Swiftstar Leader of Windclan

[Dreamer]

name, Swiftstar

past names, Swiftkit, Swiftpaw, Swiftspirit

age, 51 moons

gender, Tom

clan, Windclan

family,

MOTHER: Bluesky - Mostly white she-cat with a black tail and black patches and lovely blue eyes

FATHER: Blackhawk - Brown tabby with black stripes and luminous amber eyes

SIBLING(S): Icefeather - White she-cat with brown tabby patches and light blue eyes

Mate and Kits: None at the moment

short description, black and white tom with bright yellow eyes

appearance,

American Shorthair X Egyptian Mau X Feral Shorthair

When you first meet this exuberant tom you may consider him a tall but gangly and overgrown apprentice. He does not necessarily look old, and he certainly doesn’t act it. While he has long legs and is taller than some cats this is only compared to his clan, as compared to most Thunderclan cats he is only average. His long legs however seem to give an impression of his being taller than he truly is. Otherwise he is very much built like any other Windclan cat, with a slim build and streamlined body proportions for better running. Swiftstar had Egyptian Mau ancestors, and thus has inherited both the longer back legs which make him seem to be walking on tiptoes.

His fur is short, and smooth, bordering on the coarser but shinier side. As for his coloring it is nothing necessarily special, almost a uniform ebony black, broken only by some bits of white like his muzzle, toes, and tail-tip. In surprising contrast to the white is his light pink nose, whose hue is copied on his callused paw pads. His ivory fangs are of an average length, as are his clear but sharply curved claws. It often seems like Swiftstar captures the sun’s rays in his eyes, as they are a bright yellow with darker amber flecks.

personality,

Swiftspirit is known for being a very good-natured cat. He's very optimistic, and often sees things as a joke. He is strong and confident of his abilities, and also very smart. He may be playful and sometimes immature, but he knows when it’s time to be serious.

This tom could be considered a little nosy, dropping in on conversations that really wouldn't concern him and taking an interest in things that aren't his business, but this is how he feels that the clan will be safe.

His favorite prey is definitely rabbit, which he always says holds the flavors and essence of the moor, while his least favorite prey is Blackbird, which he thinks carries the taste and attitude of Shadowclan. When morning comes he is a little grumpy, he hates the beginning of the morning routine with a passion, but this is usually remedied by a well-placed snooze at sunhigh, when he can relax a little.

He is afraid mostly of storms and lightning due to a particularly violent one that hit his clan when he was a kit. The memory of the howling and crashing of the wind and water against the sandstone has never left him, and when he sees dark clouds on the horizon he tends to get nervous and tries to keep his clan as close to camp as possible.

When it comes to Swiftspirit's strengths and weaknesses it is well to remember how he stands in Windclan. Unlike many Windclan cats, Swiftspirit is black and white, at a distinct disadvantage in the browns and golds of the grass and heather. He has had to develop a sense of cunning and speed as a result of this. That said he is a very quick cat, in battle he is known for his taunts to unbalance opponents while he carefully watches and judges their movements. Since he is not very strong he has to avoid getting pinned down, or he's in trouble.

To most she-cats in his clan he is very much like a big brother, always joking around and bothering them to no end. Sometimes he'll pop up from nowhere and scare cats in the strangest situations, just to see their reactions. Many times he has been called a charmer and is known for his smooth and warm remarks, usually in fun, but it is obvious when a certain she-cat has really caught his attention.

Then of course there are the younger toms of the clan, which he very gleefully teases and offers romantic advice to, whether they want it or not.

Toward outsiders he is cautious, but usually friendly, of course, under that friendliness, is a sense of care. If he thinks the other is a threat it will be eliminated. To toms he is very much a friend, and often gives romantic advice whether they want it or not.

Although Swiftspirit is friendly to the medicine cats, he has always been wary of getting near the medicine cat den, something about it always makes him sneeze violently, and even being around the medicine cats sometimes elicits this reaction. He has been told he is allergic to some herb, though they aren't sure what.

stats,

- Hunting / Stalking - ******
- Battling Knowledge - *******
- Herbal Knowledge - **
- Endurance -*****
- Tactical - ******
- Speed -**********
- Defense - ******
- Attack -********


history,

Bluesky and Blackhawk were average Windclan warriors that had been in love since their days as apprentices. For many moons they were content to be with each other, but they were certainly overjoyed at the news that Bluesky was expecting. At Blackhawk’s insistence she moved into the nursery immediately. It was a good thing she did. After a long and difficult pregnancy she finally gave birth to two healthy kits in late greenleaf, a she-kit and a tom, almost losing her life in the process. She named the first kit, the tom, Swiftkit, for the speed with which he started moving and mewling, and the she-kit Icekit, after bright white of her pelt.

