Of Roses and Their Thorns: Crystal Rosepaw

[Crystal M. V. Rosepaw]

Name: Crystal McFox Vallian Rosepaw. However, her other name is Sky-Of-Crystal-Stars in the village where she was born.
Nicknames: Crys. Crissie. Dislikes responding to War Commander or 'Ms. Rosepaw.' Will also respond to her tribal name, although she doesn't share it.
Gender: Female
Race: Red/arctic fox
Age: 24 years
Height: 5'3". Short for a fox.
Beliefs/Religion: Crystal is not all that religious. However, she believes that the ancestors of the brave and just are watching the living from places in the stars. She also believes in fate, like most of her species.
Hobbies: Writing, drawing, and occasionally singing and dancing (regardless that she's awful at the later). She also enjoys practicing swordplay. Unlike most, she enjoys battle, due to the frighting blood of her mother's warlike clan.


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Current Information
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family background:
Father: Samkern J. Rosepaw. Used to be part of the crew on a merchant ship. Became a blacksmith after the crash. Uses blacksmith skills to help in Redwall.
Mother: Field-Where-Birds-Fly. Now goes by Helen Rosepaw. Used to be a part of the Tera Clan in the northlands. She was the apprentice to the village's shaman. However, she mostly brewed herbal remedies for illness. Cared for Crystal's father when he washed up onshore. Moved away with him to Mossflower.
Brother: Mortamus Z. Rosepaw. A gentle healer with limited knowledge of fighting. Known to be down to earth and charming. Attempted to fix Crystal's injured leg and failed. Also stopped he from harming herself.
Sister-in-Law: Molly Rosepaw. Mortamus's wife. Started hostilities between Crystal and Mortamus by accident. Asks constantly for Mortamus to forgive her. Hopes to one day make amends.

birth place:
The Tera Clan's village in the north.


home:
Currently lives at the fortress of the Guardians. Previously lived at Redwall Abbey, the ship Fable (Originally Dark Pearl), the Tera village, the outskirts of Salamandraston, and a series of mountain caves.

possessions, make-up, jewelry, etc.:
Broadsword: Unlike most others, she does not name her blades. However, this is her most famed weapon, although not her first. She weilds it with prowess and familiar comfort. She has lived her life merged with the sword so much that she finds it an extension, and does not roam without it unless absolutely required.
Kama: Although these weapons are foreign, these were her first, unless you count a childish slingshot. An elderly hare gave them to her as a gift when she traveled north and taught her to use them.
Knife: This is not at all pretty. The handle is made of old wood, and the blade is jagged. However, it is sharp and easy to carry.
Clothing: Crystal has only four outfits. They greatly vary.


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Physical Description
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hair style: The fur on her head is long and silky. She often wears it down and runs her claws through it to untangle it. It is the same color as her fur.

eyes: Her eyes are a fiery emerald green and sparkle with emotion.

body: Her femeine curves are flawed by the frightful angles her body has wound itself into. Her left leg sticks out a bit where the bone never mended correctly.

physical condition: A bit to thin, but otherwise very good.

marks,scar,tattoos: Crystal has numerous scars. She has a few scratches on her muzzle and cheeks, and her left hip has a large line of scar tissue from a sparring acident. a large line streches from her collar bone and goes over her shoulder and down her back. Her right paw has a large cut across it. Her forearms are littered with numerous tiny marks that healed badly.

clothing:
Typical Clothing: This is a simple outfit, consisting of a pale lavender dress and a blue belt made of cloth. The dress has long sleeves which cover the faded cream bandages on her arms which she always wears. She also wears a set of worn black boots. She also wears a black cloak which is held in place by her badge.
Work wear: These are simply so she does not have to wash and mend her dress as often. She wears a green tunic and a patched pair of black shorts. Her bandages and boots are still worn. She might wear her cloak, but normally doesn't.
Formal Wear: As a War Commander, Crystal does know that at times she needs to dress up. She wears red dress of silky fabric, which is trimmed with black, and goes to her knees. Her feet are covered by the sandles, which to have straps that go to the lower part of her knees. A cloak of black silk goes halfway down her back, and a belt of the same material holds her sword.
Battle Gear: This is a green and gold tabard. She sometimes wears chain mail under it. Picture in signature.


