Jan 20, 2025
BIO.
ㅤㅤㅤㅤ𝖬𝗢꤬𝗧𝗛⵿Ξ𝖱 𝖥⵿𝗨⵿𝗖⵿𝗞𝗫𝖱 ㅤ— ㅤ #идиот; ☣ ㅤ༼ 💥
ㅤㅤㅤㅤ( БУРНЫЙ роман 。@USERLOVE ) 𝟭𝟵𝟵𝟬s 𐍃𐍀
ㅤ
HIGHLIGHTS.
1 . ɫᗰᏫᲩᎢᎪᏞ.
2. ㅤ自由 = 🚬
3. — ᒪІΒΕΠΤΞˊ · 走る
4. ( смелость ! )
5. MINE/ 親愛なる
6. 💥 ис⃢тинный⃧
— Like or reblog!
seen from Croatia
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seen from Yemen
seen from Russia
seen from Tunisia
seen from Malaysia
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seen from United States
BIO.
ㅤㅤㅤㅤ𝖬𝗢꤬𝗧𝗛⵿Ξ𝖱 𝖥⵿𝗨⵿𝗖⵿𝗞𝗫𝖱 ㅤ— ㅤ #идиот; ☣ ㅤ༼ 💥
ㅤㅤㅤㅤ( БУРНЫЙ роман 。@USERLOVE ) 𝟭𝟵𝟵𝟬s 𐍃𐍀
ㅤ
HIGHLIGHTS.
1 . ɫᗰᏫᲩᎢᎪᏞ.
2. ㅤ自由 = 🚬
3. — ᒪІΒΕΠΤΞˊ · 走る
4. ( смелость ! )
5. MINE/ 親愛なる
6. 💥 ис⃢тинный⃧
— Like or reblog!
Dark Forest Resident: Larchscreech
Aliases / Nicknames: Annoying Pest, SkyClan's Worst Apprentice, Problem Kit
Gender: tom
Sexuality: omnisexual
Family: Mudcloud (mother), Hailheart (father), Dewpaw, Mallowbark, Ratclaw, Juniperkit (brothers)
Other Relations: Sparroweye (mentor), unnamed apprentice
Clan: SkyClan
Rank: warrior
Characteristics: troublesome, manipulative, calculating, spontaneous, vicious when he wants to be, a sweetheart when he wants to be, hates being told what to do
Murder Motive: to win a game, to feel control, for fun
Number of Victims: 18
Number of Murders: 17
Murder Method: pushing off high places, snapping neck, leaving for predators, tearing throat, tearing underbelly
Known Victims: Burdockpaw, Laurelpaw, Hailheart, Mallowbark, Ratclaw, Dewpaw, Mudcloud, several unnamed Clanmates, two unnamed ThunderClan cats, several unnamed loners
Victim Profile: his denmates, the one that he wanted to win against, his best friend, his father, his brothers, his mother, cats that died in a battle he caused, random cats
Cause of Death: facial vein torn, killed by Mudcloud
Cautionary Tale: ??
Story:
He knows his mother blames herself for the thing that he became.
He doesn't believe it to be entirely true, but he does have fun twisting that wound.
Ever since he was young, they argued frequently. He was always getting into trouble, sneaking out, destroying herbs, talking back. There was no faster way to get him to do something than to tell him not to do it.
That was predominantly true for Mudcloud, who shouted and complained more than she talked or breathed.
It wasn't all his fault though, maybe if his mother had been more understanding and loving instead of always having to be right, they would have gotten along more.
But she couldn't wait for him to become an apprentice and leave her. If she didn't listen to him before, she definitely didn't now that he was someone else's responsibility.
Sparroweye wasn't cruel, but he was strict and stern and all he wanted to do was carve Larchpaw into a little obedient warrior.
Of course, Larchpaw decided to make that as difficult as possible. Everything was a challenge. Every single one of Sparroweye's nerves needed to be pushed to the limit.
His mentor hated him. He was sure his mother did too. But his brothers?
For some reason, they admired him.
They thought that he was the coolest cat in all the Clans, someone to be copied, someone to listen to.
Mudcloud openly blamed him for turning them into such troublesome kits. He couldn't really disagree with that stance, much as it annoyed him. No matter what they did, it was always his fault.
Though everyone and their mother--especially his mother--saw that he was trouble, no one really saw just how deep that darkness went.
It was an 'accident' the first time. No one could blame him for it, as far as they knew.
He had a training session with Burdockpaw. They would chase Lilackite, Burdockpaw's mentor, through the branches of the trees to test their balance.
It was a competition. A race. Larchpaw wanted to win. There was no reason beyond that, no remorse either, no overthinking. When he had the chance to push Burdockpaw, he took it, not even bothering to watch as the other apprentice fell to the ground, and not flinching when he heard a snap.
The only thing that bothered him about the death was that it overshadowed how well he had done in the race.
That night, while the Clan sat vigil and the mourning family wailed their grief to the stars, Larchpaw took Burdockpaw's nest and put it with his own. It wasn't like the other 'paw was about to use it.
He had dreams of Burdockpaw after that, crying, asking why he had done it. Sometimes he would fall, sometimes he would push Larchpaw. Larchpaw guessed that the dead apprentice was trying to guilt him. It couldn't come from his own subconscious, he would need a conscience for that.
If anything, the dreams were wonderful. That repeated look of terror, the thud and then silence, the piercing wail of kin. How easily their lives had been destroyed by one push.
While apart from their mentors one day, Larchpaw encouraged his good friend, Laurelpaw, to climb the Elder Oak, the highest tree in the territory.
Laurelpaw was hesitant, but Larchpaw encouraged her gently, stating that he will be with her every step of the way. His word remained true until they reached the top-most sturdy branches. They sat, catching their breath, and watched the horizon with a view they previously could only imagine.
Larchpaw asked her if she thought it was worth the scenery. Breath in her throat, Laurelpaw said yes.
Larchpaw pushed her. But he didn't let her fall right away. Instead, he gripped onto her forepaws that clung to the branch. Her hindlegs swung wildly. The best part was her expression, staring at Larchpaw in terror. Close in second was the quiver in her voice. He held on so he could see as it dawned on her that she would be dead in a matter of seconds, and to hear what a cat in such a position would say.
All those moons of living, all those meals taken, stories shared, disagreements made, would end. There was no better sense of power, no better sense of control. It didn't matter what memories were made, how many Laurelpaw's death would affect. It didn't matter how vehemently she wanted to live. It was all in Larchpaw's control, and he could snuff out her light with a mere blow.
The Clan believed it to be another accident, and strict rules were put in place. Some made the argument that trees were part of SkyClan's identity. Others questioned if that was worth more young lives.
Larchpaw was perfectly fine either way, amused by the squabbles.
What amused him more was the fact that Icestar considered him deputy material. How troublesome he had been, amongst...other things. To her credit, Larchscreech had not acted out since Burdockpaw's death. He had found a way to find release, one could say, in a less disruptive way.
But the fact that he was a murderer right under Icestar's nose, had killed her only daughter, and she was now offering him position of deputy in the privacy of her den, fully trusting, was nothing short of hilarious.
He could be in charge of nearly everyone. Could dictate where they went and when, could decide the fate of the Clan once Icestar was out of the way. Everyone would have to listen to his word...
He turned it down with a polite thanks, and suggested that Icestar instead choose Mudcloud. After all, she had to deal with him and her other troublemaker sons. No one could be a better fit to handle the Clan.
It wasn't a kindness. He knew his mother, that the responsibility and burden would crush her. It wasn't out of malice either, simply boredom. It would make for a fun show to watch.
If he had accepted the role of deputy and later became leader, he could lead the Clan to war, could slaughter right in the heart of camp and claim it to be StarClan's will. He could do whatever he wanted.
It would all be so...predictable. He would have power, but he wouldn't have fun. Besides, there were many villainous leaders in the past who have spent their entire lives planning towards their goal, only to be killed by the victorious hero right before they reach it.
It was better to be spontaneous, but to also be unpredictable. It was fun that way, entertaining.
Larchscreech's old mentor that he hates is cornered by a badger? Larchscreech jumps in to help, risking his own life.
Larchscreech's father, the parent he was closest to and who always defended him, is disoriented in the chaos of battle? Larchscreech slits his throat and later feigns great sorrow at the vigil.
He was as kind as he was callous, as gentle as he was vicious.
He would help sweet Rindlebloom, the Clan's oldest elder, walk through the territory so that she could see her favourite spots. He would tell stories to the kits and play their games. He would collect random trinkets that he would give to his Clanmates, and he would give encouragements to disheartened apprentices.
It wasn't always good or bad, either. Sometimes, he did things arbitrarily for the randomness of it, such as becoming mates with a loner-turned-Clanmate he hardly even knew (much to Mudcloud's disapproval).
