you hate the sun?" Graypaw asked breaking his thoughts.

"It burns my fur constantly" he replied simply "Why do you think I go to Riverclan this often? To laze around and braid my fur"

"That's what Lionheart says you do" Graypaw muttered

"Lionheart can spend the day at the bottom of the river for all I care" Icebelly replied, tail high

"Can the fish eat him too?" Raveneye asked with a smirk

"Oh absolutely"

Graypaw rolled their eyes. "You two hang around Yellowfang to much"

"Not enough if you ask me" Icebelly mewed

"You're just glad she's there to help you deal with Robinwing"

"Not really, I can handle myself it's more my entertainment"

-Flashback-

Icebelly didn't like being treated like kit, he was a full grown warrior for fucks sake but here he was, being fussed over by Frostbite and Goldenflower.

"How's the feathers?" Goldenflower asked "Got them from a dove"

"They're fine" Icebelly mewed

Frostbite sniffed the nest "Needs more"

"No no" Icebelly scrambled to sign |It's fine, It's good|

He moved on his limp leg and winced. He fell back down but the feathers didn't do much to fall back on.

"Icebelly?" Frostbite mewed

"Is it too soft?" Goldenflower asked

"A little..." They were already off and out of camp. Icebelly would be more annoyed at them if they didn't have good intentions. He could only image what it'll be like when he has his kits.

"I don't believe it" Icebelly turned his head to see a pissed Robinwing, her ear was cut which made most of her feathers fall from behind her head.

"Believe what?" he replied, confused as hell.

"There's no way my Chestnut would mate with you, these aren't his kits"

Icebelly rolled his eyes "I can give you details of what we did but I'd like to sleep tonight" he flicked his tail "Never said they were his, but he is a likely sire of some, I can't throw out that possibility"

"A flea ritten outsider, traitor's kit, a river lover and a lier. You keep piling on" Robinwing sneered

"I stopped being an outsider the moment I beat Fogtail, your son" Icebelly retorted "You're just jealous Riverclan can actually tolerate me unlike you and I think your head's to comfortable up your ass to realize the obvious in your face"

Robinwing scoffed "You really are Dewflare's son"

"Last I checked, Frostbite declared me hers so no" he mewed bluntly "if you try to pull the blood is thicker than water shit, Fogtail isn't your kit by blood, he's Dappletail and Stormtail's son"

"Please, Dappletail was so happy to dump him, dumb bitch she was, I saved him" Robinwing replied, placing a paw to her chest.

'She's gone mad' Icebelly thought

"Are you trying is cause the miscarriage of your grandkits?" Yellowfang's voice while raspy at times still held great terror in it "or are you trying to kill yourself with an infection from that bleeding ear?"

"Piss off shadow cat" Robinwing growled "Go back to the rathole you crawled out of"

"Could say the same for you stone cat" Yellowfang replied swiftly "As they say, takes one to know one" she padded over to Icebelly "Now, if you don't mind, I need to do a check up"

-Flashback ends-

"How's Embereyes?" Raveneye asked

"And Miststrike?" Graypaw added "Will Yewkit really be okay?"

It had been somewhat recent, Miststrike, Leopardstorm, Tiger-roar, and Willowpelt were all in a new relationship and Graypaw and Cranepaw were already attached to Tiger-roar and Leopardstorm. Miststrike more so since they were already close to her in their kithood from what Gingerblaze mentioned. Nettlemist was basically their older brother, a nicer and polite version of Darkstripe in Cranepaw's words.

Cranepaw and Graypaw were all over Swiftpaw and Lynxpaw and were ecstatic when Goldenflower announced her pregnancy.

He heard Graypaw refer to Leopardstorm as dad and Tiger-roar as father, both fitting.

"What did they call Featherwhisker and Thrushpelt?" he whispered to Raveneye

"Featherwhisker was papa and Thrushpelt was papa bird" the black tom replied "They stopped at five moons"

"How is it so easy for them to replace them?"

"Why is it so easy for you to replace Dewflare?" Graypaw retorted overhearing his words "Before you found about the wolf attack"

Icebelly curled his lip slightly "My relationship with her is much different than what you had with Thrushpelt and Featherwhisker, best remember that"

Not everything could be calm, greencough was still present in the camp. Adderkit and Leapkit's deaths were evidence of that:

-Flashback-

He had just finished a training session with Cinderpaw, Lynxpaw, and Willowpelt, while Leopardstorm did oversee the training it didn't stop Lynxpaw from trying to do something reckless.

Spraining her paw in the process.

Neither Willowpelt or Leopardstorm was impressed.

Goldenflower had been all over her kit, questioning what had happened and Icebelly explained the whole ordeal. Swiftpaw complained at not being able to watch to which Tiger-roar cuffed him over the ears.

Icebelly had left Lynxpaw to get fixed up and lectured by Thymeroot. He started to pad over to the nursery but Gingerblaze stopped him.

"It's Adderkit" the ginger and white tom mewed "I don't think she's in a good state, she might lash out"

Icebelly nuzzled his brother's cheek "I understand but she might need someone and I'll be that cat if no one else"

Gingerblaze looked worried then sighed "Please just be careful, I don't want you to get sick either"

Icebelly touched his nose to his brother's "I will, relax blaze"

In the far corner of the den he heard small sobs, from Embereyes.

The blue-gray queen was sobbing into Adderkit, Volekit, and Doekit, their little coughs were barley audible. Icebelly didn't exactly know what to do but he followed what his gut told him. They padded over to the queen, sat next to her and curled their tail over her back. He slowly licked between her ears, trying his best to comfort her.

"Yellowfang told me...it's not likely they'll survive" Embereyes whispered

Icebelly felt his heart go out to Embereyes. No deserved to lose a kit. He continued softly groom her "If that's what's going to happen, let's make sure they have unending love til the end"

Embereyes buried her head into his chest, crying softly. Icebelly saw Adderkit stop moving, Volekit kept coughing and Doekit looked still as a twig aside from the small rise and fall of her chest.

"Ember...Adderkit"

"He's gone, I know" she replied

A thought came into Icebelly's head, he didn't know if it would work but he had to try. "Embereyes, I think I know of a way to help"

Icebelly had been surprised when she agreed even more so when Miststrike overheard them and told them to take Yewkit. They took Doekit, Yewkit, and Volekit to Barley's barn. He met with Violet,Barley,and Mary who took them to a house close to the barn. Violet told to visit in a half-moon and would tell them what would happen. Volekit and Doekit were old enough to know what was happening and they in their weak state said they hoped he got better for Embereyes which made the dark gray and white molly cry with sadness and love.

The clan had a burial for Adderkit and Icebelly saw Rosetail come to collect Adderkit. Rosetail told him to make sure Embereyes didn't blame herself for this and he would. Embereyes told the clan what she had done and why and Icebelly backed her up. The clan was shocked and many spat at of how she could do something like that

"Have you no faith in your clan" Darkstripe had hissed

"Not in this moment I don't, I don't want the others to die" Embereyes had spat "I'd rather give them away and they live than them staying here just to die"

Icebelly slept with Embereyes in her nest in the nursery that night. She practically begged him to not leave her alone and they wouldn't say no.

-Flashback ends-

"Embereyes and Miststrike will...survive as will Yewkit, Doekit, and Volekit now" lack for a better word seemed nothing but unsettle Graypaw even more about Yewkit.

The nursery was still full and there were few cats that didn't have apprentices at the moment. Bluestar might put a stall on apprentices for now.

He walked with Graypaw and Ravenpaw along the short trail to the sandy hollow where Cinderpaw and Ebonypaw would be waiting.

"I hope more clouds come" Icebelly mewed

"Let's hope rain won't come" Graypaw replied. Icebelly knew how much the their thick-coated friend hated rain-when Graypaw's fur got wet, it clung to them and stayed damp long after Raveneye's shorter fur had dried off. Icebelly's fur was fluffy but not to Graypaw's level, unlike Graypaw though he enjoyed the rain, it felt so good on him especially if he had been in the burning heat all day which was rare.

They arrived at the edge of the hollow just as Cinderpaw pounced on a pile of frosty leaves, sending them flying in all directions and Ebonypaw catching a few. Cinderpaw leaped and twisted to catch one as it fluttered back to the ground.

The three toms glanced at each other, amused.

"At least Cinderpaw and Ebonypaw will be warmed up and ready for today's assignment" Raveneye observed.

Ebonypaw stood up straight, her eyes wide "Good morning, Raveneye, Icebelly, Graypaw" she mewed "What is today's assignment?"

"A hunting mission" Raveneye told him. He padded down into the hollow, followed by Icebelly and Graypaw.

"Where?" mewed Cinderpaw, dashing toward them. "What are we going to catch?"

"We're going to Sunningrocks" Icebelly mewed "And we'll catch whatever we can"

Bluestar told all the cats with apprentices to make sure they are battle ready first and hunting can come after with Shadowclan and Riverclan at their heels. Icebelly didn't need to be told this because he followed Tiger-roar's method of training to a T. He once saw the two-colored tabby watching them train and he nodded in approval. Cinderpaw's training had been going very well, they were shaping up to be a good fighter managing to beat most of the other apprentices aside from Lichenpaw and Lynxpaw.

