#I am not biased at all. i like all cats characters equally. i have zero favoritism

[gaylittlewizardcat]

Sadly there’s a limit of 10 options otherwise there would be way more, so if your favorite Misto isn’t here sorry :(

[infected-bc-au]

Patient Zero and Initial Casualties

So, thing about Pandemics is that there is always a Patient Zero, aka the first individual infected, in any pandemic. 

For this AU, this individual is Bramblestar, Leader of Thunderclan, as you have already seen.

Now, before I continue on with the initial ‘How did the Rabies infection spread to each Clan’ aspect I do need to discuss how I choose who got infected when and how they died.

Now, as I mentioned in my previous post, the AU has three parts. I already know who dies when due to pre-planning and due to a specific mechanic inorder to ensure I didn’t keep a character alive simply because they were a favorite of mine or that a character died because I hated them. 

I made it randomized like this in order to keep an un-biased and fair view of how this kind of thing would play out.

Now on the the method:

Dice.

I am being quite literal here. 

I used a 1D8 Dice with Bramblestar, Harestar, Leafstar, and Tigerstar. Why Bramblestar and not Mistystar? I’ll get to that in the Starting Point section of this. 

Now, each number represents a Life of the Leader. For each skirmish the leader is in that they could get infected or killed I rolled the Dice. If the number was higher or equal to the Lives they had at the Start of The Silent Thaw then they lost a life or were infected based on the situation (more on this below, as I said).

However, if the Number was 1, they died immediately. 

For everyone else I roled a 1D20. I would have used a 1D4 until I kept rolling a specific number which made things kind of BS to me, so a higher number it was. 

Now, 1-6 meant the character was killed immediately, 7-12  meant they were infected but didn’t die immediately, 13-18 meant they were killed by something outside the Rabies Virus (as outside threats still exist), and 19-20 is the Trigger for the Twoleg Factor, which I will get to further down.

I rolled the 1D20 for every character that wasn’t a Leader at the start when the infection spread. If it hit 1-6 and 13-29 they were fine in the initial spread of the infection. 

Now, for how Rabies spread out of Thunderclan:

The easiest way actually presented itself to me immediately: Jayfeather and Squirrelflight rolled a 10 and 7 respectively, meaning they were immediately infected by Bramblestar, which also makes sense since they would naturally be the cats closest to him upon revival (being his Medicine Cat and Deputy/Mate respectively). 

From there, I rolled for the Medicine Cats of Shadowclan, Skyclan, Riverclan, and Windclan. More specifically I rolled a 1D10. Even numbers and they went to Thunderclan to help Alderheart with this strange new illness, Odd numbers they stayed in their own clans. 

Pebbleshine, Kestrelflight, and Mothwing all rolled Even, and thus went to Thunderclan.

Now, for each ‘Arc’ in each ‘Part’ I rolled for each character to see who died and lived. This included Leaders, as being Infected does not mean they would immediately Die. 

Now, On to the actual Story Portion, as I’m sure you are curious as to how it spread and got every, including Skyclan since it didn’t go to Ground Zero:

How the Virus Spread:

The Events of Lost Stars still happen, but instead of Bramblestar being possessed he would wake up confused, feverish, drooling, and aggitated. By this point the cats with him would be Squirrelflight, Jayfeather, and Alderheart. When Jayfeather would attempt to examine him, Bramblestar would attack and immediately kill him while he woudl bite and harm Squirrelflight when she tried to intervene. Alderheart would call for the warriors to help pin Bramblestar down where they would then barracade him into the Leader’s Den while Alderheart tended to Squirrelflight’s bite wound. She would be sent to the Medicine Cat’s Den to rest for the night while Alderheart called for a meeting with the Senior Warriors to figure out what to do. No one was bit while subduing Bramblestar.

The next morning Cinderheart would go to visit Squirrelflight while Alderheart is checking on Bramblestar. Cinderheart would be bit by Squirrelflight, who is killed accidentally by Mousewhisker. Mousewhisker is bit during the fight and Alderheart would realize he is out of his depth and would send warriors to each clan asking for help for this strange behavior while tending to Cinderheart and Mousewhisker. 

Of the cats, Mothwing, Kestrelflight, and Pebbleshine go. Willowshine, Shadowsight, Frecklewish, and Fidgetflake stay in their clans for various reasons. The medicine cats attempt to examine Bramblestar with the help of Thunderclan Warriors, during which all three are bit. Unable to help, they basically tell Thunderclan they are on their own and go home. 

By the next day Cinderheart and Mousewhisker are turned and Mousewhisker bites Daisy when she visits him. Alderheart has begun to realize something seems to be spreading though he isn’t sure exactly how yet. He expressed his thinking that something about the cats is spreading to each one, making them lose their minds, and thinks their injuries may be part of the cause. Because of this, Thunderclan begins using methods to cage up infected cats at the Abandon Twoleg nest and keeping watch. 

At this point Cinderheart, Mousewhisker, and Bramblestar are fully infected and Daisy, Cherryfall, Finleap, Alderheart, Spotfur, and Thriftpaw are all infected. Bramblestar also escapes and takes off into the Forest. 

