Let's get ready to ruuuuuuummmmmble 🪑 Everybody's favorite word-counting competition is back! NaNoWriMo 2024 is here, and we're ready to write or cry. I think most of us are crying this year. So fire up your writing engines, rest those fingies, and head on over to the November Announcements for all of the juicy details 😤 Other than a few November Patrols, the rest of the announcements are light and breazy-easy this month as we wind down 2024 for the holiday season. Enjoy a tasty meal on us!
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.
EXPERIENCE: Have experience playing medicine cats and have played two so far. Former player of the honker himself Ratwhisker and familiar with the activity expectations of HPs on TA as well as an active participant in TC plotting. I’ve been roleplaying now for 4-ish years (yeeeeeeshhhh).
POSITION DESIRED: ThistleClan Medicine Cat Apprentice
IC SAMPLE:
A cool fall wind gusted, ruffled the branches of the conifers, and rattled the dry ferns underneath. It carried with it a crispness that implied colder moons to come, and those two young cats bore witness to it in the silence of one another’s company. They regarded it solemnly, and there was more to be lost than the season’s warmth, than the greenness of the world and the life that abounded in it. There was something else to be lost, and they felt it slipping from between their claws as they sat in each other’s silence. They heard it in the weary breaths and Softpaw in the sigh of secession that left his companion. His green eyes found her. There was a fear in knowing what such sighs meant. So much has changed…. for both of us.
“I wish I would’ve known,” and her voice was soft, weighted. “That one day, I wouldn’t be in the nursery any longer, and that we’d be…” And her words failed her, grew quiet. “I don’t know. So old and sad.”
And he did not say anything. Did not say it but thought it and felt a great weight in his belly. And he felt what she said. He felt how different he was from the kit he had been, the small and meek creature, too innocent for the world, thrown into the paws of a cat who bore him little love. His mentor, with cruel temper and crueler lessons, who beat and lashed upon him the cruelness of the world. He thought of his mentor, and he thought of the rogue he had met in the stuffiness of green-leaf. He remembered the cruelty of her, how he had trembled. And it had cost him his paw and his easy gait… and more than that—it had cost him his innocence.
That he could not get back, and he thought on that quietly.
“…know what I’ll say to him, but… but I’ll apologize, and maybe he’ll see that… I’m smarter than I let on.” And her eyes were on him, and he returned the gaze with his soft green eyes, all somber and solemn and foggy with memories.
He opened his mouth. He thought to say something in that long passage of time in which their eyes did not waver, to address the stirring in his chest, but by then, her eyes were shifting from him. They darted towards the sky, and his—though he knew not why—moved eagerly up with them. And they considered the darkness of it, the pale glint of stars, and felt the time that had passed and the nightly chills that settled.
“…out here for so long.” A soft laugh left her, and the stirrings in his chest grew. His tongue knotted, and he regarded her sheepishly. “I don’t know what it is about you,” and she cuffed him against the shoulder, and the absence of her touch left him breathless. “But I never think about the time whenever we’re together.” And she stirred to her paws, shook out her pale coat and beheld him, making offers to return to camp.
And he found he was loath to go. He found in that instance he would have wanted nothing more than to sit alongside her forever in his secret place with the tang of pine sap fresh in the air from where their claws had rent the bark together. He would have liked to touch her as she so easily touched him, to succumb to the childish laughter and easy laughs he felt so far from. And he found that he wanted this so terribly it pained him.
Still, he knew they could not stay—that such things were not for him or for her.
“…you want to? I don’t know if Graygaze wants you out here,” she meowed, and her eyes found him, and he averted his for he felt they revealed too much.
“No—I mean, yes, I want to,” he breathed softly. “He won’t know either way. So long as I’m better than the last moon I’ve seen him, he won’t say a thing,” he assured her. And he moved to walk alongside her, and together they walked back the way they had come, two youthful figures with lithe, spry steps, rejoicing in the company of the other quietly and tentatively, him always lingering behind as though he wished to stay despite the cravings of his heart.
And as they moved and parted the stiff ferns, already browning with the season, Jaypaw got to speaking again. Her voice was soft in the deepening sky, in the lengthening shadows and the growing presence of the stars as she considered him lingering behind. “… You’re going to show him one day, Softpaw… never treated you like you’re lesser, because you’re not…with me? …just tonight, everything is ok?”
“Just tonight,” he echoed softly and found some confidence in his steps as he moved to walk alongside her. “We’ll both show them; you’ll see…” And he moved alongside her so that their pelts were just brushing, and he felt heady with the closeness as they returned to the camp in all its reticence. And no cats stirred there but the sentries, and the sentries did not watch them with any fixedness, and they moved towards their den and slid down into its belly. And as they found the mossy comforts of their nest and paced and padded and softened them with restless paws, Softpaw sunk into his and watched her from the rim of his nest, saw her head turn towards him, the glint of her eyes in the darkness. And he mustered the words he had meant to say before. “Thank you, Jaypaw—for… for everything.” And he regarded her quietly, and he turned away and sunk into his nest and shut his eyes, and he felt a budding warmth and savored it as sleep found him.
PERSONAL PLOTS
Forgiveness||Fernpaw’s development will be geared around themes of forgiveness, regression, and coping—not only within his family but those he grows close to, all of which will inevitably fail to live up to his lofty expectations. His is a path wrought with disappointments and disillusionment, and as a result, despite his own growing fears of abandonment, he will grow increasingly alone, under the guise that there is no one within the Clan on whom he can rely. He will cast aside aid even from those who mean well in their offerings—at the detriment of others and himself.
However, while an initial way of managing disappointment and the grief it brings him, I would like for him to learn to lean on others for aid and become more trusting in the abilities of his allies as well as become more realistic in the expectations he sets. In addition to this comes forgiveness towards himself and his own shortcoming (for there will be many). I would like to explore forgiveness on all ends of the spectrum, but most of all concerning the self as there will undoubtedly be a sickness he cannot treat or an infection he cannot stave—a prophecy he cannot decipher and cats he cannot sway in favor of them.
A Paw in Two Worlds || Combined with his conflicting ideologies and perception of strength and one’s abilities to protect others, Fernpaw will struggle to cut himself from the traditional role and expectations of a warrior apprentice and become more in tune with that of a medicine cat’s. Raised in an environment where strength was shown in physical acts rather than the parleying of earthly simples, Fernpaw will struggle with the idea that he has softened himself by assuming the role of a medicine cat—far removed from warriorhood and the physical pursuits that accompany it—even if it were his destiny. He will find himself often questioning and wondering how different his life would have been and wrestle with his inability to protect his loved ones in the only way he initially knew how.
With time, understanding, and an appreciation for the craft, Fernpaw will find strength in the ways of a medicine cat, in the steeled minds and lofty knowledge, the wisdom and the connection with the stars and how he can shield his Clan and family that way. Through Shadepool’s example, teachings, and the actions of his fellow medicine cats, Fernpaw will begin to perceive and value a different type of strength, not consumed by the heedless shedding of blood.
Divide Between Borders || Born into a world where all sides are divided by their own personal ideologies, Fernpaw will perhaps always struggle with viewing those beyond ThistleClan’s own borders with any kindness. As his protective lens expands its reach to the entirety of ThistleClan, so, too, will his hostility to all those that have brought his people harm increase. Where other medicine cats may see in others allies or neutral parties, Fernpaw will struggle to neutralize his views of others and extend aid to those he has always been led to believe from birth were his enemies.
With time and maturity, these preconceptions will not be as prevalent. While Fernpaw may never offer exceptions to those beyond his borders, he will not deny them aid where it does not inconvenience or endanger his own people. He will do what he can for those who have done well by them and return favors where favors can reasonably be returned. However, there will always be an understanding of the separation between their ilk and with whom his priorities lie.
The Pain of Loss || Failure will never be an easy pill to swallow, but it will be one he must learn to bear. Exploring themes of regression and progress, I would like for Fernpaw to work to prove his worth as a medicine cat. He will not be made for the task—not initially. To remember the many things that can ail a cat’s body or bring infection to a wound is no easy thing for a mind so young, and Fernpaw will fumble with his new duties and find in them obstacles that cannot be righted by use of brute force. He will come to understand there is no pouncing and swiping in the comprehension of healing, but mulling thought, memorization, and a deep understanding of a craft that is foreign to him. So, he will fail—sometimes even miserably—and continue to for some time as he comes to better understand what it means to be a medicine cat, and that it will not be easy for him so long as he does not apply himself.
Most of all, I would like him to see the consequences of negligence. With the time of his succession into the new role, not only will he be navigating the raging hormones and unhinged emotions that come with adolescence, but the separation of his family. So preoccupied with his personal life and how it is changing, this transition period will be rife with mistakes and confusing feelings. As such, he will be more scattered in his duties. He will not look after his patients as compassionately as he is taught and will find that such disregard is not an option for those in the art of healing. Where a warrior can fail to catch a mouse, a medicine cat cannot afford such luxuries. An empty belly can be staved, where an infection can surely kill, and he will learn these things in the people he indirectly hurts through his heedlessness.
Not only will this shine a light on the importance of his duties, but it will also allow a lesson to be driven home and highlight the mental fortitude of medicine cats as they must always cast aside personal grievances for the sake of the Clan. And not only will this provide an outlet, but strengthen him cognitively and provide a distraction from the uncertainties of his personal life so he may overcome them in a less destructive and more constructive way.
Troubled Youth || In approaching his sixth moon, Fernpaw will not not come into his new duties with anything in the way of grace. Coarse around every edge, petulant and emotionally troubled, he will be no easy thing to temper—he with his sardonic tongue and fickle nature, his sullen habits, and deprecating tendencies. Through this time will come a bought of isolation and retreating within the self so that he may not be further hurt, further disappointed. It will be a trying time, not just for himself but his family and his mentor, as he begins the start of a shaky metamorphosis (one that will be much needed).
During this time, Fernpaw will be forced to address a great deal regarding himself. Taken by sullen moods and a heinous temper, he will be slow to take on his newfound duties with any promise and betray the medicine cat code in all that he does. Where a medicine cat is sworn to heal, he will hurt those he treats, whether intentionally or otherwise. He will turn on all but his kin unkindly and will be slow to impart what troubles him to those who question him on his behavior. These early stages will be a time of considerable growth for not just himself but his mentor—a time in which both come to better understand and comprehend the needs of the other where such things are needed most. During this time, I would like for the beginning of an understanding to develop itself between Fernpaw and Shadepool—a slow-budding fondness and appreciation for their differences that can blossom into a relationship highlighted by a deep comprehension of the other.
The Medicine Cat Code || Fernpaw is a character who I do not want to naturally fit into the mold of what a medicine cat is expected to be, but still somehow find a way to make it work. Throughout his development, I would like for him to challenge each aspect of the medicine cat code to varying degrees of success and, in doing so, highlight their importance while forcing him to come to terms with them and, sometime later, value and better understand the necessity of them.
VIEWS ON STARCLAN
Fernpaw’s initial impressions of StarClan will be largely positive. He will view his starry-furred ancestors through a childish lens, seeing them as a benevolent and all-knowing outlet for his emotions and a most valued provider of guidance. However, with time and exposure to the true nature of warrior life, the hardships faced not only by his Clan, but all cats upon the island, his favor of their ancestors will shift, becoming jaded and skeptical. How can their ancestors who guide them and love them allow such hardship and calamities to befall their believers? How can their ancestors sit idly by and let the undeserving die or experience such grief as they are unable to endure? Is it to make them stronger? And if so, what gods, then, are those that would unleash such suffering onto even their most devout?
As Fernpaw grows older, he will no longer seek the salvation of the stars. Denouncing them at the peak of his Clan’s suffering, I would like for Fernpaw later down the line to instead push for the creation of a paradise among the living, not led by their ancestors who have long since turned a deaf ear to the cries fo the suffering—a place of peace, harmony and security in which ThistleClan reigns as it once did in days of old. In this way, Fernpaw, while regarding the messages sent to him by his ancestors, will firmly believe that their futures are primarily within their own paws to shape, and they must guide themselves through a traditional ThistleClan lens. They cannot always rely on their ancestors, and so during a time when sharing tongue with StarClan is an uncertain thing, he will teach all who will heed him to lead through independent action rather than solely rely on the stars and their fickle guidance.
Of course, such a world may never exist. That, however, will not stop him from trying.
How will this character encourage Shadepool as a Medicine Cat?
While initially, the pairs’ interactions will be rife with tension, even in this stage, there is a great deal that Fernpaw can teach Shadepool, if not indirectly. Sharing similarities in their way of coping with stress as well as a mutual fear of abandonment, where Shadepool has been provided the time and company needed to overcome these hardships, Fernpaw allows Shadepool to assume the role his companions took on to aid him in overcoming these fears and regressions. In this way, Fernpaw’s grudging nature and torrential habits will be something Shadepool must learn to temper. Where his passivity has allowed him to avoid confrontation and his reliance on others carried him through his own medicine cat training, here lies an obstacle that cannot be dealt with through such means. As a result, he must learn to take the initiative and build up his confidence concerning his own abilities, not only as a healer but a teacher.
Directly, Fernpaw, once he has overcome his initial grievances, can extend teachings of his own and aid Shadepool in the manifestation of his own confidence. Fernpaw will extend to him the brotherly, nurturing nature he developed at his mother’s side, extending compassion and showing through example the importance of self-reliance and self-assurance as someone who assumed said habits in his father’s absence by necessity. And so, where Shadepool may temper him to be gentler, to forgive and better understand the world, Fernpaw will aid him in developing his own strengths and confronting issues less passively than in the past. In addition to this, as someone who has always been open to lending a listening ear, once the two have grown a mutual understanding and trust, he would not be blind to his mentor’s struggles and listen where he is needed and offer advice where that too is needed and welcomed.
How will Shadepool encourage this character to grow as a MCA?
Due to the time frame of the transition, the relationship between Shadepool and Fernpaw will be wrought with its fair share of hardships and setbacks. Although having had early exposure to the medicine cat due to his sickly disposition, as Fernpaw grows older and subsequently healthier, the visits will cease, and his worldview, as a result of his budding strength, will change. In this time, he will become fixated on making up for the lost time through brazen exhibitions of power. And while he may still come to harm and his visits may not truly cease in their frequency, he will not look at Shadepool with the same mysterious reverence of his earlier moons but see his differences with his own idealized version of his father, deeming him weak by comparison. For what else can be thought of a cat who abandoned their role as a warrior—the most honorable position of all—for a life spent tending leaves? Who ever heard the names of cats who battled sickness with root and cobwebs echoed in the elder tales?—or so he will wonder in his kittenish way, still ignorant to the true nature of the world.
This mindset will carry alongside personal feelings of self-loathing regarding himself. After the separation of his family, not only will Fernpaw struggle with the idea that he was not good enough, but also that he was too weak to maintain his father’s affection for himself and his family. The result will be a period of lashing out; however, with time and patience (which Shadepool is in no shortage of), an understanding will develop between the two. Through exposure and training, Ferpaw will become aware of a different type of strength and come to respect his mentor and treat him more tenderly. And in this understanding, he will become more open to his teachings and experiences—he will learn of his mentor’s partnership with RedwoodClan and LichenClan, how he was taught the healing nature of herbs through the teachings of a rogue, and the risk he took in doing so—and in these deeds, he will come to recognize his courage despite his timid exterior.
In addition to this, Fernpaw will also better understand the necessity of the medicine cat code through Shadepool’s actions and behaviors. He will mirror them to the best of his ability, setting aside his own preconceptions of the Clans and the importance of building strong connections with his fellow medicine cats, as well as developing the humility to ask for help.
How does this character view ThistleClan and its HPs?
THISTLECLAN— The Clan he was born into yet can scarcely recognize, although Fernpaw will always remain loyal to his faction and his people, he will not share many things in common with him, though this will become less-so with time. As he begins to further understand the trials and tribulations of warrior life and the importance of his Clan’s nature and ideologies, he will come to adopt ThistleClan’s traditional ideologies more readily than he did as a kit. Using the ways of his people, he will create a foundation to strengthen a Clan that has been on the verge of disrepair for many moons. In addition to this, he will realize the degradation of his people and their status on the island, how often they are passed over or ignored in the island’s politics, and push for the assertion of their people to be recognized as a force worthy of respect and consideration.
THIEVINGSTAR— A figure within the Clan worthy of both reverence and criticism, Fernpaw’s perception of Thievingstar initially will be one of healthy respect. Here is a cat who has proven her worth. Blinded in one eye and scarred by many battles, Thievingstar will personify what Fernkit/paw naively believes to be strength. For who else but the strong could lead ThistleClan through such hardship, through a harsh leafbare and treacherous flood but one who is truly strong? But as with his parents, he will become disillusioned to even that. He will see her flaws, the hypocrisy, and the self-centeredness with which she dolls her judgment, and he will come to frown upon her habits. When he comes to understand Birchsong’s exile, this he will feel more strongly, for how can a leader who loves its people be unwilling to forgive them? To banish them to a life that most surely would mean death for any Clan cat? He will not agree with her ways but understand the necessity of working alongside her… still, he will not waver in enforcing his counsel, or what he considers to be good and honest judgment.
STAGFLIGHT— As with Thievingstar, Fernkit/paw will view Stagflight in a traditional sense. He will respect him and will continue to but will come to frown upon his idleness. The strong should speak up for what they believe in, yet Stagflight remains passive. Where his leader banishes her own cats, where was Stagflight to advise against such things? Where was he to stop the separation of their people? As a connection of the leader, Fernkit/paw will come to also view Stagflight as flawed in allowing her tendencies, but he will not look down on him as he does Thievingstar. Perhaps they can come to an understanding.
And now that you don’t have to be perfect, you can be good.
Name: Ego/Egotistic Experience: Previously played as ThistleClan's medicine cat, Ratwhisker, and am familiar with site requirements for activity and plot involvement. Character Name + Application:Firfoot
IC SAMPLE: (fictional scenario – beware: creative liberties were taken) Still, the offer rang in his ears, a dull thrumming, softly uttered words—words he had not thought, in all his moons, he would ever hear uttered his way again. It’s the grief, he reasoned. Perhaps the shock has not yet left him.
