Falconleap

A muscular, nimble orange and black tom with one white front leg that leads up to his chin. He has grey tabby chimera patches on his legs, sides, and the orange side of his face. He has blue and green heterochromia.

After rogues attacked him during his journey to help defeat the Wither at Brightwood, he gained two small scars on his front shoulder.

He's a friendly tom that likes to explore, though it doesn't usually lead him beyond his clan's borders. He has a deep loyalty to his kin, specifically his brother, due to the loss of both his parents. The tom is always eager to show off his skills in hunting and battle but can sometimes bite off more than he can chew.

After his journey to Brightwood and Star Clan's visions, he's gained a strong belief in their existence, but his faith in them is low due to their demands to kill healthy, innocent cats.

PRE-RP(10 moons at start of rp)

He and his brother, Sandkit, were the unexpected litter of parents, Doespeckle and Applefoot, after having issues with having litters in the past prior to giving up. The brothers were doted on by their senior parents until they were around two moons old when greencough and lack of supplies took their father's life. Their mother was overprotective of them, doing everything to keep them healthy despite her grief deteriorating her own health.

Falconpaw was ecstatic when they became apprentices and always tried to get out of camp to train with his brother or go on patrol together. The fact his mentor was Lightningstar was certainly something he was excited about. While he usually ended up training with Windclan’s deputy, Houndkick, Falconpaw was still proud to have such an important member of the clan as a mentor. He would often come back after a day of training or hunting to show off to his mother, who had retired to the elder's den a few moons after they'd become apprentices. Falconpaw disliked changing bedding but always tried to make an exception for Doespeckle in hopes of making her feel comfortable in her age and with missing their father.

Her passing was a recent event but not entirely unexpected. Falconpaw knew he and Sandpaw always made her day with their stories but the depression of no longer having her mate had sapped at her strength for moons. While he misses her, Falconpaw has little doubt his parents are watching from Star Clan. It certainly didn't dim his need for adventure long. He’s known for exploring the territory on his own, though will occasionally see what’s beyond the clan’s borders.

DURING RP

Falconpaw happily went out on patrol with the Windclan deputy, Houndkick, as well as Fogstone and Firepaw. He was super excited when Houndkick agreed to let him take a closer look over the edge of the gorge, despite Firepaw’s unease about the dangerous border they shared with their Riverclan neighbors.

He didn’t end up going to the gathering, deciding he wouldn’t miss much. Falconpaw is torn however after hearing about the spat between Lightningstar and Houndkick. The tom looks up to both of them and worries he’ll have to pick a side in the long run, though it seems they're mending things!

Lightningstar took him out for some battle training! It was fun to get some time with his mentor to train and learning how to defeat enemies bigger than him certainly could come in handy one day. Little did he know how soon that day could come. Not long after a morbid vision of a distant place by the name of Brightwood where a diseased mutt ravaged strange cats was sent to him by Star Clan with a former leader, Linchenstar, insisting they stop the plague before it could reach the clans. Other cats were there, Duststorm being the first he'd recognize but cats from all four clans had been spotted.

Falconpaw hadn't even told Lightningstar he was leaving after he woke up disgruntled from the nightmare vision. He'd hastily nuzzle his brother's shoulder before slipping from the den. The apprentice hadn't planned on wandering so far from home, only wanting some air to clear his head. But his paws carried him almost subconsciously to the thunderpath where the vision had told them to meet. Clan by clan, each cat who'd gotten the shared vision showed up. Together, they'd set off as a group. Falconpaw felt out of place with warriors and especially a deputy but felt determined he had to be meant for more than a distraction for this possible plague-dog they'd meet.

Days they'd travel and he stuck close to Duststorm and the Thunderclan cats—Palefur being one of his clanmate's friends and thus quicker for him to trust. They'd finally come to a split in the thunderpath and find a rogue who gave them... some poor directions. Entering the large twolegplace, the group ended up getting separated when a dog chased after them. During that time he could only hope Duststorm, and the others, had gotten away. Embarrassingly, when the divided group was attacked by rogues in the night he was taken hostage. A lucky break for him that Cuckoocall was able to charm them and he got away with only a few claw marks on his shoulder, though Falconpaw felt the others believed he was the weakest link even more now.

Finally finding the others and soon after the Brightwood, or 'Mall' as he would later learn, they began trying to figure out what exactly they were meant to do. He found a way they could get in but decided against going in himself, wincing as Midnightscar, Ottersplash, and Vultureyawp broke through the barriers while trying to look inside. After a brief scare, boarding things up ended up being the decision and he set to work searching for things to use. He'd find a strange thin, cold piece of metal that Cuckoocall and Floodcurrent help him push into place over the hole their companions had created. Palefur and Beartooth would meet the loners Leo and Lana and leave for several days to talk with them and see inside. Lana it seemed ran into trouble and never returned but the other three did.

The group split again. Falconpaw joined Beartooth, Leo, Stormpath, and Duststorm inside the large den. It was there Leo showed them the infected creatures and how to properly kill them—though it also meant days of eating disgusting kittypet pellets. Day by day they learned the ins and outs of the mall and rid the place of the creatures. Until one day things took a turn. Midnightscar and Palefur had gone off for food for the group outside and never returned, presumed lost. His hope dwindled and he hated seeing how the disappearance hurt Duststorm and Beartooth. He himself would miss Palefur, even if he hadn't known her as well. She'd seemed like a nice cat. Leo vanished soon after and after waitinga few more days... they couldn't any longer. Falconpaw went with Beartooth and Stormpath to search downstairs, eventually finding the trail.

