#BB!Harestar

[bonefall]

How do the clans react when the truth comes out that Harespribg and Breezepelt were part of Firestar's assassination Squad?

I'm still figuring out when to exactly deploy the info, but the Impostor is going to use it to break Harestar's fucking kneecaps

Harestar became deputy in Nightcloud's Pannage, replacing Crowfeather's Trial. A major component of this choice was that it was thought he was... well, a good boy.

The he never involved his apprentice in the training, he was always reliable, never did anything too terrible, backed out the minute it came to violence in the Battle of the True Eclipse...

He was trusted. Thought he was reliable. Looked into the darkness and hated what he saw.

This paired with his plan with Heathertail to rescue cats from The Kin, and how generally agreeable he is as a leader, preferring diplomacy... it makes him popular. He was thought to have good judgement.

And it is that "track record" that allowed him to very boldly bring his mate, Breezepelt, back into WindClan after how many times Breezepelt had forsaken it.

So, naturally, he's going to end up opposing the Impostor.

Probably not at first, going along with what they think StarClan is telling them to do and listening to his brother, Kestrelflight...

But it's inevitable. Harestar will not go along with this madness forever. He's shocked by Bristlefrost's execution, and is sickened by the idea of being so hard on Codebreakers.

Especially when Breezepelt, eventually, is one of the more furious and outspoken cats. The polycule is expecting their first litter right around now, and Breezepelt cannot handle the idea of his children growing up in this world.

If Hare and Heather won't stand up for what's right-- he will.

SO basically; The impostor is going to use this bit of information to destroy Harestar. The MINUTE he opposes him, it's going to very conveniently "drop." It's a helpful bit of information he can use to try and set Heathertail against her mates, damage Harestar's credibility, and re-ignite Clanwide condemnation of Breezepelt.

I still haven't figured out EXACTLY when that is, but it's definitely after Bristlefrost's gruesome death. I might also have it drop before any battle that ThunderClan has with WindClan, specifically to make Lionblaze (or any other Firekin) furious enough to kill Harestar on purpose.

To answer your directly; The Clans are furious. Everyone is angry. Harestar is leader and he did it while holding the truth away from them the whole time.

[exocynraku]

My apologies at the Squilf request I didn't read the rules properly

May you please and thank you do Harestar then?

harestar LL, XoY, bb, DD, dmdm, aa, WsWs, Mm wanna request a cat? see here: link

[bb-fennelposting]

popping on to say im in love with the breezepelt/harestar/heathertail polycule in the BB rewrite and ill consume every little ounce i find

[bonefall]

Wait, how does Ivypool and dovewings parentage get revealed in BB!ASC?

This, I'm still working out. I need to find the perfect moment for it. Ashfur would absolutely use it for leverage over some of his most outspoken political opponents; Dovewing, Lionblaze, Jayfeather, and Squirrelflight... and honestly? I can see him torturing it out of Poppyfrost to do that.

See, Ashfur/Bramblefake knows it already. He was from StarClan. The minute he's taken control of ThunderClan, he's sitting on that tidbit like it's a secret weapon. It's not a matter of IF he reveals it, but WHEN. And whatever Ivypool does after Bristlefrost is executed in the first book, Ashfur knows that he can reveal it and use it to punish any disobedience.

So when he finally needs it... he'll make up some kind of excuse about StarClan sending him a message, and attack Poppyfrost about it. He knows already. All he needs is a confession-- and pain is a wonderful motivator, even when it's not true.

(sorry poppyfrost ilu but I've gotta be as fucked up and evil about this as possible.)

For BB!ASC, I have a beginning and an end, but my middle's loose and in need of work. I just know for sure that Dove and Ivy only learn the secret in this arc.

In fact, a few secrets finally come out here. It's also getting revealed that Harestar and Breezepelt killed Firestar here, too. It's just a matter of how and when.

[bonefall]

How does Whitewater feel about her “cursed” kits being leader and medicine cat? Does she feel like Windclan is now cursed as well? Does she feel regret? Is she upset Owlclaw never rose to power like they did?

WindClan is cursed. She begins to feel that sort of slow-burn fear that ferments into furious bigotry-- and Owlclaw is the one who suffers for it.

When she brought the two bigger kittens out into the storm that night, she left Owlkit behind out of a sense of... some kind of warmth. She didn't want the helpless thing to die. As time passes, she starts to think maybe that's what she should have done when she had the chance.

Maybe that storm was meant to kill it.

We aren't our thoughts, we are our actions, but a thought indulged is future actions taken. She thinks about that every time she squirms in discomfort from looking at him. Guilt jabs her when she thinks about how his father is Mudclaw, how she hypocritically was going to invoke Queen’s Rights which she hates so much. Going into the nursery feels like walking into a jail cell. This wouldn't be happening if that storm had killed him.

