#warriors book 6

[willoillo]

I spent like all of today reading through book 6 cuz I needed a mental break today, which means I have completely finished this first arc!!

Thoughts on book 6 first:

As... Should be obvious from how quickly I finished it, I really liked this one. This book wasn't plagued with any of the pacing problems that the other ones had, and both the heartbreak and the victories felt well-placed and hard-earned.

The twist with Tigerstar in the third act was spoiled for me, unfortunately, but I think it still had the intended effect. It is kind of an anticlimax for his character? But I feel like it was a fitting end.

The ending itself was very satisfying. It feels like it ties together the story so far, which is... Incredibly tricky given how all over the place the series has felt. But it manages to pull it off, and it does so in a way that makes it feel purposeful. It's a very strong ending.

Now, onto the series as a whole...

I'm gonna start with what I liked, because there is a lot to like!!

I think the idea of the clans is relatively well thought out; how the different environments shape the kind of cats there, what kind of food they're likely to hunt and the difficulties they'll face, the various characters we meet... It does really feel like a setting one could sink their claws into and never really let go, and given how frequently the clans change loyalties and how quickly the cats grow up it seems really easy to fit your own characters into.

I also think the naming conventions are interesting!! How clan names are chosen, the way they change as a warrior develops, the unique terms for illnesses and the seasons and other common things. Fresh kill in particular has entered my vocabulary and stuck there cuz it's just such a good descriptor in my head.

I do love the focus on, like, legacy that the series has? With this focus on growth from kit to apprentice to warrior, and how important teaching the next generation is. It also ties in really well with the passing of the seasons; no matter what else is going on, the seasons march on, bringing their own challenges and forcing the cats to adapt to them.

I definitely fell in love with a lot of the characters, as well? The interpersonal relationships and how they grow and change, as well as how they don't, really breathe life into the world. From what I've seen, I'd say that Cinderpelt and Sandstorm are my favorites, but I also ended up falling in love with Greystripe and Silverstream's doomed romance, as well as Bluestar's quiet compassion.

I like the way Starclan is handled; they feel present the entire time without disrupting the tension or providing an answer. The messages from Starclan always feel like a mystery to be solved, which makes them engaging and kept me guessing.

The kitties are a lot of fun to draw, unsurprisingly; I still might make more art, if only for fun, and I'm really happy with how Bayflower turned out. I have a Warriors OC now and I wouldn't give her up for the world x3

That said, no series is perfect, and this one was... Kind of a bumpy ride. Lots of ups and downs. The clans beyond Thunderclan aren't very fleshed out beyond their like, broad characteristics and the few characters from them we meet directly, quite often the story feels aimless and things come together either too late or not at all. There's a fair bit of fatphobia and ableism in it. The villains in particular aren't very fleshed out; they only get to be a complex character until they've chosen their side.

The biggest thing that frustrated me though, is how inconsistent the series is. Some of these books were excellent, others were frustrating, and most fell somewhere in the middle, with moments that I absolutely loved compared with moments where I got so bored or frustrated I had to put down the book for a bit.

I'm not surprised by this? It's very common with long running book series, especially ones with multiple writers. But it still made me really unsure of what to think and made the experience less enjoyable overall.

Given how many books this series has, and how bumpy the ride has been so far, I think that this is where I get off. It's been an enjoyable time, and I'm very glad to have read the series, but there's A LOT of books and I don't feel comfortable committing to them after my experience with this first arc. I'm sure there are gems in there, but I don't feel like digging for them.

That said, if you have a particular book you think I should read, or an arc I should skip to so I don't miss out on a character you love, now's your chance to tell me!! I'm not averse to reading more in this setting, I just don't want to commit to the whole series.

Overall, this was a great time, and I'm glad that I read this first arc. There's a lot to love here, and I no longer feel lost or confused by the kitty references, which is great!! I can like. Get some of the jokes, and watch animatics without being completely lost, which is ESPECIALLY a boon. I adore fan animations they are the COOLEST thing.

Library found their copy

So it's time to do this!! If I enjoy my time I'll keep reading, but I make no promises.

[thunderc1an]

messy concept feeding off of my last post of a horror + mystery spinoff warriors series

[hay-bails]

i send my scourge or whatever

[bonefall]

.. opinions on wind runner? i feel like im one of the only ones that genuinely hates her sometimes

If you feel like the only one who genuinely hates her, I think you need to look around more. Wind Runner is a very widely disliked character, because she's often used within the story as a small antagonist who "threatens" the authority of Tall Shadow. Gray Wing dislikes her. Thunder is openly cat-racist to her. She spends several books trying to break through the moor cats' xenophobia to join a group that came to HER LAND.

Then, when Moth Flight is old enough to be a relevant character in Forest Divided, Wind Runner is turned into Yet Another mean mom the very moment Moth displays ADHD. She's contrasted to her mate Gorse Fur, who is a Soft And Good Dad, and ultimately MASSIVELY punished with the harrowing events of Moth Flight's Vision (even though, for most of that book, she's completely right.)

