The case for Snowfur being battle hungry
Oct 4, 2018 19:40:02 GMT -5
*Faith*, 𝓣𝓲𝓷𝓾𝓿𝓲𝓮𝓵, and 7 more like this
Post by vectoring34 on Oct 4, 2018 19:40:02 GMT -5
A common sentiment I hear is "How could Snowfur fall in love with someone as reckless as Thistleclaw?" This ignores that though their interests might be different, this doesn't stop them from finding common ground, but more than that, I think that Snowfur really shared some of Thistleclaw's reckless attitde. There isn't a whole lot of evidence to show this, but I decided to compile the little we get
Now what she's saying is rather innocuous, but it is stereotypical of the "bad apprentice".
Given the spiritual importance of the Fourtrees, her dismissal comes off as again very typical "bad apprentice" or atheistic like Cloudtail or Mothwing. Again though, rather innocuous.
Now Snowpaw does apologize after this outburst, but that she had it in the first place shows she's quite the spitfire with a temper to match. She was also impulsive to burst after the mouse without even caring for a warrior's instructions. Snowpaw definitely comes off as the type who'd get angry and snap, even if she would of course feel bad about it later.
Snowpaw is really excited at the thought of a battle and is disappointed when she's left in just a messenger position. This is notably contrasted to Bluepaw who's more than pleased with just courier duty. It's not that strange for an apprentice to feel marginalized, but Snowpaw's reaction seems more than that.
Snowpaw is so enthusiastic about the raid on Windclan, that the darkness in her gaze actually worries Bluepaw. Granted, Bluepaw's not a 100% objective narrator, but it's definitely clear that the battle light in Snowpaw's eyes is different than usual.
She cracks a joke about starting a brawl at the Gathering. Now, this is understandable given her mother died, but I also want to include the bit where she's circling around Thistlepaw while saying it. It's almost like she's boasting to him about her resolve. One could say it's just an act for his sake, but I think it far more likely that it's bonding over a common interest. Notably, Thistlepaw also says something along similar lines of starting a brawl if someone insults him and that's AFTER Snowpaw.
Snowfur defends Pinestar whipping up trouble for no reason and actually seems to think it's kind of funny by snarking that there aren't any kittypets around to blame. She thinks that the troublestirring isn't a problem at all, and might even be a good thing.
Snowfur takes a very dismissive attitude with Bluefur's fears of battle and is instead anticipating Sunstar starting up another battle eagerly. Heck, her response to them being dangerous is basically "so what?" but stated more politely. Clearly the pain and damage in battles isn't a problem for her. She also seems vaguely insulted when she thinks Bluefur doesn't want to fight.
Snowfur's reaction to seeing a Shadowclan patrol that outnumbers them is to just say they can take it on instead of going with Bluefur's more sensible plan to get backup. That's quick reckless given the numbers were against them.
Snowfur's completely eager for battle, charging ahead of Bluefur enough to even shock her and then growling about how she's not going to miss any chance for a fight. It definitely comes off like a cat who likes her battling.
Snowfur keeps chasing Shadowclan AFTER they run back onto their side of the border, saying that they're not going to get off that easy. She's so blinded by the battle that she doesn't see the monster coming nor realize she's crossing into another clan's territory in order to beat up a few cats. Rather chillingly, the way she dies is almost exactly the same way Thistleclaw did, that being by overextending in battle when there was no need to.
Possibly the greatest bit of evidence here to support Snowfur having a love for battle akin to Thistleclaw is Bluefur outright comparing them as being similar, with Thistleclaw's teachings supposedly going to lead Whitekit down a path of violence like his father and mother.
Anyway, above are basically the reasons why I think painting Snowfur as an innocent angel or beguiled victim is quite frankly utterly wrong. Snowfur was a good cat, but like Thistleclaw she probably liked fighting just a bit too much. It's just that she ended up dying beforehand, and so got to Starclan instead of living on devastated and slowly growing worse and worse like what happened with Thistleclaw.
“If there’s
going to be a battle, Adderfang, then we will need all
the warriors we can get.”
Adderfang shrugged.
“Warriors, yes. But
apprentices?”
Snowpaw fluffed out her fur. “We’ll fight as
well as any cat.”
going to be a battle, Adderfang, then we will need all
the warriors we can get.”
Adderfang shrugged.
“Warriors, yes. But
apprentices?”
Snowpaw fluffed out her fur. “We’ll fight as
well as any cat.”
Now what she's saying is rather innocuous, but it is stereotypical of the "bad apprentice".
