[sleepyyjax]

CONTENT INFORMATION
After "apprentice" section: Heavy and direct references to death, murder and battle.
Links attach to songs (volume warning).
Please note that the album art for the song in "warrior" contains a depiction of a gun <3

maybe wip ? - last updated 30/8/24

Shrikekit
[other possible: Lynx, Fox (after grey fox), Grey]
[potential suffixes: flight, claw, flash, wind, strike]
she/her
Shrike: For looks - a grey coat, with a white belly and dark markings.
ooc: The capacity for both brutality and softness. Two sides of the same coin?

"My friends, my family, my Clan. They're what matter to me. I couldn't care less for Thunder, River or Shadow."

All around you is black. A dark, empty space.
Where are you? You blink, eyes heavy as you glance around, desperately searching for something. A light! It trickles through an opening just above you, welcoming, kind. Hurriedly, you make your way towards it, almost loosing your footing as you climb up the small stone steps. And you're out!
Light! Comforting sunlight, and warm green grass that embraces your paws. You still don't know where you are, but this is far nicer. Maybe you should find someone to talk to? You gaze around, noticing bushes of heather all around - and just in front of one, a small grey tabby, with her back to you. You take a step towards her, and see her ear twitch. Almost instinctually, you pause. What if she's aggressive? She turns. You wait.

Green as the lush grass you stand upon, her eyes light up. Before you can even think to run, or doge, she bounds towards you, paws beating the ground like a hare, "HIIII!!! OH MY GOODNESS HI!" She skids towards you, the soft grass tearing up at her paws. You blink, should you know who she is? "It is so good to see someone here!" She tilts her head, "though... I'm not sure why. Or how. What is your name?" You stare at her blankly. You're not too sure, or, you don't want to tell her. "Hm. Quiet one, that's okay!" She bounces up. "The name's Strike," she boasts, as though it were a title. "There was another part to that name, but... It evades me." Briefly, her eyes flit to the sky, and you glimpse an emotion unexplainable. Confusion? Loss? "But! That doesn't matter, let me show you round!" She bounces forward, beckoning with her tail. There seems no other choice than to follow her - best get your bearings till you understand where you are, right?

"So. I think this is, uh??? My headspace?" She gazes at you over her shoulder, waiting a reaction, but you give nothing away. "Sounds weird right? I think I've been here as long as I can remember? Or, just before you arrived? I... I'm not sure." She shakes her head, as though the thought would disappear through such an action. She turns her head back, resuming her stride. She moves kind of like a bunny you think, or a bird? She's fast, unpredictable, taking shard sudden turns and seemingly random curves. She doesn't say much for a while. As you walk, the sunlight beats down hard on the two of you. The space is open, no trees, just a rolling meadow, filled with a few bushes; Some hills sit not too far in the distance. Just in front of you, you see a huge circular heather bush. Just as you're admiring its beauty, she leads you to a gap. "Check it!" The tabby smiles at you, tilting her head, "This is where I sleep!" Just as she's about to step in, her stance firms up. "You know. I don't know why I'm trusting a stranger." Her green eyes gaze deep into yours, seemingly trying to analyse something, trying to know anything at all. All of a sudden, you're scared. Something in her eyes, some kind of fervour as she stares deep into yours.... She sighs, and suddenly it's gone. "I might as well trust you. No one else is here." Her ears swivel as her head darts around. "But ANY funny business. And you won't last long. Okay?" A beat. She perks back up again, smile spreading across her face, "okay!" she chirps, padding into the gap in the bush.

Near the back, there's your standard moss nest It's cosy, lived in. Little feathers line the edge of, arranged meticulously, but a few have been kicked out of line. On the other side? A large bird skull. It doesn't inspire the same kind of homeliness as the nest. There's something about it. It strikes you with fear. Arranging her feathers, she glances up at you, "oh the skull? You like it?" She smiles, "I think it's neat! Kind of a trophy, well, if I'd killed it. It's just kind of here, like, uh, most things." This was her headspace, right? Was it meant to be some kind of metaphor? A warning? Was she dangerous? "Say," she continues to sort feathers and fluff up her nest, "you wanna come running with me?" She tilts her head expectantly, "I don't think I've ran with someone ever, but, still I feel like I have? I've never done it, but I know I love it." Why not? She showed you her home, she seems trustworthy. You nod. Ears to tail tip, she perks right up, "AWH YEAH" she yells, darting to the exit, body seemingly springing with excitement. "Let's go!" She grins, bounding out, and you follow her, finally letting out a small smile of your own.

 

Playful and a little boisterous, Shrikekit loves her family very much, that includes Leopardsong. Conflict normally arises from her being too boisterous with her littermates, she doesn't often have bad intentions. More than anything, Shrikekit loves to race against the other kits.

 

In WindClan, Shrikepaw is a friend to all, mostly. She'll certainly offput some cats, but she'll still try to befriend them. She's joyful, kind, she helps wherever she can. Outside WindClan though? She couldn't care less. Growing up she's exposed to stories of and rumours of WindClan being pushovers. She can't bear it. After all, this is the clan that raised her - her mother's the leader, for StarClan's sake! During apprenticehood, she makes a pact with herself: she will lead the next generation of WindClan to greatness. This isn't necessarily literally, she isn't bothered whether she leads clan. What she wants, is to ensure WindClan never gets trodden down, in whatever way she can. Be that in becoming their fiercest warrior, training as many apprentices as possible, or simply rallying the clan up. Shrike takes this upon her shoulders as though it's her responsibility alone. If she messes up, WindClan will fall. She has to work her hardest. For the sake of the clan. Shrike holds a bitterness towards the other clans, they're dangers to WindClan. Never once will she let her loyalty falter. Showing unecessary kindness to other clans will get her nowhere. The same goes for outsiders. Her relationship with her father is a tumultuous one. Blood is one of the things that matters most to her, but so is WindClan. She isn't too averse to outsiders who join WindClan, or cats who join from other clans, for that matter. But Beastflame doesn't plan to join. So what can she do, but argue with him about it?

