#she got saved by Riverclan (originally from Thunderclan) and decided to stay

[thegreatcrowdragon]

Finally found the warrior cats maker I usually use and here’s Quietsong! I wanted to make the stripes darker and the fur lighter, but I couldn't find the right color. You can’t tell from the picture, but her back legs don't work (she got shoved off of a cliff and broke her spine, she now lives in the nursery)

[dreamingblacktabby]

Thistlestar's Reign (Part 1)

AU starts with Thistleclaw finding out the father of Bluefur's kits is Oakheart and announcing it to the whole clan

Bluefur loses respect from the clan(except Thrushpelt and Rosetail) and ends up not being made deputy

Thistleclaw is rejected as deputy at first, the position being given to Adderfang

RiverClan finds out about Bluefur's kits and want them so Bluefur ends up giving up her kits to prevent a war and also for Crookedstar to relinquish the rights to Sunning rocks

One day Adderfang winds up being found dead along ShadowClan territory and Thistleclaw is made deputy

Sunstar dies pretty soon afterwards and Thistlestar becomes the new leader of ThunderClan

Thistlestar launches a war against ShadowClan for the death of Adderfang, the war resulting with casualties on both sides

I haven't decided who Thistlestar's first deputy is but whoever it is dies and Tigerclaw is made the new deputy

One day Thistlestar finds a queen wandering on ThunderClan territory and ends up killing her despite her promising to leave

Featherwhisker and Spottedleaf find the queen's kits and tell Thistlestar ThunderClan needs to take them in which he denies until Featherwhisker points out its against the warrior code to leave kits to suffer, regardless of their origin

Thistlestar relents and allows the kits to be brought to ThunderClan where they are given to Willowpelt to raise alongside her own kit

He names the two kits Lostkit(Firestar) and Softkit(Princess)

Lostkit and Softkit grow up close with the other kits in the nursery and don't understand why some of the older cats hate them so much

When the kits all become apprentices, Dustpaw is apprentices to Tigerclaw, Sandpaw to Whitestorm, Ravenpaw to Darkstripe, Graystripe to Lionheart, Lostpaw to Bluefur, and Softpaw is given to Redtail

Lostpaw has a vision of the forest rotting away from the war between ThunderClan and ShadowClan and tells Spottedleaf about it

One day Lostpaw discovered Yellowfang on ThunderClan territory and tries to get her to leave because he knows she'll be killed if she stays but she doesn't seem to care

A patrol finds the pair and bring them back to camp where Thistlestar decides to keep Yellowfang as a prisoner and question her for information about ShadowClan

He puts Lostpaw in charge of her for being soft on her and then privately pulls Lostpaw aside to tell him to gain Yellowfang's trust so he could gather information from her

Lostpaw does as he's told and tries to learn things from her but she catches on pretty quickly and tries to be cold towards him, finding it hard to do so since Lostpaw is genuinely nice to her

WindClan is still chased out but Thistlestar takes this as a big threat and tells Brokenstar that if even a hair crosses the border between ThunderClan and ShadowClan it will be a fight

Brokenstar accepts the challenge and tells Thistlestar to meet him at the border in a couple days

Thistlestar prepares the clan for the battle, sending Ravenpaw across the border as a spy after he proves himself to be good at sneaking

Lostpaw tells Spottedleaf about his worries and Spottedleaf tells him she had a vision that he was destined to save the clans

Softpaw finds herself craving safety from the coming war and ends up running away to RiverClan

Ravenpaw also doesn't feel safe because of Thistlestar so ends up going off to find WindClan(Thistlestar and the rest of the clan think he was killed while spying)

During the battle between ThunderClan and ShadowClan, Lostpaw manages to take one of Brokenstar's lives by accident when Brokenstar chases him onto the Thunderpath in front of a truck

Thistlestar decides Lostpaw has earned his place in the clan and makes him a warrior alongside Sandstorm and Dustpelt

Lostpaw is renamed Fireheart because he's got a fire in his heart and is no longer lost

During their silent vigil as new warriors, Clawface and Deerfoot sneak into camp to try and steal kits but they get spotted and Thistlestar executes them both

Fireheart realizes the war is far from over and can see the decay of the clans is well on its way

-To Be Continued-

[yuridovewing]

hiii im like 4 years late to this trend by i wanted to do the @10leftau generator because i remembered the blog the other day and i wanted to do it for myself real quick ^^

disclaimer: i cheated with dovewing and briarlight. i really wanted them to live. but they're not staying anyways so i still went for 20 cats on the generator

ThunderClan survivors: Dovewing, Briarlight, Lionblaze, Poppyfrost, Ivypool, Mousewhisker, Purdy, Cinderheart

ShadowClan survivors: Rowanclaw, Sparrowkit, Dewkit, Weaselkit, Stoatpaw, Mistkit, Blackstar, Shrewfoot, Dawnpelt, Scorchfur

WindClan survivors: Harespring, Ashfoot, Heathertail

RiverClan survivors: Willowshine, Hollowflight, Reedwhisker

Notes about certain dynamics under the cut just by glancing at these guys's wiki pages

Inititally, the cats all try to live together, but are sorted into small groups at their new "camp", composed of their original clans of course.

-I'm stealing from the original and having Dovewing there just so she can leave to become a kittypet. she's exhausted of clan life, she just went through major trauma and wishes she had died instead, and is suffocating so much that she just cant do it anymore. she goes off to the twolegplace.

-However, Briarlight joins her! she had also felt suffocated in thunderclan by her mother and antagonized by her sister, ignored by her father and dismissed by her brother, and before she could remedy any of those relationships, they die. Not only that, her best friend, Jayfeather, is dead. The other cats there are Poppyfrost and Cinderheart as well, who she always felt guilty interacting with because Honeyfern died saving her. She likes Purdy, but was always friendly with Dovewing when they were all apprentices, and feels a bit more comfortable with her. She felt suffocated in Thunderclan, no one knew how to help her with her exercises, and dare i say she actually got some nasty comments about her being one of the survivors in this ableist society. So she decides she's sick of this shit. She follows Dovewing to the twolegplace and her new twolegs give her a kitty wheelchair thing :3 also theyre gay

-Ivypool is pissed. She just endured some of the most agonizing trauma of her life and now her sister just walks away from it all? She's not willing to lower herself like her sister suddenly is, and she won't even visit Dovewing when she occasionally sits in her yard. She clings onto that spite because it's the only thing keeping her from falling into her own despair, blaming herself for the battle.

-Cinderheart, Poppyfrost, Lionblaze, and Mousewhisker all become a clique with one another. Lionblaze is the most distant, really only hanging around them through Cinderheart, who he still gets with. All the prophecy cats who live get it BADLY here. Cinder and Poppy are the closest of all, grieving their parents and Poppy's kittens together, and Mousewhisker definitely feels the most guilt, having trained in the dark forest. There's tension, but he's forgiven by the sisters. Lionblaze, not so much.

-Lioncinder babies still happen but ngl i think they're divorced

-Purdy is the one holding ThunderClan together. He's no leader by any means, but he'll let the young survivors cry into his fur if they need it. In "Dovewing's Silence", he apparently gets a line about how the clans shouldn't act like the fallen cats died for nothing, so I imagine he encourages the survivors to honor the fallen and process their grief. He probably gets closest to Ivypool at this point, who he sees is hurting very badly.

-Most of Shadowclan died protecting their nursery. Tigerheart revealed Brokenstar's plan to kill all the kittens to Blackstar, and remembering his reign in the old forest, everyone vowed to protect them as much as they can. Brokenstar's spirit would actually die here instead of in Thunderclan's nursery. Ivytail and her kittens didnt made it, nor did Kinkfur and Pinenose, but the rest of the kits survived. Blackstar was knocked to his last life over this.

-Blackstar tries to be the leader of everyone but this Does Not work. Ashfoot and Reedwhisker also fall into leadership roles, Ashfoot moreso. Lionblaze actually tries to be a leader to go 4 for 4, but this doesn't go well- he and Blackstar are at each other's throats, threatening to kill each other if it weren't for Ash and Reed.

