#my grandmother was born

[bl0rbohandbag]

Malleus on his way to tell his grandmother the next queen of Briar Valley is going to be a magicless human from another world that just showed up at NRC one day and if he doesn't marry them there will be NO EGG and the Draconia bloodline ends with him

[fearsomeandwretched]

Just saw somebody say on tiktok the patriarchy is dying out. YOU CANNOT LEGALLY HAVE AN ABORTION IN HALF THE COUNTRY

[bonefall]

what’s up with BB! Puddleshine? been having thoughts about him recently lol. i find it funny that rowanstar grabbed this random child from the nursery and was like ‘bam here’s our brand new doctor and spiritual leader everyone’

(*shaking twelve year old in the background*)

You know what's pretty cool about AVoS, buried underneath the slog of it all? The thing I keep going back to about this arc, in spite of how annoying it is to be forced to say in ThunderClan as everything interesting happens off-screen?

The way that so, so many young warriors are horrifically traumatized by both the structure of the Clans, and the Kin that they turn to.

It's a shame that the Erins were so committed to the idea of the Clan social structure NOT being the problem, because this whole arc is a perfect time to show how flawed it structurally is. LET these kids have a point, that maybe they were rebelling against something broken, but Darktail was a malicious actor who exploited their naivety to serve HIS ends.

A recap of what's happening in BB!AvoS before I explain my intentions with the Puddy Boy;

The big problem that I want Rowanstar to display is a problem that ALL the leaders of this time period also have. Commitment to Clan rivalry.

After Firestar was killed in AVoS by Dark Forest warriors, Bramblestar considers diplomacy secondary as a tactic. "ThunderClan will not be bullied any longer. We have been too soft with the other Clans for too long; and they have humiliated us by taking advantage of our kindness." (Note: Harespring and Breezepelt being part of the assassination patrol is not revealed until TBC. For MAXIMUM drama reveal.)

He escalated a border dispute that Firestar had worked closely and intimately with ShadowClan to resolve; a fight for a knoutberry patch on their border, just before Winter.

After Russetfur died in this painful battle, Blackstar backslid hard from his redemption arc. This caused the Thunder/Shadow alliance to dissolve towards the end of OotS, ending a friendship between the two Clans that had lasted through all of Po3.

He was open to Sol's manipulation, and while Tawnypelt was trying to fight the Dark Forest trainees who took over ShadowClan in the meantime... Rowanclaw became deputy by organizing a patrol of cats to remind Blackstar how much he means to them.

So Rowanstar inherits the Clan with this in mind. ShadowClan solves SHADOWCLAN'S problems. "ThunderClan had a quarrel with WindClan, but decided that we were their enemy. Leaving ourselves open for betrayal was a mistake; if we cannot handle our own problems, we will inevitably succumb to them when our so-called 'allies' don't come to help." (Note: he isn't completely wrong. His words are borderline prophetic for what's about to happen.)

Onestar has a smug chuckle at this. Since taking leadership, he's been appealing to the strongest, hardest members of his Clan. Those who once tried to kill him for his "weakness" in the Civil War. The "lesson" ShadowClan learned is one that he's known since the day Onewhisker died and Onestar was born, on the night of that sabotaged muirburn. "That so-called peace was always a farce. We are warriors of the four Clans; it was always going to come down to honor, and putting ourselves first. My WindClan isn't foolish enough to pretend like ThunderClan ever acted in anything but their own, hidden self-interest."

And Mistystar respects the direction Bramblestar has taken his Clan in, and approves of the "honesty" that the Clans are now showing. "As the branches of the honeysuckle fight and win the light for themselves, sometimes there are beautiful flowers that die in the shade. We can mourn the end of an era, and prepare for a future that will be made all the sweeter for our shared struggle. This is the way of the Clans, and StarClan's solemn light shines upon us all." (Note: god I love writing Misty's speeches)

In the family tree reworkings, Rowanstar is now the brother of Littlecloud. Sons of Brokenstar, honor-sired for Newtspeck.

Littlecloud... is suffering from early onset Alzheimer's.

He didn't want to choose an apprentice after Flametail's horrible death, heartbroken and stressed out, especially when he couldn't reach his nephew through contact with StarClan.

He can't remember, anymore, that Flametail was freed. He keeps forgetting this, over and over

He keeps ending up in different times of his life, where he's best friends with Cinderpelt and still calling Leafpool by her pre-Honor Title name, where he's inventing a mobility device for Wildfur, where he's still escaping the plague and before he knew his mentor caused it, where he's on the Great Journey...

Rowanstar is in a lot of pain, watching his brother forget so many things, scared and confused half the time. He doesn't want to believe that this is really the end, or that... many of these cats are now so young they can't recognize the various eras that Littlecloud is finding himself in.

Puddleshine and Slatefur are going to remain in Pinenose's litter. Either Lion or Birch MIGHT get shuffled to another one; and ALSO the shuffler might survive the Kin. (SO voice which one you want to survive, if you have a preference!)

