as i added more trackers and biographies it has gotten a bit cluttered and disorienting/hard to collect information on a certain character, more specifically minkpaw rookpaw.
this thread shall include not only her training tracker, biography and roleplay tracker but also any other information i will probably collect for her.
- territory: x ✓
- sleepy thicket: x ✓
- lionsbeach: x ✓
- rugged range: x ✓ (shes been there like three times now)
- haven springs: x ✓
- saltmeadow marsh: x ✓
- smallpines: x ✓
- sedgewater valled: x ✓
shadowclan:
- territory:
- sunkissed creek:
- icy heartlands: x ✓
- shadows break: x ✓
- mourning ruins:
- croaking swamp: x ✓
- herondive hollow:
- saltmeadow marsh:
- whispering wetlands:
- evergreen grotto: x
- dawning woods: x
- darkwater mire: x
- riverclan meeting: xxx
- riverclan meeting: xx
- january gathering '24: xx
- riverclan meeting : xx
- riverclan meeting april24: xxxx
(i didnt really keep track after she reached two so there mightve been more attended gatherings)
- shadowclan meeting may24: xxxxx
- shadowclan meeting june24: x x x
- shadowclan meeting: x x x
───────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───────── ✰BATTLE EXPERIENCE✰
- thc/rc malcontest '24 (she commited murder in that one): X / xxxxxxxxxx
- tba: x x x
───────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───────── ✰OTHER LIFE EXPERIENCE✰
- thc/rc malcontest raid healing: X / xxxxx
- post raid burial event: X / xxx
- (abandoned by host) outsiders on rugged range x
- tba: x x x
───────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───────── ✰PLOT PARTICIPATION✰
- thc/rc raid X / xxxxxxxxxx
- post raid burial event xxx
- (abandoned by host) outsiders on rugged range x
- shc clearing after whitetwists body was found: xx x
- it all falls down: xxxx
───────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───────── ✰EVENT PARTICIPATION✰
- rc: contested herbs in leafbare xxx
- rc: lets get it together! xxxxx
- rc: the herbal side of battle xxx
- rc: knowledge trading center xx
(riverclan had like 15 million semi active events at all times dont judge me for my teensy tinesy participation /j)
- shc: good as new - x xxxx
- shc: claw and conquer - x x x
- shc: sharks and minnows - xxx
───────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───────── ✰WARRIOR ASSESSMENT✰
tba
__________________
"i wish things were different, but it werent us who changed."
[ id like to note that this list only shows what herbs she has 100% completed, a majority of her knowledge is partial and couldnt be considered “completed” in my eyes ]
last proper update: 13/05/24
[ 345 / 100 ]
[ 339 posts as minkpaw ]
[ 6 posts as rookpaw ]
─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─── Current rank: shc warrior apprentice Previous rank(s): rc warrior apprentice Mentor: lostspark @/rose Former Mentor: pinefire @/furrensic; multible nameless npc
✰HERBAL KNOWLEDGE✰
herb name (location: x) - source of knowledge
-apperance
-healing remedies
100% herbs: 17 (?) total herbs: 35 (?)
★ borage (location: along bodies of water, forest floors) - herbal knowledge 1
- blue or purple flowers, dark green leaves, steps and leaves covered in tiny white hairs, distinguished smell, zesty scent, bitter taste
- best leaves halfway up the stem, chewed and eaten, helps w milk production, brings down fevers, helps sooth bad bellies and relieves tight chest
★ brighteye (location: sunny areas, woods, thickets) - herbal knowledge 1
- light pink pedals w darker middle, flowers assorted into a kind of ball shape on a relatively thin long stem, smooth leaves
- crushed into poultice, helps cure coughs if mixed w lovage
★ broom (location: open woodlands) - herbal knowledge 2
- small yellow flowers and leaves on tall shrubs, flowers mostly seperated from other flowers along the long stems, shrubs are cone shaped, destinct sweet smell during greenleaf
- can be found during leafbare, used in poultices for broken legs and wounds
★ chervil (location: forest among rocks) - herbal knowledge 2
- sweet smelling, thin stems with fern like leaves ending in a small amount of tiny white flowers, brown knobby roots with bitter/unpleasant taste/smell
- chewed to extract juice (leaves) for infected wounds, root for bellyaches caused by nausea, can be used during kitting (for nausea), roots more potent than leaves, juices to sooth injured eye
★ chickweed (location: pretty much everywhere as long as the soil is more or less moist) - herbal knowledge 1
- tall vibrantly green, sprawling, relatively thick almond shaped leaves
- treats greencough
(herbal knowledge purrk stuff referenced from here, here, here and google)
__________________________________________________ ___
★ blessed thistle (location: open grassy areas, sandy soil, sometimes near rivers and lakes) - xx
- like thistles but w yellow flower, spikes on leaves and stem, leaves around the flower point up w a slight curl like dandelion leaves. no particular scent
- increases blood flow, used to treat coughs/white cough/green cough as well as fevers and infections. most commonly around in green leaf to leaf fall. eaten (bitter taste), best one flower per cat, do not use for kits and young apprentices. can cause nausea and stomach-ache
★ boneset (location: moist areas with lots of sun) - xx
- hairy narrowly triangular leaves, leaves in pairs on stem, floral smelling plant, tall stemmed, frilly clusters of flowers
- grows new leaf through leaf fall, roots, eaten to treat early stages of lung infections (greencough, whitecough)
★ burdock (location: near bodies of water) - xxx
- thick stems (hard to chew through), burrs at the top, big green leaves that end in a point
- roots is chewed into a pulp to help with ratbites and infection (also burns and inflamation; causes stomach ache if ingested), leaves to dress stubborn wounds
