Guppydawn

basic description > Blue-gray and white bi-color tabby she-cat with amber eyes
build > Study but average; weight is well distributed throughout her body, with a round face
fur description > Long and silky, usually well-kept; has one stray hair on the top
breeds > Turkish Angora x Birman x British Shorthair x Maine Coon x Moggy

height > 25 cm
weight > 8 lbs
voice > Kelsea Ballerini
scent > Cattail and reeds

scars > N/A
accessories > N/A
banned traits > N/A

Personality Traits
positive >
    >> Optimistic > Guppydawn always looks for the bright side of things, even if they aren’t there. She believes that positive thinking is what brings positivity back, and she wants to believe that everything is going to be okay eventually.
    >> Congenial > She is incredibly easy to get along with, having simply a loving and favorable personality over all. Guppydawn wants to make friends with anyone and everyone and will do what it takes to make said friends, so she is able to adapt herself to their needs. Because of this, it is simply hard to say no to her smiling face.
    >> Respectful > Guppydawn values respect and believes in the saying “give respect where respect is given”. This means that she gives anyone and everyone the respect that they deserve. She looks up to many and values the spaces and outlooks of others at all times.

neutral >
    >> Whimsical > Being quite the dreamer, Guppydawn’s head is often in the clouds. She often gets lost in her thoughts and desires, having this perfect life in her head that she would one day see come to fruition. Sometimes, acting on these dreams can be beneficial, but other times, it may just make situations worse.
    >> Emotional > She feeds on the emotions of those around her and is affected by said emotions accordingly. Guppydawn wants everyone to smile and be happy, but she seems to have an understanding that this is not always achievable. Because of this, she will try to relate to others by matching their emotions, whether positively or negatively so.
    >> Obedient > Guppydawn follows instructions to a tee, regardless of said instructions, so long as they are given to her by someone she respects. She doesn’t question the reasoning behind instructions and is quick to follow them, too. While this may be good for many, it makes her quite easy to fool and manipulate.

negative >
    >> Passive > Guppydawn prefers to be a bystander and let others take action, for she herself doesn’t much care for violence or shaping the future. She prefers for others to give her instruction rather than act on her own, as well, making her quite dependent on the actions of others.
    >> Oblivious > Having such a positive outlook on life, Guppydawn doesn’t seem to always understand what is going around her. She seems to be consistently unaware of the situations at hand and how bad things may actually be. Likewise, even the smallest of things seem to go over her head, like a simple hint. Because of this, she often needs to be spoken to more bluntly than others.
    >> Clumsy > Stumbling over her own paws is an understatement to Guppydawn’s clumsiness. Not only does she seem to physically struggle, but her mind is so muddled with her fantasies and dreams that, sometimes, what she says doesn’t seem to always make sense, either. Regardless of her mistakes, though, she always laughs them off and continues on.

Parents
 parents >
    >> Mistyshine > Mother > Blue-gray tabby she-cat with white spotting and blue eyes > Played by ZodiacDream > Alive
    >> Yarrowfoot > Father > Yellow tabby tom with red highlights and grey eyes > Played by ipann > Alive

siblings >
    >> Splashpebble > Sister > Blue tortoiseshell tabby she-cat with heterochromatic blue and green eyes and round ears > Played by Melontine > Alive
    >> Finfang > Brother > Red-and-white bicolor tabby tom with amber eyes > Played by ipann > Alive
    >> Stormcloud > Brother > Brown-and-white tabby trans-tom with blue eyes > Played by Celtic-Barbarian > Alive
    >> Lotuspaw > Sister > Dilute tortoiseshell tabby she-cat with blue eyes > Played by PurpleSpaceCats > Deceased

mate >
    >> N/A

kits >
    >> N/A

extended >
    >> Seastar > Maternal Grandmother > Gray-and-white tabby she-cat with green eyes > Played by Spacecat011 > Deceased
    >> Icefang > Maternal Grandfather > Dark gray tabby tom with white spotting, blue eyes, and an underbite > Played by codesii > Deceased
    >> Dandelionglow > Paternal Grandmother > Golden she-cat with green eyes > NPC > Deceased
    >> Sunbeam > Paternal Grandfather > Yellow tabby tom with brown eyes > NPC > Deceased

    >> Brookheart > Maternal Uncle > Brown-gray tabby tom with white spotting and blue eyes > Played by skywardnight > Deceased
    >> Puddlestorm > Maternal Uncle > Dark gray-and-white bicolor tabby tom with green eyes and a crooked jaw > Played by ScorcherSoldier > Deceased
    >> Dewlight > Maternal Auncle > Gray tabby cat with white spotting and green eyes > Played by Sn0wbranch > Deceased
    >> Rainwillow > Maternal Uncle > Dark gray tabby tom with white spotting and blue eyes > Played by Mothfluttter > Deceased
    >> Riverleap > Maternal Aunt > Gray-and-white bicolor tabby she-cat with blue eyes > Played by ipann > Alive
    >> Skybreeze > Maternal Aunt > Blue-gray and white bicolor tabby she-cat with green eyes > Played by RubyRose364 > Missing

