Chapter Text
My Art Ideas for this AU:
Character designs/reference sheets
Family trees?
AMV set to "Army Dreamers" using the parallels between how the "villains" lives originally went and how their new lives made it so they weren't villains anymore.
AMV set to Harpy Hare -Bluestar and Firestar - "Don't you know, Fireheart, it's better just to kill them, get out of my way!" (Tell me so I say!) -Fire is dreaming, standing protectively over the kit versions of Brokenstar, Tigerclaw, Scourge, and Thistleclaw; who are all asleep in a pile. Is protecting them from Bluestar ghost as she tries to convince him that the best way to save the clans is to kill the antagonists as kits, before they can become a threat. Ends in Fire denying her, and his resolution to save these cats from themselves rather than kill them. May also include flashes of "previous life v.s new life" for the ex-villains.
(Potential other AMV in the same/similar situation but using the song "just an infant". Bluestar sings part of it, Fire responds with "when does the reason become the blame" trying to show her that killing the antagonists as kits could just make things worse. Bluestar ignores him and continues singing.)
Potential kit names:
Gale-
-puddle
-flicker
-Fog-
-stride
-snap
-mask
-hollow
-haze
-Pebble-
-Meadow-
Peach-
Wild-?
Bee-?
Elm-
Aspen-
Slate-
Falcon-
Clover-
Fawn-
Owl-
Copper-
-gaze
Rook-
Lilytuft
Firelight.
Leopardfoot's Kits:
-Eagleswoop (Tigerclaw)
-Nightleap (Nightkit)
-Morningsong (Mistkit)
Yellowfang's Kits:
-Rustfang (Brokenstar)
-Hopeshine (Hopekit)
-Dawnbright (Wishkit) other possible alt names include; Dawnflower, Dawnpatch, Dawnflight, Dawnmeadow, Dawnflicker, Dawngaze, Dawnstride, Dawnmask, Dawnwish,
Scourge Alt: Pantherstrike
Mosskit Alt: Mosstuft
Sweetpaw Alt: Sweetblossom
Oneeye Alt: Whitepounce
Chestnutkit Alt: Chestnutfall
Cherrykit Alt: Cherrypool
Featherkit Alt: Featherdrift
Cricketkit Alt: Cricketchirp
Warrior List for when Firepaw is first apprenticed:
Pinestar - Leader of Thunderclan
Mumblefoot - Deputy of Thunderclan
Goosefeather - Medicine Cat of Thunderclan
Warriors
Moonflower
Heronwing - Brother of Rabbitleap and Poppydawn.
Rabbitleap - Brother of Poppydawn and Heronwing.
Poppydawn - Sister of Heronwing and Rabbitleap.
Stormtail -Moonflower's mate.
Swiftbreeze
Stonepelt
Smallear
Sparrowpelt
Adderfang - Swiftbreeze's mate.
Windflight - Rainfur's mate
Larksong - Mother to Sunpaw and Featherpaw.
Flamenose - Father of Larksong's kits.
Fuzzypelt - Robinwing's Mate.
Robinwing
Apprentices
Tawnypaw
Sunpaw
Featherpaw
Queens
Rainfur (Mother of Thrushkit, and Dapplekit. Foster Mother of Whitekit and Specklekit.)
Elders
Squirrelwhisker
Wheedwhisker
Note: Rainfur and Windflight become a triad with Poppydawn after Poppydawn has been a warrior for over 1 season cycle (A.K.A 1 year).
They don't wait for her to be that old, that's just when they all develop feelings for each other outside of Rainfur and Windflight's existing relationship.
Poppydawn and Firelight are both main P.O.V characters. Until Poppydawn dies? Starclan perspective could be interesting.
Temporary/Secondary/Tertiary POV characters include but are not limited to; Mapleshade, Oakkit/heart, Thistlekit/paw/claw, Sunfall/star, Pinestar, Goosfeather, Yellowfang, Bluefur, Pantherstrike(Scourge), etc. Mosskit/paw/pelt? Possibly Eagleswoop and Rustfang as well. Also possibly Hopeshine or Dawnbright.
List of cats in the know about the time travel:
Goosefeather (half-accidently)
Oakkit (accidently)
Stormkit (accidently)
Poppydawn
Pinestar
Sunfall/star
Bluefur/star (accidently and out of context)
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Rough Timeline
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Angry bitter Bluestar ghost sends Firestar back in time against his will
With the future now in flux, Goosefeather looses his curse after the Great Hunger, and receives one final prophecy; "a flickering spark will be blown in by a bitter and monstrous wind, and on it will rest the fate of all the clans." Goosefeather is confused by this, and by the lack of curse in the coming days.
[The future doesn't really start to kaleidoscope until after Fire turns 4 moons old and it's been firmly established that he's going to survive long enough to join the clans and really start changing things. It's also when Fire really truly resolves to try and change how things turned out, and try to save cats like Tigerstar, Brokenstar, and Scourge, from themselves. Because of this, Goosefeather doesn't loose the curse til after the Great Hunger.]
Tawnykit(Tawnyspots) is born to Rainfur and Windflight.
Tawnykit becomes Tawnypaw. His mentor is Heronwing.
A few moons later,
Featherkit(Featherwhisker) and Sunkit (Sunfall/Sunstar) are born to Larksong and Flamenose.
