Post by S C O R P I A on Jun 30, 2011 14:08:33 GMT -6
[/size]Appearance
FUR
---Texture
Though Chillstar has a pelt that is fairly simple, she does have a striking beauty about her. She takes pride in grooming and is very finicky about keeping it absolutely perfect, so she tends to look more like a RushClanner than an EternalClanner, do to her fur's sleek look. There is never anything caught in her it, and nothing is ever sticking up in the wrong direction. To the touch Chillstar's fur is as soft and silky smooth, she found that eating fish any chance she could helps it to stay this way, though this is rare in EternalClan (she does it even though the taste is repulsive to her, she doesn't understand how RushClanners can stand it.) The thickness of her fur is mostly the same over her entire body, though it bushes out the slightest bit on her tail.
--- Markings
To put things simply, Chillstar is a tabby. Her undercoat is white, and in the right light this she-cat can look just that color when in fact she is not. Webbed across her entire body are a combination of light silver and dark gray stripes, darkening closer to her face. Below and around her eyes the color dramatically lightens to white, and although it blends well with the gray and silver it makes her eyes stand out more than anything else on her body. On Chillstar's jaw the stripes slant sideways, almost creating a second whisker look, and she has the traditional 'M' tabby shape on her forehead. Her maw is white, spreading down her neck slightly, soon to be taken over by her tabby stripes. Her tail is bangled lightly with a gray tip.
BUILD
Do to many moons of hard work with little food, Chillstar's body has been 'trained' so to speak, to live off little and maintain a very lean frame. For a she-cat the leader is actually very toned, and if you pay attention closely you can see a muscle ripple under her pelt here and there. At the same time, though, Chillstar has narrow shoulders and a small build for a warrior, something to be expected from most she-cats. Her legs are no longer than average, though she is a high jumper due her toned haunches and a lot of practice throughout her life. Paws are small and body proportioned for her to be a fast runner and climber, though not exactly for battle. Quickness is her biggest advantage, along with strategy and, naturally, practice.
EYES
Chillstar's eyes, much like her pelt, are simple, yet stunning. They are what sparked her name. In shape, they are more round than oval, tilted slightly inward toward the bridge of her nose, her pupils small slits directly in the center. This, however, was not what reminded this leader's mother of the chill of winter. No, it was the striking blue color of these orbs that released such a memory, and in fact what makes them special. In fact, Chillstar's eyes may be the only part of her that is particularly inviting at first glance, though of course her body language will probably scare you away before you can get close enough to truly appreciate them. Specifically, they are a royal blue in color, though if you really focus in on them you can see light blue flecks, specifically around the outer edge. Generally Chillstar tries not to reflect emotion though her eyes, but of course this doesn't usually work, which is the main reason she avoids eye contact when upset.
SCARS
Although scars are the pride and joy of most cats, Chillstar is not a big fan. Instead of making her feel pride that she had participated in battle, it instead makes her feel weak, as though her battle skills were not up to par enough to evade the attacks that cause them. Luckily for this she-cat, her body is generally quick to heal without marking, leaving her with very few noticeable scars. The first she ever received was during apprenticeship, sent into a boarder skirmish at the age of only 7 moons. Chillstar's inexperience caused her to be an easy target, and she ended with a large wound down the left side of her face, leaving a crescent moon shaped scar. The second is a small scratch and patch of missing fur on her right front paw, from when she got it partially caught in a very old two-leg trap.Personality
DEFENSIVE
Chillstar does not enjoy it when people try to correct her. Her mentor used to call her the queen of excuses, because for every chastisement she received she would have a reason for why she did something wrong. This has followed her to this day, to the point where most cats don't even try. Chillstar will defend herself and her reasons forever, always with the mindset that the 'challenging' cat will think of her as weak if she gives in. This has been something that is a problem during Gatherings; this leader is always quick to defend EternalClan and blame things on the challenging clan. A few times, this has gotten her into unnecessary boarder scuffles, extra patrols, and just extra work in general.