His brother, Mallowbark, was the Clan's second medicine cat. No one would question it if Larchscreech paid his den a visit, no one would notice if he tampered with the herbs.
It was easy to crush up the holly berries and sprinkle its juices over the herb store, and replace the poppy seeds with foxglove. Mallowbark had already confirmed they were poppy seeds once, when he collected them. Why should he look closely now?
Only three cats got sick, one severely, and only one of the three succumbed to the poison.
The Clan had done nothing to him in the days leading up to that incident, he simply had the thought and ran with it.
Mallowbark was confused and distraught, and while he was pouring his heart out to his dear older brother, sniffling into his fur, the puzzle pieces clicked into place.
He tried to back up, but Larchscreech held him tightly. He whispered into the medicine cat's ear, telling him that he was his favourite brother, before he slammed him to the ground in a swift motion, reered up, and stomped down on Mallowbark's neck.
On a whim, he decided to drag the body to the nearest border--ThunderClan. But Mallowbark's body didn't look too much like the result of an attack, so it had to be cut in a few places to really sell it.
Mudcloud had to be physically restrained by three cats, but that wasn't enough to stop her from screaming bloody murder. She looked rabid as she demanded Icestar not let them get away with killing her son.
Ratclaw announced that he was going to tear off every pelt in ThunderClan, whether or not Icestar allowed it.
Larchscreech joined them. They had killed one of SkyClan's medicine cats! Clearly this was no mistake, they wanted the Clan weak!
Dewpaw, sad and frightened, clung to Larchscreech's side. Larchscreech took that as an opportunity to pointedly ask Icestar if she was going to wait until another one of his brothers was dead as he pulled Dewpaw closer to him.
The war was fun while it lasted. Two cats dead and ThunderClan's medicine store completely destroyed before a truce was finally called.
The family was still unhappy. ThunderClan still denied any involvement in Mallowbark's death, so there was no closure there.
As for Ratclaw's death, no one could be blamed but the young cat's bullheadedness. Hearing of a badger back in the territory, he had ran off to fight it on his own, not wanting any more of his family or Clan to be hurt. Too bad it was too much for the poor cat, and he was torn apart, his half-eaten remains found in the badger's den, a trail of blood leading the way there.
There was no reason to think his leg was broken by anything else, no reason for a mother or trusting little brother to think that Larchscreech could have been the one to injure him just so he could watch in the safety of the trees above as Ratclaw was ripped open.
Mudcloud's reaction surprised Larchscreech. He had expected her to become angry again, or to fold in on herself and never get up. Instead, she took action--but not against the badger.
She became the most loving, attentive mother Larchscreech had ever seen. She hardly ever let Dewpaw or Larchscreech out of her sight, never shouted at them--which she had always done--and she did everything she could to make sure they were as comfortable and happy as could be.
But it made sense. She already lost two sons so suddenly, why wouldn't she want to hold on tight to the ones she still had?
It made him curious....how would she react after three sons' deaths?
Dewpaw was the easiest. He never doubted his big brother for a moment.
Mudcloud broke down entirely. She cried silently, sitting stiffly at the vigil and staring at nothing in particular.
When she was able to speak again, she yelled at Larchscreech again. But she wasn't angry this time, she was begging. Begging for his forgiveness. Apologizing for not being a good enough mother to him. Begging him not to leave her too. Saying that she loves him so so much and please, please don't die too, don't leave her, please just stay with her!
What an interesting turn of events.
Larchscreech responded that he forgives her, promising to never leave her if she promises she will never leave him either. Of course, she had cried without a second thought.
Can I trust you?
Of course. There's no one you can trust more!
Even if I did something bad?
Mudcloud asked him what he meant.
At first he told her that it was a mistake, that Burdockpaw bumped into him and he reacted on reflex. Then he told her that Laurelpaw was making him angry and he pushed her without thinking, and she fell before he could grab her.
He didn't mean to do it, and he was the only son she had left, so Mudcloud comforted him through her shock, believing that he really had been a foolish apprentice that made horrible mistakes. She wouldn't tell anyone. His secret was safe.
I need your help.
She woke up to him standing over her, covered in blood. She kept his secret before. She would do it again. She would keep his secrets if it meant keeping him safe.
He didn't mean to do it, he told her. They came at him out of nowhere, jumped on his back--maybe it was meant to be a prank? Just a fun scare they can laugh at? But Larchscreech thought it was a real attack and reacted how anyone else would.
Icestar would understand, but Larchscreech pleaded with her not to tell anyone. Even if they believed him, they wouldn't forgive him. He can't live in a Clan that hates him!
So his mother didn't tell anyone.
Again, and again.
Every instinct screamed at her that he was a liar. This was too many accidental deaths. It didn't add up. But he was her baby, her firstborn, the only child she had left. She couldn't lose him too, she just couldn't, and she couldn't face the truth that he was a monster, no matter how obvious it was.
Larchscreech could see the internal battle Mudcloud was experiencing, and he grinned. It was amusing, and he was curious how much longer she would help him. He would have announced his crimes to the Clan himself just for the hell of it, but he wanted to see this game to its end.
Then he wasn't the only son left anymore.
Mudcloud only had one kitten--much like her first and last litters, a little tom she named Juniperkit.
Larchscreech was good to him. Gave his mother fresh moss and played with Juniperkit. Funny thing though, Mudcloud never let Larchscreech watch Juniperkit alone.
It was Juniperkit that went to Larchscreech. The little scamp had snuck out of camp and found his big brother. Larchscreech didn't even intend to harm him, simply let the excited kit ride on his back while he walked around the territory.
But Mudcloud was terrified. The moment she saw her kit was missing and that her eldest was not in the camp either, her heart seized. She couldn't ignore it any longer. She had to face the truth: Larchscreech was a murderer. He was a danger to Juniperkit.
He...he probably killed her other sons, too.
Mallowbark...
Ratclaw...
Dewpaw...
Juniperkit.
She had to get to Juniperkit!
Larchscreech wasn't hurting him, but the little one wanted his brother to take him to the training hollow and show him how to fight. He was gentle. His claws were out, but it was just for show.
That didn't matter, though, because Mudcloud knew what he was. He was a murderer. He had killed multiple cats in cold blood and looked at her with fake remorse while blood dripped from his teeth. He killed his own brothers, and now she saw him with a paw on Juniperkit's fragile back, his claws out--
She rushed at him.
Additional Information:
--We will see Mudcloud's profile soon!
--Death ref coming soon as well!
--Name suggested by @starfalcon555
--Base by Notsosmartypants on Toyhouse
Dark Forest Resident: Brightsway
Aliases / Nicknames: Brightbrain (sarcastically), Ambertail
Gender: female
Sexuality: heterosexual (??????) (not actually)
Family: shallowrun (mother), Fleetstar (parent), Dayplume (sister)
Other Relations: Barleyheart (mentor)
Clan: ShadowClan
Rank: warrior
Characteristics: could not take a hint if it was in neon font, steals kits who need ‘parents’, she’s actually the dumbest resident yet
Number of Victims: 5
Number of Murders: 0
Murder Method: N/A
Method of Harm: stealing kits, kidnapping, almost starting a war over said kitnapping
Known Victims: Finchmallow, Ashenfurrow, Ivykit, Doekit, Wheatkit
Victim Profile: gay couple and their kits
Cause of Death: executed by Finchmallow and Ashenfurrow
Cautionary Tale: ??
Story:
“So, when are you two going to find a proper mother for these three?”
Finchmallow spared a confused look to his mate, but decided to humor the strange, travelling healer.
“Actually, we’re going to raise them ourselves.”
The healer’s eyes narrowed.
“I see. So there will be no milk.”
“Well-”
“They really should have a proper mother.” The calico perked up. “Hang on, I have an idea!”
She was through the camp entrance before anyone could stop her, and the pair glanced to each other nervously.
—-
“Brightsway of ShadowClan--” Oakstar, the leader of ThunderClan started, only to be cut off.
“Ambertail of ThunderClan--” Hollowstar of Shadowclan spoke almost at the same time.
The pair glowered at each others as the leader of WindClan-- Fleetstar--took over the proceedings. “You are accused of stealing the kits of Ashenfurrow and Finchmallow of ThunderClan.”
The calico moved a pebble in front of her, seeming to think things through.
“They weren’t their kits though.”
There was a gasp that rippled through the crowd, and Finchmallow had to scruff his mate to prevent Ashenfurrow clawing out the eyes of the accused.
Fleetstar visibly bit her tongue. “That is not the question.”
“Then what is the question!?”
Fleetstar took a deep breath in, and let it out slowly.
“Did you, or did you not, take Ivykit, Daisykit, and Wheatkit from the ThunderClan nursery, and bring them to the ShadowClan nursery?”
“Oh, those are their names?” The calico purred and puffed up happily. “Yeah, I found them a nice mama!”
There was a deep, almost pained groan from Hollowstar at the warrior’s sheer stupidity and nerve.
