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bonefall · 5 months

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I know you talked about Crowfeather's abuse to Breezepelt, but are you keeping Nightcloud's physical abuse against Crowfeather? In all their arguments, Nightcloud is the only one who ever gets physical with Crow. In the books, she rakes her claws against him a few times drawing blood. If I had been young Breeze and had seen that it'd be one of the things that would make me do my best to be and stay in my mother's good graces. Yeah, my dad may smack me but he never cuts me, never leaves me open for death by infection.

When?

Have you read the books you're confidently citing right now? Or did you hear this from some amoeba and then didn't check it before coming into my house

POWER OF THREE:

The Sight: 13 mentions. Takes Breezepaw's side in a small verbal argument, then scolds him for xenophobia. Is scared her only child almost died and insists on carrying him alone. Upset when Leafpool makes a flirtatious comment to her husband, soothes two kids to sleep

Dark River: 4 mentions. Exists on a patrol and Leafpool is jealous of her.

Outcast: 1 mention. Nicely says goodbye to Crowfeather as he stares off into the distance thinking about Feathertail.

Eclipse: 1 mention. Takes part in the eclipse battle with the rest of WindClan.

Long Shadows: Unmentioned.

Sunrise: 4 mentions. Hears the reveal at the gathering and looks "bewildered and angry." Crowfeather tells her that he, "Has no kits other than Breezepelt" and she pins her ears against her head.

Was it here? In one of these 23 mentions across 6 books? PLEASE point out the "Cuts Me, Leaving Me Open For Death By Infection." I'm SO curious.

OMEN OF THE STARS:

The Fourth Apprentice: Unmentioned.

Fading Echoes: 1 mention. Thinks Dovepaw disguised her scent.

Night Whispers: 6 mentions. Argues with Crowfeather at Gatherings. Leafpool comes across a fight between Breezepelt and Lionblaze and pleads to Crowfeather, "How can you watch your sons fight?!" Nightcloud jumps forward glaring, repeats that her husband has no kits other than Breezepelt. Leafpool jumps in front of a Breezepelt lunge. Crowfeather jumps in, grabs his son, and "throws him aside like prey" before bitterly mocking another love confession from Leafpool. Nightcloud drags Crowfeather off. Crowfeather turns on Nightcloud, hissing, and Breezepelt jumps between them and says, "leave my mother alone." Warns them, "Next time, we'll shred you!" Later says something rude about RiverClan at a Gathering.

Sign of the Moon: Unmentioned.

The Forgotten Warrior: 2 mentions. Glares at Hollyleaf twice.

The Last Hope: 6 mentions. Is on a patrol that finds Jayfeather in a thornbush and glares at him. Then Crowfeather says it was all actually HER fault that Breezepelt turned out to be such a little brat.

Which one of these 9 MENTIONS ACROSS 6 BOOKS are we going for, today? Was it the part in Night Whispers? Is THAT where she Cuts His Life Into Pieces This Is Her Last Resort?

Let's play I-Spy 🔎! Highlight all the places Nightcloud "draws blood!"

Which of the following characters in this passage are bleeding? Is Crowfeather any of them 🤔? No?

Is it here? Is it this part? Which of these cats are bleeding? Is it Crowfeather🪶? Is it Lionblaze🦁? Is it beloved Character Actress Margot Martindale💃?

Oh? You mean to tell me that you were misrepresenting a cat dragging away another cat as "RAKING HER CLAWS AGAINST HIM DRAWING BLOOD AND LEAVING HIM OPEN FOR INFECTIONS TO DIE"?

In other words, a lie?

Pulling a big lever and sending you down into The Nightcloud Derangement Pit. I will be further woobifying her unencumbered. The Nightcloud Agenda will spread. Soon we will take the west coast.

#Yes okay Crowfeather is abusive. But what about the nearest woman #what ABOUT the nearest woman.#If you ask me about the nearest woman I will already have her number and you will NOT be getting it #Nightcloud #warrior cats analysis #Nightcloud wc #And no. Being listed in the allegiances does not count as a mention.

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bonebabbles · 3 months

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I think what is setting me off so badly about late DOTC's ideas about Clear Sky vs The Two Evil Foreigners is that real abusers don't act like Slash and One Eye. They act like Clear Sky.

Slash and One Eye are very simple "hates love and friendship" types you see in Disney movies, which can be fun, but in the real world no one really wants to be a "bad person." Everyone rationalizes and justifies their behaviors at times, it's a normal, sometimes even useful impulse. Abusers often try to convince themselves and others that it was the victim's fault they did what they did, or that it wasn't that bad, or even that their abuse is a good thing that achieved some noble end.

