Goatwhisker

**Goatwhisker** is a chocolate mackerel tabby she-cat with a white throat, chest, underbelly, and lower face. The white of her throat almost completely encircles her neck, and a blaze of white extends from her jaw up between her eyes. Her eyes are a green-tinted yellow. She has short but dense fur.

## Personality

Goatwhisker is a cat who has thrown herself into serving her Clan. She is very active, greatly enjoying each patrol and eagerly volunteering for them whenever the opportunity arises. Though Goatwhisker dislikes the idea of sitting in the nursery with kits crawling all over her, she enjoys mentoring apprentices, and is known to assist with training if another cat is needed. She is, to Ermineflight's chagrin, quite protective of her younger sister, and makes no secret of thinking that Ermineflight is far too young to already have two litters of kits. Privately she feels a little jealous that Ermineflight found a mate and settled down before Goatwhisker herself did.

## History

Goatkit and her brother Greykit were born to unnamed EagleClan warriors. During their apprenticeships, Greypaw died mysteriously falling from a ledge while alone with Hailpaw. Goatpaw was devastated, and when her younger sister Erminekit was born two moons later, she immediately became very protective over her.

Aside from her brother's mysterious death, Goatwhisker reached warriorhood with little event, and since has been dedicated to serving her Clan as best she can.

### First Leaf-fall

Goatwhisker is first woken by Blazestar's raging at the Highlands patrol. Later, she ponders how the patrol is going. She is approached and greeted by Lynxear, who comments that she must be glad her nephew Rookflight has gone out on the patrol today, since he had been bouncing all over the camp since he became a warrior. Goatwhisker agrees with amusement, saying that she hopes he and Drizzlemask aren't annoying the others too much. She begins to admit her concerns about the cats Blazestar chose for the patrol, then trails off, but Lynxear picks up on her meaning and says he is inclined to share her worries. They agree that Ermineflight will keep him in line. Goatwhisker says that she's not quite sure about claiming the Highlands, since it will likely lead to conflict with the Bloodhides.

Lynxear suggests they visit the nursery, and Goatwhisker agrees, suggesting that they take the queens some prey. She hopes that she might be chosen to mentor one of Grapeclaw's kits, who are nearly six moons, and wonders which one she might be chosen for if she is chosen at all. Entering the nursery, Goatwhisker greets Smokefall, the young queen about to bear half-Clan kits - unusually among most of the older cats, Goatwhisker is quite kindly towards her. When Lynxear makes a comment about kits needing their fathers, Goatwhisker can't bring herself to rebuke him aloud, but is irritated and gives Smokefall a sympathetic look. She nods gratefully at Grapeclaw when the other queen defends Smokefall.

When Goatwhisker suggests they leave, Smokefall appears eager for them to stay, but Goatwhisker doesn't want to risk waking Grapeclaw's sleeping kits - or Lynxear making any more comments. They leave, and Lynxear mutters darkly about not making allowances for cats like Smokefall. Before Goatwhisker can reply, Shadowstreak runs into both of them and knocks them down. Sitting up with a groan, Goatwhisker tells Shadowstreak to watch where he's going, though without much annoyance. Lynxear lightly boxes Shadowstreak's ears and scolds him. Shadowstreak apologises profusely, explaining that he was heading to the fresh-kill pile, to which Goatwhisker asks what he was doing by the nursery. She assures him she's fine and remarks that he must be missing his denmates Drizzlemask and Rookflight.

Once Shadowstreak leaves, Lynxear continues, saying that he hopes no other young cats will be following her path. Goatwhisker replies a little sharply that she's sure mentors and parents will be twice as sure to keep them in line, and thinks that there is no point to punishing Smokefall or her kits forever. Lynxear adds that he couldn't imagine betraying EagleClan the way that Smokefall had, and that without a father the kits will prove to be delinquents. This frustrates Goatwhisker enough that she snaps at him that all kits are raised communally, not by their parents alone, and that EagleClan works together in everything they do - that Smokefall's kits have EagleClan blood as well, and they should not reject her for making a mistake.

To Goatwhisker's surprise, Lynxear accepts her scolding, and apologises. Goatwhisker says more calmly that she doesn't want it to happen again just the same as Lynxear, but continuing to shame Smokefall and her kits will only make them less loyal to EagleClan. Lynxear agrees, and tells Goatwhisker that he could think of no cat better suited to mentor them when the time came than her. Goatwhisker tells him the same.

Later, while Smokefall is kitting, Goatwhisker retreats to the entrance of camp. Owltuft does the same, and as it becomes clear that the kitting is ending, they strike up a conversation. Owltuft comments that she was out on a hunting patrol when Grapeclaw had her litter, and she wishes that Flaxbriar had been so prophetically accommodating this time. Goatwhisker remarks that she had been luckier than Goatwhisker herself was, and wonders how many kits Smokefall has had, imagining it to not be more than two or three. When Owltuft says that the queens will have their paws full with any more than two, Goatwhisker agrees, though adds that Grapeclaw's kits will be apprenticed soon. She asks Owltuft if she hopes to mentor one of them, adding that Goatwhisker herself is.

The next morning, Peapaw and Ermineflight arrive to give news of the ambush by the Bloodhides. Goatwhisker runs up to check how Ermineflight is, and urges her to go to Morningbird's den. Blazestar orders Goatwhisker, alongside Owltuft, Tigerpelt, and Shadowstreak, to go and reinforce the Highlands patrol against the Bloodhides.

Arriving at the scene of the battle, Goatwhisker is horrified to see Rookflight, Drizzlemask, and Runningwolf all badly injured by the rogues. When Vesper attacks Shadowstreak and latches onto his throat, Goatwhisker attacks Vesper in a vain effort to make him let go. Once she realises Shadowstreak has been killed, she gives an enraged yowl and attacks Vesper more violently. Vesper struggles beneath her attack until Rubeus arrives, smacking Goatwhisker away with a blow to the head. Dazed for a moment, she struggles to her paws and prepares to attack once more. She is charged at by Vesper, and swats at him to largely little avail in her half-stunned state, though aggravates the already-existing wound to his shoulder. He shakes her off, and while she is on the ground, Rubeus arrives and kills her with a blow to the head by both paws.