Another one or two moons later, Thrushkit(Thrushpelt) & Dapplekit(Dappletail) are born to Rainfur and Windflight. (Tawnykit/Tawnyspots is a few moons older from a different litter for plot conveniences sake) Fire(Firestar) is born to Crystal in twoleg place, as part of a litter of kits that comes after Jake. Fire's siblings go missing before he's old enough to remember them. Fire is sent to new twolegs at 2 moons old. Thunderstar grants Fire a boon (ability to show other cats his memories/things he's seen through mental shenanigans), and starts a process that will slowly erode away at Angry Bitter Bluestar ghosts attachment to him, and thus her attachment to this timeline.
Whitekit(Oneeye) and Specklekit(Speckletail) are born to Harepounce and Stagleap.
The Great Hunger happens, many cats die (including Stagleap and Harepounce), and there are Problems in twoleg place. Pinestar is now leader, and Poppydawn, Heronwing, and Rabbitleap are made warriors at the end of said disaster.
After the Great Hunger, Thrushkit and Dapplekit are 4 moons old, and Sunpaw and Featherpaw are six - seven moons old, when a traumatized Firepaw (4 moons) joins Thunderclan. The clan thinks Firepaw is 6 moons old, and just a bit small. He does not correct them. Firepaw is mentored by Windflight. Sunpaw's mentor is Mumblefoot. Featherpaw, Sunpaw's brother, is a medicine cat apprentice mentored by Goosefeather. Poppydawn sees little Fire trying his best to learn how clan things work and decides to look after/befriend/mother him, because she knows how lucky she is to still have kin after the Great Hunger and doesn't want anyone to feel alone like she would have if her brothers had died. She also sees how clearly traumatized Fire is, and is worried about him because of it.
Firepaw hangs out with Featherpaw and Sunpaw a lot, they're the closest to his age (sort of) and he thinks medicine cats are cool even if he'd never be one.
2 moons later, Stormtail is now mentor to Thrushpaw, and Dapplepaw is apprenticed to Rabbitleap.
Thrushpaw and Dapplepaw join the hang out group.
Tawnypaw isn't excluded, but because of the age difference he tends to hang out with warriors more than the other apprentices.
Tawnyspots becomes a warrior.
A few moons later, Sunfall is made a warrior.
Firepaw has to wait longer to be a warrior despite being roughly as old as Sunfall, (as far as Thunderclan knows) because he was an outsider. Poppydawn does her best to encourage him that it won't be too long before he gets there too.
Larksong and Flamenose retire.
Whitepaw and Specklepaw are apprentices now, their mentors are Smallear and Sunfall, respectively. The reason it took this long for them to be apprenticed is because of Great Hunger related issues.
Firepaw helps newly-apprenticed Whitepaw fight off a badger, she does not get blinded.
Poppydawn fusses over Firepaw and tells him she's proud of him for defending a clanmate but also tells him to be more careful. Firepaw discovers that he wants to make her proud and doesn't want her to worry or ever be disappointed in him. This is when Fire realizes that Poppydawn has adopted him and is basically his Mom now.
Firepaw meets Tallpaw at a gathering, they hang out a bit.
Firepaw realizes he has a crush on Thrushpaw. Has panic because in his last lifetime he liked she-cats and now he likes toms and is that even accepted? Is it normal? Or is it weird? How did this even happen? He tells Poppydawn (though not about past lifetime stuff) and she informs him that it's perfectly fine and normal and he shouldn't stress so much about it. She tries to understand Firepaw's dilemma and help as best she can, but she doesn't have the whole picture. Firepaw decides not to tell Thrushpaw because he doesn't know if Thrushpaw feels the same way, and he doesn't want to risk losing Thrushpaw's friendship over this.
Firepaw & Tallpaw meet Yellowpaw. They start hanging out at gatherings.
Featherwhisker becomes a full-fledged medicine cat. Thrushpelt, Firelight, Dappletail, Whitepounce, and Speckletail are now warriors. Poppydawn is very proud of Firelight, and Firelight is happy that his psuedo-adopted mom is happy.
(Tallstar is still Tallpaw at this time. This will be mildly important later)
Firelight, Tallpaw, and Yellowpaw are good friends now, though Tallpaw and Yellowpaw aren't as close. (They really just put up with each other for Firelight's sake, though they won't tell him that.)
The clan finds out that Firelight puts off more natural body heat than most cats, and after some discussion among the queens, senior warriors, medicine cats, deputy, and leader, it is decided that during the winter Firelight will sleep in the nursery with the queens and kits, to try and keep the kits warmer. He is also to stay in the nursery when he's not doing warrior/clan things.
(In Windclan, Tallpaw becomes a warrior, Talltail.)
Mumblefoot retires. Sunfall becomes deputy.
(Somewhere around this time, Talltail leaves on his journey)
Firelight is in love with Thrushpelt at this point. Still doesn't say anything about it.
(During his journey, Talltail notices that the kittypet he's traveling with, Jake, looks familiar, but he can't quite place from where.)
Firelight stops Goosefeather from chasing Stormkit(Crookedstar) and Oakkit(Oakheart) across the river. Carrys the kits safely across the river. Stormkit does not break jaw. Half-intentionally reveals Time Travel to Goosefeather, accidently and unknowingly also reveals it to Stormkit and Oakkit.
(Meanwhile, in the dark forest, Mapleshade is angry, for multiple reasons, that Firelight helped Appledusk's kin.)
(Talltail has returned to Windclan by now)
Firelight, now knowing he can reveal the time travel to cats in a believable way, proceeds to tell Poppydawn about the time travel because she's basically his Mom at this point and he doesn't want to keep secrets from her. He's worried about what she'll think of him, and the fact he kept it secret so long, but Poppydawn reassures him that she understands why he took so long to tell her, and that she won't tell anyone unless it's an emergency. She also makes sure he knows she still cares about him and they have this whole calling each other Mom and Son moment and it's cute.