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Personality
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likes:
Writing, drawing, reading, singing, sitting my a fire on cold days, eating sweets, fighting, and candles.

dislikes:
Water, heights, summer, guys that try to say they're better than her, girls shat wear to little clothing, and seeing people hurt.

fears:
Water, because she can't swim very well. She's also very paranoid.

goals:
Prove to everyone that she is just as good as the 'goodbeasts.' She also wants to provide a safe haven for the defenseless.

occupation:
War Commander and Head Warrior at the Guardians' fortress. Also Second Mate on the ship Fable.

most prized possession:
Her broadsword, due to it being made by her father.

vernacular:
Plain English. Also curses quite a bit.

psychological condition:
Borderline insane.

character behavior:
Brooding and dark. She takes charge when she needs to, but would rather slip into the shadows. While commanding, she demands perfection is somebody is looking. However, she does not believe in physical punishment, and will simple heckle them with words.

social and other pressure, problems:
Does not handle social situations very well.

relationships:
None, really. She refuses to admit that she is liked in such a way. She also finds relationships pointless.

positive characteristics:
→ Can put her emotions to the side
→ Knows her way around fights
→ Thoughtful
→ Knows how to keep a situation calm
→ Good at controlling a group
→ Can use stealth well
→ Can also function properly on a ship

negatives characteristics:
→ Very angry and spiteful
→ Would rather sit alone in the dark than get in touch with her problems
→ Unable to swim
→ Gives long and complicated responses to easy questions
→ Has a scary apperance due to her limp, fur color, and scars
→ Limp sometimes plays up on her and makes it hard to walk
→ Refuses to use the cane for her leg unless really needed
→ Borderline insanity
→ Bipolar
→ Self-conscious
→ Cannot handle alcohol at all
→ A bit of a recluse

personality:
Crystal's mind is a very complicated place. As a child she was carefree and easy to enjoy the company of. She hadn't been hurt and was very trusting, maybe to the point of being gullible. However, as she grew older, she got colder. She is always tense due to the thought that she will always be needed to do something. She has forgotten most of the mannerisms that she was about in the Abbey school, and reverts easily to her feral ways. She is not good at communication of her feelings, and will try to hide them. However, she is a very dark and brooding soul. She was once deeply rooted in self-harm, but stopped doing so after her brother found out. After living alone for a year, she nearly lost the ability to speak, and became bipolar. After the accident with Molly and her brother, the insanity starting to congregate in her thoughts grew in size and threatened to consume her. She often inwardly makes commentary due to this, and also imagines things that are not really there, such as being able to feel heat off an angry person. However, she realizes that she's not mentally stables, and that is what scares her. She often cannot sleep for days, and collapses from exhaustion or her bad leg gives out. Also, due to worry about her image, she will often push herself with exercises that are not smart due to her many conditions.

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On a side note: I've noticed something typing this. Does Crystal seem to be just like a female anthro version of Dr. house to anyone besides me? Regardless, I had half this stuff planed before I even watched it, but. Yay. My character is just like an obnoxious doctor off a TV show. : D

[Crystal M. V. Rosepaw]

Crystal Rosepaw
I was killing before killing was cool!
_{Part One: Ships and Shamans}

Samkern J. Rosepaw was a worker on a merchant ship which traveled the high seas in search of trade, taking parts for profit. The ship was large, and although the crew were many, few knew how to laugh in the face of the sea and live to tell the tale. Sam, as he was called, was an able red fox who, although he was not high ranking crew, was a valuable member of the team. He'd grown up on a farm, and so he was used to hard work. The fox was often used to haul crates around the ship, and to help steer during storms. However, the lands to the far north were known for the wild and unpredictable storms. As the crew ran about in warm clothes, the captain, a sturdy badger called Whitestripe, commented darkly to his crew that the incomming storm would be rough. However, none of them could have predicted how bad it was. The waves licked the boat's deck, and the lighter creatures were swept away, some to never be recovered. The captain ordered for the crew to stand down and try to hide out of the storm, tie themselves to the ship, anything. Sam, however, was late to hear the call. He had been trying to lash the wheel into place, and ran to the deck to find safety. However, lightning flashed and the boat was thrown into the air. The safety he'd found was a railing of the ship, and as the boat struck down and rocked, the wood splintered and snapped. He frantically cried for help, but none were able to reach him, and he fell into the cold waters. He clung to the largest peice of the broken railing, and watched with terror as the boat was swept away without him.

