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Character
Name: Thistlekit | Thistlepaw | Thistledown
[Thistle] - named for her long, wild fur
[down] - for her playful, childish nature (like down vs feather) as well as her powerful strike, easily able to down birds--which isn't a common hunting tactic in RiverClan
Clan: RiverClan
Age: 34 moons
Rank: Warrior
Gender: She-cat
Apprentice: None
Appearance details: Thistledown is a massive cat thanks to her heritage, boasting wide shoulders, stocky build, and powerful muscles. Her long, wild fur only adds to her size, easily making her one of RiverClan's larger warrior. She is a dark brown mackerel tabby, her pelt ranging from medium chocolate browns and darker, with her stripes nearly black. Her muzzle, chest, and paws are a mocha-colored, creamy brown, though she has a toe on each of her forepaws that is white. She also has a spot of white above her nose. Her nose and pawpads are black, and her ears are tufted in black fur as well. Her tail is striped and tipped in black, and large and thick enough to be considered dangerous in its own right. Because she has strong Maine Coon genes in her blood, her large paws are slightly webbed and her fur is water resistant, making her a naturally strong swimmer. Her eyes are a deep sky blue, always wide with excitement over something.

History

kithood | 0-6 ☾Thistlekit was born in greenleaf to Bearstone and Littlehawk, the biggest of her litter. Although Thistlekit didn’t really look like Bearstone and looked nearly identical pattern-wise to her mother, Thistlekit grew quickly, gaining mass with body weight and long, messy fluff—and that made it pretty clear that she was definitely Bearstone's kit. Although all the kits were named after plants, her messy, spiky fur definitely contributed to her name. She loved playing with her littermates and the other kits in the nursery, but her favorite time was whenever her father was around. She loved hearing his stories, animatedly reenacting them later with her siblings, and always demanding to play as Bearstone even when her siblings demanded it was their turn.
Once Thistlekit learned what being a deputy to RiverClan meant, she looked up to her father even more. It was just a fact that her father was cooler than any of the other kits’ fathers, and she didn’t mind saying as much, even when Littlehawk scolded her. She sometimes played games as Thistlestone, deputy to RiverClan, and sometimes, as Thistlestar. She played a little too rough with the others sometimes, but it was hard when you were double the size of your peers! She couldn’t wait to be an apprentice, and the other queens couldn’t either, grateful to finally have some peace and quiet.
apprenticeship | 6-12 ☾
When the day finally came, Thistlekit was buzzing to recieve her new name, barely able to sit still for the ceremony. She was jealous that she wasn't the first of her litter called, but negative feelings fell to the side when her name was finally called. Selfishly, she hoped Bearstone would be her mentor--who better to mentor her than the best warrior in camp, especially considering she was bound to be the best apprentice! But, Pikestar chose a different warrior to direct Thistlepaw's training: Creekroar. For a brief moment, she was admittedly disappointed, but Creekroar looked strong--he looked cool! By the time their noses were touching, Thistlepaw was smiling again, about to burst from excitement. She was an apprentice! She knew she would make her father proud.

As expected, Thistlepaw excelled in her training; she picked up things quickly, and she was pretty good at everything she did, too. She was a much stronger fighter than she was hunter though, especially when it came to land-prey. Mice, voles, and shrews always seemed to hear her coming, and Thistlepaw insisted that thanks to her size, that was just inevitable--but Creekroar was quick to inform her that Bearstone was big, and he could could land-prey. It definitely lit a fire under her; if her father could do it, she wanted to be able to do it too. But she found other strengths as well. Although RiverClan cats focused on fishing, mostly, Thistlepaw found that birds were viable too. Much like land-prey, they tended to sense her coming, but if she was close enough, she could launch herself into the air with a mighty leap and down them with a fierce strike. The RiverClan prey pile had more birds in it than ever, but she still stuck to fishing most of the time, seeing as how her strike was pretty good as smacking fish out of the water as well.

Although everything was going pretty smoothly for her, there was one hitch--Creekroar seemed to go missing... kind of a lot. There were plenty of days where Thistle would tag along with her siblings and their mentors because she couldn't seem to find Creekroar in the camp, and she felt rather useless if she sat around waiting for him. She supposed he was out on patrols, but she never really understood why he didn't take her with him, seeing as how... he was supposed to be training her. But she tried not to let it get her down. When Creekroar was around, he was an amazing mentor, and maybe--just maybe, she had a teeny tiny little apprentice-sized crush on him--but her focus was definitely on learning!

