Flashstripe

## Appearance

Flashstripe is a large, shorthaired red tabby tom with yellow eyes.

## Personality

*POSITIVE | Kind, Generous, Good listener, Loyal*

*NEUTRAL | Selfless, Energetic, Cooperative*

*NEGATIVE | Gullible, Pushover, Impulsive, Self-Depreciating*

## History

***Flash:** Flash was born into the Clan of Sun’s Light to Perchfin and Waverush, two loyal and caring warriors. Unfortunately, both were killed by the same falling tree when Flash was far too young to remember them. He was given to a foster mother with an already large litter, and she was frequently tired out by raising all of them at once. Flash felt bad for adding onto her workload, but he wasn’t sure how to reduce it since he was still a kit that needed taking care of. He kept his guilt to himself, not wanting to burden anyone with his feelings. Aside from that, he had an eager and energetic demeanor, and the other kits loved to play with him.*

***Flashstep:** As Flash became Flashstep and was apprenticed to Sweetberry, he became more aware of his differences between him and the rest of Sun’s Light. His impulsiveness and gullibility seemed to annoy his disciplined and intelligent Clanmates, and his status as a liability sunk in as he felt their judging eyes. Though he proved himself to be a quick and agile hunter, he still felt like he didn’t fit in with the rest of the Clan. For a while, Sweetberry was the only cat he felt like he could bond with.*

*One day, Sweetberry noticed Flashstep moping around, which was unusual behavior for him. She assured him he could talk to her about anything, so he confessed his feelings of being a burden. Sweetberry comforted her apprentice, assuring him he wasn’t a burden, but she could tell he wanted to know ways to help out his Clan more. Alongside typical warrior training, she taught him how to be a good listener. Flashstep used the skills Sweetberry taught him to learn more about his Clanmates’ issues and opinions, helping him connect with them more and change their perceptions of him.*

***Flashstripe:** Flashstep soon became Flashstripe, and he was exceptionally proud of himself. He nearly wore himself out patrolling the border for three days and worried Sweetberry to death, but he came back ready and raring to serve his Clan. When Sweetberry had Drift, he helped to take care of her and play with her when Sweetberry was tired.*

*Flashstripe was shocked to learn alongside the rest of the Clan that Sweetberry broke the code and that Drift was illegitimate. He wanted to defend them both, but he knew he’d be scorned by his Clanmates for doing so. At the same time, he was always taught the warrior code must be upheld regardless of personal connections, so he was conflicted. All he could bring himself to do was apologetically gaze as the two were escorted out of camp. When the guards came back and reported Sweetberry was killed by a shark and Drift was severely wounded, Flashstripe was devastated. He retreated from the rest of the Clan for a few days to keep them from seeing his grief; any time he wasn’t on a patrol, he was in the warriors den moping. His Clanmates tried to comfort him, but they believed his grief was the result of discovering his mentor was a codebreaker and did nothing to help him actually move past Sweetberry’s death.*

*Once all his emotions were cooled except the nagging guilt of not standing up for his mentor, Flashstripe decided to respect the honorable parts of Sweetberry’s legacy by continuing to be a good listener, even passing some of her lessons on to his own apprentice, Brindlestep. However, as he no longer had Sweetberry to remind him he wasn’t a burden, he resorted to pretending he agreed with everyone in his Clan to get along with them, regardless of what he really thought. Not only does it sometimes confuse his Clanmates when his alleged opinions contradict, but it makes him feel like his own opinions don’t matter. He’ll do just about anything to please his Clanmates unless it’s something blatantly wrong or dangerous, and he can accommodate for just about anyone’s needs. One thing his Clanmates cannot deny is his loyalty to Sun’s Light and the warrior code; though he is respectful to Moon’s Shade and the voided should he come across them, he defends Sun’s Light no matter what.*