general

Name: Star that Shines in Southern Sky.
    Name Meaning: For her pristine white coat at birth, like the stars that show their faces on a cloudless night. She would shine, like a star, guiding lost souls through the dark. Ermine would never confirm it, but many cats believe that their kits' names were chosen to scorn the gods.
Aliases/Nicknames: She forces everyone to say her full name whenever they refer to her. Just kidding, she goes by South amongst friends. Some will call her Sky instead, much to her dismay.
Gender: Cisgender Female.
Pronouns: She/her/hers.
Age: 23 moons; just under two years old.
Sexuality: Bisexual; no known preference.
Status: Single.
Clan: NorthClan.
Rank: Warrior; Upper Class.

appearance

First Impressions: A large, strong medium-long haired tortoiseshell point molly with white markings and wide baby blue eyes.
Most Noticeable Feature(s): Her distinct checkered facial markings and curled tail.
Coat Color(s): Tortoiseshell (black/seal and red).
Markings: Colorpoint, under half white spotting, broken mackerel tabby on her red patches.
Eyes: Clear blue set in rounded eye sockets. This in combination with her often dilated pupils gives her a starry-eyed expression. The color grows both deeper and paler in color depending on what light she is in.
Height and Weight: Just about 11 inches (28 cm) tall at the shoulder, South is large in size for a moggie, though not as big as larger toms. Due to her short legs, she is slightly shorter than most cats with her body size. She weighs roughly 12 pounds (5.4 kg) due to her muscle and chunkier Ragdoll ancestry.
Build: Solidly built with strong, albeit short, legs.
Fur Length and Texture: Semi-long and thick, it is perfect for keeping warm on cold Alaskan nights. It lies fairly smoothly across her body, though it is dense, and is silky soft.
Additional Physical Traits: Long ringtail, long whiskers, small ear tufts, short legs, small paws, round eyes, webbed feet.
Health and Scars: South is as healthy as the average cat. She has a few smaller scars hidden by her coat, the most notable one being on the inside of her left wrist from where she cut it falling through ice.
Faceclaim: Topaz.
Scent: Warm and slightly spicy, it tickles your nose ever so slightly.
Gait: South has a high-stepping gait, coming from both her upper class roots, heaviness, and small paws making it so she has to plan her steps on deep snow. Some find it funny that she seems to prance about like a miniature deer, and others dismiss it as being hoity-toity upper class.
Full Appearance Description: South is a surprisingly pretty molly, as her colorpoint gene allows for dazzlingly blue eyes and turns what would normally be a black tortoiseshell coat to a warm seal color. Her body is shaded with various hues of that brown and then freckled with spots of pale ginger, akin to stars in a dark sky. South's face is checkered with deep black, seal, and red tabby. It splits her face almost perfectly down the middle, and across again into quarters. Her chin, chest, belly, and paws are all white, breaking up her tortie coat. South tends to be insecure about her coat, since she was born white and she would have much preferred to stay that way. It was a good omen, yet her pelt started to change color not long after she was born. She has always wondered whether it was because her parents had offended the gods, but Ermine always said it was natural- just something that happened in the family. And her coat was also darker then many other colorpoints in the clan, possibly due to her coloration being more sensitive to the cold climate. South has owllike eyes the color of a cloudless winter sky. Due to their light color, she is more sensitive than other cats to the glare of the sun on the snow, and bright lights in general. Her ears are tipped with the smallest of lynx-like tufts, and her whiskers are long and white. Her small paws make it harder for her to walk on deep snow, but are more nimble than her snowshoe-footed clanmates. South's toes are also webbed, which would make swimming a breeze if the water was not so cold. Her legs as well are finely muscled, especially her hind legs, and good for leaping. They are a little short in comparison to her body, but due to her size cats don't often notice it. One of her most notable physical features is her long bushy tail, for when she is resting it will curl across her back and left flank. It is as flexible as any cat's however, and runs on Ermine's side of the family.
Genetics: ll, RR, ReRe, lplp, whwh, BB, XOXo, Dd, dmdm, aa, Mcmc, Spsp, tata, bmbm, ii, wbwb, EE, cscs, Wsw, acac, sfsf, JbJb, mm, mkmk, pdpd +the gene for ringtail

personality

+ Thoughtful, gentle, tolerant
= Conformist, reserved, meek
- High-strung, cynical, somber

Voiceclaim: Clario.
Mood Playlist: Youtube.

