Ok...it felt kind of nice to NOT write 2020 LMAO. Welcome to 2021! To kick off the brand new year, we're introducing a round of updates, including new bio and forbidden romance rules, our Secret Santa reveal, OTM winners and nominations, our monthly patrols, and a fun new infectious disease! So make sure to check out the January Announcements for all of the new content! As we leave 2020 behind us, we hope everyone is able to put themselves first this year and practice self-care! Here's to another one! Let's write some cats!
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.
This thread contains shortened biographies of important figures who have either impacted the culture or history of the island. Whether these cats have influenced specific clans, the tribe, or individual characters, their actions have altered the course of history and contributed to the current island climate, benevolent or malevolent in nature.
The content in this thread is considered canon. It is a companion piece to the Island Timeline and acts as an extension to our lore. Biographies will be added to this thread as they are written. If members have a NPC request, please reach out to a staff member, and we can collaborate on a bio.
Note: These characters also have canon descendants. If you are interested in RPing one of them, visit our Canon Adopts.
BUILD: Like most Redwoodclan warriors, Heatherstar was a tall cat, with long, graceful limbs. Her build, however, was much more lean and lithe than a redwood tom with brutish muscles.
COAT: Heatherstar carried a rich, chestnut brown coat. Her chin and underbelly were a much softer cream color, while her distinctive, umber tabby stripes spiraled across her back in a spotted pattern.
FACE: The she-cat had a sharp, triangular face with defined cheek bones. Strikingly, her ears sat closer to the top of her head, which gave the she-cat a very pointed look. Her forehead was marked with the classic tabby 'M' while her eyes were a deep, yellow-green in color.
PERSONALITY
JUDISCIOUS: Heatherstar was a rational cat, who was known for her fair and contemplative decisions. She was not a rash leader, and instead, was sensible with how she lead her clan. Her emotions rarely interceded with her actions, and she generally carried a level head on her shoulders.
HONORABLE: The she-cat strictly adhered to the warrior code and had a strong moral compass. She was compassionate in her views on outsiders and condoned violence that was not justified. She never wanted to force her warriors into a battle that risked innocent lives.
STUBBORN: Heatherstar was boar-headed in the sense that few could make her alter her beliefs, values, or even her day-to-day routines. She was a cat of habitual nature, who believed that her decisions were often the correct decisions.
RIGID: Due to her ethics and hard-working nature, the she-cat was rigid in her routines and decisions. She did not like to break her word or retreat on her promises. While this can be a beneficial trait to some, this led Redwoodclan to its downfall, as the she-cat refused to force her clan into a war she did not believe in.
HISTORY
KITHOOD: Heatherkit was born to Sparrowstrike and Darksmoke, two level-headed redwood warriors who were active in their kits' lives. With two sisters, Pebblekit and Batkit, Heatherkit was born into a litter of she-cats. While her den-mates like to terrorize the clan, as kits do, Heatherkit and her sisters tended to the elders and did chores for the medicine cat to 'earn their keep.' The three sisters never minded the work because their clan-mates rewarded them with stories and a sense of accomplishment.
APPRENTICEHSHIP: At six moons old, Heatherpaw was assigned to train under an older tom named Russetfrost. He was a reserved warrior, who often said little, which drove the she-cat insane. She liked conversation and learned best in an active environment, where she could contribute to her lesson as an independent thinker, and Russetfrost offered her little of that in return. It was cold instruction with little constructive feedback.
However, when she was around nine moons old, she was able to crack the old tom's shell. They were on a hunt out in the Redwood forest with another warrior named Gorseheart when an adder struck out of the underbrush to bite Russetfrost. Instead, Heatherpaw intervened and killed the adder before it even touched the tom. Startled, the old tom started to see the young she-cat in a much different light and their relationship as mentor and apprentice grew. Her bravery also attracted the attention of Gorseheart.
WARRIOR: Named for her athleticism and fast feet, Heatherstream became a warrior at twelve moons old. Around this time, the island was in a rare era of peace, so the she-cat lived her first three islands with little bloodshed and war. Instead, Redwoodclan flourished, their summers filled with kits, and their winters free from disease.
A few moons after her warrior ceremony, Heatherstream started to become friends with the warrior who had been with her when she saved her mentor from the snake: Gorseheart. The tom was almost fifteen moons older than her, but the two of them had an undeniable chemistry. While she liked to live her life based on a strict routine and was more extroverted in nature, Gorseheart was more spontaneous and reserved. The more she was with him, the more his humorous and fun side became evident. A season later, the tom confessed his love for her, and she confided she felt the same.
The two of them did have kits until Heatherstream was around four seasons old. She felt that her duties to her clan called her first, and it was not until her sister, Pebblefoot, died at the teeth of a fox, did the she-cat felt a sudden familial desire. She asked Gorseheart for kits the dawn after her death. Her children were born two moons later: Sorrelkit, Thornkit, and Pebblekit.
DEPUTY: When Heatherstream was around five seasons old, she was elected as the next deputy of Redwoodclan. The previous deputy, Ambertail, had decided to retire to the elder's den, and due to Heatherstream's tireless work-ethic, adherence to the warrior code, and overall love for her clan, she was the obvious choice.
The leader, Mothstar, who had lead the clan for almost a decade, was an older she-cat. She had led the clan during the old Thistleclan conflict and knew the trauma of endless war. She did not want to see her innocent clan-mates suffer or die, and while Heatherstream had seen few battles in her life, she vowed to hold the same values. If she could keep her warriors out of a senseless war, then she would.
LEADER: Mothstar died one season after Heatherstream was named deputy. The old she-cat succumbed to a ruthless infection caused by a seemingly harmless rat bite. If she would have been younger, the she-cat would have been able to fight off the infection, but due to her old age, the wound claimed her final life.
After receiving her nine lives, Heatherstar quickly established herself as a leader who was uninterested in conflict, but could hold her own at the falls. She immediately bonded with the older and kinder Froststar, but had reservations for Sagestar. Despite his seemingly friendly words, there was something about the tom that made her feel uncomfortable, as if a sinister shadow followed him. Even her deputy, a senior warrior named Bluetail, told her to keep her distance from the tom. She continued to make small talk with Sagestar, but she did not trust him.
During the second season of her leadership, Lichenclan launched their first attack on Redwoodclan. Heatherstream was blindsided, and to her horror, her clan lost. Moons of peace had left her clan soft, and with an ire in her heart, the she-cat went to the next Gathering and declared an end to their decade-long truce. However, the she-cat refused to launch an attack of her own. She had made a vow to Mothstar. She would not make her clan fight a senseless war.
Around the same time, Heatherstar decided to take on an apprentice named Finchpaw. While the she-cat had trained numerous cats before, there was something about the young tom that fascinated her. He was ridiculously nervous and would constantly fall victim to fits of anxiety, but he also carried a generous heart, often bringing her gifts to apologize for his behavior. He had a love for their clan, one that she recognized in herself, and the two formed a strong bond.
As Lichenclan refused to back down, Heatherstar ached for her young apprentice and for her clan. She did not want to lose them. Sagestar continued to launch attacks on Redwoodclan, claiming that he would end his reign of horror if Heatherstar gave up the Mooncave and the territory surrounding it. She refused because she did not believe that one clan should have sole control over Starclan, and also because she did not trust him.
Redwoodclan continued to suffer, and a few moons after the first attack, Bluetail was killed. Distraught, Heatherstar decided to elect her mate, Gorseheart as her deputy, due to his status as one of her oldest and most faithful warriors. However, the she-cat feared that this meant her mate was marked like an omen, and soon, he would be next.
As the war continued, Redwoodclan lost more and more senior warriors, and when Gorseheart was killed a season later, Heatherstar entered her den, alone, and did not exit until the dawn threatened to drown the forest in red. As she watched her clan anxiously await her decision, a finch fluttered down from the trees and landed in front of her den's entrance. The bird ruffled its feathers, oblivious to the violent word that exited outside of the trees, and then it flew off.
Heatherstar elected Finchtail, her former apprentice, as her next deputy. Few redwood warrior voiced their opposition. Their warriors were dead. Leaf-bare was on the horizon. The clan then entered the winter with few resources. Finchtail, although nervous, proved to be a fruitful deputy and did what he could to allocate food. Despite their efforts, more Redwoodclan warriors succumbed to starvation. Their only solace was that Lichenclan retreated due to the extreme weather.
As she reached her ninth season on the island, Heatherstar carried little will to live. Even with her children, grand-children, and few clan-mates at her side, the she-cat ached for her dead mate; and when she was called to enter the first border skirmish of new-leaf, she knew it would be her last. With a final word with Finchtail, the she-cat threw herself ferociously at Minnowstar and fought her until the Lichenclan leader sunk her teeth into Heatherstar's throat and ended the tabby's life. The first cat she saw when she opened her eyes, the skies filled with stars, was Gorseheart.
BUILD: Gorseheart was a massive tom, even for Redwoodclan standards. His brute force came from his wide, barreled chest, and sturdy, well-muscled limbs. He was a immovable force on and off the battle field.
COAT: The massive tom had a dense, feathered coat that only extenuated his mass. It was almost wheat brown in color and carried rich russet, mackerel stripes that ran primarily over his face, legs, and tail. His back was much lighter in color and had sparser, less noticeable stripes.
FACE: While enormous in size, the tom carried a more narrow, angular face, his forehead wider than his muzzle. His ears were also a bit larger than usual, while his eyes sat brilliantly across his face, their hues a vibrant, captivating green with hints of yellow.
PERSONALITY
PATIENT: Gorseheart was a relaxed tom who rarely let his emotions control him. This allowed him to be an excellent mentor, who could easily empathize with younger cats and assist them with their faults. He was never rash with his decisions, and met most situations with a calm and measured outlook on life.
NURTURING: Goreseheart had a kind and generous heart. He loved to care for clan, whether that was for his apprentices, his mate, his children, or even his den-mates. He was known in the clan for his attentive ear and the comfortable aura he carried with him wherever he went. He could easily diffuse a violent situation and knew how calm even the most cold and malicious warriors.
RESERVED: Unlike his mate, who could sometimes be too stubbornly blunt and self-righteous, Gorseheart was almost too reserved and modest at times. He would often let his clan-mates walk over him if it was too troublesome to correct them; and while he was a kind and attentive mentor, it was somewhat too easy for his apprentices to run the show.
COMPLAISANT: When it came to the war with Lichenclan, and the affairs of his clan, Gorseheart was too amiable. There was almost an obliviousness to how he viewed the war and how it decimated his clan. Harsher active should have been taken with the sea-dwellers, but Gorseheart and Heatherstar never devised their own scheme to end the war and Minnowstar's villainous reach. It was almost much too late by the time it was even considered. He never wanted to defy his mate's stubbornness, and it was this passiveness that eventually led to the tom's untimely death in battle and Redwoodclan's horrendous defeat.
