Do you have a design for Bright Storm? I'm fond of the wise older figure thing you're doing with her
I do NOW
Made her, as well as a revamp of my old Thunder Storm design (I last drew him like a year ago!!) in preparation for some character summaries I plan to bang out after finishing a couple drafts, but Bright in particular gets requested so much (anon you're like the 4th person) that HERE, lady girl and her son be upon ye
I'm thinking about doing the BB!DOTC character summaries in "family" posts, so they're all grouped together the way I plan them to act in the story. Every family is telling a little mini-story of its own, in a way, from the Frost family and their inventing prowess, to the Heart family and how the kits react to Bumble's exile, to the Storm family and how they grapple with Clear Sky's influence.
I wanted to make sure Bright Storm was very large and powerful looking, but in a round, kind of "humble" way. She downplays her strength, her intelligence, and even her better judgement.
So she has these big cheeks, fluffy primordial pouch, poofy tail, keeps her head low-ish. Tends to deny compliments.
I was commiserating with my partner the other day about how intelligent characters aren't allowed to be thick-bodied. So between my fat, beloved Bumble the translator and Bright Storm the wise woman battle strategist I'm feeding us both
I needed to "finalize" their stripe pattern, because I actually plan for TIGERSTAR to have the same one. I'm probably going to update my Tawnypelt and Bramblestar designs to have it too; if they don't look better with Goldenflower's.
I just like the irony and bitterness of it. That these ancient stripes, once so associated with compassion and righteous fury, turn into a "legacy" so divorced from what Thunder Storm and Bright Storm stood for.
Becoming a symbol for the idea of modern ThunderClan and the culture of the new times, not the principles it was founded on.
Also I HAD to do the design thing where Thunder Storm's stripes look like top surgery scars lmao, my beloved transmasc boy
Anyway, I've decided that Thunder Storm was a REALLY dark orange. It bugs me a little, especially in-canon, that he looks nothing like either parent. So in BB he's not too far off color-wise from his mama.
I also removed the old "mane" and replaced it with combination white chest + his father's shoulder burls. The mane is going to become a Forest Cat trait, which is why it's going to get so prominent in ThunderClan.
Instead, Mountain Cats have a REALLY high concentration of ear tufts in their genes. They're also huge and generally hairy.
Funny enough though they're also "oily." They come from the Lake Cat population which was pretty water-resistant because of constantly dealing with the lake, and they haven't lived in the Mountains long enough for natural selection to get rid of it.
It's going to become SUPER advantageous for those who move to the River Kingdom, but become less prominent in the other populations.
But for now, Mountain Cats are kinda... well, naturally 'stinky.' That's not a BAD thing to cats who are animals who LIKE strong smells, but it is a notable trait that I'd like The Wind Runner in particular to comment on.
Thunder Storm: "Well? What did she say?"
Bumble: "Ummmmmm......"
Thunder Storm: "be honest"
Bumble: "she says she smelled you coming when you were upwind. rudely."
99% of the time when I'm changing character eye colors, it's to make them NOT blue because there's too many blue-eyed characters in WC imo. BUT.
I think it was another tiny waste to have the narrative constantly stressing Clear Sky's blue, blue eyes, almost like they're hypnotizing, and then they never really comment on what Thunder's eye color signals to other people.
So I've got an idea; instead of amber, Thunder Storm has ELECTRIC BLUE eyes. Almost green, like his mother's minty ones.
Intense as his father's, but more focused. Sharp. Shocking.
Side note: in my research I actually learned it's easier for tripod cats to RUN than it is for them to walk. They can "canter" like a horse, but when they go slow they have to hop. Taking this into consideration.
I put a splash of white on the little bit of lower limb that Thunder Storm has on the leg, so it sticks out a bit more. I don't want it to be hidden I want it to be prominent
I also figured out a hilarious trick for Bright Storm to pull on Sky's Clan at some point lmao
Thunder's crew is in conflict with Sky's cats and the attacks are getting more and more frequent. They decide they need some extra time to carry out some kind of hunt or diplomatic mission, but Bright Storm only has a small group of cats to pull off a stunt with.
