#hawkfrost doesn't die

[willowheartswarriors]

I am by no means a Breezepelt defender and I think the whole "either they're all treated as traitors or none of them are" thing with the Dark Forest Trainees was just a nonsense way of dealing with things. BUT. I also think a lot of people in the fandom conflate "redemption arc" with "punitive justice" and I actually think it IS more interesting from a character and worldbuilding pov to have Breezepelt work through his issues without the need for like, exile or whatever.

I DO, however, dislike the fact that Crowfeather's Trial is pretty much the only book where Breezepelt is actually given the time/space to FEEL like a character who regrets his past actions and has actually changed his ways. In most of the main series books they're just like "Eh he's pretty much a good guy now who occasionally Says Mean Things but not anymoreso than most background characters" with little indication as to how he got to that point. But I don't think "Breezepelt should have been punished" is the solution that a large portion of the fanbase seems to think it is.

Genuinely Crowfeather's Trial is one of my favorite books in the series and that's in large part due to the way it converses with the idea of "how does justice work in the Clans." Sure, Breezepelt isn't exiled for siding with the Dark Forest, but Crowfeather IS, and it actually speaks to how ineffective punitive justice is. Like it's a Crowfeather POV book, so of course he's going to think it's an unfair punishment, but I think the book makes it pretty clear that Onestar is going overboard with his punishment for what is essentially, like, talking back to his leader (yes, technically against the Code at the time, but a part of the Code that has frequently been shown to be flawed when it comes to unstable/tyrannical leaders.

And for all Onestar's insistence on punishing him, what's the result? Crowfeather doesn't come back having thoroughly learned his lesson and repentent or whatever. He comes back like "Okay we found my missing ex-wife. Is my sentence over yet orrrrrrr." Using punishments as a form of justice (whether the crime was justified or not) just straight-up does not work if the goal is "prevent future crimes."

(This is also reinforced by the entirety of The Broken Code and the Impostor trying to maintain control through punitive justice, all the while more and more of his Clan turns against him until they're literally trying to assassinate him)

[warrior-cats-rewritten]

I really love the "Tigerstar is Swiftpaw's dad" AU. It doesn't change that much storywise, but it just makes it really tragic with Tigerstar sending the dogs that kill him and him wanting to prove himself.

To be honest I really thought for the longest time he WAS Swiftpaw's dad.

God... Tiger spying on Gatherings and not seeing Swiftpaw there. Overhearing apprentices gossip.

"Did you hear what happened to Brightpaw? I hope she doesn't get an infection."

"Better than what happened to Swiftpaw."

But... What happened to Swiftpaw? Where was he? Was he hurt?

Tigerstar getting his 9 lives and seeing his son standing in the crowd, glaring at him with a look that chokes him. He sees the glittering scars and puts 2 and 2 together. That was his son, his baby, his precious boy so full of potential and life and so stubborn and proud. Why was he not given a name? Why did Bluestar treat his son like this? She gave a name to the bastard kittypet child, but denied his son? She's to blame of course, not him, he would have named him Swiftstrike or Swiftfang, something respectable and powerful. His son... Sitting there with his other lost child, lost so young, they both look so unhappy...

Seeing Swiftpaw amongst his own victims as he keeps dying over and over again. Begging them each time to help him. Help me Swiftpaw, please, please, you love me, I'm your father you need to do something you need to save me please Swiftpaw please don't let me die I'm your papa I love y

Watching his other sons, another child of his lost too young, Tadpole was so much like him too, fearless and strong.

Comparing Hawkfrost to Swiftpaw in the horrible way that parents do. Come on Hawkfrost that was sloppy, Swiftpaw had that technique down and never left apprenticeship, you'll avenge me and your brother, Firestar was deputy he could have said something, it would have saved your brother's life.

Seeing Swiftpaw during the Great Battle giving a blessing to Firestar. Realizing he gave Firestar a life and just... Losing it. Firestar stole his son from him, and let him die, and his perfect son still gave him a life?! Why?!

Oh it all just goes perfectly.

Although... It does give Tigerstar the widest family tree EVER.

Lynxkit, Swiftpaw, Brambleclaw, Tawnypelt, Tadpole, Mothwing and Hawkfrost. Oof, gift giving events have gotta be a nightmare.

[bonefall]

BB!Mistystar really does have the best arc in Better Bones, ngl

context below the cut:

BB!TNP is an arc that confronts a lot of the leftover ideas from TPB, one of which is an overhaul of Hawkfrost. Instead of being "The Tiger in RiverClan," he was groomed by the remaining TigerClan supporters to inherit his father's legacy

Mistyfoot realizes that he wasn't the root of the evil; he was a symptom. And RiverClan doesn't "go back to normal." After another clan discussion blows up into a huge argument, she looks up for help to her leader on the stump... only to see her gazing down with amusement.

The setting sun turns Leopardstar into a black shape on a dark, spiky hill, splinters and branches jagged like rotting bones. Her eyes flash, Tigerstar amber, Dark Forest red, and Mistyfoot understands that these ideas won't die unless they are killed.

She finishes Leopardstar by bashing her head on a rock in the southern delta, an inlet river, which is what causes the lake to run red with blood. Hawkfrost's death is now impaling himself on the stake by accident, charging at Mothwing when she pulls it out of the ground.

Mistyfoot then chooses Sedgecreek as her first deputy.

[veiledaura]

If Hollyleaf survived

Dovewing's Silence:

- Hollyleaf's encounter with Hawkfrost goes mostly the same: She's badly injured and gets dragged to Thunderclan camp by Ivypool. She forgives Squirrelflight and Leafpool, assuming that she's going to die. As she becomes unconscious, Jayfeather refuses to give up on her, working on her wound throughout the night. As her brother is on the verge of fainting, Hollyleaf becomes stable and wakes up after a few days. As a consequence of Jayfeather not being available to check on other patients, Cloudtail dies of an infected wound.

- While recovering, Hollyleaf spends a long time speaking to Leafpool and Squirrelflight. Finally, Hollyleaf asks for her mother's reasoning for keeping her birth secret. Hollyleaf asks if she should publicly admit to the death berry incident, but Leafpool declines. Her mother says a public outrage won't help, citing the Gathering where Hollyleaf revealed the secret. Instead, Leafpool wants them to learn to understand and forgive each other, by slowly building their relationship up. Millie becomes guilt-ridden seeing these interactions and kicks start her own reconciliation with Blossomfall.

- Hollyleaf has a moment with Dovewing. The grey she-cat blurts she worried that she replaced Hollyleaf and her brothers resent her for it. Hollyleaf said she can't speak for her brothers, but Hollyleaf assures she doesn't blame Dovewing and she proved herself unworthy due to her crimes. When Dovewing admits to the three losing their powers, Hollyleaf says it could be better in the long term. The three will no longer be expected to be the main protectors of the Clans and they can settle into a more casual life.

- Ivypool is grateful that Hollyleaf saved her and wants to form a friendship with her. The two she-cats mutually bond over their similar circumstances. Hollyleaf suggests to Ivypool, that not being a part of the prophecy, could be a blessing in disguise. Hollyleaf had witnessed first-hand, the expectations that prophecy cats can put on themselves. The black she-cat wonders if she hadn't mistaken herself as the third cat, for so long, perhaps her fragile ego wouldn't have cracked under Ashfur's influence.