HISTORY
KITHOOD: Gorsekit was the sole kit from his litter. Born massive in size, it was no surprise to the clan's medicine cat, or Gorseheart's mother, Specklestorm, that he was the only kit in his litter. Both his mother and father, Sootwhisker, were much older warriors at the time of his birth, and he was their fourth and final litter. With numerous older brothers and sisters, and several kit-mates in the nursery, Gorsekit never found himself alone. From the moment he could talk, he liked to converse with his clan-mates and learn about the clan he soon came to love and cherish. He was a well-behaved kit, who never disobeyed or dared to leave without his mother's permission. This made him well liked within the clan from almost the start.
APPRENTICESHIP: When he was six moons old, Gorsepaw was apprentice to a younger warrior named Hornet-tooth. He was rash, indecisive, over-critical, and sometimes cruel with his lessons. The older tom was dealt a bad blow in life, and took his sorrows out on his clan-mates with his bitter attitude and uncontrollable ire. He was not ready for an apprentice, but Gorsepaw reached his sixth moon at a time when there was an over-abundance of apprentices and a shortage of warriors to train them.
Gorsepaw spent the next six moons in a reserved diligence. He worked as hard as he could to make sure his mentor was never insulted or maddened. As a result, Gorsepaw developed a rather mature sense of patience and intuitiveness, since he often had to read his mentor's nonverbal cues in order to predict his mood. However, it was also mentally exhausting for the tom because he lived his apprenticeship in a reserved fear and state of paranoia, and he was not allowed to have fun like the other apprentices. When he neared his warrior ceremony, he vowed never to become as cruel of a mentor as Hornet-tooth.
WARRIOR: Despite the horrible relationship he had with his mentor, Gorseheart became a warrior at twelve moons old. He received the name 'heart' for his charisma and overall likeableness. His clan-mates respected him and saw a genuine tom beneath the reserved smile. Around this time, both of his parents retired to the elder's den, and Gorseheart made sure to visit them as often as he could.
About five moons after his warrior ceremony, Hornet-tooth died in a border skirmish he started with Thistleclan. It was reported that the tom provoked a nearby patrol, which ended with his death. Gorseheart did not know how to feel about the tom's death, and for some reason, a cloud of remorse shadowed him. While he knew it was not his responsibility, the tom always wondered if he could have saved the troubled tom somehow. Shortly after his mentor's death, Gorseheart received his first apprentice, a meek she-cat named Hollypaw. With his mentor's death on his mind, the tom made sure to be attentive to the introverted she-cat and cultivate an environment in which she could flourish.
When he almost twenty-four moons, the tom accompanied an older warrior Russetfrost, who was known for his cold-shoulder and few words, and his apprentice, Heatherpaw. Gorseheart had little interaction with the she-cat due to their difference in moons. However, the she-cat soon stole his attention with her sudden bravery when an adder leapt from the bushes to attack her mentor. Without a beat, the she-cat dealt the snake a viscous blow and saved her mentor from a horrid trip to the medicine cat's den and potential death. While Gorseheart did not seek out Heatherpaw immediately, he found that he admired her confidence and love for their clan.
A few weeks after incident with the snake, Gorseheart proudly watched as his first apprentice received her warrior name as Hollystep. It was a triumphant moment for the tom, and it was then that he knew he had found his niche. He loved to work with apprentices and asked Mothstar if he could immediately train his next. He then received his second apprentice, a tom named, Owlpaw, who reminded him of his former mentor, Hornet-tooth. The small tom was bitter and cold, tormented by the death of his parents. However, unlike Hornet-tooth, Gorseheart vowed to show him love and understanding, which slowly allowed the tom to become less hostile and kinder to his den-mates.
When he was around twenty-seven moons old, Heatherstream received her warrior name and moved into his den. A bit meeker in nature, Gorseheart did not approach the she-cat until a few moons after when they were both tasked to battle train their apprentices. Heatherstream was a new mentor, and did not know how to best guide her apprentice, an obedient she-cat named Palepaw. Offering to help, Gorseheart and Heatherstream took their apprentices to the bear stones to train.
It was there Gorseheart noticed that his apprentice, Owlpaw, had an obvious crush on Heatherstream's apprentice, Palepaw. Amused, Gorseheart commented on this to Heatherstream, who found the entire situation hilarious. A friendship budded between the two of them, Heatherstream much more brazen and stubborn in nature, while Gorseheart was more reserved and relaxed. However, the more time he spent with the she-cat, the more she coaxed a fun, spontaneous side out of him, and he soon realized all he wanted to do was make her smile.
A season later, Gorseheart took Heatherstream on a stroll toward the southern cliffs, and while he was incredibly nervous, he worked up the courage to confess his love to her, and to his utter relief, she felt the same. The two of them did not have kits until two season later after the death of Heatherstream's sister, Pebblefoot. Melancholic, the she-cat returned to their nest after the dawn of her sister's death and asked him for kits. Gorseheart only licked the top of her head in silence. It was an unspoken agreement. He had wanted children for moons, and since their first conversation as warriors, he would do whatever he could to dry her tears and mend her shattered heart.
Their kits were born two moons later: Sorrelkit, Thornkit, and Pebblefoot, two she-cats and a tom. Gorseheart was an excellent father, often more doting than his mate. He wanted to make sure his children were raised in a nest with kindness and love, the same his late mother and father showed him as a kit. He would tell them stories, take them for small treks in the forest, and teach them about the clan he and Heatherstream loved.
A season after the birth of his children, Heatherstream was chosen as the next deputy of Redwoodclan. Gorseheart was elated. He could not be more thrilled for his mate. Since the first time in the forest, so many moons ago, he had admired her bravery, her tireless work-ethic, and her love for the clan. For the first season of her deputy-ship, Gorseheart served as her confidant. Whenever the she-cat doubted herself, he was there to confirm her decisions and admonish her insecurities.
Near the end of the season, Mothstar returned to Starclan, and Heatherstream became the new leader of Redwoodclan. At first, Heatherstar asked Gorseheart if he would like to be her deputy, but the tom refused. He did not want to have that sort of responsibility, and instead, he recommended an old friend, a tom named Bluetail. Heatherstar agreed, and Bluetail was elected as her first, faithful second-in-command.
For the first season of her leadership, peace continued across the island, and Gorseheart started to train his fourth apprentice, a small tom named Mallowpaw. Like Hollystep, the tom was meek and had little self-confidence. However, with Gorseheart's guidance and nurturing heart, he slowly came out of his shell and developed as an excellent hunter. It was around the end of his apprenticeship when Lichenclan attacked. The assault was completely unprovoked, and to Gorseheart's horror, his apprentice was severely wounded in the attack. The medicine cat did his best to try and save the small tom, but the injury was fatal. Mallowpaw was dead by dawn. Disheartened, Gorseheart refused to take on another trainee, too traumatized by his loss, and the remorse that he could have done more to save him.
Heatherstar went to the next Gathering enraged. She declared an end to their decade-long truce with Lichenclan, but she refused to launch her own attack. She told Gorseheart that she believed it was the lowliest act their clan could do, and too melancholic to disagree, he only nodded his concession. A part of him wanted to take out his ire on the sea-dwellers, but he knew his mate would never do it, so he remained silent. He loved her too much and feared that if Redwoodclan became more hostile with the other clans, he would lose her and his children to the war.
Lichenclan continued to attack their clan, moon after moon, and Gorseheart watched as his clan-mates died around him. His heart ached for both his clan and his mate, and as another moon waxed and waned, Bluetail was killed in battle. With tears in her eyes, Heatherstar asked Gorseheart to become her next deputy, and with a heavy heart, he agreed. He knew his mate needed him, so he decided to take the oath, as much as he didn't want to.
DEPUTY: Gorseheart was a calm and collected deputy. He was very attentive to the needs of his clan and quickly developed a routine that was fair to his warriors. His den-mates felt comfortable sharing their concerns with him, and this fostered a better connection between Heatherstar and her clan-mates who wanted to formulate an attack on Lichenclan in retribution. She still refused to start a battle with the other clan. However, Gorseheart was able to convince her that their clan had to train harder. So as a result, Redwoodclan started to enact more battle lessons between their warriors and their efforts in the war at least became better.
Six moons later, Gorseheart became aware of a young tom named Tigerpaw. His old mentor, Frostshine, had recently fallen ill and died as a result of her disease. Without a mentor, the tom was passed around from warrior to warrior, which only aided in his lack of motivation and undeveloped skills. Interested in the tom, Gorseheart came out of his own 'mentor retirement' to train him. With a little patience and gentle guidance, Gorseheart found real ambition within him, and the two fell into a natural partnership. Even as the war continued around them, Gorseheart reveled in what he could draw out of apprentice, and when he was named Tigerpool, he never felt more honored to have steered him there.
Despite this moment of contentment for the older tom, the war continued, and as more and more senior warriors died, and his bones ached with wear, Gorseheart feared he would be next. The dawn before his final battle, the tom watched his mate rest with a shimmer in his stare. It was as if he knew he was not far from this world. With a tender lick over her crown, he bent down, whispered I will see you soon, my love, and left for battle, his son at his side. A band had seen the Lichenclan warriors near the border, a screech in their throats, and without a beat, Gorseheart threw himself into battle. Even as he fought, the tom kept his moves noble, and it was not until near the end of the battle when a Lichenclan tom scoured his fangs into his throat. Gorseheart tried to withstand the horrendous wound, but even he could not avoid the final call, so with his last breath, he crawled back to Redwoodclan soil and died on the land he loved.
BUILD: Small but muscular, Froststar's build fitted well into ThistleClan. He was of average height but was capable of squeezing into small spaces.
COAT: The tom's smooth coat was surprisingly thick for a short-haired cat. A delicate cream color, it was accented by darker seal point stripes on his legs, tail, and face.
FACE: Froststar's most notable feature was his pair of sea blue eyes. He had a wide forehead and narrow muzzle, giving his head an inverted pear shape. Large ears perched atop his head, usually swiveled forward at attention. Ironically, the shape of his face spoke to his mannerisms too -- he had big brains, but was not one to boast, using few carefully selected words and preferring to listen more than he speaks.
PERSONALITY
INTELLIGENT: Ever since he was a kit, Froststar was known for his humble intellect. Both clever and wise, he is a thinker through and through, never making decisions without taking time to consider the consequences.
COLLECTED: An emotionally reserved cat, Froststar is cool and calm. His gentle nature has been known to ease tension and resolve conflict before any blood was shed.
