How Redpelt Became Bloodpelt

When young, Bloodstar was called Redpelt. The event that gave him the name 'Blood' is recorded in detail here.

Written by Kitsufox about her character Bloodstar.

Redpelt Becomes Bloodpelt

Redpelt's tail lashed in irritation behind him as he watched the clan leave the camp. He, a brand new warrior, had been left behind. It just wasn't right and his amber eyes reflected this, gleaming savagely in the moonlight. So he'd killed that RiverClanner. It's not like it had had any right to be where it was. Fiercestar would have approved, not punished him. He would have purred with pride and told him he was right to eliminate a threat against his clan. But Fiercestar was dead because he'd gotten sick and had left Redpelt to cope with Twilightstar and her claims that killing trespassers was killing in cold blood. There has been nothing cold about his blood. It had burned so hot he'd seen red.

If he hadn't been so busy being indignant he might have been bored. With just Lilacear and another Queen in the nursery with their kits and a couple of warriors who'd be left behind to lounge around there was little to actually watch. It was Lion's Glory so even the stiffest elder had been taken to the gathering. There was more to hear than their was to see. The deep and distant baying of a hound, the rustle of the wind in the briars that surrounded the camp, a deep wuffling noise beyond the walls...

Instantly his ears perked. It wasn't a cat and nothing else had the right to be this close to his camp. He breathed deeply, scenting the air. Dog. He hissed quietly, stalking along the wall in line with the mongrel. It was clumsy and clearly young, the dog-voice muttering what sounded to cat-ears like "Find, Find" and it moved towards the Gorsetunnel. The dog was the size of Redpelt, making him larger than your averaged cat, with splashes of blue-gray fur over white that was freckled in the same shade. Both it's gait and build suggested that it was young, but that didn't mean it deserved to be forgiven. Trespassing was trespassing, be it cat, dog, or wolf.

The dog gamboled into the camp and Redpelt launched himself with a snarled battle cry. The dog yelped with surprised then gave a growl of it's own, snapping and biting at the red-furred whirlwind that had broad-sided it. The pair circled, and clashed three times in quick succession. Warriors who'd been dozing in their den scrambled moss-covered from their nests to see the Grandson of Fiercestar and a dog tearing each other and the camp apart. They tore into each other, crashing through the wall of the Apprentice's Den and almost directly over the top of Talonpaw. Splashes of red blossomed around the camp and fur torn from both cat and dog littered the open spaces. The battle broke as suddenly as it had begun, the dog leaping over the elder's den and scrabbling frantically along the wall while Redpelt continued his savage pursuit. Finally, the pup scrambled through the Gorsetunnel and nearly ran nose-first into the security patrol.

The patrol streamed into the camp to discover a shamble of blood and gore. The gore and damage was so intense that the camp was still a disaster area an hour later when the Gathering Party returned. Twilightstar's words for Redpelt were a disappointment. "We shall see what will be done with you, Redpelt, we shall see."

Redpelt stayed in limbo, working to repair the damage to camp and clean the gore from his pelt and claws, through the night and the next day. With the leader having not spoke on the event it was difficult for many to decide how to treat Redpelt. Was he a traitor or a hero?

As the moon rose that night Twilightstar called the clan together for a meeting. She spoke with frank and honest words before her clan. "Redpelt, you are truly the grand-son of Fiercestar. You faced down and evicted a dog from our camp single-pawed and with all the ferocity of TigerClan behind you. Your only failing was the wisdom of where to fight, for we will be putting our camp back together for a quarter-moon, assuming the reek of blood does not draw every fox and badger in the forests down upon our heads. None the less, you are a hero. Albeit a foolish one who would have done better to lead the dog out of camp and fight it in the open rather than doing as you did. Stand before me, Redpelt, and I shall give you a more fitting name."

Redpelt, his eyes wide with shock, curiosity and relief, stepped forward. His brilliant ruddy pelt glowed in moonlight, a maccob match to the dried blood splashed on the Highrock. Twilightstar continued. "Spirits of StarClan who know every cat by name, I ask you to strip from this cat his name, for it does not stand for what he is. By my authority as Clan Leader and with the approval of our Warrior Ancestors I give this cat a new name. From this moment on you shall be known as Bloodpelt." Newly named, Bloodpelt bowed his head and Twilightstar laid her muzzle on the top of his head. Her Black and White coat contrasted shockingly with the red coat of the warrior. Respectfully, Bloodpelt licked the shoulder presented to him.

Maybe he could learn to live with Twilightstar.