Reviving this blog with a redraw of one of my favorite pieces I've posted on here ^^
Mentioned long ago that I liked the idea of a villain Sparkpelt, and honestly...I still love the idea of it. She causes problems on purpose to be seen as the good guy in the eyes of everyone else.
In the word's of Regina George...she just wants to watch the world burn, and she's got the gasoline for it.
Discussion And User Warning - What Doesn't Belong In This Fandom
I don't plan on making another post like this, but as someone who is in a fandom that has a lot of minors, I do want to warn those against interacting with this person
Not only that, this is a topic that has been on my mind since a user who I personally have gripes with, though they will not be mentioned here [if you know who, then you know]
Instead, I'll focus on one specific user
///
before I go into anything, I want to place a trigger warning for the following topics;
mention of NSFW topics such as kinks and fetishes
and for context, this all came about because they interacted with me on my fanfiction account @funnywordsforbattlecats
///Notice///
Before I start, do not go harassing anyone mentioned, by name or vaguely
Specifically for the user at the center of this, I ask that you block and ignore
///The Start///
Let's begin with how this started
So I got a message from the Tumblr user ville234 earlier this morning, it being the first thing I woke up to
the screenshots are as follows
and though I have the user blocked now, I am willing to unblock and record the conversation to prove that this is literally the only back and forth between the two of us, as I understand people may be skeptical of screenshots alone
but I grew curious before I blocked them
so I checked them out and learned this is a 25 year old adult
now I myself am also a 25 year old adult and I certainly was surprise to learn that, seeing as how they behaved, but I digress
///Digging Deeper///
So I got curious on what they might've wanted to try to have requested without asking them, as I didn't want to continue a conversation with someone who'd lash out
so I decided to find any hints by scrolling through their account
Only found one thing, but I'll circle back to it in a moment
even more curious, I used Tumblr's broken search bar I found something.. More interesting
.
I found a lot of this person asking many people if they were open for requests
and a couple where they discussed possible requests
And what were these?
Kink and fetish related stories
Now I had already said no and I knew right away that I would've definitely turned it down the moment they had asked
Why?
Well, on top of being a sex-repulsed asexual, there also comes a firm belief I hold
And I truly believe this shouldn't be a controversial take
///NSFW, Kink, and Fetish Material do not belong in the Warriors fandom///
There are other fandoms I hold this to, but Warriors is what this blog and my fanfic blog are about
This fandom has a lot of minors on it
Take it from someone who joined when fae were a minor
But on top of the fact there are minors, there's also the fact that these are cats
Cats who are vaguely humanized, yes, but that's only in the way that they have organized religion, morals, etc
in the end, these are still physically feral cats
and I find it really disgusting when people bring such inappropriate topics into this fandom for these two reasons
There's even a decently sized fanfic author in this fandom who I do not like or support because their content contains r*pe, inc*st, and forced pregnancy [especially in the context of trans men, of which I am a nonbinary trans man and finding out a fanfic has non consensual impregnation of trans men is disgusting to me]
some who the user ended up interacting with
and though it doesn't see like it ended in anything, I'm still displeased that this author didn't reject it because Warriors isn't a place for NSFW topics, but because they personally weren't fond of the 'plot', as it were
.
Content creators, especially for Warriors, should be aware that this is a minor-centric fandom and on top of that, a fandom where the characters are quite literally feral cats
It's quite frankly disgusting when creators do this, but especially so when it is posted on a public platform like here on Tumblr or on fanfiction sites, DA, etc
And you can get mad all you want
but when this feral animal fandom mostly consists of teens and children you shouldn't be creating such content
.
All I ask is that you share this and make people aware of ville234 and remind others that Warriors should not be a fandom where NSFW/Fetish content should be allowed
Oooh, I got some hypokits for ya: Tigerclaw x Whitestorm x Goldenflower OR Leopardstar x Russetfur x Sasha
>:3c
I bring you
them
TigerWhiteGolden Kits
Clawstorm puts herself in charge a lot and doesn't mind bossing others around. She can be quite harsh and hard to deal with, however. She bottles up her feelings a lot and when Tigerclaw gets banished it all comes crashing down for her.
Honeyheart is a very emotional cat and they're not afraid to admit it, though they are quite dependent on others and are still learning how to deal with their emotions. They know they need to be independent but for them it's hard
Waspstorm was always aggressive and he acted out a lot, especially before he came out as a tom. He uses his anger as a defense mechanism and has a hard time letting others close. When he finally accepts himself he's then forced to struggle to accept being Tiger's son
Tiger's betrayal comes after Wasp is at terms with his gender
All three of these kids need therapy for different issues
Some fun LGBT facts;
Claw is asexual and demiromantic
Honey is nonbinary [any pronouns] and bi
Wasp is a trans man and bi
SashaLeopardRusset Kits
Ruby is the only one who lives outside the Clans and personally chose to not take a Clan name. He's got a horrible taste in cats and ends up with his heart broken often.
Redfern is rather laid back and casual, not reacting often or hard to thinks unless she considers them an actual concern. She could be considered lazy and she finds no shame in not working herself to death.
Palewhiskers is a bold, flirty tom who can be quite the pain to deal with and probably never learn that he's a piece of shit until it comes back to bite him in the ass. He's basically a smug playboy idiot.
Morningwhistle is an outgoing and lovely molly - the cheerleader in everyone's corner when she's needed. She loves unconditionally and is very supportive of her family.
Sunstep used to be confident like Morningwhistle, but during her first gathering all that was sucked away and she became aware of just how many cats were out there. She's now scared of the spotlight.
Sun and Morning consider themselves 'twins', as their names are similar and they're the only two colorpoints among their siblings. They help each other out a lot and are each other's best friend no matter what.
Ruby tends to travel, but stops by as often as he can to check on his family
Palewhiskers tries to find loopholes in the Code and any rules and is quite a sneaky little kitty
Redfern doesn't harbor negativity towards anyone even if others would think they deserve it. She'd rather confuse hateful cats by offering them forgiveness.
Some fun LGBT facts;
Ruby is pansexual and specifically likes larger, tougher cats regardless of gender identity
Palewhiskers is pan and uses he/they
Redfern is an aroace trans woman
Morningwhistle is a sapphic trans woman
Sunstep is a bisexual demiromantic
From The Ashes AU - Sparkstar's Nine Lives Ceremony - Writing Drabble
I've been stuck on this AU a lot so I decided to share some of my writings.
For those new I wrote down the plot on how it started and then wrote allegiances
this is from the nine lives ceremony I mentioned in the former for Sparkstar, who now leads a Clan she named in honor of her grandfather's memory.
The air was still that night, two shapes walking along the tree-line with their bodies low and ears pinned down, fearing confrontation. The ground on this warm night felt like ice under Sparkpelt's paws as every little scuttling mouse or curious owl's call made her worry that she and Leafpool were going to get caught.
It had been some time since they had left ThunderClan and being back did not bring any comfort to the bright ginger she-cat.
Mom would've died for this place.. She did die for this place.. Her heart twisted as a sickening wave of grief had her pause for a brief moment as she looked up at the glittering sea of stars above her head. Which one of those are you, Squirrelflight?
She kept moving, glancing up every now and then to find the three brightest stars. One for her mother, one for her late mate Larksong, and one for her son who never got to grow up, Flickerkit.
"We're getting close," Leafpool hushed mew snapped Sparkpelt out of her thoughts as she glanced at the medicine cat. A medicine cat for a Clan that didn't even have a name yet. The thought was almost amusing. "Stick close. We can still be found by a patrol."