- Hollyleaf encourages all the trainees to redeem themselves, despite how hard it seems. However, since Hollyleaf is being asked to make all these speeches about redemption, it makes her realise she's still got a long way to go. Her nightmares about Ashfur's murder return and she wonders if she needs to go into self-exile again, to continue her atonement. Since she passed on her underground fighting skills, Thunderclan didn't seem to need her so was she staying out of her own selfishness? Jayfeather snaps her out of it: Pointing her out her family wants her here and leaving again, would hurt them more.

Bramblestar's Storm:

-After Jayfeather makes her promise to stay indefinitely, Hollyleaf needs to regain normalcy with her family. In the tunnels, she expected to die young and didn't see a future for herself. While her grand gestures of atonement are important, she needs to consider the everyday too. At first, she can be overly serious and isolate herself. But she learns to open up and have fun around her brothers over time. There are glimpses of a simpler time before it became so messy.

-Hollyleaf reaffirms her connection with Bramblestar. At one point, he pulls his adopted daughter aside. He recalls how her brothers already heard this, but she never got the chance after the tunnel collapsed. He promises his heart will be open to her but he understands if it's too awkward to consider him a father. Either way, he will respect whatever Hollyleaf chooses. The black she-cat snorts, saying she would never choose Crowfeather over him. Bramblestar winces, wondering if it should be obvious.

-Hollyleaf asks why Bramblestar lied about Ashfur accidentally slipping into the stream. He admits he panicked slightly and thought she'd been in self-exile for long enough. Hollyleaf acknowledges how he risked his ranking for her, but she must be judged alone and not use her family connections to gain an advantage. At that point, Hollyleaf's clanmates had figured out Ashfur's death was purposeful. Most cats didn't particularly care after discovering Ashfur's crimes, only judging Hollyleaf for not trusting Firestar to uphold justice.

-Bramblestar asks if Hollyleaf still has her childhood dream of being a leader. He remembered how she followed him as a kit and said she'd become like him. The black she-cat declines, saying she can't trust herself with that power. Hollyleaf feels sorry for her younger self and doesn't grow into the cat she expected to be.

-When Squirrelflight announces she's pregnant, Hollyleaf is overjoyed. After a while, her mother noticed slight doubt on her face. Being told to be honest, Hollyleaf admits she has irrational feelings of being replaced. Squirrelflight ensures her emotions are only natural after the trauma she suffered through. She ensures they can work through them as mother and daughter.

Crowfeather's Trial:

- Hollyleaf would see the similarities between herself and Breezepelt. Additionally, as the one to expose the secret, she feels somewhat responsible for Breezepelt. Therefore, she feels obligated to set the record straight with him. She details how she killed Ashfur to Breezepelt and the two help each other realise where they went wrong. Crowfeather is shocked about Hollyleaf's crimes, feeling even more of a failure of a father.

- When he realises Hollyleaf is already reconciling with Leafpool, he feels pressure to speed things along with Breezpelt. Besides helping Breezepelt's redemption, Hollyleaf feels wrong to have a long-term friendship with him, due to Jayfeather's discomfort. She wishes Breezepelt the best but says it's best to live their separate lives, as they did before the secret's exposure. While this is all going on, Nightcloud refused to speak to Hollyleaf at all, blaming her for telling the secret. After Crowfeather's Trial, Breezepelt would go on, to make serval hypocritical statements: calling Kin defectors and Squirrelflight traitors. Hollyleaf would glare at him in disbelief, wondering how he could be so unaware.

- There's a moment, where Hollyleaf wonders in on Leafpool and Crowfeather speaking at the border. The mother and daughter thinks it's his right to know and Hollyleaf confesses the death berry incident to him. Crowfeather flinches, wondering how he'd feel if Breezepelt tried to kill him directly, instead of his half-siblings. Hollyleaf states her actions overshadow anything her parents did against her. So she says Crowfeather should be forgiving her, not the other way around. Crowfeather says only the victim, Leafpool, can decide if she deserves forgiveness or not. Crowfeather says it's impossble not to feel some disgust at Hollyleaf's crime; but he'll react to it as a fellow warrior, not as a father, as he never earnt being called her 'father'.

A Vision of Shadows:

- Hollyleaf is working hard to be a good daughter to Leafpool and Squirrelflight. She'll go out of her way, to do helpful things like replacing their nests or collecting herbs. She can be overly polite around them, thinking they've been criticised too much already. This annoys Squirrelflight, as she knows her daughter is natrually headstrong and says she should have the guts to be herself. The black she-cat would be the middle point between her two brothers: Jayfeather has unresolved feelings, while Lionblaze has let go of the past. Hollyleaf tries to get along with her mothers, but there would always be the occasional awkwardness, not forgetting the past.

- Hollyleaf is struggling to find her place in the Clan. She doesn't want to get involved in too many battles, fearful she could kill again. Additionally, she doesn't want any authority she could potentially abuse. She asks Bramblestar to never consider her for deputyship and vows she'll never return as a Medicine cat apprentice. For a while, she tries training under Daisy as a permanent queen. Though she learns the position isn't right for her, not having the patience for so many kits.

-When Leafstar creates the mediator rank for Tree, it sparks her interest. It could let her avoid hurting others and the job requires memorization of the code, which she already has. She works with Tree, to become Thunderclan's first mediator. This inspires the remaining Clans to train their own mediators. For Shadowclan, Strikestone steps up as he blames warrior life for his loved ones' deaths. Minnowtail becomes Riverclan's mediator to repent for her Dark Forest training. Finally, Heathertail volunteers due to her caring nature and experience with angry toms.

- Hollyleaf helps to raise Sparkpelt and Alderheart, while Squirrelflight grieves for her lost kits. Out of her litter, she would be the closest to her adoptive siblings. Hollyleaf is quite protective of Alderheart, reminding her of Jayfeather when he was a weak kit. She likes to ensure that Jayfeather isn't too harsh on his apprentice, reminding him of their parallels. Hollyleaf and Sparkpelt are the most alike, with Sparkpelt claiming she's a "mini-me" of Hollyleaf. The two even become mentor and apprentice, at Sparkpelt's request. Hollyleaf is determined not to disappoint Sparkpelt - She can waver between being strict and soft-spoken, as she desperately tries to get the balance right. Even after her warrior ceremony, Hollyleaf assures Sparkpelt that she can always ask for advice.

- Hollyleaf has some moments in the Darktail and Onestar conflict. When Onestar compares his situation to Hollyleaf and Breezepelt on the possibility of convincing Darktail to stop - The black she-cat dismisses it, saying Darktail is truly too far gone. Hollyleaf encourages Onestar to fix his past mistakes, but he needs to be prepared to make the hard choices if he goes down that road.

Squirrelflight's Hope:

- As a mediator, Hollyleaf joins Tree in his missions, to negotiate with the Sisters peacefully. Due to her past, Hollyleaf doesn't feel like it's her place, to assume she knows better than the Clans. So Hollyleaf feels compelled to act in an offical capacity. So when Squirrelflight starts going against Bramblestar's orders, Holyleaf can't trust herself to join her mother. She simply says to Squirrelflight, 'I hope you know what you're doing'. Though when the Sisters are driven out of their camp, Hollyleaf can't stand aside at that point. She helps evacuate the sisters' kits, including helping with Moonlight's birth.

