so assuming Goosefeather/storm being a schizophrenic carries over into this version of the Redux as well, how was the relationship between him and his sister?
Hello to you! Gooseleaf was indeed schizophrenic, which proved to be a little challenging to deal with for everyone. If it wasn’t for the fact that he was such a fantastic seer with pinpoint accuracy in his visions and extended knowledge about long dead cats, he would have been retired to the elder’s den almost as soon as he earned his name. His mentor channeled it into speaking with the stars, reasoning that most seers are pretty loopy anyway because of living in a dreamlike world and having to pay attention to things one can’t even see, so he should be fine (or at least fine-adjacent). Luckily, she turned out to be right, and he was very successful in his field!
His sister's name was Silverface, and their relationship was a little strained - not out of any fault from either of them doing anything wrong; it was the sort of strain that seems to automatically develops between a neurotypical person and a severely mentally challenged one that seem to have no common ground. It was hard to talk to him because of his hallucinations and paranoia, not to mention that extended periods of socialization could stress him out and make them worse. She and her family did love him, but they never really learned how to communicate with him beyond expressing concern and care in the distant ways they could that wouldn’t freak him out.
When her kits were born, he was the one to visit her in the nursery - which was normally rare, as his presence and behavior made queens nervous - and talk about what he saw in her kits’ futures. He sat there quietly for a while, looking at them, before meeting Silverface’s eyes and telling her two things she had never heard from him before and never would again.
The first was that he loved her and his nieces. The second, after regarding Bluekit with a gentle serenity he rarely had, was that “fire really isn’t all that bad after all, is it?”.
Silverface was quite surprised, but she recovered enough to respond that she loved him too and was proud of him (he said he knew, but he was very relieved to hear it out loud). She didn’t ask for clarification about that second remark, because she knew she wouldn’t understand, so they sat there together in silence for a while. It was a nice moment, and the nicest they’d ever had in each other’s company.
After that, they were more comfortable with each other, but unfortunately Silverface died before they could be any closer. Gooseleaf was inconsolable for many days after that.