(In Shadowclan, Yellowpaw earns her warrior name, Yellowfang.)
Windflight, Rainfur, and Poppydawn become a triad. Firelight threatens Rainfur and Windflight against hurting Poppydawn, even though Windflight used to be his mentor.
Firelight finds out that Yellowfang is pregnant with Raggedpelt's kits but can't keep them because she's going to be a medicine cat. Firelight offers to help out, to take the kits in and raise them himself. Yellowfang agrees. (Talltail hasn't been back to a gathering yet because he left in the first place.)
Firelight tells Poppydawn because he can't bring himself to lie to her, and since she knows about the time travel and Firelight's plans to try and change the fates of the major antagonists, she agrees to help so long as no one's in danger because of it.
Swiftbreeze has Patchkit and Leopardkit.
Firelight brings back Yellowfang's kits, says he found them outside of territory with their dying mother. Says she named them Hope, Dawn, and Rust. Clan renames them to Hopekit, Dawnkit, and Rustkit. Swiftbreeze offers to nurse the kits while Firelight is raising them. What the clan doesn't know is that Yellowfang named Hope, after her hope for their futures in Thunderclan, and told Firelight to name the other two. Firelight names them Dawn and Rust, after Poppydawn and his original past self respectively. Poppydawn finds that she likes having psuedo-grandkits, and spoils them immensely.
Moonflower has Bluekit and Snowkit.
(Talltail, though still loyal to Windclan, does visit Jake occasionally)
Rustkit becomes Medicine cat apprentice at 6 moons old.
Hopekit and Dawnkit become warrior apprentices at six moons, as do Leopardkit and Patchkit. Robinwing is Leopardpaw's mentor, Fuzzypelt is Patchpaw's mentor, Sunfall is Dawnpaw's mentor, and Heronwing is Hopepaw's mentor.
Robinwing has Cherrykit and Chestnutkit. Fuzzypelt is their father. Firelight takes over Leopardpaw's training while Robinwing is in the nursery.
Talltail finally meets up with Firelight and Yellowfang at a gathering, they catch up about life things. Something hovers in the back of Talltail's mind but he can't quite pin it down. Meanwhile, Firelight thinks he might recognize the kittypet from Talltail's journey, but he's not quite sure where from.
Poppydawn has Thistlekit, Rosekit, and Sweetkit. Windflight is their father. Firelight is basically the kits older brother because of Poppydawn adopting him and Windflight being his mentor.
Speckletail has Lionkit and Goldenkit. Smallear is their father.
Bluekit and Snowkit reach six moons and become apprentices. Sparrowpelt mentors Snowpaw, and Stonepelt mentors Bluepaw.
(During one of their visits, Jake tells Talltail about his littermates and how he'd had some younger siblings that had disappeared when they were young. They sit quietly for a few moments, all while that something dances on the edge of Talltail's brain, like it's taunting him, but he still can't quite get it. The edge of a realization he hasn't yet realized.)
Firelight realizes that Thrushpelt will probably never love him back, does his best to move on from that heartbreak though it isn't easy.
Later, Poppydawn suddenly realizes part of Firelight's issue from before about liking toms instead of she-cats, and has a talk with him about it to try and help. He tells her about his trying to move on from Thrushpelt and she tries to console him as best she can.
Firelight unknowingly takes omen prey from the pile before Goosefeather can see it as an omen. Windclan battle doesn't happen, (or at least, not in the same way,) Moonflower lives, Stonepelt doesn't retire.
Cherrypaw is apprenticed to Thrushpelt, Chestnutpaw is apprenticed to Rainfur.
Robinwing starts training Leopardpaw again.
Rosepaw is apprenticed to Tawnyspots, Thistlepaw is apprenticed to Adderfang, and Sweetpaw is apprenticed to Smallear.
A gathering happens, Talltail is talking to Firelight and asks if he had littermates. He's not sure why he asked, but he doesn't have time to ask himself why because Firelight looks like he's three heartbeats from a panic attack and Talltail needs to help him calm down. Talltail assures Firelight that he doesn't have to talk about it if he doesn't want to, Fire hestitates, asks if they could talk later, at the border or something. He hasn't really talked to anyone about when he was a kit, and he doesn't want to talk about it here at the gathering where anyone could overhear. But he does want to tell Talltail, if only to have told someone. And better Talltail than one of his clanmates, better somecat who knew what it was like to feel like you didn't belong, than to risk reaching out and being shut down for daring to talk about his kittypet past. (He knew he could talk to Poppydawn, but she already knew most of it, and he didn't want to make her sad by bringing it up.) ['Better', Firelight thinks to himself, 'because if Talltail saw him as weak or judged him, at least he wouldn't have to face him every day'. Shame courses through him at the thought, but he can't exactly deny it either.] Besides, Talltail is his friend, why not tell him? Talltail is still concerned, but agrees to meet Firelight at the border at sundown, in a quarter-moon. They part ways as the gathering ends, both uneasy about the coming meeting.
A quarter-moon later, Firelight and Talltail meet as planned, and Firelight tells him about his kithood and the 'Problems' that happened in twolegplace and basically ends up venting about the entire ordeal because this Boi is Traumatized and now it's Talltail's problem. Even accidently tells Talltail about being apprenticed at 4 moons instead of 6. Talltail is horrified by all of what has happened to his friend and proceeds to tackle and then chicken Fireboi, while shoving his face into the ginger's neck to hear his pulse, as a way of reassuring himself that yes, his friend is, in fact, alive and here and oh stars what the- Talltail.exe has stopped working. It takes a while before Talltail lets him go, and even then he sticks close, talking things through with Firelight and promising to be there for him whenever he can.
