Post by hymn on Jul 23, 2016 3:25:31 GMT
☀ c h e r r y h e a r t ☀
name: cherrykit - cherrypaw - cherryheart
gender: female
age: thirty-three moons
clan: shadowclan
position: warrior
short description: small, white she-cat with amber eyes and several scars.
appearance:
White blossoms unfurled straight from the Yoshino cherry tree onto the she-cat's pelt. Every petal rests on her body, curling delicately in pale waves to mimic the tree she is named after. Though her fur is stark among the earthy hues of ShadowClan's territory, its beauty accommodates for the lack of utility. Her pelt greedily collects burs from the undergrowth, and the thick strands frequently snag the brambles, but Cherryheart has learned to maneuver the swamp with grace. She keeps her gait swift in order to make use of her lean legs' agility. Almost like a specter in the woods, she seamlessly slips through the trees and their curtains of vines with the speed of a shooting star. With her size, she is not the strongest of fighters. She is, however, the swiftest. She can strike with the vengeance of a viper. Like lightning, her blows rain down in a flash, only for her to disappear in an instant. She hops across the battlefield, never allowing herself to be cornered for too long.
However, ShadowClan has more foes than friends. As a result, tiny pink scars lace Cherryheart's body. The soft pink of her scabbed wounds pucker from her fur like the insides of the cherry blossoms, but without the beauty. Instead, the battle scars rob her of her soft features. She suits the role of a warrior, and is not the prettiest she-cat to look at. Had she led a softer life, perhaps she would be beautiful. Instead, ugly scars snake across her fur at every angle, only sparing her face. Luckily, her face is free of the marks of war. Instead, the soft contours remain, accompanied by amber eyes that glow like tiny stars.
personality:
Devotion, defined as "profound dedication" can also define Cherryheart. The strength of her loyalty to ShadowClan is stronger than the trunk of an oak tree, and the roots of her cause sink deep into her soul. She is as thankful to the Clan as she is to the stars, for both have blessed her with several victories in her short life. She lives and breathes and bleeds ShadowClan, for serving her leader and her ancestors fulfills her life with a sense of purpose that acts as a blindfold to the harsh realities she has yet to face. Cherryheart invests her thoughts and energy into the benefit of the Clan. She does not risk anyone but herself for the sake of her Clan. While her zeal trumps self-reservation, it does not negate her humanity towards others. A cat in need, regardless of their origin, will receive charity from Cherryheart. However, she is biased in Clan affairs, and even if she knows ShadowClan may be in the wrong, she will support her Clan without restraint.
Of course, all this talk of work leaves the question about play. Well, life is not a bowl full of cherries for Cherryheart. She does not know how to relax and have a good time. Her mind is constantly occupied by the desire to serve. If she is not acting in the Clan's best interest, guilt seeps into her heart. Her endless toil leads to Cherryheart becoming a motif for martyrdom. Her battle-scarred body shows the tax of her self-imposed suffering. Perhaps Cherryheart would smile more if she had someone willing to lick her wounds. However, Cherryheart's life has no room for companionship. She has isolated herself in her work, for when others take the time bond, she sees it as an opportunity to hunt or patrol in solitude. At the end of the day, however, she is only warmed by the blood in her veins. No one is there to lay beside her.
Psychosis runs full throttle in her family history. Whether or not Cherryheart inherited it is a mystery, for she keeps her mouth sealed. Though all of ShadowClan know that her mother, Redface, is mad, no one knows whether or not Cherryheart may be suffering. In secret, she harbors several whispers in her head. They are faint but frequent, outlining her thoughts the fog rolling off the ocean. The roll into her head with passing murmurs that fuel her paranoia. Cherryheart is afflicted with the fear of never being good enough. She strives for perfection in every aspect of her life, but the voices in her head remind her of her shortcomings. They mock her for her flaws and forewarn her of potential mistakes. Cherryheart does her best to avoid messing things up, but when she is consistently told she is a failure, she cannot help but feel small. She fears she is running towards the light of the horizon, where there is peace and love, only to reach it after the sun has already set, doomed to live a life in the darkness.
history:
Born into the dead of leafbare, Cherryheart's first gasps of breath were chilling and unwelcoming. The night that witnessed her birth was silenced by frost that powdered the nursery with twinkling silver. Despite its beauty, leafbare was unkind to Cherryheart and her kin. The colder moons of ShadowClan had greedy claws, eagerly gripping Cherryheart's brother, Leafkit, in their icy talons, carrying him into StarClan before he was even a three moons old. Cherryheart, however small, survived. The careful nurturing of her grieving mother, Redface, saved her in the end, but not without struggle. The scarcity of prey led to Redface's torturous attempt to preserve her daughter. With a lack of nourishment, Cherryheart failed to thrive at first. Consequently, her growth was stunted. She was frail at first, but she grew strong as the days became warmer. By the time newleaf graced the Clans with its mercy, Cherryheart was a healthier kit.
