Kestrelswipe

A fit, chocolate broken mackerel tabby tom with yellow eyes

Kestrelswipe is a large, broad-shouldered tom with a pale chocolate pelt and brown stripes. He is a broken mackerel tabby, with his pelt’s overall color darkest along his spine and gradually fading as it reaches the paws. His fur tends to grow thicker along his underbelly, and a few faded rings can be seen along the length of his thin tail. He has a square, defined face with long whiskers, a pink nose rimmed with dark brown, and bright yellow eyes. He tends to hold his well-muscled, sturdy frame up with pride, his ears constantly flicking to attention.

A sociable, smart tom who would rather hide his bad moods than cause other cats any trouble. Family ties and ancestry are frustrating subjects for him, as he does care for his kin, but does not ascribe to the same ambition that his sibling and mother seem to share. Instead, he strives to embody the loving and caring attitude that his father seemed to perpetuate. He devotes himself fully to the Warriors’ Code, and finds satisfaction in caring for all aspects of clan life, with no great emphasis on any one particular skill other than sociability. Someday, he hopes to be remembered as half the cat his sire was, and just as warmly. He generally greets strangers with a friendly demeanor, and will typically be the last to unsheath his claws. When pushed to the brink however, there may be something deep within his blood that can unlock a certain ruthlessness–at least, Kestrelswipe fears there may be.

• Born in the Moon of Long Nights (2018) 116
• Made an Apprentice as Kestrelpaw in ThunderClan during the Moon of Running Prey (2019) 122
• Named a Warrior as Kestrelswipe in ThunderClan during the Moon of Leopard's Rest (2019) 128

Kithood

Kestrelkit was born away from camp, to his mother, Wildcry, in the middle of leaf-bare. Despite the season’s mildness, he survived with his sibling, while the other did not. He does not remember being brought back during Wildcry’s own vigil, but he grew up knowing the story well. He would constantly ask about Wildcry and his father, Goldenstar trying to make sense of what having a lineage really meant.

Otherwise, he was usually found playing battle games with his sibling, or tailing Foxkit around camp to harass warriors and apprentices. While Kestrelkit preferred less to ask random questions and more to try and see who could climb the highest up Highrock, he still found his sibling to be a fun, if not creative playmate, and enjoyed sharing a nursery den with them.

As he grew, he became more impatient and excited to start his warrior training. He often acted older than he was, pretending to be more mature as if that would convince their leader he was ready.

Apprenticeship

When he finally became an apprentice, it was the most exciting day in his young life. He and his mentor spent the first few days covering basics and exploring the territory, and he was excited to learn new skills. His attention could be grabbed immediately by any mention of new lessons or practices, with his very favorite being group lessons.

Unfortunately, as he shadowed his mentor alongside his sibling, he began to feel a bit dissatisfied with his fellow apprentices. Wrenpaw was far too brash and grumpy, while Foxpaw seemed…distracted. He tried to make sense of his littermate’s insatiable curiosity and poor impulse control, but he couldn’t understand. Kestrelpaw was not as easily enchanted by stories of their ancestors, taking them with dignity, and refusing to allow the fact that he had fierce blood to get to his head. He dedicated himself to the Warriors’ Code, determined to make a name for himself that was not reliant on whoever his blood came from.

Warriorhood

When Kestrelswipe was made a warrior, he took it graciously, having earned his name for his quick, decisive actions when faced with a problem. While sitting vigil with his sibling, he uttered no words, keeping each of his senses alert as he took sentry over the clan. He watched as his sibling grew more distant, prowling around the territory, leaving for long stints at a time. He decided then that it was no use trying to talk any sense into them, and focused on his own skills.

Without a mentor to consult or a sibling to try to keep in check, Kestrelswipe wasn’t exactly certain what to do with himself. He tried his paw at every task the clan needed, from hunting and border patrols to constructing camp structures and cleaning out the elders’ den. He found himself something of a jack of all trades, but master of none. He spent more time with his sire, chatting and trying to learn what exactly it meant to be useful to the clan. While his sibling went off hunting glory, Kestrelswipe dedicated himself to more sociable and caring aspects of clan life, offering help wherever it was needed and always having a good mind for teamwork. This is where he found his knack in, the more social skills.

When his sibling Savagefox, then Foxstream, brought back a dog as fresh-kill, Kestrelswipe was horrified and embarrassed. The act of careless bloodshed was enough to make him reflect on himself and his ancestry once again, and he decided to fully dedicate himself to earning the pride of a Thunderclan warrior rather than inheriting it. He continues to try and live up to his own paragon image of a good warrior, one built on care and thoughtfulness towards others.

• A Bird and a Bee (27CF'20)
• A Rose in Winter (28LN'20)
• Heralds We All [Gathering] (14CF'20)
• Question of the Hour (16TL'20)
• What’s the Buzz About? (10TL'20)
• When a Bird Takes Flight (7CF'20)