Post by { i z z i e } on Oct 16, 2011 18:40:05 GMT -6
"Black Velvet" by Nada*, on Flickr
Name: Swiftpaw
Age: 11 moons
Gender: Tom
[Clan: ThunderClan
Rank: Apprentice
Mentor: TBA
Love Interest: None
Kin:
Mother | Nightflower
Father | Scarface
Brothers | Eagleheart, Brackenkit, Smallkit
Description:
It's easy to see why Swiftpaw was given his name; he's black like a swift. His entire pelt is dark as midnight, the kind of black that blends into the shadows in the evening and shines blue-violet in the early afternoon light. He has a striking appearance, certainly. From the tips of his ears to the end of his tail and all the way down to his paws, Swiftpaw's fur is just black, without the smallest patch of white or brown to interrupt it. Although he lacks the more complicated patterns found on tabbies and tortoiseshells, or the attractive brightness of white and ginger cats, there's something eye-catching about the way his golden-green eyes contrast with the darkness of his coat.
There's a fierceness about the young cat that seems a bit precocious for his age. Swiftpaw is athletic, with good reflexes. Fighting and hunting have been bred into him, and he's a hard worker to boot. It was always clear to his mother that he would make a good warrior, and so far he's been a good apprentice, when his temper is under control. His attitude, though occasionally problematic, has its pluses; it gives him a spirit that some cats lack.
Currently, he's not quite fully-grown, and he's still a bit lanky. As an adult, he'll be a powerful, well-built tom, but for now his limbs are rather long and gangly, and he still has some weight to put on. There is a confident air about Swiftpaw that verges on cocky now and then. He has a straight-forward manner that overflows into his deliberate movements.
One day, Swiftpaw will be a very attractive tom for sure. He just needs a little more time to grow into it.
Personality:
[/justify]The first thing you notice about Swiftpaw is that there's an air of leadership surrounding him. He's the kind of cat that wouldn't look out of place leading a patrol, or maybe even, in the far future, a Clan. As the eldest of the ThunderClan apprentices, right now he can only lead the other apprentices. They don't listen to him very much, but he tries anyway. Swiftpaw means well, and he has everyone's best interest at heart, but he doesn't have much authority at all yet, and he's too young to always know what best for himself, let alone others.
The second thing you notice is that he's not exactly the friendliest of cats. Oh, it's not like he's actively unfriendly, but he doesn't go out of his way to be nice to others either. He is businesslike, determined, and hard-working, the obsessive kind of working that you usually see only in those with an all-important goal on their minds.
And yes, Swiftpaw has a goal on his mind that, while maybe not "all-important," defines him.
He's a rather quick-tempered little tom who doesn't respond kindly to insults or slights. A typical day in the apprentice den: Swiftpaw doles out advice, everyone else scoffs, argument breaks out, and they all end up sulking in opposite corners. He can be very judgmental, if not regarding matters of blood or birth, then about others' actions. Once you've really upset Swiftpaw, it's hard to gain back his trust, and he's extremely direct about it, often picking fights with cats he dislikes.
That said, it's not hard to see that the black cat is alright underneath his prickly, defensive exterior. He can be nice if he's bored, feels generous, likes you, has ulterior motives, or any combination of those. In the end, the impression you get of Swiftpaw is a young tom with great promise, fierce determination, and slightly misplaced protective instincts. It always seems like he's moving a little too fast, but refuses to let himself rest for reasons of his own. It's been so long since he's slowed down, Swiftpaw thinks he may have forgotten how.
History:
[/justify]Swiftkit was born to an accomplished warrior named Scarface and his former apprentice, Nightflower. Previously, the two had had a litter of one, a tom who had recently earned his warrior name, Eagleheart, when the second litter of kits arrived. Eagleheart was charismatic, talented, and showed great promise; Scarface was extremely proud of his son.
Swiftkit was the middle child of Scarface and Nightflower's second litter. Scarface didn't pay much attention to the three kits, but Nightflower, though somewhat disappointed that the litter contained no she-kits, doted on her sons. Swiftkit loved his mother and brothers, and greatly admired both his father and Eagleheart, but as he grew, he gradually came to realize that in his father's eyes, he would never be as important as Eagleheart. Even after this discovery, he couldn't bring himself to hate either his father or his brother.
"Don't worry," Nightflower would tell him when he looked longingly on at the warriors' day-to-day lives. "One day you'll be like them, just wait."
All throughout his kithood, Swiftkit dreamed of fighting side-by-side with Scarface, and Eagleheart, and Brackenkit -- no, Brackenfur. They would protect Nightflower and Smallkit (or Smallpaw or Smallstep, as the case may be), and all of ThunderClan would be grateful for their help. And he, he wouldn't be plain old Swiftkit anymore. He'd be Swiftheart, or Swiftstorm...
But that dream was never to be.
When Swiftkit was almost six moons old, somebody came down with whitecough, which suddenly turned into a greencough epidemic sweeping the camp. The whole nursery fell ill, along with the deputy, Leafstorm, and Shadedstar. Nightflower recovered rather quickly, but her three kits struggled with the sickness. Smallkit, who had always been the most sickly of the litter, died first, and Brackenkit, although he clung valiantly to life, followed soon after. Swiftkit and Nightflower were devastated, and the misfortune wasn't over yet; Eagleheart, who had been helping the medicine cat in the chaos, also caught the disease.
After his favorite son had passed away, then Scarface cared. He barely batted an eye when Brackenkit and Smallkit died, Swiftkit noted bitterly, and it never occured to him that his big, strong first son died, but Swiftkit, Swiftkit was the one who lived. Scarface didn't care about him, that much was clear, but Swiftkit loved him anyway, and he still dreamed that one day his father would notice him like he noticed Eagleheart once upon a time.
Swiftpaw was apprenticed after the plague ended, and he's spent the four moons since then trying to live up to the lingering memory of his deceased older brother. He pursues this goal almost obsessively, totally determined to achieve it one day.
One day he'll be like them.
He just has to wait.
Roleplay example: ONEEEE IS THE LONELIEST NUMBER THAT YOU'LL EVER DO
Other: TWO CAN BE AS BAD AS ONE, IT'S THE LONELIEST NUMBER SINCE THE NUMBER ONE
I wrote this entire bio while listening to "Cat's in the Cradle." xD
