INFORMATION
Age: 37 Moons Gender: Female Rank: Medicine Cat Fur: Long Hair Colour: Fawn with Splash of White Eyes: Freshly Minted Copper |
SKILLS
✔ Herb identification ✔ Strong sense of smell ✔ Excellent swimmer ✘ Weak huntress ✘ Weak fighter ✘ Sensitive eyes |
PERSONALITY
Sweet, kind and caring, Willowthorn is a considerate cat who is a friend to all and a maternal figure to anyone within the camp. She is, however crippled by an unusual fear - Casadastraphobia: an irrational or pathological fear of falling into the sky. Willowthorn's phobia is one that is not commonly held in many creatures, and, for a cat who has a strong longing to stay close to Starclan, it is not one easily aided. Willowthorn's casadastraphobia is highly sensitive, triggered when she looks up to the sky. The vast expanse of the stars is well beyond her comprehension, and, while she knows that it is completely unrealistic to believe that she might fall into the stars, the incomprehensible nothingness beyond her small world is utterly terrifying to her. Usually, when she calls upon Starclan to ask for guidance, she does so with her eyes shut, and, when travelling with a clear sky above her, her eyes will remain downcast.
Sweet, kind and caring, Willowthorn is a considerate cat who is a friend to all and a maternal figure to anyone within the camp. She is, however crippled by an unusual fear - Casadastraphobia: an irrational or pathological fear of falling into the sky. Willowthorn's phobia is one that is not commonly held in many creatures, and, for a cat who has a strong longing to stay close to Starclan, it is not one easily aided. Willowthorn's casadastraphobia is highly sensitive, triggered when she looks up to the sky. The vast expanse of the stars is well beyond her comprehension, and, while she knows that it is completely unrealistic to believe that she might fall into the stars, the incomprehensible nothingness beyond her small world is utterly terrifying to her. Usually, when she calls upon Starclan to ask for guidance, she does so with her eyes shut, and, when travelling with a clear sky above her, her eyes will remain downcast.
HISTORY
The thin air burned at the she-cat's lungs as she attempted to scramble over the highest peaks of the mountain. The clouds were low, their thick, gray forms obscuring Willowthorn's vision, the fog they created soaking her long pelt and chilling her to the bone. A whipping wind sent stinging droplets into her face, causing her to screw her eyes shut and hoping her paws would guide her to safety.
She had heard about the clan across the mountains, the clan that had regrown from the ashes of their former selves who were in desperate need of a medicine cat, but she had no idea the mountains would be this treacherous. They didn't look this dangerous from afar!
Pausing for a moment, Willowthorn raised a soaked paw, rubbing at her face in an attempt to dry it somewhat, but the pelting rain just soaked her again within seconds. Pinning her ears flat against her head in an attempt to save the delicate hairs inside from being aggravated by the conditions, she pushed forward, the absolute image of desperation.
Scrambling almost blindly up yet another steep incline, Willowthorn suddenly stopped, shock and awe decorating her features.
She had reached the top of the mountain, rising completely above the fog. The clear skies above twinkling down in a stunning display of lights sent a chill up her spine, causing her to lower her head and screw her eyes shut. The wind picked around her, whirling and singing, as though Starclan itself was urging her on. 'You can do it, Willowthorn', the wind seemed to call, 'Remember your vow to care for those who need it, and keep going'.
"I can do it." She murmured, sitting and allowing the wind to tousle her fur for a moment. When her pelt was dry enough to continue, she took a deep breath, thanked Starclan, then descended into the fog once again. Her steps were more bouncy, her strides more determined. She would make it.
Just as she descended into the gray fog once again, her vision was suddenly obscured, she followed the downward path, knowing that the worst of her struggles were over.
Unfortunately, with the limited visibility, Willowthorn couldn't spot the sharp ledges or steep drops on the path downwards. Taking one confident misstep, the she-cat found her front paw slipping over the edge, fear paralyzing her as her whole body tumbled over into the unknown.
She tumbled down the slope, various twigs and stones snapping at her skin as she fell. Rolling to a stop at the bottom, she opened her eyes to a clear world, but a dark haze once again dampened her vision as she slipped into unconsciousness.
Groaning softly, Willowthorn opened her eyes to a soft morning sunlight beaming into the den where she found herself. Blinking the haze out of her eyes, she looked around. The den was small, but cosy, and she rose shakily to her feet, head pounding and skin smarting from where it was littered with scratches, but otherwise fine.
Ducking out into the sunlight, she started as a sweet voice sounded at her side.
"Morning, stranger. How are you feeling?"
Willowthorn spun, finding herself face-to-face with a solid chocolate she-cat, the other's copper eyes burning into her as she studied her.
"I... I'm fine..." Willowthorn answered, a quizzical look greeting the other cat.
"That's good. You took some tumble, huh? I'm Crowsong, the deputy of Lasclan. May I ask why you were passing through our territory?"
Despite the act of a stranger entering a territory being hated by many clans, this she-cat didn't seem angered, rather, simply curious.
