Ruse [SB]

Ruse is far from an impulsive cat. In fact, she's on the opposite end of it. Ruse never goes without a plan in mind; she always thinks before she acts. If she can, she usually makes up plenty of backup plans in case her main plan fails, backups for the backups, and so on. She likes to keep her options open so she can ensure she has a way out of a sticky situation. Before she even thinks about executing one plan, she likes to ponder over variations of another idea. This is so she can choose the "best" fit that would go well within the contexts of varying situations. Once she's settled on the "best" version, she moves on to the next step; gathering information. She would spend days scanning for exit routes before setting foot in a new environment. Because she devotes so much energy to checking that all bad outcomes have a plan, Ruse is generally slow to react.

If Ruse were to ever find herself thrown into an unfamiliar place with little to no information, she would crack under the pressure. She would try her hardest to take the best course of action as if it were any other normal circumstance and she had all the information in the world. Depending on how events play out, Ruse may or may not get out in one piece. But she would never, ever let her guard down. Heavens no! Such a concept would bring her family's name to shame. Mother had taught her to maintain her composure at all times. Be careful where and when you spill the teapot. Losing your grip and letting go of everything leaves a stain on your background, similar to tea stains soaking in fabric. Not even a flash of doubt is forgivable. You can't do anything to erase the past, no matter how much you despise it. Shameful actions are like mental scars on your mind; they may fade with time, but they won't ever vanish. You can certainly see why Ruse would do her absolute best to avoid committing even the smallest mistakes.

That being said, Ruse doesn't like to rush into decisions or situations. She's picky about where she goes, who she talks to, etc. She's cautious about visiting new places, especially ones that she isn't familiar with. There are loads of dangers, like beasts and traps, that she's not willing to risk unless she has to. She's slow to trust when it comes to meeting newcomers and wary of their intentions, regardless of whether they're friendly or hostile. She feels like she can't ever pour all of her trust into someone because she worries that they'll turn on her one day. Privacy like that is priceless, and there's nothing she can do to get it back if she lets it fall into the wrong paws.

A little bit of hard work doesn't scare her. In fact, Ruse relishes it. She prefers to spend her time doing something productive, whether it be scavenging for food or watching another cat's every move. Lying around only to work on nothing frustrates Ruse to no end. She must work on a current goal or else she grows irritable and snappy. Due to this, she has an ever-growing 'to-do' list that increases by the day, with "destroying ParaClan' and "avenge Mother" right at the top. She breaks down her goals into smaller chunks, she's not going to bite off more than she can chew. She'll take as much time as she pleases, not concerned with others' ongoing schedules. Only until she's satisfied with her work, will she relentlessly chase after it. Ruse doesn't let go of her plans quite so easily.

From the previous description, it's fair to assume Ruse is stubborn. Yes, indeed, she is stubborn, but not in the typical way cats think. When cats think of stubbornness, they think of stalling arguments. standing their ground even when everyone knows when they're wrong. getting themselves into more trouble than they are worth. This definitely doesn't describe Ruse's stubbornness. She knows when to back down from a fight she can't win. She's not going to waste her energy or time on futile battles. There's always another day to try again. So instead, she'll let her enemies win this small victory for now, slinking into the shadows and swearing her revenge. She'll lie in wait like a crocodile's jaws, counting off the days until the perfect opportunity arises. She'll snap her jaws, seizing the chance and taking full advantage of it. Ruse is a very patient cat, she's willing to wait for however long it takes, just as long as she gets the job done.

Now when it comes to "voicing" her views, Ruse's training here falls short. Mother never taught her this skill because there was no need. It had always just been the two of them, and no one else was around, so why bother learning? Reflecting on those thoughts, look at what good that did, now she's stuck with a group of cats. Without her mother's guidance on this particular skill, Ruse has nothing to go off of. Thus, she lacks any form of social intelligence. Instead, she improvises on this. She says what's exactly on her mind, not bothering to filter anything that might be considered offensive, like a mean-spirited joke. So it's no surprise why most cats consider Ruse rude. Ask her for critique or advice, and she will deliver what you ask for, but not in the nicest manner. She doesn't like to sugarcoat her words, as she sees no point in doing so. It is better to rip off the band-aid than to peel it slowly. The few times she does murmur a greeting, it's laced with venom. Ruse, especially when she's down, will snap at anyone who greets her with a friendly welcome, even if she's not in the mood to chat. She's so blunt that it brings her to a fault. This can land her in hot water with higher authorities or the more sensitive cats.