"I'd like to catch some voles" Cinderpaw declared "I haven't tasted vole yet"

"Now now Cinderpaw, everything we catch has to go to the elders, queens, and sick cats to help fight off their greencough" Icebelly warned

"But I'm sure if you asked the elders nicely, they'd be happy to share" Graypaw added with a purr

"Okay" Cinderpaw mewed "Which way is Sunningrocks again?" They bounded up one side of the hollow and peered into the forest, their tail sticking straight up.

"This way!" Icebelly, leaping up the opposite side.

"Okay" Cinderpaw raced down the slope, across the hollow, and up to Icebelly's side, sending fallen leaves flying everywhere. Graypaw followed with ease while Raveneye leaped up and caught one it drifted past his nose. He pinned it to ground with a purr of satisfaction and saw Ebonypaw staring at him "Er, never miss chance to practice your hunting skills" Raveneye told her quickly

Ebonypaw chuckled "Sure Raveneye"

The five cats made their way along the familiar scent trails to Sunningrocks. The sun above the trees by the time they emerged into open territory. Ahead of them, a slope of rock rose out of the soft earth, its smooth surface lined with cracks.

After the shade of the woods, the flat rock face reflected the sun with dazzling glare. Icebelly hissed in pain, in pain from burning his fur to his eyes. He dashed into the shade in an instant.

"This is Sunningrocks" Raveneye announced, blinking. "Come on!"

"Mrrrrr! It feels nice!" Cinderpaw mewed as she raced up the stone slope behind him. Icebelly knew Cinderpaw was right but was not going to burn to feel the warmth.

Icebelly watched the others rest at the top, where the far side fell away steeply to the forest. Icebelly listened for the gentle bubbling of the river that followed the Riverclan border, flowing down from the uplands. It touched the Sunningrocks before turning to run deeper into Riverclan territory. He could barely hear it-perhaps the water was low after the scalding dry weather.

Graypaw joined Raveneye "Come on" he mewed "Make most of the sun while it's here"

"Is this where Sweetheart died?" Cinderpaw asked

"Yep, Blackclaw and her fought and ender up cracking her head open" Icebelly replied "Fucking bastard"

Raveneye prickled his ears. "Hush" he hissed "What can you hear?"

The two apprentices strained their ears forward.

"I think I can hear some scrabbling" Ebonypaw whispered

"It might be a vole" Graypaw murmured "Can you tell where it's coming from?"

"Over there" Ebonypaw mewed, leaping to her paws. The scrabbling noise became more furious and then disappeared.

"I think it heard you" Icebelly remarked.

Ebonypaw looked crestfallen. Cinderpaw purred with amusement at their friend's clumsiness.

"Never mind" Graypaw mewed "Now you know that it's better to creep up slowly, especially on voles. They're fast!"

"Fast little pricks" Raveneye grumbled. He was a tree hunter, made for the trees and hunting birds. That's the one and only thing he and Robinwing will ever get along with.

"Sit still and listen" Icebelly advised "Next time we hear something, work out where it is and then begin to move toward it very slowly"

The cats remained where they were, no one daring to move until they heard the scrabbling sound again. Icebelly's ears pricked, Icebelly rose and crept forward, biting his tongue when he felt his pelt sting, he placed each paw noiselessly in front of the other until he reached the edge of a small crack that ran across the rock face. They paused. The scrabbling noise continued. Icebelly lunged forward and reached down into the crack with a forepaw. Their fur and skin were burning as he scooped out a fat vole that had been hiding in the shadows and flung it onto the bright stone. It squealed as it landed, but the hard ground stunned it and Icebelly finished it off quickly.

"Wow!" Ebonypaw mewed "I want to do that!"

"Don't worry; you'll have plenty of chances. For now, let's get back to the forest" Graypaw mewed

"Aren't we going to catch anything else? While we still have sun" Cinderpaw protested

"Nope" Icebelly replied "There's only so much sun I can take"

"Also did you hear the vole squeal?" Raveneye cut in, the apprentices nodded "Well, so did every other creature around here. They prey will be hiding for while."

"I should caught it and killed it before it made a sound" Icebelly said in embarrassment

Graypaw rubbed himself against him, whisker twitching with amusement "It's fine Snowy"

Icebelly chuckled through the dead vole. Graypaw had been calling him this nickname for the past half-moon and Icebelly couldn't help but laugh and call Graypaw his fluffy pigeon.

While Icebelly could hold a facade, it had to come down some time. He felt his fur heat up, his skin boiling, eyes starting to blur. He dropped his vole and screeched in pain. Raveneye and Graypaw knew what was wrong and tried to calm him down but Icebely wasn't having it. The shade wouldn't help now, he needed water. He broke into a run, Raveneye and Graypaw's calls rang on deaf ears, literally as his ears started to ring. He followed his nose to the river.

"Icebelly, the river's frozen!" Graypaw called through the ringing but Icebelly didn't stop. He wanted this to stop, he was numb to everything. He tripped and fell onto the ice, sliding a little.

"Icebelly don't move" Raveneye mewed

"What is going on?" Ebonypaw asked

"Icebelly's pelt is burning and he's having another episode" Raveneye replied

Icebelly felt the ice crack a little but he was to out of it to be concerned. "Relax" he heard Graypaw mew as he picked him up by his scruff

"Graypaw, get off the ice your too heavy you'll-" but Raveneye's warning was too late. The ice gave out with a terrifying crack. Icebelly tried swimming but his vision wasn't coming back so he didn't know what to do and Graystripe's weight wasn't helping.

They were moving raping lightly that Icebelly knew, being carried downriver.

Icebelly thought them and Graypaw were sleeping with the fish, they almost were if not for two sliver tabbies. He felt Raveneye grab his chest fur and pull him up. Icebelly laid there coughing up water and Graypaw doing the same beside him. Even though he almost died, at least he wasn't burning anymore.

"You idiots!" Silverstream spat "What were you thinking?"

"Drowning?" Graypaw replied

"Can't you drown in your own territory?" Silvertsream mewed, his eyes flickering with amusement

"Yeah but who would save us there?" Icebelly purred

"Starclan help us" Silvertide chuckled, licking the top of Icebelly's head.

"That was awesome" Shadepaw mewed jumping beside Silvertide.

Raveneye sighed and turned to them "Look, Icebelly Graypaw, we've got to get out of here"

"We can't have you freeze to death" Ebonypaw advised

They said goodbye to the Riverclan cats and made their way back to their camp.

"What do we tell the clan?" Cinderpaw asked

"Just say Icebelly was trying to teach us how to fish" Ebonypaw suggested "From what Riverclan taught him"

"I doubt they'll work" Icebelly muttered leaning against Raveneye

"What are you fools doing this time?" Tiger-roar's voice was powerful as always, though it sounded more tired than annoyed.

Fuck

//////////////////////////////////////////////////

"That was fun" Shadepaw purred, tail waving

Silverstream rolled his eyes at his apprentice "Let's hope it happens again" he said sarcastically. Silvertide chuckled.

Shadepaw's eyes dark blue eyes widen "Really?"

"N-...sure" Silverstream replied honestly done at this point. "Should've let that Thunder drown" He heard Blackclaw drawl "They don't know swimming if it came and swallowed them whole"

Oh how Silverstream wanted to rip him apart. He knew Blackclaw as nothing but a fishbrain in his opinion, others respect him as one of their best warriors and honor his words and methods. Mistyfoot and Blackclaw have a little rivalry going on their pretty neutral to Blackclaw but hate his methods. Stonefur and Blackclaw decided kits were what they wanted and were having Skyeyes surrogate for them, glad it wasn't Suneyes who was Blackclaw's first choice.

Silverstream did worry for his cousin's choice in a mate after Splashsong. It seemed to break something in him, only really holding himself for Shadepaw and Bluepaw. Him taking Blackclaw as a mate didn't help Silverstream's concerns at all, they didn't really even do a courting process according to Mistyfoot.

At least the rest of the clan was still normal. The clan was booming with Swanlight and Fallowtail announcing their pregnancies. There was also the addition of a molly named Soot joining the clan and was expecting Stormstar's kits. Not to say Silverstream wasn't excited about being a big brother, he very much was and Sootwhisker was a lovely molly to be around.

"We're already on Thunderclan's bad side when you decided it was a good idea to attack and kill at Sunningrocks" Silvertide pointed out with a hiss

"They killed Beetlestrike" Blackclaw retorted "Suneyes had to raise Vixenpaw and Grasspaw on her own and now they've killed Splashsong"

Shadepaw's ears and tail dropped at the mention of her father, her head hung low.

'So you actually admit that Stonefur had a mate before you' Silverstream thought bitterly "After you killed Sweetheart, on purpose and a patrol killed two more of their warriors, what did you expect to happen?" Silverstream shot back

Blackclaw scoffed "Whatever, how's training been?" changing the subject. 'Your views will get you killed' Silverstream thought 'And I will be laughing 'I told you so' during your river ceremony when that happens'

"Awesome, Silverstream's been showing me some fishing techniques" Shadepaw replied, her cheery attitude returning

"No swimming?" Blackclaw's amber eyes narrowed "Did the great Silverstream not want his paws wet" he muttered the last part and only Silverstream heard him.

