Deserve

Deserve was born in an abandoned barn alongside his siblings, Song and Boost. They lived a happy life there until their father, Dice, was killed by a car. Unable to hunt herself, Velvet took her kits to ShadowClan. Though she was rejected, the kits were allowed to join the Clan and taken in by Sunflower. The queen's three kits bullied Deserve and his siblings terribly until one morning, Deserve snapped and killed Snakekit. He then fled the scene, leaving ShadowClan and his siblings behind. Devastated and angry, he blamed the Clans for his family falling apart and swore vengeance.

As a young cat, Deserve began launching attacks on ShadowClan patrols. Sometime after this, he formed a group called Deserve's Army, the members being other cats who were wronged by the Clans and wanted revenge. He became mates with Nebel, who died giving birth to his kits. Only two survived, Castiel and Crow. Deserve favored Castiel over his brother and gave him second in command status in the army.

He formed an alliance with Poisonedsap, who helped him gain allies within the Clans. He allowed these cats to visit his camp often to discuss their plans, and ultimately launched his attack during a gathering. He ended his partnership with Poisonedsap and killed her when he saw she was willing to kill her own kit. Deserve's Army was beaten in the battle, and he and his soldiers retreated.

As Deserve spent more time with Song and her kits, he found himself less interested in battle and more engaged in family life. He reconsidered everything he had done and regretted becoming a killer. He planned to change the Army into a place of peace, but was killed by Rosemary.

In death, he ascended to an unknown afterlife.

"It's something the Clans will always fail to understand, and cats will continue to suffer just as you and I have because of it. But not if we do something about it. I will not rest until the Clans have suffered for what they did to us. I struck back at them. I let them know I would not tolerate their hatred. So what are you going to do, Bloodfur?"

Deserve is determined, driven, and always ready for battle. After losing both his parents, home, and siblings, Deserve let his heartbreak turn to anger and hatred. He blamed his pain on the Clans and is taking it out on them.

Deserve cares about family more than anything. He still loves Song and Boost, and deep down, everything he does has been for them, and to avenge their parents.

See a more detailed summary of appearances here!

Kithood

Deserve is the son of two barn cats named Dice and Velvet, and the brother of Boost and Song. He spends most of his kithood in the barn, playing and living comfortably with his family. Dice teaches him to hunt mice, and he's eager to help support his family. After his father, the sole provider of the family is killed by a car, Velvet is unable to care for her kits and takes them to ShadowClan.

ShadowClan doesn't accept Velvet on the chance she's one of Bone Shred's rogues, but takes in Deserve and his siblings. During this time, Deserve tries to comfort and protect Boost and Song. They are taken in by Sunflower, and her kits Snakekit, Brownkit, and Blackkit bully and physically harm them.

Deserve's anger grows toward the kits, and after they start attacking Boost and Song, he angrily attacks Snakekit and unintentionally uses the killing bite on him.

Dark Rogue

Deserve blames the Clans for tearing his family apart. When he's grown, he begins attacking ShadowClan patrols, one of his first victims being Sunflower.

Army Leader

Deserve met a rogue she-cat named Nebel, who eased his anger and made him feel happy. She became his mate, but died giving birth to his kits; Castiel, Crow, Fledge, Charm, Olive, and Raven. Only Castiel and Crow survived. Deserve was devastated and his grief evolved into more anger toward the Clans. He formed a group called Deserve's Army, rogues who joined together to fight against the Clans who have wronged them. He recruited soldiers and healers, and as his sons grew, he proudly gave Castiel a second-in-command status in the army, and believed him to be stronger and smarter than his brother. He gave less attention to Crow, though Castiel urged him to treat them equally.

Deserve meets with Poisonedsap on the edge of the territory in the rain and thunder. He doesn't sympathize with her being soaked and asks what her news is. She tells him she killed Maplefur, but has found a new mate to provide more kits for the Army. Deserve purrs, glad to hear this and says her kits seem like a promising addition to their cause. He tells her to bring them to the meeting next moon, looking forward to meeting them. (Milkblaze's Suspicion, chapter 7)

Deserve formed an alliance with Poisonedsap, both seeking vengeance on the Clans. While they planned to ultimately unite in battle against the Clans, he offered her a high rank in the army and a place by his side as his mate, in exchange for her help recruiting cats within the Clans, as well as eliminating as many Clan cats who would stand in their way as possible. Poisonedsap and her allies visited Deserve's Army frequently, introducing new recruits and discussing plans. She often tried to flirt with him, but he was annoyed and dismissed her affections. There was a hostility between him and one of the Clan allies, Blackstorm, who had been one of the kits to bully him in ShadowClan. On an attack on a ShadowClan patrol, Deserve killed his other brother, Brownstripe.

