#bb!lionblaze

Vanilla Womanbeam or DELUXE SPECIALTY WOMANBEAM. Ideally, I'm thinking Tgirl Lionessblaze.

Especially with the trinary sense of gender, I like the idea of Lionpaw's struggle in BAB and its version of PO3 having a more direct conversation with the way that gender nonconformity is punished more harshly than transness in Vowcat Culture... and also the way that Ashfur's abuse is then compounded by factors of sexism, dedication to tradition, AND personal vendetta against both of the most important adult mollies in Lion's life.

Ashpaw helped to bury Ferncloud's victim, Fury, in his older sister Elderberry's grave. Elderberry is dead because of Willowpelt scheming with her. Working with outsiders.

It's not just Ashfur hating Squirrelflight for rejecting him in BB/BAB. It's also Lionpaw growing closer to Willowpelt, the Head of Hunting, who only got that position back after Cricketclaw's untimely death during the destruction of the forest.

To Ashfur, it's like Willowpelt hasn't been punished enough for what she did. She never could be. Even though he HATES his apprentice, he also boils with JEALOUSY that Lionpaw admires her. Wants to be like her. Might even become a secondary apprentice to her and take over that very valuable position.

Bullying Lionpaw for ever expressing interest in being a girl is useful to him-- and that's something often left out of stories about bullies. The way that ANYTHING useful, ANY trait they can get away with leveraging, is what they target.

Molly-gendered ("Yaow" in Clanmew) cats are also expected to be argumentative and perform a lot of camp-related activities. Ashfur can easily malgender Lionpaw with this. Keep her in camp (limiting how much hunting experience she gets) practicing battle moves because she's "interested in it," while also punishing her for "backtalk" when self-advocacy is expected from mollies.

Po3 has a LOT of opportunities to explore this theme with its "episodic" format, so with BAB's newfound freedom and the fact I'd like to bring a lot more of my worldbuilding into the plots themselves, it feels like it would be a shameful waste if I didn't make Lionessblaze trans.

That said.

Can you all promise to be normal about the fact BAB!Lionessblaze is going to be inheriting intersex traits from her biological mother, Leafpool.

We need to come together for a minute and acknowledge that ALL women, trans and cis, can go bald. ALL people can go bald. As many as 25% of cis women will experience hair loss, and that number tends to be higher for intersex and trans women. You do not understand how incredibly attached I am to Lionessbald. I do not care how small you think this hill is, I WILL die on it.

You will never stop me from portraying hairy women. Hairy women and balding women are a fucking axiomatic value to me, do you understand? I will PERSONALLY shear you like a sheep, TOP TO BOTTOM, if you even THINK about trying to be transmisogynistic about Lion's beautiful bald head.

You WILL kiss the beautiful bald head like the ring of a queen. This is a THREAT.

Built up to use his power to face the legions of the Dark Forest, only to realize that the best way to protect everyone would be to divide himself into pieces. Claws pulled to make weapons. Hide tanned to act as armor.

I will humor this. Please make your case for why Lionessblaze, keeping in mind:

S/he's got football jock energy

I need more MLM couples (especially healthy ones) and Toad/Lion is one of my big ones

If I fire the Woman Beam too often the entire cast will be women because i like giels too much

There's this little pearl of a theme hidden in the Ripwater Episode, if you look carefully; abuse acts on people in insidious but subtle ways.

It's Mistystar who's defensive of asking for help or admitting a problem, thinking of what she did to Leopardstar and also repeating cultural sentiment that once victimized her herself.

It's Squirrelflight shouting at her daughter for acting like she used to, because she's spent some years being yelled at in a similar way

It's Hollypaw who isn't allowed to enjoy her achievement of saving Otterpaw's life or lean into how much she has in common with Lakepaw, because she's ashamed of how she did something "wrong" by snooping

And lastly, it's Lionpaw, who's starting to believe the vicious comments that Ashfur says about him. I referenced Willowpelt partially for the sweet little irony of him teaching her recipe to her unknown grandson, Ripplepaw, but ALSO because Ashfur is starting to isolate him.

