Storkflower

[Pyro]

Name|| Zane Storkpaw Storkflower Gender||Tom Age|| Thirteen moons Rank|| Medicine Cat Apprentice Clan|| StreamClan Beliefs|| StarClan? Of course. Believing in them is so much easier than believing in the violent god-like clan, the Raashako. Kind ancestors that send warnings of danger instead of causing it…To be honest it was a dream come true for Storkflower. He jumped at the chance upon meeting the clans to cast aside the stark teachings of his father in favor of learning about these more benevolent beings. No longer would he have to cower, waiting in fear for the next time of sacrifice. No longer would infliction of self pain be the only way to salvation. No. It was small wonder he asked to become Badgernose’s apprentice. It was clear he wanted to be as close to StarClan as possible…short of killing himself, of course. However new found beliefs weren’t the only reason. Past wrongs had to be righted, and no matter how forgiving StarClan was said to be, he had seen things…done things…that had to be rectified. He could not be a warrior. He could not kill anymore. He had to heal…he had to give life, not take it. However, as his apprenticeship progressed, he found himself becoming disillusioned with the starry ancestors. He began to prefer working completely on his own than with them. His belief in them is no less strong than it had been at the beginning of his apprenticeship, however after much thought he has decided that he is quite done with pandering to the whims of ancestors--Raashako, StarClan, or otherwise. This is partly a result of his sudden promotion to medicine cat. He believes he is not ready--and truth be told he isn't--and resents StarClan for their insight in the matter. Parents|| Natalie{deaceased}xRawiri{NP/unkown} Siblings|| Neya {deceased}, Ruushi {deceased}, Kylie{deceased} Mate|| N/A Apprentice|| Cinderpaw Appearance|| Storkflower is very tall and lanky. He has lost some of his former frailty build-wise that he had as an early apprentice (although he still appears somewhat delicate), and his white pelt, broken by dark splotches on his head and back, has developed a more coarse texture. Personality|| Storkflower tries his hardest to be friendly. But despite his best efforts he can come off as cynical, especially since his promotion. He doesn't believe that he's ready to take up the mantle of medicine cat, and his increasing frustration over this is causing him to be surly: a complete 180 from his days as a wide-eyed, stuttering apprentice. Responsibility though, tends to change people, so his clanmates aren't entirely surprised by his newfound seriousness. If anything, they're glad. With completely new cats running their clan, they'd hate to have a medicine cat who was sub-standard. No less pessimistic in personal matters than he was as an apprentice, Storkflower is doubtful that he will be a wonderful medicine cat. He is convinced he'll be the worst one in the clan's history because of the gaps in his training, but does not openly voice this opinion. What would his clan think if they knew how paranoid he was? No. In front of his clanmates he has to be a pillar of confidence. He has to forget the stuttering apprentice he used to be. He can't turn to anyone for advice, not even StarClan. Especially not StarClan. The tom is convinced they're the reason he's in this mess in the first place. Though his new responsibility is straining his patience, he's still willing to be anyone's listening ear. His advice is surprisingly sound, if you can find the helpful words past his increasingly sarcastic manner. He makes a point to make time for anyone who needs advice, partly so that he can appear as though he actually knows what he's doing...but also because some things never change. He was a listening ear as an apprentice, and remains so as medicine cat. Skills|| Storkflower's talents lie with sniffing out and picking herbs. His soft mouth and delicate paws allow him to harvest carry herbs with care, and his sensitive nose makes sniffing out herbs the simplest of tasks. However, having not completed his training before Badgernose's disappearance, he is hardly the most capable medicine cat in the forest. As a result, many of his recent medical achievements have been purely accidental, and increasingly, experimental. He is determined not to fail his clan as a medicine cat. ...Because he sure as hell wouldn't make it as a warrior. His fighting leaves much to be desired, and the amount of time Badgernose spent on hunting was minimal at best. History|| ”Rawiri…I know Raashako must be appeased for this bounty, but…please…can we not appease them another way? We could eat less…cause injury to each other…but not my kits. Not my kits…I