History
Key Dates
- BIRTH MOON WAS NOT PROVIDED
Full History :
:The first, last, and only kit of the older ShadowClan queen Cedarshadow and her mate Frogstep was born in newleaf and he was named Elmkit. Like any other kit, Elmkit's early moons were all comfort, with much thanks to his mother doting on him. But even though kithood was supposed to be filled with play and fun, Elmkit had always been shy, as Cedarshadow observed, and preferred to stay by himself than play with others. Elmkit became somewhat more social as he grew up, if for no other reason than it being expected of him.
- Like most cats, Elmkit became an apprentice and was renamed when he became six moons of age. Now Elmpaw, the young tom was given a mentor, an easy-going she-cat named Thymetail, and began to train as a warrior. Elmpaw became a better hunter than a fighter. Although Thymetail praised him for his wits when it came to fighting, she scowled at his offensive skills, as Elmpaw often showed little motivation during battle practice. It took a little more than a half-moon for Elmpaw to show improvement, and from that point on, his mentor drilled him with extra battle training.
- Ten moons later, Elmpaw became Elmcloud and was welcomed as a full warrior of ShadowClan. Although he was proud to be a warrior, Elmcloud wasn't looking forward to the chance of getting caught in a battle. He quite doubted himself. He was going against almost all of Thymetail's constant encouragement that he had turned out well as a fighter, and that Elmcloud had a lot of potential, if only he had more faith in himself.
- In his first real battle, Elmcloud barely got a claw on his larger opponent. Rather than actually stand and fight, Elmcloud was moving about, only striking out to keep away from the cat trying to lock him in place. Eventually, another warrior engaged Elmcloud's attacker, and later still, the battle ended. What others may have seen as cowardice, Elmcloud saw as cleverness. From that battle, Elmcloud got away with little more than a nasty scratch on his right ear and a bleeding muzzle that wasn't serious enough to keep him from being put on a patrol later that day.
- At around twenty-five moons, during the Moon of First Fishing, Elmcloud's elderly parents, whom he loved dearly, joined the ranks of StarClan within days of each other. Their deaths affected Elmcloud perhaps more significantly than they should have. As he sat vigil for them, and for a number of days after, the tom's thoughts darkened, and at one point, Elmcloud even envied the medicine cats and leaders, because they could being able to communicate with the Clans' departed.
- That same moon, shortly after his parents' passing, Elmcloud was given an apprentice to mentor. Perhaps it was a way to make more use of him, or perhaps just an attempt to help him get over the loss he felt so deeply. Elmcloud didn't know why he was being given an apprentice to train, though he never went bothering the leader about it. It was an honor, after all, and Elmcloud accepted it without complaint, though his mind still felt raw.
- Elmcloud taught his apprentice as well as he could, though he often sought advice from older warriors. Elmcloud thanked StarClan that his apprentice was a quick learner and didn't mind that his mentor was such a dark, brooding cat who still had not recovered from his parents' deaths. Elmcloud felt especially happy when his apprentice became a warrior, but Elmcloud didn't want to get another apprentice after that. He didn't think himself a great teacher.
- Seasons later, on the ninth day of the Moon of First Fishing, Elmcloud was the first to discover the death of ShadowClan's deputy Ravenwing. Coming across her lifeless body brought back a similar feeling of numbness that Elmcloud had felt at his parents' death, though Elmcloud hadn't felt himself particularly close to Ravenwing. Later that night, for some reason beyond him, Elmcloud was named deputy of ShadowClan by Whitestar. Although Elmcloud accepted the duty, he was very unsure that he could do it well.
- To Elmcloud, it seemed that Whitestar had a fondness of giving him things he didn't want. On the twenty-fifth day of the Moon of First Fishing (Elmcloud is unsure if he should hold this moon auspiciously or suspiciously), Elmcloud was given Hawkpaw to mentor as an apprentice. Of course, he accepted the job of teaching Whitestar's nephew, but Elmcloud felt more uncertain than ever about mentoring, because of Hawkpaw's poor constitution. Meanwhile, since the deaths of Irispelt, Mousewhisker, Sparkfeather, and Wintersky in the Moon of First Green and the Moon of Running Prey, all from the same sickness, Elmcloud's thoughts have been plagued with anxiety.
- He has found a small portion in happiness in his new friendship with Squirrelfur, but the border battle with ThunderClan on the third day of the Moon of Killingcough, which ShadowClan won only by a fluke in Elmcloud's opinion, has brought the deputy a new set of worries. He wishes that ShadowClan and ThunderClan could make instant peace with each other, but realizes that that would take a miracle to happen. For now, Elmcloud just prays that no more fights will break out.
- On the seventh day of the Moon of Cheetah's Flight (2007), Whitestar was found dead and Elmcloud was forced to become ShadowClan's leader in her place. He appointed Lionheart as his deputy and journeyed to Mothermouth to receive his name and nine lives.
- On the tenth day of the Moon of Long Nights (2007), Elmstar was asked to father a litter of kits for his friend Squirrelfur and he happily obliged. He hasn't had long to entertain the thought of new kits in the Clan though, because more problems were sent to ShadowClan. The elder Sootypelt died the night of the Gathering and nine days later, the warrior Yellowfoot was found dead in the swamp. A mere two days after that, Lionheart was brought back to camp heavily injured from a fight with Blackstar.
- Elmstar was grateful that Lionheart would live and his later discussion with Blackstar gave him some hope that WindClan would not attack ShadowClan, but it did little to improve his mood after he was given a report on Lionheart's current status. The deputy was too badly injured to go on with his duties, so Elmstar was forced to appoint a replacement. He chose Fogdancer and gave her Lionheart's apprentice to mentor.
- During the Moon of Melting Waters (2008), Squirrelfur gave birth to Elmstar's kits, two she-cats and two toms, but one of the toms was stillborn. The remaining three were named Rosekit, Poppykit, and Shadowkit, and Elmstar is thankful that they're healthy.
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