The Script For the First Chapter of my Warrior Cats Comic
I wrote this about a year ago and then realized comics are hard, and it’s been gathering dust in my drive folder ever since. But, now that I’m using Warrior Cats to avoid the TADC fandom, I’ll drop it for anyone who’s interested.
Enjoy!
———
The comic opens on a massive gathering of cats, all sitting around an amphitheater-like rock formation. Separate from the mass are three figures at the bottom. We see panels of cats interacting. Greeting each other, talking and smiling, some close and whispering to each other with playful expressions, as if gossiping, until we finally focus on the three cats on the stage.
All three are looking up at the same segment of land over the lip of the amphitheater, as if anticipating something.
Tidestar: I still don’t smell them
Poppystar: It isn’t like Wrenstar to be late.
Soaringstar: It isn’t like her to be considerate either.
Tidestar: Is that how you suggest we start, Soaringstar?
Soaringstar: Of course not! We aren’t starting! She has my kits!
Tidestar: Ah! That’s right! Your brood has finished their rounds, haven’t they?
Soaringstar: They’re coming home.
Tidestar: Yes! And DawnClan could not be happier to welcome them!
Soaringstar raises an eyebrow at Tidestar, accompanied by a sideways glance.
Tidestar: I have their names ready!
Soaringstar: Do you?
Tidestar: Of course! Sunshine! Snowyfrost! Slatestone!
While Tidestar speaks in the background, we focus on Poppystar’s face again as she squints towards the top of the amphitheater. Tidestar’s chatter continues in the background. We switch to her point of view as the silhouettes of cats crest into view.
Poppystar: There they are!
We zoom in on where the cats are emerging, and we see Wrenstar at the front, flanked by Shadowriver. They are followed by five other cats: Bengalfur, Staghorn, Silvertalon, Oakface, and Crowpatch.
Soaringstar: Where are the pilgrims?
Tidestar: Where is anyone?
Wrenstar climbs onto the stage while the few cats with her sit at the edge. The rest of the gathering going silent as they make their way through the parting crowd of cats.
We focus back on a profile view of the group. With a focus on the two cats at the head: Wrenstar and Shadowriver. Most of the group stops on the final stone step before the “stage” at the base of the gathering place, with Shadowriver sitting at the front. Wrenstar walks past him and briefly looks over her shoulder at him. Shadowriver sits straight, tidy, and nods at her permissively. She nods back and joins the other leaders on the stage.
Tidestar: Bit picky tonight, Wren-?
Soaringstar: Where are your pilgrims?
Poppystar: Wrenstar?
Wrenstar shoots her a dark glare.
Poppystar, Cont: Are you alright?
There is rage in Wrenstar’s face. She closes her eyes and collects herself, then says while looking away from the other leaders.
Wrenstar: I will speak on my turn. If you’re so eager to hear it, then we should begin. Tidestar?
Tidestar: Yes… right.
Tidestar clears his throat.
Tidestar: SunClan!
The gathering looks to Tidestar with the tense atmosphere remaining. Tidestar stands above them, concern on his face. He closes his eyes, breathes, and when he opens his eyes again he begins to speak with a smile.
Tidestar: Tonight is a great night! Many pilgrims have completed their walk around the sun!
Cheers
Tidestar: Three of them began their journey in the domain of the Dawn, and so, I have the honor to call on them, and ask how they have chosen to serve SunClan.
Tidestar clears his throat.
Tidestar: Lightwalker! Skywalker! Rainwalker! Where are you?
The three pilgrims run down the stony ridges and sit at the feet of Tidestar.
Tidestar: No! No! This can’t be right. I’m looking for three kits, not grown, seasoned warriors.
The pilgrims smile and beam with pride.
Tidestar: It is time you take your place on the path of the sun. And so I ask you: Which path have you chosen to walk?
Three panels show half of each face of the three pilgrims each saying “I choose” then we get one panel of all there at once yowling
“THE PATH OF THE DAWN”
Tidestar smiles, eyes glittering with pride and walks towards each cat, pressing his nose to their forehead.
Tidestar: Then Lightspark, Skyriver, and Rainshine, and I am proud to welcome you home.
The gathering chants the three names “Lightspark! Skyriver! Rainshine!” As the new warriors run to their tearful father, Wavecrest.
Tidestar: Your mother could not be here tonight, she’s busy with two surprises back at camp. We call them Pearlkit and Featherkit! The newest daughter and son of Suncloud and Wavecrest.