She bit her tongue as a smart remark almost left her maw. She was going to ask if her father, Bramblestar, would really drag them back to ThunderClan from the Moonpool, but seeing as Ivypool and Fernsong literally had to fight their way out to leave, she wouldn't be surprised.
The ice that tugged her paws down, trying to stick her in place, grew heavier as she caught a glimpse at the Moonpool for the first time in her life. The way the stars danced in the clear water made it look like the pool itself sparkled with the pelts of StarClan cats.
With a small motion of her head, Leafpool invited Sparkpelt to lap at the water, the brown tabby even taking the first drink to prove it was safe. Leaning down and lapping at the water, it felt so cool and fresh that her body relaxed, causing the molly to realize that her body had been tense with fear.
.
With a small blink, she found herself surrounded by a forest of shimmering trees, a breeze pulling at her fur unlike the stiffness of the forest she had experienced on her way here.
Before she could continue to register the awe-inspiring sight around her, she was greeted by a dark ginger shape rushing over and the feeling of rough, but loving licks to her head. A deep purr rumbled in her throat as she took in the familiar warm feeling and the achingly painful scent of her mother.
"Squirrelflight," Her voice cracked as she realized just how much she had missed her. The bittersweet feeling rose from her chest and to her throat, blocking her words as she struggled to speak. "I-"
"I'm happy to see you, too," The small she-cat, nuzzling her with such warmth. It felt like lifetimes ago that she was expecting kits and Squirrelflight had been right there beside her, comforting her and assuring her that she was going to be okay, even while the older molly had been fighting with Bramblestar. "How I wish I could be there for you and your kits and-"
She glanced at Leafpool, who stood there with a saddened smile.
"You did so much for us already," The brown tabby molly said, reaching one of her white paws out and resting it on Squirrelflight's. "You've done so much for me already. You deserve the rest."
Sparkpelt watched as a wordless conversation followed, their expressions changing ever so slightly as the only noise was the faintness of their breaths. After a long moment, Leafpool stepped back, dipping her head and glancing towards the bright ginger she-cat.
It's my turn to talk. She realized quickly, looking back at her mother.
"What you did for us - for ThunderClan and the Sisters - no one will ever forget," Sparkpelt promised. She refused to let herself forget that sacrifice made to save kits that wasn't even hers or her Clan's. "And I know it's a lot more to ask, but there's something we need - or at least need to know. You see, after you.. After you were gone, Leafpool and I left, followed by-"
"I know."
Sparkpelt blinked at the interruption.
She knows?
"I've been watching every moment," She assured, nudging her daughter's shoulder with her nose. "I know how you and Stormcloud have been working hard to make a safe and caring home for you and the other ThunderClan refugees. I know that Bramblestar is fighting tooth and claw to bring everyone back home because he's become blind with grief and rage."
She blinked more slowly this time, her green eyes shining even brighter than usual for a brief moment.
"And I know you're here for your nine lives."
Shock rippled through Sparkpelt.
"So-"
"StarClan is ready to gift you your lives. We talked for so long after you left, trying to determine if this was the right path. In the end, we are sure of it."
Behind the StarClan warrior, the queen saw the forest come to life with many shining cats, all of them holding their heads high with pride.
StarClan..
Squirrelflight stepped close, the warmth of her glittering body overwhelming Sparkpelt for a moment, like an inferno under the smaller she-cat's pelt. The younger she-cat felt that energy rush through her, burning at her paws like she was standing in flames, the crackling ringing in her ears as she could hear the distant shouts of her mother.
"With this life I grant you compassion," She murmured, eyes full of love and burning determination. "I don't regret how I ended up here. Bramblestar may have thought it was foolish for me to help cats I barely knew, but I was able to ensure the chance that three kits would be able to live and see the world."
Sparkpelt pulled Squirrelflight in for one last goodbye nuzzle before letting her mother step back.
Her lonely heart twisted more as another cat came forward, his dark pelt alight with many stars that danced in his eyes.
"Larksong.." His name fell from her maw before she could stop it and she longed to lay in a nest with him, to talk about everything and nothing all at once.
"Sparkpelt," He purred her name with such love and warmth that for a moment she felt secure and safe. He rested his chin on her head and she pressed against him, breathing in his scent for a long while. "I wish I could've stayed. I miss being with you with every breath I breathe.."
"I miss you, too," She felt herself about to weep. "I miss you so bad that it hurts. It feels so lonely without you."
He pulled away and her heart yearned for this to not be over.
"But you're not alone," He reminded her. "You've built your own family, one of many cats who can be there for you. And, even if you can't see me, I'm standing by your side forever and always."
She leaned forward again, wanting to feel his fur against his, but he lowered his head to where their foreheads were touching, their noses close.
"With this life I give you confidence. I believe in everything you do and I know you'll lead these cats well. You just need to be able to see it, too."
Their noses touched and Sparkpelt felt a shocking mix of being as light as a fallen feather and being as sturdy as stone. Like she could do anything and take on any foe. The feeling started to taper after Larksong pulled his head away.
"I'll be with you always." He meowed, stepping away to allow room for a much smaller shape to toddle over. The grief became overwhelming as little Flickerkit approached, his eyes bright and joyful at the sight of his mother.
"Mama!" He chirped, pressing his head to her leg. She leaned down to give him a lick, but was met with his nose touching hers, as if he had been expecting her to move to make it easier for him. "With this life I give you forgiveness. It's not your fault, okay? I'm not mad that I had to leave, so please don't be mad at you either."
Sorrowful sand coated Sparkpelt's tongue and the stone of loss made her throat ache.
"My beautiful kit," She whispered out. "I love you."
"I love you, too, Mama."
She managed to get a couple licks on his head before he ran over to Larksong, standing next to his father with such light in his eyes. Losing them so close to each other was still so hard for her to bare.
It took her a moment to notice that a new cat had approached - a white and speckled brown she-cat, whose eyes narrowed in such a sharp look that it felt like it stung the grieving she-cat.
"I'm Pebbleshine of SkyClan," She stated bluntly, her intense gaze fixed on Sparkpelt's eyes. "And if it were up to me, you wouldn't be the one getting these lives." Sparkpelt winced. "But I was outvoted, so instead I'm going to give you the life of acceptance."
She pressed her nose firmly against the ginger molly's, causing a small shock of pain with just how quickly she pressed her nose. A bright intensity filled her, followed by a warm flood, as if someone was letting out the first feeling.
"May you accept all cats, not just your own."
As Pebbleshine turned to walk away, it clicked suddenly to Sparkpelt on why something had been bothering her. This molly was Twigbranch's mother. They didn't look a lot alike, but they had the same general body shape.
After her approached another she-cat - a cat whose solid black fur shifted ever so slightly in a mix of emotions as she looked past Sparkpelt and to the she-cat next to her. There was another silent conversation, one of forgiveness and kindness, before the black she-cat turned to her.
"I'm Hollyleaf," The name shot many stories through Sparkpelt's head as she recalled it quickly. "I'm-"
"Lionblaze and Jayfeather's sister. I remember.. My mother and father raised you.."
She nodded before stepping forward.
"I died for my Clan, much like she did, but I made some grave mistakes along the way that I still wish I could take back, but I never gave up," She blinked slowly, her gaze becoming intense. "And I don't want you to give up, either. So with this life, I give you endurance. Use it to carry you and your Clan."
Sparkpelt wasn't ready for the burning, aching, tired feeling to erupt through her body. Her heart pounded in echoes through her ears and her legs quivered helplessly, but she found she could still stand, despite the soreness that clawed through every part of her.
