[Archiviste]

OAKFANG

BASICS

NAME ► Brindle -> Oakfang
AGE ► 37 moons
GENDER ► Male
PRONOUNS ► Him/His/He
RANK ► Deputy
CLAN ► Thunderclan

DESCRIPTIONS

ONE LINER ► a short-haired tabby with light green eyes and a large patch of white running from his chin to his belly
FACECLAIM ► tabby cat

DETAILED ► optional

PERSONALITY

STRENGTHS ► Combat / Fearless / Well-Meaning
WEAKNESS ► Antisocial / Socially Awkward / Negative
LIKES ► His Kids / The Night / Hunting
DISLIKES ► Crowds / Strangers / Leaf-Bare

DETAILED ► Oakfang is rough and tumble, gruff and unkind. At first glance, he is exactly as his appearance would make you think: harsh words and sharper fangs. With scars abound and always a new wound, Oakfang lives up to his name. He's seen more than his fair share of battles and dangers. Once upon a time, he'd actively seek them out. Every encounter was met with aggression and hatred. He never hesitated to lead with his claws and thought it was only natural that everyone was a threat no matter what. Back then, he had more enemies then friends and likely still does. But that was Brindle the rouge.

Now deputy of Thunderclan, Oakfang is a different cat, but his time as Brindle still dogs his every action. He is still as rough and gruff as before, but now that roughness comes from a place of social awkwardness instead of anger. As deft as he is in battle, he is just as clumsy socially. His words often come out harsher then he intends them to. At times, he may not be able to articulate just what he wishes to say. But he has become far better at reading other's emotions, and when he does end up unintentionally hurting someone with his tone or words, he always seeks to right his wrong.

As for his constant injuries, they come from his misadventures as an awkward dad. While he has no biological kits at the moment, he has numerous adopted children. Unwittingly, his inability to leave any kits alone has ended up gracing him with a brood of former orphans. Always a wanderer and never comfortable staying still, Oakfang spends much of his time outside of the clan camp wandering the territory and neutral lands. Whenever he comes across kits, he will, without fail, help them. Inadvertently, his intimidating appearance ends up scaring them, but even so, he never leaves them until he's certain they're safe and cared for. In the event of orphans, they unfailingly end up in his care. Even so, he insists he isn't a kits kind of cat. Nowadays, his signature injuries come not from battle but his actions as an unwitting father.

RELATIONSHIPS

FATHER ► Unknown
MOTHER ► Unknown
SIBLINGS ► Clover; brother, deceased
Holly; sister, alive

MATE ► none
OFFSPRING ► TBD

MENTOR ► N/A
APPRENTICE(S) ► N/A

HISTORY

TRIGGER WARNINGS ► Death. Fratricide

► Birth to Twelve Moons
Oakfang's life began as Brindle, brother to Holly and Clover, just as leaf-fall began to wane and the first breath of leaf-bare would brush their mother's whiskers. Born in such a harsh time, it was a wonder they survived, but the trio fought for every day. From the beginning, their father was more of a memory than a soul. He wasn't present for their birth and first appeared days after. Even then, he lingered only briefly before disappearing from their lives entirely after a single moon. Their mother remained for only a little longer than their father. After only two moons of life, she, too, left them. In the end, neither parent showed any affection for their young.

Clover, ever the optimistic one, sought to wait. Surely, their mother would return to them in time. A hunt had taken longer than expected. She would be back soon. They need only wait. Holly was content to follow Clover and also desired to wait. So they waited though Brindle had his doubts. Living off whatever they could find, the trio waited for their mother for one moon, but she did not return. As the second moon since her departure drew to a close, the kits' desperation grew hope and their hope waned. They could no longer claim she would return when it became apparent she would not. On the eve of their fifth moon, the trio set out into the world.

At first, they sought out other cats, but the kits were an unlucky group. Each time, they were met with claws and fangs. But despite that, Clover still sought out other cats in the hope that someone would help them. Brindle's heart, on the other paw, grew cold and harsh. Quickly, he became their primary provider. If the trio ate that day or not was all up to the success of Brindle's hunts. So he learned to hunt quickly, and he learned to hunt well. While he hunted for and defended them, Clover ceaselessly sought out others. After six moons of this, everything came to a head.

Twelve Moons to Twenty-four Moons
Now yearlings, the trio had found a nice place to stay. While Brindle and Holly were resting, Clover brought back two cats Brindle had already chased off. As the brothers argued, the pair took that chance to attack. With their backs to the wall, the trio had no choice but to run. Brindle sustaining damage on the way attempting to keep the two distracted as long as possible. Exhausted, hurt, and hungry, the three found a safe place to recover. Once Brindle had caught his breath, he turned on his brother.

"Why did you bring them back? Why do you keep seeking out these cats? They only want us dead!"

Clover's shock only lasted for a moment, before he, too, responded in anger. "Maybe if you weren't so hostile to everyone, they wouldn't!"

"I'm trying to protect us!" Brindle snarled.

So their argument spiraled and before long, the brothers fought not just with words but claw and fang, Holly's attempts to stop them fell on deaf ears. Neither brother noticed that they'd hurt her and before they knew it, she had fled. At the end of the fight, Clover lay dead as Brindle rested on the edge of life.

Certain that this would be his last, Brindle closed his eyes only to open them sore and hungry days later. A she-cat had found him and nursed him. At first, their relationship was rocky. He lashed out at her every time she came close with what little strength he had, but despite his efforts, she continued to take care of him. As the moons passed and Brindle regained his strength, his feelings began to change. Before he knew it, a place in his heart had opened for her. Even when he was recovered enough to move around, he didn't leave like he normally would. Knowing she was worried about him, he would always return before a day had passed. Once he was fully recovered, he set off certain he wouldn't see her again. But a moon later, he found himself making his way back to her. Over and over again. Each time, he'd come bearing a gift and always with the same excuse.

"I owe you my life."

So his life was until the kit arrived in his second year.

Twenty-four Moons to Twenty-eight Moons
His wanderings had found him happening upon an orphaned kitten. Instead of leaving him alone, he took the kit under his wing. Initially, he brought the kit to the she-cat thinking she would be able to take care of him better. But as chance would have it, the kit ended up with him. But now a new problem arose, he could not care for the kit alone. He needed to hunt, and he couldn't impose on the she-cat and every time by leaving the kit with her. So, Brindle began looking into the clans he'd heard of. After searching and looking into the clans for four moons, he settled on Thunderclan as his clan of choice. With the kit in two, he moved to Thunderclan. So began his life as Oakfang.

Twenty-eight Moons to Present
Life in the clan brought with it new challenges. Initially, he'd jump whenever he was approached and keep his distance from others. His initial reactions were always defensive, and he jumped at any interactions with his kids, It was several moons before the usual unease he felt around other cats eased. Though he had finally settled down, he still found himself a heavy wanderer and rarely stayed in the clan camp for long. It was thanks to those wanders that his brood would grow to the size it is now. Like clockwork, he'd almost always bring home one orphaned kit after another.

Throughout his time in the clan, he and Boarstar would become close friends. His leader became one of the cats he felt most comfortable around. Boarstar became one of the few cats Oakfang would trust his back to.

Eight moons into his life in Thunderclan, an old danger would threaten the clan. Out on patrol, Oakfang and Boarstar encountered a familiar foe. The badger Boarstar had blinded found its way back into the territory. In a fierce battle, the two cats succeeded in killing the badger. Because of Oakfang's heroics, Boarstar named him deputy at thirty-six moons.

[Riley]

Accepted! Do your claims!