Despite her mentor's (more and more) regular absence, Thistlepaw made sure to train with whoever she could whenever she got the chance, favoring, of course, opportunities to spend time with her father. After six moons, it was time for her assessment, and like her siblings, Thistlepaw succeeded. She was thrilled after it was over, not worried. She knew she'd done well, and she knew she'd be made warrior soon. She knew Bearstone and Littlehawk would be proud of her, and that made her heart feel pretty full--but she was happy to think that Creekroar would be proud of her, too.warriorhood | 12-32 ☾
Thistlepaw's warrior ceremony felt remarkable, proud to be sat beside her siblings and fellow apprentices with Bearstone by Pikestar's side as they all recieved their names. Thistlepaw became Thistledown, almost chuckling at how she'd been named for her hunting technique--and, she suspected, her wild-but-downy-soft pelt, as well. Although Thistledown had always had the gift of gab and was never short of something to say, she sat silently through her vigil with her head held proud. She was so excited to be a warrior now.

Thistledown had decided as an apprentice that she wanted to follow in her father's pawsteps, and that she was going to. Bearstone, someday, would be Bearstar when Pikestar joined StarClan, and someday--the same as she had played as an apprentice, Thistledown hoped that she would become deputy, and later, leader. She was young--but she was determined. Although she was playful and friendly, she never shirked work, even if it left her feeling a little run-down at times. But she was going to be deputy someday, and she had to make sure she was worth the position.

It wasn't long after becoming a warrior that things changed in RiverClan, drastically. Creekroar seemed to be missing in action, as usual, but when he returned, he wasn't alone--a she-cat that stank of ShadowClan's skulky bogs was following in tow, and before Thistledown even knew what was happening, she was a member of RiverClan too. It was obvious that Creekroar and this she-cat, Tansysong, weren't suddenly mates, they had been mates for ages, and Thistledown realized quite suddenly where Creekroar had been when she could never find him for training. It felt like a massive betrayal; Creekroar had not only broken the code, but he'd prioritized a ShadowClan she-cat over his apprentice--his clan! What if Thistledown hadn't succeeded in her assessment and had been held back? Would he have felt responsible? She felt sure that if she hadn't taken it upon herself to tag along with her siblings all the time, that could have been a real possibility, and did Creekroar even care? To think that she had looked up to a cat with so much disregard for the rules made her feel sick, and once he returned with Tansysong, Thistledown stopped talking to Creekroar altogether. Others tried to rationalize that even though he'd broken the code, he'd chosen to stay with RiverClan, but Thistledown felt like maybe that had only because Tansysong didn't have strong feelings about staying in ShadowClan. If she had wanted to remain, would he have left to be with her? Creekroar's loyalty wasn't being questioned by Thistledown--she simply knew he didn't have any. Creekroar had broken the code, shirked his duty to train his apprentice, and he'd hurt her, personally--and his new mate was no matter. Thistledown wanted nothing to do with them--nor the kits they later had in the clan. She felt completely done with her mentor, and her own judgement felt a little questionable after the whole ideal as well.

Generally speaking, the incident didn't sour Thistledown to the point of no return. She still trusted her clanmates, but she felt a little more paranoid. Maybe if she'd reported Creekroar as an apprentice, this wouldn't have happened? But when other cats seemed to prioritize things over their duties, Thistledown cast a skeptical eye on them, making sure to keep an eye on them for some time, until she could convince herself of their loyalty once more.

Thistledown was still the same cat at the end of the day--she was still loud, boisterous, and boastful, not unlike her father, and she was still ambitious and hard-working. Really, the only time Thistledown was quiet at all was when Creekroar was close by, but after time, she decided not to bother with paying him any attention at all. They were clanmates, even if she didn't think he deserved it, and nothing more. She knew the deputy would have to get along with all the cats in their clan, and so, she decided she could be civil, but that was likely to be the best her former mentor was ever going to get from her.

At 22 moons, and nearly a season of being a warrior, Thistledown was given her first apprentice, and she took her job very seriously--Thistledown-style. Being a pretty playful she-cat, Thistledown never wanted to come off as a super-strict mentor. She wanted to be a mentor and a friend, and so she was very familiar and encouraging with Troutpaw. And the young tom did get along well with her, and Thistledown was always beaming with pride whenever he did well. But Troutpaw seemed to lag behind his fellow apprentices, leading Thistledown to worry what she was doing wrong with his training. It was only made more difficult as the rivers started to flow lower, and fish became harder to catch for everyone, especially Troutpaw. After a few more moons of training together, another issue reared its ugly head--Troutpaw caught the illness that had been spreading through the clans. Although Thistledown visited him often and helped the medicine cat out with him as best as he could, it didn't matter--Troutpaw succumbed to the illness within about a week. The guilt was awful; was it her fault? If she was a stricter mentor, would Troutpaw have been stronger, strong enough to survive? No one had the answers for her, but it didn't make her feel any less awful.

