Woolystar

## Appearance & Personality

Woolystar is a small, white molly with black speckles and a black 'mask', hence her name. She has heterochromia, with her left eye being a deep, sky blue, and her right being a light, dandelion yellow. Her bobbed black tail is very short and fluffy. There are scars on her hind legs due to an encounter with a fox, and her paws are black.

Wooly is very supportive and mother-like, and always tries to help others rather than harm them. Her strengths include her empathy, optimism, resilience and extroverted-ness, on most occasions. Her weaknesses include her tendency to overwork herself in order to aid others, her sensitivity (easily overwhelmed by her emotions despite getting over them quickly), and because she acknowledges the opinions of others, she may be gullible or easy to persuade.

## Brief History

Woolystar, born a rogue, lived in the area that is now RiverClan territory with her siblings. She lost her tail in a fight with a fox, and that fox later killed her sister. Once RiverClan formed, she decided to join their ranks and follow Beestar's ways, while her mother and brother left, sharing no interest to be held by the Clan's codes. She quickly befriended Tigertide and Rivuletroar, along with getting to know Bumblemeadow and Dustfall well. She adopted Sandocean, and serves her Clan the best she can. Rivuletstar appointed her as deputy due to Tigertide stepping down after the battle between WindClan, their ally ThunderClan, and RiverClan. She later became RiverClan's leader after Rivuletstar stepped down to be an elder alongside Tigertide.

## Detailed History

### Rogue Life

Wooly's mother Dawn had made a home near the current RiverClan camp, moons before the Farlanders arrived. She grew up with her siblings Salmon and Rose, and the three of them grew very close over the moons, soon leading to them craving adventure - wanting to finally be free from the safety of the den that their mother had kept them in for so long. And one day, she finally let them out on their own, when all three of them were around 7 moons. Unfortunately, without the protection of their mother, they encountered danger very quickly. A little beyond their home was a fox's den, its existence unbeknownst to the three young cats. On their little adventure they happened to run into the hungry fox, and, although terrified, they attempted to fight it. Wooly had gotten scooped up by the fox, and while she tried to free herself from its jaws, her tail was bitten off in the process. Luckily for them, that was the only major injury they suffered, with Rose and Salmon only sharing a few cuts among themselves as they managed to scare the fox off. The three of them returned home, and Dawn did her best to treat her daughter's wound, but explained that it would just have to heal over time. Wooly was troubled by the loss of her tail, but reluctantly agreed to do her best to live with what she had left.

As she and her siblings grew to be around 15 moons, their fighting skills and hunting skills improved at this point. While they weren't at the level of the future Clans, they were better off than before. Coincidentally, while Salmon and Rose were out hunting for their aging mother, - Wooly back home keeping Dawn company - the fox from when they were little was hunting for its own young. It noticed the two cats, and while of course it didn't recognize them, its hunger for battle brought it to quickly take them on. They did their best to try and fight it off, but there was only the two of them, making the battle much more difficult. Rose ended up dead to the fox's claws in the end, leaving Salmon responsible for taking her body and fleeing for home. The fox, however, still roamed about. With the news of her sister's death, Wooly felt an immense amount of grief, a grief that struck her down for days, wishing dearly she could have been there to protect her brother and sister.

Wooly, Dawn, and Salmon lived rather calmly for another ten moons or so, until the Farlanders began to make their homes, claiming the area that Wooly and her family had called home for so many moons. They had offered RiverClan as a new home for her family, and Wooly, eager to experience this new opportunity happily accepted, but Salmon and Dawn declined the offer, and decided to leave to find a new home. At first Wooly was troubled by her family deserting her, but she slowly began to understand their choice, even though her own was clear. Rose died on this land, and Wooly had called it home for so long, she didn't want to leave it...starting a new life here wouldn't be too hard to do. So, in joining RiverClan, she took on the name Woolymask, and became a warrior in their ranks.

### Warriorhood

Due to her sociable personality, she quickly befriended both Tigertide and Rivuletroar, growing to be close friends with the two mollys, enjoying their company to the fullest. She also made herself useful around camp, playing with the kits when they were bored, specifically spending some time with Tempestkit and Dustkit. Additionally, a little before Dustpaw became medicine cat apprentice, Woolymask had grown to be friends with Bumblemeadow, looking to try and ease the tom's growing nervousness about taking on medicine cat so quickly after his mentor died, and to just give him some friendly advice.