"He's been teaching me some swimming techniques" Shadepaw mewed cheerily "It's fun"

Silverstream was glad for Shadepaw's more calm and cheerful nature and didn't catch the insult in her step-father's words. Seriously how was Skyeyes his sister? Rippleclaw made sense to be his son but Whiteclaw is a different story since the gorge attack.

"Hey Silverstream Shadepaw" Silverstream was glad for the gift in Stonefur and Morningriver who was behind him.

"Hey Papa hey Auntie Morning" Shadepaw purred padding over to them

"How's my niece doing?" Morningriver mewed as she rubbed Shadepaw's head

"Great, I saw Thunderclan cats today"

"Really now?" Morningriver chuckled

"Silverstream and Silvertide saved two from drowning" Shadepaw added with pride

"Drowning would have been better" Blackclaw growled

"We've already killed three warriors from Thunderclan we don't need more Blackclaw" Morningriver said coolly

"Come on let's head back to camp" Stonefur quickly mewed

"We need Sunningrocks back if the fish continue to disappear and die" Blackclaw replied falling beside Stonefur who carried Shadepaw like a kit. "Shadowclan taking the good fish doesn't help either"

"And when we need it Stormstar will give the word" Silverstream cut in "Simple as that Blackclaw nothing more nothing less"

Blackclaw curled his lip but said nothing.

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Whitethroat laid on his side numb to the whole world. He ignored the wails and moans of the camp. He was lost to it all or he was if not for Marshshadow bringing him out of it with Wolfstep's help. Beepaw was mostly being trained to deal with wounds by Brokenstar's orders and Palecloud could only handle so much.

"How're you feeling?" his mother mewed softly, her scent still soothed him even now in this fucked situation.

"Tired and sore" he replied. He saw Wolfstep glance at his kits "I haven't named them yet" he mewed

"Are you gonna wait for Mossclaw to get back?" the black tom asked raising an eyebrow "I made a pelt nest for you but I don't know if Mossclaw will..." he trailed off for a moment "I mean I made one for Hollowpaw before got apprenticed and Burdockpaw and Rippedkit before he..."

His oldest kit, apprenticed to Barkfoot. Already covered in scars and being breed, to her it was her purpose. It hurt watching his daughter to this willingly. It hurt more that he couldn't do anything to stop it. Burdockpaw wasn't much better with her mentor being Nutwhisker. It felt strange to lose his only son so soon after his birth, he expected sadness but it wasn't there.

"Could I train to be a pelt-maker under you?"

"I'd love that" Wolfstep replied "I'll have to see if Brokenstar will even let you"

Brokenstar didn't allow for any ceremonies of kits, they were too weak for Shadowclan so they didn't deserve a proper send off. Palecloud brought the kitten skulls to an area in the graveyard as far as Whitethroat was concerned.

Whitethroat was about to say yes to Wolfstep but caught himself on what he was doing. This wasn't like him at all, he was fiery, rough, and tough and he'll be damned before he lets Mossclaw get into his head like this again.

It was hard to think since Brokenstar decided it was a good idea to mate with him. It was bloody and he ended up passing out with Littlecloud and Wetfoot dragging him back to camp. It didn't help with Mossclaw adding onto harshness and Brokenstar told him he needed to be a good breeder for the future of Shadowclan if Dawncloud, and Darkflower ever finally give out.

Not like Dewflare made anything easier. The only thing she made easier was that Brokenstar didn't seem interested in Fernshade as much. Leaving her to raise her third litter with him mostly in peace. Dewflare was expecting another littler already. Marigoldpaw was different story. If there was one thing Brokenstar seemed to like, it was tortoiseshells. Did it matter that it was his own kin he was breeding, of course not. If Brokenstar wanted something, he'll get it.

"No screw him" he answered gazing down at the little ones suckling at his belly. Two black kittens, both mollies.

"Hollylock-kit and Dark-kit" he mewed

"My lovely granddaughters" Marshshadow purred

'Let's hope' He'd rather not think of the other option.

Whitethroat was glad however that while the elite grew, the other clan's tolerance for Shadowclan was thinning in Thunderclan and Windclan's case. Riverclan has been submissive at the moment.

"Move it breeding stock" Dawncloud was shoved to the ground by Mossclaw. The dark brown tom displayed new scars on his shoulders and back from the recent Windclan attack, it was hilarious that he got them from an apprentice, Runningpaw from what he heard from Clawface. Palecloud had told Brokenstar it wouldn't work but Brokenstar ignored him and told Mudfoot and Deerfoot to attack the medicine cat but not kill him. Palecloud could barley stand on his own now but always made the painful walks out of camp with Tangleburr's help, just to get away even for a moment.

Poppyflower and Darkflower jumped over Dawncloud, protecting her in case Mossclaw tried anything else. "You don't attack us unless you want to lose valuable members Mossclaw, even Brokenstar says that" Poppyflower hissed.

"Duh because that's all you mollies are good for, cats that have miscarriages like Poppyflower are failures to Shadowclan, like my lovely Whitethroat" Mossclaw sneered as he padded over to Whitethroat. He looked down at him, his green eyes locked on the kits.

"What are those?"

"Your daughters dumbass" Whitethroat replied, gently licking the kittens.

"Daughters? I wanted sons" Mossclaw snarled, his tail lashing "Rippedkit was a disappointment, I want proud sons"

"Too bad" Whitethroat spat, anger filling him at the disrespect of his son's memory "it's an equal chance for both, you're just sore because you didn't get a son from raping Houndbelly" the molly in question seemed to shrink at her name, trying hiding in between Whitethroat and Marshshadow.

Mossclaw's eyes narrowed, he lifted his unsheathed paw. Whitethroat covered his kits with his tail, teeth bared.

A rush of white appeared in front of Whitethroat and shoved Mossclaw away.

"B..Blackfoot?" Whitethroat mewed in shock

"Enough" the pointed black tom stated

"Excuse me?" Mossclaw spat, rushing back to his paws

Blackfoot fluffed up his fur, he towered over the dark brown tom. "I said enough Mossclaw, Are you going to argue with your elite?"

Mossclaw glared at Blackfoot but said nothing. "Deal with it later" it was Nutwhisker who mewed that "Brokenstar wants Whitethroat in his den and wants Marshshadow for day watch with Blackfoot"

Whitethroat felt his skin crawl "I'll watch them" Dawncloud mewed. The young queen had just given birth to her third litter of Hemlock-kit and Cloudykit sired by Toadpelt.

Whitethroat rested Dark-kit and Hollylock-kit into Dawncloud's paws and headed to Brokenstar's den. He entered quickly, he was used to the smell.

He spotted Brokenstar leaning against the den wall, Whitethroat never forgot how large his uncle was for a Shadowclan cat. He had Blossompaw taking his cock, pushing his hips upwards. Marigoldpaw was rubbing against Brokenstar and what made horrified Whitethroat the most was Hollowpaw was there as well.

"Clawface told me about your recent birth" Brokenstar mewed "Two mollies, great job"

Whitethroat nodded stiffly

"I want you to be one the front lines rather than kit making"

"Why?"

"My kin deserve the best" he shoved himself fully in Blossompaw at the best

"What do you want me to do?" he tried to ignore Hollowpaw cleaning Brokenstar's paw pads

"The overseer role is back in the clans once more, I want you and Lizardstripe to be ones" Brokenstar groaned, placing more pressure on Blossompaw's hips "I already have an apprentice in mind for you, Batkit"

"Alright, I'll train her well"

"I expect so" he groaned as he finished inside Blossompaw who moaned her own release. "Come along" he mewed

Blossompaw and Marigoldpaw followed silently. Hollowpaw glanced at Whitethroat

"How are you?" it was all he could ask

"Living" his daughter replied

He licked Hollowpaw's forehead softly, not being able to do much else. He walked outside with Hollowpaw leaning against him. He sat next to Badgerfang, his cousin was covered in blood but seemed unbothered. Blossompaw sat close to Palecloud and Beepaw, Whitethroat raised an eyebrow.

"All cats gather around for a clan meeting;" Brokenstar called "Time to raise our cats, Goldenpaw, Pinepaw, Foggypaw, Foxpaw, Hollowpaw, Viperpaw, Blossompaw, Marigoldpaw, and Whisperpaw come forward"

The apprentices did.

Brokenstar had been...well...going more bat-shit insane than normal. He and Bluestar had fought and Bluestar had took one of his lives and left him with a bad chest scar. He seemed to want to declare that he was still strong and had control over his clan.

Brokenstar had been encouraging cats of his elite to 'make sure the young ones stay in line'. Mossclaw followed his words to a T when he decided to rape Houndbelly. The young molly had gotten pregnant and gave birth to three kits, she was too young and her body couldn't take it well, one was born still, another died three days after birth and the only survivor was Batkit. Whisperpaw had been attacked by Toadpelt and was knocked out in the medicine den for a half-moon.

Brokenstar has been trying to increase his bloodline to no end. Dewflare's new litter on the way. Dawncloud's expecting again, Darkflower already had Scorchfang's kits, Redkit and Emberkit was now expecting Brokenstar's kits again.

Brokenstar has been expanding his connections through Dewflare trying to round up new members for the clan. Duskthorn was a good start but Whitethroat knew it would expand in time.

