Shufflepaw

Shufflepaw is an attractive, thick-furred, red-and-ginger tabby with pale yellow eyes.

## Personality

Shufflepaw is an apprentice, and it shows.  They aren’t a master hunter, and are inexperienced in hunting.  Despite this, they were born generations ago, are wise beyond their years, and are far more sad than a cat their age should be.

Another thing about Shufflepaw is that they have spent time in Faerie.  Because of this, they are overly paranoid, mindful of everything that they say and sometimes taking minutes at a time to consider their words before they speak.  Depending on what they say, they could be manipulated or make them do something or use them to their advantage or… whatever else.  Even if they don’t *like* to speak and often overthink when they do, they are also a cunning and witty speaker.  They had to be, in Faerie, and they are still scared that if they say something wrong or send the wrong message then there will be consequences.  They don’t lie, either, but they won’t always speak the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.  They don’t trust any food given to them and can’t accept gifts, because those would demand some sort of cost that they knew they don’t want or can’t give.  They hate being polite, but can’t bring themselves to be anything but, and they *loathe* giving out their own name.  Part of them has adjusted to the rules of Faerie, and should a kit, or someone just out of the nursery, or someone close to them break those rules, then they would find themselves fiercely protective to make sure that no harm comes to the cat in question.  They are quick to be on the defense, as they are determined not to let anyone hurt or control them again, and tend to see strangers as enemies that they can’t trust.  Their first reaction is often to snap at the cats around them, even if they’re trying to help them, because they just can’t bring themselves to trust them.  It would take a while to get Shufflepaw to trust another cat, and any wrong step another cat makes would only push them further away.  On top of all of that, they were in the Fae Realm long enough that it started to drain their positive emotions from them — they’ve forgotten what it’s like to feel joy, or excitement, or hope.  In general, they are a big ball of nerves and tenseness and too much thinking.

But under all the trauma, if a cat bothered to get to know them, then they would find a steadfast and loyal ally.  Like the Sídhe, Shufflepaw is a loyal cat that keeps their word.  They are not the smartest (though certainly not the dumbest) or most creative of cats, but they’re flexible and can adjust to anything thrown their way.  It can take them a little bit to understand new concepts or ideas, though, and they often tend to rely on old habits or instincts more than they do anything else.  Even though they’re home, now, they struggle to *feel* at home — the Clan is so different from when they left it, after all, and they can only barely grasp what happened to it while they were away — and can find themselves feeling incredibly homesick for what they once had and the TimberClan they knew.  They *want* to try and be the same cat that they were before; a bit shy, impulsive, eager for the future, but they feel like they can’t even trust *themselves* anymore.

## History

Shufflepaw was born to Leapfang and Swipefoot, alongside a single sister named Rustlekit.  They lived a pretty average life — they got along with their peers and when they turned six moons old, they were apprenticed to a senior warrior named Flicktail.  They found training difficult, but they worked hard and were eager to learn.  There was even a fellow apprentice a few moons older than them, a Maeve-born cat named Heavypaw, that they had a crush on.  When they were nine moons old, though, Flicktail sent them out on a hunting assessment, where they accidentally stepped into a mushroom circle and ended up in the Faerie Realm.  There, they met one of the Fair Folk, and they were careful to follow all of the rules they knew — they invited it to call them Gray, didn’t mention any of the new kits their Clan had, and didn’t lie.  When they were going to leave, though, a *thank you* slipped out.

And, unluckily for them, the Good Neighbor they were dealing with was a member of the Unseelie Court.

Demanding for its favor to be repaid immediately, the Sídhe demanded that they accompany it.  Along the way, they saw all kinds of awful things — watched Sídhe tear each other to shreds, prey on and hurt or even kill other Sídhe and mortals just because they were bored, leaving others to rot simply for their own entertainment (the Sídhe they were traveling with, even, did just that, and Shufflepaw tried to ignore the sight and the stranger’s cries, but it was all *so hard* and *so much*)... even more than that.  They even met another Sídhe that had a mortal servant; a loner that hadn’t known any better and gave his name away.  When they finally reached where they were going, Shufflepaw was told that it was their job to threaten a Sídhe kit’s life.  It explained that it and one of the Sídhe’s parents had an agreement that they were unable to hurt each other or each other’s kin, but as Shufflepaw didn’t fall into that category, they could.

