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Post by cloudbat on Oct 5, 2012 12:56:02 GMT -6
it's fine, Misty, I love hearing what you guys have to say. Don't worry, I feel ashamed too.
And yes, animals tend not to "love" as much as these ones do. It's disgusting.
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Post by mistytail on Oct 5, 2012 13:08:28 GMT -6
It's really not even the anthropomorphized ideas of love and connection to a mate that bother me in the books, it's the sexist way they're handled. It's like the she-cats need a tom to complete them and they should be lucky any tom is interested in them at all. Like exactly what just happened with Larksong and Bluefur - Larksong is virtually punishing her for not accepting Thrushpelt's advances because he likes her and she's a she-cat that "should" be having kits. Honestly, it's a serious insult to Bluefur's character, as weak and terrible as it is in this book, and it's an insult to any girl reading the series. (Not to mention I think ideals like this are what give asexual/aromantic individuals so much garbage in real life, like that "Oh, you just haven't met the right person yet!" baloney. Forgive me if I'm putting words in anyone's mouth.)
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Post by cloudbat on Oct 5, 2012 14:45:06 GMT -6
I don't mind some anthropomorphism, but it's taken to a ridiculous degree here.
And I agree; it's disgusting. Millie/Graystripe is just as unhealthy of a relationship.
HAHAHAHHAHAHA it's like you know me. xD Nope, sounds totally accurate, been told that loads of times.
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Post by cloudbat on Oct 5, 2012 14:50:45 GMT -6
“He waited!”
No doubt practicing his favorite pick-up lines in his head.
“He whipped around. “You came!” She could smell his scent now. (he was wearing too much cologne) She opened her mouth, but couldn’t think of what to say.”
Gee that's surprising no wait it isn't because THIS DOESN'T MAKE ANY CUSSING SENSE
“I thought maybe you weren’t going to…” He seemed to run out of words and stared at her instead. Such softness in his eyes.”
That’s so beautiful and romantic that I just threw up in my mouth a little.
“I couldn’t get away.” She whispered. “But you did.” “Yes.”
I swear I’m not making this crap up.
“Silence.”
Dear StarClan, you two. You bother to come out here in the middle of the night for this indescribably illogical meeting and you have nothing to say to each other. Not even a dirty joke or a pickup line? Not even some cliché first kiss moment? Hey Oakheart, didn’t you want to know stuff about Blue Sue? Hey Blue Sue, don’t you care so much about him that you’re being a total toolbox and throwing everything else away?
Ladies and gentlemen, I give you….THE ERINS!
FAILTASTIC ROMANCE
THEY HAS IT
“Is that it? Bluefur felt panic rising inside her.”
Oakheart will probably pull out the ring any moment now.
“She shouldn’t have come. This was a big mistake.”
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO, REALLY? MIND. BLOWN.
“Were they going to stand here like mouse-brains searching for words until their paws froze to the ground?”
It would be nice.
“It’s too cold to stand around.” Oakheart echoed what she was thinking.
Of course it is, Oakheart. Of course it is. I bet he knows lots of good ways to warm up…if you know what I mean.
“This is ridiculous.”
No shizz. Nor does it move the plot along in any conceivable way.
So, Blue Sue decides they should get warmer by going behind a bush climbing a tree. Oakheart says RiverClan cats don’t climb, Blue Sue teases him about it and he does go up the tree. This actually isn’t bad, even if they’re acting more like young apprentices from the same Clan than forbidden lovers.
Oakheart jokes that he’ll teach her to swim…if you know what I mean. Blue Sue freezes up (heh) and thinks: “Stop it! He doesn’t know about the prophecy! He’ll think you’re just being a scaredy-mouse.”
Oh right, water will destroy her…assuming Goosefeather the crazy hobo is right. They climb high, really high, and Oakheart is really good at it despite having never done it before.
“Do you think StarClan knows what we’re doing?” The stars blurred as she felt Oakheart’s pelt brush against hers.”
If they do, evidently they don’t care. Also, why do the stars randomly blur?
“If they can’t see us up here, they can’t see us anywhere.” Oakheart replied.”
Wait…what? This statement confuses me. Blue Sue gets all anxious thinking StarClan is watching them. I guess because they can enact punishment…? I really have no clue. Oakheart says the weather is fine, no rain or clouds covering the moon, so StarClan must approve. Or maybe it’s just a clear night and StarClan is busy watching The Lion King.
