Profile
Profile
Name :
Sparrowmink
SPARROW ––
for their brown and white fur
MINK ––
for their hunting skill
Past names :
Sparrowpaw, Sparrowkit
Age :
48 moons
Birthday :
June 2018
Gender :
Nonbinary (they/them)
Rank :
Hunter Captain
Residence :
MountainClan
Team :
Three (Jaybloom)
Mentor :
Creekcall
Apprentice :
Ryewhisker, Orbweaverpaw
Last Updated :
07/01/2022
Appearance
Summary :
Sparrowmink is a small feline with brown ticked tabby markings and medium white. They have large green eyes and tiny ears reminiscent of their suffix. They have an extra, dewclaw-like toe on each hind leg.
Breed :
Moggy - nothing in particular
Eye Colour :
Grass green
Height :
Below average
Weight :
Average
Build :
Short and stout with a long torso and small, round head. Very weasel-like in appearance, except that their legs are average in length.
Tail :
Average-length, fluffy and striped with wide bands that end at the tail tip.
Accessories :
One blue flower is fixed under Sparrowmink's right ear when it's in season.
Scars and Impairments:
An ear nick and multiple jagged scars along their back from the avalanche. One scratch on the neck and a bite mark on their right hind leg. No impairments.
Voice :
On the higher end yet mature. Sparrowmink has a great voice range for animal calls and singing.
General Health :
Healthy
Personality
+ good = neutral - bad
+ Clever . Ebullient . Felicific . Innovative
Clever - Sparrowmink quickly picks up on new skills and activities. They are also great at planning and always on top of reports and managing their team.
Ebullient - They are almost always bright and ready to seize the day. With all the responsibility they possess, such boundless energy keeps Sparrowmink afloat.
Felicific - Sparrowmink deeply values the happiness of their clanmates. They make it very clear that anyone in MountainClan can rely on them for support both trivial and deep.
Innovative - With how great they are at learning, Sparrowmink is always throwing new ideas at the figurative wall. Anything that doesn't stick is just more knowledge for them.
= Protective . Deceptive . Paternal . Direct
Protective - Sparrowmink is fiercely loyal to their clan. Even a minor threat has their attention, so they may even be overprotective at times.
Deceptive - Being so small and unassuming, Sparrowmink uses appearances to trick outsiders until it's too late. They aren't battle-oriented, so they only use this to bring themselves and others out of harm's way.
Paternal - They view any MountainClanner significantly younger than them as their child. It can be patronizing at times, but they also exude the warmth and love that many need.
Direct - Their approach to problems is to face them head-on. Sparrowmink believes that everything needs solving as soon as possible, even if that's not always the case.
- Haughty . Petty . Tense . Opinionated
Haughty - Sparrowmink looks down on cats they don't view as their own clan, even if said cats officially are. They sometimes toe the borders in hopes to justify their judgment while they're hunting.
Petty - They put a great deal of importance in minor inconveniences. They will never forget the time that some bushes at their favorite spot were trampled by a runaway hare.
Tense - There are few moments where Sparrowmink isn't on edge. They struggle with relaxing mind and body, often falling asleep at a much later time than their clanmates.
Opinionated - Sparrowmink interjects with their thoughts whenever they can. While they want to support their clanmates, there are many times where they unreasonably interject with opinions or advice.
Likes
- Small plants
- Hunting
- The color blue
Dislikes
- Non-MountainClanners
- Sand
- Unproductivity
Fears :
Failing as a captain and parent
Habits :
Form of relaxing is "do more hunting"
Trivia
- They can't stand the sight of injury and death
- Hates being complimented as "cute" or synonyms of the word
- They stubbornly hold onto the stone Cloudsinger proposed with
Stats and Skills
Force [7]
Tactic [14]
Agility [17]
Charm [8 (7 + 1)]
Total [46]
HP [42]
Skills :
Strategic Retreat
Stat Boosts :
+1 Charm (March Meme)
Bloodline
Father :
Needlecrest
Mother :
Lakeburr
Sibling(s) :
Starlingkit [brother; deceased]
Friends :
Creekcall [former mentor; aunt figure], Ryewhisker [former apprentice; surrogate brother]
Orientation :
Pansexual
Mate/Love Interest/Crush :
Cloudsinger [ex-mate; unknown status]
Kits :
Duckpaw [son]
History
3632 words
Kithood
- Sparrowkit was born to loving Needlecrest and Lakeburr, marked with a paste that represented speed. They had a brother, but he'd been stillborn. There was a lot of crying that they couldn't hear in the early days of their life.