don‘t want to loose them.” “I know. But we must ask Raashako if it is their Will that all survive…We must ask them what price there is to pay for such happiness.” Though they had just been born, the kits were taken into the unforgiving cold and wet of the meadow after a rain. Their mother, distraught beyond comprehension carried them to the nearest bush and bid them stay under it. ”Please…” Now Rawiri‘s voice was hard, uncaring of her sadness and fear. ”If Raashako crave blood on this day it is our duty as their servants to give it to them. We will let the rain, sent by Raashako themselves decide what we must give.” The newly-made parents watched carefully as drops of water fell from the bush. Two kits cried out as the icy cold water droplets hit their vulnerable bodies without mercy. Natalie, their mother, cried in the agony only a mother would know as her mate strode forward and took the two stricken kits from under the bush. ”By Raashako’s grace you were born. By Raashako’s Will you will die. Be comforted by the fact that your life will feed Raashako, the true makers of us all.” The two remaining kits were already shivering from the cold, but now they shook violently with fear. Where had their siblings gone? Where was Neya? Ruushi? What was that smell…that putrid smell…Comfort. Their mother by their side again. Safety for Kylie. Mother picked her up. More fear, if that was even possible for Zane…he was picked up by his father whose mouth clogged his nose with the putrid unknown smell. A smell he would soon become all too familiar with. Kylie died. Raashako deemed that she be taken as punishment for Natalie’s unwillingness to serve according to Rawiri. Zane was left alone to learn the ways of a servant of Raashako…an all powerful being who was many and one. Who demanded death and suffering in return for it’s good will. For prey to remain, prey had to be given. For kits to survive, kits had to be taken. For life to continue…life had to be taken. ”Good, Zane, good. Raashako is pleased with you this day. How many your age may say that they fasted for three days and never once considering turning away from Raashako’s Will? Who at your age knows the true meaning of sacrifice?” Zane nodded numbly. It was useless to protest. He had learned that the hard way moons before. Life was death. Happiness was suffering. His father’s word was Raashako’s Will. ”Your mother disobeyed Raashako. She turned away from them…But ultimately she joined them again. I showed he their light. One day you might have to do the same for another. You must be prepared.” Again, Zane nodded. Murder. But what could he do? He had tried to run once. By Raashako’s Will his father had found him. ”You are finally ready for this journey. I will take you with me and we will spread Raashako’s word to those ignorant of their power. Ignorant of what Raashako gives them.” ”What if they don’t…” No…questions were not tolerated. Zane swallowed the words, not daring to continue the sentence. Rawiri glared at his son. ”If they what? Question Raashako? We will show them Raashako’s emptiness. We will show them Raashako’s grace. We will show them Raashako and they will tremble. They will tremble and beg to become loyal servants to They Who See and Know All.” The journey of twisted faith took them many places, and Zane struggled to keep up with his seemingly tireless father. He was too young to make it. He knew it. Raashako would claim him as it had claimed his siblings. When he finally collapsed, his father ignored him and his feeble calls for help. Raashako had him…he would now know Raashako’s black void… No..light? A dim light…was he in a den? Zane looked frantically about, crying out in confusion until a large black and white she-cat came to him. He questioned the cat, sensing for the first time it was okay to question his lot. Was this the dwelling of Raashako? No? StreamClan? What was StreamClan…What was Raashako…Raashako was everything. They controlled bounty, famine, they dwelled in the sky and all was in their sight. Did he mean StarClan? How could he mean something he had never heard of… Knowledge. Light. But more than light…it was the truth. It was a comforting blanket that wrapped him in peace. Violence wasn’t the only way. Killing wasn’t the only way to please. There were other paths…He could heal. He could save, not doom. He could have redemption. He could have StarClan. YEAR TWO: As Storkpaw's apprenticeship progressed, he proved himself to be an easily distracted nervous wreck. Though he was away from his father and was no longer compelled to live his life by the will of Raashako, he was no less meek. The tom was plagued by a stutter for his first few moons in the clan, and his continuing