Post by Lightflame on Oct 17, 2016 9:18:04 GMT -5
Back on the old WCF, I posted an idea I had for a novella starring Splashheart, from the third Code of the Clans story. It was well liked, so I decided to repost it here. (Note: In the original story, Shredtail appeared, but I replaced him with Silverhawk for this post because I have a different headcanon for Shredtail. As well, I'm of the opinion that Silverhawk exists, but it was Shredtail in Crookedstar's Promise, and we've never seen Silverhawk.) Anyway, here's the novella idea.
When the story starts, Splashheart is still doing his best to always help the elders of RiverClan. In the beginning of the book, Lilyclaw, one of the elders, is hungry, but the camp doesn’t have any food, so he goes out in the middle of the night to catch her a fish. When he’s out there, he sees a kit drowning in the river. The kit's mother is trying to save him, but another she-cat is there holding her back and saying that the kit should die. Splashheart jumps in and saves the kit, giving him to the mother, who scratches the other she-cat and causes her to run away. All three cats are ThunderClan, and the mother, Shadewing, explains that her son is half-Clan, with his father being Silverhawk of SkyClan, so many cats hate him and want him to die. Splashheart says that he will always help kits in need.
Splashheart returns to the camp with the fish and gives it to Lilyclaw. It’s then revealed that Snowtuft is RiverClan’s deputy, and that he has an illness no one can cure. From there, we have a few scenes of Clan life, which serve to show how badly Splashheart wants to be leader so that he can change the Clans, how Snowtuft is trying to be a good deputy but is terrified of dying, and how aside from Eeltail and Blackbee, who are his friends, most of RiverClan sees Splashheart as kind of a weirdo.
At the end of a chapter, Snowtuft is informed by the medicine cat that he only has a moon to live before his illness kills him. His wail of despair can be heard all throughout RiverClan camp.
The next day, Snowtuft takes Darkstar out for a walk. Splashheart has an idea that he wants to share with Darkstar, so he goes after them, only to find Snowtuft killing Darkstar so that he can become leader, getting his illness healed by StarClan after he loses his first life. Snowtuft sees Splashheart and promises to make him deputy if he doesn’t tell anyone what he saw. Splashheart hesitates, and Snowtuft uses this time to knock him out.
Splashheart comes to in StarClan, where he sees Aspentail again. Aspentail tells him to wake up, saying that Snowtuft chickened out on killing him, but told the Clan that Splashheart had killed Darkstar. Now, the rest of RiverClan will be hunting him. Splashheart wakes up in a bush and hears two RiverClan cats talking about what they’re going to do to him when they find him. One of them wonders if Snowtuft will make the cat who kills Splashheart his deputy. Splashheart tries to escape, and a lengthy chase sequence happens. Finally, Splashheart is cornered by Eeltail. Splashheart asks Eeltail if he thinks that he could really kil Darkstar. Eeltail admits that he doesn’t and lets Splashheart go. Splashheart then tells him to look at Darkstar’s claws to see who really killed her.
Splashheart escapes RiverClan territory and encounters Shadewing again. He asks for her help and she says that the SkyClan cats, who are a bit more lenient when it comes to forbidden relationships, still respect Silverhawk, who can help. The two go to SkyClan, and talk with Silverhawk. Silverhawk gets them an audience with SkyClan’s leader, Stormstar. She never liked Snowtuft anyway, so she believes Splashheart. Stormstar sends a group of warriors led by Silverhawk to intercept Snowtuft on the way to the Moonstone and force him back to RiverClan camp. Meanwhile, Splashheart heads back to RiverClan and gives himself up to a patrol of cats, who take him back to the camp.
Snowtuft arrives back in the camp just as Splashheart is brought back. He’s agitated by being unable to get his nine lives, and becomes even more frustrated when he sees Splashheart in the camp. Splashheart accuses him of killing Darkstar, but Snowtuft is convincing enough that most of RiverClan doesn’t believe it. Cornered, Splashheart challenges Snowtuft to a one on one duel, saying that Snowtuft should get the honour of finishing off Darkstar’s murderer himself. Splashheart also says that if Snowtuft is righteous, StarClan will fight alongside him and make sure he is the winner of the fight. Snowtuft accepts, knowing he can defeat Splashheart.