Every time she has that reflexive, negative feeling towards her kitten, she lets that thought linger a little longer. That storm should have killed you.

She doesn't realize this, but this is an excuse. If the storm was supposed to kill this kitten, now this isn't HER terrible intrusive thought. SHE isn't believing something so cruel. It was maybe fate. It was perhaps StarClan trying to help her. These feelings are natural. Justified. The reason; That Storm Should Have Killed Him.

Oh. But no one else could possibly take Owlkit. She is his Mi, she would never (admit she has a problem) force him onto someone else. This is her (punishment) responsibility.

Of COURSE he developed behavioral issues. He's known as a big bully and a bit of a loner. Owlkit learned quickly that asking for help gets him hit, and Owlpaw quickly became very distant from his mother. Whitewater didn't "chase" him-- and that hurt too.

He's definitely closer to his mentor, thankfully. Blackstar knew Owlpaw was going to need someone capable of handling a difficult apprentice, who would do a good job of integrating him properly into the Clan by establishing connections to other warriors. So he got Oakfur.

And the ones in WindClan...

Kestrelflight was put into the Cleric's den early. Barkface died in a mine collapse in BB!TNP, so as soon as it was demonstrated he had a connection to StarClan he was shoved in, too young. To Whitewater, the realization churns in her belly, making her heart race with fury (and satisfaction, her biases confirmed) that Onestar is breaking the code to train a kit before its 6th moon.

Damned WindClan! They claim to be so pious but their priest is a child! Kestrelpaw will be their downfall. This must be their punishment.

Harespring is a clumsy warrior, terrible when he fights other cats. Too gentle. Too anxious that he will hurt others. Surely useless to WindClan. Whitewater doesn't live long enough to see Harestar, but if she watches the ceremony from StarClan, she revels in her smug bitterness.

From her position, she'd be able to see that his plan to defy Onestar and rescue Kin cats wasn't entirely his own. His mate Heathertail was the organizer, the one who brought all those cats together. This must be WindClan's punishment-- that he took the lives that were surely meant for a leader as competent as her.

[bonefall]

Is Crowfeather's parenting and abuse of Breeze going to be any different and/or handled differently by other cats in BB? Thinking about his honor title being for Feathertail and... ugh this poor woman having to watch a cat who named himself for his love for her be so horrible to his own kin after she's torn from hers so soon. She should get to come down and knock some sense into him, if that's even possible

I haven't been able to get into BB!Feathertail yet, but she's fascinating honestly. I like the vibe that Feather x Crow is like this cosmically doomed ship, destined to torpedo itself time and time again for various reasons, and that's the foundation of them in BB.

They were NEVER going to work. Crowfoot has a ton of issues he's working through. Feathertail values herself too much to allow him to mistreat her in the meanwhile. If Feathertail never died, the breakup would have been good for him. He REALLY needed it, actually. Calm, funny, easygoing Feathertail just laying their problems on the table, why she doesn't want a relationship, but still spinning it in that way-of-hers that softens a hard blow.

It wouldn't have fixed him overnight, of course. It just would have been a spark. Paws on a better, happier path. Not a lover in another Clan, but a friend, if he took her words to heart.

But she's dead. She died horribly. And her memory is this perfect fantasy for the magical, flawless love they could have had, an impossible standard Crowfeather viciously holds all of his future lovers to. So as a spirit guide, with all her eloquence, she'd say to him, "That's not very cash money of you."

But anyway, on Breeze's abuse.

For one, I absolutely would want to make sure to stress Breeze's good qualities sooner and harder, and explicitly make them friends at certain points.

The Tribe Journey in particular, where there's a lot of opportunities to get him away from Crowfeather. By the end of it, I would want to include a poignant moment where they have one final nice moment together, before Crowfeather barks for him, and it's gone.

(and, also, add a couple of cats who help The Three discuss their complicated emotions towards seeing their bully being abused.)

I would also actually remove the way that the cats of WindClan "look to" Crowfeather on how Breezepelt should be treated, particularly from Crowfeather's Trial. I feel it misses the point and ends up saying that Breezepelt could NEVER get the social approval he craves unless his abusive dad CHOSE to stop mistreating him.

Like!! FUCK no!!! You do NOT need the approval of a guy who NEVER would have given it without 3 different women and Onestar screaming it into his ear!

Instead, I'd stress how the Clan was beginning to turn on him as soon as his problems escalated into active reckless endangerment. His abuse was causing his social alienation by making his behavior worse and worse.