- Until they could fully navigate the nursery, Lakeburr hovered over Sparrowkit with great worry. She would all-too-often snatch them by the scruff when they took more than a few steps out of the nest.
- Their parents were rather close-minded in some aspects, moreso Needlecrest, the guardian out of the two. They both thought rather poorly of the other clans and could only see them as negative stereotypes. ForestClan is flowery and soft; SwampClan is aggressive and unruly. Sparrowkit easily bought into this. They were a small child, after all.
- Their intelligence was nurtured and they were taught to love and care for their clanmates. They were also told that to sympathize with outsiders is betrayal, that nobody and nowhere is better than MountainClan.
- Needlecrest and Lakeburr each wanted their child to train under their respective professions. Needlecrest argued that there is no greater honor than fighting for one's clan, but Lakeburr convinced Sparrowkit that hunting was the most important rank of all. To hunt for their clan is to provide directly for everyone, to make use of what nature has offered them, and give prey animals a higher purpose.
- Sparrowkit came of age and became Sparrowpaw. They were placed under an older molly named Creekcall, who was one of the best senior hunters at the time.
- Creekcall had trained many apprentices before them. They all turned out to be great hunters, and most graduated with Creekcall's specialty - the skill of mimicking animals. With the tweet of a bird or the chatter of a mouse, she could lure in many prey. Sparrowpaw was no exception. On top of already great training, they were specially taught this skill.
- Like all MountainClan apprentices, Sparrowpaw learned basic healing with the Oracle. They opted to get it done early on to focus entirely on hunting.
- Sparrowpaw thrived. They absorbed everything like a sponge, often excitedly showing off to their parents directly after training.
- Their high energy soon caught the attention of another apprentice. Sparrowpaw was approached by a girl about their age during their first training camp with the deputy. Her name was Cloudpaw. Like her name suggested, she resembled a cloudy sky, patches of cool pointed grey against white. There was a single spot of cream on her shoulder. Sparrowpaw immediately thought of it as a tiny sun.
- Cloudpaw turned out to be a tiny sun herself. She was sweet, curious, and radiated a glow of positivity everywhere she went. She often talked about the world, always wondering how far the horizon stretched. Sparrowpaw had never thought of it like that. They'd already expected to live their entire life within MountainClan, that they'd never go too far away.
- Sparrowpaw loved being around Cloudpaw. They quickly became close in the midst of training and duties, opting to do absolutely everything together. Cloudpaw, however, was hiding something. Sparrowpaw ignored the secretive side of much of her wording. After all, they were hiding. They'd been raised with so many ideals that contradicted Cloudpaw's, but in fear of hurting their best friend... they pretended to agree. Besides, it's not like they completely didn't. Day by day, Cloudpaw was changing them. They started to ask scouts about the world outside of the territories. They imagined grandiose, far-away places with Cloudpaw, thinking up weird animals for them just to hear their companion giggle. Sometimes, they'd sing together; these songs consisted of an improvised, horribly mismatched duet, but it was fun. It was them, together.
- They weren't sure when they started liking Cloudpaw in... that way. It was a strange feeling, like floating and falling at the same time. They didn't know how to process it, but with how other apprentices described crushes and "icky grown-up romance," they guessed that was it. They shoved it away, locked it up in their mind, and kept everything the same with Cloudpaw.
- Apprenticeship had felt like forever next to their friend. They were finally sent to a peak for reflection with StarClan, speaking their mind to the stars for a day before returning home. They graduated, being named Sparrowmink for their weasel-like appearance and promising hunting skill. Creekcall, having been incredibly patient and nurturing for their entire apprenticeship, celebrated their graduation. They considered her to be like the aunt they never had.
- Sparrowmink dove straight into their work. Even if they were swayed into their profession by their mother, it was enjoyable. Being a hunter truly felt important. They did everything they were told to, but also applied little tricks and skills they'd picked up on while training.
- Cloudpaw had graduated into Cloudsinger after spending five nights at one of the peaks. She was a scout, of course. Her name was pretty and quite fitting in Sparrowmink's opinion. They told her as much.
- Sparrowmink and Cloudsinger still did many things together. They had different duties and less free time than before, but they made it work. What they usually talked about in those early days was their jobs and the occasional complaining about said jobs. Cloudsinger was almost always talking about hers with great enthusiasm, gesturing into the distance whenever she started rambling about the places she'd seen.