Ask yourself why they're especially harsh on WIND RUNNER for being mean to her child, in the arc with Tom the Fucking Wifebeater and his redemption death, plus Thunder being forced to stop being mad at his abuser Clear Sky, please.

To me, Wind Runner is an intense, ambitious woman who's demonized for it in a way that men just aren't. She's subject to several misogynistic trends within WC, plus a huge helping of xenophobia that goes absolutely unexamined. If DOTC cared at all about women, it would have treated her with the nuance she deserves.

Wind Runner is treated with nearly endless suspicion by Gray Wing through books 1 - 3, while he's bending over backwards to suck Clear Sky's toes.

Her wanting to join the group that came TO HER HOME and being a bit pushy about it earns a stronger reaction from Gray Wing than Clear Sky murdering people.

She's pressured into changing her name "to fit in," and it's still not enough. She wanted to join the group so bad she changed her name, at the request of the Mountain Cats, for a chance of being better accepted

This came after she'd already saved Jagged Peak's life when a burrow collapsed on him. She's plenty trustworthy.

She keeps doing shit to try and prove herself to this group of assholes. Remember Bumble being dragged back to her domestic abuser? Gray Wing interprets this as a power struggle, when WIND RUNNER WAS NOT EVEN PART OF THE GROUP AT THE TIME.

From Wind Runner's POV, she did something that the Moor cats wanted done. It was fucking evil. It was committing violence against another member of the out-group the cats see her as.

But who actually has the power here? Tall Shadow does.

Gray Wing said it himself that she could have come up with some excuse for Bumble to stay, and she didn't. In fact, any cat could have spoken up. No one did.

and still. STILL. Wind Runner gets nothing. Her reward is Gray Wing surmising that actually, her doing their sick dirtywork was a political move.

It's more consistent as a motivation with how Wind Runner wants to join their group. The thing she's been doing.

She only actually gets to join the group after Thunder starts publicly hurling slurs at her for suggesting they need to be ready for Clear Sky to attack them. "What do you know about peace? Last time I was here you were NOTHING BUT A ROGUE WITH A ROGUE'S NAME"

Gray Wing even starts purring when she gives birth, because her ambition goes away briefly and she "stops bossing everyone around." this is treated like a sweet thing. god forbid women retain their personalities when they have kids

She loses her first premature child to a seizure and Gray Wing starts proselytizing his religion to her. "Maybe it's a good thing your weakest child died because Jesus has them now" I want to beat him with a hammer

When her second child gets sick, Clear Sky has a bright idea that involves killing it. I refer to this as his "reverse leper colony" suggestion. He only develops a sense of humanity towards the sick when his brother's pregnant wife is in danger. Wind Runner and her kitten barely seem to clock as people to him.

It's only after her SECOND baby succumbs to a horrible, painful death that she decides the moor cats are assholes, and she goes to start her own group. It's LONG overdue. I was extremely excited to see it.

Now. Listen.

I've been treated just like Moth Flight before. I've practically heard the scolding in Book 6 Chapter 3 verbatim. I'm not downplaying anything about Wind Runner being harsh to her; being yelled at like that never fixed the problem.

What I'm saying is that this is the SAME arc that summons the hollowed-out ghost of Storm to coo that Clear Sky "never drove anyone away" with his abusive behavior and gives Tom the Wifebeater a heroic redemption death.

So why is the scolding from Wind Runner treated as unambiguously harsh? What's the difference between her and them?

Why is it that outside of this little bubble of the community, you can get buried in a flood of people crying about how "Clear Sky made Summisteaks Butt he thought it was the right thing :((( He feels bad about shoving Thunder's face in a weeping, pus-filled wound and trying to kill him :((((" but Wind Runner is mean about Moth Flight not catching a rabbit and she should be skinned alive

Why is WIND RUNNER held responsible for the death of Clear Sky's child in Moth Flight's Vision, WHEN IT WAS COMPLETELY HIS OWN FAULT??

So, why should I hate her? Because she's mean to the idiot protagonists? Because she's Yet Another Bad Mom whose actions ARE treated as Bad in the story, in the arc famous for openly weeping whenever someone's mad at their abusive dad?? When she has this whole horrific, unexamined story about how incredibly bigoted The Settlers are towards her and the extremes she goes to in order to please them?

I'm glad she's mean, actually. She should have been even meaner. I think she should have a gun

[clanslist]

Exclusive: First few chapters of ASC #6: Star

Find them here! Be sure to tag spoiler discussions for the enjoyment of others.

[mist-cat]

CrookedStar and Leafpool

Two cats who put loyalty to their clan above everything! Who gave up so much for their family and loved them with their whole hearts no matter how much it hurt! Cats who were lead astray and screwed over by dead people they trusted, who were lead in so many different directions by so many forces and endured it all because they just wanted to do the right thing! Cats who would genuinely do ANYTHING for their siblings, who were so so proud of them. They were shamed by those closest to them for perceived shortcomings they could do nothing about! They stood up for themselves and decided to forge their own paths!