The two fight, with Splashheart putting up a good show at the beginning, but being beaten down as the fight progresses. Snowtuft defeats Splashheart, but rather than killing him, he invites the rest of RiverClan to beat Splashheart to a pulp for killing their leader. The RiverClan cats move in to beat him up, and Splashheart is greatly injured. However, just as he thinks its the end, Eeltail and Lilyclaw burst into the camp and say that they found Snowtuft’s fur in Darkstar’s claws, making Snowtuft the real murderer. Shocked the RiverClan cats stop beating on Splashheart. Snowtuft tries to claim that he’s been framed, but Lilyclaw calls him a traitor to RiverClan and pounces on him, snapping his neck.
In the aftermath, the Clan realizes that Snowtuft didn’t name a deputy, and wonders who should lead them now. Blackbee and Eeltail suggest that Splashheart should become leader. After a bit of convincing, the Clan agrees. Silverhawk and Shadewing then show up in the camp. The RiverClan warriors get ready to attack, but Splashheart orders them to stand down, telling them these cats are friends.
Splashheart then gives a speech to RiverClan.
“Snowtuft was a coward. Above all he fought for himself, and out of fear of his own mortality, betrayed the Clan to prolong his life. I think that we can be more than that. Who is the stronger warrior? The one who fights only to survive, to live one day more? Or the one who fights to protect the cats back home, and is willing to sacrifice everything to protect the elders who fought for our Clan in the past and the kits who will become our future? I think the answer is clear. When I look at all of you, I see cats with strength and spirit, who can make those sacrifices, because they know that death isn’t the end. Our ancestors wait for us in StarClan, and so long as we do not yield to temptation, we will meet with them again some day. That’s why I am proposing a new addition to the Warrior Code, that elders, queens, and kits must be fed before warriors and apprentices. Never forget that a warrior's true purpose is to provide for their Clan.”
Splashheart then names Reedshine his deputy and rests in his new den, planning to get his nine lives after resting up. Silverhawk and Shadewing wish him well before they leave, and Splashheart thinks without a trace of doubt in his mind that he has created a bond of friendship with them that will last until the day he dies.
(Also, obvious sequel hook of Silverhawk's fall from grace.)
When the story starts, Splashheart is still doing his best to always help the elders of RiverClan. In the beginning of the book, Lilyclaw, one of the elders, is hungry, but the camp doesn’t have any food, so he goes out in the middle of the night to catch her a fish. When he’s out there, he sees a kit drowning in the river. The kit's mother is trying to save him, but another she-cat is there holding her back and saying that the kit should die. Splashheart jumps in and saves the kit, giving him to the mother, who scratches the other she-cat and causes her to run away. All three cats are ThunderClan, and the mother, Shadewing, explains that her son is half-Clan, with his father being Silverhawk of SkyClan, so many cats hate him and want him to die. Splashheart says that he will always help kits in need.
Splashheart returns to the camp with the fish and gives it to Lilyclaw. It’s then revealed that Snowtuft is RiverClan’s deputy, and that he has an illness no one can cure. From there, we have a few scenes of Clan life, which serve to show how badly Splashheart wants to be leader so that he can change the Clans, how Snowtuft is trying to be a good deputy but is terrified of dying, and how aside from Eeltail and Blackbee, who are his friends, most of RiverClan sees Splashheart as kind of a weirdo.
At the end of a chapter, Snowtuft is informed by the medicine cat that he only has a moon to live before his illness kills him. His wail of despair can be heard all throughout RiverClan camp.
The next day, Snowtuft takes Darkstar out for a walk. Splashheart has an idea that he wants to share with Darkstar, so he goes after them, only to find Snowtuft killing Darkstar so that he can become leader, getting his illness healed by StarClan after he loses his first life. Snowtuft sees Splashheart and promises to make him deputy if he doesn’t tell anyone what he saw. Splashheart hesitates, and Snowtuft uses this time to knock him out.