- As Squirrelflight and Bramblestar argue over their politics: Hollyleaf feels it would be nepotism if she used her position as their daughter, to voice her own politcal opinions to them. Instead, as a mediator, Hollyleaf sets up a meeting in a calm setting, for Squirrelflight and Bramblestar to have a proper heart-to-heart. Also, Hollyleaf acts as a middle-man for other family members: She asks Tawnypelt, to start supporting Bramblestar with his relationship struggles. Then Hollyleaf relays Sparkpelt's story, of her panicking due to her parents aruging.

- When Leafpool dies, Hollyleaf blurts she wishes she'd taken her place. Though Squirrelflight counters that Leafpool wants Hollyleaf to be happy and she needs to live on, for her sake. Hollyleaf and Jayfeather spend more time together, due to their shared grief.

Broken Code:

- When "Bramblestar" first starts his code-breaking agenda, he questions why Hollyleaf isn't more happy about it, considering her old dedication to it. Hollyleaf utters she can't let her dangerous obsession resurface. She states that as a mediator now, she must be able to see the warrior code critically. She gets suspicious of "Bramblestar", noticing he's never cared so much about the code before. She warns him about how that type of obsession can be all-consuming.

-Hollyleaf is the first cat to be exiled, due to her criticisms of "Bramblestar". She attempted to gather the mediators from the other Clans and convince him to stop his cruelty.

- When she discovers Ashfur's identity, she makes it her personal mission to defeat him. Though Hollyleaf refuses to join the rebels, saying she won't fight against anyone else, not even the Imposter's supporters. She swore she wouldn't kill anyone else. Her sole target is Ashfur. Instead, the mediators create a refugee camp for the Imposter's exiles. They guard the most vulnerable while others fight their fellow Clan cats.

-Hollyleaf is shocked when Lionblaze kills Harstar, dragging him off his victim. When he is appointed deputy, she tries to voice her concerns about his bad headspace. However, she is outnumbered, so she is forced to accept it.

-Hollyleaf volunteers to enter the Dark Forest, thinking innocent cats shouldn't need to sacrifice themselves. She briefly encounters Stonefur in Starclan. He recounts his execution and says it was truly sad to see another Half-Clan internalise that hatred. Holyleaf promises she'll make the younger generations less biased towards Half-Clan cats.

-Hollyleaf is distressed by her time in the Dark Forest. She realised she could've been condemned if she died in the tunnels. She is conflicted about evil spirits atoning and going to Starclan. Hollyleaf knows she was lucky to live long enough to redeem herself - At the same time, Ashfur took advantage of Starclan's leniency. The black she-cat suggests a purgatory, which is more pleasant, but residents lack the power of Starclan cats.

- Ashfur taunts Hollyleaf for her hypocrisy for killing him and leaking her parentage anyway. She responds it was wrong for her to take justice into her own hands. But at the same time, Ashfur shouldn't have expected to get away with his own crimes. The grey tom is bitter that Hollyleaf got to live on when he didn't. He claims she's as bad as him. Hollyleaf remains realistic, acknowledging she's a killer, but enforcers that Ashfur's crimes vastly outweigh hers by now. She hits Ashfur to his core when she says he's in the same leagues as Tigerstar.

-Hollyleaf feels incredibly guilty when Bristlefrost dies, feeling like she failed her friend Ivypool.

- Before Ashfur faded away, he played his trump card against Hollyleaf. He exposes her as Leafpool's attempted murderer. The black she-cat was shocked since Leafpool wanted to keep it between them. Though her family understood why Leafpool herself chose to keep it a secret, they still felt betrayed. They weren't surprised by Hollyleaf's other crimes but were still disappointed. Some loved ones take a while before they can speak to her again. Meanwhile, Hollyleaf's more distant relatives, like Lionblaze's kits, refuse to acknowledge their kinship with her.

- When Bramblestar returns, he decides it's pointless to exile her again. He reasoned it had been so long, and she'd already punished herself that way. Instead, Bramblestar explains that many warriors feel unsafe, sharing their den with a killer. He thinks it's unfair to force them to compromise. Bramblestar allows Hollyleaf to remain in Thunderclan but must have her own isolated den outside the camp boundaries. She can return to camp to receive assignments but can't sleep there anymore.

Starless Clan:

- Hollyleaf supports the warrior code changing, arguing that some rules do more damage than good. She points to her broken family, saying it could've been avoided with proper protocols. She says good mothers like Leafpool are unfairly forced to give up their kits and branded traitors.

- Hollyleaf fosters Flinchkit and Flamekit while Sparkpelt grieves. Flamepaw comes to see Hollyleaf as a mother figure. Sorrelstripe still nurses them but she's more hands-off, wanting to give Hollyleaf space to bond with Flamekit. Flamepaw has a mostly good relationship with Hollyleaf, much better than Sparkpelt. However, he has underlying doubts about her, knowing her murderous past. He is aware that Hollyleaf is the black sheep of the family and fears he might be the same. He knows he gets the occasional worried looks from his clanmates for being so close to Hollyleaf. Sometimes, he has overdramatic fears that he'll hurt Sparkpelt, as Hollyleaf did to Leafpool, artificially drawing comparisons between them.

-When Flamepaw struggles to find his place, Hollyleaf wants to help her nephew. She suggests the mediators could train him to become her successor. However, he shuts her down. He says Hollyleaf is doing the very thing he's trying to avoid: Using nepotism to get a special ranking. Hollyleaf claims mediators aren't glorious, and the Clans still question their value. However, Flamepaw refuses to humour the idea.

-Nightheart becomes bitter at Hollyleaf's choice to raise him. He argues that their clanmates look at him strangely because the resident murderer decided to get close to him. Hollyleaf mutters she was trying to help Sparkpelt, but Nightheart isn't fully convinced. He says her past makes her unfit to be a foster parent, and she shouldn't use kits to reconcile her own guilt. While Nightheart's words were excessive, Hollyleaf knew he was partly telling the truth.

-Alongside Tree, Hollyeaf tries to convince Tigerstar to leave Riverclan alone. They partly succeed, as Shadowclan warriors are slowly withdrawn from Riverclan camp.

-On one occasion, Hollyleaf overhears Berryheart trying to guilt-trip Sunbeam into abandoning Nightheart. Hearing this slander against Half-Clan families, Hollyleaf gets into a brief fight with Berryheart.

-After Nightheart matures, he believes he was too harsh towards Hollyleaf. So the next time he sees her, he apologises. The black she-cat admits she should give her nephew space and rethink how her reputation could affect her loved ones.

-As Splashtail's tyranny grows, he sees Riverclan's meditator threatening his rule. He accuses Minnowtail of being Frostpaw's conspirator and exiles her. Hollyleaf invites her to shelter in Thunderclan, and the mediators are spurred into action. During the next gathering, the five remind Riverclan that they can vote Splashtail out of power. However, the brown tom cuts the gathering short and takes the kits hostage before a vote can take place.

-The mediators make a final attempt to end everything peacefully. They appear at the Riverclan border and demand that Splashtail appear. Since they may have an important message, he appears with Floatkit in tow. Speaking carefully, Hollyleaf questions what Splashtail's endgame is. He spends every waking moment in paranoia - To sit on a throne where everyone hates him. On top of that, Splashtail is condemning himself to the Dark Forest. Hollyleaf says he will find no happiness in this life. Hollyleaf says he is still young and may still make it to Starclan if he redeems himself - That means stopping all this and surrendering.

