{ oSaC } Lifepaw

Haven Name: Lifepaw

Common Name: Lifepaw

Nickname: Life

Current Age: 14 months

Birthday: 1 year, 4 months post-Calamity

Gender: Cisgender male

Sexual Orientation: Unknown

Relationship Status: Single

Current Interests: N/A

Past Interests: N/A

Breed: Mixed

Ancestral Affiliation: Kittypet, Pilgrim

Origin: Calamity born

Auma Type: Dark auma

Character Slot: Secondary

Summary: Lifepaw is a gentle soul- perhaps too gentle for his own good. The bloody upheaval of his young life has left him a pacifist and a compassionate, but terribly shy, young tom. He still carries survivor's guilt as one of the few darklings in Haven to survive Nicholas' massacre, to which his adoptive fathers fell prey. However, Safe Haven's unconditional welcome of him as a kit has left its mark, and he lives hoping to give back and make the world a little more beautiful. Lifepaw has an artistic flair and a deep appreciation for beauty in the world, but he is frightened of venturing beyond the Wall and is still struggling to accept that he himself is more like the wastes outside than the light of his home. Given his failure to assist in Haven's struggle against the Siege, Lifepaw is more earnest than ever, striving to be better and prove himself as a worthy crafter.

{ Anxious }

Lifepaw is plagued by self-doubt and anxiety, often coming off as timid to the cats that he meets. His uncertainty stems from the loss of almost all family he's ever had, and the fact that he could potentially turn into an Ashen Warrior one day, thereby putting the very cats he loves at risk. The list of fears that trouble the young darkling seem to grow longer with every passing month, and he is still trying to come to terms with the idea that he is not, in fact, cursed, and completely entitled to finding happiness.

{ Creative }

From the day he stepped into the Crafters' Circle as a small kit, Lifepaw has been in love with the artistic side of life. He loves to craft and watch others create, and given his lack of useful crafting powers, most of his work is done tediously by paw. Even though he is an apprentice now, he still struggles to keep his paws clean. He's always messing with something, be it dyes or mud. Lifepaw loves beautiful things and can see beauty in almost anything, especially other cats. He definitely clams up when a particularly pretty cat passes by.

{ Kind }

Though he is shy, Lifepaw adores helping others as best as he can. Even if a stranger looks blue, he will tamp down his anxiety to try and hear them out. Lifepaw's compassion even stretches to cats he may not particularly like; he sees no reason to hold back out of personal distaste if someone is in need. He will heal and talk to anyone- no matter how scared he might feel- and his sweet nature shines through everything he does.

{ Pacifist }

Lifepaw is a lover, not a fighter. The idea of his own claws spilling blood horrifies him, and should he witness any more fights between Haveners, he will likely do whatever he can to break them up, even putting himself in harm's way. He even has some sympathy towards the Ashen beyond the Wall, knowing that they, like him, suffer from some dark affliction. At least Lifepaw has his own reasoning; they, on the other hand, do not. He would rather take a blow than ever land one himself, and he believes his paws are meant to heal, not to harm. This is his inspiration for focusing so keenly on strengthening his healing prowess; he never wants to lose a cat in front of him again. Of course, this outlook is especially dangerous in Safe Haven.

{ Earnest }

Eager to please, Lifepaw will do almost anything an older cat (or even a young one!) asks of him. Unfortunately, this means that he is easily taken advantage of. He does not know how to say no or stand up for himself, which can seem rather ridiculous, given his size and stature; a tiny kit with enough sass could easily boss this poor tom around. He only wants to be helpful! It can simply get him into a bit of trouble when it all becomes too much, and he can easily find himself overworked and making too many promises to too many cats.

{ Honest }

Stars above, Lifepaw cannot lie. He has tried before, but he immediately feels so guilty (and is so terrible at any attempt in the first place) that he has sworn off bothering anymore. It's rather adorable and also sad. However, it does mean that Lifepaw is a dependable friend and an easy cat to get advice from. His heart is always in the right place, and he will say exactly what he's thinking. Since he knows he can't lie, either, he tends to keep his mouth shut if he has nothing helpful or nice to say.

