Post by 𝓣𝓲𝓷𝓾𝓿𝓲𝓮𝓵 on Apr 25, 2021 5:18:22 GMT -5
I'm sure all of us can agree that Brambleclaw had every right to be angry with Squirrelflight about the kits, but I'm curious, do you think he was being too cold? Not in general (again, he had every right to be as angry as he had been), but more so during very specific instances.
As a refresher, here are their interactions prior to him forgiving her:
As a refresher, here are their interactions prior to him forgiving her:
Leopardstar lashed her tail. “You have all been taking fish from the lake,” she snarled. “And those fish belong to RiverClan.”
“No, they don’t,” Blackstar objected, poking his head out from the foliage. “The lake borders all our territories. We’re just as entitled to the fish as you are.”
“Especially now,” Onestar added. “We’re all suffering from the drought. Prey is scarce in all our territories. If we can’t eat fish, we’ll starve.”
Lionblaze stared at the two leaders in astonishment. Were ShadowClan and WindClan really so hungry that they’d been adding fish to their fresh-kill pile? Things must be really bad.
“But it’s worse for us,” Leopardstar insisted. “RiverClan doesn’t eat any other kind of prey, so all the fish should belong to us.”
“That’s mouse-brained!” Squirrelflight sprang to her paws, her bushy tail lashing. “Are you saying that RiverClan can’t eat any other prey? Are you admitting that your warriors are so incompetent they can’t even catch a mouse?”
“Squirrelflight.” Brambleclaw, the ThunderClan deputy, spoke commandingly as he rose from the oak root where he had been sitting with the other Clan deputies. His voice was coldly polite as he continued. “It’s not your place to speak here. However,” he added, looking up at Leopardstar, “she does have a point.”
Lionblaze winced at Brambleclaw’s tone, and he couldn’t repress a twinge of sympathy for Squirrelflight as she sat down again, her head bent like an apprentice scolded in public by her mentor. Even after six moons, two whole seasons, Brambleclaw had not forgiven his former mate for claiming her sister Leafpool’s kits as her own—and therefore his as well. Lionblaze still felt dazed whenever he reminded himself that Brambleclaw and Squirrelflight were not his real mother and father. He and his brother, Jayfeather, were the kits of the former ThunderClan medicine cat, Leafpool, and Crowfeather, a WindClan warrior. Since the truth came out, Brambleclaw and Squirrelflight had barely spoken to each other, and although Brambleclaw never punished Squirrelflight by giving her the hardest tasks or the most dangerous patrols, he made sure that their paths never crossed as they carried out their duties.
“No, they don’t,” Blackstar objected, poking his head out from the foliage. “The lake borders all our territories. We’re just as entitled to the fish as you are.”
“Especially now,” Onestar added. “We’re all suffering from the drought. Prey is scarce in all our territories. If we can’t eat fish, we’ll starve.”
Lionblaze stared at the two leaders in astonishment. Were ShadowClan and WindClan really so hungry that they’d been adding fish to their fresh-kill pile? Things must be really bad.
“But it’s worse for us,” Leopardstar insisted. “RiverClan doesn’t eat any other kind of prey, so all the fish should belong to us.”
“That’s mouse-brained!” Squirrelflight sprang to her paws, her bushy tail lashing. “Are you saying that RiverClan can’t eat any other prey? Are you admitting that your warriors are so incompetent they can’t even catch a mouse?”
“Squirrelflight.” Brambleclaw, the ThunderClan deputy, spoke commandingly as he rose from the oak root where he had been sitting with the other Clan deputies. His voice was coldly polite as he continued. “It’s not your place to speak here. However,” he added, looking up at Leopardstar, “she does have a point.”
Lionblaze winced at Brambleclaw’s tone, and he couldn’t repress a twinge of sympathy for Squirrelflight as she sat down again, her head bent like an apprentice scolded in public by her mentor. Even after six moons, two whole seasons, Brambleclaw had not forgiven his former mate for claiming her sister Leafpool’s kits as her own—and therefore his as well. Lionblaze still felt dazed whenever he reminded himself that Brambleclaw and Squirrelflight were not his real mother and father. He and his brother, Jayfeather, were the kits of the former ThunderClan medicine cat, Leafpool, and Crowfeather, a WindClan warrior. Since the truth came out, Brambleclaw and Squirrelflight had barely spoken to each other, and although Brambleclaw never punished Squirrelflight by giving her the hardest tasks or the most dangerous patrols, he made sure that their paths never crossed as they carried out their duties.
“We’d better not find any ShadowClan stench on our land!” Foxleap growled.
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Brambleclaw snapped. “We’re heading around WindClan’s side of the lake. Even ShadowClan wouldn’t be dumb enough to stray that far!”
Thornclaw paused and tasted the air. “I wouldn’t put anything past ShadowClan,” he muttered.
Foxleap lashed his tail. “We should cross into ShadowClan territory and leave our scent. See how they like it!”
“Yeah!” Rosepetal agreed. “I bet they wouldn’t be too pleased.” These days the dark cream she-cat seemed to agree with every word her
denmate uttered.
Mouse-brain. Dovepaw instantly felt guilty. Rosepetal was a good warrior. Still, Dovepaw hoped that she would never be too moony about a tomcat to stop thinking for herself.
“We should do it,” Lionblaze growled. “Just to show them. Though their noses are probably too filled with pine scent to notice.”