Sometimes though, she would sigh to herself or a sad twinge would work its way into her voice. It was as though she was longing for something but was conflicted with herself - that's what Sparrowmink silently observed, wishing they could help her. - It never occurred to them that Sparrowmink had never seen or heard of Cloudsinger's family. They would talk about their own parents, sometimes mention the brother they'd never met, but their friend would remain silent. One day, the two were together in their usual spot, a secluded clearing a ways away from the stone garden. Sparrowmink picked up on their friend's silence and asked her about her family. She reluctantly told them that she had no parents, nobody else that cared for her. They didn't know how to respond. Cloudsinger said that while MountainClan still raised her, she didn't feel important enough. Good enough. Nobody had bothered getting close to her until she'd met Sparrowmink on that fateful day. Both cats were crying by sundown. They stayed in the clearing for the night, a night Sparrowmink would never forget. They never wanted anyone in their clan to feel that lonely and undervalued ever again.
- Cloudsinger was less cheerful around Sparrowmink after that event. They realized that she was letting herself show more negative emotions around them than before. The revelation saddened them, but only strengthened their desire to help others like her. They began reaching out to a few warriors and apprentices that they'd seen on their own a lot of the time. They'd not had many friends, but with their new goals, it seemed Sparrowmink's newfound friendliness and approachability worked for most of who they talked to.
- Sparrowmink began re-evaluating themselves. Ever since they'd met Cloudsinger, their ideas of the world had been changing; they needed to address it. They were raised to love their clanmates, yet to fear and hate difference. The outside world was not to be trusted. Do not care for the enemy, do not see from another point of view. Yet before them was this molly that clearly loved seeing what's past the barrier more than her own home, because she wasn't loved in her eyes.
- Sparrowmink consulted their parents about their crisis. They told them that they were starting to think that maybe MountainClan isn't the best. Maybe there's a great world out there with great cats. Lakeburr was more understanding, but much like her mate, ultimately told them that this was fantasy. Cruel and/or self-centered - there was no in-between for outsiders to their parents. Sparrowmink wondered why they were so vehemently against the world. They didn't push for answers.
- Instead of being stuck in a rut for a long time, Sparrowmink tried to resign to listening to their parents. Their mother and father knew more than them - Sparrowmink was still a mere 14 moons old, they were still developing! Despite this, however... whenever they met up with Cloudsinger, that remaining seed of doubt in their mind began to sprout and grow once more.
- With that doubt resurfaced their feelings for Cloudsinger. For the next two moons, they grew more and more aware that they liked her. She was so different from everyone else they knew, real and vibrant. The way her sky-blue eyes glittered whenever she was excited was precious; her laughter was frequent and infectious. She was so comfortable and affectionate with Sparrowmink that when reminded of it, their ears burned. Sparrowmink let that doubt and every other little problem they had melt away with every meeting. It wasn't important enough in the face of their world.
- There was a day when it seemed the first snow had stopped and the flutter of winter birds' wings went quiet. Cloudsinger led Sparrowmink to a place they'd never been. There was a waterfall cascading into a thin river, the water just beginning to freeze at the edges. The grass at the water's edge swayed gently in the cold breeze around Sparrowmink's paws. They idly wondered why they were at such a beautiful location, noting how quiet their companion was. They asked her their question. Cloudsinger stuttered her way through a confession, and Sparrowmink could only speechlessly embrace her, hoping such an action would be enough. It was. They were together. The world was brighter for it.
- While riding their honeymoon phase, Sparrowmink was given a small tortoiseshell tom named Ryepaw as their first apprentice. He was much like a couple of cats they'd befriended before. He was shy and spoke little, sometimes visibly riddled with anxiety. They were rarely anxious themselves in the way he was, but they knew someone like him needed warmth and gentle reassurance. Confident in their ability to train them, they started slow and went to their former mentor every other day for advice. Creekcall wasn't training an apprentice of her own, so she helped out whenever she could.
- After a moon of training him, Sparrowmink couldn't help but think of Ryepaw as something of a little brother. He was already warming up to them, showing signs that he was more sure of himself (though many things still shook him). Ryepaw's training was going well with the help of Creekcall. He was promising but learned slowly, so he wasn't in the same place his mentor was when they were training. That was okay, Creekcall told Sparrowmink, everyone has their own pace.
- Sparrowmink introduced Cloudsinger to Ryepaw. She was much better at bringing out Ryepaw's personality when she visited; he was starting to show his sarcastic humor and love for bugs and arachnids, as evident by his excitement over finding a spider and its web near the training area.