Loves: "My siblings and family. I also love to be groomed, and cuddling. It's comforting, and keeps you warm."
Likes: "When it's quiet. I like looking out across the territory and seeing how far it goes. It makes me feel small, but at peace."
Dislikes: "I don't like climbing, or anything where my paws aren't on solid ground."
Hates: "I couldn't hate anything! No..."
Secrets: "..."
Fears: "Water. I fell in when I was an apprentice and almost drowned..." In addition to water, South has a fear of heights, birds of prey, and the absence of everything (sometimes perceived as darkness, but she describes it as "nothing").
Dreams: "I wish cats would see me for me and what I do, instead of what my parents have done."

Favorites:

• Food: "Mice. I think they're fun to catch too, burrowing under the snow. You need to learn to listen and pounce at just the right moment."
  
• Season: "I love newleaf: when the whole territory comes alive again after a dark leafbare. I don't mind the colder and darker moons either. I can find something to enjoy about every time of the year."
  
• Time of Day: "Nighttime, you can see all the stars... and the sun isn't there to hurt my eyes."
  
• Color: "Simple, Purple. Well maybe not. I also like blue. Indigo, perhaps?"
  
• Scent: "The smell of the nursery. Kits and queens and milk. It's very soothing, and takes me back to simpler times."
  
• Flower: "How could I pick? I like violets. And forget-me-nots. Any of the little flowers that pop up in newleaf after the snows melt are my favorite, especially purple or blue ones."

history

i haven't found the one for me, but i believe in divinity

Pre-birth: (<0 moons)
    Ice that Melts in Sunlight and Ermine with a White Coat were a strange pair. Sunny was born the most upper class family in the clan. She was the daughter of the leader, Night of the North, although not the heir. If her older brother happened to die... she would be next in line. However unlikely that was, she still had a reputation to keep up with. Sunny wasn't especially interested in politics and leading, instead taking an interest in healing. It made sense, for her coat and her eyes were as pale as Chena's. Due to her status, she was allowed to focus on the peaceful things she took interest in.

    Ermine with a White Coat on the other paw, faced a different life. They were upper class still, but whispers throughout the clan claimed that they had impure blood. Tainted by nonbelievers such as Eagleclan or- gasp- loners. That was highly unlikely, although no one could rule it out. Their family was known for being able to navigate using the light of the moon and the gods' eyes at night. Most had an innate sense of direction and could lead the way home time and time again. The clan didn't need to navigate as much, now that they lived in safe caves, and since it was rumored that the family was tainted with bad blood... things weren't looking up. Though Ermine worked hard and was a good warrior, most upper class cats viewed them as an outsider. It wouldn't be long until that family was demoted.

    Theirs was a forbidden love story in the eyes of their fellows, but that didn't stop Ermine and Sunny. They were in love. The clan was outraged when the pair announced they would be becoming mates. Though it made sense. Sunny had never shown any interest in the high class cats her age that she was supposed to pick, and now they knew why. Sunny didn't care, for she loved this cat and that was worth more to her than whatever the opinions of her clanmates could do. Both she and Ermine were good cats, and she could love who she wanted to love, and still end up on Mountain's Peak. It wasn't some sin, and she wasn't damned for it.

    Ermine, on the other paw, was worried about their mate's status with the clan, and almost broke things off with her. They didn't want her to suffer because of them, and loved her enough to let her go. Sunny refused adamantly, for she loved Ermine too much to let them go. The clan would just have to deal. Ermine was hardworking, and just, and kind, everything that Sunny wanted in a mate. She wished that the clan would see that. Nobody in Northclan ever looked past names and bloodlines to see the true insides of a cat. Ermine had a good, true heart. The insides of anyone who didn't think that were rotten.

    Surprisingly, Night of the North was just happy to see his daughter settled down with someone she loved so very much. He was terse around most cats, but Sunny's love for Ermine quickly warmed him up to his new family member. Sunny's siblings didn't seem especially bothered, and thankfully neither did her best friend, Bird that Rides on Gusts. None of them would dare upset her. She had already been though a lot, and deserved happiness. If Ermine was the cat to make her happy, then so be it.

    Unfortunately not all those who deserve happiness get it.

    A couple of moons after being announced official mates, Ermine realized that they were pregnant. Them and Sunny would be having kits! It hadn't been planned, though the pair knew kittens had always been something they wanted. Maybe a few more moons down the line, after the clan had calmed down a little more. They were ready, and both overjoyed to be bringing new life into the clan. And raising them together, a new generation that might be just a bit more accepting than the last. This litter would combine the best of both their parents, and neither could wait for the day their children would be born.