Squirrelflight bounded up the slope past the golden warrior. “Stop stirring up trouble,” she warned.
Brambleclaw reached the top of the slope and stared down at Squirrelflight. “Sometimes aggression is necessary. StarClan gave us claws for a reason.”
The orange she-cat’s eyes flashed with shock, as though his words had raked her muzzle. Lionblaze winced visibly. The patrol regrouped at the shoreline and followed the lake’s edge, keeping three tail-lengths from the water.
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Brambleclaw snapped. “We’re heading around WindClan’s side of the lake. Even ShadowClan wouldn’t be dumb enough to stray that far!”
Thornclaw paused and tasted the air. “I wouldn’t put anything past ShadowClan,” he muttered.
Foxleap lashed his tail. “We should cross into ShadowClan territory and leave our scent. See how they like it!”
“Yeah!” Rosepetal agreed. “I bet they wouldn’t be too pleased.” These days the dark cream she-cat seemed to agree with every word her
denmate uttered.
Mouse-brain. Dovepaw instantly felt guilty. Rosepetal was a good warrior. Still, Dovepaw hoped that she would never be too moony about a tomcat to stop thinking for herself.
“We should do it,” Lionblaze growled. “Just to show them. Though their noses are probably too filled with pine scent to notice.”
Squirrelflight bounded up the slope past the golden warrior. “Stop stirring up trouble,” she warned.
Brambleclaw reached the top of the slope and stared down at Squirrelflight. “Sometimes aggression is necessary. StarClan gave us claws for a reason.”
The orange she-cat’s eyes flashed with shock, as though his words had raked her muzzle. Lionblaze winced visibly. The patrol regrouped at the shoreline and followed the lake’s edge, keeping three tail-lengths from the water.
Firestar went on. “Brambleclaw will lead the lake patrol; Dustpelt will take the other. Thornclaw, Whitewing, and Squirrelflight, go with Brambleclaw.”
Thornclaw dipped his head. Whitewing nodded. Squirrelflight flashed an uncertain look at Brambleclaw, dropping her gaze when he returned it through narrowed eyes.
Thornclaw dipped his head. Whitewing nodded. Squirrelflight flashed an uncertain look at Brambleclaw, dropping her gaze when he returned it through narrowed eyes.
“Brambleclaw, do you have any messages for the Tribe?” Squirrelflight asked hesitantly. “I could say hi to Stormfur and Brook for you.”
Jayfeather heard something else beneath her words, something she dared not ask for out loud. She wants Brambleclaw to wish her luck, or tell her to be careful… anything to show that he still cares about her.
But all Brambleclaw said was “Sure. Tell them they’re missed in ThunderClan.”
Jayfeather could almost taste Squirrelflight’s disappointment. Brambleclaw doesn’t seem to feel anything. Has he forgotten that he once thought he was our father?
Jayfeather heard something else beneath her words, something she dared not ask for out loud. She wants Brambleclaw to wish her luck, or tell her to be careful… anything to show that he still cares about her.
But all Brambleclaw said was “Sure. Tell them they’re missed in ThunderClan.”
Jayfeather could almost taste Squirrelflight’s disappointment. Brambleclaw doesn’t seem to feel anything. Has he forgotten that he once thought he was our father?
Jayfeather crept out after her and nudged her forward. “We’re going to tell them about the prophecy.”
“Now?” Her ear twitched.
Yes, now. Lionblaze gripped the earth, dead leaves crackling beneath his claws. “A long time ago, Firestar was given a prophecy,” he began. “He was told that three kits would be born with the power of the stars in their paws.”
Brambleclaw stiffened. “You three?” His gaze flitted from Lionblaze to Jayfeather and Hollyleaf.
“Not me,” Hollyleaf corrected him quickly.
Jayfeather moved closer to his sister. “Though we thought she was one of the Three at the beginning.”
Squirrelflight leaned forward. “Who’s the third cat?”
“Dovewing.” Lionblaze pressed on. “We are destined to save the Clans from the Dark Forest.”
Anger flared in Brambleclaw’s eyes. “Why didn’t you tell me? Was it because I’m not your true father?” He glared at Squirrelflight. “Did you know? Is that why you lied about them being your kits?”
Squirrelflight backed away, eyes widening. “No!”
Lionblaze walked between the two warriors. “None of you knew.” He glanced at Leafpool. “Only Firestar and us.”
“Now?” Her ear twitched.
Yes, now. Lionblaze gripped the earth, dead leaves crackling beneath his claws. “A long time ago, Firestar was given a prophecy,” he began. “He was told that three kits would be born with the power of the stars in their paws.”
Brambleclaw stiffened. “You three?” His gaze flitted from Lionblaze to Jayfeather and Hollyleaf.
“Not me,” Hollyleaf corrected him quickly.
Jayfeather moved closer to his sister. “Though we thought she was one of the Three at the beginning.”
Squirrelflight leaned forward. “Who’s the third cat?”
“Dovewing.” Lionblaze pressed on. “We are destined to save the Clans from the Dark Forest.”
Anger flared in Brambleclaw’s eyes. “Why didn’t you tell me? Was it because I’m not your true father?” He glared at Squirrelflight. “Did you know? Is that why you lied about them being your kits?”
Squirrelflight backed away, eyes widening. “No!”
Lionblaze walked between the two warriors. “None of you knew.” He glanced at Leafpool. “Only Firestar and us.”