Post by Cobalt on Nov 10, 2006 23:53:22 GMT -5
Name: Astralpace
Gender: She-cat
Age: 75 moons
Rank in Clan: Warrior of ParadiseClan
Description: Astralpace is a she-cat of relatively medium build, and could even be considered somewhat small, compared to many of her Clan mates. Her body is lithe and wiry, which increases her speed and agility, as well as her ability to squeeze through small spaces. However, because of this, her physical strength is not quite as great as all Clan cats’. Throughout her life, she has learned to compensate for this with her speed and tactics in battle. Her tail is long and proportioned well to her body size, giving her a good overall sense of balance.
Astralpace’s pelt is comprised of one base color, and several other hues, as is generally typical of tabby cats. The main color of her coat is a fiery ginger, flecked through with a somewhat darker tone of orange, to create a ticked appearance shared by many Abyssinian cats. This color covers her entire body, aside from her tabby markings.
The second color is a slightly darker and somewhat coppery hue, which is most distinctive from the rest of her pelt in bright sunlight or moonlight. It is splashed about her body in a pattern resembling a classic mackerel tabby, with smaller spots lining her sides and flanks. Her face has two unique stripes on each side in this color, similar in appearance to oversized whiskers, yet serving no particular purpose as her pure white whiskers do. Bars of the dark orange run across her tail all the way down, wrapping around as is generally seen in tabby cats. Also, a stripe of this color runs down her spine, giving her a very balanced and defined look.
Astralpace’s facial features are nothing unusual, with the exception of her eyes - they are a clear, crystalline emerald, and almost seem to glow with their own distinctive light. They can be like windows into her soul, showing each and every emotion; however, if she desires it, these metaphorical windows can be closed to the outside world, making her appear unemotional in any particular instance
Picture: Current Picture
Personality: Generally speaking, Astralpace is a very warm and caring cat. She is anything but quiet in nature, in fact quite bold and outgoing. Her opinions are dear to her, especially on important issues concerning her friends and Clan, and she is not afraid to voice them. She does her best to always be cheerful, and this shows in her overall boisterous mannerisms. However, like all cats, she has her off days, and can be incredibly cranky toward those around her, something for which she never stops reprimanding herself later. Also, when she is thinking on deeper matters, it becomes apparent to others that she is not entirely there - rather, she tends to inadvertently ignore any comments aimed at or to her, which can be somewhat vexing to her friends. She tries her best not to “space out” like this, but sometimes can’t help when a particularly interesting train of thought strikes her.
Surprisingly, when something goes against her own will or opinions, Astralpace has a bit of a stubborn streak. When given orders in an unpleasant manner, she is likely to go against everything told to her in any way she can. Unknown to the she-cat, this is a trait inherited, at least in part, from her father. She isn’t one to hide her stubbornness, especially when she believes it to be for a good cause. In fact, she will loudly voice her say in the matter, regardless of who is there to hear.
When she is serious about something, Astralpace has a very imposing presence, one that demands respect from those around her. While she is not very keen on fighting, she is not afraid to unsheathe her claws if pushed. However, she prefers activities that loosen her up, rather than winding her up to that type of fever pitch - a good run in the woods is often enough to help her clear her head, something for which she is often grateful.
Astralpace is steadfastly loyal to ParadiseClan - though her roots lie in a different Clan, she is determined not to repeat the mistakes of her past. The AeroClanners are her family, and she is one of them, regardless of shared or unshared blood. Any cat to bring up the subject of her ShardClan and ThornClan heritage in a negative way is sure to find themselves on her bad side, something that is desired by practically no cat. She won’t stand for teasing on the subject of her birth parents, and it is one of her largest frustrations in her Clan.
Nonetheless, Astralpace loves AeroClan more than anything else in the world, and would stay with it until the bitter end. She is still curious about the tom that fathered her, but is determined not to let that get in the way of her Clan loyalty.
Past: Astralpace was born in AeroClan, to a beautiful Somali queen named Liquidspark. She was one in a litter of two kits, the queen’s first. Unbeknownst to the kits or Liquidspark’s Clan, the father of the kits was a warrior of ShardClan, a charcoal-gray tom named Shallowsmoke.
Liquidspark was a AeroClanner, born and bred herself. She took much pride in her Clan loyalty, and was steadfast in her obedience of the warrior code. Of course, it was quite obvious that something changed in her when she met Shallowsmoke.
She caught the tom while out on patrol one day, crossing the border with AeroClan as if the easily-identifiable scent-markers were not even there. There undoubtedly would have been a fight, had Shallowsmoke not quickly set his smooth talking into motion. The tom was a natural-born maker of excuses--not to mention an all-time flirt--and quickly won over Liquidspark, who was young and impressionable as he was at the time. She sent him away with a not-so-stern warning, secretly hoping that she would see the tom again.
