Badgerfleet of ShadowClan [Elder]

Badgerfleet
pictures; x
Age: 98 moons.
Gender: Male.
Rank: Elder.
Clan: ShadowClan
Short Description: Black and white tom with a blind eye and yellow eye.

Appearance:
He was once quite a handsome tom and an excellent warrior, if you look closely at his ragged body you will notice the remains of once toned muscles and beautiful pelt. Once upon a time when he was younger Badgerfleet had a distinctive coating which gave him his name, a white and black pelt, the white was lustrous and the black was deep currently the black holds some white fur giving it a more grayish tone and the white has turned dull. He thinks age has treated him nicely and that if he wanted to he could easily stand up and fight again, this could be true if it weren’t for his limp. This elder limps with his right front leg, he tends to hide it so its not very noticeable to those who don’t observe but it still pains him when he tries to run or walk too fast, cold doesn’t help much either.

His right eye is completely white this is because he is blind from that side, a terrible fight with some rats cost him his sight and gave him his limp but he likes to laugh it off saying that if he had the choice he would do it all over again. Badgerfleet’s eyes, or eye in this case… anyways, his eye is a dull yellow resembling the falling leaves of leaf-fall. It doesn’t shine with youthfulness and energy but there’s always a certain warm spark that makes you feel comfortable. His mother often described them as “the warm sun of new-leaf that welcomes the song of life”.

He always carries himself like a true gentleman, making an effort to remain in a proper stance, that is as long as he isn’t too tired to simply lay down and fall asleep. Badgerfleet enjoys the act of grooming and often finds himself cleaning his black and white pelt or working on the knots that plague Silverstorm’s fur.

Personality:
Badgerfleet is kind, he always offers a smile and has an infinite patience for the most hyper-active of kits to the most complaining of elders, he always has a mellow aura about him and it is almost impossible not to relax in his presence. He enjoys engaging in conversation and will try his best to make anyone around him comfortable (specially Silverstorm), it is actually pretty interesting talking to him since he always has a story or two up his paw or some good advice from a cat who’s been practically through everything life has to offer. His tone is usually light with the ever-clinging presence of old age and a small almost invisible tint of sorrow.

He is gentle in manner and will try his best to pacify rage and distress in any member of his clan; everyone in the clan sees him as a sort of fatherly figure and most turn to him for advice. Badgerfleet is a cat that can be trusted wholeheartedly; he always keeps the best interest of his clan in his mind. He has a strong sense of responsibility and duty, so he’s naturally reliable; this old tom has a hard time saying “no” to requests and at times may become over-burdened; he never really expresses his difficulties because he tends to place other cat’s needs above his own.

One thing you should you know about this elder is the deep love he feels for his denmate Silverstorm. If he has patience for just about anyone then he has the double amount of patience for the silver she-cat, you can often find him by her side either grooming her pelt or simply pacifying her with honey words. Some say that he’s the only cat in the whole clan that can put up with her, this may be true. He actually finds amusement in Silverstorm’s sarcastic remarks or constant reminders of her “better leadership”, he never flinches at her tone and always greets her with a smile. He made it his task to coax her into eating and he helps the medicine cat whenever his denmate needs herbs but is reluctant to eat them.

What a lovely pair of old cats don’t you think?

History:
Badgerfleet was born in a litter of three to loyal and respected ShadowClan warriors, Quivertail and Redpelt. He always stood out for his warm smiles and desire to protect his sister Mousekit and later his friend Silverkit, he sometime clashed with his brother Foxkit because of their different views of life but he always tried to get along with him for the sake of peace, even when he thought his antics were dangerous. However, whenever his brother played too roughly with little Mousekit or gentle Silverkit he chided him and tried to put him back in line.

It was a cold night when Foxkit was up to his shenanigans again, he wanted to sneak out of camp and Badgerkit agreed reluctantly telling himself his brother would get hurt if he didn’t tag along. He was more willing to go once Silverkit and Mousekit (after some mocking from the red kit) decided to follow his lead as well.