Troutpaw's death wasn't the only one Thistledown had to bare at that time. Before his death, her mother was killed in a freak accident, leaving Thistledown and all her siblings, and her father, who had retired to the elder den a few moons before, in mourning. And shortly after Troutpaw's death, Pikestar passed away, with his deputy dying only a single night later. Thistledown couldn't believe the tragedy that was occuring--how could StarClan allow this to happen? Did StarClan even have control now? Although her head was hung low, her father returned from retirement, the only former deputy in RiverClan fit to become the leader, and he traveled with the medicine cat to the Moonpool, to recieve his lives and new name. Through all the sadness and despair, some of Thistledown's tears were happy. Ever since she was a kit, she had waited for the day her father would lead RiverClan, and her voice rang out loud and clear as she chanted his name at the ceremony.

Things didn't seem to get better before they got worse. Smokefur came to Bearstar two moons or so later, telling him she had had a prophecy from StarClan--and at the next Gathering, it seemed the other cats in the crowd had had dreams like that too. Smokefur, as well as a few cats from the other clans, headed off to lead the way through the mountains, and the clans had to bid goodbye to their homes. Thistledown knew nothing could ever be the same as their old territory, but the rivers had dried up--even the lake had dried up. StarClan could do nothing more for them there. Knowing that her mother and apprentice were watching over her, Thistledown did her best to be brave for the journey through the mountains.

Although the journey was exhausting and trecherous for everyone--luckily for Thistledown, she had lost enough of her family at the lake. Whether it be from luck, skill, or Bearstar's undying protection, Thistledown didn't lose any siblings. And after moons and moons of walking and feeling like there would never be an end, the mountains finally parted, and revealed their new home to them. Thistledown felt breathless as she looked it over, quietly thanking Littlehawk and Troutpaw for leading them here, as she and the rest of RiverClan began their new life in the Fjords.

About
Personality:

+ [ confident | clever | outgoing ]
confident :: Thistledown isn't perfect, but if she's good at something, she knows she's good at it and she's not afraid to say so. Modesty is pointless in her opinion, and she wants others to be confident in their abilities too! Everyone should talk themselves up instead of down, and Thistledown is very happy to lead by example.
clever :: Though she isn't necessarily intelligent, Thistledown is a quick learner, able to figure out different skills with ease once she sets her mind to them. mentors typically wouldn't have to teach her the same thing more than once, and she isn't forgetful--but once she knows it, she knows it. That said, she does normally need to be shown, and can't pick up more advanced techniques without assistance.
outgoing :: Thistledown is incredibly social, and loves to connect and make friends. When tensions between clans aren't so high, she likes making friends outside the clans too. She loves to be close with her clanmates too, and probably as good things to say about almost everyone in RiverClan.

= [ outspoken | ambitious | impulsive ]
outspoken :: Thistledown is a very opinionated cat, and while this can be good, it can be not so good, too. She will always stand up for what she believes in and never compromise on her morals or beliefs, but this also means if she doesn't believe something is the right choice, she'll be very vocal about that too. The only cat she might hold her tongue to is Bearstar--and that's still a big might.
ambitious :: Growing up with the deputy as her father and eventually seeing him become leader, Thistledown has always been driven to be the best--the way she sees her father. She used to pretend to be deputy and leader as a kit, and now as a warrior, she aims to become the deputy one day too. This makes her very competitive, and at times, her desire to triumph can beat out some of her more compassionate feelings. It can also lead to her being jealous of those she views as superior.
playful :: Like her father, Thistledown has a good sense of humor, and can find time to laugh and have a good time pretty much all the time. But sometimes, she doesn't know when to be serious, and sometimes, she can make jokes at the expense of others without really realizing that she's doing it.

- [ extreme | naive | spiteful ]
extreme :: Things are very black and white with Thistledown. Growing up with a strong sense of the code, she can't see any reason why anyone should be breaking it, let alone being excused for breaking it. It frustrates her when she feels things are unfair.
naive :: Tying in with Thistledown's overconfidence, she can be pretty naive as well. Seeing as how she thinks she's the second best warrior in the fjords (after her father), it goes without saying that she doesn't think there's much she can't do. Thistledown tends to underestimate other warriors or clans, as well as situations, foolishly believing that she can do whatever she sets her mind to.
spiteful :: If you end up in Thistledown's bad books, good luck getting back out of them. Luckily, she doesn't write others off completely too easily, but if you've done something she doesn't agree with, you might never be able to win her back. Thistledown is not afraid in the least of holding grudges.
Likes: drizzly days, birds, fish, swimming, sharing tongues, her family, leaf-fall
Dislikes: the hot, sticky weather of greenleaf, thunder and lightning, low-tide, reptile meat, shadowclan, those who break the code
Other Information:

Determined to one day become deputy.
Smells like lemongrass and rain.