That seems like a minor change, but it's one of my bigger complaints. ALL of WindClan shouldn't be looking to an abusive parent to model how they'll react to his son. PLEASE let the cats have their own unique social opinions.

One of Breezepelt's adult defenders is Brushblaze. I will be picking more-- but there's always going to be some cats in his corner besides Nightcloud and Heathertail (and Harestar of course who is poly with Heather and Breeze in BB.)

(though Pro-Breeze cats are in the minority unfortunately.)

MOST of the Dark Forest trainees from WindClan were personal friends of Breezepelt. Harespring, Sunstrike, Furzepelt, and Antpelt all came into the training because of him.

All that said, not much else is different about the setup of Breezepelt's childhood abuse! It's a part of canon I think is good and I would like to stay relatively faithful to it.

His arc also continues into BB!AVoS. Continued distrust of him after fighting for the Dark Forest, misplacing his anger onto Harespring when he manages to take deputyship, and Dishonor Titles from Onestar end up causing him and his friends to feel so rejected that they join The Kin.

Its message, that they are "The Kin that the Clans abandoned" appeals to over a dozen cats from other Clans who are shunned for various reasons. HalfClan cats, codebreakers, and Dark Forest trainees alike all come together, because BB!The Kin is mostly comprised of Clan cats, particularly ones from SkyClan, NOT rogues.

There's about 6 or so non-Clanborn cats in The Kin; Rain, Raven, Flame, Dragonfly, Roach, Nettle. If I end up keeping Silt, Thistle, or any of the 7-10 unnamed cats, they'll get shuffled to be Clanborn.

(Max, Loki, and Zelda are cut. Many of Zelda's roles are being absorbed by Dragonfly, who is remaining with Violetshine after The Kin disbands)

[bonefall]

Does Bramblestar have his more competent moments in BB? Not that he had them in cannon but what is he generally at least good at? His leadership seems to just him going from screw up to screw up.

Is he generally just a competent enough leader that he can run everything and occasionally causes an international incident?

For one? Bramblestar does NOT get bullied. EVER.

There is no leader of any other Clan that can make him bend in a show of force. Where Firestar was sincerely trying to forge alliances and make mutually beneficial agreements, Bramblestar WILL lead Warriors into battle against you if you press him.

Onestar will be able to secure some serious wins over Po3, once he starts leaning into the leader WindClan pressures him to be. There were a good amount of cats that felt Firestar was too lenient, too forgiving, too willing to rest on his laurels.

Bramblestar will tell Onestar to (politely) go fuck himself. Treat my Clan rudely? Ok. We'll take our toys and go home. We don't need your imports. We were DRIZZLING HONEY ON YOUR BLAND TUNNELBUNS ANYWAY.

Heartstar is smart enough to realize that Bramblestar is like a muntjac; once he decides to charge, nothing will stop him. She slowly learns how to lead him by the nose.

But most of the leaders are not as crafty as she is. Mistystar finds him noble, and a good ally, appreciating his leadership for its simplicity and straightforwardness. Harestar is easily intimidated by Bramble. Leafstar doesn't trust him much but stays cordial.

Onestar and Blackstar, rest their souls, were on the receiving end of Bramblestar's tactical prowess and bullheaded determination. Both of them lost massive battles. Though the Battle for the Berry Briar vs ShadowClan in OotS was pyrrhic because of the death of Russetfur and Blackstar's following lapse, it was a HUGE boost for a Clan that had gotten used to only winning through diplomacy.

And there was NO such feeling of melancholy when Bramblestar let them scramble any WindClan trespassers they wanted. The death of Brackenfur in their foxhearted Battle of the False Eclipse was INFURIATING, almost everyone was itching for revenge.

So in spite of his flaws, he was VERY popular with the Traditionalists in ThunderClan for a time. A lot of cats yearned for the honor of battle, and the satisfaction of just winning what you want.

It was the death of Leafpool that really tanked his reputation, and even then, he probably would have been tolerated until his reign was over. Even the Impostor debaucle, he GAINED sympathy for what he went through, even in spite of the sentiment that his bitter behavior caused them to not catch Ashfur sooner.

ASC will see the straw that finally breaks the camel's back.

[bonefall]

"His worst choices in BB always go back to him being pretty desperate for approval, snapping between idealizing people or thinking they're the absolute worst."

are you just keeping this as a general personality trait for breezepelt or does he have bpd? bc this is something i feel all the time (as someone w/bpd) with black-white thinking and i instantly was like "thats just like me"

He has BPD! Him, Cinderheart, and Squilf. All of them have BPD in BB. Also ngl I feel like you could make a strong case for canon Breeze having a real strong BPD flavor BUT that's just me.