Time drew on, and not long after her friend Rivuletroar was named RiverClan's deputy, Woolymask was told that her two closest friends had become mates. Overjoyed at the news, she congratulated the two, but found herself almost... lost. Both of her closest friends had found love, and had even adopted two kits - Pumpkinkit, and Tigertide's Dustkit. She began to feel rather lonely inside, even though on the outside she still kept up her cheery and friendly front. To her surprise, a strange cat suddenly left a mysterious brown kit near RiverClan, the poor little tom now without a home. Woolymask was quick to step up and take him in, the thrill of having a cat to pour her love into guiding her paws. And that's exactly what she did. Between her hunting trips and patrols she'd visit her new son Sandkit in the nursery, giving him company until he made friends - which didn't take long. Of course, she never stopped visiting him, and always loved hearing his stories about what his friends had told him or showed him. Her heart was absolutely warmed by getting to spend time with him, whether they'd just be talking, or playing, or sleeping. And while that lost feeling still remained in her heart, Sandkit filled a large majority of that space. She spoke with Beestar one afternoon, telling him how happy she was to have Sandkit in her life now, and how proud she was of the love that Rivuletroar and Tigertide shared with one another. The RiverClan leader agreed, and admitted that he wasn't even sure he'd get a chance to find love the way those two mollys did. Stunned, Woolymask attempted to give him advice, telling him he'd get another chance - but inside she knew she felt the same way. And as the two parted ways, Woolymask found herself wondering again if she'd ever find a cat to love the way her best friends had each other. Sandkit meant the world to her, but she of course couldn't shake the worry that she'd be alone until she retired to the elder's den, watching her son grow up all on her own. Soon after, she took on her first apprentice, Pumpkinpaw - the second daughter her close friends had adopted, and looked to train the young molly the best she could.

She'd done her best to stay strong and level-headed during the time with The Median, but as the final Gathering under this rogue's rule approached she was... beyond stunned. For Woolymask had only attended the Gathering as normal, completely not expecting The Median to not only arrive late to her own Gathering, but to have brought Sandkit along with her. The RiverClan warrior's heart had leapt up to her at the sight of her son dangling from the rogue's jaws, but she had relaxed when The Median simply... handed him over to her. She brought him close, distraught as the rogue began to explain her intentions to not only Woolymask, but all the cats present in the clearing that night. She'd been used - used to meddle with the Clans by Sulfurstar, in order to keep Sandkit safe, since she was his biological mother. Of course Woolymask was saddened, and almost angered by this, unable to understand why The Median would go so far as to ruin the lives of the ThunderClan cats, along with change the way of life for all the other Clans. Before Woolymask could voice her opinion on the matter, the Gathering was ambushed by Sulfurstar and his Aspguard, who began to attack the cats gathered there. Woolymask had been cornered by Sweetbriar, not willing to fight but doing her best to ultimately protect Sandkit from the Aspguard molly. With Shiningheart's help she was able to scoop up Sandkit and run, run far enough from the fight to where she and her... son would be safe. Once the Aspguard cats had vanished into the night, Woolymask slowly approached the clearing once more, only to find the Clans in ruin, many injured, and an unfortunate few dead. The Median in particular was perched up on the leader's rock, standing alongside Rainbowstar over the tragic state of the Clans. At this sight of the guilty, rogue molly, Woolymask felt a change of heart, almost. A form of empathy dawned deep inside her as she realized: It was simply mother's love, and a desire to keep her son safe that The Median had done this. She hadn't meant for it to go this far. Woolymask kept that in mind as The Median stepped up and asked Bumblemeadow if she could join RiverClan's ranks, and before he agreed, Woolymask was finally able to speak up, and voice her forgiveness towards the rogue molly. Afterwards, The Median joined RiverClan as Bravetail.

Amidst this conclusion to this wild story, Beestar had stepped down and allowed Rivuletstar to take his place, and she had been the one to properly welcome Bravetail into RiverClan. With this change, Woolymask was ultimately proud of her friend for becoming RiverClan's leader, and at the same time, proud of her and Tigertide for the birth of their new daughter, Magnoliakit. Wooly had spoken with Magnoliakit only a few times, but certainly enjoyed the company of the curious kit. And, now that the drama had finally subsided, she had more time to spend with Sandkit... despite being afraid he may not even consider her his mother now, with Bravetail in the picture. She was very much proved wrong, as a small talk with her son proved to her that he still loved her dearly, warming her heart to know that even after all that, the love of family between them was still very much mutual.

