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Chapter Text

i.

In the dead of night, he is born alongside two other she-kits. Crowfeather names them Brookkit and Lightningkit, in honor of the only two she-cats he will ever love.

They both die within a matter of hours.

Crowfeather never looks at Breezekit the same way he looked at his sisters.

ii.

He decides he's in love with Heathertail when they're kits and she is the first cat to beat him in a race.

iii.

Thistleclaw is the first Dark Forest warrior he meets.

He's only eight moons old. He refuses to train with them.

The next time they meet, Breezepelt is a warrior with three half-Clan, half-siblings. This time he agrees to Thistleclaw's offer.

iv.

Either he has a good day or a bad day. There is no in-between.

He doesn't see in shades of gray.

One day Sunstrike asks him if he thinks he is a good cat or a bad cat. She's met with silence.

v.

When he finds out what the Dark Forest is planning, he drags Heathertail to the edge of the territory and asks her to run away with him. He wants to tell her why, but right as he inhales a breath to gather his nerve, she says no.

She thinks that he's about to ask her to be his mate.

No, Breezepelt. I told you that I could never love you.

We're friends, Breezepelt. Please just accept that.

He lets her believe that. He never tries to tell her the truth.

Chapter Text

i.

Her first catch is a squirrel.

Before she does anything important, she always eats a squirrel for good luck.

ii.

Out of Mousewhisker, Berrynose, and herself, she is the least concerned with their kittypet blood. Who cares where she was born when she is, 

bolder than Honeyfern,

faster than Cinderheart,

stronger than Poppyfrost.

iii.

Mousewhisker is her best friend. When he starts hanging onto Hollyleaf's every word, she can't help the seed of resentment that is planted in her heart.

iv.

She has the biggest crush on Thornclaw, but she never assumes she has a chance with him.

She sees the way he looks at Blossomfall.

v.

When Foxleap and Icecloud catch green-cough, she sneaks into quarantine to tell her friends about her day and attempt to cheer them up.

She ends up paying for it with her life.

Chapter Text

i.

Chapter Text

i.

Crookedkit is his best friend, and nothing will ever change that.

ii.

One day he pulls Rainflower aside and demands to know why she resents Crookedjaw so much.

She drags her tail underneath his chin and softly purrs, "because he doesn't look like you".

It's the last time he ever speaks to his mother.

iii.

Bluefur demands his attention because she doesn't look at him like the other she-cats do.

She's interesting. She's stubborn. Being with her is thrilling.

But one day he realizes that he never loved her at all; infatuation is a cruel trick of the mind, not the heart.

iv.

He raises Stonekit and Mistykit to be best friends. Because if there is one thing that Crookedstar has taught him, it's that there is no greater friend than the one you're born beside.

v.

After Bluefur, he decides that he'll never take on another mate. He doesn't think his heart - mind? - can take it.

Then he watches Graypool selflessly take on the role of his kits' mother, and the smile that ghosts his lips is a new sort that spreads warmth to the tips of his claws.

Maybe this is love, he muses.

(Bonus)

Yes, he decides as he curls up to Graypool in the Warriors' Den, while their kits snore softly in the Apprentice Den, this is love.

The beating of his heart reaffirms it.

Chapter Text

i.

Nearly a half-moon after being born, she is still called "the she-kit". Brindleface can't come up with a name for her only daughter.

The moment she opens her pale green eyes, she is Fernkit.

ii.

She's not nearly as lousy as her Denmates paint her to be.

She is fast, just not as fast as Ashpaw.

She is strong, just not as strong as Cloudpaw.

She can hunt, just not as well as Brightpaw.

She can fight well, she just never beats Thornpaw in a match - no one beats Thornpaw in a match.

Ashpaw's mentor, Dustpelt, is the only cat who seems to understand this. When he pulls her aside one day and tells her that she's doing fine and needs to stop comparing herself to her friends, it's the first time that she feels optimistic about her warrior career. She eases up on herself after that.

iii.

It's her idea to sneak out of camp and lead the dogs away from ThunderClan - they killed her mother and she won't let them kill someone else she loves.

Ashpaw catches her and demands to come along.

Whitestorm catches both of them and persuades them to go to Firestar.

iv.

She's not as shy as others believe she is. Once she is Ferncloud, she teases Dustpelt about his obvious crush on her more than anyone else.

She's quite the flirt. She's such a tease.

Of course, no one ever believes Dustpelt when he spreads these lies about his sweet, innocent Ferncloud.

v.

She can hunt and fight just as well as any of her Clanmates. The reason she retires to the Nursery is because nothing else brings her as much joy as being the mother of Dustpelt's kits.

She wants every queen to experience that same joy, and every queen who passes through the Nursery is so thankful for her tender guidance. The time they spend in the Nursery with her is some of the happiest moons of their lives.

(Bonus)

"C'mon Fern, I promise I won't tell them! Just whisper it: who's your favorite kit?"

"Dustpelt, you're my favorite kit. Now stop pestering me and go groom your pelt before the sun-high patrol sets out. You look like you just crawled underneath a bramble thicket!"

If it wasn't for Ferncloud, Dustpelt would always look like a bramble thicket.

Chapter Text

i.

Her sister is the perfect one. Her name is Scarlett.

Her own name is Red; simple, boring. It's painfully clear who mother's favorite is.

When Cederstar calls her Russetpaw, she feels a weight lifted from her shoulders.

ii.

She may not be soft and delicate like her sister, but in ShadowClan that is a blessing. She quickly learns that ShadowClan does not tolerate weakness.

The Clan deputy, Raggedpelt, makes sure she doesn't forget that. And when he thinks she doesn't notice, he stares at her with a sort of fire burning in his eyes that leaves her with questions.

iii.

Eventually her Clanmates come to respect her. She's trained hard to earn her warrior name and she's proven her loyalty over again.

She is a valued member of ShadowClan to everyone except for Blackfoot. He goes out of his way to torment herm and she hates him.

Like Raggedstar, he looks at her with fire blazing in his eyes, but it's a different sort of fire.

This kind scares her.

iv.

After the Battle with BloodClan he is Blackstar, and on that night she becomes Russetfur, deputy of ShadowClan.

Now there are smoldering embers in his eyes, but she knows what it means. She also knows that her eyes reflect the same sort of heat, but they will never act upon it.

She thinks that her deputyship is meant to be a peace offering - or maybe an apology for the truths they will never confess.

v.

When the cliff begins to crumble underneath Smokepaw, she acts on instinct and lunges forward to save him.

Her weight is his death sentence. The ground groans beneath her in protest, and Smokepaw's eyes meet hers just long enough for her to glimpse the utter horror there.

The echos of his scream haunt her in her sleep.

(Bonus. i.)

When it becomes clear that there will be a battle with ThunderClan, her Clanmates whisper that she should stay behind.

They think that such an old cat should not be allowed to participate in battle. They think it's too dangerous.

Blackstar pulls her aside on the eve of the battle, and she knows what he wants to talk about. Except they don't talk. They simply look at each other, staring into each other's eyes, and the fire that still lingers there speaks for them.

"Don't get yourself killed," he finally rumbles. His voice is husky and low and she knows that he doesn't like it, but he's never been able to control her. If she wants to defend her Clan and its' honor then she will.

She musters a wiry grin. "No promises," she retorts. They share a chuckle.

(Bonus. ii.)

StarClan is too peaceful for her liking. It's soft and pretty and it reminds her of the sister she left behind.

When he dies, she is the first cat to greet him. She yells at him and claws his ear, and he yells at her and blames her for her own death.

They glare hatefully at each other, but the fire in their eyes is brighter than ever, and if she is certain of only one thing, she is certain that StarClan will never be too peaceful again.

Chapter Text

i.

From the moment they're born, some part of her has always known that Bluefur will be great.

She only wishes she could have lived to witness it.

ii.

One time she attempted to view Thistleclaw from her sister's eyes.

Bluefur looked at him and saw an arrogant and reckless tom who would lead ThunderClan to their doom.

She looked at him and saw a confident and brave warrior who could usher ThunderClan into a brilliant new era.