Abusers are human, fully capable of "good" intention, warmth, and even compassion; BUT THEY STILL ABUSED YOU.

But what DOTC is saying is that because these evil caricatures exist in its ridiculous world, that means Clear Sky's abuses and murders were less bad. It even directly states it at One Eye's death-- that he was always fundamentally unlike this absurd strawman, which makes him a "good person" at heart.

Because of the extreme, fake example, the grounded, realistic example is not so bad.

It reminds me of battered children who insist they're not being abused because their parents don't put them in cages, and that makes my stomach turn.

#dotc hate #Warrior cats analysis #Bones reads dotc #Abuse

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of-course-its-gorse · 2 months

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I find it super ironic that my first post is about shipping when that's already what all of fandom focuses on lmao.

Anyway I'm halfway through A Dangerous Path on my reread and I just cannot get behind Fireheart x Sandstorm. And it's on both of their ends.

Fireheart does not spare her a thought. He doesn't realize her affections until Cinderpelt points them out. After this he begins to see her as attractive, and shares meals and patrols sometimes, but his inner dialogue never views her as a close friend or someone to actually depend on like he does Graystripe and Cinderpelt.

Like he says when Cloupaw gets captured by twolegs, he feels he has no one left in ThunderClan, with Graystripe in Riverclan and Cinderpelt busy with med cat duties. And Sandstorm gets offended by this. Not hurt that her feelings aren't mutual, but angry at him and expecting him to make up for it.

And she continues to get angry and petty at him for not being the cat she wants. Sandstorm does have feelings for him, but she's so mean about it. When Fireheart discloses going behind Bluestar's back to prevent the battle with Windclan to all the warriors, she straight up recruits Dustpelt to bully him again for his actions. And all the other times she gets offended when he's busy and can't spend time with her. I just don't see any actual affection here.

I don't remember if a significant change happens in their interactions by the last book, but I just feel that they are not a good fit for each other lol

#warrior cats #warrior cats analysis #a dangerous path #fireheart #firestsr #sandstorm

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clanswapper · 5 months

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bluestar naming brightpaw lostface was extremely ableist but i feel like a lot of the fandom misconstrues malicious intent into it?

she wasn’t like rainflower evily rubbing her hands together and deliberately naming her kid something cruel, she was severely mentally ill and believed that the dog attack was a punishment from starclan.

at that point, there was a very real possibility that brightpaw wouldn’t survive, and bluestar took the opportunity to ‘get back’ at starclan by naming her lostface.

does that make it any better? not really. but i dont think that it shows that bluestar was bad and ableist as much as it shows that she should not have been in a position of power during her breakdown.

#swapper screeches #bluestar #brightheart #warrior cats #the prophecies begin #tpb spoilers #warrior cats analysis #ableism

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nightly-ruse · 1 year

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Gosh okay but the story of Hawkfrost being a creation of the clans still vying hatred for each other and clear aggression and how power is so easily manipulated is so good. I hate hate hate when he’s just pushed down into ‘born evil/genetic evil’ bc it’s so dumb and I hate it.

He was brought in and immediately outcast. Taken in a horrible time when Riverclan were recovering still from Tigerstar’s claws him and his sister were treated horribly. They both learned that the world isn’t fair and they had to fight for what others were born with. Hawk took this in a more aggressive way, thinking the only way he’d ever be anything was to take it while Moth worked her fur off to show she was good enough at all. He gets praise for being loyal and cruel to outsiders while shamed for holding his heritage or letting his softer side out, especially by his mentor Leopardstar. Others attention on him is like a full belly. He needs it he has to have it. So he trains to be stronger, more charismatic, smart, tougher then his brutish father who was so one sided. The only ones he could be open to were his sister and then his brother. They must be feeling the same way he was? Scrapping for sunshine? But he couldn’t leave them behind he had to get them what they wanted, high spots in the clans just beside him.

Hawk fakes the sign for Moth finally showing she was worthy of being a healer to the tough Mudfin(claw). And he sets up a plan to get Bramble as leader! Seeing his siblings and him prove everyone wrong fuels him with happiness. He’s at the lake. Standing over Firestar with a smile across his face, practically able to taste the power soon to come to his blood. But Brambleclaw won’t accept it? Why can’t he see what they can become? Hawk is angry, fueled like his heart was on fire he attacks Bramble but then it stops. A stake through the chest. Pain not from his wound but form the betrayal in his belly. He was so lost in power he fell in a fools way. He was nothing but a blinded firefly, bright but unable to see it for himself.

