Is it new-leaf yet? As the cold continues to permeate across the island, the clans and tribe settle into one of the worst leaf-bares in seasons. Likewise, we're sure the rest of us could do without the cold ourselves, right? This month we have a slew of site updates, a new art contest, OTM winners and nominations, and our usual plot updates, so make sure to check out the February Announcements! Additionally, we have a few new patrols and a game-plan for our patrols from September, October, and December, so make sure to check those out as well!
The Apostles is a warrior cats roleplay based in northern Wisconsin. On Lake Superior, the wild cats have made the Apostle Islands their home. It is on these islands - Rocky Island and South Twin Island - that the clan and tribe cats have lived in a peace and harmony that ebbs and flows with the tide.
But as the tides turn, so does the truce that binds them to one another; and as the water raises, a darkness follows, an evil that will end in bloodshed and violence.
Name:@ silverfire Experience: None here, though I have played two med cats and a leader Character Name: Emberscorch Character Application:Emberscorch Position Desired: LC Deputy IC Sample:Something New (yes it was abandoned but I did rp with her there.
Emberscorch’s eyes narrowed as she stared at Patchstrike. Despite the ginger of her coat making it harder to blend in with the foliage around her, she managed to stay completely hidden.
A few days ago, Minnowstar had confided in her that she found the tom suspicious. The deputy had offered to track him the next time he left camp without his apprentice. It was a bit tricky to catch him since he woke up so early, but she had managed to wake up on time. Sneaking out of camp had been the easy part, as no one gave her a second glance.
Stalking Patchstrike however had been the issue. He was her senior, and as such, he was quite skilled. He wasn’t skilled enough to detect the deputy however, as she had been following him for a while now. Her steps were as light as a feather, barely making a noise. Her small frame allowed her to slip through the fern with ease, and she kept her eyes locked on the tom.
’You’re up to something…’ She thought, eyes narrowing even more. The seal point tom had paused to look around multiple times, seemingly to check if he was being followed. Emberscorch had lost track of how long it had been since they left camp. They’d been walking since the first rays of sun started to melt away the night, and now the sun was in the sky.
A few moments later, the tom stopped.
”Are you alone?” An unfamiliar voice asked. Emberscorch watched as Patchstrike dipped his head.
”I am,” he confirmed. Realizing that this was what she was waiting for, Emberscorch dug her claws into the ground. The first voice spoke again.
”Good… do you have any ideas if she knows I exist..?”
”She knows nothing,” Patchstrike confirmed. Suddenly, the bushes in front of him shifted, and out came a she cat who caused Emberscorch to do a double take.
’No… that can’t be…’ she thought, hackles rising.
”Dad always told me that she’d kill us if she got the chance…” the she cat muttered.
”Dustyleap was a friend of mine,” Patchstrike said. ”I’ll fight to the death to protect any kit of his. Now, what herbs do you want me to get for you this moon?” He asked. That was the last straw.
Without so much as a yowl, she leapt out of the bushes and landed on Patchstrike’s back, causing the she cat to bolt and the tom to collapse.
”You want to share herbs with heathens, do you?” She spat.
”Th-that’s not-“
”Shut it!” Emberscorch exclaimed, pressing his head down and raking her claws along his shoulders, earning a wail of pain. ”You are going to explain yourself to Minnowstar!” She screamed. Despite her smaller size, the deputy managed to fasten her teeth around the tom’s neck. She bit down ever so slightly, making sure she wouldn’t kill him. She knew he wouldn’t struggle however, as it was clear that any movement could lead to him being killed.
She drug the tom back to camp, dropping him unceremoniously at the entrance of Minnowstar’s den.
”I found the traitor,” she said, eyes glittering coldly. This tom deserved to be killed. She just hoped Minnowstar would see it the same way.
Character views on Minnowstar & Starclan: Emberscorch is… devout to say the very least. She sees Cinderface and Minnowstar as the two who will connect them to StarClan. She refuse to make eye contact with either, out of sheer respect for the pair. She would throw herself into a full fox den if either so desired. She makes no attempts to hide this either, appearing at every single baptism and confessing each and every time. She refuse to interact with outside cats unless it is to fight them, and she thinks everything was caused by StarClan.
Sickness in the clan? StarClan cleansing the clan of those who do not believe.
Broken tail? StarClan was clearing trying to say something- possibly that her mate was going to hurt her and she didn’t listen.
Lost her entire family? StarClan needed them.
Each paw step, each breath, and each piece of prey is from StarClan and they can take it away whenever they so desire.
