Ivystar - Riverclan

Identity Crisis
Full Name: Ivystar
Nick Names: Ivy
Age: 32 Moons
Sex: She-cat
Breed: Bobtail cat
Alliance: Riverclan
Position: Leader
Sexuality: Straight

Looking In The Mirror
Eye Color: Blue
Pelt: White with black and ginger spots
Body Type: Small and lean
Identifying Features: Bobtail
Appearance:

Ivystar is a small and lean she-cat, only bigger than some of the apprentices, and others at Gatherings have mistaken her for such. Now she's well known and the mistake happens far less often, especially with how proudly she carried herself, shoulders back, head straight, gaze intent. She was born with a bobbed tail that is black and ginger, calico patterned like the splotches on her head and like her mother. Otherwise she has a completely white pelt and light blue eyes. 

Under the Microscope
Likes:

• Swimming
• Fishing
• Going on Patrols
• Sharing tongues with her father
• Taking care of her clan

Dislikes:

• Being picked up by her brother
• Not being listened to/being ignored
• Being judged on her size
• Being bested by another in battle
• Looking weak

Strengths:

• Organized
• Fast
• Cunning
• Ability to Multitask
• Good Leadership Abilities

Weaknesses:

• Stubborn
• Serious
• Nearly useless in a one on one battle with another full grown warrior
• Overly critical
• Difficulty handling emotions (she generally ignores them)

Personality:

Ivystar has a natural ability to lead a group, which Rainstar saw when he chose the young she-cat to be his deputy. While stubborn and a bit critical, she's the best person to go to with a problem because that's what she does best, solve problems. She is a bit of an over achiever but is also motherly in her actions to the clan, treating them all as a mother would treat her kits, and she would readily give up her position of power if it meant helping her clan. She's not without humor, but rather the type to smirk and roll her eyes rather than join in the fun, especially if it deals with those older than the apprentices, like her brother. She also respects her family connections, something not all her clanmates hold dear, and makes sure to set time aside every afternoon to share tongues with her father, often regretting how little time she had with her mother before she died. 

Weighing The Odds:
Strength: 3
Defenses: 5
Endurance: 6
Agility: 11
Dexterity: 7
Wit: 11
Charisma: 5
Aura: 3

Background Check:
History:

Clan born as Ivykity to her mother, Speckledstep, and father, Cloudwisp, her only littermate was her younger brother, Icekit. Icekit was always considerably larger than his older sister, but not in a bulky way, and it was apparent from early on Ivykit would always be smaller than most other cats. He apprenticeship was delayed by half a moon due to bout of greencouch going through the camp, but as soon as the medicine cat okayed it, she was hunting down the young leader, Rainstar, yowling loudly about wanting her ceremony, slightly jealous that her brother had become Icepaw without her at his side.

Ivypaw excelled through her apprenticeship with an initiative that can only be described as feverish. She did everything 150% and would be up early for patrols and out late hunting. Maybe it all had to do with this late start and a desperation to prove herself, but it was also a desire to be able to help her clan in anyway possible. She knew she was small and a not-so-good fighter, so she wanted to make up for it by doing everything else she could. With lots of training from her mentor, her fighting improved, but it was difficult to pin such a small cat against others who were nearly twice her size. 

Despite starting her apprenticeship a little late, Ivypaw became Ivystep along side her brother, Iceflash, after a warrior evaluation conducted by their mentors, and stood proudly as their clan called their names. While Iceflash dove headlong into training apprentices, Ivystep focused her time instead on helping the clan in a way more of her style, making sure the camp was upkept and the clan cared for, hunting and fishing and keeping the fresh-kill pile stocked, while helping the new deputy, Scorchtail, with patrols as the tom was a bit scatter brained.

Maybe Rainstar had been warned by Starclan about the tragic turn of event, but despite Ivystep's disinterest in having an apprentice, he assigned her Lionpaw, a rambunctious young tom when she was only one month into her warriorhood, and while the two had a rocky relationship, Lionpaw regarded the older she-cat with great respect and tried to pay as close attention to her lessons as he could. It was a few moons later, when Ivystep was 19 moons, that the tragic death of Scorchtail came to pass. The ginger tom had gotten into a fight with two badgers and in an attempt to keep his apprentice, Hazepaw, safe, had been killed. While it was a sad time, to lose a deputy so early on, Rainstar decided to pass over some of his more senior warriors to give a young warrior a chance.

With great honor, Ivystep accepted the role of deputy and worked hard for the aging leader. It couldn't have worked out better, though. Ivystep had the right kind of mind for this sort of thing. She was dependable and organized and made a point to knew where everyone was and that the hunting and training and patrols were all completed without accidentally doubling anyone up on shifts. In this time, her younger brother and sisters were born, and the family had to deal with the passing of their mother, who died in the weeks following from an onset of greencough that hadd making its way around the camp. It was shortly after this her father Cloudwisp, realized a tom as old as he should probably be in the elders den, and Ivystep watched her younger siblings from afar as they were nursed and raised by another queen, loved and doted on by their older father.