#hawkfrost #I’m sorry I am just so passionate about my boy #I have become so emotionally attached to him and moth #I just love them both with my whole heart I can’t get over it #birds left astray au #warrior cats analysis #so many more throughts about him #I could write mutiple essays about both hawk and moth #mothwing #brambleclaw #also tawny was never brought up bc she didn’t crave power like her brothers ever did #she’s trying to prove there not anything like their father

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mothdapple · 8 months

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Ashfur’s mind returned to the question of why Hollyleaf had been avoiding the crowded areas of StarClan and found his quiet glades and hollows in the first place. Could it be that, like him, she felt like she was a misfit in StarClan? That the other spirits here were corrupt, selfish, and complacent? She had faced a trial as he had, but, unlike Ashfur’s, Hollyleaf’s trial had been for good reason— she’d murdered him! Still though, Ashfur supposed that in her head, she might view it as unfair.

Ashfur found himself weirdly sympathetic to her feelings. The more time that passed in StarClan and the further he drew away from the time when he was actually alive, he felt more of his grievances with Hollyleaf fading away, echoing the way that he’d also come to forgive Squirrelflight.

It was still wrong of Hollyleaf to kill me. Like, how it was right for me to punish Squirrelflight, Ashfur thought. But, I don’t think that I really care that much anymore that I died.

One day, Ashfur and Hollyleaf found themselves back in the birch tree grove, the same one where he’d first encountered her.

Ashfur’s eyes were partially closed as he half-dozed in a warm pool of sunlight, drifting slowly in and out of consciousness.

“I’m not sorry for it, you know.”

After days upon days of silent company, at first, Ashfur thought he’d dreamt the sound of Hollyleaf’s sudden voice. But, when he blinked open his eyes and glanced over at her, finding her already glaring at him, her expression surprisingly fierce, he knew that she had actually spoken.

Ashfur’s brow furrowed.

“What?” he asked, his voice coming out raspy from disuse.

“I’m not sorry,” Hollyleaf repeated, her tone firm. “And, I want you to know that. When I got here, they asked me if I was sorry, and I said yes. And, it wasn’t a lie because I am sorry for a lot of things.”

Hollyleaf lashed her tail, looking more animated than Ashfur had seen her since she’d arrived in StarClan. “I’m sorry for hurting Squirrelflight, and Leafpool, and Bramblestar, and my brothers, and any other cat who cared about me. I’m sorry for leaving ThunderClan. I’m sorry for breaking the Warrior Code… But you? You threatened me and my family. I’m not sorry for killing you.”

Ashfur met her defiant, blazing green eyes, and their color and expression were so identical to Squirrelflight’s, it made Ashfur’s breath catch in his throat.

“…I’m not sorry either,” Ashfur whispered, and his heart clenched in relief to finally say something entirely truthful for the first time in moons.

Hollyleaf gave a curt nod, looking away from him.

“Yeah. I didn’t think you were.”

-Ashfur's Purgatory

I'm still really proud of this scene! Thinking about how Ashfur and Hollyleaf would have interacted in StarClan just totally fascinates me, and the idea of them having this conversation is what inspired me to write the entire "Ashfur's Purgatory" fanfic in the first place.

In my eyes, Ashfur and Hollyleaf in StarClan make really interesting parallels for each other. Ashfur blames everyone else for what happened, and thinks he was justified for every choice he made. He feels like he is entirely worthy of StarClan and is disgusted by the cats in StarClan who would question him being there. Meanwhile, Hollyleaf feels a lot of guilt for the pain she caused others (spilling the secret at the gathering, threatening Leafpool, running away, etc. etc.) but the one thing that she does feel justified about was killing Ashfur. Still though, she's carrying a lot of guilt about whether she is truly worthy of her place in StarClan and feels like a bit of imposter there.

This means they both end up being very lonely in StarClan and finding some weird solace in each other's company, while the whole time, their deeper emotions on the situation are worlds apart from each other-- Ashfur thinks about how they both feel wronged by StarClan, when Hollyleaf is actually thinking "I’m not supposed to be here. But neither are you."

#ashfur #hollyleaf #warrior cats fanfic #warrior cats analysis #warrior cats writing #Ashfur's Purgatory

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i-have-bees-in-my-brain · 1 year

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Thinking about the role system of the clans and how it is cemented in the different dens for each role. This has both positive and negative impact imo.

I love the sleepover or youth hostel vibey potential of the apprentice den. Staying up late to talk, plotting shenanigans, sneaking out, complaining about your annoying siblings snoring, cuddling with your friends after an exhausting day of training.

With the warrior den, i really like what was described in TPB when Fire and Gray were made warriors and (i think) Whitestorm, but definitely a mentorly figure, released them from the silent vigil and showed them free space in the warrior den to get some rest. A really wholesome thing which i think should be a tradition for former mentors to do, because it signifies that even now when the newly named is a Warrior, a part of the main protectors and providers of the Clan, they are themselves cared for and protected by the other warriors.