She’s exceptionally vocal in her devoutness, from verbally praying over each catch and each meal to always keeping her head lowered in subservience to Minnowstar and Cinderface to going to each and every baptism and verbally admitting how she’s sinned, it’s exceptionally hard to miss how devout she is. It’s hard to miss how much she respects both Cinderface and Minnowstar as well. In fact, when she went to ask for Hornetpaw to switch mentors, she made sure it was very clear that she would stick with him were Minnowstar to say that she should. She’s relinquished prey for the higher ups. She listens to everything they say like it’s the most fascinating thing in the world.
There is no second guessing. No getting upset. No contradicting Minnowstar. Minnowstar and Cinderface are the two cats she’s willing to lay her life down for and, if told to do so, she’d slaughter her own kits.
How will this character advance Minnowstar's vision and earn her trust? Emberscorch is small and rather unsuspecting to those who don’t know her. Her size has made it so most eyes aren’t drawn to her. Ever since her mate cheated on her, she used this to her advantage. From being able to stalk cats to eavesdropping, she is able to gain information easily.
Doing this, she would listen to conversations, reporting to her leader any time anything suspicious was said. She’d even stalk cats if Minnowstar asks.
As for earning the leader’s trust, I believe following her commands without question and clearly being devout would be a big chunk of that. I also believe that the fact that she’s gone to and confessed something at each and every confession. She’s even said she can’t remember how she sinned but she knew she sinned.
With a deep seated hatred for other clans and loners, she’d be very eager to fight them. To her, heathens mean nothing. She’d sow the seeds of anger in the clan alongside the other hps, rallying those for StarClan against all others. While she could never take Cinderface’s place, she’d urge the clan to continue to pray to StarClan and to ask for guidance if they’re confused. Of course, she wouldn’t step on anyone’s toes, she’d just say that StarClan is the guiding force and has helped her despite her flaws.
Convincing cats that StarClan, Minnowstar, and Cinderface are the ones you should strive to emulate, she’d be an advocate for confessing sins to StarClan during baptisms. She’d be like an overzealous door knocker. She will verbally pray before eating and encourage others to join her. The warrior code is something she’d teach to everyone. She’s so devout that it can be a bit jarring for others.
Furthermore, she’d step up boarder patrols, encouraging everyone to fight any and all sinners they come across. She would patrol often as well, personally making sure cats steer clear of the territory. At gatherings, she’d encourage the clan to not talk to heathens unless it is to get information out of them.
She would be whatever Minnowstar and Cinderface wanted, and would never verbally disagree. No matter what is ordered of her, she’d do it- just like she has as a warrior.
Character Plot Plans: Emberscorch’s plot is fairly open. I wish for her to have a litter, and raise them as devout StarClan worshipers. Other than that, she’s open.
LC: Emberscorch (f), Patchstrike (m) RWC: Primrosepaw (nb) WIP TC: Sparkspirit (m), Cinderfeather (f) T: Icicle that Melts at Dawn (m) O: Mizar (f)
Post by fallenreaper on Feb 1, 2021 17:53:03 GMT -6
Name: Fallenreaper Experience: THIS IS MY FIRST TIME TRYING OUT FOR AN HIGH POSITION Character Name: SHADEPAW Character Application: SHADEPAW Position Desired: THISTLE MEDICINE CAT IC Sample:
Shadepaw's sight lingered on the ground. It looked so far down and his imagination rushed into his thoughts causing his heart to race. The muscle bruised his ribs until he thought it would burst from his chest. With a few deep breaths, he tried to soothe the fear that slinked into his brain.
At Ivorypaw's words, he finally ripped his attention from their towering location. He had barely noticed she had moved back to the tree base as he turned to face her.
Her words about his terror raked across his confidence. He knew she didn't mean like that, but it didn't make the accusation better. The tom's ears pressed against his skull while he avoided her eyes. Shame filled his consciousness and forced him to look away from her disappointed face. Shadepaw couldn't think of the right thing to say.
Swallowtooth's assumption of him had never been wrong. He was weak, terrified of everything, and a waste of fur. Why would a few, stupid victories change that?
Shadepaw kept his tail down as he followed Ivorypaw. Front paws reached up and dug into the bark, his body tugged down to test the strength. Before he could join her, his ears caught the loud scratching on the bark.
His eyes glanced down. His expression twisted into horror when he watched Ivorypaw plummet down.
"IVORYPAW!" A voice alien and loud escaped his throat.
In a movement faster than he could register, the onyx apprentice slid down. His claws found purchase thanks more to his instinct than his mind. In about a minute, his whole body reached the ground. He darted from the roots to the molly's side.
