Post by Kazuko on Mar 14, 2020 6:30:13 GMT -6
maplebranch
thistleclan
stout mackerel tabby tom
warrior
tom
73 moons
Appearance
Maplebranch is a stout standing tom, with muscles lining his body whilst not bulking him out to a ridiculous shape. His tail is slightly shorter, like his legs, but he is able to keep it flat and straight enough to keep him balanced when travelling or fighting. His claws, like many from his clan, are sharper than the other clans and are slightly frayed at the ends from scoring them across trees and stones. His shoulders are quite broad, muscled and steady, holding his head up high.
Maplebranch has a brown tabby pelt, with black mackerel stripes slicing up and down his pelt and along his tail and head, as well as wrapping around his legs. His stomach is ever so slightly lighter, although this isn't obvious and can be missed at a quick glance. This darker pelt helps in hunting as he is able to blend in with the darkness of the forest, as well as the majority of the foliage, with ease. His fur is short and close to his body, not helping when it's rainy or cold but otherwise making it easy to hunt, as there is no long fur to get caught in the twigs or brambles of the forest. His eyes are wide and larger than normal so he can see a little easier in the darkness of the forest, and his whiskers are long to detect any close shrubbery to help with traversal. His nose, like his paw pads, are a darker grey.
Maplebranch has a brown tabby pelt, with black mackerel stripes slicing up and down his pelt and along his tail and head, as well as wrapping around his legs. His stomach is ever so slightly lighter, although this isn't obvious and can be missed at a quick glance. This darker pelt helps in hunting as he is able to blend in with the darkness of the forest, as well as the majority of the foliage, with ease. His fur is short and close to his body, not helping when it's rainy or cold but otherwise making it easy to hunt, as there is no long fur to get caught in the twigs or brambles of the forest. His eyes are wide and larger than normal so he can see a little easier in the darkness of the forest, and his whiskers are long to detect any close shrubbery to help with traversal. His nose, like his paw pads, are a darker grey.
Personality
✓ Brave
Maplebranch is nothing if not brave or foolhardy. He is ready to go into conflict at any moment, ready to die to defend his clan if required. He rarely flinches at anything, and will not stop in the face of danger. This can throw him into danger as he can become reckless due to his bravery, but more often than not, he happily goes into battle to defend his clan and patrol.
✓ Approachable
To those who he doesn't hold a grudge against, Maplebranch is generally an approachable and open-minded cat, who will listen to other cat's issues and solve them as well as he can. He likes to socialise and talk to others, but don't get on his bad side.
☓ Holds grudges
Maplebranch will hold onto a grudge against a cat for a very long time, and used to let himself get carried away with it. He always remembers what they have done to wrong him or someone close to him. He doesn't always act on them, thinking that StarClan will punish them, but if he gets the chance, why not?
☓ Soft
Maplebranch is softer than the average ThistleClan cat. He is kinder, not believing in tough love, and instead taking the kinder and softer approach. Whilst this may not usually be seen as a downside, in ThistleClan, it is. Maplebranch is not comfortable with the vicious lifestyle, and can sometimes be walked over by the more assertive cats.
History
Maplekit was born in a litter of five, as the middle kit and youngest boy. His three sisters (Brightkit, Asterkit, Rowankit) and brother (Rushkit) were all close growing up, with their parents Tuliptalon and Elderleaf, who had already had a litter of three kits a little while ago. Both Tuliptalon and Elderleaf were quite old, but this didn't stop Tuliptalon from being a good mother to all five kits. The whole family had a strong belief in StarClan and that StarClan would protect them no matter what harm they encountered.
Just two moons into the kits lives, all five ran out of camp in secret to explore, being bored with staying inside. Their journey was doomed to fail, however, as a fox found the group, attacking them all. Maplekit was sure that all five of them would survive the attack, because StarClan wouldn't let kits go before their time. He was wrong. Brightkit didn't survive.
As an apprentice, Maplepaw was given to Dandelionheart, a respected and loyal warrior, who rubbed off a lot on Maplepaw, making his apprenticeship pleasant. Rushpaw, his brother, wasn't so lucky. Fallowpool, his mentor, was cold and unyielding, giving no good remarks whatsoever. Rushpaw was at a loss, trying to prove himself to Fallowpool in despair, but it never worked. This made the apprentice careless, and on one battle patrol, in a bid to show Fallowpool he was worthy, Rushpaw didn't pay attention to his own safety, obtaining wounds which led to his death.
This death angered Maplepaw greatly. Rushpaw had confided about his feelings towards Fallowpool to him, and Maplepaw knew what had caused this - despair. He was only half a moon from his warrior assessment - which Fallowpool probably would have failed him for anyway. This anger boiled in Maplepaw, even as he got his warrior name of Maplebranch. Rushpaw had been robbed of this achievement - it wasn't fair. Fallowpool would just do this to other apprentices - Maplebranch couldn't let that happen.