PACIFIST: Not one for fighting, this pale tabby prefers to use his tongue over his claws. However, this trait proves detrimental when faced with enemies who do not follow logic, especially those of the more wild variety, like aggressive foxes.
WORKAHOLIC: Froststar's dedication to his clan, while honorable and well-praised for ThistleClan's success during his leadership, was taken to extreme measures, especially during his senior years. A hard worker, he was known to place his clan first, and himself and his family second.
HISTORY
KITHOOD: Frostkit was born to a pair of fierce ThistleClan warriors, Badgerclaw and Pinesong. His meek demeanor was often outshone by his more dominant brother, Brisk-kit, who made everything a competition. Their parents were strong believers in the purity of the ThistleClan lineage and despised outsiders.
APPRENTICESHIP: During his first Gathering, Frostpaw became fast friends with a LichenClan apprentice, a shy tom named Lakepaw. Each moon until their apprenticeship, they would gather beneath the waterfall to exchange stories about their clans. Meanwhile, Frostpaw's training continued under a blunt and unforgiving mentor, Smoketail, who often pitted him against his brother Briskpaw in an attempt to coax out Frostpaw's fighting spirit. These battles came to a head when the brothers were eleven moons old. Frustrated with Frostpaw's noncombatant attitude, Smoketail ordered the apprentices to fight with claws unsheathed. In response, Frostpaw did extend his talons, but instead of striking his opponent, he used a series of cunning dodges and feints to exhaust his brother before Briskpaw could land a single blow. After that day, the two siblings developed a greater understanding for one another.
WARRIOR: Frostpaw became known as Frostbreath for his soft-spoken nature. His brother was dubbed Briskfoot. During his time as a warrior, his friendship with Lakepaw, now Lakemask, blossomed into a romantic interest. Knowing that his family and most of the clan would not approve of an outsider for his mate, Frostbreath kept their relationship a secret. Nevertheless, the two dreamed of having a family together, and enlisted the help of one of the older queens and Frostbreath's closest friend, Firebriar -- the only other ThistleClan cat to know of their bond. Even Briskfoot was kept in the dark.
With the cruel and calculating Sagestar leading LichenClan, however, Frostbreath and Lakemask's meetings became increasingly dangerous, and Lakemask was soon discovered. Enraged by his disloyalty, Sagestar quietly had Lakemask killed on his way to the ThistleClan border. His murder, a drowning, occurred in the midst of a season of heavy rainfall and appeared to be an accident. Before his death, Lakemask pleaded with Frostbreath to continue their plans to raise a family.
DEPUTY: Shortly after Lakemask's Frostbreath was promoted to deputy. The rest of the clan was oblivious to his recent plight. Still mourning for his mate and refusing to show his pain lest it cause unrest within the clan, he threw himself into his work in an attempt to dull the pain. As a result, his three children -- Drizzlekit, Copperkit, and Deerkit -- spend much of their early childhoods knowing little of their fathers. They grew up believing that Frostbreath and Firebriar were mates -- a plan which only forced Frostbreath deeper into depression. Nonetheless, he hid his emotions well, and ThistleClan grows exponentially as the Island shuttered the two-leg tourism business.
LEADER: As a leader, Froststar began to repair his relationships with his children, now graduated into warriorhood as Drizzledance, Copperclaw, and Deerleap. With a heavy heart, he revealed his love of Lakemask, explaining how the two had met at their first Gathering and all their secret meetings over the moons. Drizzledance and Copperclaw accepted this new truth, but Deerleap felt betrayed, and excommunicated himself from the family.
Under Froststar, ThistleClan enjoyed many seasons of success. For over a dozen years, Froststar ensured the safety and strength of his clan, using his charisma to quiet fights without bloodshed and his wits to outsmart predators. Not known for his ambition, Froststar's focus remained internal, avoiding conflict with LichenClan and RedwoodClan, despite ThistleClan's growing numbers and need for more hunting territory. However, some members of the clan felt that his pacifism would lead to ThistleClan's ruin. It is during this time that the foxes that plagued ThistleClan's previous leader, Greystar, return to their territory, whittling down ThistleClan's numbers in a series of ambush attacks. When his oldest deputy, Hawkwing, succumbed to green-cough, Froststar appointed a young warrior, Thievingstreak, as his successor, entrusting her with the elimination of the foxes, hopeful that her tenacious spirit would renew the faith in Froststar's decisions.
As Froststar grew older, his guilt for his long-kept secret continued to eat away at him. Deerleap's severance from the family caused him even more pain, and in his final moons as leader, he pushed himself as hard as he could in an attempt to re-earn his lost son's -- and the Clan's -- trust. His refusal to rest and seek treatment during a particularly fierce bout of greencough eventually lead to his death.
Build: Large and stocky, Yarrowfrost was a formidable she-cat, built more for RedwoodClan than the likes of the lean pine cats. While no glutton, she was round and well-fed, known for frequent snacking when she wasn't caring for her patients.
Coat: Dusty blue fur striped with light and dark greys covered her large body. Layers of voluminous fluff make up her thick coat, which gleamed with cleanliness and professionalism.
Face: With a broad face and large eyes, Yarrowfrost's features were warm and welcoming. Her muzzle was a soft white gradient that faded into the smoky color of her jowls. Long whiskers hung down beneath her nose in sleepy trails.
Patient: Yarrowfrost's gentle ways of healing blessed ThistleClan for seasons. It was said that nothing could ruffle her feathers, and she faced each challenge with calm tolerance. Not even the rowdiest of kits or the most sharp-tongued elder could phase her. The she-cat's words dripped with kindness and empathy like sweet honey, though she usually preferred to listen than speak.
Charitable: A bit Her compassion extended even to outside of ThistleClan. Even rogues received her treatment, despite objections from her clanmates. Much like Froststar, who led during most of her time as a medicine cat, she believed that all cats deserved to be treated kindly, regardless of where they came from.
Stubborn: Not one to back down, Yarrowfrost's determination could be more of a detriment than a benefit at times. Her refusal to give up or lose hope on terminal patients, while inspirational, sometimes led to unnecessary emotional suffering on the part of her patients' loved ones.
HISTORY
Kithood: Born to Alderfur and Mallowstripe in the 2004 season, Yarrowkit and her brother Clovekit emerged from the womb to a ThistleClan sharpened for battle. Even as a kit, the she-cat was no stranger to the injuries that would frequent the camp, and she was exposed at an early age to the consequences of ThistleClan's rise to power and struggle against two-leg tourism on the island. This fierceness empowered her headstrong brother to aim to become the best warrior the Clan had ever seen. Yarrowkit, on the other paw, took more influence from their parents, who were unorthodox followers of StarClan. She listened intently to stories of their ancestors and gained respect for warriors of days past.
Apprenticeship: At the time of Yarrowpaw's apprenticeship, Greystar lead the clan in fierce border skirmishes in a quest to earn more territory. Her brother took to battle training with fierce determination, turning away from their parents teachings and pleas for peace. Having no love for fighting, Yarrowpaw struggled in her own training. It wasn't until her brother was gravely injured in a battle against LichenClan for the sandy creek that she found her true calling -- healing. It was said by elders in the clan that Yarrowpaw followed her brother into the medicine cat den and never left.
Medicine Cat Apprenticeship: Inspired by Yarrowpaw's compassion and desire to help the injured, ThistleClan's medicine cat, Pigeonfoot, took her under his wing as her apprentice. Pigeonfoot was a crabby old tom, but he knew a prodigy when he saw one. Yarrowpaw's tenderness with patience and incredible memorization skills earned her a trip to the Mooncave when she was only seven moons old. StarClan accepted her with open arms, conferring to her their confidence and emboldening her faith. Unfortunately, despite Pigeonfoot's care and teaching, her brother succumbed to infection and passed away when she was eight moons old. This was a great blow to her morale, and for a time she blamed herself for Clovepaw's death, but her resolve was restored two moons later, when she stayed behind from a Half-moon meeting to save a struggling queen from a difficult kitting while Pigeonfoot was away. She remained a medicine cat apprentice until she was thirty moons old, when her mentor was finally laid to rest from old age.
Medicine Cat: When Froststar rose to power, Yarrowpaw, now Yarrowfrost, found comfort in his shared belief in StarClan. The two led with an unusual gentleness that ThistleClan had not known for many seasons. A healer of the body as well as the mind, many cats came to her not only for medical advice, but for emotional comfort as well. In her later years, she formed a strong bond with a loner, Aster, telling her stories of the clans and teaching her a few remedies when the medicine cat traveled to the abandoned two-leg nests in search of herbs.
At the end of the 2018 season, Yarrowfrost took on an apprentice, Ratwhisker, doing her best to impart the nervous tom with the knowledge she had gained over the moons, though her time as his mentor was mournfully brief. She passed away from old age at the beginning of the 2019 season, leaving a young and inexperienced Ratwhisker as her successor.
BUILD: The tom was not as massive as a Redwoodclan warrior. However, he was larger than the average Lichenclan cat. He had a wide, barrel chest, and a shorter, compact torso. Beneath his dense coat were well-trained muscles.
COAT: Heronstar's musculature was mostly hidden beneath his thick, heavy coat. His fur was a rich blue color, while his back, limbs, and tail are decorated with darker, mackerel stripes. His muzzle, chest, and stomach were doused in distinctive, alabaster silver.
FACE: He carried a circular, wide face with a defined muzzle. Hersonstar's most distinctive feature was his long, recognizable ear tufts, the fur a captivating white. His eyes, outlined in the same white, were a bright, leaf-green.
PERSONALITY
CHARISMATIC: Heronstar was not charismatic in the sense that he was a schmooze, but rather, in the sense that he was likeable. He was an active listener, conversationalist, and attentive to the needs of clan-mates since he was so susceptible to their emotions. This lead to him to become an excellent orator since he knew what his audience wanted to hear.
DILIGENT: What made Heronstar so likeable was his diligence. The tom was ridiculously hard-working, often waking before dawn to hunt for his clan. He was known as a well-liked contributor, which earned him an abundance of respect. He was also meticulous mentor, who trained his apprentices with the utmost care and attentiveness.
INDECISIVE: Raised as a servant to Starclan, Heronstar wrestled to devise his own beliefs and ideas. The tom was easily susceptible to the words around him, which lead to a lot of conflict in his life because he was so indecisive about what was the correct decision. The world was either black or white, and that dichotomy confused him greatly. He consistently went back and forth between whatever was meowed into his ear, which allowed him to be easily manipulated by others.
NARROW-MINDED: Heronstar struggled to view the complexities of the world. Cats were either servants of Starclan or heathens. There was no in-between because he could not understand what would drive a cat to commit sin. This made him rather close-minded, and in his later seasons, rather intolerant towards those who threatened his sanctimonious clan.
