Warriors: What If?

Crookedstar

WARNING: Contains spoilers for Crookedstar's Promise

What if Crookedstar had never broken his jaw? What if he had gone on to live a normal life of a warrior?

Well, to start, we wouldn't be referring to him as Crookedstar. For now, let's call him Stormkit and start from the beginning.

So, in the start of the story, Stormkit and Oakkit were playing on the stepping stones. Let's say that he just fell in. So, Stormkit falls in the water and gets a scare. Oakkit tries to save him, but he manages to summon a warrior in time. They drag the gasping Stormkit out and onto land.

Well, he wasn't hurt in the water, but I bet the psychological burden of knowing that you might drown any second is quite heavy. Because his attention wasn't on the broken jaw, Stormkit was able to focus on the terror of being in the water, helpless. So, like Leopardstar, he is a drypaw and is scared of the water now.

Stormkit is praised by his mother heavily, like he was before breaking his jaw, and Oakkit is the one left behind. They are both made apprentices, and no one notices Stormpaw's growing troubles with the water for quite some time, until they learn to swim, of course.

Stormpaw would refuse to get in the water, and when he was forced to, he became immobile with fear. Finally Cedarpelt (his mentor) would drag him out and ask what's wrong. Stormpaw would tell him how much he hated the water, and his mentor would probably leave him alone at first about.

They could continue to learn to fish, learn to fight, and grow up, but instead of Stormpaw loosing all of his mother's attention, Oakpaw would be the suffering one. He would be left behind and forgotten, and Mapleshade would visit him. 

And because Stormpaw wasn't in the camp to defend Willowkit and Graykit from the hawk, they were taken and killed.

Stormpaw wouldn't have his future mate or his bond with his brother. Oakpaw's bitterness would grow stronger and stronger as he watched his bigger, better brother grow up in front of him. They would both become warriors: Oakheart and Stormclaw. 

Stormclaw wouldn't have a mate, but Oakheart would take out his pain by crossing the river late at night and visiting Bluefur. Stormclaw knew of this, but really didn't care. 

Instead of finding a sign that made Crookedjaw the deputy like in the original story, Mapleshade would leave a sign for Oakheart. Oakheart would be the one to become the leader when Hailstar died in the rat attack. He wouldn't even made Stormclaw his deputy.

I'm sure a lot more would happen if Crookedstar never broke his jaw, but for now, that's a wrap! Thank you, and goodbye :)

~Rio