Redclaw

**Redclaw** is a dark, rusty-coloured reddish-brown tom with very faint bands of dark red against his flank and tail. His fur appears an intense red against the sunglow. He has a dark red/chocolate-coloured nose and amber eyes.

## Personality

The mark of a great leader is that he never leads, he facilitates. Redclaw takes interest in his clanmates' concerns but propagates his aid in secret. He does not like to be given credit for merely listening. He is sharp with apprentices as he wants them to keep in line, wanting exemplary GrimeClan warriors to succeed him one day, and he is always concerned about elders, kits, and queens as they promise a lot to a Clan's morale and growth. A very certain and trusted adviser of clan affairs. He wants history to be as it is, not to favor any clan in particular.

## History

During his apprenticeship, Redpaw trained alongside Molepaw and Firepaw, growing to consider the two family. He made no significant advancements ahead of his Clanmates and was a bit of a player with the she-cats, to the point where he had to patrol separately with his mentor. Over time he became a challenger to politics of the Clan and was eager to voice his opinions and concerns. He went on to earn his warrior name of Redclaw, and moons later when his close friend Molestar became the leader of GrimeClan, he chose Redclaw to be his deputy.

### First Leaf-fall

When the border patrol returns to camp after encountering the HollowClan cats, Clawface and Dustscrape approach Redclaw to report the incident. Redclaw assures them that he'll discuss the matter with Molestar. Though he dismisses Clawface, he suggests to Dustscrape that she come with them to the sundown meeting arranged between the respective leaders and deputies of HollowClan and GrimeClan, to show himself and Molestar to the meeting place. He takes his leave to go and speak with Molestar, concerned to find him sitting sadly in his nest. After gently suggesting that Molestar come out to get some sunlight, he tells him about the encounter with HollowClan and the meeting at sundown. When Molestar suggests a backup patrol of at least three cats, Redclaw agrees, suggesting they bring Embertooth, Clawface, and Lilypaw. Molestar is concerned at the thought of bringing Lilypaw to a potential battle, and Redclaw reassures him that Lilypaw can handle herself.

Leaving Molestar's den, Redclaw goes to Dustscrape and Lilypaw to tell Lilypaw that she will be on the supplementary patrol when they go to meet the HollowClan leader and deputy, which visibly excites Lilypaw. Redclaw then moves on to let Clawface know the same, also pointing out that Clawface should be training Lilypaw rather than lounging about camp.

At the sundown meeting, Redclaw is quiet for most of the conversation between Adderstar and Molestar. When Molestar agrees to let HollowClan stay for a moon, Redclaw warns Adderstar to not mistake Molestar's generosity for frailty, and that HollowClan and GrimeClan will not be friends because of this. He adds that Adderstar and Stagleap must also confer with MarshClan if they plan to stay permanently. Finally he suggests that they return to their respective camps, as night has fallen. Adderstar agrees, and everyone departs.

Arriving back at the GrimeClan camp, Redclaw is uneasy as he sits for Molestar's meeting, anticipating trouble with HollowClan in the future. When Clawface declares his disgust for Molestar's decision and makes to approach Molestar, Redclaw blocks his path and orders him to be quiet. Clawface protests further, and Redclaw orders him to sleep outside of camp for the night.

The following morning, Redclaw wakes still feeling uncertain about the events of the night before. Recalling Clawface's assertion that letting HollowClan stay will threaten Lilypaw's safety, Redclaw looks for her in the apprentices' den and is reassured to see her asleep. He remembers the vow to protect Lilypaw that he had silently made to her parents the day that she was born. As the Clan begins to awaken, he calls Batwing, Dustscrape, and Wrenpelt to him, asking them to go out on a patrol of the northern tunnels. He also tells Dustscrape to take her apprentice Sleetpaw with them.

Shortly after the patrol leaves, Redclaw is searching for cats to take on a sunhigh hunting patrol when Dustscrape and Sleetpaw return. Approaching him, Dustscrape tells Sleetpaw to explain what he did, and Redclaw is outraged when Sleetpaw admits he feigned a tunnel collapse to prank the warriors. Redclaw chastises Sleetpaw, reminding him of Firebloom's death and that it is cruel to make a mockery of it. He asks Dustscrape what she thinks Sleetpaw's punishment should be, and agrees to her suggestion of confining Sleetpaw to camp for the next moon and putting him on camp maintenance duties. More gently he tells Sleetpaw that they have his best interests at heart, and they do not want any further incidents.

As Sleetpaw leaves to eat, Dustscrape apologises to Redclaw for the hassle. Putting his tailtip on her shoulder, Redclaw assures her that sometimes apprentices act out to no fault of their mentors, and says he suspects Sleetpaw only wanted attention. He tells her that she handled the matter well, and suggests she take the rest of the day off. Thanking him for his help, Dustscrape takes her leave.

A little while later, Lilypaw approaches Redclaw after she finishes eating with Sleetpaw, saying that she wants to talk about the night before. Lilypaw admits that she is worried about their Clanmates thinking Molestar made the wrong decision by allowing HollowClan to stay. Redclaw replies that Molestar made his decision in GrimeClan's interest, and that he personally thinks Molestar did make the right choice.