One night, Maplebranch and Fallowpool went out on a small hunting patrol, but Maplebranch had a different plan in mind. When they were close to the borders, Maplebranch pounced, holding Fallowpool under his claws. He was blinded by rage, but as Fallowpool started to beg, something awoke in Maplebrnach, pulling him out of his rage, letting Fallowpool go as his anger subsided. The cat almost couldn't believe what he had been thinking - killing a clanmate? No.
Fallowpool had demanded to know what happened, and Maplebranch tried to explain the best he could, although it was jumbled. Revenge for a dead sibling. Fallowpool said he wouldn't tell what was about to happen, but Maplebranch suspected that was due to Fallowpool not wanting to admit he had been pinned by a new warrior. Despite that, Fallowpool never ratted him out.
Since then, Maplebranch took a new lease on life. He still held his grudge, of course, but he wasn't planning on taking it out - he had to focus on the positives instead. On what Rushpaw would have wanted. Eventually, his anger faded, and while it never went away completely, it never reared up again.
Most of Maplebranch's younger life was focused on improving himself, making friends and being the best ThistleClan warrior he could be. He knew very well that he was soft for a ThistleClan cat, but never wanted to change that. He wanted to someone that cats could go to, if they needed help. Someone who wasn't as die-hard as everyone else. He made a decent nuber of friends during this time, but his closest and best friend was Birchsong - a she-cat his age, who had grown up alongside him and her own mass of littermates.
As he grew, he was confronted one day by Birchsong, and her admission of guilt - she had been seeing a rogue, and was expecting his kits. Maplebranch was conflicted - he wanted to help her, she was his best friend, but to have kits with the enemy? That wasn't something he was prepared for.
It was Birchsong's own idea that Maplebranch stand in as the kit's father, with a mutual agreement to 'have kits'. It took a while for the tom to come around to the idea, but he agreed, as long as he could have a part in their lives, to which she agreed, and when Meadowkit and Cedarkit were born, Maplebranch knew that he made the right choice. He adored the duo, treated them as if they were his own.
During this time, Maplebranch was also growing close to another one of his friends, Lilypad. He told her the truth, that Cedarkit and Meadowkit weren't his genetically, and she didn't mind. In fact, she seemed to admire that. That made Maplebranch fall for her more.
When the kits were three moons, Birchsong made a mistake. She took Cedarkit (as Meadowkit was ill) out to the border to meet their real father, Oleander. Unknown to her, Oleander had other ideas, and stole Cedarkit away, leaving Birchsong to return home alone. Maplebranch was devastated, and chose not to defend his best friend, knowing that he needed to stay with Meadowkit. This led to Birchsong being exiled, and that was the last time Maplebranch saw his best friend.
Despite his devastation, Maplebranch pulled himself together, to care for Meadowkit. He couldn't have been prouder when Meadowpaw became the medicine cat apprentice, although he wished that Cedarkit could've been there too. During this time, after a few months - and with Meadowpaw's blessing - Maplebranch proposed to Lilypad, and they became mates.
Not too long afterwards, Lilypad became pregnant, and gave birth to two songs - Fennelkit and Sproutkit. Maplebranch was easily a lot more overprotective of his sons, given what had happened to Cedarkit, although he was very aware of that. He didn't let Lilypad move into the nursery for this reason. Eventually, slowly, he learned to let go, and give his sons the freedom that they needed.
Life slowly fell back to normal. Maplebranch's kids grew up, and he remained with Lilypad, although he never forgot about Cedarkit, and never stopped searching. However, first came the snow and then the flood. The flood washed them out of their home, towards RedwoodClan (of which he was grateful for), and worst of all, it washed Lilypad away.
Grief came back, wracking Maplebranch's body, although he never gave up hope. Just like Cedarkit, maybe Lilypad could be there, out there, still. This hope was renewed when, three moons later, Cherrybite and Hollyblossom returned home, with news that Lilypad was with the rogues, too injured to return right now - and that Cedarkit wasn't there.
It took another half a moon for Pipitpaw and Snailpaw, two cats who had been kept back, to return after escaping, when he recieved the news that Lilypad had disappeared. There was no sign of her. This crushed Maplebranch - he had a little hope that Lilypad was alive, but he knew that his mate was soft, and kind. She would struggle on her own.
Secretly, inside, he had accepted her death.
Yet still, he carried on. For Fennelfall, Sproutwing, Meadowpaw - and for the familiar mink she-cat that would soon find her way back to their borders - to her first family.
Just two moons into the kits lives, all five ran out of camp in secret to explore, being bored with staying inside. Their journey was doomed to fail, however, as a fox found the group, attacking them all. Maplekit was sure that all five of them would survive the attack, because StarClan wouldn't let kits go before their time. He was wrong. Brightkit didn't survive.
As an apprentice, Maplepaw was given to Dandelionheart, a respected and loyal warrior, who rubbed off a lot on Maplepaw, making his apprenticeship pleasant. Rushpaw, his brother, wasn't so lucky. Fallowpool, his mentor, was cold and unyielding, giving no good remarks whatsoever. Rushpaw was at a loss, trying to prove himself to Fallowpool in despair, but it never worked. This made the apprentice careless, and on one battle patrol, in a bid to show Fallowpool he was worthy, Rushpaw didn't pay attention to his own safety, obtaining wounds which led to his death.
