[Larkspur1678]

Since I started working at veterinary ER and specialist center i've seen a few cases like Briarlights and one thing that gets me that no one in the WC community seems to mention is that Briarlight likely is unable to pee by herself, which led to a sad/funny hc of Jayfeather having to express her bladder multiple times a day. I have absolutely no clue how she lived another 4ish years after the accident and why respiratory infections were their main concern? UTIs would be the main concern imo, we had a cat in a similar situation(double back leg amputee) that was septic from not being able to pee, and he had a fully functioning bladder! His bits were just so messed up and scarred over from dragging himself around that the opening was super small and he needed surgery to open it up. Iirc she had some kind of significance to one of the writers, but it was never possible for her to live more than maybe a couple weeks to a month even with some of the mystical elements WC has(and honestly even as a pet irl if her spine can't be fixed) and if they wanted another disabled character they should have gone with a more realistic injury(deadfoot, longtail, cinderpelt, etc.). We actually saw a cat with two dead front paws similar to Deadfoot and he might have a chance if the surgeons feel like he can balance himself on his front stumps, so one dead paw is super believable in the WC world and i'd love to see more of Deadfoot as disability representation, especially as he was a deputy.

[Crazyclaww]

I really wish warriors had taken legit vet knowledge into account! Would have really fleshed out a lot of situations.
and I bet it would have limited some ableism.. the books are so often like "oh someone is injured or disabled?? they are useless and boring now oops"

like I know the medical system in the books is more fantasy than reality, but still! ;m;
this is a very interesting headcanon, and I like to imagine that maybe she DID need help with her bladder, but that also - she still could have lived a full and happy life! I also see the idea around that the other cats could have built her an animal wheelchair type thing out of sticks/cordage/stolen wheels/etc

[DancingEevee]

That's interesting to me that they can include kinda graphic details about birth, but skip something like this. Honestly don't get the writers sometimes. I wondered similar things with poor Briarlight.

[lullaby]

i had NEVER thought about this possibility before, but it makes so much sense! warriors is infamous about not keeping their facts in check though, whether that's realistically or within their own lore :sob:

[taemin.]

to be honest i have never read a WC book in my life but your description was so interesting to go through that i wanted to thank you for sharing. love the art! lovely expression and the linework is so pleasing to the eye (: good luck with everything!