Any thoughts on Nettlepaw? The apprentice who helps Mapleshade out and tells her Frecklewish saw/knew her kits drowned? He's a complete nothing later but he sits in my head as the one clan cat willing to show compassion to a mother who just lost her children, and I wonder how he felt when she went on to murder his clan mates. Because the obvious way, he feels bad and hates her. But I could also see the opposite, where he sees it a hypocritical of Oakstar to cry for murder after his son's drowning, then be horrified his daughter was injured/killed by a mother whose children died because of him. Idk, I like that he's one of only two people to reach out to help Mapleshade and I think he deserves some more attention
I have a really strong headcanon that Nettlepaw is actually the brother of Flowerpaw, the apprentice who died trying to save Birchface from the river. I really like the idea that the simple reason he helped Mapleshade in that moment was because he was so very tired of hearing about innocent people dying.
So... who cares if Ravenwing is going to be upset I lost some herbs, or my mentor might make me pick ticks off the elders? I can't do this anymore. Please, let there just be a small moment of kindness. Even if it doesn't last.
In BB, Nettlepaw is the son of Beetail, the deputy. He also happens to be the half-brother of Birchface and Frecklewish.
Beetail's first mate was Shinecloud, who is the sister of BB!Oakstar. She fell from a tree, and Oakstar helped raise his nespring with Beetail in her absence.
Eventually, Beetail fell in love with Dawnfeather, and Flower and Nettle came along. The two were close with their older half-siblings, it was a happy blended family.
So when Flowerpaw and Birchface died in the same night, it was a devastating blow. Nettlepaw took it better than Frecklewish did, though.
He's got Dawnfeather, alive and well at the moment. Frecklewish lost her brother, the one who remembered their mother.
So Nettlepaw doesn't really know how to help, even though he wants to. Superficially it looks like the same kind of grief, but it's very different underneath.
When Mapleshade's kittens came around, everything looked so much brighter. It was like Frecklewish was her old self again.
I don't see Nettlebreeze as being a very abstract thinker. He's not particularly poetic or eloquent, he's very straightforward and honest in how he assesses the world. The code is the code... but it's very sad that Mapleshade is all alone and the children are dead. It's not right.
Something feels wrong that the kittens lived thinking he was their half-uncle, and died thinking he hated them now. That the answer to so much death was even more death. And, sadly, it's not about to get any better.
Sad character, basically. He yearns for kindness in a cruel world, just before a rampage that will take his last sibling from him, and with the Crusades looming on the horizon.
In doing that ask game, I was asked how I would rewrite the code. It got too big for the ask! So here’s the Warrior Code Rewritten, for my Bonefall Rewrite
(As always, it is free for anyone to use or edit to their own liking <3)
I tried to streamline the code by eliminating redundancy, gave each one snappier names, AND I have some rough drafts for stories associated with each one!
1. Do not Trespass = "Law of the Land"
This is now rule 1, because borders were the first thing to be established at the dawn of the clans.
2. A True Warrior Does Not Need To Kill To Win Their Battles = "Law of Honor"
Another founding principle. The first two were established at the Battle of Fourtrees.
3. Defend your Clan = "Law of Loyalty"
The Ryewhisker/Cloudberry story is virtually unchanged. HOWEVER, Cloudberry AND Ryewhisker are willingly joining the Dark Forest in protest. They are some of the oldest spirits there.
4. The Weak are Fed First = "Prey Priority Privilege"/"Elder's Privilege"
This story is actually being completely rewritten, it's not coming from a celebration over a RiverClan Sunningrocks victory. Still a WIP though-- but Elders are actually the ones who extend the privilege of priority to kits, queens, the weak, and injured. Just a technical thing.
5. Respect Prey; StarClan Sent It. = "StarClan's Grace"
Now more of a commandment about piety than about respecting prey. Wasting prey is downright sacrilegious, thanking StarClan is explicitly a prayer.
This is one of my small but meaningful (to me) sociological changes. This is the sort of law that religions often create because they're important and communicate an abstract value over generations. An individual warrior may or may not have a good understanding of land stewardship or ecology, but this law exists so they don't overhunt.
6. Apprentices must be six moons old = "Six Moon Rule"
The Code of the Clans story is unchanged; this is also known as “Daisytail’s Law”. Brokenstar actually loopholes the hell out of this law; it says nothing about making early warriors.
(personally i think his child soldiers are horrifying but ultimately stupid. Pint-sized kittens can’t fight and do not live to become experienced warriors.)
Post-Brokenstar, this loophole is patched; an apprentice needs to be 6 months, a warrior must be 1 year.
The rule is extended FURTHER after Graystripe's failure to train Brackenpaw; a warrior taking a new apprentice must be 2 years old.
7. A Deputy Must Mentor/Deputy Becomes Clan Leader/Deputy is Appointed Before Moonhigh = "Code of the Deputy"
Combined into one huge rule. A succession crisis split ShadowClan into two factions, lead by Mossfire and Jumpfoot, who were both what modern Clan Cats would consider 'deputies.'
