I was waiting for this to show up. *ROF spoilers*

I'm not surprised. Briarlight has lived long enough, and it's ridiculous how many times she's cheated death (especially when other around her continue to die) that it's about time she died. Yes, the series is fictional, but that doesn't mean it can't be realistic. The first arc was a great example of this. Killing her off isn't ableist in the slightest.

Yes, she represents the disabled. But guess what, not all representation is good representation. And, to paraphrase what a friend of mine said, giving her a disability like this while out in the wild should be even more reason why she shouldn't have lived this long. Her Clanmates made sure she was well-cared for, but they as well as her exercises can only do so much. And in the end, she was at peace with dying and has most likely been healed in StarClan.

As someone who's disabled in a way that's more in relation to Jayfeather's disability than Briarlight's, not everything is ableist. The Erins have kept Briarlight alive for a long time...even with fan pressure, which they have a record of giving into. I'm not sure how long people expected her to survive. She lived a long time, thanks to the Clan's determination and efforts, and everyone made sure she was comfortable. Hell, I think there's fan theories that Jayfeather cared for her more than their abled Clanmates, which is why so many died of greencough before BrS, while Briarlight survived. In canon, however, she survived of her own merits, because she was a strong character. She was actually a good example of us, because she was also insistent on doing things on her own, and her Clanmates would cheer her on, like that adorable scene in Fading Echoes, I think. Now, if they killed off Jayfeather and had him fall off a cliff as a lil jab at his blindness, then we'll talk. Or kill Brightheart because someone attacked the side of her face with her missing eye (even though she has a terrific history of fighting and defending that side, but picking that side specifically can have implications, I guess), and her then dying because of that, again, then we'll talk.

I wasn't particularly fussed on whether she died or not, to be honest, but it bugs me that people are accusing the Erins of things like this. We have plenty of other reasons to be upset with them, guys lol this, imo, should not be one of them. But that is subjective, and others obviously feel differently. I still think they did Briarlight justice, though.

Good for Briarlight.

Honestly, it was only a matter of time before Briarlight bit the dust. Even with all the care her Clanmates gave her, they could only do so much.

Tumblr's a HUGE web of nonsense, in my opinion. And I call those "salty" people a bunch of "whiny little pansies".

Other than all that, I can agree with what you're saying.

It's sad that people are mad at the Erins for killing of character that should have died ages ago.

What’s more baffling to me is that they claim ableism when the Erin’s have been anything but that. Nearly a dozen other ThunderClan cats, most of them much healthier and much more likely to survive than her, have died before she has. There have been plenty of sicknesses and even a couple floods. If anything, they’ve been the exact opposite. They’ve killed off those most likely to survive and kept those least likely alive.

the people that think her death was ableist need to sit down and think about their viewpoint. she is a wild cat in a wild cat community with limited medicine and riddled with dangers that their medicine cannot save disabled cats from. it's ridiculous that she even lived this long. they are not humans in a world where we can care for most disabilities and still give disabled people good lives if we put in the effort.

it is not ableist to kill her off when she is in a world where characters who aren't able-bodied are at a much greater risk. her death didn't even have anything to do with her not being able bodied. she got sick and died, and MANY able bodied characters have died from the same thing.

I'm mad that we didn't get far more deaths from that sickness. Not because I think it's "ableist" in any way, but because I just want to cut down on ThunderClan's population and it felt like the book was teasing that that would happen (Brackenfur! Whitewing! Plumkit! Hollytuft! Sorrelstripe! Mousewhisker!) and then it didn't.

Ok calm down salty mchypocrite

I shouldn't even be involved in this, and I quite frankly don't care if I get a warning or not, but I have to say, BC, you're taking this rather personally. I've been watching, and honestly, I'm tired of you taking it personally, how you're upset that we want a fictional character to die. Briarlight has been around for years, with a broken spine, and she shouldn't have. If she had help from a vet, it would have been possible, but because she lives in the wild, it's not, and that's why I don't think she should have lived for this long.

She's cheated death, several times. It's ridiculous. Maybe cheating it once would have been fine, but more than five times? No.

Briarlight is not a realisitic character, but you shouldn't attack people over it, BC.

Tas, you're not handling it right by insulting her, however, BC, you are taking this personally. Walk away, don't fight, and ignore each other.

Maybe this thread was a bad idea. Why does everything here have to become a trainwreck?

the fact is she SHOULD have died ages ago especially since so many other characters who should have survived much more easily than her have died from things she hasn't. i dont even recall being hateful over her, i've just generally thought she should've died a while ago. she's had lots of time to get a good farewell, and she did. i really like briarlight, too.

i do think this is getting a little too heated. i never meant any harm, either, so sorry.

No one's hateful about it, BC. I even like Briarlight, but we think it's unrealistic, but even if she did die recently, she's been around for what.. 5 years? That's a long lifetime for a cat who's had a broken spine. Everyone's life ends eventually. It would be unrealistic if the Erins kept her immortal. Briarlight never stopped giving up trying, and the writing even said she's at peace.

While Warriors may not be a realistic series, there has to be some realistic events in it. An immortal cat just doesn't work. Briarlight has lived a long life.

Anyways, I guess I shouldn't have been involved, but I felt the need to say this.