They were walking through the forest at a brisk pace, the she-kits a little farther behind and the toms taking the lead. “Come on you two, you’re acting like a bunch of kits!” Foxkit called from his shoulders, the black and white tom rolled his eyes and muttered under his breath: “Foxkit… we are kits…” He glanced back at the she-kits; they looked nervous… maybe allowing them to tag along wasn’t such a good idea. He opened his mouth to comfort them and urge them to walk a little faster but quickly shut it, there in the sky loomed something terrible. For a second he froze not really knowing how to react then screeched with all his might, “Mousekit! Silverkit! Run!” The owl was too close, he knocked Silverkit to the side hoping his strategy would get her to safety he cried out when a talon swept his ear. “Badgerkit! Foxkit!” Mousekit! He thought and turned around, he heard his little sister’s cries and watched helplessly as her frame and screams died out in the night.

The young kit felt numb and didn’t really process the fact that his apprentice ceremony was put off for a week. His eye didn’t miss the sorrow that Silverkit went through or how she tended to reprimand herself for his sister’s death. Oddly he found comfort in comforting her, and together with Foxkit they always tried to lessen her pain a little each day.

When they were finally assigned mentors and were turned to ‘paws Badgerpaw thought he had the most wonderful mentor the clan could ever offer, a clever if still gentle senior warrior who went by the name of Briarfang taught him everything, from picking up the slightest of scents to beating the most ruthless of warriors in battle. It was not the same for his friend Silverpaw who received a mentor who even made the patient Badegrpaw cringe. He tried his best to help Silverpaw with her training and always tried to quench her fears, Foxpaw also tried to help and over the course of the moons Badgerpaw watched how his brother and his friend got close, it was also the first time he ever experienced resentment towards his littermate. He soon accepted it as jealousy and confronted his brother about it.

Foxpaw gave him a cocky smile, amused by his brother’s flaring temper. “Relax, Badgerpaw…” he paused and stared at his smaller frame. “You never had a chance with Silverpaw anyways.”
The black and white tom cringed and snarled. “You don’t know that,” his gaze turned sorrowful for a moment but was once again flared up by conviction. “I love Silverpaw more than you could ever love anyone, Foxpaw.” He knew it was true, his love and affection for the silver apprentice was strong and burned in his chest like a wildfire.
“We’ll see who gets her first,” said Forxpaw, Badgerpaw was cursing in his mind, Silverpaw was not a pawn in a game, she was the most wonderful of she-cats and deserved to be treated so. “What if we let Silverpaw choose?”
His gaze darkened, what if she didn’t choose him?

At fourteen moons they received their warrior names, Silverflower for being gentle; Foxfur for his coat; and Badgerfleet for inheriting his mentor’s quick mind. He smiled as he had decided long ago that this was the day he wanted to express his feelings for the silver she-cat, he walked up to her with conviction shining in his eyes but was soon cut off by his brother who gave him a smug smile. He boasted about what a great warrior he was and declared that he deserved and equally great mate, Badgerfleet felt his hopes crumble as a flustered Silveflower agreed to be with the red tom.

During the course of the next moons he befriended Bluetail, the young medicine cat apprentice too sad to see the love of his life giggling along his cocky brother, he did talk to her but not with the same enthusiasm he displayed in past days. He was actually chatting with the bluish tom when Silveflower came in complaining about a tummy ache, he didn’t dare meet her eyes and instead entertained himself with a ball of moss. His jaw nearly fell off his face when Bluetail exclaimed she was pregnant with Foxfur’s kits.

Worry instantly settled in his mind, fueled by the uncertainty his medicine cat friend displayed at the news and the obvious excitement his brother felt.