    >> Marigoldkit > Paternal Aunt > Golden she-cat with brown eyes > NPC > Deceased
    >> Pansypaw > Paternal Uncle > Red-and-white bicolor tabby tom with green eyes > NPC > Deceased

kithood [ 0 - 6 moons ] >
    Well-respected warriors Mistyshine and Yarrowfoot had only just become mates when they were suddenly expecting their first litter. It was sudden, especially so soon after Mistyshine's father tragically passed away and her mother became MarshClan's leader. Though unexpected, they looked forward to meeting their children in the near future as they prepared with baited anticipation.
    Mistyshine gave birth to five kits in the middle of a harsh leafbare. Guppykit was one her many daughters, alongside her sisters Lotuskit and Splashkit and her brothers Finkit and Stormkit. The large litter was quite the shock to the new parents, but everyone fell into their roles quickly. Guppykit, though not the excitable type, was always found smiling and trying to make friends with the older kits in the nursery alongside her littermates. If she wasn't curled up to her mother or playing with the other kits, she was found begging for stories, usually from the elders or her beloved grandmother, Seastar.
    It was shortly after Guppykit and her littermates' birth that her aunt, Skybreeze went missing. The leafbare was hard, bringing with it many snowstorms and chasing off the prey. Her grandmother had taken a patrol of cats out for a hunting patrol with her aunt, and when they returned, Skybreeze wasn't with them. Seastar confessed that they had lost sight of her in the snowstorm, and they were hoping she had found her way back to camp. But the day turned into multiple days, and still there was no sign of Skybreeze. Guppykit hadn't gotten to know her aunt all that well yet, having been so young, but she could see how her loss affected the family, and in turn, it made her just as sad. But she wanted to optimistic that Skybreeze was alive out there and would come back some day. They just had to be patient!
    The first couple of moons, save for Skybreeze's disappearance, were relatively uneventful for the family. Guppykit really liked playing in the snow when Mistyshine would let her. It was so soft and fluffy, yet you could compress it to make things like snowballs and snowcats! It was so much fun, though it was also very cold.
    When she wasn't playing in the snow with her littermates and the older kits, Guppykit found herself begging for stories. Typically, she would scout the clan for her grandmother, Seastar, and she would ask for stories about her and her grandfather, Icefang's, past. Something about the stories of their old lives fascinated her, and it made her respect outsiders a lot. She was proud of her heritage, despite some cats looking at it with an upturned nose. If Seastar wasn't available, she would be in the elders' den asking, or she would stay in the nursery and wait for the stories to come to her. There were endless possibilities.
   Guppykit, admittedly, was bit oblivious to the harsh reality of the weather that she was enjoying so much. Turns out, the cold weather was making hunting for prey extremely difficult, and as a kit, she was part of the top priority for food. Warriors and apprentices, however, were not. And one of the first warriors to die from the lack of food was Brookheart, her uncle. Guppykit wasn't that close to her uncle, but a lost family member was still something hard to swallow, especially when it made your mom so sad. She couldn't imagine losing one of her own littermates, but it painfully helped her understand how her mother was feeling. Guppykit tried to be there for Mistyshine as best she can, all while still keeping up her own positivity and happiness to help her smile, too.
    At least they had something good to take their minds off of it. Another cat moved into the nursery and was expecting kits! Flywing wasn't anyone close with Guppykit, but she learned that she was the daughter-in-law to Plovertail, one of the permanent queens, so that was cool. She was a really nice cat, and Guppykit found herself asking Flywing about a lot of things like what she was going to name her kits and how she was feeling about it all. It took Mistyshine pulling her away to give Flywing some space before Guppykit would just come back. She was admittedly excited to have some new denmates. The other kits, Lichencloud's kits, were alright--she liked Apricotkit's enthusiasm and playfulness--but she wanted more! But apparently it would still be a bit until Flywing would have her kits, so she needed to be patient, which made her pout a bit.
    All was going well in MarshClan, at least from the view of the young kit's eye. Even the weather seemed to be getting a bit better! Though Guppykit was sad to see some of the snow melt, the new experience of the grass underneath made up for it. With the weather improving, the water around MarshClan also began to thaw, and soon, it would be rendered dangerous. Splashkit found herself on top of the thinning ice, and the next thing everyone knew, she was falling through into the water, which despite the warmer weather, was still quite cold. Everyone was terrified for Splashkit, and if it wasn't for their grandmother, there was a good chance she wouldn't have survived. But Seastar jumped into the water and pulled her out, saving Guppykit's small sister from the water. Unfortunately, it was traded for Seastar's. Her grandmother, though a leader, still only had one life, and the chill of the water zapped the life from her aging body. She passed away soon after from hypothermia. Her death was the first one that really meant something to Guppykit. She loved and adored her grandmother... and she was gone. She cried terribly at Seastar's vigil, burying herself into her grandmother's fur and fell asleep there from the overwhelming emotions. Still, she silently thanked her for saving her little sister, and she hoped that Seastar was happy in StarClan with grandpa Icefang.