Relationships
Orientation: Pansexual
Looking for: A mate who can be a best friend too
Ideal Relationship and Traits: confidence!! outgoing personalities, good sense of humor; fluffy, long-haired cats; bright, eye-catching pelts; adventurous; someone who can be a best friend and a mate; green eyes.
Mentor: Creekroar
Apprentice: Troutpaw, Cloudpaw
Crush: Stonecreek
Mate:
Ex-Mate/s:
Kin: Bearstar, Littlehawk, Rosewater, Lilypond, Violetdawn, Astermask, Cactusbloom, Screechkit
Bearstar | StruggleMatch | Leader, father
"My dad is the best!! I'm always so proud to be his daughter, and I hope he's just as proud of me.. I know he'll lead RiverClan better than anyone else could. Things'll only get easier now that we've found a home."

Creekroar | NPC | Mentor
"I have nothing to say to you."

Smokefur | CitrineCitrus | Clanmate, prophecy cat
"Smokefur was the cat StarClan came to for the message... I wonder why they picked her? I mean... she's great! But they could have come to me, too..."

Stonecreek | BARACATT | Clanmate, crush
"I can't believe they're dating my dad! Any other cat in the clan would have been fine, but my dad?! StarClan, this is soooo embarrassing..."

Thymepaw | h0rney-mutt | Clanmate
"I don't see why we had to take in these half-clan kittens! I know they were born here, but that doesn't mean they belong.."

Streampaw | NPC | Clanmate
"I don't see why we had to take in these half-clan kittens! I know they were born here, but that doesn't mean they belong.."

Screechkit | frickinkey | Clanmate, nephew
"He's so cute! I love how loud he is! He fits into the family perfectly, haha!"
Tansysong | NPC | Clanmember
"Obviously I'm not glad she's dead, but... it feels like StarClan is punishing Creekroar."

Littlehawk | NPC | Clanmember
"I miss my mom... I think she would have really liked the fjords..."

Troutpaw | NPC | Clanmember
"... I feel so awful about what happened to you... I'm really sorry if it was my fault..."
Roleplay

Bennet couldn't die--he couldn't die here, by Nicchia's hand or Ernest's or Aurelius', because his purpose was far from over. He'd accomplished a lot, but not enough, no where near enough, and he couldn't let Nicchia snuff him out so easily like this. So no matter how many times he felt the burn of silver pierce his skin--no matter how many bullets Ernest shot him with, and no matter how much blood he knew he was losing that he couldn't replenish, he couldn't lose. He couldn't die. Despite his injured, bleeding hand and his even more freshly injured shoulder, he fought against her as best as he could, nails digging into her skin and doing the best that he could to try and strangle her, even just enough to get her to loosen his grip. He didn't care about killing her now; he just wanted to get far enough away to flee until he was strong enough to get rid of her permanently. If he could just get her off of him, if he could just get her to loosen her grip for a second --
He didn't have the air to hiss as his hands were tugged away from Nicchia's neck, realizing after a second it was Aurelius pulling them away; the hands were too soft and delicate to be Ernest's and Nicchia were very clearly still pushing him down under the water. He couldn't get Nicchia off of him if Aurelius had his hands, so he turned his struggled on Aurelius instead, scratching at the man's chest and neck to try and get him to stop. Despite the water, he could still hear Aurelius speak--muffled, but clear enough to understand.
"Stop struggling."
Bennet could feel the fight starting to leave him at those words; he didn't know if it was Aurelius' influence, or his body starting to give out. Either way, his lungs were burning and it was harder to fight Nicchia's strength. He didn't want to die, he was scared to die--and he stopped scratching at Aurelius' neck, letting the man's hand's pull his away, and instead curling his fingers around his. He was scared, and maybe Aurelius wouldn't have wanted to give him comfort, but Bennet was still selfish, and he wanted it. He weakly squeezed his hands, taking some small comfort as Aurelius squeezed them back. He could still hear him faintly, trying to relax and listen to him.
"Quies."
By the time Nicchia pulled him out of the water again, he didn't have the strength to cough up the water in his lungs. His head was spinning from lack of oxygen--her words were somewhat lost on him. It was hard to listen to them, and the moments he managed to process were literally hard to hear. He didn't want what she was saying to be true; he didn't want to die forgotten. He didn't want his life to be meaningless. He didn't want to be erased from history. More than anything, he didn't want Aurelius to be the one helping her kill him. He didn't want Aurelius to hate him the way Nicchia hated him, but there was no strength left to speak to him and no time left to fix it. His lips shook as he tried to speak, but he couldn't even breathe, head starting to get too foggy to hear the end of what she was saying.
But Aurelius was still squeezing his hands, and that was about all he could process anymore.

A last comfort.