“And did Ashenfurrow and Finchmallow ask you to do this?”
“No, but they’re toms, so they probably didn’t want kits!”
Fleetstar sighed. “Which name do you prefer?”
“Huh?”
“You have gone by the names Brightsway, and Ambertail. Which one is your favourite?”
“Oh… hmmm..”
“Quickly.”
“Ok, geez! I guess Brightsway? I like it because--”
“Brightsway of… who cares at this point.” Fleetstar turned away, trying to ignore the yellow eyes which were so similar to their own. “For the crimes of stealing kits, you are hereby sentenced to death by execution, at the claws and teeth of the kits’ parents.”
They took a deep breath, ignoring the horrorstruck face of Shallowrun in the crowd.
“May Starclan forgive you.”
Additional Information:
--Not homophobic, just dumb as shit.
--Character originally created by me, design and profile (backstory) created by @ambitiousauthor
--Will become part of the SparkXDoeXFurze poly (though it'll probably take her a while to figure it out).
Dark Forest Resident: Icequill
Aliases / Nicknames: Miserable Hag
Gender: she-cat
Sexuality: bisexual
Family: Smoketail (mother), Miststar (father), Flailcry (maternal half-sister), Ficklestorm (paternal half-brother), Bouncetail (mate), Sunclaw, Otterkit (daughters), Nightplume (son), Magpieheart, Mistlerose, Pigeonstripe, Palespeckle, Deerdusk, Freezepaw (granddaughters), Voleburn, Otterchirp, Flurrypelt, Wisphusk, Weaselpelt (grandsons), Heatherkit, Slateleaf, Scalepaw (great-granddaughters), Dewfur, Branchstripe, Doedaisy, Ashenheart, Eaglefeather (great-grandsons), Yewleap, Nightspeckle, Ashenshimmer (great-great granddaughters), Nightgorse, Burntknoll, Midnightdapple (great-great grandsons)
Other Relations: Mudfern (mentor / love / obsession), Owlbelly (affair partner)
Clan: RiverClan
Rank: elder
Characteristics: obsessive, confident, wants nothing more than for Mudfern's legacy to live on
Murder Motive: vengeance
Number of Victims: 12
Number of Murders: 2 (1 indirectly + unintentionally)
Murder Method: mauling in blind rage
Method of Harm: lying, manipulating, cheating, emotional abuse, pressuring
Known Victims: Stonedrop, Mudfern, Bouncebriar, Sunclaw, Nightplume, Magpieheart, Mistlerose, Pigeonstripe, Palespeckle, Deerdusk, Freezepaw, Voleburn, Otterchirp, Flurrypelt, Wisphusk, Weaselpelt
Victim Profile: her former mentor, the one she was in love with, the one who was mates with the one she loved, the one who murdered her love, her mate, her kits, her grandkits, those she pressured
Cause of Death: poisoned, killed by Deerdusk
Cautionary Tale: ??
Story:
She had been in love with Mudfern for as long as she could remember.
When he was assigned as her mentor, she thought that was StarClan telling her that they approved.
Surely, when she became a full warrior, they would become mates.
But that foxheart Stonedrop stole him from her!
She didn't love him like Icequill did. Icequill suspected the vain she-cat was using him for something.
She got into their heads, little comments. She lied about how she saw Stonedrop flirting with a kittypet and maybe that's why she smells like the Twolegplace so often--no, of course she wouldn't do that...would she? She would come up to Stonedrop feigning concern as she told her how Mudfern was saying another cat's name in his sleep.
Mudfern laughed her off at first, and Stonedrop scoffed. But the dismissiveness became concern, and concern became anger, then anger became full-blown hatred.
That was when Icequill lost the love of her life.
Stonedrop had said it was an accident, but Icequill knew better.
She was dead before the moon was over.
But Mudfern was still gone, and with him his laugh, his charm, the way his whiskers would twitch when he was annoyed or happy. Icequill couldn't have him back...
But his son could be a close second.
Icequill didn't love him, but it was worth it if it meant her kits could have her love's fur and eyes and all his best traits. She would keep him alive, through them.
There was the issue of Owlbelly not being her mate, but she had been so lonely after Mudfern had died that when Bouncetail confessed to her, she agreed without thinking.
Surely cheating wouldn't be so bad if she didn't actually care about Bouncetail? Surely her goals were good enough to override the harm?
As for Owlbelly, he didn't need to hear her real reasons. She only needed to tell him that she loved him, and that was enough.
She loved her kits when they came, though she was disappointed they didn't look how they should have. She wanted to try a second time, but Owlbelly was dead, and his brother wasn't interested.
She adored her kits, despite them not being perfect, and did her best to raise them so that they would at least have the same personality as their father.
That's what she told the kits when they would ask about him--Mudfern was their father as far as she was concerned, not Bouncetail and not Owlbelly. Other cats would correct her with shared glances, but they never thought that it was anything but a slip of the tongue.
She was certain that had he lived long enough, he would have been their father, and that he was watching from StarClan proudly, believing the exact same thing as her.
When little Otterkit caught greencough, she began to worry that Mudfern's bloodline wasn't as strong as she had hoped, and she pressured her remaining kits, Sunclaw and Nightplume, to have a mate and kits as soon as they could.
Nightplume failed and died kitless at twenty-nine moons. Sunclaw, however, had several litters and a total of eleven kits. Icequill couldn't have been more proud.
When those kits were close to warriorhood, she told them too to start looking for mates.
She was overjoyed when her favourite of the grandkits, Deerdusk, came up to her with a vole and told her that she was pregnant.
She was shocked to hear that the vole was poisoned.
Additional Information:
--Based off of Clangen antics.
--Stonedrop and Deerdusk will get their own profiles too!
--Given the fact that she was his apprentice and many moons younger than him, Mudfern would have never become Icequill's mate. He either saw her as a daughter or younger sister. Owlbelly was much closer to her age, younger by a little bit.
--She is the type of parent/grandparent to make it known who her favourites are.
--Her scars are from a burn, falling, and rats. Not mentioned because it was not relevant to the story.
--Weirdo.
Dark Forest Resident: Fierceflower
Aliases / Nicknames: Petalkit, Petalpaw, Bestie
Gender: female
Sexuality: bisexual (female-leaning)
Family: Redbark (mother), Charredear (father), Wasptail (brother)
Other Relations: Sageglint (mentor), Yellowpaw (best friend)
Clan: RiverClan
Rank: Apprentice
Characteristics: impulsive, fun-loving, a little ditzy (alive), reclusive, blind (dead)
Murder Motive: N/A
Number of Victims: 1 (unintentionally)
Number of Murders: 1 (unintentionally)
Murder Method: drowning (accidental), prioritizing herself
Known Victims: Yellowpaw
Victim Profile: her best friend, her denmate
Cause of Death: infection after getting her eyes scratched by a hare
Cautionary Tale: make sure you always follow your mentor’s instructions, even if they’re not around
Story:
A day to forget might not be very nice, think of the cats who played on thin ice.
A crack, and the two fell in… one saved herself but the other’s sunken.
Additional Information:
--Submission by @somethingsomethingdgronpa Welcome!
--Fierceflower named herself after death so other cats wouldn’t want to mess with her and so she wouldn't seem so vulnerable.
--Yellowpaw’s a male (he/him).
--Feirceflower was around 11 moons old when she died and 7 moons old when she left Yellowpaw to die.
-- From Somethingsomethingdgronpa: "I randomly generated this sprite and I just wanted to use it for something. I hope I did it right!" You did!
Dark Forest Residences: Aphidsong & Charhoot [PART 1]
Aphidsong
TW: Abusive relationship, implied homophobia
Aliases / Nicknames: several unspecified insults (by Charhoot)
Gender: she-cat
Sexuality: omnisexual
Family: Misha (mother), unnamed biological father, Dogleaf (adoptive father), Larchtail (brother), Sunheart, Poppybird (half-sisters), Stoatbug (half-brother), Creeklight (mate, formerly)
Other Relations: Blossompool (mentor), Tansypaw (apprentice), Charhoot (best friend + pretend mate)
Clan: WindClan (formerly), ThunderClan (formerly), none
Rank: rogue (previously WindClan warrior, previously ThunderClan warrior)
Characteristics: easily excitable, people(cat)-pleaser, hyper, adventurous (all pre-injury), prone to nightmares, struggles to find joy in life, increasing rage (all post-injury)
Murder Motive: wanting her nightmares to end, wanting the cats that made her life hell to suffer
Number of Victims: 42 (in life)
Number of Murders: 26 (in life)
Murder Method: suffocating, attacking/slitting throat, poisoning herbs
Known Victims: Creeklight, Sloehoney, Shrewstar, unnamed ThunderClan cats
Victim Profile: her former mate/the cat who tried to kill her, the medicine cat of ThunderClan, the leader of ThunderClan, random ThunderClan cats
Cause of Death: poisoned
Cautionary Tale: ??