After they part ways, (Talltail watching worriedly as Firelight disappears into the trees, still concerned after his friend's well-being), Talltail reflects that these feelings he's having must be similar to what having a younger brother feels like. If one's younger brother was put through horrifying circumstances, anyway. That's when it hits him. That thought he'd been chasing finally slid into place with a resounding click. 'Oh.' He almost calls Firelight back at the realization, but no, he's probably already too far away, it'll have to wait. The next gathering couldn't come soon enough. Then, another thought strikes him. His stomach churns. 'How in the name of Starclan do I tell Jake that one of his younger siblings is alive and in Thunderclan!? And that the other two are-that they're-that they were...' he can't finish the thought. He gulps. Maybe he should wait and tell Firelight first. Then maybe the ginger tom could help him figure out what to tell Jake.
In other news, Adderfang starts slowly turning Thistlepaw against Firelight because he thinks Firelight is weak for having previously been a kittypet, for spending so much time in the nursery while not being female, and for bringing in rogue kits. He thinks these 'outsiders' are weakening/ruining the clan. Thistlepaw resists at first, but slowly starts to take Adderfang's side of things, especially because of Adderfang training him roughly and treating him harshly to 'make him a better, stronger, warrior.' This is made worse by the fact that Mapleshade starts visiting Thistlepaw in dreams and also starts trying to turn him against Firelight.
Lionpaw is now Swiftbreeze's apprentice, and Goldenpaw is now Dappletail's apprentice.
Talltail decides the best way to handle things is to bring Jake to Firelight and tell them both at the same time. However, he'll have to wait a while because Jake's twolegs went on something called a 'vacation' and took Jake with them, though the ginger kittypet assured him he'd be back soon enough.
Timeskip
Bluefur, Snowfur, Leopardfoot, Patchpelt, and Thistleclaw are now warriors, along with Hopeshine and Dawnbright. Poppydawn is incredibly proud of both her son, and her granddaughters. Firelight is proud of his daughters and his adopted brother. (Though somewhat confused about, and hurt by, Thistleclaw's attitude towards him.)
Thistleclaw now hates Firelight, and while cats take notice, they don't really question it too much because they are too busy with clan stuff. (Will elaborate and explain better later) [Poppydawn tries desperately to figure out where things went wrong and why Thistleclaw now hates his adoptive brother, while also trying to reason with Thistleclaw]
Firelight stops Sweetpaw and others from eating poisoned prey.
Goosefeather retires.
Rustpaw becomes full medicine cat, Rustfang. Firelight is proud of his only son, and Poppydawn is proud of her grandson.
Firelight has been keeping Yellowfang up to date about her kits when he can. Talltail asks Firelight to meet him at the border at sundown in a quarter-moon. Firelight is mildly confused, but agrees anyway.
Oh, by the way, Mumblefoot, Wheedwhisker, and Squirrelwhisker have died of old age at this point.
Sunfall and Firelight start hanging out more. They were friends, but not close. Now they are starting to be close friends.
Talltail brings Jake to the border that Windclan shares with Thunderclan, Jake is confused and asks why Talltail brought him way out here. Talltail says he has someone he wants Jake to meet. They reach the border and meet up with Firelight, where Talltail then spills the tea on the two being brothers. Reunion shenanigans ensue, along with a re-hashing of Fire's trauma to a horrified Jake, who then proceeds to have the same reaction as Talltail. Fire's a bit tired of being squished, but he supposes it's a fair trade for these cats who seem to care so much about him. They talk the whole night through, catching each other up on their lives, adventures, friends, etc. And Jake doesn't move once. Talltail leans against them both as he basks in the glow of two of his best friends reuniting getting along. They part ways reluctantly a little ways after dawn, with promises to meet up again soon, as regularly as possible with how different their lives all are.(this ends up being every few moons or so).
Minor time skip
Hopeshine wants kits but not a relationship, asks passing rogue/loner for help. This is common in the clans to keep cats from being too closely related to each other. Is reason behind unspoken queen's rule of "not having to reveal the father".
Life goes on.
Cherrypool and Chestnutfall are now warriors.
Sweetblossom and Rosetail become warriors
Poppydawn is proud of her daughters, and Firelight is proud of his adopted sisters.
Hopeshine has two toms and a she-kit, names them Mintkit(tom), Sagekit(tom), and Turtlekit(she). Poppydawn is overjoyed at having great-grandkits to fawn over. Firelight is equally over the moon about having grandkits. Both are proud of and happy for new mother Hopeshine. ( Yellowfang is also proud and delighted in her own gruff way whenever Firelight brings the news to her.)
Firelight sees Thrushpelt starting to pad after Bluefur, and is glad he chose to move on rather than linger, because he knows this might've hurt more otherwise. A part of him will always love Thrushpelt, but that part is in the past, and now his love is more like that for a friend/brother than for a potential mate. And while he doesn't realize it yet, he's starting to fall for a different cat anyway.
Pinestar and Leopardfoot have kits. Pinestar is distant, so, in an effort to spite Pinestar, Leopardfoot has Firelight name two of the kits, and names the third herself. After all, Firelight has been sleeping in the nursery since nearly just after his warrior ceremony because he puts off more heat than the average cat, why shouldn't he get a say in kit names, hmm Pinestar? Firelight is reluctant and unsure about all of this, but Leopardfoot was his apprentice for close to 7 moons and he doesn't like how Pinestar is treating her, so he eventually agrees to do it, for her. So Leopardfoot names one of her daughters Nightkit, and Firelight suggests Morningkit for her other daughter and Eaglekit for her son. Leopardfoot approves of these names.