(Like... it's how fast he flips on things, but how much he cares about his friends. He makes impulsive decisions with the hopes of impressing the people he's latched onto. He's such a heart-first kind of character idk)

But anyway yeah in BB this is explicitly BPD and he is getting a full redemption arc in AVoS, now with an entire POV as his pain and anger cause him to join The Kin. He ends up in a polycule with Heathertail and Harestar, who came up with a plan to tunnel their way to ShadowClan to rescue him and others.

He also kicks Crowfeather and knocks him out in TBC so he can go into the Dark Forest and be a Light in the Mist lmao

[bonefall]

Your Heartstar post made me curious, whats BB!Leafstar like? Is she just changed to be more reasonable and less like the Forest Four or are there other changes too?

SkyClan has some cultural expansions! They highly value creativity, problem-solving, and diplomacy. Modern SkyClan cats are culturally polite, lean towards deescalation of conflict, and view their fighting skills like a martial art more than a "way of life."

So Leafstar, its first leader in generations, has to display these traits. She is actively trying to balance being assertive with not losing everything that makes SkyClan special.

This is especially influenced by the addition of Sharpclaw's betrayal-- instead of Darktail overrunning SkyClan with the pack of Instant Evil Minions (just add water!) he ordered from ACME corp, his modus operandi to "divide and conquer" is on display here. He exploited Sharpclaw's ambition and spite towards his leader to drive the other half of SkyClan out of the gorge.

So, traits BB!Leafstar has now;

She okays raids on human dens, occasionally. SkyClan is willing to steal things.

A desire to understand the other clans, and engage in good faith discussions

For this reason, I imagine she gets along very well with Harestar, who appreciates calm understanding, but not Heartstar, tries to get the 'upper paw.'

Bramblestar made a horrible first impression and doesn't disprove it. Leafstar does not like him. NOR does she like Mistystar and her commitment to traditional warrior values.

Very receptive to Squilf, and hopefully Squirrelstar someday.

She has a way of making cats 'explain themselves' before deciding on a punishment, to figure out their intentions.

For this reason, she can be 'intense' in the way a school principal is.

Some cats, especially of other Clans, think she's pompous and haughty for her way of ruling. All bark and no bite, even.

Less of them are in SkyClan since the Darktail incident. Lake SkyClan is largely descended from her supporters.

In addition, I tend to write her dialogue a little bit 'overpolite.' Customer service kind of voice, BB!Leafstar says "I hope this email finds you before I do :)"

[bonefall]

What are common kit experiences in BB? Are kits communally/raised by the clan, or by their parents? Or how involved are fathers in their kits lives.... * states with wide eyes *

The whole Clan has a small part in raising kids, but most of the work is done by direct family!

In Clanmew, there are Mi, and there are Ba. THESE ARE NOT GENDERED.

The Mi is the primary parent-- the one who was in the nursery with the child and kept it warm, the cat who was present for the kit's first words. Even in cases of poly cats, the logistics here mean it's very rare to have more than one Mi.

In such cases where there was multiple Mi (Stonefur and Weedwhisker when they raised Frostfur for example), sometimes one of the parents will choose to go by "Ba" for clarity.

A Ba is a secondary parent. Honor Sires don't have to be Ba if they don't want to, and complimentary to that, a Ba doesn't have to be romantically involved with the kit's Mi. It can be platonic!

Fernsong was the Mi, Ivypool was the Ba.

Leopardfoot was the Mi, Pinestar was the Ba.

Breezepelt was the Mi, Harestar and Heathertail are Ba

Rosetail was a Mi without a Ba.

These are all valid arrangements, romantic involvement, gender, and birthing parentage aren't mututally exclusive with being a Mi or Ba.

Once the kits are able to walk around, the Clan will keep a collective eye on them. Kits are usually involved in all sorts of camp-related tasks from a young age, it's not uncommon for them to help with chores, join kitchen patrol, or go seek out stories from adults.

Older kits are even sometimes allowed to go on short outings outside of camp, if they go with a buddy. Especially in Lake ThunderClan, where there is a safe patch of beech just north of camp.

[bonefall]

Succession of BB!WindClan

[ID: Larkstripe -> Thrushbreeze -> Chiveclaw -> Hawkheart -> Kestrelflight -> Whistlepaw Swiftstar -> Dalestar -> Smallstar -> Heatherstar -> Tallstar -> Onestar -> Harestar]

(also I fucked up Kestrel's name again Trout don't kill me I'll haunt you bro)

Just getting my ducks in a row and making a "concept" of succession in my head... in-canon, we don't know who came before Heatherstar. We see two of the lives she gets in her name ceremony, but there's no leaders giving her one.