INSOMNIAC
Ever since Chillstar was young she has had problems sleeping. When she was a kit her parents would wake up to find her out of the Nursery, then panic and start to search, only to find out she was just sitting outside looking at the stars. They thought it was just a phase but it followed her into the apprentice den as well, and though her parents and mentor worried she wasn't getting enough sleep it never seemed to effect her. This problem has escalated over the years, however, and as an adult Chillstar sometimes finds herself sleep deprived. It probably has something to do with the fact that she worries about everything and never lets herself relax. Oddly, however, this leader finds that she is most thoughtful and gets her best ideas at night, so she refuses to ever call this a curse.
HARD TO PLEASE
The expectation Chillstar has for other cats is not nearly as high as she has for herself, but she is still extremely difficult to please. She is a controlling, over your shoulder staring type of cat, and many times doesn't even realize how she may be making them nervous or annoyed. Even if she was though, she probably wouldn't care. Chillstar tends to watch, comment often, and sometimes ends up sending the cat off to do something else while she does it right. Her philosophy tends to be 'my way or the highway,' along with 'your opinion is wrong.' Generally cats just smile and nod, agreeing with her tends to be the best way to go about things. Chillstar's recognition and praise really go a long way though, and you know you have seriously done something well if she tells you that you have.
INTELLIGENT
Intelligence was always something that Chillstar had been taught was important. Her father used to drill her on her history day and night, and she is known for the random facts that she spews out during conversation. She prides herself in knowing the answer to any question someone can come up with, and gets flustered and angry if she forgets something. Chillstar is very passionate about knowledge, and many of the lessons she has learned in life have come from listening to the stories of strong, brave cats from long ago. She was one of those apprentices who adored trips to the elders' den simply because of the things she learned. Her forte is battle strategy and although she tends to over think other things in life, this is the area where she simply seems to know what to do. It is all very logical to her, merely about knowing the weaknesses and strengths of your opponents.
IMPATIENT
Get it done right, and get it done fast if you want to stay on Chillstar's good side. She isn't one to wait around for things to get finished, and is more likely to take over someone's job if she feels they are taking too long. This leader has to be constantly doing something or another to keep herself from having to wait for anything. Leafbare is her favorite season because, literally, she keeps so busy Chillstar physically can't hover over anyone to get things finished. This is really helpful for everyone else during that time, because warriors have enough to do then having to worry about their leader watching their every move. During Greenleaf, however, she gets really antsy and stir crazy, so, unfortunately, the clan tends to get the worst side of her.
BLUNT/DOESN'T SHOW FEELINGS
Chillstar is not a hider of opinions. Even sometimes without being provoked she will tell someone exactly what she thinks. This she-cat doesn't really believe in 'saying things nicely' and isn't usually at all aware of the emotions of the other cat. Criticism has never effected her in that way, so she simply figures that it will just encourage them to do better, which is of course not always the case. Chillstar has yet to learn, even after all these moons, that she really shouldn't compare other's emotions to herself. Feelings are not something she shows, in fact she tends to bottle them up, letting them fester until they burst forcefully out of her in the form of anger. Her good intentions of wanting to appear cheerful and optimistic tend to backfire because of this.
INTIMIDATING
First impressions tend to not go over so well for Chillstar. She tends to be awkward around cats she doesn't know well, and can come across as emotionless or sometimes just plain mean. Her body language can seem stiff and uncomfortable and, basically, she isn't very approachable. Chillstar avoids the Nursery at all costs for this reason, because kits all seem to be afraid of her and their constant jabber gives her a headache. She hates them not liking her, and because she isn't very good with them feels that staying away is the best option. Chillstar has absolutely no desire for either kits or a mate at this point in her life, and in fact has never understood why leaders would ever want another thing to have to worry about. She wouldn't be good in a relationship and has enough on her plate as it is.
