shiverpeak

Shiverpeak was once best described as tired-looking and an overly clumsy cat in his youth. His clan was skeptical of his abilities as a medicine cat apprentice (and even a medicine cat) due to how awkward he was, too. Because he was subject to so much distrust when he was young, he has grown heavily skeptical of others in turn. Earning Shiverpeak’s trust is somewhat difficult.

He’s silent, for the most part, and although he often acts on his own accord, he answers only to his leader and StarClan. These cats are typically the ones he deems most important. However, he does hold his clanmates at a high regard and values their opinions just as much, though he only takes their suggestions into consideration. But if his clan’s leader or StarClan themselves were to order something? It’s likely he will answer without much hesitation.

His silent nature might be a bit suspicious to some, but time and time again he has shown that his loyalty lies within RiverClan. He’s kind and honest when need be, but also tends to be a bit awkward and jittery. Most of his clanmates have grown used to his strange demeanor, knowing that that was likely why he was picked as a medicine cat, and have grown to trust his skill.

Shiverkit was always seen as the odd one in his litter. His two brothers – Lightkit and Whiskerkit – were outgoing, troublemakers, and loved to explore the camp. They also would often find themselves sneaking out and towards the myriad of rivers and streams surrounding camp. Only they would end up caught by their clanmates not too long after. Thankfully, they never really had any issues or injuries whenever they did make it out. Unlike his siblings, though, Shiverkit refused to venture out with them. He was too fearful of getting hurt and too anxious to really try. His siblings would tease him for it, and tease him for the stutter Shiverkit had whenever presented with a difficult situation or choice.

Kithood went on as smoothly as possible; Shiverkit dealt with the annoyances from his siblings and his siblings continued to be little troublemakers. They were soon given their apprentice names. However, although Lightpaw and Whiskerpaw were awarded with their apprentice names and warrior mentors, Shiverpaw was not. He did receive his apprentice name, but was selected to be mentored underneath the medicine cat – Fawndapple.

Fawndapple selected him not only because she was presented with an omen – a quivering leaf, struggling to stay afloat in the summer’s breeze – but because she believed Shiverpaw showed promise. And he did. He was excellent at figuring out how to use herbs, and when Fawndapple tested him, he made sure to think of his decisions. Something that as a kit he would be teased over, but now that his decisions were life or death, it seemed to help him become rational.

Now it was Shiverpaw’s life that seemed to fall into place. He was being trained by one of the kindest cats in the clan, while his siblings continued to cause unnecessary trouble. He seldom interacted with them at this point.

It was some moons into their apprenticeship when Lightpaw and Whiskerpaw both, yet again, snuck out of camp. The two were only beginners at learning how to swim and were being taught to in a slow-flowing river, barely deep enough for an apprentice. But the two cats were stubborn and cocky; they thought that the river they were being trained in was too easy and thought they needed a challenge. They ventured deeper into the territory on their own, towards one of the harsher, fast-flowing rivers, and dared to swim across it.

Only they couldn’t. They were swept away and never to be seen again.

Shiverpaw was devastated, as was the rest of the clan. Although he didn’t really talk to them as often as they did before, he felt torn that he had lost two of his siblings. His parents, too, fell ill to heartbreak. They lived on, however, and eventually died of old age as elders.

His siblings often visit him in dreams, mostly for to comfort him and apologize for their wrongdoings in life. Since then, Shiverpaw has forgiven them.

Fawndapple took her apprentice to the Moonpool for his medicine cat name – Shiverpeak, given for everything that he had conquered up until that point. Proudly wearing his name back to the clan, he vowed to serve RiverClan to the best of his abilities.

Fawndapple perished many moons later, and Shiverpeak honors her service in any way he can.