Lichenfur

[f i x a t e]

L I C H E N F U R ~

[/font]
Sorry, didn't they tell you? I don't come with a warning label.[/color][/right]Role player| Fixate

Gender| she-cat

Physical Description| She is a muscular, silver tabby with dark grey stripes. Her paws, chest, tail-tip, and muzzle are white, as are her long whiskers. She has average greenish-gold eyes, and a dark burgundy nose. She is not lanky, but rather has a short and stocky appearance. She carries herself heavily, and her movements are short and quick, similar to those of a bobcat.

Views| She believes that the formation of a clan is complete and utter nonsense, as she thinks it will take away her independence. Living in such a confined area, she sees no reason to form a Clan, and finds the idea pointless. She’s very headstrong and stubborn, and does not want to be told what to do. She would rather do whatever she pleases whenever she pleases, and will retaliate if she feels that her liberties are being taken away. She often refuses help or acts of kindness that are pointed her way, all a part of her strong attitude toward self-independence. In general, she’s very negative, and wishes to live as solitary life as possible, despite the cramped conditions.

Kin|
Parents: Deceased
Siblings: Alive, but she does not keep in contact with most of them.

History| Her prefix “Lichen” came from the silver striping of her fur, similar to that of the grey fungus-algae that covered several of the rocks built into the wall. Born to a pair of conservative Clanners that did not discuss their views in front of their kits, but rather waiting until they deemed them old enough to understand it, Lichenfur was not exposed to politics at a young age.

When it came time for her apprenticeship, however, Lichenfur was paired with an old tom who was not outspoken with his Con beliefs. Upon hearing her mentor use the terms “Clanners” and “Cons”, the oblivious Lichenfur asked him what they meant. This was where all her views about politics began. Her mentor’s opinions were obviously biased against Clanners, and so Lichenfurs’ grew in the same manner. Grateful for the “recruit”, her mentor built a strong foundation of pure Con logic, opposing anything to do with Clanners.

Boasting about her newfound label of “Con” to her siblings, Lichenfur’s parents became aware of their daughter’s mentor’s views. They forbade her from talking to him anymore, and granted her her warrior name on the spot, resulting in her ordinary suffix of “fur”. They then tried to explain to her the wonders of being a Clanner, to no avail. She grew distant from her family, rarely speaking around them, in fear of another attempt at her conversion.

She often snuck away to talk to her old mentor, keeping up with the latest news of the Cons, and continuing to develop the apprentice skills that were cut short by her parents’ intervention. She confided in him, and their relationship grew. He was the only person she really opened up to about being surrounded by a group with differing views. She was still too young to survive healthily on her own, so she had no choice but to continue living close to her family. He became her escape, giving her the independence she craved. When he died shortly after, Lichenfur mourned in silence for days. She lashed out at her unknowing family, until, in a moment of complete frustration, she declared that she was leaving. She then left, leaving behind her family and their views.

On her own, her independence developed even more, until it dominated her life. It was all she had. Pushing away others with her growingly bitter personality, she lived a life of solitude. No toms dared to mess with her, and creating a family held no interest in her mind. She did not need anyone else to be happy.

Picture|

[/blockquote][/blockquote]

[Cloud]

Nope, her coloring's fine. She looks pretty good, actually.

[Ten]

Yeah, the appearance is good. Don't have to worry about that. I do have a few questions, though. Answer them in reply posts and, if necessary, amend the bio as needed.


"She is also not afraid to get physical, and will resort to violence immediately. She has a harsh personality, and a very small patience limit. She’s quite irritable, and not afraid to take a swipe at someone just for looking at her the wrong way. In general, she’s very negative, and wishes to live as solitary life as possible, despite the cramped conditions."
--
I understand how the last sentence is a view, but what about the rest here?


"(She will have a son, but I won’t introduce him until later)"
--
Is this with a tom she already met in the past, meaning that she's carrying her kits right now? Or will you be finding a mate for her during role play?


"Her prefix 'Lichen' came from the silver complexion of her fur, similar to that of the grey fungus-algae that covered several of the rocks built into the wall."
--
Wouldn't that be something to grow in a wetter climate?


"They were always trying to shove all the positivity in her face, which ultimately lead her to turn the other way, since she was still too young to develop views of her own."
--
I don't understand. Why didn't she trust them?


"So her parents then passed her off to a mellower cat, who had neutral views."
--
Neutral?


"When she felt she no longer needed their help in survival, she left them (as much as possible in a football-field-sized enclosure )."
--
That works; just because they're within range of each other doesn't mean they have to interact.


"(From here, I’ll continue with the actions that led up to her son’s existence.)"
--
Ah, so he'll be born of backstory, then. Okay.

[f i x a t e]

I understand how the last sentence is a view, but what about the rest here?
~*~
Oops, I got more detailed into her personality more there. I'll remove the rest.


Wouldn't that be something to grow in a wetter climate?
~*~
microbewiki.kenyon.edu/index.php/Desert_rock#Lichens
I didn't really know what they were until today. o.o


I don't understand. Why didn't she trust them?
~*~
It wasn't that she didn't trust them, more of that when they pushed her so hard to support the views of the Clanners, they actually drove her away. Rather than allowing her to develop her own views, they forced theirs upon her, which, paired with her stubborn will, caused her to want the complete opposite. Reverse psychology, so to speak.


Neutral?
~*~
As in, he neither had an outspoken opinion either way. I can clarify this more in the bio. (:


Ah, so he'll be born of backstory, then. Okay.
~*~
Yes. He's off... rolling in the dirt for now? xP

[Ten]

"http://microbewiki.kenyon.edu/index.php/Desert_rock#Lichens
I didn't really know what they were until today. o.o"
--
huh. That works.