    Sunny never got to see that day.

    She was out hunting late one night when a sudden storm came in. Cats were warned not to go out alone, even with a clear sky, but no one would have guessed that Sunny would be the cat that couldn't make it back. She was big and strong, and having a mate with such keen navigation skills had rubbed off on her. But in a blizzard, there were no stars to guide her. Her body was never found. She just... vanished. Ermine was devastated. Sunny had been hunting for them. If they had been there, instead of stuck in the nursery... they might have been able to save her. Ermine would never let that go.

Kithood: (0-6 moons)
    Ermine was left to raise their litter without Sunny. Left to live without her. They didn't have much time to grieve, because their kits were born only days after the tragedy. Luckily all three kittens were healthy, strong from the start. Ermine named them after the sun, moon, and stars. Im hopes that these kits might help to guide them through the dark. They would always remind them of Sunny, regardless of their names. Even in their tiny newborn bodies, they could see the resemblance. It was a small comfort, knowing that Sunny would live on in their children. It was nowhere near enough to ease the pain of losing her.

    Many cats looked down upon the single parent, suspicious about the circumstances of Sunny's death. What if Ermine had killed her so they were able to raise the kits alone, with their own ideals at the forefront? Ermine was outraged at the accusations. They was having enough trouble raising a trio of energetic kits, they didn't need to be blamed for murdering their mate. They had been in the nursery! Expecting kits! How could they have gotten out to kill someone, much less their mate!

    It was taking a toll on them, however much they loved their children sometimes it was too much. Thankfully someone stepped in to help, someone that had been fairly accepting of Ermine and Sunny but had been quiet since the second's death. Bird that Rides on Gusts. Bird had been a good friend of Sunny's, they had known one other since they were kits. Ermine was wary of their mate's friend, but accepted her help anyways. Sunny's trust in Bird meant that they could trust her too. But they were right to be nervous.

    Little did Ermine know, Bird did have a bone to pick with both them and their late mate. Bird thought that Sunny had never spent enough time listening to and praising the gods. She'd rather be healing or something else to provide for the clan. That wouldn't be enough, not in the eyes of those above. She still mourned the death of her best friend, and was worried about how the kittens would turn out without one of their parents. Ermine was also was worried about what would happen to their kits under Bird's iron paw. The little they knew of Bird was that she was determined, and old-fashioned in her beliefs. But she was loyal to a fault, and hopefully Sunny's friendship meant she would be kind to her kits?

    Auntie Bird taught the kittens all about their gods, how to properly worship them and what they stood for. She refused to call South by her nickname, instead calling her Sky. Ermine naming her kit in a way that disrespected God's eye would not pass her by. She called East and West by different names too. Though her new name was pretty, South liked her old name too. Would the gods really care, as long as she did everything right? The kits would always call one another by their real names when their auntie wasn't around.

    The trio grew like weeds, developing their personalities and distinguishing themselves. Their coats turned from white to seals and blues and reds, like snows melting in newleaf to reveal the flowers and grasses underneath. West was as adventurous as Ermine, with a touch of fire from Sunny. East was as kind as both her parents, with a twin fiery streak to match her brother's. South was the only one that seemed to lack it, calm and gentle as water. Though no one would mess with her siblings, as the eldest of the litter she was the designated protector.

    The upper class was still lukewarm towards the litter, despite the fact that they were as guileless and charming as any kittens, free from their parents faults. Ermine was so proud of them, they were blossoming into bright young flowers. Bird too, was proud, and would tell the kits how much they acted like Sunny. The three would always glow when their mother was mentioned, and eventually it no longer hurt Ermine to hear her name. They would miss the days when the litter was little, but was so excited to see what they would become in the days to come.

Apprenticehood: (6-14 moons)
    Soon enough, or perhaps too soon, the three were ready to become apprentices. South received a cat named Golden Heart that is Always Shining as her mentor. He was a sweet tom, immediately taking the meek South under his wing and encouraging her to shine. South was a bright cat, eager and willing to do whatever her mentor told her to. That was no surprise, as she was the most obedient out of her siblings. She learned a lot from him, and he was the first cat outside her parents friend group that she met. He gave her hope that perhaps her clanmates could change, and see her as one of them.

