Retro

***Spoiler warning:** Plot and/or ending details follow.**"...."*
**Retro** is a lean, light cream feline with limbs and face fading to brown and blue eyes.
**Retro** was born to two cats in the Clan of Hanging Canopies as Charredkit, alongside their littermate Darkkit, and the pair were adopted by Mistysight and Brookmask. Charredpaw decided to become a Drifter and was given the name Charredtundra. At around 50 moons old, Charredtundra was caught in a snare and separated from their Clan for a long time. When they finally found their way back, they feared the worst had come to pass after what they found that the border, and turned their life around to become a loner by the name of Retro.

## Relations

Crush: N/A

Friendships: Shade

Enemies: N/A

Mentors: N/A

Apprentices: Newtstep

## Interests

*Likes*

Retro often enjoys picking up little trinkets on his travels, like odd looking leaves, pretty stones, tufts of animal fur, etc. They have a small collection of these items, and cerishes them while they're still useful/in good condition. The feline also enjoys cuddling or snuggling with kin or friends, being incredibly affectionate and loving. They couldn’t want anything more than spending time with those they love. On top of that, Retro's a fan of climbing, preferring to travel through tree tops due to the safety it provides and the advantage of being out of a cat's line of sight. They also like it cause of how fun it is to try and race/chase things in the tangling branches. The sight of the blue hour (right after set and just before sunrise). The mesmerizing blues of the ‘hour’ leave the, in awe every time, a feeling of peace briefly as it lasts. They’ll often wake up extra early just to see it each morning and afternoon. They prefer colder weather, often looking for heavily shaded areas for this same cooler temperature.

*Dislikes*

Retro’s not the biggest fan of extremely crowded areas, not enjoying their personal space being invaded in such areas. They're not a big fan of water, often staying away from it in order to avoid getting their pelt soaked. They tend to stay away from humid areas in general, only tolerating them for cooler breezes that pass through the area. They honestly don't like warmer weather, often getting exhausted easily due to the heat plus the thickness of their pelt. They tend to stir away from lightly forested areas/open plains due to how exposed they feel in those areas, but aren't against going into such areas if needed.

## Skills/Faults

*Skills*

Retro's a skilled fighter, with sharp, slightly serrated claws, to aid in their battles. The tough muscle on their shoulders and back gives for an easier experience climbing into the treetops away from most terrestrial predators. Their coarse fur provides warmth during leaf-fall and leaf-bare. The dark color of their face and muzzle helps keep the sun out of their eyes, allowing for better eyesight during bright sunny days. They're quite flexible and able to fit into some smaller areas. They also have great stamina and endurance, able to go long distances or through long periods of time without much rest. Retro has extensive knowledge on how to survive off of little, likely from their drifter training. Such things include basic herb knowledge, fighting skills, and hunting strategies. In particular, their hunting techniques often include needing to sneak up on their prey first, giving them the gift of nimble paws and impressive stalking capabilities. Alongside this, their basic herb knowledge includes knowing how to tend to shallow wounds and fevers, but it doesn't go far beyond that. The rest of their strengths comes in their will power and gut instinct. Retro's the type of cat to follow their gut and mind. Able to come up with decisive choices often built off of a gut instinct of sorta. They also are often able to tell when or why they should listen to their gut and not their mind, and vice versa. While not the fastest learner, their work ethic makes them a great cat to work with, often encouraging their partner/group and able to take the helm on tough decisions, etc. They're willing to lend an ear in any situation, making them an idle cat for a group job, such as a patrol. Despite this, solo tasks are often a much easier task on the feline's mind as they're often able to get it done sooner.

*Faults*

Retro's pointed pelt makes them stick out like a sore thumb amongst heavy foliage or treetops. They're deathly afraid of two-leg traps, specifically snare traps and will refuse to get anywhere near an area of the forest laid with twoleg scent, having associated nearby twoleg scents with the presence of such traps. They also don't quite like being alone, often refusing to now go out all alone into deeper parts of the forest or other clan territories. While a team player, Retro may find it difficult to not baby their partner/group members, especially if they're more inexperienced or younger than themself. While they try not to underestimate other cats, it can prove difficult.

