Emberflame

**Emberflame** is a chocolate brown tabby tom with yellow eyes.

## History

Emberkit is born to Koiwatcher and Rootberry alongside his brother, Goldenkit. Emberkit and Goldenkit are looked down upon by many Clan cats because their mother is a loner and not Clan born, but Rootberry defends his kits. Many other Clanmates also support the two, but Emberkit and Goldenkit do not know of the rift until they are old enough to understand it. Goldenkit tries to do what he can to solidify himself, while Emberkit feels as if he does not have to defend himself.
Emberkit is given to Houndheart as an apprentice. Houndheart trains him ruthlessly, often using claws unsheathed in battle training. He is verbally abusive to his apprentice, which leads to Emberpaw often snapping back with venomous words. Because of this, their relationship dwindles to nothing. It takes Winterfall and Hailstep to interfere on Emberpaw's behalf and helping him complete his training.
Emberpaw attends the Gathering for the first time, but is scoffed upon by the other Clan cats too once they know that their mother is a loner, and their father is the eccentric Clan leader. The other Clan apprentices and younger warriors bully him, but having had experience with his own mentor, Emberpaw snaps back at them, and eventually earns himself a feared reputation among the Clans.
During his apprenticeship, his brother Goldenpaw, often rebukes him or insults him, refusing to be associated with someone as frightening as Emberpaw. Emberpaw thinks of this as just another betrayal, and although his heart breaks for this, he refuses to show that he is upset by this. He secretly envies Goldenpaw for having Winterfall as a mentor while he is stuck with Houndheart.
Emberpaw walks on WindClan territory one day while chasing a bird. Several WindClan warriors capture him and bring him back to camp as a hostage, in order to lure Rootstar out to attack him for the prey-stealing accusations between the two Clans. However, Rootstar does not go, and WindClan keeps Emberpaw as a hostage, treating him cruelly. They do not let him eat, they harm him when they get the chance, and Swiftstar merely watches, allowing him to stay in a den full of barbaric wolves. Eventually, Gorseflight puts a stop to this by volunteering to stand guard for Emberpaw at all times. Swiftstar leads his Clan in battle against Rootstar, and with that time, Gorseflight allows Emberpaw to escape into remote land. As the days go by, Emberpaw ponders if he should return to his Clan or not. Realizing he has nowhere to go, he goes back to camp and faces his father, ordering him not to touch him as he did not retrieve him while he suffered in WindClan's custody. Rootstar explains that it was far too dangerous to send someone and that he thought they would treat him all right, but Emberpaw snaps at him and says he wants nothing to do with him.
He meets a young ShadowClan apprentice named Ivypaw, and despite Emberpaw's frosty exterior, they become friends. Because of Emberpaw's loneliness as an apprentice in Clan, he finds himself confiding in the tortoiseshell she-cat. She listens to him, but unbeknownst to Emberpaw, she is telling the cats in ShadowClan what Emberpaw is saying. Lionstar uses this to Rootstar's advantage, which makes Rootstar furious. When Emberpaw finds out that Ivypaw betrayed him, he is horrified and vows never to trust again.
Emberpaw becomes Emberflame, who lives life in his Clan alone, pushing his brother, his mother, his father, and his Clanmates away. He snaps poisonous words at anyone who comes near him, and lives in his fearsome, menacing reputation. He refuses to trust anyone, never eating from the fresh-kill pile, always hunting for himself, and refusing to be treated by the Clan medicine cat.
## Personality

With a poisonous smile and venomous words, Emberflame is cruel to everyone around him. Snarky and petulant, he hides a vulnerable, hopeful heart, and a keenly clever mind. He appears to be manipulative and unforgiving, believing all cats are his pawns, and all lives are indispensable. He is willing to use anything and anyone as pawns, and cats are his favorite. However, behind all of this, he believes he has no worth, the only thing to his name is being Rootstar's son. His smile is often cordial, but his eyes are full of ice.

## Quotes

**Emberflame**: "*Rootstar, don’t tell me you honestly believe that those who died went off to some kind of paradise? Ridiculous. The gods of warriors betray as readily as those who created them. That’s why you must show no mercy to those who oppose you.*"

**Rootstar**: "*You just have yet to meet someone you can put your faith in, Emberflame. Once you do, you will change your mind.*"

**Emberflame**: "*Ha... if such a cat exists, I’d love to see them. What do you say we put a little bet on it? If I find this cat, who you say is out there somewhere... I will give you any request you dare give.*"

**Rootstar**: "*I'll hold you to that someday. Even if you don’t have faith, I do... I know that someday, you will find them... that one cat who you can trust with your whole heart.*"

—Emberflame and Rootstar

**Emberflame**: "*Say it again. Look me in the eyes this time. Say it.*"

**Roseheart**: "*I... I won't betray you, Emberflame.*"

**Emberflame**: "*Do you swear it to me?*"

**Roseheart**: "*I do.*"

**Emberflame**: "*Betray me and I* will *kill you. You have one last chance to change your mind... and I will pretend as if you never said anything. But, in exchange, you will grovel at my paws and beg forgiveness for daring to preach to me about trusting anyone.*"
**Roseheart**: "*I'm not changing my mind.*"
**Emberflame**: "*Oh no? You'd want me to be the instrument of your own suicide?*"
**Roseheart**: "*You would never kill me. I'd have to betray you first.*"

—Roseheart and Emberflame