    Splashkit was taken to the medicine den after the ordeal. Despite being saved, she had fallen unconscious and was terribly chilled from the water. It wasn't until a few days later that she finally woke up, and the relief that the family had washed over them like a crashing wave to see her awake, despite her disorientation. Tansyskip had allowed the family to visit her, but he was stern in his rules to be gentle with her as she recovered. Guppykit nodded vigorously at this, and since she couldn't play yet, she spoke to Splashkit about a lot of things they both liked. It didn't seem to take her sister's mind off the fact that their grandmother was gone, and the guilt in her eyes was evident. But Guppykit never blamed her; Seastar did what Seastar did best, and she died a hero. Splashkit was not to blame for the warming weather or the breaking of the ice. And she tried to remind Splashkit of that, but after being gently told that bringing it up could make it worse, she stopped. She just wanted her sister to get better so she could come back to the nursery and play games with them again.
    But the nursery was not done in seeing tragedies. Asterkit, Lichencloud's youngest kit, fell ill with what Tansyskip called whitecough. Apparently, it was really bad for kits, and it could even develop to something worse called greencough that killed warriors. And sadly, the whitecough was enough to take Asterkit from them. Guppykit was never terribly close to the young tom, but losing a denmate was still extremely tough. Even just the loss of his presence alone made the nursery feel bigger, especially when Splashkit was still in the medicine den, too. But, more concerningly, what if others got that sickness? That was terrifying, and Guppykit hoped it would never happen.
    But it did. Splashkit was diagnosed with greencough not long after, and Tansyskip once again barred her from having visitors until her health improved to avoid anyone else getting sick. But not seeing her sister only worried Guppykit more. Asterkit only had whitecough, so what was greencough going to do to Splashkit? No, she had to stay positive! Splashkit had endured the chill of the water and was still going strong--she would survive this illness and push through. She had to. Still, though, Asterkit's recent passing weighed heavily on Guppykit's mind, and she prayed that it wouldn't happen to Splashkit, too.
    While her sister was fighting her own battle, the rest of the family had to mourn the loss of yet another one of their members. Rainwillow passed away from the lasting starvation. Apparently, he hadn't been eating since Seastar's death, and it had gone unnoticed in all of the chaos of Splashkit's condition and the other starving warriors. With each death, Guppykit was starting understand what death really meant, and losing her uncle was difficult. Mistyshine had even begun to grow more distant after his passing, despite Guppykit's efforts to keep her mood up. It crushed Guppykit's heart to see her mother so sad and distant, but she wasn't sure what else she could do to ease her pain. She wondered in Splashkit getting better would help--she prayed to StarClan to make her sister better and finally give their family good news with it. Anything to make her mother smile again.
    And it seemed StarClan answered her prayers, or at least she hoped so. Splashkit began to get better, and her illness was deemed as whitecough, meaning she was improving. Though Guppykit and her littermates still couldn't see her, Mistyshine and Yarrowfoot were able, too. And not long after that, Tansyskip completely cleared her of illness, and she was finally able to return to the nursery. Guppykit was so excited to have her back, and even though it wasn't that long since she last saw her, it felt like it had been forever. She was extremely to happy to have her sister back where she belonged, and finally, her mother seemed to be smiling again, too. It was the best day of Guppykit's life.
    The nursery's capacity only grew more when Flywing gave birth to her litter of five. Yet, one of the kits, a small she-kit, was rushed to the medicine den after being born. Apparently, she was quite sick and frail and needed to be closely monitored. The others, though, were all healthy, and Guppykit was already ready to play with them. But Mistyshine had to remind her that they hadn't even opened their eyes yet, much less been able to walk. Sadly, Guppykit would have to wait for a little, so she just watched on fondly as they grew. Life really was a miracle.
    It was strange to say goodbye to Alpinekit and Apricotkit a few days later. At least it was for good reason, because they were becoming apprentices! And Guppykit and her littermates would join them in the apprentices' den soon, anyways, so they couldn't be too upset about it. Though she noticed that Splashkit seemed a bit sad with their leaving the nursery. Guppykit tried to cheer her up though in reminding her that it would be their turns soon enough, and that she could see the newly named Alpinepaw again soon.
   Things continued to look up as the weather continued to improve. Soon enough, it was newleaf, and the snow was practically gone. Guppykit was a little sad at that, but the grass and pretty flowers sprouting made up for it. Not to mention the butterflies! They were coming back after the terrible leafbare, and it was her first time ever seeing them. They were so pretty, and she played with one for an entire day completely entranced by its colors.
    Along with the good weather, Flywing's daughter, Peonykit--the one ushered to the medicine den at birth--was deemed healthy and was able to return to the nursery and be reunited with her littermates. It reminded Guppykit of when Splashkit came back to the nursery, especially seeing all of the young she-kit's littermates so happy to see her. Not to mention they were all old enough to play, now, though probably not in the same capacity as Guppykit could. After all, she was moons older than them, only a moon away from becoming an apprentice. But she still wanted to make friends with them all, so she worked hard to accommodate to their games and enjoyed her time with the younger kits.
    But Guppykit couldn't just become an apprentice. It felt like the world was preparing her when her uncle, Puddlestorm, was found dead covered in injuries and showing clear signs of struggle. Yet, whoever or whatever killed him was nowhere to be seen. His death came as a sudden shock to the entire family. When their family once seemed to strong and invulnerable, now it was just Guppykit, her littermates, her mother, and her aunt Riverleap. Where did everyone go? What had happened to them all? It was a terrible devastation for them all, but they had to be strong. Knowing Puddlestorm, he wouldn't have wanted them to wallow over his death, despite how tough it would be not to. So after his vigil, Guppykit turned her attention to her upcoming apprentice ceremony, waiting with baited anticipation for the day to come.