The three new warriors look at their father in shock and joy as he smiles and sits tall. Tears rolling down his cheeks. The gathering continues to cheer in the background.
Tidestar: They were born alongside the new sons of my own son: Eelkit and Raykit. Born healthy and strong to Needle and my Deepfall.
Cheers
Tidestar: With Shimmerscales full of another round of my kits, StarClan bless us, our nursery is full. So if anyone would like to come take them off our paws we’d appreciate it.
The gathering laughs
Tidestar: Ah, it is just another way this Greenleaf has been good to us. Our bellies are full, our kits are plentiful and happy, all while our apprentices train hard. I won’t bore you with any more of my gratitude tonight. Poppystar! You’re always more fun to listen to.
Poppystar smiles with a shake of her head as she takes Tidestar’s place centerstage. She glances over at Wrenstar, but her gaze is away. Fixed instead on the gaze of her deputy, Shadowriver, who looks up at her with cold blue eyes.
Poppystar looks confused, but clears her head of it and looks back out to the gathering.
Poppystar: SunClan!
The gathering turns to Poppystar, a much more bright and happy atmosphere around them. Poppystar’s smile is filled with relief.
Poppystar: The sun hangs high and bright above DayClan! We have welcomed no less than seven new kits this moon, and are soon expecting even more-
Tidestar: I didn’t know this was a contest, Poppy.
The gathering giggles, Poppystar rolls her eyes.
Poppystar: But for me tonight is the greatest gift. Tonight I get to feel the joy of a leader and a mother as one, as my own kits place their first paws on the path of the sun.
Poppystar: Creekkit! Harekit! Hatchkit! Cloverkit! Come here.
Four young heads peak nervously out of the crowd. Poppystar smiles.
Poppystar: Like we practiced.
The gathering chuckles at that, and the four young cats begin to sheepishly make their way through the crowd. Until they make it to the stage, and sit in a half circle around their mother.
Poppystar: Today you place your paws on the path of the sun. It is a long path, a hard path, with as many challenges as joys.
Poppystar seems to be getting choked up. She blinks a few tears out of her eyes.
Poppystar: But be not afraid! For you needn’t travel alone…
Each line of dialogue is its own panel, showing the cat with their mentor.
Poppystar: Hatchpaw, your guide will be Cricketsong.
Poppystar: Cloverpaw, your guide will be Daisytail.
Poppystar: Harepaw, your guide will be Hazelbrook.
Poppystar: And Creekpaw…
Poppystar scans the crowd, as if unsure of who to choose. We see only her in the panel, the small silhouette of Creekpaw’s back in the lower corner. Two panels pass like this seeing her search through the crowd, until her eyes widen with recognition, and she smiles, satisfied.
Poppystar: Creekpaw, your guide will be…
We cut to a panel of a single cat. Mostly white, with light reddish patches and pale blue eyes. Looking strong and confident.
Poppystar: Morningjay!
The crowd breaks into cheers and chants of the new apprentices names. They each greet and sit with their new mentors, Poppystar smiling through it all.
Poppystar: And this is not the only journey that begins tonight.
Poppystar nods at the crowd, and two cats are highlighted. A reddish cat with darker, orange rimmed spots, and a brown and ginger cat, with the most noticeable patch of ginger covering her heart.
Poppystar: Brightpaw and Robinpaw… come forward.
Unlike Poppystar’s kits, Brightpaw and Robinpaw sprint through the crowd, and sit at the edge of the stage between Poppystar and Wrenstar.
Poppystar
Brightpaw and Robinpaw, you have seen what shines in the light of Day, and now it is time for new light.
Robinpaw and Brightpaw look excited.
Poppystar: As the sun follows its path around the sky, so we follow it. Your journey past Day begins with Dusk, and so, Wrenstar, I ask you to honor these apprentices, by granting them their names as pilgrims.
The gathering shifts their attention to Wrenstar. Robinpaw and Brightpaw’s smiles begin to fade as Wrenstar remains silent, her gaze carefully scanning every cat in DayClan. They begin to whisper, Poppystar and Tidestar look at each other in fear, while Soaringstar begins to bear her teeth.
Wrenstar: I will grant no honor to any DayClan cat tonight.
Wrenstar steps forward
Wrenstar: Cats of all clans! I bring news of the unspeakable. Wolfheart, a commander of DuskClan, has been murdered.
Wrenstar’s eyes shift to Poppystar.
Wrenstar: By a cat of DayClan.