That is the moment when she realizes she is in love with him.

iii.

Most cats view her white pelt as a disadvantage in the vibrant green forest, but white is her favorite color.

It's pure, clean, innocent. It's the color of fresh snow and fluffy clouds. White is a hopeful color - a clean slate that can be painted into anything

When her son is born, she thinks he is already named.

iv.

As a kit, the elders tell her horror stories about the infamous Thunderpath. She vows to never cross it.

The irony slams into her the same instant that the monster does.

v.

She will never forgive herself for charging onto the Thunderpath and leaving Whitekit without a mother. She will forever blame herself for Thistleclaw's fate.

In StarClan it's difficult to be depressed, but somehow she manages it.

That is until a tiny blue-gray she-kit appears in StarClan in need of a mother. Snowfur is delighted to take on that role.

She smiles down at Mosskit and hopes that Bluefur is smiling down at Whitepaw.

Chapter Text

i.

She is not her father, but she isn't her brother, either.

Bramblepaw is willing to prove himself again and again, no matter what.

She has an overwhelming desire to be accepted. ThunderClan will never stop staring at her like she is the daughter of Tigerstar, and one day she tires of trying to prove herself to stubborn cats.

She flees to ShadowClan and vows to never look back.

ii.

She does look back once, not very long after she's left in the first place.

Tigerstar is no more and Firestar promises that ThunderClan will welcome her back.

She likes Firestar. He is a noble warrior and will make a fair leader, and she's tempted to give him a chance, except.

He is very handsome. He is very easy to like. He has his heart set on Sandstorm, and even an apprentice like herself knows that she has no chance with him.

She refuses his offer but asks that he will never forget her. He agrees but asks the same in return.

iii.

ShadowClan welcomes her because they must: at the time, Tigerstar leads ShadowClan. But once he is dead Blackstar has a decision to make: exile the young she-cat, or allow her to prove her worth.

Blackstar allows her to stay, but Rowanpaw is responsible for "making her feel at home".

Rowanpaw doesn't trust her. He wants her gone. It is a test, and Tawnypaw knows it.

She will grit her teeth and endure his distrust and his mocking, but as soon as she has secured ShadowClan's loyalty, she will smother him in his sleep.

iv.

Her plan doesn't play out as she intends.

In her defense, Rowanclaw caught her off guard when he stood in front of the entire Clan and publicly asked her to be his mate.

She couldn't reject him in front of everyone! That's her excuse and she sticks to it, even though it is a lie. She's loved Rowanclaw ever since he was a fox-hearted apprentice.

v.

They have three perfect kits: a lovely daughter and two strong sons.

The creamy-colored she-cat is named Dawnkit, in honor of Dawncloud, the she-cat who nursed and raised Rowanclaw.

The dark ginger tom will be named Flamekit, in honor of the cat she promised never to forget.

The dark brown tabby will be named Tigerkit, as a sign to the other Clans: she is not ashamed to call herself the daughter of Tigerstar, and she will not flinch from their whispers ever again.

Chapter Text

i.

She's been spoiled by Dustpelt and Ferncloud since the day she was born.

It's to be expected; after all, she's their first daughter since Hollykit and Larchkit.

Her brothers aren't jealous; they spoil her too.

ii.

She hates her white pelt.

It's pretty. It is not practical.

Squirrels and ShadowClan warriors alike will see her coming long before she can sneak up on them.

When she is apprenticed to Whitewing, she wonders if Firestar can read minds.

iii.

One day it becomes obvious that Lionblaze and Cinderheart belong to each other.

She isn't hurt. She only had a kitten crush on him, anyway.

But she doesn't protest when Hazeltail comforts her, first with her words and then with everything else she has to give.

iv.

When Ferncloud is murdered in the Dark Forest Battle, Icecloud grieves for her mother as only a cherished daughter can. She knows that no cat will ever replace her wonderful mother, but she can't help but snap at Dustpelt when he grieves harder than the rest of them.

"She was his other half," Whitewing whispers gently in her ear. "His best friend. It's a different sort of loss."

Icecloud nods but she doesn't understand.

v.

She understands just three days after the Battle when Foxleap dies from his wounds.

Chapter Text

i.

She may have forgiven Bluestar, but Graypool will always be her mother.

ii.

When Leopardstar pulls her aside and asks her to be her new deputy, Mistyfoot says no.

She cannot take Stonefur's position and she cannot serve under the friend who watched as he was murdered.

That night she dreams of Stonefur; the next dawn, she tells Leopardstar she's had a change of heart.

iii.

She births four kits: Reedwhisker, Perchpaw, Primrosepaw, and Pikepaw.

Three of them are caught in the torrents and swept away. She is protective of Reedwhisker ever since.

iv.

Sometimes, when she stands outside her den and watches Reedwhisker sort patrols, she thinks she can see a regal blue-gray she-cat watching a flame-pelted tom do the same.

v.

Although she will never admit it, she has always found Firestar attractive.

Chapter Text

i.

Brindlekit is only four moons old when she realizes that Frostkit will be beautiful.

She is an apprentice when she finally realizes that her own beauty will never compare.

ii.

It doesn't matter, because she is a skilled hunter and climber. ThunderClan will admire her for her skills and that will be enough.

At least, that's what she used to tell herself.

Now she only watches longingly as Whitestorm compliments her beautiful sister.

iii.

She decides to prove herself by doing what no other ThunderClanner would dare: catch a fish.

Ultimately, she nearly drowns and must be rescued by ThunderClan's newly-minted deputy, Redtail.

His whiskers twitch in amusement, not anger, and she doesn't realize until later that he gazed at her the same way that Whitestorm gazes at Frostfur.

iv.

One moon later, Redtail is her best friend.

Two moons later, Redtail is her mate.

v.

"She's pretty," Sandpaw comments one day, watching Spottedleaf from afar. Her voice is laced with longing.

Brindleface remembers the time she wasted comparing her beauty to Frostfur's, and she is determined that her daughter will not repeat her mistakes.

She licks Sandpaw's cheek and says, "beauty isn't everything, Sandpaw. You're very fast, and the Clan will love you for it… promise me that one day, you'll be the fastest warrior in ThunderClan."

Sandpaw is barely six moons old, but she already has more ambition than her mother ever did; Brindleface suspects it comes from her father. "Okay," she agrees, green eyes glowing. "I promise!"

Chapter Text

i.

He is completely unlike any of his siblings.

Spiderleg is short-tempered and bold.

Birchfall is naive but compassionate.

Icecloud is relatable, sensible, and determined.

But him?

If Foxleap had his way, he would settle disputes with jokes and that infectious grin of his.

ii.

He has a couple of friends in every Clan. He is extremely popular.

But his best friend is the one he was born alongside.

iii.

Maybe it's his adventurous spirit or maybe it's his delusions of grandeur,

But he is convinced that if ever faced with a fox, he would be able to communicate with it.

iv.

Despite his massive popularity, he never takes on a mate.

Ivypool is the only she-cat he has ever liked, but she has no time for him or that mischievous gleam in his eyes.

v.

He doesn't have many regrets.

He will always regret leaving Icecloud behind, with tears shining in her too-blue eyes.

Chapter Text

i.

Clovertail names her for her size; she is small, delicate, and light.

Leafstar names her for her appearance; she is white, fluffy, and has sky-blue eyes.

Bouncefire thinks her name is very misleading, and has a scar on his muzzle to prove it.

ii.

She can raise her voice and mimic bird calls.

iii.

As an apprentice, she is the reason Sparrowpelt can't have a moment of peace. His apprentice is full of energy and sass and will surely be the death of him.

As a warrior, she is the reason Sparrowpelt grins like a bird-brain. His mate is full of passion and spirit and gives him a newfound purpose.

iv.

She is very close to her mother, and the pair often bask in the sunlight together and share gossip.

She is the one who suggests that Clovertail peruse Patchfoot's affections.

They are mates within the next moon.

v.

At times she frightens Sharpclaw, because she is similar to Cherrytail and SkyClan won't be able to survive two of them.

