Dustflame

LichenClan

red and white mackerel tabby tom with amber eyes

Of average height, Dustflame stands inconspicuously among his peers. At the shoulder, he is roughly ten inches tall, which while impressive under the pines, it only means he is shorter than both his long legged father and brother. Though, like most LichenClan warriors, he is long from nose to tail tip, boasting a lean appearance. Compared to the other toms in his family, he packs a fuller musculature, particularly at the legs and chest. Moons of fine tuning his training as an apprentice, and later a warrior, has helped shape him into a formidable opponent on the battlefield.

Dusflame wears a deep red pelt. Stark in appearance, the reds of his short fur bring a bright contrast against the monotone sandstones of their shores. Unsurprisingly, he's easy to spot among the blue and cream pelts of his den-mates. As all ginger warriors, his coat is draped in highly notable tabby stripes. They wrap around him in a mackerel pattern. The stripes are even fuller in color, deep and rich with red. Most notably, shocking flashes of white color break up the red. It cascades into his breastbone, creating a "v" pattern up his neck, before tapering down his belly, where his red fur is splotchy and patched. His forearms are primarily white, while his hind-legs are red, except for his paws. A bright white splotch decorates the middle of his back.

A conglomeration of his parents, Dustflame carries both a visage that is more rounded than angular, but defined and not soft. He has high, full cheekbones, which give his head a more circular appearance. But taking after his father, his muzzle is notably defined at the maws. Two triangular ears perch upon his crown, while long trailing white whiskers flow from his face. The top half of his face is red, while the lower half, including two patches under his eyes, are white. Over his peach colored nose sit two amber eyes. They nearly blend in with his fur color. Yet when the light strikes them right, they burst into two hungry flames.

Born among a litter of four, Dustflame is fiercely independent and prefers to do things on his own. He is self-sufficient and reliant, refusing to ask for help or waste his parents or mentor's time. Particularly clever, Dustflame is resourceful and never wastes an opportunity for his own gain. He is a great problem-solver and calculating when it comes to sticky situations, or even the mundane, like his training. Regarding others, Dustflame is ultimately merciful, refusing to kill in battle, unless he is pushed or cornered. He pities those who are weaker than him, and though this makes him forgiving, he also fears it secretly makes him a coward.

Vying for the position of heir, Dustflame is deeply ambitious and stubborn, bearing an almost inflexible determination. His focus and quest for power makes him an intense individual when it comes to his goals. This is only exasperated by his arrogance. Dustflame simply believes he is better than his peers. Born of high blood, he is haughty and conceited, if not also domineering and controlling. He greatly dislikes interacting with those who are inferior to him, and this includes his own sisters.

Temperamental, he is prone to tantrums, especially as a kit, when he doesn't get his way. Anger and a great feeling of being born 'unlucky' follow him like a persistent shadow. Dustflame is impatient and reckless in his decisions. For all of his intelligence, his intense emotions usually gain control when he's upset.

He is skeptical by nature, usually refusing to believe something until he's seen or experienced it for himself, especially if it's outlandish. He is not easily convinced, which is why believing in StarClan is so difficult for him. However, he understands if his parents found out, they'd be greatly upset. So he's learned to be deceptive, and carries an aptitude for remaining discreet.

Arranged to each other as newly made warriors, Caveflower was more than happy to adjust to the life of a queen. But Pigeonheart was less than enthralled. Young and promiscuous, the older tom was unable to remain faithful, and as rumors began to spread, the arrangement was called off. They parted ways. Caveflower eventually took on another mate, and Pigeonheart continued his life as a bachelor.

As fate would have it, however, they were brought together again in their later seasons. Lifetimes apart, they reconciled after the Great War. Caveflower was long widowed, and Pigeonheart was finally ready for committment. Promising to remain faithful to one another, they became mates, and soon, Caveflower unexpectedly found herself heavy with kits.

Applekitt, Foxglovekit, Dustkit, and Hemlock-kit arrived at the beginning of green-leaf, nestled safely among the birch forest. Displaced by the flood, LichenClan found refuge upon the cliffs, and for the first few moons of his life, Dustkit will never know anything different. For now, he wrestles with his siblings under the blooming canopy, completely oblivious to what waits for him on the horizon.