Because she spent a lot of time in the nursery to be with Sandkit, Woolymask had gotten to speak to Tigertide more, and one day, Rivuletstar approached them both, offering to accompany them on a walk, as they had used to do. This walk was more than just a leisurely stroll, for Rivuletstar sat the other two mollys down and talked with them on the matter of RiverClan's deputy. She had asked that neither of them be angry with her choice - because no matter what, it had been between the two of them. Both Tigertide and Woolymask reassured the leader, letting her know that no matter her choice, the three of them would always remain close. This was true. And this would always remain true. Even as Rivuletstar summoned RiverClan, and announced that her mate, Tigertide was to be her deputy, Woolymask felt no sorrow, or envy, or anything other than relief. She never trusted herself with such an important role anyhow, and was clearly just grateful to still have her two best friends, no matter what. As Tigertide had said, ranks didn't matter, ranks couldn't keep the three of them apart, ever.

Not long after Tigertide was named deputy, it had been heard that Rainbowstar of WindClan had not only allied with ThunderClan, but had also given them control over the Glade. Rivuletstar had fallen into a coma after an outing with her mate, and Woolymask watched as the deputy, and her friend, led them to try and take control of WindClan's barn, as Tigertide believed WindClan had been weak to give away territory. Although Woolymask heavily disagreed, she had no choice but to follow the temporary leader, reluctant to go against the word of her dear friend. When they arrived at the barn, they faced no opposition at first, all the RiverClan cats present anxiously waiting the arrival of WindClan and their ally. Woolymask had noticed how antsy her son and apprentice at the time, Pumpkinpaw, were acting, as it was a first battle for them both. Her own lingering anxiety had begun to act up as well - for she was never a fan of fighting. She'd run away back when the Aspguard had tried to take Sandkit's life, as well as her own, and had never stood tall in a battle against other cats. So this was a first, and she hoped dearly no cat would die, nor would she have to use her claws much. The first cat to arrive at the barn was Rainbowstar, but her deputy and warriors, as well was Sunnygrove and a handful of ThunderClan warriors weren't far behind her. She asked for a peaceful dispute, which Woolymask yearned for, and silently hoped for. However, Tigertide refused to give up the barn peacefully, and declared war on the cats the WindClan leader had brought along. As soon as the declaration of war had rung out, Sunnygrove leapt at the RiverClan deputy, knocking her down. Stunned and unsure of how to put herself to use, Woolymask jumped on the ThunderClan deputy, and tried to shove her off her friend. She was successful, but it didn't last long as Sunnygrove pushed her back, and simply continued to fight with the calico molly. Wooly was distraught, and about to leap back into the scuffle, when Rainbowstar approached her, insisting that Wooly help find a way to end this battle peacefully. Driven by her confusion and hurt, Woolymask snapped at the leader, pointing out that the rather large patrol she'd brought along with her didn't exactly scream 'peace conclusion', it screamed 'war'. And despite these words, Woolymask fought no other cat in this battle, deciding to remain on the sidelines until it was over. It ended when the RiverClan and ThunderClan deputies had almost killed each other, and a cry to retreat echoed in the barn, leaving RiverClan as the winners. The barn was theirs, for now. Long after Tigertide had left with the warriors and other apprentices, Woolymask stayed behind with Sandpaw to check up on him, only to witness the wounds he'd received on his front legs and ears. She decided to reassure him, joking that the two of them matched now: she had scars on her back legs, and he had some on his front. Though it seemed like she'd lightened his mood a bit, Sandpaw still shoved her aid aside and headed home on his own. Rather hurt by this, Woolymask tried to keep her spirits up on the way back home. Once they'd gotten home, it became apparent to her that her apprentice, Pumpkinpaw, had received her warrior name.

The second conflict that RiverClan faced was a surprise indeed. Woolymask had been attempting to have a conversation with Tigertide and Pebblefrost about how foolish these battles were, when ThunderClan and WindClan ambushed their camp - aiming to take them down at the core to loosen their hold on the barn. While Tigertide faced Rainbowstar, and Rosestar and Bramblesnap dove to destroy the herbs in the medicine den, Woolymask found herself frozen once more, and oh so lost. She hadn't zoned back into reality until she saw Fadinglight fighting with Sandpaw, and in a desperate attempt to protect her son, she hurried toward them, and shoved the WindClan deputy away, fighting with her herself... unaware of how she had hurt Sandpaw with this action. Woolymask fought with Fadinglight for a while, gaining scratches on her chest and face because of this molly, but she didn't back down yet. No, not until Rosestar called the intruding Clans to retreat, because both she and Rainbowstar had lost lives that day. Fadinglight let Woolymask go to aid her mate, leaving the warrior to suffer with her wounds. For a while she didn't get them treated because of the destroyed herb storage, but once a few herbs had been replenished, she finally sat down and allowed Dustfall to treat them. From the aftermath of this battle, her trust in Tigertide seemed to dwindle... but she would continue to follow her friend. Shortly after this, Sandpaw was made medicine cat apprentice, and Woolymask was beyond proud of her son.