apprenticeship [ 6 - 13 moons ] >
    It was such a big day, receiving their apprentice names. She couldn't believe the crowd of cats gathered in the camp for their ceremony, though she had to remind herself that this was how it went for everyone. She was renamed to Guppypaw, and her littermates were Splashpaw, Lotuspaw, Stormpaw, and Finpaw. She felt just as great about her littermates' getting their names as she did hers. Guppypaw was assigned to a young warrior by the name of Newtgill for her mentor. He seemed extremely nice, and Guppypaw enjoyed getting to know him on their first day. She figured they would make an excellent team. With her ceremony complete, Guppypaw's life as an apprentice finally began.
    She instantly took to training and learning new things. Guppypaw was not without questions as Newtgill showed her around their vast territory. There was so much beyond their camp! Who knew? Hunting was also a lot of fun to learn, although she hated the texture of frogs and toads when she caught them. They were so slimy and gross. But that didn't stop her from catching them though, and she always felt good whenever she was able to bring prey back from a session. Apprenticeship seemed like the best thing to ever happen to her, she wasn't sure she ever wanted to go back.
    But leaving the nursery opened her eyes more to the battles that her clan was experiencing. Of course, she had figured out what death was as her family slowly passed one by one, but watching the camp grow more open with other losses was shocking. She watched as cats unfamiliar to her died and were mourned over, like Turtlecloud and Hartfire. Hartfire's death, especially, sent chills down her spine. A fish had taken the tortoiseshell underwater. Was there such a thing as a fish that attacked cats? She certainly had never heard of that happening before. Hopefully the fish would find somewhere new to live and not take anymore of her clanmates...
    Birchnose also lost his life to greencough. Having visited the elders' den a lot in her kithood, Guppypaw was relatively familiar with the old tom, but she wasn't terribly close with him. Still, his death was hard for many, and it definitely worried Guppypaw. She remembered how Splashpaw once had greencough, and though her sister was lucky, Birchnose wasn't. Could that have happened to Splashpaw? Is that what happened to Asterkit before he passed away? Sickness was terrifying, and Guppypaw prayed that none of her family, or any of her clanmates for that matter, would ever have to experience it again.
   Despite the death in their clan, MarshClan continued to thrive, if just a little bit. For one, Creamytail returned to the clan after she successfully trained up CloudClan's new medicine cat. Guppypaw didn't really know her, given she left to help CloudClan before she was even born, but Tansyskip liked talking about her. So it would be a lot of fun to get to know the other medicine cat. In addition to Creamytail's return, the clan received a new warrior in the form of Pigeonwish. Pigeonwish was previously a rogue, who Guppypaw came to learn was once a HailClan cat, and she was seeking out a new life in MarshClan. Guppypaw, personally, didn't mind the new cat; her grandparents were once rogues, too, and to take in a cat in need showed the value that MarshClan put on the lives of all! So she was among the many to welcome Pigeonwish to MarshClan, happy to see the good changes coming their way.
    Guppypaw had never seen a bobcat before. She was told stories about them and how they played a part in the leader before Seastar's death. They were big wildcats that were fierce, with large paws and a feisty attitude. They sounded incredibly dangerous, and Guppypaw never wanted to see one in her life. But it seemed fate had other plans for her, because bobcats began to reappear on their territory again. Though she had yet to meet one herself, they took out other clanmates of hers, like Cicadashell, Tawnyshade, and Stoatshell. Not only that, but the big fish were still there terrorizing the clan and pulling cats under the water. None of them were ever found afterwards. Admittedly, it scared Guppypaw.
    But what worried her the most were the mysterious deaths--the ones that they couldn't detect what had killed the cat. There would be signs of struggle, or injuries that were clearly made by cats. But who were killing the MarshClan cats? It had all started with Puddlestorm's death, yet the mysterious deaths never stopped. Though she knew the clans were struggling to reach StarClan at the time, Guppypaw still found herself praying at night to the stars, hoping that everything would work out soon and everyone would be happy again. This isn't the type of life she was expecting outside the nursery.
    At least the clan still had some good things to talk about. The clan was still growing despite its losses in kits, and kits were moving out the nursery and becoming apprentices just as quick. Guppypaw and her littermates were already sharing the den with Alpinepaw and Apricotpaw, as well as an older apprentice named Sunnypaw. They were joined with three new apprentices: Lagoonpaw, Hyacinthpaw, and Shadypaw. Guppypaw thought Lagoonpaw and Hyacinthpaw were really nice, though Shadypaw was a bit difficult to approach. In fact, Shadypaw even had to be reassigned to another mentor because of the difficulties she had with her previous one. She ended up being reassigned to Guppypaw's father, Yarrowfoot! She felt so happy to hear his name get called for Shadypaw; though she knew Shadypaw wasn't his first apprentice, he still had to feel just as proud to be chosen to help the troubled she-cat. Maybe she could convince her dad and Newtgill to take them on training sessions together? Shadypaw may be difficult, but that didn't mean Guppypaw wouldn't still try to get along and make friends with her. She had to believe this meant a brighter path for the younger she-cat.
    Though when Guppypaw wasn't training or doing her apprentice duties, she was often found in the nursery playing with the kits and helping the queens. Deep down, she still missed her softer life as a kit, where none of the bad things like the bobcats and the big fish and the death were happening. So she took comfort in the nursery a lot, and she found herself wanting to continue to shield the young kits from the reality. At least, until they were apprentices, too. That's what everyone else tried to do for her and her littermates, right?
    Yet the clan would yet again mourn for the loss of one of their own clanmates. This time, it was their dear leader, Roachstar. He was found already dead, and no one could really confirm as to how he died. Was it the bobcats? Or another mysterious death? At least it wasn't the big fish, that was for sure. But the one thing they all knew was that their leader was gone, and it was time for Waspcatcher to step up as leader. Guppypaw was never close with Roachstar, so she didn't express all too much grief towards his death. Though seeing Beesting, whom helped care for her and her littermates as kits, so sad to see her brother dead stung. Guppypaw tried to give her and the rest of Roachstar's family as much care as she could. At the same time, she showed the newly named Waspstar her loyalty and respect, vowing to follow his directions the best that she could.