This first sleep of a warrior should also be jokingly referred to as an important ritual and base for one of these traditional unfunny jokes among the senior warriors. Young warriors are so lazy these days, sleeping till sunhigh.

Also it's so funny to me to think of Tigerclaw and Fireheart as roommates

These dens really signify the connection of a clan. To be one of the warriors isn't just a job, it's what shapes each day and night. They are always around each other, for better or worse. A betrayal hurts so much more when they have slept next to you everyday. A cat that died or left the Clan leaves a hole in the order of things. The remaining ones will feel it in the morning by the lack of warmth on their pelts. But eventually they'll fill the gap as time passes and new warriors join.

I like that the leader and the medicine cat sleep alone. These are important, sacred roles and it is an honour to have their own space, but it can be cold and lonely. They may have power, but they lose this understanding and community that comes with the other dens. It might push them to seek company with each other, or (mostly in case of the Healer) with their counterparts in the other clans.

StarClan is closer to these cats because they sleep alone. Their dreams are easier for StarClan cats to wander in because they aren't huddled together with others, and they sleep deeper because they are undisturbed. This is maybe also why StarClan sometimes seems more distant when they are most needed, because the healers will be busy and sleep less deeply when they have many patients to attend to.

Where the deputy sleeps may signify their role within the clan, which can vary depending on clan traditions and the current leadership's preferences. They could be seen as the first among the warriors, something between their manager and their union represantative, and thus sleep in the warrior den, maybe in an elevated or especially good spot. Or they have an entire den on their own, maybe if they are primarily seen as the heir. Some leaders may choose to share the den with their deputy if they are close and rely on them a lot. This might also happen if the leadership sees themselves as very much above the commoners.

#this post is so long already so im gonna do another one about tge negatives and the other dens #id love to hear your thoughts about this and how it is in later books!!#bee talking moment #warrior cats #warrior cats analysis #warrior cats headcanons #clan culture

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saltycryptidz · 18 days

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i was *just* about to praise Macgyver for standing up for kittypets and not forgetting his backstory when he whips out "oh yeah and you get FAT and LAZY and thats the worst possible thing that can happen to any cat"

#kore reads warriors #warrior cats analysis #hawkwings journey #sorry for the spam today i hate this book #none of this at all is needed or is adding anything interesting to the series except for 6 more pages of barley

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emtheanxiousdragon · 10 months

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So I read Thief in ThunderClan and all the comments people make about the ableism within it… I figured since I’m studying both English and Disability Studies, I could make a fairly informed statement on this.

I’ll preface this by saying that I doubt the Erins think as deeply about this as I’m about to, but let me talk. I also got inspired by a random set of tags that I can’t remember.

Within modern disabled circles, the key cultural value is that disabled people retain worth, even if they cannot contribute to society. The problem readers point out with TiTC (need the c to avoid issues) is that the story focuses on disabled people contributing to society, even in small ways. Multiple characters worry they lack value without service, fears which are not answered by saying the statement is utterly false, but by saying that they can serve in some capacity. It shifts the focus from worth despite ability to finding ways to serve how you can. This shift makes it feel like the characters believe “useless” disabled cats have no worth.

However! I think it is important to consider some facts about the series and disability rights in our world. To start, disability civil rights is simply not as popular as women’s rights, racial rights, religious rights, or LGBTQ+ rights. It simply isn’t. As a result, the general public isn’t aware of a lot of important trends in the community, such as the separation of disability from usefulness and identity. Basic Google searches can still direct them to older and outdated articles which focus on finding purpose within community. They should do more research, but we can extend some empathy regarding a lack of popular knowledge.

Next, the only characters in Warriors who think of disabled cats as worthless without usefulness (excluding villains and hated characters) are those who are disabled. When they struggle to pursue the occupations they want, they experience issues of self-worth. This is a normal response! Few people want to do nothing of importance to their community, and these characters want to contribute in a way they enjoy. It makes sense for a young character to fear going to the elder’s den because they want to do things with their lives. Characters who comfort them go for the obvious solution of pointing out ways they can contribute to their homes.

That’s the next big thing. The “all for one, one for all” attitude discussed in TiTC is central to Clan identity. The Clans are a survival culture. Their small populations have to continually work to provide food and security for one another. As a result, being able to pull a bit of your own weight is very important. Every member of the Clan needs to find a balance between their individual talent and capability and the support of their Clanmates. Otherwise, cats can die. Brightheart is chastised not for being lazy but for taking on too much. For the Clans, warriors need to find the balance.