They didn’t want to.  But it wasn’t their choice.

And after that, they were free to return home, so they did.

## Shufflepaw's TimberClan & Relationships

**HIGH QUEEN —** *Rushstar* — she scares me

**DEPUTY —** *Pouncebreeze* — also scares me

**HEALER —** *Thistleberry* — M E A N, *why are all the authorities so scary???*

**MEAVE-BORN —**

*Bramblefang (Apprentice: Heavypaw)* — am aware of, but don't know very well

*Heavypaw* *(Mentors: Bramblefang, Cliffspring)* — crush. super pretty. STRONG. can't be with her, though. that sucks. but we can deal with that! and. i mean. what if she's down to break some rules???

**WARRIORS —**

*Swipefoot —* mom, and a good one. the best one, even!

*Leapfang —* dad, strict but he still loves me and Rustle

*Squirrelclaw (Apprentice: Rustlepaw)* — sometimes mentor, know pretty well, since me and Rustle train together a lot.

*Flicktail (Apprentice: Shufflepaw)* — my mentor! he's cool. kinda strict, though, but he's nice whenever i get something wrong, so. still cool.

*Icestep (Apprentice: Snakepaw)* — not very close with, but am aware of him

*Redtooth* — am aware of, but not very close to

*Mothpelt* — am aware of, but not very close to

*Cliffspring (Apprentice: Heavypaw)* — stern and strict, should avoid

*Waspflower* — funny!

*Mistfrost* — don't get along with, should avoid

*Prickleclaw* — smart! offers apprentices help, if we need it

*Weaselheart* — acts like a bastard but is secretly very nice, do not let this information slip or HE WILL KILL ME

*Foxtail* — rude, do not like

*Treewater* — smart but once he shoved Rustle into a stream so i have to not like him even though it was funny

*Doegaze* — nice, makes patrols fun

*Wolfstone* — SO FUCKING COOL

*Sharpwater* — okay enough, i guess, patrols with 'em go okay

*Tallfur* — loser

*Tigersong* — TATTLE TAIL

**APPRENTICES —**

*Shufflepaw (Mentor: Flicktail)*

*Rustlepaw (Mentor: Squirrelclaw)* — sister! cry-baby. i'm the only one allowed to make her cry, though, and everyone else has to give me something for the privledge

*Snakepaw (Mentor: Icestep)* — funny! makes training fun when we spar, but she's a lot younger than me so we don't get to often

**MOTHERS —**

*Owlface (Kits: Stonekit, Firekit, Blazekit, Smokekit, Ashkit)* — she seems too mean to be a mom but all her kits like her, so. also all her kits are EVIL LITTLE BASTARDS AND THEY KEEP PLAYING PRANKS ON ME AND RUSTLE AND SNAKE I WANT TO THROW THEM IN A RIVER

*Currentstrike (Expecting)* — I WANT THE KITS TO BE HERE ALREADY

**OTHER CLANS —**

*Smoke (MarrowClan)* — coolest cat i know, should ask for ideas on how to get back at Owlface's kits

*Pink (MarrowClan)* — he almost made me puke from laughing so hard once, acts awkward but it's *so funny*

*Bright Flower (HoneyClan)* — he's clumsy and stupid and i love him

*Sun Bird (HoneyClan)* — she's like a mom. i don't like it when she moms me but when she does it to anyone else it's funny.

*Dew Shine (HoneyClan)* — nice! smart! has a lot of energy! kinda stuck up but Sun Bird's there to smack him

**OTHER FAMILY —**

*Mudtail (maternal grandmother)*

*Lionclaw (maternal grandmother)*

*Stormeyes (paternal grandmother)*

*Snowcloud (paternal grandfather)*

*Oaksky (great-grandmother)*

*Ravenstorm (great-grandfather)*

*Birdstrike* *(great-great-grandmother)*