Willowpelt is the Head of Hunting, currently, a position that Lionblaze is going to succeed her in. I don't think Ashfur is playing 4D chess quite yet, but there's a couple of little motivations knocking around in Ashfur's heart for why he's nasty whenever Lionpaw interacts with her;

Ashfur hates Willowpelt, because of the events from Ferncloud's Parting. He isn't aggressive to her directly, but he does spread rumors and slander whenever possible, happy to remind others of her exile.

Lionpaw getting close to Willowpelt will annoy him. Ashfur both hates and resents his apprentice, but also feels POSSESSIVE of him. He feels like Willowpelt will "steal" what's his.

A simple but hard truth; Ashfur wants Lionpaw to hurt. Maybe Ashfur sees it in his head like "telling the hard truth" or "toughening his apprentice up," but when he makes those malicious little comments, makes him recoil with hurt, it feels righteous.

Similar to canon, BB!Brambleclaw wasn't a great father. I like him a lot as a character, his ego fascinates me.

Jayfeather

Of all his siblings, I think Jay was the 'wisest' in regards to Bramble. He kinda saw his reaction coming, or, was the least surprised by it. Probably because Bramble was never as prideful about him as he was about his two young prodigies.

All Jay's life, people are coming up with their ideas of him and refusing to let him change their minds. Brambleclaw was no different. Jaykit becomes Jaypaw, training under grunckle Longtail to become Jayfang, and then eventually earning an Honor Title as Jayfeather. At no point in this process did Brambleclaw stick up for him, in fact, Longtail filled that role more than Bramble did.

Longtail was the one who fought for him, challenged him when he was repeating the Clan's tune, taught him that his limits are drawn by HIS body, not where everyone else says they are. Brambleclaw...

He wasn't distant but he wasn't present in that process, either. He rarely talks about Jay as an individual-- he's spoken about in terms of the other two 'looking out' for him. He let him wander in the safe beech patch just above the camp with Poppykit when he was old enough, but Squilf was equally involved in that decision.

Forgotten middle child energy. Brambleclaw could be approached but rarely went out of his way for Jay. He could be a source of comfort but they weren't close. It didn't make the public disowning hurt any less, though.

Lionblaze

He was so proud to be Brambleclaw's son. Lionblaze adored both of his parents, all he ever wanted to do was to make them happy. There was a time where he felt like the strength in his claws was because of his blood in his veins.

Then he was given to Ashfur as an apprentice.

He was BRUTAL. Lionpaw knew he had a lot of potential to live up to, but he didn't know that training would be this hard and painful. He didn't know that what was happening to him wasn't normal... and Brambleclaw was the only one who had been told about it.

He did nothing. Ashfur had "explained everything" to him, buttered him up about how Strong his son was, how Proud he should be, how much like him Lionpaw was turning out. When he heard the same story again from the perspective of Lionpaw and Hollypaw, he ended up shrugging it off.

Lionpaw walked away thinking that you're supposed to suffer for strength. Not even that he "deserved" to suffer; no, he thinks that you don't have gain without pain. This is an expected part of life, and one day, he will be the very strongest in ThunderClan.

Going to the Tribe later taught him something else; that the point of strength is using it to protect others. So if you must suffer to be strong, and being strong means giving that to other people... what's left for you?

When Brambleclaw disowned them, Lionblaze IMMEDIATELY realized that this is why Squirrelflight lied. To protect him. he's obsessed with this, protecting his Clan. His love and respect for Brambleclaw soured with pain. If he has any left for Brambleclaw, it's hidden deep down.

He HAS no father. He has a mother. He looks Brambleclaw in the eyes and spits, "That's all I've ever had."

Hollyleaf

She was always the most promising of the Three. Apprentice of the deputy Brackenfur, Firestar's honored grandchild, daughter of two members of the Sundrown Patrol. Holly was forging alliances in other Clans as soon as she'd changed her career path.

She was very close to Brambleclaw. He spoke very highly of Holly and Lion, always seemed to 'have their backs,' at least in Holly's eyes. He used to tell her that she had to be an example for her brothers, and help him keep them in line.

And that extended to Lionpaw's Abuse. She learned it is necessary to hurt the ones you love to protect them in the future. She was taught that she is the most mature of her siblings and is therefore responsible for them.