Looks: Lifepaw has a mottled russet-brown pelt with white on his legs and face, masked over with an almost tortoiseshell pattern. Perhaps because he is a darkling, his patches are red in places. Gray flames work off of his scruff and continue down his spine, stopping just before his bobbed tail. His eyes are a gray-blue, and both his gaze and his flames grow darker, almost black, when he is angry or upset.

Build: As he is growing, Lifepaw has found his once-small body becoming sturdy and tall. His stature is solid and naturally muscular, lending him good strength in lugging around materials.

Scars and Disabilities: None so far. Perhaps Lifepaw's only "disability" is being a darkling.

Accessories:

Luzacan's Hanging Earring:
- Slot: Head
- Enchanting: (+)
- Durability: 5

Winterfest Scarf:
- Slot: Neck (scarcely worn)
- Hardness: (/)
- Enchanting: (+)
- Weight: (/)
- Durability: 10

Soul Gem:
- Slot: Carried
- Special: Ally Space: Can store celestial allies!
- Special: Returning: This gem will eventually find its way back to you if lost.
- Durability: infinite
- Currently holds: N/A

Habits:

-Rolling his forepaw back and forth while thinking

Fears:

-Losing more loved ones
-Leaving the Wall
-Going "dark"
-Failing Haven

Dreams/Goals:

-To make his friends proud!
-To create beautiful things
-To become a master of healing

Beliefs:

{ Agnostic | Parental influence }

"I don't...really understand what cats are talking about when they cite StarClan or heaven. I d-don't know. I want to believe in something like that, f-for my papas' sake, but it doesn't sound very realistic...so I guess I don't have an opinion."

Physical Health - 100%: Lifepaw is in peak physical condition.

Emotional Health - 70%: Though he has cheered up considerably since his disappearance during the Siege, Lifepaw still suffers from severe guilt and anxiety.

Romantic Partner:

{ None | Gender | Affiliation (i.e. "clan, way, rogue, Vanguard, etc") | Status (i.e. living/deceased/missing/unknown }

"E-excuse me...?"

Best Friend(s):

{ Miraclepaw | Female | Vanguard apprentice | Living }

"My sister...i-is such a brave and good cat. She brightens the world; she makes it a more beautiful place. I ad-dore her."

Friend(s):

{ Littlestep | Male | Chief Crafter | Living }

"M-my former mentor is the most talented Crafter I know! He is so kind and supportive...I just hope I haven't di-disappointed him...."

{ Birdcatcher | Female | Crafter | Living }

"Ever since...that day...she has been there for me. She taught me about crafting and gave me hope again."

Crush(es):

{ None | Gender | Affiliation | Status }

"I-I don't know about that...I'm a li-little busy with work...."

Enemies:

{ None | Gender | Affiliation | Status }

"H-how could I hate anyone?"

Acquaintance(s):

{ Nightmist | Female | Espion | Living }

"Sh-she is so beautiful...and so kind. I would like to get to know her better."

{ Waspmouth | Male | Chief Vanguard | Living }

"D-Def gave me encouragement when I was feeling down, and I've ne-never forgotten it. I am so grateful for his help."

{ Violetsin | Female | Seeker | Living }

"A-another darkling like me, who survived....She helped me when I was lost. I have not seen her for a long time. I hope she is alright."

{ Duskpaw | Female | Espion apprentice | Living }

"She is so pretty! It was sweet of her to t-try to teach me to sunbathe."

Profession: Crafter apprentice

Current Auma Score: 6

Mentor:

{ Cloudrunner | Female | Crafter | Living }

Past mentors:

{ Littlestep | Male | Chief crafter | Living }

Power Class: Psychic-Class

See Power Chart for details

Item 1: Luzacan's Hanging Earring

- Slot: Head
- Hardness: (/)
- Enchanting: (+)
- Weight: (/)
- Durability: 5

Item 2: Winterfest Scarf:

- Slot: Neck
- Hardness: (/)
- Enchanting: (+)
- Weight: (/)
- Durability: 10

Parents:

{ Turtle | Biological mother | Kittypet | Deceased }

"Sh-she gave me life...but she didn't get to see it."

