Rippleflame

"I'm sorry, Blackheart... but from now on, my only loyalty is to ThunderClan. Meeting with you was a huge mistake, and we both know that now." - Rippleflame choosing to remain with ThunderClan after Blackheart is denied entry in *Blackheart's Tale*

**Rippleflame** was a lean, thin-furred, black tom with orange spots, an orange tailtip, and yellow eyes. He had two orange paws and an orange circle over his left eye. After his death, he now has four horizontal crimson death scars across his throat.

## Relationships

### Enemies

Blackheart, Dragonstar, Molenose, Flakefur, Spiderfang, Silverleaf, Squirrelpaw, Mapletail

## **History**

### **Backstory**

Rippleflame was a novice warrior of ThunderClan. He was born as *Ripplekit* and trained in the ways of the warrior code as *Ripplepaw* by Acornnose; during his apprenticeship, he was noted by his Clanmates to be aggressive, wily, devious, and always eager to fight. Upon completing his training, he ascended to the rank of novice warrior, with Cloverstar honoring him for his courage and battle skills. He participated in several fights against enemy warriors from WindClan and ShadowClan and was one of the cats to help RiverClan and SkyClan drive off a group of foxes that lived alongside their territory.

## ***Blackheart's Tale***

### **Chapter 11**

Rippleflame's debut is when he is first seen at Blackheart's first Gathering as a warrior. He walks up to Blackheart, who notices the dreamy, lovestruck look on his face, and introduces himself. Blackheart tells him her name, and he immediately falls in love with her. As she follows her Clanmates home after the Gathering, Blackheart thinks about how she can't seem to get the sight of him out of her head, knowing that it's against the warrior honor code for two cats from different Clans to be mates.

### **Chapter 12**

When Blackheart starts going on border patrols as a warrior, she notices that Rippleflame is on the opposite side of the ThunderClan border as part of his own patrol, sneaking looks at her when none of his Clanmates are watching. She realizes that he's flirting with her, and decides to get him alone by telling her Clanmates she's going hunting. Her Clanmates agree and move on, allowing Blackheart to execute her plan, heading off into thick vegetation. Rippleflame sees what she's doing and tells his Clanmates he needs to make dirt; Blackheart hears him following her.

Now alone, she confronts Rippleflame for his actions, hissing he should be flirting with a she-cat in his own Clan. Rippleflame replies that no she-cat in ThunderClan is good enough to be his mate. Blackheart calls him a mouse-brained idiot, snapping to go back to his own territory and stay there. Rippleflame tries to speak, but she whips around and runs back to camp.

### **Chapter 14**

Blackheart starts training in the Dark Forest to improve her fighting skills after a failed raid on WindClan. She sees Rippleflame among the trainees from the other Clans. They end up training together whenever they meet in the Dark Forest. Rippleflame is noted to be staunchly loyal to his Dark Forest mentors and enjoys the thrill of battling

### **Chapter 15**

When Blackheart is exposed for her crimes by Cloudfur, the ShadowClan medicine cat, Rippleflame is mentioned as the cat she's been seeing in secret. Dragonstar asks how he found out, and Cloudfur tells him of a dream he had: Blackheart lovingly winding her body around a rippling flame in the dark of night. Thistlepaw exclaims in disgust that he saw of vision of Blackheart and Rippleflame sparring in the Dark Forest, and asks how Blackheart could have romantic ties with such a horrible cat. The majority of the Clan condemns the she-cat for falling in love with a ThunderClan cat, demanding why she had to choose Rippleflame of all cats. Blackheart refuses to answer and is subsequently forced to leave.

After Blackheart is found by a ThunderClan patrol on their territory and brought to their camp, Cloverstar asks Squirrelpaw to fetch Rippleflame. The tom arrives, and inquires what's going on, not even glancing at Blackheart. Cloverstar gives him a hard stare and demands if he's been meeting Blackheart in secret. Before Rippleflame can answer, Antscar indignantly meows that he certainly hasn't, and Raggedfur grunts in agreement. Rippleflame glances at his friends, and Blackheart notices the flash of gratitude in their eyes, leading her to think that he told them about their relationship. She notices Squirrelpaw glaring at him with unconcealed distrust. Cloverstar presses for an answer, and Rippleflame tells her that he never met Blackheart and that he doesn't know what she's meowing about. Blackheart becomes hurt and angry since she realizes how disloyal Rippleflame really is, not only to his Clan, but to her as well, after all the good times they shared. She notices most of the other ThunderClan cats looking at Rippleflame suspiciously, and believes they're starting to suspect their Clanmate is lying since he isn't very popular in the Clan. Squirrelpaw angrily yowls that Rippleflame had been taking patrols alone and always reeked of ShadowClan scent when he returned to camp. Many of the other ThunderClan cats agree with her, and Cloverstar yowls at Rippleflame to tell the truth. Realizing he can't hide it anymore, Rippleflame finally spills his secret. Most of the Clan is outraged, and many cats label Rippleflame as a traitor for becoming mates with a ShadowClan cat who also used to be a kittypet. Gorseheart yowls that Blackheart could be pregnant with Rippleflame's kits, giving them both ThunderClan and kittypet blood, and that the pair of traitors should be driven off of Clan land for good. Daisypatch adds that if they let the pair stay in ThunderClan, then they'll be dealing with a family of traitors, as they'll mistrust Blackheart and Rippleflame's kits due to their mixed heritage. Cloverstar berates Rippleflame for breaking the warrior honor code, but decides to give him a chance to prove himself since he is still quite young. She asks him if he wants to either go with Blackheart into exile or stay in ThunderClan to prove his loyalty. To Blackheart's chagrin, Rippleflame chooses the latter, and Blackheart feels her heart crack with hurt as he apologizes to her, telling her that his only loyalty is now to ThunderClan and that meeting her was a big mistake. The novice warrior then turns his back on Blackheart as he receives a cold welcome back into his Clan. Blackheart tentatively asks Cloverstar if she can stay in ThunderClan just so she can be with Rippleflame in an attempt to rekindle their relationship, but the Clan leader coldly denies her request, permanently banishing her from their territory. The white-and-black she-cat looks back at her former mate one last time as Yewbush, Dawnfur, Tigerpelt, and Violetflower escort her from the camp to the ThunderClan border.

Three days after her exile from Clan territory, Blackheart, having returned to the forest, spies on the Gathering from within the cover of a huge oak near the rocky clearing. The medicine cats inform all the Clans that several cats from each Clan have been practicing fighting moves in the Dark Forest. Rippleflame, Antscar, Raggedfur, Tornpelt, Ashcloud, Ravenheart, Smokecloud, and Tawnyfur are revealed to the ThunderClan trainees, and Blackheart sees Rippleflame's eyes widen in shock and horror as cats from all the Clans turn to look at him with undisguised contempt. An outraged Cloverstar yowls to Rippleflame that he has betrayed his Clan one too many times and sentences him to exile. Raggedfur and Antscar are banished along with him due to their willingness to back him up. However, the other five trainees realize their mistake and pledge an oath of undying loyalty to ThunderClan as a form of sincere apology. Blackheart watches in delight as, to prove themselves, they then turn on their former Clanmates and chase them out of the Gathering Rocks, hissing and clawing at them all the way. The three rogue warriors stream past Blackheart's hiding place, unaware of her presence, as their former fellow trainees yowl at them never to return. Blackheart watches as the exiled cats vanish into the woods beyond and stealthily descends from the oak to follow their tracks. She stalks the trio all the way to the Humanplace, where they jump over the fence. Blackheart heads back to the rogues' camp to report her findings to Blizzardclaw.

*More coming soon.*