As she was recovering, someone else stepped forward. A large golden cat, whose pelt somehow still had the soft cling of milk to it. Confusion settled over the fading pain as she noticed a look of love and affection in the molly's eyes.
"Who are you?" She asked quietly.
"I'm Goldenflower," Came the reply. "I'm Bramblestar's mother - your grandmother - and it's such an honor to finally meet you. I may have passed away so many moons ago, but to know my son had such a wonderful family kept me from letting myself wander too far."
"With this life I give you protection. May you fight for every life as if they were the lives of your kits."
A new feeling surged through, like fire and electricity, dragging out her claws in order to defend those around her from the shadows looming in the corners of her mind.
Blinking her eyes open, Goldenflower dipped her head and whispered a soft goodbye before stepping away.
Two more kits replaced the one queen - a dark brown tabby tom and a pale ginger she-cat. It took only one look at the tom for it to register just who these two were, even if she didn't have any actual memories of them.
"Juniperkit, Dandelionkit," She felt a faint sadness for never getting to know them, but she found it wasn't as intense as her sorrow for anyone else. It made her wish she had more time to get to know them, to give them the proper respect they deserved as her littermates. "You're so much bigger than I remember."
It wasn't the truth, but it was enough for the two kits to become giddy.
"I told you! She remembers us!" Dandelionkit boasted, holding her head high. Juniperkit stuck his tongue out before shoving his sister. She was about to shove back when Squirrelflight let out a cough, catching the kits' attention. "Oh! Yeah!"
Dandelionkit pressed her nose against Sparkpelt with such speed that it hurt much worse than when Pebbleshine had done it. She got a quick apologetic glance from her late sister before the kit spoke again;
"With this life I give you enthusiasm! You gotta enjoy every day you can!"
Kit-like energy spread through her body as she remembered playing with Alderkit in the nursery and chasing Bramblestar's tail as he tried to get things done around camp.
The buzzing feeling made her paws tingle, even after Juniperkit walked up for his turn.
"With this life I give you faith!" He declared loudly, shooting a smug look at Dandelionkit before turning back to Sparkpelt. "Even if things are looking bad, you gotta hang in there and know that there are cats there for you! So never ever give up!"
Emotions swirled through Sparkpelt's chest as bubbling feelings of fear and despair were suddenly washed out with new feelings of hope and confidence. Not the same soaring confidence that Larksong had given her, but enough to make the world just a bit brighter.
They all stepped away as a shape emerged from the crowd and Sparkpelt's eyes widened as a tom came forward. His flame-like pelt was the same stunning color as hers and she didn't even need to think about who this was. She had heard enough stories to fill the heads of many cats for moons to come.
"You're Firestar." She blurted out. He smiled and she realized just where her mother's warm and loving gaze came from.
"I am," He confirmed as he stood only a whisker or two away. "It's good to finally see my granddaughter. I would've loved to dote on you while I was alive, but I'm still so happy to get to see you."
It felt overwhelming in the moment. This was Firestar. She was a part of his legacy and suddenly the shame of how she had been acting before made her feel like an embarrassed little kit.
"With this, I proudly give you the life of love. From the kits born inside the nursery to cats who choose to wander, all your Clanmates are worthy of love."
When he pressed his nose to her, she felt as if she was floating, her heart swelling so much that it almost hurt. She could see everyone's faces as she closed her eyes as well - Stormcloud standing by her side as he watched Cherryfall, Ivypool and Ferncloud helping their kits build dens for everyone to sleep in, Daisy helping watch Finchkit and Flamekit, and even Finleap and Twigbranch returning home with prey in their jaws.
To love these cats like family.. She could feel herself able to do that, even if she hadn't always been the best cat in their lives.
"Congratulations, Sparkstar." Firestar bowed his head to her as she could hear her name being called by many cats, both those she knew and voices she had never heard.
"Sparkstar! Sparkstar! Sparkstar!"
.
Waking up, Sparkstar's ears were still ringing as she slowly stood, her legs shaking lightly as she took in what happened. She could hear movement beside her as Leafpool was soon awake, looking at her with warm amber eyes.
"How do you feel?" She asked softly, aware that what just happened was a lot. There was a moment of silence as the newly named leader took in a long, deep breath.
"I feel great," She assured, smiling at the medicine cat. "Let's get back home. To FireClan."
okay, so something that started as an idea for Squirrelflight's Hope to the song How To Save A Life by The Fray quickly took a life on it's own and I had a whole idea and now I just wanna share this rq
I am working on requested things, I promise, I just have no attention span and listening to songs is my worse crime
tw; mentions of abuse
In this AU, Squirrelflight died in the landslide instead of Leafpool, having used the very last moments she could to try to throw herself between her sister and the rubble.
Leafpool is surprised when she learns that she isn't dead and that Squirrel will be in StarClan. The two of a tearful goodbye before Leafpool wakes up.
When she wakes, she finds Bramblestar grieving and, angry, she goes off on him, telling him how his abuse of her sister eventually led to her death and she even tells him that she hopes every nine of his lives is nothing but suffering because of what he had done to her, to make her feel like she was worthless.
Bramblestar is shocked and a bit outraged that that's how she'd treat her sister's grieving mate, but Leafpool outright states he lost that right to be considered family the moment he blamed her for Leafpool's crime
She starts walking out of camp and he demands to know where she's going
She states simply that she can't live in this Clan anymore
Everyone tries to convince her to stay, but she refuses.
Sparkpelt steps forward and everyone is excited for Squilf's daughter to help, only to be surprised when Sparkpelt announces she's going with Leafpool and taking her kits with her
Bramblestar tries to stop her, but Sparkpelt goes off on her father, saying that she thought all relationships were supposed to be as terrible as Bramble was to Squirrel, but when she was with Larksong, she learned that what Bramble had done to her mom was wrong and that she regretted ever calling him her father
With that, Leaf and Spark grab Flamekit and Finchkit and the two leave
.
They spend the first few days considering joining another Clan, but Sparkpelt makes it clear that she's not fond of the idea.
During one of these debates they are found by Stormcloud, Daisy, Lionblaze, Cinderheart, Spotfur, Twigbranch, and Finleap. Stormcloud tells them that there was a lot of debate and fighting in the Clan after the two of them left with the kits and that it no longer felt like a home. There is possible news of a search patrols to drag them back or even more cats joining but they decide to keep to themselves for now, just to be safe.
The group end up settling somewhere past WindClan, closer to RiverClan on the other side of the thunderpath.
As they're settling down and building camp, Ivypool and Fernsong end up stumbling after them, Ivypool having a pretty nasty cut on her shoulder after apparently getting into a fight with some Bramblestar loyalists who were saying terrible things about the missing cats. The two bring their kits - Flippaw, Bristlepaw, and Thriftpaw, wanting to get them away from there and - hopefully - somewhere safe. Stemleaf is also with them, though he doesn't state why.
They continue to do their best to settle and adapt when Leafpool has a vision of fire, blazing around them, keeping dark shapes at bay.
Shocked and confused, she decides to talk to this about Sparkpelt, who states loudly that it's a sign her grandfather - Firestar - approves of what they're doing. Leafpool is comforted by the idea that her dad wouldn't be upset with her, but she can't shake the thought that there was more to the vision than that as she stares at her Firestar-look-alike niece.
.
After a moon, the group has settled. Sparkpelt has taken to leading this cats easily and she works hard for her kits and this ragtag group.
