#issue 40

THEY AREEEEE.

Thank you! It's meant to evoke that quiet, still shellshocked fallout from a devastation like this one. And of course, the night always ends, and you always emerge into a new day.

I did intend for Issue 40's cover to have an uncanny sensation, similar to the feeling when you look at a corpse that has been prepared for viewing or burial. An artificially happy layer plastered over death.

NOOO THE BOY IT’S NOT YOUR FAULT!! YOU SAVED THEM WITH THE POWER OF NOTHING REMEMBER???? AGH

had to take a biiig pause at the rainhaze slugpelt panels. geez. the emotions make them stop

NOO BLACKNOSE DOESN’T KNOW?? DON’T MAKE DAFFY THE ONE TO TELL NOOOOOOOO

strange way for them to reconnect, but hopefully plum and bee can take this time to work together and get over their differences!!

GOOOD THE EGRETTAIL STUFF. glad we could get closure on them, i loved the little stuff we got from their relationship, and egrettail seeing her like another kit she took in?? aaaa… egrettail ily

LET’S GOOOO REDSTAR TIME!!!! FUCKING GET COOTSTORM!!!!! byebye loser time for us to book it!

oMG NIGHTBERRY KNEW??? AHHHHHH. that makes me wonder.. did cypressfoot die and just.. close her eyes, accept it?

i’ve broken into a million pieces and glued myself together. so many emotions all in one package. ty

Believe me, if I could've spared more of those cats, they would've been on the chopping block.

Unfortunately Pinepaw now has some big Survivor's Guilt and PTSD splashes to deal with, which sadly won't be going away for a very long time. Poor boy.

Well, Blacknose does know, in a sense. But dementia often causes people to forget about deaths of a loved one, especially after such a traumatic event.

We're gonna get into a lot of Nightberry lore in the next issue. But while Cypressfoot did try to fight the foxes, she wasn't surprised when felt teeth around her throat. Only pain, and fear, and sadness.

Also Rainhaze's flowers being asphodels is so fitting - the murder of his niece was the moment of no return for him; in a sense, he signed his death warrant in that moment - both metaphorically and literally.

Egrettail going to Asphodelpaw's grave and apologising - Egrettail deserves to never lose people again, ever. I love that she still feels responsible for not telling the rest of the clan or having a talk with Cormorantpaw about the clan sooner - she did her best, and it still wasn't quite enough.

Blacknose broke my heart! Blackmallowerget you will always be famous. Tragic OT3s my beloved

Also Plumstripe and Beeface! "How does it get that bad between siblings?" and the uncomfortable realisation. Of course, their situation is completely different from Rainhaze and Slugpelt - which in a way makes their relationship worse, because the latter two ended up like that after bodies hit the floor. (Oh Asphodel 😢)

I do think were Rain to choose differently and come back with his niece, Slugpelt would still have complicated feelings about whole mother-murdering, would be angry at him even, but it wouldn't end with her killing him.

Also Redpelt made up her mind! She will lead her family out of here no matter what it takes! I wonder if Cootstorm will really choose to stay alone there - or if someone else will also stay behind.

Nightberry-Cypressfoot and Pinepaw-Cormorantpaw being what ends and begins this update... Cormorant just letting Pinepaw cry on his shoulder. Cypressfoot-from-the-flashback being so gentle with Nightberry!..

Cypressfoot saying she doesn't regret a moment with her!! That she's sorry she might leave Nightberry alone!!! Nightberry calming down once she remembers this.....

Love this, love all of this so much!