Rooknose

A lean black tom with a white nose bridge and green eyes

Rooknose is a lean, lithe black tom with a white nose bridge and back paws. His build lacks muscular aspects, but is instead replaced by an agile, almost breezy feel. His black fur has the faintest broken tabby markings, which cannot usually be seen, and is a pure night black shade with an almost unique shine. His white nose bridge stand out from the rest of his plain pelt, making him an easy face to recognise in a crowd. He also has bright green eyes. His body, legs and tail are all quite long, making him look a little odd and awkward, but this is just one of the many things that Swanblaze loved about him.

Rooknose is a reserved and kind tom who is passionate about family. He is a natural problem solver much like his daughter. Although he may be reserved, he is quick to speak up when needed, and isn’t someone that is usually considered to be quiet. He is more of a cat to only speak when needed, which to him seems to be a lot. He isn’t exactly sure of his place in the world, and can seem a little awkward at times, but make him comfortable and he is happy to chat. While he may seem a little laid back at times, he is actually a very hard working cat, often helping behind the scenes with den repairs (a favourite of his!) and other small in-clan tasks. The simple things come naturally to him, and he often finds himself just cruising through life, waiting to see where things take him, with a little push in some directions if there is something he particularly wants. After the death of Swanblaze and Swanpaw, he changed a little, becoming a little more closed off and serious, but he still remains a quick-minded and kind tom who will do anything for his offspring.

• Born in the Moon of Cheetah's Flight (2015) 073

KITHOOD

Rooknose was born alongside one other kit, both who were both quite quiet, and didn’t make much of a fuss within the nursery. He was well taken care off, and caused little trouble, just happy to be alive and potter around camp with his one brother. He often stuck quite close to his mother, but it was a behaviour that weaned as he grew older, slowly becoming more independent, and becoming a promising little soul. He had a strong relationship with both his brother and mother, though never learned who sired him.

APPRENTICESHIP

Like his time in the nursery, Rooknose did not stand out much. He was just another familiar face within WindClan, though he did not really mind the position he was in. Though he technically did not care how he progressed within WindClan, he did feel a little lost. He was proud to have been born a WindClan cat, and was grateful he got to provide to such a loyal group, but he did not know if this was the right path for him. He sometimes considered going down the path of a medicine cat, or leaving the clan entierly to start a more solitary life, but deep down he knew he belonged with WindClan. It was where his family was, and the moors gave him a special sense of comfort he knew no where else would give him.

Rooknose performed his apprentice duties with a sense of calculation and effort, while still allowing himself to have fun with those his age. He never once complained about the less desirable duties, though could sometimes be seen getting into trouble with his brother. He was much more of a follower rather than a leader. Despite this he still remained an aspect of maturity despite his age.

WARRIORHOOD

As he grew, little changed about Rooknose, yet family would say he gained more of a confident and content attitude with blooming aspects of leadership. He wouldn’t actively put himself forward, but would always be ready if the time was ever needed for him to step up. Despite loving a good patrol with a few others, camp was his favourite place to be, and he seemed most content drowsily watching his clan from atop of a sunny rock. If not, he was for sure to be checking out the structure of the camp, making sure everything was in tact. Security is a must for Rooknose!

Eventually a she-cat of similar age took an interest in Rooknose, known as Swanblaze, much to the tom’s surprise. They had grew up together, but had little more than a shallow friendship due to being from the same clan. Not to say that he didn’t like her, but she didn’t seem like a cat that would be interested in creating a stronger friendship with him. Despite his doubts, he let Swanblaze get to know him a little better, letting her drag him along for hunts and outings which he soon came to enjoy. Without the hustle and bustle of clan life, in Rooknose’s eyes, Swanblaze seemed like an entierly different cat, a flower alight in a field of ashes.

While Rooknose isn’t the most outgoing cat, he isn’t dense and could notice a certain flicker if interest in Swanblaze’s eyes, but he did not trust her. Swanblaze was a player of hearts, and he was not keen to be her next victim. He still wanted to retain their newfound friendship though, and played along with Swanblaze’s not so subtle flirting. Rooknose of course caught feelings. He wasn’t surprised, but had hoped he would be able to prevent so in some way. He didn’t have time to be distracted by romance while the clan had more important issues. The two grew closer until Swanblaze proposed the idea of a litter, with Rooknose as the sire. He was honoured to have been asked, and cautiously accepted. Maybe his relationship with Swanblaze was a little different. It was this proposal that led to a solidification in their relationship, confirming their bond. Rooknose had never been overly interested in having kits, but once Swanblaze announced she was expecting he went into parent mode immediately, and wanted nothing more than for his children to have a life they deserved.

The death of Swanblaze was something Rooknose never could have seen coming. Swanblaze was perfectly healthy, why had the birth gone wrong? He went into a state of shock for at least on hour after his litter was born, hovering in the shadows of the nursery staring at the two little she-kits he had created. He snapped out of this soon, he is headstrong and stable when it comes to emotions, and immediately took up the role of caring for the kits, vowing to raise them as best as he could with the assistance of another nursing queen. He loved nothing more than his two daughters, one which was almost identical to Swanblaze, requesting she be named after their deceased mother.

During his daughters kithood and apprenticeship Rooknose made a strong effort to educate his children, becoming a guiding and stable figure in his daughter’s lives while giving them the space they needed to grow and mature. During the middle of his daughter’s training, Swanpaw (his daughter), was stuck with a bad case of greencough, eventually leading to the young cat’s demise. To loose both the love of his life and the young cat the reflected her perfectly in less than a year gave Rooknose a massive hit, but young Aspenpaw was still strong and surviving. Both cats struggled with the death of Swanpaw, and their bond strengthened to something that could be considered rare. During Aspenpaw’s grief over Swanpaw, he was a constant column of support, and greatly assisted in her recovery, not letting himself loose one of the only things he still cared about.

Rooknose is now a warrior within WindClan, who continues to have a strong relationship with Aspenberry. The two do not talk as much as they used to, as Aspenberry is in the process of discovering herself and what path she wants to go down, but when the two do come together its like they had never been apart, falling back into old habits and traditions, sharing jokes from many moons ago and sharing tongues with a fond aura. Rooknose will never sire another litter again, nor will he let himself become as close to a cat as he did with Swanblaze. He knows it is better for his wellbeing, and despite the pain it might bring, he is content and satisfied with the life he is living, especially with his daughter at his side.

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