★ burnet (location: unknown) - xx
- oval leaves with serrated spikey edges, long stems
- leaves eaten for kitting/travel as it gives strength
✩ coltsfoot (location: near rivers) - x
-
- wilts in leafbare,
★ comfrey (location: along riverbeds, moist grassy areas) - xx
- large leaves, pink/white/purple bell shaped flowers, thick brown roots, tansy scent
- roots chewed into poultice, used for itching and stiffness (joints), soothes wounds like burns and wrenched claws, mend broken bones, grows new leaf to green leaf
★ catmint (location: ) - x
- tall leafy plant (has seen it)
- recovery from green cough, has to be dried
★ dandelion (location: everywhere) - xxx
- flat headed, low growing, vibrant yellow flower, hollow stem
- liquids from stem for bee stings, leaves eaten for pain, chewed (w marigold) for application on minor wounds, not as effective as poppyseeds, helps w sore joints (missing: helps w fevers, roots for meadow saffron poisoning)
★ daisy (location: grassy areas, twoleg gardens) - xxx
- skinny white petals with a yellow middle, oval thick dark green leaves, small flower, only one stem
- flowers and leaves, leaves chewed into a poultice and rubbed over the hurting spot - helps aches (internal pain eg back pain), do NOT swallow, causes stomach ache if injested
✩ dock (location: unknown) - xx
- dark green, "wrinkly", hairs along the leaves and stems,
- wound healing (doesnt necesarrily help w larger wounds),
✩ elderflower (location: unknown) - x
- grow on small shrubs (look like mini trees), flowers are small and white (smell fresh&like berries), usable even when dried out
-
★ elder leaves (location: unknown) - xx
- on short trunked tree with few branches, featherlike leaves, nasty smell
- sprains (missing: wretched muscles), do not eat, chewed into poultice -> rinse mouth and paws after (unknown illness)
✩ goldenrod (location: grassy areas, windclan territory and near) - x
- tall, tiny bright yellow flowers (grow in clusters), leaves are long&pointy and have a spicy scent (especially when crushed)
-
✩ honey (location: unknown) - x
- sticky, sweet, not entirely liquid or solid ("substance")
- soothes sore throats (after smoke inhalation),
✩ horsetail (location: marshland) xxxx
- a tall light green plant with widely fanned thin leaves, clean scent, grows in groups, distinct stem
- chewed into a pulp and applied to wound to stop bleeding
★ juniper berries (location: haven springs) - xx
- purplish blue berries, grow on spiky-leaved bush,
- soothes belly aches, gives strength, helps with breathing, calm cats, eaten, can be mixed w ragwort/daisy to threat aching joints. (missing: helps w coughs)
★ lavender (location: sunny areas, twoleg gardens) - xx
- very fragrant (more floral-y), grows in shrubs, more upright that rosemary, small leaves but not as sharp as rosemary leaves, grey-ish green leaves, usable even when dried out
- calm (kits), calms fevers and chills, cover scent of deceised
★ ladys mantle (location: unknown) - x
- (has seen)
- ease pain of lost limbs/teeth&severe wounds, chewed into pulp&added to poultice, eaten to mend tissue (long term)
★ marigold (location: sunny and moist spots) - xxxx
- yellow-orange flower, many leaves around stem, leaves crinkly, late new leaf to leaf fall
- leaves and pedals, chewed into poultice with yellowbells to use on wounds, helps fight infection and stop bleeding
★ poppy (location: unknown) - xxx
- bright red, small dark center,
- seeds are chewed to ease pain (3 for large cat, 2 for warrior, never more than 1 for kit. half amount to keep cat conscious/not asleep), treat pain&shock
✩ rosemary (location: unknown) - x
- grows as a shrub, thin sharp leaves, very fragrant
- leaves (as sprigs)
★ ragwort (location: ) - x
- tall shrub with yellow flowers foul taste
- mixed with juniper berries in a poultice to treat aching joints, keeps strength up
✩ tansy (location: unknown) - xx
- looks similar to dandelion, small round and yellow, tall plant, sweet and calming smell (similar to berries), leaves are fern like and grow in small groups on the stem
- leaves&stems, used for coughs (chewing in small doses)
✩ thyme (location: near windclan border) - xxx
- doesnt grow in leafbare, small shrub close to ground, slender branches w small clusters of leaves, spicy smell
- good for anxiety
★ tormentil (location: meadow-y areas ) - x
- dark green plant, short stems, frilly leaves, yellow four petaled flower
- reduce skin inflammation, treat diarrhear and sore throats
★ watermint (location: wet dirt, near water) - xx
- more mellow in flavour than regular mint, spikey rounded flowers, tall stems, hairy leaves that grow on stalks, cool&refreshing smell similar to water
- can hide scent of death, chewed into pulp and eaten for belly aches,
✩ willow leaves (location: unknown) - x
- grow in new leaf,
-
✩ yellowbells (location: unknown) - xxxx
- grow on tall shrubs, pedals are yellow and oval, long, flowers dont go many petals
- used for broken legs, chewed into poultice with marigold for wounds, helps fight infection
✩ yarrow (location - x
-
- expells ingested poison
★ cobwebs (location: all over the place, specifically among the roots of trees and in old burrows)
- long thin strands arranged into a web, sticky with a dusty scent
- used to cover wounds, ease bleeding and secure herbs to body
★ moss (location: all over the place, common in forests and marshland on trees and other surfaces, haven springs) - xx
- soft spongy green shrub
- used to stop bleeding, used before cobwebs
★ pregnancy - x
- often misdiagnosed as stomachache & vise versa, bloating, moodswings, gas, weight gain, if theyre far along enough youre able to feel heads/limbs by touch
★ drying herbs - x
- place herb in a sunny spot and wait, for poppy, shake out the seeds once dry
__________________
"i wish things were different, but it werent us who changed."