They go down the tree, Oakheart starts chasing Bluefur as she calls him a fish-face. He catches her and then we get this bit:
“Bluefur pushed herself onto her haunches and leaned against him, enjoying the smoothness of his pelt and the firmness of his muscles beneath.”
Smooth and firm, ladies. This in no way describes Oakheart’s other physical features.
“Oakheart sighed. “I’ve waited so many moons for this.” He twisted his head (it fell off) and looked into her eyes. “For you.”
Because…why? Did she promise you candy or something?
“Every cat in my Clan’s been telling me to get a mate (why?)” he murmured. “But I want no other mate but you.” (Oakheart, Oakheart, Oakheart. We need to have a talk.)
“I know what you mean,” Bluefur mewed. “Larksong told me I should pair off with…” She stopped, seeing hurt spark his gaze.”
How DARE she fall in love with someone she can actually be with...if I didn't loathe Larksong so much.
“Oakheart leaned away. “Is there another cat who…?”
a) Has ticked you off numerous times by being in your territory b) Is smooth and firm c) Make as little sense as a nut-allergic squirrel d) Is a creepy stalker.
Time’s up, please mark your answers clearly with a number 2 pencil and the results of your exams will be in by Tuesday. Thank you very much and have a nice day.
“No.” Bluefur mewed quickly. “Only…”
a) I’ve been too busy stalking my nephew to think about other things b) Destiny and StarClan c) THE CAKE IS A LIE d) The plot leash demands it.
Please follow the same procedure as question 1.
“Only what?”
Only YOU can prevent forest fires.
Blue Sue goes on about how she’s been raising/stalking her nephew and hasn’t had time to think about mates. Oakheart says she’s done a great job raising Whitestorm and her sister would be proud…wait, how does he know this? He’s from. A. Different. Clan. Isn’t that the whole point of this idiotic misadventure?
So how does he know the details of her personal life?
He’s a stalker.
Bluefur doesn’t find it strange at all that he knows these things. Perhaps she hands out leaflets about her silly sob story at Gatherings.
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Post by celestialsquared on Oct 6, 2012 13:12:00 GMT -6
I agree man, but then again this is Warriors. The whole point of a she-cat in this series is to get pregnant and to keep up the clan's population and every female is expected to put out at least one litter. Not to say that's not how it is for cats in real life, but seriously, the only solitary cat in the series was Leopardstar. Even Mistystar produced some kits at some point. So, what I really interpret old Larksong to be saying is, "Do your duty to the clan and reproduce!" With all due respect, I must passionately disagree with that last bit. Don't forget that this is a series about anthropomorphized cats directed at 8-12 year old children. The series orignally opened with a very nonchalant attitude to reproducing, where mating was no big deal and love was not an issue. It was about keeping the population up. Then the Erins got online, found out the fanbase was mostly young girls, and the writing changed dramatically. I think the fact that love wasn't such a big deal in the beginning was what gave me that impression. Like you said, ever since the Erins got distracted by what the fans wanted to see in the books they've been adding some romantic struggle in every single one. I also tend to think of the cats more "cattish" than they really are, probably because of my own sense of irritation of how the newer books make them less and less like cats with every one. Kinda why I stopped reading.
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leah
Young Warrior
Awesomesauce%\1\%
Posts: 209
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Post by leah on Oct 6, 2012 13:18:04 GMT -6
Celestial, I agree. Erins need to stop writing for the fans. "Writing for the fans" is what makes series become terrible. I mean, listening to the fans is not a bad thing, like in some game series where newer ones of a franchise might have some newer details on it that were added because of the fans. But centering something entirely around the fans is just a bad idea. Especially when the fanbase has so many terrible writers it's not even funny.
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Post by celestialsquared on Oct 6, 2012 13:52:19 GMT -6
Ugh. The romance here is so forced it's horrible. It's moving way too fast for my liking.
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Post by cloudbat on Oct 6, 2012 16:31:16 GMT -6
There is no romance here. None. It's the plot shrieking in pain as there is MORE CUSSING FILLER.
And yes, a good half of the fanbase is terrible. >_< I loathe them so.
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Post by cloudbat on Oct 6, 2012 16:41:54 GMT -6
“Maybe.” Bluefur whispered. (I may, after all, develop a personality.) “But this can never happen.”
(Probably not though, since we’re more than halfway through the book and my defining feature is my ability to make Cloudie loathe me.)