Story:
Aphidsong's first memory was walking into the WindClan camp with her mother, just barely fitting beneath her belly where she hid alongside her brother.
Though it was hazy, she remembered the fear that mixed with awe when she looked around at all the cats, more than she even thought existed in the world, all staring at her and her family.
The fact that the first hints of the cruel, prejudicial life of the Clans can be caught in those earliest moments could be considered upsetting, to say the least, but Aphid, only two moons old then, had failed to notice the unsure and downright hostile glances some cats sent her, and her little ears couldn't pick up the arguments made to send the little family out for the crime of not having warrior blood. Or perhaps her brain had not understood the gravity of what they were saying and simply chose for her to forget.
By the time she was old enough to see the glances or hear the comments and know what they mean, most of her Clanmates had already stopped long ago, and now treated her, her brother, and her mother with as much respect as they would any blood-born Clanmate. The others consisted mainly of the elders who were stuck in their ways, and though they frustrated her greatly, she knew not to take them seriously.
It didn't hurt that a warrior, Dogleaf, caught feelings for Misha shortly after she joined the Clan and became the adoptive father of Aphid--now Aphidkit and Larch--now Larchkit.
Her kithood, apprenticeship, and early warriorhood were filled with little triumphs, shared laughter, and a spark of curiosity for every new thing she came across. It was the happiest time of her life. She later came to realize that much of that joy came from ignorance.
The first sign--or at least, the first sign that she noticed--appeared through her best friend, Charhoot. They had been close for moons and Aphidsong knew her friend to be nonchalant and easy-going, so when he became visibly stressed, she became concerned.
He confessed that he had been getting more and more pressure from his family to find a mate, and that it was getting to the point where he couldn't have a single conversation with any of them without them bringing it up, whether they were trying to convince him in earnest or were looking to tease him for his lack of a pretty she-cat by his side.
Aphidsong had joked that of course he has a pretty she-cat by his side, she's right here! It was only meant to be a joke, of course, she felt no romantic feelings for Charhoot, who was more of a brother than anything else. Meanwhile, he too felt no romantic feelings for her, nor any she-cat--which was the problem.
That was all it was at first, a joke. They had both laughed then before talking more and then moving on. But as time passed, the pressure from Charhoot's family grew, until he couldn't go a single second without the thought of it causing him immense stress.
Aphidsong and Charhoot had talked seriously then. They both vehemently agreed that neither liked the other in that way, but decided that for the sake of getting the pressure off of Charhoot's back, they would become 'mates.'
They wouldn't really be mates, it would simply be a fake relationship so that Charhoot didn't have to hear more comments about how time was running out. They didn't pretend to be more lovey and continued to act the same way around each other as they always had, justifying that they could act however they wanted, no one could prove that they weren't mates. Though when some cats said how they "always knew" or how Charhoot and Aphidsong were "meant for each other," both friends wanted to barf. It was even harder not to laugh.
Things were okay for a while. Then Charhoot's parents decided that their son finding a good mate wasn't enough--they wanted grandkits.
No, no. Stars, no.
Neither Aphidsong nor Charhoot were even going to consider that, and both had to only look at each other to see the same "that's disgusting, we're not doing that" look reflected in the other's eyes.
Worse yet, Charhoot's parents talked to Aphidsong's, and now the pressure was coming from both sides. The friends told their families that they weren't ready for that, but it became apparent that they couldn't keep that excuse forever. The more time that passed, the more insistent their families would be, and what would they tell them then? That they can't have kits because they have been lying to them for moons and had never actually been mates? The fallout of that conversation was not one they were willing to witness.
In attempts to avoid the topic entirely, Aphidsong and Charhoot took any reason they could get to stay out of the camp. When they weren't on patrol, either together or separately, they were 'spending quality time together.' To their families, that meant...well, they didn't care to know what they thought it meant, but for them it meant that they could hang out together as best friends without any 'aw, what good mates' remarks or judgements of how the Clan should be expecting kittens soon--gross. They could just be friends and hang out.
One day, Charhoot had left the camp before Aphidsong, who had been assigned den-repair duty. When she had finally been able to leave, hoping to catch up with him after catching a young grouse, she followed his scent trial to WindClan's far border.
There, she found him meeting with another tom with a perfectly circular nick in his ear.
He was flustered and embarrassed to be caught, while she was embarrassed to intrude. At first, Charhoot began to quickly say how they were just talking and Charhoot wanted to be polite, but then as his breathing slowed and he had a chance to think for a moment who he was justifying himself to, he dropped the lies quickly and told her the truth.
Charhoot had met the tom while on a solo-patrol when the tom spotted him from atop the barn that was his home and called out. Charhoot had never seen a cat on top of the barn before, so his curiosity was instantly piqued.
Charhoot admitted that he kept meeting with the barn cat--Mustache, and that he had caught feelings quickly.
Aphidsong had no qualms against her friend meeting with a cat from outside the Clan, whether or not it was for romantic purposes. She was only thrilled to see him so happy and in love. She offered to be his alibi, saying that she and him could leave the camp together and return together, and he and Mustache could meet up in the time between.
With more time to herself to hunt and patrol, it wasn't too long before Aphidsong was also meeting with a tom on the border. Creeklight was as funny as he was kind, Aphidsong's first impression of him being when he tumbled into the stream that separated their Clans after leaping into the air to catch a blackbird. She had been unable to resist laughter, and instead of becoming angry or ashamed, he just laughed with her until both had trouble breathing.
Now that both friends had a love outside of the Clans and both knew of the other's love, doubts began to crawl in, concerns that they expressed to each other.
If they hated living in their Clan so much that they avoided camp every day, should they just leave? They still loved their families dearly, and had other good friends that would make it tough to part. At the same time, they hadn't been as happy in recent moons as they have been after meeting with their respective mates. Their true mates. Maybe they should embrace that happiness, that freedom.
After thinking on it long and hard, Charhoot was the first to go, leaving for the barn after Aphidsong encouraged him to take the leap. Though they no longer lived in the same Clan, the friends kept in touch. Charhoot showed Aphidsong around the farm, and she would come to visit as frequently as possible.
Without her friend in the Clan with her, Aphidsong felt her connection to WindClan was growing weaker and weaker, while her bond with Creeklight was increasing.
Finally, inspired by Charhoot and how much happier he seemed to be with his love and away from the pressures of his parents, she decided that she, too, could take the leap.
It went downhill from there.
The ThunderClan cats protested greatly against letting her in. Being a Clan-swapper was bad enough, the fact that she wasn't Clanborn only made it worse.
Aphidsong was surprised. She had thought her heritage was long passed her. She served her Clan all her life. The only reason she was leaving it was to be with someone that she loved.
Shrewstar, ThunderClan's leader, was as hostile as his most vocal warriors, and made sure to let Aphidsong know, publicly, that the only reason he was allowing her to stay was for Creeklight's sake.
Aphidsong wondered if Creeklight would have been met with the same level of opposition had he been the one to join her. Somehow, she knew the answer was no.
It was worth it, though. She could freely be with Creeklight, able to patrol with him and share tongues and sleep in the same nest without having to sneak around or worry about getting caught.
It was harder to see Charhoot then, due to now having WindClan between them, but the friends still worked to see each other. Charhoot knew of the situation--Aphidsong had told him before she left, and together they came up with a plan to follow the stream just past the ThunderClan and WindClan borders whenever they wanted to hang out.
That was easier said than done. Between being a new addition to the Clan and not having the full trust of her Clanmates to be alone while on patrol and the longer trek for both cats, the opportunity to meet up was fewer and fewer.
One day, the meeting was witnessed by Hazelfox, Creeklight's sister who never shied from letting her distaste of his relationship known. She had confronted Aphidsong when she had returned to ThunderClan, and brought her right before Shrewstar and the rest of the Clan, despite Aphidsong's pleads for silence.
Aphidsong had tried to say that she was only meeting with her friend, but because of the lie she and Charhoot had created, cats were quick to accuse her of infidelity. It didn't make sense for Aphidsong to move farther away from Charhoot in order to meet up with him, but no reasoning Aphidsong could come up with would change their minds.
Life in ThunderClan became harder for Aphidsong after that. The few friendships she was able to form had evaporated within seconds now that everyone believed her to be a cheater, and those that already disliked her joining the Clan became outright venomous. She couldn't so much as walk across the camp without having several pairs of eyes staring daggers at her.
Now, she was a former loner, Clan-swapper, and a cheater who probably manipulated poor Creeklight, who all of sudden is not a traitor but instead a poor tom who was blinded by love.
Creeklight was a whole other issue, as he didn't believe Aphidsong, either.