-However, Splashtail delusionally declares that he is going to Starclan. As he threatens Floatkit, the mediators are forced to act. As Hollyleaf grabs the kit, Heathertail tackles Splashtail, but she is killed in the process. Her murder is the final straw for the Clans. They invade Riverclan's camp, and Splashtail meets his end.

[goldenflame-au]

idk if you've planned this far, but how do the three come about? any changes to their friend groups/love life?

Don't worry anon, I've got you covered — I'm all the way up to the broken code in plans >:3

The Three in this au are actually FawnHawk (LeafHawk / Leafpool and Hawkfrost) kits!!

There are a few changes here and there, but here's the main points that their heritage change involves:

• Since they aren't Crowfeather's kits, Crowfeather's relevance is mostly erased in this au. Breezepelt still exists, but he isn't related to the three in any way. (Harespring is actually the main Windclan focus here for... reasons... tehee.)

• For Jayfeather, not much changes! He is still blind. He originally is placed to be a Guide's apprentice (a new role that I introduced in this au, currently taken by Snowdrift, who is Snowkit in canon), but actually chooses to become a medicine cat rather than be forced into it like in canon. He is however still barred from being a warrior for that reason, but the med cat position is more voluntary and a reclamation of his own autonomy where the guide position for him takes the place of him being forced to be a medcat here. There's also no time travel shenanigans going on — Half Moon makes her own present day appearance as a follower of Midnight !

• Lionblaze is a Little Stupid. Since the three actually are related to Tigerstar in this au through Hawkfrost, he's trained in the Dark Forest from early on. Especially with his power still being that he can't be hurt — Tigerstar takes a lot of advantage of this. He tries to teach a lot of the things he taught Hawkfrost (mostly bigoted things, like that disabled members of the clan are just extra mouths to feed, that she-cats don't belong in positions of power, etc. Tigerstar here is very much misogynistic and overall just bigoted on everything way more overtly than in canon). And for a while, it works on Lionblaze, until he says something and makes a comment so overtly stupid that Hollyleaf and Jayfeather both talk some sense into him. He grows and learns and changes!

• Hollyleaf is a bit of an interesting case here. Because of Jayfeather's training jumping around, she's allowed to train as a medicine cat for much longer, even being close to receiving her full name when she's booted from the den so Jaypaw can be trained. She's bitter about it, but she understands her brother wanting to choose his own destiny — and she doesn't mind the life of a warrior, anyway. She falls in love with Cinderheart, and this causes a bit of a rift between her and Lionblaze(who likes Cinder aswell), which eventually causes the argument where Lionblaze says something so out of pocket about their relationship that Jay and Holly take him aside. Afterwards though, Lion becomes a lot more understanding and supportive, and a better ally to the both of of them!

• Before their secret is revealed (fire scene - which is also changed a lot), Hollyleaf and Cinderheart want to have kits — and after Lionblaze's change, they ask him to be the surrogate father for their kits. And he agrees happily because he only wants the best for his sister 🥺. But while Cinderheart is expecting, the fire scene happens, and Hollyleaf is presumed dead... so Lionblaze helps Cinderheart raise the kits in Hollyleaf's memory. (In this au, Hollytuft is so spoiled. It's a little ridiculous) They become adjacent to coparents to the kits, and make sure they always know of their late mother Hollyleaf, which makes it a more joyful reunion when Hollyleaf comes back to the clans in oots!!

• Hollyleaf doesn't die in the Great Battle in this AU — she leaves the clans impulsively after its conclusion. (The great battle is also extremely different.. ive yapped too much on this post though. starclan's behaviour in this au is for another time)

• In this au, Jayfeather is transneutral and aroacespec (he/it), Hollyleaf is a futch lesbian (she/her), and Lionblaze is ... cishet ....... umm......

• Additionally for context's sake, Cinderheart is genderfluid and bisexual (she/they) !!

Oh my gosh sorry for yapping so much LOL I'm just really particularly fond of the three in this au 😭😭😭😭💜💜💜 i hope you enjoy hearing about them regardless!!

[saltsongwc]

I HAD A VISION-

Ok so Mudstar gets his lives, he goes and gets them and is blessed ( bc as we established with Spottedstar and Brokenstar, Starclan can't really deny someone their lives unless the current leader is alive, unless you've decided to change around the Nightstar thing bc that doesn't make sense in cannon either bc Sunstar got lives even with Pine alive but I'm rambling- )

The civil war gets pushed back until the first real conflict with Thunderclan ( which means the gathering island isn't discovered/used until then, so gatherings are really just cats being sent to other clans to fill them in on important news ) where Mudstar fatality injured a Thunderclan Warrior ( not sure who would die but we've got so many folder cats just close your eyes and pick ) though even before then, Mudstar was acting aggressive and some clanmates started to worry.

Then boom! After a moon of conspiring, the cats rally around the Civil War leader ( Ashfoot bc I love her and I believe she and Tallstar were close due to Deadfoot being deputy for awhile but you can choose another ) to dipose of Mudstar. This was supposed to be bloodless, but Mudstar ordered the rest of the clan to attack the traitors. Battle ensued, someone runs to Thunderclan for aid, and the fighting reaches its peak in the exact same spot as it does in cannon, except it's Mudstar vs Ashfoot.

Mudstar screams that it was Starclan who chose him, not his clanmates, and it will be Starclan that chooses if he steps down. He is promptly crushed by a tree, and many interpret that as a sign that Ashfoot was chosen by Starclan to lead over Mudstar ( whether that's true or not is up to interpretation )

I also think that this is what should've caused a change in code ( the new code has changed so leaders can be deposed if they are unfit ) like the " leaders word is the warrior code " should've been taken out here, and maybe instead of the leaders deciding to add that they can be deposed, it's the Warriors who demand it, and the leaders add it out of fear of another bloody civil war.

Of course a lot changes, Hawkfrost and RiverClan is no longer on Mudstar's side ( bc why would Mudstar, famous hater of everything but WindClan, work with and promise a deputy position to a random RiverClan tom? ) and the civil war is this slow build up instead of this sudden attack, with every action Mudstar takes adding fuel to the already burning fire.

Hell, I even think having Windclan cats who are against Ashstar and who think the civil war was plotted by Thunderclan could be a fun thing to explore. Plus I think having Ashstar as the leader makes other arcs and plots make a lot more sense ( Crowfeather is not exiled for blatantly breaking the code by running off with Leafpool bc his mom is the leader, Breezepelt isn't prosecuted for training in the dark forest bc that's Ashstar's grand baby, and none of those actions make sense if it's Onestar or Mudstar )

Anyways, thank you for coming to my Ted Talk ( yes it is Ted Talk anon, I'm glad you liked TigerNightstar ;) )

CURSES! MY NEMESIS THE TED TALKING ANON! YOU HAVE DEFEATED ME WITH YOUR BRILLIANT IDEAS ONCE AGAIN!