For moons, Liquidspark watched the border with ShardClan carefully, insisting to herself that the tom she had inadvertently fallen head-over-heels for would return. She volunteered to go on every border patrol in that direction, even some of those in the direction of Fourtrees, hoping to catch a glimpse of Shallowsmoke.
It was at a Gathering several moons later that at last they met again; Shallowsmoke had been chosen to attend with ShardClan, while Liquidspark came representing AeroClan. The two young cats talked nearly the entire night, Shallowsmoke’s innate charm showing through like never before, and agreed to meet soon on the border.
At the arranged time and place, Liquidspark happily came to the border, waiting for several hours until Shallowsmoke showed up, “fashionably late”. She hardly cared about his tardiness, though, as he very convincingly asked her for her paw in mateship. Though stunned by the offer, the words that rolled so easily off of Shallowsmoke’s tongue enticed her, and she agreed. The two mated then and there, each promising to return to the same spot the following day.
Liquidspark came back to the ShardClan border the next day, heart leaping with anticipation. But, even though she waited for hours on end, thinking Shallowsmoke just being late as he was for their previous meeting, the tom did not show. She waited until nightfall, with no sign of Shallowsmoke even intending to come. The she-cat returned to the AeroClan camp somewhat disheartened, not speaking to even her closest friends about the incident.
For days afterward, the AeroClan warrior returned again and again to the border, hoping the their meeting had just slipped Shallowsmoke’s mind. She was certain that the tom had loved her, and watched for him every day until the point that she realized he would not come back for her. It had all been some sort of one-night stand for him, she deduced sadly - he had never truly loved her.
Heartbroken, Liquidspark returned to her duties in AeroClan, all the while keeping a secret the tom who had been her mate for only a day. Slowly, she overcame her sorrow, determined to forget Shallowsmoke and his betrayal.
But when she went to the medicine cat in hopes of alleviating a series of stomach cramps that she had been having, she received news that made it all the harder to forget: she was expecting kits. None of her Clan mates knew who the father was - many asked when she moved into the nursery, but Liquidspark refused to say. It was a queen’s right to secrecy, so no cat pushed her any harder than a simple request, even though the queen’s sister, Scarletfang, wished to know what had changed her sister’s disposition so suddenly.
For several moons, the she-cat bore what everyone deemed to be a small litter, until she came to term, and the day of her kitting arrived. It was a fairly easy labor, though she had no support from the kits’ father. She gave birth to two kittens: the first, Oakkit, a tom; and the younger of the two, Astralpace, who was then named Astralkit. Of the two, it was obvious that Oakkit most closely resembled his father, while Astralkit was definitely her mother’s daughter.
Despite the treachery of their father, Liquidspark loved her new kits with all of the ferocity that any mother would show. She took excellent care of them, keeping them close at all times, and protecting them from any given threat. Astralkit and Oakkit grew quickly, learning something different of the world around them each and every day.
When they were six moons old, Astralkit and Oakkit were ready to become apprentices. The two each eagerly anticipated the ceremony, and when they stood before the Clan, their excitement doubled. They were given the names Astralpaw and Oakpaw, and began their warrior training. Not even now that they were older did Liquidspark share the secret of their father’s identity, believing it would be too hard on the young cats.
Throughout their apprenticeships, Astralpaw and Oakpaw were often apart, yet they maintained a close bond. As the only two kits in their litter, they had always been close, and certainly did not allow their training to erase that bond. Oakpaw was very protective of his little sister, even though they were technically the same age, and saw it as his duty to shield her from any misfortune.
For a long five moons, the two apprentices trained side by side, each progressing quickly through their training. Each had their own strengths, Astralpaw’s being speed and agility, Oakpaw’s being his size and power in battle. When they fought in practice sparring matches, the two were a perfect match for each other, and neither could seem to ever get the upper paw.
In their eleventh moon, their mentors recommended to the Clan leader that they be made warriors. The two young cats were evaluated one last time in their hunting and fighting techniques, before the ceremony was officially arranged.
The anticipation Astralpaw and Oakpaw held for their upcoming warrior ceremony was even greater than that when they had become apprentices. As they stood before the Clan, and took their oaths to loyally serve AeroClan, they knew that their warrior ancestors were watching over them. They were given the names Astralpace and Oakclaw, and sat in silent vigil to guard the Clan that night.
For several moons that followed, Astralpace and Oakclaw faithfully served their Clan, almost always together as they had been for the previous seasons of their lives. But then, one day while out on a border patrol, tragedy struck that would tear them apart.
While patrolling near rogue territory, Astralpace and Oakclaw were ambushed by two large dogs, that had apparently escaped from their twolegs. The dogs were ferocious creatures, and though they fought like the true warriors they were, the two were not expecting the attack. Astralpace was badly wounded, and the dogs were lunging at her, when Oakclaw flung himself in the way. He was killed right before his sister’s eyes - and only moments later, a patrol of AeroClan warriors arrived, and helped to drive the dogs away. But it was too late for Oakclaw, who had died saving his little sister, and the one cat that he had sworn to protect above all others.
