BEETLESHINE

THISTLECLAN

stocky tuxedo tom with yellow-green eyes

Stature: Beetleshine is a stocky, compact tuxedo cat with a tendency towards plumpness when prey is plentiful. His legs are short but thick, allowing him to crouch low and stalk with excellent balance. He won't be winning any races, but his sturdy figure allows him to hold his ground when necessary.

Pelt: With the majority of his pelt being black, Beetleshine received his name for the way the sun bounces off of his back like the shell of a beetle. His fur is short and sleek, so long as he keeps up with grooming; it becomes fluffier on windy days or if unkempt. He has the classic tuxedo "shirt" on his chest and neck that tapers down towards his underbelly into more blackness. His front legs are white nearly up to the elbows, while only the feet of his back legs are white.

Face: Beetleshine has a spade of white on his muzzle, leaving a distinct black chin beneath a pink nose. On the left side of his muzzle, the white connects in a trail down to his chest. He has a round, gentle face that contributes to his stocky, pudgy appearance. Tufts of white inside his ears betray Beetleshine's desire to appear calm; they are constantly flicking and angling, searching for sounds. His yellow-green eyes are likewise frantic at most times, not mischievous or cunning but nervous and alert.

+ Protective: Although considered timid by many of his Clanmates, Beetleshine finds a way to override his own anxieties when others are in danger. He will never let a Clanmate fall without being able to say that he was there, doing his best to save them. It seems that being pushed too far into danger is one of the few ways to see real action from Beetleshine, and when it happens, no cat can call him a coward. In addition, Beetleshine is willing to do almost any favor if it will make the life of a Clanmate easier, especially for kits and apprentices.

+ Sneaky: Largely due to his aversion to conflicts, Beetleshine has learned to do things quietly and often on his own. If he has an unpopular opinion, he knows how to keep it from starting problems in the Clan. If a Clanmate needs help with a problem, he knows how to handle it discreetly without raising judgment or alarm. When he wants a break from being challenged to duels by eager apprentices, he can easily sneak away and keep his small shape out of sight.

~ Cautious: Beetleshine likes to think that his rare moments of courage, full of hissing and swiping claws, are so rare because of his caution. He holds his tongue rather than spits insults, will keep his claws sheathed until he's sure there's no other way out. The constant movement of his eyes and ears are his way of feeling some control in this wild forest, constantly weighing the outcomes of any given situation. Of course, many Clanmates see this as a great hinderance to their fighting spirits, and see hesitation as simple cowardice.

- Meek: Beetleshine will never instigate a duel or a skirmish, will never volunteer to voice his maybe controversial opinions. The fighting culture of ThistleClan is something that makes him deeply uncomfortable and nervous, despite his desires to be able to protect his Clanmates if a real battle were to break out.

- Gullible: Despite all of his efforts to remain alert and aware, Beetleshine's desire to avoid physical conflicts makes him very easy to persuade. A simple "it won't happen again" from an intruder is enough for him to shrug and let it go, never unsheathing his claws. Even in his own camp, Beetleshine easily falls prey to teasing or pranks due to his own view of his Clanmates and how a Clan should treat one another; surely they wouldn't try to trick him just for fun, right?

Kithood: Born to Tundrastep (father) and Swanfeather (mother), Beetlekit stuck close to the warmth and safety of his mother's belly for as long as life would allow. Despite his father's repeated urges to step outside the den and engage with other kits in ThistleClan, Swanfeather's doting nature allowed Beetlekit to remain inside and under her watchful gaze. As Beetlekit was Swanfeather's only kit, she easily persuaded Tundrastep to shelter her son from any possible discomfort or danger in his early moons. Much of Beetleshine's current personality reflects this protectiveness and caution, all stemming from the often overbearing love he received as a kit.

Adolescence: Once he could remain in his mother's nursery no longer, Beetlepaw made his timid introduction to the Clan. It was decided that Tundrastep would mentor him, partly to soothe Swanfeather's worries, partly as a way for the apprentice's father to "toughen him up" for ThistleClan life. Beetlepaw endured tough but fair training from Tundrastep. Despite his father's influence, learning of ThistleClan's fighting culture only rooted Beetlepaw more firmly in his beliefs: protect the weak, love one another, and never go looking for a reason to unsheathe your claws. He could always be relied on to hunt for his Clan and complete his chores, but Beetlepaw often found himself the butt of jokes for his pacifism.

Adulthood: Now a full warrior, Beetleshine especially feels the pull to do what is right for his Clanmates and the forest as a whole. Witnessing the Great War, especially watching ThistleClan being dragged into it, further cemented him in his feelings. The warrior code could be a great thing, but sometimes the right thing lay outside of that code. Beetleshine is shocked to see that any cause, even religious devotion, can push a cat to violence. The Great War and the following flood have been eye-opening to him in many ways; how can some cats claim to want peace while they fight over paltry sections of the forest or get so caught up in their pride? The border situation between ThistleClan and RedwoodClan leaves Beetleshine wishing he could do something more, somehow make his battle-hungry Clan see reason and just leave well enough alone. Never one to directly challenge authority, Beetleshine begins to wonder if plotting in secret - for peace, of all things - is a good reason to break the warrior code.