Duskwhisker

**Duskwhisker** is a stocky, dark grey tom with a patch of white on his chest and deep-set yellow eyes. His fur is a dense pelt, and he has an angular face.

## Personality

Quiet and withdrawn since the death of his son, Duskwhisker is mostly just going through the motions of clan life. He fulfils duties to the letter and no more, eats meals with his mate and his daughter, and will respond (if dully) to any attempted conversation, but it seems that his heart is no longer in it. The only thing he really does of his own volition, and not from being ordered or out of habit, is visit the place he found Cricketpaw's body and sit there for long moments.

## History

As an apprentice, Duskpaw trained alongside Swiftpaw, Ivypaw, and Barkpaw. He and Swiftpaw were best friends throughout their apprenticeships. Coming from a family of hunters, he worked hard to hone hunting skills of his own, and sometimes helped fellow apprentices such as Ivypaw with their own hunting training. He went on to earn his warrior name of Duskwhisker. After he and Swiftleap were made warriors, they officially became mates. At some point in his life, Duskwhisker went on a hunting patrol with Merlinmist that lasted from sunrise to sunset.

When Duskwhisker was 23 moons old, he and Swiftleap had two kits together, Burnetkit and Cricketkit. Duskwhisker and his family survived the DriftClan war and HollowClan's relocation with no losses, until after settling in their new camp, his then-apprenticed son Cricketpaw died in a tree-climbing accident. Duskwhisker was the first to find Cricketpaw's body.

### First Leaf-fall

The morning after the meeting between HollowClan and GrimeClan, Duskwhisker wakes and goes to the fresh-kill pile to get food. Seeing a vole, he takes it for Swiftleap to have, but struggles to decide what to get for himself. He stares blankly at the fresh-kill for a while, but is distracted from his thoughts by the arrival of Berrybrook and Hawkcloud, and looks up to say hello to them. In response to Hawkcloud wondering if any of the day's patrols will encounter GrimeClan again, Duskwhisker says that it's unlikely, as he imagines Adderstar and Stagleap won't send them too close to the new border. He finally decides to take a small wren, then drifts off into his thoughts again as he feels guilty for not knowing what Burnetfang might like, unsure if he had known Cricketpaw's favourite prey either.

Berrybrook speaks up, agreeing that it's not likely they'll be allowed near the GrimeClan border. He suggests that they go hunting, to which Duskwhisker agrees, though they decide to eat first. At first Duskwhisker plans to wait for Swiftleap and Burnetfang, and to pass the time asks Hawkcloud what the GrimeClan cats were like. Hawkcloud remarks that they seemed a lot like HollowClan despite their strange name. Duskwhisker mentions that they don't know anywhere to go hunting, and Berrybrook says that they could simply hunt while they explore, suggesting that they might find something like a rabbit burrow. Adding that he would like to find any snakes around, Duskwhisker recalls the first time he caught a snake, and that Barkstripe told him to put it in Merlinmist's nest. He quickly assures Hawkcloud that he didn't, to which Hawkcloud growls that he would've been very angry if Duskwhisker had.

When Berrybrook and Hawkcloud finish their prey, they decide to go hunting immediately. Duskwhisker quickly eats his wren before following them. As they begin to head in the opposite direction to the apprentices' hunting patrol, Duskwhisker asks Berrybrook how his training with Lichenpaw is going. Berrybrook replies that Lichenpaw is kind and a good learner, then asks Duskwhisker if he would like an apprentice himself. Duskwhisker answers that he'd only want an apprentice who had the potential to be a good hunter, so that he could pass his skills on to them.

Walking through the Conifer Grove, Duskwhisker suggests that they start hunting now. Berrybrook agrees, remarking that this place seems like it's teeming with prey, and suggests that Duskwhisker tag-team a nearby rabbit with him. Duskwhisker sneaks around behind the rabbit, then leaps out, scaring the rabbit in Berrybrook's direction.