“Fourtrees!” Snowpaw scoffed and rolled
her eyes. “I saw more trees than I’ve got claws! But I
wasn’t allowed to climb one or to look under the roots
for prey.”
her eyes. “I saw more trees than I’ve got claws! But I
wasn’t allowed to climb one or to look under the roots
for prey.”
Given the spiritual importance of the Fourtrees, her dismissal comes off as again very typical "bad apprentice" or atheistic like Cloudtail or Mothwing. Again though, rather innocuous.
“Not ye—”
Before he could finish, Snowpaw shot
forward, rattling through the bush and throwing up
leaves as she tore across the forest floor. She leaped
for the mouse, but it had disappeared, and she sat
down with a thud, her tail thrashing through the leaves,
shoulders back and ears flattened in disgust.
“Mouse dung!”
...
There was a teasing lightness in his tone
that made Bluepaw’s whiskers twitch and a purr of
amusement rose in her throat.
Snowpaw turned on her. “You can shut
up!”
Before he could finish, Snowpaw shot
forward, rattling through the bush and throwing up
leaves as she tore across the forest floor. She leaped
for the mouse, but it had disappeared, and she sat
down with a thud, her tail thrashing through the leaves,
shoulders back and ears flattened in disgust.
“Mouse dung!”
...
There was a teasing lightness in his tone
that made Bluepaw’s whiskers twitch and a purr of
amusement rose in her throat.
Snowpaw turned on her. “You can shut
up!”
Now Snowpaw does apologize after this outburst, but that she had it in the first place shows she's quite the spitfire with a temper to match. She was also impulsive to burst after the mouse without even caring for a warrior's instructions. Snowpaw definitely comes off as the type who'd get angry and snap, even if she would of course feel bad about it later.
“I want to fight!” Snowpaw slid out from the
crowd, her ears pricked.
“No, Snowpaw.” Pinestar shook his head.
“You won’t fight. But you will have a taste of battle.”
Snowpaw’s eyes lit up.
Bluepaw felt her mother stiffen as the
ThunderClan leader went on. “You and Bluepaw will
go with the raiding party, but not to fight. You’ll wait
where it’s safe, ready to carry messages or help with
the wounded.”
“Is that all?” Snowpaw’s tail drooped
crowd, her ears pricked.
“No, Snowpaw.” Pinestar shook his head.
“You won’t fight. But you will have a taste of battle.”
Snowpaw’s eyes lit up.
Bluepaw felt her mother stiffen as the
ThunderClan leader went on. “You and Bluepaw will
go with the raiding party, but not to fight. You’ll wait
where it’s safe, ready to carry messages or help with
the wounded.”
“Is that all?” Snowpaw’s tail drooped
Snowpaw is really excited at the thought of a battle and is disappointed when she's left in just a messenger position. This is notably contrasted to Bluepaw who's more than pleased with just courier duty. It's not that strange for an apprentice to feel marginalized, but Snowpaw's reaction seems more than that.
Bluepaw glanced at Snowpaw,
worried by the darkness that shadowed her sister’s
gaze. The WindClan cats would be rising now, stirring
from their nests, unaware of the fury about to be
unleashed on them. She felt a stab of sympathy for
them, but then she remembered Goosefeather’s
prophecy.
worried by the darkness that shadowed her sister’s
gaze. The WindClan cats would be rising now, stirring
from their nests, unaware of the fury about to be
unleashed on them. She felt a stab of sympathy for
them, but then she remembered Goosefeather’s
prophecy.
Snowpaw is so enthusiastic about the raid on Windclan, that the darkness in her gaze actually worries Bluepaw. Granted, Bluepaw's not a 100% objective narrator, but it's definitely clear that the battle light in Snowpaw's eyes is different than usual.
Snowpaw circled Thistlepaw, her paws
crunching the snow. “If any cat says anything about the
battle with WindClan, I’ll shred them,” she vowed. “I’m
bored of hearing about it.”
crunching the snow. “If any cat says anything about the
battle with WindClan, I’ll shred them,” she vowed. “I’m
bored of hearing about it.”
She cracks a joke about starting a brawl at the Gathering. Now, this is understandable given her mother died, but I also want to include the bit where she's circling around Thistlepaw while saying it. It's almost like she's boasting to him about her resolve. One could say it's just an act for his sake, but I think it far more likely that it's bonding over a common interest. Notably, Thistlepaw also says something along similar lines of starting a brawl if someone insults him and that's AFTER Snowpaw.