- HOPES AND DREAMS OF THE FORGOTTEN -
rookpaw mca application
. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.
WARNING : this application deals with sensitive topics
mentions of childhood trauma, death, murder, distress
proceed with caution
i also ask to forgive minor spelling errors, im just a boy /hj
[link will be provided to felix separately and added here potentially after the application submission period closes cuz its still being looked over]
songs that either relate to her, she would enjoy, or that i am itching to use for an animatic. a lot of the them are representative of her rage, the feeling of injustice and her childhood trauma.
rooks current theme song: scotland - lumineers
WHISPERS IN THE WIND - [ name meaning ]
rook - her dark pelt and white markings but more importantly, her social nature. rooks are seldom seen alone and tend to also group up with other corvids like jackdaws which could represent both her need of connection, to be part of a group, and the fact that she sees any cat as fundamentally equal. to elaborate on the reasoning for that, she didn't have any family members growing up (not after coming to rc anyway) and adopted this mindset over the moons, every cat has the possibility of being a great cat, no matter their blood.
[ mink - the name given to her by her mother riversong, who knew mink was going to be raised a riverclan cat. like a mink, minkkit came to riverclan to be forever bound to rivers and streams, by name and habitat. minks are also commonly loners, just like minkkit was before joining riverclan and so very unlike rook. ]
BEHIND WINGS AND CLAWS - [ in regards of the name change ]
minkpaw was riverclan, rookpaw is shadowclan. rook is determined to leave her riverclan past behind so leaving behind the name connected so deeply with riverclan and their way of live was an easy decision. it could also be seen as the subconscious parting from her deceased mother who originally gave her that name. additionally, minkpaw had accepted the name merely because she knew no different, but chose to become rookpaw. she chose to separate herself from what other cats, mainly her mother, wanted her to be in order to choose her own truth.
A FORK IN THE ROAD - [ backstory overview ]
born a loner to cross clan lovers turned outsiders riversong (micah) and hawksoul (veludo), rook grew up in the outskirts.
like the names suggest both micah and veludo used to be kittypets, later turning their backs on their humans for riverclan and windclan respectively. while riversong continued to be a semi active member of riverclan until shortly before rooks birth, hawksoul left windclan for riversong almost immediately.
rooks litter-mate, and the only other kit in the litter that survived longer than 3 moons is off to stars know where, leaving rook alone once again. the outskirts aren't an easy place to grow up in, and while starvation, injury and death weren't something she was subjected to every day, it was enough to mess with the young kits mind. be it irrational fear, or morbid curiosity accompanied by a lack of emotional response.
delirious in fever and panic, sickly, weak rook was taken in by riverclan and followed by a multiple moon long period of repeated sickness, they started training under silverwolf (npc) before being reassigned to pinefire.
a rare, brief, undisturbed period of apprenticeship, perhaps the first time she could breathe a sigh of relief, was disrupted when larkstar and tansypaw disappeared, leading to rook doing her best to juggle training and trying to act as a medicine cat stand in.
thunderclan raids riverclan, rookpaw takes her first life, and is left treating a large amount of injured cats while also dealing with the loss of half her eyesight.
after moons of consistent work, sleeping in front of the herb storage with anxiety keeping her awake more often than not and putting herself in danger to acquire knowledge, fadingsun chooses a medicine cat, shattering rookpaws dreams and leaving her in a frenzy, before finally ending up hurt, angry and overwhelmed in the outskirts.
alone once again, back to her roots, rook cant stand the lonesome, turns pain into anger, and makes her way to shadowclan.