    South had always been interested in the gods, and asked about them whenever she was given the opportunity. She wanted to make them happy, and set time aside before she slept at night to pray to them. Her mother was up on the Mountain's Peak, and one day, South would get to meet her. She liked the idea that there were beings out there, all-powerful but benevolent. Taking care of them. The only thing she ever doubted about them was why the gods loved some cats more than others... it made sense if they were bad cats, but Ermine was the goodest cat she knew. Why did everyone say the gods didn't like them?

    The three continued to grow and flourish like all apprentices, learning more and more with each coming day. South grew big and strong, with a sturdy build like Ermine. Her coat grew deeper in color than even her sister's, who had been the darkest before. She looked very similar to Ermine, and was glad that she bore such resemblance to them. She often worried she didn't look enough like her mother, but Ermine always said that she had Sunny's eyes. Night would never admit it, but he thought his granddaughter bore uncanny resemblance to his deceased mate, Basil. It was all in the face, and those big round eyes.

    On a day not far from their scheduled warrior ceremonies, the 'paws made what was likely the biggest mistake of their lives. Even still, it could have been worse. Kits were told never to play on the ice, for it might break and they would fall in. Leafbare weather had been steadily warming up, and the inexperienced siblings thought they might go out onto the ice. West convinced his sisters to come along this time. It was totally safe, he had been doing it all leafbare! If anything was going to happen, it would have by now. Wanting to please their brother, the pair ventured out onto the ice.

    After a few minutes of digging their claws in and almost falling over, they started to loosen up on the slippery ice. East found some moss and the three decided to play mossball together, two versus one. West, of course was on a team by himself, despite his sisters being able to beat him easily (he hadn't learnt anything from them playing as kits). After a particularly strong shot by West, the ball went skittering far out into the middle of the lake. Where the ice was thinner. Caught up in the game, South chased after it even after a warning call from her siblings.

    The ice cracked under her paws, like bones snapping. She tried to stop, or turn around, but it was too late. The world shattered underneath her and she fell into the cold, cold water beneath. The frigid lake instantly chilled her to the bone. And it was dark. So, so dark. She tried to swim to the surface, but she could barely tell which way was up and which way was down and her numbing limbs were failing her. She swore she could hear the calls of her siblings above her, still above the ice. It would have been suicide to try and save her. Everyone knew that if you saw someone underneath the ice, under no circumstances would you go after them. Because then you would drown too.

    South knew she was a goner. Her chest was aching from the cold and lack of air, she just hoped the end would happen soon. Her body was shutting down. Perhaps her questions would be answered soon. But then she heard a crash. Someone else was in the water, someone who shouldn't be. Had one of her siblings fallen in? She pried open her eyes and saw a milky colored coat. Was this an ancestor coming for her? But then the cat gripped her by the scruff. They were both solid, and she realized who it was. Bird. 

    Her auntie was here to save her, just like she always was. Whenever Ermine wasn't there, Bird was. They emerged out of the water, and Bird threw South up onto the ice. A large hole had been broken by both their plunges, and her siblings were there to help her and pull Bird up. West was helping South when East let out a yowl of terror. The ice was breaking again. Bird fell under one last time. Her face is the last thing South remembered before the world went black, mouthing words that she wasn't able to discern.

    She realized a few moons later that she had said "I love you."

    South opened her eyes to the inside of the medicine den, still feeling lukewarm and like her head was wrapped in moss. Ermine slept beside her, warm and solid. It was then that South first saw the lines and greying fur on her parent's face. As soon as they saw their daughter was awake, they fluffed up like an angry, well, ermine. They were too relieved to stay upset for long, and eventually their anger dissolved into tears. As soon as South had gathered her thoughts, she asked Ermine about Bird. The cat's face fell, and they turned away.

    Bird was gone. Ermine said they owed so much to her... sacrificing her life for their kit's. They were sorry they had ever doubted her, for South and East and West were as much Bird's kits as theirs and Sunny's. She had watched them grow, and like any parent, would give up their life for their child's. Who could live without them, knowing you saw them into the world and then watched them leave it? South fell quiet, musing. How could she have been so dumb?! It had cost Bird her life, and almost cost her her own. The next time she saw her auntie, whenever that would be, she would thank her. And tell her how much she loved her.

    Ermine explained the rest in their daughter's silence, how a patrol had come across the trio of apprentices by the shore and known what had happened. All three were in shock, but of course, South was the worst off. She had been unconscious for days, and Moon that Glitters on Frosted Snow hadn't been sure that she would wake up. There's only so much she could do against the cold, it was the one enemy that claws couldn't fight. She had done all she could. It was up to South's soul as to whether she would come back.