This is delicious, there is no better way I could improve this, there is somethign raw about this I can't place why but having it be Ashfoot makes me emotional. There is a build up of tensions among the clans before they get to the gathering island. There is nepotism, there is an acceptance of the errors of the Warrior Code much earlier and also a distaste for Thunderclan even if they aided in the civil war (because Ashstar is angry that they believe she's just pawn, she's not, she's angry that they think this was a ploy by Firestar and not her, that it wasn't her who saw the blood that would come and it's not her fighting for Windclan).

I wonder if she even thought of Crowfeather as her deputy but the betrayal by his affair would break her trust in him, even she doesn't exile him she still won't trust him (I'm not 100% if i'm moving with Crowfeather also being the three's dad or changing it but if I do this is extra drama (Firestar and Ashstar bonding over it lmao-)

I wonder if Windclan changes it's politics as well, if Ashstar decides it's not just Starclan that chooses but her clan as well, and instate that, at least for Windclan, deputyship and leadership is a position that must be approved not just by the stars but by the clan as well.

Delicious, everyone say thank you Ted Talking Anon

[exocynraku]

Okay listen, who’s your LEAST favorite warrior cat? Give me the Ted Talk on why they’re the Worst please

a lot of the characters i dislike i dislike because they had a GREAT concept and it was executed BAD or in a way i didn't like. specifically, i'll highlight lionblaze. he's probably not my LEAST favourite of all time but he's one i very much dislike I believe more could have been done with his power & the fact he trained in the dark forest. that is the sole reason i dislike him. is because so little was done with that. What I would've liked is seeing his time in the dark forest change him as a person and thru tigerclaw & hawkfrost's will have him kill more people both in the dark forest (he only killed shredtail) and outside of the dark forest (he only killed russetfur and harestar). He would have had to sit with these deaths and understand that his ability is both a blessing and a curse. He may be destined to fight during the great battle using his ability to prevent the fall of the clans but what point would it make it so many innocent need to die from him in the process? he should shut himself off cast himself away and become a shell of who he was. He would've had to sit with the fact that the sole purpose of his existence as one of the three was to hurt others. that is his power. to physically harm others and to mentally scar the ones who lives and the family & friends of those he has killed.

That is why starclan chose for lion's roar to be reborn. this is why he could not have spent his days as the person he used to be. He has killed people and that is what he has to live with. But at the same time, his views on the world changed during his time in the dark forest. There is life after death. What point is there in fearing death if you know there is something afterwards? When there is life after death, death is an escape. Similarly, his knowledge of starclan has changed his views. How could the cats he's killed hold a grudge to him if starclan is so wonderful? so grand, so powerful. you can see those who you know who've passed on and learn the stories of those long forgotten. In his world, death is new life. When you die and join the ranks of starclan, you are just a measly speck of thousands of warriors who've come and gone. Death is an opportunity to live a new life. So what do those who he has killed have to fear? have to be mad at him for? they may lose those who are still alive, but they will join them eventually. but, there are no answers to these questions. they are subjective, grand and have no definitive answer. the answers he decides on will be entirely different than the people's around hims. and this is what he is going to have to live with. his life is rhetorical. His powers had meaning, but after the great battle he loses that. so who is he? well, he is cat who is loud and brash. quick to make an a opinion and unafraid to speak his opinion on another person. he is a cog in the machine of clan life, hunting, sleeping, mating, mentoring, it's the same every day now. someone else is chosen for prophecy. the purpose for his existence is gone now. he's just someone who exists. someone who does things, but doesn't exactly understand why. he yells at others and scowls at them, he sits on the sidelines watching cats like bristlefrost, rootspring, shadowsight, twigbranch, violetshine, and frostpaw as their lives move on. they are similar to him, not exact, in a way that starclan is watching them more than they are watching the rest of the clans. he wants that attention, he wants that feeling again. he is jealous of them. he goes about his days after the great battle as someone who has been scarred from his time alive. he is rude and loud, menacing, his physical scars a remnant of the person he used to be- the person who was destined for greatness. the scars he has now are twisted, a scourge on his skin as they show the person he has become as he has lost purpose. he has thousands of questions, and hundreds of thousands of subjective answers. no one is there to answer them. the life he has lived is one he will have to life with until he dies. that is the cat i wished for lionblaze to be. while he has his powers, he doesn't understand the morality around why he has them and how they shape him as a person, but after he loses them he doesn't how to continue living without a purpose. he knows nothing of the world and nothing of himself, but he KNOWS that, and he sits with that. these concepts, these ideas, the answers to his questions he has come up with sit inside him and fester, showing themselves to the world every time he yells at one of his friends and hurts someone during battle. he is an angry man. he is an angry man who hurts other people not out of malice but out of yearning for meaning. that is what i want out of lionblaze's character. but, that's not what they did with him, and that's why i dislike him.

[bloodfun2585]

idk why but i cant stop thinking of warrior cats au's i know my ideas for au's are kind of boring & bland but heres my au ideas anyways (possible spoilers below):

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1:an au where half clan relationships & kits aint forbidden or considered wrong (mosskit would live i imagine her name would be mossfur or mossfrost & leafpool & crowfeather would be able to keep hollyleaf lionblaze & jayfeather) & medicine cats can have mates & kits & cats can visit other clans & stay in or switch clans for a while or permanently

2:an au where every cat that dies lives (except for the ones that died of old age)

3:an au where hollyleaf keeps the fox as a pet

4:an au where spirits cant die

5:an au where all of firestars family members that aint in the clans join thunderclan & smudge & oliver join too

6:an au where hollyleaf is the 3rd prophecy cat & not dovewing

7:an au where sol joins windclan

8:an au where squirrelflight is deputy way before she does in canon so brambleclaw (bramblestar) never becomes deputy he stays a warrior & she becomes squirrelstar waaaayyyyy earlier then she did in canon

9:an au where mapleshades kits live her & the kits dont get exiled & she dont kill frecklewish ravenwing or appledusk & doesn't go to the dark forest

10:an au where jayfeather isnt forced to be a medicine cat & chooses to be one instead or chooses to be a warrior im not sure yet

11:an au where ravenpaw stays in thunderclan (& perhaps maybe barley even joins thunderclan too!)

12:an au where leopardstar doesn't let tigerstar kill stonefur & try to kill

13:an au where needletail doesn't die & her & rain get together in this au he joins shadowclan with her

14:an au where bristlefrost doesn't die & has the kits she had visions of with rootspring

15:an au where firestar knows he has half siblings (scourge socks & ruby)

16:an au where bramblestar tawnypelt mothwing hawkfrost swiftpaw & tadpole know they're half siblings (brambleclaw & tawnypelt is tigerstar & tawnypelt is tigerstar 1 & goldenflowers kits swiftpaw is goldenflower & patchpelts kits & hawkfrost mothwing & tadpole is tigerstar 1's & sasha's kits)

17:an au where the crash bandicoot characters & games is warrior cats instead

these can be all mixed together in one universe though if y'all like (minus the crash bandicoot one lol) because i do some of these are just comfort au's for me tbh

[kuramirocket]

@devotion-that-corrupts Okay, so I just finished reading Fading Echoes (2nd book in Omen of the Stars) and I am just screaming.

