Post by cygna on Dec 4, 2022 21:03:49 GMT -5
So, I might be the minority here but I truly don't think Graystripe loved his second litter any less than his first and he was just more involved in Feathertail & Stormfur's lives because they were literally motherless and he ended doing more parenting as a single parent than someone raising children with a partner has to do.
The main criticism I see for Graystripe as a father to Blossomfall, Bumblestripe, & Briarlight is that if there were birth complications, he wanted Jayfeather to save their mother, his mate who he loved very much over them, kits he didn't even know yet.
To that I say, Graystripe might have asked Cinderpelt to do the same with Silverstream all those years ago if he knew she would be at risk of dying.
As for why we don't see much of his interactions with them in PoT & OoTS, it's quite obvious he's a background character but we do have so quotes to show he cares about them.
Leafpool's conversation with Spiderleg about kits:
“That’s not the point,” Leafpool replied. “Your kits still
have a mother and a father, even if you and Daisy aren’t mates
anymore. You’re punishing the kits by not being a better father.
They won’t judge you because they don’t know any different.
But in the end, they’re the only things that matter.”
“I don’t know what to do!” Spiderleg protested. “I can’t—”
Another outbreak of coughing cut off what he was about to
say.
“Then learn!” Leafpool’s amber eyes blazed. “You’ve seen
Brambleclaw and Graystripe and Dustpelt around their kits.
I can’t believe you don’t see how important this is! You should
cherish your kits with every breath you take.”
As she spoke, Lionblaze felt a surge of warmth toward
Brambleclaw. He was a great father, always ready to listen or
to help if his kits had a problem. He’d spent a lot of time with
the three kits, because Squirrelflight went back to being a warrior
so quickly. Lionblaze trusted him completely; he couldn’t
imagine a better father. (Long Shadows)
Bumblekit: "I'm scared. What if Sol comes into the camp and gets us?"
Millie: "Sol is far away, little one."
Daisy: "And there are big, strong warriors here to guard us. Do you think that your father would let any cat lay a claw on you?"
Bumblekit: "No! Graystripe is the best!"
The main criticism I see for Graystripe as a father to Blossomfall, Bumblestripe, & Briarlight is that if there were birth complications, he wanted Jayfeather to save their mother, his mate who he loved very much over them, kits he didn't even know yet.
To that I say, Graystripe might have asked Cinderpelt to do the same with Silverstream all those years ago if he knew she would be at risk of dying.
As for why we don't see much of his interactions with them in PoT & OoTS, it's quite obvious he's a background character but we do have so quotes to show he cares about them.
Leafpool's conversation with Spiderleg about kits:
“That’s not the point,” Leafpool replied. “Your kits still
have a mother and a father, even if you and Daisy aren’t mates
anymore. You’re punishing the kits by not being a better father.
They won’t judge you because they don’t know any different.
But in the end, they’re the only things that matter.”
“I don’t know what to do!” Spiderleg protested. “I can’t—”
Another outbreak of coughing cut off what he was about to
say.
“Then learn!” Leafpool’s amber eyes blazed. “You’ve seen
Brambleclaw and Graystripe and Dustpelt around their kits.
I can’t believe you don’t see how important this is! You should
cherish your kits with every breath you take.”
As she spoke, Lionblaze felt a surge of warmth toward
Brambleclaw. He was a great father, always ready to listen or
to help if his kits had a problem. He’d spent a lot of time with
the three kits, because Squirrelflight went back to being a warrior
so quickly. Lionblaze trusted him completely; he couldn’t
imagine a better father. (Long Shadows)
- In the following paragraph after Leafpool mentions Graystripe, Lionblaze reminisces about how great of a father Brambleclaw is so I think it says a lot that Leafpool sees him at the level of god tier father Brambleclaw.
Bumblekit: "I'm scared. What if Sol comes into the camp and gets us?"
Millie: "Sol is far away, little one."
Daisy: "And there are big, strong warriors here to guard us. Do you think that your father would let any cat lay a claw on you?"
Bumblekit: "No! Graystripe is the best!"
- If there is anything I got out of this interaction other than Bumblekit was scared of Sol and that Daisy is sweetheart, it's that Bumblekit clearly loves his father very much and thinks very highly of him. I don't think that if he wasn't a good father, this would have happened. Do you see Rosekit or Toadkit hero-worshipping Spiderleg?
DM me if u want