Firelight and Sunfall are close friends now, they spend a lot of time together.
During one of their family get togethers (as Jake has taken to calling them), Jake sees the way Firelight seems happier when he talks about this 'Sunfall' fellow, and goes to ask about it/tease Firelight for his crush, but thinks better of it when he remembers Firelight telling him about his last experience with a crush. Firelight doesn't seem to realize yet that he likes Sunfall, and Jake doesn't want to accidently ruin things for his little brother by pointing it out too soon.
Stonepelt, Moonflower, and Stormtail retire.
Pinestar finds out about Firelight's time travel on the same night Thunderstar was supposed to tell Pinestar to kill his son. Which doesn't happen this time because stuff changed. Has minor crisis when he realizes Firelight was made an apprentice 2 moons early, Firelight comments bitterly and resignedly about how "it wasn't like Thunderclan was going to let some kittypet nobody stay in their nursery till he was apprentice age, even without the issue of the Great Hunger." Pinestar privately disagrees considering the circumstances that led to Firelight joining in the first place.
Sweetblossom decides she wants kits, but not a relationship as well, asks Chestnutfall for help, and after much careful discussion, he agrees to be platonic co-parents with her.
Robinwing has Froskit and Brindlekit.
Pinestar doesn't leave, but is still very distant, Firelight basically helps Leopardfoot raise the kits, and the kits see him as their father more than they do Pinestar. They also see Firelight's first three kits as foster siblings/aunts and uncle as a result.
Shortly after Pinestar finds out about the time travel, he and Leopardfoot get a cat-divorce.
Sweetblossom gives birth to two toms, names them Amberkit, and Blizzardkit.
Poppydawn is once again a proud grandma, and Firelight is now a proud pseudo-uncle.
Lionheart and Goldenflower are now warriors.
Mintpaw, Turtlepaw, and Sagepaw are now apprentices, their mentors are Cherrypool, Heronwing, and Rosetail, respectively.
Snowfur has Whitekit, and doesn't die, but Firelight nearly does die while saving her, Snowfur is very grateful to Firelight.
Poppydawn once again worries over Firelight, and Thistleclaw subconsciously starts to question his opinions of Firelight, but not very much. Firelight vows to himself not to tell Jake about the incident, because he doesn't want Jake to worry.
Swiftbreeze has Redkit, Spottedkit, and Willowkit.
Sunfall, after nearly losing Firelight to a car accident, realizes he loves Firelight but doesn't know how to tell him.
Firelight is made mentor to Eaglepaw, Thistleclaw gets Nightpaw, and Goldenflower gets Morningpaw.
Frostpaw is apprenticed to Bluefur, Brindlepaw is apprenticed to Stormtail.
Thistleclaw tries to kill small black kittypet on territory. Firelight stops him, gets clawed in the process, will have scar. Takes in black kittypet as own kit, names him Pantherkit. Pinestar lets it happen because he's used to Firelight doing weird things by now, and he's too old for this shit. Thistleclaw is punished for harming a clanmate and attempting to harm a literal child, is banned from ever having an apprentice again. Nightpaw is now Dawnbright's apprentice, and much happier for it. Poppydawn is rightfully horrified by all of this.
Snowfur cat-divorces Thistleclaw for obvious reasons.
Sunfall takes extreme exception to Firelight being harmed, and by a clanmate no less, starts making Thistleclaw do apprentice chores all the time.
Thistleclaw swings wildly between overwhelming rage, and questioning everything he's ever believed. After all, look where those beliefs led him. He also occasionally feels incredibly guilty for harming Firelight, his adopted big brother, but tries desperately to smother that guilt because he knows that if he thinks about it too long, then everything will unravel. It doesn't help that he's been training with Mapleshade this entire time, and she keeps visiting him to try and steer him towards hatred and rage.
Jake is worried because his youngest son went missing recently, he wants to ask Firelight to keep an eye out for him.
Firelight misses a meeting with Jake due to recent events and Jake gets even more worried. Talltail, though surprised to find out that Jake has kits, promises to investigate at the next gathering. (No, he's not jealous, what are you talking about?)
Amberpaw is now Leopardfoot's apprentice, and Blizzardpaw is now Lionheart's apprentice.
At the gathering, Talltail manages to find out from Poppydawn what happened to Firelight. He is horrified and very angry at Thistleclaw, and when he tells Jake, Jake feels the same way, though also relieved that his son is okay and in good paws. Remarks that he'd been worried even before the kit disappeared, because the queen who'd asked him to sire them for her in the first place seemed kinda shady after the kits were born. Talltail does his best to shove down the swell of relief that flows through him when he finds out that Jake and Quince weren't actually mates.
A moon or two later, Whitepaw is apprenticed to Patchpelt.
Hopeshine helps with Eaglepaw's training while Firelight is in the nursery taking care of Pantherkit. Sunfall visits Firelight and Pantherkit often, Firelight realizes he's in love with Sunfall. Proceeds to reveal time travel to Sunfall, is afraid of how he'll react, didn't need to worry about it because while Sunfall does freak out a little at first, he calms down fairly quickly and is mainly concerned about Firelight's well-being. He reassures Firelight that he still likes (loves) him for who he is, and just because he happens to have had knowledge of the future at one point that doesn't change who he is to Sunfall.
Pantherpaw is Apprenticed to Sunfall.
Dappletail and Patchpelt are mates now.