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fullbody art by @/selfish-machines
headshot art by gardenslug
design by @/gunsweat
character for The-Starless-Fjords

Description

Updates

Character
Name: Thistlekit | Thistlepaw | Thistledown
[Thistle] - named for her long, wild fur
[down] - for her playful, childish nature (like down vs feather) as well as her powerful strike, easily able to down birds--which isn't a common hunting tactic in RiverClan
Clan: RiverClan
Age: 34 moons
Rank: Warrior
Gender: She-cat
Apprentice: None
Appearance details: Thistledown is a massive cat thanks to her heritage, boasting wide shoulders, stocky build, and powerful muscles. Her long, wild fur only adds to her size, easily making her one of RiverClan's larger warrior. She is a dark brown mackerel tabby, her pelt ranging from medium chocolate browns and darker, with her stripes nearly black. Her muzzle, chest, and paws are a mocha-colored, creamy brown, though she has a toe on each of her forepaws that is white. She also has a spot of white above her nose. Her nose and pawpads are black, and her ears are tufted in black fur as well. Her tail is striped and tipped in black, and large and thick enough to be considered dangerous in its own right. Because she has strong Maine Coon genes in her blood, her large paws are slightly webbed and her fur is water resistant, making her a naturally strong swimmer. Her eyes are a deep sky blue, always wide with excitement over something.

History

kithood | 0-6 ☾Thistlekit was born in greenleaf to Bearstone and Littlehawk, the biggest of her litter. Although Thistlekit didn’t really look like Bearstone and looked nearly identical pattern-wise to her mother, Thistlekit grew quickly, gaining mass with body weight and long, messy fluff—and that made it pretty clear that she was definitely Bearstone's kit. Although all the kits were named after plants, her messy, spiky fur definitely contributed to her name. She loved playing with her littermates and the other kits in the nursery, but her favorite time was whenever her father was around. She loved hearing his stories, animatedly reenacting them later with her siblings, and always demanding to play as Bearstone even when her siblings demanded it was their turn.
Once Thistlekit learned what being a deputy to RiverClan meant, she looked up to her father even more. It was just a fact that her father was cooler than any of the other kits’ fathers, and she didn’t mind saying as much, even when Littlehawk scolded her. She sometimes played games as Thistlestone, deputy to RiverClan, and sometimes, as Thistlestar. She played a little too rough with the others sometimes, but it was hard when you were double the size of your peers! She couldn’t wait to be an apprentice, and the other queens couldn’t either, grateful to finally have some peace and quiet.
apprenticeship | 6-12 ☾
When the day finally came, Thistlekit was buzzing to recieve her new name, barely able to sit still for the ceremony. She was jealous that she wasn't the first of her litter called, but negative feelings fell to the side when her name was finally called. Selfishly, she hoped Bearstone would be her mentor--who better to mentor her than the best warrior in camp, especially considering she was bound to be the best apprentice! But, Pikestar chose a different warrior to direct Thistlepaw's training: Creekroar. For a brief moment, she was admittedly disappointed, but Creekroar looked strong--he looked cool! By the time their noses were touching, Thistlepaw was smiling again, about to burst from excitement. She was an apprentice! She knew she would make her father proud.

As expected, Thistlepaw excelled in her training; she picked up things quickly, and she was pretty good at everything she did, too. She was a much stronger fighter than she was hunter though, especially when it came to land-prey. Mice, voles, and shrews always seemed to hear her coming, and Thistlepaw insisted that thanks to her size, that was just inevitable--but Creekroar was quick to inform her that Bearstone was big, and he could could land-prey. It definitely lit a fire under her; if her father could do it, she wanted to be able to do it too. But she found other strengths as well. Although RiverClan cats focused on fishing, mostly, Thistlepaw found that birds were viable too. Much like land-prey, they tended to sense her coming, but if she was close enough, she could launch herself into the air with a mighty leap and down them with a fierce strike. The RiverClan prey pile had more birds in it than ever, but she still stuck to fishing most of the time, seeing as how her strike was pretty good as smacking fish out of the water as well.

Although everything was going pretty smoothly for her, there was one hitch--Creekroar seemed to go missing... kind of a lot. There were plenty of days where Thistle would tag along with her siblings and their mentors because she couldn't seem to find Creekroar in the camp, and she felt rather useless if she sat around waiting for him. She supposed he was out on patrols, but she never really understood why he didn't take her with him, seeing as how... he was supposed to be training her. But she tried not to let it get her down. When Creekroar was around, he was an amazing mentor, and maybe--just maybe, she had a teeny tiny little apprentice-sized crush on him--but her focus was definitely on learning!