And then again, if cats aren’t able to contribute in these important ways, they aren’t thrown aside or seen as worthless. The value of the sick and elderly is a key tenet of Clan life! The elderly are disabled, all old people are. The role of the elder is meant for those who cannot serve the Clan, outside of perhaps telling stories or giving advice, regular old people stuff. They are respected cats. This respect is often framed around past work, but that is the nature of their society. It’s kind of weird that they have to bury the dead, but that’s not the focus of this post.

Yes, the Clans are horrible at allowing disabled characters to find their own place in the Clan rather than forcing them into a place. Cats who want to work as warriors are forced into the elder’s den or the medicine den. The fact that they have to constantly prove their usefulness unlike other cats is wrong. It is a missed opportunity that the authors don’t acknowledge this, and it contradicts many of the points made here. However, for TiTC to say that disabled people are still able to contribute to society and find worth in their work is far from the biggest sin of the authors. The response makes sense for the characters and their culture and isn’t a terrible response. After all, many disabled people find they can still do rewarding activities that are seen as useful to their community, even if those activities aren’t major.

If the Erins really dove into this concept, the disabled world of Warriors would be richer and more thought-provoking.

#warriors #warrior cats #thief in ThunderClan #ableism #disability #disability studies #warrior cats analysis #analysis

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hopalongfairywren · 1 year

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I always liked the idea of Ashfur being obsessed not only with Squirrelflight, but with having his very own biological children. His own direct lineage. It's not just that Squirrelflight left him, it's that she gets to have kits of her own and he doesn't. Of course, he sees kits more as a status symbol rather than just wanting kits for the sake of lovingly raising anyone. He lets the three go because they aren't Squirrelflight's bio kits and in his mind, they aren't worth the trouble of then having to deal with the fall out of the three and possibly Squirrelflight's deaths to cover it all up. He wants to erase Squirrelflight's 'children' as revenge for denying him his own with her. But she doesn't have any, at least in Ashfur's mind, so he settles back for the good old revenge via exposing her publicly, letting her and her family shatter. Also because then it can be less the over all narrative of the book saying 'adoption isn't as valid as bio parenting' and more of, well, Ashfur the antagonist saying that. Also yes I'm aware of Cloudtail being Ashfur's adopted brother, however in this take of him I see them both falling somewhere during or after Firestar's quest, and that rift only growing as Ashfur adopts the mindset that the only 'true' kind of family is biological, and his jealousy at how all of his clanmates have their own, except him.

#warrior cats #warriors #wc #ashfur #wc ashfur #squirrelflight #wc squirrelflight #the new prophecy #power of three #warrior cats analysis #the wren hops #also retroactively in case of discourse in the notes #this is talking about adoption in warrior cats which is removed from the irl politics of adoption #dunno what triggers to use for someone who believes only in biological family validity #tw possessive behavior #tw adoption #tw sexism #also no its not canon that ash is squirrels uncle that was rettconned out

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bonefall · 5 months

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⭕️Hey Bones! Is it ok if you explain and/or elaborate how Crowfeather is abusive to Breezepelt if please?⭕️

I do KNOW that crowfeather is indeed, abusive to Breezepelt, due to the fact that he emotionally and/or physically neglected him - with child neglect being known to BE a form of child abuse - and I also heard that he slashed and/or hit him within one of the books, which I believe is in the book Outcast, in chapter 16.

But I also wish people would talk and be informed about it more within the fandom, because in the parts of the fandom I’ve known portrayed Crowfeather’s neglect on Breezepelt as negative and bad, but not in a way that made me think and/or feel: “Wow, that’s pretty bad. That’s…actually abusive.” I suppose? So I hope more people will talk about it more in that type of way.

Also, please be aware that I have NOT read PoT, OoTS, etc. or barely any warrior cats books, since the majority of the information I got from the series is from the wiki and the fandom, so that probably explains why I didn’t know this part of Crowfeather’s character is as bad as it actually is until now. Also, feel free to talk about Crowfeather’s abuse on Breezepelt I haven’t mentioned and/or don’t know right now as well if you want.

I’m SO sorry that if this ask is unintentionally quite long, and feel free to make sure to take all the time you need to answer it. Thank you!

OH LET'S GOOOO

Breezepelt is both physically and emotionally abused by Crowfeather. I'm not talking about only child neglect; he is screamed at, belittled, and even once hit on-screen.

The fact that Crowfeather both neglected and abused him is very important to the canonical story of Breezepaw. There's actually a lot more to this character than people remember! Even from his first appearances he displays good qualities, a strained relationship with his father and adult clanmates, and is clearly shown to be troubled before we understand why.