- When it came time for their apprentice to graduate, Sparrowmink sent Ryepaw to find a peak to do the traditional reflection at after his assessment. Though they and Cloudsinger were anxious for his return, Creekcall reassured the two of them that he would be fine. She said that he'd understand the meaning of becoming a warrior. He returned on the morning of his third day away. His mentor and "mentors" watched proudly as he graduated into Ryewhisker, the newest generation of hunter.
- There was no apprentice to preoccupy their mind. Sparrowmink thought about their relationship with Cloudsinger. They were as close as ever, having been together for seven moons at that point. They wondered if they should propose to Cloudsinger. The thought of tying the knot and becoming mates was terrifying yet exciting - they definitely wanted to be with her for their entire life, but it's a big event to get married. They left these ponderings to simmer.
- After weeks of thinking about it, they talked with Creekcall and Ryewhisker about them potentially becoming mates with Cloudsinger. Creekcall, having had a mate for multiple years, said it was the best decision she ever made, and to go for it. Ryewhisker was inexperienced with romance. He didn't give any advice, but he wished them luck.
- It was a normal evening. Sparrowmink carried in a large squirrel, appreciating the bounty of summer. They set it down, expecting Cloudsinger to show up at any moment. She'd been out on a long journey and they'd missed her the day before. They were meaning to find a stone to propose to her with but... they hadn't had the time. She appeared later than usual, walking stiffly toward Sparrowmink with a nervous air about her. They asked her if something was wrong. She shook her head and went with them to the pair's usual clearing. She went over to a bush, pulling out a teal stone with cracks of deep, rich brown. It was painted with a swirl of green - a shade just like Sparrowmink's eyes, which widened with realization. They accepted the stone in joyful tears. They and Cloudsinger slept their second-ever night in the clearing, cuddled together with her head leaned against theirs. The stone was placed in the garden the next day.
- Sparrowmink and Cloudsinger had their mateship ceremony in the midst of summer. Creekcall and Ryewhisker were at the forefront of the crowd. Sparrowmink's parents were near the front as well, and it pained them to know none of Cloudsinger's personal family could attend.
They were each painted the other's favorite color. Cloudsinger's grey patches, save for her face (which only sported streaks in her cheek fur), were painted blue to truly resemble the sky. The tiny sun on her shoulder became yellow. She had daffodils tucked below both ears and along her back and tail. Sparrowmink was painted purple, with wing-like back markings and a chest splotch to resemble a real sparrow. They had a spot of yellow on the same shoulder as Cloudsinger's to unify the pair. The flowers in their fur were blue, with only one under an ear and a few in their tail. They still wear one of these flowers in the present, a reminder of the happiest day of their life they long to experience again.
After the ceremony, Sparrowmink was gifted with sparrow feathers for their nest by their parents. Creekcall and Ryewhisker gave both mates gifts as well: two flower crowns that were mixed with each flower species that each cat had been wearing. Cloudsinger had sobbed while accepting hers, telling them that she'd never expected to be given anything after her ceremony when she was younger.
The crowns wouldn't last, but they were cherished. Sparrowmink and Cloudsinger wore them until they wilted. - Sparrowmink had their first couple's night with Cloudsinger a moon and a half after their ceremony. They knew that Creekcall would be having one the night after with her mate and had talked with her to gauge what they could do with Cloudsinger.
Instead of their usual clearing, Sparrowmink brought their mate to a spot along the side of Crag's Peak. Cloudsinger seemed disappointed, and Sparrowmink asked what was wrong. She said that she wanted to take them somewhere farther, outside of MountainClan territory. They apologized, trying to explain that it wouldn't be safe out there. Cloudsinger retorted that the side of a mountain isn't exactly safe either, so why not go somewhere interesting? Sparrowmink sighed. The night wasn't going as planned, so they left after telling her that they'd just wanted her to see the view. - After such a failed couple's night, Sparrowmink dreaded seeing Cloudsinger. They didn't want to be in a fight with her. The first thing they did when they next met with her was apologize again and promise that she could take them to wherever she wanted next time. Cloudsinger, though still disappointed, said she was sorry for not being appreciative of their location. The view had been nice; she was able to clearly see the city and ForestClan territory from so high up.
Having mended their first conflict, life was normal once more. - Sparrowmink was becoming one of the best hunters of their time like Creekcall had been. Their former mentor had recently become an elder, being 80 moons old by the time she began training them. It only occurred to them then that they had been her last apprentice. The first time they visited her in the elders' den after that, they promised to be just like her. They would be the best hunter of their time. They would be someone the younger generation could look up to. It was at this moment that they started wanting to be the deputy.
