Warriors Redlined Notes
It starts off with Rusty, a kittypet who lives with his father, Jake, and their housefolk. Scoring to prove his friend and neighbor who believes there’s a group of kittypet eating “cult cats” wrong, he goes into the woods, and after a moment, meets Graypaw, a Thunderclan apprentice who tells Rusty a little about clan life before being cut off by Graypaw’s mentor, Lionheart.
Graypaw wants Rusty to come back to Thunderclan with him, however Lionheart remarks that Graypaw needs to discuss that with his father, who at the time being is an unnamed tom. The two ask Rusty to return the next day.
Rusty returns back to his yard and retells the tale to Smudge, who really doesn’t want him to go. Rusty shrugs and says he’s thinking about it. The two argue for a bit, before their twolegs break it up.
Rusty asks his father about the clans, and he perks up quite happily and tells Rusty that his father’s lover is a clan leader. Rusty is quite fascinated and also enthusiastic about his father being perfectly alright with him joining the clans.
The next day, Rusty returns to the woods and is once again greeted by Graypaw and Lionheart, this time with some more cats. Graypaw introduces two of them as his older brother, Darkstripe, and his father, Thistlestar. Lionheart then introduces Rusty to Sweetpoppy.
Darkstripe makes a remark about Rusty’s stature and the fact he is built like a wildborn cat, but is curious if the young kittypet would be willing to even leave his comfortable lifestyle. Graypaw pops back telling his brother a recount of the previous day.
Thistlestar seems rather impressed by the tale, and after more begging from Graypaw, discusses the idea of Rusty joining with the other three warriors. Darkstripe is a bit hesitant, but is eventually somewhat onboard. Lionheart and Sweetpoppy both are extremely thrilled about the idea and Sweetpoppy volunteers to show him around once they get back to camp.
The group returns to camp and almost instantly Rusty is noticed. A lot of cats have their eyes on him, a blue furred molly in particular. Graypaw points her out as Bluefur, the deputy he had mentioned the other day. Darkstripe remarks that she doesn’t look too pleased with Rusty’s arrival.
Thistlestar shrugs it off and states she’ll get over it and that she’s just upset about the battle that’s going to occur soon. Rusty looks at the leader, confused, and he tells Rusty that Thunderclan is at war with Riverclan over the Sunningrocks and they’re about to fight for them again.
Rusty is confused and asks why they’re fighting over rocks, which no one really has an answer for. Darkstripe however, has to make a sarcastic remark. “Because we can.”, which earns him a smack upside the head by a new character entering the scene, Willowpelt. She says nothing, just glares at Darkstripe and smiles at Rusty and Graypaw. Graypaw informs him that she is his, Darkstripe, and Dustpaw’s mother.
Thistlestar holds a clan meeting to welcome Rusty, who he renames Firepaw, to the clan. A couple of the clan members seem a bit hesitant and irritated, especially Bluefur. She stands and yowls about Rusty reeking of a kittypet, that he probably hasn’t fought a day in his life. A flurry of hushed agreements travel through the crowd.
Firepaw spots a white molly with a blue gray streak of fur going down her nose glaring at Bluefur. The two make eye contact and she mouths an apology to him, to which he just smiles and nods in return. Thistlestar recommends he prove himself by partaking in a fight with Bluefur, to which the blue gray cat automatically agrees.
The molly from before looks disgusted, and Willowpelt angrily pipes up.
“You’re making him fight a senior warrior? Are you mousebrained?”
Thistlestar shifts and opens his mouth to agree before Bluefur scoffs.
“Well if he’s truly cut out for clan life he’ll have to take on even more experienced warriors.”