-Wind and River notice the substantial amount of Thunder and Shadow cats left. They're not happy

-Willowshine is overwhelmed taking care of all these cats on her own. She's the only real medic left looking after cats she doesn't know.

-Heathertail is Really uncomfortable living with Lionblaze now. She makes a point out of never being around him, despite her being the same age as the Thunderclan cats. I kinda want her to become leader bc I like her

-its night thats all i have rn but ill think of more later

[alkrinal]

Hey look, an AU to Power of Three, haha let’s get to explaining.. So obviously, the first thing off the bat we notice, is our three favorite kitties to create AU’s around! Look away for a second to the bottom, “There will be three, kin of your kin, and they will hold your blood in their claws”. Pretty different from the original prophecy, I know right? Anyways, I came up with the bright idea of switching the protagonist and antagonist. Firestar and Tigerclawstar have been switched, the second series is... Wack. And the fourth... Eh. Now, these three and Sol have switched. But let’s start all the way back to Firestar’s Quest. Firestar finds SkyClan alone like normal, but realizes he’s more connected to cats there, and since he isn’t good at goodbyes... Takes on the role of a warrior again, and just leaves quietly. Couple of moons pass, and the clans decides Firestar has died. Sandstorm, not liking this, leaves as well to find him. She finds him in SkyClan, and yells at him for a while, but they both decide to stay in SkyClan because I said so. They still have Squirrel and Leaf, Leafstar isn’t named leader, Sharpclaw is, Hawkwing is his deputy , yada yada. Squirrel finds love in Rainfur, they’ll prob have kits idk. Leaf decides to journey on because she’s gifted and is connected to StarClan. She finds the chosen cats (Bramble, Feather, Storm, Crow, and Tawny) and falls in love with Storm instead. Feather dies as usual, but Leaf is there to help him. They all go separate ways, but Storm and Leaf promise to meet once every other moon at the area where Feather died to pay respects (Brook doesn’t exist in this universe). Graystripe chose Brackenfur as his deputy, and is Graystar atm. Storm had left RiverClan after Feather left, and went to live with his father, who happily accepted him along with his new clanmates. Storm tells Gray what happened, and he’s devastated. The clans all eventually move and stuff, and once they’re all settled, Sol is found wandering ThunderClan territory. Storm and Leaf are still meeting, and Leaf eventually gets pregnant with kits, Hollykit, Lionkit, and Jaykit. SkyClan is thriving and still in secret, only Storm knows of it as the ThunderClan cats who remember Firestar leaving for SkyClan think he died with Sandstorm out there and there never was a SkyClan. Leaf asks Storm if she can come to ThunderClan to have his kits. Storm realizes that he could be found out as a code breaker, and doesn’t want to disappoint his father (Gray has secret kits with Millie, so Bumble, Briar, and Blossom are “random” rogues he “found”). Storm declines all to quick, and Leaf is disappointed. She doesn’t visit the next time they plan to, and is exiled from SkyClan because Sharpstar found out about her having kits with a cat outside the clan. Squirrel goes with her so Fire and Sand know that they’ll have each other. Leaf has her kits in Leaf-bare, and takes care of them as a rogue with Squirrel. Leaf slowly starts losing sanity, and forces Squirrel to train them to hate the clans. Sol is a rogue who studied SkyClan, and followed Leaf to her last meeting with Storm. After Leaf leaves, Sol goes up to Storm, and offers him reassurance. Sol for the next few moons, helps out around ThunderClan, but never becomes a full warrior. Holly and Lion as kits would tease Jay for having bad eyesight (he wasn’t born blind). As they grew, they found out that they could trick cats, Squirrel and Leaf were killed by some rogues, and had saved Holly, Lion, and Jay from being killed. They all plotted, and decided on simple roles, the Brains, Brute, and Bait. Jay was used as the Bait, since he was scrawny, had bad eyesight, and smaller from his siblings. Lion was the Brute, since he was the strongest of the three. And Holly, the Brains, she came up with their plan on getting revenge. Holly decided to wound Jay, bad enough to him looking vulnerable, but not enough to where he couldn’t fight. Lion clawed at his eyes, and gave him a huge ass scar on his right shoulder. Jay’s eyesight died out because of the claw marks on his eyes, and the blood dripping into his sockets, but he didn’t say anything. Holly knew this would happen, and helped him to his spot. Lion waited in a tree (Squirrel has taught them all the moves she knew from SkyClan) and pounced when the four cats (the ones who killed Squirrel and Leaf) came. He was barely touched, and killed all four (Jay and Lion have their same powers, as StarClan thought they’d hold the ‘stars’ in their paws, Holly was given leadership and the power to make cats speak the truth). The three continued doing this for about two years. Sol, on the other hand, chose his path as a medicine cat, and became Sunpaw of ThunderClan, under Cinderpelt. Gray got the prophecy “There will be three, kin of your kin, and they will hold your blood in their claws”. Gray tells Bracken, Cinder, and Sun about this. Cinder decides to go to the moonpool to ask StarClan more on this. Cinder is killed by the three, and never returns home. Sunpaw was named ‘Sunsmoke’ by Graystar, and they basically forget about the prophecy. About a year later, Holly, Lion, and Jay arrive to ShadowClan, and are taken in (Blackstar was having a bi panic attack at Holly, Lion, and Jay). They make their first appearance to the clans as the ShadowClan warriors Hollythorn, Lionstorm, and Jaytalon. Jay was challenged before the gathering, and had beaten Russetfur because of his swift movements. Sunsmoke goes into a vision, and sees the drawing shown above (without the text) and cats staring up in horror at them (or the missing sun?). He is shaken by the scene and tells Gray after the gathering. Storm recognizes some of Leaf in the three, and wonders if those are his kits. All the same happens, with the roles reverse, the three acting as friends towards ThunderClan, and the fighting and plans still happens. Sun in covered with the three in front and yada yada. In the end, Gray is killed with Storm but the three. A lot of plot holes, but I just thought of this yesterday so..

[fortunatelycooltrash]

ADD MORE TO THE SNOWSPECKLE AU!! love the idea of ashfur and tawnypetal. do they every end you having kits? this au is so interesting, i would love to learn more.

Mkay, lets see:

Tawnypetal and Ashfur do end up having their own kits soon after the threes warriors ceremony: Flamekit, Dawnkit, and Firekit.(Firestar is their dad, don’t @ me)

They are named: Flamemask, Dawnshine, and Firestripe respectively.

Dovewing became mates with Firestripe.

Snowspeckle takes Daisy as his mate. He was on the patrol that found her and her original litter. He basically adopted the kits as his cause he’s always been a softy for kits, especially fatherless kits.

When Spiderleg proved he was going to be a deadbeat, Snowspeckle decided he would take over as Toadstep and Rosepetals dad too.

It started out as just that, he’d come by to play and care for his new kits, bringing them things to play with but eventually Daisy wanted to thank him and had Brambleclaw teach her how to sign so they could communicate.

Their relationship progressed from there, though they never had any kits. Snowspeckle was terrifed that he would produce a white kit with blue eyes and pass on his deafness.

He doesn’t view his deafness as a weakness, he just acknowledges that it was a struggle to learn signs and prove himself to his clan and doesn’t want any kit to have to go through the same.

Tigerstar comes to Tawnypetal and Brambleclaw right before the three are born to train them. Tawnypetal leaves but Brambleclaw stays.

He trains under him for a few moons much to Tawnypetals chargin.

This drives a wedge between all three of them bc they want Snowspeckle to take a side but he’s busy playing with Berrykit, Hazelkit, and Mousekit.

Eventually, Tawnypetal sees the same ambition that Tigerstar had in Hawkfrost and Brambleclaw.

She tells her worries to Firestar, hoping he can convince Brambleclaw to stop.

When it became apparent that Graystripe wasn’t coming back from being taken by Twolegs, Firestar names Tawnypetal deputy instead.

Brambleclaw is furious and storms off to go cry about it in the woods.

Snowspeckle follows him and they get into a brawl when Snowspeckle finds out why Brambleclaw wanted to be deputy so bad and who told him he needed to be.

