Post by jouska on Oct 20, 2019 20:20:19 GMT -6
CYPRESSFANG
REDWOODCLAN
short-furred ginger and white tabby tom with light green eyes.
warrior
male
eighteen moons
Appearance
Cypressfang is, in essence, nothing extraordinary when it comes to appearance. Like most Redwoodclan cats, he's bulky and muscular, most of his strength being in his legs and large paws. He has a broad chest and an overall large figure. However, he's lacking when it comes to height. Most of his clan-mates are quite tall, but he stands a few inches shorter than the average tom cat. It wouldn't normally be obvious, but in a clan that's mostly made up of cats with long legs, it isn't that hard to see. Anyone who brings it up will definitely get their ears shredded by his thick claws.
The vibrant colors of his pelt don't do him any favors when it comes to blending in. His pelt is predominantly white, blending into patches of ginger and dark tabby stripes at the top of his head, along his back, and on the length of his tail. Rather than the trademarked long fur, his is short and usually well-kept. It's still fluffy to an extent, but doesn't help much to keep out the cold during cold season. His body is free of scars, as he has mostly avoided getting involved in any fights.
His face is broad, his muzzle flat and topped off with a light pink nose. There's a small blotch of ginger there, too, on both sides of his nose and chin, standing out against the white fur. His ears are short and wide, dusted with white hairs. Almond shaped eyes are a light green color, a muted color compared to the rest of him.
The vibrant colors of his pelt don't do him any favors when it comes to blending in. His pelt is predominantly white, blending into patches of ginger and dark tabby stripes at the top of his head, along his back, and on the length of his tail. Rather than the trademarked long fur, his is short and usually well-kept. It's still fluffy to an extent, but doesn't help much to keep out the cold during cold season. His body is free of scars, as he has mostly avoided getting involved in any fights.
His face is broad, his muzzle flat and topped off with a light pink nose. There's a small blotch of ginger there, too, on both sides of his nose and chin, standing out against the white fur. His ears are short and wide, dusted with white hairs. Almond shaped eyes are a light green color, a muted color compared to the rest of him.
Personality
To some, Cypressfang might be an annoyance. He doesn't seem to take many things seriously at all, always with a light-hearted air about him. He hates feeling bored, always eager to joke around and have fun, even if it means poking fun at those around him. It's never meant maliciously, of course, and he's quick to apologize if he hurts someone's feelings. Overall he does his best to avoid the bad and focus on the good.
Through and through, he is a kind tom, always looking out for his clan-mates. As much as he likes to talk, he's willing to give someone a listening ear if they need it. If they need some cheering up, he's there to provide a good time. At times he even puts his own needs on the back-burner to look after others, especially his family. Even when he teases someone, he's only looking to lighten the mood, to urge other cats to laugh or at least crack a grin.
Cyrpessfang has a habit of being a little too confident. He brags to anyone who will listen, going on about how brave and skilled he is in battle. To the cats around him, he's a smug tom with too much time to boast. But it's all a very different story inside. He doesn't think very highly of himself at all, believing that he isn't a good warrior and blames himself for many mishaps in his past, whether it's rational or not. He feels that he's severely lacking in many aspects.
The thing he's most ashamed of is how cowardly he is, a trait no one but him knows about. While he would be perfectly capable in a fight, he still finds himself fearful of what would happen, but most of all the fact that he would have to hurt someone else. He isn't fond of those outside of his clan, certainly, but he wouldn't want to hurt them--not without probable reason. Carrying this shame within himself, he does his best in his warrior duties, hunting as much as he can and going out on patrols where he prays to Starclan that they don't run into any hostiles.
Through and through, he is a kind tom, always looking out for his clan-mates. As much as he likes to talk, he's willing to give someone a listening ear if they need it. If they need some cheering up, he's there to provide a good time. At times he even puts his own needs on the back-burner to look after others, especially his family. Even when he teases someone, he's only looking to lighten the mood, to urge other cats to laugh or at least crack a grin.
Cyrpessfang has a habit of being a little too confident. He brags to anyone who will listen, going on about how brave and skilled he is in battle. To the cats around him, he's a smug tom with too much time to boast. But it's all a very different story inside. He doesn't think very highly of himself at all, believing that he isn't a good warrior and blames himself for many mishaps in his past, whether it's rational or not. He feels that he's severely lacking in many aspects.
The thing he's most ashamed of is how cowardly he is, a trait no one but him knows about. While he would be perfectly capable in a fight, he still finds himself fearful of what would happen, but most of all the fact that he would have to hurt someone else. He isn't fond of those outside of his clan, certainly, but he wouldn't want to hurt them--not without probable reason. Carrying this shame within himself, he does his best in his warrior duties, hunting as much as he can and going out on patrols where he prays to Starclan that they don't run into any hostiles.
