wavepaw

lichenCLAN

an oriental lynx point with vibrant blue eyes

Wavepaw does not stand out in a crowd of Lichenclan cats if you were looking to point her out at a Gathering: she is typical to the cavern-born clan in her appearance, a fact she takes with immense pride. As with most oriental cats, Wavepaw is slender, lithe, and possesses angular features that explains her nimble -- yet clumsy -- movements. Her legs and tail are long like her mother's, and she shows them off by standing tall and curling her tail high above her. Although not well developed, there are muscles developing under her pelt since the beginning of her apprenticeship; she plans to make them bigger.

Wavepaw's pelt is something to be admired for its attractive creams, seal points, and mackerel markings. The pale creams and tans of her pretty siamese pelt swirl into each other, bringing out the dark colours of her stripes where ever they cross. Her fur is well-kept only after fresh-kill before bed -- otherwise, it tells the story of her hard word and busy mindedness. Wavepaw's fur is water-repellant, allowing water to roll over her while swimming and drying quickly when on land. Wavepaw is displeased with her lack of scars from war -- but she has yet to be in a battle. To her, having scars would indicate to her clan that she is committed to her path toward warriorship. 

Wavepaw's face is sharp with ridged bones, large ears, and vibrant blue eyes. Her forehead has a dark double striped "M" typical of tabbies, right between those bat-like ears that seem to always be listening. Her long nose is a russet pink, and the brown on its bridge is dark and prominent; the arch of her nose spreads out towards her eyes, a perfect strip that outlines her blue eyes. The curvature makes her maw appear imposing, especially when the feisty she-cat is baring her fangs or giving a yowling retort. 

- Clever: quick to understand, learn, and devise or apply ideas; intelligent. 
Not everyone in the clan would agree Wavepaw is clever, but that does nothing to negate the fact that she is. This cleverness is shown through her sharp-wit, attention to detail, and ability to formulate her opinions based on evidence-- even if that evidence is her gut telling her  'something doesn't feel right'. Wavepaw may not be the most intelligent cat in Lichenclan, but her mind is always comprehending and working out solutions.

- Curious: eager to know or learn something.
Wavepaw has this in abundance. Whether it be the curiosity to learn, understand, or explore, anyone can count on this kitty-cat to get into mischief by sticking her nose into something it shouldn't be in. Although she is able to talk her way out of most trouble -- mainly by making it look like Newtpaw's idea while she is just damage control-- she will follow her whimsical curiosity into danger just to see if she can.

- Headstrong: self-willed and obstinate.
Some would rather call this trait in Wavepaw "stubbornness" or "stupidity". Wavepaw believes deeply in herself and that her opinions are the "most correct and accurate"; this is the essence that propels her spirit and sense of duty. If Wavepaw was not headstrong, she would not have the drive that pushes her further and harder than even her most determined and capable of clanmates. It is due to this trait that Wavepaw is always looking for the next rival to analyze and best. She is, after all, aiming to be the nest warrior Lichenclan has ever seen.

- Honest: free of deceit and untruthfulness; sincere.
Wavepaw is honest with herself and is open about her opinions and feelings, a trait not often seen in Lichenclan. This is not to say she would never tell a lie, is that statement in itself would be one. Wavpaw's honesty resides deeply in her self, in the parts where her emotions, beliefs, morals, and spirit reside. In short, this honesty is not the truth as fact would tell you, but truth and how Wavepaw is thinking and feeling, and certainly where she stands on any individual or situation.

- Humorous: causing lighthearted laughter and amusement; comic..
Wavepaw is quite the comic, whether anyone is a fan of this or not. Her life has offered her many frustrations at such a young age and humour has been a trusty tool to protect herself with. It is used to make friends, dissuade enemies, and even resolve conflicts. And, to add to the fun, it can be used as a stealthy insult to anyone not quick enough to notice. 

- Intuitive: using or based on what one feels to be true even without conscious reasoning; instinctive..
Although Wavepaw sees herself as a logical cat, she has feelings and opinions that she cannot always pinpoint where they originated from. Her gut leads her more than Starclan itself, and this is something she is learning to trust and listen to in herself. 

- Callow: (of a young person) inexperienced and immature; lacking adult sophistication.
Wavepaw is a large personality that seems to be missing refinement in her behaviour and assumptions. She walks around the world assuming she already knows what she needs to know, despite always learning and discovering more. It's this attitude that makes her the way she is. Does trait manifest through her speaking out when she should be shutting up, through some of the opinions she holds without fully understanding clan politics, and through some of the ignorance she spews due to nothing more than not understanding anything different in the moment.