Brambleclaw stops himself a few moments before he delivered a death bite and realized what his training had done to him

He never returns to the dark forest.

Brambleclaw never takes a mate, he focuses entirely on his clan, trying to prove that if he ever becomes deputy or leader than, like Tawnypetal, it would be from his own merits.

Hawkfrost has no one to help him with the fox trap cause Ashfur isn’t a whiny bich.

Brambleclaw actually goes to Riverclan and confesses everything to Leopardstar, telling her to watch out for Mistyfoot as Hawkfrost was too far gone to turn back.

Leopardstar ignores him.

Hawkfrost tries to kill Mistyfoot to take her place by having Mothwing poison her with a fish he was going to bring her.

Mothwing breaks and tells Mistyfoot that her fish was going to be poisoned before Hawkfrost returns.

Mistyfoot takes one from the pile and swaps them, offering one to Hawkfrost.

Mothwing is horrified to find this out as she only wanted him exiled.

Hawkfrost fucking dies from his own murder plot.

Blood still spilt blood cause, technically speaking, Mothwing killed him.

Back in Thunderclan, everything goes on as normal except Lionpaw never meets up with Heatherpaw.

He knows about his heritage, having that wisdom lets him make the judgement call that it’s too risky and they might catch feelings.

Jaywing mentors Ivypaw with the help of Tawnypetal.

He curbs her selfish and quick to anger tendencies with his dour view on the world, stating that everything sucks so she may as well be nice to try and make it suck less.

When the drought comes, Lionblaze and Graystripe are sent because ain’t no way Firestar is sending a young apprentice on a mission that could be dangerous.

Who is he? Brokenstar?

Hawkfrost tries to persuade Ivypaw to join the dark forest and she tells him to give her a halfmoon.

Immediately she goes and asks Mousefur and Longtail about him bc elders know all and everyone seems to forget that.

They tell her he was some Riverclan idiot who died by having his murder plot flipped on him by Mistystar.

She joins him anyway, for spying purposes.

Brightheart mentors Dovepaw cause she’s getting at least one apprentice!

I forgot to mention, They still went after the dogs and she’s still mauled.

Having seen how much Snowspeckle was able to accomplish made Firestar more open-minded though and he gave every disabled cat a chance.

Including Biarlight. She couldn’t hunt but often times, he’d catch a mouse alive and let it run around the medicine den so she could catch it herself.

Firestar and Sandstorm would defend her den during battle but would let her slash and bite at cats that got too close.

Eventually, the final battle does come.

Brambleclaw is struck down by Snowtuft and Hawkfrost when he’s trying to defend Hollyleaf.

Mothwing and Leafpool try to save him but the neck wound was too severe.

Hollyleaf unfortunately didn’t survive either.

Firestar, of course, dies as well.

Goodbye: Sorreltail, Ferncloud, Foxleap, Mousefur, Brambleclaw, and...Daisy.

She had no formal training, she had no chance.

Tawnypetal becomes Tawnystar and pulls her broken clan back together.

She’s devastated by Hollyleafs death and keeps a leaf from a holly bush in her nest

Mothwing went to Twolegplace to get it for her

She also leaves a flower on Hollyleafs grave everyday.

Snowspeckle stops signing to anyone but kits and Tawnystar, simply retiring to the elders den once the clan gained a bit of strength back.

He’s regarded fondly by all but everyone mourns how much he misses his mate.

As it always does, the season march on.

Snowspeckle enjoys playing with Squirrelflights kits, though no one knows who their father is.

One hot greenleaf day, as he was playing with Alderkit, he collapsed. Leafpool couldn’t find any issue with him but over time, it slowly got worse.

Alderkit spent a lot of time with him, trying to help Leafpool and Flamemask heal him. Nothing worked, slowly his symptoms got worse.

He was always tired and his lungs ached, making it a battle to breathe.

Eventually, as it always does, death came for him. He passed quietly in the night and Leafpool found him in the morning.

He’s buried with the stone Speckletail gave him.

Alderkit decides to become a medicine cat to try and prevent things like this from happening.

Tawnystar was heartbroken, she found with her age and grief that she could no longer bear to lead Thunderclan to a strength she didn’t have herself.

She stepped down and retired, letting Ivystar rise up with Jaywing as her deputy.

Hope this was good enough! Let me know if you wanna know more.

Also, Snowspeckle dies from heartworms. Keep your babies safe during the hot seasons, all it takes is one bad mosquito bite.

[yoshifan4456]

Graystripe’s final story - 4/4 - notes edition

The story takes place in one day. It’s about 25 mins long. At the current time, Graystripe’s calculation of his age is about as good as mine.

As you can tell, there are some new characters.

Baystar - the Baypaw we have right now. She grows up fast. 3rd oldest cat in ThunderClan.

Alderheart - same Alderheart we’ve got right now. He acts similar to how he does in present Bramblestar day. He also looks pretty much the same. He did not expect to live as long as he has.

Ivystar - Ivypool as leader. I know, I know... making it in Ivystar times would have been cooler but I DIDN’T WANNA. She was killed by a falling tree.

Squirrelflight - not much different. She never went back to ThunderClan, and ended up becoming good friends with Slatefur. He did have a crush on her, but he didn’t have enough courage to confess that. Instead, Squirrelflight does, and they become mates just three moons before her death in battle. She was pregnant at the time, and gave birth to Slatekit and Cloverkit in StarClan (named after her ShadowClan friends). She had trouble choosing mates in StarClan, but ended up picking Slatefur after learning that Bramblestar was interested in taking an unknown WindClan she-cat in as a mate. Bramblestar’s sad. Eventually, they become friends again. But never mates.

Stormfur - is dead. Brook is too. Their kits are not.

Blossomheart - Graystripe’s great granddaughter. Blossomfall died not too long before she was born. She has a brother named Leopardspot, but he purposely got himself killed recently for an unknown reason. She looks like her grandmother. A lot.

Twotail - A white she-cat with a genetic mutation that branches the tip of her tail into two tips. Her original name was Tailkit, then Tailpaw, but her parents requested she was named Twotail when she became a warrior. She brags about her tail a lot.

Other clans:

RiverClan - Mistystar stays leader until about halfway through Ivystar’s leadership, where she drowns in a flood. At the time, the deputy was Grayneedle (Graykit from current times), who became Graystar. After him, the leader was Reedstar (NOT Reedwhisker, Mistystar’s son, but rather his son, Reedleaf). He is the current leader.

WindClan - Harestar was killed by Breezepelt, trying to help his father become leader. He staged it while ThunderClan was attacking, so it was assumed he was killed by a ThunderClan warrior. Breezepelt kept killing deputy after deputy during battles until he was chosen by Crowstar. Soon after, he also staged his death, but didn’t really know what to do then. The first thing that came to mind was attacking ThunderClan. In the battle, he killed Lionblaze. The next moon, after finding ThunderClan and RiverClan scents on his borders, attacked both clans and held Leafpool, Reedwhisker, Reedkit, Stonekit, and Sandkit prisoner. He managed to get them to admit that they had been secretly meeting and that the kits were theirs at a gathering. Once they said that, he had his warriors kill the parents of the kits in front of them. The other clans attacked WindClan at the gathering, with StarClan on their side, and managed to kill Breezestar and save the kits, distributing them fairly among the other clans: Reedkit to RiverClan, Sandkit to ThunderClan, and Stonekit to ShadowClan. Breezestar’s successor was Applestar, his daughter.

ShadowClan - Tigerstar eventually died of old age. His deputy was Scorchfur at the time, so he became Scorchstar. Frondwhisker was his deputy. But not for long. The death was so terrible, nobody talks about it, and Graystripe even said that it’s the most disturbing death since Tigerstar 1′s. Next, Lightleap. Died the next day. Then her sister, Pouncestep took over. Died. Scorchstar stopped putting up deputies after that and decided that when he died, they’d do a poll like they did in ThunderClan. Shadowsight is alive. But he lives in constant fear that the killer of his siblings would come and get him too.