History
PROLOGUE
Maplefang was not pleasant. Battle-scarred with a sharp tongue, she was not Redwoodclan born, but she never spoke of where she was from. The clan was curious about her, as mysterious as she was, Waspflight especially.
He was a young tom, swift on his feet and eager to experience all that clan life had to offer. He was intrigued by the older she-cat, not only because she said so little about herself but also because he recognized her exceptional fighting skills. The whole clan did. It was clear to see that her scars were from battles well-fought.
It was a difficult task, getting past her rough exterior, one he feared that he would lose his ears trying to do. But his dedication paid off and he was able to say that perhaps they had become something similar to friends. At least that's what he assumed when he realized that she threatened his life much less than she did initially, since she never outright said it, but that was all fine by him. He enjoyed her company all the same.
What he wasn't expecting was for her to pull him aside one day, asking him to follow her in an unusually quiet voice. She sounded much more vulnerable than normal, her eyes staring anywhere but at him, avoiding his gaze. When she led him to a secluded part of the forest, he worried that she would follow through with her prior threats, but that thought was dismissed quickly.
In fact, it seemed to be quite the opposite, as she fumbled through an awkward confession. She cared about him and wondered if he felt the same, if he wanted to be her mate. The silence that followed obviously frightened her, but he quickly reassured her; while he hadn't noticed it before, he found that he had fallen for her, too.
He agreed to become her mate and from their love came Cypresskit.
CHAPTER ONE -- kit
It wasn't long before Maplefang found out she was pregnant with her mate's kits, and while she had her doubts, they were quickly crushed by Waspflight's eager reaction to the news. He was so excited, his face so lit up, that she couldn't bring herself to tell him that she wasn't sure if she was ready. She loved him and she didn't want to break his heart.
So she couldn't help the anxiety when she felt sudden pains in her stomach, like waves crashing over her body. After what feels like an eternity of pain later, there's four kits squirming at her belly, mewing and suckling. She was almost envious of how Waspflight looked at them with such awe.
It didn't take them long at all to learn how to walk, run, and talk, as if in a blink of an eye. Once they figured out how to do these things, though, they never seemed to stand still or stop talking. They were hyperactive, as most kits were.
Cypresskit, Tigerkit, Morningkit, and Foxkit were the troublesome quadruplet of the nursery. They were always up to something, the outgoing and daring sister Tigerkit usually the ringleader in their antics. They all tried multiple times to sneak out of the nursery and sometimes even the camp. Otherwise they would be roughly playing battle with one another, or playing pranks on their den-mates.
Morningkit, while still having her own playful streak, was the calmest out of the bunch. She was content to just sit and be washed by their mother, or bask in the sun. Foxkit, on the other hand, was Tigerkit's partner in crime, an ginger tom that had a spitfire personality. Cypresskit was in the middle.
He loved to roughhouse and support his siblings in their mischief, but he was also a very kind kit, consoling his sister whenever the rowdy Foxkit and Tigerkit would tease her. He cared about all his clan-mates and looked up to his father, who was the model of a perfect warrior to the young kit.
The family's lives were relatively normal, until one night.
Tigerkit had always failed in her endeavors to leave camp, found out by either one of their parents or a warrior that would bring her back to the den to get a scolding. Then she formulated a plan to finally get out--with the help of her brother, of course.
With Foxkit in tow, she shook Cypresskit awake, urging him to come with them. But, in his half-asleep state, he only grumbled irritably and went right back to sleep. So they slunk out of the nursery, sticking to the shadows of camp, and disappeared into the night. They were gone for a week
The whole clan assumed the kits were dead after multiple search parties turned up with no results. Waspflight was devastated, and so was Maplefang, though mostly on behalf of her mate. Cypresskit felt guilty, remembering how they woke him up that night and urged him to come with them. He wished he would have told someone, or tried to stop them, something. But now they were gone.
That is until Foxkit showed up in Redwoodclan territory one day, dirty and scared. The patrol that found him wandering through the forest brought him back to camp, where they all welcomed him warmly. But he wasn't nearly as spunky or easily angered as before. He was quiet and antisocial. Cypresskit's brother would never be quite the same.
CHAPTER 2 -- apprentice
Cypresspaw and his siblings were named apprentices a moon after the whole incident. Cypresspaw worried for his brother, him and Morningpaw both making an effort to try and connect with him, but he was a whole other tom. He was grumpy, snapping at anyone who caught him in a bad mood. But his siblings tried their best to reach out to him.
When it came to training, Cypresspaw took well to it. He wasn't the best at hunting, nor was he a very fast cat, but he was naturally a strong tom. But his distaste for fighting got in the way of that. He didn't like the idea of battle, even if it meant protecting his clan. He loved Redwoodclan, he did, but his stomach always churned whenever his mentor started talking about the topic of fighting. The fact that it was an area he excelled in when it came to training didn't help, either.