Stormcloud, Ivypool, and Lionblaze have taken over mentoring Flippaw, Bristlepaw, and Thriftpaw respectively and Daisy helps take care of Flamekit and Finchkit while Sparkpelt is busy.
Cherryfall also is spending time around Daisy, apparently expecting Stormcloud's kits.
Leafpool has already made herself a place to store herbs and the group has even started to grow them near the 'medicine cat den'.
Sparkpelt jokes that they're their own Clan now, but her mind wanders to if they should become a Clan. Specifically her minds wanders to Bramblestar and if she'd be a leader like him - heartless and controlling, willing to let an innocent cat die to prove a point.
Then she thinks of her mother and the dark feelings she had been avoiding resurface as she misses Squirrelflight, Larksong, and Flickerkit so much that it makes her chest sore.
She can't ponder long, however, as she realizes one of their 'hunting patrols' return with a couple new cats. Their names are Feather and Scowl and the two mention they were curious about what had been going on around these parts ever since they had met two curious cats named Tigerheart and Dovewing.
After some talking, the two decide to help these cats, though Scowl is a bit cautious. Feather, meanwhile, is quick to get along with these new cats, especially Leafpool.
Sparkpelt and Stormcloud work together to make the camp feel more like home. He jokingly calls her Sparkstar before wondering if StarClan would give her nine lives. She expresses doubt and he states that they'd be fools not to make someone like her leader.
Sparkpelt shakes her head, remembering how she acted as Twigbranch's mentor and the horrible things she said about other Clans.
Stormcloud counters and brings up how all the cats here respect her and that they'd follow her no matter what.
.
A few days pass and Sparkpelt finally approaches Leafpool, wanting to go to the Moonpool to talk to StarClan. They leave in the dead of night and carefully sneak past a rather irritated looking night patrol from ThunderClan.
When they arrive, they lap the water and quickly fall asleep.
Sparkpelt is greeted by many loving licks from her mother and she can't help but purr.
She carefully tries to bring up the chance of her becoming leader of a new Clan and Squirrelflight assures that StarClan - with some convincing - is willing to approve of Sparkpelt as a leader.
She's shocked by this and even more shocked as a nine lives ceremony is started.
Squirrelflight gives her the life of Compassion, telling Sparkpelt that she doesn't regret how she died, as she died so that others had a chance at living
Larksong gives her the life of Confidence, adding that he believes in her and misses her every day
Flickerkit is next and gives her the life of Forgiveness and asks her to please not be mad at herself and Spark can't help but cry over her son
Pebbleshine comes next and her gaze is stern as she gives Sparkpelt the life of Acceptance - "not just for your cats, but for all cats."
Spark winces and thinks of Twigbranch and how she had treated her again
Next is Hollyleaf, who Sparkpelt had never met, but she had heard many stories about.
Her adopted sister gives her the life of Endurance and tells her to never give up fighting
After her is another she-cat she's never met
This molly introduces herself as Goldenflower and informs her that Bramblestar's her son, making her Sparkpelt's grandmother
She dotes on her granddaughter for a bit, wishing she had the chance to meet her in the living, but still happy to see her
She gives her the life of Protection.
Dandelionkit approaches her sister next, excited to finally meet her. She gives her the life of Enthusiasm and tells her to enjoy every day.
Juniperkit is next and he gives his sister the life of Faith and tells her to never give up ever. Even when things look back.
Finally Firestar approaches and purrs happily at the sight of his granddaughter. He states how much he's happy to meet her and that he's sorry they had to meet in such terms, but is still happy to give her a life.
He gives her the life of Love. He reminds her that all Clanmates are worthy of love, even if their home is far from hers.
Sparkstar wakes up after her ceremony and Leafpool is still by her side.
The two return and Sparkstar decides to call their home FireClan, appointing Stormcloud as her deputy.
Why Squirrelflight And Finleap Are NOT The Same - Discussion
I have a lot of opinions on this, do bare with me
because I can say now
if you put Squirrelflight asking Bramblestar about kits on the same level as Finleap pressuring Twigbranch
Assume I don't like you
Unless you have a legitimate reason to compare a domestic abuse victim to someone who was actively manipulating his mate to consider having his babies so that he felt 'like he could stay with her', I don't care what you have to say
Because there's a big difference and it's a little thing called context and power dynamics
That being said
disclaimer that I am aro/ace, so this is coming from the lens of someone who doesn't understand romance but knows a bad situation when I see one
///
tw; mentions of abuse and manipulation
Let's start with Finleap
As apprentices he has a cute friendship with Twigbranch and it's implied the two like each other as a little more than friends, though Twig doesn't seem ready for that commitment just yet
We first see the topic of kits come up in this conversation.
“I know.” Finleap spoke softly. “It’s scary having so much responsibility. And these are our first apprentices. But it’s okay for us to make mistakes and it’s okay for them to make mistakes. We’re learning together.”
“But I’m supposed to know what to do.” A lump sat in Twigbranch’s throat like a stone.
“Why?” Finleap wove around her and stopped as he caught her eye. “You’re a great warrior, Twigbranch. And you’re kind. You don’t have to stop being kind just because you’re a mentor. Trust your instincts. Push Flypaw when she needs pushing, but encourage her too. You must know how good a little encouragement can feel when you’re facing something new and difficult.”
There was warmth in his gaze that touched Twigbranch’s heart. He really cared whether she’d be a good mentor. He wanted her to succeed. She purred and touched her nose to his.
“Besides,” he went on, “mentoring will teach us patience. Imagine what good parents we’ll be when we have kits.”
When we have kits! Twigbranch pulled away. Finleap’s gaze was misty. Was he really thinking about having kits already? They weren’t even mates yet. Twigbranch wasn’t ready to be tied to the nursery. She was barely ready to think about having a mate.
She changed the subject. “Let’s check the border.” She didn’t want to hurt Finleap’s feelings. “Flypaw! Snappaw! This way!” she called to the apprentices, scanning the bracken until they appeared, then turned and headed along the trail toward ShadowClan’s border.
It's important to note the obvious negative reaction she has, even outside of her own thoughts. She was perfect fine with touching him until kits are mentioned. She's also quick to change the topic.
It's also implied here and in a couple other places that they hadn't even had this conversation before, as it's sprung onto her without any warning.
And if you don't believe me, consider this paragraph -
His confidence soothed her. He seemed so sure of himself. Even when he’d been pulling Puddleshine free, he’d known he could do it. He was sure they’d be mates too and that they’d have kits one day. And the thought didn’t scare him. Anxiety wormed beneath Twigbranch’s pelt. Then why does it scare me?
Twigbranch isn't ready for kits and the fact Finleap is shows that they're not seeing eye to eye on the issue. He's confident he wants to be a father, but she's not sure she wants to be a mother just yet.
He wants her to be on the same page, even if she isn't ready.
“I like it here, but I don’t feel like I belong.” Finleap glanced at his paws. “Which is why I want to start a family. Here, in ThunderClan. Then I’ll feel part of the Clan. I’ll feel like I have something here that is truly my own. I want to have kits.”
“Kits?” Twigbranch’s mouth was so dry, she could hardly speak. Finleap watched her, his gaze expectant.
“But you know how I feel about kits,” Twigbranch blurted. “I’m not ready. I want to concentrate on mentoring. I’ve told you all this.”
“I know.” Finleap held her gaze. “But I need you to think about it again. I have to feel I belong here—that you want me. If you don’t ever want to have kits with me, I’m not sure I’ll ever feel at home in ThunderClan.”
"If you don’t ever want to have kits with me, I’m not sure I’ll ever feel at home in ThunderClan."
