Skypetal

Loner

long-haired silver tabby she-cat with green eyes

Slim and small, Skypetal could almost slip right by you if it weren't for all the fur. Soft and pretty as it is, it can still get in the way sometimes. She doesn't let it keep her down though - in a way she's kind of proud of it. She walks lightly - one of the few skills in her possession, honed from many nights tiptoeing around the sleeping kits of the nursery.


Her fur is well-maintained from many hours of fervent grooming. She may not care what others think, but there's no harm in going the extra mile for herself. The white fluff of her neck plumes out beautifully, giving off an almost regal look at times. Admittedly, it makes her tail look a bit thin in comparison, but its still fluffier than a short-hair's. Color-wise, there isn't much in the way of variety; even her paw pads are an ash-gray. A pleasant, powdery gray makes up the majority of her pelt as darker stripes wrap around her arms and legs. Smaller lines decorate her face and a single thick stroke falls down her back. Most that might dwell on her flanks are lost in the cascading swaths of long hair that reside there.


Any bit of color is welcome on the tabby's other-wise monochrome palette, and her eyes are a prime example. Striking, vivid green that always seem to be in search of something. Straight white whiskers stand tall as they poke out from her muzzle. Her slightly mottled pink nose also helps embellish her delicate features and angular jawline.

+ Motherly

Skypetal always liked to dote on her kits. She takes her role as a caregiver very seriously, and finds much joy in watching them grow. The she-cat is glad that she can contribute to the clan in such a way. On occasions where one of them happens to be upset, she's more than willing to sit down and listen to their troubles. She likes to take them under her wing and help where she can, even if she can't give any pointers on things like hunting or fighting. While Skypetal does care deeply for her clanmates, it can be a bit...much at times. The sight of wounds can send her into a fit. The moment she sees even a hint of red on them, they're being sent straight to the medicine den. This can get in the way, as she's constantly sending cats with a mere scratch when there are much more pressing matters hand. This overprotectiveness is doubly so for kits and apprentices.


+ Mediator

Skypetal has a known hatred of conflict. This led her down the obvious path of learning to diffuse these tense situations. She knows to keep her tone respectful and listen with understanding. She only really uses these skills when she has to, as it can be rather draining. It shows in small ways most of the time; conceding on a thing she disagrees with, listening to a cat complain about a failed hunt, etc. This can lead to her being seen as a bit of a pushover by some, and sensible by others.

The silver tabby can usually keep a handle on things, but not always. The quickest way to make her snap is by disparaging her family. Enough of that, and her temper will show quite easily.


+ Devout

Like many of the cats in Lichenclan, her belief in Starclan is strong and true. She believes in all their benevolence, but has a bit of trouble when it comes to the darker parts of their history. She doesn't see why the ones who watch over them so carefully would do such terrible things to them. It has caused her so much doubt, that she has decided there is no way it could be true- rather, it is simply a lie that was spread by some poor doubting soul. This interpretation caused a bit of friction between her and the very few she's shared it with. It was one of the many things she and her ex-mate Falconfire disagreed upon, for he was one who believed in all the fire and brimstone she hated with such passion.


- Lazy

While she may have been a lively kit, that quickly changed when she was stuck with her overbearing mentor. They made her expend every bit of energy and constantly toed on the line of overworking her. This in turn made her cherish every bit of respite she got. Its part of why she loved becoming a queen! Her laziness has only been exacerbated by the many moons she's spent in the nursery.


- Skittish

The silver tabby has grown to be quite jumpy, especially when outside camp. She constantly fears attack from either a cat or one of the many predators on the island. The feeling dies down when clanmates are near, but never completely. The kits managed to find out how easy it was to startle her and now like to make a game of it. They find it great fun, even if it leads to a stern talking to later on.


- Nosy

Skypetal has a tendency of getting far too invested in other cats' business. The moment she hears even a slip of something interesting, she's on the case. She loves the idea of hunting down secrets - just so long as they're not that serious. The she-cat likes to think of it as just a fun hobby. Unfortunately, she sometimes gets in a bit over her head. When she's too engrossed in her prying, it can lead to her forgetting boundaries and ending up in some trouble.

She also likes to keep tabs on her children's lives. Worrying about them comes naturally, and while she'd never tell them what to do, she can't help but be involved. It takes a lot of restraint to not be hovering over their shoulders all the time.


~ Shameless

Many moons of trying and almost failing at her warrior duties have made Skypetal rather thick-skinned. She doesn't tend get embarrassed, and things that might've shamed her when she was younger now leave her unaffected. She's learned to not care what other cats may think. While this does help her function in everyday life, it also helps her justify doing slightly less favorable things such as gossiping or spying on one of her clanmates. If you approach her about it, she'll either play dumb or shrug it off with a laugh.