So I've decided to smack Smallstar in that space, since I've reworked the law to protect kittens.

Swiftstar is the leader who oversees the exile of SkyClan. Larkstripe refuses to treat him because she goes on strike to protest it. Dalestar codifies the Cleric's Vow into law to break the strike, and ruled through Ripplestar's Rot.

When Larkstripe died of a broken heart, Thrushbreeze takes over after her. She's Thrushpelt from Tallstar's Revenge, renamed because of a conflict with the Thrushpelt we all know and love from ThunderClan. In canon she's dead before Heatherstar takes power, I may or may not hold to that.

But anyway, Chiveclaw is the Cleric that follows her, and then Hawkheart after him. I'm also going with Hawkheart having once been a warrior; there's a continuity error that suggested Hawkpaw was always a Cleric apprentice.

And, that brings us to the modern era.

In BB, Barkface is killed in the beginning of TNP, when the Mothermouth collapses on top of him and Mudfur. There is no Cleric in WindClan for almost a year, until Kestrelflight is born and trained by StarClan.

Aaaaand that's succession so far! Until canon drops Heatherstar's predecessor on me like a ton of bricks, lmao.

[bonefall]

I wanted to ask something queer because it’s pride month but I can’t think of anything… do you have any queer bb rewrite stuff to talk about?

HERE, have a queer jumble of a bunch of the gay changes in BB;

As far back as DOTC, Thunder Storm was transmasc. His childhood best friend is also his lover; Lightning Cry.

There is a third gender in Clan Culture; Meewa. Gray Wing was Meewa and to this day, the role is associated with parenthood and wisdom.

Bumble and Turtle Heart were mates.

The Clanmew parental terms are decoupled from gender; the Mi is the primary parent, a Ba is a secondary.

For an example; Breezepelt is the Mi of his litters, Harestar and Heathertail were both Ba.

In Clanmew, Harestar had so many Ys in his warrior name (Yywayayiaoyyr) that Breezepelt got the kits to call him Yya.

Bluestar was queer. She had strange relationships with almost everything personal, but the only thing that matters is how much she LOVED her friends and how far she would go for them

The entire Forget-me-not friend group was queer in some ways.

And Bluestar’s friend Rosetail, turns out she's aromantic!

She loves romance, matchmaking, but eventually realized she doesn't like being in one. She just likes the idea a lot.

So of course Thistleclaw was PISSED when his sister claimed Queen’s Rights and adamantly refused to name a father.

She matched up her son Redtail with Runningwind, I like to think she was a very "when am i getting grandkits" kind of mom

Redtail was trans, but also gave birth to his children. That was Sandstorm and Longtail.

Redtail's transness was why Bluestar gave Dustpaw to him, she could see that Dust was working something out and hoped that Red would help

Dustpelt is genderqueer! He doesn't conform to the expectations of toms for his society; construction is largely a molly activity.

One-eye was a legendary builder in her time. It was a high honor when she came out of retirement to mentor him, when she was nearly 20 years old no less!

Cinderpelt was a lesbian, but there wasn't really anyone in the Clan she was interested in. Meh.

I do want to write a little scene where she goes to BloodClan to learn about mobility devices to help Wildfur, and has an AWOOGA moment at Cody

Leafpool and Mothwing are in love with each other, and look forward to every meeting. But they serve their Clans above all. The yearning.

I am very partial to Daisy x Squirrelflight, loooong in the future, after Squirrelflight has found fulfillment in her family and mentorships.

Conversely the untapped potential of Spiderleg x Bramblestar is unmatched. Nightmare husbands, this is the funniest thing I've ever heard of

Heartbreaking! the worst people you know have gotten gay married

Brokenstar and Runningnose were so gay I don't even have words for it, there's homosexual and then there's whatever the hell is going on over there

"My childhood best friend is a manifested curse and I would do anything for him, so I dedicated my whole life to becoming a more ruthless and brutal asset to serve his wants and desires, rejecting the stars and walking into the netherworld with glee, and only finding that it is hell because he isn't there. When you look between us, it's impossible to tell which of us was the monster, and which was the man, and yet I have never made a choice that I wouldn't make again."

Blackstar was aromantic! Russetfur was his lifelong best friend and partner, her death devastated him

He had flings and friends with benefits, though. Specifically, he's homosexual/aromantic.

Russetfur was gay too, I'm not sure if she ever had a wife though

I haven't drawn her yet but I see her as butch. Also she had large eyebrows.

