Rippleshine

Ripples in the Water

Rippleshine was a ShadowClan warrior who served under Hopestar's and Sageflower/star's leaderships, living from Thirteenth Generation through Eighteenth Generation. She was born to Bumbleheart and Rainbelly alongside her sister, Webkit. She was mentored by Otterfur. She was approached by Sweetlight as an apprentice and became one of her spies for BoneClan. She was mates with Podfern and had Alderkit, Stonekit, and Smallkit. She died after eating prey poisoned by BoneClan rogues.

# Appearance

Greenish dark cream she-cat with emerald eyes.

# History

Ripplekit grew up with the fear of BoneClan whispered in her ears everyday. She and her sister were both known as perhaps the most nervous, mouse-ish kits in all five clans. Even being paired with even-tempered, calm Otterfur as her mentor didn't sooth her nerves. One day, very early on into her apprenticeship- barely a moon- on a hunting patrol, when Ripplepaw accidentally crossed the border, a cat snuck up on her. Terrified, Ripplepaw curled into a ball and cried for the BoneClan rogue to have mercy on her. The other cat, in a bemused voice, told her she wasn't a BoneClan rogue. Ripplepaw looked up to see a tortoiseshell warrior that had the scent of ThunderClan hidden under mints and herbs. Confused, Ripplepaw questioned why she was outside of ThunderClan land, encroaching on BoneClan territory. The warrior, Sweetlight, told her she planned to overthrow BoneClan, and make them good again. Ripplepaw questions if they were ever good, but Sweetlight reassures her she will make sure BoneClan never hurts another cat again... and asks if Ripplepaw would like to help her? Ripplepaw hesitated, but the thought of that big, great fear going away pushed her to agree with Sweetlight. Sweetlight told her to tell no one.

Sweetlight would have Ripplepaw report BoneClan's actions at their border with ShadowClan, as well as what ShadowClan themselves were doing. And when Sweetlight and her mate, Mossyflight, took over BoneClan, Sweetlight convinced Ripplepaw to recruit other "spies" for her, and Ripplepaw brought Clawwhisker, her clanmate, to them. She debated bringing her sister as well, but decided against. But her sister was not spared, as one day Webpaw and her mentor, Hollowleaf, attacked BoneClan, only for Hollowleaf to be killed. Terrified, Webpaw ran back to camp, but Ripplepaw met her and told her the clan would hate her for what she did- attacking BoneClan when they were good now and getting a great warrior killed. She told her to run to the Twolegplace, and become a kittypet, where no one could ever find her. Webpaw listened to her and ran, but Ripplepaw went back into camp and told their clan leader, Hopestar, that Webpaw had ran away. As Hopestar ran after her, Ripplepaw felt tremendous guilt as she told Fireripple- another spy- and Clawwhisker what she did.

Sweetlight wanted Hopestar dead, and convinced Ripplepaw it was because Hopestar had secretly in league with them, due to BoneClan's founder, Shadefur, being her kin. So Ripplepaw thought this was the chance to do what Sweetlight wanted, and get Hopestar out of the way- now Fireripple and Clawwhisker just had to follow and kill her. Fireripple refused, but Clawwhisker eagerly followed after the leader. As Fireripple and Ripplepaw waited, Fireripple told Ripplepaw that Clawwhisker was as bloodthirsty as the old leader of BoneClan, Darkwhisper, and would probably kill Webpaw as well to make sure there were "no witnesses." Horrified, all Ripplepaw could do was wait in silence. Fireripple comforted her and told her it would be okay.

To Ripplepaw's relief, Webpaw came running back, with Clawwhisker following. But Clawwhisker looked upset and displeased, while Webpaw was horrified. She told the clan that Hopestar had been taken by Twolegs, and Clawwhisker confirmed this. Webpaw's warrior ceremony was delayed as she was given a new mentor and spent all her nights waiting at the clan border and searching for Hopestar. But Ripplepaw became the first apprentice made a warrior under Sageflower's- not yet Sagestar- rule, named Rippleshine. She felt as though she didn't deserve it, especially one that said she was a 'light.' All she was was darkness.

She found comfort in an older warrior named Podfern, who was nervous like her, but in a kind and soft way, a secret confidence hidden inside him that she didn't have. He already had kits with another warrior, Stormcurl, but Rippleshine still found herself falling in love- or perhaps she simply fell in love with his attention and comfort. Whatever the case, Rippleshine became pregnant with his kits, and she used her pregnancy as an excuse to Sweetlight as to why she couldn't spy for her anymore. Thankfully, Sweetlight told her she understood, but throughout it all, Clawwhisker's glares on her made Rippleshine feel like the opposite was true. But at least she had her sister, her younger siblings, Fireripple, and Podfern to support her. Even though she always wondered if Podfern wanted his old mate, Stormcurl, back, even if she was in StarClan now. He always seemed just distant enough, staring at the stars, and even admitted he never stopped loving Stormcurl.

But when her kits came, Rippleshine couldn't have been filled with anymore love... and worry. She was worried, so much, for their futures. She coddled them and wanted to keep them as close to her as she could forever, safe from Sweetlight's manipulation and Clawwhisker's anger. Podfern became annoyed with her overprotective mother-ness, and their relationship became strained, but Podfern insisted he still loved her.

When the time came for her kits to become apprentices, she couldn't be more proud and fearful. She couldn't help but try and be on every patrol they went on, always asking if they were okay, where they were going, who they had talked with lately. Her kits, Alderpaw and Smallpaw especially, were exasperated by her, but Stonepaw at least put up with her anxiety, promising his mother he'd always stick close.

But Rippleshine never could have expected her death. When she ate prey given to them by BoneClan as a peace treaty, she should have known better, that the sweet scent of mint and berries were covering something darker. The prey was rotten, and perhaps even poisoned, and Rippleshine found herself staring into Clawwhisker's smug face as the illness from eating crowfood overtook her, and eventually killed her within days. Throughout her sickness, Stonepaw stayed by her side, curled against her, until she took her last breath.

# Fun Facts

* She has loner blood through her grandfather, Victor, on her mother's side, and through her great-grandfather, Storm, on her father's side.
* She has distant WindClan blood through her great-great-great-grandfather, Windclaw, on her mother's side, as well as on her father's side through her great-great-great-grandfather, Driftleap.
* She has distant SkyClan blood through her great-great-great-grandmother, Thistlesong, on her father's side.
* She has distant kittypet blood through her her great-great-great-grandfather, Deerflame, on her father's side.