A little too sharp to be
cute, a little too kind to be intimidating, Velvetdusk cuts a distinct figure even among ShadowClan's strange ranks. Standing at slightly below average height, his body is slight and slender, sometimes verging on uncannily thin in the coldest months. He has a wiry strength that can be felt despite the comparative thinness of his limbs, and suggestions of competence linger in the dense, rangy muscle of his shoulders and forelegs. A thickly feathery coat disguises some of the lines of his body, set off by a flourishing white quill of a tail. The immediate impression one gets of him is tired but benevolent; he has strange features but a fine, handsome face, though it is difficult to put an age to him.
He wears a long face that usually appears happy yet utterly exhausted. There's a certain delicate quality to his features, which are finely wrought yet expressive, that would push him towards fragility if not for his visible scars. Four distinct clawmarks rake down his left eye, though he blessedly retains his sight, and there's a grooved scar high on his right temple. Similarly, his red left ear is gone nearly to the base, leaving a high-set and tufted black right one. He has dark brown eyes that are as wide as a deer's and equally imploring; they hold a certain sadness in their depths.
His pelt is a patchwork of tricolor hues, cinnamon tabby and black tabby bisected along clean lines by a creamy white. A dark, blue-toned hue colors the right side of his face, broken up by panels of tabby markings akin to stained glass. On his head, cinnamon only appears in his cropped left ear and as two delicate curves under his right eye. His body, meanwhile, is for the most part white, much like the left side of his face. Only his right foreleg wears the same watery black tabby markings, with a cape of cinnamon draping across both shoulders like a cardinal's vestments. Dual stripes of blue-black frame a dark star on his chest, and dainty freckles of white spatter his shoulders and mark the bridge of his nose.
Technically: LH black tabby / cinnamon tabby chimera with high white.
Scars gained:
- Given four raking clawmarks over his left eye in battle during one of his birth colony's wars.
- Lost most of his left ear during a midnight raid on his home during one of his birth colony's wars.
- Given a deep scar high on his right temple during a rockslide while fleeing attackers in his youth.
Body Language
Standing tall and weary, Velvetdusk often appears tired through the very lines of his body. Though he has a noble carriage and stands straight, without much posturing or hunching, something about the way he moves seems to communicate an utter exhaustion. He moves slowly and thoughtfully, usually with intention—he does not often fidget and everything about the way he moves seems purposeful.
His resting expression is a small, solemn smile or a look of contemplation. He has deeply expressive features and he makes full use of them; often, his face and body say what his mouth might not. Often, he may appear to be muttering to himself; typically, this means he is whispering a prayer of some kind to StarClan or murmuring oaths under his breath. He may appear stricken or otherwise emotional without an obvious cause; usually, this is owed to some thought or memory causing him internal consternation.
In large groups of cats and in especially enclosed or open spaces—essentially, anywhere that appears vulnerable—he often seems alert and uncommonly nervous. Velvetdusk often makes an effort to subtly assess the spaces he occupies for quick exits, and has a tactical way of viewing situations that frequently intrudes on his otherwise peaceful nature.
When he speaks to others, he will appear entirely consumed by their conversation, his focus rarely veering from his companion. He often appears to contemplate his words for a long time before speaking, which may lead to slightly uncomfortable silences for his Clanmates while he mulls over his words. It's rare that he speaks without thinking it over first, and he tends to refrain from speaking unless it concerns practical matters or he feels a deep compulsion to lend his voice.
Inventory
- A strand of wooden rosary beads worn by his mother, Isabela, during her time as a church cat. Kept subtly beneath his nest to avoid intruding on Ternstar's policies.