SO, Violetshine has either two or three adopted siblings... plus another.

Pinenose's oldest surviving child is Happypaw. Happy is the half-sibling of Puddle/Slate-- the death of Weaselkit in the Great Battle caused his parents (Pinenose and Owlclaw) to break up.

(this is why I'm thinking about just reducing the litter to Puddle/Slate, so Violet has three major adoption-siblings to remember instead of four.)

And now we're ready to talk about Puddleshine.

He isn't the first young cat to be shoved into an extremely high-pressure position because of a Cleric becoming incapacitated. Kestrelflight was also forced to become the holy speaker of his people when he was far, far too young, after Barkface died in TNP. He dealt with this obediently, with only Jayfeather ever really being able to get him to think about it in a different light.

Unlike Kestrel, Puddlekit did voice that he was interested in becoming a Cleric, in BB. But he was too young to be properly making that choice, to know what he was getting into. He mentioned it practically offhandedly, and BOOM Rowanstar had rolled him into the position.

But Puddlepaw has a deep sense of responsibility. "Wise beyond his years"-- likely because of how tumultuous his home life was.

His mother's oldest child, Happypaw, was openly a bully of his half-siblings. Pinenose distanced herself from him as a result, causing Happy to be closer to Owlclaw, who was still not over Weaselkit's death.

But Puddle's Ba Spikefur is not a cat who handles his kit's emotions well. Instead, he encourages ambition, tells him to get back at his half-sibling by being more influential than that twerp could ever be.

Puddle will often go to Violet, the new POV, to vent about these things.

And one thing he mentions to her is how amazing Kestrelflight is, when he gets to meet him at the half-moon conferences. He learns SO MUCH from him, it's like he GETS what he's going through...

Puddle doesn't even feel sure that Littlecloud knows what he's doing anymore. If he's learning the right information at all.

But Rowanstar won't DO anything about Littlecloud-- and he CERTAINLY isn't about to let Puddlepaw go train under someone else's Cleric.

As a result of this, Puddlepaw becomes a VERY important member of Sleekpaw's little group. He wasn't one of their friends to begin with, buuuuut...

When he sits to chat with Sleekpaw and Needlepaw, with Happypaw good and far out of earshot, she makes a lot of sense.

A LOT of it.

ShadowClan is run by old men who don't know what they're doing. Rowanstar is too emotional to make good choices. Puddlepaw, barely even old enough to begin apprenticeship, is running all the medicine for an entire Clan.

And, sure, he doesn't have much in the way of a connection to StarClan, no, just a little more spiritual than the average cat...

But who can point this out? If Littlecloud is slowly losing his mind anyway?

"It's not right, how much pressure's on you," Sleekpaw growls, "And it wouldn't be this way if we could challenge Rowanstar. You should be training with Kestrelflight right now."

"But we're dealing with the shells StarClan dealt, and the Clan is looking to you now," Needlepaw points out on behalf of her friend, "You have much more sway than you know."

This time around for BB, Sleekpaw starts as a young hero. She's right. Rowanstar should be challenged, his emotions are affecting the ENTIRE Clan, and Puddlepaw is in a bad position because of it. Needlepaw is like her best diplomat, surely to become her deputy someday.

They would have made an excellent set of leaders for ShadowClan. But they trusted the wrong person, and were exploited. When Darktail and The Kin came to the lake, they were swept up by it, and WindClan began an embargo.

Puddlepaw eventually oversees the Yellowcough Outbreak, and at first just thinks it's Greencough. He has no idea about strains, or the special types of Color Cough that Clan cats have historically dealt with. Even when he finally does learn it's not JUST Greencough, he's powerless to do anything about it. A lot of cats die because of the lack of mullein.

After that, with ShadowClan so weak and the Kin so strong... he's one of the cats who calls for the merge. The most important one, in fact, leveraging his position to say that this is StarClan's will.

Sleekwhisker and Needletail were right all along, and he's happy to stick it right into everyone's faces. Onestar's tantrum of an embargo killed his Clanmates, Rowanstar stopped him from properly training, he's been under pressure from the time he was small with Littlecloud not fit to be a mentor, and he's ready to welcome in ShadowClan's new era as something that is not a Clan.

...unfortunately, it turned out to be the wrong choice. Not because his thought process was wrong. But because Darktail had other plans in-mind.

[strongermonster]

just randomly found out the surgeon who did my cholecystectomy years ago died earlier this month?? i think this is the first time someone who has been inside of me has died. weird.

[aceofenderafterdark]

[slasheru]

Hi again everyone! This week is the GENERAL STRIKE IN SUPPORT OF PALESTINE, so there will be no updates/big stuff/etc. Instead, I'd encourage you to support Gaza and its citizens by calling for a ceasefire!

