i got warriors: path of a warrior novella collection and it raised two issues i have with warrior cats so mind the minor rant.
firstly, i cannot stand the way that shadowclan is written. i don't mind them being the slytherin of the cat world and them being the clan that most often leans into a villainous role, it makes sense that some clans would be more aggressive and cold than others, but what bothers me is that shadowclan often doesn't feel like a clan.
having just read tawnypelt's clan and thinking about what i remember about yellowfang's secret, shadowclan often feels less like a clan and a lot more like a group of loners that hang out in the same area. it doesn't help that shadowclan is also the clan that always falls apart/disbands (i.e. the reign of darktail, the reign of sol, the whole thing with tigerclan and bloodclan). but generally it also seems that shadowclan cats have very little kinship between them, they all act very aggressive and threatening to each other. clanmates can obviously be at odds with each other or just not get along, but it seems like most shadowclan cats cannot stand each other.
maybe it's just me or maybe i have to read more shadowclan centered stories, but i also vaguely remember this being part of the reason why needletail felt so unhappy in the clans. didn't she get attacked by an owl as an apprentice and no one came to check on her??? like, have the clan being more evil leaning, but don't write them so isolated from their own clanmates.
secondly, since shadowstar's life irritated me, these characters have to stop forgiving so easily. quick water sraight up made multiple attempts on shadowstar's life, causing not only the death of shadowstar's nephew but also starting a whole ass battle because she couldn't own up to her own murder attempts.
i only read dawn of the clans once since it genuinely made me so depressed and i only vaguely remember quick water, but quick water in this novella pissed me off so much. and literally after causing a whole mess, it's only when she's dying that she admits it and says sorry.
like??? if she had succeeded i'm sure quick water would have taken that secret to the grave and even if she didn't skystar certainly wouldn't have done anything. i fucking hate clear sky.
but then, shadowstar just forgives quick water??? and she gets to go to starclan??? because she apologized after making a mess??? she killed sun shadow, she killed shadowstar TWICE, and was plotting to overtake shadowclan, that bitch should have went to the dark forest and shadowstar should have never forgiven her.