Ruse tends to shut everyone out. Best described as a lone wolf, Ruse wouldn't mingle in social gatherings. She keeps to herself, whether it be eating away from the rest of the group or sleeping in a corner of a den, tucked away from everyone. In any case, she does everything she can to keep herself hidden from others. In her eyes, none of them are as well developed as she is and are thus not worthy of her presence. If she ever associated with such inferior beings, it could taint her already-established ideals. And she doesn't need new ideologies; she already has all the principles she needs to know, or at least that's what she likes to tell herself. Mother wouldn't leave Ruse alone if she thought Ruse wasn't ready for the real world, right?

Although Ruse wouldn't ever dare consider learning new ideas, the same can't be said when it's about learning new skills or knowledge. Ruse loves learning more about her world, she wants to understand why society is the way it is and how that came to be. Her mind is like a sponge, absorbing and retaining new information without trouble. Knowing more trivia facts and what other factions are like gives her a better sense of control, as she'll have more 'experience' and prior knowledge to work with when she makes her plans. A diverse set of skills gives her an advantage in the wild. She has all sorts of tricks if a predator confronts her, slipping into the shadows without a trace.

Ruse struggles with confronting her emotions, especially if they're strong or positive. She gets overwhelmed when sorting through her emotions or dealing with others' emotions. Unlike facts and truths, how a cat feels is unclear and unpredictable. Sometimes, they don't even know how they feel. How is Ruse supposed to plan accordingly if a pawn's feelings can switch around at the last second? When cats can betray in a blink? Emotions are too messy and complicated to deal with. But no worries, this is an easy fix! Ruse pushes her feelings aside, burying them deep inside her. She puts on a stoic mask, blowing through pain and hardships. Even in private, Ruse refuses to express them other than with a simple nod. If she dared even think about how she feels, she could very well risk destroying that stoic mask. She's been building her cold cover for so long that she can't let it crumble under one slip-up now. She did it before when Mother vanished, and that left her in a hot mess. Ruse isn't too keen on reliving that experience again.

Whenever she's feeling upset or has any strong emotions, she'll distract herself by doing an activity. For example, she enjoys taking a walk around the territory to refresh the mental map she has of it in her mind. If she doesn't think about what she's feeling, she'll find that she'll forget about it when she's absorbed in whatever she's doing. She refuses to call them 'hobbies' though, as she dislikes the term. Unless they have some sort of use (like collecting flowers, but only if they're herbs), they're a waste of time. Ruse will look down on a cat if she stumbles upon them doing a hobby.

Slipping into the background is pretty useful, especially when Ruse is drained and needs to hide for a while. After an extremely productive day, overwhelming social interaction, or anything that requires a lot of energy, she likes to slink into the shade and "relax" until she's ready. This is an important part of her day, as it recharges her for the next day. It's the time when Ruse is in her most vulnerable state, a rare moment when she's not thinking or calculating. She needs time to mentally prepare for huge events that might come too. If anyone were to accidentally stumble into her recharger or try to strike up a conversation, Ruse gets extremely snappy, as she feels this is her personal space only for someone else to trample over it. Ruse would feel weak and highly violated if this were to ever happen, and she would shut herself out for the next couple of days while she scout for a new place to hide out in. If she ever comes to a point where she trusts someone so deeply, she will share this recharge port with them, as she might think they'll like a place to slip away too.

Ruse likes being in control. It gives her a sense of stability and calmness. The idea of /her/ choosing what to do and she has control over the possibilities is a comforting thought. She tends to be controlling towards other cats, like bossing around to what she deems fit.