Once, he’d heard of such plagues of the mind, how after the death of a loved one, one’s mind sheltered itself in far-off realms that did not steep themselves in planes of reason. Perhaps that was where his thoughts still lingered, their deputy—no, their leader.
Perhaps Stagflight had forgotten who it was he stared at; perhaps he had forgotten all Firfoot's moons of negligence in the heat of that battle. He could not blame him if so. Thievingstar’s death was a blow they all felt, even those who looked upon her with little kindness.
But that cat has since died. I am not him as I once was.
Yet he had felt it somewhere—who he’d once been. Lying dormant, then roused at the height of his anger to bear down on their foes. But the battle was over, his cuts burned, and he felt nothing but weariness. The tom’s heroics had left him. Now he felt weathered and old—tired. Tired beyond his moons. Stars, but to feel as I did then again… Firfoot’s brow grew heavy, his pale eyes lifted in the darkened seal mask; dull as they were, the pallor of them clashed sharply with the darkened furs. The red-furred one was speaking; he opened his mouth to utter the words again.
With a flick of his bedraggled tail, Firfoot urged him to silence.
“I heard you the first time, but perhaps you did not hear me—I do not deserve such honors. Thrust them on some other young upstart, not some washed-up tom…” the self-loathing ran thick, yet there was truth there. Since Tihevingstar had cast him from his role, he had done naught but piddle around feeling sorry for himself, stuffing himself full of prey, stinking and hissing and rousing up conflict in all he did.
Gone was his past nobility, the proud and honorable cat he’d once been. Gone was his strong airs, his reputation since stricken into the dirt, never to rise in aught but a dingy replica.
It was hardly the sort of cat you’d voice any fondness toward, and it most certainly was not the sort which you lifted to a position of power.
“You pity me. Maybe you even feel guilty about taking up a position you may not think is rightfully yours. But I am beyond pitying. You’d do yourself a service—finding someone better. Thievingstar did many things wrong, but in appointing you in my place… it was one of the few things I think she got right.” He lowered his head upon his paws. He let his eyes shut, yet the tom still stood, as did his offer.
Again Stagflight spoke, bedding in his mews a good-humored impatience. “If I wanted to honor you, I’d let you waste away as you are. I plan on making you work, to run this Clan with me and fight alongside me. I can think of no one better—no one who knows the Clan as you do, who knows what it means to be deputy.” Slowly Firfoot’s eyes opened. Stagflight pressed on, “You helped me fight this battle; now help me end it. Together we can revive ThistleClan to what it once was—to the Clan we know it could be. I ask only that you accept my offer—that you become my deputy.”
In his bosom, he felt the quiet yearning. He gnawed the flesh in his cheek, his tail thumped the earth, and he scoffed ill-temperedly. “Curse you…” he whispered softly. “Curse you all.”
Yet when dawn came, and Stagstar returned, he awaited him at the roots of that old tree. Sat tall and regal for once despite the looseness of his flash, reclaiming there in that old place now his again, a fragment of the cat he had once been.
Character’s Goals as Deputy: how will your character continue in Thievingstar’s paw-steps? How they differ? Be similar? What do they want for ThistleClan as a deputy?
ThistleClan has become a shadow of what it once was—filled with simpering idiots, doddering fools, and zealous halfwits. Firfoot, viewing all such things through such an idle and jaded lens, no longer desires to live in a Clan surrounded by cats he wouldn’t trust with a pebble. Too many have grown comfortable in exchanging glib insults with their superiors; too many have grown comfortable in throwing about their weight on their own kin. Firfoot’s reign will not be one of such passive tolerance, and while he will never strip his Clanmates of their independence—for one is not a ThistleClanner without it—he will no longer allow such flippant disregard for its leadership. If a rule is enforced, he will see that it is carried out, be it through force or coercion; it is no matter to him. And if one chooses to step out of place, he will ensure that such slights are not stomached but punished in full.
His way is not one of kindness. He does not intend to make friends, nor does he intend to make enemies. A mutual and neutral respect—that is all he desires, and so long as it is given, he will return it to all that call upon him and voice their concerns, however gruff and caustic his words might seem.
Beyond the Clan’s social structure, Firfoot carries some of Thievingstar’s beliefs. Strong borders and a distrust of rogues—there, the two were mutuals in ideologies.
After watching his own sister banished from their Clan on account of Cedarkit’s abduction, he bellies little in the way of warmth for outsiders. Gluttonous fools and cravens, the island deserves to drink their spilled blood than stomach them a moment longer, and so will he uphold her views. Yet it will not be blindly that he throws his ire. Firfoot knows with whom their rivalry stands; where his leader grew wary and distrustful of those strangers beyond the lake, having met them himself, Firfoot does not fear them, yet he will also not ignore their existence. As with their Clan neighbors, it is with a watchful eye he will regard such strangers… and with an iron paw, he will enforce the wrath of his Clan upon them should they overstep their bounds. But never will he instigate without reason as Thievingstar did. Where enemies are not needed, he will not make them.
Likewise, he will not carry Thievingstar’s foolish pride and disregard for her ancestors, for surely it is in her disrespect of them that her lives were so suddenly stripped from her. The stars may not be dictators of their lives and how they carry out what they do, but there is wisdom in them still, and though their words are riddled with vagueness, all warnings should be heeded and advantages taken. Where she was too proud to heed them, Firfoot will voice caution and consideration yet still maintain the self-determination to go against their ancestors when necessary.
How will Thievingstar’s death / the LC & Rogue Battle Affect Their Characters Goals as a HP?: explain the effects of Thievingstar’s death and their stance after the recent battle.
Though it will not please him, Thievingstar’s untimely demise is not one he did not see coming. Still, it will leave a bitter taste, and his agitation will further grow for the foolishness of their leader and all those beneath her who were meant to give council yet who failed to. Firfoot will not do as they did. Where Shadepool and Meadowpaw were but passive enforcers of guidance and where Stagflight failed to voice reason, Firfoot will see the mistakes in their ways and become a vocal provider of advice to Stagstar’s leadership as well as the council of their medicine cats. No longer will he lay about and fill his belly with prey, stuffing himself near to bursting with self-loathing, but grasp upon the opportunity provided to him and bring forth the change he has wanted since he was first anointed.
Leaving behind his inert ways, Firfoot will cast aside the life of a bystander and reinforce himself in the island’s politics. Having seen how LichenClan has forgotten their way, how they would stoop so low as to take on rogues as allies in battle, he will advocate for a more proactive ThistleClan, one in which they do not sit idly by and turn blind eyes to the islands changes as though separate from them, but push themselves forward as a means to crush all inconveniences before they arise as they did on the night of Thievingstar’s death. In his eyes, LichenClan has solidified themselves as an enemy of ThistleClan, and if it should mean allying their forces with RedwoodClan to vanquish said evil, he will cast aside his pride and stomach such company should it mean the destruction of so heinous a foe.
How Will This Character Support and Challenge Stagstar as Deputy?: Explain! Make sure to touch on both!
Though once begrudgingly watching on as Stagflight assumed his position alongside Thievingstar, Firfoot bears little in the way of ill feelings towards his leader; rather, he views him as a worthy substitute, one who has done as well as any cat could have under Thievingstar’s leadership. Yet, even so, he will push for Stagstar to assert himself even more.
The Clan has grown uncivilized and undisciplined. Though they have always pushed for independence, they must, too, garner respect in their actions and return their Clan to its previous stasis. And there will be no better way to garner such things than with action. Firfoot will not allow Stagstar to reveal his weakness to the Clan, and while he will advocate for him, he will also push him to enforce himself more readily, within the Clan and beyond it. The two may clash in the ways in which they choose to enforce diplomacy, but even so, Firfoot will advocate strongly for speaking softly but carrying a heavy paw.
ThistleClan has become a shadow of what it once was. They have lost respect beyond more than their own borders; the very island frowns upon them, beaten by half-trained rogues and torrential rains. They must rebuild and enforce themselves as they once were.
Despite his own lofty expectations, Firfoot will not be without his praise. In the same way he will voice such wants as strength, he will also demand that Stagstar no longer doubt his own decisions but stand firmly by them. Firfoot believes strongly that Thievingstar’s leadership did not allow Stagstar to develop the proper skills to lead the Clan in her absence, himself having so little room to spread his wings. Firfoot will offer him that freedom and encourage him fiercely whenever doubts arise while still standing alongside him to offer his own criticisms as needed. ThistleClan needs a strong leader, and while Thievingstar may not have anointed Stagflight for such purposes, Firfoot, alongside Shadepool and Meadowpaw, will surely aid in raising him to such statuses.
How Does This Character View the Other Conflicts on the Island? Do they Want to Take any Action?: explain their views on the rogues, the Tribe, the war between LC/TC, and other relevant conflicts!
On Clan Neutrality: For too long, ThistleClan's overly secluded lives have left them slow in the uptake of new concepts in an ever-changing world. Huddled within their own borders, turning blind eyes to the corruption of LichenClan, Firfoot will maintain the Clan's neutrality but also strive for the Clan's involvement in other ways. ThistleClan is filled with vulpine cunning, so Firfoot will do all in his power to put it to use. Though they may not involve themselves in battles and lengthy wars as RedwoodClan and LichenClan, ThistleClan will involve themselves in other ways as harborers of knowledge. All that happens on the island, ThistleClan will know of. At gatherings, he will push for his warriors to learn all they can to strengthen the Clan's advantage and always land them on the winning side of conflicts. And it will not be to any one side that they lean, but to whichever offers them the most benefit, themselves just as likely offer aid when called upon as they are to pull away at the first signs of weakness.
On the Rogues: A plague to their island, yet one with no known cure, rogues have dogged their borders for many moons, and, Firfoot expects, they will continue to do so for many more. Yet, he does not believe there is a way to truly be rid of them and so believes instead in hampering them with heavy monitoring after the feud between LichenClan is finished. Scouting rogue territory will be a constant under his deputyship, and where resistance is met and cats beat against his patrols, he will push for the enforcement of justice and send the whole of ThistleClan’s wrath to quell whatever threat may exist. So long as the enemy is beaten and weak, there is no risk of their forming again; he will not allow idle waiting as Thievingstar did. Petty skirmishes will keep the enemy too occupied for organization.
On the Tribe: Ill-fated and plague-ridden but hardly a threat to their ranks, thought Thievingstar voiced caution in regards to their neighbors across the sandbar; having met them himself, Firfoot will not carry these sentiments, yet he will not, either, ignore their existence. As Firfoot advocates for an alliance with RedwoodClan, he will task his warriors with filching what intel they can from their partners and learn all they can about the Tribe through them for as long as the connection yields, slowly racking up information… and using it to devise some gain from said knowledge.
On the War: It was only inevitable the fighting would find them. They had ignored it for too long, heeded the signs too little, and prepared themselves not at all. Yet now, with LichenClan and their cursed rogues at their den mouths and the death of their leader as a consequence of their negligence, there is no denying that action must be taken and soon. Firfoot will not advocate for outright war. ThistleClan has always been known for their brutal wit, so, then, what better way than to whittle their strength in increments? Firfoot will view an alliance as their only option against so terrible a force and offer aid to RedwoodClan, for as a united front, they stand as firm as the veritable pine, yet alone are no more substantial than a mere sapling. Firfoot also believes that in crushing LichenClan, ThistleClan can begin the task of rebuilding their reputation, for what better way to prove their Clan’s strength than to end what has been many long and weary season cycles of war once and for all?
On StarClan: Firfoot holds begrudging respect for their starry-furred ancestors, yet he does not believe them to be all-knowing, nor does he believe they are always right on what their Clan needs. He will tolerate his medicine cats’ faith and their many prophetic venturings to commune with their ancestors, yet he will maintain his right to frown upon the messages as they are brought to them and openly voice his opinions regarding the legitimacy of them as well as how dire it is such signs be acknowledged or acted upon. Knowing of the medicine cat’s inability to visit the Mooncave and also recognizing the importance of their communing, Firfoot will not ignore their concerns as Thievingstar did but acknowledge the dangers of stripping themselves of a valuable contact and vouch for the reclaiming of the land.
On the Code: The code is a suggestion, not a law; however, the leader’s word should be followed. Firfoot shares sentiments with many in his Clan—the code is a loose set of guidelines, not something to be followed in its entirety. Yet there are rules within the Clan which should not be broken—colluding with the enemy, becoming a rogue… such things are detestable and should not be stomached. Yet a cat is entitled to eat when they please, given food is not in scarcity, and why should one pass up prey across one’s own borders if it could feed many? Not all rules are meant to be followed, but there is no denying the use of some. Firfoot will allow some freedoms, but maintain a cool disposition towards aiding outsiders when there is nothing of benefit for ThistleClan to gain, kit or not.
On Cross-Clan Relationships: With so many within the Clan bearing bloodlines that mingle with their lawless neighbors, Firfoot believes in stifling such meetings as a futile and idiotic task. All cats have their appetites; however, it is when these appetites dull one’s claws and loyalties that he will become less forgiving. Let a cat indulge themselves for a night, but by morning Firfoot expects their loyalties to only lie with the Clan, and should they wane in their duties and fail to carry them out, there will be punishment—likewise, should they falter in battle due to these ties, there will be no kindness afforded to them.
On Alliances: In these times of war, when forces bigger than themselves threaten their borders, alliances are something that cannot be passed on yet should only be indulged in with caution. Firfoot will advocate for alliances when needed, yet when the need ceases, he will bear little warmth to those he shared his loyalty to. His heart lies only with his Clan, and once the pact has been made and carried out, it would do all parties involved good to forget such feelings of warmth and withdraw back into the needs of their people. So, too, does Firfoot believe in abandoning a losing side. His honor is not so great that he would endanger innocent lives for a truce. Should the tide shift and not in their favor, Firfoot will act so that his Clan will always benefit.
Name: Aria Experience: I have played on a few sites in the past but that was ages ago Character Name: Thunderfoot Character Application:Thunderfoot Position Desired: Thisleclan Deputy IC Sample: Taken from Greeting old Friend Greeting Old Friend Cinderfeather was such a gentle incorruptible soul. Being refreshed was refreshing like drinking ambrosia. He could never get enough of her bubbling spirit even when he was angry or moody. She bounced back like nothing ever happened. Long how he has been without feeling the world wasn't out to get him. He missed it when life was better and he didn't feel so lonely. He wasn't alone, he had friends and his daughter but nothing could fill the void of losing a mate. Blazingstorm was something kinda wild in his mind but that look told him just how love stuck she really was. Oh all toms why him?
The male remained silent before chuckling at her first statement. "She really takes you for sure! You both are really too sweet for this old coot. She has come a long way. I owe you a lot for picking up where Lightstrike left off. Theivingstar?!" His face felt mild and might be disgusted. He didn't like the leader very much. She was too prideful and it blind her. We lost our home because of her. "Oh foxdung no! You and I both know how moody she can be. If anyone, it's Stagflight. He is the lesser of two evils but yeah as her father I wouldn't be proud of her."
The black tom-cat head tilted the moment Cinderfeather seemed lost in daze. She really must have have Blazingstorm on the brain. She would an excellent mother like she was a foster one to his own. If it was with a tom-cat he really didn't like... at all. Her happiness and smile gave strength him and if Blazingstorm ever hurt he would made sure to skin him alive. "Quite. So obvious I known for a few weeks now. You were daydreaming for Starclan sake plus I seen have that love stuck look when you stare at him from across camp." Wait-what? Blazingstorm a kind tom-cat!? He almost choked on his own spit.
"I..." Thunderfoot decided trying to write words was hard. He didn't want to shut down Cinderfeather when she was having the best time in her life. There were a lot of complex feelings now. "I wouldn't put kind in that statement but everything else maybe. He is a strong warrior at the very least." But an asshole at the most there was a lot at stake. Maybe he could help her out a bit with her crush. If things go south then she'll always have a shoulder to cry on like she was for him and his family.
Lightningstrike. Ah. Thunderfoot's face shifted into a faint smile. He tried to remember his mate's warmth against his fur. Her voice,her laughter, and the way she always made him feel whole instead of empty. He tried to push past the fact that feeling would never come to him again. It was never going to see his mate again. "Somewhat. Lightningstrike was the center of my world. I would gladly jump to the moon and back for her. I only had my eyes on her after her admitted her feelings to me. She gave me so much hope- something to live for! A simple smile could fix my day to matter how nasty it was. To have a mate...to have love unconditionally like that is a feeling some could only dream off. But losing that love can only shatter you too more than you'll ever know."
It was the final time he had to ask this serious question. He didn't want Cinderfeather to make a terrible mistake. One that will ruin her life forever. He didn't want her to end up like him. A broken shell- a mere shadow of what he used to be. As the warrior stole his nerve he looked directly at his friend. "Are you sure about Blazingstorm, Cinderfeather? Are you sure he's the one for you and this not a fairy tale kit-crush or that your crush on him isn't one-sided?"
A Reality Check. She needed to get her head out of the clouds. He wouldn't sugarcoat this any longer. He feared her passing out at him. That he will lose her friend as a close friend but Cinderfeather getting swallowed up in a pit of despair was even worse. "I support you let this be known but also I want what is best for you too. However I can't shake this feeling that your love is blinding you. I can't say Blazingstorm is the best choice either. I am going to be blunt when I say Blazingstorm is an asshole. He always has and always will be."
Thunderfoot was expecting the same rage to build or tip at this point but it needed to be said. Love is a powerful emotion but it can blind you from the truth. "You know if he has feelings for you? I am not sure about it. Recently I have seen him bitter like he lost something important and he's not hanging around Fallenfire like he normally does either. I don't want you to jump into this blindly and get your heart crushed or mistake my other family for me. So I will say this again, are you sure about him?"