- WADING IN MY FEARS -
[ content warning : this VA includes mentions of death, blood, fear/distress?, memory gaps ]
drip. cold. he was cold. minks eyes blurred, tears threatening to spill as the kit stared down at her fathers body, limp, smeared with blood and empty eyes staring back up at her. she nudged him again, trembling paws threatening to give out below the felines tiny body. no reaction. mink was shaking, choked sobs escaping her throat in between irregular gasps for air. where is mother? where is sissy? why is papa not waking up? dozens of unanswered questions plagued mink, her head was spinning, it was all too much. “p-papa? papa wake up please. please wake up” she choked out, tears now dripping down her face, she was frantic, fear pulsing through her like the disgusting slick blood pooling by her fathers head once had.
blurred trees, the sky fell and met the ground, melting into deep grey fur, papa? where is papa? her head lulled to the side, muted green, brown slivers.
black.
drip. the river was rushing beneath her.
drip. icy water soaked into her fur, she was cold.
drip. she opened her eyes, it was warm. above her towered shaded figures, her heart skipped a beat. was this what her mother had always warned her of? had the dark-forest come to take one of theirs? had she sinned? why else would they be here? mother will be so disappointed.
drip. she blinked awake once again, the rustle of dry leaves was what had awoken her. it was warm. she wasn't alone. where was she? where is papa? blurred gaze caught on something orange. her mind felt heavy, stuffed to the brim with thick fog. or perhaps some of the icy water had gotten inside.
drip. her mind was clearer, it was cold again. mink turned her head, the dull grey sky came into view. what is happening? why cant she get up? she was scared.
drip. she was awake, ‘riverclan’ the cats had told her. why would mother leave her here? she went along with the strange cats, let some of them take her outside, left the den, the safe den, the only place she had seen in stars knows how long. she didn't protest, let them teach her their ways. she didn't trust them. why didn't they just kill her? she felt cold.
drip. half melted snow slid down a branch, following the drops of water to the ground where it splashed against the tree stump. it was better now. the cold wasn't as biting as before, and she felt warm inside. pinefire would teach her how to hunt, properly this time, and she could almost remember the other feline hovering around the same space she had slept a few moons ago.
drip. the rain washed away the last of the snow, the murmur of it echoed in the medicine den, tansypaw was gone. cobwebpaw wasn't.
drip. somewhere beyond the fog minkpaw could hear water dripping onto stone, she strained her eyes, the fog was thick and held her in a pleasant embrace. a large starry, translucent cat came into view, his fluffy fur dripping with what she could only describe as stars, they were everywhere around now. he wasn't warm, but the embrace counted none the less.
drip. the rain slammed down onto the floodstone, soaking into sandy ground and mixing with the blood splattered and pooling beneath limp bodies. its echo turned into a loud roar, bouncing off the walls of the medicine den, she turned to exit.
drip. blood dripped off her fur and onto the ground. it wasn't her blood.
drip. the sharp white pain of claws tearing through flesh pulled her out of her daze, she watched hot crimson liquid make its way to the ground, to combine with that of the other. for the first time in many moons, everything went black.
drip. the yowling of cats was what shook her awake, she stumbled, shoulders aching, blood soaked and sticky. she had to help.
drip. the smooth dark stones beneath her paws are unfamiliar. damp stones and fog. damp stones, fog and minkpaw. damp stones, fog, minkpaw and? a lithe freckled form emerges from the fog, expression cold and educated. minkpaw doesn't recognize them, but hushed words are spoken quick.
drip. everything was quiet, she lifted her gaze, off of rainpaw and away from birdsnow. fadingsun had spoken.
drip. she heard muddy water drip with every step, mud soaked and tired she dragged herself into a bush.
drip. she had confessed to marigoldkit, spilled her heart and admitted to the selfish beast lurking beneath grey fur, hidden by calm and sustained by anger. no. no she hadn't. the kit couldn't handle the entire truth. it wasn't lying if she just kept bits to herself, was it?
drip. goldfishs voice seemed to drip in her mind with every breath she took, concern that wasn't hers pooling heavy in her lungs. she had to reveal herself. but what would goldfish say?
drip. the guilt sits deep in her spine, dripping and dripping, coating her insides with nothing but regret. mink reaches out to touch her nose to one of goldfishs kits, tiny and damp and deserving of so much more.
drip. there it is again. the low dripping of water on stone, surrounded by fog minkpaw cant figure out what actually causes the noise. marigoldkit is hurt, but understands. minkpaw loves her.
drip. lostspark leads her to shadowclan, the chirping of birds and the quiet sound of rain long forgotten sliding off leaves and branches and dripping onto the ground, were the only things keeping her company in the darkness. rocks clatter down the stones as minkpaw finds herself face to face with dawnstar. drip. drip. drip. rookpaw isn't stupid. not anymore. she sees herself faced with a chance, one she wasn't able to take the last time. one she wouldn't be able to take this time. she wants. she could've been somebody. she could be somebody. minkpaw would've hoped and prayed, rookpaw doesn't hope. rookpaw wont get her hopes up.. this is a lie, but one rookpaw is determined to make truth.
hope is what makes us strong, hope is what stabs us in the back. rook is no fool.