    Thankfully, she did. South recovered, albeit slowly. Though being faced with the loss of Bird and her newly found mortality didn't help her health get back to normal. Night of the North delayed his grandkit's warrior ceremonies until South was well enough to train again. And of course, as punishment. Though South didn't see it as that, she knew her grandfather wanted them to all earn their titles together. She refused to be left behind.

Warriorhood: (14+ moons)
    It took a few extra moons, but the trio became warriors side by side. South had recovered physically, enough to finish the last moon or so of training left. Dreams of black haunted her, the ground dissolving beneath her feet and plunging her into the darkness that lay beneath. She would wake up cold and gasping. The siblings still had their nests together even in warriorhood, and she was comforted by their closeness. They would always be there for her.

    The three stayed as close as ever, though their scrape with death forced them to mature quicker than most. This had changed all of them. Sometimes South found that they treated her like a fragile little mouse, and she had to remind them that all was well. She was okay. She didn't blame them for it. She wasn't sure whether she would, or could, jump into ice cold water to save them. Especially now knowing what it felt like.

    Life after that was fairly uneventful, she hunted and talked with her clanmates and family. Got adjusted to being a warrior. But she found herself stuck in a loop, never changing and never ending. Then something happened that changed her life entirely. She would never forget the moment during one of the clan's evening meals that a patrol brought a pale spotted molly and her two kits into the clan. Her eyes immediately fell onto the kittens. Something was familiar about them, the hue of their eyes, the tilt of their heads.

    Then the molly announced that these were the children of River's End, Night's exiled brother. Her blood chilled. These were her kin. These kits. They were so small, so weak. So scared, with wide eyes looking around at all the hostile faces. Those were her eyes, in their faces. Their mother collapsed in the rush of movement that happened after the reveal, and she lost sight of the kits as they were whisked away. Those poor, poor kits. 

    The clan found that the siblings did in fact, have clan names. The tom in particular... had North in his name. River's End knew the title that came with that name. Had he been planning on his son taking over the clan? The clan was fuming at the thought, but all South could think of was how terrifying this must be for the kits. This wasn't their fault. The tom was renamed, and after Moon confirmed that their mother was dead... they needed someone to take care of them.

    Nobody wanted to be a parent to these outcast kits, the spawn of a traitor. South was in a strange place as the granddaughter of the leader. It was extremely unlikely that she would inherit the title of leader, but she was held to the same expectations as someone that could. Her family had already been through so much at the claws of the upper class, they didn't need to bring themselves back into the limelight.

    But she was their kin. Kin looked out for one another, for better or for worse. These kits had no one to look out for them. They didn't even know anyone who shared their blood was still alive. And this blatant scorn, this was the way cats looked at her and her siblings sometimes. But this was much, much worse. The clan hated them because of their father, yet they weren't their father. Of anyone, South should know that.

    South took a step forwards, and all eyes fell on her. She would be there for these kits. They were old enough to be eating solid foods, so it wasn't like she had to nurse them. She didn't have any experience, but wasn't that the same with any new parent? She had spent enough time playing with kits to know they just needed someone to care, someone to look up to. She would figure the rest out. She found Ermine's eyes in the crowd, and they smiled.

    Just like that, South was a mother. She had a pair of three moon old kits to look after. After the two were well fed and had adjusted to clan life, they were little rays of sunshine. It was hard, of course, but rewarding. And she wasn't alone. Ermine was there to answer questions, and take over if South needed to get out of camp for a bit or nap. West and East sometimes visited to take a shift playing with the kits. South knew her sister was somewhat scared of hurting them, so she was proud that East was able to put that aside. And her friend Jaysong, a young kitless permaqueen, was always around and down to help out.

    It was a big change, and something she never would have guessed she needed. South did her best to be their parent, but also their friend, and has been doing her best for a moon now. Little Rabbit and Frost had already been through so much, they didn't need any more turmoil in their lives for a long, long time... and South hoped to give them that stability. And eventually, one day, the clan would look at all of them like they were one of their own.

Parents:

• Ermine with a White Coat (Ermine) (zum/biological dam, living npc- average sized and sturdy tortoiseshell mink cat with mid white spotting and blue-green eyes)
• Ice that Melts in Sunlight (Sunny) (mom/biological sire, deceased npc- large and slim cream point molly with low white spotting and pale blue eyes)

Siblings:

• Sun that Rises in the West (West) (brother, living and played by Fret)
• Moon that Hides in the East (East) (sister, living and played by Teegan)