"Goldenpaw you will be known as Goldendusk, Hollowpaw you shall be known as Hollowheart, Pinepaw you shall be known as Pinetail, Whisperpaw you shall be known as Whisperleaf, Foggypaw you shall be known as Foggyclaw, Foxpaw you shall be known as Foxtrot, Viperpaw you shall be known Viperfang, Marigoldpaw you will be known as Marigoldcloud you will become a permanent queen and I've already offered myself as your mate. Blazefang, since Viperfang and Marigoldcloud have shown promise you may return to your warrior duties for the next 3 moons"

Blazefang just stared at Brokenstar but said nothing. There was nothing really to say if she didn't want to be killed.

"Blossompaw you shall be known as-"

"Wait Brokenstar" Blossompaw cut in, her voice was honey sweet

Brokenstar's gaze snapped down to the white molly "Yes" he said this with gritted teeth, he didn't like to be interrupted. What he liked was watching cats in pain or below him.

"I want to be a seer, I've been having dreams lately" Blossompaw mewed

"It's true, we've been talking" Palecloud mewed "She picks up signs better than Beepaw at the moment Brokenstar"

Brokenstar drew his unsheathed paw to his face, seeming to fight a hiss. "Fine, Palecloud you may train Blossompaw"

The gray and white tom padded over quickly, touching noses with her and leading her away into the medicine den with Beepaw following after them.

"Anyway" Brokenstar growled "Dirtkit you will be known as Dirtpaw and Goldendusk will be your mentor, Rottingkit you shall be known as Rottingpaw and I will mentor you, Elderkit you will be known as Elderpaw and Hollowheart will be your mentor, Lizardkit you will be known as Lizardpaw and Cinderfur will mentor you, Muddykit you shall be known as Muddypaw and Viperfang will mentor you, Adderkit you shall be known as Adderpaw and Mudfoot will mentor you, Copperkit you shall be known as Copperpaw and Turtleshell will mentor you, Pricklekit you shall be known as Pricklepaw and Sootmask will be your mentor, and Batkit you shall be known as Batpaw and Whitethroat will be your mentor"

[foxjawhopandtrot]

Snowhare and Violetbelly of WindClan

Snowhare is a small, young white cat with brown ears and a docked tail. They are the youngest deputy around the lake, and very uneasy in their new position, but determined to live up to the legacy set before them. They’re very high spirited, ready to face any challenge and rarely backs away from obstacles. They have a poor tendency to ignore help until it’s desperately needed.

Violetbelly is a fluffy black and white she-cat with a speckled belly. She is WindClan’s medicine cat apprentice, and a very caring soul. She has the patience to match even StarClan itself and an endless talent with herbs and omens. She secretly holds a lot of influence in her clan, despite her apprentice status, and had a hand in convincing Daystar that her sibling was the best choice for deputy.

Snowkit and Violetkit were born to Blackrabbit and the late queen Icegorse. Being the only two kits born to the clan at the time, the two were often smothered with the clan’s attention, Snowkit especially. With Snowkit’s poor health, half the clan was in and out of the nursery on the daily. Violetkit never minded the attention her sibling got, instead being worried herself that her only friend and playmate was always sick. Whenever the medicine cat, Gorsemist, would come to tend to Snowkit, Violetkit would offer the best of her help, working patiently and following instructions as if she herself were working to heal Snowkit. It was here that Violetkit’s love for caring for her clanmates began.

Snowkit eventually regained their health, but only just in time for the two kits to reach their sixth moon. For the first time, WindClan’s nursery would be empty, and Snowkit and Violetkit would join the apprentices. Only, Violetkit would no longer share a den with her sibling, instead being chosen by Gorsemist as a suitable apprentice. Snowpaw would join Ripplepaw, Ashpaw, and Skypaw in the apprentices den.

Being so much young than their denmates, Snowpaw was determined to catch up. Their mentor, Brighteye, was pleasantly surprised to see the sickly, quiet kit had quickly grown into an energetic and determined apprentice and happily moved her apprentice through their training as quickly as Daystar would allow. Snowpaw’s training grinded to a halt briefly, when Icegorse died of a mysterious illness not even Gorsemist’s experienced paws could cure. Violetpaw and Snowpaw regained their closeness in that moment, but both were determined to continue their training and make their mother proud.

Snowpaw was once again left alone in their den as Ripplepaw, Ashpaw, and Skypaw were all named warriors, but they refused to let that get them down. It was barely a moon later that Snowpaw had finished their final assessment and joined their friends in the warriors den.

Daystar had been impressed by the young warrior’s spirit and swift learning. With the encouragement of his medicine cat, and deputy of the time, Hazelwind, Daystar gave Snowhare their first apprentice, Newtpaw.

Newtpaw and Snowhare quickly were at odds due to Newtpaw’s lazy nature. The young she-cat was simply unmotivated and unwillingly to listen to a cat not much older than she. Snowhare questioned Daystar’s choice, giving them an apprentice that wasn’t even a full turn of the seasons younger than them. Snowhare refused to let down her clan, however, and began trying different methods. Snowhare quickly realized it was much easier to treat Newtpaw as a young friend than an apprentice and the two began to get along as they joked their way through fighting training and hunting trips.

It’s on one of these many hunting trips that Snowhare loses their tail. Having dashed their way straight into an old badgers set, the tunnel collapsed behind them as they crashed, crushing their tail under rocks and debris. Newtpaw dug her mentor from the set and helped them back to camp, where Gorsemist cut their mangled tail. Like many loses in their life, Snowhare had the support of their friends and sister, and wouldn’t let it set them back.

Violetbelly, having recently been given her medicine cat name, felt a sense of longing as she witnessed how her sibling succeeded. She missed the closeness that kithood had brought them and wanted nothing more than to help her sibling again. The brief moments she got while Snowhare was healing from the tunnel incident were a dream to her but short-lived as Snowhare went back to their warrior duties. When it was announced that Hazelwind would be retiring to the elders den, Violetbelly gained the idea of helping her sibling become deputy.

Violetbelly spent days crafting her plan, and on the day Daystar was set to make his decision, Violetbelly sprung. She secretly chased a snow-white hare into the camp, leading it to the entrance before slipping away to join her clanmates in shock as the young rabbit hopped into camp. Daystar conversed with Gorsemist about the sign until sundown that day, finally accepting that the young warrior Snowhare was his StarClan ordained choice for deputy.

Snowhare was shocked by the decision, and completely unready. Their first moon as a deputy was a struggle as they fumbled through patrols and hunting and training. Daystar even began questioning his choices. Snowhare is still working to be a good deputy and will be given a second apprentice as soon as Ashbristle’s kits are ready.

Violetbelly let no one, not even her sibling know of her ploy, simply congratulating her sibling and helping them through the first moon with advice.

[gatorsnot]

Tangleburr’s belly lurched painfully and her throat convulsed as she vomited into the ferns. She gasped, trying to get her breath back as she licked her lips free of the disgusting slime. The mouse she had eaten that morning had been so stale and foul that it hardly passed as fresh-kill, she doubted even a crow would’ve picked at it, and she was surprised it hadn’t sickened her sooner.

From behind, she heard her brother, Deerfoot, approach from where he waited among the roots of a tree. “Are you finished?” he asked.

Coughing, Tangleburr nodded.

“If you say so,” the brown and gray tom meowed. He rose to his paws and beckoned with his tail. “Come on, we’d better hurry up and finish marking the borders so we can have Runningnose check you out. If whatever you have is catching, we don’t want you spreading it to the rest of the Clan.”

Hauling herself to stand, Tangleburr fought the urge to lean on Deerfoot. She still felt queasy and a bit lightheaded, but she forced herself to keep her jaws clamped and her body upright. The only reason she ate that rotten mouse was because she had no choice -  Brokenstar had demanded that every cat focus all their energy on fighting and battle training, he deemed hunting a waste of time. “Every cat will be responsible for finding their own meals,” he had declared at a Clan meeting. “The only cats who shall gather food for for others will be queens for their kits until they are apprenticed, all other cats will fend for themselves.”

Yet again, no one had seen Brokenstar turning a paw to find anything for himself. Many had suspected he crept off alone to catch personal fresh prey while the rest of ShadowClan scavenged for crowfood or the remains of carcasses. Sorry flea-bitten pile of fox dung.

Deerfoot seemed to have read his sister’s thoughts. He let out a snort as a frog hopped out from the water as the two cats stalked along the edge of a pond. “Live prey seem to mock us now,” he hissed. “You bet your pelt that I’d catch that frog and swallow it whole if I knew no one would smell blood on my breath when we got back to camp. Crowfood tastes worse than I ever imagined it to.”

Tangleburr’s stomach gurgled nauseatingly. The mere thought of eating made her feel sick again. “Yeah,” she croaked out.

“You know what?” Deerfoot whispered. As the frog bobbed a little further away, he dropped into a hunting crouch. Slowly, he crept forward, silent as a snake with his eyes fixed on his anticipated prize. Tangleburr watched as Deerfoot eased himself into a perfect position, found a perfect range to pounce, and then he practically soared through the air and snatched the amphibian in his claws.

“GET OFF OF ME!”

An ear-splitting yowl startled Deerfoot so badly that he reared up in terror. The frog bounded back to the pond and disappeared under the rippling surface of the boggy water.

“Get moving, you waste of fur! How dare you disobey my orders, I’ll teach you to undermine me!”