When it comes to morals, Ruse certainly holds strong opinions about the subject. She believes that once a cat commits such a sin, it can't ever do anything to redeem itself. What's done is done, and there's no such thing as "making up" the harm they've done. Ruse follows a strict set of personal morals, and she's not going to change them anytime soon. Mother instilled these values in Ruse at a young age, insisting that only these moral codes are the purest in any way, shape, or form. She believes killing the defenseless and taking resources away from others is inexcusable. Otherwise, anything is fair game. Those who commit such crimes deserve to have justice inflicted on them, and that's where Mother encourages Ruse to step in. Someone has to punish them. And if no one will, then Ruse will take it upon herself. It doesn't matter if she's involved or not; Ruse will take whatever action she deems equal payback. She's Karma's wing, swooping in when the time comes and taking what she's worth. Everything she does for the sake of justice is reasonable in her eyes, even if it's murder or theft. Nothing will stop Ruse from doing what is right.

|| Kithood

From the moment she was born, Ruse already ruined their lives. But their parents didn't knew this. Clematisblink — a rogue-turned-warrior hungry for any power she could get her paws on — and Bearjaw — a funloving devouted warrior — welcomed a litter of two into their newfound family, in the thick of ParaClan's jungles. Rusekit and Gambitkit were their perfect, beloved children. Nothing would go wrong, not under Clematisblink's careful watch. Or so she foolishly thought. The new parents could never imagine the pain and the tragedies that would follow.

For the first few moons of her life, Rusekit had a happy childhood growing up in ParaClan territory. Although more reserved than her lively brother, Gambitkit, Rusekit was the more stubborn of the two. So fiercely independent at such a young age, Rusekit wanted to prove her worth in ParaClan. She spent her days exploring the teritory with her father, learning about ParaClan with her mother under the velvet night sky, and played with her brother until the sun set. Gambitkit and Rusekit would go on to develop a deep bond. They were two halves of a whole, complimenting the other nicely. With Gambitkit's spontaneous and talkative attitude and Rusekit's analytical sharp mind, the two could do anything that they put their minds to. They were the inseparable.

This was the happiest Rusekit was and would be for a long time. Nothing good ever last long. Her father cut it short the day that he took Rusekit and Gambitkit on a special field trip, one that would forever change their lives. Bearjaw never took the kits anywhere near danger, so Rusekit had an uneasy feeling when he led them close to a rushing river's rocky banks. With a soft look in his eyes, Bearjaw explained to her an important rule in Sumire's Code; Only the firstborn could live. Rusekit didn't understood what he meant, not until he snatched Gambitkit and hurdled him into the waters. His life flashed before her eyes, as Gambitkit's tiny body crashed and thrashed against the jagged rocks, his yelps a haunting echo in her head for moons to come. So it was no wonder when Rusekit came running home to Clematisblink, tearings streaming from her face, was Clematisblink beyond horrified after she heard of what happened. Clematisblink hadn't heard of a cruel rule, one that Bearjaw intentionally kept from her because he knew that she would never have kits if it meant killing all but one. Enraged at her mate's betrayal, Clematisblink cursed Bearjaw and ParaClan out, scooping up rusekit and fleeing ParaClan for good. The hurt look on his face would be Rusekit's final glimpse of her father; she never saw him again.

|| Adolescence

Corem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Duis sollicitudin elit sed tellus blandit viverra sed eget odio. Donec accumsan tempor lacus, et venenatis elit feugiat non. Duis porta eros et velit blandit dapibus. Curabitur ac finibus eros. Duis placerat velit vitae massa sodales, eget mattis nibh pellentesque.

|| Warrior Life

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Duis sollicitudin elit sed tellus blandit viverra sed eget odio. Donec accumsan tempor lacus, et venenatis elit feugiat non. Duis porta eros et velit blandit dapibus. Curabitur ac finibus eros. Duis placerat velit vitae massa sodales, eget mattis nibh pellentesque.

TLDR; Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit.