Beestripe

## Description

**Beestripe** is a short-tempered golden she-cat with a black chest, forehead, and stripes around her cheeks and ears. She has amber eyes.

## Extra Story

I was the only kit in my litter. I'm sure some cats might say that's a good thing, and in a way, it is. You get all your parent's attention, without any other jealous littermates to get in the way.

But, then again, it's also a bad thing.

I was a young and naive back then, and to me, it was perfect being the only kit. I had a close bond with my parents, and at the end of every day, we'd sit together and talk about... well, anything really.

I liked to collect things. Pretty stones, cicada shells, feathers, anything I could get my paws on, I'd store next to my nest.

This was the only thing me and my mother, Honeywing, disagreed about back then. She though it was silly that I kept objects that I didn't particularly need, and it became a game—I'd hide them around the camp and she'd try to find and get rid of them.

We kept pestering Ivyheart to tell us which side he supported, but he refused each time. We had all but given up on getting him to pick a side when he presented me with a shell he had found on the shore to add to my collection, thus wordlessly declaring his choice.

Knowing that she couldn't win this fight, Honeywing finally backed down and let me keep the random objects.

    "Fine!" she had sighed, smiling slightly. As one final act of defiance, though, she made me organize them carefully into piles every so often, and get rid of the ones that I didn't like as much.

These good times couldn't last forever, though. In the last moon before I became an apprentice, Honeywing became busier and busier.

Bramblestar started giving her more and more "special jobs" and she started to skip our family evenings. I could tell Ivyheart missed her, too. We'd often sit quietly together, waiting for her, but more often then not, she didn't come, and Ivyheart would take me to the nursery. He'd make sure one of the other queens was watching over me and leave to the warrior's den, leaving me all alone. Sometimes I'd try to stay up late enough to see Honeywing come back, but I always fell asleep before that happened.

I only asked her why she was so busy once. To this day, I'm not sure why. I still remember it clearly. She had been gone the night before, with a certain "job" from Bramblestar. Even though I was young, I was old enough to understand the concept of the rebellion and knew my mother had something to do with it.

"Mom?" I had asked. She turned towards me. "What, Beekit?" she said. She sounded tired, and that was what made me hesitate. But something in me made me keep going.

"Why are you never there in the evenings anymore?" I blurted out. "I know Bramblestar is important, but..." my words trailed off.

Honeywing turned so I couldn't see her face. "I have things to do, Beekit. It's for the good of BrambleClan. I-I have responsibilities to attend to." Before then, I had never seen my mother—the strong, stubborn, un-yielding Honeywing—look so defeated.

I felt ashamed for making her feel that way. I wanted to run up to her and bury my face in her fur, apologize for what I had done, but I didn't. *I'm being strong,* I told myself. *That's what she would have wanted.* To this day, I still regret those words. Before then, I didn't know how much pain could be caused in such a simple way.

And then, I became an apprentice.

I was never very close with my mentor. She taught me how to hunt and fight, but not much else. My true friends, though, I found within the rebellion. I felt that my mother had abandoned me, and that thought was what led me to Firewing and his new clan.

As soon as I moved out of the nursery, Honeywing became even busier. I rarely saw her, let alone spoke with her. I stopped talking to Ivyheart, too. I told myself that it was because I was busy with my training, but really, I didn't want to be reminded of when the three of us were a close-knit, happy family.

My new role model was Firewing, and so when the Severance came, I did what I thought was obviously the right thing: I joined the new FireClan.

Firewing, now Firestar, knew of my resentment towards Bramblestar and used it to his advantage. He knew I was loyal to him and felt that it was okay to give me privileges that other, less trustworthy cats did not have. I was rude to other cats and bullied them. I was generally not a nice cat to be around, and I regret how I acted then.

As time passed, I began to doubt Firestar's ways. He brutally punished disobedience in the ranks of his followers, and even someone as blinded as me could tell that he was too violent. But what really pushed me over was Gorsetail's death.