SkyClan - driven out by Brambleposter. It’s unknown what happened to everyone besides Violetshine, Tree, and their kits. They moved to ShadowClan. Rootpaw became Rootspring and Needlepaw became Needlefang. Needlefang died of old age and Rootspring died via food poisoning from Shadowsight, who wanted his best friend to die a peaceful death instead of being murdered by the mystery cat.

That’s all i got.

Thanks for reading this far.

[primrosemoon-designs]

“10%” MYO

!! Warning this is a really long post so I put most of the information under the cut !!

so i did the randomizer myo that @10leftau did!! and personally i really like the results i got!! i did 16 survivors bc it’s in between 13-20 and that’s what the generator gave me when i plugged those numbers in- anyways onto the cats!!

ThunderClan survivors: Spiderleg, Sorreltail, Hollyleaf, Greystripe, Lilykit, Cherrypaw

ShadowClan survivors: Redwillow, Crowfrost

WindClan survivors: Breezepelt, Nightcloud, Larkpaw, Emberfoot, Weaselfur

RiverClan survivors: Rushtail, Podpaw, Troutstream

Hollyleaf would take over the role as leader since she’s a the most leader-like in my opinion and none of the other cats really have many leadership qualities to me. While she does care for the group she can get snappy and overreact to things. She is generally fairly stubborn when it comes to protecting the group as a whole. Crowfrost would take over the role as deputy and generally is there to help calm Hollyleaf down. While Hollyleaf is pretty judging, Crowfrost tries to look at both sides and refrains from immediately making assumptions. Crowfrost is also a bit of a pushover. Both are pretty different but it helps balance each other out.  I decided that Podpaw/light would become medicine cat there aren't any alive ones! He would get his training from Hollyleaf since she did train as a medicine cat at some point. Since I don't believe that Breezepelt and Redwillow would willingly join the survivors so I've decided that they would be taken as "prisoners". Hollyleaf originally just wanted to kill them but was convinced not to by Nightcloud begging her and the fact that they could use them for information on the Dark Forest.  now onto relationships!! Spiderleg after having his entire family die he feels a huge amount of guilt especially after being so distant towards Daisy/Rosepetal/Toadstep. Due to this he generally avoids the younger cats and isn't very talkative to many. He isn't really close to anyone except for Greystripe since they can relate on the guilt they feel. Despite his general avoidance of younger cats, he takes over Cherrypaw's training though not for long as she was already warrior age by the time of the battle. He and Cherrypaw don't have a close relationship like many mentors have with their apprentices.  Sorreltail takes the role as a mother to the group due to losing almost all of her kits. She keeps up a bright demeanor for everyone else and looks after all of the apprentices (and Lilykit). She is very protective of Lilykit due to her being her last living kit and Cherrypaw due to her being her granddaughter. Sorreltail is generally liked but is close friends with Emberfoot and Nightcloud. After the group gets settled she becomes a permanent queen. Sorreltail and Greystripe also get closer to each other during this due to them being half-siblings!  Hollyleaf has a generally mixed reputation in the group due to her abrasive nature. She is a very protective force for her clan though does definitely come off as harsh. Despite her leader role she has been quite distant towards some of the other members due to fear of attachment. Even though Breezepelt is her last living (close) relative, she hates being around him. After the battle she blamed her brother's deaths on Breezepelt and basically disowned him as her brother; refusing to acknowledge their relation. She and Crowfrost have a fairly good friendship along with Sorreltail. While she may still ate how Leafpool and Squirrelflight lied to her and her brothers, she does regret how horribly she treated them and wished that they fixed their relationship before they died. Greystripe is more or less the resident grandpa and just like Sorreltail he has a very bright demeanor as well to cope with all the loss that the group experienced. He often spends his time around the apprentices and Lilykit as they love hearing stories about his misadventures (especially the ones with Firestar). Despite having such a controversial past, he's generally liked by most of the group and is considered a very friendly figure. He's very friendly with the group but is closest to Spiderleg, Sorreltail and Emberfoot. Cherrypaw, Larkpaw and Podpaw are all very close with each other due to such experiences from a younger age. They often cling to each other for emotional support and are basically three peas in a pod. Cherrypaw is the most excitable out of all of them as she inherited her grandmother's positive nature and she uses her close relationship with Larkpaw and Podpaw as a way to cope with losing her brother. Larkpaw is more timid around the others due to bullying she suffered before the great battle but she does gain more confidence after hanging around Cherrypaw. Podpaw is the voice of reason between them but usually gets tied up in their antics anyways. Lilykit desperately tries to get closer to them but is normally excluded from the group due to the fact that she's much younger than them. Redwillow and Breezepelt are basically both chaotic forces for the rest of the group. Since they're forced to be part of a group they hate, they usually let everyone know and act horribly around others. Breezepelt would probably soften up to the survivors due to Nightcloud being there while I don't think Redwillow would ever like the idea of being a decent member of the clan. Crowfrost takes on a more calm and rational role for the rest of the clan. Being deputy he takes his role seriously and tries his best to make sure everyone is okay (though he does often overwork himself). He has major survivor's guilt over being the only Shadowclan cat left alive (excluding Redwillow) and often feels like another Shadowclan cat should've lived instead of himself. I personally hc that Crowfrost was previously a kittypet before joining Shadowclan because he has no blood relations and just showed up during the 3rd arc. He has a very mixed reputation due to his kittypet heritage (some of the cats believe that he got it easy since he didn't lose any family even though he lost close friends and the entirety of what he could call a family) and the fact that he defended Breezepelt/Redwillow to at least not have them killed. Despite that he and Hollyleaf are close friends. Nightcloud has a pretty bad reputation in the clan from the start due to her defending Breezepelt and the fact that she's still bitter at Hollyleaf over the Crowfeather thing. She's distant at first and only really talks to Breezepelt but soon opens up and actually gains from friends. She ends up becoming close with Sorreltail and Emberfoot due to their struggles of being a parent after such a horrible experience. After a while Nightcloud tries to gain a better relationship with Hollyleaf and actually apologizes to her since she realizes that she shouldn't have been so harsh on her for something she couldn't control.  Emberfoot like Greystripe is a pretty likable cat in the group though some cats find him annoying due to his overprotection of Larkpaw. He is a more quiet and protective cat but he is a fairly nice person so there isn't much reason for other cats to hate him. He often feels like he failed his family due to only being able to save Larkpaw but he often brushes it off so he can spend more time with her. At first Emberfoot really dislikes Nightcloud and Crowfrost due to them defending the Dark Forest trainees, mostly as he wants to keep Larkpaw safe and away from cats who might just turn their back on the group. He soon becomes decent friends with Nightcloud after understanding that Breezepelt is her son. He and Crowfrost could also have a close relationship after that because Crowfrost is very good with younger cats and Emberfoot could always use some help to raise Larkpaw. Weaselfur is generally disliked due to his Windclan nationalism and just downright rudeness. Since Windclan was one of the majorities that survived, he finds no reason that they should join the other inferior clans and thinks that he should've become leader instead. He often thinks of "offing" Hollyleaf and becoming leader himself but since most of the cats actually think that Hollyleaf is a decent leader he doesn't exactly have a chance. He mentors Larkpaw after the events though not for a long time, he does try to convince her that Windclan is the only cat that should've survived. Despite not liking the other clan cats, he does have a ok friendship with Troutstream since they gossip a lot.  Rushtail has probably the most neutral reputation when it comes down to it. He doesn't really do anything for cats to hate him and yet he doesn't really do anything for cats to like him either. Rushtail is generally just a neutral cat and just does whatever benefits him the most (which is way he stays in the group because it's just the most beneficial option). He temporarily mentors Podpaw before he becomes a medicine cat and they have an ok relationship as Rushtail never showed too much interest in him. He and Troutstream are great friends though he doesn't know how to feel about Weaselfur.   Troutstream is also generally disliked at first because she's hot-tempered and is generally just a horrible person to be around. She is almost always complaining about something and loves fighting which isn't good for anyone. Surprisingly she wasn't a Dark Forest trainee but if she was given the chance she probably would've trained there. She and Rushtail are close friends since kithood and she often drags the tom into trouble. She's also very close with Weaselfur due to their gossiping tendencies but some cats believe that there's more to their relationship than what's shown on the surface. oof honestly i'm thinking about making a sideblog for this au since i really liked talking about it haha

[ayz0]

holy crap these are soooo much better than my old 2015 designs

Currently imagining a Warrior Cats arc 1 role swap AU where Greypaw ("Fluffy") is the kittypet and Firepaw is the Clan-born cat.