It was a miracle that Rivuletstar had woken up the next day. No cat but the culprits, the leader, and the medicine cat knew how it had happened, but to Woolymask, it was a genuine miracle. Rivuletstar was awake... she could stop these wars, right? Before that could have been decided, the RiverClan leader decided to finally make her youngest daughter, Magnoliakit, into an apprentice. She was apprenticed to Woolymask, who vowed to train Magnoliapaw as well as she could. RiverClan was finally at peace for a few sunrises, and Woolymask made good use of it by taking her new apprentice out for a tour of the territory, and a hunt near Snakerocks.

The short breath of peace only lasted so long, for after RiverClan had abandoned the barn due to a rat infestation, Rivuletstar had her sights set on the Glade: ThunderClan's new stretch of territory. She led RiverClan to one final battle, one that would decide it all. Woolymask forced herself not to listen to the argument between Rivuletstar, Tigertide, Rainbowstar, and Rosestar, her anxieties finally overwhelming her. Instead of listening to their bickering, she charged into the fight, and was immediately barreled into by Fadinglight, who had been looking to get Wooly back for attacking her at the last battle. Once again the two of them tumbled about and scratched at one another, while the roar of battle echoed around them. Fadinglight had her claws out and ready to land the final blow on Woolymask, but was stopped by both Wooly's paw and the sight of Rainbowstar falling to Tigertide's claws nearby. Woolymask insisted that they end their fight there, and allowed the deputy to run off to her mate's side. Wooly watched as the Clans dispersed for the final time, RiverClan finally, finally surrendering, but at the cost of both Rainbowstar and Softweb's lives. Rather sad, she headed home, her wounds aching and her mood sullen.

Woolymask returned home with a heavy heart, her guilt surrounding fighting Fadinglight and being unable to aid RiverClan much in the fight had stomped out most of her spark. Though, she was unaware of Tigertide and Rivuletstar's talk with each other, and as the leader called for a Clan meeting, she had almost expected it to be on how they'd lost, and how they were at fault for all this, or something. Tigertide stepping down from her deputy position was the last thing Woolymask expected to happen, and she was stunned, especially more so when Rivuletstar decided that Woolymask was to be the new deputy. She accepted, of course, but felt remorse for her dear friend, and almost felt like she didn't even deserve this role at all. The cats of RiverClan began to make her feel more needed amongst them, which certainly lightened her mood. This was her best chance to help her Clan, from this high position. But as Tigertide had said not long before, ranks couldn't tarnish the friendship she and Rivuletstar and Woolymask had. Not ever.

### Deputyship

With peace returning in full swing, Woolymask was able to spend more time with Magnoliapaw, and attempted to take her out swimming. This proved unsuccessful, as the apprentice was deathly afraid of the gentle river, and Woolymask was faced with the dilemma that she'd never get to teach her RiverClan apprentice how to swim. After returning to camp from this, she stumbled upon Applekit, who had been trying to run out the camp entrance the moment she returned. The two of them negotiated for a while, before Wooly gave in and offered to take the young molly to the training hollow, only because the other kits in the nursery wouldn't play with her because of her abnormally large size for a kit. Woolymask took Applekit to the small pond that made up the training hollow, and they played around in the pond, the stresses Wooly had been confronting lifting off her shoulders. Though, their time ended as night began to fall, and the new deputy insisted that Applekit return to her queen, and get some needed rest. Wooly had no trouble flopping into her nest that night and immediately falling asleep. Hours later she was woken up by Rivuletstar, and had been caught sleeping in for sure. That didn't seem to bother the leader though, for her thoughts were elsewhere. The two of them took a walk out on the territory, both unaware of Magnoliapaw following discreetly behind them. Rivuletstar confessed to Woolymask that her youngest daughter was indeed a reincarnation, but neither of them had any clue on what Magnoliapaw's past life was like, that would influence her strong fear of water. Magnoliapaw revealed herself moments later, and made it apparent that she was now aware of her origins, leaving Woolymask with the swirling guilty feeling, along with sympathy for what conflicting thoughts might appear in her apprentice's head after hearing all of this.