Character's goals as deputy:
Goals: Thunderfoot becoming deputy will be a shock however he will take honor in the newfound responsibility. His first priority is Stagstar. He might not know the leader on a personal level but he knows Stagstar was extremely close to their late leader and willing to put up with her attics for better or worse so losing her was like a gut punch to him. He knows first how rash decisions due to grief will only lead to more pain and rather not have a retreat of that.
With his leader, Thunderfoot's next goal is to restore Thistleclan's faith in the high-ranks and them back into politics. Given the bad blood and mixed feelings with thievingstar and Stagflight's sudden accession into leadership. Thunderfoot will serve as a mediator or go-between use what empathy and confident he has to forge a strong among his clanmates.
Next priority will be training Thisleclan like they should have been from the start. Stagstar did find a job lessening the damage their former leader did however times have changed. Thunderfoot will take a group of the strongest warriors in Thistleclan he trusted to help mold the battle-hardened into seasoned cats it needs to fight and end this war. Even after the dust had settled and the war ended, a strict training regime would remain for both warriors and apprentices alike. Thunderfoot admired Stagstar in his old deputy days, taking a group of apprentices out to train with him and test their skills actively and ready for the harshness warriorhood entails. He will strive to do the same in his own way. To him being deputy is not just a rank it’s a chance to make a statement. Thunderfoot wanted to make a legacy that his processor can follow without the need for hypocrisy that his past and current leader had to deal with.
How will Thievingstar’s death/the LC & rogue battle affect their characters goals as a hp?: As it stands Thunderfoot is very not fond of Thevingstar. She took an outside lover with Lichenclanner, it's because of her rogues stole their territory which is something that will held over the clan for the rest of his days, Birchsong's drama and banishment, and that she was being blind by her own pride and the threat Lichenclan's face now coming to bite them all in the rump. While Thievingstar's reign was both mighty and melancholy, he can't allow this clan to have another repeat of it. Thunderfoot will never speak illy of the old leader because she slowly came around close to the very end of her life. She died honorably defending Thistleclan.
As time moves on Thunderfoot will understand despite Thievingstar being so selfish she did everything she thought was right for this clan and he might evem come to respect her. Her death will be something he will never forget as Thunderfoot will try his hardest to ensure Thistleclan is safe as she walks from Starclan. To him, her death means change. Thistleclan will not sit idly back any longer. It's time now more than ever for action!
The war with Lichenclan and Redwoodclan had go far enough. Thunderfoot would never think in his lifetime he would see a clan actually time up against rogues. The stakes couldn't be higher and they can't afford to be rash attacking Lichenclan on their own. He would press Starstar to make contact Redwoodclan as soon as they are able. Being given the bad blood with Redwoodclan and the previous rejection for aid. The odds aren't likely but the same time but it clear now this is something they can not do alone.
How will this character support and challenge Stagstar as deputy?: Explain! Make sure to touch on both!
Stagstar and Thunderfoot mirror each other in many ways. Stagstar is a father who wronged his daughters in the past and is trying to make up for that while Thunderfoot is victim of a similar crime trying to move from that and rekindle with his half-siblings he wronged. They are passionate as they are tactless but Thunderfoot to an extent is more empathetic than Stagstar is. He is able to see the past boundaries of outsider and rogues when giving advice on matters, especially in-clan drama such as forbidden romance.
While he still has mixed feelings with Thevingstar, Thunderfoot's faith in Stagstar will be unshakable. He saw first hands in revenge strike Stagstar run the risk of burning too bright and letting his temper consume him if not kept in check. For that reason, he will be as open as possible. A person that will tell you when you are wrong to your face without hesitation but give advice as well.
How does this character view the other conflicts on the island? Do they want to take any action?: Thistleclan: No longer can Thistleclan play a neutral party anymore. That has done so for far too long now it’s time to make a stand and return into the limelight. Again, The newfound leadership and loss of the former leader are still fresh and they can’t act harshly. There will hiccup along the way but Thunderfoot believes their clan and Stagstar will make it through the daring times.
Rogues/ Outsiders: As It stands Thunderfoot can’t stand them, he has similar hatred to him like much of his clan however in the past there had been a few who even tried to aid Thistleclan such as Aster showing they were not all so cruel. Thunderfoot saw first hand from his encounter with them. Most under Lily’s control are misguided and manipulated. He has a slither of sympathy for them in this regard. For now he will remain firm on the belief none will set foot in Thistleclan however as the dust settles I strongly think this will change.
Forbidden romance: It’s an unnecessary trend with the clan ranks. Thunderfoot despises this with a passion. To him, finding a mate in an outsider is needless drama and a headache. Someone is going to get hurt no matter: a friend, family member, or even your children. There will be suffering. As see what happened to Meadowpaw losing both her mother and sister he will rather not repeat the events.
He will actively seek something other than a banishment permanently. To him it’s enough of a crime for them to have to deal with humaition. They have lost almost all the trust and faith their clanmates have for them. Like a scar, this is something that will never go away and will be held against them for the rest of their lives even if their children might come to hate them as well.
Thunderfoot would confide they are banished for the next six moons they must live on their way away from the thistleclan. No one is allowed to help whatever if and even one person is found to help them out. Then it’s a permanent. Thunderfoot might be kinder; he will never let said kindness be taken for granted. In the months to come, I need the topic of Birchsong’s return coming into view but not for a while.
The Tribe: For the longest time Thistleclan has never even cared for them, Thunderfoot is more wary of them at best. Since the sandbar is destroyed, who knows what could be happening to them. While he thinks they aren’t a threat as much as the rival clans supposed it might be worth looking into.
The War: With Thistleclan being neutral and out of touch for so long. The grim situation was bound to happen and now they are reaping that they have sown. Thunderfoot believes there is no time to huff and puff about this. They must act and it’s an obvious choice on who despite past attempts they must ally against if they never want to stand a chance of end this war once and for all.
Redwoodclan: They had suffered more than even Thistleclan. Losing so much it almost reminds him of his past and for them to still keep fighting he gives a lot of respect. However he is wary not because of Finchstar. It’s Icesong. She’s been a bit of a wildcard and with the previous threat from last time. He will always keep his eye on them.
Starclan/Medicine Cats: Thunderfoot believes in his ancestors to an extent as more of a comfort tool than anything else however he will never control the Lichenclan does but have preform miracles. Now with Shadepool, he has come a long way to become the medicine cat that this clan needs although still lacks a little confidence Thunderfoot will always be there for him as a figure he may come to speak and the same with Meadowpaw. To see his own apprentice, aiding other cats in her way. He will be as proud as any parent would.
Post by Silverfire on Jun 24, 2022 12:47:22 GMT -6
Name: Silverfire Experience: Leader, medicine cat x2 Character Name: Sparkspirit Character Application:Sparkspirit Position Desired: ThistleClan deputy IC Sample:‘In. Out. In. Out. Breathe. Remember where I am. Who I am. What I am.’
Sparkspirit’s claws dig into the soft earth as he took a deep breath. It was dawn; he could see the soft morning light seeping into his den from the entrance.
Another day had dawned.
A day that officially marked him as deputy of ThistleClan for a moon.
He still vividly remembered that day, how his pacing outside of the medicine den waiting for Rainflight had been interrupted by the newly named Stagstar calling a meeting. He could remember the feeling as the dry earth under his paws as he nearly tripped when he heard his name fall from the new leader’s mouth.
Deputy. Him.
It honestly had yet to fully sink in for him. A former rogue. Someone who had been picked on for season due to his heritage and his size. Who’s mentor had despised him. Who had attacked another clanmate during his apprenticeship.
So many cats could’ve made a better choice. Owlfang for example would make a much better deputy.
But no. Stagstar chose him.
Stepping out of his den, the ginger tom looked up at the sky. Streaks of pinks, reds, and blues bled together as the sun began its journey across the sky. Cool air forced his fur to fluff out, with wisps of smoke curling away with every breath.
There was no one up yet. Not a surprise; dawn patrols were always hardest to organize. No one ever wanted to awoken for them. Flicking his tail, the ginger coated tom turned towards Cinderfeather’s den. She, Flarepaw, and Charcoalfoot would be the dawn boarder patrol, while he lead the dawn hunting patrol.
Well, he’d be hunting at least. If he could rouse some warriors to join him he’d make it a patrol. Maybe -spirit would join him.
Poking his head into Cinderfeather’s den, he saw her curled up against Thunderfoot, her expectant belly visible. ‘I’ll ask Shadepool to see how much longer she can continue her duties,’ he thought to himself.
“Cinderfeather,” he mewed, voice loud enough to wake the queen up, but soft enough to allow the rest of camp to sleep. “Get up, you’re leading the dawn patrol,” he ordered, barely staying long enough to see her start to wake up.
Repeating this process with her brother, the ginger tom turned his attention to the apprentice den. Flarepaw.
A pawful, she took a lot of her personality from Redfang, who had never bothered to hide her hatred for Sparkspirit. Sadly, that meant that getting her to do anything was… annoying at best and a headache at worst.
Normally Maplebranch would’ve been the one he got to wake her up, but he had decided to give the tom time to spend with his family. The tom had more patience than Sparkspirit would ever have, and if Flarepaw was to ever become a warrior, Maplebranch needed a break from her for a few hours at least.
Hopefully Cinderfeather’s patience would be a good enough substitute. She had been mates with Blazingstorm after all- she must have had an exceeding about of patience.
Stepping into the den, he made a beeline for the spotted torbie pelt in the corner, carefully stepping over the sleeping forms of the other apprentices in the den. Chances were that Flarepaw was going to wake everyone up anyways- might at well let them sleep a bit longer.
Making himself appear as tall as he could, he nudged the apprentice with his paw roughly. “Flarepaw, you’re on the dawn patrol,” he said, voice quiet.
“Go ‘way.”
Despite knowing how hard she was to get to do anything, the tom felt his hackles rise. The blatant disregard for his orders from the older warriors was slightly understandable, albeit extremely infuriating. They should’ve been picked for deputy above him.
But Flarepaw? He was a warrior when she was kitted for StarClan’s sake! His status above her alone should garner respect.
“Now, Flarepaw. This isn’t a request,” he growled, nudging her again. Flarepaw just huffed, cracking an eye open to look up at Sparkspirit.
“Just get someone else to do it- I need my beauty sleep.”
She paused.
“Frankly, so do you.”
Sparkspirit’s lips pulled back. “Tough shit. If you don’t get up right now, I’ll drag you out of here by your tail,” he hissed. Stars she was already getting on his nerves. Flarepaw, now clearly awake, barked out a laugh.
“You’re going to drag me out by my tail?”
The ginger deputy watched as the disrespectful apprentice pulled herself into a sitting position. She brought herself to her full height, smirking as she looked down at him.
“I’d be the one to drag you out of here!”
That was it. With an exhausted huff, Sparkspirit lunged forwards, fixing his teeth on her tail before pulling. She let out a screech, waking the rest of the apprentices up in time to see her being pulled out of the den by her tail.
Pulling her out of the den, he almost ran straight into Cinderfeather.
“Is everything okay? I heard a scream.”
Dropping Flarepaw’s tail, he looked Cinderfeather in the eye. “You’re final patrol member is awake now. You can get started.”
With a flick of his tail, the ginger tom made his way towards the exit of camp. At least hunting would cool him off.
Character's goals as deputy: Similarly to Thievingstar, Sparkspirit holds a hatred for the rogues. He hates the fact that Cedarkit is gone. He wants to see the clan prosper. He’s also extremely independent. ThistleClan does not need to rely on anyone else- they too strong on their own.
He actually wouldn’t be a very drastic change from Thievingstar, with his main goals to keep ThistleClan strong- strong enough to deter any enemies. However, he has a bit more of a… specific outcome in mind.
Torn by the near death of his crush, the tom wants ThistleClan to come to a point where that can never happen again. Battle training would be one of the first things he focuses on, urging cats to prepare for a second attack and to find cats who they are comfortable fighting with- a buddy system.
He’ll sit with Stagstar to try to set up a plan, figuring out which cats should go to which position when attacked, with a desire to make sure no cat is needlessly killed in battle again and that no kit is ever stolen again.
Furthermore, he wants the clan to be united. Facing extreme bullying most of his life, he wants to curb that behavior in the clan for good, as bad blood can make for disorganized battles. If you can’t sleep by a clanmate without fear of your nest having thorns… well, how can you trust them to not attack you in the middle of battle.
Preparation is a big thing for him. With how many severe injuries that needed to be treated after the invasion, he’d champion for basic first aid type training for all cats. Everyone should be able to help save loved ones without issue.
He’d work his claws to the quick, digging tunnels under camp that connect the nursery to other parts of the forest, allowing queens and kits to escape camp without being seen.
With how unprepared for the battle he believes the clan was, he will spend most of his time making sure that they can’t be attacked like that again.
ThistleClan is supposed to be prepared for everything, but they were completely blindsided by LichenClan’s involvement. They can’t be like that anymore.
While Thievingstar ran from things, Sparkspirit prefers to face them head on. Well. Mostly. Running away from his own trauma and feelings, he may have been forced to confront the fact that he has living family and that he has feelings for Rainflight, but he has yet to fully tackle those demons, compartmentalizing them instead.
He wants the clan to be similar to him. Focusing on the clan and not just themselves. Trauma isn’t something he’s willing to tackle, and he wouldn’t be able to assume anyone else would be able to tackle it either.
He’d push for the clan to throw themselves into their work. While not a slave driver, he will expect cats to pull their weight. Of course, this would not be without him. For his entire warrior career, he’s been spending almost all of his time patrolling, hunting, and doing things that others may not want. He cleans bedding. Checks elders for ticks. Eats last. He wants the clan to not have to worry about anything.
To put his goals simply, he wants the clan to be strong, organized, united, and worry free.
It’s not all altruism however, as Sparkspirit has some personal goals as well. The biggest one is to basically show off to his tormentors that he’s not some stupid rogue born cat. He is the deputy! He absolutely will see this as an ego boost, one he would happily lord over others for the sole purpose of showing off that his heritage does not define him.
Instead of “that former rogue Sparkspirit”, he wants to be known as “that outstanding deputy Sparkspirit”, and he’ll do his best to show that. While not nearly on the same level as Minnowstar, he’ll definitely get a big head and enjoy bossing others around on patrols and such.
He also really wants to be leader. He’s dreamed of standing there, looking down upon the clan with Rainflight and -spirit at his sides. He may be loyal to Stagstar, but that kithood dream of becoming leader will forever be a goal of his.
How will Thievingstar’s death/the LC & rogue battle affect their characters goals as a hp?: Despite not speaking to her much, Theivingstar was a well respected figure by Sparkspirit. She was the one who took him in after all. Her death with absolutely terrify him, as he fears her kindness in letting him stay will not transfer to Stagstar. He will beat himself up over her death, blaming himself for being so focused on protecting Rainflight that he lost sight of everything else.
The battle itself has changed him. Acceptance no longer his goal, seeing as he himself doesn’t even believe he should be fully accepted due to his blood. After all, it was a cat of his blood that took their leader from them in such a tumultuous time. Now, he wants to have something different- something that he noticed while in the battle. Organization.
While facing off against Sootpelt, his crush, a tom named Rainflight was busy battling Leopardface. While Sparkspirit was busy dancing around his opponent, ending the battle without a single scratch on his pelt, he left Rainflight to fight for himself.
This decision led to him watching the love of his life get his throat torn out.
Between his pacing outside of the medicine den and the little bit he could see, he realized that he had never really seen ThistleClan fight in solidified pairs. Nor did it seem like there was a plan. While extremely headstrong, he’s not dumb. The few pairs he did see fighting together seemed stronger. They were definitely more aware of everything around them than what he saw.
Attributing the chaos to a lack of planning on what to do if they were invaded, he’ll push hard for battle partners and a form of planning.
While not changed, his desire to make ThistleClan strong has increased exponentially. He wants cats to start doing more battle training, encouraging them to allow him to hunt while they train for battle.
LichenClan and the rogues have already taken so much from them. Now it’s time for ThistleClan to take stuff back.
Before the battle, he was content in sitting back and ignoring the RedwoodClan and LichenClan conflict, believing it would never reach them as LichenClan could never want to face off against two clans at once.
The battle and the death of Thievingstar has change that. Peace isn’t an option he wants anymore. Making a clan who just can live by itself and protect itself from rogues won’t cut it anymore.
Now, he needs to help the clan to grow to be something that the other clans fear. ThistleClan has gone through too much, between the death of their leader, the loss of their home, the exile of one of their warriors, and the kitnapping of one of their kits. No longer can they sit on the sidelines and hope things don’t approach them.
His selfish desire to be deputy for the status alone has grown tenfold, as the looks he has gotten and the disrespect he is shown increase with every attack the rogues make.
How will this character support and challenge Stagstar as deputy?: An extremely hot headed, stubborn cat, when Sparkspirit gets an idea in his head, he will fight tooth and claw to see it to the end. He would absolutely go behind Stagstar’s back if he felt like Stagstar was far enough in the wrong, though that will be something hard to achieve.
With a tongue as sharp as a claw, he has absolutely no tact. If Stagstar suggests something he deems stupid, he will say it bluntly. Favoring direct action rather than dancing around when it comes to most things (romance not included), he’d fight Stagstar on things like pacifism and waiting to attack back. Any pulling back would be hit with resistance.
At the same time, Sparkspirit would push for plans. And push hard. He has a vision as to how he wants the clan to be, and organized is one of them.
Oddly enough, the one issues that would probably cause the most contention would be if any outsiders tried to join ThistleClan. Anyone above apprentice age would be vehemently opposed, with Sparkspirit’s loathing of rogues causing him to try to convince Stagstar that letting them join is an awful idea. In fact, he’d much rather send them running with wounds to remember him by.
Kits however are a much different story. Any kit would find refuge with Sparkspirit. Seeing himself in them would cause him to put his paw down and flat out demand that they be taken in, with him even offering to be in the nursery to watch them himself.
He’d also constantly want Stagstar to be wary, challenging him with multiple “what if” scenarios the moment he thinks the tom is too trusting of other clans or leaders, something which will most likely happen after two meetings. He won’t be afraid to tell Stagstar directly things like “and we thought we could trust Birchsong”.