Despite her mentor's (more and more) regular absence, Thistlepaw made sure to train with whoever she could whenever she got the chance, favoring, of course, opportunities to spend time with her father. After six moons, it was time for her assessment, and like her siblings, Thistlepaw succeeded. She was thrilled after it was over, not worried. She knew she'd done well, and she knew she'd be made warrior soon. She knew Bearstone and Littlehawk would be proud of her, and that made her heart feel pretty full--but she was happy to think that Creekroar would be proud of her, too.warriorhood | 12-32 ☾
Thistlepaw's warrior ceremony felt remarkable, proud to be sat beside her siblings and fellow apprentices with Bearstone by Pikestar's side as they all recieved their names. Thistlepaw became Thistledown, almost chuckling at how she'd been named for her hunting technique--and, she suspected, her wild-but-downy-soft pelt, as well. Although Thistledown had always had the gift of gab and was never short of something to say, she sat silently through her vigil with her head held proud. She was so excited to be a warrior now.

Thistledown had decided as an apprentice that she wanted to follow in her father's pawsteps, and that she was going to. Bearstone, someday, would be Bearstar when Pikestar joined StarClan, and someday--the same as she had played as an apprentice, Thistledown hoped that she would become deputy, and later, leader. She was young--but she was determined. Although she was playful and friendly, she never shirked work, even if it left her feeling a little run-down at times. But she was going to be deputy someday, and she had to make sure she was worth the position.

It wasn't long after becoming a warrior that things changed in RiverClan, drastically. Creekroar seemed to be missing in action, as usual, but when he returned, he wasn't alone--a she-cat that stank of ShadowClan's skulky bogs was following in tow, and before Thistledown even knew what was happening, she was a member of RiverClan too. It was obvious that Creekroar and this she-cat, Tansysong, weren't suddenly mates, they had been mates for ages, and Thistledown realized quite suddenly where Creekroar had been when she could never find him for training. It felt like a massive betrayal; Creekroar had not only broken the code, but he'd prioritized a ShadowClan she-cat over his apprentice--his clan! What if Thistledown hadn't succeeded in her assessment and had been held back? Would he have felt responsible? She felt sure that if she hadn't taken it upon herself to tag along with her siblings all the time, that could have been a real possibility, and did Creekroar even care? To think that she had looked up to a cat with so much disregard for the rules made her feel sick, and once he returned with Tansysong, Thistledown stopped talking to Creekroar altogether. Others tried to rationalize that even though he'd broken the code, he'd chosen to stay with RiverClan, but Thistledown felt like maybe that had only because Tansysong didn't have strong feelings about staying in ShadowClan. If she had wanted to remain, would he have left to be with her? Creekroar's loyalty wasn't being questioned by Thistledown--she simply knew he didn't have any. Creekroar had broken the code, shirked his duty to train his apprentice, and he'd hurt her, personally--and his new mate was no matter. Thistledown wanted nothing to do with them--nor the kits they later had in the clan. She felt completely done with her mentor, and her own judgement felt a little questionable after the whole ideal as well.

Generally speaking, the incident didn't sour Thistledown to the point of no return. She still trusted her clanmates, but she felt a little more paranoid. Maybe if she'd reported Creekroar as an apprentice, this wouldn't have happened? But when other cats seemed to prioritize things over their duties, Thistledown cast a skeptical eye on them, making sure to keep an eye on them for some time, until she could convince herself of their loyalty once more.

Thistledown was still the same cat at the end of the day--she was still loud, boisterous, and boastful, not unlike her father, and she was still ambitious and hard-working. Really, the only time Thistledown was quiet at all was when Creekroar was close by, but after time, she decided not to bother with paying him any attention at all. They were clanmates, even if she didn't think he deserved it, and nothing more. She knew the deputy would have to get along with all the cats in their clan, and so, she decided she could be civil, but that was likely to be the best her former mentor was ever going to get from her.

At 22 moons, and nearly a season of being a warrior, Thistledown was given her first apprentice, and she took her job very seriously--Thistledown-style. Being a pretty playful she-cat, Thistledown never wanted to come off as a super-strict mentor. She wanted to be a mentor and a friend, and so she was very familiar and encouraging with Troutpaw. And the young tom did get along well with her, and Thistledown was always beaming with pride whenever he did well. But Troutpaw seemed to lag behind his fellow apprentices, leading Thistledown to worry what she was doing wrong with his training. It was only made more difficult as the rivers started to flow lower, and fish became harder to catch for everyone, especially Troutpaw. After a few more moons of training together, another issue reared its ugly head--Troutpaw caught the illness that had been spreading through the clans. Although Thistledown visited him often and helped the medicine cat out with him as best as he could, it didn't matter--Troutpaw succumbed to the illness within about a week. The guilt was awful; was it her fault? If she was a stricter mentor, would Troutpaw have been stronger, strong enough to survive? No one had the answers for her, but it didn't make her feel any less awful.