That's a really shitty thing to say to someone especially your bestfriend / girlfriend
"I'm worthless here unless you give up part of your young adult life to providing me with children"
This isn't even a Fernsong situation where he offers to live in the nursery when she's able to go back out. No. He wants her in the nursery with her kits.
.
Next time we see these two
.
She glanced at Finleap, wishing he would say something encouraging. “I’m glad Bramblestar picked us. What if it’s the last chance I get to see Violetshine and Hawkwing?” Please tell me everything will be okay.
“I thought kin wasn’t important.”
There was bitterness in his mew. Twigbranch flinched. Since he’d told her he wanted to have kits, Finleap had been distant. She always seemed to be the one to start conversations, while he only replied in short, vague phrases. Her heart ached, but what could she do? Promise to be his mate? Give up mentoring Flypaw so that she could have his kits? Anger pricked at her belly. He was pressuring her into something she didn’t want yet. But she loved him, and she could understand that he was acting out of unhappiness. If only he could find his place in ThunderClan. She’d planned to keep stalling—refusing to give him a straight answer—to give him time to adjust. But what if SkyClan left? It would force him to make a decision. Clan or kin?
She changed the subject. “I hope Reedclaw has recovered from her cough.”
Finleap didn’t respond.
Now Finleap is giving her the cold shoulder, being such a piss-ant about her not wanting kits that he's not even willing to comfort her when both their families might be being chased away.
And moments later
Twigbranch was unnerved. Sparkpelt had been her mentor. Had she always wished SkyClan would leave? Why didn’t I realize? “Do you think the other Clans feel the same way?”
Finleap shrugged. “If they do, then SkyClan will have to leave.”
Her mouth grew dry. Hearing Finleap say those words out loud made her realize that she hadn’t truly thought it was possible until now. But he was right—SkyClan would have no choice but to leave if none of the Clans were on their side. “I really might never see Hawkwing and Violetshine again.”
Finleap didn’t speak. Didn’t he care?
“Will you go back with them?” She stared at him, her heart pounding.
“I don’t know.” He avoided her gaze.
Was she going to lose her kin and her love at the same time? What would be left if they went? Feeling sick, Twigbranch followed her Clanmates to the tree-bridge.
Not only does he voice her fears out loud, but he doesn't deny that he'd stay with her if she isn't with him. This is a manipulation tactic and a very shitty and terrible one that that for him to use again the girl he allegedly loves.
.
At the end of the gathering -
“SkyClan!” Leafstar called to her Clanmates from the long grass. Harrybrook and Macgyver hurried after her.
“We must go,” Hawkwing mewed huskily. He turned away.
Twigbranch gazed frantically at Violetshine. “Is this the last time I’ll see you?”
“I don’t know.” Violetshine touched her muzzle to Twigbranch’s. Her breath was warm in the chilly night air. “It’s up to Leafstar now.”
“Good-bye.” Twigbranch could hardly speak. Her throat tightened as Violetshine pulled away and headed after Hawkwing. As she turned back to her Clanmates, she saw Finleap. He was watching Plumwillow and Sandynose disappear into the grass. She hurried to his side. “Did you say good-bye?”
He didn’t answer. The sorrow in his gaze pierced her heart.
“Are you planning to go with them if they leave?” She felt numb.
He stared at her. “I love you, Twigbranch. But if you don’t want to have kits, I should go with my kin. At least I’ll be somewhere I belong, instead of chasing a dream that might never come true.”
His wording is honestly just terrible.
His dream with Twigbranch is only to have children with her. He may say he loves her, yeah, but according to himself, he's willing to leave her forever just because she's isn't committed to the idea of having babies with him.
I want to say this now
If someone you like is willing to ditch you because you don't want to raise a family, be it at the moment or ever? Leave them. They're not worth it.
You shouldn't feel obligated to have a family with someone.
.
After SkyClan leaves, Finleap decides to stay in ThunderClan.
Of course, his pity party isn't over.
In the days since SkyClan had left, Finleap had seemed uneasy. They’d talked after the Gathering and he’d decided to stay in ThunderClan. Twigbranch had been relieved. Of course Finleap was upset at losing his kin, and at first she’d tried to be supportive, but it was like he was clinging to the loss. He’d started to act as though he’d made the wrong choice. He’d begun to eat alone and go to his nest early instead of sharing tongues with the Clan. He was acting like an outsider. Frustration itched beneath Twigbranch’s pelt, growing stronger each day. How could Finleap ever feel like part of ThunderClan if he didn’t try to fit in? At least he’d stopped talking about having kits. Had he really accepted that they wouldn’t have kits until they were both ready? Twigbranch wasn’t sure the matter was settled. Part of her wondered if Finleap wished he’d left with SkyClan after all.
This is where communication between the two is an issue.
Of course Finleap is going to be upset that his family is, as far as he knows, gone forever.
However
He never once clarifies that he's only upset about his kin to Twigbranch, his girlfriend, making his breakdown seem torn between missing his family and not liking the idea that the girl he likes isn't ready to have babies yet.
Not only that, Twigbranch has a huge point here.
Finleap claims kits will make him feel like he belongs in ThunderClan. However, outside of Twig and the idea of kits, he hasn't done much to try to bond with anyone in the Clan. Even outside of the conversation about kits, he mostly interacts with his apprentice unless he's out helping someone.
He's not focused on making friends, or being a great ThunderClan warrior. His only focus is having a family with Twigbranch and nothing else.
Granted we don't see his POV, but we do his actions and what he says to the cats he apparently cares about.
Her talk with Tree expresses more of her concerns with her relationship while they're out trying to find SkyClan.
Twigbranch followed his gaze. “I can’t imagine having kits,” she mewed guiltily. “Finleap wants to already, but I’m not ready to give up being a warrior.”
“You don’t have to give it up,” Tree reminded her. “Queens only stay in the nursery until their kits are weaned, don’t they?”
“I guess.” Was she being selfish, wanting to focus on herself? “But I don’t want to worry about that yet. I like being a mentor. I’m learning so much every day.”
“You’re young,” he mewed gently. “There’s no rush.”
For the first time she's being told that it's okay that she doesn't need to feel ready and that there's nothing wrong with taking her time on deciding what she wants.
Of course this leads to-
“Well done!” As Twigbranch purred admiringly, she saw Finleap padding toward them. He was carrying a bedraggled sparrow. It was skinny and looked more like crow-food than fresh- kill.
He stopped beside Flypaw and laid it on the ground. “I was thinking that we could share this . . .” He eyed the fat rabbit lying, half-eaten, between Twigbranch and Tree. “But I guess you don’t need it.” Anger hardened his mew.
Twigbranch shifted uncomfortably. “I didn’t realize you were bringing me food. Tree just offered and I was hungry.”
Finleap wasn’t listening. He was still staring at the rabbit. “I guess he knows where the best prey lives. This used to be his home. It’s easy to hunt when you know the territory.”
Tree stared at Finleap coldly. “I could catch a rabbit anywhere.”
“Did you used to catch rabbits to impress Violetshine?” Finleap mewed pointedly. “Or have you forgotten Violetshine?”
Immediately he's jealous of Tree because he was thoughtful enough to share a rabbit. And Warriors has shown us that there's nothing inherently romantic about sharing prey. It happens all the time and not specifically between mates or two courting cats.
It's a common social interaction between Clan cats.
But Finleap's acting like he caught them sharing a nest.
Tree had been hard on him, but Finleap had picked the fight. She couldn’t help feeling sorry for him, even though he was acting like a fox-heart. She hurried across the cave. Finleap was sniffing at the bedding, his pelt bristling. “Oh, so you can tear yourself away from Tree?”
