#2) it was heavy when it fell into the lake and firestar had to get it for Jay

[felinawrites]

My Top ten headcanons of Redtail

In honor of Redtail's Debt:

1. He loved his sisters Willowpelt and Spottedleaf very much. Despite Spottedleaf being a medicine cat and needing to keep distance he would still visit Spottedleaf under the guise of deputy and patrol business hence, why he and Willowpelt had knowledge on herbs as result. He was close to Leopardfoot and Patchpelt but not as clode since they were older and he had a special connection to his littermates.

2. He often felt a heavy weight on his shoulders. He was made deputy at a very young age by Bluestar and as such often felt strained under the responsibility of keeping his clanmates safe. He often kept this feeling to himself not wanting to burden anyone with his emotions including his sister Spottedleaf and Bluestar who sensed it in his heaviest days.

3. Redtail was trans. ( Big duh this like one of biggest fan headcanons in the fandom). And had several relationships with both toms and she-cats but because of his resposibilites very few lasted however he did have a lasting relationship with Runningwind and Brindleface.

4. Even though he carried, birthed and loved Sandstorm he found it hard to take of her. It was hard for him being in the nursery and experiencing post-partum. He also felt the extreme pressure of his responsibilities as the clan deputy with the winter being fierce, famine hard and a bough of green cough that cost six kits lives and several adults cats. Those deaths haunted him so he left the nursery when Sandkit was barely weaned at around a moon old under the paws of Brindleface who cared for Sandkit,Graykit and Dustkit and Ravenkit who had lost their own parents.

5. Sandkit unfortunately held alot of resenment towards Redtail because of her upbringing. While Brindleface was a lovely surrogate mother she felt Redtail had abadoned her and the fact that he seemed so distant and avoided her ( actually a result of post-partum and the stress and grief from so many cats dying during leaf-bare). As a result she pushed Redtail away along with Brindleface all the way until she was an apprentice.

When he was killed she felt numb yet angry for a long time. She didn't go to his vigil due to shock and denial. And later while processing her feelings lashed out to others especially Firepaw at the time who was an easy target.

It was only many moons later when Sandstorm was an adult and faced the perils of clan life along with her mate and family that she understood her father and why he had acted as he did. A part of her felt guilty for her actions and when she died she was finally able to reconcile with her father.

6. Redtail was a wanderer in Starclan. Despite his faiths and morals he hated Starclan's decisons in allowing the cat who murdered him and betrayed the clan he had protected to become leader. As such Redtail became the Starclan equivalent to a rogue similar to his sister Spottedleaf although while Spottedleaf meddled and clung life in the five clans and Firestar the deputy drifted from place to place not wanting to get involved with Starclan affairs or Lake/Forest Clan affairs but instead choosing his own version of justice according to the situation that fell to his paws as a type of vigilante/renegade figure.

His second name earned many seasons after he died was " Redtail the Renegade" due to this

7. Redtail was oddly enough good friends with Smallear. Smallear was very old school and Redtail was young,hardworking and serious. They made a good team and Smallear would frequently volunteers to set up the dawn patrols.

It was Smallear who kept an eye out for Sandkit because he knew the tom was always concerned. He'd keep Sandkit entertained with stories about how he'd scare kittypets away.

When Sandstorm had just lost Runningwind, her other father. Smallear spent a good day comforting her and telling her the story about the day when Redtail told Runningwind he was expecting his kit and how proud and emotional they've been from the moment she was born.

8. He had a brief relationship in his youth with Stagleap of Windclan. Eventually they mutually broke up as he become older and tied with his Thunderclan responsibilities and Stagleap became mates with Wrenflight and father of her three kits ( Onewhisker, Morningflower, Ashfoot). It wouldn't be the first time he drew the attention of cats outside his clan. Due to his young age and very attractive apperance many cats were easily charmed and it was not unusual to see nearby patrol cats become flustered while speaking to him.

His quiet almost brooding nature only added to the reputation. With Starclan being more open to cats from other clans being together it was quite common to comment or for thr particularly bold to hit on Redtail.

In one rare situation when Redtail found himself involved in Starclan matters. He found himself in a argument with the newly dead Onestar who once tried to insult Redtail by saying " You think you are so pretty"

Which Redtail then rebutted with " Your father certainly thought so. Such a great tom, shame greatness isn't in the blood and seems to take more than nine lives to learn what your father did in one"

9. Redtail hated Thistleclaw. Even as a kit he felt uncomfortable around Thistleclaw because of the way he looked at Spottedleaf when he was still in the nursery.

He always shied away from him and stayed quiet which older warriors would scold him for " being rude" and having bad manners. Being only a kit he didn't have a way to voice why Thistleclaw's actions made him so uncomforable especially because he was not the one who Thistleclaw seeked and Spottedkit was equally blind and naive to his words and actions.

The only one who even seemed to dislike or see past it was Bluestar who had been very uncomfortable and on edge since Thistleclaw and her shared a nursery. But everyone dismissed since they always seemed to butt heads for apparently no reason.

After Spottedpaw become a medicine cat apprentice a just days after Thistleclaw died she broke down and admitted to Redtail the fearful truth of the so called relationship she found herself at only six moons old with the senior warrior.

Redtail spent the night curled up around his sister who cried herself into a carthatic sleep. He stayed awake the entire night unable to sleep at the realization of what his littermate had to live through and suffer alone and how Thistleclaw had gotten away with it, died a " hero" fighting the clan while the cats he hurt were forced to move on and carry their wounds silently.

The next night during patrol he told Bluefur what he learned and he swore that while he may be young and Thistleclaw may have never paid for his actions he would devote himself to protecting the clan and ensuring that Thistleclaw's philosophy and beliefs or any cat with similar stances would follow through as long as he was alive.

It was this vow why Bluestar made Redtail her deputy.

10. Redtail watched his grandkits and great grandkit as a wandering spirit outside of Starclan.

He was there when Squirrelpaw chose to follow Brambleclaw onto the the Great Journey.

He was there when Leafpool cried as he sister and her best friend Sorreltail started to have mates and even kits and realizing she was becoming distant.

He was there when Lionblaze was at his snapping considering to kill Heathertail after the tunnels.

He whispered " Remember Lionblaze the taking of one's life is something you cannot shake so react wisely"

And Hollyleaf, he was there quiet and watchful by the lake as she took Ashfur after the later tried to murder her and her littermaters in a fire.

He was strict on the side of Starclan that believed that Ashfur should not be allowed. However he bitterly not surprised that one again a cat with the clear intent given the chance to murder was allowed.

In usual Redtail the Renegade manner he would leave small gifts and used Hollyleaf's strong connection and faith in Starclan to whisper encouragement and hope her while she slept.