Chapter Text

i.

He remembers more about his mother than he admits.

Her name was Jessamy. She was a kittypet, but run away from home when the twolegs began to take an interest in her kits.

She taught him and his littermate, Flower, how to hunt and fend for themselves in the wild.

She was proud and protective, and he will never forget the moment that she crossed the thunderpath and was hit by a monster.

He remembers more about his mother than he admits, but he remembers her death most vividly, and he does not like to dwell on that.

ii.

Sandstorm is striking and quick-witted, and even if he entertains feelings for her, he isn't bird-brained enough to ever peruse her.

Her heart belongs to Firestar. And inwardly, he knows they would kill each other within the moon.

iii.

He deserves to be the leader of SkyClan, but he will respect StarClan's decision.

In the meantime, he will make Leafstar prove her right to lead with every decision she makes.

iv.

Cherrypaw is a pesky apprentice with an overwhelming desire to prove herself and a lot of growing up to do.

Cherrytail is a confident warrior full of strength and spirit and perhaps some wisdom, and she is positively radiant.

He is proud of her; first as her mentor, then as her mate.

v.

He does not think he would make a good father. He is short-tempered and hard to love.

But he bends to Cherrytail's every desire, and when she wants to expand their tiny family, he does not protest.

(Bonus)

He handles being a father like no one but Cherrytail ever expected him to.

He may bark orders to his Clanmates and challenge Leafstar's every command, but for his kits, he is

Patient

Loving

Forgiving

Proud

and full of so, so much Love.

Chapter Text

i.

She is born into the life of a kittypet.

She has a brother named Dakota and a sister named Frost.

She is the only one who dreams of cats with stars in their fur.

ii.

One night, long before SkyClan, she is cornered by a large tom. Her twolegs grab her before the tom can, but she remembers the night with frightening clarity.

She wonders why StarClan allowed such an encounter, until one night, she stumbles across a she-cat named Fallow. She… wasn't so lucky.

Echosong comforts her and convinces her to join SkyClan, where nothing like that will ever happen again. There, Fallowfern thrives and Echosong is always ready to soothe a she-cat or tom who have endured something similar.

iii.

Quietly, she hopes that she will die before Leafstar runs out of lives; she doesn't think she can stand to serve a leader who is not her loyal best friend.

iv.

Gathering herbs is one of her favorite pastimes; she thinks it's relaxing. Her favorite herb is daisy leaf because the petals are so pretty.

v.

She never develops feelings for a certain cat, but she has always been fond of Bouncefire and his infectious energy.

Chapter Text

i.

He is named Rain, because without rain nothing can survive.

His mother is a she-cat called Primrosepaw, and she tells him stories of Clans and warriors, where cats join together and defend each other like kin.

He becomes obsessed with the stories and asks his mother for a warrior name. She dubs him Rainfur, and asks for her own mother to smile down upon him.

ii.

His mother is killed by a twoleg dog, and the pain he feels when he finds her savaged body is unlike any other. He vows to forget all about the Clans she loved to tell him stories about - that's all they ever were, anyway. Just stories.

However. He introduces himself to Petal as Rainfur.

iii.

He never intended on taking a mate, but he cannot help but grow attached to Petal.

She reminds him of his mother; kind, born with a fighting spirit.

He believes she could do much better than him, yet she licks his scars and tells him to hush.

iv.

When Firestar invades his forest searching for some "SkyClan", Rainfur knows exactly who he is; one of those fabled Clan cats.

He swears that he will not join the Clan, because it would remind him too much of his mother, and it still hurts to remember her.

That is until they help him save Petal from her abusive twoleg and he no longer has a choice.

v.

He dies in the rat battle and leaves behind a faithful mate and two innocent kits.

It's worth it. He owes SkyClan Petalnose's life, and he would gladly sacrifice his for hers.

Besides. Primrosepaw is waiting for him in StarClan.

Chapter Text

i.

He's born alongside another tom-kit; his brother.

The skittish one who doesn't venture out of the Nursery until he's nearly two moons old: Ravenkit.

ii.

Sandpaw is naturally skilled and oh-so-pretty, and Dustpaw already knows that one day she is going to be his mate.

(Even if she swears she will never have kits... she'll come around eventually.)

iii.

If he's completely honest with himself, he's not sure why he despises Fireheart so much.

Maybe because of his kittypet blood.

Maybe because Sandstorm clearly fancies him now (traitor); maybe because he was so close to Ravenpaw whereas Dustpelt only disowned him, and now his brother is dead.

Maybe because Fireheart is everything that he always wanted to be.

… honesty is overrated, anyway.

iv.

He is first drawn to Fernpaw because she reminds him of Ravenpaw: loyal and compassionate, but not quite suited towards the harsh reality of being a warrior.

He watches Darkstripe scold and degrade Fernpaw, and he feels like he's watching Tigerclaw mock and torment his brother again.

He never did anything about it then. He's going to do something about it now.

If Bluestar won't assign Fernpaw a new mentor, then he's going to make sure that she always has a friend; someone she can trust and depend on.

v.

Ferncloud is his very best friend, and he would be fine if she was his only friend.

However, she insists that he make an effort to be social, so he befriends Brackenfur, Sorreltail, and Rainwhisker as well.

Cinderpelt, although a little too friendly for his taste, is a wonderful listener when he fears that he will never be a good father.

Eventually he and Sandstorm rekindle their friendship as well,.

(Bonus)

He is the one who named Spiderleg, Hollykit, and Icecloud.

Chapter Text

i.

In RiverClan, beauty gives you an advantage.

Rainkit is beautiful from the moment she is born, and only has to bat her eyelids for the Clan to fall at her paws.

ii.

Shellpaw has padded after her ever since they were apprentices; has caved to her every desire, every request.

She thinks he's handsome and noble and strong, and the only tom who deserves her.

iii.

She's always dreamed of being a mother and raising kits that RiverClan will be proud of.

Oakkit and Stormkit are exactly what she's always wanted.

iv.

… until the accident.

Crookedkit is everything she's always hated, always frowned upon, and to claim him as her son would be to turn her back on everything she's ever held true.

She can't break her own rules for her son… or her mate.

v.

At the time it seems like her only option, but as she grows old and finds herself without a mate and without kits, she realizes that she was wrong.

Beauty isn't everything.

Beauty is a curse.

Unfortunately, so is pride.

Chapter Text

i.

As an apprentice, he struggles with who he is.

Berrypaw is the loud, boastful one; the one who commands attention.

Hazelpaw is so full of determination, and she never struggles with their kittypet roots.

Mousepaw always feels out of place; like he's wearing a pelt that just doesn't fit.

ii.

Daisy reassures him that he's only young, and one day he'll know who he is.

She's right; one day he looks at his reflection in a puddle and realizes that he is confident, easy-going, and funny.

(and handsome, in his opinion)

iii.

When they're alone, he calls Berrynose "Berrystumpytail".

iv.

Hollyleaf is his friend, and he thinks he can be content with that forever.

Hollyleaf is killed by a tunnel collapse and the hole in his heart never really heals.

v.

One night he can't sleep, so he goes for a walk and stumbles across Ivypool. She's curled up in the dirt, sobbing over things that he doesn't quite understand, but he stays with her through the night and then he walks her back to camp.

They never talk about it, but from then on they form a friendship, and Mousewhisker always has an eye on her, alert for the first signs of distress.

(He missed the signs with Hollyleaf and she died twice.)

Chapter Text

i.

He never got the chance to fulfill his destiny.

Tigerstar stole that from him when he pinned him down and ripped his claws across his throat.

ii.

Fireheart was his hero; he admired him ever since he was a kit.

He knew, as Fireheart carried him across the thunderpath, that he wanted his own warrior name to be Gorsefire.

iii.

Gorsekit was shy but curious.

Gorsepaw was youthful and full of hope.

Gorsefire would have been thoughtful, protective, and responsible.

iv.

StarClan never meant for either Mudclaw or Onewhisker to become the leader of WindClan; neither of them could handle the responsibility or the strain.

That role was crafted for Gorsefire.

v.