Twigbranch blinked at him. “What are you talking about? Tree loves Violetshine!”
He glanced at her angrily and padded out of the cave.
He accuses her of liking Tree and when she denies, he walks away.
She chases after him and then this argument goes down
He stopped as he reached a swath of heather and turned on her. “I bet you don’t even want to find SkyClan! You’re probably happy to see Violetshine gone now that you’ve made Tree notice you.”
Shock froze Twigbranch. “Do you have you bees in your brain?” She stared at him. “How could you say something like that? I would never betray my sister. And I’d never make Tree try to notice me. I told you! He’s just a friend. And he wouldn’t do that to Violetshine, either!”
“You haven’t left his side since we left camp,” Finleap snarled.
“I’m leading the patrol, and he knows the way!” Twigbranch snapped.
“Every time I look at you, your muzzle’s in his ear.”
“We were just talking! I’ve got to talk to some cat. Ever since SkyClan left the forest, I feel like I can’t talk to you.” Grief pressed in her belly. “I don’t know why you stayed with me. You’ve made it pretty clear that you wish you’d left with SkyClan.”
“I stayed because I love you!" Finleap spat.
“You’ve hardly looked at me. If that’s love, I don’t want it!” She lashed her tail.
“You don’t know what love is!” He glared at her accusingly.
“Of course I do!” Why was he being so mean? “I love you!”
“Not enough to have my kits.”
She stared at him, wind tugging at her fur. “Is that it? If I won’t have your kits, you don’t want me?”
“I want you to love me enough to have kits.” Hurt sharpened his gaze.
Again what he's doing here is shitty and he's being jealous of another tom talking to his girlfriend, despite this tom just being a friend, all because he's being nice to her
Not a good sign
And, of course, the apology just sucks. It comes out of nowhere and it doesn't feel like he earned the right to be forgiven
he hurt Twigbranch, made her doubt what she wanted, and treated her like shit
`“But I thought you loved me.” He sounded surprised. “You told Violetshine you loved me very much.”
“I do,” she mewed softly. “But not enough to have your kits. Not now. Maybe not ever.”
Finleap glanced at his paws. “Let’s forget about kits, huh?”
She blinked in surprise. “Forget?”
“I was wrong, Twigbranch. Seeing SkyClan again made me realize . . . however much I love my kin, I love you more. I don’t want you to have kits if you don’t want to. I can live without them. But I can’t live without you.”
Twigbranch stared at him. “Do you mean that?”
“Yes.” Finleap’s eyes shimmered with love. “I’ve been so wrapped up in feeling hurt, I didn’t realize how much I was hurting you—or how much I was hurting our relationship.”
Now, not every character needs a grand realization
But
I don't think just a simple "I'm sorry" makes up for how he made her feel and the harm he did to their relationship and the fact it took this long for him to realize that his girlfriend his her own cat and not just a kit-making factory.
And this is one part of a very long story
.
.
.
Now let's talk about Squirrelflight
Specifically Squirrelflight's Hope, but I will also make references to Omen Of The Stars, as that's when her worse breakup with Brambleclaw/star happened where
may I remind you
he ignored her and treated her like garbage for many moons and when he thought there was a chance she might die was when he finally decided to make amends for her horrible crime of
*checks notes*
protecting her sister's kits from a system that punishes not only halfClan kittens, but the kits of medicine cats
"but she lied" I hear you cry
and to that I say
and?
Bramblestar lied about much worse things than where three kits came from and, may I remind you, he trained in cat hell with his very obviously evil dad who he had been judged for being the son of.
And cats lie in Warriors all the time and it's very rare that they're punished for it
and no, saying you find her annoying also doesn't justify anything
The punishment doesn't match the 'crime' here.
So
Let's get into Squirrelflight's Hope
.
The first time kits are brought up is by Bramblestar, him talking about it in a negative light.
... She didn’t feel old yet, but it had been a long time since she’d felt the rush of excitement she used to feel in her first moons as a warrior, whenever she was picked to go on patrol or attend a Gathering. She pressed closer to Bramblestar. “Do you miss being young?”
He shrugged. “I miss being irresponsible. Back then, the only thing we had to worry about was our next hunt. That was before we became leader and deputy, and before we had kits to look after.”
Obviously, Squirrelflight doesn't agree there
Squirrelflight felt a pang of longing. Sparkpelt and Alderheart were grown, and she’d never had a chance to know their littermates, Juniperkit and Dandelionkit, who had died. She’d been hoping to have a new litter by now—tiny kits to nurture and love. But they’d had no luck. “Having kits didn’t make me feel old. I liked the responsibility. It’ll be good to feel that way again.” She glanced hopefully at Bramblestar. When he didn’t comment, she prompted him. “Don’t you think?”
“Of course.” He didn’t look at her.
Anxiety prickled beneath her pelt. She’d wanted him to sound more enthusiastic about kits. “Let’s pretend we’re young again now. It’s almost like we’re sneaking out of camp.” Squirrelflight kept her mew light. “Half the Clan are already in their nests, and the rest will be asleep by the time we get home.”
“I wish we could.” Was that a sigh in Bramblestar’s mew? “But we can’t be late for the meeting. And we have to go straight back to camp afterward; Birchfall and Lionblaze will be waiting to find out what happened.”
It's important to note now that Squirrelflight wants to feel young and wants to feel important, something that she doesn't feel now as an older molly.
Things have been serious lately and she wants to lighten the mood, but this is brushed off by Bramblestar.
It should be noted that the leaders - and not Squirrelflight - are talking about how their Clans need territory because they have expecting queens. Squirrelflight has an internal reaction, yes, but doesn't say anything.
Bramblestar's also being a hardass here and Squirrelflight does have a good idea, but he's quick to make her feel bad about it.
“Might be.” Bramblestar’s tail twitched angrily. “Or it might be overrun with snakes, or dogs, or foxes. Warriors might die thanks to your idea.”
There was no sign the gathering was leader only. If it was, why bring non-leaders? And everyone had been having an open discussion about possible ideas.
But Bramblestar shames Squirrelflight for trying to be helpful.
And of course, we start reaching this scene
“But we’d all have bigger territories if SkyClan moved.” Squirrelflight hurried after him. “And you heard Harestar and Leafstar. The Clans are growing. There’ll be more kits by newleaf, more mouths to feed, more apprentices to train—”
“More kits!” Bramblestar lashed his tail. “Is that all you think about now?”
She's not talking about her own kits. She's literally referencing something previously brought up by two other Clan leaders. However, Bramblestar turns this against her, lashing out about an already dead conversation that didn't last.
A conversation that he had brought up both the first time and this time.
His words stung like claw marks. She watched him disappear into the grass, her chest tightening. “Don’t you think about it?” She pushed after him, but he was already hurrying ahead. He was on the tree-bridge by the time she caught up to him. She followed him over it and jumped onto the far shore. She fell in beside Bramblestar, breathless as she tried to keep up. “Don’t you think about kits, Bramblestar?”
“I have kits,” he snapped.
“Alderheart and Sparkpelt? They’re grown up now!”
“I know!” Bramblestar didn’t look at her. “They’re old enough to look after themselves. Why are you so desperate to be responsible for new lives? Isn’t being deputy enough?”
“It should be, but it’s not.” Squirrelflight felt panic welling. “I’m getting older with each season. One day I won’t be able to have more kits. I just want another litter before it’s too late.”