- The second couple's night for Sparrowmink and Cloudsinger came around. As promised to her, Cloudsinger brought Sparrowmink a ways outside of MountainClan territory and near the city. She was curious about humans and their strange civilization but didn't want to get too close. The night was spent tailing random people and rummaging through garbage on the edge of town. It was a strange night, but Sparrowmink enjoyed how their mate lit up at every new experience.
- The next few moons, with another couple's night back at the Crag's Peak in the middle, were relatively normal. Sparrowmink hunted day in and day out, coming home loaded with prey most days of the week. While waiting for nightfall, they chatted with their clanmates to build connections. They would swap their dinner with Cloudsinger, Creekcall, or Ryewhisker and the group ate together. Then, they and Cloudsinger spent time together if she was in camp. It was a schedule that Sparrowmink enjoyed.
Cloudsinger, in the final moon before the war with SwampClan, was beginning to spend longer days away on scouting missions. Whenever she came back, she would look happy yet regretful before seeing Sparrowmink and lighting up. In bed, she spoke at length about her experiences - usually, she was exploring the city or on occasion venturing further north from the mountains. Sparrowmink eventually told her that they missed her. Her job was important, but their nest felt cold whenever she was gone. Dinner was less lively and the others missed her, too. Cloudsinger apologized. Whether or not she would stay home more wasn't an answered question; a few days later, the water was poisoned. - Sparrowmink wasn't lucky. They were not poisoned by Irisstar, but Ryewhisker was. They watched their little brother struggle in the medicine den, snapping at anyone who dared to tell them to leave his side. It was a miracle that he survived.
The war was brief. They watched their father leave and come back boasting about chasing out SwampClan, laughing while he called them feckless cowards. For once, Sparrowmink wholeheartedly agreed. Cats outside of MountainClan were now truly horrible in their mind. Not even Cloudsinger could change that. - Cloudsinger was quickly becoming stressed after the SwampClan situation. She hated violence, hated war, hated what Irisstar did. She openly wanted to get far away from it all.
- On their next couple's night, Cloudsinger led Sparrowmink to the farthest point she could manage. They'd left hours early to be able to arrive at a cliffside overlooking a vast lake. She didn't say much. Sparrowmink followed in her stead. They spent the night forgetting everything that had happened, even though the memories would always come back.
- Sparrowmink was shocked to find out that Cloudsinger was expecting kits. Those moons were all spent worrying over her. When Duckkit was born, Sparrowmink never left Cloudsinger's side for long. No matter what they did, though, she was dejected. The kit wasn't planned and she'd evidently not wanted kids. Regret seized Sparrowmink. They didn't even know it was the beginning of the end.
- Duckkit was weaned. Then, everything that Sparrowmink had built in their life went up in flames. Cloudsinger left the nest early one morning, Sparrowmink following when they noticed her absence. She stopped at the MountainClan border. She'd known they were close behind.
This was what she'd been hiding. A desire to run away, to see the world, manifested from loneliness. MountainClan was never going to be her home, even with a family. It was a selfish thing, pushed by the things she doesn't want, won't deal with. Sparrowmink could only leave in a burst of tears, not wanting their moon-old kit to wake up alone. They resented her for it at that moment. They resented how much the world was taking from them.
Yet when they recall that day, Sparrowmink can only muster any blame for themselves. - The nest was cold. When asked about Cloudsinger by Ryewhisker a week in, they couldn't answer. Their tongue was always heavy. Why did they ever pour so much time into someone so intent on abandoning them? She didn't even ask if they wanted to go with her. Were they a burden? For moons, they grieved their love. They were numb to all but Duckkit whenever they came home. He needed them. He'd needed Cloudsinger, but maybe she thought Sparrowmink was good enough for the both of them. It was all turbulent and painful. They could only throw themselves into caring solely about others' lives, work, and anything they could accomplish that a deputy would do because clearly, they weren't good enough for much else.
- At 44 moons, Sparrowmink was appointed to a new rank - hunter captain. They had been mostly healed from their broken heart at that point, but the scars lingered. Duckkit was now Duckpaw. Ryewhisker was well into adulthood. Sparrowmink settled with the higher rank they'd been given, familiarizing themselves with the duties they now had. Manage the reports, lead your team, meet with Foxjaw. Simple enough.
Sparrowmink is ready to start a new chapter of their life.
- An avalanche temporarily wipes out MountainClan camp, harming Sparrowmink and many others in the process.
- Thrushrain, a guardian of MountainClan, dies under mysterious circumstances. It is seen as a murder. Sparrowmink didn't know the cat personally, but their heart still felt heavy with the mere notion that a clanmate was dead.
code by jiko