"Ivorypaw, what happened? You were doing fine then... then you fell!" Shadepaw's voice rose to a few shrill octaves.
Already, his body circled as he looked her over. It didn't take him long to realize she had hurt her paw.
"Your paw doesn't look good. We need to head back to camp.”
Character views on Starclan and current Thistleclan plot:
Being the black sheep of his family and Thistleclan lacking any sort of hardcore stance on starclan, Shadepaw’s view would be a neutral one. He has no negative or positive association with the mysterious starclan and anything he knows is purely stumbled on with conversations from Ratwhisker during his stay in the medicine den. Shadepaw thinks being a medicine cat is an important and valued role even when most of his clan doesn’t appear to agree.
As for his clan’s current situation, he feels it’s mainly a string of bad luck. He has little reason to believe there’s more until Starclan actually shows him and stirs him into action. With the loss of the herbs and Ratwhisker, the pressure would be heavy on the next medicine cat for sure. It will take some extreme skill and knowledge to ensure the clan survived.
How will this character's relationship with Starclan and the other Medicine Cats benefit Thistleclan and the other TC HPs?
Shadepaw would start off timid and lacking confidence. It is in his nature because he is overcaution about the things he doesn’t understand. Eventually, he learns to trust and grow in his own self-worth to his clan which will forge him into someone stronger. He will learn who he can depend on and how strong he really is.
Below are how I see things possibly going, but I will locate and talk with the players/staff. So this part is subject to change.
Starclan- touched on this in the prior section a bit, but I’ll add on to it. Using dreams as the medium through which Starclan connects with the medicine cats, Shadepaw’s development could directly influence the feel of the hints. They could start off as unnerved and horrifying, even devolving into nightmares in his early moons as a medicine cat. As he grew and developed, they could shift into something more positive. Instead of a terrifying one, it could be a serene and calming display with hints of warning or terror when his connection to starclan grows.
The more involved he is, I feel the stronger that connection becomes and he will play a strong supporting role in the unraveling of the dream’s meaning.
Thistle Clan
Thievingstar- At first, Thievingstar’s aggression and unsettling air would feel overwhelming. He would be timid and uncertain of himself when dealing with her. Forcing himself to speak, but it might come out as stuttering or run together words. Gradually, that anxiety and irritation will build until he finally snaps. Showing a spine he didn’t have before by confronting her with the truth as he sees it even if she doesn’t agree. Surprisingly, he won’t stutter once. In his view, the worst she could do is not listen and suffer the consequences. I aim to build up to this point with help from Bandit.
Stagflight- I feel Shadepaw would earn this one’s suspicion due to the fact he is young and timid, an easy target for any rogue. With him having to do lessons often with Aster, it likely won’t die down or trust earned properly until Stagflight required treatment and Shadepaw provided it even if the older cat shrugged him off. It might force Shadepaw to learn to be clever with some of his patients. I feel he admire Stagflight’s hardworking and relates to his awkward nature. I feel these two could develop some subtle, gradual respect for each other over time with help from Budgie.
Redwood Clan
Finchstar- I think these two would co=exist well due to the fact they are both timid, weak with words, and trying to benefit their clans the best they can. He would feel sympathy if he ever learned of the sickness taking Finchstar’s close loved ones, proving some heartfelt condoles despite being from Thistle Clan.
Orchidshade- Unlike Thievingstar, Orchidshade might not bother him too much. She shares some of the qualities that Shadepaw’s father shares, though Shadepaw would not grow close to her. He would have respect as a medicine cat for her, but it mainly depends on how she reacts to his growth and interactions. I would have to actually talk with Maxx over this and arrange a thread to be fully sure. I’m confident he would admire her knowledge of herbs and medicine.
Lichen Clan
Minnowstar- This cat would terrify him… Enough said. I seriously would need to contact Wish for any point in time he would ever interact with her because her mere aura would just cause him to snap his trap shut.
Cinderface- He would be curious about her knowledge of starclan, but he won’t press if she gives him the ice shoulder. He’d admire her strong faith and devotion to her duty. However, he is more compassionate and I feel this will clash eventually. How or why I need to discuss with Moony. She’s another cat I can’t fully be sure of how Shadepaw will react to. Especially since he reacts based on how’s he is treated rather than based on his own views.
Brairpaw- I think Briarpaw and him would bond well over the discovery of new information. Her honesty will gain his trust, but the moment she began to weave lies or half-truths… that might not last. This primarily reflects on their interaction and setting of where they met. So, I would need to contact Raven over this.