One night, while he is watching WindClan from above, he notices Nightpaw and-

He just knows-

That she was meant for him.

After that, he can not stand to watch over his Clan anymore. He can not stand to feel as if he failed the Clan he loved but never led, or the she-cat he would have loved but never met.

(Bonus)

Many moons later, Nightcloud dies and joins StarClan.

He does not know how to approach her; how to tell her that he, an apprentice with claw mark scars across his neck, has been patiently waiting to love her.

He starts with, "Hi, my name is Gorsefire."

Chapter Text

i.

He's only six moons old when his littermates dare him to lick the strange twoleg substance.

Later that night, he becomes violently ill.

ii.

He never wanted to die like this; over a fish-brained dare.

He wonders who will remember him after he dies when Leafpool of ThunderClan appears.

Great, he thinks. If I'm seeing cats then I must already be dead.

Then Leafpool shoves yarrow leaves down his throat and forces him to throw-up the poison.

He lives.

iii.

After his near-death experience, he receives his warrior name and vows to live his life to the fullest.

He will never pass an opportunity to live, to fight, to adventure, to love...

And that is how Gorsetail of WindClan becomes pregnant.

iv.

They never speak of it.

It was only supposed to be one, passionate night underneath the stars; they were never supposed to become parents.

She is loyal to WindClan. He is loyal to RiverClan.

He can never claim them, and she can never claim him, so they move on with their lives and forget their pasts.

v.

And yet...

Sometimes, when he sees Weaselfur bragging about what wonderful warriors his daughters (his daughters!) will make,

he wonders if he made a mistake.

Chapter Text

i.

He's born to Volestar and Nightpetal, the leader of RiverClan and his loyal mate.

He's born alongside Timberkit, and their Clanmates whisper that they are destined for glory before they even open their eyes.

ii.

As an apprentice, Hailpaw is lazy and unmotivated. His Clanmates whisper that he is destined for glory and why would he bother training when everything comes so naturally to him?

He, Timberpaw, Shellpaw, and Rainpaw are four talented-but-troublesome apprentices with too much free time on their paws, and they drive their mentors insane.

iii.

As a warrior, Hailstep is arrogant and proud. He will be Clan leader one day and the entire forest will have to acknowledge his greatness.

However, he takes a detour from greatness when, in the heat of an ambush, he attacks a Clanmate.

Echopaw is wounded and will carry the scar for the rest of her life.

iv.

Arrogant.

Disrespectful.

Lazy.

This is how his parents describe him when they scold him for attacking Echopaw, and then comes the punishment: for one moon, he must tend to her wounds and learn some humility.

Hailstep groans and complains, and it never crosses his mind that this could be the best thing to ever happen to him.

v.

One day he becomes Hailstar, and suddenly he wonders if all of those whispers were true; how could he ever follow in his father's pawsteps?

Then he looks to Echomist, his mate, and suddenly anything seems possible.

(Bonus)

Three kits are born to Hailstar and Echomist, the leader of RiverClan and his loyal mate.

Volekit, Beetlekit, and Petalkit. Their Clanmates whisper that they are destined for glory before they even open their eyes.

Chapter Text

i.

Beauty is an advantage in RiverClan; they may be strong and loyal, but vanity runs in their blood like water runs through the rivers.

Fallowpaw is nice. She has soft brown fur and blue eyes.

However. Echomist, Shimmerpelt and Rainflower are stunning, and she realizes as an apprentice that she pales in comparison.

ii.

Cederpelt and Marshcloud are protective of their only sister. Outwardly she protests their behavior; inwardly it makes her feel special.

iii.

She meets Reedfeather at a Gathering, not very long after she is made a warrior and sleeps just a tail-length away from Echomist.

He tells her she is beautiful.

She is putty in his paws.

iv.

They quit seeing each other soon after he is made the deputy of WindClan. Their relationship is against the Warrior Code; she sees the way his Clanmates moon over him.

She finds out she is pregnant, and does not plan to reveal the father. These kits will be hers, she will raise them to be what she could not be (loyal), and being their mother will bring her more happiness than beauty ever could.

When Reedfeather strolls into camp and strolls out with their (her) daughters, he leaves with her broken heart as well.

v.

She has never been close to any of the she-cats in RiverClan. That is, until she hits her breaking point and feels like she has nothing to live for.

Ottersplash has a barbed-tongue and too many battle-scars to be considered beautiful, and she has more confidence than any other cat in the Clan. When Fallowtail does not eat, does not sleep, does not speak, Ottersplash pushes her to live.

Through her heartbreak, Fallowtail gains the most loyal friend she could wish for.

(Bonus. i.)

One night, Hailstar pads tiredly into camp with Willowkit swinging in his jaws; Cederpelt carries Graykit.

From then, every night until her death, she thanks StarClan for bringing her kits back to her.

(Bonus. ii.)

On the eve of their warrior ceremony, she pulls Hailstar aside and requests that Willowpaw and Graypaw be named Willowbreeze and Graypool, so that they carry the power of river and wind wherever they may go.

Chapter Text

i.

She meets Rainfur when he is a young, cocky rogue who thinks he knows exactly how the world works.

She finds him absolutely aggravating until he defends her from another rouge and pays for it with a nasty shoulder wound. After that, her heart belongs to him.

ii.

She has always dreamed of a life outside her twoleg den, but never believes it is possible. Her mother lived with the abusive twoleg as well, and she said there was no hope.

It isn't until SkyClan saves her and her kits that she finally tastes freedom.

iii.

After being saved by Rainfur and SkyClan, Petal is determined to be able to defend herself. She is more enthusiastic to be a SkyClan warrior than she has anything else in a long time.

iv.

When Rainfur dies in the battle with the rats, Petalnose does not regret their decision to join the Clan.

She mourns her mate but refuses to let regret soil his memory.

She tells stories of his bravery to their kits and makes sure they know that their father was a true hero.

v.

Petalnose trains hard to be a SkyClan warrior, and she thrives.

She is finally rewarded for her determination when she is allowed to mentor her own son, Sagepaw, as an apprentice.

Chapter Text

i.

RiverClan warriors silently value beauty and grace over skill and power.

Otterpaw is the exception. A pretty face won't save me in battle, she tells her mentor when she is scolded for her unkempt pelt.

Her mentor does not know how to respond to that.

ii.

She takes to the water quicker than her Denmates. She is aptly named.

iii.

She does not find herself attractive. It does not bother her.

Unfortunately, it bothers Timberpaw because he thinks that she is the most gorgeous she-cat in RiverClan.

Double-unfortunate, Otterpaw considers him to be her rival and hates his guts.

Yikes.

iv.

Her ear is torn in a battle over Sunningrocks.

She is proud of her injury, and hopes it will make her look even fiercer.

Her mother shakes her head and wonders where she went wrong.

v.

She considers Timberfur to be a pain-in-the-tail with a face that is much too handsome.

She reconsiders her opinion of him when he bunts their foreheads together for the first time.

He tells her she is gorgeous.

She flicks her torn ear and thinks it is the sweetest lie anyone has ever told her.

(Bonus)

She serves as a warrior throughout her entire pregnancy.

"Timberfur takes that risk. Why shouldn't I?"

Chapter Text

i.

As a kit, she overhears one of the warriors remark that she looks just like her mother.

From then on, Featherkit doesn't look for her reflection in puddles.

ii.

Stormpaw will always be ready to prove his loyalty, even to cats who were prepared to watch them die. 

Featherpaw is not her mother and she is not her brother. She stares across the river and dreams about the future she could have in ThunderClan alongside her father. As much as the forest appeals to her, she isn't strong enough to abandon Stormpaw or Mistyfoot.

iii.

But she isn't strong enough to cut ties with her father, either.

Under the cloak of night, she sits in front of the river across from him and she cries her heart out. She is so miserable, so confused, so lonely. Where does her loyalty truly lie?

And Graystripe tells her, "you are what you love, not who loves you".

iv.

If she had survived the journey to the Sundrown Place, she never would have agreed to a forbidden relationship with Crowpaw.