Other changes in the AU:

Firepaw's family are Clanborn too

Princess ("Leafpaw") leaves the Clan before their Warrior ceremony, and becomes a kittypet, then having Cloudkit, so that arc continues as it is in canon --Jake met Nutmeg/"Seedpelt" (Fire's mom) within the Clans

Willow is a rogue, having Darkstripe first with Tawnyspots. She gave Darkkit to his father, as she was certain a Clan wouldn't take her in. Tawnyspots brought the kit into ThunderClan with a story of 'finding a lost kit'. Willow then became a kittypet when pregnant with Greykit 

(btw, I saw that Greystripe's father is now just "unknown" on the official family trees, so I feel that him having an unknown kittypet father works out, here. It used to be Patchpelt, but since he's been removed now, it works if Willow isn't related to Patchpelt whatsoever either. It’s not like Willowpelt or Patchpelt ever played a huge role in books where they were growing up - Spottedleaf and Redtail were the focused-on siblings out of the four. I think in the books Willow and Patch are never even mentioned as being siblings? Thus, Willow gets to not be a part of the family anymore lol since it doesn’t change anything important there)

Into The Wild events

"Fluffy" grew up with Willow's stories of his older half-brother, whom he thought very brave and lucky, and heroic, for living in the wild. So, he sought to do the same in Into The  Wild, and met Firepaw. Willow ended up coming with him, not wanting to lose another son this time. 

Willow and Fluffy enter ThunderClan together, and Willow feels that a certain dark, striped cat looks very familiar... Tawnyspots had died at this point, and had told Darkstripe of his origins before he'd passed. Darkstripe, resentful at his heritage, is the one to fight Fluffy.

During the fight, Willow realizes that Darkstripe is indeed her son. Fluffy beats Darkstripe similarly to how Rusty beats Longtail in canon (it isn't Longtail in this scenario as I feel he is more Firepaw's rival), he becomes Greypaw 

Wanting to stay with her sons, Willow pleads to become a part of the Clan as well, and is hesitantly accepted. She becomes Willowpelt, and similarly to how Firepaw was mentored by Bluestar, Tigerclaw, & Lionheart, Willowpelt is taught by Darkstripe (begrudgingly) & Whitestorm

At this current time, Lionheart is Firepaw's mentor, and thus while Willowpelt is educated by following along with Darkstripe & Dustpaw, and Whitestorm & Sandpaw, Greypaw is educated alongside Lionheart & Firepaw and Tigerclaw & Ravenpaw. similar to canon here.

 During this time, Willowpelt manages to mend her relationship with her son Darkstripe slightly, but he still resents her past and her actions. Willowpelt also grows close to Whitestorm at this point, and he later becomes her mate to sire Sorrelkit, Rainkit, Sootkit - as in canon.

After a time of temporary mentorship, Greypaw is then eventually officially apprenticed to Bluestar, as Firepaw was in canon. Greypaw is probably going to one day be Greystar in this AU, if he's truly role-swapping with Firepaw. Lol

Fire and Ice & Forest of Secrets events

Still debating whether the Silverstream romance happens with Greystripe, or not. I think it still would. But then he’d truly go and pull a Bluestar and give up his kits to RiverClan to become deputy, and only Fireheart knows of all this. Silverstream remains alive during the birth, as she stays in the RiverClan camp instead of seeking out Greystripe like in the books - thus she was able to get medical attention as soon as her labour began.

Greystripe does not join RiverClan here, as the Wiki states “To avoid a battle, Graystripe brings Stormkit and Featherkit to RiverClan and decides to stay with them since they are the only living connections he has to Silverstream.“ Since Silverstream is still alive, they simply continue their secret meetings, and although he wishes to be with his family, he does not gain the desire to join RiverClan.

However, she did still suffer heavy blood loss and anemia, and was not able to fully recover and only got worse over time - especially considering that she still sneaks off with her kits to go see Greystripe in secret, instead of resting - so she does still die later on, before the kits are apprenticed.

Before she passes, Silverstream wishes for the kits to join their father in ThunderClan, as they’ll have no remaining kin in RiverClan after her passing. As her final action, she attempts to sneak out one last time to take them to Greystripe, but is far too weak due to anemia complications. Her best friend Mistyfoot finds her outside of the camp, as she was keeping a closer eye on her weakening friend. Silverstream tells Mistyfoot of who Featherkit & Stormkit’s father is, and is determined for her final action to be passing them on to their father. Mistyfoot believes the kits belong with RiverClan, but wants to honour her dying friend’s wish, and helps to get them all to the border.

Greystripe had been at Sunningrocks at the time, worried about the decreasing condition of his mate, plus he hadn’t been seeing her as often, and commonly waited near the area in case she arrived. The scene of her death is in the same place ad plays out similarly to Silverstream’s death in canon, with the exceptions that their kits and Mistyfoot are present, and it’s not a birth scene lol. Greystripe still panics and Fireheart fetches Cinderpaw (who is still med-apprentice, as Fireheart was still the one to suspect Tigerclaw, and Tigerclaw still tried to trap and kill him, causing Cinderpaw’s accident), with Tigerclaw in tow. Silverstream is too far-gone, however, and passes away with her kits and mate next to her.

Thus, Stormkit & Featherkit join ThunderClan, and Silverstream still passes away and is buried at the same area that she does in-canon. (and Cinderpaw is still traumatized the same way because she couldn’t help the dying cat)

Mistyfoot accompanies the group back to ThunderClan to ensure the kit’s safety on the way. Greystripe is devastated by the loss, and doesn’t keep it a secret anymore that he is a dad, and he dotes on his kits just, SO much, same as in canon haha. Anyway, ThunderClan finds out, obviously, about Grey’s half-clan babs, and Bluestar is initially furious (because oops, somebody made the same mistake she did! and omg, it was her own apprentice!!!) but Mistyfoot defends Silverstream’s family and tells Bluestar off for being so harsh while they’re grieving a loss. She says that TC should be grateful that ThunderClan is gaining two amazing cats, and they’re only here because of her best friend’s dying wish, and that she’d whisk them back to RC if they weren’t appreciated here. Bluestar then softens up at her (secret!!!) daughter’s words.

After Mistyfoot leaves and returns to RC, Bluestar enters the nursery where Greystripe and Fireheart are with the kits. (oh dude that sounds like Fire’s their second dad? i’m gonna do it. make em dads make em GAY parents and fire totally adopts storm & feather and grey has his bf to help him thru this extremely tough time UNLIKE IN CANON WHERE HE WAS ALL ALONE TO GRIEVE WTF ERINS) Anyway, Bluestar still explains the same as in canon how she’s mistyfoot and stonefur’s mother, etc, except in this version Fireheart isn’t the only one she tells, Greystripe now knows as well.

Fireheart & Greystripe are stretching their legs and taking a break from the nursery, with Fireheart’s apprentice Cloudpaw in-tow. The shit with Tigerclaw still goes down, but this time it’s Greystripe who saves Bluestar’s life (Fireheart heads straight for the nursery and guards Featherkit & Stormkit in this AU, so it’s Greystripe who sees Tigerclaw heading into Bluestar’s den) and she makes him deputy for multiple reasons - she sees her missed chances in him and wants him to have the full, happy life that she didn’t get the chance to. and she trusts him as much as she does Fireheart in this AU since Grey didn’t turn traitor in this one (and i mean he was her apprentice too so they’re pretty close!)

Rising Storm, A Dangerous Path events

Pretty standard role-swap AU from here as far as Greystripe and Fireheart are concerned, other than the fact that Fire is still Cloud’s mentor, that didn’t swap at all lol.

