Tornface

CONTENT WARNING Tornface had a difficult start to life. His backstory contains mentions of child neglect and abuse, kitten death, and postpartum depression.

Buckthorn was an established and well-respected TimberClan warrior, Brookshine was a young warrior of kittypet origins flattered by his attention. He was kind and attentive until their litter was born, Hootkit passed very young and Brookshine was distant as she struggled with postpartum depression. Buckthorn blamed Brookshine for the loss of Hootkit, furious with her lack of maternal behavior and blaming her weak blood for polluting his young, but at least she had done something right with Stagkit - a near clone of his father, and named with the hopes of taking after him. Feeling alone and lost, Brookshine abandoned TimberClan to return to her life as a kittypet - Stagkit was only 3 moons at the time, and Buckthorn decided to cut his losses with the failed first attempt at a family.

Buckthorn took Olivepatch as a mate almost immediately. Unlike Brook she was a born and raised TimberClan warrior, dutiful and loyal but quiet and preferred to keep to herself. She gave birth to Mousekit and Stoatkit before Stagkit was out of the nursery, and Buckthorn turned all of his attention to dote on his new family and practically ignored Stagkit entirely. This caused Stagkit to be resentful of his step-mother and half-siblings, and by the time he became an apprentice he'd developed quite the temper and a penchant for acting out in an attempt to earn his fathers attention. Sugarstar was wise to partner him with the kind, level-headed Bisonheart who was both patient and firm.

Stagpaw became close with Bisonheart throughout his training and their relationship was fully realized after an incident at a gathering. Stagpaw had broken the full moon truce and attacked a MountainClan apprentice who spoke cruelly of his heritage and his absent mother, Buckthorn was embarassed by how his sons behavior reflected on him and he battered Stagpaw's ears in frustration. Bisonheart stepped in to defend the young tom and escorted him back to camp. Although he still craved his biological fathers approval, Stagpaw became a cynical youth and viewed Bisonheart as a paternal figure and was raised alongside his daughter Pennypaw.

Wolf and Lily joined TimberClan at the end of Stagpaw's apprenticeship. Grateful for the clans hospitality the pair decided to join, taking on the names Wolfpaw and Lilypath respectively. Wolfpaw and Stagclaw became fast friends, and it wasn't uncommon for Wolfpaw to sneak into the warriors den to share a nest with Stagclaw and stay up into the wee hours together. With a new family and a good friend, things appeared to be looking up for Stagclaw. Where he previously had competed and fought with his half-brother, he now made the effort to ignore him and tried to focus less on their father. Despite his efforts and his newfound support resentment continued to fester.

Mousepaw left just before she received her warrior name, unable to handle the pressure of clan life and her father's expectations. She ran off with a loner tom named Cloudy. Meanwhile Stoatwhisker was treated as the prodigal son, everything Buckthorn had wanted. He was charming, dutiful, loyal and well-liked by his clanmates. The perfect warrior. At least that was the front he put on, but Stagclaw knew and detested his true nature as an arrogant two-faced gossip and grew increasingly jealous of their fathers fondness for his obnoxious half-brother. One patrol he decided to try and prove himself to his father, at first he intended to bring home a porcupine to display his hunting prowess but when he discovered a fisher feasting on the carcass he decided to conquer the weasel instead - and lost the battle, rescued by the family he'd been trying to impress.

Buckthorn had been absent from Stagclaw's life for many moons, but after the incident with the fisher he hardly gave his first son the time of day. Once again embarassed by his actions, the older tom functionally disowned Stagclaw and their relationship remained estranged up to his death. He was mourned by few cats, a pariah in the clan at this point due to his behavior towards Stagclaw. If he had not fallen ill and retired at an opportune moment it is likely that he would have been exiled. No-one questioned if the stewards could have done more to treat his condition. Although he still had to endure his brother's attitude, Stagclaw was finally free from the oppressive shadow of his father.

Moons passed and Stoatwhisker passed due to an accident, Bisonheart was slain during a border altercation, and Stagclaw trained his first apprentice and developed a taste for tutelage. He and Wolftalon remained as close as ever, and he completely supported his friend as he rose through the ranks and eventuallly succeeded Sugarstar. Their relationship became strained following the reveal of Glassflower's affair with a MountainClan tom, as Stagclaw had become close with the queen and treated her kits like kin. He was devestated when Icekit was given away and fought with Wolftalon when the patrol returned home with one fewer kit and their relationship remained icy for moons.

But their bond was too strong to be broken, however big the betrayal, and the two toms drifted back to one another. When the MountainClan leader, Coalstar, requested a meeting with Wolfstar at the contested Little Pond he was chosen to accompany his leader - and when battle broke out he targetted the enemy molly, whom he blamed for what happened with Icekit, and took her life as Wolfstar watched on with approval. Unfortunately what the patrol did not realize was this was a diversion as MountainClan warriors stormed TimberClan's camp and forcibly abducted Archkit and Moonkit, leaving the entire clan devestated but unable to follow the captors as a storm rolled in.

The kittens remained in MountainClan clutches for moons as their families devised a plan to bring them home, and with the help of two sympathetic MountainClan cats - Mintthroat and Stoatfur - a TimberClan patrol, which included Stagclaw, pulled off the rescue. Despite the success war continued to rage between the clans, and although Stagclaw believed he was right to have claimed Coalstar's life the weight of it wore on his soul. Eventually he abandoned the clan to live as a rogue with the intent to finish Coalstar off, hopeful that his departure would spare his clan the blame of his actions and the subsequent backlash as well as to protect them from himself and his increasingly fractured mental state.