WHEN TRUST, FOG AND BETRAYAL BLEED TOGETHER - [ dynamic and ideas ]
its surely tense between them at the moment, mossfreckle and rook go back quite a bit, a few moons ago, when rook was still acting as stand unofficial medicine cat, she found her way into mossfreckles mind and clan oriented like he is, mossfreckle of course didnt like to see rook in shadowclan mere moons later.
they've spoken, moss has expressed their opinion on her and rook might've just possibly almost cried but that's besides the point.
What matters is that they're at a more or less neutral state now, so no matter how awkward it might be, they're on neutral grounds.
obviously still desperate to prove herself and earn back the tiny bit of trust they had in her, she would work hard to please mossfreckle if she were chosen as medicine cat apprentice. possibly to the point of straight up swallowing her own opinions and pride as a whole in order to not cause any trouble for 'no reason'. additionally to the whole mentor-mentee relationship, this would cause a lot of imbalance for a while, with rook clinging onto the idea of friendship with the only cat she feels she ‘knows’ in the clan.
but as they grow more relaxed and comfortable i can see her backing off considerably, and regaining a bit of confidence to voice her own.
less scared of losing the position in the clan and also everyone she knows, they could fall into a more equal relationship than the average mentor-mentee duo because of their similar age, interest and knowledge.
something that i imagine might seem like a dealbreaker (besides their general relationship), is the fact that rook has ‘a lot’ of knowledge in comparison to the average cat, meaning there wont be as much training between the two, but i think that could be their strong suit. both seeking for as much knowledge as possible, aiming to perfect techniques and never be caught off guard with any ailment, they could focus more time on future knowledge rather than trying to painstakingly work through a seemingly endless list of herbs so they're on an equal level. this would also link together well with the plans i have for rooks future, namely the above mentioned interest in having her learn about all possible herbs but more specifically gain a deeper knowledge of illness and injury. my examples for this would be physical therapy after breaks and other injuries, how diseases spread, coping mechanisms to deal with stress and loss, that kind of stuff.
for the future, i cant help but hope for them to slot into a kind of sibling dynamic eventually, even if that means rook (despite being a bit older) has to be the annoying younger sibling xd
essentially, id love for them to be less awkward and tense eventually and genuinely become friends despite the rocks rook threw in their way by coming to shadowclan.
- other future things i'm planning, besides the above mentioned, is less about their dynamic and more so about rook herself, would however affect their relationship as well. i've previously touched on the topic of rooks gender but i'd like to bring it up here again, she’s been going by she/they since i made her, but as the months passed i've gotten the feeling that she's kind of growing out of it. i can't see her as a ‘strong female character’ anymore and think it would be fitting for both her personality and backstory/beliefs to go on a little self discovery journey. especially after the strict rules her mother layed out for her, it would be 'freeing' for her to take on a 'different' identity from what riversong tried to force her to be. funnily enough this was brought on by another person calling rook a he and i went ‘oh!’ and it kind of clicked. since mossfreckle identifies as nonbinary and is pretty much the only person rookpaw ‘trusts’ in shadowclan i feel like it could be a cute little thing to have her approach moss for advice and grow even more into her true self, this time through gender identity. additionally, i think it could be seen as a display of trust and respect for rook to approach moss for advice and could even be a kind of bonding thing to not only have this intimate conversation but also have a similar identify/experience with gender. im not entirely sure what we will end with, since it will probably take a while longer until this is actually discussed but i'm planning on writing a little VA regarding her identity struggles soon and will think about the specifics as well. im currently gravitating towards bigender or genderflux, though am unsure, will take a while to decide and don't think labels like these are necessary in the first place, so using the umbrella term ‘nonbinary’ will probably be the most i'll openly state.
[ for convenience and to align everything with IC stuff she will be referred to as she and they only, for both this application and on site until it has been discussed in roleplay ]
- previously mentioned in rooks backstory/the va 'wading in my fears', she has a sister that was not given to riverclan alongside rook, be it because rook was sick and her sister wasn't or a different reason. all rook knows is that she is alone and has to realistically expect them to be dead like all her other siblings and father. but, now the interesting part, her sister is planned to resurface some time in the future, unaware that they're siblings and whilst this is not anything set in stone, i think this will be a great chance for me to further rooks character, try out how she would work around her only, long lost, family member. principally the bad treatment of rook by her mothers paw could be a interesting point of conflict if her sister had a completely differing experience, or even if she had a similar one. i imagine thinking you're alone and the only cat surviving this family for many moons and then finding out your sister lived and you never tried to look for her could be quite the hard hit emotionally.
- rookpaws thirst for revenge is another thing i want to dive into in the future. the parture from riverclan came with a lot of hurt, jealously and embarrassment, all emotions she turned into anger over the brief period she remained in the outskirts, and besides a planned VA about her time in the outskirts, i also want to build upon what i have already established. have her be driven by anger, possibly get her revenge and regret it, or catch herself in a frenzy only to realise what she had been doing/was about it do. however, i don't see this happening any time soon, i need a bit more time to build up to it, especially in the new setting she is in now (shadowclan).
i am truly more so focussed on the present rather than the future in regards to this, am keeping all possible options open for the future, be it regret or her actually snapping and giving into the urges, while i focus on building her character around the current events in shadowclan.