“Why did Pinestar try to upset the other
Clans?” Bluefur whispered.
“He was only warning them off.”
“But why accuse them instead of the
kittypets?”
Snowfur shrugged. “The kittypets aren’t
here.”
Clans?” Bluefur whispered.
“He was only warning them off.”
“But why accuse them instead of the
kittypets?”
Snowfur shrugged. “The kittypets aren’t
here.”
Snowfur defends Pinestar whipping up trouble for no reason and actually seems to think it's kind of funny by snarking that there aren't any kittypets around to blame. She thinks that the troublestirring isn't a problem at all, and might even be a good thing.
“They’re so greedy, I wouldn’t be
surprised.” Snowfur crunched over to her and sat
down. “When do you think Sunstar will make a stand
for Sunningrocks?”
“Do we really need to fight?” Bluefur
queried.
Snowfur looked sharply at her. “Don’t you
want to?”
“Battles are dangerous,” Bluefur reminded
her.
Snowfur blinked. “Yeah?”
“Cats get hurt.” Bluefur gazed across the
river. “RiverClan can’t be all bad, can they? I mean,
they must be cats like us.”
“So that gives them the right to take
Sunningrocks?”
surprised.” Snowfur crunched over to her and sat
down. “When do you think Sunstar will make a stand
for Sunningrocks?”
“Do we really need to fight?” Bluefur
queried.
Snowfur looked sharply at her. “Don’t you
want to?”
“Battles are dangerous,” Bluefur reminded
her.
Snowfur blinked. “Yeah?”
“Cats get hurt.” Bluefur gazed across the
river. “RiverClan can’t be all bad, can they? I mean,
they must be cats like us.”
“So that gives them the right to take
Sunningrocks?”
Snowfur takes a very dismissive attitude with Bluefur's fears of battle and is instead anticipating Sunstar starting up another battle eagerly. Heck, her response to them being dangerous is basically "so what?" but stated more politely. Clearly the pain and damage in battles isn't a problem for her. She also seems vaguely insulted when she thinks Bluefur doesn't want to fight.
“There are no more than three of them,”
Snowfur murmured. “We can take them ourselves.”
Snowfur murmured. “We can take them ourselves.”
Snowfur's reaction to seeing a Shadowclan patrol that outnumbers them is to just say they can take it on instead of going with Bluefur's more sensible plan to get backup. That's quick reckless given the numbers were against them.
Even Bluefur was startled. “Snowfur…,” she
began.
“I’ve been stuck in camp too long to miss
the chance for a fight,” Snowfur spat.
began.
“I’ve been stuck in camp too long to miss
the chance for a fight,” Snowfur spat.
Snowfur's completely eager for battle, charging ahead of Bluefur enough to even shock her and then growling about how she's not going to miss any chance for a fight. It definitely comes off like a cat who likes her battling.
“You don’t escape that easily!” Snowfur
screeched furiously as they skidded to the other side
and disappeared into the pines. Pelt bristling, eyes
wide, Snowfur streaked after them, over the oily
Thunderpath.
screeched furiously as they skidded to the other side
and disappeared into the pines. Pelt bristling, eyes
wide, Snowfur streaked after them, over the oily
Thunderpath.
Snowfur keeps chasing Shadowclan AFTER they run back onto their side of the border, saying that they're not going to get off that easy. She's so blinded by the battle that she doesn't see the monster coming nor realize she's crossing into another clan's territory in order to beat up a few cats. Rather chillingly, the way she dies is almost exactly the same way Thistleclaw did, that being by overextending in battle when there was no need to.
There was no way she was going to
let Thistleclaw be the greatest influence in his life.
There was more to being a Clan cat than fighting and
chasing off trespassers. That’s what had killed
Snowfur.
let Thistleclaw be the greatest influence in his life.
There was more to being a Clan cat than fighting and
chasing off trespassers. That’s what had killed
Snowfur.
Possibly the greatest bit of evidence here to support Snowfur having a love for battle akin to Thistleclaw is Bluefur outright comparing them as being similar, with Thistleclaw's teachings supposedly going to lead Whitekit down a path of violence like his father and mother.
Anyway, above are basically the reasons why I think painting Snowfur as an innocent angel or beguiled victim is quite frankly utterly wrong. Snowfur was a good cat, but like Thistleclaw she probably liked fighting just a bit too much. It's just that she ended up dying beforehand, and so got to Starclan instead of living on devastated and slowly growing worse and worse like what happened with Thistleclaw.