When she turned 29 moons, she was summoned to the den of her leader, only to be informed he was preparing to pass on. While she'd always considered him young, what with his youthful chatter and sly smirk and the bounce he always had in his step, but it was true he was well past the age any normal cat would have been an elder. It was hard to think of him in such fragile terms, but after another moon of whitecough becoming greencough, the old leader finally passed on, leaving Ivystep to take his place as Ivystar. While the clan grieved the death of Rainstar, Ivystep travelled the short trip to Highstones to receive her nine lives. She was greeted by familiar and new faces and upon her return knew exactly who she was to choose.

The surprise that showed on Silverfang's face when she announced the she-cat who was only a few moons younger than Ivystar, was likely the same expression that Ivystar herself had worn when Rainstar had appointed her deputy, and she knew that the she-cats shared the same drive for the clan's safety and that was what counted in her decision. 


Family:
Father: Cloudwisp
Mother: Speckledstep
Brothers: Iceflash, Reedpaw
Sisters: Petalpaw, Daisypaw
Grandparents: Rowanstep, Rockpelt, Snowtail, & Smallwhisker

Breaking the Fourth Wall
Roleplayer Name: Lupa
Other Characters: 
Store Items: Nein
Other: Nein
RP Sample:

The rocks felt odd under her paws, and despite the offering from her father and a few of the senior warriors, she'd made this trip on her own. Trying to show she could do things on her own still? Probably. But the Highstones was located on their border with Shadowclan and she knew no Shadowclan cat would be stupid enough to stop a new leader from going to the Moonstone. Her mind was numb as she moved. She was leader now, Rainstar was... gone. Poof. It hurt and made her shiver. She didn't know if she could do this, why had Rainstar ever picked her for deputy? He should have picked another more experienced warrior. 

Pausing at the Mothermouth, she took a deep breath. The first and last time she'd been here had been with Rainstar. Even though it was on their border, she'd viewed Highstones as a sacred place, not to be disturbed, though she knew many cats didn't view this as strictly as she. Had the path to the moon stone always been this long? It was like her pelt was buzzing with the numbness and the anticipation of what was to come. Would she see Rainstar? She was pretty sure she would. She hoped she did. She wanted to tell him... What? She wasn't good with those sorts of things, but she had to tell him how much he'd meant to her. She'd always had, what, a sort of crush on the older tom. She loved him, though she'd never entertained the idea they could be mates, but she'd loved him. How would she be able to sleep once she was down there?

She had to try though. Lowering herself onto the rocky floor, she curled up into a tight ball, making herself appear even smaller than normal, pressing her nose gently to the smooth and beautiful surface of the stone. It felt like ages for her to sleep, like a kit on the eve of their Apprentice ceremony. She tried to relax her body, but it was like she kept flexing automatically. She'd been pressing her eye togehter so tightly, she hadn't even realized that the stone had faded away and she felt a gentle nudge to her flank, startling her.

She had expected to see Rainstar, but instead, her mother stood before her. Other cats were gathered behind her, some of them she'd known as well as a sibling, others she'd only spoke to in passing. She opened her mouth, but they seemed to call for silence as they arranged themselves in an arc around her, her mother, Speckledstep, sitting closest to her, purring the loudest of the grounp, a large smile on her muzzle. Once the cats had settled, their pelts shimmering in such a way it was hard to make them out, her mother stepped forward and touched her nose to Ivystep's head in a familiar gesture that made Ivystep tear up.

"Ivystep, my daughter. With this life, I give you compassion. Use it to keep your clan close and to never lose sight of what has brought you to the place you are today." A warm shiver passed through her pelt and for the first time in many moons, she felt... at home. Speckledstep pulled back, hesitating before moving forward slightly, pressing her cheek to her daughter's with a loving touch before moving back into her place. Ivystep stood, wanting to follow her, waiting to tell her about the kits she hadn't been able to be there for.

"Don't worry, kit, she knows, she knows," an old voice said, and she looked to the second cat who had sat beside her mother. The voice was the same as she remembered, but he looked... different. Younger. Rockpelt, her mother's father, she'd only known as a kit and had died shortly after she'd become an apprentice, but they'd been close. He'd told her stories and made sure she knew that no matter her size, she would always be worth something. 

As he touched his nose to Ivystep's head, he muttered, "With this life, I give you strength. Use it to protect your clan from an dangers you may weather." Unlike the last life, this one hurt, a dull ache forming in muscles she didn't even knew she had had, her limbs twitching from exertion. He gave her a wink as he pulled back and despite the difference in lives, she smiled back happy to see the old tom. 