“What?” (What? But I love you because you are a terrible flat character made of boring angst!)
“Us.”
We make too little sense, and our very existence in the literary world is causing a distortion in the word-space continuum, so any moment now we’re going to be sucked into a black hole. Goodbye, lover.
“Why?” Hurt cracked Oakheart’s mew.
The writing is too bad, and the plot is dead. We must face our doom with bravery.
“Bluefur couldn’t believe it wasn’t obvious.”
We’re the most crappy forbidden lovers to ever exist, and our level of suckage is so great that our world is crumbling around us. The Apocalypse is nigh.
“We’re from different Clans!” And I have a destiny that doesn’t leave room for a mate."
The different Clans thing makes enough sense, but:
a) Why? The prophecy (always assuming it’s true) never said “thou shalt not have a man-buddy.” It can wait until after you’re deputy…but that wouldn’t cause drama, I suppose. Silly me.
b) That’s a very rude destiny, tell it to move over.
“Pain twisted her heart. She tried to push it away but it hung there like grief, cold and heavy.”
Wait, what? Pain feels like grief? I’d think grief would feel like pain, not the other way around. This simile confuses me.
“She pressed closer to Oakheart, and his warmth eased her sadness.”
He’s so hot that the temperature’s rising.
Blue Sue says if they keep meeting they’ll end up being hurt. Fair enough, logic may finally track them down and seek its revenge.
“The only thing that can hurt me,” Oakheart breathed, “is being apart from you.”
Oakheart has gained the power of True Love and has leveled up to Invincibility.
“Bluefur knew it was true, for her and for him.”
Blue Sue has gained the power of Stupid and has leveled down to Negative I.Q.
“But she couldn’t change her destiny.”
Rant time.
What IS it about all the destiny crap in the warriors books? WHY do they all just meekly bow down and accept their fates? WHY do they all assume that everything will just come true as the prophecies say? WHY do they all assume that they can’t do what they want and make their own fate?
I thought that was the right of a hero, and while I would never call Blue Sue a hero (gag) she’s the protagonist, and protagonists SHOULD (at least to me) be able to some extent control their own fates and do good things because they CAN and WANT TO (and as we were just so wonderfully informed, all of that is secondary now that Stalkerman has appeared), not because crazy drug-addicted hobos say they’re going to.
Wait, that would actually be interesting. Never mind.
“The Clean leaders would be horrified if they could see what was happening.”
Horrified? Hardly. Irritated? Probably. Laughing their tails off? Definitely.
“Two figures gazed down from the top.” (This is the Great Rock at Fourtrees, for those who are confused.)
The new favorite sport of the warriors world: Protagonist stalking.
“Moonflower and Snowfur! Bluefur felt every hair on her pelt rise (into the air, and she was left bald)…Bluefur stared at her mother and sister. There was such sadness in their expressions as they sat watching, neither moving or speaking.”
Moonflower: Is she really going to do this without a condom?
Snowfur: Nah, I gave her mine. Then again, it didn’t work.
Moonflower: And then the plot leash killed you. Nice going.
Snowfur: That was not my fault! I was just slaughtered for the angst barrel.
Moonflower: Keep telling yourself that, Snowfur. Keep telling yourself that.
“I know why you’re here, she thought.”
It’s about the herbs Goosefeather made me try, isn’t it? I’m sorry about the things I did. I was under the influence.
“They’d come to remind her where her true loyalties lay.”
Her true loyalties? You mean the ones that aren’t related to hormones?
“If she was going to fulfill the mysterious fire-and-water prophecy, then she had to be as strong as fire – and loyal only to her Clanmates.”
I assume “mysterious” here means “ridiculous.”
Oakheart asks her what she’s staring at, she says nothing and says that they should stay the night there.
“Just one night! She begged her mother and sister. I promise after this I’ll devote the rest of my life to my Clan. She glanced up at the rock. No one was there, and the moon shone in a clear bright sky. “Let’s build a nest.” Oakheart suggested. They scraped together a heap of leaves beneath the roots of an oak tree, and curled up together in the frost-scented darkness.”
I think this speaks for itself. Keep in mind, this is the only night she spends with Oakheart. Also keep in mind that she’s pregnant shortly afterward. Cloud trusts your intelligence to figure out why this last paragraph is so very, very wrong.
Also, frost-scented. Wtf.
Nine more chapters left, people. God knows it’s been a long, logic-killing slog.