Loner
Aster- I think Shadepaw and her would get along pretty well. She has a warm charm to her character while he has a timid, uncertain one. I can see him hanging on every word during their lessons and making notes in his head over it. Even heading out with another cat to increase his knowledge every chance he gets. Sometimes bring a catch if he could manage one on the way. With her help, I feel he’s got a better chance to heal and maintain the health of his clan.
Character Plot Plans:
I aim to weave Shadepaw’s personal plans with the medicine cat’s plot, without derailing or hurting it. I feel the connection with starclan will help Shadepaw grow from his meek, low value about himself into something healthier. Someone who discovers his whole life wasn’t as worthless as he originally believed. He’s connected to something greater than himself and spiritually mends what is broken inside himself. Allowing him to connect with even those he otherwise would avoid during his efforts to heal both physically and emotionally. He will be learning through self taught mainly, but still require help. I do expect him to fail from really bad to minor on occasion. (Mind you, even if I’m not picked, I have other ways to achieve this outside of the medicine cat plotline.)
I’m also toying with the idea of having a past medicine cat in his family history that might visit him on occasion and nudge him in the right direction. A small mystery he could discover by interacting with other medicine cats, but it’s a very sketchy idea.
I do welcome other ideas and willing to discuss them to see if they fit Shadepaw well or not. [/b]
Name: Annie Experience: none here, several leaders/deputies on other sites, medicine cats twice Character Name: Quickstrike Character Application: QUICKSTRIKE Position Desired: LichenClan Deputy
IC Sample: an excerpt from who i am in which Quickstrike learns of his grandmother
The sudden change in his sister alarmed Quickstrike. He withdrew a bit, amber eyes wide with worry at the sudden urgency in her voice. Quickstrike’s ears slicked back against his head, instinct driving the tom to stand abruptly and scan the area for danger at his sister’s hissed words, feeding off her unease. He didn’t see anyone in the tiny glen and his night vision was far superior than many expected. After a while, when he didn’t hear anything after the squirrel, he crouched beside Swansong again, though he allowed his fur to fluff to make for a more intimidating appearance.
If anyone was watching, he’d make sure to make them pay the price for intruding and eavesdropping. He was often overlooked due to his quieter nature and tendency to cling to the shadows, but Quickstrike wasn’t trained by Hemlockheart to become a subpar warrior. He often held himself in a none threatening manner, but as lean as the tom was, Quickstrike knew he could be incredibly intimidating if he decided to throw his weight around.
The way she spoke, the frequent pauses, the urgent and frantic look to her eyes, made his heart roar louder and louder in his ears. That something inside him, that flickered and craved and hungered for answers, that clawed at the tiny box inside, was quiet, listening with rapt attention.
Quickstrike felt like he was on the edge of a crevice, looking across the open blank space for a ledge to leap for.
The wings beat louder within his mind than ever before. He wondered if Swansong could hear them, how deafening they were!
Egretfeather’s rise, and demise, was a favorite story of their mothers to tell when they were kits, though Quickstrike remembered more vividly Swansong’s voice reciting the words. In hushed tones, her voice would grow and die with power, weaving a tale of heroics and tragic endings. His father was never present for the bed-time stories that featured her, and when, as kits, they would play and act out the stories in the presence of their father, their mother was quick to end them with harsh, harmful words.
It had been a confusing time for Quick-kit, who’d always been a bit more perceptive and, of course, a braggart who rankled against the boundaries his parents placed.
But now…he understood suddenly. Those stories…they weren’t stories. He knew that, of course, when he became an apprentice. The stories had changed into warnings and dark history that was frowned upon by nearly his whole clan.
But…this was a truth, the hidden side he’d never quite understood. He’d heard all this before, but from a different end. He’d never heard of it from the view of the other side, the side who longed for change.
Quickstrike stood abruptly as she spoke of StarClan, tail lashing. The beast inside was a snarling mess, eating at his insides. He was livid suddenly, and he honestly didn’t quite know why.
“A sign from StarClan? Why now, why not when I begged for them back then?” He snarled to himself, angrier by the second and desperate to reason out why. He suddenly remembered he’d played for so long that little fiddle of being devout. And now he’d just confessed to his sister, in a way, that StarClan was the least of his worries and definitely not in his prayers at night.
But then he heard the whispers grow quiet and the wings fall silent. It felt like, in that moment, they were surrounded by watching eyes. Eyes that didn’t feel, though, like anything but hopeful watchers, awaiting for something to happen.
Quickstrike felt a calm settle over his mind. He felt the beast in that rattling cage growl in contentment. Quickstrike turned his head to his sister. “A threat? If she is still worried about us, still sees us as a threat…A threat is only a threat if someone sees it as having a chance of succession.”