Aphidsong had tried desperately to tell him the truth, to get him to believe her, but she couldn't tell him why she and Charhoot are only friends now after being 'mates' for moons, she couldn't tell him that it was all a lie because even if word didn't spread to her and Charhoot's families, she didn't want to out Charhoot to a cat he hardly knew. It hurt worse than shattered bones to see Creeklight so devastated, and living with ThunderClan would be incredibly hard, but she would rather have cats think poorly of her than think poorly of Charhoot.
Creeklight didn't break up with her, as Aphidsong had expected, albeit with a heavy heart, but he wanted her to prove her loyalty to him.
She had pointed out that she left her Clan and family to be with him, but he was insistent, claiming that he could never be sure if she truly loved him or truly loved Charhoot, not without having his kits. If they became a family, it would solidify their relationship, as well as Aphidsong's place in the Clan.
Aphidsong had told him before that she wasn't sure if she would ever have kits, a fact she reminded him of. Perhaps, one day, she would, but today was not anywhere near that day.
When she refused, he acted pitiful and sad, claiming that her refusal was proof, that if she loved him she would do it, that they were going to have kits one day, so why not now?
The pushier he was, the angrier Aphidsong became. She would be damned if she was going to put herself through two moons of pregnancy, six moons of sitting around in the nursery, and to top it off, a lifetime of motherhood--something she wasn't even sure if she wanted at all yet--just to appease him. Not to mention how painful the labor itself would be!
He became angry too, until the argument became a shouting match and Aphidsong decided that if he couldn't trust her without her mutilating her body for him, than they should just break up.
Terrified at that and enraged all at once, Creeklight shoved at Aphidsong without thinking. She stumbled back, nearly losing her footing on a ravine's edge. He blinked at her, shocked, but instead of helping her right herself, he pushed at her again and sent her tumbling down onto the rocks below.
Aphidsong couldn't remember much after that second shove, but she didn't black out. There was pain, she knew that, hot fire scorched across her face. She felt a wetness pooling around her body, and half the world was darker than usual.
She would later learn that she was in a state of shock after a patrol had found her and lifted her out. Apparently Creeklight was remorseful and told the Clan what had happened when he got back. Or, well, he told them that she 'fell'.
Again, no one believed her. She hissed at Creeklight, demanding he stay away. She tried to tell the medicine cat who bandaged her face, tried to tell Shrewstar, heck, she tried to tell anyone who was within earshot to hear her.
They thought she was either misremembering things after her head trauma, had simply been confused, or that she was downright making things up.
Creeklight, meanwhile, went unpunished. He was nothing but a hardworking, noble warrior with a heart of gold, still able to love and bring supplies to the she-cat that cheated on him and accused him of harming her.
It would be a lie to say that Aphidsong didn't doubt herself. Was she remembering wrong? What if Creeklight really had been trying to help her?
No.
If it had happened once, maybe there would be a chance she was wrong, but he did it twice. He had pushed her, and he did it deliberately, and now he was the hero who ran to the camp for help, a loving mate for always checking on her, and she was the heartless fox for snapping at him to leave every time he came near her.
She didn't care if he regretted it, as he had tried to tell her when no one else was around to hear. The fact of the matter was that he did it, and he did it because she dared refuse to have his kits.
She missed Charhoot.
She wanted to see him again, to go back to the days when everything was fine, when everything was happy. But she was confined to the medicine den for the next who-knew how long. She didn't know how badly she was injured, there were no puddles in the camp to see her reflection. She only knew that bandages covered much of her face, and that she couldn't see out of her one eye anymore.
Even if she could leave, Aphidsong wasn't sure if she had the energy to. Sorrow weighed heavily on her chest, pulling her into a pit of deep depression that she saw no light in. If she wasn't sleeping, either dreaming of the blissful days of younger-year or having nightmares of her life now, she was staring blankly at the wall.
Sometimes, something would set her off. The sound of a rock smacking onto the ground as kits played pebble-toss, the wind picking up as it had then, or even nothing at all. It all gave her intense, uncontrollable anxiety so deep it shook her bones.
Though not unsympathetic to these episodes, Sloehoney, the medicine cat, never gave her anything more than poppy seeds. He told her that he would consider something more if her episodes persisted longer than a moon, but she had overheard him talking to Shrewstar just outside of the den, claiming that WindClan warriors were fragile, and loners even more so, and that he was sure her apparent symptoms felt real to her, but she was probably just being dramatic. Shrewstar didn't argue, instead he agreed and suggested that Aphidsong was only making things seem worse than it was to get out of work. After all, she had been in the medicine den for nearing four moons now.
Had it really been so long?
Aphidsong was shocked. The days had melted together, and her sleep schedule was off. Still, four entire moons? Those were moons she would never get back, a chunk of her life gone all because of Creeklight, and the bastard got off scot-free, able to experience every day like it was nothing, like just having to wake up wasn't the hardest thing in the world.
Then a miracle happened. He fell sick.
Aphidsong was wary at first, fur bristling as he was moved into the medicine den with her. She spent the next several days backed against the wall, as far from him as she was able to get. In those days, she watched as he grew weaker and weaker, staying awake for less time, forming less coherent sentences.
She saw as Sloehoney only had to nudge at his lips for Creeklight to open his mouth to swallow down the medicine he needed, not even opening his eyes anymore to see what was being fed to him.
Technically speaking, that was when an idea began to form, though at the time there was a disconnect between Aphidsong's mind and her body. No plan was formed that she was consciously aware of, no step-by-step strategy or devise scheme.
She slipped out of camp on her body's accord. Her mind was elsewhere, numb, unable to so much as take in the feel of the grass beneath her paws or the clear night sky above her. It had been forever since she had seen it.
When those berries were in her paws, when her eyes--eye was looking at it, that's when everything came rushing to her and Aphidsong jumped back with the same terror as if she had been pounced on by a fox.
Had she really been about to do it?
She looked around wildly, at the shadows around her, hearing the hoot of an owl in the distance. She shouldn't be out here, she shouldn't be doing...what was she about to do? She began to run back in the direction of the camp.
In her haste, Aphidsong slipped in mud, and landed with a thump and splash in a puddle.
Her bandages had been removed at this point, but this was the first time she was out of camp, and the first time she saw...
It was horrible.
Laying, bruised, partially caked in mud and drenched in water, she could only stare down at the face that she couldn't recognize. The scar was ugly, red, digging from her cheek to her ear, nearly splitting her face in two. The eye it covered was closed shut. Aphidsong wasn't sure if she could open it. She wasn't sure if she wanted to, or if she wanted to see...
Her good eye was wrong, too. It wasn't marked, wasn't even scratched, but it held a darkness beneath them, heavy bags that marked her face as clearly as the scar. Her ears drooped low, as did seemingly everything about her.
Who was this cat? This wasn't her. She was Aphidsong, happy, cheerful, energetic, and loud. This cat...this was a stranger. This wasn't the she-cat that had rolled down the hills with her brother. This wasn't the apprentice that got scolded for laughing too much during training. It wasn't the she-cat who could still smile and have fun, even when her family was pressuring her.
No, this cat was...
It couldn't be her...
It couldn't be her!
What had happened to her?!
What had that bastard done to her?!
With energy she hadn't felt in moons, Aphidsong stood and raced back to camp. This time, her mind was clear. Focused. She wasn't going to stop herself this time.
Any cat awake didn't notice her, because they were distracted by a Clanmate's active labor in the nursery. That also meant that Sloehoney was out of the den, and probably wouldn't be back for a while.
Aphidsong hadn't went back for the deathberries. She didn't need them. She stood over Creeklight, her shadow making him blink open his eyes. She only allowed him a moment to see her, to know who was there, before she held him down with her paws, suffocating him as she forced his muzzle into her fur.
His struggles were muffled and weakened by sickness. Before too long, Creeklight's movements stilled as he went limp. Aphidsong's heart pounded, the sound echoing through her ears. She got up and returned to her nest, pretending to fall asleep, staring at the opposite wall, eye wide at what she had just done.
She had just killed someone.
She was a murderer.
And yet...no guilt sunk in.
Aphidsong didn't regret what she did, nor did she take pleasure in it. Rage guided her paws, but so did the belief that if Creeklight was gone, the nightmares would stop. If he was dead, then she could go back to normal.
Things just weren't so easy.
Aphidsong sat for the vigil. She didn't do it for him, she just didn't want more cats on her back if she avoided it. She listened to the fond memories they shared, how Creeklight was such a good Clanmate and friend and how much everyone in ThunderClan would miss him. She wanted to scream at them all, remind them of what he had done to her, the agony he had put her through. She wanted to show them how horrible he truly was, but they didn't believe her then. None of them believed her. Why would that change now?
She wondered what would be said at her own vigil when the time came. Did any of these cats even know her? Did any of them even care to learn who she was? How many knew that her favourite prey was wagtail? Or that she hated leaf-bare but loved to catch snowflakes when they first began to fall?
Would they say anything nice about her? Or would they not say anything at all?