## Personality

Retro is a peaceful cat with seemingly no strong interests. They’re happy in their own little area, unbothered. Their enjoyment of being alone allows them to be introspective and self-aware of their own flaws, and occasionally how to embrace or ‘fix’ them. While they do love alone time, they can be a social butterfly in groups of their familiars, such as kin or friends. In these groups, they’re more comfortable, expressive and affectionate. Sometimes too affectionate, cuddling or excessively grooming, unknowingly making other cats uncomfortable on occasion. While they can understand why this makes cats uncomfortable, they struggle to stop themselves from doing so, but will try to opt for more subtle forms of affection, such as nuzzling or brushing with their tail. Physical gestures and acts of service are they’re love language, and it’s difficult for them not to take it overboard. Despite how affectionate and caring they are, they have a streak of getting irritated with cats over small things, specifically talking about their scars, most notably the one around their neck. It’s a touchy subject, and while they won’t speak up or directly tell them off, they may ignore the cat or walk away to avoid the interaction going any further. To add on, Retro isn’t the best at interpreting the intentions of others, they could guess, but half the time they’ll likely be wrong, unless the other cat makes their intentions obvious. They’re also lacking in some social skills, after being isolated for as long as they have, they find it difficult to strike up conversation or start interactions, often waiting for other cats to speak to them first. Something about it causes them anxiety, especially if the cat is someone they don’t recognize or don’t seem to be in the best mood.

## Detailed Appearance

Retro is a lean feline with well toned shoulders and back. Small yet tough muscle with patterned fur sliding over top. Their fur is a light cream, fading into tints and shades of brown, from a dusty light brown to dark charred wood brown. The creams along their pelt fade into a duty brown along their back, head, and shoulders. It quickly fades into a slightly darker, duller brown on their flank, lower back & shoulders, and face. After that comes a deep, dull brown, slightly more saturated in color that covers their forelimbs, tail and lower haunches. It suddenly faded into a deep, rich, dull brown that, in turn, flowers smoothly into a darker brown that appears black in certain settings. This darkest color covers most of their face and it appears almost like the dull browns suddenly fade into it. They have white paws and ankles, with two white markings on their face. One on the tip of their nose bridge, one between their eyes. Retro's fur is soft and coarse fur. It's well cared for. Their fur is longest around their body and neck, flowing nicely in the wind. Retro has beautiful silvery blue eyes with a narrow, yet welcoming shape, giving a mysterious or emotionless glance.

## Kin

Mother: Unknown

Father: Unknown

Adoptive mothers: Mistysight, Brookmask

Brothers: Darkpond

Adopted nieces: Raccoonkit, Sizzinglaconite

Adopted nephews: Misteltoefrost

## Backstory

Retro was born as Charredkit, alongside their littermate Darkkit, to a pair of cats who didn’t seem keen on keeping them. The two were born in the Hanging Canopies camp and quickly handed off to the clan's medicine cat to find new parent(s) to raise them. Instead the kits were eventually given to a pair of she-cats, Mistysight and Brookmask. The two were raised by the she-cats with all the love and warmth they ever needed. Charredkit was a lot quieter and peaceful than their more talkative and dismissive counterpart. Charredkit had no real perspective on the world until they became apprenticed. The feline chose to be trained under a sentinel, originally, alongside their kin. Darkpaw’s training went smoothly, Charredkit’s not so much. Charredkit didn’t possess the same bulky frame Darkpaw did and decided to switch training. They went a quarter moon without training until they decided on to train in the ways of a drifter. The lonesome path of a drifter was one they thought fit their interests well. During training consisted of more persistent companionship than they liked. That changed after their naming ceremony. Charredpaw was named, alongside Darkpaw. Renamed to Darkpond and Charredtundra. Their name spoke toward their appearance, with dark pointed limbs and muzzle and creamy white body. Roughly 19 moons after the ceremony, Charredtundra welcomed new kin to their family, a pair of kits Darkpond had decided to take care of. Charredtundra wasn’t too happy about it, but accepted the new kits regardless. They avoided the nursery, in turn not often talking to their littermate as often. In the later moons of their kithood, Darkpond’s kits, Aconitekit and Mistletoekit, often went out of their way to seek out their relative. Charredtundra eventually caved and began to spend time with their niece and nephew. Moons went by and Charredtundra continued to routinely tend to their duties. With each excursion, they strayed further and further, occasionally needing to set up a temporary nest outside of the camp’s borders to spend the night. At around 50 or so moons, on an excursion, the feline traveled too far from camp, coming close to twoleg territory. Then something unexpected occurred.