Pantherpaw has realized that Firelight and Sunfall love each other, has made it his personal mission to get the two to finally confess to each other. Ropes in foster siblings Rustfang, Hopeshine, Dawnbright, Nightpaw, Morningpaw and Eaglepaw to help him, along with Hopeshine's kits as well. Mintpaw, Turtlepaw, and Sagepaw want their Grandpa Firelight to be happy, and if Sunfall makes him happy, then they'll find a way to give him Sunfall. This is the general mindset behind the matchmaking mission. Poppydawn gets in on it too.
Firelight brings Pantherpaw with him to meet Jake one night, and Jake fusses over them both before settling down for a long night of catching up with his family.
(At some point during all of this, Talltail has become deputy of Windclan, I'm just not sure when yet.)
Pinestar retires, becomes Pineheart the Elder.
Sunfall becomes leader, Sunstar. Tawnyspots is deputy.
Redpaw, Spottedpaw, and Willowpaw are made warrior apprentices to Sparrowpelt, Thrushpelt, and Poppydawn, respectively.
Dappletail is expecting Patchpelt's kits.
Tawnyspots falls ill.
Seeing someone he's known(-ish) since he joined the clan being so ill, Firelight realizes mortality exists again, and tries to patch things up with Thistleclaw, or at least, to try and understand why he acts that way. Mixed results on that one.
Eagleswoop, Nightleap, and Morningsong are now warriors. Whitestorm is also now a warrior, as well as Mintpatch, Turtlesplash, and Sageroot. Proud grandparents (and regular parents) are proud.
Dappletail gives birth to Featherkit and Cricketkit. Featherkit is deaf.
Spottedpaw decides she wants to be a medcat apprentice instead. (I haven't even read Spottedleaf's Heart, but I know enough, and I'm still not acknowledging it's existence more than I absolutely have to.)
Dappletail, Featherwhisker, Rustfang, Spottedpaw, and Firelight, all start working with Featherkit to try and work out communication issues. Firelight is helping partly because that's just what he does, and partly because he can't bear having another Snowkit situation happening. Also, Firelight and Dappletail were apprentices together and somewhat friends, so he doesn't want to let her down. Dawnbright takes an interest in this in a mix of curiosity and compassion.
Frostfur and Brindleface are now warriors.
Runningkit and Mousekit are born to Whitepounce. Sparrowpelt is their Dad.
Snowfur, Dawnbright, and Rosetail are now all in a relationship with each other. Poppydawn tries not to think too hard about this, because Rosetail and Dawnbright grew up around the same time as each other, and it's not like they're blood-related.
Amberblaze and Blizzardstep are now warriors.
Bluefur has kits. Tawnyspots has not gotten any better, and is going to retire. Bluefur is worried that Thistleclaw will somehow become deputy despite the fact that he never finished training an apprentice, and he also harmed a clanmate who Sunstar happens to be very fond of. And tried to kill a literal child.
Bluefur has just about decided to take her kits to Oakheart, Firelight convinces her otherwise by saying something along the lines of "if you're so concerned that Thistleclaw of all cats is going to be deputy, give your kits to one of our clanmates to raise so you can be deputy instead or something, but don't risk their health in this weather. At least one of them will die if you do." He says this sarcastically, he doesn't mean for her to give her kits up, just for her to actually think things through and at least wait till better weather and not risk their lives like this. Though really, he'd prefer it if she would just keep them, and raise them herself.
She proceeds to take him seriously, sees Mosskit curled up next to him the next morning for warmth, and gives her kits to HIM so she can be deputy. Firelight is not amused. He raises the kits as his own anyway.
Pantherpaw goes to meet up with Jake in Firelight's absence, to let him know what's going on, and also just to spend some time with his bio-dad.
Pantherpaw is now Pantherstrike. Both Firelight and Sunstar are very proud. Firelight is always very proud of his kits when they earn their names.
Tawnyspots retires and Bluefur is made deputy.
Swiftbreeze and Adderfang retire.
Featherkit and Cricketkit are now apprentices. Dawnbright is Featherpaw's mentor because she's one of the ones who knows the most about signals and pawspeak, though the rest of the clan will eventually catch on as well.
Morningsong is Cricketpaw's mentor.
Redtail and Willowpelt are now warriors.
Poppydawn, Heronwing, Rabbitleap, Rainfur, and Windflight retire.
Thistleclaw dies a moon or so after in a border fight that he started himself, mostly because he couldn't handle how his life had ended up, loathed himself enough to not seek out others for help (and half-convinced he wouldn't get help) and generally felt like everything was spinning out of his control. So he started the fight because he was desperate for something familiar and concrete. Starclan looks at all of this, and the circumstances that led to it, and decide to let Thistleclaw in on a trial-basis to see if he could be redeemed/reasoned with.
(Alternate option 1: Thistleclaw gets "A Christmas Carol"ed
Alternate option 2: Just as Oakheart is about to deal the finishing blow to Thistleclaw, [and Thistleclaw realizes "oh stars, I don't want to die! I don't want this! What have I done!? I have to apologize to Mom, and to Firelight, and to Pantherstrike, and Snowfur, and Rosetail, and Sweetblossom, the whole clan even! I have to- no. I want to fix this, to make things right, to live-"] Firelight comes rushing to the rescue with Sunfall, Poppydawn, & Pantherstrike. Thistleclaw lives but is heavily wounded. By the time he leaves the medicine den, he decides that he wants to retire.]
Nightleap and Mintpatch are now mates.
Runningpaw and Mousepaw are now apprentices. Their mentors are Bluefur and Redtail, respectively.