Fireheart isn’t stretched as thin as Greystripe is the deputy, leaving him more time for Cloudpaw’s training. Cloudpaw doesn’t behave as difficult as he does in canon about doing kittypet things. He’s still a lil shit though

Greystripe is healing quite nicely from Silverstream’s passing, as he is in his own familiar clan, has his children and his best friend BOYFRIEND with him, and has his deputy duties to thoroughly distract him and keep him on his feet. Bluestar is still degrading mentally, the same as in-canon, so he worries about her as well

Fireheart is still the one to find out about Tigerclaw and the dog pack, and their attack, and he is still the one to try and rescue Bluestar and be with her at her death along with Stonefur and Mistyfoot. Greystripe is with his kits at the time of evacuation, leading the Clan to safety as well

(This is such a cool contrast btw!!! omg cause the wiki says “After his leader's death, Fireheart looks at Graystripe. The dark gray tom dips his head in the deepest respect, and Fireheart is horrified because he realizes he is now the leader of ThunderClan, and has lost the easy friendship he shared with Graystripe.” and GOD my AU is like, holy shit, the exact opposite with their relationship. they are closer than ever! this is cool as hell)

The Darkest Hour events

Greystripe becomes Greystar. Mysteriously, he is not granted a 9th life, as the cat destined to give him that life is not present. He has no time to be confused, however, as the ceremony is still interrupted by a prophecy, as it is in-canon.

Whitestorm is still the one appointed deputy

Greystar is extremely conflicted and disappointed in his kin when he is forced to exile Darkstripe. Happens similar to canon, but it’s Greystar instead of Firestar of course

Not entirely sure yet what brings the gang over to RiverClan to save Misty & Stone from being executed. Also not sure if Stone is still going to be killed like in canon, or if I’ll let him live in this version.... I’ll figure it out tho

After Whitestorm dies, Fireheart is obviously appointed as Greystar’s deputy

Firestarheart’s Quest events

When Willowpelt dies in the beginning of the book, Greystar is obviously devastated, and has even more reason to stay with his remaining family during this time - hence, I did not swap his role with Fireheart’s role for this book’s journey.

Fireheart & Sandstorm still journey together to restore SkyClan

They become very good friends on the quest and do indeed still become mates and have Leafkit & Squirrelkit (Greystar sees them as much as family as he could! Cats are basically one big family community after all. Besides, with Fire and Grey’s relaxed and extremely close relationship, I don’t think that Grey would feel threatened or jealous over Sandstorm at all! So Fireheart can totally be Greystar’s bf as well as Sandstorm’s husband at the same time :D)

[twilights-800-cats]

<< Allegiances | Chapter 28 | Chapter 29 | Chapter 30 | From the Beginning >>

Chapter 29

Tinystar opened his eyes to be blinded by sharp dawn light glaring off of the river in front of him. He groaned, feeling foolish as he got to his paws. His body felt cold and sore from sleeping on the pebbly shore instead of in his warm, mossy nest. Sandstorm must be furious! What kind of leader just doesn’t come back to camp?

He stretched and began to smooth his pelt down with his tongue. The sun was rising over the horizon, a flaming orange ball reflecting in the river, touching the willows and reeds on the other side.

The river…

Tinystar stopped his grooming, his tongue still out.

“The answer is closer than you think, Tinystar. Open your eyes, and you will see it,” Redtail had said.

“I’m a mouse-brain,” he decided, staring at the land across the water. “A total mouse-brain.”

Leopdarstar was still leader of LionClan – or at least, she was holding ShadowClan and RiverClan with her on her territory. With leaf-bare here to stay and twice as many mouths to feed… she had to be having a difficult time. Tinystar knew that the shock of losing Bluestar to BloodClan’s claws would have devastated LionClan’s morale, too.

They have to want BloodClan gone, too, he realized. They killed Bluestar, if nothing else – and they threaten the whole forest!

Tinystar shivered with understanding. Four can’t become two and hope to defeat BloodClan – four has to be come one! Bluestar’s original goal of uniting all the forest Clans might be able to save the forest – but not in the way that Bluestar thought.

No time to waste, he thought. BloodClan is going to attack tomorrow.

Tinystar gave his fur one last quick shake before getting to his paws. He trotted along the shoreline, heart pounding in his ears as he headed for the stepping-stones.

“Great StarClan – here he is!”

The call from the forest stopped Tinystar in his tracks. He spotted Cloudtail’s bright white tail before she pushed her way through the undergrowth. Sandstorm, Mistypaw, and Graystripe followed her.

Tinystar swallowed, feeling doubly foolish. Of course some cat would come looking for him! He’d been gone all night like some misbehaving apprentice!

Sandstorm cuffed him over the ear as soon as she reached him. “Mouse-brain!” she hissed, worry and annoyance in her gaze. The annoyance faded quickly, though – she covered his face with licks. Tinystar purred, ducking away from her, embarrassment flooding his pelt.

“We weren’t really worried,” Graystripe pointed out, his yellow eyes sparkling with amusement. “We knew you’d come back eventually – we just thought we’d keep an eye out for you on our patrol.”

“If I had that much pressure on me, I’d want to get away too,” Cloudtail offered, flicking her tail.

Sandstorm scoffed at them both. “You’re mouse-brains, too,” she grumbled, planting herself beside Tinystar.

“I just wanted some time to myself,” Tinystar insisted. “To think. I dozed off, it seems.”

Sandstorm flicked her tail. “Then let’s get back to the Clan,” she meowed. “We’ve a lot of work to do!”

Tinystar shook his head. “I’m sorry, but I can’t just yet – I’ve had an idea!”

Graystripe tipped his head. “Oh?”

“I’m going to talk to Leopardstar,” Tinystar explained. At their doubting, worried looks, Tinystar insisted, “Leopardstar is over that river with two whole Clans’ worth of warriors. We can’t overlook the possibility that they might help us!”

Worry clouded Graystripe’s yellow gaze. “Yeah, but… remember last time? It didn’t go so well.”

“And it’s probably no use,” Cloudtail pointed out. “Leopardstar was loyal to Bluestar. She probably doesn’t want anything to do with us.”

Sandstorm twitched her whiskers. “Regardless of what Leopardstar thought before, Bluestar is gone. There’s no way she wants BloodClan to run amok in the forest,” she mewed.

Mistypaw, who up until this point had said nothing, piped in, “If you go Tinystar, I’m coming too. Stonepaw left when LionClan did, and Mosspaw and I are really worried about him. What if he wants to come home?”

Tinystar swallowed, looking at his apprentice. There was no way he’d refuse her a chance to hear out her brother – and Tinystar wanted to hear what Stonepaw had to say for himself, too. “You can come,” he agreed.

“Cloudtail,” he went on, “go back to camp and tell Whitestorm what’s happening. We’ll be back as soon as we can.”

Cloudtail waved her plumy tail. “All right,” she meowed. “I’ll be sure to have a patrol ready to bail you out again.”

“Hopefully it won’t come to that,” Tinystar purred.

“Knowing you? It probably will!” Cloudtail crowed. She turned her back and bounded into the trees, disappearing into the sparse undergrowth.

Tinystar turned about and raised his tail to signal his patrol to follow. The stepping-stones were just ahead, and across the river was LionClan. With hope in his heart and Redtail’s words in his mind, Tinystar set off.

———————————————————-

They encountered no LionClan cats as Tinystar led the way to the Bonehill. Tinystar was not eager to see that monument to carnage again, but he guessed it might be the most obvious place to find the LionClan cats. Beside him, Sandstorm was tense, her eyes flashing with concern as she searched for oncoming patrols.

“What in StarClan is that?” gasped Mistypaw, wrinkling her nose.

“It’s an abomination!” Sandstorm decided.

Tinystar frowned at the Bonehill up ahead. It rose over the scrubby RiverClan territory like a mountain of death. The smell in the air, however, was not the reek of crow-food that Tinystar had encountered last time. It seems like Leopardstar has cleaned things up a little.