social awkwardness did nothing to help it. He was incredibly unused to being around so many cats, and this showed. Painfully. However, the longer he spent in StreamClan, the less nervous he seemed to get. The apprentice seemed at last to be opening up before a rather unfortunate encounter with a loner smashed all hopes of getting him to trust others in the near future. He had been out collecting herbs near the border when he happened upon a large tom. The cat didn't smell remotely like anyone from StreamClan, or anyone from any of the other clans either, but Storkpaw still hung around. He had hoped to convince the tom to leave before a patrol came, but obviously the loner had other plans. The loner attacked the medicine cat apprentice, tearing into him for the pure joy of it. The one-sided battle left Storkpaw's left hindleg a mess and only the patrol Storkpaw had been hoping to save the loner from encountering prevented further damage. The experience left Storkpaw with both a limp and a distrust of strangers of any scent. And if that wasn't enough to impact his increasingly serious personality, than the events that occurred shortly after his recovery were. Cloudstar. Stormflower. Badgernose. All three pillars of StreamClan were struck down. Cloudstar retired to the elder's den after receiving a crippling injury in a fight, the same fight that saw the loss of his deputy. And no one knew where Badgernose went. all the cats that had took him in as a lost and vulnerable kit were essentially gone, and before he had time to even mourn, StarClan saw fit to make him Streamclan's medicine cat. He should have felt happy that his dream was at last realized. But he didn't. He wasn't ready. He wanted to remain an apprentice. He wanted Badgernose to come back and teach him the rest of what he needed to know before he could even think of accepting such a promotion. But StreamClan needed him to take the mantle. In the face of such responsibility he could hardly walk away. He couldn't tell them to find another cat, because there was no other cat. Unlike PineClan, StreamClan had one medicine cat. And one medicine cat apprentice. If one went, the other had to pony up. And for all intents and purposes, Storkpaw did pony up. He accepted his new name, which had been given to him in honor of his flowery and delicate nature as an apprentice. However, in wake of his promotion Storkflower seemed to grow less like a flower and more like a cynical pillar. The attack of the loner had done much to make him less of a daydreamer, and his displeasure with StarClan soured his outlook. He grew serious and more confident, and little of the stutter he had as an apprentice remained. ------------------------------------- Sample|| "Storkpaw...Storkpaw...Storkpaw! Are you even paying attention?" The small apprentice started as his mentor snapped him back to attention. He had been daydreaming again. That much was obvious. "Sorry...I guess I just drifted off." "Considering you can barely tell the difference between Juniper and Yew, I suggest you keep your mind on your work. Being able to find herbs is all well and good, but if you don't know which is which, how can you heal? Mistakes like the ones you're making can kill a cat. Concentrate." Storkpaw nodded, a movement he had near about cultivated. He knew he had to try to concentrate. But then something would catch his eye, he'd be compelled to look at it, then think about it, and before he knew it entire chunks of time had flown by... "Storkpaw. Do you want to learn this or not?" "Sorry, sorry!" he had to get past this. What if he drifted off while a cat really needed his help? Are you sure you want this? You haven't been very attentive." Sure he wanted it? How could he not be? being a medicine cat...was there anything better? Anyone could injure, anyone could start fights, finish them, walk on a silly patrol looking for trouble. But how many could heal? How many had the opportunity to walk and talk with StarClan themselves? Of course he was sure about his decision. "Badgernose...I'm sure. I can't put it into words exactly...But this is for me. I have to do this. I want to do this, more than anything...I just can't concentrate today." His mentor didn't look convinced. How could he convince her? 'By working harder...' a nagging voice whispered in his head. Work harder? He was trying. But maybe not hard enough? The information wouldn't just come to him. He had to learn it. Study it. There would be plenty of time to look the clouds later. Speaking [bg=f9fdd9][atrb=width,467,true] [atrb=border,0,true]

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[color=0e1f48][b]Speaking[/b][/color]
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