- less of a plot idea/arc and rather a thing i am looking forwards to is the next gathering rook will attend, since none of her old acquaintances in riverclan (apart from marigoldkit) know that she has joined shadowclan and taken on a new name. there are few solid plans but interactions with adderpaw and cobwebpaw are planned to happen, at least one of them openly negative enough to potentially cause quite the scene. even though rook didn't have a lot of friends in riverclan, i can imagine she was present enough around the clan for some cats to have opinions on her transition to shadowclan.
- another aspect of rookpaw i am looking to explore a bit more is the effects of the particular way she was raised/treated by her mother. being emotionally repressed and unregulated aside, belief in starclan and 'proper' behaviour is deeply engrained in her and that in combination with her being driven partially by morbid curiosity and the feeling that she owes it rather than primarily wanting to help (she does want to help though, don't get me wrong) could make for interesting internal conflict. i can specifically imagine a situation where rookpaw would be very focussed on something and then catches her own train of thought in disgust because it goes so much against what mother wanted from her, explicitly if this is about some more gory/gruesome stuff. i don't want rook to be a villain or anything, but id like to tip toe along the line between good and bad for a while, a kind of grey zone if you will. while the morbid thoughts plague her, she still tries to do best for her clan and knows she would never act upon any of that unprovoked, but the fact that there are thoughts like that at all is hard for rook to accept and work around.
SCARS PAINTED FROM FOG AND HOPE - [ art ]
id like to take a moment to thank everyone that has contributed to rooks character album! its a joy to see other people bring their interpretation of my character to paper and i love every single piece <3
most of the rook art is my own, partially because her design is kind of complicated and i really want to get the vision i have of her onto paper (or well..screen) but mostly because i haven't actively sought out commissioned work.
there were supposed to be two animatics for rook but they're both half finished because i'm still learning how to animate and plan out animatics…but hopefully one day :3
the album can be found if you click on the 'book cover', additionally, below are a few of my favourite pieces.
lineup of all my clan cats, rookpaw front and center
rook and mossfreckle, i believe this was a comm for felix
nice sideview with current accurate leg and back markings
THOSE WHO STAYED - opinions
( first up, a ginormous thank-you to everyone that was so kind as to provide me their opinions, i truly means so much to me to read people enjoy a character i personally love to pieces <3 )
[ all posts have been edited to align with rookpaws current name , additionally, the characters opinions are indented once more for easier reading, and also edited to align with my own style specifically regarding capitalisation or the lack there of ]
blaze/goldfish -
"i personally adore rookpaw. she's well written, and could easily be a person. she's extremely relatable and I find that talented. if rookpaw dies I'm gonna cry lmao but if you ever plan on it no judgement... no harsh judgement... /j”
“oh god she [goldfish] loves her to pieces. goldfish sees her like a little sister, someone to protect (even against dusklion or fadingsun if need be) and nurture. she adores her from the bottom of her heart. if anything ever happened to her goldfish would immediately blame herself for it. she would die for rooks without a question. in her eyes rookpaw can do wrong, yes, but will always stand by for her even if nobody else does or it could get her punished.”
marigoldwhisper/marigoldkit -
“alec, you're freaking awesome, no question no contest. you're like unbelievably sweet. roleplaying wise, i think you're excellent at that too! at first i was very intrigued that you didn't capitalize your letters. while i'm sure some english teachers would be pulling their hair out at the thought of that, i believe it makes your writing very recognizable! i feel like every paragraph is well thought out and neatly crafted. so what if it may have only taken you ten minutes? it still looks presentable and sounds even better! as for rookpaw, she's a very troubled gal, wanting to prove herself and longing to find a place in her clan. considering the fact that she decided to ignore her warrior training in favor of something that probably interested her more tells you a lot about her character. that shes driven and maybe even a bit impulsive (but then again who isn't lol). i was rooting for rookpaw all through her challenges trying to assist and become a medicine cat only for the iron skillet of truth to dawn on her during the meeting. i was genuinely so sorry for the poor gal. what she really needs is a freaking hug and some hot cocoa. wherever she goes from here is ultimately something i'd definitely stick around for!”
[ additionally, monthly kudos april'24 nomination via marigoldwhisper: “this girl is such a a devoted little guy, i love reading how she's characterized. I often sift through forums just to find this gal. rookpaw is very engaging, i'm honestly not sure how to describe it. it's such a treat watching her grow into a warrior and figure herself out. she's also pretty complex, something i adore about her! how alec managed to make such a complicated character is beyond me, but hey, i don't ask questions.” ]
“honestly, she really looks up to rookpaw and considers her to be a great role model. even if she doesn't know much about rook herself, she still believes her to be strongly devoted to her clan and always willing to help. she inferred this based on her checking up on the kits in the nursery. since marigoldkit sees herself as rather unapproachable due to her boney and sickly frame it was a wonder that someone as admirable as rookpaw even bothered to strike conversation with her. since marigoldkit has very few friends, even the cats she's only had one conversation with she instantly considers them as worthy to claim the "best friend" title.”
cobwebpaw/sillycreatur -
“rookpaw is simply the silliest. she is trustworthy and sweet, being able to handle tough situations with grace and ease. i really enjoy her character and alec's roleplaying really brings her to life! ”
[ additionally, monthly kudos march'24 nomination via sillycreatur: “rookpaw !! cob's one and only, the sweetest girlie. she's been through enough trauma already. such as the murder she was forced to commit. IT'S FINE THOUGH SHE'S FINE. she's so silly, and always there if anyone needs help.”
