Dawnflurry for Deputy of ShadowClan
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Question #1 : Essay Question
Question:
Provide a brief rundown of the personality and history of the character in question, making sure to explain where major personality traits came from, and to include those traits you think qualify the character as the next deputy.
Response:
Dawnflurry wants his Clan to thrive not just physically but emotionally. He wants to be someone that everyone knows they can depend on. He won’t do their job for them, but whether a Clanmate needs extra paws or just someone to vent to, he’ll be there. He tries to look out for his Clanmates and help whoever he sees struggling.
Growing up an orphan, worrying about his brother, and experiencing the Clan suffer through hard times made Dawnflurry want to be strong enough to protect everyone. As an apprentice, he trained hard with that goal in mind and saw every competition as extra training. He believes that suffering is inevitable in life, but with the right attitude and ability, its severity can be lessened. It would be irresponsible if he didn’t try.
Dawnflurry believes Clan morale comes from more than just hunting enough prey and defending borders. He’ll defend his Clanmates against themselves and try to break up conflicts between them. He’ll try to be a mediator first, but he doesn’t care if he ultimately has to anger one cat to aid another for the good of the Clan. Failure to save someone hits him hard, especially if he thinks their fate could’ve been prevented (like with Briarstream’s accident), but he knows he cannot be everywhere. In the face of hardship, Dawnflurry puts up a brave front to inspire and support his Clanmates because it’s important to set and see good examples in action. He knows there are times when triage is necessary and they have to choose the course that will help the most cats.
As a warrior, Dawnflurry’s pragmatic and his ambitions lay beyond attaining a higher rank. He didn’t try to endear himself for a better position or try to show that he was better than other warriors. He just focused on his job and whatever happened happened. Due to his attitude and work ethic, he became a senior warrior under Dunestar and he was appointed Hollyclaw’s mentor. Later on, Dawnflurry didn’t feel slighted when the younger Palestrike was chosen as their new deputy. He was proud of her. After Dunestar’s death and Palestar’s promotion to leader, Dawnflurry’s tried to be vigilant for any troubles Palestar might have. He wouldn’t’ve wanted to become a leader so young, but he knows she can handle it. He has no wish to succeed her and fully expects to be replaced if he doesn’t die first.
As a deputy, Dawnflurry would be a good counterbalance for Palestar. They’re both dedicated and hard-working, but he’s more laidback and doesn’t fear aging. If he gets too old to fight, he can still teach. Others might find Dawnflurry more approachable. He’ll joke and play, but he won’t slack off. Palestar can go out patrolling all she likes and know the camp will run smoothly in good paws. Likewise in battle, she can count on him to fight his hardest and try do what’s needed to save the most lives. He also wouldn’t be afraid to challenge or stop her if he thought he had to.
Question #2 : Role Play Situation
Question:
Reply to the following RP Post In Character.
The young apprentice Ratpaw shrunk back, fur sucked tight to her body in fear as she cowered in front of her mentor, eyes wide with fear as she almost disappeared in the massive tom’s shadow.
”The Clan comes first!” Goldstripe hissed lowly, his already massive cream tabby pelt raised in anger. ”The elders saw you take the last bird, before they’d been fed. Have you no respect for those who devoted their lives to ensuring you had a place to live, to hunt, to be born?!” the apprentice’s mentor, an older warrior, growled, fangs bared menacingly. The apprentice, promoted just a moon ago, seemed on the verge of fainting, her whole body trembling.
Response:
“Goldstripe!” Dawnflurry’s call was firm and loud, both to get the tom’s attention and to draw attention to the tom. Dawnflurry would welcome an audience. Even if it didn’t embarrass Goldstripe over how shamefully he was acting, it gave Dawnflurry the chance to remind everyone what kind of deputy he was and what kind of behavior he would not tolerate. He padded over and quickly put himself between Goldstripe and Ratpaw. He kept his fur flat as a display of control that Goldstripe clearly lacked.
“This is a new apprentice you’re growling at,” Dawnflurry meowed strongly. “Young Ratpaw is not an enemy.” He positioned himself to be fully face to face with Goldstripe and block his line of sight to Ratpaw. Even his tail was protectively in front of her. Her cowering did not remind him of a cat who had remorselessly stolen prey. Even if she had taken it without thinking, Ratpaw was barely out of the nursery. Mistakes happened and there were ways to deal with them. Goldstripe was far out of line.
“She is your apprentice,” Dawnflurry reminded him, his voice steady but challenging. “Your anger is valid. You are correct that the Clan comes first, but the Clan comes first in more than one way.” His tone became more scolding. “You’re even older than me, yet you terrorize your much younger and smaller Clanmate that you have been tasked with guiding! Your fangs are already bared at her! Will your claws be next?” As a finishing touch, the red and white tabby shot him a warning look. “I can take her out hunting myself to make up for it, should you still find yourself too enraged.”
Goldstripe could be as angry he wanted with Dawnflurry. That was the plan–to refocus the warrior’s aggression onto him instead of the apprentice. He was full-on glaring at Goldstripe now. Dawnflurry would have to keep an extra eye out for Ratpaw after this. He hoped that his long-winded insolence had given her enough time to calm down.
Dawnflurry brought the intensity of his gaze back down to a stern stare. “If she took fresh-kill for herself before feeding the elders, that failure reflects on you too. Have you not gone over the warrior code enough with her? Did she forget to eat earlier? Before you start at her again, you should find out why she did it.”
Dawnflurry finally turned around to address Ratpaw. His orange eyes glimmered with a softness much unreserved for Goldstripe. Again, Dawnflurry kept himself in the other tom’s way. Again, he used his tail as an extra barrier, the same way one might with a kit. If he got an earful later for treating Goldstripe that way, it would still be worth it.
“Ratpaw,” Dawnflurry meowed calmly, “would you explain why you took that bird before you fed the elders?”
Question #3 : Role Play Situation
Question:
Write an in character post in for the following situation as the character you are applying with.
- Your character is out on a lone hunt and spots an intruder. The cat isn’t of any of the clans, and is not one that [CHARACTER] has seen before. Even the cat’s scent is foreign with lean muscles rippling beneath a ragged and scarred pelt. He dosen’t appear to be either hostile or stealing prey, simply exploring.
Response:
Dawnflurry waited until he saw what the intruder was doing before he chose his method of contact. It seemed he wasn’t hunting or searching for anything. Even so, loner or rogue, he couldn’t be there and Dawnflurry wouldn’t leave him wandering about. Dawnflurry decided to be direct. He strode forward until he was within several fox-lengths. His head was held high and his long fur bristled.
“You shouldn’t be here,” Dawnflurry boldly told the stranger. “This territory is claimed and you are not of the ones who claim it. Move along!” It was risky, he knew, approaching so openly. Judging by his scars, the intruder was no stranger to battle, but neither was Dawnflurry. He had his name for a reason.
“I’ll give you the chance to leave peacefully,” warned Dawnflurry, lashing his tail. Energy brimmed within his muscles, ready and waiting to be unleashed. He would make sure the trespasser left. “If you decline, I hope you won’t mind some new scars.”
Other Notes from the Applicant
I’ll make him into a PC if approved.