Post by mistytail on Sept 28, 2012 11:01:53 GMT -10
Name | Maplepaw
Gender | She-cat
Age | 7 moons
Rank | Appentice
Clan | StreamClan
Beliefs | Maplepaw still has a very childish view of StarClan. She views them as unearthly protectors and constant sources of love and wisdom. She has not yet internalized that dying does not make a cat any better than they were in life, though the thought crosses her mind occasionally, giving her uncomfortable cognitive dissonance. She cannot imagine not believing in StarClan at all, but she cannot be totally certain that they do exist because there is so much unfairness and cruelty in the world. Much of her beliefs are still dependent on how she grows up.
Parents | Hazelfoot and Ashface [NP]
Siblings | Duckpaw [PC] and Fawnpaw [PC]
Other Kin | Gauze [uncle, loner, PC]
Mate | Not yet
Crush | Not yet
Kits | Not yet
Apprentice/Mentor | Not yet [will put in formal request if accepted]
Appearance | An average-sized dilute tortoiseshell, more ginger than gray on her sides. Maplepaw has one hindpaw that is nearly covered in dilute ginger. She has bright yellowish-green eyes and the tiniest patch of white on her chest. She is lean and skinny, and believes she has the makings of a fast runner. (Spoilers: She doesn't.) Her tail has slightly longer fur than the rest of her body, making it appear bushy. She has long gray whiskers and long, sharp claws. She has a chipped canine from playing too rough with her brother as a kit but it does not distract greatly from her appearance.
Personality | Maplepaw has a lot of growing up to do. While her intentions are usually good, and she doesn't mean anyone harm, she can be an arrogant, snobby know-it-all. She likes to think of herself as a much bigger in importance than she really is. It's a source of irritation for most that she's pretty blind to. She embarrasses easily but will never admit that she's wrong, even when she knows she is. She has a childish but strong dislike for those who are not members of a Clan, though because her father was born a loner, she is not particular about where a cat comes from so long as they "come to their senses" and join a Clan. She tries to put on a persona that can really be described as "cool prettiness" - not quite active, not quite passive, but somewhere in the middle where she can be admired and adored. (Which doesn't happen because that's totally unrealistic, but she won't be convinced just yet.) However, despite occasionally thinking she's better than everyone else, she does at least offer a sympathetic ear when someone looks troubled or upset. She is compassionate, but she needs to overcome her self-importance before it can really shine.
Skills | Maplepaw has yet to figure out for herself what her skills are, as she tends to idealize rather than look at herself objectively. While she's often frustrated that she isn't a very fast runner or an exceptionally great hunter, she still has learning to do. She has the makings of a good fighter and does well in close-combat sessions, but she needs to focus to really hone her skills.
History | Maplepaw was born to an exceptionally doting set of parents. Both her mother and her father were very involved in her and her siblings' upbringing. Her father in particular was very protective of her, and would often be seen playing with her when the rest of the Clan was sharing tongues.
Her older brother, Duckpaw, would often tease her and get into physical altercations with her to compete for their father's affection, while the baby of the litter, Fawnpaw, would quietly sit back and play with their mother. Duckpaw and Fawnpaw would often wind up at the medicine cat's den - Duckpaw for getting injured from playing too rough with the older kits in the nursery, and Fawnpaw for falling ill more often than most kits.
Her mother, Hazelfoot, would often worry about her kits becoming sick so much, and would dote on Maplepaw to help her cope. Maplepaw mistook the constant affection as a sign that her mother secretly loved her more than her brother and sister, and felt a need to show that she was strong and brave in order to keep that. She felt guilty whenever her siblings returned to the nursery, a part of her feeling bad that Mother preferred her to them, but she kept it quiet because she didn't want to hurt their feelings. Eventually, she became more comfortable in her own pelt and started showing off. Because she recieved almost nothing but praise from her family, she continued to do so until nearly all her behavior was geared to proving how great and fantastic she was.
Because her brother and sister were in and out of the nursery so much, Maplepaw got used to being the center of attention all the time. Along with her birth order, this is largely where Maplepaw got the idea that one must never be too active and brash, but one must never be too quiet and bashful. She strongly looked down on her siblings for being extreme examples of both, and her father Ashface would use them as examples of what not to do. Ashface also would talk about his "no-good, dirty, rotten, mouse-stealing brother" to show why Clan life and a respect for dignity of self and others was very important. Ashface often neglected to explain why her uncle Gauze was a bad cat other than when Ashface joined the Clan, Gauze did not. But Maplepaw, being very young and naive at the time, simply absorbed his words and now has a strong opinion against those who are not members of a Clan.
Within her litter, she established herself quite nicely by doing this, but time will tell how long she can keep it up in Clan life before someone tells her like it is. Currently, she and her siblings are very distant, and she has had a very hard time making friends. She is in a bit of a pickle because at the moment she is quite fond of herself, mostly in an unhealthy way, but does not understand why her Clanmates, particularly the other apprentices, do not like her very much.
Critique level | Criticise all aspects of my character.
((Okay, round two! Expanded and edited so hopefully it's not as awkward as the first time.))