Rockjaw

Redwoodclan

greyish-brown tabby tom with underbite

An intimidating force, Rockjaw is a big cat, towering over his clanmates as a giant brown-gray tabby tom. His size is evident not only in his height but also his width -- he is both tall and round, but with solid muscles underneath his thick coat. He could use to put off a mouse or two and lose some weight, but he doesn’t let his bulkiness slow him down, and his forequarters are well-defined with tough sinew. His hind legs are not as strong as his front and are more slender, but are just as capable of delivering a powerful blow.

Above all, his most striking feature is a jutting underbite that makes his lower front teeth permanently visible at all times, giving him the appearance that he is always grimacing with disgust, though this couldn’t be further from the truth, given his happy-go-lucky nature. His face is wide, with a large space between his bulging yellow eyes, which evens out his aggressive appearance with some comical proportions. A broad rusty nose sits between the two gentle golden orbs, rarely ever wrinkled.

With his chunky build and monstrous appearance, one might even liken him to a bear, but he definitely is more teddy than grizzly.

The “big brother” of Redwoodclan, Rockjaw is forever looking out for his fellow cats and enjoys mentoring younger warriors. He is a positive and uplifting soul, always looking on the bright side of life. This glowing optimism can sometimes be off-putting for other cats and make him seem insincere, but if there is one thing he is known for, it’s his genuineness. Rockjaw is an honest soul and places a high value on the truth, both giving it and receiving it. He is not easy to anger and his even temperament would make him a stellar parent if he were to find the right mate. Patient and kind, he serves as a guiding force in the clan, preferring to teach through encouragement, only dishing out constructive criticism in small doses when needed.

His positivity and thirst for veracity has its downsides though -- namely that he can be a bit naive and have difficulty understanding the complexities of a situation that might call for a more delicate approach. In addition, his distaste for discipline can make him a bit of a pushover to headstrong apprentices. He’s not very good at strategizing, either, and would prefer to talk his way out of a fight than use his claws. Charisma reigns more than logic in his court. That said, he is not afraid to fight if he must, and his loyalty to his clan will spur him on if necessary in the midst of a battle. While most Redwoodclan cats are known for their pride, Rockjaw is a humble exception, placing compassion before honor and ego.

Rock-kit was the firstborn of a large litter, and because of this he felt that he had a responsibility to watch over his siblings and those who were younger or weaker than him. While he never sought out leadership purposefully, he was usually the one to step forward when his fellow kits needed direction, and he led them on many adventures around camp.

His parents were loving and supportive, encouraging of his propensity to be a “buddy” to others. His innate sense of goodness and justice swelled as he learned more about the warrior code, though never so much as to make him forget his heart. Surprisingly, his strange appearance did not cause him any trouble in his youth -- he was just too sweet a cat to make fun of, and any bully who tried would face the glaring wrath of his many friends. He doled out kindness in spades and had the maturity of a kit many moons his age, and he continued to look out for little ones, even when he graduated to the rank of an apprentice and left the nursery.

Rockpaw’s thoughtfulness did backfire on him from time to time, however. Many cats took advantage of his sweet nature for endless favors, including cats who were much older than him. The elders in particular would harp on him day and night, and while he enjoyed their stories and did not see their care as punishment as most apprentices might, on the day when he was to become a warrior, he burned out from exhaustion and spent several days recuperating with the medicine cat.

This experience taught him that it was appropriate -- and sometimes necessary -- to say “no,” but even with his new name and rank, Rockjaw still found it difficult to turn down a cat in need, no matter how small their problem. He found this passion healthily redirected many moons later when he was assigned his first apprentice. This, he decided, was his purpose -- to mentor other cats and teach them the ways of the islands and the warrior code.