Rowanclaw, honor sired for Newtspeck, was transtom

His apprentice, Talonclaw, survived the mauling because Smokefall did not die in the mountain this time around! They had a summer wedding

Irony struck when Rowan's kid Tigerheart also ended up being trans, but transmolly

Funny coincidence that everyone around Rowan ends up being queer

Tigerheart, who later becomes Heartstar, was in love with Dovewing from the moment they were apprentices on the Beaver Quest, before she even hatched

Dovewing dated Bumblestripe, even choosing him and ThunderClan over the instability of running off with Tigerheart

But when she got pregnant she SKEDADDLED

Lightleap and Shadowsight are biologically Bumble's, but Heartstar adopted them immediately

Heartstar is incredibly smug about this. "My wife. My kids. Cry about it"

Ivypool went through something similar, in a pretty bad relationship with Blossomfall and eventually getting with Fernsong

Only Fernsong is NOT smug, he's an ex-kittypet who joined during ThunderClan's Tempest and BOY HOWDY did he not want to make waves

But now he's dating the deputy's grandchild (thru Lionblaze), has an angry Blossomfall on his ass, and.... it's worth it lmao, have you seen his wife? Marvelous

He is the Mi of the children, this is the life for him

Thriftear and Plumstone are gay

Over in RiverClan, Hawkfrost and Reedwhisker were an item and were going to get serious... but then, well. Hawkfrost went through TNP and ended up dead.

In SkyClan, Violetshine, Dragonfly, and Tree are a polycule

I'm not quite sure what's going on with Echosong, Leafstar, and Billystorm. But Leaf and Billy are together, and I think Leaf has a thing with Echo. But Echo and Billy are not together, and Echo isn't involved with the kittens.

This isn't a queer thing but Sharptooth's wife Cherrytail was spayed. I think Hawkwing and co were surrogated by Echosong, but I'm not sure yet

But I do know that Cherry did not birth those kittens

Over in WindClan, I combined Jake and Sparrow into one character. Tallstar’s Collapse is reworked into Talltail traveling around with him and his group, until ultimately, he realizes it's not that easy to leave his Clan behind

I want to approach it as a tragedy, that he couldn't stay somewhere he was truly loved and happy

He was raising kids with Jake, two orphans they found. One of them followed him, even though he tried to tell him to stay with Jake and his sibling

That kid becomes Flytail, and then Flylight as an honor title

Sunstrike and Furzepelt are gay, and Furze is going to be an AVOS save thanks to Brushblaze, Breezepelt, Harestar, Heathertail, Crowfeather, and two more cats I haven't picked yet

Speaking of Brushblaze, Leo is an ex-BloodClan trader who joined WindClan to be with Onewhisker

It fell apart and he's been bitter about it ever since

Onestar is a disaaaaaaaster

He had a fling with Firestar before Fire realized he was aromantic, and it never would have worked anyway since Firestar was leading a clan

He always had an excuse for why he wasn't doing PDA with Brush, but while he was going through apprenticeship (despite being a qualified adult cat, very frustrating) Onewhisker was seeing Smoke

I kinda just want to remove Onewhisker having Whitetail as a mate entirely, I already fixed the apprenticeship thing but I kinda just like him having someone honor dam for him and he raised Heathertail alone

And lastly, Firestar

Firestar is totally aromantic.

He honor sired Sandstorm's kittens and raised them with her, because she is a deeply reliable friend and ally. They're in a QPR!

There's definitely a couple I missed (toadnettlepool, Sedgecreek x Greenflower) but that's enough for now

[bonefall]

So way back in the day on the original Warriors website, there was an area where you could submit questions about the series that the Erin's would answer and then post the question and answers on a FAQ page. Someone asked about prefixes that the Clans don't use because they're considered sacred, and the answer had been iterations of Moon-, Star-, or the Clan names themselves, so Sky-, Shadow-, etc.

Obviously this isn't true for canon anymore, if it ever actually was (citing here: lack of continuity between the Erins) but I'm curious to know if your AU has any prefixes that the Clan's absolutely refuse to use for one reason or another? Whether they be sacred or maybe they're considered "cursed", like perhaps a particularly evil cat has tarnished the prefix forever. (Such as the lack of Maple- prefixes in canon books post-Mapleshade! Maybe not intentional, but a cool world-building detail nonetheless!)

Stemming from that, do you think any prefixes would/could be turned into insults/curses later on down the line? Basically, what's the culture like for names? My favorite part of Warriors has always been the names, and the Erin's had such a nice thing going until it was tossed out the window. The system you use with Clanmew and all is super neat and I'd love to know more about Clan naming traditions! Also how each leader names cats - idk if it was you or someone else that I follow, but I saw a post talking about how each leader has a distinct way to name their warriors.