Brightpaw and Robinpaw’s ears flatten, and they run back to the crowd of DayClan for refuge. But all eyes are on them now, eyes of confusion, disgust, and fear. Poppystar bristles in shock.
Poppystar: Wrenstar…?
Wrenstar only continues.
Wrenstar: Wolfheart was found, cold, his body across the boarder between Dusk and Day. The wounds on his body were from a cat’s claws and his throat…
Wrenstar swallows. Her eyes glance back to the cats she brought with her, but this time pass Shadowriver, onto Oakface, who sits between Bengalfur and Crowpatch. Crowpatch nuzzling her, Bengalfur with his head down, but Oakface only stares at Wrenstar. Her eyes hard. Wrenstar closes her eyes and breaths, when she opens them again, she looks out to the crowd with fury.
Wrenstar: Had been torn to the bone.
More gasps of horror.
Wrenstar: We found no scent of a rogue. No scent of a fox or a badger. Only the scent of DayClan and DuskClan mixing in the air.
Wrenstar lashes her tail.
Wrenstar: I ask whoever did this to step forward now. Repent, and accept justice with honor.
She pauses. She is answered only in silence and shock.
Wrenstar sighs
Wrenstar: Very well.
Wrenstar holds her head high.
Wrenstar: Until the culprit is found, DuskClan’s boarders are closed! We will take no pilgrims, and assist no other clan.
Tidestar: But… what about the pilgrims in your camp?
Wrenstar looks at him
Wrenstar: Until justice is done, SunClan cannot move on. And so, the pilgrims in my clan will stay with me.
Soaringstar: What-?
Wrenstar: DayClan has until the first leaf falls.
A page of panels of shocked DayClan faces.
Wrenstar: That is all.
Total silence. The entire gathering sits in shock.
Wrenstar: Speak, Soaringstar.
Soaringstar: You can’t do this…
Wrenstar: This has nothing to do with NightClan.
Soaringstar: You have my kits!
Poppystar: You have Flywalker…
Wrenstar looks at Poppystar. Who’s staring at the ground wide-eyed, before looking at Wrenstar.
Poppystar: And Lilywalker…
Wrenstar: Flywalker and Lilywalker didn’t do this. Neither did Soaringstar’s kits.
Soaringstar: So send them home!
Wrenstar: DuskClan is their home, until the pilgrimage is done, they live as we do, that is the point.
Soaringstar: The point is to learn! Not be used as fodder for your forced war!
The gathering gasps. The word “war” repeats through the crowd. We see every cat we’ve highlighted tonight. The other leaders, the new DawnClan warriors, Poppystar’s kits and their mentors all with looks of panic and horror.
Wrenstar: A warrior is dead!
Silence
Wrenstar: One of the best of DuskClan.
Wrenstar, turning to the gathering.
Wrenstar: His murderer sits among you right now. A threat to us all.
Wrenstar cont: DuskClan’s place is to protect us all from any threat, even if it comes from within. It is a purpose Wolfheart believed in.
Wrenstar looks to her entourage
Wrenstar: Wolfheart’s mate is here!
We see a panel for Oakface
Wrenstar: His son!
A panel for Crowpatch
Wrenstar: His fellow commanders!
We see Bengalfur, Silvertalon, and Staghorn. Bengalfur has an expression of grief on his face, but he’s tense, as if he’s forcing himself to bite his tongue. Silvertalon is stoic, staring up only at Wrenstar. Staghorn sits slouched, angry, eyes going from side to side at the crowd around them.
Wrenstar: Wolfheart dedicated his life to them with honor and nobility. Just as he dedicated it to all of you! So I ask: What would you have me do?
An uncertain silence.
Soaringstar: Not hold innocents as incentive.
Wrenstar snarls at Soaringstar, who raises her bristling tail high over her back. Tidestar looks from cat to cat, panic in his eyes. Finally he leaps between them.
Tidestar: Alright! Enough!
Silence falls, all eyes look to Tidestar.
Tidestar: A good cat has died. Wrenstar is right something must be done but whatever that is… won’t be decided tonight-
Wrenstar’s claws flex against the rock.
Wrenstar: It has been decided. DayClan has until the first leaf falls to give us the murderer, and if they fail…
Wrenstar steps from her spot on the stage, making her way back up the rocky steps as the crowd of terrified cats parts around her. Her entourage follows, and we see a panel similar to their entry. But their eyes now glow through the dark light, and their claws are unsheathed.
Wrenstar: Then we punish them as one
