Adderheart

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a brown-and-white tabby tom with yellow eyes

Born a ThistleClan cat by blood, Adderheart suits the clan in his build. He is ever so slightly smaller than the average cat, body suited to navigate the tight spaces between brambles of his ancestral home. He is not as densely muscular as many ThistleClan cats however, his body more lithe and thin and gangly. He has an awkwardness about his form, one that is hidden conveniently behind his thick, fluffed fur.

Adderheart's pelt is luxurious and soft when he finds the time and energy to care for it. He is largely brown in color, hue varying from a rich chocolate brown to a color verging on amber depending on whether the viewer is observing thick, classic tabby stripe or not. The underside of his body, including his throat, chest, belly, and limbs, are all snowy white in color, with patches of brown tabby striping breaking the monotony. Generally, his fur is not fully groomed, leading him to often sport a bedraggled, frumpy appearance.

Adderheart spots ears that sit high on his head, each narrow and pointed with wispy, pale ear hairs extending in wild strands. The most attractive feature on his face is piercing yellow eyes, often half-closed and lazy. Otherwise, his features are narrow and pointed and messy, giving him the appearance typical of the "tortured genius."

Adderheart's greatest gift is his mind. He is quick to learn and even quicker to work, parsing logical issues with ease. Each decision he makes is precise and carefully decided, leading to consistent and reliable results. Adderheart completes the tasks laid out for him with flying colors, finding himself remarkable at strategy and analysis.

The sharpness of Adderheart's mind has led him to believe that anything less than perfection is to be undesirable and unworthy of consideration. He is snippiest with himself, always quick to correct himself with snide remarks whenever he catches his own mistakes. Whenever his decisions lead to harm, especially if said danger is to another, he takes it deeply personally. Rather than dealing with such inevitabilities as they appear, he works beyond his capacity to ensure that no errors arise, to begin with.

There is a precision in which Adderheart interacts with the world. He is nimble with his paws physically and tends to work in a smooth, rhythmic structure both internally and externally. While Adderheart can be pushy when it comes to matters that could prove dangerous, the tom is usually casually observant, only interfering with others' businesses when he deems it a must. He takes not of most, however, storing it away in case the information he notices proves useful.

Ultimately, Adderheart is a coward. He detests fighting, almost always delegating such things from behind the scenes. Even when it comes to his major goals in life if others stand in his way, he is more likely to give up than face them. In regard to his relationships, he has an intentional distance to his words that his actions do not always show. He is cold towards even those he knows well, rarely speaking words of kindness. His love and gratitude are only seen in his actions, a trait that has left his relationships falling flat in the past.

He was a pitiful thing really. It was a sentiment echoed throughout the nursery on the days following Adderkit's birth. He was a child of Greenleaf and the sun's heat, one of several litters in the season. At such a popular time for kitting, the nursery ran full in all of his memories. Kittens born during the warmer seasons grew healthier and fatter and fared better as new apprentices after all. But somehow, Adderpaw had the mixed health and quiet disposition of a leaf-bare kitten, plastered to their mother's side like it was a lifeline from the cold.

He was the only kitten born to Batfur and Badgerstripe, two respected but largely ordinary ThistleClan warriors. They loved him dearly, a sentiment that Adderheart showed them in turn. They spoiled him perhaps more than they should have, always tending to him and never making him play with the other kits when he did not want to. Young Adderkit rarely wanted the attention of other kits, content to play with his mother or, sometimes preferably, by himself. The whispers of discontent that surrounded him and his small family did not cease as he aged old enough to leave the nursery behind.

It was to Batfur and Badgerstripe's surprise when Froststar named himself as Adderpaw's mentor. Perhaps it was fascination at his oddly literate remarks or his innate intelligence. It could have been that the aging leader found his knack for quick memorization worth developing in a young warrior. Or perhaps, it was simply pity. After all, Adderpaw had no friends or social life. And while one might look upon a young cat and feel sorry for its loneliness, Adderpaw did not mind his isolation. He had always felt deep down that there was something that separated him from the others, something that made it particularly challenging to connect with them in any meaningful way. No, Adderpaw was content to play alone, something that Froststar discovered quickly as he tried to pair the tabby with young cats his age in the hopes that his apprentice might make friends.

As Adderpaw grew older, he found himself beginning to understand the necessity of friendships and close relations. He grew fond of Froststar in particular. Even on days in which he did not train, he would often spend time with the leader when he had the time, taking long walks through the woods to observe the plant life, identifying the birds by their songs, or simply sharing tongues while speaking about the weather. Froststar was Adderpaw's truest friend. After training with the tom for several moons, Adderpaw learned that Froststar had not chosen him for his intellect or eccentric personality. It was not pity that led Froststar to take note of Adderpaw, but the leader's own loneliness.