He doesn't really love you, her mind would have whispered. You know better than anyone else the pain a forbidden relationship causes.

She would have let her head rule her heart.

v.

That's not to say that Feathertail would never let her heart win; Hawkfrost is interesting and mysterious and clearly up to something. 

And Feathertail could use a good distraction.

(Bonus)

In the afterlife, she hunts both with StarClan and the Tribe of Endless Hunting.

Chapter Text

i.

Brindleface names him in honor of Fireheart, who brought her hope after two of her kits died.

ii.

He is the first cat to notice when Fernpaw develops feelings for Dustpelt.

He teases his sister about her crush more than anyone else.

iii.

He is given his first apprentice when he is still young; Birchpaw.

After Hollykit and Larchkit die so young, he makes it his personal mission to train Birchpaw into a warrior that Dustpelt and Ferncloud can be proud of.

iv.

He inherits his dark blue eyes from his grandmother, Snowfur.

v.

One time, he almost beat Sandstorm in a race.

(Bonus)

He loses his mind after Squirrelflight chooses Brambleclaw over him; she didn't drive him to insanity, but he had been dancing around the edge for a while.

Once he reaches StarClan he realizes how wrong he had been, and how much pain he caused those he cared about. He spends the rest of his afterlife repenting for his sins, and gradually apologizes to those he hurt as they join him in StarClan.

Hollyleaf.

Bramblestar.

Lionblaze.

Leafpool.

Squirrelflight.

Jayfeather.

And slowly, all that he had once lost returns to him.

Chapter Text

i.

Maybe WindClan spoils her when she is a kit.

She is the daughter of Onestar, after all.

ii.

Breezepaw has never been easy to get along with. To be his friend, one must be as stubborn and blunt as he is.

Heatherpaw is perfectly suited for the role.

iii.

Looking back, she was never in love with Lionblaze.

He was confident and brave and exciting, but infatuation is a trick of the mind; not the heart.

iv.

She is the fastest warrior in WindClan.

v.

When Breezepelt betrays the Clans and fights alongside the Dark Forest, Heathertail thinks she hates him more than she ever hated Lionblaze.

When Breezepelt runs away and Heathertail lies awake every night worrying over his safety, she realizes that she loves him.

And her heart is torn in two.

(Bonus)

Eventually Breezepelt returns to WindClan, but even though she loves him, she can not forgive him so easily.

Their friendship is damaged, but over time is heals, and she proudly expects his kits.

Chapter Text

i.

He and his littermates are kitnapped by ShadowClan when they are only a moon old.

Brackenkit, Cinderkit, and Brightkit recover from the experience well enough. Thornkit can not sleep through the night without having a nightmare.

At Frostfur's suggestion, Thornkit's apprentice ceremony is pushed back. He is devastated.

It stings less, however, when Brightkit loyally pushes her ceremony back as well.

ii.

As the trauma heals, it leaves behind a fierce desire to prove himself as a warrior.

However, Thornpaw never turns his back on a ShadowClan cat.

iii.

Because of her loyal act as kits, he is the closest to Brightpaw.

When she is ravaged by the dog pack, he visits her every day in the Medicine Cat Den and keeps her company.

iv.

As a warrior, he is one of the strongest, most determined in ThunderClan. He patrols more than anyone else.

Because of this, Rainwhisker gives him the nickname "Thornclaw the Patrol Cat".

It sticks around for the rest of his life.

v.

"I don't know why you would ever want to take on a mate," he tells Brackenfur one day. "Seems pretty pointless to me."

"That's just because you haven't met a cat as stubborn as you," Brackenfur replies. "Just wait, the moment someone gives you a good clawing, you'll fall head over paws!"

He scoffs. "Yeah right."

(Bonus)

One day he tells Blossomfall that she has an undesirable personality. (It's the truth!)

Before he can even blink, she snarls and claws his ear. (It leaves a scar.)

She storms off without an apology, and he stares after her with wide eyes and a racing heart. (Fox-dung…)

Chapter Text

i.

Ironically enough, he's terrified of storms.

He cannot believe Willowpelt would name him after something so horrible.

ii.

It strikes him one day that perhaps Willowpelt named him perfectly.

He is calm, cool, collected. He is the rain that waters new-leaf flowers.

He also thinks that Willowpelt named Sootpaw perfectly; if he is rain, then Sootpaw prowls with fire in his veins.

iii.

One day he looks at his sister and asks, "So… what is a 'sorrel'?"

The question leaves her Shookth.

iv.

On the Great Journey, he grows close to Swallowtail of RiverClan.

She is lovely. She is intelligent. She is funny. She is perfect.

She is from RiverClan, and when they must return to their Clans, he thinks that Swallowtail takes a chunk of his heart with her.

V.

He is the one who must tell Sorreltail that a badger killed Sootfur, the same way that their mother died.

He has never hated being the Responsible One more in his life.

(Bonus)

He still doesn't like storms.

A soft drizzle is okay, but thunder and lightning make his heart race.

And yet, when one of Sorreltail's kits go missing in a leaf-bare storm, he is the one who leads the patrol.

He finds Poppykit cowering from the storm underneath an oak tree. He coaxes her out, then passes her to Brackenfur.

Then a crack splits the air, and in the next heartbeat, Rainwhisker is crushed by a tree branch. Poppykit's shrill screech is the last thing he hears.

Chapter Text

i.

When he is a kit, he asks Millie why she named him Bumblekit.

"Because it sounds like your sisters' names."

He never tells anyone, but from that moment onward, he loathes his name.

ii.

Despite his budding insecurities, he is an energetic and compassionate apprentice. His mentor, Mousewhisker, encourages him to make friends and chase after his ambition.

They remain good friends throughout their lifetime.

iii.

What is his ambition? To have a perfect family.

No one gossips about it out of respect, but ThunderClan knows that Graystripe and Millie's relationship has weakened since Briarlight's incident. Now their nests are on opposite sides of the den.

It hurts Bumblestripe to watch his parents become so distant, and he swears that his own kits will never feel that pain.

iv.

Although he never confronted her, he always knew that Dovewing and Tigerheart were in love.

How could he miss the longing glances they shared at Gatherings?

V.

When Dovewing runs away to be with Tigerheart, he feels bitter; betrayed; hurt.

But he can not hate her, or her mate.

He watched his parents' relationship crumble, and he would rather lose Dovewing now than lose her when they are old.

(Bonus i.)

Moons later, when peace has finally settled around the lake, he has his perfect family.

Rosepetal is his wonderful friend, and then she is his wonderful mate. One day, she is the wonderful mother of his kits.

(And while he is no longer bitter towards Dovewing, privately he thinks that one Rosepetal is worth one-hundred Dovewings.)

Chapter Text

i.

He is born during an especially harsh leaf-bare. His father, his brother, and his sister all die before he is even a moon old.

Kinkfur fears she is cursed and refuses to nurse her only surviving son, so Whitewater and Smokekit adopt him.

ii.

As an apprentice he is mentored by Rowanstar himself and he outshines the rest of his class; it is easy for the young tom to develop an ego and force his Clanmates to forget about pitiful, rejected Crowkit.

Cats will crave his approval, and he will Never be rejected again.

iii.

He and Smokefoot receive their apprentices at the same time: Olivepaw and Owlpaw.

Olivepaw is confident and enthusiastic and she looks at him with hearts in her eyes, so they get along great.

Although. She really could pick better friends.

iv.

Dawnpelt is the most infuriating cat around the lake, but nobody believes Crowfrost when he says as much.

When she laughs even the marshes fall silent, like they're holding onto the echo.

V.

One day Dawnpelt laughs, and he can only stare at her and hold onto her the echo.

(Bonus)

They have three kits in their first litter: Willowkit, Mosskit, and Firekit.

Willowkit, named after the weeping willow where they would stargaze together.

Mosskit, as in the games of moss-ball that Crowfrost never got to play with his littermates.

And Firekit, in honor of Flametail.

Chapter Text

i. 

At her first Gathering, she meets her father. She is determined to stay open-minded about him; Graypaw already hates his guts, but perhaps he isn’t as terrible as her Clanmates make him out to be.