Quickstrike turned his burning eyes upon his sister, feeling emboldened suddenly. “Do you understand, Swansong…that means…there is hope.”
Character views on Minnowstar & Starclan: Quickstrike has many mixed, complicated feelings when it comes to his leader. He respects her for the position she holds, and from his strict tutelage under Hemlockheart, as well as her vast life experience. Quickstrike has no doubt that she has been through more than him and he knows she is an intellectual being with a hawk’s vision. He grew up on the stories fed to kits to encourage them to follow their leaders blindly, and maybe he would have walked down a different path should he have been born to a lesser family.
But he wasn’t.
He is frightened of her, rightfully so, for her position holds her above all others in the clan. She could have him exiled or killed at the blink of an eye and he doesn’t doubt her many zealous would be reluctant to carry out such an order should she deem it so. The stories that should have encouraged him to follow his leader took dark truths as he became older, whispered warnings to avoid her wrath, never upset his leader, never make her suspicious. He was told to keep his head down, do his duty first and foremost and he would be fine.
Quickstrike has come to realize, though, that it was all foolish hope to be left alone under her rule. Maybe Quickstrike should be angry with his leader, for ostracizing his family, for singling him out, for all the wrongs she has done and continues to do. She has lost faith in her clan, the very clan that relies on her, not some ghosts, to lead.
But the truth is, Quickstrike pities Minnowstar more than anyone else. He has come to see that the leader’s paranoia and skepticism has left her alone in the world, without a true clan to follow her.
Quickstrike’s belief in StarClan has always been feeble at best. He has grown into a realistic, cut and dry tom that believes first in the things he can see, touch, and feel, do himself. He holds more value in his friends and clanmates than in figments of the mind and ghosts of the past. He doesn’t like to lay faith in false hopes and fancy words, rather, her prefers to get the job done himself. His belief in StarClan is that they are merely watchers, if they do exist, that want to do little to help those below. But Quickstrike is a secret tom, one who has been living his whole life in wrapped in shadow, secrets, and a dangerous game of charades. One would never know of this tom’s doubt in the StarClan that Minnowstar boasts of.
How will this character advance Minnowstar's vision and earn her trust? Quickstrike has no plans ultimately to advanced Minnowstar’s vision. Due to recent personal events, this tom is stepping out into the spotlight to give voice to the weak, the minor, the abused, and the neglected. He has grown tired of tyranny and tired of waiting for someone to come along to put an end to madness. He fully intents to put a stop to Minnowstar’s wrath. But he knows should she find out about this, his family and friends will pay the ultimate price, while he is forced to watch.
So, this tom will continue to play this deadly game he has lived his whole life. He will act, dance, and play whatever part Minnowstar desires if it means an end. He wants to see his clan great again, but if he must perish for his clan to rise once more, then so be it. He is tired of hiding, tired of watching and waiting in the shadows. Now is his time to act, and what better way than to prey upon the very paranoia that has made his life, and so many others, a burden.
As future leader of the rebellion, Quickstrike will not sit by while his clanmates work and toil for his dream. He will through himself into the raging sea and drown before he has to sit back and watch again. With the disappearance of Hemlockheart and Nightclaw, Quickstrike feels the pressure to step out, be seen, and get things done. And what better way to appeal to Minnowstar than bait her with false rebellion news, and offer himself up as a trophy, Egretfeather’s grandson.
Character Plot Plans: Quickstrike will always be at war with his belief in StarClan, as it is a very integral part of just who Quickstrike is. His faith in them will be solidified in time, but he will always remain a character who turns them when all else has failed.
Most of his plot details are still hazy, and thus I’m open to many things, but Quickstrike will begin to explore his heritage, discover many things about himself, both good and bad.
Name:Captain Experience: None here, a few on previous sites (cough cough eod) Character Name: Icesong Character Application: Icesong Position Desired: RWC Deputy IC Sample:
Icesong carefully held a small kit between her paws. She tenderly nuzzled him and cleaned his fur while his mother worked on his sister. Icesong and the queen sat silently in the nursery. They both had too many thoughts to start a conversation. The simple, heartwarming task of cleaning a kit kept them sane. Icesong starred off at the ground beyond her charge as if contemplating something.
“It’s frustrating…” Icesong started. “Seeing LichenClan so healthy when we’re… sorry I shouldn’t be ranting. As deputy, I need to keep a confident outlook, but I can’t help myself. When I see these kits so young and innocent, I worry.”