(Also small fun fact while on the subject of names, a friend of mine submitted a question asking about who Bluestar's parents were, and the answer was Duskflower and Stormtail. This was a few years before Bluestar's Prophecy was published, so she was very upset over them changing "Duskflower" to "Moonflower" when it did finally come out!)

The Duskflower thing is actually a misconception: What happened was that in a field guide, the Erins wrote that the name was "Moonflower," and then felt that "moon" should be sacred. That's when they started using "Duskflower," until Bluestar's Prophecy came out and they agreed with the editors that the older information should take precedence

(Rare anti-retcon win)

But anyway I have no banned or sacred names! I don't like that concept! Possibly because I am from an old fandom era of 'traditional namers' that just used it as an excuse to bully people and have bad taste. Hawkfrost's name ROCKS MY SOCKS and they all died mad while I'm still here.

My rules with namings is that EVERYTHING must make sense in-universe. So I don't like lyrical naming very much... names like "Friendlyface" or "Empyreanmist" are funny, but I don't see how a kitten would end up with those names unless every cat in their Clan stopped taking their lives seriously

(Or are in WarriorClan. BB!WarriorClan renamings are going to look WILD)

That also means ecologically invalid names get cut or end up being translation quirks. Names like Cypress, Olive, Myrtle, etc.

I don't ban "insult" names either, but I do rule that they are typically ShadowClan. They have a very dark sense of humor.

And yes I am the one with leader naming styles! So far these are the styles:

Bramblestar: terrible. Doesn't consider names beforehand, often comes up with titles that are awkward or unimpressive

Harestar: Reverant and thoughtful, tries to name based on friendships, interests, and quirks.

Mistystar: Names litters according to 'themes,' often sharing suffixes or picking similar ones.

Brokenstar: Only ever gives "cool" names with deadly and strong connotations.

Firestar: Names awkwardly, but genuinely. Surprises his Clan constantly with banger names (Lionblaze) or shockingly uncomfortable ones (Brambleclaw).

Onestar: Names practically, trying to limit suffix repeats and tonguetwisters.

So on.

[bonefall]

So, does Harestar pick a different deputy or…

I cannot stress enough how much I do not want to see Crowstar in-canon and I hate him :/

Crowfeather' Trial: "Look at this cringefail wet dog. Look at how much he sucks. Look at how he has never considered another person in his life and would flounder in any position of authority. Anyway he makes up with his son because Breezepelt actually was fine all along (LIVE BONES REACTION) and Crowfeather can totally be a good deputy now"

Breaking my femur and sucking the marrow right out of it. Breezepelt very much chose to do what he did and NO it wasn't completely a cry for help, he was an adult and responsible for his actions. Crowfeather's abuse was a contributor to it, yes, BUT this book discards all of that because Crowfeather is popular and soooo marketable

Breezepelt should have continued to be a problem until HE was able to reach conclusions about his behavior. Like, a real redemption arc or something?? You know?????? His crappy dad shouldn't have been able to apologize Breezepelt out of being a problem jesus christ

And Crowfeather never demonstrated ANY behavior that looked a smidge like leadership quality, until he BECAME deputy. He isn't charismatic. WindClan doesn't like him. He's selfish and wrapped up in his own head. His entire personality changed, that's not "growth" that's just writing a new character

but ugh. They did that, and we are DEFINITELY going to get Crowstar, and I will be screaming into the sunset.

So I feel obligated to it :/ I'm targeting some fixes though;

Crow does have a reputation as StarClan Blessed for the Journey and leading them to their new home

From a much earlier point in time, Crowfeather is shown as having friends and not being completely incapable of being social (Gorsetail is at least one of them)

I want to push up his maturation to be after the secret is revealed.

Now that it's out, he dramatic about his exposed love of Leafpool, even declaring in front of his wife that he still loves her.

Onestar puts his foot down and says, "You porked a Cleric, you won't shut up about it, get out of my Clan for a month"

So instead of him being a total piece of work until just after OOTS, he is visibly improving and working on it earlier.

Though, still snappish, somewhat selfish, and not ready to be in power unlike Harespring.

In AVOS, Crow will also be part of the rescue party. VERY important.

In fact that's so important let's zoom in on that;

Current lineup of the "Defy Onestar to rescue Kin cats" party:

Brushblaze

Harespring

Crowfeather

And I'm thinking to just toss two younger WindClan cats here to give them some good setup for future arcs, since canon WindClan is lacking interesting background dudes

They are explicitly defying Onestar together. He put up an embargo on the Kin and they rejected that to save Sun, Furze, Heather, and Breeze, along with any others.