 

The following would depend entirely on how things pan out, however this is my current plan.
Shrike's formidable in battle, but reckless. Defending WindClan with her life. Once finally in battle, she spots a clan mate in a life or death situation (opportunity for a plot between these two, whether they're friends or enemies) and bolts in to help. Her opponent refuses to give in, attacking ruthlessly. She's left with no choice but to defend herself. The first taste of blood. It's not meant to be a good thing, taking a life. But, she saved the life of a clan mate. It was one or the other, why would she stand by? She doesn't come away unscathed. Shrike returns with a huge scar from her chest to her ribs, just above her belly - the belly being the place the cat intended to pierce. A permanent reminder that it could have been her, or her clanmate.
[Alternatively: Shrike is tasked with executing a traitor, same outcome, but different effects on her outlook. She becomes less trusting automatically trusting within the clan.]

Once you've stalked so close to death, it becomes easier. Well, that's the case for Strike anyway. Shrike continues to throw herself into battle. If WindClan's ever defeated, she takes it as a personal loss. She cannot allow WindClan to lose at any cost. The other clans can be ruthless, and she's experienced that firsthand.

Shrike loves with the passion of a thousand suns, and she loves WindClan. She loves her family. She loves her friends. Shrike may be cold and uncaring in battle, but in her own clan, she's lovely. Sure, she may not be everyone's cup of tea, but she isn't bothered. Her outlook is totally optimistic, and she finds great joy in socialising and throwing events.

 

Any further plot would depend on how things pan out, what I'm most drawn to at the time, or what matches up with other people's plots. This is kind of a pick and mix list of ideas - I certainly want her to be dangerous to other clans, but I don't want her to be 'straight up evil', unless a really cool plot opportunity springs up.

1. 'Forbidden' love
Somehow, against all odds, Shrike falls for a cat of another clan. More than likely, this cat would have to seek her out at gatherings and slowly gain her affection. Even if those around her wouldn't be too bothered (I'm not sure what the reaction would be?), this goes against everything Shrike believes in. It's forbidden to her specifically. This alters Shrike's entire world view. Maybe WindClan can get by without crushing other clans. Maybe she doesn't need to always fight? Maybe she can finally relax?
Shrike remains a committed warrior, but far more down to earth.
[This could also be platonic! Not necassarily romantic, but I think it'd be relly cool for her to have kits at least once.]

2. Vengeance
A clanmate dies to the claws of an outsider/ cat of another clan. Shrike takes it upon herself to avenge this cat. Whether she succeeds (and further consequences) depend entirely on circumstances at the time.

3. The Second Taste
Shrike continues on, fighting ruthlessly. Soon enough, another cat dies to her paws. She isn't even sure it was necessary. But, she knows she was defending WindClan, and for that she can justify it. This becomes one of her firm values: if it's for the sake of WindClan, death may be necessary. This can go anywhere.
A blood thirsty cat, deeming the most unecassary deaths as necassry? [I would probably only do this in later life, I wouldn't want to risk her getting killed off early.] Or a morally grey, yet highly reliable warrior?

4. The Third Taste
WindClan gains a new leader. Shrike cannot stand them. Shrike sets out to assassinate them (or leads/ joins a coup). This would likely result in her death, unless the stars align and HRs want WindClan's leader to be assassinated (lol).

5. The Final Taste
[Later life only, I'd like to have her alive for as long as possible.] However she winds up this way, Shrike does the unthinkable. Maybe she kills an innocent cat for the sake of 'vengeance'? Maybe she assasinates a leader, or other WindClan cat, who simply didn't do anything wrong? Whatver happens, she ends up in the Dark Forest. She can't stop there. Dead or alive, WindClan needs her guidence. Shrike would find any way possible to train WindClan apprentices. Maybe she lies and syas she's from StarClan? Maybe she tells them the Dark Forest isn't so bad, that the separation between them and StarClan makes the clans go soft.

6. I'd rather have something sweet.
Shrike does not taste blood again. Infact, she steps one paw too close to her own death. How can she help WindClan if she's dead? Shrike pulls back, and finally relaxes. Maybe she finds love and/or has kits?

7. In case of death
I would not let Shrike go missing or die early. However, once she eventually dies (likely old age, or battle after some years) she remains commited to WindClan. Unless she's following ' The Third Taste', she visits WindClan cats in their dreams, aiding with apprentice training and helping those in touble.

 

+ speed, agility, balance
= hunting, climbing, swimming (average for WC cat)
- Brute force, once pinned escape is unlikely (size/build)

 

+ Friendly, caring, optimistic, generous
= Ambitious, protective, strong-willed
- Reckless, furious, cruel, unforgiving (only to other clans), stubborn views

 

Noticeably short, Shrike is a nimble cat. Her small structure allows her to zip by opponents, not letting them know what's hit them. However, being caught by a larger opponent can have devastating consequences. Shrike's fur is long and a little scruffy - unpredicatble in nature, no matter how hard she tries.

"One is likely to be deceived by a chance meeting with [the shrike]. At one time [s]he may appear to be almost angelic as [s]he pours forth [her] inimitable songs from the topmost branches of a large tree. More commonly, however, [s]he may be observed in the role of a ruthless killer."
- YELLOWSTONE NATURE NOTES