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Post by celestialsquared on Oct 6, 2012 16:44:10 GMT -6
It's seriously thrown in at the last minute or something. Like they forgot Bluefur was supposed to have half-clan kits.
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Post by cloudbat on Oct 6, 2012 16:55:38 GMT -6
Blue Sue and her man-buddy awake in their nest.
“Oakheart was looking at her, his eyes glowing like the Moonstone. “I don’t want to leave you.”
Glowing eyes turn on all the girls these days.
“But we must (not give up! Logic shall melt in the fiery passion of our…wait…I am fire. N’mind.)” She pressed her muzzle to his.”
“They padded to the edge of their clearing and paused, twining tails.”
Twining tails? Someone please tell me how that’s possible outside of Aristocats.
“Their time together was over (FOREVER! EVER! EVER! Ever! Ever.)”
The two promise to look out for each other and Blue Sue thinks “the river would always divide them.”
It’s a shame it can’t actually divide them into neat little pieces labeled “Stupidity” “Non-Logic” and “Fuzzy little bits that smell funny.” If it could I’d throw them in a volcano and be on my merry way.
What?
“She felt weary with sadness. Why was he so cheerful?”
Because he had a fun night….if you know what I mean. Also, shut up already Blue Sue. I don’t care that you won’t see him again. I don’t care that you “love” him so much. I don’t give so many dams, pipes, dragons, and pieces of string that you wouldn’t believe. (I also don’t give a fig, but that’s because I don’t have any.)
“Didn’t he realize they would never be together like this again?”
You poor, poor thing, condemned to only one night of naughty fun with a random, illogical lover when you have a nice, friendly tom in your own Clan who you could pair up with if you’re that desperate. I feel really, really sorry for you.
“She gazed into his eyes and knew that he did. Behind the brightness she recognized grief, raw as her own.”
I have a question. Maybe – just maybe – this would be possible with human eyes, if someone’s REALLY good at reading expressions. But cat eyes and faces? They’re not as expressive as human ones. They can be expressive, sure, but at this level? I doubt it. Then again, we all know the Erins detest using proper cat body language. See all places where I mention supertails.
“Good-bye,” she whispered, and headed up the slope. She glanced back again and again until the pain of seeing him standing beneath the oak trees was too much to bear.”
Then die, please. Also Oakheart beneath oak trees. Heh.
“But as she crested the rise, she felt Oakheart’s gaze still scorching her pelt.”
Does he have laser vision or something?
“I must be as strong as fire!”
Right. NOW you care again, after being a d-bag? Thanks, Blue Sue. You have truly inspired me to become a wise and good person who makes decisions and sticks with them.
Blue Sue comes back to camp and “the entrance was unguarded.” Well isn’t that convenient.
The champion d-bag slinks back into the warriors’ den, lies down, and thinks:
“She had only spent one night with him, and she loved him more deeply than she thought was possible.”
I’m supposed to believe this why? Because they shared a special hug and climbed a tree? Yeah, no.
“How could she live, never talking to him again?”
I hear there’s this food and water stuff that works wonders. Air helps too.
“Worse than that – how could she see him at Gatherings or on the shore and pretend they were enemies?”
Oh get a grief counselor, you whiny sad sack. Moan to your crazy uncle if it’d help you feel better.
“But there was no choice.”
Sure there was. It’s called “be the d-bag you are now” or “be an even bigger d-bag”.
“She was a ThunderClan warrior, loyal to the warrior code.”
Excuse me if I’m wrong, but I believe “it’s okay to meet your forbidden lover” wasn’t added, unless Cloud missed something.
Blah, Blue Sue is picked for a patrol, Tawnyspots is sick again.
The patrol goes to the Twoleg border, Thrushpelt compliments Blue Sue a lot. “Oh…er…thanks,” Bluefur stammered. Thrushpelt was always saying things like this. Why did his enthusiasm feel so clumsy and annoying all of a sudden?”
Oh I have no clue. Can’t be because you have a forbidden lover.
Thrushie wonders if they’ll see Pinestar, Blue Sue says he probably has a new name by now, Thrushie says he’d rather be RiverClan than a kittypet and that would be bad enough.
“If I were RiverClan, everything would be so much easier.”
Right. Sure.
They come back to camp, and Tawnyspots is so ill “A sharp, sour scent was drifting from him: the stench of illness, so strong that it turned her paws cold.”