As for Redface, she was constantly haunted by the death of her son. Leafkit's spirit lingered in her dreams, but the line between dreams and reality began to fade for Redface. She claimed to be accompanied by his apparition day and night. As for Cherryheart, she never saw Leafkit. She was too young to remember his appearance, but she had seen his starry pelt in her dreams. However, she was too scared to admit that she may be as daft as her mother. Cherryheart was often the only source of comfort for her mother; as her sanity waned, the she-cat had fewer and fewer visitors in the nursery. Only her daughter remained to groom her ruffled pelt. Redface's trauma eventually led to her being escorted to the elders den, though Cherryheart was still a kit. Her mother's psychotic breaks, where she would rave about seeing her dead son in the nursery, disturbed the other queens to the point they ostracized her. Cherryheart had a home in their nests while Redface dissociated from the physical world in the medicine den.
By the time Cherryheart became an apprentice, she had grown accustomed to being alone. She would visit Redface occasionally, but her mother was often sedated by opiates from the medicine cat or seized by visions in her perpetual grief. Without a sane mother or a father to speak of, Cherryheart usually spent time daydreaming in the nursery, imagining the day when she would become ShadowClan's greatest warrior. Someone to look up to, not feel sorry for or look down on. Thankfully, she was blessed with a gracious mentor: Rookfang.
gender: female
age: thirty-three moons
clan: shadowclan
position: warrior
short description: small, white she-cat with amber eyes and several scars.
appearance:
White blossoms unfurled straight from the Yoshino cherry tree onto the she-cat's pelt. Every petal rests on her body, curling delicately in pale waves to mimic the tree she is named after. Though her fur is stark among the earthy hues of ShadowClan's territory, its beauty accommodates for the lack of utility. Her pelt greedily collects burs from the undergrowth, and the thick strands frequently snag the brambles, but Cherryheart has learned to maneuver the swamp with grace. She keeps her gait swift in order to make use of her lean legs' agility. Almost like a specter in the woods, she seamlessly slips through the trees and their curtains of vines with the speed of a shooting star. With her size, she is not the strongest of fighters. She is, however, the swiftest. She can strike with the vengeance of a viper. Like lightning, her blows rain down in a flash, only for her to disappear in an instant. She hops across the battlefield, never allowing herself to be cornered for too long.
However, ShadowClan has more foes than friends. As a result, tiny pink scars lace Cherryheart's body. The soft pink of her scabbed wounds pucker from her fur like the insides of the cherry blossoms, but without the beauty. Instead, the battle scars rob her of her soft features. She suits the role of a warrior, and is not the prettiest she-cat to look at. Had she led a softer life, perhaps she would be beautiful. Instead, ugly scars snake across her fur at every angle, only sparing her face. Luckily, her face is free of the marks of war. Instead, the soft contours remain, accompanied by amber eyes that glow like tiny stars.
personality:
Devotion, defined as "profound dedication" can also define Cherryheart. The strength of her loyalty to ShadowClan is stronger than the trunk of an oak tree, and the roots of her cause sink deep into her soul. She is as thankful to the Clan as she is to the stars, for both have blessed her with several victories in her short life. She lives and breathes and bleeds ShadowClan, for serving her leader and her ancestors fulfills her life with a sense of purpose that acts as a blindfold to the harsh realities she has yet to face. Cherryheart invests her thoughts and energy into the benefit of the Clan. She does not risk anyone but herself for the sake of her Clan. While her zeal trumps self-reservation, it does not negate her humanity towards others. A cat in need, regardless of their origin, will receive charity from Cherryheart. However, she is biased in Clan affairs, and even if she knows ShadowClan may be in the wrong, she will support her Clan without restraint.
Of course, all this talk of work leaves the question about play. Well, life is not a bowl full of cherries for Cherryheart. She does not know how to relax and have a good time. Her mind is constantly occupied by the desire to serve. If she is not acting in the Clan's best interest, guilt seeps into her heart. Her endless toil leads to Cherryheart becoming a motif for martyrdom. Her battle-scarred body shows the tax of her self-imposed suffering. Perhaps Cherryheart would smile more if she had someone willing to lick her wounds. However, Cherryheart's life has no room for companionship. She has isolated herself in her work, for when others take the time bond, she sees it as an opportunity to hunt or patrol in solitude. At the end of the day, however, she is only warmed by the blood in her veins. No one is there to lay beside her.