Splashheart comes to in StarClan, where he sees Aspentail again. Aspentail tells him to wake up, saying that Snowtuft chickened out on killing him, but told the Clan that Splashheart had killed Darkstar. Now, the rest of RiverClan will be hunting him. Splashheart wakes up in a bush and hears two RiverClan cats talking about what they’re going to do to him when they find him. One of them wonders if Snowtuft will make the cat who kills Splashheart his deputy. Splashheart tries to escape, and a lengthy chase sequence happens. Finally, Splashheart is cornered by Eeltail. Splashheart asks Eeltail if he thinks that he could really kil Darkstar. Eeltail admits that he doesn’t and lets Splashheart go. Splashheart then tells him to look at Darkstar’s claws to see who really killed her.
Splashheart escapes RiverClan territory and encounters Shadewing again. He asks for her help and she says that the SkyClan cats, who are a bit more lenient when it comes to forbidden relationships, still respect Silverhawk, who can help. The two go to SkyClan, and talk with Silverhawk. Silverhawk gets them an audience with SkyClan’s leader, Stormstar. She never liked Snowtuft anyway, so she believes Splashheart. Stormstar sends a group of warriors led by Silverhawk to intercept Snowtuft on the way to the Moonstone and force him back to RiverClan camp. Meanwhile, Splashheart heads back to RiverClan and gives himself up to a patrol of cats, who take him back to the camp.
Snowtuft arrives back in the camp just as Splashheart is brought back. He’s agitated by being unable to get his nine lives, and becomes even more frustrated when he sees Splashheart in the camp. Splashheart accuses him of killing Darkstar, but Snowtuft is convincing enough that most of RiverClan doesn’t believe it. Cornered, Splashheart challenges Snowtuft to a one on one duel, saying that Snowtuft should get the honour of finishing off Darkstar’s murderer himself. Splashheart also says that if Snowtuft is righteous, StarClan will fight alongside him and make sure he is the winner of the fight. Snowtuft accepts, knowing he can defeat Splashheart.
The two fight, with Splashheart putting up a good show at the beginning, but being beaten down as the fight progresses. Snowtuft defeats Splashheart, but rather than killing him, he invites the rest of RiverClan to beat Splashheart to a pulp for killing their leader. The RiverClan cats move in to beat him up, and Splashheart is greatly injured. However, just as he thinks its the end, Eeltail and Lilyclaw burst into the camp and say that they found Snowtuft’s fur in Darkstar’s claws, making Snowtuft the real murderer. Shocked the RiverClan cats stop beating on Splashheart. Snowtuft tries to claim that he’s been framed, but Lilyclaw calls him a traitor to RiverClan and pounces on him, snapping his neck.
In the aftermath, the Clan realizes that Snowtuft didn’t name a deputy, and wonders who should lead them now. Blackbee and Eeltail suggest that Splashheart should become leader. After a bit of convincing, the Clan agrees. Silverhawk and Shadewing then show up in the camp. The RiverClan warriors get ready to attack, but Splashheart orders them to stand down, telling them these cats are friends.
Splashheart then gives a speech to RiverClan.
“Snowtuft was a coward. Above all he fought for himself, and out of fear of his own mortality, betrayed the Clan to prolong his life. I think that we can be more than that. Who is the stronger warrior? The one who fights only to survive, to live one day more? Or the one who fights to protect the cats back home, and is willing to sacrifice everything to protect the elders who fought for our Clan in the past and the kits who will become our future? I think the answer is clear. When I look at all of you, I see cats with strength and spirit, who can make those sacrifices, because they know that death isn’t the end. Our ancestors wait for us in StarClan, and so long as we do not yield to temptation, we will meet with them again some day. That’s why I am proposing a new addition to the Warrior Code, that elders, queens, and kits must be fed before warriors and apprentices. Never forget that a warrior's true purpose is to provide for their Clan.”
Splashheart then names Reedshine his deputy and rests in his new den, planning to get his nine lives after resting up. Silverhawk and Shadewing wish him well before they leave, and Splashheart thinks without a trace of doubt in his mind that he has created a bond of friendship with them that will last until the day he dies.
(Also, obvious sequel hook of Silverhawk's fall from grace.)