Four moons in the medicine den, and not one cat had stopped by to visit her, her attacker not included. Well, that wasn't true. Hazelfox stopped by to yell at her for 'spreading lies' about her brother.
Aphidsong wanted to leave. Needed to. Her parents and brother must hate her for abandoning them. Would they take her back if she begged? She decided that giving it a shot would be better than life here. If they turned her down, she could always go to the barn. She knew Charhoot wouldn't turn her away.
But Aphidsong couldn't leave just yet. She was out of the medicine den by this time, her face as healed as it could get. But all that time spent sitting or laying down had weakened her legs. She couldn't walk without stumbling. She had thought she would be fine, after all, she had managed to run in the forest before, but apparently her spiraling thoughts and high adrenaline had distracted her from the pain in her limbs.
She needed a little more time before she would be able to make the trek to WindClan's border, where all of this started. She should have never met Creeklight. She should have never left everything for him. She thought that she would have a fresh start, a new life. She hadn't thought that everything would be taken from her and nothing would be left. It wasn't supposed to be like this.
Finally, when she was sure she could make it, she headed for Shrewstar's den. She wasn't going to leave without a word, not that these cats deserved her reasoning. But when she neared, she overheard him discussing the kits' apprenticeship.
He and Longhowl thought carefully about each young cat, carefully choosing which mentor would fit specific personalities and temperaments.
Then the conversation moved on to Tansykit, an abandoned loner found on the edge of the territory. They talked about how much trouble she would have keeping up with the warrior-blooded apprentices, how her adoptive mother tried to toughen her up, but Tansykit would complain that she was mean. They laughed about it, chuckling about loners and their soft hearts. Longhowl suggested someone tough for her, someone stern and strong and who would surely train the loner out of her.
Aphidsong's heart was racing. She had little time to move away so that it didn't look like she was eavesdropping when the conversation abruptly ended and Longhowl left the den. She didn't move in time, and he noticed her at the mouth of the den, questioning what she was doing.
Aphidsong told him that she had to speak with Shrewstar and slipped past him before she could say anything.
Now was her chance.
She would tell Shrewstar that she was going to leave, and then she would, and all of this, all of the bad memories and pain and the horrible thing she had to do would be behind her. She would return to WindClan and be with her family and friends and cats that loved her and she would visit Charhoot every day and she would laugh again and share food with other cats and she would sleep without being woken up by nightmares, and she would....she would....
Shrewstar asked her what she wanted.
She opened her mouth, tongue going dry.
Then, without really thinking, hardly knowing she was speaking, she told him that she wanted to mentor Tansykit.
He seemed unsure at first, but she told him that she wanted to make up for the moons she spent healing and unable to contribute, how as a former loner herself, she would know the best way to handle someone like Tansykit. She was insistent, near demanding, until Shrewstar gave in with a shrug and agreed.
Aphidsong left the den, wondering what the hell she had just done.
It was a choice made without real thought, and one that she would spend that night clawing at herself for.
But when it came time for Tansypaw's apprentice ceremony, seeing the glow in the young she-cat's eyes as well as the nervous flick of her tail, her regret loosened its grip and a wave of affection washed over her.
In the next several moons as she trained the apprentice and gotten to know her, that regret disappeared completely. The affection, meanwhile, strengthened tenfold.
Aphidsong loved Tansypaw. The little cat was so full of energy and a desire to learn, taking in the world around her with wide eyes, and a smile on her face even when she messed up. She reminded Aphidsong of herself at that age, though the two also had many differences. Tansypaw preferred hunting over fighting, her sense of humour differed from Aphidsong's, she struggled to sleep at night and was tough to wake at dawn, while Aphidsong was a deep-sleeper and an early riser.
Those things were so small and unimportant. Aphidsong didn't care if Tansypaw's favourite meal was mice feet. How could that matter to her when Tansypaw's giggly smile could light up a moonless night?
It was exactly what Aphidsong needed. She had spent so long being sad and alone and angry and numb. For the first time in what must have been forever, she felt like herself again.
Tansypaw would make jokes, and Aphidsong would laugh, before silently gasping and wondering how long it had been since the last time she had laughed like that.
There were sadder moments, too. Tansypaw knew of the things other cats would say about her, and when she struggled with something, she would blame herself for being so weak.
Aphidsong refused to allow her to think such things. When Tansypaw apologized for struggling, for not being able to keep up because she was stupid, Aphidsong would sit with her and hold her close. And when Tansypaw stopped rambling and took a breath, Aphidsong would assure her that she is smart and capable, and she just needs more time, and that was okay.
She would calmly ask Tansypaw what parts were confusing her, what tasks she was struggling with, and would listen to the apprentice until they could figure out together where the problem was. Sometimes it was something as simple as the way Aphidsong worded her directions.
At first, Tansypaw blamed herself for not understanding, thinking it should be so easy and she was an idiot for not getting it. After talking with Aphidsong, she became more and more comfortable with speaking up when she was having trouble. Every time, Aphidsong would listen to her patiently and explain things in a different way. Sometimes she would have to go further than that, using visuals to help explain.
Never once did she sigh or roll her eyes or show the slightest bit of annoyance. She knew that if she had left that day, Tansypaw's mentor wouldn't have been nearly as patient. The poor thing would be miserable.
Aphidsong couldn't keep her safe forever.
During a harsh leaf-bare, Aphidsong and the apprenticeless patrol she was with was caught in a sudden snowstorm. Though no cat had gotten frostbite, their condition was bad enough to keep them confined to camp for the next two days.
Tansypaw was given to another warrior to train while Aphidsong recovered. Aphidsong listed everything the temporary mentor, Billowpelt, needed to know, including the fact that Tansypaw greatly struggled with balance and that he should avoid any place covered in slippery ice. She suggested he stick to the mossy clearing, where the moss gave something Tansypaw could grip onto, and the overhead trees blocked out most of the snowfall.
Billowpelt hadn't listened.
That stupid, worthless tom! He had taken Tansypaw to the iciest part of the territory, explaining later that he had thought Aphidsong was going too soft on Tansypaw and that it was the best way for Tansypaw to learn how to balance without issue.
Instead, she had slipped, snapping her neck.
Aphidsong had been too shocked to say anything right away. But then came the vigil. When Billowpelt spoke, he didn't apologize for causing Tansypaw's death, for deliberately putting her safety in jeopardy. No, he put on a frown and stated that maybe it was for the better, that loners like Tansypaw couldn't make it in Clan life and it was better she died now, quickly, then suffer more in the future when she was unable to fight in battle or hunt in another leaf-bare.
He made it seem like it was all her fault, her own death, and not one cat--not even Tansypaw's adoptive parents or littermates--spoke against it.
Aphidsong couldn't take it. She lunged at Billowpelt, tackling him to the ground and clawing as she screamed. Screamed at him for not listening, screamed at him for blaming Tansypaw for dying when he should have protected her, screamed at him for calling Tansypaw a weak loner when it was comments like that that made Tansypaw doubt herself in the first place.
She was a good cat, a really good cat!
He clawed her back, and the two were caught in a whirlwind of tooth and claws until finally several cats got between them and pulled them apart.
Shrewstar snapped at Aphidsong, demanding how she dare disrupt a vigil in such an awful way. Didn't she care a cat was dead?
Aphidsong had glared at him, glared at all of them. She yelled how none of them truly cared, they were just pretending to. They looked at Tansypaw, a bright and curious young cat, and saw nothing but another mouth to feed, a waste of space, a cat that was useless because she wasn't born with warrior-blood. There was so much more to Tansypaw. Even when she was exhausted from a long training session, she never let Aphidsong leave without a smile on her mentor's face. Even when she was hurt and struggling, and even when her own littermates teased her, she would worry about them and how they were doing. She was the kindest, funniest, most amazing cat in all the Clans, but not one of her Clanmates other than Aphidsong even knew it because all anyone else could see was a weakling loner.
The Clan was cowed, ducking their heads as Aphidsong stopped to eye every single one of them. Then she spat, telling them that she hoped the frost kills them all, before leaving without another word.
She hated them, hated every single one.
She hated Creeklight for trying to manipulate her. She hated him for trying to murder her and scarring her for life, and she hated that he never confessed to the truth when everyone thought she was lying.
She hated the whole of ThunderClan for thinking she was lying about something so horrible. Not one cat--not one cat--believed her. No one in that Clan ever stood up for her. They all just left her to rot in the medicine den, going by their days as if she weren't completely breaking down.
The few friends she thought she had made when she first joined turned their backs on her without a second thought, without hearing her out.
She knew that Shrewstar hated her for being WindClan. For being a loner. Sloehoney, too. All that time with him and the two have never grown close. Sloehoney had always treated her like a burden to be delt with rather than a cat to help or friend to talk to.
It was all their fault that Aphidsong's old self is such a stranger to her. It was all their fault that Tansypaw was always so anxious she would screw up, because they judged her more than the others because she had loner-blood. It was all their fault that Tansypaw died.
