Oakclaw

**Oakclaw** is a large, muscular dark brown tabby tom with black mackerel stripes. He has a creamy-brown underbelly and muzzle. His eyes are a rich amber-orange. He bears some scarring, with an especially noticeable old scratch across the bridge of his nose.

## Personality

Despite being a notoriously skilled fighter, Oakclaw avoids battle for the sake of it. His first priority is and will always be the good of his clan, and fighting without good cause has never extended anybody's lives. He often seems irritable towards younger warriors and apprentices, and has no tolerance for foolishness, but has an unexpected dry and often dark sense of humour. He's just as quick with praise as he is with criticism, and when Oakclaw says you're doing something right, you know he's not lying. His last apprentice often found themselves defending him to their denmates, who only saw his sterner side. He's quite happy to confront any cat he thinks is wrong. Though he dislikes the other Clans and outsiders in general, he has a respect for cats he believes to be like himself.

## History

Oakkit and his sister Myrtlekit were born to unnamed MarshClan warriors. They were apprenticed under the names Myrtlepaw and Oakpaw. Oakpaw quickly proved to be a surprisingly troublesome apprentice - he would just as quickly criticise a warrior, even his own mentor, as he would a denmate if he believed they were doing something wrong. This was such an issue that it led to his apprenticeship being extended for another moon. At one point during his apprenticeship, he had to be dragged out of the Lake before he drowned himself trying to beat another apprentice's time.

Eventually he did earn his warrior name of Oakclaw. As a younger cat he was quick to get in fights, but several injuries and a stern talking-to from the medicine cat later, he realised his carelessness and made efforts to restrain himself. He has over time developed a long-standing friendship with Heronheart. Two greenleafs before HollowClan's arrival, he was chosen by Flystar as her deputy.

### First Leaf-fall

Waking in the early morning, Oakclaw glances around the camp, seeing Heronheart sat by the edge of the lake. Noticing movement within the medicine cat den, he takes a mouse to Softstream. While passing the leader's den, he thinks of Flystar's growing age and the approach of his own leadership. He enters the medicine cat den and greets Softstream, asking if she needs any herbs replenishing. Though she tries to offer the mouse to him instead, he refuses, telling her he likes to hunt on an empty stomach. Softstream asks if he plans to take Heronheart and Nightshadow out on a patrol, to which he says he's thinking of taking them out hunting. He tells Softstream to enjoy her meal and not spend all day in her den.

Leaving Softstream be, he pads over to Heronheart and Nightshadow, asking them if they would like to join him on a short hunting patrol before the rest of the Clan wakes up. They both agree, and Nightshadow goes racing ahead to the Lake. Oakclaw murmurs softly that the last one there is a rotten fish before breaking into a gallop after him.

Oakclaw arrives at the Lake shortly after Nightshadow does, and the two of them take a moment to look out over the Lake, admiring the view. Heronheart catches up and teases them as he dives into the water. Oakclaw jokingly complains as he follows, the three of them diving down to the bottom of the Lake. They find a catfish and Heronheart drives it towards him, and though Oakclaw only just misses it, it swims into Nightshadow's claws instead. Resurfacing, Oakclaw tells Nightshadow to bury the catfish on the shore while he and Heronheart catch something else. Oakclaw notices a school of trout and gestures for Heronheart to swim round, allowing Oakclaw to chase them towards him. Their hunt is successful, and return to the surface once more. Oakclaw suggests that they return to camp, as most of the Clan is likely awake by this point.

Arriving back at camp, Oakclaw is approached by Softstream, who leads him into Flystar's den to witness her body. A grief-stricken Oakclaw approaches Flystar, realising that she had only died recently, and that perhaps he could have been there if he were not out hunting. He asks Softstream if she was there when Flystar died, and is relieved when she replies in the affirmative. After whispering his gratitude to Flystar, he asks Softstream to sit by him when he makes the announcement.

Oakclaw calls MarshClan for a meeting, telling them of Flystar's death. He also announces his choice for his new deputy, Heronheart, who gratefully accepts his appointment. Ending the meeting, Oakclaw says that duties will be assigned once Flystar has been brought out for all cats to say their goodbyes. Softstream gives a lick to his cheek before going to prepare Flystar's body for viewing, to Oakclaw's surprise. He recalls Softstream's originally uncertain future, and is glad to have seen her flourish in the role of a medicine cat.

Going over to Heronheart, he apologises if his new appointment was a shock, and assures Heronheart that he has planned to appoint him as his deputy for a while now. He also says that Heronheart does not need to worry too much about his duties until tomorrow. Nightshadow congratulates both of them on their new roles before taking his leave. At Heronheart's mention of a grave being dug, Oakclaw reflects that in some ways it might be lucky that Flystar had died now, rather than face a harsher death during leafbare and the difficulties of digging a grave in hard ground.

Once Flystar's body has been brought out, Oakclaw says another brief goodbye to her before stepping aside to let the others say their piece.

In the evening, Oakclaw is one of many cats present for Flystar's vigil. He listens to Muddywater telling the story of how Flystar lost her first life, recalling how she had sacrificed a life of her own for Oakclaw's sister Myrtletail. He reflects that this is what first inspired his ambition to become MarshClan's leader. After Muddywater finishes his speech, Oakclaw steps up to speak of when Flystar first made him her deputy, and how she told him to never be afraid of offending her or anyone else with his suggestions. He recognises how she saw MarshClan's cats for what they were, and promises to follow in her pawsteps.

The next morning, Oakclaw rises with the others to take Flystar out to the shore and dig her grave, something that Oakclaw is familiar with as one of MarshClan's more muscular cats and the serving deputy. The methodical nature of the digging allows Oakclaw to block out his thoughts, but once it is done he begins to worry that he may not be able to lead MarshClan as well as they deserve. He gathers himself, thinking that he will do his best by them if nothing else.