The queen gave her a soft smile and shuffled closer. “Don’t worry, dear, all will be well.” Icesong let herself lean into the queen, taking comfort in the motherly figure. They stayed like that for a time, taking comfort in each other’s presence. Eventually, it was time for Icesong to get back to work. With a sorrowful gaze and parting words, she left the nursery. Her misery at seeing sick kits and queens was genuine, but it was hard to pity the ill warriors wandering around camp. Walking with heavy footsteps and hunched shoulders, Icesong mimicked them. Submersing herself in the haze of sickness and misery was no easy task. Icesong would rather flaunt her health and how beautiful she looked in comparison to the sickly warriors. But instead, she kept her fur ragged and dishevelled. Icesong was working hard for her clanmates. Perhaps her work didn’t always result in unsightly injuries and unkempt fur, but she was willing to degrade herself to get the respect she deserved.
Stopping in front of the High-Rock, Icesong stretched her neck. Acting meek and ill took a toll on her shoulders. Like slipping into a comfortable nest, Icesong turned on her persona. She gave her fur a few licks to ease the mess, but not enough to clean it entirely. Finchstar should see her as slightly unkempt to convey a hard-working attitude and still take in her beautiful looks and soft figure. With her appearance prepared, there was nothing left to do before entering the den. Icesong had long since designed the words of this encounter. She was a natural at acting, and that was all she needed to do.
“Finchstar,” She said, entering the den. Purposely pausing, she took a moment to look over the leader and signed somberly. “Oh, Finchstar,” she muttered sweetly. “You look like a disaster.” Slipping in closer, Icesong invaded his bubble and tenderly nuzzled him like he was a kit. In her heart, Icesong held none of the tenderness she had for the kit in the nursery.
“Finchstar, I just spoke with the queens. They are scared,“ She said calmly. “And so am I. I’ve never been so filled with such despair. Our clanmates are dying Finchstar. A disease ravages our clanmates, and we are helpless to stop it. Our warriors are questioning my and our medicine cat’s ability to do anything.”
She paused to give Finchstar another long, tear-stricken gaze. “Soon, they’ll turn to you for guidance. We must have an answer.” With the tenderness of a mother, Icesong quickly smushed any thoughts or opinions he might have. “Shush dear, I know I know.”
“It’ll be simple. It’s not a permanent solution, but it’ll keep the clan together while we recover. We… we can redirect their anger. Think of LichenClan. Everyone is so upset with them. Even I am envious that they are all so healthy when my clan is dying.
Don’t get me wrong; I’m not saying we have to fight them again. We’ll just use them for now. The clan will be united by a common hatred of LichenClan. They’ll help out each other instead of bickering over prey and herbs. If we can just have a little bit of peace, even if it requires us to blame another clan, isn’t that worth it? When we recover from this illness, we can find another way to deal with LichenClan.
In the end, nothing will come of it. It’s just a small white lie. They’ll follow you. I promise it. You have the final say as the clan leader… don’t you?”
Standing up, Icesong retracted any comfort she had been offering the leader. She wanted to let the idea sink in and leave Finchstar to brew in his insecurity. He’d come around; Icesong knew it. Pausing at the entrance of the den, Icesong shifted uneasily. Acting as though she was uncertain, she turned back slowly. Looking Finchstar in the eyes, she hesitated. A few times, she would open her mouth, only to say nothing. Finally, she took a deep breath.
“I just think... if you don’t give them anything, well… I’m not sure you’ll have a clan left to lead.” Character views on Finchstar's pacifism and the current war with LC: Icesong doesn’t buy the pacifist nice-guy routine. She’s done that same dance with her mentor Pebble-- and is adamant not to believe he doesn’t have any underlying intentions or selfish desires. For the most part, she’s stayed quiet about her doubts about her leader. Even as a deputy, Icesong won’t openly criticize her leader or doubt his intentions. Instead, she’ll sow seeds of doubt in her clanmates and pressure Finchstar from behind the scenes.
Icesong had long supported Redfox’s views and is upset to see the deputy replaced. She’s battle-hungry just like her parents and encourages apprentices and young warriors to be (idiotically) bold and eager for war. She will take a hard stance against LC, believing that they intend to leave RWC with nothing if they have their way. In her opinion, LC will never back down unless RWC fights back. Blood needs to be spilled to protect the clan. Icesong would be willing to push further than simple retaliation. RWC could always use more territory.