Charredtundra encountered a twoleg trap, a snare trap to be specific. The colorpoint feline, in their curiosity, wandered a tad bit too close and the trap closed in around the cat’s neck. Instinct took over and they began to pull against the trap, only for the wire to grow tighter and tighter. Not long, the wire had gotten so tight it began to cut off the feline’s air. They went limp on the grass, the wound deep enough to begin to draw a bit of blood, their exposed skin grew red and irritated due to infection. The feline slowly grew thin, hunger became starvation, as their final will to live drained from their heart. Charredtundra was left helpless and stranded, open to any predators who wanted easy prey. Charredtundra couldn’t do anything but pray. Praying that they’d live, that StarClan would be merciful.

Fortunately for them, a twoleg hunter had gone out to finally check the trap and found the cat there, hanging on their last strings of life. The hunter took pity on the cat and took them to a vet clinic, where the cat was freed from the trap and slowly nursed back to health. The feline was given to a pair of twolegs who continued their treatment.

While Charredtundra was happy to be healed, they weren’t as happy about being cooped up in a twoleg den. The feline refused to let the twolegs close, often sleeping in an area that couldn’t reach or scratching and biting whenever one tried to lay hands on them. It wasn’t long before the feline managed to escape, digging a hole in the twoleg’s yard, underneath the gate. It was a snug fit, but they made it through and out to freedom. They spent a good few moons wandering around the alleys of the twoleg territory, having no real aim of where they’d go. All the feline knew was they needed to get back home, not just to their kin, but to their clan. They spent moons navigating unknown territories, wondering until they caught a familiar scent. The scent was faint but one thing was clear, they’d made it to one of Hanging Canopies’ borders. They were ecstatic, running across the border and making their way to camp, that was until they came across something else, a new scent. Washed out and almost metallic and familiar... That’s when the feline stopped. Their heart sank as reality and realization came back to them. They didn’t step a paw any closer, instead, they turned and ran. They didn’t look back and, in tears, left the clan’s border, never to return. Charredtundra now, really, had no purpose. Their kin, for all they knew, were gone, and who’s to tell what happened to their clan? They didn’t want to know, at this point. They now walked a lonely path, or for a few moons, at the least. Charredtundra found a place to settle, and with no clan to affiliate with any further, felt they couldn’t keep their clan name. It felt like a scar on their soul to keep the name given to them, partly by their mothers, and partly by the leader of a clan they so desperately loved. They didn’t find inspiration for a new name. That was until one day Charredtundra had come across a few twolegs, likely hunters, handling some meat. The twolegs were getting rid of it and the feline found it as the perfect opportunity to catch up on a much needed meal. They slipped into the nearby undergrowth, sneaking over. The twolegs were chatting as they dumped the meat into a pile, onto the open grass. During the conversation, a word came up; “retro”. They weren’t sure what it was about it, but the word sounded… interesting. After the twolegs left, they took part of the meat and ran off, but the word lingered on their mind. Eventually Charredtundra grew to like the word, the way it sounded specifically. That’s when they finally decided it could be a fitting name. While they thought the name would be temporary, it became permanent. Especially after meeting other cats and being called by that name. It wasn’t long after finding their new name, they met a tom. Shade, he called himself. The two cats had met out in the forest, Retro had found a borrow to call home and Shade had stumbled into their ‘territory’. Retro took kindly to the cat who didn’t seem to know better. Retro offered the cat a piece of prey, and that was the day a friendship was born. Ever since, Retro couldn’t seem to let the tom out of his sight for anymore than a day. Likely a protective instinct leftover after, supposedly, losing their kin. Regardless, they couldn’t shake it, and treated Shade with kindness and affection, often going out of their way to hunt for or groom the tom. To this day, Retro is quite close to Shade and travels not far outside of Sunlit’s territory, often considering joining their ranks one day.

## Trivia

* They like to make tiny noises to help portray their emotions, Such as chirping, hissing, or chattering.
* They're selectively mute, due to the injury on their neck making it uncomfortable to speak.

## Links

Theme Song/Voice Claim

* Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0Ui0GE31nOPWfDzGpMYqvf?si=QwW2XCtmRYihpRSQswNtuQ*End of spoiler warning*