Deserve related to Bloodfur's situation, comparing how the Clan judged Bloodfur for being born in blood just as they judged he and his siblings for being born in a barn. He encouraged Bloodfur to not tolerate this and strike back against the Clans. In a meeting, Deserve concluded the army was not yet strong enough to take on the five Clans, and told the Clan allies to continue eliminating warriors. He decides that the medicine cats should be killed, and puts Bloodfur in charge of the mission. The attack is successful in killing two medicine cats, and he praises Bloodfur, but wants the other medicine cats gone too. Mottledface informs him that ShadowClan's remaining medicine cat, Creamheart, is Brownstripe's daughter, and Deserve thinks it's all the more reason to kill her. He asks Bloodfur to do the job.

After Bloodfur accidentally kills Cardinalpaw instead of Creamheart and is exiled from ShadowClan, he turns to Deserve's Army. Deserve is not angry with him, understanding Cardinalpaw's interference was not his fault, and welcomes him into the army. Deserve agrees to Revengeheart's request and sends Castiel, Papercut, and Bonfire to kill Ebonypaw and Flintpaw, however only Flintpaw is killed.

Reuniting with Song

Deserve is surprised when Song arrives at his camp with the Clan allies. He asks how Boost is. He's happy to see that she is expecting kits, but disappointed that she took Stripednose, a Clan cat, as her mate. Song is angry with him for his behavior and reveals she knows he's been attacking the Clans, as she knows his scent. Deserve angrily reminds her that he killed Snakekit to protect her and Boost. They seem ready to attack each other when Song softens and pleads with him to be the brother she remembers, who played with them and wanted what was best for them. She doesn't believe he wants to hurt any cat. Deserve seems to consider her words, then growls that he won't stop until the Clans are destroyed. He then kills Blackstorm, stating that though Blackstorm was loyal to him, HE was never loyal to the black tom. He tells Song that Blackstorm is the first of many cats who will feel his claws, such as warriors, apprentices, and kits. Stripednose furiously attacks him, and Deserve easily pins him and prepares to kill him, but hearing Song's panic, lets him go. He cares about his family and will not take his sister's mate from her. He orders Song and Stripednose be kept prisoner, as they know too much.

Deserve angrily declares that the army will attack the Clans tonight during the gathering. Half of them will attack at fourtrees, and smaller groups at the camps. He tells the soldiers to fight for everything the Clans have ever taken from them. Castiel leaps to his father's side and starts a "death to the Clans" chant.

Battle Against the Clans

Deserve leads his cats to the forest. Before Bloodfur can properly warn the Clans, he launches his attack. He leaps onto the Great Rock and kills Gladestar, then takes a life from Strawberrystar. During the battle, Deserve questions Poisonedsap when he finds her about to kill Swiftstalker. He refuses to work with a cat who would kill her own kit and calls off their alliance. He adds that he has no intentions of becoming her mate, for he sees how she treats her mates, nor would he let her even join his army. She furiously attacks him, but Deserve easily knocks her down and kills her. He agrees to let Swiftstalker live. At fourtrees, Deserve calls on his army to retreat, having lost the battle.

A Change of Heart

Song and Stripednose stay in the Army as guests since Song is so close to kitting, and she gives birth to Pinekit, Leafkit, and Waterkit. Having his sister around has a surprising influence on Deserve. He visits her often in the nursery and rekindles his bond with her, talking about their kithood, and he enjoys playing with the kits. He's almost constantly in the nursery with his family, becoming more relaxed and content. The Army grows agitated with his behavior as he continues delaying their next attack, not wanting to think about it.

Eventually, Deserve is reminded that when Song's kits return to ShadowClan, they will be his enemies. He doesn't like the idea of killing their friends and kin, and he becomes torn as he reflects on his hatred toward the Clans, which he has been dedicating his life to. He realizes the entirety of the Clans aren't his enemy, only individuals are, and they happen to be Clan cats. He regrets his killings and attacks on them and thinks he should have focused on what good he had left in his life rather than what he had lost.

"I've been... So focused on hatred and vengeance. All these seasons, I could have been focused on my kin and what good I had left in my life. Instead, I only saw what I had lost... Maybe your mother would still be alive if I had been a different cat."  _{-Deserve to Crow (Winds of Darkness, chapter 8)}

Death

The next day at sunset, Deserve has made his decision and calls his Army together in a meeting. He's more confident than he's been in moons as he announces his vision for the future of the Army: Stopping attacks on the Clans, and spending their days hunting for one another, spending time with our friends and kin, and welcoming those in need. Though many cats protest this, Deserve is full of pride and happiness that he's finally letting go of the past.

"They've hurt many of us. We all suffered. But why continue suffering? Why dedicate our lives to focusing on our pain and redistributing it? I've brought you all together here. I've given you sanctuary, a home where we're far away from the Clans who hurt us. Instead of keeping our wounds open and bleeding, we must allow them to heal. We must move on and focus on what we have left, not what we have lost. I should have seen that sooner." (...) "We will no longer be attacking the Clans! We will live peacefully in our camp, hunting for one another, spending time with our friends and kin, and welcoming those in need. This will be our future for the better!"

-Deserve to his Army (Winds of Darkness, chapter 8)

Unfortunately, Rosemary slinks up behind Deserve and kills him with a bite to the back of the neck. Deserve dies and ascends to an unknown afterlife.