“ThunderClan might need a new deputy at any moment.”
So why hasn’t Sunstar just appointed one? It’s obvious Tawny’s probably not going to live, just appoint a new one and have done with it.
“Was Tawnyspots going to die? I’ll ask Goosefeather. Please let him make sense this time!”
If you’re even thinking that, that’s not a good sign that said medicine cat should be caring for a probably mortally sick cat.
“She had to know. It was too soon. How could she possibly become deputy when she hadn’t even finished training her first apprentice?”
Oh, I’m really sorry Tawnyspots isn’t dying slowly enough for you, Blue Sue. Does she even spare a thought for how much pain he must be in? Nope.
A few cats are talking to Goosefeather and wondering how Tawnyspots is doing (which automatically makes them better than Blue Sue.)
“Goosefeather’s gaze was heavy with worry. “We’ve tried everything, but nothing helps.” Bluefur flicked her tail. What was Goosefeather trying to tell them?”
This is just a wild guess, but maybe that TAWNYSPOTS IS CUSSING DYING and NOTHING WORKS.
“He recovered last time,” she pointed out. “He wasn’t this sick last time,” Goosefeather countered. “Sunstar will have to think about appointing a new deputy before long.” He stared at Bluefur, his gaze suddenly sharp and excited as a kit’s. Bluefur stiffened. Was this her chance?”
Her chance to be deputy? Dude, you haven’t even finished mentoring Frostpaw. Chillax, firegirl.
“A voice behind her murmured, “Oh, yes, it’s time for me to take Tawnyspots’s place.”
No prizes for guessing who that is.
“Right now, Thistleclaw seemed to be the strongest, most promising cat in the Clan. Would Sunstar choose him to be the next deputy instead?”
I wish.
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Post by cloudbat on Oct 6, 2012 16:56:31 GMT -6
To Celestial: That's probably true. This would've worked much better if there were any sort of buildup, at all. I can think of so many ways this could have been done better.
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Post by cloudbat on Oct 6, 2012 18:10:55 GMT -6
Cats are returning from a Gathering (that Blue Sue did not go to.) Cue news-giving.
“Hailstar lost his ninth life,” she announced. “He was bitten by a rat.” Bluefur sat up. “He’s dead?”
Yes, losing lives generally means one is dead.
Blue Sue is interested because she wants to know who the new deputy is (in case it’s Oakheart) by our good ol’ friend Crookedstar, who of course of is now leader of RiverClan.
Leopardfur says it’s Timberfur.
"Timberfur? But Oakheart is Crookedstar’s brother. How could he overlook him like that?”
Oh I don’t know. Perhaps Timberfur actually does constructive things with his time, instead of stalking random ThunderClanners, and Crookedstar has more than two brain cells to knock together.
Blue Sue angsts about how she avoided going to the Gathering because it would be agony to see the remnants of their one-night stand and to see him and only be able to “share polite conversation.” As opposed to sharing rude conversation?
Oh, there was a fight at the Gathering, Leopardfur informs us. “A new ShadowClan apprentice called Brokenpaw went for two RiverClan apprentices. Oakheart had to break it up.”
Ah, Brokenpaw. Good old…or bad old Brokenstar back when he was a wee tyke. Candidate for the Dumbest Villain of the Year award back when Into the Wild came out.
“He was there! Pain pierced her heart like a thorn. He would have been looking for her. She hoped he understood why she hadn’t gone.”
He was there…? Yay? WHY MUST SHE ANGST OVER EVERYTHING?
Apparently Tigerclaw wanted to join the fight, for reasons indecipherable to me. “Thistleclaw practically had to sit on him to stop him.”
Plush Tigerclaw seats! The must-have for every fashionable ThunderClan warrior this season! Buy yours now at a low rate of 19.99! (Plus shipping and handling.)
Leopard-y keeps chatting, Blue Sue dozes, then Leopard-y says she’s not surprised Blue Sue didn’t come tonight. Blue Sue asks why. Leopard-y asks her if she’s told Sunstar yet.
”Told him what? Blue Sue’s heart began to race.
There’s so much to tell, Blue Sue. There’s so much to tell.
“Told him what?” she asked shakily. Leopardfoot blinked at her. “That you’re expecting kits.” Expecting kits? I can’t be! Bluefur stared at her denmate in horror. How does she know?
Probably magic, or prophecies. There IS a slim chance she found out through observation, but putting faith in such nonsense like that is ridiculous.
