The New Prophecy Kit Saves
Since I'm making the Journey to the Lake much less dangerous and looking to make background characters generally more interesting, I'm un-killing these three ShadowClan cats.
Others might die in their place; but I'm more likely to kill ThunderClan cats as opposed to ShadowClan ones. Those deaths will occur mostly during the Forest's destruction and the WindClan civil war, and kill adult warriors.
Smokepaw -> Smokefoot
The cat who slipped during the climb across the mountains is Smokefoot. The fall injured him, but didn't kill him. The Clans decided to stay with the Tribe until Smokepaw healed, taking the opportunity to gather supplies.
(Side note: I wanted to call him Smokefall for irony, then I realized Smokefoot already exists so it's better to just combine the two.)
Marshkit -> Marshwing
Thanks to popular vote, Marshkit will not die offscreen to a fox trap! He is the kit saved from an eagle by Brackenfur, and he will become a respected warrior named Marshwing, mentored by Oakfur. He eventually goes on the beaver quest in early OotS, and is a serious but dry-humored cat.
Birchfall and Marshwing are the mentors of Dovepaw and Tigerpaw (aged down to match Dove), and both of them secretly miss the connection they had back during the journey.
Applefur, meanwhile, is motivated to train in the Dark Forest out of jealousy for Marshwing. Toadkit is also likely not going to survive to apprenticeship in Marshwing's place, either dying during the destruction of the forest or dying to Marshkit's fateful fox trap.
Talonpaw -> Talonclaw
Being saved by follower request!
His death wasn't really needed, because the vicious kittypets Jacques and Susan didn't need to end his life to prove themselves as a threat. That whole situation is going to get retooled anyway; there was no reason for ThunderClan to get involved.
With Smokepaw surviving, he was able to save Talonpaw from the attack; with both of them coming out injured but alive. As Rowanclaw's first apprentice, Talonclaw will be useful as a supporter of his during his leadership, and the fall of ShadowClan in AvoS.
(I'm unsure if Talonpaw and Smokepaw will become brothers, or mates. I'll decide that once fully committing to a rework of the ShadowClan family tree for Po3.)