After many shenanigans, and much failed match-making, Pantherstrike proceeds to try and trick Firelight and Sunstar into confessing to each other by teaching Mistykit, Stonekit, and Mosskit to call them both "Dad" at all times and refusing to call them anything else. He also calls them Dad, and so do the other fosters. They refuse to elaborate. Somehow, this actually works. Firelight and Sunstar confess to each other and decide to be mates, and Sunstar helps raise Firelight's latest bunch of foster kittens. They live happily for a while.
Firelight has Nightleap watch the kits for a night while he takes Sunstar to finally meet Jake. While Firelight is chatting with Talltail, Jake pulls Sunstar aside and threatens to kill him slowly and painfully if he ever hurts Firelight. Sunstar actually feels threatened by this, and promises to treat Firelight well always. (He would have promised without the threat, I just think it's funny to have this big mighty leader be scared of his mate's protective kittypet older brother.)
In case it wasn't obvious by now, Eagleswoop is not evil. Neither is Rustfang. Or Pantherstrike. Or Thistleclaw really, he just got the short end of the stick.
A few moons later...
Mistypaw is now Turtlespash's apprentice, Stonepaw is Mintpatch's apprentice, and Mosspaw is Nightleap's apprentice.
Featherdrift and Cricketchirp are now warriors.
(I think Talltail is probably Tallstar at this point, honestly.)
Willowpelt decides she wants kits but isn't quite ready for a relationship yet. She has Darkkit with a passing loner.
Dappletail wants more kits, but Patchpelt doesn't, so they have a talk, and she has kits with a rogue/loner instead. Has two she-kits, Fogkit and Galekit
Darkpaw is made an apprentice at 6 moons old, Eagleswoop is his mentor. Mousefur and Runningwind are now warriors.
A few moons after that, Mistyfoot, Stonefur, and Mosstuft become warriors. Fogkit becomes Fogpaw, is apprenticed to Firelight. Galekit becomes Galepaw, is apprenticed to Sageroot.
A few moons later, Darkstripe becomes a warrior.
Robinwing and Fuzzypelt have Longkit. When Longkit reaches 6 moons old, he becomes Longpaw, and Darkstripe is his mentor.
Fogsnap and Galewhisper are now warriors.
Many seasons later...
Pineheart is dead now, as well as Tawnyspots, Moonflower, Stormtail, Stonepelt, Adderfang, Swiftbreeze, Windflight, Rainfur, and Goosefeather.
Dappletail, Thrushpelt, Sparrowpelt (he didn't lose half his tail this time.), Smallear, Leopardfoot and Patchpelt are now retired. The only reason Firelight hasn't also retired, is because he's waiting for Sunstar to be able to retire with him.
Darkstripe and Fogsnap get together. Fogsnap has a litter of three kits. Two she-kits named Meadowkit and Cloverkit, and a tom-kit named Falconkit.
Longtail is now a warrior.
Turtlesplash and Amberblaze are now mates, as are Sageroot and Brindleface.
Sageroot and Brindleface have one kit, Sandkit.
(Firelight is somewhat confused by this considering Sageroot didn't exist in his original timeline, so how did they end up having Sandkit anyway? He then realizes he doesn't know who her original father was and becomes even more confused.)
Robinwing has Dustkit and Ravenkit, Fuzzypelt is their father.
Why Robinwing and Fuzzypelt haven't retired/died yet, I have no idea.
Pantherstrike and Morningsong are now mates, Morningsong is expecting kits.
Jake is excited to be a Grandfather when he finds out. Pantherstrike promises to bring the kits to visit him when they're old enough.
Meadowpaw, Cloverpaw, and Falconpaw are apprenticed to Pantherstrike, Mousefur, and Goldenflower, respectively.
Fuzzypelt retires.
Willowpelt has Graykit.
At the next 'family gathering' Jake mentions that he became a father again recently, with a queen who'd asked for help having kits.
Sandkit, Dustkit, and Ravenkit become apprentices Sandpaw, Dustpaw, and Ravenpaw. They are mentored by Whitestorm, Redtail, and Eagleswoop respectively.
Robinwing retires.
Firelight is later both surprised and completely unsurprised, to find that as he gets close to an Elder's age, along comes 4-moon-old Rusty, A.K.A Firepaw, Firelight's past self. Only this time, Rusty is renamed Flamekit, because Sunstar would rather not name this literal child directly after his mate, even if they do resemble eachother quite a bit. And also, Flamekit isn't apprentice age yet. Firelight recognizes Flamekit as being a completely different entity than himself now that so much has changed, and proceeds to adopt/take under his wing, the younger ginger. After an off-hand comment from Flamekit about Jake, within earshot of Firelight and Pantherstrike, they realize that Pantherstrike and Flamekit are half-brothers, which means Flamekit is also Firelight's nephew. Jake is half exasperated - half pleased when he finds out another one of his kits made it's way into Firelight's care.
Featherwhisker retires.
Firelight and Sunstar are both old enough to be Elders now. ( Let's face it, they have been for a while now, but they were waiting to retire til Sunstar was on his final life, because logic.) Before he can do Firelight's elder ceremony, and retire himself, Sunstar dies.
Bluefur becomes leader and, once she gets back from the moonstone, promptly forces Firelight into the deputy position by threatening him and all his foster kits. It should be noted that most of Firelight's fosters have settled down with families of their own at this point. No one is happy about this, but they can't really do much about it. They can't force Bluestar to pick a different deputy, and if they force her to step down from the leader position now, then Firelight will be forced to become leader. However, if they don't do something, Firelight will be forced into leadership anyway. It's a lose-lose. (*🎶that I don't choose...🎶*)
Redtail, Featherdrift, and Blizzardstep are now mates, as are Mosstuft and Mousefur, and Mistyfoot and Runningwind. (May switch Redtail and Mistyfoot in the mate situation, but I have to check the family tree situation first.)