Woolymask had decided to take a walk out to the ShadowClan border on her own, just to get a breather from her duties. She stumbled upon the young Heronpaw, who had gotten side-tracked on his way to find Fadingstar and apologize to her for... Wooly had no idea. Truthfully, this apprentice had been the one to take the WindClan leader's first life, and he was now overwhelmed by the guilt of it. He asked Woolymask if she could take the message of his apology to Fadingstar, and though reluctant to speak to the new leader after the battle, she accepted, promising to deliver it. Joyfully, he headed home to ShadowClan, leaving Woolymask to turn and head for WindClan border next. Lucky for her, Fadingstar was wandering nearby, for whatever reason the RiverClan deputy wasn't aware of. Hesitantly, she approached the leader, and her scars seemed to only ache more as Fadingstar's gaze filled with bitterness towards her. Firstly, she delivered Heronpaw's apology, but continued on with one of her own - an apology for her behavior towards the other molly in battle. Fadingstar forgave her rather easily, which came as a surprise, and their talk moved away from the topic of the battle quickly after that. Both of them seemed to bond in this interaction, and at last, Woolymask's only enemy had become her friend, and her heart was light as they talked about their sons in the medicine field, Sandocean and Mantisspring, up until the sun began to set. It was then that they departed, both seemingly rid of the bitterness or anxiety they once had.

Out on a patrol of one, Woolymask had her eyes set out for that ShadowClan apprentice, Heronpaw, so she could let him know that she'd given Fadingstar his message. Instead, she ran into Metaleyes, ShadowClan's newest deputy; she didn't know he was the newest deputy, however, until he told her himself. The two of them got along well, guaranteeing that the two future leaders should most likely not experience any conflict... hopefully. Their conversation was short, but it was clear the two of them had gotten something out of it: trust. When Woolymask returned home, Rivuletstar called a Clan meeting, one that she was only slightly surprised for. Her apprentice, Magnoliapaw was earning her name at last, and Woolymask couldn't be more proud. She'd been able to train two apprentices, and while Pumpkinpelt had already left RiverClan, she hoped Magnoliashadow would choose to stay in RiverClan with her mothers and former mentor. With her heart light, she helped the new warrior set up her nest in the warriors den, and decided to go out into the clearing to relax. It was there that she spoke to Mapleflower, whom she quickly gained a liking to. The two mollys spent time together out on a hunt, and messed around in the nearly dried up river. When they returned to camp, it was nearly time for the Gathering to commence.

And that Gathering certainly came as a surprise. The arrival of Sulfurstar, his claim for causing the drought, and his sudden death brought upon him by Shiningheart was alarming, and confusing for most cats in the clearing that night. It wasn't until Glitch took a life from each leader that it all became... so real. Woolymask rushed to Rivuletstar's aid and helped her home, straight to the medicine den, where Dustfall checked up on her. And, still stunned by the events, Wooly was unable to tell Sandocean what had exactly happened, and his own mentor had simply told him they would talk later. The moment her son left the den, a sense of guilt settled deep inside Woolymask, her worries chomping at her prior cheerfulness.

In order to try and overcome the stress of the drought, Woolymask had begun to speak to a cat named Mapleflower - a beautiful molly in her eyes, but she would never openly admit that. The two of them grew to be close friends as RiverClan suffered through the drought, with Rivuletstar's lives dropping like flies and Sandocean growing more and more distant to her. She believed she was losing those she loved and needed to seek out some cat to love, some cat to genuinely speak with about her own worries, but still keeping her mask upon her face. And Mapleflower was that cat, for sure. She'd spent every other day hunting and talking with the molly, up until she spotted Sandocean sorting herbs. Her talk with him was painfully short, as he reassured her that he was simply too busy to come and talk to her, and that so was she. She shouldn't be worrying about coming to see him. This struck Woolymask right to the heart, concerned over how distant her son had become.