On the other side, he’d be fiercely loyal to Stagstar. He will not tolerate others talking bad about Stagstar behind his back, instead snapping at them to meet with the leader if they really needed to. He’d demand silence and cooperation from the clan.
Keeping a post by his leader’s side, he’d provide a unified front image no matter his feelings. He’d immediately drag Stagstar into a den so they could speak if he believes Stagstar mad a bad decision, but he will always stand by him in public. Even when potentially going behind his leader’s back, only cats he trusts explicitly would be involved.
His planning, constant hard work, and willingness to show how hard he works would be used to help Stagstar when needed. Sparkspirit wants to have plans implemented, and will sit next to Stagstar all night to help him come up with those plans. Sparkspirit is ready to provide whatever Stagstar needs. The tom is more than happy to fetch prey or new bedding.
If Stagstar needs a spy, he’ll use his diminutive size to his advantage and slink along the underbrush, ready and willing to listen in on any words spoken. If Stagstar needs a cat to ferry messages between leaders, Sparkspirit will run across the territories. He’s willing to take on whatever extra duties need doing. All Stagstar needs to do is say the word and, as long as Sparkspirit doesn’t see it as dumb, he’ll follow orders.
Harsh words and a stubborn personality would be the main challenges he’d present. But for support? You have Sparkspirit’s teeth and claws and undying loyalty to ThistleClan.
How does this character view the other conflicts on the island? Do they want to take any action?:
Is Minnowstar alright in the head?: Since his first gathering, Sparkspirit has been unnerved by Minnowstar. This feeling has only increased with each passing moon. It is almost as if he can see her mind slipping with every moon that passes, and he sees Minnowstar as unhinged enough to be an actual threat. Especially with the LichenClan conflict.
Believing in a completely separate afterlife than StarClan, Sparkspirit’s stance on all the conflict has been virtually unchanged for seasons.
He sees it as stupid and pointless.
Believing that Minnowstar is little more than a dangerous crazy cat, he doesn’t really see her reasons for her attacks on RedwoodClan. In fact, he doesn’t even fully remember the reasons. He honestly can’t remember if it’s over the Mooncave or the fact that RedwoodClan helped the Tribe or both. Her ramblings are something he sees as too insane to really listen to.
He does know that a number of cats do listen; some more so that others; and that has always rubbed him the wrong way. The way he sees them glare at RedwoodClan cats is… odd.
He does not know of the growing unrest in the clan, with him not having spoken to a LichenClan cat outside of battle for seasons at this point, and as such is of the opinion that most, if not all of the warriors in LichenClan are on board with Minnowstar’s crazed ramblings. He sees the entire clan are crazy, unable to see that they aren’t perfect.
He’d rather keep ThistleClan out of Minnowstar’s line of sight, but he now knows that it is not possible for that to happen. With the most recent attack tainting his mind, he sees LichenClan as no more than the rogues they have allied themselves with.
RedwoodClan should not be attacked. That is a stance that he has held for seasons, and now they are targeting ThistleClan.
He’s ready to take Minnowstar out. No matter how much she unnerves him, he believes she is too dangerous to survive.
Finchstar needs to take action: If he saw Thievingstar as respectable and Minnowstar as unhinged, he sees Finchstar as too passive. Despite his change over these past few moons, Finchstar has always been a cat Sparkspirit perceived to be weak. Too eager to roll over.
For StarClan’s sake, it took how many attacks for them to finally retaliate against LichenClan? Sure it took ThistleClan far too long to get their home back, but it wasn’t long enough that it could be seen as them rolling over and showing their belly to their enemies.
At least, that’s what he thinks.
RedwoodClan is a clan Sparkspirit would be wary of forming an alliance with, if just because he sees them as unwilling to fight back. He feels as if they wouldn’t carry the load evenly.
Still, he has no fear of them attacking. He knows that Finchstar is smart enough to understand that they can only rely on ThistleClan if they want allies.
Icesong however… he is wary of her. Having never spoken to the white deputy himself, he knows little of her personality outside of what he has seen at gatherings. And she is… determined.
She gives off a much different aura from Finchstar. He has no questions as to whether or not she will retaliate against others if necessary. He doesn’t perceive her as a threat per-say, especially not when compared to Minnowstar, but he will caution Stagstar to be wary of her.
RedwoodClan is their only chance at an ally, and as much as Sparkspirit dislikes their seemingly passive stance even when being attacked, he knows this. He just hopes it won’t backfire tremendously.
My blood does not make me one of them: Found as a rogue kit in ThistleClan territory, at first glance, his hatred for rogues seems hypocritical. After all, why would someone hate those they share blood with that much? Especially since his sibling is still out there! He should feel some sort of kinship with them, no matter how small.
Perhaps that is the reason behind his burning hatred for those not born to a clan or the tribe. Too many cats in ThistleClan think he must have some kinship with them due to his heritage.
As far as he’s concerned, the only rogue worth even speaking to is Songbird, and even then he has his reservations about them. Rogues can’t be trusted in his mind. They lie, cheat, steal, kitnap, and kill to get what they want. Nothing is off limits.
He can’t stand them. The moment he spots one on ThistleClan territory, his claws are out and he’s ready to jump in and fight. It doesn’t matter if he’s outnumbered. It doesn’t matter if the rogue is already injured. It doesn’t matter if they are unaffiliated with Lily’s gang.
To him, they’re all the same. Awful and morally corrupt. The reason behind his torment.
Lily’s gang however… they are a different animal.
Sparkspirit didn’t even realize he could hold such contempt for until they started screwing everything up. From taking their camp to kitnapping Cedarkit to killing Thievingstar, everything they do is evil in his mind.
With a desire to rip Lily’s throat out, the idea of negotiating with them is such a reprehensible act that he’d rather gouge his own eyes out. He desperately wants to eliminate the group, rescuing Cedarkit and making sure they can never bother anyone again.
At this point, his hatred is so intense that he genuinely wants to go and methodically hunt each and every one of them down, leaving their body to the crows as a warning. He has no idea Songbird is part of this group, but he will feel utterly betrayed at this fact.
Lily’s gang is the lowest of the low. The only attack he’d object to would be one that he deems is too light. He may share their origin, but he is not, and will never be one of them.
Separated from us, yet strangely similar: The tribe. Sparkspirit has yet to actually interact with members of the tribe, but he can’t help but feel extremely curious. Completely separate from the clans and the island as a whole, they should be extremely different to them.
Yet, from what he’s heard about them, they are extremely similar. They care about their own and take care of the sick and elderly. They teach their young and they believe in a group of ancestors just like the clans.
Were the sandbar path still around, he’d probably suggest going to them for an alliance as well as RedwoodClan.
Perhaps some of his oddly inherit trust for them comes from the fact that Minnowstar treated them so poorly. After all, the only group she has seemingly treated well has been Lily’s gang and they are worse than LichenClan. RedwoodClan, while spineless, are much better cats than LichenClan and Lily’s gang. Perhaps the tribe is similar.
Despite all of this, he rarely thinks about the tribe. They aren’t capable of posing a threat at this point as they are completely, utterly separated from everything. They are a problem that doesn’t need to be worried about right now, and frankly, Sparkspirit is okay with that. They have enough going on with LichenClan and Lily’s gang- they don’t need to worry if the tribe healed from whatever sickness they had.
Love should not risk your clan: Cross-clan relationships were never really something Sparkspirit even thought of until Birchsong was exiled. In fact, he hadn’t really even thought about them existing until then.
With his love within the clan, he has no idea why someone would choose to looks outside the clan for love. To him, it’s dangerous. Both to the lovers and the clan itself.
What would happen if kits got involved? Would the same thing that happened with Cedarkit happen to them? What if they needed to meet in battle? Would they do nothing?
Cross-clan relationships are too much trouble in Sparkspirit’s eyes. Not the worst crime a cat can commit, but certainly one that is bad enough to get Stagstar involved. It must be stopped no matter what.
Birchsong showed that nothing good can come out of these kinds of relationships, and while he will never explicitly look for them, he will crack down on them.
The code separates us from them: While not as strict about it as LichenClan cats may be, Sparkspirit does follow it closely and expects others to do the same.
He is not afraid to dole out punishments for breaking the major codes. None extreme, but he will not allow the code to be broken without consequence. Even if that consequence is just being put on the dawn patrol or being last to eat.
Of the code, he values two the most. “No warrior can neglect a kit in pain or danger, even if the kit is from a different clan” and “the word of the clan leader is the warrior code”.
If one neglects a kit around Sparkspirit, they will be dragged by their tail to Stagstar. Crediting that code as the reason Thievingstar was inclined to show pity and allow him in when he would have otherwise died, he follows it to the letter. It doesn’t matter if the kit is being neglected in ThistleClan, or if he stumbles across an injured rogue kit.
He will do everything in his power to protect them.
As for the clan leader’s word being law, he also credits that as to why he was even allowed to stay and have his injuries treated. No cat besides -spirit wanted to treat him well, but they were forced to allow him to stay. Despite barely eating, which then led to his stunted growth, and despite being bullied relentlessly, he was allowed to stay in ThistleClan.
We all become one with the earth: Sparkspirit does not believe in StarClan. Period. The idea that, when you die, your spirit becomes a star has never sat right with him.
Nothing about StarClan sounds like something that would happen to cats after they die. It just makes no sense to him. Not when one of the few memories he has of his family gives him a much better explanation for everything.
While he doesn’t believe in StarClan, he believes in the concept. More specifically, he believes in an afterlife. One that the medicine cats can even connect to.
To him, spirits roam the world. His father told him about how, when they die, their bodies become the earth. The grass then grows from the earth, feeding mice so that they could eat. The circle of life he had called it.
When a two moon old Sparkspirit had asked whether or not you went anywhere when you died, his father told him that they can go wherever they want. Your spirit becomes one with the earth, able to move to places that no cat could walk to in the blink of an eye.
You could walk among your family members, their memories of you strengthening you enough to give you shape. The shrine they build for you anchors you to this realm. When it is destroyed, your spirit fades, born again into a new cat.
He will still go to see StarClan if there is a need, but he would rather speak to his family at their shrine that go and as StarClan for guidance.
We can no longer be neutral: For a while, he’s wanted more decisive action. He’s wanted the clan to actively go out and hunt down the rogues, making sure they know not to mess with ThistleClan. This has increased now that LichenClan has joined. The rogues are no longer the only thing they need to worry about.
Knowing about the conflicts between RedwoodClan and LichenClan, he long felt like they were a non issue when it came to affecting ThistleClan. ThistleClan didn’t do much to interact with either, too focused on the rogues. The fact that they stayed neutral in that argument was something he actually agreed with. No need to go placing your paws in someone else’s business if it wouldn’t affect you.
Now, however, it has spilled over. Despite being incredibly skeptical of the idea of allying themselves with RedwoodClan, believing that very few cats are willing to team up without the promise of some form of reward, Sparkspirit knows that it is their best hope right now. No matter how little he trusts RedwoodClan to actually fight, he knows they must become allies to survive.
This doesn’t mean he’ll be willing to blindly accept any agreement however, and he’d push for Stagstar to think critically about any potential agreement. Especially if Icesong is involved.
They have to think critically about whatever their next move is. As much as Sparkspirit wants to rush in and get revenge, the clan must be cautious. RedwoodClan is their only hope of survival now that LichenClan and Lily’s gang have teamed up.
They have to act and soon. Gone are the days of watching LichenClan go after RedwoodClan on the supposed orders of spirits in the sky. Gone are the days of hearing skirmishes at the boarder and rolling his eyes at the stupidity of fighting g over a cave.
Now, there’s an active threat. One that needs to be taken care of as soon as possible. If LichenClan has teamed up with Lily’s gang, it’s only a matter of time before they wear enough at the clans to kill all their leaders and implement their own. It’s only a matter of time before they come and kitnap every last kit on the island.
NAME: owl EXPERIENCE: None on TA! Have had a few hps on other sites, but the sites died not long after I acquired the positions. Have been roleplaying on various wcrp sites for..... 5 years now? CHARACTER NAME: Cherrybite CHARACTER APPLICATION: Cherrybite POSITION DESIRED: Thistleclan Deputy
IC SAMPLE: (may replace with a custom scene if i find the time/spoons c': for now its excerpts from cold snap including convenient opinions on stag lol)
"Her narrow eyes somehow became even slitted. She remembered now what she had planned to do today—so that was that feeling as if something was off. At least it wasn't an intruder. The day before, she had came across a rare find, especially this time of the seasons. A freshly dug rabbit warren near one of the rare grassy areas in Thistleclan's territory. She rarely saw or ate rabbit, she heard they preferred Redwoodclan territory, but it seemed that nobody was home when she passed by. A shame, but she could be patient—and then the idea sparked in her. She probably shouldn't tackle a rabbit alone, they were some of the largest prey a cat could catch alone, but even then that was a risk. A rabbit really couldn't be that much smaller than she was. She realized this would be an excellent training opportunity for a very specific, deadly move.
It was something that even Thistleclan seemed to be divided on to this day. Whether or not to teach the killing blow. She thought it was necessary. Hell, she'd love to live in a world where cats didn't need to know it, but they did. Even if they never needed to use it, a cat had to practice it and know the technique. If their life was in danger and the only way out of it was to kill their opponent? What else were they supposed to do, die? And furthermore, it was useful against non-cat opponents as well—foxes, badgers, and bobcats, even—if they could pin one of those brutes down someone needed to end it quickly. She was sure soft-hearts like Redwoodclan couldn't even have this discussion. But then again, they didn't have to fight against rogues. The rogues had no rules—they had killed cats before, and they'd do it again without thought. There was no honor to be had when facing cats without honor, it was your life, or theirs.
And as rabbits were nearly cat-sized and meant to be killed for prey anyways... why not take advantage of it? She knew which cats it was sensible for her to teach, and had mulled over which of her nieces or nephews to show it to. Whoever had a more lackluster mentor, she supposed. Or whoever she thought was most ready. Thunderfoot I trust to show Swallowfrost. I taught him well, and it's his place as a mentor, not mine. Eaglefang is respectable, he knows what must be done. Doveface.... he's too much like his father. The others are too young. That leaves... Jaythroat. The obvious choice, now that she had actually thought about it. She didn't trust Thistleclan's sorry sorrel deputy as far as she could throw him, and Jaythroat had spirit. She saw a lot of herself in the young molly. But that was neither here nor there, if her niece's mentor wouldn't teach her, then she would. And she'd like to spend some time with the relatives that didn't hate her guts. At least, I hope she doesn't. But that all can change pretty fucking fast. Her paws lead her over and down into the fresh den where Jaythroat slept...
...That toothy grin returned when her pupil questioned why they had made a hunting side trip. "You're sharp as a claw. The answer is, I just did," she gestured a paw at the rabbit, pointing at the bite marks on the back of the neck. "That's how you make a killing blow. Cats are not much bigger than rabbits, and it takes a similar force to snap the spine. They die quickly, quicker than if you were to choke or suffocate 'em." Her eyes found Jaythroat's, dead serious. She had to make this clear. "We may kill, but we aren't cruel. Every cat deserves a swift death, even if they wouldn't give you one in return."
It was a morbid thought, but Cherrybite had honor, even if the rogues didn't. When you killed quickly and precisely, there was little pain, and your opponent had no way to turn things on you. Grab a cat by the throat, you have to hold them down until they stopped kicking. You don't kill prey slowly, so why kill a cat slowly? You lose sight of what you're fighting for. Not to make the enemy suffer, but to protect their clan..."
CHARACTER'S GOALS AS DEPUTY
How will your character continue in Thievingstar's paw-steps? How they differ? Be similar? What do they want for ThistleClan as deputy?
"At first I was like... why the hell did he pick me? And then I looked around, and I thought... really, who else is there?"
Cherrybite would not be a particularly popular choice for Thistleclan deputy. She is widely regarded as a grouchy hardass (because she is one), but no one can deny her dedication to the clan. For her nearly fifty moons of being a warrior, she's strove to give back and better the clan that she loves. She has trained multiple apprentices into considerable warriors, working herself to the bone to make sure her clanmates are safe and well-fed. She is the one to not eat on a harsh leafbare night. She is always ready for a patrol, always ready to help in a dangerous situation. Her loyalty is to her cats, wholeheartedly, and she'd lay her life down for her clan without a second thought.
The calico has a similar fire to Thievingstar; she's not afraid to make hard decisions or stand up for herself. If Cherrybite must do something for the good of her clan, but she knows it will make them hate her, she'll do it. She'll be the strict mother, she'll be the bad guy, if it's for their safety. She will attempt to stand to be less hypocritical than Thieving in her beliefs, but innately, Cherrybite is just as flawed. Her morality is different than the previous leader's, but just as controversial. And she's just as blind to her faults as Thievingstar was.
Cherrybite believes that, above all, a warrior's duty is to their clan. One must work hard, to support their clanmates, and so their clan does not crumble. For what separates them from the rogues, if not their loyalty and drive? One cat can only just make a difference, but a clan can do so much more. She asks what is best for the whole before making any choice. She takes a cat's intentions into account when weighing their actions. She does not favor punishments that brew bitterness. Every cat deserves to have a chance to make it up to their clan. She believes exile is worse than death.
She would be surprised, but proud, to be chosen as deputy. She does not care for the status it brings her, knowing deputies do the dirty work and get few of the benefits of being leader (such as nine lives). She'd be honored to have been recognized for her skill and loyalty all these moons, and promise to do her best to make Stagstar's choice worth it. This is her chance to actually make a difference—to change Thistleclan's legacy, to mend the battered clan, and have them rise to the potential Cherrybite knows they have.