Swiftkit had very active and loving parents that were willing to hunt for him and Icekit and spend a large amount of time playing with them. Swiftkit and Icekit grew up with a very close bond, but were very competitive with each other, always attempting to outdo the other. They were known to frequently attempt leaving camp, but were usually brought back by their father who was quite insistent they stay there. They also enjoyed listening to ancient tales of old, of Cheetahclan and such. Even though the elders were a little grumpy they were always worth listening to. Around four moons a storm hit windclan territory, not much fiercer than usual, but to a kit it was scary. Swiftkit had never seen such fearsome lightning and pounding water, and he began to fear water and lightning from that day on. Soon Swiftkit and Icekit were ready to be apprenticed.

Swiftkit became Swiftpaw, and was apprenticed to a sour tom named Thorntooth. Swiftpaw always tried to do his best, but Thorntooth seemed to find fault in everything he did, meanwhile his sister was rising quickly in the eyes of the clan. She was a successful hunter in every way and was an incredible fighter, she was beautiful and charming. Everyone loved her and praised her for her greatness, and Swiftpaw sat in the background, stuck with a sourpuss for a mentor. Soon he got angry at her and jealous of her popularity, refusing to talk to her or even acknowledge her. One day while Swiftpaw and his mentor were patrolling Thunderclan territory line they got involved in a border dispute. Swiftpaw fought hard and ended up saving his mentor’s life as well as that of another clanmate. Immediately the situation was reversed and Swiftpaw found himself made a warrior for his courage. He was given the name Swiftspirit.

For several moons Swiftspirit fought and hunted as any warrior should. He was given one apprentice, Robinpaw, who he trained hard, and he became a warrior a moon ahead of the usual time and was named Robinstorm. He was strong and caring and Swiftspirit was very proud of him.

It was a sad day when the deputy decided that it was time to retire. Swiftspirit was among the crowd of sympathetic but not necessarily shocked clanmates, when he suddenly found himself named the new deputy. Confused, but accepting, the tom took his post.
The leader at the time, though not necessarily old, confided a secret into the young and newly raised deputy.

She was dying.

It was a slow thing, a process which the medicine cats could not cure merely with herbs and it would not be long before she would not be able to continue as leader. She had her lives, four left according to her count, but she did not want to leave her clan in a weakened state just because she was weak herself. So she had decided that she would leave her clan strong, by taking on Swiftspirit as deputy, and teaching him how to lead, so that when she did go, he would be able to take over and lead without difficulty.

He was some forty three moons when she passed on, losing her last life to the sickness that had ravaged her. Duty lay heavy on his shoulders, and he went to the moonspring to receive his nine lives. Once he had, he came back as leader for Windclan, determined to be the best leader he could be, and watch over his clan so that they could be safe.
Over the last eight moons he has led his clan well. Under him Windclan has prospered and he has been strong. Unfortunately, already he has lost a life, a life lost in defense of his clanmates against a dog. Otherwise all has been well.

nine lives,

Hope, Loyalty, Trust, Love, Wisdom, Humor, Courage, Compassion, Humility

roleplay example,

(Nine lives ceremony)

A dark pelted tom padded slowly across the territory, hunched against the great winds that blew against him through the trees. Beside him, his medicine cat strode, but Swiftspirit ignored the other cat, concentrating on each step. And he definitely needed to. The grief of losing Brightstar was still fresh, still raw. She had had a good life, sure, but even so, he wished she had not had to die that way, emaciated, weak, her once beautiful green eyes dull and her fur unkept. The vigil had been so difficult for him, as he stood with his clanmates. But he persevered, and tonight he would gain his nine lives so that he himself could lead the clan, be what Brightstar had always hoped he would someday be.

Numbed, time passed sluggishly, like snail across a rock, but also quicker than a blink. Soon he stood at the river, the one where so long ago an apprentice had received a message from Starclan. Here, the deputy’s journey would officially begin. At his medicine cat’s behest, he lay down and touched his nose to the water…
Waking, he found himself in a meadow, at first Swiftspirit blinked blearily, and then shot to his paws, mouth wide open as he stared around at the sea of silvery luminescent cats surrounding him. He shook his head. He was not his normal self, not these days, so he forced himself to calm. And to smile. The cats were beautiful and they whispered encouragingly to him.

“Step Forth Swiftspirit.”

The sound rang in the stillness, crackling compared to the gentle whispers he had heard before. Startled but not surprised, Swiftspirit padded through the cats, watching quietly as they parted around him. He finally arrived at the middle of the clearing to find a line of cats awaiting him.

Brightstar stood there, foremost, her green eyes vivacious once more. She smiled gently at Swiftspirit, before raising her head and calling out.

