Post by Ten on Sept 13, 2009 18:53:22 GMT -5
Seems rather insulting to gays. Would Ravenpaw's marginalization have anything to do with this trope?
So I've finished rereading the book and am working on the final chapters, plus a conclusion.
Chapter 16
Alternative Title: Rats Have Bad PR
The cats slipped under a hedge into a cornfield that glowed silver in the moonlight, and followed the ditch that ran around its edge.
Rocks, those can be close to silver. But corn?
He closed his eyes for a moment, savoring the image of the Moonstone that dazzled his mind.
Try not to faint, Bella.
So they're supposed to be in a hurry to get back to camp, but they have time to stop and chat with Barley. He tells them to go a different way to avoid the dogs, but Tigerclaw doesn't trust him.
An earsplitting squeal made Firepaw whip around. Ravenpaw was struggling and clawing at the earth. Something had hold of his leg and was dragging him down into the ditch.
"Rats!" spat Tigerclaw.
"Barley has sent us into a trap!"
Before they could react, all five cats were surrounded. Huge brown rats swarmed out fo the ditch, squeaking shrilly.
While Ten doesn't know much about rat behavior, she has to ask - why are the rats attacking?
Bluestar receives severe injuries from the rats and Barley tries to save her. Then Tigerclaw... no wait. She'll show you.
Tigerclaw leaped on top of Barley and pinned him to the ground. "You sent us into a trap!" he snarled.
"I didn't know the rats were here!" spat Barley, his paws scrabbling in the dust as he struggled to stand up.
"Why did you send us this way?" hissed Tigerclaw.
"The dogs!"
"The dogs were tied when we passed them earlier!"
"The Twoleg unties them at night. They guard his nest," Barley panted, wheezing under the weight of Tigerclaw's massive paws.
"Tigerclaw! Bluestar is injured!" Firepaw burst out
...into song and dance. Right, back to the quote.
Tigerclaw released Barley at once. Barley gt up and shook the dust from his coat. The great warrior bounded over to Bluestar's side and sniffed her wounds.
"Is there anything we can do?" Firepaw asked.
"She is in the hands of StarClan now," meowed Tigerlcaw solemnly, stepping back.
So he has Barley pinned, but when Firepaw told him Bluestar's hurt, he releases him and goes over there only to say that he can't do anything? Did he think he could help her somehow before he saw her? How?
Why is he so suspicious of Barley? What does he think the loner would gain by ousting them? What the heck is his problem? Is he some sort of strawman
Anyway, Bluestar loses a life and they continue on their way to camp.
Messages in This Chapter:
{x} Moonlight can change an object's color. Even if it's corn.
Chapter 17
Alternative Title: Run Run Run Run Run Run Away
...it's from a song.
Firepaw caught hold of a tabby warrior queen, much larger than him, and sank his teeth deep into her leg. She yowled with pain and turned on him, lashing out with sharp claws and lunging at his neck with her teeth bard. He twisted and ducked to avoid her bite. She couldn't match his speed, and he managed to grasp her from behind and pull her down into the dirt. With his strong hind legs he clawed at her back till she squealed and struggled away from him, running headlong into the thick undergrowth that surrounded the camp.
None of the Erins have seen cats fight, have they? They also seem to put a heavy reliance on adversaries being cowards. How much would it take to make Firepaw run away from a fight? But then, that would never happen because Firepaw always wins.
Firepaw glanced around to see that Bluestar had arrived. Despite her injuries, she was fighting another tabby. Firepaw had never seen her fight before, but even wounded, she was a powerful opponent. Her victim struggled to escape but she held him tightly and clawed him so fiercely that Firepaw knew he would bear the scars of this fight for many moons.
Notice he doesn't shudder in awe, disgust, or fear. He's too passive for that.
While Ten understands that Bluestar is brewing with righteous fury, the canon-described victim is struggling to escape. Why doesn't she let him? She should move on and finish the rest of the attackers, not keep shredding a cat who's already defeated. If she's too angry to show mercy or bother with logic, then she has surpassed Firepaw in sociopathy.
Then he saw a white ShadowClan cat with jet-black paws dragging a ThunderClan elder away from the nursery. Firepaw remembered those unusual dark paws from the Gathering. Blackfoot! The ShadowClan deputy made quick work of killing the elder, who had been guarding the kits, and began to reach into the bramble nest with one massive paw.
He sees an elder being "dragged away", and instead of reacting with any sort of horror or anger or rushing to help the poor cat, he identifies Blackfoot. Then he proceeds to watch the elder die at Blackfoot's paws. Having no personal experience with this, Ten can't know for sure, but she's thinking that witnessing a murder - even of someone you don't care about - would induce at least a little trauma. But Firepaw expresses not even the slightest dismay at watching a cat die at the paws of another.
Or is it just because she's old?
Blackfoot had scooped two kits from their bedding already and was reaching in for a third.
