Nightstripe

Drawn by Ivy

Apprentice

Loner

***Background***

Nightstripe's father *(Ravensong)* was a Tree Clan warrior and fell in love with her mother *(Charlotte)* who was a loner. After Mossystar had heard about this *(considering this was before when clans were more open minded)* she chased them out, banishing them from Tree Clan for breaking the warrior code.

Charlotte had given birth to three tiny kittens *(Night, Pansy, Sooty)* but because of their living conditions, two out of the three kits had died from starvation, leaving only Night. After this unfortunate event, Ravensong pleaded to Mossystar to be let back into Tree Clan, however, Mossystar still refused, leaving Ravensong's hated for Tree Clan to grow.

During bare leaf *(Winter)* Charlotte had fallen ill and died, leaving a devastated Ravensong and scared Night. This was the tipping point for Ravensong's pure hatred for Tree Clan.

Ravensong took Night *(who is around apprentice age)* to the Tree Clan territory hid in a bush, telling her to watch him carefully and not come out till he said so. Ravensong waited for a patrol to pass and leaped out the bush, attacking the patrol stupidly but in a blind fit of rage and fury. However, because he was outnumbered and weak from hunger, he had been slain by the patrol, only managing to cause minor injuries to the patrolling cats. The Tree Clan patrol then found Night frozen to the bone, scared but angry at the Tree Clan cats that she had been taught to hate. The Tree Clan patrol discussed among themselves to whether to take Night back to Tree Clan or not, the majority of them agreeing to take her to the clan.

They took Night to the clan *(after a few hissy fits)* where they explained to Mossystar on what had happened. Mossystar, feeling guilty, agreed on accepting her as a clan mate, which to Night felt bitter about- the clan that had caused the death of her family taking her in for feeling pity.

Few moons later, the now named Nightpaw had taken an interest in herbs - mostly poisonous herbs and berries - and quickly requested to become a medicine cat apprentice, putting on a fake facade on wanting to help the sick and injured. Mossystar agreed, happy that Nightpaw was warming up to the clan after treating her family poorly. However, this was only the beginning of Nightpaw's ruthless acts.

Swanfur quickly took Nightpaw under her wing *(lmao)* and became very fond of the -as she stated- 'misunderstood Nightpaw' since medicine cats could not have mates and kits at the time, Nightpaw was the closest she had to children. Nightpaw had also developed fondness for Swanfur, replacing her empty mother figure with the kind hearted medicine cat. This would have been the closest for Nightpaw to develop any feelings for other cats. After Swanfur died - she had died from greencough, it had reopened Nightpaw's memory of Charlottes death from sickness - Nightpaw, now named Nightstripe took the role as medicine cat very quickly, too eager to test out her heinous plans. Her first victim was a warrior - Featherfall - who had been the one to kill her father. Featherfall had been in a fight with a badger while out on patrol and took a great deal of damage. The injury was healable, however, Nightstripe took this opportunity to take revenge and started to worsen the wound, gagging Featherfall so she wouldn't make a sound. Feather had then died due to infections in her wound. The clan saw this as just a loss cause.

Nightstripe had many ways of killing her victims, mostly were through death berries though.

Nightstripe, of course, didin't kill every cat that came into the den - she didn't want suspicions to rise- and would only inflict death when the cat was the only one in the den with her. Some cats got lucky, Nightstripe didnt have the heart to kill -only those she considered innocent and on her somewhat good side- every cat that fell into the medicine cat den. However, her murderous acts came to a halt when Mossystar became her last victim. She had been called to the leaders den where Mossystar lay, suffering from multiple injuries from a fight against a Dawn Clan patrol. Nightstripe made sure that this would be her longest torture. She told the cats to not disturb her while she was 'attending' to Mossystar's wounds, which the cats stupidly agreed to. She had made sure to stuff her mouth full of moss and twigs and whatever she could find, making it nearly impossible for her to breath. This immediately caused a red flag to spurt into Mossystar's mind. The leader had started to squirm and shout muffled curses towards the medicine cat who only looked on with an emotionless expression. Nightstripe knew that this dangerous and risk taking act would most likely end up costing her with her life, but she didn't care, this was the moment she had been waiting for.

Outside from the den, Whitefur *(Tree Clan's deputy)* had bought some prey to the leaders den - even though he was specifcally told to not enter but he was convinced that Mossystar and Nightstripe would need to restore their energy - but when he entered, what he saw absolutely horrified him. There was his leader, lifeless on the ground, her last moments still frozen on her face, and the cause of it was looming over the body, breathing out heavy pants as if she had just accomplished something worthy. Nightstripe didn't squirm or fight against the painful hold that Whitefur inflicted. She was dragged out of the den and thrown outside, a dark shadow of the great willow tree looking down upon her. Clan mates looked towards the commotion with confusion, what had their life saving Nightstripe done to make Whitefur so despaired. Whitefur placed a heavy paw onto Nightstripes head, claws digging into Nightstripes skin so painfully, however, Nightstripe still didn't fight against it. Whitefur roared to Nightstripe to confess her evil deeds to the clan, which to Nightstripe did without hesitation. After she had finished her final word, breath still being let out, Whitefur had slashed across her throat, ending Nightstripes rein of terror.