HISTORY
KITHOOD: Born to the docile Lavenderheart and Bramblewing, Heronkit and his sole brother, Reedkit, were raised as traditional Lichenclan pacifists. They believed that war and violence were unjustifiable, and as warriors of Lichenclan, true enlightenment came from a strict devotion to Starclan. Heronkit's kithood was filled with treks to the sacred Mooncave and stories about his ancestors, which he revered as the source of truth.
APPRENTICESHIP: When he reached his sixth moon, Heronpaw was assigned to a mentor who deviated from the usual Lichenclan warrior. Her name was Kestreltail, and she inherently believed that violence was necessary in times of injustice. When the she-cat was nine moons old, her mother, and closest friend, was murdered by a rogue. Devastated, the she-cat turned to her clan-mates for emotional support, but her devout clan-mates did not have the answers she wanted. She was only told to visit the Mooncave, and in time, Starclan would heal her soul.
Frustrated, Kestreltail grew distant from her pacifist roots and devotion to Starclan. This translated to how she trained her apprentices. At the time, most Lichenclan apprentices only learned the battle moves necessary to defend their land against predators and rarely learned offensive moves since violence was a sin. However, Heronpaw trained under a strict regime, which included various banned, attack-orientated moves. This was done in secret, and while he did not adopt his mentor's outlandish views about violence, he did start to think about cats outside of Lichenclan and their barbaric behavior. If violence was a sin, then how come other cats committed it?
WARRIOR: While his mentor showed him the bulk of her battle moves in secret, her lessons soon translated to his ability in the hunt. He became notorious in his clan for his swiftness across the shore and his fast reflexes, which earned him the name Heronfoot. He entered his warrior-hood with his brother, Reedstorm, who had become one of his most trusted comrades.
When Heronstar reached his second season on the island, he fell in love with a timid she-cat named Honeyflower. The two warriors soon became close, so much so, that the tom even confessed his conflicted views about Lichenclan's stance on violence. The she-cat did not abhor him for his outlandish take, and instead confided to him as well. While not a violent cat herself, the she-cat did lose her brother to a fox attack and always wondered if their warriors had been better trained, would her brother have been saved? The two soon welcomed three litters into the world before Heronfoot was elected as deputy of Lichenclan.
DEPUTY: When he was around five seasons old, Heronfoot was chosen as the next deputy of Lichenclan due to how well-liked he was across the clan, at this time he had mentored several warriors, and his contribution as a hunter. As a much older she-cat, Miststar was traditional in her Lichenclan beliefs. She did not condone violence and believed all answers were in the stars.
However, Heronfoot was convinced he could persuade the she-cat to think otherwise. While he did not want to launch an attack on the other clans, or incite violence for that matter, the tom still believed that Lichenclan warriors should be trained in battle in order to preserve their clan. His efforts were soon noticed by the young medicine cat apprentice, an odd tom named Coyotecall.
LEADER: A season after he was appointed deputy, Miststar died due to natural causes. Around the same time, the elderly medicine cat, Saltwhisker, returned to Starclan as well, and Coyotecall became the sole medicine cat of Lichenclan. During his short time as deputy, Heronfoot was unable to change his leader's stance on violence, and it was not until he earned his name as Heronstar, did the tom enact a new era within Lichenclan.
At first, he was met with opposition. Older warriors who were tied to the Lichenclan traditions considered him a sinful monster. However, Heronstar was a renowned orator, who could convince a warrior that a fox was a hare if he wanted to. This charisma soon worked in his favor as his clan started to alter its tide. Those who had lost kin in unfortunate run-ins with predators started to second his idea, and then younger cats, those had not fully been raised in Lichenclan traditions, started to support him as well. With the final nod from his brother, Reedstorm, who had been anointed as his first and only deputy, Heronstar started a new, strict regime that trained warriors how to fight in battle.
Concurrently, Heronstar started to meet regularly with the clan's medicine cat, Coyotecall, due to his indecisive nature. He found that he often needed the medicine cat's opinion in order to make a decision. The medicine cat, who was odd, used this to his advantage. Coyotecall carried a nervous air about him and meowed with little confidence. However, when it came to matters about Starclan, the tom spoke with an ominous confidence. He told Heronstar that this was the correct route for Lichenclan, and if he did not continue to train his warriors as such, then it would be the end of their clan. Heronstar believed this with little doubt.
As the seasons turned, Coyotecall continued to meow in Heronstar's ear, filling his head with ideas about the other clans. At first, he told the tom that Lichenclan was chosen by Starclan to cleanse the Island from sin, then he told Heronstar that the other clans were filled with vile heathens, who deserved to be killed in order to cleanse the island from sin.
Conflicted, Heronstar was not sure if he could believe the medicine cat's outlandish claims until a border skirmish unfolded near the sandy creek. It started as an accident. A Lichenclan apprentice crossed the border trying to catch a stubborn fish, but then it quickly unfolded into a blood-bath due to Thistleclan's frustration with the two-leg invasion. They were tired of being taken advantage of, so their anger was ruthlessly taken out on the Lichenclan patrol. Heronstar's mate, Honeyflower, was unfortunately killed in the battle due to a horrendous neck wound she sustained from protecting the apprentice from a fatal attack.
Heronstar was never the same after that battle. He immediately started to meet with Coyotecall on a daily basis and affirmed his earlier claims. The other clans were filled with heathens. Only death could save them from their sin. It was then that Coyotecall introduced his most sinister idea: Lichenclan should take the Mooncave. The land was on the shore, and as chosen servants to Starclan, it was their responsibility to uphold their sacred words. Without even a second of consideration, Heronstar conceded.
With his most trusted comrades at his side, and his faithful deputy, Reedstorm, Heronstar devised an attack on the other two clans, which would occur at the full-moon. At the heat of the gathering, the tom declared war on both clans and bloodshed ensued. This horrendous war continued for a few moons, but Lichenclan was impenetrable due to their elaborate cave system. Heronstar even went as far to bar the other medicine cats from the Mooncave.
In the last moon of his life, Coyotecall worked with Heronstar to enact new laws in Lichenclan that would ensure their clan's dominance over the island. It was declared that only male descendants of Heronstar could lead their clan. Coyotecall told his clan-mates that Starclan has blessed Heronstar's blood line in a sacred, ancient ritual at the Mooncave, and this ritual would ensure that the island would continued to be cleansed under his rule. It was also declared that she-cats' were to train primarily as caretakers, since Heronstar believed that his mate would not have died if she had remained in the main cave with the elders and kits. While this was not met with open hostility, a silent unrest flourished within the clan.
As the war continued to infect the island, a sudden flood brought the bloodshed to its end. Locked in battle, the three leaders from each clan were lost in the wicked waves, and Reedstar became the new leader of Lichenclan and anointed Heronstar's eldest son, Shadeclaw, as his first 'Heron' deputy. While the rest of the island saw this as a clear sign of Starclan's disapproval, Coyotecall convinced his watchful clan-mates that it was merely a sacrifice from Heronstar, a sacrifice he made to cleanse the island from sin. With his death, the other clan's sinful leaders were also killed and the island was saved.
Besides, he had meowed, a shimmer in his stare, if Starclan wanted to end the Heron line, then why did Reedstar and his children survive? Most of Lichenclan consumed his every word, and an era of bloodshed, violence, and servitude continued.
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coded by ulla
SAGESTAR
LONG-HAIRED BLUE CLASSIC TABBY TOM WITH GREEN EYES
BUILD: Sagestar was an average sized warrior, for a Lichenclan tom, and boasted a well-muscled, compact torso, designed for swift and decisive moves in battle.
COAT: His coat was dense, a smoke-colored mirage of silvers, grays, and whites, much like the caves he dwells in.
FACE: He had a wide, circular face with a defined, lion-like muzzle, which made him a distinctive figure within his clan. Like his namesake, the tom carried a shocking, light green gaze.
PERSONALITY
CALCULATIVE: The tom was always thinking about his next move, whether this was in battle or in his own clan. He was a wise cat, who has learned over the moons. He knew how to use his words to his benefit and how to use his wit to advance Lichenclan.
DEVOUT: Since the moment he was born, Sagestar had devoted his life to Starclan, and thus Lichenclan. Under his rule, Lichenclan continued to enforce kit baptisms, warrior confessions, and sacrificial offerings to Starclan.
COLD: As an elected leader, the distinctive tom became more and more cold and calloused. He was indifferent towards his clan-mates, and as he made advances on Redwoodclan, he found that he did not care if his clan-mates died.
CRUEL: While the tom was not born cruel, he became cruel with time. As the Mooncave continued to exist as a neutral land, Sagestar became consumed with blood lust, torture, and death at the caw of his warriors. He did not care who he killed in order to have control.
HISTORY
KITHOOD: Born to Crimsonstar and Silverwing, Sagekit came into the world with two, measly sisters. He was the third litter born to the leader; and as a male descendant of Heronstar, he knew he was destined to follow in his father's paw-steps. When he was around three moons old, one of his sisters died from a seasonal influx of green-cough. As the tom grew with each moon, it was also noted that he had an uncanny resemblance to the great Heronstar himself, which made the tom a bit egocentric in nature. By the time he reached his sixth moon, only he and his sister, Thymekit reached their apprenticeship.
APPRENTICESHIP: It was no secret that the tom, as a descendant of Heronstar, received special treatment. He was chosen to train under his great-uncle, and clan deputy, Nettlefur. While the clan was currently in a truce with Redwoodclan, due to their treaty over the Birch Forest, Sagepaw started to think about how he could break that truce when he controlled the clan. He wanted to take the Mooncave back as Heronstar wanted.
WARRIOR: Bestowed with the name Sagestrike, the blue tom was named for his decisive skill in battle, each move calculative and effective. As a young warrior, the tom considered himself an important figure in the clan, due to his lineage, and used this as leverage to control those around him. However, this did not work in his favor as he started to romantically pursue a respected she-cat known as Egretfeather, who was about a season or two older than him. She saw his confidence as arrogance and told him as such. Stunned that another cat would disregard his heritage, the tom grew to greatly dislike the she-cat, despite his initial attraction. To his dismay, the she-cat decided to take on another mate and had a litter of kits. His hatred for the she-cat only grew.
When he was around two seasons old, Ergretfeather saved three apprentices from drowning in the icy, cold winter waters of the lake. This heroic act coincided with the death of Sagestrike's great uncle and former mentor, Nettlefur. As one of the most prospective, male descendants of Heronstar, Sagestrike expected to be named the next deputy of Lichenclan. However, some of his clan-mates advocated for Egrefeather's promotion instead. Ignoring their wishes, Crimsonstar appointed his youngest child, Sagestrike, as the new deputy of Lichenclan because of his confidence, battle prowess, and resemblance to Heronstar, even though a few of his older sons were still alive. This ignited a divide within the clan, with warriors threatening to incite violence, but this civil unrest soon ended when Egretfeather's body was mysteriously found dead near the Mooncave. Her supporters disbanded and grew silent, suddenly fearful of their new reign.