As Rivuletstar began to lose even more lives to the drought and starvation, Woolymask's nerves were at their worst. Only she and her son knew of their leader's situation, and it sat horribly in her stomach, worrying for what may become of her leader... and her best friend. She'd slept in late one day, feeling immediately guilty for wasting daylight by sleeping, but she seemed to ease up to that thought as Mapleflower asked to speak with her on a walk. The two mollys had gotten as far as the hiking trail, when Mapleflower suddenly confessed her feelings towards the deputy. And even though she was in a state of pleasant surprise and a mighty flustered feeling, Woolymask returned the confession, happy to finally have a mate of her own, someone she could trust more than any other cat.

A few sunrises later, while Woolymask's heart was light, Rivuletstar approached her. This surprised the deputy, especially after the leader had just lost four lives at once to starvation. But, she felt relieved to know her friend was feeling much better. Riv requested to walk with Wooly, who agreed, allowing the other molly to lead her out into the territory. The news Rivuletstar carried was indeed shocking; she wished to step down as RiverClan's leader and spend her days as an elder alongside her mate, Tigertide... and leave Woolymask in charge. Almost instantly the deputy was in tears, stating that Riv was only about ten moons older than herself, and that it was too early to retire, but she was shut down by Riv's words. And her words told Wooly that she was indeed ready to take on this responsibility, and that she would lead RiverClan well. Woolymask was unable to argue any further, and followed quietly alongside her friend back home, where she announced to RiverClan Rivuletroar's retirement, and her own promotion.

Once the Clan was aware, Woolymask and Sandocean ventured to the Moongarden, so she could receive her nine lives from StarClan. And the cats she met during this ceremony were extraordinary... Clan founders and Council of Nine members, and a few curious StarClan cats, such as Stormwatcher and Lilypaw, but seeing Pebblefrost hit the hardest. A former RiverClan warrior who had died mysteriously in her slumber; Wooly had been amongst the warriors to lay Pebble to rest, and she knew she'd felt this grief before. She swore to herself that she would do her very best to make sure none of her warriors died as Pebblefrost had, unwilling to let them suffer such pain and sadness. The gathered StarClan cats cheered her name once all nine lives had been given. From that moment on, she was Woolystar.

### Leadership Part 1

The peacefulness of the first few sunrises her leadership didn't last too long, unfortunately, for after three mischievous apprentices decided to steal prey from SkyClan's territory, Woolystar was the one to take the blow from BloodClan - quite literally. She hardly had much time to retaliate and attempt to protect Mapleflower, who had been resting beside her, when Shadow raked her claws down Wooly's chest, ultimately taking her first life. For most of the raid, Woolystar remained blacked out while her mate did her best to defend her, leaving Shadow with a nasty limp, but BloodClan's leader was still able to plunge her claws into Woolystar's throat just as she'd woken up from the first life being lost. Thankfully the wound on her throat wasn't deep enough to kill her, but it was dreadfully painful as she had to watch BloodClan successfully leave their camp with all of RiverClan's prey in their jaws. She remained still and silent as both Turtlegarden and Mapleflower patched up her wounds, thinking about nothing but the time when ThunderClan and WindClan had destroyed their herb storage moons ago... she didn't want to fail the way Tigertide had then. When the medicine cat had left, she laid there with her mate, still trying to process what had all just happened.

She warily attended the Gathering at the full moon, bewildered by the arrival of BloodClan, and the conversation between Pinestar and Rosestar, for the two of them were hostile towards Shadow and BloodClan, and threatened to take the foul leader on in a fight if another raid occurred. Woolystar was hurt to find out that Perchstar's demands were behind the raids, disappointment clear in her mood. Sure, the SkyClan leader needed the resources, but to stoop to needing the help of BloodClan was incredulously low. Once Perchstar called off her alliance and BloodClan promptly left, Wooly was forced to listen to Rosestar and Pinestar discuss land for WindClan to hunt on, leaving the starving RiverClan in the dust. Though she knew she should have asked for the help, too, she couldn't help but think back to when Rosestar herself had destroyed RiverClan's herb store moons ago... would the ThunderClan leader be so quick to help? She doubted it, so she didn't ask.

