February is the month of love, which means a return to my Warriors article series! The Broken Code brings about one of the most tragic couples in Warriors, yet it doesn’t offer much else in terms of relationships. It is the first article I severely struggled to find eight couples to include, as is the standard number for all my previous ones. I technically had to reshuffle some couples from a Super Edition to beef up this article. When I finished seven couples, I realized I couldn’t find a last.
The main reason for the lack of couples is the lack of focus on the background characters. This arc primarily follows the protagonists, Rootspring, Bristlefrost, and Shadowsight, and everything that happens to them (to the arc’s detriment, I feel). A majority of this article includes background couples that we have little information on.
This problem is even more evident as I found it impossible to find official art of the cats in each couple together. I could barely find art of the lesser-known cats in general. Since translations in other countries, where a lot of art for the books are made, take longer, it takes time to get more art too. This is arguably the arc I remember the least about, too, alongside A Vision of Shadows (covered in the previous article). My views on these couples fluctuate and may change in the future.
This article contains spoilers for The Broken Code (immediately in the first pairing, PLEASE read with caution) primarily, but also Squirrelflight’s Hope, Spotfur’s Rebellion, Ivypool’s Heart, A Vision of Shadows, and A Starless Clan.
Rootspring and Bristlefrost
Rating: 9/10
For a reader who wasn’t on board with these two until the end, I have a lot to say. First, the reason they are nine stars instead of a solid ten. Other than their ending, I don’t care for this pair. I was frustrated with Bristlefrost’s quick switch-up to like him after Rootspring was pining after her since he was an apprentice. Granted, I only read this arc once, so that opinion could change. My respect for what they both went through keeps this rating high despite it not being my favorite.
I think that Bristlefrost’s character was greatly reduced later in the arc, almost to the point of being watered down to only a mate. It feels like Rootspring and Shadowsight’s characters were thrust more into the spotlight than her, despite the important role she played at the beginning of TBC. Still, I can’t deny the power and grief that constitutes one of the most tragic deaths in the whole series. When Bristlefrost goes into the Dark Forest water with Ashfur, she sacrifices not just her living world life, but her spirit life. Though we find some more, strange details about this in Ivypool’s Heart, we know that Rootspring will never see her again. It was particularly painful for Bristlefrost’s last thoughts to be of a family with Rootspring they will never have.
After Ivypool’s Heart, I’m interested to see who Rootspring’s new mate will be eventually. Although I would’ve been happy for him to remain single, a rarity in the books, I can understand the importance of the message of moving on from lost love. Especially since he will never see her in StarClan either. What matters is he understands whoever becomes his mate will be worthy of Bristlefrost too.
Bristlefrost and Stemleaf
Rating: 0/10
One-sided in its entirety, I added Bristlefrost and Stemleaf primarily because it dominated the beginning of Bristlefrost’s character arc. They were never a couple and Stemleaf never returns any feelings to Bristlefrost. As a crush situation, I thought it was fun to include. Rejection like this doesn’t often happen in Warriors, so I enjoyed the twist. I never liked the possibility of the relationship either way, with Bristlefrost being an apprentice when she first believed she loved Stemleaf. I cringed so hard when Bristlefrost approached him right after her warrior’s ceremony, thinking that finishing her training early meant she could be mates with him sooner. I think Stemleaf’s handling of the situation was polite and generous, and I was happy to see them become friends again later on. It’s only fair for me to give them a zero, despite enjoying the experience, I always knew they weren’t it.
Stemleaf and Spotfur
Rating: 8/10
Tragedy dots so many of the higher-ranked couples in this list and these two are no exception. In their short relationship, they have fun, support, and love. In TBC, we only see a part of their relationship, with them working together in the rebellion to try and overthrow the imposter. There’s more context added in Spotfur’s novella, Spotfur’s Rebellion, showing their mischievous friendship as apprentices blossom to love as warriors. I remember feeling pain at Stemleaf’s death, knowing that Spotfur had to leave his body behind to flee. It continues to hurt when readers find out that Spotfur is expecting his kits, but he will never get to be there for her. It is only Bristlefrost, who vows to help Spotfur raise them, that helps Spotfur out of the hole she buries herself in after Stemleaf’s death. What really clinched their relationship for me was Stemleaf’s renewed strength and hope to fight against Ashfur when he finds out Spotfur is expecting his kits. His spirit breaks out of that evil command knowing he has something bigger to fight for, even if he won’t be with them in person.
