STERLING

[RHAPSIE !]

NAME. Sterling.
GENDER. Male.
AGE. Five.
CLASS. Serf.
MONARCHY. Western Monarchy.

VOICE. Smooth, composed, suave, somewhat deep.
GAIT. Has a visible limp but it doesn't hinder him in battle or hunting, just when he walks, otherwise he walks with a purpose, as if he knows what he's doing at all times.

SECRETS. He had a weak bladder from kit-hood to his late teenage years and never grew out of it like the rest of the litter, so he had to hide it. His tactic was, he would wait until all the others had fallen asleep and then choose someone to sleep next to, as they were asleep they wouldn't know where in the den he slept and wouldn't realize that in the morning he'd moved somewhere else. During the night, he would deliberately sleep close to the sibling of choice, so when he woke up from the peeing sensation and was all wet from the urine, he could clean himself and then move to another place in the den. When the rest of the family wake up, they would see the puddle of wet next to the sibling that Sterling slept next to, and the blame and ridicule would fall on the sibling of choice. He was ashamed of it - and still is, to this day - and was relieved beyond repair when his bladder got stronger and he stopped having accidents during the night.
DREAMS. He dreams of seeing his sister, nieces and nephews again.
He also dreams of being able to change his Kingdom for the better.
FEARS. Having nobody in his family left, which is why he's so anxious to see his sister and her children again, so he knows they're okay.
Other cats finding out his weakness (fire) and using it against him.

SOCIAL HISTORY. Hettie, his sister, and Ryder, his brother.
QUESTIONS. 'Why have I changed so much?' and 'Why was I too late to save them?'

APPEARANCE. Sterling is a large tom with white fur. There isn't anything particularly striking about his appearance. He doesn't have a missing limb, or a notch in his tail, or a torn ear. He has scars from his burns, but they weren't so severe that the fur didn't grow back to cover them. Yes, it took months, but eventually the fur covered the scars completely and if you looked at him, you wouldn't know that he'd narrowly escaped from a forest fire with his life. His eyes are probably the thing about him that could make him somewhat attractive, they are almond in shape and the colour is the brightest yellow, with an orange tinge that makes them look almost sickly. His fur is neither overly long or particularly short, and he isn't that much bigger than the average tom, only an inch or two in height and a dozen pounds in weight, hardly noticeable at all. He has a chipped tooth, something he gained from a fight with his brother. It doesn't hinder him from eating, but it is noticeable when he smiles, something that - he won't admit it though - he's self-conscious about, so he tries not to smile toothily, making any smiles he does offer look forced, or just plain fake. He has a limp, something else he gained from the fight, a torn tendon that just didn't heal right. It doesn't affect his hunting or his fighting skills, but it is noticeable when he walks, and sometimes even when he runs. It doesn't slow him down by much, but it is something that friends - and foes - can pick up on relatively quickly, if they're the perceptive type. The tom isn't old enough to be considered grizzled and grey, but he's no yearling, and he's lost most of his bounce and youthful shine, something that has now hardened into the aura of a mature and rather brooding tom.

PERSONALITY. Sterling is the brooding type. He didn't start out that way, of course, he didn't come out of his mother's womb contemplative and stony-faced. When he was a kit, he was bright and bubbly and full of enthusiasm, like most kits. He had his spiteful moments, and he had times where all he wanted to do was sleep. Now, four years and a near-death experience later, most of his actions are... well, rather monotonous. He wakes up and cleans his den, as he's not one of those types that can lie in their own mess and clutter and be completely content and laid back about it. He then gets to work with whatever needs doing, he is a serf after all, and whilst he doesn't exactly enjoy the rank he has and what it comes with it, the tom knows it has to be done otherwise there will be consequences, and all he really wants is to keep his head low and just do what has to be done. By the way he acts around nobles - mild mannered and passive - you wouldn't think he was ambitious, but he is. He wants things to change, for serfs to have more respect and for nobles to not have the ability to oppress and sneer and look down on those lower than them as if they were nothing better than the mud on their paw. It may be the way things have happened for generations, but it's time for change, surely, and he can't be the only one that thinks that. He's not after dictatorship, or to lead. Neither does he want there to particularly be a violent rebellion, as all that brings about is senseless killing, and wasting life is something he wants no part in. However, he does want there to be a brighter future for serfs, for his sister and her children - if they are still alive, that is.