She lays eyes on him and is suddenly filled with a longing she’s never known before.

That is the first time Willowpaw doubts her loyalty to RiverClan.

ii. 

She asks to meet with him one night at the WindClan border. She wants to know more about her father.

He tells her about himself; about his life; about WindClan.

He tells her that even from WindClan, he is proud of his daughters. He does not resent them for choosing to stay with their mother; as long as they are happy, he is happy.

Willowpaw smiles at him through her tears. She does not regret giving him a chance.

iii. 

By the time she is ready for her warrior name, she is sure that RiverClan is meant to be her home. As surely as she knows the river and as surely as she loves Crookedjaw.

And yet. She is grateful when Hailstar names her Willowbreeze. She thinks her father would be, too.

iv.

In her nightmares, she remembers the dog that chased her up a tree.

When she wakes up panting, she is beside the tom that saved her life.

v.

Despite their size, her favorite fish are minnows. 

(Bonus)

In death, she watches over Crookedstar faithfully. She waits for him by herself, and then with Willowkit and Minnowkit; and then with Shellheart and Oakheart; and then with Silverstream.

Chapter Text

i.

At her first Gathering, she meets her father. She expects to take one look at him and curl her lip in disgust, but-

She lays eyes on him and is suddenly filled with a longing she's never known before.

That is the first time Graypaw doubts her loyalty to RiverClan.

ii.

He convinces her to meet with him one night at the WindClan border. He says he just wants to talk. Maybe she wants to listen, too.

He tells her that he was young to the deputyship and many did not believe he was ready for it. But Fallowtail looked at him with stars in her eyes, and it he drew confidence from it.

He did not love her mother, but he did love their daughters. He always loved the name 'Graykit', after the stories of Graywing the Wise.

Graypaw smiles at him through her tears. She thinks everything was simpler when she could hate his guts.

iii.

But she never doubts herself for very long. The river rushes through her veins and she takes to the water like a fish.

When she receives the name Graypool, she thinks that no one else doubts where she belongs, either.

iv.

She falls in love with Rippleclaw slowly. First they are friends and suddenly they are mates. He is a good bit older than her, but she is drawn to his seniority and maturity.

When she finds out she is expecting, they are both thrilled to start their own family.

v.

Splashkit and Morningkit die soon after they are born. Swankit dies just days later. It is a cruel leaf-bare.

Their deaths drive Graypool and Rippleclaw apart. When she agrees to foster Mistykit and Stonekit, their relationship crumbles.

(Bonus i.)

She tells the kits the story of Graywing the Wise.

(Bonus ii.)

The way she falls in love with Oakheart is different. One day he is giving Mistykit and Stone a badger-ride, and when he looks at her his grin is infectious, and it sends her heart racing.

And then it never slows down.

Chapter Text

i.

She is very proud of her warrior name and what it says about her character. She does her best to live up to it and remain optimistic in times of darkness.

ii.

Her favorite season is new-leaf. The budding flowers and the birdsong give her hope.

iii.

Foxleap is handsome and charming and fun, and he doesn't trip over his words around her.

She thinks that maybe in a different lifetimme, he could love her too.

iv.

Out of her littermates she looks the most like Millie, but she has her father's charisma and outgoing personality.

v.

She remains close to Bumblestripe, but drifts apart from Blossomfall. She always wishes that she could heal the damage between them, but she does not have the right words.

(Bonus i.)

The kits all agree that she gives the best badger-rides.

Chapter Text

i.

He is very young when Hollykit, Larchkit, and Shrewpaw die. Perhaps that is why no one thinks to reassure him that those deaths are not his fault.

And yet, at three moons old, he develops survivor's guilt.

ii.

On the Great Journey, he befriends Applekit, Marshkit, and Toadkit of ShadowClan. On the journey he is most interested in the brothers, but,

At his first Gathering,

It is Applepaw and her bright green eyes that catch his attention.

iii.

They meet up in secret as apprentices until one night when they are caught by Spiderleg.

Birchpaw's older brother is jaded for such a young warrior, but he promises to keep their secret to himself under one condition: they must quit their meetings.

And that is the first time Birchpaw ever has his heart broken.

iv.

It does not take him long to recover, though.

When Whitepaw loyally pushes her warrior ceremony back so that he is not alone in the apprentice den, Birchpaw thinks that he wants her by his side forever.

v.

He grew very close to his uncle and mentor, Ashfur. They often hunted and patrolled together as warriors.

When the truth about Ashfur is revealed, he is devastated. 

(Bonus i.)

He trains in the Dark Forest because survivor guilt can be buried, but it does not go away.

When he is confronted with the opportunity to become so strong that he can protect everyone he loves, he leaps at the chance.

Chapter Text

i.

At first glance, nobody believes that he could possibly be Firestar's kin; not with a pelt that white and eyes that blue.

ii.

When Whitekit is three moons old, he takes her to meet Princess.

Princess is absolutely thrilled, and from that point on, visits are routine.

iii.

Looking back, he regrets boasting so much when he was young; if he wouldn't have shoved his warrior rank in Swiftpaw's face, maybe he wouldn't have gone searching for the dogs.

iv.

He is very close to Squirrelflight and Leafpool and acts like their older brother, since Whitewing was in the Nursery with them.

v.

When Ferncloud used to ramble on about soulmates, he would roll his eyes; what nonsense!

Now he shares the Elders' Den with Brightheart, and when he looks at her, he thinks that there could never be anybody else for him.

(Bonus i.)

He wouldn't have been interested in the "wild cats" if Princess would have kept him, and would have lived happily as a kittypet.

Chapter Text

i.

She is only five moons old when the Clans journey through the mountains, and she bristles every time an owl hoots.

As young as five moons old, Applekit develops a small anxiety disorder.

ii.

The journey through the mountains is dangerous, but she and her brothers live long enough to see the new ShadowClan territory.

But after living through so much, it is a hawk that swoops from the sky and picks Marshkit up just a mouse-length away from her muzzle, gone forever.

iii.

Her crush on Birchpaw is silly, and deep down she knows that they can never be together.

Her crush on Smokefoot is gut-wrenching because he is so handsome, so strong, and so far out of her league even though they share a Clan. She wishes that she was enough to capture his heart.

iv.

One night, a cat named Sparrowfeather appears in her dreams with an opportunity to become stronger, faster - to finally be enough.

Enough to conquer her anxiety; to save kits from hawks; and to win Smokefoot's affections.

v.

When the Dark Forest forces them to battle against the Clans, she hides with the other trainees. If only she had been smarter, she would have realized what they were planning and she could have stopped them.

She watches in horror as Sparrowfeather pushes Smokefoot closer and closer to the edge of the ravine, and she acts before she thinks. She runs across the battlefield, tackles Sparrowfeather and sends them rolling-

Over the ravine.

(Bonus i.)

"You're right," she whispers to Ivypool. "My life is a small price to pay, considering what I've done."

Chapter Text

i.

"She's very well-adjusted."

It's an odd description for a kit that's barely opened her eyes, but it's how Daisy describes her only she-kit to Millie.

The unfamiliar scents, the strange noises, and the newness of this vast world - Rosekit takes it all into stride and is ready to explore.

ii.

Along with being well-adjusted, she is also very intelligent.

At an early age, she notices that Graystripe visits the Nursery often but Spiderleg does not. She notices that Brackenfur nuzzles his daughters, and Firestar shares fresh-kill with his daughters, and Dustpelt takes Icepaw on walks-

But Spiderleg does not.

Rosekit does not ask why; she takes it into stride and does not let it slow her down.

iii.

On her first day as an apprentice, Squirrelflight teaches her some basic hunting moves.

She does not expect her apprentice to bring a mouse back to camp later that day.

iv.

She is close to all of her half-siblings, but especially so to Mousewhisker.

After she is made an apprentice, they enjoy hunting together and outclimbing each other.

v.

She is well-adjusted. Nothing has ever slowed her down.

Not even Bumblestripe, and the way her heart twists when he looks at Dovewing like she is the most perfect cat on the earth.