As many problems as I have with the direction of Breezepelt's arc (especially Crowfeather's Trial), his setup is legitimately a praiseworthy bit of writing from Po3 which carries over into OotS. To say that Breezepelt was not abused is to completely miss two arcs worth of books SCREAMING it.

BIG POST. Glossary;

INTRO TO BREEZEPELT: The Sight and Dark River

ABUSE: Outcast, Social Alienation, the Tribe Journey.

DARK FOREST: How these factors push him towards radicalization.

For "brevity," I'm not getting into anything post-OotS. I'm just showing that Breezepelt was abused, the narrative wants you to know that he was abused, and that his status as a victim of child abuse is CENTRAL to understanding why he is training in the Dark Forest.

INTRO TO BREEZEPELT: The Sight and Dark River

Our very first introduction to Breeze is when Jaypaw walks off a cliff in the first book of Po3 and is rescued by a WindClan patrol. He's making snarky remarks, and Whitetail and Crowfeather are not happy about it. Whitetail snaps for Crow to teach his son some manners, and Crow growls for Breezepaw to be quiet.

But our proper introduction to him is at his announcement gathering, when Heatherpaw playfully introduces him as a friend,

From the offset something's not entirely right here between Breezepaw and his father. He's cut off by Heatherpaw here, but he's touchy whenever his father is involved, and we're not entirely sure why.

Throughout Book 1, he's just rude, with a notable xenophobic streak. He's a bit of a mean rival character for Lionpaw, as they're both interested in the affections of Heatherpaw and make bids to get her attention, but nothing particularly violent yet.

He participates in the beloved Kitty Olympics and gets buried in liquid dirt with Lionpaw, basically a rite of passage for any arc.

(And Nightcloud has a cute moment where she watches over them until they fall asleep)

As the books progress, the relationship between Crow and Breeze visibly deteriorates. They start from being simply tense with each other in The Sight, to the open shouting and hitting we see in Outcast.

In the very first chapter of Dark River, we learn where his behavioral issues are really coming from;

Crowfeather.

Breezepelt is getting xenophobia from his father. Occasionally he says something bigoted and his dad will agree and chime in, and those are the only positive moments they have together.

(Note: In contrast, Nightcloud explicitly pushes back against xenophobia, chiding Breezepelt for his rudeness to Lionpaw in back in The Sight, Chapter 21. The Sight is the book where a lot of "evidence" that the Evil Overbearing Woman is actually responsible for the rift between father and son but. No. She's not. Though she can be overprotective; Crow and Breeze have a bad relationship when she's not even around in Breeze's first appearance and even his Crowfeather's Trial Epiphany refutes it. Anyway this post isn't about Nightcloud.)

So he starts acting on his bigotry, accusing cats in other Clans of stealing, running really close to the border. What's interesting though, is that this is not entirely his doing. The first time we get physical trouble from Breezepaw, DUSTPELT aggressed it. Breezepaw and Harepaw were just chasing a squirrel and hadn't yet gone over the border at all.

We learn that WindClan is teaching its apprentices how to hunt in woodland, and tensions between the two Clans is starting to escalate as ThunderClan isn't entirely trusting of their intentions.

The second time, fighting breaks out over him and Harepaw actually crossing the border and catching a squirrel. WindClan is adamant that because it came from their land, it's their squirrel. So it's as if Breezepaw is modelling the aggression around him, learning how to behave from the older warriors and his father.

When he joins Heatherpaw and The Three to go find Gorsetail's kits in the tunnels, he's grouchy towards the ThunderClan cats, but very gentle with the kittens. Notably so. When Thistlekit is dangerously cold, he cuddles up next to her, and even assures Swallowkit when she's scared,

Through this entire excursion, he's the one in the comforting roles for the kittens. Breezepaw is the one who is taking time to tell the kits they'll be okay, that he'll protect them, and physically supporting them when they're weak, even when he's terrified.

And it's always contrasted to Heatherpaw who's way more 'disciplined,' as a side note. It's a detail I'm just fond of.

All this to point out,

Breezepelt displays his best qualities when he's away from the older warriors of WindClan, and he's at his worst whenever he's near Crowfeather. Even while he's essentially just a bully character for The Three to deal with. He's gruff but cooperative when it's just him and Heatherpaw interacting with The Three, but mean when there is an adult to please.

We're getting to the on-screen abuse now, but Po3 actually sets up Breezepaw's troubles and dynamics well before it's finally confirmed that he is a victim of child abuse.

ABUSE: Outcast, the Tribe Journey.

In Outcast, Breezepaw's problems have escalated into open aggression towards cats of other Clans, and is now a legitimate concern for his own safety. Yet, he's spoken over by older warriors, and reprimanded at nearly every opportunity, right in front of the warrior of another Clan.