“That’s the Bonehill,” Graystripe told them. “And it looks like we were right to come here.”

Tinystar nodded in agreement. All around the Bonehill were LionClan cats – but they didn’t seem like proper, active Clan cats. They drifted listlessly, their eyes and pelts dull, their paws dragging in the dust. Some lay and barley moved, like their spirit had been drained from them. Some cats were looking directly at the foreign patrol in their land… and they did nothing.

Mistypaw bristled. “I don’t like this,” she murmured. “It’s… like a nightmare.”

“There just isn’t room here for this many cats,” Graystripe muttered.

Sandstorm rolled her eyes. “Almost as if joining Clans is unnatural or something!” she huffed.

“Hush,” Tinystar chided. “It’ll do no good for our cause if we insult them. With BloodClan in ShadowClan’s territory, where else can they all go?”

Tinystar spotted Leopardstar and Russetfur sitting together below the Bonehill. Both she-cats were dull-eyed and tired, their paws caked with mud. Tinystar raised his tail and called a cautious greeting before leading his patrol out of the reeds and into the clearing.

Leopardstar said nothing as Tinystar approached. Russetfur curled her lip, but also remained silent. The cats of LionClan drifted around them – not many reacted to the visitors. Only one unsheathed their claws. No one seemed to care at all otherwise.

This isn’t how a Clan should be, Tinystar thought. He looked at Leopardstar, once proud and sleek and strong. Now she was tired, alone, and stressed. She really can’t manage all this on her own.

“Mistypaw, go and find Stonepaw,” Tinystar meowed. “But be careful.”

Mistypaw nodded and took off into the crowd. Some cats looked after her – but they did not move to stop her as she disappeared into the reeds.

Tinystar settled himself before Leopardstar and Russetfur. Graystripe and Sandstorm flanked him, both alert for any attempts to strike.

“Tinystar,” rasped Leopardstar. “To what do we owe this visit?”

Tinystar waved his tail at the cats all around. “What’s happening here, Leopardstar? Are these cats sick? Where are their dens? The fresh-kill pile?”

Leopardstar shifted on her paws. Russetfur did not meet Tinystar’s eye. Leopardstar meowed, “RiverClan’s camp is not big enough for all of us. I am the sole leader of LionClan and they needed shelter somewhere. This was the only place with any room.”

The dappled she-cat’s eyes flashed. “There’s not much point, though,” she breathed. “BloodClan will slaughter us all in the end.”

“That’s not true,” Tinystar insisted. It broke his heart to see this once-proud she-cat seemingly broken. “If all four of us join together to stop BloodClan tomorrow, we may be able to beat them back! We can fight for this forest as one!”

Russetfur’s ear twitched. “We’ll still be outnumbered,” she reasoned. “BloodClan is ruthless. They don’t stop to let their opponents go.”

Tinystar frowned. “Four is still better than two,” he pointed out. “This forest is LionClan’s home, too – you should be fighting for it, not cowering in the rain like you’ve already died!”

Russetfur’s tail lashed, the hair on her shoulders bristling – but she didn’t say anything. The ginger she-cat looked to Leopardstar. The dappled she-cat was clearly musing over the idea in her mind, her expression turning thoughtful.

After a moment, Leopardstar sighed, “We’ve been looking for a new home, someplace far enough away – but there just isn’t enough time. We have young and elderly… not everyone would make it. I don’t want to lose any more Clanmates.”

“You’re going to either way,” Tinystar meowed sympathetically. He could see the grief in her eyes and wondered if she was thinking of Brambleclaw. “But will they die fleeing, or fighting for the home they love? If LionClan joins with WindClan and ThunderClan, I know we can overcome BloodClan!”

Leopardstar swallowed, her tail-tip twitching. She looked to Russetfur.

“He speaks some sense,” Russetfur admitted. “We’re out of time and out of options, Leopardstar. We can either sit here and die or fight for our home, and frankly… I don’t want to die doing nothing.”

Leopardstar blinked fondly at the russet she-cat. “Very well,” she rasped. Some life seemed to return to her eyes as she looked at Tinystar. “LionClan will --”

“LionClan will do nothing!” hissed a voice.

Tinystar turned, the hairs rising on his spine. Darkstripe was there, just behind him, his paws planted in the muddy earth. The tabby tom’s shoulders were poking through his pelt, and his yellow eyes were wild and ugly with hate as he looked at Tinystar.

“LionClan will not join this kittypet,” Darkstripe spat. “Leopardstar, I didn’t think you were so mouse-brained! He intends to get us all killed!”

“Shut your mouth, Darkstripe!” snapped Russetfur. She got to her paws, bristling to the ends of her fur in anger. “You’re not leader here!”

Leopardstar’s ear twitched, and the eyes with which she looked upon Darkstripe were filled with ambivalence. “You were one of the cats that got us into this horrible mess,” she stated stonily. “You’ve no right to speak here, Darkstripe.”

Darkstripe dug his claws into the earth, hissing, “Bluestar should have listened to me – RiverClan was always weak! She never should have sought your allegiance! Fish-heart!”

Tinystar had to scramble to the side as, quick as a fish, Leopardstar’s claws flashed out. Bright red weals appeared on Darkstripe’s cheek as the tom slunk down onto his belly. Tinystar was shocked at Leopardstar’s burst of energy – he could see the fire of pride that had always been in her eyes blazing again like an inferno.

The dappled she-cat was bristling with indignation. “If you don’t like it here, Darkstripe, then leave,” she snarled.

Darkstripe quivered beneath her. “B-BloodClan will kill you all!” he stammered, scrambling to his paws. His eyes flashed at the onlookers – Leopardstar’s quick action had breathed some life into the LionClan cats who had been lying about listlessly. “You’ll see!”

“Leave,” Russetfur snapped, stepping forward. “No cat ever wanted you here, Darkstripe. Your words were always poison and your claws were dull as dirt, you coward!”

Darkstripe’s tail bristled. The gray tom turned and scrambled away – but not before laying hateful looks upon Tinystar and his patrol, as if it were their fault that Leopardstar and Russetfur had finally had enough of him. He pushed his way through the crowd of cats and disappeared into the reeds along the riverbank.

Leopardstar shook out her coat. “Worthless flea-pelt,” she hissed. “If I never see him again it will be too soon.”

Tinystar saw a blaze of hatred in her eyes as she watched Darkstripe go. He couldn’t imagine what it was like for her to have to deal with him. Darkstripe had been simpering before, but it had gotten worse when he had abandoned ThunderClan.

Graystripe grunted awkwardly. Tinystar glanced at him, wondering what he felt, seeing his half-brother flee – but it seemed like Graystripe didn’t care much. Sandstorm’s tail twitched against Tinystar’s flank, calling his attention back to Leopardstar, who was staring at him now.

Tinystar swallowed. “That was good of you,” he meowed. He gestured with his tail to the cats gathered around them. “Look at them – they want you to be the leader you once were, Leopardstar.”

Leopardstar narrowed her eyes at Tinystar – but she did not snap at him. She only nodded in understanding, and lifted her chin. Tinystar saw eyes light up all around. A leader’s strength is the strength of their Clan, he thought, watching Leopardstar’s renewing pride ripple into her Clan.

“Why did Bluestar bring BloodClan to the forest?” Sandstorm wondered.

Leopardstar frowned. Then she sighed. “Bluestar was never as open about her plans as I had hoped,” she admitted quietly. “That rat Darkstripe had suggested bringing in some extra muscle to convince the Clans to join Bluestar.”

“It backfired,” Russetfur grunted, “obviously.”

Tinystar licked his shoulder fur in thought. BloodClan had been Darkstripe’s idea? He had no idea that Bluestar had attacked Scorch as a kitten… and it didn’t seem like Bluestar recognized Scorch, either. What would have happened if Darkstripe hadn’t happened into a cat who wanted revenge on Bluestar?

“Darkstripe won’t sit quietly,” Graystripe pointed out. “He worshipped the ground Bluestar walked on.”