Not only did he run off after bring this conversation back, but he continues to shame Squirrelflight after he stops running, implying that she's not content being deputy.
She's worried because she's scared that she's getting older.
The fear of growing older is a common fear and brushing it off as someone being irrational isn't fair to the person.
and to get to the scene where she's "like Finleap" according to those people out there with pebbles instead of brains.
“I know.” Bramblestar sounded weary. “And of course I want kits. Just not as much as you do.”
Squirrelflight stopped and stared after him. “Don’t you love me anymore?”
She's not asking this to guilt trip or manipulate. We'd be seeing signs of that way before this question.
Instead this is given the context of being asked in desperation.
I remind you that Bramblestar had spent an entire arc being harsh and cold to her, making her feel small, and he had been making her feel small again, berating her and having her question her ideas.
He's being a piece of shit and she's scared that this is going to turn into all those moons of OotS again.
Even if she was trying to, the power dynamic isn't in her favor. Not only is he older than her, having been made a warrior before she was even born, he's the leader. He has 9 long lives ahead of him.
As shown here she's painfully aware of it, too
Bramblestar turned, his eyes sparking with exasperation. “Yes! But I am responsible for our Clan. And if the other Clans are planning to start up more trouble with SkyClan, I need to focus on that. I don’t have as much energy as I used to. I’m getting older too.”
“No, you’re not!” Anger flared in Squirrelflight’s chest. “You have more lives than me—” She broke off as a realization washed over her like ice water. Was that why he didn’t care about kits? He had plenty of time to have kits in the future, maybe even with another mate, when she was dead. The thought made her feel sick. Bramblestar’s next litter might have a mother who wasn’t her. She stared at him, unable to speak.
She doesn't put it past Bramblestar to move on after she's gone, despite his older age and that was also proof in Bramblestar's Storm, where he was actively interested in courting Jessy.
Her fears here are valid. Not only is she older, but she only has one life to live. He doesn't.
And he's perfectly in the right to not want anymore kits
However, his attitude and behavior to his mate is absolutely terrible and instead of talking to her, he's belittling her and making her feel bad for wanting things.
And for having different opinions at that
His gaze shimmered suddenly as though he saw her pain. “I’m sorry.” He hurried to her side and pressed his muzzle against her cheek. “I shouldn’t have said anything. I was angry. I felt you weren’t on my side at the meeting. I was trying to protect SkyClan.”
“So was I!” She pulled away indignantly. “I was trying to find a solution that would keep the peace.”
“Maybe you’re right. But that isn’t the point. You’re my deputy.” His tail twitched. “You’re supposed to back me up in front of the other Clans. We need to look united. You know how quickly Tigerstar smells weakness, and how he exploits it.”
Then why make her deputy again?
“And you did the ShadowClan border patrol.” Squirrelflight’s tail-tip was twitching, though she kept her voice low. “And yesterday you trekked all the way over to RiverClan and risked your life rescuing that kittypet.”
“So?” Bramblestar began to feel frustrated. “I’m fine. It’s not a problem.”
“It’ll be a problem for the rest of us if our Clan leader collapses from exhaustion.”
Bramblestar heaved a long sigh. “Remind me why I chose you to be my deputy,” he muttered through his teeth.
“Because I won’t let you boss me around,” Squirrelflight retorted, her green eyes flashing.
True, Bramblestar thought ruefully.
Oh yeah, cause he doesn't want a yes-man deputy
Or maybe he wants a deputy who only challenges him when it's convenient and/or doesn't make him look like an idiot.
Which is kinda
not great
“It looks a lot like weakness when a deputy disagrees with her leader in public.” Bramblestar shifted his paws. “You should know better! You should have discussed your idea with me in private and we could have taken it to the other Clans together.”
“It might have been too late by then.” Squirrelflight paused. She didn’t want to argue. And besides, the issue with SkyClan wasn’t what was worrying her now. “I’m sorry I spoke up without talking to you first. But is that really why you said you don’t want to have kits?”
Bramblestar gazed at her, his eyes round. “I’m sorry if I made it sound that way. I do want to have kits with you.”
“Really?” Her heart lifted.
“Yes. If that’s what you want.”
Squirrelflight stared at him. There was resignation in his eyes. Grief twisted her belly as he stared back at her blankly. She turned away. I want you to want it too.
Here's where the argument that Squirrelflight, in any way, is equal to Finleap falls apart the most.
She doesn't need to be told that he doesn't feel the same.
She can see it in the way he acts.
She knows he doesn't and she lets the conversation die. Yes, she still thinks about how Bramblestar may move on and have a new litter after she's gone, but she doesn't talk about it, instead keeping her thoughts to herself, not wanting to rock their unstable relationship any more than it has been.
Most of this book has Squirrelflight second guessing what she wants and believing that maybe she was in the wrong for talking openly about a possible idea when everyone else had been doing it.
There's literally a scene where she's having what, in my opinion, feels similar to the start of a near panic attack where her thoughts spiral into a dark pit
But it hadn’t been just the kits he’d been upset about. She’d contradicted him in front of the others. But they were close to fighting! Squirrelflight flicked her tail indignantly. And I have a right to my own opinion. Her plan for SkyClan could be the perfect solution. She couldn’t have held her tongue even if she’d wanted to. Bramblestar had implied that a good deputy would have kept quiet. She shook out her pelt. Was that what Bramblestar thought—that she wasn’t a good deputy? Hurt sharpened its claws on her heart once again. She closed her eyes. Chasing thoughts like this wasn’t going to help her feel better.
The way Bramblestar spoke to her struck so deep that Squirrelflight feels selfish for having her own wants, as seen by her talking to her sister.
Squirrelflight let out her breath. Never mind the awkwardness—Leafpool will understand. And she needed reassurance. “He said he doesn’t want more kits as much as I do.”
Leafpool’s eyes rounded with sympathy. “Oh, Squirrelflight.”
Squirrelflight nodded. “I know. It’s—” Selfish of me, she was about to say. Because I’ve already mothered two litters. But Leafpool didn’t let her finish.
“That must have hurt,” Leafpool said softly, dipping her head. “I know how much you want another litter.”
“Bramblestar says he’s getting old and that the Clan is enough responsibility.” She trailed into silence, the memory of the argument stinging her afresh.
“I’m sure he’d love kits if you had them,” Leafpool mewed. “But I can see how he finds the thought overwhelming.”
Squirrelflight blinked at her. “Do you think I’m being unreasonable, wanting more kits? I know I . . .”
“No, of course not. But you already have Alderheart and Sparkpelt. And, in a way, Jayfeather and Lionblaze.”
Squirrelflight nodded, but her heart ached. “They don’t need me anymore.”
The power dynamic between Bramblestar and Squirrelflight aren't fair and, again, he's in his right to not want any more kits right now
but the way he spoke and made her feel like her wanting kits at all was terrible and that she should feel bad isn't the way to handle a relationship where two people have two different wants
And for more proof that Bramblestar doesn't make his deputy, who is also his mate, feel important
we have this line
And as far as kits went . . . Leafpool didn’t understand what it felt like not to be needed. Leafpool was needed every day. The Clan depended on her, sometimes for their lives. It was different for Squirrelflight. Even as deputy, she was just one warrior among many.
She's made to feel like another warrior, a replaceable cog in a machine, when Bramblestar had never been made to feel like that while he was deputy
In fact, in Squirrelflight's own words
"Who does Brambleclaw think he is, treating me like I'm still wet behind the ears? Toms are so much trouble! You don't know how lucky you are, Leafpool, not having to worry about things like that. Well I know there was Crowfeather..."