“Don’t worry about being nervous.” Leopardfoot brushed her tail along Bluefur’s flank. “It’s natural the first time.”
Probably says nothing good of my mental health that at first read I thought she was referring to the process of making kits and not having them.
“Rosetail was awake now. “Bluefur! You’re having kits? (No, this was a long practical joke.) Why didn’t you tell me?”(Because you’re the biggest gossip in the Clan?)
“I knew there was something going on between you and Thrushpelt. He’ll make a brilliant father.”
Right, their lovely relationship involving Blue Sue totally ignoring him.
“Don’t say anything to him.” She pleaded.”
Good idea, otherwise he’ll just be jealous of whoever actually DID do it with you.
“I’m sorry, she murmured under her breath. Snowfur, Moonflower, forgive me. I never meant for this happen.”
Yes, I can tell by the way you responsibly avoided the situation.
“When morning came she heaved herself from her nest, suddenly aware of the extra weight in her belly. How had she not noticed?”
This magical thing called plot contrivance.
Blue Sue goes to speak with Sunstar to tell him she’s knocked up to ask him if she can be excused from patrols because “she’s not feeling well.”
Oh just come out and say it, you moron. It’s going to be obvious soon anyway.
“Sunstar tilted his head to one side. “Is it something you’ve eaten?”
Yeah, it’s called “stupidity”, and I ate the whole box.
“Maybe.”
Maybe? Oh grow up. PREGNANT. Say it with me. PREGNANT.
Blah, Blue Sue goes out into the forest.
“She sat and looked down at her round belly. Were there really kits growing inside her?”
That, or perhaps alien mutants.
“How would she explain these kits?”
Well, first let’s start with the birds and the bees…
And Oakheart comes along. How convenient. He has two cats with him, but he sends them away. Also convenient.
She tells Oakheart she’s preggers. He’s ecstatic. Why I don’t know. He describes the fact that they’re in different Clans as “a problem.” I’d say it’s a heck of a lot more than that.
“But you can join RiverClan, or I can join ThunderClan. It’s been done before.” “Has it?” Bluefur demanded. “There’s a cat in your Clan – Windflight – whose father was WindClan. Didn’t you know that?”
Apart from his hilariously stupid name, how could she? Also, how the drack does Oakheart know? He isn’t in either Clan.
“Are you sure?” “Yes.” (Again, how does he know?) “So why does no one talk about it?” She snapped. Oakheart shrugged. (Oh come on. It’s not hard to figure out.)”
Because it’s against the warrior code…?
“Bluefur knew why. (Wait what?) “Because if it’s true, they’re all too ashamed. The ThunderClan cats who let Windflight be raised in their camp, the WindClan cats who didn’t claim him as their own. They’d rather forget it. Do you want our kits to grow up like that?”
Oakheart argues he could join ThunderClan, Blue Sue reminds him that he wants to become leader. Oakheart says there are plenty of cats who want to be leader. Blue Sue says she can’t let him give up his dream. One of her very few noble moments in the book.
Oakheart asks her if she’d join RiverClan. She says she can’t, her Clan needs her, she thinks of the prophecy. Oakheart says he needs her too. Blue Sue says he doesn’t, and she’ll raise the kits as ThunderClan. Blah, she tears away from him, he says he’ll always love her.
Barf.
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Post by cloudbat on Oct 6, 2012 18:17:30 GMT -6
Blue Sue begins to walk home, being angsty and remembering how she used to run around with Snowfur. It’s actually quite nice and would make me empathize with her character, but in the shadow of the melodrama that just happened, it doesn’t do much for me.
Then a wild Thrushpelt appears, his “sandy-gray pelt blending with the walls of the frost-burnt bracken.”
Frost. Burnt. Because frost, as a form of ice, burns things. Yes.
Anyway, he asks if Blue Sue is okay and she says she’s just going to camp, but he “gently held his tail up to block her way. “Stop” he ordered.”
…in the naaaaame of love! Before you breaaaaak my heart.
“She looked into his eyes and saw a tenderness that took her by surprise.”
Why does this surprise you? It’s well known that he has a crush on you, for whatever reason. (Presumably the Plot Leash.)
“Rosetail has just congratulated me on becoming a father.” He meowed.”
And I’m very jealous because I didn’t actually do it with you and someone else did.
Blue Sue is all anguished because Rosetail promised not to. Oh no! CONFLICT! Play the organ pipes!