Taking direct action is the best way to help, and you can send letters and emails from your phone or laptop! I'd especially encourage you if you live in the US or the UK.

I can't imagine what life is like in Gaza right now (following along with Bisan and other journalists has been a great way to see the horrors Gazans are dealing with). I'm not Palestinian, but I'm Cantonese, and the literal only reason why I don't live in either of my ethnic home countries right now is because both sets of my ancestors had their home destroyed by fascists during WW2. This is happening during our time, and we can help make sure fascism doesn't ethnically cleanse or destroy or steal people's homes, the land they were fucking born on, the world they built. Free Palestine!

[rosepompadour]

GLORIFYING THE AMERICAN GIRL (1929)

[greaseonmymouth]

weirdest thing about getting older is watching something, seeing an actor in that thing, and looking them up on IMDb expecting to see a birthdate in the 70s because they look like a proper adult but then it turns out they were born in 1988 and are in fact younger than me

[happyvalkyrieofdoom]

tankies on here will act like they’re the most oppressed group on earth but the moment someone says that hey, maybe we shouldn’t worship stalin/lenin/mao etc. they literally start sending death threats to people istg

[kaythefloppa]

Oh yay, we have new lions who we’re all definitely going to make prominent characters of in our fanfics. (Starts typing aggressively)

Here’s the link to the video these guys showed up in for anyone wondering.

[directactionforhope]

Example Submitted Post

No more kids with cancer: Clean up the Santa Susana Field Lab

Video: A Change.org-made feature video explaining the situation and the story of the organization's founder, whose daughter got cancer.

From the organizers:

"Sign to demand that California's EPA and the Dept. of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) enforce the AOC cleanup of the Santa Susana Field Lab and prevent any more children from getting cancer...

My daughter’s childhood was stolen from her, and it haunts me to know her cancer might have been avoidable.

She, like [dozens of other] children, grew up within 20 miles the Santa Susana Field Lab, land which was developed in the 1940s to conduct rocket engine tests and secret nuclear research. In 1959 an uncontained partial meltdown of a sodium reactor caused such a devastating radiation leak that many consider it to be the worst nuclear disaster in U.S. history – and it was completely covered up for years.

Our community has up to 60% higher cancer rates, 20% higher invasive breast cancer rates, and we have the reports to prove it. It is the Department of Toxic Substance Control’s job to clean up this mess. They know our children are sick and dying, but they aren’t taking any meaningful action against those who own the land – Boeing, NASA and the Department of Energy.

The Woolsey Fire, which began on Santa Susana Field Lab, may have exposed millions of people in Southern California to the chemical and radioactive waste from the site, via ash and smoke. It proved once again that we will not be safe until the site is 100% cleaned up."

--

Info

Action Type: Petition

Source organization: Parents Against Santa Susanna Field Laboratory

Where: Southern California, specifically western Los Angeles, the San Fernando Valley, Simi Valley, Thousand Oaks, Chatsworth, and anything between those areas.

In person or virtual: Virtual. You can sign from anywhere, especially in the United States.

Time/date range: Petition started in 2017, ongoing, because Boeing is refusing to comply with the required cleanup plan they signed.

Here's the link again!

Anything else: This nuclear meltdown is the reason my grandfather died young of cancer. It's the reason 6+ members of my family are at lifelong elevated cancer risk, me included.

Everyone who has lived in this region, which includes a large area of Los Angeles, needs elevated levels of cancer screenings, especially for children, yet basically no one knows that.

(More on this here, if you're from any of the cities I listed PLEASE look into this and talk to your doctor about increased cancer screenings asap!)

[breakfastteatime]

Feel free to stick more details in the tags ^_^

[peachiyyy]

my baba’s one and only instagram post is dedicated to his childhood home in Narendra, Dhaka. His caption is a paragraph, written in Bangla of course, about his memories in that home and what it was like growing up there. He ended his caption with, “my childhood home where my mother loved me and sang songs to me!!!!!” I can’t help but shed tears lol I guess all everyone really wants is their mother’s touch and love…even my 60 year old father who has an extremely hard time expressing his emotions. All he wants is to hug his mother again.

[mycotoxin]

I actually have no idea what people do at Church. Do you read the Bible? Pray? I know there’ll be people belting out gospel songs but that could be a black church thing maybe. Why are there black churches?

[iqmmir]

Sometimes i feel so fucked because i seriously don't really belong anywhere and it's just. Wow

[bigeyedchangelingchild]

On today's disability day of mourning, I would like to remind people that the first victims of the nazi regime were disabled people. Disabled people were considered to have "life unworthy of life" and to be "useless eaters." This rhetoric was not left in the '40s; people continue to believe similar things about disabled people and our value, and there are still disabled people murdered around the world by their families or caregivers. Today is a day of mourning, but I would also like to reaffirm that this rhetoric is wrong; we all have value as human beings, regardless of our differences, regardless of our needs, and regardless of our economic output.