If there is a single name in the world of Warriors that is consistently mentioned with reverence, it is Firestar’s. Widely regarded as one of the fiercest warriors and wisest leaders to ever grace a Clan, Firestar continues to have a significant impact on Clan life, even all these seasons after his death. For many, his appearance in the Dark Forest in A Light in the Mist was a welcome surprise. Watching Firestar battle Ashfur’s minions while possessing Rootspring’s body served as a reminder of just how special he was. It is no wonder, then, that any cat who shares his lineage has big paw prints to fill. But is that expectation fair? How much is an up-and-coming warrior obliged to live up to the legacies of the past, and how free is that warrior to build a legacy of their own?

Nightheart has had to grapple with these questions since he was born and given the name Flamekit, in honor of his famous great-grandfather, despite his jet-black coat. He and his sister, Finchkit, were the only two of their litter to survive birth, and his father, Larksong, died moments later. In the wake of Larksong’s and Flickerkit’s deaths, Flamekit’s mother, Sparkpelt, fell into a depression that prevented her from bonding with her young. Flamekit was fostered by Sorrelstripe, who was kind and caring. But the separation from his mother, and the pressure placed on him to be great—inherent in his name—grew into a resentment that followed him into his apprenticeship. It would ultimately drive a wedge between him and ThunderClan and move him further away from Firestar’s legacy, though he is repeatedly told how proud he should be that he is Firestar’s descendant.

As we developed his story, we thought about what would bother a cat with that kind of history to live up to, and it seemed clear: falling short of the legacy, or feeling constrained by it. In Flamepaw’s case, both were true. Though his ancestor was a renowned warrior, Flamepaw struggled to pass his warrior assessments. He felt neither failure was entirely his fault, but it was still embarrassing. It isn’t often that an apprentice fails their assessment once, let alone twice, and for Flamepaw, being pitied was even worse than being mocked. By the time he made his third attempt, he harbored deep anger at his Clanmates and kin, who seemed to have lost confidence in him. His friends bringing up his lineage as proof that he would be a great ThunderClan warrior one day only made him angry that he was never recognized for his own strengths and skills but for the attributes of a cat long gone.

All of this culminated in one of the most shocking incidents ever to take place during a naming ceremony: After Flamepaw passed his third assessment, and Bramblestar dubbed him Flameheart—once again, in honor of Firestar, whose warrior name had been Fireheart—he rejected the new name, insisting on picking one that better suited him. Though his sister, Finchlight, agreed that he should be allowed to choose his own name, Sparkpelt and his grandmother, Squirrelflight—as both ThunderClan’s deputy and Firestar’s daughter— were furious, feeling that the move was extremely disrespectful. But Flamepaw stood his ground, determined to show respect for himself and assert his right to follow his own path, out of Firestar’s shadow. As a compromise, Bramblestar selected the name Nightheart.

There were a few reasons we settled on that name, the most obvious of which is that he is a black cat, and he had long bristled at the fact that he didn’t resemble a flame at all. But more than just accurately reflecting his appearance, his name speaks to his rebellious spirit, while still acknowledging the similarities we envisioned between the new warrior and his highly regarded ancestor. He possesses some of Firestar’s best qualities—bravery, a sense of justice, a good heart—but in a kind of nighttime version that is quieter and more self-doubting. As Bramblestar stated during the naming ceremony, “. . . like it or not, Flamepaw, we see some of Firestar’s qualities in you,” though he didn’t necessarily see them in himself.

Finally, there is the fact that due to his black pelt, some of the sneaking around he will do later on is easier to pull off under the cover of darkness. His natural camouflage in the shadows renders him invisible under the right circumstances, which he uses to his advantage. At night he gets to be his boldest self and take risks he might not in the light of day. For all these reasons, Nightheart is the perfect name for him.

Nightheart’s attitude, though, rubs many cats and readers alike the wrong way. They feel that he is an unreliable narrator who is putting most of the Firestar-related pressure on himself. His Clanmates don’t mention it nearly as often as he perceives them to. Plus, it isn’t as if he is Firestar’s only living descendant. Sorrelstripe—his own foster mother—and her kits also share this distinction, along with his littermate, Finchlight; his mother, Sparkpelt; and his grandmother, Squirrelflight, to name a few. Yet he seems to be the only one who feels put upon to rise to Firestar’s level somehow.