I know that Firestar does die for good later since I accidently spoiled myself a while back and I'm like, oh no, how many times does that make that he died?? I'm pretty sure, he's on his last life now and I'm just here like noooooo. Not Firestar cause I love him and he was always my fave in The Prophecies Begin arc 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

Okay, so Ivypaw. Wow. Do I have a lot of mixed feelings about her. On one hand I feel annoyance towards her because she let herself become so jealous of Dovepaw. Like yeah, Firestar started talking to her a lot, Lionblaze put extra emphasis on her training and she was chosen for the journey about the beavers, but we know that's none of Dovepaw's fault. I mean, she is special because of the prophecy. Obviously, Ivypaw doesn't know that, but she didn't have to be so cold and distant towards her sister, you know? Dovepaw was never mean to her. And I know it did seem to hurt Ivypaw, not just the particular attention on Dovepaw, but also her sister keeping things from her.

So, I think what I find mostly annoying is that Ivypaw was so jealous of Dovepaw to the point of letting that create a wedge between them when they had previously been so close. Like yeah, I get her hurt feelings and jealousy, I really do, but that's your sister 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

Meanwhile, on the other hand, I also understand that Hawkfrost used her feelings and the situation to manipulate her and foster more resentment towards Dovepaw, while also pretty much giving her the attention and validation she wanted so much. It made Ivypaw feel noticed and strong, to have something that Dovepaw didn't. In this sense, I kind of feel bad for Ivypaw because she got played so hard.

And yet, she had also heard nursery tales about Tigerstar and still went along with what he and Hawkfrost said??? Like yes, she hadn't been born yet and doesn't know at all the full details, but again just Ivypaw girl. She's killing me here 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

AND then there's Lionblaze, Jayfeather and Dovepaw. They knew that the Dark Forest cats were recruiting clan cats to fight for them. How did it not occur to any of them that Ivypaw's dream was sus auagquwihwjqjwjjaka I mean, we the audience know because we have seen it play out, but I mean ahuqjquqiqhqiqiqoqikq I feel like if they had just thought for a moment maybe, just maybe they would have realized. They were also aware that Thunderclan cats could very well be recruited, afterall. Sure, Ivypaw is Dovepaw's sister and they trust her, but she also has no connection to Starclan, so like Lionblaze realized in the final chapter, why would they reach out to her and not the three?

Not to mention, I also don't know why they didn't tell Firestar from the get go what the Dark Forest was planning. Even if it was just the three of them and Firestar that knew, they could have been better prepared in case anything happened.

I was also surprised that Firestar even listened to Ivypaw. I feel like normally Firestar is more smart and careful than that. And I also thought the same thing Lionblaze later realized - it's about to be leafbare why would Firestar risk injuries at such a critical time, including Shadowclan?? Like Ivypaw's supposed dream just makes no sense once you scrutinize it. Poor Shadowclan gets such a bad rep aiahakajmawhwkmamkama

Yeah, Ivypaw is Dovepaw's sister and that's part of why they trust her but she's also not one of the three like I was saying. Sucks to say, but it's just how it is eusiwhwuuwuwiwuiwiq I think after this whole time Starclan won't appear to anyone regarding important messages. Though, I also suppose the clan cats won't necessarily know who is special/chosen or not, especially if they think this was a message from Starclan themselves. Ahhh

Idk, but this book seemed just like a series of very bad decisions lol

Anyways, since I am reading the books in publication order, I'm going to read the field guide - Battles of the Clans next, then Super Edition #3 - Skyclan's Destiny, then the conclusion to Ravenpaw's Path and then finally continue with Omen of the Stars xD

[blimbo-buddy]

If you had your way with arcs: who would you have as the single pov character for them?

See, I think that some arcs could benefit from bigger casts, such as TNP. But that's only if they actually stuck with the idea of multiple povs from different clans and wrote it actually good. Though I can still give my own choices of protagonists from each arc, if I was given the chance to.

These are just rough ideas so not everything is gonna stick, y'know. Dunno if this will all be apart of a rewrite so don't take this as a solid idea of my rewrite

The Prophecies Begin

Main pov: FireStar

This one has the least amount of changes done to it. I feel like FireStar being the main pov, the main protagonist is what works best for this arc. I'd really go into detail about how alone he feels in this new world he chose for himself, make it seem like that everything and everyone is working against him because of his heritage. All building up to his victory in the battle against Bloodclan, where he loses all of his freedom, his humanity, and finally becomes the leader of Thunderclan. It's horrible, tragic, beautiful.

The New Prophecy

Main pov(s): BrambleClaw, SquirrelFlight, CrowFeather, TawnyPelt, FeatherTail, StormFur, LeafPool

I'd probably go the first arc of Wings of Fire route for TNP, each book is from the pov of a different protagonist. As much as we've all dread the idea of CrowFeather having a book, we still got a super edition of him (Which, in this version would go to BreezePelt). I don't know which books would be about which characters though, but BrambleClaw and SquirrelFlight will probably share the Thunderclan book together, or I might switch that to SquirrelFlight and LeafPool sharing the Thunderclan book. HawkFrost and MothWing would fill the roles as the major supporting cast for sure.

The Power of Three

Main pov(s): LionBlaze, HollyLeaf, JayFeather

Also generally stays the same, it's called the power of three. Characters like CinderHeart, FlameTail (Who is far, far younger in this version), HeatherTail and BreezePelt would have more of a presence in the books, filling in the role of major supporting characters. Not much to say here honestly.

Omen of the Stars

Main pov(s): LionBlaze, JayFeather, DoveWing, IvyPool

Excluding HollyLeaf from the main cast because she would show up generally around the same time as she does in the books (Maybe earlier though). She does, however, fill the role as a major supporting character. Some of the other major supporting characters: TigerHeart, HollowFlight, CinderHeart, BreezePelt, HeatherTail

Dawn of the Clans

Main pov(s): GreyWing, TurtleTail, Thunder, TallShadow, probably some other cats

Okay this is where it's becoming obvious that I'm making this up from the top of my head. I got no real explanation for my choices I hope these characters all die (Except TurtleTail, Thunder, and TallShadow)

A Vision of Shadows

Main pov(s): SparkPelt, TwigBranch, VioletShine, someone else I dunno

So here's the thing: I want AlderHeart and NeedleTail to still be super involved with the plot, so they might become major supporting characters. But I'm struggling with the choices of making them povs or major supporting characters. But AlderHeart and NeedleTail would fall into different roles, especially AlderHeart, who would become apart of The Kin. That's all I got though I really don't care for this arc, just some of the characters, can you guys tell I want to get to TBC already.

The Broken Code

Main pov: ShadowSight

Yep, BristleFrost and RootSpring have now been slapped down to the major supporting character rank, joining this rank with NeedleClaw. Same thought process with FireStar being the only pov, I want to make ShadowSight seem alone, even if he has the support of his family, he doesn't even have the trust of his Clan, even his mentor flinches whenever he moves a little too fast or aggressively. Although I really want BristleFrost and RootSpring to be povs, I really do and I have no idea what route I want to go for. But I feel like if I had the choice, making ShadowSight the only pov really adds onto the hopelessness of the situation that he himself had caused because of heavy manipulation by an angel.