A diseased coyote had gotten the loner. The trail leading to the body and the beast itself within a dark den. Falconpaw helped Stormpath fight it, even managing to blind the beast before fleeing. Stormpath hadn't been as lucky, his yowls screeching behind him. When Duststorm's yowling and the falling of an iron bundle drew the creature out, Falconpaw would grab a metal branch that had fallen and kill the coyote, ending the last of those diseased creatures.

Soon after, they reunited with the rest of the group, minus Beartooth who had also vanished in the chaos of fighting the canine—perhaps in search of her clanmate or maybe after running into some other trouble they may never know. They also met some Brightwood cats, staying for a time to learn about the plague's symptoms, treatments, and disposal while waiting for Stormpath to heal. They also received another vision from Star Clan urging them to wipe out these cats but, despite Falconpaw's initial internal conflict, he went with the group after they decided against the order. A good thing perhaps. He'd meet another young cat, Beethoven and found himself crushing on the nerdier cat who seemed to have fallen for him after hearing of his recent heroics. When they left, Falconpaw was glad to see them joining the clan cats on the way home. A lot of the trip back consisted of them chatting, short races (to avoid losing the rest of the group), and hunting together.

But the journey back was dimmed by the realization Thunderclan wouldn't have anyone returning with the news. Duststorm would decide to tell the clan and Falconpaw would go with her, not wanting to arrive in Windclan with the two Brightwood cats on his own and risk causing an initial panic. He couldn't wait to get home though! They'd missed the gathering and the journey had worn him out, but he would enthusiastically help tell Lightningstar and Houndkick about their experience. He hopes his brother and Beethoven get along. He hopes both Brightwood cats enjoy Windclan too.

Hopes that were short lived. While telling Lightningstar of their time in the Brightwood, Graytalon would press for information about the Wither. Seeing how this sent Duststorm into a panic attack and personally fearing the medicine cat would try finding and using the plague against another clan based off stories he'd grown up hearing, he'd swat Graytalon. Lightningstar would stand between them, protecting Graytalon and ending the meeting as Graytalon proceeded to ban Falconpaw, Duststorm, and Houndkick from ever being healed by him again.

Houndkick would provide some comfort before leaving with Duststorm, informing him to see his injured brother Sandpaw. Fearing for his brother, and not missing the irony of how he'd killed a coyote while his brother had been attacked by one, he'd settle near the medicine den. Watching the glimpses he could catch of Sandpaw but not daring set paw inside with the ban. His paranoia surged, making him certain they had to leave before Graytalon left his brother to die or got upset and banned Sandpaw too.

When Lightningstar called a meeting, asking for cats to speak up about their grievances and to leave if they held issue with him, Graytalon, or Fogstone. He'd note that there was no mention of Duststorm returning; only his name was brought up. During some shouting from Ferretclaw, Falconpaw would convince Beethoven to help him sneak Sandpaw out of camp. It felt like the perfect opportunity but moving Sandpaw proved too difficult. The screech from his brother as Falconpaw hurt Sandpaw's healing leg made him feel extremely guilty.

He would run from camp with Beethoven without his brother. The sound had disrupted the meeting and he heard Lightningstar call his new, yet to be announced name: Falconleap. It hurt. Running from his last kin and the home he grew up in, especially when it was apparent Lightningstar had forgiven him enough to still be naming him a warrior. But with his fear of Graytalon and the promise to let the maggots have him should he get injured or sick, he didn't look back.

Falconleap would run to Thunderclan, deciding it was better than trying to learn how to swim in Riverclan or walking in swamps all day with Shadowclan. Waiting at the border, he'd eventually be found by Jaycrest who was searching for Timothyfur. Hearing Houndkick and Duststorm had come here as well was surprising but the overwhelmed tom couldn't do much but sob and try to get out the words to explain his sitation.

Dawnstar would be understanding of their situation and allowed them to join upon their explanations. Falconleap would officially be given his warrior name through a ceremony in the leader's den before attending a meeting where Dawnstar announced their joining to the rest of the clan. He vaguely could hear he was assigned to a cat named Pikesnap to help him adapt to his new home but was really just too tired to pay too close attention. He really just feels guilty about what he did to Sandpaw and hopes he can have some closure at least.

While not typical to allow new cats to go to a gathering, Falconleap and Duststorm were given the opportunity to attend for the announcement of their return from Brightwood. Only he chose to go and even then it was in hopes of hearing what happened with Sandpaw. He was happy to find Cuckoocall there and the two talked for a while before spotting Stormpath with the deputies and heading over to congratulate him. Falconleap would see Sandpaw's mentor, Moonriver, also join as Windclan's deputy and get nervous about questioning her about his brother. He'd do his best to avoid her gaze and while slipping away had a brief run-in with Ferretclaw who at least didn't seem to hate him, although he didn't stick around to talk.

Before he could join Thunderclan as the gathering came to an end after a lightning strike, Lightningstar and Dawnstar approached him. Falconleap argued with his old mentor once more about Graytalon and why he'd left before questioning what his former mentor even wanted from this conversation. Lightningstar would bring up Sandpaw and he asked his old mentor to pass on the message that he would be waiting for him, believing his brother would understand he meant meet him at the border and join him in Thunderclan once his leg was better.

Moons passed and despite the famine in Thunderclan, Falconleap was starting to adapt well. With no signs of his brother still, he'd try to keep himself busy by learning how to climb trees until the build up of snow made it too dangerous to practice. Falconleap would spend most of his days scavenging for food wherever it could be found... Including crowfood on the thunderpath as gross as it was. Still better than dry kittypet pellets if anyone asked. He'd also work to continue learning defensive skills with fallen sticks. The Wither didn't seem like it would be an issue anymore but it was best safe than sorry and this fighting style could be useful against other enemies too—there is a dog that's getting a little too close to the border.