"It wasn't that she didn't trust them, more of that when they pushed her so hard to support the views of the Clanners, they actually drove her away."
--
...And what was the difference between the way they raised her
and the type of upraising that would create a zealous Clanner?


"Rather than allowing her to develop her own views, they forced theirs upon her,"
--
Don't villainize the act of parenting, please.
It's not as though she was born with different views to begin with.
They believe a certain thing is right, and they want their beloved child to be right too.

Now, if they beat her half to death or something, then that would be bad.


"As in, he neither had an outspoken opinion either way."
--
Anyone who's that apathetic about his entire life being changed doesn't sound like he could be very wise.

[f i x a t e]

...And what was the difference between the way they raised her
and the type of upraising that would create a zealous Clanner?
~*~
I suppose... Room to grow. I also believe that temperament could play a role. It could also depend on how much they pushed their ideas. I intended them to basically revolve their lives around creating a Clan, which I guess is not really realistic. :/ Either way, I was trying to find a creative way for Lichenfur to be the way she is, but I suppose I could go with a more simplistic one...


Don't villainize the act of parenting, please.
It's not as though she was born with different views to begin with.
They believe a certain thing is right, and they want their beloved child to be right too.

Now, if they beat her half to death or something, then that would be bad.
~*~
Yes, completely understandable. It's just, if you push a kid too far one way, there's a pretty big chance they'll go the other... And of course they would want their child to share their beliefs, but things don't always work out the way you want. Hate to go all cliche, but: "You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink." Hehe. Corniness.

And yes, beating would be very bad. xD I can tone it down on the hostility toward the parents?


Anyone who's that apathetic about his entire life being changed doesn't sound like he could be very wise.
~*~
Very good point. He can just be old and quiet.

[Ten]

"You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink."
--
This is true. I've tried making my horse drink before. It doesn't work. Drinking isn't the same has agreeing with an ideology, though. For most other things, I do a good job of convincing her to listen to me and getting her agree with me that I'm the boss.


"I suppose... Room to grow. I also believe that temperament could play a role. Why are there rebellious teenagers breaking the law, when they have caring parents who raised them as a "good" child? It could also depend on how much they pushed their ideas. I intended them to basically revolve their lives around creating a Clan, which I guess is not really realistic. :/ Either way, I was trying to find a creative way for Lichenfur to be the way she is, but I suppose I could go with a more simplistic one..."
--
Her current backstory reminds me a lot of my cat Shortwhisker, a stubborn tom who was raised by obsessive Clanners who put a lot of pressure on him -- and he's still a Clanner to this day. What you need for that same history to work is for it to dovetail at some point, in some way. What made the circumstances of her upraising different from his?

Or, you could go the other route and say they were lenient Clanners who tried not to talk politics in front of their kit, allowing her to play with other kits regardless of who their parents were, and by the time they got around to discussing Clanhood with her, she'd already learned about con arguments. You know how it is. A parent tries to shelter a child from finding out about something by not talking about it, so they end up finding out from someone else.

Or, of course, you could just make her parents cons.

[f i x a t e]

Her current backstory reminds me a lot of my cat Shortwhisker, a stubborn tom who was raised by obsessive Clanners who put a lot of pressure on him -- and he's still a Clanner to this day. What you need for that same history to work is for it to dovetail at some point, in some way.
~*~
I'm sorry. I was going to read through everybody's cats, to make sure she wasn't too similar to anybody, but I got too excited to get started.



Or, you could go the other route and say they were lenient Clanners who tried not to talk politics in front of their kit, allowing her to play with other kits regardless of who their parents were, and by the time they got around to discussing Clanhood with her, she'd already learned about con arguments. You know how it is. A parent tries to shelter a child from finding out about something by not talking about it, so they end up finding out from someone else.
~*~
Going off of this, I could have her parents be the lenient Clanners, and then have her mentor be a Con (not to her parents' knowledge), and he could "enlighten" her about the Con opinions. Her parents could disapprove, politely explaining to her the Clanners' views. Confused, she could confide in her mentor, leading her to ultimately make the decision to be a Con. Her mentor could then die, leading to her bitterness...?

Your first idea, with her getting her views from others kits' parents is similar to what I was going to have happen with her son, who will be a Clanner... But that story is for another time. xD

[Ten]

"I'm sorry. I was going to read through everybody's cats, to make sure she wasn't too similar to anybody, but I got too excited to get started."
--
haha, no, that's good. It wouldn't make sense if nobody in the enclosure had similar childhoods.


"Confused, she could confide in her mentor, leading her to ultimately make the decision to be a Con. Her mentor could then die, leading to her bitterness...?"
--
That would make sense if she spent more time with him and bonded more with him than her parents.


"Your first idea, with her getting her views from others kits' parents is similar to what I was going to have happen with her son, who will be a Clanner... But that story is for another time. xD"
--
History repeats itself...

[f i x a t e]

That would make sense if she spent more time with him and bonded more with him than her parents.
~*~
Yes, I'll work on that.


History repeats itself...
~*~
Well... it will be a bit different. Lichenfur is not a very motherly figure, obviously, so she won't be really involved in his life at all. So I was thinking of having her un-named sister (who followed in her parents' footsteps as a Clanner), be the primary caretaker in the cat's life. He's going to be a very chipper little guy, basically opposite of his mom. He'll ask her questions about each side, confused about which is right. Then he may start out as a Con when his mother explains it more, but in the end he'll probably get involved with the religious group going on, and convert to pro-Clan when he has an unbiased account. I'm not sure, he may stay a Con, it all depends what happens in the roleplay, I suppose. Or Lichenfur may not even have a son. I'm very undecided right now. I'm going to develop her character first.