    Training went about as usual, and Guppypaw progressively got better. She didn't much care for fighting, though to make herself feel better about learning it, she chose to think about it as defense. She already felt like she was becoming her best, like she could already be a warrior. However, she also knew that wasn't true. At least she could share a similar joy when her denmate, Marigoldpaw, became a warrior by the name of Marigoldwhisper. It must have been equally hard for the older tom, though, as he had recently lost his mother Turtlecloud and was the last of his litter to survive. Because of this, Guppypaw showed him unending support, calling his name out loud out of pure happiness for him. Hopefully he heard her.
    But that same enthusiasm and happiness Guppypaw experienced came crashing down on her when the world decided to make her and her littermates feel the pain of losing a sibling. The large fish hit yet again, and this time, its victim was Lotuspaw. It dragged her down into the water, and she never came back. The clan could only assume that she had lost her life, that the fish had eaten her maybe. They didn't even have a body to have a vigil over or to bury, and her family mourned her quietly in the middle of camp without her there. Guppypaw was heartbroken by the loss of her sister, snuggling against her mother with her littermates. It felt like she was in the nursery again, being surrounded by her family. But this time, it wasn't happy. They were all so sad, even her brothers, and the ache in her heart was unbearable. Eventually, it seemed to get to Splashpaw, because she got up and requested to leave camp for some alone time. But Guppypaw, as well as their brothers, didn't want her to be alone. They needed each other now more than ever. So, hastily, the three of them followed Splashpaw out of camp.
    The four young cats took comfort in each others' words and presence. They didn't stray far from camp as they walked together, but apparently, they were far enough. As if out of nowhere, they were approached by an unknown cat who was asking if she could help them in their time of need. She even mentioned how she knew their grandfather. But none of them were taking her bait, and Stormpaw and Finpaw only got more defensive. Even Guppypaw tried to talk her out of being there, though she was far more nervous than her brothers were. Their words seemed to be enough for the older she-cat to snap, and suddenly, she was lunging at them. Splashpaw and Guppypaw broke away to run while Stormpaw and Finpaw held their guards. But the strange cat didn't care about them; she had focused on Guppypaw, who had tripped in her attempt to run. Guppypaw was taken up and thrown hard onto the ground. Something in her chest seared with unimaginable pain, but she desperately tried to get back up and run. She had to get help. Her littermates were in trouble!
    Thankfully, her cries were heard from different directions. Gelidstorm appeared from somewhere to help, and from camp, Yarrowfoot and Alpinepaw came barreling towards them. The two toms went to fight the strange cat while Guppypaw turned back around to go check on her sister, who had been wounded while she was trying to get help. Gelidstorm came with her, and they tried to work together to get Splashpaw to safety. But as quickly as the cat had disappeared from Alpinepaw's grasp, she appeared beside Guppypaw and was shoving her into the water. Guppypaw couldn't breathe; even if she tried, all she did would breathe in gulps of water. She tried fighting it, but her energy was quickly depleting as her chest ached and her air disappeared. Was she going to die like this?
    Then, the pressure was gone from her neck, and she heard a familiar voice as her father helped pull her out of the water. Guppypaw felt terribly weak as she leaned into Yarrowfoot, and she desperately just wanted to go to sleep. But Yarrowfoot helped keep her awake as he guided her back to the camp and straight to the medicine den; meanwhile, Gelidstorm and Alpinepaw were helping her littermates. They all made it safely to the medicine den, and as soon as Tansyskip told her she was going to be okay, Guppypaw found herself falling asleep in the warm nest she was laid in.
    When she woke up, Guppypaw still felt the terrible pain in her chest, but it seemed a little more dull. She looked around to see herself surrounded by her littermates, who all were huddled up closely in one large nest. Stormpaw and Finpaw had cobwebs and herbs on wounds that covered their body, while one of Splashpaw's legs were wrapped and splinted. Off on the other side of the den, Alpinepaw was resting in another nest with wrappings on his neck. He was also asleep. Tansyskip, seeing Guppypaw awake, filled her in on what had happened. Her brothers were injured, but none worse for wear. They would recover soon. Splashpaw and her, however, were far more severely injuried. Her sister had a dislocated leg that he had to reposition, while he could only assume that Guppypaw had some nasty internal injuries--cracked ribs, he assumed, from her nasty fall. Not to mention she still felt it difficult to breathe after choking on the water. Truly, they were all lucky, though Tansyskip and Creamytail would need to keep her and Splashpaw in their den for awhile while they healed. Guppypaw didn't answer, merely laying her head back down on Stormpaw's back, and she drifted back to sleep in exhaustion. They would figure out what happened later.
    It was as Tansyskip said, and Finpaw and Stormpaw were eventually back up and moving soon enough. They were eventually released to continue their training. Even Alpinepaw wasn't a patient, having been released even before Guppypaw's brothers. Yet, he continued to come and visit for her and Splashpaw. She figured it was more for her sister than her, but she was glad they had a friend to keep them company. And she was even more glad to have her sister with her, despite the hard times that put them there. Who knew how long they'd be in the medicine den for, after all. And the medicine cats helped keep their minds occupied with basic games and tasks that they could do without the need to move much. It helped keep Guppypaw's mind off of what had happened, though the face of that stranger has yet to leave her dreams.
    One day, Creamytail had left the medicine den and never returned. Guppypaw was worried, wondering if maybe the young medicine cat had died. But Tansyskip reassured her. Creamytail was very much alive. However, she had decided to move on from clan life and continuing living as a rogue. Guppypaw was confused as to why she had made that decision, but she didn't pry. Hopefully Creamytail will be happy with her decision and will live a long and wonderful life.
    One night, Guppypaw was awoken by whispers and chatter outside of the medicine den. Her ears poked as she strained to hear, and when Tansyskip walked into the medicine den, she asked him curiously about the commotion. He had just returned from a gathering, and he told her and Splashpaw about how MarshClan was not the only clan dealing with strange visions and ghosts. Other cats have announced at the gathering that they were experiencing visions as well, including the friendly rogue, Dropletshine. The clan leaders and high ranks decided to send some clan cats on a journey with Dropletshine to a place in the rogue's vision in hopes to help the clans. Guppypaw found herself fascinated by this. They were going to go see the world outside of the territories? She always wondered what it was like past the borders, often fantasizing about the different places. Faint tales of the old territories still lingered in stories that had been told seasons before, and she wondered what the old territories were like. She wanted to go. She desperately wanted to see everything.