Despite her intense hatred of LC, Icesong will be careful about who she reveals it to. She’ll pretend to be a pacifist when speaking with Finchstar but then turn around to her warriors and encourage hatred and fear. How will this character challenge/and or encourage Finchstar to take action with the war? Icesong enjoys playing around with the feelings and emotions of other cats. She does it without remorse and if using Finchstar meant she could help her clan, she’d be more than willing. Capitalizing on the current disease outbreak, Icesong would lie in wait. She’d spread ideas amongst her clanmates about LC casing pain. LC cats are healthy and thriving while RWC succumbs to illness. When cats began to recover and mourn for the cats lost to sickness, she’d strike and spur on her clanmates to want to fight and make LC pay.
With a growing uproar among the clanmates, Icesong would do her best to persuade Finchstar to fight LC. She’d remind him of how many cats were lost to sickness and try to convince him how distraught their precious clanmates are. Using his insecurities against him, Icesong would put him down with subtle insults or jabs. She’d portray war as the only real way to show his clanmates he was a competent leader. If he stayed a pacifist, his clanmates would be oh so disappointed in him.
Finchstar willing, Icesong would even use her charms to get him on her side. If he needed a shoulder to cry on, she’d be there. If he needed a cat to love, she could put up with it for a bit. If Finchstar needed anything, she’d be willing to comply. With him in her debt, she could achieve so much more. Character Plot Plans: Icesong’s story will not be a happy one. Icesong will push RedwoodClan in the direction she thinks is best. She’ll teach apprentices to be blood-thirsty and eager for battle. In her mind, she’s only doing what is best and giving them a way to succeed as warriors. She’s wholly disconnected from the reality that bolder and eager apprentices are more likely to die. It’ll take a lot for her to realize the effect she has on others. She’ll slowly take note of small adverse outcomes but quickly dismiss them with lies and excuses. Icesong will build up a fragile wall of lies as she tries to ignore her faults. She can do nothing but console the grieving queens and kits, never truly accepting her part in it all.
Icesong will slowly develop a genuine bond with another cat. Whether it is romantic or platonic, she’ll start to open up to them and finally share her real thoughts and resentment towards her mentor. Having another cat she trusts will be the first crack in her wall of denial.
Icesong will have an internal struggle between not accepting defeat or admitting her failure and seeing what her ideals have caused. This will push her to be more aggressive and lash out at her clanmates. Her bonds with others will be forced to their breaking point. Icesong will direct her anger at the cats who genuinely care about her and just want to make her realize the truth. Friendship will easily slip out of reach, and she’ll realize that it was all she really wanted. Hidden up by lies and arrogance was a young warrior in need of others. As she starts to realize the effect she has on her clanmates, it’ll be too late. Apprentices she trained to be bold will die at her paws. Cat she cares about will turn their back on her. Once at her truest low-point, it’s unclear what will happen from here. Perhaps a cat can reach her so far down, or she’ll be lost forever.
Name: Akura Experience: I've done forum rp for around 3 or 4 years, but haven't pursued any HPs in the past. Character Name: Bristlefur Character Application: Bristlefur Position Desired: Lichenclan Deputy IC Sample: (memory) Bristlepaw making an important observation, and confiding in Palepaw.
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Narrowed eyes wandered around the repetitive walls of his home. If it were up to him, he would've left this mess of rocks a long time ago. Sadly, it wasn't. 'Grounded' the apprentice thought to himself. 'All because stupid Adderpaw couldn't shut his trap for one patrol.' Now they're both stuck in camp for who knows how long, stuck doing gross tasks like pulling ticks off of elders when they could've been outside fighting instead. They now avoided each other for as long as possible, even going through the effort of taking different shifts just so they wouldn't have to see the other's ugly mug. The anger he initially felt had simmered down to an irritated spark, but all the time pent up had given him time to think on things. Too much time, actually. Trudging around camp all day had made Bristlepaw notice just how much everyone seemed to be obsessed with their ancestors, of all things. As a now adolescent cat, it was in his nature to question things; and question he did.
Even when they were allowed to go out again, Bristlepaw seemed consistently distracted. Though it had wholly consumed his thoughts, only one cat seemed to notice, or at the very least bother to look into it. And even she had taken a few days. He was hunched off in a long forgotten corner of the caves when she approached. The space he occupied was small and lonesome; perfect for when he wanted to avoid the more nosey cats. But the messy-furred tom was content in knowing none of his clanmates wanted to deal with him right then. A light pelt came into view, and he recognized the owner immediately. It would've been sad if he hadn't, considering they grew up together. Palepaw always seemed to know when he was feeling troubled - at least when it became more than he could bear alone. "Bristlepaw, mind if I join you?" To any other cat, he would've hissed in their face and stalked off to a better spot...but she was different. His sister was one of the few he tolerated, and even he didn't really know why. They sit for a few breaths in companionable silence. Her question hung silently in the air, both knowing what it was but not needing to say it.