Cherrybite wants Thistleclan to be recognized for their tenacity, that's their power. They've been bombarded by rogues, floods, their camp being stolen, now Lichenclan—but they have never relented. They come back. She wants to recognize these warriors for the work they have put in, their determination, and encourage them to stay strong and united. She wants Thistleclan to be feared. She believes her clan has fallen far from the cunning, brutal, not-bound-by-any-code cats that made up their ancestors. But they can return, and rise. Not caring if Redwoodclan and Lichenclan see them as lawless, heartless, barely better than rogues. If that means they won't be challenged anymore—if that means they'd be safe, then that's what she wants.
HOW WILL THIEVINGSTAR’S DEATH/THE LC & ROGUE BATTLE AFFECT THEIR CHARACTERS GOALS AS A HP?
Explain the affects of Thievingstar's death and their stance after the recent battle.
"Oh? The rogues and Lichenclan don't know what kinda bear they've poked... we've gotta teach 'em a final lesson. They killed our leader? Went for Finchstar's throat? Thistleclan can play at that game. Those cats would crumble without Lily telling them what to do. Lichenclan, too—once Minnowstar's gone, they'll tear each other apart."
Cherrybite's ready to fight. She's been ready to fuckin fight for moons. Thistleclan needs to strategize, get in there, and show the rogues no mercy—they aren't cats to be trifled with. Waiting only makes them look weak, divided, cowardly. That's what they look like, right now—that's why Lichenclan targeted them. They need to show they are strong, and will not stand for being stolen from. The rogues have nothing on Thistleclan loyalty. The rogues are more of a danger to Thistleclan's safety than foxes are—they don't let foxes stand, so why are the rogues still kicking?
She didn't particularly support Thievingstar's decisions as a leader, finding her hypocritical and stubborn. She has personal bones to pick with the molly, with her sister's (Birchsong's) exile and how Thieving reacted to her brother (Firfoot) standing up to her when he was deputy. But in the end, she sacrificed herself for her clan. That's all Cherrybite can ask for. She'll work to mend Thievingstar's missteps, and eventually, after having to make some of the decisions she did—maybe she'll understand that helping to lead a clan isn't as straightforward as she thinks.
Regardless, Cherrybite will never forgive Thievingstar for making Thistleclan wait for so long. With the rogues first, and now what was happening on the other side of the island. She, too, was flippant towards the plight of Redwoodclan—but seeing that the star-blinded have the rogues on their side... and they've attacked Thistleclan's camp... killed their leader. Even if Cherrybite was no friend to Thievingstar... it wouldn't just be foolish to not get involved now. No, it'd be suicidal. If the Lichenclanners have sided with rogues, well then, they are no better than them. Lichenclan is as good as outsiders now. The two clans must act; strike quick and fast, like a snake. And they'll need to work together.
HOW WILL THIS CHARACTER SUPPORT AND CHALLENGE STAGSTAR AS DEPUTY?
Explain! Make sure to touch on both!
"Stagstar? Well, he's a bit of a spineless softie... but he's got a heart, I'll give him that. At least you can grow a backbone—he's got the hard part down. Lucky for him, he's got me at his back. I can be his spine 'til he gets his own."
Cherrybite would very much be a foil and challenger to Stagstar. She has strong opinions, and will let them be known. This is a molly that has served her clan for moons on end, her faith in them never-wavering, and with a deep care for and knowledge of her clanmates. Whenever she is around him, she will challenge him to defend his decisions if they oppose hers, and stand up for himself. Any quarrels she has with him will always be in private—the clan does not needs to know nor worry whether or not they are divided front.
However much of a capital a Asshole Cherry is, she definitely doesn't want to see Stag fall. He is Thistleclan's leader, he is her leader, and she will support his decisions in the end regardless of her personal feelings. Leader and deputy united. She wants what is best for Thistleclan, her clan, always putting them first—so she wants them to have a good leader. They deserve it. She can't change their leader, but as his deputy, she can make him better. If she tears him down, it is to tear off his rotting branches so he has the space to regrow stronger, greener, better.
I can definitely see the pair of them forming an odd friendship. After they get to know each other a little more, Cherrybite will likely soften up to him, like she has her apprentices and younger kin. She's guarded, but in a respectful, working relationship with her—she may even come to see him as a brother. Especially if he grows enough to stand up back to her and banter with her, she'll realize she was wrong about him. To actually know a cat... you have to get to know them. As friends and as his deputy, she'd do anything for him. She is his attack dog, she'll do his dirty work, she'll take the fall—whatever is best for Thistleclan.
Another interesting thing to note would be their shared distaste towards rogues. Cherrybite is very anti-rogue, teaching killing blows to be used against them, knowing that the outsiders would do the same for their young. Her niece was stolen by Lily's rogues—and she's lived through the molly's previous kitnapping exploits.This is not something Thistleclan should allow. They must put a stop to it, for the families it rips apart and the good Thistleclan warriors it steals. If she could find those kits, especially Cedarkit again—she would offer them a place to rejoin what their birthright gave them.
HOW DOES THIS CHARACTER VIEW THE OTHER CONFLICTS ON THE ISLAND? DO THEY WANT TO TAKE ANY ACTION?
Explain their views on the rogues, the tribe, the war between LC/TC, and other relevant conflicts!
"Thistleclan's business is nobody's business but Thistleclan's. Likewise, we shouldn't stick our noses in anything that doesn't concern us. There's enough work to do back home—we don't need to spread ourselves and our resources thin."
on alliances and war:
Cherrybite is overall fairly passive about the issues that don't concern Thistleclan directly. She did not particularly care for the war between the other two clans, as long as they stayed out of TC's business. But now that the rogues and Lichenclan are involved and attacking her clan, she'll do whatever it takes to diminish that threat. Including striking up a bargain with Redwoodclan.
Being generally suspicious about the intentions of other clans, her being pro-alliance with Redwoodclan is only out of necessity. She does not think their clans will see eye to eye in the long run, but they should have each other's backs against a shared enemy. She would much rather grit her teeth and fight alongside Redwoodclan, then watch them fall and Lichenclan's eyes turn to Thistleclan.
on the tribe:
Cherrybite is conflicted with her opinions on the tribe. It is a sore spot, being what caused her favorite brother's demotion and self-exile. She does not blame them, but she does not trust them either. She knows the rogue leader before Lily came from them, but she trusts her brother's sense of what the tribe was truly like to be right—and believed Thievingstar was way out of line, demoting him like that, in the midst of a flood, losing their camp. The clan needed their leaders to be strong then.
She would be in favor of hearing what Redwoodclan has to say about the tribe, knowing RWC had helped them in the past. She would be interested in meeting the leaders and members of the tribe to assess them, but in the end, want to keep Thistleclan's paws to themselves. Cats living on another island, separated by tree-lengths of water, will likely never concern them. Let Redwoodclan and the tribe become allies if they wish, Thistleclan does not need allies to betray them. They will stand stronger together, alone, amongst themselves.
on rogues in the clan:
Cherrybite, overall, does not believe rogues have a place in Thistleclan. She would only support an outsider joining if they had sacrificed for the clan, and if Thistleclanners wanted them, vouched for them. They must be watched closely for their first moons, and put in every ounce of energy they have into work. She is not easy to trust, so anyone wishing to join the clan is in for a tough road with her as deputy. But if they're willing to dedicate themselves, they will be rewarded by being able to call themself a Thistleclanner.
She will readily accept abandoned kittens into the clan, knowing they are like no other Thistleclan kit, and does not approve of wishing ill towards those in her clan with rogue blood. A rogue-born cat that works hard and follows instructions is ten times more useful to the clan than a Thistleclan-blooded slacker. With Lily's kit stealing, she believes in exceptions for the rogue-raised kittens taken, if they wish to return to Thistleclan they should be welcomed with open paws.
on forbidden romance and starclan:
Cherrybite has a rather laissez-faire opinion on forbidden/cross-clan romance. She thinks all romance is little more than a sham, though she believes in the kind of love a found family has. The love a cat shares with their clanmates and those closest to them. Flings and dalliances with cats from the outside are "whatever" on her watch, but she expects a cat to not become so distracted by it that they choose this fleeting love over the love for their clan. One or two meetings, no love, no children. Anything else is selfish, and fit to be punished. She would not believe in exile for a lover, taking it on a case-by-case basis, but putting them under watch until they can be trusted again would be her go-to.
Like much of Thistleclan, Cherrybie does not believe in Starclan. She lets other cats have their beliefs, but can be dismissive of those conflicting hers. Her faith is to the living, not the dead, and if cats need to know there's a heaven and a hell to make them do what's best for the clan—then so be it. She doesn't need to be rewarded in the afterlife, or a punishment held above her head to do good. You spend your life working, and when you die, you get to rest. That is your reward. That, and knowing you did good.
Cherrybite respects their medicine cats as healers more than mouthpieces for the heavens. Like the warrior code, she might take their warnings as more suggestions than instructions. She does believe the med cats have good in their hearts and do not wish to lead the clan down a bad path, and if Starclan's messages align with her judgement, she is more than happy to follow them. But if she disagrees, she will lay aside any prophecies, and follow her own sense over the wishes of the dead.
"Hopefully you won't regret this, Stagstar."
hailpaw, viperthroat, seraphine, and acorntail of redwoodclan lakefire and cherrybite of thistleclan crescentbloom and stoatstripe of lichenclan gale of the tribe & ospreyfur of unknown my tracker
Name: Catalysta Experience: Well, I had Hawktail so you know me! In the distant past I’ve played all -- leader, deputy, and medicine cat -- positions. Character Name:ARA Position Desired: LichenClan Medicine Cat Apprentice IC Sample: Taken from In the Dark
Night crept into the deep tunnels like a stealthy huntress, unnoticed until she was already there. A cavernous, underground lagoon pooled at the heart of the caves. Moss embraced its edges and they sat in unity there, where the gentle blue light of the moon and all its stars twinkled through passages both near and far. It was not far from this nigh-mythical place that an alcove lay, inhabited by a large tortoiseshell molly who sorted through piles of dried herbs and lackluster cobwebs. Bits of mint leaves and yellow dandelion petals clung to the tips of her long hairs, while dusty web tendrils hung from the fur of her tail-tip. Ara paid these things no mind as she picked through what remained useful after the passing of leafbare.
This was oft how the young molly passed her time, when she could not risk travel and sate her fiery wanderlust. It bored her, truthfully, but only because this was the third or fourth time that day. So it didn't take long for her to begin musing about when it would be dark enough for her to go for a quick walk to see what the newleaf thaws had to offer her stores. Sometimes she would pick up a plant even if she didn't know its name or use, storing it, keeping it dry and well-ventilated, examining it over and over, wondering at its potential.
So it was only when the faint croak of frogs -- for they'd begun to leap out of their hibernation -- graced her ears that she realized it was late. Quickly, leaving her herbs where they lay now-disorganized, she slipped out from her den. If it were not for the circumstances of her situation, she would have darted for the first tunnel out. Well.. if it were not for the circumstances of her situation, she wouldn't have to live in hiding in the tunnels, but that was beside the point. Unfortunately for her, she did live under extenuating circumstances and she did have to live in hiding. And because she was not alone in her refuge, it was not looked upon very fondly when she decided to risk it all for a better view of the stars or to gather colorful flowery plants.
Knowing that, and oh she knew it keenly, she hesitated at the lip of her den. Her greenish gaze squinted into the shadowy darkness. If her small group of family were around, she did not at first see very many of them but for a few that drifted about nearby. Her father was not among them, at least, and neither was Dapplefang.
But there was a familiar voice she heard from a nearby nest, which she knew to be her brother's. She considered sneaking past. Yet as she listened to him muttering in his sleep, she turned her attention on a familiar chocolate tabby. "Adderheart, Altair's talking in his sleep again," she remarked somewhat quietly. She cast the warrior a concerned wrinkle of her muzzle, for she cared greatly what he thought.
So before she stepped closer to the edge of Altair's den, straining to hear what it was he was saying, she flicked her tail at Adderheart (meaning for him to come closer). "I'm going to wake him," she decided firmly, for she had let this go long enough, "he should tell us what's wrong. This has been going on for too long. He's not been sleeping well. You'll help me convince him, won't you?" That was her professional medical opinion, at least, but perhaps it was more-so the decision of a concerned sister. Ara worried about her brother and she was well-known to worry, especially when there was anything worth worrying about. And to the refugees, especially one like the young Ara, anything unusual at all was something to be investigated - for their lives were quite secretive and uneventful. "C'mon."
"Altair," she called into the den as she ducked inside. There, she found her brother in his nest and pawed him on his shoulder, gazing down at him with wide eyes and raised brows, "Altair! Wake up, you've had another bad dream. You'll wake up Dapplefang if you don't quiet down - and she'll come badger all our ears." It was no secret that Ara did not like the she-cat very much at all, so she would not want her to suddenly appear in a fit of annoyance. Sitting down beside Altair's nest and crouching down on her forelegs so she did not hover over him, she tried to level with him once more (for there had undoubtedly been countless times that she'd tried this), "Brother, you really must tell us what this is all about. I know you don't want to but, I think it will help you to stop having these silly nightmares and go back to normal." She cast her gaze toward Adderheart, if he had followed her along like she'd insisted, and she would silently plead him for back-up. Some form of affirmation.
Character's views on StarClan:How does this character view StarClan? Do they believe in StarClan? Will this change throughout their arc? Remain the same?
Ara believes wholeheartedly in StarClan, though in truth she doesn’t fully understand them in the way that most Clan cats do. Unlike her brother Altair, she’s not actually had any visions that would indicate to her that they’re, indeed, real. Her faith is exactly that; faith. This still hasn’t stopped her from having a very idealistic and romantic view of them. She puts a lot of trust in the fact that her ancestors are watching over her, guiding her paws.
This strength of belief stems from her youth and the cat who taught her all she knows about StarClan. Her mother’s passing was when Rookflower first told her about it, and from then on she’s had her head in the stars.
If her belief in StarClan ever wavers, it will be in moments of doubt/weakness brought on by IC events that I wouldn’t mind threading through. Otherwise, she needs someone to show her how things work as far as being spiritual goes because she’s just been guessing/going off of very little. That or she needs someone to tell her there is no right or wrong way. I’ll leave that to IC.
In the end, I’d like for her to maintain her strong beliefs even if she goes through ups and downs or her beliefs change in certain ways.
Character's view on Minnowstar and LichenClan plot:How do this character view Minnowstar and her slipping insanity? Are they a loyalist? A rebel? Somewhere in between? How do they feel about LichenClan taking the MoonCave and the war? How do they fit in and/or challenge the plot?
Ara is a rebel, there’s no doubt about that! And while she’s never met Minnowstar and Co., she doesn’t need to; she already knows them. She’s been told the history of the LichenClan rebellion right up to the near-beginnings of it, and she knows just how dangerous it is to be a LichenClanner that doesn’t support Minnowstar or her lineage. Ara is firm in her belief that this cruel, crazy line of leaders must be stopped and LichenClan cats need to be freed from their baneful clutches.
Minnowstar is for the Dark Forest.
Ara doesn’t have a sentimental attachment to the MoonCave, but at her core she isn't as territorial as most. Growing up in the tunnels, she doesn't worry about what belongs to who. It's a viewpoint that will have to, at the very least, be adjusted if not corrected once she adapts to Clan life. But this neutral stance in regards to Land Owned By and other stereotypical clan beliefs can lend itself to a less biased and fresh view of things. As for the MoonCave specifically and LC's justification of that ordeal, she would strongly disapprove. Stopping other cats from being able to commune with StarClan is wrong on so many levels. "If you want to bring cats closer to StarClan, why would you take away their largest form of communicating?"
To that extent, she believes that StarClan is distant because of the darkness brought on by the leadership of Minnowstar [and her predecessors]. As far as she is concerned, StarClan wants her and her family to liberate LichenClan and in turn the whole island, so until that happens StarClan will keep getting further and further away. But Ara doesn’t want to sit around and wait to see what that means for everyone, so she's taking a more proactive stance as far as the rebel plot is concerned.
Her belief that her family and the rebels are destined to help/blessed by StarClan for doing so, is the driving force behind Ara’s need to exonerate LichenClan. She’s shouldering the responsibility because of her ancestry, not simply because of her opinionated sense of morality -- though there is that, too. To her, there is so much more at stake than good vs evil, though. A whole way of life teeters on the edge and the Clans will eventually fall to ruin unless something drastic is done. With Ara, I intend to support and propel the plot in whatever way is possible for her character. She's the type of character that's willing to question the status quo, as well, which could be good [and healthy?] for LichenClan as their plot moves beyond Minnowstar.
Character's relationship with Briarfall and the other medicine cats:How do they currently view Briarfall? What kind of relationship do you want to explore with Briarfall? Will they be in conflict with Briarfall's secret meetings with the other MCs? What do they think of the other medicine cats?
Ara has never met Briarfall, but on a baseline she has a lot of respect for medicine cats because of the sole fact that they’re healers! They do so much for others! If there's a more honorable, selfless job, she’s not found it yet. Ara would take the things other med. cats say very seriously; she wouldn’t question their expertise/opinions, she’d stay super humble especially while she’s first navigating clan life. She strives so hard to do Rookflower proud, to keep healing cats even if it puts her own life in danger, etc. but she knows she has a lot to learn.
So... no, I wouldn't say that she conflicts with what Briarfall has going on with her secret meetings. If anything, the two of them can help each other achieve their goals of a better, safer clan.
As for Ara and Briarfall’s relationship, even though Ara knows certain herbs (esp. the most commonly used ones) and how to apply them, etc. she will still have a lot to learn from Briarfall. She recognizes that being a medicine cat is so much more than herb-collecting and salve applications. And those other areas of being a medicine cat are exactly the kind of themes I’d really want to explore between them. Ara would, like I said earlier, need someone to play a ‘spiritual guide’ for her. Even if it ends up that her and Briarfall are both still learning about all that, and end up helping each other through visions and whatnot.
The thing is, she would trust Briarfall explicitly once they have a chance to bond and realize that they both support the same things for their home and that they both have the same passion for helping other cats.
