Sparrowkit

ThistleClan

a stocky red mackerel tabby.

A rugged, kindly-faced individual, what Sparrowkit might lack in refinement, he more than makes up for with his affable airs and generally imposing frame. That is not to say he is particularly tall—quite the contrary, as by ThistleClan standards, he is remarkably average—but rather, he is broad in all the places it matters. His limbs are stocky and thick about their circumference, well-equipped for short bursts of speeds and crushing blows. He is deceptively heavy for his size, solidly built, and already has the makings of a warrior that will grow to be more than capable of hauling his opponents to the ground.

Although short, his coat is markedly dense and seems more than capable of repelling the elements. Had he cared for it more, it might have held an impressive luster, though he is far from a cat who cares particularly much about keeping clean. Instead, his coat seems perpetually dull, caked in the dust and dirt he picks up after a long day’s work. Although his parents and peers may insist he take better care of himself, he does not seem particularly inclined to and puts less effort than he should into his grooming habits.

Unlike other ThistleClanners, Sparrowkit is an outlier insofar as the color of his pelt. Rather than dark, drab furs, he boasts a flagrantly red coat and mackerel stripes. His eyes are similarly bright—a deep amber as expressive as the rest of him—while his cheeks have already begun to grow thick and paunchy with the start of adolescence.

Positive Traits: courageous, earnest, sentimental, and straightforward.
Negative Traits: dependent, obtuse, impressionable, and impulsive.

Far from what one might first expect of a ThistleClan cat, Sparrowkit lacks most, if not all, of the traits associated with those who dwell within the pines. He is obtuse rather than bright, lacks the forethought to be anything in the way of conniving, and is kind and earnest instead of mistrustful and aloof. Rather than being secretive, Sparrowkit is straightforward, big-hearted and emotional.

However, while one may never wonder about the size of Sparrowkit’s heart, that of his brain is a subject of much contemplation. He is not particularly sharp; very little seems to faze him, and he does not struggle as others might to maintain a generally positive attitude. However, he finds it difficult to think very deeply about almost anything. He is simple, almost to a fault, and hides very little about his emotions or intentions when socializing with others. While some might find his abrasive sense of honesty unnatural, Sparrowkit seems incapable of imagining any other cat being anything but. That others might speak in half-truths or litter their words with double meaning rarely occurs to him unless prompted, and he chooses to take all that is said to him at face value.

Despite this, Sparrowkit seems at least partially aware that he is not the sharpest stone in the gully, and compensates by relying more on his physical traits than his mental ones. He does not spend very much time thinking over what to do, and enjoys rushing into most everything without consideration of a Plan B, C, or D. Nor does he seem to possess an particularly strong convictions, and is easily swayed by the input and opinions of others.

It is in part due to this that he is seemingly incapable of forging his own path and instead seems content with doing whatever he is told without the usual grievances that come with wants or desires. He enjoys taking part in the lives of his loved ones and aiding them in pursuing their dreams, yet seems just as eager to discard his own (however few they may be) if it means he might more comfortably align with the aspirations of those he is closest with. This dependence on others makes him particularly reliant on the validation of his peers, and despite his externally cheery demeanor, he harbors a significant number of doubts about himself and his role in the Clan, amongst his friends, and in his family.

Season 2024
It was largely unexpected—Sparkspirit developing feelings for another cat, let alone one like Turtledove—and yet it happened all the same. Starting first as peers with very little in common, relations between the two quickly blossomed as Sparkspirit softened to the cowardice of Turtledove in their shared aim of becoming warriors of merit. A series of long and pining moons followed—of heartfelt touches and breathless brawls. When the battle came to claim the Bear Stones, the two were separated only to be reunited in a fit of hopeless passion.

While Turtledove abandoned his ambitions to become a traditional warrior after ThistleClan’s victory, he turned to another alternative—becoming a father and, in time, a regular occupant of the nursery and aid to the queens and kits it harbored. What came later with this revelation were children of their own—three in total and entrusted with their blood. Though they harbored pale pelts and stranger origins, they were welcomed as ThistleClanners, and their kithood was spent, however unorthodox, under the diligent care of their wet nurse and fathers.

Fast approaching his sixth moon, Sparrowkit has begun to cast his sights beyond the nursery. He imagines a world flush with opportunity to prove himself as a fighter while others speak less hopefully.

With the discovery of a fallen queen and whispers of sinister forces at play underground, the Clan is on edge. And with Leaf Bare fast approaching, another enemy looms beyond the Bear Stones.