AUGH I'M SO NORMAL ABOUT THEM!! If CrookedStar lived a stupidly long time, she'd remind him of his daughter and would've stood up for her during HollyLeaf's speech.

If the Erins weren't COWARDS they would've had CrookedStar talk to LeafPool in her dreams. They would talk for hours and hours and he'd be such a good listener. I think they deserved to be besties.

He would've loved MothFlight and Leafpool's relationship.

[vic-does-battlecats]

Walk with me every stage of my life

Happy late Mother’s Day to Lilyheart

[helios-fallen]

i always wanted to die clean and pretty

[avianautopsy]

Stinky horrible cat idk I think he'd look manky af

Alt. colour edits under cut

[yarrowleef]

bruh i legit thought that "frostpaw will be the new leader of riverclan by the end of the arc" was a joke guess. im very out of the general fandom loop, but this is extremely puzzling to me as a genuine semi-popular theory lol

[overandunderland]

They passed a large statue of a bat, cast in what Owen assumed to be pure gold. It stood tall and prominent, its presence dominating the surrounding area. The perimeter of the statue was illuminated by ceremonious torches, casting a warm glow that made the gold gleam even brighter. Various trinkets and wreaths adorned the ground around it, offerings left by those who came to pay their respects. Its wings were spread out valiantly, a testament to its power and grace. Owen had to admit, it looked pretty cool. It reminded him of a statue in Alaska he had read about, where a sled dog had delivered medicine that saved the lives of many. That dog was memorialized in a similar fashion. His eyes scanned the plaque at the base of the statue, seeking the name of the artwork before him.

“Ares…” Owen breathed out. The name struck him with its significance. His voice was tinged with curiosity and reverence.

The figure beside him nodded, their voice imbued with respect.

"Ares was one of the greatest Flyers of Regalia, a legend among our guardians. His memory is honored here. Known not just for his unmatched skills in the air, Ares embodied the spirit of sacrifice and bravery that defines the true essence of a guardian. It's said that his feats were pivotal in safeguarding our realm during times of great peril. This statue is a tribute to his legacy, a reminder of the valor and dedication required to protect our lands, made sure by our Queen. As he was Bonds with Regalias Savior."

[makedamnsvre]

what's going on with Moonpaw the warrior cat. its an incest kitty thats a calico but its not (according to the makers) cuz has black head?? i dont go there at all but im so curious

the erins (the writing team behind the author name erin hunter) are coming out with the 9th warriors series, (each series has 6 books)

at first the teaser only said this about the newest protagonist:

In the midst of the chaos, Moonpaw, an apprentice struggling to understand the mysterious voice in her head, thinks that she might be having visions. But the voice becomes increasingly sinister, and Moonpaw wonders if it’s a sign of darkness on the horizon.

and im not sure where or how but just from this and the other 2 paragraphs of teaser, people came up with turning the moonpool (small pool of water used as a sacred site to contact starclan (cat heaven)) into a . sentient? being. of sorts. that they are shipping with moonpaw. and mind you at the moment we only had those 2 sentences about moonpaw so it was mostly just people coming up with their own ideas based off of the limited info from the teaser and building off of other peoples ideas, like a community oc. people were also talking abt what they hope the next series does/doesnt do with moonpaw. like hoping that she isnt yet another boring gray cat, wondering what she would look like, making their own designs for what they think would be cool/what they would hope she looks like, hoping that the writers dont make her lame, brainstorming who her parents will be, etcetcetc

and then the warriors team released some stuff about moonpaw including this character sheet

and a few paragraphs introducing her a little bit, explaining her name, and teasing a bit of the upcoming plot to do with her.

but they also say that "Moonpaw is a chimera cat: a cat who, due to a rare genetic quirk, has different colored fur on each side of her face, divided by a nearly straight line." which irritated a bunch of people because in cat genetics, a split half black/half orange face is common in normal non-chimera tortoiseshell and calico cats, but its just because its widely believed misinformation and the authors fell for the misinfo on that because they dont really know a lot abt cats or cat genetics or dont care (even though they write books about cats??) so people are disappointed that they introduced their first canon chimera character but then gave her a very typical design that isnt limited to chimera cats since normal non-chimeras can have those exact markings

and the incest part is just that there are So Many warrior cat characters and the books have gone on for many many many MANY generations in the clans of only so many cats that rarely ever add new cats to the gene pool, and they barely keep track of family trees, so this is a mistake that they make literally constantly. most of the characters are related at this point, but people are especially upset about moonpaw because shes a POV character and not just some background nobody who dies offscreen, and there were many different characters that arent related that they could have used to be her parents instead

[kore-cryptid]

i was *just* about to praise Macgyver for standing up for kittypets and not forgetting his backstory when he whips out "oh yeah and you get FAT and LAZY and thats the worst possible thing that can happen to any cat"

[nonbinary-weirdo]

Not a good moment for Finleap putting pressure on Twigbranch based on a descision HE made by moving to Thunderclan.

[superbly-charging-at-78-percent]

it’s finally hereeeeee

after all these years, i finally have them all