Otterclaw

[Pyro]

Name
James Otterclaw

Gender
Tom

Age
38 Moons

Rank
Warrior

Clan
Fogclan

Beliefs
Otterclaw does not believe in StarClan. The more he sees the less likely their existence seems. The so-called 'benevolent guardians' do nothing toward protecting the living, whether it be from the weather, themselves, or even each other. If anything, they cause the fights that occur between cats. If StarClan did not exist in the thinking of other clans, PineClan would be treated with more equality. If they weren't used for justification, most 'righteous' arguments would fall to pieces, including those of Miststar and her followers. Otterclaw believes that many put too much faith in the existence of StarClan, and that is why the mere name can be used to abuse power and justify horrible acts.

Parents
Willow; mother; NP [alive]
Rex; father; NP [dead]

Relatives
Reedfoot; sister; NP [alive]

Apprentice
Blackpaw

Appearance
Otterclaw is very stocky, but his movements are fluid like the animal he was named for. They're almost a reflection of his personality: he walks as go-with-the-flow as he thinks. His short coat is brown with darker tabby markings. The tom's eyes are a pale green and are nearly always alight with some sort of mischief.

Personality
Otterclaw is very mischievous. He's never at a loss for a sarcastic comment...or any comment for that matter. He's very chatty, to the point of being annoying if he's allowed to ramble on. Not that his chatter is always senseless prattle. Occasionally he does have something logical to say. At such times a glimpse at his true depths can be seen.

Overall Otterclaw couldn't care less what other think of him. As far as he's concerned it's his life, not their's. If he wants to live it a certain way, then he will. Who is anyone else to think they can change him? Especially when to him, he's just fine the way he is.

It's only natural that a cat who follows his own will finds himself in conflict with authority. Otterclaw sees little use in blindly following whoever happens to be calling themself the leader at a time. Cats have free will for a reason, after all, and brains too. The logical thing to do then is to use them. Unfortunately, in Otterclaw's mind this means sleeping late and generally being a mischievous roustabout.

Of course, that's not to say he doesn't respect authority that earns said respect. Owlstar for one, while flawed, receives a certain amount of courtesy from Otterclaw. He can hardly be over-rebellious toward her when she took him and his sister in.

Skills
Otterclaw has good fighting skills. He has no problem keeping his balance because of his stocky build, and while he isn't as fast as he'd like he is agile. His hunting, however, could use some serious work. Slacker that he is though, it's unlikely he'll tune his hunting skills.

History
Life as a loner is hard enough without two kits pulling your tail day in and day out. Willow never really wanted kits. But damn him, Rex had convinced her that they were all that was missing in their life. And well, then he went and died, leaving her to raise troublesome James and too-timid-for-her-own-good Elizabeth.

Of course she got rid of them the first chance she got.

This chance came in the form of a ragtag bunch of so-called 'clan' cats. Willow pushed her kits on the journeying cats, fluttering and tittering that clan life was just the thing for her kits, that it would be much better than life as a loner. The clan cats were reluctant to take on kits who would add to the burden, but when the mother dropped them off in the middle of the night after, there was little they could do.

James and his sister kept up best they could, absorbing clan life as a replacement for their negligent mother. Elizabeth took to it like a fish to water, latching onto the idea of StarClan with all her dear little life. James, however, was less than convinced about a life revolving around invisible cats in the sky.

The tom was apprenticed on the run, given no specific mentor. Without any real structure his opposition to authority began to fester and grow. Still, he owed it to his sister not to make too much trouble for the both of them.

When the cats finally arrived at their destination and split into the four clans, the newly named 'Otterpaw' followed his sister Reedpaw into religious FogClan. By that time he had learned to keep his less than normal views on StarClan a secret, both to avoid the harsh looks of believers and the harassment of his sister. At last things were stable enough for him to have a single mentor, Shrew-whisker. The she-cat supplied just the discipline he needed...three moons ago. Despite her reprimands and patient guidance he continued to be a rambunctious apprentice, albeit a capable fighter.

As he matured he seemed to settle down a bit, as though he was worried he might not be made into a warrior like his sister had been a few moons after the clans settled. He played tricks less often, joked around a little less, and was altogether more civil. Pleased by this new development, his mentor claimed he was finally ready mentally for his ceremony.

But perhaps she had made that claim too soon.

Upon receiving his warrior name, the previously 'tamed' Otterclaw went back to his old hi-jinks, and now, once again, it was his sister who chided him to keep in line.
------
Year Two: A snake may look a sheep, but that does not make it any less dangerous. From the moment Mistpelt became deputy, Otterclaw was on pins and needles. The she-cat's sharp eyes for slackers and love of order were more than enough to set Otterclaw on edge, with or without their differing beliefs...But even he was surprised when the ambitious Mistpelt overthrew Owlstar, anc he was nothing less than shocked when his sister, his own sister supported the usurper.

The StarClan-obsessed leader was quick to lock onto Otterclaw as a 'sinner', and from the moment of her return from the Moonglade his life hasn't been quite the same. His disbelief now a crime, the normally friendly tom was forced to withdraw from others, his only true companion an apprentice by the name of Froststar.

However, though he had withdrawn from his clanmates, he was no less the rebellious tom he was in Owlstar's day. At every turn he sought to undermine Miststar, mocking his new 'leader' even as she punished him.

To say he was happy to find that she had disappeared though, would be a lie.

The FogClan leader's disappearance was as much a disappointment to him as it was the rest of his clanmates, though for a completely different reason. With Miststar gone, Volepelt was in charge...and the tom was less forgiving of sinners and nonbelievers than even she had been.