In the following days, Astralpace grieved tremendously for her lost brother. Her Clan mates were concerned by this, and tried time and again to reassure her that Oakclaw was still watching over her from his place in StarClan. But it did no good for the she-cat, who mourned even after her brother had been buried. She didn’t want a starry guardian who she could no longer see - all she wanted was her brother back.
As time passed, the raw grief for Oakclaw’s death lessened in Astralpace’s heart, until it was only a dull throb from the emotional wound of long ago. Almost twenty moons went by, and although she adapted back into Clan life, Astralpace distinctly felt the cavernous space left by her brother’s absence.
Finally, her mother Liquidspark took matters into her own paws. She took Astralpace on a trip some way into rogue territory, to a place that she had often come as a young warrior. A silent stream ran under a fallen fir tree, sparkling with a crystalline sheen about it - a peaceful place for those who felt such sadness. It was here that Liquidspark admitted to her daughter the secret she had kept so long about Shallowsmoke - and also told Astralpace that this was the place she had discovered while still nursing her broken heart.
Astralpace found herself calmed by the natural peace of the stream, and slowly, she began to accept both her brother’s death, and the true nature of her father’s identity. She had always suspected that perhaps he was not one of AeroClan, as she had never spoken to him before. Finally, her heart began to truly heal, and she thanked her mother for bringing her here.
And yet, fate proved cruel that day, as she and her mother began heading back to AeroClan territory. A small group of rogues attacked them, and although the two she-cats were able to fend them off, it was not without injury. Liquidspark lost much blood from her wounds, and even as mother and daughter crossed the border back into AeroClan territory, the strain on her body proved too much, and she passed into the paws of StarClan.
Astralpace was left alone in the world, very much so. Her aunt Scarletfang tried to comfort her as best she could, but Astralpace would hear none of it - she was the last member of her immediate family, or at least the last one that cared to mourn for her fallen mother. Her father never showed his face; she could not be sure if he even knew that Liquidspark had died.
It was around this time that Astralpace’s aunt became pregnant with her own litter. When the kits were born, though she rejoiced with the small family, she felt distinctly out of place among them. Even when little Eclipsekit came to call AeroClan home, and Scarletfang adopted him as her son, the little tom seemed better suited to the AeroClan camp than Astralpace herself now felt.
So, as she toiled through the moons, Astralpace planned to depart the world she had always known. She would make a new home in one of the other Clans, perhaps searching for her father along the way. Sorrowfully, she left without bidding farewell to her aunt, or any of her small cousins, of whom she had become fond despite her constant growing sadness.
After wandering for several moons, Astralpace came to ParadiseClan. She was well-known in her position as a warrior of AeroClan, but the ParadiseClanners accepted her anyway when she explained her reasons for leaving.
Astralpace adapted to the routines of ParadiseClan surprisingly well; it was almost as if she herself had been born and bred a ParadiseClanner, even though she had no ParadiseClan blood, to her knowledge. And all the while, she searched for any sign of her father, Shallowsmoke - if not hoping for a tearful reunion, then wishing for a chance to tell the tom what she really thought of him, and curse him for the rest of her life as a treacherous, heartbreaking tom.
But slowly, her grudge against her father took a back seat, as she served loyally in her new Clan. Although her oath had been made to AeroClan, now she was a faithful ParadiseClan cat through and through. She missed what distant family remained in AeroClan, oh yes; but she had no reason to go back to a place in which she didn’t feel as if she belonged.
Since then, having become a highly respected ParadiseClan warrior, Astralpace has remained bound to ParadiseClan, mind and heart. She has yet to find her missing father, unsure if he is even alive, but continues to search. Perhaps finding him will lend her some answers at last - but then again, perhaps her quest will be in vain. Despite all this, she has every intention of remaining a loyal ParadiseClan warrior, and serving her Clan in any way possible.
RP Example: ((I hope it’s ok if I use an RP example from another site. If not, I’ll write a new one as soon as I can.))
Soft moonlight shone down on the SuzakuClan camp, illuminating the empty clearing. No cat stirred, as all were tired from the day’s many activities. In the otherwise-still night air, the sounds of breathing could be heard from all around, sometimes accompanied by the echoing brush of fur on leaves as one of the Clan’s many members shifted in their nest. The breeze blew calmly through the undergrowth, gentle enough not to disturb the sleeping Clan cats. With it was brought a slight chill, a sign of the quickly approaching leaf-bare.
Several moonbeams found their way through the thick leaf coating of the warriors’ den, shedding glimmering light on the sleeping cats inside. None of the den’s occupants stirred, except for one lithe Bengal tom, whose eyes slowly drifted open.
Silentwind looked around at his sleeping den mates, without even giving the slightest tilt of his head. His golden eyes glowed an eerie, pale yellow color in the darkness, reflecting the light of the moon. There was something hidden in their depths, an anguished look of the utmost sorrow and pain. Mother… the young warrior thought, remembering the soft voice, the nurturing care of his mother. Shiningkit, Tigerpaw, Shadowpaw… The tom’s eyes were misty with tears, though they no longer spilled out; his sorrow had already been shown, so many times, over and over. His family, his only joy in life, and they were lost to him forever.