The gruff tom takes a moment to find the words, before ducking his head and uttering, "Everyone here is always just going Starclan this and Starclan that, but I've never actually seen them do anything!" He almost instinctively lowers his voice before continuing, the sound low and growling, but tinged with something lighter and boyish that betrayed his age. "What if...they're not real in the first place? Just something they tell to keep the kits in line?" For the past few days it'd felt like he'd been spiraling deeper and deeper into a well of doubt, but finally saying his thoughts out loud seemed to give them a sort of tangibility that wasn't there before. "It would make sense, wouldn't it?" And while this may have reassured the tom, it didn't seem to be having the same effect on his sister.
Palepaw was stone-still, both body and face rigid as he spoke. The normally soft and open expression she wore was now replaced with something akin to his own, though slightly less angry looking. It felt as if the voice sounding from her lips wasn't her own in the slightest, as words and tone foreign to her replicated the fierce look in her eyes. "Bristlepaw...please. Don't tell anyone what you just told me. If someone finds out that you don't believe..." A more grim face than the last appeared. "Just promise me. Promise that you won't speak your mind on this at least." She bowed her head, but the weight of her words still got through to him.
The tom-cat was stunned to near silence. Never had his words had this much of an effect on her; not even when he condemned their father or called Adderpaw rude names in front of everybody. It was like an entirely different cat had taken the place of his sister for just those few moments. As green eyes began to peer up at him, he was jerked out of his stupor. "Ye...Yeah. Fine. Just on this though." Wanting to add a hint of levity, the apprentice quickly tacked on another comment. "I have a reputation to upkeep after all." The smirk crossing his face almost felt right, but there was no gleam of mischief or pride in his eyes today. This seemed to be enough for the oddly serious Palepaw, though, as a small sigh of relief left her. When she straightened to face him fully, the apprentice had seemed to come back to herself now. "Good. I'll see you later then? We can talk after I'm finished with my apprentice duties for the day." With his nod, she left. And just like that, everything was back to normal.
Normal, but...different at the same time. It was a hard thing to explain, but it felt like something irreversible and dangerously important had occurred in just those few minutes alone. It was the start of a path that Bristlepaw had unwittingly fallen upon...A mindset taking hold that would one day lead to his ruin. This was all unknown to him of course. And so, with a roll of his shoulders, he got up and continued on with his day.
Character views on Minnowstar & Starclan: Bristlefur skirts on the edge of disbelief in Starclan; to him they're either powerless, or a simple bedtime story that was given too much credit. This in turn has soured his view of Minnowstar; so blinded by the stars that there's no way she could lead an entire clan for much longer. Luckily he's never spoken of these beliefs to anyone but his sister, who in return has begged him to stay quiet. Having to hold his tongue for so long is part of what's caused his extreme bitterness and pessimism, which he now aims at anything but the two things he really despises. Bristlefur can admire his leader's skill and tactical ability with fighting though. Both of them seem to be warmongers, but he mainly advocates for it just so he can fight. The sacrifices and prayers to Starclan are stupid to him, but he gruffly complies with those as well.
How will this character advance Minnowstar's vision and earn her trust? What he would offer her is a strict second-in-command that would wholeheartedly support her plans of war, even if its for different reasons. Bristlefur would fiercely advocate for things such as increased border patrols, battle training, and possibly pushing into other clans' territories. To him, nothing is as important as a cat's strength. He would never rest until everyone was doing their work to some capacity, as he knows that with enough training they could become the feared clan they're supposed to be. Few could match his sheer aggression and prowess on the battlefield, so he would be keen to lead as many patrols as he could into the fights. His harsh treatment towards most is well-known and enough to keep most cats in line. If they disobey him or are found slacking on the job, then they are punished accordingly. Those who cower and deny what they've done will be subject to the most cruel ones, as he believes they are what drag down the clan with their cowardice. A one-on-one sparring match is his favorite penalty to dish out, and a sure-fire way to tell that you're on his shit list. One as strict as him could easily take charge if Minnowstar needed him to, and possibly dissuade the rebellion from acting anytime soon.
Character Plot Plans: Bristlefur is not going to go down a good path. His sister's plea is the only thing truly keeping him in line right now, but even that is becoming shaky as time passes. If something were to happen to her, or if Minnowstar were to do something truly reprehensible and/or idiotic, then he may very well snap. At that point, he'll throw everything to the side in favor of fully speaking his mind, while hopefully insulting both Minnowstar and Starclan. The end goal is for him to be exiled, then live the rest of his life as a rogue. Bristlefur will become a thorn in Lichenclan's side for moons to come.
