Disclaimer: I, KatieK101, do not own Warriors.
Five Truths About Brindleface
i.
Brindlekit is only four moons old when she realizes that Frostkit will be beautiful.
She is an apprentice when she finally realizes that her beauty will never compare to her littermate's.
ii.
It does not matter that she is not pretty, because she is a skilled hunter and climber. ThunderClan will admire her for her skills, and that will be enough.
At least, that is what she used to tell herself.
Now she only watches longingly as Whitestorm compliments her beautiful sister.
iii.
She decides to prove herself by doing what no other ThunderClanner would dare: catch a fish.
Ultimately, she nearly drowns and must be rescued by ThunderClan's newly-minted deputy, Redtail.
His whiskers twitch in amusement, not anger, and she doesn't realize until later that he gazed at her the same way that Whitestorm gazes at Frostfur.
iv.
One moon later, Redtail is her best friend.
Two moons later, Redtail is her mate.
v.
"She's pretty," Sandpaw comments one day, watching Spottedleaf from afar. Her voice is laced with a hint of longing.
Brindleface remembers her youth and the time she wasted comparing her beauty to her sister's, and she is determined that her daughter will not repeat her mistakes.
She licks Sandpaw's cheek and says, "beauty isn't everything, Sandpaw. You're very fast, and the Clan will love you for it… promise me that one day, you'll be the fastest warrior in ThunderClan?"
Sandpaw is barely six moons old, but she already has more ambition than her mother ever did; Brindleface suspects it comes from her father. "Okay," she chirps happily, green eyes glowing. "I promise!"
I honestly feel like this doesn't do Brindleface much justice, and I wish I could have mentioned something about her death in the original arc, but once she learns to love herself (with Redtail's support) I think her story would come full circle. I'll probably write a longer one-shot about her one day because I was always fond of her.
Brindleface was requested by Valeska'sgirl.