Squilf just asked the poor kid how his training was going, and then Whitetail JUMPS to talk over him so she can complain, RIGHT in front of his face.

They can't even wait until they're alone to grumble something rude about Breezepaw, who is still just a teenager here;

They taught him already that a bit of prey that runs off their own territory still belongs to WindClan, encourage him to blow past borders in pursuit, and started a battle with ThunderClan over this. And then they're pissed off at him for being aggressive, thinking it's deserved to scold him in public.

When Onestar announces that he wants Breezepaw to go on the Tribe Journey, he's devastated by it...

Because he thinks WindClan doesn't like him, and he's right. He's gossiped about, torn into in front of a ThunderClan warrior, and even his own dad doesn't want to be around him. It's clear that Breezepaw's impulsive "codebreaking" behaviors are a desire to prove himself, and once you realize that, the way that he's being alienated is heartbreaking.

But Wait!! Hold on a minute! Where did he get a "patrol of apprentices" from to confront the dogs with, exactly?

Simple. Breezepaw CAN make friends! He actually values them a lot! So much that it's the first thing Crowfeather snaps at him over, out of frustration that his son is also being forced on this journey with him. It's an angry response to his child having emotional and physical needs, resentment that will continue all journey long.

Note that it's plural, friends. Breezepelt has multiple friends, at least one who is not Heatherpaw, and she promises to say goodbye to them.

Up next, they state over and over, Crowfeather and Breezepaw do not like each other. Crowfeather resents being around him and dealing with his rudeness, embarrassed and angry, and Breezepaw is absolutely miserable being sent on a journey to the mountains with a man who hates his guts.

The whole while, Crowfeather is brooding longingly about Feathertail, already thinking about her as soon as he kitty-kisses Nightcloud goodbye, his eyes looking somewhere distant. He makes a jab about loyalty when Breezepaw doesn't understand why they're helping the Tribe.

Breezepaw gets smacked after he's "shoved" at Purdy and acts rude to him, while the other three manage to be polite (while still having internal dialogue about how stinky he is).

Without so much as a, "cut that out," Crowfeather raises his paw and hits him. Breeze is quiet after that.

I don't give a shit how rude your teenager is being. Do not hit kids. Being throttled on the head is not okay.

In spite of the Three not liking Breezepaw, or even Crowfeather, they're constantly noting that their arguments are not normal, and that Crow is a cold, unsupportive father who digs into his kid constantly, and the only time he ever DOES "discipline" his child it's through immediately smacking him.

At one point, the apprentices get hungry, and decide to foolishly hunt in a barn that they know has dogs in it against Purdy's warnings. Once again, JUST like the first two books, Breezepaw is more friendly when Crowfeather is not around.

EVERY time he is alone with cats his own age, he's grumpy but cooperative. Even enthusiastic at times! The minute Crowfeather is in the picture, he's nasty.

Naturally, the dogs show up, but Purdy rescues them. Though Brambleclaw also chews his kids out (and i have strong opinions about bramble's parenting style for another time), Hollypaw is taken aback by the contrast of what a scolding from Brambleclaw looks like vs how Crowfeather reacts.

The narrative is desperately trying to tell you that the way Crowfeather treats his son is not normal.

And then Crowfeather is pissed off that Breezepaw is exhausted from running for his life from hungry dogs,

And he's constantly losing his shit whenever Breezepaw says something as innocuous as "dad im hungry"

Then, Breezepaw is made to watch his dad pine over the grave of a woman who died long before Crowfeather was even considering his mother for a mate. What he feels is jealousy, because he knows his own father doesn't love him anywhere near as much as he loves the memory of Feathertail.

This really goes on and on and on. The ENTIRE trip is like this, with Crowfeather treating Breezepelt poorly, giving him a smack before even verbally warning him, pushing him past his limits and blowing up on him when he asks simple questions about eating or resting.

It all comes to a head in this one exchange, towards the end. Hollypaw ends up snapping at Breezepaw for his rudeness, before having an epiphany.

It's explicit. Crowfeather's emotional abuse, his "scorn" for Breezepelt, is what is driving a wedge between him and all of his older Clanmates. Between EVERYONE in Breezepelt's life who wasn't already his friend. This awful treatment is only making him worse and worse.

Realizing this, she has more sympathy for him, but it's too late. He continues to be rude to her because he feels insulted, and her patience completely runs out. She's just a kid. They're both just kids. She's not responsible for fixing him when he's pushing everyone away at this point.

That's the end of Breezepelt in Outcast. It can't be helped anymore. Any spark of friendship they had together in the barn, or in the tunnels, is gone.