STRENGTH IN UNITY - activity
rookpaw is currently my primary character and has pretty much been since the very date i made her (jan10th, 2024)
i have big plans with her in the future, and am generally keen on keeping her around for a lot longer, have her mentor a bunch of cats etc. make her leave a mark in some capacity.
i'm generally pretty active, though my posting schedule isn't really regular, i have a daily average of 5.50 as of writing this*.
rook specifically sits at approximately 370 posts right now*, 332 being under the name ‘minkpaw’ (137priv, 195publ) and 38 under ‘rookpaw’ (12priv, 26publ), i know that specifically because i enjoy keeping track of posts and activity. I currently use 3 trackers for rookpaw -apprentice training, herbs, herb descriptions- but am planning to reintroduce a roleplay tracker at one point in the future.
[ *as of 26/05 ]
notable for these is that i do not link ‘proof’ to the first list because i often have too many links to properly incorporate them into a list like this, instead i collect the links in the second list. additionally, the descriptions in the second list are limited to the things she was actually told OR my own descriptions if she has seen the plant before.
her knowledge is limited and mostly partial as she never got anything comparable to being taught by a established medicine cat but rather picked up everything she could, everywhere she could.
overall, i'm very interested in improving my writing and getting better at storytelling in general, and i keep catching myself analysing someone's writing instead of actually reading it haha.
its been quite the journey since december for sure, i used to write posts far shorter and varying drastically in style, mostly because i didn't really care, but i've really started to enjoy writing longer more detailed posts.
especially the balance between description and internal thoughts (and keeping those on topic) is something i am excited to keep improving, and i hope to one day be able to write posts that make the reader feel like they can see the surroundings and feel my characters feelings. i have trying to bring a bit more spice and variety into my writing on my radar as well, a bit more difference from character to character n all that. i currently, like you should've probably noticed by now, do not really capitalise anything and don't have a lot of different writing quirks and characteristics to my characters apart from minor formatting differences. that is something i want to change, evolve my writing and formatting into something appealing and unique. puh that's some big goals aye? lets talk about the present for a moment..
right now, i try to write at least 250 words in response to any rp but that can obviously vary in both directions, mostly depending on what the other person gives me and how much i can pull out of the situation in general.
i've written quite a few posts around the 700 word mark and some around 1500-3500 but i've also written posts barely longer than 100 words, so i would generally place myself somewhere in the 350 to 600 court.
following are some hand-picked posts, including two above named long 1500 to 3500 word posts and also some more casual posts :3
clan life wouldn't be the same without events and patrols, if there is no one to keep food on the plate preypile and everyone entertained they might as well be loners. they keep the clan alive, additionally, exposure and presence around the clan is important (to me and my cats at least) so i have compiled a little list of rooks activity around events and plots.
the most notable mentions are malcontest, the following raid healing event and the currently ongoing shadowclan camp move, but rookpaw has participated in a wide array of different events, including 3 shadowclan ones. in case these are to be checked, i have provided the links below, please note these are taken from my apprentice tracker and can thereby be found there as well.
- malcontest - X / xxxxxxxxxx
- post raid burial event - xxx
- post raid healing - X / xxxxx
patrols:
- sleepy thicket, attended, completed, 3posts - x/ x
- haven springs, lead, completed, 3posts - x/ x
- rc territory, lead, completed, 3posts - x/ x
- sleepy thicket, lead, completed, 4posts - x/ x
- territory, attended, completed, 3posts - x / x
- territory, lead, completed, 3 posts - x / x
_________
- shadowclan meeting may24 - xxxxx
- shc: it all falls down - xxxx
- shc: good as new - x xxxx
- shc: sharks and minnows - xxx
- shc clearing after whitetwists body was found - xx
[ older riverclan events are not linked because my posts there are badly written, can be found in my apprentice tracker though ]
FROM CLAWS TO MARIGOLD - [ med specific ]
interest - my interest in this role (on site) was first piqued when tansypaw and larkstar disappeared, the space open and unclaimed it wasn't hard to decide upon buying the herbal knowledge purrks and trying to push my character into this pillar of riverclan.
when choosing the herbs for both tiers of herbal knowledge i took a lot into consideration, not only rookpaws backstory of continuous sickness and her outsider origin but also what the clan might need. my aim was not to purchase purrks to be able to perfectly heal a specific sickness or anything, the aim was to get as much as possible out of as little as was given. 5 herbs -borage, brighteye, broom, chervil, chickweed- chosen to treat a variety of issues, including infection, coughs (especially because it was still winter in january), fevers, wounds and more, and hell they paid off. i've taken every opportunity possible to build off of the knowledge rook go through herbal knowledge and i'm definitely reaching for the stars with this one. medicine cat or not, the goal of total knowledge will be at the back of my mind.