    But she wasn't picked. It made sense, given her injuries, but she was still a bit saddened by it. Waspstar chose four cats from MarshClan to go: Fogheart, Cedarbark, Alpinepaw, and Lagoonpaw. Why did a newly named apprentice like Lagoonpaw get to go but not Guppypaw? She found herself pouting upon learning this, but she quickly quieted her complaining and talk about the quest when she saw how the decisions affected Splashpaw. Her sister was clearly distraught about Fogheart and Alpinepaw leaving, and the day that they said farewell and wished the journeying cats good tidings, Splashpaw had shut down. Guppypaw was worried for her sister, and she kept her mouth shut about the quest around her. She tried to comfort her sister, them both still recovering from their injuries and being close in that moment, and she slept beside her sister in hopes of calming her. Though, when Splashpaw was asleep, she would still talk excitedly with Tansyskip about what the cats may see out there. She just couldn't help it--she wanted to know!
    The day after the quest cats left, the earth began to suddenly quake underneath them. Guppypaw had never experienced something like it, and she was terrified. What if the medicine den collapsed on her and Splashpaw and they couldn't move? Sure, they were getting better, but moving still hurt her in her chest, and Splashpaw's leg wasn't fully healed. Still, some cats came to help them evacuate, and the clan was forced to wait from a safe distance for the shaking to stop. Cats were tragically lost in the earthquake; some were confirmed dead after finding their bodies, while others were nowhere to be seen. Guppypaw's family was lucky; they didn't lose anyone to this natural disaster. Others were not, though. Her old denmates in the nursery had supposedly lost their father, as well as two of their aunts. Another apprentice lost their mentor. Guppypaw couldn't imagine losing those so close to her to something they couldn't stop. Lotuspaw's death still loomed in her head, but... perhaps that could have been prevented. This could not have.
    After the earthquake, they were safe to return to the medicine den. It had been a bit broken down from the shaking, but not nearly as bad as other places in the camp and territories. Guppypaw wanted to help, but Tansyskip insisted that her and Splashpaw go back to their nests. They had been through enough for one day, he had said, and they needed their rest. Guppypaw pouted, but she eventually agreed and went to lay beside her sister. She couldn't help but watch Tansyskip from a distance, however, as he tried to pick out debris from his herbs and patch up the walls.
    He couldn't keep Guppypaw from helping for very long. She managed to convince Tansyskip to let her help in the lighter duties, as she hated sitting around doing nothing. She did the things that she knew, but when the den was repaired and new nests were made, Tansyskip would give her menial tasks like picking out bad herbs or something. She was fascinated by the different herbs, but whenever Tansyskip tried to explain one of great complexity to her, her nose would only crinkle in confusion. The basics she had grasped quite well in her short time in the medicine den, as well as overhearing his basics training to the journeying cats. But this was clearly not for her, and she figured that was fine. The basics were enough.
    Helping the medicine cat helped pass the time, and before she knew it, Guppypaw and Splashpaw were released from the medicine den. Although she enjoyed her time with Tansyskip, Guppypaw was ready to get back to training with Newtgill and be put back on track for her warriorhood. She only wished she could say the same for Splashpaw, who seemed less than enthused. Guppypaw sympathized with her; she was not only down her best friend, but she was now training under a new mentor--Alpinepaw's mentor, in fact. Would she be okay? Guppypaw would constantly ask Newtgill if she could join Shrewflight and Splashpaw for some training, wanting to help her sister, and was glad to see how Splashpaw slowly seemed to open up again.
    The apprentices' den would quickly grow crowded when not only did her old denmates in the nursery become apprentices, but also an outsider was accepted into the clan. She was glad to see her old denmates in the form of Murkytrail's kits, especially now that they were happier with his recent return. Peonypaw was even given to Mistyshine! But, admittedly, Guppypaw's curiosity turned to the outsider. She was named Lavenderpaw, and she was apparently once a kittypet. Though she could never see herself being a kittypet, Guppypaw couldn't help but wonder what being one was like. She had never even seen a twoleg before! Were they really as bad as her clanmates made them out to be? She would ask Lavenderpaw curiously, though her brothers told her to give the new apprentice some space and let her acclimate. Realizing her brother was probably right, Guppypaw was quick to back off, but she couldn't help but steal glances and smiles at Lavenderpaw in fascination.
    Thankfully, her apprenticeship seemed to remain relatively uneventful. She found herself bouncing back quite well from her time in the medicine den, and the ghost attack was put to the back of her mind as she focused on her training. She was especially thankful for the shade and cool water that the marsh had to offer as it got warmer and greenleaf came around. The cramped feeling of the apprentices' den had her struggling to sleep sometimes because of the heat, to where she would sometimes sleep just outside of it when the night was fair. She did this until the den was made bigger, much to her delight.
    Yet it felt like the widening of the den was for nothing when her brothers became warriors. Time flew right by her, and the next thing Guppypaw knew, Finpaw and Stormpaw had passed their assessments and were being given their warrior names. Her and Splashpaw, unfortunately, were held back due to their time in the medicine den, but Guppypaw didn't mind. Rather, she celebrated her brothers' new names: Finfang and Stormcloud. They sounded so cool! She would be there with them by the next moon, she was sure of it. Though, she found herself missing their presence in the apprentices' den, her nest feeling terribly spacious without her brothers nearby. They better save her a nest in the warriors' den--Splashpaw, too!
    She spent the next moon diving into her preparations for her own warrior assessment. When she wasn't training, she was found amongst her clanmates sharing tongues or celebrating new news, such as Beesting's expecting litter or Waspstar's new apprentice, Howlpaw. She even congratulated Bullpaw, who had changed his name from Cowpaw, and told him that his new name suited him a lot. It felt like nothing bad could happen to the clan with all of the great things happening, so Guppypaw simply couldn't think anything could go wrong from here.