It was on Adderpaw's ninth moon that he was finally chosen to join his mentor and clan at the gathering. While he lacked some of the excitement of his fellow apprentices, he was still interested in what he might learn during the occasion. He had grown fond of watching the others interact, even if it was rare that he make himself a part of the conversation. When he arrived, he became quickly overwhelmed by the sheer numbers at the gathering. In an attempt to find relief, he quickly removed himself from the thick of it and found a quieter spot to sit near the back. It appeared that a RedwoodClan tabby had a similar idea, and in an instant, Adderpaw recognized a kinship between them.

The normally introverted ThistleClan apprentice decided to speak up on the peculiar nature of the gathering cats, the unique appearances that divided and connected them, and how he had noticed that Heatherstar seemed particularly interested in searching the crowd, almost as though she were looking for one cat in particular. The RedwoodClan apprentice admitted that it was likely him that she was looking for as her apprentice. The two apprentices bonded over training under their respective leaders, and Adderpaw made a friend in the nervous Finchpaw.

Finchpaw and Adderpaw, at gatherings that followed, spoke on many topics. One that Adderpaw found his attention particularly drawn towards was the war that was occurring across ThistleClan's borders, claiming the lives of many of Finchpaw's clanmates. It concerned Adderpaw, enough for him to bring up the political stance of ThistleClan to Froststar. Froststar was quick to brush him off, despite Adderpaw's insistence to speak of such pressing matters.

When Adderheart finally received his warrior name, he felt anger boiling in his chest. Froststar named him for his generosity, his kindness, and his worry for the other clans. After moons of the leader ignoring his pleading regarding the war effort, Froststar dared to bring up his efforts in his name alone. Utterly hurt, Adderheart confronted Froststar about the nature of his name and ThistleClan's lack of dedication toward the good of the island, only to be shut down and turned away again.

Adderheart felt betrayed by one of the very few he called a friend, and this only cemented his own image of himself as a loner within his birth clan.

The sting grew when Batfur was grievously injured in combat with LichenClan, a battle that Adderheart blamed on Froststar for not avoiding. Meanwhile, rogues attacked the nursery while the clan was distracted. Adderheart attempted to defend the lone queen and kits but to no avail. A vicious bite to his neck left him unconscious as the queen was slaughtered and one kit was stolen. Adderheart's anger at Froststar came to a head on the following moon. The leader's neutrality and inability to teach Adderheart how to fight as well as he might have led to so many injured, killed, and taken.


Batfur died not long after the season begins, and his mother retreated into herself. Adderheart felt utterly alone, betrayed by his friend and family shattered beyond repair. He grew to hate ThistleClan, finding no closure within the relationships he lacked with his clanmates and instead only meaningless words of pity. When Froststar died of green cough, Adderheart's connection to ThistleClan died with him.

Desperate for comfort in a way the tom could not explain, he found his way to the border between ThistleClan and RedwoodClan. The only one left to care about him was not even a clanmate and filled with grief and anger he felt that only Finchtail might relieve him from the discomfort of such strong feelings. It is not Finchtail that Adderheart found, but a fox. He is not killed outright, though he might as well have been. Only partially conscious and in excruciating pain, Adderheart was barely aware of the feline that stood above him, a molly unfamiliar and speaking strangely. In the moments before his vision faded, she grabbed ahold of him with a strength Adderheart had only recognized in rogues, sending him into a panicked spiral before everything went black.

Adderheart woke in a world submerged in darkness, wounds healing under cobwebs and salve. His first instinct was to run, to escape whatever hole he had been dragged into, but so weak was he that when he tried to sneak away, he collapsed once again. A blue-furred tom was quick to find and recover him, however, all the while speaking of the purpose he found within the tunnels. He also met Rookflower properly, and her gentle tone and soft spirit quickly won his favor. That, in addition to her ample store of poppy seeds.

After a full moon of recovery, Adderheart finally was healed enough to leave the caverns. He stared longingly out into the wilderness of his homelands, wondering what his plans might entail. It is not long before he realizes that in this place, he had experienced far more warmth than he ever had among his kind. Additionally, it became quickly apparent that his rescuers were intent on doing good on the island, something he had been craving to be a part of since he was a young apprentice.

It was for this reason that he chose to stay.


