Happy Mother’s Day! – An Article About Mothers in Warrior Cats by Ravenmist

Ravenmist discusses some mothers in the series for Mother’s Day. Happy Mother’s Day!

Happy Mother’s Day, all! This article will be about the role of mothers, aka queens, in warrior cats. Of course, queens are a necessity because, after all, they are the ones who give birth to the kits. Without them, the Clan would have no next generation and they would just die out. She-cats who become mothers sacrifice a lot, such as their jobs and their time, and sometimes even their reputations or their love lives. When fathers are absent during their kits’ upbringings, the responsibility falls heavily on mother cats to do the work. When forbidden love happens, she-cats are more affected by it and often are the ones more heavily punished. First, let’s look at two she-cats who didn’t want to become mothers and their reasons why.

1. Twigbranch. Twigbranch loved Finleap, but she didn’t want to have kits with him, because they were both young, newly made warriors and Twigbranch wanted to focus on her career. This is also something that happens often in the modern world with people: many young women are choosing to focus on their careers rather than start a family. Mother cats’ standings as warriors are more affected by having kits than father cats’. This is obvious, as she-cats have to move into the nursery and stay there until their kits are apprenticed, while toms can perform warrior duties even while their kits are still kits. Furthermore, something that I’ve noticed is that once queens are ready to be warriors again, they are put at the bottom of the warriors list. It’s most likely just an editing thing, but sometimes I wonder if those rankings apply inside the Clans too.

2. Ivypool. Ivypool’s reason is stated plainly in this quote:

“Ivypool: I’m not ready to have kits yet. Kits mean endless moons in the nursery. Daisy’s getting too old to look after another litter, and I want to be out in the forest hunting and patrolling, not stuck in camp all the time.
Fernsong: Why do you have to be in the nursery with them?
Ivypool: What do you mean? I have to nurse them, don’t I? Who else can do that?
Fernsong: But the nursing is over soon enough. Then you’d be able to go back to your warrior duties.
Ivypool: And leave our kits to raise themselves until they’re six moons old?
Fernsong: Of course not. Once the kits are eating prey, I can move into the nursery. I can move in before that, if you like, so you can go on patrols between feedings.
Ivypool: But you’re a tom! Toms don’t live in the nursery.
Fernsong: Why not? Apart from food, all kits need is love and some cat to play with them. I can’t think of a better way to spend my days.
Ivypool: I’ll think about it. Maybe after leaf-bare is over.”

Some people assume that she-cats who don’t want kits are selfish. But they’re not. In this quote, we can see that Ivypool cares about her future kits (not wanting to leave them to raise themselves). Many she-cats simply don’t want to spend all their time in the nursery. Instead they’d prefer to hunt, fight, and serve their Clan, which isn’t selfish at all, just a part of their personalities.

Now, let’s look at the differences between mothers’ roles and fathers’ roles in raising kits:

1. Daisy and Spiderleg.

Spiderleg didn’t care much for Rosekit and Toadkit, so the responsibility fell on Daisy to raise them. On a side note, I feel like neglectful-ish mothers are more hated on than neglectful-ish fathers. For example, Palebird is placed on many “Worst Parents in Warriors” lists, but Sandgorse is not. Lizardstripe is often hated on for the way she treated her kits, but barely anyone notices how Mudclaw was completely absent during their upbringing.

2. Nightcloud and Crowfeather.

Ahh, yes. The family that possibly sparks the most controversy in Warriors. Is Breezepelt evil? Or is he just misunderstood? Is Nightcloud a horrible mother? Or was she trying her best? Is Crowfeather an abusive mate and father? Or is he still sad and grieving? (And there is even more about Leafpool, Hollyleaf, Jayfeather, and Lionblaze, but not today. That’ll be in another article I’ll write in the future.) We know that initially Crowfeather did care about Breezepelt/kit because in Crowfeather’s Trial, he mentioned being worried when Breezekit was sick. But as Breezekit/pelt grew up, Crowfeather became more and more distanced from his mate and son, making Nightcloud very angry at Crowfeather and very protective of Breezepelt. Since Crowfeather was not being a good father to Breezepelt, she felt like she needed be an even better parent to make up for his absence, hence her overprotectiveness and defensiveness of Breezepelt.

Now, since it’s Mother’s Day, let’s end this on a happy note! 😀 This last section will be about the kindest mothers in warriors (not in any particular order) <3

1. Ferncloud. Ferncloud preferred being a queen over being a warrior, choosing to have a peaceful lifestyle. She was very kind and helpful to her kits and fellow queens, and she also nursed Hollykit, Jaykit, and Lionkit alongside Daisy.

2. Daisy. Daisy gets a lot of hate because some people think she was trying to steal Cloudtail from Brightheart, but that wasn’t her fault. She was new to the Clan and just needed friends. Daisy is kind, selfless, and very caring. Like Ferncloud, she is kind and helpful to all the kits and queens.

3. Goldenflower. I personally love Goldenflower because even when everyone thought Bramblekit and Tawnykit were evil, she always stood by their side, took care of them, and defended them against cats like Firestar who initially only saw Tigerstar’s evilness in them.

4. Lilyheart. Lilyheart is so sweet! I feel so bad for her, considering she lost her sister Seedpaw when they were both apprentices, and then her mate Snowbush. 🙁 Not only was she a great mother to her biological kits, she was also a great foster mother to Twigbranch and was very kind and supportive to her. <3

5. Sorreltail. Poor Sorreltail. She wouldn’t have died, but she just wanted to comfort her kits after the battle. Rest in peace, Sorreltail. You were a great warrior, friend, mate, queen, and mother. 🙁

Oh wow, I said I’d end it on a happy note, and look what happened. 😛 Well, I’ll just tell you that while I was writing this, I was constantly distracted by pictures of Graystripe. 😀 😀 😀 And if I were a warrior cat I’d want to stay in the nursery all day because it’s warm, cozy, milk-scented, and full of adorable little kits and caring queens. 😀 😀 😀

And here is a PMV a made about single moms in Warriors to the song Rockabye: Click here!