Sparkpelt and Larksong
Rating: 7.5/10
Though short-lived, I loved the relationship between Sparkpelt and Larksong. They were confirmed in Squirrelflight’s Hope, the Super Edition between AVoS and TBC, and had most of their interactions there, so I moved their relationship to this article to have more included (they could’ve been in AVoS, too, honestly). This couple is unique because of the specific tragedy induced, from a sweet, teasing beginning, to a depressing end. Simultaneously, they train the later couple, Twigpaw and Finpaw. I’m always a sucker for a couple teaching two cats that have a bond, whether familial or romantic. Sadly, during Squirrelflight’s Super Edition, Larksong passes due to prey sickness. This event is heightened by the fact that he dies immediately after Sparkpelt births their kits, throwing her into a deep depression. It’s part of what I love about this couple, that they explored a realistic reaction to a mate’s death. Despite his death, their relationship is somehow sweeter when it’s revealed that Sparkpelt and Larksong’s stillborn was given the name Flickerkit by Larksong in StarClan. I feel good giving them a high rating.
Dewnose and Sorrelstripe
Rating: 5/10
I don’t feel any particular connection to Dewnose and Sorrelstripe, despite their more-than-usual small appearances across the books. While they were technically confirmed during Squirrelflight’s Hope, similar to Sparkpelt and Larksong, I didn’t take much notice of them until TBC. Sorrelstripe is a sweetheart in general, taking care of Sparkpelt’s kits, Finchkit and Flamekit, while Sparkpelt isn’t able to. Her motherly relationship with Nightheart later on is kind and encouraging. Dewnose is forgettable to me for the most part. Unfortunately, readers don’t get to see Dewnose and Sorrelstripe as a couple often, nor see them together as parents. They get a small plus for having Bayshine and Myrtlebloom as their kits though, since those are minor characters I enjoy.
Bellaleaf and Rabbitleap
Rating: 5.5/10
Luckily, though we don’t often see them together, we see Bellaleaf and Rabbitleap as individuals in plenty of books. For background characters, they’re fairly fleshed out. I loved when Bellaleaf and Rileypool were accepted as apprentices into SkyClan in Ravenpaw’s Novella, with Bellaleaf’s spunky perseverance. Rabbitleap has a similar but more reserved energy about him, which must make a good pair. He’s funny and kind, showing up often among the books, from SkyClan’s Destiny to training Violetpaw in A Vision of Shadows. Weirdly, he also ends up training Bellaleaf and his only surviving kit, Wrenpaw (warrior name Wrenflight). Other than a random bad comment here and there, Rabbitleap is the perfect average warrior character, similar, but not besting, Brackenfur of ThunderClan. I gave these two a little over the medium rating in regards to their personal characters, but cannot go higher based on never truly seeing them as a couple.
Curlfeather and Jayclaw
Rating: 3/10
Of all the couples here, we know the least about Curlfeather and Jayclaw. We know next to nothing about Jayclaw in particular, other than one small scene in A Vision of Shadows and the time he visits Frostdawn in the last book of A Starless Clan. Readers never see them as a couple, which makes this pairing difficult to judge. I love Curlfeather’s character and wish they’d given her more time in the books (honestly, I’m hoping we might get a novella on her in the future). I don’t understand why they made Jayclaw ask Frostdawn to stay in StarClan so vehemently. At the end of the day, I decided to give their relationship a lower rating because they have so little to talk about. I wish they’d written more context to their relationship to strengthen the way Curlfeather acted after his death. The only reason they got any points is the possibility that Curlfeather’s love for Jayclaw was so strong that his death caused her actions, though I believe that was only ever part of the reason or an excuse.
Check out my other articles for this series:
“Rating Canon Warriors Couples – The Prophecies Begin”
“Rating Canon Warriors Couples – The New Prophecy”
“Rating Canon Warriors Couples – Power of Three”
“Rating Canon Warriors Couples – Omen of the Stars”
“Rating Canon Warriors Couples – Dawn of the Clans”
“Rating Canon Warriors Couples – A Vision of Shadows”