The cats put it to a temporary vote that Lionblaze and Thornclaw lead Thunderclan as Temporary Leader/Deputy until they can actually dedicate time to the issue.

In Shadowclan, Pebbleshine bites and infects Tigerstar and Cloverfoot after Pebbleshine killed Stonewing. By day 2, Tigerstar and Cloverfoot are fully gone and infect Scorchfur, Grassheart, Pouncestep, Hollowstream, and Oakfur. Tawnypelt is elected temporary Leader after they subdue and quarantine Tigerstar and Cloverfoot, owing to her having been Deputy Before, and she immediately elects to have many of the senior warriors help her with decisions. Shadowsight works to treat some of the injured cats and gets infected by Grassheart that night. Shadowclan refused to leave the area around it’s camp unless it is to get food. 

In Riverclan, Mothwing infects Willowshine and Mistystar. Mistystar is almost immediately killed by the virus and Willowshine manages to infect Lizardtail, Breezeheart, Havenpelt, and Podlight. 

With so many injured cats and no medicine cat, Reedwhisker sends Warriors to their neighboring Shadowclan and Skyclan for help. Shadowclan refused to answer, but Frecklewish goes to Riverclan where they are bit by Havenpelt. Fogkit is then infected. 

Frecklewish flees Riverclan back to Skyclan where they are treated by Fidgetflake. They infect Leafstar the next day and Hawkwing. By the next day Hawkwing is dead, and the infected count rises to include Palesky, Nettlesplash, Turtlepaw, Plumwillow, Violetshine, and Needlekit. 

Harrybrook steps up as temporary Leader to keep his clan from despair. 

In Windclan Kestralflight infects Harestar. Crowfeather gets Warriors to help him subdue Kestrelflight leading to Brindlewing, Sedgewhisker, and Crowfeather himself getting infected. By Day 2 the amount of times Harestar has acted up results in Harestar’s permament death, the death of Fernstripe and Whistlekit, and the infection of Woodkit and Gorsetail. By Day 3 all the infected cats but Woodkit is dead, and Woodkit is fully infected and has infected Featherpelt.

With the clan ready to bolt, Nightcloud steps up as temporary leader.

After Patient Zero, Leaders, and the Twoleg Factor

 Now, after this comes the real hard part for the clans. As you can tell by Day 4 at the lasted no clan has an official Leader, Deputy, or Medicine Cat to help guide them and only Thunderclan has any ideas on what might be happening.

From here the clans would be focusing on how to stop the spread in their own ways with the little information they have until they start reaching out again. Leadership will also change as various cats learn various things and tensions start to run high. 

Now, on to the other parts of this. First will be Leaders.

As you can tell, Brambestar and Tigerstar still live after the first 4 days of infection. After this, I roll dice and depending on the number they get into an altercation with their clanmates that can result in the loss of a life, more infection, and potential final death for each leader. Mistystar I had decided to just kill off immediately due to her advanced age and the fact we never learn how many lives she has. Harestar (who I keep mistyping as Hootstar for some reason), just got really, really, really shitty roles. This goes into Act 2, which also introduces a new Element:

The Twoleg Factor. 

Now, I have actually volunteered in a Shelter, so I can tell you a few minor things from that time. Wild, Feral cats are actually very rarely rehomed unless they are still tiny kittens. The reason is because Feral Cats are near impossible to accept Home Life. Most places will treat the cat, Neuter/Spay them, then release the cat back to wherever it was taken from (or put them down). Same with all cats capable of being adopted (except they go to humans instead of the wild).

Cats infected with Rabies are immediately put down. Immediately. Then Animal Control is often called to investigate the nearby areas to find any other potential infected animals.

Also, almost every cat owned by a human, but especially all cats from a shelter, get a Rabies Vaccine that can last 1-3 years before needing a booster depending on the cat’s age. (The younger the cat, the longer you can wait).

Now, Humans don’t like Rabies. It is fatal, even for them, so when a Rabies outbreak happens they quickly get in and get rid of it. The clan territories lie on a large lake that gets a LOT of Human Activity in the Spring/Summer. 

The Twoleg Factor has two parts:

First, I roll a dice for an infected character or one that could be injured as I mentioned above. If it goes on that 19-20 number at this point the cat is found and taken by a Twoleg. If the cat is infected, this means Twolegs become involved in finding and getting rid of all the infected cats. Hence why I made this particular roll such a small margin since depending on when it happens it is an instant Game Over for the Clans. 

The Second part of this has to due with the Vaccine. More specifically, the amount of former Kittypets in the clans, and some cats that had been in shelters. 

Specifically, Stormcloud of Thunderclan and Nightcloud of Windclan would, theoretically, be completely immune to Rabies at this time. 

By Part 1, Act 3 Stormcloud would no longer be Immune due to age and not getting a Booster, but thanks to the events of Crowfeather’s Trial it is reasonable to assume that Nightcloud could still go another full year or two before needing a booster so she wouldn’t be at risk of infection at any point in this AU. 

That will be important later. 

This is just my ideas on how it would start, my next posts will detail more in depth of the full Part 1 in each Clan, followed by how they realize to beat the Spread leading into Part 2.