He approached her one fine evening and after making some nonsense chat he finally voiced his concerns. “Silverflower… I don’t know is you are ready for this,” his voice was soft and more strained than what he had meant it to be. He found little comfort in the safety of the pine trees and instead studied the silver warrior’s movements carefully.
“Of course I’m nervous, Badgerfleet, but I think I’ll be ready.” He cringed a little at her words. So gentle… he thought, so naïve. “And Foxfur is really excited,” he kept quiet at the thought of his brother. He knew there was little love in Foxfur’s heart since most of it was occupied with himself. Badgerfleet smiled weakly when Silverflower nudged him in a playful manner, he slowly walked back to camp.
“Does he love you?” he said before he could stop his tongue… he felt oddly relieved as if some weight had been lifted from his shoulders. She looked startled, of course she did, she never expected such a question, never bothered to ask herself if the tom she called ‘mate’ actually loved her. He frowned and walked back to camp not bothering to pay attention to her angry cries.

Bluetail gave him the news since he spent most of his free time in his friend’s den simply talking or wasting time playing with balls of moss. Silverflower’s kits were stillborn and it seemed like she couldn’t have kits anymore, the bluish tom stared at him for a long while taking in the different emotions that crossed the warrior’s face. Pain, grief, compassion and lastly a repression of the three above; he huffed and snarled, saying that the she-cat probably didn’t want him close to her. Foxfur left Silverflower too but even after that painful display Badgerfleet willed himself not to talk to the she-cat, not even after her parents death or her obvious change in demeanor.

He soon received an apprentice of his own, his training methods were similar to Briarfang’s and he felt proud of all the warriors he helped mold. He was gentle and patient; always trying to help is apprentices better themselves both physically and morally.

But he never stopped looking at Silverflower from a distance, constantly fighting against his conviction of not talking to her and the impulse of comforting her and nuzzling her beautiful fur. So for moons he watched and struggled, always under the watchful eyes of his friend Bluetail and always yearning and chiding himself for wanting. His relationship with Foxfur improved but never really got to be the same as when they were kits.

Fernstar, the current leader placed both Foxfur and Badgerfleet as some sort of bodyguards for Silverflower, it seemed like she wanted to go to a suicide mission to the carrion-place and both senior warriors were assigned to watch her and protect her. His will crumbled during that watch, he always tried to persuade her to stay with soft words, he apologized for being so near-sighted and resentful; he didn’t want to lose her again. His words were unheard. One night he fell asleep along with his brother and Silverflower sneaked away to the rat infested place. When he woke panicked clawed at his stomach and he nudged his brother to follow. He found Silverflower under a horrible swarm of rats and didn’t think twice before jumping in to save her, Foxfur followed closely and soon they found themselves fighting for their lives. As he battled he felt a strange sense of loyalty, he trusted his friends and that thought gave him strength and vigor.

The rats scattered and the warriors emerged victorious but gravely injured, Badgerfleet could feel his eye stinging, he could see the bleeding from Silverflower’s shoulder but what made him grimace was his brother’s torn neck. Warriors came to fetch them and Foxfur was rushed into Bluetail’s den.

“Can you save him, Bluetail?” he stared at his friend’s paws as they quickly moved through the herbs and the blood. He caught his eyes for a heartbeat and knew all too well what that look meant. He closed his good eye and prayed to StarClan, if they could deliver a miracle it had to be now.

“You look awful” his brother rasped but was quickly shut by a stern look from the medicine cat. Badgerfleet smiled at the russet tom and got close enough for him to hear but so as not to interfere with Bluetail. “You look worse” he mewed. They stared at each other and a quiet understanding crossed their eyes, they had made peace with each other.

Vigil for his brother was held that same night; he could feel Silverflower’s warmth silently comforting him as he bid his last family member good-bye.

It was no surprise to him when the leader called the clan together and announced both warriors were retiring to the elder’s den. He felt relieved, his shoulder had been aching since the fight against the rats and Bluetail had told him that he had lost his sight from the right eye for good. What surprised him however was the change in Silverflower’s name, from that moment on she was to be known as Silverstorm and Badgerfleet called out her new name with the same enthusiasm as the first one.

Since then he has lived his days in peace at Silverstorm’s side.