Although Stagclaw succeeded in hunting Coalstar down his plan was quick to derail from there, with the MountainClan leader fleeing to the thunderpath border and finding a patrol. As a fight broke out a TimberClan patrol noticed and leapt into the fray. During the action Stagclaw met with his clanmate, Inkpool, in battle as she was determined to stop his assassination attempt. He managed to break away and chase Coalstar onto the road where he intended for them both to die, but Wolfstar got in the way - sparing both Coalstar and Stagclaw, but losing a life in the process. Although the leader was healed by StarClan his friend remained despondent with grief and regret. Stagclaw returned home but in self-imposed exile, sleeping unsheltered away from the warriors of the clan.

This punishment resulted in Stagclaw falling terribly ill with a respiratory infection, but slowly he recovered both physically and mentally. He acquainted himself with some of the loners which took temporary refuge with the clan and apologized to the cats in his family who he had hurt, his repetence culminated when he asked Wolfstar to change his name in a bastardization of MountainClan tradition. Although unprecedented, Wolfstar was soft on his friend and agreed - indulging him in the terrible name Tornface, which both shed him of his heinous fathers legacy and served as a perpetual reminder of his own mistakes.

Around this time Martenpaw of MountainClan sought refuge with TimberClan, which reluctantly accepted her. Tornface did not trust the molly and had no interest in trying to believe the best in her, further dividing himself from the rest of TimberClan as he was cold towards her - only to be proven right when she attempted to kill Inkpool and fled back to the mountains. Tornface remained relatively content in the background after that, avoiding the borders and gatherings both on Wolfstar's command and then self-preservation as he knew MountainClan would be eager for his head. It was only when he heard word that a battle at Little Pond broke out that he was spurred into action.

Tornface initially engaged Coalstar in combat once more, but bartered her life for a promise to leave TimberClan alone. In the chaos of battle the TimberClan warrior Dustyspirit was killed in a tragic accident and Wildsong was executed as he pleaded for peace due to paranoia and a misunderstanding. Meanwhile Scoutfire faced off with the MountainClan warrior Redstorm, only for a mortal blow to be intercepted by Flurrypaw - a MountainClan apprentice who snuck onto the battlefield. The carnage brought the battle to an end, MountainClan being declared the begrudging victors, with the warriors newborn litter left orphaned back at camp.

Tornface remained haunted by what occured with Flurrypaw, even though it was an accident, and became paranoid about Scoutstar and considered her a threat to the young in their own clan. As a result he become hostile, going so far as to get into a physical altercation which needed to be broken up. Eventually they were forced to work together to save Houndfang and Mooseheart, and as the four cats caught their breath and recovered they opened up. Tornface was able to see the error in his treatment of Scoutstar and apologize, and the group returned to camp more closeknit than when they had left. Humorously dubbed 'HoundClan' the quartet made the effort to meet and air their grievances each moon.

At the same time the loners were fragmented and Tornface felt betrayed that his friends among them had joined MountainClan after all he had told them, but the truth turned out to be much darker when it was revealed that Wolfstar had recruited them to spy on MountainClan. Although they had recently recognized each other as mates, after moons of acting as such without realizing the extent of their affections, Tornface confronted his leader with a fury and left him with a scar across the eye as a permanent reminder of his betrayal when he refused to surrender his position as leader. TimberClan was soon made aware of the treachery that had occured and hosted a vote to determine their future leadership.

It was decided that the deputy, Scoutfire, would take over from Wolfstar. Once her kittens were weaned Glassflower was meant to become deputy, but in the meantime Tornface accepted the interim role. Wolfstar headed his final gathering patrol beneath a blood moon, although MountainClan had refrained from participating in recent moons. He convinced a MountainClan warrior to fetch Coalstar and rushed her when she arrived, throwing her over the edge of the bridge only to be kept from finishing the job by the gathered cats of either clan. Tornface attempted to help Coalstar, but the leader couldn't see past their history and rejected him. Meanwhile Wolfstar managed to escape the protests of his peers and tackled Coalstar again, sending them both to the road where they were struck by a car.

Coalstar lost her final life and Wolfstar returned the remained of his own to StarClan, waking as an ordinary warrior. Tornface forgave Wolftalon for his deceipt, realizing how lost he would be without the tom in his life. Although their relationship was still fragile and in need of care, they were willing to put in the work to mend it. The war between the clans had concluded with a bang, leaving the two new leaders to pick up the pieces and figure out how to move forward.

Of course few things went according to plan. While Glassflower had agreed to surrogate for Wildsong and Dustyspirit she had not planned to act as mother, yet she was thrust into the role with both of their parents deceased. Tornface took an active role in raising the kittens, but as the war between clans raged on and Wildsong's loss echoed in the boathouse Glassflower couldn't stomach it anymore and left alongside her daughter from her first litter, Tornface's adopted sister Pennystem, and several others. Weaned but parentless, Tornface took over as the orphaned kittens primary caregiver and was largely known as their grandfather. Another kitten was eventually added to the mix as Tornface discovered the orphan during a patrol in town.

Tornface was now a semi-permanent deputy, but as a new threat rose in The Gang his health slowly began to fail him. He retired to the elders den, much to the frustration of Scoutstar, and hid the severity of his ailment as long as he could. As his time approached he pulled each of his loved ones aside and broke the news to them. On his final day he was surrounded by loved ones as he took his final breath and awoke at the base of the Star Summit with renewed vigor. He was not sure if he would be accepted into StarClan, if he deserved to be accepted, but as he thought of the cats waiting for him he became determined - and up he climbed into their ranks, where he's begun to make ammends with his estranged kin and act as a father to Mothkit who had passed far too soon.