{ Rowe | Biological father | Pilgrim | Deceased }

"M-my first father...I barely remember him at all, now."

{ Luzacan | Adoptive father | Loner | Deceased }

"My papa...he was so strong. I loved him."

{ Herring | Adoptive father | Loner | Deceased }

"Papa...I miss you. I am so sorry."

Siblings:

{ Miraclepaw | Female | Calamity-born | Living }

"Mira is s-so beautiful. I am proud to be her brother, even if I don't d-deserve it."

{ Torrential Times }

Lifekit’s original parents were very close friends that met one another shortly after the Calamity, when Turtle’s house had collapsed and killed her fellow cat and Rowe had been separated from the pilgrims. Both were very young at the time and had only managed to survive by pure luck, but together they found solace and comfort. They spent over a year together, avoiding the Ashen that prowled this new, terrifying world by chance and lying low. When the two heard the Call, they decided at once to answer it.

Turtle and Rowe set off together from their faraway shelter, but because neither of them were used to hard travel or fighting, the going was very slow. In fact, over three months passed when suddenly Turtle had to stop. She was expecting Rowe’s kits, and the two agreed that they could not continue traveling until the little ones were born.

Their two kits entered the world relatively early, but both were surprisingly strong and beautiful. Turtle was too tired to name them both, and Rowe suggested waiting to name their children until they showed some personality.

And so Lifepaw was born with no name, clinging to his mother’s belly for the first feeble weeks of his life, his sister at his side. He was barely over half a moon old when tragedy befell the two new parents. Rowe unknowingly led a nightshade back to his mate and kits, and when Turtle and Rowe tried to defend their family, the Ashen tore them apart. The couple died screaming in terror and pain, and it was these screams that caught the attention of two passing darklings.

The toms rushed forward and found themselves too late to save either cat, but when they realized that Turtle’s nest smelled of milk, they found a kit curled trembling in the scrubby moss. Never noticing his sister, they grabbed the darkling child and managed to escape the nightshade’s notice thanks to their dark auma.

The darklings were named Luzacan and Herring, and they both decided to adopt the little tom as their own. The kit was bewildered and terrified, wanting to know where his parents were, why they had been screaming. To alleviate his fears, they gave him a name, and little Life was taken in under their wing. Though at first he was confused and hurt at the loss of Turtle and Rowe, he quickly grew attached to the two darklings and happily called them both “Papa.” They, too, had been heading for Safe Haven, and decided to take tiny Life with them.

He was weaned earlier than any kit has ever been, but he had to be. It was a hard first moon, but when it had passed Life found himself adoring his new parents and life. They slept in a large bundle of fur every night and always told jokes to one another, and he had never felt so adored and cherished. They soon reached Safe Haven and were welcomed with open arms, Life becoming Lifekit and his papas Whisperfoot and Blackquill.

Lifekit was at first shy of living in a huge community for the first time in his life, but Luzacan and Herring were always there for him. He shyly took a liking to crafting and tried to copy their efforts for his papas while they were away on duty. A moon and a half passed in this way when suddenly sorrow struck Safe Haven, and Lifekit left his den to discover both Luzacan and Herring dead, their expressions frozen in agony and fear.

Despite his terror and heartbreak, Lifekit was supported by his fellow Haveners, particularly by Birdcatcher. He feared for his life as the extermination of darklings unfolded, waiting shakily for answers. Finally, they came. As Safe Haven identified and challenged the twisted tyrant, Nicholas, Lifekit prayed for his papas' murderer to pay for his crimes. Though he could not stand Nicholas for the former Chief's betrayal, he never wished the tom dead, instead voting for his imprisonment. It broke Lifekit's heart further when he discovered that Nicholas, too, was a darkling, and had killed his own kind.

However, Lifekit was reunited with a cat he never expected to see again in the midst of this tragedy: his sole littermate and sister, Miraclekit, brought to Safe Haven by Tidefrost. As time passed, he struck up a relationship with her, and the two became apprentices at the same time- Mira, a vanguard in training under her rescuer, and Lifekit, a crafter-to-be, just as his papas would have wanted.