The fox fought the long, hard, and fruitless battle to catch up, being cold and exhausted. He dragged himself up as best he could on the board and hung there, ready to wait out the ride. He was slowly being swept to shore. After a few terrifying hours, the tired feeling dealt a hard blow, and silenced his cries with unwanted sleep. The cold made sure that his claws did not move in this sleep. Sam, in his poor state, didn't even notice when he was pitched up on the beach, or when the storm soon ended.

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Field-Where-Birds-Fly was a pretty young fox whom lived in a village of the native people of this land. Her name, like all her other tribe-mates', was something her mother saw as she was born. The village chief, Cloud-That-Cries-Snow, was a now elderly wildcat, and was very interested in the business of Path-Where-Spirits-Travel, an aging fox who served as the village's Shaman. Field-Where-Birds-Fly was taking lessons from the old vixen, and had been sent to find shells and seaweed for a ritual. As a shaman, she was taught the dialects of others, in the case others traveled near by. As she placed her finds in a basket, she saw an odd shape on the beach. She ran over to find out what is was, and discovered a fox like herself, only taller, built thinner, and with flaming orange fur. She placed her basket near him and tore back to her village, telling the others what she'd found.

Cloud-That-Cries-Snow was still strong, and came with her to see this strange beast. After the young shaman's pleading, the cheif decided to carry him back. The two vixens, young and old, tended for their patient, barely able to pull him away from hypothermia. They used sweet smelling smokes to keep their patient asleep, and ran out anyone that came in, fearing they'd bring sickness to the weak foreigner. They did not know his name, and so they used one of their rituals to place the name Child-Of-The-Water on him. They were amazed when he woke up during the night shouting. Field-Where-Birds-Fly came to his side, quieting him in the English he was familiar with, telling him what had happened. She let him know of his hurts and showed him the bandages and herbs they had used.

Sam, or Child-Of-The-Water now, instantly knew she was a kind lady, and his kind ways made sure he offered his name. As he was forced to stay in the Cave-Of-Great-Healing, the two foxes became close under the watchful eye of Path-Where-Spirits-Travel.

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After numerous years here, Sam had learned the village language, but had asked that he be called by his name of 'Sam.' The villagers were kind and honored this, but would still call him the other when talking amongst themselves. As shamans could never have a family, the young vixen had stepped down and asked her sister to take her place. The years following his recovery, the two foxes had a rite placed on them that proclaimed their love for one another. First, between them they had a son, and while looking about, the mother saw a scripts of might warriors and called him Plains-Where-Dead-Speak. Sam, however, wished him to also have a name he could say easily, and called him Mortamus as well.

Two years later, another child was born between them, a girl. She, like her mother and brother, was white. This child was called Sky-Of-Crystal-Stars. Sam shortened this name to simply 'Crystal.'

And thus this hero was born...

[Crystal M. V. Rosepaw]

Crystal Rosepaw
I was killing before killing was cool!
_{Part Two: Kids Will Be Kids}

Helen, as her husband called her, was starting to notice her husband's unease here. He taught his children what he knew with such calmness and gentleness that we was greatly noticed by all. The village children would always want to come and see the green eyed cubs, and would play with the older of the two. However, when not working with villagers or children, Sam seemed sad. Field-Where-Birds-Fly questioned him about it, and he admitted he was homesick. In their culture, being homesick meant that there was people in your homeland that needed help. Without telling him, Helen asked her villages' elders. She requested that she and her husband would be allowed to leave. Before she could explain, the cheiftan signalled for her to quiet herself, and said he knew the day would come. If she was able to tell her family, she would be allowed to go, and take her children with her.

The vixen stood shame-faced in front of her family after she told them of her plan. Her father was angry, thinking he had wanted her to do this. She quickly made him think differently, proclaiming that she wanted to go. Although at first they were upset, they finally gave into her desires. She told her husband the news, and he was astonished. However, he was worried that she, herself, would long for home. Yet, she told him that she wanted to live like he did, but where she would know her children were safe. He confessed his home wasn't safe, and this concerned them both. She said he did know a place that accepted all who did not wish harm with warm, inviting arms, and would often heal the hurts of even ex-criminals. This place was Redwall Abbey. Soon after, they set off, little Mortamus and baby Crystal waving back to the people they were leaving behind, smiles on their faces.

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