(Bonus i.)

But one day, she slows down.

Not long, but long enough to scold Bumblestripe for sulking after Dovewing's rejection and for playing the victim.

"Get over it," she tells him. "Serve your Clan the best you can, and maybe if you would quit sulking over Dovewing, you would realize that there are other cats who would consider themselves lucky to have captured your eye."

(Bonus ii.)

She is a skilled warrior and has wisdom beyond her years, and is rewarded with not one, but five apprentices.

She is an absolute credit to ThunderClan, and before her death, there are whispers that she will one day be deputy.

Chapter Text

i.

Her Clanmates say that she is a combination of her parents.

She has the same ear shape and tail length as Crookedstar, but she has the same head markings as Willowbreeze, and her fur is just as soft, too.

She has to take their word for it, since Willowbreeze is dead and Crookedstar might as well be.

ii.

Eventually, though, Crookedstar shakes his grief and begins visiting her in the Nursery.

They say that kits are very forgiving, and Silverkit is no exception;

(But there never comes a day when she doesn't remember lying awake at night and wondering why her father does not want her.)

iii.

Mistykit and Stonekit make great playmates; Mistyfoot and Stonefur are her best friends. They do their best to keep her out of trouble.

Stonefur wakes her up for the dawn patrol and reminds her that senior warriors deserve her respect.

Mistyfoot is the voice of reason when her heart speaks louder than her head.

(Somehow she still ends up pregnant with a ThunderClan warrior's kits.)

iv.

She tries to be a good RiverClan warrior and not break the Code, she really does, but...

Silverstream has always ignored what her heart tells her to do. She would never feed a starving, rival Clan because she would risk her Clanmates' trust, but she would want to. Graystripe does not care about what he could lose, he only cares about who he could help.

In the short moons they are together, he gives her the confidence to follow her heart and make decisions that she can proudly stand behind.

v.

She has never been ambitious like Stonefur or Mistyfoot; she doesn't compete for the deputyship, or apprentices.

But she remembers when she was two moons old and she did not understand why her mother was dead, or why her father couldn't look her in the eye.

She refuses to put her kits through the same pain. All mothers must make sacrifices, and she decides to join ThunderClan, so that her kits will have both of their parents.

On her way to tell Graystripe about her decision, she feels her first contraction.

(Bonus i.)

StarClan always sounded like such a glorious place when she was alive. The thought of being reunited with deceased loved ones after living a long and fulfilling life was a joyful one.

But she spends her first moon in StarClan utterly depressed. Her father has no daughter. Her mate has no partner. Her kits have no mother.

Willowbreeze lets Silverstream cry into her fur, soothes her with a mother's love, and tells her that one day, she will be able to do the same.

(Bonus ii.)

When Feathertail opens her eyes in StarClan, they are filled with grief. She mourns her brother, her father, her Clan; she mourns the future that she sacrificed.

Silverstream knows all about sacrifice. She lets Feathertail cry into her fur and soothes her with a mother's love.

Chapter Text

i.

Fallowfern’s favorite story was about the lucky rabbit. A creature so quick and agile that even death could never catch it.

Her firstborn son, a small brown kit, struggles to breathe. Fallowfern holds her breath as Echosong massages his chest. After a long moment, Echosong cries, “He’s breathing! Lucky little kit!”

Lucky indeed. Her lucky little Rabbitkit.

ii.

It’s a nice story, but Rabbitpaw despises it. 

What is luck, if not success without skill?

He dreams of leading SkyClan, someday. He will achieve his dream because he is skilled and hardworking, not because he is lucky. 

iii. 

Growing up, his greatest inspiration is his father, Waspwhisker; and his mentor, Sharpclaw. 

iv.

A SkyClan apprentice who is afraid of heights. 

Irony in its cruelest form.

v.

He thinks that corralling his littermates would be a great sign of leadership, if only they would cooperate with him.

Plumwillow could be his deputy one day if only she would quit drooling over Swiftleap. Creekfeather would like to pull pranks on his Clanmates rather than provide for them. Nettlesplash is just… Nettlesplash .

They drive him crazy, but at the end of the day, he can’t imagine his life without them.

(Bonus i.)

When Sharpclaw falls sick, the deputyship becomes tangible. He uses every minute of the day to prove to Leafstar that he deserves the position over Mintfur.

However. When Mintfur begins to look at him with soft green eyes, for the first time ever, his dream wavers.

(Bonus ii.)

In the end, the decision is his: the deputyship, or Mintfur? 

He wishes he could have both. Unfortunately, Rabbitleap isn’t that lucky.

Chapter Text

i.

Waspwhisker's only littermate was a she-cat named Plum. They were close their entire kithood, until twolegs separated them.

The second-born kit, a she-kit, looks exactly like Plum. There is no deliberation over her name. And there will be no power that can separate little Plumkit from her kin.

ii.

If Rabbitpaw is their mother's joy, then Plumpaw is the apple of their father's eye. But she insists that their parents don't play favorites.

And she doesn't tell her brothers when Waspwhisker takes her hunting, just the two of them.

iii.

She is the sap that holds her littermates together. She keeps Rabbitleap grounded, and she keeps Creekfeather out of trouble, and she keeps Nettlesplash around.

But being the only she-cat in a litter of four is a lot of work. She becomes fast friends with her mentor, Tinycloud; and with fellow apprentice, Honeypaw.

iv.

She develops a crush on Creekfeather's best friend, Swiftleap. Once she becomes a warrior she sets out to make him feel the same way.

(Little does she know that Swiftleap does feel the same way… about Honeyflower.)

v.

Her world comes crashing down around her in a matter of days.

Swiftleap and Honeyflower are mates. Tinycloud chooses sides. Creekfeather refuses to choose a side.

For the first time ever, her confidence is truly shaken.

(Bonus i.)

She throws herself into her warrior duties. If she has to patrol the entire territory by herself to avoid Swiftleap and Honeyflower, then so be it.

All the time spent by herself in nature is healing. And her new work ethic catches the eye of Leafstar.

When Cherrytail's kits are six moons old, she receives her first apprentice.

(Bonus ii.)

When Plumwillow is a senior warrior, she dwells on her younger moons and is grateful for where she is now.

The sap that holds her littermates together. Friends with Honeyflower and Tinycloud. The mentor of three warriors. A devoted mate.

And the mother to three toms, and a she-kit.

Chapter Text

i.

When her third kit is born, Fallowfern notices faint tabby stripes.

"Where did those come from?" Waspwhisker asks her.

Fallowfern isn't sure where her son gets his ripples, but it certainly does make naming him easier.

ii.

In a litter of four, he is determined to stand out.

From his tabby stripes to his mischievous spirit, nobody ever overlooks Creekpaw.

iii.

Sometimes he stands out for all the wrong reasons; for creeping up on Shrewtooth, for putting fire ants in Rockshade's nest.

Leafstar needs to keep a close watch on this one. She apprentices him to Sparrowpelt.

iv.

He befriends Swiftleap towards the end of his apprenticeship. One day they're simply Clanmates, the next; they're simply inseparable.

(Creekfeather doesn't care about toms and she-cats. He just appreciates someone as attractive as he is.)

v.

Sparrowpelt tells Leafstar that his apprentice is a good cat, just a little bit vain. He winks at his reflection in puddles, and he weaves blue-jay feathers into his nest.

Leafstar finds this amusing. For the second time in his life, he is easy to name.

(Bonus i.)

If cats have ADHD, then Creekfeather has ADHD.

(Bonus ii.)

When Creekfeather finally matures and begins to contribute to SkyClan like any regular warrior, his Clanmates breathe a sigh of relief.

(Although he still likes to put fire ants in their nests from time to time.)

Chapter Text

i.

Her last kit. Her third son.

Fallowfern is exhausted. She looks at him for a moment, then murmurs, “Nettlekit”.

She goes to sleep.

ii.

A litter of four is overwhelming for any new mother. Fallowfern has her paws full with her lucky rabbit, her sweet plum, and her bubbly creek.