A Starless Clan

Main pov: FrostPaw

Double whammy with these singular pov characters. I explain my thought process with both her and ShadowSight better in this post, but basically I want her situation of all her support slowly fading away to really have an impact. You read the first book and think "Wow I'm so glad FrostPaw has all of her support from her family, mentor, and Clan!", until the end of the first book and beginning of the second book comes around, and it just hits you in the face like a brick that FrostPaw is going to be in for the worst time of her life

In the supporting cast department, we got: SunBeam, WhistlePaw, ShadowSight, LightLeap, FinchLight, SparkPelt, NightHeart, TigerHeartStar, and DoveWing

[warrior-cats-rewritten]

I'm not trying to be rude, but I feel like you're going way too far to punish Brambleclaw. Thistleclaw, the child groomer, doesn't receive this treatment. I don't understand the point of bringing him back if you're going to portray him as the most evil cat in history. Brambleclaw is buried outside, while most of the evil cats are buried within the clan's territory, which seems very extreme. If you hate him so much, don't include him in a rewrite. It will feel just like what you hate the Erins for, "forcing too much on Brambleclaw." If you dislike a character, don't focus on them. Like Jesus Christ, my friend wasn't wrong, you have a hate boner for this cat. I mean no offense, but it's weird, dude. Real weird.

Why is it that the minute I post bramble facing consequences for actions I get bramblestans in my inbox assuming I hate him? I think what's weird is very clearly trawling the tag to look for posts like mine so you can write an essay. What you should be doing is drawing him with green eyes, it looks good.

Cause if you knew this project, you would know that Thistleclaw isn't a child goomer anymore, technically. He is Ivypaw's Dark Forest mentor (which... is grooming people but not THAT way), as Hawkfrost has a proper arc now and... Doesn't die in Sunset.

I will say one thing though, I did actually forget one thing to mention that you caught! He isn't on Thunderclan's MAIN territory. I mean... what do you call a border that shifts ALL the time? It's the Thunder-Shadow Niagara Falls.

It's where Tawnypelt is going to be buried! Under a pine tree. (It's also close to a lungwort patch Rowanstar is the protector of, territories NEED landmarks)

Also.... I don't truly hate him hate him! Sure, he sucks but he isn't real. And as a character? Dude, he's FUN. He's a self fulfilling Prophecy, he has good moments, in WCR, he is still a POV during TNP and is buddies with Cinderpelt. He's canonically a giant PUFFBALL of an animal and I've never been against adding your own pets to Xenofiction! I am also the biggest advocate for the Give Brambleclaw Green Contacts Organization. I'm giving him more moments with his family, and while those relationships get REALLY strained, it's a story. He wouldn't be interesting if he was a cardboard cutout of a cat. I think he's interesting in a way that is both intriguing and frustrating.

He's messy.

He loves his daughter Dandeliontuft, but she's the spitting image of his mother who died right after swearing to never speak to him again, and Dandy is nearly mute... It's hard to think about. Abusers are not unfathomable monsters with no redeeming qualities. He still cried when he thought Lionpaw was buried alive.

He does show up to Starclan, but when he sees the smoldering scorched earth, it's a clear message. He wasn't welcome, and he will not be staying. It's not like the actual literal groomer Stormtail, who got poisoned repeatedly, had all of his relationships ruined, and chased out of Starclan every night by a living and dead Goosefeather until his spirit eroded due to his refusal to move on. Tom got eaten alive and his spirit consumed by One Eye.

He's a ghost now. He's gonna have a long, long time to reflect on what he's done. How badly he did hurt others. He's been around too long, and his generation needs to be done away with. I think he'll find peace wandering the land, being a cat ghost.

He's not an evil cat, he's just stubborn. Stuck in the way he was taught to be by the Clans.

[bonefall]

mmm would it be possible for Mistystar and Leopardstar to fight/met during the BOTTE? or was Leopard already fed up with Tigerstar, his batshit insane plans and her status reduced to 'Tiger's another lackey' (like Darkstripe and many others) to really care about revenge? if she ever thought about it, that is.. im assuming she would be pretty pissed about being killed (there was a post about Mistyfoot first trying to poison her and Leopard realized it and instead decided to take her on a solo patrol to.. deal with a rogue i think? and then Misty gave her a rock appointment) and might had thought about making Mistystar pay, but it's been soooo long before BOTTE that she might had.. moved on? or just decided she had better things to do, not sure.

I have a BIG rule for the BOTTE, an unmoveable object, which I will abide by like a solemn vow;

NO spirit will be killed by the same cat twice.

I already changed it so Yellowfang doesn't get Brokenstar (he's not even present) and Brambleclaw doesn't get Hawkfrost, so I certainly wouldn't have Mistystar do it to Leopardstar!

I have some ideas but first; context.

The Killing of Leopardstar

Mistyfoot was sloppy.

Leopardstar recognized the way that Mistyfoot had poisoned her food, because she'd done the same thing to Crookedstar before her. Not enough to make it quick, just enough to weaken.

The emotion that licks at her is frustration.

Is this what her life has come to? Dramatic irony? Is this some kind of cosmic joke? To die just like her predecessor, wasting away for a few seasons in the darkness of this musty den, before solemn mourning and empty platitudes from her underhanded murderer.

What should she even do about this? Reveal Mistyfoot in front of everyone, exile her, she plots against her from the safety of another Clan, some kind of rebellion, rah rah rah we just dealt with this.

It's boring. It's so boring it's offensive. This will be the state of RiverClan forever, deputies poisoning leaders and taking power quietly until the end of days. No honor, no nobility, just treachery until the sky dries up and its rich blue becomes a crackled pale-brown.

If she is to die, she will not go out in the slow and painful way she killed crookedstar without a fight.

So she smacks the limp fish aside and brushes past Mistyfoot with a snarl, not even caring enough to drink in the way her traitorous deputy's ears flushed pale, knowing she'd been caught.

Leopardstar calls for a rushed meeting, telling them all that there's actually 40 - 50 feral rogues on the border right now and she saw them all last night or something, so she's taking Mistyfoot to go confront them right now. Don't follow us.

(Something that the more astute members of the Clan immediately recognize as Leopardstar setting up cover for a death match, including Misty's brother Swansong. She snaps at him when he runs to stop her, Don't Follow.)

Once they're a fair distance away, at the southern delta that divides WindClan and RiverClan, where the cliffs will hide them and the wet stones will not catch the scent (and where Reedwhisker will die, someday), Leopardstar lays it out.

No more tricks. No more schemes. If one of them is to die, it will be with honor.

"You want my lives?"

(Boss music fades in. Misty sees the health bar appear lmao)

"Come and take them."

After she came and took them

Leopardstar is kind of obsessed with the final battle of her life. That fight was everything she hoped for, except that she didn't win.

She wants it again, and she will triumph this time.

Hawkfrost is easily able to twist it into, "You lost only because StarClan shone upon her with that stone. It wasn't real skill. Join our cause and we can get you that rematch, we will defeat Mistystar, win back RiverClan, and dethrone the Stars!" But at the end of the day, it's an excuse.

Same sort of excuse Leopardstar came up with when she believed she wanted an honorable battle, rejecting the guilt and fear that clawed at her to think about dying the way Crookedstar did.

She does this a lot. Dodging feelings of remorse or regret by substituting power fantasies, avoiding any hard lessons. She says she wants revenge, but what she's actually doing is avoiding taking an L. Shame is a vagrant in Leopardstar's heart; she will never let it stay for long.

But...