Redscar settled it with his famous false sign, appointing Flowerstem as leader (Mossfire's sister) and she chose her second-in-command, Robinspot (Jumpfoot's son). Deputies were established as a hard title after this-- and there would only ever be one at a time.
8. Boundaries must be checked and marked daily = "Right of the Challenge"
Instead of just being a no-brainer law, this is the basis of 'Might Makes Right' in the Clans. Boundaries are set where they're set, and warriors and the clans they're part of are allowed to challenge them freely.
A Clan that cannot defend its borders is not worthy of keeping them. A warrior that backs down from a formal challenge is a coward, and does not respect the Code. BATTLE CULTURE!!!
9. A Warrior Rejects the Soft Life Of a Kittypet = “Kittypet Code“
Being shuffled, no longer formed as a response to Pinestar’s choice! It was actually a SkyClan law, in response to several cats defecting as humans destroyed their forest.
This lays the foundation for several events later; Oakstar uses this law to justify ‘crusades‘ against Chelford township cats in an attempt to appease StarClan. This directly leads to BloodClan’s formation, and Pinestar’s eventual defection.
This is the last code to be formed before SkyClan’s Exile.
10. A Medicine Cat Serves Their Clan Above All Else = “Medicine Cat’s Vow”
Now a corruption of a vow that used to just be a point of honor for medicine cats, warped to control these powerful religious figures.
Before SkyClan’s Exile, Moth Flight created it for her and her children when they were torn apart by clan violence, when each clan wanted its own medic and sought to steal the young cats from WindClan. Its original intention was for medicine cats to value medicine ABOVE their clans, by never having a mate or kittens to fight for.
With the addition of this law, it was flipped on its head completely.
11. No Fighting at Gatherings = "Full Moon Truce"
A big change; Ripplestar wasn’t fighting for no reason. Son of a medicine cat who had to abandon him due to Rule 10, and developing a hatred for the wrongful exile of SkyClan, Ripplestar was leading skirmishes and rebellions against the other clans. His goal was to force them into dividing their land to eventually give to a returned SkyClan.
The full moon truce was only a tradition before this point, and Ripplestar was making a point. He attacked them during a time of peace, and this incurred the wrath of StarClan. They smote him on the spot, and this event lead to rules 11, 12, and 13.
12. The Warrior’s Vigil and the Warrior’s Pilgrimage = “The First Tasks“
Another post-exile law that encouraged obedience, albeit in a much softer way. Vigils and pilgrimages to the moonstone were only tradition before this point, just like the full moon truce, but formalized to encourage piety to StarClan.
13. The Word of a Leader is Law = “Leader’s Rights“
The big bad one. Also sometimes called Dalestar’s Commandment, or the 13th Law. The leaders had enough of arguing, and in their minds, it was a disrespect of authority that lead to Ripplestar’s shenanigans. Warriors that didn’t know their place, medicine cats getting too uppity. The law was laid down here; that their word was always the final authority.
This, of course, was a huge mistake and is eventually reckoned with in The Broken Code arc, and replaced by the “Clan’s Rights“ to challenge a bad leader instead.
14. Kittens Are Protected At All Costs = “Queen’s Rights”
Also called Darkstar’s Commandment, formed in response to StarClan’s fury at witnessing the Mapleshade incident. Every cat involved was sent to the Dark Forest in blind fury, and Darkstar and Oakstar were commanded to add this law or be damned as well.
Darkstar correctly identified that this law would mean nothing if a queen HAD to reveal who the father of her kittens was, because then the clan would be forced to punish them if they had broken the Law of Loyalty. With the establishments of the Queen’s Right (to remain silent), if she had been disloyal, it stays between her and StarClan.
Before this time, stealing kittens from other clans and outsider groups wasn’t uncommon in order to maintain genetic diversity. That practice was abolished here, though there were a few cases of it happening in modern history.
15. The Clans Must Unite in Times of Need = “Law of the Lake”
Being formally added after the arrival of SkyClan, in AVOS instead of Bramblestar’s Storm.
A law of reparation for SkyClan’s exile so many generations ago, and an agreement after the journey, the battle with the Dark Forest, and with the Kin, that the Clans would never let a threat to one clan go ignored by the others.
16. A Cat May Change Allegiance = “Bristlefrost’s Law”
I won’t elaborate too much on this one, because as of writing this, A Starless Clan is not complete and there may be more changes to this law by the end of the arc.
However, this is the law that was created after Bristlefrost’s sacrifice to kill Ashfur. It is named in her honor.
I assume Frecklewish never finds out, but how do you think she'd react to finding out Birchface is essentially the reason she (among others) ended up in the Dark Forest? Granted, she did lash out at the kits and (unless you changed it) attacked Mapleshade in front of them, so it's not like she's completely innocent in this ordeal comapred to say, Reedshine. But I can imagine if she ever did find out? I can't say she'd ever want to see his face again after what his sign caused, even if he didn't want or expect it to go that far.
I think Birchface is the only one who knows, and it burns inside of him. If he tells, could they throw him out of StarClan? Would he join his family in the Dark Forest? ...what would they say to him if they found out he was the reason why they're there?