- Censorious: having or showing a tendency to criticize someone or something severely; severely critical of others.
Wavepaw is, like most Lichenclan cats, highly judgemental of others -- especially those outside of Lichenclan. She views other cats as heathens in Starclan's eyes that are inferior due to turning their backs on Starclan. Unfortunately, her clan mates are not safe from her harsh judgment. If a clan mate acts or says something that does not align with her own personal opinions, Wavepaw will discriminate against them. This would be shown in the harsh words she spits, or the cold way she turns her back to them, excluding them from a group.

- Clumsy: awkward in movement or action; lacking skill or grace.
Every great warrior has their weakness: Wavepaw happens to be awkward in her movement and actions. Perhaps this is due to her growing body as her legs seem to grow faster than she is capable of wielding them, or maybe it is something that she will never outgrow. Even if her physical motions were not of concern, Wavepaw can be clumsy with her words. This can lead her to embarrassing moments or hurting someone's feelings.

- Crass: lacking sensitivity, refinement, or intelligence.
Wavepaw says things as she sees them, and that doesn't include delivering it with tact or sensitivity when her emotions are flared. Although a rather clever cat, Wavepaw's usual calculated words are forgotten in her ruffled state, and she will be insensitive -- and even harsh. This can make her appear unintelligent with her wording.

- Smug: having or showing an excessive pride in oneself or one's achievements.
This is a trait to be resented in Wavepaw, as it blinds her from seeing the full picture or her own shortcomings. When the apprentice is feeling particularly confident, her smugness can get in the way of thinking clearly as she begins to overestimate her skills and abilities. Wavepaw is competitive by nature and she is not afraid to gloat when she wins. This is mainly due to it being uncommon for her to receive that kind of praise.

- Vociferous: (especially of a person or speech) vehement or clamorous; .
While most Lichenclan cats are reserved, Wavepaw tends to have outbursts of impassioned speech and lectures. Despite being ready to call Newtpaw an imbecile for his inability to hold his tongue, Wavepaw is guilty of doing the same thing-- the only difference being the words and opinions spewed. However, her expression is less sophisticated words and more a burst of hot-aired debates and indignant ire.

Wavekit was born alongside a brother, Newtkit. In the very early moons of her life, she knew nothing of the brevity of nasty politics and traditions waiting to ensnare her outside the nursery walls. As far as the spunky Wavekit was concerned, her and Newtkit were equals as they did everything together: play, sleep, get into trouble, listen to stories, wrestle, and they were equal centres of the world in their mother's, Violetshade's, eyes; one kit for every pupil.

The two siblings never got to know their father, and as a result they become a tight-knit trio with their mother. Much to her mother's dismay, Salamanderfoot, Wavekit's biological father, was taken in the line of duty just a pawful of sunrises after they were born. Because of this, Wavekit recalls her father with rosie retrospection and assumes he was a magnificent warrior with absolutely nothing negative about him.

Unfortunately, it wasn't long before Wavekit's innocence was rudely taken from her as she began to notice the different ways in which the queens of the nursery spoke to Newtkit and herself -- and as a young kit, she didn't understand why in the slightest. To her, it was blatant bullying and blindness.

Wavekit dreamt of the wind in her fur, and her forepaws pounding on hard rock as she cascaded into battle as a fully-fledged Lichenclan warrior. Why then was Newtpaw praised and told he would make a great warrior while Wavekit heard no such compliments for herself? It was then that she decided she would prove to her clan mates that she should not be overlooked. She would become a warrior, the best the clan has ever seen.

As Wavekit grew in age and size, her relationship with Violetshade grew tense and resentful. There wasn't a bone in the little kit's body that desired to stay in the nursery, let alone become a queen for the rest of her life. Whenever her mother tried to steer her towards that path, the kit would explode like a crashing wave against an unmovable rock. Wavekit would run to anyone who would validate the feelings inside of her, avoiding her mother for the rest of the day.

At six moons old, Wavekit stood in front of her clan alongside her brother, and together they were named Wavepaw and Newtpaw respectively. Finally free of the nursery, the newly named apprentice sprinted claw first into her training, oddly reflecting Saltwhisker's skills and determination in every session.