warriorhood [ 13 moons - present ] >
    She had little issue passing her warrior assessment--save for tripping over a tree root--and she was on her way to becoming a warrior. Even better, she would get her name with her sister, who she wanted to believe she had become quite close to in their time together in the medicine den. She was excited for her warrior ceremony, her paws tingling and her fur fluffing up from nerves. When Waspstar called her up, she tried to take a deep breath to compose herself. She was a warrior now!
    Waspstar gave her the name Guppydawn for her optimism, and her heart swelled hearing her new name. It was so pretty and perfect! Meanwhile, her sister was named Splashpebble, and she congratulated her sister just as much as she celebrated her own warriorhood. They could go be with their brothers again in the warriors' den, and even their mother and father. It all sounded like a dream.
    A dream that would have to wait. That same day, after their ceremonies had come and gone, a faint familiar scent wafted through the camp's entrance. Cries of alarm followed it, and when she turned to look, Guppydawn caught glimpses of cats that she wasn't sure she would ever see. The cats that went with Dropletshine were back! It should be a celebratory moment, but... they looked to be in such terrible shape. How were some of them even standing? Guppydawn could only watch them in stunned silence as they stumbled into camp.
    As Fogheart was guided to the medicine den, Waspstar stopped Alpinepaw and Lagoonpaw from following. He quickly initiated a warrior ceremony for the both of them, where one was overdue and the other rightfully early. He named them Alpinedusk and Lagoonthorn, and though it was great that they were warriors, Guppydawn felt her heart clench, not sure if it was worth celebrating. The clan seemed to agree as the ceremony was quickly concluded so that the two new warriors could go see Tansyskip. Guppydawn had managed to get a look at their injuries, and they made her shiver. While Alpinedusk seemed to be dealing with some form of burn scars and large gashes across his shoulders, Lagoonthorn's paw seemed to visibly... smaller. Just what happened to them during their time away?
    That question whispered throughout the camp for a few days. Guppydawn tried not to think about it, but she saw her sister staring at the medicine den every so often. Both her former mentor and best friend were there, yet Guppydawn could see that Splashpebble felt torn. She couldn't blame her, though Guppydawn also found herself unable to help her. This wasn't her battle, and she didn't know what stirred in her sister's heart when she first saw those cats walk in. She only hoped things would get better for her soon.
    Guppydawn, instead, turned to her new duties as a warrior. She found herself discovering new things about the territory as she was able to go out on her own. Her paws tickled under the moss, the sun would peek between the trees near the CloudClan border at sunhigh, and the forest was alive when she wasn't paying attention. It was amazing, seeing the world in new eyes. She was terribly fascinated by all of these new discoveries, and when she wasn't doing her warrior duties, she was walking through the forest and simply listening and emerging into her surroundings. She found herself peacefully napping on a boulder in the middle of the day, or playing with butterflies, or hopping along with frogs. It reminded her of her kithood again, and she loved it.
    And just like that, her first moon as a warrior came and went. More of her former denmates became warriors, including Lavenderdawn and Hyacinthsky. Alpinedusk, Fogheart, and Lagoonthorn were released from the medicine den, and Tansyskip took up a new apprentice in the form of Fisherpaw, Lightember's adoptive son. So much happened in such a short period of time, and Guppydawn wasn't sure she could keep up!
    But when Boulderfrost was found dead near camp, a form of reality seemed to returned to her. She was reminded painfully that there were bad cats out there like that ghost that attacked her and her littermates. No one could determine who or what had killed Boulderfrost, but Guppydawn felt terrible for Alpinedusk and his family. The new warrior had only just returned from a terrible journey only to be met by more bad news. Guppydawn wondered, then, if they had really found something on the journey. She curiously asked Alpinedusk, but he only shook his head. It seemed like he and the others left for nothing. Guppydawn felt forlorn, but she tried to reassure Alpinedusk and tell him that his efforts were not in vain regardless. She wasn't sure she reached out to him, though, as he only gave her an awkward smile and walked off. She wondered if him and Splashpebble had made up; maybe that's why he was still so tense. She hoped they would talk again, soon.