She doesn’t mean to let her quiet nettle slip into the shadows, but it happens all the same.

iii.

He is three moons old when he and Plumkit are wrestling beside the river, and Plumkit accidentally pushes him in.

Only three moons old but he spends the rest of his life with a fear of drowning.

iv.

His mentor, Patchfoot, tells him that he has extraordinary tracking skills. Nettlepaw thinks that it’s nice to finally stand out for something.

When Harrykit goes missing and Nettlepaw is the one who finds him dead at the bottom of the ravine, he thinks he is cursed.

v.

His littermates are born to be warriors. They climb and hunt and fight like their lives depend on it.

Nettlesplash sticks to the shadows and sulks. What’s wrong with me, he despairs.

(Bonus i.)

“I get it,” Birdflight says one day. “To them, being a warrior is all that matters. They don’t even consider the world outside of our territory, but it’s all I can think about.”

“We’re bad warriors,” Nettlesplash says.

Birdflight laughs, and Nettlesplash think he must not be so awful if he can make Birdflight laugh.

(Bonus ii.)

He hates being a warrior, he hates feeling trapped in SkyClan, but he hates himself most of all when Birdflight leaves the Clan in search of a new adventure and he can’t bring himself to leave with her.

Chapter Text

i.

Bluefur must be strategic when she names her three kits. She chooses Stonekit for her only son because it reminds her of RiverClan and Oakheart, but she tells her Clanmates it is in honor of her first mentor, Stonepelt.

She doesn’t see why both can’t be true.

ii.

He admires his father more than any other cat. He would follow Oakheart to the ends of the earth, he would follow him into any battle, he would follow any order.

So when Oakheart tells him to be weary of Redtail of ThunderClan, Stonepaw obeys.

iii.

Mentoring an apprentice is a great honor. Mentoring the kit of a friend is an extra special task.

But hard as Stonefur tries, he doesn't see Silverstream in Stormpaw; he sees Graystripe.

Stonefur swears to himself, he'll make Stormpaw into such a strong warrior that no one will look upon him and see his father.

iv.

Leopardfur is spoiled rotten by RiverClan, and Stonefur likes to push her, to hold her accountable. He thinks that somebody needs to.

They go from being rivals to being friends to being…

v.

… on opposite ends of Bonehill, with Tigerstar in the middle, and Silverstream’s kits behind him.

As Blackfoot slams his head against the ground, Stonefur makes sure to lock eyes with Leopardstar so that she has to watch the light die in his eyes.

(Bonus i.)

Stonefur’s respect is hard to win, but his forgiveness is even harder.

Mistystar has time to deal with all of the lies and the betrayal they faced together. Stonefur dies exactly how he is: angry at the world.

It takes a long, long time living amongst the stars to eventually forgive Bluestar, Oakheart, Graypool, Silverstream.

But he never finds it in his heart to forgive Leopardstar.

(Bonus ii.)

And he never forgives Blackstar, either.

When all of StarClan encourages Stonefur to give Blackstar one of his nine lives, he refuses.

Chapter Text

i.

He grows up hearing lots of stories, including stories about Featherwhisker’s old mentor, Goosefeather. Swiftbreeze says being a medicine cat drove Goosefeather crazy.

When his sister, Spottedpaw, asks to train as a medicine cat apprentice, Redpaw swears to keep a close eye on her. He won’t watch his sister succumb to the same terrible fate as Goosefeather.

ii.

Brindlepaw teases him for his bushy tail and makes a bet that his warrior name will be Redsquirrel.

Brindleface has to take his share of the dawn patrols for their first moon as warriors.

iii.

Rather than outmuscle his opponents he outthinks them, and puts together winning strategies. He is clever and observant. 

When RiverClan welcomes two new apprentices at a Gathering, Redtail must hide his shock. Stonepaw and Mistypaw are identical to Bluefur’s missing kits.

He catches the subtle nod that Oakheart sends Bluefur, and all of a sudden everything makes sense.

iv.

“You could have asked Oakheart to change their names, at least,” he mutters to Bluefur on their journey home.

v.

This new discovery leaves him feeling conflicted, but ultimately he decides that ThunderClan does not benefits from the truth being revealed.

Skilled, clever, and loyal to ThunderClan above all else. His decision to keep Bluefur’s secret is ultimately why she chooses Redtail to be her first deputy.

(Bonus i.)

It’s difficult for his Clanmates to keep secrets from him. Sometimes he figures out the truth before they do.

But it’s Willowpelt and Spottedleaf who have to finally tell him that Brindleface has been flirting back with him for moons.

(Bonus ii.)

Tigerclaw is ambitious and proud but he is also secretive. Redtail knows how to sniff out a secret.

When he realizes what Tigerclaw’s true intentions are, he decides to tell Bluestar after the Sunningrocks battle.

It turns out to be a fateful decision. 

Chapter Text

i.

She’s born to a she-cat named Swan and a father she has no recollection of. She has no littermates, no friends, only her mother. 

On the morning of her sixth moon, she wakes up alone. She never sees Swan again.

ii.

She finds a group of cats - RiverClan, they call themselves - who are skilled fishers. 

She camps out near the Halfbridge and teaches herself how to fish by watching them. 

iii.

Eventually, she catches the eye of a she-cat named Mosspelt. After a few conversations, Mosspelt introduces Swallow to RiverClan’s leader, Leopardstar.

Impressed by her skill and determination, Leopardstar offers her an apprenticeship in RiverClan.

Mosspelt becomes her mentor.

iv.

She adapts well to Clan life. Having survived by herself for so long, it’s a relief to be able to depend on so many loyal cats.

Her one wish, however, would be to have a mate. One cat who could mean everything to her.

(She tries to flirt with Hawkfrost, but he seems… preoccupied.)

v.

During the Great Journey, she continues to make friends with cats from other Clans, including Rainwhisker of ThunderClan. In a matter of days they become best friends, nearly inseparable.

After the Journey, she finds out she is carrying his kits.

(Bonus i.)

She doesn’t know who Tigerstar is, or how TigerClan came to be, but she’s heard bits and pieces of stories. She knows that, as difficult as it is for a rogue-born to earn their Clanmates' trust, it’s even harder for a half-Clan kit.

One look at Stormfur, and Swallowtail knows that she can’t reveal the father of her kits to anyone, not even to Rainwhisker himself.

But when she has two tom-kits, she can’t help herself. She names one of them Rainkit.

Chapter Text

i.

She’s about three moons old when her kitten-blue eyes fade to pale green.

When Brightheart looks in her eyes, she sees Lionheart.

When Cloudtail looks in her eyes, he sees Princess.

ii.

After Squirrelflight and Spiderleg are made apprentices, she becomes lonely and overworked as ThunderClan’s sole apprentice. After Birchpaw is made an apprentice, they become close friends, nearly inseparable.

Brackenfur mentions her warrior assessment will be coming up soon, but Whitepaw loyally pushes it back so that Birchpaw isn’t alone in the apprentice den.

Although it takes time, absolutely no one is surprised when the two warriors become mates.

iii.

Her first apprentice is Icepaw, and Squirrelflight kids that they look so alike, they could be kin.

It’s a joke, but Whitewing has always wanted a sister, and so has Icepaw. Even after she earns her warrior name, Icecloud and Whitewing remain very close.

iv.

No one ever mentions her kittypet roots. Whitewing is a ThunderClan warrior through and through, self-assured and confident.

v.

Despite training in the Dark Forest, Whitewing remains a loyal mate to Birchfall.

But inwardly, she knows that her love for him is not the same. He’s always felt like her best friend, ever since they were apprentices. The fact that he didn’t tell her that he and Ivypool were training in the Dark Forest makes her feel distant from him, and becomes a divide that she never learns to bridge.

(Bonus i.)

Although she loves her daughters endlessly, she decides not to have a second litter.

She cannot stomach bringing more lives into the world only for StarClan to use them as pawns, and then discard them once the battle is won, leaving her to soothe them while they cry. 

(Bonus ii.)

In Sunrise, Mousefur is quoted as saying, “Whitewing is one of the best cats in this Clan”.