Post by Solaris on Apr 1, 2023 2:24:11 GMT
Name: Crackle
Desired Name: Flashjaw
Allegiance: Solitary
Rank: N/A
Age: 39 moons
Birth Moon: Prey Moon 2018
Sex: Tom
Gender: Non-binary (they/them)
Appearance: Fluffy cream and white tabby with copper eyes
Personality:
Crackle has a larger-than-life personality, known for their bombastic laughter, their daring smiles, and their cutting humor. Make no mistake, they are as grounded as a tree’s roots, with the rawness of boulders, and the relentlessness of a river. They are no god, but a cat as any other. The appeal is how real Crackle seems, how much they enjoy their life as it currently. They are an independent spirit, one who refuses to follow with the grain, and would make their mind plainly known to others. Their unfiltered speech can draw in some, as much as it can push others away. They are not one who cares much for fate or destiny, too impatient to look for signs and too practical-minded to look beyond the flowers. Rather, they would forge their own path, if they believe it would serve them good. But for all of their roughness, they are passionate about the well-being of others and are very affectionate.
History:
Born to a pair a mother named Woody, Crackle and their sister Hearth lived by Roots’s rogue family at the tunnels. Woody was good friends of Weasel and Gorge, who had met through their travels and was welcomed when they learned of Crackle and Hearth’s births. The three were very close, sharing the same kind of humor, and a similar love for one another. Though Crackle and Hearth expressed interest in knowing more about their father, Woody kept her previous life private.
Crackle’s fondest memories were when they were 4-13 moons old, hanging out with Roots and Hearth, daring each other into the tunnels, and playing all sorts of games around the moor. Crackle tried talking to Bellona and Foxy, but they had their own group, separate from Roots and Hearth. Besides, Foxy took a strong disliking to Crackle, finding them too loud for their taste.
Roots and Crackle were best friends, able to match each other pace for pace. They were enamored with Roots’s odd theories about the world, their strange affinity for the tunnels, and even the whispers of ghost cats living inside them. Though they faced some doubts with Roots, their deep care for their best friend encouraged them to consider the possibilities of ghosts.
When Crackle was 14 moons old, and Roots and Crackle were chasing Foxy into the tunnels, one of the passageways started to collapse, nearly crushing Foxy with rubble. Foxy narrowly escaped, but left the tunnels, traumatized and afraid of enclosed spaces. This incident caused the strict ruling of Roots’s family to stay only at entrance of the tunnel, and to not go any deeper. The incident disillusioned Crackle to Roots’s outlandish ghost theories, and though they still entertained the idea with it, for old friend’s sake, they were well past the point of belief.
Hearth left them at 20 moons old, tired of the tunnels, and itching to go visit the world beyond. Crackle stayed behind with their mother, feeling betrayed by Hearth’s actions at first, though they later regard the memory with melancholy, for it marked the last time they saw Hearth on a daily basis. Hearth visited the tunnels now and then, but over the seasons, her visits became more and more sporadic.
Meanwhile, Crackle’s relationship with Roots started deteriorating as they became more irritated by its constant theorizing and their persistence to childish games of play-pretend. In all the moons Crackle knew Roots, it was as if it had never grown up. They grew closer with Foxy and Bellona, even agreeing with their views that Roots was getting too over its head about the tunnels. Foxy’s and Roots’s arguments were particularly fierce, and Crackle found themself taking Foxy’s side. They began developing romantic feelings for Foxy, whose initial dislike melted away into appreciation. They started hunting together, going out for walks around the moor, and talking about all sorts of things. Foxy later asked Crackle to be her mate, and they immediately accepted.
Things worsened when Roots started talking to Rooster about the ghosts it had met. Worse yet, Rooster encouraged Roots to talk with the ghosts and learn about them more. Crackle and Foxy tried their hardest to push Roots away from the tunnels, but it never worked. For a while, this became the status quo—trying to ward Roots away from the tunnels, trying to convince them that the ghosts were not real, trying to put some sense of reality in their head. Eventually, they gave up babying Roots.
When Crackle was 28 moons old, Woody passed away from a stroke. They mourned her death for many days. During the worst of their grief, Roots and Crackle had a huge argument that very nearly broke their friendship. Crackle regretted some of the harsh, nasty words they loosed in conversation, and even despite attempts at reconciliation, Roots never truly forgave them.
Crackle and Foxy tried to have kits when they were 33 and 31 moons respectively, but Foxy had a miscarriage.
Roots suddenly vanished after telling Crackle of a strange vision they had and trying to convince them to follow them on a journey. When they refused, Roots ran off the next day. Crackle became riddled with guilt over the incident, and tried searching for them…
Mother: Woody
Full Siblings: Hearth
Mate: Foxy
Art by Clownteeth