Stonefur is ace unless I decide otherwise.
Morningsong gives birth to two toms and two she-kits, she and Pantherstrike name them Smokekit(she), Coalkit(she), Swankit(tom), and Emberkit(tom). Pantherstrike is a little sad that one of his dads didn't get to meet his grandkits.
Mistlekit is born to Speckletail.
Nightleap is expecting Mintpatch's kits
Fast forward a bit, it's time for Bluestar's first gathering as leader! The other clans are also unhappy with Bluestar's deputy decision, and the leaders try to convince her to pick someone else so that Firelight can retire. Stormstar and Oakheart seem to have especially strong opinions about this for some reason. Meanwhile, Tallstar looks ready to downright murder Bluestar and lead Thunderclan himself if that's what it takes. Bluestar reiterates that Firelight is welcome to step down, as long as he takes his kin and leaves when he does it. There's quite a bit of disbelief and horror from literally everyone else, and Rustfang takes this as an opportunity to step up and speak his piece, and it's revealed that all the senior warriors got together, and after a lot of careful consideration and conversation, they all collectively decided that they are on an 'Elder Strike', and unless Bluestar allows Firelight to step down and retire without being exiled, none of the current senior warriors or medicine cats are going to retire to the Elder's den, no matter how old they get. Firelight was not aware of this plan, but after some quick thought, (and some minor but fierce protest), realizes that trying to convince them otherwise is futile. It is also stated that if any of the younger warriors reach Elder age and wish to retire they can, as they were not part of the original decision. Someone points out that if Firelight took his kin with him, he'd be taking a rather large portion of Thunderclan, but Bluestar still refuses to see reason.
After the gathering ends, Firelight goes back to camp and curls around the now 5 moon old Flamekit, and falls asleep missing Sunstar, and cursing Bluestar. He doesn't blame Sunstar for choosing Bluefur as deputy, he just wishes she would be a more reasonable leader. Unknown to him, when Bluestar went to get nine lives, Pinestar gave her one of her lives and accidently transfered some of his memories of learning about Firelight's secret to Bluestar, primarily the "Fire alone will save our clan" prophecy, and now Bluestar has put together the wrong pieces, and convinced herself that Firelight is some sort of Chosen Guardian for Thunderclan, and that he must spend the rest of eternity protecting them. She couldn't be more wrong, but she won't listen when anyone tries to tell her otherwise, including starclan themselves. This is not helped by the fact that dead!Bluestar from the original timeline, came back w7 Firelight to haunt him and try and influence his decisions. This doesn't really work, because he doesn't trust her anymore, and she was also the one to send him back against his will in the first place. And after she fails to influence Firelight too many times, she decides to haunt her past self instead, because, "I'm surrounded by soft-hearted mousebrains, and the only company worth keeping is my own." This doesn't end well. For obvious reasons.
Also, I would like to clarify (because I feel like I didn't quite convey it properly); by the time NewTimeline!Bluestar dies the OldTimeline!Bluestar Ghost has vanished. Thunderstar tries to get rid of her at the very beginning when he realizes what's going on, but it doesn't work so he instead does something (not sure what yet) to slowly erode her tether to this new timeline so she doesn't end up haunting Fire forever. It's also probably why New!Bluestar doesn't freak out about Old!Bluestar Ghost visiting her; because by that point in time the ghost has faded enough and lost enough power that it's not recognizable (visually) as the same cat. She just thinks it's an ancient starclan cat come to guide her, and the ghost doesn't correct her(New!) because she(ghost) doesn't think New!Bluestar would believe/listen to her(ghost) anymore if she(ghost) did. I think the ghost probably disappears for good either just after New!Bluestar's leader ceremony, or sometime towards the end of New!Bluestar's last few lives. I'm just not sure which yet, as it will kind of depend on whether or not the ghost is still necessary plotwise further into the story. Thanks to @NikoS900 for bringing that to my attention (and helping me finally put it to words).
Thunderclan Allegiances as of Bluestar's first leader gathering.
Leader: Bluestar
Deputy: Firelight
_______________
Medicine Cats:
-------------------------
Rustfang
Spottedleaf
_________
Warriors:
---------------
Snowfur
Rosetail
Dawnbright
Hopeshine
Sageroot
Mintpatch
Turtlesplash
Eagleswoop
Mistyfoot
Stonefur
Redtail
Runningwind
Mousefur
Lionheart
Whitestorm
Pantherstrike
Blizzardstep
Amberblaze
Sweetblossom
Brindleface
Whitepounce
Goldenflower
Chestnutfall
Cricketchirp
Featherdrift
Fogsnap
Galewhisper
Cherrypool
Mosstuft
_________
Queens:
---------------
Willowpelt - Mother of Graykit.
Morningsong - Mother of Coalkit, Smokekit, Swankit, and Emberkit
Nightleap - expecting Mintpatch's kits (Swiftkit and Lynxkit)
Frostfur - expecting Lionheart's kits
(Brackenkit, Cinderkit, Brightkit, and Thornkit)
Speckletail - Mother of Mistlekit
Firelight, while not a queen, is currently looking after Flamekit.
_____________
Apprentices:
----------------------
Sandpaw
Ravenpaw
Dustpaw
Meadowpaw
Cloverpaw
Falconpaw
_______
Elders:
------------
Patchpelt
Thrushpelt
Dappletail
Smallear
Poppydawn
Sparrowpelt
Leopardfoot
Robinwing
Fuzzypelt
Dappletail
Featherwhisker