Troutpaw's death wasn't the only one Thistledown had to bare at that time. Before his death, her mother was killed in a freak accident, leaving Thistledown and all her siblings, and her father, who had retired to the elder den a few moons before, in mourning. And shortly after Troutpaw's death, Pikestar passed away, with his deputy dying only a single night later. Thistledown couldn't believe the tragedy that was occuring--how could StarClan allow this to happen? Did StarClan even have control now? Although her head was hung low, her father returned from retirement, the only former deputy in RiverClan fit to become the leader, and he traveled with the medicine cat to the Moonpool, to recieve his lives and new name. Through all the sadness and despair, some of Thistledown's tears were happy. Ever since she was a kit, she had waited for the day her father would lead RiverClan, and her voice rang out loud and clear as she chanted his name at the ceremony.

Things didn't seem to get better before they got worse. Smokefur came to Bearstar two moons or so later, telling him she had had a prophecy from StarClan--and at the next Gathering, it seemed the other cats in the crowd had had dreams like that too. Smokefur, as well as a few cats from the other clans, headed off to lead the way through the mountains, and the clans had to bid goodbye to their homes. Thistledown knew nothing could ever be the same as their old territory, but the rivers had dried up--even the lake had dried up. StarClan could do nothing more for them there. Knowing that her mother and apprentice were watching over her, Thistledown did her best to be brave for the journey through the mountains.

Although the journey was exhausting and trecherous for everyone--luckily for Thistledown, she had lost enough of her family at the lake. Whether it be from luck, skill, or Bearstar's undying protection, Thistledown didn't lose any siblings. And after moons and moons of walking and feeling like there would never be an end, the mountains finally parted, and revealed their new home to them. Thistledown felt breathless as she looked it over, quietly thanking Littlehawk and Troutpaw for leading them here, as she and the rest of RiverClan began their new life in the Fjords.

About
Personality:

+ [ confident | clever | outgoing ]
confident :: Thistledown isn't perfect, but if she's good at something, she knows she's good at it and she's not afraid to say so. Modesty is pointless in her opinion, and she wants others to be confident in their abilities too! Everyone should talk themselves up instead of down, and Thistledown is very happy to lead by example.
clever :: Though she isn't necessarily intelligent, Thistledown is a quick learner, able to figure out different skills with ease once she sets her mind to them. mentors typically wouldn't have to teach her the same thing more than once, and she isn't forgetful--but once she knows it, she knows it. That said, she does normally need to be shown, and can't pick up more advanced techniques without assistance.
outgoing :: Thistledown is incredibly social, and loves to connect and make friends. When tensions between clans aren't so high, she likes making friends outside the clans too. She loves to be close with her clanmates too, and probably as good things to say about almost everyone in RiverClan.

= [ outspoken | ambitious | impulsive ]
outspoken :: Thistledown is a very opinionated cat, and while this can be good, it can be not so good, too. She will always stand up for what she believes in and never compromise on her morals or beliefs, but this also means if she doesn't believe something is the right choice, she'll be very vocal about that too. The only cat she might hold her tongue to is Bearstar--and that's still a big might.
ambitious :: Growing up with the deputy as her father and eventually seeing him become leader, Thistledown has always been driven to be the best--the way she sees her father. She used to pretend to be deputy and leader as a kit, and now as a warrior, she aims to become the deputy one day too. This makes her very competitive, and at times, her desire to triumph can beat out some of her more compassionate feelings. It can also lead to her being jealous of those she views as superior.
playful :: Like her father, Thistledown has a good sense of humor, and can find time to laugh and have a good time pretty much all the time. But sometimes, she doesn't know when to be serious, and sometimes, she can make jokes at the expense of others without really realizing that she's doing it.

- [ extreme | naive | spiteful ]
extreme :: Things are very black and white with Thistledown. Growing up with a strong sense of the code, she can't see any reason why anyone should be breaking it, let alone being excused for breaking it. It frustrates her when she feels things are unfair.
naive :: Tying in with Thistledown's overconfidence, she can be pretty naive as well. Seeing as how she thinks she's the second best warrior in the fjords (after her father), it goes without saying that she doesn't think there's much she can't do. Thistledown tends to underestimate other warriors or clans, as well as situations, foolishly believing that she can do whatever she sets her mind to.
spiteful :: If you end up in Thistledown's bad books, good luck getting back out of them. Luckily, she doesn't write others off completely too easily, but if you've done something she doesn't agree with, you might never be able to win her back. Thistledown is not afraid in the least of holding grudges.
Likes: drizzly days, birds, fish, swimming, sharing tongues, her family, leaf-fall
Dislikes: the hot, sticky weather of greenleaf, thunder and lightning, low-tide, reptile meat, shadowclan, those who break the code
Other Information:

Determined to one day become deputy.
Smells like lemongrass and rain.

