#elkthorn

[vivirrins]

Verdict

@clansoftheshoshone

[residents-of-the-darkforest]

Dark Forest Resident: Mousenose

Aliases / Nicknames: N/A

Gender: non-binary

Sexuality: asexual, grayromantic

Family: Toadbounce (mother), Quailpaw (brother)

Other relations: unnamed mentor

Clan: Shadowclan

Rank: warrior, rogue

Characteristics: kills when overly provoked, kills for fun, kills those who annoy them

Number of Victims: 7

Number of Murders: 8

Murder Method: biting throat, blunt force trauma, breaking jaw, torturing

Known Victims: Nettepaw, Foxpaw, Quailpaw, Elkthorn, Mistlefur, Pebbleskip, Bloomwish, Rainfleck

Cause of Death: impaled by rocks int he jaw, neck, and chest

Cautionary Tale: N/A

Story:

The cat version of the kid in class who drew instead of paying attention, Mousepaw preferred doing things by themself rather than being told what to do by their mentor. They seemed to do better at self-teaching anyways, so most let it be. That is, except for Mousepaw’s brother, Quailpaw.

Quailpaw picked at Mousepaw relentlessly, bothering his littermate at every opportunity, telling them that if they insisted on doing everything alone, then they will certainly die alone as well.

Two sisters, Nettlepaw and Foxpaw, joined in the bullying, perplexed by Mousepaw’s need to be alone all the time and choosing to pick on them for it rather than learn.

More and more, Mousepaw spent time out of the camp, greatening their isolation and worrying the fur off of their mother and other Clanmates.

While hunting one day, Mousepaw heard Nettlepaw approach and attempted to leave, but Nettlepaw was already set on messing up her fellow apprentice’s day.

It was an accident.... sort of. Mousepaw kept asking, begging, Nettlepaw to please just leave them alone, and Nettlepaw only got closer and closer. Everything was red, and before Mousepaw knew it, Nettlepaw was hanging limply by her throat in Mousepaw’s jaws.

When they returned to camp, Mousepaw told everyone that they had been attacked by a rogue, and Nettlepaw died trying to protect them both. Being the sweet kid they were, no one doubted them.

Well....almost everybody. Foxpaw already didn’t like them, so it was to no surprise when she began to blame Mousepaw for her sister’s death. Elkpaw, another apprentice, defended Mousepaw against Foxpaw’s anger, but still her bullying grew increasingly intense until, well, there was another body to be buried.

The guilt Mousepaw had felt with the first manslaughter was noticeably lower. It was almost non-existent. In fact, they kinda wanted to do it again. A hot wave rolled back and forth in their stomach, feeling bigger and bigger with each passing day. Mousepaw knew what they had to do to release the tension.

Quailpaw’s body was found curled at the base of a tree, head split graphically, with a bloodied rock next to him. Mousepaw was so, so upset after all the deaths. At least they had Elkpaw to comfort them, and to give them red flowers as well. 

Toadbounce was devastated. Utterly broken by her kit’s death, she had to retire early, and Mousepaw decided it was best not to kill again. Even if she still wanted to, the Clan had instigated a rule that no apprentice leave camp without at least one warrior escort.

Which also meant that Mousepaw could no longer be by themself. 

Time passed, and Mousenose became a warrior along with the other remaining apprentices, Elkthorn included. Overtly kind around Mousenose, he refused to take the hint, or direct comment, when Mousenose told him that they weren’t interested in taking a mate at the time.

But he kept pushing, apparently thinking being nice to Mousenose when they were apprentices meant that he was entitled to them as a mate, so Shadowclan had another body to bury, torn to shreds. It was suspected that he was killed by rogues. Maybe the ones that had killed the three apprentices had returned.

Mistlefur, Elkthorn’s father, wasn’t as quick as his Clanmates to believe his son’s death was the cause of random rogues. He investigated Elkthorn’s death, going as far as to dig his son’s grave. 

Watching him, Mousenose was confused, until Mistlefur found their fur between Elkthorn’s claws. 

It was spur of the moment, rushed, and Mousenose nearly lost the fight. Winning, though, they shifted the blame of Elkthorn’s death onto Mistlefur, claiming that he had wanted to blame Mousenose for the murder. 

Less warriors believed them. Incredibly skittish and paranoid after they were nearly caught, they were no longer the adorable the apprentice that could do no wrong. 

Still, they managed to add two more bodies to the count: Pebbleskip, a molly who always sat too close and ate too loudly, and who had her jaw smashed in before she died, and Bloomwish, a tom who treated himself as though he were Starclan’s chosen, bragging about even the smallest achievements. Mousenose had some fun with his death, and it was clear that Bloomwish was quite viciously tortured before he died, body nearly unrecognizable. 

But their fun couldn’t last. They were caught in the middle of Rainfleck, an annoying warrior who Mousenose was surprised no one wanted dead. 

Chased out of Shadowclan, Mousenose had just reached the end of the territory when they tripped, falling onto a patch of long, sharp rocks. They were impaled through multiple parts of their body, including the chest, jaw, and neck.

Slowly bleeding out, they died alone. But that’s how they wanted it.

Additional Information:

--Submission by @bvnny-skvllz​ ! My favourite quotes from this include, but are not limited to, “Quailpaw, who was tragically born with massive bitch syndrome,” “gaslight, gatekeep, theyboss,” and “Cain instinct took over.”

--Very big and fluffy, they nearly rival Jackdawfoot in size.

--In the Dark Forest, Mousenose continues to want to be by themselves, and will hurt anyone who sticks around for too long.

--They’re very sneaky for someone so big.

--They’re very pretty, and has a voice similar to that of MLP character, Fluttershy.