But that’s not true, he thought silently, an expression mixed of glee and horror creeping upon his face. They are with me, always, and I with them. Soon, it will happen again, and I will be with them once more. Thinking this, a contented smile spread over his face. It was the truth that he now knew, that during the hours of darkness, he walked closer to KirinClan than any medicine cat, than any leader. He was practically one of them.
A wave of cold suddenly engulfed Silentwind. It’s happening! he thought, and could hardly restrain himself from laughing aloud in happiness. Only when the change was complete, could he truly not be seen or heard. Looking down at his pelt, the young warrior saw the color of his fur changing. For a moment, it remained that of his ordinary form; then, in an instant, it became the color and sheen of the stars.
Now, Silentwind slowly rose, his eyes taking on the translucent, yet shimmering quality of KirinClan. No cat stirred around him, as he knew they would not. Now, no one could hear him, no one could see him. He was a spirit. “Mother, sisters, brother…” he whispered, stepping out of the den. “I am here now.”
Several voices spoke at once: “Hello, Silentwind,” said a small, high-pitched voice. “It felt like forever since you were able to talk with us!”
Silentwind nodded, absorbing the melodious sound of the voice. His sister, Shiningkit’s, voice. “Yes,” he replied, closing his eyes and drinking in once again the sound. “It has been too long, Shiningkit.”
Two other voices chimed in, “It was only last night, but it felt like a whole moon! We were here, just waiting to talk with you, Silentwind!” These were the words of his two younger siblings, Tigerpaw and Shadowpaw. “For that, I thank you two,” Silentwind responded, smiling. The feeling that he had right then, knowing that he was surrounded by his loving family, was one that, up until just three days ago, he thought he would never experience again.
“It’s so lovely up in KirinClan,” another, deeper voice said softly to him. The sound of the words was almost too much for Silentwind to bear; the voice belonged to his mother, Nightflower. “Why don’t you come and join us there, Silentwind?” the she-cat asked pleadingly. “Then, you could see us, and talk to us, even during the day!”
Silentwind felt a pang of uncertainty hit him. He was unable to see his mother and siblings, even now that he, too, was a spirit. If he went with them, he could see them, feel them, be with them. But could he really abandon his life in SuzakuClan? To him, it was a sacrifice that he could easily make, but something held him back, tugging at his heart. “I’m sorry, mother, but I can’t,” he replied, feeling ashamed that he had refused the spirits’ request. “I am not ready yet. Perhaps soon, I will.”
There was silence for a moment, as if Nightflower was pondering this. Then, she said quietly, “Yes. Soon, my dear child, soon will you join us. I am sure of it.” Her voice was kind and gentle, but there was an underlying threat to her words. Silentwind felt a shiver go down his spine, and he only nodded, not knowing what to say.
“Silentwind,” Shiningkit said, breaking into his thoughts. “Why do you suppose it happened like it did?” Her tone was confused, almost jealous.
Silentwind swallowed nervously, certain of what she spoke of. “Why what happened?” he asked, hoping against hope that it was not what he was thinking.
“Why we died, and you survived,” Shiningkit said harshly, all of her friendliness dissipating in an instant. Silentwind flinched away from her angry tone, though he remained standing in the clearing. “You know why it happened,” he said slowly, trying to retain his composure. “The curse, the curse upon our father. That was what killed you.”
“But, Silentwind,” Tigerpaw suddenly reentered the conversation. “Why didn’t you die, as well?” The dead apprentice also sounded angry, though not as much so as his older sister. “Yes, why, Silentwind?” Shadowpaw’s outraged voice chimed in. “Why do you get to keep living here, while our lives were destroyed by the curse?!”
Silentwind shook his head, and opened his eyes. The first milky fingers of dawn were beginning to streak across the sky. “It’s not my fault you died!” he cried angrily, determined to prove his family wrong. “It’s not! It’s not my fault!” He felt suddenly like yowling his heart out to KirinClan, but remained silent. He could not speak against his family like this, his heart would break, shatter into thousands of shards. “Goodbye, mother, Shiningkit, Tigerpaw, Shadowpaw,” he said quietly, turning back toward the warriors’ den. “I will talk to you tomorrow night.”
Just as he entered the den, their voices called out to him again: “We don’t blame you for our deaths, Silentwind. We are sorry.” The words were spoken with sincerity, and remorse. Silentwind once again felt the same sense of love and security, and he whispered, “I know.”
Then, the sun crested the horizon, throwing brilliant light over the treetops. Silentwind lay down on the floor of the warriors’ den, where he transformed back into his living state of being. No longer could he hear his siblings’ greetings, or his mother’s loving, kind words.