It terrifies him that it could get out, even now, so long after it's been done.
With Frecklewish though... I think if she found out, she'd be a little angry of course, but what does it truly matter?
In her eyes, they were HalfClan brood parasites. The children of her brother's murderer, Mapleshade’s little lies. She'd been tricked. Ask the Frecklewish who has lived in the Dark Forest for YEARS, the one who is about to take part in the Battle of the True Eclipse, and she has no love or sympathy left in her heart.
She's been there too long and forgotten the love she had for those innocent kittens.
I don't think she had lost that love, when she was watching the kittens swept away. The Frecklewish on the shore that evening isn't the same Frecklewish that stands before you today. Not because the Dark Forest corrupts you with eeevil magic, but because she's doubled down on her opposition to StarClan
They judged her unfairly, took Mapleshade's side over her own, and banished her and Oakstar to the same place her killer went.
What does it matter that it was a false sign? Birchface told her the truth in death.
StarClan doesn't deserve her love or loyalty, not after what they did. Not them OR their new commandment through Darkstar. Both of them should be torn down, in her eyes.
So, how does Birchface feel about accidentally killing 3 kits with his false sign? Cause that would be something hard to live with...and would he have been thrown into the dark forest had Starclan found out? Also, if does BB!Mapleshade's story follow cannon where it's his sister that assumes it's his kits and Maple just keeps quiet? Cause if so, he shouldn't be mad at Maple for it tbh.
How does Birchface feel about his false sign killing 3 kits?
He played a stupid game and won a stupid prize. He made the sign in a fit of anger, wanting to warn Frecklewish that they were the kits of his murderer, and then watched his dad exile them and lead to their drowning.
He got what he wanted and lives in constant guilt over it, knowing that if he comes clean, they will probably chase him out too. He got his sister damned for his stupid, cruel action.
Does BB!Mapleshade's Story follow canon?
It follows canon completely until the moment that Mapleshade is bringing them across the river. The two major changes are that there is NO HUMAN BRIDGE she could have taken, and also she doesn't have grief delusions of her kits telling her to kill.
She allowed Frecklewish to believe they were Birchface's kits, and that enraged him. She was using his sister to shield his killer's spawn in their midst, he saw those kittens like brood parasites and lost sight of the fact they were children.
A lie by omission is still a lie, in his eyes.
It didn't hit him that he got what he wanted until RiverClan fished three tiny bodies out of the river. He didn't think about how sick his desire had been until he was watching Darkstar refuse to let Mapleshade lay her babies to rest.
I like to think of MV as a story with no heroes. Everyone is at fault for something here, and the only innocent people were the kittens they failed to protect.
Mapleshade’s Vengeance should have been a Super Edition. Do you plan on changing anything about MV other then Mapleshade’s victims going to the df or no
I think it was perfect as a Novella, an SE would have been too long. But, I wish it gave me more canon ThunderClan cats to work with :/
In BB there are only 2 changes;
No, Mapleshade is not haunted by her children. Every time a character is given psychosis to make them Evil Murderers in fiction I lose 5 years off my lifespan. She killed those people for revenge, plain and simple.
There was no bridge. Mapleshade had no choice but to bring them over the stones or wait on the shore in the pelting rain.
In a nutshell, BB!MV is mostly the same, but this time it's more of a tale about revenge as a cultural value and the way the Clans failed 3 innocent children. It's a story with no hero, only various degrees of victims.
How does Darkstar feel about Leopardstar? With Darkstar being the one who made Queen's Rights and Riverclan being sort of The Queen's Rights clan, what does she think about Leopardstar embracing an ideology that stands against that?
Darkstar is definitely one of the reasons Leopardstar got sent to the Dark Forest, holy mackerel, she was mAAAD
BB!Leopardstar also contributed to Crookedstar's death unlike canon, but even if she HADN'T done that Darkstar would have wanted her ass on a silver plate for allowing Stormpaw and Featherpaw to be in harm's way.
"I didn't dunk Oakstar in the river, change the code, and specifically pick my successor to keep my Clan out of the insanity that was the Crusades for you to ruin it with your poisonpaws."
BB!Leopardstar would be too proud to ever attempt pulling a 'I didn't stand up for myself :( it was Tigerstar's idea' type of defense, but if she did, it would only make Darkstar angrier. Like, "I'll peel the spots off of your cowardly body" levels of mad.
Hey, uh, you mentioned everyone involved with the Mapleshade thing was sent straight to the Dark Forest. For clarification, I assume (hope) this doesn't count Mapleshade's kids who did literally nothing wrong.
LMAO jeez yeah no the kittens did nothing wrong. They appear as adult warriors at the trial-- Larchface, Patchpool, Petalstar. Larchface acts as 'lead prosecutor.' Darkstar asks Petalstar what Clan she would have lead out of curiosity and Petal furiously shuts her down, saying "You think you deserve to know??"
It's being combined in some ways with the COTC story about Smallstar.
On that note I'm also removing the "Mapleshade kitten delusions" in MV where she hallucinates her children telling her to murder. But I was hoping that would go without saying since everyone forgets that's a thing anyway.