I'm ashamed to admit it, but it scared me. I wanted to get out of FireClan, but I knew that if I tried to run away, Firestar's warriors would find and kill me. I wasn't strong enough or skilled enough to evade them, and if I somehow managed to, where would I go? Not back to BrambleClan—no matter how desperate I was, I would never go back there. I had no cat to turn to for this as all my close friends would tell Firestar about my plans.

I was trapped.

But then I remembered. *Honeywing**.*

I hadn't spoken to her in moons, but I hoped that I could convince her to help me escape. I knew she wouldn't betray me as I could see my horror, however much she tried to hide it, reflected in her eyes when she saw Gorsetail's limp body at the paws of our leader. And maybe she'd know some place that I could go to. I had heard rumors of a farm with cats living in the barn. Maybe they'd welcome me, at least for long enough for me to find a more permanent home.

But when I approached my mother with my idea, she had an even better place for me to stay.

In the cover of night, in a secluded spot on the edge of camp, away from any prying ears, she told me of FallenClan.

It was perfect. Hidden caves, away from anyone who would want to find them. I could stay there forever and maybe even start a family. I would be safe from FireClan.

The same night, I crept past the camp guard, through the territory, and out into the unknown land beyond FireClan territory.

Freedom. It felt strange, but I decided that I liked it. The sound of the word... *freedom.* I felt good to be outside of the rules, just for a little bit.

I wasn't done, though. I followed Honeywing's instructions, noting the landmarks that she had told me about as the sun began to peek out from the hills in the distance, until I found it. If I didn't know what I was supposed to be looking for, I would never have spotted it. A cleverly disguised entrance, which led the a larger cave. As I entered, I was met with many hostile glares.

"Who are you, and what are you doing here?" hissed a pale brown she-cat. *Mosskit*, I realized. I never thought I'd see her again after word of her disappearance reached FireClan.

I forced my fur to lie flat. "I come in peace. Honeywing sent me," I said, keeping me voice as even as possible.

"You're..." The young apprentice now called Mosspaw narrowed her eyes. "Beepaw, aren't you?" she asked.

I nodded. "I'm her daughter. You must remember that."

"I also remember you joined FireClan, *Beepaw,*" hissed Mosspaw, the note of malice back in her voice. "How do we know you weren't sent to spy on us?"

I couldn't control myself any longer. "I *left* FireClan, okay? Do you know what they did to Gorsetail? They killed him. Firestar kills anyone who he thinks is threatening his power. Do you really think I want to live like that?"

Mosspaw recoiled. "Okay, okay, I get it. But one more thing," she paused. "If Honeywing sent you, where is she now?"

I paused to think. Honeywing said she had to do something... but what was it? Suddenly I remembered. "She said something about bring two kits here, Tansykit and Briarkit. She said it would take a few more days," I said, hoping Mosspaw would realize that I was telling the truth.

The brown she-cat finally relaxed. "Okay. I think you're telling the truth. I don't know why you would lie about something like that." She turned, flicking her tail to beckon me. "I'll show you where you can stay for now, until we make permanent arrangements," she said.

As I followed her, I finally realized that I had made it. I could start a new life here, away from BrambleClan and FireClan and their two leaders. I was safe. For the first time since I was a tiny kit, collecting pebbles and shells, I felt happy.

Now I live here in FallenClan. I have a mate and two sons, and even after my mother's death, FallenClan holds no really painful memories, unlike FireClan or BrambleClan. I am truly happy here. Even though I had to go through all this, if being an only kit led to me living here, then I agree with those who say that being an only kit is a good thing.

I wouldn't give up my life here for anything. I have found my home.

## Gallery

SeveranceSeverance V2Falling StarsProgeny in TicketsOver Borders

## Episode Appearances

***Games***
Severance, Severance v2, Falling Stars, Progeny in Tickets, Over Borders
***Books***
Firewing's Pride