#tigerdawn

[residences-of-the-darkforest]

oooh hold on

Tigerdawn is the biggest and buffiest cat of the Clans when she was alive

what if that trait gets passed down to at least one of Fennelmoth’s babies? Just a huge beefcake with the thinnest possible mother

[residences-of-the-darkforest]

WAIT WHAT IF WILDKIT IS A DECENDANT (indirectly, like a great nephew) OF ONE OF HER VICTIMS?

Tigerdawn and Ivypetal would tell tales of how brave and heroic Mouseshell was, because in their minds they owe her for being so bad/neglecting her and this is a way to make up for it.

So Wildkit was used to stories of her, which is why he believed that she could be trusted above everyone else

still stuck on what he did though

[residences-of-the-darkforest]

Ivypetal and Tigerdawn: unable to sleep, unable to escape that constant feeling of blood on their paws, unable to escape the ever constant idea that it’s all their fault Mouse did what she did, they’re sorry, they’re so sorry, they should have treated her better, should have been better, they didn’t need to kill her, did they? Surely they could have stopped her without killing her but now it’s too late and she’s in the Place of No Stars and she’s alone and suffering and probably scared—

Mouseshells in the Darkforest during all of their spirals: *snaps open a cola and leans against a beach chair*

[residences-of-the-darkforest]

I want to include Mouseshell’s family more in her story so I’m thinking what if her cousin Doebur joins the Dark Forest so that she can have kits?

She did have a male mate but maybe they had trouble conceiving or didn’t try for a kit before one of them ended up dying. But two StarClan cats can’t have kits even in the Dark Forest and who would be willing to be a donor for two StarClan cats?

Also Tigerdawn (maybe Ivypetal?) would for sure use the opportunity to see Mouseshell

[residences-of-the-darkforest]

Do You Still Love Us? (short story)

The tunnel entrance was black as a starless night, gaping and lifeless and dreadful, a stark contrast to everything around it–the twittering of birds in the distance, the soft lush grass that flowed softly against the warm breeze, the colourful flowers that sprouted all-year long among the fields.

Tigerdawn couldn’t stop staring at it, imagining how much worse it must be on the other side. The fur lifted along her spine. If she felt this scared just from staring at the entryway, what must it be like where Mouseshell was? How much worse must her little sister’s fear be? Her father’s?

She wished she could have convinced him not to go, but she knew there was no stopping him from making sure that Mouseshell was safe. A large part of her missed him, but there was another part that was glad Mouseshell wouldn’t be alone. With Applesting, they were terrified for his safety and missed him every day, but they knew that he loved them, were able to tell him how much they loved him before he left. But Mouseshell…their last moments together had been so vicious.

So much time had passed since she had died, even longer since Mouseshell. Yet there were times when the pain was as fresh as if it had only happened yesterday. They had discovered a lot of things in their time in the Stars. The fact that cats could still have kits after death in the Dark Forest, that cats in StarClan could send blessings to keep those kits well-protected.

Tigerdawn didn’t know if her sister had had kits. She didn’t even know if she was still…but she sent blessings anyways, just to be safe. Though the family never really talked about it, she was sure that they did the same.

It was okay for cats in StarClan to visit the Dark Forest, now. To have kits of their own, or to just see their lost loved ones…

Tigerdawn lifted a paw, poised to step forward, but she couldn’t move beyond that first motion and remained still, frozen.

“What are you thinking? Get away from there!” 

Tigerdawn whipped her head around to face her other sister, Ivypetal, who was hurrying across the meadow towards her. 

Tigerdawn lowered her paw. “I…I just…”

“You were going to go through!” Ivypetal’s tone was furious, but there was a deep terror that flashed in her eyes. “Why would you want to go in there? In that place?”

Tigerdawn shrank into herself, despite her large size. “I only thought–”

“That you would what? Visit her? Ask her how she is? She tried to kill you! Or have you forgotten that?”

“Well, you killed her!” Tigerdawn snapped, and immediately regretted it. Ivypetal’s expression darkened, and her face contorted in grief for a moment before she forced it away. “Sorry, I shouldn’t have said that.”

“You’re right,” Ivypetal sighed. “I did kill her. To protect you,” she added with a growl. “So maybe you should say ‘thank you’!”

Tigerdawn ducked her head. Her eyes flicked back to the tunnel entrance, lingering. “I don’t know what I was thinking. I just…I thought…I don’t know. I don’t know why I still care so much after it all.”

Ivypetal’s gaze softened. She pushed through the remaining distance between them and pressed herself against Tigerdawn’s chest. “Because she’s our sister, and we loved–love her. Even if…Even if she doesn’t love us back.” She lifted her head and met Tigerdawn’s eyes. “You just…” Her voice quivered. “You just wanted to see if she loves you again. But...Please don't do that again. I don't want to lose my only sister I have left to that awful place."

Tigerdawn gasped, the lump in her throat so strong it nearly suffocated her. She dug her claws into the ground, trying to keep steady as she swayed and tried to breathe. 

Slowly and gently, yet firmly, Ivypetal stirred Tigerdawn away, and they staggered, using each other as support, until the tunnel could no longer be seen and they both collapsed onto the floor, still holding each other close until finally Tigerdawn could breathe again and she blinked a few times, trying to focus. Ivypetal looked to be in just as much distress. But she, too, blinked the tears away and gave her sister a weak smile. Her ears flicked at the sound of a squirrel chittering nearby. “Wanna hunt?” 

Tigerdawn smiled back. “Maybe we could just stay here for a little bit longer.”

Ivypetal pressed her nose against Tigerdawn’s cheek. “Alright.”

It wasn’t long before the soft breeze and even breathing–and previous stress–caused Tigerdawn to doze off. She snored gently, little breaths that stirred that grass against her muzzle. Watching her, Ivypetal couldn’t resist a glance over her shoulder, to where they had come from. To the tunnel she could no longer see, to the place beyond it, where her sister and father were.

Does she still love us? She couldn’t help but wonder.

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--Since it's been a while since I've said it, to be clear a StarClan cat cannot have a kit with another StarClan cat in the Dark Forest, they only can if the other parent is a resident or Dark Kit.

--Ivy didn't mean to kill Mouseshell and still feels bad about it to this day. But it had to be done.

[residences-of-the-darkforest]

What if Mouseshell tried to manipulate Ivypetal’s kits (or grandkits/great-grand kits) for funsies.

She gets close and the one she was messing with almost kills their sister, but when looking at her face, couldn’t do it and lowers her claws—opposite to how Mouse kept viciously going even when Tigerdawn looked at her horrified and confused

[residences-of-the-darkforest]

Mouseshell’s family (living)

Noticing now that I didn’t include “Mouseshell’s sister” under Ivypetal’s name. Aw well.

Ivy and Tiger get their purple pads from their maternal grandmother, Amberstar, while Mouseshell gets her brown eyes from Applesting’s father

Fun fact: Tigerdawn has a heart-shaped mark on her chest like her papa! Ivy sorta has one on her tail-tip if you squint (though it also looks like the same shape as the mark on her momma’s leg)

[residences-of-the-darkforest]

how did Mouseshell die?

Ivypetal tore a chunk of her flesh out!

Neither Ivy nor Tigerdawn WANTED to hurt Mouseshell, but Mouseshell was set on hurting them lethally, so trying to stop her with hits they were holding back on wasn’t working. It was when Mouseshell lunged for Tigerdawn’s throat that Ivypetal had the “I NEED TO STOP THIS NOW” thought and bit into her deep, and yanked her back—only instead of yanking her back, she tore off a big piece, and Mouseshell bled to death.