Free from any future BloodClan raids for a while, Woolystar began to help around camp and helped out with hunting to refill their prey pile. However, she wasn't able to help out for long, for when she awoke one day, she felt incredibly nauseous and sick. She laid around for a while until Turtlegarden came and talked to her, discussing his own situation before he offered her some herbs to help. The juniper berries and daisy leaves poultice only lasted so long on her, and she started feeling sick again a lot later. It was then that she spoke with Magnoliashadow, deciding that after the molly began to fret over her, she had to take a break. And, knowing she wouldn't be able to actively attend to her duties all the time, she had to appoint her deputy. She chose Magnoliashadow quite suddenly, amidst her woozy and nauseous state it almost seemed ingenuine, but it was indeed the truth: she saw true potential in her former apprentice, and didn't doubt her choice. The leader immediately took a long nap after the deputy ceremony, waking up hours later to find Mapleflower, who sat down and spent some time with her, the two of them discussing her current state. They were inseparable for the next couple days, with Woolystar's ill state only worsening as she insisted on helping Mapleflower with hunting, only putting herself in more pain. Now she rests in the den while her mate goes back and forth with hunting and coming to rest with Wooly, both of them dreading the Gathering.

While the Gathering to come was far more peaceful than the rest, it appeared that Perchstar was gone, as Thunderstar claimed to have taken her place as leader. Wooly tried to express her sorrow for SkyClan's losses, but throughout the entire Gathering her body pains would not let up, distracting her from intently listening to the other reps. She clumsily stumbled from the leaders rock and allowed Mapleflower to assist her in walking back home. The two of them had agreed on their hunting trip that Woolystar should see their medicine cat about her worsening condition, so that's exactly what she went and did, having a rather short talk with Turtlegarden... that resulted in his conclusion that she was in fact pregnant. The thought of expecting kits of her very own raised the leader's mood significantly, despite how much she wanted to know how. She never had a relationship with a tom, for she and Mapleflower couldn't have kits together. It was simply a miracle, she decided for now, and thanked Turtlegarden before hurrying heavily back to her den to wait for her mate to return from hunting. It didn't take long for Mapleflower to come trotting back into the den, and to be instantly surprised by the wide-awake and excited Woolystar eagerly waiting for her. Wooly revealed the news that she was expecting kits, and both mollys shared a similar amount of love and happiness, even though deep down they wondered how this had even come to be.

She would later achieve her answer the next nightfall, as she dozed off beside her mate, waking up in the Valley's most unpleasant realm: the Dark Forest. Although, she didn't realize where she was immediately, because she had never experienced such a vivid dream before - where she could feel her paws and fully control her thoughts and actions. She was conscious in her own mind. Woolystar was approached by the notorious Sweetbriar, who began to taunt her and vaguely use her future kit's life against her. It was here that Wooly learned the truth behind her miracle kit. The molly inside her was once a member of the Aspguard that Sweetbriar knew well and had trained, and was now being given a second chance at life it seemed. Even with this news from a terrifying molly, Wooly's love for her future daughter would never falter... for she would not have been blessed with this kit if she didn't deserve a second chance to be better. She would love her just as much as she would love a kit that she created on her own; this was no different. And as Sweetbriar mocked her and insisted on using Wooly's daughter for her vile crimes again, the leader brought on an uncharacteristically defensive and angry mood, vowing to protect her little one with her life of she had to. All eight of them, even. It wasn't much longer after Sweetbriar's last threat towards her kit sank in that she awoke to the early morning light, curled up beside Mapleflower in their nest. After all that had happened in her dream, Woolystar decided to get some fresh air, crawling heavily out of her den to find Magnoliashadow organizing patrols already. She decided to sit down and spend some time with her deputy after Mag pressed on how tired she looked, listening to the other molly go on about her deductions surrounding Wooly's kit, how she figured out it was a reincarnation, and how she had told Mapleflower this because Wooly's mate had been conflicted about the situation. Woolystar simply agreed along with her, having already learned this information from Sweetbriar, so she wasn't as surprised anymore. It became clear to her that Magnoliashadow had no idea that the kit her leader would raise was once part of the Aspguard, and had the heavy burden of Sweetbriar to carry in the future - and Woolystar wouldn't be the one to tell her... she decided to keep that truth hidden deep down inside her. While their talk was short-lived, the two mollys enjoyed it, soon parting ways so Wooly could get back to sleep with her mate, and Magnoliashadow could get to work with patrols.

The day that Mapleflower and Woolystar's daughter would enter the world occurred only a few days later, and everything had gone successfully. The leader and her mate decided to name their little one Tinykit, for although Sweetbriar had spoken vile things about her daughter's past, Woolystar believed she should keep her name... in order to reclaim it, and give it new meaning.