She knows she can't fight them head on, but she NEEDS to buy her son more time, so she hatches a plan.
Clear Sky values his intelligence and his ferocity very much. To a fault, even. He loves to outsmart his opponents and overpower them-- so Bright Storm gets all her cats to build a very large, very tall, nearly impenetrable wall out of briar thorns. There's only one way in; the well-guarded tunnel they've constructed in the front.
It would be a challenge for a lesser cat. But Clear Sky, clever devil he is, realizes they've made a fatal flaw; they've built their camp right next to the trees. His fighters don't need to jump over the wall or push through it, the oaks are their allies!
So, while Thunder's cats are all surely sleeping, he gathers his best men and come through the canopy. In well-trained patrols, they swoop down into the camp and prepare for battle.
and no one is there.
You see, there was only one way in... and only one way out.
And Clear Sky and his best fighters watch with HORROR as the tiny crew of guards seals that entrance up like the neck of a bag. There are no trees to climb INSIDE the wall, and it's too tall to hop out of. It won't hold them forever, but it will hold them JUST LONG ENOUGH.
Bright calls this little plan "Operation Timeout."
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If you're trying a new way of doing things (focusing or to-do lists or self-care or what have you), remember: it's not something you can fail.
If the method doesn't work? That just means that method isn't the right one for you. It's not a failure on your part.
If it works for a while, or only works sometimes? Also not a failure on your part! Take that information and use it when you try a new method, or use that method when it applies.
If it works for you, but other people don't think you should need it? Who cares what they think? Nobody is going to have the same route to success. Trying to push yourself to do things to a "normal" standard is not going to help anything, and might even hurt.
Do things that work for you, and don't see it as a failure. It's a process of experimentation, and eventually, you'll find ways to reach your goals that work for you. Get creative, think out of the box, and try something new.
You can do it. I believe in you.
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I am broken. I will always be broken, but I will not let that be what defines me. I've lived through hell. There were days that I didn't think that I'd make it, but you know what? I made it out. I am stronger and wiser for having done so. I remember sitting there one day thinking that this couldn't continue. So, I set a goal for myself that day. I would brush my teeth by noon. Sounds easy, right? At 11:55 a.m., I was freaking out thinking it's almost noon. What am I going to do. That is when it hit me. What would I do if this was someone other than me in this situation. I'd grab them and pull them up and lead them to the bathroom, and put their toothbrush in their hand. So that's what I did, except to myself. It sounds goofy, but I did it, and I was sooooooo proud of myself. It was a very small step, but I moved forward that day for the first time in years, and it fell incredible!! And I've been setting goals for myself ever since. Things that I know I can do. I set myself up for success. I'm telling you all this because I've found a lot of posts where people are overwhelmed and feel like they can't go on. I'm telling you that you can. It's up to you. Don't let the bastards win. Ever. Do this for you because you deserve it. I lived through reprehensible atrocities that no one should ever have to live through. But I made a choice. I would not let that define me. I would change my narrative. And I did. In doing so, I found beauty in Hell. I found that I am more understanding for it. I found that I'm more compassionate for it. And the greatest gift of all was that I could help others who felt the way I did. There is beauty in everything. That is a great gift. Sometimes you have to look really hard to find it, but it's there. Take a little step forward today. And the next and the next. If you stumble, get up and take another step. Let setbacks motivate you to do better. I believe that all the people out there can achieve greatness in their own way. Take a breath and move forward. I'm still doing that, and I get better every day. I won. The bastards lost. Yippee cayay motherfucker!! Happiness is a choice. Please, choose wisely. 🙏🏼 I will always choose happiness. I'm worth it and so are you 😍🫂💜💜💜 if you notice I use three purple hearts a lot in my posts. Like a war hero, I have earned them. They represent the wounds and scars that have made me stronger and wiser. I'm proud of those scars because they made me who I am today. Be your own hero and save yourself. You're worth it. ✨️
Wow!! That was hard to post, but I hit the button. I feel like I just stood naked in front of the Tumblr community, but if this post helps even one person feel better, then it was worth it. I'm gonna put my clothes back on now. It's getting chilly 😉😊😍
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