Smokestar (RiverClan)

## Description

Smokestar was a long-furred gray she-cat with blue eyes, dark tabby stripes on her face and tail, a pelt crisscrossed with scars, and a nicked left ear.

## Personality

Smokestar was a fair-minded and diplomatic leader who was a natural mediator. She always strove to maintain harmony between her clan and others, though some criticized her eagerness to solve everything through compromise. Others may have regarded her as being too idealistic and impractical, making too many promises of peace and prosperity for ReedClan which she couldn't deliver. She tried her best despite this, encouraged by her strong faith in StarClan and optimism for the future. She always loved to teach and pass on her wisdom to young cats well into her old age. Despite never having kits of her own, she had a motherly nature and dedicated herself to taking care of her clanmates.

## History

Long ago in RiverClan, Smokestar was born to Stormpool and an unknown tom in the time of Amberstar's leadership. Her sister Stonekit passed shortly after they were born, leaving Smokekit as the only surviving kit. Never knowing her sister or her father, Smokekit became very close with her mother.

When she became an apprentice, Smokepaw was apprenticed to Sedgemist, who was a wise teacher and became like family to her. In her youth Smokepaw was quite shy, but very focused and a quick learner. With the help of her mentor, she gained confidence in her abilities and opened up more toward other cats. At this time, she became very good friends with Wolfpaw (later Wolfsplash).

When she became a warrior, she chose to be named Smokemist in honor of her mentor. As a young warrior, she became closer to Wolfsplash, who she began to develop romantic feelings for. Sadly, Wolfsplash passed away of unknown causes before their relationship could grow, and Smokemist would never fall in love again.

In the meantime, Smokemist worked to be the best RiverClan warrior she could be. During this time, twolegplace cats began attacking the clans. After Sedgemist was killed in the battles, Smokemist felt even more emboldened to defend her clan despite her conflict-avoidance, yet she dreamed of one day bringing peace to RiverClan.

Meanwhile, she grew in experience and mentored many apprentices, including Bloomingpaw, Archpaw (later Archpath, then Archstar), Cherrypaw (Cherryskies), Tumblingpaw (Tumblingwaters) and Ivypaw (Pumastar's once-lost kit, Ivybloom). Smokemist was very proud of her apprentices and would become very close to each of them throughout her life.

After Amberstar passed and Pumastar became leader, Smokemist was chosen to be RiverClan's deputy. The position suited her well, and she quickly earned respect among her clanmates.

After Pumastar lost her ninth life to a badger attack, Smokemist received her nine lives at the Moontree and returned home to her clan before naming Archpath as deputy. With his help, she strove to bring a new era of peace to RiverClan. She never waged war against the other clans, and she led RiverClan through a series of especially harsh leaf-bares and famines. She almost always compromised to negotiate with other clans, much to the disapproval of some of her clanmates who thought she was making RiverClan weaker. Despite a series of hardships, she promised her clan that better days were ahead, though many didn't believe her.

After many moons, there came events so dire that even Smokestar's hopes of peace were dashed for a time. Evil once again rose to power as the cats of the Dark Forest plotted against the four clans. StarClan gave a prophecy to one cat from each clan-- Archpath, Beesting of WindClan, Irisfrost of ShadowClan, and Shadedsun of ThunderClan-- and sent them to "the place where the sky kisses the mountains." Smokestar encouraged Archpath to go, appointing Cherryskies to temporarily take his place. Smokestar maintained her hope for the future and trusted that StarClan would protect them. However, events quickly escalated for the worse as the Dark Forest struck one night, kidnapping Smokestar and the other leaders. They were trapped in the Dark Forest for a long time, unable to escape the brutal conditions. Smokestar became very weak, her remaining lives dwindling from wounds and illness.

Just as Smokestar had lost all hope of rescue, help was on the way. Archpath, Beesting, Irisfrost and Shadedsun completed their journey and led the clans to the Dark Forest in a battle to free the four leaders. In the end they made a deal with the Dark Forest cats, allowing the leaders to return home-- and after their deaths, they would walk the Dark Forest in their place.

Peace and newleaf had finally come, but the ordeal had aged Smokestar, and she never fully regained her strength. However, she continued her leadership for a long time and grew to be quite elderly. In the end she spent her ninth life doing what she loved most, enjoying the tranquility of the river and the company of her clan. She died peacefully surrounded by her clanmates, beneath the stars on the riverbank. It was a fitting end for a leader who had endured so much war and strife, as now she could finally rest. Smokestar reunited with old friends and family in StarClan, leaving Archpath to succeed her. Because his leader ceremony was performed in the Dark Forest, Smokestar did not get a chance to give Archstar a life; however, she continued to watch over him always.

## Lives

Smokestar lost her nine lives in the following ways:

1. Crashed into sharp rocks during a fight against Fragment
2. Froze from hypothermia while fishing during a harsh leaf-bare
3. Mortally wounded while captured in the Dark Forest
4. Mortally wounded while captured in the Dark Forest
5. Mortally wounded while captured in the Dark Forest
6. Succumbed to illness while captured in the Dark Forest
7. Succumbed to illness while captured in the Dark Forest
8. Killed by Piercingrose during the battle against the Dark Forest
9. Old age

(The virtues of Smokestar's nine lives are unknown. Of the cats who gave Smokestar her nine lives, the only ones known are Stormpool, Stonekit, and Appleflame. It's possible that Sedgemist, Amberstar, and Pumastar gave her lives, but it isn't certain.)

## Other Details

- She was Speed's eighth character on the server.

Earliest image of Smokekit - Art by SpeedSmokemist and Wolfsplash - Art by SpeedSmokestar - Art by SpeedSmokestar's previous design - Art by SpeedSmokestar - Art by Speed