DEPUTY: As the newly named deputy, Sagestar continued to grow more and more arrogant. He was consistently in his father's ear, trying to coerce him to end the truce with Redwoodclan and take back the Mooncave. However, his father remained staunch on his decision and did not make a threat on the sacred land. He would stick to his word. This tension continued well into their elected union.
Around his fifth season, Sagestar took on a mate. The she-cat was a cold, meticulous warrior who agreed to pass on the Heron line out of duty to her clan. It was not a match made in love. Instead, the she-cat considered it an act of servitude to Lichenclan and Starclan. Her name was Lilyfrost. Their first litter together was a disappointment, two measly kits, both she-cats. Before the kits reached their first moon, one of the kits died due to a debilitating birth defect. Their remaining kit, Whitekit, became an apprentice at six moons, but her parents were not interested in her. Two seasons later, Lilyfrost birthed their second litter. This time, the she-cat blessed Lichenclan with three toms and a she-cat.
LEADER: When Sagestrike reached his eighth season, his father and leader, Crimsonstar returned to Starclan. His death was ruled to natural causes due to his age. Sagestrike then traveled to the Mooncave to receive his nine lives, and when he returned, he appointed an older tom, one of his older brothers from a previous litter, Otterthroat, as his first deputy. The tom was meek compared to other Heron descendants, but he was wise. Sagestar also felt that his own sons, Smokemask, Molefur, and Skunktail, required more training before they could rule his clan.
While he wanted to extend his reach onto the Mooncave, Otterthroat advised him to wait. He still respected their truce with the redwood dwellers, and did not want to make a move their clan could not win. Instead, he instructed Sagestar to focus on their training and strategic planning. Words were more powerful than force, an idiom Sagestar used as an advantage, one that was largely sinister in nature.
The blue tom used his silver tongue to develop a respected acquaintanceship with Redwoodclan's new leader, Heatherstar, and a mere season later, the tom launched his first, unsuspected attack to take back the Mooncave. Blindsided, Redwoodclan lost the battle, and the next gathering, Heatherstar angrily announced the end of their decade long truce. She, however, refused to launch attacks on Lichenclan in return, declining to stoop to their level.
Sagestar continued to attack the clan, growing indifferent to the dwindling numbers in both of their territories. His blood lust was stronger than his compassion. He grew cold and calloused, his confidence now a sinister hate. Even when Otterthroat died in battle, the tom remained brutally detached. His eldest son, Smokemask, was the next appointed deputy of Lichenclan.
Sagestar continued to attack Redwoodclan, refusing to accept any of Heatherstar's peace offerings or truces. His son, Smokemask, supported his bloodthirsty reign, instilling this belief into his own children, and continued to advocate for it, even in his own death. His younger, and only surviving sibling, Molefur was the next appointed deputy. He did not rule for long. At the start of the next season, his body was found, mysteriously drowned in the lake.
To Sagestar's dismay, all of his male descendants were dead. His only living heir was his granddaughter, Minnowsleap; and while she showed promise in battle, she was undesirable as a she-cat. With no other options, the old, blue tom elected his only living heir. Their union as deputy and leader was filled with an uncomfortable tension, and in order to avoid his violent outbursts, Minnowleap said little and kept her head down. Her strategic prowess, however, came out in battle, and the old tom grew to begrudgingly tolerate his granddaughter.
As one of the oldest, and most hated, cats on the island, Sagestar died at 192 moons old, his final life at the claws of a Redwoodclan warrior. The tom did not die instantaneously in battle. Instead, his body was brought back to camp, and he died in the medicine cat's den. On his deathbed, he fixed his granddaughter a cold, horrid stare and demanded that she have kits before she died, before she ruined all that he, and their ancestors worked for. He then took his last, callous breath, and returned to the stars.
uvu
coded by ulla
DEPUTIES
None
MEDICINE CATS
Lilacbite
Blue and cream tortie she-cat with sage green eyes.
BUILD: Lilacbite was tiny. Even in her old age she was slight of frame, appearing the same size as she was at a few moons of age. She was a thin cat, with a solemn and sharp face.
COAT: A short coat of blue and cream mottled fur graced Lilacbite's frame. A long, spidery thin tail stretched out behind her.
FACE: In the center of Lilacbite's sharp face was a petite charcoal nose. Long, graceful white whiskers sprung from each side of her maw. Sage green eyes peered on either side of the small cream blaze that traveled down her nose. A large patch of cream covered the left side of her face, while blue dominated the right side.
PERSONALITY
METICULOUS: Lilacbite was meticulous. She kept all aspects of her life and the Clan's business organized and rarely would one have found her stores of herbs lacking. She was in the know on every cat's business and kept tabs on who was and wasn't worthy of StarClan's honor.
CHARISMATIC: Lilacbite was a master weaver of words. She knew how to say the right thing to relax the cats who entreated her for service. She knew what to say to get a cat to complete some task. She knew what to do to please those she needed something from. Lilacbite was one who knew what to say and do to get people on her side.
FANATICAL: When Lilacbite would latch on to an idea, she would rarely let go. This was most pronounced in her devotion to StarClan. She obsessed over her dreams and their meaning. She obsessed over what StarClan was trying to communicate to her at all times. This obsessive drove her motives and agenda in all things.
SANCTIMONIOUS: Fueled by her visions with Coyotecall, Lilacbite believed herself the epitome of blessed. She could do no wrong, all others who had not been blessed by StarClan were below her and deserved only her scorn for their failures in their faith.
HISTORY
KITHOOD: Lilackit was born during the change of cold winter to warm spring. She was the only she-kit in a litter of three. Her mother, Wrenpelt, raised the kits on her own. Their father, a warrior named Jayclaw, had no love in his heart for his mate or his kits. Lilackit grew up beside her brothers, Fernkit and Pinekit, in the relative safety of the nursery. Wrenpelt entertained her kits with stories of LichenClan's great history, and the pride they should feel for their ancestors. "Your great-uncle was one of the greatest medicine cat's on the island, his name was Coyotecall." Her mind filled with these stories, Lilackit dreamed of meeting Coyotecall. Her imagination was so powerful that sometimes her dreams felt like reality. Some nights, she would dream of meeting a large, powerful tom in a dark forest. With a alluring voice he would tell Lilackit about StarClan's powers, and the might LichenClan deserved to exert over the others. His smooth ways influenced Lilackit greatly, and under the influence of these dreams she learned to navigate conversations with her clanmates in such was as to almost always get what she wanted. Even her two brothers, although they fought often, were ultimately under her paw.
APPRENTICESHIP: As her sixth moon neared, Lilackit dreamed once more of a visit from the strange tom. In that dream, he told her that if she became apprenticed to the medicine cat he could reveal secrets to her that he had never revealed before. Intoxicated by the prospect, and remember her family's connection to the past medicine cat, Lilackit begged Honeyfern to take her as an apprentice. Honeyfern agreed, and soon Lilackit became Lilacpaw, apprentice medicine cat of LichenClan.
It was her first night as an apprentice that the tom from her dreams confirmed the young kits suspicions. "I am no figment of your imagination, I am Coyotecall, and with my help you can bring LichenClan back to its glory." Tainted by Coyotecall's words, Lilacpaw began to hate her mentor. The sweet, dainty Honeyfern who cared more about peace than the glory of being StarClan's servants. It was maddening to the young apprentice to be constantly dismissed as an ignorant, fanciful, she-cat whenever she spoke of their great duty to StarClan. When Coyotecall would visit her, Lilacpaw would complain. "What should I do? She's holding LichenClan back." The blue tom smiled. "Simple, we get rid of her."
Lilacpaw was only three moons into her apprenticeship. It was the dead of winter, and nature was relentless. Coyotecall told Lilacpaw what to do, promising that he would continue her lessons once her mentor was gone. The time finally presented itself, and Lilacpaw convinced Honeyfern to join her on a walk along the cliffs. A storm threatened to break, and Honeyfern wanted them to return to camp. But Lilacpaw convinced the she-cat to stay out a little longer. And then the storm broke. The cold air turned to ice and sleet battered the she-cats and the ground. Lilacpaw slipped into a cave for shelter, and then watched Honeyfern grapple on the went stones searching for her. When the wind picked up, Lilacpaw knew it was only a matter of a misplaced paw that would send Honeyfern crashing to her death. As the pale she-cat grew more frantic searching for her apprentice, she became careless. Her paw slipped, and Honeyfern fell.
Lilacpaw waited until the storm cleared. Feigning heartbreak, she staggered back to camp where her clanmates had grown concerned from the absence of Honeyfern and Lilacpaw. When Lilacpaw revealed that Honeyfern had taken her on a walk when they were caught in the storm that took her mentor's life, the more traditional cats in the clan grew concerned. What do we do now? We have no medicine cat! That was when Wolfstar spoke, and with his commanding voice declared he would escort Lilacpaw to the Moon Cave to receive her name and guidance from StarClan's waters.
Sitting at the water's edge, Lilacpaw felt a thrill rush through her. Now she would learn so much from Coyotecall. Now Honeyfern couldn't hold her back anymore. She dipped her paws into the icy cold water, then waded further in until her entire body was encased in the water. Only when she could hold her breath no longer did the small she-cat pull herself from the water. Then, chilled to the core, Lilacpaw slept beside the pool.
It wasn't a dream like she had experienced before. Shadow figures crowded around her. Only one sharpened into a familiar face - Honeyfern. Do no be deceived by Coyotecall's promises. The words echoed through Lilacpaw's mind, and she recoiled from her mentor. No! He knows what is best, he is the greatest medicine cat LichenClan has had. Lilacpaw ran, and then she woke.
She had received no name, no guidance. Honeyfern knows nothing, she kept me from StarClan. Lilacpaw knew that Wolfstar waited outside for her, to hear what name StarClan had bestowed upon their newest and youngest medicine cat. She had nothing but the lessons Coyotecall had taught her before. The tortie she-cat meditated for a bit longer before leaving the cave. She had answers for Wolfstar. I'll be called Lilacbite, for my biting words will remind LichenClan of their ultimate duty. For to long LichenClan has allowed the heathens in the other Clans to traverse this sacred ground. Not anymore, I promise we will return StarClan to honor.
MEDICINE CAT: It was not until a few nights later that Coyotecall visited her again. But Lilacbite could forgive him for his absence, he had already taught her so much. Guided by his words, Lilacbite exerted an influence over Wolfstar. With silky tones she presented herself as a meek child seeking the support and advice from her trusted leader. But with each meeting she planted another seed into Wolfstar's mind. Barely a year after Honeyfern's death, Wolfstar, guided by Lilacbite, announced a return to war with RedwoodClan. The blue and cream she-cat smiled inwardly the entire time. We will make StarClan great once more.