Just as Deerfoot and Tangleburr were about to charge in the direction of the voices, the large shape of a dark brown tabby burst from the reeds, a slightly smaller and thinner light brown tabby in his teeth. It was Brokenstar and Lizardstripe! The aging she-cat struggled in the ShadowClan leader’s hold, the only thing that prompted him to release was when Lizardstripe struck him in his right ear with her claws. She tumbled away, but was back on her paws in an instant, back arched and growling.

“Lizardstripe!” Deerfoot rushed to his mother’s side, but Brokenstar thrust his muzzle into his face. “Back off!” Deerfoot spat. “What in StarClan’s name are you doing to our mother?”

Brokenstar looked twice his normal sized with his fur all flared out and his muscles hunched, large and intimidating. “Don’t you dare speak to me in that tone, warrior!” he screeched. “I am your leader, move aside and stay out of this, or your throat will be the one I tear out next!”

“No!” Deerfoot snapped. 

“You miserable kit of a rogue,” Lizardstripe snarled. Despite looking rather shaken and her state of malnutrition, her amber eyes glittered fiercely at Brokenstar, her tail lashing. “You have no right to be called the leader of ShadowClan, or any Clan. StarClan’s kits, I doubt even a band of rogues would accept you!”

Brokenstar lunged to knock the old cat aside, claws unsheathed, but Tangleburr tackled him. “Stop this!” she yowled. 

The ShadowClan leader tossed his assailant off with a shake. “I hate all of you!” he screamed. “First, this withered old elder thought she could humiliate me in front of my deputy and warriors when I ordered her to clear out my den and replace my nest, then she had the nerve to call me lazy in front of the entire Clan when she caused a scene! I am not an apprentice to be ordered around and degraded, I am your leader and it is the word of the warrior code that you listen to me and do as I say!” Spittle bubbled at Brokenstar’s lips as he advanced on Lizardstripe once again. He looked so deranged, so wild as he growled and spat and lashed his bent tail. “I think you’ve forgotten that I am not a meek little kit for you to mistreat anymore, old cat!”

“What nonsense are you spitting now?” Deerfoot challenged. He stood defiantly in front of Lizardstripe, his claws outstretched in case Brokenstar tried to leap at her again. “It’s not our fault you were a troublesome furball as a kit, it’s not like you had actual parents to keep you in line!”

With a furious yowl, Brokenstar swiped his claws across Deerfoot’s muzzle, drawing blood as the tom went down. “Says the cat who was at least privileged with acknowledgement and suckling rights, while I was always the one who was pushed away and harassed!”

 Tangleburr’s hackles raised as she joined Deerfoot’s side, helping him up while also acting as a barrier between the enraged ShadowClan leader and their mother. “Why are you digging up things that are long forgotten by now?” she hissed. 

“Long forgotten-” Brokenstar briefly broke off into incredulous laughter, which unnerved the three battered cats before him. “What a joke, for such things to be ‘long forgotten’!” He used the entirety of his body weight to push Tangleburr into Deerfoot, and the two warriors crashed backward into Lizardstripe, leaving them all in a scrambling heap. As Brokenstar snarled ferociously and stood over them, Tangleburr realized that he was indeed right; he was no longer the small, motherless, seemingly out-of-place kit no cat had stepped forward to claim. He was the son of Raggedstar, but no cat was sure who his birth mother had been. There had been speculation and talk, and all the gossip and assumption had made him an easy target for aggression among his adoptive family, who Tangleburr remembered resenting him relentlessly - herself included.

Lizardstripe struggled to her paws. Her flanks heaved, her ribs were beginning to show after a moon or so of not eating properly and the access work she was expected to do despite age rapidly catching up with her. “You were nothing but another tick on my tail,” she snapped. “About as tolerable as a thorn in my eye or a ripped claw. It wasn’t my fault that Mudclaw wanted kits while I didn’t, and then here comes Raggedstar and Yellowfang moseying right along into the nursery with an extra mouth for me to feed when I barely had enough milk for the three I was already stuck with. At least my actual kits had potential and listened to me, while you were defiant and full of yourself from the start, making things harder than they had to be for everyone!”

Brokenstar leaped clean over Tangleburr and Deerfoot, tackling Lizardstripe and the two tabbies became a yowling storm of teeth and claws. Screeching, Deerfoot flung himself onto Brokenstar’s back and tried to get a hold of his neck, but the larger tom flipped over and crushed him against the ground. Tangleburr went for his belly, but Brokenstar slashed her across the face and then tore into her hind leg, teeth biting down to the bone. “Not so easy to pick on now, am I?!” 

Tangleburr caterwauled and struggled and scratched, she could see Deerfoot struggled to stand and Lizardstripe was a trembling heap on the ground, fighting for breath as a deep gash in her shoulder wept scarlet. A sunburst of blood spattered as Brokenstar clenched his jaws tighter around her leg, the pain was absolutely unbearable as Tangleburr fought desperately to escape his vicious grip. Finally, Brokenstar lifted her up by her thrashed leg and slammed her into Deerfoot, and both warriors could only lay together on the muddy ground, their chests heaving for air.

Breathless with fury, Brokenstar turned sharply to Lizardstripe, who was crouching and blinking fearfully up at him. “As for you,” he growled. “Either get out of ShadowClan land and never return or I kill you and your precious kits that are so full of potential. That’s as merciful as I’ll be with any of you sorry furballs; either way, I’m done with you and I won’t ever have to look at your retched hide again.”

“But-” Lizardstripe began.

“Are you choosing death?” Brokenstar cut her off.

“Listen to him, mother,”  Tangleburr gasped out at last, her voice hitching as jolts of agony shot through her like lightning. The shooting pain in her leg was so intense she could barely force herself to speak at all, but she wasn’t just going to lay there and let this entitled barbarian slaughter Lizardstripe in front of them over a lousy nest and the pain of the past. “Deerfoot, Runningnose, and I will be just fine on our own. Save yourself and run, he’s not worth it!”

Lizardstripe looked wide-eyed at her daughter. She was still shaking and hyperventilating, obviously still reeling from the terrifying confrontation, but she swallowed hard and glared and Brokenstar, a growl replacing her breathless horror. “ShadowClan isn’t the same ShadowClan I grew up in with you leading it,” she snarled. “I’d rather be a kittypet than endure another day of eating filth so disgusting that a dog wouldn’t think of touching it and letting your brainwashed cats sharpen their claws on me for the sake of battles that haven’t come yet.”

Brokenstar snorted and growled.

“Away I go.” The old light brown tabby shakily rose to her paws, limped a ways into the trees before stopping and gazing at the kits she raised on last time before disappearing into the fog.

Brokenstar merely watched her go, a cruel mew of satisfaction escaped him. “She’ll make a fine meal for the rats in Carrionplace,” he declared. “That is, if a fox doesn’t make pickings of her first.”

Just then, Clawface and Blackfoot exploded into the clearing just as Lizardstripe was out of sight. “Brokenstar,” they meowed in unison.

Brokenstar turned to face his confidants. “Just dealt with an unsavory intruder lurking in the mist, that’s all. I drove her away.” Harshly, he grabbed Deerfoot by the scruff of his neck and tossed him at Blackfoot’s paws. “Not that this useless excuse for a warrior helped. Take him to the training area and let the apprentices and younger warriors practice their ambushing skills on him; it might even motivate him to be more productive and loyal in the future.”

“Yes, Brokenstar. Come now, Deerfoot, up on your paws! You heard the leader.” Blackfoot nipped Deerfoot until he rose up and, shooting a snarl and a glare back at Brokenstar, allowed himself to be herded away by the larger tom.

Clawface stepped forward. “Tangleburr is hurt,” he observed. “Shall I fetch Runningnose?”

Tangleburr’s breath caught in her throat ad Brokenstar studied the damaged he’d caused to her leg. “Yes,” he concluded at last. “She is to be healed as quickly as possible, you see. I have arranged for her to mate with Stumpytail and bear his kits so ShadowClan shall have new warriors in the coming moons. We’re going to need them for the battle with WindClan I have planned.”

                                                               ~~~

i’ve really, REALLY wanted to do a piece featuring brokenstar and his abusive adoptive family, and i’ve had this in my files for awhile! but i’ve been sick with a sinus infection for the past couple of days, so forgive me if this feels rushed or uneven ;~;

also NO: i am NOT trying to paint brokenstar in a positive light; he was a terrible cat who did terrible things, and i do not personally see his shitty childhood as an excuse to justify his behavior as an adult or make it okay that he did all those things. a confrontation scene between him and at least lizardstripe would’ve been very interesting to see in-canon, and this is just a take on that.

and yes, lizardstripe basically called him a son of a bitch

[signs-of-the-moon]

Moon Rise: Chapter 35

It had been a difficult moon for Swiftcloud to bare through, but a full moon nonetheless. Staying in camp was harder than she'd remembered it being as an apprentice. But at least she was in good company. Shadowfang was still on nest-rest along with her, but appeared to be handling it better than Swiftcloud was. He seemed happy for the companionship, and for the chance to spend more quality time with his father, young siblings, and mate. Swiftcloud had to agree that it was enjoyable, but she missed being out in the meadow. She so badly wanted to run in the open fields, chasing rabbits, and training Tulippaw for battle. There wasn't enough space in camp for her to properly stretch her legs, and the medicine cats would yowl at her if she so much as tried to join in a playfight. Still, at least Swiftcloud was kept busy. Just because she was camp bound did not mean she did not have things to do, after all.

