Spiderpaw learns about the birds and the bees

Because that is totally what this chapter was all about. fo' serious.

I'm really sorry this took so long, since I try to update once a week and it's been two. I was kinda burnt out after December (during which I updated much more quickly than normal) and I've been crunched for time, too...plus I've been suddenly flooded with a whole bunch of delicious ideas for my next fic (which I think will be titled Thin Ice...it's a more refined version of the idea that I had for a story about Scourge, the one on my profile) which has meant that my inspiration for Chilled has waned a bit. No worries, though, I'll try to plug away as diligently as ever.

Anywho~

@Sara Darkotter: I feel this way about most of my characters, tbh. Even the bad ones are difficult for me to entirely hate ('cept Blight, he's stone-cold ebil)...and I do find her issues to be intruiging.

@Spottedstream: Yup c:

@ReploidCat: Yep, Brightstar's a piece of work! As for Chilly, it does seem odd that he isn't just telling her what she wants to hear...I wonder why that might be...winkwink.

@The Last Clan: Perhaps! But Brightstar is much too prideful to let anything so embarrassing slip (being the illegetiamate child of a queen and a rogue is bad enough!) so Sootpaw might never hear such a thing. As for the prophecy, we've only heard bits and pieces of it. Bluepaw's being rather clingy, and so far she and Shimmerfrost appear to be the only ones with the full scoop.

@?: You didn't list your name, so unfortunately I can't address you, but I found your review to be interesting. While I agree with the slow pace (mostly because I am setting up plot points that will collapse like dominoes in my mad scheme of chaos and destruction and character development and awesome...which isn't really an excuse, but it's all I've got!) some of the other parts of your review confuse me. I'm sorry, but I can't really see Sootpaw as a Sue. I ran her through several supposed-sue-tests, and she came out just fine, and I don't honestly think that she embodies any of the core aspects of being a Sue. She isn't incredibly popular, she's not gifted at hunting or fighting (or any combination thereof |D), she doesn't have a dozen lovers following her around (unlike Spiderpaw and his harem, ehheh...), she doesn't receive special attention from the adults (positive or negative). Her only Sue-boon would be her special dreams, but she really doesn't like them at all, and if I was in her position, I wouldn't either; dreaming of evil dead cats and failed journeys isn't really my idea of fun...not to mention that she can't tell anyone for fear of being ostracized (because, come on, if someone came out and told the Clan they were aiding the cat that attempted to murder their leader, how mcuh do you want to bet the Clan would turn on them?). Plus, her father's position really has nothing to do with her. She's proud of him, but she doesn't receive any special privileges. He's too busy to be a good father for her (he broke his promise to show her the territory, remember) and he punishes her as he would any other kit, not to mention that she doesn't even have a mentor (and is pretty hampered by this, compared to the other cats she's with). I don't really see how her decision to go on the journey had anything to do with her father or her acting spoiled, and she's not at all like Squirrelpaw. Squirrelpaw was bold, outspoken, and completely unafraid of adventure or ridicule, whereas Sootpaw is much more timid and awkward.

As for Jaggedclaw and Bramblethorn...I'm honestly not sure what to say. I'm sorry you don't like Jag being crippled, I guess, but in the end it was my decision. I was tired of having every character get off completely scot-free, and I wanted to experiment with characters who didn't have the bonuses of being able-bodied warriors, not to mention that it's taking Jag's character in an interesting direction. As for Bramblethorn, his death was decided the moment that certain characters came into being (said characters were introduced waaay back in Chapter 33 of Shattered, but I knew they would exist well before that). I'm not quite sure if many of you realize just how far back I had certain things planned out. I had some major, major plotpoints already staked out halfway through Shattered, even though some of them haven't yet made themselves obvious. Bramblethorn's death was not the result of a so-called "Bus Crash" (for non Tropers, a "bus crash" is a term for when a character no longer has a purpose on the show and has to be written off; more specifically, it is when a character is written off by dying, such as Kutner's suicide on House). Bramblethorn was fated to die well before Shattered ended. His death set off two separate chains of events (one of which was Chillpaw being named a warrior, which has in turn spurred almost all of Chilled's plot!) that will become quite evident very soon.