SELF CRITICAL
Chillstar puts a lot of pressure on herself, to put things simply. Achievements accomplished by her that other cats would find admirable are mediocre in her mind, there was always something she could have done better. She is the queen of second guesses, and although confident and collected on the outside, this leader is constantly in a battle with herself, trying to decide whether or not her decision was correct. Chillstar often over thinks things, turning small tasks into things that keep her up at night. Simple conversations turn into paranoia, and she often feels as though she is being analyzed. Her extreme perfectionism is great for the clan, because on the outside she is seemingly the perfect leader, someone to admire, and someone who really cares about her job. However, the amount of stress that Chillstar puts on herself really takes a toll, and occasionally she will snap and go through a few days of completely not caring. This will go on for a bit, and the deputy will take charge. Soon she'll snap out of it and go back to being her normal self.
PURE BLOOD BELIEFS
For someone in EternalClan, outsiders really don't sit well with Chillstar. In fact, ever since she was young, hearing about kittypets joining ThunderClan many, many moons ago simply angered her. One story that really sets her off was from when Firestar (a cat she doesn't like in the slightest bit) was still leader. Not only did he allow a kittypet into the clan, but he let her keep her name. Chillstar could never remember what the name was, but she remembers it being exceedingly stupid. It makes her worry that she isn't of pure EternalClan blood, which is simply unacceptable. This she-cat is one of those leaders who would chase a kittypet out of her territory before you can say foxdung, and won't let anyone try to convince her otherwise.
History
KITHOOD
Chillstar's parents were what you could call... unique. Owlscreech, her father and barely a young warrior at the time her birth, was quite the card. He was bossy and full of himself, yet had a sort of charm that made him attractive to she-cats, and he knew it. He was the 'rebel' type that for whatever reason was exactly what everyone wanted. Any relationships he had barely lasted, though, he tended to get bored and move on within a moon. Owlscreech had known Brookflow since they were kits, and she seemed to be the only one who was really able to see his compassionate side. He never saw her in that way, but treating her like a friend was what brought them together, not to mention the fact that she barely talked and was extremely tolerant to his 'moments.' Well, needless to say, the two lovebirds were barely warriors when Brookflow found out she was expecting kits.
It isn't easy to be pregnant at 14 moons. I found myself waddling around when all of my friends were enjoying their new warrior tasks, and of course I felt jealous. But its not as uncommon as you think for cats at that age to have kits, and Hazelwing, our medicine cat at the time, assured me that then was actually the healthiest time to reproduce, so that became my reason. I was actually fairly mature for my age, though I have no idea why I chose Owlscreech. He was immature, arrogant, and way to flirty with other she-cats, but he was so romantic... I know that half of my friends would have killed to have him as a mate, but he always told me I was his one and only. Sometimes he would make me so mad, but he always found a way to make it up to me. And great StarClan when Chillkit was born.... it was like his heart melted. It was adorable, and he became a better father then I ever imagined possible.
Owlscreech's behavior when Chillkit was born was comparable to that of a first day apprentice. Cats who saw him say that he was bouncing around like a rabbit on catnip, sprinting back and forth between the steam outside camp and the nursery. Some described it as amusing, others pathetic. Nontheless, for the first time in his life, Owlscreech didn't care what others thought of him. Brookflow got lucky, the birth was quick and easy compared to many other queens, but the tom was panicked the entire time, constantly asking if there was something he could do. Hazelwing kept sending him out to fetch water, mostly just so there was more room in the Nursery and because he was making things harder on everyone without meaning to. Brookflow was her normal, calm, collected self, and once finished simply brought her kit close and fell asleep.
For the first moon of Chillstar's life her father did nothing but brag about her. Chillkit opened her eyes! She was moving faster than other kits in the nursery, she has the most gorgeous blue eyes. As soon as anything different happened, the entire clan knew within a day. Owlscreech went on and on about how successful she was going to be, how far she was going to go, and how smart she was going to be. As soon as Chillkit could speak her father was teaching her things and telling her stories about her ancestors, he wanted her to have an upper leg to the other apprentices when she reached six moons. He never let up, interrupting play sessions with her friends to practice hunting crouches and basic battle moves. These soon turned more complicated and Owlscreech was trying to teach Chillkit things far beyond her age. To everyone else he seemed to be the perfect father, but they never saw the side of him that his daughter did, and his random outbursts of frustration only got worse during her apprenticeship.