Frequently, she had been called to sit in on strategy meetings; an honor that was usually only granted to the clan's most senior warriors. Whitestar seemed to value the young molly's input ever since she'd come up with the idea to push back the border; like Swiftcloud was some sort of master battle planner. But Swiftcloud didn't exactly understand why she was looked upon in this light. She wasn't much of a fighter herself. The strategizes she came up with didn't seem to be all that special either, any cat could think of them with enough information given. But Whitestar had faith in her, so Swiftcloud kept some faith in herself-even when she felt she shouldn't.

Beyond battle planning, Swiftcloud took some time to speak with Dewstone. Before, Dewstone had been very intrigued by Swiftcloud's theory that one cat may be responsible for the deaths of Waspwing, Butterflytail, and Ambereye. Between strategy meetings, Swiftcloud gave her opinions to the Code Keeper about the situation. Inside camp, she kept an eye out for suspicious activity. And outside of camp, Dewstone searched for anything unusual. She'd even follow battle patrols to the Forest Patch, just in case evidence may present itself. Or if another warrior fell victim to whoever it might be murdering Grassclan's cats. So far, both mollies had come back without proof of anything. But Swiftcloud was certain there was something going on. She could feel it.

Beyond those obligations, Swiftcloud spent the rest of her time helping the queens by distracting the pluthera of kits in the nursery. They'd grown so big within a moon's time, doubling in size and intelligence faster than the blink of an eye. Most of the kits were talking already, and trying to escape from the bear-length of space they were allowed to travel from their den. Jaybird's kits already had names picked out, being referred to by their prefix for the time being while they awaited their official naming ceremony. Mint, Cinder, and Bunny were their names. It seemed Ashwhisker was fixed on a couple of names as well; Pigeon and Oriole. Good names for good kits, Swiftcloud thought when she had heard them. All the nursery members were good. Once or twice during her camp confinement, Swiftcloud had imagined herself joining the queens. What if during this time off she decided to take the opportunity to have her own litter? Was she even ready for kits? Shadowfang seemed to be happy with whatever decision she'd make, but Swiftcloud was still unsure if she was prepared for motherhood. Especially at this time. Leafbare was fast approaching, and war still hung heavy over their heads. Even though there was a perfect opening, perhaps now wasn't best for starting a family. For the time being, Swiftcloud was content to settle down and watch other cats' families form and grow.

Today, Swiftcloud watched the camp contently from the edge of her den. Across the way she saw Frostfeather lounging outside the nursery, Quailbelly's shoulder pressed gently against hers. The two she-cats were busy grooming one of Jaybird's kits each, while the third bounced and circled around them on clumsy paws. After nudging the silver tabby kit, Mint, off to play, Frostfeather stuck out her tail to block the silver and black tabby's path. With a nod of her head, Bunny reluctantly came to settle between her older sister's paws. The kit wiggled and whined as Frostfeather took her time cleaning her.

"Bunny, lift your ears please so I can clean them." The kit didn't seem to want to listen, antsy within Frostfeather's grasp. Thankfully the older molly was a patient cat, but at this point she seemed to be getting a little annoyed. "Settle down, you restless mollykit," she chided playfully.

"I'm not a molly!" Bunny proclaimed suddenly. He puffed up, wagging his striped plumy tail with indignation. Swiftcloud couldn't help but be reminded of Jaybird in the way he was posturing. Frostfeather blinked, smiling at Bunny with a soft purr of amusement.

"What do you mean...? Ooh. Of course, I understand. Now, would you settle down you rambunctious tom?"

The kit let out a tiny "hmph" as a sign of both satisfaction and surrender, allowing his sister to finish tidying his fur. His ears flopped back down when Frostfeather had finished cleaning them, much to her chagrin. "Would you like me to tell the clan about your identity?" She asked. The silver and black striped kit looked back at his sister and gave an excited nod, bounding off as soon as the opportunity was presented to him. Swiftcloud resisted letting out an audible mrrow of amusement.

"Hey Frostfeather," Rabbitstorm meowed from across camp, prancing over to his sister. He had an unusual bounce in his step, and his face was lit up like sunlight on water. The fluffy tom came to a stop in front of his littermate who looked up at him with curiosity.

"I have some amazing news!"

"Oh really? What is it?" Frostfeather wondered, amused by her brother's lightheartedness.

"Heatherwing's expecting kits. My kits!" He proclaimed, excitement oozing from every flealength of his being. Frostfeather jumped to her paws, trilling with delight. Quailbelly purred out a congratulations, standing and bounding away to be with her sister.

Over by the medicine den, Swiftcloud saw the lilac molly in question. Heatherwing was standing with Whitestar, Cricketsong, and Chicorynose. Whitestar was rubbing her head affectionately against her younger sibling's, Quailbelly joining in as she caught up with her twin. The five sisters were having a conversation that could not be heard at this distance. They all appeared to be in high spirits. If she focused hard enough, Swiftcloud could barely make out the slight bulge of Heatherwing's belly. She must be farther along than I thought.

"Kits? Already?" Piped a voice. Snowfrost emerged from the nursery in one swift motion, drawing attention onto herself. Her tail-tip swayed with interest at the news, eyes narrowed skeptically. She must have been checking on Ashwhisker and Cricketsong's kits, overhearing the news as she readied herself to retire from the task.

"Yes! Goldensong says it'll probably be a large litter. Maybe with four or five kits," Rabbitstorm explained, the pride in his voice unmistakable.

"Wow! Congratulations, bunny!" Frostfeather purred. "I guess Heatherwing will be moving into the nursery soon, won't she?"

Rabbitstorm shook his head. "She's going to remain a warrior actually, and I've decided to become a queen. Heatherwing will nurse the kits, but I'll be the one to care for them."

"But what about your job as a guard?" Snowfrost fretted. "Will you return to your duties once the kits have been apprenticed?"

Once again, Rabbitstorm shook his head. "No...as much as I enjoy my job, and love being a warrior...I think I will like being a permanent nursery queen too. Mama will be proud, I think."

"Tch. You should not give up your career for this," Snowfrost warned. "You are a gifted fighter. And a great asset to the clan as a guard. We could do without another queen. But we cannot afford to allow good, strong cats like yourself to dedicate their time to kit rearing and emotional support. And there's a war going on; we need every claw in the fight that we can get. Or have you forgotten that?"

"This is my choice to make, Snowfrost," Rabbitstorm challenged. "I'll always be a great warrior. And I won't allow my skills to dull, either. I can be a queen and still be a great asset to our clan. I am simply changing my title, and taking on a second job. I'm not giving up anything. And if the clan should need me to fight, I'll fight with everything I have."

Snowfrost took a step back in surprise, disapproval gracing her sleek features. Her tail began to wag and her muzzle raised into the air with a small "hmph" in remark.

"You will regret this decision." Snowfrost almost sounded threatening. But Rabbitstorm remained calm despite his aunt's disapproval.

"If I do, that's for me to decide."

"What in Starclan's name is going on here?" Jaybird yowled by the fresh-kill pile. From the looks of it she had just returned from a hunting patrol, depositing an impressively sized rabbit to the food supply. The silver queen wasted no time stalking towards the group to join in their conversation. Her nostrils flared with exasperation and her tail swayed slowly behind her as she walked."I leave camp to stretch my legs for all of a heartbeat, and suddenly my kin starts to fight?"

"He is being a mouse-brain," Snowfrost insisted.

"Snowfrost won't accept the fact that I'm going to become a queen when my kits are born."

"Kits? I didn't realize cats born toms could give birth to their own litters," Jaybird's voice sounded skeptical and playfully teasing.

"Heatherwing is expecting. I want to be the one to take care of our kits in the nursery," Rabbitstorm elaborated.

Jaybird's tone immediately shifted. "Oh bunny, that's fantastic! Congratulations!"

"You're encouraging this?" Snowfrost looked shocked.

"Of course. If that is what Rabbitstorm wants, then who am I to deny him? I want my son to be happy. He'll be a wonderful father, and a great queen. He has the same natural instinct as I do. He has my blood."

"And mine," Snowfrost snapped. She seemed utterly offended at Jaybird's remark, like the queen had threatened to poison her firstborn. But this confused Swiftcloud. Rabbitstorm and his littermates were adopted. Did Jaybird and Snowfrost only discuss their blood relations now because they were in front of the littermates?

"Mama, why don't we relax a while together; have some prey?" Frostfeather interjected, trying to diffuse the argument.

Jaybird glared at her sister a heartbeat longer before relaxing. She turned towards Frostfeather, her scowl raising into a polite smile. "Oh yes, that sounds lovely. Going on that patrol did leave me feeling quite famished."

Frostfeather purred in response, swaying her fluffy tail. She herded Jaybird's kits back into the nursery then headed with her mother to the fresh-kill pile. Swiftcloud rose from her spot by the warrior's den, deciding to join them. As she matched pace with Frostfeather she could feel the piercing eyes of Snowfost on the back of their heads. Swiftcloud spared a look over her shoulder to see the medicine cat tense and bristling. Anger glazed her eyes, her gaze snapping onto Rabbitstorm who jabbed her side with a paw. Snowfost jolted away from his touch, storming off to another part of camp to get away from the tom.

