Whitecloud † [Mother; ThunderClan; NPC]
Auburnclaw † [Father; ThunderClan; NPC]

A big, well-muscled tom, Bramblestripe is very tough and powerful. He has a thick, richly coloured pelt which is a creamy gold and streaked with black stripes. The backs of his neat, triangular ears are black with soft tufts on the ends and he has especially long, soft whiskers. His eyes are a very noticeable feature, because he seems to hold so much expression in them. Other cats say that Bramblestripe can be read easily through his eyes, even when the rest of him gives nothing away. They are slightly slanted and a deep, blazing golden. He is a good-looking cat and quite different from when he was younger. He was rather small and unimpressive as a kit, but as he got older he developed an enviable strength in his shoulders and legs and a rich, thick pelt that makes him a handsome creature.

Bramblestripe can act as anything from a complete joker to a very serious, in-control leader. How he comes across generally depends on his mood and the circumstances. However he definitely has an excellent sense of humour and laughs a lot, as well as being rather mischievous character. He enjoys teasing others gently if he knows they will take it well, but he is capable of being sensitive and tactful when it suits him. He is very amicable and so is popular in camp, even with all the she-cats. But somehow, he doesn't see himself taking any of them as his mate. Above all he is ruled by his heart and has something of a habit to act on impulse and not think everything through too thoroughly. If his heart tells him to go for something, his head will very rarely win over it. Whatever Bramblestripe wants, he chases with all of his power.

Born at a time when surviving kits were scarce, Bramblestripe's kithood was shared with just one other litter. It happened to be the kits of the leader, Shadestar, and his mate. Because of this, he quickly developed a firm and fierce friendship with the two kits: Ashkit and Frostkit. His own littermates did not survive past their very earliest days, and so Bramblekit saw these other two almost as his kin. He loved both as if they were his own brother and sister and spent his entire kithood playing, scheming and tussling with them. At this early age, he viewed Ashkit and Frostkit as complete equals; he liked them in the same way, just as brothers and sisters would. He shared every experience with them, and because of this he shared their sorrows too.

When Ashkit and Frostkit's mother was killed, Bramblekit was there, quietly comforting his closest friends as best as he could. The dark mood was somewhat lightened for Bramblekit as he became Bramblepaw, a moment of great joy and hope for him. He was, however, saddened that he was apprenticed without Ashkit had because her ceremony had had to be delayed, but he threw himself into training anyway with Frostpaw. The first moon of his life as an apprentice flew by in any case and Ashpaw had joined him before long. His mentor was one of the most experienced in the Clan and brought the very best out of Bramblepaw.

Though Ashpaw and Frostpaw were still his closest friends, he felt a strange change in his relationship with Ashpaw. It soon became apparent that he had begun to fall for her and spent the rest of his apprenticeship circling around her, never having the courage to tell her. In addition to this he thought that Frostpaw would never forgive him for feeling something towards his sister, of whom Bramblepaw knew he was extremely protective. In fact, Bramblepaw was aware of the fact that he was lucky to even be allowed to spend so much time with Ashpaw, though he doubted much could be done about it anyway. He was a little less close to Frostpaw at this point, though still they were friends. But even though Bramblepaw suspected Ashpaw might feel the same way about him, he was never brave enough to do anything about it. Because of this, he grew up and became a warrior, always just the best friend, never quite anything more.

Bramblestripe continued to do all his duties with Ashwhisker, sharing every thought and concern except the one which might have mattered the most. What was in his heart never went away; never did he lose hope that one day he could finally reveal many moons' worth of affections which had secretly grown and deepened. He was by her side when sickness struck the cats of ThunderClan, including Frostwind. He willed his old friend to recover, both for his and for Ashwhisker's sakes. But that was when everything changed for Bramblestripe. The deputy fell to the sickness and Ashwhisker was chosen to replace him. Though he knew his best friend would be a great deputy and one day leader, his hopes were shattered and he knew then that his silent wishes were in vain. Never would Ashwhisker be able to take a mate. Never would he be anything other than her best friend.

Ashwhisker's new responsibilities and aspirations pushed Bramblestripe away. He found she was always busy and simply couldn't find the time to hang around with him the way she used to, and Bramblestripe was thoroughly depressed. He told himself to give up on her, and when Shadestar died and Ashwhisker became leader, he knew that it would be even harder to spend time with her. Around half a moon into Ashstar's leadership, Bramblestripe had quite himself to getting on with life quietly, though never able to move on fully and still harbouring the same feelings for the leader as he did when he was an apprentice. He became very good at hiding his deepest secrets and no cat could guess the trouble inside him from his outward behaviour, but the deep longing for Ashstar remained.

However, even as things seemed completely hopeless, things changed. Bramblestripe discovered that his sentiments towards Ashstar were not unreciprocated as he had believed. One greenleaf day, he hunted with her, and on that trip they exchanged confessions of their deep love for one another. From that day on, everything was different. Bramblestripe was suddenly part of a forbidden relationship, torn between his guilt at flouting the Warrior Code and his desperate wish to be with the only one he loved. He couldn't resist Ashstar, and for all his sense of honour he could not stay away.