After becoming deputy his confidence and ego went up and he made it known that he wasn't just another cat
He was ThunderClan's deputy
But he never allows his mate to feel like that
In fact, he actively puts her down
He starts making up rules just to keep her in place and lashing out when she tries to fight back. Even when Squirrelflight is trying to be happy that Sparkpelt is expecting kits, Bramblestar brings up their conversation.
Yes, Squirrelflight did feel a little envious, she felt guilty about feeling that way and just wanted to be happy for her daughter
but he was the one who brought up how she wanted kits and he didn't, further making her feel shameful
he didn't even aid in comforting his daughter when her pregnancy brought pain after he sparked the fight with Squirrelflight. He was just watching as Squirrelflight helped their daughter, Squilf being the one to talk to her gently when she was worried about the intense craps she was feeling
When Sunrise, one of the Sisters, is actively dying, he refuses to allow anyone to help her until the medicine cats talk to StarClan and when they get an unclear message, he's more than willing to let her die
When Leafpool refuses to allow this, he actively challenges the medicine cat in front of the entire Clan and Squirrelflight snaps to her sister's defense once more.
Squirrelflight held her ground. “I have to do what I think is right.”
“Even if it costs you your Clan?”
“ThunderClan is stronger than that,” Squirrelflight spat. “At least I hope it is. If our future depends on letting a cat die, then it’s not the Clan I thought it was.”
Bramblestar stared at her. Uncertainty glittered in his gaze. “Why are you doing this to me?” His words pierced her heart. “You’re my deputy. You’re my mate. You’re supposed to support me.”
“Being a good deputy doesn’t mean blindly following orders.” Squirrelflight didn’t move. “It means standing up for what I believe, and this time, I believe I’m right.” The camp seemed to swim around her. She knew she was hurting him. But she had to convince him. As the Clan watched her silently, their eyes round in the moonlight, Bramblestar backed away.
Bramblestar tries to manipulate her and that's where the big power dynamic comes in
he's the leader
he's older
he had gone out of his way many times to make her feel small and weak compared to him, even imposing reckless rules just to try to keep her where he wants her
he wants to use her emotions against her
and when she refuses to let him hurt her more
he strikes her with more sharp and hurtful words
Around him, the Clan got to their paws. Mousewhisker and Twigbranch helped Tempest and Hawk lift Sunrise. Leafpool nosed her way into the medicine den. Bramblestar narrowed his eyes, his face like stone. Squirrelflight tried to drag her gaze from his, her heart cracking as he curled his lip. “StarClan wanted unity among the Clans,” he snarled. “Thanks to you, there’s not even unity in ThunderClan anymore.”
“Thanks to you, there’s not even unity in ThunderClan anymore.”
because she didn't want an needless death, he blames her for the discourse he created
this is only a portion of the Squirrelflight mistreatment in this book, but it's all that I'm going to mention since it deals with the topic at hand
and of course we know she decides she doesn't need more kits after all
but what I want to say is
these two stories aren't even
Finleap is manipulative and tries to make Twigbranch feel like she needs to have his kits to prove she loves him or to keep him around
Squirrelflight wants to have more kits, but is made to feel like her needs are selfish and that she should feel bad for these feelings
Twig and Bramble are valid for not wanting kits just as much as Fin and Squirrel are valid for wanting them
However, Finleap isn't in the right for pressuring his girlfriend to marry him and have kittens when she isn't ready
and Bramblestar isn't in the right for shaming his mate for wanting more kits and making a scene out of their relationship problems
and before any incels find this
their genders wouldn't matter in this
if Finleap was a she-cat harassing the tom she liked to have kits with her to make her feel like she belonged in a Clan, I'd still feel the same way
if Squirrelflight was a tom who wanted more kits, but his female leader mate berated him and made him to feel guilty for wanting that, I'd feel the same
it's not about toms and she-cats, men and women, or whatever terrible black and white gender binary lens you're looking through
it's about two different types of shitty mates in two different situations
those being Finleap and Bramblestar and their manipulation of Twigbranch and Squirrelflight respectively.
Kinda homophobic to use a well known gay anthem for a MAP about a scorned hetero woman and have it be purely about her horrible marriage to a man and how she plots the murders of everyone around her
so this was more a topic me and a friend of mine talked about
but I feel like it's important
especially since
it's happened a lot in canon
a huge warning
as this discusses age gaps
and more specifically p*dophilic relationships in Warriors
in both canon and things I've seen in fan works
and before the argument comes up
yes these are cats
but they're anthropomorphized in a way to give them morals and knowledge a real cat wouldn't have
I don't care if they're feral animals, they're still given human qualities
So keep that in mind as we go forward
So, to start off this uncomfortable talk would be to start with the one everyone is the most painfully aware of
Thistleclaw's manipulation and abuse of Spottedpaw/leaf
This is the only intentional example of grooming and an inappropriate relationship between a warrior and an apprentice and it's the only one ever written in a way where we should be concerned for the apprentice's wellbeing
well
it was supposed to be written that way, but the poor writing messed that up
he showed interest in a young apprentice and he was showing textbook examples of grooming, even if they were poorly written
in fact this only stopped when Spottedpaw became a medicine cat apprentice
she became a healer just to get away from his abuse
but this wouldn't be here if it was just this
How about Pinestar and Leopardfoot?
Now, this is not to shame consenting adult couples with age gaps [however, I stress both parties being consenting adults]
However, Pinestar grew up with Leopardfoot's grandparents
He admitted that he wanted to be her mate the day of her warriors ceremony, implying he had a crush on her beforehand
For the argument
Apprentices are teenagers
This man was literally waiting for his crush to be considered 'legal' before asking to be her mate
which is just
so fucking wrong
The idea of waiting for someone who is two generations younger than you to be 'legal' is horrid
Now one most people I haven't seen talk about
Stormtail and Moonflower
Bluestar and Snowfur's parents
in Goosefeather's curse it is shown early on that Moonkit and Stormpaw like each other a lot
Goosepaw becomes an apprentice at 4 moons old
at the same time that Stormpaw, who is old enough to complete his warrior training [which for arguments sake is 10-12 moons, being about older teen to adult] becomes Stormtail
Moonkit
in the language of this
would be
pre-teen
Meaning this almost adult was crushing on and flirting with a pre-teen
A pre-teen whom he bullied the brother of and was no longer interested in once she had his kits
it's gross and people already hate him because he was a terrible father, but I hadn't found many people talking about this
And there are more examples, though I've seen small talk of these and they're known in the fandom
Spottedleaf is confirmed to have loved Fireheart, but she only ever knew him as an apprentice while she was alive [which he was 6 moons when he joined the Clan and she was well into her adulthood]
Dustpelt's crush on Fernpaw [which is shown by him being protective of her when he takes over her training], though there seems to be nothing happening until she was an adult [which, is still the 'waiting']
Feathertail and Crowpaw [Feathertail being born in Forest Of Secrets and a warrior by Firestar's Quest and Crowpaw/feather had been a kit back in A Clan In Need, which was close to her becoming a warrior] were implied to have crushes on each other, but their relationship ended early
Though for these two they didn't meet until he was already an apprentice, granted he was still in his "teenage" moons
The Problem With The Medicine Cat Rule - Discussion
I know I have one or two pending requests, but this is rather important to me, so I wanted to prioritize this
And even I no longer identify as female, that I never want children, I still feel like this is a topic that needs to be confronted in the Warriors community a little harder than it has been
blakekathryn
dededos
germansingergirl
origamiaround
stormborns
turnnoffyourmind