Lilacbite's influence became more visible over the seasons. As the war threatened to continue on endlessly, the deputy of LichenClan spoke out against her. Neither approved of the other, but Lilacbite's influence over Wolfstar was strong and with Bearstar of RedwoodClan as bloodthirsty as LichenClan, peace was only obtainable in dreams.
Lilacbite had stood as LichenClan's only medicine cat for many seasons, but as she began to near her 120th moon she felt it was time to groom an apprentice to take her place. In council with Coyotecall still in her dreams, Lilacbite had in her sights one of her great nieces, but her niece did not approve of Lilacbite's influence, and wished to see the war end. She refused to allow her daughter to train under Lilacbite, and so Lilacbite was forced to chose another kit. She took on Swallowpaw as her apprentice. She was meticulous with Swallowpaw's training, and Swallowpaw proved to have a keen mind. Lilacbite felt it would be wise to introduce her apprentice to Coyotecall. The tom was hesitant, but agreed to meet the she-cat in a dream. It did not go well.
Swallowpaw was disturbed by the visit and grew distrustful of her mentor. "You have been taking advice from the Dark Forest." Swallowpaw had accused her mentor. It disturbed Lilacbite to her core. Coyotecall is of StarClan, not the Dark Forest. She insisted in order to reassure herself. But the words still shook Lilacbite, and Coyotecall would not visit her again.
Lilacbite sought refuge at the Moon Cave. She sought out the voices of her ancestors, but none came. During a visit when Lilacbite was discerning if she should give Swallowpaw her name, a RedwoodClan war party attacked the cave. Bearstar of RedwoodClan was among the patrol, and he knew the influence Lilacbite held over Wolfstar. Without mercy, Bearstar killed Lilacbite in the mouth of the cave. When the two leaders of the warring clans died shortly after in subsequent battles, their successors sought out peace and freedom from the war they had been in for a decade.
BUILD: Hollythroat was a slim and lithe she-cat. Her stature was small and her soft features made her approachable to even the timidest of cats.
COAT: A beautiful blue Somali color graced Hollythroat's pelt. Long, wispy fur feathered across her body. Her plumed tail would curl gently around her body. Undertones of red and cream lined her lower body.
FACE: Her face was small, but not round. Her angular face featured a soft, dusty red nose. Short, graceful white whiskers jutted from the sides of her face. Beautiful hazel orbs peered from under the distinctive Somali face markings. Her ears were large triangles, their creamy interiors striking atop her darker toned face.
PERSONALITY
CARING: Hollythroat had a kind, caring heart even as a kit. Nurtured by the love of her parents, Hollythroat wished for others to experience that same love. Stories of helpful medicine cat's inspired the she-cat to care for others in a similar way.
ASPIRING: Hollythroat had lots of hope for her Clan. Filled with stories of legends and heroes, Hollythroat dreamed of an era of peace and tranquility for LichenClan. Driven by a still, quiet hope, Hollythroat persevered that even if she wasn't assertive, or had to submit to the decisions of her leaders, that one day goodness would prevail and peace would return.
FEARFUL: Fear drove Hollythroat to operate under the radar as a medicine cat. When she would speak out against the plans of the leader, she knew she would be putting not only herself but her family at risk. Fearful of how far some in LichenClan would go for power, Hollythroat learned to focus only on her tasks of healer and not as advisor.
INSECURE: Hollythroat, some might say, did not have a back bone. She was timid, and this timidness affected how she interacted with her clan and her completed her duties. She would not assert herself in her position of medicine cat. When teaching Cinderface, she hoped that her calm, quiet, kindness would speak louder than anything. On rare occasions when she would be asked for advice, Hollythroat would be soft-spoken and hesitant in bestowing said advice. She became a medicine cat who stayed under the radar, and hoped for better things to come from her failures.
HISTORY
KITHOOD: It was the beginning of green-leaf when Hollykit entered the world. Beside her was her sister, Berrykit. The two she-kits were loved by their parents - Sandbite and Mintheart. Mintheart, their mother, was frequently visited by her friend Egreftfeather as the kits were growing. Sandbite would visit his small family almost every night. Hollykit's parents doted not only on their two daughters, but on each other. The blue Somali she-kit grew up knowing only love and happiness. The nights that Sandbite would spend with his family were Hollykit's favorite nights. Her father would regale his daughters with harrowing tales of battle, perseverance, and legends. Hollykit loved the stories that featured cats who healed the best. When she and Berrykit would play Clan, Hollykit always insisted on being the medicine cat.
APPRENTICESHIP: Hollykit's inclination to help others was noticed by many. The Clan spoke highly of the helpful she-kit and brought her to the attention of the medicine cat, Robinwing. But the tabby she-cat was not impressed with the young kit. Hollykit was devoted to much to serving others and not StarClan. The she-cat, however, was growing sickly and old. StarClan left Robinwing no guidance, and when Hollykit reached six moons of age Robinwing accepted the kit as her apprentice.
During Hollypaw's training, she became weary of Robinwing's devotion to StarClan. Although it wasn't as extreme as other medicine cat's from history, Robinwing was a demanding mentor and expected similar devotion and perfection from her own apprentice. It was a stressful time for Hollypaw, and it was only with the support of her sister that she was able to get through her training with Robinwing's demands.
As Hollypaw neared her twelfth moon, four apprentices were involved in an accident. Egretfeather, who Hollypaw affectionately called aunt even though they weren't related by blood, saved three of the apprentices. It was the first trial of Hollypaw's training, and her performance in healing the injured apprentices impressed Robinwing. Hollypaw never reached the level of devotion to StarClan that Robinwing thought appropriate for a medicine cat, but her skill in healing made up for it.
Shortly after the incident, a civil war broke out in LichenClan. The old deputy, Nettlefur, passed from old age. The Clan was ripped in two between those who wanted Egretfeather named deputy and those who wanted Sagestrike. Hollypaw was worried the fighting would reach the point that physical battle would break out in the middle of camp, but then Egretfeather was found dead. The she-cat's death was a mystery. When Hollypaw sat beside the she-cat's body with her family, the she-cat noticed the subtle signs of poison. Her heart froze, knowing that only herself and Robinwing would have had access to such herbs. Scared that revealing the truth would result in her own, or her family's, death Hollypaw remained silent about her suspicions.
MEDICINE CAT: Hollypaw reached her twelfth moon. She and her family had sunken into the shadows, worry about their safety after Egretfeather's death spurred them into submission to the leadership of LichenClan. Robinwing had grown progressively sicker over the course of Hollypaw's apprenticeship, and when Hollypaw was of age the medicine cat bestowed her full name - Hollythroat. Robinwing passed soon after.
Hollythroat kept her suspicions about Egretfeather's death to herself. She did her best to prevent Crimsonstar and Sagestrike from using StarClan to rationalize their hunger for war and battle with RedwoodClan, but she was so young compared to the toms that soon she was relegated to to the "menial" tasks of healing, the leader and deputy rarely came to her for guidance from StarClan.
Seasons passed, and Crimsonstar passed from old age having reached his final life. Hollythroat accompanied Sagestrike to the Moon Cave, and sat beside him as he received his nine lives from StarClan. She feared him more than she had feared Crimsonstar. The blue Somali remembered what had happened to Egretfeather, however, and remained complacent and quiet to Sagestar's ambition.
As Sagestar exerted his dominance over the Moon Cave and RedwoodClan, Hollythroat knew she needed help. With battles occurring frequently the she-cat could not keep up with the demand for healing. Although she wished to take on one of her great nieces or nephews, none of them showed interest in the life of a medicine cat. Instead, a small mottled she-kit would frequently find her way into Hollythroat's den. Cinderkit, whose bright hazel eyes glowed with a passion that Hollythroat could not deny. But she hesitated, knowing that Cinderkit came from Icefoot, a StarClan fanatic and staunch Heron line supporter. Hollythroat worried she would not be able to rid the young kit of her mother's influence. Growing short on time, however, Hollythroat was forced to trust that StarClan was bringing Cinderkit to her den for reasons of their own, and so named Cinderkit her apprentice.
Moons passed, and Cinderpaw took quickly to her learning. She was attentive and devoted, but as battle became a norm for LichenClan Hollythroat frequently noticed her apprentice seeking out StarClan and blaming her failures on her lack of faith. Gentle correction, nudges, and advice from Hollythroat only did so much. The time came for Cinderpaw to be named, having completed her training. Hollythroat took Cinderpaw to the Moon Cave, and there bestowed the name of Cinderface onto her apprentice.
As moons passed and Hollythroat grew older, she did her best to continue teaching Cinderface. As LichenClan fell further into war with RedwoodClan, and political strife ripped through the Clan, Hollythroat feared she had not done enough for her Clan. They should be at peace with RedwoodClan and each other...StarClan what do I do? But time continued to pass, and Hollythroat's attempts to pull Cinderface away from her reckless devotion to StarClan continued to fail. The blue Somali grew tired and weak with age. Whatever bond she had shared with Cinderface during the mottled she-cat's apprentice ship was gone. As Hollythroat neared her 170th moon, she knew life was coming to a close for her. One final night she meditated by the pool of water in the den. It's source is the Moon Cave pool, she had once told Cinderface. Staring into its depths, she prayed one final prayer that StarClan would forgive her clan, and would not abandon them to destruction.
That night, Hollythroat passed away in her sleep, her hope for peace in her Clan guiding her to the starry sky above.
BUILD: Descended from generations of stone-guards, it's no surprise that Black Bear carried a massive, well-muscled frame made for battle. He stood tall with well-formed limbs and a wide, destructive chest that made an ideal shield for his tribe-mates.
COAT: Over his musculature frame, the stoic tom adorned a dense, dark coat that mirrored the colors of smoke, making him a distinct cat to look at. Most of his fur was a rich, coal black that faded to swirls of silver across his flank. His chest, muzzle, and feet were an alabaster white in contrast.
FACE: Black Bear's face was distinctive in nature due to his vibrant, yellow-green eyes. His leaf-colored hues stood out against the dark shade of angular, apple-shaped face. His nose was black in color, while his whiskers shot out of his face in a brilliant, noticeable white.
PERSONALITY
BRAVE: Black Bear was raised in a nest of stone-guards, and as a result, he quickly learned to swallow his fears and leap head first into battle. When it came to protecting his tribe, the tom was rather valiant in nature and never turned his tail and fled when he was needed. He was always ready to face and endure even the most dangerous threats, never fearing the ache of a wound.