Adderheart spent many moons with those that lived beneath the earth. He found a home in the darkness, a place where he felt he belonged. Of course, he never said so in a few words. So strange was it to meet others who cared how he felt that for a long time, the thought of leaving left his mouth frequently, and that he was only waiting for this or that. Even so, somehow, he remained, and somehow, they still welcomed him despite his eccentricities.

He took up an active role in the efforts, making himself useful to the cause by using his keen mind and attention to detail and the big picture alike. Whereas others were fit to act first and think later, Adderheart found himself valuable in debating others in all their flawed logic in the hopes of preventing their downfalls. He grew especially close to Ara, Cranewatcher's granddaughter, as the pair both enjoyed the casual company of the other with few social expectations.

He was greatly saddened by Rookflower's passing and spent time grieving with the others. It did not last long, as fate had different plans for the small group of cats.

When the flood hit the island, the tunnels became surging with murky water. It was Adderheart's fast thinking that recognized the safest location to run, but it was his reputation in the group that allowed others to trust his decision. He was one of the first to escape into the open, looking back only to see Ara stumble and Cranewatcher sacrifice his life for hers. It was a great loss to all, though Adderheart did his best to keep all involved safe and as comfortable as could be.


After spending a few seasons with them, Adderheart found a new family in these felines, and in large part had begun to take it upon himself to help them succeed in whatever goals they might hope to accomplish. He involved himself in both the learning and memorizing of legends and history. He brought the hurt to be healed by Ara. He trained his new family in the ways of battle so they may never fall to invading forces. Adderheart was unnerved by Altair's continued nightmares, but instead of compassion growing, he found resentment. The cat's dreams put everyone on edge, a fate he did not prefer.


Altair's dreams had been realized as he lead Ara to find LichenClan refugees hiding deep in the tunnels. The group discussed whether the action was necessary to aid the rebellion to promote peace. Despite himself, Adderheart found himself in agreement. The cats of the tunnels agreed to aid in the ways that they could.

In a meeting with the rebellion leader, Quickstrike, it was requested that the cats of the tunnels provide physically as soldiers. Adderheart tried to persuade Vega not to accept this deal - that it would lead to great harm and possibly death of their people. How can one stand for peace and choose to participate in violence when there were many other ways to support the cause? Vega did not heed his advisor, instead agreeing to fight side-by-side with the rebellion.

When war struck, Adderheart fought tooth and claw with LichenClan loyalists to help provide the rebellion an opening to execute Minnowstar. When the fighting died down, he searched for his allies, only to find his closest companion, Brookfang, dead. Adderheart took this blow personally.


The cats of the tunnels began to reach out more formally, promising to aid in maintaining peace and defending the gateway to StarClan, the lagoon. Adderheart stands loyally by, more interested in the passage of information and lore than politics. He vows to aid Vega in his causes and to prevent any more of his family members' deaths, no matter the cost.

The cats of the tunnels began to reach out more formally, promising to aid in maintaining peace and defending the gateway to StarClan, the lagoon. Adderheart stands loyally by, more interested in the passage of information and lore than politics. He vows to aid Vega in his causes and to prevent any more of his family members' deaths, no matter the cost. This was taken with mixed opinions, LichenClan and RedwoodClan reacting amicably, and ThistleClan reacting with disagreement and disinterest.

Not long into the season, a blizzard struck, sending a few individuals further into the tunnels for shelter from the cold. It was lucky that the cats in the tunnels were safe from such disasterous events, though such would not be for long.

A great flood ran through the tunnels once again as it had seasons ago. Adderheart's life flashed before his eyes as he and Vega were nearly swept into the deepest recesses of the drop-off, only barely managing to escape the wrath of the current. Defeated and without a home to return to, the tunnel cats camped among RedwoodClan's camp, their position as peacemakers lending them to receive the aid that the tree-dwelling clan offered.

Of course, this meant a reunion between Adderheart and Finchstar, one the tom had been dreading. Much to Adderheart's relief and sorrow, Finchstar had thuroughly moved on with a mate and kits, so that when the tunnel cats left RedwoodClan when the water receeded, Adderheart no longer let his heart wander in the direction of the one-eyed tabby leader.

Instead, he made himself busy putting Icesong's plans into action. Together with Vega and the others of the tunnels, the clans were persuaded to send their children down into the dark to learn of the ancient ways. Adderheart taught and taught, growing more and more aware of how old his body felt.


At the beginning of the 2024 season, Adderheart is suddenly burdened by the lack of results in his life. All along, he worked so hard to make sure that his hidden little community thrived as much as it could despite the darkness. Was it really enough for him to be content?