In her time spent in the nursery, Wooly left a lot of patrol and Gathering duties to her deputy, so she could set aside a good amount of time for her daughter and mate. It was here that she met little Milkykit, who instantly gained Woolystar's love for her high spirits and her surprising amount of confidence. She offered the small molly a friend, her daughter, so that Milky would no longer be alone in the nursery anymore. The cheery kit excitedly accepted the offer, then succumbed to a nap, leaving the leader back to her thoughts. She would hardly tear herself away from camp or the nursery for a while, hence why she has been safe from losing any lives during this time.

### Leadership Part 2

Once Tinykit was old enough to be on her own with the other nursery moms and their kits, Woolystar had begun to attend more Gatherings. But, as time drew on, and the Clan grew quieter and quieter, she had begun to lose the motivation to keep leading the same dawn patrols, and the same Gatherings every week. They'd begun to tear at the molly, and she craved freedom. The freedom she once had, long ago. And while she had made oh so many memories with RiverClan, and her friends and allies here, she felt it was probably best to lean into the desire for freedom. Her adopted son Sandocean seemed like a proper inspiration here; running off from the routine and cycle of the Clans to live peacefully out with Bravetail, his mother. Woolystar pondered this for weeks, until the last Gathering, she couldn't take it any longer. The RiverClan leader woke up her mate Mapleflower late one night, when they had both been asleep, but Wooly was restless. She explained her feelings to Mapleflower, and how she longed for the freedom of being a loner once again, after all these moons. At first, she begged Maple to come with her, and she could take Tinykit with them as well, but Maple reasoned with her and managed to convince her to allow Tinykit to grow amongst the RiverClan warriors until taking out into the life of a loner. Woolystar was hesitant to accept this at first, just wanting nothing more than to be with her mate and daughter, and no one else, but... it would do them some good for Tiny to be grown enough to defend herself outside of the Clan. So, Woolystar agreed to the idea, and while it was extremely difficult to let go, she knew Mapleflower would be a wonderful single mother for the time Tiny grew. Their goodbye was rather heartfelt and hard, but Woolystar eventually left RiverClan behind, without telling anyone but her lovely Mapleflower and dearest Tinykit, who was old enough to understand for sure. She knew her family wouldn't forget her, and would come and join her in the Clanless life when they were ready. She decided to keep her name, star and all, so that she too wouldn't forget her Clan. RiverClan had given her so much, and she felt guilty that the life Rivuletroar and Beetoes had given her was all being tossed behind her now. But, she reassured herself that moving on was the best course of action... life would be better for her this way. Woolystar ventured off not too far from RiverClan, stepping over the scent markers with a heavy heart as she scouted out a cave nearby, where she would begin to decorate the walls with flowers she had gathered, and begin to put together three nests, one for herself, and two for her Mapleflower and Tinykit, who she had hope would join her soon. She only longed that the two mollys she held closest to her heart would stay safe amongst the drama and conflict between the Clans, and would remain strong.

From then on, Woolystar started her days as a loner once again, laying in her new flower-coated nest and thinking, oh so much thinking, wondering every day how her mate and daughter were doing, and how her mother and brother were holding up far from the Valley Clans. She would wonder if they were proud of her for leaving that life behind her... the very same life they had both refused to turn to. Woolystar would shrug, and remind herself that they had chosen that path... and while RiverClan wasn't the safest life for her, she had had many good experiences, and that was what mattered. And she would always look back on those experiences, during her hunting trips and her trips to go out and gather some more flowers for their cave. She'd look out from the mouth of her new home towards the skeleton in the distance and let out a sad sigh, reminiscing on her old life, and then shake out her pelt and turn back inside, eager to continue on with her new life.

## Lives

☆ Life of Confidence, given by Stormwatcher, former warrior of ShadowClan. *Lost*

☆ Life of Forgiveness, given by Lilypaw, a former rogue. *Intact*

☆ Life of Self-Respect, given by Rainbowstar, WindClan's founding leader. *Intact*

☆ Life of Kinship, given by Doeeyes, a Council of Nine cat. *Intact*

☆ Life of Authenticity, given by Dovefeather, a former Council of Nine cat. *Intact*

☆ Life of Endless Passion, given by Graystar, ShadowClan's founding leader. *Intact*

☆ Life of Loyalty, given by Icestar, ThunderClan's founding leader and founder of the Valley's Clans. *Intact*

☆ Life of Honor, given by Isu, a Council of Nine cat. *Intact*

☆ Life of Love, given by Pebblefrost, a former RiverClan warrior. *Intact*

× Life 1 *- Taken by Shadow in the raid on RiverClan*