He scooped them? What are they, ice cream? Mixed nuts? A cat paw is not a good tool to use when trying to retrieve live kittens. Why didn't he enter the nursery and kill them at once?
Firepaw is being attacked and can't help the kits. After he fights off the tortie (grown warrior?), he rushes to the nursery. Yellowfang is standing over the kits, having protected them from Blackfoot.
Firepaw looked at her as she calmed the helpless kits, and Brokenstar's dire warning about the ShadowClan rogue flashed thorugh his mind. He didn't have time to think about that now. He would have to trust Yellowfang.
Brokenstar has proven to be an enemy and Yellowfang just rescued the kits. How could Firepaw have any doubts about trusting her? Is he that stupid? Ten had been giving him at least a little credit up 'til rereading this bit.
The battle ends, ShadowClan flees, camp is a mess, so on and so forth...
Frostfur wove her way back through the crowd, followed by Yellowfang. The white queen stepped forward and addressed them. "Our kits are all safe, thanks to Yellowfang. A ShadowClan warrior killed brave Rosetail and was trying to steal them from their nest, but Yellowfang fought him off."
For one thing, why would he steal them when he could kill them? Though they could raise stolen kits as ShadowClan warriors, the stealing process itself seems inconvenient. Best to do that after they've won the battle (which of course would not have happened). Or was he trying to create a hostage situation?
"Brave Rosetail" receives but a passing mention. So it's not just Firepaw - the whole Clan doesn't care about her beyond an adjective of acknowledgement.
Good News: Lionheart's dead. By the way, Firepaw's dream was prophetic (of course) meaning it was from StarClan (of course). Narration notes this instead of describing Firepaw's emotions (assuming he would have any) as he hears Graypaw yowl in grief.
"I can't help Lionheart now," she mewed quietly to hm. "He is on his way to join StarClan." She pressed her body against Firepaw's side, and he felt comforted by the touch of her warm fur.
Comforted? It's not like he's the least bit upset. The deputy's death is just another reason to score with Spottedleaf.
Lionheart gets a grieving ritual. Rosetail does not. Sure, Lionheart has a higher rank, but does no one even care that she sacrificed her life?
Everyone thinks Tigerclaw will be the new deputy. Ten's wondering why they look up to him. Muscle mass?
Bluestar took a deep breath and continued. "I say these words before the body of Lionheart, so that his spirit may hear and approve my choice." She hesitated. "I have not forgotten how one cat avenged the death of Redtail and brought his body back to us. ThunderClan needs this fearless loyalty even more now."
Why did she add that he returned the body? How is that fearless or loyal? Also, considering Tigerclaw's brute strength, there's not much for him to be afraid of besides glittering rocks. And what other option would he have? A warrior who fights for his Clanmates should be normal, not singled out as if unusual. Or would most other ThunderClanners have betrayed the Clan in the same situation?
As Tigerclaw approaches the Highrock, he accept tributes. Did the Erins mean to say "compliments", or... did someone build him a shrine? During the crowd's yowling (Ten can't imagine what a yowl "of approval" would sound like considering what a yowl is), Ravenpaw spills the beans: Tigerclaw killed Redtail. So... now what? Of course this is important information, but it doesn't hint at much direction as far as plot goes - and by that Ten means, what can Firepaw do about it? ...Be worried?
Messages in This Chapter
{x} The Elderly Are Not Important
Chapter 18
Alternative Title: Deception and Delinquency are Qualities of a Supposed Hero
"Are you telling Firepaw how I protected Redtail?"
Firepaw felt a cold shiver ruffle the fur on the back of his neck.
Ravenpaw whipped around, eyes wide with fear. Tigerclaw loomed over them, his lips drawn back in a menacing snarl.
Firepaw jumped up and faced the new deputy. "He was just saying he wished you had been here to take care of Lionheart as well, that's all!" he mewed, thinking quickly.
Liar.
And yes, Ten acknowledges that some of you may consider this a justified lie. However, not only has Firepaw proven himself able to avoid direct answers in the past (meaning he could have come up with something to say that wasn't a lie, while not stating the full truth) but there's also the question of, why did he lie at all? What's Tigerclaw going to do, kill them in front of the whole Clan? They should make an announcement right there, right now. Why don't they? Again, keeping quiet out of fear does not make sense in this scene, for the Clan would not stand by and let Tigerclaw attack them without at least demanding an explanation.
At another meeting, Bluestar makes an announcement.
"And now, I wish to invite Yellowfang to join ThunderClan."
See? She was never a prisoner, but a guest. Captors don't "invite" prisoners to do anything unless they're not serious or they're doing the Bond Villain thing.
On page 204, Yellowfang is glad that Firepaw has come to see her, solidifying this example of moral #2.
"I wanted to check that you were all right," Firepaw mewed.
"Old habits stay longer than old scents, eh?" meowed Yellowfang with a flash of her old spirit.
How is that exhibiting her "old spirit"? ...wait, "old"? Did she move on to a new spirit? Ten didn't notice that her old one had gone anywhere.