ALTRUISTIC: The dark tom was selfless in the sense that he was raised to consider others before himself. Each decision he made, even if it hurt him, was in the effort to better the tribe. During times of hardship, he would sacrifice his own resources for the benefit of his tribe-mates, and in the end, he demonstrated the ultimate sacrifice when he offered his own flesh and blood to save the tribe from starvation.
DETACHED: While selfless, Black Bear was almost detached from his tribe-mates in a sense. This made it easier for him to lead and to shield his own emotions from those who wished him harm. He had few friends in his life and conversed little with his tribe-mates. This detachment allowed him later on in life to develop a deeper connection with the Tribe of Endless Hunting, and therefore, the island itself. He received visions with more ease and was able to make his final sacrifice, no longer attached to the physical world. However, this detachment harmed those close to him and greatly affected his successor, Rain. It also made him come off as rather cold and caustic toward his tribe-mates.
STUBBORN: The smoke tom was mostly amiable. However, he did harbor some stubbornness about his decisions. He was a hard cat to convince otherwise once he was driven on a specific path. In this sense he was almost too decisive on matters that should have been more flexible. This stubbornness would cost him later on in life, when the tribe entered a winter of horrendous starvation.
HISTORY
KITHOOD: Black Bear was born during a time of rebirth for the tribe. Under the leadership of Goldenrod, the tribe suffered as the result of his negligence during the last massive flood. Their lands were ruined, and food was scarce on the island for seasons. However, under Fawn, the new teller, the island was slowly restored to its naturalistic roots, and at the end of the decade, Black Bear was born. His mother, Sunflower, and his Father, Raven, welcomed Black Bear and his brother, Milkweed towards the start of summer. The lands were lush, and Black Bear was raised in an era of overabundance. He and his brother had few worries, and only dreamed of their lives as future stone-guards like his mother and father.
TO-BE: Black Bear and Milkweed became to-bes at the ceremonial sixth moon of their life. Black Bear wore the crown of berries across his forehead with an excited shimmer in his stare. Both he and his brother excelled in stone-guard lessons, their bodies built for battle and the chores associated with the island. While the brothers were close, both veered in different directions with their lessons. Milkweed liked to tend to the island more than test his claws for battle, while Black Bear roared into a threat without a second of hesitation.
It was around his ninth moon, when a she-cat named Vine became a to-be. Like Black Bear and his brother, she had an inclination for the thrill of battle and was more interested in the duties of a stone-guard than a prey-hunter. She was infectiously attractive, and Black Bear soon found himself infatuated with the tabby she-cat. But, he was not the only one who found her irresistible.
Vine had also attracted the attention of another to-be, a lithe, weedy tom named Cypress. Black Bear disliked the tom for more reasons than one. He was too loud, too brazen, and boasted about his abilities in both battle and the hunt. He was consistently irritable to be around and most regarded him with an eye-roll and a snort. With that in mind, Black Bear did not consider the tom a threat, as he knew the she-cat could never be interested in someone as awful as him.
He was wrong. Despite his advances, Vine showed little interest in Black Bear and only liked him as a friend. When he and Cypress received their assignments as a stone-guard and as a prey-hunter respectively, Vine confessed her affections for Cyrpress, and the two started to see each other romantically. Black Bear did not handle it well. He spent the rest of his training under his new mentor, Sunfish, in a heated, bitter ire. To make it worse, his brother, Milkweed, who had also been assigned to train as a stone-guard, had settled down with his own mate, a tom named Warbler. As much as he wanted to be happy for his brother, it was hard for the dark tom not be envious of of what he could not have.
Destitute, the tom felt isolated and alone. Vine's refusal took a hit on his self-esteem, and this bled into his lessons with Sunfish. He was often late to their treks into the woods, rarely listened to orders, and was unkind to his mentor. It wasn't until he was almost seventeen moons old when his attitude shifted in a different direction. It was the dead of winter, and the tribe had few resources due to the cold. Suddenly, a starved-mad coyote attacked a den near the tribe stone. Sunfish and Black Bear were only a few dens down, checking on another tribe-mate before their lesson later that dawn.
Before either tom could think, they were on their feet. racing toward the coyote, claws unsheathed. Due to their diligence, they were able to keep the beast at bay until more cats arrived on the scene. Both Sunfish and Black Bear were later named as heroes to the tribe, and it was then that Black Bear attracted the watchful eye of the Teller, as if she had seen this heroic deed in a vision.
And that she did.
TELLER'S APPRENTICE: Shortly after the coyote attack, Fawn, who was almost ten seasons old, neared the smoke-colored tom and told him he was to become the new teller of the tribe in her death. Startled, Black Bear wrestled to understand her announcement. He had wanted to become a stone-guard his entire life, never interested in the likes of medicine or herbs, nor did he want that much control over the tribe. He was not a born leader. Even his softer, more kind-hearted brother was more suited for the role than he. But, it was destined in the wind, the earth, and the lake, Black Bear would lead their tribe next.
At eighteen moons, Black Bear begrudgingly started to train beneath the old she-cat, but it was hard work for the crude and crass tom. He was used to relying on his brute strength and raw force in battle to demonstrate his worth. He was not used to the mental stimulation Fawn forced him to endure. The dark tom spent hours memorizing herbs, practicing healing techniques, and interpreting signs from their ancestors, but even after moons of work, he felt defeated. None of it felt natural to him, and he doubted Fawn's intuition. It was not until he received his first vision did he start to believe in his future as a teller.
Near his twenty-fourth moon, Black Bear woke in a cold sweat in the tribe stone. He had dreamed that a faceless she-cat went into labor, but her screams were so horrendous, the air so rancid with the scent of blood, he awoke mere seconds after the dream started. Startled, he sat there for a moment, and then leapt to his feet. Vine. She was the only due kit-mother on the island, and he knew the dream had to be an omen. Waking Fawn, he and the older she-cat hurried toward her and Cypress's den near the coast.
As much as Black Bear detested the other tom, he still cared deeply for Vine and would do what he could to save her life if the dream was true. When Fawn and Black Bear were close to the den, Vine's screams could be heard on the hills. Without a second to waste, the two healers entered the burrow and assisted the she-cat in labor, while Cyrpress nervously watched. To their horror, each kit was born dead, and Vine became weaker with each labored breath. But, with their effort, the two healers saved the kit-mother from death. Black Bear knew then, as he stared at the mess of blood, that Fawn's vision was true. He was the next teller of the tribe.
TELLER: Fawn died the following winter, passing peacefully in her sleep. Black Bear was thirty-six moons and had trained with the older she-cat for a season and a half. He felt unsure of himself without her steady guidance, but he was not as doubtful as he was before. As the tribe performed the ritual that would make him the official teller, he felt that this was destined as Fawn foretold. Under the first six moons of his leadership, the tribe flourished, even in the dead of winter, when food was scarce.
As the warmth returned to the island, so did old love. Ever since the death of their kits, Vine and Cypress wrestled to remain as mates, their love for one another fickle and strained. Vine felt that she let her mate down, that it was her blood that had killed their children, while Cypress became more and more bitter and cruel, ashamed of his inability to soothe his mate. He never hurt the she-cat, but found he could not be around her. It was then that Vine turned to her old friend, and the tom who saved her life, Black Bear, for comfort.
The two cats became closer with each moon, and by the time summer arrived on the island, their tribe-mates assumed they had taken each other on as mates. Black Bird and Vine never confirmed or denied the rumors, as it was rare for mates to leave on another, but it was true. She had finally returned his love after moons of his unrequited affection. Hurt, Cypress moved toward the northern forest on the island, and refused to meet with his other tribe-mates. The tribe whispered to one another that the tom would leave, a rare act for the familial band of cats, but no one knew for sure. He merely remained in the out lands until Black Bear fetched him back moons later.
Until then, the summer waxed hot and uncomfortable, and as fall loomed on the horizons, Black Bear feared the worst. There had been no rain for an entire moon, and a drought had ravaged the land. The moor was arid and coarse, the wildlife dwindled, and even the lake became shallow near the shore. Food became scarce and water was rationed. As Black Bear mulled over situation in his den, Vine at his side, he wondered if this was a punishment for his sins. He had stolen another cat's mate, which was far from an honorable act, and as the moons waxed and waned on without rain, Black Bear received another vision: it was a small kit with dark tabby fur and her eyes he saw the island doused in rain, lush moorland, and bountiful resources. He saw the future of the tribe, the next teller. But, this kit did not exist. Not for some seasons. So, the tom did what he did not want to do. He had to make amends with the tom he scorned most.
With a band of his best tribe-mates, Black Bear found the tom alone on the northern hills, his body a skeleton beneath his shabby coat. Cypress did not speak. He only listened, and it was not until Black Bear promised to anoint him as the next head prey-hunter, did he return. A few weeks later, rain descended over the island and life returned with a flourish.
A season later, the older head prey-hunter, a she-cat named Cricket retired from her role, and Black Bear kept his word. Cypress became the new head prey-hunter of the tribe. While the two toms never became friends, they both learned to work with one another and the tribe continued to thrive. However, Cypress forever held an intense malice toward the teller, even if he never admitted it out loud.
Seasons continued on the island, and when Black Bear reached his sixth season, Vine asked him for kits. The two had never tried due to Vine's horrendous labor the last time she was with child. But, as the two watched their friends birth kits, and the love that blossomed between them, Vine decided she wanted the same for her and her mate. So, two moons later, the she-cat birthed one, small kit onto the island, a she-cat named Snowshoe. She was a small, sickly kit who often had to remain in the tribe stone until her seventh moon, but she was well loved and adored within the tribe.
Unbeknownst to Black Bear and Vine, Cypress's hatred for the tom and ex-mate only waxed. He hated that their kit was born. He hated that Vine loved Black Bear more than she ever loved him. So, he vowed to drive the tribe into ruins, even if it would take seasons. Some even say he made a deal with the dark shadows of the Island to put a curse on Black Bear's blood, forever tainting his lineage. But, that was only hearsay. When the weather warmed once more, Cypress started to over hunt the island. It was slow at first, but over a few seasons, the animals dwindled in numbers, and Black Bear feared that an evil haunted his tribe like a shadow, never free from horror.
It was around his ninth season, when the kit from his vision, so long ago, was born. She was named Rain, and Black Bear knew from the moment she entered this earth that she would rule the tribe next. However, he did not ask the she-kit to train with him until she reached her eleventh moon. Black Bear wanted her to live a normal life first before she was forced to train as a teller, so he was pleased when she immediately accepted, excited to train under this new life. Black Bear worked with Rain for four moons before the tribe entered a time of fatal starvation.