Why did they deserve to live when Tansypaw was rotting beneath the ground, meal to the worms?
That's just it.
They didn't.
Plans began to form, the first of which were inefficient.
Aphidsong saw a warrior hunting on their own and attacked, but though she had managed to end the ThunderClanner's life, it had been a struggle that left her panting for breath. There was no way she could deal with all of the Clan like this.
She pulled the body into the stream so that her scent couldn't be traced. They would likely suspect her, but room for speculation gave her room to escape.
As she sat on the bank, her eyes drifted, stopping on two red berries shining in the starlight.
Poisoning the prey didn't work as she had hoped. No one grabbed the already-dead mice and birds, perhaps thinking that they were sick. Getting living animals to eat poison wasn't exactly a cake-walk either, and the one vole that was stupid enough to take the bait didn't survive the poison long enough to be hunted.
Aphidsong was growing increasingly frustrated. She was about to take her anger out on a tree trunk when movement caught her eye and she ducked, sheathing her claws.
It was Sloehoney, out and looking for....herbs.
It was perfect! Cats digested them, put them on open wounds, and because the victims would be cats already sick or injured, no one would notice something was wrong until it was too late!
As soon as Sloehoney was gone, Aphidsong got to work. She knew exactly which plants were herbs and which weren't, having spent four moons beside then.
She would take deathberries and squeeze their juice out and onto the plants, making sure they were nice and coated.
She wasn't sure how well the juice worked in respect to the rest of the berry, so she made sure to shake it up now and again. Some deadly nightshade here, some yew there, some holly berries sprinkled between.
After a while, she couldn't stand not being able to see them all suffer, so she crept toward the hollow slowly and carefully until finally she reached the cliff's edge and peered down below.
It was a delight to see how few cats were in camp. She guessed the rest were either all in the medicine den or beneath the ground. Though she was a fair distance away, she could see how exhausted Shrewstar was, worry for his Clanmates wearing him down, and she smiled at his misery.
She couldn't find Sloehoney. She wondered if all that handling the tainted herbs had killed him.
It was finally time to leave. She covered as many herbs as she could find one final time for good measure, before setting off across the border.
She stopped at the stream where she had dropped the body a moon earlier, where she had met Creeklight and made the worst decision of her life. Taking back that decision in one movement, she leapt over the stream and landed back on WindClan territory. She had slipped a little, her vision not being what it used to be, but it still felt as good as a clean landing on a thin precipice.
She considered going back home, but she knew it was too late for that. Maybe she would stay with Charhoot at the barn. Maybe she would explore and make up for the time she lost.
Before any of that, though, she had to eat.
Charhoot
TW: homophobia
Aliases / Nicknames: Hon, Hoots, Char, Love, Dear, Sweetie, several unspecified insults (by Aphidsong)
Gender: tom
Sexuality: homosexual
Family: unnamed biological mother, unnamed biological father, Sprigbirch (adoptive mother), Adderstripe (adoptive father), Mitecloud, Flecktooth (adoptive brothers), Mustache, Ferret (mates)
Other Relations: Billowweed (mentor), Marsh, Cone, Rubble, Max III, Boo, Marbles, Fliss, Toby, Rebel, Slink [Slinky Malinky], Shebee (flings/situationships), Aphidsong (best friend + pretend mate)
Clan: WindClan (formerly), none
Rank: barn cat (previously WindClan warrior, previously travelling loner)
Characteristics: somehow incredibly geeky and incredibly cool at the same time, loves sharp things, overconfident in his own abilities
Motive to Harm: N/A
Number of Victims: 0
Number of Murders: 0
Murder Method: N/A
Method of Harm: N/A
Known Victims: N/A
Victim Profile: N/A
Cause of Death: prolonged inversion (blood pooling in the brain)
Cautionary Tale: ??
Story:
He loved the family he was adopted by. Sprigbirch was loving and incredibly protective, and Adderstripe always gave them the best gifts whenever he returned from a patrol. Neither ever treated Charkit differently from their biological sons, who were two moons older than he was, and they never bothered Charkit for not being Clanborn.
While Charhoot wished to know who his biological parents were and their reasons for leaving him, it wasn't so important that it weighed on his mind as anything more than a mild interest. He was sure they did what they thought was best, either because he remembered how thin they had been when he last saw them, memories that replayed in his mind as fuzzy dreams, or because he wanted to believe in the best of them. It was easier that way.
Aphidkit was soon to become an apprentice by the time Charkit was old enough to explore the camp, and she took it upon herself to show the young one around, excitedly pointing out the different areas--best places to hide for hide-and-seek, the dens, and every detail both important and nonconsequential. She was so eager, she was more energetic than the younger kit.
The two formed a quick bond then, a relationship that would only grow and strengthen as time went on, until eventually that friendly relationship would need to become an outwardly-appearing courtship.
Charhoot thought he could ignore the comments at first, just brush his parents off. They bothered his brothers too, so the pressure was at least spread between them, but then Mitecloud and Flecktooth both found mates and Adderstripe's and Sprigbirch's attention narrowed right on him.
He wasn't sure if he could just tell them the truth--he didn't know of anyone in WindClan or any Clan that was like him. Every she-cat liked a tom, every tom liked a she-cat. If he told his family that he liked toms, how would they react?
He couldn't tell them directly. Instead, he tried to bring up same-sex relationships in a general sense to gauge their reactions, lying that he had seen two loners a while across the border that were cuddling like mates, though both were toms. Interesting, wasn't it? What did they think?
While neither Adderstripe nor Sprigbirch seemed outright disgusted by the idea, which was a relief, both made it clear that such a relationship is good for loners, but not Clan cats. Clan cats need to be sure that each generation would provide kits for the next, and that simply couldn't happen if two toms were mates or two she-cats were mates.
That was that, then. Charhoot couldn't tell them. He couldn't tell anyone, only Aphidsong, who already guessed it because she had caught him mooning over another tom at the gathering once when they were apprentices
Though Charhoot's 'relationship' with Aphidsong provided temporary shelter against the barrage of 'hurry ups' and 'find a pretty she-cat,' it couldn't protect Charhoot against the pain that was building inside.
Having a fake mate to get his parents off his back was one thing, but Charhoot wondered more and more if he would never get to live with a real mate who he actually romantically loved if he kept living in the Clans.
Perhaps that is why he was so intrigued when Mustache first called out to him, and why he kept going back more and more.
He was grateful to Aphidsong for covering for him. Stars, he was so grateful to her for everything.
Even when he told her that he was considering leaving the Clan to live with Mustache, she wasn't angry. She only smiled, always so cheerful, and encouraged him to take the leap. By this time, he knew that she had her own out-of-WindClan relationship, and gave her the same advice.
Leaving WindClan was the best decision Charhoot had ever made, but that didn't mean he wasn't scared out of his mind when he did it. He worried if he was making the wrong choice, wondered how hurt his parents and other friends were.
At the same time, the air felt so much less constricting. The world felt bigger, brighter, and Charhoot was eager to explore it. He looked around his new home with awe.
The more he was away, the more the guilt slowly evaporated. Charhoot found it easier to sleep, and that the cold ice in his chest was gone.
That bad feeling returned, however, when again and again Aphidsong failed to meet up with him. He began to worry for her safety, but when he had tried to visit, he was chased off by a patrol, who yelled at him to leave her alone, as she had a 'new mate now.'
He didn't hold it against her, he doubted she even knew anyone was chasing him off, and at least their words confirmed that she was alive and okay. Maybe she was just too busy now, having to show her new Clan she was trustworthy, moving in with her new mate.
Charhoot thought of it, and smiled for her. He loved her and hoped to see her again, but if they were both happy with their lives, then what was the rush?
Without her, and without his parents and other connections other than Mustache, Charhoot found less of a reason to stay. He loved Mustache and part of him wanted to remain mates and stay there in the barn with him, but the other part wanted to grab onto the wind and have it carry him all over the world. He had the freedom to explore places he never would have back in WindClan, the chance to meet new cats and see new things, and after debating it for several days, he decided he couldn't let that go.
He gave Mustache one final nuzzle good-bye, before setting off.
The world was bigger than he could have ever dreamed of, with so many sights and sounds and animals he had never seen before, not even in the Elders' stories.
Too, he met many cats on his exploration, including many toms. Some of them he only met with once or for a few days, others travelled with him for some time. Every single one of them held a special place in his heart, as they each gave him the life he used to think he could never have, even if only for a short time.
He felt the pull to explore for many moons. Then, after a while, he felt the pull to go back home.
He reunited with Mustache and met the new barn cat, Ferret, both of whom he would become mates with--again, for one of them.
He still thought of his parents, his brothers, and of course, of Aphidsong, all of whom he hoped to see again soon.