This death angered Maplepaw greatly. Rushpaw had confided about his feelings towards Fallowpool to him, and Maplepaw knew what had caused this - despair. He was only half a moon from his warrior assessment - which Fallowpool probably would have failed him for anyway. This anger boiled in Maplepaw, even as he got his warrior name of Maplebranch. Rushpaw had been robbed of this achievement - it wasn't fair. Fallowpool would just do this to other apprentices - Maplebranch couldn't let that happen.
One night, Maplebranch and Fallowpool went out on a small hunting patrol, but Maplebranch had a different plan in mind. When they were close to the borders, Maplebranch pounced, holding Fallowpool under his claws. He was blinded by rage, but as Fallowpool started to beg, something awoke in Maplebrnach, pulling him out of his rage, letting Fallowpool go as his anger subsided. The cat almost couldn't believe what he had been thinking - killing a clanmate? No.
Fallowpool had demanded to know what happened, and Maplebranch tried to explain the best he could, although it was jumbled. Revenge for a dead sibling. Fallowpool said he wouldn't tell what was about to happen, but Maplebranch suspected that was due to Fallowpool not wanting to admit he had been pinned by a new warrior. Despite that, Fallowpool never ratted him out.
Since then, Maplebranch took a new lease on life. He still held his grudge, of course, but he wasn't planning on taking it out - he had to focus on the positives instead. On what Rushpaw would have wanted. Eventually, his anger faded, and while it never went away completely, it never reared up again.
Most of Maplebranch's younger life was focused on improving himself, making friends and being the best ThistleClan warrior he could be. He knew very well that he was soft for a ThistleClan cat, but never wanted to change that. He wanted to someone that cats could go to, if they needed help. Someone who wasn't as die-hard as everyone else. He made a decent nuber of friends during this time, but his closest and best friend was Birchsong - a she-cat his age, who had grown up alongside him and her own mass of littermates.
As he grew, he was confronted one day by Birchsong, and her admission of guilt - she had been seeing a rogue, and was expecting his kits. Maplebranch was conflicted - he wanted to help her, she was his best friend, but to have kits with the enemy? That wasn't something he was prepared for.
It was Birchsong's own idea that Maplebranch stand in as the kit's father, with a mutual agreement to 'have kits'. It took a while for the tom to come around to the idea, but he agreed, as long as he could have a part in their lives, to which she agreed, and when Meadowkit and Cedarkit were born, Maplebranch knew that he made the right choice. He adored the duo, treated them as if they were his own.
During this time, Maplebranch was also growing close to another one of his friends, Lilypad. He told her the truth, that Cedarkit and Meadowkit weren't his genetically, and she didn't mind. In fact, she seemed to admire that. That made Maplebranch fall for her more.
When the kits were three moons, Birchsong made a mistake. She took Cedarkit (as Meadowkit was ill) out to the border to meet their real father, Oleander. Unknown to her, Oleander had other ideas, and stole Cedarkit away, leaving Birchsong to return home alone. Maplebranch was devastated, and chose not to defend his best friend, knowing that he needed to stay with Meadowkit. This led to Birchsong being exiled, and that was the last time Maplebranch saw his best friend.
Despite his devastation, Maplebranch pulled himself together, to care for Meadowkit. He couldn't have been prouder when Meadowpaw became the medicine cat apprentice, although he wished that Cedarkit could've been there too. During this time, after a few months - and with Meadowpaw's blessing - Maplebranch proposed to Lilypad, and they became mates.
Not too long afterwards, Lilypad became pregnant, and gave birth to two songs - Fennelkit and Sproutkit. Maplebranch was easily a lot more overprotective of his sons, given what had happened to Cedarkit, although he was very aware of that. He didn't let Lilypad move into the nursery for this reason. Eventually, slowly, he learned to let go, and give his sons the freedom that they needed.
Life slowly fell back to normal. Maplebranch's kids grew up, and he remained with Lilypad, although he never forgot about Cedarkit, and never stopped searching. However, first came the snow and then the flood. The flood washed them out of their home, towards RedwoodClan (of which he was grateful for), and worst of all, it washed Lilypad away.
Grief came back, wracking Maplebranch's body, although he never gave up hope. Just like Cedarkit, maybe Lilypad could be there, out there, still. This hope was renewed when, three moons later, Cherrybite and Hollyblossom returned home, with news that Lilypad was with the rogues, too injured to return right now - and that Cedarkit wasn't there.
It took another half a moon for Pipitpaw and Snailpaw, two cats who had been kept back, to return after escaping, when he recieved the news that Lilypad had disappeared. There was no sign of her. This crushed Maplebranch - he had a little hope that Lilypad was alive, but he knew that his mate was soft, and kind. She would struggle on her own.
Secretly, inside, he had accepted her death.
Yet still, he carried on. For Fennelfall, Sproutwing, Meadowpaw - and for the familiar mink she-cat that would soon find her way back to their borders - to her first family.