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#So Crick could still get killed in the Boar Attack of BB!TNP
bonefall · 7 months
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Now this had me thinking... Would Willowpelt die in the same way as canon (although to another creature im assuming since bb!badgers aren't as dangerous as they are in canon)? If she's getting kept around longer, maybe Cricketclaw is the one who sacrifices herself instead? That sounds like a fitting way for her to go, considering she couldn't protect her own siblings?
I feel like I should add a TM to anything that I'm working on in my drafts that has significant progress and is blog-plot-relevant, that will explain something exactly like this LMAO
Forgive me I am, at heart, a bear that eats half a salmon and then forgets I had a fish at all
Willowpelt's brush with death is staying, and is actually a bit plot relevant in Firestar's Quietus! I have a very specific scene which is actually totally written out-- actually fuck it, I'll just post it here
Context and narrative purpose of this scene:
Firestar is informed of a boar on the territory, and gathers a little scouting patrol to try and figure out what sort of hog it is.
VERY IMPORTANT SEGWAY. Because of how Willowpelt gets bitten here and Firestar loses a life saving Sorrelpaw, they all end up in the Cleric's den where Ferncloud is telling a story both to practice her new job as upcoming Educator and to comfort everyone.
The fact Willowpelt is not dead is how I get Littlecloud away from Runningnose and Firestar
Runningnose has a hunch, in this moment, that goody two-shoes little Firestar might be the perfect person to help Brokenstar, and teases the visions and revelations he's about to have
Establishes that boars are the new Big Bad Beastie of BB
Presents Sorrelpaw's epilepsy and demonstrates how it is a danger to her safety
(this is a lot of buildup but this is actually pretty short lmao)
So anyway before I let you go on to the readmore and a preview of Firestar's Quietus, no one takes Willowpelt's death here, and Willow is going to hang on for longer. I wanted to make sure I have a good amount of cats to kill off in the carnage of the White Hart's destruction.
Wherever Cricketclaw dies, it will be for a purpose. Either to show how bloody the TNP conflicts are, or in a greencough epidemic because I'm trying to make sure those aren't just "Kill a bunch of randos offscreen" disease anymore.
WILLOWPELT'S BOAR
The patrol is Sandstorm and Sorrelpaw, Willowpelt, Longtail and Sootpaw, and himself. It's just supposed to be for scouting, hence why the apprentices are coming along.
Unfortunately the hog has other plans, lunging out of a bush and going for Sootpaw
Willowpelt jumps in the way and gets bitten instead
Sorrelpaw acts quick, slashing its sensitive nose, drawing its attention and bolting as fast as she can
RIGHT as she crosses the Thunderpath, her body goes limp and she falls to the ground
She is having an absence seizure, and fallen flat on the road
The hog is hot on her heels, bowling after her, when a monster screeches to a halt out of nowhere
The hog is frozen in the headlights, Firestar bursts into action to pull Sorrelpaw out of the road
(i hear your heart beat to the beat of the drums) BUMP BUMP
The boar and Firestar have been hit by, have been struck by, an automobile
When he sees StarClan, they're about to greet him with love. But their faces turn to shock and fear, the scenery becoming sinister and trees falling down.
A fifth oak tree is crashing down towards them. Firestar stares at it, dumbstruck.
Just before it strikes him, his eyes snap open
Firestar resurrects with a burst of energy, dragging Sorrelpaw off the road and into the safety of a fern on the ShadowClan side
The humans are coming out of the car to examine the boar they struck, but Firestar doesn't have time to consider that or his vision.
Littlecloud's head pokes out of the foliage and he springs into action, checking them both for injury. Breathless, Firestar points behind him and rasps, "Willowpelt!"
Littlecloud nods and bolts across the road.
Runningnose saunters out from a different angle-- one where he would have been able to see the road. Everything that happened.
His gaze is unsettling as ever, pausing, eyeing the leader up and down.
He starts tending to Sorrelpaw, then mumbles,
"Brave of you."
"It's what any leader would have done."
"No. It's what you always do."
Firestar doesn't know how to respond to that, but he's glad Runningnose isn't staring at him anymore.
But continues, "You will learn terrible things in the days to come, Firestar, and StarClan will not answer the questions that find you. If you seek the truth, meet me by the mothermouth on the night after the next gathering."
Sorrelpaw is leaning up now, her eyes dazed and confused, as if she's trying to figure out what happened.
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