Additional Information:
--LINK TO PART 2: CURRENTLY TBA
--BASES:
Charhoot's base is by @/Splasharooni here!
Aphidsong's base is by AlaskanCat on DeviantArt
--I know Charhoot's kind of ends suddenly, but it transitions cleanly with part 2's beginning!
--Aphidsong ate an animal that ate an herb that she poisoned, thus accidentally poisoned herself. I like the idea that she ate a shrew, as it's kinda funny/poetic (Shrewstar can go f himself though).
--Charhoot's circular ear-nick comes from the farmers, who use it as a way to tag their cats.
--Aphidsong's scars (other than the main one) come from her fight with Billowpelt and from when she attacked and killed the one random ThunderClan cat.
--Charhoot's parents don't think that same-sex relationships is wrong, but they are narrow minded and don't consider other possibilites like surrogacy, so they think that the only way they can have grandkits is if all their sons are in relationships with she-cats.
--Misha and Dogleaf had their own litter of kits sometime after Aphidsong left, and they are her half-siblings. She never knew they existed though because no one told her.
Dark Forest Resident: Timberfoot
Aliases / Nicknames: Tumblefoot. Tiiiiimbeeerrrfoot
Gender: male
Sexuality: homosexual
Family: unnamed mother, unnamed father, unnamed aunt, Lightkit (adoptive daughter)
Other Relations: Acornlight (close friend)
Clan: ShadowClan
Rank: warrior
Characteristics: externally confident, internally anxious, self-doubtful, friendly, suffers from seasonal depression, misses his friend
Murder Motive: vengeance
Number of Victims: 1
Number of Murders: 1
Murder Method: poisoning
Known Victims: Needletoe
Victim Profile: those that caused his friend's death, those that caused his friend's kits' deaths, those that caused his adoptive daughter's death, the medicine cat
Cause of Death: hyperthermia / heat stroke
Cautionary Tale: listen to your patients when they tell you something is wrong
Story:
It was nothing, at first, just a mild headache, a weak stomachache. Acornlight went to the medicine den, and all was well.
She soon found out that she was expecting kits. She and Timberfoot were delighted! Though he was not the father and they would never consider even raising kits together, she was still happy and he was happy for her.
They were good friends, have been for many moons. They would goof off together, share jokes and laughs. But it wasn't all fun and games, they would also have serious conversations. When Timberfoot's mate broke up with him, it was Acornlight he sought out for comfort, and she provided it. When Acornlight was nervous about anything, she went to Timberfoot for advice before anyone else.
Acornlight had even saved Timberfoot's life. That was how they became such good friends, when previously they had simply been amicable Clanmates.
During a battle, Timberfoot had slipped, hitting his head and knocking him unconscious. Seeing this, Acornlight had raced over to him and stood over him protectively, chasing away anyone who dared go near until at last the fight was over and she and a few other Clanmates were able to drag him to safety.
Timberfoot was in the medicine den with her--due to the wounds she got while fighting cats off--and the two realized how similar they were.
How ironic that such a pleasant memory could become so vile.
Initially, they had thought that Acornlight's sickness was a result of her condition. But the stomachaches and headaches kept coming back, worse and worse and worse.
It became clear that this wasn't just pregnancy sickness. Something was wrong.
She tried to talk to Needletoe, but after the first several visits, he dismissed her. Clearly, she was becoming too reliant on the herbs and just needed to rest. He couldn't keep spending his precious medicine on one cat who was probably just overreacting.
Acornlight was miserable, and Timberfoot couldn't stand seeing her in such a state. It got to the point where she couldn't leave her nest. Sweat soaked into the moss of her bedding. Moans of pain filled the nursery. Her eyes were always screwed tight, until she couldn't even muster the strength to so much as furrow her brows and just laid there, struggling to breathe.
She was burning. Timberfoot knew it from when she was still able to speak. Everything burns. It's-I'm on fire, everything's on fire. Her words had become screeches clawing through her throat as she rolled desperately in her nest, trying to make the excruciating pain end. It burns! It burns! It burns!
Timberfoot's heart broke, seeing her in such agony.
Yet Needletoe still did nothing. He gave her poppy seeds to help her sleep, and promised to get her something more if the pain continued, a promise he never kept.
Timberfoot rarely ever left her side, only leaving for necessities and to hound Needletoe into finally doing something useful.
Then the kits came.
But Acornlight...she was so gone. Her eyes were glazed over, her claws unsheathed for so long, thrashing and gripping that they had become stuck.
She was dying. There was no denying it. Timberfoot felt sick all the way to the bones, a nausea that threatened to flood his entire body.
He never witnessed kitbirth before, but he knew enough that it was one of the most painful things a cat could go through, yet here Acornlight was, not even reacting, in too much pain to even move anymore. Or maybe she was already on her way to StarClan...
Timberfoot stayed with her all the way through, grooming her in comfort, murmuring encouragements, even though he knew it didn't matter anymore. He still wanted to hold onto his friend for as long as he possibly could.
Needletoe didn't seem bothered at all by this, focused on delivering the kits. Timberfoot watched, frozen, unable to breathe or blink, hoping for the best but fearing--knowing--the worst.
The first kit, a beautiful little tom. His ribs poked out of his skin, and his muzzle was short and his tail bent. Dead before he was even born.
The second kit, another tom, had the same fate.
Timberfoot didn't think his heart could sink any lower, but somehow, with each stillborn kit, it dug deeper and deeper.
Meow!
One little kit had survived. A she-kit that looked just like her mother. She was weak and abnormally small, but she was alive. She would be nursed by Specklemist, a Clanmate who had recently become pregnant and would be moving into the nursery shortly.
But though she would be nursed by Specklemist, Timberfoot would be the one to raise her. He made a vow in that moment, to the little kit and to Acornlight.
He only left her with Specklemist long enough to sit vigil for Acornlight and her fallen kits, and to bury them in her favourite spot beneath the pines.
As soon as he was done, he returned to Lightkit, who was full, and curled around her in a clean, comfortable nest, hugging her close as his tears fell silently.
When he woke up, she was cold and still.
And he was furious. Losing Acornlight was enough, but this--this sent him over the edge.
Needletoe killed her.
Needletoe killed Acornlight.
Needletoe killed Lightkit.
Needletoe killed all of the kits.
Acornlight spent two moons in excruciating agony until it finally killed her and all of her kits. It killed her and took everything that was left of her with it.
All because of Needletoe!
Timberfoot wanted to kill him, wanted to make him suffer. He was going to make him suffer.
It burns! It burns! It burns!
And he knew exactly how he would do it.
Simply killing Needletoe with fire wouldn't be enough. It was far too quick, and there was too great a risk it would spread to innocent cats.
No, Acornlight had felt fire scorch her insides, and that's exactly what will happen to Needletoe.
He patrolled, trying to think, or to distract himself or just get away from it all. That's when he overheard a mother kittypet talking to her kits about the plants in their garden. She warned them not to eat it, that it would burn them up inside and make them incredibly sick.
Timberfoot didn't trick the medicine cat. He followed him on his way to the Half-Moon meeting, and when he was in a perfect spot--too far for the camp to hear and too far for the other medicine cats to hear--he struck, pummeling and slashing at Needletoe until he was too weak to stand.
Then, he presented him with the 'herbs,' telling him exactly what they would do, and that if Needletoe didn't eat them by choice, then Timberfoot would break his jaw open and stuff them down his throat by force. Seeing the look in his eyes, Needletoe could not see a single word of a lie.
It is interesting to think that just two moons ago, heck, even less than that, Timberfoot would have never imagined doing something so cruel. It wasn't who he was--back then, at least. He was not one to even the score, to deliberately hurt someone and find satisfaction in their pain.
But something in him broke when Acornlight died. Any light that was left in his life faded to nothing when her only surviving kit perished with her and Timberfoot woke up to a cold and lifeless tiny body in his embrace.
Now, he saw the red streaks that marked Needletoe's body and craved slashing him more until he was completely red.
Now, he watched as Needletoe screamed, struggled, and convulsed, all with a blank expression.
Needletoe vomited, first something yellow, then pink, and then fully red. He finally stopped moving just before the sun rose.
Leaving his body there, Timberfoot followed the horizon. Though he still had other friendships and connections, he was a shell of himself now. There was nothing left.
He walked endlessly for days on end.
Then he began to burn.
Additional Information:
--His nicknames come from when he slipped in battle, and also because @meowstival suggested the name Tumblefoot
--The plants he gave to Needletoe was a mix of stinging nettle and either pain bush or manchineel, both of which cause painful blisters. Don't know if they can cause those internally, but for the sake of the story, let's say they do. Manchineel can also cause strong allergic-like reaction.
--The two plants are not native to the Clans, but the Twolegs brought them for their garden. It's all a mix of circumstances and right place, right time for Timberfoot to find them and to hear that kittypet.
--Needletoe wasn't malicious, just a terrible, terrible medicine cat.