Athena

**Athena** is a black she-cat with white paws, belly, and chest, and a faint white stripe on her face. Her eyes are hazel.

## Personality

Patient, and kind. Athena likes kits, and misses the times her own kits were small. She is a fantastic hunter.

## History

Athena and her littermates, Ace and Acorn, were born to a mother who died giving birth and raised for a short time by their father, though they left him quickly. The three lived together until Acorn was hit by a monster and killed. A short time afterwards, Ace and Athena found and joined the Bloodhides, Athena taking the role of a hunter.

After joining the Bloodhides, Athena at some point became mates with the healer Aconite. At the age of 41 moons, she had their three kits, Mistletoe, Oleander, and Fern. Some time afterwards, she and Aconite broke up, although the reason why is unknown to everyone except themselves and they are seemingly still friendly with each other.

### First Leaf-fall

Athena appears in the crowd present at Mackerel's announcement of war with EagleClan, alongside her brother Ace. While Ace yowls his support for battle with EagleClan, Athena is more hesitant, thinking that EagleClan are cats too, and deserve some territory. However, she is afraid to not shout in case she is cast out. She yowls along halfheartedly, then feels ashamed as her rebellious thoughts catch up to her, resolving to fight as hard as anyone else for the Bloodhides. After the announcement, Erebos and Aconite approach her and Ace intending to speak with them, but they are interrupted by Mackerel calling the scrappers and hunters for their patrol assignments. Athena is assigned to the patrol that will wait for the EagleClan cats overnight in the Valley, alongside Erebos, Icarus, and Vesper.

Their patrol arrives in a ditch close to the Highlands, where they camp overnight awaiting the return of the EagleClan patrol. As dawn breaks and they hear the EagleClan cats approaching, Athena prepares to fight as fiercely as everyone else there, lowering herself into a crouch. She leans over to whisper in Erebos' ear, asking him if he's ready for the fight.

The EagleClan cats arrive, and Athena leaps onto Rookflight, swiping at one ear while biting into the other. She hesitates briefly, but is determined to keep fighting. The two fall to the ground, and Ermineflight attacks Athena in a fury to protect her son, with Rookflight joining her once he recovers himself. Overwhelmed, Athena falls onto her back and begs them not to kill her, although she is stalling for time so that she can get back on her paws. Icarus rescues her by tackling Ermineflight, though by the time Athena gets to her paws he is fighting Rookflight instead, while Ermineflight escapes with Peapaw. As Runningwolf runs in to help Rookflight with Icarus, Athena blocks his path and attacks him. Vesper comes to assist her soon afterwards, and the two of them push Runningwolf to the ground.

With the arrival of the EagleClan reinforcements, Vesper leaves Athena with the battered Runningwolf. Before turning to the newcomers, Athena tears one of Runningwolf's ears in half and drops him into the mud. Owltuft darts towards her and begins her assault, and the two throw insults back and forth during their scuffle. As Athena looks for the second wave of Bloodhides, Owltuft takes advantage of her distraction to knock her down, leaving Athena with an injured leg.

Damocles arrives on the scene of the battle and sneaks up behind Owltuft, before springing forwards and grabbing her by the scruff to fling her aside. He tells Athena to go to the edge of the battlefield while he deals with Owltuft. Athena limps away, creeping along the edge of the battle and hoping that nobody notices her.