APPRENTICESHIP
"Again, Chillpaw, but do it right this time!"
Owlscreech's words bit into the she-cat like a thorn. Sighing, she closed her eyes and attempted to concentrate. Jump, swipe, roll, kick. It wasn't that complicated, so why was she having so much trouble? At least it wasn't as hot now, Sunhigh was awful. The fact that it was reaching dusk already concerned her, though, would Waspflight find out she was out practicing with her father again? She hoped she wouldn't be too tired the next morning. For a moment Chillpaw kneaded her paws on the ground, and looked up to make eye contact with her father to show she was ready to try again. The apprentice had heard many of her friends talk about how sometimes during battle training things seemed to go in slow motion. Chillpaw thought that was a bunch of foxdung. Every time she worked with Owlscreech things seemed even faster paced than with her own mentor, and it felt as though she couldn't concentrate. Today, naturally, was no exception.
Before you could say Firestar, Chillpaw's father was darting at her, kicking up tufts of grass behind him and with a frightening look in his eyes. The apprentice flexed her muscles and narrowed her eyes, bracing herself. When Owlscreech was about a tail length away she launched into the air, leaping over her father. When her paws landed however, she lost her hold in the ground and her hind paw slipped, leaving her a split second behind. Chillpaw panicked and tried to recover, but it was no use. Owlscreech turned and had her pinned within a few heartbeats and the apprentice felt her pelt go hot with embarrassment. Today had not gone well at all. When her father finally let her up she gave her chest a few quick licks and avoided eye contact with him. The warrior let out a low growl, "You're not trying hard enough!" Chillpaw cringed; she hated seeing Owlscreech like this.
"I'm sorr-" The apprentice was cut off with a hiss from the tom. "Sorry catches no prey." His voice was thick with anger, "Maybe if you had a better model than that mousebrained Waspflight you could learn something for once." Owlscreech's tail lashed, and he closed his eyes in an obvious attempt to regain his temper. The warrior continued in a slightly gentler tone, "It isn't your fault. I should have been chosen to mentor you. Waspflight is confusing you and getting in the way. She's holding you back." Chillpaw felt him run his tail along her flank, and as usual was shocked by his sudden change in temperament. The apprentice really didn't feel as though her mentor was a bad teacher at all. In fact, she found that she learned quickly from Waspflight because she was so laid back. Chillpaw felt comfortable around her. But why shouldn't she be comfortable around Owlscreech? After all, he was her father. All the young she-cat could do was blink in agreement.
What side was she supposed to take?
Waspflight was indeed the perfect match for Chillpaw. She had a good heart and was kind, easy going, and very relaxed during training. Although young, she had a way of explaining things that helped the apprentice to understand things quickly, and she was progressing at a very rapid rate compared to her peers. On the other hand, though, Waspflight and Owlscreech did not get along. Chillpaw's father had his heart set on being his daughter's mentor, and when that didn't happen he became nosy and controlling about her training. At first it was small things, innocent questions and asking for updates, but when he started to spy in on her sessions, things started to get dramatic. He claimed that her mentor was teaching incorrectly, and started taking Chillpaw out for extra practice when she had free time. The apprentice became overworked and confused about who to listen to. Waspflight complained to the deputy, and Owlscreech was forbidden to do this anymore, but it didn't stop him from badmouthing her.
Chillpaw's very first battle was over territory on the RushClan boarder, and it was the first time the apprentice had even unsheathed her claws for this reason. Some would call it fate that it was this moment StarClan had chosen for her, though others would simply say it was just the wake up call she needed. Whatever side you take, it was a small skirmish that changed her life. Chillpaw had rushed into the fray just as her father had always told her, keeping her head up high and proud. There were a couple small, yet effective moves that Waspflight had showed her, but she felt like a kit using them. Owlscreech had always said that if it wasn't complicated to learn, there was no way it would work against a warrior. So Chillpaw tried something she had learned from her father, it was confusing to her, but she was sure it would work. Well, at least Owlscreech was, and that was all that mattered, right?