So TL;DR, BB!Crowfeather is getting some big changes in anticipation, because I don't like canon Crow.

My ideal would be Crow on kitchen patrol tbh BUT leaders are a really big change, which I try to avoid for modern main arcs.

[bonefall]

since harestar has no canon family, who are they in bb?

Mudclaw x Whitewater!

He was conceived on the Great Journey, just an honor siring but also Whitewater admired him as WindClan's deputy massively. He is strong and resolute, the way leaders should be. She is one of the ShadowClan cats who ends up supporting him in the Rebellion... or, she would have if she wasn't close to giving birth.

But then StarClan was so angry they SMOTE Mudclaw. She felt sick. They just said very loudly that they think Mudclaw is cringe and she's pregnant with the pogchamps, does that mean they're cursed too??

She contacted Torear, Mudclaw's brother, and explained the situation. It was agreed that on the night of the new moon, they would meet and he would take the kits.

On that night, there was a HORRIBLE storm. Whipping and blustering. She was certain the oldest two were strong enough to make it, but the youngest was a runt. She didn't want to raise him, but she didn't want to KILL him.

So Owlkit was left in the nest, safe and sound, as she brought the kits who Torear would name Kestrelkit and Harekit to him.

Kestrel fulfilled a prophecy that was thought to be for Mudclaw. "The first of the lake will guide WindClan." Barkface died in TNP and WindClan has had no Cleric since then. As soon as he was able, Kestrelpaw was made a Cleric apprentice.

Torear is a good dad to his kits, he tells Harespring about his uncle a lot. He really misses him... and it was a reason that Hare wanted to meet Mudclaw. He didn't find out until then that he was his bio-dad though.

Owlclaw grew up tense. Whitewater was a distant mother and he didn't understand why. It's a contributing factor to why he's a bit of a bully.

[bonefall]

dont know if you've decided this yet, but please dont make crowfeather deputy, or do but only if you specifically mention that harestar gave his husband's garbage father the position of deputy

unfortunately I'm bound to it, as I try to stick close to canon. I can't change something as massive as a leader appointment without it sincerely diverging the course of BB

Unless by some miracle, Crowfeather dies (YEEHAW) before becoming Crowstar, the dude abides.

But don't worry, you know I wouldn't drop this on everyone the way canon does. I'm already targeting some fixes to make sure Crowfeather isn't horrific choice for a deputy. Breezepelt is also getting a full redemption arc in AVoS, his father can't just apologize him out of bad behavior in an SE

I went over this once over here, so here's the fixes restated with more detail;

Crow has a reputation as StarClan Blessed for being on the Sundrown Patrol. This is a high honor that follows all 5 cats who participated.

From a much earlier point in time, Crowfeather is shown as having friends and not being completely incapable of being social. Gorsetail in particular was a childhood friend of his.

But, Crowfeather's "maturation" truly begins after the Secret was revealed.

UNLIKE CANON, CROWFEATHER IS A DRAMA QUEEN. He is NOT aloof. BB!Crowfeather is actually quite different from canon for this.

When the secret is revealed, he's public about his exposed love of Leafpool, even declaring in front of Nightcloud that he still loves her.

Onestar puts his foot down and says, "You porked a Cleric, you won't shut up about it, get out of my Clan for a month." There is consequence for Crowfeather breaking the code.

So instead of him being a total piece of work until just after OOTS, he is working on it a lot earlier, at the start of BB!OotS.

Though, even post-OotS, he's somewhat selfish, snappy, and not ready to be in power... unlike Harespring, who rolls out of his Dishonor Title quickly with an immediate commitment to helping WindClan heal.

In AVOS, Crow has expanded roles in reaching out to Breeze during his redemption arc. VERY important. Breeze joins the Kin in BB!AVoS, Heathertail joins later when she learns Darktail is her half-brother to find the truth

First, Crow is part of Harestar's secret patrol to bring medicine to the Yellowcough-stricken Kin and ShadowClan, violating Onestar's embargo to bring them the herb mullein. He tries to open dialogue with Breeze but he won't hear it.

Second, Crow is part of the Rescue Party to save Kin cats towards the end of the arc, building a secret tunnel with Brushblaze, Harespring, and a few more. With his help, they were able to save Heather, Breeze, Sunstrike, and a few more

So, Crowfeather is sort of having his own redemption as well. Though, I don't want Breeze and Crow to ever really be in a 'good' place. They're... cordial, eventually. Both with the understanding they have both become very different people, but Breeze can never truly 'forgive' his father.

Crow's also really not involved with his grandkits, Breeze doesn't want him involved with their early lives.

Also casual reminder that HareHeatherBreeze is endgame in BB