Thrush asks if it’s true that she’s having kits. Bluey is all flustered, saying it was easier when Rose just guessed it was him, but “She couldn’t give anything away.”
Thrush asks her again if she’s having kits. (why? It must be obvious.) No wonder he has a crush on her. He’s so dense she must seem like a genius.
“She waited for him to ask whose they were. Why she’d lied. But he just stood and watched her.”
Because he is still jealous of whoever did it with you.
“At last he spoke. “I’m not going to ask who the father is.” He meowed. “I’m sure there’s a reason why you’ve kept this secret.”
Why yes, it’s called I had sex with a stranger because I’m an irresponsible jerk-bomb.
“I’m sorry it didn’t work out differently.” (Pff, no she’s not. I haven’t seen any feelings of regret from her whatsoever. Liar.) “I-I would have been happy with you, I know. (What? Okay now you’re just flattering him so he’ll be encouraged to keep your secret. I see what you’re doing here.) “But now everything has gone wrong, and I don’t know what to do.” (It’s called be a mom. You made your bed, now lie in it, you absolutely unlikable jerk of a protagonist.)
Thrush says that she can tell the Clan he’s the father if it’ll make things easier. Blue asks him if he’d really do that. He says that she knows how he feels about her, he’ll do his best to make her happy and he’ll love the kits as if they were his own.
Wow. We haven’t seen much of Thrushpelt before, but I respect him a hell of a lot more now than I do Blue Sue. I haven’t seen her do anything even remotely this charitable for anyone else.
I mean sure, her family members (except for her father and Goosefeather) have died, but she hasn’t actually had to make any hard decisions or go through real character development. It’s mostly just been a lot of angsting.
“I-I can’t let you,” she began.
What. Blue Sue, you’ve just been offered something that you don’t deserve in the first place, and you’re DENYING it? I just…qasdfgthgbl…I HATE YOU. DIE.
“Shrieks ripped the air.”
NOES.
Tigerclaw and Thistleclaw “have found a trespasser by the sound of it.” Says Thrushpelt.
I’d wonder how he knows who it is, but it’s not exactly implausible that he wouldn’t.
“Bluefur recognized that yowl. Oakheart!”
Again? Points for persistence, I suppose.
Anyway, Thistleclaw has Oakheart pinned and Tigerclaw is circling. Thistle is macho posturing, threatening to rip Oak’s throat out. Yes Erins, I know he’s evil, you don’t have to hit me on the head with the evil brick to tell me. Again.
Thrushpelt warns that there might be more and goes to get help. Nice to know someone around here has brains.
Blue Sue is horrified as Tigerclaw says he has to punish “This RiverClan filth.” Jeez, what did he ever do to you?
“Staring past him, Bluefur could see blood welling at Oakheart’s throat, turning Thistleclaw’s paws red. (Yes, because killing him so that his Clanmates will want revenge is the perfect solution.) “With a shriek, she surged forward, knocking Tigerclaw off balance. (What. Why? He’s not doing anything.)
“Claws out, she ripped Thistleclaw off Oakheart and flung him aside.”
Way to be obvious, Blue Sue. Also, I love how Thistle has never physically hurt her, but she’s hurt him.
Thistleclaw, instead of being mad about that, is saying it’s not a kit this time, it’s a RiverClanner invading their territory. Got to say, he has a point.
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Bluefur snapped. “What could he do on his own?”
Steal prey, do reconnaissance into your territory…? Really? I mean I know they’re in “love” but I can think of those things and I’m not a ThunderClan warrior.
Thistleclaw says there may be others. Fair point. Speaking of which, where the noun is Thrushpelt? He’s been gone a while.
Blue Sue pleads with them to let him in go in the most obvious way possible. I just…wafsfgbazsx. I give up.
Thistle accuses her of not ever defending the borders, etc, asks her if she knows Oakheart “better than the warrior code allows.” I’d say it’s pretty dang obvious the answer’s yes.
“Of course not.” She spat.”
As if that’s going to convince anyone. Also, it’s real lucky Thrushpelt ISN’T here, so he can’t put it together. How convenient.
Thistle goes into Bloodwrath mode and says ““We must mark our borders with the blood of our enemies.” Spittle bubbled at his mouth.”
You’re gonna need a lot of blood, Thistle. Also, the corpses would start to smell.
And Thrushpelt finally arrives with some other BlunderClanners.