“Swiftspirit! You have shown yourself capable to lead your clan, now, are you ready to receive your lives, and take this burden?”

Sudden pride filled the black and white tom and he stood tall, looking her straight in the eye.

“Yes, I am ready.”

Brightstar nodded and stepped back as a she-cat padded forward from the cats who were to give him his lives. He realized in shock that this was Lilylight, an elder that had passed when he was only a kit. There was no sign of her raggedy fur, no hint of a rasp to her voice, now she just stood before him, eyes twinkling.

“Swiftspirit I give you a life of hope, so that no matter how dark, how desolate the world may seem, you will always remember. There is hope.”

With a seeming gentleness she touched noses with him.

He gasped, nearly staggering, as what seemed to be shard of ice shot through his body, and his vision started to go dark. For a second he nearly panicked, despair hovering on the edge of his mind, and then from the deep cold a glimmer of warmth came and suddenly the ice was gone, replaced by this warmth, this promise. Hope would never die.
It took him several more seconds to recover, but then he stood, ready to receive his next life.

A tom approached this time, and Swiftspirit smiled warmly at his old mentor. For once Thorntooth seemed to be smiling, he seemed proud.

“You were once my student Swiftspirit, but soon I grew to learn from you. I have one last lesson to give however. I give you a life of loyalty.”

And they touched noses.

This time Swiftspirit braced himself for the pain, and was surprised when it didn’t come, at least not at first. Suddenly he felt as if hundreds of tiny creatures were biting his fur, and he hissed in shock. He remembered then what Thorntooth had said, and he forced himself to focus on why he was here. He was here to lead his clan, to protect them. The pain subsided.

Another cat stepped forward, an apprentice by the looks of him. He padded up, eyes solemn.

“I am Streampaw. Once I was an apprentice of Riverclan, but I was selfish, paranoid. I trusted no one and feared everything, including the water. Eventually it was my downfall. So now I give to you this, a life of trust. You cannot always know everything, but with the strength of your clan and friends and family behind you, little can go wrong.”

The young tom stretched up and touched noses with Swiftspirit. The pain that came was once again distinct, this time it was strong, near excruciating, but then a sense of strength flowed into Swiftspirit’s muscles.
Swiftspirit breathed heavily, but he knew this was far from over. A she-cat stepped forward next, young and intimidating, looking him over as if she were his mother. She sniffed slightly.

“I am Daisypatch, and I have raised enough kits to know a strong willed one when I see one. So I give you a life of Love, something else for you to chew on.”

The pain was fierce, but it ebbed and flowed, strong for a second, dulling, and then strengthening again. Like love it was sometimes fiercely passionate, sometimes annoyed, sometimes resigned. Finally it retreated, leaving Swiftspirit very confused, but accepting.

A tom stepped forward, but this one seemed less opaque than the others. Was he fading? He appeared young here in Starclan, but Swiftspirit could see in his eyes an immense wisdom that could come only from age.

“I am Darkstar. Long ago I was a leader, long before the journey to this new territory. I was for most of my life a foolish leader, and I led my clan to battle far more than necessary. I nearly broke my clan. I give to you a life of Wisdom, so that you may try to avoid the mistakes I made.”

Pain once more, and it would have seemed uniform, if not for the weight of time that seemed to press on Swiftspirit’s shoulders, almost forcing him down.

Only four left, Swiftspirit clung to that as he waited for his next life.

Another tom stepped forward, this one smelling of herbs.

“I am Hawkwing, once a great medicine cat, but a very… reserved one. I served my clan with my life, but never found fulfillment. I now give you a life of humor, that you may see fulfillment in the every day joys of clan life.”

This pain was a stabbing pain, as if he couldn’t breathe.

The last cat in line came forward, slowly and calmly, as Swiftspirit collected himself.
“You know me Swiftspirit, my young charge, I know you shall lead well, but I have three last lives to give you. Each one is essential to our place as leader, and each is one you must learn.”

“First is courage, never back down when something needs to be done, do it right.”

This pain was a fire, but a purifying fire, which roared through Swiftspirit like a lion and left him with an extra measure of strength.

“Next, Compassion. Sometimes other cats can wrong, or be wronged, it is important to be compassionate to them.”

This pain was quick, a slashing pain, soon gone.

“Finally I give you a life of humility, that you may lead, but never consider yourself above anyone else, for in truth you are a servant of your clan.”

Nausea passed over him this time, as if he were falling.

Brightstar retreated back to the Starclan cats, and Swiftspirit realized, it was finally over.

“You are now Swiftstar!”

And Swiftstar smiled brightly as his ancestors cheered his new name till he awakened.