Ara will also need to acclimate to clan life and navigate the [social] difficulties that will come with that. I see a partnership more so than mentor-apprentice, if that makes sense. Like Ara already knows the basics, so they can tackle things together and trust in each other’s judgment, and Briarfall can focus on teaching her the things she really needs to learn as well as other things that, as an outsider, she'd have to learn as well, and learn it all through the lense of a medicine cat. I think it would be absolutely awesome if they grew to have a very strong, unbreakable, sisterly bond as healers who want the best possible future for all the Clans.
What are your personal plot plans for this character:Explain the character's personal plot plans and desired arc. What else do you want to explore with them as a medicine cat? Why do they want to become a medicine cat?
Ara’s personal plot is to take part in the rebellion from the tunnel cats’ side of things. She's already established as having some medicinal knowledge and being spiritually-driven. She’s a medic for the rebels, so her and Briarfall combining their efforts makes a lot of sense to me. I thought this would be a good opportunity to make a big splash with Ara and make an impactful plot that still fits into the grand scheme of everything! This could be a bone for the whole Clan to chew on, as well. An outsider that's actually one of us? Coming to be our new medicine cat? What do I think of that? It's interesting, at the very least. So here's my pitch.
Ara joining LichenClan has to wait until Minnowstar’s death. Between then and now, we have time to establish that as a goal in the first place. Ara and Briarfall can meet a few different ways. One way is spiritual intervention aka visions from StarClan. Or, they are both a part of the Rebel movement so that could be how they meet. I'm not too worried about how they meet. Meeting is the easy part.
But her good intentions don't change the fact that Ara is an outsider. This is in and of itself going to be its own thing. However, Ara would be willing to put in the work. She wants nothing more than to return home, to which her history might help her out in that regard. She is from LichenClan and she didn't exactly have a say in what happened to her. That alone might give her some leverage in coming 'back' into the Clan as like one of the kits who was lost some moons ago. I still wouldn't expect it to be easy for her (in fact, I want it to be difficult) and I don't expect everyone to accept her, especially not right away. But I do think that it will be a fun plot for a medicine cat; rarely are they faced with these kinds of challenges and even rarer are these kinds of opportunities.
It would shake things up as far as what's expected of Briarfall in choosing an apprentice, which is something I recognize. But! I've given this a lot of thought. And why not! If her history is not enough, then her role as a rebel could work in her favor. Especially after Minnowstar dies and the Clan starts to change under its new leadership. It does depend on the circumstances how hard she'd have to work to get accepted. But I'm ready and willing to go through the motions of figuring all that out.
Notes: I understand that this is not something that would be possible with just any character or just any Clan. Especially not in a way that would make as much sense. So I thought this would be a really good chance to do something unique and fun and challenging and yeah! Thank you for your consideration c:
Name:Lightningtrail Experience: Medicine cat, leader, deputy - a few times on a few sites, one long term leader position for a few years. I've never had a medicine cat apprentice and I have not held a high position on TA. Character Name:Lilacpaw Position Desired: LichenClan Medicine Cat Apprentice
IC Sample: I want to include two samples, largely to help characterize Lilacpaw and how she interacts with others.
The moon was nowhere to be seen past the thick, heavy fog. The muck under her paws drew her deeper, and the din of mosquitoes and flies buzzing around her face was so loud she could not hear anything except for their flying. She tried to move forward, towards the shore that reminded her of her home, yet the mud beneath her was impossible to escape no matter how hard she struggled. As she looked on, tree branches like grasping talons stretched above, drawing her deeper and deeper into the dense woods until she felt that she might suffocate.
She shivered, unable to move, her mouth open as she cried pitifully for her mother, her father, anyone to save her. Yet she was totally, utterly alone, swallowed by the mist and cold.
Lilackit woke up already on her feet, shaking so much she could hardly remain with her paws on the ground. Her mouth was parted in a silent scream, one she only became aware of once her kitten-blue eyes flickered open. She looked around, across the sleeping figures of the nursery, feeling great comfort in the warmth of the cavern. The familiar stone beneath her, carved from the lake water itself, was smooth on her paw pads. Slowly, shakily, she padded back to where her blue-furred mother slept.
With all the care in the world, Lilackit slowly crept towards her mother's chest. Her two siblings were curled against her stomach, and she did not wish to risk waking them by moving to cuddle for warmth at their sides. So she found her spot tucked in the crook under her mother's chin where it rested on her forepaws, sighing deeply, contentedly, at the warmth of her long feathery fur.
However, much to Lilackit's disappointment, Sturgeonstone shifted, amber eyes opening to look down at her waking kitten's tiny calico body as Lilackit cradled herself against her mother's chest. Lilackit looked up with a distinctive sadness in her eyes, clearly feeling guilty and bashful for waking such a weary queen from her slumber.
"Mama..." Lilackit whispered, whiskers still trembling with fear. "I had a bad dream again..." She pawed at a droopy eye, finding herself not wanting to sleep in fear of going back to such a terrifying place. "I don't want to sleep anymore," She mewed, her voice only audible in the pure silence of the nursery air.
Lilackit...no, she was an apprentice now. No longer were the days at her mother's belly, to wander through sleep and wake with awkward steps. She could not lie in wait for the days to come, wasting her time in beds of flowers and feathers and moss. No, it was the moment of action, the time in which she must fight for the existence she was to want. Yet, the want she horribly lacked. She did not feel the pull to succeed and prove herself much of anything. Motivation did not light fires within her still-runty form. So when her mentor leaned in to touch his nose to hers, she hardly stepped forward to meet the gesture.
And when he spoke of training and learning and doing she found herself largely lost for words.
"Hmm..." She hummed with thought, eyes blinking sleep from her eyes, a gentle way about each of her steps as the LichenClan pair moved through the tunnels and beyond. Despite Falconfire's rapid steps, Lilacpaw lagged behind, a weight pulling at her that she could not shake.
"Well," She began as the pair paused to exchange words among the birches of LichenClan's territory. She had never yet seen them outside of wistful hopes and dreams arising from her mother's stories. They were beautiful and creamy in color, and so distracted by the bright nature of the trees and the grass and the sun above that she hardly found any words to say at all.
After a long pause, she continued, speaking slowly as though her words meandered through a field without purpose or intent. "I want to learn...how to be a warrior, I suppose." It was the answer she was expected to give, she imagined. But did she truly care about such aspirations? No.
She did, however, notice a patch of purple-hued flowers not far away, so she wandered in the direction of them, disregarding her mentor entirely until a question formed on her tongue. "What kind of flowers are these?" She asked, blinking slowly as she took in their brilliant appearance. The scent of them tickled her nose. "I want to learn what all the flowers of the island are. And the best places to find moss and maybe some good places to nap in the sun. It's so bright, Falconfire, I've never seen it so bright from the nursery." Green eyes turned upwards, squinting at the blues of the sky, the sun far too shining to meet with her gaze directly.
That's what I actually want... Warriorhood sounds like a lot of running around and I don't love running like I love looking at pretty colors or sniffing interesting scents.
Character's views on StarClan: How does this character view StarClan? Do they believe in StarClan? Will this change throughout their arc? Remain the same?
Lilacpaw was raised a LichenClan traditionalist regarding her belief in StarClan. Her views of them largely follow the stricter ideals of LichenClan's senior warriors and queens. Her mother, Sturgeonstone, holds an extremely strict view of the afterlife and StarClan's wishes for the living. There are a few points in which Lilacpaw's thoughts are defined best.
Firstly, Lilacpaw believes that StarClan is all-knowing and all-powerful, but not all-benevolent. They do not ever make mistakes; instead, all "miscommunications" are either intentional on StarClan's end or the fault of those discerning the prophecy. Additionally, due to her belief that StarClan could change the world or speak more directly if they chose to, there is no room for an all-loving StarClan. After all, why would StarClan allow evil to persist if they could save their children from death and disease and war? Where her mother might view such inaction as a test, or as StarClan's frustration with the clan, Lilacpaw simply does not see them as pervasive good. No, instead they are sometimes cruel and sometimes kind, and nothing any cat does could change that.
Secondly, Lilacpaw believes strongly in the Dark Forest as the default afterlife for every cat. A cat must work to get into StarClan or they will inevitably be sent to be tortured for the rest of eternity. This means that standard LichenClan rituals are vital, including baptism, confession, and prayer. When cats don't participate, she will remind them with a soft, gentle voice. But should she face felines who do not agree with the need for such traditionalist practices, she can't help but feel that they are destined for the tortures of the inevitable hell beyond this living world.
However, as far as all of these beliefs go, Lilacpaw is extremely mutable. She can parrot her mother's talking points for hours, but she struggled with feeling genuinely about much of it. She, after all, only knows StarClan through the very warped looking glass that has prevailed in LichenClan picked up in her mere 7 moons of life, in tandem with nightmares she has experienced for each of those moons. Her mother has told her in detail about what the dark forest looks like and how horrifying it is, information that haunts Lilacpaw in her dreams. If she was the type to feel her own emotions more strongly and genuinely, she would think she is cursed by the dark forest itself. But she does not connect to such intense feelings well and instead will repeat what her mother has told her about her near-nightly hauntings, as well as religion in general.
Ultimately, I want Lilacpaw to grow to understand in more complex terms what the dark forest and StarClan are and stand for. I will elaborate further below, but overall a large part of her arc is realizing that the reality she lives in is more than a silly, meaningless dream. Others are not actors in roles but lives she is responsible for saving. There is more to life than reveling in facts and figures, and that relationships possess more value than any wistful daydream she might think of. Within this arc, her neutral views of StarClan will shift as she realizes the role that they play in the lives of others, and how easily their intentions are skewed by those in power. Her want to seek truth will guide her, and, at Briarfall's side, she will come to understand StarClan for what it is. Her relationship with the dark forest will certainly also be explored, given that she finds herself unusually tied to such horrible visions and depictions of it in her dreams. But how exactly that develops depends on the direction she ends up getting pushed. No matter how different her beliefs become, she will remain unusually tied to such dark images and horrible thoughts.
Character's view on Minnowstar and LichenClan plot: How do this character view Minnowstar and her slipping insanity? Are they a loyalist? A rebel? Somewhere in between? How do they feel about LichenClan taking the MoonCave and the war? How do they fit in and/or challenge the plot?
Lilacpaw, again, tends to parrot her parents beliefs. Both of her parents are staunch Minnowstar supporters despite her fall from grace. She will say the same, mentioning that she is StarClan's chosen rather than elaborating on the importance of war. The she-cat struggled with feeling the emotions of others or putting herself in other's pawprints, so in regards to the suffering of RedwoodClan she is not quite sure what to say. She can recognize that they are against what her parents call the "right way to believe in StarClan" and therefore should be punished, but she has no interest in being involved in their punishment. Like many of her views, she will align strongly with her parent's beliefs simply because she has not sat down to genuinely find out what she thinks about Minnowstar, the war, or any theoretical rebellion.
Honestly, her neutral stance is quite different than most LichenClan cats that are finding themselves in powerful positions. She struggles to empathize with much of anybody but has no desire to further LichenClan's prosecution of heathens either. Most importantly, however, is how likely she is to grow and shift. I further elaborate on my personal plans below, but beginning to understand how to find purpose in the helping of others is one of my ultimate goals. Her relationship with Briarfall will definitely push her in this direction. But just as she will eventually find herself in a more compassionate position morally, her current role in the plot is not defined by her stance on politics. She is easy to manipulate and sway should it become an interesting plot point to explore, and is drawn to strong personalities whether for the better or for the worse only time will tell. When she's fully grown in her 40th moon and has gone through significant development, she will embody the idea of having compassion despite having low empathy. But for now? I am definitely interested in exploring the grey areas of her morality as the plot can utilize it.
Character's relationship with Briarfall and the other medicine cats: How do they currently view Briarfall? What kind of relationship do you want to explore with Briarfall? Will they be in conflict with Briarfall's secret meetings with the other MCs? What do they think of the other medicine cats?
Lilacpaw admires all medicine cat for their relationship with StarClan. She would likely seek council in them consistently, partially because her health is not particularly great as a runty, sickly kit that never quite grew out of her weakness at birth. As she gains independence from her parents and her dreams grow no more pleasant, she will likely seek Briarfall to explain the nature of her nightmares and how they are "definitely" related to the dark forest and evil (based on what her mother has implied). She is desperate for knowledge and seeks it endlessly, finding that the medicine cat knows things more than any old warrior and being drawn to such a lifestyle of study regarding herbs and prophecy rather than the art of war.
Briarfall's words are much weightier than her parents'. If Briarfall says that her parents were wrong about StarClan, she will definitely consider Briarfall more likely to be correct. Yet even though Briarfall might try to retrain her mind to consider StarClan less of an ill-meaning force, there will be a lot of old thinking habits that Lilacpaw must break before she considers StarClan beyond the narrow window she has been shown.
Lilacpaw, with her deep attunement to religion and the mystical aspects of being a medicine cat, will create a unique contrast to Briarfall's more medical focus. Based on what I have gathered through Briarfall's old threads, a lot of her struggles as an apprentice stemmed from Cinderface's obsession with the stars. In some ways, Lilacpaw and Cinderface overlap, allowing for Briarfall to explore her traumatic training by helping Lilacpaw not to suffer Cinderface's fate. When I think of a mentor and apprentice relationship, I always am eager to find ways that a mentor can grow from their experience in turn. And, of course, if Raven wants to explore this aspect of Briarfall's anxieties, I think that Lilacpaw could allow her to explore the fears she faces regarding StarClan and LichenClan's relationship to it in a way that does not risk her losing her position or revealing herself as a rebel.
Regarding the other medicine cats:
Orchidshade - Lilacpaw would admire her greatly for her moons of experience and a clear dedication to both the practice of herbery and healing but the art of speaking with the stars. She would find herself liking the she-cat for her demeanor as well, finding her quieter, arguably intense energy draws her in whenever they discuss or even sit quietly. Ultimately, Orchidshade is the medicine cat Lilacpaw would feel the most connected to outside of Briarfall.
Bouncefire - Lilacpaw would like his outspoken nature, especially because for every word she says the tom would say two. She would enjoy the way he reacts to her odd cadence and would likely act even airier and distant-gazed if it got a proper rise out of him. But in general, I think her opinions towards him would largely be friendly and innocent, no matter how strange he might find her in turn.
Shadepool - I don't think that Lilacpaw would connect with him particularly strongly, though she would definitely be cordial and pleasant with him. She thinks it is interesting the nature of his role within a clan light on belief and more interested in the healing aspects of medicine cats, especially because she is used to a clan that values medicine cats for their expertise on StarClan arguably more than their knowledge of leaves. His timider nature would leave Lilacpaw quiet in his company, not having a voice to bounce off of. She's not good at initiating interaction, so there would likely be a lot of sitting in silence should they not have the social lubricant of a more conversational/driven feline with them.
Meadowpaw - Lilacpaw would find her strange given her more positive nature within a clan she has heard only bad things about. She would also definitely find Meadowpaw's relationship with StarClan lacking, for Meadowpaw does not strike her as particularly devoted to StarClan. While at first, I think Lilacpaw would largely ignore her and find her boring in her polite and sincere way of being - a she-cat of little nuance. But as she learns more about Meadowpaw and finds her more than a goody two shoes who is too nice for her own good, I think the pair would get along quite nicely.
What are your personal plot plans for this character: Explain the character's personal plot plans and desired arc. What else do you want to explore with them as a medicine cat? Why do they want to become a medicine cat?
Lilacpaw as she exists now is distant and lost in her own daydreams. She exists in a realm of her own, not invested in reality outside of her wants to learn about natural phenomena and the workings of the stars. She is more connected to StarClan and the dark forest than she is to any individual within her clan, as she struggles with empathy. When I say this, I do not mean that she is cruel-hearted. Instead, she simply cannot experience the world from another's lens, even when she attempts to relate to another's experience. She cannot walk in another's pawprints and finds it challenging to reach out to others with genuine concern. Because of this, as she is now, Lilacpaw does not feel strongly about much of anything, only able to repeat her parents' traditional views.
Currently, her want to become a medicine cat is largely superficial. With her physical weakness and her disinterest in fighting, she thinks she simply is not suited for warrior life. Instead, she wants to know things about nature and the world around her, but not for the sake of helping others with said knowledge. Additionally, her mother's obsession with Lilacpaw's spiritual well-being has tarnished her view to see signs in everything, especially her often innocuous dreams. Her desire to solve her own issues and search for knowledge draws her to the medicine cat lifestyle.
Her main arc will be to find a manner in which she can care about others even when she is unable to empathize. I want her to discover a way to show compassion without feeling another's feelings and connecting to others because she wants to rather than because she is innately capable of it. I want her to find purpose in helping others as a healer and a spiritual counselor, rather than seeking knowledge for the sake of knowing.
In her journey, she will take a few steps forward and a few steps back. There will be moments that she acts selfishly, that she says uncaring things, that she cares more for science and discovery than the pain of others. But, with Briarfall's guidance and a clan of cats that desperately need aid, she will slowly find a way to grow into a medicine cat that can work to heal her clan both physically and metaphysically.
She has an innate twinge of darkness within her that predisposes her to not act compassionately, but throughout her arc, she will learn that being kind, despite not coming naturally, is something worth choosing no matter how difficult.
Ultimately, I imagine this plot line to be long and drawn out. I can't imagine her fully transforming within a few months, and even years from now she might fall into distant daydreams and nightmares that consume her thoughts. But, as she grows closer to LichenClan and to StarClan, and finds purpose in being a helper, she will become more prone to kindness rather than carelessness.
There are aspects of Lilacpaw that I am sure will be explored as time continues that are not necessarily within my plan, but I am very interested in letting her flow as the plot develops and changes. She is not set in stone and has the possibility to skew in any which way depending on the actions of those around her. But ultimately, I see her arc as successful if she eventually redeems the failings of past medicine cats and finds purpose in helping the people rather than fueling war and propaganda.