For a while, Lifepaw was content. He worked tirelessly to impress his mentor, the Chief Crafter, Littlestep, and tried his best to make friends despite his shy and anxious nature. Yet tragedy struck again. Miraclepaw disappeared. Assuming her dead, Safe Haven mourned and moved on, but Lifepaw was never the same. He became convinced that he was cursed, and that any cat who became too close to him would end up dead. When the Grayscale Slaughter occurred, something fractured in the young tom's mind. Sensing somehow that he was wavering on a fine line between darkness and light, Lifepaw confined himself away in Safe Haven's deepest corners, racked by shame and terror.

The Siege rained havoc on his comrades while Lifepaw cowered, fighting his own mind. Only after it was over, and his thoughts began to clear, realizing that Haven had not fallen, was he able to trust himself again. Slowly, fearfully, Lifepaw took his first steps and re-entered his home.

He had a new mentor, now: Cloudrunner. Though he liked the she-cat well enough, he still felt terrible guilt for disappointing Littlestep and driving a wedge between them. He works now to try and make up for his disappearance.

Auma: 6

Wound Capacity: -1

Energy: 11/11

Hit Chance: m[25%], r[55%]

Damage: m[--], r[++]

Dodge: m[--], r[-]

Saves:

Physical: (--)
Mental: (++)
Environmental: (---)
Poison: (--)
Wyrd: (+++)
Death: (++)

Script: Open

Short response: Open

Mid-length response: Open

Good god why are we writing novels?: OPEN

Skype: Closed

Notes: Closed

Comments: Semi-closed

Google Docs: Open

Discord: Open

Time Zone: EST

Source: "Unspoken Love," a roleplay between Tide and Hopflight

Sample:Tidefrost huffed and shook out her pelt, casting an ashy cloud out behind her as bits of the dusty sky wafted from her fur. Ruth had gone on ahead, scouting, and left the Chief to solitude. She drank it in; it was a bitter drink. As much as she craved it, it stung more than anything else- burned her throat with shame, boiled her belly with sour memories and distress. Somehow company chased away the side effects that loneliness wrought.

But company brought its own challenges, because Tidefrost really didn't want to talk right now. All Ruth would say was that it would take time- she was different. She knew what Tidefrost needed, and no wonder; she was an ethereal part of her made life. Others simply didn't understand, and attempting to both explain herself and shove away concern was not only frustrating but humiliating. So she took her bitter drink, and she took it quietly.

At least, she did until she found Ashen to kill. That usually wasn't so quiet.

She left the slaughtered enroi far behind her and trod steadily on, ignoring the swiftly drying and dried streaks of blood on her pelt. Something about killing made things easier to digest. Like, perhaps, the fact that she was...maybe not a good mentor. She was a great killer. She was an adequate Chief. But teaching? She had thought she'd been getting through to Tiger, had been showing her the way, yet...maybe she had been too arrogant. She wasn't the only one who failed. Dust flew from her paws. You failed, too. You failed her.

She couldn't seem to keep anyone alive except herself, that was it.

A ripple of paranoia struck her suddenly, and she whirled about, searching for a sign of her familiar. She couldn't lose Ruth. True, the little wolf was very capable of defending herself- she had recently discovered how to manifest the Chief's powers- but there was a pervasive sense of not being alone that pressed her chest into a knot. Then she heard her name, and on instinct she ran towards the sound- and she realized after a few heartbeats that it wasn't Ruth at all.

Tidefrost slowed and then halted, staring blankly into the distance as she spotted his scruffy figure on the horizon. She wondered how he had tracked her so far. Why had he? She was doing all of her duties. This time was hers, so what did he want? She wanted to believe he knew better than to try and tell her Tiger's Proving wasn't her fault, but then again...she had believed a lot of things. So she stood there and let the wind lash her sides, waiting dully for Hopflight to come to her.

Blank character sheet © Riveriia

of Stars and Clans © Riveriia, PenguinEatsCarrots, Brayd-Gerard, and other members of the oSaC Admin Team

Character Design and Brief Backstory © ciarwitch
Luzacan and Herring © ciarwitch and Benepotentia
Lifepaw © Bayflight