What Chillpaw didn't know was that that particular battle move was taught to her at far too young of an age. It was something that didn't require just skill, but also strength, size, and above all, experience. The RushClan warrior she had chosen to attack had all of those things, and her plan completely backfired. Chillpaw felt claws rake the side of her face and yowled out in frustration. She was tired of failing! The amount of rage that flowed through her veins was surprising to even her, and she fought the rest of the battle with such fierce that adrenaline took over, six moons of bottled up frustration all came out at one moment, and within a few heartbeats Chillpaw realized something: Owlscreech was not always right. Waspflight wasn't the one holding her back, it was him!
In the next few moons, Chillpaw's progress skyrocketed. She was determined to become the best at everything, only this time, she could listen to Waspflight wholeheartedly and not worry about her being wrong. She would come up with reasons not to practice with Owlscreech, and instead would go out on her own and put in more effective time than ever before. Chillpaw decided that she didn't care anymore, and that with or without her father breathing down her neck, she was going to be the absolute best warrior possible. Naturally Owlscreech began to notice his rejection, and became bitter and snappy toward her. The clan began to see him more as the father that he really was, not what he appeared to be. He no longer bragged about his daughter. Chillpaw tried not to worry about it, but deep down she still desperately strived for Owlscreech's approval. Approval she knew she would never achieve.
WARRIORHOOD
"Waspflight, are you satisfied that this apprentice is ready to become a warrior?"
Chillpaw took a quiet breath and closed her eyes as the ceremony started. She had waited for this moment for moons, after hours and hours of training and practicing, it was finally time. The best day in her life was finally here. Or at least it should have been the best day in her life. She was young, ready to continue life in the clan as a full blown warrior; her dream, what she had been working so hard for. Chillpaw’s brilliant blue eyes opened once more as she subtly scanned the cats gathered for the ceremony. After a few moments they landed upon Owlscreech, who was sitting, tail wrapped neatly around his paws. The apprentice’s heart sunk as she saw his amber gaze narrow and his head turn to the side, avoiding eye contact with her. After all these moons it really shouldn’t have affected her, but it was hard being ignored by your own father. It was as if Chillpaw didn’t even exist anymore.
“Yes, Shrewstar, she has trained hard and is ready.”
The young she-cat snapped out of her daze as her mentor spoke. Waspflight’s voice was strong, confident. The apprentice had often admired that about her, believing in herself had never been her strong suit. Chillpaw met her mentor’s eyes and was given an encouraging nod.
“I, Shrewstar, leader of EternalClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down upon this apprentice. She has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend her to you as a warrior in her turn. Chillpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and defend this clan, even at the cost of your life?”
Great StarClan, she felt as though her heart was going to beat out of her chest.
“I do.” The statement was simple, yet it meant so much. The apprentice kicked herself, her voice sounded shaky. This was important, why couldn’t she stop acting like such a kit?
“Then by the powers of StarClan I give you your warrior name. Chillpaw, from now on, you will be known as Chillsight. EternalClan welcomes you as a full warrior.”
“Chillsight, Chillsight, Chillsight!” Her clanmates’ voices echoed in her ears as her new name was given. The she-cat felt ready to faint, as if her heart was ready to beat out of her chest. She was only concerned about one thing. The warrior pushed her way through the crowd, trying to look over heads for a familiar gray tabby pelt. As the newly named Chillsight reached an opening however, her heart sunk. Brilliant blue eyes watched sadly as she watched the end of Owlscreech’s tail slip out the entrance to camp. It was no use hiding her disappointment, no one was paying attention anyway and after a few quick congratulations the crowd began to dissipate.