Sidenote: This definitely doesn't have to be involved, but it is just a potential idea! Depending on the circumstances of Briarfall's decision (should Lilacpaw be chosen) I can also see her taking interest in Lilacpaw because she has such a strong potential to turn to the side of evil, a fate that could cause harm to others. Perhaps, Briarfall can help her be shaped into a force for the true StarClan rather than the dark forest that Minnowstar claims speak for the stars. I have written her in such a way that her dreams could very well be simply the trauma of hearing stories of the dark forest with the intention to drive fear through her tiny kitten mind. But, it is also possible that there is truth within her nightmares, depending on how she is to be explored in the future.
Note: there are some things about Lilacpaw that I am keeping on the down low for now, but might be valuable information regarding her role as a medicine cat apprentice should she get chosen. So Raven and others involved in the decision can feel free to dm me about it!
Your Honour, I have the experience, the accolades, the recommendations, and the skills. Name: Captain! Experience: RWC Deputy 1+ yrs, Leader on old forum Edge of Dawn Character Name:Icesong Relevant threads: They call me trouble Icesong asks the refugees for help, offering them a safe place to stay Dilluted waters Icesong and Finchstar let the refugees join their ranks, giving them the freedom to decide their future It tastes bitter doesnt it Icesong seeks out a way to reconnect with StarClan, deciding to believe in them Such is the destiny of all who forget starclan Icesong fights against minnowstar till she can't stand From the pinnacle of the pit Icesong works with the rebellion to finally bring an end to the war, knowing it's what's best for all of the clans Position Desired: Leader of LC It begins with the end of the battle. Minnowstar is dead. and LichenClan is without a deputy or leader. Much work is needed to be done for LichenClan to become a clan again. Finchstar, Icesong and key figures in the rebellion have a chance to speak, Icesong offers to help with reintroducing the refugees who wish to go home. What starts out as a brief period of staying in LichenClan turns into a longer stay than anyone expects. A power vacuum is starting to build in LichenClan and no one knows who will be leader.
Cats like Emberscorch and Sootpelt start to take control of the loyalists. They work hard to find a way to reintegrate into the clan and make reparations for what they've done and the lives they've taken.
Cats like Quickstrike and Leopardface and key figures in the rebellion take control of the rebel faction and try to rebuild a new, better clan. But anger brews in them as they face the loyalists who have taken so much from them.
Duckpuddle abandons the loyalist faction and starts branching out. Finally becoming open about her atheism, she encourages others to step forward with their doubts and an anti-starclan faction begins to form.
Worried about the potential of a civil war, Icesong sticks around in LichenClan. Scuffles ensue between clanmates as cats battle with their ideologies, arguing about who should lead them. While Icesong tries to quell the tension and stop any fight that gets too violent, she finds herself enjoying spending time with LichenClan. She bonds with others who have lost many from the war, sharing stories of their past loved ones. She speaks with other queens about her kits, feeling a pang of loneliness. She prays at the moonpool, finding a guide in other LichenClanners as she continues to overcome her dislike of StarClan and find peace in them.
One day while praying at the moonpool, Icesong falls asleep. She lays there, sleeping the whole night under the stars. While asleep she decides she wants to stay. She's learned so much from these cats, and fears missing out on learning more about StarClan if she went home. Icesong cares for these cats and wants to see them succeed. She wants LichenClan to stay at peace with RedwoodClan, and there's no better place to be than in LichenClan. After her revelation, StarClan visits her, granting nine lives and the name Icestar, leader of LichenClan.
Icesong returns to the clan. She confides in the friends she's made in the clan and eventually decides to come forward, telling all of LichenClan that she is their new leader. Cats don't take this well and tensions continue to rise. Some factions decide on their own leader, and others plot to take a life from Icesong, proving she couldn't have been chosen by StarClan. Much to their surprise, she rises again and the clan has no choice but to accept Icestar, leader of LichenClan.
Leader/Deputy IC Sample:
The waterfall crashed loudly, and in front of it stood a familiar brown tom. Battle-scarred and missing one eye, he now held a confidence that no one knew he possessed. Moons ago he was a meek tom that Icestar thought she could take advantage of. But when he took control of the clan and lead his warriors into the war with Icestar at his side, she did not see a speak of anxiety. No, he had become much more. Finchstar had become a cat Icestar was willing to leave her precious clan to. He led RedwoodClan now, standing tall at the great waterfall with a new cat by his side.
Behind her, loyalists and refugees alike followed Icestar. They were all uneasy. This was the first gathering they'd attended with a new leader. It had been moons since the battle ended, and many gatherings passed without a leader. Tonight, it was different. Icestar had gained her nine lives and stood proud as the new leader of LichenClan. She stopped below Finchstar, her cats dispersing behind her to mingle with the RedwoodClan cats. With a wicked smile, she lept up to sit beside him on the rock.
"I've always wanted to sit up here, but I must say, it wouldn't be the same without you here."
Icestar's attention snapped to the other tom approaching the waterfall. Stagstar led his warriors with Firfoot at his side. She waited for him to join them, excited to see his face when he learned that Icestar was the new leader of LichenClan.
What is your character's top three goals/dreams for LichenClan after the battle?: 1. Reintegrate the tunnel cats and refugees into the clan. This is her reason for being in LichenClan. She'll offer to help any RWC refugee who wishes to move home. While at first, she just helps them with their nests she ends up sticking around to make sure they don't get driven out again. She wants to build peace between the rebels and loyalists, as leaving them at odds will lead to more war. Icesong won't stand to see any more cats die
2. Forge a new, healthier relationship with StarClan. Icesong will encourage LichenClan to have a healthy relationship with StarClan. Drawing on her own fear of them as she previously lived, scorning their names, she relates to LichenClan and joins them on their journey towards a healthy relationship. She'll build upon established rituals, taking guidance from older members of the clan.
3. Establish a new policy to keep the peace between RedwoodClan and LichenClan Icesong wants to have an open border policy. As LichenClan is rebuilding she'll take it as an opportunity to play with the idea of changing the code. Thinking of the families divided between clans and the starcrossed lovers, Icesong will introduce new ideas to LichenClan. She'll try to work with Finchstar to allow cats from RedwoodClan and LichenClan to visit each other freely and develop a method for cats to safely change clans. If these ideas take off in LichenClan and RedwoodClan, she'll move to ThistleClan and convince Stagstar to do the same (much to the horror of all of ThistleClan).
How will your character mend the relationship of previous Minnowstar loyalists and rebels?: Describe their plan to unite the Clan, or describe how they'll make it worse. They don't have to fix it!
Icesong stars by bringing the refugees home. While she's there I imagine tensions will grow between the factions. Icesong will stick around to stop any fights that break out and keep the peace between RedwoodClan and LichenClan. Acting as a somewhat neutral party, Icesong can hear out the concerns of both factions and lead them to compromise. She'll rely heavily on StarClan and unite the clan under a proper, healthy belief in StarClan as well as the pain and loss both sides experienced.
Despite all of her attempts, there's still room for tension within the clan. I don't think many will take kindly to an outsider leading them and I can see an anti-Icesong faction brewing in the clan and the potential for a full civil war to break out or possible attempts to dethrone her.
How will your character support building political relationships with the other Clans and Tribe? How will they redefine their relationships with RWC/TC?:
Icesong is in a strong position to build up political relationshpis. She is well experienced in politics and knows how to speak with others to get what she wants. She's close with Finchstar, and their relationship will encourage LichenClanners and RedwoodClanners to reconcile. With the two of them in charge, no war would break out and Icesong would severely punish any LichenClan cats caught starting a fight. She's earned the respect of Stagstar and Firfoot and will be in a good position to negotiate with them. However, she still holds resentment for Stagstar not stepping forward earlier when they needed help with LichenClan. Overall, Icesong will encourage open communication with the other clans. She believes friendships in other clans are beneficial, not harmful and won't harshly punish her clanmates for sneaking out to visit their loved ones.
There's a big potential for conflict to break out between LichenClan, ThistleClan and RedwoodClan. As Icesong starts pushing for change, inside of LichenClan and the other clans, I can see a lot of pushback. Border skirmishes will break out between ThistleClan and LichenClan, perhaps leading to a full-out conflict. I don't think Stagstar and Firfoot would be 100% willing to trust Icesong after she switched clans.
As for the tribe, Icesong has never cared much about them. But if it seems feasible, she'll advocate for reconnecting with them and learning from their traditions and beliefs. She will be hesitant to send out warriors to help in any political conflict in the tribe.
How does becoming deputy or leader fit into your character's personal story/arc?:
Icesong has gone from a war-hungry deputy who wanted nothing more than to take charge of RedwoodClan. She thought she deserved it. But after the loss of Gorseflame, Frozenpaw and countless mistakes, Icesong has realized she messed up. She begins arc two as a new cat, who wants to be a source of good in the world.
Icesong has long since disliked StarClan. She felt they were taking away her control, and in an attempt to reclaim it, she disavowed them. Under the blood moon with Orchidshade, Icesong decides to start trusting them. She's still grappling with what StarClan means to her and how to interact with them. By spending time in LichenClan, Icesong gets to learn about their practices and faith. They will have a positive effect on her, leading her to start trusting and relying on her ancestors to help lead her.
Icesong is a control freak. One big part of her plot thus far is her perceived ownership of her clanmates and clan. After her second litter, Icesong has started to give up control and rely on cats like Finchstar and Orchidshade to take care of the clanmates she loves. Leaving RedwoodClan to join LichenClan is the final step in this journey. She trusts Finchstar to take care of the clan she loves so much and leaves them in his paws.
She will struggle with leaving the cats she loves behind. Her kits are her everything, but she's beginning to realize that she can't be around forever for them and by leaving the clan she gives them the freedom to grow into their own cats, without the influence that corrupted Mallowfrost.
As leader of LichenClan, Icesong will become a wise, but strong leader. She will learn when to compromise and when to fight back. She'll learn to love more than just her birth clan, finding purpose and meaning in all cats along the island. With the power she gains, Icesong will be able to make a positive change. Her life up till now has been filled with mistakes and causing pain to others, but in LichenClan as they rebuild, Icesong intends to leave a positive impact on the clan and the warrior code that will remain even after her passing.
Is this an elaborate way to pitch ideas for arc two? Who knows
Name:c a n n a Experience: LichenClan Deputy for 2+ Years Former experience as Leader and Deputy on previous sites Character Name:Yarrow Relevant threads: Each thread below displays Yarrow pushing past his regrets and resolving to risk his life for LichenClan when provided the chance Ghosts of The Past One Foot in Sea and One on Shore The Secret Cats from the Black Lagoon Position Desired: Leader but I'll settle for deputy Leader/Deputy IC Sample:
🍃 yarrow 🍃
”If LichenClan will have me!” A voice, soft, yet raspy with age, sounded from above the high rock and bounced off of the cavern walls. Those curious or frustrated, young or old, approached warily from their crevices to the center of camp. But as the figures settled far beneath him, Yarrow couldn’t help but wonder if this was how Minnowstar had grown so mad. So far above everyone else, he lamented, those who should have been his equals looked so small from where he stood. No one should be standing over another.
And at that thought, the battered tom crawled down from his perch, landing on worn paws before his clan where he could meet each and every one of their gazes head on. Of course it did nothing to ease his fears, the anxieties he felt despite having led these cats before. The savage Hemlockheart led without any fears or doubts, for her had had nothing to fear, so long as he kept the clan in line. Now, as a changed cat, he worried about doing the clan wrong. He had before, and he could again, but that was really the reason he had decided to stand up and force himself forward. He needed to make his change official, he needed to make LichenClan’s change official.
”When my position was ripped from me,” Yarrow began loudly, letting his meow silence the gathering felines. ”I took on the name Yarrow. But it isn’t just a name I took on, but a symbol of the changes I had to make.”
“Yarrow purges the toxins from one's body, it protects. And it goes without saying that LichenClan has a lot of purging to do.” He let his words resonate around him, reflecting on all the crimes and all the wrongs he had committed. Lamenting on all he had to do to become a better cat.
”I know some of you may not trust me,” he admitted. And it was true. While the former deputy had been shocked to find out that some wanted him to step into power without question, there were just as many cats who spurned him for abandoning his clan. ”But I want to help purge LichenClan of all our sins. I want to purge LichenClan from the merciless shackles that have held us in place for so long. One cat isn’t enough.”
At that, Yarrow rose to his paws and began to maneuver throughout the crowd. ”Minnowstar was able to lead our clan straight into the depths of The Dark Forest because she remained unchecked for so long.” Finally, the pale tom laid out what he really wanted for LichenClan.
”If you’ll have me,” he began again. ”I know I can shape our broken clan for the better with not just myself at the head, but with LichenClan’s most devoted warriors. Never again shall blood determine who remains in power, never again shall one cat decide what is and isn’t holy.” His determined gaze landed on three felines in particular. ”Quickstrike, Lavendermist, and Flashfang. Will you all stand by my side as equals to ensure greatness for LichenClan?”
What is your character's top three goals/dreams for LichenClan after the battle?: Purify Lichenclan
Yarrowstar knows from first hand experience how tainted LichenClan is. It wasn’t just Minnowstar, it wasn’t just her loyalists, and it wasn’t just himself all those moons ago. There has been corruption within LichenClan for generations, and Yarrowstar’s first goal would be ending that corruption. Believing such rot stems from hatred, the leader will do all in his power to rid hate from his clan. Starting with the most hateful of LichenClan’s warriors. Yarrowstar will reclaim the age-old tradition of confession, and much like Minnowstar, use it to judge who is worthy of StarClan’s light. Warriors will confess their sins, their wrongs, their hatred and will be punished accordingly. Those who cling to their hatred will no longer have a place in LichenClan, for it’ll be a continuous effort of Yarrowstar to ensure acceptance in LichenClan. Yarrowstar will encourage authenticity from his warriors and emphasize accepting themselves for who they are.
I could see him pushing for warriors to confess as much as possible. Yarrow believes repentance is essential to a LichenClan warrior's mental health.
Reroot LichenClan
In honor of his father, and a better LichenClan, Yarrowstar will strive to bring LichenClan back to its pacifistic, monk-like roots. As referenced above, peace, reverence, and repentance will become staples of LichenClan life. And a shift in focus from war and fighting will allow plenty of time for warriors to focus on meditating and bettering themselves. For so long as the stars shine, LichenClan warriors shall do all in their power to shine back. Yarrowstar wants his clan to be a shining example of holiness and discipline, and he wants them to actually be as close to their ancestors as possible. But Yarrowstar isn’t naive, and knows that they can’t be passive and pray at all times. As beacons of StarClan, the leader believes that it is LichenClan’s duty to act on their holiness. LichenClan is to protect the peace and sanctity of the island at all times.
Balance LichenClan
Yarrow is petrified of StarClan’s power. It corrupted him once, and he knows that it could corrupt him again. So the former rogue won't take to power without a council to keep him in check. For LichenClan has proven time and time again how easy it is for one cat to say that something is holy, when it’s the opposite. All decisions will not only be weighed upon by the leader, but The Medicine Cat, Deputy, and two warriors of differing expertise as well. Yarrowstar believes that a strong council is key to LichenClan’s prosperity.
How will your character mend the relationship of previous Minnowstar loyalists and rebels?: All warriors in LichenClan will be faced with an ultimatum during confession. Either they are to rid themselves of hatred, and follow upon his path of acceptance, or they are to chose another place of inhabitants. Yarrowstar has little patience in any remaining loyalists and won't hesitate to punish felines accordingly. Especially if they have committed war crimes in the past. These cats are a threat to the peace on the island and will be treated as such. Threats absolutely cannot be allowed to roam free on the island. Refugees whether from the tunnels or RedwoodClan will obviously be allowed their return, so long as they are willing to accept his self-healing goal as well.
Hopefully Yarrowstar doesn’t have to go to the extreme however. He hopes that the most difficult cats can be healed with prayer, repentance, and exposure therapy. Therapy in general.
How will your character support building political relationships with the other Clans and Tribe? How will they redefine their relationships with RWC/TC?: Yarrowstar is understanding of the strife and chaos LichenClan has put the other clans through for generations. He will do what he can to right years of wrongs, acknowledging his goal of clan healing at a gathering and holding himself accountable for ensuring peace on the island. Yarrowstar is accepting of any consequences Stagstar or Finchstar sanction upon his clan, and is willing to work with them in the future to ensure prosperity on the island.
A symbol of LichenClan's change will be Yarrowstar's immediate relinquishment of The Mooncave. I doubt it'll be "there"s" anymore after the invasion, but Yarrowstar will make it official that no future leader shall claim it as their own ever again. And with the permission of the leaders, the remorseful Yarrowstar will push for The Mooncave to be a memorial(seeing as StarClan's in the lagoon?). A place for LichenClan warriors to reflect on their gruesome history, and commit to bettering themselves. While also being a place for the other clans to mourn those lost to generations of war. An official neutral ground absent of the hate that's kept the clans in chains for so long.
Lastly, Yarrowstar wants to protect the holiness of the island, and this first involves remedying the issues rife within his own clan. It’s LichenClan he's concerned for and he acknowledges how unstable they are. He'll hardly think about the tribe until he has to, focused on peace and making sure his clan is able to fight for all that is holy.
How does becoming deputy or leader fit into your character's personal story/arc?: Becoming leader and being able to be the judge of LichenClan's future would be directly in line with Yarrow's plot. When he cast himself out from LichenClan all those moons ago, the morose tom set out to redeem himself of his crimes and learn what it was StarClan truly wanted from their disciples. And he took a vow that he wouldn't be the cause of bloodshed anymore, but rather a beacon of light.
But a vow isn't what'll protect the lives of the cats he cares for. Being leader would allow the remorseful tom to take direct action against his own crimes and the crimes of their ancestors. With the combined efforts of himself and his carefully crafted council, Yarrow plans to ensure that LichenClan can never return to their monstrous roots. Every cat is equal under StarClan and every cat is able to receive their blessings. With core concepts like this being pushed by all of the higher ups in the clan, Yarrowstar seeks to rid LchenClan of its century long superiority complex over the other clans. There is simply no place for the grandiose pride and the wicked hate that's fueled their battles for far too long.