That's really hard to do when Tigerstar is actively using her and speaking over her in every interaction. Being here, in the Dark Forest, taking the SAME advice she once groomed into Hawkfrost to only look at the positives of Tigerstar's legacy and ignore atrocities, is embarassing.

It's HUMILIATING.

She had her starshine BASHED out of her with a rock and went to the hell she'd been downplaying since she "regrettably" tore down the Bonehill. Being Tigerstar's stooge. Reducing the proud, ferocious leader of RiverClan into a goon.

Towards the end, she will have a scene with Hawkfrost, proud warriors that they are as mentor and apprentice, and vaguely address this. As far as Leopardstar's ego will allow, of course... the shame of it.

It's an important moment, because it's as much about Leopardstar and Hawkfrost as it is about Hawkfrost and Ivypool.

Leopard is too set in her ways to change, even if she is capable of brief glimpses of self-reflection, of which this is one. Hawkfrost, however, is seeing his mentor and himself in a different light. How she'll let herself be humiliated over and over as long as she can cling to her ego... and how by doing Tigerstar's diplomacy work, Hawkfrost is doing the same.

And he's dragged his OWN apprentice into it, too. She accidentally double-killed her friend, Antpelt, but he killed him more by bringing all of these trainees here to begin with. How Ivypool gets pitted against Tigerheart because TigerSTAR is playing mind games, how it's destroying her bond with her sister, how much fun and joy in the Dark Forest he's missing out on by not giving the afterLIFE a chance...

How much he's thrown away for this, before and after his death.

I'm not sure yet if it's the LAST stop before the BOTTE, but it's close to the end of Hawkfrost's redemption arc. Recognition of self through the other. He is part of a cycle he has a choice to break.

But anyway... back to Leopardstar.

She wants to fight Mistystar, but I don't think I'll let her have that satisfaction. She has already gotten nearly everything she ever asked for and can't even acknowledge that she did.

I think it's most fitting for SWANSONG to finally get what he craves; a chance to take a burden off his sister.

Leopardstar allowed TigerClan to STRIP his brotherhood from her because they don't share blood. Forced him to pretend like Rippleclaw meant anything to him, as if Oakheart hadn't been his proud baba as long as he could remember. Stonefur, Mistyfoot, and Swansong are the kits of Graypool; and he's not gonna let this golden FART ignore that ever again.

So my idea is that when Leopardstar meets Mistyfoot in the Second Wave of the BOTTE, she pounces onto her for her rematch, but Swansong BURSTS out of the crowd in response and rips her off, allowing Mistystar to go back to defending their Clanmates

"I don't want YOU," Leopardstar spits, "My battle is with Mistystar!"

"Tough titfeathers! It's MY turn to get a hit in for Stonefur!" He bristles with equal parts fury and excitement, lunging towards a fight he's dreamed of for years.

Still subject to change, though! And I'm not sure if Swansong dies here, or in the 3rd Wave, or if maybe he succumbs to injuries after the BOTTE is over.

It would also be fitting if he got a whack on Mapleshade though... since Maple doesn't even consider him Applekin and won't curse him. It would be neat for him to get angry about that lmao. "What do you MEAN my siblings are haunted by a demon? But NOT ME?? What ELSE am I getting left out of???"

EDIT: I'm currently planning to kill him in the 2nd Wave

[moppything]

thinking about my power of 5 au again, hollyleaf is the sibling of breezepelt and daughter of nightcloud and crowstorm (crowfeathers name in my au since stormfur died instead of feathertail) and resides in windclan. even though hollyleaf is apart of the prophecy (maybe she doesn't know it?) she feels like she's treated lesser than breezepelt (I may remove breezepelts dark forest arc, either that or she misunderstands their fathers negligence of breezepelt) perhaps crowstorm knows that hollyleaf is a prophecy cat and tries to protect her at all costs without actually telling her that. he forces her into becoming a healer because he thinks it'll keep her safer, and is very controlling over everything she does as he's scared she'll get hurt or die, whereas it's the opposite for breezepelt, he doesn't care if breezepelt joins battles or risks his life since he's just a normal cat.

hollyleaf isnt very good at being a healer, plus she has zero connection to starclan. she is jealous of how casual her father is about breezepelts will for battle, as she gets no freedom whatsoever. she isn't super interested in fighting like breezepelt is, but she desperately wants to make her own decisions and serve her clan in the way that she sees fit.

at some point, hollyleaf managed to leave the camp alone without crowstorm or any other cats watching over her. she comes across mudclaw outside of the territory, who is revealed to have survived the rebellion that he was involved in a while back, he fled the clans and had been living outside the territories since then. hollyleaf befriends mudclaw and visits him at every opportunity she gets. mudclaw is very genuine with her, he's still aware that he shouldn't have been demoted so suddenly by tallstar, but recognizes his mistake in letting hawkfrost trick him into starting the rebellion. after finding this out, however, hollyleaf is blindsided by her anger with windclan and her high respect for the warrior code. she turns against her clan on behalf of mudclaw, believing windclan to be extremely flawed.

I'm not yet sure what happens next, but hollyleaf becomes a villain similar to in canon where she kills ashfur and threatens leafpool. maybe she kills onestar and takes over the clan? or kills crowstorm or breezepelt?

[warriors-ideas]

Ain't no crying — Derviakat —— Battle Map. (Basically all of the most important battles during the chorus, and some less important, but still significant (like the battle which ended Oakheart's and Redtail's life) during the in-between.)

Interlude IV (showtime) map — by "A picture perfect Hollywood Heartbreak" —— Ashfur and Hawkfrost AU (Ashfur gets their way before Bramblestar, and he has regrets about killing Firestar.)

Trust me map — by CK9C —— Ashfur and Shadowsight (Ashfur is Baby, and Shadowsight doesn't talk, just runs, in Ashfur's perspective.)

The day that you die (AU?) map— by Random Encounters —— Ashfur and Shadowsight(paw) map. (Ashfur fails to get inside Bramblestar's body, so now Ashfur is trying to kill Shadowpaw, because he's angry.)

—Kinship Anon

🐾🐾

[the-owl-tree]

Legitimately I think that crowfeather needs to go out mudclaw or hawkfrost style. Either he needs ro be crushed no burial possible or killed by someone in his family. Tbh I think breezepelt deserves a little patricide. As a treat. Nightcloud and Squilf should help. Then they should get together

that's too cool for him. i want him to die offscreen pathetically of greencough be mentioned once at a gathering and then every other time it's so breeze and night can reflect on what a shitty guy he was. he doesn't even get to die in a super edition appearance, that's too good for him.

[everybody-loves-purdy]

I think lionblaze act bad towards shadowsight because he get his 2 biological kids that is basically snaptooth & flywhisker left him and his family, others clanmates and him get abused by ashfur during his apprenticeship with him and his mother nearly die. And also his biological father couldn't take care of him since he in different clan, and his biological sister (hollyleaf) died getting killed by hawkfrost. And him get offered to train in the dark forest by tigerstar, dovewing left thunderclan to be with tigerheart. And him loses his powers and his adoptive father get possesed by his ex mentor and his adoptive mother almost get assault and him having to fight his step father body. My man went through so much bad luck but that doesn't justify what he did to shadowsight ngl.

Yeah he went through so much and has always had anger issues so even though it is highly unfair to Shadowsight I can see how Shadowsight was the one that Lionblaze took out all his pent up anger on