He and Morningpaw remained close, having bonded over the disappearance of their siblings. Meanwhile, Foxpaw struggled, obviously burdened by what had happened to him as a kit. He wouldn't let anyone help him, either, shooting down anyone that asked about what happened. Training became a way for him to cope.
A moon into their training, their parents announced that they would be having another litter. Maybe his father wanted to make up for his mistakes with his first kits, but no matter the reason, Cypresspaw was excited to welcome his new siblings, as was Morningpaw. Foxpaw was unfortunately unmoved by the news.
They were all there by Maplefang's side after she gave birth, two new additions to the family at her belly. Their names were Cherrykit and Hornetkit.
Cypresspaw came to visit them as often as he could, whenever his apprentice duties would allow him. Sometimes he would come in to change the nests and get distracted while playing with his younger siblings. They were both full of life, just as him, Morningpaw, and Foxpaw had been when they were young.
The happy times were short-lived, however. Four moons after the birth, Waspflight was pronounced dead, having fallen into the river while on patrol. He was carried away by the currents and supposedly drowned along the way. The whole family was devastated, Maplefang especially.
Weeks later, Maplefang would ask a fellow queen to look after her kits, if only so she could get some air. She felt cramped in the nursery, choked by her grief and having to keep up with her young children. The last any of them would see of her was her walking out of camp, going out on a 'walk' that she would never return from.
The older siblings were left to take care of the kits, abandoned by their mother. Cypresspaw was angry at her for leaving, for making Cherrykit and Hornetkit wonder where she had gone and why. It made him angry to see his siblings so discouraged, left to be cared for by a foster queen.
It was only a moon later that they finally became apprentices and joined Cypresspaw and Morningpaw in the apprentice's den. They would sleep near one another for another three moons, until the older siblings would be given their warrior names.
Cypresspaw had excelled in battle training, with his bulk and the efficient way he handled it, while his other skills were generally pretty average except for agility. For this, he was named Cypressfang. His sister was named Morningheart, for her kind and gentle nature. Foxpaw was named Foxfoot for his speed and endurance.
CHAPTER 3 -- warrior
It's been six moons since being made a warrior and Cypressfang still struggles to adjust at times. He sometimes misses when things were simpler, but tries not to look back at his unfortunate past too often. He doesn't want it to get in the way of his present, instead he tries to be hopeful for his future, despite the flaws and set-backs he needs to work on.
Maplefang was not pleasant. Battle-scarred with a sharp tongue, she was not Redwoodclan born, but she never spoke of where she was from. The clan was curious about her, as mysterious as she was, Waspflight especially.
He was a young tom, swift on his feet and eager to experience all that clan life had to offer. He was intrigued by the older she-cat, not only because she said so little about herself but also because he recognized her exceptional fighting skills. The whole clan did. It was clear to see that her scars were from battles well-fought.
It was a difficult task, getting past her rough exterior, one he feared that he would lose his ears trying to do. But his dedication paid off and he was able to say that perhaps they had become something similar to friends. At least that's what he assumed when he realized that she threatened his life much less than she did initially, since she never outright said it, but that was all fine by him. He enjoyed her company all the same.
What he wasn't expecting was for her to pull him aside one day, asking him to follow her in an unusually quiet voice. She sounded much more vulnerable than normal, her eyes staring anywhere but at him, avoiding his gaze. When she led him to a secluded part of the forest, he worried that she would follow through with her prior threats, but that thought was dismissed quickly.
In fact, it seemed to be quite the opposite, as she fumbled through an awkward confession. She cared about him and wondered if he felt the same, if he wanted to be her mate. The silence that followed obviously frightened her, but he quickly reassured her; while he hadn't noticed it before, he found that he had fallen for her, too.
He agreed to become her mate and from their love came Cypresskit.
CHAPTER ONE -- kit
It wasn't long before Maplefang found out she was pregnant with her mate's kits, and while she had her doubts, they were quickly crushed by Waspflight's eager reaction to the news. He was so excited, his face so lit up, that she couldn't bring herself to tell him that she wasn't sure if she was ready. She loved him and she didn't want to break his heart.
So she couldn't help the anxiety when she felt sudden pains in her stomach, like waves crashing over her body. After what feels like an eternity of pain later, there's four kits squirming at her belly, mewing and suckling. She was almost envious of how Waspflight looked at them with such awe.
It didn't take them long at all to learn how to walk, run, and talk, as if in a blink of an eye. Once they figured out how to do these things, though, they never seemed to stand still or stop talking. They were hyperactive, as most kits were.
Cypresskit, Tigerkit, Morningkit, and Foxkit were the troublesome quadruplet of the nursery. They were always up to something, the outgoing and daring sister Tigerkit usually the ringleader in their antics. They all tried multiple times to sneak out of the nursery and sometimes even the camp. Otherwise they would be roughly playing battle with one another, or playing pranks on their den-mates.