Cyrpress had driven his hunters like wolves and eradicated most of the prey from the island, his retribution in full force. He did not care who it starved or killed. He only wanted Black Bear to be hated and blamed for the famine, which he was. This did not bode well for the old tom, as he became weaker with the cold weather, lack of food, and exhaustion that clung to his bones -- and it was the death of Vine that did him in.
Once she passed, due to starvation, the tom knew was not far from this world, so he ordered his apprentice to take him to the Stone that Never Ends and to commit the most horrendous act. He wanted her to shred what was left of his body with her claws and feed it to the tribe. He adamantly believed that he could save his tribe with his own flesh and blood, at least until the warmth returned. Horrified, Rain refused at first, but it was the sheer sadness in his stare, that convinced her otherwise. Knowing the deed would be done, the tom took his final breath, his vision filled with a serene sense of warm, and returned to the earth. Beside his lifeless body, Rain endured what would become the worst moment of her life.
BUILD: Rain was rather small for her age but really well built under her medium-length cloak. She possessed the strong four limbs of a stone-guard and the agile back limbs of a prey-hunter as she worked to make sure she was trained to assist her tribe in all roles.
COAT: Rain's fur was not exactly short but also was not extremely long. While the she-cat was mostly put together mentally, her fur did not reflect her sound mind as Rain was known for her disheveled and dirtied coat. Her tabby markings were usually streaked with mud, and matted fur often stuck out from her smaller frame.
FACE: Rain's features were nothing out of the ordinary to make her stick out compared to the other cats in her tribe. She carried the normal tabby markings across her forehead and had gentle olive green eyes. She did, however, have a large notch taken out of her left ear when she tussled with a fox cub as a to-be.
PERSONALITY
CARING: It is often said that had Rain not become a Teller and did not suffer from paranoids, she would have made a wonderful den-mother. The she-cat commonly went out of her way to make sure that her tribe had available resources. She made numerous den visits and had a soft heart for kits.
ATTENTIVE: Rain was detailed-orientated. She wanted to know every inch of the island and what was going on in the land she watched over. She wanted to know where each den was situated on the island, who lived where, and how every member was doing, not just physically but mentally and emotionally as well. She enjoyed her time getting to sit and talk with all her members, from the youngest kit to the oldest has-been.
IMPULSIVE: When it came to providing care for her tribe, Rain was known to act upon instinct rather than thought. This caused her to make numerous rash decisions. She never meant any harm, but there were several instances where the situation could have been handled better if Rain had taken her time to think about a resolution.
PARANOID: Due to the circumstances of her earlier moons, Rain dealt with a lot of her paranoia and anxiety. This mostly stemmed from her mentor's horrendous request before her death and the starvation her tribe suffered through. As a teller, Rain was always on edge. She hated the sound of whispers and always felt as if she had eyes on her that were waiting to reveal any dark secret she thought she had buried long ago.
HISTORY
KIT: Rain that Waters the Land was born on the night that ended the long drought, which had plagued the tribes for many moons. With her birth, came rain. When her parents visited the teller to choose her name, Rain was blessed with promises that her future would hold great possibilities. So her parents raised her to be attentive to those around her, kind in her words, and fierce in her loyalty to the tribe.
TO-BE: At the age of six moons, Rain began her generalized to-be training, and it wasn't long before the head prey-hunter and head stone-guard were arguing over who would get her when she became of age due to her hard-working nature and love for the tribe. Rain excelled in most tasks given to her, and when she did fail, she always asked questions in order to improve her short-comings.
When she was about ten moons old, Rain, wanting to prove herself even more to her tribe mates, slunk out of her den and into the forests of the tribe. She wanted to search for a herb that Black Bear had spoken of earlier that day, one that he had wrestled to find for moons. Instead of the herb, she found a fox den. Finding the mother no where nearby, Rain decided that if she could run the fox cubs out of the den, then she'd save the tribe a hassle down the road. So she dove in and quickly realized that she was in over her head. The two fox cubs quickly over powered her and drove her from the den, tearing her ear and leaving her with several other bites and scratches.
Limping her way back to the tribe, Stone-guards were quickly dispatched to care for the fox cubs, and Rain was herded to the Teller's den. After several scoldings, Rain promised she wouldn't go out on her own anymore. But her actions were not forgotten. Black Bear watched the she-cat for a few moons more, remembering a vision he had long before.
TELLER'S APPRENTICE: At eleven moons old, Rain was approached by Black Bear with the inquiry if she would like to start her training as his apprentice to be the next Teller of the tribe. Confused, Rain questioned his choice. She never imagined becoming the next teller. Black Bear then explained that he had a vision long before her birth that prophesied Rain's role as the next teller, but he did not want to start her training too soon. He wanted her to live a normal to-be life in order to be well-rounded in both roles before she took on the weight of the entire tribe. Excited by the notion of eventually leading the tribe, Rain accepted, and thus began her many moons of training to become the tribes next leader.
Most of her training went well during the time she trained under Black Bear. However not everything could remain peaceful. During this time, the head prey-hunter, Cypress, was careless with his preservation. He ran his prey-hunters like wolves and over-hunted the islands until there was no prey left. Black Bear had been so focused on his new pupil, that he did not realize what the tom had done until it was too late. Soon, the tribe quickly began to starve. During this time, Black bear also weakened due to the coming winter winds, lack of food, and his age.
In his last moments, he had Rain follow him to his final resting place and ordered her to take his body and shred it, giving it to the tribe as a source of food. Horrified, Rain started to object but Black Bear explained to her that if the tribe suffered any more losses than the whole island itself would fall apart in their absence. Reluctantly, Rain did as her mentor asked and miraculously the tribe and the island thrived and survived.
TELLER: While the tribe was able to survive the winter, their losses were tremendous, and Rain had few resources as the new teller. Her mental state was also unwell, and she started to suffer from nightmares and bouts of extreme paranoia. Still, she refused to let more of her tribe-mates die. She had to do this for her former mentor. His life was not lost for nothing. As the warm winds came back to the island, Cypress was demoted, and and older prey-hunter, one who Rain trusted named Tansy, was anointed to take his rank.
Under Tansy, the tribe returned to its traditions and worked hard to preserve all of the island's inhabitants. This allowed the tribe cats to flourish, and to Rain's relief, new kits were welcomed to their ranks. Around the time, the teller found solace in an old friend, a prey-hunter named Crane, who had trained with her as a to-be. He soon became a comfort to the rattled she-cat and would take her on hunts to distract her anxious mind.
Around her fourth season, and second season as teller, Rain and Crane welcomed two kits into the world, a tom and a she-cat, named Kite and Daisy. While Rain wanted to adore her kits with all of her heart, she continued to suffer from paranoia, which later turned into horrible post-partum depression. Her two kits were then nursed from another kit-mother, and Tansy, and her head stone-guard, Lightning, ran the tribe while she worked to heal herself. When her kits were around six moons old, and about to become to-bes, Rain re-introduced herself into their lives and was able to develop a better relationship with them. She and Crane decide to never have another litter of kits due to the mental stress it had caused Rain.
Once her kits were to-bes, and her mind was clearer, Rain re-took over duties as the teller and through herself into her work. Rain continued to work like this for a few seasons as the tribe flourished into its former self. The Great Hunger was a mere memory to her tribe-mates, but when the winter months became long, or a horrendous storm raged above, Rain found herself slipping, and she was back beside her mentor and his grave. The trauma of the winter never left her mind.
When Rain was around nine seasons old, she started to wonder when the Tribe of Endless Hunting would send her an apprentice. However, her ancestors remained silent. It was not until the summer solstice did the ancient tribe send her a vision. Rain was near the lake, watching the waves crash into the shore when she heard a noise suddenly crack behind her. Startled, the she-cat turned and saw the massive silhouette of a wolf. Their eyes met, and despite it's colossal size, the she-cat did not feel fear, and then she blinked. The wolf vanished. It was a vision. Rain immediately returned home and anointed a ten moon old to-be named Jaw of the Wolf as the next teller of the tribe.
The tom proved to be a fruitful apprentice. He was smart, charismatic, and had a knack for herbs. As Jaw of the Wolf continued to train under Rain, the she-cat anxiousness dwindled. There was relief in knowing that her tribe would be left in capable paws, and for the first time in a long time, the she-cat felt at peace. This did not last.
Near the end of the season, a tribe-member named Lark is exiled from the clan. While Lightning was on island patrol, his stone-guards discovered the torn and mangled body of their tribe-mate, Owl, near the lake, and Lark's stoic form, sitting beside her. Confronted, the massive tom did not hide what he had done, and then he left, vanishing into the dense forests on the mainland. The tribe-cats watched in disbelief, too started to follow him, and later, when Rain sends a patrol to permanently banish him from the tribe, his scent is not found. The tribe never saw Lark again.
As the seasons ends, and the new season starts, both Tansy and Lightning retire as from their ranks and become has-beens. Rain anoints Moth Guided by Fireflies as the head prey-hunter and Talon of the Owl who Hunts at Dawn as the new head-stone-guard. Both cats were recommended to the teller due to their work ethic and skill in their role. The tribe flourished from the end of winter until the start of fall. Rain continued to train Jaw of the Wolf, her anxieties soothed as the tom remained a constant source of relief due to his natural knack for his role. However, sickness descended over the tribe the moment the cold winds returned.
Rain and Jaw worked tirelessly to heal their clan-mates, but their stocked storage of cat-mint soon diminished due to its high demand, and no more was able to be harvested with the cold weather. As the season came to a close, Jaw succumbed to the sickness. He had been around the sick too much, and due to his work ethic, his immune system had weakened. No matter what Rain tried, the tom did not heal, and before the next season started, he died. With his death, Rain's paranoia and anxiety returned like a horrific wave.
A few night's later, the she-cat received another vision during a sudden sleet storm. While the rain and ice pounded into the tribe stone above, Rain became still as a vision of a river breaking a rock into numerous pieces overcame her mind. With a shallow breath, Rain knew who the next teller would be. As the sleet storm raged into the island, the she-cat summoned her tribe and announced her decision. Creek that Breaks the Stone would be the next teller.
Rain trained her new apprentice for only six moons before the sickness claimed her. While the black and white tom was kind and attentive to his den-mates, he still had a lot to learn, and this worried the she-cat. Creek did not soothe her as Jaw had, and as her sickness worsened, her mental wellness deteriorated as well. Even visits from her mate, children, and their children did little to ease her mind. Rain knew that soon she would return to the earth, and she had to leave all that she could with Creek.
In her dying breath, the she-cat whispered to her apprentice: "You are the first ripple, Creek." Her mind returned to her first vision, recalling how the rocks separated. She did not know what this meant, not for the tom, not for her sick tribe, but for the first time in her life, the she-cat felt at peace. Then she took another shallow, small breath and entered the Tribe of Endless Hunting.