The last thing Silentwind felt before falling back to sleep was an undeniable pang of loss and longing.
Gender: She-cat
Age: 75 moons
Rank in Clan: Warrior of ParadiseClan
Description: Astralpace is a she-cat of relatively medium build, and could even be considered somewhat small, compared to many of her Clan mates. Her body is lithe and wiry, which increases her speed and agility, as well as her ability to squeeze through small spaces. However, because of this, her physical strength is not quite as great as all Clan cats’. Throughout her life, she has learned to compensate for this with her speed and tactics in battle. Her tail is long and proportioned well to her body size, giving her a good overall sense of balance.
Astralpace’s pelt is comprised of one base color, and several other hues, as is generally typical of tabby cats. The main color of her coat is a fiery ginger, flecked through with a somewhat darker tone of orange, to create a ticked appearance shared by many Abyssinian cats. This color covers her entire body, aside from her tabby markings.
The second color is a slightly darker and somewhat coppery hue, which is most distinctive from the rest of her pelt in bright sunlight or moonlight. It is splashed about her body in a pattern resembling a classic mackerel tabby, with smaller spots lining her sides and flanks. Her face has two unique stripes on each side in this color, similar in appearance to oversized whiskers, yet serving no particular purpose as her pure white whiskers do. Bars of the dark orange run across her tail all the way down, wrapping around as is generally seen in tabby cats. Also, a stripe of this color runs down her spine, giving her a very balanced and defined look.
Astralpace’s facial features are nothing unusual, with the exception of her eyes - they are a clear, crystalline emerald, and almost seem to glow with their own distinctive light. They can be like windows into her soul, showing each and every emotion; however, if she desires it, these metaphorical windows can be closed to the outside world, making her appear unemotional in any particular instance
Picture: Current Picture
Personality: Generally speaking, Astralpace is a very warm and caring cat. She is anything but quiet in nature, in fact quite bold and outgoing. Her opinions are dear to her, especially on important issues concerning her friends and Clan, and she is not afraid to voice them. She does her best to always be cheerful, and this shows in her overall boisterous mannerisms. However, like all cats, she has her off days, and can be incredibly cranky toward those around her, something for which she never stops reprimanding herself later. Also, when she is thinking on deeper matters, it becomes apparent to others that she is not entirely there - rather, she tends to inadvertently ignore any comments aimed at or to her, which can be somewhat vexing to her friends. She tries her best not to “space out” like this, but sometimes can’t help when a particularly interesting train of thought strikes her.
Surprisingly, when something goes against her own will or opinions, Astralpace has a bit of a stubborn streak. When given orders in an unpleasant manner, she is likely to go against everything told to her in any way she can. Unknown to the she-cat, this is a trait inherited, at least in part, from her father. She isn’t one to hide her stubbornness, especially when she believes it to be for a good cause. In fact, she will loudly voice her say in the matter, regardless of who is there to hear.
When she is serious about something, Astralpace has a very imposing presence, one that demands respect from those around her. While she is not very keen on fighting, she is not afraid to unsheathe her claws if pushed. However, she prefers activities that loosen her up, rather than winding her up to that type of fever pitch - a good run in the woods is often enough to help her clear her head, something for which she is often grateful.
Astralpace is steadfastly loyal to ParadiseClan - though her roots lie in a different Clan, she is determined not to repeat the mistakes of her past. The AeroClanners are her family, and she is one of them, regardless of shared or unshared blood. Any cat to bring up the subject of her ShardClan and ThornClan heritage in a negative way is sure to find themselves on her bad side, something that is desired by practically no cat. She won’t stand for teasing on the subject of her birth parents, and it is one of her largest frustrations in her Clan.
Nonetheless, Astralpace loves AeroClan more than anything else in the world, and would stay with it until the bitter end. She is still curious about the tom that fathered her, but is determined not to let that get in the way of her Clan loyalty.
Past: Astralpace was born in AeroClan, to a beautiful Somali queen named Liquidspark. She was one in a litter of two kits, the queen’s first. Unbeknownst to the kits or Liquidspark’s Clan, the father of the kits was a warrior of ShardClan, a charcoal-gray tom named Shallowsmoke.
Liquidspark was a AeroClanner, born and bred herself. She took much pride in her Clan loyalty, and was steadfast in her obedience of the warrior code. Of course, it was quite obvious that something changed in her when she met Shallowsmoke.
She caught the tom while out on patrol one day, crossing the border with AeroClan as if the easily-identifiable scent-markers were not even there. There undoubtedly would have been a fight, had Shallowsmoke not quickly set his smooth talking into motion. The tom was a natural-born maker of excuses--not to mention an all-time flirt--and quickly won over Liquidspark, who was young and impressionable as he was at the time. She sent him away with a not-so-stern warning, secretly hoping that she would see the tom again.
For moons, Liquidspark watched the border with ShardClan carefully, insisting to herself that the tom she had inadvertently fallen head-over-heels for would return. She volunteered to go on every border patrol in that direction, even some of those in the direction of Fourtrees, hoping to catch a glimpse of Shallowsmoke.