Thistle goes back into sane mode for them. How convenient.
Blue Sue worries about Oakheart on the way back, then thinks of Goosefeather’s words: “Blood lies in his path. Bluefur shivered. She had to warn Sunstar.”
About what, the words of his crazy hobo medicine cat? Yeah, that’s real valid.
But before that, she eats and talks to Thrushpelt, asking him if he really meant his offer. He says yes, she says thank you. Thank God.
Cue Sunstar talk.
Blue Sue begins to complain about Thistleclaw and how ruthless he is, but Sunstar points out that he was just following the code. Point for Sunstar, who says Blue Sue shouldn’t get involved any more border skirmishes. Blue Sue wonders if he doesn’t trust her until:
“Sunstar glanced at her belly. “At least not until after your kits are born.” “You know?” Bluefur gasped.”
It must be pretty dang obvious. Now why Sunstar didn’t notice earlier in the day is most likely something called plot contrivance.
He says he wished he could have made her deputy, but says there’s someone else he can pick and looks at Thistleclaw.
“Thistleclaw couldn’t be allowed to take over ThunderClan. He would destroy them all!”
So ominous. Or it would be if there were any credence to it.
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Post by Grey on Oct 6, 2012 19:44:11 GMT -6
I have been waiting so long for the perfect moment to say this. Notice how Oakheart meows at Bluefur.
Cats only meow to their mothers when they're kittens. Domesticated cats have learned to meow at humans, as we represent substitute parents for them. Feral cats don't meow at each other, because a meow signifies crying for help (food, comfort, warmth, safety, whatever) from its mother.
Can anyone say Oedipus complex? Ehehehehehe.
This is actually true. Frost can be very damaging to many plants. Just one good frost is enough to cause them to die and wither away. Usually the leaves curl up and discolour.
This seems really decent of Thrushpelt. He's definitely one of the better characters in this story so far, if you're looking at morals and ethics, as well as realistic portrayal. The guy's had a never-ending crush on Bluefur (who knows why?) and upon hearing this unfortunate news, he once again leaps into the role he fancies - Bluefur's amour, friend and, I think, he sees himself as a bit of a guardian too. It's remarkable selflessness and humility, because seriously, that really had to hurt.
All's well that ends well, and Thrustpelt has proven himself to be a Good Guy - but what I'm thinking here isn't about Bluefur-Thrushpelt interactions and characterisation, so much as I'm thinking about the relevance of Thrushpelt's offer. There's a major continuity error here, which I suspect has been purposefully overlooked (or maybe just forgotten?) in order to play up drama.
"If a queen does not wish to tell who the father of the kits is to the Clan, that is her choice."
This is from the Warriors Wiki section about queens, canonically from Forest of Secrets. This isn't new; this is old news. I assume this has been, forgive the pun, an unspoken rule since the dawn of time for the clans, so why, all of a sudden, has everyone started becoming nosy?
It's really none of their business who a queen chooses as their mate, apparently. She doesn't have to say. She has the right of silence, as everything she says can and will be taken out of context, turned to filthy rumours and spread all the way to Shadowclan before the next day.
So as noble as Thrushpelt offer may be (and I am actually cynically curious about the actual nobility of it), it's totally unnecessary. That's why I am reading more sinister and self-centred undertones into it, I think. If a queen doesn't have to say, why does Thrushpelt offer?
Three possible reasons. One, because he's worried that Bluefur has been up to mischief (which she has) and doesn't want her to come to any grief because of it. However, Thrustpelt seems a little dense, so I'm not sure about this possibility.
Two, because he assumes that Bluefur doesn't want to out the actual father (maybe she an Thistleclaw are only playing as enemies?) and, because he's always been keen on her, he's more than happy to take credit. If he can't really be Bluefur's mate, the best he can do is pretend it and live vicariously that way. This is actually a really sad thought, and I feel a sort of sympathy for the guy.
And three, and most sinister, he assumes that Bluestar doesn't want to out the father, but rather than being content with playing house with her, he considers his generosity a favour and perhaps expects the sham-relationship with Bluefur to become real as a result, perhaps due to her gratitude. It's what the clan would expect of her, after all; I don't think there are many (or any?) canon examples of cats that have one litter and then break-up. Cats in the clans seem to have a very monogamous set-up.
So it's possible that the audience has been totally played by Thrushpelt, who isn't the Nice Guy he seems. He could be a Bad Samaritan. Just a thought.
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