Swiftcloud gave her whiskers an indignant twitch as she returned her attention towards the fresh-kill pile. Tulippaw and Tigerfang were there when the warriors and queen arrived. The dark tabby was looking just as proud as the apprentice did, who sat with a bird by the tips of her paws.

"Look what I caught today, Swiftcloud!" Tulippaw exclaimed proudly, jestering towards the blue jay with her tail tip.

"I helped to hold an assessment today," Tigerfang informed. "Tulippaw hunted expertly. She's on her way to becoming a great Grassclan warrior. Though, of course, she still has a lot to learn."

That was a relief to hear. Despite Swiftcloud's confinement, it seemed Tulippaw was keeping on top of her lessons. Swiftcloud couldn't be more proud.

"Thank you for letting me know. I'll be sure to work on Tulippaw's weaker areas just as soon as Goldensong gives me the all clear to return to my duties. I don't think it'll be much longer, thankfully."

"Maybe you should get yourself examined soon, see what the medicine cats have to say about your wounds?," Tigerfang suggested.

"You know, that's actually a good idea. It's been a moon after all. I think I'll go do that," Swiftcloud responded.

"We'll catch up later, then," purred the tabby warrior, touching noses with his clanmate. "Come, Tulippaw, let's bring some of this prey to the elders."

"Yes Tigerfang," Tulippaw responded obediently, snatching up the rabbit Jaybird had brought home. She dragged the plump creature by it's leg, disappearing into the rock which housed the elders with Tigerfang. Swiftcloud purred approvingly before turning to her companions.

"Save me some prey please. I'll be back in a little bit."

"I'm sure there will be plenty left over when you come back," Jaybird mewed with a smile.

"Not with the way Frostfeather eats," Swiftcloud giggled, watching her friend snatch up the blue jay and begin tearing into it. She paused momentarily, plucking a long feather from the bird's wing. She moved close to her mother, inserting it into the fur by the base of the queen's tail.

"There. I think that looks pretty," Frostfeather purred. Jaybird twisted around to inspect her daughter's handiwork.

"Oh, it's beautiful. Thank you, precious, what a lovely gift," Jaybird trilled, rubbing her cheek against Frostfeather. Swiftcloud nodded in approval, turning away from the scene, making her way over to the medicine den.

Goldensong was inside the tree's trunk alone, sorting some fragrant herbs that made Swiftcloud's mouth water. The warrior politely cleared her throat, waiting for the medicine cat to take notice of her.

"Ah Swiftcloud, hello," Goldensong greeted as she stood up. "What can I do for you?"

"I was wondering if you could give me an exam. It's been a full moon, and I want know how much longer it will be until I can go back to my warrior duties."

Goldensong let out a thoughtful hum, approaching the patched warrior. She first made Swiftcloud lift her chin, pulling back the cobwebs that had been packed on her wound a few days prior. Swiftcloud could feel the golden molly's nose poking the area, tickling her as Goldensong took quick sniffs. The medicine cat pulled back after a moment, moving to look at the other molly's shoulder.

"It looks like everything has closed up nicely. There's still some scabbing along your neck, but it should flake off within another day or so. I'd say you're well enough to get back to work."

Swiftcloud's pelt prickled with excitement. "Really!?"

Goldensong nodded approvingly. Giddy as a bird, Swiftcloud thanked the medicine cat kindly. She turned quick as a snake, prancing out of the den. She'd go on to have a bite to eat, then maybe out for a bit of training with Tulippaw.

[pyronado-moved]

The Warrior Code Needs To Change: A Look Into The Rules

Ever since I got into this series, I’ve believed the warrior code was bad. The idea of rules like this in the first place is odd, but especially when you really look into them and how they’ve affected the series as a whole. While I think boundaries between clans is good for their own safety, these rules seem like too much. They ruin the majesty that should be in the veins of these forest cats and condenses them into almost an Animal Farm level society.

So, I’ve decided to describe where each rule’s issues lay and if it should be either changed or taken out completely. These are powerful and wild cats, they shouldn’t be confined into a democratic monarchy. Also some of these are just down right dumb.

1. Defend your Clan, even with your life. You may have friendships with cats from other Clans, but your loyalty must remain to your Clan, as one day you may meet them in battle. The first half of this rule makes sense. You are of your clan and you should understand why there are territories and boundaries, but the second half is where it becomes apparent this code was made simply to keep clan bloodlines clean. Friendships between clans have consistently proven good within the series. They’ve helped stop plenty of fights and even helped build stronger alliances. While I do think cats should remain loyal to their clan in case a fight does break out, restricting cross-clan friendships into a situation where cats have to be weary of what they say at gatherings pushes down any chance of all four (or five) clans from truly finding peace alongside each other. Keep the first half, remove the second.

2. Do not hunt or trespass on another Clan's territory. On the warriors wiki, there is the code followed by expectations. Many of the expectations describe situations where this rule doesn’t apply. At this point, it’s simply a case-by-case basis on why you should be on another clan’s land. This rule is disregarded and ignored too many times in the series to be taken seriously. It needs to be taken out and become an unspoken understanding that there are multiple clans and multiple boundaries, and crossing territories should be decided on the situation at hand.

3. Elders, queens, and kits must be fed before apprentices and warriors. Unless they have permission, apprentices may not eat until they have hunted to feed the elders. If any warrior or apprentice is sick or injured, they may eat while the elders, queens, and kits are eating. No. This rule is disgusting in the way it’s worded and treated. I understand placing kits and queens first, food is important to growth for these cats. But the places of elders and apprentices has always bothered me. Elders aren’t fragile. They’re older, but they’re not breakable. Unless an elder is completely unable to decide when they’re hungry or they can’t get up to retrieve food they shouldn’t be placed higher than anyone else. Especially apprentices. These are children who have spent nearly all day finding this food (which is known to be even more difficult in leaf-bare) and then they’re shoved aside. Of everyone in camp they will need the most energy to continue to grow into the warriors the clan needs them to be. If there are slim pickings and all the other cats eat first, the hunger they feel will drain their urge and want to continue to participate in clan life. No energy, no food. Apprentices deserve to eat first as well. They’re young and can’t wait days on end for food like older cats who have trained their bodies to do so. Apprentices deserve to eat first as they begin to grow and ween themselves to understand how much to eat and when to eat as a warrior. Instantly removing their right to eat when they become six moons is unhealthy and gross.

4. Prey is killed only to be eaten. Give thanks to StarClan for its life. This is possibly the most useless rule on here. There has never been a punishment for a cat who has broken this rule. In fact, in the books very few cats even do it. Get rid of it. It’s dumb.

5. A kit must be at least six moons old to become an apprentice. Six moons is too young. A cat is full grown between 9 to 12 months old. Many many apprentices have been thrown into battles with minimal training before they’ve fully developed their minds and bodies. While I understand cats needs warriors quickly to defend themselves, forcing cats who are still growing into a world of harsh training and fights can do terrible things to their bodies. Six moons of training has still proven to be fine, especially considering they do continue practicing and training in downtime as warriors. Waiting 3 extra months for a cat to become an apprentice wouldn’t kill or weaken the clans, it would strengthen them. Cats need to be at least nine moons old, when they’ve begun to fully develop their bodies and minds.

6. Newly appointed warriors will keep a silent vigil for one night after receiving their warrior name. Literally I forgot cats even did this for the longest time until I reread this code for this meta. Just get rid of it. No one does it and it serves no purpose.

7. A cat cannot be made deputy without having mentored at least one apprentice I still don’t get this one at all. I read the story of its creation and it felt forced and awkward. Training one other cat doesn’t make you more fit for the responsibility of protecting an entire clan. It needs to be either removed or changed to say every cat must train at least one apprentice before retiring.

8. The deputy will become Clan leader when the leader dies, retires, or is exiled. Why is this rule here. That’s how the ranking system works. Why do they need an extra rule in this code. Get rid of it you have a ranking system for a reason. This is an understood thing.

9. After the death, retirement, promotion (to a leader status), or exile of the deputy, the new deputy must be chosen before moonhigh. I do understand this rule in its own right. A leader picking their helper quickly can insure the clan has a backup if the time comes. But the time is too short. Especially for deputies who deal with a sudden death of a leader. The role of deputy is important. It’s the cat who takes care of the clan to keep it running smoothly and carefully. Rushing a new leader, or even an old one, to choose a deputy is how mistakes are made. Both Tigerclaw and Whitestorm’s times as deputies are proof of this. Bluestar was making a snap decision on her third deputy and couldn’t view past Tigerclaw’s strength to see the deadly ambition that was visible to the readers. Firestar felt rushed since his first choice said no. He picked a cat that was too old for the role, and honestly who wasn’t fit for it. I love Whitestorm but he didn’t have the right skills to control an entire clan. At most, the time limit should be a week to insure the right cat is chosen.

10. A Gathering of all four Clans is held at the full moon during a truce that lasts for the night. There shall be no fighting among Clans at this time. This should really be rule number one. That’s my only issue here. This one makes sense and has an actual affect in the story other than ‘uhh loyalty good.’ Keep the rule, make it number one.