As the series progresses, Crowfeather continues to refuse any personal responsibility for the mistreatment of his son, even pinning all of Breezepelt's behavioral problems on Nightcloud. He is a cold, selfish father who only ever thinks about his own pain and reputation.

DARK FOREST: How these factors push him towards radicalization.

Everyone talks about the Attack on Poppyfrost, which happens in the first book of OotS, in oversimplified terms. YES he is going after a nun and a pregnant woman. I've never said that's not Bad.

But no one talks about "WHY", and that reason is NOT just that he desires power like so many other WC villains. Breezepelt makes his motivation very clear on the page.

Escalating to violence was about making Jayfeather feel the way that he does.

When Breezepelt says that he wants Jay to be surrounded by "lies, hatred, and things that should never have happened," he's talking about the way HE grew up, knowing his father never wanted him, and that his Clan HATES him as a result. Killing Poppyfrost is about trying to frame Jayfeather for her murder, so ThunderClan won't trust him anymore.

When Jayfeather points out the simple truth that what Breezepelt is saying doesn't make any goddamn sense, his hatred "falters." He's blaming his half-clan half-brother for his own treatment because of the reveal, but totally failed to consider that JAYFEATHER'S ALREADY GOING THROUGH IT... so his response is just this pitiful, "s-shut up, man."

Then the ghost of Brokenstar and Breezepelt bounce him back and forth between them like a beach ball for a bit until Honeyfern's spirit shows up.

Breezepelt's childhood abuse and social alienation was a hook that the Dark Forest latched onto, to reel him in. His anger at his half-brother is so obviously misplaced that its absurdity was something Jayfeather pointed out.

We soon learn that it's the Dark Forest who's planting that ridiculous idea in his head;

The narration is SCREAMING, "The Dark Forest is validating the anger he feels towards his father, and redirecting it towards The Three." He's described as 'kitlike,' Tigerstar's eyes are compared to a hypnotizing snake.

This prose could not make it more obvious if it drove to your house, beat you with it, and then spoon fed you the point while you were hospitalized.

At the end of this scene, Tigerstar sends Hawkfrost to recruit Ivypaw. This scene where Breezepelt is being lovebombed, and the command to start grooming Ivypaw, ARE LINKED. That was a choice.

A VERY GOOD choice! Again, as many issues as I have with OotS, its handling of indoctrination is unironically fantastic, and it owes a good amount of that to the outstanding setup of Breezepelt that was done back in Po3. And that setup doesn't work if Crowfeather was merely distant.

Breezepelt was abused by his father, both verbally and physically. It drove him to be more aggressive to prove himself, modeling the battle culture around him. The adults of WindClan judged him based off Crowfeather's responses, shunning and belittling the 'problem' teenager, which eventually drove Breezepelt to the only group that he felt "understood" him.

In a book series that is RIFE with abuse apologia, this is one of the few times that there's any behavioral consequences for abuse and the narrative holds the perpetrator accountable for it.

But people hear Crowfeather's deflective excuse in The Last Hope where he says he never hated him, blames Nightcloud for everything, and just lick it up uncritically.

Gee whiz, I wonder why the guy who never blames himself for any of his problems would suddenly say it was his ex-wife's fault. Real headscratcher!

(Crowfeather's Trial then goes onto, for all my own problems with it, also hold Crow accountable as the reason why Breezepelt turned out like he did. But that's a topic for another day.)

#This is headcanon territory here. But one day I realized I can read Breezy-P with BPD and he became a blorbo.#Never been able to unsee it and it massively endears him to me... Breeze Pelt Disorder...#I actually REALLY hate how his arc was resolved and strongly feel that he should have progressed into a bigger problem #But I equally strongly feel that being redeemed is the ideal ending for him #so if it was between him being pure evil/redemption death or the awful halting we got at the end of oots....#I'd pick the halting over him being pure evil or a redemption death.#I think BB made me REALLY fall in love with him. He's my sweet cheese. My good time boy.#Bones when he sees an angry black cat: ''i can fix you. first i must break you. but then i can fix you''#Like. what i dislike about where he went is that even if your anger issues came from abuse. you STILL are responsible for your actions #but in the end getting that Shitty Dad Approval fixes him. Not his own growth or self-reflection.#it feels like BREEZE gets his agency stripped away for HIS ABUSIVE DAD'S character arc #It retcons in a reason why Breezepelt is not still a problem and then he faded into the background.#while Crowfeather continues to get supporting roles and every now and then Breeze now looks at him fondly #BLECH.#Crowfeather #Breezepelt #Abuse #Child Abuse #Warrior Cats Analysis #And now you know anon!!

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