Morningkit, while still having her own playful streak, was the calmest out of the bunch. She was content to just sit and be washed by their mother, or bask in the sun. Foxkit, on the other hand, was Tigerkit's partner in crime, an ginger tom that had a spitfire personality. Cypresskit was in the middle.
He loved to roughhouse and support his siblings in their mischief, but he was also a very kind kit, consoling his sister whenever the rowdy Foxkit and Tigerkit would tease her. He cared about all his clan-mates and looked up to his father, who was the model of a perfect warrior to the young kit.
The family's lives were relatively normal, until one night.
Tigerkit had always failed in her endeavors to leave camp, found out by either one of their parents or a warrior that would bring her back to the den to get a scolding. Then she formulated a plan to finally get out--with the help of her brother, of course.
With Foxkit in tow, she shook Cypresskit awake, urging him to come with them. But, in his half-asleep state, he only grumbled irritably and went right back to sleep. So they slunk out of the nursery, sticking to the shadows of camp, and disappeared into the night. They were gone for a week
The whole clan assumed the kits were dead after multiple search parties turned up with no results. Waspflight was devastated, and so was Maplefang, though mostly on behalf of her mate. Cypresskit felt guilty, remembering how they woke him up that night and urged him to come with them. He wished he would have told someone, or tried to stop them, something. But now they were gone.
That is until Foxkit showed up in Redwoodclan territory one day, dirty and scared. The patrol that found him wandering through the forest brought him back to camp, where they all welcomed him warmly. But he wasn't nearly as spunky or easily angered as before. He was quiet and antisocial. Cypresskit's brother would never be quite the same.
CHAPTER 2 -- apprentice
Cypresspaw and his siblings were named apprentices a moon after the whole incident. Cypresspaw worried for his brother, him and Morningpaw both making an effort to try and connect with him, but he was a whole other tom. He was grumpy, snapping at anyone who caught him in a bad mood. But his siblings tried their best to reach out to him.
When it came to training, Cypresspaw took well to it. He wasn't the best at hunting, nor was he a very fast cat, but he was naturally a strong tom. But his distaste for fighting got in the way of that. He didn't like the idea of battle, even if it meant protecting his clan. He loved Redwoodclan, he did, but his stomach always churned whenever his mentor started talking about the topic of fighting. The fact that it was an area he excelled in when it came to training didn't help, either.
He and Morningpaw remained close, having bonded over the disappearance of their siblings. Meanwhile, Foxpaw struggled, obviously burdened by what had happened to him as a kit. He wouldn't let anyone help him, either, shooting down anyone that asked about what happened. Training became a way for him to cope.
A moon into their training, their parents announced that they would be having another litter. Maybe his father wanted to make up for his mistakes with his first kits, but no matter the reason, Cypresspaw was excited to welcome his new siblings, as was Morningpaw. Foxpaw was unfortunately unmoved by the news.
They were all there by Maplefang's side after she gave birth, two new additions to the family at her belly. Their names were Cherrykit and Hornetkit.
Cypresspaw came to visit them as often as he could, whenever his apprentice duties would allow him. Sometimes he would come in to change the nests and get distracted while playing with his younger siblings. They were both full of life, just as him, Morningpaw, and Foxpaw had been when they were young.
The happy times were short-lived, however. Four moons after the birth, Waspflight was pronounced dead, having fallen into the river while on patrol. He was carried away by the currents and supposedly drowned along the way. The whole family was devastated, Maplefang especially.
Weeks later, Maplefang would ask a fellow queen to look after her kits, if only so she could get some air. She felt cramped in the nursery, choked by her grief and having to keep up with her young children. The last any of them would see of her was her walking out of camp, going out on a 'walk' that she would never return from.
The older siblings were left to take care of the kits, abandoned by their mother. Cypresspaw was angry at her for leaving, for making Cherrykit and Hornetkit wonder where she had gone and why. It made him angry to see his siblings so discouraged, left to be cared for by a foster queen.
It was only a moon later that they finally became apprentices and joined Cypresspaw and Morningpaw in the apprentice's den. They would sleep near one another for another three moons, until the older siblings would be given their warrior names.
Cypresspaw had excelled in battle training, with his bulk and the efficient way he handled it, while his other skills were generally pretty average except for agility. For this, he was named Cypressfang. His sister was named Morningheart, for her kind and gentle nature. Foxpaw was named Foxfoot for his speed and endurance.
CHAPTER 3 -- warrior
It's been six moons since being made a warrior and Cypressfang still struggles to adjust at times. He sometimes misses when things were simpler, but tries not to look back at his unfortunate past too often. He doesn't want it to get in the way of his present, instead he tries to be hopeful for his future, despite the flaws and set-backs he needs to work on.