The next one, well, she should have realized he'd be here. Scorchtail was young when he'd died from the injuries he'd received in a badger attack, dying protecting his apprentice who'd gone on to be a great warrior. The ginger tabby approached her with the same cockiness he'd always had and smiled at her before touching his nose to her head, the height difference clear. "With this life, I give you courage." A power rose up in her chest and she suddenly felt more empowered than ever before. Had this been what he'd felt as he leaped to his death, feeling the claws of the badgers slice through him, knowing his was saving the younger cat? "Use it to defend those who are weaker and to hold true to yourself." Unlike Speckledstep and Rockpelt, he lingered for a moment. "Tell Hazefoot that it wasn't his fault, and that I am proud of the warrior he's become." Then without stepping back into the line, he disappeared.

The next cat was, saddening. The tom was an apprentice she'd trained with, having been a few moons older than she, he'd drowned during a particularly bad flood. It hurt her hear tot see him again, but he looked different. Unlike Rockpelt, who had looked younger, Jaypaw looked fully grown, a handsome tom if ever she saw one. "With this life, I grant you love." As he pressed his nose to her, she felt a similar warmth from the first life, but this time, her heart felt like it was full to bursting and as she looked at him, the dull ache hardened. "Use it and give your heart to those who are worthy of it."

If Jaypaw had been unexpected, the next cat confused her. She knew Skystream of course, being in the same clan and all, but she'd never known the older cat very well. She died like Rainstar had though, from greencough, and as she touched her nose to the deputy, she said in a gentle voice, "With this life, I give you the power to mentor. Use it to train not only apprentice, but to continue guiding your clan, no matter their age or rank." This one hurt, even more than the life of Strength. Looking back she would attribute it to her lousy mentoring skills, but after the life had finished passing through her, Skystream returned to her place in the arc, letting way for another familar face.

Rowanstep was Rockpelt's mate, who'd died when she was only a moon old. Sometimes as a kit in the eldrs den she'd catch the scent of her lingering from her and Rockpelt's nest, but she couldn't remember anything about the she-cat. As she stepped forward, the same proud look in her eyes that her mother had given her. "With this life I give you patience." She gave a small smirk, her whiskers twitching, reminding Ivystep of her mother. "Use it to keep your calm in stressful time so you may hold your head." This life ached, but gave her a sense of calmness, like the ball of anxiety she had felt from earlier was just... gone.

She didn't recognize this cat at all. She blinked at the tom, barely recognizable with so many stars in his pelt, but he smelled of Windclan to her and as he bowed his head to her and touched his nose he said with a whispery voice, "With this life I give you protection. Use it to guard those you hold dear and to keep your borders safe." Suddenly she recalled the face, a Shadowclan warrior that had been killed in a skirmish when a Shadowclan apprentice had killed prey just inside Windclan's borders. She bowed her head respectfully, even as the pain of the life passed through her. How many was that? She'd lost count.

Another cat from outside Windclan approached her and she blinked in confusion. She didn't know the she-cat had passed on and it hurt to see her here. She had been a Thunderclan warrior that Ivystep had befriended at a Gathering and they always sought each other out at Gatherings to catch up. The tortiseshell she-cat pressed her nose to Ivystep and suddenly her chest felt like it was going to burst again. "With this life I give you empathy. Know the pain, happiness and fears of not only your clanmates, but of all those around you."

She panted and nodded, and the she-cat gave her a quick lick of apology, possibly knowing how much it hurt for Ivystep to learn of her death in such a way. But here, this was the cat she'd been waiting for. He was the most solid looking of the cats in attendence and stood tall and proud. He was smiling at her, but still managed to be serious. The look didn't suit him. He stepped forward and gave his deptuy a quick lick on the ear before touching his nose to her forehead. "With this life, I give you wisdom. Use it to know when to act and when to sheath your warriors' claws."

He pulled back from her, this life numbing her, or perhaps it was the site of the grey-blue cat. "I hail you by your new name, Ivystar," Rainstar called, as though speaking to all of Starclan. "Your old life is no more. You have now received the nine lives of a leader, and StarClan grants you the guardianship of Riverclan. Defend it well; care for young and old; honor your ancestors and the traditions of the warrior code; live each life with pride and dignity!"

He looked down at her and gave a slow smile that looked more like the Rainstar she'd known and loved. "We're here for you, Ivy, we're all rooting for you."

Before she could move to greet any of the cats who had begun howling "Ivystar! Ivystar!" the murky land of stars around her was disappearing and suddenly she was awake, the moonstone shimmering as though trying to mock her. 

As she slowly pushed herself to her paws, she remembered the face of Skystream and recalled her daughter, a warrior who was only a few moons younger than she. She was going to need a deputy and it felt like Skystream was nudging her in her daughter's direction. Not that she minded, she knew Silverfang to be a hardworking and reliable cat. She could do this.