i've been pretty much following the same goal since january, putting rookpaw out there to acquire knowledge to be able to help her clan, she wasn't chosen as riverclan medicine cat and it kind of put me in a bad spot because i didn't know what to do with her for a moment xd
however, i think the “rejection” was a good thing in the long run, it has given me the opportunity to give rooks character a little twist, let her be angry and driven by something else but “oh she just really wants to help people”. morbid curiosity, spun from memory of death in her youth, combined with the murder she committed moons before and the bad headspace blurry the lines between rational emotional response and anger.
reliability&communication - as mentioned above, my aim is to shape rook into an interesting, complex character with maybe some weird views on the world, but oh no! does that mean she would just dip out of nowhere? nope.
rook has been working towards this opportunity for moons and is chasing this goal seriously, she might have a few twisted views and opinions, but can and has reliably treated her clanmates and would continue to do so, especially with the added security of a second medicine cat/mentor.
for me, i have no intentions of leaving or taking a hiatus any time soon, i have found my ways to work around and avoid burnout and i believe i wouldn't need to take a hiatus except if necessary by outside forces.
i spend a considerable (probably too much) amount of time on wco every day, normally reply to vms/dms and discord direct messages rather quickly because i don't like leaving any business unfinished.
rookpaw, somewhat similarly, prefers to keep most critique contained to her mind unless she sees it necessary to speak up. were there any issues rook deems important enough she would speak up and seek out constructive problem solving.
and while rook isn't actively working on her communication skills, i'm trying to get better at healthy communication, speaking my opinion more clearly and aiming to resolve problems rather than pushing them around.
these sound like big words, but especially in this context i don't have any problems pointing out issues.
boundaries - since rook already has some experience with healing, trauma and grief and also tends to emotionally disconnect from the situation entirely, she is open and ready to face any and all injuries and issues. furthermore, i am personally okay with graphic descriptions of any kind (birth, injury, death et cetera et cetera) would however strongly encourage people to spoiler the graphic parts so everyone can have a safe and comfortable experience and doesn't have to see things they don't want to.
lastly, emotional and mental wellbeing are important parts of overall health and while neither rook nor i are licensed therapists or anything of the sorts, rook would be open to helping cats work through their problems. however, since rook is a bit emotionally repressed from how she was raised, she might need a bit longer to get adjusted to actually helping people and listening instead of just giving them the obvious “answer” to their problems.
over time, she would get better and more careful in handling emotionally sensitive subjects and conversation, would however never truly become a ‘therapist’ kind of cat.
. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.
MEET THE ARTIST CREATOR -
heya! we already know each other but i thought i might as well introduce myself again :3
i'm alec (duh), and have been actively roleplaying on WCO since december last year!
i've read a fair amount of warriors books when i was in primary school but never quite crossed the bridge to warriors roleplay until last year.
[ funfact! wco is both my first proper roleplaying site ever and the first roleplay i have engaged in since around 2020. ]
i'm a major yapper and tend to get really fixated on specific things for long periods of time, my major ones are ghostface/scream (specifically the dbd one), red dead 2, mcr, and as of recent call of duty (yes. don't. don't ask (no actually do ask)).
i'm not really sure what else i could speak about apart from the fact that some would call me an artist and that love literature and art of almost any kind, so i'm pretty much done now.
for rookpaw, she’s probably the favourite out of my little batch of cats right now. shes a lot more chatty than jay and though they have a somewhat similar childhood, her trauma presents in different ways.
while they both have a rather short fuse, shes still a lot calmer and more collected, especially after how she was raised, and most of her negative urges are internal.
rook was originally made for the tansypaw love finder back in january and i hadn't planned to actually make another cat or use her a lot, but now that we’re almost in june i've retired two other cats to make space for rook as my main haha.
anyway, don't look at her bio, its so horrendously out of date its insane, but if you do, you’ll see that she isn't really anymore what she was originally supposed to be. I think the original idea could work, a more lighthearted approach at a character, but i didn't have what it would've taken to continue that, so rook has pretty much been growing into her actual character since then.
she also broke my riverclan-curse by being the first character outside of riverclan that i've been able to maintain, which makes me think ‘riverclan-curse’ was never more than my non riverclan character being too boring.
CLOSING STATEMENT -
rookpaw is a character very dear to me, and i know mossfreckle is one very dear to you, so i'm sure you understand that deep down i want her to be chosen, that's why i'm applying her lmao, but after all, i'm 100% sure you’ll make a good decision and think whoever is chosen will do well.
i don't have much more to say, you can see Ive put a lot of work and thought into this application, and have been putting in the work IC since january.
i'm grateful for this opportunity, wish you only the very best, felix <3
thank you to every single person that has contributed to this in any kind, be it the f2u pixel art, sharing their opinion with me, giving constructive criticism etc.
a very special thank you to marigoldwhisper for the art, provided criticism and support <3
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"i wish things were different, but it werent us who changed."
rooks bio n stuff
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