It was at a Gathering several moons later that at last they met again; Shallowsmoke had been chosen to attend with ShardClan, while Liquidspark came representing AeroClan. The two young cats talked nearly the entire night, Shallowsmoke’s innate charm showing through like never before, and agreed to meet soon on the border.
At the arranged time and place, Liquidspark happily came to the border, waiting for several hours until Shallowsmoke showed up, “fashionably late”. She hardly cared about his tardiness, though, as he very convincingly asked her for her paw in mateship. Though stunned by the offer, the words that rolled so easily off of Shallowsmoke’s tongue enticed her, and she agreed. The two mated then and there, each promising to return to the same spot the following day.
Liquidspark came back to the ShardClan border the next day, heart leaping with anticipation. But, even though she waited for hours on end, thinking Shallowsmoke just being late as he was for their previous meeting, the tom did not show. She waited until nightfall, with no sign of Shallowsmoke even intending to come. The she-cat returned to the AeroClan camp somewhat disheartened, not speaking to even her closest friends about the incident.
For days afterward, the AeroClan warrior returned again and again to the border, hoping the their meeting had just slipped Shallowsmoke’s mind. She was certain that the tom had loved her, and watched for him every day until the point that she realized he would not come back for her. It had all been some sort of one-night stand for him, she deduced sadly - he had never truly loved her.
Heartbroken, Liquidspark returned to her duties in AeroClan, all the while keeping a secret the tom who had been her mate for only a day. Slowly, she overcame her sorrow, determined to forget Shallowsmoke and his betrayal.
But when she went to the medicine cat in hopes of alleviating a series of stomach cramps that she had been having, she received news that made it all the harder to forget: she was expecting kits. None of her Clan mates knew who the father was - many asked when she moved into the nursery, but Liquidspark refused to say. It was a queen’s right to secrecy, so no cat pushed her any harder than a simple request, even though the queen’s sister, Scarletfang, wished to know what had changed her sister’s disposition so suddenly.
For several moons, the she-cat bore what everyone deemed to be a small litter, until she came to term, and the day of her kitting arrived. It was a fairly easy labor, though she had no support from the kits’ father. She gave birth to two kittens: the first, Oakkit, a tom; and the younger of the two, Astralpace, who was then named Astralkit. Of the two, it was obvious that Oakkit most closely resembled his father, while Astralkit was definitely her mother’s daughter.
Despite the treachery of their father, Liquidspark loved her new kits with all of the ferocity that any mother would show. She took excellent care of them, keeping them close at all times, and protecting them from any given threat. Astralkit and Oakkit grew quickly, learning something different of the world around them each and every day.
When they were six moons old, Astralkit and Oakkit were ready to become apprentices. The two each eagerly anticipated the ceremony, and when they stood before the Clan, their excitement doubled. They were given the names Astralpaw and Oakpaw, and began their warrior training. Not even now that they were older did Liquidspark share the secret of their father’s identity, believing it would be too hard on the young cats.
Throughout their apprenticeships, Astralpaw and Oakpaw were often apart, yet they maintained a close bond. As the only two kits in their litter, they had always been close, and certainly did not allow their training to erase that bond. Oakpaw was very protective of his little sister, even though they were technically the same age, and saw it as his duty to shield her from any misfortune.
For a long five moons, the two apprentices trained side by side, each progressing quickly through their training. Each had their own strengths, Astralpaw’s being speed and agility, Oakpaw’s being his size and power in battle. When they fought in practice sparring matches, the two were a perfect match for each other, and neither could seem to ever get the upper paw.
In their eleventh moon, their mentors recommended to the Clan leader that they be made warriors. The two young cats were evaluated one last time in their hunting and fighting techniques, before the ceremony was officially arranged.
The anticipation Astralpaw and Oakpaw held for their upcoming warrior ceremony was even greater than that when they had become apprentices. As they stood before the Clan, and took their oaths to loyally serve AeroClan, they knew that their warrior ancestors were watching over them. They were given the names Astralpace and Oakclaw, and sat in silent vigil to guard the Clan that night.
For several moons that followed, Astralpace and Oakclaw faithfully served their Clan, almost always together as they had been for the previous seasons of their lives. But then, one day while out on a border patrol, tragedy struck that would tear them apart.
While patrolling near rogue territory, Astralpace and Oakclaw were ambushed by two large dogs, that had apparently escaped from their twolegs. The dogs were ferocious creatures, and though they fought like the true warriors they were, the two were not expecting the attack. Astralpace was badly wounded, and the dogs were lunging at her, when Oakclaw flung himself in the way. He was killed right before his sister’s eyes - and only moments later, a patrol of AeroClan warriors arrived, and helped to drive the dogs away. But it was too late for Oakclaw, who had died saving his little sister, and the one cat that he had sworn to protect above all others.