Relations:
Nightfall (mother, deceased), Windchaser (father, deceased)
Cloudheart (older brother, deceased), Suntail (older brother, deceased)
Falconfire (ex-mate (canna))
Rootclaw (daughter (budgie)), Mallowtail (daughter, adopt), Clay- (son, adopt), Dust- (son, adopt)

Kithood || A Sky Full of Stars

Not much needs to be said about Skykit's early life. She was the sole kit to her litter. She had two loving parents, and two older brothers. They were all attentive to her needs. Stories of Starclan and Lichenclan's greatest achievements were fed to her from the start. Still, she loved them, and they loved her. It was as simple as that.

But something always has to go wrong. In the morning haze, Skykit and her mother peered out of the nursery. The dawn patrol was just about to return and the two were eager to see them. Her brothers had been part of it and made sure to let them know ahead of time. The smile that started to lift her face fell fast. They were there, she was sure, but something was wrong. The air was sick with a smell that made her gag. Others seemed to notice it too. Her mother urged her back inside before darting out the den. The queen didn't return for a long time.

It was around midday when Skykit was finally called to the medicine den. Things were looking bleak for her brothers, and they stayed by their sides for as long as they could. One passed that night, the other just a few days later. Their parents assured Skykit that the two had been sent straight to Starclan. It was the only solace they could provide their young daughter, and she clung to it.

Redwoodclan, they said. They were the ones that did this. She both hated and feared the enemy clan. If they could do this and get away just like that, then what else could they do? The thought of running into them terrified her. It got to the point where nightmares of it happened daily, and Skykit eventually vowed that she would not be going out like they did. It felt lonely without her brothers, but in the end, all she could do was tilt her head to the sky and search. There were two new stars up there, she knew. Now she just had to find them.

- Apprenticeship || Trip, Fall, Repeat

Skypaw discovered just how terrible her fear of both battle and blood was happened quite early on. She was barely into her apprenticeship, and her mentor thought she was ready for some basic battle training. The young she-cat did well enough at first, but one mistake was all it took. A momentary panic during one of the moves led to her accidentally scratching her opponent. She was left trembling on the spot. She hated the thought of hurting another cat no matter how small the scratch, and that's just what she'd done.

This caused some problems between her and her mentor, who happened to be an avid fighter. He was determined to make a good warrior out of her, but it never worked no matter how hard he pushed her. If anything, it made her more averse to all the hunting and fighting.


- Warrior Status || Everything Comes In Twos

When it came time for her trial, Skypaw withstood the cold. She became Skypetal, and an official warrior of Lichenclan. Right from the start she struggled to keep up with the other warriors. She did well enough at hunting, but spooked a bit too easy, and everyone already knew how much of a pushover she was when it came to a fight. Still, Skypetal wouldn't need those skills for the goal she was pursuing. There was a path that she'd been wanting to follow for a while, and now she finally could.

A queen. That's what she wanted to be, and she was sure that Starclan would allow her that. The thought of starting a family always appealed to her, and the fact that she could escape the fighting she hated so much was an added bonus. With this new objective in mind, she kept a keen eye out for any interested parties.

It didn't take long for a tom to approach her. Martenfoot was his name. A real religious type - far more than her, which is saying something. She'd witnessed his little outbursts around camp before, but this was the first time they'd really talked. Apparently he'd taken an interest in her. Why, she didn't know, but she saw her chance.

As the moons passed, the silver tabby put up with the constant talk of Starclan that would have driven most mad. She learned there were times where you could see just a hint of good underneath all the preaching and put-downs, but you had to squint to see it. Still, she'd take what she could get.

The day she found out she was pregnant was probably one of the happiest in her life. She ended up having two healthy she-kits they named Rootkit and Mallowkit - Starclan had truly blessed her! Mallowkit was easy to rear, but her sister was a different story. She doesn't know where that girl got her temper from, but it definitely wasn't her. As she raised her kits, Skypetal also had to deal with Martenfoot. Keeping him from the nursery as much as she could was the least she could do for her daughters. The less prattling on he did, the better. He still managed to barge in occasionally, but the young queen did her best.

Eventually the day came where her two daughters became apprentices. Skypetal briefly returned to being a warrior - her skills having dulled tremendously - but luckily, she managed to become a queen again quite fast. It seems that she was destined to have things happen in twos, as her next litter consisted of two tom-kits named Dustkit and Claykit. The day they grew to be six moons old came far too fast, but there was nothing she could do about it. Now that her sons were apprentices, she'd have to return to her warrior duties once again...something she was not looking forward to.