He turned on her just like he turned on her brothers, but she was quick to accept this, turning her hatred on Leafpool and Squirrelflight. No more lies, no more Codebreakers.

After her 100-year-long timeout, she was shocked to come back to Bramblestar being the only one being petty. At first she was even a bit relieved, believing that at LEAST he was still holding her accountable for her horrible deeds in Cruel Season. That would have been cathartic-- it's nothing compared to what she did to the Kinships of the Lake, but it's some consequences from a living cat. Any consequences.

But... it's not about anything she did wrong. She stepped out of the tunnels to living, weeping family who missed her as much as she missed them. Their actions are based on love and yearning. Bramble's are just based on being fucking mad at his ex-wife.

Everyone thought she was dead and he can't take a break from giving Squirrelflight the Cold Shoulder long enough to welcome his daughter back like a father would. His greeting is the same as any other leader welcoming a warrior back after they've been gone for a while.

For @jus-a-lil-mouse who requested a good helping of Lionblaze.

[ID: BB!Lionblaze. The older version of him is slightly balding, is fat, and has duller colors. His younger version is grinning and tapping his chest.]

The man who is both large and in-charge. Head of the Patrollers, respected, connected, a senior warrior with a short temper and sharp claws. He pretended to be straight to raise two daughters. He is disowned by his oldest. He always finds himself in the way of good food. He threatened to kill his grandson. He's a California Girl. He's a mama's boy. THE icon.

A major change in BB is that Lionblaze is the father of Dovewing and Ivypool this time around! While his POV in Po3 is reduced, he still has a really important arc about strength, protection, and the meaning of Clan life.

For a good summary of BB!Po3 and BB!Cruel Season, come check out his sister Hollyleaf. Also take a look at one of his adopted daughters, Ivypool.

Design Stuff:

I plan to revisit his younger form again in the future so that he looks more like an anime protagonist. Tentatively considering making the younger version 'fire' themed and the older version 'smoke' themed.

The mane was not a natural feature; it was part of his powers! He's losing it along with his super strength.

You'll recognize that stripe if you've seen his maternal great-grandpaw, Runningwind. It's on Leafpool, too!

That tail tuft is a gift from his biodad, Crowfeather.

I want the vibe of a hotshot young sportsball player 20 years after retirement, now settled down and babysitting his grandkids.

Trivia:

He's very passionate and quick to anger, but also has a silly and fun-loving side. There's a time to be serious and a time to relax.

His role in Po3 is shortened, but still important. His arc is mostly resolved in the reworked Tribe Visit, and set up for OotS to come. (Note: I need to write a new post for the Tribe's reduxed culture)

His mate is Toadstep, and his rival is Berrynose. Toadstep is usually holding him back from pummeling the juice out of Berrynose.

Spiderleg almost crunched his own son in the Great Battle while fighting for the Dark Forest. Lionblaze has been tense with him ever since, believing he should have been exiled.

His relationship with Toadstep in the past has been complicated. He had to raise the girls with Cinderheart so both their bioparents (Poppy and Jay) would always be able to access them, which once made Toad feel like Lion was spoken for.

Lion encouraged Ivypool to train in the Dark Forest and keep it secret, and pressured Dovewing to live up to the prophecy and put ThunderClan above all. His relationship with Ivypool is mending. With Dovewing, it is not.

I wrote about fatness in Clan culture already, Lion's weight is a sign of respect and connection. He's an accomplished hunter and his Clanmates are usually giving him samplings of their meals.

In terms of stats, Lionblaze continues to be one of ThunderClan's strongest warriors even after he loses his powers. This is mainly because he is vicious and cats of other Clans tend to be afraid of him.

He gets injured a LOT more these days though.

Lion's reputation with other clans is very bad. He actually resents this, particularly because it was Bramblestar who commanded the fight that Russetfur was killed in, which was where he got the title 'murderous rogue.'

He REALLY does not like Bramblestar. Both as a leader, and as a person. Being publicly disowned and seeing your mom demoted and ferociously shamed for a year will do that.

Squirrelflight is his mother. He has no father.

...Breezepelt can be his brother, if he wants, though. Complicated friendship that he wants to rekindle from simpler days.