#cinderslightning

[burning-thistles-bt]

wait just a minute-

isn't Cinders Sol's mom?

.....oh no

ahhh i just cant keep a secret

can i? ;P

no, no she's not, and she never was <3

who is Cinders indeed? and you should be

@bunnyboygirl @alysoflupenia

let's place your bets folks, 'cause I'll tell you right now, Cinders and Lightningfur are both cis gals, so Sol can't be biologically both of theirs...

@flamestar456

if he even is ;)

[burning-thistles-bt]

little sparks was so cute!!! poor lightningkit :( even more heartbreaking when you look at her character now… i believe she does still love spottedleaf, but buries those feelings as she doesn’t want to be seen as “weak.”

what would you say caused such a drastic shift in her character? growing up with her + her siblings constantly stigmatized for being kits of a “codebreaking” medicine cat?

i’d love to see you write a lightningfur analysis.. only if it doesn’t spoil any future events though!

Lightningkit has grown up so much, my little murder baby <3

woof im not sure i could do a full character analysis like the ones i always scroll past on here but ill tell ya some stuff about her character progression!

In Little Sparks and "Prequel" (Before Into The Wild) chapters, Lightningkit loves her mother! She does the whole "I hate you! I'm not your mom!" attitude of a little kid. She was very rambunctious as a kit and always loved that Spotted would give her extra attention when she was being 'bad,' and hated when Spotted's attention was elsewhere (five kits, one who was very ill as well, plus Willowpelt and Darkkit, and her medicine cat duties--her attention was all over the place!). She acted out a lot as a kit and didn't like getting scolded, bossed around the other kits and got mad when Creekkit would be just as "bossy" as her (aka tell her off or try to lead the games instead to be more fair). She liked all her siblings except for Airkit, because she didn't get as 'attached' to him and just sort of saw him as the thing that always took Spotted's attention away (since he was sick in the med den).

Once she has her father's attention though, it all shifts and she starts changing from "I want to be good for Spottedleaf!" to "I want to be good (read: bad) for Thistleclaw!" She also admired Mapleshade A LOT and thought she was sooo cool and, later into her apprenticeship, started wishing Maple was her real mom because Spotted was "too much trouble." She hated that cats thought she was "less" just because her mom was a med cat and her dad exiled. As a kit, she sort of understood what all the fuss was about and sympathized with her mother, but as Thistle was there to twist her mind, she started to care less and less about her mother's "tough life" because "Thistle had it just as tough and he loves me more!"

Thistle really enabled her to keep her "acting out for attention" mindset, because whenever she did bad things (ex.: clawing during training, being rough with her siblings, getting mad at Spotted/others), she got his praise. She felt justified and vindicated in taking her anger out on others. Surprisingly, this also started to twist her feelings towards Airpaw from one of "ugh he's so annoying i hate him leave me alone!" to "follow me because im so much better than you and you need me to be good at anything :)" (aka the exact same stuff Thistle was pulling with her).

she liked Firepaw because he was a "neutral" ground -- he followed Thistle and he was willing to play rough, meanwhile Air was too "weak," Copper was too "soft," and Creek was too "obedient" to be mean. she was enraptured with the idea of leading the clans with all her kin, and she was enamored with the prospect Thistle gave them.

she also HATED Speckletail and Frostfur. Frostfur, in her early moons, was too "bossy" and would always try and correct Lightning and Lightning would be like "UR NOT MY MOM," plus Frost would always huff about Lightning's bad attitude. Speckle tried to be a good mentor, but she was blinded by her prejudice against Lightning, already viewing her as a "helpless bad case," so they just butted heads way too much and Lightning felt vindicated disobeying her thanks to Thistle encouraging her to

she ran to RiverClan because she LOVED the attention she received there. needless to say, everything Lightningfur does is for attention. And those who give her attention that she deems weak/pitiful/lesser than her (Airleap, Robinstorm, Sedgecreek, etc.), she treats like sh*t because "what are they gonna do? hate me? they love me too much to hate me."