"I'm not surprised Bluestar asked you to join the Clan," he purred. "You certainly showed your loyalty last night."
Yellowfang twitched her tail. "Perhaps a truly loyal cat would have fought at the side of the Clan that raised her."
"But then I'd be fighting for my Twolegs!" Firepaw pointed out.
Yellowfang shot him an admiring glance. "Well said, youngster. But then, you have always been a thinker."
Ten's sister came into her room and asked her why she was laughing.
"Before you go, Firepaw, I hear you were in a right fight. Did they draw blood?"
"It's okay, Spottedleaf has treated my wounds with marigold."
"Sometimes marigold is not strong enough for rate bites. Go and find a patch of wild garlic to roll in. I think there's some not far from the camp entrance. That will draw out any poisons the rats may have left."
Rats have poisons?
If you argue that the cats have no other word for the way rats spread disease, Ten has another question - rats can spread diseases to humans, yes, due to biological similarities, but can rats spread diseases to cats? Note that's not counting the standard wound infections.
Firepaw heads out of camp for some garlic.
"Where do you think you're going?" growled a voice from the shadows. It was Darkstripe.
"Yellowfang told me to go out and - "
"You don't take orders from that rogue!" hissed the warrior. "Go and help with the repairs. No cat is to leave the camp tonight!" He lashed his tail from side to side.
"Yes, Darkstripe," Firepaw mewed, dipping his head submissively. He turned and muttered "Dirtstripe!"
Brat.
Firepaw could've called her "the medicine cat" in the first place and avoided the original objection. Even after that, though, he had options. He could've explained that he needs to collect garlic for his own health, or even say "for the medicine cat". If Darkstripe objected to that, he could fetch Spottedleaf, and if Darkstripe still objected, he could've fetched Bluestar. If he objected even then, Bluestar could kick Darkstripe's butt out of the Clan. This is much more effective and far less obnoxious than calling him names under one's breath. But no, Firepaw decides to try sneaking out again later.
He had resented Darkstripe's offhand treatment and welcomed the chance to outwit him.
Though he's still nothing more than an ex-pet apprentice, he thinks he deserves a high amount of respect from his superiors. Plus he's loving an excuse to break the rules. This is not good, folks.
Once he's out of camp, he overhears Tigerclaw conversing with Darkstripe and Longtail, telling them that Ravenpaw is a traitor.
Tigerclaw was the Clan deputy, a great warrior, and popular with all of the other cats.
Ten's been wondering, why is he popular? He doesn't seem eloquent or amiable or funny or anything else Ten has observed to make one popular. So what is it, his muscles? Is that all people want in a leader? Ten would compare Tigerclaw to Governor Schwarzenegger at this point, but that'd be out of place, as even Schwarzenegger has more than brawn going for him.
Note that this is nearing the end of the book before something close to a plot congeals.
Morals and Messages in This Chapter:
#2 gentle greetings are bad
{x} Rat Are Poisonous
Chapter 19
Alternative Title: Everybody Was Kung Fu Fighting
Graypaw appears to be in pain. Firepaw offers to get him some poppy seeds and Graypaw refuses, but Firepaw goes to Spottedleaf anyway.
She was pacing her small clearing, her eyes clouded with unhappiness.
"Are you okay?" Firepaw asked.
"The spirits of StarClan are restless. I think they are trying to tell me something," she replied, flicker her tail uneasily.
So why can't they? In the later books, Tigerclaw is able to appear in reality from the Dark Forest. Is StarClan not even as powerful as that?
"I sense they want me to tell you this now. They said only fire can save our Clan."
Why only fire?
Despite his blatant name, Firepaw doesn't get it. While it's in character for him to be stupid, it's out of character for him not to think of himself. If his prefix had been Flame instead of Fire, or if StarClan had said "Only burning light of high wavelength can save the Clan", or something else to make the two words different, then Ten might cut him some slack, but that's not the case.
Firepaw has a perfect chance to tell Bluestar about Tigerclaw but doesn't. Instead, during their training session Bluestar whops his butt and yet can't stop giving him compliments near every time she speaks. It's not like his ego needs feeding. A diet would do him good.
"Interesting strategy, but your eyes betrayed where you were aiming," growled Bluestar as she stood up and shook of the dust from her thick coat.
Cat eyes are unlike human eyes. Their irises do not turn like ours. If something is outside their view, they have to turn their whole head - wave something in front of a human's face and their eyes will move; wave something in front of a cat and its head will move.
He raised a paw and swiped at her left ear. She ducked to avoid his strike and reared up, towering over him. Quickly Firepaw rolled onto his back, slithered beneath her her body, and in one fast movement kicked both his back legs upward into her belly. Bluestar was flung backward and fell onto the sandy earth with a loud grunt.
Ten has to be picturing this wrong. She has to be.
Messages in This Chapter
Friends Don't Let Friends Lay Off The Pain Killers
{x} Cats Have Human Eyeballs