    Time passed and things began to calm down again. More warriors were made, including Flywing's kits. Guppydawn was happy to have them in the warriors' den again--it made the place full. In addition to this, more apprentices were made, including Webpaw, Widowpaw, and Coalpaw. You can imagine Guppydawn's excitement for her brother when it was announced that Stormcloud would be mentoring Coalpaw. He definitely deserved the honor! He was such a great brother to her and their littermates, and he was always so supportive and kind. Coalpaw would love him for a mentor.
    Things went downhill again when, all of a sudden, the air was filled with the screeches of battle. Guppydawn had been playing with some of the kits when it began, and she was shocked when Shrewflight called out that it was Alpinedusk's cry. Guppydawn had frozen, unsure of what to do. Thankfully, though, some other cats jumped in and ran out of camp. Guppydawn, meanwhile, looked around for Splashpebble, or Apricotswan, or Willowpool. Were they worried about Alpinedusk? Surely they were. Even cats that weren't close with him were looking between each other warily out of concern.
    The camp remained still for a long while. They listened to the distant sounds of battle, and some wondered if they should go check on the others. But then the cries died down into silence. Did they win? Who were they even fighting? Guppydawn couldn't piece it together, but when the cats returned to camp, she was horrified to see the terrible injuries they had sustained. Bullflower and Shadyfog both had some deep wounds, but nothing that wouldn't heal. Alpinedusk, though... He looked to barely be standing, leaning heavily on the others. His fur was no longer the pristine gray and white that it always was, instead stained red. Guppydawn couldn't figure out if it was just his blood, or someone else's. It didn't matter though; what mattered was the blank, distant look in his eyes. Bullflower and Shadyfog guided him to the medicine den, and that was when Guppydawn noticed Finfang behind them.
    Guppydawn nudged her way through the crowd of cats to be with her brother, but he looked as conflicted as Alpinedusk as he stopped in the middle of camp. Guppydawn tried to ask him what happened, and he relayed the story as best as he could to the clan, for he had shown up not long before it was over. Alpinedusk had been confronted by a ghost, and by the look in Finfang's eyes, Guppydawn could figure out who he was talking about. He confirmed her suspicions, stating it was the ghost that attacked them when they were apprentices. She declared that Alpinedusk was Icefang before promptly and mercilessly attacking him. This had Guppydawn wrinkling her brows in confusion. Icefang? But that was their grandfather. He had died before they were even born. Alpinedusk wasn't him! She tried to disagree with him, but he looked unconvinced. Instead, Finfang continued to say that Alpinedusk had killed the ghost once and for all and then they made their way back to camp.
    Guppydawn was so confused. How could Alpinedusk be her grandfather? None of it made sense to her. She poked her head into the medicine den later that day to check on the injured cats, but they all seemed to be sleeping. Tansyskip told her it was best not to disrupt them. But when she came back the next day, Alpinedusk had completely shut himself away from the rest of clan, laying still in his nest as he stared blankly at the medicine den's walls. Even when Guppydawn tried talking to him, he wouldn't reply. She was heartbroken about being cut off, but Tansyskip reassured her that Alpinedusk was going through a lot and would need time to recover. Perhaps she would get through to him afterwards.
    She couldn't make sense of it, but Guppydawn hesitantly agreed with Tansyskip and left Alpinedusk alone. She tried to forget what Finfang had told her, but as Bullflower and Shadyfog were released from the den, rumors of the reincarnation began to spread throughout camp. It made it difficult to ignore. She wondered how her littermates were doing, or her mother. Mistyshine always spoke positively about Icefang, saying that she was very close with her father. So how was she feeling, hearing that her father may be back? Guppydawn was so confused and lost, and she wanted to reach out to her loved ones, but she didn't know how.
    Instead, she tried to focus on the positive things again. For one, Newtgill had become mates with Daffodilsplash. Guppydawn congratulated her former mentor with newfound glee. Newtgill always deserved that happiness! He was such a great mentor to her and a kind clanmate, he most definitely deserved it all! And then Shrewflight had her kits--a litter of three--just as the first leaves began to fall. They were so tiny and cute, and Guppydawn couldn't wait to be able to play with them. She found herself constantly drawn to the nursery, excited about each new litter that came. She loved to play with the kits and be in that world where nothing was wrong as she played mossball with them. They warmed her heart and reminded her of her time in the nursery, and sometimes, she just wished she could go back to the simpler times like that.