it's kind of why Silverstream was her best friend. in canon, Silverstream is kind of, well, spoiled and thinks she can get away with anything. she's not mean, but she's just as attention-driven as Lightningfur. The two bounced off each other immediately, giving the other attention, but there was also this... allure with Silverstream, who -- unlike Lightningfur, who had to fight and bite and kick and scream for her attention -- only had to sit pretty and get stuff handed to her thanks to her loving and doting overprotective father Crookedstar. Silverstream's attention felt extra good to Lightningfur, because Silverstream held this air of I'm Better Than You that Lightningfur desperately wanted to have as elegantly as her. Needless to say, Lightningfur's aroace lesbian *ss crushed hard on Silverstream but buried that part of her feelings far far deep down.

Silverstream's death f*cked Lightningfur up. They were untouchable, and yet, there Silverstream was, clearly Touched. (Though Lightningfur doesn't know it, somewhere in StarClan, Silverstream is thinking the same bitter thoughts.) Lightningfur couldn't imagine a life without Silverstream, and now she became a lot more... aggressive in her behavior. Genuinely cold. Before there was a since of "we do this together," there was something grounded Lightningfur, something for her to love and remember how to be compassionate in her own Lightningfur-y way. Now, it's gone, and Lightningfur doesn't have any remorse left in her to regret the actions she commits.

This Lightningfur, our current Lightningfur, has grown a coldness in her heart. It numbs her to feeling anything but rage and sadistic pleasure. That isn't to say she never expresses some kind of fondness (ex.: Featherpaw is Silverstream's look-a-like daughter and Lightningfur will do everything she can to protect "what's left of her"), but that any kindness that might go along with those inner feelings is gone.

But cutting off emotions and refusing to acknowledge them leaves one blind, and oh, Lightningfur will be blinded.

[burning-thistles-bt]

Alder's Ship Tier List

AT LAST. I HAVE FINISHED IT.

See undercut for names in categories/little blurbs i put in some. Not all have my thoughts at the moment because BRAINDEAD but yeah.

at last!

I would DIE for them:

DarkCherry

Ship Ship &lt;;3:

FireSand

CopperDawn

DawnReed

CinderLizard

NightScraps

SwiftAdder

LongCreek

RavenBarley

SpottedFrost

SilverLightning

CricketGremlin

GrayGremlin

GrayMille

StormRobin

SwiftSwamp

SwiftSwampLynx

SwiftTulip

TallBubbles

TallWet

TallWetBubbles

TallJake

WhiteWillow

ShortStorm

Lowkey ship/Side ship:

BrightCloud

RunningFire

BlueThrushOak

DeadCloud

What Lolling said about them being boyfriends as apprentices and then being awkward deputies has brought them up here lmao

YellowBlue

This is definetely heavily influenced by the OG canon, but sue me! I love old moms with their adoptive son <3

FernCliff

Cute:

BadgerBlossom

RedSoot

BrightCloudSwift

I also see this as a BroTP

SnowCliff

MorningAir

Also BroTP because they are Queer-Platonic <3

ElderMistle

BadgerBlossomRavenBarley

FeatherRaven

RunningRed

BrindleWhiteWillow

BrackenSorrel

LynxSwamp

FeatherShips

FeatherRavenBarley

FeatherBrackenRavenBarley

FeatherBrackenSorrel

PrimroseWood

CinderAsh

ShadeVixen

SwiftTulipSwamp

MudSorrel

FernDust

One-Half

SnowTawny

SoftOwl

TawnyMistle

RowanTawny

BroTP

DarkFire

It's also Complicated TM

ElderReed

CopperCinder

OatSmoke

CopperDawnCinderAsh

PerchLizard

SnowTulip

SnowBramble

SpottedWhite

LongFire

Don't ship in BT context, but I can see it in canon :3

Friends :D

look at me over here friendzoning so many ships lmao XD

DarkRunningFire

It's still Complicated TM

BrambleMistle

ElderCliff

FireCherry

Cherry did have a brief unrequited crush on Fire as a kit

Got over it fast though lol

OakReed

Reedwhisker just likes collecting half-clan friends lmao

MistyFire

FangTawny

Cute, but I mainly see them as friends - although I could get on board the ship :D