As leader, Yarrowstar gets to be an example of peace and therefore true holiness. He will finally be able to protect LichenClan in ways he simply wasn't able to process as deputy. And this will provide much closure for the warrior who's passion has always been protecting those he loves. Except, as leader, Yarrowstar knows that they need much more than claws to protect, they need love and compassion and faith.
Leader/Deputy IC Sample: Emberscorch let out a shaky breath as she stood in the middle of camp, claws digging into the ground.
Deputy. She was deputy.
The had approached her about it. Asking her if she’d be willing to help build a new LichenClan. At first, she thought it was a joke.
She was a loyalist who turned on her clanmates at the last second. The rebels probably hated her for being such a hard enforcer of Minnowstar’s rules for so long. The loyalists probably hated her for switching sides. Falconfire and Wavefrost definitely hated her- she had attacked them to save a RedwoodClan molly for StarClan’s sake!
And yet, they had stayed stony faced. They wanted her as deputy. It made no sense. She accepted the position, of course, though not before making sure -star knew exactly what she had done. Why she would be a unpopular choice.
They hadn’t cared. They had announced her as deputy, ignoring those cats who spoke up against her.
Now she stood in the middle of camp as the sun rose across the horizon. It was dawn.
“Sparrowheart, Falconfire, Pearlfeather, I want you three to be on the boarder patrol this morning,” she called once she saw them emerge. A loyalist. A rebel. And a cat who seemed to be neutral.
That was a good choice… right? It had to be.
She may not have expected to be deputy, but she’d be damned if she let the clan crumble like sand.
What is your character's top three goals/dreams for LichenClan after the battle?: LichenClan, in Emberscorch’s eyes, is on the precipice of change. And she has a paw in shaping it.
First and foremost, she will want LichenClan to be strong and united. Rebels and loyalists fought each other. Kin fought kin. She’s not dumb enough to think that everything will go back to normal with a wave of a paw. The clan is hanging on by a whisker. One wrong move and the clan could collapse.
And if there is one thing she is absolutely terrified of, it is the thought of the clan crumbling around her. LichenClan is not going to be doing well after the fight. Having a new leader and deputy in the middle of leaf-bare after half the clan turned on the other half is not good. So she’ll fight to keep the clan strong. Being united is a part of this, and she’ll push for the clan to be reunified, but that push will come from a place of desperation for the clan to be strong.
The second of her major goals would be to completely get rid of the the clan’s inherent sexism. She is sick of being seen as lesser for being a molly. She gave her eye, ear, and paw in service to the clan, but is still treated as lesser by certain toms. She will push, hard, for mollies to go on patrols and fight. She will teach queens who were not much for fighting herself.
She will suggest ending the idea of arranged matehoods, as she feels as if it is part of why mollies are considered lesser. She was lucky that her mother was never that interested in that and she was allowed to pursue the tom she wanted, even if that tom ended up being a cheater. She won’t actively try to break up predetermined couples, but will definitely try to stop any more mollies from being promised to toms for no reason other than to have kits.
Finally, she’ll push for every cat to have a voice in the clan. With Minnowstar, speaking your mind was an easy way to get banished. Despite being her loyalist, Emberscorch was well aware that Minnowstar had little care for her words. She was aware that she had no voice in the clan.
Because of this, the clan was powerless when Minnowstar decided to bring Lily’s Gang in. They were powerless when she decided to exile cats for little to no reason. She doesn’t want that to happen again, and will probable suggest something along the lines of a voting system.
How will your character mend the relationship of previous Minnowstar loyalists and rebels?: Since she was young, Emberscorch has been hiding her emotions. She had been forcing them down, replacing them with anger and coldness. If there were issues with another cat, she’d either ignore them or try to fight it out.
That won’t work this time. Thrown into a position where she’s forced to mediate between loyalists and rebels, both of which have reasons to dislike her, she will have no idea what to do.
So she’ll fall back onto the one thing she can think of. Forcing cats to interact with each other. She’d pair cats like Falconfire with cats like Lavendermist. Flashfang with Quickstrike. Sparrowheart with Duckpuddle. She would try to solve the problem with brute force, often suggesting they fight each other to solve the dispute. She’ll try to give Falconfire and Wavefrost and Duckpuddle and Sootpelt’s kits to cats like Boulderstrike, Quickstrike, Sparrowheart, and Lavendermist. She wants them to get along.
She’ll become desperate when she realize it isn’t working. She’ll try throwing herself into the mix to try to convince others that they should get along. She’s terrified of LichenClan collapsing and will try to throw cobwebs at it until it’s fixed.
Will this work? For some, maybe. But certainly not for everyone. Emberscorch is awful at emotions, and even worse at relationships. It will take a while for her to realize she needs help.
When she does eventually realize this, she’ll go to Briarfall and ask for help. Eventually, she may suggest holding what are essentially group therapy sessions in order to help cats get along again.
How will your character support building political relationships with the other Clans and Tribe? How will they redefine their relationships with RWC/TC?: Emberscorch’s views on the other clans are still… not the greatest. She’ll be very wary of them, wanting to focus on LichenClan itself until they are stronger.
She will be afraid of them. She knows that LichenClan hurt them- that she herself hurt them- and will find the idea of building political relationships with them daunting. She wouldn’t be against it at all, just… cautious.
She’d probably suggest some sort of temporary truce so LichenClan can get back on their paws. She wouldn’t want anymore fighting for a while, that’s for sure.
After that… she will try to go back to normal? She won’t call the other clans evil, nor will she try to pick fights, but she’ll want them to be more neutral and separate. She’d be okay helping in other circumstances, but would probably work off of whatever her leader tells her. She’s afraid to rock the boat too much for fear of starting another war.
How does becoming deputy or leader fit into your character's personal story/arc?: Emberscorch’s personal story arc is one of inner conflict. Up until May, she had spent her entire life believing that Minnowstar and the Heronstar bloodline could do no wrong. She believed all the bloodshed, all the attacks, all the deaths were necessary to further the goals of StarClan.
After the supposed death of not one but both of her apprentices, her beliefs began to change. Both of her apprentices were considered traitors.
If that was the case, what did that mean for her?
She had done everything for Minnowstar. She had trained Ospreyfur and Cressclaw to be the exact same as she was. They were their own cats, yes, but she couldn’t imagine them as traitors.
She found herself wondering who she was truly fighting for. She wondered why, if RedwoodClan was so evil and full of heathens, they treated Cressclaw with care.
If he was truly a traitor- if RedwoodClan was truly evil… they should have killed him.
But they didn’t.
She suddenly found herself exhausted by the constant fighting.
And then, the battle struck.
Finding herself face to face with the deputy she had respected so much- the deputy who supposedly died seasons ago… it was too much.
Her resolve broke.
She will end up switching sides. She will vow to follow Yarrow’s command. She won’t be able to attack her clanmates, but she will go for rogues.
And when the dust has settled and Minnowstar was no longer in power, she found herself torn.
Currently, her plot revolves around her basically feeling like an outcast. She’s forced to come to the horrible realization that she was the bad guy. She had always been the bad guy.
As one of Minnowstar’s most vocal supporters for so long, I find it hard to imagine that cats from the rebellion would look at her kindly. At the same time, she betrayed Minnowstar. I doubt the loyalists would think kindly of her.
Ideologically, she is stuck in the middle between loyalists and the rebellion. She can’t bring herself to hate either group. Despite this, however, LichenClan is her home.
She’s going to be dealing with a lot of unlearning what she thought was fact. Her plot will revolve around her struggling to come to terms with what she has done and the fact that she was wrong.
She will also desperately try to bridge the gap between loyalist and rebel. Even without the position of deputy, she will attempt to try to mend relationships.
Were she to become deputy, her anxiety and self-doubt will increase tenfold. She’ll awkwardly try to force loyalists and rebels together in an attempt to get them to mend relationships.
While she’s already going to attempt to take control of things, being deputy will cause her to try to convince others she can do it alone.
They are in uncharted waters at this point, and Emberscorch will have to balance that, the realization that she was the villain all along, her lack of a place in the clan, and helping to rebuild it.
Becoming deputy will fray her nerves and make her even more nervous.
A lot of the specifics beyond that are up in the air. Eventually, she will apologize to everyone she hurt, starting with Ospreyfur and Cressclaw. She won’t hold grudges against the other clans.
She will eventually retire to the elders den, and she will keep the story of Minnowstar, and what happened to her, alive.
For those who forget history are doomed to repeat it.
Name: Catalysta Experience: Hawktail - ThistleClan Deputy. I've also been with the site for a long time so I know IC events, the site plot, the site history, all very well and I am very comfortable with it. Character Name:Stoneclaw Relevant threads: are in chronological order Weep for peace was never an option :: Stoneclaw fights for his Clan during the RWC invasion.
It was not your fault but mine :: After witnessing his Clan-mates kill to win their battles, Stoneclaw brings the body of Lionpaw across the border. He sees Ravenfeather there and apologizes for his Clan's actions, grieving over the death of the RWC apprentice too before he leaves.
Do you scent heathens on the breeze? :: Mantisflame and Stoneclaw go on a patrol that soon turns into something of a philosophical discussion about their desire to fight in the war and StarClan's presence -- or lackthereof.
The lonesomeness that kills :: After helping Violetshade make a nest for herself beside him in the warriors' den (to protect her from being bullied by mean queens), she reveals that Wispfang injured her to inflict StarClan's punishment upon her. Stoneclaw tells her that StarClan wouldn't want them to suffer for their sins, and that what Wispfang did was very wrong, promising that he will do his best to help her through these dark times.
If there's darkness, we're lost in it :: Stoneclaw confides in Fogheart his looming doubts and the grief of witnessing an apprentice's death, as well as expressing his concerns in the lawlessness of their Clan. Fogheart is able to bring him back from the pits of despair, and makes him realize that he shouldn't give in to his anger about the state of their Clan. Position Desired: Deputy Leader/Deputy IC Sample:
Minnowstar was dead. Yet her ghost still lingered; a shadow in the eyes of the injured, the mourning, those who were angry, and those who were relieved. She had left her mark on all of them; a scar as deep as the lake that swelled beneath.
And the nights carried on colder, colder, colder. Browned birch leaves covered the forest in a layer of wet and icy mulch; warriors returned from expeditions with pitiful mice and troubles that went far deeper than a lackluster hunt. The shores were barren, void of sparring warriors. They retreated in the confines of cold caverns, clustering in their divided groups and muttering almost in frenzies. Yet their words could find no purchase in a purpose. Minnowstar was dead.
The loss had left them lost. Like fawns abandoned by their mothers, wide in the eyes and shaky in the legs. Stoneclaw had watched on, given gentle nudges, sparing them meaningless platitudes and remaining mostly silent except when duty called. Like a stone guardian, he watched over them in a reserved silence.
No more. He could remain neutral and sensitive to their injuries no longer. Infection left to fester would turn to fever, fever to rot, rot to waste. The source had to be isolated, expunged. The process would be painful initially, but it had to be done.
So it would be done. Tonight, on the night of a crescent, bloodless moon that hung in the sky like a shining claw. It didn't shine through the walls of LichenClan's camp, yet he could feel the presence of his ancestors with them all the same. He knew they were there with them, each and every one of them, looking on with what he could only imagine was empathy and pain...
To Fogheart and Magpiefur, his most cherished friends, Stoneclaw glanced. The expressions within their eyes gave him all he needed to step toward the center of the inner camp. To his leader, who he paused and waited for to join him. They would be a united front. A foundation that would be vital for the Clan, after how Bristlefur and Minnowstar ended and how the rogues were welcomed within their ranks.
Drawing attention to himself with a yowl that echoed and sprawled across tunnels and underground clearings, Stoneclaw looked around at all of the eyes that turned toward him. After several heartbeats, when everyone who would had gathered together around him and his leader, he inhaled quietly and began. "When I look around me, I don't see a broken Clan. I don't see a divided Clan. I see brothers," his gaze shifted toward warriors like Falconfire and Flashfang, Fogheart again, "sisters," then to cats like Duckpuddle, Merlintail, Briarfall, "I see a family. Hurt.. lost maybe... not broken. Never broken. But if we are to ever fully come back from this, we must face the wrongs we have all committed."
Green eyes bore upon his leader, allowing room for them to step forward and speak further to a Clan which so desperately needed hope.
He blinked as he listened before it would be his turn to speak again, to address those concerns or arguments of his Clan-mates. To help plot the direction they all needed to head toward, together. His eyelids felt heavy with the weight of his own solemn sorrow, bearing down upon his browline, but when he looked up again he felt something stir within him -- like a gasp of breath flooding his lungs or his heart rabbiting in his chest. It's not too late for us, he thought.
What is your character's top three goals/dreams for LichenClan after the battle?:
1. Focusing on reformation of the Clan's values in the warrior code and faith in StarClan (to him, these aspects go hand-in-hand). 2. Inspiring his Clan to look toward a bright future whilst learning from the past. 3. Earning their admiration/respect in order to influence them in more positive directions.
How will your character mend the relationship of previous Minnowstar loyalists and rebels?:
At the very least these cats would have to face some form of consequence for their actions. But it would not stop with the offenders; the whole of LichenClan would have to look themselves in their reflections and understand that they all played a part in the web spun by Minnowstar. Not all blame can rest solely upon one cat's shoulders when an entire Clan backed them. Bystanders are just as guilty, too. One cat alone could not have caused such terrible tragedies and chaos. Only upon accepting responsibility and stopping blame could the Clan truly begin to heal from the trauma of it all, mourn the lives lost and whatever lives they hoped to gain underneath Minnowstar's reign. The way Stoneclaw sees it, if they cannot face the truth they will never really be able to change. He won't want to cover things up or gloss over them, but he won't rush the process either. The Clan will need time to recover from the toxicity of their past in order not to relive it.
How will your character support building political relationships with the other Clans and Tribe? How will they redefine their relationships with RWC/TC?:
In regards to the other Clans, Stoneclaw would still have his reservations. He doesn't think they'd simply trust LichenClan because of a change in leadership; he knows the Clan will still need to earn alliances. He couldn't assume that they could rely on the neighboring Clans for help in the future, in spite of Minnowstar's passing. Of course Stoneclaw does not wish to continue her havoc but reverse its effects.
He would want LichenClan to make its amends with the island to at least create a space where there is willingness for the Clans to work together in times of need. He would promote less hostility, demanding that claws are only unsheathed when absolutely necessary. He knows that RedwoodClan in particular will be a challenge, for both his own Clan to come to terms with as well as the giant forest-dwellers.
While he would want to be the first to lend a helping paw to another Clan should they need it, in order to earn these alliances he hopes to achieve, he would still prioritize the wellbeing within his own borders first and foremost. He will always put his Clan first, even if he doesn't always agree with their points of view.
As for the tribe, he is a bit keener on them than others might be. Curiosity will be the main motivation behind his interactions with them, few and far between as they may be. He will want to learn more about their intentions, and what they want now that they know of the Clans. Whether he will welcome them as apart of the Clans depends on their approach, StarClan's blessing or lack thereof, and his leader's thoughts. He knows the history of the island well enough; he doesn't believe that the tribe are so far removed from the Clans as others would think. In fact, he might even entertain the thought that they may share the same ancestors. But he would want to consult Briarfall/the medicine cat to this extent, trusting in their interpretations of the messages StarClan gives them. He would implore her to try to find answers in regards to the tribe.
How does becoming deputy or leader fit into your character's personal story/arc?:
Stoneclaw was born into inter-Clan tension as well as all out war between LichenClan and RedwoodClan. It's all he's ever seen, known. Fighting became his greatest strength because it had to be. It's that which earned him his warrior name.
Yet, his father died in battle and an apprentice he fought in a skirmish died of their wounds. These events changed the younger, more impressionable Stoneclaw in irreversible ways. Rather than becoming the fearmongering and thoughtless soldier Minnowstar would have him be molded into, he began to see things for what they were. He detested pointless battles and fighting. In a recent battle, he carried a murdered RedwoodClan apprentice all the way back to the border. This incident, too, only worked to further ground him in his belief that LichenClan were farther from StarClan's light than they'd ever been.. not closer, as their leader would have them believe.
He has yearned for change ever since he realized the egregious errors of LichenClan's ways, yet never once did it occur to him to start [or participate in] a rebellion. The reason for this is that Stoneclaw follows the code above all else; it's his survival guide. He is willing to take charge to try to incite change, but not betray his Clan to force it. Knowing he may be one of few who are willing to stand up for the future won't stop him. He will be a deputy who's able to turn and face his Clan, see them for what they truly are, all the while still harboring a deep and unconditional loyalty to them. But that loyalty is not blind, and he has kept his mouth shut for long enough. Especially after Minnowstar's death, he'll have the kick in the tail he needs to make that push for a brighter tomorrow.
As for a more personal, closeup look at how the role will impact Stoneclaw's story... it will give him drive and purpose he's never known before. He is young and will have much to learn -- especially about the political dance required of leadership, but he is still more inclined to follow his heart and his gut. He will have to learn how to juggle his own personal responsibilities and the objective duties he'll have as a leadership figure to the Clan. As Stoneclaw's character grows and matures, he will find in his heart an unconditional love for all of his Clan. His empathy will grow; he will realize that everyone's feelings and needs are valid and deserving of attention, including his own. He will grow to allow himself to indulge in his own emotional and personal needs, such as finding love and lessening the pressure he puts on himself. In place of this growth, Stoneclaw will have to face the fears that Minnowstar's reign caused. Paranoia will start to plague him throughout his leadership. He'll try to mask it, hide it, confiding only in those he trusts about it. Up until the point that it reaches a head, for good reason or not, which for now obviously that point isn't determined (it will need buildup anyway).
Stoneclaw has always been a dutiful warrior to his Clan, all whilst gradually rising above the dark waters of its generational trauma. This moment of release has been a long time coming and he's so ready for big changes. Becoming deputy upon this 'turn of the century' would feel like a very natural progression indeed, and it would absolutely be something he'd want. He would not fully trust anyone else in the same position to not let the power go straight to their head or even repeat past mistakes.