In the following days, Astralpace grieved tremendously for her lost brother. Her Clan mates were concerned by this, and tried time and again to reassure her that Oakclaw was still watching over her from his place in StarClan. But it did no good for the she-cat, who mourned even after her brother had been buried. She didn’t want a starry guardian who she could no longer see - all she wanted was her brother back.
As time passed, the raw grief for Oakclaw’s death lessened in Astralpace’s heart, until it was only a dull throb from the emotional wound of long ago. Almost twenty moons went by, and although she adapted back into Clan life, Astralpace distinctly felt the cavernous space left by her brother’s absence.
Finally, her mother Liquidspark took matters into her own paws. She took Astralpace on a trip some way into rogue territory, to a place that she had often come as a young warrior. A silent stream ran under a fallen fir tree, sparkling with a crystalline sheen about it - a peaceful place for those who felt such sadness. It was here that Liquidspark admitted to her daughter the secret she had kept so long about Shallowsmoke - and also told Astralpace that this was the place she had discovered while still nursing her broken heart.
Astralpace found herself calmed by the natural peace of the stream, and slowly, she began to accept both her brother’s death, and the true nature of her father’s identity. She had always suspected that perhaps he was not one of AeroClan, as she had never spoken to him before. Finally, her heart began to truly heal, and she thanked her mother for bringing her here.
And yet, fate proved cruel that day, as she and her mother began heading back to AeroClan territory. A small group of rogues attacked them, and although the two she-cats were able to fend them off, it was not without injury. Liquidspark lost much blood from her wounds, and even as mother and daughter crossed the border back into AeroClan territory, the strain on her body proved too much, and she passed into the paws of StarClan.
Astralpace was left alone in the world, very much so. Her aunt Scarletfang tried to comfort her as best she could, but Astralpace would hear none of it - she was the last member of her immediate family, or at least the last one that cared to mourn for her fallen mother. Her father never showed his face; she could not be sure if he even knew that Liquidspark had died.
It was around this time that Astralpace’s aunt became pregnant with her own litter. When the kits were born, though she rejoiced with the small family, she felt distinctly out of place among them. Even when little Eclipsekit came to call AeroClan home, and Scarletfang adopted him as her son, the little tom seemed better suited to the AeroClan camp than Astralpace herself now felt.
So, as she toiled through the moons, Astralpace planned to depart the world she had always known. She would make a new home in one of the other Clans, perhaps searching for her father along the way. Sorrowfully, she left without bidding farewell to her aunt, or any of her small cousins, of whom she had become fond despite her constant growing sadness.
After wandering for several moons, Astralpace came to ParadiseClan. She was well-known in her position as a warrior of AeroClan, but the ParadiseClanners accepted her anyway when she explained her reasons for leaving.
Astralpace adapted to the routines of ParadiseClan surprisingly well; it was almost as if she herself had been born and bred a ParadiseClanner, even though she had no ParadiseClan blood, to her knowledge. And all the while, she searched for any sign of her father, Shallowsmoke - if not hoping for a tearful reunion, then wishing for a chance to tell the tom what she really thought of him, and curse him for the rest of her life as a treacherous, heartbreaking tom.
But slowly, her grudge against her father took a back seat, as she served loyally in her new Clan. Although her oath had been made to AeroClan, now she was a faithful ParadiseClan cat through and through. She missed what distant family remained in AeroClan, oh yes; but she had no reason to go back to a place in which she didn’t feel as if she belonged.
Since then, having become a highly respected ParadiseClan warrior, Astralpace has remained bound to ParadiseClan, mind and heart. She has yet to find her missing father, unsure if he is even alive, but continues to search. Perhaps finding him will lend her some answers at last - but then again, perhaps her quest will be in vain. Despite all this, she has every intention of remaining a loyal ParadiseClan warrior, and serving her Clan in any way possible.
RP Example: ((I hope it’s ok if I use an RP example from another site. If not, I’ll write a new one as soon as I can.))
Soft moonlight shone down on the SuzakuClan camp, illuminating the empty clearing. No cat stirred, as all were tired from the day’s many activities. In the otherwise-still night air, the sounds of breathing could be heard from all around, sometimes accompanied by the echoing brush of fur on leaves as one of the Clan’s many members shifted in their nest. The breeze blew calmly through the undergrowth, gentle enough not to disturb the sleeping Clan cats. With it was brought a slight chill, a sign of the quickly approaching leaf-bare.
Several moonbeams found their way through the thick leaf coating of the warriors’ den, shedding glimmering light on the sleeping cats inside. None of the den’s occupants stirred, except for one lithe Bengal tom, whose eyes slowly drifted open.
Silentwind looked around at his sleeping den mates, without even giving the slightest tilt of his head. His golden eyes glowed an eerie, pale yellow color in the darkness, reflecting the light of the moon. There was something hidden in their depths, an anguished look of the utmost sorrow and pain. Mother… the young warrior thought, remembering the soft voice, the nurturing care of his mother. Shiningkit, Tigerpaw, Shadowpaw… The tom’s eyes were misty with tears, though they no longer spilled out; his sorrow had already been shown, so many times, over and over. His family, his only joy in life, and they were lost to him forever.