Relationships
Orientation: Pansexual
Looking for: A mate who can be a best friend too
Ideal Relationship and Traits: confidence!! outgoing personalities, good sense of humor; fluffy, long-haired cats; bright, eye-catching pelts; adventurous; someone who can be a best friend and a mate; green eyes.
Mentor: Creekroar
Apprentice: Troutpaw, Cloudpaw
Crush: Stonecreek
Mate:
Ex-Mate/s:
Kin: Bearstar, Littlehawk, Rosewater, Lilypond, Violetdawn, Astermask, Cactusbloom, Screechkit
Bearstar | StruggleMatch | Leader, father
"My dad is the best!! I'm always so proud to be his daughter, and I hope he's just as proud of me.. I know he'll lead RiverClan better than anyone else could. Things'll only get easier now that we've found a home."

Creekroar | NPC | Mentor
"I have nothing to say to you."

Smokefur | CitrineCitrus | Clanmate, prophecy cat
"Smokefur was the cat StarClan came to for the message... I wonder why they picked her? I mean... she's great! But they could have come to me, too..."

Stonecreek | BARACATT | Clanmate, crush
"I can't believe they're dating my dad! Any other cat in the clan would have been fine, but my dad?! StarClan, this is soooo embarrassing..."

Thymepaw | h0rney-mutt | Clanmate
"I don't see why we had to take in these half-clan kittens! I know they were born here, but that doesn't mean they belong.."

Streampaw | NPC | Clanmate
"I don't see why we had to take in these half-clan kittens! I know they were born here, but that doesn't mean they belong.."

Screechkit | frickinkey | Clanmate, nephew
"He's so cute! I love how loud he is! He fits into the family perfectly, haha!"
Tansysong | NPC | Clanmember
"Obviously I'm not glad she's dead, but... it feels like StarClan is punishing Creekroar."

Littlehawk | NPC | Clanmember
"I miss my mom... I think she would have really liked the fjords..."

Troutpaw | NPC | Clanmember
"... I feel so awful about what happened to you... I'm really sorry if it was my fault..."
Roleplay

Bennet couldn't die--he couldn't die here, by Nicchia's hand or Ernest's or Aurelius', because his purpose was far from over. He'd accomplished a lot, but not enough, no where near enough, and he couldn't let Nicchia snuff him out so easily like this. So no matter how many times he felt the burn of silver pierce his skin--no matter how many bullets Ernest shot him with, and no matter how much blood he knew he was losing that he couldn't replenish, he couldn't lose. He couldn't die. Despite his injured, bleeding hand and his even more freshly injured shoulder, he fought against her as best as he could, nails digging into her skin and doing the best that he could to try and strangle her, even just enough to get her to loosen his grip. He didn't care about killing her now; he just wanted to get far enough away to flee until he was strong enough to get rid of her permanently. If he could just get her off of him, if he could just get her to loosen her grip for a second --
He didn't have the air to hiss as his hands were tugged away from Nicchia's neck, realizing after a second it was Aurelius pulling them away; the hands were too soft and delicate to be Ernest's and Nicchia were very clearly still pushing him down under the water. He couldn't get Nicchia off of him if Aurelius had his hands, so he turned his struggled on Aurelius instead, scratching at the man's chest and neck to try and get him to stop. Despite the water, he could still hear Aurelius speak--muffled, but clear enough to understand.
"Stop struggling."
Bennet could feel the fight starting to leave him at those words; he didn't know if it was Aurelius' influence, or his body starting to give out. Either way, his lungs were burning and it was harder to fight Nicchia's strength. He didn't want to die, he was scared to die--and he stopped scratching at Aurelius' neck, letting the man's hand's pull his away, and instead curling his fingers around his. He was scared, and maybe Aurelius wouldn't have wanted to give him comfort, but Bennet was still selfish, and he wanted it. He weakly squeezed his hands, taking some small comfort as Aurelius squeezed them back. He could still hear him faintly, trying to relax and listen to him.
"Quies."
By the time Nicchia pulled him out of the water again, he didn't have the strength to cough up the water in his lungs. His head was spinning from lack of oxygen--her words were somewhat lost on him. It was hard to listen to them, and the moments he managed to process were literally hard to hear. He didn't want what she was saying to be true; he didn't want to die forgotten. He didn't want his life to be meaningless. He didn't want to be erased from history. More than anything, he didn't want Aurelius to be the one helping her kill him. He didn't want Aurelius to hate him the way Nicchia hated him, but there was no strength left to speak to him and no time left to fix it. His lips shook as he tried to speak, but he couldn't even breathe, head starting to get too foggy to hear the end of what she was saying.
But Aurelius was still squeezing his hands, and that was about all he could process anymore.

A last comfort.

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fullbody art by @/selfish-machines
headshot art by gardenslug
design by @/gunsweat
character for The-Starless-Fjords