RedBrindle

BrindleWhite

CherrySand

CloudElder

CloudFern

CopperAsh

BadgerRaven

FeatherBarley

SwiftAsh

NightPrimrose

RunningBarley

TurtleTawny

OneAir

TallDawn

TallSand

Frenemies

DarkRunning

CloudSwift

MouseLightning

SandCreek

By Frenemies I mean they butt heads at times hehe

It's Complicated

CreekOliver

BrambleSquirrel

BlueOak

TawnyGorse

No spoilers but...it's complicated 👀

FeatherGray

CricketLynx

RedTiger

FT Apprentice Group

CreekOliverLong

PPKK Apprentice Group

GraySilver

SmallSpeckle

Justice for Speckletail 2k23

NightSwamp

WillowAsh

ShortOscar

FuzzyRobin

FuzzyRobinPatch

RaggedYellow

RippleGray

TigerSasha

GoldenTiger

Toxic but Intriguing

BrindleBeach

BrownApple

CindersLightning

CindersWhispersLightning

BlackMisty

Lolling hit it on the nail

All about the divorce couple vibes here

OneWhite

OneSmoke

FuryLightning

SnowThistle

In Lolling's video, she says that she sees their relationship as not "Snow making Thistle a better guy" but "Thistle making Snow a worse person" and I'm in that same boat :)

Also Burn in Hell because Thistle deserves nobody <3

Also also yes I agree Lolling Snow bitch-slapped Thistle at his nine lives ceremony it's canon we don't make the rules (yes we do-)

DarkTiger

BlackTiger

FrostLion

The flavor Lolling has been throwing at us specifically :)))

LightningShips

GrassLightning

OakThistle

Oakheart is ThunderClansexual and we don't make the rules lmao

though it's also Burn in Hell because again, Thistle deserves nobody :)

TigerLeopard

Unrequited Beloved

OneFire

CherryCreek

FeatherBracken

RobinLizard

SedgeLightning

RedFrost

BlueThrush

WhiteTiger

Tiger got brother-zoned so hard it's funny XD

WhiteSilver

LizardPrimrose

RedWhite

SilverAir

DustLynx

Crack

BrachioMisty

LeopardLightning

WhiteAir

SilverCinders

SilverCindersLightning

SilverLightningGray

BellCreek

TigerScourge

ThrushOak

GrayWhite

ShortStormOscar

No Opinion

CindersWhispers

CopperRunning

BlueSpotted

BrightSwift

GrassAir

FernWolf

Fernshade beloved <3 but we barely see her and Wolf's relationship, even though we can conclude they are probably very cute together <3

AshThorn

FeatherRobin

FernThorn

RedBrindleWhite

FeatherRavenGray

FeatherGraySilver

PikeRobin

PerchRobin

SpottedBrindle

SpottedScourge

SpottedTiger

SpottedDead

CloudSpotted

BrokenBlack

OneBrush

I haven't read Onestar's super edition so I have zero clue who Brushpaw is lmao

WhiteLeopard

TornScorch

ThornCliff

SmallFuzzy

RunningStone

MoonPatch

WillowAshWhite

LittleOak

CedarNight

FuryMinty

FuzzyPatch

DeadAsh

DeadAshAir

RobinSpeckle

MallowVole

GoldenPatch

Burn in Hell

like Lolling, I like these ships as they're supposed to be - toxic - but also i want them to burn in hell <3

you can guess who they all entail probably lol

BlueThistle

GrassThistle

PerchThistle

FinchDawn

FinchBubbles

FrostThistle

SpottedThistle

ThistleVixen

ThistleShade

ThistleShips

WhispersLightning

QuinceThistle

MapleThistle

WillowTawny

RippleFinch

RippleLightning

WillieMinty

Minty deserved better tbh <-says one of the two people who screwed up her life