11. Boundaries must be checked and marked daily. Challenge all trespassing cats. Daily is too much for marking. Unless it’s seriously rained or snowed, like every three or four days for marking is fine. Challenging trespassing cats is just plain stupid. Do you want inured warriors? Because that’s how you get injured warriors. Checked daily, marked once in a while, calm down and ask why the cat is on your land in a gentle way before you get someone killed.

12. No warrior can neglect a kit in pain or danger, even if the kit is from a different Clan. What is the difference between a kit and any other rank? Every cat’s life should be considered important if there is no proof otherwise. Imagine being a warrior from ShadowClan and bleeding out from a fox attack with no way to call to your own clanmates. A ThunderClan patrol sees you but moves along because you’re not a kit. They have just agreed your life is worthless because you live on the opposite side of a border. This rule allows innocent cats to die simply based on age and needs to be changed to say helping all cats no matter their clan if it could mean a life or death difference.

13. The word of the Clan leader is the warrior code. Why do you have a warrior code if the leader can just change it. I hate this rule and it’s absolutely confusing. Pick something. Have a code for all the clans or let the leader decide.

14.  An honorable warrior does not need to kill other cats to win their battles, unless they are outside the warrior code or if it is necessary for self-defense. Unless they’re trespassing. Or sitting on the sidelines. Or breathing. Cats kill in battle every time and hardly any serious punishment is given. Especially in the newer books. Just get rid of this you don’t follow it anyway.

15. A warrior rejects the soft life of a kittypet. Hmm. The discrimination against any cat, especially kittypets, who doesn’t live in a clan is weird considering the clans rarely welcome in outsiders. This rule is a dumb fear tactic used to imply cats who aren’t in clans are less than worthless and scares kits into loyalty instead of having the clan earn that through proof of the beauty of clan life. It’s a wack fear inducing rule that really doesn’t need to exist.

16. Each Clan has the right to be proud and independent, but in times of trouble they must forget their boundaries and fight side by side to protect the four. Each Clan must help the others so that no Clan will fall. This rule contradicts so many others. Why have borders and multiple clans if you have a rule that says ‘oh yeah but sometimes we need to be one clan because... we just do!’ I hate it, it was added way too late and has been followed and required like twice. Bramblestar is stupid and this rule is stupid. Get rid of it.

Proposed fixed code based on what I’ve said: 1. A Gathering of all four Clans is held at the full moon during a truce that lasts for the night. There shall be no fighting among Clans at this time. 2. Defend your Clan, even with your life. 3. Kits, Queens, and Apprentices must be fed before anyone else. Sick cats and elders unable to get their own food at any time may eat alongside them 4. A kit must be at least nine moons old to become an apprentice. 5. After the death, retirement, promotion (to a leader status), or exile of the deputy, the new deputy must be chosen before seven days have passed. 6. Boundaries should be checked daily. Trespassers should be met with peace before fang.

7. Every cat’s life has worth, and everyone should be protected if they are hurt or in danger far from their own clan. Possible 8. Every cat must train an apprentice before retirement

[profanetools]

bthemetz & rena relationship/domestic headcanon shit

(because my head is full of this and tbh this is what we all live for)

- since kagrenac’s debut in academia, & how that ended in a lot of stress/arguments etc. due to various factors, they’ve resolved to keep some level of separation between their work, so - with a few exceptions - they largely work in different areas of tonal architecture, though their work complements each other honestly.

(in the case of bthem, i think she definitely wants to stand on her own achievements and not be solely kagrenac’s shadow, although in all honesty, even if they worked more closely, i doubt that this would be the case, she’s well respected)

- i think this suits them both as it allows them to speak excitedly about what they’re working on with an attentive listener who can give an informed outsider’s perspective on the issues at hand, applying their own expertise. tbh this kinda speaks to their dynamic as a whole, they’re very different people who share similar passions & a similar position of trying to take on the academy from the outside (kagrenac, contrary to the reputation she has built for herself, wasn’t born into this by any means & had very few allies in the academy when she started).

- bthemetz actually tends to work on projects that take her to far-flung places on the edge of dwemer territory. she likes to travel, and she’s actually quite happy to work on the edge of things, and the distance between her and the politics of the capital suits her as she has been known to cause controversy and push against the edge of acceptable challenges to authority (& so she largely depends on kagrenac to keep her updated on the current situation). there are often times where bthemetz hasn’t seen kagrenac through her brass-form in months/years because of this arrangement.

- as established, kagrenac is able to travel to bthemetz’s actual location in the void, although initially this is an  operation that requires a fair bit of kit, big machinery with lots of pipes and pistons, heavy duty gloves, a switch that makes a giant clunk when you pull it, a big sparkly electric door. over time she manages to scale this down into something that might be mistaken as ‘an enchanted teleportation ring’ that can project such a door onto any brass surface (it’s basically that. who am i kidding). 

- kagrenac essentially has chambers of her own in the capital but is just never there and after she streamlines that process, essentially lives with bthemetz. this suits her perfectly because it is a little more difficult for someone to track her down after she’s stopped working. there are limits to this - the type of surface she can teleport on means that if she’s on the road, or if she’s in chimer territory, it’s not as easy to visit bthemetz. 

- basically they’re ldr queens :^) turn a distance of worlds apart into something workable.

- bthemetz is kagrenac’s closest confidante and kagrenac will just bitch to her about everything. bthemetz is a bit of a gossip fiend not in that she likes to spread it, but she likes to collect it and enjoy having lots of secrets. bthemetz knows a lot of the workings of the capital & the chimer intimately through kagrenac’s eyes and this is partly why she gains a reputation for knowing everyone, an eccentric social butterfly, who will know of you, your name, your work (& your reputation in kagrenac’s eyes, but she won’t tell you that) even if you haven’t been introduced yet.

(pretty sure bthemetz has been offered a ‘chief’ title by her adopted clan, but she’s turned it down several times. she doesn’t want the fuss. she’s admired enough by most apprentices that she’s trained & got enough of a reputation that she’s treated with the same level of respect even if she doesn’t have the exact title.)

- bthemetz likes to cook :) and often requests that rena bring her weird/odd ingredients home with her. she’s definitely got more of an aptitude & passion for that. rena would be content to subsist off like, kind whatever bleh meals, if it wasn’t for bthem lmao. it’s not that she can’t cook for herself, more that she largely thinks cooking is a waste of time, unless she’s helping bthem prepare something, & will happily assist in that case.

- bthemetz has difficulties sleeping while kagrenac is just, a very deep sleeper and refuses to get up early unless dragged out of bed. this results in a lot of bthemetz getting up early to cook her wife breakfast :^) (it’s something she enjoys doing... food really is a love language). sometimes kagrenac will notice she’s gone and try to drag bthemetz back to bed in a sleep-deprived state because 1. bthemetz hasn’t slept enough 2. she misses her.

- i don’t know if kagrenac ever takes to cooking but i am sure she does end up learning to brew tea for bthemetz and does this on numerous occasions. as mentioned a lot, bthemetz is a bit of a tea fiend as well, so this is one thing kagrenac does learn to do just for her.

- they read to each other a lot. a lot of lying on chairs/sofas that are adjacent and just minding themselves but also they like to read whatever has taken their fancy / whatever has captured them. often philosophy/scientific journal articles, but occasionally fiction as well.

- sometimes they will do this while bathing as well. they probably bathe together fairly often, being dwemer (who i headcanon as having a big bathing culture with lots of public paths) & this is just a fairly common thing for dwemeri lovers to do.

- i can’t remember if this was in twelve tones or if i cut this but they definitely help each other prepare for formal debates, for which the fashion tends to be a lot more ostentatious than usual (’dress like the god you believe you are’ is the expectation when performing on the debate, without being so elaborate that the outfits are impractical - it is very important to still be able to work one’s craft, theoretically, in said outfits). so there is definitely a lot of helping each other braid each other’s hair, put on jewellery, etc.

- they are both the only person who knows certain secrets about each other. so bthemetz knows a lot of details about kagrenac’s life prior to her arriving on vvardenfell that she just refuses to talk about to anyone else (she genuinely acts like the person before that was dead), including about her time while the nords were invading. kagrenac, conversely, is the only person who knows exactly how close bthemetz got to making deals with daedra before going her own way, and knows of her complex past relationship with boethiah & lorkhan. she knows she didn’t exactly decide to stop worshipping the latter as much as... it came to an end, but she also doesn’t see that as interfering. much in the same way bthemetz just understands kagrenac’s overzealousness and particularness as a way of coping, so kagrenac understands that bthemetz just won’t quite let go of that, she sees her anti-theism as a continuation of her old worship, and to kagrenac it doesn’t make sense, but that’s just a facet of bthemetz’s contradictory and often contrarian nature.

- they’re very different personalities and they both are aware of this and live rather different lifestyles outside of their home in some ways, but they both admire and respect each other tremendously, more than anyone else, and despite sometimes struggling to understand each other because of their differences, i think they just... absolutely cherish what they have together and refuse to let anything get in their way. i think they try to make time for each other, for energetic conversations, for a trip to a local museum or art gallery together, for expertly cooked homemade meals, for simple domestic rituals. there are times where it is more difficult - and often this is on kagrenac’s end - and they’re certainly not immune to arguments, but they make a great deal of effort to work past them. imo that’s just what i like the most about it. their relationship is very much a labour of love, at its core.