Hatred blazed in Leopardstar’s eye. “If he shows his face anywhere near my Clan again, I’ll kill him myself,” she hissed. “You have no idea the damage that snake has done.”

Tinystar frowned, wondering just what Darkstripe had managed to do when he seemed like such a failure. How had he upset Leopardstar so? Looking into the dappled she-cat’s eye, he knew he didn’t want to question it.

Russetfur waved her tail at the crowd. “Boulder! Where are you?” she called. “Come forward.”

The crowd parted. A skinny gray tom limped forward, his eyes sunken and huge in his hollow frame. Tinystar wondered if he was starving – but he didn’t smell sickness on him. Perhaps that was just how Boulder was.

Boulder dipped his head to Russetfur and Leopardstar. Russetfur nodded to Boulder and the skinny tom admitted, “I was once part of BloodClan. Darkstripe used me to make contact with them again. I’m so sorry.”

“It’s not your fault,” Russetfur insisted. “We were all perhaps a little too quick to listen to Bluestar and her crony.”

Boulder swallowed, nodding. “Most of her followers fled when she died,” he rasped. “I’m betting they joined BloodClan.”

“Why?” Sandstorm asked, curling her lip.

“Cats like Jaggedtooth and the others… they follow strength,” Boulder rasped. “And BloodClan seemed mighty strong that day.”

Tinystar sighed. So more cats had fled to join BloodClan? That’s certainly not evening up our numbers, he fretted.

“Give me a moment, Tinystar,” Leopardstar meowed, jolting Tinystar out of his thoughts. “I need to gather my Clan.”

“Very well,” Tinystar meowed. “I’m glad you’re joining us, Leopardstar.”

Leopardstar’s eyes flashed. “The forest has always been my home,” she rasped, looking out at the willows and reeds around her. “If I don’t fight for it… what kind of warrior am I?”

“Tinystar!”

Tinystar looked into the crowd, seeing Mistypaw pushing her way through from the direction of RiverClan’s camp. As she drew closer, Tinystar could see her eyes sparkling with sadness.

“Stonepaw wants to speak to you,” she murmured.

Tinystar touched his nose to her forehead. She looked so upset… It’s not news either of us want to hear, he guessed. “Lead the way, Mistypaw,” he offered gently.

Mistypaw led him through the crowd of cats. Sandstorm and Graystripe remained in the clearing at his behest – he didn’t want to overwhelm Stonepaw, even if Sandstorm was just as eager to know what her apprentice had to say for himself. Mistypaw and Tinystar pushed through the reeds and into another clearing, this one much smaller, where Stonepaw was waiting.

“Stonepaw,” Tinystar greeted.

“Tinystar,” Stonepaw returned, dipping his head. There was nothing bashful about his gaze as he lifted his head. “I don’t want to come back to ThunderClan.”

“Please,” Mistypaw begged, stepping between Tinystar and Stonepaw, her eyes big and pleading. “Make him see sense! He has to come home!”

Sorrow for his apprentice bit Tinystar’s heart like a fox. He lifted his head and meowed, “I can’t, Mistypaw. Stonepaw is grown enough now, he can make his own decisions… and he’s made a warrior’s decision to be sure.”

Mistypaw said nothing, hanging her head.

Stonepaw’s eyes widened as he looked at Tinystar, stunned. “Y-You’re alright with this?” he gasped.

Tinystar nodded solemnly. “I think… somewhere deep down we all knew how this was going to end,” he reasoned. And it was true – somewhere deep in his heart Tinystar knew that Stonepaw wouldn’t be coming back. “A cat can’t be told where he belongs – he finds his place himself.”

“Thank you, Tinystar,” Stonepaw breathed. “I’m happier with ShadowClan than I ever have been in ThunderClan. Please… tell Sandstorm I said thank you, and that I’m really sorry.”

“Tell her yourself,” Tinystar told him. “She’s prickly… but she’ll understand.”

Mistypaw leaned on her brother. “We’ll never see you again…” she breathed. “I don’t want that, Stonepaw.”

Stonepaw licked his sister’s ear. “I need this, Mistypaw,” he told her earnestly. “You and Mosspaw will always be my sisters… and Oakheart will always be my father.”

Mistypaw sniffled. “I-I know,” she stammered. “I’m happy you’re finally happy, Stonepaw.”

Tinystar heard his name called from the Bonehill clearing. He turned and left the apprentices alone together for their moment, heading for the source. Russetfur met him halfway through the reeds, her green eyes flashing towards Stonepaw and then back to Tinystar.

“He told you, then?” she guessed.

Tinystar nodded. “If he’s happy in ShadowClan, then he’s happy,” he meowed. His heart felt lighter about the situation after saying it. “There’s nothing to be done about it.”

Russetfur nodded. “A cat makes their own choice about where they belong,” she agreed, her tone knowing.

Tinystar blinked at her curiously.

Russetfur’s whiskers twitched crossly. “Did you think you were the only kittypet-turned-warrior in the forest? ThunderClan cats have bigger egos than I thought!”

Tinystar purred. “I just can’t imagine you being a kittypet,” he admitted.

“Many cats say the same about you, too,” Russetfur pointed out.

“Stonepaw is in good paws, then,” Tinystar guessed.

Russetfur flicked her ear. “I enjoy mentoring him. He’s very keen, and surprisingly analytical for a cat his age – now are we going to stop chattering like jackdaws? Leopardstar wants you to see this.”

Tinystar dipped his head in acknowledgement, letting Russetfur lead the way. As they headed for the Bonehill, hearing Leopardstar’s summons echo over the territory, Tinystar did try to imagine Russetfur as a kittypet – plump and soft-furred, with a jingling collar around her neck.

It didn’t fit her.

Graystripe and Sandstorm met Tinystar and Russetfur at the edge of the crowd. Tinystar was shocked at just how many LionClan cats still remained. Even queens had their kits gathered with them for this meeting, and elders huddled together in the back with the apprentices. Mistypaw touched noses with Stonepaw before moving to join the rest of ThunderClan. She pressed against Graystripe, as if she wanted to sink into his thick pelt and forget her brother wasn’t coming home with her.

Leopardstar stood at the top of the Bonehill, and she waited for Russetfur to join her before she began to speak: “Cats of LionClan, hear me! Tomorrow we will join ThunderClan and WindClan in the battle against BloodClan. This is a threat that we cannot ignore. We are warriors! We must face it!”

Tinystar half expected the crowd of tired, beleaguered cats to say nothing – but he certainly didn’t expect their cries of agreement at Leopardstar’s declaration. Clearly none of them had ever wanted to sit and wait for death, or to flee – they wanted to fight.

Leopardstar waited for the cheering to die down before going on: “StarClan willing, once the battle is won… BloodClan will be driven out, and the Clans can return to normal. The forest will belong to four Clans again – not one, not two, not three. Four!”

LionClan screamed in joy at the thought. Eyees sparkled with eagerness and homesickness. Claws dug into the earth.

“The time of Bluestar is over!” Leopardstar declared, the fur on her spine bristling. “Let the warrior code return to the forest!”

Leopardstar, her eyes blazing, leaped down from the Bonehill. She thrust her paws into the pile of bones and clawed out a pawful of prey bones from the structure. It trembled in response. Russetfur leaped down from the hill and joined her, pulling down her own chunk of the hill.

Soon enough all of LionClan was crowded around the Bonehill, digging away frantically at Bluestar’s monument to her power. Bones scattered around their paws. Tinystar and his patrol took a few steps back to avoid being struck by the scattered remains. Tinystar spotted Stonepaw among the crowd, his eyes hard as ice as he determinedly pulled down his mother’s symbol of control.

“We should go,” Sandstorm meowed quietly.

“Yes,” Tinystar breathed. He looked proudly at the LionClan cats as they reclaimed their freedom. “We can face BloodClan now, on as even of footing as we can manage. As four… we will be as strong as we can be.”

He turned away from the jubilant LionClan cats and headed for the stepping-stones, the sounds of bones clattering to the earth following the patrol all the way.

We will fight for this forest together, Tinystar thought resolutely, leaping onto the first stepping-stone. Or we will all die together.