"I had heard you were in need of a medicine cat." Willowthorn responded honestly, albeit somewhat sheepishly, "I thought I could help."
The Deputy laughed, surprising Willowthorn.
"Well, we are in need of a med, but it's ironic, your entrance. I don't think many medicine cats make their first appearances in their clan unconscious."
Willowthorn dipped her gaze, ashamed, but her heart soared with joy as the deputy spoke again.
"Of course, you are more than welcome to join us."
The thin air burned at the she-cat's lungs as she attempted to scramble over the highest peaks of the mountain. The clouds were low, their thick, gray forms obscuring Willowthorn's vision, the fog they created soaking her long pelt and chilling her to the bone. A whipping wind sent stinging droplets into her face, causing her to screw her eyes shut and hoping her paws would guide her to safety.
She had heard about the clan across the mountains, the clan that had regrown from the ashes of their former selves who were in desperate need of a medicine cat, but she had no idea the mountains would be this treacherous. They didn't look this dangerous from afar!
Pausing for a moment, Willowthorn raised a soaked paw, rubbing at her face in an attempt to dry it somewhat, but the pelting rain just soaked her again within seconds. Pinning her ears flat against her head in an attempt to save the delicate hairs inside from being aggravated by the conditions, she pushed forward, the absolute image of desperation.
Scrambling almost blindly up yet another steep incline, Willowthorn suddenly stopped, shock and awe decorating her features.
She had reached the top of the mountain, rising completely above the fog. The clear skies above twinkling down in a stunning display of lights sent a chill up her spine, causing her to lower her head and screw her eyes shut. The wind picked around her, whirling and singing, as though Starclan itself was urging her on. 'You can do it, Willowthorn', the wind seemed to call, 'Remember your vow to care for those who need it, and keep going'.
"I can do it." She murmured, sitting and allowing the wind to tousle her fur for a moment. When her pelt was dry enough to continue, she took a deep breath, thanked Starclan, then descended into the fog once again. Her steps were more bouncy, her strides more determined. She would make it.
Just as she descended into the gray fog once again, her vision was suddenly obscured, she followed the downward path, knowing that the worst of her struggles were over.
Unfortunately, with the limited visibility, Willowthorn couldn't spot the sharp ledges or steep drops on the path downwards. Taking one confident misstep, the she-cat found her front paw slipping over the edge, fear paralyzing her as her whole body tumbled over into the unknown.
She tumbled down the slope, various twigs and stones snapping at her skin as she fell. Rolling to a stop at the bottom, she opened her eyes to a clear world, but a dark haze once again dampened her vision as she slipped into unconsciousness.
Groaning softly, Willowthorn opened her eyes to a soft morning sunlight beaming into the den where she found herself. Blinking the haze out of her eyes, she looked around. The den was small, but cosy, and she rose shakily to her feet, head pounding and skin smarting from where it was littered with scratches, but otherwise fine.
Ducking out into the sunlight, she started as a sweet voice sounded at her side.
"Morning, stranger. How are you feeling?"
Willowthorn spun, finding herself face-to-face with a solid chocolate she-cat, the other's copper eyes burning into her as she studied her.
"I... I'm fine..." Willowthorn answered, a quizzical look greeting the other cat.
"That's good. You took some tumble, huh? I'm Crowsong, the deputy of Lasclan. May I ask why you were passing through our territory?"
Despite the act of a stranger entering a territory being hated by many clans, this she-cat didn't seem angered, rather, simply curious.
"I had heard you were in need of a medicine cat." Willowthorn responded honestly, albeit somewhat sheepishly, "I thought I could help."
The Deputy laughed, surprising Willowthorn.
"Well, we are in need of a med, but it's ironic, your entrance. I don't think many medicine cats make their first appearances in their clan unconscious."
Willowthorn dipped her gaze, ashamed, but her heart soared with joy as the deputy spoke again.
"Of course, you are more than welcome to join us."
RELATIONS
EBONSTAR
Willowthorn admires the leader of the clan to no end, and really empathizes with his struggles. She does wish that she could have been there for him sooner, but is glad that she can be of assistance to him now. If she were allowed to, she might try to court him to mateship, but she keeps a respectful, professional distance.
CROWSONG
Willowthorn is glad of the medicine cat's ability to distract her patients when needs be, and so Crowsong will often be invited into the medicine den.
HAWKPAW
Although not understanding of this little one's gender issues, Willowthorn admires this apprentice's spunk and treats him with the respect that he commands.
SHADEPAW
Willowthorn genuinely and truly loves her apprentice. She treats her like her own daughter, being just and strict when needed, but also inviting her to share her den and caring for her beyond the need of a mentor.
BLAZESTEP
Blazestep is the only cat to truly push through Willowthorn's patience, and, after a few spats at the beginning of their life with Lasclan, the pair now just avoid each other wherever possible.
THRUSHSTONE
Willowthorn truly admires this warrior, and is slightly envious of his skills in the field, both hunting and fighting. She knows that he is sensible, and would be one of the only cats in the clan that she trusts with important jobs.