And all she could do was stare as the last of her dwindling relationship with her father slipped from her grasp.
Chillsight now shared a den with Owlscreech, but it seemed as though he avoided her at all costs. She would try to talk to him and he would just nod or blow her off completely. If they were scheduled to patrol together it was silent and awkward for everyone, and eventually it just stopped happening all together. After a few moons Chillsight simply stopped trying, much to her dismay. Her and Waspflight became even closer than before; going from a mentor apprentice relationship to a simple friendship. They told each other everything. There was an age difference, but that didn’t stop them. Waspflight had her first litter of kits when Chillsight was 18 moons. Her mate wasn’t in the picture, so when they were born the two friends chose names together.
Lightkit was simple, looking much like her mother. She had a sandy ginger pelt and pale green eyes. As far as personality she was laid back, quiet, easy to get along with. It took a lot to make her angry, and for her age Lightkit was surprisingly mature. Echokit was the runt, but was feisty and defensive. She never liked to be screwed with, and her hotheadedness got her into trouble. She lacked common sense at times, and wasn't the sharpest thorn in the bush, but boy could she fight. Echokit looked much like her sister, but with light gray eyes and nearly half the size. Sandkit was the bossy one. She was stubborn and demanded to get her way. If that didn't happen she'd have a fit. She and Lightkit were impossible to tell apart unless you knew them. The only difference was in the eyes, Sandkit's were a significantly brighter green.
Flashkit was the only tom of the litter, and also the only one with any noticeable resemblance to his father. His pelt was mostly white with splotches of brown and light tan along his sides and tail. His eyes were light amber. As far as personality, growing up in a Nursery full of she-cats certainly took its tole. Flashkit learned to be agreeable, though he was never very opinionated to begin with. He had thick skin. Echokit, Sandkit, Lightkit and Flashkit were the siblings that Chillsight never had. They were the only kits she felt comfortable around. Although the warrior loved all of them as if they were her own kits, she was especially close to Flashkit. They understood each other.
It wasn't a surprise to even Chillsight when she was chosen to be his mentor, but the day her name was announced her heart still skipped a beat. Flashpaw was a hard worker, and other warriors tended to joke that the two were together more often than a mother and her kit. Chillsight always though of Flashpaw and his siblings as her younger brothers and sisters, so to her this wasn't an insult in the slightest. Throughout the next six moons, mentor and apprentice trained, growing closer day by day. There was a nagging feeling in the bad of Chillsight's mind, though, that made her feel as though Flashpaw reminded her of someone. Some days during battle training there was a certain look in the tom's eyes, but the warrior simply couldn't put her paw on it. And as much as she tried to ignore it, the feeling kept popping back up in her mind.
Before Chillsight could even wrap her mind around the fact that she had an apprentice, it was time for his warrior ceremony. She sat back proudly as Flashpaw was named Flashfoot, honored for his Speed and Self Control. As his name was shouted out by his clan mates and he stuck his chest out with pride, Chillsight almost found herself shuddering from the memory of her own ceremony, and instinctively began looking around for Owlscreech. She saw him near the back of the crowd, eyes narrowed, tail flickering back and forth. Their gaze met and Chillsight gasped. The look in his eyes.... Flashfoot had his eyes. The warrior stepped back and Owlscreech sneered before turning around and leaving camp, just as he had done moons ago.
Chillsight felt frozen to the spot. She couldn't think straight. The warriors eyes darted back and forth between Flashfoot and the exit to camp, her breath coming out in short gasps. No. NO. This couldn't have happened. Chillsight must have looked seriously distraught because she soon felt a tail brush down her flank.
"Hey, are you ok?"
Waspflight's words took a while to absorb, and she just looked back at her mentor with a blank expression for a while.
"How could you not tell me?" Her voice was thick with mixed emotions. Fear, anger, hatred, and sadness. Waspflight's eyes widened. Chillsight took a few steps back and shook her head, then turned and sprinted out of camp.
DEPUTYSHIP
LEADERSHIP
Kin[/center]
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