But that’s not true, he thought silently, an expression mixed of glee and horror creeping upon his face. They are with me, always, and I with them. Soon, it will happen again, and I will be with them once more. Thinking this, a contented smile spread over his face. It was the truth that he now knew, that during the hours of darkness, he walked closer to KirinClan than any medicine cat, than any leader. He was practically one of them.
A wave of cold suddenly engulfed Silentwind. It’s happening! he thought, and could hardly restrain himself from laughing aloud in happiness. Only when the change was complete, could he truly not be seen or heard. Looking down at his pelt, the young warrior saw the color of his fur changing. For a moment, it remained that of his ordinary form; then, in an instant, it became the color and sheen of the stars.
Now, Silentwind slowly rose, his eyes taking on the translucent, yet shimmering quality of KirinClan. No cat stirred around him, as he knew they would not. Now, no one could hear him, no one could see him. He was a spirit. “Mother, sisters, brother…” he whispered, stepping out of the den. “I am here now.”
Several voices spoke at once: “Hello, Silentwind,” said a small, high-pitched voice. “It felt like forever since you were able to talk with us!”
Silentwind nodded, absorbing the melodious sound of the voice. His sister, Shiningkit’s, voice. “Yes,” he replied, closing his eyes and drinking in once again the sound. “It has been too long, Shiningkit.”
Two other voices chimed in, “It was only last night, but it felt like a whole moon! We were here, just waiting to talk with you, Silentwind!” These were the words of his two younger siblings, Tigerpaw and Shadowpaw. “For that, I thank you two,” Silentwind responded, smiling. The feeling that he had right then, knowing that he was surrounded by his loving family, was one that, up until just three days ago, he thought he would never experience again.
“It’s so lovely up in KirinClan,” another, deeper voice said softly to him. The sound of the words was almost too much for Silentwind to bear; the voice belonged to his mother, Nightflower. “Why don’t you come and join us there, Silentwind?” the she-cat asked pleadingly. “Then, you could see us, and talk to us, even during the day!”
Silentwind felt a pang of uncertainty hit him. He was unable to see his mother and siblings, even now that he, too, was a spirit. If he went with them, he could see them, feel them, be with them. But could he really abandon his life in SuzakuClan? To him, it was a sacrifice that he could easily make, but something held him back, tugging at his heart. “I’m sorry, mother, but I can’t,” he replied, feeling ashamed that he had refused the spirits’ request. “I am not ready yet. Perhaps soon, I will.”
There was silence for a moment, as if Nightflower was pondering this. Then, she said quietly, “Yes. Soon, my dear child, soon will you join us. I am sure of it.” Her voice was kind and gentle, but there was an underlying threat to her words. Silentwind felt a shiver go down his spine, and he only nodded, not knowing what to say.
“Silentwind,” Shiningkit said, breaking into his thoughts. “Why do you suppose it happened like it did?” Her tone was confused, almost jealous.
Silentwind swallowed nervously, certain of what she spoke of. “Why what happened?” he asked, hoping against hope that it was not what he was thinking.
“Why we died, and you survived,” Shiningkit said harshly, all of her friendliness dissipating in an instant. Silentwind flinched away from her angry tone, though he remained standing in the clearing. “You know why it happened,” he said slowly, trying to retain his composure. “The curse, the curse upon our father. That was what killed you.”
“But, Silentwind,” Tigerpaw suddenly reentered the conversation. “Why didn’t you die, as well?” The dead apprentice also sounded angry, though not as much so as his older sister. “Yes, why, Silentwind?” Shadowpaw’s outraged voice chimed in. “Why do you get to keep living here, while our lives were destroyed by the curse?!”
Silentwind shook his head, and opened his eyes. The first milky fingers of dawn were beginning to streak across the sky. “It’s not my fault you died!” he cried angrily, determined to prove his family wrong. “It’s not! It’s not my fault!” He felt suddenly like yowling his heart out to KirinClan, but remained silent. He could not speak against his family like this, his heart would break, shatter into thousands of shards. “Goodbye, mother, Shiningkit, Tigerpaw, Shadowpaw,” he said quietly, turning back toward the warriors’ den. “I will talk to you tomorrow night.”
Just as he entered the den, their voices called out to him again: “We don’t blame you for our deaths, Silentwind. We are sorry.” The words were spoken with sincerity, and remorse. Silentwind once again felt the same sense of love and security, and he whispered, “I know.”
Then, the sun crested the horizon, throwing brilliant light over the treetops. Silentwind lay down on the floor of the warriors’ den, where he transformed back into his living state of being. No longer could he hear his siblings’ greetings, or his mother’s loving, kind words.
The last thing Silentwind felt before falling back to sleep was an undeniable pang of loss and longing.