I realize some parts of this reply are cryptic, but I honestly cannot say much more without releasing quite a few spoilers, and no one wants that. If you could explain your feelings a bit further (specifically on Sootpaw's Sue-tendancies, your issues with Jag being crippled, and why you disliked Bramble's death) I would appreciate it.

@Nightkill: Awesome in a terrible snubby way, yes. |D

Brightstar's Erotic Fantasy Pt. I

What an eye-catching title. I would totally name the latest chapter this if it had anything to do with the story and also if I still named chapters. I kind of miss doing that, actually; finding a few words to sum up chapters is kinda hard, but also kinda fun. Maybe in my next story I will.

Anyway! As promised, some explaining of Brightstar's sin. Pride is pretty straightforward; Brightstar is haughty and full of herself and completely convinced that she is always in the right and can basically do no wrong. Hers is a selfish sort of pride, though, in that she isn't so proud of her Clan, only of herself and what she has shaped her Clan into. Pride is the sin most commonly featured in literature, such as in works like Paradise Lost. Because of that, I didn't want to focus on Pride too much; it's been done by other authors much more talented than myself. This is why Brightstar, although a leader and the eldest cat, is ultimately a background character amongst the DF cats. As much as she hates it, Chilly and Blight are the ones calling the shots. She's only really relevant when she's causing a fuss, and this of course does little to humble her.

Some of the names of the DF cats are little jokes; Swiftshade for the laziest of the bunch, for example. Shrew's name is also a joke (although I won't say why just yet) and Dapplefern has a joke pertaining to her appearance/sin. Brightstar was the exception; I chose her just because I'm really fond of the name and it kinda popped into my head. It wasn't until I was doing some research for a school project that I remembered Lucifer, who is referred to as the brightest angel (and whose name also deals with the Morning Star), was the greatest victim of pride/hurbris. So lil miss Brightstar's name turned out to be a joke after all, albeit an accidental one. :p

Anyway, enough of my rambling. To the reviews~

@Sara Darkotter: If it was a LOTR quote, it was an unintentional one. I've only read The Hobbit all the way through the end, and I must confess that I'm not really fond of the books. I've never seen the movies, either. |D

@The Last Clan: Yep, it was an exciting chapter for lil Blackpaw! As for her warriorship, we'll see how she does facing off against Leopardpaw. The good thing about Chilly visiting Soot in her dreams instead of dragging her out to the DF is that it means her mind is actually getting some rest, so she should be less tired.

@Nightkill: Swanpaw can kick ass when she's not being a big jerkface. :p

@Zerala: Who doesn't love those kinds of characters? Silly people, that's who!

@Tangleflame: Thanks :)

@Spongestar: I read all of my reviews, and appreciate every single one! I started reading the Warriors series in the fifth grade as well, so I can definitely relate. The first series always made me so excited whenever a new book came out (which was good, cuz my fifth grade sucked |D). Thank you so much, and I'm really glad that I could inspire you! I'm sure your fic will be amazing~

@Nightkill: You don't like Leopardpaw? Gaaaasp. It's understandable since she can be a jerk, but from a writer's perspective she's one of my favorites because she's so fun to write for. Leopardpaw doesn't have any limits when it comes to what she feels like saying, which is awesome. c:

@Sharkfin: Thank you :)

@Nightkill: TLK <33 Bluh, I wish we would get a big snow. I think so far it's snowed about two inches? Probably less than that, since we've only had one decent snow and it barely managed to coat my driveway. Mega sadness. :cc

Will there be a Brightstar's Erotic Fantasty Pt. II?? Stay tuned!
(no there will not this title is silly and i am ashamed of it)