At times, he can seem like he is gruff and dismissive, but he is a gentleman, and would nothing more than to start a family. When he first met his nieces and nephews, he couldn't remember ever being happier in his life than he had been in that moment. He is protective, and can keep a level head in situations that could have some others sweating and panicking. At times, he finds it hard to express his emotions, especially if said emotions could make him look weak... but nobody's perfect. He hates being pushed into things, and if he feels like someone is trying to force him into something, he'll just dig his heels in harder, like a stubborn mule. He doesn't like violence much, but if there is no other option, he will resort to it, if it's for the right reasons. Unlike his 'dorky' stage as a teenager, Sterling is far more mature, and has hardened because that's just the way his life has shaped him. He's hardly a General when it comes to leadership skills and tactics, but he is willing to listen and absorb information, as well as try to provide constructive criticism. He wants to make the Kingdom a better place for serfs, as he's been one for five years and he knows the kind of crap that the nobles can dish out, even unjustly at times.

HISTORY. Sterling was born into a rather large litter. He was neither the youngest, Hettie, or the eldest, Kyle, instead one of the middle kittens, however his childhood was a pleasant one, and the first months of his life were spent doing what most kittens do, playing with their siblings and seeking food and protection from their parents, generally bonding and exploring with the rest of his family. For a time, he and his family seemed untouchable, in their little bubble, happy in their own little world. Or, that's how it was in Sterling's head, anyway. Growing up he was rather awkward and 'dorky' compared to his older brothers, especially Ryder, and they would often tease him for it. Hettie would attempt to stick up for him, but as the only sister in the litter, she didn't exactly make a big impact on her big brothers. As they grew up, Kyle and Bryce matured and left their brother alone, their taunting turning instead into playful banter and brotherly rivalry. Ryder, however, still retained that nasty streak and continued to mercilessly harass Sterling. For a time, he took it in his stride, and the pair - as well as the other siblings - didn't see as much of each other as they used to because their duties as serf's kept them busy. However, on the occasions they did spend together, Ryder and Sterling would clash, and each time, Sterling fought back harder and harder until one day when the toms were two and a half years old, it had to be settled once and for all. They waited until the others were off elsewhere, and then it happened, a scuffle that turned into a full blown fight. Not to the death, of course, as Sterling didn't have it in him to murder his own flesh and blood, and whilst Ryder may have been a bastard, there was a big difference between bullying and actually killing someone.

Before the pair could settle their score, however, the smell of smoke hit their nostrils and made their eyes water, and realizing what was going on, they stopped immediately, setting aside their feud over something far more important and potentially fatal.

Fire raged through the forest, turning the home of Sterling and his family into ash and piles of burning timber. The brothers tore through the forest, attempting to reach the rest of their family. A horrific sight met their eyes when they arrived at the den. Kyle and Bryce, along with their parents, hadn't even had the chance to escape before the fire trapped them in the den, and if they hadn't died of their burns, they'd died of the smoke inhalation. Sterling remembered supposing that it didn't really matter how they died, because they were gone now, and they wouldn't ever come back. Hettie, however, as well as her 3 month old kittens - who she had brought along with her for the latest family reunion - were missing, their bodies not amongst the charred corpses at the den. They had to turn back and escape, the fire was just too much and the brothers couldn't possibly get through the wall of flames alive, and all they could do was hope that Hettie and the kittens had escaped. Once they had recovered physically from the situation, the brothers split up, feeling that it was for the best because whilst their feud had been set aside amist the tragedy, they both felt to blame for the whole affair, if they hadn't been too busy fighting they would have been at the den with the others, and then maybe they could of helped in some way, and the bitterness was making their relationship even more strained. Sterling has lived alone since that day, making friends and acquaintances along the way - after all, he's not a complete social recluse - but he couldn't help but hope and pray that his sister survived the fire, along with his nieces and nephews. He wants to make a change in the Kingdom, help mold and improve it, and with the up and coming Council auditions, all he can do is hope that he's good enough for the job.

[/justify]

[abri[elle]]

approved.