Psychosis runs full throttle in her family history. Whether or not Cherryheart inherited it is a mystery, for she keeps her mouth sealed. Though all of ShadowClan know that her mother, Redface, is mad, no one knows whether or not Cherryheart may be suffering. In secret, she harbors several whispers in her head. They are faint but frequent, outlining her thoughts the fog rolling off the ocean. The roll into her head with passing murmurs that fuel her paranoia. Cherryheart is afflicted with the fear of never being good enough. She strives for perfection in every aspect of her life, but the voices in her head remind her of her shortcomings. They mock her for her flaws and forewarn her of potential mistakes. Cherryheart does her best to avoid messing things up, but when she is consistently told she is a failure, she cannot help but feel small. She fears she is running towards the light of the horizon, where there is peace and love, only to reach it after the sun has already set, doomed to live a life in the darkness.
history:
Born into the dead of leafbare, Cherryheart's first gasps of breath were chilling and unwelcoming. The night that witnessed her birth was silenced by frost that powdered the nursery with twinkling silver. Despite its beauty, leafbare was unkind to Cherryheart and her kin. The colder moons of ShadowClan had greedy claws, eagerly gripping Cherryheart's brother, Leafkit, in their icy talons, carrying him into StarClan before he was even a three moons old. Cherryheart, however small, survived. The careful nurturing of her grieving mother, Redface, saved her in the end, but not without struggle. The scarcity of prey led to Redface's torturous attempt to preserve her daughter. With a lack of nourishment, Cherryheart failed to thrive at first. Consequently, her growth was stunted. She was frail at first, but she grew strong as the days became warmer. By the time newleaf graced the Clans with its mercy, Cherryheart was a healthier kit.
As for Redface, she was constantly haunted by the death of her son. Leafkit's spirit lingered in her dreams, but the line between dreams and reality began to fade for Redface. She claimed to be accompanied by his apparition day and night. As for Cherryheart, she never saw Leafkit. She was too young to remember his appearance, but she had seen his starry pelt in her dreams. However, she was too scared to admit that she may be as daft as her mother. Cherryheart was often the only source of comfort for her mother; as her sanity waned, the she-cat had fewer and fewer visitors in the nursery. Only her daughter remained to groom her ruffled pelt. Redface's trauma eventually led to her being escorted to the elders den, though Cherryheart was still a kit. Her mother's psychotic breaks, where she would rave about seeing her dead son in the nursery, disturbed the other queens to the point they ostracized her. Cherryheart had a home in their nests while Redface dissociated from the physical world in the medicine den.
By the time Cherryheart became an apprentice, she had grown accustomed to being alone. She would visit Redface occasionally, but her mother was often sedated by opiates from the medicine cat or seized by visions in her perpetual grief. Without a sane mother or a father to speak of, Cherryheart usually spent time daydreaming in the nursery, imagining the day when she would become ShadowClan's greatest warrior. Someone to look up to, not feel sorry for or look down on. Thankfully, she was blessed with a gracious mentor: Rookfang.
Rookjaw was like the mother Cherryheart never had. Though Redface played her part in nursing Cherryheart, the maternal relationship was weakened by her psychosis. Rookfang, however, had the grace and strength to groom Cherryheart into a wonderful warrior; Cherryheart invested her body and soul into her training as an apprentice. Every ounce of energy the little she-cat had dropped down to her paws, carrying her through each task and technique until her body was on the brink of collapse. She was desperate for her mentor's attention and adoration, almost to the point of obsession. Her need for praise and success trumped her need for sleep and comfort. She did not dawdle or socialize with the other apprentices. Instead, she would rise early and wait outside the warrior den for her mentor. Every morning would be full of eager questions: "what'll we do today?" or "what am I going to learn now?" Though every waking moment Cherryheart thought of becoming the best warrior in the forest, she never stopped visiting Redface. Her ailing mother's mental state never seemed to recover, but there were times when Cherryheart could share fond, normal conversations with her. Other times, Cherryheart would leave the medicine den with scratches after enduring her mother's breakdowns.
Of course, every apprentice reached the time of their ceremony. Cherryheart's ceremony was bittersweet, to say the least. She feared being ShadowClan's finest, for failure was never an option for her. She feared the day she disappointed Rookfang. She considered her mentor her closest and only friend, but she understood hanging around in her shadow would never allow her to succeed. They distanced from each other over time, but Cherryheart was never as fond of anyone as she was for Rookfang. Of course, when Rookfang became deputy and later leader, the rift between them became a fissure. Cherryheart stood on the other side, constantly cheering for her old mentor from afar, while she felt sadness blossom in her heart for a relationship that seemed to be waning... just like the one she had with her mother's.
Presently, Cherryheart continues to invest her time into ShadowClan. She takes pride in her servitude, hoping one day she too could become leader of the Clan she loves, just like her esteemed mentor.
Kuwaki, Edda Rose, Minteh Freshness
